Classroom of the Elite: Crimson Usurper (V5-V11.5)

(V5) Chapter 3.2

THE hurdle race came next. It was like the 100-meter dash in that it was based on speed. However, you also needed to clear hurdles while running. If you knocked down or touched a hurdle, your time was penalized. If you knocked the hurdle down, the penalty was 0.5 seconds. If you only touched it, 0.3 seconds. There were ten hurdles in all, placed at ten-meter intervals. If you knocked them all down, you'd have five seconds added to your time. It'd be all over. Which was why I had to be careful. 

Sudou was starting in this competition's final group. "If you guys place last, I'm gonna slap you." he said to us. He probably doesn't think I'm unathletic, but he doesn't want me to do horrendous.

"Dude, what kinda tyrant are you?"

The race started and I was behind Shibata and Sudou. I was still running at moderate speed, which makes me look fast, though compared to them two, not really.

Shibata and Sudou though, did seem to look like rivals to each other. Though they're on the same team, it's probably their competitive spirit. 

Shibata had come in first without much difficulty, like Ichinose, his leadership qualities made others rally around him. If Shibata kept this up, Sudou's goal of being first out of every student across every grade level would become a distant dream.

After the rally dispersed, I saw him walking to Sudou. I wonder what'll go down.

"YO! Sudou man!" He yelled as he walked towards him. Sudou looked back curiously.

"What?"

"Good job at the hurdle race, though of course I won. Heh..."

"What!? You want to mess with me or somethin'?" He glared.

"Nah. I just want to make a competition between us, don't ya think?"

"Shibata-kun, just stop." Mako busted in the conversation. "A competition on the same team isn't good, you know? Why not we uplift each other." She smiled after looking back to Ichinose who was looking but it seemed kind of forced. Ichinose probably made her do that. 

"... I wanna see you two fight." She whispered. "Though not like, a fist fight or anything."

"See! Even Mako-chan has some competitive spirit!" Shibata exclaimed.

"Shibata-kun, it wouldn't be a good idea to do such a thing. We're in here for win for the White Team." Hirata said his opinion.

"Oh come on dude! It's just some fun little competition!"

"What will it be about?"

"Who gets the be the MVP."

Sudou immediately has a competitive aura around him

"MVP huh!? Let's do it! Don't come crying to me when ya' lose!"

"But..."

"Hirata, it's fine."

Yet another person chimed in, it was Kanzaki.

"Competition is one of the reasons why humanity advanced quickly. With this, they will actively try their hardest to win all the events they're in. Of course, there was already competition being the Red Team, but this intensifies it more. Wouldn't you say?"

Hirata was convinced by his reasoning, "Well Kanzaki-kun. As long as no fights break out, I'm fine with it."

"Next up is the fourth group. Please get ready." said the referee.

Me and Ayanokouji got into the same lanes as before and saw Kanzaki standing in the second lane.

When the signal came, I started running at the same, moderate speed as before. Kanzaki and Ayanokouji overtook me, and soon I ended up winning fourth place. There were a lot of variables to consider, but for better or worse, I'd been able to maintain my deceptive position. I walked back to camp.