After Chabashira Sae left, the Class D classroom completely devolved into desperate wailing, like a pot of boiling porridge named "Negative Emotions."
"It's over... Everything is over... How are we supposed to live the rest of our school lives now!"
"If only I had known sooner... If only I had listened to the warnings from Class B..."
"Without points, does that mean I won't even be able to buy decent cosmetics later?"
"Do I really have to eat that legendary, terribly unappetizing Mountain Vegetable Set Meal from now on? No!"
"Wuwu... The new game I was looking forward to..."
Ike Kanji buried his head in his arms on the desk, emitting incomprehensible whimpers; Yamauchi Haruki looked utterly blank, as if his soul had been sucked out; some girls even had red eyes; others acted indifferent; and some quietly cursed those who had violated the rules. A strange atmosphere permeated the entire classroom. At this moment, Class D was truly a gathering of all types, young and old.
Natsukawa Sosuke watched all of this with cold eyes, completely unperturbed, even feeling a slight urge to laugh. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze calmly sweeping over the faces, some despairing, some angry, some confused.
'How can we improve class development when we're stuck with these vermin?' he grumbled internally. 'Expecting them to help me earn twenty million is less reliable than hoping the System glitches and cancels the debt. Although I expected this, I really can't rely on these current people to develop and progress. Individual action and external cooperation are my main priorities now.'
In fact, Natsukawa had several ways to allow Class D to save some points, but he worried that if he didn't immediately shatter their illusions, they would develop a complacent attitude. Natsukawa's thoughts were similar to Chabashira's: Class D needed to hit rock bottom right away. Only by experiencing the suffering of being at the bottom would they gain the motivation to climb up. However, this could only be considered letting nature take its course, as you couldn't truly expect these vermin to necessarily break free from their cocoons.
Besides, the Three Idiots were truly useless early on. He didn't want to exhaust himself dealing with those three, only for Yamauchi and the others to gloatingly brag about how capable they were afterward. That would truly raise his blood pressure.
Forget them, it's better to think about what to do next... Just as Natsukawa was considering his next steps, Hirata Yosuke, who was sitting at the front of the classroom, stood up. His handsome face showed obvious worry. He clapped his hands, trying to get everyone's attention. His voice was as gentle as ever, but carried an urgency attempting to turn the tide:
"Everyone! Please calm down! This is not the time for despair! Chabashira-sensei also said that if we work hard, our class points can increase! The most important thing right now is the upcoming midterm exam!" He looked at the few students in the class with good grades, including Horikita and Kōenji. "I hope that students with good grades can demonstrate a spirit of mutual aid and help those who are struggling with their studies. I don't want to see anyone expelled for failing the exam!"
His words were full of goodwill, and his eyes were sincere enough. However, few responded. Most people were still immersed in their sadness and panic. A few looked up at him, their eyes vacant, and quickly looked down again. The long-term lack of discipline and the sudden blow had caused the class to lose its cohesive centripetal force (did it ever truly have one?). Hirata's appeal was like a stone thrown into a muddy swamp, failing to even create a decent ripple.
Horikita Suzune had seemingly retreated into her own world ever since Chabashira explained the school's true nature, but now she finally emerged. She closed the book in her hands with a dull thud. She looked up, her long, black straight hair cascading like a waterfall, and her reddish-purple eyes held their usual coldness and arrogance. She first glanced at Hirata, then stated plainly, "I absolutely must advance to Class A." Then, her gaze shifted to Natsukawa and Ayanokoji, her tone carrying an air of natural authority:
"The two of you seem to be slightly more capable than these idiots. Relying solely on myself to advance to Class A is inefficient. From now on, you will act as my 'pawns.' I will formulate the strategy, and you will be responsible for the execution."
Natsukawa almost couldn't hold back his laughter. He turned his head, looking at Horikita's expression—the one that screamed "It's your honor to be chosen by me"—and slowly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of amusement:
"Horikita-san, have you misunderstood something?" He extended a finger and gently shook it. "First, Ayanokoji and I are not anyone's pawns. Second, the basis of cooperation is mutual benefit and equality, not unilateral orders. Third..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the mess in the classroom. "Do you truly think that relying on your 'holier-than-thou' communication style can integrate this group of'sages'? Even a good-natured person like Hirata-kun couldn't manage it."
Horikita's face instantly darkened, her gaze sharp as a knife, fixed intently on Natsukawa. Natsukawa was certain that if he were Ayanokoji, Horikita would definitely be stabbing him fiercely with a ballpoint pen. She seemed to want to retort, but Natsukawa's calm yet undeniably forceful gaze left her momentarily speechless. She let out a cold snort, said nothing more, turned around, and resumed reading her book. The pressure around her dropped even lower. She clearly dismissed Natsukawa's words, but whether they had touched her internally was unknown.
Ayanokoji maintained his usual poker face, looking at Natsukawa, then at Horikita. Natsukawa was certain that Ayanokoji was having a lot of internal dialogue right now, though what he was thinking remained a mystery.
The class continued in a strange and oppressive atmosphere. Natsukawa's thoughts were already elsewhere. He began to silently tally his gains for the month.
Ostensibly, it was the one million private points paid by Class B. This undoubtedly solved his immediate crisis, marking a solid first step in his plan to repay the System debt.
But the deeper gains went far beyond that.
First, he established a preliminary connection and relationship of trust with Class B, especially with Ichinose Honami, that great angel. This relationship might evolve into something more than a simple "transaction" in the future; it could become the foundation for intelligence sharing and even tacit cooperation in future events.
But the even more important gain was that he successfully stirred up the waters of the first year!
As the saying goes, "It's easier to catch fish in muddy waters." Using a piece of information, he directly pushed Class B—who might have otherwise stayed comfortably in second place, living a "hello, good, everyone's good" life—to a position just one step away from Class A. Consequently, Class B could no longer maintain that childishly harmonious atmosphere. The huge benefits and the close proximity of the goal would breed strong initiative and aggressiveness. They would inevitably try to find ways to climb upward.
And what about Class A? Facing Class B, an unprecedented and pressing challenger, they absolutely couldn't remain indifferent. Katsuragi Kohei's conservative faction and Sakayanagi Arisu's radical faction might temporarily unite against external pressure, but their inherent conflicts and intelligence barriers destined them to be unable to operate as efficiently as the monolithic Class B. Internal friction and external defense would simultaneously drain Class A's energy and resources.
Class C? Class C was still being subjected to psychological abuse by Ryuuen Kakeru. However, even if Ryuuen Kakeru consolidated Class C, part of his attention would inevitably be drawn by the suddenly strengthened Class B. He would definitely be warier of Class B. Given this situation, in order to test the school's rules, he would certainly target the soft targets of Class D, and he would also be more cautious toward the good-natured people in Class B. The entire first-year structure, due to his behind-the-scenes manipulation, had shifted from a possible scenario where Class A comfortably held the high ground and the other classes were deadlocked, to a dynamic equilibrium full of variables and opportunities.
'Now the water is murky enough,' Natsukawa's lips curled up almost imperceptibly,'so I can easily catch the big fish I want.'