When Ryuen got to the rooftop, he immediately took a bottle of mineral water from his pocket. He squeezed out some of the liquid and sprayed it onto the only camera on the rooftop.
There were hardly any people on the rooftop, and it was a very open area, so the school had only installed one camera there.
As long as this sole camera was rendered inoperable, the rooftop would become an excellent hiding spot, where they could do anything without being discovered.
Ryuen had originally planned to destroy it, but Kamio Tatsuya stopped him the moment he found out.
Intentionally damaging school property would cost at least a hundred class points.
Kamio Tatsuya didn't want Ryuen to waste the points he had worked so hard to earn.
So, he suggested that Ryuen just make the camera unable to function properly.
Ryuen's idea was to paint the surface of the camera black with spray paint.
However, after checking the weather forecast for the coming days, Kamio Tatsuya offered a better suggestion.
That was to use water.
Of course, he didn't mean short-circuiting the camera with water. These things were basically waterproof, and it would be impossible to damage them with water.
His method was to freeze the water and then affect the camera's normal operation.
The temperature today was minus two degrees Celsius, which was cold enough for water to freeze. As long as water was sprayed on the camera repeatedly, it would freeze quickly.
The irregular ice formed on the lens surface would cause the light received by the camera to be scattered, affecting its normal use.
Of course, if the temperature hadn't cooperated, Ryuen's method of covering the camera with black spray paint wouldn't have been a bad option.
In the school's monitoring room, although there were people on duty at all times, with hundreds of monitoring screens and only a few staff members, they had to pay special attention to crowded areas.
Therefore, it was almost impossible for Ryuen's actions to be discovered immediately.
Watching the water on the camera surface gradually freeze into ice, a smile spread across Ryuen's lips. Kamio Tatsuya was indeed clever to come up with such a method.
In fact, this was something Kamio Tatsuya had learned from a mystery novel he had read some time ago.
In the book, someone made a knife out of ice as a murder weapon and then waited for it to melt naturally, thus perfectly concealing the identity of the weapon.
Kamio Tatsuya was simply using this idea in reverse.
"Albert, go downstairs and wait. If Ayanokouji shows up, you bring him up. If it's anyone else, call me immediately."
The mixed-race Black man nodded at Ryuen's command, turned, and left.
As for Ryuen and Ishizaki, they remained on the rooftop, where the cold wind was howling, continuing to spray water on the camera, watching the ice thicken, and passing the time.
Meanwhile, at Keyaki Mall Shopping Center, after spending some time with his group members, Ayanokouji made an excuse and left.
However, he didn't return to the dorms; instead, he went back to school.
This was because he had received a message from Ryuen, asking to discuss the previous matter, along with a letter that read 'Ichinose used illegal means to collect points,' signed by Ryuen Kakeru.
Although Kamio Tatsuya had told him that spreading false rumors wouldn't lead to expulsion, he didn't want to confess directly to the student council.
His initial plan was to use this letter to attract Ryuen's attention, have Ryuen find him, and then defeat Ryuen in his area of expertise.
And Ryuen's greatest strength... yes, it was brute force.
However, later, his father came to the school, and he also learned the truth that Chabashira Sae couldn't expel him easily.
After that, he had hoped that Kamio Tatsuya would intervene and persuade Ryuen not to pursue the matter further.
But unfortunately, Kamio Tatsuya was unwilling to act as a mediator.
From that moment on, he knew that a conflict with Ryuen was unavoidable.
Moreover, if handled poorly, Ryuen would likely keep harassing him, which was contrary to his desire to enjoy his school life.
Therefore, after considering the pros and cons and making some preparations, he decided to meet him.
A few days ago, that man, his father, had approached him outside the school and wanted him to drop out and return to the White Room.
But he refused.
And from that man, he learned that the butler, Matsuo, who had taken care of him a long time ago, had been driven to his death by him.
Not only butler Matsuo, but also Matsuo's son.
After learning these things, Ayanokouji felt no anger or guilt, but he had a thought at that moment: he couldn't back down now.
You want me to drop out? Then I'll make sure to finish three years at this school.
You said I can't make friends?
Then I'll show you that I can make friends.
So, his reason for coming to the meeting today was not to confront Ryuen, but simply to ask Ryuen to keep a secret for him.
Because if the previous incident were exposed, making friends would likely become difficult.
Ayanokouji walked to the rooftop alone. Because of Ryuen's instructions, Yamada Albert, who recognized Ayanokouji, did not stop him.
"Ryuen is waiting for me. No one else will be coming. I will handle everything.
And depending on the situation, I might have a conflict with Ryuen. Without your help, Ryuen might not be my match."
Yamada Albert thought for a moment, then nodded and followed Ayanokouji up to the rooftop.
When they reached the rooftop, Yamada closed the door behind them. Ayanokouji looked around.
The only camera lens had a layer of ice on it, not too thick, not too thin. It looked quite unnatural.
Did Ryuen do this?
He actually thought of such a method. How clever. Or was this Kamio Tatsuya's suggestion?
And there were only two people on the rooftop, Ryuen and Ishizaki. This was somewhat unexpected.
Kamio Tatsuya didn't seem to have come.
"Heh heh, he actually came. Even if this matter were to get out, it wouldn't have any impact."
Seeing Ayanokouji, Ryuen let out a mocking laugh.
"That's from your perspective. For me, I don't want to be hated by most people," Ayanokouji said calmly.
"If you don't want to be hated by most people, then why did you do something so foolish? Were you ordered to do it? Why did you do it?"
Ryuen looked at Ayanokouji with anticipation.
Even now, he still thought Ayanokouji had someone behind him.
"Unfortunately, there's no one behind me anymore. The one who did that was me," Ayanokouji's expression remained unchanged. "And I had already predicted that you would find me."
"Is that so? Hahahaha…"
Ryuen seemed to hear a joke and was very amused, but in an instant, his expression turned ferocious.
"Then did you also predict this desperate situation you're in?"
"Yes, this was the situation I predicted."
"Then do you also predict what will happen next?" Ryuen sneered and walked up to Ayanokouji.
"Are you planning to use violence against me?"
Yes, that's exactly what Ryuen planned to do.
But looking at Ayanokouji's still expressionless, or rather bluffing face, Ryuen felt like laughing.
"You're really getting on my nerves. A feast I've been looking forward to for nearly two months, and all that shows up is someone like you," Ryuen said with a sigh. "You're in a desperate situation, yet you seem completely oblivious."
"A desperate situation?" Ayanokouji muttered to himself. "Ryuen, I didn't come here today to start a conflict with you. I just want you to keep that matter a secret."
Keep a secret?
Ryuen was confused and even felt like Ayanokouji was playing a trick on him. Because if he really didn't want that matter to be known, he shouldn't have written his name at the end in the first place.
Without that name, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to investigate Ayanokouji.
And Ichinose, that goodie-two-shoes, wouldn't have either.
But he did it knowing he would be exposed, and now he wanted Ryuen to keep it a secret.
"You want me to keep it a secret," Ryuen chuckled. "It's not impossible. It's not like that thing would get you expelled anyway. But I have a condition."
"What condition?"
"What was your purpose in doing what you did? Don't tell me it was to frame me, because that won't work."
Ryuen stared intensely at Ayanokouji, whose expression remained unchanged.
"I just wanted to shift your attention to me, and then defeat you in the domain where you are strongest: violence."
Ayanokouji's answer made both Ryuen and Ishizaki stare in shock.
Defeat me in my strongest domain?
Ayanokouji, do you even hear what you're saying?
"Hahahaha! Boss Ryuen, what is this guy even talking about? Should I teach him a lesson?" Ishizaki beside him also laughed brazenly.
Ryuen felt a sense of disappointment at Ayanokouji's answer and immediately lost interest in him.
"Suit yourself. It's fine to beat him down. Of course, Ayanokouji, if you can really defeat me in terms of violence, then I can consider keeping your secret."
With permission granted, Ishizaki looked at Ayanokouji with a wicked grin.
"Don't blame me, Ayanokouji. You brought this all on yourself."
Saying that, Ishizaki casually swung his fist towards Ayanokouji.
Though he swung it casually, anyone without fighting experience would have been thrown into disarray and would have watched the punch land on their face.
However, to Ayanokouji, Ishizaki's movements were as simple as those of an elementary school student, so easy to understand, so predictable.
Ayanokouji extended his right hand and easily caught Ishizaki's incoming fist.
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