Like it or not, you were in time for judgment. The council has finished its preparatory stage and began the execution. The assembly in charge included Ichinose Yui the president, Azuma Hiyori and Hinode Hiryu as vice president, and Hirawa Saki as their trusted secretary.
"I suggest we look into the top rankers first. Since our rankings would change dramatically, a detailed view of everyone won't be necessary."
"Good, Hiyori-san. Compile the scores into one file and look for only interesting figures."
"Figures?"
"Someone who catches your eye or stands out. In any case, there shouldn't be many," I spoke in place of Ichinose.
"I already did that. Except for the number two we already discussed, only the number three is interesting."
"Which is why you asked since 'figures' is plural."
"Correct."
The more I interacted with Azuma, the more surprised I got. My first impression of her was a gentle angel who became our "mother," and it hasn't changed since. I just didn't expect that she was such a sharp-witted and know-it-all girl.
"We still don't know Otogi's grades. I want to take a look at how close she is to catching up to me."
"Pulling up Otogi Shikimi's score."
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[Class 1-C - Otogi Shikimi]
[Evaluation (as of April)]
[x4] [Combat Prowess: A- (85)]
[x3] [Adaptability: A- (85)]
[x3] [Tactical Acumen: A (89)]
[x2] [Intelligence Gathering: A+ (96)]
[x2] [Leadership: C (50)]
[Communication: C- (45)]
[Discipline: C+ (57)]
[Charisma: A+ (99)]
[Academics: B (74)]
[Final Grade: B+ (79.4)]
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[Analysis Summary - Otogi Shikimi]
[Strength]
» A strong base in the art of combat.
» Able to adapt to almost all situations and handle them outstandingly.
» Quick-witted and cunning in negotiations. She can turn anything in her favor with words alone.
» Ruthless and fearless.
[Limitation]
» Unable to cooperate with anybody. Likes to do everything alone.
» Fighting style is overly chaotic and dangerous to teammates.
» Can't control her emotions in battle and discussions.
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"She's the female version of you!" Saki exclaimed.
"Exactly. Poor leadership and communication skills, but excellent at everything else. Your superior combat abilities put you on top for now. She can snatch that first place if you're careless. In any case, she is a threat if the academy hosts class competitions."
"You did this analysis?" I asked.
"I had time to do some scouting work, so I figured why not. I found out there are videos of our performance in the provisional exam and wrote these. There's one for you too, do you want to see it?"
"Our Hiyori is so impressive!" Saki's eyes sparkled.
She and I were two sides of the same coin. Maybe that was why Otogi found me interesting and wanted to make me her sparring partner. I wanted to see her potential with my own eyes anyway. Words wouldn't be enough.
"Give it to me then. Privately."
"Alright... Here. As a gift, I attached your highlights and lowlights from the exam under my analysis. I selected and edited them myself."
"You sure love being meticulous. I'm grateful for you doing this, Azuma."
"It's nothing. You're our superstar, after all. We should cater to the best of your needs so that you can improve faster."
"You can count on me. I'll use everything you give to improve."
Azuma nodded satisfactorily. Having her by my side would help my growth tremendously, and as a bonus, her scouting ability would give me an advantage over many opponents. She was valuable in almost every aspect.
"I'll continue," Azuma reached the remote and pressed some buttons. "Here are videos of Otogi Shikimi fighting both monsters and people."
I watched in awe how Otogi used two daggers and swiftly massacred everything in her way.
"As you can see, she's extremely quick. Her footwork, flexibility, and body control are all amazing. Performing those twists and turns is no easy feat, and her opponents should be wary of that."
"Trying to hit the vital points, I see. She's formidable," I spoke up.
"How did you notice that?"
"Simple. Her attacks seem chaotic on the surface, but they're actually predictable since she repeatedly hits the same spots. She uses her speed to cover that up, but people with trained eyes will notice it immediately."
"Even with trained eyes, you can't possibly react to her speed and still lose anyway," Ichinose said.
"Exactly. Humans have many pressure points and without being a Repulsor, you're practically defenseless against Otogi," Azuma sighed heavily.
She was formidable for sure, but the question was, could I take her on? I was confident in my abilities, but our fighting styles were different.
I used a katana, which meant I had longer reach but more restricted mobility. She used daggers, meaning her range was short, but she could compensate for that with her speed, which was her greatest strength.
"You think I could beat her?" I asked.
"I'd say you have a 92% chance of defeating her," Azuma spoke confidently.
"How so? What about that 8%?"
"The only scenario that could determine her win is when you get caught off guard at the beginning. Against a strong opponent like you, the element of surprise is her only trump card because once you get used to her speed, her loss would already be set in stone."
"Change it to 100% then. I already got caught off guard once by her."
"What do you mean? When?" Ichinose asked in surprise and got her ears perked up.
"Remember when all of you left me alone to pay for my hoodie? Otogi saw and approached me, asking if I was the number one guy. We conversed provocatively for a bit when she suddenly kicked me out of nowhere, but I blocked it."
"Didn't you say you went to the bathroom?"
"I lied. I didn't feel the need to tell the story."
Also, I didn't want Saki to hear it because of the eruption that always occurred after.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner!? I'll kick the head off of this bi-!"
I quickly covered Saki's unfiltered mouth before she could say anything else.
"Relax. We made peace and exchanged numbers. Besides, it's not like you can beat her anyway."
"Mmmm-"
Looking at her struggling to get her words out was funny. It was as if she was humming a tune, a very bad one at that.
"Stop licking my hand and I'll let you go."
Azuma and Ichinose seemed helpless in front of our banter, again. Anyone would be if they saw this every day, and it has only been the second day at school. I wondered if they could survive until the end of the year.
Saki calmed down, so I pulled back my hand. I stood up and went to the sink to wash my saliva-covered palm.
"Tch. Why does she want your number? Is she into you or something? Not that it matters, but why would you give your number so easily?" Saki asked a barrage of questions.
I smiled in helplessness. Saki was always protective of me, so if anyone tried to hurt me, she would fly off the handle.
"She said she wanted to be my sparring partner, so I agreed."
"W-what? But I'm supposed to be your sparring partner."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. You're my student. Get a win or two then I'll consider."
"Just you wait," Saki puffed her cheeks and furrowed her brows. She crossed her arms and sat uptight, showing that she was serious about this.
"What should I do with these two kids..." Azuma mumbled under her breath. Her mothering sense was kicking in, and I totally understood that sometimes we could be a nuisance.
However, that was what I loved about us. We could have harmless banter right after a serious conversation, and it wouldn't feel wrong at all.
"Are you guys done? I'll play some of Otogi's lowlights now."
Just as we were back watching videos of Otogi fighting tooth and nail, I got a text message.
[u free?]