"Oh~ That? We were just teasing each other. Look, does she seem bothered?"
Following Rinya's gaze, Horikita Suzune saw Ibuki Mio in the back. Though she'd just been mentioned as struggling, Ibuki was indeed signaling that she was fine.
Even so, seeing how unconcerned Rinya seemed, Horikita still wasn't about to let him off. She continued to scold him, "Rinya! Rinya-kun! Rinya!"
"When are you going to understand that your actions affect the entire class?"
"Being late, leaving early, and breaking the rules on ordinary days is one thing, but even now, you didn't wait for the Security Department to handle things before taking matters into your own hands."
"She signaled that she was fine, so that's all that matters?"
The cameras have been recording this the whole time. Once the school reviews the footage, they might initially decide we acted in self-defense, but what about what happened after that?
Because you acted on a whim, if Ryuen seizes on this footage and refuses to let it go, we might not only lose out on any compensation, but also have Class Points deducted as punishment.
"Hey, hey, can I get a word in?"
Rinya made a shushing gesture, then pointed toward the camera in the corner that Horikita had mentioned. With a faint smile, he said, "Look~ Is it even powered on?"
At that, Horikita swept the long hair from her forehead and looked closely. The next moment, she froze.
"...The power's off!"
"How is that possible~" Horikita's eyes widened in disbelief.
She'd carefully studied the school's safety manual. One section clearly stated that all surveillance equipment on campus was made with the latest top-tier technology imported from the United States. It was built to run continuously for at least ten years, twenty-four hours a day, unless someone damaged it or deliberately switched it off.
But the camera looked brand-new and undamaged. There wasn't a trace of tampering. Had someone turned it off on purpose?
But the only person with the authority to do that was the chairman, the highest-ranking official at the school. "W-what exactly is going on~?"
"Could he be involved with the chairman...?"
Halfway through the thought, Horikita stopped herself, realizing how ridiculous it was.
She understood better than anyone that this school put strength above all else. A useless class like hers wouldn't matter to the chairman—not even its homeroom teacher would earn so much as a glance.
"But... why was the camera turned off?" Horikita held her head, her thoughts growing more and more jumbled...
Ever since she'd noticed the inexplicable strength Kushida Kikyo had displayed.
Then Rinya had inexplicably appeared at a critical moment. And now she'd discovered that a camera that shouldn't have been possible to switch off had somehow been turned off.
As she thought back over all the incomprehensible events of the day, Horikita Suzune, whose mind usually worked faster than anyone's, found herself longing for Ayanokoji to be there by her side for the first time.
"If he were here, maybe... Sigh~"
Just as Horikita was feeling frustrated, she noticed Rinya watching her with that faint smile. She couldn't help thinking, Hmph. He's never around when he's needed.
"Hmm~ At a time like this, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
"No. I don't need to. I'll figure it out myself!"
"Oh? Then what are you going to tell the Security Department when they arrive?" Rinya asked, his voice calm as still water.
"Hmph. Don't worry about it. There's no footage, so I won't involve you."
But you should worry about yourself. I had no idea you were so good at hand-to-hand combat. Now that Ryuen Kakeru knows, he probably won't dare go out of his way to pick on you.
"But remember, you need to stay alert at all times. Kushida is the perfect example."
"Hmph! And don't you dare play dumb during the next physical fitness test!"
"Got it, got it. Thanks~ Heh..." Rinya said, turning away and strolling off.
"Wait... What are you thanking me for?" Horikita asked, confused as she watched him go.
"For not revealing how strong I am. It saves me a lot of trouble~"
"Are you worried Ryuen will give you trouble? Even if I keep quiet, what difference will it make? If we don't count Kushida, Ishizaki and Ibuki Mio will definitely tell Ryuen Kakeru."
"It's fine~ It's enough that you don't say anything..."
As Rinya walked away, his voice drifted back from a distance, leaving Horikita baffled once again~
Later that day, once the Security Department and the students and teachers from Classes 1-D and C had arrived, the ridiculous outcome left Horikita baffled for yet another time...
First, Kushida Kikyo's name was once again thrust into the spotlight. Online, students and teachers across the school even dubbed her the "Goddess of Hand-to-Hand Combat."
Ishizaki, who woke up in the infirmary, seemed to have forgotten everything that happened before he went berserk. All he remembered was that someone had hit him in the head with tremendous force, and then everything went black.
As for Ibuki Mio, the only person at the scene who was unharmed, she made an astonishing claim. Even when Ryuen questioned her several times, she repeated what she'd told the school news department: "The two of us wanted to ask Kushida Kikyo for advice, but she defeated us in an instant..."
From then on, Kushida Kikyo's name resounded throughout the school. In the days that followed, students staked out her every move, and the crowds following her were even bigger than the ones that had once followed Rinya.
When the boys who'd asked her how to get stronger that day heard the news, they believed even more firmly in the training methods she'd given them and followed her instructions to the letter.
Although most of them ended up losing their hair, there was no denying that the boys who had stuck with it for several days really did feel stronger.
At the very least, they'd been passing out halfway through on the first day. Now they could make it to the end before collapsing.
Horikita Suzune, the only one who knew the truth, was completely dumbfounded...
It was one thing for Ishizaki to lose his memory, but why would Ibuki Mio, who had always been at odds with her, betray Ryuen to make up such a string of lies?
"What could she possibly gain from this...?"
Horikita didn't understand. She couldn't make sense of it. But after what had happened, for some reason, her instincts kept telling her that all the answers were tied to that person in some way.
Unfortunately, it was only a hunch. Without any concrete evidence, anything she said would be empty speculation.
That day, when she eagerly sought out Ayanokoji for answers, one thing he said only made her more certain that there was more to that person than met the eye—that he wasn't nearly as carefree as he seemed.
"There can be many answers, but one thing never changes. Once you learn one of them, you might never find your way out again. Believe me, that person isn't someone you should be trying to investigate~"
"But..."
Looking into Ayanokoji's frighteningly calm eyes, she'd wanted to say more, but in the end, she chose to remain silent.
Before you continue