Sharp-Tongued Kid?! Akiyama Shin's Retaliation and Gift!

Akiyama Shin's noisy outburst was like a stone cast into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples and making the atmosphere in the library subtle and tense.

Most of the students in Class D wore expressions of astonishment and a hint of relief.

"Akiyama is..."

"So... so bold!"

"He actually said it right to his face!"

Quite a few people whispered to one another, both worried about the conflict escalating and secretly feeling a sense of gratification that someone had stood up to counter Ryuen Kakeru's insults.

On the Class B side, the eyes beneath Sakayanagi Arisu's silver hair widened slightly, a flash of obvious surprise crossing them before being replaced by even deeper interest.

She rested her chin lightly on her slender fingers, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips; clearly, Akiyama Shin's unyielding stance was more interesting than she had anticipated.

She didn't speak, merely watching quietly, as if observing a play about to unfold.

Hashimoto Masayoshi, Kito Hayato, and the others also wore guarded and scrutinizing expressions, worried that the conflict might escalate.

Meanwhile, Nishikawa Ryoko looked at Sakayanagi with some concern, then toward the center of the confrontation.

On the other side.

Shiraishi Asuka remained immersed in her own world, her cheeks flushed, her gaze fixed intently on Akiyama Shin.

Beside Akiyama Shin, Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo both looked at him in shock.

Kushida Kikyo subconsciously tugged at the corner of his shirt, her voice laced with urgency and worry.

"Akiyama-kun! Don't be impulsive..."

Though she was happy to trip up this man who bullied her, she absolutely did not want to see him get into a direct conflict with a dangerous person like Ryuen Kakeru out of impulse.

Horikita Suzune also immediately said in a low voice.

"Akiyama... calm down!"

"There's no need to lower yourself to his level."

She was worried that if things blew up, they wouldn't be able to clean up the mess.

Hirata Yosuke hurried back a few steps, standing behind and to the side of Akiyama Shin, his face full of worry, prepared to intervene and mediate at any moment.

As for Yamauchi and Ike, who were on the edge of the crowd, they were just there to watch the chaos, waving their fists and cheering loudly.

"Akiyama! Well said! Show them what you've got!"

"That's right! You Class C bastards, get out!"

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji watched this chaotic scene and rubbed his forehead with a sense of helplessness, feeling that things were heading in a troublesome direction, while Sudo Ken didn't say anything, but as he crossed his arms, the look he gave Akiyama Shin held less of his previous contempt and a bit more recognition.

He used to think Akiyama Shin was just a pretty boy, and although his opinion had improved after the swimming lesson, it hadn't reached the point of genuine recognition; yet, at this moment, Akiyama Shin's courage to face Ryuen Kakeru's provocation and speak up for the class was, in his eyes, the mark of a real man, not a coward.

Ishizaki Daichi and Albert Yamada, standing behind Ryuen Kakeru, were also staring intently at Akiyama Shin.

When they met Akiyama Shin's eyes—calm and waveless, yet as deep and cold as polar ice—they couldn't help but feel a shiver run through them; that gaze didn't possess the outward ferocity and violence of Ryuen Kakeru, but it made one feel a chill from the bottom of their heart, as if it were devoid of any emotion.

It was the first time they had witnessed a person's gaze being cold to such a degree, even more unsettling than when Ryuen Kakeru exploded in rage.

As for Ryuen, after a brief moment of surprise, he laughed instead of getting angry, a smile full of distortion.

"Oh? Finally, someone decent enough to stand up and fart? Are you the hidden leader of Class D?"

He looked Akiyama Shin up and down, trying to find a flaw in his opponent.

Facing Ryuen Kakeru's aggressive gaze, Akiyama Shin's expression remained unchanged, as if the other party were merely performing a clumsy one-man show.

He calculated rapidly in his mind.

Provocation and insults were intended to disrupt Class D's mentality and interfere with the study session—a low-level but effective tactic.

But this was perfect... perhaps he could use this to figure out the bottom line of Class C, or even accumulate leverage for future negotiations.

"That really is."

"Extremely vulgar."

Akiyama Shin spoke flatly.

"What you said might be true."

"But for Class C to use such low-class and ineffective, tacky tactics, are you putting on a street thug brawl? Or are you aspiring to be a biker gang from the last century? If that's the case, I'm quite troubled, as this school doesn't exactly have cops on the beat to engage in street chases and brawls with you."

With one sentence, he defined Ryuen Kakeru's behavior as a clumsy performance and mocked the level of Class C.

Ryuen Kakeru's face darkened.

"You guy... you really have a sharp tongue... but you lot, a gathering of defective goods... are you even worthy of talking about levels?"

"Whether we are defective or not is not defined by a loser who only knows how to bark."

Akiyama Shin countered immediately, his tone without a ripple.

"At least we know how to keep quiet in the library, instead of making noise like untamed beasts."

"Who are you calling a loser...? Who are you calling a beast...?"

Ryuen Kakeru's anger was finally ignited, and he stepped forward, Ishizaki Daichi and Albert tensing their muscles as the atmosphere instantly became fraught with tension.

The students of Class D watched as Ryuen Kakeru was left fuming by Akiyama Shin's few words, seemingly unable to find a more powerful rebuttal, and felt a great sense of satisfaction.

"Well said, Akiyama!"

"Exactly, who's the real barbarian here!"

"Get back to your own Class C!"

On the side of Class B, most remained silent, but Hashimoto Masayoshi could hardly contain himself; a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned to speak to Kito Hayato.

"This guy really has a sharp tongue."

The tense lines on Kito Hayato's grim face finally seemed to relax, if only just a little.

Nearby, Nishikawa Ryoko leaned in close to Shiraishi Asuka's ear, her voice as light as a breeze.

"Akiyama-kun is pretty impressive, isn't he?"

Shiraishi Asuka nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with a brilliant, shimmering light.

Akiyama Shin, meanwhile, completely ignored the suffocating pressure of Ryuen Kakeru's approach, maintaining his calm aura as he continued in a steady tone.

"Wasting each other's time is meaningless."

"If your purpose in coming here is just to act like a clown for attention, then your performance can end now, but..."

His tone shifted slightly, his gaze sharpening.

"If you are looking to probe or seek cooperation, perhaps you could try a smarter approach instead of one that is so repulsive."

Ryuen Kakeru stared fixedly at Akiyama Shin, his chest heaving.

He realized that his plan to disrupt the morale of Class D was almost entirely ineffective against this guy.

The other's composure was like a wall of ice; his provocations and insults were like torches crashing into frozen ground—not only failing to melt the target, but risking being extinguished by the cold instead.

Even if he came to harass them every day, at most, he would only be wasting some of their study time.

Class D and Class B could simply change locations.

More importantly, this would severely impact his own class's studies and plans; although he excelled at ruling through violence, he was not a poor student and understood the importance of academics.

This guy...

Ryuen Kakeru silently weighed the pros and cons, but at this stage, with Akiyama Shin present, the mentality of Class D was not as easy to break as he had imagined.

Staying here any longer, beyond becoming a laughingstock, seemed pointless. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and pulled a grim smile back onto his face.

"Hmph, interesting."

"It seems Class D isn't entirely made up of trash."

His gaze swept over Akiyama Shin's face like a viper, as if trying to etch it into his memory.

"Akiyama, was it...? We'll see about this...!"

Having said that, he didn't say another word, turned abruptly, and growled at Ishizaki and Albert.

"Let's go!"

Akiyama Shin's noisy retort was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples and making the atmosphere in the library subtle and tense.

Most of the students in Class D wore expressions of astonishment mixed with a hint of relief.

"Akiyama, he..."

"So... so bold!"

"He actually said it right to his face!"

Many whispered to one another, both worried about the conflict escalating and secretly feeling a sense of gratification that someone had stood up to counter Ryuen Kakeru's insults.

On the side of Class B, the eyes beneath Sakayanagi Arisu's silver hair widened slightly, flashing with clear surprise, which was quickly replaced by even deeper interest.

She rested her chin on her slender fingers, a smile tugging at her lips; clearly, Akiyama Shin's unyielding stance was more intriguing than she had anticipated.

She didn't speak, simply watching quietly, as if observing a play about to unfold.

Hashimoto Masayoshi, Kito Hayato, and the others also wore guarded and scrutinizing expressions, worried about the conflict escalating.

Nishikawa Ryoko looked at Sakayanagi with some concern, then back toward the center of the confrontation.

On the other side.

Shiraishi Asuka remained lost in her own world, her cheeks flushed, her gaze fixed intently on Akiyama Shin.

Beside Akiyama Shin, Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo both looked at him in shock.

Kushida Kikyo subconsciously tugged at the corner of his shirt, her voice filled with urgency and worry.

"Akiyama-kun! Don't be impulsive..."

Though she was happy to trip up the man who bullied her, she absolutely did not want to see him get into a direct conflict with a dangerous person like Ryuen Kakeru out of impulse.

Horikita Suzune also spoke in a low voice immediately.

"Akiyama... calm down!"

"There's no need to lower yourself to his level."

She was worried that things would escalate to a point of no return.

Hirata Yosuke walked back a few steps quickly, standing behind and to the side of Akiyama Shin, his face full of worry as he prepared to intervene and mediate at any moment.

Meanwhile, Yamauchi and Ike, who were on the edge of the crowd, were just there to watch the chaos, waving their fists and cheering loudly.

"Akiyama! Well said! Show them what you've got!"

"That's right! You Class C bastards, get out of here!"

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji watched this chaotic scene and rubbed his forehead with a sense of helplessness, feeling that things were heading in a troublesome direction. Sudo Ken didn't say anything, but as he stood with his arms crossed, the look he gave Akiyama Shin held less of his previous disdain and a bit more approval.

He used to think Akiyama Shin was just a pretty boy relying on his looks, and although his opinion had improved after swimming class, it hadn't reached the point of genuine recognition. But at this moment, seeing Akiyama Shin dare to face Ryuen Kakeru's provocation and speak up for the class, in his eyes, this was the behavior of a real man, not a coward.

Ishizaki Daichi and Albert Yamada, standing behind Ryuen Kakeru, were also staring intently at Akiyama Shin.

When they met Akiyama Shin's eyes—calm and waveless, yet deep and cold like polar ice—they couldn't help but feel a shiver in their hearts. That gaze didn't possess the outward ferocity and violence of Ryuen Kakeru, but it made one feel a chill from the bottom of their soul, as if it were devoid of any emotion.

It was the first time they had seen a person's gaze reach such a level of coldness, even more unsettling than when Ryuen Kakeru erupted.

As for Ryuen, after a brief moment of surprise, he didn't get angry but instead laughed, a smile full of distortion.

"Oh? Finally, someone decent enough to stand up and talk trash? Are you the leader Class D has been hiding?"

He looked Akiyama Shin up and down, trying to find a flaw in his opponent.

Facing Ryuen Kakeru's aggressive gaze, Akiyama Shin's expression didn't change, as if the other party were merely performing a clumsy one-man show.

He calculated rapidly in his mind.

Provocation and insults—the goal was to disrupt the mindset of Class D and interfere with the study session. Low-level, but effective tactics.

However, this was perfect... perhaps he could use this to figure out the bottom line of Class C, or even accumulate leverage for future negotiations.

"Indeed."

"Utterly vulgar."

Akiyama Shin spoke calmly.

"Perhaps what you say is true."

"But for Class C to use such low-level and ineffective, tacky tactics—are you staging a street thug brawl? Or do you aspire to be a biker gang from the last century? If that's the case, I'm quite troubled, as this school doesn't exactly have cops on the beat to engage in street chases and brawls with you."

With one sentence, he directly defined Ryuen Kakeru's behavior as a clumsy performance and mocked the standards of Class C.

Ryuen Kakeru's face darkened.

"You guy... you really have a sharp tongue... but you lot, a gathering of defective goods... are you even worthy of talking about standards?"

"Whether we are defective or not is not defined by a loser who only knows how to bark."

Akiyama Shin countered immediately, his tone without a ripple.

"At the very least, we know how to keep quiet in the library, rather than making noise like untamed beasts."

"Who are you calling a loser...? Who are you calling a beast...?"

Ryuen Kakeru's anger was finally ignited. He stepped closer, and Ishizaki Daichi and Albert tensed their muscles; the atmosphere instantly became tense and ready to snap.

The students of Class D, seeing Ryuen Kakeru choked up with rage by Akiyama Shin's few words and seemingly unable to find a more powerful rebuttal, felt a great sense of satisfaction.

"Well said, Akiyama!"

"Exactly, who's the real barbarian here!"

"Get back to your Class C!"

On the side of Class B, most remained silent, but Hashimoto Masayoshi couldn't hold back. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned to Kito Hayato and spoke.

"This guy has a really poisonous tongue."

On Kito Hayato's fierce face, the tense lines seemed to finally relax a little involuntarily.

Beside them, Nishikawa Ryoko leaned over to Shiraishi Asuka's ear, her voice as light as a breeze.

"Akiyama-kun is pretty impressive, isn't he?"

Shiraishi Asuka nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling and shimmering.

Akiyama Shin completely ignored the oppressive pressure of Ryuen Kakeru's encroaching presence. He remained wrapped in an aura of indifference, continuing in a steady tone.

"Wasting each other's time is meaningless."

"If your purpose in coming here is just to act like a clown for attention, then your performance can end now. However..."

His tone shifted, his gaze sharpening slightly.

"If you want to probe or seek cooperation, perhaps you could try a smarter, less repulsive approach."

Ryuen Kakeru stared fixedly at Akiyama Shin, his chest heaving.

He realized that his plan to disrupt the mindset of Class D was almost completely ineffective against this guy in front of him.

The other party's calmness was like an ice wall; his provocations and insults were like torches hitting solid ice—not only failing to melt the opponent but potentially being injured by the coldness instead.

Even if he came to harass them every day, at most, it would just waste some of their study time.

Class D and Class B could simply change locations.

More importantly, this would severely impact his own class's studies and plans; although he excelled at ruling through violence, his academic grades were not poor, and he was well aware of the importance of learning.

This guy...

Ryuen Kakeru silently weighed the pros and cons in his heart, but at this stage, with Akiyama Shin in Class D, their mentality was not as easy to crush as he had imagined.

Continuing to stay here seemed meaningless, serving only to make him a laughingstock; he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and pulled a sinister grin back onto his face.

"Hmph, interesting."

"It seems Class D isn't entirely made up of trash."

His gaze swept over Akiyama Shin's face like a viper, as if he wanted to etch him firmly into his memory.

"Akiyama, was it...? We'll see about this...!"

Having said that, he spoke no more, turned abruptly, and let out a low growl at Ishizaki and Albert.

"Let's go!"