The Sweet-Talking Battle Royale

By now, everyone at school had accepted one universal truth: Ayane was perfect. She was beautiful, intelligent, graceful—and worst of all? She doted on Ryo.

The breaking point came during lunch.

Ayane, with a warm smile, lifted a spoonful of food and held it up to Ryo's mouth.

Ayane (sweetly): "Say ahh~"

Ryo (muttering, embarrassed): "I can eat by myself, you know…"

Ayane: "Nonsense. Open up, Cousin~"

The entire cafeteria went silent.

Then, the murmurs began.

"Did she just… hand-feed him?!"

"That should be illegal!"

"What does that guy have that we don't?!"

"I swear to god, if I see him smile, I'm throwing hands."

At a nearby table, four guys clenched their fists. These weren't just any students. These were the top-tier handsome guys of the school—the ones who had never known rejection. Until now.

Shinjiro – The basketball ace, 6'3, shredded, and always sweating attractively. Renji – The top honors student, cold, calculating, and filthy rich. Daiki – The kendo club captain, could slice a fly in half midair. Hibiki – The school pretty boy, smiles like a prince but fights like a beast.

And now, they all had one thing in common:

Shinjiro: "I can't take this anymore. That scrawny bastard needs to go."

Renji (adjusting glasses): "Logically speaking, eliminating him is the only answer."

Daiki (cracking knuckles): "He has dishonored us."

Hibiki (flipping his hair dramatically): "Ladies love a strong man. If we crush him, we take his place."

Their target? Ryo.

Their plan? Challenge him to a fight after school.

Their flaw? Ryo had never lost an argument in his life.

By the time school ended, word had spread like wildfire.

Ryo found himself surrounded behind the gym, with nearly half the school watching.

Ryo (dead inside): "Not this again…"

Shinjiro: "Takahashi, we challenge you! A battle for honor, pride, and—"

Hibiki: "—the chance to be hand-fed by Ayane-sama!"

Ryo (glaring at Ayane): "This is literally YOUR fault."

Ayane (smiling): "Good luck, dear cousin~"

The crowd roared as the four challengers charged at once.

 Opponent 1: Shinjiro (Basketball Ace)

Shinjiro cracked his knuckles. "Prepare yourself, Takahashi."

Ryo simply sighed and raised a hand.

Ryo: "Wait, wait, Shinjiro. Quick question—do you really think fighting me will impress Ayane?"

Shinjiro: "Uh… well…"

Ryo: "Let's be honest. She likes strong men, right? But what's stronger—physical power or emotional intelligence?"

Shinjiro: "...Huh?"

Ryo: "Do you think Ayane is the type to fall for brute strength? Or would she rather have a man who understands her emotions, supports her dreams, and listens when she talks?"

Shinjiro blinked. Then blinked again. His mind shattered.

Shinjiro: "...Bro… you're right."

Crowd: "SHINJIRO IS DOWN! HE'S HAVING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS!"

Opponent 2: Renji (Honors Student)

Renji smirked. "Nice tricks. But I am immune to such foolishness."

Ryo: "Oh? Then let me ask—what's more impressive? Beating me up, or proving your intellectual dominance in a high-stakes debate?"

Renji: "...A debate?"

Ryo: "Exactly. If you win, you prove you're superior. If I win, well, you weren't worth Ayane's time anyway."

Renji: "...Fine. What's the topic?"

Ryo: "Who would win in a fight: one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?"

Renji opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then clutched his forehead.

Renji: "I… I need time to think about this…"

He walked away mumbling, deep in thought.

Crowd: "RENJI HAS LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD?! TAKAHASHI IS UNSTOPPABLE!"

Opponent 3: Daiki (Kendo Captain)

Daiki unsheathed his wooden sword. "You can't talk your way out of this one."

Ryo: "Oh? Tell me, Daiki, what's the essence of kendo?"

Daiki: "Discipline and precision."

Ryo: "Exactly. And what's the ultimate display of discipline?"

Daiki: "..."

Ryo: "Walking away from an unnecessary fight."

Daiki's grip loosened. His eye twitched. Then, with a deep sigh, he sheathed his sword.

Daiki: "...I have much to learn."

Crowd: "DAIKI JUST ADMITTED DEFEAT! TAKAHASHI IS A GENIUS!"

Opponent 4: Hibiki (Pretty Boy Fighter)

Hibiki stared at the battlefield, trembling.

Hibiki: "You… you're a monster…"

Ryo: "Still want to fight?"

Hibiki: "N-no…"

And with that, Ryo won without throwing a single punch.

With all four challengers defeated, Ryo stood in the middle of the battlefield, completely untouched.

Ryo: "...I want to go home."

Ayane (clapping): "Bravo, dear cousin! Such intelligence!"

Haruka and Misaki watched from the sidelines.

Haruka (muttering): "This idiot talks so much, people just give up."

Misaki (crossing arms): "Somehow, that's even more annoying than actual strength."

As the crowd cheered his name, Ryo covered his face in frustration.

Ryo: "Why does this keep happening to me?!"

Ayane (smirking): "Maybe it's fate, Cousin~"

And with that, Ryo's legend only grew.