Side Quest

11:00 PM, Class D boys' dormitory.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka did not turn on the lights, letting only the fluorescent glow of his laptop illuminate his face. The screen displayed the internal forum of Advanced Nurturing High School—an anonymous community accessible only to students, teeming with gossip, trades, and intelligence.

He used a basic hacking technique redeemed from the system to crack the permissions of an abandoned account.

Search keyword: Shiho Manabe.

The results were sparse. Most were discussions about how she had once been the leader of a small clique of Class C girls before being suppressed by Ryuen. However, one anonymous post from three days ago caught his attention:

"Does anyone know what 'good stuff' Manabe from Class C is selling lately? I heard the price is steep, but it's guaranteed to be worth it."

There was only one reply below, from another anonymous account: "Contact Telegram, private chat."

Ayanokoji noted the string of characters, exited the forum, and opened an encrypted messaging app. It took him twenty minutes to register a new account using a virtual number, after which he sent a friend request to that Telegram handle.

Almost immediately, the request was accepted.

The other party sent no greeting, only an automated message popping up: "Product catalog requires identity verification. Please provide your class, name, or at least 2,000 points as a deposit of sincerity."

A very professional approach. Clearly, this was not their first time conducting such a transaction.

Ayanokoji did not reply immediately. He closed the chat window and turned to check the system's task panel.

He needed more information.

His phone screen lit up; it was a message from Kei Karuizawa: "Are you asleep?"

"Not yet."

"Kikyo Kushida is acting strange." Kei typed quickly. "After the victory party, she spent a long time on the phone in the dormitory hallway by herself. When I 'accidentally' walked by, I heard her say, 'The data has been mostly collected,' and 'We can make a move next week.'"

Next week. That would be the start of the new week right after the Sports Festival.

It was also the time when the special exam might be announced.

"Do you know who she was talking to?" Ayanokoji asked.

"I couldn't hear clearly. But she mentioned 'friends in Class C'."

Friends in Class C. It was either Shiho Manabe or someone else connected to Kushida.

"Also," Kei continued typing, "after she went back to her room, I made an excuse to visit her dorm and saw her computer screen open to our class directory, with several names marked in red."

"Who?"

"Me, Horikita, you, and..." Kei paused, "Airi Sakura."

Sakura. The introverted photography enthusiast who had been bumped into and injured by Class A during the Sports Festival. What could she possibly have that would make her a target for Kushida?

"Got it. Thanks." Ayanokoji replied. "Be careful yourself."

"You too," Kei said finally. "Ayanokoji, I... I'm a little worried."

The conversation ended.

Ayanokoji leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His brain, like a precision computer, began to organize all the clues:

Shiho Manabe trading with Masayoshi Hashimoto → likely involving Class C intelligence or private data → Hashimoto representing Class A → Arisu Sakayanagi of Class A is collecting weaknesses from all sides.

Kikyo Kushida collecting "dirt" within Class D → contacting "friends" in Class C → planning to "make a move next week" → targets are Kei, Horikita, Sakura, and himself.

Kakeru Ryuen collecting the privacy of "specific girls" → Manabe was once Ryuen's subordinate → Manabe is now trading privately with Class A → Is Ryuen aware of this?

Several clues converged at a single point.

He opened his eyes, opened his phone's contact list, and found a name:

Mio Ibuki.

The phone rang three times before it was answered, but the person on the other end did not speak.

"It's me," Ayanokoji said.

"...I know." Ibuki's voice was low, with the sound of wind in the background; she seemed to be outdoors. "What is it?"

"Regarding Shiho Manabe. I need to know what she has been doing since she was suppressed by Ryuen in Class C."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"You want to know why she betrayed Ryuen?" Ibuki asked.

"Not just that. I want to know what she is selling, who the buyers are, and what her next plan is."

The wind grew louder; Ibuki seemed to be moving. After a while, her voice sounded again, even lower: "I'm on the rooftop. It's easier to talk here."

"Manabe has always hated Ryuen. Before the Sports Festival, Ryuen told her to poison the drinking water for Class B, and she did it. But after the incident was exposed, Ryuen slapped her in front of the whole class, saying she 'couldn't even handle such a small task'." Ibuki's voice carried a hint of mockery. "Manabe is the type of girl with a very strong sense of pride. She was a leader of a small clique back in middle school and was used to being fawned over."

"So she started collecting dirt on Ryuen in private?"

"Not just Ryuen," Ibuki said. "She's collecting dirt on everyone—Class C, other classes, especially those with a 'special past.' Before I left Class C, I heard her say while drunk that she was going to save up enough 'capital' and then either overthrow Ryuen or defect to another class."

"Is selling to Class A her plan?"

"I'm not sure," Ibuki paused. "But I know she's suddenly had a lot of money lately. Last week she bought a new designer bag that cost at least 30,000 points. Where did she get that kind of money?"

30,000 points. For an ordinary student, this was a huge sum. Unless there was a large-scale exchange of points, or...

"Blackmail," Ayanokoji said.

"Highly likely," Ibuki agreed, "but I don't know who the specific target is. Shiho Manabe is very careful; she won't leave any evidence behind."

"What about Kikyo Kushida? Does she have any connection to Manabe?"

This time, Ibuki's silence lasted even longer.

"She does," she finally admitted. "I've seen them meeting privately at the School Cafe at least twice. But I don't know what they were talking about. Manabe's assessment of Kushida was that she is 'a fellow creature far more dangerous than she looks.'"

A fellow creature. That word was subtle.

"One last question," Ayanokoji said. "If you were Manabe and you held a 'dossier of dirt' capable of threatening key figures across multiple classes, how would you use it?"

Ibuki thought for a moment. "I wouldn't sell it all at once. That would be stupid. I'd sell it in batches, or... find a buyer willing to pay the highest price, but demand a cut of future profits."

"In other words, she might just be 'testing the waters' right now?"

"Most likely," Ibuki said. "So, what she's sold so far might just be 'samples.' She's still holding onto the real goods."

After the call ended, Ayanokoji looked out the window.

The campus was silent in the dead of night, but beneath that stillness, countless undercurrents were surging.

Manabe held the dirt, waiting for the highest bidder.

Kushida gathered intelligence, planning her strike.

Ryuen waited for his chance to retaliate, his methods unknown.

Arisugawa set her chessboard, waiting to make her move.

And he, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, stood at the intersection of all these undercurrents.

[Ding! Side quest "Hidden Transaction" progress updated!]

[Current progress: 30%]

[Discovered: Shiho Manabe is harboring a grudge after being humiliated by Ryuen and is collecting dirt on various parties as "capital." Her transaction with Masayoshi Hashimoto of Class A likely involves "sample" level intelligence. Kikyo Kushida has ties to her, purpose unknown.]

[Obtained stage reward: Intelligence Network Clue +1. You may designate a target to investigate their recent secret activities (Note: This clue has a probability of failure or being detected by the target).]

The system notification chimed right on cue.

Ayanokoji used the clue without hesitation.

Target for investigation: Kikyo Kushida.

A brief report popped up on the screen:

[Target: Kikyo Kushida (Class D)]

[Recent abnormal activity: Visited an anonymous forum late at night for three consecutive days using the account "Angel_K." Over the past week, this account has exchanged private messages with users from three different IP addresses, involving keywords such as "photo trading," "past archives," and "transfer procedures." Last login time: 23:07 today (approximately ten minutes ago).]

[Associated findings: One of the IP addresses belongs to the Class C girls' dormitory area, matching the device commonly used by Shiho Manabe. Another IP address has been traced to the faculty office building area; the specific user is unknown. The third IP address is highly encrypted and cannot be tracked.]

Photo trading. Past archives. Transfer procedures.

These three keywords, when linked together, pointed to a clear conspiracy: Kushida was collecting private photos or dark history archives of her classmates, likely for blackmail, or... to prepare for a transfer?

If she were to defect to another class with dirt on Class D, it would undoubtedly deal a devastating blow to the class.

Ayanokoji closed the report and checked the time: 11:40 PM.

He made his decision.

The next day at noon, at the School Cafe.

Honami Ichinose had arrived ten minutes early. She chose a seat in the furthest corner, a nearly untouched latte sitting in front of her.

When Ayanokoji appeared, she visibly let out a sigh of relief, though the worry in her eyes did not dissipate.

"Sorry for asking to meet so suddenly," Ichinose said. "But there are some things... I feel I can't put off any longer."