Chapter 297: Sports Festival 2

However, among all the events available, there are two things that the entire population of Fortress City 085 is most looking forward to—the student battles from each grade level and the class competitions from various levels.

The student battles have always been the center of attention, where each participant fights with all their strength to prove who is the strongest. There is nothing more exciting than witnessing fierce duels between those with extraordinary talent.

On the other hand, the class competitions place more emphasis on strategy and teamwork. Although not as intense as individual battles, these matches remain one of the favorite events, especially since many classes bring surprises and unique tactics to achieve victory.

However, despite the Sports Festival being a spirited and cheering event, there is one person who is completely uninterested in all of it.

Haruto.

At the moment, Haruto is sitting in a fairly spacious room, surrounded by several other people. Haruto's eyes look heavy, indicating that he hasn't gotten enough sleep. His expression is filled with boredom, his lips pouting in annoyance, and his head slightly bowed, as if trying to resist the drowsiness that keeps attacking him.

The room is filled with the sound of quiet whispers. The other students seem to be whispering to each other, occasionally glancing at Haruto with curious looks.

"Hey, isn't that guy one of the top scorers in the Semester Exam for second-year students?" whispered one man, glancing briefly at Haruto.

"Ah, really?" another man chimed in softly, his tone sounding somewhat anxious. "Doesn't that mean we're going to face a very strong senior?"

"I'm not sure," replied the first man dismissively. "After all, he's just an ordinary guy, without any Anomalies or Abnormals."

Haruto heard everything.

Even though they were speaking in hushed tones, Haruto's sharp ears caught every word without difficulty. He let out a long sigh, his eyes staring blankly at the wall, as if trying to ignore their chatter.

Haruto was used to it.

Such remarks had been heard by Haruto for a long time. For him, hearing others belittle him was nothing new.

Yet, still, all of this felt exhausting.

Haruto closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his mind. Then, slowly, his memory drifted back to a little while ago…

...

...

...

In a spacious room with clean white walls and a large blackboard at the front, all the second-year students from Class A gathered. The atmosphere in the room was quite lively, yet still controlled. Some students sat casually, while others stood with their arms crossed, waiting for directions from their teacher.

Today was an important meeting—they had to determine the events and competitions they would participate in during the Academy's Sports Festival.

At the front of the room, a woman with long green hair neatly tied back stood calmly, displaying a cheerful smile. She wore a short-sleeved green dress, complemented by a dark green jacket that completed her appearance. The woman was Lina, their homeroom teacher. With a cheerful expression, Lina looked at her students. Although known as a strict figure, Lina also had a great deal of care for her students.

Without waiting any longer, Lina began to speak in a clear and steady voice.

"The events for the Third Semester Even Exam and the Fourth Semester Odd Exam will be class battles. For the Third Semester Even Exam, you will participate in the Flag Stealing Exam. You will remain in the same groups as during the Third Semester Odd Exam, three months ago."

Some students exchanged glances. Some of them seemed satisfied with their groups, while others let out soft sighs—perhaps feeling less compatible with their previous group members.