Chapter 279: The Sports Festival Concludes / First Place in Total Score!
The 16th lap, the 17th... the cheers of the crowd grew louder as Shimizu Akira's figure drew closer, gradually drowning out all other sounds.
By the bend of the 18th lap, Nagumo Miyabi watched with wide eyes as that terrifying figure pulled level with him, completely erasing the lap deficit.
"Is this guy a superman?" Nagumo couldn't help but mutter.
This non-human entity had used only three laps—roughly 1.2 kilometers—to close a nearly 400-meter gap! On average, he was running over a hundred meters faster than Nagumo per lap. This was a speed no ordinary person could achieve.
But in the next second, Shimizu suddenly slowed down, showing no intention of continuing his mad dash forward. He turned his head toward Horikita Suzune, who was trailing not far behind. He didn't look like someone who had just completed three high-intensity sprints; his tone was incredibly casual.
"When I ran past the President just now, I chatted with him for a bit. He said he'll maintain his current pace until the 20th lap. Suzune, do you want to follow me? I'll lead you to his side so you can run a lap with him."
Shimizu added with emphasis, "Accelerating early will drain your stamina, and you might not get a good rank afterward. But I think this is the scene you'd rather see."
Suzune's eyes lit up instantly. She didn't hesitate for even half a second: "I agree!"
Nagumo watched as Shimizu adjusted his stride, allowing Suzune to tuck in behind him as they headed toward the lead pack. This time, while their speed was fast, it was no longer that "non-human" explosive sprint.
'Wait!' Nagumo thought.
'Shimizu actually has the leisure to help Horikita Suzune fulfill her wish of running with her brother? He was chatting with the President while running?! What does he think this 10km race is? A pickup spot?'
Recalling the way Suzune looked at Shimizu and her subconscious movements to stay close to him, where was her old coldness?
The two clearly weren't just friends; they'd probably done plenty of intimate things already. Seeing Shimizu go to such lengths for her, Nagumo figured the President's sister was planning to "reward" him well over the next few days.
The more Nagumo thought, the more frustrated he became.
Images of Kushida Kikyo, then Ichinose Honami, and now Horikita Suzune flashed through his mind.
Was it possible that every beautiful first-year girl he had his eye on had already been "tasted" by this kid? Even his own childhood friend...
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Shimizu glanced back at Suzune as they ran. Her bangs were soaked with sweat, clinging to her flushed cheeks, and her breathing was so ragged she could barely catch it.
"Want to slow down a bit?" he asked.
"No... Huff! No need!" Suzune shook her head violently, gasping between every word.
"Look at you, out of breath and still saying you're not tired," Shimizu teased.
Suzune simply turned her head away, not wanting to talk to him. Who else but Shimizu Akira could chat so effortlessly during a full-tilt chase? It wasn't a sports movie! To her, her lungs felt like they were on fire, and her legs felt like they were made of lead.
"Alright, hang in there a bit longer," Shimizu slowed his pace slightly.
"Only 50 meters until we catch your brother. But remember, you're a lap behind. Don't overstrain yourself during the final sprint, okay?"
"Mm." Suzune nodded firmly, gritting her teeth to keep up.
After a while, she finally reached the tail end of the Class 3-A pack. It might have been her imagination, but she felt her brother glance back at her as they hit the bend. Subsequently, the entire Class 3-A group slowed down significantly—it looked less like a natural deceleration and more like they were deliberately waiting for her. Otherwise, in her state, she could never have closed a 50-meter gap in just one lap.
"Suzune."
The familiar voice came from ahead. Suzune looked up and met Horikita Manabu's gaze. The President slowed his stride, and the tight 3-A formation opened up a gap as if making a place specifically for her.
She surged forward to his side, her voice trembling from the burning in her chest: "Brother..."
"Your rhythm is a mess," Manabu said plainly, though he adjusted his pace to match hers. "The price of Shimizu leading you to accelerate was higher than you anticipated."
Suzune was stunned; she thought she had hidden it well, but nothing escaped her brother's eyes. Not far away, seeing her settled in, Shimizu dropped back half a step to give them space, maintaining a distance where he could still keep an eye on them.
"I..." Suzune started to explain, but Manabu cut her off.
"No need for explanations." His gaze drifted to Shimizu behind them, then back to his sister's stubborn face.
"I will ask you again: what was your purpose in participating in this 10km race?"
Suzune froze. She remembered her bold claim during their dinner about competing with him. Yet here she was, a lap behind, relying on Shimizu's help and her brother's deceleration just to stand here. Not to mention her embarrassing performance in the 1,200m relay.
She lowered her eyes and finally panted out the truth: "I wanted to... run side-by-side with my brother."
"I'll count that as a pass," Manabu huffed, slowing slightly to leave a space behind him. "Suzune, follow me."
Suzune's shoulders relaxed instantly. A flash of joy crossed her eyes as she tucked in behind him.
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The Final Showdown
The 20th lap.
Nagumo had stopped worrying about Nazuna. As long as she wasn't with Shimizu, he was fine for now. But seeing Shimizu, Suzune, and Manabu forming a small unit—and seeing Manabu actually accept them—made him bite his lip until it nearly bled.
At that moment, a student from Class 3-A dropped back to run beside Nagumo.
"Vice President Nagumo, stop obsessing over targeting Shimizu Akira. The Sports Festival is a stage for open strength, not a special exam."
Nagumo frowned, ready to snap back, but the next words threw him off.
"The President asked me to convey that. It's not an order, just a suggestion."
Sato, the boxing club captain from 3-A, spat disdainfully, "Is that guy really not going to pull any tricks? He's just a bastard who uses his privilege to manipulate things!"
"It doesn't matter," Manabu said, his gaze sweeping over Sato and then toward Shimizu. "Everyone, last five laps. Give it everything you have. I have prepared a whole month for today; this is my final Sports Festival. I don't want anyone to leave even a shred of regret at the finish line."
"Understood!" Shimizu nodded heavily.
The final 2,000 meters. Whether Nagumo took the President's advice to heart or not, no Year 2 students appeared to block the path. The lagging runners moved to the outer lanes to give the lead pack room to sprint.
Nazuna's trouble was solved. Suzune's wish was fulfilled. Only one goal remained: a duel with the President.
Shimizu's speed now was even faster than his initial burst. He leaned forward, putting his weight on the balls of his feet. His muscles coiled and released, his heels digging into the track with such force he left faint marks on the rubber.
1st Lap: Within 100 meters, all other opponents vanished from his peripheral vision.
2nd Lap: He pulled 100 meters ahead of the President.
3rd Lap: He was now two full laps ahead of Nagumo.
4th Lap: He led the second-place runner by several hundred meters.
He accelerated, and accelerated again, until the white finish line leapt into view.
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As he crossed the line, the entire field fell into a brief silence. Shimizu bent over, hands on his knees, his lungs working like a bellows.
The silence was shattered by the referee's trembling voice: "XX minutes, 38 seconds! This... this breaks the school record since its founding!"
A wave of cheers erupted from the stands and all twelve classes simultaneously. It was the first truly unified roar of the festival.
"Incredible! That was amazing!" "This is why I chose this school—to see something like this!" "Shimizu Akira! At this level, he could qualify for the Olympics! And he's only sixteen!"
Shimizu looked up to see eyes filled with admiration and shock. His female classmates from Class 1-C—Haruka and Airi—were flushed with excitement.
"Kiyo-kun, you were so cool! So fast!"
"Shimizu, you're amazing!"
On the other side, Kei, Chiaki, and Maya stood together.
"Shimizu! You're incredible!"
"Coolest thing ever!"
'Wait... Sato Maya?'
Shimizu thought. She came to watch too? He vaguely remembered Kei saying something about that.
A few dozen seconds later, Horikita Manabu reached the finish line, panting. The usually stoic President looked rare in his exhaustion.
"Shimizu... is this... your true strength?"
"Yes!" Shimizu smiled, already recovering. It was the first time he'd seen the President look even slightly disheveled.
"Just now... when you lapped me... why did you look at me?" Manabu glared slightly. "Were you... mocking me, Shimizu?"
"Eh?" Shimizu replied helplessly. "Didn't you look at me with... well, that expression first? So I looked back."
It turned out that look hadn't been one of pride after all. He had forgotten that Manabu, like Suzune, was incredibly proud and hated to lose. Regardless, Manabu extended his right hand.
"Hmph! Regardless... congratulations on first place. I have completely lost to you this time, Shimizu!"
"Right!" Their hands gripped firmly.
A shutter clicked. Tachibana Akane ran over, showing them the screen of her camera—a perfect shot of their handshake.
"This will be the memento of the Sports Festival," she smiled.
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The Results
Ten minutes later, the ranks were finalized.
3rd: Sato (Boxer) 4th–6th: Class 3-A 7th: Kiryuin Fuuka 8th: Yamada Albert (Shimizu was genuinely impressed by Class 1-D's hidden depth). 11th: Nagumo Miyabi.
Nagumo, having stayed out of the way per the President's request, was horrified to see Shimizu sprinting with a faint smile on his face, as if he were simply enjoying the run. Having
failed to even make the top ten, Nagumo's face was a mask of humiliation. He forced a stiff smile and congratulated Shimizu, though Shimizu paid him little mind.
The school then announced the final results:
Group Winner: Red Group (The White Group, including Classes B and C, had lost as expected). Year 1 Class Rankings: 1. Class A (Sakanayagi) Class C (Shimizu) Class D (Ryuen) Class B (Ichinose)
Class A celebrated their "Triple Crown" (Red Group win, 1st place in year, and victory over Class B).
Sakayanagi had used the festival to crush the Katsuragi faction and solidify her rule.
Class C had risen from last place at noon to 2nd place overall, largely thanks to the 10km run and team events like the Tug-of-War. Class B fell to last place after losing their wager with Class A.
Class Points Standing:
Class A: 1,260 pts Class B: 785 pts Class C (Shimizu): 760 pts Class D: 590 pts
Class C was now only 25 points away from overtaking Class B.
The school announced the MVPs:
Year 3: Horikita Manabu Year 2: Nagumo Miyabi Year 1: Shimizu Akira
Shimizu checked the leaderboard. He was #1. This meant Manabu would have to fulfill his promise of the 3,000,000 personal point reward.
As he was celebrating, his phone buzzed twice.
Horikita Suzune: I'll be waiting for you in the dorm at 9:00 PM tonight.
Sakayanagi Arisu: Shimizu-kun, please come to the cafe at 7:00 PM tonight.
Sakayanagi Arisu: It's a paid request. 50,000 personal points.
Shimizu blinked.
He understood why Suzune wanted to see him... but what did Sakayanagi want?
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