The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

Before the screen displayed the list of the new clubs…

Yuki had to tip his hat to the headmaster. The man was truly a master at manipulating public opinion. First, the headmaster guilt-tripped the students, making them believe it was their fault that the old clubs were disbanded. The information further solidified this idea in their minds, forcing the students to accept the blame.

The headmaster also changed the subject quickly, preventing the students from questioning the validity of his statements. As long as the seed of doubt was planted in everyone's hearts, it would be easy for the school to exert more control over the students in the future.

As a cherry on top, the headmaster 'deliberately' ignored the allegations about the Maiko group and all the negative rumors surrounding them. Anyone who didn't know the full story and listened to his seemingly sincere speech would believe that the school genuinely cared about the students' future.

It was a masterclass in manipulating public opinion, and if it weren't for Yuki's experience as student council president in middle school—when he had done something similar to what the headmaster had just done—he might not have noticed it at all.

Still, his status right now was that of a normal student, so this subtle manipulation had nothing to do with him. It was just that he was a friend of Arina Sugawara, which made him a bit biased against the headmaster. When he noticed what the headmaster was doing, he felt a bit unhappy, prompting Arina Sugawara to record this incident in her collection of the school's dark history.

He shook his head, refocusing his attention on the headmaster at the front of the classroom.

"And here is the list of the new clubs at our school!"

Yuki craned his neck, trying his best to see the list on the screen despite the many other heads doing the same.

Chemistry Club – Nana Miyazawa (Advisor)

Robotics Club – Fujita Kono (Advisor)

Programming Club – Hirokazu Ishihara (Advisor)

Design Club – Miho Shitara (Advisor)

…

…

…

The school opened a total of eight new clubs. Just as Yuki—and Arina Sugawara, to some extent—had predicted, the list was quite uniform. All of them focused on teaching students skills related to what the Maiko group excelled at: technology.

After scanning the list, Yuki turned his head to observe the reactions of his peers. Unexpectedly, whispers began circulating among the students throughout the building as they discussed the information they had just seen.

"Okay, I know this is worth discussing, but please keep your voices down." The headmaster gently reprimanded them. Almost immediately, the whispers subsided. "Good. Now, does anyone have a question for me? Yes, the young man with the glasses at the back!" He pointed to a boy who had raised his hand from a distance. Continue reading at empire

"Sensei, I would like to ask why there is no sports club on the list?" the boy inquired. Some students nodded in agreement.

"That is a valid question," the headmaster smiled. "Considering the cost of maintaining a sports team and the fact that we have never achieved any significant results, the school has decided to exclude any sports clubs from the official list. We believe sports clubs are often used as a means for students to take a vacation during summer break at the school's expense, which doesn't benefit their future. So, that's the reason. If you want to be active and play sports, your PE class should be sufficient."

The reasoning was so outrageous yet seemingly reasonable that no one could refute it. However, that didn't mean everyone was satisfied. Yuki noticed that his blonde friend clenched his fists tightly, struggling to contain his emotions after hearing the headmaster's excuse. The notion that the headmaster viewed sports clubs as mere frivolity felt like a slap in the face, a blatant disrespect to all the members involved. Unfortunately, they had no counterargument, as, from an outsider's perspective, what he said appeared to be true.

"Any other questions? Yes, young lady?" The headmaster pointed to a girl sitting in the front row.

"Excuse me, Sensei, why is there only a chemistry club instead of a science club that covers all subjects?" she asked.

"Another good question!" The headmaster smiled, appreciating her inquiry. "The reason is that science is too broad to be covered by just one club. We want to try forming a club focusing on one subject for a month to see if it is effective, and since we have plenty of experimental tools for chemistry, we decided to start with that subject."

"So, does this mean this is not the final list?" one of the students asked.

"Yes! We are also open to suggestions! You can propose what kind of clubs we should establish, but they should be something productive and capable of helping you acquire useful skills for your future."

"Sensei, how will the club be run?"

"Sensei, can you tell me more about the robotics club?"

"Sensei…"

"Sensei…"

The question-and-answer session lasted for about fifteen minutes, during which several students asked about the new clubs, and the headmaster answered flawlessly. Overall, while some might still be dissatisfied, most students were excited about the prospect of the new clubs. They chatted and whispered among themselves for a while, momentarily forgetting everything that had happened in the past—the purge, the unfair disbandment of the old clubs, and even the rumors of the Maiko group's involvement in everything.

Although some may have still thought about those issues, their belief was shaken by the promise of new clubs and how fun they might be, allowing them to somewhat forgive the events of the past.

The headmaster wore a subtle smile when he noticed this shift in attitudes. After just one meeting, he had managed to win over the freshmen, making it easier for him to control the sophomore and junior students.

"Okay, everyone! Since there are no more questions, let's conclude this session. Don't forget to sign up for the new club that interests you! The first meeting of your new club will take place in three days, so stay tuned! Thank you!"