Kakeru Ryūen commands Class C through ruthless leadership and razor-sharp strategic intellect. His striking appearance features magenta hair swept sharply to frame his face, piercing magenta eyes, and a lean, athletic build. While the light novels depict him in standard uniform, the anime outfits him in a defiant red jacket layered over an unbuttoned black shirt. His personality is a volatile mix of sadistic impulses, tactical cunning, and pragmatic control. He enforces dominance via fear, intimidation, and orchestrated violence, exemplified by engineering schemes to eliminate rivals like Ken Sudō through fabricated assault charges—thwarted only by external interventions. Paradoxically, he exhibits genuine investment in his class’s success, discreetly safeguarding Hiyori Shiina’s welfare and relying on her as a trusted confidante. Loyal enforcer Albert Yamada and contentious ally Mio Ibuki anchor his inner circle, though Ibuki’s disapproval of his brutality sparks recurring friction. His rivalry with Class D crystallizes in clashes against Suzune Horikita, whom he initially underestimates before recognizing her latent capability, and Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, whose physical and psychological defeat of Ryūen shatters his invincibility, awakening genuine fear and eroding his arrogance. A master manipulator, Ryūen exploits competitive scenarios like the survival test and cruise ship exams, forging calculated alliances with figures such as Kōhei Katsuragi to destabilize rivals. He employs ethically dubious tactics—surveilling classmates’ communications to expose VIPs—to secure victories at any cost. Though his iron-fisted rule keeps Class C competitive, mounting dissent culminates in expulsion conspiracies during supplemental exams. Post-defeat, Ryūen abandons overt aggression toward Class D, confronting the consequences of his fear-driven reign. He accepts expulsion gambits without resistance, signaling introspection. Moments of vulnerability surface—embarrassment over the derisive nickname "Dragon-Boy," leaked by Rokusuke Kōenji and mocked by Arisu Sakayanagi—yet his strategic acumen endures. A pragmatic alliance with Horikita during the cultural festival underscores his adaptive instincts. Though lacking formal combat training, his street-honed fighting instincts overpower adversaries like Daichi Ishizaki and Ibuki. However, Ayanokōji’s disciplined martial prowess exposes the limits of Ryūen’s improvisational style. His capacity to command through dread persists even as his authority fractures, a testament to the enduring grip of his merciless ethos.