Akiyama Shin and Sakayanagi Arisu with Their Own Agendas?! This Episode's Battle of Wits Scared Me to Tears!!

The next morning.

Faint light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, spilling onto the two figures sleeping in each other's arms; unlike yesterday, however, there was no repeat of the intense morning exercise.

Although Akiyama Shin was still full of energy, he muttered to himself as he looked at Kikyo Kushida, who was curled up in the quilt, still fast asleep with a trace of exhaustion and listlessness on her face.

"Last night... I might have gone a bit too far..."

He glanced at Kikyo Kushida's peaceful sleeping face, feeling no great emotional stir, merely making an objective assessment based on the current situation.

As for Kikyo Kushida, who was slowly waking up, she felt the lingering soreness in her body and looked at Akiyama Shin, who was already awake and acting as if nothing had happened, and couldn't help but complain inwardly once more.

This guy... is his stamina infinite?

Is this guy... really human...?

The two rose one after the other with tacit understanding, washed up briefly in the room, and then left at staggered times.

The reason they didn't leave together was that rumors about Akiyama Shin had recently begun to circulate within Class D.

The core of these rumors was nothing more than questioning whether Akiyama Shin was a scumbag, seemingly having an ambiguous relationship with Suzune Horikita while simultaneously being extremely close to Kikyo Kushida, the center of the class.

He was suspected of two-timing.

For Class D, which had only been in school for three days and where most students were still immersed in the dream of Heaven Academy, not yet realizing the potential crises that existed.

In an environment lacking clear goals and pressure, aside from planning how to squander their points, their greatest joy was these baseless pieces of gossip.

By contrast.

The atmosphere in the other classes was completely different.

The students of Class A had already used their elite keenness to vaguely sense that there might be inter-class competition within the school, and had even begun to form two factions led by Kohei Katsuragi and Arisu Sakayanagi.

Although there were signs of infighting, given the general self-discipline of Class A students, it was almost impossible for any major disciplinary violations that would lead to a deduction of class points to occur in the first month.

Class B, on the other hand, held an information advantage because they had purchased key intelligence from Akiyama Shin.

If they could effectively utilize this intelligence to strengthen self-management and class cooperation, it was not impossible for them to overtake Class A in class points within the first month.

After all, with a leader as charismatic as Honami Ichinose and the overall kind and united atmosphere of Class B, their cohesion could be called the best in the first year.

Overtaking Class A should be an inevitable result.

Akiyama assessed calmly.

The situation in Class C was not yet clear, but judging by the style of their homeroom teacher, Kazuma Sakagami, it likely wouldn't be as loose and disorganized as Class D.

As for Class D...

Akiyama Shin sneered inwardly.

Even if the complete rules were laid out before them now, in their current state of being scattered sand and lacking a core of cohesion like Honami Ichinose, it was unlikely they could form effective collective action in a short time.

You can't polish a turd, unless they experience the pain of a skin-deep wound.

About ten minutes after Kikyo Kushida left, Akiyama Shin also tidied his clothes and walked out of the dormitory at a leisurely pace.

The morning campus air was fresh, and a light breeze brushed against his face.

As he strolled, he let his thoughts sink into a deep contemplation of future layouts and the class situation, his eyes slightly unfocused as he walked toward the school building.

However, just as he passed a corner, his distracted attention caused him to collide head-on with a relatively petite figure.

"Ah!"

A small, pained whimper came, accompanied by the soft sound of an object hitting the ground.

Akiyama Shin snapped back to reality instantly, his gaze dropping downward.

He saw a girl sitting on the ground.

She had beautiful, shoulder-length silver hair and wore an exquisite black beret on her head.

She was dressed in a well-fitted school uniform, her slender legs wrapped in white stockings extending from beneath her skirt, and beside her lay a cane that was clearly for walking assistance.

Akiyama Shin was stunned, but he immediately recognized her identity; she was the girl from the photo Masumi Kamuro had sent yesterday, the leader of the Sakayanagi Faction in Class A.

Arisu Sakayanagi.

Looking at the cane beside her and her awkward position on the ground, Akiyama Shin realized it was indeed his distraction that had knocked her over, and she appeared to have difficulty walking.

He didn't hesitate, slowly squatting down to keep his eyes level with hers as much as possible, then extended a hand, his tone calm and ripple-free.

"Are you alright?"

Arisu Sakayanagi raised her eyelids and looked at Akiyama Shin.

Her doll-like, exquisite face didn't show much pain or anger; instead, she gave Akiyama Shin a faint, composed smile.

She extended her own fair, petite hand and placed it gently on Akiyama Shin's palm.

"I'm fine."

Akiyama Shin applied a little force, pulling her up from the ground, and then picked up the fallen cane and handed it to her.

"Thank you, classmate."

Arisu Sakayanagi took her cane, leaned on it gracefully, and then smiled as she introduced herself.

"I am Arisu Sakayanagi from Class 1-A. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Shin Akiyama, Class 1-D."

Shin Akiyama also stated his name and class.

Upon hearing that Shin Akiyama was from Class 1-D, a faint, almost imperceptible flash of surprise crossed Arisu Sakayanagi's eyes, but she quickly regained her previous composure.

She spoke again, her tone gentle, yet she uttered words that made Shin Akiyama frown inwardly.

"It was my fault for not watching where I was going just now. I am truly sorry for causing you trouble, Akiyama-san."

Hearing this, Shin Akiyama's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Was it her fault?

Anyone with eyes could see that it was clearly he, Shin Akiyama, who had been lost in thought and bumped into her as she was walking normally.

Yet, Arisu Sakayanagi, the party involved and the victim, had taken the initiative to shoulder the responsibility herself?

There had to be a reason behind such abnormal behavior.

His brain began to race, conducting a deep psychological dissection of Arisu Sakayanagi.

Generally speaking, there are two common psychological motives for habitually blaming oneself for mistakes.

First, extreme inferiority, formed as a self-protection mechanism after long-term exposure to criticism or bullying.

Second, to avoid conflict and trouble, taking the initiative to appear weak in order to settle the matter.

But Arisu Sakayanagi clearly did not belong to the former; from that brief contact, what Shin Akiyama felt was a sense of composure and calmness that radiated from her very bones.

Her phrasing was elegant, her smile appropriate, and there was no evasion or cowardice in her eyes—only a sense of detachment.

This was definitely not the aura of someone who had been suppressed or felt inferior for a long time.

Moreover, the fact that she could form her own faction within the elite-filled Class A and stand on equal footing with Kohei Katsuragi was proof enough that her intellect and ability far exceeded the average person.

So... was it the second reason? To avoid trouble?

But even that reason seemed far-fetched in her case.

Given her status and position in Class A, there was no need for her to be so humble toward a student from Class 1-D, especially over an accidental collision.

More importantly, that flash of surprise when she heard Shin Akiyama was from Class 1-D, while extremely subtle, had not escaped his eyes.

This suggested that she likely had some understanding of the positioning of Class 1-D, or perhaps had even touched upon the core rules of this school?

So, why would someone who knew part of the rules... and was in Class A... take the initiative to apologize to a student from Class 1-D?

And if she already understood some of the rules but hadn't made them public within Class A, choosing instead to exist through factional strife... what was the ultimate goal behind this?

Shin Akiyama believed that Arisu Sakayanagi was definitely not trying to temper Class A the way he was testing Class 1-D, because Class A had no need for such inefficient internal friction to grow.

Was it to increase the difficulty for herself... to enjoy the pleasure of playing games under restricted conditions? Or was there... a deeper scheme that Shin Akiyama had yet to perceive?

Shin Akiyama realized that for a moment, he was unable to fully see through the true thoughts of this seemingly fragile girl.

This feeling of being out of control caused his vigilance toward Arisu Sakayanagi to instantly reach its peak.

Just as Shin Akiyama was immersed in his analysis, his gaze lingering involuntarily on Arisu Sakayanagi's face, the other party spoke softly with that same unchanging smile, her tone carrying a hint of perfectly measured teasing.

"Akiyama-san, even if you are very handsome, and I might indeed be a little cute, but... staring at a girl like that isn't very polite, is it?"

Her calm, clear voice forcibly pulled Shin Akiyama back from his deep contemplation to reality.

Shin Akiyama was slightly startled, then realized his lapse in decorum and immediately withdrew his gaze, his face returning to a state of calm.

"My apologies."

He apologized flatly, then said nothing more.

"Then, goodbye."

With that, he gave a slight nod to Arisu Sakayanagi and turned to continue walking toward the school building, having firmly etched this silver-haired girl into his mind.

Arisu Sakayanagi of Class A—an opponent who required high vigilance and in-depth study.

Watching Shin Akiyama's retreating back, the smile on Arisu Sakayanagi's face remained serene.

But deep within her eyes, a glimmer of contemplation flickered.

Shin Akiyama... Class 1-D...

She actually hadn't fully grasped all the rules of this school either; the reason she felt surprised by Shin Akiyama's class was largely due to another factor.

The masterpiece from the White Room that she knew of, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, was also in Class 1-D.

"A Class 1-D... housing both Ayanokoji-kun and this Akiyama-kun... it's getting more and more interesting~"

And the accidental collision just now wasn't entirely coincidental; she had deliberately chosen that moment to walk toward Shin Akiyama, who was clearly lost in his own world.

Because of the brief clash between Akiyama Shin and President Horikita at the gymnasium yesterday, although it seemed rude, the probing and courage contained within it had already caught the attention of Sakayanagi Arisu; that was certainly not something an ordinary freshman could do.

Encountering him by chance today and seeing him lost in thought, Sakayanagi Arisu felt a bit curious; after all, she did not believe that Akiyama Shin's focus could be so easily scattered.

Sakayanagi Arisu speculated on what Akiyama Shin was thinking about, and this line of thought had even reached the point where his perception of the external environment was diminished, and Akiyama Shin's behavior just now further confirmed Sakayanagi Arisu's conjecture.

He was a person accustomed to performing complex logical deductions, and once immersed in them, the priority of the real world would temporarily decrease.

This trait...

It was very interesting, and also very dangerous.

Having confirmed this, Sakayanagi Arisu felt even more expectant about life at this school.

It seems that there might be more evenly matched opponents than she had imagined.

Leaning on her cane, she turned slowly and walked toward the direction of Class A, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Akiyama-kun... I really look forward to meeting you again..."

The next morning.

Faint light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, spilling onto the two people sleeping in each other's arms on the bed. Unlike yesterday, the two did not engage in intense morning exercise this morning.

Although Akiyama Shin was still full of energy, looking at Kushida Kikyo, who was curled up in the quilt beside him, still sleeping soundly with a trace of fatigue and lethargy between her brows, he muttered.

"Last night... it seems I went a bit too far..."

He glanced at Kushida Kikyo's peaceful sleeping face, feeling no great waves in his heart, just an objective judgment based on the current situation.

As for Kushida Kikyo, who slowly woke up, feeling the lingering soreness in her body and looking at Akiyama Shin, who was already awake beside her as if nothing had happened, she couldn't help but complain internally again.

This guy... is his energy infinite?

Is this guy... really human...?

The two tacitly got up one after the other, washed up simply in the dormitory, and then left the room at staggered times.

The reason they did not leave together was that rumors about Akiyama Shin had recently begun to circulate in Class D.

The core content was nothing more than questioning whether Akiyama Shin was a scumbag, seemingly having an ambiguous relationship with Horikita Suzune on one side, while walking very closely with Kushida Kikyo, the center of the class, on the other.

Suspected of two-timing.

For Class D, which was only on its third day of school, where most students were still immersed in the sweet dreams of Heaven Academy and had not yet realized the existence of potential crises.

In an environment lacking clear goals and pressure, besides planning how to squander their points, their greatest pleasure was these gossipy topics based on hearsay.

In contrast.

The atmosphere in other classes was completely different.

The students of Class A had already used their elite keenness to vaguely perceive that there might be class competition within the school, and had even initially formed two factions led by Katsuragi Kohei and Sakayanagi Arisu.

Although there were signs of infighting, given the general self-discipline of Class A students, it was almost impossible for any major disciplinary violation that would lead to a deduction of class points to occur in the first month.

Class B, on the other hand, had gained an information advantage by purchasing key intelligence from Akiyama Shin.

If they could effectively utilize this intelligence to strengthen self-management and class collaboration, it would not be impossible for them to surpass Class A in class points within the first month.

After all, with a leader as approachable as Honami Ichinose, as well as the overall kind and united atmosphere of Class B, the cohesion of Class B could be called the best among the first years.

Surpassing Class A should be an inevitable result.

Akiyama evaluated calmly.

The situation in Class C was not yet clear, but judging by the style of their homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma, it would likely not be as loose and disorganized as Class D.

As for Class D...

Akiyama Shin sneered in his heart.

Even if the complete rules were laid out in front of them now, in their current state of being a scattered pile of sand, lacking a core of cohesion like Honami Ichinose, it would likely be difficult to form effective collective action in a short period of time.

You can't prop up mud on a wall, unless they experience the pain of a skin-deep wound.

About ten minutes after Kushida Kikyo left, Akiyama Shin also tidied his clothes and walked out of the dormitory unhurriedly.

The morning campus air was fresh, and a light breeze brushed his face.

As he strolled, he let his thoughts immerse themselves in deep reflection on future layouts and the class situation, his eyes slightly unfocused as he walked toward the school building.

However, just as he passed a corner, his attention scattered, he unexpectedly bumped into a relatively petite figure coming from the opposite direction.

"Ah!"

A small, pained moan came, accompanied by the light sound of an object hitting the ground.

Akiyama Shin regained his senses instantly, his gaze looking downward.

He saw a girl sitting on the ground.

She had beautiful long silver hair draped over her shoulders and wore an exquisite black beret on her head.

She was wearing a well-fitted school uniform, and from under her skirt extended slender legs wrapped in white stockings with garters. Beside her, a cane that was clearly for walking assistance had fallen.

Akiyama Shin was stunned, but he immediately recognized the other person's identity; it was the girl from the photo Kamuro Masumi had sent yesterday, the leader of the Sakayanagi Faction in Class A.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

Looking at the cane beside her and the awkward position of her sitting on the ground, Akiyama Shin realized that it was indeed his own distraction that had caused him to knock her over, and she appeared to have difficulty walking.

He did not hesitate, slowly crouching down to keep his gaze level with hers as much as possible, then extended a hand, his tone calm and ripple-free.

"Are you alright?"

Sakayanagi Arisu raised her eyelids to look at Akiyama Shin.

Her doll-like, exquisite face did not reveal much pain or annoyance; instead, she offered Akiyama Shin a gentle and composed smile.

She extended her fair, petite hand and placed it lightly upon Akiyama Shin's palm.

"I am fine."

Akiyama Shin applied a bit of force, pulling her up from the ground, and then reached out to pick up her fallen cane and handed it to her.

"Thank you, fellow student."

Sakayanagi Arisu took the cane, leaned on it gracefully, and then smiled as she introduced herself.

"I am Sakayanagi Arisu from Class 1-A. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Class 1-D, Akiyama Shin."

Akiyama Shin also stated his name and class.

Upon hearing that Akiyama Shin was from Class D, a faint, almost imperceptible flash of surprise crossed Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes, but she quickly returned to her previous composure.

She spoke again, her tone gentle, yet she uttered a sentence that made Akiyama Shin frown inwardly.

"It was my fault for not watching where I was going just now. I am truly sorry for causing you trouble, Akiyama-san."

Akiyama Shin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly at these words.

Was it her fault?

Anyone with eyes could see that it was clearly he, Akiyama Shin, who had been lost in thought and knocked over someone walking normally.

Yet Sakayanagi Arisu, the victim and the person involved, had taken the responsibility upon herself?

There must be a reason behind such abnormal behavior.

His brain began to race, conducting a deep psychological dissection of Sakayanagi Arisu.

Generally speaking, there are two common psychological motives for habitually blaming oneself for mistakes.

First, extreme inferiority, formed as a self-protection mechanism after long-term exposure to criticism or bullying.

Second, to avoid conflict and trouble, taking the initiative to appear weak to settle the matter.

But Sakayanagi Arisu clearly did not belong to the former; from that brief contact, what Akiyama Shin felt was a composure and calmness that permeated her very bones.

Her phrasing was elegant, her smile appropriate, and there was no evasion or cowardice in her eyes, but rather a sense of indifference.

This was definitely not the aura of someone who had been suppressed or suffered from low self-esteem for a long time.

Moreover, the fact that she could form her own faction within the elite-filled Class A and stand on equal footing with Katsuragi Kohei proved that her intellect and ability far exceeded the average person.

Then... was it the second reason? To avoid trouble?

But even this reason seemed far-fetched when applied to her.

Given her status and position in Class A, there was no need for her to be so humble toward a student from Class D, especially over an accidental collision.

More importantly, that flash of surprise when she heard Akiyama Shin was from Class D, though extremely subtle, had not escaped his eyes.

This suggested that she likely had some understanding of the positioning of Class D, or perhaps even touched upon the core of the school's rules?

So, why would someone who knew part of the rules... and was in Class A... take the initiative to accept blame from a Class D student?

And if she already understood part of the rules, yet did not make them public within Class A, choosing instead to exist in the form of factional strife... what was the ultimate goal behind this?

Akiyama Shin believed that Sakayanagi Arisu was definitely not trying to temper Class A the way he was testing Class D, because Class A had no need for such inefficient internal friction to grow.

Could it be to increase the difficulty for herself... to enjoy the pleasure of playing games with others under restricted conditions? Or was there... a deeper scheme that Akiyama Shin had yet to perceive?

Akiyama Shin realized that he was momentarily unable to fully see through the true thoughts of this seemingly fragile girl.

This feeling of being out of control caused his vigilance toward Sakayanagi Arisu to instantly rise to the highest level.

Just as Akiyama Shin was immersed in his analysis, his gaze lingering unconsciously on Sakayanagi Arisu's face.

The other party, however, maintained that unchanging smile and spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of perfectly measured teasing.

"Akiyama-san, even if you are quite handsome, and I might indeed be a little cute, but... staring at a girl like this is not very polite, is it?"

Her calm voice forcibly pulled Akiyama Shin back from his deep contemplation to reality.

Akiyama Shin was slightly startled, then realized his lapse in manners, immediately withdrawing his gaze as his face returned to a state of calm.

"My apologies."

He apologized flatly, then said nothing more.

"Then, goodbye."

After saying this, he gave a slight nod to Arisu Sakayanagi and turned to continue walking toward the school building, having firmly etched the silver-haired girl into his memory.

Arisu Sakayanagi of Class A, an opponent who required high vigilance and in-depth study.

Watching the retreating back of Shin Akiyama, the smile on Arisu Sakayanagi's face remained serene.

Yet, a glimmer of contemplation flashed deep within her eyes.

Shin Akiyama... Class D...

In truth, she had not yet fully grasped all the rules of this school, and the reason she felt surprised by Shin Akiyama's class was due to another factor entirely.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, the masterpiece from the White Room she knew of, was also in Class D.

"A single Class D... housing both Ayanokoji-kun and this Akiyama-kun... it's getting more and more interesting~"

The accidental collision from just a moment ago was not entirely coincidental; she had intentionally chosen that moment to walk toward Shin Akiyama, who had clearly been lost in thought.

Because of the brief confrontation between Shin Akiyama and President Horikita in the gymnasium yesterday—though it seemed rude—the probing and boldness contained within it had already caught Arisu Sakayanagi's attention; that was certainly not something an ordinary freshman could pull off.

Encountering him today and seeing him so preoccupied, Arisu Sakayanagi felt a bit curious; after all, she did not believe Shin Akiyama's focus could be that scattered.

Arisu Sakayanagi speculated that Shin Akiyama was pondering something, and this contemplation had reached a point where his perception of the external environment had diminished, a theory further confirmed by his actions just now.

He was a person accustomed to complex logical deduction, and once immersed, the priority of the real world would temporarily drop.

This trait...

It was very interesting, and also very dangerous.

Having confirmed this, Arisu Sakayanagi found herself looking forward to life at this school even more.

It seemed there might be more evenly matched opponents than she had imagined.

Leaning on her cane, she slowly turned and headed toward the direction of Class A, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Akiyama-kun... I look forward to meeting you again..."