Divergence

"But, as the teacher said, our Class A students have high academic ability; it's basically impossible for anyone to fail. Those idiots in other classes might be dumb, but unless they're complete morons, knowing they'll be expelled, they'll study like crazy, right? Making them fail probably won't be that easy." Hashimoto forced himself to stay calm, masking the shock in his inner heart with rational analysis.

"Who said anything about making them 'fail the exam'?" Kazehara Tetsu countered.

Hashimoto Masayoshi froze.

"The school rules only say 'failing the exam' leads to expulsion. But don't forget, there are plenty of other regulations in the school rules."

"Violent behavior, severe bullying, cheating on exams... these are also 'serious crimes' punishable by expulsion. They might avoid failing the exam through rote memorization. But is a person's true nature that easy to change? Can a hot-tempered person really hold back from throwing a punch when provoked?"

"Take Class D, for example. Right now, they're like a wooden bucket packed with gunpowder. They've lost all their points, and the class is filled with confusion about the future and mutual distrust. They're like a group of people backed to the edge of a cliff, nerves stretched taut. At this point, just a tiny spark is enough to make them... explode completely."

Hashimoto Masayoshi's lips felt dry; he licked them unconsciously. He finally understood the true meaning behind Kazehara Tetsu's words.

He had never planned to compete with Class D on the level of "studying."

What he intended to do was ignite the internal conflicts within Class D, luring their students into making irreversible mistakes that would lead to expulsion.

"But... doing this is too risky. Once it's discovered that Class A is pulling the strings behind the scenes, we'll face severe punishment too. Having class points deducted is the least of it; maybe even..."

"Who said anything about 'us' pulling the strings?"

Kazehara Tetsu cut him off, tilting his head and looking at Hashimoto with a half-smile. "Everyone in Class A is a good student, right? Why would we do something like that? We just need to... sit in the audience and enjoy a good show of dogs biting dogs. That's enough."

He turned his head back, no longer looking at Hashimoto Masayoshi, his gaze returning to outside the window.

Hashimoto Masayoshi opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

He stared at Kazehara Tetsu's detached profile, a chill creeping up his spine.

The bell for the next class rang at that moment, breaking the oppressive silence.

In the end, Hashimoto said nothing and silently returned to his seat.

When the bell signaling the start of lunch break rang, the students got up one by one, gathering in small groups, discussing which cafeteria to go to or their afternoon plans.

Kazehara Tetsu closed the book in front of him and packed up his things unhurriedly.

Just then, a steady, forceful voice cut through the classroom's noise.

"Everyone, please spare a bit of your lunch break."

"Regarding the midterm exam that Majima-sensei mentioned in this morning's class meeting, I think we all understand the gravity of the situation."

Katsuragi Kouhei's line of sight slowly swept over everyone present, those eyes filled with a sense of responsibility and a trace of barely perceptible worry. "Admittedly, given Class A's average academic ability, reaching the passing score isn't difficult. Majima-sensei's words also gave us a lot of confidence. But..."

He emphasized his tone.

"'Not difficult' doesn't mean 'absolutely no chance' of an accident. Any tiny oversight, anyone falling behind, will lead to irreparable losses for our Class A."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the full court.

"If someone is expelled, our class size decreases. Whether that will further affect class points, we don't know yet. But what's certain is that it's definitely not good news. So, to ensure Class A can face the challenge with a complete lineup, I propose that starting today, we use lunch breaks and after school to organize a class-wide study group."

"We can group students with higher academic ability together with those who are weaker, based on quiz results, to help each other. This isn't just for the midterm exam; it's to build a solid foundation for Class A and prevent problems before they happen. Everyone... what do you think?"

His proposal was reasonable, logically clear, and full of a big-picture perspective for the collective.

Some students with mid-to-low academic ability showed obvious interest on their faces.

They began discussing among themselves, seeming to think the idea was quite good.

"I agree! Katsuragi's right, we can't have any wishful thinking!" Tozuka Yahiko was the first to stand up and respond.

"Yeah, studying together is more efficient too."

"If there's a subject I'm bad at, having a classmate help explain would be great."

A portion of the students chimed in with agreement.

A relieved smile finally appeared on Katsuragi Kouhei's face.

He was about to announce the specific time and place for the study group when a voice tinged with mockery rang out at an awkward moment.

"Heh... a study group? Katsuragi, you're really full of a spirit of dedication, aren't you?"

Hashimoto Masayoshi had somehow come up beside Katsuragi Kouhei.

Everyone's attention turned sharply to Hashimoto Masayoshi.

The smile on Katsuragi Kouhei's face froze as he looked at Hashimoto. "Hashimoto, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much."

Hashimoto Masayoshi spread his hands. "I just think, we're Class A—the most elite group in this school. If even a midterm exam requires us to be organized into remedial classes like elementary school students, then our 'Class A' title is pretty cheap, don't you think?"

His gaze swept across the room, finally landing on Sakayanagi Arisu. "Majima-sensei made it very clear: our average score is a full forty points above the passing score. That means even if you close your eyes and randomly fill in the answer sheet, you'd probably score higher than some classes' averages. In this situation, wasting precious personal time on some inefficient study group... frankly, I don't have that kind of free time, and I imagine the princess feels the same."

"You..."

Tozuka Yahiko's face flushed red with anger as he pointed at Hashimoto Masayoshi. "How can you say that! We're all classmates; helping each other is as a matter of course, isn't it?"

"As a matter of course?"

Hashimoto acted as if he'd heard the biggest joke. "Classmate, you've got it wrong. In this school, the only thing that's as a matter of course is that might makes right. If you have time to 'help' others, you'd be better off spending it improving yourself. Relying on others' goodwill is the stupidest thing you can do."

Sakayanagi Arisu clearly didn't want to get involved in such a troublesome matter, and given her opposition to Katsuragi Kouhei, as a member of the Sakayanagi faction, he had to speak up.