Founding Members (2)

Saints Academy was the most prestigious school in the world. But no matter the world, punks existed everywhere — and the ones at Saints stood a cut above those at any other school. They had money, after all.

"So there aren't any?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, the children of the other members and the younger crowd have already formed their own organization and are being managed separately."

Noah's plan to pack the Public Morals Committee with Minamoto kids and coast on easy street had already caught its first stone. They were already running an organization — middle and high schoolers, huddled up tight.

"That okay? Just leaving them be?"

"Haha! Isn't that every man's dream? Honestly, being a yakuza is most fun when you're still a student."

Takeo waved both hands at Noah, who was glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

"Please don't misunderstand! They don't lay a hand on civilians. Even if it's kids playing around, the people from the Main Estate have been drilling that into them thoroughly."

"Heh. So it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like gifted education."

"Yes. Yakuza tend to carry their childhood experiences with them for life."

Bullying the weak was something only a pussy would do. Noah hated the strong preying on the weak more than anything, and she'd been fully prepared to beat the living daylights out of them if they'd been pulling punk shit. Fortunately, it didn't look like she'd have to.

"They say the real problem is something else."

"Problem?"

"They're at that age, all blood and fire, aren't they? I hear the organization's fairly large, but it's split into factions, and the infighting is pretty bad."

"Sounds like their boss is incompetent. Can't even put a lid on that."

"Haha. If you were their president, little oyabun, how do you think you'd have handled it?"

Noah looked unimpressed.

"Why the hell would I get mixed up in kids' fights?"

"That's exactly it. That's the Minamoto spirit, so they're leaving it alone. Winner becomes the Second-in-Command — that kind of vibe."

Noah was incredulous.

"That president thinks he's hot shit, huh."

"He's exceptionally talented, so he was scouted at a young age. Once he comes of age, he'll come straight to the Main Estate. As it stands, he's the only one who even knows about the Minamoto."

That was a little unexpected. Even if you got scouted, you usually didn't know a thing until you actually set foot in the Minamoto Main Estate. And he already knew?

"So he's good. Usable, then. But why'd you say no? Just tell them to knock off the playhouse act."

"Haha. Please let that one slide."

"Why?"

"No matter how much we try to stop them, once they find out who you are, they'll form ranks every time you come to school, little oyabun."

"……"

Noah pictured it. Punks lining up every time she walked onto campus, bowing at the waist and chorusing, Good morning, young lady! Ah… that was disgusting as hell.

"Hahaha! I figured you'd hate that, little oyabun. More importantly, if that happens, everyone would learn the Minamoto's secret. I'd get chewed out by the oyabun."

"They're Minamoto anyway. Just talk them down. They're gonna find out who I am sooner or later."

"Those Black Society guys are huge. It's not like the Minamoto are going to scout all of them."

"Black Society?"

"Ah, that's the name of the organization I just mentioned."

What a childish name. What is this, Black Flame Dragon or something?

Anyway, Noah got the gist.

"So that's why you showed up."

Takeo grinned.

"Yes. I couldn't exactly report back empty-handed on an order from the little oyabun, now could I? For the record, I've already finished the legal paperwork."

Noah recoiled and refused on the spot.

"Don't need it. Get lost."

"Yes! Thank you for your hard work!"

Before he left, Noah looked at Takeo, still bowed, and added one more thing.

"Still, showing up in a school uniform yourself was too much. Next time, think about my eyesight."

"Haha! Did it look that bad on me?"

"Yeah… Takeo, you've got an old face."

Takeo, who always wore that hearty expression, turned to stone. Getting told you've got an old face by an active high school girl hit pretty hard, no matter how you sliced it.

"Why are you applying?"

"I applied to put social justice into practice!"

"Then why the hell did a guy like you show up with a bribe, you bastard. Get lost."

Extra Number Three slouched out. Next, Number Four came in.

"Hmm~ Nice to meet you, Minamoto. I'm…"

"Talking casual on first meeting? Get the hell out."

"W-wait, just let me say—"

Noah glared at him, packing the look with killing intent. Extra Number Four, who died three times from that gaze alone, hurried out.

Number Five came in. He took his place in front of them with a stride overflowing with confidence.

"Hey there, Miss Minamoto. I'm Ike."

"Why are you applying?"

"My goal is to become a cop. And the Saints Public Morals Committee is the highest honor there is. Is that not enough?"

Extra Number Five was, at a glance, a popular kid. Good-looking, and his tone oozed confidence.

"He's the best one so far, r-right? Minamoto-senpai."

Yuria whispered it. Her face was a little red — so this was that, huh. A pretty-boy fangirl. Noah's eyes narrowed further and further.

"Listen, Miss Minamoto. I'm truly desperate. I want you to understand how I feel."

He came right up close, laid his right hand over his heart, and spoke with eyes full of melancholy. Glancing sideways, Noah saw Yuria barely holding back a rising smirk.

This guy knows he's good-looking.

And he knew how to use it just enough. Noah nodded.

"I hate scrawny guys. Get lost."

"…?"

"Looking like a little girl… didn't you hear me, you pussy? I said get lost."

Ike was stunned. It was the first time a woman had ever spoken to him like that.

Well, of course. That was all he'd ever heard growing up.

"You're the first woman who's… ever treated me like this."

"?"

Noah couldn't keep her expression in check. She felt sick…!

A sudden grab.

"Miss Minamoto! Will you go out with me?"

Ike took Noah's hand and launched his signature melancholy-eyed assault. Success rate: one hundred and eleven percent. Those eyes that could make even men fall in love.

To Noah, they were nothing but a horror movie.

"Want me to rip your dick off and cram it down your throat before I beat you to death?"

Noah said something so vile it barely belonged in a human mouth. Silence dropped over the office.

"H-hk!"

Ike staggered back as if he'd been burned, then fled in a panic. Yuria's soul had left her body at a curse she'd never even heard in the ghetto. Chise, of course, was going pit-a-pat.

And after that as well…

"I hate pigs. Get lost."

"The hell is this pussy? Get lost."

"You're ugly. Get lost."

"Don't like that mole under your nose. Get lost."

"Ahem. Sorry, but you're out."

She at least had the courtesy to say you're out instead of get lost to the girls. Overall, though, it was just get lost.

Yuria, unable to take it anymore, shot to her feet.

"Minamoto-senpai! Please take this a little more seriously!"

"Huh? I'm dead serious right now."

"Noah, no bad words."

Chise said it sternly. Yuria found that even more absurd.

"Hold on, Fujiwara-senpai. What about that curse just now?"

"But that was a rejection wall, wasn't it?"

"Huh?"

Chise smiled kindly.

"A girlfriend's brick wall is something to enjoy, not something to stop."

"G-girlfriend?"

"Hm? She's my girl friend, isn't she? Noah. Girl, friend. Heh."

Fujiwara-senpai really is the most dangerous one…!

Yuria recoiled and covered herself.

"Hrm… isn't there anyone usable."

"Your standards are way too high, Minamoto-senpai."

Yuria grumbled.

"I told you last time, didn't I? Whether the Minamoto family is actually impressive or not, their reputation is bad. People treat them like a has-been clan. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Public Morals Committee already has second- and third-years. There's no reason for anyone good to come here. There's a reason only small fry show up."

Yuria raised her index finger and made a suggestion.

"Let's just have Fujiwara-senpai be the chair after all."

"No."

"What? I mean, it doesn't even matter, right? You two have been friends for ten years. This is just a figurehead position…"

"My face wouldn't stand for it."

"Huh?"

Chise, apparently bored, spoke while combing Noah's hair.

"So what kind of person do you want?"

"Dunno."

"Someone around Ichinose-san's level?"

Noah thought for a moment, then nodded readily.

"It's cutting it close, but Itchi's not bad."

"Minamoto-senpai. I feel weird saying this about myself, but you won't find people like that."

"Main character syndrome."

Yuria flared up and shouted.

"It's not main character syndrome! I'm in the top 0.001% of the Level Test!"

"Level Test?"

Chise covered her mouth and smiled.

"Oh, Noah. You forgot again? You know, the thing they do once a year in the white room."

"Ah, that bullet-dodging game."

"Yes, yes, that one."

"Bullets? S-senpai, what level did you even get…?"

An aptitude test. A physical limit test. An intelligence quotient test. Combined, they were called the Level Test. The aptitude exam confirmed which side your talent leaned toward, after which you chose either intelligence or physique. Among them, the physical limit test was used as objective capability data by police, prosecutors, athletes, bodyguards, and the like.

Levels ran from LV 1 to 20, and Yuria was LV 16. At the middle school level, she ranked as the second strongest overall.

Chise answered Yuria's question with a bright smile.

"It's 20, Ichinose-san."

"Whaaat?!"

Yuria was stunned. From 15 onward, each single rank was a massive gap. As far as she knew, there were only seven people in Japan at 20.

Noah, who dismissed all of this as trivial, was picking her ear with a bored look on her face.

That's impossible… b-but.

She'd seen it with her own eyes, so she couldn't not believe it. Yuria made a firm resolution.

I should not get cocky.

At the same time, she looked at Noah with sparkling eyes. Noah, absentmindedly sucking on a piece of candy. This person who looked like she wasn't thinking about anything at all was LV 20. And she was still only a first-year in high school!

Our chair is so freaking cool!

Meanwhile, Noah was lost in deep thought.

"Levels, huh… Chise, what are the mutts at our place?"

It's just like an RPG.

Chise laughed awkwardly.

"For new recruits… probably around 15."

"That's low."

"That's incredibly high, Noah."

Noah stroked her chin, then lightly smacked her palm with her fist.

"Did you have a good idea?"

Chise said it as if she found the gesture adorable. Noah looked at her and nodded.

"We'll just take people from 15 up."

"Um… Minamoto-senpai?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you aware that LV 15 is the top 1.9% in Japan?"

Yuria said it like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"This school doesn't have any?"

"It's not that there aren't any. I told you earlier, didn't I? The Minamoto aren't popular. All those talents have already been snatched up."

Noah furrowed her brow. Why was everything so annoying?

"Then we steal them."

"What?"

"We poach them. That'll do it, right?"

"Th-that couldn't possibly work, could it?"

"Aah. Leave that to me."

Chise showed her confidence. This kind of thing was Fujiwara specialty.

"We investigate, take hold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of that child's parents' business rights, threaten them, fire them, or kill them, and use that to make an offer…"

Yuria doubted her own two ears.

"What? Th-that's a joke, right? Fujiwara-senpai."

Chise smiled with her eyes.

"Yep. It's a joke."

That was not a joke at all…!

Yuria's pupils trembled like aspen leaves.

Noah thought Chise's suggestion wasn't bad, but decided against it anyway.

Even if we poach them, that's a problem.

What Noah needed was someone who wouldn't talk back and would follow her orders without a word. In short, someone she could trust. For example… yeah, yakuza types. People who moved without any real will because they were being threatened died fast. Noah wasn't so cold-blooded that she could kill unrelated people without batting an eye.

Isn't there anyone. Someone who'd throw their life away at a single word and still doesn't die easy, like Coco.

She was still failing to come up with a proper alternative when—

Creeeak.

The door opened, and a man walked in.

"So you're Minamoto Noah."

He was a man whose looks put the guy who'd just fled to shame. Tall enough that you'd have to look way up — and perhaps because of that, he carried a powerful sense of intimidation. If it weren't for the wooden sword in his right hand, you might have mistaken him for a model or a celebrity.

Noah said it, unimpressed.

"And?"

"I can't believe it. How is a little kid like this the heir ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Minamoto? I'll ask. Do you have no brothers or sisters?"

Noah nodded. The man looked like he understood.

"I see. So there's no alternative… But that alone isn't enough to convince me."

Just as Noah blinked and took a sip of her cocoa—

Whoosh—!

He suddenly swung the wooden sword.

Crash!

The cup Noah had been holding shattered. Fortunately, she'd downed the cocoa in one shot faster than anyone right before the blade hit, so nothing spilled — but the cup that had just broken was a mug Noah cherished dearly.

Is this a new method of suicide…?

We're fucked.

Chise and Yuria locked eyes and swallowed dryly.

The man pointed the wooden sword at Noah's throat and spoke in a cold voice.