Unwavering Belief

Akiyama Shin, accompanied by Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, arrived at the gym on the third floor of Keyaki Mall shortly after.

Koenji Rokusuke had clearly finished his workout long ago; not only had he washed away the sweat, but he had also changed into a high-quality light-colored casual outfit, lounging lazily in a soft sofa with one leg crossed over the other.

His signature dazzling blonde hair was draped loosely over his shoulders, the tips still holding a slight, damp luster from his shower, which only served to make his already handsome face appear even more flamboyant.

Catching sight of the three approaching, especially the two girls following behind Akiyama Shin, his narrow eyes lifted slightly, a flicker of imperceptible surprise crossing his brow.

But this surprise vanished in an instant, and he quickly returned to that lazy demeanor of having everything under control.

A faint, almost non-existent smile even tugged at the corners of his mouth.

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

Akiyama Shin didn't offer any superfluous pleasantries, stating his purpose straight away in a calm tone without the slightest ripple of emotion.

Koenji Rokusuke stood up gracefully, his movements imbued with an innate sense of nobility, and then let out a light chuckle, his voice carrying a hint of playfulness.

"Oh?"

"It seems this is a matter worth me moving my feet for~"

He didn't press for the specific details, as if he had complete trust in Akiyama Shin's invitation.

Or perhaps he simply found it interesting, and he naturally set off, following behind the three of them.

The four of them walked out of the bustling mall and stepped into the relatively quiet park path nearby.

The setting sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon, casting orange-red afterglow onto the ground and stretching the shadows of the four into long, thin shapes.

The evening breeze blew by with a chill, brushing through their hair and dissipating much of the stuffy heat in the air.

Silence lingered on the forest path for a moment before Akiyama Shin broke the calm first.

But the question he posed immediately left Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo beside him in a state of bewilderment.

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

"Exchanged points?"

Horikita Suzune frowned, subconsciously repeating the unfamiliar term, her eyes filled with confusion. Kushida Kikyo also blinked her round eyes, her face full of bewilderment as she looked at Akiyama Shin with obvious perplexity.

Exchanging points with upperclassmen?

They had never heard of such a thing, nor was it ever mentioned in the school rules. What on earth was going on?

When Koenji Rokusuke heard this question, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it didn't last long; instead, he felt it was only natural that Akiyama Shin would have guessed this.

He spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he were talking about the most mundane of matters.

"Not many, nearly two million points."

He paused, then added.

"I've mostly been looking for those third-year students in Class B and Class C who have already given up on reaching Class A and only seek a stable graduation."

"Two million?!"

Kushida Kikyo couldn't help but let out a soft cry, her voice filled with unconcealable shock, and she subconsciously covered her mouth.

Horikita Suzune also gasped, her pupils slightly contracting as she looked at Koenji with disbelief.

To them, this number was nothing short of astronomical. Although the various shocks Akiyama Shin had brought before were already stunning enough, they had never imagined there was such a way to obtain points, and to exchange two million at once at that.

Noticing their shocked expressions, Koenji let a hint of imperceptible pride cross his face and explained in a relaxed tone.

"It's quite simple."

"I am the heir to the Koenji Conglomerate. As long as I sign a formal contract with them and leave a fingerprint as proof, they transfer the points to me now, and after they graduate and leave this school, they can use the contract to directly redeem the corresponding cash from the Koenji Conglomerate. For those who are about to graduate and have no intention of competing for Class A, this is equivalent to a guaranteed future investment. Why wouldn't they do it?"

Akiyama Shin seemed to have anticipated this, his face showing no surprise as he nodded slightly, as if he had already grasped the ins and outs of the whole situation.

Immediately following this, he changed the subject and threw out an even more shocking demand, his tone remaining calm, yet it exploded in the ears of the three like a thunderclap.

"Transfer half of your current points to me."

The air instantly froze.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo were completely stunned, staring at Akiyama Shin with their mouths agape, then quickly turning their heads to look at Koenji, their faces filled with incredulity.

What kind of demand was this?

It was no different from robbery!

Even if Akiyama Shin had performed impressively before, wasn't making such a demand going too far?

Even the usually calm and composed Horikita Suzune couldn't help but mutter to herself.

Has this guy Akiyama gone crazy?

However, contrary to their expectations, Koenji didn't get angry; instead, he acted as if he had heard an interesting joke, a playful light flashing in his eyes as he stared at Akiyama Shin with great interest.

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

"I can make you earn money while lying down."

"As for how much, that remains to be seen."

Akiyama Shin used the word "earn," meaning that on top of the existing millions, he would be able to generate even more points.

But there was no guarantee of how much would be earned.

Koenji Rokusuke did not believe that Akiyama Shin would be unable to calculate the approximate amount of points he planned to earn.

This only confirmed that the amount Akiyama Shin would earn would be high, not low.

He simply wasn't willing to share too much with him.

He wasn't angry.

Because he didn't care about money.

Exchanging points was merely to live more comfortably.

Precisely because of this.

He was actually somewhat curious about Akiyama Shin's plan.

Seeing no response, Akiyama Shin continued.

"The specific plan."

"We'll wait until we find Teacher Chabashira to confirm the details."

Upon hearing this, Koenji smiled, unable to help but complain inwardly that Akiyama Shin was truly too black-hearted; he wouldn't even reveal the plan now, insisting on waiting until they found Chabashira Sae to explain it.

His sharp eyes, however, remained fixed on Akiyama Shin's face, as if trying to discern something from it. After a few seconds, he suddenly chuckled, his expression a mix of excitement and helplessness.

"Fine~ You win~ But this is indeed quite interesting~"

"I'll accompany you on this trip."

"I want to see exactly what kind of tricks you can pull off."

The group did not go to the teachers' dormitory. Instead, Akiyama Shin contacted Chabashira Sae via his terminal, and under her guidance, they headed to the apartment she rented on the Artificial Island outside the school.

With their homeroom teacher's reception and registration, they could temporarily leave the school, but their range of activity was strictly limited to this Artificial Island.

Chabashira Sae was already waiting in the apartment living room. She sat on the sofa, her gaze sweeping over the somewhat peculiar quartet before her, and she vaguely guessed that this kid, Akiyama Shin, was likely about to pull off another major stunt.

She didn't beat around the bush and asked straight to the point.

"What is it this time?"

Akiyama Shin also skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the topic.

"Teacher Chabashira, how many private points are required to purchase the authorization to build a sub-website for the school's Campus Network?"

Chabashira Sae was clearly stunned for a moment, evidently not expecting him to ask this question.

Authorization to build a Campus Network site?

She frowned slightly, thinking rapidly, but she truly couldn't fathom what use Akiyama Shin would have for such authorization.

The current Campus Network had limited functionality.

It was nothing more than posting announcements, organizing polls, and a Confession Wall for entertainment purposes. Moreover, the only feature with potential for profit, like the Confession Wall, had long been strictly regulated by the school.

It was controlled by designated school personnel, completely blocking any possibility for students to profit from it.

Building a new website... how could that make money?

Chabashira Sae couldn't figure it out, and her gaze toward Akiyama Shin was filled with confusion.

"This... I'm not sure."

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

This was one of the few devices capable of connecting to the network outside the island.

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

After saying this, she stood up and walked to the balcony, dialing the number for the school department responsible for such matters, specifically avoiding the speakerphone to prevent outsiders from hearing the conversation.

In the living room, Kushida Kikyo and Horikita Suzune looked at each other, the confusion in their eyes no less than that of Chabashira Sae.

Building a website?

This sounded like it had absolutely nothing to do with earning a massive amount of points. What exactly was Akiyama Shin trying to do?

However, beside them, a flash of realization quickly crossed the eyes of Koenji Rokusuke, and the smile at the corners of his mouth deepened. As the heir to a top-tier conglomerate, his sense for business operations and the logic of capital was far sharper than that of an ordinary person.

Almost the moment Akiyama Shin proposed the website building authorization, he had guessed the other party's intention—gambling!

Building a betting and prediction website for the entire student body, using the school's various exams, class competitions, and even all kinds of events to set odds and attract student wagers.

Once it was up and running, the scope involved and the potential profits would be far beyond anything small-scale.

By then, the points raked in would likely not just be in the millions, but potentially reach the tens of millions.

Koenji inwardly praised Akiyama Shin's boldness and intelligence, but he didn't have any thoughts of starting his own rival operation.

For one, he knew that since Akiyama Shin dared to propose this plan in front of him, he must have anticipated that the other party would guess his intent, and he wasn't afraid of him stealing the opportunity.

Or rather.

Akiyama Shin believed that he absolutely would not steal the opportunity.

And to be so certain that he wouldn't interfere meant that Akiyama Shin had a deep, analytical understanding of him. Therefore, he appreciated such a person and naturally wouldn't do such a thing.

Secondly, he was naturally indolent and focused on enjoyment; he had zero interest in the tedious, concrete tasks of building and operating a website. He could see the direction, but he might not be capable of designing a perfect gambling system or operational framework.

Thirdly, he recognized the ability of Akiyama Shin. Rather than struggling through the work himself for little reward, it was better to invest with peace of mind and reap the benefits. Even though he already knew the share he would receive from Akiyama Shin would likely be pitifully small, he was still willing.

After about ten minutes, Chabashira Sae hung up the phone, walked back into the living room, and nodded at the group.

"The school has responded."

"The authorization to build a sub-site on the Campus Network requires 5 million private points, and it can only be applied for under an individual's name."

Upon hearing this, Akiyama Shin did not speak.

He simply cast his gaze toward Koenji Rokusuke beside him, his eyes calm yet carrying a clear signal.

Just then, a crisp chime broke the silence—it was a notification from Akiyama Shin's terminal.

He looked down at the terminal screen.

The message was clearly visible.

[You have received a transfer of 1,000,000 private points from Koenji Rokusuke.]

Seeing this message, the corners of Akiyama Shin's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.

As for Chabashira Sae, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyo, all three of them froze almost simultaneously.

Chabashira Sae was shocked by Koenji's decisiveness; he transferred one million points without a moment's hesitation. Such boldness and trust were truly beyond imagination.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, however, were completely stunned by this sudden, massive transaction. Their minds went blank, and the looks they directed at Koenji were filled with disbelief. It was as if he were handing over a million points as casually as if they were scrap paper.

Koenji Rokusuke spread his hands, his movements elegant yet casual, a confident smile on his face.

"I believe in you, Akiyama-boy. However, for the sake of clear point distribution in the future and to avoid unnecessary trouble, it would be better to draft a formal contract."

Akiyama Shin looked at him, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement.

"You've already transferred the points to me... aren't you afraid I'll just swallow these points... and do nothing?"

Hearing this, Koenji laughed heartily, his tone full of certainty.

"I believe in you."

This trust was given without reservation, which instead added a subtle, tacit understanding to the atmosphere in the living room.

Akiyama Shin smiled, said nothing more, and immediately picked up his terminal to operate it quickly.

Soon, a payment notification sounded from Chabashira Sae's terminal. She looked down and saw that the screen clearly displayed a receipt of 5 million private points.

Chabashira Sae was stunned once again, her fingers tightening slightly around the terminal. She clearly remembered that Akiyama Shin had earned 2.8 million points through information trading at the beginning of the semester. Adding the 1 million just transferred by Koenji, the total was only 3.8 million. Yet, he had just transferred 5 million at once—this meant he had personally produced an additional 1.2 million hidden points!

Just how many trump cards was Akiyama Shin still hiding?

Exactly how many points did he have in his possession?

Chabashira Sae suppressed the shock surging in her heart. After confirming the receipt, she spoke with a complex tone.

"By 12:00 tonight at the latest, the authorization to build the website will be activated and synced to your terminal."

"You will be able to operate it directly once you connect to a computer."

"Very well."

Akiyama Shin nodded and then looked at Chabashira Sae.

"Teacher Chabashira, please draft a contract for us."

As the school representative, Chabashira Sae was naturally the most suitable witness. She did not hesitate, took the school's standard contract paper and a pen from the study, and drafted the content according to the wishes of Akiyama Shin and Koenji.

When the contract content was initially drafted and Chabashira Sae picked up the paper to check it carefully, even though she had mentally prepared herself, her pupils still contracted in shock, and a stormy sea surged in her heart.

The contract content was clear and concise.

Party A: Akiyama Shin

Party B: Koenji Rokusuke

Witness: Chabashira Sae (School Representative)

Core Clause: Party B (Koenji Rokusuke) voluntarily sponsors Party A (Akiyama Shin) with one million private points for investment in a specific project. From the effective date of this contract, all private points (net profit) obtained by Party A through the website built on the Campus Network shall be distributed between Party A and Party B at a ratio of 9:1. The distributed amount will be transferred directly to the terminal accounts designated by both parties, settled once a month.

A 9:1 distribution ratio!

This was practically a harsh, predatory clause!

Chabashira Sae looked at the contract, feeling incredibly shocked.

Koenji was clearly using one million points to gamble. Only when the net profit of the website exceeded ten million points would he be able to recover his principal. If the net profit were less than ten million, this investment would be almost equivalent to throwing money into the water.

What shocked her even more was that Akiyama Shin actually dared to propose such a distribution ratio, and Koenji had actually agreed to it!

Behind this lay not only Koenji's near-blind trust in Akiyama Shin but also Akiyama Shin's absolute confidence in his own plan. He was certain the website could earn far more than ten million points.

Even if the final profit truly exceeded twenty million, Koenji would only receive two million points—a mere doubling of his principal.

Chabashira Sae truly could not understand why, given Koenji's status and personality, he would accept such terms.

She did not know, however, that Koenji had never truly cared about the number of points from the very beginning.

The reason he agreed was purely because he felt this plan was interesting enough. He wanted to see with his own eyes exactly where Akiyama Shin's limits lay, and he wanted to see just how far this man, who had repeatedly brought him surprises, could take this game.

As for losses? He had never considered them.

To him, even if he only recouped his principal in the end, witnessing a spectacular performance would make it worthwhile.

If he could double his money, that would simply be an extra surprise.

He trusted Akiyama Shin.

And he enjoyed this thrill of the unknown even more.

Chabashira Sae looked at Akiyama Shin, who appeared calm as if everything were under his control, then glanced at Koenji, who looked indifferent and even carried a hint of anticipation, and could not help but sigh inwardly.

These two guys...

They were essentially making a bet of extreme madness!

She steadied herself, stopped overthinking, and refined the contract details according to their requests.

Then, she handed them to Akiyama Shin and Koenji to sign.

Both men picked up their pens and signed their names without hesitation; subsequently, Chabashira Sae signed as a witness and stamped it with her teacher's seal, making this seemingly absurd yet incredibly formal contract effective.

And Akiyama Shin had completely acknowledged Koenji.

Even if he wouldn't part with a single extra point.

He was naturally aware that Koenji could see through his intentions.

After all, this man had guessed his purpose just from a single phone call.

Yet, he still did it.

Because he firmly believed Koenji was willing.

Because he firmly believed he was powerful enough.

Because he firmly believed that everyone should revolve around him.

That was all.

Akiyama Shin, accompanied by Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, arrived at the gym on the third floor of Keyaki Mall shortly after.

Koenji Rokusuke had clearly finished his workout long ago; not only had he washed away his sweat, but he had also changed into a high-quality light-colored casual outfit and was lounging lazily in a soft sofa, one leg crossed casually over the other.

His signature dazzling blonde hair was draped loosely over his shoulders, the tips still carrying the faint, moist luster of a fresh shower, making his already handsome face appear even more flamboyant.

Catching sight of the three approaching—especially the two girls following behind Akiyama Shin—his narrow eyes lifted slightly, a trace of imperceptible surprise flashing across his brow.

But this surprise vanished in an instant, and he quickly returned to that lazy demeanor of having everything under control.

A faint, almost non-existent smile even tugged at the corners of his mouth.

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

Akiyama Shin skipped the small talk and stated his purpose directly, his tone calm and without a ripple.

Koenji Rokusuke straightened up elegantly, his movements imbued with an innate sense of nobility, and he let out a soft laugh, his voice carrying a touch of playfulness.

"Oh?"

"It seems this is a matter worth me moving my feet for~"

He did not press for the specifics, as if he had complete trust in Akiyama Shin's invitation.

Or perhaps he simply found it interesting, and he naturally began to walk, following behind the three of them.

The four of them walked out of the bustling mall and stepped onto the relatively quiet park path nearby.

The setting sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon, casting orange-red afterglow on the ground and stretching the shadows of the four into long, thin shapes.

The evening breeze blew with a chill, brushing through their hair and dissipating much of the heat in the air.

Silence spread along the forest path for a moment before Akiyama Shin broke the calm first.

But the question he asked left Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo beside him instantly bewildered.

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

"Exchanged points?"

Horikita Suzune frowned, subconsciously repeating the unfamiliar term, her eyes full of doubt; Kushida Kikyo also blinked her round eyes, her face filled with confusion as she looked at Akiyama Shin with clear bewilderment.

Exchanging points with upperclassmen?

They had never heard of such a thing, and the school rules had never mentioned it—what on earth was going on?

When Koenji Rokusuke heard this question, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it did not last long; instead, he felt it was only natural that Akiyama Shin could guess this.

He spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he were talking about the most ordinary matter.

"Not much, nearly two million points."

He paused, then added.

"I mostly looked for those third-years in Class B and Class C who have already given up on aiming for Class A and only seek a stable graduation."

"Two million?!"

Kushida Kikyo couldn't help but let out a soft cry, her voice filled with unconcealable shock as she instinctively covered her mouth.

Horikita Suzune also gasped, her pupils slightly contracting as she looked at Koenji Rokusuke with eyes full of disbelief.

To them, this number was simply astronomical. Although the various shocks Akiyama Shin had brought them earlier were already stunning enough, they had never imagined there was such a way to acquire points, and two million at that.

Noticing their shocked expressions, a trace of imperceptible smugness flashed across Koenji Rokusuke's face as he explained in a relaxed tone.

"It's quite simple."

"I am the heir to the Koenji Conglomerate. As long as they sign a formal contract with me and provide a fingerprint as proof, they transfer the points to me now. Once they graduate and leave this school, they can take the contract directly to the Koenji Conglomerate to redeem the corresponding cash. For those about to graduate who have no intention of competing for Class A, this is equivalent to a guaranteed, profitable future investment. Why wouldn't they do it?"

Akiyama Shin seemed to have anticipated this, his face showing no surprise as he nodded gently, as if he had already grasped the ins and outs of the whole situation.

Immediately after, he changed the subject and threw out an even more shocking demand, his tone remaining calm, yet it exploded in the ears of the three like a thunderclap.

"Transfer half of your current points to me."

The air instantly froze.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo were completely stunned, staring at Akiyama Shin with mouths agape, then quickly turning their heads to look at Koenji Rokusuke, their faces filled with incredulity.

What kind of demand was this?

It was no different from robbery!

Even if Akiyama Shin had performed impressively before, making such a request was just too outrageous, wasn't it?

Even the usually calm and self-possessed Horikita Suzune couldn't help but mutter to herself at this moment.

Has this guy Akiyama gone mad?

However, contrary to their expectations, Koenji Rokusuke was not angry at all. Instead, it was as if he had heard an interesting joke; a playful glint flashed in his eyes as he stared at Akiyama Shin with great interest.

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

"I can let you earn money while lying down."

"As for how much, that remains to be seen."

Akiyama Shin used the word "earn," meaning that on top of the existing millions, there was potential to earn even more points.

But he couldn't guarantee how much.

Koenji Rokusuke didn't believe that Akiyama Shin would be unable to calculate the rough amount he planned to earn.

This only confirmed that what Akiyama Shin would earn would be high, not low.

He simply didn't want to part with too much for him.

He wasn't angry.

Because he didn't care about money.

Exchanging points was just to live more comfortably.

Precisely because of this.

He was actually quite curious about Akiyama Shin's plan.

Seeing no response, Akiyama Shin continued.

"The specific plan."

"We'll discuss it after finding Teacher Chabashira to confirm the details."

Hearing this, Koenji Rokusuke smiled, unable to help but complain in his heart that Akiyama Shin was truly too black-hearted, refusing to reveal the plan now and insisting on waiting until they found Chabashira Sae to explain it.

His sharp eyes, however, remained fixed on Akiyama Shin's face, as if trying to discern something from it. A few seconds later, he suddenly chuckled, sounding both excited and helpless.

"Fine~ You win~ But this is indeed quite interesting~"

"I'll accompany you on this trip."

"I want to see exactly what kind of tricks you can pull."

The group did not go to the faculty dormitory. Instead, Akiyama Shin first contacted Chabashira Sae via his terminal, and under her guidance, they headed to the apartment she rented on the Artificial Island outside the school.

With the homeroom teacher's reception and registration, they could temporarily leave the school, but their range of activity was strictly limited to this Artificial Island.

Chabashira Sae was already waiting in the apartment living room. She sat on the sofa, her gaze sweeping over the somewhat peculiar group of four before her, and she had already vaguely guessed that this kid Akiyama Shin was probably about to pull off another major stunt.

She didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"What is it this time?"

Akiyama Shin likewise skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the topic.

"Teacher Chabashira, how many personal points are needed to purchase the authorization to build a sub-website on the school's Campus Network?"

Chabashira Sae was clearly taken aback, obviously not expecting him to ask this question.

Campus Network building authorization?

She frowned slightly, thinking rapidly in her mind, but she truly couldn't figure out what use Akiyama Shin had for this authorization.

The current Campus Network had very limited functionality.

It was nothing more than posting announcements, organizing polls, and a Confession Wall for entertainment purposes; furthermore, the only feature with potential for profit, the Confession Wall, had long been under strict supervision by the school.

Controlled by dedicated school staff, any possibility for students to profit from it had been completely blocked off.

Building a new website... how could that possibly make money?

Chabashira Sae could not fathom it, and the gaze she directed at Akiyama Shin was filled with confusion.

"This... I am not sure."

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

This was one of the few devices capable of connecting to the network outside the island.

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

After saying this, she stood up and walked to the balcony, dialing the number for the school office in charge of such matters, specifically avoiding the speakerphone to ensure the conversation could not be overheard by outsiders.

In the living room, Kushida Kikyo and Horikita Suzune exchanged glances, the confusion in their eyes no less than that of Chabashira Sae.

Building a website?

This sounded like something that had absolutely nothing to do with earning massive amounts of points; what exactly was Akiyama Shin trying to do?

However, Koenji Rokusuke, sitting to the side, felt a flash of realization cross his eyes, and the smile on his lips deepened. As the heir to a top-tier conglomerate, his nose for business operations and the logic of capital was far sharper than that of an ordinary person.

Almost the moment Akiyama Shin proposed the website building permissions, he had guessed the other party's intent—gambling!

Building a betting and prediction website for the entire student body, using the school's various exams, class competitions, and even all sorts of events to set up odds and attract students to place bets.

Once it was up and running, the scope involved and the potential profits would be incomparable to any small-time operation.

By then, the points raked in would likely not just be in the millions, but could potentially reach the tens of millions.

Koenji inwardly praised Akiyama Shin's boldness and intelligence, but he had no intention of starting his own rival operation.

For one, he knew that since Akiyama Shin dared to propose this plan in front of him, he must have anticipated that he would guess the intent, and he wasn't afraid of him cutting in.

Or rather.

Akiyama Shin believed that he absolutely would not cut in.

And to be so certain that he wouldn't interfere meant that Akiyama Shin had a deep, analytical understanding of him; therefore, he admired such a person and naturally wouldn't do such a thing.

Secondly, he was naturally lazy and focused on enjoyment; he had no interest in the tedious, concrete tasks of building and operating a website. He could see the direction, but he might not be able to design a perfect betting system and operational framework.

Thirdly, he recognized Akiyama Shin's ability. Rather than struggling with the work himself, it was better to invest with peace of mind and sit back to enjoy the fruits of the labor, even if he already knew the share of benefits he would get from Akiyama Shin might be pitifully small—he was still willing.

About ten minutes later, Chabashira Sae hung up the phone, walked back into the living room, and nodded at the group.

"The school has replied."

"The permission to build a sub-site on the Campus Network requires 5,000,000 private points, and it can only be applied for in an individual's name."

Upon hearing this, Akiyama Shin did not speak.

He simply cast his gaze toward Koenji Rokusuke beside him, his eyes calm but carrying a clear signal.

Just then, a crisp chime broke the silence—it was a notification from Akiyama Shin's terminal.

He looked down at the terminal screen.

The message on it was clearly visible.

[You have received a transfer of 1,000,000 private points from Koenji Rokusuke.]

Seeing this message, the corners of Akiyama Shin's mouth curled up in an imperceptible arc.

As for Chabashira Sae, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyo, all three froze almost simultaneously.

Chabashira Sae was shocked by Koenji's decisiveness; one million points transferred just like that, without the slightest hesitation—this level of boldness and trust was truly beyond imagination.

Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo were completely stunned by this sudden, massive transaction, their minds going blank. The way they looked at Koenji was filled with disbelief; it was as if he were handing over a million points as casually as if they were waste paper.

Koenji Rokusuke spread his hands, his movements elegant and casual, a confident smile on his face.

"I believe in you, Akiyama-boy. However, for the sake of clear point distribution in the future and to avoid unnecessary trouble, it would be better to draft a formal contract."

Akiyama Shin looked at him, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement.

"You've already transferred the points to me... aren't you afraid I'll just swallow these points... and do nothing?"

Hearing this, Koenji laughed heartily, his tone full of certainty.

"I believe in you."

This trust was given without reservation, which instead added a subtle, tacit understanding to the atmosphere in the living room.

Akiyama Shin smiled and said nothing more, simply picking up his terminal and operating it quickly.

Soon, a payment notification sounded from Chabashira Sae's terminal. She looked down, and the screen clearly displayed a receipt of 5,000,000 private points.

Chabashira Sae was stunned once again, her fingers tightening slightly around the terminal. She clearly remembered that Akiyama Shin had earned 2,800,000 points through intelligence trading at the start of the semester. Adding the 1,000,000 just transferred by Koenji, the total was only 3,800,000, yet he had just transferred 5,000,000 at once—this meant he had personally produced an additional 1,200,000 hidden points!

Just how many trump cards was Akiyama Shin still hiding?

Exactly how many points did he have in his possession?

Chabashira Sae suppressed the surging shock in her heart, and after confirming the receipt, she spoke with a complex tone.

"By midnight at the latest, the permissions to build the website will be activated and synced to your terminal."

"You'll be able to operate it directly once you connect to a computer."

"Very good."

Akiyama Shin nodded, then turned his gaze toward Chabashira Sae.

"Teacher Chabashira, please draft a contract for us."

As the school representative, Chabashira Sae was naturally the most suitable witness. Without hesitation, she retrieved the school's standard contract paper and a pen from the study, drafting the content according to the wishes of Akiyama Shin and Koenji Rokusuke.

When the preliminary draft was finished and Chabashira Sae picked up the paper to check it carefully, even though she had mentally prepared herself, her pupils still constricted in shock at the terms, and a storm of disbelief surged within her heart.

The contract content was clear and concise.

Party A: Akiyama Shin

Party B: Koenji Rokusuke

Witness: Chabashira Sae (School Representative)

Core Terms: Party B (Koenji Rokusuke) voluntarily sponsors Party A (Akiyama Shin) with one million private points for investment in a specific project. From the effective date of this contract, all private points (net profit) generated by the website built by Party A using the Campus Network shall be distributed between Party A and Party B at a ratio of 9:1. The distributed amounts will be transferred directly to the designated terminal accounts of both parties, settled once per month.

A 9:1 profit-sharing ratio!

This was practically a harsh, predatory clause!

Chabashira Sae stared at the contract, her heart filled with shock.

Koenji was clearly using one million points to make a massive gamble. Only if the website's net profit exceeded ten million points would he be able to recoup his principal; if the net profit fell below ten million, this investment would be as good as thrown away.

What shocked her even more was that Akiyama Shin dared to propose such a ratio, and that Koenji had actually agreed to it!

Behind this lay not only Koenji's near-blind trust in Akiyama Shin but also Akiyama Shin's absolute confidence in his own plan; he was certain the website would earn far more than ten million points.

Even if the final profit truly exceeded twenty million, Koenji would only receive two million points—a mere doubling of his principal.

Chabashira Sae truly could not understand why someone with Koenji's status and personality would accept such conditions.

Yet, she did not know that Koenji had never truly cared about the amount of points from the very beginning.

The reason he agreed was purely because he found the plan interesting enough. He wanted to see with his own eyes exactly where Akiyama Shin's limits lay, and to see just how far this man, who had repeatedly brought him surprises, could take this game.

As for a loss? He had never even considered it.

To him, even if he only recouped his principal in the end, seeing a spectacular performance would be worth it.

If he could double his money, that would just be an extra surprise.

He trusted Akiyama Shin.

And he enjoyed this thrill of the unknown even more.

Chabashira Sae looked at Akiyama Shin, whose expression was calm as if everything were under his control, and then at Koenji, who looked indifferent and even carried a hint of anticipation. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

These two guys...

They were essentially engaged in a bet that was crazy to the extreme!

She steadied herself, stopped overthinking, and finalized the details of the contract according to their requirements.

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

The two picked up their pens and signed their names without hesitation. Afterward, Chabashira Sae also signed as the witness and stamped it with her teacher's seal. This contract, which seemed absurd yet was perfectly formal, officially took effect.

And Akiyama Shin had completely acknowledged Koenji.

Even if he wouldn't share a single extra point.

He was naturally aware that Koenji could see through his intentions.

After all, this man had guessed his purpose with just a single phone call.

But he still did it anyway.

Because he firmly believed that Koenji was willing.

Because he firmly believed that he was strong enough.

Because he firmly believed that everyone should revolve around him.

That was all.