A bet of 50,000 points.
The moment those words left Kure Ragna's lips, the entire Class D erupted in shock.
Fifty thousand points—an astronomical sum for most students. Some barely had half of that, while others didn't even have close to it.
Take Hideo Utsumura, for example. Nicknamed "Doctor," he had blown 180,000 points on a laptop the moment he received his student ID. Now, he was practically broke, just scraping by until next month's points arrived.
"Fifty thousand points…"
Yamauchi clicked his tongue. Even he couldn't help but be tempted by the sheer amount.
But there was no point in fantasizing.
For one, Kouenji had no intention of competing against him.
And even if he did, the outcome was painfully obvious.
The warm-up had already made that clear.
To impress the girls, Ike Kanji had sprinted into the pool the second the whistle blew. Kouenji, on the other hand, hadn't even moved. He stood still, as if completely uninterested.
Then, just as Ike reached a third of the way, Kouenji leisurely stepped into the water. With only a few effortless strokes, he overtook Ike and reached the finish line while Ike was barely two-thirds through.
The gap in skill was undeniable.
Competing would be nothing more than handing over free points.
Even so, was a bet of this size even allowed?
That thought lingered in everyone's minds as they turned to the PE teacher for confirmation.
"Teacher… is this kind of bet really allowed?" A girl hesitantly raised her hand.
"Of course it is!"
The teacher's booming voice silenced all doubts.
"As they say, school is a microcosm of society. Here, as long as it's within legal boundaries, students are free to make contracts or bets. However, a teacher must be present as a notary. If no teacher is available, a written contract signed by both parties is required."
He then turned to the two involved.
"So, to confirm: The two of you will have a 50-meter swimming race. The loser will pay 50,000 personal points, and the winner will have no objections. Is that correct?"
Naturally, neither of them had any objections. This was merely a formality.
"I've already been asked multiple times." Kouenji flicked his golden hair back, smiling smugly. "And my answer remains the same—I accept."
"I can't stop him from giving me free points," Kure Ragna shrugged. "Fine, I accept."
"Very well—the bet is officially established!"
With a dramatic sweep of his arm, the PE teacher made it sound as if he were announcing the final battle of a grand tournament.
Two minutes later, the girls' swimming events began. As the first whistle blew, five girls dived into the water, cutting through the surface like flying fish.
In the waiting area, a large group of boys cheered, enjoying the view.
The PE teacher had deliberately placed Kure Ragna vs. Kouenji Rokusuke as the final match, treating it as the grand spectacle. Neither competitor objected.
Well, at least one of them didn't.
Kouenji was already stretching and warming up, fully preparing himself.
Kure Ragna, on the other hand, simply sat to the side, watching.
"What's wrong, Ragna of the Kure Clan? Won't you join me in a beautiful warm-up?"
"No need." Kure rested his chin on his hand, his gaze drifting toward the pool.
To him, warming up was unnecessary.
Thanks to the Kure Clan's rigorous training, every member could operate at full power the moment they woke up. Even if someone were to shake him awake in the dead of night, he could still perform at 90% efficiency.
"Warming up is a waste of time," he added.
"Oh, by the way, just to mention—I'm not exactly an expert in swimming. If you're expecting some kind of refined technique, you'll be disappointed."
"Hahaha~ How could I be?" Kouenji laughed heartily.
"Swimming is merely the medium. What I seek is the thrill of comparing myself to a warrior of the Kure Clan!"
He spoke with absolute arrogance, but Kure Ragna merely responded with a lazy, "Oh?"
"If that's what you're expecting, I think you'll be let down."
Kouenji raised an intrigued brow.
"And why's that?"
"Because—"
Kure Ragna finally turned to face him, just as a beam of sunlight streamed through the high ventilation window. The golden light illuminated half his face, casting a sharp contrast against his black-and-white eyes.
"If you're waiting to see me go all out, you're dreaming."
"That's never going to happen."
"…"
As they spoke, the third round of the girls' races came to an end.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the waiting area, Kei Karuizawa sat alone, wrapped in a coat.
A slim figure in a swimsuit approached and sat down beside her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Kei, how's your body? You feeling okay?"
Kei, lost in thought, looked up at the familiar voice. She hesitated for a second before forcing a small smile.
"I'm fine. Feeling a little better now… though I might get a headache if I get too close to the pool."
Shinohara sighed, leaning in slightly.
"You know, you could just say you don't like swimming instead of making up excuses."
Kei didn't reply. Instead, she pulled the coat tighter around herself and looked away.
Shinohara followed her gaze, her eyes landing on Kure Ragna.
"You've been watching him for a while now," she noted.
Kei tensed. "So?"
Shinohara smirked. "I just think it's funny. You've been acting different ever since you met Kure Ragna."
"Different how?"
"More… interested."
Kei scoffed. "Interested? In what?"
"In him."
Shinohara grinned as Kei's face twitched.
"Sounds like you actually respect him."
Kei's fingers dug slightly into her coat. She didn't answer immediately.
Respect.
That word felt strange.
It wasn't like she admired him or anything. Kure Ragna wasn't some heroic figure or someone she looked up to.
And yet…
"He's just… different from the rest," she admitted quietly.
"Different how?"
Kei's grip on her coat loosened.
"He doesn't care about status or appearances. He doesn't suck up to people or try to be liked. And no matter what, he's always calm—like nothing fazes him."
Shinohara listened silently.
"Most guys are either desperate for attention or completely clueless. Kure Ragna… is neither." Kei exhaled. "He does what he wants, and he's strong enough to back it up. It's kinda… unfair."
Shinohara chuckled. "Unfair? Why? You sound jealous."
Kei shook her head. "It's not like that. It's just… I don't get him."
Shinohara smirked.
"Alright, then let me ask you—who do you think is going to win? Kouenji or Kure Ragna?"
Kei didn't even hesitate.
"Kure Ragna."
Shinohara raised an eyebrow. "That confident?"
Kei nodded. "Yeah. Kouenji's strong, no doubt. But Kure Ragna... he's something else entirely."
Shinohara gave her a knowing look.
"You've really been watching him closely, huh?"
Kei scoffed, turning away.
"Shut up."