Chapter -6 The Confrontation.

After Hirata attempted to console the class, aiming to ease the tension, particularly focusing on Sudo, it clearly backfired. Sudo harbored resentment towards Hirata from the start, and the girls who admired Hirata began saying mean things about him, further escalating the situation. It was like pouring gasoline onto a burning fire. Despite feeling frustrated with the constant need to mediate, I couldn't dwell on such thoughts at the moment; action was necessary.

"Hey Sudo, you mentioned the other class would mock us, right?" I addressed him seriously, capturing the attention of almost everyone in the class.

"Yeah," he responded, expecting reproach for his mistakes. But...

"You must understand why Hirata warned the class and why I made a bet with you, urging caution. So, ease up a bit," I said, surprising him.

"He really needs to chill out," someone chimed in.

"And who does he think he is, arguing with Hirata?"

"He's utterly useless."

I was fed up with the constant need for babysitting. The insults hurled were overwhelming, but I pressed on.

"He's physically stronger than Hirata. Also, consider what we'd do if there were opportunities to gain class points, like the recent race. Think ahead," I addressed the class, unafraid of damaging my reputation if it meant helping the class even a little.

"What, Ayanokouji-kun? Why take his side, especially when he's a burden? And we can't be sure about getting class points like that," someone remarked, astonished by my support for Sudo.

"But we did get the points. And answer me this: what would you do?" I challenged, maintaining my stance.

"Huh!?" she exclaimed, contemplating. Eventually, she seemed to arrive at the same conclusion as I did.

"Not everyone, though. I, for one, couldn't get them," I hinted at my disappointment with not obtaining private points from the swimming coach.

"Right. Koenji got 5000 points. Without Hirata's warnings, we might have lost CP," someone unexpectedly supported my stance, leaving me pondering if it was merely a butterfly effect or something more.

"Exactly. We're not just separate individuals—two idiots, a troublemaker like Sudo, or the popular ones like Hirata and Kushida. We're Class D. You've heard it from our past teachers. Aim for A+, and you might hit A or B+. Aim for average, and even equal effort leads to vast differences. So, let's aim for Class A," I concluded my speech, prompting doubts from some.

"But isn't it impossible to reach Class A?" someone voiced skepticism. Maybe I wasn't the most inspiring speaker after all.

"The word 'impossible' itself says 'I'm possible.' Besides, even if not everyone aims for Class A, some do. We should respect their aspirations; they matter more," I asserted, unwavering in my pursuit of Class A.

Then, the loudspeaker crackled to life with a soothing sound, and a robotic voice announced:

"Ayanokouji-kun, from first-year Class D. Please come to see Chabashira-sensei in the faculty office."

"It seems the teacher wants to see you," Hirata remarked, to which I nodded, saying, "Yes, Hirata, you take charge here. I'll be back."

"Okay," he replied, as I headed towards the faculty office.

Upon arrival, I searched for Sensei, eventually locating her. Time to face whatever awaited me.

"Excuse me, is Chabashira-sensei here?" I inquired, trying to keep my composure, although meeting her wasn't on my agenda at all.

"Hmm? Sae-chan? Oh, she was just here a moment ago," the person replied casually.

With wavy, shoulder-length hair, the homeroom teacher for Class-B, Hoshinomiya Chie, appeared before me. "She must have stepped away for a minute. Do you want to wait here?" she suggested, following my silence.

"No, thank you. I'll wait in the hall," I responded politely, making my way out to stand in the corridor.

Chie trailed after me, introducing herself unnecessarily, given that I already knew who she was. "I'm Hoshinomiya Chie, in charge of Class B. Sae and I have been best friends since high school. That's why we call each other Sae-chan and Chie-chan," she explained, almost overly chipper.

"Hey, why did Sae-chan call you? Huh? Huh? Why?" Chie bombarded me with questions, her enthusiasm palpable.

"No idea," I replied tersely, hoping to end the interrogation.

"I don't understand. You were called to the office without a reason? Hmm? What's your name?" Chie's confusion seemed genuine, bordering on the bizarre.

After a barrage of inquiries, she scrutinized me from head to toe, as if assessing my worth.

"My name's Ayanokouji," I supplied calmly.

"Ayanokouji-kun, huh? Oh, wow, that's a cool name. You're pretty popular, aren't you?" Chie remarked, her volume rising.

"Well, it's so-s-..." Before I could finish, she practically shouted.

"Waaaaiiiit," Chie's sudden outburst drew the attention of nearby staff members.

"Y-Yes," I stammered, taken aback by her exuberance.

"You are that guy who played piano during the end of the club fair. And also you are one of the two guys who nearly broke the world record in swimming, ain't it?" Chie's excitement was palpable but expected.

"Yep, that's me," I confirmed.

"Hey, do you already have a girlfriend?" Chie's question caught me off guard, and I stumbled through my response.

"No, not as of now," I admitted, slightly flustered by her inquiry.

"Hmm? How unexpected. If we were in the same class, I'd never leave you alone. Perhaps because you're so innocent? Or do you like playing hard to get?" Chie's questions bordered on intrusive, prompting a sudden recollection.

"There's no way in a million years I can let you do that," I thought to myself, evading her with precision. I didn't dare touch her hand, not wanting rumors to spread about a first-year assaulting a teacher.

"What are you so faste-..." Chie's voice trailed off as Chabashira-sensei made her entrance, interrupting our interaction with a resounding thud as she smacked Chie on the head with her clipboard. Chie crouched, clutching her skull in pain. "Ouch! What was that for?" she protested.

"For getting involved with one of my students," Chabashira-sensei's voice was chilling, commanding attention.

"I was only keeping him company while he waited for you, Sae-chan," Chie retorted, annoyance flickering across my thoughts.

"It would have been better if you just left him alone. Thanks for waiting, Ayanokouji. Let's go into the office," Chabashira-sensei instructed, gesturing for me to follow.

"The guidance office?" I inquired, feigning innocence. "Did I do something wrong? I think I didn't do anything to result in this situation."

Actually, I had done something—no, the old Ayanokouji, to be more precise.

"A good answer. Come," Chabashira-sensei commanded, her demeanor firm.

Chie remained by my side, wearing a wide smile. Chabashira-sensei noticed and turned, her expression darkening. "You stay," she ordered.

"Come on, don't be so cold! It won't be the end of the world if I listen, right? Besides, Sae-chan, you're definitely not the type to give one-on-one guidance. Pulling a new student like Ayanokouji-kun into the guidance room out of nowhere... Are you after something, I wonder?" Chie persisted, her tone playful but irritating. "So, Sae-chan, are you looking to be dominated by a younger man?"

Ah, too troublesome.

"Don't say such stupid things. That wouldn't be possible," Chabashira-sensei rebuked Hoshinomiya-sensei.

Hoshinomiya-sensei muttered in response, her words laced with a double meaning, "Hee, you're certainly right. It wouldn't be possible for you, Sae-chan."

"Why are you following us? This is a Class D matter," Chabashira-sensei asserted, her annoyance palpable.

"Huh? I can't go to the guidance room? That's not okay? Come on, I can give advice, too," Hoshinomiya-sensei persisted, showing no signs of backing off.

As she continued to argue, a beautiful student with strawberry pink hair approached, asking for Hoshinomiya-sensei's guidance.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, do you have a moment? The student council wishes to discuss something with you," she asked, her voice tinged with nervousness.

She glanced at me, then refocused on Hoshinomiya-sensei.

"All right, you have someone who needs you. Get to it," Chabashira-sensei told her.

"Aw! She'll get mad at me if I hang around any longer. See you later, Ayanokouji-kun! All right, Ichinose-san. Let's go to the faculty office," Hoshinomiya-sensei exclaimed before leaving with the popular first-year student, Ichinose. Afterward, we entered the guidance room, where Chabashira-sensei threatened me to comply with her demands, even mentioning expulsion. The discussion continued like this:

"Ah, come in. So, what did you want to talk to me about, Horikita?" I heard Chabashira-sensei say.

"I will be frank. Why was I sorted into Class D?" Horikita-san asked her sensei.

"That's quite frank," Chabashira-sensei remarked.

"Today, you told us that the school sorted superior students into Class A. You said that Class D was filled with the leftovers, the last bastion of delinquents," Horikita-san stated.

"That's true. You must consider yourself to be a superior person," Chabashira-sensei replied.

I'd bet she'd confidently object.

"I solved nearly every problem on the entrance examination. I made no substantial mistakes on the interview, either. At the very least, I shouldn't have been sorted into Class D," Horikita-san refuted, citing her performance during the exams.

Looks like I would have won that bet.

"Normally, I wouldn't allow students to see their examination papers, but today I will make an exception in this case. I just so happen to have your answer sheet here," Chabashira-sensei said as she retrieved Horikita-san's examination papers.

"You're incredibly prepared. It's...almost as if you knew I'd come here to protest," Horikita-san remarked with her perfect deduction.

"I'm an instructor. I understand the mind of a student, at least to some degree, Horikita Suzune. Just as you said, you did well on the entrance examination. You had the third-highest test score among the first-year students and were close to the highest- and second-highest-scoring students. You did exceedingly well. And you're right: We found no particular problems in your interview. On the contrary, we evaluated you quite highly," Chabashira-sensei analyzed.

"Thank you very much. So then...why?" Horikita-san asked her question again.

"Before I answer, why are you dissatisfied with Class D?" Chabashira-sensei responded with her own question.

"Who could be happy with an incorrect evaluation? Furthermore, the class rankings greatly impact our future prospects. Of course, I'm dissatisfied," Horikita-san replied, and I saw where this was going.

"Incorrect evaluation? Perhaps your self-evaluation is far too high," Chabashira-sensei suggested.

Chabashira-sensei snickered, or rather, laughed outright. "I acknowledge that your academic ability is excellent. You're certainly very smart. However, who decided that smart people are categorically superior? We never said that."

"But...that's just common sense," Horikita tried to counter, but she couldn't because no one likes the truth after all.

"Common sense? Didn't common sense create our current, flawed society? Before, Japan relied solely on test scores to separate the superior and inferior. As a result, the incompetents at the top tried desperately to kick down the truly superior students. In the end, we settled on a system of hereditary succession," Chabashira refuted with some solid facts, now.

A system of hereditary succession meant that things like social standing, prestige, and employment were passed down to future generations. I guess this is the part where old Ayanokouji's chest hurt a little due to this system. I guess this is definitely related to the inequality speech at the beginning.

"You're certainly a capable student, no doubt about it. However, our school's aim is to nurture exceptional individuals. If you think academic achievements alone determine superiority, you're mistaken. We made that clear from the start. Besides, consider this logically. Would we have accepted someone like Sudou if we based superiority solely on academics?" Chabashira-sensei backed her points with a series of facts.

"Tch..." Horikita clicked her tongue, visibly irked by the counterarguments.

Despite being one of the country's top preparatory schools, it welcomed students with diverse goals beyond academics.

"Moreover, you might be too quick to assume that nobody would be content with an incorrect evaluation. Take Class A, for instance. They face tremendous pressure from the school and envy from lower classes. Competing daily under such intense scrutiny is tougher than you think. There are students who find solace in being underestimated," Chabashira-sensei's words seemed to astound Horikita.

"You must be joking. I can't comprehend such a mindset," Horikita confessed, unable to grasp such a perspective.

"Is that so? I believe Class D houses individuals of that nature. Peculiar students who embrace their underestimated status," Chabashira-sensei hinted, likely referring to me. Oh, Ayanokouji, why did you have to do that? I sighed inwardly, feeling helpless.

"You still seek an explanation. Was I truly assigned to Class D? Was there an error in grading? Please double-check," Horikita pressed.

"I'm sorry, but you weren't placed in Class D by mistake. That's where you belong," Chabashira-sensei affirmed, laying out the truth methodically.

"Is that so? Then I'll inquire with the school again, later," Horikita asserted, showing no signs of giving up.

In fact, she was far from giving up. Horikita had simply concluded that her homeroom teacher wasn't the right person to ask.

"Don't bother. You'll receive the same response from anyone higher up. And if you truly aspire for Class A, why not compete for it? I mentioned earlier, surpassing Class A is achievable," Chabashira-sensei reminded her of the lofty goal.

"I can't fathom our class reaching Class A. How could a class that blames each other even in times of crisis aspire to reach such heights?" Horikita countered, presenting her argument.

"I don't know. You alone can chart that path forward. Anyway, Horikita, is there a specific reason you must reach Class A?" Chabashira-sensei probed, honing in on a crucial point.

"Well...I suppose that's enough for now. Excuse me. But I'm not convinced yet that I was sorted correctly," Horikita stated, showing a hint of uncertainty.

"Understood. I'll keep that in mind," Chabashira-sensei acknowledged as a chair scraped against the floor, signaling the end of the discussion.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I've summoned another person to the guidance room. Someone relevant to you," Chabashira-sensei dropped another bombshell.

"Relevant to me? No, you can't mean... bro—" Horikita's words trailed off as Chabashira-sensei called me out.

"Come on out, Ayanokouji," she beckoned, leaving me with no choice but to comply.

"Hurry up. Or you might face expulsion," she warned, dangling the threat once more.

I empathized with Ayanokouji's feelings. Here goes nothing.

"How long do you intend to keep me waiting?" Chabashira-sensei's impatient tone greeted me as I entered the room. Horikita's surprise and confusion were palpable.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" she interrogated me.

"Sorry," I offered simply.

"Sensei, why would you do this?" Horikita demanded, realizing the orchestrated nature of the situation and visibly upset.

"It was necessary. Now, Ayanokouji, I'll explain why I called you here," Chiyabashira-sensei brushed aside Horikita's concerns and turned to address me.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." Horikita began to retreat.

"You're an interesting student, Ayanokouji," Chabashira-sensei said, a smirk playing on her lips, hinting at some forthcoming intrigue to her benefit.

"Is this about my entrance exams too?" I interjected, unable to fathom any other reason for the conversation's direction.

"You're sharp, Ayanokouji. I was taken aback by your entrance exam results. It really caught my attention," she admitted, producing the supposed results.

"Fifty points in Japanese. Fifty points in mathematics. Fifty points in English. Fifty points in social studies. Fifty points in science. Do you know what this means?" she questioned, slamming the paper on the table for emphasis.

A stunned Horikita scanned my test paper before turning her gaze to me.

"This is quite a peculiar coincidence," she remarked.

"Do you truly believe that receiving 50s across the board was a coincidence? He did it deliberately," Chabashira-sensei asserted, attributing intentions to my actions. However, if given the choice, I wouldn't have orchestrated such a foolish stunt.

I found myself mirroring Megumi's expression when Itadori and Kugisaki discovered his past transgressions.

"Um," I interjected, breaking the silence, relying on my mental faculties to navigate the situation.

"Yes?" Chabashira-sensei prompted.

"It's truly a coincidence. And a rather uncanny one at that," I replied, my disappointment evident.

"You do come off as an enigmatic student. Let me enlighten you. Only 3 percent of students successfully tackled the fifth math problem. Yet, you solved it flawlessly, employing a complex formula. However, the completion rate for the tenth problem was 76 percent. Did you make an error there? Is that normal? How do you explain this?" she probed, to which I had a ready rebuttal.

"Actually, if I wished, I could easily excel in mathematics," I responded simply.

"Huh!?" Horikita seemed taken aback by my assertion.

"Sigh, Ayanokouji, do you have dementia or what?" Chabashira-sensei deadpanned.

"I could indeed excel in mathematics, as I stated, but there was a hindrance," I clarified.

"What sort of hindrance could there possibly be? Were you threatened?" she speculated.

"It was actually due to my health. Overworking took a toll, and my health declined. Moreover, in junior high, I tackled the difficult mathematics problems first, neglecting the easier ones for later, resulting in this outcome," I elaborated. High school mathematics posed significant challenges; even the simplest questions could trip you up if you lacked the necessary formulas or concepts.

As they processed my fabricated tale, I swiftly redirected the conversation to avoid suspicion.

"Furthermore, mathematics is my forte, whereas literature and social studies hold less appeal. Hence, I devoted less time to them. However, to achieve my goals, I understand the need to improve. I've already begun, with promising results, as evidenced by my recent quiz scores," I concluded, backing my claims with tangible evidence.

"I see. So, it appears you weren't holding back. By the way, how are you feeling now?" Chabashira-sensei inquired, prompting me to wonder about her sudden concern.

"I'm much better now, thank you. My recent quiz results reflect an improvement, particularly in subjects I previously struggled with. Doesn't that support my explanation?" I posed, connecting the dots for them. My scores ranged in the 60s and 70s, higher in the subjects I hadn't mentioned earlier and lower in those I claimed to be weak in.

The evidence spoke for itself as I connected the dots with my explanation.

"Yes, it sums up quite perfectly. But it's still difficult to believe such a coincidence could occur," Horikita mused, her skepticism apparent.

"I wonder about that. But now I believe Ayanokouji truly deserves to be in Class A from our batch of Class D. If not for the unfortunate sickness, you would likely be in Class A, or at least Class B, Ayanokouji. Horikita, he may surpass you in many ways. I suspect Hirata's partial understanding of the S-system might also be attributed to him. Without him, our class might be at 0 CP," Chabashira-sensei speculated, once again nudging the conversation towards her desired outcomes.

"I suppose you're right. My illness caused significant setbacks. Um, could I possibly retake—" I began, feigning innocence.

"No," she cut me off.

"Desu yo ne," I exclaimed with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Ayanokouji-kun, was that really a coincidence?" Horikita inquired once more.

Now what?

"You want me to elaborate? I've already explained it," I reiterated, relying on my earlier excuse.

I noticed a sharp gleam in Chabashira-sensei's eyes, as if she sought to provoke Horikita.

"No, we'd best stop here. Any more, and I might go mad and destroy all the furniture in here," I joked, maintaining the rhythm of the conversation.

"If you did that, Ayanokouji, I would demote you to E Class," she retorted.

"Wait, there's an E Class?" I feigned confusion, though I was well aware of its existence.

"Indeed. 'E' stands for 'expelled.' As in, you'd be kicked out of school. Well, I suppose our conversation has concluded. Enjoy your lives," she remarked sarcastically.

"I'm leaving, too. It's almost time for the faculty meeting. I'm going to close the door, so please step outside," she instructed, ushering us into the hallway.

"Well, should we head back?" I asked.

Horikita remained silent as I walked away.

Perhaps it would be best if we weren't together right now.

"Wait," Horikita called out, but I didn't stop. If I managed to avoid her until I reached the dorms, I'd be home free.

"Were you truly sick at that time?" she questioned as I walked.

"Yes, and I deeply regret it now," I confessed.

"Of course. If I were in your shoes, I would too," she empathized.

Then she spoke again.

"But I don't like it. You were deemed Class D while I was labeled Class A," she expressed her dissatisfaction, revealing the depth of her discontent.

"I wouldn't like it either if our positions were reversed," I empathized.

"But it's true. You managed to uncover something I couldn't, showing your intelligence and physical abilities are no joke, Ayanokouji-kun," she admitted, lost in thought.

"Yes, Hori-san."

That was all I could say for now.

"So, are you ready to strive for Class A with me? I believe you're one of the strongest individuals in our class," she asked, hoping for my cooperation.

"I wouldn't be so sure. There are others with more strength, academic ability, popularity, and much more," I replied simply.

"You may be right, but it doesn't change the fact that you're superior to me," she conceded.

"I guess that's true. I'm ready to assist you, but I have some conditions, obviously," I offered, recognizing her determination warranted some rewards.

"What are they?" she inquired.

"Don't worry, they're minimal," I assured her.

"Go on," she urged.

"#1: I'll help you, but I don't want my abilities revealed. Any credit for my work should go to you.

#2: In exchange for the credit, if I feel your plan isn't working, I reserve the right to make changes," I stated, my expression serious as I locked eyes with her.

"That's it?" she seemed surprised, expecting more.

"Yes," I confirmed, then added, "Hori-san, I'll work in the shadows while you serve as my cover."

"What a reversal. I thought I'd be using you as my pawn, but it seems it's the other way around. From now on, you can use me as your pawn," she remarked. I couldn't help but suppress a chuckle at the dramatic analogy of me being Orochimaru and she Uchiha Sasuke.

"No, it's more like I'll refine your ideas and support you," I clarified, ignoring the implications of our relationship. I decided to withhold strategies for now; she wasn't aware of the special exams.

"Care to share your strengths?" she asked, logically.

"My forte is mathematics, and I'm average in other subjects. My intellect is quite high, and I possess considerable physical strength. I'm proficient in various martial arts—Muay Thai, Karate, Judo, Aikido, Boxing, etc. Additionally, I excel in outsmarting others, manipulation, deception, anticipation, etc. If I apply myself, I believe I'm the second best in academics and physical strength in our class," I revealed, providing an accurate depiction of my strengths from my old world. They were all true, but not my full potential in this world, thus serving as both truth and a slight fabrication. I resolved to join the gym to maintain my skills.

"I see," she marveled at my abilities.

"I'm unsure about my social skills and popularity. How about you?" I deflected the focus onto her, though my popularity and social standing were quite good, albeit not on par with Hirata's or Kushida's levels.