Guardian

"Ryuen and Sakayanagi are indeed difficult opponents," Hoshino Kanade replied.

He wasn't entirely acting out of kindness; Ichinose's honesty was reciprocated.

Her confessions primarily revolved around her personal feelings and the overall predicament, never touching upon specific class strategies or point allocations.

Even though she trusted Hoshino, she only discussed private matters, strictly adhering to the boundaries of class secrets.

This sense of propriety actually put Hoshino at ease.

From the fragmented information she occasionally revealed, Hoshino could piece together that Class A, led by Ichinose, was under immense pressure.

But interestingly, even with mountains of pressure, he could sense the astonishing growth rate of Class A's members.

If not for that, facing the dual assault from Ryuen and Sakayanagi, relying solely on unity would have led to their complete collapse long ago.

"Hoshino-kun, thank you so much for listening to me..." another message popped up on the screen.

Hoshino's fingers hovered over the screen for a moment.

Class A, bearing the title of a top-tier class, was currently like a plump sheep surrounded by wolves. The phrase "unearned prestige" couldn't be more fitting, and the internal pressure was imaginable.

As the core of the class, Ichinose's pressure amplified geometrically.

Unexpectedly, she was willing to reveal her fatigue and vulnerability to him, an outsider student.

This inexplicable trust stirred a slight ripple within Hoshino's heart.

Currently, his exchanges with Ichinose had largely become a way for her to alleviate stress.

Looking at the screen, Hoshino could picture her putting on a brave face in front of everyone in Class A.

Yet, towards him, the "Hoshino-kun" from another class, she had unexpectedly let down some of her guard.

She showed him her vulnerability under pressure, but always maintained her responsibilities and secrets as Class A's leader.

This meant that almost everything she confided in him revolved around the troubles caused by external conflicts and her personal stress.

He began to type a reply earnestly, choosing his words carefully: "You're bearing pressure far beyond that of others, and seeking ways to relieve it isn't weakness. As for Ryuen and Sakayanagi..."

He frowned slightly, his fingertips tapping, "Remember, their core objective is always to achieve their goals; conflict is merely a means.

Sometimes, the apparent conflicts are their ways of testing Class A. Don't get led by the nose... Try to strip away their true 'objectives' from their actions, and your response will be more targeted."

Recalling the snippets of information from their recent messages, Hoshino mused.

Ichinose had mentioned "everyone in the class has become more united," "our response strategies are also rapidly adjusting," and "although it's difficult, we can still hold steady for now"...

These pieces of information confirmed his judgment: under pressure, Class A was demonstrating remarkable resilience and evolutionary capability.

Speaking of which, it was thanks to Class A, led by Ichinose, bearing the brunt of the pressure that these troubles hadn't spilled over to his Class D, allowing him and his classmates to live relatively peacefully.

For this reason, Hoshino didn't mind playing the role of comforter and advisor in their messages, whether it was seemingly casual advice or analysis to help her sort out her thoughts.

"Thank you, Hoshino-kun." Ichinose's reply was swift. "Talking to you makes me feel so much better." The rare sense of dependence was evident in her words.

After all, Ichinose was the one Class A needed to worry about the most.

Across the cold screen, cultivating and guiding through text communication was, for the current Hoshino, not an ineffective method.

End of conversation.

Ultimately, the life-or-death struggles of the other classes temporarily wouldn't affect Class D.

With Class A drawing fire, and Class D, with zero points, probably no class would want to provoke them.

This kind of peaceful life was good.

However, Hoshino wouldn't forget the biggest "flawed product" within Class D—their homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.

She would never give up her obsession with ascending to Class A.

His gaze unconsciously swept across the classroom.

Everyone was enjoying their wonderful school life.

For such a class, perhaps only by taking unconventional paths could there be a sliver of hope.

So, who would be the tool Chabashira Sae intended to utilize?

Hoshino turned his head.

Kiyona had been staring blankly at Hoshino just moments before. Now, as Hoshino suddenly turned, their gazes met.

Kiyona showed no embarrassment at being caught peeking; instead, she slightly curved her lips.

This smile bloomed just for him.

He thought to himself: If Chabashira Sae dared to lay a hand on Kiyona, he wouldn't be polite.