And just like that, the meeting followed the usual procedure and came to an end.
Afterward, Kanda Shuichi and Ichinose went to the student council room to hand over Class C's version of the events and the agreed-upon resolutions to Nagumo.
"Now, Kanda, you should understand my stance, right?"
Nagumo held the meeting report Ichinose handed him, looking at Kanda Shuichi with a smirk.
As expected, he thought this whole situation was something I stirred up to test him.
Well, he wasn't wrong. That was indeed one of Kanda Shuichi's goals.
Testing Ayanokouji, testing Nagumo, and dealing with Ryuen—those were the three main objectives behind provoking this incident.
However, there was one thing Kanda Shuichi hadn't anticipated. He knew Ayanokouji had impressive physical abilities, but he didn't expect him to be this strong—strong enough to take down Ryuen's entire group on his own.
According to his original plan, Ryuen was supposed to beat up Ayanokouji first, and then he would step in to clean up the mess. But instead, Ayanokouji was the one who beat up Ryuen, leaving him to clean up the aftermath.
Even though the goal was achieved in the end, something still felt off.
"Yeah, I get it now. As long as future fights aren't as serious as this one, President Nagumo won't get involved, right?"
"That's right. So you better be careful, Kanda. I remember you're not in great shape. If someone beats you up, don't expect me to step in for you."
A blatant threat.
"You don't need to worry about me, President Nagumo. Maybe precisely because I'm not in great shape, no one will bother attacking me in the first place."
This was the definition of a head-on confrontation.
If someone hits me, I'll just make a scene. So what? I can afford the embarrassment. But can you afford to get expelled?
After leaving the student council office, Kanda Shuichi saw Shiina Hiyori waiting outside.
"Thanks for everything, Kanda."
As soon as Kanda Shuichi stepped out, Shiina walked up and expressed her gratitude directly.
"I didn't do anything worth thanking me for, so there's no need to thank me at all."
"No, I'm thanking you for making Ryuen realize that there's always someone stronger out there," Shiina Hiyori said with her usual warm smile.
"Huh? Shiina, what are you talking about? Ayanokouji was the one who took down Ryuen, not me."
"But, even though Ryuen and his group won't admit it, I have a feeling that you were the one who pushed Ryuen into going after Ayanokouji, right? And even if Ayanokouji had lost to Ryuen, I'm guessing you would've stepped in to handle the situation anyway, wouldn't you?"
Wow. This girl is sharp.
"Who knows?" Kanda Shuichi smiled. "But I have to say, Shiina, your story is pretty well put together—no logical flaws at all."
"Thanks for the compliment. I've read a lot of books, after all," Shiina responded, accepting the praise without hesitation. "Oh, right, I have something to take care of with Class C, so I'll be heading out now."
As he watched her leave, Kanda Shuichi shook his head.
"Was this whole thing really started by Shuichi?" Ichinose tilted her head curiously.
"I just told Ryuen that the person who planted the listening device in their class was Ayanokouji. I didn't get involved in anything after that."
Kanda Shuichi denied it outright.
Ichinose could only shake her head helplessly. Just that one piece of information was enough to get Ryuen to take action.
That night, Kanda Shuichi was alone in his dorm room, working out. Ever since he got the black belt, he had been training every night to extend its effective time.
Knock, knock, knock!
As expected, someone knocked on the door.
Who could it be?
Ryuen? Or Ayanokouji?
When Kanda Shuichi opened the door, he found that it wasn't either of them. Instead, it was the leader of Class B, Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Well, this is a rare visitor. What brings you here?"
"Aren't you going to invite me in? It's pretty cold out here."
Even though Sakayanagi was still smiling, Kanda Shuichi could tell she wasn't in the best mood.
"If it's cold, why not just wear more layers?"
He made a blunt remark, but still stepped aside to let her in.
"Want something to drink? Tea or coffee?"
Kanda Shuichi plugged in the electric kettle and opened a drawer.
"A cup of hot cocoa, please."
His hand paused for a moment before closing that drawer and opening another one.
"Quite demanding, aren't you? What if I didn't have any?"
"That's impossible—Masumi really likes this stuff, doesn't she?"
Kanda Shuichi glanced at Sakayanagi, who was sitting on his bed. Once the water boiled, he made two cups of cocoa and placed them on the table.
"So, what do you need from me?"
Sitting in his computer chair, Kanda Shuichi looked at Sakayanagi across from him.
"Do you really have to ask? Of course, it's about that student council post on the school forum." Sakayanagi picked up her cup and gently blew on it.
"Oh, that? Didn't the post already explain everything clearly? Or is it not to your liking?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing much. I just have another version of the story." Kanda Shuichi pulled out his phone. "Ayanokouji received a love letter and went to the rooftop alone. But before Ibuki could even confess, Ryuen suddenly charged in to steal the spotlight, only to get beaten down by Ayanokouji. And as a bonus, Ibuki, who tried to stop the fight, also got completely wrecked."
Shiina had sent him this after he returned to the dorm.
She had come up with two versions, but in the end, she went with the one she told during the day. Honestly, either one would have worked, as long as it made sense.
Reality could be even crazier than fiction. If someone like Ayanokouji—who had been trained in a closed facility for fifteen years—actually existed, then what wasn't possible?
Compared to that, Shiina's story actually seemed more believable.
"You should know, that's not what I came to ask about."
"Can't accept it? You went to great lengths, even taking risks, to hide his true ability, and yet he exposed himself so easily. Are you disappointed?"
Sakayanagi remained silent, gripping her cane tightly.
"A few days ago, Ayanokouji's father came to the school."
Kanda Shuichi's sudden statement made Sakayanagi's expression change.
"They had a conversation in the counseling room, and I happened to overhear part of it. Later, your father, Chairman Sakayanagi, also got involved."
Sakayanagi felt uneasy because she had no idea this had happened.
"Ayanokouji's father wanted him to drop out, but since Ayanokouji is still here, something must have happened. Even if I don't say it, you should be able to figure it out."
"Yeah, I can imagine… But what I really want to know is how you heard their conversation."
Sakayanagi immediately caught the hidden meaning in Kanda Shuichi's words.
"That's simple."
Kanda Shuichi then opened a file on his phone.
[Why don't you take a seat? I came here specifically to find you.]
[I don't plan to stay long. I have plans with a friend later.]
…
As the voices played from the phone, Sakayanagi Arisu looked stunned. "Did you bug the counseling room?"
"Who knows?"
Kanda Shuichi put away his phone and looked at Sakayanagi Arisu. "So, what exactly is White Room?"
"Why should I tell you?"
Sakayanagi frowned as she stared at Kanda Shuichi.
Her reaction amused Kanda Shuichi. "Oh? So you can ask me for information, but I can't ask you anything? What a double standard, Little Girl."
Sakayanagi fell silent. It seemed fair that if she wanted information from him, she should be willing to offer something in return.
She had instinctively wanted to keep Ayanokouji's matters secret, so she had overlooked this.
"Besides that, what else do you want to know?"
"There's a lot I'd like to know, but it seems like the only thing you can answer is the question I just asked."
"How would you know if you don't ask?"
Kanda Shuichi's mocking words irritated Sakayanagi.
"Oh? Is that so? Then do you know how to cure amnesia? Do you know what caused the sudden tsunami on the east coast last year? Do you know what kind of person I used to be?"
His three sharp questions left Sakayanagi speechless.
"I don't know why you're so fixated on Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, but to me, he's just a guy who's a little smart, good at fighting, but completely lacking in emotional awareness."
"Ayanokouji is a true genius. You're underestimating him."
Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head, disagreeing with Kanda Shuichi's words.
"Fine, let's say he's a genius. But why are you so obsessed with him? Based on his conversation with his father, Ayanokouji spent fifteen years in that place called White Room. Don't tell me you were there too?"
But as soon as he said it, Kanda Shuichi shook his head, immediately dismissing the idea.
"No… You must have only visited that place. Your situation should be different from Ayanokouji's."
"Why? How do you know this?"
Seeing Sakayanagi's anxious expression, Kanda Shuichi let out a mocking laugh.
"Isn't it obvious? From the way they talked, it's clear that 'White Room' is just a code name for some kind of institution."
"So, what kind of institution is it? Just from the name alone, it's impossible to tell. But if we assume that Ayanokouji is a product of this place, then the answer becomes clear—it's a talent development facility, isn't it?"
"But I have a feeling there's something off about this place. Otherwise, there would be at least some information about it online. Don't you think?"
Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent. Just from those short conversations, he was able to deduce so much useful information. Is this how powerful the Kanda family's direct bloodline is?
The Kanda family was said to have a special connection with the divine. In every generation, there was always one male and one female heir—males could see into the past, while females had the ability to foresee the future.
This secret was only known to families with long histories. Sakayanagi's mother's family happened to have ties with the Kanda family, which was how she learned about this.
But something unexpected happened in this generation.
Kanda Shuichi, the current male heir, was caught in a tsunami and lost his memory, along with his ability to see the past.
Because of this, Kanda Shuichi was removed from the family and sent to this school.
Just how much was being hidden behind the scenes? Sakayanagi Arisu had no way of knowing.
But looking at him now… could it be that his ability to see the past was starting to return?
Sakayanagi Arisu wasn't the type to believe in supernatural things. At least, not until her father took her to meet the Kanda family's shrine maiden, Kanda Oren. From that moment on, she became convinced of the Kanda family's abilities.
And now, seeing Kanda Shuichi like this only made her feel more frustrated.
How is an ordinary human supposed to fight against someone blessed by the gods?
"You're right." Sakayanagi Arisu's expression suddenly turned serious. "I'll tell you everything I know. But in return, I need you to help me create an opportunity—an opportunity to defeat Ayanokouji."
"Why are you so obsessed with taking him down?"
Kanda Shuichi still didn't understand why Sakayanagi Arisu was so fixated on this.
"Listen to my story, and you'll understand." Sakayanagi smiled.
"Fine, I'll help you."
Sakayanagi wanting to defeat Ayanokouji didn't really matter to him, so Kanda Shuichi agreed without hesitation.
"As you guessed, White Room is a talent development facility. The reason it's called 'White Room' is because everything inside is pure white. Not just the walls, but the hallways, the rooms, and even the furniture—everything is painted completely white."
"Wait, hold on a second. Just hearing that makes me want to complain. If everything is white, wouldn't people get snow blindness?"
Kanda Shuichi's face was full of doubt. Could anyone really live in a place like that? Wouldn't they go blind from the brightness?
Sakayanagi Arisu was caught off guard by the question. After thinking for a moment, she continued.
"I don't know the details, but since Ayanokouji's eyesight seems fine, there must be some kind of protection in place."
Kanda Shuichi nodded. "Alright, go on."
"Rather than a talent development facility, White Room is actually a laboratory designed to artificially create geniuses.
Children are sent there at a young age and put through harsh training. Those who don't meet the standards are eliminated, while those who do continue their education. Ayanokouji was the first student in over ten years to successfully graduate."
"Are there really parents who would send their kids to a place like that?"
"They're children with nowhere to go—abandoned by their parents or born in secret."
Now Kanda Shuichi understood. These were kids who had been thrown away at birth, or illegitimate children of powerful people.
But even so, he narrowed his eyes. If even Sakayanagi was using the word "harsh" to describe it, then it must have been unimaginably cruel.
No, just the fact that it was a completely isolated education system made it harsh enough. And if failing meant elimination… they weren't raising children, they were treating them like tools.
For some reason, two words popped into Kanda Shuichi's mind—raising venomous insects!
If anyone coming out of this place turns out normal, that would be really damn weird!
"This experiment is really inhumane."
Kanda Shuichi shared his thoughts, and Sakayanagi Arisu immediately agreed.
"That's right, and I also believe that geniuses can't be artificially created."
"That's true. A person's talent is imprinted in their DNA—it's a product of chance. Education only helps unlock the potential they already have."
Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes lit up at Kanda Shuichi's words.
This guy actually shares my views. Maybe he's not as annoying as I thought.
"So even if a child survives the program, it's only because they inherited their parents' talent."
Hearing that, Kanda Shuichi smirked with a hint of sarcasm.
"But I doubt the owner of that facility sees it that way. If one of the kids there achieves something impressive, he'll go all out to claim it as proof of the experiment's—no, the 'education's' success."
Sakayanagi Arisu was silent for a moment before nodding.
"And then, the White Room—something that should never have existed—might end up becoming fully legalized. If that happens, it's not hard to imagine what the future will look like."
Kanda Shuichi also fell silent.
People in this world are seriously messed up.
No, the real psycho here is probably Ayanokouji's father.
From their conversation, it wasn't hard to figure out that guy was the one in charge of the White Room.
Sending his own son to a place like that…
That's brutal.
Kanda Shuichi had always thought Ayanokouji was just a bit off, but now it was clear—this guy had serious issues.
"So, you want to defeat him to prove that the facility is wrong?"
Sakayanagi Arisu nodded. "That's something I promised my father I would do."
"But you've already lost, haven't you? Your congenital condition means you'll never be a perfect all-rounder like Ayanokouji."
Yep, this guy is still super annoying!
"I just have a heart condition! That's not a disability!" Sakayanagi snapped, looking displeased.
"What's the difference?"
"Hmph! I've already told you everything I know. Now it's your turn to keep your promise. You're not planning to go back on your word, are you?"
Sakayanagi Arisu glared at Kanda Shuichi.
"No problem. How do you want to beat him? Need me to set up a meeting with him?"
"If only it were that easy. I've already challenged him, but he keeps turning me down."
Kanda Shuichi nodded. That made sense.
No matter how weird that guy was, there was no way he'd agree to Sakayanagi's random request so easily.
"So what's your plan?"
"I want to face him in a special exam."
"That's it?"
Kanda Shuichi raised an eyebrow.
"That's all I need."
"Didn't you already lose at the sports festival?"
"Kanda, sometimes I really want to smash your head open with a cane!"
Sakayanagi looked more than just angry.
"Alright, if there's a chance in the future, I'll make it happen. I, Kanda Shuichi, always keep my word."
"In that case, that's great to hear." Sakayanagi smiled. "By the way, can you tell me about what's happening on the forum now?"
"Of course... not."
Kanda Shuichi responded with the same smile.
"You really are an annoying guy, huh?"
"Thanks for the compliment."
Sakayanagi Arisu looked irritated, but Kanda Shuichi was completely unfazed.