Class Reactions

While the current Class A was still immersed in the joy of promotion, the former Class A's atmosphere had already sunk to rock bottom.

"What?" The moment Mashima announced the school's hidden rules, the evaluation results, and the final point totals from the podium, the former Class A erupted.

"How is that possible?" Totsuka Yahiko shot to his feet in disbelief.

Katsuragi Kohei had no mind to stop Totsuka Yahiko. He simply stared fixedly at the two numbers on the blackboard, his clenched knuckles turning white.

980, 950. A mere 30-point gap had determined the class rankings and sent them down to Class B in their very first month.

"Let me say something honest here: you all shouldn't blame yourselves too much." Mashima Tomoya stood at the front, calmly observing the class's reactions. "Your performance in the first month was outstanding even by the school's historical standards. It's just that this year's Class B is the strongest Class B in the school's history."

Whether those words comforted the former Class A students remained to be seen. Sakayanagi Arisu, who had shown no reaction until then and wore a beret, spoke softly. "Mashima-sensei, the fact that the current Class A retained such a high score in its first month... does that mean someone in the current Class A saw through the school's rules?"

Mashima Tomoya looked at Sakayanagi Arisu and smiled approvingly. "That's right. A student figured out the school's rules on the second day, which was why they were able to retain so many points in the first month."

"As expected."

Sakayanagi Arisu curled her lips slightly, looking unconcerned. "Even knowing the rules this time, they still failed to achieve a perfect score in the first month. Meanwhile, despite not knowing the rules, we still retained the high score of 950 points. It seems the current Class A's abilities are not as impressive as we imagined."

"That's right. The school assigned classes based on everyone's overall abilities. Just look at the classes below us: Class C only has 490 points, while those idiots in Class D actually got all their Class Points deducted. Class B only won this round by luck. It's just 30 points; we can overtake them in the next exam." Hashimoto Masayoshi spoke at just the right moment.

Within the first month, he had completely thrown in his lot with Sakayanagi Arisu's faction. The moment he saw his leader speak, he understood and immediately joined in reassuring their classmates.

Besides the clearly defined Katsuragi Faction and Sakayanagi Faction, the current Class A also had a group of neutrals who had not taken a side. This was the perfect time to raise the Sakayanagi Faction's prestige and win over the middle ground.

"That's right, that's right. They just got lucky this time." Led by Sakayanagi Arisu and Hashimoto Masayoshi, the former Class A students, who had been somewhat dejected, regained their fighting spirit. One after another, they declared that they would make the current Class A pay in the next exam.

Katsuragi Kohei turned to look at Sakayanagi Arisu, and she met his gaze. Neither spoke, yet a silent clash had already taken place in the air between them.

Class C.

"They deducted that many?" Ryuen Kakeru stared at the Class Points on the blackboard and clicked his tongue in irritation.

Of course, he knew exactly what he had done during the first month. If he had not avoided or covered up the cameras beforehand every time, with homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma also helping conceal things, Class C would have long since lost all its Class Points because of fighting. The only thing he had not expected was for Classes A and B to retain so many points in the first month, leaving such a massive gap between them and the upper classes.

"You lot, I don't care how much trouble you cause in private, but in class and in front of the cameras, you'd better act like model students." Ryuen Kakeru pointed at several of the rowdiest students in class and issued the warning in a fierce tone.

The students all nodded. After all, it was hardly something difficult. But when Sakagami announced the quiz results and the expulsion policy, quite a few students visibly panicked.

There were a full six students below the failing threshold, and quite a few more were hovering right on the edge.

"Ryuen, what... what do we do?!" Ishizaki Daichi, Ryuen Kakeru's number-one lackey, spoke in panic. He was one of those who had failed.

"Pay attention in class and study properly. If you don't understand something, ask the high-performing students. Do I need to explain even that?" Ryuen Kakeru cursed. "Not just you. All of you who failed or nearly failed, study yourselves to death this month. If you get expelled because your grades are too poor, I won't give a damn what happens to you."

Sakagami Kazuma stood at the podium and turned a blind eye to Ryuen Kakeru's nearly dictatorial behavior.

He could see Ryuen Kakeru's desire for promotion, and Ryuen Kakeru had already persuaded him. So he decided to give him free rein and support this leader's efforts.

Meanwhile, in Class 1-D.

"Sensei... I checked this morning, and the points for this month haven't arrived. Didn't you say they would be issued on the first of every month?" Hondo Ryotaro stood and asked.

"Hondo, I already told you before that the points would be transferred collectively on the first of every month. This month's payment has indeed already been completed." Chabashira Sae stood at the podium, her expression even colder than usual.

"But... there really aren't any." Hondo, Yamauchi, and the others looked at one another, utterly bewildered.

"...You really are beyond saving."

There was no anger in Chabashira Sae's voice, yet it carried an oppressive force that sent chills down their spines. "Hondo, sit down. I will not repeat myself a second time."

"C-Chabashira-sensei?"

Hondo shuddered at the unfamiliar severity in her voice. Over the past month, even when they chatted, slept, or played on their phones during class, she had never intervened. The contrast in her attitude now was simply too great.

"The points have been transferred exactly as they should have been, and the assumption that 'the school alone forgot Class D' cannot possibly be true. Do you understand?"

"B-But in reality, there aren't any..." Hondo was still completely confused.

"Heh, I see. I understand now." Koenji let out a booming laugh, propping his legs carelessly on his desk as he pointed at Hondo with extreme arrogance. "The answer could not be simpler. The points our Class D received this month were zero."

"Huh? Why? Don't we get 100,000 points every month?"

"I don't recall the school ever making such a guarantee." Koenji retorted without the slightest courtesy, then brazenly pointed at Chabashira Sae.

"Although Koenji's attitude leaves much to be desired, that is indeed the truth. Honestly, I gave you so many hints, yet only a few of you have caught on even now. How pathetic."

At that, Chabashira Sae could not help thinking of Class B, which had created a miracle this month.

Others had seen through the rules governing the entire school on the second day after enrollment, while this Class D remained utterly baffled even when faced with such obvious hints.

Could the gap between people truly be this enormous?