Seiren tried to hide his surprise and keep as threatening an expression as possible when he heard the words ‘Class Battle’ come out of Hock’s mouth.
He looked at Hikaru, realizing his rival was making every possible effort to maintain a rigid look after he heard that as well, the duo’s attention being returned to Ulura’ thugs then.
(Yuki) ‘-A class battle? What is that?’
(Graid) ‘-Special events organized toward the end of every school year in Sunbird. All the students from two selected classes clash in an all-out battle where they can use a 100% deva output. The event is closely monitored and the information gathered from it is sent to the military and other institutions. It’s sort of a demonstration of the level of preparedness of deviants in training to fight other deviants.’
(Hock) ‘-And no classes have yet been selected for the event this year.’
(Hikaru) ‘-The headmaster and the teachers select the classes to participate.’
(Gorudora) ‘-That’s right, but it’s clear they’ll choose our two classes. The longer our conflict remains unresolved, the longer the situation within the school will remain unstable.
We’ll fight you anyway but the students and the Sunbird grounds will be spared if the fight is taken elsewhere and concluded within a day rather than this becoming a prolonged affair. Lawell and the teachers will definitely see the wisdom in that and choose us to face each other.’
(Seiren) ‘-You can’t know that for sure until an official order is issued. And even if they issue an order, our class teacher can still reject the challenge.’
(Hock) ‘-He could. Do you think that’s the right choice, though? I thought you wanted to protect Sunbird at all costs. The most effective way to stop us is this. To prove to everyone your class is better than ours as a whole. The display between Yuki and Ulura wasn’t enough. It was just the beginning. Now we have to end it. Or maybe you don’t want to face us in the field because you’re afraid of the humiliation you’ll suffer against us?’
The bastards were provoking Hikaru and Seiren and weren’t even trying to hide it. Just like Hock and Gorudora were presenting the challenge on behalf of their class, Summerbolt and Blackscale could accept as representatives of their own. Their classmates could contest their decision but knowing those hot heads as well as he did, the pervert was certain they would all be in favor of battling Ulura’s class. Except maybe Exo.
The persistence of the villains to make Hikaru and Seiren accept made it evident that they had something planned. Therefore agreeing to a Class Battle wasn’t the best way to go about things because the duo’s class would lose all their advantage if they had any to begin with. Shying away from a fight wasn’t Blackscale’s style either, though, so he didn’t know what to do.
His hopes were that after that talk about trying to become a good leader and a pillar of stability at the bar earlier, Hikaru would reject the challenge while Seiren could still resist the urge to accept.
(Hikaru) ‘-We accept the challenge.’
The golden-haired teenager twisted his neck with such a speed to turn his head to his rival that if he had gone any faster, some bones would’ve been broken from the abruptness of the movement, noticing Yuki and Graid looked just as shocked by the mad bolt’s words.
This made Hock’s atrocious smile even wider and more unbearable to look at because of the sense of triumph it exuded.
(Hock) ‘-That’s more like it! We’ll be taking our leave, then. (he waved with his hand as he and Gorudora turned their backs to the quartet) Have a nice night and wait for news on the date of your doom!’
Seiren, Yuki and Graid hardly seemed to notice the high-school thugs leaving because their eyes remained fixed on the spiky-haired teenager, his rival speaking first.
(Seiren) ‘-Are you out of your fu**ing mind? I would’ve been expected to accept the challenge, but not you!!’
(Hikaru) ‘-I didn’t hear you protesting against my decision, Blackscale.’
(Seiren) ‘-I just said I was going to accept!!! I’m not the brightest, though, so I was sure your genius mind would consider not giving the bastards what they want was the better option!!’
(Hikaru) ‘-Exactly.’
(Seiren) ‘-What the hell do you even mean by that?!?!!’
(Hikaru) ‘-Do you want to fight them, Seiren?’
(Seiren) ‘-Damn right I do!’
The lightning bastard turned to the baby doll.
(Hikaru) ‘-And you, Yuki?’
(Yuki) ‘-I … I do.’
Now Seiren’s rival looked at him again.
(Hikaru) ‘-And what do you think the rest of the class will say?’
(Seiren) ‘-Probably the same.’
A confident smile formed on the young Summerbolt’s face after Seiren’s response.
(Hikaru) ‘-Then there’s your answer. This is not the best approach according to me, but it’s what the class wants. I’m not giving Ulura’s bullies what they want. I don’t care about them. I’m giving our class what they want and in doing so we’ll either go down or rise together. If we go down, maybe we’ll finally learn our lesson about not picking fights with the wrong people, which is long overdue, and will settle down. (he put his hand on Yuki’s shoulder) I’d much rather see us beat those suckers, though, and will do all I can to achieve that. If all of us work as hard as possible I’m sure we can take them down.’
Seiren honestly didn’t know in that moment if his rival was the greatest or the dumbest piece of garbage ever to walk Saiten.
He was definitely the most irritating piece of garbage, though.
Graid, who had remained quiet during the trio’s discussion, crossed his arms now, his satisfied look focused only on his nephew.
(Graid) ‘-You know your mom’s gonna chew up for this, right?’
Hikaru smiled and sighed.
(Hikaru) ‘-Definitely.’
(Graid) ‘-I’ll back you up as best as I can, kiddo. You need to live until you kick those buggers’ asses, right? (Hikaru nodded while the ultrauncle pushed him along with Yuki and Seiren toward the remains of the Octohorn Ring) Great! Now get to work!! My bar won’t repair itself!!’
*
When Seiren saw Yuki and Hikaru again on Monday, the mad bolt looked more exhausted than ever and the amnesiac – more lively than ever. While the pervert talked with the two before the first class of the day, which happened to be Biology with Tenji Line-sensei, Vega and King offered them alcohol and food to feel better, Exo examining Summerbolt’s breathing with a stethoscope, Tokura offering the baby doll his company to liven her up even more.
(Seiren) ‘-The contrast between the condition you two are in is too weird. Does it have something to do with the anniversary of the death of Hikaru’s father?’
(Yuki) ‘-No. Saturday was a day of mourning indeed, but on Sunday Saya put me and Hikaru on an extremely rigorous workout regime to prep us for the coming Class Battle. We worked out plenty this morning, too, so that’ why Hikaru’s in such a state.’
(Seiren) ‘-What’s the matter, Summerbolt? All that inspirational talk about doing everything you can to achieve your goal seems like a total lie right now.’
(Hikaru) ‘-I see … I see only death. Spare me from the pain.’
(Seiren) ‘-Exo, time of death? I just want it for my personal information before I go get a shovel to bury his worthless corpse in the schoolyard.’
(Vega) ‘-He won’t die today, Seiren! I’ll revive him with a magic drink!’
(King) ‘-You look better than ever, Yuki! Feeling good because of the great workout, I take it?’
(Yuki) ‘-It was great, King! I am so full of energy now and ready for so much more!!’
(King) ‘-It’s good that there’s at least one person in your house with the proper stamina, right Hikaru?’
(Hikaru) ‘-N-not all of us can be a superhuman like Yuki, King …’
(King) ‘-Try some of the stuff I’ve brought. It may bring you back you to life. You’re welcome to eat as well, Yu! You may feel very energetic now but you’ll need to replenish your stores for the next workout. Putting the body through great amounts of stress alone is useless without providing it with fuel to withstand the strain.’
(Tokura) ‘-And if you are ever in need of a massage to relax those tense muscles, sweet princess of pure snow, you can always turn to me.’
Annabel passed by Tokura then, slapping him on the neck with disgust.
(Annabel) ‘-As if any of the girls would let you put your hands on Yuki for a massage, Tora. She can count on us for such things!’
(Tokura) ‘-Standing between me and Yuki’s body is a death sentence, Bel. Keep at it and you’ll end up the same as Hikaru.’
Exo: ‘-I think we’re all going to end up like him very soon!’
The technogenius’ panicked scream alerted his classmates to the appearance of Tenji Line in the classroom, holding a piece of paper in his hand with a troubled look on his face.
(Tenji) ‘-So … there was an early meeting of the teacher body and the headmaster this morning. (he waved the paper in his hand above his head as he stood next to his desk) I was given this at the end of the meeting. It reads: ‘In accordance with Article 7 of Regulation No 622/45 of Barilia’s Department of Education, Sunbird High School announces that this year …’
(Random student) ‘-So are we fighting Ulura’s class or what?’
Line-sensei lifted his eyes from the paper to spread the shroud of his punitive glare over the whole room, Seiren feeling the sting of his elastic whip deva’s last attack when that glare reached him.
(Tenji) ‘-If you interrupt me while reading the order, I’ll make sure none of you are even going to be fit to face Martian Class #3 when …’
(Random student) ‘-We’ll be fighting them, then?’
Tenji let out a sigh of irritation and exhaustion, throwing the paper aside.
(Tenji) ‘-The hell with it. Yes, you will face Ulura’s class in a Class Battle.’
In that moment most members of the class let out mighty battle cries, King transforming into his giant form immediately and throwing his desk aside as he went and hugged Hikaru from one side and Exo – from the other, those two being among the few who weren’t shouting.
The main reason for that was that Summerbolt was talking to himself in quiet despair and guilt while Exo simultaneously tried to choke him with the stethoscope and screamed his lungs out in open panic.
Seiren hugged Yuki over the shoulder in the mean time, the pervert being among those who shouted loudest.
(Seiren) ‘-It’s finally here, guys!! Our first Class Battle!!!’
(King) ‘-HELL YEAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!’
(Vega) ‘-Cheers, boys and girls!!’
(Tokura) ‘-And we’ll be taking out Nightsong’s evil henchmen, so we can all consider ourselves the knights of Sunbird now!!’
(Yuki) ‘-When will the Battle take place, sensei?’
(Tenji) ‘-On the 28th, this Saturday.’
(Hikaru) ‘-Wha ...? Oh, we’re doomed. That’s fine, though. I won’t even be alive by then. Tell Blackscale I’m actually dead, so he can bury me, Exo.’
(Exo) ‘-It’s all you fault, Hikaru!! They might as well bury me next to you!! I will die on Saturday, anyway, but I want to at least be spared from all that pain!! And after I’m dead, I’ll take vengeance on you for condemning me to such fate in the afterlife!!!’
(Tenji) ‘-Hold your horses, everyone!! There’s more about the Class Battle you need to hear. (after seeing how serious their homeroom teacher looked, Seiren and his classmates fell silent, focusing their attention on him) Given recent events, the rules for the Battle have been changed a bit. Yuki and Ulura won’t be participating in it.’
