Long Live Sharing! / Conspiracy

She had one leg pinned, leaving her unable to move. Even the slightest motion would throw her off balance and send her sprawling.

Ibuki had never imagined she would have her freedom of movement taken away like this.

What kind of monster was he? His reflexes were so quick, and he was so strong.

Eito smiled.

"So the reason you brought me here, Ibuki, was to give me a look at your underwear? I see. Blue. Not much of a sense of style."

"If you've got the guts, let me go and fight me again."

"No." Eito shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm a spineless man. I like things just the way they are. Ha—ha—ha."

He laughed without changing his expression.

"You bastard! You lowlife, you wriggling maggot, you piece of trash..."

Ibuki seemed determined to use every curse word she knew.

"Ah—I can't hear you, I can't hear you."

He shook his head, pretending to be deaf.

"Phew..." Ibuki eventually ran out of insults and fixed him with a furious stare.

He understood her strategy, too.

She was trying to kill him with a glare.

Long Live Sharing!

Eito didn't understand why Ibuki was doing that. Perhaps she was trying to awaken the legendary Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.

But she was bound to be disappointed. She was just an ordinary high school girl.

"Quit staring. If you keep looking at me, I'll think you're in love with me."

"Hmph." Ibuki sneered. "You're a pervert who keeps other people's legs in the air. What makes you think I could ever love you?"

"Don't worry. Even if you took all your clothes off and stood in front of me, I wouldn't so much as blink."

"You bastard, go to hell! Damn it, put me down! I'll kill you!"

Ibuki snarled and struggled, but her position left her able to do little more than talk.

More than ten minutes had passed since it began. If she hadn't shifted her weight onto Eito's hand, she probably wouldn't have lasted even a minute.

Even so, her leg was trembling.

She probably couldn't hold out much longer.

Worse still, her skirt was riding up, leaving her to endure both physical and emotional distress.

"Can't take it anymore? Why don't you beg me?"

"Forget it. I'd rather beg you in my next life."

"Tell me, is saving face really that important?" Eito sighed. "Didn't you give in to Ryuen's strength? Why are you so stubborn with me? Is it because you know I won't hit you? Are you not afraid of me?"

"Ryuen isn't a pervert like you."

"No, no. Ryuen's way more twisted than I am."

"...I have nothing to say to you." Ibuki was trembling all over. She was close to giving out.

"Fine."

At the very last moment, he let go of Ibuki's leg.

Ibuki stumbled backward a few steps and leaned against a rock, then sank down, drained of strength.

She gasped for breath, her cheeks flushed. That position had used up nearly all her energy, and her leg was still numb.

Eito walked over and lifted her chin.

"Are you giving up now?"

"I—spit!"

"..."

Eito activated his ability just in time to dodge her spit.

That was close.

"Ibuki, I'm getting a little annoyed now."

"Oh." Ibuki showed little reaction. Her raised lips curled into a mocking smile.

"I hope you can still smile in a moment."

Eito spoke expressionlessly. He forced her legs apart, raised one, and removed her shoe and sock.

"W-what are you doing?" Ibuki asked nervously. She had just used up all her strength and couldn't fight back now.

Eito ignored her and removed the shoe and sock from her other foot as well.

Her pale feet hung in the air, her toes curling with embarrassment.

Eito gripped both her ankles with one hand and pressed them against the rock.

Then he looked at Ibuki.

"Still going to talk tough?"

"...What are you trying to do?"

With his other hand, Eito pressed down on her thigh and ran his fingers over it.

"So this is what a trained leg feels like. It's quite firm."

"..."

"Not going to say anything? Then I'll get started."

Eito lowered his head toward her thighs.

"—Wait!"

Ibuki pushed against his head. Her expression was no longer haughty; it had turned pleading.

"I... I give up!"

"Too quiet. I can't hear you."

"I give—Mm... stop—don't..."

Ibuki weakly pressed against his head, biting her lip as her gaze grew unfocused.

By the river.

Ibuki repeatedly rinsed her thighs, looking at him with disgust and contempt, and just a little regret.

She should never have gone out with him. She would never forget the humiliation she'd suffered.

She had also underestimated how depraved he was. He'd even gone that far—

Eito sat nearby, watching her expression as if none of it mattered.

Ibuki felt disgusted, and he wasn't exactly thrilled either.

It had only been revenge. He still couldn't bring himself to feel interested in someone like Ibuki.

"Listen," Eito said helplessly. "You've been washing for almost thirty minutes. Isn't that enough? You'll rub your skin raw. Even if you think I'm disgusting, you don't have to go this far."

"If I could, I'd cut my legs off."

Ha, ha.

Was that supposed to be a joke?

At last, she finished washing, put her shoes back on, and stared coldly at him.

"If there's nothing else, I'm going back to my class."

Class D, huh? She still had the nerve to go back there. That was so Ibuki.

Eito grabbed her arm.

"I'm coming with you. But this time, we're going to Class C, not Class D."

"What are you planning now?"

"I want to say hello to your boss and meet him. What, are you scared? Afraid he'll lose to me?"

"Hah—then you really are asking to get yourself killed. Come on."

Ibuki shook off his hand and headed toward Class C.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Even though she'd just lost to him, she believed she'd only been careless. There was no way that other person could lose to someone who relied on petty tricks.

Besides, Class C was her turf. What could a piece of trash from Class D possibly do? He might be able to beat one person, but could he take on a whole group?

She was going to make him pay for all the humiliation he'd put her through.

Eito followed behind her.

From what he knew, Class C had struck some kind of deal with Class A. At the start, Class C had spent all its points on supplies. Once the points were gone, they sent most of their students back to the ship and handed most of the supplies over to Class A, keeping only a portion for themselves.

Class A hadn't spent any points. In exchange, it had promised to pay Class C every month in private points after the exam ended.

On the surface, Class A had come out ahead in the deal. But Ryuen wasn't someone who liked playing fair. He'd already set Katsuragi up.

Katsuragi wanted to earn merit and secure his position as leader. To defeat Sakayanagi, he'd made such a risky plan. He was bound to be disappointed this time.

Following Ibuki, Eito passed through one patch of grass after another, eventually finding Class C's spot on the beach.

At a glance, only one word came to mind: paradise.

There were all kinds of recreational facilities and snacks. The place looked just like a seaside resort.

Ryuen was lounging in a deck chair, wearing sunglasses and enjoying the sun. A girl behind him was massaging his shoulders.

A short distance away stood two tall, muscular boys who looked like bodyguards. In fact, they were the class's delinquents: Ishizaki Daichi and the Black man, Yamada Albert.

While Ryuen was enjoying his vacation, Eito had been stuck in Class D, unable to do anything. Thinking about it made him a little annoyed.

No—actually, he'd been getting close to a beautiful girl and had even taken Sakura's virginity. From that angle, maybe he hadn't come off too badly.

No, he was still annoyed. He wanted it all.

So, Ryuen, good things were meant to be shared.

Conspiracy

Ryuen Kakeru.

On the surface, he looked like the leader of a gang of delinquents. He had subdued Class C's students with his forceful methods.

He was hated and feared by his classmates.

Surprisingly, he also had a decent mind and liked using underhanded, cunning methods that people found despicable.

He was a tyrant who ruled through violence.

Even in today's peaceful society, he was the kind of person who upheld the law of the jungle: the strong preyed on the weak.

In truth, modern society appeared equal and harmonious, seemingly having left the savagery and violence of ancient times behind. Yet the law of the jungle still existed.

It had simply shifted from physical force to a contest of intelligence, family background, perseverance, luck, and many other factors.