As expected, Kiryuin Fuka was the most outstanding—no one in second-year Class B could even come close to matching her.
Kaoru calculated the advantages he currently held.
The sports festival rankings were determined by total points—technically, they didn't need to win every event, as long as their overall score surpassed the second-place class.
Thanks to the "Time-Space Camera," he already knew most of second-year Class A's event lineup.
All that remained was figuring out how to outscore them in the overall tally.
Kiryuin Fuka was the key breakthrough player.
As a top-tier expert hired by Kaoru at a high price, she was expected to secure the championship without any other girl being able to catch up to her.
However, simply defeating the girls' group was not enough to earn more points.
"Energy candies,"
"Imitator Game,"
"Vitality soup,"
"Dominators' wristbands"...
In an instant, a number of rewards flashed through Kaoru Mitoma's mind.
If those options didn't work, he would have to resort to the rewards from the previous world as a last resort.
Kaoru noted down the names of the second-year B class students and then quietly left the athletics field, returning to the first-year classroom as if nothing had happened.
Although his excuse was quite legitimate, he had been gone for a little too long, which seemed to catch Sakayanagi Arisu's attention.
Kaoru was prepared for her inquiries, but instead of Sakayanagi coming over, it was Kamuro Masumi who asked him a few questions.
"Don't tell me you went to meet someone?"
"Kamuro-san, I occasionally need to use the restroom too."
"I didn't see you in the restroom."
"…"
Kaoru wanted to tell her that he had indeed thought about following the cute idol, but that didn't mean he liked being followed by a cute girl.
"Don't worry, that wasn't my intention," Kamuro Masumi said, pouting.
There was no way she would meddle in others' affairs.
Kaoru was a bit skeptical, but seeing her impatient expression, it seemed genuine.
So, the next day, Kaoru raised his hand and calmly walked out of the classroom in front of the whole class, claiming it was due to a stomachache.
Due to the different locations in the class schedule, he ended up in the gym this time, where he saw the second-year A class practicing various events in an orderly manner.
Among them, a boy with tousled blonde hair, exuding a carefree attitude, sat on a bench, chatting happily with a few girls beside him.
Kaoru was slightly surprised; he hadn't expected Nagumo Miyabi to still enjoy his youth even after losing certain desires.
No, perhaps it was precisely because he had lost some desires that Nagumo was now limited to just chatting.
From the reactions around, it seemed this scene was nothing unusual; only Iijima occasionally stole glances, perhaps because one of the girls was his goddess.
Similarly, Iijima quickly noticed Kaoru's arrival and seemed a bit excited.
Kaoru gave him a slight nod, signaling him not to make a fuss, and continued to observe quietly from the corner.
Although he no longer needed to watch the second-year A class practice, he still had to maintain appearances.
It seemed there was no particular object of interest, but the scene of Nagumo teasing the girls was particularly eye-catching.
At that moment, someone suddenly reached out and lightly tapped Kaoru on the back.
"Don't move."
A very pleasant voice, tinged with a hint of playfulness, made it unnecessary to think about the identity of the person.
"May I ask what reward I would receive for surrendering right now?" Kaoru said, raising both hands and slowly turning around, only to see Asahina Nazuna standing behind him, her face serious, her right hand mimicking a gun.
"There's no reward; spies are executed on the spot," Asahina Nazuna said with a stern expression.
Kaoru cautiously took a small step back, and her 'gun' moved slightly, always aimed at him.
"Isn't surrendering supposed to come with leniency, followed by a hefty reward to entice him to reveal the information he possesses?"
"That seems to be the case," Asahina Nazuna pondered for a moment, poking him with her 'gun.'
"Do you have any information to share with me? If not, I'll have to execute you."
"As long as Asahina Senpai is willing to give me a little reward, I'll tell you right away," Kaoru replied immediately.
"Shameless," Asahina Nazuna pretended to put away her 'gun'.
"I'll let you off today; hurry back. I remember it's still class time, right?"
"Are you going back to practice, Asahina Senpai?" Kaoru asked, not in a hurry to leave.
At that moment, she was wearing a somewhat provocative gym outfit, her slender figure hidden beneath a thin short-sleeved top, revealing a large expanse of snowy white arms.
Her chest boasted two high, perky mounds, and it seemed one could faintly see the color beneath, but upon closer inspection, it appeared to be merely his imagination, as he was simply staring at her collarbone.
Her long, fair legs were naturally pressed together, not wearing stockings, just a pair of long cotton socks.
The curve of her lower abdomen was somewhat alluring, and the girl's hips seemed to be maturing, allowing Kaoru to catch a whiff of a faint, elusive fragrance.
Her round ass was a feast for the eyes.
"Of course, I need to go back to practice."
Although she said this, a hint of disappointment inevitably flashed in Asahina Nazuna's eyes.
"So, you didn't skip class, Senpai?" Kaoru was even more surprised.
Asahina Nazuna shot him a glare, dissatisfied. "What, do you think I'm that kind of person?"
"I didn't mean it that way. I just didn't see you on the field earlier and thought you might be in the restroom or had something to take care of," Kaoru explained reasonably.
"And besides, it just feels like Nagumo-senpai wouldn't be so… a bit too close with other girls in front of you."
Seeing his hesitant yet cautious gaze, Asahina Nazuna fell silent.
Although she had grown accustomed to Nagumo Miyabi's carefree nature, it still felt uncomfortable.
It was precisely because she cared about this that she had rejected Nagumo's advances.
And Nagumo, because of her rejection, had become increasingly indulgent in his life, treating the girls around him as mere pretty vases to play with, except for Asahina Nazuna, who was different.
Asahina Nazuna felt quite disgusted by Nagumo's mindset.
However, now was not the time to discuss that.
"I've known Miyabi for a long time; he's just that kind of person. It should be considered part of his charm," Asahina Nazuna said unenthusiastically.
"Everyone is used to it, and he hasn't done anything particularly outrageous."
"So, Asahina-senpai can accept this side of Nagumo-senpai?"
"…"
The atmosphere between them suddenly fell silent.
Asahina Nazuna stared at him intently, noticing that he was completely unashamed, instead looking at her with a strange expression.
It wasn't pity, nor was it questioning, and it certainly wasn't the surprise of finding an opportunity; it was a feeling she couldn't quite articulate, as if he simply felt puzzled and wanted to understand her thoughts.
In response, Asahina Nazuna smiled softly, gathering the strands of hair by her cheek, seemingly teasingly saying.
"What kind of answer does the junior want from the senpai?"
"Indecisiveness; I think it's unfair," Kaoru replied.
Asahina Nazuna blinked, wondering who it was unfair to.
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