Horikita Manabu and the Chairman

It is not hard to guess why Ryuen was invited to the rooftop to meet Kujo, or why he brought a weapon with him.

If Kujo were unskilled with weapons, he would lose to Ryuen.

If Kujo were skilled with weapons and managed to injure Ryuen, Ryuen could simply accuse him of malicious assault, putting Kujo at risk of expulsion.

If Kujo were skilled with weapons but happened not to cause any external injuries, Ryuen would use the weapon bearing Kujo's fingerprints to injure himself, forcing Kujo's expulsion.

This was a strategy only someone like Ryuen could devise.

Unfortunately, Ryuen is a man who pursues a total victory.

Facing an opponent he must defeat, he not only seeks the result but is also obsessed with the process of his schemes succeeding, enjoying the look of frustration on his enemy's face; only then can his own twisted emotions be satisfied.

After his plan was pointed out by Kujo, he lost the option of using this method from now on.

At the very least, he would not self-harm.

It is precisely because Ryuen still harbors pride in his heart.

That is why he cannot step into the realm of the original Ayanokoji.

That is what Kujo thinks.

As for that iron pipe, Kujo ultimately chose to destroy it.

"So? Why is it that whenever I am not by Kujo-kun's side, Kujo-kun ends up getting hurt?"

Shiina Hiyori took out an alcohol swab, her words filled with reproach, though her movements were exceptionally gentle.

Kujo had nothing to say.

He felt that anything he said now would just be an excuse.

But for some reason, apologizing was also a forbidden act.

Kujo could only remain silent.

Afterward, Shiina Hiyori continued to take out iodine swabs and gauze, beginning to apply a simple bandage for Kujo.

"Does Kujo-kun really not intend to explain? Do you think I won't get angry? Or is it that Kujo-kun doesn't think you did anything wrong, and just feels that I am being unreasonable?"

Kujo shifted his gaze to the side.

He had no choice but to say something random now.

"I was thinking about what clothes to buy for you, so I tripped and fell."

?

"Lying is not good."

The sudden tightening of the gauze vented the girl's dissatisfaction.

Kujo helplessly continued to lie:

"I think Hiyori looks good in anything, but I prefer Hiyori in her school uniform, so I was careless for a moment."

"..."

Kujo continued to change the subject, "Hiyori, exams are coming up, teach me my lessons."

Shiina Hiyori looked at Kujo's crimson earlobes, the girl sighed softly, and then said with doting indulgence:

"I really can't do anything with you, Kujo-kun."

"Is it not okay?"

"You must keep up with me properly, you idiot."

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Student Council.

Horikita Manabu finished the weekly meeting as usual.

As everyone was leaving the conference room one after another, Horikita Manabu called out to Ichinose.

The commotion caused by the first-years recently had finally reached Horikita Manabu's ears.

Classes B, C, and D were organizing study sessions.

Class A and the upperclassmen, especially the Class A led by Nagumo in the second year, had begun an academic tutoring program for the first-year Class A.

Although Horikita Manabu already had his suspicions, he still wanted to probe the junior student, Ichinose, before him.

"I heard you have been organizing study sessions lately. Did you know? In previous midterm exams, if the class average score is high enough, you can receive a considerable reward in class points at the end of the next month."

As a third-year senior and Student Council President, Horikita Manabu upheld the school rules protected by successive Student Council Presidents; naturally, he possessed a wealth of experience and lessons.

He took the initiative to disclose information that only upperclassmen could grasp, with the goal of testing Ichinose's reaction.

Clearly, Ichinose had not expected the notoriously impartial Student Council President to voluntarily tell her about exam information.

For a moment, she failed to maintain her smile.

That expression was different from the surprise of unexpectedly obtaining exam information; it was a sense of worry, a complete "why would you say that, are the rules going to change?"

To put it bluntly, it was the difference between her brows furrowing upward and downward.

Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses and continued:

"It seems you already knew, Ichinose. So, by organizing the lower-ranked classes to study together, are you planning to lead them in a charge toward Class A?"

Ichinose quickly shifted her mood and explained to President Horikita:

"The exam is coming up soon. Even if it's just a last-minute effort, we wanted to unite and study together. It's better to gather everyone to discuss schoolwork; the study atmosphere is better that way."

Horikita Manabu continued to ask:

"Class C is also participating, so may I assume this plan was suggested by Kujo?"

Ichinose regained her usual smile and gave him a vague response:

"I don't understand what you mean, President."

Facing the changed Ichinose, Horikita Manabu let out a sigh:

"You are indeed different from before."

It had become difficult for Horikita Manabu to judge whether Ichinose was lying now.

But the method to distinguish truth from falsehood was very simple.

Horikita Manabu took out his phone and dialed Kujo's number right in front of Ichinose.

"Hello."

The sound from the phone's speaker rang out, and Ichinose lost the smile on her face once again.

"This is Horikita Manabu. I heard you've been organizing study sessions for the first years recently. Do you need my help?"

"Do you think the Monkey King would meet the Buddha before becoming the Great Sage?"

"Fine. You can come to me if you have any problems."

Watching Horikita Manabu hang up the phone, Ichinose clutched the documents in her arms tightly.

Horikita Manabu said to Ichinose:

"Do you understand now? There is no need to be so guarded against me. My relationship with Kujo is not as bad as you think."

Ichinose swallowed hard.

In the end, she relaxed and said to President Horikita:

"I'm sorry, President. Yes, you're right. Kujo wants us all to maintain good grades on the midterm exam, so he asked me to lead everyone in working hard together."

Horikita Manabu reminded her again:

"What if I hadn't called Kujo just now, but had used a synthesized voice instead?"

Ichinose fell silent again.

Horikita Manabu smiled.

In his eyes, the junior before him would be the student council president of this school in two years.

Horikita Manabu thought highly of Ichinose.

Moreover, Horikita Manabu had to admit that he had misjudged the situation once again.

Horikita Manabu had misjudged Kujo Makoto.

When Nagumo first joined the Student Council, Horikita Manabu recognized his learning ability and drive, but after he reached his second year, his ambition gradually expanded, even reaching an extreme degree.

If Nagumo were allowed to grow and become the student council president, the school's dropout rate would likely skyrocket.

Successive student council presidents had all guarded the rules of this school.

By the previous term, the school's dropout rate had stabilized to a certain limit.

Horikita Manabu was confident in developing the school into a better situation this year.

He just hadn't expected the current first-year class to be even more exaggerated than Nagumo had been.

Did he integrate the entire grade in just one month?

It seems the sky over this school is truly about to change.

Horikita Manabu could not change the ideals of others, nor could he ignore the changes of the times.

As the student council president, Horikita Manabu would tell his thoughts to those worth entrusting.

"It's fine, take your time. There is still plenty of time ahead. You still have infinite room for growth, Ichinose. You can learn more from Kujo in the future; he is a rather unconventional existence among this year's first years."

Horikita Manabu's voice was less stern than usual; compared to the president he usually was, this sounded more like the advice given by a senior about to graduate.

Ichinose nodded.

Horikita Manabu continued his assessment of Kujo:

"Kujo's way of speaking is not only strange, but normal recordings don't work on him. He doesn't attend class, and his movements are even harder to track; I think following him would be useless. Furthermore, he understands the rules of this school very well. I suspect he will be the person you worry about most in the future."

Ichinose looked thoughtful.

Horikita Manabu couldn't help but recall the first time he met Kujo.

At that time, the other party had asked him for the midterm exam papers.

Horikita Manabu had indeed given them to him.

He had originally assumed that Kujo would at most use them to sell points.

Could it be that there was a much larger plan in motion?

An existence that understood the rules thoroughly yet was difficult to control would inevitably overturn this school.

That was what Horikita Manabu believed.

When he returned to his seat, the desk phone in front of Horikita Manabu rang.

The caller was none other than the school's Chairman, Chairman Sakayanagi, Sakayanagi Narimori.

"Come over."

A truly simple and clear instruction.

Horikita Manabu immediately prepared to head over.

The Chairman's office.

The door was not closed.

Horikita Manabu stood outside the door, knocked, bowed, and requested entry:

"Excuse me, Chairman, I am the third-year student Horikita Manabu."

Chairman Sakayanagi told Horikita Manabu not to be formal and to just find a place to sit.

Horikita Manabu sat on the sofa.

Subsequently, Chairman Sakayanagi asked many questions about recent school affairs.

Horikita Manabu answered truthfully and fluently.

However, when Chairman Sakayanagi asked about this year's first-year students.

Horikita Manabu paused for a few seconds.

This was how Chairman Sakayanagi asked:

"Manabu, what is your opinion on this year's first-year students?"

After a long moment, Horikita Manabu evaluated them truthfully:

"This year's first-year students have keenly grasped the school's rules. Not long after the start of the school year, they adopted the most direct methods to share information, and within the first month, all four classes had obtained an astonishing reserve of points."

Chairman Sakayanagi then asked two questions:

"Do you think the school should adopt a strategy of increasing exam difficulty for this year's first-year students? And who among this year's first-year students do you think the most highly of?"

Horikita Manabu replied truthfully:

"Currently, I have not discovered any actions by this year's first-year students to obtain school information through illicit means. I personally believe that whether the school should take action depends on whether the school's development plan for students varies from person to person."

"As for this year's first-year students, Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A is likely the most outstanding student among them. She is not only capable of consolidating dissenting voices within her class in just one month but can also adopt corresponding strategies based on the school's rules. From the very beginning, the behavior of the students in her class has met the standards of elite students. Combined with the inherent aptitude of their students, even without special sources of information, I estimate they would have received a respectable evaluation in the first month."

Chairman Sakayanagi looked interested and signaled for Horikita Manabu to continue.

"Moreover, regarding this midterm exam, under the circumstances where Classes B, C, and D organized a joint study session, Sakayanagi Arisu immediately contacted the second-year student Nagumo to discuss it. I suspect that Nagumo also agreed to the request for help from the lower-year student out of his responsibilities in the Student Council."

There was one more thing Horikita Manabu did not say out loud.

That was that Sakayanagi Arisu was clearly just unilaterally using Nagumo.

He estimated that once she confirmed the other party wanted to reach his hands into the first-year level, she would immediately shake Nagumo off.

It was a truly thorough and open conspiracy.

This was a declaration of war by Class A of the first year against the second year.