Recaps

Kiyotaka Ayanokouji baited Principal Tsukishiro into turning off a surveillance camera, then beat him badly enough to force him out of school temporarily. Oreki delivered Tsukishiro’s phone to Manabu Horikita, who advised him to pretend he knew nothing about it.

• Tsukishiro attacked Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and tried to provoke him into retaliating on camera so he could get him expelled.
• Ayanokouji revealed that he and Oreki had met there to lure Tsukishiro into switching off the camera, then beat him and said he would be unable to interfere with special exams for a while.
• Oreki brought Tsukishiro’s phone to the Student Council and found a student ID for Yamauchi Haruki.
• Manabu Horikita confirmed that Tsukishiro had taken the expelled students’ phones and advised Oreki to pretend he did not know about the phone.
• Oreki understood that Ayanokouji’s fight with Tsukishiro would not make his father give up immediately.

After the additional exam, Oreki learned that Tsukishiro had been badly injured and left the school, while considering the possibility that White Room students would enter as next year’s freshmen. At a celebration in his room, Hiyori explained why she wanted Ryuuen to remain, and Oreki revealed how useful Ryuuen could be to their plans for the incoming students.

• Oreki received Hashimoto’s photo of Tsukishiro being taken from the school in an ambulance with fractures to his left hand and foot.
• Oreki recalled how he had helped remove Ayanokouji from Class D’s expulsion target by arranging for Horikita to break up the group targeting him.
• Oreki hosted a celebration in his room with Horikita, Kikyou Kushida, and Hiyori, where Hiyori and Kushida toasted Ryuuen’s survival.
• Horikita asked Hiyori what she thought of Class B, and Hiyori said its cohesion was strong but its students were not worth fearing.
• When Hiyori asked why Ryuuen’s continued presence was useful, Oreki said Ryuuen paid readily and liked collecting points.
• Hiyori considered using Ryuuen to help manage next year’s freshmen and sell the remaining value of their points to Class C.

Oreki paid Kikyou and explained the deal he had made with Ayanokouji, while Kikyou considered the costs of relying on him and complained that Horikita had insulted her. Horikita insisted she had been trying to guide Kikyou back onto the right path.

• Hiyori left Oreki’s room after Ryuuen asked to meet her, and Kikyou dropped her cheerful act to ask why Oreki had brought her there.
• Oreki explained that he wanted Hiyori’s help with Points-related plans and sent Kikyou 500,000 Points as her reward for the task.
• Kikyou asked what Oreki had gained, and he revealed his deal with Ayanokouji: he wanted Ayanokouji to revise the Civil Code if he became prime minister, allowing people to marry multiple partners.
• Kikyou reflected that she had lost classmates’ trust but had savings and prospects of her own, so she did not need to rely on Oreki forever.
• Kikyou complained that Horikita had deliberately insulted her, but Horikita said she had been correcting Kikyou’s tendency to lead others astray.

After the class vote exam, Oreki explained that Tsukishiro had arranged it and encouraged Horikita to grow into leading Class D, while Kushida realized the exam had benefited Horikita more than her. Days later, Oreki invited Horikita to lunch, but she chose to eat with Kushida as part of her effort to improve at managing the class; the chapter ended as Ishizaki joined them in the elevator and Kushida tried to engage Ibuki.

• Horikita asked Oreki about the unusual class vote exam, and he explained that Principal Tsukishiro had been behind it and that the third-years would not face similar exams.
• Oreki encouraged Horikita to lead her class and rely on him when she needed help, while Kushida concluded that the exam had helped Horikita and cost her trust.
• After several days, Oreki invited Horikita to lunch, but she declined because she had plans with Kushida and wanted to work on managing Class D.
• Ishizaki entered the elevator and greeted Ibuki, who ignored him, while Kushida tried to break through Ibuki's reserve.

Ishizaki proposed that Oreki transfer from Class A to Ryuuen’s class, offering him most of the class’s points in exchange for helping them rise. Oreki saw the financial appeal but concluded the school would prevent Class C from staying in Class A unless its students transferred individually.

• Ishizaki asked Oreki to join Ryuuen’s class and promised that Class C would pay the twenty million Private Points required for the transfer.
• Ishizaki argued that Oreki and Ryuuen could lead the class to more than five thousand class evaluation points, with Oreki receiving most of the rewards.
• Ichinose overheard the proposal and considered whether Oreki could help Class B overcome its lack of ambition.
• Oreki calculated that the arrangement could earn him sixteen million points a month, while Ryuuen listened without rejecting the plan.
• Oreki inferred that Hiyori had helped devise the proposal to reach Class A and gain points, but recognized that the school would push Class C back down unless its students paid to transfer individually.

Oreki reflected on his growing wealth and his plans to help Ichinose while Class B waited anxiously for news of the next exam. Hoshinomiya announced that the semester-ending special exam would test the first-years’ overall abilities, and she began displaying the classes’ evaluation points.

• Oreki greeted Yanagi and noted that she, unlike Ichinose and Kushida, was not wearing jasmine perfume.
• Oreki considered his enormous point balance and how Mind Divination had helped him win lottery prizes, while planning to ease Ichinose’s family’s financial pressure.
• Hoshinomiya entered Class B and explained that the upcoming special exam would serve as the semester’s final and test intelligence, physical strength, teamwork, and other abilities.
• Hoshinomiya wrote the current class evaluation points on the blackboard, beginning with Class 1-A at 2628.5 points.

Hoshinomiya explained the Clash at the Summit, an exam where each class chose a Command Tower who would be expelled if their class lost. Oreki recognized Tsukishiro’s plan to pressure Ayanokouji and realized Sakayanagi would have to take responsibility for Class A’s exam.

• Hoshinomiya told Class B that the Clash at the Summit would pit classes against each other in seven events, with class points at stake.
• Oreki read the exam rules, including the requirement that each class appoint a Command Tower who could not compete and would be expelled if the class lost.
• Oreki deduced that Tsukishiro had designed the Command Tower rule to pressure Ayanokouji after the previous exam granted students [Protection].
• Teacher Majima explained the exam to Class A, and Oreki watched Sakayanagi as he realized she would have to serve as Command Tower.
• Yanagi stayed silent as she understood that Oreki expected Sakayanagi to take responsibility for the exam.

Sakayanagi Arisu took command of Class A’s special exam despite her anger at Oreki, while Oreki ate with Sakura and considered how to appease Yanagi. The chapter ended with Kamuro teasing Sakayanagi about Oreki’s lunch companion.

• Sakayanagi Arisu agreed to serve as Class A’s commander for the special exam and asked her classmates to cooperate.
• Oreki invited Sakura to lunch, and Hasebe joined them as Sakura’s friend.
• Sakura thanked Oreki for letting her take photos and asked whether she could photograph him again.
• Oreki noticed Kamuro watching him and decided he needed to address Yanagi’s anger after assigning her exam work.
• Kamuro told Sakayanagi that Oreki was eating with someone else, and Sakayanagi replied that she was not a woman who kept a tight grip on a man.

Sakayanagi denied being jealous of Oreki’s contact with other girls, but accepted his invitation to dinner. Meanwhile, Oreki told Haruka that Sakayanagi would probably become his girlfriend soon, and Haruka raised concerns about Hirata’s behavior.

• Kamuro teased Sakayanagi about Oreki meeting Sakura and Horikita, then revealed that Oreki had invited Sakayanagi to dinner.
• Sakayanagi canceled Kamuro’s study session so she could meet Oreki after school.
• Oreki told Haruka that Sakayanagi was not yet his girlfriend but probably would be soon.
• Haruka changed the subject by saying Hirata’s behavior seemed unfamiliar and that he remained unsettled after Yamauchi’s expulsion.
• Oreki’s thoughts revealed that he had given Hirata to Ayanokouji as a useful assistant.

Oreki heard how badly Hirata’s collapse had hurt Meiyu Wang and Kushida, then offered Kushida a chance to make Horikita’s special exam more difficult. Kushida became tempted but made Oreki promise not to use her actions against her.

• Haruka told Oreki that Hirata had rejected attempts to help him and had publicly insulted Meiyu Wang and Kushida.
• Oreki invited Kushida to talk, and she explained how Hirata had humiliated Meiyu and threatened to expose Kushida’s true face.
• Oreki told Kushida she could interfere with Horikita during the special exam instead of helping her.
• Kushida considered the offer but demanded that Oreki swear he would not use it against her.

Oreki arranged a dinner with Sakayanagi while Horikita took charge of Class D’s preparations for the Command Tower Exam. Horikita selected Ayanokouji as Command Tower, and he accepted the role.

• Oreki invited Sakayanagi to dinner and asked Kamuro to pick up Yanagi later, leaving Kamuro to wonder whether she was being treated as a third wheel.
• Hirata refused to join Class D’s exam discussion and left the classroom, leaving Horikita to lead the preparations.
• Horikita explained the Command Tower Exam’s event-selection rules and divided the possible events into academics, alternative events, and athletics.
• A girl prompted Horikita to identify the Command Tower, and Horikita named Ayanokouji because his Protection reward would keep him safe if Class D failed.
• Ayanokouji accepted the Command Tower position, despite the risk that the role’s holder could be expelled after a failed exam.

Kikyo Kushida tried to shift attention toward Horikita as a possible Command Tower, but Horikita calmly countered by nominating Kikyo instead. Kikyo backed down and the class returned to considering Ayanokouji for the role.

• Kikyo Kushida suggested that Horikita become the Command Tower, arguing that Horikita was intelligent and could help the class preserve Points.
• Horikita recognized that Kikyo’s suggestion could make her bear responsibility for the class’s likely defeat and decided to respond independently.
• Horikita said she could not direct the class because she barely knew the students, then nominated Kikyo, citing her knowledge of classmates and her chance to make up for her previous exam mistake.
• Horikita warned Kikyo that the class could save her from expulsion if everyone contributed 520,000 Points, and offered to pay her share.
• Kikyo withdrew her suggestion and said Ayanokouji should remain the Command Tower, easing the class’s tension.

Horikita organized Class D’s Command Tower exam preparations by recruiting Kouenji and Sudou, while Hashimoto’s spying revealed that Class A was monitoring them. Arisu questioned Oreki about his involvement in Horikita’s share of Class D’s Points, leaving him to consider her implications.

• Horikita explained how Class D could use its students’ strengths to win events, and Kouenji and Sudou agreed to participate.
• Yukimura spotted Hashimoto spying outside Class D’s classroom, and the students worried that Class A might target them.
• Oreki received reports from Hashimoto and Karuizawa and concluded that Horikita was adapting well without his guidance.
• Arisu asked Oreki whether he needed Points and suggested that Horikita’s share of Class D’s Points was connected to him.
• Oreki realized Arisu was implying that defeating Class D could damage his share of its Class Points.

Oreki invited Horikita Suzune to discuss her class’s exam strategy and warned her that Sakayanagi Arisu planned to target Class D. The next day, Sakayanagi went to draw the opposing class, and Oreki received a photograph of the special classroom.

• Oreki met Horikita Suzune in his dorm and suggested she ask Kikyou Kushida for information about their classmates.
• Oreki told Horikita that Sakayanagi Arisu had decided to declare war on Class D, leaving her stunned.
• The next morning, Sakayanagi left for the special classroom to draw the class Class A would face.
• Katsuragi asked Oreki which class Sakayanagi would target, and Oreki said he believed Class A would not lose against any opponent.
• Oreki received a photograph from Sakayanagi showing the special classroom and its large LED screens.

Oreki and Sakayanagi uncovered Nagumo’s attempt to sow discord and discussed his efforts to influence Class 1-A and the upcoming Student Council election. The Command Towers drew their opponents, and Class 1-A and Class 1-D announced their proposed exam events.

• Oreki told Masumi Kamuro to obtain a condom, then Class 1-A selected ten proposed events for its Command Tower Exam against Class 1-D.
• Sakayanagi received a photo of Oreki with Honami Ichinose, and Oreki realized Nagumo was trying to drive a wedge between him and Sakayanagi.
• Nagumo invited Sakayanagi to meet and offered second-year students to train Class 1-A; Oreki concluded Nagumo was placing bets on multiple possible paths to power.
• The four Command Towers were named: Sakayanagi Arisu for Class 1-A, Honami Ichinose for Class 1-B, Kakeru Ryuuen for Class 1-C, and Ayanokouji for Class 1-D.
• Horikita Suzune’s side drafted Class 1-D’s ten proposed events, and Class 1-A and Class 1-D posted their event lists on the bulletin board.

Oreki arranged for Horikita to represent Class D in chess against Class A, hoping the match would ease Sakayanagi’s hostility, and began teaching Horikita the game. He learned that Yukimura had approached Katsuragi for Class A’s chosen events, leaving Katsuragi to hear Yukimura out.

• Oreki explained that Horikita would learn chess and compete for Class D, while Sakayanagi assigned Kamuro to represent Class A.
• Oreki borrowed chess books and told Hiyori that he hoped the match would help Horikita and Sakayanagi reconcile.
• Oreki warned Horikita that Class D had few likely wins and that their chess match would be broadcast live; Horikita accepted the challenge.
• Oreki told Horikita that Yukimura had secretly arranged to meet Katsuragi, apparently seeking information about Class A’s selected events.
• Katsuragi arrived at the shoe lockers to meet Yukimura and said he did not agree to meetings casually.

Yukimura tried to buy Katsuragi’s help for Class D, but Katsuragi rejected the offer. Oreki continued preparing for the Command Tower exam and invited Karuizawa to his room, where he teased her about Horikita’s frequent visits.

• Yukimura offered Katsuragi two million points to reveal Class A’s chosen events and go easy on Class D, but Katsuragi refused and pointed out that Yukimura lacked the authority and funds to make the deal.
• Oreki explained to Horikita that Yukimura’s effort to challenge Class A could expose him to a major setback because Class A had no obvious weaknesses.
• Oreki ended his chess practice with Horikita early after weeks of making her memorize chess games, and Horikita quickly left his room.
• Oreki called Karuizawa to his room and learned that she had spent the afternoon at school, where she had been the main character among Class D’s girls.
• Karuizawa questioned Oreki about calling her over despite their secret relationship, and he told her Horikita had been visiting daily to train for the chess event.
• Karuizawa reacted with surprise and jealousy when Oreki said he had been alone with Horikita every day.

Oreki gave Karuizawa a birthday necklace, then asked her to help choose a gift for someone else and bought a black beret that she suspected was for Sakayanagi. Their shopping trip ended when they ran into Ichinose, Kanzaki, and Shibata in the Shopping District, setting up the commander exam storyline.

• Oreki gave Karuizawa a heart-shaped necklace for her birthday and asked her to help him shop for another friend's gift the next day.
• Oreki and Karuizawa met early on Saturday and bought a black beret, which Karuizawa suspected was for Sakayanagi.
• Oreki suggested they get breakfast after finishing their shopping, but he and Karuizawa spotted Ichinose, Kanzaki, and Shibata in the Shopping District.

Oreki and Karuizawa learned that Class C students were following and harassing Ichinose’s Class B, and Oreki suspected Ryuuen was trying to uncover a spy. The chapter ended with Karuizawa complaining that Horikita had assigned her to take the English test.

• Shibata lost his temper after Class C students repeatedly followed him and other Class B students, and Kanzaki and Ichinose tried to calm him.
• Ichinose invited Oreki and Karuizawa to breakfast and explained that Class B hoped to keep the harassment quiet so Class C would not intensify it.
• Kanzaki said Class B suspected the harassment was one of Ryuuen’s strategies, while Ichinose proposed discussing the matter with Ryuuen.
• Oreki wished Class B luck in the Command Tower Exam, and Ichinose left with her classmates after breakfast.
• Oreki told Karuizawa he thought Ryuuen was trying to find a spy in Class B, but he doubted the plan would work because Class B had spent twenty million points to protect its classmates.
• Karuizawa said Horikita had assigned her to the English test and complained that she was being used as an inferior horse in a Tian Ji’s Horse Racing strategy.

As the Command Tower exam approached, Oreki trained Horikita Suzune in chess and encountered Hiyori, who remained resigned about Class C’s chances against Class B. On the day of the first match, Sakayanagi headed to the special classroom, while Oreki knew Horikita would face her in chess.

• Oreki continued coaching Horikita in chess, and she lost ten games before taking a break on the 20th.
• Oreki returned Horikita’s books and met Hiyori, who asked him to fetch a book and then played chess with him, losing three games.
• Hiyori told Oreki that Class B’s unity had impressed her and that Class C had not found a spy in its rival.
• On the 21st, the Command Tower exam began, with Class A facing Class D and Class B facing Class C.
• Sakayanagi went to the special classroom to command Class A and regretted that she could not compete against Oreki, while Oreki had arranged for Horikita to face her in chess.

The Class A versus Class D Summit Exam began, and the first four events gave Class D an early win in swimming before Class A won basketball and took two academic rounds by default or forfeit. The chapter left the exam underway, with Sakayanagi recognizing that Class D had sacrificed weaker students to preserve stronger competitors for later events.

• The Command Tower showdown began, and Kōenji won the swimming event for Class D against Hashimoto, costing Class A 30 class evaluation Points.
• Class D fielded Sudou and Hirata for basketball, but Class A won by six points despite Sudou’s skill and Hirata’s encouragement.
• Class D forfeited the Abacus Calculation event because it had no students skilled enough to compete against Katsuragi and Emi Takumi.
• Class D sent Karuizawa and other weaker students to the English Test, then forfeited before ten minutes had passed.
• Sakayanagi noted that Class D’s commander had likely used the weaker students as sacrifices to save stronger competitors for later rounds.

Class D won the English cloze match, then chess was selected as the sixth event, giving Class A a chance to clinch the exam. As Kamuro and Horikita prepared to face off, Horikita revealed that she had memorized more than three hundred chess games under someone’s guidance.

• Yukimura Teruhiko and Meiyu Wang represented Class D in English cloze, and Meiyu’s strong performance helped their class win.
• Chess was selected for the sixth round, leaving Class A one victory away from winning the exam.
• Oreki sent Kamuro to compete, while Sakayanagi planned to guide her as the Command Tower.
• At the chess venue, Horikita told Chabashira she disliked chess but would do her best.
• Horikita said someone had taught her to play and that she had memorized more than three hundred games in just over two weeks.
• Sakayanagi considered Horikita’s rapid preparation as the chess match began.

Horikita Suzune lost her chess match against Sakayanagi Arisu as the special exam ended with Class A and Class B each gaining 190 class evaluation Points, while Class C and Class D each lost 90. Manabu Horikita acknowledged Suzune’s growth, and Oreki told her that enduring the exam and remaining herself mattered more than winning.

• Yanagi recognized Horikita Suzune’s chess opening as one she had taught Oreki and realized they had been playing together for weeks.
• Class B defeated Class C five matches to two, while Class A defeated Class D by the same score after Horikita lost to Sakayanagi and Class D lost its final event.
• Teacher Majima announced that Class A and Class B each gained 190 class evaluation Points, while Class C and Class D each lost 90.
• Oreki explained to Manabu Horikita that Suzune had helped plan Class D’s exam strategy and that the experience had changed how her classmates viewed Class D.
• Manabu Horikita praised Suzune’s progress, and Oreki congratulated her for enduring the exam’s mental strain and remaining herself.

Horikita thanked Oreki for teaching her chess, while Manabu warned that the Student Council president election was approaching. Oreki then visited Sakayanagi for a private chess rematch, which turned into an intimate encounter that she ended early because she was in pain.

• Horikita thanked Oreki, and Manabu told them to prepare for the upcoming Student Council president election.
• Kamuro delivered Sakayanagi’s invitation and a small box to Oreki, then accompanied him to Sakayanagi’s room.
• Sakayanagi sent Kamuro to look after Hayate and asked Oreki to explain why he had taught Horikita chess; Oreki said Horikita had followed his instructions.
• Sakayanagi challenged Oreki to a private chess rematch, and Oreki agreed before locking the door.
• Oreki and Sakayanagi began an intimate encounter, but Sakayanagi asked him to stop because it hurt, and he helped her recover.

After the Command Tower Exam, the first-year classes kept their original rankings, and Kei Karuizawa reflected on Class D’s prospects and her growing closeness with Houtarou. On the elevator ride, she chatted with Maya Sato and watched the classmates’ interactions with Horikita, whom she saw as both a possible romantic rival and someone who needed friends.

• The updated evaluation points showed Class 1-A in first place, followed by Classes 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D.
• Kei thought Horikita had used the Modern Literature Test to make Sato and the others confront their weak academics, and she felt hopeful about Class D’s future.
• Kei felt happy that Houtarou had remembered her birthday and given her a present, and she wondered whether they would soon date.
• Kei met Maya Sato by the elevator, and Sato said she had decided to study harder after her poor exam performance.
• Kushida joined Kei and Sato in the elevator while Horikita studied alone, and Kei considered whether Horikita might someday become a rival for Houtarou’s attention.