Ryuen: Class D, Go Take Down Class A

Keep showing off that rebellious streak of yours!

Kouenji's eccentric behavior had also successfully caught Ryuen's attention. He gave a cold laugh and left Class D's classroom.

Kamio Tatsuya also followed the crowd of students out of the classroom and headed to the library.

"Classmate Sakayanagi, do you think that person could be Kouenji?"

On the school grounds, Ishizaki followed behind Ryuen and asked quietly.

"Who knows? But probably not."

"No? It isn't him?"

"The guy acting behind the scenes chose to remain Anonymous from the very beginning, which means he doesn't want his identity exposed.

And from what I've learned about Kouenji, he isn't the sort of person who would hide himself, so it probably isn't him.

But don't let your guard down. It's possible this is all just a disguise."

Ryuen had gone to Class D today to put pressure on Anonymous, but he hadn't expected Kouenji to come along and ruin things.

So whether or not Kouenji was Anonymous, Ryuen decided to hold it against him.

"Then what do we do about that guy? Are we just supposed to wait?" Ishizaki asked, sounding frustrated.

Ryuen was just as helpless about it. There was nothing he could do, either.

The school refused to help, and he had no leads of his own. He had no way to find the person.

He'd originally hoped to find a clue by looking into Yamauchi, but after asking around, he learned that Yamauchi had only been doing what someone else told him.

He was nothing but a puppet—and a puppet with no strings attached.

The trail had gone cold, leaving Ryuen without a single lead.

Still, he wasn't worried.

Class D's advantage wouldn't last forever.

Once the month ended, Class D would surely earn some points from the Midterm Exam.

Once they had points, Class D wouldn't be able to pull off this kind of trick so easily anymore.

So Anonymous would definitely make another move—before the month was over... no, before the Midterm Exam.

Just after Ryuen had finished analyzing the situation, things changed.

"Classmate Ryuen, that person has appeared again."

"Where?"

"On the forum again. The post says that every class should give Class D 400,000 Private Points before school lets out tomorrow. The Points should be handed to Hirata from Class D, who'll distribute them."

At last. A smile appeared at the corner of Ryuen's mouth.

The next day at noon, Ryuen's Class C was the first to arrive at Class D. The students from Class B came next. They were Ichinose and Kanzaki, whom Kamio Tatsuya had met before.

The person who came from Class A was a boy with a golden ponytail who looked a little laid-back. Almost everyone from Class D was there, and Hirata had already been waiting at the classroom entrance.

Although he didn't really approve of this approach, he'd decided to follow Anonymous's instructions and accept the Points from the other classes for the sake of letting Class D's students enjoy their school life.

"I didn't expect you to be the one from Class A, Hashimoto."

Ryuen gave him a cold greeting when he saw him.

"Haha, I'm just here on the Princess's orders to find out what's going on. By the way, Ryuen, are you really planning to pay?" Hashimoto laughed awkwardly.

Tch. No wonder they were an upper-ranked class. In just a month, they'd gotten to know students from other classes, too.

Unlike Kamio Tatsuya, who couldn't even remember all the names of the students in Class D.

That was the difference!

Chapter 42: Ryuen: Class D, Go Take Down Class A

"Looks like Class A doesn't plan to pay. Have Sakayanagi and Katsuragi disagreed?" Ryuen guessed what was going on in Class A as soon as he heard Hashimoto.

Hashimoto gave a wry smile, confirming it.

"Hey, Hirata. Get your phone out."

Hirata did as he was told, and the transaction was completed soon after. He successfully received 400,000 Points from Ryuen.

Ryuen had done this mainly to see how the school would react if the person behind Class D really got the Points this way.

That was right—he and Kamio Tatsuya had the same goal: to test the school's limits.

The difference was that Kamio Tatsuya had done it himself, while Ryuen was simply going along with it.

"I've received the 400,000 Private Points. I'll keep Class D's students in line."

Ryuen snorted coldly, then turned his attention to Class B.

"What does Class B plan to do?"

The girl named Ichinose thought for a moment, then stepped forward as well.

"I don't know why you handed over the Points so willingly, Ryuen, but I have a feeling that if we don't, something troublesome might happen."

Seeing Ichinose take out her phone without hesitation, Hirata looked conflicted.

If taking Ryuen's Points was understandable, then taking them from Ichinose made him feel terribly awkward.

After all, Ichinose's friendly nature was already well known throughout the First Year. She was kind to everyone.

So Hirata felt extremely uncomfortable accepting the money, and it showed on his face.

What the hell are you feeling awkward for? You're not the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

I'll say it again: Class D really was a bunch of useless deadweight.

Kamio Tatsuya would bet that if Class C's Class Points were wiped out, Ryuen would use this blackmail scheme without hesitation. He might even take it further and drag all three classes down with him.

And yet these Class D idiots were dragging their feet over accepting money.

Pathetic!

"You're certainly cautious, Ichinose." Ryuen mocked her, then looked at Hashimoto. "So Class A definitely won't hand over the 400,000 Points?"

"That's right. Katsuragi doesn't agree with paying Class D protection money. He thinks that even if Class A's students are harassed, we wouldn't do anything beneath our status."

Hashimoto stated Katsuragi's opinion plainly, as if to say, "If you've got the guts, come at us fair and square!"

"In that case, this is easy." Ryuen gave a sinister smile. "Hey, Hirata, I want to hire Class D with Points."

Hire them?

Hirata froze. Hire them to do what?

"I'll hire Class D's students to harass Class A's students. For every Class Point Class A loses, I'll give you 10,000 Private Points."

As soon as Ryuen said that, Hashimoto was dumbstruck.

At the same time, he admired Sakayanagi even more.

Before coming, he'd learned from Sakayanagi that something like this might happen. He hadn't expected it to come true.

Hirata was just as stunned. He couldn't believe anyone could do that.

"Of course, this offer is open to everyone in Class D. If any student in Class D completes a job for me alone, I'll pay them the same."

After Ryuen finished speaking, several students in Class D began to look tempted.

All they had to do was bait a Class A student into making a mistake and get 100 Class Points deducted from them. That would earn them a million Private Points!

That was a fortune!

If they spent carefully, it could last them three years!

Looking at Hirata's baffled expression, Ryuen started tempting him. "There's nothing wrong with it, is there? Class A is your enemy, too. There's no need to talk about honor when dealing with an enemy. There's nothing wrong with using a few tricks, right?"

Ichinose was startled by Ryuen's words, too.

She hadn't expected him to pull a stunt like this.

With this offer on the table, even if Hirata could keep most of them in line, Class D still had plenty of problem students.

For money, someone might really do something like this. There was already a precedent.

Even if the students in Class B could keep their cool after someone accepted the job, they would still be seriously affected, especially with the Midterm Exam coming up.

If someone was harassed, couldn't focus on studying, failed the exam, and got expelled, Ichinose would feel that she was to blame.

At this moment, Ichinose felt the 400,000 had been well spent. Since Class D had taken the money, they couldn't back out; otherwise, they'd be committing fraud, and the school would deal with them.

If that happened, Anonymous would be caught and hauled out for a warning, too.

Now that things had reached this point, Kamio Tatsuya could withdraw from the scene.

At this point, whether or not Hirata agreed no longer mattered.

With Ryuen's offer of Points on the table, someone would always be willing to take a risk for them.

Hashimoto, the only person present from Class A, was already sweating profusely.

Princess, why did you have to guess so accurately?

But since you guessed right, you must have a way to deal with it, right?

A way to deal with it?

Not a chance.

Why was it called an Open Scheme? Because it was nearly impossible to counter. That was what made it an Open Scheme.

Pay up or get harassed. Two choices, with no other options.

Unless you flipped the table, there was no easy way around it.

"Please wait!" Hashimoto couldn't sit still any longer. "Let me go back and discuss this with my classmates. I'll give Class D an answer before school lets out today."

Hashimoto stepped in, deciding to buy some time.

Whether or not Class A planned to pay, he had to tell Sakayanagi and Katsuragi what was happening and then discuss it further with them.

"Uh, all right. I understand."

Hirata nodded, agreeing for the time being.

"Then you'd better hurry. Class D's friends might not be willing to wait that long." Ryuen's words were laced with hints, urging the students in Class D to hurry up and act.

As long as they made a move that cost Class A Class Points, he'd be willing to pay.

As soon as Hashimoto heard that, he turned and left at once. He had to report the situation to Sakayanagi.

After Hashimoto left, the students from Class D gradually dispersed as well. Kamio Tatsuya had finished watching the show, so he headed for the school cafeteria.

[You posted that Anonymous message, didn't you, Kamio-kun?]

Sitting in a corner of the cafeteria, Kamio Tatsuya looked at the message Sakayanagi had sent him. An amused expression crossed his face.

She's got some skills. She actually figured out it was me.

But maybe she just guessed, like Horikita did?

[Don't joke around. I don't need that little bit of Points.]

[Is that so? Then I'll assume I guessed wrong. If it was you, I'd like to discuss a business deal with you.]

Business!

At the sight of that word, Kamio Tatsuya looked conflicted for a moment, but still replied.

[Then you've got the wrong person.]

"Is that so? Then why did Kamio-kun look so conflicted just now?"

Hearing the voice in front of him, Kamio Tatsuya's face instantly stiffened.

Holy crap, she'd tracked him down in person!

He'd been so focused just now that he hadn't noticed someone had come right up to him.

By the time he looked up, Kamio Tatsuya had already put on a puzzled expression.

"Conflicted? What conflicted look? Classmate Sakayanagi, you weren't talking to me just now, were you?"