Crushing Their Pride
Kwon Su-hyeop's face was rotting away in real time, even now. Yeah, that was only natural. I'd put in so much effort just to see that expression.
"You seem like a stranger. How did you get here?"
I asked him with a completely innocent look, and he ground his teeth with a crunch.
"……You've got a spy planted over there, so you must have some idea, right?"
He must've spotted Youngje inside and pieced together the situation in an instant. His head turned pretty fast, at least. No—if he hadn't figured it out even after seeing that, he wouldn't deserve to be their club president.
"In that case, no need for polite speech, huh? You're not here with good intentions anyway."
I switched my attitude on a dime and said that, and he stared at me with a look of utter disbelief.
"Ha, I figured you'd at least show some respect to a senior."
"I'd respect you if you'd come in goodwill. But you've brought hostility instead."
I said that to him, then headed inside the club room with Inomiya Haru.
"What, not here to say hello? Come on in and take a look around."
I hadn't even shown them half of what I wanted them to see yet.
"Oh? Familia President, you're here? Earlier than I expected."
Lee Se-ri emerged from the kitchen in one corner of the room, covered in flour. She startled a bit at the sight of the 'Ranger Club' members by the entrance but quickly composed herself and flashed a smile.
"R-right! You said we had guests today! I've prepared enough for everyone, so come on in!"
Kwon Su-hyeop looked puzzled at Lee Se-ri's words. I kindly asked about that ridiculous expression on his face.
"What, surprised that the Recipe Development Club president is here? Or that our club room has a kitchen? Or…… maybe you're shocked she's acting so normal in front of you guys?"
But Kwon Su-hyeop just clamped his mouth shut and said nothing.
"Whatever, no need to answer. You all just gonna stand there? The other seniors should come in too. We've got plenty of snacks."
Only then did the Ranger Club members slowly shuffle inside. I'd anticipated their visit, so the largest hall in the club room was set up with plenty of folding tables and chairs.
Here, they'd start feeling uneasy. Even after they all sat down, there were still tons of seats left empty.
"By the way, we have other guests coming today too, so make yourselves comfortable."
What I wanted wasn't much. Just to let them see it all for themselves and realize the truth before I smashed them to pieces.
In a word, simple human demolition.
And it started with……
"Eugene, the International Trade Club folks are here~"
The entire group from the International Trade Club room poured in with Sea-a. More than twice the size of the Ranger Club crew that had shown up here.
Kwon Su-hyeop's face darkened at the sight.
"What the hell are all these people……?"
"I thought you'd heard somehow, but guess not. We're having our club's inauguration ceremony today."
"……Inauguration?"
"Yeah. We invited all the clubs under our protection."
As I explained our connection to the International Trade Club, I spotted blond-haired Jinwoo in the distance.
"Boss, I rounded up the Board Game Club too."
With yet another club's arrival, not just Kwon Su-hyeop but all the Ranger Club members' faces began crumbling.
We already had dozens of people gathered in our club room. They'd come to crush our spirits, but it was theirs getting crushed instead.
"They haven't all arrived yet, and you're already like this?"
"……Shut up."
And the final nail in the coffin for them was—
"I'm here~ Mind if I borrow the training room like I said before?"
"……Do whatever."
Ji Suhyun's entrance. The academy's most infamous instructor—the one you absolutely didn't want to mess with—showed up, and every single Ranger Club member panicked without exception.
Amid their pathetic murmurs, Ji Suhyun swept her gaze over them, let out a smirk, and headed straight for the training area with the equipment.
Her presence didn't hold any special meaning. She was just a star player of sorts, there to keep the hotheads from crossing lines.
Well…… she'd already declared she'd come running the moment she heard I'd tricked out the club room with top-tier gear, even without me saying anything. Not like I could've stopped her anyway, but damn, her timing was perfect.
With Ji Suhyun here too, we could push straight to the next phase nonstop.
And at that moment, Jinwoo—who'd been watching it all from beside me—finally burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.
"Boss, you see their faces? They barge in thinking they're hot shit, and bam—totally owned. Mouths hanging open, right? Bet they're jealous as hell."
Jinwoo's laughter echoed through the quiet club room, and perhaps unable to take it anymore, Kwon Su-hyeop flushed red, slammed the table, and stood up.
"……I'm out."
Jinwoo stepped right in front of him, glaring.
"Noona Lee Se-ri's food hasn't even come out yet? You guys love her cooking."
"……I can eat it some other time. No big deal."
"Huh? Who said you'd get seconds later? Dreaming big, aren't ya."
Jinwoo leaned in close to his ear and whispered.
"The food you eat today might be your last meal, so you'd better chow down nice and quiet."
He usually bolted from real fights, but damn, Jinwoo had a real talent for provocation. Look at Kwon Su-hyeop trembling there.
With other club members around—not to mention an instructor and the top first-year in the training room—he couldn't act rashly and just had to swallow it.
Why? Because all the other clubs gathered here were non-combat ones like the Recipe Development Club. And every one of them had nearly been bullied by combat clubs before.
If they pulled some stupid stunt now, they'd turn not just the bronze clubs but every non-combat club across the academy against them.
And my job was to strip away that restraint.
"Oh yeah, forgot to mention. Inomiya Haru from the International Trade Club—her family just bought the patent rights to the 'Golden Walnut Pie' recipe from Inomiya Group."
Crunch. The teeth-grinding grew louder.
"……Why the hell would a group like Inomiya buy their recipe? Unless you whispered sweet nothings in their ear, they wouldn't even know about it."
But I didn't stop provoking, just grinned and told him.
"You're right—I gave them a little nudge. Jealous? Think it's unfair we swooped in at the last second? Then the answer's simple."
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"—Let's have a war. Go all-out against us. You know what that means as a bronze club president, right?"
Total war. An all-or-nothing duel where both clubs bet all their accumulated rating points and assets—only one survives.
"If you declare total war, we won't dodge. We'll meet you with everything we've got. Got it? If you're confident you can win it all, then do it."
We.
"Famiglia welcomes your challenge."
I offered my hand with a smile, but he didn't take it—just glared and spat.
"You just started your club, so your protection period ends next week when free duels open up."
Protection period. An academy rule preventing new clubs from being challenged recklessly over their ratings.
Eh, meaningless for us anyway.
"The moment it ends, we'll declare total war on you. And take everything. Every last thing you have. So…… polish that neck and wait."
With that, Kwon Su-hyeop slapped my shoulder and stormed out.
"Whoa…… that bastard. Tries to save face with a shoulder pat on his way out? Boss, you see that?"
Jinwoo muttered, glaring at them through the Z-room door, clearly pissed about the shoulder slap.
"Saw it. Would've been nice if they'd backed off…… but that exit says otherwise. Looks like war's inevitable."
Youngje nodded in agreement.
"Even when I was over there, the underclassmen said it: President Kwon Su-hyeop's a stubborn mutt. Doesn't rest till he gets what he wants."
In other words, no way he'd give up.
"Can't be helped then. We'll handle them our way. But first……."
I turned to the International Trade Club and Board Game Club members who'd come to support us today.
"How about a toast for the guests who came to Famiglia? The mood's a bit down thanks to the uninvited ones…… something sweet might help."
At the same time, Recipe Development Club members emerged from the kitchen with trays piled high with pastries.
"Food's all ready!"
"Dig in!"
"Thank you all so much!"
The savory aroma spread instantly, drawing eyes to the snacks one by one.
A party for Famiglia, gearing up for what lay ahead.
"Boss. All these people came trusting just us…… Can we really get strong enough to crush them by then?"
Jinwoo's question was valid. Total war meant our measly four taking on the entire Ranger Club.
To ease his worry, I gave quiet advice.
"Even as a bronze combat club with upperclassmen, it'd be tough for you guys. I'd manage, but honestly, it'd be rough for you as you are now. But—"
I had no intention of going easy on these kids.
Now that they'd chosen to follow me, we had to become the academy's best.
"Next week? We'll see. I'll do everything to make you grow."
As if responding to my words, the other club presidents chimed in one by one.
"Recipe Development Club will help however we can!"
"Board Game Club too, if there's anything."
"I'll follow Familia President."
With so many pledging as Famiglia's family, what was there to fear?
Just as they helped me, I'd help them in return.
"Don't eat too much. Might puke during sparring later."
I smirked and warned the members about to dig in, and their faces fell.
"……Boss."
"Eugene, that's mean."
"President, go easy today……."
Oh, and that advice? Totally serious.