Classroom Of The Elite: Strings of The Puppeteer Master

The humid air in the gym hung heavy, thick with the scent of sweat and exhaustion. Sudo, drenched in perspiration, continued his grueling workout, the rhythmic clanging of weights echoing through the near-empty space.

He was late, the gym's closing time of 4:30 looming large on the clock across the room. But Sudo was determined to push himself further, his gaze fixed on his goal: a professional basketball career.

The gym, once bustling with activity, was now slowly emptying. Groups of students, their faces flushed with exertion, filed out, their conversations fading into the distance.

Sudo glanced at the clock again. 3:39. He had a few precious minutes left.

Suddenly, the gym doors swung open, admitting two figures: Daichi Ishizaki, a notorious delinquent with a perpetually arrogant smirk, and his hulking sidekick. Ishizaki wore the school blazer carelessly draped over his shoulders, his inner shirt revealing a glimpse of rebellious tattoos.

Sudo, mid-rep, frowned. What were they doing here? The gym was about to close.

Ishizaki leaned against a weight bench, surveying the room with a disdainful gaze.

"So, Sudo Ken," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "still pumping iron, I see."

Sudo, his muscles aching, barely acknowledged him. He continued his repetitions, his jaw clenched.

"What's with the glare, Sudo?" Ishizaki smirked. "Given your current predicament, I think you have every right to glare at me."

"What are you talking about?" Sudo growled, finally acknowledging Ishizaki.

Ishizaki gestured towards his sidekick with a dismissive wave. "You're in Class D, Sudo. The bottom of the barrel. You're probably the dumbest guy here, wasting your time with this 'basketball dream' when you should be focusing on academics."

"The hell you say!" Sudo's voice rose, his anger rising. "I'm aiming for the pros! This is how I get there!"

"Yeah, right," Ishizaki scoffed. "If you were really serious about basketball, you wouldn't be wasting your time in this school. You're just using this place to try and boost your reputation."

Ishizaki's words struck a nerve. "Shut up!" Sudo roared, his anger boiling over.

"Oh, you want to fight?" Ishizaki grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes. He stepped closer, his sidekick mirroring his movements.

Sudo, fueled by a mixture of anger and frustration, rose to his feet. "Don't test me," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

But it was too late. Ishizaki, with a sneer, shoved Sudo hard.

Sudo stumbled back, his anger erupting. In a blur of motion, he lashed out, his fist connecting with Ishizaki's nose.

The gym echoed with the sickening crunch of bone. Ishizaki staggered back, blood trickling down his face.

"I told you to shut up!" Sudo growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

Ishizaki, enraged, lunged at Sudo, and the two of them erupted into a violent brawl.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows near the gym entrance, a figure watched the scene unfold with a cold, calculating gaze. A young woman, her face partially obscured by the shadows, held a small, high-definition camera to her eye, capturing every moment of the altercation.

She pressed record.

This was just the beginning.