"People Will Do Anything, No Matter How Absurd, To Avoid Facing Their Souls." - Carl Gustav Jung
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「April 2nd︱Afternoon︱Advanced Nurturing High School Exit
[Yamasaki Isao's POV]
"In this school, there's nothing you can't buy with points. As long as it exists on campus, you can purchase anything at all."
I remembered the speech Chabashira-sensei recited on May 1. The fact that Chabashira-sensei told us about it seemed almost redundant. The teachers are not allowed to say certain things outright. Hence, Chabashira-sensei was deliberately hinting at something. But why hide it? What prevents the homeroom teachers from talking about the S-System? As long as students won't say a word about how they acquired this information, there is nothing a school can do to punish teachers for breaking the rules.
After all, cameras only record the visuals. The audio is not permitted to protect students' privacy. The same goes for the campus. The only way the security personnel might learn is through lip-reading. However, I highly about campus personnel are trained to such a degree.
In the end, even if this is a prestigious high school, this is a school at the end of the day. This institution does not train government spies or military members. Such a degree of specific skillset is not taught in a high school environment. The security personnel would not receive anything more beyond mandatory training and some physical condition examination.
Anyway...
You can buy anything with points, huh?
If "anything" refers solely to daily necessities, there is no need for the school to invent a points system to replace the Japanese yen. They could've just used regular currency. It was like a game's in-world currency, which could only be used for specific purchases.
The points likely followed the same principle: they could buy things that the yen couldn't. If the school went out of its way to emphasize that anything could be bought, the only logical conclusion is that these "points" can buy a lot more: information, services and so on.
During the entrance ceremony, Class A stood in neat rows without needing any guidance from their teacher, waiting quietly for the entrance ceremony to begin. Class B had also lined up on their own, but they whispered to their friends as they waited. Class C, on the other hand, had no semblance of order. The students stood around in small groups, chatting loudly with their new acquaintances. I noticed a few students sporting likely from fights. Then there was Class D, the most chaotic of all. They loudly discussed how to use their 100,000 points, boasted about themselves, lied blatantly, and told inappropriate jokes without any sense of decorum. Their laughter echoed through the gym as though they were proud of their behaviour. Although a few students tried to stop them, their efforts were futile.
How does the school define a student's value?
Things like decision-making, moral character, social contribution, and adaptability are too abstract to quantify. That meant there had to be some system in place to measure these qualities. And in the end, that system was likely-
Points.
The 100,000 points distributed earlier represented the students' value. From the students' earlier chatter, he knew that students in other classes had also received 100,000 points. This meant that, in the school's eyes, every student initially had the same value- 100,000 points.
However, the school still divided the students into Classes A through D based on individual ability and personal background.
This is the crux of the problem.
If the school considered everyone's value to be the same at the start, why bother to divide them into ranked classes?
There was only one explanation: a student's value wasn't static.
At the start, every student's value was 100,000 points. Over time, though, the school would evaluate their worth through hidden surveillance and adjust the rankings accordingly.
This is a system based on inter-class competition. The "game" that has already begun determined the final rankings of Classes A through D. And the outcome of this "game" would decide how many points each student received at the beginning of each month.
The school fosters competition to cultivate exceptional students.
The goal is simple: To instigate classes against one another for the prize.
A zero-sum game.
The winner takes all.
But if the school's goal is truly to develop top-tier students, there's a glaring flaw in their system- No incentive for competition.
The competition requires rewards. If you wanted a cow to plough a field, you needed to feed it. Private Points alone wouldn't be enough.
In theory, students can live a minimalist lifestyle and survive without caring about points and the school couldn't do anything about it. With some restraint, students could live a comfortable life with no fear of repercussions. Not having to worry about classes, and enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.
Pulling out the school handbook, my gaze landed on the phrase "100% graduation and employment rate."
This must be the real carrot they're dangling. A guarantee of admission to top universities or jobs at prestigious companies was a far more valuable reward than private points.
Meanwhile...
"Hey! What do you are doing!" someone exclaimed loudly.
Yeah...
It was Sudou.
Who else could get into trouble so early?
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「April 2nd︱Early Afternoon︱Campus
"I want to hear everything you know about the second-year and the third-year students, including the details about points deductions, the key players in your year, exam formats- anything I deem useful. And don't worry, I will pay for it with points. After all, life in the lower-ranked classes must be tough, right?" - Yamasaki's tone was calm but firm.
The trio exchanged nervous glances, sweat dripping down their backs. Yamasaki's voice carried the subtle allure of a devil's bargain.
Faced with the choice between their current miserable lives and a chance at earning points, one of them gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and extended his hand.
-"Deal."
15 minutes later...
-"I look forward to working with you for the next two years, senpai," Yamasaki said cheerfully, exchanging contact information with them.
As he walked away, one of the trio turned to their leader and asked nervously, "Is it alright to leave things like this? What if Nagumo learns about this? What then?"
-"Shut up. If we don't say anything, no one will know. Besides..." He trailed off, watching Yamasaki's retreating figure.
-"Someone who can figure out this much within a day and a half? Compared to Nagumo, he might be the real deal."
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「April 2nd︱Afternoon︱Advanced Nurturing High School Faculty
-"Excuse me, are you Chairman Sakayanagi?" - Yamasaki politely addressed the highest authority of the highly prestigious high school.
As soon as Narumori stepped out of his office, he was greeted by a handsome boy wearing a bright and approachable smile.
Though the boy was a student, Chairman Sakayanagi remained professional, inviting him into his office to address whatever issue had brought him here.
-"Is there something troubling you?" - Chairman Sakayanagi asked if this student faces any issues. If so, it is his duty as an educator to help him.
At the chairman's inquiry, Yamasaki responded with a slight tilt of his head, a trace of curiosity in his voice.
-"Isn't it normal? Isn't the school's purpose to evaluate our "value"?" Before Narumori could reply, Yamasaki continued, his tone shifting.
-"And the best way to demonstrate value... is to present the results directly to the "boss", wouldn't you agree?"
Chairman's pupils contracted slightly as he instantly grasped the boy's true intentions.
-"So, you've already figured out the system?"
Chairman Sakayanagi was both impressed and exasperated.
From the boy's words alone, it was clear that their conversation wasn't going to be a short one.
Standing up, the chairman retrieved a tin of tea leaves and prepared two cups of tea-one for himself and one for his visitor.
Yamasaki slid his phone across the desk toward the chairman. The screen displayed information he had obtained from the second-year students earlier.
Narumori picked up the phone and began scrolling through the data.
The office fell into a long, heavy silence.
The more the chairman read, the more shocked he became.
The breadth and depth of the information surpassed what even most third-years could gather.
After finishing, the chairman set the phone down and spoke with genuine admiration.
-"Your information-gathering skills are extraordinary."
Yamasaki shook his head, brushing aside the compliment.
-"Not really. The school has a lot of loopholes."
Then, dropping his smile, Yamasaki straightened his posture and met Chairman Sakaynagi's gaze head-on.
-"But this is not the reason I came to see you."
Before the chairman could respond, Yamasaki delivered his next word like a hammer:
-"Points."
-"Points that can buy anything. The reason I am here is because I want to discuss a certain matter with you, chairman." - Yamasaki addressed the root cause of the matter.
-"Points, you say..." Narumori removed his glasses and rubbed his temples, his tone tinged with weariness.
-"In this school, this precedent for directly trading points with a student."
-"Well...now that you are aware of the information I have learned, then you should already know I'm aware of the methods students use to trade points among themselves, chairman." - Chairman remained silent, subtly encouraging Yamasaki to continue.
-"I did consider trading the intel I gathered with other classes in exchange for points. But then, it dawned on me, I realised the school itself would be a better business partner."
Yamasaki's polite yet resolute tone brimmed with confidence as he laid out his reasoning.
-"Special exams are a means school employs to carry out three chief objectives."
-"First, to comprehensively evaluate the value of each year's students."
-"Second, to reduce class points as a way to recoup costs. The school needs to maintain a balance between distributed points and reclaim points to justify its expenses to the higher-ups."
-"And third, to introduce first-years to the S-system to encourage students to pursue excellence."
-"Since both the school and I deal with points, why not go straight to the source?"
-"Did you learn this from others or did you come to this conclusion by yourself?' - Chairman Sakayanagi asked Yamasaki. He wanted to know just how much this young man understands the extent of his deductive reasoning and observation abilities.
-"I learned from the upperclassman and just connected the dots."
Yamasaki lied without a second thought.
Truth to be held, he figured out almost everything all by himself. Three second-year students Yamasaki encountered today only gave him information on the second-years and third-years.
Not out of compassion or bribery.
They were blackmailed.
And if they refused?
Their school lives are over. Not only affecting their lives in ANHS but also beyond.
Even if they dropped out of school, they would have to face difficulties to attend another high school, much less a prestigious one.
As far as the S-system is concerned, Yamasaki learned the truth all by himself.
Whether it is about S-System.
The existence of special exams.
Or the aims behind special exams.
Yamasaki intentionally downplayed his achievements to lower the chairman's evaluation of him, even if only a little bit.
-"..."
-"If I were to negotiate with other classes, I would face countless uncertainties— lack of trust, resistance, sabotage, maybe even betrayal. There's a good chance I could walk away with nothing."
-"But the school itself? The school doesn't face those issues. The school is the ultimate equaliser. It has the authority to deduce and add private points and class points directly, and no student can oppose the rules, regardless of their influence and status."
-"..."
-"More importantly, if I shared this intel with everyone on the second day, the school's evaluation process would be completely undermined. On the other hand, if you are willing to buy my silence, you can still achieve your first and third objectives. Between these two options, the latter benefits the school more."
-"That doesn't necessarily mean I have to agree with your proposal, Yamasaki-kun." - The Chairman reminded Yamasaki that the school has the final say whether they agree or not to his proposal. He did not want to give Yamasaki the impression that this would go as he expected.
-"True, but does it matter? All my actions are within the school rules. I always have the option to negotiate with other first-year classes. However, the school would have to face a major downside. Do you know what I am referring to, chairman?"
-"Y-you mean..."
-"Future special exams would lose much of their intended value and they would fail to meet one of their aims. The demerits suffered from learning the truth about the S-System would outweigh the benefits the school could derive by concealing the truth from the first-year students. An unnecessary waste of limited resources. Both in terms of human resources and financial assets. It is in the school's best interest to avoid unnecessary expenditures."
After concluding his long speech, Yamasaki took a small gulp of tea.
Chairman Sakayanagi sat in silence, sipping his tea as he processed the proposal.
It was a compelling argument. The school couldn't easily counter or dismiss Yamasaki's proposal.
Yamasaki's actions were all within the bounds of the school's rules.
Not even the troublemakers had anticipated a student deciphering the system so thoroughly on the second day and then flipping the script to outplay the administration.
-"This transaction involves a significant number of points. I'll need to consult with the board of directors before making a decision." Chairman finally said, sighing deeply.
-"I understand. I am willing to wait, chairman." Yamasaki replied politely.
-"By the way, there is one more thing, chairman." - Yamasaki changed the topic.
-"What is it, Yamasaki-kun?" - The Chairman was curious about what the young man wanted to discuss.
-"I would like to buy your silence." - Yamasaki just requested something absurd.
-"W-What?" - The Chairman was stupefied about being asked such a question from the first year, especially this early. The Chairman was so baffled that he just stood there, stupefied for a while.
-"You heard me correctly. I wish this matter would be left only among the two of us and the board of directors. So that you would not talk about this matter with unrelated third parties. In addition, a matter of this magnitude would naturally be documented in a written file. Hence, I request that only those with the highest authority would have the permission to access this documentation."
-"W-What for? I have no intention of divulging the things we discussed in this room with anyone who is not related to this matter, except with the board of directors." - The Chairman was more and more shocked. Just how much does this young man the inner workings of the S-System?
-"I appreciate your consideration, chairman, but I still wish to proceed with this. Think of it as an extra payment not to get into unnecessary trouble." - Yamasaki answered amicably.
-"I-I see... It will be 10,000 points." - After the feeling of bewilderment that lasted for a minute passed away, the chairman told the price.
"That's cheap. Is it because it is a common service or is it because it is used so rarely that the school see no need to put a high price? Probably the latter. A classic supply and demand, I suppose."
"In addition, I am confident that the CCTV cameras keep the footage for no longer than 31 days. After that, the footage is deleted permanently. All for the sake of practicality."
"The sole except is done for legal and investigative purposes."
"But it doesn't matter."
"Even if another student or a teacher learns about my actions behind the actions after the next month, they won't have any proof."
"The only knows who know the truth are the chairman and the board of directors. Neither of them has any incentive to sell me out due to self-interest and lack of alternative options."
"In addition, Sakayanagi Naruomori is a man who upholds strict yet fair principles. Unless, the matter involves the potential threat to the school or his daughter, Sakayanagi Arisu, safety, he won't discuss what happened in this room or about my identity with anyone. Essentially, a chairman's moral principles enables to preserve my anonymity for free."
"In addition, as the inter-class competition ensues, even if Sakayanagi will eventually learn about my existence, it won't any longer matter whether she will learn my other activities or not. By then, it will be too late."
"Very well, I will send the points right away."
<10.000 Points delivered>
-"By the way..." - In an attempt to change the mood, the chairman asked Yamasaki an unexpected question.
-"Yes?" - Yamasaki listened intently with a curious expression.
-"You are the one who helped the elder lady on the bus correct?" - Chairman Sakayanagi suddenly remembered something.
-"How do you know about it?" - Yamasaki returned the question with another question.
Chairman Sakayanagi chuckled.
-"Normally, I would not discuss this with a first-year student until the beginning of the next month, but since you already know the truth about the school, there is no need to be secretive."
-"The truth is, we conducted a small "special exam" on the first-year students. On every bus, there was an elderly lady and an office lady acted under the instructions of the school. This exam aimed to identify whether newcomers would come to aid the elderly. The true objective behind it was to determine whether future "leaders" of Japan would extend a helping hand to those in need. The motive is secondary."
-"Whether the student acted upon understanding the true purpose behind the mini-special exam or acted on personal feelings. Whether it is for validation, social status, guilt or kindness - the result is what matters."
-"Unfortunately, among 160 first-year students, only 4 students passed the test. You are one of them, Yamasaki-kun."
-"What about the other three?"
-"Ichinose Honami-san, Hirata Yousuke-kun, and Katsuragi Kouhei-kun. Anyway, as a reward for completing the mini-special exam, the school decided to grant you 10,000 private points. Take it." - Sakayanagi smiled as he prepared to send points to Yamasaki's account.
"So Kushida has not surrendered her heat. This confirms my suspisions."
"Most likely, she requested for someone else to volunteer give up their seat. However, due to a large number of people and a diffusion of responsibility, such approach would not work. Kushida knew this. She must have intentionally brought attention to himself to enjoy being at the spotlight. Essentially, Kushida's "kindness" is a form of self-satisfaction."
-"That's not right. I didn't do it for monetary gain. I only acted on my will." - Yamasaki shakes his head, denying the reward.
It is not because Yamasaki feels undeserving of the reward. It is also not because he is a prideful person or anything.
Yamasaki simply believes that being overly calculative in small gestures for small acts of kindness was removing what little consideration people could show to others now and then.
-"You are quite mature for your age, Yamasaki-kun. Most students of your age would be glad to receive points." - Chairman was impressed by Yamasaki's attitude.
-"You overestimate me, chairman. If the school offered 1 million private points, I would have succumbed to the temptation without much thought." - Yamasaki denied the compliment. Instead, he was insistent that it was only because the reward was not big enough that he did not accept free private points.
After a few minutes of conversation, Yamasaki left the office.
As the office door clicked shut behind the Chairman, Sakayanagi Naruomori was in deep thought.
"Who in the world is this boy?"
"He figured everything about S-System on the second day.
No...
Perhaps he figured it out even on the first day."
"Ever since my father established this school 30 years ago, Yamasaki-kun was the first one to decipher the ins and outs of the S-System this soon. Even the most exceptional student ANHS has ever produced, Horikita Manabu-kun, has only deciphered the truth about the S-system after 2 weeks.
Even Nagumo Miyabi-kun, the vice-president of the student council, arguably the most ambitious student this school has ever witnessed only started to understand the hidden truths about the S-System after a week had passed, and even then, he only scratched the surface.
But this boy...
Of the 4640 students that have studied in this prestigious institution, there was not a single student who has attempted to negotiate with me to keep the information about S-System from becoming public knowledge among the first-years."
"There is a special rule in an attempt to protect the first-year students from extortion. During the first month of the first year, seniors and staff are strictly prohibited from mentioning anything related to the S-System. I am almost certain this boy used this rule as a bargaining chip with the upper-class man to learn everything they know to avoid expulsion for breaking the school rules."
"This thought process..."
"The eyes see through everything..."
"it remends of Kiyotaka-kun."
The chairman couldn't help but sigh.
"And here I thought Kiyotaka-kun was the only anomaly in this school."
"Yamasaki Isao-kun, huh? I wonder what type of person he truly is."
"Anyway, important matters should be addressed. I can think about this later."
The chairman sat on his desk and opened his laptop to contact the board of directors for an emergency meeting.
"Of course..."
Chairman Sakayanagi couldn't help but chuckle.
-"The inter-class competition has not even started and the students are already making their moves."
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「April 2nd︱Late Evening︱Advanced Nurturing High School First-Year Dorms
Late evening...
In a secret conference room within Advanced Nurturing High School, an emergency meeting between the board directors was underway.
The chairman's office, like the rest of the campus, was equipped with surveillance cameras.
Chairman Sakayanagi spoke his mind.
-"Good evening, gentlemen. I apologise for this emergency meeting, but there is an unprecedented matter I wish to discuss with everyone."- Chairman initiated the meeting with a polite yet commanding presence. His presence alone spoke volumes about his authority.
-"What is it Sakayanagi?" One of the board directors asked the chairman, wanting to get straight to the point.
-"Today, one of my students proposed a deal. One of that goes beyond typical agreements students make among themselves or even with their homeroom teachers."
-"What is it?" - Another board member curiously inquired. It was an unprecedented event for a chairman to incite an emergency meeting. Especially when it has nothing to do with the politics behind Advanced Nurturing High School or a sudden change in authority figures.
-"He proposed a deal to keep the truth about S-System to himself. If not, he would reveal the truth about the S-System to every single first-year class." - Chairman Sakayanagi made a shocking revelation to the highest authorities of the school.
After thoroughly reviewing the footage from the chairman's office and assessing Yamasaki's proposal, the directors fell into a brief silence.
-"..."
-"..."
-"..."
-"...."
-"...."
For a few moments, the meeting was filled with silence.
-"...Are you saying that this student not only saw through S-System before the next month, but he is using the knowledge of S-System as leverage to negotiate with us?" - A board member was flabbergasted. He could not believe there was a student who would attempt such a thing.
It was a natural response.
The fact that a first-year student understands the mechanisms of the S-System is already an incredible feat. If that is not enough, this young man wants to use this information as a bargaining chip.
-"Do the directors agree to the transaction?"
-"I oppose it," one member said firmly. "Allowing a student to dictate terms to the school sets a dangerous precedent."
-"I support it," another countered. "The student's actions are within the rules. His proposal is reasonable and beneficial to the school."
-"I agree. If this situation arose due to flaws in our system, we shouldn't punish the students for their ability to identify the blind spots in the system and be able to use it to their advantage. We should nurture his talent instead."
-"Indeed. He will be compensated properly for keeping the information behind the system to himself. There is no need to worry about this becoming a bad precedent."
-"True. Isn't that why this school was established? To produce superior students who could lead this country to the future? To deny this student's proposal is to deny the very purpose this school was built."
-"Very well. It seems we reached an agreement. The motion to accept Yamasaki Isao-kun's proposal is approved. The transaction is authorized."
In the meantime...
Yamasaki was walking towards the dormitory.
Leaning back in his chair, he glanced at the information on his phone once more.
To Yamasaki, the benefits of dealing directly with the school weren't limited to private points.
If he leaked the special exam details to other classes, it would level the playing field for Classes C and D, potentially allowing them to close the gap with Classes A and B.
But by maintaining the status quo and keeping the exam's details under wraps, he could reap the rewards with minimal effort.
"Win-win. Except I win twice."
Notification has arrived
[Yamasaki Isao has received 20,000,000 points]
Private points: 20 902 439
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