COTE: Class Apollyon

Vol 3 Chapter 1: Convergent decisions

Keijo Naoya/Ayanokoji Kiyotaka POV

I made my way to the whiteboard and wrote down the lineup for the team in my class.

"As you all can see, I have already created a lineup that is based on the intellect and physical traits and assessed who will be part of the team. Now does anyone have any questions?" I asked them.

I wanted to hear the other's insights to see if they disagreed or not—

"Actually I have something to ask, how exactly did you come to the conclusion to add Saku-kun to the lineup? Considering you just met him now, it doesn't make sense to add someone who is clearly new to the class with no knowledge about them?" The 1st person to question me and to have interrupted my thoughts was none other than Takuya.

On the surface, he does make a good point about choosing someone you just met, although that is how Takuya wants everyone here to perceive what he is asking me. What he really is asking me, is why I didn't take the chance to evaluate him and he is also asking, am I not good enough to be even considered an option to be put onto the lineup?

Now how could I possibly draw this conclusion 1 might ask? Well, that is simple, after asking the question of how the lineup I drew up, so after asking, I wanted to draw out a reaction from Amasawa Ichika and Yagami Takuya to assess their state of mind after seeing my lineup.

From what I got from Ichika, was that she didn't seem to mind, in fact, the look in her eye says that she wouldn't go against any of my ideas or plans. This draws me to the conclusion that she must be 1 of those groups that look up to me as an unreachable God I heard about it from a few instructors who said that multiple generations started to venerate me as a divinity. This means I didn't have to go to any further lengths to get her into submission, and if she does try to rebel against me then........

I'll just have to break her fully by any means necessary, even if it means to go toward those inhumane methods.

But I don't have to worry about that for the time being.

Now for Takuya, it is the exact opposite of what I saw from the soul of Ichika. Takuya showed a rather impressive composure to the point that it almost went unnoticed. His tone was passive and showed no bloodlust within his tone, but his eyes for a split second showed his real feelings when he didn't see his name on the list but saw Saku's name instead. The emotion in his eyes was all too familiar to me, it's what the instructors and my former classmates once showed me, full malice of hatred that goes beyond human logic. That hatred of his was obviously built upon gradually with the intent of surpassing all the current students of that place.

In simpler terms, he is eagerly anticipating a challenge from me. However, it's unlikely that he possesses the skills to compete with me, let alone surpass the abilities of others. Even with 100 years of training, he wouldn't stand a chance against me.

These 'humans' are incredibly amusing but at the same time, incredibly dull as their outcome is always the same. However, these 'humans' are like clay to me, they can be molded into whatever image I want them to be. And Siesta is a wonderful example of that.

"Well Takuya-kun, I've known Saku-kun for quite a long time. So I have an idea of how strong and intelligent he is, and I believe having him in this lineup is pretty acceptable. And before any of you ask, he is of the same generation as most of us are from, just trained at a different location." I explained to them with Kyoko began to ask me something interesting.