Chapter 3

## Guide

**"Decoding May Dance, but it Does Not Move Forward"** (解読 (かいどく) は踊 (おどり) る、されど進 (すす) まず, *Kaidoku wa Odoru, Saredo Susumazu*?) is the 3rd chapter overall and the 3rd chapter of the 1st volume of the *Cipher Academy* manga, written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Yuji Iwasaki.

## Summary

Kogoe's offers and dreams, despite being appealing, didn't manage to capture the interest of Iroha, a boy with low self-esteem. CG made a valiant effort to persuade Iroha with her persuasive skills, but his response remained a resolute "no" for the time being. Nevertheless, she was determined to turn him into the class leading private eventually.

Lost in thought about Kogoe's seemingly unrealistic offers, Iroha strolled through the hallway on his way back to the classroom, oblivious to his surroundings. As he passed through a particular hallway, he encountered Yukako and Tayu, who had been waiting for him and promptly cornered him. The girls presented him with a challenge: a dance battle or a code battle.

Later that day, they discussed the peculiar behavior of the spectacles Iroha possessed. These glasses seemed to make him act strangely whenever he wore them. Yukako proposed the idea of stealing the glasses, while Kyora was not entirely on board with the plan. Their interest in obtaining the glasses had been piqued during a conversation between Kogoe and Iroha, where Kogoe had referred to the glasses as a tool for unearthing the 50 billion Morg.

Without hesitation, Iroha began to dance energetically, displaying his skills as if he were showing off. However, the two girls remained unimpressed and simply waited for him to finish. Yukako then presented him with a Level 5 puzzle to solve. Iroha opted for the dance battle to temporarily avoid the coding challenge, but Yukako offered him a more advantageous deal if he could solve the puzzle: they would request a seat swap on his behalf.

Meanwhile, Kogoe observed the unfolding events, placing her trust in Iroha to successfully complete the puzzle and become her trusted ally.

Simultaneously, Iroha and Yukako negotiated the terms of their challenge. Yukako informed Iroha that they preferred to possess the glasses rather than having him as their manservant, as was the initial arrangement in Kyora's puzzle challenge. Iroha proposed his own conditions: if he could solve the puzzle, they should cease pursuing Kogoe. This adjustment in conditions intrigued Kogoe, who had been listening and watching their conversation, causing her to blush. Yukako deferred the final decision to Kyora.

Iroha then altered his conditions once more, this time proposing that they disband the "Kogoe Search Squad." This left Yukako and Tayu bewildered by the rapidly changing terms. In response, Yukako added a condition of her own: Iroha must leave Cipher Academy and transfer to Trench Academy. With these conditions in place, they commenced their battle.

However, just as Iroha was about to begin, his glasses lost their connection. CG, who had been listening to the discussion alongside Kogoe, pointed out that the glasses had a rechargeable battery and should come with a charger. Kogoe had forgotten about this crucial detail. Therefore, the glasses had run out of battery, leaving Iroha in a predicament.

## Quick References

### Characters in Order of Appearance

**Iroha Irohazaka**
**Kogoe Horagatoge**
**Kyora Toshusai**Mentioned
**CG**Debut
**Yukako Omomuro**
**Tayu Yugata**
### Chapter Trivia

 Trench Academy, unlike Cipher Academy, is an all-boys school focused on training commandos in a disciplined and rigorous environment.