Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V5: Chapter 12 - Relay Race

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

The last event of the sports festival, the 1200-meter relay, was about to begin and everyone was amped. The race combined all grades and was supposed to be the peak of the festival.

Both boys and girls would participate. Three guys and three girls from each class had to run.

Lanes couldn't be prepared for each of the twelve competing students, so we had to start side-by-side. The rules stated that you could take an inner lane from an opponent after you overtook them. In other words, your initial position was the most important one. If you could get ahead of the others during the starting dash, you wouldn't end up in a chaotic free-for-all.

Our list included Sudou, Yousuke, Horikita, Onodera, Maezono and me. With a list of three boys and three girls, it was the best line-up we could come up with.

Sudou would go first. Yousuke, sufficiently speedy himself, was second. After that, the three girls, Horikita, Onodera and Maezono, in that order, would have their turns, and then I'd go last. Class D was counting on me to get a great result. I don't know about the first place, but we were definitely aiming for the podium.

The chosen elites assembled in the middle of the field. Karma, Mikoto, Horikita's older brother, the student-council vice-president Nagumo and the girl who had become Class 2B's trump card, Kiryuuin were here. Nao who wasn't here, went over to her lane. It seems she was going to start the race for Class A.

"We're leaving it to you, Sudou-kun!" Yousuke shouted.

The girls – including Horikita, and the other runners cheered for their classmates as well. The first-year students appeared to be in a slightly advantageous position, since Class D had the innermost lane. They'd arranged it so that the third-year Class A students were in the outermost lane. Supportive cheers came roaring from the stands where all those who weren't going to participate had assembled.

The instant the signal sounded, Sudou got off to a strong start. His starting dash had the best time of any I'd seen thus far. He launched himself forward with such a momentum that, after his stride, he managed to pass everyone.

However, Nao and Chikujoin, who had started for Class C, followed him. If Sudou wasn't so physically gifted, then the both of them would have caught up to him already.

Behind them, there was a chaotic free-for-all. Taking advantage of this, Sudou had secured an advantage of at least fifteen meters to the group while Nao's and Chikujoin's advantage was of about ten meters.

"It's up to you, Hirata!"

Class D brimmed with excitement.

Sudou passed the baton to the next runner, Yousuke. As a man who excelled in both studies and sports, he was incredible. Sonoda and Nishikawa took the relay of Nao and Chikujoin and despite their capability, they weren't able to keep that ten-meter gap. Yousuke seemed unattainable as the other runners couldn't reduce the gap created by Sudou.

We maintained our lead as we transitioned to the third runner: Horikita.

She managed to keep an important gap, but the other classes were getting closer and closer. Nevertheless, in a great stroke of luck, the runners from Classes 1A and 2A stumbled upon each other and fell. Class C and Class 2B's runner surpassed them but our lead would last a bit longer.

Soon enough, Horikita passed the baton to Onodera, our fourth runner. Even if Onodera was quite fast, it was in this part of the race where we lost our lead. The Class 2B student surpassed her and Yajima, Class 1C's fourth runner, did too.