Although Kushida had interrupted their versation, Hikaru still mao talk with Suzune for another half hour.
His goal was to help her refine her arguments for the uping student cil hearing, ensuring that she could ter every single move from Css D.
As long as Suzune could successfully haheir tactics, Hikaru could keep Ryuen in check, preventing him fraining influence.
If Ryuen's trol couldend deeply within Css D, then A-Css could focus its attention on more signifit threats—Css B, led by Sakayanagi and Katsuragi.
Css d Css D, oher hand, were so far behind in Css Points that they were essentially out of tention for now. Their scores were several times lower, meaning they couldn't catch up in the short term.
Thus, Hikaru only o monitor them rather thae full attention.
Maintaining A-Css's top position required keeping track of all csses, but the level of attention could be strategically distributed—the most effit way to operate.
After finishing his discussion with Suzune, Hikaru returo the dormitory building.
Successfully l Kushida's stock value made him feel that he o carefully pn his moves for financial growth.
Acc to the [Trading Shop], items and skills refreshed monthly, meaning valuable abilities might disappear if not purchased in time.
So, he had to act quickly.
He opened his system interface.
---
[Character Info]
Name: Hashima Hikaru
Age: 15
Intelligence: 7
Charm: 8
Physical Ability: 4
Stocks Owned:
Iose Honami Stock × ???
Sakura Airi Stock × 5000
Current Funds: ???
---
"I still haven't bought the skill I wahis month..."
Hikaru's gaze fell on an item irading Shop—[Martial Arts (Master Level)], priced in funds.
Regardless of the cost, this skill was a must-have.
This school was designed as a miniature version of society, and the deliberate ck of surveiln certain areas clearly enced rule-breaking.
From a practical standpoint, both as a male student and sideri fights, Hikaru khat having bat skills would be an advantageous iment.
"Yeah… o hesitate. Let's just buy it."
After a few moments of thought, Hikaru made his decision.
[Would you like to purchase "Martial Arts(Master Level)"?]
[Purchase plete. Funds Deducted.]
---
The moment the purchase was finalized, Hikaru stood up.
Suddenly, a flood of bat knowledge rushed into his miailed sequences of punches, kicks, footwork, and ters pyed like a slow-motion movie, imprinting themselves into his memory.
"So this is how it works, huh?"
Closing his eyes, Hikaru focused on internalizing the knowledge.
He began moving around his room, adjusting his stance, practig different hand and foot teiques, gradually syng instinct with execution.
This immersive learning sted for over an hour, until—
Knock, knock!
A knock at the door.
"Tch… I was just getting into it. Who the hell is it?"
Slightly annoyed, Hikaru ended his training session and walked toward the door.
However, just before unlog it, he hesitated—because he had a strong feeling about who was oher side.
"Yup… it's gotta be her."
"Open the door."
A cold, emotionless voice came from outside.
Bingo.
Hikaru smirked internally before pulling the door open.
And there she was—Kushida Kikyo, her usual sweet demeanor pletely gone, repced by an icy, unreadable expression.
"Good afternoon, Kushida-san," Hikaru greeted casually, pying dumb like nothing was wrong.
"Let me in."
Kushida stepped ihout waiting for an invitation.
Her entire presence exuded a stormy, oppressive aura—a stark trast to her usual friendly, cheerful mask.
She wasn't just angry—she was frustrated.
Seeing this, Hikaru ughed silently to himself.
"Looks like today's little 'performance' really shook her up."
Feigning innoce, he asked, "Kushida-san, you don't look so well. Did something happen?"
"What is your retionship with Horikita?"
A sharp, direct question.
Hikaru kept his expressioral.
"Uh, why are you asking? We're just cssmates, right? What else could there be?" He tilted his head slightly, pretending to be fused.
"..."
Kushida narrowed her eyes, fixing him with an icy gre before speaking again.
"That's not the answer I want to hear."
"Why were you with her?"
"Didn't you say you would be ho with me about everything? Answer me, Hikaru."
"Rex, Kushida-san. I'll expin."
Hikaru remained calm, a soothing tone.
"The reason I met with Horikita-san was about Sudo's situation," he said.
"Since Horikita-san was chosen as Css D's representative speaker for the hearing, she wao discuss strategies to ehey hahe student cil's scrutiny properly."
His expnation artially true—blending fact with fi seamlessly.
"That's ere in the café."
"Is that so?"
Kushida didn't look vinced.
She remembered seeing Hikaru exge gnces with Suzune.
"If it was just a ce, why did he act so naturally—like they knew each other well?"
"Of course," Hikaru replied smoothly.
"After selling your css the hidden school rules, maybe Horikita-san saw me as someoh useful insights. She probably thought my input might be valuable."
Then, he added, "Kushida-san, you don't want Sudo to get expelled, right?"
"...No, of course not."
Kushida nodded slightly, but kept analyzing his expression, looking for any sign of deception.
After a long pause, she finally said:
"Fine. I'll believe you—for now."
She didn't fully trust his expnation, but she had no way to disprove it either.
Hikaru khis well.
He wasn't worried about her cross-cheg with Suzuher—if Kushida could directly front Suzune, she wouldn't have needed Hikaru's help in the first pce.
"What exactly did you two talk about?" she pressed.
"Just strategies for the hearing. Horikita-san shared her approach, and I helped refine some points for her."
Hikaru casually reted the discussion, leaving out anything unnecessary.
Suzune had already realized the importance of surveilnce cameras as potential evidence—a key breakthrough.
Of course, none of this was something Kushida o know.
"Is that so?" Kushida smiled sweetly, her mask slipping bato pce.
"Then, I suppose I should thank you on behalf of Sudo-kun."
"It wasn't a big deal."
"But I have to say… Hikaru-kun, you're pretty amazing," she added, her tone subtly probing.
"You even got Horikita-san to seek you out for advice."
"It was just ce." Hikaru deflected smoothly.
Then, he decided to end the versation before she could press further.
"So, was that all you wao ask, Kushida-san?"
After a brief silence, she shook her head.
"I suppose that's all… for now."
Satisfied (or at least pretending to be), Kushida left the room.
Hikaru watched her go, his mind already plotting.
"I o keep pushiock price down to 10 points."
His goal was to drive Kushida's stock price back down to its initial value of 10 points. Sioday's events had successfully set the stage, he couldn't afford to stop now.
Meeting with Suzune and further increasing their iions had to tinue, and the excuses for doing so would o be tailored to each situation.
As long as he maintained a polite and posed front, Kushida wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
With so mas of her own, she wouldn't dare tear off the mask pletely.
This pyed perfectly into Hikaru's unlimited cash bank experiment—Kushida was the ideal target feing funds.
~~~
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