Chapter 18 - Freedom

---Notice—

Powerstones, please? If you dont have any I'd appreciate a review or even a comment. Any support means a lot and can hopefully get this story out there.

Also, I started a Discord. If we get enough members, I'll keep it active, upload illustrations there, and maybe even start a group with beta readers.

https://discord.gg/SAH6VkTP

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"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." ~Albert Camus

Koenji, beginning to stretch, remarks, "You're quite chatty today. So, what's your plan? I'm curious to know how you intend to punish or suppress me." He looks into my eyes as he speaks.

I meet his gaze for a few moments before responding. Despite the gravity of the situation, Koenji remains relaxed and composed, seemingly unfazed by anything I might say or do. "It's unfortunate," I sigh, "I had hoped you might feel some remorse for your actions, which could have led to a lighter sentence. But it seems that's not the case." Koenji chuckles at my words. "Every criminal I've dealt with has been imprisoned, and that's at the very least."

"You've dealt with?" Koenji asks, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "And 'imprisonment?' What are you blabbing about?"

"Yes, I'm explaining this to you because it's important for you to understand your options so you can exercise your free will as you see fit. After all, Rokusuke Koenji is a free man, right? So, if you leave this island, if you harm Class D during this special exam, you will be imprisoned and then executed by me. I'll ensure you remain stuck in Class D until the day I can expel you. And I promise you, that day won't be far off if you make the wrong choice."

Koenji bursts into laughter, clutching his stomach. "Have you lost your mind, captivated by my beauty? I have a foolproof way into Class A whenever I want. I can't be locked into Class D, and expelling me? What kind of bluff is that? You're not capable of expelling me. Anything you throw my way, I'll easily overcome. Your words are worthless. You must have come here to spout nonsense."

Koenji's words were brimming with confidence, "You consider yourself quite intelligent, don't you, Koenji? I would concur that you are indeed smart, but not nearly as much as I am. Your little scheme to purchase private points with real money, leveraging your family Conglomerate and your future position as the company's president, I've known of it for a while." Koenji's expression hardened, no longer relaxed or composed but difficult to read, much like Ayanokoji. "What? Are you surprised that I figured it out? We're both multibillionaires, and I'm not a fool. When I learned about the school system, the first thing I started contemplating were ways to earn private points, even though they don't particularly interest me. However, once you realize that Class A status can be bought with 20 million points, it becomes clear that you don't have to do anything in this school once you secure 20 million points. And you've been doing exactly that nothing because you believe your 20 million points are guaranteed."

Koenji remains as unmoving and silent as a stone; his silence is understandable. He gains nothing from engaging in this conversation, although I had anticipated more of a challenge from him.

"Koenji, you're probably familiar with Manabe Horikita, the student council president. He owes me a favor. While I can't substantiate this claim here on the island without a cell phone, I don't think that's too important. We still have things like contracts that could be used to penalize me if I were lying. But I don't think that matters much, either. You've seen how upright the student council president is. I wonder what he would do if a student threatened the integrity of his beloved school system. I doubt he would allow such a loophole to persist."

"Would you really expend something as valuable as a favor from the most influential student in this school on such a trivial matter?" Koenji asked, more intrigued than anything else.

Without missing a beat, I respond, "Yes, Koenji. The value that favor holds is of no concern to me."

Koenji studies me for a few moments before speaking up, "You're not as ugly as you initially seemed. At least your confidence seems to have a basis. But I hate to disappoint you. As I've told you, you can't suppress me, even if you threaten to expose that information-"

I interrupt Koenji, "Perhaps you won't feel suppressed, which I don't particularly care about. I'm not a sadist. But you will be suppressed, Koenji. Whether you leave the island at this point or decide against harming Class D doesn't matter. I'm merely doing my due diligence in informing you of the consequences of your actions. If you decide against harming Class D, that's great. We can all continue with our daily lives. But if you leave for the cruise ship, I assure you, you'll have nowhere to escape to, nowhere to go, except Class D."

Koenji, now fully aware of my intentions, speaks up, "So, your threat to expel me isn't just talk. You plan to use the favors owed to you, my confinement, my free spirit, the sentiments of the class, and the existence of class tests, all to have me removed from the school."

"Yes," I respond, "By leveraging the student council president and the sentiments of our class, which you haven't exactly been friendly or helpful with, but also other classes who would be more than happy to see a Class D student expelled, expelling you wouldn't be a difficult task. I believe you understand that class tests involve group decisions. Suppose there were any scenarios where expulsion was inevitable or likely. In that case, I'm sure that given the previous and future circumstances, it could be arranged so that you would be the one most likely to be thrown under the bus. Your departure from the island now would merely provide me with a spark to ignite this rebellion."

"So, all this is part of your grand scheme, isn't it? You've explained all these details to manipulate me into adopting a true neutral stance in Class D by illustrating the repercussions of the other options," Koenji surmises, his face expressionless.

I shake my head, signaling to Koenji that he's mistaken, even if he's mostly correct. I can't admit it; I need to give the impression that either outcome is acceptable to me. I need him to feel like he's making this decision entirely on his own without being nudged in one direction or another. "Whether you participate in the exam or not doesn't really matter. In one scenario, Class D achieves the highest possible score, and if you stay, you'd have 'an incentive' to remain a true neutral party, never doing anything that can harm the class. In the other scenario, Class D eliminates a potential future problem. Either way, a problem is dealt with."

"So, you admit you'll continue to use everything at your disposal against me?"

"Of course. If you choose to be an enemy of Class D, isn't that only natural?"

For a time, Koenji and I merely exchange silent glances, neither of us uttering a single word. It's only when he finally turns away, resuming his journey into the forest, that the silence is broken.

Humans are indeed fascinating entities. They are capable of immense love and compassion, yet also of profound selfishness and cruelty. Motivated by their own desires and ambitions, even the most intelligent and powerful among them are susceptible to manipulation.

Koenji is a narcissist who staunchly believes in his own superiority. His confidence in his abilities and his perception of himself as superior to everyone else is backed by his skills. This very fact is his greatest weakness.

The only reason I can even attempt to influence Koenji is because I understand his narcissism. I know that he would never concede defeat to another, for he sees himself as the best, and I know he pursues his own comfort. Thus, one needs to craft a scenario where his pursuit of comfort works to their advantage. I've made it appear as though he's up against the entire world. I used the entire school and all its entities, along with the threat of expulsion, to exploit his tendencies.

In the end, the reason why I can attempt this manipulation of Koenji is because while he cannot accept the idea of losing to a single entity, he doesn't see himself as incapable of losing to the world. One like him would perceive the situation as unfavorable to themselves as if it's them against everyone else, and there's nothing a narcissist cares about more than themselves. Trapped by your own self-serving attitude, how tragic.

I find myself walking towards a nearby tree, contemplating the future. My strategy for Koenji isn't foolproof; it could collapse later, lose its effectiveness, or even completely backfire. But that's not a concern of mine at the moment. I reassure myself as I approach the large tree, placing my hand on its bark as I crouch against it, gradually closing my eyes.

***

"What are you engrossed in, L?" Watari inquired, addressing the young child whose attention was wholly absorbed by the computer screen before him.

Receiving no response, he approached the child to discern for himself what had captivated the child's interest. It was grainy security camera footage of what appeared to be a bank robbery. What surprised Watari wasn't the content of the footage but rather the fact that the footage seemed to be from a small bank, one that couldn't possibly hold more than a few thousand dollars. This was no major city bank. So, what about this footage intrigued L? It didn't seem like a highly skilled robbery; on the contrary, the men in the video were clearly novices.

One wielded a shotgun, while the other man in the video held a crowbar and mostly stayed back. They were obviously two individuals who had never attempted something like this before.

Watari spoke up again, addressing L, "I've brought you some tea."

"Please set it down on the table over there. Thank you," L responded, rewinding the video footage that had captured his attention.

"Does this footage hold such a fascination for you? You usually tackle much larger cases," Watari asked genuine curiosity in his voice. At this point in his life, he had come to accept this child as the most brilliant mind in the world, a genius that seemed to grow exponentially with each passing day.

"I typically take on the larger cases because they tend to be more intriguing," L replied, glancing at the table next to him where his tea sat, adding sugar to it, "but this case is an exception to that rule."

"It appears to be a standard bank robbery committed by two amateurs to me."

"You're correct that it was committed by two amateurs, but this is not a standard bank robbery."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you might not have been able to discern from the architecture and the fact that I have the audio turned off at the moment, but this robbery was committed here in England. The gun might initially lead you to believe otherwise, but that much is a fact," L explained, rewinding the footage to the moment one of the robbers prepared to shoot the bulletproof glass protecting the bank employees.

"Please, I don't want to do this," the robber pleaded, his hands shaking noticeably as he pointed his shotgun at the bulletproof glass protecting two bank employees. "So don't try anything smart!" he exclaimed loudly before pulling the trigger. But it didn't move. He pressed it again, but still nothing. Even as he rapidly pressed the trigger, nothing happened.

"Remember the button thing by the trigger?" the robber's accomplice reminded him of the safety.

The robber examined the gun trigger, deactivated the safety, and once again aimed at the bulletproof glass. Two loud booms echoed as he pulled the trigger twice, causing the glass to become fragile. The robber looked at the gun strangely, then turned to his accomplice, "I think it's your turn now," he said, his hands still shaking as he held the gun.

Upon hearing his words, the crowbar-wielding robber approached the weakened bulletproof glass and shattered a section of the window with his crowbar. As the video reached this point, L paused the footage.

"At first glance, it may seem like an amateur robbery, but upon closer analysis, it's clear that the two individuals in the video are more akin to hostages," L began, his voice steady and analytical. 

"The first clue is the gunman's apparent lack of knowledge on how to handle or even use the weapon. Furthermore, that shotgun should be able to hold seven rounds, but it only had two. If you look closely, you can see the robber attempting to fire at the glass again after the second shot, but nothing happens he seems to find this strange. Moreover, the robbers converse in a manner that suggests they've been instructed on how to execute this robbery. They use phrases like 'remember the button by the trigger' or 'I think it's your turn.' But also, if you look closely right here," L pointed to the bottom left corner of the camera footage where a sliver of light from the bank windows was barely seeping into the bank, "in three instances throughout the footage, you can see a shadow appear ever so slightly as if someone is just barely peeking over the bank window to monitor the situation. I've viewed the bank from satellite images and used mapping and street view software. There are no objects near the bank that would produce such anomalies - no trees, no signs. The shadow is too high up to be an animal, and there's barely even a sidewalk for people to walk on. Even then, given that this is a small town where everyone should know each other to some degree, if this were a witness, they would have likely come forward by now."

"But why would someone go through all this trouble to rob such a small town bank?" Watari asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.

"I don't think it was entirely about the money," L responded, his gaze never leaving the screen. "They may seem like amateur bank robbers in the video, and they probably are, but I think their nervousness is masking something else - fear. They're being forced to commit a crime, but I doubt they were just random bystanders picked off the street. They were chosen for a reason. I would imagine they've made some dangerous enemies, and they have an 'incentive' to do as they're told. But the fact that amateurs committed the robbery means mistakes were made. So, the hostages and their family should be relatively easy to find if they are alive; even if they are dead, they will surface as missing people, and the true mastermind will be easy to find after that."

After the boy finished his explanation, Watari, with a gaze full of admiration, studied him. The boy was a prodigy, a genius that Watari had come to regard as his own son. Pride swelled within him as he acknowledged the boy's potential. It was this very potential that had led Watari to follow the boy, to see where life would take him. Yet, it was this same potential that stirred a sense of worry within him. "L," he began, his voice steady yet filled with concern, "May I pose a question?"

L responded with a slow nod, his attention never leaving his computer screen. Watari took a moment to observe the various devices scattered around L - his computer, voice changer, phone, and other detective tools. "You are an intelligent child," Watari started, pausing to choose his words carefully. "No, you are the most intelligent, without exception. This is why I worry for you, L. You have all these investigative agencies at your disposal the police, the CIA, FBI, Interpol, Mi6, Mossad, and others. They all are dying to work with and please you, but what will you do if one day, instead of working together and following your orders, they want to restrict your freedom and make you work under them?"

"We've implemented numerous safeguards to prevent such a scenario," L began, his gaze never leaving the computer screen. "However, I'll indulge your fictitious scenario. The worst-case scenario would be a stalemate, a mutually assured destruction. This is precisely why I believe these agencies would never dare to cross that line. While I have extensive knowledge about their rivals, I also possess a wealth of information about them. So, even if they were to corner me, the cost would be astronomical."

L paused, shifting his gaze from the screen to Watari. "But to answer your question more directly, Watari, I will act according to my own will," he stated, his tone firm yet calm. "True freedom can never be truly restricted, Watari. One can only lose their freedom if they allow it. To coerce is possible, but to force is not."

***

"You seemed to have drifted off for a moment. Given your insomnia, I thought it best to let you rest," Ayanokoji remarked, his voice steady and calm. As I opened my eyes, I caught a glimpse of his expression, readable for a fleeting moment before he realized I was awake. It was clear he had been in deep thought.

"Indeed, the absence of cake and candy on this island will likely pose the greatest challenge for me during this exam," I responded, my hand instinctively moving to my head as I felt the effects of sugar withdrawals. "As expected of this school, it doesn't fail to present the ultimate challenges."

Ayanokoji let out a sigh, standing up from his seated position. "We should probably get moving. We haven't been out for long, but the others might start to worry if we stay out much longer," he suggested, extending his hand toward me. Without hesitation, I reached out and took it.

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How was it? Good I hope, I really enjoyed writing this chapter I hope you did too. please join the discord if possible.

https://discord.gg/SAH6VkTP

I plan on making important polls and discussions that could impact the story. If you want a say in those impacts, make sure to join.

Now if you don't join I'll ask here just because I want to know but I haven't done much work on the romance portion of this as I want to do that while keeping L's character intact so it will be more one sided and take a bit to develop but I don't want to procrastinate so here are the characters I'm thinking of remember this isn't a harem so react on the character you like or comment your opinions.

Miki Yamamura (honestly wasn't even meant to be a option when I introduced her but I like her now and I think she's interesting)

Honami ichinose (everyone knows or likes Ichinose and I think it would make a interesting dynamic honestly I've been leaning towards her as the story continues

Kikyo Kushida (I think the reason a lot of people are torn about her in the original cote is because she is destructive but I do think she has the most depth in the original story)

Someone else? I don't really have many people in mind I like and have the ones I do I couldn't see them mixing well with Eru but I'm open to ideas