Time passed.
Soon, the sports festival officially arrived.
Early morning.
Hikigaya stood on the playground, watching Nagumo Miyabi delivering the opening speech on the podium, then looked at the spectator stands.
Even though he heard there would be guests visiting, he didn't expect it to be this impressive.
Although the number of people was not many.
Every single one of them exuded an unimaginable sense of pressure.
He heard they were all political figures related to this school, and he could even see politicians who appeared on television.
It was enough to make one feel an indescribable pressure.
Even.
Hikigaya could see.
Quite a few people had excited expressions and were rubbing their hands, wanting to perform well.
This wasn't surprising.
If one could be favored by a certain big shot, their future life would simply be a smooth path.
Hikigaya only found it naive.
Soon.
The sports festival officially began.
Everything has its pros and cons.
Those who participated in clubs for this sports festival could not participate in the corresponding events.
Although the Wool-Pulling Club was just a club for reaping benefits, in order to expand the range of use for private points.
Hikigaya had expanded the club activities as much as possible.
Therefore.
Events like track and hurdles basically couldn't be participated in.
It wasn't a pity either.
After all, the Wool-Pulling Club had indeed saved him a lot of individual points.
Moreover.
Hikigaya had self-knowledge; it was somewhat difficult to take the top three and get reward points.
During this period, his physical ability had indeed strengthened quite a bit.
He should be able to obtain some rankings.
But Hikigaya had no intention of forcing it; anyway, a few more points or a few less didn't matter.
It would be best to win, but if not, then forget it.
Furthermore, Hikigaya only signed up for five matches; he just needed to get through them, and he wouldn't participate in the latter five matches.
The only issue was.
He dragged down Kanzaki and Himeno Yuki, causing them to also be unable to participate in most competition events, and they had to work even harder.
In short.
The existence of the Wool-Pulling Club had both pros and cons.
Who could have thought at the beginning of school that the exams would have such rules?
It was too unfair.
Soon.
It was near noon.
Hikigaya finally finished his five matches. The afternoon matches were voluntary, and also required paying a bit of points.
Hikigaya did not intend to continue participating.
In these five matches.
He got two first places and two third places.
Mainly because he participated in the 3,000 meters and the javelin—events not many people wanted to participate in.
The competitors were not very strong.
As for whether these results were useful.
They were a bit useful, but not very useful.
At this time.
Everyone sat under the tent eating the free lunch boxes provided by the school.
"What should I do? Thinking about those guests watching makes me super nervous."
"Yeah, if I performed a bit better, I feel like I could have taken first. Such a pity."
"But, as expected, everyone shouldn't be underestimated."
"Yeah, I thought I had already worked very hard, but I didn't expect this kind of result..."
Ando Sayo and others, wearing gym uniforms, were chattering and discussing the sports festival.
Hikigaya also sat among them.
While eating, he checked the scores of each class from his phone.
The upperclassmen naturally didn't need to be minded.
At this time.
Sophomore class rankings.
First place: 2nd Year Class D.
Second place: 2nd Year Class C.
Third place: 2nd Year Class B.
Fourth place: 2nd Year Class A.
Individual competition rankings.
Men's group.
First place: Sudo Ken;
Second place: Shibata Sou.
Third place: Kitou Hayato.
Fourth place: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Women's group:
First place: Onodera Kayano.
Second place: Horikita Suzune.
Third place: Ibuki Mio.
Fourth place: Kamuro Masumi.
Fifth place: Ando Sayo.
Sixth place: Matsushita Chiaki.
Ninth place: Kushida Kikyou.
Hikigaya was indeed somewhat helpless.
Even though he had bribed Kouenji Rokusuke, Class D was still this awesome.
Besides Sudo Ken.
It was undoubtedly thanks to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's performance.
Hikigaya could mostly guess the reason.
After all.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was the culprit who aimed the spearhead at Sakura Airi.
If no one knew, it wouldn't be anything.
But the process of the Class D exam was announced.
It was undoubtedly a huge blow to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's reputation.
The best way.
Was to take the opportunity to show some strength to stabilize his position in the class.
Hikigaya fully believed.
This might not even be Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's full strength.
This was fine.
Next were Onodera Kayano and Matsushita Chiaki.
Both were people from 2nd Year Class D.
Hikigaya really didn't know where these two fellows had popped up from.
Class D's power players were simply too many.
In the women's top ten, Class D occupied four spots.
Fortunately.
Except for these power players, everyone else in Class D was generally not good.
The positions after the top ten.
The vast majority were people from Class B.
And although Kamuro Masumi's physical ability was very strong, she seemed better at fighting and being a bodyguard, and was not very good at sports.
Class A's overall athletic ability also seemed to be not very good.
Which allowed Class B to take third place.
As for Ryuuen's class, it seemed there were quite a few muscle-brains, and it seemed they were cooperating with Horikita Suzune, managing to stay in second.
This was not surprising.
After all.
During the uninhabited island exam.
Class A and Class B were almost cooperating openly; this could not be hidden.
Ryuuen and Horikita Suzune could only be forced to cooperate in response.
Only.
Whether these two classes could cooperate wholeheartedly.
It was likely somewhat difficult.
Tournament.
"If this continues."
Kanzaki also stood aside, frowning and saying: "The situation will likely be unfavorable for us."
"Sorry."
Shibata also shook his head somewhat helplessly: "If only I could be a bit more outstanding."
"That's not it at all. For Shibata-kun to get second place is already very impressive!"
"Yeah, if it weren't for Shibata, the situation would definitely be worse."
Some women offered words of comfort.
Fortunately.
The current gap was not large; it was basically a gap of about ten points, which could be flipped back with one or two first-place finishes.
However.
The first five matches were individual competition events that everyone had to participate in.
The subsequent matches required paying a bit of points.
To participate in the competition, one needed to bear a certain risk; this was clearly a competition prepared for students with strong individual strength.
People willing to participate in the competition.
Must all be very confident in their own strength.
At least they were the top 40% of the second year to be qualified to participate in the competition.
The matches in the second half were the top priority.
Lacking top-tier combat power.
The gap would only be pulled wider and wider.
Even if Kouenji didn't compete, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was still hiding his strength, the others in Class D were a bunch of muggles.
But they truly had no one who could contend with Sudo.
Strictly speaking.
In terms of sports, no one could contend with Sudo.
"Hikki, what should we do next?"
Kobayashi Yume and others asked with some worry.
Although they believed in Hikigaya, it was like this every time.
They completely couldn't see Hikigaya's actions, which truly only made people anxious.
"Hmm."
"Everyone follow Honami's arrangements and participate in the matches with peace of mind."
Hikigaya nodded, showing a smile to reassure everyone.
It wasn't that there was no one who could contend with Sudo.
But these people were all in Class D...
This was too ridiculous.