Chapter 131: Hikigaya Watches the Drama
[Ichinose Honami's eyes flashed with panic, but her strong leadership composure quickly steadied her. "How did Ryuen-kun find out?"]
[Ryuen grinned slyly. "Looks like I've got your weakness."]
[Ichinose: "No… all my points came through legitimate means. That's undeniable."]
[Ryuen didn't bother arguing further. Ichinose's explanations weren't for him now but the video's Ryuen.]
[Kanzaki Ryuji: "They're finally targeting Class B."]
[Kaneda Satoru (Ryuen's class): "Your class has been moving slowly, comfortably. That's only because we haven't targeted you yet."]
[In and out of the video, everyone saw Class B's flaws during the festival.]
[Given the current situation, although Class B has only failed once, it's clearly the easiest class to target. They've obviously become Ryuen's target.]
[Shiranami Chihiro, watching the video with concern: "This day has finally come… Are we just powerless to resist?"]
[Ichinose Honami, however, firmly believed that as long as they stayed united, they could win any exam.]
["As long as we're united, we won't lose."]
Study time passed quickly. As usual, Sakura Airi headed to the student council to continue her work, while Horikita Suzune handled class matters. Sudo Ken was nowhere to be seen, likely at the library or basketball club. Kushida Kikyo took Karuizawa Kei to cram, as Karuizawa had ranked near the bottom in the sports festival, second only to Yamauchi Haruki. To avoid trouble in the next exam, she needed to improve fast.
Karuizawa had initially planned to ask Hikigaya Hachiman for help, but Kushida ruthlessly intercepted her. The reason was obvious: after Karuizawa kissed Hikigaya in front of the entire school at the sports festival, Kushida was always nearby whenever Karuizawa was with him, watching them with a surveillant gaze.
In the end, though reluctant, Karuizawa complied for the sake of staying in school longer, and spending more time with Hikigaya. She obediently followed Kushida to study.
Since Horikita and Hirata Yosuke were no longer the class's core, they weren't as busy.
Hirata, however, was swamped daily with tasks. At this rate, he'd likely collapse soon. Moreover…
During the sports festival, the usually reliable Hirata had faltered. Something was off, no matter how you looked at it.
As for Koenji Rokusuke, he was off spending Hikigaya's points extravagantly.
With nothing to do, Hikigaya figured he'd return to the dorm and laze around during this idle period.
Leaving the school building, he unexpectedly ran into Ryuen Kakeru, who'd just stirred up the rumor. Sensing trouble, Hikigaya pretended not to see him and walked past.
Of course, such pretense was useless against Ryuen. He blocked Hikigaya's path and snapped, "You treating me like air?"
"No, it's just that you seem like trouble."
Ryuen, like he was chumming up to a stranger, slung an arm around Hikigaya's shoulder, teasing, "What, scared of your grandpa Ryuen?"
What's with this guy? Sudo 2.0?
Hikigaya didn't know what caused this high-and-mighty guy's change, so he shifted topics.
"Aren't you Class D's leader? How're you so free? Our class's Horikita and Hirata are swamped."
He didn't mention how Horikita had ignored him earlier.
Ryuen grinned mischievously. "Don't play dumb. Isn't Class C's real leader you?"
"How's a guy who leaves right after class a leader?"
Ryuen feigned anger, patting Hikigaya's chest and pointing. "Keep pretending."
"Alright, enough about me. Don't drag me into your class's mess."
"Bullshit! Our class is the most obedient in this school. That's slander!"
Hikigaya gave a dismissive look. "You? Your class? Do you really believe that yourself?"
Ryuen leaned closer, whispering, "Not gonna lie, I've handed class affairs to Kaneda Satoru and Shiina Hiyori. Ibuki Mio and Albert Yamada handle morale. I just goof off after class."
Hikigaya was surprised. If Ryuen wasn't playing tyrant, it was good for the class. He admired how quickly Ryuen adapted.
"So, Ichinose's thing wasn't your doing?"
Ryuen shook his head. "I just declared war for the class. Shiina found the info."
"Shiina, huh…"
Hikigaya recalled her busy demeanor in the library, now handling class affairs.
But…
He continued, "Someone as pure as Shiina wouldn't plan this. She probably just found the clue, and you decided to spread it, right, Ryuen?"
Ryuen didn't hide it. "Can't fool you, huh? Fine, chatting with you's no fun. I was hoping to trick you."
"You…"
"We're archenemies, definitely not friends."
Hikigaya was speechless. He didn't consider Ryuen a friend, but what kind of archenemy hooks arms like this on the street?
He'd never seen or heard of it.
They swaggered to the dorms, but at the entrance, a Class B boy rushed up, angrily shouting, "What the hell are you doing, spreading this crap?!"
The sudden confrontation startled Hikigaya. Ryuen, as if expecting it, tightened his arm around him and said casually, "Oh, this? Pretty fun, right? If you think it's nonsense, shouldn't your leader come and explain?"
Ryuen's gaze caught Ichinose Honami, lingering hesitantly in the distance.
She mustered courage and approached them.
Hikigaya was in an awkward spot, caught in their class feud, with Ryuen's arm ensuring he couldn't escape.
Ichinose steadied herself, prioritizing her class.
Placing a hand on her chest, her usual smile gone, she faced them seriously. "No matter what I say, Ryuen-kun, you won't believe me, will you?"
"Oh? So you're not explaining?"
Hikigaya didn't know what to say. He'd once glimpsed Ichinose's massive point balance by chance.
She knew he wasn't the type to blab, and since they weren't enemies with Class B, he'd dismissed it.
Now…
Their standoff made it clear this wouldn't end easily.
Ichinose remained serious, showing a resolve Hikigaya had never seen. "Tomorrow, I'll report everything to the sensei and explain it all to the school."
"My point balance and how I got it will be verified by the school to prove this is your misunderstanding, Ryuen-kun."
Ryuen sneered, still the lofty king to outsiders. "Misunderstanding? What can't be settled now? Lying's as easy as breathing."
Ichinose didn't get angry, growing more rational. "That's why I'll report to the school for transparency. No room for foul play."
The Class B boy behind her nodded, supporting this fair approach.
But who was Ryuen?
Unlike with Hikigaya, he wouldn't let go easily.
He'd make you squirm until the end, even knowing the outcome.
Laughing maniacally, he held his face. "Hahaha, Ichinose, you can fool others, but not me. Lies are just deception. If you're so eager for the school to judge fairly, doesn't that mean you've got a plan to hide something, or maybe you're scrambling now, right?"
Ichinose struggled against Ryuen's relentless prodding, finally drawn in. "What do I need to do for you to believe me?"
Ryuen feigned thought. "First, disclose your points here and explain how you got them. Then report the same to the school tomorrow. That way, doubters will be satisfied."
Ichinose shook her head. "I can't agree. Since I didn't gain points unfairly, I can't reveal my hand. My point balance heavily impacts future strategies."
Glancing at Ryuen's disdain and then at Hikigaya, she added, "I promise, tomorrow I'll report everything and accept any investigation. The school will prove the truth!"
Her upright declaration clashed with the dark tension. Their leadership styles were polar opposites, and anything Hikigaya said was pointless.
One aimed to crush, the other to avoid being crushed.
Ryuen smirked. "Sometimes lies aren't entirely false, right, Hikigaya?"
Hikigaya stayed silent, his gaze complex as he looked at them.
Ichinose seemed about to speak, but Ryuen cut in, "I'll look forward to tomorrow's results. Don't disappoint me. I'm not the only one waiting."
With that, he stopped pressing her, his goal achieved. He dragged Hikigaya away.
Ichinose stood dazed, her unspoken words lingering.
As Ryuen's fearless grin faded, Hikigaya, confirming Ichinose was gone, asked, "You used me."
"Come on, that's not using."
"Oh? Sure about that?"
"Fine, you've beaten me plenty. You lost nothing, so what's wrong with helping me out once?"
"It's not me who's pissed off right now."
"Whatever, you can't complain."
Dropping that, Ryuen sauntered off, likely to his room. Hikigaya paused for two seconds before heading to his.
Recalling their exchange, he was certain this would hit Class B hard.
Even with high support and impeccable conduct, a disruptive lie, true or false, would cause significant damage. Proving it false might boost support, but some would believe it wasn't baseless, thanks to the power of rumors.
[Hikigaya: "Looks like Class B's been hit hard by this. No matter the outcome, it'll hurt their future. That Ryuen…"]
[Isshiki Iroha: "Ryuen-kun feels so cunning and sinister, always pulling dirty tricks."]
[Yukinoshita Yukino shook her head. "It's not cunning. In these battles, it's about whose plan wins. Ryuen's just bold."]
[Yuigahama Yui: "Yeah, not just Ryuen, but Sakayanagi too. They're all amazing, reading each other's minds with a glance. I wonder what'd happen if they were in our school."]
[Hikigaya broke into a cold sweat, wanting to warn Yuigahama that it was a terrible idea. If those people joined their school, his already chaotic life would become pure agony.]
The next day, the school posted a notice clearing Ichinose of any wrongdoing. This official statement quashed the day-long rumor with solid evidence, but… lies aren't always entirely false.
Looking at the announcement, Hikigaya knew, if his memory was correct, Ichinose's current point balance was even higher than before.
The rumor about Ichinose ended there. Just when everyone thought things would calm down, Chabashira Sae walked into the classroom with a stack of papers.
She announced the semester's first quiz, continuing the sports festival's point deductions and additions. It was an exam everyone had to take seriously.
Unlike past quizzes, this one was straightforward: 50 questions, 100 points total. Like the first semester's quiz, scores wouldn't directly affect outcomes.
But thinking there'd be no expulsions was naïve.
The exam rules were as follows:
It used a partner system, binding two students' fates. Eight subjects, each 100 points with 50 questions, totaled 400 questions.
Expulsion had two conditions, both tied to failing the passing line.
First, like before, each subject had a 60-point passing line. If one subject scored below 60, both partners would be expelled. This 60 was the combined score. For example, if Yamauchi Haruki and Koenji formed a pair, even if Yamauchi scored 0, Koenji's 60 would suffice.
The second was the total score passing line. Even if all subjects scored above 60, a total below the second passing line, historically around 700, would lead to expulsion. The quiz spanned two days, four subjects daily.
For absences due to illness, the school would verify legitimacy. Valid cases used past exam scores to estimate results, but unverified absences scored 0 for all subjects.
The punishment: cheating led to immediate disqualification and expulsion for both partners. A special rule allowed students to create the exam questions, with papers assigned to one of three classes.
This was an "attack" on other classes, with the receiving class "defending." The total scores of the classes were compared, with the winning class gaining 50 class points from the loser.
Questions underwent school review to ensure they weren't overly tricky or unsolvable, with revisions required for approval.
That was the rule explanation.
"The rest is up to you to figure out."
Chabashira Sae, ever cold, left the mess to the students after reading the rules.
She couldn't be blamed, over-explaining risked violating teaching regulations.
Next came the class discussion. After many bizarre exams, the students weren't flustered by this team-based test.
Horikita judged that the key was forming balanced pairs to optimize combinations. Since it was an expulsion exam, the goal was everyone passing, avoiding pairing two top students to prevent wasting the class's limited resources.
The second key issue was choosing which class to attack. For Class C, which had risen from Class D, targeting Class D was the safest choice, as the academic gap between them was likely the smallest.
But that brought a problem. If Class C could think of this, why wouldn't other classes? For example, Class A, aiming to solidify their lead, would surely pick the weakest class.
Facing a tough opponent like Class A would be tricky.
Considering the worst-case scenario, Horikita Suzune quickly decided to hold an emergency study session, just like in the first semester.
Hikigaya Hachiman noticed that, based on his past methods, passing the exam would be simple. However, since this was a class-versus-class showdown, deliberately lowering the average score would lead to defeat.
The school had clearly adjusted the rules after last time's loopholes.
Horikita was smart. Managing so many people alone was impossible.
So, she turned to Hikigaya beside her and asked, "Our class has too few high-achieving students. Can I count you as one?"
"If you insist, I guess it's fine. But if you want me to teach them, you've picked the wrong guy…"
After all, when he tutored Komachi, she scolded him plenty, and in the end, she figured it out herself.
Teaching is better left to capable people.
Horikita sighed helplessly. "If you taught, I can't imagine what Class C would become."
(End of this chapter)