Chapter 29 - But I Refuse!
With everyone stepping back, Sakayanagi Arisu took the opportunity to come forward.
Her deep, bright eyes first glanced at Yuto, who had a refreshing smile on his face.
Then she focused on their chess match.
The chessboard situation, with Honda Ban's white pieces almost entirely captured by Yuto's black pieces, made Sakayanagi Arisu slightly narrow her eyes.
What an aggressive strategy.
While Sakayanagi Arisu was observing the chessboard, Honda Ban, noticing the members' avoidance, let out a wry smile and then said to Yuto, "I still have 550,000 points. Let's play for 550,000 points per game."
"Tsk."
Hearing Yuto's disdainful click of his tongue, Honda Ban helplessly said, "Junior, don't take 550,000 private points so lightly. You know, 50,000 private points can ensure a pretty comfortable half month's stay at school!"
"Is that so? I've just started school and am not very familiar with the spending situation here."
"..."
The room fell silent, as they remembered Shimizu Yuto was a new student...
Yet this freshman student had amassed an incredible sum of 3.4 million private points on the first day of school!
If someone had told them that a freshman would have over three million private points on the first day of school, they would never have believed it.
But here, the freshman with over three million points was right in front of them!
"Shimizu, you already have so many points in your balance. Even if you spend recklessly, you could live comfortably through all three years of high school," Honda Ban said earnestly.
Honda Ban's persuasion was mainly to get a free game out of Yuto!
"Well, it looks like points are indeed the most important thing in this school, the more, the better," Yuto replied with a smile, "Since senpai is keen to continue betting, let's do it then, 550,000 private points a game."
"...Fine."
As the game was set to begin again, the retreating club members gathered around once more, while Sakayanagi Arisu, who had already made her way into the circle, took two steps forward and sat down next to Yuto.
As Sakayanagi Arisu took her seat, Yuto caught a whiff of her fragrance, as ethereal and heady as a night-blooming flower.
He turned to see the delicate and beautiful face of a slender girl, Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Hmm?"
"Don't mind me, focus on the game," Sakayanagi Arisu said with a faint smile to the surprised Yuto.
"Oh."
Yuto didn't object to the unfamiliar Sakayanagi Arisu sitting next to him, after all, she was emitting a fresh and pleasant fragrance.
The third game still ended with Honda Ban's defeat... Just an hour ago, the senpai had over 3.107 million private points.
But an hour later, Honda Ban's balance had dwindled to only 7,000 private points.
Although this was not enough for Honda Ban to comfortably get through a month...
Nevertheless, Honda Ban didn't dodge the payment, transferring 550,000 private points to Yuto with a defeated expression.
Given how promptly the points were transferred, this proud and confident Chess Club president seemed to have his own principles.
The smiling Yuto looked at his balance, which now displayed a total of 3.95 million private points.
From an observer's perspective, earning points seemed easy... but that was merely an illusion.
If Yuto did not possess superior chess skills, his points would have dropped to zero, just like Ryuuen Kakeru, becoming another poor soul with zero points.
Moreover, due to Honda Ban's obsession with chess and his responsibility as the president of the Chess Club, he readily accepted Yuto's high-stakes challenges.
Otherwise, Yuto would not have easily amassed nearly four million private points!
Although Honda Ban had nearly lost all his wealth, he bore no ill will towards Yuto.
After all, he had been defeated in a fair match, and Honda Ban admitted defeat wholeheartedly.
Honda Ban, with respect and seriousness, said to Yuto, "Shimizu-kun, would you like to join our chess club? If you join, I am willing to hand over the position of president to you."
The other club members had no objections to Honda Ban's invitation and his offer to step down, as they had all witnessed Yuto's terrifying skill at chess!
Honda Ban wanted to bring Yuto into the club so that he would have a reason to play chess with him for free.
"Because I dislike being tied down, I don't plan to join any clubs," Yuto said, waving his hand.
"The school holds a chess competition every three months, and if you perform well, the school will reward you with 200,000 private points," Honda Ban tempted Yuto with the prospect of joining the Chess Club.
But!
"I still refuse," Yuto, holding his student terminal, said with a smile, "Because I'm no longer interested in just 200,000 points."
"..." The entire activity room fell silent.
Hear that, isn't that crazy? That's 200,000 private points they're talking about, not just 200 or 2,000 points!
And the boy's saying that he's not interested!
"That's really too bad," Honda Ban said, resigned to the fact.
Yuto, looking spirited, turned to the other club members and said with a refreshing smile, "Senpais, who have a lot of spare points... I mean, who's interested in betting against me?"
You were just asking who has a lot of points, weren't you!
"Ahaha, I'm a bit tired today, not really in the mood for chess."
"Eri, you're tired too, huh? So am I!"
"Heh, you two are just hypocrites. I'm different; I can't beat this junior, so I won't bet against him!"
"..."
Regrettably, Yuto realized his chess skill had intimidated everyone, completely deterring them from betting against him.
What a pity.
"I'll play," Sakayanagi Arisu, who had been sitting beside Yuto, finally spoke up.
"You?" Yuto turned to look at the delicate and petite cute girl. Was she also a senpai... So small?
"How many points do you have, senpai?"
"I'm not a senpai; I'm a freshman like you," Sakayanagi Arisu corrected him.
"Really? How many points do you have?" Yuto inquired.
"100,000 private points."
"Then forget it, that's too few."
Yuto immediately lost interest; it was just a small change of 100,000 points after all.
Remember, he was barely interested in Honda Ban's 550,000 points!
After rejecting the petite Sakayanagi Arisu, Yuto stood up, smiled at the Chess Club members, and said, "Senpais, thanks for your hospitality. I'll take my leave now."
"...Safe travels."
---
Read More With Pictures: (10+ Chapters)
patreon.com/U22(PS: Vote for this fanfiction for more chapters. Also, don't forget to leave a review and comment below. If the results are not good, then I'll just drop it and start working on another project.)
YOU ARE READING
Classroom of the Elite: I Have the Ability to Read Minds! (COTE)
FanfictionShimizu Yuto possesses the extraordinary power to read the minds of others! Joined by his childhood friend, Sakura Airi, Yuto enters the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. Witness as he masterfully leverages his abilitie...