Viper and Chessboard

9:20 p.m., Class C Activity Room.

The lights were as ghastly white as those in a morgue.

Ryuen Kakeru sat at the head of the conference table, his right foot propped up on it as he spun a utility knife in his hand. The blade caught the cold light, reflecting it onto the scar across half his face—the one he'd gotten in a fight last week, and still hadn't had the stitches removed from.

Kushida Kikyo sat opposite him, her hands primly folded in her lap, her smile sweet enough to make your teeth ache. But the ice in her eyes was so chilling that Daichi Ishizaki beside her kept shrinking his neck into his shoulders.

"So," Ryuen said, stopping the knife's spin and pointing its tip at Kushida. "Your 'proof of allegiance' is telling us that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has you completely under his thumb, and you've lost even your underwear to him?"

Those were harsh words.

Kushida's smile didn't so much as twitch. "Ryuen, that's not quite how I'd put it. At the very least, I've brought you a complete organizational chart of Class D, everyone's personality weaknesses, and contingency plans for their likely next moves."

She pushed a folder toward him.

Ryuen didn't take it. He gestured for Ishizaki to open it.

Ishizaki flipped through a few pages, his eyes gradually widening. "This... even has what day of the week Yosuke Hirata calls his mom?"

"It also has Suzune Horikita's rehabilitation schedule and Kei Karuizawa's counseling appointments," Kushida added, her voice as gentle as if she were reciting poetry. "Oh, and Airi Sakura has recently been teaching herself photo editing. Every Wednesday evening, she goes to the Media Room in the library, usually alone."

Ryuen finally sat up straight.

He stared at Kushida for a full ten seconds, then suddenly grinned, baring his gleaming white teeth. "Interesting. You're a lot more ruthless than you look."

"Thank you for the compliment." Kushida gave a slight nod.

"But—" Ryuen abruptly changed tack and slammed the utility knife into the table with a smack, its tip stopping just two centimeters from Kushida's fingers. "Why should I trust you? What if this is a double act Ayanokoji put you up to?"

Kushida didn't bat an eye. If anything, her smile grew brighter. "Because I hate him. He destroyed the image I'd worked so hard to maintain for a year and drove me out of Class D. I'm going to repay him tenfold."

She paused, her voice dropping, tinged with a kind of sick excitement. "And Ryuen, don't you think... destroying something perfect is addictive? Class D is like a beautiful porcelain doll right now. All you have to do is find the crack and give it a gentle tap—"

She made a gesture of something shattering.

The Activity Room fell silent for a few seconds.

Then Ryuen burst out laughing, throwing his head back until tears came to his eyes.

"Good! Good! Kushida Kikyo, you're a damn psycho!" He slapped the table. "I like it! All right, from today on, you're Class C's 'special advisor.' As for your compensation..."

He thought for a moment. "Five thousand points a month as a base, plus a share of the 'spoils' when you bring Class D down. How's that?"

Kushida smiled. "That's fair."

"But," Ryuen said, his smile vanishing in an instant, his gaze turning viper-sharp, "if you dare betray me or fail to do your job... I'll make you regret ever being born. Understand?"

"Understood." Kushida stood and bowed slightly. "Then I'll go organize the information. Tomorrow morning, I'll submit the first-phase plan for striking Class D."

After she left, Ishizaki moved closer to Ryuen and whispered, "Boss, is that woman... reliable? I feel like her smile is way too fake."

Ryuen pulled out the utility knife and scraped dirt from under his fingernails with its tip. "Fake? Of course it's fake. But the hatred in her eyes is real. Hatred can turn someone into the perfect knife."

He paused. "Besides, do you think I really trust her? Albert."

Albert, who had been leaning in the corner, raised his head. His right knee was wrapped in a bandage, but his gaze was still fierce.

"Keep a close eye on her," Ryuen said. "I want to know who she sees, what she says, and where she goes every day. Especially if she contacts anyone from Class A or Class B in private—tell me immediately."

Albert nodded.

Ryuen turned to Ishizaki. "What's the situation on the forum?"

"Not good." Ishizaki's face darkened. "Someone anonymously posted screenshots proving Manabe poisoned her, and now everyone's piling on us. Some people are even saying... saying you make girls do your dirty work because you don't have the guts."

Ryuen's expression turned grim.

"That bitch Manabe." He ground his back teeth. "The ungrateful traitor."

"Should we deal with her?"

"Not yet." Ryuen calmed down. "She's still useful. Besides... I've got a better idea."

He motioned for the two of them to come closer and spoke in a low voice.

After listening, Ishizaki's expression changed. "Boss, this... isn't this taking it too far? What if the school finds out—"

"Then don't let them find out." Ryuen cut him off. "Kushida brought us information on Class D, didn't she? We'll pick the perfect 'stage' and put on a good show."

He looked toward the Class D dorms outside the window, his smile cruel.

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, you like playing mind games, don't you? This time... I'll play for higher stakes."

At the same time, in the Class D boys' dormitory.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stared at his laptop screen, which displayed the campus surveillance system interface he had just hacked into.

[Warning: Unauthorized access to the campus security system. Discovery may result in severe punishment. Continue?]

The system prompt blinked.

He clicked "Yes."

The screen switched to the corridor of the Class C dormitory. At 10:05 p.m., Kushida Kikyo came out of the Activity Room holding a folder and returned to her newly assigned room—Room 309. Five minutes later, Albert limped over to her door, leaned against the opposite wall, and lit a cigarette.

Surveillance.

As expected.

Ayanokoji switched to another camera: the Class C Activity Room. Ryuen and Ishizaki were still inside, pointing at a map on the table. Ryuen looked almost savagely excited.

[Crisis Prediction (Beginner) triggered: Within the next 24 hours, Class C will carry out a "sabotage operation" targeting Class D. Predicted location: Library Media Room. Predicted target: Airi Sakura. Motive: Demoralize Class D and test their response.]

Library Media Room. Wednesday evening. Sakura alone.

It matched the information Kushida had provided exactly.

Ayanokoji closed the surveillance feed and rubbed his brow.

Kushida had played this well. The information she'd given Ryuen was genuine, but she'd deliberately left out the most important detail: Ayanokoji already knew she would give him that information.

It was a calculated move. She was betting that even if Ryuen suspected her, he wouldn't be able to resist using what she'd told him.

And once Ryuen made his move, he'd fall into Ayanokoji's countertrap.

"Use someone else's knife to kill, then kill the person who lent you the knife." Ayanokoji muttered under his breath. "Kushida, you really haven't changed at all."

His phone vibrated.

It was Honami Ichinose.

"Sorry to bother you so late, Ayanokoji-kun." Her voice sounded exhausted. "...I found a lead about the leak of Hamaguchi's younger brother's medical records."

"Go on."

"The anonymous post came through a proxy, but I traced it back to a public computer in the Class A dormitory." Ichinose paused. "Also... this afternoon, Hashimoto Masayoshi took two hours off campus. When he came back, I happened to see a piece of paper sticking out of his coat pocket. It had Hamaguchi's younger brother's name on it."

Ayanokoji narrowed his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"I took a picture." Ichinose sent him a blurry photo, but the writing was still legible: "Kentaro Hamaguchi—cardiovascular surgery—itemized surgical expenses."

That was proof enough.

"What are you planning to do about this?" Ayanokoji asked.

Ichinose was silent for a long time before she spoke softly. "I don't know. If we make it public, Hamaguchi's younger brother's privacy will be completely exposed, and he could be hurt all over again. But if we don't... Class A will use even harsher tactics next time."

"Then handle it another way," Ayanokoji said. "Don't make it public, but let Class A know that we know."

"What do you mean?"

"Tomorrow at noon, arrange to meet Hashimoto alone," Ayanokoji said. "Show him the photo and tell him, 'If you go after the Hamaguchi family again, Class B will make Class A pay ten times over.' Don't explain, don't go into the details of the threat. Say it, then leave."

Ichinose drew in a sharp breath. "That... isn't it too risky?"

"They're the ones taking the risk." Ayanokoji's voice remained calm. "What happened to Hamaguchi's younger brother crossed the line. If we don't strike back, they'll think they can cross it whenever they like."

He heard a deep breath from the other end of the line.

"Okay," Ichinose said, her voice growing firm. "I'll do what you say."

The call ended.

Ayanokoji had just put his phone down when there was a knock at his door.

Kei Karuizawa stood outside in her pajamas, a coat thrown over them. Her hair was damp, and she'd clearly just taken a shower.

"Need something?" Ayanokoji stepped aside.

Karuizawa came in but didn't sit. She stood in the middle of the room, twisting her hands together.

"I... I saw the forum," she said softly. "Someone dug up my past and said some really nasty things. But this time... nobody in the class blamed me."

She looked up, her eyes a little red. "Hirata posted in the group chat, saying, 'Class D won't abandon any of its own.' Horikita didn't say anything, but she reported the accounts that had started spreading the rumors. Even those idiots Yamauchi and Ike got into arguments with people in the comments..."

She paused, her voice catching. "Why? I... I wasn't very nice to them before."

Ayanokoji was silent for a few seconds, then took a can of juice from the fridge and handed it to her.

"Because you're part of Class D now," he said. "And people can grow. You've changed, and they've noticed."

Karuizawa took the juice but didn't drink it. She just held it in her hands.

"Ayanokoji," she said suddenly, "if... I mean, if one day I hold everyone back or become a burden, would you give up on me?"

"No."

The answer came without hesitation.

Karuizawa froze.

"Why?"

"Because you said you wanted to change." Ayanokoji looked at her. "And I believe you meant it."

The room fell quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner.

Karuizawa lowered her head, her bangs hiding her eyes. After a long while, she whispered, "Thank you."

She turned to leave, but stopped at the door. Without looking back, she said, "Um... Sakura's going to the library Wednesday night, right? I'll go with her."

Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"Because Kushida knows," Karuizawa said. "And you know Kushida knows. So... someone needs to act as bait, right?"

Clever.

Ayanokoji smiled. "That's fine. Just be careful."

"Don't worry." Karuizawa glanced back and gave him a sly smile. "I'm 'Kei Karuizawa of Class D' now. I'm not so easy to bully."

The door closed.

Ayanokoji walked to the window and looked up at the night sky.

Tomorrow was Wednesday.

Kushida's chess move, Ryuen's knife, Sakura in danger.

Then there was Ichinose's meeting with Hashimoto, Manabe's ticking time bomb, and the coming "VIP Exam" with Sakayanagi Arisu.

Every line was tightening.

He opened the System Interface and looked at the quest titled [Ryuen's Revenge].

His premonition told him—

The storm was coming.