Classroom of the Elite, After the Intel Refreshed, They Always Want to Conquer Me!

Just like playing chess, one can only feel true pleasure when competing against an evenly matched opponent.

(Too simple...)

(If one cannot even see through the truth of this school before the entrance ceremony--)

(Then they are not worthy of being my opponent.)

Although this standard might be overly harsh.

But since she herself could achieve it, the opponent worthy of her anticipation should naturally reach this level as well.

--At that very moment, fate gave its response.

(Finally... someone decent has arrived.)

The moment the black-haired boy stepped into the convenience store, the pupils of Sakayanagi Arisu contracted slightly.

Because the boy's movement of heading straight for the free shelves was too deliberate—just like a carbon copy of her own actions moments ago.

When several upperclassmen appeared, his imperceptible nod exposed everything.

(I see...)

(Does he need seniors from Class D to verify his own deductions?)

(Unexpectedly rigorous, yet cute in a rigid sort of way.)

A pleasant curve tugged at the corners of Sakayanagi's mouth.

In her eyes, this excessive caution was like an extra calculation step on a math test—

Precise, but lacking aesthetic appeal.

Sakayanagi Arisu tapped her cane lightly against the floor, her gaze never shifting a fraction from the boy.

He had neat, short hair, and his red school uniform made his figure appear even more upright—this concrete height difference forced her to tilt her head up slightly.

The cane struck the ground, emitting a crisp sound.

A faint, elusive smile played on her lips, and her amethyst eyes shimmered with dangerous interest.

Compared to those mediocre people, this opponent, whose very caution seemed excessively handsome, truly fit the aesthetic of her ideal rival.

"Excuse me, fellow student..."

Shimizu Akira was slightly startled.

(Was I seen through?)

The girl's words were like a delicate key, precisely unlocking their shared discovery.

He instinctively looked at the cane she was leaning on—so she had noticed it even earlier than him, yet was limited by her restricted mobility.

(If I hadn't gone to the restroom...)

This thought had barely surfaced before he extinguished it.

His gaze swept over the girl's slender ankles, and a certain competitive urge quietly dissipated.

In the face of an absolute physical disadvantage, any comparison seemed ungentlemanly.

"Yes, you're right," Shimizu Akira responded briefly.

The silver-haired girl maintained a faint, ambiguous smile, standing still like a mime in a carefully choreographed play.

This deliberate silence made the air feel subtle—was she waiting for his next sentence?

But Shimizu Akira's attention had already shifted to the first piece of intel refreshed today:

[Intel 1: Today at exactly 10:30 (after the entrance ceremony ends), Kamuro Masumi of Class A will "shoplift" a can of beer at the school convenience store.]

(Scouting the location in advance... very professional.)

His gaze swept toward the alcohol section without a trace.

His peripheral vision caught a purple-haired figure—the girl's gaze was precisely sweeping across the blind spots of the surveillance cameras; she was the only one lingering in the entire alcohol aisle.

The silver-haired girl's cane suddenly tapped the floor three times, the crisp sound dragging Shimizu Akira's attention back.

"Fellow student?" A half-smile hooked the corners of her lips, "It seems our subjects of observation are quite consistent. It appears that geniuses are drawn to one another." The tip of her cane pointed precisely in the direction of Kamuro Masumi, "This is the sixth time Kamuro Masumi has checked the surveillance blind spots, four times she has scanned the clerk with her peripheral vision, and twice..." the tip of the cane traced an elegant arc in the air, "...she has stared at a specific beer can."

Shimizu Akira followed her guidance and looked over, indeed seeing the purple-haired girl unconsciously biting her lower lip, her fingertips trembling nervously above the beer can.

"But..." the silver-haired girl suddenly lowered her voice, her cane pressing gently against Shimizu Akira's wrist, "this must be the worst possible timing."

"This is the peak shopping hour right after class points have been distributed... if she gets caught, it would surely be social suicide." Her gaze locked onto Shimizu Akira's eyes, "Fellow student, is your perspective the same as mine?"

007 Can you calculate 15*24*16 within one minute?

In that instant, Shimizu Akira almost thought the other party possessed a special intelligence system just like his own.

But after hearing the girl's meticulous analysis, he suddenly realized—this was all concluded through pure observation.

It was truly rare to find someone who possessed such keen insight while still a high school student.

(Hm? She knows Kamuro Masumi? In that case, is she also a student from Class A?)

This thought flashed through his mind. Shimizu Akira pondered for a moment before offering a different perspective: "Precisely because it's the peak shopping hour, the large crowd makes it easier to fish in troubled waters. Choosing to act now makes it less likely to be noticed."

"...Correct." The silver-haired girl's lips curled slightly, her moonlight-colored hair swaying gently as she nodded. "Judging by that person's movements and demeanor, she is clearly a habitual thief. She is enjoying the thrill of the crime. Your observation is very accurate."

"Were you testing me just now?" Shimizu Akira suddenly realized.

The girl did not answer directly, offering only a meaningful, light chuckle. "Why not listen to my judgment instead—" She paused, her voice carrying an unquestionable certainty, "I believe the other party will choose to act after the entrance ceremony concludes."

This conclusion took Shimizu Akira by great surprise.

Because what she said was exactly the same as the intelligence he had gathered.

"So, classmate, can you guess my reasoning again?" The silver-haired girl leaned in slightly.

Shimizu Akira did not respond directly, instead turning his gaze toward the thinning crowd in the convenience store. "Because the entrance ceremony is about to start, right?"

"Exactly right!" The girl snapped her fingers with delight. "To be precise, there are 32 seconds left."

As if to verify her prophecy, 32 seconds later, the school broadcast sounded right on time: "All students, please assemble at the gymnasium immediately. The entrance ceremony is about to begin."

Not far away, Kamuro Masumi turned around somewhat stiffly and merged into the stream of students leaving the store—that back profile looked less like giving up and more like a hunter temporarily retracting her claws.

"Mental arithmetic ability?" Shimizu Akira asked as a follow-up.

"Just a little pastime to kill time."

"Then can you calculate 15 times 24 times 16 within a minute?"

Sakayanagi Arisu's expression froze instantly.

The question was so simple that she felt offended. "...5760," she replied coldly, her voice carrying clear displeasure. "Even a middle schooler can calculate such elementary problems mentally. If you really want to test mental arithmetic, you should at least come up with a four-digit problem."

"Is that so?" Shimizu Akira smiled dismissively. "But for an average high school student, getting the answer within a minute isn't easy." He suddenly changed the subject. "Do you feel offended, classmate? Then what about the two probing questions you threw at me earlier—why didn't I feel offended?"

(Using a condescending attitude to probe from the very beginning, yet now putting on an insulted expression because of a common mental math problem...)

(This arrogance, it's like an innate sense of privilege; truly worthy of a student from Class A.)

He took one last look at this silver-haired girl—she was indeed stunningly beautiful, but that sense of superiority etched into her bones was even more impressive.

Hm? Could this young lady be a bratty girl?

Shimizu Akira was just turning to leave, having walked only three or five steps, when a crisp, bell-like voice suddenly rang out behind him.

"Classmate, please stay."

Before the words had even faded, a sharp "clack" sounded.

That cane actually flew through the air and landed a meter in front of Shimizu Akira's feet.

He stopped abruptly, first looking down at the cane lying across his path, then slowly turning his head back.

He saw the silver-haired girl slightly lowering her head, making it impossible to see her expression at that moment.

"I am Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A." Her voice was like melting snow, completely devoid of the sharpness from just a moment ago. "As you can see, the heart in this body is truly useless; I can't even chase after you quickly, so I had to resort to this."

She pointed at the cane, looking at Shimizu Akira with an expression full of apology. "I was rude just now; can you forgive me? If you are still not satisfied, why not use it to hit me twice?"

Shimizu Akira's eyebrows twitched, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

This high-and-mighty young lady was actually able to lower her head and admit her mistake so readily—she was more interesting than he had imagined.

However, the next second, he suddenly froze.

Why did this line sound so familiar?

The image of Horikita Suzune flashed through his mind.

Wasn't this the exact same tactic of feigning weakness to advance that he had just used?

Shimizu Akira's gaze lingered on Sakayanagi Arisu for a moment.

The girl's slightly bowed posture made her look increasingly fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

--Would a normal person actually strike her?

Especially when the other party was a frail girl with a weak heart.

His gaze moved upward unobtrusively, just in time to catch the surveillance camera flickering in the corner. The cold lens was silently recording this scene.

I see.

If he struck, he would be handing her evidence on a silver platter.

If he didn't, it would be equivalent to tacitly accepting her apology.

The silver-haired girl maintained her humble posture, but Shimizu Akira clearly saw the fleeting curve of her lips.

--What a brilliant, inescapable trap.

"This classmate Sakayanagi, you really have a lot of schemes."

Shimizu Akira suddenly leaned in, and amidst Sakayanagi Arisu's startled gaze, he flicked his finger.

"Thump—"

A crisp flick landed on her smooth forehead; the force wasn't heavy, but it was enough to make her frown slightly.

"You—!" Sakayanagi Arisu covered her reddened forehead, a rare ripple of emotion flashing through her eyes. "To actually lay a hand on a lady with limited mobility."

"Limited mobility?" Shimizu Akira chuckled, bending down to pick up the cane that had been tossed aside. He tapped his knuckles lightly against the shaft. "You didn't seem to hesitate at all when you threw it like a hidden weapon just now. Besides, didn't you say you wanted to let me vent my anger?"

He handed the cane back to her, his fingertips brushing against her cool palm for a fleeting second before pulling away.

"Consider this flick to the forehead a clean slate." Shimizu Akira stepped back half a pace, his gaze sweeping over the flickering security camera in the corner. "No evidence left behind, and it counts as accepting your apology—a fair trade, wouldn't you say?" He paused. "Also, a piece of advice: stop putting yourself on such a high pedestal."

Sakayanagi Arisu's slender fingers tightened around the cane. She suddenly looked up, the corners of her lips curling into a sharp arc. "The gap between people is sometimes determined by talent—just like birds in the sky and fish in a pond, destined to live in entirely different worlds. How do you expect me to treat those mediocre people as equals?"

Shimizu Akira couldn't help but laugh out loud. "How much resolve did it take for you to say such cringeworthy lines? Are you suffering from eighth-grader syndrome?"

008 Horikita Suzune: Shimizu Akira is a substitute for my brother; I cannot bring myself to hate him.

Shimizu Akira had also gone through a phase of eighth-grader syndrome when he was younger.

Back then, he was inexplicably confident, stubbornly believing that he was different from everyone else and smarter than those around him.

It wasn't until he entered university and eventually joined the workforce after graduation that this childish sense of superiority gradually faded away.

Looking at the silver-haired girl before him, he suddenly felt a subtle sense of déjà vu.

(As expected... she's just a young lady who hasn't been taught a lesson by reality yet.)

He silently made his judgment.

This arrogant, condescending attitude likely stemmed from a life of smooth sailing—she had neither experienced true setbacks nor encountered an opponent capable of thoroughly defeating her.

His assessment was: suffering a major defeat once to teach her a lesson would probably, to some extent, correct her haughty attitude.

"Fine, fine, you're right about everything." Shimizu Akira waved his hand dismissively. "The entrance ceremony is about to start, so I'll be going."

He turned and walked away with a clean, decisive stride, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.

(This guy!)

Sakayanagi Arisu's slender fingers tightened involuntarily around her cane.

She certainly understood the meaning of "eighth-grader syndrome"—those childish delusions of adolescent boys. How could they possibly be compared to her self-perception, which was based on rigorous logic?

(Classmates? They are nothing more than a group of mediocre people.)