A New Masterpiece (COTE x OC)

Chapter 30 - Investigation

(ANHS: Track and Field; Fukumoto Akio)

With the Sports Festival being the primary focus of all classes, the school had allocated our homeroom time to become independent training sessions in preparation.

Currently, Class D was using the track and field for training.

I was named leader for this Sports Festival, but I thought it ought to be best to let Sudo run most of the training since he was the most athletic individual in our class.

From time to time: I would intervene to provide suggestions or guidance for fellow classmates but a majority of the practice was up to Sudo.

Classmates were working on sprints, long-distance running, hurdling, and more.

Unlike regular academic exams, where; one could change their outcome by the amount of preparation they did. This Sports Festival or more so the exam wasn't like that. We had very little time to actually; positively change someone's physical ability or physiology, but by practicing and honing our technique, we could increase our chance of succeeding.

"Do you see them?"

I turned to my left to see Horikita approaching me.

"Yeah, I do," I replied.

It was pretty obvious, but from where we were standing on the field, you could see members from Class B and even A watching us from inside the nearby building.

Probably, hoping they could gain some insight as to who would be participating in each event.

"I noticed them right away," Horikita continued. "But, I'm more concerned about the lack of Class C students."

"Does Ryuuen worry you that much?" I asked.

"He has an unpredictable aura around him that worries me. Skill sets wise, he doesn't, but his behavior is what does."

"Hmm. I see."

Horikita side-eyed me at my response. "Are you not worried about him?"

"Well, as you said, he can be unpredictable. But once you take yourself outside the constraints of rational thinking. He's not all bad. Besides, his skill set is only that of a high schooler."

"You say that like you're not a high schooler."

I sat down on the soft grass of the field, patting the ground beside me, inviting Horikita to do so too, as we watched our classmates continue their practice.

"Do you have any clue as to what his plan might be?" I asked.

"I don't have any solid idea what it might be. He may be so confident about this exam that he feels no need to try. He did decide not to work with Class B. But I am wary, proven his tactics used in the previous exams."

"Maybe he already has a strategy."

"You mean not performing reconnaissance on the other classes is part of his plan?"

"Could be. The one thing about a secret plan is that the enemy mustn't find out. But the way he is doing it seems like his taunting us. He's not trying to hide that he is up to something."

Horikita let out a sigh. "I don't even understand. Class D as a whole doesn't have any outstanding individuals to deserve this attention. Well, except for myself."

I deadpanned as I looked toward Horikita. "You hold yourself on a high pedestal, you know. Besides, if Ayanokouji heard that, I know he'd be hurt on the inside, just like I am."

"Suzune? Do you have a minute?" Sudo startled Horikita at his sudden arrival.

"How many times have I told you to not use my given name?" She replied with a hint of anger in her tone.