"...I don't have any plans at the moment. Could everyone wait a little?"
"Then let's leave it at that for now. We're heading back."
"Yeah, Hirata. Let's call it a day."
Seeing that Hirata had no proposal to offer, and with class over, the students in Class D quickly went their separate ways.
Faced with their attitude, Hirata could only give a helpless smile. He knew what Class D was like, and when he thought about how Classmate Hashiba Hikaru had just said the school regarded Class D as the worst class, it certainly proved the point.
"Don't worry, Hirata. I believe in you."
Kushida came over at just the right moment to comfort the dejected Hirata, but her mind was already racing.
Classmate Hashiba Hikaru had just said that anyone could change classes as they pleased once they had gathered twenty million Private Points. That would guarantee she could graduate from Class A, but collecting that many points would take a long time. She needed to plan carefully.
Kushida didn't believe Class D had what it took to challenge Class A. She might as well make plans early.
Meanwhile, Horikita Suzune, who had been watching everyone coldly from the side, didn't hesitate. She gathered her things, picked up her schoolbag, and left the classroom.
The girl was furious that she'd been assigned to Class D, but there was nothing she could do about it now. What she needed to do depended on the next Special Exam. That was what she should take seriously.
Her desk mate, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, had also packed his schoolbag. His expression had barely changed at all. Even though he'd just paid out a large amount of Private Points, he didn't feel he'd lost out.
"Hashiba Hikaru, huh? What a show-off. I couldn't do something like that."
"But...now that I know the Deep Rules of this school, things will be much easier."
The boy walked out of the classroom at an unhurried pace. He had many reasons for coming to this school. Seeking freedom was one. Searching for the true meaning of equality and ability was another. He also wanted to gain experience with the outside world.
After all, he'd had no contact with the outside world in "that place." Coming here to study was the perfect opportunity.
In the Student Council room on the fourth floor of the school building, Horikita Manabu silently studied the documents in front of him.
Tachibana Akane stood before him, watching expectantly. For the past few days, she'd been trying to gather information about the first-years—more precisely, all kinds of information about Classmate Hashiba Hikaru. It was an assignment from Horikita Manabu.
"So he's gaining Private Points by selling the rules?"
Horikita Manabu pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a hint of approval in his voice. "Using contracts to restrict the other classes' actions was a good move."
"Yes. It seems Classmate Hashiba plans to collect three million Private Points. He's already made deals with two classes."
"Which two?"
"Class 1-A and Class 1-D."
"Class D?"
Horikita Manabu's thoughts stirred. A moment later, he rose from his chair. There was someone he wanted to see, and he couldn't afford to wait.
"President, is there something you need to do? Would you like me to come with you?"
"No need. It's a personal matter."
Horikita Manabu didn't ask Tachibana Akane to come along. What he had to do was a little troublesome, but he had to do it!
Chapter 49: Wow, the Student Council President Is Hitting Someone!
After leaving Class D, Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose strolled across campus. The two of them were going to have dinner together.
"There were a few bumps along the way, but luckily things worked out in the end. We still met our goal for today." The boy smiled and glanced at Ichinose's profile.
"That's right. I didn't expect the students in Class D to be like that. I was really nervous just now."
Ichinose Honami hadn't been happy when Kushida and Hashiba Hikaru exchanged contact information, but when she remembered that they'd still managed to collect a million points today, the unpleasant feeling faded away.
The girl knew perfectly well that everything Hashiba Hikaru did was for the class. As long as it was for Class B, she could put up with it.
Besides, he was always by her side, and they were going to have dinner together. Ichinose Honami didn't want to show her displeasure.
"Since the school assigned them to Class D, it must have had its reasons." Hashiba Hikaru nodded. What they'd seen and heard today had made the situation quite clear. "The students in Class D probably have a hard road ahead of them."
"I have the same feeling. Hirata and Kushida are trusted by everyone in Class D for now, but when it comes to major decisions, they can't bring the class together very well."
"They can bring them together to some extent, but it's not especially stable. A class as united as ours is rare. That's all thanks to you, Ichinose."
"Not at all. Hashiba is the one who's done more."
At his praise, the girl's pretty face flushed. She'd realized that whenever the boy said things like that, he was teasing her.
"Oh, in that case, are you treating me today, Ichinose? I feel like having a fancy dinner."
"Of course. I'll grant any request you make, Hashiba." Ichinose gazed seriously at Hashiba Hikaru, assuring him there was no problem.
"...Never mind, I was joking. Let's just have a regular set meal."
"Hehehe."
Ichinose Honami knew he wouldn't take advantage of her, so she gave a soft laugh. Still, she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. She felt that her relationship with Hashiba was already very close, yet she still hadn't found her way into his heart.
The boy was always like this. He teased her, but never actually did anything. His kindness came with a sense of distance, and that wasn't what Ichinose wanted.
"Let's go," Hashiba Hikaru said casually, not noticing the fleeting expression on the girl's face. "But if you're not treating me to dinner, you can't get out of buying me a drink. I want a cola."
"Got it, got it. I'll buy one right away!"
The two walked side by side into the student cafeteria and enjoyed dinner together.
-
After dinner, Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami parted ways. He didn't want to head straight back to the dorms. He wanted to explore the school a little more. For the past few days, he'd been checking the locations of the cameras around campus, and he was almost finished mapping them all.
As the sky darkened, many of the streetlights along the road came on. Hashiba Hikaru strolled along the quiet street, his expression serious.
The cameras were a crucial part of his plans. He needed to know the locations of certain key cameras so he could prepare for the future.
His time at the school had made one thing clear to Hashiba Hikaru: since the school had turned the entire Artificial Island into a completely enclosed environment, it was probably trying to simulate a more realistic society. It wanted the students to compete as fiercely as possible in this setting, then select those who stood out.
But society couldn't exist without its dark side. That was something he'd recently realized. There were places where he could hardly take a few steps without finding another camera, but other areas were wide open, with not a single one in sight.
That couldn't be a mistake on the school's part. They'd probably designed the place that way on purpose, so everyone could make use of the camera-free areas to carry out more discreet plans.
"Hmm...there aren't any cameras here. This would be a good place to set something up that people aren't supposed to see."
Hashiba Hikaru examined the surroundings. He'd reached the corner of a building. A narrow walkway ran between it and another building with a barrier erected alongside it. There was a vending machine nearby.
He couldn't see any ordinary cameras here, so he quietly committed the information to memory.
Just then, Hashiba Hikaru suddenly heard voices coming from up ahead.
"Suzune, I didn't expect you to follow me all the way here."
"I...I'm not the useless person I used to be. I came here because I want to catch up to my brother."
"?"
Hashiba Hikaru's expression changed when he heard the two voices. They both belonged to people he knew.
The man's voice seemed to belong to the exceptionally capable Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, while the girl's voice belonged to Horikita Suzune, who had just paid out a large number of points in Class D.
"Brother? They have the same last name. How did I not put that together? Honestly."
The boy sighed and kept eavesdropping from the side. This was a huge scoop, and he might even learn something useful.
"Hmph. You want to catch up to me? You still haven't realized what your shortcomings are." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, his voice cold. "You've learned the school's Deep Rules today. Do you think you're capable of catching up to me?"
"I'll get to Class A soon. Please believe in me, Brother!" Horikita Suzune's voice was urgent.
"No. You can't do it. I know that."
"I'll work hard. I'll do my best to reach Class A..." The girl tried to keep arguing, but the man in front of her suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. In an instant, he shoved her against the wall.
"If people find out that someone assigned to Class D is my younger sister, I'll be the one who ends up disgraced." Horikita Manabu stared coldly at the girl before him. "Don't you understand what that means?"
"I..."
Horikita Suzune no longer had the forceful air Hashiba Hikaru had just seen in the Class D classroom. She looked utterly timid, her pretty face filled with a desire to explain herself, yet she was so flustered she couldn't get the words out.
"Drop out, Suzune!"
"Otherwise..."
Horikita Manabu delivered the words like a sentence, then raised his hand as if he meant to slap his younger sister.
"..."
Hashiba Hikaru decided he couldn't keep watching. He quickly strode forward.
"Um, wouldn't it look bad if people found out the Student Council President was bullying a girl here in the middle of the night?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Horikita Manabu immediately turned to look and saw someone standing nearby.
"It's you, Hashiba."
"That's me, Horikita-senpai. I didn't know you had a hobby like this."
"Did you see everything just now?"
Horikita Manabu released Horikita Suzune's arm as soon as he saw Hashiba Hikaru, then asked calmly, "What do you want?"
"Don't worry. I don't want anything. I was just surprised to learn that she's your younger sister, Horikita-senpai."
"Hmph. She's an incompetent younger sister. I'll have her drop out soon enough."
"Brother?"
Now that she was free, Horikita Suzune's expression grew complicated. She looked at Hashiba Hikaru, who had suddenly appeared before her. He'd just taken her Private Points, and now they'd run into each other again.
And he seemed to know her brother quite well. What was going on?
Wasn't he a first-year?
"Could you tell me why you insist on making Horikita drop out?" Hashiba Hikaru looked at Horikita Manabu, pretending to be curious.
"..."
Horikita Manabu fell silent for a while. After glancing at Horikita Suzune, his expression turned a little more serious.
"I can tell you, but you'll have to do something for me."
"Go ahead. If I can do it, I will."
Chapter 50: Nagumo's Ambition
Bathed in moonlight, Hashiba Hikaru looked at Horikita Manabu. Even though the latter had been caught pressuring his younger sister, he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he calmly explained what he had in mind.
"Hashiba, you know that I'll be handing the Student Council President position over to Nagumo after the second semester ends, right?" Horikita Manabu pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His expression shifted noticeably when he mentioned Nagumo.
"I know. As the Vice President of the Student Council, Nagumo-senpai is the best successor after you. Hasn't he already won over quite a few people?"
"You noticed that? You really haven't disappointed me."
Horikita Manabu looked at the boy in surprise, then continued, "Nagumo is different from me. His policy is to make this school a true paradise for those who believe in the survival of the fittest. Do you understand what that means?"
"A true meritocracy?"
Hashiba Hikaru rubbed his chin, unable to help recalling what he'd seen earlier about second-years already dropping out. If Nagumo was behind it, then his intentions were obvious.
The boy's expression changed abruptly as he looked at Horikita Manabu. "Do you mean Nagumo-senpai plans to make people drop out?"
"That man has already taken control of all the second-years and completed his trial run. He used a last-place elimination system to expel the students who were holding everyone back."
As he spoke, Horikita Manabu glanced almost imperceptibly at the black-haired girl beside him, who was too shocked to say a word.
Horikita Suzune was completely lost. She had no idea what the two of them were talking about—the handover of the Student Council, and a name she'd never heard before, Nagumo.
More importantly, Hashiba, who was in the same year as her, didn't seem like a junior at all. He was talking with her brother as an equal, and she'd even heard her brother ask him for help.
Why was this happening?
What had happened to her brother while she hadn't been looking?
"I see. He intends to kick everyone without ability out of this school?"
After hearing Horikita Manabu's explanation, Hashiba Hikaru's expression grew more serious. Once Horikita Manabu graduated, Miyabi Nagumo would probably serve as Student Council President for a year.
If he truly wanted to carry out his policy, then given the authority of the Student Council President, it wasn't impossible for him to work with the school to create a new way of eliminating students.
The previous hearing over the accusation against Ryuen had already shown how broad the Student Council's authority was when it came to school administration. It could do many things ordinary students couldn't.
"He's already showing signs of it, and he's continuing to gather followers."
Before you continue