Chapter Summaries

A boy identified as Subject 07 died during an experiment at a remote Tokyo laboratory, and the staff ordered his body disposed of. The next morning, a pale boy watched a school advertisement in the rain before disappearing into an alley.

• Subject 07 awoke on a laboratory workbench as researchers reported that his genetic modification had fused without rejection.
• Subject 07 convulsed despite emergency treatment, and his vital signs flatlined.
• A weary researcher called the experiment another failure and ordered the boy's body disposed of.
• Two guards wheeled the boy out while a bespectacled man in the observation room pleaded for another chance after a phone call.
• The next morning, a pale boy watched a news report about an explosion at an abandoned Tokyo factory and an advertisement for Kōtō Ikusei High School.
• The boy remained motionless in the rain as the crowd blocked his view, then disappeared into a narrow alley.

Number 07 woke in a Tokyo alley after escaping the laboratory where he had endured years of brutal experiments. He remembered the other children who had disappeared, the failed sixth gene-fusion procedure, and the pursuers seeking both him and Director Kaneda.

• Number 07 emerged from rain-soaked cardboard boxes and found his patient gown's identification number torn away.
• Number 07 recalled how laboratory experiments killed or took away the other children, leaving him alone.
• Number 07 remembered surviving a suicide attempt, then receiving combat training and five gene-fusion procedures.
• Number 07 recalled the sixth gene-fusion procedure causing unbearable changes before he lost consciousness.
• Number 07 remembered escaping through water and overhearing pursuers say that Director Kaneda had escaped too.
• Number 07 stood in the alley, checked his body, and found only his wrist scar and needle marks.

Hungry and disheveled, 07 found a lost cat named Furball and returned it to its owner, a girl who offered him food and a place to go. He accepted her invitation and followed her home.

• 07 heard a cat meowing in an alley, found Furball, and picked it up.
• 07 left the alley with Furball and met a girl who recognized the cat as hers.
• The girl reclaimed Furball, thanked 07, and noticed his hunger when his stomach growled.
• The girl offered 07 a meal and gave him her pink handkerchief to wipe his face.
• The girl invited 07 to come home with her, and he agreed to follow her.

Hoshida No followed Kushida Kikyo to her apartment, where she gave him a bath, clean clothes, and milk after he claimed his parents had died and he had nowhere else to go. As Kikyo prepared food in the kitchen, Hoshida No cautiously began to relax in her home.

• Kushida Kikyo brought Hoshida No to her apartment and introduced herself, while he gave her the name he had chosen.
• Kushida Kikyo noticed Hoshida No’s disheveled appearance and asked whether he had run into trouble.
• Hoshida No told Kushida Kikyo that his parents had died and relatives had taken their belongings, leaving him with nowhere to go.
• Kushida Kikyo sympathized with Hoshida No, took him to bathe, and lent him clean clothes.
• Kushida Kikyo gave Hoshida No a bottle of milk and went to prepare food while he sat on the sofa and gradually relaxed.

After Kushida Kikyo fed Hoshida No, he searched unsuccessfully for work until Kenichi Karuizawa offered him a place to stay in Chiba. At the Karuizawa home, Hoshida No met Kenichi’s shy daughter, Karuizawa Kei.

• Hoshida No ate ramen with Kushida Kikyo, then left wearing clothes borrowed from her family.
• Hoshida No searched shops for work but was repeatedly turned away because he was a minor.
• Kenichi Karuizawa, moved by Hoshida No’s persistence, invited him to stay at his home in Chiba.
• Kenichi Karuizawa took Hoshida No by train to Chiba and stopped for ramen along the way.
• Kenichi Karuizawa’s wife welcomed Hoshida No into their home and called Karuizawa Kei downstairs.
• Hoshida No introduced himself to Karuizawa Kei, and she shyly shook his hand.

Hoshida No continued caring for Kei, who had recovered from being bullied and grown close to him over the two years they had lived together. After walking her home through the snow, he left for work while Kei asked him to come back early for oden.

• Hoshida No waited at the bookstore until Kei finished school, then walked her home under his umbrella.
• The chapter recalled how Hoshida No had beaten the students who bullied Kei and forced them to apologize, after which they transferred schools.
• Kei’s confidence returned, she made sincere friends, and she became known as the school’s beauty while Hoshida No kept picking her up every day.
• At home, Kei grew gloomy when Hoshida No confirmed he was going to work, so he offered her White Rabbit Creamy Candy.
• Kei accepted the candy and asked Hoshida No to come home early because she was making oden; he agreed and left through the snow.

Hoshida No caught a pink-haired girl stealing the limited-edition hair clip she could not afford, then offered to buy it if she told him why she wanted it. The girl had not yet explained that she hoped to give it to her younger sister for her birthday.

• The pink-haired girl asked Hoshida No to discount the 28,000-yen hair clip, but left when he refused.
• Three days later, the girl returned and stole the last hair clip while Hoshida No was serving another customer.
• Hoshida No blocked the exit, caught the girl, and asked her to pay for the item in her pocket.
• The girl confessed that she had not meant to steal and thought of her younger sister waiting for a birthday present.
• Hoshida No released her wrist and offered to buy the hair clip if she told him her story.

Hoshida No helped Ichinose Honami get a hair clip for her sister, then spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with Karuizawa Kei. The chapter ended with the two exchanging New Year’s greetings at Uncle Kenichi’s home.

• Ichinose Honami confessed she had tried to steal a limited-edition hair clip for her sister, and Hoshida No gave it to her for free.
• Ichinose Honami later volunteered to help Hoshida No at work, and he prepared a small cake for her sister’s birthday.
• Hoshida No and Karuizawa Kei bought matching omamori and sweaters while shopping together on New Year’s Eve.
• Hoshida No and Karuizawa Kei celebrated New Year’s Day with Uncle Kenichi and Auntie, and Hoshida No gave Karuizawa his red envelope.
• Hoshida No replied to New Year’s messages from the shop owner and Ichinose Honami, then exchanged warm greetings with Karuizawa Kei.

Karuizawa Kei, Ichinose Honami, and Hoshida No received invitations to Ikuei High School and completed entrance assessments at separate locations. Hoshida No passed written, interview, and physical tests, and the chairman assigned him to Class 1-D.

• Karuizawa Kei celebrated graduation with Hoshida No and her friends, then became friends with Ichinose Honami at the goods shop.
• Karuizawa Kei, Ichinose Honami, and Hoshida No received identical invitations to Ikuei High School and decided to attend the entrance assessments.
• Hoshida No resigned from the goods shop and traveled to his assessment, where interviewers ushered him into a monitored room.
• Hoshida No completed the written exam in less than two hours, answered the interview questions, and performed the physical tests without tiring.
• Hoshida No reunited with Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei at the subway station after their separate assessments.
• The Ikuei High School chairman reviewed Hoshida No's assessment form and assigned him to Class 1-D.

Karuizawa Kei recounted how Hoshida No protected her from bullying and helped her regain her confidence, and how she grew close to him and befriended Ichinose Honami. The chapter ended with Kei asking Hoshida No whether he liked her or Honami more, and being delighted when he chose her as his little sister.

• Karuizawa Kei described how Yamamoto and her friends bullied her, leaving her withdrawn and afraid to trust anyone.
• Karuizawa Kei's parents brought Hoshida No into their home, and he prepared food for her and quietly followed her after school.
• After Yamamoto and her friends drenched Kei in filthy water, Hoshida No questioned her about them and beat them, then told the police he had acted because they bullied his little sister.
• Karuizawa Kei learned what Hoshida No had done, gradually recovered her confidence, and thanked him after he called her his little sister.
• Karuizawa Kei told her parents about the bullying, grew closer to Hoshida No, and became friends with Ichinose Honami.
• Karuizawa Kei asked Hoshida No whether he liked Honami or her more, and he said he liked her more because she was his little sister.

On his first day at Ikuei High School, Hoshida No parted from Ichinose and Karuizawa Kei, then explored the unusually camera-covered campus while growing suspicious of its security. He heard a girl’s cane tapping behind him and turned to find a silver-haired girl beneath a cherry tree.

• Hoshida No, Ichinose, and Karuizawa Kei traveled to Ikuei High School after learning their class assignments.
• Hoshida No gave his bus seat to an elderly man while watching a sunglasses-wearing passenger, then teased Karuizawa Kei with milk candy after she bit his finger.
• The three students checked in, exchanged contact details on their school-issued phones, and parted at a crossroads.
• Hoshida No noticed surveillance cameras throughout the campus and library, found a blind spot on the library’s second floor, and continued exploring.
• Hoshida No stopped when he heard a cane tapping and saw a silver-haired girl with purple eyes beneath a cherry tree.

Hoshida No met Sakayanagi Arisu, a silver-haired student from Class 1-A, who tried to recruit him with Personal Points. He refused her offer and walked away, while Sakayanagi remained intrigued and expected he might approach her later.

• Hoshida No stared at Sakayanagi Arisu because her silver hair reminded him of someone from the lab, then explained the resemblance and tried to leave.
• Sakayanagi introduced herself, learned Hoshida No was in Class 1-D, and asked him to work for her.
• Hoshida No said he would not work for free, so Sakayanagi showed him her Personal Points balance and explained the campus app.
• Sakayanagi offered Hoshida No 500,000 Personal Points, but he declined and thanked her for the information.
• Sakayanagi watched Hoshida No leave and decided she looked forward to the day he came to her.

Hoshida No attended the welcome ceremony, then took his seat in Class 1-D beside a quiet boy and a blunt girl. The girl challenged both boys over their habit of watching others, and their exchange was interrupted by the sound of high heels approaching.

• Hoshida No went to the gymnasium and noticed Sakayanagi Arisu seated confidently with Class A before the Chairman and student council president addressed the freshmen.
• After the ceremony, Hoshida No found his assigned seat in Class 1-D beside a brown-haired boy with an indifferent stare.
• The boy observed that Hoshida No had looked toward Class A, and Hoshida No admitted he was curious about someone there.
• A black-haired girl sat beside Hoshida No and accused him and the boy of watching people in an unsettling way.
• The boy explained that he had watched the girl on the bus, and she protested that he had stared at her for half a minute.
• The sound of high heels from the front of the classroom cut off Hoshida No as he was about to respond.

Chazhu Zuo Zhi introduced Class 1-D to the school rules and announced that every student had received 100,000 Personal Points. Hoshida No noticed the students who stayed composed and became intrigued when Chazhu explained the school’s meritocratic system.

• Chazhu Zuo Zhi entered Class 1-D, introduced herself as their homeroom teacher, and distributed student handbooks.
• Two boys complained about the mandatory three-year stay, prompting grumbling from their classmates while Hoshida No observed the students who remained calm.
• Chazhu scolded the complainers, warned that students who did not want to follow the rules could leave, and explained the handbook’s key rules.
• Chazhu announced that 100,000 points had been deposited into each student’s account and said the school would provide the same amount each month.
• Hirata Yousuke asked why the school gave students so many points, and Chazhu explained that the school followed meritocracy.
• The students checked their app balances, while Hoshida No grew interested in the school’s meritocratic principle.

After the class introduced themselves, Hoshida No went to the Martial Arts Club to earn Personal Points and announced that he had come to challenge them. The chapter ended as the club members turned their attention to him.

• After Chazhu Zuo Zhi left, the class celebrated their new points, and Hirata Yousuke organized introductions.
• Kushida Kikyo introduced herself as someone who wanted to be friends with everyone, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gave an awkward, brief introduction.
• A red-haired boy kicked over his desk, complained about the introductions, and left the classroom.
• Hoshida No headed to the Martial Arts Club, where a core member mistook him for a prospective recruit.
• Hoshida No entered the dojo and declared that he had come to challenge the Martial Arts Club.

Hoshida No challenged the Martial Arts Club for Personal Points and quickly defeated its senior member, then challenged the club president, Sato. The chapter ended with Sato pinned to the dojo floor after Hoshida No beat him in a few moves.

• Hoshida No offered 100,000 Personal Points to anyone who could defeat him, and the senior Qiancheng accepted the wager.
• Hoshida No defeated Qiancheng in three moves, and Qiancheng transferred 100,000 points to him.
• Hoshida No raised his wager to 200,000 points, prompting the club president and Sato to confront him.
• Sato challenged Hoshida No and launched a takedown, but Hoshida No evaded him and countered with a series of precise moves.
• Hoshida No slammed Sato onto the wooden floor and pinned him with a knee against his chest.

Hoshida No defeated Martial Arts Club president Morikawa in a brief fight and accepted an offer to become vice president. He agreed to join on the condition that he would not have to attend regular club activities.

• Hoshida No defeated Sato in five moves and revealed he had 400,000 points.
• Hoshida No challenged Morikawa for 400,000 points, and Morikawa accepted.
• Hoshida No disarmed Morikawa's attack and stopped his elbow against Morikawa's chest, prompting Morikawa to concede.
• Morikawa invited Hoshida No to join the Martial Arts Club as vice president with access to its resources and a points stipend.
• Hoshida No accepted the position on the condition that he would not attend regular club activities, and Morikawa agreed.

Hoshida No registered for a club, bought supplies, and reunited with Kushida Kikyo, who recognized him as the boy who had helped her find her cat. Three days later, after asking Chazhu Zuo Zhi about the school’s rules, Hoshida No was asked by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka whether he also thought the school was strange.

• Hoshida No completed his club registration with Morikawa, then bought toiletries, food, and candy at the school shop.
• Hoshida No met Karuizawa Kei, Ichinose, Kushida Kikyo, and other students on his way back from the shop.
• Kushida Kikyo recognized Hoshida No as the boy who had helped her find her cat after he showed her the handkerchief she had lent him.
• Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose told the group how they knew Hoshida No, and Kushida Kikyo explained their earlier encounter.
• Three days into the term, Hoshida No messaged Chazhu Zuo Zhi to ask about the school and was told to visit during lunch.
• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka asked Hoshida No if he thought something about the school was strange.

Hoshida No and Ayanokoji inferred that the school’s points and apparent freedoms concealed hidden rules, then confronted Chabashira-sensei about them. Hoshida No paid 500,000 points for one core rule, surprising both Chabashira-sensei and Ayanokoji, and prepared to ask his question.

• Ayanokoji pointed out that the school’s generous points and lax classroom supervision seemed suspicious, and Hoshida No agreed that surveillance might track students’ performance.
• Hoshida No invited Ayanokoji to the staff room and asked Chabashira-sensei about the school’s hidden rules.
• Chabashira-sensei refused to answer until Hoshida No offered to exchange points for information, and she named a price of 500,000 points for one core rule.
• Chabashira-sensei expected Hoshida No to struggle with the price, but he transferred the full 500,000 points by himself.
• Hoshida No asked Chabashira-sensei to tell him the rule, while Ayanokoji watched him with renewed interest.

Hoshida No learned the school’s hidden point-deduction rules and offered them to Class B for one million Personal Points. Ichinose agreed to consult her classmates, while Hoshida No and Ayanokoji planned to split the profit from the deal.

• Hoshida No obtained three hidden deduction rules from Chazhu Zuo Zhi, covering anonymous reports, accumulated minor misconduct, and monthly Special Exams.
• Hoshida No took Ayanokoji to a karaoke room and invited Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose Honami to discuss a class-related deal.
• Hoshida No explained that hidden deductions could reduce students’ Personal Points and offered Class B all three rules for one million points.
• Ichinose agreed to ask Class B whether they would buy the information and promised to reply that evening.
• After Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose left, Ayanokoji noted Hoshida No’s profit, and Hoshida No agreed to split the 500,000-point gain with him.