The Bickering Crowd

"T-Teacher." Kushida slowly raised her hand.

"Speak."

"Um, what's this about expulsion?"

"Hmph. It seems you're all hopelessly stupid, still not grasping the school's rules even now. This school stipulates that anyone who fails even one subject in the midterm or final exams will be expelled. For this exam, all students scoring below thirty-two points will be expelled."

"Ah—" A cry of shock came from the seven students who scored below thirty-two.

"Chabashira-sensei, you've got to be joking, right?" It was Ike who spoke. Thanks to his stellar twenty-something score, he'd now switched to calling her Chabashira-sensei instead of the earlier "Sae-chan."

Suddenly, harsh laughter erupted in the classroom. Rokusuke Takagahara lounged by the window, golden-brown hair falling across his forehead, idly spinning a fountain pen. "Scores worse than an elementary schooler—getting expelled is only natural, isn't it?" He sneered, glancing at Sudo and Ike, undisguised contempt in his eyes. "After all, trash shouldn't be in the same space as someone perfect like me."

Sudo kicked his chair back violently, the metal legs screeching across the floor. "Who the hell are you calling trash! Say that again if you've got the guts!" Veins bulged on his neck, and his clenched fists trembled with force. Ike jumped up, face flushed red, his voice carrying a reckless edge: "None of your damn business! If you've got the guts, don't just spout sarcasm from over there!"

"I said you're garbage, not even fit to polish my shoes." Takagahara leisurely adjusted his cuffs, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Look at you, all worked up—just as expected from uncultured bottom-feeders." He deliberately drawled out his words, each one like a poison-tipped dagger, precisely stabbing at everyone's most fragile pride.

"You're asking for it!" Sudo roared and swung his fist, but Takagahara sidestepped lightly. The latter grabbed Sudo's wrist in return, joints cracking with a sickening sound. "This little strength? Not even enough for a tickle." He suddenly let go, and Sudo stumbled back, knocking over a desk as books scattered noisily across the floor.

"Enough!" Chabashira Sae slammed her hands on the desk, her high heels grinding heavily against the floor. "Putting on a farce in front of me? Seems you're not just stupid, but utterly lacking in self-awareness." Her gaze swept over the two red-faced boys, a mocking curve on her lips. "Keep arguing—at this rate, we can add a few more names to the expulsion list."

The classroom was thick with tension. The seven students facing expulsion huddled pale-faced in their seats, fear and anger flickering in their eyes as they darted between the three. Meanwhile, Takahashi Shinma sat quietly in the shadows all along, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of a book, taking in the entire spectacle—in this school where strength reigned supreme, the law of the jungle had only just bared its sharp fangs.

As the sound of Chabashira Sae's high heels faded completely down the hallway, the dead silence in Class D was finally broken. Hirata Yosuke stood up first, forcing his voice to stay steady: "Everyone, calm down! I know things look bad, but we can figure out a way to earn points together..."

"How? Is there even anywhere left in the school to earn points?" A girl's voice trembled with tears. "We can barely afford basic necessities anymore..." Her words plunged the classroom back into silence, broken only by a few muffled sobs echoing in the air.

Sudo slammed his fist on the desk, making the books jump. "No matter what, I absolutely can't get expelled! Next month's exam—I'll pass even if it kills me!" His words lifted the heads of a few classmates who had been slumped in despair, a glimmer of hope rekindling in their eyes.

Just as the discussion was heating up, Rokusuke Takagahara's lazy voice drifted from the back of the room. "How ridiculous." He rested his chin on his hand, casually scanning the agitated crowd. "You think the efforts of this bunch of losers can change anything? Whether it's Class A or Class D makes no difference to me. Points? Expulsion? These laughable rules are nothing but chains the school uses to bind you."

"You bastard!" Ike was red with fury. "Easy for you to talk! If you're so capable, come up with a plan for everyone!"

"Why should I help you?" Takagahara raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "In my eyes, you're no different from the weeds on the roadside. Whether you're trampled or wither away, it's none of my concern." His words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly dousing the fighting spirit that had just ignited in the classroom.

Takahashi Shinma had been quietly listening to everyone's conversation the whole time. Now, he narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Takagahara's arrogant display. This was an anomaly. In this campus full of lies and games, every anomaly could become a key piece to overturn the board.