The First Special Exam

The uproar over May's point system had only just passed, and the entire Advanced Nurturing High School was still reeling from the shock of its real rules. With a casual remark during homeroom, Hoshinomiya Chie had plunged Class B into a genuine test of survival: the first Special Exam, where written tests would decide who stayed and who left.

The mood in the classroom had only just settled, but now it was tense again.

Leaning against the lectern, Hoshinomiya tapped her terminal with a fingertip and projected the cold regulations onto the screen. Her voice was sweet, almost cruel.

"This Special Exam will consist of written tests in every subject. The passing score won't be fixed. It'll be half the class average in each subject. Fail to meet the cutoff in even one subject, and you'll be expelled. There are no retakes, no pleas for mercy, and no exceptions."

The air seemed to freeze.

Yoshikage Kira sat in the last row by the window, his fingertips resting on the edge of his notebook. He quickly worked through the rules in his head: class average ÷ 2 = passing score. That meant the worse the class did overall, the lower the cutoff; the better the class did, the higher it became. Even an average student could fall short if they weren't careful.

This also dispelled one of Kira's doubts. Could the powerful people who had decided to cultivate so-called socially capable individuals really allow deadweight with no desire to study and no basic academic ability to rise along with the class? After all, the school's tempting benefits came with one condition: graduating as Class A. It seemed the acceptable margin for "elites" was half the average score.

Kira's assessment of this was surprisingly forgiving. The Advanced Nurturing High School wasn't testing academic ability; it was testing the class's ability to survive together.

Honami Ichinose's face paled slightly, but she immediately steadied herself and gently reassured those around her. "Everyone, don't panic. We'll figure something out together." Kanzaki Ryuji furrowed his brow and quietly added the most crucial point. "Class B's academic ability is above average overall, so our cutoff will be quite a bit higher than those of Classes C and D. We don't need to worry too much, but if anyone falls behind, the whole class will be under the shadow of expulsion."

Kira silently wrote a line in his notes:

[Class B risks: balanced academic ability and strong unity, but a high cutoff and little room for error.]

[Class A: steady but under pressure; Sakayanagi must already have a plan.]

[Class C: Ryuen rules with an iron fist, likely to apply intense pressure; students may be eliminated amid the chaos.]

[Class D: points at zero and uneven academic ability. The cutoff will be lowest, but the risk of expulsion will be high.]

With Ichinose leading the way, Class B quickly shifted into an all-hands mutual-support effort.

No complaints, no passing the buck, no cliques shutting others out.

Students with weaker academic skills didn't have to feel ashamed, and those who were stronger didn't keep their knowledge to themselves. Ichinose took the initiative, opening the classroom and library for after-school study sessions. They formed subject groups, paired stronger students with weaker ones, explained problems to each other, checked notes, and held mock tests.

"I don't really understand this part of the math..."

"That's okay. I'll teach you. We'll take it one step at a time."

"I can never remember English vocabulary."

"I've put together a list of the most common words. Let's memorize them together."

Kobashi Yume carefully recorded each person's weakest subjects and put the chart up at the back of the classroom; Hamaguchi Tetsuya quietly prepared scratch paper and pens, handing them out to everyone; Shibata Sou kept everyone's spirits up with his cheerful energy, helping anxious students stay on track.

Kanzaki Ryuji took charge behind the scenes, selecting past exam questions, identifying frequently tested topics, and predicting what might appear. He didn't seek the spotlight, but he firmly supported the class's overall study efforts.

Kira remained the quietest of them all.

He didn't volunteer to join a group or explain problems aloud. Only when someone hesitantly asked him for help would he explain the key points with concise, precise logic. He didn't waste a word or put on airs.

His scores consistently hovered around the upper end of the middle range, allowing him to blend perfectly into the crowd. Yet he had a clear picture of every student's academic strengths, consistency, and mental state.

"Kira, you're amazing. You understand everything as soon as you hear it," someone said quietly.

Kira gave a slight nod. "I'm just organizing things according to the rules. Stay steady and don't make mistakes."

He knew the truth:

Class B was safe not because everyone was a genius, but because Honami Ichinose's kindness had bound them together.

Discipline, unity, no infighting, and never giving up—that was their greatest weapon in this exam for survival.

At the same time, the first-year classes were heading in completely different directions.

Their classroom was so quiet it was almost suffocating.

Sakayanagi Arisu sat in the front row, leaning on her cane, while Masumi Kamuro handed her the organized study materials and academic assessment charts. Sakayanagi merely glanced over them before deciding on the coldest possible strategy.

"Everyone must pass comfortably. Anyone who fails should leave Class A on their own, without waiting for the school to punish them."

There was no compassion, no tutoring, only survival of the fittest.

Class A's students were already the best of the best, and under this pressure, none of them dared slack off. Sakayanagi wasn't worried about the exam itself. Her attention remained fixed beyond the classroom, on the two most unpredictable variables: Classes B and D.

Before she could say anything else, a discordant voice came from one side of the classroom.

Following the sound, everyone saw Katsuragi Kohei, whose first impression was that of a bald, tall, and powerfully built man, abruptly stand up and object.

He was burly, with broad shoulders and back. His bald head gleamed with a hard, cold light under the lamps, and his voice carried unmistakable displeasure.

"Sakayanagi, what kind of strategy is this? You think saying 'everyone must pass comfortably' is enough? Students with weaker academic skills are already nervous. If you pressure them to leave the class, you'll only destroy morale and end up dragging all of Class A down!"

Katsuragi Kohei's voice was deep and forceful, especially jarring in the quiet classroom.

For the first time, someone had openly defied Sakayanagi in Class A, which had always followed her.

Sakayanagi Arisu slowly raised her eyes. A faint smile remained on her pale face, but her gaze was as cold as ice. "Oh? Classmate Katsuragi, do you have a better idea?"

"Of course I do!" Katsuragi Kohei took a step forward, his presence undiminished. "This is a group exam, not an individual one! We have to help students who are struggling. Organize study sessions, pair stronger students with weaker ones, and work through problems together. We can't just give up on them! You only care about survival of the fittest. You don't care about the stability of the class as a whole!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the classroom erupted in a visible commotion.

Some students immediately gathered behind Katsuragi Kohei, their expressions approving. Most of them had below-average academic skills and had been struggling under Sakayanagi's cold decree. At last, they had found someone to lead them.

"Katsuragi's right! Giving up on our classmates is too much!"

"We're Class A. We should help each other, not abandon each other!"

The others remained on Sakayanagi's side, their expressions cold.

They were among the strongest academically. They had never wanted to spend time helping those weaker than them, and they agreed with Sakayanagi's rule: "Efficiency above all; eliminate the useless."

"The weak deserve to be eliminated. Slowing everyone down will only hurt the whole class."

"Classmate Sakayanagi's judgment is the right one. Tutoring would be a waste of time."

In the blink of an eye, Class A split into two factions.