The atmosphere in the sterile, fluorescent-lit corridor of Advanced Nurturing High School was thick with a tension that Ichinose Honami found almost suffocating.
Beside her, Jin stood with a posture so relaxed it felt predatory. He was a pillar of calm, but inside, Ichinose Honami's mind was a whirlwind of guilt and sheer disbelief.
She stole a glance at him, watching the way he held the gaze of Katsuragi Kohei. Jin had just lied—not a white lie, but a monumental, breathtaking fabrication.
He had claimed Class 1-B spent two million Private Points to secure the school's hidden rules from their advisor, Hoshinomiya Chie.
Ichinose Honami knew the gritty truth: Though the original price was indeed 2 million private points, but they had only spent 210,000 points in total to 'confirmed' the hidden rules not 'buy' the hidden rules.
Furthermore, the notebook Jin held wasn't even the "official" version verified by Hoshinomiya Chie. It was a compilation of intel he had scavenged from upperclassmen for the paltry sum of 10,000 points.
He was selling a bargain-bin map as a royal charter, and he was doing it with the sincerity of a saint.
How can he look so honest? she wondered, her heart hammering against her ribs. He looks like he truly believes his own words.
Katsuragi Kohei, the man who prided himself on his stoicism and caution, was visibly weighing the numbers. He was a man of logic, and logic dictated that a discount from two million to one million was a windfall.
"If the cost is one million, that means each student in Class 1-A would need to contribute roughly 25,000 Private Points," Katsuragi mused, his brow furrowed in deep calculation. He turned his head toward the girl sitting delicately nearby. "What's your decision, Sakayanagi?"
Sakayanagi Arisu, the girl who sat like a queen on a throne of mystery, let a soft, melodic chuckle escape her lips. Her violet eyes danced with a light that suggested she saw through the walls, perhaps even through Jin's mask.
"I agree with Arima-kun," she said, her voice like silk. "This is an excellent deal. After all, who in their right mind would hesitate between paying two million or one million? It would be a lapse in judgment to refuse such 'generosity'."
Katsuragi grunted. He disliked Sakayanagi's cryptic nature and her condescending air, but he was pragmatism personified.
In this Darwinian school environment, information was the only currency that mattered more than points. If Class 1-B had the keys to the kingdom, Class 1-A—the self-proclaimed elite—could not afford to be left in the dark.
"Fine," Katsuragi Kohei declared. He didn't waste time. He stepped back into the classroom, his authoritative voice booming as he mobilized his faction. He was a man of action, a traditional leader who commanded through presence and reliability.
While the points were being gathered, Ichinose Honami watched the scene with a interest. She noticed Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't moved an inch. She remained in her seat, tapping her cane rhythmically against the floor, lost in a private world of amusement.
"Uh, Sakayanagi-san?" Ichinose Honami asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Aren't you going to help gather the points? It's quite a large sum for one person to coordinate."
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile widened, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. "That's unnecessary, Ichinose-san. Katsuragi-kun is more than capable of handling such... physical tasks. He enjoys the labor of leadership."
"Besides, the class heard our discussion. They are students of Class A; they can make their own rational decisions without me holding their hands."
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed this. He leaned closer to Ichinose Honami, whispering just loud enough for her to hear. "I see."
This exchange was more valuable than the million points they were about to receive. It confirmed the structural weakness of their greatest rival. Class 1-A was a house divided.
On one side stood Katsuragi Kohei, the diligent, conservative general. On the other stood Sakayanagi Arisu, the brilliant, unpredictable tactician. They weren't just two leaders; they were two opposing philosophies.
A divided house cannot stand against a united front, Jin thought. As long as these two were at each other's throats, Class 1-B had a path to the top.
Minutes later, Katsuragi Kohei returned. He looked slightly winded but triumphant, holding a digital ledger of the collected points.
"Before we finalize the transaction," Jin said, his voice dropping into a cold, professional register, "all of you in Class 1-A must sign this contract."
He signaled Ichinose Honami, who pulled out a stack of papers they had prepared earlier in Hoshinomiya Chie's office. The contract was a masterpiece of legal intimidation. It wasn't just a receipt; it was a gag order.
[AGREEMENT OF INFORMATION TRANSFER]
• Class 1-B agrees to provide the "Hidden Rules of ANHS" to Class 1-A for the sum of 1,000,000 Private Points.
• Class 1-A is strictly prohibited from reselling, duplicating, or leaking this information to Classes C or D.
• Any verbal discussion of these rules with outside parties is a breach of contract.
Penalty: Violation of these terms will result in a formal report to the school administration, carrying the recommendation of immediate expulsion.
Katsuragi Kohei scanned the document. His eyes lingered on the word "expulsion," but he didn't flinch. In his mind, Class 1-A was too smart to leak their own advantage. He signed it, followed by the rest of the class, one by one.
"Alright," Jin said, his eyes scanning the signatures. "Payment first, then delivery."
He patted Ichinose Honami's shoulder, a gesture of grounding support. "Ichinose-san, collect the payment."
She stepped forward, her hands shaking slightly as she held out Jin's phone. Katsuragi tapped his device against hers. A soft *ping* chime echoed in the quiet hallway—the sound of a million private points being transferred.
Ichinose looked at her screen.
[Balance: 2,389,742]
The sheer scale of the number made her dizzy. She gave Jin a quick, frantic nod.
"It's done," she whispered.
Jin didn't hesitate. He pulled the notebook from his jacket—the "dirt-cheap" notebook provided at free section—and handed it to Katsuragi. "The truth is yours. Use it wisely."
As Jin turned to leave, Sakayanagi's voice rang out, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait a moment, Arima-kun."
He turned back, meeting her piercing violet gaze. She was looking at him not as a classmate, but as a scientist might look at a new, fascinating specimen.
"I'd like to know... who in Class 1-B was the first to discover the existence of these hidden rules? Was it you? Or was it the ever-radiant Ichinose-san?"
The question was a trap. If he credited Ichinose Honami, she would look for a weakness in her kindness. If he credited himself, he was painting a target on his back.
"It was me," Jin answered instantly, his voice devoid of ego. "Didn't I ask you to make sure your points are ready, Sakayanagi-san?"
"Oh, no reason~" She tilted her head, her silver hair catching the light. "I just find you... very interesting."
"You have a way of moving through the world that suggests you aren't playing the same game as everyone else. Something tells me this won't be our last conversation."
Jin let out a dry chuckle. "I was thinking the same thing. You already have my contact info, call me if there is good deal. Good luck with your rules."
With a final wave from Ichinose Honami, the two of them disappeared down the corridor, leaving the lions of Class A to feast on the scraps of information they had provided.
Inside the classroom, the silence was heavy. Katsuragi Kohei and Sakayanagi Arisu hovered over the notebook, their classmates crowding around. As they turned the pages, the reality of their situation began to sink in.
The meritocratic evaluation of behavior.
The fact that only Class A graduates with guaranteed employment.
The rules were a cold shower to those who thought they could coast on their middle-school reputations. But as the shock wore off, Katsuragi Kohei's analytical mind began to pick at the scabs of the deal.
"If the school is truly structured like this—a zero-sum game where only one class wins," Katsuragi Kohei muttered, his grip tightening on the notebook, "then why would Arima sell this to us? By giving us this information, he's helping his direct rivals."
He looked at the contract, then back at the notebook. "He held something back. Or worse, he's used our points to fund a counter-offensive we haven't even seen yet."
Sakayanagi Arisu didn't seem bothered. She was still thinking about the boy who had just walked out. "Perhaps. But for now, Katsuragi-kun, we have a more pressing internal matter."
She closed the notebook with a sharp thud and looked up at him, her eyes turning cold and predatory.
"Don't forget—we still haven't decided on a class representative. And now that we know the true nature of this school, it is even more critical that Class 1-A is led by someone truly competent. Not just someone who can follow rules, but someone who can rewrite them."
Katsuragi Kohei's jaw set. The air between them crackled with hostility. "So, you're officially throwing down the gauntlet? You think you're the one to lead us through this 'war'?"
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile was like a blade. "Of course. If Arima-kun is a character of Trump-card caliber, I'd rate him an SSR. He is a rarity, a fluke of the system."
She paused, looking Katsuragi Kohei up and down with blatant dismissiveness. "But you, Katsuragi-kun? In this new world we've just discovered... you're barely a C-tier. A relic of an Common items."
The insult hit Katsuragi Kohei like a physical blow. He didn't shout; he didn't lose his temper. He simply stood taller, his shadow looming over her.
"We'll see about that, Sakayanagi Arisu. I will lead this class to graduation as Class A. I'll prove to you, and to Arima, that stability and discipline wins every time."
Sakayanagi Arisu's soft laughter followed him as he turned away. "Go ahead and try. But I don't plan on losing. After all... I have a new toy to play with now. Isn't that right, Arima-kun?"
Deep in the halls of Class 1-B, Ichinose finally stopped walking. She leaned against a locker, exhaling a breath she felt she'd been holding for an hour.
"Arima-kun... that was terrifying. We just took a million points from Class A by lying to their faces."
Jin stopped and looked at her. For the first time that day, his cold mask softened into something resembling a real smile.
"We didn't just take their points, Ichinose-san. We bought time. We bought resources. And most importantly, we planted a seed of doubt in their leadership."
He looked at his own phone, the points reflected in his eyes. "Class A is a fortress," he said quietly.
"But even the strongest fortress can be taken if you convince the guards to fight each other for the keys."
Ichinose Honami looked at him, a mixture of admiration and fear in her heart. She realized then that the "kind" Class 1-B she knew was changing. Under Jin's influence, they weren't just the 'nice' class anymore. They were becoming contenders.
"What's the next move?" she asked.
Jin looked toward the horizon visible through the hallway window. "Now, we see how Class C and D behave. The real game is only just beginning."