Perhaps because he had been suspended for a week, many seemed to have forgotten how Kakeru Ryūen had suppressed Class C in the first month.
As Ryūen issued his dictatorial declaration, what followed was naturally not unquestioning submission, but extremely fierce protests.
The first to stand up in opposition was a boy named Hiroya Tokitō, the leader of the opposing faction: 'Ryūen, I have no problem with you collecting points, but you have to at least tell everyone what you're planning to do!'
The second to object was Shiho Manabe, the leader of the gyaru group: 'That's right! If we give you all our points, who knows what you'll do with them.'
With this boy and girl taking the lead, the members of Class C were instantly stirred up, their intentions boiling down to one thing: they didn't want to hand over their points.
Evidently, the lingering intimidation Ryūen had built up in the past was rendered null and void in that instant. And faced with this situation, his choice was exceptionally simple, brutal, and effective.
Ryūen didn't need to lift a finger himself. The first to rise were Albert and Daichi Ishizaki.
The moment the first dissenter's face was forcefully slammed onto a desk by Albert, the entire classroom felt as if it had been plunged into an ice cave!
When the second dissenter was thrown to the cold floor by Daichi Ishizaki, all the objectors lowered their 'noble' heads.
And by the teacher's podium, Kazuma Sakagami calmly watched all of this unfold, showing no intention of intervening, even as many students cast pleading glances his way.
In his view, Ryūen was the only one who could currently lead Class C upward. Compared to letting these students sink into a beautiful illusion, a demonic leader was what they needed to guide them toward the future. As for Hiyori Shiina, that girl lacked initiative and could only be positioned as a strategist in the shadows for the time being.
After the dissenters were thoroughly suppressed, Ryūen scanned the deathly silent crowd below him, sneered, and said, 'Now, do any of you still have an opinion?'
While the Class C students were handing over their points one by one, a worried Hiyori asked inwardly, 'Mr. Ghost, with such a brutal rule, there are bound to be betrayals in the future, right?'
'Now, now, don't overthink it...'
Symon comforted her, speaking in a gentle voice, 'Given your class's situation, even I wouldn't be able to handle it right away. The simplest and quickest way to unify this scattered mess is to beat them into submission with force. As for what comes next, that will depend on his personal skill.'
As he said this, Ryūen, on the podium, finished collecting the points. He put down his mobile terminal, tilted his head back with a cold and arrogant expression, and began to speak:
'I'm only going to say what comes next once.'
'In this school, Class A represents excellence, Class B represents mediocrity, Class C represents inferiority, and Class D represents defectiveness.'
'I know very well that as inferior products, you have now chosen to submit simply because you are faced with my violence.'
'I don't care about that.'
'Because my goal has always been one thing and one thing only—to have everyone graduate from Class A, so that in three years, all of you can choose the lives you want.'
'Right now, you may hate me to the bone. In the future, you may be eternally grateful to me.'
'But, unfortunately for you—I don't care about either.'
With that, Kakeru Ryūen scanned the room, ignoring the complex expressions on the faces below, and turned to walk off the podium.
There were still three weeks until the midterm exams, plenty of time. He had detected a hidden hint in his homeroom teacher's words and wasn't in a rush to investigate the reason.
...
In the library after school, 'Hiyori Shiina' sat at a long table, cradling a gaming console and idly tapping the buttons.
'You play things like this, Shiina?' a cold female voice, somewhat familiar, came from behind.
'Defiling the sacred library is indeed a bit much. I've been reflecting on it late at night.'
As he spoke, Symon turned to look behind him and saw a cold beauty with waist-length hair—Suzune Horikita.
Meanwhile, Hiyori chuckled softly in her mind and asked, 'Are you really reflecting, Mr. Ghost? If there's anything else you want to do, you can always tell me.'
Symon pretended not to understand. 'I am reflecting, but I'm absolutely not changing. Unless you go buy a full-length mirror this weekend. I'm starting to forget what you look like.'
'Dame desu~! Muri desu~!'
'See? I told you, and you didn't agree.'
Responding to the person closest to him, Symon glanced nonchalantly at Horikita. Seeing she wasn't accompanied by anyone this time and had been silent for a while, he couldn't help but ask with a smile, 'Learned you can't just throw your weight around this time?'
Suzune Horikita ignored his taunt, her expression complex as she asked, 'Is that really how you see it?'
She was asking about the bullying.
Symon found it somewhat amusing and said, 'To be honest, the only reason I managed not to slap you across the face back then was that Ayanokōji was there.'
'I'm sorry. I hadn't considered that aspect.'
'I was under the impression you couldn't speak like a civilized person.'
Symon paused the game in his hands, set it aside, and asked calmly, 'Have a seat. What do you want from me?'
Suzune Horikita glanced at the darkened game screen, understanding that they were now having a formal conversation. She sat down and got straight to the point: 'I want to invite you to join the Student Council.'
Hiyori Shiina: '?'
Shiina Symon: '?'
Symon asked tentatively, 'Does your brother want to help you use his position to settle a personal score?'
'Of course not!'
Suzune Horikita blurted out a denial. 'My brother asked me to invite you even before that happened. I just hadn't gotten a chance to come find you.'
Symon thought for a moment, then shook his head. 'With all due respect, you should have heard my conversation with Ryūen back then. I'm not particularly interested in getting involved with the Student Council.'
'I confirmed with my brother yesterday. He still wants you to join the Student Council. The opponent is Miyabi Nagumo.'
'No, your brother and Miyabi Nagumo don't have that significant of a conflict.'
Symon shook his head, stating his assertion with a calm, analytical tone, 'During the hearing, Nagumo gave you a warning. When that Ayanokōji helped clear your name, he tacitly accepted the reconciliation between both sides and didn't bring up the bullying incident again. In the end, he even helped your brother give Ryūen hush money.'
'From my personal perspective, the most you could say is that he and your brother have political disagreements. They are far from being political enemies out to destroy each other.'
'Your brother is probably looking for someone to keep Nagumo in check, and I have little interest in taking on such a thankless task.'
'You... '
Suzune Horikita was left speechless, her beautiful eyes flashing with shock and frustration—the previous night, her brother had said the exact same thing.
She had to admit, the girl in front of her was far superior to her.
Seeing Suzune Horikita remain silent, Symon mentally asked for Hiyori's opinion. 'Hiyori, do you have any intention of joining the Student Council?'
Hiyori hesitated. 'Ryūen-kun should be able to handle it, right? I don't really want to go.'
Symon was amused to hear this. Noticing that Suzune Horikita still hadn't snapped out of her daze, he couldn't help but chuckle. 'Ryūen has no chance right now. Just notice how long it's been since he's even mentioned the words 'Student Council'.'
'Never mind that he brought people to cause trouble for Suzune Horikita, he also put Manabu Horikita in an untenable position in the Student Council, basically burning that bridge completely. And Miyabi Nagumo has shown no intention of extending an olive branch to him either.'
'When Ryūen came out of the Student Council meeting, he had already realized this. I didn't point it out at the time and only mentioned the Behavioral Standards Exam. That was to let him save some face.'
'...'
_____
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