To avoid any complications from dragging things out, Ryuen tightened the net quickly this time.
"Sudō, step out for a moment. The Student Council has some business with you." Sae Chabashira stood in the doorway of Class D, her expression cold and professional.
The classroom went silent instantly; no one had any idea what was going on.
Ken Sudō and the Student Council.
Those two things didn't seem to connect at all.
After a brief pause, Chabashira decided to bring along two "insurance policies."
"Horikita, Ayanokōji—you two as well."
At the teacher's call, Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokōji exchanged a glance. Horikita's eyes were full of confusion, unable to understand why she was being included.
Ayanokōji kept his usual deadpan expression and murmured his guess to Horikita. "Sudō's probably in trouble."
He accepted the situation quickly. On the very first day, he had noticed Sudō's terrible temper. A powder keg like him—ready to explode at the slightest spark—was the easiest target for others to use as an example.
Horikita gave a small nod and followed Chabashira, who had already left the classroom. With no other choice, Ayanokōji went with her, and Horikita followed as well.
Chabashira didn't speak in the hallway, leading them the entire way with the same icy expression.
They arrived at the familiar conference room and the familiar three-sided confrontation. The difference this time was that Class C was the complainant.
Three Class C students stood in the plaintiff's area, and Ishizaki's injuries were horrifying to look at. One arm was even wrapped in a plaster cast.
This meeting was about one thing: Class D's Ken Sudō was being accused of violently beating Class C students.
"President Horikita, just look at Ishizaki, his arm is in a cast, and his face is bruised. I can't even imagine how ruthless Sudō from Class D must have been!"
Sitting in Class C's representative seat, Kakeru Ryuen raised his right hand and complained to Manabu Horikita at the head of the table.
Standing beside Ryuen was Sakagami-sensei, calm and unshaken, as if he were simply here to see justice done for his class.
Knock, knock, knock…
A knock on the door interrupted Ryuen before he could continue. The conference room door opened from outside.
Ren Katsuragi entered, followed by Honami and Hoshinomiya-sensei. They moved to the observer seats and sat down without making a scene.
"Sorry for intruding," Honami said, looking a bit embarrassed as she pressed her hands together in apology to everyone.
Hoshinomiya-sensei, much livelier as always, waved enthusiastically toward Class D. "Sae-chan, what a coincidence! You're here too."
The mischievous Hoshinomiya never missed a chance to tease Sae Chabashira.
Ren, walking in front of the two women, nodded toward Manabu Horikita before turning to look with clear interest at Ishizaki of Class C and Sudō of Class D.
Normally, "unrelated personnel" from other classes wouldn't be allowed in a meeting like this. But Ren had plenty of points. Wanting Honami to see more of how the classes competed behind the scenes, Ren had bought three "tickets" to attend.
One of them was because Hoshinomiya found out Class D was involved—and that Chabashira would be there. She had clung to Ren's arm and wouldn't let go until she got a ticket.
Manabu Horikita, whose heart still leaned toward his sister, used Ren's arrival to cut off Ryuen's momentum and hand the floor to Class D.
"Does Class D have any objections to the explanation provided by Ryuen-kun of Class C?"
Come on, Suzune. Let me see if you've made any progress.
Ryuen glanced at Ren in the audience with dissatisfaction, silently complaining that the other party had ruined his rhythm.
Ren returned the same smile as before.
After listening to Ryuen's narrative, Suzune Horikita had a general understanding of the accusation. Sudō and those three from Class C had argued over basketball, and in a fit of rage, Sudō supposedly took on all three and injured them.
Given Sudō's explosive temper and robust physique, he could have done something like that—but Horikita felt something was off.
Beside her, Ayanokōji, who seemed to see through everything, spoke softly in a voice only Horikita could hear. "This is a setup."
Ayanokōji's words made Horikita understand immediately: the other side had done this on purpose.
"I object! They provoked me first, and I didn't even touch them!" Sudō shouted, cutting everyone off.
Sudō's reaction made Horikita frown deeply as she realized the situation was even worse than it looked—his attitude would only hurt their case.
"You didn't touch them?" Ryuen sneered. "Then what happened to their injuries? Did they beat themselves up?"
He gestured toward Ishizaki. "Ishizaki, tell President Horikita exactly what happened. He'll make sure justice is served."
An unusually obedient Ishizaki began describing Sudō beating the three of them. He told it vividly, and when he reached the "important" parts, the three of them even sniffled dramatically.
The more Horikita listened, the more unnatural it sounded. Who remembers, in that much detail, exactly where they were hit while getting beaten? It felt rehearsed—like a story they had practiced.
But simply calling them liars wasn't enough. Class D had no evidence to prove Sudō didn't hit anyone.
Meanwhile, for the three from Class C, the injuries on their bodies were real and visible.
With bruises on his face and his arm in a cast, Ishizaki looked far more believable than Sudō.
With no other choice, Manabu Horikita had to provisionally side with Class C. He first stated the school's penalty for a fight causing injury: a three-month suspension and a fine of 30,000 points.
Regarding this, Ryuen said they were willing to settle privately with Class D.
Only then did Manabu ask, "Class C, what are your conditions?"
"Class D needs to compensate Class C with 500,000 points," Ryuen said, naming a figure like a man demanding the impossible.
It wasn't that he didn't want more; Class D was simply too poor. He figured they couldn't even produce 500,000.
But that was fine. Someone would provide it.
Facing the compensation proposal, Suzune Horikita spoke up immediately. "I don't agree."
Compared to paying points, she would rather let Sudō be suspended.
"Are you sure?" Ryuen asked smoothly. "There are less than three months until the midterm exams. If Sudō is suspended for three months, he'll miss the exams and be expelled—no question."
He leaned in slightly, eyes narrowing.
"In a school where students lose points for breaking academic rules, how many points do you think will be deducted for a student's expulsion?"
"I'm really curious. Isn't that right, Horikita?"
The venomous snake finally revealed its fangs, striking right at Suzune Horikita's throat. This was exactly why he had deliberately worn Sudō down for more than half a month.
Class D, as Ren had said to him before, had no choice now.
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The Black Dragon of the Katsuragi Family now has 180 chapters.
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