-131- Still can't match you

It's currently in the afternoon, probably around two or three o'clock.

Due to it being summer, the sky doesn't darken quickly, so there should be about four or five hours until dusk.

This period of time is perfect for exploration.

While each group heads in different directions for exploration, Nanaya Hori, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, and Kouenji Rokusuke also chose a direction and started their exploration.

However, the exploration of these three individuals was absolutely different from the other groups.

Because, among them, there was someone who exhibited a level of agility that other groups could never possess.

"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"

Accompanied by a loud laughter, a figure, agile as a monkey, blurred through the dense trees.

The owner of the figure was Kouenji Rokusuke.

At this moment, Kouenji Rokusuke displayed an extraordinary level of physical ability, akin to the limit of human movement. Like an agile monkey, he sometimes grabbed onto tree branches and swung, sometimes gripped vines and dashed forward, moving at an astonishing speed above the dense trees.

"Ah...! How beautiful...! It's truly beautiful...!"

While leaping through the thickets at a speed comparable to off-road vehicles, Kouenji Rokusuke couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Being in the midst of nature like this, I'm truly beautiful! So beautiful!"

With his unique sensibility, Kouenji Rokusuke left the other two members of the group far behind and leaped forward on his own.

Meanwhile, Hori and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka watched Kouenji Rokusuke ahead in such a startling manner, they too hastened their steps.

"What's that supposed to be?"

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka couldn't help but speak up.

"Is it really possible to achieve such movement with the human body?"

Although somewhat exaggerated, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's words were not entirely unreasonable.

Even though they knew that Kouenji Rokusuke's physical abilities were extremely high, possibly even surpassing Horikita Manabu, Hori didn't expect Kouenji Rokusuke's agility to be so remarkable.

"I've rarely paid attention to him before, I guess I underestimated him."

Hori couldn't help but smile.

With such excellent skills, logically, Hori couldn't have overlooked them.

But Kouenji Rokusuke was an exception.

Because Kouenji Rokusuke's agility was simply due to natural talent, not the result of training.

It's not that Kouenji Rokusuke hadn't exercised his body, but rather, he hadn't studied martial arts.

So, Hori underestimated him. Even though Hori knew Kouenji Rokusuke had great physical abilities, he didn't know his agility was so remarkable and flexible.

"Even world-class gymnasts are probably only at this level, right?"

That was Hori's impression.

"Hahaha!"

Unaware of what Hori and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka were thinking, Kouenji Rokusuke continued to leap between the trees, matching the posture and physical abilities of world-class gymnasts, laughing elegantly as he surged forward, his speed getting faster and faster.

Unconsciously, Hori and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had switched from walking to running, weaving through the thickets, also rushing forward.

However, the two of them were not idle.

Even in such a charge, they continued to converse.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka just glanced at Hori, seeing Hori running with a calm expression, treating the uneven terrain as if it were nothing, while his eyes swept around, exploring the surroundings.

In such a situation, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka spoke without expression.

"It seems like you're still in control."

After all, the speed of the two had reached a level that national-level sprinters would commend.

Therefore...

"Do you have the qualifications to say that to me?"

Hori didn't even look back, speaking faintly to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who was keeping up with him effortlessly.

"The person hailed as the most outstanding student council president since the founding of Advanced Nurturing High School is just about at your current level, right?"

In other words, not only did Ayanokouji Kiyotaka have a meticulous and intelligent mind, but his physical abilities were also high enough to rival Horikita Manabu's level.

Hori admitted to himself that if it weren't for being weaker than him in insight, vision, and sharp senses, perhaps Ayanokouji Kiyotaka could really surpass him?

But Hori's abilities were like this not only because of talent but also because of the training of the Nanaya clan.

It should be noted that the history of that clan can be traced back a thousand years, and after a thousand years of development, the technology in some aspects had already crystallized into something that surpassed the countries of the world.

While Hori has integrated all those technological crystallizations into himself, perfectly inheriting all the skills and knowledge.

For Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to catch up with such a Hori is already surprising.

But...

"In the end, I still can't match you."

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka probably felt there was no need to act modest in front of Hori. Unusually, he didn't make excuses to avoid suspicion this time, but looked at Kouenji Rokusuke, who was continuously agile, and said so.

"If it were you, you should be able to do what Kouenji does, right?"

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka couldn't achieve that.

But unlike Kouenji Rokusuke, Hori knew about Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

"Maybe you don't have Kouenji's motor skills and physical abilities, but in terms of pure martial strength, you shouldn't lose to Kouenji, right?"

Hori turned his head to look at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who was running alongside him, with a slight smile on his lips.

"Kouenji didn't deliberately practice martial arts, but you're different."

In other words, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had martial arts experience.

So, in terms of martial strength alone, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka wouldn't be weaker than Kouenji Rokusuke, and he wouldn't be weaker than Horikita Manabu either.

Such a person, however, had been hiding deep in Class D due to his reclusive nature, unknown to anyone.

Therefore...

"What's going on this time?" Hori mentioned casually, "First, you pushed me forward in front of others, and now you're actively joining the exploration. These aren't things you, as a recluse, would normally do, right?"

Hori's words didn't change Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's expression.

"Since you've already pushed me into such a task, it doesn't matter if I do a little more, right?"

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said emotionlessly.

"Is that so?"

Hori nodded indifferently.

The next moment...

"Thud!"

A heavy yet crisp sound rang out.

It was the sound caused by Hori abruptly stopping his steps.

Driven by inertia, powerful footsteps landed on the ground, stirring up dust around his feet.

Hori stopped abruptly like this and swiftly turned around.

"Whoosh!"

In the howling wind, a fierce kick, like a lingering shadow, thrust towards Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

"!"

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's expression finally changed slightly.