"Oh, I recall our respectable Senior Chen Yao was assisting Class D. Why are you suddenly acting with Class A?"
Ryuuen Kakeru frowned and asked sarcastically.
"You don't need to worry about that. I specifically borrowed someone from Class D. Putting that aside, this area originally belongs to the common student usage zone. It seems highly unreasonable for Class C to forcibly occupy it."
Sakayanagi Arisu displayed a somewhat chilling smile and asked.
Ryuuen Kakeru glared fiercely and said, "Cut the crap. Don't pretend to be righteous in front of me. Wasn't your Class A also planning to forcibly occupy it? We only took advantage because your two lapdogs lost the fight. What's wrong? We made an agreement before the fight. Is Class A planning to go back on its word?"
"No, we aren't. But since this agreement exists, how about we go another round? Class A just used its class duel attempt today, and resources gained through private fights cannot be seized using class duel rules. So, Class A can mobilize force to take it back anytime, anywhere, which also adheres to the agreement, right?"
Sakayanagi Arisu continued to ask gloomily.
"...Heh heh... Hmph hmph hmph... Hahahaha!!"
Ryuuen Kakeru realized Sakayanagi Arisu's intention. After a moment of silence, he immediately showed a fierce smile. He tossed his hair, and his face became extremely enraged again, saying, "You understand me well, Sakayanagi. No problem, if you want a fight, let's have another one! Especially you, Chen Yao—! I'm going to completely crush you right here!"
It seemed the double devastating defeat in both the game and the fight at the arcade last time had left Ryuuen Kakeru harboring resentment. He waved his hand, and the other students stepped back. Only he, the Black student, two other boys, and the short-haired girl remained to participate.
"Then we..."
Hashimoto and the others were also preparing to step forward, but Chen Yao saw that only five people were coming out from the opposing side. He stopped them with his hand and said directly, "You guys don't need to go. I can handle it alone."
Sakayanagi Arisu, Ryuuen Kakeru, and the others were stunned. Chen Yao wasn't planning to fight together with his group. His expression was serious as he walked forward.
"Are you sure you can handle it alone?"
Sakayanagi Arisu asked doubtfully.
"Yes. After all, they must have some injuries. Dealing with five people alone is not a problem for me. Just trust me."
In the woods, Chen Yao stood alone in front of Class A, facing Ryuuen Kakeru and the five others. This decision surprised many, who thought Chen Yao was just showing off or being unnecessarily dramatic.
However, he wasn't very good at cooperative combat; aside from brief periods with companions, he usually fought alone.
"Heh heh... You still have that repulsive look on your face, Chen Yao—!"
Ryuuen Kakeru's face darkened further. He clenched his fists and mocked him.
"Ryuuen Classmate, one of the reasons I agreed to fight this time is because you rely too much on violence. Today, I will use the method you desire to shatter your pathological mindset."
He wasn't sure if the conversations at Koudo Ikusei High School were inherently chuunibyou, or if ordinary Japanese people just liked speaking in such melodramatic ways. Chen Yao blurted out lines almost straight from a video game script, realizing they were all out only after he had finished speaking.
However, no one present found Chen Yao's words strange. In his rage, Ryuuen Kakeru told the others to stand down; he wanted to take on Chen Yao alone.
"You damn bastard!"
Ryuuen Kakeru immediately charged forward, throwing a punch toward Chen Yao's face.
But before his fist could even touch Chen Yao, a sudden, strange force struck him directly in the face, sending Ryuuen Kakeru flying into the air.
Chen Yao had thrown a punch this time. Out of courtesy, he gave Ryuuen Kakeru a straight punch.
Ryuuen Kakeru fell to the ground. Just as the Class C students rushed over in astonishment to help him up, he laboriously climbed to his feet himself, his cheek swollen and red.
Meanwhile, Chen Yao remained standing in his original spot, like a stone statue.
"Damn it, how did you do that!"
Ryuuen Kakeru charged again. After being humiliated by Chen Yao last month, he had diligently trained his fighting skills, but the result was even worse than before. He realized Chen Yao hadn't used his full strength. How could he accept that this person's martial prowess was also superior to his own!
Ryuuen Kakeru leaped into the air, delivering a fierce side kick. Chen Yao immediately dodged. When Ryuuen Kakeru fought seriously, he could hold his own against two fighters from Class A, but now his every move was seen through. He immediately tried an elbow strike, but Chen Yao grabbed his arm, reversed the move, and delivered a knee strike to his abdomen, causing him to double over and vomit from the pain!
Seeing Ryuuen Kakeru collapse, the other four Class C students disregarded everything else and rushed forward to surround and attack Chen Yao. But in the chaotic fight, Albert, the two-meter-tall Black Classmate, had his heel kicked. Before he could fall, Chen Yao punched Albert in the abdomen, sending the over 100-kilogram Black man flying several meters. The remaining two boys also fell unconscious after taking a single punch, leaving only Ibuki Mio, the participating girl.
Although it was evident that Chen Yao was restraining himself, the force behind his attacks still felt incredibly fierce. The Class A students watching felt a chill; the way this honor student from Sobu High School fought completely contradicted his gentle, scholarly appearance.
"Classmate, you should forfeit. You can't beat me either."
Chen Yao looked at the girl, Ibuki Mio. So this school really was unique—even the girls fought. He said.
"Hmph, don't get cocky. How can I retreat when the class's interests are at stake!"
Ibuki Mio frowned deeply and rushed forward, delivering a kick aimed at Chen Yao's chin. However, Chen Yao caught the incredibly fast kick. He grabbed her with both hands and immediately dragged and spun her like a kettlebell, managing to spin her rapidly ten or so times, leaving the girl dizzy, collapsed on the ground, and on the verge of vomiting.
Everyone looked at the black-haired boy. From baseball to cooking, from light to darkness, he truly seemed to be an enigma... Chapter 54: Sakayanagi Arisu's Waltz
The moon was so gentle, and the moonlight streamed down like flowing water, plating the earth with a layer of silver frost. How many people would stop to admire such pristine moonlight? How many imaginations would it spark? How many melancholic feelings would it evoke?
After the fight with Class C ended, Class A regained possession of the river resources. During that day's competition, Class C still managed to secure first place once, thanks to the River King they caught and turned into a sumptuous meal. Class A got second, and Class D took third again. Only Class B, which had placed first previously, only managed fourth place on the second day due to a lack of premium ingredients, losing a full sixty points.
At ten o'clock at night, the Class A camp had completely quieted down. Occasionally, there were sounds of insects chirping. Since there was no internet or mobile phones, the students all went to bed early.
Chen Yao sat cross-legged in his small tent, lighting his lantern and still reading a Cthulhu suspense novel.
The novel read: [The night was deep. Investigator Polk feared the late hours, for danger lurked in the silent night. He felt his mind becoming increasingly sharp yet exhausted. When he woke up from the nightmare with a splitting headache, that twisted, unsettling voice was still whispering in his ear. And when Polk opened his eyes, he saw a terrifying creature had appeared in the room. Its body was extremely hunched and curved in an indescribable posture. A dreadful head grew on its long body. This repulsive thing had many tentacles, and the single eye on its head emitted an eerie light, watching him from the corner.]
"I have to say, this novel is really good, but Cthulhu Investigator stories are always a bit drawn out. Editor Isur recommended it to me as material for a manga. If I accidentally add Cthulhu elements to a children's manga, won't the Japan Parents' Association sue me?"
The source material for writers and manga artists is extremely valuable—it is their spiritual sustenance. Prolonged creative work severely depletes their material reserves, so they need to read a certain amount of books every night to ensure their inspiration does not run dry.
Chen Yao closed the novel, preparing to sleep.
The night on the isolated island was very quiet; only the sound of the sea could be heard. However, just as Chen Yao was drifting off, he heard very faint footsteps outside.
The footsteps were very faint, the kind of sound only a lightweight girl could make. The sound seemed to be heading toward the sea. Feeling curious, he got up, put his jacket back on, and opened the tent to check the situation.
Following the direction, beneath the bright moon, he saw the waves continuously hitting the silent beach. Standing on the sand was a petite girl. She wasn't wearing a hat, letting the sea breeze tousle her purple hair. She simply tilted her head back, gazing at the moon, as if only she, the moon, and the sea existed in the world.
Sakayanagi Arisu's delicate face seemed a little downcast. Her body was too frail and thin. Illuminated by the moonlight, she looked like Alice from a fairy tale, melancholic about being unable to return to her original world... "Who is secretly following me? Let me guess... Is it someone who advocates liberalism but also worries a bit too much about others, right?"
Sakayanagi Arisu turned her head on the beach, saw Chen Yao, and asked with a smile.
"What are you doing running out in the middle of the night? It's a bit dangerous on the beach at this hour."
Chen Yao looked at her and asked curiously.
"Hehe~~ You really do care about me. You must like me quite a bit, am I right, Mr. Chen Yao?"
Under the moonlight, Sakayanagi Arisu turned around and asked a somewhat embarrassing question.
"...For the time being, you are right. Aside from some of your wicked tastes, although I don't understand where you learned your social theory—making people dislike you but remember you, and then gradually getting familiar—it can indeed rapidly improve relationships in a short time."
Chen Yao had to admit one thing: Sakayanagi Arisu's methods were effective.
Sakayanagi Arisu smiled and said, "But this method can only be used by people who are good-looking. Those who aren't will just be perpetually disliked."
That much was true, and Chen Yao admitted it, but the meticulous genius girl's self-praise still made him slightly annoyed.
"Senior Chen Yao, do you think I'm good-looking?"
Suddenly, Sakayanagi Arisu, standing on the beach, smiled faintly and asked.
Chen Yao was stunned. He didn't know why, but in this quiet, deserted night, with only the moonlight and the beautiful sea waves as companions, the girl's question carried a hazy, beautiful feeling, like a pleasant dream one didn't want to wake from.
"...Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Chen Yao did not answer her directly, but asked a question in return.
"When a girl asks a question first, you have to answer mine before I tell you."
Sakayanagi Arisu's expression was composed as she stood on the beach, waiting.
"...Uh, well... Yes, you are very good-looking..."
Chen Yao felt extremely complicated. He had gone through many things, but he had never experienced answering this particular question from a girl, so he bit the bullet and gave his reply.
"...Thank you."
Sakayanagi Arisu was silent for a moment, looked at Chen Yao, and thanked him politely.
She suddenly extended her small hand, like an invitation in a dream, her eyes filled with tenderness, and asked on the flat sand of the beach, "Mr. Chen Yao, could you dance a Waltz with me?"
Chen Yao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. The girl's posture was so delicate and lovely, yet the expression on her outstretched hand was confident and tender. Chen Yao felt as if he must be dreaming to be invited to dance by Sakayanagi Arisu.
"I feel like something is on your mind, but I regret to tell you that I don't know how to dance."
Chen Yao replied helplessly.
"It doesn't matter. I can teach Senior Chen Yao. We don't need music, we don't need a stage. Even if the moonlight serves as the lighting and the sea waves act as the accompaniment, that is enough."
Sakayanagi Arisu supported herself with her cane in one hand, maintaining her posture, and replied with a beaming smile.
She seemed genuinely happy, so much so that she suddenly invited Chen Yao to dance, but this clumsy knight didn't know how. Yet, he had been so full of life when fighting for her during the day.
Seeing that Sakayanagi Arisu seemed quite enthusiastic, Chen Yao felt it would be rude to refuse. After some thought, he took her hand, finding Sakayanagi's hand unexpectedly small.
On the somewhat dimly lit beach, Sakayanagi Arisu briefly explained some of the Waltz movements. Chen Yao tried them and found they seemed quite simple.
The only tricky part was that one hand had to be around Sakayanagi Arisu's waist, the other had to firmly hold her hand, and he had to look into her eyes to dance naturally—that made him feel a bit embarrassed.
"Thank you so much today, Mr. Chen Yao. Although the request to use force might have made you uncomfortable, it truly helped a lot..."
Most of Sakayanagi Arisu's weight was supported by Chen Yao, and under the dim moonlight, she looked at him without any psychological pressure.
"You're welcome. After all, I promised you."
Chen Yao was still a little confused. Although he had helped her, why was she so happy? Ryuuen Kakeru wasn't *that* difficult to deal with, was he?...
"When I was very young, I was arranged to learn all kinds of knowledge: socializing, mathematics, science, liberal arts, chess, piano... Although my father cherished me, he also knew that in this world, without enough knowledge and strength, one would struggle."
Sakayanagi Arisu, talking while dancing, began to discuss her own past.
Chen Yao was slightly stunned again. Previously, this Young Miss had asked him to talk about his past, but he hadn't, and now she was proactively talking about hers.
"Mr. Chen Yao, you are different from me, and different from Ayanokoji-kun. Being with you is like having a flame lighting up the world; it feels incredibly warm and comforting. However, I feel that no matter how warm that light is, my heart remains ice cold, and my essence is inferior..."
As Sakayanagi Arisu spoke, her evaluation of herself became somewhat negative. Although she had always been confident, compared to Chen Yao, she seemed like someone soaked in a black bathtub, unable to ever be clean.
"...You don't need to describe yourself as so detestable, do you? You are kind-hearted in essence. You live in high society, which is different from the environment of a commoner like me. So, being calculating and good at scheming isn't strange. As long as you are yourself, feel happy with your life, and haven't harmed the innocent, that is more than enough."
Chen Yao said to Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi Arisu listened, feeling that although Chen Yao was intelligent and upright, they truly belonged to different worlds. If she could continue to be friends with him, even if it was a pretense, that would be enough.
When the dance ended, Sakayanagi Arisu smiled and said, "You danced reasonably well. Alright, Senior Chen Yao, thank you for keeping me company late tonight. I'm happy that you care about me. Please take good care of yourself after the Deserted Island Exam."
After speaking, she nodded slightly to Chen Yao, turned around, and walked toward the base camp. Japanese girls tend to avoid suspicion, and it is a social custom in Japan for her to return first. Chen Yao watched her leave before falling into thought.
Koudo Ikusei High School was indeed somewhat peculiar in some respects. Their educational philosophy centered on power politics and competition, using knowledge and force as weapons for attack. While this didn't seem inherently wrong, involving most of the kind-hearted students who didn't want to be embroiled in conflict, and encouraging fighting, or even war, felt somewhat inappropriate...~·~·~·~·~·~·~.~·``~`
In Gunma Prefecture, Takahashi Ryosuke opened the belated email and began reading the things Horikita Manabu wanted to inform him about.
"...What is this?"
Takahashi Ryosuke's expression gradually became serious as he continued reading and discovered something amiss.
"Big Brother, why aren't you asleep yet? Are you looking at some documents again?"
Takahashi Keisuke knocked on the door before entering and saw Takahashi Ryosuke reading complicated email information, so he asked.
"Keisuke, what kind of school do you think Koudo Ikusei High School is?"
Takahashi Ryosuke turned his chair and asked.
Takahashi Keisuke snorted and said, "Just a lousy school. I heard their teaching policy encourages conflict, makes students compete against each other, and eliminates poor performers. But graduates can achieve 100% ideal employment. Still, I wouldn't go to that school even if they paid me; it sounds like prison."
When Takahashi Ryosuke heard this, he couldn't help but laugh, saying, "That's certainly your style. You're right, I chose to refuse enrollment precisely because I disliked those things."
"Big Brother, why are you suddenly asking about Koudo Ikusei High School?"
Takahashi Keisuke asked, somewhat confused.
"...Certain things are happening. It's better if you don't know about this. I hope my premonition is wrong..."
Takahashi Ryosuke looked at the dark night outside the window and spoke thoughtfully.
He finally understood why Horikita Manabu had repeatedly invited Chen Yao and the Service Club members to come over. Although the method seemed a bit pale and powerless, it seemed... to ignite a small spark of hope...~·~··~··~·.~·~·~
Late at night, a document was placed on someone's desk.
"Is this the Exchange Student who has recently been consistently recommended by the Student Council and whose grades and performance in all areas are excellent?"
A middle-aged man in a suit read the email and asked into the phone with a cold tone.