Faced with Kazehara Tetsu's obviously ironic "martyr" comment, Kiriyama Ikuto did not show the expected shame or wavering on his face.
"It doesn't matter whether I am a martyr or what a ridiculous clown I am in your eyes.
"What you think is your freedom and has nothing to do with me. I am not here to seek your understanding or sympathy."
He took a half step forward, breaking the suffocating silence between the two.
"You only need to know one thing... The current situation has nothing to do with your first grade. On the contrary, this fire will burn you sooner or later."
Kiriyama Ikuto raised his hand and pointed at the building in the distance that represented the third grade Dormitory.
"Now, all of Miyabi Nagumo's attention is focused on the third graders headed by Horikita Manabu. He wants to completely defeat the symbol of 'perfection' before Horikita President graduates, in order to establish the legitimacy of his New Order."
"But... once Horikita Manabu graduates and leaves school, once the biggest obstacle disappears, no one in This School can curb Miyabi Nagumo's ambition."
"When the time comes, where will he look? Is it the second graders who have been completely tamed by him? No."
"It's you."
"If you wait until then to resist, just like me now... it will be too late."
Faced with this almost threatening language, Kazehara Tetsu just picked his ears out of boredom.
"I said, Senpai."
His whole body showed a loose stance, which was in sharp contrast to the tight Kiriyama opposite him.
"It's such an obvious thing, so there's no need to mention it to him during prime sleep time like twelve o'clock in the night, right?"
Kazehara Tetsu yawned.
"If you only have this bit of 'intelligence', then I suggest you go back and take a shower."
Seeing that Kazehara Tetsu was so unresponsive, Kiriyama Ikuto's eyebrows beat hard several times.
He realized that if he couldn't throw out real weighty information, tonight's conversation would completely turn into a joke.
"...Third Semester."
Kiriyama Ikuto took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and threw out the information that was still highly confidential inside Student Council.
"Soon after Third Semester starts, the school will hold a Special Exam."
"This is not the conventional routine of class confrontation in the past. The focus of This Exam is...Mixed Combat."
"First-year students will be asked to 'communicate' and 'confront' with second-year students and even, in some cases, third-year students."
"Nagumo intends to use that exam to get rid of him personally. He will conduct a comprehensive screening of all first-year students who 'need attention' at that point in time."
"Any first-year student who is judged by him as having 'even the slightest possibility of resistance' or 'potential threat' will be targeted."
"If you don't prepare in advance... you may be hit hard without knowing it."
The weight of this information is indeed different.
Mixed Exam across grade levels.
"That's it." Kazehara Tetsu nodded, his tone still calm.
"Using loopholes in the rules, or taking advantage of the school's intention to promote grade-level communication, to implement his 'Purge Plan'? It does seem like something he would do."
"So?"
Kazehara Tetsu tilted his head and looked at Kiriyama.
"What do you want me to do when you tell me this? Immediately swear allegiance to you and join your resistance organization that you don't even dare to make public?"
"It's a pity. Although the crises you mentioned sound terrible, I still can't decide that I will help you."
"I don't want to push my descendants into hell either."
"Although I can't do anything about it, I at least... don't want to see what Horikita President protected, and I don't want to see more people like me destroyed by the twisted rule of Nagumo."
"This is my final conscience as Senpai."
"Conscience?"
Kazehara Tetsu It was like hearing some funny joke.
"Since you are so conscientious and don't want to push your descendants into hell... then why do you want to cooperate with me?"
"The so-called 'cooperation', doesn't it mean that you want to lend my hand to create trouble for Miyabi Nagumo?"
"Isn't this pushing me to the edge of 'hell' with my own hands?"
"Kiriyama Senpai, your logic... is too contradictory."
"... it's your freedom to think whatever you want."
"I admit, I have selfish motives."
"But the intelligence is real and the threats are real. You can't deny that."
"So, Kagihara. What's your answer?"
"I'm not going to have any particular thoughts about the fight."
Kazehara Tetsu regained his aggressive momentum and regained his lazy appearance.
"I'm not interested in being a savior, nor am I interested in maintaining school traditions."
"As long as Miyabi Nagumo doesn't affect me, as long as he doesn't extend that stupid hand into my territory... I won't care."
"I just want to live my Campus life quietly and enjoy my privileges."
"So... you don't plan to cooperate anymore?"
"No."
Kazehara Tetsu shook his head.
"I didn't refuse. Although I won't take the initiative, I don't mind having a few more cards in my hand."
"After all, no one knows whether that lunatic will get mad and bite me one day. At this time, it will not hurt me to know more about the enemy's movements."
"It's just..."
Kazehara Tetsu glanced at Kiriyama.
"This kind of cooperation is based on 'it's good for me'. I have to consider what kind of impact this information will have on my life."
"If your information can help me avoid trouble or allow me to profit from it, then I will naturally accept it and... give you some feedback at the appropriate time."
"That's the deal, isn't it?"
It's not an alliance.
It's a pure transaction.
After hearing this answer, Kiriyama Ikuto was silent for a long time.
Although this is not the result he wants most...
What he wants is a knife, not a businessman who may stand aside at any time.
But for him now, this is the best result.
At least, the thread is drawn.
"... Okay." Kiriyama Ikuto nodded.
"In this case, I will provide you with information about Miyabi Nagumo's movements as agreed without exposing myself."
"But..."
He adjusted his glasses and his tone became serious.
"This is not free charity."
"Although I can't order you to do anything, I do have expectations. If I find out in the future... you have not shown the value that Horikita President said, or your existence has not caused any substantial trouble to Nagumo."
"I will stop providing intelligence immediately."
"Even, I will treat you as an abandoned son."
This can be regarded as a small threat to him as Vice President.
"Same reason."
Kazehara Tetsu doesn't care about this, and even takes it for granted.
"If you are a useless Information Network, all you provide is some expired junk information, or low-level information that even I can't appreciate..."
"Then there's no need for me to use it."
"At that time, you can fend for yourself."
The two sides reached a certain consensus full of gunpowder and distrust.
This late-night secret meeting finally came to an end.
Kiriyama Ikuto turned around and prepared to leave this corner.
But after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
"Finally, there is one thing I must remind you, Kagihara."
"Although we have a so-called 'cooperative relationship' now..."
"You know my situation. If you are not careful, you will be shattered to pieces."
"If your omission leads to me being exposed to Nagumo, you have to understand what the consequences will be."
It didn't say "I will kill you" or "I will make you Expulsion".
But the meaning behind those words is very clear.
It was a declaration of "die together".
If Kiriyama Ikuto is doomed because of Kazehara Tetsu's mistake, then before he falls into hell, he will definitely use up all the cards in his hand and drag Kazehara Tetsu along with him.
After saying this, Kiriyama Ikuto stopped staying and quickly disappeared into the shadows.
Only Kazehara Tetsu was left standing there alone.
"Are you going to bury me with you..."
"What a... cute threat."
He didn't feel afraid.