"You really are amazing, senpai."
After several attacks failed, Nanase Tsubasa stepped back. "The president was right. I don't stand a chance."
Against Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Nanase Tsubasa found it easy to use her full strength. The justice she believed in did not hold her back.
It was not because Nanase Tsubasa had slipped into the so-called "Matsuo" persona. She simply believed that even at full strength, she could not beat Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Bullying the weak was unjust. But after losing to Shiraishi Makoto, she had understood that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was far stronger than she was. Besides, this was only a sparring match, and neither of them was determined to defeat the other. She had no reason to hold back.
"You're strong too," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka said evenly.
"Not compared to you, senpai." Nanase Tsubasa shook her head. "Shall we continue?"
"The person following us is gone. I'm not sure what happened." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked back the way they had come. "But we might as well see the act through. The fight scene is over; now it's time for the dialogue."
The Special Exam was nearly halfway over, and Nanase Tsubasa had already stalled long enough as their inside contact. Even if she kept up the act, the other first-years, including Hosen Kazuomi, would make their move.
The two began arguing as planned. Once Ayanokoji Kiyotaka exposed Tsukishiro Tokinari's lie, Nanase Tsubasa officially abandoned the plan to get him expelled.
Nanase Tsubasa had a decent standing among the first-years, so Shiraishi Makoto intended to keep her as an inside contact, though her personality was not well suited to it. Now that he had also made contact with Tsubaki Sakurako and Utsunomiya Riku, he no longer needed to rely entirely on Nanase Tsubasa for information about the first-years.
"It looks like rain. Let's