I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

"You—humph, you'll see tonight!"

After saying that, Kiryuin stormed off the field, not even planning to attend the second-place award ceremony. Everyone only ever remembered the first place winner.

Second place...who cares?

Congratulations, Maple Flower, you came in second place!

Just as Kiryuin was leaving the arena, she bumped into Sakayanagi, who was about to enter the arena. Kiryuin, who was already in a low mood, was even more upset when she saw Sakayanagi. She knew without a doubt that this guy would come and mock her.

"I think the previous way of addressing me sounds better. What, are you here to mock me?"

Kiryuin's expression turned serious, and Kamuro immediately stepped in front of Sakayanagi. Although Kamuro's other abilities were not particularly outstanding, he was good at reading people. Even though they were acquaintances, the atmosphere was tense from the start, and the other person's body began to tense up again.

Knowing that Kiryuin was familiar with this situation, Kamuro naturally knew that the other party was on guard, and a conflict could easily break out if one was not careful. If it were a normal person, seeing the unfriendly expression on Kiryuin's face, they would most likely choose to temporarily avoid him. However... Kamuro knew very well that Sakayanagi would definitely provoke the other party with her wicked sense of humor, so how to protect Sakayanagi from harm became her most important task.

Why aren't Hashimoto and Kito here? She's the runner-up in the relay race! Just from her running posture, Kamuro can tell that her physical abilities are far superior to hers. If it really comes down to a fight, I'll probably have to resort to injuring myself to drag her down with me.

As for whether Sakayanagi will give up provoking the other party to resolve this crisis... well, let's think about it. If such a thing really happens, Kamuro would consider it almost like a miracle.

"Laugh at you? You're overthinking it. I didn't mean to laugh at you. Besides, second place is something to be proud of, isn't it?"

Kiryuin, who was staring into Sakayanagi's eyes, frowned slightly. She couldn't read any emotion from Sakayanagi's gaze.

"Are you mistaken? What's so great about second place? People will only remember the person in the spotlight, not the people standing on either side of her."

Chapter 434: Who is the runner-up?

Kiryuin's words drew laughter from Sakayanagi.

This move displeased Kiryuin; after all, this guy was just here to watch the show.

"Go ahead and laugh at me if you want, but I'll be going now if there's nothing else."

Kiryuin was about to leave when Sakayanagi pushed Kamuro aside and blocked her way.

"Maple Flower, you're still so impatient. I'm just stating the facts; I didn't mean to mock you. In other competitions, second place might be just like you said—few people would care, or even anyone would pay attention. But this competition is different. Losing to my Tianyin isn't anything shameful."

My Tianyin...

She got it.

She finally understood why Sakayanagi had come, but unfortunately, Sakayanagi seemed to have chosen the wrong person.

"Declaring war on me won't do any good. You should be declaring war on the other side. I think Amane and that Horikita guy get along quite well. Don't go around saying 'my Amane' now. Be careful you don't end up finding out you're just a figurehead."

Kiryuin seized on Sakayanagi's sore spot and spoke in a sarcastic tone, while a long-lost smile appeared on his face. You could see that Sakayanagi was disgusted, so participating in this competition wasn't a loss after all.

"So what if you're just a runner-up? Aren't you a runner-up too? Second place."

Realizing his lapse in composure, Sakayanagi immediately launched a pun-filled retort.

Kiryuin gritted his teeth, giving the shrine maiden a fierce look. With outsiders present, some things were better left unsaid…

"What's so bad about that? You can try again if you're a runner-up in the sports festival. Besides, even second place is a good result, maybe even a medal. But your competition only has one place: first place. You only have one option. If you just end up as a runner-up, wouldn't you just become a laughingstock?"

After saying that, Kiryuin pushed away Sakayanagi and Kamuro and prepared to leave. After teasing Sakayanagi, he was in a much better mood.

Watching Kiryuin hum a tune as he walked away, Sakayanagi smiled.

"Well, perhaps that's true. It's a pity you won't be able to witness the final outcome; you'll graduate before us."

After saying this in a low voice, Sakayanagi ignored Kamuro's surprised gaze and walked into the competition venue alone. Amane, who had just received her medal, was studying the glittering gold medal in her hand.

Is there a problem with this gold medal?

When Horikita saw that Amane seemed to care a lot about the gold medal, she couldn't help but ask her, thinking that Amane had discovered something was wrong.

"This medal is quite heavy; if it were pure gold, it could make a lot of money!"

Seeing Tenon's eyes practically popping out of their sockets, Horikita sighed helplessly. She had thought Tenon had discovered something, but who knew this girl would try to sell the medal for money as soon as she got it? Really...

"This is just gold-plated; the inside is silver. Pure gold medals are too soft and wouldn't be easy to store."

When Sakayanagi came over and saw Amane holding up the medal and examining it, even looking like she was about to take a bite, he immediately guessed what Amane was thinking. So he quickly explained the composition of the medal before Amane could bite it.

Otherwise, Tianyin might bite off the gold paint on this medal. If she finds out it's not pure gold, she'll probably be so angry that she'll go to the school to demand an explanation.

"What? It was just gold plating after all."

Amane disappointedly tossed the medal to Horikita. Seeing this, Sakayanagi remembered that Amane seemed to have been interested in shiny, golden things since she was a child.

Once, I accidentally broke the glass marbles that Amane liked. Sakayanagi coaxed Amane back with marbles painted with gold paint. Apparently, that plate of gold marbles is still at Amane's house and Amane keeps it like a treasure.

"This is the result of everyone's hard work; we should cherish it."

"Okay, okay."

Upon hearing that it wasn't Jin, Amane's enthusiasm waned considerably, and she turned to chat with Sakayanagi about the match. However, from Amane's perspective, the match seemed far too easy, so in Amane's account, it was all about how she quickly surpassed so-and-so and won in a flash—a kind of narrative that left Sakayanagi unsure how to evaluate.

"First of all, congratulations Tianyin on taking first place. Then, I'd like to know, Tianyin, what were you thinking when you were competing with those guys, giving it your all?"

Seeing the smile on Amane's face, Sakayanagi felt the time was right and took the opportunity to ask.

Having won the championship in a crushing victory, and with everyone cheering for her, Tianyin was in a very good mood. In such a situation, the most likely answer to this question would be "happy".

If Tianyin could answer like that, that would be perfect. It would mean that even she, who is usually serious, has reached the point where she can understand what "happiness" is. In that case, it wouldn't be long before Tianyin could truly adapt.

That way, at least I won't have to worry about this guy anymore.

To Sakayanagi's utter surprise, Amane, who was all smiles, was not swayed by Sakayanagi and regained her composure in an instant.

"An idea? Seems a bit boring. I was just about to start the match and it's already over."

This time, not only Sakayanagi, but even Horikita's expression became strange. Horikita looked around and thankfully everyone was preparing for the upcoming duel, and no one was nearby. Otherwise, if he had heard Amane's words, he probably would have been furious.

"Wasn't that speed enough for you?"

Although Sakayanagi didn't know how fast the fastest person could run, in his opinion, Amane's speed was definitely on par with those of professional athletes, and even among the top professional athletes.

Besides years of rigorous training, Tianyin's most terrifying talent lies in her physical fitness.

Thinking about it this way, boredom might be Tianyin's truest expression. After all, playing running with kindergarten kids doesn't bring much sense of accomplishment, even if you win.

"I wasn't quite done yet. I had just finished warming up and was about to start running seriously when I reached the finish line. If it were the 1200 meters, I might have had a lot more fun running it!"

A girl wants to run 1200 meters as a game...

As expected, Sakayanagi felt that he still couldn't understand Amane's thoughts on this matter. If she could run, maybe... but unfortunately her legs... it's already a miracle that she can even walk.

'Maple Flower, do you know? I'm actually quite envious of you. I envy that you could chase after her silhouette. Even if you lost, you're still so much better than me, who didn't even qualify for the competition...'

Sakayanagi quietly buried the jealousy he felt towards Kaede and the resentment he felt towards his own incompetence that welled up deep inside him, and watched Amane, who was arguing with Kamuro, with a smile on his face.

P.S.: I haven't been feeling well these past few days, my stomach has been hurting and I haven't been able to concentrate on writing. I'll take a day off tomorrow to rest and recover. I'll catch up on the missed updates in the next few days. Thank you all for your continued support!

Chapter 435: I'll Take Care of You

The preparations for the one-man showdown were completed at 4 p.m., and amidst great anticipation, all the students participating in the one-man showdown came to the center of the competition venue, and cheers immediately rang out from the stands.

Unlike the small-scale sports festivals of previous years, this year's sports festival not only offers a large number of class points, but if you can be the first to achieve a ten-game winning streak, you will not only receive an enviable huge amount of personal points, but you will also be given the opportunity to freely switch classes.

Compared to the grand prize, both class points and individual points seem rather lackluster. As a member of the school, no matter how hard one tries, the ultimate goal is simply to become a member of Class A and graduate as a member of Class A, enjoying all the preferential treatment promised by the school.

To achieve this goal, besides the class working together to reach the top, the fastest way is to apply for a transfer to Class A, but the cost is staggeringly high.

The enormous cost of 20 million points is clearly beyond the reach of individual students, yet this spot is now being offered to everyone as a free reward.

Almost everyone looked in that direction the moment the special card that symbolized the change of class spots appeared. Regardless of whether they needed the item, it was worth the equivalent of 20 million personal points. How many people wouldn't be tempted if they could get it for free through the competition?

"Ha~"

Amane yawned widely and rubbed her eyes. Such a reward was not very attractive to Amane. Even if Class B won the grand prize, it would belong to Koenji according to the agreement.

Therefore, Amane had no interest in this prop that some people envied. Amane glanced at Ayanokouji beside her and felt relieved to see that Ayanokouji also had a lack of interest.

If this guy gets away, I'll be in for a real headache.

"Ayanokouji, do you think we can get that reward?"

Amane didn't say what the reward was, but Ayanokouji's gaze immediately locked onto the small card on the table.

In Ayanokouji's opinion, only this kind of reward could catch Amane's eye now.

"That depends on whether Horikita-kun has made any plans. If he has, it's easier to handle; if not..."

Ayanokouji turned his gaze from the card to Amane.

With just a brief glance between them, Amane understood what Ayanokouji was about to say.

If Horikita doesn't change his tactics, he'll most likely lose this one-on-one duel. However, what Amane is curious about is that, from her perspective, letting Horikita experience what it's like to face Ryuen and Ichinose head-on, and on the other hand, a completely unstoppable defeat in a sure-win match could help improve Horikita's overly optimistic personality.

Horikita's tactics are no longer so rigid, and he's even a little more willing to try risky strategies. However, Horikita is still too inexperienced in his early stages and experimentation. Putting aside his old rival Ryuen, who's known for his cunning, Horikita might struggle to deal with Ichinose alone. If Horikita isn't prepared when Ichinose truly starts competing for profit, he might face unprecedented setbacks in the face of Ichinose's gentle demeanor.

Amane intended for Horikita to learn and grow.

What about Ayanokouji? Since he had already guessed Ryuen and Ichinose's little tricks but didn't tell Horikita, that's something to think about.

"Can I trust you, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji?"

Amane didn't want to ask so directly, but her intuition told her that something had gone wrong with Ayanokouji without her noticing. If she didn't discover the problem in time, Ayanokouji might break away... No, that man was never under her control. Amane and Ayanokouji's relationship was merely an exchange of interests and cooperation.

You forgot?

"what?"

Never trust anyone too easily, whether it's someone else or yourself.

Ayanokouji put his hand on Amane's shoulder.

"I'm not a trustworthy person, but you can choose to believe me."

Tianyin narrowed her eyes. The sentence in front was a sentence that was taught on the first day of class in the White House. There, cooperation was seen as a means for the weak to band together for survival.

The strong always walk alone; trust is the only thing that can destroy the strong.

Whether it's trust in others or trust in oneself.

Tianyin agreed with this statement, but did not intend to follow it because it would be too tiring. Although Tianyin said that she was very comfortable whether she was socializing or alone.

Only a fool would want to be alone if he had friends.

Suspecting everyone around you will only drive them away and isolate you, which is the kind of behavior that Tianyin dislikes the most. A certain amount of trust is still necessary.

The second sentence is rather intriguing.

To be honest, Amane doesn't think Ayanokouji is a trustworthy person either, because he's too strong. If he were to use his true abilities, Amane isn't confident she can subdue Ayanokouji, unless she has a gun. Even if there were a hundred of them, they wouldn't be a match for Amane.

Strong people often have a strong sense of self; they have their own ideas and unpredictable personalities, and even cooperation requires them to be fully prepared.

Characters like Karuizawa or Matsushita, even if they have some cleverness, are seen by Amane as merely pawns to protect their own interests. They become the most useful pawns when their needs are met. Ayanokouji, on the other hand, is the kind of person who would never willingly become a pawn even if you begged him on your knees.

But you can choose to believe him... which is tantamount to admitting that his behavior was problematic, but he already has a follow-up plan.

It's rare that Ayanokouji would take the initiative to plan something, so it wouldn't hurt to trust him just once.

"I've always believed in you, Ayanokouji."

That would be wonderful.

Both of them flashed fake smiles, but Amane's was more natural, while Ayanokouji's smile was much more sinister.

The one-man showdown was divided into three arenas according to grade level, and the specific rules were listed one by one on the big screen.

The rules and precautions for the one-man duel are as follows:

1. All participants in this one-man showdown competition are prohibited from participating in any team competitions. If any participant is found to be in violation, they will be immediately disqualified and their winnings will be confiscated.

2. All participants will be issued six competition nameplates according to the pre-competition registration. The competition will be a one-on-one duel. Each match consists of three rounds, and the winner of the match will be the one who wins two out of three rounds.

3. In a competition, if the opponent wins two matches in advance, your side can choose to concede. After conceding, the opponent will receive the competition reward, and your side will not be penalized. If the opponent has one win and one loss, you cannot choose to concede.

4. The competition will consist of one event chosen by each player. If a winner cannot be determined, each player will draw three nameplates and place them in a lottery box. The winner will be determined based on the event drawn.

5. Each victory in the competition earns 10 class points, while a loss deducts 10 class points. If the opponent wins two consecutive rounds, conceding defeat does not deduct class points for that round. Each person has three chances. Losing all three rounds disqualifies a participant. Winning three consecutive rounds allows a participant to ascend to the throne and become the champion. Non-champion players can participate in a maximum of five rounds, while champion players can participate in ten rounds. Each round victory earns 15 class points, and a loss does not deduct class points. Losing a single round disqualifies a participant from becoming the champion and disqualifies them from the competition.

6. Participants who win ten consecutive matches will receive one million personal points and the right to freely switch classes. There is only one such award available.

After carefully reviewing the complete version of the competition rules, Tianyin discovered that there were still some differences between it and the simplified version that Nanyun had mentioned earlier.

Roughly speaking, this is a one-on-one duel. The duel consists of three physical fitness tests. The winner is the one who wins two out of three. Each person has three chances to lose. Once they have used up all three chances, they are disqualified from the competition. If they do not become the champion, they can only win a maximum of five consecutive matches.

Winning a round earns you 10 class points, while losing deducts 10 class points. If the opponent is stubborn, you can earn up to 30 class points in a whole match. However, with the conceding match mechanism, the opponent will likely choose to concede after winning two rounds in a row. Even if the opponent concedes, you can still get class points, but you won't lose points from the last round if you lose.

Normally, a participant can participate in five matches. If they win all of them, they can get about 150 class points. This number is quite considerable for any class. Especially if several strong players team up, it is not a big problem for one player to win thousands of class points. Of course, the more people you send out, the more prepared you are to be wiped out.

If you become the champion, you can participate in ten matches. You can earn 15 class points per game in the last seven matches, and 45 class points in three matches.

Seven games equal 315 class points. Adding the 90 points from the previous three games, that's 405 class points. This number is even more alarming.