"What a boring answer... Let's play volleyball, everyone!"
Fujiwara Chika was holding a beach volleyball, but to some people, it looked like she was holding three whole balls.
"You guys want a volleyball match? Very good, then I'll be the referee!" Uchiha Ryo also pulled a beach chair over to sit down, and even found a whistle from the box.
Hiratsuka Shizuka took a bottle of beer from the portable cooler and sat beside Uchiha Ryo.
"Very good, then I'll be a referee too. You guys play slowly."
"Eh? Hiratsuka-sensei and Ryo-kun aren't joining?" Chitanda Eru counted the number of people and found that they could clearly be divided into three teams.
Hiratsuka Shizuka waved her hand. "On such a good beach, of course I have to have a drink. What volleyball? If you want to play, drag Uchiha in. But aren't you afraid someone will take advantage if he joins you?"
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "You are all girls, it would affect the balance too much if I join. Besides, Hiratsuka-sensei isn't young anymore, let her rest."
"Hey! Who are you calling old! I actually just passed my eighteenth birthday by a hundred days~"
"Then why did Hiratsuka-sensei say I really can't join. And are you sure the unit is days? Not months!"
The two referees were tit for tat.
Hiratsuka Shizuka snorted coldly. "How about this? After they finish forming teams, we each choose one team. The winner takes all, the loser apologizes!"
Uchiha Ryo chuckled. "Sure. Chitanda, how are you guys dividing teams?"
"We are still discussing..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka stood up. "Discuss what? I'll pick one, Uchiha will pick one, until no one is left!"
The few girls on the beach looked at each other, nodded, and agreed to the two referees' decision.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
Uchiha Ryo spoke first: "Hayasaka Ai!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked disdainful. Picked a gyaru, this isn't a beauty pageant, although all the players present are beautiful. "Then I choose Chitanda!"
Hmph hmph, Chitanda comes from a farming family and has been running around in her own fields since childhood. She definitely has stamina! Not a loss!
Uchiha Ryo pondered for a moment. "Then Yukinoshita."
"What, picking me makes you dissatisfied?" Yukinoshita Yukino stepped forward and stood behind Uchiha Ryo.
"No... just your stamina isn't suitable for a war of attrition."
Hiratsuka Shizuka raised her head. "Really don't know how to arrange troops. I choose Fujiwara Chika!"
First of all, Fujiwara was the one who proposed playing, and Hiratsuka Shizuka remembered that Fujiwara Chika had participated in the school's girls' volleyball exhibition match, so strength and stamina were not problems!
Uchiha Ryo rubbed his chin. "Then... Shinomiya-san!"
"Hmph, picking me third. But with me here, victory is certain." Shinomiya Kaguya is the ace of the Archery Club, stronger than even Shirogane Miyuki, so picking her is definitely not a loss.
Amakusa, Shirogane Kei, and Goto Hitori were left. Hiratsuka Shizuka was a bit conflicted... logically Amakusa should be the best choice, but this person's brain circuit is very strange and prone to accidents.
"Goto-san, right. Mn, I've seen your band's performance. Come to my side."
"Then I want Kei-chan." Uchiha Ryo greeted Shirogane Kei.
"Ryo-nii! I'll do my best!"
A certain Classic Literature Club President: "Ah? Why am I the last one left? Damn it, then I'll join Hiratsuka-sensei's side."
The two teams lined up—
Uchiha Squad: Hayasaka Ai, Yukinoshita Yukino, Shinomiya Kaguya, Shirogane Kei.
Hiratsuka Squad: Chitanda Eru, Fujiwara Chika, Goto Hitori, Amakusa Shino.
Referees: Uchiha Ryo, Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Audience: Ishigami Yu, Shirosaki Hana, Tsurumi Rumi
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "Victory definitely belongs to us. Just look at our team members, one B-level and three A-levels! You guys can't win!"
What B-level A-level? Shinomiya Kaguya frowned. She didn't remember being graded for playing volleyball.
"Ryo-kun..." Yukinoshita Yukino gritted her teeth.
Hiratsuka Shizuka was also stunned, then turned to look at her team members.
"Uh, our side is C, D, D, A. Don't be afraid! They win at most in being light and convenient. We can completely win by hard power!"
Amakusa Shino clutched her chest. She didn't want to play anymore! Why were there only Cs or Ds around her! Is this team targeting me?!
In the audience seats. Shirosaki Hana curiously pulled Tsurumi Rumi beside her.
"Rumi, Big Sister Yukino and the others have levels? Then what level are we?"
Tsurumi Rumi: "... A-level, probably."
Shirosaki Hana's eyes widened. "Eh, we are so amazing?!"
...
Leaving aside the volleyball match on the beach for now, someone might ask, where did the two people swimming in the sea go?
Nyanko-sensei sleeping on the blanket opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the sea.
On the sea surface about two hundred meters away from the beach, Shirogane Miyuki struggled to surface forcibly. "Help!! Gurgle gurgle..."
Shirogane Miyuki, who had just learned to swim not long ago, sure enough got a cramp during the sudden long-distance swim.
"I'll take you back right away!" Takashi, who was nearby, quickly swam over and put one of Shirogane Miyuki's arms on his shoulder.
Just now they were clearly heading towards the buoy, why did the buoy remain far away even after they swam nearly two hundred meters?
Currents? Impossible to be so fast. Is something dragging the buoy? The purpose is to make them come to deeper waters!
While pondering, Takashi stabilized his mind. Natsume Takashi, who has experienced many youkai incidents, has a mental fortitude not inferior to a seasoned detective.
While slowly approaching the beach, Takashi and Shirogane Miyuki felt a solid sensation under their feet...
The two looked down... and saw the head of an adult blue whale. Shirogane Miyuki, excellent in studies, judged it at first glance. A marine giant of over thirty meters! That is, the largest known creature on earth.
Because of Shirogane Miyuki's unknown weakness (fear of fish), thus... someone fainted instantly.
"Lord Natsume! You are Lord Natsume with the Book of Friends, right? Can't believe I can still see you..."
Takashi's eyes widened, and the unconscious Shirogane Miyuki was also lifted up by the blue whale, letting him lie on the water surface.
Takashi, looking like he was floating on water from a distance, also squatted down. "Uh... are you talking?"
Just like the little fox, animals that become spirits like Shinshu's child fox can be seen in their true forms. So Takashi also put away his surprise and became curious about the blue whale beneath him.
"You know me?"
"Of course! Lord Natsume... Mn? Your aura is a bit different? I understand... so many years have passed, you are Natsume's descendant, right?"
Takashi smiled. "If the person you are talking about is Natsume Reiko, she is my grandmother."