-246- Don't have the right to refuse

Luxury cruise ship, basement level four.

This was the lowest level within the luxury cruise ship.

Here, there were no individual rooms for living, nor were there any recreational facilities. There were only workspaces like engine rooms or control panel rooms.

Normally, this level was off-limits, only accessible to the ship's crew when necessary. Usually, it was completely deserted, with only two entry points—one connecting to an emergency staircase that was closed off, and another for daily use, making the structure very straightforward.

But today, this place was crowded.

All the attendees were first-year students.

"Why are we gathering here?"

"Is there something important to announce after the exam?"

"Then why not announce it somewhere else? Why here?"

"Who knows..."

Groups of first-year students gathered, each class occupying a different corner, forming four clusters, with their noisy chatter echoing around.

Naturally, the central figures of each class were also present.

Katsuragi Kouhei had been pondering this issue, constantly scanning the surroundings, trying to find clues.

Ryuen Kakeru had become unusually silent, hands in his pockets, eyes glinting with unknown thoughts.

Ichinose Honami was also at the center of her class, discussing with those around her.

Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, and others from Class D were there too, with puzzled expressions.

Everyone was thinking the same thing.

"What's the point of gathering in a place like this?"

Horikita Suzune had been contemplating this question too.

"It is strange."

Kushida Kikyou agreed.

"Even if there's something important to announce or explain, it could be done on the deck or in a hall on another floor."

Hirata Yousuke offered his opinion as well.

This was what everyone present was thinking.

Gathering in a place like this was too intriguing.

As Hirata Yousuke mentioned, if there was something to announce or explain, there were many better places to do so. There was no need to gather in a machine room that only the crew would enter.

Therefore, since they were called here, it was definitely not meaningless.

Even Ryuen Kakeru, despite his usual bold and reckless demeanor, didn't act rashly. Instead, he came here quietly, always looking at the list on his phone.

It was a list that could tilt the special exam in favor of Class C.

If not for this unexpected incident, Ryuen Kakeru would have handed this list to the Class C students in each group.

But now, due to the sudden school announcement, Ryuen held back.

This cautious Ryuen Kakeru didn't realize he had already fallen into someone's trap.

If Ryuen hadn't been so astute and had disregarded the school notice, directly distributing the list, Class C would have already won.

Unfortunately, Ryuen wasn't someone who ignored anomalies. Despite appearing bold and reckless on the surface, he was cunning and calculative, never ignoring sudden changes, always cautious to avoid potential troubles.

Thus, Ryuen fell into the trap laid out long before anyone else in this room did.

"Sorry to disappoint you all."

A voice echoed throughout the space.

"The school neither has important announcements for you nor anything to explain. This is just fulfilling my request to gather you here."

With this voice, everyone present fell silent.

Especially Ryuen Kakeru, Katsuragi Kouhei, Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyou, and Hirata Yousuke—the central figures of each class—either held their breath or their eyes narrowed, turning sharply towards the only open entrance.

There, a person slowly walked in.

"Is everyone here?"

Nanaya Hori looked around at all the students from the four classes and smiled suddenly.

"Pretty quick."

This was rare praise.

It wasn't easy to earn Nanaya Hori's sincere praise.

However, at this moment, no one felt happy about it.

"Nanaya..."

Katsuragi Kouhei's eyes narrowed.

"You...?"

Horikita Suzune was completely stunned.

"Nanaya-kun?"

Including Kushida Kikyou and Hirata Yousuke, all the students in Class D were astonished.

Naturally, Sakura Airi was among them, blinking continuously at the mysterious words from the newly arrived Nanaya Hori.

Students from other classes were equally bewildered.

Only two people were indifferent to this anomaly.

One was Ichinose Honami, who watched quietly from the group in Class B, with a faint smile on her face.

The other was Ryuen Kakeru, who, after Nanaya Hori's appearance, had been staring at him without uttering a word.

Recalling Nanaya Hori's earlier words, how could Ryuen Kakeru not understand?

He had already fallen into the opponent's trap.

What was this trap?

Ryuen Kakeru hadn't fully grasped it yet.

But from what Nanaya Hori said, Ryuen understood one thing.

"This was your request...?"

Ryuen Kakeru looked deeply at Nanaya Hori and suddenly smiled.

"I see, that broadcast was made at your request, not by the school, right?"

This statement shocked the students who were confused by the current situation.

"The broadcast just now..."

"Wasn't planned by the school...?"

Katsuragi Kouhei and Horikita Suzune, the central figures of each class, were equally shocked.

But that was the truth.

Why did the school gather all the first-year students here?

The reason was simple: because Nanaya Hori asked them to.

"Although it's my first time using personal points for something like this, I must say, the uses of personal points in this school are indeed extensive."

Nanaya Hori shrugged, speaking to himself without looking at Ryuen Kakeru.

"As long as you have enough points, you can even alter school rules to some extent. A few thousand points are enough to make the school broadcast. Don't you find that convenient?"

This rhetorical question fully explained the current situation.

Undoubtedly, it was Nanaya Hori who gathered all the first-year students here.

And the reason for doing so was singular.

"I have something I'd like you all to help me with."

Nanaya Hori's gaze swept across the students present, speaking coldly.

"By the way, you don't have the right to refuse."

With these words, the atmosphere on site turned hostile.