In Classroom of the Elite, My Love Stock Market Only Wants a Full Position

"It's alright, Ibuki."

Shiina looked at the complex expression on the short-haired girl's face, knowing what she was struggling with, and comforted her in a gentle tone, "The students are all on your side now, and with Yamada and me, we will all support you together."

"Really?"

"No matter what kind of moves Ryuen makes when the time comes, let's face it together. After all, I was the one who recommended Ibuki to be the class leader, and I believe you can protect everyone."

"Fine, then let's just wait for that guy to come back."

The short-haired girl's resolve hardened; she was not fighting alone, for she had companions by her side.

Ibuki then walked slowly onto the podium, preparing to begin explaining the hidden rules they had purchased to everyone.

A shocking storm began to gradually sweep through everyone in Class C.

After walking out of the Class C classroom, Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami were standing in front of a vending machine. He was buying drinks, while the girl was chatting in the Class B group chat on her phone.

Everyone now knew that the final Private Points collection had been completed successfully, and they were heatedly discussing where to hold a celebration party.

Looking at the bright smile on Ichinose's face beside him, Hashiba Hikaru felt a sense of satisfaction. After all, executing this plan had not been easy; it had been a constant cycle of problems arising, being solved, and then new problems emerging.

They had overcome every obstacle in this repetitive loop, successfully retrieved the three million Private Points, and taken a small step toward the established goal of twenty million. Naturally, everyone could afford to relax for a while now.

"How is it? What has everyone decided?"

With a soft smile on his face, Hashiba Hikaru leaned in toward Ichinose Honami to ask about the situation.

"Well, everyone is still discussing where to hold it. There are already several options, but they haven't reached a consensus yet." Feeling the masculine scent as the boy leaned in, a blush rose on the pink-haired girl's pretty face. However, she had no intention of keeping her distance, instead leaning against Hashiba Hikaru's shoulder and asking, "Does Hashiba-kun have any ideas?"

"Me?"

The boy touched his hair. He was actually quite indifferent about where they went to eat; it was just a meal, after all.

Just then, two figures suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Hashiba-kun, Ichinose-san, good afternoon."

"?"

The two looked up simultaneously and discovered that it was Katsuragi Kohei, whom they had met once at the start of the school year, along with his follower, Totsuka Yahiko.

"What is this about?"

The boy's expression was somewhat puzzled. He hadn't checked on Class A for a long time and had no idea what their current situation was.

"Could I trouble Hashiba-kun and Ichinose-san for a moment of your time? I have something I would like to discuss with you."

"..."

Chapter 56: The Current Situation of Class A

Looking at the bald man who had suddenly appeared before them and his follower behind him, the boy and Ichinose Honami beside him were both somewhat surprised.

When they went to sell the rules on the first day of school, the overall performance of Class A had left a deep impression on Hashiba Hikaru. Their comprehensive quality and sharp perspectives were evident, and Katsuragi and Sakayanagi, who were fighting for control of the class, were their leaders. Both of these individuals were opponents that Class B had to overcome.

What exactly did Katsuragi want by suddenly appearing here?

Hashiba Hikaru's expression became much more serious as he asked Katsuragi Kohei, "Katsuragi-kun, what is it you want to see us about? Could you tell us first?"

"Let's go somewhere else; this isn't the place to talk." Katsuragi shook his head, signaling for them to follow him.

The boy scanned the surrounding environment. They were on the walkway extending from the school building to the dorms, and there were quite a few students nearby; it was indeed not an appropriate place to discuss matters.

"Alright, where are we going?"

Hashiba Hikaru looked at Ichinose Honami beside him. Although the girl was a bit confused, she knew that Katsuragi was a leader in Class A, and this conversation might be related to class competition.

"Let's go to the cafe," Katsuragi said with a nod. "My treat, since we were the ones who initiated the invitation."

"That's fine, I have no objections."

The corners of Hashiba Hikaru's mouth curled up as he joked with Katsuragi, "You aren't planning on bribing us, are you? If that's the case, my fees aren't cheap, you know."

"Regarding that, please rest assured, Hashiba-kun. I would never underestimate your abilities. If I were to try to bribe you, I'm afraid we couldn't afford the price at the moment."

Katsuragi's expression was solemn, indicating he would never think that way.

His serious attitude caused Hashiba Hikaru, who had been joking, to freeze, the words he was about to say stuck in his throat.

Wait, is this guy's personality really that earnest?

Ichinose Honami, standing to the side, saw the stunned expression on the boy's face and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, this is the first time I've seen that expression on Hashiba-kun's face."

"..."

"Forget it, I'll just shut up."

With black lines running down his forehead, Hashiba Hikaru didn't want to talk anymore. He and Ichinose Honami followed Katsuragi Kohei into the cafe where students often went to spend their points.

The environment here was quite nice, and the distance between the tables was large, making it suitable for discussing important matters.

The four of them sat down and ordered. The seating arrangement was simple: Katsuragi and his follower Totsuka Yahiko sat side by side, while Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami sat on the other side.

"I'll get straight to the point. I am actually here to seek an alliance with Class B," Katsuragi said solemnly to Hashiba and Ichinose before him.

"An alliance?"

The boy was somewhat surprised by this proposal, so he looked at Ichinose beside him and asked, "Ichinose-san, what do you think?"

"Hmm... I would like to hear Katsuragi-san's thoughts first." Upon hearing the other party state his intentions, Ichinose's expression also turned serious. An alliance involved too many complications; she had to understand exactly what he was trying to achieve.

"Actually, it has to do with the current situation in Class A."

After hearing Ichinose's words, Katsuragi began to explain slowly: "After you finished selling the school rules, Sakayanagi-san and I still hadn't reached a conclusion in our power struggle, so we came up with a compromise."

"That is to take turns serving as the leader of Class A, with each special exam serving as the term limit for leading the class." Katsuragi's tone was calm; this was a plan they had devised that both sides could accept.

"Is it really okay to tell me this? This should be important internal information for your class."

"Since we are talking about an alliance, I must show a certain level of sincerity, otherwise we won't be able to move forward at all, right?"

Katsuragi replied to Hashiba Hikaru's skepticism and continued: "I am the leader for the first round, which is why I came to find you."

"As the top-tier classes of the first year, Class A and Class B possess strengths that Class C and Class D do not have. This is our advantage."

Hashiba Hikaru stroked the rim of the coffee cup that had just been served and said softly: "But no matter what, we are still rivals, aren't we? After all, there can only be one winner in the end."

"That is true, but three years is a long time, and we can make many arrangements in advance."

"If we form an alliance, Class A and Class B can join forces during special exams to leave the other two classes far behind, making it impossible for them to threaten our positions." Katsuragi's tone was very level. "After achieving this goal, we can then decide the winner between our two classes. What do you think, Hashiba-kun?"

"Hmm..."

After hearing the other party's suggestion, Hashiba Hikaru felt like laughing.

I'm usually the one feeding others empty promises; when did it become your turn to play this game?

Even if Class A had strong overall quality and an alliance could indeed better distance them from Class C and Class D, this bald man currently could not fully represent the will of Class A. Hashiba Hikaru did not trust him either; everyone had just met, and in this highly competitive school, sometimes you couldn't even trust people in your own class, let alone those from other classes.

Besides, an alliance itself was very troublesome. The special exams hadn't started yet, and no one was quite sure what the rules would be. Binding themselves together now would only hinder future arrangements.

Furthermore, the boy held many intelligence channels and resources that other classes lacked. Without an urgent situation, there was no need to form an alliance with anyone.

Therefore, Hashiba Hikaru looked into Katsuragi's eyes and asked as if casually: "Before making a decision, I would like to ask: has Sakayanagi-san agreed to this alliance proposal?"

"This..."

A flash of hesitation crossed Katsuragi Kohei's face, but he still nodded and said, "I have already informed Sakayanagi-san of this alliance plan, and she did not raise any objections."

"Heh."

Hashiba Hikaru let out a low laugh. It seemed this steady-natured Katsuragi not only knew how to feed people empty promises but also knew how to play mind games.

"So that's how it is. I think I understand," Hashiba Hikaru said, not intending to expose his thoughts on the spot. He looked at Ichinose Honami beside him and asked, "Ichinose-san, as the leader of our Class B, what are your thoughts on the alliance proposal suggested by Katsuragi-san?"

"Me?"

The girl had actually been analyzing the pros and cons of this alliance plan. After all, during the process of collecting points along the way, Class A had been the most relaxed; they had almost made everyone agree just by saying a few words.

Class C and Class D had taken many detours, and Ichinose Honami had seen everyone's performance. If they could form an alliance with the top-tier Class A, it was an option worth considering.

But when she caught Hashiba Hikaru's gaze, she immediately realized what the boy meant and quickly said to Katsuragi: "Regarding the alliance proposal, I cannot give Katsuragi-san a direct answer right now, because I still need to ask for the opinions of the other students in our class. After all, this matter is too important."

"That's fine, I will wait for you to discuss it." Katsuragi accepted this explanation and took out his phone.

"Let's exchange contact information, Hashiba-kun."

"...Sure."

Hashiba Hikaru nodded. He had received quite a few phone numbers over the last two days, and none of them belonged to simple people.

After the two finished exchanging contact information, Katsuragi and Totsuka left shortly after.

"Hashiba-kun, what were you thinking just now?"

Once they were far away, Ichinose asked.

After spending this time together, the girl could already roughly judge the meaning behind Hashiba Hikaru's gaze, which was why she had been able to change the subject so quickly.

"Katsuragi-san's purpose in seeking an alliance with us is definitely not that simple," Hashiba Hikaru rubbed his temples and said to Ichinose Honami, "According to him, Class A is currently implementing a rotating class leader system, with Katsuragi and Sakayanagi cycling through based on the special exams."

"This is because neither of them can fully control the class right now, which is why they came up with this plan. Class A already has a tendency toward division; once this plan is implemented, it will only make future struggles even more intense."

"Does Hashiba-kun mean that everyone will be looking for mistakes?" Ichinose Honami had already caught on, her expression turning grave.

"Yes. For example, when Katsuragi-san serves as the leader, every action he takes to lead the class will be watched by all the students in Class A. Once Katsuragi performs poorly or suffers a setback, the Sakayanagi faction will find an opportunity to attack, and might even poach members of the Katsuragi faction."

"This is a foreseeable situation, so perhaps he has other motives for coming to us for an alliance."

Hashiba Hikaru took a sip of the coffee, which was still warm, a glimmer of contemplation in his eyes.

Chapter 57: The Reward Party

"Then what does Hashiba-kun think is Katsuragi-san's purpose in coming to us?" Ichinose Honami seemed to have understood something; her delicate brows knitted together, and she looked somewhat nervous.

"I can only think of two possibilities," Hashiba Hikaru placed his hands on the table and explained his reasoning to the girl. "First, Sakayanagi is currently putting a lot of pressure on Katsuragi. He is the first person to serve as leader under this rotation rule, so he must achieve some results, otherwise, it will lower the confidence of his faction members."

"Second, he definitely held back information in what he just said. Whether it's an alliance or mutual assistance, although he told us about Class A's current situation right away to show his sincerity..." The boy spoke at a measured pace, thinking as he went.

"But judging by the attitude I asked about regarding Sakayanagi-san, I suspect there are many tricks hidden here that we don't know about," Hashiba Hikaru smiled and asked Ichinose, "If Sakayanagi-san agreed, then why didn't she come along? Even if she is physically inconvenienced, sending a proxy would have been perfectly fine."

"We saw them fighting for power in their classroom on the very first day of school. That is the most untrustworthy part of all this."

"So, does Hashiba-kun mean we should reject their alliance?"

"Not necessarily," the boy shook his head, looking into Ichinose's eyes. "When it comes to forming an alliance, if you find reliable people, the benefits will certainly outweigh the drawbacks."

"But for our Class B, there is no urgent need to form an alliance with other classes at the moment; we can rise through the ranks by relying on everyone's collective efforts."

"Then what should we do about Katsuragi's proposal?"

"Heh, that depends on what Class A is actually thinking, for instance, Sakayanagi's stance." Hashiba Hikaru rubbed his chin. As the leader of the other faction, Sakayanagi held significant influence in Class A; only by understanding her attitude could they make a better decision.

"Does Hashiba-kun have another plan?" Ichinose's face lit up with joy as she asked.

"No, now it is your turn to step up, Ichinose-san," Hashiba Hikaru gazed at the pink-haired girl before him, his tone gentle. "Have you forgotten our previous agreement, Ichinose-san? Now that the point collection plan has been settled, isn't it time for you to contribute to the class?"

The girl was startled by his words, and a blush crept across her pretty face, her eyes becoming as moving as water.

She recalled the time she had embarrassed herself in front of Hashiba Hikaru, when the two of them had reached an important agreement regarding the future of the class and the proof of her own abilities.

It was also after that time that Ichinose found herself caring more and more about the boy's presence; without realizing it, his every move could trigger changes in her emotions.

"I understand."

Ichinose Honami nodded heavily and declared, "Then let me go find Sakayanagi-san. I will go and probe her attitude."

Hashiba Hikaru looked at the enthusiastic girl, feeling satisfied, but couldn't help asking, "Do you know any students in Class A, Ichinose-san?"

"Hmm, not yet, but I remember that Ando-san seems to have friends in Class A. I can go and ask her."

Ichinose lowered her head and thought for a moment. She had been executing the plan with Hashiba Hikaru for the past few days and had no time for socializing. On the contrary, Ando Sayo, who had organized the dinner party on the first day of school, had been living a very fulfilling life, having met quite a few students in almost every class; she was currently known as the social butterfly of Class B.

"That won't be a problem then. If you have an acquaintance, it will be much easier to find Sakayanagi in Class A," Hashiba Hikaru pondered for a moment before instructing solemnly, "Remember one thing: if Sakayanagi-san asks about our class's information, do not say anything, including the reward from the school last time."

"I know," Ichinose felt very warm inside as she listened to the boy's instructions. "Please rest assured, Hashiba-kun. Leave this matter to me; I won't let you down."

"Mm."

Hashiba Hikaru nodded. He had already understood Ichinose's state of mind very clearly last time, so he had to let the girl step forward and prove herself to dispel her doubts about her own abilities.