What Winter Takes Away, Spring Will Give Back (6k)

Without much hesitation or delay, Hoshinomiya Chie Kitagawa Ryo left.

To be fair, this is one of the most convenient things about Class B. You don't even need to ask for a word. As soon as Kitagawa Ryo finished his flat statement, most of the students in Class B nodded silently, without any intention of objecting.

"Everyone, please take a look at the detailed rules in the group chat first, and think about the projects or types you are good at. Hui, come out with me for a moment."

After explaining this first, Kitagawa Ryo decisively called out Karuizawa Kei's name, leading her out of the classroom and into a corner of the corridor.

"So that's why last year's Sports Festival wasn't the Commander mode we've encountered before. So that's what was waiting for us."

Karuizawa Kei naturally remembered the rules from the simulation, and immediately remarked this as soon as she came out:

"It's just that the year-to-year competition part is missing. That match where the First Year teamed up against Nagumo's second-year students was quite exciting. It should be considered the first time that there was such a great unity within the year. It could be made into a classic shonen anime."

"... Would a cat that's clearly there for comedic effect suddenly appear in a classic shonen anime?"

"Oh yeah, Hiyori and Hiyori won several matches that time thanks to Hotaru, it was practically cheating, Ryo, are you planning to do it again?"

"I don't have 20 million Private Points on hand this time, and I've already laid the groundwork for Ying's identity, so I'll pass."

Before they knew it, Karuizawa Kei had been chatting for a while about the Matoba their last simulation, before finally getting down to business.

"Although I signed up for the Commander, I haven't been in Class B very long, so I definitely don't know as much about the students as Hui does. Therefore, I would like Hui to help me with this part of the work."

"Well, as the Commander, Ryo is definitely better at improvising and intervening on the day of the exam. We can leave the preliminary preparations to me and Honami. It's only been a little over a month, and I feel like she was the one who was in Class B from the very beginning."

"Actually, that's not wrong in a certain sense, right?"

"That's really true."

"Leaving aside the content and rules of the exam, who would Hui most like to face in this exam?"

Faced with Kitagawa Ryo's question, Karuizawa Kei seriously lowered her head and thought about it for a while before giving her answer:

"If it were me, I'd probably still prefer to face Class A."

"Class A?"

"Yes, on one hand, if we can directly defeat our competitors, we can guarantee that we will successfully overtake them and become the new Class A; on the other hand, we would like to squeeze every last drop of Private Points out of Class A."

At this point, Karuizawa Kei frankly revealed all her thoughts:

"Although the Commander could escape by finding a scapegoat if they lose this time, neither Suzune nor Arisu would do such a thing, and it's not practical for them to drop out of school themselves. So in the end, they will definitely choose to obediently submit Twenty Million Personal Points to cancel this expulsion punishment."

"Hmph--If they spend all 20 million on this, then the progress of getting Liang back into her class will be reset to zero."

"... Hui's angle is quite unique."

"But that's just my personal opinion. From the class's perspective, Class A is definitely not the best opponent. Rather, everyone probably wants to bully Class D, the easy target."

"Class D? They're not necessarily easy prey. If they can plan well and have a bit of luck, they have a chance to beat any class in this exam. If we do draw Class D, Hui shouldn't underestimate them."

After giving Karuizawa Kei this advice, Kitagawa Ryo's own emotions began to waver.

After all, for him, whether it was Class A, Class C, or Class D who were trying to prove themselves to him, they were all worthy opponents.

Moreover, regardless of how the draw is conducted, the other group seems equally promising.

It must be said that the four First Year classes made an astonishingly fast pace in deciding the Commander. It seemed that no one had considered the fact that they would lose, and they had no intention of letting other students come up to take over the position. In the end, the ones who came to the multimedia classroom to draw lots were all the actual Leader of each class.

Horikita Suzune from Class 1-A, Kitagawa Ryo from Class 1-B, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from Class 1-C, and Ryuen Kakeru from Class 1-D.

After confirming that all the class Commander had arrived, the school staff took out the lottery equipment, shuffled it, and instructed everyone to draw lots in the order of the four classes (A, B, C, and D), explaining the rules in turn:

"One of the four slips of paper is marked with a red dot. The person who draws the slip can choose an opponent for their class, and the remaining two classes will automatically become opponents."

So, the four of them flipped over the lots they had drawn. The result quickly appeared before everyone: Ryuen Kakeru had drawn the last lot, drew the one with the red dot, thus gaining the right to choose his opponent.

"Looks like we're in good luck, a great start!"

With a slightly smug chuckle, Ryuen Kakeru, when asked by a staff member which class he wanted to choose as his opponent, gave his already prepared answer without hesitation:

"I want to choose Class C."

"Alright, then our opponents for this Special Exam are now determined."

"Class 1-A versus Class 1-B."

"Class 1-C versus Class 1-D."

Chapter 505: Spring Lost in Winter Will Return (6k)

"As expected, we're facing off against Class A."

"Actually, it makes sense when you think about it. After all, if I were Ryuen, I would probably choose Class C as well. Firstly, it's a direct competitor right next door, and secondly, I might genuinely feel that Class C is a bit weaker than our class or Class A."

"Indeed, those with nothing to lose are fearless. Class D is already in this state, so they might as well try to beat Class C. After all, if they beat them, they can return to Class C."

The information about the First Year class matchup immediately sparked heated discussions among the students in Class B. Although they couldn't beat Class D, who seemed like the easiest opponent, the result of facing Class A was actually acceptable.

After all, the two top players from Class A are now in their Class B. With the overall strength shifting, their chances of winning are quite high.

"However, Class A's overall strength is quite strong, especially in sports. The boys have Sudo and Yamada, and the girls have Horikita and Amasawa. If possible, I think it would be better to avoid setting questions in their strong sports."

"As for the boys, I don't think Kitagawa and Shibata will lose by much, but the girls will definitely be at a disadvantage, especially Amasawa. Her performance at last year's Sports Festival was just as good as that second-year Kiryuin senior."

"Then, because of Sakura, it seems like there's not much we can do about singing and dancing skills. These are already at a professional level, beyond the high school level."

"I don't think we need to be so pessimistic. Our Class B has quite a few specialized subjects. The main thing is to choose the right projects."

Unlike the other Class B students who were still chattering in the main class group chat, Kitagawa Ryo had already created a smaller group chat, pulling in the decision-making circle including Ichinose Honami, Karuizawa Kei, and Kanzaki Ryuji, and then sent out two detailed rules that he had specifically extracted from the rules:

[Selection Exam – Rules for determining the examination items.]

Projects that are too niche or too complex will not be accepted.

If the field is classified too finely, it may not be approved.

If Written Exam are treated as projects, broad subject categories can be specified, but the specific questions will be created by the school to maintain fairness.

The project prohibits any behavior that deviates from or alters the basic rules, such as setting the rules of Rock Paper Scissors to rock being greater than paper.

Regarding the facilities that are available:

On the day of the Special Exam, the Commander will conduct the exam in the multi-purpose classroom. In addition, most school facilities such as the Gymnasium, playground, music room, and science classrooms are available for use, although there are some exceptions, such as the faculty and staff office or the Chairman's Office.

Regarding project restrictions and time limits:

If items are deemed to have the same content, each class can only use one of them. In addition, if it takes too long to digest the exam items, or if there is no time limit for the items, they may not be used.

Regarding the number of participants:

The required number of test takers, excluding substitutes, must be different for each of the ten programs applied for.

The minimum number of participants is one, and the maximum number is twenty (including substitutes, the total number of participants shall not exceed twenty).

Including substitutes, a class can register a maximum of two events with more than ten participants.

Regarding participation requirements:

Each student may participate in one event, but may not participate in more than two events.

However, students may only participate in two or more exams if all of them have participated in at least one exam item.

After seeing the information about the number of students, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but scroll back to the class group chat. He glanced at the total number of students in the group and realized that Class B had unknowingly become the class with the most students in the entire grade. After he and Ichinose Honami transferred to the class, the number of students had even exceeded the initial forty, reaching forty-one students.

The class with the fewest students in the grade is naturally Class A, with only thirty-one students left, ten fewer than Class B.

However, it's still hard to say whether having more people is an advantage or a disadvantage in this Special Exam.

If you want to exploit the rules to pursue the elite battle, you can directly submit several projects with a maximum of twenty participants as cannon fodder and sacrifices, then quickly trigger the clause that allows students to sign up for a second project, and ultimately win by relying on the projects with these elite students.

However, under the school's supplementary rules, this approach also carries certain risks, as it is almost tantamount to completely disregarding the vast majority of students in the class and not believing that they can win. In this situation, if they lose this Special Exam, and if the Commander cannot take responsibility and expel them, but instead allows the students in the winning group to vote to Resurrection and push the expulsion penalty to the losing group, the entire class could probably be completely destroyed by this defeat.

Moreover, Class B's situation isn't so dire that Kitagawa Ryo needs to take such a desperate gamble and place his hopes on just a few individuals.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that Class B is the one that excels in team projects that require collaboration. The cliques within the class aren't really clearly defined, and both boys and girls tend to have a harmonious atmosphere, which was evident in the Uninhabited Island Special Exam last summer.

Aside from Kitagawa Ryo's team composition of playing games with three girls, only Class B had a mixed-gender team in the entire First Year. Without exception, all other classes had teams of boys sticking together and girls teaming up with other girls, creating an atmosphere that was almost unbelievably good.

With that in mind, Kitagawa Ryo has already come up with all sorts of ideas, such as Mixed Gender Three-Legged Relay. If he really draws such an event, Suzune, as the Commander, probably won't be able to put together the corresponding lineup for a while.

"I've compiled a list of the project priorities that have already been raised in the class."

The first to pop up in the group was Kanzaki Ryuji, who had already quietly prepared a spreadsheet. When Kitagawa Ryo opened it, he saw various items and Kanzaki Ryuji's own opinions listed from top to bottom.

"Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei: Drama. You can choose one item from the sub-subjects under the major category of drama, such as diction, acting, physical expression, and vocal music. Considering that you are the president and vice president of the Drama Club of this school and are proficient in the relevant skills, this item has a very high priority."

"Ichinose Honami: Written Exam, general knowledge quiz? Considering the overall academic gap between Class A and Class B, I prefer a multi-person competition, with the winner determined by calculating the total score or average score. A single-person competition would be a concern for Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A. Overall, it has a higher priority."

"Shibata Sō: Soccer. Since there are probably no other students in the class who can play soccer, we will focus on individual events, such as one-on-one penalty shootouts or dribbling around fixed cones to determine the winner. Considering that Hirata Yosuke, another key player in the First Year Soccer Club, is in Class C and is not our class's opponent this time, this event is given higher priority."

"Hamaguchi Tetsuya: Cooking. This student has a very high level of enthusiasm for this project, and his level is above average. Considering that Commander Horikita Suzune of Class A is in charge of the Special Exam and cannot participate in the project herself, he is temporarily listed as an alternative. The project priority is average."

"..."

It must be said that Kanzaki Ryuji performed quite well as a deputy. In just one afternoon, he had already compiled various information in a very professional manner, and his comments were quite insightful, which made Kitagawa Ryo's assessment of the entire Class B and his thinking on this Special Exam much clearer.

"Not only do we need to prepare for our own class's projects, but we also need to prepare in advance for the types of projects that Class A might propose."

They must have reviewed the form sent by Kanzaki Ryuji together. Karuizawa Kei also replied with a comment, and shortly after, Ichinose Honami typed a reply:

"I already have an idea about this. Let's meet and discuss it. I've already made reservations at the restaurant near the Keyaki Mall. Although tomorrow is the weekend, I don't want to take up everyone's rest time, so it's better to clarify things and assign tasks tonight."

Perhaps because Karuizawa Kei didn't reciprocate on Valentine's Day, and knowing that the two already had plans for the next day Ichinose Honami thoughtfully suggested that they finish the first phase of their task tonight, not wanting class and exam matters to disturb them.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

After replying, Kitagawa Ryo greeted Hotaru and set off from the dormitory again. When they arrived at the Keyaki Mall, Kanzaki Ryuji, Amikura Mako, Shibata Sō, and Karuizawa Kei were already there. The six of them went into a private room and chatted and ate in a harmonious atmosphere.

"As for Class A, since Suzune won the Student Council election, she is naturally the rightful class Leader during this period, as can be seen from the Commander of Class A."

After having a little something to eat, Ichinose Honami took the initiative to talk about their opponents this time, the situation of Class 1-A.

"However, this situation is not absolute. In fact, regardless of who wins or loses in the competition between Suzune and Arisu in the class, it is impossible to ignore each other's opinions during this Special Exam. Therefore, in my opinion, the role allocation for Class A this time may be similar to that of our class. Arisu will be responsible for the application and coordination of the project, while Suzune will be responsible for on-the-spot response and intervention on the day of the exam, just like our task with Ryo."

"Yes, I've always felt that if Suzune and Arisu could cooperate sincerely instead of fighting for the Leader position, Class A's strength would be a level above. Their abilities and personalities are actually quite complementary."

Karuizawa Kei echoed this sentiment:

"Just like I always thought that the four-person team Ryo formed on the Uninhabited Island last year would definitely win first place, but conversely, the premise for them to actually form a team is that Ryo is there. So this time, it's more likely that they'll divide the roles. Arisu plenty of clever ideas..."

"Yes, and there are quite a few students in Class A who would be a good fit for her."

After all, it was the same class they had been in for two semesters. All Kitagawa Ryo could say was that the current Class A Class D, was indeed quite uneven in terms of student quality. Of course, a more tactful way to put it was that it was a diverse range of talents, but this student characteristic was, in a sense, quite suitable for the rules of this Special Exam.

"Actually, just as we find their athletic ability challenging, their class should also find our class's level in this area a bit difficult to handle. However, the better news for Class A is that Kitagawa, you'll be in charge of the Commander. This will amplify the advantages of Sudo and Yamada."

"Besides them, Miyake's Kyudo skills are actually quite good; at least in Class B, there's no one who can beat him without a doubt."

"... That point also needs to be taken into consideration."

Kanzaki Ryuji muttered this to himself, and Amikura Mako next to him sighed as well:

"It's difficult for the girls too; Amasawa's dominance is too strong."

"As for Ichika, indeed..."

Upon hearing Amasawa Ichika's name, Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei felt quite troubled. It could only be said that a few years of hard work could not compare to the inhuman training she had maintained for more than a decade since birth. Not to mention girls, even among boys, there were very few who could say that their physical abilities were superior to hers.

"So how about we just avoid sports altogether? We can only apply for events like soccer, which are my specialty. Sprinting is fine too, though. Sudo and Yamada aren't as explosive as me, so I'm confident in that area."

Shibata Sō raised his hand and offered his opinion.

"If we really want to apply, we can consider changing all the individual projects to group projects. Although each class can only apply for two projects with more than ten participants, we can keep the number of participants to eight or nine."

Taking the opportunity, Kitagawa Ryo expressed some of his previous thoughts, and then emphasized one more point:

"Unity and cooperation—I believe this is the key to our Class B's success."

"If we make good use of this, neither Class A, Class C, nor Class D are actually a match for us."

The clique phenomenon in Class A has never stopped since the beginning of the school year. Class C has a lot of eccentric students with their own unique characteristics. As for Class D, it goes without saying that they have been betrayed by Kushida Kikyo and Hashimoto Masayoshi in succession. If it weren't for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's sudden appearance, the class would have almost completely fallen apart. Now they are only barely together in name only. It's fortunate that the students are of relatively high quality. If other classes had experienced this twice, they would probably have completely exploded by now.

"I think Liang's idea is good. In fact, Class B has always operated in this way, and the students are quite used to it."

As the class representative of Class 1-B, Karuizawa Kei quickly affirmed Kitagawa Ryo's idea:

"Teamwork and teamwork—if the project is geared towards this level, Class B will indeed have a greater advantage compared to Class A."

"If that's the case, I think we could look for those small games that are used during team building activities."

"I remember now, there were a few segments at the matchmaking event during the Valentine's Day celebration that I think could be modified and submitted as a project."

Following this line of thought, others also enthusiastically offered their suggestions, and in no time, the form that Kanzaki Ryuji had originally submitted to the group was more than twice as thick.

"Then, there's information about Class A. Because when they draw the projects at the end of the exam, they'll definitely get the projects they applied for. I feel like we need to prepare in advance. Although the results will be announced in a week, knowing a day earlier means we can prepare a day earlier."