Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 4 [Ryouta Rival]

- Part 9

Today would mark the halfway point of our special exam. I woke up, ate breakfast, and awaited our next challenge in the hall. Like usual, Hiden-sensei was announcing the rules, but strangely, teachers of both genders were present.

My eyes met briefly with Chabashira-sensei's, causing her to look away. I had a sneaking suspicion that the teacher we "found" on day one's scavenger hunt was about to become relevant now.

"Good morning everybody! I hope you've had a wonderful start to your day and a fulfilling breakfast, because today is going to be a super long one! In fact, it's so long, it's the first challenge that will last over three hours! That's right, this challenge's time limit is a staggering... drumroll please... ten hours!"

Everyone in the hall broke into confused whispers as Hiden-sensei uttered an outrageous number. He grinned, chuckling at our reaction.

"That's right, I couldn't believe it earlier when I heard the brief from Benson-sensei, but it's true! The challenge lasts ten hours, meaning it'll end at 7pm today! You're all probably thinking, "Hiden-sensei! What could possibly take so long?!". And well, the answer to that my friends... is this!"

The crowd went silent as Hiden-sensei whipped out what looked to be two green bricks from his coat pockets, one in each hand. He thrusted them forward and presented it to us with a slithery laugh, revealing that they were actually two fat stacks of 1000 yen bills.

"...is that, real money?!" Ikeda said.

"I can't believe it, it is!" Ryouta said.

Hiden-sensei tossed the two stacks of money over to Hiryuu-sensei and Kawaga-sensei, who both caught them with ease.

"That's right, each group will be receiving 50,000 worth of yen in cold, hard cash! Isn't that exciting?! I haven't even explained the challenge yet, but it looks like you guys are already raring to go!"

A lot of groups became really excited over the implications that came from them bringing in actual money, and what it could mean for our challenge. However, like me, some were equally sceptical about this set up, since the school wouldn't let us use real money without a good reason.

"Don't tell me, the last two challenges were meant to be practise before we got our hands on the real thing..." Matsushita said.

"It seems to be that way."

It was definitely concerning that they were entrusting us with actual, physical yen, rather than the digital private points we normally spent at school. For us, it'd be the first time in three months since we've touched the real thing.

"However, what you'll all be doing with all this money is in the Free Will challenge! For today, and today only, all the groups will be allowed back into mainland Tokyo, supervised and driven around by the teachers you found on the first day of the challenge!"

The whole hall exploded into loud cheers hearing that we were allowed get away from this outdoors school and go back into Tokyo, even if it was for just a day. Not only that, but with a teacher as our chauffeur, we could practically go anywhere we wanted as well.

"Now, you can tackle this challenge in three ways! The first way you can tackle it is by spending the money however you want! That's right, your group is free to spend as much as you want at whichever shops, halls, and establishments you'd like! Don't hold back and indulge yourself in luxury!"

I feel like I'm in a dream right now. There's no way they're seriously going to entrust any teenagers like us with an obscene amount of money on summer break and not expect us to blow through it all. There has to be a catch to this...