Conviction

Akiyama Shin quickly arrived at the third-floor gym in Keyaki Mall with Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo.

Koenji Rokusuke had obviously finished his workout long ago. He had not only washed away the sweat but also changed into a set of high-quality, light-colored casual clothes. Now he lounged on a soft sofa, one leg casually crossed over the other.

His signature brilliant blond hair spilled loosely over his shoulders, its ends still glistening faintly from his recent shower. It only made his already handsome face look even more striking.

When he spotted the three approaching, especially the two girls following behind Akiyama Shin, his narrow eyes lifted slightly, and a trace of surprise flickered across his brows.

But the surprise vanished in an instant, and he soon returned to his languid air of having everything under control.

A faint smile even curled his lips.

"Let's go. We can talk as we walk."

Akiyama Shin skipped the small talk and got straight to the point, his tone calm and unwavering.

Koenji Rokusuke sat up elegantly, his movements marked by an innate air of refinement. Then he chuckled softly, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"Oh?"

"Seems this is important enough to get me to make the trip myself~"

He did not ask what it was about, as if he had complete faith in Akiyama Shin's invitation.

Or perhaps he simply found it interesting. He got to his feet quite naturally and followed the other three.

The four of them left the bustling mall together and walked along a quieter path in the nearby park.

The sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon. Its orange-red glow spread across the ground, stretching their shadows long and thin.

The evening breeze carried a chill as it passed, stirring their hair and easing the heat in the air.

Silence spread along the wooded path for a moment before Akiyama Shin broke it.

But his opening question left Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo completely bewildered.

"Koenji, how many points have you exchanged with the upperclassmen so far?"

"Exchanged points?"

Horikita Suzune repeated the unfamiliar phrase with a frown, her eyes full of confusion. Kushida Kikyo blinked her round eyes, looking just as puzzled as she glanced at Akiyama Shin.

Exchanging points with upperclassmen?

They had never heard of such a thing. It was never mentioned in the school rules, either. What was going on?

A flicker of surprise crossed Koenji Rokusuke's eyes at the question, but it did not last long. He seemed to think it was only natural that Akiyama Shin had figured it out.

He answered casually, as if discussing something perfectly ordinary.

"Not much. Nearly two million points."

After a pause, he added, "I mainly approached third-years in Class B and Class C who had already given up on reaching Class A and just wanted to graduate in peace."

"Two million?!"

Kushida Kikyo let out a shocked gasp and instinctively covered her mouth.

Horikita Suzune drew in a sharp breath, her pupils contracting slightly as she stared at Koenji in disbelief.

To them, that was an astronomical sum. The many shocks Akiyama Shin had given them before were already enough, but they had never imagined there was a way to obtain points like this—and exchange them by the millions.

Noticing their stunned expressions, Koenji wore a faintly smug look and explained in an easygoing tone.

"It's simple."

"I'm the heir to the Koenji Conglomerate. All I have to do is sign a formal contract with them and leave a fingerprint as proof. They transfer their points to me now, and after graduating and leaving the school, they can take the contract to the Koenji Conglomerate and exchange it for the corresponding amount of cash. For those about to graduate who have no intention of competing for Class A, it's a future investment with guaranteed returns. Why wouldn't they do it?"

Akiyama Shin seemed to have expected this. He showed no surprise and merely nodded, as if he had long since understood how it all worked.

Then he changed tack and made an even more startling request. His tone remained calm, but his words exploded like a thunderclap in the ears of the other three.

"Transfer half of the points you have to me."

The air froze.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo were utterly dumbfounded. They gaped at Akiyama Shin, then quickly turned to look at Koenji. Their faces were full of disbelief.

What kind of request was that?

It was practically no different from robbery!

No matter how impressive Akiyama Shin had been so far, wasn't this asking too much?

Even Horikita Suzune, who was usually so cool and composed, couldn't help wondering to herself:

Had Akiyama lost his mind?

Yet, to their surprise, Koenji did not get angry. He seemed to find the request amusing; a glint of interest appeared in his eyes as he studied Akiyama Shin.

"Oh? Give me a reason~ Akiyama-boy~"

"I can make you money without you lifting a finger."

"How much, I can't say yet."

Akiyama Shin had said he could make money, which meant he could earn even more points on top of the millions Koenji already had.

But he could not guarantee how much.

Koenji Rokusuke did not think Akiyama Shin was incapable of estimating the approximate points his plan could earn.

If anything, this confirmed that Akiyama Shin expected to make a lot.

He simply didn't want to give Koenji too large a share.

Koenji was not angry.

He didn't care about money.

He had only traded for points to make his life more comfortable.

For that very reason, he was all the more curious about Akiyama Shin's plan.

When Akiyama Shin received no response, he continued.

"The specifics."

"I'll explain once we find Teacher Chabashira and confirm the details."

Koenji laughed at that, privately thinking that Akiyama Shin was shameless. He wouldn't even reveal the plan now, insisting on waiting until they found Chabashira Sae.

His sharp eyes stayed fixed on Akiyama Shin's face, as if searching for some clue. A few seconds later, he suddenly chuckled, sounding both excited and resigned.

"All right~ You win~ But this does sound pretty interesting~"

"I'll go with you."

"I want to see what kind of trick you're going to pull."

They did not go to the teachers' dormitory. Instead, Akiyama Shin first contacted Chabashira Sae through his Terminal. Following her directions, they headed to the apartment she had rented on the Artificial Island outside the school.

With their homeroom teacher there to meet and register them, they could leave campus temporarily, but their movements were strictly restricted to the Artificial Island.

Chabashira Sae was already waiting in the apartment's living room. She sat on the sofa, looking over the rather unusual group of four. She had a vague feeling that Akiyama Shin was about to make another big move.

She did not beat around the bush and asked directly, "What is it this time?"

Akiyama Shin likewise skipped the small talk and went straight to the point.

"Teacher Chabashira, how many Personal Points does it cost to get permission to build a subsite on the school's Campus Network?"

Chabashira Sae paused, clearly not expecting him to ask that.

Permission to build a subsite on the Campus Network?

She frowned slightly and quickly thought it over, but she could not figure out what use Akiyama Shin would have for such permission.

The Campus Network's functions were limited.

It was basically just for announcements, polls, and a Confession Wall for entertainment. Even the Confession Wall—the only feature that might generate revenue—was already under strict school supervision.

It was managed by dedicated staff, completely closing off the possibility of students making money from it.

How could building a new website make money?

Chabashira Sae couldn't make sense of it. She looked at Akiyama Shin with confusion.

"I'm not sure."

Chabashira Sae answered honestly, then picked up the smartphone resting on the coffee table.

It was one of the few devices that could connect to networks outside the island.

"I'll need to ask the school before I can give you an accurate answer."

With that, she got up and went out onto the balcony to call the staff member responsible for the matter. She made a point of not turning on speakerphone so that no one else could hear the conversation.

In the living room, Kushida Kikyo and Horikita Suzune exchanged glances. They were no less puzzled than Chabashira Sae.

Build a website?

That seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with earning a huge number of points. What was Akiyama Shin planning?

But Koenji Rokusuke, standing nearby, had a glint of understanding flash through his eyes, and his smile deepened. As the heir to a top conglomerate, he had a far sharper instinct for business and capital than ordinary people.

The moment Akiyama Shin mentioned permission to build a website, Koenji had almost guessed his intent: betting.

He wanted to build a betting site for the whole school, offering wagers on exams, class competitions, and even various events to attract student bets.

Once it got going, the scope and potential profits would be far beyond anything small-scale.

The points they could rake in would likely go well beyond the millions. They might even reach tens of millions.

Koenji silently praised Akiyama Shin's boldness and intelligence, but he had no intention of starting a competing venture.

First, he understood that if Akiyama Shin dared to bring this proposal up in front of him, he must have anticipated that Koenji could figure out his intent—and wasn't afraid of him cutting in.

Or perhaps—

Akiyama Shin was certain he wouldn't try to cut in.

And the fact that Akiyama Shin was so sure he wouldn't meant that Akiyama Shin had a deep understanding of him. Koenji appreciated people like that, so he naturally wouldn't do such a thing.

Second, he was lazy by nature and cared about enjoying himself. He had no interest in the tedious work of building and running a website. He could see the big picture, but that didn't mean he could design a complete betting system and business model.

Third, he trusted Akiyama Shin's abilities. Rather than going to the trouble himself and getting nowhere, it was better to invest and reap the benefits. Even if he already knew his share of the gains from Akiyama Shin would likely be pitifully small, he was willing.

About ten minutes later, Chabashira Sae ended the call and returned to the living room. She nodded to everyone.

"The school has replied."

"Permission to build a subsite on the Campus Network costs five million Personal Points, and applications can only be made under an individual's name."

Akiyama Shin said nothing.

He simply shifted his gaze to Koenji Rokusuke beside him, his expression calm but his meaning clear.

Just then, a clear chime broke the silence—it came from Akiyama Shin's Terminal.

He looked down at the screen.

The message was clear.

[You have received a transfer of 1,000,000 Personal Points from Koenji Rokusuke.]

The corner of Akiyama Shin's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

Chabashira Sae, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyo all froze at nearly the same time.

Chabashira Sae was shocked by how readily Koenji had transferred a million points without the slightest hesitation. His decisiveness and trust were beyond anything she could have imagined.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, meanwhile, were completely overwhelmed by the sudden, massive transaction. Their minds went blank as they stared at Koenji in disbelief. He had handed over a million points as casually as if they were worthless.

Koenji Rokusuke spread his hands, his gesture both elegant and casual, and smiled confidently.

"I trust you, Akiyama-boy. But to keep the distribution of points clear later and avoid unnecessary trouble, we should draw up a formal contract."

Akiyama Shin looked at him with a hint of amusement.

"You've already transferred the points to me... aren't you worried I'll just pocket them... and do nothing?"

Koenji laughed heartily, his tone full of certainty.

"I trust you."

That trust was completely unconditional. It gave the living room an undercurrent of unspoken understanding.

Akiyama Shin smiled and said no more. He picked up his Terminal and quickly began tapping away.

Soon, a payment notification sounded from Chabashira Sae's Terminal. She looked down and saw that five million Personal Points had arrived in her account.

Chabashira Sae froze again, her fingers tightening slightly around the Terminal. She clearly remembered that Akiyama Shin had earned 2.8 million points through information trading early in the school year. Adding the million Koenji had just transferred, that made 3.8 million in total. Yet he had just transferred five million at once—which meant he had contributed an additional 1.2 million hidden points of his own!

How many more cards did Akiyama Shin have up his sleeve?

Just how many points did he have?

Chabashira Sae suppressed the shock churning inside her. After confirming the payment, she said, her tone complicated, "The website-building permission will be activated and synced to your Terminal by midnight at the latest."

"After that, you can connect it to a computer and operate it directly."

"Good."

Akiyama Shin nodded, then looked at Chabashira Sae.

"Teacher Chabashira, could you draw up a contract for us as well?"

As the school's representative, Chabashira Sae was the most suitable witness. Without hesitation, she went to the study and brought back the school's standard contract paper and a pen. Then, following Akiyama Shin and Koenji's instructions, she drafted the terms.

Once she had prepared a first draft, Chabashira Sae picked up the paper to check it carefully. Though she had braced herself, the terms still made her pupils contract and sent shockwaves through her.

The contract was clear and straightforward.

Party A: Akiyama Shin

Party B: Koenji Rokusuke

Witness: Chabashira Sae (school representative)

Key Terms: Party B (Koenji Rokusuke) voluntarily sponsors Party A (Akiyama Shin) with one million Personal Points for investment in a specific project. From the date this contract takes effect, all Personal Points (net profit) earned by Party A through a website built on the Campus Network will be divided between Party A and Party B at a ratio of 9:1. The distributions will be transferred directly to the Terminal accounts designated by both parties and settled monthly.

A 9:1 profit split!

It was practically an outrageous, one-sided deal!

Chabashira Sae stared at the contract, stunned.

Koenji was clearly making a gamble with one million points. Only if the website made over ten million points in net profit would he recoup his initial investment. If the net profit came in below ten million, his investment would practically go up in smoke.

Even more astonishing, Akiyama Shin had dared to propose such a split, and Koenji had agreed!

Behind it was not only Koenji's almost blind trust in Akiyama Shin, but also Akiyama Shin's absolute confidence in his plan. He was certain the website could earn far more than ten million points.

Even if the final profit exceeded twenty million, Koenji would only receive two million points—merely double his investment.

Chabashira Sae simply couldn't understand why someone of Koenji's status and personality would accept those terms.

What she didn't know was that Koenji had never truly cared about the number of points from the start.

He had agreed simply because he found the plan interesting and wanted to see Akiyama Shin's limits for himself. He wanted to see just how far the man who had repeatedly surprised him could take this game.

As for the possibility of a loss, he had never considered it.

Even if he only got his principal back in the end, seeing a spectacular performance would make it worthwhile.

If he managed to double his money, that would be an added bonus.

He trusted Akiyama Shin.

He also enjoyed the thrill of the unknown.

Chabashira Sae looked at Akiyama Shin, whose expression was calm, as if everything were under control. Then she glanced at Koenji, who looked unconcerned, even somewhat eager, and couldn't help sighing inwardly.

Those two...

They were making the most insane bet imaginable!

She gathered herself and stopped dwelling on it, then finalized the contract details as the two had requested.

Then she handed it to Akiyama Shin and Koenji to sign.

Both men picked up their pens and signed without hesitation. Chabashira Sae then signed as a witness and stamped it with her teacher's seal. And so, the seemingly absurd yet utterly official contract took effect.

Akiyama Shin had now fully acknowledged Koenji.

Even though he wouldn't give up a single extra point.

He knew perfectly well that Koenji could see through his intentions.

After all, that man had figured out why he'd called

from just one phone call.

But he'd gone through with it anyway.

Because he was certain Koenji was willing.

Because he was certain he was strong enough.

Because he was certain everyone ought to revolve around him.

That was all.