"Arisu, I know what you were thinking at first. Fighting with Katsuragi could indeed have united the class quickly, but there's no need for that. You have me now, and I'll always stand by your side.
"If you push him too far, he'll go to another class, which will only make the other classes stronger.
"He's still useful, and he's easy to manipulate. As long as it's for the good of the class, he won't refuse."
Sakayanagi Arisu recalled the tactic Yagami Shizuka had just used. If she remembered correctly, it was a classic strategy from history.
"Dao King Qin Wang?"
"Oh, I didn't expect you to know about Dao King Qin Wang." Yagami Shizuka was surprised, but also felt that explaining it to Sakayanagi Arisu would be much easier.
Say one thing to a smart person, and she'll understand the next.
Only someone well versed in strategy would understand what Dao King Qin Wang meant.
It was a brazen stratagem, one the other party had no choice but to accept.
You appealed to the interests of the group and reasoned with others, asking them to work for you. They'd even say you were a good person.
That was Dao King Qin Wang.
This strategy only worked on people with a strong sense of justice. It also worked on the greedy, but not on the lazy and apathetic.
For example, Cao Cao had circulated a fake imperial edict to gather eighteen allied warlords, claiming they were going to punish Dong Zhuo in the name of the Han dynasty.
And, throughout history, every rebel army had claimed it was fighting for the people and for justice.
There was one thing you absolutely couldn't get wrong: a successful strategist would never resort to the petty trick of accusing others from a moral high ground.
True Dao King Qin Wang was about both sides being willing.
You were the one using a scheme, yet the person caught in it willingly jumped in—and even hoped you'd make the move.
Yagami Shizuka's way of using the Katsuragi Faction was simple. All she had to do was tell them it was for the good of the class, and they wouldn't object.
Even if they knew they were being used, they had no choice but to accept this kind of stratagem. Then they'd praise you for doing a good job and ask if there was anything else they could do.
How could she not make use of such useful people?
"That's right. It's Dao King Qin Wang. I just have to appeal to the greater good, and he'll fall right in line. If he doesn't, I can tell the rest of the class, and soon he'll have no choice but to comply."
"Fine. I'll wait and see what you do next." Sakayanagi Arisu stood up and strolled toward the door.
Yagami Shizuka sent Shiraishi Asuka a message.
"Meet me downstairs at the dorm."
[You're very clever, and your knowledge has exceeded my expectations. My appearance may even be a little unnecessary. You've been hiding your abilities all along, even deceiving me.
"Perhaps you already know what to do, and I'm simply acting on my own because I'm worried. Still, please read through the hints first."
"[1. Fate is a curious thing. It can easily tilt in a certain direction.
""In the classic novel Classroom of the Elite, most of the heroines... or rather, eighty percent of the women, fall for the protagonist.
""It can't be helped. He's the main character, and he has a way of charming every woman. It's easy for them to get swept up in it.
""Shiraishi Asuka hasn't started interacting with Ayanokoji yet. You can pretend to be her absolute superior and change her mission.
""If you choose this option, you'll receive further hints that will keep her from learning the truth for the next year."
"[2. If you don't choose option one and only use her secret to threaten her into working for you, she'll gradually fall for Ayanokoji while observing him.
""Two years later, Shiraishi Asuka will confess her past to Ayanokoji and become a mole in Class A for him.]"
After just one glance, Yagami Shizuka knew what to do.
There was no denying how powerful the protagonist's charm was. Even with a girlfriend, plenty of women still threw themselves at him.
They were all capable women, and every one of them was lovesick. If no one put a stop to it, two years from now they'd be fighting against his harem.
That would be exhausting. It'd be best not to give him the chance. He could take all the women in his harem, since he didn't want them anyway. He was just playing with their feelings.
Sakayanagi had confessed to him, only for him to use her and set a trap that ultimately got her expelled.
After that, Sakayanagi really was like someone under a spell.
It was worth noting that it wasn't just women who fell for him. Even the tall, imposing leader of Class C, Lord Ryuen, ended up falling for the protagonist.
You couldn't take things too far. He could keep that one. Hopefully, he'd enjoy it.
A few minutes later.
In a seldom-used walkway downstairs from the dorm.
There were security cameras here, but it was easy to avoid them.
He stood with his back to the wall, waiting patiently.
Before long, he heard a few footsteps.
"Being so sneaky and choosing such a secluded place, Shizuka, you don't seem very honest." Shiraishi Asuka stopped five meters away from him.
"Your mission is canceled. From now on, your task is to assist me." Yagami Shizuka didn't turn around. In the dim corner by the wall, he exuded an air of mystery.
The smile on Shiraishi Asuka's face froze for an instant. Her eyes went blank for a moment, then she smiled and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. Is this some kind of game?"
"Shiraishi, you don't need to doubt anything. We're on the same side. The mission to monitor Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has been canceled.
"Road Tyrant—Ayanokoji's father—never intended to have Ayanokoji expelled. He was lying when he said he wanted Ayanokoji to leave school and return to his side.
"He wanted to mislead us with that false impression. In reality, he wanted to confirm Ayanokoji's true abilities. And he hasn't given up on his original plan to use the White Room to fight Advanced Nurturing High School." Yagami Shizuka spoke with an air of confidence.
When you revealed enough information, it was hard for the other person not to believe you.
"Who are you?" Shiraishi Asuka had to reconsider Yagami Shizuka's identity.
"I'm the top trump card in our organization. It's normal that you don't know me. Very few people do. If you don't believe me, you can look into it. I guarantee you won't find a single piece of information about me, including anything from the White Room."
That was only natural. He couldn't find any information about himself in this world either. Even the files in the school archives were blank.
There were students like him with blank records every year. The relationships between the zaibatsu and the powerful were too complicated, so no one would investigate too closely.
"Now our plan has changed. Road Tyrant won't make Ayanokoji leave school. Since he wants to find out how capable Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is and strike at Advanced Nurturing High School, and we're in Class A while he's in Class D, we can just crush him directly."
Shiraishi Asuka's gaze flickered as if she were considering something. "Who's stronger, you or Ayanokoji?"
"Well, I can tell you this for certain: even at chess, I'm one move ahead of Ayanokoji. I'm not arrogant or overconfident. I wouldn't say it if I weren't sure.
"In short, he's the strongest artificial genius in the open, but he still can't surpass me. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you over the next six months."
"Would you make Ayanokoji leave school?"
Before you continue