265 Yuri Couldn't Understand, But Was Greatly Shocked
The activity room once again returned to silence.
Erimi Mushibami knelt on the floor with her knees together, like a criminal awaiting judgment, no longer showing any of the arrogance she had at their first meeting.
At that moment, Yomozuki Runa's phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence.
After quickly grasping the situation, she looked at everyone present with a pleased expression.
"Everyone! I have an announcement to make!"
"The Election Committee has finalized the procedures for this student council president election."
Yomotsuki Runa cleared her throat and, unusually, put on the serious expression befitting a committee chair:
"This time, the election will not be decided by a voting system, nor by the traditional gambling-based ranking system."
"We've boldly adopted an entirely new chip system!"
Hurried footsteps sounded again outside the door.
An election committee member in a khaki uniform pushed open the door and handed a sample chip to Yomozuki Runa.
Runa displayed the chip to everyone present. "Our Hyakkaou Private Academy has a total of 3,333 enrolled students.
Each student will receive one starting chip.
Every person is both a presidential candidate and a voter.
The election will last for half a month."
"During this half month, you can gamble with whoever you like, however you like!"
"The only restriction is: chips may only be transferred through gambling—not through monetary exchange. If discovered, violators will be fined several times the transaction amount and stripped of their candidacy qualifications."
"But as long as it's gambling, anything goes—from the simplest rock-paper-scissors, to games based entirely on luck like Russian roulette. Even agreeing beforehand to throw a match is perfectly acceptable~"
"Furthermore, as long as chips are involved in a bet, the opponent must also wager the same number of chips. Additional side bets will follow the school's traditional gambling rules."
"After fifteen days, the person with the most chips will become the next student council president!"
After explaining the election qualifications, Runa placed two chips in front of Hikigaya and Mushibami respectively.
Then, right in front of Mushibami's eyes, she slid her chip over to Hikigaya's side.
"I see…" Hikigaya unceremoniously pocketed the two chips. "So, even if someone loses a gamble, it doesn't matter—as long as they still have their final chip, they still have a chance to make a comeback."
"But if the gap becomes too large, it's essentially a disqualification. What an interesting big-fish-eats-small-fish game." Hikigaya first gave praise, then posed his question: "What about gambling formats that involve repeated raises or calls? One side will eventually run out of chips, giving the side with more chips a natural advantage, like in 'Exchange Poker,' where they inherently control the game."
"In such a system, the side starting with fewer chips is clearly at a disadvantage."
"Of course," Runa nodded, pulling out another type of chip from her chest pocket: "To account for such temporary raises, we're also introducing proxy chips."
"One proxy chip has the same effect as an election chip in gambling, but it represents: 'a day of work for the student council.' In other words, using a proxy chip means we—the student council—will take away one day of your life~"
"In short, even if you don't have any election chips left, you can sell your life to the student council~"
"Hah... now that's some serious flair." Hikigaya shrugged helplessly.
It was indeed typical of the student council—to drag even those who have nothing into this election war by making them bet their lives.
However, he also sharply spotted a loophole in this system.
If both sides have an equal number of chips, they could simply agree beforehand on the amount and the outcome of the gamble, then deliberately lose the match. That's still essentially "buying votes with money" in disguise.
This shows Yomozuki Runa knows very well that no matter how the rules are written, people will find ways to exploit them.
So all that matters is maintaining a surface-level fairness.
As expected, the school's rules operate just like the real world—there is only ever relative fairness on the surface, never absolute fairness.
"That's the general situation. I'll be posting the official announcement all over campus with the rest of the Election Committee."
Runa dashed to the front doors like she had grease on her shoes, then turned and called out to Hikigaya:
"By the way, since Hikigaya-kun is now the Public Morals Committee Chairman, you'll need to assign your subordinates to patrol the school and prevent monetary exchange for chips, okay~?" "Understood."
.
.
.
Yor had already changed into her black assassin outfit, sitting silently in a car, expressionless, watching the movement of the clock hands.
She and Hikigaya had agreed on a deadline: noon.
If there was no word by then, Yor would storm the Mushibami group's hideout, which she had already pinpointed, using her own methods.
She would enter "Assasin Mode" and cut through everything, rescuing her little brother by force—even if it meant revealing her true identity.
Knock knock—
Outside the window, a few burly men in floral shirts knocked on the glass.
This was, after all, the Mushibami group's base.
As underworld elites, how could they fail to notice a suspicious vehicle parked out front? They came over, ready to eliminate this possible threat.
Through the frosted glass, they saw a woman in a tight black suit inside.
The men exchanged glances. Their wariness eased slightly.
"Hey, move your car. Don't park here." They waved their hands, making a shooing gesture.
When Yor didn't respond, their tone and movements became increasingly rough. Suspicion began creeping back into their minds—was this woman really here to cause trouble?
Inside the car, Yor's expression turned cold—not because of their rudeness, but because the agreed-upon time with Hikigaya was getting closer.
That could only mean Yuri's life was slowly slipping away, somewhere out of her sight.
The fire of anger was burning in her chest.
Just as she was about to go full-on Musou mode, her phone rang.
Beep—
Yor's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked at her phone. It was a message from Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Crisis averted. Mr. Yuri will be released soon. Yor-san, if you don't want your identity exposed, you'd better prepare yourself~"
It was clear from his tone that Hikigaya was in a good mood, even speaking to her more casually than usual.
"Safe…" Yor murmured. The heavy stone in her heart was shattered by her inner relief. She had mentally prepared herself to lose Yuri.
Since no blood needed to be spilled, this was the best outcome for both sides.
And so, Yor put down her phone and stepped on the gas, driving away from the Mushibami base.
The three thugs were left standing there, rubbing their bald heads, exchanging confused glances. Little did they know—thanks to their rational behavior, they had just saved their own lives.
.
.
.
Yuri Briar felt his head spinning.
The restraints on his body were gone, and that gave him a brief surge of clarity.
But he still couldn't open his eyes. He was being supported by people on both sides, walking through a dark and lightless passage.
Damn it... are they going to kill me...? Damn criminals...
Yuri struggled with all his might, but his body didn't respond.
It was like his muscles had been disconnected from his brain.
He quickly realized: they had drugged him with a muscle relaxant.
The hopelessness of the situation made him think he might really die today…
He didn't know how long it had been, but it seemed he was stuffed into a car. After winding through twisting roads, the car stopped again.
He was then forced into a chair.
He could hear car horns around him, and the smell of the metallic city air filled his nostrils.
Suddenly, a voice spoke next to his ear—only he could hear it.
"Officer Yuri Briar, we're letting you go this time. Your body should regain full control in about ten minutes.
We've also prepared a gift on the table next to you—something that should be enough for a promotion and a raise."
"For your own sake, and for the sake of your sister Yor Briar, please don't pursue us any further. It would cause trouble for both sides."
With that, the speaker patted Yuri on the shoulder and drove away.
Damn it! Using my sister as leverage—how despicable!! Yuri was utterly enraged.
This kidnapping shook him to his core, but also strengthened his resolve to fight against evil.
Next time, he wouldn't recklessly investigate alone. At the very least, he'd make sure his sister was safe first.
He mentally counted the seconds. After reaching 600, he regained control of his fingers, then his arms, and finally, his eyes.
Yuri squinted as he regained his vision. He had been taken to a wide, open McDonald's restaurant.
At his feet sat a suitcase.
He rubbed his wrist. "Hah. Trying to bribe me with money?"
Although he suspected as much, he still opened the suitcase to confirm.
But the moment he opened it, he was stunned.
It didn't contain cash, but manila folders—dozens of them.
Inside was a note:
"The people in these files have all been tied up and delivered to Warehouse XXX. Consider this a gift for your record. All criminal evidence is inside. Officer Yuri, please wrap it up."
Yuri's expression turned strange.
Things had spiraled way beyond his expectations.
From what he had seen of their capabilities, these people could've easily killed him and dealt with the aftermath.
So why did they not only spare him—but also give him such a generous gift?
Just from a quick glance, he could tell the files were full of internationally wanted criminals.
This was definitely enough to guarantee a promotion.
"If this were a movie plot, it'd mean I still have some value to them... Or someone close to me has ties to the leaders of their transnational crime syndicate..."
"But neither of those possibilities seem realistic in my case…"
Chapter 266: The Comatose Naive Sister X The Debut of the Inbami and Yobami Sisters
"This school is really something~ The facilities and campus are top-notch. The students' family backgrounds might not compare to us Hundred Devouring Family, but they're all pretty decent..."
"As expected of the head of the Momobami family. If she becomes the student council president here, and controls people's lives through gambling, it's practically like holding Japan's future in her hands."
After the campus tour ended, the Hundred Devouring Family clan members returned to the luxurious, sprawling meeting room prepared for them by Kirari.
Totobami Yumi let out an exaggerated yell. "To not only take the main family head position, but also to be handed a whole academy—Kirari sure is generous!" "Ahahaha~ Yumi, you're not even a candidate, why are you getting so excited?" "You're so annoying. Can't I cheer with all my might anyway?"
The primary goal of the Hundred Devouring Family clan's branches is to seize the position of head from Momobami Kirari.
Only after that will they begin to vie for power among their own branches.
If in the end they cannot succeed, then all of them will throw their full support behind Terano Totobami to become the new head.
The Hundred Devouring Family clan had suffered long enough under the Momobami rule.
"...But with this election system, we're bound to fight each other in the end~" "Yumi, that's true, but I wouldn't recommend starting with people from the main family. Aside from the risk of backlash, even if you win, you'll just get targeted by the other families for elimination." "Of course I understand that. I'll be making big moves quietly." Totobami Yumi waved his hand indifferently. "Speaking of which, what's up with that girl Erimi?"
"After we met yesterday, she and Miloslava were the last to leave.
When we met, I noticed her gaze kept falling on that dead-fish-eyed boy.
Don't tell me she's thinking of taking him as a son-in-law?"
"Yumi, you really don't gather any intel, do you? That guy's name is Hikigaya Hachiman. They say he's the second-strongest gambler at Hyakkaou Academy, just behind Momobami Kirari."
"Oh? Erimi's not someone who likes taking on strong opponents. I bet she's trying to use some trick to get Hikigaya Hachiman to assist her," Rin Obami narrowed his eyes, seeing through Erimi's plan in a single stroke.
"Who knows. She didn't show up at school today. Told me she was sick," Komabami Nozomi spoke with a blank expression, holding onto her dog. "Catching a cold right after entering school? Yeah, right. She's probably plotting something."
"Enough." As the leader of the Anti-Momobami alliance, Totobami Terano defined the event. "Erimi won't cause any real waves. Let her do as she wants. And don't forget our agreement—our every action hinges on defeating Momobami Kirari."
"Jabami Yumeko—who will take care of her?"
Upon hearing that name, the air in the Hundred Devouring Family meeting room suddenly went still.
"Jabami? Is there even a Jabami family in our Hundred Devouring Family clan?" "Yumi, explain." "Yes, Lady Terano! The Jabami family is located at the lowest end of the Hundred Devouring Family hierarchy.
Jabami Yumeko is the second daughter of the Jabami main family.
In the few months since transferring to Hyakkaou Academy, she's defeated several student council members and strong gamblers at the school."
"According to the agreement Kirari gave to the heads of the families, Jabami Yumeko is also a candidate in the current election.
That's all the information I've been able to gather."
Inbami Miyo narrowed her eyes and leaned against the wall: "Even if she's from the lowest branch, she's still a Hundred Devouring Family. Should we include her in our agreement?"
"No need. The lowest branches aren't aligned with us. Whether you choose to interact with her or keep your distance in private is up to you. It's your freedom." "But as a unified will—Jabami Yumeko is a target to be eliminated." "Understood."
Inbami Miyo straightened her back and exchanged a glance with her sister Yobami.
In silent agreement, they licked the corners of their mouths. "If that's the case, then Yumeko and Hikigaya Hachiman—let us sisters take care of them together."
.
.
.
Once again, Hyakkaou Academy's gambling fever was reignited.
The tragic finale of the "National Heist Game" during the Great bloom Festival still felt like it happened just yesterday, yet the emotions it stirred had already faded in the face of the student council election.
Humans are foolish creatures—once the wound heals, they forget the pain.
The fall of gambling addicts was plain for all to see, yet the desire to gamble never truly disappeared.
It only remained suppressed deep within their hearts.
Now that the opportunity to rise to the top—to become student council president—was presented before ordinary students, their gambling desires erupted like a volcanic explosion, stronger than ever.
As the Student Council's Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Hikigaya Hachiman had the authority to access the accounting department's records.
The cash flow graphs for gambling formed a V-shaped curve. Honestly, it was outrageous.
At this moment, with dark circles under his eyes and wearing his armband, Hachiman was patrolling the hallways of each grade level.
After school yesterday, Yumeko had dragged him to the hospital.
As punishment for "robbing her of the pleasure of risk," she had squeezed him dry.
By the time he returned home, his legs were like jelly.
Then he still had to help welcome back the emaciated Yuri Blair in a touching reunion with Miss Yor...
In short: exhausted.
Even with his seemingly infinite stamina, Hikigaya Hachiman spent the entire next day yawning as he walked around the school.
Along the way, he witnessed the myriad faces of life.
The first years were buzzing with excitement, nearly mad with energy.
Within a single day, some had already begun over-leveraging "vote chips," mortgaging their futures to the student council.
Second years gambled with more restraint.
They didn't show excessive emotion over small bets, but during all-ins, their ruthlessness made Hachiman take notice.
It truly proved the old saying: "small bets damage the body, big bets burn you to ashes."
By the time he reached the third years, gambling had taken a different turn.
With graduation nearing, only those addicted beyond saving would gamble heavily.
Most would stop after losing a few vote chips.
People's understanding always lags behind. When forced to choose between gambling desire and their future lives, most soon-to-be graduates still chose the latter.
Just as Hikigaya Hachiman was pondering these things, two hurried footsteps interrupted his thoughts.
"Chairman, we've got a problem!" "Hachiman, something bad happened!"
Hachiman turned toward the sources of the voices—one from Yumiko Miura, now one of his subordinates, and the other from Saotome Mary.
Following the order of arrival, Hachiman looked at Yumiko first: "Calm down. What is it? Speak slowly."
"Nishinotouin from the Traditional Culture Research Club fell into a coma after gambling with the new transfer students Yobami and Inbami. It happened two hours ago, and she's still unconscious." Fainted?
Yobami and Inbami?
Hachiman's eyes widened as he fell into thought, then turned to Mary. "...Naoko Fushimi also gambled with Inbami and Yobami half an hour ago and fell into a coma after losing."
Hachiman's expression turned grim.
If Nishinotouin's coma was just a coincidental overreaction, perhaps it could be dismissed. But taken together with the incident involving the those sisters...
There's no way it's just a coincidence.
Those two must have used some underhanded tactic during the gambling match.
"I understand. I'll handle this personally." Hachiman forced himself to stay alert.
He hadn't expected the Hundred Devouring Family family to cause such trouble just two days after arriving.
If it were just a gambling match, losing is losing—nothing to complain about.
But to use a method that causes people to fall into a coma—absolutely unforgivable.
With a dark expression, Hachiman walked toward the Hundred Devouring Family meeting room, leaving Yumiko and Mary standing in silence.
While Hachiman was looking for someone, someone else was looking for Hachiman.
Batsubami Rei, with dark, hollow eyes, approached from the front and gave a small bow.
"You are... Batsubami? What is it?" "A high-ranking member of the Hundred Devouring Family family would like to invite you to a gambling match. Would Hikigaya-sama be willing to accept?" "A high-ranking member of the Hundred Devouring Family family? Who?"
Hachiman narrowed his eyes, a faint suspicion rising in his heart.
"Inbami-sama and Yobami-sama." "Heh. What a coincidence—I was just looking for them myself. Lead the way."
Batsubami Rei's androgynous face showed a smile devoid of warmth. "This will be a four-person gambling match. So there is one more participant I must invite."
"Hachiman~ What are you doing here?"
As fate would have it, Yumeko came running over, waving her arms in grand fashion.
"Now, everyone is here."
Just before entering the room, Hachiman said seriously to Yumeko: "Yumeko, I know trying to stop you from gambling is pointless. But please be careful. The people who gambled with them have already fallen into comas. Who knows what kind of methods they'll use." "Don't worry, Hachiman~"
Yumeko linked her arm through his, nestling it between her prominent curves. "Back when we lived in the clan, I got along quite well with Inbami. She won't hurt me."
"Is that so? I hope you're right."
Yumeko wasn't lying—she and Inbami indeed had a good relationship and had kept in frequent contact even after leaving the clan.
For example, whenever Yumeko needed some special, thrilling, coma-inducing drugs that kept the body conscious even while unconscious, Inbami would generously supply whatever she asked for.
Thanks to that, Yumeko could initiate pleasure with Hachiman even while he was unconscious—something Inbami played a critical role in.
Hachiman took a deep breath and pressed down on the doorknob.
Inside, two girls with similar features and aura—one tall and one short—were already seated on the sofa.
Their seductive, almost abstinent eye makeup seemed to be natural, stirring men's hearts at all times.
Upon seeing them, Inbami immediately stood up, walked briskly to greet them, and gave Yumeko a big hug.
"Long time no see, Yumeko~"