The leader of Class 1-C, Sakurako Tsubaki, was currently slumped over her desk with a hollow stare, questioning the very essence of her existence. Her defeat in the recent deserted island exam had been nothing short of tragic.
First, her base's crystal had been plundered by Akasaka Ryunosuke, and then her entire class had been systematically wiped out by Hachiman from Class 2-B. At this point, her mental fortitude was in complete shambles.
Utomiya Riku, Sakurako's childhood friend, felt utterly powerless watching her spiral into such a deep depression. The sheer strength of the second-year upperclassmen had far exceeded their wildest imaginations. Initially, they thought they only had to keep a wary eye on Ayanokouji Kiyotaka; they never expected the other classes to be teeming with such "crouching tigers and hidden dragons."
Yuuki Asuna from Class 2-A had earned the moniker "The Flash"; both her physical prowess and leadership capabilities were world-class. Not a single one of her subordinates dared to defy her, earning her the reputation of a female version of a infamous dictator.
In Class 2-B, Hachiman and Ichinose Honami shared their roles with seamless efficiency. Honami handled the social leadership, while Hachiman acted as the master strategist. However, most of the practical power resided with Hachiman; he was the true leader. Especially since Honami had entered a relationship with Ryunosuke, she rarely interfered in class affairs, leaving everything for Hachiman to handle alone.
Then there was Ryunosuke from Class 2-C. Rumors that he was dating over a dozen girls had earned him the title "The Woman Conqueror." To be honest, Riku was terrified the man would snatch away his childhood friend. With a reputation like that, it was impossible not to worry, which was why he always made sure Sakurako had zero interaction with Ryunosuke.
The first-year students had even bestowed a collective title upon the four most prominent figures of the second year, calling them the "Four Emperors of the New World":
Asuna: The Flash Knight.
Hachiman: The Master Strategist.
Ryunosuke: The Woman Conqueror.
Ryuen: The Mock Emperor (though this position was quickly usurped).
After hearing that the leadership of Class D had shifted to a girl named Yukinoshita Yukino—and feeling the icy aura of her razor-sharp tongue—everyone unanimously agreed to replace Ryuen's spot with Yukino: The Ice Witch.
These were the Four Emperors who had become a living nightmare for every freshman. To the juniors, these four were simply "overpowered." If not for the presence of these monsters, they might have stood a chance. Now, the entire second-year tier felt like a "Plus" version of the school; not a single opponent was easy to face.
Riku and Sakurako felt mentally exhausted. They had initially believed they were talented enough—certainly not losers. But standing before these monsters, they felt like raw recruits being slaughtered without mercy.
Just then, Ayanokouji arrived and knocked on the classroom door. He looked at Sakurako, signaling that he had business to discuss. Sakurako's listless expression sharpened. She stood up to follow him. Riku moved to join them, but Sakurako held him back.
"This is a private matter between us. Don't interfere."
Riku was forced to concede. "Fine. Just be careful."
Sakurako pulled a lollipop from her mouth and said lazily, "Relax, he won't do anything to me. Besides, I have something I need to talk to him about... regarding my older sister."
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Sakurako and Ayanokouji headed to the park. Ayanokouji sat on a bench and patted the spot next to him, inviting her to sit. Sakurako ignored the gesture, choosing instead to stand and lean against the back of the bench behind him.
"Do you like snow?" Sakurako asked slowly.
The question was a direct reference to her sister, whose name was Yuki (Snow). Ayanokouji understood the subtext immediately and answered vaguely: "It's alright. At least whenever it snows, I feel a desire to appreciate it. How about you? Do you like snow?"
Sakurako answered honestly, "I do. At least, I like it more than I like you, Ayanokouji-senpai."
"I see..." Ayanokouji wasn't surprised.
Sakurako fell silent for a moment, closing her eyes as she pictured her sister in the outside world—still confined to a psychiatric hospital, constantly rambling about wanting to see Ayanokouji. With firm resolve, she spoke:
"Ayanokouji-senpai, would you be willing to resign and go see my sister just once?"
Ayanokouji looked at her with his usual flat gaze, but his answer was unexpected. "Fine. No problem."
Sakurako looked both overjoyed and incredulous. She hadn't expected him to agree so easily. However, Ayanokouji added a condition:
"I am willing to withdraw, but I have a request. You must withdraw with me. Give up Class 1-C and your position as leader."
"Agreed, no problem." Sakurako answered without hesitation, her speech slightly muffled by the lollipop. Since the very beginning, her goal in entering this school was to bring this "irresponsible man" to her sister. If that goal was achieved, there was no point in staying.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Not long after, Sakurako began packing her belongings. She told Riku to stay and graduate properly so he could secure a good career. But Riku only gave a bitter smile. "I'm going with you. If you're not here, what's the point of me staying?"
Their relationship was unique; more than childhood friends, yet not quite lovers. Riku decided to leave alongside Sakurako. Meanwhile, a faint glint appeared in Ayanokouji's eyes. "With this, I can kill two birds with one stone..."
The three of them went to the Chairman's office to submit their letters of resignation. Riku didn't trust Ayanokouji one bit, so he had to witness the man handing his letter to Narumori with his own eyes.
They entered the room and placed three envelopes on Narumori's desk. Narumori accepted them, asking in a worried tone:
"Have you all truly thought this through? Once you walk out those gates, there is no turning back."
Narumori truly couldn't bear to see these three students quit, especially Ayanokouji. He had gone to such lengths to protect the boy from his father; why was he suddenly surrendering himself for nothing? He simply couldn't fathom the reason behind this mysterious maneuver.
👨🏻💻Support me by reading on my Patreon: Patreon.com/cw/transenden or bit.ly/4uObLvf
☕Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/lovefanfiction
🛍️Benefits:
🎁Access 190+ chapters: [Anime Crossover: Making Money in Classroom of the Elite]
🎁Access Kamikawa Naoki
🎁Access 30 chapters: [Journey to Planar Word]
🎁Access 130+ chapters: [Infinity Reincarnation]
📜Update Schedule:
📨Translated Fanfiction: 3 chapters per day
📨Original Fanfiction: 1-2 chapters per day
👍🏻Thank you so much for your incredible support, everyone!👍🏻