Undercurrents and New Goals

In the Class D classroom, sunlight slanted through the windows and spilled across the desks and chairs. On the seemingly peaceful afternoon, students gathered in twos and threes, discussing their weekend plans or complaining about recent assignments. The aftermath of the points crisis being resolved had made the class atmosphere especially relaxed, but Natsume Yu knew this was only the brief calm before the storm. The real contest had only just begun.

He sat at his desk, his fingertips lightly tapping the tabletop as his gaze swept across the classroom without drawing attention. Kushida Kikyo was surrounded by a group of girls, smiling sweetly, her voice like a clear mountain spring and often drawing glances from the boys nearby. She handled every topic with practiced ease, from fashion and outfits to the latest idol dramas. Her social network truly was the largest in Class D. Natsume Yu watched her, a playful curve appearing at the corner of his lips. The more perfect this Two-faced Cat appeared in public, the more twisted she was in private. That extreme contrast was exactly what he wanted.

"Natsume, I just can't figure out this math problem." Sakura Airi approached timidly, holding an exercise book in her hands, her eyes filled with a plea for help. A faint blush colored her cheeks, and her voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible.

Natsume Yu took the exercise book, gave it a glance, then casually picked up a pen and began working it out on scratch paper. He did not waste words, merely wrote with focused attention. Sakura Airi quietly stood beside him, watching his pen scratch across the page, a reassured expression appearing on her face. To her, Natsume Yu was like an anchor in a storm. No matter what difficulty she faced, as long as he was there, everything could be resolved with ease. That pure dependence gave Natsume Yu a subtle sense of satisfaction. He liked the feeling of being needed, because it meant control.

"Do you understand now?" Natsume Yu handed her the scratch paper, his tone calm.

Sakura Airi accepted it, studied it carefully for a few moments, then nodded vigorously, her eyes shining. "Mm, I understand. Thank you, Natsume." Hugging her exercise book to her chest, she bowed to him again before quietly returning to her seat. She did not disturb Natsume Yu, merely sat nearby and occasionally stole a glance at him, as though doing so could give her strength.

Natsume Yu withdrew his gaze and looked once more toward Kushida Kikyo in the middle of the classroom. She was still working hard to maintain her "angel" image. That afternoon, the class was discussing holding an on-campus volunteer event in preparation for the upcoming cultural festival. Naturally, Kushida Kikyo had rushed to the forefront.

"Don't worry, everyone. I'll handle contacting the venue and gathering supplies. As for promotional posters, I can help design those too." With a beaming smile, she took every task onto herself.

"Kushida, won't that be exhausting if you do it all yourself?" someone asked worriedly.

"It's fine. I'm happy to do something for everyone!" Kushida Kikyo waved her hand, her sweet smile utterly flawless.

Natsume Yu watched her and sneered inwardly. This excessive self-sacrifice was precisely how she maintained her persona. She wanted everyone to think she was indispensable, selflessly devoted. But that kind of strain would sooner or later expose her. He had already caught the fleeting exhaustion deep in her eyes. Every now and then, her fingers would unconsciously clench the hem of her skirt. None of those minute details escaped Natsume Yu's eyes. What he wanted was exactly this posture of forcing herself to endure, so that he could slowly tear apart her disguise.

After school, Natsume Yu stopped Ayanokoji Kiyotaka as he was packing his bag.

"Ayanokoji, you've noticed the conflicts within Class D lately, haven't you?" Natsume Yu's tone was casual, as if he were merely bringing it up in passing.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka paused slightly, then looked up at Natsume Yu with deep eyes. "Yeah." He answered with only a single word.

"These little squabbles in Class D are, in the end, child's play. The truly interesting things are outside." Natsume Yu turned his gaze toward the window, where the buildings of the other classes stood.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka followed Natsume Yu's gaze toward the window. He said nothing, merely listened in silence.

"How do you think Class A and Class B would deal with similar issues? Are their classes really as united as they seem?" Natsume Yu turned and stared directly into Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's eyes.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. Rather than answering directly, he sank into thought.

Watching him like this, Natsume Yu felt a faint thrill of satisfaction. He knew his words had already planted a seed inside that human computer. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would not obey orders outright, but he would analyze and observe on his own. That was precisely the result Natsume Yu wanted. He needed an eye capable of seeing the whole board, not a tool that could only carry out commands.

Night fell, and Natsume Yu walked alone along a path through campus. The evening breeze brought a trace of chill. In his mind, the chessboard of Class D was gradually becoming clearer. He had already thoroughly grasped Kushida Kikyo's hidden cards. Her two-faced nature and her weaknesses were all firmly in his hands. Now, all he lacked was the right opportunity to "close the net."

He wanted her to experience firsthand the pain of being devoured by the social skills she excelled at most. When she discovered that everything she had painstakingly built became utterly vulnerable before him, that despair would surely be etched into her bones. He would make her understand who the true one in control at this school was.

"Controlling Class D is only the first step," Natsume Yu murmured, his voice scattered by the wind.

His gaze passed through the windows of the school building and reached Class B's classroom. The lights there were still blazing, and some sort of activity seemed to be underway. Through the glass, he vaguely saw a figure surrounded by a crowd, smiling brilliantly. It was Class B's leader, Ichinose Honami.

She was like a beam of Holy Light. Wherever she went, she drew everyone's attention. Her kindness, integrity, and leadership had earned her immense popularity among the students. A person like her was a natural leader, and also the most difficult prey to tame. But it was precisely that challenge that excited Natsume Yu even more.

He would push Class D from the very bottom, step by step, toward Class A's throne. And in the process, he would need all kinds of chess pieces, as well as all kinds of "collectibles." Ichinose Honami was undoubtedly the most dazzling of them all.

"My harem needs a Holy Light Representative." Natsume Yu's eyes deepened, and a smile of absolute confidence formed on his lips.

He had already begun calculating how to approach Ichinose Honami, how to break down her defenses, and how to make her willingly become part of his "collection." This school and these self-important elites would all become stepping stones for his ambitions.

Natsume Yu stopped and looked up at the pitch-black night sky. The scattered stars flickered like chess pieces in his layout. Class D's points crisis had merely been a small test of his abilities. The real storm was still brewing. He would tame that Two-faced Cat and turn her into his eyes and ears. He would extend his reach to a broader stage and bring the entire grade under his control.

He was looking forward to it—looking forward to seeing how those proud Persian cats would, step by step across his chessboard, walk toward the ending he had arranged for them.

Natsume Yu looked out the window, his eyes deep. He had gained an initial grasp of Class D's chessboard, but his ambitions went far beyond that. He whispered, "Ichinose Honami, my Holy Light Representative, soon, you too will become my possession."