Chapter Summaries

Kazehara Tetsu teased Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane about their relationship, then discussed Horikita Suzune’s looming Expulsion vote and the pressure on Class C. Manabu and Akane left, and Suzune prepared to present her final plan at the vote the next day.

• Kazehara Tetsu asked Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane how things were going between them, embarrassing Akane.
• Kazehara Tetsu questioned why Manabu would not use his Personal Points to help Horikita Suzune, and Suzune defended her brother’s obligations to his third-year class.
• Kazehara Tetsu admitted he had been testing them, and Manabu warned him that the Expulsion vote reflected the balance between classes across the school.
• Tachibana Akane warned Kazehara Tetsu that the School Authority’s motives behind the vote were not simple.
• Kazehara Tetsu urged Horikita Suzune to settle Class C’s dispute before the vote, and Suzune said she would present her final plan the next day.
• Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane departed, and Kazehara Tetsu wished Horikita Suzune luck before she headed toward the Teaching Building.

Class A held its Expulsion Vote Special Exam after Kazehara Tetsu had secured a twenty-million-point safety net and arranged the votes in advance. The tally confirmed Sakayanagi Arisu received the most Praise Votes and Kazehara Tetsu received the most Criticism Votes, but no one would be expelled.

• Kazehara Tetsu watched Class A students relax before voting, confident that his point reserve protected them from expulsion.
• Majima Tomoya instructed Class A to vote anonymously and individually in roster order.
• Class A students cast their agreed-upon votes, praising Sakayanagi Arisu and criticizing Kazehara Tetsu.
• Majima Tomoya announced that Sakayanagi Arisu received 45 Praise Votes and Kazehara Tetsu received 39 Criticism Votes.
• Majima Tomoya told Kazehara Tetsu to visit the Teacher's Office to process the point deduction and confirm his protection from expulsion, and Kazehara Tetsu agreed.

Kazehara Tetsu transferred twenty million Personal Points to the School Authority, completing the payment needed to cancel Class A's expulsion penalties. After reflecting with Majima Tomoya on how he had changed, Kazehara left the office and came face-to-face with two people entering.

• Kazehara Tetsu saw Kamuro Ryuji speaking quietly with Hoshinomiya Chie, then approached Majima Tomoya.
• Kazehara Tetsu transferred twenty million Personal Points to the School Authority, and Majima confirmed the transaction was recorded.
• Majima Tomoya told Kazehara Tetsu that he had changed from the self-interested student Majima once expected him to be.
• Kazehara Tetsu said the people and events around him had influenced him, though his choices remained his own, and he was content with the present.
• Kazehara Tetsu finished the paperwork and headed for the door, where two figures entered and confronted him.

Kazehara Tetsu saw Manabe Shiho and Kanji Ike facing expulsion, then checked the posted results and Praise Vote rankings. He left the Teaching Building after seeing that Ichinose Honami had won 123 votes, the highest total in the year.

• Kazehara Tetsu encountered Manabe Shiho and Kanji Ike at the Teacher's Office as they came to complete their expulsion procedures.
• Kazehara Tetsu left the office and passed the crowded bulletin board in the Teaching Building lobby.
• Ichinose Honami thanked Kazehara Tetsu for helping Class B avoid expulsions, then returned to her classmates.
• Kazehara Tetsu read the notice confirming that Kanji Ike and Manabe Shiho had been expelled, while Classes A and B had no expulsions.
• Kazehara Tetsu saw that Ichinose Honami had received 123 Praise Votes, then left the Teaching Building.

Majima Tomoya explained the final first-year Special Exam, in which classes designed projects and competed through a randomized set of matches. Each class had to appoint a Commander Tower who could be expelled if the class lost, making Sakayanagi Arisu’s Protection Points a crucial safeguard; Majima ended by preparing to explain the exam’s rewards and losses.

• Majima Tomoya announced the Selection Project Exam, in which each class would propose ten projects and choose five Signature Projects while concealing its real plans with decoys.
• Majima Tomoya explained that a random system would select seven projects from the ten combined projects, and the match would continue until all seven were complete.
• Majima Tomoya announced that each class had to appoint one Commander Tower, who could issue tactical commands but could not compete directly.
• Majima Tomoya revealed that the losing class’s Commander Tower would be expelled unless protected by Protection Points.
• The students focused on Sakayanagi Arisu, whose Protection Points could prevent an expulsion, as Majima Tomoya prepared to explain the exam’s rewards and losses.

Class A reviewed the Selection Project Exam rules and chose Sakayanagi Arisu as its Commander Tower because her Protection Points could shield her from expulsion. At lunch, Kazehara Tetsu proposed using both large-event slots for twenty-person events, prompting Katsuragi Kouhei to question the strategy.

• Majima Tomoya explained that seven events would each change Class Points by 30, with another 100 points awarded to the class that won the exam overall.
• Class A unanimously nominated Sakayanagi Arisu as Commander Tower, and she accepted after Kazehara Tetsu approved.
• The warning bell ended Class A's discussion before the students could choose their events.
• At lunch, Kazehara Tetsu proposed filling both large-event slots with twenty-person events.
• Katsuragi Kouhei asked Kazehara Tetsu why he wanted to commit so many students to large events instead of focusing on individual events.

Kazehara Tetsu explained Class A’s strategy for the class team events and told Sakayanagi Arisu he wanted to face Class C so he could challenge Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in International Chess. The chapter ended with Sakayanagi heading to the opponent draw while Kazehara focused on Class C and Ayanokoji.

• Kazehara Tetsu explained that Class A should rely on its strong average ability in large events and let its top students compete in multiple events.
• Kazehara Tetsu said Class A would favor physical events against Class B but academic events against Class C or Class D.
• Kazehara Tetsu told Sakayanagi Arisu that, if Class A could choose its opponent, he wanted to face Class C and play Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in International Chess.
• Sakayanagi Arisu realized that Kazehara would need to persuade Class C’s Commander Tower, Horikita Suzune, to put Ayanokoji in the chess event.
• Sakayanagi Arisu identified herself as Class A’s Commander Tower and followed Majima Tomoya to the Special Building for the draw.

Kazehara Tetsu learned that Class A would face Horikita Suzune’s Class C in the Selection Project Exam and told Horikita he had a specific goal for their match. He wanted her to send Ayanokoji to play International Chess against him.

• Kazehara Tetsu received a system task to lead Class A to defeat Horikita Suzune’s Class C for 500 system Points.
• Kaneda Satoru left the Lottery Draw ceremony, followed by Ichinose Honami, Horikita Suzune, and Sakayanagi Arisu, who revealed Class A would face Class C.
• Kazehara Tetsu told Ichinose Honami that Class C was the opponent he had wanted, while Horikita Suzune focused on finding a way for Class C to win.
• Sakayanagi Arisu invited Ichinose Honami away, leaving Kazehara Tetsu and Horikita Suzune alone.
• Kazehara Tetsu told Horikita Suzune that he wanted to play International Chess against Ayanokoji and wanted her to send him to the other side of the chessboard.

Kazehara Tetsu asked Horikita Suzune to send Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to face him in International Chess, insisting Ayanokoji was the strongest player in Class C. Horikita agreed to repay one of her two favors, then learned Kazehara wanted the victory for someone else.

• Horikita Suzune refused Kazehara Tetsu's request because she feared it could be a trap and saw no reason to follow an opponent's demands.
• Kazehara reminded Horikita that she owed him two favors and offered to count one as repaid if she agreed to send Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to the International Chess event.
• Horikita asked whether Kazehara was certain of Ayanokoji's skill, and Kazehara said she could verify it herself and that the favor would count even if the event was not selected, provided she promised to send him if it was.
• Horikita agreed to send Ayanokoji if International Chess was selected for the exam.
• Horikita asked why Kazehara was so determined to face Ayanokoji, and Kazehara said he wanted to prove he was better at International Chess and give the victory to someone else.

Class A finalized its ten events for the Selection Project Exam, then Kazehara Tetsu began delivering White Day chocolates to the girls who had given him chocolates on Valentine’s Day. His last delivery brought him face-to-face with Horikita Suzune as he was about to put a gift in her mailbox.

• Kazehara Tetsu and Classmate Sakayanagi confirmed Class A’s ten event choices and submitted the chart.
• Class A prepared steadily for the Selection Project Exam as the days passed.
• Kazehara Tetsu delivered White Day chocolate boxes to the dorm mailboxes of the girls who had given him chocolates.
• Horikita Suzune opened her door and saw Kazehara Tetsu holding a chocolate box intended for her.

Kazehara Tetsu left chocolates at Horikita Suzune’s door before asking which event Class C had chosen for the exam. Horikita refused to reveal the strategy, pressed him about his International Chess match against Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and left after he estimated his chance of winning at 50%.

• Kazehara Tetsu placed a box of chocolates in Horikita Suzune’s mailbox and said he was dropping things off for friends, not giving her a White Day gift.
• Kazehara Tetsu asked Horikita which event Class C had chosen, but she refused to disclose the class’s strategy before the School Authority announced the lists.
• Horikita asked Kazehara about his odds against Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in International Chess and explained that she had tested Ayanokoji against a Chess AI, which he outperformed in every game.
• Kazehara said his chance of beating Ayanokoji was 50%, explaining that a single mistake could decide the match.
• Horikita said she looked forward to seeing the match, then returned to her room and left the chocolates in the mailbox.

The Selection Project Exam began with Sakayanagi Arisu, Ichinose Honami, and Horikita Suzune waiting for Class D’s Commander. Ryuen Kakeru arrived as a last-minute replacement for Kaneda Satoru, putting himself at risk of expulsion to regain control of Class D as the Commanders were called inside.

• Sakayanagi Arisu, Ichinose Honami, and Horikita Suzune waited outside the Multipurpose Classroom for the Commanders to arrive.
• Sakayanagi Arisu hinted that Ichinose Honami did not know about a change in Class D’s Commander.
• Ryuen Kakeru arrived instead of Kaneda Satoru and made clear that he would represent Class D.
• Sakayanagi Arisu explained that the rules allowed a substitute Commander, while Ichinose Honami and Horikita Suzune realized Kaneda Satoru had stepped down in a planned switch.
• Ichinose Honami and Horikita Suzune recognized that Ryuen Kakeru could be expelled if Class D lost, and Sakayanagi Arisu warned that his methods were unpredictable.
• A School Authority official opened the Multipurpose Classroom and called the Commanders inside.

Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune prepared for the Special Exam, and Sakayanagi revealed that she had learned International Chess after seeing Ayanokoji Kiyotaka play. As the exam began, she said she believed Kazehara Tetsu was stronger than her and would prove himself the true strongest.

• The School Authority separated the Commander Towers into soundproof sections, leaving Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune together while their proctors checked the system.
• Sakayanagi Arisu told Horikita Suzune she had been excited and nervous about the coming International Chess match, not the class competition.
• Sakayanagi Arisu revealed she had started seriously learning chess after seeing Ayanokoji Kiyotaka play.
• Sakayanagi Arisu said Kazehara Tetsu was stronger than her and that the match would prove he was the true strongest.
• Horikita Suzune denied being especially concerned about Kazehara Tetsu, and Sakayanagi Arisu let the subject drop when Hoshinomiya Chie announced that time was up.

Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune began the exam by selecting players for a seven-a-side soccer match. Horikita fielded Hirata Yosuke to secure an early lead, while Sakayanagi submitted a deliberately weak lineup, leaving Horikita uncertain about her strategy.

• The system randomly selected soccer as the first event and revealed that each class needed seven players.
• Sakayanagi asked whether students could communicate, then suggested that Horikita was relying on Hirata Yosuke because Class C was weaker academically and had few strong athletes.
• Horikita selected Hirata and six other students, choosing to field her strongest player immediately rather than risk a surprise substitution by Class A.
• Sakayanagi submitted a lineup with no Kazehara Tetsu or Kitou Hayato, including four girls and three boys of average athletic ability.
• Horikita questioned Sakayanagi’s apparent decision to concede the match and explained that she had started Hirata to score quickly and discourage Class A from bringing in its strongest players.

Class C beat Class A in soccer, then lost the long-rope-skipping event, leaving the match tied. Horikita Suzune realized Sakayanagi Arisu was tracking the cumulative number of participants so Class A could reuse its strongest students in later events.

• Hirata Yosuke led Class C to a 5–0 soccer victory after Sakayanagi Arisu weakened Class A’s lineup at halftime.
• Horikita Suzune selected twenty less useful Class C students for long rope skipping, while Sakayanagi Arisu fielded a disciplined Class A team.
• Class A won the long-rope-skipping event with consistent, synchronized performances.
• Sakayanagi Arisu murmured, “Twenty-eight people,” prompting Horikita Suzune to calculate the participants used across the first two events.
• Horikita Suzune realized Class A planned to exceed its class membership in cumulative participants so it could reuse its strongest students, and she was relieved that Hirata Yosuke had already competed.

Class C lost the tennis event to Class A after Sakayanagi Arisu used a substitution to turn the doubles match around. The next draw paired Class C’s Onodera Kayano against Class A’s Kazehara Tetsu in the 100-meter round-trip swimming event, leaving Horikita Suzune worried about their chances.

• Class C won the first tennis singles match, but Class A took the second, leaving the doubles match to decide the event.
• Class C’s doubles team fought back from a large deficit, but Sakayanagi Arisu substituted in a net specialist and Class A won the match.
• Horikita Suzune accepted the tennis loss and prepared for the next event draw.
• The fourth event was 100-meter round-trip swimming, and Horikita chose Onodera Kayano to compete for Class C.
• Class A entered Kazehara Tetsu, whose physical ability made Horikita worry about Class C’s chances, while both competitors warmed up at the pool.

Kazehara Tetsu defeated Onodera Kayano by ten meters in the 100-meter swimming event, leaving Class C in a desperate position. Afterward, he praised her performance, and she regained her resolve to challenge him again.

• Kazehara Tetsu and Onodera Kayano warmed up and traded confident remarks before their swimming race.
• Kazehara Tetsu built an early lead, while Onodera Kayano held close until the turnaround point.
• Kazehara Tetsu pulled farther ahead in the second leg and won by ten meters.
• Class A celebrated the win as Class C fell to three losses and one win, while Horikita Suzune watched with concern.
• Kazehara Tetsu praised Onodera Kayano, and she accepted his respect and vowed not to lose to him next time.

Class C lost the English and mathematics tests, giving Class A a 4:1 lead and making Class C's overall defeat inevitable. Horikita Suzune faced the final event with few strong participants left as Sakayanagi Arisu anticipated an International Chess match.

• Horikita Suzune selected Class C's strongest English students and left Koenji Rokusuke off the roster because she did not expect him to cooperate.
• Horikita Suzune used her Commander Tower privilege to solve a difficult English question, but Class A still won by 21 points, making the score 4:1.
• Horikita Suzune selected seven of Class C's remaining students for the mathematics test and used her privilege again, but Class A won by an overwhelming margin.
• Sakayanagi Arisu pointed out that Class C had few candidates left and suggested they await the final event, the International Chess match.

The Seventh Match began as an International Chess showdown between Kazehara Tetsu and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, with the Commander Towers able to intervene. After Ayanokoji opened with Pawn to E4, Sakayanagi Arisu took control of Black from the start, leaving Ayanokoji unfazed as the match continued.

• Horikita Suzune admitted she had little chess experience, while Sakayanagi Arisu said she would play the final match herself.
• Kazehara Tetsu challenged Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to give the match his all and asked whether he would hold back as he had at the Sports Festival.
• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka won the draw to play White and opened with Pawn to E4.
• Kazehara Tetsu signaled Sakayanagi Arisu, who used her intervention authority to take control of Black immediately.
• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained calm and said it made no difference whether he faced Kazehara Tetsu or Sakayanagi Arisu.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka held a slight advantage during the Commander Tower phase of his chess match against Sakayanagi Arisu, but Kazehara Tetsu took over and used a relentless blitz pace to put Ayanokoji under mounting pressure. The game continued with Ayanokoji spending far more time defending against Kazehara’s attacks.

• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Sakayanagi Arisu played the opening at high speed, though Ayanokoji gradually gained a slight advantage because Sakayanagi had to relay moves through Kazehara Tetsu.
• The Commander Tower intervention period ended, and Sakayanagi told Horikita Suzune that the small disadvantage was recoverable and that the real game was beginning.
• Kazehara Tetsu took over as Black and made twenty moves in just 26 seconds without pausing to think.
• Sakayanagi explained to Horikita that Kazehara had already calculated his answers and had played countless instructional games with her.
• Kazehara continued at blitz speed, and after forty moves he had used only one minute while Ayanokoji had spent more time trying to defend against the shifting attacks.