June passed quietly, and some time had elapsed since the mid-term exams.
Inside the Class 1-B classroom, Ryuuen Kakeru leaned back in his seat.
The plan he had conceived, to use the internal conflicts of Class D to restrain Class C, was now fully mature.
What pleased him even more was that, in this plan, two unexpectedly powerful "catalysts" had emerged.
One was the collaborator from within Class D who had proactively sought him out, harboring ulterior motives.
The other, for now, remains unmentioned.
This was simply a godsend.
Ryuuen could almost see Class B's advantage becoming a certainty through this opportunity.
Now, he just needed to wait for the "nail" he had planted in Class D to start playing her due role.
Shifting the perspective to Class 1-D.
During lunchtime, the classroom was as noisy and laid-back as usual.
Kushida Kikyo weaved among her classmates, her face radiating an impeccable sweet smile, perfectly playing the role of the understanding and helpful "social butterfly."
It was as if the moment of losing her composure at the beach, when Sakamoto saw through her facade, had never happened.
However, how could that be?
Beneath the calm surface, a dark tide surged.
Whenever her gaze inadvertently swept over Horikita Suzune, quietly reading by the window, or when she heard others mention the legendary name of Class 1-A, Kushida would feel a sense of unease.
Sakamoto... must be eliminated.
He had seen her most unsightly side, and beneath his composed and elegant demeanor, perhaps lay a threat capable of utterly destroying her.
Horikita Suzune... must also be eliminated.
Not because of her gradually increasing influence in the class, but because—they came from the same junior high school.
Horikita might not have remembered it yet, but Kushida would never forget the class riot incident she had personally instigated in junior high... Horikita's very existence was a ticking time bomb.
To protect herself, to completely bury the past, Kushida would stop at nothing.
Even if it meant betraying the interests of the entire Class D, she would ensure her absolute safety.
For this, she conducted some secret investigations.
Fortunately, she had a wide network of contacts and quickly identified an excellent target for cooperation—Ryuuen Kakeru of Class 1-B.
A similarly famous and capable ambitious individual, who clearly had friction with Sakamoto. She proactively approached Ryuuen, "confessing" her demands: to jointly eliminate Sakamoto and Horikita.
Ryuuen showed great interest in this.
Having common goals was ideal.
When Kushida added that she also wanted to eliminate Horikita, Ryuuen readily agreed.
This perfectly aligned with his plan to exploit the internal conflicts of Class D.
Ryuuen even generously promised that even if Class D's class points were damaged as a result, he would transfer a portion from his ample personal points to her, ensuring her personal life remained unaffected.
With this promise and Ryuuen's support, Kushida felt an unprecedented sense of "security."
She could finally... go all out.
Ryuuen informed her of part of the plan: to spread carefully fabricated rumors within Class D, creating suspicion and chaos, while simultaneously muddying the waters, implicating other classes, confusing public perception, and ultimately directing the blame towards Class C, creating an opportunity for Class B's actions.
Kushida thought this plan was brilliant.
Not only could she execute it perfectly, but she could also cleverly "add her own flavor" to it, pushing Horikita completely into a corner.
Moreover, according to additional intelligence provided by Ryuuen—Ichinose Honami, that bright and kind individual from Class C, also seemed to be hiding a very dark past?
The corner of Kushida's mouth curved into a cold arc when no one was watching.
The operation had begun.
The next morning, a strange atmosphere quietly permeated Class D.
Students gathered in small groups, conversing in hushed tones, their faces reflecting confusion, curiosity, and even a hint of unease.
The focal point of their discussions stemmed from a series of posts that abruptly appeared late last night on the class's anonymous forum.
The content was bizarre and varied, mostly consisting of outrageous 'revelations' and malicious rumors targeting students from various First Year classes.
Class D was naturally the hardest hit:
"Yamauchi Haruki is actually gay! He has a crush on Sakamoto-kun from Class A!"
"Ike Kanji secretly engages in 'handicrafts' late at night in his dorm!"
"Sudo Ken barely passed his exams by cheating!"
And there was even—
"Beneath Kushida Kikyo's perfect exterior lies an unknown hypocrisy!"
These rumors were preposterous, yet their sensational and targeted nature quickly drew attention.
Moreover, the posts 'generously' implicated other classes:
"Class A is actually controlled by Sakamoto!"
"Student Ryuuen from Class B beat up his entire class!"
And... the most striking one—
"Ichinose Honami's sunny angel image is all a facade! She's a criminal!"
The classroom was abuzz with discussion.
"What is all this? It's too ridiculous!"
"Who's so bored? It must be someone from another class playing tricks!"
"They just want to cause internal strife among us!"
"But... why are they even talking about Kushida-san? That's going too far!"
Faced with this sudden chaos, Kushida Kikyo immediately stepped forward.
Her face displayed a perfectly measured blend of grievance and indignation, yet her voice remained gentle and reassuring:
"Everyone, please don't believe these rumors! Someone must have spread them on purpose! Their goal is to disrupt our class unity and make a joke out of us! We absolutely must not fall for it!"
Her gaze swept over the malicious comments about her, and a hint of 'strength' flickered in her eyes.
"I'm fine! Everyone, please don't argue over such trivial matters; we should unite even more!"
One of the class's core leaders, Hirata Yousuke, also immediately stepped in to stabilize the situation.
He stated gently yet firmly:
"Kushida-san is right. These rumors are baseless and clearly malicious provocations. Everyone, just laugh them off; there's no need to take them to heart. Our focus should be on our upcoming studies and class activities."
Under the calming influence of the two 'core' figures, the commotion in Class D seemed to temporarily subside.
Everyone outwardly returned to normal, but those bizarre rumors, like seeds, quietly fell into the hearts of some.
During lunchtime, Kushida found an excuse to leave the classroom and contacted Ryuuen in a secluded corner.
"Ryuuen! What's with the rumors on the forum? Why are there even ones about me? This isn't what we agreed upon!"
From the other end of the line, Ryuuen Kakeru's sneer came through:
"Heh ~ Just a little smokescreen, why the fuss? This way, it's harder for people to distinguish the source. Don't worry, the one about you is harmless; it actually helps cover for you better, doesn't it?"
He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable sense of control,
"Continue according to the plan. The key is to get these comments discussed within Class D."
Kushida was silent for a moment, then responded:
"I understand."
After hanging up, the aggrieved expression on Kushida's face instantly vanished, replaced by cold calculation.
PS: Today's update is a bit late, but there's more coming soon!