Ken Kaneki led Ayanokoji and Koenji away, passing through corridor after corridor. The noisy voices gradually faded, and their surroundings grew quiet.
"Oh~ my handsome tyrant friend, where are you taking us?" Beautiful Guy was a little puzzled, unable to understand Ken Kaneki's actions.
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, walking on the other side, was also very curious. Although his face remained expressionless, Ken Kaneki really could see that emotion on it.
Ayanokoji's behavior was now deeply influenced by the two fellows beside him, and he was gradually becoming more human.
"I won't tell you just yet. You'll know when we get there."
Walking ahead, Ken Kaneki smiled and kept them in suspense.
During their brief time together, a subtle rapport had formed among the three of them. Almost imperceptibly, Ken Kaneki had already become their mainstay.
Even Beautiful Guy, who had always centered everything around himself, had no objection to this. As for Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, he was even less likely to object.
The three walked forward at an unhurried pace, and a separate building behind the gymnasium slowly came into view.
Ken Kaneki walked up to the floor directory, checked which floor the club was on, then led the other two onward.
After going upstairs, they could hear forceful grunts coming from inside even from far away.
"Hah! Hyah!"
The swish of punches and kicks cutting through the air mingled with the dull thuds of blows striking punching bags, filling the place with masculine energy.
"I really didn't expect these members to be training here as usual even on welcome day. What a bunch of brutes who don't know how to enjoy themselves."
Beautiful Guy brushed back his bangs, his words full of teasing.
Ayanokoji looked at the Martial Arts Club sign before him, recalled Ken Kaneki's earlier behavior, and instantly deduced what he was planning to do.
Ken Kaneki did not pause at the entrance. He simply reached out and pulled open the Martial Arts Club's door.
Inside the spacious training hall, thick mats covered the floor, and dozens of members in training clothes were sweating profusely.
An upperclassman responsible for greeting visitors at the entrance noticed the three arrivals.
Although he wondered why they had come so early this time, he still stepped forward to greet them.
His eyes immediately lit up at their fine physiques, especially Ken Kaneki's and Beautiful Guy's, which looked formidable at a glance.
Assuming they had come to join the club, he began his sales pitch.
"Hey! Hello, underclassmen! Did you see the introduction at the opening ceremony and come to take a look at our Martial Arts Club?
"Our training facilities are among the best in the school. Join us, and we guarantee you'll experience a hot-blooded youth full of hard-hitting action!
"Our perks are pretty good too. You even get extra point rewards for winning matches."
Ken Kaneki listened with a smile and gave a slight nod.
Seeing him standing in the center, the upperclassman seemed to realize whose words carried weight among the group, and his mood immediately improved considerably. Just as he thought he had this in the bag, Ken Kaneki spoke.
"Hello, upperclassman. We are indeed very interested in the Martial Arts Club."
"Haha, that's great! Come on, let me get you some registration forms..."
"But we're not here to join." Ken Kaneki interrupted him, his smile gradually fading as his gaze sharpened. "We're here to challenge your club."
"Huh?!" The smile instantly froze on the member's face, replaced by utter disbelief.
His outstretched hand hung in midair, as though he had heard something out of a fairy tale.
He looked at Ken Kaneki, then at Rokusuke Koenji and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji behind him, both looking equally casual, to confirm whether this was real.
Who in their right mind comes to challenge a club on their first day? Have these freshmen gone mad? These calves really aren't afraid of the tiger.
He stood stunned for quite some time before coming to his senses, his face instantly turning a dark purplish red.
The upperclassman whipped his head around and shouted inside, "President, get over here! Someone's here to challenge us!"
His angry shout echoed through the spacious training hall.
The members who had been training with such enthusiasm instantly stopped, and the entire hall fell deathly silent for a moment.
Then their anger erupted. A flurry of footsteps rang out as dozens of people put down their training equipment and surrounded the three.
"A challenge? From first-year freshmen?"
"You've got some nerve, you ignorant little brats! Think you can come here and run wild just because you're a bit muscular?"
Everyone bristled with indignation. Hostile eyes fixed on the three at the door, wanting to see just who dared act so arrogantly on the Martial Arts Club's turf.
The crowd parted to either side, and a burly upperclassman with a buzz cut stepped out.
His muscles bulged and his gaze was fierce. He was clearly the Martial Arts Club's president.
"You three are the ones claiming you want to challenge us?" The president looked Ken Kaneki and the others up and down, then sneered.
"Freshmen, I admire your courage, but this isn't a place for playing house. Apologize and get out now, and I can pretend I didn't hear that."
Ken Kaneki stepped forward and looked the president straight in the eye, his tone provocative. "Upperclassman, since this school puts ability above all else, why don't we communicate like men?
"Or are you, the president of the great Martial Arts Club, afraid to accept a challenge from a few first-years?
"If you're afraid of losing, we'll leave right now and stop by the broadcasting room to help spread word of the Martial Arts Club's mighty reputation."
"You're asking for it!" The surrounding members erupted, rolling up their sleeves and preparing to step forward to teach the three a lesson.
"All of you, stop!" The president raised a hand to halt the members. Provoked by Ken Kaneki's blunt remarks, his hot-blooded temper had fully flared up as well.
He was so angry that he laughed, clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked.
"Fine! Very good! Since you're determined to get beaten up, I'll oblige! Tell me, how do you want to fight?"
Ken Kaneki smiled faintly. The fish took the bait.
"Simple. Three against three." Ken Kaneki pointed at Koenji and Ayanokoji behind him. "The three of us against three people chosen by your club. As for the stakes, since the school gave us points, wouldn't it be a shame not to put them to use?"
He took out his student ID terminal and waved it. "We've only just enrolled, so we only have three hundred thousand points between us. Let's use that three hundred thousand as the base stake."
The president frowned and snorted. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But as your senior, I won't take advantage of you.
"We'll follow your rules. Three against three, in one-on-one matches.
"For every match you win, our Martial Arts Club will give you another three hundred thousand points. For every match you lose, you'll only have to pay a hundred thousand. Consider that my leniency toward you ignorant freshmen."
"Deal." Ken Kaneki's smile deepened. He had not expected this extra windfall.
Before you continue