[Hayasaka Ai: Then let's stick to the weekend for tutoring. The time is 3 PM, and the place is...]
Looking at the message from Hayasaka Ai, Uchiha Ryo frowned slightly. Because this was the time when the Shinomiya family's banquet was about to begin. What was she inviting him for at this time?
After thinking it over, Uchiha Ryo simply pretended he hadn't seen it. He was going to attend the Shinomiya family's banquet that day anyway, so other matters could be put aside.
As night fell, Takashi and Nyanko-sensei had already settled into the guest room, while Uchiha Ryo created a shadow clone in his room, transforming it into his alias, [Akatsuki].
Akatsuki was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. But next, he would put on the anti-detection mask he had bought with his G-Points and go take care of the guys his main body couldn't easily deal with.
The first step was, once he had successfully made contact with the higher-ups of the Shinomiya family, the Akatsuki clone would stay with them for a long time to ensure that the Sharingan's control would not disappear due to the dissipation of ocular power.
To put it simply... if Uchiha Ryo's main body was the leaf basking in the sun, then the clone Akatsuki was the root buried deep underground.
Contact with the world of youkai and onmyoji would mainly be handled by the clone. He, as the main body, would just focus on farming G-Points at school.
The next morning, perhaps because they lived so close, an encounter was inevitable.
As neighbors living upstairs and downstairs, and also as students of Shuchiin, it was quite normal to run into each other downstairs in the morning.
"Good morning, Yukinoshita-san."
Perhaps because he had actually done what he said and taken first place, or perhaps because of their contact in the Classic Literature Club during this period, Yukinoshita Yukino was at least not as cold as when they first met.
"Good morning, Uchiha-kun."
After the greeting, Yukinoshita would obviously fall silent, but Uchiha Ryo took out his phone and started contacting someone.
[Yashajin Kouten: There is a banquet the day after tomorrow. I hope that young friend Uchiha can attend as a guest of the Yashajin family.]
[Uchiha Ryo: That is certainly possible. I will look forward to the banquet.]
"Are you an elementary school student who doesn't know about safety, playing with your phone while walking?"
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced at Uchiha Ryo and said helplessly.
Uchiha Ryo just put away his phone. "It's easy for me to watch my phone and the road at the same time."
"Heh."
The two walked into the campus together. Uchiha Ryo went to Class B, while Yukinoshita went to Class A and sat down.
And in the Class A classroom, two girls were gathered around Hayasaka Ai, whispering with their backs to Yukinoshita, who was sitting there.
"Hayasaka, that Yukinoshita-san actually came to school with Uchiha-kun from Class B!"
"Mhm, mhm, as a member of the newspaper club, I saw them from afar as they approached the school. They definitely came together!"
Hayasaka Ai looked speechlessly at her two good friends under her gyaru persona. Seriously, why are you telling me this gossip?
"Aren't you worried, Hayasaka!"
Hayasaka was stunned. "What should I be worried about?"
The other girl narrowed her eyes. "Ohoho, don't try to fool us. The fact that you invited Uchiha-kun from Class B to have lunch with you yesterday is already common knowledge. Everyone is just guessing whether you two have gotten together or not."
Hayasaka Ai rolled her eyes. "Sorry, but I actually just asked Uchiha-kun out to help me with tutoring. After all, I (intentionally) ranked over a hundred on the last exam~"
On the other side, just as Uchiha Ryo sat down, several boys from nearby gathered around.
"Uchiha! Damn it, that's Hayasaka-san from Class A! What were you two doing yesterday at noon?"
"And not just yesterday, why did you walk in with Yukinoshita-san this morning!"
Uchiha Ryo was helpless. Were all these guys so bored?
Shirogane Miyuki stood up and patted Uchiha Ryo's shoulder, his eyes showing a look of disappointment.
What's with that look! You don't want your brother to have a good life, is that it?
The morning's little episode finally ended with the ringing of the class bell, dispersing the circle of envious and jealous boys.
Thank goodness for the class bell. If it had rung any later, Uchiha Ryo would have probably put each of them under a genjutsu to give them a good dream tonight!
Hayasaka Ai didn't come looking for him at noon today. As for Yukinoshita and Uchiha Ryo, they had no interaction outside of the club. This sudden wave of gossip was also slowly dying down.
Shirogane Miyuki: "So, you're still single?"
"Nonsense!"
Uchiha Ryo ate the bento Shirogane Miyuki had made. How could he get into a relationship? If he got into a relationship, how could he fleece all the sheep one by one!
And Hayasaka Ai still hadn't contributed any G-Points. He, Uchiha Ryo, wouldn't make any progress with Hayasaka Ai even if he jumped out of that window!
.....
Time flew by, and soon it was Saturday morning. The Shinomiya family's banquet was tonight, and Uchiha Ryo had arrived at the Yashajin residence early in the morning.
"You are Akatsuki-oniichan's disciple?"
Yashajin Ai stood in front of Uchiha Ryo, sizing him up with curious eyes.
"Mhm, my name is Uchiha Ryo. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hmph, for the sake of you being Akatsuki-oniichan's disciple, I'll allow you to follow me."
[Yashajin Ai's affinity has increased—G-Points +10]
Yashajin Kouten walked over, first patting Ai's head, then looking at Uchiha Ryo and saying.
"Young friend Uchiha, let's head to the Shinomiya residence now."
Go now? Isn't it a banquet in the evening?
As if seeing Uchiha Ryo's confusion, Yashajin Kouten explained, "The banquet in the evening is just a celebration for the younger generation. We old folks have been wanting to get together for a few drinks for a long time."
At the Shinomiya residence, Shinomiya Kaguya, the nominal protagonist of today's banquet, was sitting in her room being dressed by Hayasaka Ai.
And in the main hall in the center of the residence, the big shots of the major powerful families in the Tokyo area had already arrived.
The Superintendent General of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Kojima Sogo.
The major shareholder of the National Economic Federation and head of the Yashajin family, Yashajin Kouten.
The president of the National Agricultural Council and head of the Chitanda family, Chitanda Natsuya.
The leader of the nationwide yakuza group, the Dragon Ball group, Ryuju Retsu.
And finally, the person who walked in last, the planner of this Shinomiya family banquet, and also Shinomiya Kaguya's third older brother, Shinomiya Un'yo.
"Oh, so you're the one from the Shinomiya family who came?"
Shinomiya Un'yo's expression was blank as he walked to the main seat and sat down. The reason he had taken on the Shinomiya family's banquet today was naturally for these few people in front of him.
The head of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya Gan'an, was nearing the end of his life. In less than three years, the Shinomiya family would surely establish a new head, or a young head.
As the third son, his status and power were relatively weak compared to his two older brothers. So he had set his sights on this banquet!
Even the Shinomiya conglomerate had to show some respect to the four great powers of the police, business, agriculture, and the underworld. If he could gain their support, the position of family head would be within his grasp!
And... Shinomiya Un'yo had also received an incredible piece of news: the Yashajin family seemed to have made contact with the reclusive onmyoji. If he could get that onmyoji in his hands, that would be another trump card!
Shinomiya Un'yo: I will take control of that mysterious onmyoji!
Outside the main hall, Uchiha Ryo had already seen everything inside with his Sharingan.
"The third son of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya Un'yo... heh."