At noon, all of us in the sixth group gathered at a restaurant attached to the ski resort. It was set up like a food court, so we each ordered what we wanted and returned to our seats.
I was handed a one-touch call bell labeled "32" and told to get the food I had ordered as soon as it rang.
"How did it go with Watanabe-kun and the others? Were you able to improve your skiing?"
Kushida, being on the advanced course until now, asked about the results of the four who went to the beginner course.
"I've learned to ski pretty well. I'm still not as good as Amikura and Nishino, though."
Watanabe was humble but also revealed a bit of confidence in his growth.
On the other hand, Yamamura, whose name wasn't mentioned, had a darker expression and wasn't in high spirits.
"Yamamura is... Well, she's not ready yet."
They reported that there was no sign of improvement.
The air of not calling out to the person in question was also very strong, so I decided to keep quiet.
Then the one-touch bell rang and I went to get my meal.
I took the hot soup curry to the table on a tray.
Then, when all eight of us were present, we started our lunch.
Ryūen, who had chosen a hamburger as a light meal, was the first to finish eating and pushed the wrapping paper and tray to Watanabe.
Watanabe smiled bitterly and stacked the empty tray on top of his own.
"Give me your time, Ayanokōji."
"Eh... I'm still in the middle of eating, aren't I?"
About a third of the soup curry remained.
Waiting too long would ruin the hot soup.
"Get on with it."
Watanabe sent me off silently, feeling sorry for me. Ryūen wasn't looking at me in the first place.
"I'm going to take a break."
"Yeah, I'll wait while everyone else eats."
I let Kushida take charge of the situation and walked with Ryūen through the food court.
I finally stopped at the end of the food court and took out my cell phone.
I unlocked it with my fingertips and stared at the screen for a while.
"I knew it. Sure enough, that person, Sakayanagi, is using her minions to gather information."
It seems that she was confirming the report from her classmates.
"I guess it's the same with you too."
I wasn't asking him directly, but I assumed that Ryūen gave them the same instructions.
"Well. This school trip isn't for cultivating friendship. In order to crush your enemies, it's important to first rip off their limbs. Sakayanagi seems to know that very well."
Neither Sakayanagi nor Ryūen could fight a class battle as individuals.
It was important to win the class competition as a group.
While it was necessary to improve their fellow students' abilities, it was also important to reduce their opponents' strength.
Sakayanagi had particularly bad legs, and her range of movement was usually very limited.
This was mostly compensated for by Kamuro and Hashimoto.
If a weakness of theirs was discovered that would make them succumb to Ryūen, Sakayanagi would lose a valuable limb. Her ability to gather information would be diminished in a single stroke.
"Let me ask you why you took the trouble to call me here. It's not to report on the reconnaissance battle, is it?"
"I'm going to instruct the rest of my class to start preparing for an all-out war against Sakayanagi.
Whether the assignment for the end-of-year exam is a written exam or not, I'll crush her by any means necessary."
"I heard something similar on the bus. You said the battle has already begun."
"Yes. But before we make any moves, there's something I need to remind you of."
As Ryūen said this, my cell phone vibrated once.
I told him to wait a moment and checked the screen to see a short message from Kushida.
[Yamamura-san is on her way to you.]
I was wondering if she was worried about me being summoned by Ryūen and moved to check on me.
In all likelihood, Yamamura was moving under Sakayanagi's instructions.
The possibility that Yamamura was eavesdropping nearby had emerged, but I didn't tell Ryūen.
This was also a scene from the battle between Sakayanagi and Ryūen. My help was to Sakayanagi's detriment.
On the other hand, Ryūen also seemed to have received a message from someone else and was staring at the screen again.
Without changing his expression, Ryūen put his cell phone in his pocket and began to talk.
"I hope you remember what I said a year ago about my 800 million points plan."
"I still don't think it's feasible."
"I'm sure you don't. I'm also sure the rest of the class will react the same way when they find out after this."
"Are you going to tell them?"
The only person in Ryūen's class who knew about the strategy to accumulate 800 million points must be Ibuki. Even Ibuki probably only learned about it by accident and didn't know the specifics.
"It's a fucking expensive plan. It's not an amount of money I could afford if I proceeded in secret. I've got a little over a year left, and it's a little too late to make a move."
Certainly, the cooperation of his classmates was essential if he was serious about
increasing his strategy's chances of success. Just as Ichinose had gradually pooled everyone's private points in trust, Ryūen also needed to work with his classmates to reach the target amount.
"What you want to confirm is whether I'm willing to cooperate with the 800 million points plan?"
"I've been very cordial with your class up to this point, you know? I also pushed our focus for the end-of-year exams in Sakayanagi's direction. I'm sure you have no complaints."
I'm sure that since that time last year, when he and I discussed it, Horikita's class had been able to move so freely that they'd partially forgotten about Ryūen's presence. If Ryūen had remained as belligerent as he was in the first year, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
"It looks like you're doing pretty well with Kushida, too. I was excited by the idea that you were going to expel her from school."
"Sorry. Sometimes we have to change our policy."
Ryūen laughed and clapped his hands several times, as if he took a liking to my words or had a problem with them.
"If I wanted to, it would be no problem to crush Kushida. You know that, don't you?"
Ryūen was one of the few students outside of the class who knew Kushida's true nature.
He could've exposed it at any time, but he didn't, which would be the very result of what he just implied.
"So you want me to fulfill my promise? That's very forceful of you, even including a threat."
"I don't care if it's forceful or not. Are you going to do it or not?"
At that time, it was a verbal promise, but Ryūen had said that he wouldn't relent if I violated it.
"Before I reply, let me ask you this: even if you were able to defeat Sakayanagi, what would you do after that?"
"After defeating Class A at the end of the school year, it will be a one-on-one battle between my class and your class, that's a given. In my mind, it's all part of the story until we defeat you."
So that's what he was thinking. I don't doubt it, though, considering what I had seen so far.
"That's a little too convenient. At that time, you got off the stage once. And you were only supposed to be in charge of getting the word out to Kaneda and Hiyori. But now you're back on the stage. If you want to make good on your promise, it makes sense to back out. If we're in Class A and you're in Class B, isn't it inevitable that they will give up the win?"
Only then can we set the scene for the 800 million point cooperation talk.
"You don't like it?"
"Of course not. If Horikita and you, along with both classes really clash, and you win and move up to Class A, our side will be the only one to have made fools of ourselves. Or are you going to promise to promote the students from Horikita's class to Class A if the 800 million plan succeeds?"
The smile faded from Ryūen's face, and he turned his sharp, sideways eyes towards me.
"That's an impossible proposition. The extra private points are ours, of course. It's money that will carry on after we graduate, and we're not going to use it to save students who have nothing to do with it."
"If they lose, we'll bail you out, and if you win, you'll abandon us? It's a proposal we don't need to think about any longer. We can't cooperate with the plan to accumulate 800 million points. However, you're free to attack any class from now on, and we have no right to stop you."
"I guess you're not so naive after all, Ayanokōji." This wasn't just about me. I wasn't the only one who had a problem with this. So that's where we left off at that time. He backed down more easily than I had expected. He seemed to have known that he would be rejected.
"Even if negotiations break down, do you still plan to save up 800 million points?"
"I'm not going to change my strategy now. My main goal is to save the 800 million. After that, I'm going to beat Sakayanagi, and then you. If I don't spend any money and get to Class A, I'll graduate with a lot of money. Right?"
The plan, which had been a dream, was replaced by another ideal. But from here on, Ryūen boldly claimed that he would save 800 million.
"Up till this point, we've spent money on pulling out Katsuragi and using the first-year brats, but now it's the time to recoup it. I'm going to switch to a thoroughgoing private point system."
The more eager you were to collect private points, the greater the risk you take.
Ryūen's thoughts and attitude here cast a strange shadow over my thinking.
"You look as if you're wondering why I pressed you to fulfill your promise without making any concessions."
"That's true. I don't see the purpose of this conversation."
"It's simple. I can't destroy you if I'm still halfway connected to you. But if you break it like this, it's different. We can go toe-to-toe."
In other words, he chose his obsession with a renewed vigor over a conflict of interest. He said something similar on the bus, but he declared war once again.
Still, I wasn't completely convinced. There was an agenda behind this conversation.
I wouldn't find an answer if I pursued it here. "It's fine to look ahead, but you should think about a rematch only after you beat Sakayanagi."
"Ha. I know she's smart. But that's all there is to it."
He showed absolute confidence in the battle during the end-of-year exam.
Ryūen was defeated and then resurrected. I'll admit that his talent exceeded my expectations. It's also true that his success story is steadily on track.
However… At the end of the day, whether or not he'll be able to overcome the obstacles in the path is another matter. I wonder if his inaccuracy in recognizing the obstacles will eventually resonate on the battlefield. Of course, the signs and indications will change again depending on how Sakayanagi perceives Ryūen as well.
"Go back first, Ayanokōji."
Saying this, Ryūen walked toward the restroom.
Hiyori, who had been watching us from a somewhat distant seat, noticed us and waved. Apparently, Hiyori's group had also come to ski.
I slightly raised my hand in reply and returned to the group's table.
Yamamura had already returned and was silently using her cellphone with a nonchalant look on her face.
"Where's Ryūen?"
"He's going to stop by the restroom and then come back." "
... Are you okay? Did you get hit or anything?"
Watanabe looked worried and checked every part of my body.
"No worries. We were just chatting a little."
"I hope so..."
Yamamura, who had been eating slowly here, finished her meal and took her tray to the west to match Nishino.
"I... am going to put my tray away."
Since the two ordered from the same restaurant, they seemed to go back together.
"Ayanokōji, if you have a weakness, feel free to tell me."
Kitō muttered with a deep gaze, as if he thought Watanabe had been asking too persistently.
I would have liked for him to say those words before I was summoned.
When Ryūen returned shortly after, Kitō shifted his gaze from me.
"You ran away from me and switched to frightening people of other classes?"
"Oh? Kuku, don't worry, Kitō. I'm going to take care of you and the rest of Class A. I'm going to teach you that Sakayanagi is only a steppingstone for me after all."
"You can't beat Class A."
"You never know."
He shrunk the margin, or should I say Ryūen acted to make it look that way.
He may be saying that he can win, but there's no actual proof behind it.
Of course, he may have information that I was unaware of, but in a simple comparison of ability, Sakayanagi was a cut above the rest.
"Don't wait for the end-of-year exam, you can always try to set me up."
"Hey, hey, you don't have the authority to do that, Kitō. You, whose only merit is your role as a loyal dog, are the one who gets in trouble when you make careless remarks, right?"
Kitō, having been called a dog, placed his large palm on the table and stood up.
"Naturally, I alone am enough to defeat you."
"Oh? Then is this 'the third time's the charm?'"
The pillow fight was stopped by a broken pillow. The skiing match wasn't settled due to my intervention.
"Let's be friends, you two. There's already a rumor going around that our group is pretty dangerous."
Some of the surrounding customers were beginning to look at the standoff between Ryūen and Kitō in wonder.
It was only a matter of time before the teachers would hear about it if they continued to be too flamboyant.
"By the way, aren't Nishino-san and the others late?"
"You could say that."
It shouldn't have taken more than a minute to take the trays back, but there was no sign of them returning.
Noticing that Nishino and Yamamura hadn't returned, Kushida went looking for them.
"Oh, there they are. But I think they're tangled up with some boys I don't know."
In the crowded food court, Kushida pointed in the direction of Nishino and Yamamura, who were surrounded by five male students. Both had a grim expression.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Let's go help them."
"It's better not to move in large numbers. If you get caught, you'll be in trouble."
I had just issued such advice, but there were already people leaving their seats.
The two guys, who wouldn't listen to my advice, went to Nishino and the others without communicating with each other.
"Kushida and the rest, wait here."
I instructed Kushida, Amikura, and Watanabe not to move.
As I caught up with Ryūen and Kitō, who were heading toward the scene with heavy footsteps, a conversation reached my ears.
"You bumped me on the shoulder and made no apology? My clothes are stained with ramen broth."
Apparently, it wasn't Nishino who started the trouble, but Yamamura, who seemed to have bumped into the man.
"Isn't it your fault for not noticing Yamamura-san walking by?"
The boys laughed teasingly and touched their own shoulders.
"No, no, I couldn't see you because you looked like a female ghost over here. See?"
"...I'm really... Sorry."
Yamamura apologized in a small voice. Perhaps she already apologized more than once or twice. But the boys continued to act as if they hadn't heard her.
"We're here on a school trip from Gifu, let's play. I'll let you off the hook for that."
The man forcibly grabbed Nishino's arm as he stood there.
"Huh? I'm not interested. Who would play with you guys?"
Nishino's palm lightly brushed against the boy's cheek as she forcibly pulled her arm out of his grasp.
"I know."
The boys, who had been smiling in a vulgar manner throughout, immediately changed their expressions.
One of the five boys was blown away.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"That's my line. What do you want with my friend?"
It was Ryūen who delivered a powerful kick to the back of the boy's head.
He grabbed the other boy by the chest immediately afterwards and raised him up.
"Don't squeal like a peeping bird in front of a woman!"
"I'm going to kill you, you...!"
"Go ahead, try it. I'll let you hit me once if you want. You want a souvenir from the school trip, don't you?"
He held up his index finger as if he was offering his left cheek to him.
"Oh, then thanks for feeling free to let me hit you once!"
He did as he was told and forcefully swung his arm.
"Ah, that's..."
"Don't think I'm really going to let you hit me. You can't even get such advice this time."
Seeing his opponent's uselessly large movements, Ryūen grabbed both of the boy's shoulders and slammed him with a powerful knee kick to the stomach.
The student from the other school rolled around in agony.
*Illustration
"Even a boring school trip can have a slightly interesting event, can't it?"
Ryūen began to find enjoyment in the situation that was bound to result.
The first event in his high school life that brought him into contact with another school turned out to be a disturbingly violent affair.
One of the boys hit him with his left and right fists, clenched with all his might.
There was no pretense of a one-on-one fight, and the other side seemed intent on winning through numbers.
Then, Kitō appeared, slithering toward them.
The other boys were flustered by his face and intimidating appearance, which was clearly not that of a high school student.
"It looks like he's trying to... Fight on our side."
Nishino grabbed Yamamura by the shoulders to protect her as she walked over to me and muttered.
"Yamamura is a classmate of Kitō's. It's only natural that he wouldn't back down if he found her in a pinch."
Fortunately, they seemed to understand that further fighting in the food court wasn't a good idea, and Ryūen and the others walked gingerly toward the exit door.
"Shouldn't someone call an adult?"
"I can't stop them now that they're like that. I'd rather have them avoid the public eye and fight with each other."
I saw that the opponents outnumbered us, but none of them looked used to cooperating.
If Ryūen and Kitō teamed up to fight, it wouldn't take them long.
About 10 minutes later, Ryūen and the others returned. They came back with the people they beat down.
They made them get down on their knees in front of Yamamura and Nishino and beg for forgiveness.
It looked like they thoroughly beat the defiance out of them and shattered their spirits...
This would a problem if anyone saw it, but maybe it was necessary for Yamamura and Nishino's sake.
They made them swear never to show themselves in front of the girls again, and then they were released.
"Never a dull moment, huh?" Kushida whispered and I could only agree.