A Game of Strategy and Taunts

When they returned to the spectator seats, Sakayanagi was already there, waiting. She raised a hand in a delicate wave, greeting Hikigaya with a polite smile.

"Welcome back, Hikigaya-kun. Did you uncover anything interesting?"

"What about you?" Hikigaya asked, sidestepping her question.

She chuckled softly, unbothered by his indirect response. "I heard from Masumi that a girl named Kinoshita kept shouting for Horikita… just as you suspected, Ryuuen's definitely up to something."

"Seems like we're on the same page, then," Hikigaya replied.

"Perhaps you should ask Masumi to testify for you?" Sakayanagi offered gently. "Don't worry; if she agrees, I won't stand in your way. Besides, it could turn the tables for you."

Sakayanagi was right. Ryuuen would no doubt distort the facts. Kinoshita's shouts might just be a mere accusation, but the cameras would capture Horikita turning to face her. However, with Kamuro's testimony, things could be different.

Yet this wasn't Hikigaya's battle to fight. He'd already decided to stay out of it, so he declined politely.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to involve Kamuro needlessly. Besides, I don't think Horikita will lose that easily."

Sakayanagi tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "You seem to have a lot of faith in her."

"…What makes you think that?"

Hikigaya hadn't intended to convey any confidence in Horikita. He simply didn't believe she'd lose to Ryuuen without a fight.

"Well, if I'm honest," Sakayanagi continued, her voice almost mischievous, "based on her past actions, there isn't much about Horikita that would inspire trust."

Hikigaya smirked at the indirect jab. "Right, so maybe my confidence lies in Ayanokoji, who's been by her side."

"Hmm…" Sakayanagi seemed to be enjoying the conversation. "Perhaps your belief in Ayanokoji is what leads you to assume that Horikita won't lose."

"Uh…" Hikigaya felt her reasoning was spiraling into absurdity. The way she overanalyzed everything was exhausting.

"Exactly," he said dryly, "If Ayanokoji put his mind to it, Ryuuen wouldn't stand a chance."

But Ayanokoji's hesitance meant that if he didn't act soon, his plans would be wasted.

"You still doubt Ayanokoji's capabilities, don't you?" Sakayanagi mused, shaking her head slightly. "I can understand; he's kept his true strength hidden. But I know just how formidable he is."

A flicker of nostalgia crossed her face. "Years ago, I saw him in action. He was just a child then, sitting at a chessboard, calmly defeating one professional player after another. He was leagues above everyone there. He's the reason I took up chess."

This piqued Hikigaya's curiosity.

"So, that secretive organization trains people to play chess too? Were they planning to create the world's strongest chess player?"

"If he's so talented, why hasn't he gone professional?"

"Not everyone controls their destiny."

"Ah... I see."

Hikigaya assumed it had all been just data collection. What a waste of potential.

"But there's something I still find odd," Hikigaya muttered, stroking his chin. "Leaving aside the fact that you equate chess skills with other abilities… you said you saw him play eight years ago. How do you know he's been practicing all this time?"

Before she could answer, he added, "Let me ask you, do you practice every day?"

"Of course! I've never missed a single day," she replied, a trace of pride in her voice.

"Well, I don't think Ayanokoji would put in the same effort. At least since he entered school, I doubt he's been secretly training."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "So, even if you beat him now, would it really mean anything?"

Like any competitive skill, improvement requires constant practice. Even a prodigy can't remain at peak level without effort—a reality Sakayanagi seemed momentarily at a loss for words about.

Hikigaya was content with the silence that followed, letting his focus drift back to the tournament. The last two events before lunch were a cavalry battle and a 200-meter sprint.

"Cavalry battle, huh…" he mused. In a team-based event like this, he figured Ryuuen would pull some kind of stunt.

In a cavalry battle, each team of four—three carrying one rider—tries to capture the opponent's headbands while protecting their own. Hikigaya took out his phone, calling Sudou to suggest that each rider apply chalk powder, the same kind used in tug-of-war, to prevent slipping.

If it turned out to be unnecessary, no harm done. Better safe than sorry.

The match began, and D-Class's star team was made up of Hirata as the rider, with Ayanokoji, Sudou, and Miyake as the base. Their powerhouse lineup was formidable, while A-Class had Kamuro and Shibata among its own top members. B-Class and C-Class also had strong players, though Ryuuen's team tactics during the tug-of-war had soured C-Class members' feelings, causing tension with their own allies in B-Class.

Predictably, Sudou sprang into action at the whistle's blow, charging headlong into the fray.

"Target Ryuuen's headband! Let's knock them down!"

Hikigaya heard Sudou's enthusiastic voice through his phone as Sudou plowed through opponents, toppling them along with their riders.

Isn't that borderline illegal? Hikigaya thought, but in a high-stakes place like Koudo Ikusei, it was all within permissible bounds.

The intensity of the cavalry battle surprised Hikigaya; it was far more exciting than he expected. He was beginning to understand why coliseums once thrived.

With Sudou bulldozing through rivals, the tide turned quickly. Soon, only Ryuuen's team remained, with four D-Class riders closing in.

"It's over, Ryuuen! Might as well give up now!"

Sudou jeered at Ryuuen, who kept a calm, almost amused expression even as he faced imminent defeat.

"Oh, Sudou, right? I'll remember your name."

Rather than appearing intimidated, Ryuuen looked as if he relished being pushed to the edge.

"I see dead eyes had been looking after you quite a bit. Too bad he's powerless to help you this time."

"Huh? Who are you even talking about?!"

Hikigaya covered his face with a hand, barely able to contain his reaction. Ryuuen had to use that nickname in front of people who didn't know it. It was cringeworthy.

"Ah, the view from up here is quite satisfying, like I'm looking down on a loyal horse."

Ryuuen, as the rider, threw out another taunt, striking a nerve in Sudou.

"Heh, don't think being on a horse makes you better than me!"

"Oh? If you're not afraid, how about a one-on-one match?"

"Excuse me?"

"If you need your friends to beat me, it doesn't count as a real victory. That's why Suzune looks down on you."

"Say that again!"

Ryuuen's baiting worked. Sudou, with that simple mind of his, took it, loudly demanding a one-on-one. Neither Hirata nor the A-Class teammates with him intervened, confident in their numbers and brushing off Sudou's eagerness.

Of course, Ryuuen hadn't given up on exploiting even the slimmest of comeback opportunities. His refusal to surrender under pressure was almost admirable.

Hikigaya was beginning to root for Ryuuen's escape from this predicament. But, as always, Ryuuen never failed to disappoint. Within a few moves, Hirata snagged Ryuuen's headband, ending the match.

You really shouldn't have been so overconfident, Hikigaya thought, watching Sudou wave Ryuuen's headband in victory.

"Ha! You blabbered on for nothing!"

For once, Sudou's words made sense. It's better to stay humble if you can't back up your words.

Just then, Sudou shouted, waving the headband in disgust. "Ugh! What is this sticky stuff on here? Gross!"

"Huh? How would I know?" Ryuuen shrugged indifferently. "Maybe it's the sweat from all that victory speech you gave."

"You're cheating!"

"Stop spouting nonsense. How do you know you didn't paint that there yourself to set me up?"

"What did you say?! Don't assume everyone is like you!"

Ryuen disregarded Sudou's angry shout and turned his attention to Hirata's hand, where the mark was clearly visible.

The sun was high, casting its glare across the track, where Ryuen, realizing the joke, scoffed. "Hmph. When you get back, tell Ibuki to wait for my instructions."

"How many times do I have to say it? I don't know him!" came a grumbling voice.

"Ugh…" Hikigaya muttered as Sudou's complaints echoed in his ear. With a sigh, he disconnected the call. There wasn't much left to do; the final event, a 200-meter dash, didn't require his involvement.

He shook his head, chuckling wryly. Ryuen… he really couldn't help but be his sneaky self, could he? Petty tricks and underhanded moves were his specialty.

Hikigaya couldn't deny, though, that his own absence due to injury had caused a bit of trouble for his class, and helping out in other ways was his way of making up for it. Plus, watching Ryuen trip over his own schemes had its own satisfaction, even if it was, admittedly, a bit pointless.

The day had been full of petty cheating, from Ryuen's underhanded moves in the hurdle race to deliberately letting go of the rope in tug-of-war. And now, slathering his team with hair wax to make them impossible to grip in the cavalry battle. All childish tactics, devoid of real sportsmanship.

Hikigaya's patience with Ryuen's antics was wearing thin; he couldn't wait for Horikita to put an end to his scheming. Although, realistically, even a decisive win wouldn't make Ryuen back down that easily. The guy's sheer tenacity was, perhaps, his only redeeming trait.

At least, with Haruno's recent change of plans, Hikigaya wouldn't have to concern himself with Ayanokoji or the class dynamics anymore. He'd finally be free from having to deal with Ryuen, too.

Odd, though—whenever he thought about all this, there was an unsettling feeling at the back of his mind. Pushing it aside, he refocused on the track as the final race reached its conclusion.

With the sports festival nearing its end, all nine main events wrapped up, there were just four recommended races left for the afternoon. "Finally—time for lunch."

Stretching, Hikigaya stood up and was about to walk away when he remembered something. Sakayanagi had been strangely quiet since the cavalry battle. Could something be wrong with her?

"Hey, Sakayanagi?" He waved a hand in front of her face. "You done spacing out? It's lunchtime, you know."

"…Hikigaya-kun." She paused as if rebooting her train of thought. "Would you like to join me for lunch? Masumi would be delighted, too."

"Uh, I think I'll pass."

She seemed to snap back to normal, and Hikigaya let out a sigh of relief. However, the idea of eating with students from another class while everyone was watching? Torture.

Besides, he already had a spot in mind. Say what you will about this school, they did show a bit of generosity from time to time. Today, they'd gone all out, ordering high-quality lunch boxes from outside restaurants and distributing them for free. Students could either eat at the designated spots on the field or in the cafeteria, while classrooms remained off-limits.

Some of the first-years took advantage of the opportunity, mingling with upperclassmen—a rare chance to network. Hikigaya admired the social skills of those who could pull it off. As for him, while he knew quite a few upperclassmen, small talk wasn't his strong suit. So, with his lunch in hand, he wandered alone to the back of the library.

His favorite dining spot—it'd been almost a month since he last came here. The perfect secluded restaurant, so to speak. Now, if only he could get his hands on a MAX coffee…

But he was getting used to the other coffee options anyway; he could live without it.

He settled down, ready to savor the peace, when an annoyingly familiar voice cut through his solitude.

"Yo! Isn't this the famous loner himself? What's a guy like you doing eating alone?"

"Uh…"

"Usually got ladies flocking around you, don't you? Or did they finally dump you?"

"…Kiriyuin-senpai," Hikigaya replied through gritted teeth.

Couldn't he just get a moment of quiet? This whole day had been one endless buzz.