The Midsummer Festival 《SFIA》 Begins
♯
“Th-this is… well, quite an artistic score, isn’t it?”
Early July, after school on a certain day.
Shirayuki Himeji, who was wielding a red pen next to me, let her silvery hair sway lightly as she murmured that.
Hearing her reaction, the extravagant redhead pretending to be a refined lady—Sarasa Saionji—who’d been resting her cheek on her hand out of boredom at the seat across from me, suddenly perked up. She slammed both hands on the table and leaned forward to peek at what was in my hands.
“You’re done grading already? Let me see… Whoa.”
“Hey, you don’t have to make such an obviously disgusted face…”
“I can’t help it when you’ve got scores this tragic. English: 22 points. Math: 19 points. Japanese: 37 points. Science and history combined with the rest make a grand total of 116 points for all five subjects. If this were the real deal, you’d straight-up fail, you know?”
Sarasa narrowed her ruby-red eyes into a sharp glare, staring me down head-on as she unleashed a merciless verbal onslaught. Normally, this would spark a no-holds-barred banter battle, but with these undeniable, pitiful scores right in front of me, I’m at a clear disadvantage this time.
“You really can’t study, can you… I mean, you’ve been winning at 《Duels (Games)》 pretty consistently, so I thought your raw smarts weren’t half bad.”
“Urk… W-well, what can I do about it? Ever since transferring to this Academy Island, I’ve been dragged into so much chaos that I haven’t had a single second to study. Words, formulas—none of it’s sticking!”
“Oh? That almost sounds like you’re saying you were a diligent student back on the mainland.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Good, honesty’s a start. …Seriously, get it together, okay? It’s not like I’m holding these study sessions because I enjoy it or anything.”
Sarasa Saionji crossed her arms under her chest, tossing her red hair with a sigh laced with exasperation.
Yes—the reason why 《The Empress》, my (at least outwardly) sworn enemy, was here was none other than to tutor me. She’s got a reputation as a powerhouse in 《Duels (Games)》, but academically, she’s a genius who consistently achieves the incomprehensible feat of topping Ouka Academy’s regular exams with perfect scores. As a tutor, she’s practically unmatched.
“Still, this is tough, huh…”
I couldn’t help but lean back in my chair and stare up at the ceiling. I’m grateful they’re holding this study session for me, of course, but for someone like me—who’s got a bit of a mental block when it comes to studying—it’s not exactly a situation I can rejoice over without reservations.
“I understand how you feel. …Unfortunately, there’s no getting out of it.”
As if seeing right through my lazy thoughts, Shirayuki Himeji spoke up beside me, giving a small shake of her head. Dressed in her usual maid outfit, she peered at me with clear eyes and said in her cool, calm voice—
“The first semester finals are two weeks away… If you get a failing grade in even one subject, you’ll lose your right to participate in the big summer event.”
—A few days earlier.
“That’s the overview of the summer’s major event, codenamed 《SFIA (Sufia)》.”
Shirayuki and I had been summoned to the headmaster’s office at Eimei Private Academy, where a woman in an office suit—Natsume Ichinose—sat elegantly on a plush sofa with her legs crossed, explaining this to us.
Academy Island’s Summer Large-Scale Event 《SFIA》—it’s the name of the massive 《Duel (Game)》 that came up multiple times during last month’s 《Diascript》 fiasco I got tangled up in. Bigger than the fierce May inter-district battle 《Astral》, it’s a colossal event that impacts not just individual ranks but the school rankings too.
The reason it’s called “large-scale” lies in the event’s very format.
“The standout feature has to be the all-participant rule. Unlike 《Astral》, which handpicked competitors from each district, 《SFIA (Sufia)》 grants eligibility to all 250,000 high schoolers on Academy Island. The event’s split into five stages, a ‘survival format’ where the numbers get whittled down bit by bit.”
“Yes. And if I may humbly add to Lady Vixen’s explanation, Master, the summer event’s also famous as a stage for new students to make their mark. Most of today’s top rankers debuted during this time.”
“Heh… You’re as prickly toward me as ever, Shirayuki. Fine, I’ll counter with an extra tidbit. As I said, the summer event’s made up of multiple stages, but there’ve been three years where the roster was reduced to just one school before the final showdown, ending the event early. The winner each time? Us, Eimei Academy.”
“…I-I see.”
I was overwhelmed by the headmaster’s words, delivered with a ferocious grin. …Eimei Academy, home to the “Demon” 7-Star player, had reigned atop the school rankings for three golden years. I’d heard the stories, but their strength was clearly on another level.
(Come to think of it, didn’t Yuzu-nee say something like ‘Eimei got so strong the summer event ended in a flash’ and ’that’s why she used _《Diascript__》 to awaken high-rankers from other districts’…?_)
Crossing my arms in front of me, I quietly mulled over the sudden connection that crossed my mind.
Yuzu-nee—Shinohara Yuzuha—was the mastermind behind that 《Duel (Diascript)》. She’d posed as my childhood friend during that series of 《Duels (Games)》, only for it to turn out she was my sister, dropping a massive bombshell before leaving. The childhood friend thing was a lie. …At this rate, she might actually be the real “Demon of Eimei.”
“Heh. Well, her talent was on a whole different plane. If you or 《The Empress》 had been around back then, it might’ve been interesting… but whatever. Point is, that event’s kicking off again this year.”
Despite her short skirt, the headmaster casually recrossed her legs, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. Then, narrowing her eyes behind her glasses, she locked onto mine once more.
“Hey, Shinohara. Honestly, this event’s gonna be a real ordeal for you. After all, in 《Diascript》—the Unique Star scramble—you beat 《The Empress》 and now hold four colored stars: 【Red】【Blue】【Green】【Purple】. A Quad-Color 7-Star? There’s no record of that in the island’s entire history. Worse, 《SFIA》’s top prize is another colored star. Win this, and you’d claim a fifth color… If I were a headmaster from another district, I’d stop you by any means necessary.”
“…Yeah, figures.”
Being a 7-Star alone, or just holding colored stars, is enough to make you a target—combine both and add my knack for pissing everyone off, and I’m a walking grand slam. There’s zero reason to leave me unchecked.
“That’s exactly why I’m prepared to back you with everything I’ve got. …But there’s one big problem. Listen up, Shinohara. 《SFIA (Sufia)》 is run by the Event Committee under the Academy Island Council. It starts right as summer break begins.”
“Uh-huh… So what’s the issue?”
“There’s an issue, that’s why I’m telling you. Right as summer break starts means right after first semester finals, right? And on this Academy Island, the first week of summer is reserved as a remedial period for those who bombed their finals. …To put it bluntly, Shinohara, if you fail even one subject this time, you’re disqualified from the summer event. They call it Stage Zero (Entry Stage). Given your grades… no, you’re definitely screwed. Eimei’s finals are way tougher than that sloppy transfer exam you barely scraped through.”
“Wha…!?”
I nearly leapt out of my seat at the headmaster’s sigh-laden words. …Failing a single subject disqualifies you from the event? Is this some kind of manga plot twist!?
“W-Wait a sec, Headmaster. Is there really no way around this? Like, some headmaster-level workaround or…”
“Heh, bold of you to suggest a backroom deal outright, Shinohara. Guess that’s why even Yuzuha said your ‘scheming mind’s been sharp since forever.’ …It’s not impossible, sure. I did fudge your transfer exam a bit, after all.”
“Then—!”
“But this time’s different. As you know, all Academy Island exams are CBT—terminal-based answers and auto-grading. The system automatically sends a score list to the Event Committee to determine who passes or fails for event eligibility. I could tweak the numbers, but there’s no hiding a failing grade. You’ll have to overcome that part on your own.”
“——”
I slumped silently, head hanging at this unexpected, monumental hurdle. A loudmouth 7-Star (fake) missing a major 《Duel (Game)》 over a failing grade? That’d be humiliating. It could even unravel all my lies if someone got suspicious.
And then—
“…It’ll be alright, Master.”
The gentle voice came from Shirayuki, standing by my side. She clasped her hands elegantly in front of her, letting her silver hair sway lightly.
“Please don’t worry. I swear on my name as your dedicated maid that I won’t let you fail.”
“T-That’s so reassuring…! What’s the trick? Some undetectable cheating method?”
“I’d love to say yes—but Lady Vixen’s anti-cheating measures at Eimei are airtight. Even 《The Company (us)》 who know the system inside out can barely interfere without getting caught. …So, let’s go the honest route. From today until the exams, I’ll be your maid and tutor, guiding you step-by-step with care, okay?”
A soft, devoted, unwavering smile.
Faced with that head-on, I gave up resisting and slowly nodded—
…So that’s why I’m stuck studying after school despite how precious this time is.
The big summer event 《SFIA (Sufia)》 is two weeks away, and I need to secure my spot. For someone like me who sucks at studying, it’s a pain, but it’s not like I need top marks—just ‘avoid failing.’ There’s time, and my two tutors are brilliant. It shouldn’t be an insurmountable wall with this much help.
By the way, Sarasa being here is a mix of chance and inevitability. Last night, during a venting session over a call, the summer event came up. I jokingly mentioned the test, and she freaked out and rushed over. Her words? ‘If you fail, what does that make me, the one who lost to you…!?’
(Well, that’s fine, but…)
Getting gentle, clear guidance from Shirayuki and snarky yet freakishly good teaching from Sarasa, I偷 a glance at them. …Lately, it’s been like this. I need to focus, but the moment I let my guard down, Yuzu-nee’s words from 《Diascript》 creep back in.
‘—Hiroto, you’ve already reunited, you know? That childhood friend you’ve been searching for, your first love.’
A bombshell tossed by my sister, who loves messing with me.
Back then, my brain completely froze, but… the meaning makes sense. I met “her” after Yuzu-nee moved to Academy Island, but since she often came home during breaks, it’s not weird if she spotted us somewhere. Plus, Yuzu-nee’s got high-level access in the Academy Island Admin Department now. Pinpointing my childhood friend from memory would be child’s play for her.
If she says ‘you’ve already reunited,’ then it’s gotta be ‘someone I’ve met on this island.’ Just ‘met’ leaves a ton of possibilities, though…
(The Unique Star scramble, Second Quest, that talk on the Ferris wheel about the mainland… It might be a coincidence, but Shirayuki’s and Sarasa’s stories kinda line up with my memories.)
…Right, that’s it.
From what they said about their pasts back then, Sarasa was practically locked up studying as a kid, and Shirayuki was too shy to go outside much. And me? I used to drag a girl like that out of her house to play. The timing of when they came to Academy Island matches up too.
(So, is one of them my childhood friend? The one I’ve been searching for, my first love…?)
Once that thought took root, I couldn’t think straight anymore. Just looking at Shirayuki’s profile made my heart race. Sarasa’s pouty face seemed cuter than usual. The way Shirayuki brushed her silver hair behind her ear, or Sarasa leaning in close with those unguarded ruby eyes—
“…Master, are you listening?”
“Shinohara, are you actually paying attention?”
(Guh… Y-Yeah, I’m listening! I’m listening, but—!)
—So, well, yeah.
Needless to say, I kept getting distracted by stray thoughts after that, and my studying didn’t progress one bit.
♯
And so, about two weeks later.
The final exams, my greatest worry, were somehow overcome thanks to Shirayuki and Sarasa’s help. …Well, “overcome” might be generous—my scores hovered around 50 points in every subject. On Academy Island, where anything below 40 is a failing grade, that’s cutting it dangerously close.
At any rate, with this, the first semester’s events were all wrapped up, and Eimei Academy—no, every school on Academy Island—would enter a long break starting tomorrow.
“Well then… since the exams are safely behind us, shall we review the summer event starting next week?”
Placing a teacup in front of me with a soft clink, Shirayuki Himeji spoke in her familiar maid outfit. She set another cup beside it, whispered “Excuse me” under her breath, and then sat daintily next to me.
After lightly wetting her lips with the steaming tea, she turned to face me fully.
“《SFIA (Sufia)》—this event is the grandest summer festival on the island. It boasts around 250,000 participants. In other words, every high schooler across Academy Island’s twenty districts—or rather, everyone who didn’t fail the finals—is eligible to join.”
“You really saved me back there…”
“No, I merely did what was expected of me. The real credit goes to Rina and you, Master, for working so hard. …Anyway, moving on.”
With a gentle smile softening her expression, Shirayuki steered the slightly derailed topic back on track.
“《SFIA (Sufia)》 is a massive 250,000-player 《Duel (Game)》, so it’s not settled in a single match. The First Stage cuts it down to about 100,000, the Second Stage to 10,000, the Third Stage to 100… and so on, across five stages of 《Duels (Games)》. It’s formatted as individual battles, but the Final Stage traditionally shifts to team-based 《Duels (Games)》, so cooperation within districts is, as expected, essential.”
“Got it. So it’s individual participation but practically a team fight. And winning that Final Stage gets you a colored star, right?”
“Exactly, Master. This event offers the ‘Orange Star’… If you claim it, that’s your fifth color. Becoming a true 7-Star wouldn’t just be a pipe dream anymore.”
“Yeah… though that’s probably why the interference will be intense.”
Pausing there, I brought my right hand to my mouth to organize my thoughts.
“By the way, what about downsides—like, what happens if you drop out? If losing means your stars get taken, a lot of players might just skip it altogether.”
“An excellent deduction, Master. Because of that, the real star-staked battles don’t start until the Fourth Stage (Semifinal). The first three stages are ‘warm-ups’—even if you lose badly, your stars are safe. So high-rankers from district showdowns tend to breeze through. You won’t lose stars, but dropping out early could dent your reputation, so please be cautious.”
“…Yeah, that makes sense.”
I shrugged in agreement to her coolly delivered advice. She’s right. Even if—no, especially because I’m posing as a “7-Star,” I can’t afford to run from this.
‘But it’s not gonna be that simple, that’s for sure.’
Just then, a listless, just-woke-up voice piped up from the terminal on the table. Glancing over, I saw Kagaya-san, a member of 《The Company》, on a video chat. Probably in a corner of her home, she sat in a cramped, cluttered space in a tracksuit, her stunning looks wasted by her slouchy vibe.
Kagaya-san continued, glancing at a tablet in her hand with some documents.
‘If the rules are the same as past years, each stage’s details get announced right before they start—like, the day before. Normally that’s fine, but for you, Hiro-kyun, losing isn’t an option, right? Us big sisters have prep to do too, so we’re kinda short on wiggle room. Ideally, we’d grab an advantage in every stage.’
“Advantage?”
“Yes, Master. 《SFIA (Sufia)》 has a concept akin to an ‘upper-tier bonus’—if you rank high in the current stage, you gain an advantage for the next one. So our main strategy should be to snag every single one of these. Naturally, the method involves cheating.”
“…I see.”
I nodded slightly to Shirayuki, who let a playful smirk tug at her lips. …《SFIA》 strategy. Since it’s a survival game with rules revealed last-minute, we’d use 《The Company》’s power to cheat our way to every advantage.
“However…”
At that, Shirayuki gave her hair a slight shake.
“That said, it’s an all-participant 《Duel (Game)》, so there’s no end to unpredictable factors—seasoned veterans, rising dark horses, you name it. That’s why I think it’s about time for us in 《The Company》 to bolster our forces.”
“Bolster our forces? You mean… oh, right. Shiina.”
I murmured with a nod of realization at Shirayuki’s suggestion.
Yes—it originally came up from the headmaster, but there’s a proposal floating around to invite “Shiina” into 《The Company》. Tsumugi Shiina, the reclusive, pure-hearted, chuunibyou genius girl. She’s the one who turned the May 《Astral》 event into chaos, but her talent is undeniable.
“Honestly, skill-wise, she’s more than ready to jump in. Her shyness needs a tiny bit of work, but even with that, she’s leagues above passing muster. …The catch is, inviting Shiina-sama into 《The Company》 means we’d have to reveal some of your lies, Master.”
“Yeah, that’s the sticking point…”
I scratched my cheek with a faint sigh, my expression turning complicated.
It’s obvious when you think about it—《The Company》 is a support team formed to help me, a not-really-strong guy, masquerade as a “fake 7-Star.” Sharing my lies is a prerequisite. Shirayuki, the headmaster’s allies, and even Sarasa, my weird co-conspirator, have been in on it from the start. But revealing it to someone else—willingly, no less—would be the first “dangerous bridge” I’ve crossed since coming to this island.
“But… we don’t have to spill everything, right? Like, if we say, ‘It’s a secret group pulling strings so Shinohara Hiroto can keep ruling as a 7-Star,’ it’d still make sense. That hides the lie, and Shiina’d probably bite.”
“That might work… but wouldn’t that still leave the cheating part exposed?”
“Sure. But I don’t think she’d mind cheating itself. She went wild in 《Astral》, and she might even think ‘bad stuff = cool’ or something.”
“Hm… true. Now that you mention it, that does seem plausible.”
Shirayuki nodded, pressing a fingertip to her lips. From past experience, we know Tsumugi Shiina’s a textbook chuunibyou. A blatant secret society like 《The Company》? It’d be weirder if she didn’t love it. Plus, she doesn’t seem keen on attending high school anyway…
“…Yeah, the benefits outweigh everything else. With interference ramping up this time, it’s better to recruit her now.”
“Agreed. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one personal concern, but—”
“Concern?”
“No, it’s nothing, Master. …I’ll contact Lady Vixen right away.”
Shirayuki dropped a curious remark but brushed it off with her usual cool demeanor the next moment.
And then, about an hour later—
“W-W-Wha!? For real!? Really, really real!? Yaaay!!”
—Shiina, summoned via the headmaster, arrived at my place and, upon hearing the offer, lit up with excitement. Her black-and-crimson odd eyes sparkled as she hugged my waist with her Cerberus plushie in tow. While Shirayuki sighed faintly beside me, muttering “As expected…,” Shiina looked up at me with starry eyes and said:
“Ehehe, big brother, big brother! Thank you, I love you!!”
“Thank you? Hey, we’re the ones inviting you, y’know? You’re that into 《The Company》?”
“That too, but a secret society’s cool, cheating to win sounds fun, and it’s all awesome—but joining 《The Company》 means I get to do 《Duels》 with you, right? I don’t have to go to school or be a high schooler to join in, right? That’s why I’m so happy! …Did you maybe invite me for that reason?”
“…Nah, that’s, uh, just a coincidence.”
“Ehehe~!”
Ignoring my excuse, Shiina rubbed her head against me, and I gave up with a wry smile. …Well, it’s not like that wasn’t part of it. For a shut-in like her, the only way to join 《Duels (Games)》 is through something shady like this.
So—yeah, that’s how it went.
‘A new 《The Company》 kicks off, traded for Shirayuki-chan’s jealousy!’
With the summer festival 《SFIA (Sufia)》 looming, we gained a new ally.
♯
‘Ladies and gentlemen!! The day has finally, finally arrived, nya! July 25th, Monday—Academy Island’s Summer Large-Scale Event 《SFIA》 Opening Ceremony!! Is everyone pumped, nya!? Ready to roll, nya!? There won’t be a moment to snooze ‘til this event’s over, so brace yourselves and follow me, nya—here we go! Hosting duties fall to me, Suzuran Kazami of 《Libra》, nya!!’
“““WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”””
‘Thanks, nya! Appreciating the cheers, nya! Alrighty, it’s opening ceremony time, so let’s dive into the program, nya! First up, a rundown of the rules—let’s go, nya!!’
“““WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”””
—July 25th, Monday morning.
Shirayuki and I were having an early breakfast, watching the opening ceremony at District 1’s event hall via an Island Tube livestream.
Bouncing energetically on the screen was Suzuran Kazami, a second-year from Ouka Academy we’d crossed paths with before. A boyish girl with a baseball cap, perky side-swept hair, and a “sharp reporter” armband as her trademark. She often MCs or refs, making her more popular than some idols.
That aside, though.
“It’s finally starting, huh…”
I muttered that while savoring Shirayuki’s breakfast—today’s menu: rice, miso soup, and grilled salmon, a flawless Japanese set. It clashed with the Western mansion vibe but was insanely delicious.
Beside me, peering at the same screen, Shirayuki nodded with a sway of her hair.
“Yes. With this opening ceremony, 《SFIA》 is officially declared underway, and the First Stage begins in about two hours. The rules are as we confirmed last night, correct?”
As she spoke, Shirayuki slid her finger across the terminal. The livestream shifted aside, replaced by her handmade slide summarizing the First Stage rules.
【《SFIA (Sufia)》 First Stage—《Random Chase》】
【Each player is assigned ten terminal IDs as their “targets.”】
【These IDs are randomly selected, with the only condition being that the owners aren’t from the player’s own district. Each player’s terminal displays the real-time distance between themselves and their targets.】
【Capturing any target with your terminal’s camera is called a “capture.” Successfully performing at least one “capture” within the time limit grants advancement to the Second Stage. To prevent privacy issues, photos taken during “captures” aren’t saved.】
【As stated, 《Random Chase》 is time-limited. It runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on July 25th. One successful “capture” clears the 《Duel (Game)》. Multiple “captures”—of different targets—earn Second Stage advantages based on the number (max five). Being “captured” by others carries no penalties.】
【Only one ability may be registered.】
—That’s the gist of it.
It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt, I guess? Find a player with one of your target IDs, snap them with your camera, and you clear the 《Duel (Game)》. Getting advantages sounds tricky, but just passing the First Stage doesn’t seem too hard. With mass movement across the island, it’s got a real festival vibe compared to the May 《Astral》 event.
There, Shirayuki gazed into my eyes with her clear blue ones and spoke softly.
“As the rules state, this First Stage—《Random Chase》—isn’t capped by slots but by time. The expected clear rate is about 40%… meaning around 100,000 will pass, a moderate difficulty. Honestly, there’s little way—or point—to block others from ‘capturing’ you, so interference is near-zero. Many should clear it without elaborate plans. It might double as a check for who’s serious about participating.”
“Maybe. If you play properly, clearing seems doable—it’s like screening out the casuals. …But what about advantages?”
“Indeed. It’ll take some luck alongside ability choice… perhaps. But not for you, Master. It’s also Shiina-sama’s debut, so I say go all out and dominate.”
Shirayuki said that calmly, a faint smile hinting at amusement.
Yes—this 《Duel (Game)》 might seem mildly annoying at a glance, but with 《The Company》’s hacking cheats, it’s a breeze. Just detect the target IDs I’m chasing, track where they’re headed, and get there first. Everyone’s moving fluidly, so pinning exact destinations is impossible, but tracing a target’s target, and their target, nets high-precision info.
“By the way, is Shiina handling support solo today?”
“No. Throwing her in alone would be too much, and since she lives next to the headmaster’s office, equipment reliability’s a concern. So, she and Kagaya-san will work from this house today.”
“Uh… is that okay? Shirayuki aside, she’s never met Kagaya-san, right?”
“Correct. If it’s too much, we’ll have them coordinate via terminal. That won’t hinder your support at all… but since she’s joining us, I’d personally love for them to get along.”
“…Got it.”
Then there’s nothing to worry about.
With the rules reconfirmed, we started gearing up to head out.
♯
《SFIA (Sufia)》 First Stage—《Random Chase》. About four hours after the start.
Shirayuki and I were cruising through the 《Duel (Game)》 without a hitch.
‘Yes, got another! Um, that one was maid-sis’s target, so it’s your turn again, big brother! Hmm… mmm… got it, this way! Big brother, big brother, zoom to the right, run, run!’
‘Uh, Hiro-kyun, next is District 2. Gotta hustle or you won’t make it.’
“…District 2? The closest ID seems headed for District 15, though…”
‘Not that one, this one! This one’s gonna loop around and come like this, so it’s right! Hurry~!’
‘Hold on. Uh… oh, I see, nya. Not the one Hiro-kyun mentioned—a different player’s passing through District 2. Complex route, but yeah, they’ll cross paths.’
“Oh… gotcha, thanks!”
I tossed a quick thanks to Shiina and Kagaya-san’s voices through my earpiece.
It’s obvious at a glance—Shiina’s support was mostly working. Her calculations and analysis were amateur-level, but she had a game-like knack for reading player movements. A sensory genius, her instructions were gibberish, but Kagaya-san’s translations smoothed it out.
‘Wow, Hiro-kyun, Hiro-kyun, this kid’s amazing! She wouldn’t even look at me at first, and I was all bummed, but once I gave her the map, her eyes lit up!’
“Map?”
‘Yup, yup—an Academy Island layout with all players’ real-time locations. Usually, we’d narrow it to targets or their targets at most, but Tsum-Tsum’s tracking everything with her eyes alone. Incredible, so hardworking and super cute!’
“Cute’s got nothing to do with it.”
I shook my head at Kagaya-san’s awed muttering. …A map updating 250,000 people’s locations in real time? Making and using that is next-level insane. Thanks to it, Shirayuki and I hit the First Stage’s minimum “one capture” within 30 minutes of the 《Duel (Game)》 starting. And now, not even at the halfway mark, we’d already nabbed our third.
With the pace easing up, I glanced around the island while moving—what a festival vibe. Main streets in each district were lined with stalls, some areas even had mikoshi parading in broad daylight. Players peeked at shops between chasing targets, the bustle worthy of a grand event.
‘Munya… fwaaah~’
As I mused over that, a sleepy yawn suddenly leaked through my earpiece. I couldn’t tell whose at first, but a flustered ‘…Fue?’ from Shiina clued me in.
‘W-Wait, big sis…? Um, if you sleep now, uh, the 《Duel (Game)》 is still…’
‘Eh~? It’s fine, it’s fine, Tsum-Tsum’s cute enough to handle it solo without me. So big sis is gonna nap… zzz, zzz.’
‘!? B-Big brother, big brother! Big sis fell asleep! S-She fell asleep hugging me! W-What do I do, what do I do!?’
‘Nya~… so smooth… nice smell…’
‘ !!’
Kagaya-san’s happy sleep-talk—probably rubbing her cheek on Shiina—and Shiina’s silent panic from her shyness hit my ears at once. It felt like eavesdropping on something naughty, made worse by Shiina stifling her voice.
“Uh… hey, Shirayuki, any way to wake Kagaya-san up?”
“Let’s see… I’ll handle it.”
Shirayuki nodded after a brief thoughtful pause at my request. Brushing her hair back near her earpiece, she spoke in her cool tone.
“Shiina-sama. This is Shirayuki Himeji, Master’s dedicated maid. May I have a word?”
‘! Maid-sis…? W-What is it?’
“Yes. You see, I prepared for this possibility and stashed some 100% pure black coffee in the fridge. Just letting her smell it should wake Kagaya-san, so could you give it a try?”
‘Fridge, got it? O-Okay, sure!’
With that, I heard rustling clothes and Kagaya-san’s mumbly noises. Shiina must’ve slipped out of her grip to head to the kitchen. After a bit, I caught the patter of footsteps as she returned.
…A few seconds later.
‘Nya!? T-This eye-popping bitterness, Shirayuki-chan’s handmade coffee!?’
‘S-She’s really awake…! Thanks, maid-sis!’
“You’re welcome. Kagaya-san’s a hopeless mess normally, but she’s freakishly good when she’s actually working, so feel free to use her hard.”
‘O-Okay… Oh, and, uh…’
Shiina hesitated over the earpiece. As Shirayuki and I tilted our heads, a small sound came through—a cute “guu~” from her stomach.
‘! …N-No, no, no!’
Realizing it, Shiina launched into a frantic denial.
‘That wasn’t me, it was my familiar (Lloyd)’s stomach! I wasn’t too nervous to eat this morning ‘cause of meeting a stranger! It’s not like I got hungry ‘cause big sis seems nice or anything!’
“…Hehe, I see.”
Hearing Shiina’s excuse—or confession—Shirayuki let out a soft, warm smile. Swaying her silver hair, she said:
“Then, Shiina-sama. I know it’s meddlesome when you’re not hungry, but could you check the fridge again? I’ve prepared an omelet rice for you on the second shelf. Warm it in the microwave for two minutes and enjoy.”
‘W-Wha…!? W-What’d you just say, sis!?’
“? I said omelet rice—oh, I get it. …A tribute dyed in fresh blood.”
‘A tribute dyed in fresh blood!!’
“……”
That’s probably not what she meant, but it got through, so good enough. Shiina, already heating it up, continued in a voice so giddy I could picture her face over the earpiece.
‘Wow…! D-Did you make this, sis!? For me!?’
“Yes, of course. Shiina-sama—no, Tsumugi-san—is one of us now. This is only natural.”
‘One of us… one of us, one of us… ehehehehehehe!’
Shiina’s joy spilled out in an unrestrained flood, warming me and Shirayuki into faint smiles too.
And then—that’s when it happened.
(Hm…?)
A faint click of a shutter made me whip around reflexively. There stood an unfamiliar guy and girl, aiming their terminals at me. Noticing my gaze, they smirked and quickly slipped away.
(“Captured”…? No, but…)
Feeling a slight unease, I touched my right ear. …In this First Stage, getting “captured” by others has no penalty. But since abilities could still attack, 《The Company》 was supposed to keep watch.
To my doubt, a now-alert Kagaya-san murmured gravely:
‘Sorry, Hiro-kyun. Those two didn’t show up on 《The Company》’s scans… Probably using an ability to dodge detection.’
“An ability to dodge scans…? But that’s pointless, right?”
‘Yeah. Getting “captured” does nothing, so defense shouldn’t matter. They didn’t seem like high-rankers either… What was that about?’
“……”
Kagaya-san mused curiously, likely speaking for Shiina too, who was busy munching omelet rice.
No harm done, and since they’re gone, dwelling on it’s pointless… but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was starting to stir.
Though a faintly ominous shadow loomed partway through, in the end, the 《SFIA (Sufia)》 First Stage—《Random Chase》—was cleared with ease, thanks to Shiina and the others’ help.
By the 《Duel (Game)》’s end at 5:00 PM, both Shirayuki and I had achieved a perfect five captures. Players who maxed out Second Stage advantages like that were apparently rare enough to get a shoutout on 《Libra》’s official channel (though, of course, names like Sarasa Saionji and Kururugi popped up too).
At any rate, the 《SFIA》 First Stage concluded successfully. Out of over 250,000 participants, about 40% met the victory condition, with 98,520 advancing to the Second Stage. A digit lower, but still a range high-rankers should clear with room to spare.
And so,
“—Sorry, looks like this one’s my win.”
In the Second Stage—《Rate Radar》—I was tackling it at a steady pace too.
This Second Stage, with its rules unveiled last night, seemed deceptively simple at first glance. Buy “weapons” with in-game currency and pit their strength against other players’… but the kicker is that each weapon’s “combat power” isn’t fixed to the weapon itself—that’s the defining twist of this 《Duel (Game)》.
【《SFIA》 Second Stage—《Rate Radar》】
【Each player owns one or more “weapons.” Battles in 《Rate Radar》 are a straightforward comparison of these weapons’ “combat power.”】
【All weapons in 《Rate Radar》 are assigned one of six “types”—《Sword / Spear / Hammer / Gun / Bow / Magic》—and one of four “attributes”—《Earth / Water / Fire / Wind》. When purchasing, players choose the type and attribute (e.g., 《Fire / Spear》 or 《Wind / Bow》).】
【At the 《Duel (Game)》’s start, all weapons are equal in performance—fixed strength, uniform 10pt cost. Here, “pt” is the in-game currency for 《Rate Radar》, with each player starting at 15pt. However, capturing two or more players in the First Stage grants an extra 5pt per additional capture as an advantage.】
【Simultaneous with the Second Stage’s start, players buy an initial weapon. At this moment, each weapon’s “rarity (rate)” is determined.
Rarity (Rate): A value defining a weapon’s “uniqueness.” The fewer players own that type or attribute, the higher its rarity climbs. This rarity is the weapon’s “combat power” (rarer = stronger). Thus, combat power shifts based on the distribution of weapons across all players.】
【Weapons can be sold or bought via the terminal’s “shop” menu. However, sale/purchase prices tie to current rarity—rare (strong) weapons cost more, common (weak) ones less. For 3pt, players can check a specific weapon’s current rarity or ranking (how strong it is among all weapons).】
【As stated, battles against players from other districts compare “weapon combat power.” Both players select a weapon (one if multiple are owned), revealing its rarity at that moment, and the higher value wins. Players start with 5 points; a win adds 1, a loss deducts 1. Reaching 10 points auto-clears the 《Duel (Game)》; dropping to 0 means elimination.】
【The Second Stage—《Rate Radar》—is quota-based, ending forcibly once 10,000 pass. If this isn’t met by 5:00 PM, the 《Duel (Game)》 pauses and restarts at 9:00 AM the next day. The first 100 to clear early gain a Third Stage advantage.】
【Up to three abilities may be registered.】
…And that’s that.
In a nutshell, it’s a 《Duel (Game)》 themed around “multiplayer push-and-pull,” maybe? You gauge if your weapon’s strong or weak based on others’ battles and ally info, then pick winnable fights. If your weapon’s weak, you swap it out—but strong ones are pricey. Weak, low-rarity weapons might rise in value if others ditch them too.
“Hm…”
It’s… a sharp jump in strategy compared to the First Stage’s 《Random Chase》. You could manipulate rarity by having a whole district buy or drop the same weapon, and the shop even lets you “sell points,” enabling a literal life-or-death playstyle.
That’s why the standard approach is likely using abilities to check rarity or teaming up to tweak it. The catch? That’s too cautious. It stabilizes win rates but lacks speed. To snag a Third Stage advantage, “guaranteed wins” aren’t enough.
Thus—
“Good work, Master. …As expected, attributeless weapons are the strongest.”
—Right.
In this 《Rate Radar》, my core strategy hinged on the special ability 《Erasure》. It nullifies one piece of data—used twice, it strips my weapon of both “type” and “attribute,” creating a unique 《None / None》 weapon. Naturally, its rarity rockets to the top.
Of course, this is normally impossible—an outright cheat. Weapon types and attributes are critical rule-bound data, untouchable under fair play. 《The Company》’s hacking forced it through, and I masked the weapon name and combat power with 《†Jet-Black Wings†》’ haze.
Recalling that strategy, I nodded back to Shirayuki’s words.
“Yeah. That last fight makes four wins… My points are at 9, so one more’s the finish line. No one’s cleared yet from what I’ve heard, so we’re on track for another advantage.”
“Indeed. At this rate, we might enjoy lunch at home in peace.”
To my faintly relieved mutter, Shirayuki glanced at the terminal’s clock before replying. It’s about 11:42 now. A blistering pace, but better to wrap it up calmly than rush.
“—Whoa!? S-Shinohara Hiroto!?”
So, on my way to the station, I challenged a player I’d nabbed. He goggled, recognizing me as Academy Island’s strongest, but grinned confidently and pulled out his terminal. “You’ll regret talking to me!” he boasted, activating some ability.
‘Yup, yup, yuuup! Ready, big brother? Uh, the guy’s using a 《Wicked Flame》 Flamesword—no, a 《Fire / Sword》 weapon! He’s juiced up its rarity a ton, but it can’t touch attributeless, so you’re golden! You’ve totally got this!’
(…Got it.)
Hearing Shiina’s cheer—or commentary?—through my earpiece, I picked my attributeless weapon and ended the fight in a flash. That’s my fifth win, hitting the “10 points” victory condition. Exact ranking awaits 《Libra》’s announcement, but missing the top 100 (advantage) seems unlikely.
That’s what I thought—at that very moment.
“—Shinohara-senpai, right?”
“Hm?”
A voice from behind made me turn slowly, on guard.
Standing there was an unfamiliar girl. She wore Eimei’s uniform, and her slightly youthful features and address suggested she’s a first-year. What stood out most was her sleek black hair, flowing past her waist nearly to her thighs. Poised and upright, she was breathtakingly beautiful. With her straight-set lips and serious demeanor, she gave off a class-rep vibe.
“Uh…”
As I mulled that over, she hugged herself with both arms and took a small step back. Then, from a distance, she shot me an accusing look.
“W-What’s with you, staring at my body like that? I never gave you permission for that, Senpai.”
“…Coming out of nowhere and calling me a perv is quite the greeting. Since it’s our first meeting, how about introducing yourself?”
“Ah… you’re right, that might’ve been my mistake. …Let me try again.”
Surprisingly owning her fault, the black-haired girl placed her right hand near her chest—where a hexagonal badge seemed pinned—and gave a graceful bow. Despite her sharp words, her manners were impeccable.
“Nice to meet you, Shinohara-senpai. And Himeji-senpai too. I’m Mari Minakami from Eimei Academy High School, Class 1-A. I approached you today for one reason—I have a question for you, Shinohara-senpai.”
“For me? What, you lost or something?”
“Nothing like that. …Um, Shinohara-senpai, you’re cheating, aren’t you?”
“—Huh?”
Her dead-on fastball threw me off for a split second. I don’t think it showed, but she—Minakami—pressed on without a hint of doubt.
“I wasn’t sure until now, but watching that last fight confirmed it. …I’ve got an ability registered that checks weapon rarity. According to it, that player’s 《Fire / Sword》 weapon was rank one just now. With a boosting ability on top, he shouldn’t have lost. Yet your invisible weapon beat him. Don’t you think that’s strange?”
“What’s this about? Sure, it might look odd from your angle. But maybe I used the same 《Fire / Sword》 weapon—just with a higher-level 《Stat Control》 ability. Didn’t that cross your mind?”
“Of course it did. But that’s just sophistry, isn’t it? Saying it’s possible doesn’t change that it’s far simpler to assume you’re cheating.”
To my counter, Minakami held her dignified stance, firing another arrow. Her gaze was reproachful—no, almost scornful. I don’t know her backstory, but she’s dead-set on me being a cheater.
“—I hate lies.”
Quietly, Minakami went on.
“Lies, cheating, fraud—I hate them all. Because lies are awful, right? Unjust, right? Wrong, right? I don’t get why they’re allowed to slide. And you, Shinohara-senpai, reek of someone lying. …Just like that person said.”
“…That person?”
“Yes, our proud leader. …You’ll find out soon enough, Senpai.”
With a slight smirk, Minakami pulled her terminal from her chest pocket. Checking the time on the main screen, she turned her eyes back to me.
“Senpai. Right after this—around noon—something interesting’s going to happen. Don’t take your eyes off Island Tube.”
“Planning something? Too bad, I’ve already cleared the Second Stage.”
“That’s fine. We’re not like you, Senpai—we’d never do anything bad. …See you at the next stage.”
Spinning her words with unwavering resolve and bowing politely, Minakami turned, her flowing black hair and uniform skirt fluttering as she strode off.
Watching her earnest back recede, Shirayuki let out a soft breath.
“Goodness. Accusing you of cheating is absurd. It’s mostly us in 《The Company》 doing the cheating, after all.”
“Nah, to her, it’s the same thing… Still, what a hassle.”
I sighed, glancing where Mari Minakami had gone.
It’s not the first time I’ve faced suspicion like this. A transfer student rocketing to 7-Star status naturally drew envy and distrust early on. But from her words, she’s not alone—she’s part of a group. In a big 《Duel (Game)》 already crawling with enemies, this is just extra trouble.
“Plus, she said something interesting’d happen at noon—”
‘—H-Hiro-kyun, Hiro-kyun! Emergency! Open Island Tube, quick!!’
My thoughts were cut off by a voice in my ear. Kagaya-san’s always high-energy, but this was next-level panic. All I got was ‘Hurry, hurry!’ no matter what I asked, so I quickly switched my terminal’s screen.
Instantly, Island Tube’s stream showed a boy in an unfamiliar uniform, perched casually on a desk with a gentle smile. Behind him stood a quiet girl and a burly guy—the girl in a matching uniform, and all three sporting the same hexagonal badge as Minakami.
In the bottom right corner, a plain string of text stood out, devoid of flair.
“Emergency broadcast…”
“…Presented by 《Hexagram》?”
Shirayuki and I furrowed our brows in unison as we peered at the terminal.
‘Hey, everyone—hello.’
The boy in the center spoke in a soft voice matching his look. A calm smile narrowed his eyes, his gentle gestures drawing people in. With relaxed motions, he continued smoothly.
‘Thanks from the bottom of my heart for gathering despite the Second Stage of 《SFIA (Sufia)》 being in full swing. My talk won’t be long, so I’d be thrilled if you’d listen.’
‘Once more… I’m Kaoru Saeki from District 2’s Suisei Academy on Academy Island. Third-year, 6-Star rank. I hold a couple of colored stars too—but Suisei’s not big on event battles, so some of you might not know me.’
‘So, let’s use this chance for intros. First off, we’re 《Hexagram》, an Academy Island-sanctioned group. I’m Kaoru Saeki, the leader—or rather, operational head—and our sole mission is “enforcing justice.”’
“…Justice?”
I parroted Saeki’s word under my breath. …Justice, huh? Fine in stories, but rare to hear unironically in real life. The Island Tube comments seemed split on it too, and spotting them, Saeki narrowed his eyes with a faint chuckle.
‘Haha, the comments are neatly divided. Fair enough—without context, you’d want to scoff. But if that’s you, cool off and check your surroundings. Especially the reactions of seniors who know last year—see? Getting curious now, right?’
‘That’s right—we’re not spouting nonsense. Being Academy Island-sanctioned, we’ve got a track record. Last year, we busted a district-wide illegal ability development ring, nabbed folks enslaving debt-ridden low-rankers, and exposed a 6-Star’s cheating… All us, 《Hexagram》. Check the island’s database later if you want. You’ll see how serious we are about justice.’
Saeki declared it fluently, unfazed. His words alone felt convincing, but I glanced at Shirayuki anyway.
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Shirayuki pondered briefly, then nodded, swaying her silver hair.
“Indeed, there were cases. A group called 《Hexagram》 resolved major cheating scandals in the past. They’d been quiet, so I assumed they’d disbanded…”
‘Oh, yeah, yeah. We’ve heard rumors we broke up, but that’s not true. We just move when needed, that’s all.’
‘In other words—now’s one of those times we have to act.’
Pausing there, Saeki squinted further. …A bad feeling hit me. Not just a hunch—with Minakami’s words, it’s near-certain. But there’s no stopping the broadcast now, and Kaoru Saeki stared straight at me through the screen—or so it felt—resuming with a smile.
‘Let’s get to the point. …Bluntly, we 《Hexagram》 are acting to expose the cheating of Academy Island’s current top dog, Shinohara Hiroto-kun.’
“—!!”
‘…Yeah, figured. Can’t blame you for being shocked.’
‘But didn’t some of you wonder? A newbie transfer beating the undefeated 《Empress》 and jumping to 7-Star in a day. There’s no precedent in Academy Island’s history. It’s off, absolutely.’
‘So we dug deep. District qualifiers, May 《Astral》, every 《Duel (Game)》 he’s joined—we dissected them all and confirmed it. He’s cheating, no doubt. He’s evil—the kind of evil we, the just, must judge. His wins, his glory—all a facade plastered with lies.’
‘I get that my word alone won’t convince everyone. Fair enough—that’s why I’m here. To judge him for sure in this event.’
‘Shinohara Hiroto-kun. …With 《Hexagram》 watching, we won’t let you cheat freely. And if you “lose” after we block your tricks—if you lose because you can’t cheat—that’s ironclad proof you’ve been relying on it all along, right? If you win clean, we’ll admit our mistake and apologize properly… but I don’t see that happening.’
‘I’ll say it outright. …Your cheating won’t work on us. Your lies, your fraud—they’ll all be laid bare in this 《Duel (Game)》.’
‘On 《Hexagram》’s name—absolutely.’
Saeki flashed a faint, confident smile before countless viewers.
Facing that—slapped with a declaration of war through the screen—I…
(—Guh… An Academy Island-sanctioned “justice group”? They’re out to expose my lies!? W-What the hell, this is a massive crisis out of nowhere…!)
—kept a cool front, but inside, panic had long since erupted.
