A New Wave

Kudo Mitsunobu continued, "After all, I can't pressure Shiba Tatsuya too much. If I challenge him to a full-power fight, he'll definitely refuse."

Before Shiba Tatsuya could say anything, Shiba Miyuki's eyes visibly lit up.

At first, Shiba Miyuki had been hesitant when she heard they would be holding a mock battle. After all, it went against her brother's wish to keep a low profile.

But after Kudo Mitsunobu finished explaining, Shiba Miyuki no longer had any concerns.

All the school's higher-ups would be watching, and the scale of the fight wouldn't be too great.

Her brother would be facing Kudo Mitsunobu, the next head of the Kudo Family.

As long as he held out for two minutes without losing, he could win everyone's respect without revealing too much.

Shiba Tatsuya took a deep breath under his sister's hopeful gaze.

"All right. I accept."

Chapter 14: A New Wave

When Kudo Mitsunobu opened the door, he immediately sensed that the atmosphere in the Student Council was rather gloomy. Hattori Hanzo stood by the window with his hands behind his back and his back straight, staring outside as if lost in thought.

"Mayumi, what's going on?" Kudo Mitsunobu sat down beside Saegusa Mayumi and asked quietly.

"Vice President Hattori is angry because Shiba-kun joined the Public Morals Committee!"

The answer came not from Saegusa Mayumi, but from Watanabe Mari, who was sitting across from them.

"Hanzo-kun is just a little stubborn," Saegusa Mayumi said, trying to smooth things over.

Hattori Hanzo turned around, his voice a little low. "Mitsunobu, why did you agree to let Shiba Tatsuya join the Student Council?"

Kudo Mitsunobu understood at once. It turned out Hattori Hanzo was a staunch believer in Course 1 Students being superior.

He couldn't help glancing at Saegusa Mayumi beside him. He'd seen how much everyone in the Student Council resented the Course 2 Students system, and had assumed they all felt the same way.

He hadn't expected Hattori Hanzo, who looked so honest and upright, to be an obstacle.

"I just think Tatsuya-kun has the ability, Hattori-senpai," Kudo Mitsunobu replied without holding back.

Even if he'd previously felt some goodwill toward Hattori Hanzo, that didn't mean he would simply accept Hattori Hanzo questioning his judgment.

"Ability? He's only a Course 2 Student. If he had any ability, he wouldn't have been assigned to Course 2."

Hattori Hanzo spoke heatedly, nothing like the gentle, refined man Kudo Mitsunobu had first met.

"I don't think my judgment is wrong!" Kudo Mitsunobu shot back.

"Besides, didn't I say I'd have a mock battle with Tatsuya-kun later?"

"Or do you think I'll lose?"

Kudo Mitsunobu's tone was forceful.

He believed Shiba Tatsuya had some ability, but no matter how strong Shiba Tatsuya was, he didn't think he would lose.

As the next head of the Kudo Family, he couldn't accept anyone questioning his ability.

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm just saying he wasn't qualified to go up against a Course 1 Student in the first place. Why go to all this trouble? If you want to add new members to the Student Council, there are plenty of talented people among the Course 1 Students."

"There's no need to deliberately pick a Course 2 Student."

Hattori Hanzo explained. His family had some influence, but it was nothing compared with the Kudo Family, one of the Ten Master Clans.

He didn't want Kudo Mitsunobu to misinterpret his words and cause his family needless trouble.

Kudo Mitsunobu sighed. "Let me ask you something, Hattori-senpai. Are you a believer in Course 1 Students being superior, or do you believe ability comes first?"

"For the record, I believe ability comes first, too."

"Then you should've simply refused to let Shiba Tatsuya join the Public Morals Committee."

"Hattori-senpai, please answer my question first." Kudo Mitsunobu cut him off.

The words Hattori Hanzo had been about to blurt out—that of course Course 1 Students came first—stuck in his throat. He had always argued that Course 2 Students were less capable than Course 1 Students.

He couldn't very well contradict himself now. And he felt that saying so again would only widen the distance between him and the president he admired.

"Of course ability matters more," Hattori Hanzo said reluctantly.

"Then if I personally test Tatsuya-kun's ability, do you still have any objections, Hattori-senpai?"

"Or do you doubt my ability? I can have a mock battle with you first and prove myself."

"Or do you think I'll go easy on him just because I know him?"

Kudo Mitsunobu's rapid-fire questions rained down on Hattori Hanzo.

Hattori Hanzo opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. Claim that Kudo Mitsunobu lacked ability?

Don't be ridiculous. He could already see the eagerness in Kudo Mitsunobu's eyes. The moment he said those words, Kudo Mitsunobu would drag him to the dueling room.

"I'll be watching closely," Hattori Hanzo said, then turned back around.

Kudo Mitsunobu shrugged indifferently, then pulled a gun from inside his jacket. It was entirely black, with silver edging along its angular contours, and the character "Night" was printed on it.

"Oh, so this is your specialized CAD? I thought the earring you wear was your personal CAD!"

When Saegusa Mayumi saw Kudo Mitsunobu take out the gun, she moved her chair a little closer.

"You're sharp, senpai. I've only used it in front of you twice, haven't I?"

Kudo Mitsunobu set down the firearm he'd been inspecting and touched the earring on his ear.

"This is a CAD?"

At some point, Nakajo Azusa had slipped up beside him. She stared at his earring with the pitiful look of a wounded young animal.