Ryuen

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ryuen Kakeru (龙园)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Class C; later an Asymmetrical Observer for Old System clauses and an assistant in Disciplinary Committee old-case reviews 63
Occupation/Role	De facto leader of Class C; former Temporary Investigation Assistant; later student defender 13 24 74
First Appearance	Named in Chapter 13; physically appears in Chapter 14 13 14

Background / History

Ryuen entered Class C with slightly above-average entrance-exam results and excellent physical-fitness scores. He had no disciplinary record during his first month, but began appearing repeatedly on the Disciplinary Committee watch list in his second month. Investigations consistently collapsed when witnesses recanted, evidence disappeared, or leads were cut off. Horikita concluded that he possessed exceptional counter-surveillance awareness and commanded unusually loyal subordinates. 15

Before the main conflict with Class D, Ryuen served as a Temporary Investigation Assistant for the Disciplinary Committee, handling three inter-class disputes. Records later indicated that he manipulated the Tanaka theft case and helped sideline Sato Kenichi, Class C's former representative, through falsified evidence; Ryuen's authority in Class C rose after Sato was removed. 24 27 28

Appearance

Ryuen presents himself with deliberately understated composure, making his cold, watchful gaze more noticeable than his otherwise ordinary features. 14

• Slightly long black hair, casually tucked behind his ears. 14
• Regular, unremarkable facial features. 14
• Cold eyes likened to ice concealing unseen depth. 14
• Frequently adopts a relaxed posture with his hands in his pockets. 14
• Wears the Class C badge on his uniform collar. 14

Personality

Ryuen initially treats school politics as a contest of leverage, information, and intimidation. He prefers indirect pressure over open confrontation, using intermediaries and an intelligence network to exploit opponents' weaknesses while keeping himself detached from direct evidence. 13 15

He is observant and calculating even in casual encounters. During his first meeting with Kanzaki, he silently assessed Kanzaki's stance, hands, gaze, and breathing before issuing a restrained threat. 14 His confidence remains intact even when confronted at the disciplinary hearing, though his stopped pen-spinning betrays unease when the evidence against him becomes unavoidable. 39

After losing his Disciplinary Committee authority and being isolated from collaborative groups, Ryuen begins accepting responsibility for the harm caused by his methods. He restores altered records under his own name, performs impartial observer duties under backend review, and eventually seeks to defend students who remain trapped by disciplinary cases. 43 57 71

Abilities & Skills

Strategic Manipulation

Ryuen builds plans around an opponent's incentives, vulnerabilities, and likely reactions rather than direct force.

• Used Kondo's shared basketball-club connection with Sudo to build trust and provoke him toward an expulsion-worthy fight. 13
• Directed Ishizaki, Kondo, and second-year students as intermediaries while remaining outside the immediate conflict. 13 14
• Applied to review all inter-class interim reports under the legitimate title of Class Communication Representative, allowing him to search for leverage. 24
• Exploited his knowledge of class-point records and prior disputes in attempts to reopen the Sudo–Ishizaki case. 32

Counter-Surveillance and Information Control

Ryuen is highly effective at preventing investigations from producing usable evidence against him.

• Early investigations repeatedly failed because witnesses withdrew statements and evidence vanished. 15
• Anticipated Horikita's attempt to access his behavior records and had the request rejected through his Disciplinary Committee connections. 17
• Maintained an intelligence structure extending beyond Class C and into the second-year student body. 15
• Identified Manabe Shiho from a brief reflection in archived scuffle footage by isolating a visual detail in the frame. 34

Data Analysis and Observation

Following his independent mission, Ryuen redirects his analytical habits toward formal observation and risk assessment.

• Submitted two island-exercise observation reports before the deadline, adding a cross-sectional comparison and scoring matrix beyond the required format. 48
• Used his observation-report data to successfully appeal for temporary competitive eligibility. 51
• Pressured Kanzaki into revealing an item's location during Silent Offense and Defense through precise, data-driven reasoning. 52
• Produced a detailed risk checklist for the Class C–D Autumn Festival booth, including contingency plans and assigned responsibilities. 66

Old System and Disciplinary Procedure

Ryuen has extensive practical knowledge of the school's disciplinary and Old System frameworks, initially using it to control others and later to correct cases.

• Previously used Disciplinary Committee access and procedural knowledge to advance his own agenda. 32
• Restored falsified case records, including altered testimony, missing footage, and Sato's psychological-evaluation recommendation. 43 57
• Attached complete clause citations and data sources to every arbitration recommendation as an Asymmetric Observer. 57
• Proposed the addition of a student advocate seat during Reverse Evaluation discussions. 64 71

Equipment / Items

• Notebook — Used for observation reports, risk lists, and disciplinary-review records. 57 66 71
• Old System clause index — Referenced while serving as an Asymmetric Observer. 57
• Observation log — Issued for his independent island-exercise assignment. 44
• Baseball from the Class C–D joint training match — Returned to him by Ishizaki as a symbol of their repaired relationship. 71

Relationships

• Kanzaki Toru — Initially a rival Ryuen personally marked after Kanzaki disrupted his operations against Class D. Ryuen warned him not to interfere again; Kanzaki later helped expose the evidence behind Ryuen's disciplinary cases. 14 30
• Ishizaki Daichi — Former subordinate manipulated through promises concerning his basketball position. Ishizaki ultimately testified against Ryuen, but the two gradually reconcile while Ryuen restores the records and later supports Sato's case. 22 39 57 71
• Kondo Reion — Class C operative who approached Sudo and assisted Ryuen's plans, including unauthorized server-room access. 13 33
• Horikita Suzune — Initially an adversarial investigator; later a procedural collaborator. Horikita reviews his student-advocate application and works alongside him on Reverse Evaluation proposals. 14 63 71
• Sudo Ken — Target of Ryuen's early provocation scheme. Ryuen attempted to use Sudo's anger and disciplinary history against him, but Sudo's restraint undermined the plan. 13 21 32
• Sakagami — Mentor-like guarantor who assigns Ryuen his final restorative lesson and later guarantees his temporary activation and observer eligibility. 52 57
• Kushida Kikyo — Initially connected to Ryuen through information exchanges; later recommends him for the Asymmetric Observer role and supports his advocate-review process under her full name. 28 56 71
• Sato Kenichi — Former Class C representative harmed by the falsified evidence case that strengthened Ryuen's position. Ryuen later restores Sato's record and serves as a student defender in his final review. 28 57 74

Story Role / Major Arcs

Class D Provocation

Ryuen operates behind Class C's effort to destabilize Class D by provoking Sudo into a fight. Kondo builds rapport with Sudo through basketball, while Ishizaki coordinates messages and pressure. Ryuen personally confronts Kanzaki after recognizing his intervention as a threat to the plan. 13 14 21

Disciplinary Committee Conflict

Ryuen uses his access as a Temporary Investigation Assistant and later as Class Communication Representative to control information and search for leverage. Kanzaki, Horikita, Shiina, Karuizawa, and Ishizaki collect evidence linking him to falsified testimony, manipulated records, and improper use of disciplinary procedures. 24 27 30 33

At the disciplinary hearing, Ishizaki admits that he lied under Ryuen's influence. Ryuen's handler qualifications are temporarily suspended, ending his control over the Disciplinary Committee process. 39

Independent Mission and Rehabilitation

Excluded from inter-class collaborative groups, Ryuen is assigned three Old System obligations: complete missing records, observe collaboration meetings, and submit a literature review on Shared Pool Allocation. Failure would permanently mark his record and affect future special exams. 42 43

He completes the required records and reports, then restores every falsified document from the previous semester during his “final lesson.” Rather than hiding his role, he identifies himself as the investigator responsible for improper questioning and removed evidence. 48 57

Asymmetric Observer

With Sakagami's guarantee and Kushida's recommendation, Ryuen becomes the first test observer for the Asymmetric Observer System. He performs real-time analysis and arbitration recommendations without favoring either side; every recommendation is marked compliant, activating the clause permanently. 56 57

His observer role becomes official in the new semester, alongside assistance with the Disciplinary Committee's review of old cases. 63

Cross-Class Cooperation and Advocacy

Ryuen later acts as Class C's liaison for the Class C–D Autumn Festival booth. His risk checklist and cross-class contingency planning are praised by the school review panel. 65 66 67

After restoring Sato's file, Ryuen seeks student-advocate qualifications so that he can represent students who have not recanted—or who have recanted but do not know how to move forward. He subsequently participates as a student defender in Sato's final review. 71 74

Notable Quotes

“But if you get in my way again next time, it might not be so simple.” 14

“Those who haven't recanted yet. And those who have recanted but don't know what they can still do afterward.” 71

Trivia

• Ryuen's early disciplinary investigations often ended with witnesses recanting and evidence disappearing, leaving no formal proof against him despite repeated suspicion. 15
• His independent observation report was designated “Phase One Collaborative Reference Data,” which later helped support his appeal for temporary competitive eligibility. 50 51
• During his final lesson, he keeps an expired sports drink associated with Ishizaki before accepting a newly bought replacement from him. 57