The Multiverse, Starting from *Fullmetal Alchemist* to Become the Mastermind Chapter 36

"Oh my?"

Sakayanagi Arisu let out a soft hum, her tone tinged with mock reproach.

"You know exactly what I mean; you're definitely doing this on purpose!"

"However..."

She scrutinized Su Wei with curiosity.

"Although I'm not a fujoshi, I've always been curious—don't you boys have plenty of people who 'ship' girls together? The so-called 'yuri' and such."

"Why do you have such a strong reaction to this?"

Su Wei stopped in his tracks.

"That is incorrect."

"First of all, border skirmishes and territorial invasions are two completely different concepts."

"Secondly, I despise yuri-fugu just as much."

"Besides, hating something is just like liking it—it doesn't need a reason."

I am a player who breaks yuri, so keep those gay-fugu away from me!

Jokes aside, if he didn't want to play with something special, not only would Shiranami Chihiro's feelings be gone, but even Tachibana Akane's admiration for Horikita Manabu couldn't exist.

Even so, Su Wei never let Karuizawa Kei develop the idea of using Hirata Yosuke as a fake boyfriend.

It was just like Galaganmuli.

Even if I don't come to find you, you should be waiting for me right where you are!

Anyway, he didn't have any weird quirks about pursuing realism or believing that characters had their own lives that shouldn't be disturbed...

With the entire nation of Japan, its two capitals and thirteen provinces, resting on his shoulders, what was wrong with enjoying himself? He deserved it!

Watching the overly serious expression on Su Wei's face, Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head.

She didn't quite understand.

After all, in the general environment of Japan, whether it was male-male or female-female, they were all niche groups that kept to themselves and couldn't make it to the mainstream table.

As an elite of high society, she naturally couldn't and didn't need to take the initiative to come into contact with these subcultures.

She could only guess that perhaps Su Wei had been disgusted by these two groups back when he was in China?

However...

It would be great if he really had been disgusted.

That would give it value to dig deeper, wouldn't it?

The corners of Sakayanagi Arisu's mouth curled up. Far from being deterred by his cold face, she leaned in even closer in an even more intimate posture.

She pressed nearly half the weight of her body against Su Wei.

"Well, although I don't understand what you're saying."

"But seeing as you're so agitated... why don't you tell me about it."

"I have the wine, do you have a story?"

"If you don't drink, I'll V you 50 points. Tell me and let me have a laugh?"

Su Wei: "..."

"Get lost."

Ultimately, Sakayanagi Arisu failed to get to the bottom of things or learn about Su Wei's past.

After a simple parting, she watched Su Wei wave goodbye and walk away without even looking back once. The young girl tapped her cane lightly against the ground, a flash of regret in her eyes.

But that was all.

In this world, whether it was conquering a game or a person's heart, one had to take it step by step, like a frog in warm water; excessive pressure would only invite resentment.

Besides, if she really angered him and made him quit, it would be Sakayanagi Arisu herself who suffered the loss.

After all, after the second Black Sphere exam ended, she had waved her hand and spent 50,000 points to buy ten hours of Su Wei's private time.

If this were to end poorly...

Given Su Wei's terrible personality of 'why should I provide service for money I earned by my own ability,' she couldn't count on getting a refund.

"What an unromantic man."

Looking at Su Wei's retreating figure, Sakayanagi Arisu said this, yet the corners of her mouth revealed a hint of a smile.

Although Su Wei appeared heartless and had a tongue sharp enough to kill, Sakayanagi still discovered some clues from the minor details.

For instance... his seemingly unintentional reminder to Ichinose Honami just now.

For instance... the fact that Kamuro Masumi did not receive a negative score in this exam.

That is correct.

Ever since learning of the new mechanism added to the Black Sphere Trial, Sakayanagi Arisu had intentionally suppressed Kamuro Masumi, ensuring she did not secure any kill points.

Her goal was to verify a hypothesis:

In this cruel game, if a participant avoids death but incurs a negative score due to insufficient contribution, what kind of judgment would the Black Sphere render?

This was a necessary experiment, and the information gained was vital for the future strategic layout of Class A.

Although she was not privy to the specific tactics everyone used when tackling the hidden boss at the end.

Given Ryuen Kakeru's profit-driven nature and Ichinose Honami's predicament of having the heart but lacking the strength, it was clearly impossible for them to have deliberately shared points with the unproductive Kamuro Masumi.

Therefore, the only variable remaining was Su Wei.

Combining Su Wei's final overflow of high points with the fact that Kamuro Masumi was barely hanging onto the passing line.

Was it because he had feelings for that idiot Kamuro?

Or was it an act of charity from a powerhouse?

Or perhaps... did he realize she was using Kamuro for an experiment, and was using this method to offer a warning?

"If it is the latter..."

"You are far more gentle than I imagined."

Sakayanagi Arisu sighed, her lips slowly closing.

Her cherry-colored lips pressed together slightly, revealing a hint of a smile.

The next day.

The atmosphere in the Class D classroom was not quite right.

Most students were still immersed in the joy of having received their points, but Hirata Yosuke, the core of the class, had his brows tightly locked, with obvious dark circles under his eyes.

Kushida Kikyo had just walked into the classroom, and before she could return to her seat, she was called over by Hirata.

"Kushida, wait a moment."

Hirata Yosuke lowered his voice, his tone tinged with anxiety:

"I wanted to ask, do you have Horikita's contact information? I looked for her all day yesterday but couldn't find her..."

Upon learning his intent, Kushida Kikyo blinked and tilted her head toward the empty seat in the back row belonging to Horikita Suzune.

It was completely vacant.

As the administrator of the Black Sphere Mutual Aid Group, and given her current near-"bestie" relationship with Ichinose Honami, Kushida Kikyo naturally knew better than anyone what had happened last night.

The trial involving the entire school building had unexpectedly dragged Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Hirata Yosuke into the fray.

She thought for a moment, a trace of apology appearing at the corners of her mouth:

"I'm sorry, Hirata-kun. Actually, I'm not very close with Horikita-san... You know how it is, she's always been a loner."

"I see..."

A look of obvious disappointment appeared on Hirata Yosuke's face, bordering on dejection:

"Sorry to bother you. I'll just wait for her to return and ask her myself..."

"However—"

Just as Hirata was about to turn and leave, Kushida Kikyo suddenly changed the subject.

"Regarding the 'Black Sphere Trial', you don't necessarily have to go to Horikita."

"You can ask me instead, you know~"

"Eh?"

Hirata Yosuke looked up sharply, his pupils constricting: "Kushida, you know...?"

Kushida Kikyo did not keep him in suspense.

She looked left and right, and after confirming no one was paying attention, she took out her phone, skillfully opened the Black Sphere Mutual Aid Group interface, and handed it to Hirata.

"Actually, Su Wei-kun and I were the first in our class to enter the Black Sphere Trial."

"Those of us who signed up earlier than everyone else were designated by the Black Sphere as 'fixed personnel'."

"Of course, I belong to the more special category... a lucky one chosen at random."

"You can see the specific rules in the group announcement."

Hirata Yosuke took the phone, his eyes scanning the screen rapidly.

Without a doubt.

Compared to the hasty screenshots Amikura Mako had shown yesterday, the information Kushida provided was far more detailed and systematic.

From point rules and equipment exchanges to resurrection mechanisms and even analysis of monster weaknesses, everything was included.

After a brief review, he finally understood the reasons why Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo had chosen to remain silent before.

"Fixed personnel cannot occupy the exam slots for the class, and there are completely random mandatory quotas every time..."

Hirata Yosuke handed the phone back to Kushida:

"This kind of uncertain selection pattern is indeed prone to causing panic."

He rubbed his temples and gave a wry smile:

"But times have changed. Since the Black Sphere Space has started involving ordinary students who are completely unprepared, and has even set the battlefield within the school..."

"We no longer have the right to deprive them of the truth."

"We must let everyone know the reality and be prepared."

Watching Hirata Yosuke fall into deep thought, as if considering how to make those classmates who only knew how to complain about points accept this cruel reality as quickly as possible.

Kushida Kikyo's eyes flickered slightly.

She softly suggested:

"Hirata-kun, if you want everyone to accept this quickly, intimidation alone won't work."

"Instead of blindly emphasizing the horror of the monsters and the threat of death, why not also appropriately demonstrate... what the Black Sphere exams can bring us?"

Hirata Yosuke looked up: "What do you mean?"

Kushida Kikyo held up a finger and smiled:

"Don't we have a physical education class with Class B this afternoon?"

"As far as I know, Ichinose from Class B, being one of the initial members, has already saved up enough points to redeem equipment that can be brought out of the Black Sphere Space."

"Perhaps we could ask her to demonstrate it?"

"Coincidentally, she seems to be troubled by this matter as well right now."