Taking a Step Back Only Makes You Angrier
"Ahahaha~"
Watching Yamauchi Haruki spout such nonsense right in front of her, Horikita Suzune clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles cracked.
She couldn't take it anymore!
Horikita turned to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, her face cold.
"Hey, go grab something and cover the camera."
"Uh, what are you planning to do?"
"Less talk, hurry up!"
Horikita could no longer contain her anger.
Once everything was ready,
Horikita walked up to Yamauchi without saying a word.
Looking at Horikita's dark expression, Yamauchi stammered,
"W-What are you going to do? I'm not afraid of you..."
Then,
Thud! Thud! Thud!
After only a few swift moves, Horikita knocked Yamauchi to the ground. She dusted off her hands.
"You can't even beat me, and you think you can beat those three from Class C? Yamauchi, have you been sleeping so much that you've started dreaming?"
Horikita tossed out that harsh remark, then went straight back to her seat, leaving Yamauchi sprawled on the floor.
"..."
The students of Class D stared at the scene in disbelief, then burst into enthusiastic cheers.
"Nice one, Horikita! You gave him a proper thrashing!"
"Horikita, that was so cool!"
"Great job! I'll let you off for signing that contract without permission."
Yamauchi stared blankly at his hands, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Wait, was I really dreaming?"
Then the pain from his body told him that none of this had been a dream.
So... none of it was real... it had all been a lie.
Unable to accept reality, Yamauchi dropped to his knees with a thump and clutched his hands.
"My superpowers!"
The students of Class D breathed a sigh of relief. At last, the farce was over.
What had just happened made them realize all too clearly that there was a reason Yamauchi had been assigned to Class D.
But that also meant that, in the school's eyes, they were all on the same level...
"No, this isn't over yet. We still have to settle things with the real culprit."
Horikita gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Coming up with a way to disgust her like this wasn't just competition between classes anymore. It was a declaration of war to the death.
"Horikita, just so you know, our class's points are already in the negatives, so there's basically nothing left to deduct. The worst that could happen is Yamauchi getting expelled."
"No. Things may have come this far because Yamauchi's an idiot, but letting someone walk all over me without fighting back isn't my style."
Horikita replied firmly.
"Then what are you planning to do? Even if Yamauchi doesn't look like someone who could take on three people at once, the evidence at this point is overwhelmingly in Class C's favor."
Ayanokoji paused, as though he'd remembered something he couldn't understand.
"More importantly, he admitted it..."
Horikita fell silent for a while. Given Yamauchi's lack of friends, there was no way she could get the students of Class D to keep quiet about his admission that he'd beaten up the Class C Trio.
Horikita lowered her head dejectedly.
"We can only see if we can find evidence or witnesses that contradict Class C's testimony."
Since all the evidence at this point pointed to Yamauchi, the only viable option was to find more evidence.
But that was only a possibility. Even if Hirata helped, there was no guarantee they'd find anything. Class C might have already gotten rid of any relevant evidence.
"If there's no other choice, we can go to Class B and find that guy. He's at least a little interested in taking on Class C... and he's also the Vice President of the Student Council."
Horikita said unwillingly. Would she really have to go find him again so soon?
"That's an option, but there's one problem, Horikita... Have you added him as a friend?"
As everyone knew, Uesugi Gen was a hidden character who spawned randomly on the map with a low probability. You couldn't summon him without using a specific method.
Horikita turned her head and asked in disbelief,
"Don't tell me you haven't added him either?"
The air fell silent.
"That's what happened. I'd like to ask the students of Class B whether any of you witnessed it, or know of anyone who did."
Horikita addressed Ichinose and Kanzaki, who stood before her, her expression serious.
As for why she hadn't gone to find Uesugi Gen, it was because she couldn't catch him. As soon as class ended, he seemed to vanish.
"I see..."
Ichinose rested her chin on one hand and thought for a moment, then readily agreed.
"Sure!"
"It'd be better to put a stop to this as soon as possible. I have a feeling that if we leave it alone, it might affect our Class B, too."
What an excellent judgment. No wonder she was Class B's class leader.
Horikita silently praised her.
Then she thought of the assorted oddballs in her own Class D...
Comparing people really was infuriating.
"As for Uesugi, I'll help you call him."
Ichinose happily pulled out her phone and contacted Uesugi Gen.
He replied instantly.
"..."
Ichinose's smile froze. She awkwardly scratched her cheek with a finger.
"He says he's saving the world and doesn't have time."
Horikita breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed every class had an unreliable person.
"Hey, you really shouldn't keep indulging him like that."
Kanzaki Ryuji sighed at the sight, then pulled out his phone.
"I'll do it."
Another text came through.
"He says he'll be here in a bit."
"Huh? Kanzaki, how did you manage that? I've called him so many times before, and he never replied."
Ichinose asked at once. Anything related to Uesugi Gen always ranked very high on her list of priorities.
Of course, he'd threatened to tell her about Uesugi Gen's secret hideout if he didn't show up.
"I told him I'd treat him to..."
A figure flashed into the room at lightning speed.
Uesugi Gen had arrived at the scene!
"Kan..."
As soon as Uesugi Gen ran into the shop and saw Ichinose and Horikita, his face fell.
"What's this? I was wondering why you were being so nice and offering to treat me to a meal. So they bought you off."
"Let's talk business. Horikita has something she needs your help with."
Kanzaki Ryuji spoke to Uesugi Gen with the attitude of someone who knew he'd made a mistake but would never repent.
"So, you want to find evidence proving that the Class C Trio started the fight and provoked him, right?"
Uesugi Gen asked Horikita as he ate his steak.
Horikita pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Much as I hate to admit it, that's exactly what happened."
Smack!
"Miss Horikita, I can't believe you're that kind of person."
I, Uesugi Gen, sprang to my feet and slapped both hands on the table. I grabbed Horikita's hands.
"I'm definitely going to help you with this! Someone like you must stay in Class D."
A vein throbbed on Horikita's forehead.
"I'd like to say thank you, but why do I feel like punching you?"
"Don't worry about the details."
After discussing a few details with Horikita, Uesugi Gen and the others left the café.
"Uesugi..."
Ichinose looked at Uesugi Gen as though she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Ichinose was silent for a moment, then swallowed the words she'd been about to say. She smiled at Uesugi Gen and shook her head.
"No, it's nothing. You can head back first. Remember to get to bed early, okay? I'll come get you tomorrow."
The Uesugi Inequality
After the two had walked away, Uesugi Gen slowly let his smile fade. He turned to Kanzaki Ryuji.
"Kanzaki, let's go. Time to get down to business."
"Didn't you just say you'd help Horikita? You're going back on your word already?"
"Agreeing to help her doesn't mean I have to actually help her. There's nothing left to squeeze out of Class D at this point, but Class C still has plenty. If we get the evidence first, then use my position as Vice President of the Student Council to pull a few strings, Class C will be at my mercy."
Uesugi Gen instantly changed his tune, skillfully taking them out with the Uesugi Inequality.
Come on, if the Accomplice Lady found out I was helping Horikita, she'd beat me to death!
Uesugi Gen's antics dealt a massive blow to Kanzaki, a traditional man. Was something like this even allowed?
"Get the Uesugi-gumi to help look, but don't take it too seriously. Just make a show of it for her."
"As for me, I remember there's a key intersection near where it happened. The school installed a hidden camera there. It shouldn't be hard to access the footage."
Before you continue