With swimming class over, everyone in Class D returned to their normal lives.
The only difference was that ever since Onizuka defeated Koenji Rokusuke, his reputation in the class had skyrocketed.
But he actually disliked the feeling of being watched wherever he went.
Still, for Onizuka, it wasn't all bad.
One day during lunch break,
he sat on a bench in the park, watching the students who had come there pair off in twos.
"Now that's youth."
He couldn't help imagining what his life would have been like if he had been born into a normal family, if he hadn't possessed superhuman talent.
But he didn't stay immersed in that mood for long. Someone soon broke him out of it.
"Onizuka, I heard you wanted to see me?"
The person who had come was Honami Ichinose of Class 1-B.
"That's right, Ichinose."
Onizuka had paid for a cup of milk tea to get her contact information from Kikyo Kushida.
Based on his inquiries about the other classes, the most important person in Class B-or, rather, the one who was about to become its leader-was the girl standing before him: Honami Ichinose.
With the aim of gathering information, as well as a few other purposes, he had wanted to meet this girl who seemed both pretty and lively.
But clearly, Kikyo Kushida hadn't seen it that way. She had given him an ambiguous look, wished him luck, then left with her milk tea.
"I wonder what you wanted to see me about, Onizuka? This is probably the first time we've met, isn't it?"
"Indeed. What do you think of this school, Ichinose?" Onizuka asked first.
"Well... the school really is great, and the facilities are comprehensive. The other students are very friendly too, but..."
She seemed to have things she didn't quite know how to say, and her face was filled with complicated emotions.
"But it feels a little unreal, right?" Onizuka continued.
"Yes, yes! That's exactly it. It just feels a little unreal."
"I can't help feeling that the school wouldn't be this kind to us. It gives us points worth a hundred thousand yen every month for free. It feels like I'm living in a dream."
Seeing how conflicted Ichinose was, Onizuka didn't need to probe any further. Class B probably hadn't figured out the truth about this school either.
He was confident in his ability to tell whether someone was putting on an act or being genuine.
"There's no need to be so troubled. Just let things take their course."
"By the way, I'd like to meet your homeroom teacher. Could you arrange for us to meet on the rooftop of the school building after class tomorrow? Preferably alone."
"Huh? Our homeroom teacher? The one from Class B?"
After he confirmed that, Ichinose lowered her head and thought for a moment.
"I can ask, but I can't promise he'll come."
Hearing that Ichinose agreed to his request, Onizuka secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was enough to have someone pass the message along. He was sure that Chie Hoshinomiya, Class B's teacher, would come to meet him.
"Thank you very much."
...The next day, after class, on the rooftop of the school building...
Onizuka had been waiting there since class ended.
Naturally, he wanted to ask Class B's homeroom teacher some rather sensitive questions, such as how many points it took to transfer classes.
It obviously wouldn't be appropriate to ask the other teachers about this. He didn't believe the teachers at this school were all completely neutral robots.
The teacher from Class A might feel threatened by him, and whether that teacher would be friendly or hostile was entirely unpredictable.
Class C was already their absolute enemy in all but name. It was only a matter of time before the thin veil of class competition was torn away.
As for Class D's homeroom teacher, he had already shown his worth last time. Onizuka didn't think that teacher would let him go so easily.
So, that left Class B's homeroom teacher.
When Chie Hoshinomiya pushed open the rooftop door, she saw a figure in a school uniform standing there.
"Onizuka, what is it you wanted to see your teacher about? You know, that sort of thing isn't allowed~"
Chie Hoshinomiya smiled faintly, her hands lightly clasped in front of her chest, but the smile on her face couldn't hide the wariness in her eyes.
"You sure know how to joke, teacher." Onizuka raised his chin slightly and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Since you've come here, I'll get right to the point. Please tell me how many points it takes to transfer classes."
Hearing Onizuka's words, Chie Hoshinomiya's eyes widened in disbelief, her face full of surprise.
"Wow, Onizuka, are you really such a straightforward person? When did you figure it out?"
"I figured it out on the first day of school. The school was full of incongruities. It was practically right in front of me."
Hoshinomiya put on a wounded expression and pouted slightly, like a child.
"Onizuka, saying that really hurts your teacher's feelings. None of the students in my class have figured it out yet..."
Onizuka cut her off. "Please answer my question, Hoshinomiya-sensei."
Interrupted, she folded her arms across her chest, and the smile at the corners of her mouth vanished at once, leaving her looking rather displeased.
"Please understand, Onizuka. I have no obligation to answer your question."
Seeing this, Onizuka let out a heavy sigh.
"I thought that anyone who could teach at this school would be a little smarter. This is really..."
With that, Onizuka held up his student ID and showed her the balance in his account.
1,893,267. After beating Koenji Rokusuke, the number had reached 1.89 million.
Ignoring the shocked expression on her face, Onizuka continued.
"Did you see that, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"
"I still don't know how far these points are from getting promoted to Class A, but there's no doubt that I can achieve it through my own abilities over the next three years."
Chie Hoshinomiya looked dazed and nodded blankly.
"How... how did you do it?"
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that I don't think I'll hesitate to drag Class B down with me before I get promoted. Believe me, I'm capable of it."
At that moment, Chie Hoshinomiya started to panic.
"No, the students in Class B will fight ba-"
Seeing the look on her face, Onizuka knew she had finally understood.
"Have you figured it out? The life or death of Class D has nothing to do with me. By then, perhaps Class D will sink to the bottom of the sea along with you."
With that, Onizuka was about to open the door behind Hoshinomiya and leave the rooftop.
"Twenty million..."
He paused, then turned back toward Hoshinomiya-sensei.
"Thank you for cooperating, Hoshinomiya-sensei. One more thing: I don't want anyone else to know about our conversation today. You understand what I mean, don't you?"
With the surveillance cameras as witnesses, Onizuka transferred some points to Chie Hoshinomiya. The contract was also very simple: keep the contents of today's conversation confidential.