Cote: Elite in Action

Competition and Conflict: A Day at School

"I guess you'll divide us into men and women, right?" asked Kobashi, one of the guys.

"That's obvious. So please, line up in groups of eight. We'll start with the girls," the professor said as several of them prepared.

Looking towards the pool, I noticed Ichinose-san in one of the lanes. For a moment, I was surprised by her bulky physique, something the uniform didn't reveal. She noticed my gaze and greeted me with a smile, which I returned.

Amikura, who was nearby, took the opportunity to make a comment.

"I caught you looking at Ichinose-san's body, little pervert," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Can you blame me?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not at all," she admitted, also enjoying the view in front of her.

After a while, it was my turn. As the professor indicated, I positioned myself in one of the lanes, ready for the race. As I adjusted my goggles, I felt the adrenaline beginning to course through my veins.

"Good luck," Kanzaki said, positioned in the lane to my left.

"Let's see if those muscles don't make you slow," Shibata commented to my right, laughing confidently. Slow? Me? They had no idea what was coming.

The professor raised his hand and gave the signal.

"Ready! Set! Go!"

As soon as I heard the signal, I pushed off strongly, diving into the water like a torpedo. The impact was refreshing, and the resistance of the water only motivated me to push harder. I felt my muscles, trained over the years, responding with precision and power to each movement.

Within seconds, I noticed I had already gained a slight advantage over the others. My arms sliced through the water with almost perfect efficiency, and my legs, driven by a powerful kick, propelled me forward. The sound of water being displaced was constant, rhythmic, almost hypnotic.

The lane next to me was empty of competitors; Shibata and Kanzaki were far behind. My body felt light, agile, almost as if I were flying rather than swimming. As I kept the pace, I felt my lead growing with each stroke, the end of the pool approaching rapidly.

The last few meters were a final push. I knew I couldn't slack off, even for a second. I took a quick breath, making sure to maintain speed, and with one last effort, stretched my arm towards the wall.

My hand touched the edge of the pool, and as I surfaced, I heard the beep of the stopwatch.

"22.57 seconds!" the professor announced, with a mix of admiration and surprise. However, the result didn't quite make me happy.

Despite finishing the 50 meters freestyle in a time that seemed impressive, much faster than anyone else, I felt that something was missing. Adrenaline still coursed through my body as I dried my face, watching the other swimmers complete the race at a considerable distance behind me.

"Incredible!" Ichinose-san exclaimed, visibly amazed by what she had just witnessed.

"That was... amazing," Himeno admitted, completely impressed by my performance.

"Damn! Are you a shark or what, brother?" Shibata said, still catching his breath, with an astonished look.

Although most present considered the time remarkable, for me, compared to my past, it was a sign that I had lost some speed. The difference was subtle but significant for someone used to performing at their peak.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was currently in the school library, preparing for our group study session before the exams. We had divided the students into large and small groups for better organization. Ichinose-san and I were in charge of the large group, while I also supervised a small group consisting of Himeno, Amikura-san, and Minamikata-san.