Between Hell and Heaven 9

---

Day 6

6:56 AM

Sienna's POV

Time...

It slips through my fingers like water, but I've gathered just enough of it—and a handful of tools—to set the final phase in motion.

Lloyd's downfall is near.

Shinji Matoba walked beside me, his brows furrowed, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Another of Katsuragi's lackeys—still clinging to ideals like loyalty and "the good of the class."

He was quiet, chewing on my proposition like gristle. I could feel the doubt radiating off him.

"I don't trust you," he finally muttered. "What Katsuragi does—he does for our class. You nominating Ai Morishita as our leader… It's reckless."

I arched a brow. "Funny. If you're so worried, why didn't you run straight to another class with this information?"

"What!? No! I'd never do that. That wouldn't benefit Katsuragi at all!"

I stopped walking. My eyes locked onto his. "Katsuragi is losing ground, Shinji. Influence is bleeding from his grasp. If our class hits bottom... he won't be the only one to fall."

He didn't answer right away, just nervously fiddled with the zipper of his jersey.

"I don't know—"

"Then help. You're still Class A, even if your faction's splintering. Use that title for once."

There was silence. Then, a slow nod. "Sure. Why not. What do you need from me?"

I smirked, subtle but sharp. "Just one task. One small step on your path."

His eyes lit with newfound resolve. I saw it. The shift. Just like the others.

One more pawn in place.

---

Later, I knelt by a patch of disturbed earth. My gloved fingers—wrapped in thick nylon to avoid detection—brushed the soil aside until they met the hard edge of my walkie-talkie. I flicked it on.

Buzz. Buzz.

Perfect timing. Whis was calling. That meant progress.

I brought it to my ear. His voice was crisp, precise.

"Chiaki Matsushita."

No fluff. No errors. He'd nailed it again.

A wicked grin tugged at the corner of my lips.

Lloyd's class... compromised.

Why stop there?

After roll call, I spotted Ai Morishita on her own, repeating "Vroom Vroom!" to no one in particular. Her eyes sparkled with childlike randomness. I could never tell what was going on in that head of hers—but that made her perfect for this part of the game.

I approached her slowly.

"What's up, Ai?"

She paused mid-"vroooom," blinking. "Oh! Sienna-san! What's Sienna doing here?"

"I've noticed a pattern… A way to identify each class leader."

That did it.

The air tensed immediately. Her expression sharpened.

"Tell me one."

"Chiaki Matsushita," I said evenly, cool confidence lacing my voice.

Her eyes narrowed. "How sure are you?"

"Sure enough. But that's not the point anymore. What matters is using this to uncover the rest."

Ai tilted her head. "Didn't you just say you already knew them all?"

"You should just follow my lead, Ai. It'll work."

My smile was slow, creeping. A fox in the henhouse.

---

Third Person POV

The leaders were summoned under the guise of a meeting, orchestrated by Miki Yamamura—each class thinking it came from someone else. Manipulation at its finest.

They gathered at the designated location: a flat clearing with jagged tree lines and wind slicing through like a blade.

Katsuragi looked visibly irritated, his jaw clenched. His eyes darted to Ai Morishita, who stood calmly, as if she were out on a picnic.

Ichinose leaned toward Kanzaki and whispered, "What's this about?"

Kanzaki's face was unreadable. "No clue. Maybe an alliance proposal?"

Ryuen strolled in from the other direction, hands in his pockets, wearing that amused, calculating expression—the same one from the infamous "card accident" incident.

Hirata came with Class D's vanguard, shoulders tense. Haruka folded her arms.

"We don't have time to waste," she said coolly. "State your business so we can get back to hunting bonus points."

"I agree," Ichinose added, glancing around.

That's when Ai stepped forward, her voice as casual as if she were announcing lunch.

"All of you can stop worrying about bonus points. It's pointless now."

Silence.

"Why?" Ichinose asked, cautious.

"Because I know your class leaders."

The words hit like a gunshot.

Hirata's posture shifted immediately. Defensive. Disbelieving.

"Stop lying!" he snapped. "You expect us to believe you pulled that from thin air?"

"You can believe what you want," Ai said simply. "But to prove I'm right, I'll name your leader, Hirata."

The air went still. Even Ryuen stopped smirking.

"Chiaki Matsushita."

Heads snapped. Kanzaki and Ichinose both turned to look at Hirata—his face had drained of color.

Ryuen chuckled darkly. "Kukuku…"

"Wrong," Hirata insisted. "You're wrong—"

"I know I'm right," Ai cut in. "And if you don't want to lose even more, I suggest you avoid any leader changes. Or else, I'll wager guesses on the rest… and earn 50 S-points per correct answer."

Katsuragi clenched his fists. Ichinose looked on the verge of protest, but Kanzaki's quiet reassurance held her back.

"There's more," Ai added, voice almost playful. "On the last day, I'll name all the leaders. Publicly."

Ryuen narrowed his eyes. "So what's your play here? Some mastermind in the shadows feeding you intel?"

Ai blinked. "Maybe. Maybe not. My motives don't concern you."

"Then tell us who our leader is," Ryuen challenged, "since you're supposedly psychic."

Ai's reply was instant.

"Reo Kondo."

Ryuen studied her with unnerving stillness... then laughed. "Tch. Whatever."

He turned, his entourage following like wolves, silent and watchful.

Ichinose gave one last look to Ai, then to Sienna, before walking away with Kanzaki. Hirata was the last to leave, his expression unreadable.

Katsuragi stayed a moment longer.

"What's going on, Sienna? Are you seriously a psychic?"

She smirked. "Hardly."

Katsuragi gave her one last, searching look... then turned and left.

---

In the Shadows...

A figure knelt behind the brush, cloaked by the dense foliage. Silver-grey hair caught in the wind like threads of moonlight.

His lips curled upward.

"Well done, Sienna. Casting your pawns as prophets while using Whis and Nero to uncover the truth behind every leader… Just as expected."

Then, as if swallowed by the forest itself, he vanished into the trees.