Chapter 40: Chapter 4 (Volume 2) – How Ironic.

"Great results, can be achieved with small forces" - Sun Tzu, The Art of War.

That small force can consist of just one person. A displaced building block can be the undoing of a seemingly sturdy building, even with that risk some builders tend to forget to triple check their own foundation.

It's 9 o'clock in the morning. The sun is rather cool and the clouds are rarely visible. It was a fantastic day for any outdoor activity.

Unfortunately, there will be none of that today because we have morning classes. Such fun, I must say.

The recent announcement of a class clash is still fresh on my mind, but I am not really too concerned about it because my focus is currently fixated on something else.

The classroom is filled with every student. This was surprising to me due to the fact that we had at least one absent student per day. It was like they each took turns being the invisible student of the day.

On my right hand side sat Minori in all her tsundere beauty. She actually wore her hair differently today. The usual was her long dark peach colored hair flowing freely in the wind, and today, it's tied into one long pony tail. She shyly missed the mark of the two twin tails which would allow her to fully access her tsundere power.

Turning my head to the right now.

"Well, aren't you switching things up today?"

As quickly as I uttered my sentence, she replied, "If you say another word, I will cut you."

Yelp. There goes the chance to say my witty sentence. It took me five seconds to think of something. All that comedic material just washed down the drain. What a tragedy.

Still keeping her head facing the front of the class.

"Do you think today they will announce the details of the class clash?"

I leaned my head on my left hand and replied, "It's a possibility, but I can't be too sure yet."

Minori sighed, "Well, I've been trying to come up with a strategy for a first place win but without the details. It's next to impossible."

Still leaning my head on my left hand, "A good leader can adapt any strategy into a winning one. You need to learn this before the takeover commences. "

Minori side eyed me, "You speak as if you are a seasoned 5 star war general."

"Heh? I wouldn't say that. I just read a lot of books during my free time."

She didn't believe a word I said.

"Yeah, sure Dante, we'll go with that."

Sigh. Now she's going to have this idea of me being a super soldier or something.

I turned to her, "I'm serio-"

My statement is cut short by me feeling the vibration of my phone. Strange enough, everyone began checking their cell phones at the same time.

Minori pulled her phone out and said, "It's from the school."

I did the same and tapped on the email, then it popped open.

From: Institution of Multi-Layered Advanced Learning.
To: Student ID number: 19119928

Subject: Class Clash- Rotating Question

A representative from each class will form a pair with another representative. When the two pairs are formed, there will be a one day grace window to prepare for the class clash.
The clash will consist of ten rounds where one pair will submit a question for the other pair to answer and vice versa. 
The pair that answers the highest number of questions correctly wins.

Rules:

• The questions that the pair come up with have to be solvable. No impossible questions will be tolerated.
• If, after nine rounds, both pairs are still tied, then the tenth round will consist of a class submitted question. (The two classes the representatives are from will have to settle on a question for the opposing pair to answer.)
• If, after the ten rounds have passed and both pairs are still tied, then each class gets zero points.
• Five points will be deducted from the losing pairs classes and given to the winners.
• The winning classes will split the 20 point allotment.
• The losing classes will split the 10 point allotment.

A representative will be chosen by your homeroom instructor.

-Examination Office (IMAL)

Hmmm, well this is a plot twist. I was expecting something along the lines of the 4 classes pitted against each other.

Minori placed her phone on the table and said, "So we have to team up with another class? This is going to be a disaster."

You are reading story Den of Lions at novel35.com

I pressed the power button on my phone, re-locking it.

Well, it all depends on which class we'll have to work with. All of them have more cons than pros, so we might as well be staring down the barrel of three different types of guns."

The class began to murmur loudly.

Yogi stood up and tried to calm everybody down.

"Guys, this isn't the end of the world. We just have to work with another class in order to win."

Sena replied, "You say that like it's going to be so simple."

Their far desk conversation is cut short by the classroom door opening and Miss Aiko walking in with what appears to be pallet sticks in a blue plastic cup. You know, the type of sticks you would usually get from a bar of ice cream.

She then spoke, "Class I am sure you have received the email confirmation of your class clash just a few moments ago. In keeping with that, I've been tasked with selecting our representative. So I'll keep the decision to a game of chance. Each of you will draw a pallet stick from the cup and if you have the one with the blue mark on it, then congrats, you are the lucky soul."

Ok, so everybody has an equal chance. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it isn't me.

Miss Aiko started walking towards the students' desks and allowing them to draw a pallet stick.

After a few students drew their picks, none of them got the marked one.

I admit, I was starting to feel a bit uneasy now.

Miss Aiko approached Kaori, and she drew a stick.

Nope, she didn't get it either.

It is Minori's turn. She quickly pulled a pallet stick and it wasn't the marked one either.

Deep breaths Dante Deep breaths.

Miss Aiko then approached my desk and lowered her hand, which held the cup with the fate-altering pallet sticks.

I slowly reached my left hand towards it and gripped one of the wooden pallet sticks.

Ok, time to be a big boy and see what I've got.

I quickly drew it and what happened next is something I should have seen coming a season away because clearly I am living in a TV show.

I drew the marked pallet stick. Not the irony, but the horror and mostly the irony. I am just another victim of Murphy's law. 

I'll admit, I wanted to snap and then toss it out of the window, but I kept my calm.

With the biggest smile on her face, Miss Aiko said, "Ding, Ding, Ding. We have a winner folks."

The entire class, inclusive of Minori, stared at me as if I just committed some unspeakable act.

*Vibration*

Another email came in. Tapping and opening it once again.

From: Institution of Multi-Layered Advanced Learning.
To: Student ID number: 19119928

Subject: Class Clash- Selected Class Pairs.

Class 1-1 will be paired up with Class 1-3
Class 1-2 will be paired up with Class 1-4

-Examination Office (IMAL)

Well, what an interesting development. I wonder who will be the representative for their class.

You can find story with these keywords: Den of Lions, Read Den of Lions, Den of Lions novel, Den of Lions book, Den of Lions story, Den of Lions full, Den of Lions Latest Chapter