Chapter 134: Ryuen Kakeru, Do You Know Why You Lost?
"When Ryuen beat me, I wiped away my nosebleed. Some of the blood accidentally splashed onto his trousers, and he kicked me again because of it!"
"That's right!" Yamawaki quickly agreed. He remembered the incident as well.
"You mean traces of your blood should still remain on Ryuen Kakeru's trousers?" Manabu asked slowly.
"Exactly!" Komiya answered firmly.
As the school nurse, Hoshinomiya smiled and said, "In that case, we only need to test the blood on Ryuen-kun's trousers and compare it with this student's blood."
"If the blood types match, that would be sufficient evidence that Ryuen-kun was the person who assaulted him."
Ryuen's heart sank.
He only washed his trousers once every three days, so the bloodstained pair was still inside his dorm room.
He could no longer maintain the lie.
Closing his eyes, Ryuen admitted in a defeated voice, "I caused their injuries."
Yuto smiled faintly, and the corners of Chabashira's lips rose.
Nagumo secretly gritted his teeth, while Manabu's slightly furrowed brow relaxed.
Yamawaki and Komiya were ecstatic. Ishizaki looked devastated, while Sakagami appeared exhausted and helpless.
Hoshinomiya watched Yuto with sparkling interest.
"Since Ryuen Kakeru has admitted to committing violence and bullying, the relevant punishment will now be announced," Tachibana declared solemnly.
"According to school regulations, Ryuen Kakeru used violence against other students and caused both physical and psychological harm."
"Therefore, he will receive the following punishments."
"A thirty-day suspension."
"A sincere apology to the victims."
"A school-wide announcement, along with a written statement and reflection posted on the school forum."
"All personal points will be confiscated."
"Class C will lose two hundred class points."
The final punishment caused Sakagami's head to ache.
Class C originally possessed 430 class points. After losing another two hundred, only 230 remained.
The school maintained an online forum that all students could freely use. However, because their school phones already contained many convenient messaging applications, the forum had become largely decorative.
Even so, the administration still used it to publish official announcements. Ryuen's written reflection would therefore be posted there for the entire school to see.
"Ryuen Kakeru, do you object to these punishments?" Tachibana asked.
"...No."
"Understood. Then this hearing is concluded."
"Please wait." Yuto raised his hand.
Everyone inside the student council office immediately looked toward him.
Yuto calmly took out his school phone.
"I have a video showing three students provoking and attacking me together."
"Shimizu Yuto, you... You bastard! You're abandoning us after using us!" Yamawaki and Komiya cried out in fear and fury.
They knew exactly which video Yuto meant.
It was the recording he had shown them at the cafe the previous night!
That damned demon!
After using them to eliminate Ryuen, he now intended to use the same recording against them!
How could anyone be so despicable?!
Yuto gave them an especially refreshing and treacherous smile.
"All offenses should receive appropriate punishment. Don't worry, though. You probably won't be suspended or expelled."
"You'll likely only need to write a reflection."
Huh?
Only a written reflection?
They could accept that, as long as they were not suspended or expelled.
Still, Shimizu Yuto's heart was truly black. They had helped him testify against Ryuen, yet he refused to let them escape without consequences!
Ignoring their resentful expressions, Yuto looked toward Manabu and Tachibana.
"To summarize, I was attacked and bullied by three students. I'm requesting that the student council punish them."
"The student council accepts your complaint," Manabu replied steadily. "Secretary, display the recording."
"Understood."
Tachibana took Yuto's phone and connected it to the student council's equipment, displaying the footage on the office monitor.
Yamawaki and Komiya showed bitter expressions when the familiar video appeared.
It really was that recording.
Ishizaki stared blankly at the screen. Their entire attack on Yuto had somehow been captured so clearly and completely!
Ryuen remained silent.
He finally understood why Yamawaki and Komiya had secretly betrayed him.
Yuto must have shown them the recording and used it to force their cooperation.
Nagumo watched the smiling Yuto with caution.
Unlike Ishizaki, he understood that Yuto had recognized their trap in advance and deliberately arranged for someone to record the confrontation.
Sensing his gaze, Yuto turned and gave Nagumo a knowing smile.
'Why is Shimizu Yuto smiling at me like that? Does he know I gave Ryuen the plan?'
'He shouldn't have discovered that...'
Nagumo felt uneasy and returned the smile with a somewhat stiff expression.
The video was short. Once it finished, Manabu looked toward Ishizaki and the other two.
"The three students shown in this recording are you, correct?"
"Ah... Yes."
"...Mm."
"...Probably."
"The recording shows you throwing a small stone at Shimizu Yuto while he was sitting on the bench, then attacking him with violence. Is that correct?" Manabu continued.
"Mm..."
"That happened, but didn't he beat us afterward?" Ishizaki argued stubbornly. "Shimizu Yuto wasn't injured at all! What crime did we commit?!"
"Ignorant fool!" Manabu said sternly.
"The fact that Shimizu Yuto escaped without injury does not change that you were the aggressors. You will receive punishment for your actions."
"What punishment will we receive...?" Yamawaki asked nervously.
"Vice President, according to school regulations, what punishment applies when three students attack and bully another student?"
'Why are you asking me? You already know!'
Nagumo gritted his teeth inwardly before answering slowly.
"The punishment depends on the circumstances. According to the footage, the victim, Shimizu Yuto, remained unharmed, while the three aggressors were defeated."
"Therefore, all three aggressors should receive a one-week suspension and sincerely apologize to the victim."
"What about their personal points and class points?" Yuto asked with a smile. "Shouldn't those be deducted too?"
"Each student will lose half of their personal points. As for class points... fifty points will be deducted for each offender."
Sakagami's vision nearly went dark.
Fifty class points per student meant another loss of 150 points!
Ryuen had already cost the class two hundred points, and now Ishizaki and the others would cost them another 150.
Class C would be left with only eighty class points!
At this rate, their score would soon reach zero.
Had Yuto known Sakagami's bitter thoughts, he would have kindly informed him that Class C's points really would reach zero very soon.
Once Ryuen missed the midterm because of his suspension and was expelled, his class would lose another three hundred points.
Fortunately, class points could not fall below zero. Otherwise, Class C would have ended with negative 220 points.
"Ishizaki Daichi, Yamawaki, and Komiya Kyogo, do you object to the verdict or punishment?" Tachibana asked.
"I have no objection."
"Neither do I..."
"Same here."
Yamawaki and Komiya had expected to resent Yuto, but strangely, they did not.
At that moment, they only wanted to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the demon named Shimizu Yuto.
They were also secretly relieved.
Their suspension would last only one week, meaning they would not miss the midterm like Ryuen.
Losing their personal points and class points hurt, but remaining at school was already worth celebrating.
"Victim Shimizu Yuto, do you object to the verdict?" Tachibana asked.
"Hmm..."
Yuto appeared to think.
Yamawaki and Komiya stared at him pleadingly, silently begging him not to cause any more trouble and simply let them go.
"I have one question. As the victim, do I receive compensation?"
Several people in the office twitched.
"No," Tachibana answered, shaking her head.
"Then I have no objection."
With those words, the hearing—or rather, both hearings—finally came to an end.
According to their punishment, Ishizaki, Yamawaki, and Komiya respectfully apologized to Yuto.
The dark-faced Ryuen also apologized to Yamawaki and Komiya.
A truly joyous conclusion.
Everyone gradually began leaving the student council office.
The moment they stepped outside, Yamawaki and Komiya ran faster than anyone else, disappearing as though an evil spirit were chasing them.
"You two traitors won't escape!" Ishizaki shouted angrily after them. "Boss Ryuen and I will wait outside your dorm rooms!"
Compared with Ishizaki's fury, Ryuen appeared much calmer despite receiving a thirty-day suspension.
His expression, however, remained terrifyingly dark.
Ryuen stared at the smiling Yuto.
"Shimizu Yuto, I can't complain about losing to you."
"Do you know why you lost, Ryuen?" Yuto asked.
"Wasn't it because of those two traitors?" Ishizaki instinctively interrupted.
Yuto glanced at him.
Ishizaki immediately shuddered, retreated two steps, and hid behind Ryuen.
Now that their conspiracy had completely failed, Ishizaki's existing fear of Yuto had grown even stronger.
Without Ryuen beside him, he probably would have fled alongside Yamawaki and Komiya.
"I lost because you discovered my scheme and arranged for Ishizaki and the others' attack to be recorded," Ryuen said.
"You used that video to threaten Yamawaki and Komiya into betraying me, didn't you?"
"No. You lost because you're a delinquent who relies entirely on violence," Yuto answered coldly.
"Violence may solve many problems, but it also leaves countless hidden dangers."
Ryuen fell silent and glanced toward Ishizaki, who still stood faithfully beside him.
"So that's why you chose those two instead of Ishizaki."
"Exactly. It seems you finally understand why you lost."
"Violent oppression can force anyone without the power to resist into lowering their head."
"However, the moment those people obtain the strength and confidence to fight back, they will rebel without hesitation."
"Goodbye, Ryuen. I hope you have a wonderful future after leaving this school."
Yuto waved and walked away, with Chabashira following him.
Unexpectedly, Hoshinomiya did not accompany them. She remained behind, studying Ryuen and Ishizaki with great interest.
Ryuen darkly watched Yuto depart.
Unlike Ishizaki, Ryuen had not completely collapsed. The delinquent had not yet accepted total defeat.
"Don't lose hope, Ryuen. We'll have plenty of opportunities to defeat Shimizu Yuto in the future," Sakagami encouraged him.
Sakagami had also been a delinquent in his youth. He cared excessively for his own students and favored them heavily.
Because he admired Ryuen, he had deliberately ignored his violent rule over Class C.
Therefore, even after discovering Ryuen's conspiracy against Yuto, Sakagami did not dislike him.
If anything, he appreciated Ryuen even more.
"There won't be another opportunity..." Ishizaki said bitterly.
"Boss Ryuen has been suspended for thirty days. He'll miss the midterm and be expelled by the school afterward."
"What?!" Sakagami's eyes widened belatedly.
That was right!
Ryuen looked toward Sakagami and calmly asked, "Sensei, is there any way for me to take the midterm while suspended?"
"Well..." Sakagami's face became troubled. "Normally, there isn't. But I'll try to find a solution."
"Oh, but there is a solution."
Hoshinomiya raised one finger and displayed a sweet smile.
…
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