Chaos in Classroom of the Elite: Class 1-C

Horikita realized that Matsushita's current emotional state was unstable, and she wasn't in the right mindset to negotiate with Yukio. Therefore, Horikita decided to take over the call. After all, she now believed that after Yukio's guidance during the sports festival, she had grown. This was the perfect opportunity to show Yukio what it meant to undergo a transformation and prove that she was no longer the same person.

Having already secured the top spot in the current task, Horikita felt confident. Matsushita, aware of her own mental state being shaken by her close friend, willingly handed over the phone to Horikita. She was deeply relieved that she had sought Horikita's help after taking control, realizing how wise that decision had been; otherwise, she wouldn't have had anyone to share the workload with now.

As the phone switched hands, Yukio naturally greeted the new voice on the line: "Horikita? Why the change? Did you take Matsushita's power again? Your D-Class is really a mess."

"It's none of your concern whether D-Class is in chaos or not," Horikita replied, unfazed by these small talk tactics, and went straight to the point. "Yukio, do you remember how you tricked us into signing that contract on the deserted island?"

"Well, now the tables have turned. It's your turn. Currently, using Karuizawa for your advertising could give your class a significant advantage, potentially securing the top spot in this task and earning the 500 class points that come with it."

"Thus, your class should transfer an additional 1.2 million private points to our D-Class each month. That's 30,000 private points per person, which shouldn't be an issue, right? After all, you're earning much more."

"Even if we don't consider the private points, those class points are tangible benefits for you. Once those 500 class points are credited, your class will surpass 2,000 points, further widening the gap between you and all the lower-ranked classes."

"Hahaha!" Yukio couldn't help but laugh, his cheeks twitching from the amusement. The words were eerily similar to those he used during the Deserted Island Special Exam to trick Horikita, Katsuragi, and the others into signing contracts.

By tempting them with benefits and dangling a big reward, it was only natural for people to give up a small portion of their interests. It was precisely this reasoning that allowed Yukio to deceive the other classes so smoothly back then.

And now, Horikita was using the exact same words against him, turning his own tactics back on him: "Horikita, saying things like that, you owe me some royalties."

"Don't change the subject!" Horikita snapped, though a subtle, pleased smile curved at the corners of her mouth.

In the past, Horikita might not have allowed Yukio's class to earn those 500 class points, because her goal was to rise to Class A, and gifting so many class points would only widen the gap between their classes.

But the current Horikita, after being "educated" by Yukio, had shifted her mindset slightly. She was now considering the strategy of first strengthening herself through private points and then gradually climbing up to Class A.

After all, D-Class had been at the bottom for so long, and it wasn't realistic to expect a sudden leap to the top. It made more sense to accumulate points and make a strong push later.

There was still plenty of time—this was only the second semester of their first year. With more than two years left, they could definitely surpass Yukio's class!

With this thought in mind, a faint smile appeared on Horikita's usually cold face. 'Yukio, watch closely'—she had grown and was no longer the naïve girl he could deceive at will.

She was determined to prove to Yukio that she was not useless, that she too could lead her class to rise.

This time, she would not allow Yukio to underestimate her again.

"Good job!" Matsushita, who had been listening to Horikita's negotiation, nodded in approval. When she handed over the phone, she had already put it on speaker, so she heard everything clearly. She gave Horikita an encouraging look, indicating that she was doing a great job—this was indeed in D-Class's best interest.

****

On the surface, Karuizawa had to maintain her clueless act, but inside, she was starting to panic. How did things end up like this? She had somehow become a bargaining chip to be used against Yukio? How could Karuizawa possibly accept that?

She absolutely didn't want Yukio to sacrifice so much for her! Karuizawa glanced anxiously at Matsushita beside her, silently urging her to come up with a way out of this situation, or else Yukio would be in a very difficult position.

Unfortunately, despite racking her brains, Karuizawa couldn't think of anything to say. Matsushita was watching her, and Horikita was handling the negotiation. The situation had developed to a point where even the average class member could see what was happening. If she insisted on offering to film the advertisement for Yukio for free, it would look like she was betraying the class, which would be even worse.

But before Karuizawa could figure something out, Yukio's light-hearted voice came through the phone: "Horikita, you're really something. I can't figure you out at all. Have you grown after listening to me, or not? How can you still be so short-sighted?"

The slight smile on Horikita's lips instantly disappeared, her expression freezing before turning slightly anxious. "…What do you mean by that? What are you talking about?"

Could it be that there was a huge flaw in the plan she had so carefully thought out?

Yukio couldn't help but chuckle: "Horikita, think about it carefully. My class is currently in a...well, let's call it a state of getting paid without having to work. We can come over to your D-Class anytime and have some fun."

"Are you planning to come and cause trouble?!" Horikita's voice shot up by two octaves, filled with evident apprehension. She knew all too well how good Yukio was at causing trouble. If he really brought his class over, they might lose their current first-place position in the challenge, which would be a huge loss.

Yukio, on the other hand, sounded completely at ease, almost leisurely: "And you're asking for 1.2 million private points a month just for Karuizawa-san to film an ad? You might want to reconsider. Are you sure that wasn't just a slip of the tongue?"

"You...!" Horikita was filled with tension. How could she have missed this possibility? She hadn't anticipated this move at all…

Locking eyes with Matsushita, the two D-Class leaders quickly exchanged opinions through their gazes, ultimately reaching a consensus: "That's just for now. Right now, Karuizawa-san is receiving a lot of attention online, but the internet is always moving on to the next big thing. After some time, her popularity might not be as high."

"But currently, Karuizawa does indeed command this kind of appearance fee. She helped our D-Class achieve first place in this special exam. The results speak for themselves, and you can't deny that, Yukio. If her popularity declines by the time you shoot your ad, we can lower the price a bit."

The implication was clear: during the special exam, if Yukio wanted to hire Karuizawa, D-Class would demand a high price. However, once the exam ended, they'd be willing to negotiate for a lower fee.

Originally, Horikita had calculated that they had Yukio cornered this time. However, Yukio's almost devilish remarks made her heart skip a beat. Frustrated and annoyed, she consulted with Matsushita and made a decision.

But Yukio wasn't satisfied with just haggling over the price; he was far more direct: "How about this—let's make a bet. We'll hire Karuizawa-san, but if D-Class is still in first place at the end of the special exam, I'll pay the full price you're asking for."

"However, if D-Class isn't in first place when the special exam ends, you'll waive the fee entirely. How about it?" Rather than dragging out the negotiation, Yukio preferred to cut straight to the point.

Horikita's heart pounded at Yukio's words. What did he mean by that? Was he certain that D-Class would be overtaken by another class in the end?

No, that couldn't be. Horikita shook her head, reassuring herself. Currently, in the eel farming project, the third-year D-Class and the second-year D-Class were just following the standard procedure without any real strategy. The same went for Sakayanagi's class—they were just going through the motions, doing their work without any special tactics. How could they possibly beat D-Class?

Was Yukio bluffing? But what could he possibly gain from that?

Before Horikita could think of a response, Yukio had already given it: "Afraid to agree? Then forget it. That just shows even you think this price is too inflated."

'Got it!' Horikita thought she had seen through Yukio's bluff. She believed he was only trying to drive the price down, so she confidently accepted the bet: "Not inflated at all, we accept the wager!"

Because the phone was on speaker, Matsushita could hear everything. She felt something was off but couldn't quite put her finger on it. After a brief hesitation, she chose to remain silent.

Even Matsushita thought Horikita's judgment was sound. If they could secure a monthly payment of 1.2 million private points from Yukio, D-Class might finally have a fighting chance against the higher-ranked classes.

"Then it's settled," Yukio said as he ended the call, a satisfied grin spreading across his face as he looked at the screen. That message was the real reason he had agreed to D-Class's terms.

The screen displayed a message sent ten minutes earlier from Sakayanagi Arisu: "I'm a bit disappointed in Ayanokouji-kun. This match is already decided. Yukio-kun, would you like to come tomorrow to see the conclusion?