The Exams Ended

The midterm exams, which everyone had worked so hard for, finally came to a close as the final bell rang. When the proctor for the last exam collected the papers and left, some students in Class D slumped right over their desks, then found themselves enveloped by an immense sense of relief.

Their nerves, wound tight for far too long, suddenly relaxed, and what followed was an almost cathartic excitement. The oppressive mood before the exams vanished, and the chatter and laughter in the classroom grew livelier than ever. The students, who had grown closer while preparing for the study sessions together, gathered in small groups, eagerly discussing their various topics or simply enjoying this rare moment of happiness.

A few days later, during morning homeroom.

When Chabashira Sae entered the classroom with the score sheets, her usually stern face was, for once, free of either mockery or indifference. She looked over the faces below her—some tense, some hopeful, and some feigning composure—and calmly announced:

"I'm amazed you managed to do this well. Honestly, I really admire you. Not a single student in Class 1-D failed this exam."

"Yeah!"

"That's great!"

"Wah... finally..."

A huge cheer and relieved sighs filled the classroom in an instant. Many students shouted with excitement.

Chabashira raised a hand to quiet them down.

"Also, based on the percentage of high scores in each class, you'll receive a bonus of Class Points. This time, you earned..." She paused, then spoke clearly enough for the entire classroom to hear. "Ninety-five bonus Class Points. That means each of you will receive the corresponding amount of Personal Points starting next month."

"..."

The silence lasted only an instant. Then an even more intense wave of joy erupted, nearly tearing the ceiling off!

"We have points! We've got points!"

"Ninety-five points! That's amazing!"

"Finally... finally, we don't have to eat wild vegetable meals anymore!"

For the first time, the sunlight of hope had shone so clearly into Class D. Almost everyone wore a radiant smile, one that came straight from the heart. Many turned grateful eyes toward Kushida Kikyo.

"Kushida, thank you so much!"

"Kikyo, we love you!"

"We couldn't have done it without you!"

Faced with the flood of gratitude, Kushida responded to each one with her flawless, sweet smile, saying things like, "We all worked hard together," and "I'm really happy I could help." Yet inside, she was so calm that even she found it surprising. The gratitude and praise she had once craved so desperately now seemed to reach her from a distance. Unintentionally, her mind drifted to Natsukawa's almost imperceptible nod before the exam. She turned her gaze toward him, but saw only that he was still looking down at his book. An indescribable mixture of warmth and disappointment quietly swept through her heart.

Meanwhile, Class B's classroom was just as full of joy. Hoshinomiya Chie-sensei, her cheeks flushed with what looked like a slight buzz, leaned over the lectern and congratulated everyone in a syrupy voice. "Everyone~ You did so great! I knew you could do it~!"

"Class B earned seventy Class Points in this midterm exam!" Kanzaki Ryuji calmly looked at the Class Points Hoshinomiya-sensei had posted on the blackboard, but even he had a slight, relaxed smile.

Originally, Class B's large-scale study sessions had divided the top students' attention, so their average score hadn't been exceptional. But after Hirata Yosuke shared the past exam questions with Kushida's approval, Class B had also secured a very high pass rate and a respectable average score. Seeing the widening closeness between Class B and Class A on the Class Points rankings, every Class B student felt delighted and grateful for Class D's cooperation. It was undeniable proof that Ichinose's strategy of building alliances had been the right one.

Taking advantage of the cheerful mood, Shiranami Chihiro eagerly fluttered over to Ichinose like a little bird and hugged her affectionately. "Honami-chan is the best!" Ichinose returned her embrace with a warm smile, gently patting her back. Her blue eyes sparkled with relief and hope for the future.

In contrast to Class B's cheerful atmosphere, Class A's mood was tense and oppressive.

Katsuragi Kohei stood in front of the posted Class Points chart and looked at the updated number: Class A, 1,010 points. They had gained ten points from their starting total, proving they were still improving and maintaining their lead. But the 960 points Class B had amassed behind them felt like an invisible thorn lodged in the heart of every Class A student. The gap was now so small it felt within reach, bringing unprecedented pressure.

Katsuragi went to Sakayanagi Arisu, who was still sitting calmly at her desk.

"Sakayanagi, you've seen the situation," Katsuragi said, his voice low and serious. "Class B is catching up faster than we expected. I think it's time to stop wasting our strength on internal conflict and unite against the other classes. The interests of Class A as a whole come first."

Sakayanagi's slender fingers lightly tapped the desktop, as if playing a silent melody. She raised her violet eyes. They held no hint of emotion, only a lofty indifference.

"Unite against the other classes? That would require there to be only one voice within our own class." Her voice was gentle, but her decision was unmistakable.

In the end, Katsuragi and Sakayanagi's conversation still ended on a sour note.

After Katsuragi left, Sakayanagi turned to Kamuro Masumi, who was staring at her own score, and instructed her, "Kamuro, how is your observation of Ichinose Honami's schedule and the people she meets going?"

Kamuro pursed her lips and gave her report in a lazy tone. "At first, she spent most of her time studying with people from Class B. The atmosphere was great. Later... she went to tutor a girl from Class D. Looks like Class B and Class D really did work together for this exam."

"An alliance of ordinary people is still only ordinary wisdom." A cold smile tugged at Sakayanagi's lips. "If this is all Ichinose can do, then there must be someone else behind her. Keep a close eye on the people around her. See if there's anyone... unusual."

Kamuro gave a deeply reluctant reply. "...Got it. You're always ordering me around..."

Meanwhile, in Class C's classroom.

The air seemed frozen, thick with an oppressive atmosphere utterly unlike that of Classes A, B, and D. There were no cheers or conversations. Most of the students kept their heads down, afraid to look directly at the figure at the center of the classroom, who seemed like a king.

Ryuen Kakeru lounged casually against the back of his chair, one leg arrogantly propped up on his desk. A few strands of his red hair hung over his forehead, but they couldn't hide his cold, predatory eyes. He was looking at the Class Points Kazuma Sakagami had just displayed.

Class C's total stood at 600 points.

His fingers idly traced across the screen. His gaze lingered for a moment on the towering totals of Classes A and B, then finally settled on Class D's number. Though they were still at the bottom, they had climbed from zero to 95 points.

A twisted, excited smile slowly crept across his lips, like a snake flicking out its tongue.

"Heh... This school really is more interesting than I thought," he muttered, his voice hoarse and full of malice.

His mind raced. The gray areas in the rules, the system of rewards and penalties, the gaps between classes... It all seemed like a meticulously designed amusement park. And Ryuen Kakeru loved nothing more than finding loopholes in places like this and watching the "honor students" and "good little rule-followers" despair when the rules crumbled.

Class A and Class B... I shouldn't mess with them yet. His cold gaze focused once more on Class D's score. But Class D... A bunch of losers who've just crawled out of a pit of zero points. They got 95 points thanks to who knows what luck and a little cleverness, and now they think they can relax?

In his worldview, the weak had no right to live in peace. Their only purpose was to be robbed and dominated. Class D was undoubtedly the most suitable prey right now. He could test the limits of the school's rules without risking the kind of fierce backlash he might provoke by going after Classes A or B.

He needed information. He needed to find Class D's weaknesses. He needed a... "chicken" he could use to make an example of.

Cruel excitement glinted in Ryuen Kakeru's eyes. He could already see the lamb of Class D, which had only just learned to walk, being torn to shreds by him, the wolf lurking in the shadows. This wasn't just about points. It was about the thrill of domination, and about announcing Ryuen Kakeru's arrival to this "meritocracy" of a school.