'Yare yare, really troublesome ah... never thought in the end I would still be chosen for this project ah.'
Saiki let out a somewhat helpless sigh in his heart. It was precisely because of the carelessness during the previous physical test, plus a series of earlier unexpected situations, that forced Saiki to be selected into this competition.
Because the schedule of this competition was very long, each class had to send three boys and three girls as players to go on stage.
Class 1-B's boys were Sudo, Hirata, and Saiki, while the girls were led by Suzune.
[From the formation point of view, our class's lineup for the relay race should not be considered bad.]
[If Ryuen's scheme earlier had succeeded, then Suzune might, because of injury, have been unable to participate in this relay race.]
[And Sudo's present state also might have been affected. At that time, our class's relay result certainly would not be ideal. But none of this happened.]
At the side, Ayanokoji was only silently watching the people on the field. Because of limited personnel, he was not selected into this competition's player list.
Toward Suzune, toward Sudo, even toward the result of this class exam, Ayanokoji actually was not very interested.
And now, he produced a little bit of interest toward one certain thing. Just like a seed that was planted, gradually sprouting.
[If I and Saiki appeared on the track at the same time, who would win?]
[Ever since I came to this world, I have never been able to run with all my strength.]
[Perhaps, Saiki might possess speed above me.]
Completely different from Ayanokoji, Saiki had not the slightest bit of interest toward this project.
He looked around, observing the several people in the same group as himself, because this time the entire school's classes participated in the competition.
The red and white teams were broken apart, and the groups were made up randomly by several classes, then at the end the results were ranked by the consumed time of the match.
Saiki was on the innermost track, while in the adjacent track was Shibata So, from Ichika's class with Ichika Honami.
The third track was a student from second-year Class A, seemingly called Nagumo Miyabi.
Saiki had some impression of this name, but for the moment could not recall where he had heard this name before.
And as the outermost player, it was precisely a person Saiki had seen before.
Horikita Manabu.
Earlier, it was exactly by using his telepathy ability, projecting their inner voices outward, that Saiki had slightly resolved the awkward sibling conflict, letting Suzune's proud personality obtain a certain degree of easing.
However, between Saiki and Manabu, there had been no contact, they had not even spoken, merely knowing each other's existence.
With the sound of the competition's whistle, each class's first runners almost simultaneously dashed out.
As an athletic expert, Sudo quickly gained advantage, leading by several body lengths, and successfully passed the baton to the second runner, Suzune.
[Suzune, not bad.]
Manabu stared without blinking at Suzune's performance.
Suzune maintained first place, and then passed the baton to the next girl, but from this time, the distance between their class and the other players suddenly shortened.
If not for Sudo and Suzune each maintaining advantage in their sections, Class B probably would already have been pulled apart by other classes.
First-year Class B's players were gradually overtaken by others, and the people present became somewhat flustered.
However, afterward, with Hirata's effort, first-year Class B still maintained a forward position in this group.
But at this time, the original first place girl from third-year Class A, when preparing to pass the baton to the fifth runner, fell at a place about fifty meters from the next runner.
Although she hurriedly stood up, second-year Class A, once gaining the lead, rapidly widened the distance.
"This competition is our victory, Horikita president, if possible, I really would like to have a race with you."
Nagumo Miyabi smiled as he looked toward Manabu, as if all these accidents were within his expectations.
"Seems like in the total points we can also win, this is the opening of a new era~"
"You really intend to change this school?"
Manabu's face showed no change of expression, only calmly looking at Nagumo Miyabi.
"Until now the student council was too boring, too stubborn about maintaining tradition."
"Saying strict words, yet not forgetting relief measures, and the rules were too naïve, hardly anyone dropped out, these things are no longer needed, right?"
"So by me, new rules will be made, creating the ultimate meritocracy school!"
Nagumo Miyabi stared straight at Manabu, looking at the fifth runner approaching, already preparing to take off.
'These two guys, what are they talking about?'
Saiki completely did not know what these two people were saying, but he did not care either. Anyway, as long as it had nothing to do with him, there was no problem.
And at this time, Saiki recalled, shortly after the start of school, he and Kushida had gone to buy test papers from a certain senior in second-year Class D, and happened to hear in the other's inner voice the name Nagumo Miyabi.
The reason they became Class D, it seemed, was because Nagumo Miyabi had done something.
'Seems like the upperclassmen also are not very normal ah.'
The second-year Class A player had already arrived, Nagumo Miyabi successfully received the baton, and rushed forward. The first place in this competition had no suspense anymore.
However, because of the third-year Class A runner's fall earlier, the distances among the other classes were very tight. As the fifth runner, Kushida was also holding a mid-position.
First place had no suspense, but there were still two spots left in the top three. What the remaining classes fought for, were those two spots.
'Yare yare, then just maintain a middle position, fourth place seems nice.' Saiki thought in his heart.
But at this time, Manabu's gaze fell upon him.
"First-year Class B's Saiki, perhaps you think you did it flawlessly, but actually I have been observing the actions of each class. I noticed your incongruous actions. You are very special, Saiki!"
Manabu pushed his glasses, gaze fixed on Saiki.
'Ah?'
Saiki froze, eyes revealing a trace of panic.
Because the sports field was very big and with many people, Saiki had not been able to accurately hear the heart voices of everyone around, so he had not noticed Manabu observing him all along.
'Could it be... my ability use was discovered?'
"Your expression just changed subtly. Seems I was right, wasn't I? During the pole topple and the tug-of-war, I watched every one of your actions. I know what you did. You have been controlling the competitions, right?"
'This is bad ah...'
Saiki's expression became slightly serious. If his identity as an esper was discovered, then all kinds of troubles would surge like a tide. And in this situation, even using the memory eraser stick would be useless.
'What to do... could it be...'
"In the pole topple, it was because you saw through others' tactics that you could, in the extremely chaotic field, find a spot easily overlooked by others, and finally score."
"In others' eyes, you just happened to luckily be there, but I know, all of this was deliberate by you."
'Are?'
Saiki froze, not understanding Manabu's words, but quickly, he realized, Manabu had completely misunderstood him.
'Wait wait wait, this was just coincidence ah. You guy, is your brain sick like Ayanokoji?'
"In the tug-of-war, clearly your red team was already at a huge disadvantage, but suddenly reversed the situation."
"I was watching you, at the start you didn't use strength, right? At the very beginning of tug-of-war, people who use strength absolutely cannot look expressionless like you."
"You deliberately wanted to create an illusion that the white team might win, consuming their strength. But they were smart too, discovering this, and directly abandoned the tug-of-war to minimize loss..."
"...."
Every word of Manabu's was beyond Saiki's expectation. He never thought the other would say such words.
"This is just coincidence."
"I knew you would say that." Manabu's mouth slightly rose.
"You all were originally rated Class D, yet in half a year rose from Class D to Class B. This is unprecedented in school."
"I have always been interested in your class. After seeing you in the sports festival, I almost guessed the reason. Surely it's your masterpiece, right?"
"Speaking of which, that person who anonymously sent me the recording email, must have been you."
'Clearly he started saying incomprehensible things, but in the end guessed correctly by mistake?'
Saiki pressed his lips, ready to deny again, but after thinking slightly, his thoughts changed.
'Wait, if I stubbornly deny, then those things like tug-of-war and pole topple will be harder to explain. That instead increases risk of my esper identity exposure. For now, cooperating with this guy's delusions might hide me better...'
Saiki thought, then opened his mouth to ask, "What do you want?"
These words, as if tacitly admitting.
This was somewhat similar to his conversation with Ayanokoji earlier. Although bringing him many troubles, at present, he had no better way to resolve this.
"Nothing. Just purely curious about you. After this match, we'll discuss other things."
The conversation between the two lasted only a few seconds. The fifth runners also one after another arrived at the baton zone.
'Yare yare, really troublesome ah...'
Saiki felt somewhat headache. The conversation just now made him somewhat distracted. He could only put his attention back on the player in front.
'Now the ranking has already dropped to sixth? Did Kushida deliberately slow down? A bit lower than expected, and the distance with those ahead widened a little.'
'Don't know how fast this Horikita runs. Wearing glasses, feels like not very fast. Just follow the plan, finally maintain fourth place.'
Saiki thought in his heart, while pretending to prepare for a run-up. At the same time, Manabu had already received the baton and rushed forward.
One second later, Saiki also successfully received the baton from Kushida and ran forward.
Almost instantly, Saiki, with speed about the same as Manabu, chased the people ahead.
'Fourth place, fourth place.'
Saiki thought this in his heart, then successively overtook two people, arriving at fourth place.
But he soon realized something was wrong.
'Yare yare, the student council president's speed, seems faster than others ah.'
Saiki realized Manabu's speed was faster than he had imagined, and he himself came to fourth place a little too early.
And everyone's gaze was cast upon Saiki.
"Saiki's speed is actually that fast!"
"At this rate, maybe enter top three!"
"Go Saiki!"
Class B's students shouted together, cheering for Saiki.
'Yare yare, sorry, I didn't plan for a higher ranking ah.'
Saiki thought in his heart, then controlled his speed again, adjusting to the same level as Shibata So. The dense crowd and noisy sounds made him unable to clearly hear others' inner voices.
At this time, Manabu had already come to second place, while Shibata So was overtaken and dropped to third.
[This guy, so fast.]
Shibata So, after seeing Manabu pass him, was somewhat shocked. The student council president's speed was astonishing.
[To surpass him and get second is nearly impossible. Then just aim to keep third.]
Shibata So thought, slightly turned his head, and looked behind. The most threatening to him was the fourth place, Saiki.
[To keep top three, must widen distance with fourth place!]
Shibata So thought, pushing his limit, accelerating again, just when he thought he had thrown off Saiki, he discovered the distance had not lessened at all.
[Impossible?! That speed, he can still keep up?]
'This guy, what is he doing? Always looking back.'
At this time, Saiki could not hear Shibata So's inner voice, and completely did not know why the other's face showed surprise, but still kept exactly the same distance as him.
Very soon, the match ended. Saiki, as he wished, finished in fourth place.
'Yare yare, really a tiring day ah.'
Saiki thought in his heart, while turning his head to look at Shibata So, who was already drenched in sweat, nearly collapsing.
'Was it too much stamina consumed earlier? Not to the point of being this tired, right.'
While Saiki was puzzled, Sudo and Hirata quickly came over.
Saiki saw a little smile on their faces, and already had a bad feeling.
"Awesome, Saiki. Although not in top three, to get fourth place is already quite an amazing result." Hirata praised.
"If I'm not wrong, these other few people are also from the track and field club, right?"
Saiki's face showed no change of expression.
"Correct."
"I knew it."
Saiki felt somewhat helpless in his heart. He did not expect such a cliché plot could happen again.
Meanwhile, Manabu had already left the track, going to the other side of the sports field.
Also from third-year Class A, the student council secretary Tachibana Akane quickly came before Manabu.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y