Little Class D Sure Had a Wealth of Talent

"Yuki, we've done what you asked us to do. You'd better keep your promise."

Dressed in her school uniform, the sharp-witted Blue-Haired Little Hedgehog, Mio Ibuki, folded her arms. She paid no attention to the gazes around her, instead reminding Yuki Gyakukai once again of the promise he'd made.

"Don't worry. I keep my word."

Their conversation sounded like an encrypted call, leaving everyone in Class D completely baffled.

"See? Your so-called surveillance footage is useless now. So, what other tricks do you have? You can use them now." Yuki Gyakukai spoke with obvious disdain as he quietly watched Yousuke Hirata.

"Everyone in Class D can testify that you used violence..."

"Sorry, but what makes you think your classmates in Class D would testify for you?"

Faced with Yuki Gyakukai's taunt, Yousuke Hirata's expression stiffened. He turned his head and looked toward the students of Class D.

Not one of them responded. Some didn't care in the slightest, others looked disgusted, and a few seemed to want to say something, but the people beside them held them back.

That was right. Yousuke Hirata had always known that Yamauchi and the others had been unpopular ever since they joined the class. They were constantly making insulting remarks about women, so it was only natural that people disliked them...

The atmosphere turned awkward for a moment. Of course, Yuki Gyakukai had no intention of letting the matter end so easily.

He reached behind him and took the phone recording the scene from Ichinose's hand. Then he opened the video again and played it for Yousuke Hirata from beginning to end.

The images on the phone flashed before his eyes, while the degrading words and laughter echoed throughout the classroom.

Yousuke Hirata had already felt ashamed, but now he felt even worse.

"Tell me, if this video gets sent to your homeroom teacher, the Student Council, or even the school's chairman, do you think these guys will get expelled?"

Expelled...

The word rang through his mind like a devil's whisper, over and over again, but Yousuke Hirata couldn't think of a solution.

He could only lower his eyes, his dark pupils in turmoil, like a pool of stagnant water. His fists clenched tight, veins beginning to throb along his arms, as if he might snap at any moment.

The classroom surveillance camera was already blocked by the balloons, so there shouldn't be a problem...

Suddenly, a hand closed around his fist. It was far stronger than his own, and for an instant, Yousuke Hirata felt as though his knuckles were about to be crushed.

"Hirata, it's best not to act rashly. We can still talk this out."

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, who had been supporting Ken Sudō, had already come over to Yousuke Hirata's side.

"Hirata, when you talk to him, don't give him any openings. Give him whatever he wants." A distinctly cool voice sounded from behind them.

Suzune Horikita put down her book, lightly brushed back her hair with her right hand, and looked over with an impassive gaze.

The advice she'd just given was the conclusion she'd reached after reviewing what had happened the previous night, though Kiyotaka had helped her, of course.

"Phew." Yousuke Hirata let out a heavy breath, then turned his now-composed gaze toward Yuki Gyakukai, who remained cool and detached.

"What compensation do you want? Personal points? An apology?"

"Both." Yuki Gyakukai's voice rang through the classroom, carrying an unquestionable finality.

"I also want them to promise they won't harass girls again. Otherwise, next time won't be so simple."

"Understood."

Those final two words seemed to take the last of Yousuke Hirata's strength.

He turned toward the ones responsible for the whole incident. His gaze was as gloomy as ever, without the slightest trace of a smile.

"Apologize."

Yamauchi and the others hesitated. They glanced at the computer, its data now deleted, and felt a little unwilling to give in.

"Don't make me say it again. Apologize!" By the time Yousuke Hirata spoke a second time, he was clearly seething with anger.

And so the Class D boys who had just been discussing such lewd things all lowered their heads and apologized. Even Ken Sudō was no exception.

Seeing this, Hasebe's mood immediately lifted, her smooth blue hair swaying gently.

For a moment, the girls in Class D liked Yuki Gyakukai a lot more.

"By the way, your name's Yamauchi, right?" When Yamauchi was addressed, he nodded nervously.

"Go apologize to Sakura. What you said about her just now was basically spreading rumors."

"Huh? N-no, it's fine..." Airi Sakura, sitting in the back row, hadn't expected to get dragged into this and hurriedly waved her hands.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I shouldn't have spread rumors about you."

The apologies were done, and the Class D boys had made their promises. Yuki Gyakukai collected a symbolic 50,000 points from Yousuke Hirata, and the matter was finally settled.

When he returned to his class, another large crowd gathered around him.

"Wow, Yuki was so cool just now—and so violent!"

"Right? But knowing he was punishing those disgusting guys makes me feel so much safer."

"Tomie's so lucky to have a fiancé like Yuki. She must feel completely safe."

"..."

Listening to the praise around her, the vain and jealous Miss Tomie felt her vanity instantly satisfied.

But she kept her expression composed, as if this were just an ordinary little matter. Only her small eyes had nearly curved into crescents...

Meanwhile, the center of everyone's attention, Yuki Gyakukai, was busy contacting people on all sides.

[Class D: Haruka Hasebe]

"Don't tell anyone in class that you were the one who asked us to go to Class D. If you get ostracized, there won't be anything I can do about it."

Hasebe: "Why would I be that stupid? Besides, I don't have any friends in Class D anyway, so there's no point making a big deal out of it."

"By the way, you're the hottest topic in our class right now! Lots of people say they want to send you love letters..."

[Class C: Mio Ibuki]

"Blue-Haired Little Hedgehog, I've got intel worth 430,000 points for you."

Ibuki: "Grr! What the hell is Blue-Haired Little Hedgehog supposed to mean? Give me another stupid nickname and I'll beat you to death."

"So, what's the intel?"

Yuki Gyakukai: "Actually, every month is a Special Exam. Each class starts with 1,000 points, and this exam is about discipline."

Video uploading.

Ibuki: "Got it, but why did you send me a video?"

Yuki Gyakukai: "Don't worry about it. With that empty head of yours, you wouldn't figure it out anyway. Just tell the people in your class those two things."

[Class A: Sakayanagi Arisu & Kouhei Katsuragi]

Video uploading.

Sakayanagi Arisu: "?"

Kouhei Katsuragi: "What's this video, Yuki?"

Yuki Gyakukai: "Watch it yourselves. What you do with it is up to you."

Sakayanagi Arisu: "It feels like something interesting has happened again today."

Class A classroom

Sakayanagi Arisu sat at her desk, silently watching the contents of the video.

"The Hanyu Zaibatsu? The Koenzai Zaibatsu? This school is about competing based on ability. Surely it doesn't come down to background..."

By the end, even Sakayanagi Arisu didn't believe what she'd said.

"And then there's... Kiyotaka Ayanokoji..."