Chapter 116: The Scalper Katsuragi, the Deceived Kamuro!
Kamuro Masumi's expression shifted repeatedly—from initial gravity to subsequent panic, finally settling on sheer astonishment. Her abnormal behavior could not be hidden from those around her. Consequently, the students of Class A all looked over. After all, anyone could see that the message she received was by no means trivial; otherwise, she wouldn't have reacted so strongly.
"Kamuro-san, what on earth happened?" someone inquired.
This question finally pulled Kamuro's thoughts back to reality. She took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and simply raised the phone for everyone to see. She spoke clearly: "See for yourselves. This is the message sent by Sakayanagi."
The surrounding students immediately crowded around, their eyes snapping to the screen in unison. A single line of short text caused the entirety of Class A to fall silent instantly.
Because: [I am Sakayanagi. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, I will arrive at the ship. I will participate in the exam.]
Sakayanagi said she was coming! she was coming to participate in the exam scheduled for three days from now!
It could be said that after a brief silence, Class A completely boiled over. The anxiety that had been looming over them was swept away, replaced by smiles blooming on everyone's faces. Their voices were filled with excitement and disbelief.
"It's Sakayanagi-san! She's really coming!"
"Great! With her here, we can definitely secure our position as Class A!"
"I knew all along Sakayanagi-san wouldn't abandon us. This exam is as good as won!"
Cheers erupted one after another. The scene of scattered morale from moments ago was instantly replaced by fervent anticipation.
Unlike the collective euphoria, Katsuragi Kohei stood rooted to the spot, completely frozen.
He stared at the phone in Kamuro's hand, his eyes vacant and his face expressionless, as if he hadn't heard the cheers or seen the words on the screen.
The defeat on the uninhabited island had burdened the class with a massive debt, and days of mental exhaustion had already filed down his former edge.
Now, even maintaining class order felt taxing.
He had thought more than once that while he and Sakayanagi had been fighting for initiative, she might take this opportunity to let him continue leading the exam and let him run the second one into the ground as well. That way, once they returned to school, she could consolidate Class A without losing a single soldier. A failed Katsuragi would have no choice
but to burn through his remaining value assisting her to maintain the class. That was the safest and most certain plan for Sakayanagi.
He had lost his spark; he truly had no confidence in maintaining Class A's position in the next exam. So Sakayanagi only needed to wait—wait for the exam to end. But... now, why was she coming now?
Standing beside Katsuragi, Totsuka Yahiko's face darkened instantly. As Katsuragi's subordinate, his loyalty was unquestionable.
Unlike the cheering members of the Sakayanagi Faction, he leaned close to Katsuragi's ear and whispered urgently, "Katsuragi-kun, Sakayanagi-san coming at a time like this is clearly a move to seize your power! She must see that your current state is poor and thinks you can't carry Class A, so she's 'helping' specifically to replace you!"
Totsuka Yahiko had been by Katsuragi's side since enrollment as his most loyal follower. In his eyes, Katsuragi's prestige in Class A had plummeted after the island exam. Sakayanagi's appearance now was too coincidental. If she led the class to gain anything in this exam, she could kick Katsuragi's leadership aside for good!
Katsuragi slowly regained his senses. Hearing Totsuka's words, he merely shook his head gently. There was no anger in his eyes, only unhideable fatigue and a trace of relief. He raised a hand to pat Totsuka's shoulder and said calmly, "Don't overthink it. Sakayanagi has her own considerations. Regardless, she is a class representative of Class A. Her willingness to come and participate in the exam is, after all, a good thing for Class A."
Totsuka was stunned, clearly not expecting this reaction.
"Katsuragi-kun, why are you defending her? She's here to seize power! You've sacrificed so much for Class A, how can you just willingly hand it over?"
"I have no intention of 'handing over' power." Katsuragi's voice remained steady. He scanned the cheering students, a hint of guilt flickering in his eyes.
"The island exam was indeed my mistake. I only thought about the 690-point 'pie in the sky,' which resulted in everyone carrying debt and falling into this current predicament. If Sakayanagi's arrival allows Class A to gain an advantage in this special exam and secure our position, I am willing to fully cooperate with her."
His confidence had collapsed and his state was far from his peak, but he knew in his heart that as a leader of Class A, protecting the class's interests was paramount.
Personal glory and loss were trivial compared to the bigger picture of Class A. Rather than stubbornly clutching a crumbling leadership, it was better to humble himself and join forces with Sakayanagi to face the crisis—this was the most correct choice he could make for Class A right now.
With this thought, Katsuragi's gaze became relieved and firm. Totsuka wanted to say more but was stopped by Katsuragi.
Katsuragi was right: what Class A needed most now was unity and a leader who could guide them out of trouble, not internal strife.
Katsuragi didn't lower his voice, so the surrounding students heard him. The boisterous cheering gradually died down, and everyone's eyes focused on Katsuragi with complex emotions. Students of the Katsuragi Faction were full of indignation, feeling he was voluntarily ceding leadership and admitting failure; meanwhile, the Sakayanagi Faction was surprised. They had expected Katsuragi to be stubborn and never willing to be "assisted" by Sakayanagi, but they hadn't expected him to be so mindful of the big picture.
Morishita Ai stood in the crowd, looking at Katsuragi's figure. She sighed softly and turned to Shiraishi Asuka. "Actually, Katsuragi-kun really is a good person. Although he failed this time, he never thought about giving up on Class A. Even when he's in a corner, his first priority is the class."
Shiraishi Asuka raised an eyebrow, her gaze falling on Katsuragi as she nodded slightly. "Perhaps. But it's undeniable that relying solely on Katsuragi-kun to lead us is indeed detrimental to this exam. In his current state, he can't weather this crisis. Sakayanagi-san's arrival might truly be the turning point for Class A."
Thus, everyone unanimously decided to head to the top area of the ship at 10:00 AM the next morning to welcome Sakayanagi.
There was still hope for Class A!
-
-
-
In contrast to the temporary unity of Class A, for Hachiman...
Well, the exam was set for three days away. There was plenty of time, and Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't in the least bit of a rush. The ripples of the uninhabited island exam hadn't settled, and he knew the school's intention for this temporary special exam perfectly well—it was simply to reshuffle the first-year class landscape and test each class's true strength.
What he needed to do now was conserve his energy, watch the situation, and wait for the official rules to be announced before formulating the safest strategy.
The day after receiving the text from the school, Hachiman headed to the bar on the deck with a leisurely attitude. He ordered a favorite drink, felt the sea breeze, and occasionally looked at the distant sea or the book he had borrowed from the library. He hadn't finished the book Hiyori recommended, The Egyptian Cross Mystery, though only half remained, so he could continue reading.
Just as he prepared to quietly drink, enjoy the breeze, and read, an uninvited guest appeared beside him shortly after.
It was Kamuro Masumi from Class A.
She didn't speak. She walked straight to Hachiman's side, sat down, and ordered a glass of water. She sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the distance with a complex expression, pondering who-knows-what. Hachiman didn't initiate conversation. He continued drinking as if there were no one beside him.
He knew Kamuro had a purpose in seeking him out—either to scout for exam info or to confirm certain things.
The two sat in silence, with only the whistling sea breeze and the muffled sounds of the bar staff. Just then, a fierce argument broke out at the other end of the deck, instantly shattering the peace.
Hachiman and Kamuro turned simultaneously to see Ibuki Mio standing before Ryuen Kakeru. Her face was flushed red, her eyes full of fire. She shouted excitedly, "Ryuen! You can't be a dictator for this special exam! In the last island exam, you wouldn't listen to anyone's suggestions and went your own way, causing Class C to miss our chance! I absolutely won't let you run wild this time!"
The surrounding students gathered to watch, whispering. Ibuki's voice was loud; her grievance and anger were clear to almost everyone present. However, this scene had also occurred a week prior—Ibuki and Ryuen having a falling out on the deck, where Ibuki was even "injured."
Is history repeating itself?
But Ryuen stood there, his face terrifyingly dark and his eyes full of disdain, as if looking at a clown. He sneered, his voice ice-cold. "A dictator? Ibuki, look at what you are. You think you're qualified to say that to me? I didn't kick you out of Class C after you botched the last task—that was me giving you face. You still dare to bark here?"
'Oh? A task?'
This caused some surprise among the students on the deck. A task? What task? Could it be that the previous falling out between Ryuen and Ibuki wasn't real, but rather a task Ryuen had given her?
"Is it entirely my fault that I botched the task?" Ibuki was shaking with rage, her voice choked. "You're the one who told me to go to Class D to scout for info! Who knew Class D would withdraw early? I didn't even have a chance to act—how is that my fault? Instead of reflecting on your own flawed plan, you push all the blame on me! You aren't fit to be the leader of Class C!"
Ah. Now everyone understood.
So, the falling out and "fight" between Ryuen and Ibuki before the island exam was just an act. The real purpose was to plant Ibuki in Class D as a spy. Recalling the "Guess the Leader" portion of the island exam, students realized: how do you get leader info? Indeed, you'd need to send a spy.
Kamuro also realized this, and her expression became serious.
"Not fit?" Ryuen took a step forward, staring intently at Ibuki with a heavy sense of threat. "Whether I'm fit to be the leader isn't for you to judge. Since you hate me so much and don't want to stay in Class C, it's simple—gather 20 million points and get out. As long as you can produce 20 million, I'll let you go immediately. I won't stop you."
20 million points was an astronomical figure for Ibuki; she couldn't possibly get it. Ryuen's words were clearly a deliberate obstacle and a ruthless humiliation meant to break her spirit for resistance. Ibuki looked at Ryuen's cold eyes, anger and grievance intertwining, yet she was helpless. Finally, she glared fiercely at him, bit her lip, and turned to leave hurriedly without looking back—she knew staying would only mean further humiliation.
Watching Ibuki's retreating back, a smug smile appeared on Ryuen's face. His tone was full of mockery. "Weak. And she thinks she can bark at me."
Having said that, he also turned and left the deck, arms crossed, his back defiant and cold, leaving behind a group of gossiping students.
Kamuro watched this scene and shook her head, her eyes full of disdain and mockery. "Utterly hopeless. Class C is still Class C, forever a lower class. Even at this stage, with an exam concerning the class's fate coming up, they don't think about facing it with full strength or improving; they just waste energy on internal strife. A class like this will never rise; they'll always be stepped on by us in Class A.
And Ryuen really is incompetent. As a leader, if a subordinate fails a task, the timing of his own arrangement was the problem. I remember Ibuki was beaten up pretty badly before, with wounds all over her arms, only to end up with nothing in the end. Truly laughable," Kamuro said, curling her lip slightly.
Hachiman: "..."
Hachiman's lips curled into a slight arc upon hearing this. Thus, he deliberately let Kamuro receive his inner thoughts.
'Is it really internal strife? This little friction in Class C is nothing compared to the factional split in your Class A, Kamuro. Your Class A looks united on the surface, but in reality, it's split into Katsuragi and Sakayanagi factions, each with their own schemes. Compared to Class C's overt conflict, your shadow-fighting is far more lethal.
And how is this internal strife? This is clearly a set-up. Ibuki was sent to Class D as a spy before, but because Class D withdrew early, she had no place to use her skills. Now, because there's an exam, Ryuen is continuing this arrangement.'
?
'Look at your face. You've been tricked again, haven't you? You think the relationship between Ibuki and Ryuen has soured again! In the end, you're just being played by Ryuen.'
Wait. Kamuro was stunned, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. She never expected the truth to be like this.
And... had she been tricked again?
She had been thinking that even though Class C gained nothing from the last exam and was basically working for free, if there was discord under Ryuen, Class A might be able to exploit it. In the end, Ryuen was lying again! He had been acting from start to finish! So, if Class A tried to bribe Ibuki because of her "discord" with Ryuen, they would just be counter-schemed by him and lose miserably!
Liars! They're all liars!
Kamuro's expression turned sour with discontent.
However, she didn't just vent her emotions. She suppressed her dissatisfaction and looked at Hachiman with urgency.
"Then, Hikigaya, what do you think the final result of this special exam will be? Will the three classes B, C, and D really join forces against our Class A?"
She knew Hachiman was meticulous and had great insight; his judgments were often accurate. Now she desperately wanted to know his view to see if Class A could hold their position. Of course, she also had to test whether he, the boss of Class B, would attack them.
Hachiman looked up, glanced at Kamuro, and then smiled. "Whether they can join forces, I'm not sure. But since you're asking, I know now—I know that Sakayanagi-san should be arriving on the ship soon."
"You... how do you know?" Kamuro's face changed instantly, her eyes tinged with panic.
She felt Hachiman was "toxic"! He could even guess something like this.
You have to know that news of Sakayanagi's arrival was kept strictly confidential by the Class A students; not a word was leaked.
How did Hikigaya know? Had he been secretly watching Class A's movements, or even monitoring them? Or was there a spy in Class A? Was it Hashimoto? Was it that guy Hashimoto again? Or was it someone from the Katsuragi Faction who, out of resentment toward Sakayanagi's arrival and not wanting to see their Katsuragi-kun lose power, was sabotaging them?
If Katsuragi-kun failed once, and then Sakayanagi "failed" once, they'd be even. Dammit! At a time like this, they were still fighting internally.
"Just simple reasoning," Hachiman said.
'Should I tell Kamuro? That in the 'original story' this never happened, and Sakayanagi participated in neither the island exam nor the next VIP exam? I'm just bluffing her. After all, if Sakayanagi doesn't come, our BCD alliance will directly launch an attack on Class A without hesitation.
The words I said when meeting Sakayanagi and Kamuro before the island exam weren't just big talk; they were my true thoughts. If Sakayanagi really didn't come, I would lobby Ryuen and Ayanokouji to unite classes B, C, and D to attack Class A together, dragging them down to Class C or even Class D, completely breaking the current structure!'
!!!!
Kamuro's face was instantly filled with horror. A chill rose in her heart, making her whole body feel cold. At this moment, she finally understood what level of "Big Boss" Hikigaya Hachiman was.
So, you guy, with your "original story" talk... Was Class A not this miserable in the "original story"? Is Class A in such a dangerous position now because of your existence? But because of you, Class A really faces such danger. You're truly terrifying, Hikigaya Hachiman!
Kamuro now understood why Katsuragi's state was so terrible. It must be that after reviewing, he found every step was under Hikigaya's manipulation, leading him to lose confidence and fall into self-doubt. And he felt... there was no hope for Class A.
So Sakayanagi, that idiot—simply listening to Hikigaya's inner voice is useless! You can't block him!
Thus, Kamuro acted immediately.
She hurriedly picked up the water cup on the table, took a sip to barely suppress the panic in her heart, and gave Hachiman a stiff nod.
"I have something to do. I'll take my leave."
She stood up and left in a hurry, not even daring to look back at Hachiman, as if something terrifying were chasing her.
Hachiman watched her back, his smile still faint. He calmly picked up his drink and continued enjoying the sea breeze.
He had long guessed Sakayanagi would come; Kamuro's reaction was exactly as he expected.
When Kamuro returned to the Class A rest area, Katsuragi Kohei was leading several students in discussing the arrangements for welcoming Sakayanagi. Morishita Ai and Shiraishi Asuka were also on the side, their expressions varying. Seeing Kamuro return, Katsuragi looked up, seemingly confused.
"What did you just say to Hikigaya Hachiman? Why were you gone so long, and why do you look so flustered?"
Clearly, someone in the Katsuragi Faction had been watching Kamuro's movements and reported to Katsuragi.
Kamuro quickly composed herself, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and said simply, "Nothing much. It was just a chance encounter; we talked about some trivial things. Nothing special."
She didn't dare say Hachiman guessed Sakayanagi was coming, nor that he saw through Ryuen's scheme while Ryuen was still acting for Class A. She especially didn't dare say Hachiman had intended from the start to pull Class A down to Class C or lower in this exam. She feared these words would cause panic, that Katsuragi would press her for more, and that she might accidentally reveal more secrets.
Totsuka Yahiko frowned, his tone dissatisfied. "Kamuro, how can you still be chatting with Class B people at a time like this? If Hikigaya Hachiman scouts any info from us, it would be too detrimental for Class A."
"I know my limits," Kamuro replied flatly. She scanned the group and forced herself to say, "Sakayanagi arrives at ten. As agreed, we'll go to the top area to welcome her. We can go clear the area now to avoid being disturbed by other classes."
Katsuragi nodded and stood up. "Alright. Yahiko, take two people to clear the top area. Leave only Class A people; no unauthorized personnel allowed near. Morishita, Shiraishi, you come with me to wait at the top area shortly."
Everyone agreed and began to move. Totsuka led two students toward the top area, while Katsuragi followed with Morishita Ai and Shiraishi Asuka.
Their expressions were all somewhat solemn.
Sakayanagi's arrival was a turning point for Class A and an unknown trial. For Katsuragi, going to welcome her represented his willingness to set aside personal grudges for the sake of the class and his attitude of full cooperation, even if it meant losing his leadership.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting