Chapter 34 : Blood Water

A/N: Thanks to everyone for the stones, even in the days I didn't publish! Here's the awaited chapter of the week! I also saw some comments talking about the pace, and the story not being canon...

Well all I gotta say is that canon (deku entering UA) won't happen in like 15 years or so... Now I think that he was talking about the mc going to UA. All I can say is that it's 2 arcs away. (The current one is about Rumi, then it'll be about Kurai and finally UA (and smut *cough*))

Anyway... I wanna take time and develop everything I can to have a smooth sailing for the harem, and other things... It'll be a waste of potential to just skip all those years and directly go to UA... You can leave your thoughts here! I'll check them when I have time.

Again, thanks for the stones, keep 'em coming today ! And see you next sunday!

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Yellows and reds were standing face to face with each other, Ryuko in between them, was re-telling the rules for the second challenge of the day.

While doing so, she could already feel the differences between those 2 teams.

On one hand, Team Yellow had more cooperation, or that's what it felt to her because she could more or less see 2 groups. They were also more energetic and rejuvenated. 'Or maybe it's just Kurai fooling again.' She thought.

At least they looked better than team red, from what she could see, they didn't have anything close to a leader and they seemed to be hungry for a while now.

"So only one member of your respective team has to remain until the end to make you win. This time the winning team won't be rewarded."

Ryuko paused and looked at everyone. Just before starting the game, some teachers came to her to ask for a small change. To spice up the game a little bit.

"It'll be the losing team who will receive a 'punishment'."

She then clapped her hands, "Everyone in position."

Today's game was pretty simple. They just had to go in cages put on the beach and tie their feet to some weights. All the while grabbing the bars above their heads so that way they won't have any hold on the ground.

If they touch the ground, they will be instantly eliminated.

And the last one standing makes his team win.

Until now it's pretty simple.

If it wasn't for the fact that night was soon coming and that the water level would rise along with it. Making the water as far as completely submerge the cages.

That's why when they entered the cages under Ryuko's draconian irises, some of them were more scared than anything. So scared that they had forgotten their hunger.

When everyone was ready, Ryuko started counting, "3!"

"2!" Not far from there, the teachers focused too, some were ready to take notes.

"1!" While some others were ready to help the students at any time if someone ever gets close to drowning.

"Go!" She shouted.

Instantly everyone jumped and grabbed the bar.

A few kids had a supinated grip or a neutral one, which is a grip a bit more taxing on the biceps and the forearms.

While the vast majority had a pronated grip, which puts a heavy load on the fingers and the forearms.

Ironically, the only people standing out were 2 caramel-toned kids. Although this challenge was a pure physical contest, they were still making everyone look bad.

Rumi and Kurai were doing a plank. Weirdly, they didn't even know what the other would do but nonetheless did the same directly after the start.

Although Kurai smirked, Rumi just clicked her tongue in annoyance at her 'copy-cat' friend.

While the kids around them were thinking that they were flexing and boasting on them, Ryuko had a different idea in mind.

'Are they trying to conserve more energy?' Normal people would think that a plank-hold on a bar is more taxing than simply holding it.

...But to a girl like Ryuko, she knew that they couldn't be more wrong.

The plank puts stress on the lats and the abs. (Little bit on the legs too.)

Knowing that, Ryuko nodded. 'They can alternate with different positions.'

Indeed, when they would have their abs and lats too sore, they will easily be able to change their positions and hold the bar normally. That way their muscles would rest and when the time comes to change again they'll be as good as new.

This is the main difference between them and the others who would have to stay in the same position the whole time.

That's how time passed, after one hour, only 10 people from the initial 40 were left. Water had risen too, up to their knees.

A lot of people fell from tiredness.

So they soon understood Rumi's and Kurai's technique of alternating. Though, it made even more people fall, mainly because they tried to do a plank too. Unfortunately, some slipped while others didn't have the required strength.

Now that the water had risen, it was starting to be easier for them to hold. Since the water can make their bodies lighter. Well, it was still only to knee level after one hour.

'Not for too long.' Thought Kurai after looking at the moon.

It was already showing its head behind the clouds, a sign that the night was coming, and that the water would rise faster.

He was sweating a lot from his hands so every now and then he had to let go of the bar and hold it with one hand so he could wipe his hands on his trousers. Same thing for Rumi.

She and Kurai were the only ones able to do it without slipping.

No one was talking, they were all concentrating, trying to regulate their breaths and stretch their sore arms the better they could.

Slowly minutes started to pass, then one hour again, the water was at neck level.

Only 4 more people had fallen during the time. So they were now 6, including Rumi and Kurai.

Although now it was quite effortless to hold the bar, the water was literally making them float.

And Ryuko and the teachers knew it. From now on no one would fall.

They would only give up.

"Help me!! I wanna get out fast!!

… Just like now. Being behind bars with an ever rising water level was very stressful

This was a challenge where the kids had to overcome their fears of closed space, of water and everything related.

The teachers ran to 'save' the girl shouting, she wasn't dying per se, but they could never know what's happening in her mind. Sometimes people only need a panic attack to drown.

Even if they literally float on water…

This event brought the count down to 5 kids, Kurai and another boy from team yellow.

Rumi, on the other hand, still had 2 teammates. The mermaid girl and a boy with a long tail gripping the bars.

Slowly the water was rising… To their necks…

Then to their ears… At the same time, the boys still left on Kurai's and Rumi's team gave up.

The game was coming close to its ending, mainly because the water nearly reached the nose.

And every now and then because of the waves, water was entering their noses. If they couldn't remain calm it was an instant loss.

...

8 pm. The moon was high. Only the sounds of the rustling waves hitting against the sand could be heard.

Everyone, let it be teachers, the kids on both teams, or Ryuko. They were all silent.

Waiting for the outcome. The water had reached their noses long ago.

The 3 participants were still rearing to go, no one was giving up.

Although, they had to do a small pull-up every minute or so to take a breath.

Unfortunately, one kid had more advantages compared to the rest… And the situation was only going to get better for him.

Again… Unfortunately for both other chocolates toned kids, they couldn't compete against an amphibian quirk.

The mermaid girl had clear predispositions for this challenge. It started to show when water reached their eyes.

The appearance of gills on her side. That way she didn't need to take a breath of air like them.

Well for Kurai, it was an obvious loss. 'Welp… I can't compete with a fish.' He thought, taking a last breath because the water would later be too high.

The same thing wasn't going through Rumi's mind, who was a lot more competitive and didn't want to lose.

It was even more true if she lost to someone who wasn't Kurai…

Taking her last and deepest breath, she gave it her all.

Half a minute...

1 minute…

Time was slowly ticking…

2 minutes…

Rumi's face was starting to redden…

After 3 minutes a vein popped on her forehead, Kurai was starting to struggle too.

On the side, the mermaid girl was in her element, it was like a walk in the park for her.

At the 4 minutes mark, Rumi started expiring every bit of oxygen she had to remain longer…

But it wasn't enough, not enough to beat Kurai, and even far less for the mermaid.

Kurai could stay longer than her because he used a breathing technique, which is taking a lot of short breaths to make the lungs fuller than after taking a big breath.

After breathing out everything she could, Rumi was literally holding the bars on her last breath, lungs empty.

They were burning, even if the outside water was cold, she could feel it. They were hurting so much, but her grip was firm.

Sadly even with the biggest will in the world, she couldn't fight against Mother Nature and how she made the human body…

Her grip, which was strongly holding on the bars, started to loosen up. Her mouth opened, expiring the very last bubbles out of her body.

Letting the bars go, Rumi started to trash around, and her face, which was initially red, turned blue.

Kurai and the mermaid girl heard some noises, but the water cushioned most of it.

Still while the teachers were already speeding toward them, Kurai couldn't help but feel a tug at his heart. He couldn't help but look back.

That's where he saw her, slowly falling further down the sea, her mouth open and the light in her eyes slowly fading away.

Kurai's heart started to tug even faster, he didn't even need to think that his arms already pushed the bar in the opposite direction.

Launching his body straight toward Rumi, he caught her by the waist and started swimming up the fastest he could. He even activated his transformation, reaching the surface he didn't even stop to take a breath and resumed his run toward the shore.

He was too holding on his last breath but she was most important right now. When he arrived on the shore, he let her unconscious body down on the sand and raised his head to look around.

He could see teachers still running toward them, along with Ryuko, everyone had worried and desperate faces.

'No time to wait!' Deciding to act, Kurai joined both of his hands on her small chest and pressed down to push out the water.

'Again!' He was giving his all, doing it faster and faster.

'Don't you dare to give up now!'

Stopping, he parted her drenched and wrinkled blue lips.

Directly after taking a sharp breath in, he delicately put his lips on hers and initiated the CPR.

'Come on!' His mind was only thinking about her at the moment, he didn't see the teachers and the other kids surrounding him.

Though, no one dared to interrupt him, even more so after seeing him act this professional.

*Cough Cough*

*Splash*

All of a sudden, blood red eyes snapped open and Kurai received a nice gallon of water on his face.

Smiling, he stayed near his friend to help her stand back on her feet again. 'Thank God!'

Rumi was lost and confused, she had lost her orientation and didn't know where she was. When she opened her eyes, she saw Kurai next to her, while they were surrounded by everyone.

"Wha-t happ-enne-d?" She tried to mutter with a raspy voice, the salt having dried up her throat.

The teachers then came around her, to see if she was alright so Kurai couldn't even answer back, before she was taken away.

…

…

...

After Rumi left with the teachers, the mood was very awkward.

Ryuko was looking down, while the kids around were all silent.

Even though most of them didn't like Rumi, they had feelings, and seeing one of them so close to passing away…

'Sigh… What a mess… Does she know the word "limit"?' Kurai shook his head and stood up.

Seeing Ryuko's state Kurai walked up to her.

"Hey…" He put a hand on her now frail shoulders, feeling it shake, Kurai held her more firmly.

"Look at me, will you?" The blond slowly looked up at Kurai, her eyes were red and she was biting her lips, trying to hold back all her build up emotions.

"I'm so…!" She tried to say something but Kurai readily interrupted her attempt.

"Stop, right now you have to show a strong front before everyone, so get back on your horse, I want to see that confident Ryuko again, alright?" He showed her his most gentle smile.

Kurai knew that she was someone very compassionate and very emotive, on top of being kind, caring and gentle.

That's also why he knew that she must've put all the blame for what happened to Rumi on herself… He couldn't help but imagine what would've happened if Rumi did die, for him and or Ryuko....

'No I don't wanna think about that.' He disregarded his stupid thoughts and put his second hand on her shoulder.

"Now show them your confident self, you can let it out all later, and don't forget it, it's not your fault."

Then Kurai went to take his place with the others, waiting for Ryuko.

When she saw his departing back, she felt warm inside and found the strength to swallow the lump in her throat.

Taking a few steps forward, she faked a cough and started speaking.

"First, I want to apologize for this event…" She told everyone out loud while bowing at 90°.

"We should have seen it coming that a few of you might try the impossible…"

Looking up at everyone, she forced a smile, "Second, I want to congratulate the red team for winning today!" She went and gave the mermaid girl a wooden trophy.

"This totem protects your team from the hell night." Turning her eyes to the yellow team, she didn't explain further.

"Now for the losers… Your punishment…" The students were shuddering, they were worried about what kind of punishment they'll have to endure.

"... Is the hell night. Let me explain. Simply said, you need to vote for 5 people. And they'll be eliminated with a failing grade too."

Hurriedly finishing the rest of her talk, "Now sorry I have to go! Yellow team, see you tonight for the vote!" Ryuko left quickly, her silhouette disappearing into the woods.

Unfortunately or fortunately for her, a black cat silently followed in her traces. [Kurai's cat form pic here]

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Author here, i just wanted to say that initially the chapter ended after Rumi lost consciousness, then I thought it'll just be bad to leave a cliff for a whole week lol... Hence I added the last past, I guess i have a soft spot for my readers... tsk tsk