"The success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must ignite yourself." — Arnold H. Glasow
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"Good morning, everyone!" Hoshinomiya exclaimed, entering the classroom with enthusiasm.
"Well, as you already know, we're about to enter an important time of the semester: the sports festival. Over the next month, we'll be doing more physical activities to prepare. But most importantly, I'd like to give you a sheet that explains how everything will work and what's really at stake," concluded Hoshinomiya-sensei.
A few days ago, we were informed about the arrival of the sports festival, and while some of my classmates were excited about the event because they enjoyed these types of activities, others weren't as enthusiastic due to their limited physical abilities.
For my part, my first thought was: 'Is this another special exam?' However, since it's presented as a 'sports festival' rather than a special exam, it seems that it isn't. Remembering the explanation from the last exam, Chabashira-sensei mentioned three fundamental aspects: 'teamwork,' which was the island exam; 'thinking,' which was the zodiac exam; and now 'action,' which seems to evaluate our physical abilities.
As Sensei finished distributing the explanation sheets, I began to read them carefully.
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPORTS FESTIVAL
Class Points
The performance of your class in the sports festival will directly affect your class points. These points are crucial in determining the ranking of each class within the school. Depending on the final position in the festival, points will be awarded or deducted as follows:
1st place: The class will earn 50 class points.
2nd place: No changes (neither gain nor loss of points).
3rd place: The class will lose 50 class points.
4th place: The class will lose 100 class points. It is essential for the well-being and future of your class to avoid falling into the last places, as losing class points can affect your overall position and the resources you receive.
Private Points
In addition to class points, students who excel in the competitions can earn private points. These points are a currency within the school and can be used to buy products or services or to improve academic performance.
The rewards for individual competition positions are as follows:
1st place: 5,000 private points or the equivalent of 3 points on a written exam.
2nd place: 3,000 private points or the equivalent of 2 points on a written exam.
3rd place: 1,000 private points or the equivalent of 1 point on a written exam.
Impact on Academic Performance
Private points can also be used to improve your grades on written exams. If you choose this option, you can add extra points to your final grades. This can be key for those who need to improve their academic performance. Remember that exam points are not transferable between students.
Rules and Requirements Mandatory Participation: All students must participate in the assigned competitions. Absence or lack of participation will result in a penalty for your class.
Disqualification for Violations: Any violation of the rules or attempt to cheat will result in the disqualification of the involved student, which will negatively affect the class points.
The points earned in the sports festival vary depending on the type of competition and the position in which the students finish. Here is the breakdown:
Individual Competitions:
1st place: 15 points
2nd place: 12 points
3rd place: 10 points
4th place: 8 points
5th place and beyond: Each place loses 1 point from the previous place
Recommended Competitions:
1st place: 50 points
2nd place: 30 points
3rd place: 15 points
4th place: 10 points
5th place and beyond: 2 points are deducted for each place below 4th
Final Relay Competition: The final relay is special because the points are multiplied by three. Therefore, the points for the winners will be higher than in the other competitions
This system encourages students to do their best in all competitions, as placing well will allow them to earn more points for their team and class.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't participate in a competition? The class will be penalized and will lose points, so participation is mandatory for all students.
How much do extra points affect exams? For every private point used on an exam, you can add the equivalent to your final grade. For example, if you score 65 on an exam and use 3 private points, your new grade will be 68.
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Well, that was the information on the sheet; nothing difficult to understand. Of course, there were many more details, such as the competitions, which included events like the 100-meter dash, tug-of-war, treasure hunt, among others.
It seems that in this exam, I won't have to do much, as it doesn't require a complex strategy; it's more a matter of physical performance. So I'll focus on training my classmates more appropriately and preparing us for the recommended competitions.
"Guys, once this class is over, you'll need to go to the gym, where all the classes will be gathered. This meeting is for you to discuss and socialize with your team, in this case, the Red Team," announced Hoshinomiya.
Since the Red Team includes Class A and Class D, it seems we'll have to share a team with Ryūen's class. How tedious.
The class continued without major incidents, just waiting for it to end so we could go to the gym
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—Wow, it looks like everyone is already here —Honami said beside me as we arrived at the gym.
—Yes, I'm glad we're on the red team, especially because we'll be with the student council president —Mako commented. True, the president is in Class A, just like us.
Having more than 400 students gathered in one place was quite a commotion. Not because they were loud, but because of the sheer number of people, which made it overwhelming.
In the midst of the noise, a student stepped forward, apparently to give a speech.
—I'm Fujimaki from the third year Class A. It has been decided that I'll be in charge of the Red Team for this event —the president announced, as expected.
First, I want to give a piece of advice to the first-year students. This may seem unnecessary to some of you, but I want you to keep in mind the importance of this sports festival. The experience you gain here will definitely be useful in the future. Moreover, in future exams, there will be parts that feel like games, but each of them is a battle in which your survival in this school is at stake —he said seriously.
—You might not understand it yet and may not feel motivated at the moment. But since we're going to do it anyway, let's aim to win. Hold on to that feeling. It's something everyone should keep in mind —he seemed to want to motivate us.
The only event in which all school years will participate is the 1200-meter relay at the end. Except for that, all other events will be separated by school year. After this assembly, gather according to your school year and discuss your strategies from here on out —he concluded. Honestly, I got bored with this part and still had to deal with Ryūen. How tedious.
As my mind wandered, amid the commotion, one figure caught my attention: a beautiful girl of short stature sitting in a chair in the middle of the gym. The chair was due to her disability. She was the current leader of Class B, Sakayanagi Arisu.
Then I noticed that some upperclassmen were approaching my class, and since I didn't want to talk to them, I decided to leave them to Honami.
—Honami, take care of them —I asked, and without waiting for her response, I headed toward where Sakayanagi-san was. I had never spoken to her and was curious about her personality. Plus, I preferred to avoid dealing with the representatives of the other classes.
It didn't take long for me to be in front of her. She looked at me with a slight smile, which was very charming and perfectly suited her small face.
—Oh, if it isn't Osawa-kun, the leader of Class A. What do I owe the honor? —she said politely.
—I just wanted to talk to the leader of Class B, as I haven't had the chance before —I replied.
—I see. I also wanted to chat with you a bit; not every day you see someone as competent as you —Sakayanagi commented with a smile.
—You flatter me —I said, pleased.
—So, Osawa-kun, how do you feel about your class being in a nearly unshakable position? —Sakayanagi asked.
—I'm quite happy, since our current position is not only thanks to me but also because I have a pretty competent class —I replied.
—Certainly, your class is very good and has some competent students, but the current situation, in my view, is largely due to you —observed Sakayanagi.
—I won't deny that I played a significant role —I admitted.
—but that position won't be forever, you know? —she said, smiling, though her smile had changed and wasn't the same as before.
—Oh, don't tell me you're going to be the one to try to knock me off the top —I responded with a smile, moving a bit closer.
—Who else if not me? I don't see anyone else capable of taking the first place from you —she said with total confidence, though with a hint of arrogance.
—I see you have quite a bit of confidence in yourself, and I like that. But there's a difference between confidence and reality —I said, keeping my smile.
—Do you mean to say that I won't be able to catch up to your class? —she asked with a giggle.
—There's only one way you might be able to catch up to my class —I said, smiling, leaning in a bit closer to her face.
—And what would that be? —she said, not breaking eye contact.
—The only way the other classes could even dream of catching up to Class A is if I disappeared. If you're not capable of eliminating me, forget about surpassing my class —I said with a confident smile.
—Fufufu, you're a very interesting person, but also quite arrogant to think you can't be taken down —Sakayanagi said with a playful laugh—. But let me tell you something: even the most impregnable castle has its weaknesses. No matter how invincible you think you are, there's always a crack where an entrance can be found.
—That's true —I responded with a confident smile—. But remember, having a crack and finding it are two different things. It doesn't matter if such a crack exists or not, if the defender is astute and prepared, it will be extremely difficult to discover. My team and I have worked too hard to let any weakness be exploited. So, if you want to surpass Class A, you'll have to face much more than simple cracks.
We looked at each other for a moment, both smiling, and as neither of us had anything else to say, the conversation came to an end. I turned to return to where Honami was, who had already dealt with the other classes. However, seeing Ryūen leaving through the gym door, I noticed that things hadn't gone so well for Honami with him.
But well, it doesn't matter much. Whether useful or not, the outcome won't change.