"Senpaku, I am Sakamoto. What brings you here?"

"Um, Katsuragi-san, Sakamoto-san,"

Her voice was light and cheerful, with a hint of innocent curiosity.

"What Sakamoto-san said in the student council meeting just now, about 'rules' and all that, sounded so profound! Does that mean... Class A already knows about some of the school's special rules?"

She asked the question so naturally, as if it were merely out of curiosity.

She was unaware of the grade differences between the classes and thought it was just a normal class assignment.

In her view, Sakamoto was able to say such profound things in the student council, and Katsuragi seemed to have no objection to Sakamoto's behavior. Perhaps Class A as a whole had already figured out some of the ins and outs of this school?

Moreover, she herself did have a vague feeling that the school's rules were a bit strange, such as that mysterious point system, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

The sharp and witty confrontation between Sakamoto and Horikita just now made her sense something unusual.

However, just as she finished speaking——

Katsuragi Kohei's eyes sharpened instantly, and the muscles on his face tensed almost imperceptibly, his previously composed demeanor suddenly becoming stagnant.

He didn't raise his voice or show obvious hostility, but deep in his eyes churned a strong sense of vigilance and wariness.

"Ichinose-san,"

Katsuragi's voice was deep and steady.

"Your question seems to go beyond the scope of conversations between classmates."

He deliberately slowed down his speech:

"Class A's internal affairs are not convenient to disclose to the public."

Although he did not directly rebuke, his aloof demeanor and the implied warning in his words were crystal clear.

The class point system—Class A did indeed know some special rules, which was key to their lead.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the girl in Class B crossed a line that should never be crossed.

Ichinose was startled by Katsuragi's suddenly cold words!

She instinctively took a half step back, her pale purple eyes filled with astonishment and confusion:

"Katsura-kun? I... I was just asking casually."

Looking at Ge Cheng's aloof demeanor, she explained with a hint of grievance,

"Because what Sakamoto-kun just said sounded really profound, and it seemed like he knew a lot, I wondered if Class A had already discovered something. I didn't mean anything by it."

She was simply acting out of curiosity and intuition, completely unaware that she had stumbled upon the core secrets of class competition.

Katsuragi stared at Ichinose, trying to discern truth from falsehood in her clear eyes.

His astonishment and grievance seemed genuine. His tense nerves relaxed slightly, but his vigilance remained undiminished.

He took a deep breath, his voice still icy:

“WU can inform you.”

He spoke with unwavering certainty, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

"Please focus on the affairs of Class B."

He reiterated the distinction between "Class A" and "Class B," clearly drawing a line between them.

Ichinose's smile faded slightly, replaced by obvious disappointment. She pursed her lips, lowered her head, and her voice trailed off:

"...I'm sorry, I was too talkative."

The atmosphere in the corridor instantly became awkward and heavy.

Just then, Sakamoto, who had been silent all along, slowly turned his gaze back.

He didn't look at Katsuragi, nor at the dejected Ichinose.

He slightly raised his right hand, and the silver fountain pen that had been used to steady a teacup in the student council reappeared at his slender fingertips.

The golden rays of the setting sun fell precisely on the fountain pen at his fingertips, reflecting a dazzling silver streak.

With an extremely natural twist of his wrist, Sakamoto made the pen spin lightly at his fingertips, as if it had been given life, drawing smooth and perfect silver arcs that wove a silent rhythm in the air.

His movements were elegant and composed, with a strange focus and beauty that instantly attracted the attention of Katsuragi and Ichinose.

The spinning pen came to an abrupt stop at his fingertips, resting steadily between his thumb and forefinger.

Sakamoto's gaze rested calmly on the pen tip, his voice clear and even, as if stating an objective fact:

"Rules are like rivers, and classes are like river channels."

He paused slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the two people before him, landing on the golden sunlight streaming down at the end of the corridor.

"Water flows in its own direction, and each river has its own boundaries. Only by going with the flow can one go far."

After saying that, he fell silent.

With a gentle toss of his fingertips, the pen flashed silver and once again landed precisely in the school uniform pocket on his chest.

He turned slightly to face Katsuragi and Ichinose, bowing his head with exceptional elegance, the movement fluid and perfect.

"Excuse me, students."

After saying that, he stopped and strode forward, heading straight down the corridor.

His steps remained steady and fluid, each step seemingly measuring the distance.

He paused slightly as he reached the stairwell at the end of the corridor.

Katsuragi and Ichinose instinctively followed a few steps behind him.

Sakamoto didn't turn around, but just tilted his head slightly, his black-rimmed glasses reflecting a fleeting glint in the afterglow of the setting sun.

He looked down the stairs, as if bidding a silent farewell.

He then turned around and stepped onto the stairs leading downstairs alone, his figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the stairs.

The golden glow of the setting sun cast a dazzling outline on his departing figure, making his tall and straight posture appear particularly mysterious in the light and shadow.

Katsuragi Kohei stood there, watching Sakamoto disappear at the top of the stairs, then looked at Ichinose beside him, who looked dejected, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Honami Ichinose stared at the stairwell where Sakamoto had disappeared.

What exactly does Sakamoto-kun know?

First Year Enrollment: Chapter 020: Sakamoto in Class

On the morning of the third day of school, an unusual sense of tension permeated the classroom of Class C, Grade 1.

Sunlight streamed through the window, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive heaviness in the air.

Long Yuanxiang stood on the podium, his hands in his pockets, his chin slightly raised, his sinister gaze like a cold searchlight, slowly sweeping over every student below the stage.

He had just concluded an announcement—regarding the core rules of the "Class Points" system and his decision that Long Yuanxiang would become the sole leader of Class C.

"……so,"

Long Yuan's voice was deep and authoritative, echoing in the silent classroom.

"From today onwards, Class C is under the control of Longyuan. If you want to survive here and climb up to Class A, you have to follow my rules. Anyone have any objections?"

His gaze, like a tangible icicle, pierced the few students who had previously shown defiance. Those students instinctively lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze. The classroom fell silent.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Long Yuan's lips.

Very good. The initial deterrent has been achieved.

"Since no one has any objections,"

He abruptly changed his tone, his voice carrying an undeniable command.

"Then, the first thing—Albert!"

He turned his head to look at the back row of the classroom.

A figure as tall as an iron tower stood up in response.

Albert Yamada, nearly two meters tall, had a burly frame that almost blocked the light from the back window. He had dark skin, a resolute face, and wore black sunglasses. Having witnessed Ryuen's violence firsthand, he obeyed Ryuen's orders.

He nodded silently and responded briefly in accented English:

“Yes, Boss.”

"Go collect the money."

Longyuan's words are concise and to the point.

"25000 points per person. Now."

Albert Yamada strode heavily toward the first row of students, like a moving fortress.

The students in the audience immediately looked grim.

25000 points! For freshmen who only have 10 points for basic living expenses each month, that's a quarter of the total!

Many people showed expressions of pain and resentment, but looking at Ryuen's cold gaze on the podium and Yamada's extremely imposing figure, and recalling the "class points" information that Ryuen had just told them about the class ranking, no one dared to voice their objection.

A suppressed sigh and the beeping sound of a mobile payment echoed in the classroom.

One by one, the students opened the payment interface and reluctantly transferred their points to Albert Yamada.

Long Yuan stood on the podium, coldly observing everything, his back teeth clenching almost imperceptibly.

100 million points!

This number was like a red-hot iron, searing into his heart.

The scene in the teachers' office yesterday afternoon is flashing before my eyes again—

With her elegant and composed demeanor, Sakayanagi Arisu played the role of an "eager to share" top student in Class A in front of the teacher;

Long Yuanxiang, on the other hand, was forced to play the role of a "knowledge-hungry" representative of Class C.

Sakayanagi casually proposed the exorbitant price of "200 million points to buy the information," and watched as his face instantly changed color.

Tomoya Majima, the homeroom teacher of Class A, looked surprised, while Kazuma Sakagami, the homeroom teacher of Class C—that always serious-looking middle-aged man—had his brows furrowed even more.

He subconsciously pushed up his glasses, his fingers tapping absently on the table, clearly extremely dissatisfied with the astronomical figure.

"200 million points?! Sakayanagi-san, this price... is absolutely outrageous!"

Kazuma Sakagami's voice was filled with obvious displeasure and disbelief.

"This is half of Class C's points for a month! As a teacher, I must prioritize the students' interests."

“Sakagami-sensei, I understand your concerns.”

Sakayanagi's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable confidence.

"But the value of this intelligence lies in the future of Class C. It can guide them on how to improve their class ranking within the framework of 'strength above all else'... and surpass Class B."

"Overtaking Class B"

These four words stirred ripples in Sakagami Kazuma's heart.

As the homeroom teacher of Class C, his greatest wish is to lead the class to greater heights.

This intelligence could indeed bring a huge strategic advantage.

Sakayanagi continued:

"Moreover, Longyuan's initiative to seek cooperation demonstrates his thirst for knowledge and courage, which is commendable. Class A's ability to gather intelligence is our skill, and Class C's idea of ​​using points for trading is their wisdom."

Majima Tomoya pondered for a moment before speaking:

“Mr. Sakagami, Sakayanagi-san’s words make some sense. The value of the information is indeed immeasurable. But 200 million points is too high and too much of a burden on Class C. As teachers, we cannot directly interfere in transactions between students, but we can mediate and seek a more reasonable price.”

Kazuma Sakagami was well aware of the importance of this information. He naturally wanted to bypass Sakayanagi and tell the information directly to Ryuen, but teachers have a limit to not interfering excessively in student affairs.

He looked at Long Yuan, the newly emerging leader of Class C, his eyes sharp, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, Kazuma Sakagami took a deep breath and said in a low voice:

"One million points. That's my bottom line. This intelligence must be accurate and complete."