"Class points... personal points... The class divisions weren't random but based on the students' overall abilities."
"Ayanokouji-kun, can you guarantee everything you just said is true?"
Inside a private room at a restaurant in the Keyaki Mall, Katsuragi Kohei stared in disbelief at the calm but shocking words that had just come from Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
"If you want to verify it, you can go ask our homeroom teacher, Chabashira. She said it on the first day: at this school, points can buy anything. That includes answers."
Ayanokouji's reply was firm. Katsuragi, seeing how confident he was, began to believe it—at least seventy or eighty percent. It also made sense of several strange things he'd noticed since the school year began.
He quickly relayed the information to his friend Totsuka Yahiko, instructing him to confirm it with Chabashira Sae and to ask him for points if he didn't have enough.
About thirty minutes later, Totsuka returned with a definite answer. Chabashira had merely replied with a simple "yes" but still charged him 10,000 personal points as a symbolic fee.
"We should inform the rest of the class immediately. If we can get ahead of this, Class A's position will be secure."
Katsuragi patted Ayanokouji on the shoulder, clearly pleased. He was also hoping this information would solidify his own leadership position in Class A.
Of course, Ayanokouji understood the hidden meaning in his words. He replied calmly:
"I don't really have any friends in class. If you're the one to announce it, it'll be more convincing."
"In fact, I'd prefer if you left my name out of it entirely. Just say it was your own discovery."
Katsuragi gave him a strange look, then muttered:
"Ayanokouji-kun, are you trying to be a shadow power broker or something?"
Having grown up in the White Room, Ayanokouji didn't understand the reference. But Katsuragi, interpreting his cold demeanor and solitary nature, nodded as if he got it:
"Don't worry. If you want to remain behind the scenes, I'll help keep your secret."
Ayanokouji simply nodded. Whatever misunderstanding Katsuragi had was irrelevant as long as it served his goals.
"What do you plan to do over the next month, Katsuragi? If I had to guess, the school will probably announce the class point rankings when the next round of points is distributed on the first of next month. That means we have one month to gain a solid lead."
"Even if that's true, I still don't know how class points are calculated."
Katsuragi scratched his bald head. He was cautious by nature, and his first instinct after hearing the news had been to secure Class A's current position.
Ayanokouji himself wasn't certain about the exact formula for point calculation. He'd learned during the culture festival that winning special exams granted class points, but since enrollment, the school hadn't announced any such exams.
He narrowed his eyes. There was another possibility:
The special exams might have already begun.
Each student across all four classes had been given 100,000 personal points at the start of the term. While the exchange rate between personal and class points was unknown, the uniform distribution suggested that on the first day of school—this month's first day—all classes had the same amount of class points.
But if they all started equally, how were the A, B, C, and D classes pre-divided?
Why was the school confident that one month later, the rankings would naturally fall into place from highest to lowest?
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High had been using this system for over a decade. If the rules hadn't changed, then the selection criteria must be foolproof.
He recalled the man who had briefed him before coming to this school, explaining the traits expected of an A-Class student:
"De-centered ego, high self-discipline, swift and obedient responses to superiors' orders."
Based on what he'd seen in Class A and what he'd gathered about the others, Ayanokouji finally arrived at a conclusion.
All classes had been attending regular lessons since enrollment. So the differentiator had to be something observable in class. Even in a relaxed learning environment, Class A students consistently showed enthusiasm and discipline. This supported the man's claim and pointed to a clear answer:
"Classroom discipline and participation."
Ayanokouji laid out his reasoning for a puzzled Katsuragi. The logic was tight, and Katsuragi quickly accepted it. But then he frowned and rubbed his temples:
"If that's true, then A-Class might not be able to maintain its lead this year. There's one person dragging our performance way down."
With a troubled face, he muttered the name:
"Kouenji. He's not even trying to study seriously."
Kouenji Rokusuke was indeed an outlier.
Especially now, with Ayanokouji's explanation, Katsuragi began to wonder how Kouenji had even gotten into Class A. His flamboyant attitude completely clashed with A-Class's image. Even Hashimoto, who seemed unserious, behaved properly during class. But Kouenji was always late, skipped classes, and sometimes even looked at himself in a mirror while the teacher was talking.
Even Ayanokouji's usually calm eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched imperceptibly.
After all, it had been his own doing that Kouenji ended up in Class A. Kouenji, the one who symbolized intelligence—
The Queen.
But what's done is done. Ayanokouji decided to use Kouenji's behavior as leverage:
"People have tried reasoning with Kouenji since the start, but it's never worked."
"Yeah. He doesn't respond to soft approaches, and no one in class can force him to comply. And getting physical isn't an option."
Katsuragi smiled bitterly. He'd tried talking to Kouenji himself, but the guy always shut his eyes whenever he saw Katsuragi's bald head—and often threw in a few jabs just for fun.
"So because of him, we've probably lost a good number of class points."
Ayanokouji knew Kouenji alone wasn't enough to tank the whole class's points. While Class A would likely lose some, they'd still outperform the other classes, which were dealing with even worse problem students.
But to draw Katsuragi into his plan, Ayanokouji deliberately exaggerated Kouenji's impact.
Predictably, Katsuragi's face turned serious.
"Then I'll try talking to him again tomorrow..."
"Katsuragi-kun, maybe you should consider a different approach."
Ayanokouji's golden eyes locked onto him.
"There are generally two ways to gain an advantage in inter-class competition."
"One is self-improvement—your approach. Solve the Kouenji problem and raise Class A's level."
"But the other way is just as effective."
He lowered his voice:
"Suppress the others. If the other classes lose points, it's functionally the same as us gaining them."
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"About the point system… There's no such thing as a free lunch. I don't think the school would be generous enough to give every student 100,000 points each month."
"Sensei just said points can buy anything at this school, so I'd like to purchase detailed information about the point system."
"That's within the scope of purchasable information, right?"
"Of course."
On the very first day of school, second-playthrough speedrunner Karuizawa Kei kicked off her performance. With the help of Class B's homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie—who was eager for revenge—the students of Class 1-B pooled together one million personal points to purchase information regarding class points, personal points, the class sorting rules, and even the special classroom discipline exam that would take place during the first month.
Fortunately, it was Class 1-B. This class's defining characteristics were moderation and unity. Most students excelled at going with the flow, conforming to the atmosphere. Even those with their own ideas tended to suppress them for the sake of harmony.
So even though a few students hesitated about spending 25,000 points each on information, ultimately no one raised an objection.
And since Karuizawa Kei had been the first to raise the idea, Hoshinomiya Chie naturally appointed her as class leader. Having served as a homeroom teacher for two classes in this cutthroat school, Hoshinomiya recognized Karuizawa's potential and began supporting her overtly and covertly, clearly hoping to see Class B rise to Class A.
"Anyway, for this month, everyone should pay close attention to their behavior. The classroom cameras are probably running 24/7. Don't take any unnecessary risks."
This was the initial strategy Karuizawa laid out for Class B.
She knew full well that her foreknowledge needed to be leveraged this first month to narrow the gap between Class A and Class B. However, she also understood that Class B's overall nature made it difficult to carry out sabotage against other classes.
Unlike Class C, known for its aggressive nature, Class B was full of model students. Even the worst academic performers were kind and cooperative. The most athletic male student, Shibata, had a personality similar to Ichinose Honami—friendly and optimistic.
Thus, while Karuizawa had formulated plans targeting Class A, she had found no opportunity or personnel to implement them.
Truth be told, she had little memory of most of Class B. Apart from Ichinose Honami and Kanzaki Ryuji, she couldn't recall any standouts. Kanzaki had the ability, but his social skills were lacking—a poor match for her strategy.
And so, Class 1-B was stuck in limbo.
"Karuizawa-san."
After classes ended, Karuizawa was packing her bag, planning to check out the new drama club Kitagawa Ryo had just founded. But just as she stepped outside the classroom, a voice called out.
She turned to see a cheerful boy with a youthful face.
"Oh, it's Yagami-kun. What's up?"
It was Yagami Takuya, a popular figure in the class. Rumor had it he had skipped a grade due to his academic performance, making him a year younger than most. Still, with his good looks, polite demeanor, and top-tier entrance exam results, he had quite a following among the girls in Class 1-B.
Although Karuizawa didn't remember seeing him in the original timeline, she chalked it up to butterfly effects. After all, she herself had been placed in Class B this time instead of Class D. A few unfamiliar faces were to be expected.
"Here's the thing. Since Class 1-B has the information advantage, I don't think we should play it too safe. We can maintain classroom discipline while also targeting other classes."
Yagami stepped in closer and lowered his voice.
"Right now, Classes A, C, and D are still in the dark. If we leverage our knowledge gap, we could easily gain personal points or undermine their class points."
Hearing such a statement in the usually harmonious Class B surprised Karuizawa. She glanced sideways at Yagami, whose bright amber eyes still held a cheerful glint, as if his words hadn't just proposed sabotage.
"Do you have something specific in mind, Yagami-kun?"
She asked cautiously.
"Form an alliance with Class D to target Class A."
Yagami explained quickly:
"In a competitive environment, the highest and lowest-ranked classes are natural enemies. Class D poses no real threat to us, so they could serve as temporary allies."
"Given how this school is structured, there's no fundamental difference between the non-A classes. Our true opponent has always been Class A."
"From that perspective, Class D is a natural ally, and Class A is our absolute enemy."
"I've been observing both classes. Class 1-A is strong overall, but there's one student who acts outrageously and doesn't get along with his peers. That could be our entry point."
"As for Class D, they're a mess. More than half the students lack discipline. Their class points next month will probably be dismal. But there's an upside to having low points: since class points can't go negative, they have nothing to lose. Offer them personal points, and we could easily recruit a few as cannon fodder."
Karuizawa nodded. His plan matched her general strategic framework, though her main interest in Class D was because Kitagawa Ryo was there.
"If you trust me, Karuizawa-san, I can handle the negotiations and sabotage."
Seeing her approval, Yagami added confidently:
"I only ask that you support me when needed."
"Then why don't you go ahead and try on your own first? I need to see what you're capable of, after all."
Karuizawa didn't accept immediately. He offered words; she returned with a test.
"Of course."
Yagami didn't seem discouraged in the slightest.
Once Karuizawa disappeared from view, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and typed out a message.
Then he hit send.
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"If that's the case, I think Katsuragi-kun is best suited to be class leader. After all, this information was a huge help."
Popular among Class A students, Hirata Yosuke smiled as he spoke, and those close to him naturally agreed. While Katsuragi Kohei basked in his moment of glory, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, seated in the back row, received an anonymous text message:
[Class B has acquired knowledge of the foundational rules and is acting on it.]
It was from someone in the White Room.
Ayanokouji deleted the message. He knew that besides himself, the White Room had secretly dispatched two other agents into this batch of new students. However, the two were complete opposites in personality—one extremely proactive, eager to prove themselves; the other completely silent, having not contacted him since school began.
Still, with Katsuragi Kohei and that first operative as opening pieces, it should be enough.
One piece in the light, one in the dark.
Now it was time to see how the opponent would move.
Ayanokouji lowered his gaze.
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"Of course, I can guarantee your letter will reach your family. And if anything goes wrong, we'll take full responsibility. Yes, okay, goodbye."
Just as Karuizawa Kei opened the clubroom door, she heard Kitagawa Ryo finishing a phone call. Once the call ended, she strolled in casually.
"Business has started already?"
Kitagawa stretched lazily and replied:
"Yeah. We're starting with five requests. Gotta build credibility and a brand, after all."
"Charging 30,000 for a letter and a few photos... You're really heartless, Ryo."
"The third-year senpai haven't spoken to their families in two years. And students from the lower classes don't have much use for personal points anyway. We're the only ones offering this service. A letter from home is priceless."
Kitagawa yawned. His phone vibrated in his palm—it was an anonymous message:
[Class A has acquired knowledge of the basic rules. Awaiting your next instructions.]
Oh? So it's finally begun.
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