If you fail even one subject, you'll be expelled." Everyone seemed to have gotten used to one blow after another, and the atmosphere in the class began to grow gloomy. That ungraded mock quiz—I hadn't paid much attention to it at first... So the school had been planning this step by step all along! "Next are the results of the last test. Anything below the red line is a failing grade. Do your best, everyone. I'd hate to say goodbye to you all so soon..." After putting up the results, Sakagami-sensei left the classroom. A moment later, panic swept through the class. "What am I going to do? Ishizaki, I failed two subjects!" said a boy named Yamawaki, sitting behind Ishizaki. "What can you do? Hit the books before the test! The important thing is the points! We're going back to scraping by again... Class A still has over ninety thousand points. This sucks!" Ishizaki didn't seem to have a particularly good solution either. "Everyone! We should unite and face the challenges ahead." Kaneda stepped forward, raising his voice over the class's whispers. "Unite? Easy to say. But who's supposed to lead us?" As the leader of his own group—and a delinquent who'd been fairly well-known back in middle school—Ishizaki had naturally thought of that. "To improve our test scores, we should organize study sessions. I may not be much, but I'm willing to take on this responsibility and prove myself by helping students who are struggling with their studies and leading everyone against the other classes." "So you want to be the leader, huh? Don't make me laugh! We can pass our tests without joining some study group. What matters is how we raise our Class Points, right?" "That's exactly why we need to get organized and improve our grades! Even if we can scrape by without study sessions, it won't raise our Class Points by much!" "So this is something that benefits the whole class, is it? Do you really need to use that to pressure us into supporting you as leader? Don't act like you're doing us failing students some big favor! We can't trust a leader like you." "Damn it! Could you stop picking fights over nothing!? If you've got a better idea, then say it!" "Is that how you ask for votes? Kaneda, there are people in Class C with better grades than you. Why don't you think about whether you're even up to the job?" "If you don't want to join, then fine. There'll be people who do. The rest of you can just get expelled!" Kaneda was getting more and more agitated, and he roared at Ishizaki. "Say that again. Want me to tear your mouth off?" Just like that, the class's argument threatened to turn from a verbal fight into a physical one. After that heated exchange, it became a back-and-forth of accusations between Kaneda and Ishizaki. Kaneda accused Ishizaki's gang of not paying attention in class and costing them too many points, while Ishizaki said Kaneda was picking a fight because Ishizaki wouldn't support him. Kaneda had a few decent points, but lacked the support to stand up to this gang of delinquents, and for the moment neither side could get the upper hand. Sitting between Ishizaki and Kaneda, I had a VIP seat for the show. Shiina, sitting in front of me with her ears covered and her head down on the desk, trembling, clearly wasn't enjoying it as much as I was. "That's enough! Class is about to start. If you two grown men want to fight, go find somewhere empty after school. Causing trouble in class will only cost us more of our already scarce Class Points." I checked the time, stood up, and said this. "Hmph! Kaneda, do you dare?" "..." Kaneda obviously couldn't beat this pack of muscleheads, and was caught between a rock and a hard place. All he could do was reply meekly, "Fighting would definitely violate school rules, and we'd lose Class Points." "Chicken! Just find somewhere empty! And you think you can lead the class to defeat Class A when you're this much of a coward? Don't make me laugh! I'd be better suited for it! Behind the gym this afternoon. If you don't show, then stop ordering everyone around in class! Same goes for the rest of you! I'll take on anyone!" Ishizaki seemed to think my idea was pretty good. He was dreaming of becoming the class leader himself, unaware that I'd simply led him into it. Heh. If Ishizaki really did end up controlling the class, he'd definitely be my puppet. "You're really going to watch them fight this afternoon? Something feels off about this! Why isn't Minya stepping up? With his reputation and ability as the top student in class..." Suzuki said in the group chat. "Don't overthink it. Just do what Minya says," Oda replied, taking a much more laid-back view. "Maybe Minya doesn't want to take the spotlight in class? That works, too. We can secretly use Ishizaki to influence the whole class and make the other classes lower their guard." Sonoda was the most observant and had noticed a few clues. "It's fine if they fight! Kaneda's full of schemes. He doesn't seem like someone who can take responsibility for the class. Honestly, we'd be better off choosing Ishizaki!" "He probably won't go, though. That guy's sharp! What if he brings a teacher along? That'd be something." Sonoda wasn't optimistic. "No way. Calling a teacher because you can't win would be so lame." Volume One: Making a Name for Myself: 9 Violence Is Itself an Economic Force
Violence is the midwife of every old society pregnant with a new one. Violence itself is an economic force. —Marx
The day passed quickly. Clearly, no one in Class C was in the mood to listen in class today. A tense, anxious atmosphere hung over everyone. Even the girls who normally sat together, laughing and chatting, only dared to speak quietly behind their hands. When the dismissal bell rang, Ishizaki slapped his desk and made a throat-slitting gesture at Kaneda. Then he strode off with his lackeys, full of confidence. "Minya, let's go too." Suzuki came over after watching Kaneda leave in the opposite direction. "Um... Shiina, why don't you come along and watch, too? You're the top girl in the class, right? At the end of the day, this concerns the future of Class C, so it'd be good for the girls to have a witness, too..." I suggested. Shiina turned around and shook her head nervously. She didn't seem like someone we could count on. I had no choice but to look around. The girls all lowered their heads, not daring to meet my eyes. Clearly, no one wanted to get involved. "Then I'll go! I can't stand those guys acting like this. Using violence to solve problems is just ridiculous." An unexpected voice came from behind me. It was Ibuki, the tough girl we hadn't seen in a while. "If it's Ibuki, then she can definitely do it..." Shiina said timidly, acknowledging Ibuki's standing. "All right, then. But don't worry, I'll protect Ibuki for you..." "Who needs a weakling like you to protect me!?" Before I could finish, Ibuki drove an elbow into my chest, doubling me over like a shrimp. Apparently, her bold, badass move gave the girls in class hope. They all chimed in, affirming Ibuki's role as their representative. I felt sorry for myself. I was the one who...