Sakayanagi Arisu's Challenge

He had thoroughly figured out the pattern. In this world, where good looks were practically bonus points, his face was basically a walking "come stare at me" sign. Girls striking up conversations with him and silently watching him had long become routine. Forget merely sitting there and watching him eat—even if he ran into something more outrageous, he would not have been surprised.

I imagine everyone watching this had probably experienced the same thing as Bai Mu.

A few minutes later, Bai Mu calmly finished his last bite, set down his utensils, and prepared to leave. He had always avoided pointless socializing whenever possible.

The moment he rose, the girl across from him finally spoke, her voice gentle yet clear and firm. "Please wait, classmate."

Bai Mu paused and looked up at her, waiting for her to continue.

The girl gave a slight nod and introduced herself calmly. "I'm Sakayanagi Arisu from first-year Class A."

"Sakayanagi?"

Information about the school immediately flashed through Bai Mu's mind, and a trace of understanding passed through his eyes.

The chairman of Advanced Nurturing High School was also named Sakayanagi.

The same surname, combined with her elegant, noble bearing and the confidence she seemed born with—the answer was obvious.

"The chairman is my father," Sakayanagi Arisu admitted openly without hiding it. Then she immediately added, with a hint of stubbornness in her tone, "But I got into Class A based on my own exam scores. It has nothing to do with my family background."

Bai Mu nodded faintly. He neither argued, agreed, nor teased her. His attitude was utterly detached.

Whether it had anything to do with her family was not something she could settle with a single sentence, nor was it his place to judge. There was no need to waste breath arguing over it.

"Did you need something from me?" he asked directly, too lazy to beat around the bush.

Sakayanagi Arisu smiled faintly, a sharp glint of intelligence flashing through her eyes. Getting straight to the point, she said, "I heard about your exploits, Bai Mu. After school, you swept through the table tennis, Go, and boxing clubs. Even upperclassmen were crushed by you. You excel in both academics and athletics while keeping your talents hidden."

"I had originally planned to challenge the school chess club, but I didn't expect even its best upperclassmen to lose to you. So I'd like to experience your skill personally and play a game with you."

After saying that, she thoughtfully added, "Don't worry, I won't make you play for nothing. I'll put up points as a wager for the match."

Bai Mu immediately shook his head and refused. "Not interested."

He knew exactly what he was doing.

When he had swept through those clubs earlier, it had never been blind showing off or youthful bravado. Before enrolling, he had researched Advanced Nurturing High School's club records online and gotten a clear picture of the school clubs' overall strength in advance. Know yourself, know your enemy—guaranteed profit without risk. It had been a calculated way to harvest points and test the school's waters.

But Sakayanagi Arisu was different.

Her identity was unusual, her background unknown, and her ability unclear. Rashly playing against Class A's top genius would bring him no benefit, whether he won or lost. Winning would make him too conspicuous and draw the school's attention. Losing would cost him face and points for nothing. It was a thankless effort.

His main goal right now was to keep a low profile, lie low in peace, and never stir up trouble unless necessary.

Seeing his decisive refusal, the smile in Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes did not change. She lightly tried to provoke him. "What is it, Bai Mu? Are you afraid of losing to a girl and ruining the reputation you just earned by sweeping through those clubs?"

That trick would have worked perfectly on an ordinary hot-blooded teenager. Unfortunately, she was facing Bai Mu, whose mental age was far more mature.

Bai Mu nodded openly, his expression utterly calm. "Yes. I'm scared."

He was completely immune to provocation.

The youthful obsession with pride, competition, and proving himself had long been ground away during his previous life struggling in society. To him, empty fame meant nothing. Only tangible benefits and a stable situation mattered. Making a move for the sake of so-called pride was the stupidest kind of self-inflicted waste.

Sakayanagi Arisu was slightly taken aback. She clearly had not expected this boy, who appeared so sharp and aggressive, to be so detached and pragmatic, without even the most basic competitive spirit.

When her usual tactic failed, she immediately changed approaches with flexibility. "Then I'll pay you for your instruction. Five hundred thousand points per game."

At those words, Bai Mu's gaze shifted slightly. He was finally interested.

Five hundred thousand points, equivalent to five hundred thousand yen. The value was simply too good.

There was no reason to turn down points. Refusing money that was right in front of him would be idiotic.

"Fine," he agreed readily. "Let's go."

Sakayanagi Arisu secretly found it amusing. Sure enough, forget sentiment and talk only about benefits—this was how to get smart people. He claimed to be detached and content to lie low, but he was thoroughly practical. A textbook rationalist.

The two left the cafeteria together and headed for one of the school's upscale leisure cafés.

The interior was elegant and quiet, with excellent soundproofing and highly private rooms. It was one of the few good places on campus for private contests and confidential conversations.

Once they entered a private room and sat down, Sakayanagi watched Bai Mu remain perfectly still, with no intention whatsoever of scanning a code to pay. She silently complained to herself: He really refuses to take even the slightest loss. What a miser.

Still, she did not mind. She ordered their drinks, arranged the chessboard, and the two sat facing each other as the match officially began.

From the very first moves, Bai Mu was secretly startled.

Sakayanagi Arisu's chess skill far surpassed those ordinary upperclassmen from the school clubs.

She looked physically frail and had a gentle temperament, yet her style of play was fierce and ruthless. Her attacks were decisive, her plans far-reaching, and every move pressed forward relentlessly. Her offensive and defensive rhythm was impeccable, and her calculation and tactical thinking far exceeded that of an ordinary amateur player. She was unquestionably a top-tier expert.

But when his gaze inadvertently swept over the faint bluish tint of the girl's lips, then caught sight of the tiny veins in her neck occasionally tightening and standing out, combined with the fact that she relied on a cane to walk year-round, Bai Mu instantly reached a critical conclusion—congenital heart disease.

Chess looked like nothing more than a battle of minds, but intense matches severely drained one's concentration and physical stamina. When played in earnest, the exertion was no less than that of an ordinary sport.

Bai Mu immediately held back, deliberately slowing the pace. He intentionally paused for more than ten seconds before every move. On the surface, he appeared to be thinking deeply and laying out his plans with caution, but in truth, he was quietly giving her time to rest and recover, easing up while keeping the match under absolute control.

Seriously, if he crushed her at full force and pushed the match into a high-intensity battle, what if the girl grew too tense, overtaxed herself mentally, and collapsed from acute heart failure right there in the private room? That would be a huge problem.

He was here to earn points, not to invite trouble.

And so, the entire match took on a bizarre tone.

Although Bai Mu steadily suppressed her throughout and held an overwhelming advantage, he never tried to end things quickly. He placed his pieces slowly, maneuvered slowly, and forcibly turned a rapid chess battle into a leisurely game for retirement and wellness.

The longer Sakayanagi Arisu played, the more stifled and uncomfortable she felt.

She had reviewed Bai Mu's game records against the upperclassmen from the clubs beforehand. His opponent-killing style had been swift and fierce, his moves decisive, with very few openings and incredibly strong foresight. His ability was practically terrifying—nothing like this drawn-out, hesitant style of play.

Clearly, he had been deliberately going easy on her and halfheartedly playing the match.

After enduring it for over ten minutes, Sakayanagi Arisu finally could not hold back any longer. She raised her eyes to Bai Mu, her voice carrying a cool stubbornness. "Bai Mu, show me your full strength. I paid you, so I don't need you to go easy on me."

Bai Mu paused slightly. Seeing the stubbornness and unwillingness in the girl's eyes, he silently nodded. "All right."

Since she insisted on a full-strength match, there was no need for him to keep hiding his abilities or holding back.

The next instant, all laziness vanished from Bai Mu's eyes. His gaze abruptly became calm and sharp, and his entire presence changed in an instant.

That fleeting change in his eyes made Sakayanagi Arisu's entire body stiffen. It was as though the person sitting across from her was no longer a gentle, easygoing boy her own age, but a tiger lying in wait, patiently restraining itself as it gathered strength to strike. The pressure spread soundlessly.

The entire tone of the game changed completely.

Bai Mu's pieces moved like lightning. His predictions were precise, his offense fierce. Every move struck at the vital point and sealed off her retreat, without the slightest unnecessary delay. Step by step, he pressed forward; every move was lethal.

Sakayanagi Arisu, who had barely been able to maneuver against him and keep up before, was instantly overwhelmed, unable to attend to everything as she steadily retreated. Her nerves remained taut throughout as she responded with all her strength, yet she still could not keep up with Bai Mu's pace. Every prediction she made was precisely dismantled, and every tactic was blocked in advance.

The high-intensity battle of wits gradually made her breathing quicken. Her chest rose and fell faintly, and some color drained from her face as the limitations of her body were fully exposed.

Bai Mu saw it all, yet showed no mercy.

Better a short pain than a long one. Since she wanted them both to give it their all, it was best to end the match quickly. That would satisfy her obsession while also preventing her from overexerting herself and suffering an accident.

In just three minutes, the overall outcome of the board had been decided.

Looking at the hopeless board position with no way to turn things around, Sakayanagi Arisu let out a soft sigh and calmly conceded. Yet there was not the slightest hint of disappointment in her eyes. Instead, they were filled with excitement and approval as she gently applauded.

"Impressive."

She praised him sincerely. "No wonder you swept through all the school clubs. Your strategic planning and calculating ability far surpass those of every peer I've ever met. It seems this school's new students have finally produced an opponent worth taking seriously."

Bai Mu withdrew his presence and returned to his usual relaxed composure. "You let me win."

After saying that, he looked at the girl's inconvenient legs and, out of politeness, asked, "It's getting late. Do you need me to walk you back to your dorm?"

Sakayanagi Arisu was slightly startled, then nodded lightly and answered gently, "Then I'll trouble you."

The two packed up the chessboard, rose, and left the café. Along the tree-lined path beneath the cool evening breeze, they slowly headed toward the girls' dormitory.

Bai Mu deliberately slowed his pace and walked beside Sakayanagi, matching her walking speed. He maintained a polite sense of distance throughout, saying little and never crossing any boundaries.

The evening breeze stirred the girl's pale hair. Amid the shifting light and shadows, Sakayanagi Arisu turned to look at the calm, composed boy beside her. A trace of concealed calculation and interest flickered in the depths of her violet eyes.

Accomplished in both academics and martial arts, meticulous in thought, pragmatic and rational, neither arrogant nor impatient—and exceptionally skilled at protecting himself and lying low.

This Class B freshman was far more inscrutable than he appeared on the surface.