Episode 70 – Pole Topple ～VS Mad Dog～

(It’s finally here.)

About ten minutes after the ball tossing was over, the pole topple, the event in which I would be competing, was about to begin. Some classes were seeded by lottery, but our class didn’t win it, and we were going to compete as usual.

The class with the seeding right may have an advantage because they have to fight fewer times, but it may be equal in this case because they can participate fewer times and waste 10 points.

As expected, the matches were not as intense as those of the Japan Self-Defense Forces or the National Defense Academy, but even with that, they were still quite a spectacle. Right now, the sophomore class is fighting each other, and it’s a pretty close battle. Both sides have their own wills and strategies, and it’s interesting to watch.

This was the third match that our class was competing in. Until then, I’m watching the other classes beat each other with sticks. The thought of me joining them gives me a headache.

But it can’t be helped now that it’s been decided. In front of that chairman, I have to manage to get by without being conspicuous. I’m not sure at this point if that guy knows I’m attending this school, but it’s probably best to be aware.

After the first match was over and preparations for the next match had begun, I heard a buzz of voices behind me. Of course, it was my class.

“Hey, Ruri chan’s not here, is she?”

“It’s true. Where did Yukihana go?”

“Yeah, I was going to cheer with her.”

When I turned around, Kisaragi was frantically searching for Yukihana. It seems that she disappeared somewhere in the middle of the current match. I looked around too, but couldn’t see Yukihana. Well, she is short, so it’s natural that she is hard to find.

I immediately stopped looking for her and looked at the next game. The next game was an unreasonable match between first-year students and third-year students. How would the first-year students fare against the third-year students, who had the advantage in terms of physique? It will be interesting to see……

“All right, everyone, let’s head to the waiting area.”

The next match was ours, so we had to head to the waiting area. Hayama called out to the class and many of the boys left the class circle and headed for the waiting area. I too was staggering in the direction Hayama was heading. Is it finally going to start?

“Ruri chan, where did she go?”

I heard Kisaragi’s voice at the end, but since I didn’t care about Yukihana, I decided to ignore it and headed for the waiting area. There were about 20 boys in the class who would be participating. Our opponents were first-year students. Depending on Hayama’s instructions and strategy, it would be easy to beat them. Of course, depending on Hayama’s instructions, it was quite possible to lose

“Everyone, it’s finally time for the real competition. Let’s give it our all and leave no regrets ! But don’t let them get hurt.”

「「「「「「「「「「Okay ! 」」」」」」」」」」

Everyone raised their fists and shouted, so I decided to imitate them too. So at last it was our turn. I head for the center of the ground, looking down as far as I can. Behind me is the pole we are supposed to be guarding. And in front of us were the first-year students who we were about to fight.

[The match between 1st year group 2 and 2nd year group 1 will begin ! Please take your positions.]

I’m in charge of holding up the pole, so I’m going to get it up and hold it up with a few students. Hayama seems to be flexibly responding at the midpoint between the students going to the other side and the pole. Depending on his instructions, the students who support the pole, such as myself, will also be driven out.

“……Hm?”

I suddenly felt doubt about the first-year students. Hayama and other students began to notice. Most of the students were waiting near the pole, and only two or three students were moving forward. Moreover, the students surrounding the pole seemed completely unmotivated.

“Are they willing to fight?”

“Maybe they’re just giving up the fight?”

“We’re trying to be serious here.”

My classmates are annoyed by the attitude of the first-year students. It’s true that at first glance they look like they are joking around, but to me it looks like they are upset about something. Well, it’s just a hunch.

The students on the sports committee, who are acting as referees, are also suspicious, but since the leaders of both sides have indicated that there is no problem, it seems that the game will begin as is. The whole venue was tense and there was a slight silence as the signal for the start of the games was given.

[Then, the third game of pole topple is about to begin !]

And the student referee raises his starter pistol to the sky, and the tension amongst my classmates begins to build. Suddenly, my eyes fell on one of the students. He is looking comfortable with his hands in his pockets. That guy, I’m pretty sure he was with Yukihana at the convenience store the other day……

Bang ! !

As I was thinking this, I heard a rumbling start diagonally in front of me, and noisy cheering voices could be heard from around the area. And at the same time, the attackers in our class started running toward the pole

“Let’s go !”

「「「「「Alright ! 」」」」」

The boys start running all at once, but only two or three of them are running toward us on the other side. They also run in a disjointed manner without any consistency. My classmates ignored them and tried to run through.

“……!”

One student made a suicide attack toward us at once. Yes, it was the male student who was with Yukihana. He was able to knock off the upperclassmen who were coming at him and make them fall down. It’s hard to tell, but did he try to get rid of them with a foot strike? It’s a gray area in terms of the rules. However, the student who was following him was confronted squarely and squarely.

“This guy……eat this !”

“……Ha !”

Now it’s a clash of tackles. Or should I call it a scrum? Normally, this is done between several students, but it was pure one-on-one. The classmates who came at them seem to be snickering. And the result.

“Guhaa !?”

He was pushed back by a male student who came at him. The fact that he was blown away upset our team. Hayama was also looking at that student with an incredulous expression. That guy’s pretty strong.

“Oh, he’s doing it. Isn’t this our turn now?”

“Well, we’re like spares from the beginning, aren’t we? As expected of Yukihana.”

(……Yukihana, huh?)

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, my ears picked up the voice of a first-year student who was hanging around nearby. The others were apparently too absorbed in that first-year student, but I certainly heard it. I heard that the student was called [Yukihana].

[Anti-social organization……the so-called yakuza students who enrolled in the school.]

[Erm, Hisui, that high spirited idiot……the mad dog.]

[……Anyway I don’t particularly support pole topple as such. You guys just need to protect yourselves from getting hurt.]

The conversation of the past few days spun through my head. The pieces are starting to fit together, and I’m beginning to understand. I wondered why I hadn’t noticed this before. There were so many hints. Well, I conclude that I was just too shortsighted in thinking that Yukihana was an only child.

(……I’m definitely going to lose this match.)

I was intuitively convinced of this. The boy called Yukihana who’s coming towards us is clearly abnormal. First of all, he is definitely stronger than Nanase and Shinkai, and his situational awareness is frighteningly fast. An opponent that I can only stop with my seriousness. My classmates have no chance to win in terms of physical ability.

After Yukihana showed his power, he didn’t play with the other students and came straight to us. All he sees is the pole we’re protecting. He doesn’t seem to care about anything else. He probably doesn’t even think of us as a threat. He has that kind of ability.

“! Guys, there are only a few enemies attacking us. The attacking team should go back and defend ! Those guarding the pole, get forward and get ready for a scrum ! Don’t let them get any closer to the pole !”

Perhaps finally recognizing that male student as a threat, Hayama hurriedly called back his classmates who had been on the offensive. He then instructed several of us, including me, to step forward and block their advance.

“It doesn’t matter. Just head straight for the pole.”

Then he suddenly stopped running and started walking. It seems that he’s not simply trying to win by force, but is aiming for something. It looked like he was only looking at the pole, but he was looking around him. It was obvious that he was aiming for something, but Hayama and the rest of my classmates, who couldn’t possibly notice that, stood in front of Yukihana.

“We definitely won’t let you through here !”

“Oh yeah.”

Yukihana jumped right in front of Hayama. He did a clean spin in the air and jumped right behind the students who were standing in front of him as a wall. My classmates were stunned by the fact that he jumped more than 2 meters, but Yukihana did not stop walking. He continues straight to the pole. It seems that this guy is planning to attack single-handedly.

Then Yukihana slowly approaches the pole and his eyes meet mine as I stand in front of him…….

He slowly approaches and stops. We stared at each other for a few seconds without doing anything. A few seconds pass in silence, without any words being exchanged. I wondered if he might be……

“You’re not coming?”

“……”

“Well, whatever.”

Muttering that, Yukihana dashed past me. He looked bored, as if he had lost interest. I had no intention of doing anything, so I tried to maintain my nonresistance, but apparently he was disappointed by my attitude. For me, it was a lucky turn of events.

Then, Yukihana put strength into his legs. Then he grins and lifts the corners of his mouth. The students directly guarding the pole were alarmed and tried to hold it tighter, but it was probably futile.

“The only place to aim is at the top !”

Yukihana then leaps even further and easily grabs onto the end of the pole.

“What !?”

The students who were standing on the top of the pole and protecting themselves were bewildered by the sudden leap, and were easily pushed off the pole. The students below were following him to cover him, but there was no way the man would have missed that chance.

“Hurry up and fall !”

Yukihana tipped the pole at once. My classmates panicked and tried to support me. Hayama and the rest of the attackers joined in, but Yukihana kicked them in the face. The kicked students are sent flying backward. That was gray in a lot of ways.

And……

[That’s it ! Winner, Year 1 Class 2 !”

The referee’s decision was made when the pole was completely tilted. There was a lot of praise for the first-years from those around them, and Yukihana seemed to be somewhat happy. I heard that he had a hard time because of a false rumor that was spread before. This time, he was probably hoping to dispel that image. Yukihana is dashing back to his class. Even from a distance, he is treated like a hero in the class. From the looks of it, his original image must have improved a lot.

(……A mad dog, huh? There’s no doubt about that)

Nanase was probably talking about Yukihana. He went on a rampage against the upperclassmen all by himself. I had not fully expected someone like that to be around, but I’ll be on the lookout for him from now on.

“……Hm?”

I suddenly notice that a first-year student is looking at me. When I looked in that direction, I noticed thatYukihana was looking at me. But when his eyes met mine, he looked away again. I wonder why.

(Does he know me? ….Of course not.)

I quickly dismissed the possibility that came into my mind. If I knew such a strong guy, I wouldn’t forget him, and I don’t even remember him in the first place. I’m pretty sure we’ve never met before…….I supposed.

And so I head back to my own class. Our pole topple ended with a cruel defeat in the first round.