COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

The 1200-meter mixed relay for the entire school year was about to begin, and Hikigaya ended up competing as a substitute. 

Originally, Sudou was supposed to be the first runner, with Miyake Akito as the last. However, with Hikigaya and Ayanokouji stepping in as substitutes, Ayanokouji took the final position. 

Logically, since Hikigaya was replacing Sudou, he should have run first, but Hirata and the others seemed to have come up with a different strategy. They took a risk and decided to let Onodera start instead. Among the girls, aside from Horikita, Onodera had the best athletic ability. 

D-Class wasn't the only one making this choice—three third-year classes also had a female first runner. The second runner was Hirata, and Hikigaya would be the fourth. The pattern became a girl-boy-girl-boy relay, likely aiming for a more balanced approach between male and female athletes. This was a common strategy for maintaining overall stability. 

Some classes, however, took a different approach. Some placed their strongest runners in the first two positions to build a big lead early on, while others put their fastest runners at the end, hoping for a dramatic comeback. D-Class originally planned to focus on the first half with Sudou and Hirata creating a gap, but the unexpected changes forced them to adjust their strategy. 

One notable class was B-Class, the one Sakayanagi belonged to. Their first runner was Haruno. 

After a few quick handoff practice runs, the race was ready to start. Since Hikigaya was the fourth runner, he ended up standing near Ayanokouji, who was the last runner, along with two other final runners—Horikita Manabu and Nagumo Miyabi. 

Hikigaya could clearly feel Nagumo's gaze—sharp, direct, and completely undisguised. 

"Didn't expect to run into you here. I thought this was just going to be a showdown between me and the president. Hikigaya, are you planning to join in?" 

Nagumo's expression was full of excitement. 

"Sorry, Vice President Nagumo. I'm only the fourth runner. The last one is him." 

Hikigaya pointed to Ayanokouji beside him. 

Nagumo followed his direction and glanced at Ayanokouji, but after just one look at Ayanokouji's expressionless face, he immediately lost interest. His disappointment was obvious—he clearly didn't think much of Ayanokouji. 

"What a shame. This could have been a great match between upper and lowerclassmen." 

Nagumo seemed to lose all enthusiasm after learning Hikigaya wasn't the final runner. 

Meanwhile, the relay race had already begun. As expected, D-Class fell behind early on. Even with Hirata running second, they could only barely make up some ground. 

At the same time, Haruno, who was running first for B-Class, showed incredible speed. She wasn't just the fastest girl among the first runners—she was even faster than some of the boys. She secured third place firmly, with the first and second positions taken by male runners from Third-Year A-Class and Second-Year A-Class. 

Haruno's outstanding performance immediately drew the attention of the entire school. The crowd cheered loudly for her. 

However, in the third leg of the race, the female runner from Third-Year A-Class suddenly tripped and fell, causing their team to drop from first place in an instant. Second-Year A-Class firmly took the lead. 

"President, this will be our final showdown. But at this point, it looks like victory is already mine." 

Nagumo suddenly spoke. 

In any race, tripping was a major setback, especially in a relay. Right now, Nagumo's Second-Year A-Class had built a 30-meter lead over the second-place team. 

"This is the dawn of a new era." 

Nagumo smirked. 

"So, you've already decided to change this school?" 

Horikita Manabu suddenly asked. 

"The student council up until now has been too dull, too rigid. They claim to uphold tradition, but they're just clinging to outdated ideas. 

Think about it—they preach discipline and strict rules, but at the same time, they offer safety nets. 

It's ridiculous. That's why so few students ever get expelled. These old relics, abandoned by time, should be buried along with the past. 

I will create a new era, and I will make the rules. This school will become a place where only true strength matters!" 

Nagumo didn't hold back at all, openly revealing his ambitions. After the sports festival, the student council would be restructured, and he was set to take over as the new student council president. 

Hikigaya heard Nagumo's so-called "bold vision," but the fourth baton handoff was about to happen, so he didn't bother responding. 

"What an exciting era," Nagumo said, grinning even wider when he saw Horikita Manabu remain silent. 

"I'm really looking forward to our match." 

Horikita Manabu finally spoke, but to everyone's surprise, his words weren't directed at Nagumo. 

Instead, he was looking at Ayanokouji—the one Nagumo had completely dismissed. 

Nagumo's face stiffened. He had been about to say something, but the words caught in his throat. A flicker of irritation flashed across his face, as if he had just been played. 

"I'm just a substitute filling in for an injured runner."

Ayanokouji answered with a blank expression. 

"So, you're choosing to endure as usual? I can't sense any motivation from you. Are you dissatisfied with the sports festival?" 

Horikita Manabu spoke calmly. 

"Obviously, I have no interest in something like a sports festival." 

Ayanokouji was simply stating the truth. Up until now, aside from that dead-eyed guy standing nearby, he hadn't found anything particularly interesting. 

"I see." 

Horikita Manabu said in the same calm tone. "Just like that night when you denied hiding your true abilities, you simply have no interest in our strength." 

Nagumo, standing to the side, frowned. But since the fifth runner was already behind him, he had to suppress his confusion, take the baton, and start running. 

The fourth runner, Hikigaya, performed exceptionally well, closing a significant gap. However, the fifth runner who followed lost the advantage just as quickly. Still, overall, the team had caught up quite a bit. 

Before long, the fifth runner of Class 3-A arrived. 

"If you want, I can race against you." 

Ayanokouji suddenly spoke. "At the cost of giving up second place." 

Horikita Manabu turned to glance at Ayanokouji. Then, just as he took the baton and should have started running, he suddenly stopped. His unusual action immediately drew the attention of many students, even causing some to gasp in surprise. 

Meanwhile, the final runners from other classes all took off, quickly overtaking Horikita Manabu. 

This was his response to Ayanokouji's provocation. 

At that moment, Kushida finally arrived, only to witness the strange scene. 

Everyone soon realized—was the student council president really about to compete against this unknown first-year student?! 

The two locked eyes, and without a word, they both took off at the same time… 

Suddenly, it was as if an invisible hand had gripped the entire stadium, silencing everything. 

The very next second, the entire crowd erupted in a frenzy! 

A single figure shot forward like a wild stallion, like a meteor streaking across the sky, creating a miracle on the track! 

One, two, three… 

With every opponent he passed, the stadium roared with excitement! 

On this day, everyone learned the name of the unknown first-year student… Ayanokouji Kiyotaka! 

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