Chapter 43 - Raising The Stakes

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"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table there'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done." ~Kenny Rogers (The Gambler)

After giving the administrator a look to snap her out of her daze, she finally announced my victory. "In this game between Light Yagami of Class B and Suzune Horikita of Class D, I declare the victor to be Light Yagami."

Hearing those words, I walked up to Horikita and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why are you still here? To mock me?" she asked, still seated.

I shook my head. "Of course not. You're too harsh on yourself, Horikita, you know that?"

"How could I not be? The other classes and their leaders have all seen success, but me and Class D… we are at the bottom of the barrel. No, we've been there since school began, and we've been unable to crawl out. How could I not feel incompetent?" Horikita questioned.

"That may seem true to you, but I truly believe Class D has some hope to latch onto. You've been more than a bit unlucky… but you have over two years left to make up this deficit you currently find yourself in. I could definitely see a future where Class D becomes a real adversary. I honestly think it's scarier not having anything to improve on rather than having much to improve on," I said with a smile. Horikita, hearing my words, looked up at my face as if testing my honesty.

Horikita simply looked at me but didn't respond. Her defeat wasn't easy to accept, after all.

"I wish we could talk more, but I prefer discussing certain things without prying eyes, and I'm sure you do too," I said, glancing at one of the cameras in the room. "So I guess I should get going."

And with those last words, I left the game room.

***

Mashima spoke as the game concluded. "It seems like it's over. I was hoping to see another intense match. This was anything but that. Still, I can't say it lacked entertainment."

"Hmmm, yeah, I agree. But there's still something I don't understand!" Hoshinomiya said energetically.

"What is it?" Sakagami asked.

"It's strange, isn't it? I never saw Horikita as the type to throw in the towel so easily," Hoshinomiya said with a light, teasing tone. She paused for effect, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "She always seemed like the stubborn kind, you know? The kind who'd rather sink with the ship than admit defeat. But, I guess even the proudest can have their limits."

Chabashira was the first to respond, "You're mistaken. Horikita didn't simply 'give up.' This was a game of intellect, and by the end, Yagami had proven himself more than her match. Continuing the game would have been pointless, not because the contest itself lost meaning, but because battling Yagami any further was futile. Horikita didn't just fail on one or two fronts; she was outmaneuvered on every level. It's like the resignation after a chess master's blunder—not an admission of incapability, but a recognition that their opponent has already won."

"Well, I'm sure the next two days are going to be interesting. Katsuragi is aiming to redeem himself from his defeat against Yagami, and the same will now be true for Horikita, who's taken her second consecutive loss. Yagami will be trying to continue his win streak, and Ichinose and Class C will be plotting how to bring it to an end," Mashima said.

"Yes, each class leader in this exam has some storyline going for them. This has been an intriguing exam indeed," Sakagami replied.

***

"Hehehe, that was a fun one to watch, Light. But I'm curious, what's up with all the drama and showing up late? It isn't typical of you," Ryuk asked as I exited the game room and retrieved my items.

Moving away from any possible cameras or listeners, I responded, "I always have a purpose behind my actions. Are you saying my actions seem pointless?" I asked Ryuk with a smirk.

"I mean, all it's done is reinforce the already existing perception many have of you as a genius."

"Yes, that's true. Well, Ryuk, as always, I recommend you watch and see how this exam plays out. Maybe then you'll understand everything," I responded, approaching the lounge.

***

As Yagami opened the door to the lounge, most students' expressions remained frozen in awe. However, among the class leaders in the room, those looks shifted drastically into one of sheer panic.

It seemed that the high rollers from each class had been waiting for the outcome of the game between Yagami and Horikita before deciding on their next move. But despite their earlier talk on the importance of competing against Yagami, their resolve quickly crumbled. Desperate to avoid facing him, they immediately began issuing loud challenges to other high rollers in the hopes of avoiding a disastrous confrontation.

"I challenge Honami Ichinose of Class C!" Katsuragi announced sharply as Yagami made his entrance.

Not to be left behind, Kushida swiftly followed, "I challenge Kakeru Ryuen of Class B!"

Kanzaki, caught off guard, stuttered, "Uh... I... I challenge Suzune Horikita of Class D!"

A murmur of confusion rippled through the room.

"Is that even allowed? Horikita isn't here," one student whispered.

"Maybe? High-roller games have different rules. I think challenges can't be declined as long as an administrator witnesses it," another responded, uncertain.

In this chaos all the high rollers had secured their matches—except for two: Yagami and Ai Morishita, the only one who hadn't tried to escape a confrontation with him. Many in the room cast her pitying glances as if she had been abandoned and left for dead.

"It seems we're the only ones left without a partner," Morishita said, breaking the silence as she addressed Yagami directly.

Yagami calmly replied, "It does seem that way. Are you interested in playing against me?"

"Yes, very much," she responded with a sly smile. "I enjoyed watching your game with Horikita, but it was your match against Katsuragi that really caught my attention. I've wanted to challenge you ever since."

"Why didn't you before?" Yagami asked, intrigued.

"Katsuragi demanded I avoid you if possible," she admitted, glancing over at Katsuragi with a blank expression. "But since there's no avoiding you this time, it should be fine, right?"

Katsuragi, clearly frustrated, looked like he was resisting the urge to facepalm, eventually letting out a resigned sigh.

Yagami, amused, offered her a nod. "It would be a pleasure to play you, Morishita. Since you've been thinking about this for a while, did you have a specific game in mind?"

She tapped a finger on her lip thoughtfully. "Actually, yes. I've been intrigued by something you said to Horikita in your last match."

"What was that?" Yagami asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You implied that your opponents should assume you're all-knowing if they want a chance at defeating you. I take pride in my deduction skills, so I want to see how true that statement is."

"Do you think I'm bluffing?" Yagami's smile was subtle but sharp. "I'll gladly indulge your curiosity."

She nodded, her expression serious. "But understand, I plan to do everything in my power to test that theory."

"That's fine by me," Yagami said coolly.

Morishita smiled faintly before pulling out a notepad and pen from her uniform, scribbling down notes as she spoke. "Let's design a game with seven participants, including us. The other five will be chosen at random."

Yagami nodded in understanding.

"And I suggest we each wager 450,000 points from our winnings in this exam, making the total prize pool 1.4 million private points," she continued, her eyes flicking up to meet his.

"I earned 500,000 points from my game against Katsuragi, which I used to gain an advantage in my match with Horikita. I still retained 500,000 points after defeating her. Did you win your last game?" Yagami inquired.

Morishita gave a simple nod. "If that's the case, I'm prepared to bet 450,000 points. I assume you're doing the same?"

"Of course," Yagami replied, his tone unwavering.

She continued outlining the rules. "Each player will be assigned a role: one Thief, one Banker, and five Civilians. The Thief's goal is to steal as many private points as possible without being caught. They can steal up to 75,000 points per night, and if they remain unidentified by the end, they win and keep all the stolen points."

"What marks the end of the game?" Yagami asked.

"The game ends when five out of seven players agree to stop, when the Thief has stolen all available points, or when one of us, me or you, calls the game to make an accusation."

Yagami nodded again, processing her every word.

"The Banker has a special ability: every three rounds, they can check the balances of all players, including themselves, though the Thief's secret bank account will remain hidden. Meanwhile, Civilians can check their own balance once during the game."

"I see... The Thief seems to have a significant advantage," Yagami observed.

"Yes, but knowledge is the Civilians' weapon. With teamwork and well-timed moves, they can still uncover the Thief."

"I understand," Yagami said. "All that remains are the specifics, like—"

Morishita cut him off with a sly smile. "I think it would be more interesting if we left those details to the school. I'm sure you'd manipulate any variables to your advantage if given the chance."

With that, she showed him her notepad, which neatly summarized the game:

Thief:

Objective: Steal up to 75,000 points per night. Wins if identified after the end of the game.

Banker:

Objective: Assist Civilians in identifying the Thief. Can check balances every three days. They can also check their balance once, like civilians.

Civilians:

Objective: Survive and work with the Banker to expose the Thief. Can check their balance once during the game.

"The school will handle the rest," Morishita said, her eyes meeting his with interest. "Simple, right?"

"Simple enough," Yagami agreed.

"Now," she added, her tone shifting, "I want to raise the stakes. Points and class rankings are important, but if you really think you can outsmart me, there shouldn't be a problem with a little extra risk, should there?"

Yagami's eyes narrowed, intrigued. "What exactly are you proposing?"

Her slow, predatory smile widened. "If I win... I want you to drop out of school."

The air in the lounge thickened. Her challenge was nothing short of a death sentence for Yagami's future. The room fell into an oppressive silence, every student holding their breath as the tensions rose.

Yagami's eyes narrowed slightly, "So you're asking me to stake my future on this game... But what about you, Morishita? Are you willing to bet your future as well?"

Morishita's smile never wavered. "If that's what you want. If I lose, I'll leave the school willingly. That's the bet."

Yagami, calm as ever, considered her words for a moment before responding, "So you're willing to gamble your future against mine? Interesting well... I accept."

The shock in the room was evident. Morishita's challenge had stunned them—but Yagami's calm acceptance left them utterly speechless. The stakes had now reached their highest point: it was no longer a simple game of points or class standings. This was closer to a battle for survival.

But even with that in mind, one truth hung in the air, undeniable and chilling:

Yagami never entered a game he hadn't already won.

***Information you may want to know below***

Day 2:

Light v Horikita - 1-0

Katsuragi v Kushida - 1-0

Ryuen v Ichinose - Draw

Kanaki v Morishita - 0-1

Cumulative Point Gain:

Class A: +50 Class points

Class B: +150 Class points

Class C: -50 Class points

Class D: -150 Class points

High Roller Records (Wins/Losses/Draws):

Light Yagami: 2/0/0

Kakeru Ryuen: 1/0/1

Kohei Katsuragi: 1/1/0

Suzune Horikita: 0/2/0

Kikyo Kushida: 0/1/1

Honami Ichinose: 0/0/2

Ryuji Kanzaki: 0/1/1

Ai Morishita: 1/0/1

A/N - Draws are supposed to be the most common outcome in these games because they are the "safest" route so games would usually be designed to allow for draws. That is why these records may look a bit weird, but for example, I believe classes like C (Ichinose's) and A (Katsuragi's) would be more inclined to play safe; therefore, they wouldn't see insane point increases but also wouldn't see a significant decrease in points, unlike class d which has almost nothing to lose with only 90 class points but lacks the talent of some other classes. Anyway, given all that, I hope the wins/losses for the high-roller games make sense to you guys.

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Calm lil chapter I'd love to hear whatever you guys have to say regarding the plot and how things are going, I hope you all enjoyed.