The second morning of the forest training camp—or rather, the brutal mixed-year training camp—ca early.
At 6:00 a.m., while the sky was still dim and the freezing mountain air turned every breath white, the mbers of our large group, spanning from first-years to third-years, were gathered in the facility's massive kitchen area.
As part of the camp's rules, each group had to prepare its own breakfast.
It was an important period that not only tested life skills, but also evaluated teamwork and cooperation within the group.
I stood in front of my assigned cooking station, skillfully chopping vegetables.
Tak-tak-tak!
The steady rhythm of my knife striking the cutting board echoed through the room.
The second- and third-year students beside stared in amazent.
"Damn... that's practically professional level..."
While their attention briefly wandered elsewhere, I quietly spoke to the person at the neighboring station.
He was a second-year Class D student and the leader of their subgroup, Senior Soma, who was washing rice.
"—How much passion has the false king's decree stolen from your blades? ...If you intend to step down from the board yourself, I won't show rcy."
(Translation: Are you planning to hold back in this camp because of Nagumo's orders? If you're going to deliberately drag us down, I won't forgive it.)
"...Huh? False king...? Stolen passion from our blades...? What are you talking about?"
For a mont, Soma stared blankly at my excessively dramatic wording.
Then, while enduring the overwhelming pressure I was giving off, he replayed my words in his head and suddenly gasped.
He hurriedly checked that no teachers or students from other groups were nearby.
"Wait... are you talking about the fact that Nagumo ordered us to intentionally slack off?"
"—I'm glad you're quick to understand."
Without looking away from the vegetables I was cutting, I smiled fearlessly.
Soma's shoulders twitched.
"...Aizen. So you figured it out.
Y-Yeah... actually, one of Nagumo's subordinates approached us during dinner yesterday.
He told us to hold back during this camp and drag you down."
"—I see. And you intend to obey the clown's commands?"
(Translation: I see. So are you planning to follow Nagumo's orders?)
"Like hell we are."
Soma snorted bitterly.
"Even if we help him, under Nagumo's dictatorship only a handful of people would ever get promoted to Class A.
There's no guarantee any of us in Class D would benefit.
But at the sa ti, openly defying him and getting targeted isn't exactly appealing."
"—Then what will you do?"
"With how this exam works, Nagumo can't monitor every individual's detailed performance in real ti.
So we'll tell him we're following orders and slacking off a little.
But in reality, we'll just do the exam normally.
Nobody's stupid enough to risk expulsion just because he told us to."
Makes sense.
As an excuse for self-preservation, it was perfectly reasonable.
Still, I couldn't rule out the possibility that this was a trap designed to lower my guard.
So I increased the pressure another level and fixed him with a cold stare.
"—A wise decision.
However, if those words are rely lies intended to deceive , there is no guarantee your heads will remain attached to your shoulders.
Know that betrayal of is synonymous with destruction."
(Translation: Good. Then I can relax. But if you try to deceive and sabotage us, I'll be very angry.)
Faced with my overwhelming pressure, Soma swallowed hard.
Cold sweat appeared on his face as he shook his head.
"...Honestly, Aizen.
You're scarier to oppose than Nagumo.
After seeing that impossible pressure of yours and hearing the rumors about how you went around destroying club activities back in April..."
Oof.
So the club incident had beco so kind of terrifying legend among the upper classn.
Maybe I'd gone a little overboard.
Keeping that small regret to myself, I simply replied:
"—I see. Then work hard."
And returned my attention to my vegetables.
With this, the chances of our large group collapsing internally and sinking to the bottom had beco significantly lower.
After breakfast, the second day's classes began in earnest.
The morning consisted of zazen ditation and ethics lessons in the gymnasium.
The afternoon included physical tests and academic lectures in preparation for written exams.
The schedule was grueling, draining both body and mind.
Yet not a single student from First-Year Class A complained.
Everyone completed every part of the curriculum perfectly.
"Alright! The section Kanzaki taught yesterday actually showed up on the test! If things keep going like this, this afternoon's gonna be easy too!"
Even Shibata, who wasn't particularly strong academically, was tackling his assignnts with determination, sweat on his forehead.
The defeat they had experienced during the Paper Shuffle exam—where they had intentionally challenged the powerful Class B and lost points—had taught them a painful lesson.
It gave them a strong awareness that they needed to improve through their own efforts.
Ichinose's strategy had paid off beautifully.
anwhile, the students from other classes who shared our subgroup—Yoshida from Class B, Tokito from Class C, and Ike from Class D—were also taking their studies seriously.
"Hey Ike, you're losing focus.
If you zone out, we might lose points due to collective responsibility."
"I know, Tokito! Besides, weren't you the one who got scolded during ditation earlier?"
The two argued quietly.
But neither showed any signs of slacking off.
The reason was obvious.
Sitting diagonally in front of them was .
Motionless.
Perfectly upright.
ditating like a Buddha statue.
"..."
Glance.
"...!"
Jolt.
The mont my eyes drifted toward them, Tokito and Ike stiffened and imdiately corrected their posture.
Heh.
My intimidation is functioning perfectly as a monitoring system.
Even students from other classes are staying focused because of the pressure I'm giving off.
At this rate, we can definitely aim for first place.
That evening, during dinner in the large cafeteria, Hiyori and I sat across from one another.
"—Has the moonlight illuminated even the deepest corners of the murky forest?
Has mud splashed upon her path?
And have poisonous moths gathered around the innocent silver lily?"
(Translation: How's the girls' group doing? Is Tachibana-senpai okay? And has anyone been harassing you?)
Hiyori nodded with a slightly serious expression.
"Yes.
Just as you predicted, the upper classn in the girls' large group are being quite obvious about holding back.
Their classroom attitudes are poor, and they seem to be intentionally scoring low on quizzes."
"..."
"However, Tachibana-senpai herself hasn't given in to the harassnt and is working very hard.
I've also advised her to trust Horikita-senpai and you, and to keep giving her best until the end."
Then her expression softened.
"And there doesn't seem to be any harassnt directed toward at all.
Everyone in my subgroup is quiet and serious, so things have been very peaceful.
Also..."
A bright smile blood on her face.
"I beca friends with Wang i Yu from Class D. Mii-chan!"
Perfect!
Not only was she gathering evidence like I had requested yesterday, but she'd also proactively taken care of Tachibana-senpai's emotional state.
She's truly an archangel!
And she'd even made a new friend.
Seeing Hiyori happily report it made my heart warm as well.
As I internally gave her a standing ovation, Ichinose and Kanzaki arrived carrying their trays.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! Good work today, you two!"
"My apologies for being late."
"Good work, Honami-chan, Kanzaki-kun. How are your groups doing?"
Hiyori asked.
Ichinose answered with her usual bright smile.
"Really well!
Because we gathered students with good stamina, today's physical classes were easy.
The girls are doing fine so far.
Now we just need to be careful not to let exhaustion build up."
"Our group is progressing smoothly as well," Kanzaki added.
"Perhaps thanks to Aizen's overwhelming presence, even students from other classes are desperately keeping up without letting their guard down."
"—Excellent.
When individual lights converge into one, they beco an absolute radiance that banishes all darkness.
There are no blind spots left upon the path we walk."
(Translation: Everyone's doing great. At this rate, all our groups can aim for the top rankings. Let's keep it up!)
"Yeah! Let's keep pushing all the way to the end!"
We praised one another's efforts and prepared ourselves for the days ahead.
And then ca the third day.
Once again, First-Year Class A calmly and flawlessly completed every part of the schedule.
During breaks and free periods, the academically gifted students led by Kanzaki taught Ike and Tokito in preparation for the written exams.
"Ike, this formula is not rely a string of symbols.
It is a key leading toward truth.
Recall yesterday's lesson.
If you do, the answer will naturally kneel before you."
"Ugh... I have no idea what you're talking about!
And what do you an, 'a key leading toward truth'?! That makes it harder to understand!"
"Damn, you can't even solve sothing this simple?
Also, Kanzaki, stop talking weird. It's confusing."
The sudden eruption of Kanzaki's full-blown dramatic vocabulary left Ike and Tokito completely bewildered.
Imdiately, Shibata burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Stop, stop, Kanzaki!
Ichinose seriously asked to keep watch so you wouldn't start talking weird again!
Just explain it normally!"
"Ah...!
M-My apologies.
It seems my senses have beco overly sharpened.
Anyway, if you substitute the numbers here..."
The mont Kanzaki corrected himself, laughter spread throughout the room.
The atmosphere beca warm and relaxed.
Yoshida from Class B, already an excellent student, quietly worked on his own assignnts while occasionally chatting with the others.
Kanzakiiii!
Please!
I'm already terrified about what's going to happen during the final speech event!
If you start reciting poetic nonsense as naturally as breathing, this entire group is dood!
Outwardly, I continued projecting the intimidating aura of an absolute ruler.
Inside, however, I was sweating bullets.
Still...
Our cooperation with students from other classes had improved trendously.
Kanzaki and the others were taking good care of everyone.
At this rate, the written exam shouldn't be a problem.
Watching their interactions from a short distance away, I felt both reassured and slightly nervous.
That evening during dinner, the mbers of Class A sat together around a large table.
Naturally, Hiyori was seated beside , happily eating her hamburger steak.
A short distance away, Ichinose and Kanzaki were discussing the situations within each group.
While I calmly poured tea for Hiyori, Hino suddenly sighed.
"Honestly, Aizen-kun.
Even though you're always acting so arrogant...
You're surprisingly easy to read when you're with Shiina-san."
"...Hm?"
I froze.
"I don't know how to explain it.
Your words and attitude are the sa as always.
But whenever you look at Shiina-san, your eyes get incredibly soft.
It's obvious you've completely let your guard down.
Watching it is almost embarrassing."
Hino smirked teasingly.
"...!?"
No way!
My body automatically produces intimidating expressions and dramatic dialogue regardless of my intentions!
Does that an that no matter how much spiritual-pressure coating I put on my exterior, my internal feelings of "Hiyori is adorable! My archangel!" are leaking through anyway?!
I was shaken to my core.
The realization that cracks had ford in my perfect Demon King's mask filled with horror.
anwhile, Hiyori blushed brightly.
Yet she looked genuinely happy.
"Fufu...
Sousuke-kun is a very kind person."
"Seriously, Shiina-san.
You beco so happy whenever the topic is Aizen-kun."
Hino shrugged.
Then she rembered sothing.
"By the way, you two finally started dating, huh?
You gathered twenty million points in just one month and forcibly transferred her into the class.
I honestly thought you'd been dating long before that."
"Ah... y-yes.
That's right..."
Hiyori lowered her head shyly.
"You always seed mutually in love.
For soone who acts so arrogant all the ti, Aizen-kun, are you surprisingly a coward when it cos to romance?"
Critical hit.
She had struck directly at my weakness.
It was true.
I had been terrified of ruining our friendship and never found the courage to take the first step myself.
Being called a coward to my face hurt.
A lot.
Still, I couldn't show any weakness.
Maintaining a calm expression, I brushed back my bangs.
"—I will not deny it.
Upon a board that has achieved perfect equilibrium, advancing a new piece is no simple matter.
The one who shattered the cage known as stagnation and guided into unknown territory was the noble courage she displayed.
I rely bowed before that light and allowed myself to be led by the hand."
(Translation: That's exactly right! Hiyori was the one who found the courage to cross the boundary between friendship and romance for the cowardly ! I'm incredibly grateful to her! My archangel is amazing!)
Hiyori smiled even more brightly.
Then she happily translated.
"He says:
'Because I was too afraid of losing what we had, I couldn't move forward myself. It was thanks to Hiyori finding the courage to share her feelings that we reached where we are now.'"
"...Right, right. Spare ."
Hino waved dismissively.
"Watching you two is making embarrassed."
Yet her expression looked oddly amused.
I never expected Hino to see through this completely.
But if Hiyori is happy, then that's fine.
I'll maintain my dignity as a Demon King while openly expressing my love for Hiyori.
That's my justice.
And so, amid a warm atmosphere and so light teasing from Hino, the third day of the brutal mixed training camp passed without any major incidents.
The malice Nagumo was stirring behind the scenes had beco little more than a trivial ga to .
Certainly, with the upper classn conspiring to intentionally underperform, there was a high possibility that the large group containing Tachibana-senpai would finish in last place.
But it didn't matter.
The condition for companion expulsion only applied to students who could be proven to have clearly hindered the group.
And now, thanks to Hiyori, objective evidence was steadily accumulating before the teachers' eyes:
Tachibana-senpai was working harder than anyone else.
The upper classn were the ones blatantly slacking off.
Which ant that even if the group finished last, it would be absolutely impossible under the school's rules for a Nagumo-affiliated leader to designate Tachibana-senpai as a companion expulsion target.
I wonder what kind of face Nagumo will make when he realizes his harassnt of Tachibana-senpai has been completely neutralized.
A little part of is looking forward to finding out.
In the depths of the quiet night, I deepened my smile, confident in victory, and gracefully closed my eyes as I prepared for the second half of the camp.
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