SS.4 - Siding With The Winner (Masayoshi Hashimoto)

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I stared out of the window as Mashima-sensei continued to drone on about differential equations. This stuff was quite easy, and it appalled me to know that there were a few students even in Class A who were unfamiliar with such concepts beforehand. I sometimes question the school's decision to group such retards in Class A along with us elites.

Take Totsuka Yahiko, for example. The literal definition of useless. The epitome of failure. The disgrace of mankind. His entire existence and life's motto is aimed at being Katsuragi's dog. He sticks to the baldie like a bunch of wart plasters. I've noticed even Katsuragi get annoyed at his only follower. It must be tough when your only ally is someone incapable of even supporting themselves.

And then there are certain elites in the Class, such as Sakayanagi Arisu. Her physical abilities may be completely null considering her disability, but she makes up more than that in terms of intelligence and academic capability. Notice how I did not corelate intelligence to academic ability. They're not the same. Academic success is the power to score well in school-related tests. Intelligence is how you apply your knowledge, experience and wisdom in real-world situations, and get out of it unscathed.

There are several other students as well. Hayato Kito, Miki Yamamura, Kamuro Masumi. Students who live up to the expectations of a worthy Class A student. The school definitely did justice to them by placing them in Class A. It applies to me too, to an extent. But I don't want to come off as narcissistic, so I omitted my name. But I believe I deserve to be in Class A.

Just as the school has done justice by placing superior students in higher classes, the school has also lived up to its sorting system and placed inferior, defective students in lower classes.

But the negation holds true as well.

There are students who are worthy of being in a much higher class, but were placed in a lower class by the school.

And the most apt definition of this unfair treatment would be Keisuke Takeyama, the cunning Leader of Class 1-D.

I've thought about this pretty hard before. As much as I try, I cannot figure out what his flaw is. He's academically gifted, physically fit, and is popular in his social circle. His attitude and mindset are polite and open respectively.

Then why?

Why was a talented man such as him not placed in a higher class? It would have been acceptable if he were in Class B, but Class D? The lowest of the low? It seemed a tad bit unfair to me.

No one in the entire school year had ever imagined that he would prove himself to be one of the main contenders for Class A. Sometimes, I feel that he was placed into Class D just so that the defects won't wither and die out sooner. He's the only reason they're even alive in this battle.

I don't have much intel on Keisuke Takeyama. We're fairly acquainted, when we had met and were placed in the Snake Group for the Zodiac Exam. At first glance, he looked to be an easygoing, calm and collected individual, with a good level of intellect. He left a good first impression on me and pretty much all the girls in the entire grade.

But it was in the Sports Festival that he revealed his true colors.

Before the Festival, he openly announced and took control of all class proceedings, and proclaimed himself as the Leader of Class 1-D. And that was where things started to look bad for the other classes.

He singlehandedly destroyed all opposition in the Sports Festival. He consistently took first place in almost all events that he took part in. He beat Ryuuen at his own game. He berated Katsuragi in front of the entirety of Class A and sealed Sakayanagi's position as the true Class Leader. He led Class D to complete victory in the Sports Festival, the only Class that did not lose any points throughout.

I sometimes wonder whether he thinks everything through before executing his plans. Did he not realize that downgrading Katsuragi, the weaker Leader in Class A, would inevitably become a pain in the long run for Class D? It would have been in the best interests of all other classes to let Katsuragi continue being the Leader. He had unintentionally pulled the Queen herself out onto the arena.

But a part of me realizes that there's no way such an individual would have made such a trivial mistake in his decisions. Such lapse of judgement is rudimentary, at best. Even Sakayanagi herself is wary of him. In just 4 months, he has catapulted Class D onto the brink of promotion, something that no other class has been able to manage in the history of the school. And he did it in 4 months.

He's extremely dangerous. He's shrewd. His calculative nature and abilities are no joke. He's someone who knows when to play his cards, when to fold, when to attack, and when to defend. It would be a shame if Class A made an enemy out of that Demon.

But as long as I don't remain an enemy, I should be fine. Granted, I'm still a part of Class A, but ensuring your safety first is critical before ensuring the safety of others.

I must get onto his good side.

I must be willing to side along with the winner.

If I have to, I need to make a deal with the devil himself.

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A/N's:

Here's a heads up. In case you guys haven't read Y2V5, then there are minor spoilers in the next chapter. It's nothing drastic that would completely ruin the light novel or anything, but it is what it is.

**Proceed With Caution**
**You Have Been Warned**

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