Training and meeting

"I don't get it, Kamado-kun," one of my classmates muttered.

"We received our points, right?"

"WE HAVE ZERO POINTS! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?!" Another voice yelled, clearly frustrated.

This is going nowhere.

"Sensei, you explain it to them or should I?"

"Chabashira-sensei, what does he mean?"

"The school did give you your money. There's almost no chance they forgot. Stop acting like this is some big conspiracy." Chabashira's voice was cool but sharp.

"Then why didn't we receive any money?" A girl in the back snapped, her face reddening with rage.

"Are you guys really this dumb, or is this just an act?" I couldn't help the frustration in my tone.

"Sae-chan, can you be—"

"Don't. Call. Me. That." She interrupted, her eyes narrowing.

"Sensei, can you please explain a little clearer?" Hirata spoke up, clearly trying to mediate.

"You guys… listen up." Chabashira sighed, already looking fed up. "You received your points based on your performance. It's not complicated, even if the school didn't exactly spell it out for you."

I leaned forward, jumping in. "The points you get are based on how well you've earned them. Class A has nearly 100,000 points, Class B has 80,000. You guys? Zero."

"Sensei, is he telling the truth?"

"Yes. Your points reflect your behavior. And based on that, you've earned... zero." Chabashira confirmed coldly, her voice biting.

"But no one told us about this," another student complained, clearly frustrated.

"You're not children anymore," Chabashira snapped. "It's not my job to spoon-feed you every detail."

"YOU SHUT UP!!" Yamauchi screamed at me from across the room.

"Why didn't you tell us, then?" He shot back, pointing at me.

"Nah." I shrugged, unfazed. "I didn't think you guys were this slow to catch on. Did you honestly not notice how the upperclassmen act? None of them spend like we do. They eat cheap, because the school provides free food. Have you missed that?"

A stunned silence fell over the class. They were beginning to get it.

Chabashira pulled up a chart and began explaining the S-system. "This system ranks students. Class D is the lowest, Class A is the highest. As you can see, Class A has 980 points, Class B has 880, and Class C has 700. And where are you? Dead last, just as expected."

"But how do they have so many points?" someone asked, looking defeated.

"They're disciplined. They show up on time, they don't sleep in class, they don't eat in class," Chabashira stated flatly. "Do you think you can just do whatever you want and not face consequences?"

"And all those perks you hear about? Class A gets those when they graduate. Not you."

"But that's unfair!" Someone else protested.

"Yeah, well," Chabashira sighed, "Life's not fair."

There was murmuring around the class, the frustration palpable.

"But don't worry," she added, with a bit more compassion. "You have a chance to improve. There's a practical and written exam at the end of this month. You can still make it to Class A if you try."

With that, the mood shifted slightly. There was hope, even if it was a faint glimmer.

"Alright," I muttered, turning toward the front. "Now that everyone's finally on the same page, let's get back to class."

The class was more focused after that, but it was clear the tension was still hanging in the air. The lesson ended sooner than expected, and now we were supposed to train alongside Class B.

"You guys look like you've just been to a funeral," a student called out, spotting us as we walked into the training area.

"How are we supposed to act happy?" someone else responded with a bitter laugh. "We're the joke of the school."

"Well, you can stay like that if you want," I shrugged, unbothered.

The fire dome was massive, the sheer size of it almost intimidating. But when I heard Ichinose calling my name, I had to shake off the overwhelming feeling.

"Kamado-kun, over here!" she waved.

"Well, you guys are here early, that's a first."

"You're always late," Mako teased.

"False accusation," I said with a grin. "Anyway, what's the plan for today?"

"Same as usual," Mako replied, unphased.

"Alright, you guys train. I'm gonna—"

BEEP! BEEP! The announcement cut me off.

"Attention, students! Your second joined-practical is about to start. Please report to your designated teachers for details!"

"Wait, what?" I muttered. That was unexpected.

"So, who's going to talk to the teachers?" I asked.

"Why are you asking me? You're the leader," Mako said, eyebrow raised.

"Oh, right... I'm the leader," I muttered under my breath. "Why did I get voted for this again?"

I made my way to the stands, where Chie waved at me with her usual smile, while Chabashira glared at me like I was the root of all evil.

"Here," Chabashira handed me a scroll. "Take this back to your team. Everything you need to know is in it."

"Sure," I said, taking it reluctantly.

When I returned to the group, everyone was already impatient.

"So, another scroll?"

"Not this again," someone groaned.

"Alright, alright," I muttered, opening it up. This time, there was actually something written on it.

"It says... as soon as we open this, the practical begins. We have 60 minutes to complete it, and it's broken down into five parts: Speed, Endurance, Abilities, Reflexes, and Strength. Head to underground floor No. 3."

"Seems easy enough," Karuizawa muttered.

"Let's go then."

We all made our way to the underground floor. The white walls and sterile atmosphere made the tension even more palpable. I could feel Karuizawa's anger simmering just beneath the surface, and Ichinose's usual cheerfulness felt forced.

When we arrived at the steel door of the training area, a digital timer above it read 59:25. The countdown had already begun.

A hologram buzzed to life, and Chabashira's voice filled the air. "Good luck. You'll need it."

"Charming as always," Mako muttered.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," I said, trying to ease the tension.

The first test was Speed, and it was a simple 500-meter dash against the clock. The challenge? The floor lit up in random patterns, and stepping on the wrong tiles would add seconds to your time.

"Alright, who's up first?"

"The floor changes every half second. Who's gonna try it?"

"I'll do it," Ichinose volunteered. "Looks fun!"

We all stared at her for a moment.

"I mean, if you're sure," I shrugged.

It didn't take long for her to trip up. "Okay, that's harder than I thought."

"Yeah, no surprise there," I muttered. "I'll go next."

I stepped up, and the tiles glowed green under my feet. The moment I started, the floor seemed to guide me perfectly, and I reached the end in a flash.

The others looked at me like I had just pulled off a magic trick.

"Alright, moving on."

Each section passed like that—some easy, some tricky. But with every challenge, I could feel my teammates becoming more focused. We finished the exam in record time, and it was only when we dropped the final test that we realized it was over.

"Well, that was quick," I said casually. "I'm heading out for food, anyone coming?"

"I'm in," Mako said, and soon the three of us were off, grabbing lunch.

That night, my phone rang, pulling me away from my thoughts. It was Kikyo and Suzune.

Suzune: "Can you meet me in my room?"

Kikyo: "Are you free? I want to talk."

I sighed, considering my options. Deciding to handle both, I created a clone of myself to attend Kikyo, while I made my way to Suzune's room.

I teleported to the door, knocked, and waited.