The next day, I woke up before dawn.

'It seems I haven't quite shaken off the habits from the uninhabited island exam.'

Since I didn't feel like I could sleep anymore, I got up and left my room, where I ran into Koenji.

Koenji: "Oh my, is Ayanokoji-boy also off for some morning training?"

Kiyotaka: "I woke up as a lingering effect from the uninhabited island."

Koenji: "Then why not join me? From what I can see, you possess quite a promising physique."

Kiyotaka: "Sure, I have nothing else to do, so I'll accompany you."

Koenji: "Is that so? Then follow me. I shall teach you my usual training regimen."

Kiyotaka: "Please go easy on me."

Koenji: "I doubt you require any holding back, do you?"

Kiyotaka: "I certainly don't think I can outperform you."

Koenji: "Accurate self-assessment is important, but arbitrarily setting your own limits is akin to killing human potential."

'Talking properly with Koenji is surprisingly interesting.'

Kiyotaka: "I've learned something. I feel like I understand a bit more about what I lack."

Koenji: "Then test how far you can keep up with me."

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, I'll give it my all."

After that, we headed to the training room that Koenji frequents and worked up a sweat.

In exercises where technique could compensate, I could match his performance. However, in training that relied purely on raw muscle strength, I was a step behind in every aspect.

Koenji: "Magnificent. You are the only one who can keep up with me to this extent."

Kiyotaka: "I'm honored. But as expected, you were one step ahead."

Koenji: "Naturally. My body is perfect, after all."

Kiyotaka: "By the way, when did you take notice of my muscles?"

Koenji: "During swimming class in April. I've had my eye on you since then. And indeed, you have demonstrated your strength."

Kiyotaka: "I see. So muscles and your intuition don't lie."

Koenji: "Precisely. After this, I'm heading to the pool. Will you be coming as well?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, if I've come this far, I want to see it through to the end."

Koenji: "Is that so? Then this way."

We arrived at the pool and were changing when Koenji looked at me and said, "You possess a splendid thing indeed. I must have overlooked it the previous time."

Kiyotaka: "I thought you had noticed my physique."

Koenji: "Good heavens, to think there's a high schooler in possession of an object that rivals or even surpasses my own."

The conversation that I thought had been clicking suddenly began to derail.

Koenji: "The ladies who fall for you must have it rough. I wonder just how many you have devoured by now. Their partners must be struggling greatly. I'd wager no fewer than four current partners."

Once he said that much, even I understood.

'Honestly, I'd rather not be seen through in a place like this.'

Kiyotaka: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Koenji: "Rest assured, I would never commit such a tactless act as spreading it around. Besides, I'm sure you're conducting matters with the understanding of all parties involved."

Kiyotaka: "So you've seen right through me. But you, who can discern that, must have quite a bit of experience yourself, no?"

Koenji: "Precisely. From now on, as a sign of respect and camaraderie, allow me to call you Kiyotaka-boy. You may also call me Rokusuke with affection."

Kiyotaka: "Understood, Rokusuke. I'm also glad to have found a kindred spirit."

Rokusuke: "As am I. Let us continue to maintain a good relationship."

And so, having unexpectedly hit it off with Koenji—or rather, Rokusuke—we trained by swimming and then had a competition.

I won in the crawl and breaststroke, but Rokusuke won in the butterfly and backstroke. Then, in the individual medley, it was close, but I won by a touch.

Rokusuke: "That was quite a heated fight. I would certainly like to compete with you again."

Kiyotaka: "I worked up a good sweat too. I'd definitely like to ask you again. Please invite me to train sometime."

Rokusuke: "Ah, but of course. Truly, the early bird catches the worm."

Kiyotaka: "No doubt about it."

Afterwards, sightings of the dashingly handsome man fresh from the water, Koenji Rokusuke, spread, and for some reason, I was held accountable for supervisory responsibility as the class leader. I retorted that there was no way I could control him, but since it was true that I failed to stop him from going out, I felt a slight sense of guilt.

After breakfast, since I had unusually received no invitations from the girls that day, I holed up in my room.

'Normally I only read printed books, but maybe it wouldn't hurt for a high school boy to read a manga or two. Perhaps I'll try the digital edition of that basketball manga Ken recommended the other day.'

And so, I read on silently for a while.

I received a message midway through, but since it wasn't urgent 'for me', I skillfully left it unread and ignored it.

'I see, so the protagonist is actually clumsy. Yet through synergy with his teammates' strengths, they become a strong team. Manga is quite interesting. But can one really dunk that much? To repeatedly achieve that height of a leap under this pressure must be incredibly difficult. And in the first place, it's strange that so many three-point shots are going in... or perhaps not. If I practice and memorize the sense of distance, I feel like I could eventually do it like a machine. Truly, masters are amazing.'

Having read through volume after volume like that, I came to my senses just before the discussion and hurriedly rushed out.

That day, Ryuuen spent the entire time revealing the full scope of the uninhabited island exam to Katsuragi and provoking him, but my mind was elsewhere the whole time.

Worried about me, Yuki, Honami, and even Hirata came to check on me, but when I honestly told them, "I'm too curious about the continuation of a manga to focus on the conversation," they smiled wryly and said, "So even you 'Kiyotaka-kun / Ayanokoji-kun' have moments like that," and left me alone.

After the discussion ended, I went straight back to my room and read through to the final volume in one sitting.

'The more I read, the more interesting it became. That final shot was especially intense. Now I want to play basketball with Ken.'

With that thought, I sent a message to Ken.

Kiyotaka: "I was reading that manga you recommended the other day, and now I feel like playing basketball. Let's play again when we get back to school."

Ken: "Hell yeah! But there's stuff we can do right now too, y'know."

Kiyotaka: "How so?"

Ken: "First, come to the small hall. I'll explain there. Bring your sportswear and shoes too."

Kiyotaka: "Got it."

After arriving at the small hall, I saw that Ken was already changed, so I changed as well.

However, there was nothing in the small hall that looked usable for exercise.

Kiyotaka: "What are we going to do in a place like this?"

Ken: "You read that manga, right? We're gonna do the same thing as those two."

Kiyotaka: "That simulation they do by reading each other's hands from feints and eye movements?"

Ken: "Yeah, exactly!"

Kiyotaka: "Then why did you have me bring wear and shoes?"

Ken: "Well, obviously, the closer we get to the real thing, the better the accuracy, right?"

Kiyotaka: "I see. I never even thought of actually practicing that. You've got amazing creativity."

Ken: "When it comes to basketball, anyway. So, wanna give it a shot?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, please."

After that, realizing we couldn't perform a simulation as precise as theirs, we decided to try recreating just the movements without a ball and practiced the techniques we'd seen in the manga, but...

Kiyotaka: "Your head's too high."

Ken: "Whoa, an ankle break!"

Kiyotaka: "The only one who can beat me is me."

Ken: "Irregular change of pace!?"

Just like that, I found myself able to execute the dribbling techniques with a flawless, perfect copy imitation.

Ken: "Don't tell me you can even do the Vanishing Drive..."

Kiyotaka: "No, I can't use misdirection with my gaze, so it's impossible. Now that I've started giving my all, my presence has become comparable to the Generation of Miracles. If there's an ally who can use Overflow, I might be able to do it temporarily."

Ken: "Your presence being on the level of the Generation of Miracles is seriously true..."

Kiyotaka: "I actually wanted to practice three-pointers too, but that's impossible here."

Ken, having been used as a practice target, looked somewhat pale, but I expressed my gratitude.

Kiyotaka: "Thanks for hanging out with me today. And I want to thank you again for introducing me to that manga."

Ken: "Y-yeah, I had fun too, hehe."

As I was preparing to return to my room after saying that, I heard from behind, "Did I really create such a monster?"

However, Ken isn't the kind of guy to be discouraged by something like this, so I decided to leave him be for now.

In fact, the very next day, I received a message from Ken saying, "Next time, teach me the tricks to those moves too!" But from that day on, a strange rumor began circulating around the Advanced Nurturing High School. "There's a phantom sixth man... no, one of the actual Generation of Miracles here at this school."