COTE: Popularity System Chapter 17 17: Interrupting Manabu's Aurafarming

Inside the gymnasium.

The students, who had been noisy, gradually quieted down. They slightly raised their heads, their gaze fixed on the bespectacled man in a school uniform on the podium.

At first, they thought he was a senior club mber who had forgotten his speech notes and was too nervous to speak in front of everyone. Many took the opportunity to tease him, so even telling him to cheer up.

But as ti passed, they began to feel the oppressive aura emanating from him. Many people quickly closed their mouths, causing others to quiet down as well.

Seeing this, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka couldn't help but sigh inwardly, 'What a formidable person.'

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at the student on the podium, feeling genuine admiration for him.

As a student, trying to suppress others when they don't know each other is quite difficult. Although he had never attended a regular elentary school or junior high school before coming to this school, he understood the difficulty of accomplishing this feat.

As the ultimate masterpiece cultivated by the White Room, he was confident he could use words to guide everyone and make them listen to him. But suppressing everyone present without uttering a sound—even he couldn't do that.

On the stage, Horikita Manabu scanned the crowd. Seeing his younger sister present, his expression remained unchanged, but deep down, he was extrely disappointed.

Suzune, you haven't made any progress in the last two years.

Taking his gaze off his sister, Horikita Manabu saw that everyone in the gymnasium had quieted down and prepared to give his speech on behalf of the Student Council.

However, right at that mont.

A new group of people walked into the gymnasium, chatting and laughing. It was a group of five: three males and two females.

Among them, the woman with the purple ponytail imdiately greeted her classmates enthusiastically, "Kobashi-san, Hino-san, are you guys here to hang out too?"

Hang out?

Hearing that word, so people present couldn't maintain their composure.

The previously somber atmosphere was instantly ruined by the girl's use of the word "hang out."

"Amikura-san, keep your voice down." Kobashi Yu, also from Class 1-B, quickly raised a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

"What's wrong?"

Amikura Mako tilted her head, and although she was confused, she lowered her voice as requested by her friend.

"That senpai giving the speech looks really scary. It wouldn't be good if we angered him." Kobashi Yu whispered.

Amikura Mako curiously glanced at the stage, and after locking eyes with Horikita Manabu, she imdiately shrank her neck in fear. "I understand."

Although Amikura Mako, who had broken the deadlock, also quieted down, the atmosphere Horikita Manabu had painstakingly created was ruined just like that. The effect he had hoped to achieve was certainly not as good as originally anticipated.

'An unexpected situation occurred?'

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka quickly understood the drawback of that action.

Suppressing newcors with silence is certainly intimidating. But if new people join in midway, it ends up being counterproductive.

'Thinking this way, there's no need to learn from it. There are too many uncontrollable factors.'

Thinking this, he looked toward the purple-haired girl and then surprisingly spotted an acquaintance in the crowd.

'He's here too.'

The person he saw was naturally Takada Hikaru, whom he had t on the bus and at the convenience store.

[Money-Giving guy makes a dazzling appearance!]

[Soone finally tried to show off, and it was ruined by Money-Giving guy.]

[Up there, Money-Giving guy just happened to arrive at this ti. Besides, the one who broke the silence was his friend, so what does it have to do with him?]

[Speaking of which, he has already made so many friends? The protagonist can only talk to the person next to him right now.]

[Fake protagonist: Only senses that the school rules are strange, can only talk to the person next to him after half a day's effort, and is suppressed by a fellow student's aura.

True protagonist: Knows the school rules from the start and earned 1.6 million points, is surrounded by all sorts of friends within two days, and affects seemingly powerful individuals without lifting a finger.]

As Takada Hikaru appeared on the ani screen, the comnts imdiately beca active.

Seeing the audience's comnts, the corner of Hikaru's lips twitched slightly.

Didn't they agree his nickna had changed to CEO? How did it revert back to Money-Giving guy in less than a day?

Takada Hikaru really wanted to protest and object, but knowing it was pointless, he simply quieted down and listened to Horikita Manabu's speech.

After the scene quieted down again, Horikita Manabu began to speak about his planned content, "I am the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu. With the departure of the previous batch of students, the Student Council requires new mbers..."

The content that followed was no different from the original series.

After finishing his speech, Horikita Manabu stepped down from the stage and quickly walked toward the exit of the gymnasium.

In the original series, his action felt quite mysterious, making him seem very formidable. But now, it gave people the impression that he was in a bad mood, almost as if he was throwing a tantrum.

"Phew... the Student Council President finally left." Amikura Mako sighed, placing a hand on her chest. "He scared to death."

When she made eye contact with the Student Council President just now, she felt like he was angry, which startled her.

"Exactly. I thought President Horikita was holding a grudge against us." Andō Sayo also took a breath, she had been very nervous monts ago.

Seeing the girls were nervous, Takada Hikaru spoke up to comfort them, "Don't worry, President Horikita shouldn't be such a petty man. If he really tries to cause trouble for you over sothing so minor, I'll help you resolve it."

Hearing his reassurance, everyone imdiately felt relieved.

"Since Takada-san says so, then I feel safe."

After seeing Takada Hikaru reveal the school's hidden rules this morning, and then watching him earn 150,000 private points from a senior student, Andō Sayo and the others had considerable trust in his character and abilities.

"But wouldn't that be too much trouble for Takada-san?" Amikura Mako lowered her eyebrows, saying worriedly.

"It's fine. I just happen to want to see how powerful this school's Student Council President is." Takada Hikaru replied with a smile.

Their conversation was overheard by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who was not far away.

'He actually has the confidence to confront the Student Council President?'

After the speech, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka knew that the Student Council President was no simple person, and he also knew that the Student Council possessed the ability to influence school rules.

Yet, even after hearing all this, that guy nad Takada Hikaru still had the confidence to oppose the Student Council President.

Combined with the 1.6 million private points from yesterday, this guy must also be very capable.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, like the vast audience, labeled Takada Hikaru as a powerful individual without knowing the specific details.