@Kefarid Ehh, i don't think they're meant to be the best in Japan. I feel as though they're all assessed on potential ig? And then given the opportunity to develop into those who could be the best, since Sudo's definitely not the best, neither Ike or Yamauchi either.
Besides that, Ayanokouji's just impossible to defeat. No matter how Kinu does it, In my personal opinion I don't think it'll be satisfactory. I'm all for having a main character who loses a bunch like shii one of my favourite characters is Vegeta but it doesn't make sense with Koji and it never will. Sure it might push the philosophical thing further but it'll compromise the story itself. It can still go deeper in politics, and it might become that Koji develops as a person to the point that he feels pity on Horikita and allows her to win, essentially losing due to his 'emotions' in some way. Although falling in love with Horikita is still a bit weird but better than mfs talking about Koji losing.
It'd take a LOT of work for Ayanokouji to truly lose in a satisfying way e.g feeling pity thing would take a lot of build-up so that people don't think it's abrupt or sudden.