Subaru's answer was crisp and decisive, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
The smile on Nagumo's face froze for a split second before curving upward at an even more deliberate angle, though the warmth in the depths of his eyes plummeted.
"Oh? So direct? Do you not have even a little bit of curiosity? About how to make this school... more consistent with how it ought to be?"
Although Nagumo still appeared relatively friendly on the surface, he was becoming increasingly displeased internally.
There were very few people who could speak to him like this.
No matter how one looked at it, Nagumo was the number one figure in the second year and also the Vice President of the Student Council.
The first-year student before him seemed to lack the proper respect for him.
This made Nagumo feel increasingly unhappy.
Those who could not be used by him were enemies.
"This trivial 'how it ought to be' has nothing to do with me."
Subaru's tone remained as flat as if he were stating the weather, even carrying a trace of imperceptible boredom.
"If Senpai has no other advice, I have things to do."
After speaking, his gaze completely shifted away from Nagumo, as if the other party were merely an irrelevant passerby who had suddenly intruded into his field of vision.
He did not look at Horikita or the others again, walking straight toward the other direction of the corridor—toward the library.
"Hey, Natsuki-kun, won't you reconsider?"
Nagumo walked up behind Subaru—
And in that instant, Subaru stopped in his tracks and turned his head.
An incomparably icy gaze shot out from Subaru's eyes.
That gaze contained an intense killing intent that was not concealed in the slightest, as if Subaru was prepared to kill Nagumo right then and there.
Ayanokoji, standing to the side, involuntarily took a step back.
It was not the first time he had sensed this kind of aura radiating from Subaru.
Ayanokoji clearly understood that the killing intent was by no means fake.
Nagumo's movements halted; he, too, sensed this aura.
Every single cell in Nagumo's body seemed to be forcing him to stop his steps and stay away from the male student before him.
Fear is a human instinct.
And Subaru was the source of that fear.
However, that killing intent vanished in an instant.
"Apologies, Nagumo-senpai. I don't like people standing behind me."
Subaru spoke nonchalantly.
His gaze seemed locked onto Nagumo's neck.
After all...
Not long ago, Subaru had already twisted Nagumo's neck once—
In the moment just passed, he had already undergone Return by Death.
Subaru had seen Nagumo's terrified face before death.
He possessed an absolutely top-tier mind and physical constitution.
But even so, in front of Subaru, Nagumo had no room to resist whatsoever. He was pinned beneath Subaru, feeling the cartilage of his throat being crushed bit by bit.
That practiced movement was as if he had experienced the same thing countless times.
This was simply because Subaru didn't like others standing behind him.
Likewise, he also felt that Nagumo had become slightly annoying.
However, Nagumo was considered a person of status in the school; killing him would cause some troublesome issues.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Subaru had returned to this point.
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
After Subaru finished speaking these words, he left directly.
Nagumo stood in a daze for quite a while before suddenly snapping out of it.
He had been scared off by this first-year?
How was that possible?!
Such a thing absolutely could not happen!
Nagumo realized he had to regain his standing, but by this time, Subaru had already walked far away.
He pursed his lips, standing in place, watching Subaru's disappearing back while tapping his fingers lightly against the crook of his arm.
Being so thoroughly ignored was an incomparably stinging sensation for him, someone who treated controlling the situation and enjoying the attention of others as a daily routine.
But this feeling did not make him retreat; instead, it aroused an even stronger interest in him.
"What a... truly interesting fellow."
He muttered to himself, the corners of his mouth hooking up into a playful arc.
"It seems ordinary methods won't work. In that case—your Class D is very short on personal points, isn't it?"
Nagumo's face revealed a malicious smile as he turned his head to look at Horikita.
"President Horikita's younger sister."
"Nagumo-senpai, our Class D's current situation is not optimistic, but this is our own affair. I hope Nagumo-senpai will not interfere."
Horikita spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.
However, seeing Horikita's expression, a meaningful smile emerged on Nagumo's face.
"What if I said I could give you points?"
"What?"
"As long as I wish it, any amount of points is fine—for example, five million~"
"Five million?"
Hearing these words, Hirata beside her revealed an incomparably shocked expression.
Horikita, however, frowned.
"Then may I ask, Nagumo-senpai, what are your conditions?"
She knew very well that Nagumo was not that kind-hearted.
"Be my girlfriend. How about it?"
Nagumo wore a frivolous smile.
"If successful, I wonder what kind of expression would appear on President Horikita's face~"
"Apologies, I hope Nagumo-senpai will not make such low-class jokes."
Facing Nagumo's words, Horikita responded immediately, the expression on her face becoming increasingly serious.
Horikita did not have much contact with her older brother after entering the school.
But there was one thing she could be certain of.
Nagumo was Manabu Horikita's enemy.
"Hahahaha, I really intend to sponsor you five million."
The smile on Nagumo's face became more pronounced.
"However, changing the condition isn't bad either."
"What?"
"That Subaru just now. As long as your entire Class D ostracizes and isolates him, I will help you. If you can get him expelled, I can give you another five million."
Nagumo narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a fierce gaze like a jackal.
This was his objective.
If Subaru could not be used by him, then he must be eliminated.
Nagumo did not wish for an existence that hindered him to exist in the school.
"After all, I heard that Subaru has done quite a few things in your class. He makes no contribution to the class, leaks intelligence, and even spent points to expel another student—if one day, Subaru makes you drop out, what will you do?"
As Nagumo spoke, his gaze swept over the faces of the few students before him.
He wanted to capture the changes in their expressions.
"Subaru is of no help to your class, and by sacrificing just him alone, you can obtain ten million points. This isn't a small figure. Although an expulsion leads to a deduction in class points, your class already has no points anyway, so you won't suffer a loss."
"Apologies, I cannot accept such a thing."
At this moment, Horikita gave her answer without hesitation.
"Oh?"
"Perhaps Subaru's personality is eccentric, but his talent is essential for our Class D."
Although Subaru had not provided her with assistance just now, Horikita was also clear that she was the one who needed to take responsibility.
If she had listened to his words earlier, perhaps she wouldn't have experienced such an awkward situation.
Subaru was a capable person.
And if Class D wanted to climb up, they definitely needed his ability.
This was the judgment Horikita made.
Nagumo looked into her eyes, which held not a shred of wavering, and simply smiled slightly.
"That is a pity then. Since that's the case, we have no other business either~ However, in the future, your first year will have quite a lot of contact with our second year. The future will be very interesting."
After leaving these words, Nagumo left the corridor first.
"Oh my, that can be considered a gain~"
Nagumo's face carried a smile.
Just now, Horikita's attitude toward Subaru was very firm.
However.
Some people seemed not to be that firm.
Forget it, I'll deal with the matters of these Class D people later.
After all, I have plenty of time to play with them.
Might as well contact another interesting fellow first.
He took out his terminal and dialed a certain number.
"Hello~ I am Student Council Vice President Nagumo. I heard about your class's recent activities~"
"I was thinking, perhaps I could cooperate with you from the standpoint of a senior. After all, I have always thought highly of you guys~"
"Especially you, Ryuen-kun~"
*
On the other side of the corridor.
Subaru's departure and Nagumo's baffling dialogue were like thorns piercing into her already knotted heart.
But she quickly cast aside these insignificant emotions; right now, there was a more urgent reality to face.
"Ayanokoji, the probe you mentioned just now..."
She looked at Ayanokoji, her brows locked tight.
"If Ryuen's goal is not merely retaliation, then what might he do next?"
Ayanokoji fell silent for a moment, seeming to arrange his wording.
"Given his style, if a single probe doesn't achieve the expected effect, or if he doesn't get the 'reaction' he wants, he might escalate his methods. The target... might still be you, Horikita-san, or it might shift to a target he considers more critical, or one capable of provoking a reaction."
His gaze projected toward the corner of the corridor where Subaru had walked earlier.
Horikita's expression became even uglier.
If Ryuen's next target was still her, it meant she would face even more unpredictable harassment or even danger.
If the target shifted to someone else... Several names flashed quickly through her mind. Hirata? Kushida? Or... Subaru?
Thinking of Subaru, she immediately negated that possibility.
Unless Ryuen was crazy, he wouldn't actively provoke that guy.
Moreover, judging from Subaru's reaction just now, he simply didn't care whether anyone in Class D was targeted.
"We must be prepared."
Horikita forced herself to calm down, analyzing.
"First, distribute the two hundred thousand points as soon as possible. Prioritize those students whose livelihoods might be in difficulty or whose emotions are most unstable. The specific list... Hirata, you draft it. Secondly,"
She looked at Kushida and pursed her lips.
"Kikyo, you are popular in the class. Keep an eye on everyone's mood. If there are any abnormalities or if you hear any rumors regarding Class C, tell me in time."
Kushida immediately nodded, her face written with seriousness.
"I got it, Horikita-san! Don't worry, I will work hard!"
However, in Kushida's heart, there was a different voice.
Heh, making me your eyes and ears? No problem. As for what I see and hear, and how I tell you, that's my business~
Kushida would absolutely not cooperate with Horikita.
As long as she could get Horikita expelled, even if the entire Class D was buried with her, it didn't matter.
"Using spare energy to deal with us is actually a good thing. After all, we don't have anything more to lose."
She had her own pride. Even if the situation was difficult, she was unwilling to appear weak and dependent on others.
Ayanokoji spoke no further, simply watching quietly.
He understood that this persistence of Horikita's would likely be vulnerable to a single blow in the face of Ryuen's unscrupulous style.
But some lessons had to be experienced personally to be etched in one's heart.
As long as a choice was made, the process didn't matter; the result wouldn't produce any change.
Of course...
These words were equally applicable to Ryuen.
Only Ayanokoji knew that Ryuen's purpose in doing all this was to see if Subaru would enter the arena.
Presumably, with Ryuen's stubborn and extreme personality, he would definitely bite onto Subaru tightly and not let go.
However...
He might regret it.
He would regret it very much.
And Nagumo seemed to want to get involved in this dispute as well.
The situation would definitely become even more chaotic.
On the other side, Subaru had already arrived at the library.
____
New Story: ZZZ: Mr. Ethereal Does Not Want to See a Tragedy
🔥We're handing out that '30% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan