By the time I returned to the dorm to shower and change, the campus was coming to life. Students crowded the halls, their voices a dull roar.As I walked toward my classroom, I noted familiar faces. Among them were members of Class B, my class, once the lowest-ranked Class D. Soon the year would end, and with that my time in this class.As the screen displayed Ayanokoji's quiet musings, the theater erupted into murmurs, particularly among the students of Class 2-B. The revelation had sent ripples through the room, and their reactions ranged from shock to disbelief."What did he mean by that? He was planning to leave the class? Horikita-san, did you know about this?" Class B was obviously shocked; they had no idea that their classmate was planning to leave them.Horikita's normally composed expression faltered. Her face grew pale, and for a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. "No... I didn't," she admitted, her voice quieter than usual.Hirata, ever the mediator, stepped in, his tone calm and soothing. "Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions. We don't know what Kiyotaka-kun truly meant by that. Even if he was considering it, what changes now that we know? It's in the past."His words did little to quell the storm of emotions in the room, but they brought a semblance of order. The students of Class B exchanged uneasy glances, their thoughts racing as they tried to make sense of the revelation.From across the theater, students from other classes listened intently. Ryuen, sitting with Class 2-C, chuckled darkly. "So, even his own class didn't know what he was up to? Figures. The guy was always keeping secrets."Ibuki Mio crossed her arms, glaring at the screen. "Doesn't surprise me. He's the type to plan ten steps ahead without telling anyone."Shiina tilted her head thoughtfully. "If he really was planning to leave... it makes you wonder why. Did he have a reason, or was it just part of some bigger strategy?"In the third-year section, Nagumo leaned back in his seat with a smirk playing on his lips. Unlike the others in the room, the revelation of Ayanokoji's potential class change didn't surprise him in the slightest.They didn't need me anymore. Not really. With Horikita Suzune as their capable leader and figures like Hirata, Kushida, Karuizawa, and even the ever-reckless Sudo. With that lineup, they will be able to hold their own against the other classes even without my interference.Who knows, maybe with Koenji as their Wildcard, things could get even more interesting."He... he really was planning to switch classes. What was his goal? But he said that we're ready for the path ahead, even without his help. That gives me some reassurance," Horikita mumbled to herself, her voice low, but unfortunately loud enough for the entire room to hear."Why does that give you reassurance?" Shinohara interjected, her tone skeptical. "Are we so weak that we wouldn't be able to compete on our own without Ayanokoji-kun?"Shinohara continued, seemingly unaware of the rising tension in the room. "No offense to Ayanokoji, I guess he was a great guy or whatever? But you're acting like he was the reason for all our success. I don't think that's fair."Her words hung in the air like a spark in a dry forest. Slowly but surely, hostile gazes turned toward her, ranging from Ayanokoji's close friends to those who held deep admiration—or even affection—for him. Even the usually composed Ichinose and the ever-smiling Kushida fixed cold, disapproving stares on Shinohara, their public kindness giving way to visible irritation."Hey, Shinohara! How dare you—" Karuizawa began, her voice sharp with anger, but before she could finish, Horikita interrupted."No, Shinohara, you are in the wrong," Horikita said firmly. She didn't use honorifics, a deliberate departure from her usual formality.Horikita stood up, her steady gaze sweeping across the room as she addressed the class. "Everyone, I have a confession to make. Ayanokoji wouldn't appreciate me saying this if he were here, but now it needs to be said. Especially now that things about Ayanokoji start to get unraveled. It needs to be addressed."The tension in the room escalated as all eyes fell on her."Ayanokoji is the main reason our class has reached this far," she began, her voice unwavering. "He was the one who won the Deserted Island Exam in our first year—not me. He's the one who saved me multiple times. In fact, without him, most of you would have been expelled."Gasps rippled through the room, and Horikita pressed on. "He's the one who got the results back then for the mid-term, not Kushida. He saved Sudo when no one else could. And he's responsible for so many things behind the scenes—things I probably don't even know about."Her words carried a finality that left no room for doubt. "Ayanokoji was the most important member of this class, and without him, this class wouldn't exist. Including me."Horikita sat down, her confession complete, ignoring the wave of chaos her words unleashed."Hahaha! Now you know what Ayanokoji-boy has done," Koenji chimed in, his laughter cutting through the murmurs of disbelief."Oi, Koenji, you knew about this too?" Ike asked, his voice tinged with both shock and frustration."Of course," Koenji replied, not even sparing Ike a glance as he admired his own reflection in a pocket mirror. "The perfect existence is aware of everything."Ryuen's laugh echoed loudly, nearly drowning out the growing murmurs. "Hah! Suzune, you shouldn't have spilled the beans. It was hilarious watching his own class being clueless about his abilities, and now you've ruined the fun.""So... Ayanokoji-kun really was responsible for Class B's success," Ichinose thought to herself, her expression pensive. Her admiration for Ayanokoji only deepened."But... Ayanokoji-kun lost against Sakayanagi-san during the End-of-Year Exam in the first year," Shinohara said, not wanting to give in, her tone defensive as she tried to salvage her pride.Sakayanagi's soft, melodic voice cut through the noise like a blade. "Allow me to clarify something," she began, her calm yet commanding presence demanding attention.Looking directly at Shinohara, she continued, "Ayanokoji-kun did, in fact, win against me during that exam."A stunned silence followed, everyone processing the implications of her words. Even Horikita seemed taken aback.Sakayanagi wasn't finished. "However, his victory was overturned—not by me, but by the interference of Tsukishiro, the acting director at the time. He tampered with the match's outcome, granting me an undeserved victory."Her tone darkened as she added, "To confirm this, we replayed the final stages of the match under fair conditions. And as expected, Ayanokoji-kun won."Shockwaves rippled through the room. Defeating Sakayanagi in her strongest field was a feat that elevated Ayanokoji even further in the eyes of the students."Why was the acting director interfering in a student match?" Horikita Manabu asked, his cold gaze fixed on the staff section. "And why didn't the rest of you stop it?"All eyes turned toward the staff. Chabashira Sae looked uncomfortable, Hoshinomiya Chie shifted uneasily, and Mashima Tomonari remained silent, his expression tight.Chairman Sakayanagi finally broke the silence. "It was a failure on our part—a failure I deeply regret. Tsukishiro acted under orders from external forces. His goal was to eliminate Ayanokoji by any means necessary."The revelation hung heavily over the room, leaving everyone in stunned silence. Ayanokoji's impact, once a mystery to many, was now undeniably clear."Haha! That old geezer really wanted him gone, didn't he?" Kiryūin remarked, her voice carrying a mix of amusement and sharpness. Her sharp eyes flickered toward the staff section, where several teachers shifted uncomfortably. "And even after that chess stunt, he tried to get rid of him during the Uninhabited Island Exam. Guess subtlety isn't in his skill set."Her words sent ripples through the room. The mention of the Uninhabited Island Exam sparked a wave of murmurs among the students, confusion, and curiosity lighting up their faces. Whispers spread like wildfire, each person trying to piece together the puzzle."That was when I received the message that Ayanokoji would be expelled," Horikita thought, her fingers gripping her armrest tightly. "And when Ibuki and I fought Amasawa to reach I2..."Ichinose sat frozen, her mind racing. "So when I warned Ayanokoji about the impending danger, he went on to confront Tsukihiro?" she thought to herself, piecing together fragments of a memory that had haunted her ever since.Nagumo, from his seat in the third-year section, raised an eyebrow at Kiryūin's comment. "The Uninhabited Island Exam?" he repeated, his voice carrying an edge of intrigue. "Kiryūin, what exactly happened?"Kiryūin smirked, leaning back in her chair with an air of nonchalance. "Oh, it's a story worth telling," she said, her tone dripping with amusement. "Let me put it like this: I followed Kohei-kun out of curiosity. He intrigued me. But instead of just finding some ordinary drama, I stumbled onto something far more entertaining."The room fell silent as all attention turned to her. Even Ryuen, who had been chuckling to himself moments before, leaned forward slightly, clearly interested."I noticed him," Kiryūin continued, her voice growing softer but no less captivating, "engaged in a fight against the old acting director, Tsukihiro, and Shiba-sensei—yes, the very same Shiba who taught Class 1-D back then."Her words drew audible gasps from the students. The idea of a physical confrontation involving a student and two staff members was beyond anything they could have imagined."They were fighting with the intent to incapacitate him," Kiryūin added, her smirk growing. "But here's the kicker—he held his ground. Against two experienced adults, Ayanokoji didn't falter.""That's ridiculous!" Sudo shouted from the second-year section, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You're saying he fought two adults and... what? Won?"Kiryūin shrugged theatrically. "Oh, I wouldn't say it was a traditional 'win.' But let's just say the old geezer and his lackey didn't get what they wanted. And Ayanokoji walked away without a scratch."Nagumo tapped his chin thoughtfully, a smile playing on his lips. "Fascinating," he said. "The acting director and Shiba-sensei, you say? So, the administration really did want him gone. But why go to such lengths? I knew they were serious about it, especially after the bounty drama with the first years.""Wh-What bounty!?" Students who had been unaware of this revelation erupted in shock, their voices clashing in a cacophony of disbelief and curiosity.The room buzzed with rising tension, students across the classes turning to one another with wide eyes and animated whispers. Teachers and staff in the back exchanged wary glances, unsure if they should intervene.In the midst of the commotion, Kiryūin Fuka remained as composed as ever, her smirk growing as she ignored the chaos. "That's the real question, isn't it?" she said, her voice cutting through the noise like a knife. "Why would they be so desperate to remove one student? What was it about Ayanokoji that scared them so much?"Her words acted like a weight, silencing the crowd as they digested her statement.Back in the student sections, Ryuen broke the tense silence with a sharp laugh, leaning back in his seat as if he were thoroughly enjoying the drama. "What was the bounty set at again, Nagumo? Wasn't it 20 million points for his expulsion?"His casual remark only added fuel to the fire. More gasps echoed, and students turned to one another in confusion and disbelief."Twenty million points?!" Kushida exclaimed, her mask slipping. "That's... insane."Ryuen shrugged, his grin never faltering. "Insane? Sure. But worth it for someone like him. Too bad none of them could pull it off."Nagumo chuckled, crossing his arms. "That bounty was a message, loud and clear. The administration wanted Ayanokoji gone at any cost. But- like everything else, he made it through unscathed."Ichinose, seated quietly among her peers, clenched her fists as she recalled fragments of the bounty and how it had affected her during the first year. "Ayanokoji-kun... So even the administration was against you," she thought, her heart heavy with a mix of guilt and admiration.In the second-year section, Horikita's expression darkened, her mind racing with memories. "The bounty... It was so absurd, I almost dismissed it entirely. But it was real, and he never mentioned it to anyone else. He handled everything alone, as always."Karuizawa, sitting nearby, glanced toward the screen where Ayanokoji's image had once been. Her hands trembled slightly, though she quickly hid them in her lap. "He never told me about the bounty," she whispered to herself. "How much more was he carrying on his shoulders?""Twenty million..." Hirata murmured, his usually composed expression faltering. "That's beyond a personal vendetta. They wanted him erased entirely."Seated in the back of the room, Horikita Manabu exhaled quietly, his thoughts heavy as he mused, "How did this school come to this..."Further down the path, I noticed Ryuen Kakeru, the delinquent leader of Class C, who strode down the path with his usual confidence, Ishizaki and Albert flanking him like guards."It's us, Ryuen-san!" Ishizaki was crying out excitedly, trying to get the atmosphere back into pace, but quickly shut up when he saw Ryuen looking at him like he would punch him.And then there were the remaining contenders: Class A and D.Class A, led by Sakayanagi Arisu, Class A's brain and princess, and Class D, led by Ichinose Honami, a beacon of optimism whose charisma kept her class united.Would I transfer to Class A or Class D? I didn't care for the answer.The only certainty was this: the stage had been set for the year-end Special Exam, the culmination of everything these two years had built toward. The following third year will have a fierce battle between all four classes, and I intend to witness the final result.As the murmurs began to rise in the theater, Amasawa leaned forward, her expression one of intrigue. "An all-out battle between all four classes? Is that what he's planning?" she whispered to herself. "But why? What would he gain from this?"Meanwhile, Ryuen let out a low chuckle, his arms crossed as he leaned back in his seat. "An all-out battle, huh? Sounds like my kind of game. But what's your angle, Ayanokoji? Setting up something like this before you disappeared... Did you want to watch us tear each other apart?" His grin widened. "Or is this just another one of your little tests?"From the staff section, Chabashira exchanged a glance with Hoshinomiya. "This confirms it," Sae muttered under her breath. "He wasn't just planning to leave the class; he was planning to shake the entire system before he did."Hoshinomiya smirked, her tone teasing yet sharp. "And here I thought he was just another cold, calculating student. Turns out, he's got a flair for drama."Karuizawa, seated with her classmates, felt a chill run down her spine. "He didn't even tell me about this... An all-out battle? Why? Why would he do this and not say a word to me?" Her thoughts swirled, a mix of frustration and sadness threatening to overwhelm her.Kushida's sweet facade faltered for a moment as she processed the implications. "A battle between all classes... How much of this school's dynamics did he manipulate to make this happen? And why?" Her mind raced, trying to calculate her own position in this unfolding drama.Amid the growing tension, Hirata finally spoke, his voice steady but tinged with concern. "If this is what he wanted, then he must have had a reason. Ayanokoji isn't someone who acts without purpose. We need to trust that whatever he set in motion, it wasn't random."His words brought a momentary calm, but it was clear that every student in the room was now questioning the motives of the enigmatic figure who had quietly shaped so much of their lives.As the tension simmered, Koenji Rokusuke's voice rang out, breaking the heavy silence. "An all-out battle? How fitting! The perfect stage for my unparalleled brilliance to shine! Ayanokoji-kun may have orchestrated this, but the final glory will belong to me, the ultimate existence!"His self-assured proclamation drew groans and eye rolls, but it also served to lighten the atmosphere slightly, a reminder that not everything was doom and gloom.Still, the question lingered in everyone's minds: Why? What did Ayanokoji Kiyotaka truly hope to achieve by orchestrating such a grand and chaotic finale? And most importantly, how would it all end?▬▬ι═══════ﺤ