Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 1.5 [Dr Yukimura]

- Part 4 (Ikesugi Kaoru)

This school is full of crap.

Even back at the club recruitment festival, I could tell there was something rotten about this place. Though, even a cynical person like me gave into the temptation of 100,000 points per month.

I guess I really was like the rest of them.

Back in April, I could feel them looking down at me in the basketball club. I only joined because I like the sport, and it's the only time I'll work with other people. Otherwise, I prefer doing things by myself since other people are fake and annoying.

Everyone arrogantly keeps secrets hidden close to them, trying to live as if they've never done anything wrong. However, in E Class, where everyone was labelled as defective, the whole school knew there was something wrong with you.

It was insulting that I was lumped in the same class as them. I live honestly and never hide anything. If people talk to me, I give an honest thought or opinion. I never sugar coat anything.

Somehow, being honest wasn't enough for me to escape being in the same class as these losers. What was the defect I wasn't seeing?

My cynicism couldn't be the cause of it, as plenty of people in society are like me. They become disenchanted and hate their surroundings, because they realise how dreadful life is. I am one of these people.

Human relationships are nothing more than a joke. You are stronger when in solitude, because you rely on no one but yourself. Self-sustainability is needed in the real world, as you can't trust those with higher power.

Those with higher powers only seek to screw you over while benefitting themselves. Selfish and greedy people like them exist everywhere. You can't trust those guys. Only yourself.

Just before May came, the basketball club was deciding who'd make the cut for the 1st Year's competitive team.

The leader of the club was an A Class 3rd Year, Iwasaki Hikosaburo. He wasn't the best player, but he did have the most authority over all the other students due to his age and status, which is probably why Kawaga-sensei chose him to be the leader.

From the 1st Years, only a handful of us joined. No one else from E Class joined, which made me glad, but from the upper classes, there was Kurase Takuya, an A Class student who I had major respect for due to how good he was at the game. His middle school had won the national under-16 championships, which really proved his value in the team.

The other 1st Year A Class student in the club was Takizawa Shuu, but he was bad at basketball. An obvious beginner but was gaining skills from hanging out with Kurase.

From B Class, there was Daita Hachirou, Machida Kouta and Zayasu Bunta. Daita is a quiet guy, but he's good at the game. Machida's arrogant and cocky, but he's got the skills to back up his trash talk unfortunately. Zayasu sometimes comes, sometimes doesn't, but he's not good at the game. Has a nasty jump though, he blocks off even the senpais.

Igarashi Hayato was the only C Class student in our club. His friend Eguchi Tomohiro usually drops by to watch, but when the other guys try to convince him to join, he just refuses. Igarashi's pretty average at basketball, his strong point is stamina.

From D Class, there was three delinquents in the basketball club. Hiraoka Shouhei, who's got an advantage being large and tall. Takemoto Gentarou, who uses his size to intercept passes. Finally, there was Terasaka Soichiro, who's probably the only other 1st Year that could rival Kurase's abilities.

However, while I applaud his skills, Terasaka's abrasive and bossy. If things don't go his way, he bullies you into playing his way. Terrifying for sure. He's only nice to his classmates, but treats everyone else as under him.