The Strongest Escape Technique, Talk no Jutsu!

But staying in the cinema forever wasn't really an option, so the group first headed out to the waiting lobby.

The figures of Manabu Horikita and Akane Tachibana had long since disappeared.

"Wait for me for a moment." After offering an apologetic look to Airi Sakura, Toru Hasegawa followed Miyabi Nagumo into the deserted stairwell.

"I can actually understand how you feel, Nagumo-senpai," Toru Hasegawa said, seizing the initiative.

Miyabi Nagumo flashed a dangerous smile. "Then why don't you tell me about it?"

"Since you managed to unify the entire grade in just one year, I imagine you must find the remaining two years of school life quite boring, right?"

"Oh? And then?"

"Although I don't know what kind of battles you've faced, Nagumo-senpai, I imagine the lack of worthy opponents makes you restless, which is why you've set your sights on President Horikita." Toru Hasegawa smiled. "He became Student Council president as a first-year, so he undoubtedly possesses sufficient strength. Are you trying to prove your own capability to him?"

"...Go on." Miyabi Nagumo studied Toru Hasegawa, feeling that the boy seemed different from their previous meeting, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed.

Toru Hasegawa kept his smile. "But the main battles in this school are supposed to happen within the same grade, and that must really annoy you. So, I suspect that once President Horikita steps down, you'll carry out sweeping reforms—for instance... increasing cross-grade trials, or creating ways for students in lower classes to be promoted to Class A through other means."

That way, he would be able to battle his beloved Manabu Horikita, even if only for a short time.

"Are you a mind reader? You know so much." For some reason, Miyabi Nagumo felt a chill run down his spine, and his expression shifted slightly.

Toru Hasegawa noticed the change in his expression.

Sigh, by comparison, Airi-san doesn't react to anything at all.

He thought of Airi Sakura for a fleeting moment, but immediately refocused his attention on the present.

"It's simple, because unifying a grade isn't an easy task, and the rewards are obvious," Toru Hasegawa said unhurriedly. "By pulling away from the lower classes with an overwhelming lead while promising irresistible benefits—though I don't know how many points a class transfer costs yet—if it's you, Nagumo-senpai, who has already unified the entire grade, you should be able to accumulate a considerable amount of points before graduation."

"20 million."

Toru Hasegawa learned this piece of information from Miyabi Nagumo's own lips.

"So, why are you telling me all this?" Miyabi Nagumo no longer dared to underestimate the underclassman before him, staring intently into his eyes. "Are you trying to show off your sharp mind and keen observation?"

"No, I never thought of it that way. If anything, shouldn't I be worried? Because this means I've caught your attention, Nagumo-senpai." Toru Hasegawa shook his head. "I just think you could be more confident in yourself. After all, as vice president, you should have already earned the recognition of President Horikita. Besides, the school likely wouldn't want cross-grade trials to become the norm; competition between classes in the same grade will always be the priority."

This meant that Miyabi Nagumo's path of reform was destined to face obstacles.

"Giving up without trying isn't my style." Miyabi Nagumo smiled, then asked, "What about you? What are your thoughts?"

"In the third year, Class A under President Horikita stands alone at the top. In the second year, you've unified everyone, Nagumo-senpai. So, let's have the first year be a race where all four classes are hot on each other's heels... Just kidding. I just want to live a pleasant school life, nothing more."

"Don't want to say? Fine. I'll just dig out the secrets myself." Miyabi Nagumo smiled as if he had thought of something interesting.

Toru Hasegawa warned, "The reality might be even more boring than you imagine, you know~"

"It doesn't matter, as long as it brings me enough interest for the time being." Miyabi Nagumo clearly had no intention of giving up, his eyes burning as he stared at Toru Hasegawa.

The latter sighed helplessly. "Sigh, actually, there is one thing I've never been able to understand."

"Speak." Miyabi Nagumo's response was concise.

"Since you want to prove your strength so badly, Nagumo-senpai, why must it be through the school's trials?"

"...?" Miyabi Nagumo was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean competing outside of exams. But... everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, as well as the gap brought by age. For example, in a race, President Horikita would have a certain degree of advantage over you, Nagumo-senpai. If you won, that would be fine, but if you lost, you'd definitely be resentful, right? After all, you are a year younger. Things like this manifest in all sorts of ways, and I don't think that would lead to any good results."

All of this was just Miyabi Nagumo's wishful thinking.

For the remainder of the time, Toru Hasegawa began to unilaterally lecture Miyabi Nagumo.

Things like, "Since you're already collecting points from the whole grade, you should take responsibility—not just for yourself, but for others," "Launching cross-grade confrontations is foolish, thankless, and violates the school's original intent," and "When doing things, you shouldn't just consider yourself, but also the feelings of the people who matter to you," and so on.

It made Miyabi Nagumo's head spin.

"Are you really a first-year? Why are you acting like my mother?" Miyabi Nagumo couldn't help but retort, though at the same time, he realized something. "I see. Is this your goal?"

"Because you're very self-willed, Nagumo-senpai, so I just said a little extra... Sometimes, deliberately restricting yourself from doing what you want to do is also a form of growth, especially when it's just to satisfy yourself unilaterally... Well, please excuse me."

Unlike Miyabi Nagumo, who was alone, Toru Hasegawa was with Airi Sakura, and keeping her waiting for too long wouldn't be good.

Miyabi Nagumo didn't stop him. The words the other boy had just spoken were buzzing in his head like mosquitoes, and to be honest, it gave him a headache.

"He clearly said earlier that we're all just high school students... But, is restricting oneself also a form of growth?"

A long time later, Miyabi Nagumo shook his head, pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against, and left Keyaki Mall.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Toru Hasegawa, having finished his "talk-no-jutsu," returned to the spot. Even though he had hurried, he had still wasted quite a bit of time.

As soon as Airi Sakura saw him, she quickly moved two steps away from Ran Morishita and came to Toru Hasegawa's side.

Suzune Horikita, however, remained unmoved, which left Toru Hasegawa feeling slightly disappointed.

"Morishita-san, did you do something to Sakura-san?"

Although Toru Hasegawa asked this, he did not expect to receive an honest answer from her.

"I was just curious about the reason she would be with you, but I didn't manage to ask anything at all." As it turned out, Ran Morishita provided some rather useful information.

Relatively speaking, the probability of getting useful information out of Airi Sakura was quite low, and it would require him to figure things out on his own; naturally, it was better to have things be a little easier like this.

Toru Hasegawa breathed a sigh of relief: "So, can today's adventure be considered satisfying for you?"

"I obtained some very useful information, but it's not enough yet." Ran Morishita glanced at Suzune Horikita, who was still lingering in the same spot with them, and continued, "I'll just accompany you two and continue this date."

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< src="https://e1.kuangxiangit./uplos/chaptersnew/964/264132/250404/1743739975-100434764-113187849.jpg" alt='Self-description after the Sports Festival'>

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