"Monster? No one's ever called me that before."
Ayanokoji denied Ryuuen's claim. The only title he had ever been given was "the masterpiece."
However, what intrigued him more was the word "also" that Ryuuen had used. He couldn't quite grasp the true meaning behind it.
Still, the situation remained within his control—no need to dwell on it too much.
"Heh, whatever." Ryuuen spread his hands and grinned. "So, Ayanokoji, what brings you to the rooftop alone? Here to rescue Karuizawa?"
"That's right. I got a message from her—she said she wanted me to save her."
"And? What do you plan to do?"
"What do you mean? I don't plan on doing anything."
Ayanokoji's response made Ryuuen's expression turn sour, but Ibuki suddenly looked as if she had an epiphany.
"Oh, I get it! If he were X, he wouldn't have just walked in alone so openly. There are probably other Class D students waiting outside, and he's just acting on X's orders."
"Ibuki, use your brain for once," Ryuuen sighed in exasperation. "That's impossible. We have Karuizawa's past in our hands. If that gets out, she's finished. And why do I get the feeling you're going out of your way to deny that Ayanokoji is X? Do you have some kind of proof?"
"Back on the uninhabited island, to mess with Class D, I stole Karuizawa's underwear and hid it in a guy's bag. Everyone assumed it was me since I'm from Class C."
As she spoke, Ibuki pointed at Ayanokoji.
"But he never suspected me—not even for a second. He even outright claimed I wasn't the culprit. That means he's just a dumb, naïve do-gooder. There's no way someone like him could be X."
"I see. Now I get it."
Ryuuen let out a deep sigh, his face showing an expression of helpless amusement.
"You just can't accept the fact that you were completely fooled. That's why you stubbornly refuse to believe Ayanokoji is X—because admitting it would make you look like an idiot."
"Shut up! You think you're so smart?" Ibuki snapped back. "Besides, he's just some clueless student who doesn't even suspect suspicious people. How could someone like that be secretly pulling the strings behind Class D?"
"A clueless student, huh…"
Ryuuen smirked and turned back to Ayanokoji.
"Well then, Ayanokoji, I'm sure you've got some kind of plan up your sleeve. Let's see it."
"A plan?" Ayanokoji answered easily. "There isn't one. Not in a situation like this."
"You guys have Karuizawa's past as a major trump card. No matter what I do, the damage is unavoidable. That's why you set up this entire trap in the first place, right? To completely corner me."
"Hah! Don't say something so boring."
Ryuuen let out a mocking laugh as if ridiculing Ayanokoji's feigned helplessness.
"I can expose both your true identity and Karuizawa's past at any time. You wouldn't reveal yourself without a plan, so what trick do you have up your sleeve? Give me a surprise."
"Sorry, Ryuuen. No matter what you say, I can't meet your expectations."
"…Huh?"
"You played me like a fiddle. That's all there is to it."
Ayanokoji responded expressionlessly, showing neither frustration nor concern, as if merely stating a fact.
Everyone present likely hadn't expected X to say something like that.
However, Ryuuen's reaction was intriguing.
One would assume he'd be disappointed or furious, but he accepted the outcome far more calmly than expected. Had he foreseen this to some extent?
If that were the case, then Ayanokoji needed to reevaluate Ryuuen's capabilities.
As he pondered this, Ayanokoji proceeded to the next step.
"I've indeed exposed my identity. If you want to spread the word, I can't stop you. But at the end of the day, that's all there is to it—I won't be particularly troubled by it."
"You think I'd believe that?"
"Believe what you want. The result remains the same for me."
Ryuuen couldn't tell if Ayanokoji was bluffing. His deadpan expression was simply too misleading.
Still, he didn't give up and instead shifted his focus to Karuizawa.
"And what about her? You're just going to abandon her?"
"That's right. I'm abandoning her." Ayanokoji replied without hesitation.
"Stop pretending. If you had intended to discard her from the start, your true identity might never have been exposed. The fact that you're here proves you couldn't bring yourself to do it."
"Enough… If Kiyotaka doesn't care about exposing himself, then it doesn't matter if my past is revealed too."
Karuizawa spoke in resignation, casting a glance at Ayanokoji.
Ayanokoji remained impassive. "You heard her. She seems to think so. Do whatever you want."
At this moment, Ryuuen undeniably held the upper hand.
If he decided to end things here and spread the truth, the ones who would suffer would be Karuizawa and Class D.
Karuizawa might break down completely, possibly leading to her voluntary withdrawal. Class D would also bear heavy consequences.
But Ryuuen was not the kind of man to take such a straightforward approach.
"Honestly, Ayanokoji, I'm really pissed right now," Ryuuen sighed, shaking his head. "At the end of the day, this is all you amount to. You didn't bring about a miracle, you made me lose my bet, and you don't even realize you've stepped into a dead end."
"It's a simple question, but… am I really in a dead end right now?"
"Heh… Hehehe… Hahaha!"
Ryuuen burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Just look at your face—you don't take us seriously at all, do you? I know exactly what you're thinking."
"Is that so? What am I thinking?"
"You're thinking that even if we all attack together, we won't be a match for you, aren't you?"
"…Huh?"
For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Ayanokoji's face.
"Wait, what are you planning to do to him?" Ibuki stepped forward, closing in on Ryuuen. "If you're thinking of using violence, that's a bad idea. It'll put Class C in a dangerous position. You should drop it—there's no way to deal with Ayanokoji now. Besides, knowing he's X is enough, isn't it? Your goal has already been achieved."
"Hah. And you actually believe him when he says he doesn't care?"
Ryuuen ignored Ibuki's protest.
"Listen up. As long as I hold Karuizawa's past and Ayanokoji's true identity over their heads, even if I use force, they won't report this to the school. If they do, it'll be mutual destruction, and Ayanokoji wouldn't want that."
That was certainly a plausible development.
If the truth had already been exposed, that would be a different matter. Ayanokoji and Karuizawa would have no choice but to throw caution to the wind.
But as long as Ryuuen kept it a secret, they would be forced to tread carefully, unable to retaliate no matter what happened.
"So you really intend to resort to violence? I thought you believed I didn't see you as a threat." Ayanokoji asked curiously.
He couldn't quite grasp Ryuuen's thought process. Was this just provocation?
"Still, you're right about one thing. The four of you alone wouldn't be enough to stop me."
"Heh, you won't know until we try."
Ryuuen smirked indifferently, but his body tensed.
Ibuki furrowed her brows in confusion. "Wait a minute. Are you guys serious? Ryuuen, look at him—"
"You're annoying as hell," Ryuuen cut her off impatiently. "If you don't believe me, then fine. I'll leave it to you. Go ahead, beat Ayanokoji up. If you do that, today's business ends here."
"What? No way—"
"Come on, Ibuki, bring it on."
Ayanokoji provoked her in return.
"Tch… Fine. Don't blame me."
Ibuki sighed, still somewhat reluctant, but stepped up.
The next moment, she launched a powerful kick straight at him.
Even if she didn't believe this was the right course of action, she clearly wasn't holding back.
Not that it mattered.
Ayanokoji effortlessly dodged by taking a small step back.
"Have you trained before?"
Ibuki's eyes narrowed as she finally sensed something was off. Her expression turned serious.
"Who knows?"
"Tch, stop acting tough!"
As if venting her frustration, she unleashed a rapid barrage of attacks, moving with near-flawless precision.
Honestly, her form was excellent.
It was clear she had undergone intense training, which explained how she had beaten Horikita.
"Ibuki, is that all you've got? You won't beat me like this."
"Shut up!"
Ayanokoji continued dodging at the last possible moment, taunting her as he did.
Losing her patience, Ibuki leaped high, preparing to strike with full force.
He could toy with her a little longer, but there were still three others to deal with. He couldn't afford to waste time.
Seizing the opening as she jumped, Ayanokoji dashed forward and grabbed her by the throat before slamming her onto the ground.
"Ugh—!"
Ibuki lost consciousness immediately, lying motionless.
"Ibuki!"
Ishizaki instinctively rushed forward, but Albert held him back.
"Relax," Ayanokoji said. "I controlled my strength. I only slammed her back, so she'll be fine."
"Heh. You really are a freak. That bastard was right about you."
Ryuuen clapped mockingly, though his tone was laced with sarcasm and derision.
That bastard? Was he referring to some strategist hidden within Class C? Or—
It didn't matter for now. Ayanokoji decided to focus on the remaining three.
However, something unexpected happened.
Instead of charging all at once, even the impulsive Ishizaki remained composed. Under Ryuuen's lead, they slowly closed in, forming a triangular formation around him.
Ayanokoji let them surround him, calmly analyzing their expressions.
…So that's how it is.
Ryuuen must have gotten his physical data beforehand and had recognized him as a dangerous opponent from the start.
It was likely leaked during the sports festival.
But that didn't fully explain things. At the time, his stats weren't even as high as Sudou's, let alone Albert's.
Ryuuen wasn't a cautious man by nature.
There had to be another reason he was so certain.
"Hey, Ayanokoji, do you know what I'm about to say?"
"Who knows?"
"Well then— Ishizaki, do it!"
At Ryuuen's command, Ishizaki roared and threw a punch straight at him.
Seriously… If you're going to attack, don't announce it first.
Ayanokōji was dumbfounded by this bewildering behavior, but he swiftly caught Ishizaki's incoming punch with his right hand.
Smack—!
The force behind the blow was unmistakable—there was no holding back. Ishizaki had thrown his punch with full strength.
To be able to swing so seriously at someone on their first exchange—was this a result of Ibuki's "defeat" igniting his fighting spirit?
With an iron grip, Ayanokōji restrained Ishizaki's movement like a vice, preparing to counter with a kick to his knee.
At that moment, Albert moved in to intervene.
The massive shadow loomed over him in an instant, two thick arms spread wide as he lunged in for a bear hug.
It was obvious—if he got caught, escaping would be difficult.
Ayanokōji immediately abandoned his attack on Ishizaki, opting instead to duck under the incoming grab.
Without hesitation, he drove his fist into Albert's abdomen in rapid succession.
Against an opponent of unknown strength, even Ayanokōji couldn't afford to hold back—each punch was delivered with full force.
Yet, the result was barely noticeable.
Albert's expression changed ever so slightly—just a tiny bit.
The feedback from Ayanokōji's fists told him everything—his attacks had inflicted minimal damage.
As a mixed-race Black man, Albert not only possessed a physique far beyond his peers but had also undergone extensive training. His body could be described as a fortress of steel.
If that was the case, he would need to take a different approach.
The human body had several weak points—such as the throat, heart, and temples.
No amount of training could change that.
Ayanokōji clenched his fist, aiming a strike at Albert's solar plexus. However, Albert instinctively sensed his intent, and his massive frame agilely shifted to the side.
At the same time, Ryūen rushed in—likely to cover his teammate—throwing a punch directly at Ayanokōji's head.
Perfect.
If this were merely a matter of outnumbering him without coordination, he could easily handle it as if it were a series of one-on-one fights.
But these three weren't just a random group thrown together. Their movements were coordinated—they had likely planned a strategy.
In that case, he couldn't afford to be careless.
Although this wasn't exactly in line with his original plan, the best course of action now was to eliminate the core of the group—Ryūen—first. Once he was down, dealing with the remaining two would be simple.
Anticipating Ryūen's strike, Ayanokōji suddenly spun and threw a punch of his own.
Bang!
His fist connected squarely with Ryūen's solar plexus—yet something felt off.
It wasn't the sensation of hitting flesh.
Without time to think, Ayanokoji instinctively leaned back.
Unfortunately, he was still a little too slow. The fist before him grew larger and larger until it finally crashed toward his face.
Luckily, thanks to his quick reaction, the punch didn't land cleanly. It only left a numb sensation on his nose.
Seizing the opportunity, Ayanokoji forcefully leaped backward, escaping the encirclement.
"Heh..."
Noticing the slight redness on Ayanokoji's nose, Ryuuen couldn't help but grin.
"Looks like even a monster's punch can't break through Jump after all."