In a dark room lit only by the glow of a phone screen, three figures stood—well, one boy, one octopus, and an AI displayed on the phone. Akira, Ritsu (on the screen), and Koro-sensei were huddled together as if discussing ancient secrets.
Akira spoke seriously.
"So, Koro-sensei… are you ready to embark on this arduous path?"
Koro-sensei tilted his head in confusion.
"Akira-kun, Sensei will embark on any arduous path for my students, but… what are you even talking about?"
Akira replied without hesitation.
"We are invading the moon."
The room fell silent.
Koro-sensei stared at him.
"Akira-kun, the moon is already 70 percent destroyed…"
Akira nodded.
"I know. So it's the perfect chance to invade it."
Koro-sensei raised a tentacle.
"Wait… first of all, why are we invading the moon? And before that, Akira-kun, how did you even find my house?"
Akira deadpanned.
"Koro-sensei, your house literally looks like your head. Honestly, I'm surprised the government hasn't found this place yet."
Green rings appeared on Koro-sensei's face as he laughed proudly.
"Nuruhuhuhuhu~! Akira-kun, you simply don't understand Sensei's artistic and architectural brilliance."
Akira looked around the dark room.
"Anyway, why are the lights off? Let's talk with a bit more light."
He walked over and flipped on the switch.
Koro-sensei tried to stop him with a dramatic cry.
"Akira-kun, NOOOO!"
But it was too late.
The room was revealed in all its glory.
It looked like a dumpster. Sweet wrappers, instant ramen cups, and other trash littered the floor. Large piles of books—mostly adult magazines—were scattered everywhere.
Akira and Ritsu, still on the phone screen, looked around like explorers discovering ancient ruins.
"Wow, Sensei," Akira said. "You have quite the collection here."
Ritsu asked from the phone,
"Koro-sensei, why is your room in such a bad state?"
Koro-sensei immediately dropped to his knees, covering his face with his tentacles.
"My students found out about my messy living habits… so embarrassing…"
Akira held up his phone.
"Ritsu, did you get all that on camera?"
Ritsu saluted.
"Yes, Captain! All evidence has been completely secured."
Koro-sensei protested,
"Akira-kun, taking photos on private property is…"
Akira replied,
"Koro-sensei, this place isn't privately registered, so it's public property. Besides, don't worry—I won't blackmail you or anything. I'll only use it to assassinate you… psychologically."
Koro-sensei sighed.
"Fine… but promise Sensei you won't show it to anyone, okay?"
He disappeared in a blur at Mach 20 speed and returned holding an ice pop.
"Here, have an ice pop."
Akira accepted the bribe and started eating it.
"Sure, I won't. But Koro-sensei, I need your help with something."
Koro-sensei asked,
"Is it about invading the moon?"
Akira nodded.
"Yeah. I want to build a spaceship to achieve my goal, and I want Sensei to play an important role in it."
Koro-sensei tilted his head.
"Oh? An important role? What is it?"
Akira answered,
"The fuel source…"
The room fell silent once again.
Koro-sensei remained quiet for a moment before speaking.
"Before that, I need to know your exact goal so I can decide how to help."
Akira smiled.
"Don't worry. I came prepared."
He took out a file and handed it to Koro-sensei.
"Here. The proposal."
Koro-sensei accepted it and began reading, nodding approvingly.
"It's very well structured. Sensei gives you full marks."
Akira replied humbly,
"Well, I just got used to writing proposals."
As Koro-sensei finished reading, happy tears filled his eyes.
"Akira-kun… so that's your reason."
He smiled warmly.
"Sensei will support you fully."
Akira shook one of his tentacles.
"Glad to have you on board, Sensei."
Party poppers burst behind Ritsu on the screen as she cheered,
"Sensei joined the team! Let's celebrate~!"
Akira and Koro-sensei joined in.
"Heyyy!"
After everyone calmed down, Akira looked around the room again.
"By the way, Sensei… I think you should clean your room more often."
Koro-sensei looked around, then casually waved it off.
"Maybe later."
---
The next day, Erika was interrogating Akira as they walked toward the school library, which Isogai had reserved for end-of-term exam preparation.
Holding onto his ear, she demanded,
"Tell me. Where do you keep disappearing to? What are you trying to do?"
Akira winced in pain.
"I'm just in the middle of a super ultra top-secret mission, alright? It's a secret, so I can't tell you."
Erika turned toward the air.
"Selena, you tell me. What is he up to now?"
Selena's voice echoed through their telepathic link.
"Don't worry. He's just on a secret mission with Koro-sensei. As for what it is... it's a secret!!"
Erika groaned.
"You too, Selena!? Fine. Then it looks like I'll have to interrogate Koro-sensei…"
Just then, a commotion erupted inside the library. Four students from the main campus were making trouble for Class 3-E.
Erika frowned.
"Is that the Big 5?"
Akira nodded.
"Yeah. They're probably here to make that bet. Let's just watch for now."
Inside, Koyama Natsuhiko spoke arrogantly.
"I get it. So you're not entirely without academic skill... in one subject, anyway."
Araki Teppei followed up.
"Then how about this? Whichever of our two classes snags the most top spots overall across five subjects gets to make the losers do anything they want."
Seo Tomoya walked over to Nagisa and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong? Chicken? You're all bark and no bite! We're perfectly willing to put our lives on the line."
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere changed.
Nagisa, Kanzaki, and Nakamura each raised the sharpened tips of their pencils toward the throats and eyes of their taunters. Isogai casually mimicked the gesture, pressing a finger against Araki's throat.
The room fell silent.
The Big Five visibly froze.
Nagisa spoke calmly.
"You probably shouldn't be so quick to bet your lives."
Seo let out a frightened yelp.
"A-Alright then! We have ourselves a deal!"
Koyama, equally shaken, added,
"We'll make you do something worse than death!"
Sakakibara stammered,
"You can't run!"
Araki finished,
"You'll regret this!"
The four hurried toward the exit.
Only to stop.
Two people were standing in the doorway.
Seo looked up and started shouting,
"Can't you see you're blocking the—"
His words caught in his throat.
Standing before them was an incredibly handsome boy with white hair and purple eyes, alongside a beautiful blonde-haired girl with bright blue eyes.
Araki froze.
"That's... Hoshino Akira? The one who came first in the midterms?"
Koyama's eyes widened.
"NANI?"
Sakakibara stared in disbelief.
"That's him? Then the other one must be Sendo Erika, right? The one who ranked fourth in the midterms?"
Akira stepped forward with a calm smile.
"Quite bold of you to propose a bet here."
Seo swallowed nervously.
"W-What do you want?"
Akira answered calmly.
"Nothing much. My scores won't count toward this bet, nor will Erika's. But I have a new challenge."
He looked directly at them.
"Go to Asano Gakushu and tell him I have a bet just for him."
The entire library fell silent.
Akira continued,
"If all of you lose to our class, it won't matter. If Asano Gakushu can surpass my total score on the end-of-term exams, I'll answer one of his questions truthfully, without telling a single lie."
Koyama frowned.
"Why would Asano Gakushu want anything from you?"
Akira smiled.
"Go tell him. I'm sure he'll be interested."
Araki asked cautiously,
"And if he loses?"
Akira shrugged.
"Then he has to do one thing I ask of him. Don't worry—I won't ask for anything excessive or illegal."
Araki shook his head.
"We can't accept a bet on his behalf."
Akira nodded.
"You don't have to."
He smiled faintly.
"Just deliver my message."
His smile widened.
"And tell him he's free to run away if he wants. But everyone here witnessed this conversation, so his reputation will take the hit."
He gestured toward the exit.
"So tell him to get ready for the exams."
Everyone in the library stared at him as if he were a monster.
Akira smiled pleasantly.
"That's all. You can go now."
The Big Five immediately fled as fast as they could.
Silence returned to the library.
Erika turned toward Akira.
"What are you going to ask him to do when you win?"
Akira thought for a moment.
"I don't know... Maybe I'll make him end every sentence with 'nyaa~.'"
Everyone there from Class 3-E immediately shouted,
"NO! THAT'S STUPID!"
Akira shrugged.
"Well... what else would be good?"
Nagisa suggested,
"We should discuss it with the rest of the class."
Isogai nodded.
"Yeah. That would probably be best."
Akira agreed.
"Alright then."
He stretched lazily.
"Now I can finally get some rest in an air-conditioned room."
He walked over to an empty seat, gently pulled Erika down beside him, rested his head on her shoulder...
...and promptly fell asleep.
Everyone let out an exasperated sigh.
---
Back in Class A, the four members of the Big Five stood before Asano Gakushu, reporting everything that had happened in the library.
Asano assumed his signature "Gendo Pose," his fingers interlocked before his face as he stared silently across the room.
"A challenge for me, huh…"
Araki asked cautiously,
"So what are you going to do, Asano?"
Asano answered calmly,
"Of course I'll accept it. But for him to choose that as the wager... interesting."
The Big Five looked surprised, though they understood. Refusing a public challenge simply wasn't an option for someone like him.
Asano turned to them.
"For now, we need to finalize the bet with Class E before worrying about my own."
Seo lowered his head apologetically.
"S-Sorry, Asano... I thought it was just a dumb bet, but those smartasses actually accepted it."
Asano replied,
"It's not entirely a bad thing. If anything, this may motivate Class A even more. However, we should clarify the rules so there won't be any disputes later."
He continued,
"The winner may issue only one command. The details of that command will be announced after the final exams."
Koyama smirked.
"Only one? That doesn't seem like enough."
Sakakibara asked,
"So what's ours going to be?"
Asano opened his laptop and typed rapidly.
"To consent to this agreement. That alone."
He looked up.
"Fifty clauses requiring Class E to pledge subordination to Class A. In return, Class A will guide Class E as model students. A status-of-forces agreement... a win-win."
Koyama chuckled.
"Nychetchetchetchetchet! One command that secretly contains fifty clauses of codified servitude? And you call that 'win-win'?"
Sakakibara muttered,
"You just came up with all that on the spot? You're one scary guy."
Asano smiled innocently.
"Scary? Perish the thought. This is merely a game between autonomous students. I simply happen to have a solid grasp of civil law."
He closed the laptop.
"I could draft a contract capable of breaking a man."
The Big Five instinctively took a small step back.
Asano turned to the rest of Class A.
"My fellow students, what I wish to convey is simple. If we play this game, we play it seriously. We face every opponent head-on and with everything we have. That is the duty of Class A—the class that stands at the top and illuminates all beneath it!"
The classroom erupted in cheers.
"YEAHHHHH!"
Seo thought to himself seriously.
He always knows exactly what to say to rally everyone. We all know it... yet we still choose to follow him, believing in the victory beyond his hypocrisy. He truly is the absolute ace of Class A—Asano Gakushu. There isn't a single student here who can surpass him.
---
Meanwhile, in Class 3-E...
Akira was enthusiastically giving a full PowerPoint presentation on the advantages of making Asano Gakushu end every sentence with "nyaa~."
With a dramatic flourish, he reached his conclusion.
"In conclusion, after extensive analysis, careful simulations, and fourteen presentation slides, I can confidently state that making Asano Gakushu end every sentence with 'nyaa~' will inflict the greatest psychological damage while providing the highest entertainment value."
He gave a polite bow.
"I rest my case."
The class burst into laughter.
"That's actually hilarious! Imagine him saying, 'Good morning, everyone, nyaa~,' during a student council meeting!"
"But is it really okay to waste it on something so stupid?"
"Then what else should we ask for?"
"Who knows? Maybe a top student like him has some amazing privileges."
"But we don't even know what those are."
Koro-sensei raised a tentacle.
"Now, now, everyone. Before discussing Akira-kun's personal bet, we should decide on the class bet."
Kayano nodded.
"Yeah. Winning won't be easy, but what should we ask for if we do?"
Kurahashi raised her hand.
"If we win, we can make them do anything, right? I'd like them to let us use the cafeteria!"
Koro-sensei smiled.
"Nuruhuhuhuhu~! I have an even better idea."
He opened the school pamphlet and pointed to a specific page.
The entire class leaned in.
"Ohhhh!"
Koro-sensei continued,
"You've already experienced life at the very bottom. That's exactly why I want all of you to experience fighting for the very top."
His smile widened.
"An assassin must always aim for the top... and bring it down."
---
In the evening after school, Akira walked into the forest carrying a large box. Erika had already gone home to prepare for the exams.
His phone lit up. Ritsu appeared on the screen.
"Is it okay to leave Erika-san alone? She looked lonely."
Akira, who also looked a little lonely, replied,
"I know... but I still have to do this. I have to."
Ritsu tilted her head.
"You didn't have to say it twice... Anyway, do we really have to do this near Koro-sensei's house? What if the government finds us?"
Akira answered confidently,
"I made sure they won't. Don't worry. Besides, this is probably the best place to conduct our experiments. I'll build all the parts at home, then assemble and test them here."
They soon arrived at the clearing in front of Koro-sensei's house. The yellow octopus rushed outside at Mach 20.
"Oh, Akira-kun! Ritsu-san! You're right on time."
Akira nodded.
"Alright, Koro-sensei. Let's begin the experiment. Time is important, after all."
He opened the box and began assembling the machines he had brought. Koro-sensei watched curiously.
"Oh, Akira-kun, is it really okay for you not to study for the exams? If you lose even one mark, Asano-kun might win."
Akira continued working without looking up.
"Don't worry, Koro-sensei. I already finished reviewing everything. I even solved a stack of old entrance exams in my spare time... mostly to help Erika with math."
He paused for a moment before asking,
"Oh, Koro-sensei. You mentioned that students who earn the highest overall score or the top score in each subject can destroy one of your tentacles, right?"
Koro-sensei nodded.
"That's right."
Akira continued,
"Then what about me and Erika? I'll probably get the highest overall score, and Erika has a good chance of topping a few subjects too. Do we each get a tentacle?"
Koro-sensei thought for a moment.
"You have a point. If the challenge doesn't motivate the two of you, it defeats the purpose."
He tapped a tentacle against his chin.
"How about this? If Erika-san gets full marks in mathematics, she may destroy one of my tentacles."
He turned to Akira, only to fall silent.
"As for you..."
He frowned.
"I honestly can't think of a challenge worthy of you right now, Akira-kun. But don't worry. Sensei will come up with something."
Akira nodded.
"Alright. I'll look forward to it."
After a brief pause, he added,
"But Koro-sensei... I have one request."
Koro-sensei tilted his head.
"Oh? What is it?"
Akira spoke seriously.
"I'd like to change the reward. Instead of destroying one of your tentacles, if Erika and I complete your challenge, I want something else."
Koro-sensei looked curious.
"And what would that be?"
Akira met his gaze.
"I want you to seriously listen to something I have to say in the future... and genuinely consider it."
Koro-sensei fell silent.
"…Not necessarily agree to it... just consider it?"
Akira nodded.
"Yeah. I don't want to force you into anything. I just hope you'll think about it sincerely."
Koro-sensei remained quiet for a long moment before smiling.
"Very well. As your teacher, I promise you this. If you and Erika-san complete my challenge, then I will seriously consider whatever proposal you bring to me."
Akira smiled.
"Deal."
He picked up a small rocket engine and handed it to Koro-sensei.
"Here, Koro-sensei. Place your hand here and slowly inject a little antimatter."
Koro-sensei did exactly as instructed.
The instant the antimatter flowed in, the engine roared to life, shot wildly out of control, slammed into a nearby boulder—
BOOM!
A cloud of smoke drifted into the air.
Akira, Koro-sensei, and Ritsu silently stared at the crater for several seconds.
Finally, Akira broke the silence.
"…Maybe we need more protection."
---