Ch.300Academy Festival (5)

Kana and I headed straight to the kendo club room.

“Oh… there are surprisingly many people.”

There were quite a few non-club members too. The fact that it was already drawing people’s interest was definitely a positive sign.

And soon, everyone’s attention focused on Kana and me.

“Wow!!! It’s Arigiri Shota!!”

“The Ice Princess Kana!!”

Several students rushed toward me.

“Um… could you sign this?”

And they all started fumbling for paper.

“Ah… sure.”

I nodded with effort, somewhat overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.

“The God of Combat Tournament… is quite famous, huh.”

People were actually watching it. I had checked YouTube videos afterward out of curiosity, and someone had even uploaded footage.

“Are you two a couple?!”

“Kyaa! What a handsome boy and beautiful girl!!”

People cheered while creating their own couple narrative about Kana and me. Well, since we were actually a couple, I didn’t mind.

Kana and I just signed autographs, feeling some inexplicable pressure.

“Thank you!! I’ll cheer for you!”

“I’m rooting for Shota-kun to win!!”

People waved their hands at me and shouted.

“Don’t worry. The victory is already ‘guaranteed.'”

I said with a smile.

“What nonsense!! I’m going to win again?!”

Kana shouted loudly.

“Kyaa! A lovers’ quarrel!!”

The people around us immediately reacted. What a reaction hotspot.

“Do that! Do your signature move!!”

At that moment, a group of people shouted.

“Signature move?”

Did I have something like that?

Honestly, I envy people who have signature moves. Thumbs-up Man had his thumbs-up… Kana had her cyber-psycho transformation and seizures…

“You know, that weird scream you do!!”

Someone elaborated.

Ah, that? Come to think of it, it had been a while. I hadn’t encountered opponents strong enough to make me fight seriously with that scream. So I hadn’t had a reason to use it.

“KIEEEEEEEEEK!!!”

I immediately let out a bizarre scream.

“There it is!! The pterodactyl scream!!”

“Wooooah!!!”

The passionate God of Combat Tournament fans at our school immediately cheered.

“Hehehe. That’s it.”

I felt a sense of liberation after screaming like that for the first time in a while. This won’t do. I should take off my shirt and do it one more time…

“Stop.”

Kana immediately shut down my impulse. Darn.

“Sh-Shota’s bare body… I don’t want others to see it.”

Kana mumbled awkwardly.

‘C-Cute…’

If that’s the adorable reason, then I’m totally fine with it.

“Ah. You’re here.”

Just then, Sayaka approached us.

“Here. The talks with the fencing club went surprisingly smoothly.”

Sayaka said with a smile.

“Hmm… really?”

She handled things unexpectedly quickly. I could tell Sayaka was passionate about revitalizing the kendo club.

“Here you go.”

Sayaka smiled and handed something over.

‘Natori High School Ultimate Championship’

I saw a flyer with an aggressive design that looked like a fighting arena.

“It’s a massive tournament including all clubs, from the fencing club to the kendo club, and even individual participants.”

Sayaka explained.

“Ooh…!!”

Let’s see who’s the strongest. This was something that would excite everyone’s hearts. People couldn’t help but gather.

“Then those people…..”

I looked around. There were various eccentrically dressed people standing in line.

“Ah. Those are participants.”

Sayaka said with a smile.

“Hmm… so anyone can participate.”

Maybe I should casually mention this to Tina and Taiga? They might be interested.

“Of course. Weapons are also unrestricted. Naturally, we’ve replaced them with non-lethal rubber blades. I’ve secured club funds and support from the fencing club to install Miles equipment. A bell will ring immediately when a fatal blow is determined.”

Sayaka explained. Wow. It was surprisingly serious.

“But… is the budget okay?”

I asked. Club budgets were set every June. In other words, if we used up all the budget here, we’d have to wait until next June with nothing.

“Ah… honestly, it’s tight.”

Sayaka admitted.

“Then let’s do this.”

I immediately came up with a brilliant idea.

“How about introducing a betting system to raise money? We could convert part of the collected bets into our budget.”

It was a slightly gambling-oriented system, but something that always accompanied these kinds of fighting arenas.

A simple system where people bet on who will win. And the amount is determined according to the bet amount. Someone who obviously won’t win would attract fewer bets, but the multiplier for winning would be higher. Depending on the situation, there was strategy in alternating between safe bets and risky ones. It was definitely an element of fun.

Moreover… the immersion in the matches differed depending on whether you bet or not. If you put money on it, you’d be incredibly focused on the match.

“B-but introducing gambling elements at school is a bit…..”

Sayaka hesitated.

“Come on. We’re just talking about small payments of a few hundred yen. Besides… we don’t have to call it betting outright; we can package it as ‘club activity donation funds.'”

I waved my hand as I spoke.

It was the same effect as how a regular lottery might seem low-class, but a pension lottery sounds more respectable.

“It’s just club support donations with a bit of betting fun added on top. Like wasabi on sashimi.”

I explained.

“W-well, if you put it that way…..”

Sayaka nodded. This would help us earn some money. Even if every spectator placed the minimum bet of 100 yen, it would add up. Most people who bet would lose anyway. Even after paying out winnings to successful bettors, Sayaka’s kendo club could feast on the remaining funds.

“I’ll report to the student council.”

I said.

Since the company sponsoring our school festival was Kunami, and I was the pipeline to Kunami, the school wouldn’t be able to object.

“Shota… you’re surprisingly clever.”

Kana looked at me with a slightly surprised expression.

“Wow!! Shota-boy!! Amazing…!!!”

Just then, someone clapped.

Todoki Hawado was applauding with tears in his eyes. Wait, why is this guy here?

“To think of ways to extract money even in such trivial places… I’m still far from being a good lead producer…! My idea of monetizing user-created mods seems cute in comparison…!”

Todoki Hawado shed tears intensely.

I don’t want recognition from someone like him… That was my honest feeling.

“W-well… let’s do it. It stings my conscience a bit, but we have no choice. Let’s go with that.”

Sayaka immediately conceded.

“Shota… what exactly are you?”

Sayaka looked at me as if I were some kind of monster. That’s rude.

——–

Anyway, everyone was enthusiastically signing up to participate.

Just then, a familiar face joined the line. It was a sharp-looking boy with a neat parting in his hair, dressed in white.

Whiiiiing-!

Behind him stood a massive humanoid machine.

“This school… has a lot of unusual people.”

Kana remarked with a surprised expression.

“Yeah… honestly, it’s like something out of a comedy manga.”

I said, looking toward the man standing in line with the robot.

This guy was Kisho, the head of the New Science Club.

The Science Club had some complicated circumstances. There was an ongoing battle between the Old Science Club, which just wanted to enjoy research, and the New Science Club, which insisted on producing results. There was a complex, youth-drama-like episode behind it all.

‘But… it’s not my business.’

Anyway, for the cultural club route, I just needed to clear either the Art Club or Science Club. I had decided to go with the Art Club tech.

“Is it okay if our New Science Club’s android, Heichi Mark 2, participates?”

Kisho asked.

“Ah… that thing won’t hurt people, right?”

“Of course. It’ll be gentle.”

Kisho said, pushing up his glasses.

“W-well, if that’s the case…”

The club member in charge of registration added the robot to the entry list.

At that moment, another student dressed in white appeared. He also had a robot in tow—a clown-like robot with a cute jester appearance. The student was a short man with a bald head and huge goggles, looking decidedly scientific. Yes, he resembled a gnome from Warcraft.

This was Hageshtein, the head of the Old Science Club. That was actually his real name. “Hage” means bald in Japanese. And they just added the scientific-sounding “-shtein” to it. Come on, put more effort into naming male characters.

“I’ll participate too.”

Hageshtein immediately tried to register.

“Um… with the robot?”

The student in charge of registration stared at the clown doll behind him.

Hong-hong-hong-hong-!

The clown doll was enthusiastically juggling. Wow, it’s really good at it! To think they could build an android of this level… what exactly is our school?

“Ah. Please.”

Hageshtein said, stroking his bald head.

“Hmph. You managed to get in here with such a toy. Senior.”

Kisho sneered at Hageshtein.

“Yes. When I heard you were participating, I decided I needed to rehabilitate you in the name of the former club president. I’ll take Heichi back too.”

Hageshtein said with a complicated expression.

“Don’t casually invoke the former president’s name.”

Kisho’s expression hardened.

“Because of that fool… our Science Club almost got disbanded. This is a high school club activity! Not children’s play!! Results are everything!”

Kisho shouted.

“You… chasing only results… has science become more enjoyable than before?”

Hageshtein glared at Kisho through his goggles.

“That’s…..”

Kisho fell silent for a moment.

———-

‘Yeah, they both seem to have complicated backstories…’

But it wasn’t my business.

I just watched their bickering while stroking Kana’s plump bottom.

“Sh-Shota… you’re touching too much. There are people around.”

Kana’s face turned bright red.

“You’re mine. I want to touch you.”

Right now, I could only see Kana.

Anyway, preparations for the arena seemed to be going smoothly. Should I retreat before getting caught in the Science Club’s crossfire? Just as I was thinking that:

“Hey there. Arigiri Shota. Got a moment?”

Hageshtein approached me with his short legs going pata-pata and addressed me.

Damn it… I got dragged in…!

I squeezed my eyes shut.