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On the morning of the third day of school, a peculiar tension filled the classroom of Class 1-C.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive solemnity in the air.
Ryuuen Kakeru stood at the podium, his hands in his pockets, his chin slightly raised, his sinister gaze, like a cold searchlight, slowly sweeping over every student below.
He had just finished an announcement—about the core rules of the "class points" system, and his decision that he, Ryuuen Kakeru, would become the sole leader of Class C.
"...So,"
Ryuuen's voice was low and oppressive, echoing in the silent classroom,
"From today on, what I, Ryuuen, say goes in Class C. To survive in this place and climb to Class A, you have to follow my rules. Any objections?"
His gaze, like solid ice picks, pierced several students who had previously shown defiance. Those students instinctively lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze. The classroom was silent.
Ryuuen's lips curved into a cold arc.
Good. The initial deterrence had been achieved.
"Since no one has any objections,"
He changed the subject, his voice carrying an undeniable command,
"Then, first thing—Albert!"
He turned his head to look at the back row of the classroom.
A figure like an iron tower stood up in response.
Yamada Albert, nearly two meters tall, his burly physique almost blocking the light from the back window. He had dark skin, a resolute face, and wore black sunglasses. Having witnessed Ryuuen's violence, he obeyed Ryuuen's commands.
He nodded silently, responding briefly in accented English:
"Yes, Boss."
"Go collect the money."
Ryuuen was concise,
"25,000 points per person. Now."
Yamada Albert took heavy steps, like a moving fortress, walking towards the students in the first row.
The students below instantly looked grim.
25,000 points! For new students with only 100,000 basic living points per month, this was a quarter!
Many showed expressions of pain and unwillingness, but looking at Ryuuen's cold gaze on the podium and Yamada Albert's oppressive physique, and recalling the "class points" information concerning class rankings that Ryuuen had just told them, no one dared to object.
A wave of suppressed sighs and the "beep" of mobile payments echoed in the classroom.
One by one, the students opened their payment interfaces, extremely reluctantly transferring points to Yamada Albert.
Ryuuen stood on the podium, watching all this with cold eyes, his molars clenching almost imperceptibly.
1,000,000 points!
This number was like a red-hot branding iron, burning in his heart.
The scene from yesterday afternoon in the teachers' office reappeared before his eyes—
Sakayanagi Arisu's elegant and composed demeanor, playing the role of a "generous" Class A honor student in front of the teacher;
And he, Ryuuen Kakeru, was forced to play the role of a "knowledge-hungry" Class C representative.
Sakayanagi casually proposed the exorbitant price of "2,000,000 points for information," watching his face instantly change color.
Class A homeroom teacher Mashima Tomoya showed surprise, and Class C homeroom teacher Sakasue Kazuma—the perpetually serious middle-aged man—frowned even more deeply.
He instinctively pushed up his glasses, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desktop, clearly very displeased with this astronomical figure.
"2,000,000 points?! Sakayanagi-san, this price... isn't it too outrageous!"
Sakasue Kazuma's voice carried clear displeasure and disbelief,
"This is half of Class C's monthly points! As a teacher, I must prioritize the students' interests."
"Sakasue-sensei, I understand your concerns."
Sakayanagi's voice was still soft, but carried undeniable confidence,
"But the value of this information concerns the future fate of Class C. It can guide them on how to improve their class ranking within the 'merit-based' framework... to surpass Class B."
"Surpass Class B"
These four words stirred ripples in Sakasue Kazuma's heart.
As the Class C homeroom teacher, his greatest wish was to lead his class upwards.
And this information could indeed bring a huge strategic advantage.
Sakayanagi continued:
"Moreover, Student Ryuuen actively sought cooperation, and this desire for knowledge and boldness is also commendable. That Class A can grasp information is our ability, and that Class C can think of trading points is their wisdom."
Mashima Tomoya pondered for a moment, then spoke:
"Sakasue-sensei, Sakayanagi-san's words have some truth. The value of information is indeed immeasurable. But 2,000,000 points is indeed too high, too burdensome for Class C. As teachers, while we cannot directly interfere with student transactions, we can mediate and seek a more reasonable price."
Sakasue Kazuma knew the importance of this information. He certainly wanted to bypass Sakayanagi and directly tell this information to Ryuuen, but teachers have limits on how much they can interfere with student affairs.
He looked at Ryuuen, this newly emerging leader of Class C, his eyes sharp, clearly also weighing the pros and cons.
Finally, Sakasue Kazuma took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:
"1,000,000 points. This is my acceptable bottom line. This information must be guaranteed to be true and complete."
He looked at Sakayanagi, his gaze sharp.
"Sakayanagi-san, do you guarantee it?"
Sakayanagi smiled slightly, nodding gracefully:
"Of course, Sakagami-sensei. With both teachers as witnesses, I guarantee the authenticity and value of the information."
Ryuuen suppressed the fury in his heart, maintaining a forced calm in front of the teachers, and nodded, accepting the blackmail.
He knew Sakayanagi was doing it on purpose! This woman had not only ambushed him with a recording but was now ruthlessly extorting him with information! One million points!
That was a quarter of Class 1-C's total class points!
But he had no choice.
If they didn't know the rules, Class 1-C could very likely lose all their points next month.
But now, armed with this information, Class 1-C had the chance to gain an advantage and even surpass Class B in the very first month!
These one million points were Class 1-C's entry ticket to climb up and overtake Class B!
This investment, in the long run, was worth it!
"Ryuuen-sama,"
a boy in the front row couldn't help but mumble softly,
"These 25,000 points... that's too much..."
Ryuuen's icy gaze instantly swept over him, like a tangible blade, making the boy immediately fall silent, his face pale.
"Too much?"
Ryuuen's voice was like ice, yet it carried an unprecedented persuasiveness,
"If I hadn't come up with a way to get this valuable information from Sakagami-sensei and cut the price down to one million points, how many points would you all have left next month? You might even drop directly into Class D!"
He linked the source of the information to official channels and portrayed himself as the leader who had negotiated with the teacher for the entire class's benefit, securing the best possible terms.
This was the story he had coordinated with the homeroom teacher; saying the information was purchased from an A-Class student might have caused a negative impression.
"With this information,"
Ryuuen's voice rose a few octaves, carrying an undeniable confidence,
"we can avoid all deduction traps, formulate strategies, and maintain our class points! In the first month, we can steadily suppress Class B! We might even challenge Class A! Is 25,000 points too much to buy a month's lead?!"
Upon hearing Ryuuen's words, the students' resentment on their faces dissipated somewhat, replaced by a complex emotion—a mix of shock, lingering fear, and awe at Ryuuen's boldness.
Although his methods were forceful, it seemed he was indeed thinking for Class 1-C.
Yamada Albert silently completed the task, handing the phone to Ryuuen.
Ryuuen took the phone, looking at the string of numbers, a hint of gloom flashing in the depths of his eyes.
Sakayanagi... I, Ryuuen, will remember these one million points! Sooner or later, I'll make you spit them out, principal and interest!
He put away his phone, his gaze once again becoming sharp as a tempered blade.
The information was in hand, the price paid, and Class 1-C's initial integration was complete. Now, it was time to get down to business!
His target had always been Sakamoto of Class A!
The guy who made him lose face in the cafeteria, the one Sakayanagi-san said "needed to be targeted"!
Sakayanagi-san wanted to use him to probe Sakamoto's true nature?
Hmph, Ryuuen Kakeru was not a pawn to be manipulated!
He would take the initiative, tear off Sakamoto's elegant and composed facade, and see what was truly hidden beneath!
But alone, facing the unfathomable Sakamoto, he probably wouldn't be enough.
He needed helpers, he needed a strategist.
Ryuuen's gaze swept across the room again.
Those thugs who only knew how to fight? No, fists were useless against someone like Sakamoto.
Those few boisterous, eccentric girls? Even worse, they'd only cause trouble.
His gaze finally landed on a figure in the window-side corner of the classroom.
Shiina Hiyori.
She sat there quietly, seemingly out of place amidst the surrounding clamor.
Her soft, silver hair fell like moonlight over her shoulders, a few strands covering half of her fair cheek.
She was slightly bowed, her gaze intently fixed on a thick mystery novel open on her desk, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the pages. Her violet eyes were as calm as water, revealing a nearly transparent indifference, utterly different from the restless atmosphere around her.
Ryuuen remembered her.
On the first day of school, she had been quietly reading like this, rarely interacting with others.
But a few times, he noticed her observing the people and events around her, with a gaze that was almost cold, analytical, and scrutinizing. That focus and serenity were distinctly different from the other Class 1-C students.
This one might be interesting.
Ryuuen no longer hesitated.
He stepped down from the podium and walked straight towards Shiina Hiyori's seat.
His footsteps were exceptionally clear in the quiet classroom, attracting everyone's attention.
Shiina Hiyori seemed immersed in the world of her book, until Ryuuen's tall figure cast a shadow over her desk, and she slowly looked up.
Her violet eyes calmly met Ryuuen's, without panic, without curiosity, as if she had already anticipated his arrival.
Ryuuen stopped at her desk, looking down at her.
He didn't speak, but simply stared at her with his ominous eyes, full of pressure.
Shiina Hiyori closed the mystery novel in her hands, her movements gentle and fluid. She tilted her head slightly, meeting Ryuuen's scrutinizing gaze, her violet eyes still calm and unruffled.
"Student Ryuuen,"
her voice was soft and ethereal, like a feather brushing by,
"Is something wrong?"
Ryuuen's lips curved into an icy arc. He leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the edge of Shiina Hiyori's desk, his body tilting, and a powerful, almost tangible pressure enveloped her.
His gaze was sharp as a knife, his voice deep and direct:
"Hey, Hiyori."
He deliberately called her by her first name, with an undeniable sense of control,
"What do you know about Sakamoto of Class A?"