Blueprint Taking Shape and the Birth of the Blade of Intelligence

After the points crisis was resolved, Class D entered a false peace.

The dismissal bell rang, and the classroom was instantly filled with noisy chatter.

Students gathered in small groups, discussing where to eat lunch or the afternoon's PE class.

Natsume Yu rested his chin on one hand, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly against the desk.

His gaze slowly swept across the classroom like a calm observer examining every piece on his chessboard.

Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki were once again boasting around Hirata Yosuke.

Karuizawa Kei and her gyaru clique were discussing the latest cosmetics.

Horikita Suzune sat where she always did, reading with a cold expression, indifferent to everything around her.

Everything seemed so normal.

Normal to the point of being boring.

A faint, imperceptible curve touched Natsume Yu's lips.

He knew this peace was only the calm before the storm.

Five hundred thousand personal points a month was an enormous temptation for these students, who had only just left middle school and still had no clear concept of money.

They were enjoying this temporary comfort now, but once they realized the school's true nature—once they understood that class points were the foundation that decided everything—that comfort would be torn to shreds.

Only then would the truest sides of human nature be exposed.

And before that happened, he needed to pave a path to the top for Class D—and for himself.

Rise to Class A.

That was the school's sole objective, and their only way out.

Natsume Yu began outlining a vast blueprint in his mind.

The first step of that blueprint was to gain complete control of Class D.

There were only a few ways to raise class points.

Achieve an outstanding average score in regular exams like midterms and finals.

Win the various special exams held by the school.

And use certain rules to "purchase" points from other classes.

Regular exams were relatively simple.

Though Class D had gathered the largest number of "defective products," it was not without redeeming qualities.

Take Horikita Suzune and Yukimura Teruhiko, for example. Their academic abilities were enough to rival Class A students.

As long as the grades of deadweights like Sudo Ken and Ike Kanji could be raised, earning substantial class point rewards would not be difficult.

But that required a powerful leader, someone everyone trusted—or rather, someone they dared not disobey.

He had no desire to step into the spotlight himself.

Too troublesome.

And too likely to make him a target.

He preferred to be the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

As for special exams, those were the true battlefield.

Uninhabited Island survival, luxury cruise ships, the Chinese zodiac... Though he did not know the specific contents of the exams, he knew perfectly well that they tested far more than academic ability.

Teamwork, strategy, intelligence warfare, psychological games... Every aspect was crucial.

Class D was currently nothing but a pile of loose sand.

A rabble, each doing their own thing.

They had to be forcibly bound together with a common goal, with benefits, perhaps even with fear.

And weakening the other classes would require even more meticulous planning and ruthless methods.

For that process, he needed two key figures.

One in the open.

One in the shadows.

His gaze fell on Horikita Suzune.

This woman was aloof, proud, exceptionally capable, and desperate for recognition from her older brother, the Student Council President.

She was eager to prove herself, eager to lead Class D into Class A.

That powerful motivation made her the perfect "spokesperson."

She would spare no effort in carrying out every plan that could raise the class's points.

Her toughness and lack of warmth could be used to restrain the unruly people in class.

She would become the queen in plain sight, drawing everyone's attention and fire.

As for the true core, Natsume Yu's gaze crossed several rows of desks and finally settled on the window seat in the last row.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

A man with a bland expression and a faint presence, seemingly harmless to man and beast.

But in Natsume Yu's eyes, this man was the most dangerous existence in Class D—no, in the entire year.

Those still, ancient-well-like eyes concealed an unfathomable darkness.

He was the sharpest blade.

A blade that only needed to leave its sheath at the most critical moment to kill with a single strike.

Horikita Suzune was the shield, the banner.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was the blade, the lurking assassin.

One would charge into battle and steady the troops.

The other would handle every dirty task that could not see the light and carry out the most sinister plans.

Neither could be spared.

Only then did this game of chess have its most basic pieces.

Natsume Yu's thoughts were interrupted.

Kushida Kikyo was holding a small notebook and going from desk to desk, asking everyone something.

Her smile was sweet to just the right degree, her voice gentle enough to drip water. Every boy who spoke to her wore a satisfied flush on his face.

"Koenji, could you tell me your contact information? I want to create a class group chat, so it'll be more convenient if there are any announcements in the future."

Standing beside Koenji Rokusuke's desk, Kushida Kikyo asked with a smile.

Koenji Rokusuke brushed his silky long hair aside and said in a singsong tone, "Beautiful girl, not just anyone can obtain my contact information. But since you are so adorable, I shall make an exception."

Kushida's smile stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Thank you, Koenji."

She turned and headed toward her next target.

Natsume Yu watched this scene with interest.

Kushida Kikyo, Class D's "angel," the social butterfly everyone wanted to befriend.

She was indeed working very hard.

Working hard to play a role beloved by everyone.

But an act was still an act.

Keep performing it long enough, and the audience would grow tired too.

Natsume Yu noticed that when Kushida approached Yukimura Teruhiko, that study fanatic who cared only for books, his brows visibly furrowed.

Though he eventually gave Kushida his contact information, the impatience on his face was obvious.

Even Ike Kanji, who usually seemed so carefree, unconsciously scratched his head and let his eyes wander when Kushida asked him to confirm some information for the third time in a pleading tone.

See?

No matter how perfect a disguise was, it could not withstand the test of time.

Excessive enthusiasm and excessive friendliness were abnormalities in themselves.

At first, people would be drawn in by that "kindness," but over time, they would feel an invisible pressure and a sense of unreality.

It was like eating the finest desserts every day. At first it was a pleasure, but before long, you would grow so sick of them that they made you nauseous.

Natsume Yu found this highly amusing.

What he wanted was for that feeling of cloying weariness to slowly ferment within the class.

Once everyone grew tired of her "angel" mask, he would appear and give her the only space where she could take it off and catch her breath.

That "gift" would become the strongest collar around her neck.

The plan needed a catalyst.

Natsume Yu glanced at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

That guy was staring out the window in boredom, as though he could not care less about anything in the classroom.

Natsume Yu smiled.

He rose to his feet, pretending to head for the restroom, and passed by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's seat.

At the instant he passed, his wrist flicked lightly.

A tiny black USB drive, no bigger than a grain of rice, slipped from his sleeve and fell soundlessly beneath Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's chair, into a very inconspicuous corner.

After doing all that, Natsume Yu's expression did not change in the slightest as he walked straight out of the classroom.

He did not look back.

But he knew that with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's powers of observation, there was no way he would miss that extra object.

What intrigued him more was how Ayanokoji would deal with it.

Would he turn it in, or secretly examine it himself?

Natsume Yu believed it would be the latter.

Because two letters had been engraved into the USB drive with an extremely fine needle.

K.K.

Kushida Kikyo.

This was a clue he had deliberately left behind, bait capable of stirring anyone's curiosity.

Especially someone as meticulous and wary of everything around him as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Natsume Yu stood in the hallway for a while, letting the breeze wash over him.

When he returned to the classroom, the USB drive was already gone.

He glanced at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

The other boy still wore that eternally unchanged poker face, looking out the window as though nothing had happened.

But Natsume Yu caught one detail.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's right index finger was lightly tapping the desk at an extremely slow, rhythmic pace.

It was an unconscious gesture he made whenever he was thinking deeply.

Natsume Yu's mood brightened.

Good.

The fish had taken the bait.

The contents of the USB drive were not Kushida Kikyo's most damning dirt.

They were merely screenshots of posts she had made on anonymous forums during middle school, attacking classmates and inciting public opinion.

They were not enough to destroy her completely.

But they were enough to let Ayanokoji Kiyotaka see the other side beneath her "angel" mask.

Once a seed of suspicion was planted, it would take root and sprout.

Ayanokoji would begin to guard against Kushida and proactively investigate her past.

That way, when he eventually tore away Kushida's disguise completely, Ayanokoji would not find it abrupt. Instead, he would believe everything had been within his "expectations."

Make him believe he was the discoverer, not the one being fed information.

That was what made a setup brilliant.

Natsume Yu's Blade of Intelligence was quietly being sharpened somewhere beyond his sight.

The sensation gave him a faint thrill.

"Um... Natsume."

A timid voice sounded beside him.

It was Sakura Airi.

At some point, she had come to stand beside his desk. She held a thick photography album in her arms, her head lowered, too afraid to look at him.

"Hm? What is it, Sakura?"

Natsume Yu's expression instantly shifted back into its gentle mode, and his voice softened as well.

"My camera... seems to have a problem. The focus ring won't turn. C-could you take a look at it for me?"

Sakura Airi handed him the camera with careful movements, as though afraid of damaging it.

Natsume Yu took it.

It was a highly professional DSLR camera. It was clear that its owner cherished it dearly.

He casually adjusted it twice.

With a click, the focus ring returned to normal.

"It was just caught on a safety lock. It's fine now." He handed the camera back to her.

"Ah... th-thank you."

Sakura Airi took the camera, her cheeks turning so red they looked ready to bleed.

She hugged the camera tightly, bowed deeply to Natsume Yu, then hurried back to her seat like a startled rabbit.

Natsume Yu watched her retreating figure, his gaze gentle.

Sakura Airi.

This girl's reliance on him was almost becoming instinctive.

Whether she encountered a difficult problem in her studies or some trivial issue in daily life, he was always the first person she thought of.

That pure trust, untainted by anything else, made him feel very comfortable.

He liked this feeling.

But it would not change his nature.

Gentleness and kindness were merely one of his many masks.

He could show this side of himself to someone as pure as Sakura Airi.

But when it came to prey like Kushida Kikyo, he would only bare his fangs.

His thoughts returned once more to that Two-faced Cat.

What was on the USB drive was only an appetizer.

Step by step, he would deepen Ayanokoji's suspicions toward Kushida.

At the same time, he would begin to "train" Kushida herself.

He would make her realize that her social skills and intelligence network were a double-edged sword.

That sword could make her adored by all, or it could ruin her completely.

And the hilt had to be in his hand.

At some "appropriate" moment, he would casually reveal a portion of the "secrets" he knew about her in front of her.

It did not need to be much.

A single look, one ambiguous remark, would be enough to leave her restless and drive her into wild speculation.

He would make her live in fear.

Make her feel as though every part of her life was being watched by invisible eyes.

Until she stood at the brink of a mental breakdown.

Then, he would descend like a god.

He would tell her that he could protect her, that he could ensure all her secrets would remain forever hidden from the light.

The price would be nothing more than her loyalty.

What a profitable deal.

A clear image had already formed in Natsume Yu's mind.

Kushida Kikyo would kneel before him, stripped of all pretense, looking at him with the most genuine eyes, filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Yet she would have no choice but to kiss his fingers like a docile pet.

He would make her his eyes and ears planted throughout every class.

He would use her unmatched social skills to gather intelligence for him without end.

Just imagining that scene filled Natsume Yu with an indescribable excitement.

To utterly toy with a woman so proud, so skilled at disguising herself, in the palm of his hand.

That sense of control intoxicated him.

Class D's fate.

Kushida Kikyo's fate.

Even the balance of the entire grade.

He would be the one to write it all.

He was looking forward to it.

He looked forward to seeing how these self-righteous elites would, step by step, walk toward the ending he had set on his carefully arranged chessboard.

He looked forward to seeing how that proud Persian cat would have her claws pulled, a collar put around her neck, and become his most obedient pet.

The night gradually deepened.

Natsume Yu stood on the balcony of his dormitory, looking down at the brightly lit campus.

The evening breeze lifted the ends of his hair, and his gaze was as deep as the night sky.

He murmured to himself, his voice scattered into the air by the wind.

"First step: take control of Class D."

"Second step: tame the cat."

"Third step: Class A, and my harem."