Chapter 13 – Echoes in the Crowd

The midday sun beat down hard.

The stadium's chatter mixed with whistles, cheers, and the thud of sneakers hitting synthetic track. The Sport Festival was in full swing now, and Rei stood beneath a banner fluttering in the warm breeze.

His jersey clung to his back with sweat. His name—Kurohara—was stitched clearly across the fabric.

Why does this feel like more than just a school event?

"Yo, Rei!" Haru jogged over, handing him a chilled bottle of water. "You good?"

Rei nodded, then winced. "My calves aren't."

Haru laughed. "Well, tough it out. You're up again soon. Three-legged obstacle course. You and…"

"Jun," Rei said, already knowing.

As if summoned, Jun Kazama stepped into view. Sunglasses perched on his head, a towel draped across his shoulders, and the smirk of someone too used to the spotlight.

"Oh, it's you again," Jun drawled. "Can't say I'm surprised. You're making quite a name for yourself, Kurohara."

Rei sighed. "You too. For being... loud."

Jun chuckled. "You're funny. Maybe I won't leave you in the dust today. Maybe."

[System Notification]

Duel Synergy Triggered – "Chains of Rivalry"

Partner: Jun Kazama

Bond Level: Mildly Hostile

Buff: +0.2 Agility during coordination events

Penalty: Increased difficulty if teamwork fails

Rei blinked. "You've got to be kidding me."

Jun stretched casually. "You muttering again?"

"Talking to the voice in my head."

"Ah. So you are insane."

 Event: The Three-Legged Obstacle Course

The gym teacher raised a hand. "Alright, partners! Remember—coordination, trust, and rhythm!"

Rei and Jun stood at the starting line, their ankles bound tightly.

Rei whispered, "Right leg first, then left."

Jun smirked. "You sure? I thought I'd just freestyle it."

Rei's eye twitched.

BANG!

They shot forward. Rei instinctively adjusted their pace, matching Jun's longer stride. They hurdled a log, ducked under a rope net, and climbed a low wall.

Rei: "Left!"

Jun: "I know!"

They almost tripped—almost—but corrected with a synchronized lunge over a barrel.

[Coordination Bonus Achieved]

Halfway through, Rei could hear the announcers now: "Look at Class 3's duo! They're flying through!"Isn't that Rei Kurohara? He's seriously changed…"

The last stretch: crawling under a net with their legs still tied.

Jun's voice dropped. "Hey… Rei."

Rei grunted. "What?"

"Thanks. For not dragging me down."

Rei blinked in surprise. But no time to respond.

They crossed the finish line—first place.

[System Notification]

Event Cleared – Obstacle Course (1st Place!

+100 CC | +0.5 Endurance | +0.3 Strength

New Trait Acquired: Team Tempo (Passive) – +5% movement sync during partnered events

The crowd cheered.

But Rei wasn't looking at them.

He was staring across the field… at a woman in a white sunhat, standing completely still.

The same one he'd seen before—during the tryouts.

She was watching him again.

And this time, she smiled.

 Lunchtime Break – Backstage Tension

Rei sat behind the bleachers, catching his breath and chewing a rice ball someone had handed him. He wasn't sure who—it just appeared in his hands.

Jun appeared again. "Hey. Good run."

Rei raised an eyebrow. "Compliment from you? Should I write this in my diary?"

Jun shrugged. "Maybe I'm just trying to figure you out."

Rei: "What's to figure out?"

Jun sat beside him. "You're too calm. Like you're used to being underestimated… but not anymore."

Rei looked away. "Maybe I am."

Silence.

Jun: "You think they'll cheer for you next event too?"

Rei smirked. "Let's find out."

🏃 Next Event: Class vs Class Relay Qualifiers

This time, it wasn't about duos. It was about team coordination—hand-offs, timing, raw speed.

Rei stood fourth in line, the anchor runner for Class 3.

[System Notification]

Quest: Carry the Baton

Place Top 3 as Anchor Reward: +80 CC | +0.4 Agility Bonus: +1 Charm if your hand-off goes viral

He exhaled.

The third runner sprinted in. Rei took the baton cleanly and launched forward.

But something was off.

From the other lanes, a Class 1 runner surged past—blazing fast. Rei gritted his teeth. His legs burned, but he pushed harder, harder—

He remembered every lap he'd run, every task that left him breathless.

[Hidden Buff Triggered – Endless Grit (System Artifact Seed)]

He pulled ahead—barely.

They finished in second place.

[Quest Complete]

+80 CC | +0.4 Agility | +1 Charm

New Buff Unlocked: Endless Grit (Seeded) – When outmatched, temporary burst of +10% speed for 4 seconds

The cheers were louder now.

The End - Chapter 13

Chaos Crown System – Status Panel

Name: Rei KuroharaCC Balance: 3,135Evolution Progress: 16.4%

Stat

Strength 7.3 → 7.6 | +0.3 from events

Agility 6.9 → **7.6** | +0.3 + 0.4 gain

Endurance 5.0 → 5.5 | +0.5 from obstacle course

Intelligence 15.2

Charm 30.5 → 31.5 | +1 from bonus

Willpower 5.5

Business Sense** | Tier 1.5 | No change this chapter