Chapter 241: A Thief Crying "Stop Thief," A Battle of Brawn and Wits
The next team competition event was the Pole-Toppling competition.
The rules were simple: each side of the Red and White opposing groups sent out 20 people. Whoever could push over the pole guarded by the opponent first would take the victory. Since this competition involved a large amount of physical contact and carried a certain level of danger, participation was restricted to males only.
"Hey! What's the deal with the contestants Class D sent out?
Why aren't Sudo and Hikigaya-kun on the field?"
Kanzaki Ryuji, acting as the leader for Class A, stepped forward to negotiate. At a rough glance, the 20 people sent by Class D were mostly frail and weak-looking boys, which caused strong dissatisfaction within Class A!
"Saving their strength. Sudo and Hikigaya have matches later.
As the defensive side, I believe our current combat power is already sufficient."
Hirata Yousuke spoke concisely.
"Even if the defense is enough, aren't we supposed to attack?"
Kanzaki Ryuji's brow was tightly furrowed.
Hirata Yousuke remained silent. The message he conveyed was very clear: in any case, Class D only sought to "secure the minimum," and they had absolutely no will to win.
"Forget it, Kanzaki-kun.
These guys from Class D are clearly clocking in without putting in the work.
We can only rely on ourselves."
Shibata Souta had a look of helplessness.
In the spectator stands.
Hikigaya glanced at the contestants sent by Class D: Yukimura Teruhiko, Okitani Kyousuke, Hondou Ryoutarou, and others...
Good grief! What kind of bottom-feeders were these?
'Wait, that guy Ayanokouji is there too. I wonder if he'll pull any little stunts?'
As if confirming Hikigaya's prediction...
He saw Ayanokouji Kiyotaka turn back to whisper a few words to Hirata Yousuke, then quietly run to the front row of the offensive team.
"Interesting~ Is the 'Masterpiece' of the White Room finally going to make a move?"
Hikigaya narrowed his eyes, watching the battle with great interest.
White Team.
"Katsuragi, Hashimoto, Kito... tsk tsk~
That white-haired brat is certainly willing to spend; she sent out all her aces to fight at once."
Ryuen Kakeru's eyes flickered, his face showing a hint of surprise.
"Ryuen, I hope you won't pull any little stunts behind our backs.
For this match, our interests as members of the White Team are aligned."
Out of a painful experience of being bitten by a snake once, Katsuragi Kouhei was wary of the other man in his heart.
"According to the Princess's orders, the few of us will temporarily follow your command."
Hashimoto Masayoshi laughed lightly. Unlike most Class C students who were hostile toward Ryuen, Hashimoto Masayoshi seemed quite friendly to him.
'Cunning fox!'
Ryuen Kakeru cursed inwardly, staring meaningfully at the latter.
"Let's be direct—attack or defense?"
Kito Hayato had a terrifying face; he looked like a man who didn't joke around.
"No, your task for this match is only one thing..."
Ryuen Kakeru looked toward a certain person in Class D with feigned mystery.
"Ready!"
With the sound of the starting pistol...
The contestants of the Red and White teams launched a charge at each other!
Albert from the White Team, acting as the main attacker, easily broke through the Red Team's defensive line.
"Dammit!"
"Quick, stop him!"
Kanzaki Ryuji personally led men forward to intercept. The two sides entered a fierce melee.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka silently took out a pre-prepared white headband from his pocket and wrapped it over the red one on his forehead. In the current chaotic situation, unless the people of the White Team looked closely, they really wouldn't notice Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's abnormality.
"This guy really knows how to exploit a loophole."
Hikigaya's eyes shifted. According to the rules of the Pole-Toppling competition, in order to distinguish the Red and White teams, students were prohibited from taking off their own headbands. However, there was no rule stating you couldn't wear the opponent's headband!
Infiltration successful.
'It seems the plan is going smoothly. No one will notice a 'small transparent' like me.'
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, wearing a white headband, passed through the White Team's defensive line without obstruction and successfully blended into the enemy's interior. He saw himself getting closer and closer to the White Team's pole...
"Heh!"
Suddenly, a sharp sound of breaking wind came from behind him. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka used the sound to determine the position and dodged with a sidestep.
"Eh?"
"Does this guy have eyes in the back of his head?"
Hashimoto Masayoshi's sneak attack missed, leaving him feeling surprised.
"This guy, he seems to be that... what was his name in Class D?"
Katsuragi Kouhei examined the opponent closely but couldn't recall the latter's name.
"Be careful! This guy's skills are extraordinary."
Kito Hayato was an expert in combat. From Ayanokouji's dodging movement just now, he could see the latter's excellence.
"What are you guys doing?"
It had to be said that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's psychological fortitude was truly strong; even now, he could still play dumb.
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, take that toilet-paper-like disguise off for me!"
Ryuen Kakeru walked out from the side.
"Am I exposed? When did you notice me?"
Seeing the situation, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had no choice but to untie the disguised white headband, revealing the original Red Team headband.
"A stupid question."
Ryuen Kakeru sneered incessantly.
"True."
"Four people setting an ambush at the same time—no matter how you look at it, it was premeditated."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's gaze swept across the four people surrounding him; his poker face remained unchanged.
"Ryuen, what is this all about? Do we need the four of us just to deal with this one person?"
Katsuragi Kouhei looked confused.
"Heh! Look at his calm face. It's as if he doesn't even take the four of us seriously!"
While Ryuen Kakeru mocked with his mouth, the vigilance in his heart instantly increased several times.
At this moment, he recalled what Hikigaya had told him about exposing Ayanokouji Kiyotaka—that the latter's strength was equivalent to a boxing champion! He just didn't know if Hikigaya had exaggerated.
"Hey, Hashimoto, you go test him out."
Out of caution, Ryuen Kakeru intended to have one person probe first.
"Sorry about this, Ayanokouji-kun."
"How about you just lie down obediently, okay?"
Hashimoto Masayoshi had a grin on his face, starting off with a fierce elbow strike.
"Boom!"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka pressed down with his palm, easily pushing down the other's elbow strike. He appeared to have room to spare and even had the mind to persuade them: "Openly using violence—that doesn't conform to the rules of the competition, right?"
"Hmph! Stop looking around. The referee's line of sight can't see this place."
Ryuen Kakeru snorted coldly. He had already arranged for people to block the referee's view in advance.
"I see. Then I can rest easy."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained expressionless.
"Tch! That calm face of yours reminds me of that damn dead-fish eyes!"
Ryuen Kakeru looked annoyed and signaled for the group to swarm him!
"Do these guys just love fighting that much?"
Hikigaya shook his head repeatedly as he watched.
He had clearly given the other party a warning beforehand that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's combat power was very high. Who would have thought that Ryuen Kakeru just wouldn't believe it and insisted on using his fists to go head-on.
Facing the onslaught of Ryuen's group of four, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka chose to strike first, punching Ryuen Kakeru in the face.
"!"
Ryuen Kakeru saw stars from that punch.
"Boom!"
A high roundhouse kick sent Hashimoto Masayoshi flying to the side.
"Got you!"
Katsuragi Kouhei came from behind with a bear hug, trying to lock the opponent. In the end, he was easily shaken off by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who counter-grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder.
Kito Hayato was a man of few words and many actions, stepping forward quickly with a flying knee.
"Boom!"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka reacted quickly, raising his arms to block, but he was still knocked over by Kito Hayato's massive force. Kito was about to follow up with a finishing blow, but Ayanokouji used a low sweeping kick to trip him to the ground.
Kito threw a backhand punch; Ayanokouji didn't dodge or evade and threw a punch as well. Both fists slammed into each other's chests respectively.
Kito Hayato's breath hitched; the intense pain in his chest almost made him unable to breathe. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's body only stiffened for a moment before he quickly regained his mobility.
"Haha! It seems that bastard dead-fish eyes didn't lie to me.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, you really are an incredible monster!"
Ryuen Kakeru shook his head, regaining his senses.
"This... So it was indeed him who leaked my information?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka finally understood why Ryuen Kakeru was specifically targeting him.
"The boss behind the scenes of Class D! Today is just a greeting.
I've finally witnessed your true strength."
Ryuen Kakeru waved his hand to signal Katsuragi and the others to stop; he seemed to have no intention of further entanglement.
"I've been targeted, it seems."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka kept his poker face throughout the entire process.
However, while they were fighting, Albert led the White Team to the front of the Red Team's pole-guarding squad.
"Stop right there. I only wish to protect."
Hirata Yousuke stood forward, blocking Albert and the others.
"Boom!"
Albert stepped forward aggressively, took a punch from Hirata Yousuke, and then, under the unbelievable gaze of the crowd, fell directly to the ground.
"???"
Hirata Yousuke was instantly stunned. He hadn't used his full strength; how did this big guy fall down?
"Referee! I want to report the opponent for using violence!!"
Ishizaki Daichi suddenly shouted toward the outside.
"Yes, I saw it.
Class D's Hirata Yousuke, for violating rules with violence, is disqualified from the field!"
The referee held up a red card.
"A thief crying 'Stop thief'!
It was clearly the White Team who used violence first!"
Yukimura Teruhiko shouted that it was unfair. In the melee just now, he had taken a sucker punch from Ishizaki Daichi, even vomiting up stomach acid. The referee glanced at Yukimura as if looking at a fool and replied coldly: "Sorry, I didn't see it."
'The White Team used dirty tricks and knew to find people to block the line of sight. You Red Team people don't even know how to block; who's to blame?'
Having lost Hirata Yousuke as their backbone, the Red Team's formation fell into chaos. A few seconds before the competition time was about to end, Ishizaki Daichi successfully pushed down the Red Team's pole.
Declaring victory for the White Team!
"Did you see that, Ayanokouji? Intelligence is also a form of strength!"
After Ryuen Kakeru finished mocking Ayanokouji to his face, he looked up at a certain spot in the spectator stands as if sensing something.
He found Hikigaya clapping for him to show respect.
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