In the Class 1-D classroom,
the waves of despair and anger had yet to subside,
the chilling "zero" branded into every student's heart.
However, in the Class 1-A classroom, the atmosphere was completely different.
The homeroom teacher, Mashima Tomoya, stood on the podium. This usually calm and serious middle-aged teacher now wore an unconcealed look of excitement.
He had just turned around and clearly written a few large characters and a column of numbers on the blackboard:
"As of May 1st"
"class points Ranking"
"Class 1-A: 1000 points"
"Class 1-C: 910 points"
"Class 1-B: 820 points"
"Class 1-D: 0 points"
After writing, Mashima turned around, his finger firmly pointing at the striking "1000" representing Class 1-A.
His burning gaze swept over every student below the podium,
his voice slightly raised due to excitement:
"Students, you have created history, unprecedented history."
His tone was filled with pride and undisguised admiration,
"Since the establishment of Koudo Ikusei High School, no class has ever achieved a one hundred percent evaluation in the first month's final assessment. Not a single point deducted, a perfect score — this is a miraculous achievement!"
Most of the students below the podium wore reserved yet confident smiles, their eyes revealing joy and a sense of deserved satisfaction.
Despite their excitement, they did not cheer like ordinary high school students, but maintained appropriate restraint and composure.
Having discerned the key rules on the second day of school,
the entire class operated cautiously like a precise instrument,
avoiding all point-deducting behaviors. For them, a perfect score was an expected and inevitable outcome after their efforts.
Katsuragi Kohei's burly physique straightened slightly, a steady smile on his lips.
Totsuka Yahiko's eyes also flashed with a hint of subtle self-satisfaction.
Kamuro Masumi's purple eyes gleamed slightly, and she subconsciously looked in a certain direction.
The only person in the entire class with no apparent emotional fluctuations was him.
Sakamoto remained seated by the window, his posture as straight as a pine tree.
Upon hearing Mashima's announcement and his excited words, he merely raised his eyes slightly, his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses calm and unmoving,
sweeping over the ranking data on the blackboard, then immediately returning to his usual focused demeanor,
as if the earth-shattering perfect score and praise were merely a wisp of breeze passing by his ears.
Mashima Tomoya's gaze, full of admiration, roamed across the students.
Finally, his sharp gaze precisely landed on Sakayanagi Arisu in the back row of the classroom.
The silver-haired, short-haired girl sat gracefully, a perfectly appropriate faint smile on her face, blending in with the class's atmosphere.
From Mashima's understanding, it was Sakayanagi Arisu who, in the early days of school, had proactively approached him and Class 1-C's homeroom teacher, Sakasue Kazuma, to propose and lead the information exchange regarding "class points."
This keen initiative and bold decision-making were undoubtedly one of the important factors that helped Class 1-A achieve a perfect score.
Thinking of this, Mashima couldn't help but speak, praising loudly:
"It is especially worth mentioning our classmate, Sakayanagi Arisu. In the beginning of the school year, she keenly perceived the importance of obtaining rule information, proactively sought confirmation from me and other teachers, laying a crucial foundation for our class's informational advantage! Her foresight and decisive action are worthy of everyone's learning."
Sakayanagi Arisu, who had been called out, paused slightly.
Her faint smile remained unchanged, but many thoughts flashed through her mind instantly.
Under everyone's gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu slowly stood up, her posture elegant and composed.
She did not accept the teacher's praise, but instead bowed slightly,
her voice clear and pleasant, resonating distinctly in the quiet classroom:
"Mashima-sensei is too kind. The collection of information and the understanding of rules are never miracles accomplished by one person."
Her gaze swept across all her classmates, her tone sincere and earnest:
"This perfect score is the fruit of the collective effort of all of us in Class 1-A. It is because everyone strictly adhered to discipline, spoke and acted cautiously, and worked together to uphold the class's honor and rules throughout this month, that this result was created. I merely did a small part of what needed to be done."
Her statement, attributing the credit to the collective,
immediately earned even warmer glances and approving nods from her classmates.
Everyone knew where the information originally came from, but Sakayanagi's humility and broader perspective undoubtedly fit the image of an elite leader.
Mashima Tomoya nodded, readily accepting:
"Sakayanagi-san is absolutely right! I was being inconsiderate. This glory belongs to every single person in Class 1-A! It is everyone's collective effort that created a miraculous start! I hope everyone can continue to maintain this momentum, avoid complacency, and continue to advance and achieve greater glory in your future studies and lives."
Applause erupted in the classroom,
not overly enthusiastic, but filled with confidence and affirmation.
Sakayanagi Arisu sat down,
the corner of her eye subtly sweeping over that consistently calm back Sakamoto.
Sakayanagi Arisu was not surprised that Sakamoto did not stand up and claim credit for being the "source of information."
He was just that kind of person, seemingly indifferent to such empty titles.
He was like a fathomless mountain, attracting everyone, yet not having his vision obscured by these fleeting clouds.
This attitude of "accomplishing a deed and then leaving, deeply concealing his achievements and fame,"
only further highlighted his transcendence.
Sakayanagi withdrew her gaze, the decision in her heart becoming clearer.
That so-called "cooperation" with Ryuuen had quietly cooled, leaving only a very faint connection that could be severed at any time.
That temporary alliance, built on utilization and deception,
had lost all its value.
Her initial plan
to attack Sakamoto through external division and internal pressure, to contend for leadership of Class 1-A—
had completely changed after that thrilling tracking, rescue, and text message confrontation.
Now, her mindset was much more peaceful.
She realized that
the true challenge might not lie in internal strife.
Sakamoto had no intention of vying for power;
his gaze, perhaps, had already transcended Class 1-A, directed towards a broader world and more unknown opponents.
Her opponent should not be merely Sakamoto.
Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
To go further in this highly competitive school, and even to achieve something on a larger stage in the future,
understanding Sakamoto, comprehending his way of thinking, might be more important than simply trying to "defeat" him.
Approaching him, observing him, learning by his side—
this seemed to be the only way to truly potentially reach the core of his thought,
and even to make him "submit."
However, during this constant interaction, in this first month, calm as water yet with undercurrents, Sakayanagi Arisu found herself in unprecedented confusion.
The more she was around Sakamoto, the more she discovered his charm was like a huge, deep, and irresistible gravitational field.
His constant elegance and composure, his profound calmness when faced with doubts and surprises, his ability and demeanor that always showed up at critical moments, and even his purity of only focusing on the goal itself… all these, like water dripping through stone, imperceptibly challenged her past proud perceptions and convictions.
"Subdue"... Sakamoto.
This strong goal that once occupied her mind, now, as she quietly savored it, seemed to be veiled in an ambiguous mist.
She alarmingly realized that, unknowingly, the thought entrenched in her heart had quietly transformed into—perhaps, she was about to be "subdued" by him.