The Little Demon King? Or Just a She-Devil?

Hikigaya wasn't particularly familiar with Katsuragi Kouhei. They had only crossed paths a couple of times during the student council interviews, nothing more.

Yet, even those brief encounters had left a deep impression on Hikigaya.

After all, Katsuragi was everything Hikigaya was not—confident, unafraid of others' judgment, living boldly and without compromise.

This much was clear from Katsuragi's imposing bald head and his Schwarzenegger-like physique, which he carried as if he never gave a second thought to how others perceived him.

Though people like Hikigaya and Horikita also didn't care much about others' opinions and lived in their own worlds, Katsuragi took it a step further.

He had the ability to live uniquely while still earning the respect and recognition of those around him—something neither Hikigaya nor Horikita had managed to achieve.

Because of this, Hikigaya now found himself wondering: was the true leader of Class A the person standing in front of him, Sakayanagi Arisu, or was it Katsuragi Kouhei, the man he had encountered before?

In an attempt to prevent this little demon from continuing to toy with him, Hikigaya decided to probe by posing this very question.

However, he soon realized that this had been a terrible mistake.

After all, with someone like Sakayanagi—a classic sadist—confrontation only fueled their desire to strike back harder. Instead of retreating, they would escalate.

As soon as the words left Hikigaya's mouth, he felt Sakayanagi's gaze intensify, burning into him with such intensity that it seemed like she was ready to devour him.

"That's a great question, Hikigaya-kun."

Her single sentence dropped the temperature in the room by several degrees.

Realizing his mistake, Hikigaya quickly tried to backtrack. "Oh, it was just a random thought. I don't know much about Class A."

"Not knowing much about Class A, yet still being able to grasp its essence so keenly—Hikigaya-san, your eyes are truly special."

I am just a dead fish…

Hikigaya couldn't stand Sakayanagi's invasive, predatory tone. "Seriously, it was just a casual remark. Don't take it to heart, and don't take it seriously."

"Oh, no need to worry," Sakayanagi said with a soft laugh, covering her mouth delicately. "It's precisely that about you, Hikigaya-san, that I like the most."

What is "that" exactly?! Whatever it is, I'll change it, okay?!

Hikigaya was on the verge of being scared to death by Sakayanagi.

This little demon was testing his nerves with every word and gesture. It dawned on him that, as a mere "unlicensed knight," he was woefully unprepared to face an opponent of "dragon-level" strength or higher.

"There's no need to be so nervous. I don't suspect any particular connection between you and Katsuragi," Sakayanagi said with a calm smile, shaking her head slightly. "I have complete confidence in him. With Katsuragi around, Class A should come together smoothly."

Is she being sarcastic?

At first, Hikigaya instinctively thought so.

But in the next moment, he understood her true meaning.

"You think Katsuragi will eventually lose to you, and that he'll even become a stepping stone for you to fully control Class A?"

"I never said that." Sakayanagi smiled, her eyes gleaming. "But Hikigaya-san, your observations are as sharp as ever."

She didn't need to say it outright—her tone and confidence made it clear what her true intentions were.

What a devil. Not just a little demon, but a she-devil too.

For a brief moment, Hikigaya imagined what it would be like if Sakayanagi's plans backfired and she ended up humiliated.

Yeah, that would be something worth seeing.

"Are you hoping for my failure?"

What the—? Is everyone in this school a mind reader?!

"No, not at all!" Hikigaya immediately snapped back to reality, doing his best to dispel any fantasies and looking at Sakayanagi with eyes as pure as SpongeBob's.

"There's no need to hide your thoughts, at least not right now," Sakayanagi chuckled softly, shaking her head. "To be frank, Katsuragi can't win. He's not as capable as you might think."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Everyone has a hidden side, Hikigaya-san. You, me, everyone here. That hidden side is both our essence and our weakness." Her tone suddenly took on a philosophical air. "Katsuragi may seem strong and fearless, but his weakness is equally apparent—he can't live up to the expectations of those who rely on him."

"And you think you can?"

"Well," Sakayanagi's smile grew sharper, "that's something you'll have to see with your dead fish eyes."

Their pointed conversation came to an end.

Hikigaya exhaled deeply, relieved that this verbal sparring match was finally over. He silently resolved to avoid provoking this little demon in the future—for the sake of his sanity.

The atmosphere lightened considerably as the conversation shifted to more casual topics.

The three members of Class A, who had been suffocating under Sakayanagi's pressure, finally relaxed and rejoined the conversation. They were all clearly surprised by Hikigaya's ability to hold his ground against Sakayanagi so openly.

It seemed their perception of him had changed completely.

"Today, I just wanted to greet you, Hikigaya-san," Sakayanagi finally said. "After all, I doubt you care much about the fate of Class D. You don't strike me as the type to concern yourself with others."

Damn it, she came here just to test me?

Hikigaya took a deep breath.

Normally, she would've been right. Hikigaya couldn't care less about the fate of the misfits in Class D. In fact, he'd happily watch them experience a bit of hell.

But then again, there were certain things he had no choice but to do—like ensuring he could meet his sister Komachi during these three years. As a devoted brother, sometimes you just had to bite the bullet.

Of course, he wasn't about to reveal any of this. He merely responded vaguely, "That's not your concern. Shouldn't you be more focused on Katsuragi or Class B? At the very least, Class C?"

"Hehe, that's where you're mistaken," Sakayanagi said slyly. "Even Class D has individuals worth paying attention to, yourself included."

Her cryptic words left Hikigaya momentarily stunned.

Who was she referring to? Could it be…?

Hikigaya's mind raced as he tried to decipher the hidden meaning behind Sakayanagi's words. Meanwhile, he couldn't help but wonder when this agonizing conversation would finally come to an end.

But just as he was on the verge of losing his composure, a group of familiar faces appeared on the road leading to the shopping district.

Yamauchi, Ike Kanji, Ayanokoji, Kushida Kikyo, Karuizawa Kei, and Hirata Yousuke—members of Class D—were all heading their way in a group!