The Loser

Most of Class D couldn't understand what the writing on the white paper posted on the blackboard meant.

"Is this... the class rankings?"

Someone hesitantly offered an explanation in a low voice.

"This month, you've lived as you pleased within the school, and the school doesn't deny it. However, you must bear the consequences of actions like being late or private chats. That's all.

The same applies to point usage. How you spend what you obtain is the owner's freedom; the school imposes no restrictions."

"This is too much! If this continues, I won't be able to survive at all!"

Ike, who had been silently listening to the conversation, finally understood the current situation.

Yamauchi Haruki let out a pained wail, likely because his personal points had been cleared.

"Idiots, just watch. Points have been credited to all classes except Class D."

"Over this past month, all classes were scored according to the same rules. Yet, there's such a gap in points. This is reality."

"Why... is there such a huge difference in class points?"

Hirata couldn't understand.

In fact, Chabashira Sae also couldn't understand why this year's Class D managed to spend all their points in just one month.

The original Class A's points were also the highest in history, and Class B managed to surpass Class A in the very first month, completing a comeback. Class C's points even surpassed the previous year's Class B.

Three historically strongest and one historically weakest.

How could this be fought? Chabashira Sae had already given up.

"Do you understand why you were assigned to Class D?"

The students exchanged glances. In their understanding, weren't the class assignments arbitrary?

"This school assigns classes based on the students' order of excellence. The most excellent students go to Class A, and useless students go to Class D."

Year after year, this year's Class D had shattered Chabashira Sae's hopes from the start.

"Simply put, Class D is the final stronghold for the stragglers. In short, you are all the worst defective products. This also seems like the fate of defective products."

Horikita Suzune was not crushed by the news of zero points each month.

After all, her daily expenses were already limited.

However, the label "defective product" became a knot in her heart that was difficult to untangle.

Chabashira Sae's cold laugh was particularly piercing in the classroom: "To have used up all your points in just one month, you are unique even among past Class D students. Honestly, I'm almost impressed by how absurd you can be. Amazing, truly amazing."

All the students in the class could hear the sarcasm in their homeroom teacher's words, yet no one spoke up to refute it.

After all, this was a fact that no one could deny.

Hoshino Kanade had to admit that this month had been absurd for him.

But since it was all zero points anyway, he might as well have gone wild.

"So, if our class points are zero, we'll continue to have zero income?"

"Yes, these points will remain until graduation. But don't worry, your dorm rooms can be used for free, and there's free food, so you won't die."

Although free room and board guaranteed basic survival, for most students, such treatment offered little comfort.

In just one month, they had grown accustomed to a life of reckless spending. The sudden need to tighten their belts was a drastic change that was difficult to adapt to.

The consumption trap Chabashira Sae had set at the beginning of the semester had led to this predicament, which was within her expectations. Only this year's Class D's "achievement" of breaking the lower limit made even her gasp at the absurdity.

"...So, we're going to be looked down upon by others from now on?"

Sudo slammed his foot against the leg of a desk, the harsh sound momentarily silencing the noisy classroom.

When class rank became a yardstick for ability, the Class D label became a brand of shame.

It was openly declared that this place was a nest for "defective products" from the entire grade, a den of fools that didn't even need to be concealed.

It seemed that for Sudo, this suffocating sense of inferiority was more painful than eating unappetizing free meals.

"What's wrong, Sudo? Even you care about appearances? Then work hard to move the class up."

"Huh?"

"Class points not only determine the monthly individual allowance but also directly determine the class's ranking."

The other person paused for a moment, then tapped the current ranking table with a fingertip: "For example, Class A right now was promoted from Class B last month."

"Chabashira-sensei, this class assignment system itself has loopholes!"

Horikita Suzune suddenly stood up, her voice suddenly rising. She dug her fingertips deeply into her palm: "The original Class A was crushed and surpassed by Class B in the first month's aptitude assessment, so why did they enroll with the 'Class A' title at the beginning of the semester?"

Horikita Suzune had never believed she should have been assigned to Class D. The fact that the original Class A was surpassed by the original Class B was strong evidence of this.

Chabashira Sae's fingertips unconsciously brushed the edge of her lesson plan.

This question indeed made her situation difficult.

Given the accuracy of the class assignment mechanism in previous years, there shouldn't have been any misjudgments.

The only plausible explanation surfaced: Class B hid a precocious manipulator who used ironclad rules to control the group's reins.

However, this still doesn't prove Horikita Suzune shouldn't be in this class.

"Perhaps the evaluation for Class B this year is still debatable. But Class D's ironclad zero score leaves no room for even half a word of defense."

"But..."

Horikita Suzune tried to say more, but was interrupted by Chabashira-sensei.

"Enough. If you want to question the school's decision, then prove yourself by rising to Class A."

Horikita looked unwilling, but could only slump back into her seat. However, judging by her posture, she still seemed confident.

"There's also some regrettable news I must tell you."

Chabashira-sensei taped another paper to the blackboard, displaying the results of the last pop quiz.

"The pop quiz results are out. The whole class is full of 'honor students,' I'm truly gratified." She suddenly leaned forward, bracing herself on the podium, her gaze sweeping across the bewildered faces below.

"Congratulations. If this were a formal exam..." The prolonged pause at the end of her sentence hung like a blade over their heads. "After only two weeks of school, seven people would be packing their bags and leaving."

Class D descended into chaos once more.

Compared to the bottom-ranking Class D, the students who had just been demoted to Class B (formerly Class A) were equally dispirited.

Losing the "Class A" title in just one month, with Class B snatching it away, was truly hard to swallow.

This made it difficult for them, who considered themselves elites, to maintain their dignity.

Just then, a student from Class C, passing by the corridor on their way to the restroom, deliberately clung to the window frame to peer inside. They drawled loudly in a mocking tone, "Yo--is this the fallen former Class A? You've really fallen fast."

Before the words had even finished, angry shouts erupted from the Class B students. Katsuragi Kouhei's subordinate, Tozuka Yahiko, his veins bulging, immediately kicked his chair back and lunged forward as if to pursue, like a guard dog whose tail had been stepped on.

But the other party had already made their escape, becoming untargetable.

Katsuragi Kouhei also stopped Tozuka. "Quiet!" Katsuragi Kouhei's iron-like command struck the air, and the ripple of disturbance in Class B was crushed into silence before it could spread.

Sakayanagi Arisu seemed unconcerned about becoming Class B.

Her gaze swept past the flushed face of Tozuka Yahiko, finally settling on Katsuragi Kouhei's tense expression:

"If you continue to let your reckless follower bark like that, Katsuragi-kun..."

She suddenly let out a light laugh, and a glacial mockery surfaced beneath her snow-white eyelashes. "I'm afraid we won't even be able to hold onto our spot in Class B~"

Tozuka Yahiko dared to growl at others, but in front of Sakayanagi Arisu, he even deliberately softened the movement of his Adam's apple. In the end, he merely lowered his head, hiding the unwillingness in his eyes.

"I don't need your advice."

"That's for the best."