Classroom of the Elite, Starting with a Zero, I'm Just Going to Lay Flat Since I Know the Plot

Nakano Yuu had already spotted Sakayanagi Arisu.

They were currently on the second floor of the cafeteria, a public area connected to the other floors by large shopping mall-style escalators.

Sakayanagi Arisu was descending on the escalator from the third floor to the second.

As if sensing Nakano Yuu's gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu looked down and noticed him as well.

Their eyes seemed to meet in mid-air.

However, Classmate Sakayanagi blinked gently before turning to speak to the upperclassman standing not far away.

"Thank you for the meal, Nagumo-senpai," Sakayanagi said.

"It's nothing. I'm quite generous when it comes to cute, pretty girls. Besides, you earned it," replied the blonde-haired boy addressed as Nagumo-senpai.

He usually ate on the third floor, where prices were higher, but it was a place where those with points could afford to dine.

After all, higher prices meant better service.

He had originally been curious when he saw a girl with long purple hair buying two meals by herself. Thinking she was a newcomer and quite pretty, he had proactively swiped his student ID to pay for her meal.

Only then did he realize she was actually with a remarkably cute girl.

If the girl with the purple hair and hairpins had caught his eye, then the super-cute girl with short silver hair beside her had truly made his heart skip a beat.

That's right.

She was a type he had never encountered before. By his standards, she was the cutest girl in the entire school.

Her name was Sakayanagi Arisu.

She was in Class A of the first year; it seemed she was a cute little underclassman from the elite class.

Thus, when he noticed her leaving after finishing her meal, Nagumo had chased after her, even though he hadn't finished eating himself.

"Speaking of which, Nagumo-senpai is truly impressive. Not only do you have an abundance of points and a successful class promotion, but you've even taken direct control of an entire grade level," Sakayanagi said.

"You first-years already know about that?" Nagumo Miyabi didn't seem angry at being suddenly asked about something that wasn't meant to be easily disclosed.

"Well, the second-years have fully acknowledged my strength," Nagumo said with a confident expression.

"But you all are still just playing around. The fact that Class A hasn't been able to pull away from Class B is truly regrettable," Nagumo Miyabi remarked. "As an upperclassman, I can tell you that rapidly widening the point gap during the early exams is the most advantageous strategy."

Was he starting to share his experience as a senior?

Sakayanagi Arisu merely offered a polite smile.

Kamuro, who was following by her side without speaking, already understood that Sakayanagi had absolutely no interest in continuing the conversation with Nagumo.

The escalator continued to move, and Sakayanagi and her companion kept walking toward the first floor, soon disappearing from view on the second floor.

"That guy is acting so full of himself," Ryuuen said, seemingly unimpressed by Nagumo-senpai.

"Don't worry," Nakano-kun said, surprisingly soothing Ryuuen.

"It will be that guy's turn soon," he said.

"..." Ryuuen.

What did he mean by "it will be that guy's turn soon"? In particular, the word "turn" implied that someone else had already been dealt with.

And wasn't he himself someone who had been "dealt with"?

Ryuuen immediately realized that this Nagumo Miyabi from the second-year Class A had become Nakano Yuu's next target for exploitation.

Nakano Yuu was indeed preparing to make a move on Nagumo Miyabi.

After all, what did it mean to unify an entire grade? It could be taken literally to mean that the person was truly strong.

He had fully realized the "meritocracy" advocated by this school.

However, if the school only wanted to select the strongest class at the beginning, why would they arrange special exams every month for three years to test the students?

Clearly, they hoped that students would grow in terms of coping and thinking through repeated special exams.

The exam questions were set by the school, so the students basically developed according to the school's requirements.

Yet, Nagumo had dominated his entire grade in his first year, collecting points from the grade and fixing the class rankings, effectively opting out of all special exams.

In that case, the students no longer needed to think.

He had directly cut off the potential of the students in that grade for the next two years.

Therefore, it was no injustice that Nagumo ended up in trouble in the later stages of the original story.

You are actively working against the school. Rebelling while eating the food they provide is not a wise move.

However, what needed attention was that the news of Nagumo's domination had been brought up by Sakayanagi Arisu herself.

It was impossible to tell if she had seen him and said it on purpose.

In other words, was she actually dissatisfied with Nagumo's pestering?

Was she asking him to deal with Nagumo?

Or, did she already know he was short on points—otherwise, she wouldn't have sold the Student Council secretary position directly to Katsuragi—and was she providing convenience by informing him of who actually had money?

"Meaningless," Ryuuen said.

Then he prepared to leave with his underlings.

But.

"Wait a second, you haven't paid yet!" Nakano Yuu blocked his path. "Ryuuen, you wouldn't want your class to have points deducted because of this, would you?"

Damn it.

Ryuuen knew there was no escaping this.

"Fine, a 50-50 split," Ryuuen said. "My underlings here were injured because of this, too."

Although the injuries were primarily caused by him, they were still injuries nonetheless.

"In that case, I can only say that I won't sell the video to anyone else, but I won't be deleting it either," Nakano Yuu stated.

"..." Ryuuen. "I'll give you sixty percent at most."

"Besides me being an eyewitness, I have an ally involved, and I need to secure something for him as well," Nakano Yuu said.

"Seventy-thirty, that's my final offer," Ryuuen said.

"Class evaluation points worth 50 or 100 points aren't something that can be easily bought with a mere 500,000 points, right?" Nakano Yuu continued. "Not to mention, if you're already being punished for a false accusation, and then you get reported for using underhanded tactics later, you'll have a record with the Student Council and face severe penalties."

"Ryuuen, are you sure you want to see that kind of situation unfold?"

Did he want to see that?

Of course not. In fact, he was planning to use underhanded tactics for the upcoming exams; if he had a record, he would be finished the moment he was reported.

Hell.

And so, Ryuuen left the cafeteria without earning a single cent and in a foul mood. Perhaps finding the second-floor cafeteria disgusting, he didn't return to the second floor for an entire month afterward.

The Sudo assault incident ultimately came to a close with both classes reaching a settlement and Class C dropping the charges.

However, the midterm exams continued.

ps: There will be another update later.

Chapter 041: Horikita Suzune's Sixth Sense Is Still So Sharp!

The midterm exams continued.

Class D's strategy for the exams was simple: continue with the study sessions.

In this atmosphere where everyone was forced to study, the Sudo assault incident was soon no longer mentioned.

Over these ten days, Nakano Yuu also behaved himself. He began to fulfill the study schedule set by the top-student tutors. In the current study sessions, Nakano Yuu no longer chased the other students away to leave only himself and Sakura alone.

After all, there was no need for them to be alone together now, as his goal had already been achieved.

He had gained Sakura's favor, obtained her selfie photos, and even received hands-on photography lessons from her.

At the same time, he took 100,000 points from the extra money he got from Ryuuen and gave them to Sakura. The reason he gave her so much was, on one hand, because Sakura had taken him to the laboratory building, without which he wouldn't have been able to trigger the Sudo assault incident by chance.

Furthermore, Sakura had contributed her five private, secret bases that no one else ever visited.

Finally, through their time spent together, Nakano Yuu's photography skills had developed.

For example, right now.

"Horikita!" Nakano Yuu arrived at the classroom early in the morning. Upon discovering that Horikita Suzune had already arrived, he immediately took his camera out of his bag.

It was a black camera.

Unlike Sakura's pink camera, Nakano Yuu's camera looked much more professional.

After all, the price reflected that.

The most expensive electronic device any student in the class had bought was the computer Sotomura purchased, which cost 80,000 points.

When Sakura first enrolled, she only had a limit of 100,000 points, and the camera she bought only cost 50,000 points.

But the one in Nakano Yuu's hands cost 188,000.

"What?" Horikita turned her head upon hearing his voice, and then there was a direct click sound.

She had been photographed.

"..." Horikita.

Horikita seemed somewhat displeased.

"An angry expression works too," Nakano Yuu said.

Then he took another click of her.

"...What do you think you're doing?" Horikita seemed to have become very displeased.

"I've just been learning photography skills these days, and as you know, I don't have many friends, so it's hard to find people to photograph," Nakano Yuu said sincerely.

"In other words..." Horikita Suzune's attitude seemed to soften slightly, "you want to treat me as a friend?"

"Of course not," Nakano Yuu replied instantly.

"..." Horikita.

"Then why are you taking pictures of me?" Whether it was his imagination or not, Horikita seemed to have become a bit fiercer.

"Naturally, it's because you're good-looking," Nakano Yuu said.

"..." Horikita.

Horikita certainly knew that she was very attractive; she knew that the students in her class or those she encountered on the street would often look at her.

However, she had no interest in such things.

That was why she had always treated them with indifference. Yet the one time she hadn't been cold, she had been swindled out of 80,000 points by the boy in front of her in just five minutes, making her question her entire life.

As for this camera of Nakano Yuu's, he had probably learned about it from Sakura.

Horikita Suzune sat in the last row, with Nakano Yuu sitting to her left and Sakura Airi to her right. Although Sakura didn't often show it, she had seen Sakura accidentally reveal a camera while handling her bag at times.

When combined with the fact that these two had been in the same group for remedial lessons lately, it was only natural that Nakano Yuu would discover Sakura knew how to use a camera and perhaps even become interested in photography himself.

Horikita herself had no experience with taking photos.

However.

"How about I give you 1,000 points for a photo?" Nakano Yuu said.

"..." Horikita.

Was she that kind of person? Or rather, was he that kind of person? To actually lead with money. But Horikita knew that he was indeed that kind of person.

Nevertheless, Horikita Suzune's brow twitched, and she seemed somewhat hesitant.

Could it be, Horikita-san, that you have actually been defeated by points?