Hello there, Skylinemaster here with another chapter of In Another Life.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from High School DxD.

Matsuda breathed heavily.

In both universes, Matsuda would have done this due to running. In the other universe, he'd be breathing heavily to catch his breath after out running the Kendo team, who caught him and his friends peeping on them.

"Back to the starting line! Ten seconds!"

The coach barked out.

In this universe, Matsuda is breathing heavily to regain his breath for the final sprint of the day.

"Three, two, one!"

The whistle blew, causing Matsuda and five other students to sprint at top speed.

400 meters, just four hundred meters. Matsuda's mind went blank, ignoring the burning of his lungs and the lactic acid making his legs feel like a thousand pounds.

Getting closer. Getting closer! Getting, closer!

Matsuda inhaled, continuously propelling himself forward.

Left, right, left, right, exhale!

300 meters!

200 meters!

100 meters!

Almost there!

"Ahhh!"

Matsuda yelled out, summoning the last bit of being from his body.

He sprinted past the line, slowing down gradually.

He panted, he could hear his heart beating at what sounded like a million beats a minute.

"50 seconds! Take a lap Matsuda!"

He didn't need to ask again. In through the nose, out the mouth, in, out.

A lowerclassman brought him some water and a towel.

"Thanks."

He took a gulp of water and used the towel to wipe off the sweat on his forehead.

Five more days to nationals, easy taper work from now on.

Matsuda smiled as he took another gulp of water.

Race day.

The sun was shining, birds were chirping, fans were cheering.

Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium, host of All Japan High School Track and Field Championships.

While not as popular as the All Japan High School Ekiden Championship hosted a few weeks later, a sizable crowd turned up to watch the festivities.

1st Place in the 100 meter dash.

1st Place in the 200 meter dash.

And now, the last event that he was in.

The 4 x100 meter relay. He was the anchor, the last man up to run.

He tuned everything out, his field of vision narrowing. His teammate was getting closer, neck and neck with another runner.

"Stick!"

!

Matsuda grabbed the baton, and bolted. A straight line, just 100 meters.

He swung his arms, he kicked his legs. He could see the other runner in the corner of his left eye. He would not lose! He couldn't lose! Not when they have gotten so far.

He cried out, pushing every fiber of his body to move faster, just a little bit faster.

He kept up, his body is agony as the finish line grew closer.

Winner!

His mind blanked out, as he passed the finish line. Everything was coming back to him now. The birds chirping, the fans cheering, the hot weather, his teammates chanting his name.

"Flash! Flash! Flash!"

They swarmed him, shoving a water bottle in his face. He was wiped off, the sweat coming off of his brow.

"40.09 seconds! New All-Japan record!"

The team lifted Matsuda up, chanting and celebrating their victory. Matsuda smiled, basking in the sun as his teammates cheered.

Matsuda found himself in the same place, four years later. His rival from high school was still there as the captain of Keio University's team while Matsuda himself was the captain of Waseda's team.

The two of them, the Shining Stars of Japanese track, again competing against each other. Was it fate that brought them against each other again for the sixth time?

Twice in high school, four times in university with this being the fourth. It was three wins for Matsuda and two wins for his rival.

They waited at the start line, Matsuda tuning everything out. His vision narrowed, his muscles relaxed as his ears focused.

BANG!

He pushed himself off from the starting position. Left, right, left, right, left, right!

Exhale!

It was all a blur. Before he knew it, it was over.

He won. 4 to 2 against his rival. His senior year, the last year in university. The final race he'd run for a while.

Matsuda felt a sense of déjà vu as he stood in Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium. It was nice, the fans were cheering, birds were chirping.

Matsuda wondered if God, if he existed, had a sense of humor. Six years, three times, same place. He looked down.

Number 6, the 6th track lane. The same one in high school, university finals, and now.

Yep, fate was screwing with him. He looked over at the rest of his team, his rival standing from and center among the other Japanese Olympians. They weren't enemies this time around, both united for the quest to obtain medals for their homelands.

He sighed, looking at his fellow competitors.

A Jamaican, a Frenchman, a German, a Kenyan, an American, a Brit, a Russian, and a Canadian.

Eight of them and him.

It wasn't about them, or the medals at that point. It was about being better than himself. The constant striving to reach something better than yourself. Even if it is the tenth of a second, if you did better than yourself, Matsuda would consider that a victory.

With the official gesturing everyone to their positions, Matsuda pushed out all thoughts and crouched to the start position.

Matsuda stood proudly on the podium, the lights of the cameras flashing.

He didn't win first, he didn't win second, but he did win 3rd. The bronze medal, third in the world. His time, 10.01 was his personal best, and the best of any Japanese Olympian before him.

Matsuda smiled, as the medal was put around his neck.

He looked at the first and second place winners, the Jamaican and the Kenyan. He held no ill will towards them, they simply outrun him that day.

Noticing the photographer, the Jamaican who won first place, put out both of his hands. Matsuda noticed that the Kenyan grasped one hand, and that the other hand was free. Matsuda shook it as the photographer took the picture.

Years later, he would dig up that newspaper.

Japan's native son wins 3rd place in the Olympics!

There was a picture of Matsuda, smiling with the 3rd place medal on his neck.

Matsuda never reached that level of competition again.

At the 2024 Olympics held in Paris, Matsuda finished 8th in the world.

Four years later in Hamburg, he ended up 12th in the world. Matsuda knew what he needed to do.

Matsuda Kanehara, at the age of 31 years old, stepped down as the Captain of the Japanese Olympic team. It was a fate he had long resigned himself to. The 2028 Hamburg Olympics were going to be his last game, no matter what.

At the Waseda University track, he announced his retirement from running as a participant. One of the reporters who was there, noted his words and asked him a question.

"Does this mean you are going to be a coach?"

Matsuda cracked a smile and nodded.

"Yes, I am going back to my stomping grounds as a teacher and track coach."

Matsuda Kanehara, teacher of history at Kuoh Academy and the highly successful track team, walked out of the restaurant he was eating at.

It was a stressful day, with Kuoh competing against Tsugamo High. They won, but barely.

Matsuda knew that the winning margin was far too close for comfort, and that he would need to revamp his team's training.

Being lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that he was about to stumble into an old friend.

"Sorry about that." Matsuda said, looking at the person he bumped into. He squinted his eyes at him, with the person he bumped into doing the same thing. The person he bumped into had neat slicked black hair and was wearing a suit. One could mistake him for a salaryman off from a long day of work, but Matsuda remembered that face from anywhere.

"Motohoma, is that you?"

I hope you enjoyed that.

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Next chapter is going to be Motohoma's Story.

Until next time, Skylinemaster out.