Classroom of the Elite: Surviving with the Intel System — Chapter 57

Chapter 57: The Weakest Class is Actually Class C, and Ryuuen Kakeru is a Qualified LeaderYou're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

The President had only charged a five percent processing fee for the transaction, all of which was submitted directly to the school. This left Shimizu Akira with the distinct impression that Horikita Manabu was being exceptionally lenient with him.

Although the Advanced Nurturing High School focused heavily on cultivating extreme self-reliance among its students, a five percent cut was practically generous compared to the standard twenty percent commission rates found in the real world.

‘With fees this low, can the President actually accumulate any meaningful Private Points?’ Akira wondered, a sliver of doubt crossing his mind.

While Horikita Manabu’s sheer competence was unquestionable, he simply did not seem driven by the pursuit of points. When compared to the Student Council Vice President, Nagumo Miyabi, the two men were as different as heaven and earth. Nagumo ruthlessly extracted a fixed percentage of points from all four second-year classes.

In terms of pure, calculated self-interest, Akira felt that the President was far less shrewd than his subordinate. He even secretly speculated that Horikita Manabu’s personal reserves of Private Points might pale in comparison to Nagumo’s vast wealth. Yet, when it came to absolute prestige and organic popularity, Nagumo could not hold a candle to Horikita Manabu—the most renowned Student Council President since the institution’s founding.

Seizing the lull in their conversation, Akira decided to probe a little deeper. “President, what are your thoughts on Vice President Nagumo?”

“…You are actually concerning yourself with second-year matters?” Horikita Manabu glanced at him, a flicker of genuine surprise breaking through his stoic facade. He pondered the question for a brief moment before replying in his usual measured tone. “I personally selected him for the position. His ability is unquestionable. It is just…” The President paused, his gaze drifting slightly. “Our core philosophies are diverging. His current focus is entirely fixed on the third-year students. As a first-year, you do not need to overly concern yourself with these matters right now. I will handle them.”

“I see.” Akira nodded slightly. The President’s underlying implication perfectly mirrored the subtle warnings he had received from Chabashira Sae-sensei.

It seemed Vice President Nagumo truly had zero interest in the affairs of the first-year students. Since even Horikita Manabu had confirmed as much, Akira could finally put that particular variable out of his mind.

Right on cue, Secretary Tachibana Akane gracefully approached their table, setting down two delicate porcelain cups of steaming black tea.

Akira offered a polite nod of thanks as he stood up slightly, taking his seat again to take a small, measured sip of the amber liquid. The rich, earthy aroma helped clear his thoughts.

“You plan to sell the hidden rules of the school, do you not?” Manabu asked, his tone shifting back to business.

“As expected, nothing escapes your notice.”

Horikita Manabu picked up his own teacup, took a shallow sip, and set it down with a soft clink. “So, after uncovering these inside stories, what are your thoughts on the school’s class system?”

Akira let the question hang in the air for a second, organizing his assessment. “I think this concept of class division is quite novel. And, in its own twisted way, very fair.” He paused, tracing the rim of his cup. “This is the first time I have ever seen an educational institution that refuses to use academic performance as the sole metric for judging human worth. The competitive mechanism driving the four classes is also deeply deep.”

“But—” Horikita Manabu cut in, his piercing eyes locking onto Akira, keenly catching the hesitation in the younger boy’s voice.

Akira met that intense gaze without flinching and spoke frankly. “The criteria for evaluation are too vague. There are several students in our Class D who, in my estimation, are no less capable than the elites sitting in Class A. Yet, they have all been dumped into the lowest tier.” He frowned slightly, analyzing the structural flaw. “Is the school’s weighting of a student’s ‘dark history’ or personal defects simply too high? If we judge by overall functional strength, Class C should actually be the weakest class in our year.”

These words had been bottled up in his mind for weeks.and support the real translator.Read at elysianreads.com This is a stolen translation. You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Ever since enrolling in this cutthroat academy, he had struggled to find a peer capable of grasping the bigger picture. Now, facing the highly competent Student Council President, he finally let his true thoughts surface.

‘Hirata Yosuke’s natural leadership talent, Kushida Kikyo’s terrifying social manipulation, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka’s absolute inscrutability… these people are without question top-tier assets.’He truly could not fathom why the S-System would categorize such formidable individuals as defective merchandise meant for Class D.’Ultimately, it is not Class D that should be panicking right now. It is Class C.’

From a purely analytical standpoint, Class D was not the weakest; they were simply the most lopsided. They were a volatile gathering of students who possessed overwhelming talent in specific areas but suffered from glaring, fatal flaws. In stark contrast, Class C’s overall baseline strength appeared to be genuinely mediocre across the board.

Yet, what baffled Akira was the stark reality of the first month: Class C had somehow managed to secure 490 Class Points.

That did not reflect the performance of the weakest class at all. Ryuuen Kakeru was clearly doing something right.

“…President, you really do not need to look at me like I am some sort of anomaly,” Akira said, waving his hand nonchalantly to break the heavy silence. “Class D is just right for me. No one pays us any special attention, and the upper classes are entirely focused on tearing each other apart. That lack of scrutiny actually makes things far more convenient for my plans.”

“Biding your time in the shadows…” Horikita Manabu nodded thoughtfully, adjusting his glasses. “That is a wise choice.”

“You are overthinking things again.” Akira could not help but chuckle softly.

That was the fundamental problem with dealing with geniuses; no matter how straightforward your words were, they would automatically assume you were operating on five different layers of hidden meaning.

“Speaking of which…” Horikita Manabu leaned forward slightly, the light catching the lenses of his glasses. “Has Class D already mastered those hidden pieces of intelligence?”

Akira considered the angle for a moment before replying with simple, unvarnished honesty. “Yes.”

“Do not worry, the contents of our conversation will not be leaked,” Manabu stated, his voice carrying absolute authority. “As Student Council President, maintaining strict confidentiality is part of my basic professional conduct.”

He then smoothly shifted the topic to the glaring vulnerability in Akira’s scheme. “However, have you not noticed your own oversight? How can you possibly ensure that the other students in your class will not accidentally leak this intelligence to the rest of the school? The moment that happens, the value of your information drops to zero, and you will not earn a single Private Point.”

Horikita Manabu simply did not believe that the shrewd, calculating youth sitting across from him would commit such a fundamental, low-level error. Coming to the Student Council room rashly just to peddle easily compromised information did not fit Akira’s profile.

“Well…” Akira leaned back in his chair, spreading his hands in a relaxed gesture. “President, you are overthinking it, but you are also entirely correct. Who said I was only selling the hidden intelligence? The risk of an information leak absolutely exists, but selling it once for a massive profit is better than earning nothing at all. The first transaction is always the most valuable.”

A faint, confident smile touched Akira’s lips.

“Information is inherently volatile and uncertain. That is exactly why I specifically prepared a fallback bargaining chip—one that all four classes will find completely impossible to refuse…”You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.