After a brief scuffle, Mash and the group split into teams to build sand structures.
Teams:
Koharu, Hanako, Hifumi Azusa, Mashiro Mash, Tsurugi
Koharu's team went classic, crafting small castles and Peroro figures, enjoying simple fun.
"Look at my masterpiece!" Hanako gestured to a sand haniwa with an oddly prominent chest.
"What's that!?" Koharu gasped.
"Just a haniwa, nothing special! ♡" Hanako teased.
"You made that on purpose!" Koharu accused.
"It's impressive, Hanako-chan," Hifumi said. "Have you made these before?"
"Nope, first time!" Hanako chirped. "It's nice to play without worrying about status or differences."
"That's…" Koharu started.
"No heavy talk!" Hanako interrupted, smiling. "Let's check on the others! ♡"
The trio agreed and moved to see the other teams.
"There's Azusa-chan and Mashiro-chan—wait, what!?" Hifumi exclaimed.
"What… is that?" Koharu gaped.
"A castle—literally," Azusa said.
"Look at our fortress! ✨" Mashiro boasted.
"It's a real castle!" Hifumi cried.
The massive sandcastle, big enough for people to enter, stunned them. Azusa and Mashiro had built it in no time.
"Why so huge?" Koharu asked.
"For defense," Azusa replied. "Perfect for sniping or throwing sandballs."
"Those are basically rocks!" Koharu protested.
"You two are amazing!" Hifumi said. "Sensei and Tsurugi-san must be—"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"—shocked!?" Hifumi yelped.
"What's that!?" Koharu shouted.
A colossal sand choux cream emerged, carried by Mash and Tsurugi.
"Of course, it's Sensei!" Koharu said.
"What's that giant sand choux cream!?" Hifumi asked.
"Our masterpiece: Sand Choux Cream," Mash declared.
"Literally!" Koharu groaned.
Only Kivotos' strongest—Trinity's walking weapon and the muscle-bound Mash—could craft something so absurdly huge.
"Tsurugi-san helped?" Mashiro asked.
"Yeah, it got fun, so we went big," Tsurugi admitted.
"It overshadows our castle…" Mashiro sighed.
"We lost," Azusa conceded.
"It's not a contest, but you're both winners," Koharu said. "Your castle's amazing too! Let's take a photo!"
(How did they even make these? I won't ask…) Hifumi thought.
"Good timing," Mash said. "Nagisa-sama asked for something."
"A request?" Hifumi asked.
Mash pulled out his phone, explaining as he fiddled with it. "She wants photos of everyone's summer memories. Said it'd make her feel like she's here, cooling off."
"That's… sad," Koharu said.
"Nagisa-sama's swamped with no breaks," Mashiro noted.
"I'll bring her a treat later," Mash said.
"Poor thing…" Hanako murmured.
Nagisa, single-handedly managing Trinity's affairs, had been desperate to join but stayed behind, practically spitting blood from envy.
(She also asked for tons of Hifumi-chan's photos. Wonder why she's so obsessed…) Mash thought, deciding some things were better left unknown.
He prepped his phone. "I'll set it up."
"You're not joining, Sensei? That's lonely," Koharu said.
"Nah, I've got this." Mash pulled out an iron staff.
"Iron… staff?" Hifumi blinked.
Mash bent it with a crunch, crafting a tripod. "Like this, and… done."
The girls froze, unable to process Mash reshaping metal with his grip.
"Iron… bent?" Koharu stammered.
"Grip strength…" Mashiro muttered, eyes wide like a cosmic cat.
"It's Sensei, so…" Azusa shrugged.
"Normal for him," Tsurugi agreed.
"Almost time! 3, 2, 1—pose!" Mash called.
Click.
Mash checked the photo. "Pure youth."
The image captured:
Hanako clinging to a blushing Koharu, smiling. Hifumi hugging Azusa, who looked quietly pleased. Mashiro and Tsurugi mimicking Mash's muscle pose, unsure but enthusiastic.
"Let me see! Wow, great photo!" Hanako cheered.
"Friends in a picture… nice. More!" Azusa said.
"Let's keep the fun going!" Hifumi urged.
"Youth doesn't end!" Tsurugi roared.
"More, more fun!" Koharu echoed.
"Alright, prep for the next game—summer continues!" Mash declared.
"Summer! Continues!" they shouted.
"So, we did Azusa-chan's watermelon smashing earlier…" Hifumi began.
"Figured it'd go like that," Mash said.
"You're all sticky, Sensei…" Koharu noted.
"It'll smell for a while," Hanako said.
"Juice in my nose stings," Mash admitted.
"Who knew watermelon smashing would become watermelon crushing…" Mashiro mused.
Earlier, they'd started a watermelon-smashing game at Azusa's request. But chaos ensued.
"There's the target!" Tsurugi shouted, blindfolded, leaping forward.
"Tsurugi-senpai!? Use the stick!" Hifumi cried.
"RAAAH!" Tsurugi smashed the watermelon with her fist.
"Fists!?" Koharu gasped.
Tsurugi's overzealous punch obliterated the watermelon, juice splattering everywhere. Mash dove in to shield the girls from the mess.
"…" Tsurugi slumped, dejected.
"It's fine, she got carried away!" Hifumi said.
"Yeah!" Koharu agreed.
"No one's hurt, so don't feel bad," Mashiro added.
"First time seeing Tsurugi-senpai so down… wings drooping, triangle-sitting," Azusa noted.
"I'm fine, see? We've got more watermelons!" Mash said.
"Sensei…" Tsurugi perked up slightly.
"Looks like 'Task Force Leader got punched, bleeding' now," Azusa teased.
Critical hit: 10,000 damage to Tsurugi.
"Azusa!" Koharu scolded.
"Sorry, slipped out," Azusa said.
It took three minutes to console Tsurugi.
Bang! "Dead center, as expected of the Task Force," Hanako praised.
"Azusa's no slouch either—two perfect shots!" Mashiro noted.
"What even is watermelon smashing anymore?" Koharu groaned.
"Trinity quality! ♡" Hanako laughed.
Hifumi gave up retorting, offering a wry smile as Azusa and Mashiro turned it into a shooting contest.
"Let's eat the watermelons! The shot ones are on this plate," Mash called.
"Fine, but this won't feed us all," Koharu said.
"I've got ten spares," Mash replied.
"Ten!?" Hifumi gasped.
"No knife, though. Bite whole?" Tsurugi asked.
"Nope." Mash lifted a watermelon, digging his fingers into it.
Crack! He split it clean in two.
"What!?" the girls gasped.
"Done. Grab a piece," Mash said.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Koharu shouted.
"What's wrong?"
"That's not smashing, that's tearing!"
"Can watermelons be split by hand?" Hifumi asked.
"Not easily… probably just Sensei," Mashiro said.
"…" Tsurugi casually split one too, eating.
"There's another!" Koharu cried.
"No one smashes normally!" Hifumi wailed.
Later, Mash dominated a watermelon-eating contest, Tsurugi's proper stick-smashing cracked the sand, causing a stir, and Azusa pelted delinquents with watermelon chunks. Youthful chaos reigned.
"Red Archive meant watermelons?" Mash mused.
"No way!" Hifumi shouted.
Next time: A special guest? Hint: Choux cream.
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