The Ultimate Jutsu: Talk no Jutsu!

But staying in the movie theater forever wasn't really an option, so the group headed to the waiting area outside.

Manabu Horikita and Akane Tachibana had already disappeared.

"Wait here for a moment." After giving Airi Sakura an apologetic look, Toru Hasegawa followed Miyabi Nagumo into an empty stairwell.

"I can actually understand Senior Nagumo's feelings a little," Toru said, speaking first.

Miyabi Nagumo flashed a dangerous smile. "Then let's hear what you think."

"Senior Nagumo managed to unite the entire year in just one year. I imagine the remaining two years of school must seem pretty dull to you, right?"

"Oh? And then?"

"I don't know what kind of battles you've faced, Senior Nagumo, but I imagine having no rivals has left you restless. So you've set your sights on President Horikita." Toru smiled. "He became student council president in his first year, so there's no doubt he's capable. Do you want to prove your strength to him?"

"...Go on." Miyabi studied Toru, sensing that he seemed a little different from the last time they'd met. But he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed.

Toru kept smiling. "But the main competition at this school should be between students in the same year. That must really annoy you, so I'm guessing you'll make sweeping reforms after President Horikita steps down. For example... introducing cross-year competitions and giving students in lower-ranked classes a chance to reach Class A through other means."

That way, he could compete with his beloved Manabu Horikita, even if only for a short time.

"Are you a mind reader? How do you know so much?" For some reason, Miyabi felt a chill deep down, and his expression shifted slightly.

Toru noticed the change in his expression, too.

Huh. Sakura didn't react at all, though.

He found himself thinking of Airi Sakura, but quickly refocused on the present.

"It's simple. Uniting an entire year isn't easy, and the rewards are obvious," Toru said unhurriedly. "You've built an overwhelming lead over the lower-ranked classes while offering benefits they can't refuse. I don't know how many points it takes to change classes, but you, Senior Nagumo, having already united the entire year, should be able to amass a considerable number before graduation."

"Twenty million."

Toru learned this from Miyabi Nagumo.

"So why are you telling me all this?" Miyabi no longer dared underestimate the underclassman in front of him. He stared straight into Toru's eyes. "Are you showing off how sharp-minded and perceptive you are?"

"No. I never thought of doing that. If anything, shouldn't I be worried? It means Senior Nagumo will have his eye on me." Toru shook his head. "I just think you should have more confidence in yourself. As vice president, you must already have President Horikita's approval. And the school probably wouldn't want cross-year competitions to become the norm. Competition between classes in the same year will always be the focus."

That meant Miyabi Nagumo's reforms were bound to face resistance.

"Giving up without trying isn't my style." Miyabi smiled, then asked, "What about you? What do you want?"

"President Horikita's Class A stands alone at the top of the third year, and Senior Nagumo has unified the second year. So how about making the first year a close competition between all four classes... Just kidding. I only want to enjoy my school life, that's all."

"You don't want to tell me? Fine. I'll uncover your secrets myself." Miyabi smiled as if he'd thought of something amusing.

Toru warned him, "The truth might be even more boring than you imagine~"

"That's all right. As long as it interests me for a while." Miyabi clearly had no intention of giving up. He stared intently at Toru.

Toru sighed helplessly. "Well, there is one thing I've never quite understood."

"Say it." Miyabi was curt.

"If Senior Nagumo wants so badly to prove his strength, why does it have to be through the school's tests?"

"...?" Miyabi froze. "What do you mean?"

"I mean competing outside of exams. But... everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and age makes a difference, too. For instance, in a race, President Horikita would have a certain advantage over Senior Nagumo,

"If you won, that would be one thing. But if you lost, you'd definitely feel it was unfair, right? After all, you're a year younger,

"That kind of thing would come up in all sorts of situations. I don't think it would lead to anything good."

It was all just Miyabi Nagumo's wishful thinking.

For the rest of their conversation, Toru launched into a one-sided lecture. He said things like, "Since you've collected points from the entire year, you should take responsibility for them. You're responsible not just for yourself, but for everyone else, too," "Starting cross-year competition is foolish, thankless, and against the school's intentions," and "You have to consider the feelings of the people who matter to you, not just your own."

It left Miyabi Nagumo with a pounding headache.

"Are you really a first-year? You sound just like my mom." Miyabi finally couldn't hold back from complaining. At the same time, he began to understand. "I see. So this was your plan?"

"You're pretty selfish, Senior Nagumo, so I went on a little longer than I meant to... Sometimes, choosing not to do what you want is a way to grow, especially when you're only doing it to satisfy yourself... Anyway, I'll be going."

Unlike Miyabi, who was by himself, Toru had come with Airi Sakura. It wouldn't be right to keep her waiting.

Miyabi didn't stop him. Toru's words had been buzzing around in his head like a mosquito, and honestly, they were giving him a headache.

"He said just before that we're all only high school students... But is holding yourself back really a way to grow?"

Only much later did Miyabi shake his head, push himself away from the wall, and leave Keyaki Mall.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

After using the ultimate jutsu—Talk no Jutsu—Toru returned to the others. He'd hurried, but it had still taken quite a while.

The moment Airi Sakura saw him, she quickly moved two places away from Ran Morishita and went to stand beside Toru.

Suzune Horikita, however, didn't budge, which left Toru a little disappointed.

"Morishita, did you do something to Sakura?"

Though Toru asked, he didn't expect her to answer honestly.

"I was just curious why she was with you, but I couldn't get anything out of her." Ran Morishita, as it turned out, gave him some pretty useful information.

By comparison, the odds of getting anything useful out of Airi Sakura were lower, and he'd have to figure it out for himself. Having things made a little easier was certainly welcome.

Toru breathed a sigh of relief. "So, were you satisfied with today's adventure?"

"I got some really useful information, but it's not enough." Ran Morishita glanced at Suzune Horikita, who was still standing there with them, then continued, "I'll keep you company on your date."