The frenzy of the sports festival faded away as if it had all been a lie, and Advanced Nurturing High School was gradually being swallowed by the quiet of dusk.
While most students returned to their dorms or headed to Keyaki Mall to celebrate victory, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji alone walked toward the deserted Special Building.
The one who guided him there was Class B's Masumi Kamuro.
"...We're here. I'm not the one who wants to see you."
In the dim hallway of the Special Building, hidden from the surveillance caras' blind spots, Kamuro tossed those words out irritably and left without waiting for a response.
Only silence remained, illuminated solely by the setting sun pouring through the windows.
"—It's been a while, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji-kun."
Breaking the silence ca the rhythmic tapping of a cane and the cool voice of a young girl.
Erging from the darkness was the leader of Class B, Arisu Sakayanagi.
Her silver hair swayed gently as she smiled with calm confidence, like she were greeting an old acquaintance.
"We should be eting for the first ti."
Ayanokōji answered in his usual flat tone.
As far as he rembered, they had never spoken directly since entering this school.
But Sakayanagi paid no mind to his cold attitude and let out a soft laugh while holding her cane with both hands.
"Yes, this is our first direct conversation. But I've known about you for a very long ti. Since your days in the White Room, in fact."
The White Room.
The mont those words left Sakayanagi's lips, a cold glint flashed deep within Ayanokōji's eyes.
His expression didn't change.
His breathing didn't change.
Even his heartbeat remained steady.
But his brain began processing information at unprecedented speed.
(...There's no way a student at this school should know that term. Was information leaked from outside? No... that facility would never allow that. Then...)
"...Who are you?"
At his short question, Sakayanagi narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.
"My father is the chairman of this Advanced Nurturing High School. And he is also one of the investors behind that facility—the White Room."
"I see. The chairman's daughter."
"Yes. Once, my father brought to tour the facility. Through a thick magic mirror, I saw you carrying out assignnts in that cold, emotionless environnt... and I also saw Sōsuke Aizen-kun."
Hearing her explanation, Ayanokōji finally understood how she knew his past.
"...Before we continue, do you mind?"
Ayanokōji took his smartphone out of his pocket.
"Oh? Sothing urgent?"
"There's a bit of cleanup I want to handle. It'll only take a mont."
He operated the screen and sent an email.
The recipient was Ryūen Kakeru, leader of Class C.
Attached to the email was a single audio file.
It was a hidden recording from when Ryūen had loudly declared in Class C's classroom that he would "crush Horikita completely" while discussing strategy.
(...As long as an unpredictable bug like Sōsuke Aizen exists in this school, I can't afford to stay defenseless.)
Ayanokōji reflected on his own sches.
To prepare pieces he could use against Aizen—or perhaps shields to protect himself—he had set his sights on Kei Karuizawa.
During the sumr cruise ship exam, discussions with other classes only happened once on the first day.
But in that brief interaction, Ayanokōji noticed the behavior of the Class C girls, led by Manabe, who kept provoking Karuizawa, as well as Karuizawa's unnaturally terrified reaction.
He sensed the deep darkness hidden inside her and judged that she could be useful as a pawn.
Using an anonymous email account, Ayanokōji lured both Karuizawa and Manabe's group into an underground area of the ship without caras. He intentionally orchestrated a bullying incident and secretly recorded the entire scene as evidence.
Afterward, he appeared before Karuizawa—who had sunk into despair after having her traumatic past reopened—and exposed the true nature she had hidden from everyone.
Then he told her:
"I'll protect you."
Desperate for a new host to cling to, Karuizawa's spirit beca completely dependent on him, and he obtained her as a pawn absolutely loyal to him.
At the sa ti, he used the bullying footage as leverage against Manabe, threatening her into acting as a spy inside Class C.
That was how he obtained recordings of Ryūen's strategy etings for the sports festival.
After confirming the email had been sent, Ayanokōji returned the phone to his pocket.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all. Fufu... I don't know what kind of board you just moved, but your actions are wonderfully efficient."
Smiling, Sakayanagi slowly closed the distance between them.
"...Now then. Shall we continue our earlier discussion?"
The warmth disappeared from her voice, replaced by a sharp, icy determination.
"Genius is determined the mont one is born—by DNA itself. I will never acknowledge an artificial genius created through education."
She lightly tapped the floor with her cane and stared straight at him.
"By defeating you, the masterpiece of the White Room, I will prove that the philosophy behind that facility is wrong. The one worthy of burying a fake genius like you is —a true natural-born genius."
It was a clear declaration of war.
But Ayanokōji remained perfectly calm and simply replied with facts.
"Can you really bury ? More importantly, why are you so obsessed with ? What about Sōsuke Aizen, who's overwhelming everyone in Class A? Are you satisfied just because you won the sports festival?"
At that question, Sakayanagi gave an unexpected response.
Instead of hostility, she smiled with obvious enjoynt—and even a trace of admiration.
"Fufu. White Team certainly won the sports festival, but calling that my victory would be inaccurate. If anything, Ryūen-kun and Nagumo-senpai deserve most of the credit. Personally, I simply couldn't allow the point gap between our class and Class A—with Aizen-kun in it—to grow any larger, so our interests aligned."
"And besides, if you look at the yearly rankings, Class A still ca in first. In practice, it was practically Aizen-kun's victory. No one on that board was capable of stopping him."
"..."
"As for Aizen-kun... yes, I've already played chess with him before. Fufufu... he is magnificent. A mutant completely unrelated to the White Room frawork... without question, a genuine genius. Sitting across the board from him was an exhilarating, supre experience."
(So they've already t.)
Ayanokōji silently organized the information.
Sakayanagi and Aizen.
Two geniuses had already encountered each other beneath the surface and tested one another's abilities.
"Competing against him is certainly tempting. However... my personal top priority remains the denial of the 'artificial genius.' Which ans, Ayanokōji-kun, you are still my primary target."
She paused briefly, tightening her grip on the cane before smiling more aggressively.
"Of course, as the leader of Class B, I also intend to drag down the absurd genius ruling over Class A. The summit of this school must belong to a natural-born genius like myself."
"...Do as you like. But I have no intention of playing gas with you."
"Fufu. Eventually, whether you like it or not, you'll end up sitting across the board from . For today, this greeting will suffice. Farewell, Ayanokōji-kun."
Sakayanagi elegantly bowed before slowly leaving with the tapping of her cane echoing down the hallway.
As she walked through the corridor darkened by the setting sun, Arisu Sakayanagi recalled a mory buried deep in her heart.
(...Aizen-kun is undoubtedly a true genius. But what about you, Ayanokōji-kun?)
The cold white room she had once seen through the magic mirror.
There, children too young to understand anything were subjected to brutal education that looked more like abuse than training.
Children screaming.
Children vomiting.
Children unable to keep up with the curriculum being "discarded."
Even now, she vividly rembered her father's sorrowful expression as he watched that horrifying scene—as though he were about to cry.
(I can never acknowledge the success of such an inhuman facility. That kind of twisted education should never be permitted in human society.)
That was why she had to prove it.
That innate DNA was everything.
That no matter how harshly soone was artificially cultivated, they could never surpass a natural genius.
(With everything I have, I will deny you... and the very concept of the White Room itself.)
anwhile, walking in the opposite direction, Ayanokōji also sighed inwardly at how troubleso his situation had beco.
Arisu Sakayanagi had discovered his identity and declared war on him.
Ryūen Kakeru was likely raging over the audio file and desperately hunting for spies by now.
And above all—
the most unsettling existence was Sōsuke Aizen, who had completely seized control of Class A.
Chabashira.
Sakayanagi.
Ryūen.
And Sōsuke Aizen.
The encirclent surrounding Ayanokōji was steadily tightening.
(...This is going to beco troubleso.)
Expressionless as always, Ayanokōji continued walking through the dark hallway.
anwhile, while silent sparks flew in the Special Building...
a completely different atmosphere filled a room in the boys' dormitory of Class A.
Warm.
Peaceful.
Juuuuuuuu...
From the kitchen ca the mouthwatering aroma and sizzling sound of at cooking.
Wearing an apron, Sōsuke Aizen expertly cooked premium Japanese black beef steak in a frying pan with godlike precision.
(Perfect! dium rare done flawlessly! With the abnormal senses and processing power of the "Aizen specs," I can control heat better than a Michelin three-star chef! The red wine and special soy sauce reduction is perfect too!)
Internally striking a victory pose, I carried the beautifully plated dishes to the dining table.
The Class A celebration party was scheduled for tomorrow.
But tonight was special.
My best friend—and the greatest source of healing in this school—Hiyori Shiina had co to visit my room carrying luxury sweets, saying:
"Thank you for all your hard work today. I wanted to celebrate with you a little."
A small private afterparty for just the two of us.
"Waaah...! It slls amazing, Sōsuke-kun! It's like a high-class restaurant!"
Seeing the extravagant dishes laid out on the table, Hiyori's eyes sparkled.
Today she wore a fluffy white dress, making her look every bit like a little angel.
(Hiyori's smile is healing my exhausted body...! Alright, I should properly tell her: 'You worked really hard at the sports festival too, Hiyori! Eat a lot and relax tonight!')
I smiled gently and sat across from her.
But even in such a peaceful and precious setting, the stylish-poetry system born from my overwhelming ego completely ignored the atmosphere.
"—Only warriors who have laid down their swords after battle are permitted this tranquility. A fleeting mont spent beside a single blooming flower surpasses even the supre throne itself. ...Now then, let us forget the false battlefield and begin the true banquet."
(Translation: Great job at the sports festival, Hiyori! Eat plenty and relax tonight!)
"...Fufu. Thank you very much."
Hiyori imdiately understood my true aning perfectly and smiled brightly like a flower blooming.
"You were amazing today too, Sōsuke-kun. You looked really cool. ...Itadakimasu!"
She took a bite of steak.
The mont she did, her eyes widened in shock and her cheeks practically lted in delight.
"Mmm...! W-What is this...? The at lted in my mouth! And the sauce is incredible...!"
"...I'm glad it suits your taste."
Internally, I was celebrating wildly while starting my own al.
We talked peacefully about the sports festival and books we wanted to read next in the library.
(...Big class parties where everyone gets noisy together are fun too. But spending quiet ti like this with a best friend I truly trust... this is really nice.)
Sipping warm tea, I watched Hiyori's happy smile.
In this school where every class sched and betrayed one another, this ti with Hiyori was my one irreplaceable source of peace.
(The island exam, the cruise ship exam, and now the sports festival. A lot has happened... but if it's to protect this everyday life, then I feel like I can keep giving it my all.)
Outside the window, night had completely fallen.
For now, forgetting about whatever trials might co next, I quietly imrsed myself in this warm celebration with my best friend.
User Comments
0 comments from readers