Chapter 263
347. The project rules established by Class A; Sakayanagi Arisu's fear
March 15th.
This is the deadline for the four first-grade classes to submit their exam materials.
It seems that Aragaki Shun has been spending a lot of time with his girlfriend lately and hasn't been paying much attention to this aspect of his work. In reality, it's because the rules for the Selection Exam were released not long ago, Class A had already devised a winning strategy.
Therefore, after being caught by Kanzaki Ryuji, the Student Council President simply and calmly accepted the stack of documents from his hand.
The document contains a list compiled by Kanzaki detailing the strengths of the students in Class A. On the topmost page, nearly twenty exam items suitable for submission to the school have been specifically selected.
After a quick glance, Aragaki Shun confidently circled five of them without much thought: [Rapid Mental Calculation], [Mathematics Exam], [Physics Exam], [Chemistry Exam], and [Biology Exam].
"Our ultimate goal is these five projects. Then, you can choose five smoke bombs as needed and submit them to the Hoshinomiya homeroom teacher."
According to the rules set by the school, each class must publicly disclose ten items and their rules after the deadline.
However, only half of these methods are used on the day of the actual exam; the other five are simply a smokescreen to mislead the opposing classes and confuse their thinking.
The five Class A projects that Aragaki Shun circled were, unsurprisingly, all of them brain-intensive projects, such as written tests.
[Rapid Mental Calculation]--
Number of people needed: one;
Time limit: 30 minutes;
Competition Rules: The class that wins the competition by using abacus mental arithmetic to test accuracy and speed will be the winner.
Commander Tower: Can provide answer suggestions at any time, and participants can decide whether to adopt them.
[Mathematics Exam]--
Number of people needed: 2;
Time limit: 50 minutes;
Competition Rules: The class that answers the questions within the scope of this year's curriculum first wins.
Commander Tower: Only one participant can be selected. Command Tower can provide answer suggestions at any time, and the participant can decide whether to adopt them.
[Physics Exam]--
Number of people required: 3;
Time limit: 50 minutes;
Competition Rules: The class that answers the questions within the scope of this year's curriculum first wins.
Commander Tower: Only one participant can be selected. Command Tower can provide answer suggestions at any time, and the participant can decide whether to adopt them.
The remaining Chemistry Exam and Biology Exam exams are exactly the same as the first two exams, except for the number of participants required.
From this perspective, Class A's strategy couldn't be more obvious.
That is to extend the scope of the Commander Tower, namely Aragaki Shun's, interference in each project to the maximum extent possible.
As the strongest first-year student, as long as he can provide answers and suggestions to the contestants at any time, then no matter who is sent by Class A, they will definitely be able to defeat their opponent from Class B.
This is the unwavering belief that all the students in the class held in their hope of defeating Aragaki Shun.
The advantage is in my hands!
Is there a more reliable competitive strategy than this?
Obviously not!
So Aragaki Shun handed Kanzaki the paper with all ten items collected and told him to go and deliver it to Chie Hoshinomiya right now.
As someone's right-hand man, the young master of Kanzaki Heavy Industries had long since grown accustomed to his class monitor's inhuman behavior over the past year. So, with a tense expression, he turned to leave Class A and head to the teachers' office—after all, he wasn't entirely comfortable letting someone else take him.
Before Kanzaki Ryuji could leave, Aragaki Shun suddenly heard a somewhat spoiled voice:
"Please wait a moment, Kanzaki," Sakayanagi Arisu said earnestly as she approached the two, leaning on her cane. "I wanted to ask if the chess project I recommended was selected by Aragaki-kun?"
Upon hearing this question, the Leader of Class A raised an eyebrow. He remembered that chess was indeed among the nearly twenty candidate items on the document.
As for whether or not they were selected?
That's without a doubt!
"... I remember we played a game of chess at the beginning of the semester, didn't we?"
Somewhat speechless, Aragaki Shun looked at the silver-haired girl wearing a beret in front of him and waved for Kanzaki to go back to his business. "Have you forgotten how you lost back then?"
Of course she hasn't forgotten! How could she possibly forget!
Upon hearing Aragaki Shun bring up the old story again, Sakayanagi Arisu's expression became particularly interesting, clearly recalling the moment when she lost to her opponent at the Chess Club due to exhaustion.
As the loser, she had no idea what to say at that moment, and the request she wanted to make was swallowed back.
Seeing her lost in thought, Kanzaki Ryuji shook his head helplessly, exchanged a glance with Aragaki Shun, and then simply turned and left the classroom.
This time, naturally no one stepped forward to stop him.
After Kanzaki's figure completely disappeared, Leader of Class A Sakayanagi Arisu was still standing there in silence. He then beckoned her to come to a secluded spot in the corridor.
"Tell me, it's just that I wasn't selected for a chess event, why are you looking so pitiful?"
Sakayanagi Arisu: "..."
It's all over now, what's the point of saying anything?
The silver-haired girl felt a pang of resentment, but after a moment's hesitation, she parted her cherry lips slightly and softly explained:
"Does Aragaki -kun remember what I told you before, that I was determined to destroy the White Room to prove that true genius is determined by parental genes and that so-called artificial geniuses are meaningless?"
"On that day, with my father's help, I met Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in that facility. This Masterpiece had displayed extraordinary strength in chess at the time, so I've always dreamed of having the opportunity to bury him in the same field someday..."
"???"
After hearing Sakayanagi's account, Aragaki Shun's doubts not only remained unresolved, but actually multiplied.
Why do you consider someone who can beat their peers on the chessboard to be a genius?
You were only seven or eight years old then, right? Just because you watched Ayanokoji Kiyotaka win a game of chess through the glass window, you held onto him for eight years?
So, your dream method for burying the White Room's Masterpiece is actually defeating your opponent in chess?
Sakayanagi, do you even know what kind of nonsensical things you're saying?
Aragaki Shun rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache, completely unable to make sense of the logic involved.
"Fine, I won't dwell on the reasons behind it. In short, you just want to play a game of Go with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to resolve your long-held obsession, right?"
"If that's the case, then I'm sorry, but as the leader of Class A, bearing everyone's expectations, I have absolutely no reason to indulge your willful and reckless behavior in this regard."
The boy's words sounded very impolite.
But without a doubt, the one who went even further was Sakayanagi Arisu, who was determined to make Aragaki Shun sacrifice the interests of Class A and specially arranged a duel stage for her and Ayanokoji.
"You are the little princess of the Sakayanagi Family. Even with your physical disability, you will live a life of wealth and privilege under the protection of the Sakayanagi Family. But most of the students in Class A don't have your confidence. They follow me wholeheartedly because they trust me."
"I don't expect you to understand the pursuits of ordinary people, but at least be more reasonable, handle your own affairs, and stop dragging innocent people into your lives. Can you treat your classmates like toys?"
"Aragaki-kun..." Seeing the man's tone suddenly turn stern, the silver-haired girl couldn't help but show a hint of panic on her face. "Do you think I'll lose the game and cause the class to lose points?"
"But each section of this Special Exam has a time limit, and under these circumstances, I absolutely will not lose to that hypocritical genius!"
You really are someone who only thinks about yourself.
Aragaki Shun met Sakayanagi's gaze with a haughty look, causing the girl's delicate body to tremble instinctively.
"If you only have confidence to win when there are time and type restrictions in chess, then what's the point of the game? Is it just for your own self-satisfaction?"
At the beginning of the semester, this guy almost had a heart attack and had to be hospitalized after just half an hour of intense mental exertion. And now he's trying to be tough again?
"Do you know what the other sure-win strategy is when an average person plays chess against you, besides the Falcon Taming Tactic?"
"... That's absolutely impossible!"
Sakayanagi Arisu pursed her lips, countless thoughts swirling in her mind, only to be extinguished in an instant.
Perhaps in official matches, due to physical reasons, she is indeed unable to defeat those professional players, but aside from professional-level players, what ability do ordinary people have to compete with her?
"Impossible? I think it's very simple!"
Aragaki Shun, expressionless, reached out and pressed down on the silver-haired girl's shoulder. "If I were to grab the chessboard and slam it in your face when you're about to lose, do you think you could dodge it with your legs?"
Sakayanagi Arisu: "!!!"
Wait a minute, what kind of winning strategy is this "face-slapping" move on the chessboard?
"This is the ultimate technique of the Great Han Chess Saint, specifically designed to counter those weak and feeble-minded individuals who love to make sarcastic remarks."
Historical records indicate that during the reign of Emperor Liu Heng of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Xian, the son of the King of Wu, entered the palace to pay homage and drank with Emperor Liu Qi of Han, who was then the Crown Prince.
Later, when the two were playing Liubo, Liu Xian got into an argument with Crown Prince Liu Qi in order to win, and his attitude was very rude.
Enraged, Liu Qi picked up the chessboard and smashed it over Liu Xian's head, killing Liu Xian instantly.
The fact that even the heir to a powerful feudal lord could die so hastily demonstrates just how dangerous it is to play chess without a helmet.
Sakayanagi Arisu enjoys reading and is naturally familiar with such well-known historical events on the mainland, but at this moment, she can only feel speechless... No, in this day and age, who would cause a death over playing chess!
"It's hard to say~" Aragaki Shun shook his head dismissively, his tone indifferent. "You yourself like to break the rules casually just to play around. If you're pushed too far, why can't others just flip the chessboard?"
To be honest, he couldn't understand why the eldest daughter of the prestigious Sakayanagi Family would resort to such underhanded methods as spreading rumors and backstabbing.
People with significant flaws, like this young girl, are precisely the ones who need the protection of rules the most.
Does she really believe that only she has the right to act recklessly, while everyone else is a law-abiding citizen, and that being able to trample on the rules is a testament to her power?
"In the early Western Han Dynasty, the system of rites and rituals of a unified dynasty was not yet perfect. The heirs of the feudal kings could all be called crown princes. But even though Liu Xian was of such noble status, he was killed by a chessboard without much of a splash. Later, when Liu Qi ascended the throne, the Seven Kingdoms rebelled, and even Liu Xian's father, the King of Wu, was sent down to join him. The whole family was wiped out."
As he recounted stories from history books, Aragaki Shun, who was holding the girl's shoulder with his right hand, tightened his grip slightly. The silver-haired girl's face immediately contorted, and she couldn't help but cry out in pain.
"You see, the human body is such a fragile thing. Let alone firearms or knives, even bare hands can easily cause all sorts of injuries."
Releasing his grip, letting the girl take two steps back in fear, Aragaki Shun gazed at the clouds in the sky with a hint of boredom.
For some reason, he always seemed to be more violent than usual when facing Sakayanagi. Perhaps it was because she really needed to be taught a lesson, but once he actually laid a hand on her, she would have to kneel down and beg her not to die.
To put it more bluntly--
"Sakayanagi, you're really weak. Can't you just stay put and stop causing trouble all the time?"
"If you just want to play against Ayanokoji on the chessboard, then find a time to invite him to the Chess Club. It's a simple matter of paying Private Points, whether it's a classmate or a teacher acting as referee. Why do you always want to drag the class into such trivial matters?"
Do you feel that without the other first-year students as a backdrop, your genius can't be truly highlighted?
Or is it simply a perverse sense of humor, finding it amusing to gamble with other people's futures for one's own amusement?
"I, I..."
Facing the cold gaze of the Leader of Class A and feeling the lingering throbbing pain in her shoulder, a look of fear flashed in the silver-haired girl's eyes, and she was too scared to speak.
Instinct told her that Aragaki Shun in this state was terrifying, like a monster that had been restraining itself for years, sharpening its claws and teeth, wanting to tear something apart.
Wait! Wait! This is strange, isn't it!
While everyone experiences moments of destructive urges when faced with unpleasant situations, I'm clearly quite cute, so why does Aragaki react this way?
Sakayanagi Arisu was very puzzled, wondering if there was something wrong with her charm or with the person in front of her.
"I understand. I won't involve my personal matters in class competitions anymore..."
The silver-haired girl subconsciously swallowed, feeling that Aragaki -kun really wanted to beat her up.
Or, if it weren't for the congenital heart condition, would the other party have taken direct action when the rumor-mongering incident occurred in the first semester?
This is a terrifying guess!
Unfortunately, the other party's background shows they're not afraid of offending the Sakayanagi Family.
Thinking about this, Sakayanagi Arisu felt that being alone with someone like this was too dangerous, so she made up an excuse and ran away with her cane.
Aragaki Shun naturally didn't stop him, remaining standing in place, gazing up at the blue sky and white clouds.
Since transforming into Transcendentalist and gaining superpowers, he has always felt that the school's space is too cramped, making it difficult to relax.
In any case, stepping over ants without harming them is quite a difficult task...
348. God cannot be wounded or shed blood; He gives you despair.
After all four first-grade classes submitted their prepared projects, and after two weeks of preparation, the final Special Exam of the school year was finally about to begin.
The date was March 22nd.