Chapter 189: A Strange Turn of Events

Class A classroom, lower right corner by the window.

Shaking the eraser crumbs from his head, Fuyuji Mikage let out a cold laugh. "Girlfriend-chan, count yourself lucky. Otherwise, the winner would have been me."

"You're the one, boyfriend-kun." Morishita Ai met him head-on, her petite chin lifting slightly. "Otherwise, the winner this time would have been Morishita-sama."

Just as the two were locked in their standoff, neither willing to yield, a tall, steady figure stopped beside their desks. Katsuragi Kohei, who had come over carrying the participation entry form, stared blankly at the deadlocked pair.

Hadn't it been said that the two of them were officially dating? Then why was their mode of interaction still like this?

Locked in their mutual standoff, the two glared fixedly into each other's eyes. Invisible electric arcs seemed to crackle and snap through the air. After a few seconds, they simultaneously turned their heads away.

"Hmph!"

Katsuragi Kohei: "..."

Their compatibility is this good. They really are a couple...

At that moment, the corner of Fuyuji's eye finally registered the silent "obstacle" standing beside him. He reined in the childish expression he'd worn while facing off against Morishita. Turning his body, his face returned to its usual calm as he looked at Katsuragi.

"Oh, Katsuragi-san. Is there something you need?"

"Here..."

Katsuragi handed the Sports Festival entry form to Fuyuji. Stacked beneath it were the recorded results of all the Class A students' various athletic tests—currently Class A's top-secret intelligence. If this were leaked, they would most likely lose this Sports Festival.

"The entry form needs to be submitted by tomorrow at the latest, but the final candidates for a few events still haven't been decided. So I brought it for you to take a look."

"As for this, I'll leave it to you to decide." Fuyuji waved his hand in refusal.

Since he had said he'd leave this matter to Katsuragi some time ago, it meant he trusted him one hundred percent. Taking it back for another look would only be redundant. Besides, Katsuragi had been the one organizing the Class A students' training during this period. His understanding of his classmates was definitely superior to Fuyuji's own.

"Very well." Katsuragi didn't seem surprised. He nodded, then suddenly seemed to recall something. "Oh, right. One more thing."

With that, he turned his head, his gaze carrying a trace of pity.

Hashimoto Masayoshi was walking over. His signature unrestrained grin was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a weary exhaustion tinged with relief. His hair was somewhat disheveled, faint dark circles shadowed the area beneath his eyes, and the corners of his mouth struggled to pull into their usual arc, yet seemed somewhat strained—as if he had just endured an immensely draining mental battle.

"Boss. It's done." Hashimoto let out a long sigh, bent down, and lowered his voice. "Class C's side has been taken care of."

"Do you know when it's set for? And where?"

During this period, Hashimoto had relied on his flexible social maneuvering, cast aside all dignity, and threaded his way among Class D's several sub-humans, successfully steering Yamauchi Haruki onto the predetermined track.

As for the cost...

These past few days, Hashimoto-san has seemed a bit off. It's like his IQ has dropped by a whole tier.

"Two hours from now. The location is that small alley to the right of the laboratory building. There's no camera coverage there."

At that moment, Katsuragi, who had been standing silently to the side listening, spoke up to warn them. "The risk of this matter is controllable, but Ryuen is inherently suspicious. He may not necessarily take the bait. That Yamauchi-kun... uh..."

At the mention of Yamauchi Haruki, even the perpetually steady Katsuragi was now covered in black lines.

A brief silence spread among the three of them, broken only by the faint clamor drifting in from outside the classroom.

Fuyuji pondered for a moment, then turned his head toward Morishita beside him, speaking with a touch of helplessness.

"Seems like neither Chinese food nor conveyor-belt sushi can be decided just yet."

Considering Ryuen Kakeru's cunning and treachery (?) and his utter lack of scruples, just to be safe, Fuyuji felt it would be best to go in person.

"Hurry back." Morishita waved him off with disdain.

"Alright."

Fuyuji rose from his seat and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Since it's today, why not go watch this show with my own eyes?" His gaze drifted out the window. The distant laboratory building was bathed in a warm glow from the slowly sinking sun. "Just find a spot with a good view and watch from a distance."

In this kind of intelligence-baiting operation, if one's own intelligence was insufficient, the positions of hunter and prey could instantly swap with a single misstep. Better to keep a close watch.

Having spoken, Fuyuji looked toward the front row of the classroom.

"Kito..."

...

An hour later, second floor of the laboratory building.

The corridor was saturated with the faint, mingled scents of disinfectant and old wood. The light was somewhat dim.

The storage room door was pushed open with a click.

Dust motes danced in the slanting beams of light. The cramped space was piled high with discarded desks, chairs, and all manner of laboratory equipment.

The group swept their eyes around, and after confirming that no one had tailed them, their gazes finally fixed upon a window to the side.

Through the window, those above could clearly see the situation in the alley below from their elevated vantage point, while those below would, conversely, have difficulty seeing those above due to the angle of view.

"Now then—all we have to do is sit back and enjoy the show."

After briefly scouting the nearby environment, Fuyuji found a spot to sit down, leaning his back against a dusty cabinet, quietly waiting for events to unfold.

Katsuragi stood against the wall, arms folded, his expression grave and solemn. Hashimoto leaned wearily against an overturned chair. Kito stood silently hidden in the shadows by the door. In the narrow space, only the exceedingly faint sound of their breathing and the occasional gust of wind outside the window could be heard.

Before long, from the silent alley below, the sound of light, dragging footsteps approached first.

A while later, a chaotic flurry of footsteps followed right behind.

"S-so it's you guys? The Class C people I'm dealing with? Let me state upfront—this intel is worth at least five hundred thousand points."

"..."

Mm! The four nodded in satisfaction. Still that same flavor!

"Five hundred thousand? Yamauchi-shi, are you joking?"

With a sharp whoosh, Katsuragi and Hashimoto instantly wrenched their heads around. They stared in unison toward the doorway, their expressions a mix of wariness and sheer bewilderment.

That bastard Ryuen—at such an important occasion, he actually wasn't here?

Fuyuji's eyes narrowed slightly. He slowly rose to his feet and soundlessly stepped toward the window, sweeping his gaze over the crowd below.

A few seconds later, he calmly signaled the three with a hand gesture, indicating there was no need for alarm.

At the bottom of the storage room, bathed in the golden-red light of the setting sun, Yamauchi Haruki was cowering in a corner, his body pressed tightly against the wall. He stiffened his neck and put on a show of bravado, facing off against the Class C crowd.

The Class C students were clearly led by that mushroom-haired boy with glasses. The several Class C students behind him also appeared relatively composed, lacking the wild, brazen oppressiveness that came when Ryuen himself was present.

"Kaneda Satoru. The top student in Class C in terms of academic ability." Hashimoto leaned close to Fuyuji's ear and whispered.

Fuyuji rapidly swept his eyes over every Class C student's face. He couldn't find Yamawaki or Komiya anywhere.

"Not only did Ryuen not show up, even the two underlings who are always with him didn't come." Katsuragi folded his arms, his brow furrowing as he added softly.

That was strange...

If this intelligence were used well, it could single-handedly seize first place among the first-years in the Sports Festival. Even for such an important occasion, Ryuen hadn't appeared. Even his two underlings hadn't come. He was clearly tied up with something even more important.

That bastard... he's up to something!

"Katsuragi, for the next couple of days, tell our classmates to be on alert. Don't wander around if there's nothing to do. Try to eat at the school cafeteria."

Since he hadn't even bothered with the entry form—the one aspect that could normally be tampered with—then his target was definitely on the students themselves. Exactly what kind of underhanded trick it was, Fuyuji couldn't say. But it was clear that Ryuen had the confidence to use that move to snatch victory in one fell swoop.

"Understood." Katsuragi nodded heavily in acknowledgment.

Just then, Fuyuji's phone, already set to silent mode in his pocket, buzzed with a vibration.

He pulled out his phone. The light of the screen lit up in the somewhat dim storage room, its contents laid bare before his eyes.

[Shiina Hiyori: Um... Mister Watson, if you're free tomorrow, could you come keep me company at the library for a bit?]

Staring at the contents of the phone screen, then turning his head to glance down at the Class C contingent below—still devoid of any sign of Ryuen—a smile rose to Fuyuji's lips. He swiftly tapped out a reply on the screen.

[Fuyuji Mikage: Of course... Miss Holmes...]

After all... this is the first time you've ever taken the initiative to invite me to the library to read...

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50 [Power Stones] = Bonus Chapter!