An Unsolved Mystery

"Oh, come on. We're just messing around with each other. Look, does she even mind?"

Following Rinya's gaze, Ibuki Mio, who had just been struggling, was indeed signaling from behind that she was fine.

Even so, seeing the other party's indifferent attitude, Horikita Suzune had no intention of letting him off the hook. She continued to bark angrily, "Rinya, Rinya-kun, classmate Rinya!"

"When will you finally understand that your actions implicate the entire class?"

"It's one thing to be late or skip class, but at a time like this, you dared to act on your own without waiting for the Security Department to handle things."

"Is it enough just because she says she's fine?"

You have to realize the surveillance cameras are always recording. When the school reviews the footage, even if they initially rule it as self-defense, what happens after that!

Because of your impulsive behavior, once Ryuen Kakeru latches onto this clip, we might not only lose any chance of compensation, but we could also face deductions of our class points as punishment.

"Hey, hey, can I get a word in?"

Rinya made a gesture for silence, then pointed to the corner camera Horikita Suzune had mentioned, smiling enigmatically. "Look, is it even powered on? Hmm?"

Hearing this, Horikita Suzune brushed her long hair behind her ear and looked closely, only to freeze the next moment.

"...The power supply there is actually turned off!"

"How is that possible?" Horikita Suzune widened her eyes in disbelief.

She had thoroughly studied the school's safety manual, which explicitly stated that all surveillance equipment on campus consisted of the latest top-tier technology imported from the United States. Its quality and lifespan were designed to last at least ten years of 24-hour operation, unless manually damaged or intentionally shut down.

But looking at its pristine, undamaged state, there wasn't a single trace of tampering. Could it have been shut down on purpose?

Yet the only person with that authority was the Chairman, who held the highest position in the school. "This... what on earth is going on?"

"Could it be that he and the Chairman have..."

Halfway through the thought, Horikita Suzune stopped herself, realizing how absurd it was.

She knew better than anyone the school's principle of meritocracy. In a "useless" class like hers, let alone an ordinary student, even their homeroom teacher would likely be ignored by the Chairman.

"But still... why would this camera be turned off?" Horikita Suzune held her head, her mind becoming increasingly chaotic.

Ever since she noticed the terrifying strength Kushida Kikyo had inexplicably displayed.

And seeing Rinya appear out of nowhere at the critical moment, and now discovering that the supposedly un-closable surveillance had been shut down.

Connecting all the incomprehensible events of the day... for the first time, Horikita Suzune, who usually had a sharp mind, felt a desperate longing for Ayanokoji to be by her side.

"If he were here, perhaps... sigh."

However, just as Horikita Suzune was feeling frustrated, she noticed Rinya staring at her with that same enigmatic smile, and she couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Hmph, not here when I need you, honestly."

"Hmm? We're at this point already, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

"No, I don't need to. I'll figure it out myself!"

If you like this book, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

"Oh? Then when the Security Department arrives in a moment, how are you going to explain all of this?" Rinya's voice was as calm as still water.

"Hmph, you don't need to worry about that. Since there's no footage, I naturally won't implicate you."

"But please, take care of yourself. I never expected your martial arts to be this strong. I doubt Ryuen Kakeru will dare to intentionally trouble you after finding out."

"But remember, you must stay vigilant at all times. Classmate Kushida is the best example."

"Hmph, and one more thing—next time we have a physical fitness test, don't you dare play dumb!"

"Got it, got it. Thanks!" Rinya said, already turning to walk away calmly.

"Wait... what are you thanking me for?" Horikita Suzune asked, puzzled as she watched his back.

"For not exposing my strength, it saves me a lot of trouble."

"Are you worried about Ryuen bothering you? But even if I didn't say anything, what does it matter? Excluding Kushida, Ishizaki and Ibuki Mio would definitely tell Ryuen Kakeru."

"It's fine. As long as you don't say anything, that's enough..."

As Rinya walked away, the voice drifting back left Horikita Suzune once again filled with confusion.

That day, after the Security Department, along with the students and teachers from Class D and Class C, arrived one after another, the absurd outcome left Horikita Suzune even more bewildered.

First, the name Kushida Kikyo was pushed to the forefront of everyone's attention, and she was even dubbed the "Goddess of Martial Arts" by the entire school's faculty and students online.

Ishizaki, who woke up in the infirmary, seemed to have lost all memory of what happened before his outburst, knowing only that he felt a massive force hit his head and then went blank.

Ibuki Mio, the only other person present who was unharmed, made a shocking statement. Even after repeated questioning by Ryuen, she maintained what she had said during the interview with the Broadcasting Club: "The two of us, who wanted to ask Kushida Kikyo for pointers, were both defeated by her in an instant..."

From then on, Kushida Kikyo's name echoed throughout the school. In the following days, she was stalked and followed even more intensely than Rinya had been in the past.

As for the boys who had asked her how to become stronger that day, they became firm believers in the training methods she had suggested, following her instructions to the letter.

Although most of them ended up losing their hair, it was certain that those who had persisted for a few days did feel they had become stronger.

At the very least, those who would have fainted halfway through on the first day could now hold out until the end before collapsing.

The only one who knew the truth, Horikita Suzune, was completely dumbfounded.

It was one thing for Ishizaki to have amnesia, but why would Ibuki Mio, a girl who had always been her adversary, go so far as to betray Ryuen just to make up a series of lies?

"What on earth does she gain from this..."

Horikita Suzune did not understand, nor could she figure it out, but after this incident, for some reason, her intuition kept telling her that the answer to everything seemed to be inextricably linked to that person.

It was a pity, however, that it was merely intuition; without actual evidence, anything she said would be nothing more than empty talk.

On that same day, when she couldn't wait to find Ayanokoji to seek answers, a single sentence from him made her feel deep down that the person was truly extraordinary and definitely not as casual as they appeared on the surface.

"There can be many answers, but only one thing remains constant: once you know one of them, you may never be able to walk away. Believe me, that person is absolutely not someone you should be investigating~"

"But..."

Looking at the terrifyingly calm gaze in Ayanokoji's eyes, she, who had wanted to say something more, ultimately chose to remain silent.

If you can't find the book title, you can try searching for the author; perhaps the name has just been changed!