Everyone spent their days happily at this school, and before long, the month had come to an end.
That day, Chabashira-sensei came to teach as usual, while the students carried on doing whatever they pleased.
The next day, the first of a new month.
Quite a few students were chattering noisily in class today. Yi Chen sat at his desk, reading his manga.
"Hey, why haven't the 100,000 points we're supposed to get today shown up yet?"
"Yeah, seriously. I spent all my points on luxury goods this month. I'm completely broke, and I've been waiting for today."
The conversation reached Yi Chen's ears.
Yi Chen glanced at his phone.
On the left was his face: a simple black, short, textured haircut, and a sharply defined face. He was very handsome.
Angela Yi Chen
Advanced Nurturing High School
Points: 80378
Yi Chen:
The plot's finally getting underway? Good thing I still have plenty of points.
Chabashira-sensei slowly walked into the classroom:
"Everyone, return to your seats and keep quiet."
The moment Yamauchi Muraki saw Chabashira-sensei, he immediately complained:
"Teacher, why haven't we gotten our points for this month yet?"
The plot continued as usual.
Yi Chen looked at Yamauchi Haruki with disdain:
This idiot. If I remember right, this extra was the first one Ayanokoji kicked out. I can't take this seriously.
He couldn't help himself and let out a quiet laugh.
Horikita Suzune glanced disdainfully at Yi Chen, who was laughing to himself again.
Yi Chen didn't notice. Meanwhile, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka also stole a glance back at him.
Chabashira-sensei now told everyone that this month's points had already been issued, then explained how poorly they had performed in class.
She berated the whole class, calling them idiots.
"The points this school gives out each month are based on your class's performance and evaluation."
"According to this month's assessment, your points are zero."
"This school measures its students by their ability."
"You're trash with a rating of zero."
Most of the students stared at her in shock.
A few students had kept plenty of points thanks to their own good judgment.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka glanced coolly at Horikita Suzune and Yi Chen.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka:
"Yi Chen is clever, too. I didn't expect this class to be made up of more than just dead weight."
Horikita Suzune:
"Did Yi Chen know this was going to happen from the beginning?"
Soon, Chabashira explained why they had received zero points and told them about the upcoming midterm exams.
They could earn up to 100 points through their test scores.
Chabashira-sensei announced the results of the previous quiz.
They were terrible.
But Yi Chen had taken the gaokao on hell difficulty, so exams like these from this island nation were a piece of cake.
Yi Chen had scored over 90 in every subject.
Chabashira:
"If anyone fails this exam, they'll be expelled."
Quite a few students looked at their scores with disappointment and envied Yi Chen, who had gotten the highest marks.
As soon as class ended, many students started asking to borrow points.
They tried all kinds of pleading and acting pitiful.
Just then, Angel, who hadn't appeared in a long time, said:
"Mission issued
Objective:
Ensure that no one drops out this time.
Description:
Help your classmates pass this exam and ensure that nobody is expelled.
Reward:
"One Gold Card."
Failure:
"Death"
Yi Chen:
"This is way too easy. I can just sit back while Ayanokoji handles it. But if the butterfly effect kicks in, I'm screwed. I'll have to keep a close eye on things."
Angel:
"The process doesn't matter, as long as the result is the same. Please complete the mission, host."
Horikita Suzune invited Yi Chen and Ayanokoji to go eat with her.
Yi Chen thought:
What's going on? Did she notice I still have plenty of points? Whatever. My life's on the line, too. I have to go see what's happening.
The three of them soon arrived at the cafeteria and sat down to eat.
Horikita Suzune was the first to speak:
"What do you two think about the midterm exams?"
Yi Chen thought for a moment, then said calmly:
"As long as you study hard, passing shouldn't be difficult."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka watched silently.
Horikita Suzune frowned slightly:
"But given everyone's current level, a lot of people will find it difficult."
Yi Chen:
"Then I don't know."
Yi Chen looked at the two of them and thought:
Of course they won't manage it. Some people can't pass even when they copy the answers. I can't think of any solution besides buying the answers.
We'll have to count on Ayanokoji.
Horikita Suzune:
"What about you, Ayanokoji? What do you think?"
Ayanokoji:
"I don't know."
Horikita Suzune shook her head helplessly:
"Maybe we could form study groups and help each other."
Yi Chen quickly agreed:
"That's a pretty good idea."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained expressionless, but didn't object.
So the three of them began discussing how to divide the groups and who would explain each subject.
Just then, Kushida Kikyo came over and asked curiously what they were discussing.
When she learned they were talking about how to handle the midterm exams, she said she wanted to join in, too.
Yi Chen looked at her and thought:
Kushida's clever, too. She's amazing at using all sorts of methods to win over her classmates.
Horikita Suzune considered that another person meant another helping hand, and agreed.
And so, a temporary exam-prep alliance began to take shape.
The next afternoon, Yi Chen was assigned a group of three red-haired nobodies.
Yi Chen realized they were really stupid. The three of them couldn't even memorize the most basic math formulas.
Yi Chen couldn't help complaining:
"Do you guys ever study?"
Ken Sudō scratched his head and said awkwardly:
"I'm going to be a basketball player, so I don't think studying is very useful."
Yi Chen rubbed his forehead, thinking that if they weren't classmates, he'd want to ditch them on the spot.
Even so, Yi Chen did his best to teach them. But the results spoke for themselves: there was no way they'd pass with so little time.
The study session soon ended.
Horikita Suzune gathered everyone together, looking aloof:
"How's your group doing? Have you made any real progress?"
Yi Chen:
"I don't think we've made much progress."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka said nothing.
Kushida only offered them some words of comfort from the side.
After a brief discussion, they each went their separate ways.
Because of his introduction, Yi Chen didn't really have any close friends.
That night, Yi Chen decided to go buy a drink. Just then, he heard a commotion in a nearby alley.
He went closer to take a look.
Horikita Suzune was being reprimanded by her older brother, Manabu Horikita.
When Horikita Suzune saw Yi Chen approaching, she immediately felt embarrassed and uneasy.
Seeing the scene before him, Yi Chen thought:
Whoa, the Student Council President. I'd better pretend I didn't see anything.
Manabu Horikita noticed Yi Chen and pushed up his glasses, his face cold.
In the blink of an eye, Manabu Horikita threw a backward kick at Yi Chen.
Yi Chen immediately raised both arms to block, but he couldn't react in time.
Yi Chen:
"Hold on—"
Manabu Horikita closed in quickly and struck with an open palm. Yi Chen immediately threw a Calf Kick, but Manabu Horikita reacted just as fast, raising his knee to block.
Manabu Horikita's gaze instantly sharpened.
Manabu Horikita slapped with his left hand, then his right. Yi Chen blocked with his left, then his right, barely holding him off.
Yi Chen's heart pounded wildly, and his adrenaline surged.
Manabu Horikita slammed a palm strike toward him. Yi Chen raised his elbow.
Yi Chen seized the opening and unleashed a Whirlwind Triple Kick.
Manabu Horikita dodged the first kick with a sidestep, but a second followed. He blocked it with both arms, then prepared to fend off the third.
Horikita Suzune shouted:
"Stop! You two, don't fight anymore!"
Manabu Horikita heard her and disdainfully brushed the dust off his sleeve. He looked coldly at Yi Chen and said:
"Angela Yi Chen of Class D. You scored 60 in every subject on the entrance exam. Class D really is full of hidden talent."
Angela Yi Chen's heart was still pounding wildly, and sweat trickled down his forehead.
After saying that, Manabu Horikita left them with one final remark:
"Suzune wants to move up a class, so you'd better struggle as hard as you can."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka also came over from nearby and carefully sized up Yi Chen and Suzune.
Horikita Suzune looked coldly at him.
The three of them stood there without speaking. Yi Chen bought three bottles of fruit juice and handed one to each of them.
Horikita Suzune was the first to break the silence:
"Angela Yi Chen, have you studied martial arts?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stared at Yi Chen.
Yi Chen:
"A little."
Horikita Suzune:
"You're pretty good."
The three of them then chatted for a while and learned about the relationship between Horikita Suzune and Manabu Horikita. In the end, they parted ways and went back to rest.
Yi Chen was still shaken:
Good grief, Manabu Horikita is way too strong. That level of domination... Even with Angel, can I really be some invincible protagonist?
I never thought my first fight with an anime character would be this terrifying.
Yi Chen:
"Angel? I barely made it out alive just now. Is there any reward?"
Angel:
"No. I issue missions based on the progression of the main storyline, and you haven't completed your mission yet."
Yi Chen:
"Angel, you..."
Before you continue