Looking at the cssroom exterior, which seemed no different from an ordinary one, Shibata curiously asked,

  "So this is the activity room you applied for, Uesugi?"

  "That's right!"

  Uesugi Gen crossed his arms and decred with a serious expression,

  "I practically begged the director with tears in my eyes for this. From now on, this cssroom will be our base of operations."

  "And stly—"

  As if suddenly remembering something, Uesugi Gen added bitterly,

  "Don't tell Ichinose about this."

  He had gone through so much trouble to secure this secret little base. If Ichinose found out after just a few days, how would he even survive?

  After saying that, Uesugi Gen casually twisted the doorknob and opened the cssroom door. The full view of the room was revealed to everyone.

  The spacious cssroom, capable of accommodating forty people with room to spare, had its curtains tightly drawn, letting in no sunlight.

  In one corner sat a luxurious L-shaped sofa, paired with an obviously expensive coffee table. On the opposite wall, a massive screen dominated the space, suitable for gaming and movie nights. Nearby, neatly arranged computers stood alongside scattered handheld gaming consoles.

  "This setup is extravagant. It must've cost a fortune in points."

  Kanzaki Ryūji remarked calmly.

  "Uesugi, are you sure you're not secretly the director's son or something?"

  Uesugi Gen coughed lightly.

  "Don't sweat the small details. I told you, I got this by pleading with Director Sakayanagi."

  Though, truth be told, Sakayanagi wasn't exactly thrilled at the time.

  Uesugi Gen silently added that thought in his mind.

  But for now, there was something more important to address.

  "Alright, enough chit-chat. Find a seat—we have business to discuss."

  Uesugi Gen gestured for everyone to sit.

  Yes, these people were the ones who had raised their hands in support when he first proposed the Thousand Arrow Pn earlier this month.

  This was one of the reasons why Uesugi Gen had chosen to reveal his pn in front of the css—to filter out the talents he needed.

  Even though the pn had failed, it wasn't a complete loss. From forty cssmates, he had identified those who didn't entirely oppose his methods. These people would form the foundation of his future faction.

  Hamaguchi Tetsuya, Moriyama Shin, Andō Sayo…

  These individuals would be his key lieutenants in securing his future position as Css B's leader.

  "Uesugi, was there something you couldn't say in css? Why bring us all the way here?"

  One of them asked, their tone carrying a hint of skepticism.

  Uesugi Gen gnced at the new members, then sat on the sofa, intercing his fingers near his chin. With a solemn tone, he stated,

  "The reason I brought you all here is simple—we need to discuss the future of Css B."

  The moment he said this, Kanzaki and the others immediately grasped what Uesugi Gen was up to.

  Of course, he wouldn't just let things slide.

  "Shouldn't this be something we discuss with Ichinose? We just need to follow her lead."

  Moriyama scratched his head awkwardly.

  "No, we can't tell Ichinose about this."

  Uesugi Gen's tone turned cold.

  "You all saw what happened st time. Ichinose is too soft—she can't bring herself to truly compete against other csses. And most of our cssmates share that same mindset."

  "I won't deny that she's incredibly capable. But css competition isn't about individual strength alone. The other csses aren't pying by the rules of fair duels. If she refuses to go all out, if she hesitates to use underhanded tactics, we'll start at a disadvantage."

  Hearing this, everyone fell silent.

  They all knew Ichinose well enough to admit—what Uesugi Gen said was undeniable.

  "That's why I need your help. Without Ichinose knowing, we'll operate using our own methods to push Css B straight into Css A."

  "…"

  The activity room fell into a deep silence. No one spoke.

  Keeping this a secret from… Ichinose?

  Observing their reactions, Uesugi Gen continued calmly,

  "This isn't about betraying the css. This isn't about betraying Ichinose. We're simply creating an insurance policy for ourselves. Even if Ichinose fails, we'll still have a backup pn."

  "But understand—my methods won't be as gentle as Ichinose's. Mercy toward our enemies is cruelty toward ourselves. If we want to win, we need to be more ruthless than them."

  Uesugi Gen's words echoed in their minds, striking deep into their hearts.

  Finally, one of them gathered the courage to ask,

  "Uesugi-kun… can I ask why you're doing this?"

  That's right—why?

  Everyone in Css B knew that graduating from Css A wasn't particurly enticing for Uesugi Gen.

  For someone as talented as him, prestigious universities were easily within reach.

  As for his career, any Japanese citizen knew what the Uesugi Conglomerate represented.

  So why was he going this far?

  Uesugi Gen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stood up, walked to the window, and gently pulled the curtain aside.

  From here, they could see Css B's cssroom. If they looked closely, they could spot their cssmates going in and out, chatting and ughing together.

  Gazing at the peaceful scene, Uesugi Gen softly asked,

  "Let me ask you all a question—do you like this css?"

  The others gathered behind him, looking through the gap in the curtains at their cssmates.

  Someone murmured,

  "Of course, I love it. I can't even say exactly why… I just feel like if I lost this css, I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

  "Yeah… I love it too."

  "Compared to scheming against others in another css, I'd rather entrust my back to people I trust. Isn't it nice to just enjoy that sense of camaraderie?"

  "They never asked me to do anything for them, so I can't demand that they be ruthless enough to expel students from other csses."

  "That's why, compared to the other csses, this one suits me best."

  Finally, Uesugi Gen decred with absolute conviction,

  "I will lead this css to graduate from Css A—no matter what it takes."

  He turned around and looked at them.

  "Will you join me?"

  "I, Uesugi Gen, formally invite you all to become part of this group. Together, we will bear Css B's darkness and its future."

  With that, Uesugi Gen extended his hand toward them.

  "…"

  Kanzaki Ryūji and Shibata Sō exchanged a gnce before simultaneously reaching out.

  "Well, can't be helped. You were the first friend I made at this school."

  "To be honest, I agree with your ideals more than Ichinose's."

  A soft, fair hand reached out as well. Himeno Yuki turned her head away with a tsundere pout.

  "D-Don't get the wrong idea! I'm just here to make sure you don't make reckless decisions like st time."

  The remaining students hesitated briefly before pcing their hands together.

  "I don't really like how aggressive your methods are, Uesugi-kun… but for Css B, I'll give it a try."

  "Well, we're in the same css. We don't really have a choice but to work together."

  "If everyone else is in, it'd be pretty cold-hearted of me not to join."

  …

  Looking at the hands stacked together, Uesugi Gen grinned and loudly announced,

  "From today onward, we're officially a team."

  "Ohhh!!!"

  Everyone cheered in unison.

  As the excitement in the room gradually faded, Hamaguchi Tetsuya curiously asked,

  "Uesugi, now that we're a group, don't we need a name?"

  "Hm… You're right. Any ideas?"

  Uesugi Gen scratched his head, suffering from his usual naming struggles.

  "Ooh! Me, me!"

  Shibata eagerly raised his hand.

  "How about Root? Like how roots quietly support a tree from the darkness."

  "Absolutely not."

  The moment he heard it, Uesugi Gen felt an ominous premonition from the depths of the universe.

  "My gut tells me that if we go with that name, I'll end up shouldering a ridiculously heavy burden."

  In the end, after various suggestions were rejected…

  They settled on the simplest name.

  "And thus, the Uesugi Group is officially formed!"

  "Ohhh!!!"

  …

  ---

  T/N: LMAO NOOO YOU SHOULD LIVE UP TO YOUR LEGACY UESUGI!!!!