The morning after the first day of club observations.

When Kurato arrives at school, the girls who had already come turn around all at once and greet him repeatedly.

Kurato somehow manages to return the greetings with an awkward smile.

It’s becoming part of his daily routine.

After that familiar scene plays out, Kurato looks toward his desk and sees that Tsurumi from Class 5 is not sitting in his seat.

Today she’s standing beside it, looking down with great interest at Wakaba’s desk.

‘What is she looking at?’

There’s a single sheet of A3 paper on the desk.

Everyone in the group is silently staring at it.

The atmosphere feels strange.

Almost like they’re performing some forbidden ritual.

‘They’re not doing something like a fortune game, are they?’

“Oh, the protagonist has arrived.”

Tsurumi shakes Wakaba’s shoulder, who looks very satisfied in front of the paper, and points at Kurato.

Kurato has a terrible feeling, so he steps beside Tsurumi and looks down at the page.

What was written there was—

Karate Club Ace’s Baptism — Challenging Boy Bleeds Profusely!

“No!”

“Eeeeeh!?”

Wakaba screams at Kurato’s verdict.

The sheet on his desk is a newspaper draft.

There’s only one article on an otherwise blank page.

Wakaba must have brought the portion she wrote to ask Kurato whether it was okay to publish.

So Kurato gave his judgment.

It was not.

“Whyyyy!? Tell me why!?”

Wakaba still clings to him desperately.

Kurato shakes his head.

“The article itself is fine since it’s factual. But the title is bad. It makes Mihara-senpai look like the villain.”

Tsurumi beside him looks surprised.

‘Oh, that’s the issue?’ her expression seems to say.

Yes. Kurato has already given up on being the topic himself.

“But the impact!”

Wakaba clings to him even harder.

“Write the facts clearly. If the article is good, readers will follow. The content is solid and the photo... you captured an incredible moment. You don’t need a sensational headline for people to notice it.”

Honestly, Kurato wants to know how the photo was taken.

In the photo, blood is flowing from his fist while Mihara-senpai treats it.

The framing hides their faces well, but clearly shows the karate club members panicking.

How could someone capture such perfect timing?

No one had a camera there.

He never even heard a shutter—

No.

He had been focused on the match.

Thinking about it later.

Kurato shakes his head to suppress the urge to ask.

“So what kind of title should it be then?”

Wakaba looks completely dejected.

Kurato can’t bring himself to say ‘figure it out yourself.’

After thinking for a moment, he suggests:

“How about something like: ‘Close Call! Accident During Club Observation — Male Student Pays a Painful Lesson’.”

Wakaba thinks about it briefly before quickly writing it down.

Tsurumi watches nervously.

“Are you sure this is okay? It sounds like Kurato-chan made a mistake.”

“Well, that level of exaggeration falls within freedom of expression. And it can serve as a warning to other club observers.”

The photo is there, but neither Kurato’s nor Mihara’s names appear in the article.

So identifying them wouldn’t be easy.

Besides, the accident only happened because Kurato got carried away.

He considers it a personal lesson.

Next to them, Wakaba suddenly jumps to her feet.

“Done! I’ll take it to the newspaper club right now!”

“Don’t go!”

“Stop, Waka-chan.”

Kurato and Tsurumi grab her at the same time.

If she ran there now, she’d definitely miss morning homeroom.

She’s the type who focuses so much on what interests her that she neglects everything else.

Kurato rubs his forehead.

Tsurumi sighs.

Their eyes meet.

She smiles slightly.

“Good. Kurato-chan can take care of Waka-chan.”

“Wait! Don’t hand me the leash!”

Kurato cries out in protest.

Tsurumi only smiles calmly.

“That smile is scary! Tsurumi-san, come tomorrow too! I’m counting on you!”

Kurato bows desperately until homeroom starts.

* * *

The first real class begins that day.

As expected from a prestigious school, both the content and pace are completely different from middle school.

According to the school’s policy, the entire middle school curriculum is completed by the second year.

The third year focuses entirely on entrance exam preparation.

Also, once a week there is a day with no academic classes at all.

For Kurato’s class, it’s Thursday.

From morning until after school they train abilities.

During the first semester it will mostly be theoretical study.

But in the second semester they will begin full combat training.

In elementary school, ability classes were only one hour per week.

The difference is obvious.

Recommended students—those admitted through ability club recommendations—receive even more training.

In the third year, more than half the curriculum is ability training.

More than half the entrance exam also revolves around abilities.

The curriculum clearly shows how this world revolves around abilities.

“Ugh... I’m done... it’s all over...”

A miserable voice comes from behind Kurato.

It’s Nishikaze.

She’s collapsed on her desk, glaring at the board after the teacher leaves.

Honda scolds her.

“We’re still at the beginning of Math I. It wasn’t that hard.”

“That’s true now, but if the pace keeps up I’ll never keep up! I’m not that good at studying. I only passed the entrance exam because my practical test went well...”

Watching her melt into the desk, Kurato suddenly remembers she uses the pronoun boku.

“Wait! I’ve got it!”

She suddenly shouts.

“If I earn points outside studying! If I join an ability club, I can still get into Sakurajō High even with bad grades!”

She revives instantly.

But Wakaba crushes her hopes.

“But even if you join an ability club, if you get even one failing grade you can’t participate in club activities.”

“What!?”

Kurato is shocked.

If you fail a test, you must take a retest.

Until you pass, you’re banned from club activities.

If you fail again, you must attend long remedial lessons and retake the exam.

If you still fail—

You might not advance to the next grade.

Repeating a year in middle school would be humiliating.

Kurato tightens his resolve.

“You know a lot, Wakaba.”

“Of course. I investigate anything that might interfere with my reporting.”

She answers proudly.

The reason is very Wakaba-like.

Kurato feels strangely reassured.

* * *

After six periods of packed classes, it’s just past 3 PM.

After homeroom announcements, it’s nearly 3:30.

Club activities begin.

Most clubs start around 4 PM.

Some powerful ability clubs continue until around 8 PM.

Meanwhile, the literature club ends at 5.

The difference is huge.

It shows how much the school prioritizes ability battles.

As Kurato stands up, someone calls to him.

“Makishima-kun, where are you going?”

Nishikaze looks up at him.

“I’m going to observe the Phalanx club.”

She immediately reacts.

“Phalanx? The ability club? But Makishima-kun... you’re a boy.”

“I am.”

He answers proudly.

“That’s amazing. I’ve never heard of a boy joining an ability club.”

Her reaction is identical to the other ability club members yesterday.

It must be extremely rare.

“Maybe I should go there too instead of the team club...”

Nishikaze sighs.

Kurato warns her.

“If you’re interested in ability clubs, you should go early. Even I got turned away from most of them yesterday.”

“Even you? Then I definitely have no chance...”

She explains she only once placed second in a small local shopping street tournament.

Not an official competition.

“Anyway, I’m heading there now. The decision about my membership should come today.”

Kurato leaves before hearing her reply.

He must hurry.

Being late would ruin his impression.

He runs past the training buildings.

From outside you can’t see the practice areas.

There are no windows.

It prevents spying by rival schools.

When Kurato enters the Phalanx training hall, many girls stare at him.

Some curious.

Some lustful.

Some predatory.

But a supervising student restrains them.

Then one girl approaches him.

She’s wearing a white training uniform and a red armband.

That indicates someone ranked within the top twenty.

“You’re Makishima Kurato, right?”

“Yes.”

“You want to join the Phalanx club? Not the Team or Section clubs?”

She seems to be testing his determination.

“Yes.”

He nods firmly.

She smiles slightly in relief.

“I see. If you say so, then it can’t be helped.”

Then she simply walks out of the training hall.

Kurato is left confused.

The Phalanx club captain appears.

Apparently her name is Reiko.

“Makishima-kun, you came on time. Does this mean you still wish to join?”

“Yes.”

She turns to someone behind her.

“He’s the applicant. C-rank shield. He’s a boy, but I’d like to accept him.”

Another girl steps forward.

She wears a white armband, indicating a higher rank.

“Sure. I’m fine with it.”

She accepts immediately.

Kurato finally realizes who she is.

“Mihara-senpai... are you considering yesterday’s incident?”

Mihara laughs.

“I’m not going easy on you because of that. But after seeing your fight yesterday, I think you’re worth accepting.”

Kurato bows deeply.

He has been accepted into the Phalanx club.

* * *

Memo

• Mihara Urara: An A-rank Physical Boost ability user. Her family in Okinawa runs a karate dojo, and she herself learned karate there. Even without using abilities, her combat ability is extremely high.

• The protagonist is officially entrusted with keeping Wakaba under control.