The principal, Haga, and the vice-principal were already in the principal's office, along with a middle-aged woman—the chairperson of the school board. Aono, Shuto’s homeroom teacher, should have been there, but he was still hospitalized (mainly due to mental health issues; Shuto's power had broken him).

"Mitsuki Shuto. We called you here for one reason.

You are no longer a student of this school. You are expelled, effective today."

Haga announces this to Shuto the moment he enters.

"Expelled? Only me?"

"That's right. Only you are being expelled."

"That's strange. Shouldn’t Nakazato and the others, who bullied me relentlessly, be expelled too? They assaulted me repeatedly."

"We have no evidence of their assault."

"They recorded themselves hurting me on their phones. If you make them submit their phones and check the images and videos, you’ll find plenty of evidence."

"That would be a privacy violation and is unacceptable."

"Bullying is a crime. You should be able to overlook some privacy for the sake of an investigation."

"In any case, they will be suspended. There will be no further punishment."

Murderous intent flares within Shuto. He clenches his fists and glares at Haga, who looks down at him condescendingly.

"…You’re protecting Nakazato, aren't you? Because his father is the chairman of a major corporation."

"We are not protecting him. This decision was made after discussions with the chairperson."

A wave of murderous intent emanates from Shuto.

"Don't underestimate me, you trash."

He uses "Intimidation" to pressure the three of them. He knows Haga is lying, thanks to his "Perception" skill.

"Guh…！?" "——!!" "H-huh!? Wh-what!?"

As the three of them break out in a cold sweat, Shuto continues.

"You’re the same as that bastard Aono, prioritizing self-preservation and appearances, choosing to ignore a bullied student. You’re all unfit to be educators…!"

"…Don't think the world revolves around your desires…!"

Haga, sweating profusely, glares back at Shuto. The vice-principal and the chairperson also fix him with accusatory stares.

"I thought being taken to the police station might have cooled your head, but it seems not. You throw a tantrum the moment things don't go your way."

"Whether I’m a short-tempered brat is irrelevant! What I want to know is why you're protecting Nakazato and the others, making me the scapegoat!

Well? If you try to deceive me with more lies, I’ll do the same to you that I did to Nakazato and the others! Right here, right now!"

He threatens them again with "Intimidation," forcing them to tell the truth. Haga, unable to withstand the pressure, finally speaks honestly.

"…Nakazato-kun's father is the chairman of one of Japan's leading corporations. The corporation has subsidiaries throughout the country, receiving substantial funding from Nakazato Enterprises. It’s no exaggeration to say that 80% of Tokyo's economy is supported by them.

And…Tensho Private Junior High also receives substantial funding from the corporation. Chairman Nakazato is an indispensable sponsor. We cannot incur his displeasure or anger. If we lose his funding, the school's operation will be jeopardized. We cannot afford to lose his trust and support.

And…his son enrolled in our school last year. Naturally, if anything happens to Nakazato…Yuta-kun, it would incur the chairman's wrath.

Therefore, unless we witness clear criminal activity, we overlook minor…'actions.'"

Shuto stops listening halfway through Haga’s explanation, deeming it worthless.

(Trashy people in power and trashy ordinary people…which one is more harmful and has a worse influence? The former, of course. These people also hold power within the school. The negative influence they exert is disgusting.)

Shuto’s anger only intensifies.

"So, some teachers already knew about their bullying? You could have reported it to the chairman.

You’re not just covering up the bullying for the funding, are you? There are other reasons, right?"

Shuto asks, already suspecting the other reason. It's probably something commonplace… he thinks, and his prediction is confirmed.

"Our school is one of the most prestigious private junior high schools in the country. Even before I became principal, it enjoyed nationwide trust, admiration, and praise. It’s the result of the efforts of generations of principals before me. This school is a treasure to me. I cannot allow decades of accumulated effort to be ruined during my tenure…"

Haga's long-winded explanation boils down to this: he doesn’t want to lose his position, the school's reputation, and the trust, expectations, and admiration the school receives. Shuto, understanding this, moves past anger to a feeling of disgust, openly expressing his disdain.

"How pathetic! You’re willing to cover up bullying to protect yourself and the school. You’re truly garbage."

"Don’t talk back to me, child…! A single case of bullying from a student from an ordinary family won’t tarnish this great school’s reputation! Expelling you is a small price to pay for a smooth resolution!"

"Vice-principal, that’s going too far. Someone might hear you."

"My apologies. But don’t you agree, Principal? You said the same thing the other day."

"Well, yes. Overlooking a case or two of bullying is acceptable if it means securing continued funding and protecting the school’s reputation."

"Besides, isn't the victim also partly to blame? Perhaps their appearance, their inability to read the room, or their different behavior…or simply their weakness. The weak get bullied…that's how the world works."

"…Huh?"

Haga, the vice-principal, and even the chairperson make statements unbecoming of educators, believing there's no harm in Shuto hearing them.

"The victim is to blame? Bullied because they’re weak? It can't be helped if the weak are oppressed…?"

All emotion drains from Shuto’s face.

(They’re rotten…rotten to the core.)

He grabs Haga by the shirt and lifts him into the air. Haga’s face turns blue as he struggles, his feet kicking uselessly. The other two cry out in alarm.

(I was wrong…I thought they were just reluctantly complying with pressure from higher-ups.

But that wasn't it. They condone it. This world where the weak are oppressed.

This is the truth…These bastards don't even feel guilty about their choices…they think it’s natural…!)

"Y-you dare lay your hands on the principal!? I’ll have you sent to juvenile detention!"

The vice-principal shouts angrily, but Shuto ignores him. The chairperson cowers in a corner. Shuto throws Haga lightly towards the vice-principal, letting him go. The two men collapse on the floor in a tangled heap.

"Those who are bullied are to blame? So, I’m the bad guy? Is it wrong to retaliate against bullying?

So, Nakazato and the others can get away with anything!? Because he's the chairman's son, he's fine, but I’m not, because I'm from an ordinary family!? That’s not how it works!"

"Cough… Th-that’s how the world is! You're still an immature child, you wouldn’t understand. The world is always unreasonable. You have to bow to power…that’s just how it is!"

Haga gets up, clutching his throat, glaring at Shuto.

"You can't fix everything. Even if you want to save someone, you have to yield to greater power. That’s what it means to live. You'll understand when you're older."

"That’s a weakling’s excuse. Pathetic. And you're just afraid of your school’s reputation being tarnished."

"M-more importantly, if you continue this violence, we'll call the police! Or rather, I’ll call them right now!"

"Don't, Chairperson. We can’t let this become public. Mitsuki Shuto, you are expelled, effective today. Leave our school immediately."

Haga stops the chairperson from calling the police and orders Shuto to leave.

"Humph, I don’t want to stay in this place any longer. I’ll leave this crappy school."

Shuto is expelled from Tensho Private Junior High. He walks out the school gates alone, turning back to glare at the building.

"Hah, good riddance…Corrupt educators bowing to the powerful. Fawning over the chairman's son, prioritizing their positions and reputations…abandoning a student who fought back against unjust bullying because they don't want public backlash and don’t want their precious school’s reputation tarnished!…The worst kind of adults!

A shitty educational policy that prioritizes powerful students and neglects the weak…!

This crappy school, where everyone turned a blind eye to my suffering, trying to pretend it didn’t happen…I don’t need it!"

Shuto’s rage creates pressure strong enough to crack the ground around him.

"You made me snap. I'll make you regret this…!"

And with that, Shuto establishes a new target for his revenge.

"I'll crush this crappy private junior high and everyone in it…!!"

He vows revenge on Tensho Private Junior High—the school he was just expelled from.