Classroom Of The Elite 2nd Year - Full Volume
Chapter 2: A series of thoughts
Breakfasted.
I made sure to avoid the buffet that was popular among the disciples and return to the deck of the ship. On the deck there is a cafe called "Blue Ocean" where there are almost no students. I chose to sit there at an empty table in the shade and call the waiter over. The time is 07:55. One minute before the meeting time determined by the person I was waiting for appeared before me with a blank expression.
"You're coming early".
It was my classmate from Class D Horikita Suzune. She sat next to me and was one of the few people I could call a friend at this school. He also became a very troublesome being who knew very little about my true abilities. He sat in the chair in front of me.
"I've waited an hour" I complained to him. Of course I was just trying to tease him a little.
"I don't care as long as I arrive at the appointed time, even if you wait 10 hours before for me, I don't care." Alright. I don't think I can tease her like this, it's just gonna hurt me.
"... You don't want to order anything?" I asked.
"No, no need, let's continue our conversation that was yesterday". Horikita, who did not like casual talk, wanted to jump into business and seemed to want to tell me the situation from yesterday. The only thing he said before was the location of this meeting.
"So, what students are called by the school to form a group?" I asked him
"Yes, just like you said, 12 groups with 4 possible results and ‘target’ were announced to us today via message at 08:00 am. If there's a small difference, I think you can record it as well as the teacher's difference"
"Who are your members and how many?" I knew a few disciples yesterday but I didn't have to bother telling him
"It's amazing actually, almost as if it was a coincidence and not just a coincidence" After telling me, Horikita gave me a piece of paper. It seemed like he memorized the names of his group members and wrote them down on a separate piece of paper to show me. The name of the group is (Dragon) and below are the names of the members of the group.
Class A: Katsuragi Kohei, Nishikawa Ryouko, Shita Shinji, Koharu Yano
Class B: Ando Sayo, Kanzaki Ryuuji, Tsukabe Hitomi
Class C: Oda Takumi, Suzuki Hidetoshi, Sonoda Masashi, Ryuuen Kakeru
Class D: Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, Horikita Suzune
First, it seemed like Hirata and Kushida were the ones chosen from Class D for this group. Two honorary students represent our class. Apart from the usually aloof Horikita, putting the two together in the same group would most likely form the strongest combination that Class D currently offered.
I expected others to be in their group like with mine but it didn't seem like it. Kouenji has incredible strength but even if he was added to the group, I doubt he would be useful. To be honest I'm not sure which group she belongs to or if she even cares enough to attend the meeting.
"I see.. I thought this combination was inevitable" Even if I sorted the name I know today, it would be written Katsuragi from Class A, she said, Kanzaki from Class B and Ryuuen from Class C. These are big names that represent their class. It's almost like a dream group in football.
"But there's also something unnatural here" If the intention was to gather big names in one group, then, I find it unnatural that Ichinose is in our group (Rabbit) and not in the group (Dragon).
"You're worried about Ichinose-san in your group, aren't you? right now, only his own class knew how great he really was. Not always that face is the leader"
"What do you mean?" I feel Horikita is right. We still don't know what Ichinose is capable of. His academic ability may also be very low.
"From here I can understand how they divided us into 12 groups. Ayanokouji-kun and Karuizawa-san are very similar right? In terms of value, maybe they are grouping us in our current points. The error in this theory is that Yukimura-kun is also at the top level and the same is true for Kouenji-kun ... " Horikita was silent. It seems Horikita tried to come up with a hypothesis for the grouping by discussing the results of our midterm and final exams to find a reason for the division specifically for students.
"But you're right, Sotomura and I have the same values and you and Hirata"
On the other hand, if we were grouped purely based on our grades Kouenji should be at the very top. Naturally, I have no doubts on the value brought into consideration, although there should be some unknown factors at play in the grouping as well. If possible, I would like to see a list of other groups to make sure this is for myself.
"After all, this is a problem, to lead this group effectively and complete the test"
Of course it is inevitable when all these people with great abilities come together in one group and then there is the fact that Horikita's match with Ryuuen is like fire and water. Horikita probably wouldn't accept it even if I told her this, so I chose to be quiet. However, on the contrary, I believe Horikita will be able to work efficiently with a direct type of person like Katsuragi. Their way of thinking, to a smarter person is needed, means a high fit.
"It's time, I wonder if the message will actually come"
As soon as the clock strikes 8:00 am our two phones vibrate together even without any distance from them. Soon we both confirmed the arrival of the message. As soon as I finished reading the contents of my post, Horikita pushed her phone and the messages displayed on it towards me and I did the same to check the details of the message while comparing it to others. It says as follows:
After a time of consideration, you haven't been chosen as a "target". Please act together and challenge the exam in that way. The exam itself starts from 13:00 today onwards. The test will last for three days from this moment onwards. If you belong to the group (Dragon) please come to the marked room on the second floor immediately. The message that was sent to me and Horikita was 'almost the same'. Except for the difference in group names, the other words in the message all lined up perfectly.
"I think if we were selected as ‘target’ the message would be a little different in notifying us of this fact"
"It looks like none of us were chosen as ‘target’ for our group. I don't know if I'd be very happy with this or sad".
"If you were ‘target’, depending on your personal choices, you would be able to lead your group to one of four possible outcomes" I said. In other words, being a "target" student in this exam gives that student an incredible advantage. If you can follow the poker face very well, you will easily earn at least 500,000 personal points.
"I still don't like it. It seems like they said that I did not qualify as ‘target’ “ Even after being placed in the ranks of a dream group like her group, Horikita still considered herself the best. I think that's what's expected of him.
"In this exam, there is a big difference between students who are selected as ‘target’ and those who are not selected. Because all the other students have to jointly fight to uncover the identity of ‘target’ and there is always the possibility that points between classes can be closed after the exam" Horikita said.
"I don't know how a disciple whose name I don't know will act, I have to interact directly with them for that. But I've been thinking of ways to get rid of it if necessary" but it's definitely not a strategy that can be done on the spot. It needs to be set up first and the timing has to be perfect. But this is possible.
"I'll look forward to your results"
"Me too, I can't wait to see which way you'll lead your group" I replied well. Still, I can't let go of the restless feeling I'm feeling. The selection of "target" was not random, Mashima-sensei's words yesterday only strengthened my resolve for it. There is a certain difference between the one to be chosen and the one not to be chosen.
"Anyway, I'm going to ask you this now, but who are we most suspicious of right now? Judging from the flow most of the other classes should have gotten the same information that we have" Horikita had been acting strange since receiving this information, but given who the members of the group were, how else.
"Ryuuen" I admit it.
"The quick answer"
"Because no one suspects him" I replied.
"What about Katsuragi-kun? Just because he, Class A could secure the most desirable place on the island, it was also something famous. Didn't you say we should suspect him?" Horikita asked.
"Of course it was a very good achievement for a 1st grade student. So if you ask me who is the best student in the group, I will say Katsuragi. On the other hand, the most suspicious must be Ryuuen"
During the exam on this island, beyond the shadows, Class D won. However, Ryuuen had also managed to secure a slight victory in the sense of being stopped. But Ryuuen, due to that fact, made herself easily read by me. But thinking otherwise, it also meant Ryuuen was now probably wary of Class D as well. Anyway, I want to avoid revealing myself. She had no idea that thanks to me, Horikita had managed to achieve all the success on the island.
"While the identity of ‘target’ is something to worry about after reading the current message, I was thinking of something. Isn't there something strange about the message sent to us from school? And tight ..." Before Horikita could finish the sentence, I quickly silenced her by putting my index finger in front of my lips and gesturing to her. Speaking of demons, a shadow appeared before us.
"Good weather, isn't it, Suzune? What do you have for breakfast?" Two people approached us with a grin. It was Ryuuen from Class C and there was also someone else with her.
"Don't mention my first name casually, Ryuuen-kun and you are so amazing to dare to show your face before us again after what you did, Ibuki-san" Horikita fired a shot at the two, Ryuuen and the Girl beside him, Ibuki Mio who also happens to be in the group of rabbits. Ibuki seemed to be a little provoked by this, but only tightened her lower lip without saying anything. Ryuuen, on the other hand, grinned as if she was enjoying the whole situation.
In an uninhabited island test, Ibuki infiltrated our class as a spy. Eventually, Horikita found him and they had a fight in which Horikita was dealt a direct blow. Horikita insisted that she lost just because she was sick during the exam, even though I didn't care who was stronger. Moreover, Ryuuen had ordered Ibuki to remain silent while glancing at us with a condescending look.
"I'm sure the message has arrived, so how? Did you become ‘target’?"
"There's no way I'll tell you, or maybe you'll tell us"
"If that's what you want," Ryuuen said as she sat on an empty chair nearby.
"But before that please tell me, how did you manage to achieve the results of the exam on the island?"
“i have nothing to tell you" Horikita replied sharply. Horikita was completely calm in her response, I couldn't even detect the vibrations in her voice. Indeed, he had outstanding acting skills. But Ryuuen did not seem to be provoked by his answer at all.
"I don't care either, but according to his report, you didn't do much during the exam on the island to allow your class to achieve that result" Ryuuen said as he pointed to Ibuki.
"I'm not such a fool that someone like him can guess me. I only kept my strength back then thanks to my fever" In response to that provocation, Ibuki immediately stood up and said
"Then, we'll have a rematch here and now, let's fight" he told Horikita. Horikita did not respond to the challenge and simply said,
"I have to refuse, unfortunately, because violence would be a violation of school regulations against this exam. If you deliberately use violence on me, however, I will report this matter to the school. Please do as you wish "Ibuki angrily stepped towards Horikita after that, but stopped in shame to actually handle it.
By using violence here, it will result in punishment being given to you by the school and most importantly, Ibuki, as Ryuuen's subordinate, is not entitled to his personal wishes here. Ibuki's hatred for Ryuuen. That was the reason he was chosen by Ryuuen to be sent to Class D as a spy in the previous exam.
"Since we're all here, let's have a cup of coffee. It seems like a good time to drink" Horikita
surprised himself and ordered to the waiter for his morning coffee. I also ordered coffee
same. However, Ryuuen did not seem to show any signs of leaving and seemed to want to continue chatting while quietly observing Horikita. And then he finally said
"From her appearance yesterday, Katsuragi was being very careful towards you"
"It's no surprise, after all, he would never have expected someone from Class D like me to be able to perform all such feats. Isn't it the same for you and Ibuki who are here now? You're all on my guard, aren't you?"
"I, I won't even deny it, I am indeed here to confirm your ability for myself" Ryuuen said as Horikita drank her coffee.
Seriate........