Chapter 38

Syl then blocked Ishizaki's flurry of punches one by one before tackling him to the ground and putting him in a leg lock.

Ishizaki struggled to get out for a minute but eventually passed out due to loss of breath.

Syl stood up and dusted off his pants.

He took off his jumper and rolled up his sleeves.

"There, now, shall we get down to business?" He said while staring directly into Ryuuen's eyes.

"Kukukukuku. You're even more interesting than I thought. I can't wait to crush you." Ryuuen said with a maniacal look in his eyes.

He took a few steps forward until he was face to face with Syl.

"I want in." Syl finally said.

Ryuuen ignored him and punched out. He narrowly missed Syl's head as he dodged.

Syl ignored Ryuuen and looked at Katsuragi. "I want in on this deal."

Katsuragi was shocked by this entire sequence of events. "What did you say?"

"Get me in on this." Syl said as he swatted one of Ryuuen's punches away from his face.

Katsuragi furrowed his brow. "On what?"

Syl chuckled as he blocked another punch with his 'walking stick'. "I heard something about class points and private points."

Katsuragi denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Syl chuckled. "200 class points worth of goods and the class leaders of the other classes for 800,000 points per month. Is that jogging any memories?"

Katsuragi frowned. "How long were you listening?"

Syl shrugged as he smacked Ryuuen's leg with his walking stick.

"Keuk! Stop running! Fight back!" Ryuuen charged at Syl once more.

"So I was thinking, 200,000 for me, 600,000 for these guys. I think it sounds pretty fair."

"Kukuku. How is that fair?! We are providing 200 class points plus the 50 each from the two class leaders! What are you doing?" Ryuuen laughed as he continued to attack Syl, who was dodging backwards constantly.

Syl smiled as his back ended up against a tree and he was backed into a corner. "I'll give you one of the class leaders."

Ryuuen froze as he was about to punch Syl in the face. "Kukuku. You can't be serious."

Syl smiled and lightly pushed Ryuuen's hovering fist away from his face with two fingers. "I'm very serious, this would make it fair wouldn't it, at that point I would not only be offering you 50 class points, but also taking 50 class points away from myself, so it's really worth 100 points. Then you're gonna do what, 250 class points? I think it's more than fair that we split 25-75%."

Ryuuen laughed. "Kukukuku. This just got interesting."

He put his hands in his pockets, turned around and started walking away, apparently more interested in the deal than fighting Syl now.

However, right when Syl least expected it, Ryuuen turned around and sent a kick towards his ribcage.

Katsuragi jumped back in shock at the unexpected and underhanded move.

However, Ryuuen's foot froze a few inches from Syl's torso.

"Hahahaha! You're way too predictable, Captain." Syl said with a smile on his face and Ryuuen's shin in his hand.

"Kukuku. Did you really think you could steal from me?" Ryuuen asked with a smile as he withdrew his leg and walked away for real this time.

"Pretty much." Syl confirmed. "I mean, we can always do this the hard way and I leak the contents of your plan to everyone else in the grade, I'm sure that would make it a lot harder to learn of Ichinose's leader, and I sure as hell won't let you learn of mine."

"Kukukuku. Do you think I'm scared of you? I can figure out your class leader with or without your help and getting to Ichinose, it isn't even a challenge. Let's go Katsuragi, who cares what this pip squeak says?" Ryuuen smiled as he started walking away.

Katsuragi looked lost in thought. "... No. This deal is off, I can't have someone leak this plan, it wouldn't be worth it if we can't learn of the other two class leaders."

Ryuuen froze in his tracks and his smile faded. "What did you just say?"

Katsuragi repeated himself. "The deal is off."

Ryuuen walked up to Katsuragi and grabbed him by the collar. "You bastard! What do you think you're doing?!"

Katsuragi maintained his composure. "You don't scare me Ryuuen. You have too much to lose here if you withdraw from the island."

Syl chimed in. "Right? Isn't he like kinda cute when you pull out his fangs?"

Ryuuen scowled.

Then he took a deep breath and smiled.

"Kukukukuukukukuku! How interesting. Alright, I'll play your little game, Katsuragi. What do you suggest we do now?"

Ryuuen set Katsuragi down.

Katsuragi straightened out his shirt and spoke up. "I like Syl's idea. I'll split the pay 75-25."

Ryuuen laughed. "Kukuku. That's no-"

Syl cut in. "That's off the table, Katsuragi."

Katuragi was shocked. "What do you mean?"

Syl smiled. "I made that offer out of the generosity of my heart, but you two declined. This just won't do."

Syl turned to Ryuuen and winked when Katsuragi couldn't see him.

Ryuuen decided to let Syl speak for the moment.

Syl turned back to Katsuragi. "You guys don't have to spend a single class point. You guys will have an automatic 270 points. Some simple math tells me that it's an extra…"

Syl paused and started counting in his head.

"1,080,000." Katsuragi said.

"Bah! I knew that!" Syl quipped.

"Kukukuku, I thought you were supposed to be smart." Ryuuen laughed.

"I am! Shut up! Anyway! That means you guys will have an extra 1,000,000 points after this exam. Now, I understand that you're only getting 200 points from Ryuuen, which makes this trade technically worth 800,000 points per month. Which is what you were originally discussing."

The two nodded, confirming Syl's statement.

Syl clapped and continued. "Then what about the points for the class leaders? You two will be gaining 100 points for that but I will be losing 100! How cruel!"

"You forgot, if you join us and we learn of Ichinose's class leader, you will only lose 50 class points, but they will lose 150. Meaning you would get closer to class C by 100 class points anyway." Katsuragi said.

Syl waved him off. "Who fucking cares about class C? Besides, it's still a 150 point gap between me and both of you two. Anyway, if I tell you my class leader, I am guaranteeing you 50 class points. Rather than bet on Ryuuen, isn't it better to pay a little extra for guaranteed points?"

Katsuragi thought for a moment. "You're suggesting that I pay more?"

Syl nodded. "Remember, if you don't take this deal now, you're both mine and Ryuuen's enemy. And I can't speak for my Captain, but I will stop at nothing to drag you to the depths of hell."

"Kukukuku! A good crew mate always knows his Captain's goals." Ryuuen confirmed what Syl was saying as he saw where he was going with this.

Katsuragi frowned. "What are you saying?"

Ryuuen chuckled. "Isn't it better to gain points than to lose them? Even if you have to pay a little more?"

Katsuragi frowned deeper. "So this is a threat?"

Syl nodded. "Basically. Anyway, you're gonna be getting 300 free class points here. Now, I'm not an unreasonable man, so I won't cheat you out of your money. What I mean to say is. All of those private points are on the table."

"Kukukuku! I like the way you think." Ryuuen laughed.

Syl chuckled. "I figured you'd get me, Captain. Anyway, Those 300 class points are worth…"

"1,200,000 a month." Katsuragi said.

Syl continued on. "Right! I knew that! I can do simple math too! It's just 30,000 points times 40 people! Easy! Anyway! Those 1,200,000 points go to us 75-25, I get 300,000 and Ryuuen gets 900,000 every month. You get the class points but have to give up the private points that come with them. I think it's fair, I mean you will leap over 200 points in front of class B right away! Actually probably 300 points ahead, if Ryuuen spends the rest of the points."