Time: 1:00 PM.

  Location: The deck of the luxury cruise ship.

  All 159 first-year students had gathered in an exceptionally rare full turnout, either standing or sitting, their attention fixed on the four-sectioned pying field at the center.

  Mashima Tomonari sighed silently.

  He couldn’t understand why, out of all four homeroom teachers, he was the one dragged over by Uesugi Gen to act as the referee for this absurd first-year spectacle. Did he just look the most like an overworked corporate drone?

  Annoyed as he was, he would still do his job properly.

  Scanning the students on the field, he confirmed the presence of all participants before announcing the rules.

  "Each css starts with one ball and may target any opponent. Getting hit results in a deduction of 150,000 points, which will be added to the thrower’s total. Catching the ball does not grant a reward. Pyers eliminated upon reaching zero points are removed from the exam. Any questions?"

  "…"

  The students remained silent.

  "Very well. The match begins at the first whistle."

  C-Css’s delinquent leader, Ryūen Kakeru, gripped the ball tightly, analyzing the field.

  Css A: 11 students.Css B: 6 students.Css C: 8 students.Css D: 9 students.

  C-Css was surrounded by A and B, with D positioned diagonally across. Strategically, attacking A-Css made the most sen—

  "Fweeeet!"

  Before his brain could finalize its decision, his body had already reacted on instinct.

  "Die, Uesugi, you bastard!" Ryūen roared.

  "Die, you second-rate redhead delinquent!" Uesugi shot back.

  (Simultaneously…)

  "Katsuragi Kōhei: Suffer the consequences, Ryūen!"

  "Horikita Suzune: Take this, Ryūen!"

  The moment Ryūen let go of his throw, he saw three balls hurling toward him.

  BANG! THUMP! SMACK!

  Ryūen Kakeru: -150,000, -150,000, -150,000.

  Triple hit—direct impact!

  The surrounding students erupted into cheers, as if celebrating a festival.

  "That was amazing, Uesugi-kun!"

  "Do it again, Katsuragi!"

  "Horikita-san, that was incredible!"

  "Goddamn it! Have all three of your csses secretly teamed up?!"

  Ryūen shook off the impact, pnting his hands on the ground and slowly pushing himself back up, his voice ced with frustration.

  Uesugi casually tossed the ball Ryūen had thrown at him in his hands, responding in a serious tone.

  "Ryūen… Have you considered the possibility that we haven’t teamed up, and you’re just really annoying?"

  "That doesn’t matter."

  Ryūen smirked wildly. "What does matter is that now… I have three chances to counterattack!"

  Watching Ryūen’s btant intent to target him, Uesugi sighed.

  "You know, staring at me like that isn’t good for you. Wasn’t your original goal to reach Css A? You’re seriously straying from your target."

  "That’s irrelevant. Albert, Ish—"

  Ryūen’s expression suddenly darkened.

  Ishizaki… wasn’t here anymore. He had been eliminated earlier after saving Ryūen, forced out by Css A’s relentless targeting.

  But Ryūen quickly snapped back into action. He tossed another ball toward Komiya.

  "Komiya!"

  "You guys just taught me something valuable—throwing three balls at once significantly increases the hit rate."

  He turned to the two students beside him.

  "Follow my lead."

  "OK, boss!"

  "Got it, Ryūen-aniki!"

  Kanzaki Ryūji and Shibata Sō exchanged gnces before stepping in front of Uesugi.

  "Now that we know your pn, there’s no way we’ll let you succeed."

  "Then bring it on!"

  Ryūen’s voice was dripping with arrogance.

  "Let’s see who’s faster. If I miss Uesugi, hitting you guys is fine too!"

  Before he even finished speaking, Ryūen’s arm swung forward—

  It’s coming!

  B-Css tensed, their muscles coiling, eyes locked onto the movement of C-Css’s throws.

  But—

  Just as Ryūen appeared to aim for B-Css, he suddenly twisted mid-motion, flinging his ball straight toward A-Css!

  The two students beside him followed suit, sending their throws at A-Css as well.

  "Eliminating excess pyers comes first, doesn’t it?"

  Ryūen cackled, watching his attack nd.

  Bald-headed Katsuragi Kōhei reacted quickly, waving his arm.

  "Danger! Scatter—we’re his real target!"

  But it was too te. Ryūen had deliberately thrown toward a dense group of students, ensuring at least someone would get hit. And with three balls in py—

  A-Css: -150,000, -300,000.

  One student was struck once. Another was hit twice.

  Both were eliminated.

  But!

  At that moment, the entire crowd’s attention wasn’t on A-Css.

  All eyes were on D-Css.

  A single ball slowly rolled off the back of Horikita’s head.

  Horikita Suzune: -150,000.

  Horikita turned around, a vein visibly twitching on her forehead.

  Her small fists clenched as she fought to suppress her rising fury.

  Her eyes locked onto a very guilty-looking Uesugi.

  "…Were you aiming for me?"

  "Ahem…"

  Uesugi took two cautious steps back, clearing his throat to ease his obvious awkwardness.

  "I meant to throw at Katsuragi, but you, uh… kind of just popped up in the way. What a coincidence! So, you see—this is all Ryūen’s fault."

  Since Css B and D were positioned next to each other, and A-Css was diagonally across, any throws toward A-Css had to pass through D-Css’s zone.

  So technically, hitting a D-Css student wasn’t completely impusible.

  But Horikita clearly wasn’t buying that excuse.

  Without a word, she picked up the ball from the ground and cradled it in her palm, gathering momentum…

  The students of B-Css immediately stepped aside, clearing the path in front of Uesugi.

  "Wait, wait, wait! Horikita-san, let’s talk this out! We’re friends, friends!"

  Uesugi frantically backpedaled, waving his hands.

  Meanwhile, Kushida standing on the sidelines was enthusiastically cpping, as if cheering Horikita on.

  Though in her heart, she was chanting, Do it! Hit him again!

  "Then go…"

  Horikita’s slender arms stretched, her body twisting with a fluid grace.

  Her long legs shifted, generating power from her core as she hurled the ball with deadly precision.

  "…Expin that to your friend!"

  WARNING: THIS BALL IS DANGEROUS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CATCH IT.

  Uesugi’s instincts screamed.

  There was too much killing intent in that throw. If he dodged normally, she’d just come after him again.

  There was no other choice.

  Uesugi clenched his teeth and activated his exclusive skill—

  "Sacrificial Shield!"

  Quickly selecting a B-Css student to block for him—

  …Wait.

  ERROR: Selection failed. Target out of range.

  Uesugi turned his head.

  His cssmates… had already fled to the farthest edge of the field, watching with guilty expressions.

  Damn it! Have they learned to counter my strategy?!

  If so, there was only one option left.

  He would have to use the ancient technique passed down through generations!

  "[Iron Fortress]!"

  Uesugi pnted his feet firmly, braced his body, and decred with confidence—

  "I will catch this head-on!"

  Then—

  THWACK!

  Uesugi was sent flying by the impact.

  Uesugi Gen: -150,000.