Prove One’s Place

“How!?”
“My calculations were perfect. I was guaranteed to win.”
(Ryo, in absolute disbelief that he lost.)

“Glitchbrain lost~”
“Loser~”
“Ice cube, thoughts on him losing?”
Hmph.
“Well deserved…”

(Keigo looked visibly upset, like a betrayed puppy.)
“Boooo, I wanted to lose so I could face the guy.”
“Ryo, swap. I wanna fight him.”

Ahem.
“Keigo, sit down and shut up.”
“We’re all agreeing he’s not allowed to participate.”

(Keigo whipped out the puppy dog eyes.)
“Pretty please, Haru? I wanna show you how cool I am.”

I swear this idiot says the dumbest things. Show how cool he is? Seems rather unnecessary.

“Ohhh, so you already find him cool~”
“I see, I see. To each their own.”

What the—!?

“I agree with Haru on this one.”
“He’d cause way too much property damage.”

(Keigo looked absolutely betrayed.)
“Rukimi, I thought you were on my side.”
“I feel so betrayed.”

“Since when am I on your side?”
“Since you always pay for the damages.”

(He made a valid point.)

“It’s because you wouldn’t be able to pay for the damages.”

“Untrue. Those are false allegations.”

(Ryo projected his tablet screen.)
“Statistically speaking, your monthly expenses say otherwise.”

All of this? Happening right in front of the entire crowd. Including Tokeru, who was very unamused.

“You’re all mocking me!”
(He pointed directly at Ryo.)
“You’ve been chosen, right? Then face me one-on-one.”

The leader, huh? Beating him means the rest will follow.

(Ryo’s expression shifted. His usual calm was replaced with quiet seriousness.)

“Your impatience will be your downfall.”
“Mr. Enzaki, shall we begin?”

(Mr. Enzaki gave a nod.)

“Well…”
“The wait is finally over.”
“All of you—pay attention to the battlefield.”
“You might witness something unforgettable.”
“You five, off the field.”

(Ichika leaned toward Ryo.)
“Good luck…”
“Ryo~”

Cough.
“Y-Yeah, sure… thanks.”

He. He.
“Cute…”

(Ryo short-circuited.)

Hey. Voice from the void.
I’m not programmed for this kind of situation.
Help.

Pause.

“Why is half the cast so emotionally stunted?”
(You were the one who wrote them this way.)
“…Touché.”
“But I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“So, not my fault whatsoever.”

Unpause.

(Whispers spread across the crowd.)
“Did you know the student council president doesn’t even wield a Fate?”
“He doesn’t!? How’s he supposed to go up against Gen Zero?”
“Well, he’s known as one of the best Karo users of this generation.”
“He’s the first non-Fate user to ever become student council president.”
“Wow… so he’s elite, right?”
“On paper, yeah.”
“But being born in the same era as them… no one really sees you.”

(Camera pans to the main group.)

“He doesn’t have a Fate?”
“He’s like you, Daichi.”
“But with way less cowardice.”

(Daichi was personally offended.)
“Hey! I call it survival instinct.”
“Besides, who in their right mind willingly challenges Gen Zero?”
“You’d have to be clinically insane.”

(He felt a chill crawl down his spine.)

“Hey, Normo—mind repeating that? I didn’t quite catch it.”

…Crap.
I was doing so well too… This is only supposed to happen to Shiro!

At this point, Shiro and Daichi might as well share a brain cell. They’re doing this to themselves.

(Shiro grinning ear to ear.)
“That’s what you get for throwing me under the bus.”

“Anyway…”
“Shindo, what do you think about the matchup?”

(Shindo’s eyes sparkled.)
“It’s amazing! The Strategist of Gen Zero is gonna make his appearance.”
“His Fate is incredible.”
“They say he can literally see into the future.”
“How cool is that?!”

Why is she so cute? She’s like a kid at an amusement park. Forget the battle—this is the real highlight. Screw Gen Zero, this is what I wanna see.

“Hey, perv. Focus.”
“Now’s not the time for your little sitcom.”

Shut up. Let me enjoy my life.
Who are you calling a perv!? I’ll have you know I’m a very resp—

Pause.

“Yeah, we’re gonna skip to the battle scene.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain how Ryo’s Fate works.”
“Probably…”

“Hopefully…”

Unpause.

(Back to the battlefield.)

Ahem.
“Tokeru. Ryo. To your positions.”
“I’ll be officiating this match.”

(Both took their designated spots.)

“Students, let’s give them a proper countdown, shall we?”

“3!”
“2!”
“1!”

Pin-drop silence fell over the S.T.F. The air went still—for just a split second—before everything snapped back into motion.

“Begin!”

Tokeru struck first—charging in with a Karo-infused punch—only to be parried with ease by Ryo.
Each clash crackled through the field as raw Karo energy rippled outward. The levels were off the charts.

Tch.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“Just dodging and blocking?”
“This is what the so-called leader of Gen Zero does?”
“You don’t deserve that title.”

(Ryo remained unfazed.)
“Analysis at 25%…”

(He dodged another blow. A gap widened between them.)

“Your technique is polished.”
“But your emotions… they’re tipping the scale in my favor.”
“And you know why?”

(Ryo’s tone sharpened.)

“From everything I’ve analyzed, you’ve got a textbook inferiority complex.”
“Pathetic…”

(Tokeru’s eye twitched.)
“What do you know!?”
“Unlike you people, I worked my way up the ranks.”
“I wasn’t born with talent. I have no Fate.”
“This challenge isn’t just to prove I’m better than you.”
“It’s to prove that talent alone shouldn’t dictate worth.”
“You and your team may be the strongest of our generation…”
“But to me, you’re just riding the Council of 13’s coattails.”

(He formed a concentrated orb of Karo.)

Fshht!
A blinding beam fired from his palm—sharp and fast, like a sheriff’s quick-draw.
It nearly clipped Ryo, who narrowly dodged in time.

“Analysis at 45%…”

Something in Ryo shifted. Like a mental switch being flipped.

Pause.

Quick rundown on Karo:
As you know, it’s limited only by imagination—kinda.
It works two ways:

Physical enhancement – strength, speed, reflexes. Superpower basics.

Creative energy – You can shape it. Beams, barriers, whatever your brain cooks up.

But here’s the catch: everyone’s got a limit.
Some are overpowered tanks.
Others? Discount batteries.

And no, I totally didn’t make this up just now.

Unpause.

Ryo had been on defense the whole match.
But don’t mistake him for a passive player—when Ryo strikes, he strikes.

(He lunged forward, landing a swift jab.)
(Tokeru barely blocked it.)

Tsk.
“So now you’re getting serious?”
“What, did my words finally get to you?”

(Ryo stayed calm.)

“You act like you understand us.”
“Like you know what we’ve gone through.”
“You say we’re nothing without the Council.”

(He locked eyes with Tokeru.)

“An original like you…”
“…will never understand a copy.”

(Tokeru paused for a moment.)
An original...
Like you...
What is he talking about? A copy?

(Ryo struck with a Karo-infused sidekick.)
Argh.
(Tokeru was sent flying a few feet to the left.)

What the—!?
That wasn’t like before...

(Pan the camera to Gen Zero.)
(Keigo jumping with excitement.)
“Wooooo, look at Ryo gooooo!!!”
Fshwoom.
Keigo was slowly dragged down by gravity.

“Keigo, sit down. You’re causing a scene.”
Why is he always like this?
So irritating...

“Last I checked, I don’t think you mean that.”

What the hell are you!?
“Call me the voice without a mouth.”
“Or whatever you like...”

Whaaaa...?
“Ooooh, Glitchbrain’s getting serious.”
“Did that guy strike a nerve?”

(Ayuri rapidly tapped Ichika’s shoulder.)
“Hey hey, Ghosty—got anything from your surveillance?”
(Ichika watched the match closely.)

Unbeknownst to everyone in the facility.
Well... unbeknownst to 99% of the people at least.
A ghost-like clone hovered high above the battlefield—
Invisible. Quiet. Gathering information.

(Ichika pointed at Tokeru.)
“That boy...”
“He spoke of the Council...”
“Jealousy? Or something else?”
“But... words that tie us to them.”

(Gen Zero paused their shenanigans for a moment.)
Hmph.
(Rukimi stood up.)

“Ryo, crush him.”

“Oooohhh, is the Ice Cube cheering for our leader~”
“I didn’t know you were the supportive type.”
“And weren’t you trying to give him frostbite backstage too~?”
“How quickly people change...”

“Support? Please.”
“I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.”

“We’re not the Council.”
“Or their successors.”

“‘Hard work should beat talent,’ he says?”
“People who cling to beliefs like that to justify everything...”
“Should be crushed.”

They didn’t need to say it.
The silence was agreement.

(Back to the main group.)
(Shindo felt chills.)

Nngh.
I should be excited—
This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
But...
I can’t shake this feeling.