Abandoned Pawn

Even though it seemed like Ryuuen had the upper hand, negotiations wouldn't put Ayanokoji in a passive position.

"If I turn my phone over to the school, it'll only be a few of your Class C classmates who get expelled." Ayanokoji was right. Ryuuen's phone didn't contain any evidence of Ayanokoji's wrongdoing, while Ayanokoji's phone only contained evidence against Manabe and her group.

That phone couldn't threaten Ayanokoji.

"There are traces of your crime on Karuizawa Kei," Ryuuen knew Ayanokoji was right too, and his mind was working on how to find Ayanakoji's weak spot.

"What a shame. Karuizawa Kei was bullied by Class C students. I was just a witness, not the perpetrator."

"Are you sure? I witnessed the entire process of you hitting Karuizawa Kei." Ryuuen's eyes narrowed to a slit.

"How could that be? I was just concerned about a classmate. How could I assault Karuizawa Kei? After all, hitting a classmate isn't something I would do," Ayanokoji said with a righteous air.

"The fingerprints on Karuizawa Kei won't lie."

"Fists don't leave fingerprints."

"Karuizawa Kei is a human witness."

"A human witness alone isn't enough for a conviction, is it? Besides, I think you're conspiring to frame me, with the goal of breaking up Class D. Karuizawa Kei wouldn't fall for Ryuuen's trick and do something like frame a classmate, would she?" Although he was speaking to Ryuuen, Ayanokoji looked at Karuizawa Kei.

The cold glint in his eyes made Karuizawa Kei tremble. The punch she'd taken to the abdomen earlier seemed to ache faintly.

Karuizawa Kei could only silently endure it. If she were to accuse Ayanokoji, Ayanokoji might not be expelled, but Karuizawa Kei would certainly have no place in the class. Her history of being bullied would be exposed, and her carefully cultivated "gal" image would collapse. The class points were already very low, and if Ayanokoji were expelled, Karuizawa Kei would undoubtedly become the target of everyone's ire.

She had no choice. More importantly, she didn't have the courage to resist. Ayanokoji had grasped this point, so after confirming there was no physical evidence on Ryuuen's phone, he felt no urgency.

Clap, clap, clap.

Ryuuen applauded Ayanokoji, impressed by how thoroughly he saw through things. Then, in front of Ayanokoji, Ryuuen forcefully smashed the phone to the ground. Unlike when Ryuuen's own phone was kicked to the ground earlier, Ayanokoji's phone immediately cracked, but that wasn't enough. Ryuuen picked it up again, smashing it over and over until Ayanokoji's phone shattered into pieces.

"As long as I find the memory card, it doesn't matter what condition you smash the phone into," Ayanokoji said only after Ryuuen finished smashing the phone.

"Then go ahead and look. See where the memory card bounced off to in this dark cabin." Ryuuen had also considered this issue when smashing the phone, but he hadn't taken any precautions. If Ayanokoji wanted to search for fragments in this dim place, then he could go right ahead.

What if he found it? The school wouldn't expel all of Manabe's group of girls at once; they would only punish the ringleader, which was Manabe. And Ryuuen knew about the subtle relationship between Manabe and Ayanokoji. Manabe's current status wasn't exactly a spy, but she was as good as one.

In other words, Manabe was Ayanokoji's person, Ayanokoji's pawn. Sacrificing this pawn now, the small amount of class points deducted was harmless to Class C at this point. After all, the gap with Class D was too large, and deducting a few class points wouldn't significantly impact the class's standing.

Weighing the pros and cons, Ryuuen wasn't worried at all about whether Ayanokoji would find the memory card. Smashing the phone was just digging a pit.

"Do you still want to fight?" Ayanokoji became alert, as if he would start fighting Ryuuen the next second.

Without answering Ayanokoji's question, Ryuuen instead asked, "How much force did you use in that punch just now?"

"Eighty percent," Ayanokoji said expressionlessly.

He wasn't lying. This was Ryuuen's intuition. What ordinary people spend their entire lives chasing might just be a corner of a genius's ability. Ryuuen had already used his full strength.

This was the difference between a genius and an ordinary person: "Is this the Protagonist's Aura?"

Ryuuen complained helplessly. Although Ayanokoji didn't understand the full meaning of the phrase, he understood that this was Ryuuen's acknowledgment of his strength, and it also revealed that Ryuuen was not his match in terms of physical prowess.

If I strike now, Ryuuen most likely can't beat me, Ayanokoji made this judgment!

Most people, after making a judgment that they are sure to win, will take the initiative. It's like if you think a girl definitely likes you, you'll most likely confess, and of course, the result is the same.

That's an illusion!

Ayanokoji discovered after striking that Ryuuen was just toying with him. Talking about a Protagonist's Aura – it wasn't clear who the Protagonist really was yet.

The moment Ayanokoji kicked, Ryuuen also kicked. However, on Ryuuen's side, there were more phone fragments. The phone fragments that had been lying on the ground were kicked out by Ryuuen, aiming for Ayanokoji's eyes.

No one can resist the natural instinct for self-preservation, not even a genius. Ayanokoji used both hands to protect his eyes, batting away the flying fragments.

However, such a movement undoubtedly distracted Ayanokoji, and the leg Ayanokoji kicked out was no longer as sharp as before.

A weakness, fleeting.

And Ryuuen seized this weakness, punching Ayanokoji's kicking knee!

While it wouldn't break Ayanokoji's bones, with one leg's combat power diminished, it was uncertain whether Ayanokoji could still fight Ryuuen to a draw.

"Ugh," Ayanokoji let out a very low groan.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that really hurt," Ryuuen said, shaking his hand after successfully launching a surprise attack.

It was unclear whether he meant his own hand or Ayanokoji's leg.

"Let's talk."

Although he initially didn't want to negotiate, there would be no outcome even if they continued fighting like this. Ayanokoji's judgments and actions had always aligned with his own interests. Fighting further was meaningless because he wasn't guaranteed to win.

Could he get rid of Ryuuen if he won? Ayanokoji was also skeptical. After all, Ryuuen was like a persistent rash; even if he won, he'd still be entangled with him.

"My idea is simple." Ryuuen also didn't want to fight anymore. It wasn't because he was worried about losing. Like Ayanokoji, he felt that fighting further was meaningless. Ryuuen's original purpose this time was to test Ayanokoji's strength. Now that his goal had been achieved, if they continued fighting, regardless of whether he won or lost, Ryuuen would at least sustain some injuries. Saying Ayanokoji was the Protagonist earlier wasn't entirely bluster.

Ayanokoji's physical prowess was indeed something to be wary of. It wasn't impossible to say he was the strongest in the school.

"I want Karuizawa Kei."

Karuizawa Kei's value to Ryuuen had already greatly diminished. Because of this battle, Ayanokoji would inevitably increase his vigilance regarding Karuizawa Kei. This was no different from playing with an open hand. On the contrary, Ryuuen would have to worry about Ayanokoji potentially using Karuizawa Kei to mislead him.

Bringing up this demand now was simply to annoy Ayanokoji. Karuizawa Kei, as a pawn, was someone Ryuuen could choose not to use, but he couldn't be without her.