The dormitory.
After leaving Dragon Garden's room.
Prince Ganlongdao took the elevator to the lobby on the first floor, planning to buy a drink before heading back.
As for what Dragon Garden was thinking.
Prince Ganlongdao was already completely sure.
Dragon Garden would choose to come back. At most, he would put up a verbal fight.
That didn't matter.
As long as Dragon Garden returned.
Prince Ganlongdao believed he would recognize the gap between them and understand who was really in charge.
In front of the vending machine.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka crouched down to retrieve a drink.
Suddenly.
His senses flared, and he whipped around.
Prince Ganlongdao had appeared less than a step away without him noticing.
Ayanokoji was secretly startled.
Having grown up in the White Room, the greatest masterpiece of this special institution.
Ayanokoji knew himself very well.
There was always someone better.
There were bound to be people in the world more outstanding than him.
But in reality.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had never met one.
Not even his peers, let alone the adults hailed as international masters, were a match for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
This was the first time anyone had gotten so close to him without being detected.
For Prince Ganlongdao, who had been tested in a war zone.
Reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance were naturally second nature.
It was just an instinct formed over many years. If he wanted to, he could have crept up behind Ayanokoji without making a sound.
That alone.
Was enough to show how strong Prince Ganlongdao was, and to make Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wary.
Ayanokoji picked up his drink and stood,
then walked toward him, unsure whether to say hello.
After all.
A month ago.
They had met in the Gymnasium.
Logically, since they recognized each other, they ought to say hello, right?
However.
The next second.
Prince Ganlongdao brushed past him and started buying a drink.
"..."
Ayanokoji was momentarily at a loss for words.
Was this...
Because he didn't even remember who Ayanokoji was?
Or was someone as insignificant as him not worth remembering?
Ayanokoji was a little confused.
Judging from everything he'd observed.
Prince Ganlongdao was the strongest person he'd ever met, at least when it came to physical strength.
But judging by Class C's performance and Prince Ganlongdao's.
The guy was practically a pushover.
He'd unified the class on the second day, and then turned it into this.
Did he even know what he was doing?
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had to admit he couldn't make sense of him.
Never mind.
Since Prince Ganlongdao didn't care about someone insignificant like him, there was no need for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to say hello either.
Anyway.
As long as they were at this school.
Whether someone was strong or weak.
That would become clear in time.
Elsewhere.
After buying a drink.
Prince Ganlongdao took a sip.
He really hadn't thought much of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka; he'd already forgotten the guy.
As long as he wanted to.
He would inevitably win.
Prince Ganlongdao had always been this arrogant. He paid no attention to people he wasn't interested in, with one exception: beautiful women.
Just then.
Prince Ganlongdao frowned, his ears twitching.
He listened carefully.
There seemed to be some noise in the alley beside him, like faint voices.
Having been through life-and-death trials.
He was naturally very sensitive to things like that.
Prince Ganlongdao lowered his footsteps and went to the corner, glancing over without drawing attention.
There.
In the alley.
Horikita Manabu had Horikita Suzune pinned against the wall.
Without giving it another thought.
Prince Ganlongdao pulled out his phone and started recording.
Horikita Manabu braced his left hand against the wall and suddenly struck Horikita Suzune in the right side of her abdomen with his right palm. The sharp pain made her collapse to the ground.
"Suzune, you don't have what it takes to reach Class A."
Horikita Manabu looked down at his sister with indifferent eyes and said coldly:
"If you understand, then leave this school as soon as possible."
"I'm sorry, Brother..."
Horikita Suzune sat collapsed on the ground.
The intense pain made her clutch her right side.
Feeling her brother's gaze on her, Horikita Suzune looked even more flustered as she said:
"Believe me, Horikita-senpai... I'll make it to Class A and prove myself. I won't bring shame on you, I promise!"
"Hopeless. My foolish little sister."
They really were siblings.
Prince Ganlongdao raised an eyebrow.
It looked like the incompetent younger sister was desperate to prove her strength to her brother?
Horikita Manabu was strong, and he thought a sister like that was embarrassing?
Never mind what the brother thought. All that mattered was finding out what the sister thought.
With that in mind.
Prince Ganlongdao lowered his footsteps,
appearing behind Horikita Manabu like a ghost as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Who are you?"
Horikita Manabu's pupils narrowed to pinpoints, and he suddenly swung a hook at the figure behind him.
However.
Two fingers thrust straight toward Horikita Manabu's eyes. Instinct made him raise his arms to guard.
Prince Ganlongdao tripped him, pressing Horikita Manabu's head to one side with his right hand and instantly throwing him off balance.
Thud.
In less than a second.
Horikita Manabu fell to the ground.
Prince Ganlongdao planted a foot on Horikita Manabu's chest, completely robbing him of the ability to move.
Sportsmanship, the romance of being a man.
None of that applied to Prince Ganlongdao.
A win was a win.
He cared only about efficiency. Every move he made was a lethal one.
Horikita Manabu and the other ring-trained students who had never seen real combat were no match for him.
Seeing Horikita Manabu pinned beneath Prince Ganlongdao's foot, Horikita Suzune froze. It was as if something inside her had been crushed along with him.
But soon.
Horikita Suzune came to her senses.
She forced herself to stand and kicked Prince Ganlongdao away.
"Let him go."
"..."
Prince Ganlongdao took two steps back and raised an eyebrow at Horikita Suzune.
"What is this supposed to mean?"
"What's it to you?"
Horikita Suzune wanted to go help her brother, but she was also afraid to:
"Bro... Horikita-senpai, are you all right?"
"..."
Horikita Manabu ignored his sister's concern.
His attention was fixed entirely on Prince Ganlongdao as he asked in a low voice:
"When did you get here?"
"Didn't understand what I said?"
Prince Ganlongdao raised an eyebrow, a hint of displeasure entering his voice:
"I asked what you two are doing."
"..."
Horikita Manabu fell silent.
He'd originally wanted to ask when Prince Ganlongdao had arrived and whether he had heard their conversation.
However.
Prince Ganlongdao was far too self-centered.
He simply ignored their questions.
In fact.
Prince Ganlongdao had repeated his question twice to test Horikita Manabu's reaction.
When ordinary people got hit.
Their first reaction was always anger.
The timid ones would apologize.
The more rational ones.
Would assess the situation and look for evidence in their favor, preparing to report it to the school.
But Horikita Manabu only cared about when Prince Ganlongdao had arrived.
That was enough to show.
Horikita Manabu had something to hide.
There was no doubt.
Horikita Manabu cared about his younger sister, Horikita Suzune, and cared about her deeply.
Having confirmed that.
Prince Ganlongdao smiled at Horikita Suzune.
Before you continue