Their footsteps shattered the silence of the top-floor corridor in the administration building. The late afternoon sunlight, seeping through the wide-angled glass windows, painted long shadows across the floor. The atmosphere outside the Student Council Room felt substantially lighter, as if the artificial gravity pressure created by Horikita Manabu was slowly evaporating with every step they took away from it.
Horikita Suzune walked in silence for the first few minutes. Her expression was calm, yet her eyes, reflecting the golden-orange light, hinted at analytical gears spinning at maximum velocity inside her head. Her asymmetrical short hair swayed lightly as she finally turned to look at the young man walking casually beside her, both his hands tucked into his trouser pockets.
"Koroizumi-kun," Suzune called out, breaking the silence.
Seiji turned his head slowly, the faint smile that had become his trademark adorning his face. "Yes? Are you still contemplating your new position as the school's elite errand girl?"
Suzune let out a soft scoff, refusing to be baited by the cheap joke. She halted her steps right in front of the main staircase leading down to the first-year building.
"Let us set aside the Student Council matters for the time being," Suzune stated, refocusing her mind on the immediate threat looming over Class 1-B. "Regarding the Sports Festival that Chabashira-sensei just announced this morning. There is something bothering me."
Seiji stopped as well, leaning his shoulder against a marble pillar near the stairs. He looked at Suzune with eyes full of anticipation, like a teacher waiting for his student to solve a complex equation.
"Go ahead," Seiji gestured with a nod of his head. "What do you think is the difference between this event and the Special Exams on the uninhabited island and the cruise ship?"
Suzune crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze narrowing as she dissected the competition's structure within her mind.
"Fundamentally, I believe this is still the same as the previous special exams," Suzune answered with a calculated tone. "The school is attempting to provide the illusion that this is merely an ordinary sports festival. However, the point distribution, the threat of a ten-mark deduction for the written exams, as well as the mechanics behind the faction divisions and alliances... the mechanism is exactly the same as the previous special exams. They are pitting us against each other, forcing us to manage resources, and searching for loopholes in the written rules."
Seiji smiled widely. His eyes gleamed with genuine appreciation. Suzune's analysis was sharp and pragmatic.
"Correct," Seiji said, his voice flowing calmly yet carrying a weight that made the air around them feel denser. "There is no difference from a material standpoint. Points are still points, and penalty threats are still penalty threats. But, Suzune... the core essence is completely different."
Suzune frowned. "The core essence?"
Seiji pushed himself off the pillar, stepping forward until he stood directly in front of Suzune. His gaze now shifted, radiating the absolute seriousness that had once dissected human frailties in his past life.
"In the previous two exams, we were able to manipulate the results purely through psychological intrigue, the trading of information, and the concealment of facts," Seiji explained. "On the island, we hid the leader's identity. On the cruise ship, we built a defense of silence. But this time, no matter how cleverly you lie or how many private points you offer as bribes, you cannot hide someone's running speed on an open track."
Seiji raised a single finger. "Fundamentally, our pure physical abilities and athletic endurance are being tested nakedly under the scorching sun. Employing cheap, dirty tricks like sabotaging the enemy's drinking water—like Ryuen did—might be possible, but it won't have a massive impact under the watchful eyes of dozens of teachers and hundreds of students. The system has closed the loopholes for crude manipulation."
Suzune crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze narrowing sharply. "Then, if the room for psychological manipulation is restricted, what strategy will we use to secure an absolute victory for Class B?"
"The key to this event is not what happens on the day of the festival," Seiji lowered his finger, smiling. "The key is the preparation we will undertake before the event even begins. The victory on the running track is decided long before the starting pistol is fired."
"Preparation..." Suzune murmured. "You mean a routine physical training regimen? But we only have three weeks. Significantly increasing lung capacity and muscle mass in such a short amount of time is medically impossible, especially for students like Sotomura or Sakura who are inherently very weak."
"In conventional medical terms, yes, it is impossible," Seiji chuckled softly, his signature "Nfuhuhuhuhu" laugh rumbling in his throat. "But who said we were going to use conventional methods?"
Seiji turned around and began descending the stairs. "Let's head back to class. The lunch break is almost over, and after school today, we have a lot of things to discuss with the generals of Class B."
The sunlight had shifted into a deep copper-red hue when the bell signaling the end of classes rang. The vast majority of Class 1-B's students had already rushed home or headed to their extracurricular clubs, leaving behind a classroom that now felt much more spacious and silent.
In the middle row of desks, the five students who held absolute control over the direction of Class 1-B had gathered.
Hirata Yosuke sat on top of a desk with a relaxed yet attentive posture. Beside him, Karuizawa Kei leaned back in her chair with her legs crossed, playing on her phone although her ears were on high alert. Kushida Kikyo sat facing backward, resting her elbows on the desk with an unmasked face radiating sharp pragmatism. In the center of the formation, Horikita Suzune sat upright with an open notebook, while Koroizumi Seiji stood in front of them, staring at the blank whiteboard as if it were the canvas for his masterpiece.
"Thank you all for gathering," Seiji began, his voice breaking the silence of the dimly lit classroom.
"Just get straight to the point, Koroizumi-kun," Kei interrupted with a slightly complaining tone, staring at her neatly manicured nails. "I had to cancel my plans at Cafe Pallet for this. So, I assume you already have an insane scenario to save our class from the threat of that ten-mark exam deduction?"
Hirata offered a calming smile. "Karuizawa-san is right. Some of the kids in class are starting to panic. Sotomura-kun even looked like he was going to pass out just from reading the relay schedule. We need a training structure they can accept without destroying the class's morale."
Kushida scoffed softly. "Morale is secondary, Hirata-kun. What's important is that they don't become a burden and drag us down. I've already mapped out which girls in the class have the potential to be weak links in the ball toss and the three-legged race. If you want, I can apply a little 'social pressure' to make them train harder."
"Hold off on that method of yours for now, Kushida-san," Seiji chuckled casually. "We will not be using social pressure that damages teamwork. That is inefficient and prone to triggering an internal rebellion."
Seiji reached into his bag, then pulled out a thick, neatly bound stack of documents. He tossed the documents onto the center of the desk, producing a rather loud thud.
"This," Seiji said, pointing at the stack of paper, "is our blueprint."
Suzune pulled the document closer, her eyes scanning the first page. Her pupils instantly constricted. Hirata and Kushida leaned in to get a look, while Kei finally stopped playing on her phone.
It wasn't just an ordinary list of names and training schedules.
It was a microscopic biometric table.
Every single student in Class 1-B, from Sudou all the way down to Sakura, had their own individual profile. Recorded there were estimated muscle mass, body mass index (BMI), stamina history (based on running speed data Seiji had secretly collected during previous P.E. classes), daily calorie consumption patterns, down to psychological stress response levels.
"Koroizumi-kun..." Hirata swallowed hard, his eyes widening in disbelief. "H-How did you manage to acquire medical data and personal habits this detailed? This even includes the number of hours Sotomura-kun sleeps every night!"
"I have a reliable source," Seiji answered briefly, referring to the AI Ritsu, who had easily hacked the dormitory surveillance cameras, the cafeteria food purchase data using private points, and student behavior algorithms. "But forget about where I got it. What matters is how we use it."
Seiji tapped the whiteboard with the tip of his finger.
"Suzune already dissected the essence of this festival with me this afternoon. We cannot use cheap psychological tricks on the field. Pure strength and stamina are king. However, to increase the physical capacity of 40 people in three weeks, we must calibrate their training absolutely to each individual's maximum limit, without crossing the threshold that causes injury."
"A personalized hell training regimen," Suzune murmured, still glued to the data sheets. "You designed a different daily nutritional intake for every single kid? You even wrote down recommendations for the lunch menus they have to buy at the cafeteria."
"Exactly," Seiji replied. "Karuizawa-san, Hirata-kun. Your task is to apply social control to ensure the kids in class adhere to this menu intake. No excess sugary snacks for Sotomura, and double protein portions for Sudou and his group. We have hundreds of thousands of points. Subsidize the cost of their healthy meals using class funds if anyone complains it's too expensive."
"Hah," Kei smirked, her aura as the ruler of the first-year female hierarchy radiating outward. "That's easy. I'll just say this diet is currently trending among the senior girls. They'll eat it up like obedient sheep."
"And I will persuade the boys' group from the perspective of fitness and class solidarity," Hirata added, noting it down in his pocketbook.
"Excellent," Seiji smiled in satisfaction. "Now, regarding the physical training itself. Ordering students who hate sports to run around the field ten times will not increase their stamina; it will only increase their resentment. We have to hack their psychology using a game."
"A game?" Kushida raised an eyebrow. "Do you think this is an elementary school event? If there's a threat of expulsion, they need a whip, not a toy."
"You forget, Kushida-san," Seiji twirled the marker in his hand. "Humans, even the absolute laziest ones, will push past their physical limits under two conditions: when they are terrified, or when they are obsessed with a reward."
Seiji wrote three large words on the whiteboard: BOUNTY TAG SYSTEM.
"Starting tomorrow during physical education class, and during our class's independent training schedule in the afternoon, I will implement this system," Seiji explained, his eyes glinting playfully yet dangerously. "Every day, I will place a special sticker on my back, or on Sudou's back, or on the back of whoever possesses the highest mobility in this class."
"To anyone—individual or group—who manages to chase down and rip that sticker off within the 30-minute training session, I personally will transfer 100,000 private points directly into their account."
Silence fell over the table. Hirata's jaw dropped, Kei nearly dropped her phone, and Kushida blinked rapidly.
"One hundred thousand points?!" Kei shrieked, losing her composure. "Every day?! Are you insane, Koroizumi?! Your points will be gone in a matter of days!"
"That is if they actually manage to catch me, Karuizawa-san," Seiji chuckled casually, indirectly reminding them of his absolute physical dominance. "If no one succeeds, then the entire participating class must drink a special nutritional green juice that I will concoct myself. It is incredibly healthy, vastly accelerates muscle recovery, but the taste will make them wish their tongues were ripped out."
Suzune closed her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose slowly. She could picture the scenario perfectly. For the tantalizing sum of 100,000 points, the entire student body—including the laziest among them—would exert 120% of their speed and stamina to chase the target. And when they failed, the threat of drinking the "punishment juice" would spur them to run even faster the following day to avoid being caught by the penalty patrol.
Without even realizing it, they would be running, dodging, lunging, and regulating their breathing at the highest possible intensity, thinking they were playing a game, when in reality they were undergoing the most brutal military-style training regimen.
This was the perfect fusion of reward and punishment. This was the signature educational method of Koro-sensei.
"This is as brilliant as it is insane," Kushida commented, a cynical yet admiring smile etched on her lips. "You are manipulating their greed and their fear simultaneously to force their muscles to work. This isn't athletic training. This is a hunt."
"We will adapt this training to simulate the 'Cavalry Battle' and 'Capture the Flag' events," Seiji added. "Team coordination formed out of the frustration of wanting to catch a target will be far more solid than boring formation drills."
"But, Koroizumi-kun," Hirata interjected with a worried tone, his protective instincts kicking in. "What about the kids with physical abnormalities or absolutely zero stamina? Sakura-san, for example. Forcing her into this wild hunt could cause her to get injured or pass out."
Seiji nodded, agreeing with Hirata's concern. "That is precisely why the biometric table I gave you is so important. I am not ordering everyone to hunt. We are going to divide the class into three functional layers."
Seiji drew a three-tiered pyramid on the whiteboard.
"Layer One: The Vanguard. Filled by those whose physiques are naturally superior. Sudou, yourself, Onodera, and a few others. Your task is to sweep up the medals in the individual events based on absolute strength and speed, like the 100-Meter Dash, the Hurdle Race, and Capture the Flag. I will train you all specifically to polish your movement efficiency techniques."
Seiji pointed to the middle section of the pyramid. "Layer Two: The Shield. Filled by students with average stamina. Kushida, Karuizawa, Ike, Yamauchi. You do not need to be the fastest, but you must possess endurance. You will be deployed in the stamina-draining events and group events like the Four-Way Tug of War and the Obstacle Course Race. The goal is not to win first place, but rather to hold off the enemy faction's attacks and ensure our class does not fall to the bottom rank."
Finally, Seiji pointed to the base of the pyramid. "Layer Three: The Shadow. Sakura, Sotomura, and students with extreme physical limitations. They will not be included in the heavy physical hunting games."
"Then what is their role?" Suzune asked, frowning. "If they don't train hard, they will become a weak point in whichever event they are placed."
"That would be true, if we were placing them in running events," Seiji smiled mysteriously. "But remember, the school gave us absolute freedom to compile the participant roster. We will intentionally sacrifice a portion of the Third Layer in specific events where we have already calculated the risk, while maximizing their utility in events that do not require stamina, like the Scavenger Hunt, or simply light participation events that allow them to act as passive supporters."
"You are planning intentional losses?" Suzune's eyes widened. "That is highly risky. If the calculations are off, they will be hit with fatal point penalties."
"They will not be off," Seiji countered with absolute composure. He looked straight into Suzune's eyes, channeling an undeniable authority. "Because I will be the one controlling the flow of those races from the inside. I will ensure that even if Class B loses in one event, the deficit will be covered by the victory points in another event that we have meticulously prepared for."
Silence once again reigned over the room. The five shadow leaders of Class 1-B exchanged glances. The strategy proposed by Seiji Koroizumi before them right now was not merely a win-or-lose tactic; it was the blueprint of a structured military campaign that dissected the genetic strengths and weaknesses of 40 students in order to assemble them into a single biological weapon known as Class 1-B.
"This is... truly terrifying," Kei muttered eventually. She wasn't exaggerating. Being on Seiji's side made her feel safe, but at the same time, she was infinitely grateful that this monster was on their side, rather than acting as their enemy.
"You really don't have a heart when it comes to efficiency, Koroizumi," Kushida said, her laugh sounding slightly daunted. "Alright. I agree. Give me the intelligence task list. I'm certain Ichinose and Ryuen on the Red Team are currently plotting equally insane plans."
"Your task, Kushida-san," Seiji said, staring at the girl intently, "is to weave a spider's web. Gather information regarding the training schedules of Class 1-A and 1-D. Find out who their aces are besides Ryuen and Shibata. Knowing the enemy's weapons before going to war is half the victory."
Kushida nodded with a hidden predatory smirk. "Leave it to me."
"Suzune," Seiji turned to the short-haired girl. "Your task is to finalize the participant registration forms using this pyramid framework. Ensure there are no overlapping schedule loopholes that could cause our elite students to suffer from chronic fatigue."
"I will have it finished by tonight," Suzune answered without hesitation, her hand immediately moving to jot down technical details on paper.
"And Hirata-kun, Karuizawa-san," Seiji looked at the two strongest social figures in the class. "You two are the gatekeepers of stability. Maintain the class morale. When the 'Bounty Tag' training begins tomorrow and the kids start screaming from exhaustion, your task is to serve as the leading example to keep running."
"We understand," Hirata replied firmly, while Kei simply gave a sharp nod.
Seiji packed away his marker. The twilight sun outside the window had faded completely, replaced by the dim shadows of night beginning to blanket the Advanced Nurturing High School building.
The autumn wind blew through the slightly opened window slit, carrying the scent of dry leaves. It was a deceptive calm. The calm before the storm. Somewhere in this building, Sakayanagi Arisu, Ryuen Kakeru, and Ichinose Honami were undoubtedly polishing their respective spears. The ideological clash between the four rulers of the first year would soon erupt upon the sand fields and running tracks.
However, inside Class 1-B, the foundation for defense and counterattack had been perfectly laid out.
Seiji smiled, feeling a nostalgia that vibrated within his heart. The memories of the Class 3-E students training hard in the old schoolyard on top of the mountain now overlapped with the faces of his new friends. He might no longer possess yellow tentacles, but the essence of a true educator would always remain the same: chiseling rough stone until it became a diamond.
"Well then," Seiji said, loosening his tie slightly, the aura of the Teacher radiating thickly, swallowing the darkness of the classroom. "Let's turn these defective products of Class 1-B into an elite army that will make the entire school hold its breath."
"The sports festival preparations... have officially begun."
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