*'Finally free of her,'* Kusuo sighed in relief. Chiaki would now shift her focus to Ayanokōji.
*'Now I can enjoy my break. Next semester will be chaotic, but for now... Wait...'*
Kusuo picked up an unwelcome thought and quickened his pace to leave. But the owner of that thought called out to him.
"Kusuo!"
It was Suzune.
Hearing her, Kusuo stopped and turned. "Did you see me earlier and go the other way? I saw you speed up!"
"No, you're mistaken. I didn't notice you at all," Kusuo replied flatly, acting clueless.
He noticed Suzune's red, swollen eyes—she'd clearly been crying.
*'Suzune crying? Unbelievable.'*
*'Looks like the former student council president is gone.'*
*'If Kusuo mentions my crying, I'll kill him!'* Suzune's thoughts screamed.
*'I'm not that foolish,'* Kusuo thought, deciding not to ask.
"Is something wrong?"
"You told my brother where I was, didn't you?" Suzune asked seriously.
"I saw someone who looked like you and mentioned it to Manabu, but I wasn't sure it was you."
*'Did Kusuo see me from the start?'*
"Did you come here specifically to see my brother off?" Suzune asked after a pause.
"I just happened to pass by, saw Manabu, and chatted with him."
*'So many coincidences—here, seeing my brother, spotting me. Unlikely.'*
*'Suzune's not easy to fool,'* Kusuo thought.
"My brother seems to value you highly. Why is that?"
"Probably your imagination."
"No, he just told me you're a very special student."
*'He didn't tell me that, but I can use it to get info from Kusuo.'*
*'Trying to expose my psychic abilities?'* Kusuo, sensing her thoughts, replied calmly, "I barely spoke to your brother. Just a greeting. He probably doesn't think much of me."
Suzune paused, then said, "Kusuo, our class is now in A. You played a big part in that."
"I did nothing. I just followed your instructions, even during the last exam."
"True on the surface, but maybe not entirely," Suzune said, narrowing her eyes.
*'Manabu never mentioned Kusuo to me, but I sense he values him more than before.'*
*'The last exam seemed unrelated to Kusuo, but was it all part of his plan?'*
*'Suzune's been with Ayanokōji too long. Her mind's corrupted,'* Kusuo thought.
"Now that we're in A, other classes will envy us. We can't lose what we've gained." Suzune's gaze intensified.
*'I should say something here.'*
Kusuo nodded. "Right."
Spring break was short but a rare rest for Kusuo, though he occasionally joined group activities. As the weather warmed, he and his classmates began their second year.
*'High school's already one-third over? Time flies.'*
On the first day, Kusuo sat in class, gazing out the window, lost in thought.
---
Kusuo shifted his attention back to the classroom. Compared to last semester, not much had changed among his classmates. After advancing to Class A, the class seemed even more united.
*"Chiaki's been following me all spring break? I thought her target was Kusuo. Why the sudden shift?"*
Kiyotaka's thoughts echoed in Kusuo's mind, but Kusuo pretended not to hear.
While the students hadn't changed much, the classroom equipment seemed brand new. A massive screen had replaced the blackboard. Whether due to advancing to the second year or school upgrades, the classroom now boasted high-tech gear. Even the paper textbooks had been swapped for electronic tablets.
Kusuo wouldn't have been surprised by ordinary tablets, but these seemed too advanced.
"Wow, this tablet doesn't need charging! Its battery lasts ten years!"
"And it's so versatile! It connects to anywhere in school and even controls door locks remotely!"
"The school must've spent a fortune on these upgrades."
Kusuo felt something was off. He quietly removed his thin, transparent gloves and placed them on the tablet.
This was one of Kusuo's powers: he could learn about an object's previous owner. As he touched the tablet, a familiar figure appeared in his mind.
"Long time no see, Kusuo! You've probably noticed something's off with this tablet! Let me tell you, this new semester will be interesting!"
In the vision, Kūsuke smiled at Kusuo. Kūsuke knew Kusuo's powers and predicted he'd use them to read the tablet's info, so he'd left a 'recording.'
After all, Kūsuke had made Kusuo's limiter and special gloves.
*'???'*
A sense of dread filled Kusuo. Kūsuke had helped develop the school's equipment.
Kusuo knew how twisted Kūsuke could be. If Kūsuke came to school, trouble was guaranteed.
*'Hopefully, it's just technical support...'*
Kusuo thought.
"Everyone's here, right?"
As the bell rang, Sae entered the classroom.
"First, let's recap last semester."
Sae finally acted like a teacher, summarizing the past and future.
Soon, her expression turned meaningful:
"Lastly, I have something special to share."
"A special exam?" Kanji asked.
Formerly anxious, Kanji now seemed confident.
"You're curious, but before I continue, there's something important for your school life. Please place your phones on the desk. If anyone forgot theirs, go get it... but I doubt anyone did."
The students placed their phones on the desks.
"Now, connect to the school's homepage and install the new app. It should be downloadable now. The app's full name is 'Overall Ability,' but it'll display as OAA."
The screen switched to a demo video with instructions.
*'What's this trouble?'*
Kusuo felt something was odd but followed Sae's instructions.
"Once done, put your phones down. Raise your hand if you're confused."
Sae continued, "This isn't just for Class D. The entire grade is installing it. This app is crucial. See for yourselves."
"Scan your student ID with the camera to complete setup."
"Each student will have an account—no login needed. Since it's linked to your phone, be careful with it."
Kusuo glanced at Kiyotaka, who'd finished. Using his powers, Kusuo saw Kiyotaka's screen.
Year 2, Class D: Kiyotaka Ayanokōji
First-Year Results:
- Academic Ability: C (51)
- Physical Ability: C+ (60)
- Adaptability: D+ (37)
- Social Contribution: C+ (60)
- Overall Ability: C (51)
Explanations:
- Academic Ability: Based on yearly exam scores.
- Physical Ability: From PE evaluations, club activities, and special exams.
- Adaptability: Communication skills, social status, and resourcefulness.
- Social Contribution: Attendance, behavior, and school contributions.
- Overall Ability: Calculated from the above (Social Contribution impact halved).
*'Huh? Whose idea was this?'*
Though strange, the game-like design intrigued Kusuo. He quickly opened his page and was shocked.
Year 2, Class D: Kusuo Saiki
First-Year Results:
- Academic Ability: S (100+)
- Physical Ability: S (100+)
- Adaptability: S (100+)
- Social Contribution: S (100+)
- Overall Ability: S (100+)
*'???'*
Kusuo froze, then realized it was Kūsuke's doing.
Sae was equally stunned. She could see each student's scores as they logged in.
*"S isn't even the highest! And 100+ in every category... This can't be real!"*
*"A bug, maybe?"*
The scores changed again:
Kusuo Saiki
- Academic Ability: C+ (60)
- Physical Ability: B- (70)
- Adaptability: D+ (40)
- Social Contribution: C+ (60)
- Overall Ability: C (57)
*"Just a glitch, then."*
Sae didn't overthink it. The earlier scores were absurd, even for Kiyotaka.
"Only first-year results are shown, but from today, new evaluations will be added. Updates will occur monthly, like class points."
Sae continued, "Also, some of your teachers will change."