Classroom of the Elite, Keima Katsuragi's Love Brain Battle

Airi Sakura bit her lip, as if engaged in a fierce internal struggle, but she soon looked up.

"Um... Keima-kun... if your study group is short on people... I, I can join..."

On one hand, Airi Sakura knew her grades weren't great; while not terrible, she wasn't confident she could pass the midterm exams.

On the other hand, Airi Sakura also wanted to repay Keima Katsuragi.

She had finally mustered the courage to ask Keima Katsuragi to eat with her, only for it to fall through because of the appearance of Suzune Horikita.

Now that Keima Katsuragi needed to form a study group, perhaps she could be of some help.

At the very least, she could...

Make up the numbers.

Besides, Airi Sakura didn't mind the idea of spending time with Keima Katsuragi.

"Of course you can, thank you very much, Sakura-san!"

Keima Katsuragi flashed a smile at Airi Sakura, causing her cheeks to flush even redder.

"However, there might be other students at the study session. Would you be okay with that, Sakura-san?"

"I..."

Airi Sakura's brain raced.

If she said she couldn't accept that, would she be unable to join Keima Katsuragi's study group?

For some reason, a certain thought in Airi Sakura's heart grew increasingly intense—

She absolutely could not miss this opportunity!

"I, I'm fine with it!"

Airi Sakura gathered all her strength and said to Keima Katsuragi, "After all, after all... everyone is, is a classmate... it's, it's fine..."

"If you're pushing yourself too hard..."

"No, it's fine!"

Her voice was incredibly firm.

After saying those words, Airi Sakura was somewhat surprised herself. She never imagined that one day she would say something like that, with such a firm tone.

She certainly never expected that she would take the initiative to join a group activity like a study session.

Perhaps...

She had grown a little bit, too.

Even if it was just a tiny, insignificant bit.

"I understand. Then let's meet at the library after school today."

"Mm!"

Airi Sakura nodded vigorously.

After parting ways with Airi Sakura, Keima Katsuragi returned to his room, with Elsie following him inside.

"Big Brother, is this really okay? Making a bet like that?"

Elsie asked, still feeling somewhat worried.

"Rest assured, I won't lose."

Keima Katsuragi replied while playing his game.

"Why is Big Brother so confident?"

"Because if Horikita's personality doesn't change, she can't possibly succeed."

Keima Katsuragi then explained his thoughts to Elsie.

"I see!"

"Unlike the simply socially anxious Sakura, to conquer Horikita, one must find what she cares about most—that's how difficult characters are; her sharp words are just a shell she uses to protect herself. You have to break a gap in that shell to truly understand her, and even if that process brings pain, it is a necessary step."

Keima Katsuragi continued, "I need Horikita to truly realize her own problems so that she can change, which is why I said those things to her."

"Even though they are both difficult types to deal with, Sakura and Horikita are completely different... Humans are really complex. As expected of the God of Conquest, you actually know how to handle them."

"Compared to characters in games, they aren't even worth mentioning. In games, there are even more complex characters. To figure out their true thoughts, you even have to keep trial-and-erroring, selecting every single option just to piece together their inner hearts bit by bit."

Keima Katsuragi shook his head slightly.

"However, I think girls in games are still much more interesting than those in real life, especially girls like Horikita."

"Now that you mention it, Sakura-san has joined your study group, but won't the number of people be too low!"

"Perhaps, but when I made the bet with Horikita, there were no restrictions on the number of people. So theoretically, with the goal of winning, I could even recruit a few students with good grades into the study group. But that wouldn't be any fun. Since I chose to bet with Horikita, I have to make her lose in a way that she's completely convinced."

As Keima Katsuragi spoke, he set down his handheld console and pulled out his terminal, seemingly sending a text message to someone.

To establish a study group, this person's help was indispensable.

After sending the message, Keima Katsuragi put down his phone and let out a long sigh.

"What's wrong, God of Conquest? You still look like you have something on your mind."

"There is one point that worries me."

"What is the God of Conquest worried about?"

"This gamble does indeed still have one uncertain factor."

"What is it?"

Elsie asked hurriedly, but the only response she received was Keima Katsuragi's gaze landing squarely on her.

"The biggest uncertain factor is you! You useless demon! Didn't you hear what Horikita said? She thinks you got that low score on purpose! Even if you were just guessing blindly, you could still get ten points! And what is this about you filling in 'E' for multiple-choice questions that only have A, B, C, and D options!"

"I, I didn't look at the questions carefully, I thought it was a word chain game..."

"If you get dead last in the next monthly exam, this world might as well just be destroyed!"

"Don't say that, God of Conquest! Waaah, I was wrong! I will definitely study hard!"

Volume 1: Chapter 38: Is Everything Within Your Calculations?

In the afternoon, students returned to the classroom one after another.

Keima Katsuragi did not go straight back to his seat, but instead leaned against the hallway, his eyes glued to his handheld console.

"Katsuragi-kun! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Just then, a vibrant voice rang out beside his ear.

Keima Katsuragi looked up at the person; it was the very person he had sent the text to earlier.

Kikyo Kushida.

Previously, Kikyo Kushida had asked Keima Katsuragi for help, but he had refused her at the time.

This had caused Kikyo Kushida's favorability toward Keima Katsuragi to drop into the negatives.

However, even so, Keima Katsuragi knew that if he asked Kikyo Kushida for help, she would definitely come to assist him.

Because Kikyo Kushida seemed to care deeply about her image as the "perfect social butterfly."

As long as it was a matter like this, Kikyo Kushida would certainly agree.

"Katsuragi-kun, are you planning to hold a study group?"

Kikyo Kushida looked up at Keima Katsuragi with a concerned smile on her face.

In reality, however, she was already feeling somewhat annoyed with Keima Katsuragi.

This guy, he wouldn't help me before, but now he's taking the initiative to come find me?

Of course, Kikyo Kushida would not let these emotions show.

In front of anyone, she had to maintain a perfect image.

"That's right, because I made a bet with Horikita-san."

"A bet?"

Kikyo Kushida became curious; this involved Suzune Horikita, after all.

"Yeah."

Keima Katsuragi then told Kikyo Kushida about the previous wager.

"I see! But both you and Horikita-san are doing this for the sake of the class, right!"

Kikyo Kushida placed her hands gently over her chest, a worried expression appearing on her face.

"However... Horikita-san's personality is truly quite strange. I feel like if she holds a study group, some unpleasant things might happen."

"You're right, which is why I'm preparing to organize my own study group. As long as I beat Horikita this time, she will have to cooperate with my actions afterward. Getting her to spend more time with you isn't impossible."

Hearing Keima Katsuragi's words, a glimmer seemed to flash in Kikyo Kushida's eyes.

"I understand! So, is there anything I need to do?"

"I don't need to trouble Kushida-san with anything particularly difficult."

Keima Katsuragi said in a calm tone, "I just need you to join my study group in name only."

"Eh? You don't need me to take the initiative and ask other students?"

"That won't be necessary."

Keima Katsuragi's gaze fell upon the girl in front of him. Kikyo Kushida possessed a cute face, coupled with a generous and enthusiastic personality. If she were to speak up, it would surely be easy for others to join his study group—

That would be the troublesome part.

Although Keima Katsuragi's agreement with Sae Chabashira included raising the class ranking, Keima Katsuragi believed that having too many people in the study group would actually hinder the efficiency of the tutoring.

Keima Katsuragi speculated that Suzune Horikita might seek out others to assist her in organizing a study group, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who sat on her other side, was the most likely candidate.

It would be nearly impossible for him to invite Ken Sudo and the others to a study group, but if he were to ask Kushida Kikyo for help, things might be different.

Therefore, Keima Katsuragi had to nip this possibility in the bud beforehand.

Furthermore, Kushida Kikyo's own grades were decent, so if she joined the study group, she could help pull up the average score—

After all, on his side, there was Elsie, who was an epic-level dead weight.

"Great! I'm counting on you!"

Kushida Kikyo nodded with a smile.

The first period of the afternoon ended, and it was time for a break.

Keima Katsuragi was still playing his game, his handheld console not having moved even a fraction.

Meanwhile, Suzune Horikita turned her head and said something to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"Understood."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka simply nodded, then immediately left his seat.

After parting ways with Keima Katsuragi at noon, Suzune Horikita had quickly calmed down.

She possessed an extremely strong competitive spirit and would never allow herself to lose to Keima Katsuragi, especially since Suzune Horikita did not believe her own philosophy was wrong.

Therefore, Suzune Horikita adopted the same method she had used on Keima Katsuragi, using the promise of a meal to 'bribe' Ayanokoji Kiyotaka into assisting her with the study group preparations.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka quickly went to find the students who had ranked at the bottom of the last quiz: Ken Sudo, Haruki Yamauchi, Kanji Ike...

However, their answers were quite uniform.

They refused without hesitation.

Ken Sudo even felt angry at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's invitation, feeling that the other party was looking down on him.