Volume 4
Chapter 7: The Emperor of Class B
The moment I hung up the wired phone, the classroom fell silent.
Dozens of eyes stared at me.
Fear.
Suspicion.
Curiosity.
Humans were predictable.
Kaito was the first to speak.
"What the hell was that about, Shinko?"
I glanced at him.
"Oh, nothing you need to worry about."
The answer only seemed to irritate him.
Kaito slid both hands into his pockets and grinned.
"I don't think you understand how this class works."
The room became noticeably quieter.
"In this class, I alone am the emperor."
An emperor.
How amusing.
Every school eventually produced one.
A child who convinced the others to follow him.
Some used charisma.
Others used fear.
A few used competence.
In the end, they were all the same.
People desperately searching for someone to tell them what to do.
I studied him for a moment.
"So you're the famous Emperor of Class B."
A few students looked proud when I said it.
Others looked nervous.
"I've heard quite a lot about you."
Kaito's grin widened.
I continued.
"They say everyone here fears you."
I looked around the room.
Honestly, I didn't see what made him special.
"Yet all I see is a collection of muscle with very little intelligence."
Several students immediately stiffened.
One looked ready to stand up.
Kaito simply laughed.
Before things could escalate, Minato spoke.
"The Phantom Bishop has marked someone in this class, hasn't he?"
I nodded.
"Minato."
The room shifted.
Not panic.
Calculation.
Interesting.
Minato scoffed.
"You're nothing more than a fraud in our eyes."
His gaze narrowed.
"We all know who your father is."
There it was.
The same assumption everyone made.
Renko Sukamo's son.
As if that explained everything.
As if wealth automatically created intelligence.
I chuckled.
"As if I give a damn about my old man."
A few students exchanged glances.
"He's probably sitting in some penthouse drinking expensive wine."
I shrugged.
"Couldn't care less."
Kaito's eyes sharpened.
"I know you know about all the games."
I said nothing.
That silence was enough.
His grin returned.
"My classmates and I prepared for your arrival."
Now that caught my attention.
"Oh?"
"Your father is one of the school's biggest investors."
He leaned forward.
"So naturally we assumed you'd arrive with advantages."
The room listened carefully.
"We also know you're working for the Phantom Bishop."
I almost laughed.
Working for someone?
Me?
The very idea was insulting.
"For?"
I tilted my head.
"You think I'd allow myself to be controlled by another person?"
My smile widened.
"Who exactly do you think I am?"
For the first time, Kaito seemed genuinely amused.
"You're an interesting guy, Shinko."
He stood up from his chair.
"Smart too."
His gaze locked onto mine.
"I think I can put you to good use."
There it was.
The offer.
The demand disguised as an offer.
"Why don't you just accept reality?"
He spread his arms.
"Bow down to your new emperor."
I almost pitied him.
Almost.
"Nah."
The answer came immediately.
"I'd rather work alone."
A few students muttered.
I ignored them.
"Besides, you're focused on the wrong thing."
Kaito raised an eyebrow.
"The Phantom Bishop is manipulating all sixteen ranked classes."
I could feel the room's attention sharpening.
"Half the students in each class received messages."
"Targets were assigned."
"Bribes were offered."
I looked toward Minato.
"And in our class, the target is him."
Silence.
Then Kaito started laughing.
Not nervous laughter.
Not forced laughter.
Genuine laughter.
It echoed through the classroom.
Then he snapped his fingers.
"Minato."
Minato nodded and walked toward a large box sitting in the corner.
I hadn't paid much attention to it before.
He opened it.
I stared.
Phones.
Dozens of them.
An entire mountain of phones.
Kaito grinned.
"Before the exam began, I confiscated everyone's phones."
The class remained completely calm.
No outrage.
No complaints.
That alone was impressive.
"I made everyone give me their passwords."
My eyebrow twitched.
"I memorized all forty-seven passwords."
Now that was interesting.
There were forty-nine students in the class.
Meaning he had likely excluded himself and Minato.
The amount of preparation was absurd.
Kaito continued.
"I knew the Phantom Bishop would try something."
His grin widened.
"So I played along."
The pieces finally clicked together.
Every single piece.
The students who received the messages had obeyed.
The Phantom Bishop had transferred the private points.
Then—
They handed the money over to Kaito.
The room wasn't a classroom.
It was a kingdom.
And every student sitting here had already accepted their ruler.
"I gained three hundred and sixty thousand private points."
Kaito laughed.
"I now possess over fifteen million."
Even I was impressed.
The Phantom Bishop had attempted manipulation.
Kaito had turned it into profit.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
Then his smile disappeared.
"Now."
The room became cold.
"Either you surrender and accept your role in this class..."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"...or I have everyone vote you out."
A direct threat.
Finally.
Something honest.
I smiled.
"You really are an emperor."
Kaito shrugged.
"I try."
I leaned back against a desk.
"If not me, then who gets expelled?"
His answer came instantly.
"No one."
That surprised me.
"Out of morality?"
Kaito barked out a laugh.
"Hell no."
The entire class laughed with him.
That answer alone told me more about him than anything else.
"These people have value."
His voice became serious.
"Every single person in this room earned their place."
I glanced around.
The students weren't offended.
They looked proud.
"The lowest grade in this class is a B minus."
Several students nodded.
"Some even tied for it."
Kaito crossed his arms.
"I have no reason to expel anyone."
Not friendship.
Not compassion.
Not morality.
Value.
That was his logic.
A dictator who measured people through utility.
Honestly?
I respected it more than false kindness.
"If we lose five hundred class points, so what?"
He pointed toward the board.
Class A: 2490 CP
Class B: 1998 CP
Class C: 1011 CP
Class D: 749 CP
"We're still ahead of Class C."
His grin returned.
"They'll probably destroy themselves before this game ends."
I could almost picture it.
Panic.
Arguments.
Accusations.
Desperation.
Class C always seemed destined for chaos.
Kaito spread his arms.
"We have years left."
"Sophomore year."
"Junior year."
"Senior year."
"We'll recover."
I shook my head.
"In my eyes, that's cowardice."
The room froze.
A dangerous statement.
Kaito stared at me.
Then smiled.
"Cowardice, huh?"
Without warning, he stood.
"Move the desks."
The students immediately obeyed.
Within moments, the center of the classroom was empty.
A makeshift arena.
I folded my arms.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Kaito stepped into the center.
His grin widened.
"If you can land a single hit on me before the ninety minutes run out..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"...I'll let you do whatever you want."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"And if I lose?"
His answer came immediately.
"Then you acknowledge reality."
His eyes sharpened.
"And bow to your emperor."
The students gathered around the edges of the room.
Watching.
Waiting.
Anticipating.
I felt a smile slowly spread across my face.
For the first time since arriving at this school...
I was having fun.
"Very well."
Kaito and I stepped forward simultaneously.
Then we charged.