Classroom of the Elite, I Really Just Want to Collect All the CGs

What about the extra points? In any case, he couldn't possibly expose Hoshinomiya Chie, nor could he leak the information to Class B so they could sell it to Class D and split the profits. If he actually did that, he would truly offend Hoshinomiya Chie beyond repair.

Shikime Natsu didn't yet know the consequences of offending a teacher, but at the very least, as a newly enrolled student, his maneuvering skills were likely inferior to those of Hoshinomiya Chie.

Besides, there was no telling if it would affect his future dealings with Class B; he couldn't afford to drain the pond to catch the fish.

Since that was the case...

He would settle Class C first.

A plan formed in Shikime Natsu's mind; the outcome of this contest was already decided.

Taking out his phone, Shikime Natsu quickly found the contact information for Ryuen Kakeru.

He dialed the number directly.

"Hey, Ryuen, have you completely dominated Class C yet?"

Shikime Natsu spoke up. As for waiting for the "right time" to finalize things, he didn't like that approach. Even if it meant the gap between Class C and Class A wouldn't widen much, he didn't care.

Just like his answer to Hoshinomiya Chie, he didn't care.

"You bastard, what do you want with me?"

Ryuen Kakeru's impatient voice rang out from the other end of the line.

"If you have already seized control of Class C, then we can continue our conversation. If not, then I'm hanging up."

Shikime Natsu spoke. After only one day of school, seizing control of the entire Class C should be difficult, especially for someone like Ryuen Kakeru who used violence to conquer the class; the difficulty was even higher.

Unless Ryuen Kakeru possessed overwhelming combat prowess—well, dealing with Ishizaki Daichi would be fine, but Yamada Albert would likely be a challenge.

"Wait, it's a deal, right? The authority of Class C is in my hands now. Speak, how do you intend to trade?"

Ryuen Kakeru's tone rose slightly.

"Bring your homeroom teacher and come to room XX at the Keyaki Mall karaoke."

Shikime Natsu didn't intend to say so much over the phone, ensuring there wouldn't be any unexpected variables. Ryuen Kakeru was a man with terrifying execution capabilities.

He hadn't expected Ryuen Kakeru to be able to subdue the entire Class C in such a short time; he really wasn't to be underestimated.

"Can't you say it over the phone?"

"Correct, to ensure there aren't so many variables."

On the other end, Ryuen Kakeru fell silent.

"You'd better not make me waste a trip."

Ryuen Kakeru's voice, tinged with a warning, sounded before the line went dead with a "beep."

Shikime Natsu opened a new karaoke room; there was still a drunkard in the original one, and he didn't want to disturb them further.

Of course, the main reason was that Shikime Natsu was worried that guy would make him pay the bill at the end. After all, he had just taken 1.5 million private points from Hoshinomiya Chie, and that guy might try to sponge off him.

"Classmate Sakayanagi wants to talk to you."

At this moment, Kamuro Masumi suddenly sent a message.

Chapter 26: Sakayanagi: "My deduction should be correct, right?"

Why was this person coming after him again?

And she was even calling him out by name; it was truly troublesome.

"Should I refuse?"

Seeing that Shikime Natsu had read the message but hadn't replied, Kamuro Masumi quickly typed a few more words.

"No need, I'll speak to her myself."

After replying, Shikime Natsu dialed Sakayanagi Arisu's number directly.

"Ara, I didn't expect Classmate Shikime to call me personally."

Sakayanagi Arisu responded with a tone of feigned surprise, her voice laced with a hint of mockery.

"To take care of a classmate who wasn't feeling well, you even arranged for Classmate Kamuro to follow me. You really are a thoughtful leader~"

It was a bit too sarcastic, though Shikime Natsu didn't feel much of anything; after all, Sakayanagi Arisu was worth treating this way.

If Sakayanagi Arisu had been nearby when he was trading with Ichinose Honami and the others, or if she had been there when he was trading with Hoshinomiya Chie, she would have caused him no small amount of trouble.

"Classmate Sakayanagi doesn't need to thank me like that; it's what I should do."

"Ara, Classmate Shikime is truly thick-skinned."

Sarcasm wasn't working, so she was going straight for the direct approach, huh?

She really was a brat.

"Calling me now, I think... you must have completed your deal, right?"

Sakayanagi Arisu's soft voice rang out slowly as she sat on a school bench, her gaze fixed on the greenery in the distance.

"Not bad. Sakayanagi, you can just concede now."

Shikime Natsu was blunt.

"Oh my, it seems one million points was indeed too low an amount, which is why Shikime-kun is so confident."

Hearing Shikime Natsu's attitude, a small sense of dissatisfaction rose within the girl's heart.

"Are you looking to renege on our deal?"

Shikime Natsu's tone was as if he didn't care in the slightest whether Sakayanagi Arisu backed out or not.

"Of course not."

Sakayanagi Arisu's proud self-esteem would never allow her to do such a thing.

She really is quite a prideful person.

"I have no way to interfere with Shikime-kun's actions right now, but could you tell me how you obtained information about this school?"

Sakayanagi Arisu adjusted her tone slightly.

"So you hadn't even thought of that? I thought Sakayanagi-san would be a bit more capable..."

Shikime Natsu's tone was slightly surprised.

"You...!"

Even a girl can have a temper, and Shikime Natsu's behavior was undoubtedly a provocation.

However, the look of irritation on her face vanished almost immediately; she was truly a master of facial expression management.

"It has to do with Ichinose-san from Class B, right?"

Sakayanagi Arisu spoke slowly, uttering a person's name.

"It seems I guessed correctly."

Shikime Natsu had only paused for a brief moment, yet that was enough for Sakayanagi Arisu to arrive at the answer.

Relying solely on a guess?

Shikime Natsu didn't believe in such coincidences.

"Ever since Shikime-kun left, I have been sitting on the bench in front of the academic building observing. Only Ichinose-san and her two companions from Class B left the academic building with a teacher."

"So I thought... if Shikime-kun wanted to know the answers regarding this school, he would most likely start with Ichinose-san and her group. After all, when we were in the classroom, Shikime-kun never once suggested that everyone pool their points to purchase information from Mashima-sensei."

"This tactic should be called 'borrowing a chicken to lay eggs,' right? You told the information to Ichinose-san and the others, letting them purchase the school's intelligence. That way, Shikime-kun wouldn't need to spend any of his own points at all, right?"

Sakayanagi Arisu's analysis could be called spot-on. This person's insight is truly remarkable; she was able to deduce this just from seeing a teacher leave with students, and she even figured out that he was using this specific strategy.

It seems Sakayanagi Arisu isn't just someone whose head is filled with thoughts of backstabbing.

"However... I am curious, how did you manage to get them to agree to let you sell the information? In terms of probability, that is very low."

As she spoke, Sakayanagi Arisu organized her logic, a curve forming at the corner of her mouth. Clearly, she didn't think there was any flaw in her reasoning.

As for how to get Ichinose Honami to buy it, that was a simple matter. Once the stakes were laid out, there was no problem, especially with the one hundred thousand points that everyone cared about.

"Sakayanagi, what I focus on isn't probability, but possibility."

Shikime Natsu chuckled softly and shifted into a more comfortable position against the sofa.

"Hmm, a good answer. Next, as long as Shikime-kun successfully sells the information to Class C and Class D, I will have lost this game."

Even in defeat, Sakayanagi Arisu didn't seem to feel any disappointment. After all, this was a method she could have thought of herself; it was just that Shikime Natsu had gotten there first.

"There is no need for Sakayanagi to worry about that. You should focus on finding a suitable maid outfit as soon as possible."

The moment Shikime Natsu imagined Sakayanagi Arisu wearing a maid outfit, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

"If you don't have enough points, I can lend you some~"

He was naturally referring to the moment he won, when all ninety thousand of Sakayanagi Arisu's points would belong to him. By then, she would only have a few thousand personal points left.

One must remember that this is only the first day of school. If she only has a few thousand points left, and then spends more to buy a maid outfit, it's safe to say that Sakayanagi Arisu would have to survive on cafeteria relief meals for the foreseeable future.

Although it's a bit pitiful, but... she needs to be taught a lesson.

This person's personality is truly too malicious.

"Heh, that won't be necessary. I will honor our agreement."

Sakayanagi Arisu gave a light huff. Although her deduction was correct, she had indeed lost.

Of course, none of that mattered.

"It seems the time ahead won't be too boring after all."

After hanging up the phone, something called anticipation appeared in Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes.

The provocation she had initiated against Shikime Natsu was merely to test whether he was qualified to sit at the table and play against her. Now that Shikime Natsu was already seated, and she hadn't even taken her place yet...

As someone who had always been the victor, the taste of "failure" was something she was experiencing for the first time. This feeling... once is enough.

...If she wants to play against Shikime Natsu, she certainly cannot do it without pawns by her side.

Sakayanagi Arisu opened her phone and accessed the class roster. The information of every single person was etched into her mind.

Kamuro Masumi... Katsuragi Kohei... Totsuka Yahiko... Hashimoto Masayoshi... Yamamura Miki—all of these were excluded. As for the others, although their current stance was still in favor of Shikime Natsu, it didn't mean there wasn't an opportunity to poach them.