Part 5: Unmasking the System
A deep, quiet voice echoed from the doorway.
Raizo and Shin had been standing near the entrance, listening to every word. Raizo pushed through the crowd of students, stepping into the center of the room.
His presence instantly changed the atmosphere. He didn't raise his voice, but the sheer weight of his authority and serious demeanor brought an immediate, absolute silence over the entire classroom.
Raizo walked up to Hina, stopping a few paces away. "What do you actually achieve by blaming Haruto, Hina?"
Hina bit her lip, staring at the floor, unable to answer.
"You already know the answer," Raizo said calmly. "Blaming Haruto will not bring your father back. Finding the exact reason why someone died won't bring them back either."
He looked at her intensely. "Who do you blame for your mother's death?"
"I... I wasn't there," Hina whimpered softly. "I don't know."
"Were you there when your father died?" Raizo asked gently.
Hina choked on her breath, having no answer.
"If Haruto didn't exist, do you really believe the Hunters wouldn't have attacked?" Raizo continued.
"Yes!" Hina insisted quietly.
"No," Raizo countered firmly. "The Hunters don't hunt individuals—they hunt power and bounties. If the Inazuma clan wasn't here, they would target the Homura clan. If the Homura clan vanished, they would target another high-value clan or individual shinobi with massive bounties on their heads. The problem is far bigger than one boy or one family."
Raizo turned to face the entire class, his eyes scanning their youthful, traumatized faces.
"Do you know why I was late to class today?" Raizo asked. "I went to check on our upperclassmen's room. None of them were there. I found out they were placed in police custody this morning."
A wave of hushed mutters broke out among the students.
"Their crime?" Raizo said bitterly. "Using weapons in an open civilian sector—even though they drew those weapons to fight the Hunters and protect innocent people. If you don't believe me, ask Arashi."
Every eye in the room shifted to Arashi.
Arashi slowly lowered his head, his voice tight. "It's true. They're in holding."
Because Arashi's father was the head of the police, his confirmation was absolute. The students accepted it immediately, while Arashi silently suffered the knowledge that even his father couldn't override the cold commands coming from the top.
"The problem isn't just the police," Raizo continued, his voice growing deeper. "It's the people sitting far above us. The elders. The political leaders who claim to guide this village."