Takao lay on the back wall of the gym, watching events unfold with a disinterested expression. He didn't really want to be here, and he was pretty sure there were plenty of others with the same sentiments. But there was no way he would skip it. There were very few that would, and part of the reason for that was on the stage at the front.

The black haired boy briefly glanced at the front stage. There they were in all their glory, the most powerful members of this academy. They enforced rules and kept the other students in line with their might. There were likely others not part of the student council who could go toe-to-toe with one of their members, but the student council often worked in concert. And thus they kept the peace, being the strongest in the school which respected strength the most. They were efficient, immaculate, implacable. And boring. Takao moved his gaze elsewhere. He scanned the lines of first years, seemingly eager to prove their worth. There was certainly no lack of variety, as ever, covering the entire spectrum of lone wolves, eccentrics, depressives and more.

A weighty and altogether familiar realization dropped onto Takao's shoulders as he stood leaning on the wall, and he could do little but sigh and look on. Perhaps if he got older it would be a comforting thought, like a warm security blanket, but as it was now it was more like a heavily stained patchy quilt that he'd nonetheless gotten used to. In front of him was a new generation of Tatakai academy, a wave in which he'd been in the year prior. Some of the new students were stronger than him, and some weaker. As he turned his gaze towards the stage, he reflected that even if they were stronger than him, that didn't necessarily mean he would lose if he fought them. It was just a matter of paying the price for victory, an expense he wasn't sure he wanted to pay.