According to the general opinion of most in Class C, Class D was the only opponent they had a real shot at defeating.
But Ryuuen thought the opposite—he saw Class D as the most troublesome, while Class A was the easiest to handle.
Unfortunately, they didn't get to choose their opponent. Or rather… Ryuuen suspected Ayanokouji had taken matters into his own hands and deliberately selected Class A.
From Ryuuen's perspective, Class D was full of people who bullied the weak and feared the strong. And Horikita wasn't the kind of dominant leader who ruled with an iron fist. There was no way she would ignore the rest of the class's opinion and make that decision on her own.
Which meant that, logically, their class shouldn't have dared to go after the seemingly formidable Class A.
So how had this situation come to be?
There was only one possibility—someone had gone behind the scenes and pulled the strings.
Since the nomination process wasn't public, Ayanokouji could easily lie and claim he hadn't drawn the nomination privilege. That would be enough to fool those Class D idiots. And it wasn't like the other classes would go out of their way to tell them the truth.
This reminded Ryuuen of the Paper Shuffle. Back then, Class D had also inexplicably chosen to attack Class B.
Heh heh heh… Is this another one of those backroom tricks from that dead-eyed bastard?
Ryuuen's suspicions weren't baseless. On the surface, the exam seemed to be a straightforward one-on-one battle between classes, and Class D and Class C didn't have any direct conflict of interest.
But thinking that way was just plain naive.
The enemy of my enemy… is my friend.
If Hikitani decided to secretly lend Class B a hand, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising.
So, before making any moves, Ryuuen felt it was necessary to get a clear grasp of the situation.
"First… I'll just get straight to the point. Our odds of winning this time are about thirty percent."
"Ohhh! A full thirty percent!"
For some reason, Ishizaki looked weirdly excited after hearing that, earning him a solid punch from Ibuki.
"What the hell are you so happy about?!"
She snapped, then turned to Ryuuen.
"Hey, how'd you come up with that number? Are our chances really that low?"
"Heh. A thirty percent chance of winning—you're not satisfied with that?"
Though Ryuuen's words sounded pessimistic, considering the overall strength gap between Class C and Class B, having nearly a one-in-three chance at victory was pretty decent.
Ibuki understood that much, but she still grumbled unwillingly.
"You're always acting like you're some kind of hotshot, so I figured you'd insist we have to win. I mean, even if Class B's events are tough, our events are pretty much guaranteed wins, right? Shouldn't we at least have a fifty-fifty shot?"
"I agree with Ibuki-san's take."
From the side, Kaneda, who'd been silently listening in, pushed up his glasses and joined the conversation.
"The five events we submitted—judo, taekwondo, karate, volleyball, and track—are all ones where we'd basically win if they got picked. It all comes down to luck in the draw."
Class C had submitted nothing but physical events, putting them at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Class B.
And all of them used elimination-style tournament rules.
Simply put, even if it was a ten-on-ten judo match, they could probably win by just sending Albert alone.
"In addition, I propose that Shiina-san and I take charge of academics. We can pick out the stronger students in the class and put them through intensive training. What do you think, Ryuuen-san?"
"Sure. I'll leave that part to you two."
Ryuuen immediately approved Kaneda's proposal.
There weren't many top scorers in Class C, but not everyone in Class B was a genius either.
With the right timing, they might be able to land a surprise hit.
More importantly, Ryuuen had never planned to give up on the written exams from the start.
"But Kaneda, there's one thing you're wrong about."
"And what would that be?"
"Our events aren't guaranteed wins."
Ryuuen pointed that out without hesitation.
The room went silent for a few seconds.
Then Ishizaki nervously raised his hand.
"U-uh, Ryuuen-san? If I remember right, the guys in Class B aren't really athletic, right? Meanwhile, we've got several people who are super confident in a fight."
He started counting on his fingers.
"Me, Albert, Komiya, Kondo, Ibuki… Are you worried about volleyball and track? But Kinoshita and Yajima are on the track team, and we've got plenty of volleyball players too."
"Not bad, Ishizaki. You're finally learning how to use that brain of yours," Ryuuen praised.
"Heheh, it's nothing really," Ishizaki laughed sheepishly, rubbing his head.
But his grin vanished in the next instant.
"You've got it completely backwards."
Ryuuen looked around the room.
"I'm not worried about volleyball or track. I'm worried about the other three."
"Huh? What? Why?"
Ishizaki's shock was written all over his face.
Ibuki also looked puzzled.
"Hey, what're you talking about? You chose those events because we're good at fighting, didn't you?"
"I just thought they had relatively better odds—not that they were guaranteed wins."
Saying this, Ryuuen turned his head and motioned for Albert, who stood behind him.
"Albert, tell me—if you went up against that tall freak in Class B… I think his name's Kito or something—what're your chances of winning?"
Albert, as always, remained silent.
But this time, he didn't nod or shake his head either—he just stood there like a statue, arms behind his back.
"Wait… Albert, you don't think you'd beat that guy?!"
Ishizaki had been around him long enough to read his reaction immediately.
"And it's not just Kito," Ryuuen grinned. "There are two more of Sakayanagi's old lackeys—Hashimoto and Kamuro. Remember when I brought you all to confront Sakayanagi? Those two didn't look scared at all. I bet they've had some training or real fighting experience."
"Tch, like you're one to talk," Ibuki shot him a look of disgust.
"Didn't you get humiliated by Hikigaya back then and run away with your tail between your legs? I don't even know why you brought us there—I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear."
"H-Hey! Ibuki, maybe don't go that far…"
Ishizaki rushed to stop her, glancing nervously at Ryuuen's expression. He was ready to throw himself in as a punching bag if a fight broke out.
But Ryuuen just laughed it off.
"Sounds like you're overcompensating, Ibuki. Feeling insecure?"
"What?"
"Am I wrong? If you had to fight Hashimoto—or no, I'll go easy on you. Say you had to take on Kamuro—could you win?"
"Don't underestimate me," Ibuki scoffed. "I don't care even if it's a guy—I'm not afraid. I'm certainly not gonna lose to some amateur."
"Heh. You said the same thing during the sports festival, didn't you? And you still lost to Suzune."
"T-That was… I'll win next time, for sure."
Faced with the hard truth, Ibuki could only stubbornly talk back.
But even that sounded a bit shaky.
Having shut Ibuki up, Ryuuen turned to Ishizaki.
"What about you? Think you could take on Hashimoto?"
"…Hard to say."
Ishizaki scratched the back of his head with a troubled look.
"I was paired up with him during the training camp. Heard he played soccer in middle school. Doesn't look muscular, but he's got a solid build, and he's pretty quick-witted. I got the feeling he's good in a fight—he didn't flinch at threats at all."
"Looks like you're more useful than Ibuki—at least you know your limits."
Ryuuen praised him, but Ishizaki couldn't bring himself to smile.
Looking at the situation this way, Class C's odds really weren't that great.
"Now do you get it? Even if we luck out in the draw, that doesn't guarantee a win. That's why I said our chances are only thirty percent. And don't forget—Class B's got more athletic students like Katsuragi too."
As if remembering something amusing, Ryuuen suddenly chuckled.
"Even someone like Katsuragi—he may be an amateur, but with that big frame of his, if he trains a little, I bet Ibuki would wear herself out before she could take him down."
"Ugh, are you done yet…? Then tell us—what should we do?" Ibuki asked irritably.
Ryuuen ignored her and instead tilted his chin at Shiina.
"Yo, Hiyori. You've been listening this whole time. What's your take on Class B right now?"
"Well… to be honest, Class B is really strong. Not only is their academic ability consistently above average, but even the ones who aren't athletic can still put up a fight. When Sakayanagi-san was leading them, they were practically untouchable. But now… they're just a bunch of honor students."
"Wow, you really don't sugarcoat it," Ryuuen said with a smirk.
Ryuuen clapped softly, as if offering praise.
"Still, you hit the nail on the head—Class B right now basically doesn't have a leader."
"R-Really?" Ishizaki asked uncertainly. "But when I went to pick a fight with Komiya and the others before, it was Katsuragi who stepped in and stopped Class B from retaliating. I thought he still had some authority in the class."
"Heh, that's only because you were provoking Class A."
From the start of the school year, Ryuuen had more or less figured out how each class operated.
It wasn't just about academic performance or résumés—discipline played a big role too.
For example, during self-study periods, Classes C and D would get noisy the moment the teacher left the room, while Classes A and B would quietly sit in their seats and study.
Of course, nearly a year had passed since then, and even the lower-ranked classes had made significant improvements.
But at their core, Class B students were still better at enduring.
That said, even endurance had its limits.
Ryuuen had already thought it through—if they kept provoking Class B like this, their students would eventually grow resentful toward Katsuragi for always taking a passive, appeasing approach. They'd start to feel he was useless as a leader, and that, in turn, would lower their class morale.
He hadn't expected someone to come up with such a nasty trick, making Class C's intelligence-gathering efforts look like a complete joke.
Well, at least it was still within the acceptable range.
"The biggest issue with Class B right now is that they have no way of responding to emergencies."
That was Ryuuen's assessment.
"Katsuragi actually has the ability to lead, but he's never had enough chances to prove himself. So even though Sakayanagi stepped down, he doesn't have the authority to command the others. That's our opening."
"You're… not planning to pull something crazy again, are you?" Ibuki, well aware of what kind of scum Ryuuen was, was slowly starting to grasp the situation.
Sure enough, Ryuuen replied with a grin, "This coming week, I want you all to keep picking fights—but take it up a notch. Steal their seats, intimidate them, make a big scene—whatever it is, just don't go too far."
"What's the point of that?" Ibuki asked with a puzzled look. "They've already revealed their chosen events. If we keep this up, we're just humiliating ourselves."
"Idiot. You just believe what they say at face value? Even if it's true, that's fine. It's just a cover for my real objective."
"…Objective?"
"This."
Amid the stunned gazes of everyone in the room, Ryuuen pulled a small box from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.
"What the… laxatives?" Ibuki frowned. "Hey, don't tell me…"
"It's a delayed-effect laxative. Kicks in after 48 hours. If we can get someone in Class B to drink it, maybe they'll end up stuck in the bathroom on the day of the event."
"You're seriously messed up… What if we get caught?"
"Fufufu. This is the kind of evil needed to win."
Ryuuen showed no hint of guilt at Ibuki's accusation.
"And even if we do get caught, it doesn't matter. If something happens, I'll take full responsibility. You think I care about school punishment?"
"Haa… Well, you're the kind of guy who really would do anything to win."
Ibuki let out a sigh, looking resigned.
From the very beginning, that's the kind of person Ryuuen had been.
No matter what punishment the school might dish out—if the gains were worth it, he wouldn't hesitate.
"Oh, and if the chance arises, feel free to get into a fight with Class B," Ryuuen added with a wicked glint in his eye. "Target their top performers. Keep harassing them relentlessly. Get the useless ones in our class to handle it. Even a one-for-one trade would be worth it."
"You're a total demon…"
"Heh, don't act like you're not involved. You'll be the one slipping them the laxatives."
"Huh? Me?" Ibuki pointed to herself in disbelief.
Ryuuen shrugged. "Who else? You think we should send someone suspicious-looking like Ishizaki? The second he approaches, they'll get on guard."
"H-Hey, Ryuuen-san! That's kinda harsh!" Ishizaki protested.
"She's right… Ishizaki does look like a thug."
"Oi! Ibuki, don't just say whatever you want!"
"So… how exactly are we supposed to do it?" Ibuki ignored Ishizaki's yelling and sighed. "We're not seriously gonna hand them a bottle of drugged water, right? Swapping their drinks is impossible. I can't think of any way."
"Relax. I've already thought it through," Ryuuen said confidently. "One of the ten events we submitted was karaoke. So starting tomorrow, I want you to gather some people and go to the same karaoke place every day after school."
"Karaoke can be a registered event…? But what does that have to do with this?"
Shiina, however, quickly understood the idea. "I think what Ryuuen-kun means is to lure Class B to the karaoke place as well."
"Exactly. Once they're there, they're guaranteed to order drinks. That's when we make our move."
Ryuuen chuckled as he laid out his plan.
"During that time, Ibuki, you'll lead a group to 'scout the location' under the guise of practice. Learn about the staff and camera placements in that KTV. Then, find the right chance to spike their drinks."
"…But what if they drop karaoke from their lineup?"
"They won't," Ryuuen said with absolute confidence. "There were two heavy debts weighing down on Class B until now. But starting this month, they're gone. After more than six months of restraint, they'll definitely splurge using their private points. There's no reason for them not to hit up the karaoke place."
And it wasn't just Class B. A large number of Class C students had already started engaging in revenge-spending.
Just then, Shiina asked with some concern, "Ryuuen-kun, have you thought about what we'll do if Class B files a complaint?"
"That's why I chose a delayed-effect laxative. By the time symptoms show up, the food and drinks are long gone—no evidence left."
"But our class will still be the prime suspect, won't we?"
"That's all it'll be—suspicion," Ryuuen said unconcerned. "Even if Katsuragi insists on pressing the issue, the decision will probably go through the student council. But he's part of the council now, so he'll have to recuse himself."
Back when Sudou got into a fight, Hikigaya—his classmate—didn't participate in the deliberation either.
"We can also spread some rumors before the review starts—claim the student council is planning to protect their own. Even if Horikita wants to intervene, things could get messy. She's been on bad terms with that blond guy lately, right? If a scandal breaks out, it might actually work in our favor."
Although he hadn't interacted with him much, Ryuuen understood Nagumo well.
That guy didn't care one bit about fairness or justice. If Hikigaya tried to help Class B, Nagumo would definitely push back.
"…Understood."
After a brief pause, Shiina nodded and said nothing more.
She didn't agree with Ryuuen's methods. They looked well thought-out, but were actually full of dangerous flaws.
It was a highly risky strategy.
But she also understood another truth: if they wanted their class to move up, Ryuuen was a necessary evil.
There was no way Class C could win against Class B through ability alone. Their only choice was to narrow the gap through other means.
Besides, even if she voiced her opposition, Ryuuen wasn't the type to listen.
So silence was her only option.
"Sigh… Looks like you've got everything figured out… You're impossible," Ibuki muttered.
Even so, she realized she didn't entirely hate this plan.
That realization, however, made her feel a bit disgusted with herself.
"You really ought to use that brain of yours for something good for once. Getting stuck with a leader like you is just bad luck."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Let's show those guys how our class fights."
"You make it sound so noble… Ugh."
Ibuki let out another long sigh—but in her heart, she'd already made up her mind.
There was no turning back now.
"…By the way, you're handing out all these tasks to us. Don't tell me you're just gonna sit back and do nothing?"
"Of course I've got stuff to do."
With that, Ryuuen turned to Ishizaki.
"These past few days, I asked you to keep an eye on Sakayanagi. You've got a good read on her movements, right?"
"Yeah. Lately, she's either been going to the chess club or the library. Sometimes the mall."
Ishizaki answered with the enthusiasm of a stalker.
"Looks like she really has stepped down," Ryuuen said with interest, folding his arms. "But whether that's true or not, I need to see it for myself… Ishizaki, you're coming with me tomorrow. We're going to stir things up."
"Eh—eh?!"
Ryuuen knew better than anyone the risks involved in this plan.
But if Sakayanagi really had withdrawn from leading her class, and wasn't involved in anything anymore, then he had an 80% chance of getting away with the spiking incident.
And to be sure, he had to confirm it firsthand.