COTE: Sōsuke Aizen, The Poet Chapter 33 33

After finishing the overwhelming display of physical ability on the school grounds, later that evening as dusk began to settle in—

The core mbers of Class A had gathered at a calm café inside Keyaki Mall to hold a detailed strategy eting for the upcoming sports festival.

The participants were:

Honami Ichinose, the class's absolute leader.

Ryuji Kanzaki, the strategist.

Hayato Shibata, the mood-maker.

Asako Amikura and Chihiro Shiranami, who helped organize the girls.

And finally, and my one-and-only best friend, Shiina Hiyori.

At the spacious seating area made by connecting two four-person tables together, colorful drinks lined the tabletop, while the ice inside the glasses clinked softly.

"So, thanks to everyone helping out yesterday, I managed to organize all the physical test data."

Ichinose spoke while looking at the list displayed on her tablet.

"Based on the 'spread the fast and slow runners apart' strategy we decided on yesterday, I want to start assigning who goes into which race."

"Alright! So basically us sports club guys just need to rack up as many first-place finishes as possible, right? We'll run our hearts out to cover any penalties and build up the class fund!"

Shibata slamd down his iced coffee with a grin.

"Yeah, that's reassuring, Shibata-kun. But we can't just scatter people around randomly."

Ichinose nodded, and Kanzaki calmly continued.

"Correct. Yesterday's strategy is only our basic formation. The key is accurately predicting the movents of the other classes—especially Ryūen's Class C and Sakayanagi's Class B—and avoiding their strongest players while stealing victories wherever possible."

"Right. Especially for the girls' races, I'd rather avoid ending up against monsters like Ibuki-san from Class C or Horikita-san from Class D."

Amikura said nervously, and Shiranami nodded in agreent.

"Exactly. That's why we need to correctly predict the 'individual abilities' and 'intentions' of the other classes."

Ichinose's expression tightened slightly as she looked up from her tablet and stared directly at .

"So, Aizen-kun. The strategy everyone ca up with is what we just discussed, but… is there anything else? So kind of 'trick' or 'guaranteed thod to win' for this sports festival? Like in the previous special exams—maybe so loophole in the rules we're missing?"

Ichinose, Kanzaki, and the others all waited for my answer with bated breath.

After all, during the deserted island exam and the cruise ship test, I had led the class to victory through the overwhelming intellect granted by my "Aizen Specs."

Naturally, they were hoping I had another magical strategy.

(...But this ti, it isn't that simple. This sports festival is fundantally different from the previous exams centered around psychological warfare and information battles.)

I slowly set down my iced tea, quietly closed my eyes, and elegantly brushed back my bangs.

Then, bathed in everyone's expectations, I spoke with the overwhelming aura of a demon king.

"—There are no shadows lurking in blind spots upon this battlefield. …This is rely a simple struggle where sharpened fangs and the cohesion of the pack alone determine the flow of blood."

My deep, calm, yet absolute voice fell over the café table.

"—Thus, the ans available to us are limited. As Ichinose suggested, we place lions and sheep within the sa cage while carefully observing how long neighboring packs continue walking side by side. …And above all else, we must never allow anyone to glimpse our 'Book of Prophecy.'"

It was an excessively grandiose poem overflowing with taphors and symbolism.

After hearing it—

"""""...Huh?"""""

All five of them froze completely with giant question marks floating over their heads.

(As expected, they don't understand. But there is no need to worry. Hiyori is here.)

As I placed complete faith in her internally, the great angel beside quietly set down her teacup and smiled gently.

"Sōsuke-kun is saying this:

'This sports festival isn't a "special exam" in the usual sense. It isn't the type of event where exploiting loopholes or using underhanded tricks will work. In the end, it's a straightforward contest of athletic ability and teamwork in group events.

Therefore, all we can really do is what Honami-chan suggested—distribute fast and slow students into the sa races, decide whether or not to cooperate with Class D in the team events, and make absolutely certain that our participation lists never leak to the other classes.'"

Hiyori's perfect divine translation revived the frozen five instantly.

"I see… So this really is just a straightforward sports festival."

Kanzaki nodded deeply with understanding.

"In other words, instead of trying cheap tricks, we should face things head-on with pure ability."

"Ohhh, so that's what you ant!"

Shibata laughed loudly.

"If it's a sports festival, our class has plenty of athletic students, and our teamwork is the best in the grade! In a direct clash, there's no way we'll lose!"

"Yeah! With Honami-chan and Aizen-kun here, I feel like we can win any event!"

Amikura and Shiranami smiled in relief.

As the atmosphere brightened again, Hiyori tilted her head slightly and asked another question.

"Sōsuke-kun… what about cooperating with Class D, since they're on the Red Team with us? If the Red Team loses, we'll lose 100 class points, so working together seems natural."

At her question, everyone's eyes turned toward once more.

(Cooperating with Class D, huh? So level of coordination is necessary since we can't afford for the Red Team to lose. But… sharing our individual event lists would be far too dangerous. Kiyotaka is in Class D, so they'll probably be fine, but if those lists leak to Sakayanagi or Ryūen, they'll completely counter-pick us and crush us one by one.)

After logically reaching my conclusion, I smiled arrogantly.

"—We need only cross paths at the mont we hunt great prey together. …There is no obligation to share maps of our individual hunting grounds. Information leakage is a deadly poison capable of collapsing the board itself."

"""""......"""""

Silence and confusion fell over the five again.

At this point, it had beco a traditional part of Class A strategy etings.

Hiyori imdiately translated beautifully.

"'Even if we cooperate, it should be limited to team events like pole-toppling and the girls' ball toss. There's no need to share participation lists for individual events like the 100-ter dash. The risk of information leaks is too high.'"

"Ahhh! That makes sense!"

Everyone's faces brightened.

"You're right. We'll keep our individual event lists strictly confidential within Class A and only coordinate team-event strategies with Class D."

Ichinose quickly typed notes into her tablet.

"Then tomorrow, I'll try talking to Horikita-san from Class D and suggest cooperating in the team events."

—Horikita Suzune.

The mont her na ca up, mories of the disciplinary hearing after the violence incident—and all the provocative poems I'd thrown at her on the deserted island—flashed through my mind.

(...Right. The student council president's little sister seriously hates . If she learns I'm one of Class A's strategists, there's a real chance she'll refuse cooperation out of sheer stubbornness.)

For the sake of the class, I should honestly apologize in advance in case my presence complicates negotiations.

I took a deep breath and spoke quietly, lowering my gaze.

"—Ichinose. The thorn seeds I scattered in the past may now dye your feet in blood. …Within the eyes of the black-haired valkyrie burned a bottomless hatred toward . My very existence may beco the spark that shatters this alliance…"

"......Eh?"

Ichinose blinked in total confusion.

"Black-haired… valkyrie? Dye our feet in blood…?"

As the others struggled to understand, Hiyori gently translated again.

"'Because of incidents like the disciplinary hearing during the violence case in the first sester, Horikita-san from Class D strongly dislikes . Because of that, there's a high possibility our cooperation proposal may be rejected due to my presence. I'm truly sorry if my past actions beco a burden on the class.'"

The mont Hiyori finished—

Honami Ichinose vividly rembered the disciplinary hearing from the violence incident during the first sester.

At the ti, Class D had proposed the "fake cara evidence" strategy.

Aizen had opposed it directly.

And Hiyori had translated his words as:

"Using fake evidence to threaten soone is a cri."

"I don't want Ichinose-san to do sothing so dirty."

The mont she heard the word "cri," the trauma of her own hidden past sin had been violently dragged into the light, throwing her into panic.

(...Ah.)

Her shoulders trembled faintly as the old fear and guilt resurfaced.

But—

Standing before her now was Shiina Hiyori, smiling gently enough to erase those painful mories.

And beside her was Aizen Sōsuke, quietly accepting responsibility with a lancholic expression.

(...Back then… Aizen-kun and Hiyori-chan used harsh words because they wanted to stop from committing a sin…)

The fear inside Ichinose transford into warm trust.

A soft smile blood across her face as she looked at .

"—No, that's not true at all."

"..."

"Even if Horikita-san rejects our proposal, then that's just how it is. We'll simply win through our own abilities."

Ichinose looked straight into my eyes and gently shook her head.

"It's not your fault, Aizen-kun. During that hearing, you were the one who shouldered the greatest burden for all of us, right? You've helped this class again and again already… so nobody would ever bla you for sothing like this. So please don't worry."

(...W-What an unbelievably kind girl…! She's not only forgiving all my past disasters but actually thanking for them!? She's too radiant!!)

Internally, I was weeping while prostrating myself before Ichinose's bottomless kindness.

But outwardly, I remained the "solitary demon king," rely allowing a faint smile to form on my lips.

"Aah. Ichinose is right. Your intellect has saved us countless tis. …Hold your head high, Aizen."

Kanzaki nodded firmly as well.

Touched by the warmth of the class bonds, it seed the strategy eting was finally ending peacefully.

However—

There was still one final "worst-case scenario" I needed to warn them about.

I slowly opened my eyes and cast a sharp, cold gaze across everyone present.

"—Yet the true threat is not the blade that approaches openly. …Within the White Camp lurk a venomous serpent consud by madness and a queen who mocks the board itself. Should they cast aside their chains, this dance of dust will easily transform into an execution ground."

The atmosphere in the café instantly tightened.

"—The shield that wards off unseen weapons is the Eye of God. …Those pieces without turns to play should use the glass eyes in their hands to capture every truth. To drag the malice hiding in shadows into the light."

As the five listened in silence, Hiyori translated with a more serious expression.

"'The White Team contains Ryūen-kun, who uses ruthless thods, and Sakayanagi-san, who is aiming for Class A. If they work together, there's a possibility they'll use dangerous interference tactics or even try to injure people during races.

Therefore, students who are free during events should record the competitions from multiple angles using their phones. That way, if anything happens, we'll have video evidence of foul play.'"

"W-What!? Interference? Trying to injure people!?"

Shibata's face went pale while Kanzaki gritted his teeth.

"That's definitely possible with Ryūen. Even if the rules prohibit it, he'd exploit the referees' blind spots to target key athletes."

Recalling Class C's past behavior, Kanzaki deeply agreed with my proposal.

"And without evidence, the school won't act. …I see. The Eye of God. If everyone records separately, it becos both a strong deterrent against malicious acts and a decisive weapon against lies if sothing happens. Brilliant, Aizen. A perfect defensive setup."

"Yeah! I'll ssage the whole class group chat right away and ask everyone to help record!"

Ichinose hurriedly began typing on her tablet.

Amikura and Shiranami also declared:

"We'll keep watch when it's not our turn too!"

(Good. That gives us both deterrence and counterasures against physical interference from the White Team. If constant eyes are watching, Ryūen's violence and Sakayanagi's sches won't be easy to execute.)

I elegantly lifted my glass of iced tea.

Arisu Sakayanagi's intellect.

Kakeru Ryūen's madness.

Upon the battlefield known as the Sports Festival, crowded with powerful enemies—

I, Aizen Sōsuke, would stand proudly with a flawless formation, prepared to protect the smiles of my beloved classmates and my precious best friend.