The room remained silent.
Principal Rikka stood at the front of the clubroom, holding a document folder in one hand. Her posture was as composed as ever, and the faint smile on her face revealed almost nothing about what she was thinking. Across from her, five students sat around the familiar table, each struggling to process the announcement they had just heard.
The Gaming Research Club would be disbanded.
It had taken only a few words to bring an end to something they had spent months building together. The practice sessions, the arguments over strategies, the late afternoons spent improving their coordination, and the small victories that had once made them excited to return to the clubroom—all of it now seemed to be slipping away.
Nobody spoke.
Kana sat with both hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her shoulders were tense, and she kept her lips pressed together as she tried to maintain her composure. Her eyes were already red, and the effort she was making to keep herself from crying had become increasingly noticeable. She lowered her gaze toward the table, hoping that nobody would see her expression.
So... this is it?
She had known the possibility existed. Principal Rikka had made the condition clear from the beginning: if they failed to demonstrate that the club deserved to continue, its future would be reconsidered. They had accepted that challenge, entered the exhibition match, and given everything they could.
But they had lost.
Kana swallowed, trying to steady her breathing. She remembered the excitement she had felt when the club first began to improve, the satisfaction of finally coordinating with her teammates, and the confidence she had slowly gained through practice. She had even begun looking forward to the days when they could gather in this room and play together.
She hadn't expected everything to end so suddenly.
Beside her, Risa sat with her head lowered. Her silver-white hair fell forward, partially concealing her face, while her hands rested motionless on the desk. She hadn't said a word since her mother delivered the verdict.
There was no analysis, no statistical explanation, and no attempt to challenge the decision.
For once, Risa had nothing to say.
She had understood the risks from the beginning. She knew that her mother was serious about the exhibition match, and she had been aware that the club's continued existence depended on its performance. She had even calculated the possibility of failure before the match began.
But knowing that something might happen and hearing it confirmed were two entirely different experiences.
The Gaming Research Club had gradually become part of her daily routine. She had spent time with people she wouldn't ordinarily have approached, learned to cooperate with teammates whose personalities differed greatly from her own, and discovered that not every problem could be solved through calculations.
She had wanted to continue.
Even if she rarely expressed it, she had become attached to the people sitting around that table.
Now, she could only stare at the desk.
Kazuha, meanwhile, remained seated upright with her eyes fixed on Principal Rikka. She wasn't crying, and she didn't appear visibly angry. Her expression was difficult to read, but the way she had stopped moving suggested that her thoughts had wandered far away from the room.
She was remembering the exhibition match.
More specifically, she was remembering the final battle.
She could still picture the battlefield as it had appeared on her screen, the enemy players closing in, and the increasingly narrow space she had left to work with. Her teammates had fallen one by one, leaving her as Seishin's final remaining player. Despite the disadvantage, she had managed to eliminate several opponents and eventually bring down Inori.
For a brief moment, she had believed that they might still turn the match around.
Then she made a mistake.
It had been a small input error, but the timing couldn't have been worse. Her character failed to move as intended, leaving her exposed to an attack she should have been able to avoid. The opponent recognized the opening immediately, and Kazuha lost the final encounter.
She had replayed that moment countless times since yesterday.
If I had moved differently...
Perhaps she could have won the fight. Perhaps she could have held the enemy back long enough for the others to return. Perhaps they could have protected their Base Camp and found another opportunity to win.
But those possibilities existed only in her imagination.
The match was over, and the result couldn't be changed.
Across the table, Hikari's right hand was clenched into a fist. Her nails pressed against her palm as she stared down at the desk, unable to look directly at Principal Rikka.
She hated this feeling.
She hated the defeat, the helplessness she had experienced during the match, and the memory of Inori repeatedly finding ways to punish her mistakes. More than anything, she hated the thought that her own performance might have contributed to the club's disbandment.
If I had played properly...
Her fingers tightened.
If I hadn't made so many mistakes...
She knew that the defeat wasn't entirely her fault. The entire team had struggled, and Ishika High had been a formidable opponent. She also knew that blaming herself wouldn't change anything.
But that knowledge offered little comfort.
She had wanted to become someone who could make people happy through the game. She had wanted to stand beside her teammates and prove that she could contribute, even against opponents who were more experienced than she was. Yesterday, however, she had been unable to do what she wanted.
Now, the club might disappear because they had failed.
Hikari wanted to object. She wanted to tell Principal Rikka that they could improve, that they deserved another opportunity, and that one defeat shouldn't erase everything they had worked for. Yet the words remained trapped in her throat.
She couldn't find a convincing argument.
The room was still.
Principal Rikka observed the students without interrupting them. She had expected disappointment, frustration, perhaps even an argument. Instead, she was met with a silence that seemed to grow heavier with every passing second.
She allowed them a little time before speaking again.
Then—
A chair scraped against the floor.
The sudden sound drew everyone's attention.
Ruko had stood up.
Hikari raised her head, while Kana blinked in surprise. Risa slowly lifted her eyes, and Kazuha turned away from the principal to look at him. Even Principal Rikka's attention shifted toward the boy standing across from her.
Ruko remained upright, his hands resting at his sides. His expression was serious, but he wasn't shouting or displaying the kind of anger that would make his objection easy to dismiss.
"Principal Rikka."
His voice was calm, although there was a firmness in it that the others rarely heard from him.
"May I speak?"
Rikka studied him for a moment before giving a small nod.
"Go ahead."
Ruko took a breath. He knew that challenging the principal wouldn't be easy, particularly when she had already announced her decision. Nevertheless, he couldn't simply sit there and watch the club disappear without saying anything.
"I understand that you've already made your decision," he began. "I know the exhibition match was the condition you gave us, and we failed to win. I'm not going to make excuses for that result."
He glanced briefly toward his teammates before returning his attention to the principal.
"But I would like you to reconsider."
Rikka's expression remained unchanged.
"One exhibition match isn't enough to determine whether the Gaming Research Club has any potential. We lost, and I accept that. Ishika was more experienced in several areas, and they took advantage of our mistakes. But that doesn't mean the work we've done up to this point has been meaningless."
His voice grew more earnest.
"Everyone here has improved. We still have weaknesses, and there are plenty of things we need to fix, but we've made progress since we first started playing together. We aren't the same team we were when this club began."
He paused, choosing his next words carefully.
"I don't expect you to ignore the result. I'm asking you not to treat that result as proof that we can never become better."
The room had become completely quiet again.
Kana was watching him, her eyes still damp. Hikari's expression had changed, and she was now listening with renewed attention. Risa looked directly at him, while Kazuha stared at his back with a faintly surprised expression.
Ruko continued.
"We were close yesterday. Not close enough to win, but close enough to show that we can compete. Risa adapted to Inori's movements during the match. Kazuha managed to fight back even when she was the last player left. Kana and Hikari created opportunities that we couldn't have made when we first started practicing together."
He looked at Principal Rikka.
"We need more experience. We need more practice, and we need to correct our mistakes. But if the club is disbanded now, we won't have the opportunity to do any of those things."
For a moment, Rikka said nothing.
Then the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
"Is that so?"
She tilted her head.
"Are you suggesting that my evaluation was incorrect?"
Ruko didn't look away.
Rikka continued, her crimson eyes fixed on him.
"On what basis are you making that argument? What evidence do you have to support your claim that this club possesses the potential you speak of?"
Her tone wasn't hostile. If anything, she sounded interested, as though she were giving him an opportunity to demonstrate that his objection was more than an emotional reaction to an unpleasant decision.
Ruko understood that.
He had anticipated the question, and he already knew what he wanted to propose.
"The City Cup."
Rikka raised an eyebrow.
Ruko continued without hesitation.
"We'll participate in the Nervanox City Cup. Give us the opportunity to prepare, and we'll win it. We'll prove that the Gaming Research Club—"
"There's no need."
Rikka interrupted him.
Ruko stopped speaking.
The principal hadn't raised her voice, but the firmness of her response was enough to silence him. She placed the document folder on the desk beside her and looked directly at him.
"My mind has been perfectly clear."
She adjusted the papers before continuing.
"The decision was not made impulsively, nor was it based on a moment of frustration. I have considered the circumstances, examined the club's performance, and reached my conclusion."
Her gaze moved across the room.
"The Gaming Research Club will be disbanded."
Ruko's expression tightened.
He had expected resistance. He had expected questions about the team's ability, its previous results, and the tournament he had just proposed. He had prepared himself to explain why another opportunity would be worthwhile.
But he hadn't expected his suggestion to be dismissed so quickly.
The City Cup was a chance to prove themselves through an actual competition. They would have a clear objective, and a victory would provide something more substantial than a promise that they could improve.
Yet Principal Rikka didn't appear interested.
Ruko searched for another argument. He could explain how much the team had improved, point out that an exhibition match was different from a tournament, or emphasize that Ishika had possessed a significant experience advantage. He could even offer to take responsibility for their training and make certain that the team corrected its weaknesses.
But none of those arguments changed the basic situation.
They had been given a condition.
They had failed.
And Principal Rikka had the authority to decide what happened next.
Ruko's fingers curled slightly.
Damn it...
He wanted to say more, but the words wouldn't come. For all his experience analyzing matches and identifying weaknesses, he couldn't find an argument that would force the principal to change her mind.
He had spent the previous evening thinking about how close they had come to winning. He had convinced himself that if he could explain their progress clearly enough, perhaps Rikka would understand why the club deserved another chance.
But he was beginning to realize that he had been approaching the problem from the wrong direction.
He was arguing that they could become better.
She was asking why the school should continue supporting them.
Those weren't the same question.
For the first time since standing up, Ruko found himself unable to respond.
Then a quiet voice came from beside him.
"Mother..."
Everyone turned.
Risa had stood up.
Her chair had shifted backward slightly, but she didn't seem to notice. Her head was no longer lowered, and her eyes were fixed on the woman standing at the front of the room.
Principal Rikka looked toward her daughter.
"Risa?"
Risa clasped her hands together in front of her. For a moment, she seemed uncertain about what to say. She had always been able to explain her thoughts through logical arguments, but this time she couldn't find a calculation that would express what she was feeling.
She lowered her head.
"...I know this is selfish of me."
Her voice was quiet.
It wasn't the usual flat, analytical tone everyone had grown accustomed to hearing. There was no statistical reasoning or carefully prepared explanation. Instead, her words carried a slight tremor that she couldn't entirely conceal.
"But please..."
She took a small breath.
"...Please give us a chance to prove ourselves."
The room fell silent.
Principal Rikka stared at her daughter.
She hadn't expected that.
Risa rarely asked for anything directly. Even when she disagreed with someone, she usually presented her reasoning in a calm and organized manner. She was accustomed to evaluating situations, identifying the most efficient course of action, and accepting conclusions when the available evidence supported them.
But the girl standing before her now was different.
Her eyes were lowered, and her hands were clasped tightly together. The slight tremble in her voice made it clear that this wasn't an argument she had prepared in advance.
It was a personal request.
Rikka looked at her for several seconds.
Then her expression softened.
"...Risa."
Risa slowly raised her head.
Her eyes were slightly wet. She had been trying to hold everything inside, just as the others had, but she could no longer remain silent.
She wanted to keep the club.
She wanted to continue playing with everyone.
And, for once, she wasn't going to hide those feelings behind numbers.
Principal Rikka let out a quiet sigh. She glanced toward the other students before looking back at her daughter.
"President Shirogane."
Kazuha straightened immediately.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Would you be so kind as to retrieve the bag beside your chair?"
Kazuha glanced down.
A large, dark-colored bag had been placed beside the principal's seat. She hadn't paid much attention to it when she entered the room, assuming it contained documents or other materials related to the meeting.
"Of course."
She stood and walked toward it. When she lifted the handles, she immediately noticed that it was heavier than she had expected. She carried it carefully to the front of the room and handed it to Principal Rikka.
"Thank you."
Kazuha returned to her seat, still wearing a puzzled expression.
Rikka placed the bag on the desk and opened it.
Inside were several thick folders and neatly organized documents. She reached in and removed the first folder, then placed it on the desk in front of her.
The students exchanged confused glances.
Ruko looked at the documents, trying to understand what the principal intended to show them. Risa adjusted her glasses, while Hikari slowly loosened her clenched fist. Kana wiped the corner of one eye before anyone could notice.
Principal Rikka opened the folder.
"Before I continue, I want all of you to understand something."
She turned several pages.
"This is a report on the Gaming Research Club, beginning from the day it was established."
The students looked toward her.
"Every match you have played has been recorded. Your results, individual performances, team coordination, and overall progress. The report includes the opponents you faced, the strategies you attempted, the decisions that led to your victories and defeats, and the mistakes that repeatedly appeared throughout your matches."
She turned another page.
"There are also records of your expenditures. Electricity costs, gaming equipment, maintenance, transportation expenses, and the costs associated with traveling to scrimmages at other schools. Everything has been documented."
Hikari blinked.
"...Everything?"
"Everything."
Rikka glanced at her.
"Even the equipment you requested for practice has been included."
Hikari slowly lowered her gaze. She hadn't realized that someone had been keeping such detailed records of their activities.
Rikka continued turning the pages.
"Your first matches were particularly difficult to evaluate. Your coordination was poor, your individual performances were inconsistent, and your understanding of the game varied considerably."
She looked toward the students.
"Some of you struggled with basic positioning. Others repeatedly made unnecessary decisions under pressure. There were instances where the entire team failed to respond to an objective because nobody had properly communicated what they intended to do."
Ruko listened quietly.
He couldn't disagree with any of it.
Those were accurate descriptions of their early performances. He remembered the disorganized fights, the missed rotations, and the arguments that sometimes continued long after a match had ended. Their first few weeks had been far from impressive.
Principal Rikka turned another page.
"Your losses were not isolated incidents. They were repeated, documented, and examined. Every time you lost, the circumstances were recorded."
She paused before continuing.
"However, the report also includes what happened afterward."
Her finger rested on a particular section.
"How you responded to those defeats. What you changed during practice. Which mistakes you corrected, and which ones continued to appear."
Rikka closed the folder halfway.
"Do you understand?"
Nobody answered.
She looked across the room.
"I have not been ignoring your progress."
Her gaze settled briefly on Risa.
"I have been observing it."
Risa lowered her eyes again.
Principal Rikka placed the folder beside the others and straightened.
"I have heard enough promises for today. I do not want to hear that you will improve, that you will win next time, or that you simply need more time."
Her voice became firmer.
"Those are all things anyone can say."
Ruko remained silent.
"I asked you to demonstrate results. I gave the Gaming Research Club an opportunity to prove that it deserved the resources and support provided by this school. And you failed to achieve the result I requested."
There was no anger in her voice. She wasn't trying to humiliate them or make their defeat seem worse than it was. She was simply stating what had happened.
"As principal, I have a responsibility to manage the school's resources appropriately. I cannot continue supporting an organization indefinitely when it has failed to meet the expectations placed upon it."
She paused, then looked at the folder.
"Therefore, my decision to disband the Gaming Research Club is entirely justified."
Kana lowered her head again. Hikari's fist tightened, and Ruko found himself looking down at the floor.
There was nothing they could say to deny it.
The principal was right about the result. They had failed the condition, and they couldn't expect the school to disregard that simply because they had worked hard.
But then Rikka's expression changed.
The strictness in her eyes softened as she looked toward Risa. Her daughter was still standing, and the moisture in her eyes had become more noticeable. She was clearly struggling to maintain her composure.
Rikka approached her.
Risa looked up.
For a moment, mother and daughter simply looked at one another. Then Principal Rikka gently raised a hand and wiped away the tear that had gathered beneath Risa's eye.
Risa froze.
"...Mother?"
Rikka gave her a small smile.
"But..."
She paused.
"Results are not the only thing I was looking for."
Risa's eyes widened slightly.
The other students looked toward the principal.
Rikka lowered her hand and returned to the front of the room.
"What kind of principal would I be if I based every decision solely on results while ignoring the factors that allow people to grow?"
She placed one hand on the folder.
"Tell me. What do you think I wanted to confirm?"
Nobody answered.
Rikka smiled faintly.
"Determination."
She let the word settle before explaining.
"More specifically, I wanted to see whether you would continue moving forward after experiencing repeated failures."
Her eyes settled on Hikari.
"You have all experienced defeat. Some of you have lost because of poor decisions. Some of you have been outplayed by more experienced opponents. Others have struggled to overcome weaknesses that have followed you throughout your time in this club."
She paused.
"Yet despite all of that, none of you gave up."
Her gaze shifted toward Kana.
"Even when your performances were disappointing, you continued attending practice."
Kana slowly raised her head.
Rikka looked toward Risa.
"Even when you struggled to find a suitable role, you continued experimenting and adapting."
Risa's lips parted slightly.
Then Principal Rikka turned toward Kazuha.
"Even when you carried responsibilities beyond the Gaming Research Club, you continued to support the team."
Kazuha's expression softened.
Finally, Rikka looked at Ruko.
"And you..."
Ruko met her eyes.
"You have repeatedly analyzed your team's failures, identified its weaknesses, and attempted to find ways to improve. Even when your suggestions were not particularly pleasant to hear, you continued trying to guide the others."
Ruko didn't respond.
He hadn't expected the principal to know that much about his involvement. He had assumed that Rikka was mainly interested in the team's final results, not the smaller details of how they had reached them.
Rikka looked at all five students again.
"Every one of you has experienced failure. More than once. But none of you has chosen to abandon the people standing beside you."
She glanced briefly at Risa.
"Even now, after hearing that your club will be disbanded, what was the first thing on your minds?"
She already knew the answer, but she asked anyway.
"Was it not to convince me to give you another chance?"
Nobody spoke.
Rikka chuckled softly.
"Look at yourselves. President Shirogane has been staring at me as though she is searching for a loophole in my decision. Hikari has been clenching her fist since I made the announcement. Kana has been trying very hard not to cry."
Kana immediately lowered her head.
Rikka's smile became warmer.
"Risa has even gone so far as to ask her mother for something directly."
Risa looked away, slightly embarrassed.
"And Ruko..."
The principal turned toward him.
"You stood up and challenged my decision despite knowing that I had already made it."
Ruko remained still.
Rikka closed the folder.
"That is what I wanted to see."
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then she spoke again.
"My decision remains final."
The students' expressions changed.
Ruko's shoulders lowered slightly. Kana's eyes fell, and Hikari's fist slowly loosened. Risa stared at her mother, as though she were waiting for the rest of the sentence.
Principal Rikka continued before anyone could misunderstand.
"The Gaming Research Club will be disbanded."
She let the words settle.
"But that does not mean Seishin Academy will simply give up on you."
Ruko looked up.
Kazuha straightened.
Rikka placed both hands on the desk.
"Starting today, the school will be establishing an official esports team."
The students stared at her.
"...An official team?" Hikari repeated.
Rikka nodded.
"That is correct."
She looked at each of them in turn.
"You will no longer operate as an ordinary extracurricular club. Instead, you will have the opportunity to represent Seishin Academy as its official competitive esports team."
For a moment, the room was completely silent.
The announcement was so unexpected that nobody seemed capable of processing it immediately. Kana slowly raised her head, Risa blinked behind her glasses, and Kazuha's eyes widened.
Ruko stared at the principal.
Hikari was the first to find her voice.
"...Wait."
She leaned forward.
"Does that mean...?"
Principal Rikka smiled.
"It means that the five of you will be given the opportunity to continue."
Kana's lips parted.
"...We can stay together?"
"You will be expected to work together as a team, yes."
Hikari looked toward Kazuha, then toward Risa. The expression on her face began to change as the meaning of the announcement finally reached her.
"But..."
She hesitated.
"You said the club was going to be disbanded."
"It will be."
Rikka answered without hesitation.
"The Gaming Research Club will officially cease to exist as an extracurricular organization. Its budget, structure, and previous arrangements will be discontinued."
She turned toward the documents.
"However, the school has the option to establish a different organization with a different purpose."
Ruko finally understood.
She wasn't reversing her decision.
She was changing what they would become.
Rikka continued.
"An official esports team will operate under a different structure. Its responsibilities will be greater, its expectations considerably higher, and its performances will be evaluated as part of the school's competitive representation."
She paused.
"You will no longer be playing simply because you enjoy the game. When you compete, you will be representing Seishin Academy."
The room became quiet again, but this time the silence felt different.
There was something new in the air.
Hope.
Rikka looked toward the five students.
"I will not pretend that this arrangement comes without conditions. You will be expected to maintain your academic responsibilities, follow the school's regulations, and demonstrate professional conduct during competitions."
She glanced at Ruko.
"And I will expect measurable improvement."
Ruko nodded.
"Understood."
"Furthermore, your participation in external tournaments will require approval. The school will review your expenses, training arrangements, and competitive schedule. I will not provide unlimited resources simply because you have been given another opportunity."
Her expression became serious.
"You will have to earn the school's continued support."
Kazuha slowly stood.
"Principal Rikka..."
The principal looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Does that mean we'll be representing Seishin Academy officially?"
"Precisely."
Kazuha's eyes widened. She lowered her head, and a small smile finally appeared on her face.
"...Thank you."
Rikka gave a small nod.
"Do not thank me yet, President Shirogane. You have not accomplished anything."
Kazuha raised her head.
"Then we'll make sure to give you something worth thanking us for."
Rikka's lips curved slightly.
"That would be preferable."
Kana finally released the breath she had been holding. Her eyes were still wet, but she was no longer trying to hide her expression.
"...So we're not finished?"
Risa looked toward her.
Kana turned to the others.
"We can still play together?"
Hikari immediately leaned toward her.
"Of course we can!"
Her voice was louder than she intended. She quickly looked toward Principal Rikka, as though remembering that they were still in the middle of a formal meeting.
"...I mean, if that's what you just said."
Rikka nodded.
"That is exactly what I said."
Hikari's shoulders relaxed, and for the first time since entering the room, she allowed herself to smile.
Risa remained standing. She looked at her mother for several seconds before speaking.
"...Thank you, Mother."
Rikka turned toward her.
"You're welcome."
Then, with a small smile, she added, "Although I would appreciate it if you didn't make a habit of asking me for favors in such a desperate manner."
Risa blinked.
"...I will take that into consideration."
"Please do."
The others began exchanging relieved glances.
Ruko, however, remained focused on one particular detail.
An official esports team.
That meant something different from the club they had been operating until now. It meant recognition, responsibility, and expectations that would be considerably higher than anything they had experienced before.
Most importantly, it meant they had been given a path toward competitive play.
He looked at Principal Rikka.
"What will the team be called?"
Rikka's smile widened slightly.
"I was wondering when someone would ask."
She reached into the bag once more and removed a final document. This one was considerably thinner than the others. She placed it on the desk and turned it toward the students.
At the top of the page was Seishin Academy's emblem. Beneath it, written in bold letters, was the name of their new team.
SEISHIN ACADEMY — OFFICIAL ESPORTS TEAM
SYRN
Ruko read the name silently.
Hikari leaned forward.
"SYRN...?"
Kana repeated it quietly.
"Team SYRN..."
Kazuha looked at the document, then toward Principal Rikka.
"Is that our official name?"
"Yes."
Rikka nodded.
"From this moment onward, you will represent Seishin Academy under that name."
Risa adjusted her glasses and examined the document.
"...SYRN."
She repeated it once more, as though committing it to memory.
Ruko looked around the room.
A few minutes earlier, they had believed everything was over. Kana had been trying not to cry, Risa had lowered her head, Kazuha had been lost in thought, and Hikari had been blaming herself for the defeat. He had stood up because he couldn't accept that their journey would end with a single loss.
Now, they were being offered another opportunity.
Not as the Gaming Research Club, but as something new—something that would carry the name of their school.
He looked toward his teammates. Hikari was already smiling, Kana was wiping her eyes, and Risa seemed to be examining the document with unusual concentration. Kazuha's expression had finally relaxed.
For the first time that morning, the five of them looked as though they were standing on the same side of a new beginning.
Principal Rikka watched them quietly.
"One more thing."
Everyone turned toward her.
"Do not misunderstand my decision. I have not declared you successful simply because I am allowing you to continue."
Her voice was firm.
"You have been given an opportunity. Nothing more."
She looked at the five students.
"Whether Team SYRN becomes something worth recognizing will depend entirely on what you do from this point onward."
Ruko nodded.
"We understand."
Rikka gave a small smile.
"Good."
She picked up her bag.
"Then I look forward to seeing what you can accomplish."
With that, Principal Rikka turned toward the door.
Risa followed her with her eyes.
"...Mother?"
Rikka stopped.
"Yes?"
Risa hesitated before asking in a much quieter voice, "...Will you be watching our matches?"
For a moment, Principal Rikka didn't answer. Then she looked over her shoulder, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Of course."
She opened the door.
"After all, I am the principal of Seishin Academy."
She paused.
"And you are my daughter."
Risa stared at her.
Rikka continued with a faintly amused expression.
"Besides, I would like to see whether the team that caused me so much paperwork can actually accomplish something."
Risa adjusted her glasses.
"...I will try to reduce the paperwork."
"I would appreciate that."
The principal stepped into the hallway, and the door closed quietly behind her.
For several seconds, the five students remained where they were. Nobody seemed quite sure what to say first. The meeting had taken a turn none of them had anticipated, and it would probably take some time before they fully understood what had happened.
Then Hikari suddenly stood up.
"WE'RE STILL A TEAM!"
Kana flinched at the sudden volume.
"Hikari!"
"What?! We are!"
Hikari looked around the room, her expression brighter than it had been all morning.
"We're going to compete! Officially! We can still play together!"
Kana finally smiled. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded.
"...Yeah."
She looked around at the others.
"We can."
Risa looked down at the document.
"...Team SYRN."
Kazuha walked toward the desk and picked it up. She studied the name for a moment before turning toward everyone.
"Well, I suppose we have a new responsibility."
Ruko nodded.
"More than before."
Kazuha smiled.
"Then let's make sure we live up to it."
Hikari raised a fist.
"Next time, we're winning!"
Kana nodded enthusiastically.
"Definitely!"
Risa looked at them.
"...Our chances will depend on how efficiently we use the time available."
Hikari turned toward her.
"Can't you just say we're going to win?"
"...I could."
Risa paused.
"...But that would not make it statistically certain."
"Risa!"
A faint smile appeared on Risa's face, and Kazuha laughed. Even Ruko found himself smiling.
The Gaming Research Club had been disbanded.
That part of their story had come to an end.
But the five students who had gathered in that room were not finished. They had lost their first major match, failed their initial evaluation, and been forced to confront weaknesses they could no longer ignore. Yet they had also been given something they hadn't expected: another chance.
This time, they would not be fighting merely to keep a club alive.
They would be fighting under the name of their school.
Team SYRN.
Their new journey had begun.