[May 7, 2022, Saturday.]
[PM. 2:04]
[Youth Arithmetic League - Qualifiers.]
Koyo High School's Academic Exhibition Hall was filled with the most elite science talents from all high schools within Aoyama-Itchome.
Sheets of question-filled test papers, along with blindingly white scratch paper, quickly occupied the long tables as the proctors distributed them, followed by gasps of horror from the boys and girls behind the desks.
At the front of the exhibition hall, a black-background, white-letter countdown timer was displayed on the LED screen.
The long string of numbers remained frozen, like the abruptly halted thoughts of some among them...
Now, a correction must be made to the term "most elite":
Family background is also part of this "elite" standard.
Since it's a high-stakes competition, there are always those who want to enter to gild their resumes... The higher the price for this gilding, the more ordinary people sigh in wonder, and the more eagerly the top performers among them flock to it.
After a quick glance through the entire test paper, a boy wearing an exorbitant mechanical watch and sitting in the corner couldn't help but look around. He then stared at the dense, terrifying questions on the paper in front of him, like incantations, and finally let out a helpless sigh.
It was supposed to be a math competition, but the paper was full of hiragana, katakana, and English letters. It was too terrifying.
He covered his face, his eyes gradually transforming into a look of aristocratic melancholy in the darkness.
He had originally wanted to win by strength, but now, he had no choice but to rely on external forces... After all, he carried not just the honor of his surname, but also the heavy and urgent expectations of his blood relatives who served as directors and senior management in the school.
Even setting aside personal interests, he had reasons why he had to win.
For this, he could trample any fairness.
The boy named Yajima Hiru lowered his hand and looked at several figures in the exhibition hall who were exuding a strong presence.
They were prominent figures from prestigious schools around Aoyama-Itchome: "Takimoto Tetsuya" from Aoyama High School, "Yukawa Gaku" from Kugayama High School, "Kirigiri Kyouko" from Joshi Gakkan High School...
But only the boy in the middle of the first row, hunched slightly with a gloomy expression, captured everyone's attention like Halley's Comet visiting Earth every 76 years, his overwhelming presence making all the honor students hold their breath, not daring to make a move.
His desk had the Shujin Academy school emblem affixed to it, and a nameplate stood on it, displaying the name "Amamiya Ren."
Messy hair, an unkempt appearance, a crooked tie on his plaid short-sleeved shirt, revealing a pair of clearly muscled forearms. His removed plain glasses were placed next to the test paper, and a pair of dark gray eyes gleamed with intimidating light, directed at the nearby live camera with a fierce, cold gaze like a leopard.
Yajima Hiru looked up at the dozens of live broadcast screens with different angles on the demonstration TV overhead, and quickly found Kurusu Akira's position.
According to the information provided by the event organizers, this "Amamiya Ren" was the enemy who needed to be most carefully studied in this qualifier—
Damn it, just looking at him, he knew he was incredibly strong.
Yajima Hiru's gaze suddenly became sharp.
This qualifier's core judging criteria were two-fold: "answer time" and "answer accuracy."
There were three test papers for three separate exams. The maximum time for each paper was one hour, and the minimum was ten minutes.
Once more than 30 people submitted their papers, the next round of the exam would immediately begin, and everyone else, regardless of their progress, had to hand in their papers.
After grading, based on each contestant's individual data ranking, their respective teams would be given corresponding scores, and finally, the total team score would determine whether the school could qualify from the "qualifiers."
Ranking in the top ten would earn many "extra points."
Thus, famous scenes of "one dragging four, one dragging five" often occurred.
As per custom, strong teams among the participating schools were mostly composed of "jewels" and "weights."
The "jewels" were responsible for answering the questions, while the "weights" would immediately submit their papers when the "jewels" did, to minimize the remaining time for test-takers from other schools.
As long as the "jewels" could secure near-perfect scores while other teams' "weights" had almost no time to finish their papers, they could lock down the qualification spots.
This meant that the actual answering time was often within thirty minutes...
Damn it, even if they had memorized the answers before the competition, it would still take at least ten minutes to recall and reproduce them perfectly on this paper full of subjective questions.
However, since the opponent is such a formidable character, I (we) have no room to hold back (must go all out)...
As the bell signaling the start of the competition rang, similar yet distinct thoughts appeared almost simultaneously in the minds of everyone on the field.
Yajima Hiru carefully reached his finger towards the watch's base, then pulled out a slip of paper with tiny, auxiliary memory "prompt words." At the same time, he glanced at the familiar "fellow travelers" in the classroom, and indeed, they were all writing furiously without hesitation.
These were "cheaters" like him.
Meanwhile, the powerhouses from various schools, endowed with supreme academic prowess, unfurled their scratch paper, their pens flying across the pages. In mere seconds, formulas were listed downwards, then results verified, and answers began to be filled in...
Their speed in solving and answering questions was even faster than the "cheaters" memorizing answers!!
Yajima Hiru, of course, had foreseen such a situation.
But cold sweat involuntarily trickled down his temples.
He tried to recall every detail of the problem solutions, fearing that a missed detail might reduce his accuracy...
The vast exhibition hall was eerily silent.
The faint scratching sounds of pen tips moving rapidly across paper felt like maggots gnawing at his flesh, accompanied by a faint phantom pain, continuously eroding his initial confidence and pride, brewing an unspeakable panic in the emptiness.
The countdown on the large screen ticked away, minute by minute, second by second.
The exhibition hall was as silent and grand as a twilight battlefield, where helmeted and armored rich scions visibly fell into disadvantage before the brave warriors with their thousand-times-forged skills and physiques. Their squire knights stood silently with swords and spears at the edge of the battlefield, constantly awaiting their leaders to gain an advantage in this battle of iron and blood, then swarming forward to surround the fruits of victory and deliver them back to their feudal domain.
...
In the conference room on the upper floor of the academic exhibition hall.
The feudal lords stood by the long table, watching the live broadcast on the surveillance screen, their expressions composed and seemingly clear-conscienced, yet each harboring their own ulterior motives.
Among them, a spry old man was the most tense, his face so wrinkled it almost collapsed. He nervously stared at the sweating Yajima Hiru on the screen, his withered hand gripping the table corner so hard it seemed he wanted to break it off.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed clearly in the corridor.
A strong, yet self-satisfied voice said, "Just went to the restroom, what's the situation now?"
The old man instinctively turned his head, then immediately looked away in disgust, before forcing a false smile and looking at Shinba Takakiyo, who stood at the conference room door in a suit and tie.
His smile held a hint of surprise, then genuine emotion. "Shinba... Principal Shinba, ah, I'm still not quite used to that title. Sometimes I can't help but feel how quickly time passes. That boy who once dreamed of Koshien has now become a renowned educator."
Shinba Takakiyo laughed heartily, "You're just getting old too fast, Principal Yajima. Many years have passed, and you've become so old that you can't make any changes, still that same hypocritical and contemptible appearance."
Yajima forced a smile, "You have indeed changed a lot."
Shinba Takakiyo ignored the uniform hostility in the conference room and laughed even more boisterously, "Why are you all making such faces? Did something happen in the exam hall during the ten minutes I was gone?"
At this remark, the entire conference room suddenly fell silent.
The lords exchanged glances, seeing the dense clouds in each other's eyes.
As Shinba Takakiyo approached, his leather shoes clattered on the wooden floor, making sounds like thunder.
And as he walked into the conference room, bringing the thunder with him, and pulled out an office chair to sit down, the rain clouds swirling throughout the entire room collapsed with a roar.
Then the heavy rain poured down—
...
Plop.
A crisp sound.
Sweat dripped onto the test paper, blooming like watermarks. In the exhibition hall, where the air conditioning was off, Yajima Hiru's pupils trembled. He raised his head, somewhat dazed, and looked at Kurusu Akira in the first row of the classroom.
It wasn't just him; almost half the people in the entire exhibition hall looked towards Kurusu Akira's position.
In the quiet academic exhibition hall, the rustling sound of him turning his test paper was so clear.
So clear that it made them tremble.
Only six minutes had passed on the large screen's countdown.
Kurusu Akira had already completed all the questions on the first side.
At this point, the nature of the entire competition changed.
It was no longer a battlefield where heroes contended, no longer had the elegant yet bloody ritualism of medieval knights clashing lances, deciding life and death in a blink of an eye...
A black dragon, clad in scales, loomed at the very front, arrogantly and disdainfully lowering its head, brewing the final flames of judgment in its mouth.
The brave warriors, still clinging to a sliver of life, struggled to their feet from amidst the piles of corpses, leaning on their longswords, and roared their full-throated anger at the black dragon before them.
And behind them, whether it was the rich scions flaunting their armor and tools, or the squire knights clinging to victory, at this moment they all knelt trembling, for the battle they faced had completely transcended the realm of mortals!—
The sound of turning pages rose and fell.
As if a tragic and stirring music echoed in the void, like a testament to a hero's sacrifice, like a medal for one who challenges ancient dragons, the past of boys drawing swords and leaving their villages constantly turned pages! Turning to the title page where only names remained! Turning to the ancient cover that read "Book of Heroes"!
Strength surged from extreme indignation and despair!
From this moment on, the brave warriors from various high schools burned all their wisdom and ingenuity. The flame of "talent" blazed within their bodies, and the hard-won "inspiration" of everyday life intertwined like countless threads before them, forming an impenetrable net, poised to encompass every opportunity for victory.
The black dragon ignored this group of presumptuous "challengers," as if dozing off, groggily lowering its head, then drawing diagrams, listing formulas, calculating, and filling in answers for the last subjective question.
He stood up, looked back at the tiered steps behind him, and seeing those disbelieving, bewildered, and fearful eyes, he expressionlessly raised his hand and said, "I'm done."
The black dragon stomped its foot, and the entire exhibition hall seemed to shake as if in an earthquake. Then it spat out saliva as hot as the sun's corona, and all the brave warriors were instantly scorched black.
Amidst scattered sounds, a host of "traitors" who had pledged allegiance to the black dragon raised their hands to submit their papers, and "allies" who had been recruited beforehand also raised their hands to submit their papers.
With scattered sounds, the first round of the qualifiers ended in a rush.
In the academic exhibition hall, where more than half the students had left, the "fallen" heroes exchanged glances.
Just like in Monster Hunter, where players are allowed to "revive" three times via a Felyne cart.
They had already fallen once, but they still had to fight that unbelievably powerful monster to the death for two more rounds.
"My hands are shaking," Yukawa Gaku from Kugayama High School whispered.
"Mine too," Takimoto Tetsuya from Aoyama High School nodded in deep agreement.
Kirigiri Kyouko from Tokyo Joshi Gakkan High School looked at the photos of Kurusu Akira's test paper and scratch paper displayed on the large screen: clean paper, fluid and beautiful handwriting, and the seamless integration of various problem-solving techniques and knowledge points, like Hiko Seijuro's "Kuzuryūsen" cutting down from the front, impossible to avoid, instantly breaking through the test paper meticulously prepared by the event organizers... The most abnormal part was that his scratch paper was completely blank...
Her lips twitched twice. "This is simply not the level of knowledge a high school student should possess."
"You're overestimating the knowledge base of 'high school students'," Takimoto Tetsuya pushed his glasses up his nose. "You'd have to go to the science faculty of a top-tier university to find someone with problem-solving abilities like that."
Yukawa Gaku tapped the table. "The next round of the competition won't start for another hour, if I remember correctly..."
Kirigiri Kyouko whispered, "The important topic is spatial geometry."
Takimoto Tetsuya suddenly ran out of the academic exhibition hall, then brought back his backpack, pulled out a collection of his incorrect answers, and placed it on Yukawa Gaku's desk. "Coincidentally, I have quite a bit of research in spatial geometry."
Yukawa Gaku stood up and coughed twice, feigning importance, "What a coincidence! Although it wasn't taught much in high school, I also happen to have some personal insights into spatial geometry."
With that, he ran out of the exhibition hall and quickly returned with a thick notebook.
At this point, Yajima Hiru, who had been sitting in the back, actually came forward, attempting to fake his academic prowess.
Yajima Hiru's little scheme was instantly seen through, but Yukawa Gaku and Takimoto Tetsuya noticed the mechanical wristwatch on his wrist. Though they felt disdain and contempt, they didn't refuse his inclusion.
Thus, the makeshift "Peach Garden Sworn Brothers" were assembled.
Kirigiri Kyouko had no insights to share, nor was she willing to share them with others.
She returned to her seat without a word.
In her opinion, the first qualification spot for this "qualifier" was already decided; any further struggle should be for the only second spot.
From the very beginning, these people's starting point was wrong—
The enemies they needed to defeat were no longer Kurusu Akira, but each other.
...
Even the perfectly coordinated "Three Heroes Fighting Lü Bu" in romance of the three kingdoms struggled to win.
What's more, this makeshift group was temporarily assembled and burdened with liabilities.
After that, two consecutive rounds of test papers were cleanly dispatched by Kurusu Akira within 15 minutes.
He packed his stationery and, with the most dashing demeanor, left the academic lecture hall under the watchful eyes of the crowd, leaving behind a group of sweaty and bewildered challengers.
But when he left the examination room, it wasn't Iseri Nina, who had said in Line that she would specifically take the train to bring water, waiting in the corridor.
Instead, it was the stern-faced Shinba Takakiyo.
Principal Shinba stood smiling in front of Kurusu Akira, his eyes filled with undisguised twisted desires.
"Amamiya-san, you are truly Shujin's pride."
Kurusu Akira restrained his eager fists, "As a member of Shujin, this is what I should do."
Shinba Takakiyo's smile was quite sincere, "Thanks to you, I've really shown off in front of my colleagues. As a newly appointed principal, I don't have many outstanding achievements, so it's inevitable to be looked down upon a bit."
"The principal overpraises me. This is what I should do." Kurusu Akira was very skilled in professional communication. He knew that Shinba Takakiyo bringing up this topic was definitely not just to praise him.
It was probably a "deal" of a co-opting nature.
Having learned information about the previous loop from Awa Subaru, Kurusu Akira was well aware of the filth hidden in this man's heart and could imagine the method of his so-called "co-opting."
Shinba Takakiyo, as expected, spoke according to his understanding, "I specifically rushed here from Kawasaki because I value you greatly, Amamiya-san."
Kurusu Akira stood with his hands behind his back, clearly feeling the immense and twisted desire emanating from the other party, almost seeing the outline of a palace—
The true "Shinba Takakiyo's Palace" was in Aoyama-Itchome.
However, he still did not act rashly. Ever since that day when he removed the "anomalies" from a group of Persona users and sent them to the Police Department, the frequent uncontrolled incidents across Japan had vanished overnight.
Coupled with the disappearance of the "Metaverse Navigator" and the previously witnessed palace named "Despair."
It could be foreseen that every mental palace about to be born or already born had been utilized by the evil gods as a nest for cultivating minions or an altar for accumulating power.
Yet, such an important and hidden place, which he had previously found almost impossible to enter, was now openly exposed before him...
It was simply an overt plot.
But it's very strange... With both sides having holders of "time regression" abilities, why wasn't relevant information given to Shinba Takakiyo?
Looking at him, it seemed he didn't even have the most basic understanding of terms like "Persona" or "Mementos"?
The Phantom Thief thought so in his heart, but his face showed an expression of serious listening.
Seeing his model student demeanor, Shinba Takakiyo, on the contrary, became somewhat hesitant.
After a while, the principal patted Kurusu Akira's shoulder and said earnestly, "Come to my office next Monday. I have something important to discuss with you."
Having said that, he walked quickly down the stairs and disappeared from Kurusu Akira's sight, as if nothing had happened.
At this moment, Iseri Nina could be seen crouching by the corridor in the distance, clutching a bottle of Dr. Pepper, looking over nervously and awkwardly.
Kurusu Akira waved at the girl, and she immediately beamed with joy, quickly approached, and handed him the can she was holding.
"Hmm? Cold?" Kurusu Akira wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, looking at the Dr. Pepper in his hand with some surprise.
The weather today was very strange. It was clearly cool during the day, but as soon as noon passed, it immediately became intensely hot, with not a single cloud in the clear blue sky. The student supermarket was temporarily open, making it almost impossible to have sufficiently chilled drinks—because even if there were, they would be immediately snatched up by the sports teams staying after school for training.
It was summer now, and members of track and field, volleyball, soccer, baseball, and other school teams were sweating it out on the field and in the gym every day, honing their skills and improving teamwork, burning every drop of sweat in their youth and squeezing every bit of potential from their bodies for the national competition in the fall.
Iseri Nina seemed to have expected him to ask that.
"I found this in the student supermarket at this school!"
She didn't say how she found it, but Kurusu Akira could already imagine how this seemingly petite girl opened the freezer and struggled to stand on her tiptoes to search the innermost space for cold drinks that hadn't been taken.
"Much appreciated."
The Phantom Thief subconsciously stroked Iseri Nina's head and, finding that the girl didn't resist, boldly rubbed his palm against it.
Soon, Iseri Nina belatedly realized the possible meaning of Kurusu Akira's action from the almost murderous gazes of the "honor students" leaving the examination room, and a bright blush instantly spread across her cheeks.
She wanted to run away in a panic, but looking at the exposed corridor, she didn't know where to escape to for a moment. She could only stand there shyly and dejectedly, glaring at Kurusu Akira in front of her, signaling him to let go.
The Phantom Thief cooperatively withdrew his hand. "Let's go. There's still time. We can arrange for the band to rehearse on stage a few more times with the remaining time."
Feeling the increasing number of gazes focusing on her, Iseri Nina blushed, clenched her small fists, and lightly hit Kurusu Akira's back, then followed him down the teaching building without a word.
Along the way, she saw many white-haired old men or middle-aged men with dispirited or even incredulous expressions pass by. When they looked at Kurusu Akira, they all showed a cautious, even lingering fear, and a hint of covetousness.
But they remembered that Shinba Takakiyo was a shrewd businessman, so they all dismissed the idea of "poaching" him.
After all, no one knew what price a businessman with an unfathomably low moral bottom line could offer this monstrous transfer student. Acting rashly and impulsively would only spoil the other party's goodwill.
...
They boarded the train, which rattled and swayed towards Shimokitazawa Station.
Kurusu Akira opened Line, and the first-year junior almost immediately sent a message as soon as his avatar lit up.
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Senpai! How was today's competition?!]
[Millionaire: Stiflingly hot.]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Damn event organizers, they don't know how to take care of the contestants at all!]
It seemed as if he could see the red-haired girl waving her fists through the screen, her face full of shared indignation.
Kurusu Akira replied, [Maybe we should blame the weather station more. After all, the weather forecast said it would be 'partly cloudy' and 'overcast' today.]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Then... damn weather station!]
[Millionaire: Speaking of the competition, Yoshizawa's sister should have gotten a good ranking, right?]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: (Proud.emoji), Sumire trained very hard, so of course she got her first gold trophy!]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Alright! Senpai should also talk about his feelings about today's competition!]
[Millionaire: So hot I want to eat chilled watermelon.]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Be serious!]
This girl seems to be full of energy no matter when.
Kurusu Akira glanced at Iseri Nina beside him, who was already drowsy from the train's air conditioning, and continued typing on the screen, [It should be first place, but this is just a preliminary round, so it doesn't mean much.]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Mmm, I understand... With Senpai's excellence, you wouldn't mind if a junior from a lower grade celebrated the victory with you after the next competition, right? I'll bring chilled drinks!]
For free drinks, Kurusu Akira naturally accepted them all: [No problem, then I'll eagerly look forward to the drinks Yoshizawa prepares for me.]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Oh, by the way, regarding the 'chilled watermelon,' my parents seem to have prepared a lot recently... Although it's expensive, they accidentally bought too much. If it stays in the fridge for too long, the taste will get a bit bad... Hmm, although it's embarrassing, but... I really want to ask Senpai for another favor!]
Kurusu Akira looked at the text popping up on the screen and began to wonder what kind of family this girl opposite him came from.
Expensive things like watermelon... and they could "accidentally" buy a lot?
If it were the poor Kurusu Akira from the day before yesterday, he would have readily agreed to visit.
But he was now a millionaire with two million yen, and he couldn't be easily defeated by the temptation of wealth.
So the question was, how many times could two million yen buy watermelon?
Kurusu Akira calculated in his mind and suddenly felt that two million yen didn't seem like much after all.
[Millionaire: When?]
[My Sister Can't Be This Cute: Tonight!]
...
In a high-end duplex apartment in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, Yoshizawa Kasumi almost immediately jumped off the sofa when she saw the message from the other party. The girl, wearing a small tank top that revealed her graceful figure and large expanse of fair skin, casually tossed her phone onto the sofa, then ran barefoot up the stairs and quickly darted into her bedroom to find clothes to go out.
Her father, who was stewing beef ribs in the kitchen, looked blankly as she stood fully dressed at the entrance in just a minute, rushing to leave. "Where are you going?"
Yoshizawa Kasumi pushed the door open. "To buy watermelon!"
"I didn't give you any money!" her father exclaimed, flustered.
"I have my competition prize money!" the girl answered loudly, then closed the door behind her.
With a heavy thud, the door was tightly shut, like a thick barrier, blocking all of Mr. Yoshizawa's questions.
He faced the dark security door, his heart filled with confusion and bewilderment.
This girl, going out specifically to buy watermelon on such a hot day?
Combining it with Yoshizawa Kasumi's usual sweet and adorable demeanor, he immediately imagined his family sitting in the living room that evening, happily watching TV, eating watermelon, and chatting about the trivial, uninteresting things in life.
For a moment, the peak happiness of life filled the heart of this man nearing middle age, becoming a warmth that made him tremble all over.
'To have such a lovely pair of daughters and a virtuous wife, even if my boss calls me in for an all-night overtime tomorrow, I would truly have no complaints—'
Four hours later.
Mr. Yoshizawa, who was cutting watermelon in the kitchen, only wished he could travel back in time to this afternoon, catch his daughter who went out to buy watermelon, and bring her home, and also hang a sign outside the door.
[Dogs and Amamiya Ren are not allowed.]
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