After Ryuen left, the students from Class A and Class D also dispersed.
"By the way, Ayanokouji. Didn't you get a love letter? Aren't you going to the meeting spot?"
Just as she was about to leave, Sakayanagi heard Sudou's words, glanced at Ayanokouji in surprise, then turned and walked away.
"Ah, I completely forgot about that until you mentioned it."
After checking the time on his phone, Ayanokouji started walking toward the school.
The meeting was set for 5 PM, right at sunset—a perfect time for a rooftop confession.
But what was waiting for Ayanokouji clearly wasn't just a simple confession from a girl.
Not wanting to miss out on the action, Kanda Shuichi had already dragged Miyake away early. Their destination? The dorms, of course.
Everything had been set up at noon.
A bit earlier, around noon.
After learning that Ayanokouji had received a love letter and was invited to meet on the rooftop at 5 PM, Kanda Shuichi rushed to the school rooftop as soon as the morning classes ended.
"So cold..."
The moment he opened the rooftop door, a gust of cold air hit him.
That instantly made him give up the idea of watching the event unfold in person. Instead, he started thinking of another way.
Kanda Shuichi began walking around the rooftop, studying the layout. That's when he spotted something.
A security camera installed by the school.
But it was clearly broken. There was no need to guess who was responsible—this was definitely Ryuen's handiwork.
Seeing the camera gave Kanda Shuichi an idea.
If he couldn't watch what was about to happen with his own eyes, he could just install a "replacement eye" instead.
With that thought in mind, Kanda Shuichi returned to his dorm and took out a small, internet-connected camera he had recently bought.
It was even more discreet and advanced than the one he had originally installed on his dorm room door.
This was his "second-generation" version. It could stream footage live over Wi-Fi.
The idea had come to him from Ike and the others when they modified a remote-controlled car to spy on the girls' locker room.
At the time, Kanda Shuichi had been worried about breaking it, so he bought a spare. Now, that extra camera was finally coming in handy.
Normally, students wouldn't come to the rooftop.
To confirm whether Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was really the one who had planted the listening device in Class C, Ryuen had Ibuki write a fake love letter and slip it into Ayanokouji's shoe locker, inviting him to meet on the rooftop at 5 PM.
If Ayanokouji didn't show up, it would mean he had something to hide—after all, what normal high school boy wouldn't be excited to receive a love confession?
If he did come, then they could interrogate him properly.
At 5 PM, Ayanokouji arrived at the school rooftop, just as the letter instructed. He simply wanted to see who had written it, reject them, and then head back to his dorm to rest.
Now that he was free from Chabashira-sensei's control, Ayanokouji felt lighter than ever.
He pushed open the rooftop door and saw a familiar face—Ibuki Mio, the girl he had once been trapped in an elevator with.
Wait, was she the one who wrote the letter?
That didn't seem like her style at all.
"Tch, so you really came," Ibuki clicked her tongue and said as she spotted him.
"Clicking your tongue isn't very polite, is it? And what's going on here? This doesn't look like a confession setup."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had just stepped onto the rooftop.
Before he could react, Yamada Albert closed the door behind him and stood in front of it, blocking his way out.
At the same time, Ryuen and Ishizaki stepped out from behind a hiding spot.
"How stupid. You didn't even check if the letter was real before coming here," Ryuen said mockingly.
"Um, may I ask what you need from me?"
The moment Ayanokouji saw Ryuen, he immediately understood what was happening.
Kanda Shuichi, you sold me out!
Everyone knew what Ryuen had been up to these past few days—he was looking for the person who planted the listening device in Class C.
And that person was none other than Ayanokouji himself, who had asked Chabashira-sensei to place it there.
So, seeing this setup, Ayanokouji knew right away that Ryuen must have gotten some kind of tip-off, leading him to believe Ayanokouji was behind it.
And the only person who could confirm that was Chabashira-sensei, the one who placed the device.
Then, thinking back to what happened yesterday...
This was definitely your doing, wasn't it, Kanda Shuichi? Are you challenging me?
"Still pretending?" Ryuen sneered. "The one who planted that bug in our class was you, wasn't it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you got the wrong person?"
Of course, Ayanokouji wasn't going to admit anything that easily.
But his calm and composed attitude only made Ryuen trust Kanda Shuichi's intel even more.
Who exactly was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?
After getting the information from Kanda Shuichi, Ryuen recalled that this guy was just a tag-along who followed Suzune everywhere.
Still, he wasn't convinced, so he spent a day gathering information on Ayanokouji.
And what did he find? The guy was completely ordinary.
Aside from being a fast runner, he was at the same level as Ike and Yamauchi.
But would a normal person stay this calm when surrounded by Ryuen and several others?
The answer was obvious—no. If it were Ike or Yamauchi in this situation, they'd probably be panicking and losing their composure by now.
"Hmph, let's say I did get the wrong person. Even so, you're clearly not ordinary. Not even a single change in expression after all this?"
"Hey, Ryuen! What are you talking about? This guy's just frozen in fear, isn't he?"
"Ibuki, shut up. Whether or not he planted that bug, the fact that he's staying this calm proves he's not just some nobody."
A pleased smile appeared on Ryuen's face.
"Never would've thought D-Class had someone like you, aside from Kanda Shuichi. Now, let's see what you're really capable of."
"…What are you planning to do to Ayanokouji? If you're thinking of using violence, forget it. That'll only bring trouble to Class C. Just let this go," Ibuki said.
"Why are you so nervous, Ibuki? Or don't tell me—you've fallen for him?"
"Huh?! I'm just thinking about Class C's future!"
"Is that so? Then how about you go up there and punch him yourself? Then we'll call it even."
Beating up Ayanokouji wasn't just some random idea Ryuen came up with on the spot.
It wasn't just because Kanda Shuichi mentioned that this year's student council president was lenient about fights.
In fact, rumors about that had already been spreading for the past couple of days.
So he planned to test things out, and Ayanokouji just happened to be the perfect test subject, didn't he?
Because of that, Ryuen didn't even bother having anyone stand guard. He just blacked out the cameras. A one-on-one fight was different from a gang beating, and he had already decided to handle this alone.
"Or do you want me to do it myself?"
Hearing Ryuen's words, Ibuki took a deep breath and looked at Ayanokouji.
"Don't blame me, Ayanokouji."
Ibuki's thought process was simple. If she stepped in, Ayanokouji might suffer less.
So after saying that, she walked straight up to him and threw a kick at him.
She held back just enough so that the kick would knock Ayanokouji down but wouldn't cause serious harm. It was a small lesson, so he wouldn't fall for something like this again.
But to her surprise, Ayanokouji casually leaned back and dodged her kick with ease.
Clearly, he had no intention of just standing there and taking the hit.
You could tell right away when someone was skilled.
Even if Ibuki wasn't using full force, that kick wasn't something an average person could dodge. Yet, Ayanokouji avoided it like it was nothing.
"You... do you know how to fight?"
Ibuki's eyes sharpened, and her expression grew serious. She no longer saw him as just another weak student.
"Who knows?"
"Hmph, stop pretending."
Ibuki was fully focused now. She launched a series of sharp attacks at Ayanokouji, her movements swift and precise, like raindrops falling in a storm. But every single strike missed.
"What's wrong? Is that all you've got? You won't be able to land a hit on me like that."
While dodging, Ayanokouji even took the time to taunt her.
The more she missed, the more frustrated Ibuki became. Her attacks grew faster, her movements more aggressive.
But as a result, she left more and more openings.
Seizing the chance when she jumped, Ayanokouji stepped in, closed the distance, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her onto the ground with a swift throw.
Her eyes widened for a moment before she passed out, lying completely still.
Meanwhile, all of this was being watched by Kanda Shuichi, who was in his dorm room, watching the live feed.
Oof. That must've hurt. And in this freezing weather? Lying on the ground must be freezing.
Seeing Ibuki get taken down so easily, Ishizaki immediately rushed forward.
"No need to worry." Ayanokouji lowered his hand. "I controlled my strength. I only slammed her on her back—she'll be fine."
"With strength like that, no wonder he wanted me to test you."
At this point, Ryuen finally realized that Kanda Shuichi had set him up.
Of course, he knew why Kanda Shuichi had fed him information—it was just to test Ayanokouji.
Ryuen didn't mind. You want me to test him? Fine. I'll make an example out of him and show you what happens when someone goes against me.
But now that he had thrown the first kick, he realized he had picked the wrong target.
Still, there was no way Ryuen was going to back down now. Walking away with Ibuki would be pathetic. The best move was to take down Ayanokouji.
Besides, if Kanda Shuichi was so wary of him that he didn't dare test him personally, then Ayanokouji had to be something special. That meant Ryuen had to take this seriously.
"Go!"
At Ryuen's command, Ishizaki and Albert closed in from both sides, while Ryuen himself attacked from the front, surrounding Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji let them encircle him without reacting, quietly observing each of their expressions.
He carefully watched their movements. Wasn't Ryuen supposed to be reckless? But his actions didn't look like those of a brute at all.
The truth was, Ryuen had been provoked by Kanda Shuichi.
Back on the tree-lined path, Kanda Shuichi hadn't fully hidden behind Miyake. Instead, most of his body had been positioned behind Ayanokouji.
In other words, compared to Miyake, Kanda Shuichi believed Ayanokouji could protect him better.
Miyake was the person Kanda Shuichi trusted most in this school. So when would he start doubting Miyake?
When Miyake faced something beyond his ability. At that moment, Kanda Shuichi's meaning was clear—Ayanokouji could actually stop Ryuen.
Ryuen wasn't sure if Kanda Shuichi had done it on purpose or just acted on instinct. But Kanda Shuichi's trust in Ayanokouji's strength, combined with how easily Ayanokouji had taken down Ibuki earlier,
made Ryuen subconsciously see him as a serious threat.
"Heh, I want to see how long you can keep that calm face. Ishizaki, get him!"
At Ryuen's command, Ishizaki swung his fist.
"If you're gonna attack, don't shout it out first…"
If you're gonna fight, just fight. Announcing it beforehand only gives the opponent time to react.
As Ishizaki's fist came flying toward him, Ayanokouji raised his right hand to catch the full-force punch. It was heavy, but still not enough.
His grip tightened like an iron clamp, stopping Ishizaki's movement. At the same time, he aimed a kick at Ishizaki's knee.
But this wasn't a one-on-one fight. With Ishizaki holding down Ayanokouji's right hand, Albert launched a punch toward Ayanokouji's stomach instead of his face.
This forced Ayanokouji to abandon his attack and switch to dodging. At the same time, he yanked Ishizaki toward him, using him as a shield.
Seeing Ishizaki suddenly blocking his way, Albert tried to pull back his fist, but it was already too late.
Ayanokouji pulled Ishizaki closer and then delivered a powerful kick to his stomach. The force sent Ishizaki flying backward, crashing into Albert, knocking them both off balance. They stumbled several steps before barely managing to stop.
But just as Ayanokouji dealt with Ishizaki and Albert, Ryuen darted in from a tricky angle and landed a punch squarely on Ayanokouji's face.
Did he move into my blind spot?
Looks like I've gotten a little rusty from not fighting for a while.
Ayanokouji didn't think much about getting hit—he just felt the pain spreading across his face.
Seeing his punch land, Ryuen pressed his attack, raising his right leg and aiming a kick at Ayanokouji's side.
Ayanokouji reacted quickly. He lifted his left hand, took the full force of the kick, then trapped Ryuen's leg under his arm. With the help of his left hand, he swung Ryuen into the air.
Ryuen, still unaware of what had just happened, found himself being spun around like a club.
Seeing their leader tossed around like that, Ishizaki and Albert ignored their pain and tried to get up to help.
Only to be sent flying again when Ayanokouji threw Ryuen straight into them.
For nearly a full minute, Ayanokouji just stood there, watching the three of them struggle to get back on their feet.
"I thought you'd take the chance to run, but you just stood there watching us get up? Are you looking down on me?"
Ryuen shook his head, trying to clear his dizziness, a cold smirk appearing on his lips.
That last round looked brutal, but in reality, only Ishizaki's direct kick had actually caused any real damage.
"If I had left just now, you wouldn't have let it go, would you? To keep you from messing with my school life, I've decided to take you down right here."
"Big words."
Ryuen and his two allies moved in again, surrounding Ayanokouji.
"Enough talking. Get him!"
After testing the waters, Ryuen and his team grew even more wary of Ayanokouji.
That said, the three of them weren't completely outmatched. Ayanokouji had both strength and speed, but he wasn't unbeatable.
If someone like Koenji had Ayanokouji's level of ability, Ryuen wouldn't even think twice—he'd turn around and leave immediately.
But Ayanokouji's build was clearly not as solid as Koenji's. Even if their stats were similar, his defenses would naturally be weaker due to his physique. And that difference was crucial.
If Kanda Shuichi knew what Ryuen was thinking, he'd probably be speechless.
So what if he's not as bulky as Koenji? Do you have any idea how much training and effort it takes to reach this level?
Leading the attack this time was Albert Yamada. As a mixed-race Black student, his body was like solid steel.
Albert charged at Ayanokouji with his powerful physique, swinging his strong arms.
While Albert had the edge in raw strength, he was nowhere near as fast as Ayanokouji. The moment he attacked, Ayanokouji found an opening and landed several blows to Albert's stomach.
And since it was a three-on-one fight, Ayanokouji had no reason to hold back.
But the feeling in his hand, along with Albert's barely changing expression, told him that those hits probably didn't do much.
No big deal. If the stomach isn't working, just go for the weak spots.
The throat, the heart, the eyes, the temples, and the groin—no matter how strong someone is, those areas are always vulnerable.
At the same time, he couldn't focus only on Albert. Ryuen and Ishizaki were watching like hawks, ready to pounce on any opening.
Then again, just because something looks like an opening doesn't mean it actually is.
Like right now—while countering Albert, Ayanokouji's body tilted significantly.
Was he putting more force into his attacks because they weren't working?
Ryuen wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
"Ishizaki!"
At his shout, both he and Ishizaki charged at Ayanokouji, using Albert as cover.
Just as they were about to reach him, Ayanokouji suddenly ducked and spun around, then delivered a sharp uppercut straight to Albert's chin.
Damn, that was straight out of a fighting game.
But even after taking the hit, Albert didn't go down. He held firm, trying to grab Ayanokouji's arm.
However, Albert was already less agile than Ayanokouji to begin with. After taking such a heavy blow, there was no way he'd be able to do what he couldn't even manage before.
Ayanokouji crouched low, slipping out of Albert's grasp. At the same time, he swept his leg out, knocking both Ishizaki and Ryuen off their feet. The two of them crashed hard onto the ground.
Ayanokouji quickly got back up and landed a solid punch to Albert's face.
Despite his massive, mountain-like build, Albert was sent flying from that one strike, landing motionless on the ground.
"Ah! Ayanokouji!"
Ishizaki, who had gotten back up, seemed to lose all reason after seeing Albert go down.
Without thinking, he charged at Ayanokouji alone.
Man, if you're going to attack, don't scream about it first.
Ayanokouji calmly raised his right leg and kicked Ishizaki's knee.
Ishizaki, who had just taken a heavy blow to his left knee, collapsed to the ground. Then, just like Albert, he was sent flying by a kick from Ayanokouji.
"Heh, someone like you was hiding in Class D all this time? Don't tell me Kanda's actions were actually your idea from the shadows?"
Ryuen picked himself up from the ground, grinning at Ayanokouji.
It wasn't an unreasonable thought. What if Kanda Shuichi hadn't messaged him to test Ayanokouji, but instead reached out for help because he was tired of being manipulated?
The chances were low, but if that were true, it would mean everything Kanda Shuichi had done was actually under Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's orders.
From Ryuen's perspective, Kanda Shuichi was undoubtedly someone with a lot of pride. If Ayanokouji was interfering with him, it wouldn't be surprising if Kanda couldn't stand it. That would explain why he slacked off during the sports festival and then set this whole thing up to take Ayanokouji down.
But no one had expected Ayanokouji's strength. In just a few minutes, he had completely taken down three of Class C's top fighters. There was no way his abilities could be ignored now.
"Too bad. I don't have the power to control him. Both you and I were played by that guy."
Ayanokouji denied being behind the scenes, making it clear that Kanda Shuichi had used Ryuen to test him.
Still, even Kanda probably hadn't expected Ayanokouji to be this good in a fight.
Ryuen stood up, still lost in thought. He kind of wanted to see the look on Kanda's face when he realized his plan had failed.
In reality, though, the outcome of this fight didn't matter much to Kanda Shuichi.
If Ryuen won, it would prove that Ayanokouji wasn't a big deal, meaning there was no need to be wary of him anymore.
If Ryuen lost, then Kanda would get a better understanding of Ayanokouji's strength and know to be even more cautious around him.
And now, it was clear—Ayanokouji was even stronger than expected. He had taken down Ryuen's group in mere minutes.
No, it wasn't over yet.
Ryuen adjusted his stance, flashing a fearless grin.
"Don't think you've won just yet. Fine, I'll admit you're stronger than me physically. But strength alone doesn't decide the outcome. It's also about willpower."
This wasn't just bravado—it was one of Ryuen's strongest traits.
From Ayanokouji's perspective, Ryuen wasn't particularly smart or physically strong. Neither of those worried him.
What did worry him was Ryuen's relentless determination. Even if he lost today, he wouldn't hesitate to come back for another fight the moment he got the chance.
That was why Ayanokouji hadn't left earlier when he had temporarily taken down the three fighters.
Leaving would've been easy, but it would've only caused more trouble later.
And Ayanokouji hated trouble. That's why he planned to settle everything here and now.
"You might win this time. But what about tomorrow? What about the day after?"
Ryuen swung his fists, his excitement growing.
"And that's exactly why this is going to be a pain."
"A pain? Then I'll make sure to be a real pain for you. When you go take a piss? When you go take a dump? I'll be watching from every direction."
"You really want to win that badly? Aren't you afraid of losing over and over again?"
"Afraid? I don't even know what fear feels like."
"You've never felt fear?"
"Is that where your confidence comes from?"
"Most people's pain turns into fear afterward. Let me teach you what that means."
"Oh yeah? Then I'll just have to experience it for myself."
Ayanokouji had never thought about pain turning into fear before. So the moment Ryuen said that, he stopped dodging or blocking.
Ryuen wasn't about to waste this golden opportunity.
*You actually let your guard down just because of a few words from me? Ayanokouji, you're not as impressive as I thought!*
Without hesitation, Ryuen grabbed Ayanokouji's shoulders, then lifted his right knee and drove it repeatedly into Ayanokouji's stomach.
Watching the scene unfold, Kanda Shuichi couldn't help but feel speechless.
*Are these two insane?*
"How about now? Do you get it?"
After landing multiple hits on Ayanokouji, Ryuen flashed a smug grin.
"…Too bad, I don't get anything. All I feel is pain spreading through my body."
"So you're saying you don't feel fear, just like me?"
"No, Ryuen, that's not it."
"Then let's keep going!"
Just as Ryuen was about to strike again, Ayanokouji stopped him.
The pain running through his body made one thing clear—it was just pain. He could feel it, but he didn't fear it.
In the White Room, he had endured much worse. He understood how pain could lead to fear.
He had seen countless people break down in front of him, seen firsthand how miserable and terrifying it was to lose.
But no matter how much others suffered or despaired, he never felt pain the same way they did.
If that was the case, then all he needed to do was learn how to protect himself.
As long as he stayed unharmed, he would always be the winner.
"In that case, I don't care how many times it takes—I'll beat you until you finally feel fear!"
Ryuen seemed determined to keep going, but Ayanokouji had no intention of dragging this out any longer.
Too many people knew he had come to the rooftop. If someone barged in, things would get complicated.
So when Ryuen came at him again, Ayanokouji grabbed his incoming arm, yanked him forward, and with his free hand, delivered a powerful punch straight to Ryuen's face.
"Ugh!"
Ryuen was sent flying by the impact, crashing hard onto the cold, solid concrete.
Without wasting a second, Ayanokouji moved in, straddling Ryuen's waist before raining down punches on his face.
"You said you've never felt fear before, Ryuen."
With each punch, Ryuen's eyes swelled, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet even then, there was no fear in his gaze.
"Hah… hah… Heh, yeah. I've never felt fear. Not even once."
"Tch… Spit…"
Ryuen struggled to speak, his words becoming harder to make out.
"I've taken twice as many beatings as anyone else. That's why I understand…"
"Violence reveals a person's true nature—whether they're the one hitting or the one getting hit!"
But Ayanokouji didn't respond.
He simply kept his cold, emotionless expression as his fists continued to slam into Ryuen's face.
From the camera's angle, Kanda Shuichi couldn't see Ryuen's face at that moment, but judging by Ayanokouji's relentless punches, it definitely wasn't a pretty sight.
Watching Ayanokouji's movements, Kanda Shuichi started to worry. Is this guy… actually going to beat Ryuen to death?
Ryuen and Ayanokouji weren't afraid, but Kanda Shuichi was.
He wasn't mentally prepared to take someone's life.
After a while, Ayanokouji stood up from Ryuen and took a few steps back. He looked down at the four people lying on the ground, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Kanda Shuichi knew it was his turn to step in.
The dorm was about ten minutes away from the school. Hopefully, by the time he arrived, they wouldn't have left.
Not long after Kanda Shuichi set off, Ayanokouji began lightly tapping their faces one by one, starting with Ishizaki, waking them up.
He also wanted to leave, but unless he confirmed the other side's stance, this wouldn't be over.
If Ryuen still wasn't willing to give in, Ayanokouji planned to keep beating him until he did.
Ten minutes later, when Kanda Shuichi arrived at the scene, Ryuen was lying on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
"Well, hey there, everyone."
The moment Kanda Shuichi appeared, Ryuen immediately sat up.
"Kanda, you bastard, you actually dared to show up here alone? Not afraid we'll gang up on you?"
"The fact that I'm here means I'm confident I can keep myself safe. Do I really seem that reckless to you?"
Kanda Shuichi shrugged, looking innocent.
"Damn it, Ibuki, take him down! I'll take full responsibility for everything!"
"Are you insane? This guy is the student council vice president! If we lay a hand on him, we'll definitely get expelled!"
Ibuki looked at Ryuen in disbelief.
"Still don't get it? He was the one behind the whole setup with Ayanokouji. And the fact that he's here now means he expected our fight with Ayanokouji all along. He's definitely going to report this. If I'm not wrong, the student council members are already on their way here."
"Looks like Ayanokouji didn't beat you completely senseless. You can still think straight."
Kanda Shuichi didn't deny Ryuen's words. On his way over, he had already called Nagumo, reporting that there was a serious fight happening on the first-year building rooftop and that they needed to get there immediately.
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You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu