041 To Whom Should the Information Be Given?
"Then I'll speak plainly. Why was I assigned to Class D? My entrance exam scores should have been excellent! Shouldn't I have been placed in Class A?"
"Why do you evaluate yourself so highly? Where does your confidence come from? Based solely on social skills, you are the worst in Class D! There is no error in the class assignments—because of your abilities, you only deserve to stay in Class D. You're just a defective product!"
Horikita took half a step back and said coldly, "As for whether I am suitable... I will verify it with the school authorities myself."
"Suit yourself." Chabashira Sae sneered, casually flipping through a register on her desk. "But before that—" Her fingertip tapped heavily on a certain name.
"Why not ask your illustrious elder brother first? Horikita Manabu."
Chabashira's voice suddenly softened, yet it was like a blunt knife slowly cutting through the air. "In his first year, he gained the support of the vast majority of students and became the first student council president in history to be elected as a first-year." She suddenly slammed the register in front of Horikita. "The current you can't even touch his shadow from back then."
The open page of the register happened to be a group photo of the student council officers; Horikita Manabu stood right in the center of the photograph.
Shimizu Akira noticed Horikita Suzune's breath hitch for a moment—her eyes stared at the photo as if she wanted to burn a hole through that emblem.
Chabashira Sae suddenly relaxed her tense shoulders, a hint of weariness in her tone. "However... it's not like you have absolutely no chance of rising to Class A. As for... the specific details—"
Her finger suddenly pointed at Shimizu Akira, who had already reached the doorway. "Go ask that person. After all, the rest of you 39 people paid a solid information fee."
She waved her hand as if shooing away a fly.
At this moment, Shimizu Akira already had one foot out of the office—the 1 million points were securely in his pocket, and his departure was very crisp and decisive.
Hurried footsteps came from behind, and Horikita Suzune's figure soon drew level with him.
"You..."
"Let's talk while we walk."
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.
The logic of the S-System's operation wasn't actually that complex—when he first heard about the rule, the setting of Baka to Test to Shoujoujuu immediately came to mind.
It was a similar class ranking system and a similarly competitive mechanism that allowed those below to overcome those above.
But the key difference was that the dimensions by which this school judged students were clearly more than just academic grades.
'What criteria exactly are used for class placement?'
This question still circled in his mind.
But from Chabashira Sae's recent reprimand of Horikita Suzune, at least one thing was certain—social skills held a significant weight in the school's evaluation system.
The description "the person with the worst social skills" was a bit cruel, yet it unexpectedly revealed the operating laws of this school.
Here, a genius who works alone and excels in only one area might instead be judged by the system as a "defective product."
Come to think of it! Perhaps Class D isn't actually the class with the worst overall strength.
"..."
After hearing Shimizu Akira's information, Horikita Suzune's expression looked a bit uncomfortable, and she turned to leave in silence.
She didn't even raise any questions—such as the key issue of whether Class D still had a chance to be promoted to Class A through subsequent performance.
However, Shimizu Akira completely understood her feelings—learning that her brother had already led Class A to dominate the student council when he was her age... such a gap indeed required time to digest.
Speaking of which, Yukinoshita Yukino also had an older sister she was always trying to catch up to.
They really are too similar!
'But anyway...'
His thoughts turned to the task assigned by Chabashira Sae.
Shimizu Akira took out his phone and scrolled through his chat contact list, eventually hovering between two names—Kushida Kikyo and Hirata Yosuke.
The 1 million points had already been collected; since he took them, he had to get the job done—that was an equivalent exchange.
"The homeroom teacher has a pretty good eye for people..." Shimizu Akira couldn't help but mutter.
Chabashira saw through it clearly; the current Class D was essentially being held together by these two people.
Kushida won people over with her amazing friendliness, while Hirata unified the class with his innate leadership talent.
As long as the information flowed into the hands of these two, it would spread throughout the entire Class D within half a day.
Shimizu Akira locked his phone screen and lightly rubbed his chin with his knuckles.
Judging by the frequency of their conversations, Kushida Kikyo was undoubtedly the more suitable choice.
That girl who always wore a sweet smile often took the initiative to find him to discuss things about Horikita Suzune. To the point where she'd "check in" with him at least two or three times a day.
But deep down, she was indeed a girl whose inner and outer selves differed; her way of decompressing was kicking doors and cursing people out.
'By comparison...'
Hirata Yosuke was upright to the point of being dazzling.
As a member of the same sex, Shimizu Akira did indeed appreciate this kind of consistent character.
But the expression that had instantly frozen on the other's face when he saw those two messages earlier still made his brow furrow when he recalled it now.
A model student with excellent character and grades like Hirata shouldn't, by logic, appear in Class D—unless there were some unknown shadows hidden in his records, some... fatal flaws that even a perfect facade could not cover.
After all, as Chabashira Sae had said, everyone in Class D was a "defective product."
However, the most urgent matter at hand was creating an anonymous secondary account.
He had to act cautiously—if those jealous classmates in Class D discovered his true identity, it would inevitably cause unnecessary trouble.
Although Shimizu Akira did not fear direct conflict, it was better to avoid trouble when possible.
Furthermore, with this secondary account, he could conduct trades with other classes without anyone knowing.
After thinking it over, establishing this "behind-the-scenes" persona account was truly imperative.
However, Shimizu Akira soon realized a problem—all student accounts were strictly bound to personal identification information.
That meant if he wanted to be completely anonymous, he had to find a way to obtain another legal identity.
He contacted homeroom teacher Chabashira Sae directly: "Sensei, does the school have anonymous trading accounts?"
Chabashira Sae's reply was crisp and decisive: "No. All point transactions are under school surveillance."
"As long as it's hidden from the other students, it doesn't matter if the school knows," Shimizu Akira insisted.
Chabashira Sae was silent for a moment before sending a message: "You can use your real ID to open a second affiliated account. The fee is ten thousand points."
"Deal." Shimizu Akira completed the transfer without hesitation.
Almost instantly, new account information was sent to his terminal.
Although it was still bound to his ID, this brand-new account showed a balance of zero—like a blank canvas waiting for him to plan and paint.
Well then, to whom should I give the information?
Chapter 042 Wanting to Tell Kushida-san of Class D Some Important Information
At the school at night, the emergency lights in the corridors cast a ghastly white glow in the darkness.
Kushida Kikyo stood before the iron door leading to the rooftop, the hem of her school skirt swaying constantly with her violent movements.
"Horikita... Horikita... Horikita!"
With every mention of that name, her kicks grew heavier.
The metal door let out dull thuds, sounding exceptionally piercing in the silent corridor.
"Die... die... die!"
Her voice squeezed out from between her teeth, her sweet tone now twisted into a hideous melody.
"Again today... it happened again!" Kushida Kikyo tilted her head back, growling at the mottled ceiling.
"Why does that pretentious woman get to look at me with those eyes? What right does she have to ignore me? Is winning a swimming competition that big of a deal?
Yamauchi Haruki... Ike Kanji... today they looked at me with those filthy eyes again!" She chewed on those two names as if tasting something disgusting.
"If it weren't to maintain my persona, I wouldn't even bother talking to you! You two pieces of trash with brains full of waste, why don't you just go home!"
She was breathing heavily.
A few minutes later.
Kushida took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, as if to expel all the congestion in her chest.
The hideousness on her face faded bit by bit, and the twisted corners of her mouth rose again into a gentle curve.
Kushida Kikyo lightly patted her skirt and smoothed her slightly disheveled hair.
"Phew~ Refreshed!"
Her voice returned to its usual sweetness, the end of her sentence rising slightly with a lightheartedness unique to a young girl.
It was as if the person who had just hysterically kicked the door and cursed through gritted teeth had never existed.
—At this moment, she was once again the beloved Kushida Kikyo.
Gentle, cheerful, and understanding. No one would ever imagine that just seconds ago, such intense malice had been surging within this body.
"Shimizu-kun, I'm sorry~ I lied to you." She suddenly stopped and playfully stuck out her tongue toward the empty corridor, her tone as light as if she were sharing a harmless little secret.
The question the boy had asked a few days ago seemed to echo in her ears: "Kushida-san, how do you usually relieve stress?"
'This is my answer.'
The dull sound of kicking the iron door with her toes, the vicious curses squeezed out from between her teeth, and shedding her disguise to her heart's content in the darkness when no one was around—this was her unique way of relieving stress.
'When did it start?'
Fragments of memory suddenly surfaced: The dark history exposed in middle school, the overwhelming abuse on social media, that rainy night she was forced to delete all her accounts.
Then, at the entrance ceremony, Horikita Suzune's indifferent profile, Koenji Rokusuke's careless chuckle—that feeling of being completely ignored was more suffocating than direct malice.
That night, she had wanted to go to the rooftop to feel the breeze, but found the iron door locked.
The emotions she had been accumulating for a long time burst at that moment. When she delivered the first kick to the door panel, a certain distorted pleasure suddenly welled up in her heart.
'So, I've had this bad habit since then.'
Thus, whenever she encountered something unpleasant, this dark corner would become her venting ground.
In the darkness known to no one, the perfect Kushida Kikyo could temporarily shed her disguise and let the real, ugly self catch a breath.
Just then, a slight vibration from a message came from her pocket.
Kushida Kikyo's slender fingers reached into her pocket, fumbling to take out her phone.
The cold light of the phone screen reflected on her face, making her expression look exceptionally gloomy.
"Who is it now..." she muttered in a low voice, her tone laced with impatience.
In order to maintain her "Class Angel" persona, Kushida Kikyo had added everyone in Class D as friends (except for that annoying Horikita Suzune), and had even saved contact information for many boys and girls from other classes.
Just replying to those boring daily greetings took her two or three hours—it was simply more exhausting than dealing with those two idiots, Yamauchi and Ike.
'Especially at a time like night...'
Kushida Kikyo curled her lip, and the mindless nonsense sent by Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji immediately popped into her mind: "Goodnight," "Drink plenty of warm water," "Rest early~."
Every time she saw these, she wished she could just block them, but in the end, she could only grit her teeth and reply with "I'm going to sleep" or "I'm going to take a shower."
'So annoying... why don't those two just drop out!'
She took a deep breath, forced herself to smile, and swiped open the screen—only to freeze the moment she saw the friend request.
[Yue (Male) requests to add you as a friend]
'A stranger?'
The ID had a bit of a literary flair. At first glance, it looked like a girl's, but the profile indicated a male.
Her fingertip hovered over the screen, hesitating for a second.
'Could it be another boring guy who found out my account...'
However, the note attached to the friend request made her finger pause.
[I want to tell Kushida-san of Class D some important information.]
[Aren't you curious why the senpais always look at you with a trace of inadvertent contempt in their eyes?]
The text on the screen was like a fine needle, accurately piercing her sore spot.
Kushida's fingernails unconsciously tapped lightly on her phone case.
It was true.
These past few days, she had intentionally run into senpais in the corridors and cafeteria, greeting them with her sweetest smile, wanting to build good relationships, but she always caught a meaningful curve at the corners of their mouths when she turned away.
Those whispered snickers and those condescending gazes were like maggots in the bone, impossible to get rid of.
"It's really infuriating... How does this student know... Could he be a student from Class D?" she murmured to herself, her thumb trembling over the decline button.
But a certain emotion, a mix of resentment and curiosity, finally made her press the green accept button.
The phone immediately emitted a "ding" notification sound.
Almost at the same instant, the phone screen was filled with a large block of messages.
Kushida Kikyo's gaze fell on the first message, and she could no longer look away.
This school implements a ranking and class division system, classifying students into four levels according to entrance tests and certain criteria: Class A represents geniuses, and Class D represents defective products.
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A few minutes later, Kushida Kikyo finished reading all the messages word for word.
She had to admit that this information was indeed shocking—the truth about class placement, the rating of Class D, the operating mechanism of class points...
But to her, these were not the main points.
"If I reveal this information to my classmates tomorrow..." A faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips, her eyes shifting with a calculating light. "I might be able to completely surpass Hirata Yosuke and become the true person in power in Class D. When that time comes, everyone will look at me with those eyes of admiration and dependence..."
Kushida Kikyo suddenly let out a sweet chuckle: "Hehe... I really should 'thank' this boy I've never met."
Chapter 043 Today's Information: The Leader of Class 1-C is Ryuen Kakeru
Kushida Kikyo's fingers tapped rapidly on the screen: "Thank you for the information~ I'm Kushida Kikyo from Class 1-D. How can I ever thank you, fellow student?"
The moment the message was sent, the status for the other party showed "typing."
Yue: "No need for thanks."
Kushida continued typing: "By the way! Which class are you in? How did you get my account ID?"
The dialogue box remained silent for a few seconds before the final message suddenly popped up: "That... is a bit inconvenient to say. I'm going to take a shower now."
Shimizu Akira pressed the send key and exited the chat interface without hesitation.
He had never actually chatted with Kushida Kikyo online before.
Although they had added each other as friends early on, they hadn't exchanged a single word.
This contact was merely to carry out the task assigned by the homeroom teacher.
Now that the key information had been delivered, the conversation should end there.
He knew Kushida's character too well—a girl who felt like a fish in water within the class might turn this conversation into gossip in the blink of an eye.
If she managed to trace his identity through this...
He wasn't worried about the information leak itself—trades of this level were commonplace on campus.
But if those noisy classmates found out, he would inevitably be pestered for details.
Just imagining that group surrounding him and talking all at once made his temples throb slightly.
"Troublesome," he muttered softly, checking his chat history with her once more.
This carefully disguised account was an important asset; it would be of great use in future dealings with Class A and negotiations with Class B and Class C.
If it were to be compromised now because of a leak from Kushida's side, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Maintaining anonymity was the way to go for the long term.
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[Ding~ Today's information has been updated]
[Information 1: The leader of Class 1-C is Ryuen Kakeru]
[Information 2: Katsuragi Kohei of Class 1-A suffers from alopecia (hairlessness)]
[Information 3: Tonight at 19:55, Horikita Suzune will be subjected to physical punishment by Horikita Manabu behind the first-year dormitory.]
At exactly eight o'clock on Tuesday morning, the daily information was updated as scheduled.
After these days of accumulation, Shimizu Akira had begun to consciously categorize and organize the information:
The highest level was undoubtedly information predicting future events.
For example, the conflict between Kushida Kikyo and Koenji Rokusuke over giving up a bus seat, or predictive information like Kamuro Masumi's attempt to steal beer.
The next level was information regarding the overall situation of the school and each class.
And the lowest value was personal private information about classmates.
Today's information haul was quite good—one piece of information about Class C, one predicting a future event, and one piece of personal information.
Shimizu Akira thought to himself as he began to integrate the clues he had collected over these days.
(It seems that besides Class D, the other classes have already established clear leaders?)
The situation in Class A was the clearest—Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei jointly controlled the scene. This was revealed to him personally by Kamuro Masumi.
The leader of Class B was undoubtedly Ichinose Honami.
After all, Hoshinomiya Chie had explicitly stated in front of him that Ichinose was the class representative.
As for Class C, the information provided the answer directly—Ryuen Kakeru.
Shimizu Akira did not yet know what type of person Ryuen was or what means he used to control Class C.
And Class D... the situation was a bit subtle.
On the surface, Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo were indeed quite influential in the class, but rather than calling them "leaders," "core figures" was a more fitting term.
Their prestige was more like a naturally formed cohesive force rather than true ruling power.
There is a fundamental difference between a "core figure" and a "true leader."
A true leader must understand: being hated by some is normal, and executing punishment is a duty; there is an invisible boundary between subordinates and leaders.
Looking back at the two "core figures" of Class D:
Hirata Yosuke always maintained the demeanor of a "nice guy," not even daring to clarify his basic stance.
Kushida Kikyo was obsessed with maintaining a false harmony, using smiles to cover up all conflicts.
This pursuit of superficial harmony—this "egalitarianism"—precisely exposed their inherent leadership defects.
'The reason Class D is still a mess might be exactly because it lacks such a true "helmsman"...
...So that was Chabashira-sensei's true intention...'
Shimizu Akira thought of the deep game behind yesterday's trade—
As the homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae had long since keenly perceived that Class D had these two core figures, Hirata and Kushida, balancing each other.
She deliberately only requested to "inform one person" to see which way Shimizu Akira would choose to tilt the power dynamics.
'This trade of 1 million points is, in essence, a leadership assessment.'
Regardless of who the information was passed to, that person would inevitably take the opportunity to consolidate their position, their popularity and prestige firmly overshadowing the other.
However, Shimizu Akira actually had no interest whatsoever in the power struggles of Class D.
He was actually more shocked by the third piece of information.
'Hmm? What does it mean that Horikita Suzune will be beaten up by her brother, Horikita Manabu?
Are these siblings that abnormal?
He's the student council president—what does it mean for him to violate school rules?'
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Time soon reached after school, and the noise in the classroom was suddenly interrupted by a series of crisp claps.
"Everyone, can I have a moment of your time?"
Kushida Kikyo had stood on the podium at some point. She lightly straightened her skirt and showed her signature sweet smile.
"Of course you can!"
"What do you want to say, Kushida-san?"
The girls immediately responded enthusiastically. Clearly, she possessed extremely high popularity within this group—this natural affinity was exactly the capital that allowed her to move like a fish in water in the girls' circle.
"Actually..." Kushida paused deliberately, waiting for the whole class's attention to focus before lowering her voice: "I accidentally learned a startling secret from someone else yesterday."
She took a deep breath, her eyes suddenly becoming incredibly serious: "Besides personal points, there is something called 'Class Points' in this school. And—
If our Class Points drop to zero, no one will receive any personal points next month!"
"Ah... about that...
Kushida-san, we already knew that."
However, the grand sensation she had anticipated did not occur—on the contrary, apathetic responses rang out one after another in the classroom.
Hirata Yosuke stood up a bit awkwardly, scratching his cheek apologetically: "Sorry, Kushida-san. Actually, after I learned this news from other channels yesterday, I already discussed it with some of the students first..."
'Damn it...'
Kushida couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Her carefully prepared "blockbuster reveal" had actually become old news that Hirata had already disclosed.
What bothered her even more was—from whom exactly did Hirata obtain that information?
Chapter 044 We Can Win! Next Month We're Class A!
Shimizu Akira calmly withdrew his gaze from the podium.
'As expected... Kushida-san is still too naive.'
He had long anticipated this outcome—because last night, he had deliberately used the same anonymous account to send that hidden information to both Hirata and Kushida separately.
Chabashira Sae wanted him to pick a side?
Rather than being used as a tool by the homeroom Sensei, it was better to let these two "core figures" figure it out for themselves.
Looking at it now:
Hirata Yosuke chose the most pragmatic approach—sharing the information with some students overnight. This kind of honesty actually consolidated trust.
As for Kushida Kikyo... she clearly treated the information as a prop for a performance, planning to stage a "savior" act in front of the whole class.
Shimizu Akira glanced at the girl on the podium who was forcing a smile; those eyes, which were always full of mirth, were currently flickering with an imperceptible panic.
What a pity—this carefully planned "information press conference" had ultimately become a stepping stone for Hirata.
Beside him, Horikita Suzune had actually been silently watching the podium for a long time. "Shimizu-kun... was this your doing?"
She had witnessed the entirety of the transaction between Chabashira Sae and Shimizu Akira yesterday.
She originally thought this man would just pick a side to deal with it perfunctorily, but she didn't expect him to send the information to both parties simultaneously.
"Yeah," Shimizu Akira replied while flipping through his textbook. "Please keep it a secret, Horikita-san."
"...I have no interest in being a gossip," Horikita snorted and turned her face away, yet she couldn't help but use her peripheral vision to size up this deep-hiding seatmate.
This deliberate creation of information parity was less a prank and more a sophisticated political experiment—avoiding the risk of taking sides while observing how the two "core figures" responded.
Horikita Suzune's gaze lingered on Shimizu Akira's profile for a moment.
'All the information came from Shimizu Akira.
And Hirata and Kushida are merely messengers... the gap between these two and him is simply too large.'
Even if she wasn't clear about the capabilities of the so-called geniuses in Class A, the level of intellect displayed by Shimizu Akira was clearly far beyond the level Class D should have.
"Since you have this kind of ability..." Horikita lowered her voice, rarely showing a probing expression, "why didn't you take the initiative to show yourself and reveal the information?"
Chabashira Sae had actually given him three methods, one of which was the option to stand up and announce the information himself.
Shimizu Akira turned his head slightly. "Horikita-san, I've said it once already; I don't want to become anyone's 'blood bag.' By the way! Since you now know the whole truth, don't you have anything to say?"
Horikita Suzune was silent for a moment. "...I have nothing to say. This is simply not the class I should have been in."
"Is that so?" Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow.
It seemed that even at this stage, she still hadn't given up.
Perhaps only being berated to her face by her older brother, the student council president, could completely dispel her notions.
From an older brother's perspective, having such a stubborn younger sister was indeed enough to cause a headache.
However, he glanced at the information again and was suddenly a bit speechless.
But it shouldn't reach the level of physical violence!
Anyway! What exactly did Horikita Suzune say to get beaten up by her brother?!
I'll have to go take a peek tonight when I have time.
"I still can't understand..." Beside him, the eyes of Horikita Suzune held an incomprehensible irritability. "You... why can you stay so calm?"
For the past few days, aside from her dissatisfaction with the class assignments, what puzzled her most was Shimizu Akira's "none of my business" attitude.
Clearly—his abilities far exceeded her own, and like her, he had been thrown into this "trash heap" called Class D.
The other party always had a nonchalant appearance, not even having uttered a single word of complaint regarding the class placement.
"I think it's very fair," Shimizu Akira replied. "Given my entrance performance, Class D is just right."
His entrance scores at the time could be described as having nothing going for him except for his physical condition; being assigned to Class D was only natural.
In Horikita Suzune's eyes, Shimizu Akira's tone seemed incredibly indifferent. The person before her was clearly a high schooler in the same grade as her, yet he was unexpectedly broad-minded.
This caused the nameless fire in her heart to be extinguished by a few degrees for some reason.
On the other side, Shimizu Akira didn't pay much attention to Horikita Suzune's gaze, but instead continued to look at the podium.
Hirata Yosuke did not take the opportunity to perform on stage as expected. Instead, he took the initiative to step back, yielding the opportunity to explain the relevant information to the whole class to Kushida Kikyo.
Kushida Kikyo naturally didn't decline. Under the gaze of the entire class, she explained the hidden school rules and the operating mechanism of the S-System one by one with great clarity.
Some students were already aware of this, while others couldn't hide their shock.
The classroom immediately fell into a commotion, but under Hirata Yosuke's gentle guidance and Kushida Kikyo's patient reassurance, the students soon pulled themselves together.
Fortunately, only ten days or so had passed since the start of school, which meant everyone still had plenty of time to recover class points.
Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo were also much smarter than they appeared on the surface.
The two reached a tacit understanding, deliberately hiding the cruel truth of the class placement system from the students.
These students in Class D didn't yet know they were "defective products," thinking those initially assigned to Class A were just lucky.
The two only revealed the most superficial parts—as long as they followed daily behavioral norms, class points would not be deducted.
They even used the rhetoric that "other classes might not know these rules yet" to motivate everyone, creating three major delusions: "We have the upper hand," "We can win!", and "Next month we'll be Class A."
However, this brief harmony in the class was destined not to last.
The classroom door was pushed open abruptly, and Chabashira Sae walked in with heavy steps.
"You two." Chabashira Sae's sharp gaze swept back and forth between Hirata and Kushida, her fingertips tapping her arm impatiently. "Come out with me."
Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo were both taken aback, but since she was the homeroom Sensei, they had no choice but to follow Chabashira silently to the shadows at the end of the corridor.
Chabashira suddenly turned around, leaning her back against the windowsill. "Talk. How did you discover those hidden rules?"
Hirata paused for a few seconds before speaking: "Actually... a person named Yue suddenly added me as a friend..."
"Me too... after adding that person named Yue, the other party suddenly sent a lot of key information." Kushida echoed, and after stealing a glance at Hirata, an involuntary, subtle expression surfaced.
Chabashira Sae's tone carried obvious disappointment, like the expression of a gambler flipping over their last card.
"It seems... he didn't choose either one of you, but sent messages to notify both?"
"Alright!" She suddenly slapped the windowsill. "I am now appointing you as vice-class representatives. Your first task is to collect 25,000 points from every person in the class as a class fee."
Hirata's brow furrowed deeply. "Sensei, what do you mean by that?"
Chabashira Sae gave him a cold look.
"1 million points. That is the cost of purchasing information from him. Surely you two aren't naive enough to think there's such a thing as a free lunch in this world? Why would someone give you information for nothing?"
Chapter 045 Horikita Suzune: A Bunch of Fools. Wait, I Also Have to Pay 25,000 Points?
"...I understand."
Ultimately, Hirata took a deep breath and looked up, his gaze having shifted from initial shock to understanding. "I will explain it clearly to the students and take responsibility for collecting the class fee of 25,000 points per person."
Although the figure of "1 million points" had initially hit him like a lightning bolt, his mind was now racing—if they hadn't learned these hidden rules in advance, Class D's class points would likely have plummeted to two or three hundred by next month.
And now, gaining such critical information in just the second week of school...
A glint flashed in Hirata's eyes.
This was not just an opportunity to cut their losses, but a chance to turn the tables. If they could utilize this information properly, even surpassing Class C was not a mere pipe dream.
Therefore, buying this information for one million points really wasn't expensive! On average, each student only needed to pay a quarter of their points.
It was only the second week of school; he didn't believe the other students in the class couldn't even produce 25,000 points.
"Me too!" Kushida Kikyo quickly glanced at Hirata, then broke into her signature sweet smile. "As vice-class representative, I certainly won't lose to Hirata-kun. I will also do an excellent job of collecting the class fees!"
When she turned to Chabashira Sae, a trace of imperceptible inquiry flashed in her eyes. "Chabashira-sensei, thank you so much for helping us contact the trading partner. Please rest assured, we will keep our stories consistent and say it was a normal transaction with a stranger."
Kushida bowed her head slightly.
To be honest, 1 million points was indeed staggering, but what surprised her more was that this habitually cold homeroom teacher would go to such lengths for Class D—even personally acting as a bridge.
Chabashira Sae coldly interrupted her thoughts. "You two are overthinking it! I didn't do this for you.
However—" She suddenly turned around. "If you two really want to be class leaders... then you'd better suck up to that mysterious person who sent you the anonymous messages."
Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo froze again.
Was this homeroom teacher openly suggesting that the power to appoint class officers was held in the hands of an unidentified "mysterious person"?
So, was Chabashira Sae a qualified homeroom teacher or not?!
Afterward, the teacher led the two back into the classroom. She stood before the podium, her gaze sweeping over the class before finally settling on Hirata and Kushida.
"Announcing a matter." Her voice carried no warmth. "Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo will serve as the vice-class representatives of Class D starting today."
Scattered applause broke out in the classroom.
The result wasn't surprising—Hirata's reliability and Kushida's friendliness indeed made them the most suitable candidates.
"I'll leave the class meeting for the two of you to host." Without looking back, she dropped these words and turned to leave the scene.
Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo stood on either side of the podium, exchanging a hesitant glance. Finally, Hirata took a deep breath and stepped forward half a pace.
"Everyone," his voice was a bit deeper than usual, "I hope everyone can transfer 25,000 points to either me or Kushida-san."
These words exploded in the classroom like a bomb.
"Are you kidding me?!" Yamauchi Haruki was the first to jump up, his chair letting out a sharp screech against the floor. "Twenty-five thousand? Are you crazy?"
Ike Kanji followed suit, slamming the desk as he stood. "Even if it's you, Hirata, you can't be this reckless!"
Whispered discussions broke out among the girls: "This is too much..."
"We aren't ATMs..."
Kushida Kikyo hurriedly stepped forward. "Everyone, please calm down! Actually... the information Hirata-kun and I just spoke about was bought."
"Bought?" Shinohara's eyes widened in surprise. "Didn't you hear it from the upperclassmen?"
Hirata said with a wry smile, "A stranger contacted me last night saying... there was a piece of information worth one million points. After Kushida-san and I previewed the content... we discussed it together and decided to buy it."
The classroom instantly fell into an eerie silence, followed by an even more intense wave of noise.
"One million?!" Sudo Ken literally bounced out of his seat. "Have you guys lost your minds?"
"Ha? How funny!" Karuizawa Kei crossed her arms and sneered. "On what grounds do you spend a month's worth of points for the whole class without even asking?! Since it's 1 million, pay for it yourselves!"
Beads of sweat formed on Hirata's forehead, while Kushida's smile had completely frozen on her face. The entire Class D at this moment was like a volcano about to erupt, with suppressed fury flickering in everyone's eyes.
"I knew it would be like this..." At his seat, Shimizu Akira rested his head on one hand and let out a helpless sigh.
To be honest, he had expected this outcome; one could even say he wasn't surprised in the least. For this group of people in the class, who would be willing to cough up 25,000 personal points for no apparent reason? Furthermore, this was a unilateral decision by Chabashira Sae.
Of course, whether the class fees of the remaining 39 people could be successfully recovered had absolutely nothing to do with him. After all, Chabashira Sae had already personally handed the full one million points into his hands.
But then again—
This move by Chabashira Sae was indeed clever. To have those two serve as vice-class representatives and collect the class fees in her stead. She really planned this well. As a teacher, it was indeed inconvenient to directly intervene in things like collecting class fees.
"Everyone, please calm down and listen to me first!" Hirata Yosuke raised his voice, attempting to quell the commotion in the classroom. He cleared his throat, his tone sincere and firm.
"Let's make a hypothesis: what would happen without this information?" He looked around at his classmates. "If people continued to skip class and violate school rules, by the beginning of next month, our class points might only have two or three hundred left, or even lower."
The classroom gradually quieted down, and the students began to seriously consider this possibility.
"But now it's different!" Hirata's voice was full of infectious energy. "Only a week or so has passed since school started, and we already hold the key rules. As long as we avoid making mistakes, we could very likely maintain seven or eight hundred points by the end of the month!"
He paused, letting this number sink into everyone's hearts. "More importantly, in the early stages of school, whichever class can be the first to establish a point advantage will hold the initiative in the upcoming competitions. Spending one million points to buy this head start is absolutely worth it!"
Kushida Kikyo added at the right time, "And, this cost is actually not much when spread across everyone. Isn't it a very worthwhile investment to exchange 25,000 points for the tens of thousands of personal points you'll get every month for the next three years?"
Whispered discussions began to rise in the classroom; many students' expressions had already softened.
"I object!" It was Karuizawa Kei again. She toyed with her fingernails and smiled. "You honor students certainly make it sound easy! But for those of us who didn't have many points to begin with, twenty-five thousand is practically an astronomical figure! My points have a very important use!"
A flash of displeasure crossed Kushida Kikyo's eyes, but she quickly put on a gentle smile. "Karuizawa-san, I completely understand your thoughts. How about this! I will give everyone some preparation time. Just hand over the points on time after school tomorrow."
Hirata took the lead at the appropriate moment: "Students who are having real difficulties can talk to me privately. I can lend some points to them, but the slots are limited—at most only two or three people."
Horikita Suzune crossed her arms, her cold gaze sweeping over the clamor in the classroom.
'Exchanging one million points for information of this level... it's practically dirt cheap. Why do these fellows keep complaining?'
The complaints rising around her like blunt instruments hammered at her nerves.
'This is simply a waste of my time...
The existence of these people is pulling down the level of this school.'
Suddenly, her finger froze in mid-air.
'Wait... twenty-five thousand points?
I remember... in my account... I seem to have less than ten thousand points left.'
Chapter 46 Be Careful of Nagumo Miyabi
As soon as Shimizu Akira stepped into the dormitory, his phone vibrated.
Messages from Chabashira Sae appeared on the screen:
[Chabashira Sae]: In the future, if you discover information beneficial to the class, you can contact me directly or inform those two vice-class representatives. As for the reward... you name the price.
[Chabashira Sae]: Let those two collect the class fees and provide corresponding rewards through the allocation of those funds.
[Chabashira Sae]: A very fair deal, right? This should finally make you willing to contribute to Class D.
The corners of Shimizu Akira's mouth curled up slightly. This homeroom teacher was much shrewder than he had imagined—at least, she knew how to weigh pros and cons better than most of the students in Class D.
He quickly tapped the screen to reply:
[Shimizu Akira]: As expected of Chabashira-sensei, this proposal is indeed brilliant. Speaking of which... did you ever successfully lead your own class to Class A?
After the message showed as "read," the other party replied quickly:
[Chabashira Sae]: ...No.
[Chabashira Sae]: Shimizu, you haven't answered my question directly yet.
Shimizu Akira stared at the screen and pondered for a moment.
[Shimizu Akira]: Deal. As long as the reward is reasonable, I'm more than happy to engage in this equivalent exchange.
He truly had no reason to refuse.
Until now, the reason Shimizu Akira was unwilling to work for Class D was simple—no one wants to be the sucker who does all the hard work for no thanks.
But now, the equivalent exchange plan proposed by Chabashira Sae perfectly resolved this conflict. Since effort would yield a corresponding return, he was naturally willing to cooperate.
[Chabashira Sae]: By the way, Shimizu, in your opinion, who is better suited to be the class leader: Hirata Yosuke or Kushida Kikyo? Which one would be more beneficial to Class D's development?
Seeing this sudden inquiry, Shimizu Akira's finger hovered over the screen, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.
Why was the homeroom teacher consulting him for his opinion? Especially regarding the decision-making power over the class leader?
[Chabashira Sae]: If you give me an answer, I will tell you an extra piece of important information regarding the second years.
Shimizu was taken aback. Although Chabashira Sae usually had a lazy demeanor, she was a woman of her word. Since she proposed using information as an exchange, it would definitely not be an empty promise.
Shimizu Akira's finger paused on the screen for a moment, then he slowly typed out a line:
[My answer is—neither of them is particularly suitable to be the class leader.]
He thought for a moment and continued to add:
[Why must you be obsessed with the title of 'Class Leader'? Class A is also led jointly by Katsuragi and Sakayanagi, and it still functions very well. Why not simply leave the class leader position vacant and let the two of them compete based on their actual contributions—whoever does more for the class serves as the leader for the following month.]
Actually, this type of management style was common in the workplace—intentionally leaving a promotion spot vacant can instead stimulate the competitive spirit of employees.
In his view, letting Hirata and Kushida maintain a healthy competition was the best solution to maintain the vitality of the class.
[This avoids an over-concentration of power and continuously mobilizes the enthusiasm of both parties,] he concluded at the end. [Compared to a fixed candidate, a dynamic competition mechanism might be more suitable for the current Class D. Furthermore, in my view, perhaps the future Horikita Suzune will also become one of the leaders.]
The phone screen remained silent for a long while, so long that Shimizu Akira almost thought the conversation had ended there. Then, Chabashira Sae's reply finally arrived.
[Chabashira Sae]: Horikita Suzune? Based on her? I haven't seen any changes in her so far.
[Chabashira Sae]: ...Sometimes I really wonder if you're actually a high school student...
[Chabashira Sae]: To actually use workplace management logic to analyze class issues...
After another moment, a new message popped up:
[Chabashira Sae]: ...But it is indeed a good plan.
[Chabashira Sae]: From now on, Class D will implement this scheme.
Shimizu Akira vaguely perceived that he was acting as a mastermind behind the scenes, manipulating the entirety of Class D. After all, even the homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, was consulting him.
However, since the other party promised an equivalent exchange of information, it wasn't a bad deal.
[Shimizu Akira]: So, where is your equivalent value of information?
[Chabashira Sae]: ...In 2nd Year Class A, there is a person named Nagumo Miyabi.
Shimizu Akira frowned. He didn't expect her to suddenly drop another person's name.
[Shimizu Akira]: So, what does that have to do with me?
[Chabashira Sae]: Think carefully... how did you get that information?
Shimizu Akira replied nonchalantly:
[Shimizu Akira]: Bought it from a senpai in 2nd Year Class D.
[Chabashira Sae]: Currently, the entire second year is under the control of Nagumo Miyabi, including Class D. He has issued a strict order—forbidding any second-year student from violating any school rules, and selling information is one of them.
[Shimizu Akira]: And the reason?
[Chabashira Sae]: It's simple. Violating school rules results in a deduction of class points, and a decrease in class points... means that the personal points they can "tribute" to Nagumo every month will also shrink. That is his logic.
[Chabashira Sae]: So, I'm really curious now: under Nagumo Miyabi's control, how exactly did you manage to buy that information?
Shimizu Akira's mouth opened slightly as he suddenly understood something.
No wonder that senpai had emphasized that she was "short on points lately" during the transaction. Looking back now, that was a hint that she was running a hazard under Nagumo Miyabi's ban.
—At that time, he had likely picked up a huge bargain.
As expected of someone specifically flagged by the intelligence system.
[Chabashira Sae]: Don't overthink it. The current Student Council President is still in office. As the Vice President, Nagumo Miyabi is currently focusing his energy on dealing with classes other than 3rd Year Class A. I'm just reminding you that the other party will most likely ignore you completely.
Shimizu Akira read this message twice.
—Nagumo Miyabi was actually the Vice President of the Student Council?
This discovery left him in thought. Since they were both in the Student Council, Horikita Manabu should know this person very well.
But on second thought, an ordinary freshman like himself probably wasn't even qualified to enter the other person's line of sight. In the power structure of the Student Council, the Vice President was second only to the President.
"Right now, in his eyes, I probably don't even count as a small fry."
Just as Chabashira said, Nagumo Miyabi was currently busy expanding his influence among the third years. How would such a big shot have the leisure to pay attention to a newly enrolled freshman?
...
"Speaking of which, it's about that time." Shimizu Akira glanced down at his phone screen; it was now 7:10 PM.
He pulled up today's intelligence interface and looked at the third piece of information again.
[Information 3: Tonight at 19:55, Horikita Suzune will be subjected to physical punishment by Horikita Manabu behind the first-year dormitory.]
"Just right... I can meet that Student Council President," Shimizu Akira thought pensively. "To be safe, I'll ask him for some information about that Nagumo Miyabi while I'm at it."
047 Horikita Suzune: So, My Points All Went to Shimizu Akira!
Horikita Suzune lay quietly on the bed in her room, refreshing her point balance interface once again.
"9,900 points..."
She stared at the numbers on the screen and repeated them in a low voice, her brow furrowing slightly and involuntarily.
She had to gather 25,000 points before school ended tomorrow—this number weighed on her heart like a heavy stone. With her current balance, she was still a long way off. Furthermore, even if she managed to scrape enough together, she would still need to reserve some points to maintain her daily expenses.
In fact, although Horikita Suzune came from a wealthy family, she had developed frugal habits since childhood. Since the start of school, she had deliberately avoided purchasing expensive items, always looking for alternatives with better cost-performance ratios.
There were no brand-name stationery items in her locker, her uniform was always kept tidy, and she never casually added unnecessary private clothes. Even when dining in the cafeteria, she would carefully calculate every expense to ensure points were used only where most necessary.
But even so, the current point gap caused her a flicker of anxiety.
"My points... where exactly did they go?"
Horikita Suzune lightly bit her lower lip, her fingertips sliding quickly across the terminal screen as she pulled up the detailed transaction history. Fortunately, every expenditure had a clear record; she decided to check them carefully from the beginning.
First day of school— Since she had deliberately streamlined her luggage, she had to purchase a large number of essentials: shampoo, laundry detergent, a washbasin, toothpaste... plus the cost of three meals a day. These were unavoidable expenses, totaling 3,000 points.
Balance: 97,000 points
Second day— A bottle of mineral water, three simple hairpins, and daily meals.
Expenditure: 1,500 points Balance: 95,500 points
For the next two days, her spending was controlled quite well, keeping daily expenses within 1,000 points.
However— The record for the fifth day made her fingertips pause.
Transfer to Shimizu Akira: 80,000 points
Deluxe Set Meal: 1,000 points Transfer to Shimizu Akira: 100 points
These three expenditures instantly slashed her balance to 13,000 points.
She stared at the screen and fell silent for a moment. Her fingertip lightly brushed over the consumption record for that deluxe set meal—that was a meal Horikita Suzune had taken the initiative to treat Shimizu Akira to. As for that 100-point miso soup, it was merely to clear a personal debt.
"So... was it Shimizu Akira who took most of my points?" she whispered to herself. There wasn't much anger in her voice; instead, it carried a hint of self-deprecation.
Thinking about it carefully, this trade was indeed a bit of a loss. One piece of the information she had exchanged 80,000 points for had been blurted out by Kushida Kikyo as casual gossip when school ended today.
In other words, what she had bought at a high price back then was only the information about classes being divided by ability.
Strangely, Horikita Suzune couldn't find it in her heart to blame Shimizu Akira. The first thought that surfaced in her mind was instead: Was I too reckless?
After all, from beginning to end, the other party had never forced her. She was the one who sought him out, and she was the one who willingly transferred those 80,000 points. What was more ironic was that she hadn't expected at all that she would face the dilemma of paying a class fee just a few days later.
Horikita Suzune never entertained the thought of asking for those 80,000 points back. She knew very well in her heart that if it weren't for Chabashira Sae's interference today, Shimizu Akira would never have provided the information to Class D for free. It was a legitimate transaction where money was exchanged for goods—the content was clear, the process was transparent, and no one could find a single fault with it.
But what truly bothered her was a deeper issue of self-esteem.
"I absolutely cannot be looked down upon by him..."
The moment this thought flashed through her mind, she seemingly saw Shimizu Akira's eyes filled with surprise again. Just imagining that scene made her feel like there were needles in her back, and her breathing involuntarily quickened. Compared to the loss of a huge amount of points, this feeling of being belittled by Shimizu Akira was even more unbearable.
"These 25,000 points... in the end, are just class fees being 'offered' to Shimizu Akira."
Although nominally it was Chabashira Sae who had advanced the million points, tracing it back to the source, this class fee essentially flowed into Shimizu Akira's pocket. Thinking of
this, she suddenly realized an absurd fact—all the points in her account had, after going in circles, ended up in that man's hands.
"80,000 points in information fees... 25,000 in class fees..." Her fingertips slid quickly on the terminal and suddenly stopped on a certain record. "Right! I also have that 5,000-point extra reward from the swimming lesson..."
These figures were calculated rapidly in her mind, finally settling on a precise and startling amount—105,000 points.
Horikita Suzune's recent income happened to be 105,000, and the points Shimizu Akira wanted from her were also 105,000. There was truly nothing left!
This number was too perfect, perfect to the point of being deliberate. The annoyance that should have surged into her heart was replaced by a more complex emotion. Horikita Suzune's fingertip pressed lightly against her lower lip, and the image of Shimizu Akira's perpetually composed manner surfaced clearly in her mind.
This feeling of being completely seen through was all too familiar, so familiar that it made her chest tighten. It was just like when playing chess—unbeknownst to her, all her moves had already been controlled by the opponent. Even if it might just be a coincidence, it was so perfect it seemed like a meticulously designed script. This terrifying sense of control made her involuntarily think of that person who always stood on high, looking down on her.
"He's so much like... Brother..."
Horikita Manabu—the older brother who had been hailed as a role model since childhood, who always held her to strict standards. If it weren't for following in his footsteps, she wouldn't have chosen this school at all.
Her fingertips unconsciously wound around a strand of her long hair. This head of black hair was itself a silent oath.
During the incident at the pool, Shimizu Akira had been absolutely right. She was just... not yet willing to admit it in front of that person who always saw through everything.
That day, when Kushida Kikyo belittled Shimizu Akira in front of her, she couldn't help but speak up in rebuttal. Because she knew better than anyone—just how hard that seemingly ordinary guy worked.
At 6:30 AM on the second day of school, when she opened the curtains as usual, she saw that figure running on the playground. The school track was one kilometer per lap, and Shimizu Akira unswervingly ran ten laps every day. This habit had continued from the second day of school until now, never having been interrupted.
As Horikita Suzune thought of her brother, her gaze involuntarily fell on her phone screen. At the top of the contact list, under the name "Horikita Manabu," the message she had sent when school ended was still displayed:
Horikita Suzune: Brother, since I have also joined the Advanced Nurturing High School, I will prove it to you! I am no longer the person I used to be; I will let you see my determination!
Chapter 048 He Just Gave Me 16,000 Points! Why Is He Slandering Me Again!
The "Read" status on the message had remained for several hours. Just as she was about to give up waiting, the screen suddenly lit up—
Horikita Manabu: Come to the back of the first-year dormitory to find me.
This caused Horikita Suzune to change into her uniform with the utmost speed, yet she stopped abruptly before opening the door. Because her phone had suddenly vibrated again.
Shimizu Akira: Good evening, Horikita-san.
This message made her fingertips freeze instantly. Shimizu Akira took the initiative to message her?
Outside the window, night had already fallen. Receiving a message from a member of the opposite sex at this hour made her nerves tense up involuntarily. Her gaze shifted between the door and the screen several times before she finally typed a line:
Horikita Suzune: Is something the matter? I am busy; please state your purpose directly.
The moment she pressed the send key, she let out a soft breath. This was already an exceptional response—if it were anyone else, she wouldn't have even granted them a "Read" receipt.
Shimizu Akira: Do you remember our last transaction?
She tapped the screen, her reply brief and restrained:
Horikita Suzune: I remember.
The next second, a new message popped up—
Shimizu Akira: I plan to refund you 16,000 points.
Her breathing hitched imperceptibly.
(Refunding points?)
Her gaze instinctively swept toward her balance—9,900. Adding this 16,000 would bring it to exactly 25,900, enough to cover the 25,000 class fee...
Horikita Suzune: What do you mean? What are the conditions?
The other party replied quickly.
Shimizu Akira: Remember the rule I mentioned? I told you before that the information fee comes with a 20% discount. You paid eighty thousand last time, so according to the rules, I should return sixteen thousand to you.
After a short pause, he added another sentence:
Shimizu Akira: I don't mean it as a handout.
Horikita Suzune stared at that last sentence, her fingertips resting unconsciously against the edge of the screen.
'So that's it...'
He was simply fulfilling the rules of the transaction, nothing more. It was neither pity nor an ulterior motive. However, a subtle sense of dissonance spread through her heart.
'He clearly calculated this...'
This feeling of being precisely looked after didn't make her feel repulsed, surprisingly. But, proud as she was, she would never allow herself to unilaterally accept a favor. In the dialogue box, she originally typed a line: I cannot accept your points directly; I will pay you back double next month—
'But such an empty promise is meaningless. I might not even have 50,000 points next month.'
She pursed her lips and deleted the second half of the sentence word by word. What she finally sent out was the most practical repayment she could offer at the moment:
Horikita Suzune: I cannot accept your points for nothing. Let me help you with your Japanese classes! Your Japanese grades are incredibly poor, so this will be an equivalent exchange.
The reply came quickly from the other end:
Shimizu Akira: Fine then! That would be a huge help for me too.
Shimizu Akira: Speaking of which, I'm currently taking a walk near the dormitory and even spotted your brother.
It wasn't until she saw this message that Horikita Suzune suddenly realized she had kept her brother waiting for a long time. Furthermore, Shimizu Akira was taking a walk near the dormitory?
She barely had time to reply to Shimizu; she immediately closed the door and ran out.
.
-
-
Behind the dormitory, by the time Horikita Suzune arrived at the agreed-upon location, Horikita Manabu had already been standing there for quite a while.
The speech she had prepared swirled in her throat. At the thought of Shimizu Akira potentially appearing at any moment, she instinctively called out a very formal address: "President Horikita, did you need something from me?"
"Suzune..." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. "You're actually calling me President?
I thought," he walked closer slowly, "that you would be impatient to show me those... insignificant changes of yours, just like before."
He emphasized the word "insignificant" heavily. "Completely disregarding the distance that the position of Student Council President should command.
It seems..." Horikita Manabu stopped in front of her, a look she had never seen before flashing in his condescending gaze, "you have finally begun to understand the propriety one should have in interpersonal relationships."
This tone, which was almost appreciative, made Suzune's heart warm up.
"Brother... I am no longer..." She spoke subconsciously, but the moment the address left her mouth, she saw a cold flash of light in her brother's eyes.
Horikita Manabu took half a step back, looking at her with a gaze filled with utter disappointment.
"Are you planning to speak that nonsense again? ...It turns out what I felt just now was merely an illusion."
Suzune felt a surge of suffocation. Her brother's voice was soft, yet it pierced her eardrums like an ice pick.
"I heard you were assigned to Class D." He sneered. "Exactly the same as three years ago—forever only staring at my back, yet unable to see even your own greatest flaw. Choosing this school seems to be yet another failure of yours."
"...Being assigned to Class D must be because something is wrong with the placement system—" Suzune began to defend herself without even thinking.
Horikita Manabu's voice suddenly rose.
"Enough!"
He took a sudden step forward. "Making excuses for yourself even now? Still questioning the placement system? Truly foolish to the extreme! Is the only way you'll reflect on yourself after you've suffered some hardships?"
Horikita Suzune's shoulders shrank back involuntarily. Her brother's anger loomed over her like tangible pressure, making even breathing difficult.
.
.
.
Shimizu Akira put away his phone. Just as he walked to the back of the dormitory, he heard an intense argument.
"...The placement system is unreasonable!"
"You're forever just making excuses!"
'Do these siblings not care about arguing in front of people?
Is it going to escalate into a physical conflict in the next second?'
He raised an eyebrow and simply walked over in a straightforward manner. Horikita Suzune was facing off against her brother less than two meters away—thankfully, the tense atmosphere had not yet escalated into physical violence.
"Good evening, you two."
Upon hearing someone speak nearby, Horikita Manabu turned his body around and began to carefully size up the man before him.
"You are... that first-year from Sato's boxing club?"
A look of genuine surprise appeared on Shimizu Akira's face.
"I didn't expect the Student Council President to remember me."
He was indeed surprised. But on second thought, his club president was an elite from 3rd Year Class A after all. Coupled with that eye-catching speech at the opening ceremony, it wasn't too strange to be remembered by this Student Council President.
"Hmph." Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses. "So, are you Suzune's friend? And a student of 1st Year Class D as well."
Shimizu Akira shrugged nonchalantly. "I suppose so..."
"He's not!" Horikita Suzune interrupted suddenly, her voice carrying a rare urgency. "He's just..."
"Just an irrelevant person passing by?" Horikita Manabu sneered, his gaze locking back onto his sister.
"Don't even have the courage to acknowledge an acquaintance? Is this the extent of your caliber?
So, do you have anything to say to us siblings? Or do you intend to just pass by like a stranger?" Horikita Manabu continued, looking at Shimizu Akira.
"Not a stranger, otherwise I wouldn't have appeared of my own accord. Actually, your conversation was quite loud just now on the road; I caught bits and pieces of it. Since the Student Council President asked for my opinion, I'll mention my view then."
Shimizu Akira sighed, looking directly at the two of them, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
"Horikita-san, this is where you're in the wrong."
Horikita Manabu's gaze turned sharply cold. "You—"
"Don't misunderstand, President; the 'Horikita-san' I'm referring to isn't you." Shimizu Akira raised a hand to interrupt, then shook his head, turning his fingertip to point directly at Horikita Suzune.
"I'm not talking about you, but your younger sister. This Horikita-san is the one who is wrong.
It's quite obvious that her thoughts and the words she speaks are the real problem."
Horikita Suzune's eyes widened suddenly, her expression wavering for a rare moment before a trace of resentment surfaced.
'This man just gave me sixteen thousand points! Why did he suddenly start slandering me!'
Chapter 049 The Problem Is, Your Brother Isn't Alone Either?
"Are you saying... Suzune is in the wrong?" Horikita Manabu's eyes widened slightly, a flash of surprise crossing his gaze behind his lenses.
He clearly hadn't expected that the first sentence out of this suddenly appearing boy's mouth would be a direct accusation against his own sister—the boy's own classmate.
"Isn't that an obvious fact?" Shimizu Akira crossed his arms, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "Horikita-san, I told you about the class placements last Friday. Chabashira-senseiexplained it very clearly yesterday, didn't she? Your assignment to Class D is completely logical.
So many days have passed; surely you've verified it with the school by now. Now even your brother has told you personally—it's because of a lack of ability that you were put in Class D. Just how stubborn are you going to be before you accept reality?"
Shimizu Akira shook his head, his gaze shifting between the two siblings.
"To be honest, putting myself in his shoes, if I were the President..." He rubbed his temples. "Just imagining having to deal with this kind of family drama gives me a headache."
His gaze turned toward Horikita Suzune.
"There's also something you might not have realized. Your brother, Horikita Manabu, was placed directly into Class A back then. By questioning the fairness of the placement system, you are, in a way, denying the advantage of your brother's starting point."
Shimizu Akira naturally walked between the two of them.
"In the end, you are biological siblings." His gaze swept back and forth between them. "Why let a bond of blood get so strained? Horikita-san, it's time to see reality for what it is..." He glanced at Horikita Manabu. "President, you too. Everyone here is a high schooler, not a child. Don't resort to violence to solve problems."
Horikita Suzune's current mood was a complex mixture of emotions. She had originally thought the sudden appearance of Shimizu Akira was to support her, but she didn't expect him to be a lobbyist standing on her brother's side.
Truly, she almost didn't want to tutor him anymore!
Meanwhile, Horikita Manabu raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. He was indeed somewhat surprised. The arguments presented by this freshman left him unable to find a single flaw—every sentence was built upon purely objective analysis.
As for getting physical? He hadn't even entertained the thought. After all, the other party was not only speaking from his own perspective but was also a club junior to his own classmate.
"I am the 3rd Year Class A Student Council President, Horikita Manabu." He nodded slightly. "And your name is?"
"I am Shimizu Akira from 1st Year Class D," Shimizu Akira replied with appropriate etiquette.
"I have long heard of your reputation, President."
"If you want to promote to Class A, learn well from Shimizu-kun here on how to conduct yourself." As soon as he finished speaking, Horikita Manabu turned and left.
"He leaves quite decisively... Is he really just here to see his sister? Not very interested in others." Shimizu Akira rubbed his chin with some regret as he watched that upright back. He had wanted to take the opportunity to ask about the Student Vice President, but he hadn't even been given the chance to speak.
A subtle silence hung in the air.
Horikita Suzune stood frozen for a long time. Finally, she tilted her chin up slightly, her voice carrying a nearly imperceptible tremor. "Was the main reason for my placement... because of a lack of social skills?"
Shimizu Akira's tone was very calm. "Have you finally realized that issue?"
After a short pause, he continued, "Not only that. Your condescending attitude and your words and actions that deliberately keep people at a distance—these are likely all reasons you were assigned to Class D."
"...That evaluation is truly unpleasant. Coming from someone who can't even understand a Japanese literature class."
"I'm just someone who likes to tell the truth. Besides! Grades in literature don't represent a person's level of communication at all."
"I don't need to rely on anyone, and I can't trust anyone!"
"...That line of yours... in a few years, you'll realize just how chuunibyou it sounds!"
Shimizu Akira's tone suddenly shifted. "Speaking of which, your goal should be the Student Council President, right? As far as I know, Tachibana Akane-senpai from the Student Council often acts with your brother; she is his capable assistant. So, your brother hasn't actually been alone this whole time."
He was genuinely curious about this point—since she was imitating her brother, why didn't she learn the lesson completely?
"...How did you find out that information?" Horikita Suzune's face darkened instantly.
"...Anyone you ask in the third year could tell you. Honestly, how long has it been since you've actually talked to someone properly!"
Shimizu Akira was completely exasperated.
"You don't even know how to gather basic information, yet you want to be in Class A? If your brother doesn't scold you, do you expect him to praise you?"
These two sentences were like two sharp arrows, piercing deeply into Horikita's heart.
How could it be!
She had always thought... that her brother was always moving forward entirely alone. She didn't expect that he already had a capable assistant who was inseparable from him!
Then what did her years of persistence even count for?
Shimizu Akira noticed her head drop suddenly, her lips bitten white, her entire body trembling with disbelief. He hadn't expected that a simple sentence would break her defense so instantly.
Then again, wasn't this the most natural thing in the world? After all, he was the Student Council President—without others' support, how could he have secured his position in the election by himself?
"You were indeed inconsiderate and too stubborn just now; it's normal for your brother to be angry. Anyway, think about it carefully."
Shimizu Akira finished speaking and turned to leave directly, without extra comfort or hypocritical politeness. Horikita Suzune was not a dull person; she had her own pride. Everything that needed to be said had been laid out—with her intellect, she would naturally be able to figure it out once she calmed down.
...
After Shimizu Akira returned to the dormitory, he lay spread-eagled on his bed. He looked over the messages sent by Chabashira Sae once more. A more important thought flashed through his mind.
'Since that Nagumo Miyabi is deliberately blocking information...'
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
'Then those who know the inside story are probably only me and Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A? Class B and Class C should still be in the dark...'
This was simply a god-given opportunity—a perfect window for selling information.
"Looks like it's time to expand the business scope."
He had never intended to limit the information to Class D, and he had certainly never promised any "exclusive buyout." After all, in this school where merit is paramount, information is the greatest bargaining chip, and bargaining chips are naturally more valuable when more people are fighting for them.
However, buried in his heart was one more question.
That was: since the information was being deliberately suppressed, where did Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A learn it from?
Chapter 050 If I Punch Her, She'd Probably Cry for a Long Time.
Wednesday, lunchtime. The school cafeteria was thick with the aroma of food.
A male student from 2nd Year Class D rubbed his hands together nervously, his eyes shifting restlessly. "Um... Ryuen-kun, I'm really grateful to you for treating us to a meal... but..." His voice grew smaller. "I truly have nothing I can tell you..."
Ryuen Kakeru leaned back in his chair, his long fingers tapping lightly on the table, watching him with a look of utter indifference.
Before he could speak, the burly Ishizaki Daichi beside him slammed the table with a loud bang and stood up.
"Hey!" Ishizaki grabbed the other's collar, the veins popping in his muscular arms. "Are you planning on being a freeloader?!"
His roar caused the surrounding students to turn their heads. "Telling me you have no intel now?"
"I... I never asked for this! You were the ones who approached me!" The second-year senpai retorted, trying to maintain a brave front, though his eyes instinctively flickered toward the surveillance camera in the corner of the ceiling. "Let go! There are cameras here! I dare you to try and hit me!"
Ishizaki's knuckles cracked as he balled his fist, seemingly on the verge of swinging—
"Ishizaki, calm down." Ryuen Kakeru's lazy voice rang out at the right moment. He stood up slowly and placed a hand gently on Ishizaki's shoulder.
"After all... this is our 'senpai,' isn't he?"
He placed deliberate emphasis on the word "senpai," a spine-chilling smile hanging on his lips.
"But you know..." Ryuen suddenly leaned into the man's ear, lowering his voice. "I can stop him once, but that doesn't mean I can stop him every time. It's true the cafeteria has cameras..." He cast a meaningful glance toward the deserted corridor outside. "But there are always places where the cameras can't see, right?"
"That's right!" Ishizaki violently let go of the senpai's collar and smirked. "You think you can just walk away after eating for free? Even if I get a suspension, I'm going to give you a lesson you'll remember today!"
The senpai's face instantly turned pale.
"Are you people really from Class C? This behavior is even worse than Class D... Or is it! Because your points were cut to zero, you have nothing left to fear?"
His voice trembled as he added in a whisper: "It's not that I don't want to talk... if that person finds out... I'll never get a recommendation for university in my life!"
"You bastard—" Ishizaki lunged again, his fist already halfway in the air.
"Stop, Ishizaki." This time, Ryuen gripped his wrist firmly, the force so strong that Ishizaki winced and furrowed his brow.
Ryuen turned back to the senpai, flashing another unnervingly gentle smile.
"How about this, we both take a step back. I sympathize with your predicament, senpai..."
His voice dropped low, carrying a seductive tone. "Just tell me who that man you're afraid of is, and then give me a few key pieces of information. I'll transfer fifty thousand points to you. A fair trade, isn't it?"
The senpai's eyes flickered with indecision.
After a long thirty seconds of silence, he finally spoke: "...It's Vice President Nagumo. Class A enjoys the best teaching staff; the other classes can only slink away and drop out! All four classes are rivals!" Suddenly realizing he had let too much slip, he covered his mouth.
"That's all I can say! Th-then, what about my fifty thousand points?!"
Ryuen Kakeru suddenly let out a playful laugh, slowly adjusting his cuffs. "Who said I was giving you fifty thousand points?"
He tilted his head, looking at Ishizaki with feigned confusion.
"Ishizaki, did I ever say such a thing?"
Ishizaki caught on immediately and laughed along. "Hahaha! Senpai, you must be hallucinating!"
"You... you people!" The senpai shook with rage, his finger trembling as he pointed at Ryuen.
Ryuen's smile vanished instantly, his eyes becoming dangerous.
"Get lost while I'm still in a good mood. Just for those few scraps of headless information... letting you go without making you vomit up the food you just ate is already an act of mercy."
The senpai opened his mouth to argue further, but after seeing the cold malice in Ryuen's eyes, he shuddered and slunk out of the cafeteria in a hurry.
Ishizaki watched the senpai's retreating back and scratched his head.
"Ryuen, weren't we told this info by that 'Good Samaritan' on the second day of school?"
Ryuen curled his lip in contempt. "He's a piece of trash from 2nd Year Class D; squeezing this much out of him was already the limit." His fingers tapped the table again as he suddenly shifted the topic.
"The Vice President Nagumo I told you to look into—any progress?"
Ishizaki's expression turned solemn.
"All I know is his full name is Nagumo Miyabi. But..." He lowered his voice. "Every time I ask the second years, the moment I mention that name, their faces turn ugly. Besides the name, I can't find out anything else."
Ryuen narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtfully out the cafeteria window.
"To make the entire second year go silent from fear... he seems like a very interesting opponent. But it's too early to challenge the second years... I need to figure out the rules and crush the other classes first."
'Just what kind of game rules is this school hiding?'
In truth, from the first day he stepped onto campus, Ryuen had keenly sensed something was wrong. Whether it was the rule that "points can buy anything" or the meaningful hints from his homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma, he was certain the school was deliberately concealing vital information.
However, after days of searching, he had only pieced together fragments of the truth from cowering senpais: the school indeed divided classes by ability, and the four classes were competitors—and that was all.
The second years were under a total information lockdown under Nagumo's iron fist; and when he tried to approach a senpai from 3rd Year Class D, he was sternly warned by a Student Council member the moment he opened his mouth.
The entire upperclassman body seemed to be covered by an invisible net, and everyone kept their lips sealed about the truth.
.
.
.
Ryuen Kakeru led Ishizaki Daichi as they strode through the cafeteria. Just as he was about to step out the door, his peripheral vision caught a striking flash of silver-white—
At a table near the window, a silver-haired girl holding an exquisite cane was eating her food with elegance.
As if sensing his gaze, the girl slowly raised her eyes, her pupils accurately locking onto him through the noisy crowd.
Their gazes met mid-air. The corners of the girl's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint, mocking expression, like a chess player observing a disobedient pawn.
"Ryuen? What's wrong?" Ishizaki followed his gaze in confusion.
"...It's nothing." Ryuen withdrew his gaze, his voice carrying a dangerous calm.
That condescending look was supposed to be his trademark—his tool for sizing up prey. Now, it was being returned to him by that girl with a cane, and with an even greater level of arrogance.
'Is she one of those A-class students who think they're the elite? Heh, a fragile girl like that... if I punch her, she'd probably cry for a long time.'