The Second Question

Put the correct word into the (_______) below

The Russian writer Dostoyevsky in his novel [ The Brothers (______) ] and [ (______) and Punishment ] depicts the nihilistic figure of modern person who has lost his piety.

Himeji Mizuki's answer

①[ The Brothers (Karamazov) ] ② [ (Crime) and Punishment ]

Teacher's Comment

Correct. Those two t.i.tles along with [ The Idiot ], [ The Devils ], and [ The Adolescent ] are masterpieces that are often called Dotoyevsky's 5 great works, so if you're interested, it'll be good for you too if you read those books.

Tsuchiya Kouta's answer

①[ The Brothers (Mazo) ][1]

Teacher's Comment

What a part to remember with such a pinpoint accuracy on the correct answer.

Yoshii Akihisa's answer

②[ (Whip) and Punishment ]

Teacher's Comment

The Mazo Brothers[2] will be happy.

[Oii! Someone please get those nails!]

[We don't have enough black curtains! Take some from the gymnasium!]

[Hey, is it okay if the ornament placed here is just this dried-up well?]

"This sure is another great commotion isn't it?"

"Un. It's because Yuuji seriously made the necessary preparation in order to skip Ironman's supplementary lesson."

The next day, the third floor of the new school building was crowded with people doing remodeling work for the test of courage.

"Even so, I didn't think even cla.s.s A would help us with this."

The place used for the test of courage was cla.s.s A's through D's. "Since we're doing this, we should choose the cla.s.s that can produce coldness" was the reason we suggested this idea, I didn't think we would really get the permission to use the cla.s.ses.

"Even the students of A cla.s.s are high-school students of the same age as us. They will feel jaded too if they only keep studying. The final exam is just over too, so this should be a life-saver for them too."

"You're right. There should be almost no high-school student in the world who likes studying more than playing right?"

There are many types of people in this world though so I can't deny the possibility of one existing.

"I-if possible, rather than test of courage, I'd prefer studying...."

The troubled Himeji-san murmured. Even if we say it's playing, since this is a test of courage, for Himeji-san who doesn't like scary things studying is more preferable for her isn't it.

"I-It should be fine Mizuki. In any case, everything is made-up things, and the ghosts are our summoned beasts, there's nothing to be afraid of at all."

"You may be right, but even so, I still hate it..."

I somehow thought that Minami's words sounded more like trying to convince herself rather than Himeji-san.

"Are? Minami also hates things like this right?"

"N-Not at all! , I'm not afraid of these kind of things even a little bit so there's no problem, even if I have to close my eyes!"

No, isn't closing your eyes proof that you're scared....?

"Aki, w-what's with that look! Are you saying that you don't believe what I said?"

"Uuunnnn.... But, I can't see Minami other than being scared since earlier."

"D-Don't kid around with me! There's no way I'm afraid!"

Minami's agitated on the level that she couldn't get even more agitated than this. How interesting. Let's tease her a little.

"Now that you mention it, I heard some rumors."

"W-what rumors?"

"The place that this school is built on.....actually there's a reason why it's chosen for the school."

"W-what do you mean by reason.....?"

Himeji-san, who's at Minami's side, uneasily looked this way.

"Ahaha. Actually, a ghost really does appeaaaarrrrrr!"

"Kyaaaaa!"

This is Himeji-san's voice from being frightened by me.

"Nooooo!"

And this is Minami's voice who also gets frightened.

"Migyaaa!"

By the way, this is my voice whose vertical vertebrae is getting a huge damage due to Minami jumping vigorously on me from getting frightened. I see. Minami's fear is conveyed to me...literally.

"S-sorry, Minami... I was just joking, that's why, could you....please get away...?"

I talked to Minami while smiling in order to calm her. If I don't get released now, my life will be in danger.

"Y-you're lying....! Because, I've been hearing something since earlier...! Something like [I'll curse you, I'll kill you]....!"

Ahaha. Minami seems to be very frightened to the point of hearing an auditory hallucination. Those kind of words, there's nothing like that could be heard from any -

[Yoshii Akihisa....! To be hugged by onee-sama, a detestable male to the utmost....! I'll curse you...! I'll kill you....!]

In the corner of my vision, a ringlet curls haired short girl can be seen. She is Shimizu Miharu-san who belongs to cla.s.s D. A troublesome person who holds feelings of love toward Minami even though she's also a girl....it seems my situation now is something enviable enough to make her want to curse and kill me.

"A-Akihisa-kun...! I can hear it too....!"

Could it be because she also heard Shimizu-san's voice, Himeji-san looked this way in a frightened state. The surroundings are made to be a little dim too for the purpose of the test of courage , so this might indeed be frightening isn't it.

".....Akihisa."

""Kyaaa!""

Along with Minami and Himeji-san's screaming voice, a crisp sound could be heard from my hip. This sound is probably something that should never come out from your hip bone isn't it?

"I-I was wondering who it was but it's just Tsuchiya-kun isn't it..... Please don't startle us like that....."

"R-really..... Thanks to that, Aki's hip is facing an unnatural position isn't it...."

".....Sorry."

Mutsulinni apologetically answered.

By the way, I always wonder why the one receiving the biggest casualties is always me....

"Well then, Mutsulinni, is there anything you need me to do?"

I inquired of Mutsullini after being released from the hug of death. Being hugged by girls should be something to be happy about, but it's strange that in my case the feeling of fear precedes the happiness.

"....Please move that locker over there."

Mutsulinni pointed at the locker on a corner of cla.s.s A's cla.s.sroom. As expected of cla.s.s A. Whether the lock or the storage s.p.a.ce, it's a splendid locker that can't be compared to our cla.s.s'. If it's that locker, it should be hard to move it using a person's power isn't it.

"....I've already asked for permission."

The World History teacher, Tanaka-sensei's figure could be seen behind Mutsullini. To be able to smoothly get the teacher's permission while doing odd jobs like this really helps a lot.

"Okay. Well then, summon!"

A geometric array was drawn on the floor, and once more my summoned beast's figure appeared. Unlike the summoned beast up until now, its limbs are long, so it should be more handy when doing this kind of task.

The summoned beast moved with a rustling sound and stood in front of the objective locker.

"I just need to move this locker out of the way right?"

"......(Nod)"

When the summoned beast which had received the instruction put its hand on the locker, its head came off.

""..........!?""

I saw Himeji-san and Minami got their breath taken away. I had to admit that in a dim room like this, the spectacle was a little scary.

"It's really inconvenient to have the head keep coming off isn't it......"

".....How about fixing it in place with some packing tape?"

"Uuunnn.... It's tiresome when I have to stick it again once I let it disappear, and since this will be a test of courage, there'll be no meaning if its head can't come off too..... I guess I'll just leave it as it is."

Leaving the head rolling on the floor, it grabbed the locker firmly using both of its hands. The summoned beast, who possesses power many times more compared to a normal person, lifted up the heavy locker. Now, all that's left is bringing the locker that way - ouch! What happened!? There's suddenly an intense pain on my head!?

"Punishment for hugging onee-sama even though you're just a pig.....redeem yourself by dying....!"

When I took a closer look, my summoned beast's head was being stepped on by Shimizu-san with all she had. What a cruel thing to do!

But even if I say that, since my summoned beast is currently holding a locker , it's hard to retrieve its head. The summoned beast's hands are fully occupied, and to move my body while controlling it is too hard.

I have to do something, while I thought like that, my friends over there came to help.

"Shimizu! Hand over Yoshii's head!"

"S-Sugawa-kun! And everyone too....! Thank you, you really saved me!"

Sugawa-kun and the guys on cla.s.s F blocked Shimizu-san's way. I'm really happy. Friends really are something that every person should have.

"Don't stand in my way. This pig needs some punishment."

"Just hand it over!"

"That's right! Hand over Yoshii's head!"

"That's not something that can be entrusted to you!"

Everyone from F cla.s.s unanimously said this.

"""We'll show you what real teasing looks like!"""

Eh? So that's the reason?

"I understand. If it's like that I'll hand over to you this pig's head."

"Wait a minute! You can't hand it over to them, Shimizu-san!"

"Thanks Shimizu! Well then, let's go everyone! Punishment for the betrayer who gets hugged by girls! Summon!"

"""Summon!"""

The summoning field was flooded with zombies.

"I'm going to pa.s.s! Oraa!"

"Agah!"

"Nice pa.s.s. Eat this, you jerk....! Doryaa!"

"Fugya"

"Okay! Shooottt!"

"Ugua!"

The Durrahan's head was being used as a soccer ball by the zombies. What kind of drawing of h.e.l.l this is.

Earlier, it was only Shimizu-san who stepped on the head so it's still better than this, to be attacked by summoned beasts who possess far more power than a person really hurts a lot. Someone....help...

"Stop that. If you're going to bully Yoshii-kun even further, I'll be your opponent instead."

Suddenly, a ray light of hope could be seen over there. That is.... cla.s.s A's runner up Kubo Toshimitsu-kun!? To lend a help even though he belongs to a different cla.s.s, what a kind person!

"Thank you Kubo-kun! You saved me!"

"Don't mind it, Yoshii-kun! I'm going to protect you - forever!"

No, just for now is enough though....

"Cla.s.s A's Kubo-kun...wasn't it? Please don't disturb us."

"I can't do that Shimizu-san, everyone from cla.s.s F. Even if you gang up on me, I won't budge even a step. Because the thing I want to protect is right here....!"

"Good then! Then I'll bury you together with that pig. - Summon!"

"I'm not going to lose....! The reason for me to study hard up until now, it must be to protect Yoshii-kun during this kind of time - Summon!"

Kubo-kun and Shimizu-san started to summon while glaring at each other. And then, the face of the each of the summoned beast was that of the summoner, but both of their summoned beasts had the exact same equipment. Wearing things like straw or worn out pieces of clothes, somehow it looks kind of shabby... What kind of monster is that?

"Mutsullini. Do you know what kind of specter that is?"

"....Mayohi-gami."

Not caring about the head of my summoned beast that was still being kicked even now, Hideyoshi and Mutsullini leisurely chat with each other.

"....A G.o.d that makes people get lost. According to one theory, it's the soul of people who perish from getting lost searching for companions."

"I see.... So they're people who lost their way as humans and drag in their friends along aren't they..."

By the way, why is Kubo-kun's summoned beast the same as Shimizu-san's? Is there some kind of similar characteristic between them or something?

"Eei! Everyone, engage Kubo Toshimitsu at once!"

"""Oooh!?"

"Come at me anytime you want! I absolutely won't lose!"

Zombie & Mayohi-gami vs Mayohi-gami battle start. The Mayohi-gami started to attack the groups of zombies who were still holding on to the severed head, the zombies also fought back by repeatedly scratching and biting. Spoiled bodies scattered everywhere. Severed heads danced around in the air. Split limbs flew around.

"""Kyaaa!"""

Faced with this kind of gruesome view, from Himeji-san and Minami to everyone else in the cla.s.s started to raise some screams. The fact that the summoned beasts were ill-advisedly life-sized made it even worse.

[H-hey, don't come this way! Summon!]

[Are you okay, Miho!? d.a.m.n it, how dare you frighten my girlfriend....! Summon!]

[Girlfriend...? This guy said girlfriend just now! Traitor!"

[Kill him!]

In just a moment, the sphere of chaos spreaded. Now, the summoning field that centered around the teacher had become a scene of a pandemonium monster battle.

The instant I thought the teacher was going to erase the summoning field due to the rowdiness -

"""YOU GUYS ARE REALLY NOISY!!!"""

Some people that were rarely seen in cla.s.s 2-F stormed in with a yell. There're some faces that I've seen before... if I remember correctly, those guys are in the third year right....?

"You really are an eyesore aren't you....!"

The crewcut sempai and the Mohawk-haired sempai's faces distorted grouchily when they set their eyes on me. Ummmm, those guys are -

"Perve - pervert--sempai right?"

"Oi!? Just now you were thinking about changing your remark, but upon affirming our faces you changed your mind about changing it didn't you!"

"You thought of us as perverts from the depths of your heart didn't you! It's Tsunemura and Natsugawa! At least remember our names right!"

Aah, that's right. It's the Tokonatsu pair.

"And, Tokonatsu-sempai? What's the matter?"

For the time being, I let the summoned beast put down the locker for a moment and face those two sempais.

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d.... you can't remember our names individually so you put them together like that didn't you!"

"Just expected of that Yoshii Akihisa. His brain's capacity is too small."

What a rude thing to say.

"Rather than that, you guys are really noisy! Are you trying to insinuate us! Huh!"

"We can't concentrate on the summer short course!"

The third years beside the Tokonatsu pair also raised some "That's right!" voices. Could it be that the reason they're seething with anger like this was because they're stressed from studying for the entrance exam? Indeed, this is an important period for the entrance examinees who are said to be "he who master the summer will master the entrance exam". To have people from the lower floor making Gyaa Gyaa noises like this is something unbearable isn't it? It's no wonder the sempais got mad at us. We should apologize here shouldn't we.

"Sorry. I didn't think the noise would reach the upper fl - "

"Oi, oi, -sempai. Isn't that quite a cruel false accusation you're making there?"

Just when I was about to bow down my head, Yuuji came.

"Eh? Yuuji. What do you mean by false accusation?"

"To create an accusation that is wrong. Or in other words, to find faults."

"I wasn't asking about the word's meaning! On top of that, you really think I'm an idiot don't you!?"

"....Eh....?"

"What's with that [he just realized that now?] kind of face!? The only one who thinks I'm that stupid is definitely only Yuuji!? Everyone else must have - er, wait a minute!? Why are everyone awkwardly averting their eyes!? Look at my eyes!"

"Akihisa. Let's talk about this matter slowly next time. We have something else we have to talk about now, okay?"

Yuuji's consoling-a-child way of talk was really exasperating.

"Well then, umm...what were we talking about again?"

"Whether the third years' complaint is a false accusation or not."

Ah, that's right, whispered Yuuji before turning back toward the sempais and continued to explain.

"I admit we were making some noise, but this is also an accepted way to use the summoned beast for studying. Even the headmistress approved of this."

Indeed, this was also a study event using the summoned beast system. To deny this event would meant denying not only the summoning war, but even the whole summoning system itself. Since we had the headmistress's seal of approval, there's no reason to deny us from doing this unsparingly.

"Above all, this is the new school building. Unlike the old and worn-out old building, the new school building was built with the consideration of being used for summoning wars. There's no way the uproar on the lower floor would reach the upper floor cla.s.srooms with its door closed is there?"

Ah. Now that he mentions it. The school building, even a normal school will at least be made with iron reinforced bars that're inserted into the concrete so the voice from the floor above or below it mostly can't be heard. Moreover, for this building that was built with the uproar of a summoning war as a consideration, there's no way some noise on the level of our uproar will be able to reach them, that is if at least they're taking a lesson inside the cla.s.sroom.

"In a word, the sempais heard us making some noise while having fun when you're tottering around after getting fed up with studying and are taking it out on us."

After Yuuji said that, the third years sempais awkwardly averted their gazes away. ....I see, they're stung by the truth.

"Well then let us say something too Sakamoto! You are all bringing us a lot of trouble! Making an uproar by involving the whole student body in your grade to peek, and in the end causing every boy in the second year to get suspended didn't you!? What are you going to do if the people's opinion about the school drops and they think of even us third years as stupid!? It will enter our school report record you know!?"

""....""

This time the second year boys, with me and Yuuji at the tip, averted our gazes away. The other party's complaint was also quite right. There's no doubt that that one event had a lot of things to do with Fumizuki Academy's image.

Seeing us like that, Tokonatsu's group elatedly sniffed at us and continued their words.

"In the first place, there's too many of you guys in the second years who have bad marks. Even the mark of stupidity, Kansatsu s...o...b..nsha, is only used by you second years, and the one who destroyed the school building during the school festival must have been that stupid pair over there right?"

"Yuuji, you're being called. Go apologize."

"It's about you isn't it, Akihisa."

"It's the both of you, you trash."

""How can that be?""

"How can you two still show such surprised expressions like that!? It's an obvious conclusion if you think about it logically isn't it!?"

To be treated the same way as Yuuji, is a disgrace to the extreme. Enough to demand revocation of said treatment.

"Well, I can understand your point of not being able to stand Akihisa."

"Wait, Yuuji. I don't think pushing all the blame onto me like that is a good thing."

"Miharu also can't stand this pig!"

Shimizu-san, who suddenly came near us, gave me a scornful look. I'm really hated aren't I....

Could it be because he thought Shimizu-san's words as some kind of support towards him, crewcut-sempai talked to Shimizu-san in high spirits.

"Ooh. You're quite sensible aren't you, that drill-hair over there?"

"Don't get carried away and talk to Miharu, you pig-sempai! You stink of cattle!"

The rift between the second years and third years widen even more.

"....How nice, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds....! I've been unable to stand you all for a long time!"

Finally the crewcut-sempai snapped with his face completely red with anger. Well, I guess it's just natural isn't it.

"Oi, Natsukawa. There's teacher here too. Stop lashing out."

"I know. ....There's no problem if I do it like this right? Summon!"

The crewcut-sempai who's called Natsukawa called out his summoned beast. And then, from inside the geometrical array, a demon with a big bull horn on its head appeared.

I see. Gozu[3], isn't it? Crewcut-sempai's true nature is the villain's role huh? Seeing that the third years aren't surprised about the appearance of the summoned beast being different from the usual, it seems they've also already been briefed about the change in the summoning system.

"Now then, Yoshii. It's punishment time."

"Kuh...! Just as expected, targeting my summoned beast huh! But, there's no way he'll know which one is my summoned bea - "

"It's this one right!"

"Agah!"

My summoned beast who put down the shelf on the floor was. .h.i.t by Gozu. The feedback was quite harsh...!

"J-Just as expected of third year cla.s.s-A even if his personality is rotten.....! To be able to discern my summoned beast in just an instant, I'll admit that you have quite a sharp insight."

"Well, the only one who would possess a stupid summoned beast which has no head could only be you isn't it."

"I'll give you some praise for that sharp insight!"

I raise a big voice to deny the crewcut-sempai's word. I'll pretend I didn't hear the words that will hurt my feelings. This is wisdom needed to survive in this harsh world.

"Yoshii-kun. I'll back you up. I won't comply with the acts of an unreasonable sempai."

"Thank you, Kubo-kun!"

Kubo-kun, who managed to somehow retrieve the Durahan's head since G.o.d knows when, came beside me and confronted the Gozu. What a nice person.

"Tsunemura, please support me."

"Okay, I got it. I'll back you up. Summon!"

Seeing our numbers increase, the crewcut(Natsukawa)-sempai asked for support from the soft Mohawk hair, Tsunemura-sempai, behind him without delay.

The summoned beast that comes out was one that was a perfect match to the Gozu, the demon with horse head, Mezu, posing with its spear. I wonder if the reason that their summoned beasts are the pair of demons who watch over the prisoners in h.e.l.l is because oppressing the weak is those two's true nature. Their personalities seem to be pretty bad.

"Just like Sakamoto said earlier, this is just a mock battle using the summoned beasts so there shouldn't be any problem right? Even this is one of our school's splendid aspects of learning isn't it?"

The crewcut-sempai initiated the first move, probably so as to not let the enemy escape.

A cla.s.s Tsunemura Yuusaku, World history 174 points

And

A cla.s.s Natsukawa Shunpei, World history 163 points

The scores that were being displayed were around the average of what cla.s.s A students usually got. The scores for the j.a.panese history subject when we faced off during the Summoned Beast exhibition back then were also around this, so the Tsunemura pair's scores for social related subject should be around this shouldn't it?

And then, while waiting for Kubo-kun and me, who are holding our own against them, to get our scores displayed -

"Where are you looking at, oi. You're quite relaxed aren't you."

"Gah....!"

Suddenly, a shock ran through my shoulder. It seemed like when we're averting our gazes away, the Gozu commenced an attack at Dullahan. Kuh....! What a miss...!

"Does it hurt? It's good.....then!"

Gozu and Mezu were pursuing Dullahan, whose posture was messed up by the earlier attack, by swinging each of their weapons. This is bad. I can't evade it.

"Yoshii-kun!"

Without delay, Kubo-kun's mayohi-gami broke in between us. It blew away crewcut-sempai's Gozu with a body charge. The Mezu who was behind Gozu also got caught in the attack and got blown away together. To be able to put away 2 cla.s.s A's students with one body blow, Kubo-kun's power certainly is the real deal.

"Wha....! This guy is quite good.....!"

"That Yoshii-guy too. How could that one attack earlier barely had any effect on him....?"

Tokonatsu pair shuddered. They must be surprised by our summoned beasts' power which were stronger than expected.

They might be able to call us trash or stupid, but they'd be in trouble if they underestimated us.

"Please don't take us lightly pervert-sempais. Even we won't stay as idiots forever you know."

A smirk surfaced at the corner of my lips while telling the two sempais that.

Could it be from being provoked by my confident att.i.tude, everyone turned their attention toward our late-to-be-shown scores.

A cla.s.s, Kubou Toshimitsu, World history 357 points

And

334 cla.s.s Alexander The Great, World history 161 points

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

"Well then, the real fight begins now! I'll show you my true power - "

"....oi kora. Wait a minute, that idiot over there."

"....Is there something wrong?"

"I can't see anything but wrong things....."

The soft Mohawk-sempai put his hand on his head and looked amazed. E-even though I finally looked cool and was starting to get pumped up....!

Before I managed to open my mouth to say an excuse, the crewcut-sempai raised his angry voice first.

"Who's Alexander the Great, oi! Furthermore, to be in cla.s.s 334, you expanded the school too much didn't you! This is clearly not your score!"

"Y-you're wrong! There was a little miss, but this is truly my score! To miss when writing your name is a mistake that everyone must have done at least once in their life right!"

"Leaving aside forgetting to put down your name, what kind of mistake did you make to write Alexander the Great as your name!?"

"T-that was, um, well...."

This is bad. No matter how I explain this, I get the feeling I will still be thought of as an idiot.

[Hey, look at that. So the second years are really full of idiots, aren't they?]

[Y-you're wrong! Even among the second years, Yoshii is an idiot that can surpa.s.s everyone in their year!]

[That's right! Also, next year, Yoshii will be in the second year once again so we'll have nothing to do with him anymore during that time!]

What a cruel thing to say.

"Oi, Natsukawa. Lately, the summoned beast system's condition seems to be strange. The name change could also be the result of that couldn't it."

"N? Now that you mention it, there's no way it'll be like this if it's not because of that isn't it?"

"........."

It's hard to say the truth when they say it like that.

"Well, even if the name part is a little inconvenience caused by the system acting up, the fact that you guys are a disgrace to this school doesn't change - "

"I can't ignore that "system acting up" remark."

An unhappy voice could be heard interrupting crewcut-sempai's vehement argument.

"Ah. princ.i.p.al."

"Really.... To have the system blamed because of Yoshii's stupidity is not something that I can casually let go. This is genuinely this brat's miss."

Just like what she explained the day before, the headmistress had a reason why she couldn't let anyone know about the system's adjustment failure. There's no way she's gonna not deny when the system is being claimed of acting up isn't she?

"But, it feels quite irritating to be thought that something like this is our miss isn't it? Maybe I should at least correct that name part only."

A kind suggestion to help that's very unlike the usual headmistress. If possible, I wished she would do that kind of treatment before the result got conveyed to nee-san.... but I guess that's too much to wish for isn't it. No matter how you look at it, it's unmistakably my miss after all.

"And then, why are you coming this far just to visit us, headmistress? Is there anything you need from us?"

"Aa. There's a little thing I need to convey to the second year students. Is Sakamoto here?"

"N? What is it, old hag?"

Yuuji, who had been watching the summoned beast battle from afar with a smirk in his face, came forward to approach the headmistress.

"The academy side is supporting this test of courage event aren't we. We'll also be providing a large establishment for the place and the teachers needed for summoning. Do this with a bang."

"This is quite a generous offer isn't it? What's your target?"

"As an exchange, please leave everything that you make as it is. I'm thinking of exhibiting it to the public around the o-bon break."

"A ruse to up the school's image isn't it. How moving."

"It's because our reputation keeps going down because of you lot. It's tiring for us too."

An a.s.sistance for the purpose of propaganda isn't it. The headmistress sure has it tough too on a lot of things.

"In the first place, this change in the summoned beast is for that purpose."

The headmistress stressed that point to push the idea onto everyone. If we don't leave the topic as it is now, the courage test will get suspended so let's keep our mouths shut for now.

"And also..... since they've gone to the trouble of preparing this, how about the third years also join this test of courage as well? That should be more useful than quarreling here."

Their interest were caught by the headmistress who said those words, the crewcut-sempai and soft Mohawk-sempai who stood at the very front tip of the group replied while giving a sniff.

"Don't joke around. As if we'll cordially work together with this trash for some kind of test of courage."

"Indeed. It's disgusting."

Although the sempai group who were standing behind those two didn't say any word, their att.i.tudes showed that they had the same intentions as those two sempais.

It seems there's nothing to be done about the huge gap between the second years and the third years.

"If you take that att.i.tude, it makes me want to make you all partic.i.p.ate in the event by all possible means..... Yosh, I got it. Tomorrow, the last day for both summer supplementary lessons and short course will be the test of courage."

""Wha.....!""

The Tokonatsu pair looked bewildered about the announcement from the headmistress.

"This is the ending part of the supplementary lesson and summer short course, so every partic.i.p.ant of both supplementary lesson and summer short course must attend this event without exception. Is that clear?"

After announcing that, the headmistress gallantly went out of the cla.s.sroom as if satisfied with this arrangement. Somehow, it's rapidly becoming more troublesome isn't it....

"Yare, yare.... Well, it seems that's the decision so sempai, let's enjoy it together ok?"

"Shut up! I don't have any intention of doing this together with you guys!"

"Is that so? I also can't stand you all. ....So then, how about this?"

"Aa?"

"We'll divide between the side who does the frightening and the side that is being frightened. And we'll just randomly decide the punishment game too."

"You mean we divide between the second years and third years right?"

"Yes. That way, we don't need to get along with each other right?"

We'll be going at each other, so indeed there's no need for us to get along with each other. But there's a possibility the gap between us will deepen even more though.

"Not bad. Of course, we third years will be on the side of doing the frightening okay? After all, we need to chastise you guys."

Their motive is to laugh after succeeding in making other people frightened isn't it? What a twisted way of thinking. But, Yuuji also has the same kind of trait, so I don't think he'll hand over the frightening ro -

"Aa. I don't mind with that."

"Eh?"

That's a little unexpected isn't it. I wonder what his intention is. Since Yuuji's objective was escaping the supplementary lesson, I wonder if he doesn't care about this test of courage at all.

"It's decided then. .....What about the rule and the punishment to the losing side?"

"This was the rule that we first planned to use. Speak if you have any complaints."

Saying that, the thing that Yuuji brought out was a print-out on an A4 sized paper. It seemed that the reason I didn't see him during the preparation was because he was making the rule list.

I also took a sheet of the print-out from Yuuji and directed my eye on it.

Uuum. Let's see, the rules are -

1. One group must consists of 2 people. Pa.s.sing through the checkpoint alone will not be allowed

*Note : Being alone does not mean automatic elimination

2. When either one of the people in the group screams, both people will be eliminated.

3. There will be 1 check point for each cla.s.s from A to D. In total, there will be 4 check points.

4. At each check point, a summoned beast battle will be waged against two representatives from each cla.s.s guarding the place(the representatives doesn't have to be each cla.s.s' head). Pa.s.sing the checkpoint will be done by crushing the two representatives.

5. If there's one group who manages to pa.s.s through all the check points, the frightened side will win, if there're no groups who manage to pa.s.s all the check points, the frightening side will win.

6. Normal students who're not check point guardians from the frightening side will not be allowed to battle using their summoned beasts. They're only allowed to scare people.

7. There will be only one teacher stationed in each cla.s.s for the purpose of summoning.

8. The frightened side will carry a camera as a proof of clearing a check point.

"Heee. The rules seem pretty elaborate don't they? It seems fun."

"I also planned to add a rule that forbids breaking the equipment to this list because the headmistress seems pretty fussy."

I see. It's going to be exhibited to the public so it will be bad if the props get broken won't it.

"Sakamoto, how will we define what's considered to be the scream mentioned in this rule?"

The soft Mohawk-sempai asked Yuuji while looking at the printout.

Indeed, a scream can be pretty vague. If it's only between friends, it shouldn't matter that much if we treat it as some kind of game, but if it's for the match between second years and third years it's a different matter. If it's not defined clearly, it would surely become a source of dispute later.

"N? That part huh? You're right.... I guess we'll need to make a measurement for the volume of the sound. Since we already brought a camera, how about we make it so that once the volume pa.s.ses a certain threshold, the group will be disqualified?"

"Can you do that?"

"....No problem."

If it's about cameras, then it must be Mutsullini. If it's for his secret intentions, there's nothing impossible with that skill of his.

"How will we decide the subject for the checkpoint battle?"

"About that, how does each of us picking one subject sound?"

"One? Shouldn't each of us pick two instead?"

"Aa. It's because I've already talked to the science and modern j.a.panese teachers. If it's those two subjects that are often picked for exams there shouldn't be that much advantage or disadvantage right?"

Because it's cla.s.s A through D, the number of checkpoints would be four in total. Between those four, modern j.a.panese and science has already been decided to be the subject in two of the checkpoints, and the rest will be decided by each of us won't it?

"Yo, Sakamoto. Rather than that, hurry up and tell us the punishment for the losing side."

A disgusting smile surfaced on crewcut-sempai's face when he said that. That face was a no matter what he's gonna entrap us kind of expression.

"That's right. How does the losing side will have to do the clean up duty of the winning side during the athletic festival in second semester sound?"

The athletic festival was scheduled in the second semester. That festival is quite a large scale event so both the preparation and clean up will be a handful. If it's possible it's better to skip it, is a thought that everyone holds - even so....

"Oi oi Sakamoto. Isn't that idea too lenient coming from you? Could it be that you don't have the confidence to win at all?"

Just like what crewcut-sempai said, coming from Yuuji, something like this is too simple for a punishment.

"It's because the matter about the match against you guys itself hasn't been told to everyone. If it's only this much, it should be appropriate as a punishment that we decide selfishly on our own isn't it? For both you and us."

Even if the headmistress already put her stamp on this, it should be difficult to selfishly decide on a cruel punishment without discussing it with everyone else. Indeed, just like Yuuji said, cleaning up duty should be an appropriate punishment isn't it?

"...Keh"

"There's no need to be that impatient, sempai. If you want to battle with us you only need to be at the checkpoint don't you? If you do that, me and Akihisa will fight you personally."

Eh? Why me too?

"Direct confrontation at the checkpoint huh...? Interesting. I'm in!"

"Well then, the match will be tomorrow. Let's enjoy this, right sempai?"

"I'll make you trash realize the dreadfulness of seniors."

Just like this, before we realized, the test of courage had become a big scale event that involved the third years.

Even so, to have the role of frightening which has the tiresome preparation work pushed to them without realizing, college entrance exams preparation really build up your stress doesn't it....?