Chapter 88

Ryosuke lets go of his hand and asks.

"That's right."

"Please come in. I'll lead you to the student council room."

Ryosuke speaks in a lecherous voice.

Upon hearing his words, Arisu shakes her head.

"There's no need for that."

"What do you mean...?"

Ryosuke, who always maintains a smiling expression, has his cheeks slightly trembling.

Arisu speaks in a calm voice.

"It's interesting. Chairman Sionji. It seems you've taken a hit. The Shuou side's response to the continuous delay in the training negotiation... Can I take it that way?"

Ryosuke's half-closed eyes curve.

Indeed, the Mei-jin Hero Academy Student Council has been consistently making excuses to delay the training negotiations.

To the point where it could be considered extremely rude.

The fact that this meeting was arranged today is largely due to Arisu almost forcibly summoning them.

"Fortunately, it seems you are aware of your rudeness."

Arisu says coldly.

"Alright. I'll accept your proposal. Let's have the negotiation with Kim Deok-sung."

Before coming to Mei-jin Academy, she had been worried that her plan to put me forward as the negotiator might not work, so she had a Plan B in place, but from my perspective, it wasn't necessary.

'As a New World League official, Ryosuke wouldn't refuse me.'

They are so focused on me that they even put out a hit contract through the Kamia clan.

Naturally, Ryosuke wouldn't pass up the sweet bait of a private negotiation.

Whether I should like this or not.

Anyway, it went as expected.

"What do you plan to do in the meantime, Chairman Sionji?"

"I intend to tour the Mei-jin Academy campus for preliminary reconnaissance."

A standard response.

"Understood. Secretary, please show Chairman Sionji around the campus."

"Yes, Chairman."

One of the gakuran-clad men standing behind them disappears with Arisu.

"Well, shall we continue the negotiation in the student council room, Kim Deok-sung?"

Right after Arisu leaves, Ryosuke speaks in a lecherous voice.

This is going to be a tough one.

Is this some kind of torture?

"Sure."

I endure the discomfort and follow Ryosuke to the student council room.

The main building of Mei-jin Academy, covered in ivy.

In the Mei-jin Academy Student Council room.

In the office filled with antique furniture that bears the marks of time, I am served matcha and yokan by Ryosuke.

"First, I apologize for our rudeness. There are some internal matters at our academy. The reason we canceled the exchange match was also due to this."

I chew on the yokan.

The sweetness spreads in my mouth.

It's delicious.

"What are the internal matters?"

I ask while swallowing the yokan.

Internal matters.

The reason the original story was twisted.

"Ah, ahahaha. That's... It's a difficult story to tell outsiders. I can't answer that. I hope you understand."

Well, I didn't really expect an answer.

Pressing further would only make me look suspicious.

Since things are progressing similarly to the original, it's not a major issue.

After that.

"Will the training schedule proceed as requested by our side?"

"That's right. We've finished sorting out the internal matters, and to apologize for our unintentional rudeness, we've decided to accept all the schedules listed in Shuou Academy's training proposal."

"Understood. It's fortunate that the negotiation concluded quickly."

"That's what I should say. Would you like more yokan?"

Formal questions and answers are exchanged.

Through Kasumi-senpai, I already have a rough idea of Mei-jin Academy's plans.

There's nothing more to talk about with this lecherous half-closed-eyed guy.

"Sure."

So, it's best to just eat the yokan here.

By the way, the yokan is strangely shaped.

There are even yokan shaped like clouds and the Milky Way.

"The yokan from Shichijo-kan in Kyoto seems to be to your liking. I understand. I'll have more brought out."

Click.

Another plate of yokan is placed in front of me.

While chewing on the yokan, I think.

Is Arisu doing well?

*

Sionji Arisu's cold silver eyes scan the interior of the auditorium.

A place cluttered with basketball hoops and volleyball courts.

The voice of a man in a black gakuran reaches her ears.

"This is the main auditorium of Mei-jin Hero Academy. It's used for indoor sports by the cadets and for school events."

"Understood."

While listening to the explanation half-heartedly, Arisu quietly uses her Gift.

An invisible wave of energy extends from her left hand.

A 3D map of Mei-jin Academy begins to form in Arisu's mind.

"I'll take a look around the auditorium."

Pretending to look around the auditorium, Arisu scans the surroundings.

Then.

'Something seems off.'

A large underground space catches her wave detection.

At the moment Arisu amplifies her magic to enhance her wave detection.

A suspiciously large underground facility appears on the 3D map in her mind.

The underground secret laboratory.

The reality of the facility Kim Deok-sung mentioned is laid bare before Arisu.

'I was half-doubting the existence of the laboratory...'

In fact, suggesting a preliminary reconnaissance was also to verify his words.

It wasn't because I didn't trust Kim Deok-sung.

While the information from the National Intelligence Service is reliable, the League-related information often mixes truth and fiction, making it hard to discern the reality.

It was necessary to verify it firsthand.

His information was spot on.

Accurately.

'Indeed, Kim Deok-sung... Well, he's not just an ordinary guy...'

His confident demeanor in front of a seasoned hero, his uncanny knowledge of his own tastes, and his monopolization of the principal's praise more than himself, combined with today's accurate information.

Kim Deok-sung is definitely someone to keep an eye on.

Arisu's eyes grow heavy.

How should I handle this?

Maruyama Ryosuke looks at Kim Deok-sung, who is silently eating yokan, with a sharp gaze.

Then.

The student council room door opens.

The silver-haired girl, Sionji Arisu, enters.

She looks at Kim Deok-sung and says,

"The preliminary reconnaissance is complete. Kim Deok-sung. How did the negotiation go?"

"It went well. Thanks to the student council president accepting all our requests."

"I see. Thank you for your cooperation."

"No, it was our duty to apologize for our rudeness."

Arisu's greeting makes Ryosuke smile warmly.

Thud, thud.

Arisu walks towards Ryosuke.

She extends her right hand for a handshake.

"Since both the negotiation and the preliminary reconnaissance are done, we'll take our leave. We'll meet again officially on the training day."

"Both Kim Deok-sung and Chairman Arisu. It was a beneficial meeting."

After exchanging farewells, Arisu and Kim Deok-sung leave.

Once all the Mei-jin student council members have gone to see them off, Ryosuke is left alone in the spacious student council room.

Sitting on the reception sofa, Ryosuke picks up the remaining yokan.

The sweetness of the yokan is felt on Ryosuke's tongue.

"Kim Deok-sung..."

The conversation he just had with him flashes through his mind.

His question about the internal matters.

"But his face didn't show any curiosity."

And his calm request for more yokan, showing no fear in front of a powerful authority figure like the student council president of Mei-jin Academy.

His bold attitude is far from that of an ordinary first-year cadet.

"Following the orders from above, he's definitely not the culprit."

Ryosuke strokes his chin.

Now he understands why the League ordered the elimination of all Shuou cadets, especially Kurosawa Yuki and Kim Deok-sung.

Snap.

Ryosuke's half-closed eyes open.

"Kukukukuku."

A laugh escapes his lips.

"But this is my city, Kyoto. Arisu, Kim Deok-sung, Yuki. You won't escape easily."

If he succeeds this time, he might secure a high-ranking position in the League.

Perhaps he might even receive the more powerful 'drug' currently under development.

'If the new drug is administered, reaching beyond S-rank to EX-rank should be no problem.'

The development of a more powerful new drug using the body of the test subject, Satou Rena.

That is the real reason for canceling the exchange match.

'How dare they interfere with Doctor Moromoro's new drug development!'

It's unforgivable.

Ryosuke's eyes turn bloodshot.

His hands tremble.

A more powerful drug. More power.

'With Doctor Moromoro by my side, I will never lose. Kukukukuku.'

Ryosuke's sinister laugh fills the student council room.

*

After the reconnaissance disguised as a negotiation.

I sat in the suite, which serves as a temporary office and Arisu's accommodation, and held a strategy meeting with her alone.

The time was already evening, with the sun setting.

Tap, tap.

Arisu types on the laptop keyboard on the table.

Her silver eyes reflect the laptop screen.

"The map creation is complete. I'll print it now."

Click.

Arisu presses enter, and the Wi-Fi printer on the table starts printing.

Arisu spreads out several A4 sheets of paper on the table once the printing is done.

R