"Kamukura-kun, please cooperate with me to crush Horikita!"
The girl sitting beside me leans in close, pleading earnestly.
She flashes an innocent smile, fawning in a way that brings small animals to mind. It's the kind of acting that would easily make her the most popular student in the entire year.
But to my eyes, it's clearly false. Once you analyze the pitch-black emotions clinging behind that smile, the sheer horror of this exchange becomes just as clear.
There's no lie in her words. This is truly what she wants.
"I refuse."
"...Huh?"
Kushida glares at me with a ferocity that doesn't suit her refined features.
She tries to override my refusal with a low, threatening voice, but since it doesn't scare me, the effort is wasted.
This time, she grabs my right hand with both of hers and raises it to the height of my chest.
"Please cooperate!"
"I refuse."
She forcefully restarts the conversation, pretending my previous answer never happened, but I respond with the exact same words.
Her eyebrows twitch even as she keeps smiling—her anger is plain as day.
After flinging my hand away like trash, her smile disappears entirely.
"Cooperate."
"I refuse."
A vein begins to stand out on her forehead.
This is the true nature she usually conceals, but she sees no need to hide it when alone with someone who already knows.
"...I'd really like you to cooperate... Can't you?"
She hasn't given up yet.
Closing the distance further, she presses her body against my right arm and looks up at me with pleading eyes.
"No."
"Ahaha—I really want to kill you right now!"
I've seen enough women issuing murder threats in that coquettish tone, from her and the remnants of despair. None of them were worth much.
Seeming to finally relent, she returns her body to its original position.
"Hah—I'm practically throwing myself at you, and your expression doesn't change at all. That's honestly creepy."
"Would you have preferred if I lost my composure?"
"As if. I can tell you're acting... It just makes it even creepier."
"Impressive. Few people can see through my acting. It must come from being in the same trade."
At those words, Kushida gives a self-mocking snort.
Just as only a criminal truly understands another criminal's behavior, only a liar excels at spotting lies.
She seems fully aware of that about herself.
Soon enough, though, an amused smile rises to her face.
"Well, even if everything you do is an act, that earlier panic was pretty entertaining. Should I give you some praise?"
"You have a nasty personality."
Her good mood apparently stems from my supposed fluster.
She keeps laughing, still clearly enjoying herself.
"So why won't you cooperate? There's only one reason students from different classes would secretly meet during this exam. You know that, don't you?"
Cutting to the chase, Kushida fixes me with a piercing stare.
While recruiting help to crush Suzune Horikita is likely part of why she's here, the real priority is discussing certain information.
That information concerns the VIPs—the weapon she's brought to dominate this information war and the essential key to clearing the exam.
She possesses it because she is the VIP of the Dragon Group.
"As I mentioned in the previous group discussion, I know about the existence of VIPs. That naturally includes you being the Dragon Group's VIP."
"...Heh. Just to check—is that because your information-gathering is that good?"
"I have one outstanding student in each class serving as my eyes and ears, feeding me information."
"That's the kind of blatantly obvious lie that's genuinely infuriating. Realize you're no different from those arrogant pieces of trash who look down on everyone."
A low, beast-like growl reaches me.
But being looked down on by me is an unavoidable truth, so she'll simply have to accept it.
"I'm not lying."
"Shut up, you pathological liar... There's a pattern, isn't there?"
Her hostility-filled eyes narrow.
She's sharp, as expected. Having seen through my lie in the first discussion, she understands that I genuinely know the VIPs this time.
And that there's a reason for it. No matter how skilled I am at gathering information, this is Kushida's domain.
If I'd relied on others, her extraordinarily wide network would have caught it immediately, and she'd have known.
Since nothing was snared in her net, she deduced that I discovered the exam's loophole through means other than information gathering.
A perfect example of reverse thinking.
"Want to know?"
"If you'll tell me. But it won't come free, right?"
"Correct. The price is keeping me from getting bored."
"Impossible. Why should I bother catering to your whims?"
Fawning is her specialty, but she clearly resists it without her mask.
"...So, knowing the VIPs, what do you plan to do next? Are you going to bring down the Dragon Group too?"
Having abandoned the idea of learning the pattern, she shifts to future plans.
Focusing purely on gathering intelligence is admirable. It's just a shame she's directing it toward another class instead of her own.
"I'll end it if it becomes boring."
"Hah—so it's entirely based on your mood... Hey, isn't there anything I can do for you? You could even guess me as the VIP if you want."
"There's nothing."
"...Fine."
Originally, she intended to trade the VIP information for assistance in crushing Suzune Horikita.
Since I already possess all of it, no exchange is possible. So now she's attempting to sell her own abilities to create value.
In short, she's asking me to invest in her future.
Unfortunately, there's nothing she can do that I cannot.
She isn't indispensable as a partner; the merits of cooperation are minimal.
Yet why is she so fixated on eliminating Suzune Horikita?
That single point blunts my decision.
She's a bundle of need for approval who despises anyone superior.
Even accounting for that, from my viewpoint Kushida Kikyou is currently more comprehensively capable than Suzune Horikita. Appearance is largely preference, so there's no need for such inferiority.
Something else exists—something unquantifiable by numbers, a tie that must be cut.
"Why are you so determined to erase Suzune Horikita?"
"Because she's annoying."
Her concise answer contains no falsehood, yet it isn't the full truth.
"What if I teach you the guaranteed way to win this exam in exchange for that reason?"
"No. I'll consider it only if you help crush Horikita."
"Very well. Then let's cooperate."
"...That was fast."
With a sigh, she directs an openly exasperated glare at me.
I open a certain screen on my phone and place it on the table where she can see.
"What's this? Whose contact info?"
"Ryuuen's."
"Hah? Why are you giving me that lunatic's number?"
"Because he's the one who'll help you crush Suzune Horikita."
"...You just said you'd cooperate, didn't you?"
"Yes. That's why I'm introducing him. Crushing people is his specialty."
Her temple throbs visibly.
She's almost exploded with rage.
Of course, we're in a karaoke booth. Even a loud outburst wouldn't fully expose her true nature here.
"...Cooperate yourself. I don't need any connection to that guy."
"Direct cooperation from me would be boring. Suzune Horikita's growth has the potential to exceed my predictions. Crushing her now would be wasteful."
The sound of grinding teeth reaches me.
She wants Suzune Horikita destroyed as quickly as possible.
I'm pure stress to her, openly declaring it'll take time. Yet turning to a violence-first maniac carries obvious risks.
"...So ultimately, you're on Horikita's side."
"I'm on nobody's side."
Malice-laden eyes bore into me.
The frustrating conversation has left her pent-up rage seeking release.
"...You're really just screwing with me."
She pulls out her phone and copies Ryuuen's contact from mine.
Deal complete. It seems she's reluctantly chosen to rely on him after all.
"Then why do you want to eliminate Horikita?"
"...You seriously thought I'd tell you just for this deal? That's hilarious."
Laughing through her nose, her beautiful lips twist.
Her mocking expression is pure spite. She has no intention of honoring an unsecured transaction.
"I did cooperate."
"That doesn't count as cooperation. I could have gotten Ryuuen's contact through my own network easily anyway."
"Yet you obtained it through me all the same."
Kushida's shoulders jerk.
Fear and wariness manifest as trembling, yet the strength in her eyes remains unbroken.
She bolsters fragile conviction with sheer mental resilience, refusing to bow to anyone.
"Forcing submission through tricks is pointless."
Kushida pulls her phone from her pocket and holds it up for me to see.
The recording screen is active. Over twenty minutes have already passed.
However—
"Boring."
My talent is ultimate.
Data tampering is trivial—I could manage it single-handedly even while preparing the tools.
"...Are you serious?"
As I stand, our close distance becomes separation.
Kushida slowly retreats.
There's a faint trace of humanity in her naive belief that she still holds negotiating power, but unfortunately I've seen it countless times.
Moreover, despite my hints in the previous group discussion about the "con artist's talent" and a glimpse of the fate awaiting such talent, she shows no sense of danger.
"You arrived exactly as planned, yet it's still boring."
"...Huh? W-what are you talking about?"
Naturally, she must have felt something. If she truly felt nothing, she wouldn't have contacted me immediately after the group discussion ended.
There's ample time until the next one.
She had any number of other things to do, yet she came straight to me.
Other explanations are possible—even simply wanting to finish early.
But what if seeing talent so similar to her own caused her to imagine its eventual end?
Unconsciously, she had been made to realize it. I had guided her to that point.
Boring. Ah, so boring.
Yet no matter how boring it was, I couldn't let her go here. I'd gone to the trouble of luring the Dragon Group's key figure—I wouldn't let her leave like this.
"Shall I rephrase it?"
Perfect timing, really.
This was an ideal moment to grant her a chance to grow, to create the unknown that was her.
I wouldn't be picky about methods.
Knocking down someone who believes they're in control is simple, but with her strong will, I'd make her take the beast's path.
Not to the extent of those class trials. But she needed to surpass a certain level of despair—otherwise, no "unknown" would ever emerge.
So, just as before, I would use that talent...
"...Hic!?"
I shift the atmosphere, radiate killing intent, and begin preparing a performance as close as possible to hers.
Habits don't break easily. She'd repeatedly made a show of listening while meeting people's eyes—in any situation, her first instinct was to look at her opponent's gaze.
She squirms, her trembling body trying to pull away from me.
But the unsteady movement causes the phone in her hand to slip and fall to the floor.
"Coincidence—or luck. Boring."
With a thud, the phone slides across the floor, spinning until it stops at my feet.
If I pick it up, Kushida immediately opens her mouth.
"...G-give it back!!"
"Tell me about your relationship with Suzune Horikita. That's the condition."
"Don't screw with me!!"
Trying to eliminate me, Kushida swings an open-handed slap toward my face.
But there's no need to dodge. Right after, her stance collapses. Panic and unfamiliar action make her footing unsteady.
She stumbles into the cushions, her upper body diving headfirst into the backrest—a truly pathetic sight.
"Impressive mental fortitude. Still resisting?"
Her hair is a mess, her expression twisted.
Yet even as her teeth chatter, her will to resist remains.
Pointless defiance. But without that defiance, the unknown wouldn't even begin.
"I'll say this upfront—if you don't tell me, I'll investigate on my own. And since it's me investigating, mysteries cease to be mysteries. Still, hearing it directly from you would be faster."
Ignoring my words entirely, she stands and desperately tries to create distance.
Her face desperate, she racks her brain for any way to break the situation.
"...I absolutely won't tell you. Someone like you is the least trustworthy. You'd spread it everywhere immediately."
"I won't say anything."
"Liar!!"
Her grinding teeth stop; raising her voice comes not from fear but from survival instinct taking over.
The more she desperately wants to keep that secret hidden, the more my interest grows.
Kushida Kikyo is one of the most popular girls in the grade, rivaling Ichinose Honami. Her actions overflow with kindness, her communication skills exceptionally high.
But that's only surface-level. Her true self hides a pitch-black nature beneath.
She wears a mask to play the good person, deriving pleasure from the high praise it earns her.
She recognizes her real personality as something to despise, yet still chases the need for approval.
That unchecked desire—and how it bore fruit along the way... truly fascinating.
"Precisely the talent of a con artist. As long as you never create someone you can show your true self to, that curse will cling to you forever."
"You're so annoying with that superior attitude!! Mind your own business!!"
Without any specific rebuttal, she ends up listening to my words.
She's already lost calm judgment.
Driven by survival instinct, desperately resisting despair.
Her spirit—facing me with nothing but resentment and negative emotion—is worthy of praise, but still insufficient.
To prepare her to break out of her shell into something new, I must first destroy the foundation she's built so far.
"If you won't tell me, there's no helping it."
With those words as the signal, I crush her resistance with the same intensity I wore in the past—when I operated as the "Ultimate Despair."
The Remnants of Despair were beings so insane that calling them "crazy" felt almost endearing.
One transplanted a left hand and eyes from the corpse of the woman he worshipped.
One committed necrophilia to leave descendants of the girl he adored.
One tried to incorporate a womb into himself.
One treated fasting like a hobby to experience the despair of starvation.
One offered their own parents as test subjects for an experiment.
These are mere examples. There are countless others.
That was despair in human form, devoid of any trace of humanity. And now, I direct an aura equal to what they emitted toward a single girl.
To create with my own hands an unknown she herself cannot foresee.
"...N-no..."
Hatred vanishes from her eyes, replaced by spilling tears.
As sobs mix in, her breathing becomes erratic; she clutches her chest.
Normal movement fails, her legs give out, and she collapses onto the floor.
Her body slumps forward as if her soul has fled—a scene like a sinner bowing their head, begging forgiveness.
"If you continue that act, your abilities are insufficient. A future of being crushed, like today, simply awaits."
If I corner her mentally, she'll act to achieve her own "hope."
Ryuuen, me, or some other option.
Or perhaps—to overcome despair head-on—she'll seek someone to cure her inner demon.
"I look forward to your future choices."
I stand, ignoring the girl who needs help, and leave the karaoke room.
The actor's adjustments are complete. Now, even for me, an unpredictable outcome might await... perhaps.
It would be even better if she disrupts the next group discussion.
If judged by good and evil, my actions are undeniably evil.
Yet what I desire exists only beyond prediction.
I can now slightly understand the actions of those two lunatics—one who sought hope while falling into despair, another who sought deeper despair while immersed in it.
What I seek—this unknown that is neither hope nor despair, yet both—is inferior to theirs, but of the same kind.
Thinking such thoughts, I walked the path back to my room.
The prospect that boredom might soon vanish made my steps quicker, it seemed.
[Is that really the you that you can be proud of?]
A voice identical to mine echoed in my head, independent of my will.
"...Huh?"
...
Walking quickly down the hallway, I finally arrived at the place Ayanokouji-kun had specified.
The designated spot was a deserted terrace. The view was nothing but blue—an overwhelming presence that calmed my exam anxiety and settled my mind.
I rest my hands on the railing, gazing blankly at the sea while waiting. If the sky or atmosphere were different, it might have been quite a romantic scene.
Caught in uncharacteristic daydreams, I still feel the slow passage of time—proof that I retain mental composure even in this critical situation.
"You're early."
Ayanokouji-kun arrives. He comes to stand beside me and leans against the railing.
"I just got here myself."
"I see. Rushing paid off."
"Rushing? Were you doing something?"
"Sakura called me for advice. It ended quickly, but then Yamauchi tried to corner me. Shaking him off took a little time."
"...From Sakura-san. You've made quite a few friends, Ayanokouji-kun. It's hard to believe you're the same person as when we enrolled."
"Jealous?"
"As if."
It's irritating to be seen as close enough for casual banter, but I was craving light conversation, so I silently thank him.
"Anyway, can we get to the main topic?"
"Yeah. First, I want to confirm—did the announcement for the Rat Group's exam end play?"
"Yes. I understand those announcements are shared across all groups even during the exam. Hirata-kun and Kushida-san heard them in their respective groups too.
Of course, I've confirmed the Rat Group has ended."
"I see. I don't know which Rat Group member jumped the gun, but this exam is shaping up to be full of chaos."
Ayanokouji-kun sighs lightly while looking at the sky. To someone completely unaware of the circumstances, this reaction would be natural.
Someone in the Rat Group ended the exam early out of greed for private points—a plausible scenario, but not the truth.
"Ayanokouji-kun, yes, this uproar was caused by someone acting prematurely. But it was also deliberately triggered by that someone."
"...What? What do you mean?"
"I'll explain everything that just happened—it'll take a while, but that's okay?"
After confirming, he nods.
From there, I detail the entire sequence of events.
Katsuragi-kun's strategy to reject the exam itself. The continued cooperation with Class B. And Kamukura-kun's rampage.
"That's all. Once you've organized the information, I'd like your honest opinion."
Earlier he'd been expressionless, leaning against the railing, but now he leans slightly forward, right hand over his mouth, face grim.
I'm surprised to see him this serious, but it also proves he's cooperating with this exam.
He prefers avoiding trouble and hates standing out, yet from the previous exam to this one, he's shown remarkably proactive responses.
"...Well, what to do."
"I want your honest opinion."
"You're strict. Better than being shocked speechless, though."
Ayanokouji-kun says it teasingly. But his eyes remain unusually serious.
"Horikita, if it were you, how would you clear the exam from this state?"
"I'm the one asking for your opinion..."
"I'll answer if you answer first."
"...So what you said during the deserted island exam—about seriously helping me reach Class A—was true."
"Only if you can think the same way I do on your own—until then, I'll stay in the 'shadows.'"
"That's refreshingly infuriating."
His insinuation that he's above me stirs anger, but achieving our goal comes first.
I hold it in and quickly state my opinion.
"I'd focus on finding the VIPs."
"Reasonable. But that won't win. Because there's something more important to do first."
"Something more important first?"
He nods and continues.
"Right now, which class do you think we should be most wary of?"
"Class C. Both Ryuuen-kun and Kamukura-kun are highly unpredictable."
Ryuuen-kun, who teased me this morning, and Kamukura-kun, who's wreaking havoc in the exam—both top the list of concerns.
We'd need to watch Katsuragi-kun from Class A, Ichinose-san and Kanzaki-kun from Class B too. But these two's unpredictability puts their threat level higher.
Satisfied with my answer—or expression unchanged—he asks another question.
"Then who do you think we should be most wary of right now?"
"...Kamukura-kun. We don't even know if he truly knows the VIPs, but since he's trampling the exam into chaos, there's no telling what he'll do."
"Correct. And he does know the VIPs somehow. I haven't heard rumors of wide connections, so he doesn't have spies in every class beforehand. It's reasonable to assume he discovered something through observation bordering on precognition.
Of course, we can't rule out him simply messing up the exam without thinking... but either way, that's why he's at an advantage. Meaning, the biggest obstacle to clearing this exam is Kamukura—and until we deal with him somehow, our chances of winning are slim."
Ayanokouji-kun neatly summarizes the enemy's information and begins a logical approach to victory.
No reason to interrupt properly organized facts.
If we expand on it, there's a high chance he's sharing VIP information with Ryuuen from the same class.
Time feels even more precious. We need to reach the same level before they run wild.
Accelerating my thoughts, I somehow end up in the same mindset as after the first group discussion.
I mustn't rush. I slowly calm my heart.
"Right. That's why I thought we should find the VIPs to counter his advantage—but you disagree. Then tell me how you'd clear it."
"Yeah. If I were truly aiming to win, I wouldn't at least try to stand on the same level..."
"...Why not? Finding the VIPs is the most important part of this exam, isn't it?"
The key is accurately identifying VIPs. No matter which outcome you aim for, VIPs are essential.
Suppose Class C and Class D oppose each other and both know all the other's VIPs. If Class C moves to guess Class D's VIPs, Class D can simply do the same.
Mutual deterrence creates balance. Ending with Outcome 1 clearly benefits both sides most.
This works because there are exactly three VIPs per class pair—VIPs serve as bargaining chips and heavily influence results.
"Correct. Finding VIPs lets you maintain balance. Normally, you'd think you could stall the exam. But this time, that logic isn't absolute."
"This time?"
"Simple. Do you think someone who enjoys disrupting the field would stop at that level?"
His words make me fold my arms and reconsider.
I'd correctly assembled the victory formula, mapped the path to success. But would it really work on that madman?
Not just me—people sometimes assume what they're doing is common sense.
What is common sense? What is everyone's "obvious"? Does it apply to everyone?
No. No such law exists.
If the world followed one person's common sense—if it were a game where one person's word was right—there would be no individuality.
But our world isn't a game. People have individuality, take varied actions. Mixing them often leads to completely unforeseen results.
There is no single universal common sense. No field that can be absolutely controlled.
Thus, a single madman creating irregularity was entirely possible.
"...Then what should we do?"
"Asking questions doesn't suit you."
"You said you'd cooperate seriously, so I'm just referencing your opinion."
"I see. But I have no intention of telling you more. I've already given the trigger."
"Trigger? ...W-wait a second! We're not done talking!?"
Mid-conversation, he suddenly lifts himself from the railing and starts walking back the way he came.
To stop him, I quickly move and grab his right hand still in his pocket.
Caught, he stops, sighs, and speaks.
"What Katsuragi was doing wasn't wrong. Abandoning the exam tries to eliminate the discussion field itself—no matter how much it's disrupted.
And if you have a cooperative relationship with Class B, not using it would be a waste... I've given the hints. Let go, Horikita."
His eyes—colored yet colorless, utterly unlike his usual self—send a chill down my spine.
Instinctively releasing my grip at the sudden change, he walks away without looking back.
Countless things I want to say surge up, but more pressing is recording his latest hints in the notebook I carry.
But nothing comes to mind immediately from them.
Trying once more to gaze at the vast sea for a reset, the view has darkened with clouds—unable to clear my mood.
I decide to return to my room once, calm down, then act.
***
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