Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Walk On Water
Zenkichi looked at his team in the pool, playing the fourth and last game, with a sense of pride and satisfaction. It was the cavalry battle and with Shiranui having, unexpectedly, 11 points in the third game for catching 11 eels they were just three points behind the swimming team as they got 13 points.
The final game, Cavalry Battle, was something Shiranui came up with when she stumbled across Aso Tanzaku, the main announcer of the inter-club swim meet, during their break.
Medaka wanted the final game to be a surprise and told Aso that she would have to come up with whatever game to end the event. Unfortunately however, she didn't manage to come up with a single one. Just when she was about to go to Medaka and ask her for advice, she came across Shiranui.
And somehow, in some way, they hit it off quickly and became friends.
Something only Zenkichi had managed to do and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Anyone would figure out how the two girls became fast friends.
Back to the game. Cavalry Battle is a game of three participants; with one rider and two horses. The rider has to wear a headband which your opponent has to take in order to get a point. If, however, your headband is taken or if you fall into the water–you lose. In this game of Calvary Battle in the pool, the points won't be based simply on how many headbands you get, but by the quality of the headbands you take. If you take the headband of a high ranking team, you get more points. 1st gets them 16 points, 2nd 15 points, 3rd 14 points, and so on.
As of right now the ranking scores are as follows:
1st: Swimming Team – 48 points
2nd: MMA Team – 45 points
3rd: Track Team – 44 points
4th: Art Team – 44 points
5th Karate Team – 43 points
.
.
.
Zenkichi didn't join for the last game is because of two reasons.
One is because he's wary that Takachiho or someone from his group won't do anything fishy during the game that might not only endager him but his team and everyone else in the pool as well.
And another, well, they said that they have a strategy on how to win this with Nabeshima as the front horse, Shiranui at the back, and Medaka as the rider. Which, honestly, they don't look like they have except for Medaka planning to fight against the swimming team head on because of some view on money and how they don't treasure their lives more.
Now you might be wondering, Zenkichi, how in the hell is Shiranui supposed to support Medaka with her height? Now, that's the thing, she isn't.
"Fight on~ Kurokami, you can do it!" Shiranui, wearing thick black shades, happily cheered on as she leisurely sat back on her floater that Nabeshima held on with her hands behind her back with Medaka standing on her palms.
Nabeshima looked calm, closed eyes and a serene cattish smile. But with a closer inspection, veins popping around her forehead, it was clear she was angry.
Zenkichi sweatdropped, wondering if Nabeshima would come after either Medaka or Shiranui after the event.
Though she doesn't look as angry and bloodthirsty as Kikaijima-san when she and Medaka engage in battle a few seconds after the game begins.
Zenkichi observed them for a brief moment and came to a conclusion,
'...Unpredictable. With physical abilities, Medaka wins by a long shot as Kikaigima looks like she's struggling to keep herself from being dragged away by her hands. But the key isn't from the rider but the horses. If they don't cooperate well then it'll be their literal downfall.'
He let out a sigh. 'And seeing how Shiranui is leaving all the heavy lifting to Nabeshima-senpai, yeah, it's a miracle that Medaka hasn't fallen out of balance or Nabeshima-senpai had given out from holding up two people.'
"–I just hope Yakushima-senpai, Tanegashima-senpai, and Kikaijima-san." A meek voice brought Zenkichi's attention back to his team.
He turned to his left side to see Uzaki in all her glorious small curvy stature and large chest, who was nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
"What about them?" Zenkichi asked, curious at her and a bit hesitant since, well, this was someone he knew from an anime.
It's not everyday that a fictional character becomes real, and especially not someone you were attracted to.
"I just hope they're doing okay..." Uzaki trailed off, clearly worried and froze.
Zenkichi couldn't help but feel a bit amused. It was nice to see that the anime Uzaki and the real-life Uzaki were one and the same.
"Ah!" Uzaki turned to him, surprised and frightened that he was talking to her but she quickly calmed down. "Hello...uh, senpai? I'm sorry but I didn't catch your name."
An invisible arrow struck his heart for a moment. 'That voice and that line! It's so iconic! I wonder if there are other iconic and very wholesome anime characters that are in this world...'
A sudden thought came to him. 'Actually, are there hentai characters here as well?' It wasn't far fetched to think about it, considering the quality of girls there are in this school.
...He just hopes and prays to all higher beings that nothing dark is hiding anywhere near him.
Zenkichi quickly snapped back and replied. "Hi, I'm Hitoyoshi Zenkichi. And no, I'm not your senior. I'm a 1st year student from class 1. So, unless you're a middle schooler, we're at the same school level."
Uzaki widened her eyes. "Eh? Seriously?! But you look so...tall and mature! I've only seen seniors as well toned and tall as you. And I'm Uzaki Hana, I'm a first year student as well but from a different class, class 10."
'A special student?' Having to spend the last few weeks gathering intel about his enemies, Zenkichi found out about the school system for arranging certain students and putting them in their rightful classes in every school year.
Hakoniwa Academy's student body is divided into three years. Each of those is then divided into thirteen classes. Classes 1 through 4 are standard classes. Classes 5, 7, and 9 are physical education classes. Classes 6 and 8 are arts classes. Class 10 is the special standard class, Class 11 is the special physical education class, and Class 12 is the special arts class. Normals are placed in the first nine classes, Specials are placed in classes 10 through 12, and Class 13 is reserved exclusively for Abnormals.
"Heh, thanks for the compliment." Zenkichi smiled, feeling a bit flattered but also a bit embarrassed. "But really, I'm just a regular guy."
Uzaki giggled. "Well, regular guys don't usually have a team as awesome as yours. You guys did great in the swim meet!"
Zenkichi smiled, feeling proud of his team. "Yeah, we did. But it's not just me, it's all thanks to my amazing teammates."
Uzaki nodded, looking at the pool where Medaka was pushing down on Kikaijima with a calm and confident expression that looked...dark for some reason. "They really are amazing. Especially Kurokami-san, she's so strong and confident. But my team won't lose that easily! We'll win and get the most club funds!"
'Because they really need it.' She inwardly said.
Zenkichi nodded in agreement, watching Kikaijima get back up and proceeded to push Medaka back into the water. "I don't know what their stories are and I know they have a reasonable excuse as to why they're after money more than anything but..."
They watched as Medaka, who was about to fall into the water, stand on the surface of the water!
Zenkichi smirked while Uzaki widened her eyes and went slack jaw.
"N-NAAANI?!"
"When Medaka wants to help someone, especially if they have such a screwed way of thinking, she'll do anything to help them. Even creating miracles."
She turned towards him, utterly confused still. "Eh? Huh?! What's going on!! S-She's walking on water!! Zenkichi, don't tell me, is she the reincarnation of Jesus!?"
Zenkichi looked at her, turned away, and burst out laughing.
He replied,
"N-No. Hahaha! Just look at what she's s-standing on–hahaha! Oh, man."
Uzaki blinked her eyes, turned to where Medaka was standing on, and saw a small...yellow floater.
When Medaka was about to fall into the water, Nabeshima saw a floater floating near her, and immediately without thinking, threw such a little thing towards Medaka's direction not knowing what she could do with it.
Honestly, even she was completely dumbfounded.
Uzaki's cheeks flushed and pouted.
"D-Don't tell anyone I said that..."
Zenkichi chuckled and was about to respond when a chill run up his spine and immediately threw a right jab to his right...only to feel nothing but air.
"Tres Bien! Good punch! I can feel the strength you were throwing just by punching and I can tell, it had already matched the same amount of power when you used your Armament Haki ability." Takachiho chuckled, standing by the side of Zenkichi's extended arm; having perfectly dodged it, a calculating light flashed across his eyes and he slightly turned to look at Uzaki. "Sorry, junior. But I'm afraid that I also heard it as well."
Zenkichi turned to him with a cold look. "Takachiho-senpai. I hope you're prepared for the owed ass whopping I'm about to give you."
Takachiho grinned. "Haha! Well, I'm here. You can give it to me, if you can that is." he cheekily said.
Zenkichi smiled. "Oh, but I already did. And by the way..."
[Beginner's Hard Luck!]
"I was aiming at your face."
Takachiho widened his eyes as he suddenly felt a painful sensation on his face; he could feel his nose was broken and teeth hurting. He raised his trembling hand and touched the bottom of his nostrils and saw...blood.
'...What?' Takachiho was completely bewildered and shocked that he couldn't properly respond.
"Get ready you sack a shit, cause there's more coming."
[❄️❄️❄️]
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