Titanmaster 117 = That was quite heartening, I'm sure Meiko will appreciate it.

Spoiled by War

"And so, we may begin." Ma'am Takahashi announced, raising her hand up in the air and the summoning field emerged from her hand, filling the entire classroom with its natural dimness.

So it begins.

The playing field is much darker than usual, as if I was at the interior of a movie theater, but the movie screen is the match between both classes, maybe it is modified for this match. Every corner, anywhere just not near the center of the room was dimmed, almost makes this 5-on-5 match completely comparable to a public displayed boxing tournament in the late night.

The entire A-Class facility was crowded with the entire A-Class and F-Class, the majority of us are but to spectate, including me. Only 5 of my classmates will fight and in turn, 5 of A-Class will challenge ours.

I still question it though: why must I not fight for my Class? I understood Rep's words, and I agree with him as well, but why not? I played a part in the war, done my part of his orders and helped the class succeed, what difference does it make when Shina and I would take part in this second time? It wouldn't make a difference anyway.

But still, when the agreement was to have the F-Class pick 3 subjects, that fact alone made the point that Rep was right. 3 subjects, 3 A-Class candidates inside the F-Class: it would definitely seem as if we have taken advantage of that and used the toughest among us to win. It is plausible and sensible to leverage the best but the way it would look like to the 3rd party would definitely means those of the F-Class rank cannot do it without people like me, or Shina….especially Himeji.

I sent a glare towards that woman, but not so maliciously as before, my tolerance reached far. Her pink locks stood out the most amongst the other fighting competitors of F-Class: Yoshii Akihisa, Shimada Minami, Tsuchiya Kouta, and Rep himself.

Shina was at the sidelines, away from the playing field, her entire form shaded like she was behind black-tinted glass outside the summoning field. If I have not seen the serious side of her yet, then she is showing that now. Her arms were crossed, her frown was very uncharacteristic, and she had a calculating eye, watching everything carefully.

There were two crowds, separate in two sides: one that had the entirety of F-Class and the other that held the entirety of A-Class. 5 students, who are most probably the ones to fight (and probably their best) stood in front of all their classmates.

I see Kirishima Shouko, the calm and collected air around her, her beauty in tow, it made me really wonder just how could she look so beautiful by simply standing still. She would be the last one to fight.

I then see the woman, Kinoshita Yuuko, she still held that superior look in her eyes that I hated very much. Had she been my opponent; I would have brutalized her avatar without any thought, a gruesome transition of scratching before delivering the final blow, which is to forcefully tear its tiny head off. I will not give a damn if it would actually come off or simply make the body disappear just to save the innocent eyes from the truth. She will learn to understand that angering a hot-tempered Filipino boy had drawbacks. I dreadfully hope that whoever was her opponent, please give her a hard time.

I then see a familiar face, he had grey blue hair, wore glasses and his face held the natural visage of wisdom. His posture was also refined and sophisticated, it took no time for me to recognize the owner of such posture. Kubo Toshimitsu: my classmate from 1st year. No surprise that he was an A-Class student, he was the perfect example of a hardworking student. He was actually one of the fewest people (of my age) to ever be my friend. He was a calm and polite man, generous at that as well, even caught the eyes of many admiring women. It was a shock that he does not have a partner (girlfriend) yet.

Next, I see a slim girl that had had short green hair that looked more boyish than the feminine touch it should have for a woman like her. She had a fit figure (if I thought her blazer was hiding the assets), with lean yet slender arms and fit legs, which spoke out that she was an athletic, studious A-Class student rather than the standard non-athletic, studious A-Class student.

The last fighter was a girl, boring circular glasses on her round face and she had dark blue, bob cut hair. Not one I know but she was recognized to be one of the top 10, last I heard from my first year.

"First contestants, forward." Ma'am called.

I heaved a deep breath, brushed my bangs by at least a touch, revealing just a crack in front of my right eye to see very well in this dimness before I exhaled. I shall stay in the darker shade, be as inconspicuous as possible and simply observe. With the match about to begin, I have nothing to do but to just watch. I must pay attention to every fight with all the concentration I have and see just how F-Class, without me and Shina (excluding Himeji, of course), can fair against the top class. Rep had jeopardized himself by removing me and Shina out of the fight, I must see how well he could have thought this through.

If he lost this fight, he also lost my trust. If he wins…..

….I will leave that for later, I rather let the result show itself.

"First contestants, forward." Ma'am ordered.

Shimada Minami is the first, A-Class had that woman to be the first to go.

"All yours, Shimada." Rep told the German girl.

"Watch me." Shimada looked confident, she does not seem nervous going up against someone from A-Class. Does she have good grades?

"Let's hurry it up, it's not even a match for me." Kinoshita Yuuko commented.

"Don't underestimate me just because I'm F-Class." Shimada countered.

"Begin!"

"Summon Being: Summon!" The German girl called out first, the magic circle glowing under her slim legs, her avatar emerging from the carpeted floors.

Hmm, interesting.

Shimada Minami's avatar wore the uniform of a Naval commander, the upper blazer colored blue, signifying its rank and authority at the helm of the ship, and she wielded a rapier. With the subject as Math, her scores were an impressive 182. That matches B-Class's level. If she places it just above the 200's, she is at A-Class's level.

"I'm as good as B-Class when its math." Shimada mentioned.

"My, that's impressive." How sarcastic Kinoshita was. "Summon!" She called, and a purple magic circle formed below her feet. With the second, smaller circle emerging beside her, her avatar arrived.

Its armor was comparable to Himeji's avatar, only colored green, had red gloves, and it wielded a lance that was bigger than itself. Its facial expression was a firm grimace, and its scores do not joke. Without any warning, the Lancer jumped to the air and drove the lance straight to the Marine's body, instantly defeating her.

Kinoshita Yuuko, A-Class; Math: 376.

"I am from A-Class, of course."

"The winner: Kinoshita Yuuko." Ma'am announced, and the A-Class cheered.

I slapped my palm to my forehead. Shimada got too cocky, and she lost as a price. If she had just been careful, she would at least landed a blow against her opponent. At least this defeat will teach her a lesson about overconfidence.

Damn it.

"We shall now begin round 2. Second contestants, forward."

The girl with the round glasses stepped forward. "A-Class, Satou Miho." She introduced, bowing politely as her Avatar was brought to existence without even saying the word 'Summon'. Maybe she whispered it mid-bow. Showy.

"Okay, you're up, Akihisa." Rep told to the blonde, putting a hand on his shoulder.

I lowered my head and pulled down on my bangs, expecting them to stretch even longer thatit could reach my chin just so I could be spared from the inevitable outcome. Even if he had not summoned it, even if this thing had not started, I already knew what was going to happen.

~~~~~ « » ~~~~~

"Winner, A-Class: Satou Miho."

You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot. You fucking idiot.

I fucking knew it! I fucking knew it! I fucking knew! I expected his loss, he has the lowest grades among everybody in this room, and he might be used as a tool to make the A-Class think that we are weak. But how he conducted himself in the match was OUTRAGEOUS.

He revealed the truth that he was left-handed. How the fuck does that give him a fucking advantage!?

The sound of his arm bone snapping was the greatest sound I could ever relish in for this loss.

"Third round shall begin. Contestants, forward."

The sooner I heard Ma'am say that, I finally stopped clawing at my own face because of Yoshii Akihisa's complete idiocy and continued my spectating. And Tsuchiya is the one stepping forward this time. A-Class had used up all their choices of subjects, now it is F-Class's turn to choose the subjects.

The lime-haired girl was the contestant of A-Class to be next, smiling as she stood forward in front of the short boy. "Pleased to meet ya, I'm Kudou Aiko. I enrolled just this year." She cheerfully greeted.

'Kudou', huh? Where have I heard that before?

"What shall be the subject?" Ma'am asked.

"…P.E and health." Tsuchiya chose, his face was not the usual boredom like I knew anymore from him. His face was much sharper, he was both serious and confident to win.

Interesting.

The A-Class student shifted her hip to the side, "You're Tsuchiya-kun, right? You look confident for this subject. But I'm good at the subject too," She mentioned, placing a finger to her lip. "I learn….practically."

My short classmate looked like he was shocked, taken a back at the information he just heard.

Was he nose bleeding?

"You over there, 'Yoshii', was it?" Kudou turned to the idiot who was blushing like mad. "It's obvious that you're bad at studying. Shall I give you a little bit of tutoring on P.E and health? We can do it….practically if you like."

Why does she keep saying 'Practically' like that?

"Well, I was hoping for—" Whatever that damned idiot had to say, he was already cut off by the two women near him.

"Aki will never have that chance so buzz off!"

"That's right, Yoshii-kun doesn't need that education!"

"Shimada, Himeji, Akihisa looked like he could just die just by hearing you two."

Rep was correct, the idiot looked like he could just commit suicide under the weight of their words.

I heard Ma'am Takahashi sigh on the microphone, "Please, just begin the match."

"Oookay~ Summon!" Kudou called first.

"…Summon." Then Tsuchiya. His avatar was a conventional ninja. Coated with shades of black that made it almost invisible in the dim playing field and it held two short blades, shining prominently like a white glow stick. Kodachi's. I wonder how his agile avatar would fare against her.

What the hell?

Kudou Aiko's avatar wore a standard sailor suit with a knee-length skirt, almost a female version of the idiot's avatar but the weapon she had was jaw-dropping. It was the Biggest Battle Axe I ever saw, and it was crackling with lightning.

Kudou Aiko, A-Class; P.E and Health: 446

Whoa.

Everybody in the F-Class cannot believe what they are seeing, I cannot believe what I am seeing. Her avatar also wore a bracelet. An accessory that will suddenly appear upon creation only when one's score is above 400 points. It grants the avatar its most powerful ability. My avatar wore one when I fought my first battle, its Bracelet granted him the ability to kill his opponents from afar with a single sweep of his claw. 'Dead-Air'.

However, Tsuchiya does not look daunted in the least by her grades, not even his Shinobi blinked.

"Theory, or practical. Let's see which learning method is better." Kudou mentioned, her avatar sprung forward and arched its giant axe towards Tsuchiya's familiar. "Bye, Bye, Mutsurinii-kun!"

"…Accelerate." I barely heard him say something.

*SHIING!*

I was almost unable to process everything that had happened. At one second: the Axe was coming downwards, the next second: the ninja revealed a glowing bracelet in front of him, the next second: he mysteriously disappeared but he was suddenly behind the axe wielding avatar, the next second: the Girl-Sailor's body was slashed with an 'X' across her body, then the final second: she was down on the floor. Dead.

"…Acceleration: complete."

Tsuchiya Kouta, F-Class; P.E and Health: 572

My classmates exploded to victory, hooting and yelling over their first win against an A-Class student. Kudou Aiko's knees gave out on her, she collapsed on her rear, unable to believe what she is seeing.

I had no way to express my amazement about this revelation about the most inconspicuous classmate I have.

"Winner: Tsuchiya Kouta."

* CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.*

Bravo, Tsuchiya, bravo.

The idiot's mouth was too wide open, seeing such scores in front of him was too much for his small mind to take.

"Nice one, Mutsurinii!" Rep congratulated, ruffling the amazing classmate's head rigorously.

"…That hurts…!"

"That was amazing, Tsuchiya-kun." Himeji praised.

"You even got Shimuya clapping for you." Shimada added, looking over my direction with a smile.

I will not lie about this, I was proud. Very proud. There really was more to F-Class than what they usually show. How many surprises do they have left in store? I want to see more.

"That is 2 to 1, respectively A-Class and F-Class. Fourth round shall begin, contestants forward."

"Right then, I will be your opponent." A calm and smooth voice told, no other than Kubo Toshimitsu. His stride was composed and his grimace was clear with his hand to his glasses, adjusting them. He will be a tough opponent, even I would doubt winning against him.

As Himeji's friends send her off with good luck, she stepped forward with an obviously forced confident front. She looked like she was trying really hard to look strong, and it paid off. I can confidently say that Himeji Mizuki is the closest match to Toshimitsu. Whenever I looked at the honor rolls last year, her name was right below his. And time to time, they switch places. These two are stronger than all of F-Class, I wonder what could happen when two tides of the same power clash against each other.

"What will be the subject? Ma'am asked.

"Overall subjects, please." Out of all people, Toshimitsu was the one who suggested it in a polite tone.

"….Hey…!" I growled.

"Wait a minute," Yoshii Akihisa took my place to object, "It's our right to decide—"

"Doesn't matter." Himeji cut him off.

I frowned, what is she up to?

"Summon." The A-Class called out in a deep voice, his avatar emerged from the ceiling and landing to the floor with an audible slam, stabbing its Great Spear to the phantom floor. His avatar was one of a kind: robed like a battle mage of a fantasy game—beaded necklace, an armored top with spiked shoulder guards, dark blue hakama with a red rope wrapped around his waist to keep it there.

Kubo Toshimitsu, A-Class; Overall Subjects: 3997

Just like I expected, he had the best grades, even greater than mine. I wonder if Himeji's scores are compatible.

She called out, "Summon!" Her avatar emerged from the floor and its expression was burning with determination. And this time, the pink-haired girl was mirroring her familiar's face, unlike the timid expression I saw last time.

Himeji Mizuki, F-Class; Overall Subjects: 4409

Ha. That's fortunate.

My only surprise is that she topped his scores this time. She was usually underneath Toshimitsu's level, where did that motivation to overcome rivals come from?

Even the A-Class are shocked.

"What!?"

"For reals!?"

"She's compatible against Kirishima!"

The salutatorian was already gritting his teeth bitterly, "Since when were you that strong…!?" He swung his hand forward and ordered, "Go!" His Abolisher charged forward, his Runed Spear glowing light blue fires.

Himeji throw her hand forward and her Destroyer dashed towards the opponent, her great blade glowing scarlet pink. She swung her sword horizontally and it collided with the spear, creating a bright flash, reminiscent to a camera flash upon impact. Everyone watching got slightly blinded, blinking twice or rubbing their eyes to recover, but I didn't. I merely blinked a few times, my bangs saving me from the collateral damage, and continued watching this fight.

The two avatars clashed their weapons together, using their strength to overpower the other. With the difference of grades, Himeji was easily overpowering the salutatorian. Seeing that he was at a loss, the latter pushed their clashing weapons down to the floor and he spun his body, attempting to slash the opponent in the same motion. Himeji's hand came up and blocked the strike from ever hitting her, the vambrace on her wrist proving a better armor than the lethality of his spear. But still, she lost a few points from that.

With one hand, the female swung her sword at the exposed side of the Abolisher. The latter abandoned his strike and jumped away, the giant blade slashing right where his hip would have been if he hadn't evaded that. In an amazing display of the use of weaponry, the Destroyer spun her giant sword around like a circular blade, the speed looking precariously dangerous if struck, and she was coming straight towards him. Finding no blind spot in close-combat, Toshimitsu jumped to the air and aimed his spear down on Himeji's exposed head as he aimed for a falling strike.

Seeing the intention, Himeji stopped spinning and she blocked the incoming stake of death by the flat of her blade as she raised it up with both hands. With the attack failing, Toshimitsu's avatar fell unceremoniously to the floor. Seeing a chance, Himeji swung her blade back and she arched her strike downwards to his fallen form.

Kubo Toshimitsu, A-Class; Overall Subjects: Dead.

"Winner, F-Class: Himeji Mizuki."

F-Class exploded again to celebrations.

"Guh…!" The salutatorian cannot stand his pride being shattered like that, "Himeji, how did you become so strong!?"

"I-" She stuttered a little before she got the right words to say, "I like everybody in my class. F-Class is full of people who would make sacrifices for others without anything to ask in return."

Toshimitsu frowned in disbelief, "You like F-Class?" He repeated.

"Yep!" She admitted with a heartfelt smile, "That's why I could do my best."

Hm.

So that was it, her source of motivation is us? The F-Class? A class composed of so many idiots? Hmph, what a ridiculous source.

Her avatar did not have good movements, she knows not the ways of properly manipulating her being, her fight was still short lived, but it was still a good fight. That spinning blade ability was quite eye-catching, plus she gave us the win, she deserves a round of applause for her efforts.

I clapped to her, not so enthusiastically like I did to Tsuchiya, but I was genuinely impressed.

"Scores are 2 to 2 tie, the last round shall finally begin." Ma'am Takahashi's face was neither impressed nor bored with the game going on, it seemed it matters not to her if her class loses or not. I wonder, if my class win, does she become our homeroom teacher?

The thought of it sounds nice. But I would worry if my class ended up increasing her stress levels because of their attitudes.

Again, leave that be for the results. Now, Rep and the Valedictorian shall now fight.

~~~~~ « » ~~~~~

"However I would like to limit the scope of the examination." Rep told us, "The difficulty will be at the primary school level and the maximum score will be one hundred. Shoukanjus will not be used and the result will just depend on the score in the examination."

So Rep will take a one hundred question test instead of a summoning battle?

It sounds sensible. It was obvious that the valedictorian will end up the victor between her and Rep if it was an Exam Summoning Match. If anyone has the mind to challenge her to a summoning battle, one must have very efficient grades, someone who has twice my grades and has the grasp of controlling avatars professionally.

"However if both of you have the same scores, you will get new questions right?" Yoshii Akihisa pointed out. "In that case the difficulty of the questions might increase. Isn't this a disadvantage for Yuuji, who has stopped studying for a period of time?"

"Yeah, Akihisa is right."

"So we're just walking to a suicide trip?" Shina asked, crossing her arms.

"Hey, don't underestimate me. In any case, a tactic that purely counts on luck is not a tactic at all." Rep defended.

"What? Yuuji, you know how to make Kirishima lose focus in the exam?"

"No. I don't think that girl will be defeated by primary school level questions just because of her losing focus."

How do you even make a person with good memory lose focus? The answers are going to be stuck inside their heads that they could eat lunch and answer a test paper at the same time. The best way possible to distract them is to start a fire.

"Yuuji, covert speech must end!" Kinoshita Hideyoshi demanded, "Now ist the timeth to spoil us with thy secret edge!"

Everyone in the class nodded in agreement, I wanted to hear just how he could win against a seemingly-hopeless battle.

"Ah, Sorry. The opening speech is longer than I expected."

"You don't say?" Shina asked sarcastically, "You could be the best master of ceremonies in my fricking reunion."

"Ha, ha. Whatever." Rep just brushed her off before facing the class, "There is only one reason that made me choose this duel. That is because I know that girl will definitely answer one question incorrectly."

"….Which is?" I asked, prompting him to follow up the sentence.

"The year of the 'Taika Reform'."

"Taika Reform?" Yoshii Akihisa parroted. "Is it the sort of question asking when did who do what? Will these sorts of primary school student level questions come out in the examination?"

"No, not such a detailed question. It is a much simpler one."

"Thee hath mentioned simple, could it be the reckoning about the year?"

"BINGO, Hideyoshi!" Rep snapped a finger to the ambiguous male's direction for his speculations, "It is just like what you said, if the question about the year comes out, it will be our victory."

"….What is the specific year, exactly, Rep?" I asked curiously. "….I never knew about it actually."

"The Taika Reform happened in year 645." He answered briefly, "This question is so easy that even Akihisa couldn't get it right."

I turned a questioning gaze to a weeping Yoshii Akihisa along with everyone else.

"However," Rep interjected, "Shouko will definitely answer this question incorrectly and victory will belong to us. At that time we can say goodbye to this lousy classroom as we planned."

~~~~~ « » ~~~~~

I never thought that Kirishima Shouko was his childhood friend. That explains why the former mentioned Rep's first name with her warning during yesterday's lunch. I had to say: quite lucky he is. To be childhood friends with the popular girl at school, he is very much honored than me who only received her acknowledgements. He is already in her circle, even if he does not normally interact with her.

But now is not the time to think about that.

Right now, this is his chance for his master plan to come into action, if the question was there, then we can have the classroom of A-Class. Then, we can no longer rot in that horrid classroom, Kinoshita Yuuko will be the one to rot in that prison, and I will laugh if I could. Shina would probably make it worse, emphasize their defeat every time she sees her. I will have to stop her from doing that. Sending the woman to F-Class is punishment enough.

This is excitable by the contrast, if I thinks so myself. Fortunate turns are happening, two wins in a row, Rep will have to make a third, and then we can make history.

Then…..then what? We take the classroom, have all the good equipment to ourselves then….go on like a normal student?

Is there going to no point in summoning wars anymore once we do?

That…..is not what I like.

I hate normalcy, and I had enough of the normal school life. Reality became boring, I needed an excuse to escape it. That's why I came to this school, because it was not normal. We can make our game characters to existence, we can interact with them and fight other students with it, and our grades are used for a completely different reason besides measuring our intelligence. This school was my hope of experiencing an active high school life. But if my class wins and takes the A-Class, will there be no more reason to declare anymore wars? We'll just act like normal students once again?

I don't like it. I don't want that.

If he wins against Kirishima Shouko, there would be nothing more. If my class wins….….….Meiko will be thrown to that dump.

She will have the most horrid school life just when she had just returned to it and experienced it for only 3 days. Just 3 days, she still needs a year of a healthy school life before she has to face reality. I am not sure if I could make an exception for her to stay in A-Class. I am not even sure if they could even allow it. I am not sure if there would be more summoning battles to do if we win. I am not sure if I am even fine with letting them win for so she could stay in the classroom, or maybe let my class win so I could walk out of that damned classroom, or maybe—

I shot my hands upwards to my face, clawing my temple.

ARGHH! I can't think anymore! My fucking thoughts got into jumbles that I cannot think anymore. Any more of this fucking overthinking and I might just get confused. What is it? Which is right for me?

Which is right for her?

Her, so she could not be thrown to my classroom and have her continue her life as normally as she could. Or Me, so I can no longer rot in that decrepit, dust gathering, room for a classroom and have the woman, Kinoshita Yuuko taste the taste of fucking defeat?

Which one? Her or me?

Her or Me?

….Sakamoto Yuuji, you must lose.

~~~~~ « » ~~~~~

The bell tolled, the end of classes is now. But everyone is not satisfied yet, I was not satisfied, we want to know what the results are. Rep and the valedictorian had finally turned in their test papers and are finally marked.

"Well then, I'll announce the results of the limited test."

The Apprehension in this room heightened to a severe magnitude. This is the biggest moment in the history of this school

"A-Class Representative, Kirishima Shouko: 97 points."

Everyone in my class erupted to victory all over again, A-Class either fell to their knees or broke to tears, thinking they have lost. But I didn't shout or cheer, I was still awaiting Rep's result. What is his score?

"F-Class Representative, Sakamoto Yuuji…"

What is it?

"53 points."

Silence*

"Shit." I barely heard Shina finally say something.

I smashed my palm straight to my face.

….….….….Well….….….….….

We.

Fucking.

Lost.

Goodbye chabudai tables, hello orange boxes.