The Leader of Class 3-C, Preparations for the Final Stand

Night.

A karaoke room.

"Senior Shinroku, I believe now is the best time to initiate the plan. If we wait until graduation draws near, many people will convert their points into cash, and by then, the entire grade won't be able to scrape together the 20 million private points."

After stating his perspective, Dokuho Kouya fell silent, leaving time for thought to the third-year Class C senior sitting on the side sofa.

Shinroku Sato pondered for a moment before nodding slightly. "What you say has some merit. While the third-year students still cannot exchange points for cash, gathering everyone to pool their points should make it possible to reach the 20 million required for a class transfer."

"However," the leader of third-year Class C, Shinroku Sato, shifted his tone, "just because I think you make sense doesn't mean I agree to the point-collection plan."

"Since you already know about the special exams, I'll be blunt: there is still one year left. No one knows what kind of special exams we will face next. Even our Class C has the potential to pull off a comeback through a special exam."

Shinroku Sato wore a serious expression. "It's too early to give up now."

If the upcoming special exams offered winners a massive amount of class points, then their Class C would still have a chance to rise to Class A.

"Senior Shinroku, do you actually believe what you just said?" Dokuho Kouya found it amusing.

"Are you looking down on us?" Shinroku Sato frowned, his face showing a hint of anger.

"If I recall correctly, your grade's competition is between Class A and Class B, while Class C competes with Class D, right? You struggle to even defeat Class B, let alone Class A, which is far stronger."

Dokuho Kouya leaned back on the sofa, speaking in a relaxed manner. "Even if there are special exams with high rewards later on, they will only be won by Class A or Class B. It will never be your turn in Class C."

In the Chess Club and Shogi Club, Dokuho Kouya had obtained the contact information for all the leaders of the third-year students, ultimately deciding to communicate with the leader of Class C first.

The status of Class C was neither high nor low; they were better than the defective Class D, but the gap between them and Class A and Class B was immense.

It could be said that in the race for Class A, Class C was at best a participant in the background; no matter how hard they tried, they had no way to climb higher.

"Such a thing, if we don't try..." Shinroku Sato wanted to retort, but the words died on his lips.

Try?

They had already tried many times.

Yet, when facing the Class A led by Manabu Horikita, they were completely powerless and suffered miserable defeats.

Even Class B was often able to defeat them during special exams.

Just as Dokuho Kouya said, their Class C could at most compete with Class D; they had no way to compete with Class A and Class B.

"Senior Shinroku, you mentioned giving up just now, but I don't think this is giving up," Dokuho Kouya said. "This is merely taking out insurance for a final gamble."

While explaining things to the leader of third-year Class C, he had already mentioned the reasons for the failures of previous seniors: they had converted their points into cash, thereby losing their chance for a final gamble.

"If you hadn't thought of it, that would be one thing, but now that I have informed you of the method..." Dokuho Kouya paused, then continued, "When graduation arrives, you will surely spend it in regret."

"Why didn't we try to pool our points back then? If we had gathered enough for a class transfer, we might have been able to graduate as Class A students."

"That kind of regret might haunt you for the rest of your lives."

Influenced by the school, the obsession of most Advanced Nurturing students with graduating from Class A could be described as bordering on madness.

If they had the chance to graduate from Class A but didn't try, they could truly regret it for over a decade.

Much like Sae Chabashira and Tomonori Hoshinomiya, who had once attended this school; because they didn't graduate from Class A and their class fell apart, those two had been dwelling on it for over ten years.

"Insurance for a final gamble?" Shinroku Sato frowned.

Just as Kouya said, if they hadn't heard about pooling points for a class transfer, it would be one thing, but now that they had heard it, a seed had surely been planted in their hearts.

When the end came, if they didn't have enough points for a final attempt, they would certainly feel immense regret.

An ordinary person might have been swayed by this point.

But as a class leader, Shinroku Sato had more to consider. "Junior Kouya, you should realize that we wouldn't necessarily entrust the points to your care, right?"

The contract provided required those participating in the plan to hand over a portion of their private points to Dokuho Kouya for safekeeping. Once enough points for a transfer were gathered, a computer would perform a random draw to select who would transfer, and finally, Kouya would be called upon to pay the points.

Although Dokuho Kouya guaranteed in the contract that he would absolutely not squander the points and would voluntarily drop out if he did, Shinroku Sato felt there was no need to hand over points to a first-year freshman for safekeeping.

"Then who does Senior Shinroku intend to entrust them to?"

Dokuho Kouya's expression remained calm, his fingers resting lightly on the sofa. "If we execute this plan, relying solely on your Class C points won't be enough. We need to bring in Class B and Class D as well, but as competitors in the same grade, you can't trust each other."

The school's teachers couldn't be relied upon either.

You could ask them to act as guarantors, perhaps.

But if you asked them to help safeguard 20 million private points, they would only refuse.

"Horikita from third-year Class A." Shinroku Sato smiled helplessly and bitterly. "You might think I'm being foolish, but that guy Manabu Horikita keeps his promises. If we leave them in his care, he will absolutely not claim the money for himself."

"I think even the leaders of Class B and Class D would agree."

It was indeed quite foolish.

Dokuho Kouya silently complained in his heart.

"Has Senior Shinroku forgotten that the Student Council can interfere with school rules?" Dokuho Kouya said. "The Manabu Horikita you speak of is not only the leader of third-year Class A, but also the Student Council President of this school."

"If he discovers this, he might just use his authority as Student Council President to ban such a plan."

"No, that's impossible!" Shinroku Sato shook his head quickly. "The rule that you can transfer classes for 20 million is absolutely impossible to change that easily."

If they were to do that, the school would essentially be admitting defeat and slapping itself in the face!

"However, the school could very well prohibit obtaining massive amounts of private points through a lottery system."

Dokuho Kouya offered his own perspective, "If I were the student council president, I certainly wouldn't be able to accept that while I had to work painstakingly hard for three years to graduate in Class A, someone else could just get in through sheer luck."

"Even if they didn't say it to your face, they might secretly suggest that the school ban such behavior behind your back."

"Shinroku-senpai, are you sure you want to tell the student council president about this?"