Unlike most schools in the country that follow the "seniority rule," Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, which upholds a meritocracy, has a vastly different approach. It doesn't matter whether you're a senior or a junior—if you're stronger, you have the right to better treatment and greater benefits. That's why Sudou Ken, within just one semester, was able to push aside the second-year seniors in his club and make it onto the starting lineup. In a typical school club, juniors would still be running errands for their seniors.
This merit-based principle also extends to the Student Council, the most important student organization in the school. Nagumo Miyabi, a second-year student, frequently clashed with third-year president Horikita Manabu and upheld ideologies completely opposite to his. Yet no one criticized him—because Nagumo had unified the second years and even infiltrated the third-year classes. He had the power to do so.
Barring any unexpected events, Nagumo was set to officially take over Horikita's position as Student Council President in October, after the Sports Festival. Once the third-years graduated, no one in the school would be able to restrain him. He could easily reshape the school to suit his own ideals through the Student Council's authority.
This Sports Festival could be seen as Nagumo's first full-scale trial. The chaotic format involving all grades, the substantial point rewards and penalties, and the threat of expulsion for losers all reflected his personal belief in absolute meritocracy.
Nagumo had believed this festival would mark a turning point in the school's history—a moment that divided Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School into two eras.
However...
[Class 2-A vs. Class 1-A]
Following Class 1-B, even Class A of the first years voluntarily challenged Class 2-A.
These juniors were crazier than Nagumo had anticipated. Before the Sports Festival, he had envisioned various tactics they might use—perhaps to protect themselves by challenging other first-year classes or coordinating to avoid the seniors. He never expected all four first-year classes to unite and launch a collective assault on the upperclassmen.
Such unity across an entire grade was once a trademark of Nagumo himself.
It was by commanding the respect of all his classmates that he had risen through the ranks of the Student Council. But now, after only one semester, a first-year...
Nagumo's mind flashed back to that silhouette—someone who had leapt alongside him and blocked out the sun.
A new student had already emerged with the potential to unify their entire year.
If Kitagawa Ryo hadn't participated, Class 1-D would've undoubtedly lost. This made it easy to surmise that the united front of the first-year classes was led by him. Especially since students from Class 2-D had reported seeing him among the ranks of Ichinose Honami's Class C.
Considering his own humiliating 0–7 defeat against Class 1-B, Nagumo figured they had prepared thoroughly for each event. Even if he didn't want to admit it, their use of that cat had been top-tier. Now, with Class 1-A following Class B's lead to challenge him, it was clear they had also tailored their events accordingly.
Nagumo's eyes flickered as he watched the screen, waiting for the commander of Class 1-A, Sakayanagi Arisu, to finalize the list of seven events.
Despite his earlier loss, Nagumo wasn't worried about expulsion.
Not only had he amassed over 20 million personal points, but he had also earned a "Protection Point" in a special exam during his third semester of first year. That point could nullify any expulsion penalty.
By now, Nagumo had figured out Kitagawa Ryo's strategy.
He wasn't defending—he was attacking head-on. Once wasn't enough; twice, even three times.
If Nagumo lost three matches in a row, the triple-expulsion penalty would force him to pay 40 million personal points, even after using the Protection Point. That was a massive amount, even for him.
"But still..."
Nagumo looked back at the screen, forcing himself to calm down.
Although they lost to Class 1-B, his Class 2-A students had preserved their stamina under his strategies. They were still in peak condition, while Class 1-A had just finished a match against Class 3-D. Their energy must be depleted.
In this respect, Class 2-A held a significant advantage.
The key now was to deal with any unexpected tricks from the opponent.
[Class 1-A has finalized their list of events.]
[The first event: High Jump]
[Both commanders, please confirm your participants.]
Nagumo was momentarily stunned. Class 1-A had also chosen high jump, but that cat was a student of Class 1-B. Personal events didn't allow temporary substitutes from other classes, so what was their game?
Still, he selected Hirakawa Takuto, who was ready.
[Confirmed.]
[Participants, please head to the high jump area.]
What followed was Hirakawa easily defeating his opponent.
When the screen displayed: [Class 2-A wins the high jump event, leading 1–0], and Hirakawa's cheers came through the earpiece, Nagumo was momentarily stunned.
They'd won... just like that?
He stroked his chin and looked at the 1–0 score, slowly breaking into a smile before nodding.
This was how things were supposed to go between second-years and first-years. No other class could replicate Class 1-B's success.
Then Class 2-A won two more events in a row: the [Girls' 2000-meter Race] and the [Boys' Standing Long Jump], widening the lead to 3–0.
Holding four match points, Nagumo finally regained his former confidence. The morale of Class 2-A soared.
But just as things seemed to be turning in his favor, the tide shifted sharply.
In the next two individual events—[Free Fighting] and [Girls' 3000-meter Race]—Class 2-A suffered back-to-back defeats.
In the first, Class 1-A sent out Kito Hayato, rated "A" in physical ability. Of Class 2-A's two strongest fighters, one was still missing, and the other had been toyed with for nearly half an hour by Yamada Albert from Class 1-B. The third-string substitute ultimately lost after a grueling fight.
In the [Girls' 3000-meter Race], Asahina Nazuna, Class 2-A's top athlete, had already run a grueling 2000 meters against Class 1-B earlier that morning and had also participated in the Girls' 2000-meter event. Due to regulations and exhaustion, she couldn't run again. The substitute girl, facing Kamuro Masumi with a physical rating of B+, stood no chance.
Among all published stats, the only girl rated A in physical ability was Kiryuin Fuka from Class 2-B. Just below her were Kamuro Masumi and Horikita Suzune.
What's worse, while Kamuro fought like her life depended on it, the Class 2-A participant grew complacent with their 3–1 lead and lacked the determination to win. Coupled with inferior stamina, they lost narrowly.
Even though they still led 3–2, Nagumo had a bad feeling.
They'd been dragged into the final two team events.
Still, Nagumo wasn't too worried. He had anticipated this and had contacted the other three second-year classes beforehand, ordering them to withhold their best athletes from other matches and reserve their strength for aiding Class 2-A.
Though this high-handed command stirred discontent among Classes B, C, and D, Nagumo—soon to be Student Council President—held overwhelming power among second-years. Even Class 2-B, which he'd just thrown under the bus, reluctantly complied after Kiriyama struggled with the decision.
Nagumo didn't care how much resentment this caused. To him, defeating Class 1-A was all that mattered. A loss to the first-years would stain his name, even if he defeated Class 3-A later in the day.
[Next Event: Group Rock Climbing]
Nagumo's vision darkened.
The school had previously announced this odd event, which had sparked wide discussion. Most had assumed it was a joke—or tailored for some rare talent in a specific class.
To everyone's surprise, the school approved it. A later notice revealed the school was introducing indoor climbing to train survival skills—especially useful after several uninhabited island survival exams.
But Nagumo never expected it to be a team event.
Group Rock Climbing: Each class sends between two and ten participants (no gender restrictions) to clear a school-designed climbing course. If neither class finishes within the time limit, the team with more progress wins.
The projection screen showed the setup: a 10-meter artificial cliff, a 5-meter tower requiring team stacking, a five-level staircase with 3-meter-high steps, and a final 4-meter concave wall.
Nagumo didn't even bother to strategize.
He simply spoke into his mic:
"They have a cat."
By now, that cat had likely claimed three points from Class 2-A.
Compared to humans, cats had maxed-out agility. With walls full of handholds and ledges, Nagumo couldn't imagine any formation that could beat a cat in climbing.
Class 2-A understood this too—those two points lost to the cat earlier had left a deep impression.
Only now did Nagumo realize that, if the first-years wanted to, that cat alone could secure multiple wins.
High jump, group climbing, even a tree-climbing event tailor-made for it.
Maybe... they never should've provoked the first-years at all.
For the first time, bitterness in the form of regret surged in his chest. But he couldn't show weakness to his class. He had to act strong.
He forced a composed tone through the mic:
"Losing this one just ties the score at 3–3."
"We still have a chance."
Even he doubted those words. If he were Kitagawa Ryo, he'd ensure every team event was rigged in favor of the cat—automatic wins.
His own rules were being turned against him.
Outside of Horikita Manabu, this was the first time Nagumo had ever felt so powerless.
But even then, he believed he could beat Horikita.
As Class 1-A claimed victory without breaking a sweat, they revealed their final event choice.
Nagumo's pupils dilated.
Sakayanagi Arisu narrowed her eyes mischievously in the multipurpose room, smiling knowingly. She understood Kitagawa Ryo well. In many ways, they were the same.
Like giving hope, only to snatch it away.
Like facing their opponents head-on.
And like...
[Final Event: Soccer]
[Commanders, please confirm your participants.]
Nagumo took a deep breath and slammed the mouse:
[Class 2-A Commander opts to join the match directly.]
"Bring everyone here!" he barked into the mic.
This was the team he had secretly trained for months to face Class 3-A—second-year athletic elites, assembled for soccer.
He didn't believe anyone could match this team. This was his last and proudest card.
Kitagawa Ryo's failure to use "Hotaru" in all team events was a critical blunder.
Nagumo would make him pay dearly for underestimating him.
He knew the first-years would also send their best.
But he no longer feared them.
This would be the ultimate showdown between second and first years.
Then, he saw Horikita Manabu's figure—wearing a soccer uniform.
Next to him, Kitagawa Ryo smiled and said:
"What a coincidence. You changed teammates too?"
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