"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
— Charles Baudelaire
I leaned against the desk, the faint hum of the phone line buzzing in my ear as Ryuen's familiar voice came through. It had already been a day since I 'sent' them to get beaten up.
"We did what you told us to do," he said, straight to the point as always. No pleasantries, no sense of accomplishment. Just Ryuen being Ryuen.
I smirked to myself. "That's surprising, to say the least."
"What do you mean by that?" he snapped, irritation seeping through his words.
"I genuinely expected you guys to fail."
A heavy silence followed.
"Anyways," I continued, shifting gears before he could recover, "how are your injuries, Ryuen? Took quite a hit, didn't you?"
There was a pause, and I could sense the shift in his tone even before he spoke. "How the hell do you know I got injured?"
"Come on, Ryuen. You and the rest took on twelve guys. It would be a miracle if you all walked away without a scratch."
The line went quiet again, but this time the silence was different—tense, suspicious.
"…I never told you how many we fought," he said slowly, his voice now sharp with accusation. "Albert hasn't sent you the video yet, has he?"
"No, he hasn't," I replied, "I just know."
"Anyways tell Albert to send me the video."
"Yeah, uh… I will," he muttered.
"Oh, and Ryuen?" I added. "You should stop scratching your knee."
The sharp intake of breath on the other end was all I needed to confirm it. Without waiting for his reply, I ended the call.
A couple of minutes later, Albert sent me the video. I leaned back, watching the chaos unfold on the screen.
I grabbed my blazer, shrugged it on, and closed the door behind me. The hallway was quiet, save for the muffled hum of voices in the distance.
My destination was clear: the karaoke lounge.
It was already past 4 p.m., and by now, the lounge was undoubtedly one of the most crowded spots in the school.
First years flocked there, buzzing with the excitement of new friendships and the novelty of freedom. They sang, laughed, and bonded in the glow of their naïveté.
Perfect!
I walked at an unhurried pace, weaving through the corridors with ease. The distant hum of voices grew louder as I approached, a symphony of chatter, laughter, and the occasional off-key singing.
As I entered the karaoke lounge, I spotted a group of boys huddled around a table, their attention focused on the stage. I sauntered over, casually adjusting my jacket.
"Hey, can we talk?" I said to a group of boys.
One of the boys looked up, a skeptical brow raised. "Do we know you?"
Before I could respond, another chimed in, "Hey, I know! I met him earlier, just before we f—"
"Before you fought three people? Is that you wanted to say?" I interrupted smoothly, cutting him off.
The group exchanged glances, the atmosphere shifting as their interest piqued. I could see the wheels turning in their heads, weighing the situation.
I leaned forward slightly, my voice dropping to a more conspiratorial tone. "I have some information that might interest you all. It seems your little scuffle has drawn some attention. People are talking."
"No one saw us fighting, so what do you even mean?"
"Really? So what's this video?"
I could see their faces blanch when they saw the video.
"How do you have that?"
"Secret. However, just know quite a few first years have seen the video."
"You are lying!"
"Look around you. Don't you see how a few students are looking at you right now? It seems a bit off; it's almost like they know what you guys did."
"People look at us like that every time we come here," another boy replied, trying to brush off the implication.
"Sure, but this time it's different. The buzz is real. You will become the center of attention, but it's not the kind you want. You will be the talk of the school, and trust me, it won't die down anytime soon, especially since a girl was involved. If she genuinely puts assault charges, modern society will make sure the woman wins the case, even if it is false or there aren't enough implications as to what led to the problem."
The group exchanged glances, uncertainty settling in.
"Also, a trusted source of mine told me that the video is going to get leaked on the school forum."
"How do we not know it's you who is behind this?"
"That's a fair question," I replied, my tone casual. "But let's be real—if I were behind this, why would I bother coming here to warn you? I could easily sit back and watch the chaos unfold from the sidelines." I raised an eyebrow. "But if you're interested, I can help you navigate this situation."
"What do you mean?" one of the boys asked, his voice a mixture of caution and curiosity.
"You guys are from Class 3-C, right?" I replied, keeping my tone casual.
"Yeah…"
"Tell me, how many points separate you from Class A?" I continued
"Wait you know about the S-"
"Of course I do," I said.
"We can't really talk about this here..." he hesitated, glancing around as if the walls themselves had ears.
I chuckled softly. "Well then, consider this a one-time offer." I began to rise from my seat, ready to leave.
"Wait, wait, wait, why are you rushing?" one of them pleaded, urgency creeping into his tone.
"Because time is of the essence," I replied, my voice steady as I turned back to face them. "You have a choice to make, and the longer you wait, the worse it will get. If you want to salvage your reputation, you need to act quickly."
After a moment of silence, another boy spoke up. "Okay, we're separated by about 900 points."
"That's quite a lot."
"We know."
"Do you guys even want to reach Class A?" I pressed, a smirk forming on my lips.
"Of course, everybody wants to reach Class A."
"Would you want to reach it even if it means other students get expelled?"
"Hell yeah, fuck the rest of the students."
"Well then, how about I propose an offer that will not only close the gap between your classes but also clear all the allegations against you?" I said, my voice low and enticing.
They shifted uneasily, glancing at one another, clearly weighing their options.
"You see, I know the girl you guys beat up," I continued, watching their expressions shift. "I could sweet-talk her into dropping the allegations or even convince her to point fingers at someone else."
"Even if she does, the video has our faces, so what's the point?" one of the boys countered, crossing his arms defiantly.
"Well, not this one." I said before showing them another video.
"That's another angle... wait, there were two people who filmed us."
"The person who has the video is calling himself the Crimson Spirit or Demon. Whatever you want to call him."
"The Crimson Spirit??"
"Yes, he is the one who has the videos."
"...how do you know about this?"
"Well, he sent it to me. Look." I said showing my phone.
"What the fuck man, Ryuhei, what should we do?"
"I don't know, man. I fucking don't know."
"Calm down now, let's not make a scene here," I said, my voice low and steady, exuding calm.
"Anyways, continue what you were saying."
"Well, you guys use the video to put the blame on students of Class A."
"It won't work, though. The President is from Class A; there is no way he will trust us or even care about taking action."
"You don't need to tell him. You tell the vice president."
"Nagumo?" Another boy said.
"I heard he has some beef with the president."
"Yeah, he does."
"So tell him about it, and then he will take action."
"How can we be sure that they will be expelled?"
"The girl will say that the students who assaulted her were from Class 3-A."
"Would they trust her?"
"She is the victim. In all of the videos, she is the one being shown the most."
"But the angle sucks; there is no way they will trust this."
"They will if she tells them that they assaulted her. Her words are more important now since a first year has no reason to have a problem with a third year."
"…"
"Also, you know the person with the videos, he asked for four million points."
"Four million points!!!"
"Each month."
"EACH MONTH!!! YOU ARE FUCKING JOKING, RIGHT??"
"No. Look at his message."
"Fucking hell, there is no way we can pay him."
"A chance at Class A or prison time? Ryuhei is pretty fucking simple what we need to do." One the boys said shakily.
"Fuck!!"
"Ryuhei, we get like 160,000 each month. We can take 100,000 points from everyone in our class and pay him, and we will still have 60,000."
"Yeah, you are right."
"Give me his ID; I will send him the points."
"Wait, what if he just takes the points and doesn't deliver on his end?"
I smiled, leaning in closer, my voice dropping to a whisper, my eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and confidence.
"That's where my expertise comes in. I'll handle the negotiations. I have a way with people, and I know how to make sure he holds up his end of the bargain. You just have to trust me."
"But how do we know you won't double-cross us?"
"I already showed you a way to save your ass. And if anything, it benefits me to help you guys."
"What do you mean?" one of them asked.
"You see, if he leaks the video, my class will also be a major target for fallout since she's from my class. I don't want that any more than you do."
Their faces shifted from suspicion to contemplation as they processed my words. "But what if he refuses to drop the charges once you talk to her?" one of them pressed, the fear evident in his voice.
I chuckled softly. "That's why I need to be the one to talk to her. I'll frame it as a misunderstanding, something easily solvable. But first, you need to get rid of that video threat."
"What if it gets out anyway?" another voice chimed in, shaky with anxiety.
I held their gaze, a steely resolve in my eyes. "Then we all lose. But if we act now, we can spin this to our advantage. We make her our scapegoat, and we rally behind it. I'll make sure the narrative shifts."
They exchanged glances again, this time weighing their options more carefully. "Okay," Ryuhei said finally, swallowing hard. "We'll do it. We'll pay him, and you'll talk to the girl."
"Perfect!" I said. "Now, let's make sure we get your points ready. I'll set up a meeting with our guy."
"Wait," Ryuhei interjected suddenly, a furrow forming on his brow. "How do we know this isn't a setup? We send you the points, and you deliver them to him."
"Why, though?" I asked. "You really trust me to do this?"
Ryuhei crossed his arms. "Look, we can't risk him double-crossing us. If you're the one dealing with him, it reduces our exposure. Each month we send you the points and you send him the points. Just don't fuck us around."
"I mean sure I guess."
"So I send him a message telling him that I am delivering the point?"
"Yeah." One of them said.
"But what if you guys double-cross me?" I countered, allowing a hint of tension to creep into my voice.
"What?" Ryuhei's brows knitted in confusion.
"What if you guys don't send me the points, and then I'm left holding the bag when it comes time to pay him? I'm not risking that."
Ryuhei frowned, clearly frustrated. "You know what? How about this—we make a contract that states we will send you four million points. That way, it's official."
"A contract, huh? That's not a bad idea. But it'll need to be airtight. I can't have any loopholes that could screw me over."
"Yeah, don't worry about that," Ryuhei said. He pulled out a notebook and began scribbling down the terms. The other boys leaned in to see what he was writing.
"What's your name?" He asked me.
"Takashiro Ren."
He nodded and kept writing.
"Make sure it includes penalties for not delivering on your end. If I have to face him alone, I want to make sure you guys will be held accountable," I insisted, watching as Ryuhei nodded, his pen scratching against the paper.
"Absolutely. We can include a clause that specifies if we fail to deliver the points, we'll owe you double," he replied, glancing up briefly to meet my gaze. "That way, you'll have some security."
"Good. Let's make it clear that this is a binding agreement. Since we have witnesses, our signatures will make it official the moment we put them down," I said.
Ryuhei and the others exchanged glances, a mix of anxiety and resolve in their expressions. They understood the stakes—this was their chance to avoid disaster and potentially rise in status.
Once Ryuhei finished drafting the contract, he read it aloud, ensuring everyone was clear on the terms:
Payment: We will send four million points to Takashiro Ren from Class 1-C each month.
Penalties: If we fail to deliver the points on time, we will owe Takashiro Ren from Class 1-C double the amount.
Witnesses: This contract will be witnessed by the following individuals, ensuring accountability.
Ryuhei signed first, the ink glistening on the paper as he wrote his name. I signed right after him with a flourish. Afterward, I took a picture of the contract, securing my leverage in this game.
"Now that we have this in place," I said, tucking my phone away, "let's move forward with the plan."
The group of boys shifted, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. I could see their minds racing, doubts flickering across their faces. They were scared, and rightly so; the implications of what we were about to do could change everything.
"First thing's first," I continued, my tone firm. "You need to gather those points. I want to see the transfer done by the end of the day. No delays."
"Yeah, we get that," One of the boys replied, his voice steadier now. "But how are we going to handle the girl? You really think you can talk her out of it?"
"Trust me," I said, my confidence unwavering. "I'll frame it in a way that makes her think it's in her best interest. She won't want to be the center of attention for this, and I'll make sure she understands the consequences if she doesn't cooperate."
"And if she doesn't bite?" another boy interjected, his eyes narrowing.
"Don't worry about it."
The group nodded, a mix of apprehension and determination in their expressions. I could feel the tension in the air; they knew what was at stake.
"What about the video?" Ryuhei asked, concern etching his features.
"I'll handle it, don't worry."
With the plan set, I stood up, ready to leave the lounge. The group exchanged glances, their expressions serious, but I simply turned and walked away.
Fucking dumbasses. I didn't even have to fight any of them.
I took my phone and sent Ibuki a message.
"Great Job Ibuki."
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Also happy new year to everybody