The rooftop wind was colder than before, and I could almost hear the tension itself crackle in the air.For a second, I thought maybe I'd gone deaf, because no one spoke.Then the heavy door creaked open again — soft, deliberate, and impossibly calm.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka stepped out.
I almost laughed out loud.
"You really took your sweet time, huh?"
Without hesitation, I grabbed Karuizawa's trembling hand and dragged her behind him like I was handing off a fragile package. "Man, I thought you weren't gonna come when I messaged you," I muttered, half relieved, half annoyed.
He didn't even answer — just gave me a faint, unreadable look before shifting his gaze to Ryuuen. The two locked eyes, and the entire rooftop's atmosphere shifted. The world shrank down to just those two.
Ryuuen's grin widened, sharklike.
"So… you came after all, Ayanokōji. I was wondering if the message would reach you. Now, tell me—how are you going to overcome this predicament?"
Ayanokōji's voice was so quiet it almost got carried off by the wind.
"A predicament? I'm not sure that's what this is."
That answer made even me blink. The guy just walked into a den of enemies and acted like it was a casual stroll.He went on, tone cold and precise.
"If you want proof, wait until the next exam. You'll find out then if I'm really who you think I am."
Ryuuen snorted.
"If you walk away now, terrible things will happen tomorrow. Don't test me."
Ibuki crossed her arms. "You're bluffing, Ayanokōji. There's no way you're the mastermind behind everything. You're just a quiet guy pretending to be smart."
I couldn't help but shout from behind him, "Oi! I told you not to mess around trying to find X! But nooo, you had to keep poking!"
Ayanokōji ignored me completely, eyes still on Ibuki.
"During the Deserted Island Exam," he said smoothly, "you lost a camera, didn't you? I was the one who broke it."
Ibuki froze. Her mouth opened slightly, no sound coming out.
"I also knew about your class's secret communications. Even though you never said a word to anyone."
You could see her disbelief crumble.Ryuuen tilted his head slightly, looking from Ibuki to Ishizaki and Albert.
"Well? Is that enough proof for you two idiots?"
They didn't answer. They didn't have to.
Ryuuen laughed, low and sharp. "So, it was you. But you're a fool if you think you can stop me. I hold all the cards here."
Ayanokōji shrugged.
"Then I suppose you've won. Satisfied? Can we leave now?"
That earned a surprised snicker from me. Even in the face of danger, this guy still talked like he was half-asleep.
Ryuuen's grin vanished. "Don't mock me. Show me your power, Ayanokōji. Show me what makes you think you're untouchable."
Ayanokōji tilted his head. "Power? That's a childish concept. But if you want a demonstration…"
Ryuuen interrupted with a cold laugh.
"Don't act smug. If your identity as X becomes known, your little alliance with Class D collapses. You'll start a war you can't win. Are you ready to sacrifice Karuizawa just to keep your secret?"
That name — Karuizawa — hung heavy in the air.The girl behind me flinched, clutching her arms.
But Ayanokōji didn't waver.
"War, sacrifice… you're being dramatic. I just came to clean up a mess."
That answer made Ryuuen chuckle again, darkly. "Entertaining. Let's see if your calm lasts till the end."
Ibuki suddenly stepped forward, panic flickering in her eyes.
"Ryuuen, stop! Don't fight him—"
The sound of the slap cut through the wind like lightning.
Her face snapped sideways.
"Keep quiet," Ryuuen hissed. "For your own good."
I clenched my fists. Even I, the professional jokester, wanted to break his teeth. But before I could move, Ayanokōji simply stepped forward.
"You just made a mistake."
Ryuuen smiled. "No. You did, by revealing yourself too early. Violence decides everything in the end. Let's see how long your brains can protect you."
He turned to Albert.
"Close the door."Then to Ishizaki."Beat him up."
Ishizaki's face twisted in confusion. "Uh… Ayanokōji, don't take it personal, okay? Orders are orders."
Behind me, Karuizawa screamed, "Stop! Don't do this!"
Ryuuen laughed, grabbing her hair roughly and tossing her aside like trash. "Show some gratitude, Karuizawa. He came to save you, didn't he?"
She tried to rush him, but Ayanokōji raised a hand. "Don't. Stay back."
Ishizaki's punch came in lazy, almost reluctant.Ayanokōji caught it effortlessly. With a subtle twist, he sent Ishizaki to the ground, face-first.
"If we're doing this," he said calmly, pressing Ishizaki's head down, "take it seriously."
The poor guy wheezed, legs kicking. Albert's expression darkened. He swung his huge arm — faster than I thought possible for a guy that size.
Ayanokōji turned just enough to catch the fist with his free hand.
The impact echoed like thunder.
Albert grunted, eyes widening as shock ran up his arm. Ryuuen blinked — even he didn't expect that.
"Albert, again!" Ryuuen barked.
Albert obeyed, throwing a second punch. This time, Ayanokōji let it hit, sliding backward slightly before countering — his palm driving into Albert's gut.
Albert didn't even flinch.
"Monster…" I muttered.
But Ayanokōji wasn't done. He feinted toward the solar plexus, and when Albert twisted to defend, Ayanokōji's palm shot upward — right into his throat.
The big man fell instantly, clutching his neck and gasping.
Ishizaki, desperate and panicked, lunged again with a scream.
"At least be quiet," Ayanokōji sighed.
One step. One kick. Ishizaki's knee buckled, and he crumpled.Before he could fall flat, Ayanokōji spun, kicking Albert's face mid-turn, then pivoted back to deliver a clean jab to Ishizaki's jaw.
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Ryuuen stared, lips curling. "So you knew this would happen all along."
Ayanokōji didn't deny it. "I did. You walked straight into my plan."
That made Ryuuen laugh, his voice low and hoarse. "You really are a devil. Fine. Let's finish this, Ayanokōji."
Ibuki, in frustration, charged forward with a sharp kick.
He dodged easily — and accidentally saw something he probably shouldn't have. Her face turned scarlet.
I sighed loudly, stepping between them in a blur, grabbing her leg mid-air and Ayanokōji's arm at once."Oi, can you not beat her up this time? Give me some face, man."
Ayanokōji just looked at me, mildly annoyed but compliant. "Fine."
Ryuuen clapped mockingly. "Not bad, Miyamoto. Maybe you do have some use after all."
I shrugged, releasing Ibuki, who stomped away, fuming.
Ryuuen stepped forward, rolling his shoulders.
"Enough warm-up. Time to see if your mind can protect your body."
Ayanokōji tilted his head. "You talk too much."
The first strike came from Ryuuen — a hard kick aimed at Ayanokōji's ribs.He took it deliberately, the dull sound of flesh on flesh echoing.
Ryuuen followed with a barrage of blows, but Ayanokōji's movements were like liquid — absorbing, sidestepping, redirecting.
Then suddenly — he struck back.
A blur of motion. A fist. A breath. Ryuuen staggered back, blood dribbling from his lip.
He laughed — laughed — even as blood smeared his teeth.
"This is fun! More! Come on!"
Ayanokōji's expression didn't change. "You're stronger than Ishizaki, but weaker than Albert."
"Flatterer," Ryuuen spat, rushing again. His movements were wild but honed — brawler's instincts born from hundreds of fights. But to Ayanokōji, it must have looked like slow motion.
"Even if I lose today," Ryuuen growled mid-swing, "I'll come for you again. You can't stop me forever."
"Are you not afraid of losing?"
"Fear?" Ryuuen's eyes burned. "Never felt it."
Ayanokōji's voice lowered.
"Then that's why you'll never understand."
He blocked a punch, absorbed the next knee, then drove his own elbow into Ryuuen's stomach.
Ryuuen gasped, but recovered instantly, landing a knee of his own into Ayanokōji's gut — again and again.
A lesser man would've collapsed, but Ayanokōji only stepped back slightly, hand on his stomach, tone casual.
"Still not getting it. That's disappointing."
Ryuuen snarled. "You… you're the same as me! No fear, no guilt!"
Ayanokōji's eyes were cold. "No. I've seen fear destroy people. I've seen misery swallow them whole. I just learned to stop feeling it."
He took a step forward, every move precise and fluid.
"I stopped trying to understand pain long ago."
Then — he moved.
A punch like a thunderclap. Then another. And another.
Ryuuen's body shook under the barrage. His face swelled, his words slurred, but he still tried to laugh between blows.
"Heh… hah… what are you, Ayanokōji…?"
Ayanokōji's last words came out quiet and final.
"Unfortunately for you, there's nothing there for you to manipulate."
And with that, he dropped him.
Karuizawa's breathing hitched. She looked at Ayanokōji, eyes wide, tears still falling.
He turned toward her, his face calm as ever.
"Are you disillusioned now?"
She nodded faintly. "I… I knew you betrayed me from the start."
"Think about that later," he said simply. "No one can use your past against you anymore. That's over."
He paused, voice softening.
"I don't need your forgiveness. But if something like this happens again, I'll save you again."
Karuizawa covered her mouth, silently crying.
Ayanokōji nodded toward me. "Take her to Chabashira and Student Council President. They're waiting downstairs."
I didn't argue. I guided her to the door, though I looked back once — just in time to see Ayanokōji kneeling beside Ryuuen, shaking him awake.
Ryuuen coughed, blood trickling from his mouth.
"You win… this time. But I'll do whatever it takes to beat you. Even ratting to the school."
Ayanokōji straightened.
"I wouldn't recommend that. There are several witnesses below us. And you already lost the only fight that mattered — the one for control."
Ryuuen's face twisted in frustration.Ayanokōji continued, tone detached.
"You lost because you chose the wrong enemy. Ichinose and Sakayanagi would've been better targets. But you focused on me, and that was your mistake."
Ryuuen gave a bitter smile. "So… this is how it feels to lose completely."
He laughed quietly to himself. "Is Class C doomed because of me?"
Ayanokōji shook his head. "Not yet. You're still useful. Don't drop out."
That made Ryuuen blink. "Useful?"
"You'll cause chaos for Ichinose and Sakayanagi. Saves me the effort."
Ryuuen's eyes narrowed. "You're a devil."
Ayanokōji didn't deny it. "Call it efficiency."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Later that night, Ryuuen walked alone through the silent campus.He thought about every defeat — hundreds of them — and realized this wasn't the first time Ayanokōji had beaten him.
By the time he reached the school building, Ibuki was there."Here," she said, handing him his phone.
He tried to walk past her.She grabbed his arm. "Are you really quitting after just one loss?"
He smirked. "Wasn't that why you came? To return the phone?"
She glared. "You'll have to fight me to drop out, then."
That actually made him laugh softly. "You've got guts, Ibuki."
She didn't smile. "You've changed. Losing once doesn't mean you throw everything away."
Ryuuen's eyes lowered. "I misread him. He's… different. Stronger than I imagined."
Her hands trembled. "You're giving up? On Class A?"
He didn't answer. When she hit him — hard — he didn't even react. She stormed off, leaving him lying there under the dim streetlight.
Later, with his teacher Sakagami, Ryuuen took the blame for everything.Even when Ishizaki and Albert tried to stop him, he just told them to shut up.
When Sakagami mentioned that the destroyed camera had already been compensated — by a student from Class D — Ryuuen froze.
"Ayanokōji…" he muttered, realization dawning.
He'd been spared.
For now.
As he left the office, the night air stung his bruised face. He looked up at the stars — small, distant, and cold.
"No reset button, huh?" he murmured.
The next day, rumors spread:Ryuuen was no longer leader of Class C.He walked alone, no followers, no laughter, no noise.
And from a distance, Ayanokōji watched him quietly.
"He reminds me of my past self," he thought. "Maybe he'll find what I lost."