81 Challenge (1/2)

Due to Hoshi’s pleading, Seiji made an attempt at convincing the twins to change their ways.

Of course, he didn’t know if he would succeed. At the very least, he had to try.

He could have ignored Hoshi’s request, instead using the fury from the scene he’d witnessed to load and completely destroy the twins’ lives!

But he would gain nothing other than temporary self-satisfaction, and he’d be ignoring his friend’s feelings.

Seiji’s anger stemmed from Hoshi, but he also held his anger back due to Hoshi.

He felt that Hoshi’s gentleness was rather stupid, but this idiot was a friend of his! That was why he decided to respect Hoshi’s opinion.

Seiji would respect Hoshi and follow his wishes, but as for whether or not he would be able to achieve what Hoshi wanted… that was another thing entirely. He could neither predict nor promise a suitable outcome.

Rion and Kotomi Amami were slightly shaken after being confronted so directly by Seigo Harano.

Yes, shaken.

They had indeed considered before what might happen to them in the future if they continued living like this.

They were intelligent, after all… Even idiots had hopes and dreams about their futures, so of course they would consider their futures carefully due to their intelligence. In fact their hopes were all the more vivid and realistic due to it.

Their futures… They had always considered their futures to be wonderful.

But was that really true?

Would they really never have to be punished for what they’d done!?

With their pride, they would have confidently replied in the negative.

But the tiny bit of objective reason which remained within them whispered otherwise deep in their hearts.

It was possible.

After all, it was impossible for them to control the whole world. There would always be events that were out of their control.

And that day… They didn’t dare to nor wish to broach the subject; deep within themselves, they feared it more than anything. The day when they would have to pay the price for everything they’d done—a day completely out of their control!

The Sword of Damocles.

A sharp sword hanging over their heads which could fall at any moment.

Truthfully, they’d always been living in such fear.

Precisely because of this fear, they’d never done anything that would get them punished severely… Not because they cared about others, but out of self-protection.

”Change yourselves, before it’s too late,” Seiji calmly stated. ”Destroy all your blackmail material, and stop doing underhanded activities. Sincerely repent, free everyone, and free yourselves.”

Rion and Kotomi remained silent.

Their wills were shaking in the silence, but…

”You think far too little of us, Seigo Harano!”

This meant that they had finally dropped their act.

Even the twins themselves were unable to recall the last time they had faced someone so honestly and directly.

Seiji hadn’t taken his eyes off them for a single second.

”Then how will I be able to convince you?”

”You can’t!” the twins replied simultaneously.

”If you don’t say it, how do you know I can’t?” Seiji remained calm. ”Obviously I’m not talking about doing something ridiculous like dancing around naked in public or jumping off a tall building. Forget those—I’m asking you seriously.”

Kotomi and Rion were rendered speechless.

The way he was phrasing it was as if he was offering himself up as a lamb to be slaughtered.

This didn’t seem possible; there had to be something behind it!

But what could there possibly be?

The twin sisters tried their utmost to detect anything, but they perceived nothing.

Seigo Harano was simply facing them head-on, in such a direct and blunt manner!

How could they defeat such a person?

A nefarious scheme seemed like the best method, as it was also their strong suit. However, it seemed unlikely that any plot devised by them could work taking into account his keen perception. Any ill-conceived plan would surely be countered.

Then they had no choice but to change their method.

Rion and Kotomi silently exchanged glances and came to an unspoken agreement.

”Seigo Harano, you have the nickname of ‘destroyer of clubs.’”

”We wonder if this legendary nickname of yours will be effective on the karate club as well.”

”If you can singlehandedly defeat every single person in our karate club by yourself…”

”We’ll seriously consider what you just said!”

The twins were being unusually straightforward; it was normally quite difficult for them to speak in such a forthright manner.

Normally speaking, what they just proposed was ridiculous, and nobody would agree.