Chapter 22: Loyalty and Pessimism
A few minutes later...
Meanwhile, during the special exam...
It was 4:15 A.M.
Kei sat in a sterile white room alongside nineteen other male students. The silence that had dominated the room was finally broken as the intercom crackled back to life.
"Attention. The temporary interruption has been resolved. Game Four will now continue as scheduled."
The room fell silent once more.
Minato let out a long sigh.
"I think I'm just going to press the button."
Akari, who had been lying on the floor with his eyes closed, slowly sat up.
"If you do that, you'll be nominated for the next game. That doesn't seem worth it."
Minato shrugged.
"Someone has to make a sacrifice."
"Yeah," Akari replied, "but you're Kaito's right-hand man. You're too valuable to him."
Minato smiled faintly.
"That's called loyalty."
His eyes drifted toward the ceiling.
"Most students I've met are either shallow or consumed by their own egos. Everyone wants to reach the top."
He paused.
"But if everyone aims only for the stars, eventually they'll fall."
Kei glanced toward him.
"That sounds like something Reina would say."
Minato chuckled.
"Maybe."
"Even if I'm expelled, at least I'll know I gave everything I had until the very end."
A scoff echoed across the room.
Kengo.
"Why are you trying so hard?"
"It's pointless."
Minato slowly turned toward him.
"You know..."
"I think I'll be honest."
"I genuinely dislike you."
The room became noticeably quieter.
"Your mindset is that of someone who's already accepted defeat."
"You don't even have the ambition to try."
"It's pathetic."
"The mindset of a Class D student."
Kengo's expression twisted.
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"Some kind of prophet?"
Minato didn't raise his voice.
His calmness somehow carried even more weight.
"It's sad."
"We once considered you a threat."
"Look at you now."
Even the upperclassmen remained silent.
Kengo suddenly shouted.
"You say that as if I wanted to end up in Class C!"
Minato remained unfazed.
"So what?"
"You're going to blame Hina next?"
The words struck far deeper than anyone expected.
Kengo stumbled backward before collapsing onto the floor.
He buried his face in his hands.
"Stop..."
"...just stop."
Minato's expression lost its humor.
"Kengo Takamine."
"The former member of Class A."
"You had straight A's."
"Yet you still forged parts of your scholarship application."
"You confessed everything to Hina."
"She reported you."
"You were nearly expelled."
"They spared you by demoting you instead."
He leaned closer.
"There was always one rumor I wanted to confirm."
His voice dropped.
"Did you really confess because you fell in love with her?"
Kengo's eyes widened.
Without thinking, he launched a kick toward Minato.
Before it connected—
Kei caught his leg.
"Enough."
Kei's voice remained composed.
"He's provoking you."
"If you attack him during the exam, our class receives a penalty."
"That's exactly what he wants."
Dusk folded his arms.
"That was a dirty strategy."
Minato shrugged with an amused grin.
"It was worth trying."
Without another word, he walked toward the glowing red button.
He pressed it.
A mechanical chime echoed throughout the room.
For everyone inside...
Game Four had come to an end.
---
Meanwhile...
Room 43
Hina, Reika, Miyako, Natsumi, Nozomi, and fifteen other female students stood scattered throughout another identical white room.
Hina looked around with her usual gentle smile.
"What do you think is happening in the other rooms?"
Nozomi shrugged.
"Why should I care?"
"It's not our problem."
Reika clicked her tongue.
"You're one to talk."
Before either could continue, Miyako stepped between them with her usual bright smile.
"I've got an idea."
"Why don't we all solve the puzzle together?"
Natsumi nervously fidgeted with her fingers.
"B-But..."
"What if we get it wrong?"
Hina slowly walked over and gently patted her on the head.
"Don't worry."
"We'll figure it out together."
Miyako clapped her hands enthusiastically.
"That's the spirit!"
"Let's do our best."
---
Meanwhile...
Room 17
Kaito, Ryohei, Naoki, Reina, and sixteen upperclassmen waited inside another white room.
Kaito cracked his knuckles.
"So..."
"This is the first time we've really gone head-to-head."
"Isn't it, Naoki?"
Naoki remained silent.
Reina calmly broke the silence.
"I acknowledge your ability, Kaito."
"But your class revolves around you."
"If you disappeared..."
"Class 1-B would likely collapse."
Before Kaito could answer, Ryohei spoke.
"We could say the same about Class A."
"If every Student Government member disappeared, your class would crumble too."
He adjusted his glasses.
"Following Kaito isn't a weakness."
"It's logic."
"He's our strongest student."
"I've spent enough time analyzing failure to understand one thing."
"The fastest path toward defeat..."
"...is losing your greatest asset."
"I refuse to let that happen."
Naoki finally spoke.
"I'll solve the puzzle alone."
Kaito smiled.
"We'll see who comes out victorious..."
"...Naoki."
The room once again fell into silence.
Only the ticking clock reminded them that the exam had already begun.
END OF CHAPTER