Sakayanagi Arisu's Defeat

"You...!"

Realizing he had misspoken, Yusoku Gyakukai immediately groveled.

He quickly rounded the crowd and came before Sakayanagi Arisu, staring at her face—whether it was flushed from her earlier fantasies or reddened from anger just now...

No, that wasn't the point!

"Sorry, Classmate Sakayanagi. Please forgive the words that came out of my mouth without passing through my brain just now.

None of that was what I truly think. I actually respect you, your father, and your mother... In short, I'm terribly sorry. Please forgive me."

When you do wrong, say wrong, you take the hit and stand straight.

This was a rule Yuki Gyakukai had always upheld. He understood that respect was mutual, so for over a decade, Yuki Gyakukai had constantly restrained his words and actions.

Even back in middle school, though he served as a disciplinary committee member and had the backing of the entire Hanyu Zaibatsu, he never acted ostentatiously.

He remained strict with himself. At school, there were often punks and gyarus who spoke rudely or bullied others.

He would step in to stop them, using nothing more than force against force or social pressure.

For those who committed serious offenses, he frequently leveraged the Hanyu Zaibatsu's power to dispose of them in Tokyo Bay or send them as construction materials to building sites.

So as far as he was concerned, if he treated others so harshly, he could afford no slack with himself.

Otherwise, he didn't know when he might become an urban legend himself...

Watching Yuki Gyakukai, who had just spoken insolently, now bowing and apologizing to her with a sincere face.

His reverent posture, as if he were at her mercy, made Sakayanagi Arisu let out a turbid breath.

She took a fresh look at the Yuki Gyakukai before her. If the Yuki Gyakukai she knew before was flamboyant and sharp, then the Yuki Gyakukai before her now was humble, someone who could admit his mistakes and correct them... a good kid?

How awful. Such a term had inexplicably popped into her head.

Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help shaking her head, casting out the stray thoughts in her mind.

By now, most of her anger had dissipated, and she weighed her words:

"Though your apology is sincere, it still harmed my feelings. I can't quite accept your apology."

He had been the one to speak rudely first, and Yuki Gyakukai understood.

After all, if anyone dared speak to him like that, he would have already used every means to dispose of them in Tokyo Bay.

Thus, he said calmly:

"I'm sorry for the harm my slip of the tongue caused you. Please name your terms. I'll do my best to make up for the damage I've done to you."

Watching Yuki Gyakukai still begging for forgiveness, many gazes toward him sparkled with admiration.

"Classmate Tomie, has Gyakukai always been like this?"

Those who were closer to Tomie gathered around her and began asking in hushed tones.

"From... from the time we met, he's always been like this..."

Tomie looked at Yuki Gyakukai, still bowing in apology, her gaze complicated.

"After all, he's been outstanding since childhood, powerful in ability, and everyone around him likes him.

But precisely because of that, he often inadvertently hurts others. And those he accidentally hurts because of him, he treats specially."

Speaking of this, Tomie couldn't help recalling when she was little, when part of her body tissue was accidentally eaten by others.

The newborn Tomie, right in front of her and Gyakukai, burst out of the stomach.

Due to Gyakukai's long-term influence, she still felt guilt over such things to this day.

Gradually, even she herself felt she wasn't like Tomie, let alone an urban legend.

"Gyakukai really is gentle."

"More like responsible. When he does wrong, he takes the initiative to bear responsibility. Having a fiancé like that, Tomie, is so enviable."

"When will I ever get a boyfriend like Gyakukai?"

"A boyfriend like Gyakukai? You're dreaming again."

"..."

Looking at the Yuki Gyakukai before her, Sakayanagi Arisu finally made a move.

"If you want my forgiveness, it's simple. Play a game of chess with me. If you win, I'll forgive you. If you lose, you'll keep playing with me until you can beat me."

With that, she produced a chessboard from somewhere and set it on the table.

The people around tactfully made room. Gyakukai also came to sit opposite Sakayanagi Arisu, arranging the chess pieces.

"Do you know how to play chess?"

Sakayanagi Arisu didn't know why she had chosen to play chess with Yuki Gyakukai.

Come to think of it, her standard for judging geniuses had always been through playing chess with others.

So far, there weren't many geniuses she truly acknowledged. Even Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, in her eyes, was merely an artificial genius, not a true one.

Yuki Gyakukai, while arranging the pieces, set up his own king and queen before replying calmly:

"I haven't played Chess many times, but I know the rules. The game I've played most is the one from across the sea—that country's chess. According to an app's assessment, my level is about Industry 7."

"I see. So you know the rules and have some experience. That puts my mind at ease."

Both sides finished setting up their pieces. Sakayanagi Arisu held the black pieces, while Yuki Gyakukai held the white.

"White moves first."

Yuki rotated a piece on the board: "Though I lack experience in Chess, don't underestimate me."

"We'll see." Sakayanagi Arisu didn't put her full strength into the board.

After all, she had experience playing against professional players; there was no need to go all out from the start against someone who only knew the rules.

However, that thought was quickly dismissed.

On the board, the two exchanged moves, the pace growing faster and faster. Neither was willing to back down, but the time left for them to think dwindled.

So Sakayanagi Arisu poured all her focus into the board.

Both concentrated intently, maneuvering their pieces.

For Yuki Gyakukai, it was still relatively easy.

After all, though he hadn't played many games of Chess, the general rules for moving pieces were similar to that country's chess from across the sea.

Soon, the turn count reached 26. Cold sweat beaded on Sakayanagi Arisu's forehead, layers of white mist swirling above her head.

Chess is a mental sport; the faster the pace, the more mental energy it consumes.

Sakayanagi Arisu, already frail in body, initially didn't want to show weakness, but her body couldn't keep up.

Now, the pieces she had left were only two pawns, one bishop, and one king.

In contrast, Yuki Gyakukai, who held the rhythm and advantage, glanced helplessly at the board:

"How about you surrender? In about two more moves, your king will be gone."

"No!" Sakayanagi Arisu bit her lower lip, adamantly refusing to concede.

Her last chance now lay with the two pawns. If they could promote to a queen and a rook, then she could...

Clack!

A crisp sound rang out on the board. Sakayanagi Arisu was momentarily dazed.

"You lost."