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Volume 14, Chapter 7: The First-Years Start to Move

At 9:00 PM on the sixth day of the exam, several first-year class representatives had arranged to meet up together in area F9.

The representatives in question were Class A’s Takahashi Osamu, Class B’s Yagami Takuya, Class C’s Utomiya Riku and Tsubaki Sakurako, and Class D’s Hōsen Kazuomi. It would typically be difficult for such a diverse cast of students to meet up in one location given their separate Tables, but in this case, they had decided on a time and place for the meeting before the exam even started.

Furthermore, since the chosen location was on the beach, a bonfire would serve as a reliable signal for the meeting.

Despite the fact that she hadn’t really done anything noteworthy or remarkable so far, the person who had spearheaded this get-together was… Tsubaki.

The appointed time for the meeting had already come and gone, but Hōsen still hadn’t arrived yet.

“Tsubaki-san, it seems that Hōsen-kun still hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Well, he doesn’t really seem the type to show up on time. Or maybe he’s just not coming.”

The group decided to wait a little longer to see if he would show up, but before long, Takahashi raised his hand with an arm pressed against his abdomen.

“Sorry guys… I’ve got a bit of a stomach ache so I’mma excuse myself. It… It might take a while!”

With that, he hurriedly ran off toward the forest.

As the group watched Takahashi take his leave, Yagami’s eyes were fixed on Tsubaki.

“It’s certainly more convenient for all of us if everyone is present before we start, but…”

Yagami trailed off, seemingly lost in thought, but he picked up where he left off only moments afterward.

“While Hōsen-kun still isn’t here yet, just a little should be fine, right?”

Tsubaki, who had been silently staring at the bonfire, turned and looked toward Yagami.

“What…?”

“I was thinking that it’d be fine if you told us about this plan of yours in detail.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been scheming something big, have you not? Otherwise you wouldn’t have proposed for all the representatives to meet together like this when the latter half of the exam is about to start. There’s no way you merely want us to report on our progress, right?”

Tsubaki said nothing to this, choosing instead to simply keep her gaze locked onto Yagami.

“Your OAA ratings are, at a glance, below average. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be anything remarkable about you in the slightest. However, from what I’ve seen during the battles we first-years have taken part in so far, you’ve been one to provide fairly critical insight from time to time. Furthermore…”

“Furthermore?”

“While on the surface it doesn’t seem like your class has been doing anything to get Ayanokōji-senpai expelled, I suspect that you’ve actually been doing quite a bit of work behind the scenes. Utomiya-kun’s control of Class C is just a front. You’re the one pulling the strings from the shadows, aren’t you?”

“Hmmm. You say some interesting stuff, Yagami-kun. So the reason you supported my proposal to set this up is cuz you knew I thought of something?”

Back when Tsubaki first tried to set this up, the core personalities behind each class hadn’t been willing to cooperate at all.

After all, there was no way they would’ve been willing to listen to an obscure, seemingly irrelevant student like her.

With that being the case, the reason why everyone had been willing to meet here today was because Yagami had been such a strong proponent for it.

“From the very beginning, I’ve consistently advocated that the first-year student body should look to cooperate with one another. Even if you didn’t have a profound reason behind gathering us here today, Tsubaki-san, I felt like it would still be worthwhile just to make sure we all have a solid grasp of the current state of affairs.”

“Well, Yagami-kun, how ‘bout I tell you something interesting?”

“Something interesting? How immensely curious.”

“Though, do know that after you hear it… I won’t be able to guarantee anything.”

“…It must be something truly fascinating, then.”

Yagami felt slightly concerned, but he maintained his composure and waited for Tsubaki to speak.

“Yagami-kun, you said just now that Utomiya-kun and I’ve been scheming from the shadows to try’n get Ayanokōji-senpai kicked outta school, yeah?”

“Yes. At first glance, one might be led to believe that Hōsen-kun and Amasawa-san were the only ones to take part in it during the last exam, but I think that you two were also targeting him.”

“A reward of 20 million private points, just for getting a senpai expelled? Just about anybody would find that attractive, yeah?”

“That may be true for others, but not for me.”

Upon hearing Yagami’s flat refusal, Tsubaki narrowed her eyes.

“Not for you? Sorry, but I’m having a hard time believing that. You make yourself seem harmless, but aren’t you really lookin’ to get Ayanokōji-senpai expelled as well? Hell, you might even be more obsessed with it than Hōsen-kun and Amasawa-san.”

“And what makes you think that? I haven’t done a single thing thus far.”

“It’s the kinda thing I can tell just by looking at you. I’ll have you know that I’ve gotta lotta confidence in my eye for people.”

At this, Yagami’s smile, while still present, became noticeably more strained.

“It’s hard to imagine given the way you normally act, but like… I’d imagine that your plan started out with pretending to be an ally so you could slowly get closer to him and stab ‘em right in the back. Or am I wrong?”

Tsubaki stared at Yagami with eyes that seemed to peer into the depths of his very being, making him unconsciously avert his gaze.

While he had always had a hunch that Tsubaki wasn’t an ordinary student, the way her gaze practically bored into his skull made it seem even more extreme than he had anticipated.

“You…”

“Well whatever, we’ll get back to that later. Getting back to the point, the situation’s currently looking kinda cruddy, wouldn’t you say?”

“Kinda cruddy?”

“Apparently, Nanase-san’s been sticking together with Ayanokōji-senpai for a while now. I heard that he’s even given her permission to tag along too. I tried checking up on them with the GPS Search feature just to make sure, and sure enough, the both of ‘em are up in area C3 together right now.”

“I see. So you’re saying that Hōsen-kun’s already looking to make his next move?”

“I’m saying that we gotta take action sooner rather than later. If Hōsen-kun gets Ayanokōji-senpai expelled, it’ll all be over for the rest of us. If possible, I’d like to hear what kinda plans you’ve thought of to get Senpai kicked out, just as a reference. You get me?”

“I already told you I don’t have…”

Tsubaki leaned in closer to Yagami, her eyes brimming with conviction.

“If you don’t willingly cooperate starting now, you might end up paying dearly later.”

“Pay dearly…?”

“Well, like, someone important to you’ll be in danger, or something like that.”

“S-surely you’re not going to do something to Kushida-senpai!?”

Upon hearing Kushida’s name come up, a thin smile finally emerged on Tsubaki’s perpetually expressionless face.

She knew that Yagami and Kushida had been connected for a long time now.

Furthermore, she knew that there was something going on between them that he was looking to hide.

“Ah, what’s that about Kushida-senpai? Do tell.”

“N-no, it’s nothing… I apologize, but there’s nothing more I can tell y─!?”

Yagami’s words cut off as Utomiya suddenly came up from behind and forcefully restrained him in a Full Nelson hold.

He resisted in an attempt to try and break free, but he didn’t have the strength needed to get away.

“What, what are you doing Utomiya-kun…?”

“Sorry Yagami. I don’t have anything against you, but… it can’t be helped.”

With this, it was clear that Yagami’s earlier suspicions of Tsubaki’s true involvement in Class 2-C had been correct all along.

“I-I think of each and every first-year student as I would my own classmate! Why don’t we just calm down and stop with this!?”

“Either you come clean and tell us what you know, or you retire right here, right now. Those are your only options.”

Since the three of them were the only ones present, there was nobody Yagami could turn to for help.

“Yagami-kun, I get that you think Kushida-senpai is like, the key to getting Ayanokōji-senpai expelled, but why is that? How exactly do you plan on making use of her?”

“I can’t say…”

When he refused to answer, Utomiya further tightened his hold on Yagami’s arms.

“If you can’t say, then that must mean you really are up to something. Dontcha feel like confessing? Like gettin’ this over with?”

“I─ Kushida-senpai is just…”

Still not hearing the answer they wanted, Utomiya momentarily released his hold and proceeded to wrap his arm around Yagami’s neck instead.

Yagami began to choke for air as he was constricted in a headlock.

“Yer nearing your limit, Yagami-kun. If you don’t fess up now, I guess we’ll just haveta hear it from Kushida-senpai… directly.”

This wasn’t just some empty threat. Rather, it was obvious that Tsubaki would actually follow through with it.

The fact that she was using Utomiya as a medium to carry out acts of violence and intimidation was more than enough proof for that.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Will you confess or not?”

Faced with no other real option, Yagami finally resigned himself and gave in.

“…I understand. I’ll tell you everything.”

With his eyes to the ground, Yagami began to speak about the past of the girl named Kushida Kikyō and Ayanokōji Kiyotaka’s knowledge on the matter.

Not long after he finished, Takahashi returned from within the forest.

They all waited around for a while after that, but in the end, Hōsen never showed up.