Chapter 284: Ayanokouji 1V4, Hikigaya 1V5
Hikigaya's heart pounded violently, and he couldn't help but ask bluntly: "Asahina-senpai, could it be that you li—"
"No! That didn't count just now!"
Nazuna Asahina denied it instantly, shaking her head like a rattle.
"That was... that was just a reward from a senpai to a kouhai! Yes! Nothing more!"
If she questioned her own heart, did she like Hikigaya? Maybe? Possibly? A little bit? But for a dignified senpai to make a move on a kouhai like that—it would be too embarrassing!
Hikigaya: "..."
Hikigaya looked awkward but wasn't overly surprised. Having had many similar experiences, he was used to it.
"In short, don't misunderstand, kouhai!"
Asahina turned away, fanning her flushed cheeks with her hand. After regaining her composure, she turned back to tease him again: "Just hold onto your beautiful fantasies and have a nice dream tonight~"
"Alright, I'll try my best to dream of you, Senpai." Hikigaya placed his hand over his heart with a serious expression.
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A certain Karaoke (KTV) room.
"Have you guys had enough to eat and drink?"
"It's time to do something big!"
Ryuen Kakeru's gaze was sharp and piercing.
"Uh, Boss, are you sure you want to do this tonight?" Ishizaki Daichi looked surprised.
"What, Ishizaki? Do you have a date or something?" Ryuen glanced at him.
"No..." Ishizaki scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hmph! A bunch of naive brats!" Ryuen sneered.
"Tonight, while everyone's attention is focused on boring romance, is the perfect time for us to launch an ambush!"
"Who are you ambushing? Is it worth such a grand display? You even called all of us together." Ibuki Mio leaned against the wall, looking impatient.
"I'm worried we don't have enough people!" Ryuen's brow furrowed, seemingly recalling something. He stared deeply at Ibuki.
"What are you looking at?" Ibuki glared back.
"Heh~ An uncute woman like you, only that dead-fish eyes guy would be interested in you," Ryuen mocked.
"Wha... What are you talking about? How nonsensical..." The corner of Ibuki's mouth twitched upward, but she forced it back down, trying to maintain an angry facade.
"Forget it. You won't be going on tonight's mission." Ryuen changed his mind on the spot.
"Huh? What the hell does that mean?" Ibuki put her hands on her hips, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Nothing special... By the way, tonight is Christmas. Ibuki, didn't you ask Dead-Fish Eyes out to have some fun?" Ryuen skillfully shifted the topic.
"Why would I have to ask him out..." Ibuki insisted stubbornly.
"Are you afraid he'll reject you? True, there are so many women eyeing him. Your chances of winning alone are too slim." Ryuen held up two fingers and suggested, "How about this: find Shiina and go camp outside his dorm room together."
"Huh? Why should I listen to you? Going to a boy's dorm late at night is too embarrassing!" Ibuki looked hesitant.
"Idiot! Why do you care about your pride at a time like this?"
Ryuen scolded her as if she were a lost cause, then added: "Do you believe that right now, other women are already camping there? If you go late, you won't even get a sip of the leftovers."
"..." Ibuki felt a surge of panic. The more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became. "I don't believe your nonsense! Hmph, how boring, I'm going back to sleep!!"
Watching Ibuki leave in a frantic hurry, Ryuen and the others wore knowing expressions.
"Boss, the person is here." Albert led Shiho Manabe into the room.
"Ry-Ryuen, you wanted to see me?" Manabe looked terrified.
"Manabe, this is your moment for atonement." Ryuen looked coldly at her.
"Go, call Ayanokouji out!"
"Eh?!" Manabe was stunned at first, then looked at the aggressive group in the room and immediately understood their intentions.
"What? Are you still on Ayanokouji's side even now?" Ryuen raised an eyebrow.
"I... I'm not..." Manabe lowered her head, cold sweat dripping from her forehead under the immense psychological pressure.
Crash!
Ryuen smashed a glass bottle on the floor.
"I'm sick of this! A 'gal' trying to act like a pure, innocent girl in front of me!"
"Eek!" Manabe trembled with fear.
"Manabe! You've betrayed the class time and time again. Do you really think we won't get rough with you?" Ishizaki grabbed her angrily and pinned her against the wall.
"I... I understand..." Under the double pressure of mind and body, Manabe quickly chose to surrender.
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(Message): [Kiyotaka-kun, I have something very important to tell you. Please come to KTV Room 09. Also, I have intel about Class C to give you...]
Looking at the message on his phone, a cold light flashed in Kiyotaka Ayanokouji's eyes.
"A trap?"
Ever since the final special exam, his strength had been fully exposed; there was no longer any possibility of hiding.
He expected someone to make a move on him soon. He guessed that inside the room Manabe invited him to, Ryuen and the others were waiting in ambush with a 99% probability!
"Just as well. Rather than being on guard all day, it's better to settle this all at once."
Ayanokouji chose to walk right into the trap and face them head-on.
Inside the room, another person arrived.
"Ryuen, does your word still hold true?" To fill the gap left by Ibuki, Ryuen had called in Tokito, who was usually at odds with him.
"Heh, of course. As long as you agree to participate in this operation, I can make you the second-in-command of Class C." Ryuen had learned how to entice people with empty promises.
"Tch! Second-in-command... isn't that just being your subordinate?" Tokito said one thing but felt another; he acted displeased but was actually quite interested. "Unless... you give me points!"
Negotiating was just a way to save face, so Tokito didn't dare ask for too much, simply holding up two fingers. "My fee for taking action... 20,000—"
So small-time. Ryuen felt disdainful but maintained an "eager for talent" posture.
"What's a mere 20,000? With your strength, Tokito, you should get at least 200,000!"
"Really?" Tokito looked pleasantly surprised. He suddenly found that Ryuen wasn't so annoying after all.
"Of course. Once it's done, there will be plenty of benefits for you." A flicker of mockery flashed in Ryuen's eyes.
"Fine, it's a deal!" Tokito rubbed his hands together.
"No matter who it is, I'll take them down!"
Ten minutes later.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka arrived at the designated KTV room. Without a moment's hesitation, he pushed the door open and entered.
"Yo~ The hidden boss of Class D!"
"Welcome to the secret battlefield."
Under the dim lights, Ryuen sat in the center, looking at him with an amused expression. Ishizaki and Albert, who were lurking on either side of the door, quickly shut and deadbolted it.
"Kiyotaka-kun... I'm sorry... Ryuen and the others forced me." Manabe looked at the newcomer with a face full of guilt.
"It's fine, Shiho. I know it's not your fault." Ayanokouji dismissed her expressionlessly, his gaze scanning the people in the room without a hint of emotion.
"Tch! It really is just like what Dead-Fish Eyes said. That fake human face of yours is truly annoying!" Ryuen's eyes were cold, but his internal vigilance was cranked to the maximum.
"Calling me a 'fake human' is a bit much. You make it sound like I'm not a normal human being." Ayanokouji complained verbally, but his face remained a mask.
"Enough, stop pretending. If you have a secret plan, use it already," Ryuen urged.
"I don't believe for a second you weren't on guard against Manabe. Since you dared to come alone, you must have prepared a backup plan."
"I haven't. I came here because I wanted to settle things with you." Ayanokouji's calm voice made it sound like he was stating a trivial fact.
"Settle what things?" Ishizaki looked annoyed.
"What kind of riddles are you playing?"
"Exactly what I said." Ayanokouji stated his stance again.
"Interesting. Are you saying that at this very moment, you don't consider yourself to be in a predicament?" Ryuen's brow furrowed, as if a bad memory had been triggered.
"Yes. Looking at you, have you perhaps surrounded someone before, only to fail in the end?" Ayanokouji showed a rare bit of interest.
"Enough! Why waste so many words on him? Let's take him down together!" Tokito didn't know the combat data Hikigaya had revealed to Ryuen.
In his mind, Ayanokouji was just a guy who was good at running and a hidden honors student.
"Mhm, you go first, Tokito." Ryuen, out of caution, planned to let one person test the waters. "Street rules: one-on-one."
Tokito had no objection. He rolled up his sleeves and charged.
Thud!
Tokito flew backward, landing at Ryuen's feet, his eyes rolled back as he fainted.
"!!!"
The room fell silent. A one-hit knockout! Everyone was dumbstruck.
"Don't worry, I just knocked him out. I didn't hit any vitals." Ayanokouji shook his slightly warm fist.
"Now, you should have a basic understanding of my strength, right?
How about we drop this? From now on, don't provoke me anymore. How about it?"
A threat of force!
"Arrogant bastard! You think taking down one overconfident fool will make me stop?" Ryuen stood up abruptly.
"Ishizaki! Albert! Let's go together!!"
The three of them attacked simultaneously.
Whoosh—
Ayanokouji dodged to the side, jumping out of their encirclement. He landed a punch to Ishizaki's abdomen, making him double over and kneel on the ground. Albert took the opportunity to bear-hug him from behind, using his massive frame to briefly trap Ayanokouji's arms.
Ayanokouji remained composed. He kicked off the wall, using the counter-force to slam into Albert behind him, forcing him back. Ryuen found an opening and landed a punch on Ayanokouji's chest.
Ayanokouji didn't make a sound. He countered with a swinging hook that sent Ryuen reeling, followed immediately by a knee strike that made the latter cough up bile.
"Hah!" Albert stepped forward quickly, throwing a barrage of lefts and rights.
Ayanokouji created distance while parrying, his peripheral vision keeping a wary eye on Ryuen, who was standing up again.
"What decides the winner isn't just martial prowess, but willpower!" Ryuen lunged at Ayanokouji with his arms wide open.
Such an open movement was a clear sign he was abandoning defense just to restrain the opponent!
Thud thud thud!
Facing the thick-skinned Albert and the desperate Ryuen, Ayanokouji inevitably took a punch, and his lip began to bleed.
"Haha, got you...!" Ryuen's face was covered in bruises, clearly more severely injured. But he continued to shout provocatively, trying to put psychological pressure on him.
"Let's take our time. I'll show you the meaning of true fear!"
"Fear? Maybe I have it, but it's definitely not something you can bring me."
Ayanokouji changed his offensive method, aiming for Albert's vitals—a low kick! Surprisingly, faced with Ayanokouji's swift kick, Albert managed to parry it by reflex.
"Oh?" Ayanokouji let out a small sound of surprise. He seemed amazed that the opponent's defense was so practiced.
"Hmph! How many sneak attacks do you think I've endured?" Albert was furious, grabbing Ayanokouji's right arm with both hands.
"Alright, that was indeed my mistake." Being suppressed by the strength of both hands on one arm, Ayanokouji couldn't break free immediately.
"Let me smash that 'fake human' face of yours!" Ryuen tightened his fist and swung with full force.
Snap—
The crisp sound of a bone dislocating. Ayanokouji lowered his head at a distorted angle, narrowly avoiding Ryuen's fist.
"Not good!" Ryuen couldn't pull back his punch in time. His fist slammed directly into Albert's face, smashing his sunglasses along with it. Albert saw stars, and his grip loosened.
Ayanokouji took the chance to break free.
"You guys have actually managed to interest me a little."
Ayanokouji stopped holding back. He raised his left hand and delivered a downward chop! Ryuen raised both arms to block, but his guard was smashed down by the heavy hand-sword. It hit his forehead like a blunt club, knocking him unconscious instantly.
"Boss..." Albert struggled to prop himself up.
"Christmas night. Goodnight." Ayanokouji delivered a violent "soccer kick," taking down the low-health Albert.
And so, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka completed the feat of taking on four people alone in a KTV room!
At the same time, Hikigaya faced his own challenge...
At the door of Room 404: Karuizawa Kei, Matsushita Chiaki, and Sato Maya were camping out.
"So slow!"
"Why isn't Hachiman-kun back yet?"
"Dammit, could he be caught by some 'stray cat'?"
Seeing this scene, Hikigaya's instinct was to turn around and run.
"Merry Christmas, Hachiman-kun~"
"My, where are you going so late?"
Hiyori Shiina and Ibuki Mio had just stepped out of the elevator.
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