Watching Kudou being carried away by TB and then looking at the innocent-faced Shiro , Iori and Kouhei were at a complete loss for words.
In a way… that scumbag was really incredible.
He hadn't even participated in the match, and before it even began, he'd already made the opponent's ace cough up blood and collapse…
As for the fact that Shiro couldn't play tennis — in Iori and Kouhei's eyes, that didn't matter at all.
Everyone has their own weaknesses, after all… like Iori's swimming.
"Iori! Play seriously!"
"Give them a home run!"
"If you win, we'll treat you to drinks!"
"…"
The other PaB seniors had arrived too, now holding a drinking party in the stands to cheer them on.
Even though these seniors probably couldn't tell baseball from tennis, Iori was still a little touched.
He looked down at the tennis racket in his hand and then at the beast-like seniors around him, and his heart couldn't help but recall his days at the all-boys high school.
Σ(?д?|||)!!
Next to him, Kouhei was dumbfounded seeing Iori suddenly tear up. Was just the offer of drinks really enough to make this idiot cry?! How much does this guy owe Kamishiro anyway?!
Smack!
He slapped Iori's shoulder hard, wearing an extremely brotherly expression. "Don't worry, Kitahara. Even if you really end up joining a gay club, I won't look down on you!"
"…What the hell is going on in that messed-up head of yours?!"
Off to the side, two other seniors stared enviously at the drinking crowd, drool practically dripping. They wanted drinks too! Why the hell was everyone ignoring the president and holding a party already?!
Passing by them with a beer in hand, Shiro kindly offered some advice.
"Well now, you two senpai really shouldn't be drinking. At the very least, try to respect the prize money that Iori and Kouhei earned by embarrassing themselves."
"…"
"You're the last person qualified to say that!!"
Nearby, Aina shook her head at the chaotic scene.
At first, she thought there might still be a chance of winning, but now… yeah, that's out the window. Totally impossible.
What upset her even more was the fact that she'd spent quite a while in TB, right?
Just because she wasn't wearing makeup or tennis clothes, why did they all suddenly act like they didn't recognize her? Their attitude had completely changed, and the overly eager reactions… seriously, way too much!
A bunch of looks-obsessed jerks!
…
"First match of TB vs. PaB is about to begin!"
The match began, with the refereeing done jointly by someone from TB and Shiro.
Although Kamishiro didn't know how to play tennis, he knew the rules. After all, tennis is pretty handy when flirting — knowing the rules can make it look like you're someone who plays.
PaB's first representatives were two of their seniors. As seniors, they had to set an example for the juniors, right?
…Though the way they had just asked Shiro about the rules left him deeply worried.
No matter how you looked at it, these two did not seem like the type who played tennis!
"Tokita-senpai! Kotobuki-senpai! You got this!"
Aina shouted from the sidelines. Honestly, all she wanted now was to see this bunch of looks-obsessed fools get crushed!
"Oh, we'll give it our best!"
"Alright then, let's do this… heave-ho!"
Wham!
Just a second ago they were waddling around like clowns — but the moment they served, the two seniors went into giant-mode!
The sheer force behind the serve knocked the racket clean out of the opponent's hands!
The TB players didn't even see the ball. By the time they realized something was off, their racket was already gone, and the hand that had been holding it was trembling uncontrollably.
"Was that okay?"
After landing a stunning serve, Tokita turned to the stunned Shiro for confirmation.
After all, it was their first time playing tennis, they weren't even sure if that was allowed.
Shiro's eye twitched. He nodded silently while updating the scoreboard.
15–0.
A beautiful serve!
He felt like he had become Iori for a second. Why had he been stupid enough to worry about the seniors? With that kind of terrifying power, they could probably dominate the entire court.
They had proven with brute force that skill meant nothing in the face of absolute power!
Damn it! What is this, a Yujiro Hanma template?!
What followed was practically a one-sided slaughter.
Against that monstrous strength, the TB duo had zero room to retaliate — one of them even took a direct smash to the body from Kotobuki in his eagerness to return the ball.
Shiro was convinced that if that smash had hit someone dead on, it would've been lethal…
"30–0!"
Kudou's face was pale, the difference in athletic ability between the two sides was massive.
And they were just a club, not professionals — so there was no way to counter that kind of brute force.
In that case… they'd just have to use other methods!
From Shiro's perspective, two TB members were seen sneaking toward the seniors' water bottles with a mysterious bottle labeled Water of Life…
"…"
Shiro silently watched the scene unfold, feeling personally insulted.
He looked over at the TB referee next to him. That guy had already turned his head away, guilty as hell.
The TB ref was mentally screaming — the original plan was based on the fact that he was the only referee! Now there was a second ref — why were they still going through with this plan?!
Ding!
A glint of silver appeared at the TB referee's neck. He looked down to see a kitchen knife pressed against his throat!
(.;゜;:益:;゜;.)
He nearly pissed himself on the spot! It wasn't him switching the water — why was he getting threatened?!
"I'm just going to the bathroom for a bit, alright~?"
The TB ref nodded furiously. Of course it was okay! Heck, even if Shiro wanted to pee right here, he wouldn't object!
"If you happen to see something you shouldn't later…"
!!!
The TB referee looked at the smiling, squinting Shiro next to him and saw not a human, but a demon. He suddenly understood what this guy was about to do… but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
All he could do was nod, utterly humiliated.
Seeing his cooperation, Shiro put the knife away with a cheerful smile. Kiyoko's knife really was unexpectedly handy~
Now it was time to test the TB members' alcohol tolerance!
…
Meanwhile, Iori and Kouhei had noticed something odd — why had the seniors who had been cheering from the stands suddenly disappeared?
The two of them went to check out the senior hangout spot, and were met with a field of shirtless 'bodies' and empty booze bottles!
"What the hell happened here?!"
"They actually got drunk?!"
They stared in disbelief.
It wasn't that they didn't think the seniors would drink during a match — it was just hard to believe that they all got wiped out this quickly!
"(ˉ﹃ˉ) Hic… Iori, Kouhei~"
One senior, still able to recognize faces, waved at them groggily.
"Senpai!"
"What happened here?!"
"Ah, TB brought over a ton of drinks earlier. We just went a little overboard, hahaha…"
TB?!
The two looked at the bottles. 6%?
For the seniors, that should be no different from juice!
Their confusion cleared up the moment they noticed the liquid leaking from a bottle… it evaporated in under ten seconds.
That was no 6% drink — someone definitely left out a 9!
With heavy hearts, they headed for the match grounds. If TB was resorting to stuff like this, they had to be up to something shady!
A strange sense of mission lit up in their hearts, the time to save PaB had come!
…
At the Court
They arrived only to see a scene identical to what they'd seen on the stands earlier — except this time, it was TB who was collapsed on the ground… and they still had clothes on…
Even the TB players on the court had passed out drunk…
So… what the hell happened here?!
Their rescue mission had ended before it even began!
On the ref stand, Shiro chugged a beer, glancing scornfully at the TB side.
TB's alcohol tolerance?
Trash-tier~
.....................…..
"PaB wins!"
Shiro raised the flag to announce the victory.
Kudo ground his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing he could do—after all, they were the ones who started using underhanded tactics in the first place.
Damn it! That squinty-eyed guy doesn't even know how to play tennis, so how the hell does he know the rules so well?!
Whatever, losing the first match against those beasts is fine. We'll just win the next two!
That's what Kudo thought. He didn't believe that PaB had anyone strong besides that group of monsters.
"Then, the second match begins!"
Next up was the girls' doubles match: Chisa and Aina vs. a high ponytail senior from TB and a short-haired girl.
Both of them had once asked for Shiro's contact info, and they had good conversations with him.
That high ponytail senior was even the runner-up in the beauty pageant—she almost had a "deep exchange" with Shiro at the Ryugu Inn~
"Oh? Isn't that the beauty pageant champion, Kotegawa? Too bad this isn't a competition you can win by flipping skirts!"
The high ponytail senior looked at Chisa mockingly, her eyes filled with hostility.
Not only had Chisa stolen the first-place crown from her, but she also got to see Shiro every day!
The moment Chisa heard the words "flipping skirts," anger boiled up inside her. In her heart, she was already whipping Iori again.
Aina trembled beside her, unsure why the atmosphere had suddenly become so intense…
"Match start!"
Chisa served the ball with surprisingly proper form and angle.
The high ponytail senior hadn't expected Chisa to be this professional and fumbled a bit at the beginning, but being a pro herself, she quickly regained composure.
Even though Aina was clearly less skilled, she and Chisa had unexpectedly good coordination, keeping the match evenly matched with no clear advantage on either side.
"They're unexpectedly good," Shiro said in surprise, sipping a beer. He had expected this pair to lose badly and was already prepared to use a backup plan.
"Totally different from the earlier match," Iori commented. The previous match was just one-sided domination with no technique at all.
"That's harsh, Iori."
"We worked really hard, okay?"
The bean-eyed senpais complained. It was their first time playing tennis, so of course there wasn't much technique involved.
"By the way, Shiro, why did you come down? Weren't you acting as the referee?" Azusa asked, a little puzzled. She had just witnessed Shiro's whole operation.
Shiro waved his hand nonchalantly. "No need. I had a good chat with the referee. He's a completely fair judge now!"
The Knife Negotiation Technique is unbeatable!
(′｀;)?
Azusa looked up at the referee's chair in confusion. Why did it look like the referee was trembling?
"It's neck and neck! Since it's like this, let's cheer for our girls!"
On the court, the match was still dead even. Most of the enemy team was already drunk. Their morale was through the roof—they could crush the opponents spiritually!
"Oh! That's a great idea!"
"Kitahara, you occasionally come up with something good."
"In that case, Iori, you lead the cheer!"
Everyone agreed and pushed Iori to the front.
After all, Iori's capability had been proven in the beauty pageant—he was the key player. He'd surely pull through this time too.
"Leave it to me! Everyone, shout with me!"
Iori pounded his chest confidently. This time was different—this time he was 100% confident!
"Chisa! Nice body!!!"
"Kotegawa! Nice body!!"
"Little Chisa! Nice body!"
"Chisa is amazing! Nice body!!!"
Shiro didn't quite understand the chant, but given Kitahara's glorious history, he shouted along too.
Such a powerful cheer quickly attracted a crowd of perverts wandering around campus.
Clearly, they were all drawn by the shouts about a girl with a nice body. The news spread quickly, and soon, the stands were packed with ogling pervs.
The shameful scene made Chisa's face burn bright red, but she had no choice but to stay focused on the match. It felt like she was in a new kind of shame-play…
Seeing Shiro cheer for their opponents made the high ponytail senior burn with fury. She immediately switched tactics.
They began aiming straight shots at Aina—body shots! A strategy where you target the opponent's body!
It worked like a charm. TB quickly gained the upper hand.
But Chisa, who had regained her composure, didn't back down and countered with the same strategy.
The match became deadlocked once again—until…
"Chisa! Nice body!"
"Kotegawa! Nice body!"
"Believe in yourself, Chisa! Nice body!"
"Nice body!!"
With those three idiots leading a massive chant, Chisa couldn't take it anymore. She squatted down on the ground, her ears completely red with embarrassment.
"You bastards! Stop shouting already!!!"
Aina yelled angrily. There was no way she, a total newbie, could take on two people alone!
"TB wins!"
Thanks to Iori's tireless "support," the outcome was no longer in doubt. Shiro didn't even get a chance to implement his plan.
Everyone quickly distanced themselves from Iori, who was being approached by a furious Chisa.
They had learned from the beauty pageant, whether Iori succeeded or not, it's best to cut ties with him immediately or risk getting caught in the crossfire…
As Iori was being stripped of his clothes, Shiro silently pulled out his camera to capture the moment. This was probably the first and last time Iori would be undressed by a girl.
…
Shiro returned to the referee's seat and kicked out the TB referee.
Come on, it's his beloved Kudo-senpai's match—he had to be front row for this!
Watching the three clowns who made him the butt of the joke gather together again, Kudo felt his blood pressure spike.
This time, he would give them a lesson they'd never forget!
But then…
He looked at Iori, nearly naked except for his boxers, and sighed. "So… where's your jacket?"
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
"For him, nudity is the uniform."
"Let's hurry up and start. We're waiting to use your prize money to go diving~"
"..."
For a moment, Kudo wondered if it was even worth fighting with these people…
"Match start!"
.....................…..
Kudo smiled at the slightly weak-looking Iori and Kohei.
Without Tokita and Kotobuki, there was no way they could compete with his team. He'd make sure they lost as miserably as possible.
WHAM!
As Kudo was thinking, a tennis ball landed behind him.
He stared blankly at Iori, still in a serving stance. Clearly, he hadn't processed what just happened.
What the hell?
Did something just fly past?
"15–0!"
Only after Shiro called the score did Kudo realize—they'd already lost a point!
That crossdresser guy wasn't as weak as they thought!
His posture and power… This guy was clearly on his level!
What the hell?! If he's this good, why isn't he in the tennis club instead of the diving club?!
Kudo couldn't stop mentally ranting. This diving club was shady as hell.
"Next serve coming!"
Iori ignored Kudo's shock and served again. His handsome side profile even made Kamishiro Shiro feel like he was looking at a completely different person.
"30–0!"
Kudo hadn't adjusted his mindset and lost another point!
Iori's sudden burst of skill shocked not only his opponents but also the audience. No one had expected Iori to be that good at tennis.
Even if Kudo was a loser, he was still the tennis club captain. He had skills.
"Now that you mention it, that guy had pretty good control back then too."
"Oh—you mean when he flipped skirts at the beauty pageant?"
The two senpais remembered: Iori's control was terrifying during that event. His tennis skills must've been honed that way.
Scary. Just how many skirts—boy or girl—did he flip like that?
Shiro rested his chin in his hand.
He wasn't surprised, knew his playmate's athletic abilities. If Iori wanted to, he could easily be a professional athlete… on land, anyway.
The Land God of War!
"Keep the momentum going!"
Iori and Kohei wore devilish grins. This tennis club wasn't so scary after all.
Once a person loses fear, they become arrogant.
Shiro felt like he was watching a young version of Tokita in Iori's movements and expressions…
Scary. Is Kitahara going to turn into that kind of monster someday?
"Kohei!"
Iori shouted. A ball landed on Kohei's side—it was his moment to shine!
"Here I come! ORA!"
Kohei swung his racket with full force, determined to hit a perfect shot!
Whiff.
The racket barely brushed the ball.
Under everyone's silent gaze, the ball floated gently to Kudo's side, who smashed it for the point.
"Kitahara! Those two are monsters!"
Kohei shouted in panic. He had underestimated the opponents!
"You dumbass! You're just weak! Didn't you say you could play tennis?!"
"I watched Chisa and the others play! I already learned!"
"You learned by watching?! And why would a magical girl know how to play tennis?!"
"..."
The match went on.
Kudo and his team found the secret to victory: just keep aiming at Kohei. Soon, the score was 4–0.
Shiro looked at Kohei constantly falling and didn't say a word. He knew it wouldn't go smoothly. Thankfully, he had Plan B.
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. We're recording this whole match for training purposes. Hope you don't mind?"
Kudo grinned menacingly. With victory in sight, he revealed his plan.
Hearing that, Iori and Kohei flipped out—they were going to be publicly executed!
"You bastards want to—"
"—show everyone how badly we lost and laugh at us!"
"..."
Kudo stared at them—one half-naked, one in a cartoon costume—and thought: do they really need to lose to be the laughingstock?
He looked at Shiro, who sat calmly at the referee's seat. His real goal was always that squinty-eyed guy, but unfortunately, the guy never played.
Shiro gave him a smile and telepathically messaged the two idiots:
'Don't worry! I've called in reinforcements!'
'Reinforcements? But this is our club's match. Isn't that not allowed?'
'Just keep playing. Trust me—I've got this.'
Seeing Shiro's confident smirk, both of them felt a twinge of unease…
The match continued. Kohei remained the weak link. Was it just Shiro's imagination, or were Kohei's falls getting more theatrical?
"Hey! Watch out for the football!"
Suddenly, someone shouted from the stands.
Iori and Kohei instinctively turned to look—just in time to see two rugby balls smash into them!
BOOM! BOOM!
They were flattened by the powerful impact, followed by five or six more balls, each landing with pinpoint accuracy.
Iori and Kohei fell into a deep sleep…
Kudo was stunned. What the hell? Was this divine punishment in rugby form?
He looked up and saw some rugby guys giving Shiro a thumbs-up.
This… was clearly planned.
Σ(?д?|||)!!
We're done for!
Kudo stared at Shiro in horror. He knew Shiro would interfere—but like this?!
What was the point of this? Or did those muscleheads hit the wrong target? Were the rugby balls meant for him?
Kudo and his teammate instinctively shielded their heads, fearing a surprise attack.
Shiro smiled apologetically.
"Welp, unfortunate accident. Can't be helped. Time to sub in!"
Before they could react, he dragged Iori and Kohei off the court.
Now it's the senpais' turn!
"Oh, is it my turn?"
"I can play too?"
The two senpais stepped onto the court with grins. They hadn't had much chance to warm up yet. Tennis was kind of fun.
Σ(?д?|||)!!
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
…
Match over!
PaB narrowly defeats TB with a score of 2–1!
"By the way, how is Iori so good at tennis?" the others asked, looking at Iori, now slung over Tokita's shoulder.
"Ah, after graduating high school, he joined a tennis training camp. His goal was… to attract girls? Such a shame. That idiot has no hope," Shiro replied.
He'd overheard that bit of trivia once. Apparently, Iori had a buzz cut back then. He kind of wanted to see it.
"I see. But is it really okay for him to train so hard and not join the tennis club?"
"No big deal. That idiot doesn't get to make choices anymore."
Shiro shrugged. That fool had no options left ever since he walked into the dive shop.
The worst part? He dragged him in too!
Remembering how he got roped in on his first day, Shiro wanted to hit Iori with a few more rugby balls.
What kind of person drags others into being chased by two naked guys?
That idiot didn't learn a single thing about not causing trouble for others!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Shiro flicked Iori on the head a few times, then looked at his now-swollen face and smiled.
"Don't worry—this guy has already received a love letter from the sea. He has a better choice now."
Everyone smiled. After all, who could refuse the love letter from the sea?
.....................…..
"So, why exactly am I here with you guys?!"
Shiro sat with his arms crossed, propping up his head. His eyes were hidden under a dark shadow, and the powerful aura he exuded made everyone in the room uneasy.
If things had gone as planned, he should be researching his Okinawa trip right now—not hanging out with a bunch of degenerates from school!
Right after the tennis tournament, they received a very generous prize, and the upperclassmen unanimously decided to use it for a training camp!
And the location they chose?
The very place they'd been dreaming of: Miyako Island in Okinawa!
Shiro had been really looking forward to this trip, he even planned a shopping spree in a few days to prepare.
However… just when he was riding that high, he was kidnapped straight into the school cafeteria!
And worse…
Looking around at the sleazy, perverted guys surrounding him, Shiro knew—this was not a wholesome group.
"Kitahara, I think you owe me an explanation."
Shiro glanced toward Iori. As long as this bastard was involved, he didn't even need to think to know who the ringleader was.
"I really didn't want to say this, but… Shiro, you'll be sitting next to me during the exam!"
Iori folded his arms and said it in the calmest, most righteous tone ever.
(???)
"I refuse."
Shiro flat-out rejected him. He didn't even know what kind of exam this was!
!!!
"We're best friends, Shiro! We've grown up together since we were kids, how can you be like this?!"
Iori slammed the table and shouted. This was his only hope!
Kōhei, Yamamoto, and Nojima all looked at Shiro with hopeful eyes too—it was obvious they were all in on it.
Yep, the four of them had teamed up to kidnap Shiro again…
"Who the hell kidnaps their childhood friend with other people?! And stop calling me by name—it's gross!"
"You jerk! Aren't you supposed to be a prodigy?! Sitting next to you should be enough!"
Iori still remembered—this guy had been called a child genius since forever, the kind who could get into university without even studying.
"Don't you still have Chisa?!"
"Chisa…"
Iori's face stiffened. Of course, Shiro wasn't his first choice. It had been Chisa until something went wrong...
Even after begging on his knees, Chisa had refused! Damn it! Things were supposed to be smoothed over already!
"Shiro-kun! We're counting on you!" ×2
Seeing the deadlock, Yamamoto and Nojima stood up and bowed deeply, begging without a shred of their usual arrogance.
(???)
"How the hell do you guys manage to kidnap someone and then beg for help without any shame?!"
Seeing how shameless they were, Shiro had no idea what to say anymore.
Though they hadn't known each other long, he'd gotten a pretty good sense of this degenerate squad—they never let go once they locked onto a goal!
"Sigh… fine, I guess I'll reluctantly help you this once. Time to show you guys what true genius looks like!"
"OH!!"
"Long live Kamishiro-kun!"
"Shiro! I knew you'd never abandon us!"
"Shiro, I'll even let you watch my precious rare Lalaka-chan movie collection!"
Hearing the group's cheers, Shiro proudly lifted his chin. Since there was no way to avoid this, he'd just have to play the genius role like a pro!
It had been a while since he'd gotten to flaunt his "genius" persona in front of others—he'd use this exam as his stepping stone to godhood!
Wait… what exam was it again?
With a deeply intellectual look in his eyes, Shiro turned to Iori. "So… what exactly is the next exam?"
"…."
The cheers stopped abruptly. Everyone looked at him in stunned disbelief.
Yamamoto and Nojima even pointed at Shiro and gave Iori a questioning look.
They'd only helped kidnap Shiro because this bastard Kitahara had said he was a top student.
And now? The guy didn't even know what subject the exam was in?!
Their trust in Shiro's so-called genius instantly plummeted to rock bottom.
Σ(?д?|||)!!
Even Iori hadn't expected this. He was so shocked he stammered,
"Haha, it's fine! Shiro's a genius, right? There's still time! The next exam is German. Maybe he already knows it!"
He patted Shiro's shoulder with zero concern. He'd seen this childhood friend do freakish things before—solving calculus at age ten, shocking everyone into calling him a prodigy.
Honestly, Iori still didn't know why a genius like Shiro even attended the same school as him. Shouldn't he be at Tokyo University or something…?
Whatever. Maybe fate had him attend this school just so Iori could pass midterms.
"Ahahahahahaha!"
Iori laughed heartily. With Shiro here, they'd be fine!
…He was the only one laughing.
"..."
"Ha…ha…"
Noticing the awkward silence, Iori opened his eyes—only to find Kōhei and the others staring at him and Shiro with weird expressions.
Puzzled, Iori looked over at Shiro—his "genius" best friend looked pale, cold sweat dripping in thick beads.
Shiro mechanically turned to Iori,
"Hey, Kitahara… since when did we have a German class…?"
His heart was breaking. German? He'd already been attending classes for half the semester—how the hell did he not know there was a German course?!
Wasn't he in the mechanical engineering department? Why the hell was there a German requirement?! Wasn't English the standard?!
Why were the Japanese trying to learn something harder than English when they couldn't even speak that properly?!
Okay, yeah, he was called a prodigy when he was little in this world, but—
Come on! Anyone who reincarnated in elementary school with the mind of a 20-something would be considered a genius!
In his past life, he was just an average college student… one who couldn't even pass the English level 4 exam!
Learning German was seriously too much!
(′?`)
Iori froze. He had a really bad feeling.
"You know… it's that class you always sleep through? I thought it was because you already knew it?"
(′｀;)?
"That was German? I thought it was the foreign guy teaching us Druid language or something…"
(メ｀ロ′)/
Iori lost it. He grabbed Shiro's shoulders and shook him,
"Who the hell teaches Druidic at a university?! And even if they did, shouldn't you be paying more attention?! You're a genius, Shiro! Tell me you already know German! That you'll pass the exam no problem!"
Feeling the intensity in Iori's gaze, Shiro blushed a little and turned away.
"Iori, the reason I chose this school was because I sucked at history, so I picked Chinese for my foreign language. I don't even know English. Do you really think… I'd know German?"
"PFFT!"
(′?`)
"Why the hell would someone who can learn Chinese not know German?!"
…Maybe because in my last life, I didn't know German either.
Iori: DECEASED!
The cheat-code plan to copy answers failed—because their "academic god" turned out to be a fraud!
.....................…..
"So, our goal is pretty clear now—we must pass this German exam. If we don't earn those foreign language credits, we're screwed!"
Shiro rested his face in his hands in the same pose as before, but this time with a surprisingly serious expression—beside him, Iori was lying on the floor, coughing up blood as though he'd already died.
Kohei and the other three fell silent. Nothing about this situation felt different from before...
Wait, no—there was something different.
That so-called "study god" they'd entrusted their hopes to had somehow, without them even noticing, slipped right into the ranks of the academic losers. And he fit in so naturally—like he was always meant to be here...
BAM!
After a long mental battle, Iori finally lifted his head again.
He had let his guard down earlier, but thinking about it now, it made perfect sense—after all these years, this bastard had probably lost his intelligence chasing girls nonstop.
But Iori wasn't the kind of man to be beaten so easily!
"If it's come to this, then we just have to rely on ourselves!"
He dramatically pulled out the notes he had spent good money to copy.
"Let's challenge the ultimate limits of micro-cheat-sheets!"
The others looked at him with disappointment. They thought Iori was going to pull off something clever, but nope—just the good ol' fashioned method...
What year was this again? Micro-sheets? That stuff should be extinct by now!
…
Scribble scribble scribble…
The five of them stared intently at the overworked printer. At this point, it was arguably more important than their supposedly "indestructible" friendship.
Fresh cheat-sheets, piping hot off the press!
Seeing those tiny, microprinted notes gave them a wave of relief.
"Truly, reduction printing is one of humanity's greatest inventions."
"Some things never go out of style, I guess."
"The things that survive are always the crystallization of wisdom from our predecessors!"
With their treasures in hand, only one problem remained:
"Where should we hide them?"
Shiro looked around at the other four. As a newcomer to the cheating game, he still had a lot to learn from these veterans.
"…"
Iori started regretting bringing Shiro into this. If he hadn't, the guy would've just missed the test completely!
"Yo, Kitahara! Planning to cheat?"
"Count me in!"
"Me too, me too!"
Before Iori could even respond, two new voices popped up beside him.
One belonged to a spiky-haired, squinty-eyed guy with light golden hair—Yuu Mitarai!
The other, a buzz-cut musclehead—Kenta Fujiwara!
Shiro watched how casually they chatted with Iori, quietly admiring the guy's insane social circle.
As expected of Kitahara—surrounded by nothing but notable figures!
He even managed to accomplish something Shiro couldn't. Up to now, Shiro had zero male friends outside of Iori's gang. All the others were girls...
Man, could we just get rid of Iori's crew too? Who needs male friends when you've got girls, right?
Also... why did that squinty-eyed, light-blond guy feel like a knock-off version of himself?
As if sensing the same vibe, Mitarai turned to look at Shiro. The moment their eyes met—two squinty-eyed characters in the same story—they both felt a strange, murderous impulse.
Why are there two of this character type in the same series?!
They locked eyes… then silently turned away.
Yep. Same breed. Certified scumbags.
This school's packed with monsters…
"So anyway, how are we getting the cheat sheets in?" someone asked, dragging everyone's attention back to the task at hand.
"The method, huh…"
Their faces lit up with mischief. For these academic losers, this was all second nature—cheating was practically a high school elective!
Method 1:Mitarai planned to hide his cheat sheet inside a pencil case. Totally reasonable to bring one for an exam, right?
Method 2:Yamamoto would tape his behind a drink bottle label. Long exam—hydration is key!
Method 3:Kohei was going to stick his inside a towel. Summer heat—gotta wipe off that sweat!
Shiro chuckled at their methods. He expected something clever from these degenerates—but nope, just the same old tricks he used back in his previous life.
C'mon guys, time has passed! You can't upgrade your strategies even a little?
"Hmph. Your methods are outdated!"
Najima's voice rang out, sparking a bit of hope in Shiro. Finally—someone with innovation!
Shiro looked at him expectantly. Najima, holding his glasses with exaggerated flair, revealed… a cheat sheet tucked between his wristbands.
(???)
Shiro fell silent.
Maybe Japan's exam system really did need reform, how were cheating methods still this primitive?
He looked toward Fujiwara and Iori, though he didn't have high hopes.
And just as expected—one had his cheat tucked in his shirt collar, the other behind a paper fan…
Utterly unrefined.
Shiro gave up. He had nothing to learn from this lot.
Quietly, he pulled out a roll of transparent tape and stuck his cheat sheet to it.
(′｀;)?
The group stared in confusion. That's it? Where was he planning to stick it?
"Shiro, where are you gonna put that?"
"On the desk."
"…"
They were numb. Never in their lives had they seen someone so reckless. Only a "study god" could be this bold—clearly no idea how hard it was to dodge the eyes of a foreign proctor.
The Six Slacker Squad silently agreed not to warn Shiro. It was time the golden boy learned just how brutal exams could be.
Why were they so in sync?
Jealousy.
Pure, unfiltered envy. This overachieving, woman-magnet dirtbag deserved to be crucified and burned by the sun!
Meanwhile, Shiro smirked in secret. On the desk? Sure—but of course it wasn't that simple.
He'd soak the tape in water before the test, making the paper dissolve off it without ruining the ink. The cheat sheet would turn invisible! Even that foreign invigilator wouldn't notice it!
As for warning the Six Slacker Squad?
Forget it. They couldn't even cheat properly. Totally useless now. Time to let them fend for themselves.
The seven of them exchanged confident grins. The exam ahead would decide their fates.
Shiro looked around, If you counted Chisa too, this made them eight people.
And he was going to be the one who made it out alive!