"Want something to drink? My treat."
"Milk."
Clunk!
Horikita Manabu took out a drink and handed him a can of milk. He opened a can of coffee and took a sip to calm himself before explaining in a low voice:
"I guess I've had a talent since I was a child. I can roughly tell how capable someone is."
"I see. You're still wondering whether you should make use of my abilities?"
Kijima Tsukur nodded. That kind of ability wasn't unusual.
In fact,
there were indeed a few people in the world who had special abilities.
Things like being a short sleeper, perfect pitch, synesthesia, and the ability to learn languages quickly were all special abilities whose existence had been proven.
He also had hyperthymesia, exceptional control over his body, and echolocation.
For that reason,
whether it was academic performance or fighting ability, he far surpassed what ordinary people considered possible. That was why Horikita Manabu felt so deeply afraid of him.
"Since you called me, you must have some idea already. Tell me."
Having thought it through, Kijima Tsukur fixed his gaze on Horikita Manabu.
He didn't care about the risks, what Horikita Manabu thought, or what benefits there might be. Horikita Manabu only needed to report what he knew.
The final decision was his to make!
"Mm."
Horikita Manabu clearly understood that, too. There was no way he could manipulate the man in front of him. He spoke in a low voice:
"I'll tell you four things."
"First, points are divided into Class Points and the Personal Points each student holds. The ratio of Class Points to Personal Points is one to one hundred. Class Points determine the class rankings. You'll find that out next month."
"Second, only students who graduate from Class A get the opportunity to fulfill their wishes and freely choose their careers."
"Third, the school holds Special Exams at irregular intervals. They test not only academic ability and physical fitness, but all kinds of other things. The rewards are naturally Class Points or Personal Points, but some exams occasionally result in students being expelled."
"Fourth, twenty million Personal Points can cancel one expulsion penalty. Having twenty million Personal Points also lets you buy the opportunity to transfer classes."
"The Student Council can influence the exam rewards to some extent, making them favor either Class Points or Personal Points."
"Personally, I think that although the Special Exams can be harsh, they're good overall. Students can rely on the strength of their class to fight together and build friendships."
"On the other hand, Miyabi Nagumo believes more in individuals. He wants to turn the school into a place that relies more on individual ability, where the strong don't have to be held back by their class and can still graduate from Class A!"
"Now that you've heard all that, I hope you'll tell me which side you support."
"I do hope you'll hold Nagumo back or stop him. If you stepped in, there's no doubt you could do that. But I don't want to invite a wolf into the house, either."
Horikita Manabu reported what he knew like a court official speaking to his lord.
He chose to tell the truth.
He wanted to hear Kijima Tsukur's honest opinion!
For now, Horikita Manabu still had the power to veto. As long as he, the Student Council President, disagreed, no one could join the Student Council!
What if Kijima Tsukur joined the Student Council, learned everything about this school, and suddenly changed his mind?
Horikita Manabu thought he'd truly be at a loss for what to do then.
As for what would happen after he graduated?
That wouldn't be his problem!
From the first time he saw Kijima Tsukur, Horikita Manabu hadn't thought he could match him.
In fact,
Horikita Manabu knew very well
that he wasn't even qualified to be Kijima Tsukur's opponent!
Telling the truth
was both the most advantageous and the most sensible choice for him!
It was the best judgment Horikita Manabu could make with his ability to roughly gauge a person's strength!
As he looked at Kijima Tsukur, Horikita Manabu clenched his fists, feeling a little uneasy.
Because he knew very well:
Kijima Tsukur's attitude would decide everything about this school!
And Kijima Tsukur's next words
almost made him collapse to the floor!
You Want to Be a Hero of Justice, Too?
"I'm going to destroy this school!"
Hearing Kijima Tsukur's words, Horikita Manabu's pupils suddenly shrank. He blurted out a question before he could stop himself:
"Why?"
"Since you were honest, I'll explain."
Kijima Tsukur raised the hand holding his milk and extended his index finger.
"In your eyes, you probably think this school is running a small-scale simulation of society, right?"
"From the sound of it, you don't think so?"
Horikita Manabu furrowed his brow slightly. He hesitated for a moment, then explained in a low voice:
"Every year's Special Exams are different. I can't tell you much, but I can tell you that the school always uses businesses as examples in the exams. The school really is running a simulation of society. There's no doubt about that."
At least on this point,
Horikita Manabu was certain he wasn't wrong. He looked up and gathered his courage to argue:
"Though it's been harsh at times, thanks to this school, I've grown by leaps and bounds over the past three years. I believe the students in the other classes, not just Class A, feel the same way."
"That's where you're wrong. All of you are!"
Seeing that Horikita Manabu was a decent person, Kijima Tsukur didn't mind explaining a little more. He walked up to Horikita Manabu, his voice low.
"With your ability and Miyabi Nagumo's, even if things have been harsh at times—like losing your classmates—I imagine it was easy enough for you to secure Class A's position!"
"That... means you haven't experienced the true cruelty of this school!"
"The school's flaws only truly show when all four classes are evenly matched."
Hearing his words, Horikita Manabu felt a little annoyed.
He'd fought with all his might for three years to protect his classmates. There wasn't much difference between Class 3-A and Class 3-B, either. Kijima Tsukur was acting like it was easy because he'd never had to do it himself.
But soon,
Horikita Manabu dismissed the thought.
The gap between Class 3-A and Class 3-B really wasn't that large, but that was because Miyabi Nagumo had interfered in the affairs of the third-years.
Without Miyabi Nagumo,
Horikita Manabu really might have been the one to pull ahead on his own.
Maybe he truly hadn't experienced the cruel side of the school...
"I'll tell you what's wrong with this school."
Kijima Tsukur stood in front of Horikita Manabu, then moved to his side and hooked an arm around his shoulder. His voice turned cold.
"It claims to be simulating society, but it imposes a definition of success. Once the four classes are deadlocked, the idea that everything depends on graduating from Class A will fill everyone's minds, completely denying every other way of life. That's what Advanced Nurturing does!"
"That's not how society works. As long as people can support themselves, they can do whatever they want!"
"They can stay at home, travel around, or even waste their time and greet death at their leisure. Success isn't limited to becoming someone above everyone else."
In Kijima Tsukur's eyes,
the Advanced Nurturing system was like the higher-ups saying:
Society didn't become this way because of us. It's all because young people don't work hard enough. If they tried harder, things wouldn't be this way. We need to educate these young people properly.
It completely rejected virtues like kindness, gentleness, honesty, and keeping one's word, while wholeheartedly encouraging the law of the jungle.
He didn't know what purpose the school had been founded for, but he hoped its purpose was simply to make money.
"What if it were based on individuals...?"
Horikita Manabu furrowed his brow slightly. He didn't quite understand, and thought Kijima Tsukur might have the same idea as Miyabi Nagumo.
"It'd be the same. Once you divide people into four classes, the result won't change."
The hand Kijima Tsukur had hooked over Horikita Manabu's shoulder pressed down harder. His voice was cold as iron.
"Using good to nurture evil is a wickedness harder to forgive than murder and robbery!"
Actually,
he didn't oppose doing evil,
and Kijima Tsukur knew he wasn't a good person, either.
But he was determined to stamp out this kind of education, which encouraged people to do evil.
"Using good to nurture evil?"
Horikita Manabu froze, then hesitated.
Truthfully, he couldn't relate...
It was mainly because he was too strong. Even when he faced setbacks, he'd easily held on to Class A's position and widened the gap.
Even when he encountered setbacks that were hard to overcome, he'd already made sure his class had emergency funds ready.
As a result, Horikita Manabu had never truly experienced a test of human nature.
Once the four classes were deadlocked,
kindness would become a sin. That was what Advanced Nurturing was doing.
But Horikita Manabu still understood one thing: in Kijima Tsukur's eyes, this school was evil.
He wasn't as capable as Kijima Tsukur.
In fact,
Kijima Tsukur was more formidable than all the adults he'd known since childhood, including the politicians he'd met.
So,
if Kijima Tsukur believed the school was evil, then the school had to be evil!
If that was the case,
letting Kijima Tsukur join the Student Council and reform the school, steering Advanced Nurturing in the direction he thought was right—
that might not be a bad idea!
But why was Kijima Tsukur talking about destroying the school? Wasn't that too extreme?
Horikita Manabu still wanted to convince him. He glanced at Kijima Tsukur beside him and asked, confused:
"Are you trying to be a hero of justice?"
"Don't misunderstand."
Kijima Tsukur pushed Horikita Manabu a little farther away and spoke coldly:
"I'm a great evil that can devour evil!"
"Hmm?"
Before you continue