Chapter 3 Part III

It's about the time when I entered the third large public bath on the night of the third day. Inside the large bath, there were a couple of boys huddled around a corner. Yamauchi and Ike, and not only them but also some students from Class B such as Shibata were there. I ended up exchanging glances with Kanzaki, who coincidentally entered the bath at the same time I did.

"This seems like an unusual gathering."

Kanzaki too, looks at that group in surprise.

"Seems like it."

"What about your group? Any troubles in particular?"

"I don't know, I don't think I can say it's going swimmingly."

As I answered frankly, Kanzaki appeared to have been convinced of that without a hint of surprise.

"If you only have a few people in it and all four classes aren't evenly represented it tends to be like that."

"I wouldn't mind it if it's just that."

"I heard about it from Moriyama and the others. Seems like you have your hands full with Kouenji."

I suppose something like that would obviously be assumed.

"He is contributing as a classmate but I can't rein him in at all."

"Speaking of reining in...did you hear about Ryuuen?"

"No, I haven't heard anything about him."

It's been three days now since Akito got drafted into Ryuuen's group. I do see him during bath time and toilet breaks as well as during meals but we just keep missing each other.

"If he's scheming something there should be a few rumors popping up but I haven't heard any reports at all."

Since Kanzaki, who's the sub-leader of Class B, is saying that then that must be the case. From my point of view, considering I'm aware of the whole story, there's no way Ryuuen would do anything but the suspicion cast on him by his surroundings may have finally subsided. However, for the time being, they won't be taking their eyes off him.

Because you could predict that there's a high possibility he'll spring some sort of trap at the end of the actual exam.

"If there's anything troubling you, please feel free to consult me. I'd like to maintain good relations with Class C too. Of course, Ichinose feels that way too."

"That's something to be grateful for."

"Ichinose seems to have a high opinion of Horikita. It's of her honesty rather than her talent though."

"Honesty...eh?"

If you ask whether or not Horikita has a straightforward personality then to be honest, I can't bring myself to call her an honest one. However, I think what Kanzaki refers to as 'honesty' and what I consider to be 'honesty' have different meanings altogether. Making sure to keep your promises, that sort of integrity is probably what he's referring to. You can't count on Sakayanagi or Ryuuen in that regard after all.

"Hey, Kanzaki! Over here, over here!"

Shibata spotted Kanzaki standing around near the entrance and talking to me and so he waved his hand.

"Ayanokouji~you come join us too~". And around the same time, Yamauchi caught me too and beckoned me over. Since the mood here won't allow me to decline him, I approached.

"What's the matter?"

Kanzaki asks Shibata.

"No man, the thing is, I'm having fun with Yamauchi and the others over something strange."

"Something strange?"

"We're talking about whose got the biggest one in our school year."

"One? By that you mean?"

"Isn't that obvious? This, this."

Shibata laughed as he pointed at the center of the towel covering his groin.

"…I see, you're having fun."

Saying that, Kanzaki exasperatedly sighed at the childish competition Shibata's engaged in.

"No, I think it's childish too you know? But you see, this is unexpectedly fun."

Both Kanzaki and I failed to see what exactly is so fun about it. We exchanged glances and decided to keep our distance considering the timing. When Shibata and the others continued their discourse, Kanzaki left. After a slight delay, I too, made a move to leave. However— "Who's the alpha for now?"

Perhaps he's overheard their conversation, as Sudou showed up with a calm and composed attitude. He grabbed ahold of my shoulders and as such, I could no longer escape.

"…I have no idea."

I dodged the question. While the majority of students had towels covering their groins, he boldly showed himself off.

"Ohh...as expected of Sudou."

I could see Shibata hold his breath.

"The current alpha is Class D's Kaneda."

"Kaneda? That four eyes?"

Move over, as though saying that to Shibata, Sudou brushes him aside and joins up with Yamauchi and the others.

Kaneda doesn't appear to have any intention of joining in the competition and seemed uncomfortable.

"So you came, Ken! You're the only reliable one here!"

"Leave it to me."

Sudou participates as Class C's representative. Sudou confronts Kaneda, who's left bewildered from having been dragged into this fight.

"So you wear your glasses even inside the bath huh?"

"If I don't, I can't see well enough to walk..."

"That so?"

Of course it's not like this is an act of violence at all. It's just them standing next to each other. Victory and defeat are almost always decided in an instant.

"Alright!"

Sudou boisterously makes a guts pose in the bath. His voice echoed throughout it. At last this game is over, is the expression Kaneda had as he fled. I can only say that it's truly nothing short of misfortune that he got dragged into it.

"Then that means I'm the alpha."

There probably aren't that many students who would challenge Sudou after knowing of his strength. This meaningless competition ends with this, is what I thought but... "Alpha? Don't make me laugh, Sudou."

Yahiko came over to the boisterously laughing Sudou. However, Sudou only took one glance at Yahiko's naked body before ignoring him. Since Yahiko did not cover up his front, the contest ended without a fight.

"You're no match for me."

"That may be so...but I'm not your opponent here."

"It doesn't matter who my opponent is. The alpha is Class D's—"

"No, Ken. We're Class C, Class C."

"…that's right. Class C's Sudou Ken-sama is the alpha here!"

"You're just a cut above the bottom. Don't think you can beat Class A's Katsuragi-san!"

Apparently it's not Yahiko he'll be fighting but rather, the man Yahiko admires so much: Katsuragi. Said Katsuragi said on a chair and was in the process of reaching for the shampoo to wash his head with. I was curious about which part exactly he's going to apply the shampoo to but this isn't the place to ask that.

"Stop it, Yahiko. I have no interest in this pointless contest."

"I can't allow that. This is about a man's pride, no, we have to win since it's Class A's dignity on the line here!"

"This is a pointless contest…"

"That's not really true, is it Katsuragi?"

Hashimoto approaches. Yahiko gave a blatant display of disgust towards him.

"Like Yahiko said, Class A's pride is on the line. That thing of yours is pretty much the only thing that can go against Sudou's, isn't that right?"

Hashimoto personally checked out what he referred to as Katsuragi's thing. And he probably estimated that it had a chance of winning as he boldly laughed and embraced the possibility of a victory. On the other hand, Katsuragi made no move to stand up.

"Bring it on, Katsuragi."

Katsuragi remained calm in response to Sudou's provocations. However, everyone else got pumped up at that. They egged Katsuragi on to go against Sudou.

"Honestly. The way things are now I won't be able to wash my head in peace."

That means he really had been intending on applying the shampoo to his head.

"The contest will only last a moment, Katsuragi."

"…have it your way."

Having judged that the optimal solution would be to accept the challenge, he slowly got up.

Everyone gave a sigh of admiration for that large frame of his. And so the two mighty rivals confronted each other.

"T-This is—–!?"

Yamauchi, who went over to act as the judge, crouched down. He checked both their assets left and right but it appears the difference between the two is an imperceptible one. While waiting for the judgement to be delivered, Sudou gave his praise.

"Not bad, Katsuragi. You've convinced me that there's a reason why you're Class A's trump card."

"This is stupid…"

"The judgement is—". Yamauchi stood up.

"A draw!"

In a contest where a tie is an unlikely outcome, the judge ruled it as exactly that. Ike, Shibata and the others crowded around the judge to object. However, it would appear that Yamauchi's judgement is an accurate one as they were also unable to decide whose is bigger.

"…is this good enough?"

Fed up with being put on display, Katsuragi forcibly returned to his original position.

"I don't want to acknowledge this but we'll both share 1st place for now then."

I doubt anyone would object to that but things won't wrap up with this.

"I saw your duel go down. How naive."

The one who said that was Class D's Ishizaki.

"Hah. Don't make me laugh, Ishizaki. You're no match for me."

Sudou laughs as though saying it's not even a contest. Ishizaki is pretty much on the same level as Yahiko.

"I'm not your opponent."

"What?"

"You fool! We of Class D possess the ultimate trump card!"

"…it can't be, Ryuuen?"

"No!"

Ishizaki boisterously shouts the name of that man.

"Albert, it's your turn!"

The moment he called out that name, the boys around him all went into uproar. Despite everyone having thought of him at least once, they had all left Albert out of the equation. Now that unspoken rule has been broken.

"Hey, that's cheating!"

Even Sudou, who acted like an alpha, failed to conceal his discomposure.

"Come on. If it's a competition to determine who's number one in our school year then even Albert's a friend!"

Well, considering the flow of the conversation thus far, Ishizaki's assertion certainly isn't wrong. However, no one can deny the fact that a competition that goes beyond countries would put us at a disadvantage. Japan's professional baseball players are quite high-level but if you take a look at the major leagues, the difference between the two in regards to physical ability couldn't be more obvious. They'd probably be stunned by the bodies of the foreigners who possess different physiques and even different genes.

Albert silently shows up. Sudou and Katsuragi are also blessed with a good physique but they're no match. Furthermore, despite being in a bath, he's still wearing his sunglasses.

Normally they'd cloud up and you'd be unable to see anything but perhaps he's applied an anti-fogging gel to it, since Albert moves without a hint of hesitation.

"Kuu, he's huge…"

Albert had a bath towel wrapped around his waist. Apparently Sudou's mutters were about his physique. I understand it now that there's a direct contrast. The difference between them is like the difference between a middle school student and a college student. And as such, the difference between their 'weapons' should also be the same.

Or perhaps even if it's only by a little, all Sudou could do was to pray that the weapon isn't a big one.

"Bring it on!"

Showing no fear, Sudou steps forward. As an alpha, he cannot afford to flee.

Albert simply remained silent. And then intimidatingly enough, he had Ishizaki take care of disrobing him. The veil that had been parted. Everyone, not just the alpha Sudou, looked on. Now then, will a weapon worthy of a last boss show itself? Or perhaps it'll be a completely unexpected outcome where it's a surprisingly small one? Right now, a clash of the sexes has begun.

"Go—Albert!"

Ishizaki probably doesn't know either. Albert's power is finally unveiled at last.

"T-This is—!?"

First appearing before the eyes of the alpha, the true, hidden form of Albert. And silence fell upon us.

"I—lost."

A single sentence from the alpha, Sudou.

He collapsed onto his knees and felt an overwhelming sense of loss. Unlike the contest he had with Katsuragi, there was no need for a judge this time. The difference between them was just that large.

"Is this Albert's...the last boss's power?"

Yamauchi, Shibata and the others also lost all their will to fight and they collapsed just like Sudou did.

There's no longer a challenger capable of winning. The currents of despair started to blow in. Albert slowly bent his large frame and picked up the towel and then walked off just like that. And just like how Sudou did, the other boys also fell to their knees. Having acknowledged their loss, just as everyone was on the verge of giving up.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. It appears you lot are just like Children amusing themselves."

In an instant, cutting through the melancholy, was Kouenji's voice. It seems he's been observing the fight from inside the bathtub.

"What the hell, Kouenji? Aren't you frustrated too!? Look at this pathetic state Sudou's in now!"

Yamauchi screamed. Because of his anguish, Sudou was still incapable of standing back up.

"I know. But Red Hair-kun fought well in his own way."

"The hell, you bastard. Are you trying to say you can go against Albert?"

It was a question from Sudou, who now had lifeless eyes. But Kouenji's usual attitude did not change.

"I am, at all times, a perfect existence. Even as a man, I possess the ultimate body."

"Don't dodge the question. Tell me in detail."

Kouenji swiped his hair back without even getting out of the bathtub.

"There's no need for a fight. It's precisely because I know there's nobody better than me that there's no need to shed blood over such pointless matters."

"You say that, but couldn't it not be the case?"

Yamauchi tried poking him. However, Kouenji's attitude did not undergo even a single change.

"You are truly a fool. However, I suppose it is fun playing along with you lot occasionally."

It appears he intends to accept the challenge as Kouenji once again swiped his hair back.

"Now then, shall I assume Albert-kun to be my opponent in this competition?"

Why did he hold his rod? "No, it's Katsuragi-san!"

Yahiko shouts out.

"No, I have nothing to do with this Yahiko…"

"There's no way Kouenji can win if he goes against Albert! As the representative of the Japanese people I beg you Katsuragi-san, please defeat him!"

After all, Yahiko and Kouenji are in the same group as well so he must have his own thoughts about the man. Even though he had been in the bath too, there's no way Kouenji should know about Sudou and the others' assets in detail. If it's Katsuragi, who equalled Sudou, there's still a good chance that he'd win.

"…honestly...just this once ok?"

Exasperatedly, the representative of the Japanese people stood up. His thing swayed from left to right. At that moment, the boys began looking at it as though it were something divine.

"A-As I thought, he's huge. He can't go against Albert but if it's Kouenji then—".

"Fufufu. I see. So you didn't end up as the alpha once for nothing, is what it means then."

"Please wrap it up quickly."

"However, you are no match for me."

After looking at that, Kouenji did not even try to get up from the bathtub.

"Oi, oi. You aren't scared, are you Kouenji? Are you just for show, now hiding in that bathtub?"

Ishizaki also tried egging him on.

"I'm not so foolish as to point my blade at someone who's no match for me."

"Heh. Then we'll break your spirit until there's nothing left to show of it. Right, Albert!?"

The foreign representative, the man known as Albert, also moved to stand next to Katsuragi. And when he did, a phenomenon occurred where even Katsuragi's seemed small in comparison. Seeing that, for the first time, a dramatic change in Kouenji's expression occurred.

"Bravo."

Pan! He claps his hands.

"I see, I see. As expected of the world's representative, it looks like you aren't all talk after all."

"Do you get it know, Kouenji? How much of a clown you've been, I mean."

"Enough is enough for me."

Having finished washing his body, Katsuragi entered a bathtub as though keeping his distance from Kouenji.

Nobody's interested in Katsuragi anymore since they were all engrossed in the Kouenji vs. Albert fight.

"Normally my policy is to not show it to men. But this is a one-time service."

Kouenji then took the towel beside him in hand, wrapped it around his waist as though to hide his weapon and stood up. And then he slowly got out of the bathtub.

"Y-You're finally up to the challenge, Kouenji?"

The confrontation took place between the ultimate eccentric and the alpha.

"The outcome is something I can tell from the start though. I'll have everyone here be living witnesses."

Kouenji made a pose while removing the towel veiling him. In that instant, a dazzling light filled my eyes. A sword covered by the blonde mane of a lion. No, it's too big to be called a sword.

I could hear Albert whisper softly beside me.

『Oh my God』

"And with this I have proved once and for all that my existence is a perfect one."

The boys who were used as living witnesses could not even make a sound.

"Are you really even human?"

Before the overwhelming power that goes beyond nationality, all Sudou could do was offer up those words. If Sudou and Katsuragi are rifles and Albert is a bazooka. Then Kouenji would be a tank. Nobody could go against that overwhelming firepower. Its colossal size, armor and firepower would knock anyone over. It's very likely that no one capable of stopping Kouenji would be showing up now.

As for why, that's because in this large bath there's not another student capable of beating Albert. It was when everyone was on the verge of admitting that.

"Kuku. Hold it right there, Kouenji."

A voice called out. It came from the bathtub that Kouenji had been in until a while ago.

"R-Ryuuen…"

Someone recognized him.

He's the man who was keeping himself warm in the jetted tub near Kouenji. The former leader of Class D, Ryuuen Kakeru. The man who must have been observing Albert and Kouenji's fight had lively eyes.

"Surely you aren't saying you're a match for me?"

"No. Not even I can beat that thing of yours. However, there may be someone here who could put up a good fight you know?"

He made a statement that hinted at something and all at once, the students looked around. However, there's no way such a person could possibly exist.

And then I realized. The fact that right now, Ryuuen has caught me in his trap.

"Really? Who might that be?"

Perhaps that also roused Kouenji's interest somewhat, as he asks that of Ryuuen.

"No idea. But if I'm not mistaken then there's still one more person here who's covering himself up with a towel and hiding his true strength."

Leaving behind that bomb I really wish he hadn't planted, Ryuuen entered the bath and turned his back. Fortunately enough, there were only a few people listening to what Ryuuen had to say, but their gazes intensified. In all likelihood I felt like it's not just the men in the bath but people from all around Japan who happen to be paying attention.

"No way, a guy like you? Come on, no way."

Saying that, Yahiko approached and glared at me.

"…are you really taking his words at face value?"

"I have no intention of doing that...it's just, I'm curious about how you alone kept hiding yourself."

"Curious or not, I had no intention of joining in from the start."

I declined to join in while taking a step back.

"That may be so but please let me check, just in case."

Yamauchi and Yahiko approached me as though flanking me. At that very moment, I saw Ryuuen laughing boldly.

"I will make you taste defeat."

Was what his gaze and smile conveyed. As I had feared...

Ryuuen, who had no way of knowing what mine looked like, deliberately instigated this. Having me deal with Kouenji, he seems intent on making me 'lose' one way or another. A very Ryuuen-like, malicious way of fighting. I could go all out and escape the bath but that would be the equivalent of rejecting bath time at the outdoor school. Sooner or later, this veil would be parted. If there's still a way left to save myself it would be to take down every single student approaching me. But that can no longer be considered a viable strategy. Either way, I've suffered something similar to a defeat.

In other words, there aren't any means left for me to avoid this incomprehensible situation with anymore. After seeing how I didn't budge, Kouenji laughed.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. There's nothing to be ashamed of Ayanokouji Boy. Even if you happen to be wearing a protector, it's something a lot of Japanese boys do. It's a precious something to protect you."

"You don't have much protection yourself, Kouenji."

"Because I already possess overwhelming strength, you see. I have no need of armor."

No, there should still be a way for me to escape. Think, I have to find it, a means of escape—–

"You guys do the chant, the chant."

Despite having dropped out already, Ryuuen eggs the students on from inside the bath. He's set a trap, crushing my strategy and making sure that I can no longer escape.

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!"

It began to rise all around me, the chant the boys let loose all at once.

It didn't matter to the boys who instigated it. I was completely boxed in by Ryuuen and all the other boys. I came here to replenish myself after a tiring day.

"...I get it."

I cannot deny the fact that sometimes you've just got to fight.

I have no choice but to admit that now is one of those times. As a man with a weapon, if I must fight, then I should fight. The important thing here isn't winning or losing nor is it pride.

"Have it your way."

"Do you want me to assist in your suicide, Ayanokouji?"

Sudou approached me. I stopped them with my hands. I was buffeted by those relentless chants and so I removed the towel around my waist myself—–

The ongoing chant slowly faded away.

And almost as though the noise from earlier never existed, a silence fell upon us.

"Y-You've got to be kidding me, that Ayanokouji guy..."

"I don't believe it..."

As though they were whispering, someone somewhere talked about me.

"Well, well, I'm honestly impressed Ayanokouji Boy. To think that there's a Japanese person capable of fighting evenly against me. If you ask me, a few millimeters difference may as well be nonexistent."

"...it's almost like two T-Rexes having a showdown..."

The boys stared at us in admiration from inside the bath.

"It's almost like you lot have become living witnesses to the making of history."

Kouenji tossed the towel onto his shoulder, laughing as he faced everyone.

"However strictly speaking, I win. If you're using a T-Rex as an example then the difference lies in the number of prey we've eaten. In other words, the difference between us lies in our experience."

There's no longer even a need to tell us the details, Kouenji then plopped himself back into the bath.

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