Chapter Summaries

Takahashi Ren, Toba Shigeru, and Ishida reconstructed how their class lost 150 points in the leader-guessing round and speculated about the deals and evidence behind the guesses. They could not determine how Class D identified their leader, and the conversation ended with Toba Shigeru and Ishida jokingly wrestling.

• Takahashi Ren explained that their class began with 270 points and lost 150 because of incorrect and correct leader guesses.
• Takahashi Ren and Toba Shigeru reasoned that Ryuen had likely provided Katsuragi with tangible evidence about other classes' leaders as part of a private deal.
• Ishida realized that Class D could have changed its leader midway through the exam using a valid reason.
• Takahashi Ren confirmed that Class B had not guessed any class's leader, but admitted he did not know how Class D identified his class's leader.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida bickered and started a playful sumo match while Takahashi Ren sighed at them.

As the students relaxed aboard the cruise ship, Takahashi Ren heard a rumor about Shiraishi and then learned that Toba Shigeru had encountered her at the pool. The school announced a new special exam, separating Takahashi from his friends and leaving them to prepare for their assigned rooms and times.

• Ishida told Takahashi Ren that an unsupported rumor claimed Shiraishi had been involved with about a dozen boys, and Takahashi dismissed it as baseless gossip.
• Toba Shigeru returned from the pool, excited that Shiraishi's hair had brushed his left pinky finger.
• The school announced a special exam and instructed students to assemble in assigned rooms at specific times.
• Takahashi Ren learned he had to report to Room 201 at eight o'clock, while Ishida and Toba Shigeru were assigned to Room 203 at seven forty.
• Takahashi advised Ishida and Toba to think ahead and contact him if they needed help during the exam.

Takahashi Ren learned that the first-year special exam would place students from different classes into zodiac groups and challenge each group to identify a hidden VIP. After the briefing, he left with Satonaka Satoshi calling him to wait.

• Takahashi Ren arrived at room 203 and joined Shijo Taiga and Satonaka Satoshi for Sakagami’s explanation of the exam.
• Sakagami told them they belonged to the fourteen-member Snake Group and instructed them to set aside their class affiliations.
• The students learned that each group had a VIP and that their answers could bring personal rewards, class points, or penalties, with an early correct report ending the exam.
• Sakagami explained the group meetings, answer deadlines, and rules against coercion, phone theft, and sharing or altering school emails.
• Takahashi Ren left the room, remarked that the exam seemed more complicated than the island exam, and stopped when Satonaka Satoshi called after him.

Takahashi Ren refused to tell Satonaka Satoshi what Ai Morishita liked, then considered Katsuragi’s strategy of inaction for the VIP exam. The students learned they had not been selected as VIPs, while Takahashi remained concerned that Katsuragi’s cautious plan could let Class A lose its lead.

• Satonaka Satoshi asked Takahashi Ren what Ai Morishita liked and whether he had feelings for her, but Takahashi refused to help and challenged him about the question.
• Takahashi Ren returned to the dorm and discussed the exam with Toba Shigeru and Ishida, who had little confidence in their group.
• Katsuragi announced that Class A should avoid discussion and speculation so the VIP’s identity would remain hidden and reduce the risk of losing points.
• Takahashi Ren judged that Katsuragi’s defensive plan could allow other classes to gain ground and suspected Katsuragi had lost his drive after the Uninhabited Island defeat.
• At eight, Takahashi Ren, Toba Shigeru, and Ishida received emails confirming none of them had been selected as VIPs, and Takahashi went back to sleep.

Takahashi Ren joined Class A’s silent protest during the first group discussion, then met Ai Morishita, who suspected the school’s VIP selections followed a pattern. Using his system, he found a likely rule and left the café without revealing whether he had noticed Ai’s teasing.

• Takahashi Ren, Shijo, and Satoshi Satonaka withdrew to a corner after Shijo announced that Class A would stay silent during the discussion.
• Takahashi Ren met Ai Morishita in the café, where she proposed that the school had used a pattern to select each group’s VIP.
• Takahashi Ren used his system to infer that the VIP was the member whose name occupied the position matching the group’s zodiac animal in gojūon order.
• Takahashi Ren agreed to keep the pattern from Katsuragi and the Sakayanagi Faction, and Ai Morishita offered him half of her Personal Points reward.
• Ai Morishita told Takahashi Ren to leave while she chatted with Yamamura, then began speaking slyly behind him as he walked away.

Takahashi Ren let Ishida and Toba Shigeru work out the VIP pattern on their own while the Class A strategy continued. Later, Kushida found him alone on the deck, hugged him from behind, and asked him to call her Kushida before she hurried away.

• Takahashi Ren learned that Ishida had asked Katsuragi to identify the VIPs, but Katsuragi had refused and only provided the group rosters through Toba Shigeru.
• Takahashi Ren hinted that the school's phrase “careful adjustment” might point to a pattern in how the VIPs had been selected, and Ishida realized the VIPs were not chosen at random.
• During the second discussion, Class A stuck to its strategy, while Toba Shigeru and Ishida later uncovered the Class A VIP in the Rat Group and Takahashi Ren confirmed their answer.
• Takahashi Ren left the dorm room and went to the deck, where he met Kushida Kikyo walking alone.
• Kushida hugged Takahashi Ren from behind, asked him to call her Kushida, and said she might have acted because she suddenly felt lonely.
• Kushida let go, apologized, and ran off, while Takahashi Ren stayed on the deck before returning to his room.

After the VIP Exam ended, Takahashi Ren and his classmates learned the results and each class’s gains and losses, while Ryuuen revealed that he had identified Class A’s VIPs and threatened to target Class D. Takahashi disembarked with his friends, accepted points from Ishida, and sent Ai Morishita her share.

• Takahashi Ren told Ishida and Toba Shigeru that he knew the Snake Group’s VIP, then watched them struggle to find a pattern in the Rat and Snake Groups’ VIPs.
• Takahashi Ren suggested the Chinese Zodiac groups might follow the gojuon order, and Ishida and Toba Shigeru noticed that the two known VIPs fit the pattern.
• The exam results showed that Ishida and Toba Shigeru had correctly identified the Tiger Group’s VIP, Ai Morishita had concealed her identity in the Sheep Group, and Class C had gained the most points while Class A lost the most.
• Ryuuen showed Horikita his list of Class A VIPs in the Rat, Rooster, and Pig Groups and announced that Class D would be his next target.
• Takahashi Ren disembarked from the cruise, accepted 200,000 points from Ishida, and transferred 250,000 points to Ai Morishita.

Toba Shigeru went to meet Shiraishi, convinced he could win her over, while Ishida signed up at a gym to improve himself. There, Mashima asked Takahashi Ren to discreetly find out about Akiyama, the staff member he had taken an interest in, and promised him a favor in return.

• Toba Shigeru told Takahashi Ren he planned to hint at his feelings for Shiraishi and eventually confess, while Ishida warned him not to get carried away.
• Ishida invited Takahashi Ren to the gym, where he signed up for a membership and began working out.
• Takahashi Ren and Ishida ran into Mashima at the gym, where Mashima introduced them to Akiyama.
• Mashima asked Takahashi Ren to discreetly investigate Akiyama, including whether she had a boyfriend and what she liked.
• Takahashi Ren agreed in exchange for a favor, and Mashima told him Akiyama worked every day except Thursday.

Takahashi Ren encountered Sakayanagi Arisu at Keyaki Mall, where she wished him a happy birthday and questioned him about Kamuro and the VIP Exam. Sakayanagi ended the conversation by using a favor to make Ren take her to a tea shop.

• Sakayanagi stopped Takahashi Ren at the mall and asked him to walk with her alone.
• Sakayanagi wished Ren a happy birthday, revealing that she had learned the date from student records.
• Sakayanagi asked Ren about his contact with Kamuro, and Ren admitted he had lied to her but refused to explain further.
• Sakayanagi suspected Ren had uncovered the VIP pattern and helped Class A lose fewer Class Points, but Ren refused to admit it.
• Sakayanagi said she would make use of Ren after defeating Katsuragi, while Ren agreed only to do what was expected of him.
• Sakayanagi invoked Ren's favor and had him take her to a tea shop he knew.

Toba Shigeru told Ishida and Takahashi Ren that Shiraishi had broken his heart, then changed the subject and suggested they go to karaoke. On the way, the three started a can-kicking contest, celebrated when Takahashi Ren landed the can in a trash bin, and then realized they had forgotten something.

• Toba Shigeru told Ishida and Takahashi Ren that he had been rejected by Shiraishi, and Ishida teased him while showing concern.
• Toba Shigeru avoided explaining what had happened and suggested karaoke instead.
• Toba Shigeru proposed that whoever kicked a discarded can into a trash bin would have the others pay his bill.
• Ishida and Takahashi Ren joined Toba Shigeru in the contest, and Takahashi Ren finally kicked the can into the bin.
• The three headed back together, then Takahashi Ren stopped and asked what they had forgotten.

Takahashi Ren learned that Shiraishi had asked Toba Shigeru for information about him, while Toba speculated that she was interested in Ren. On the way back from karaoke, Toba and Ishida recognized Ren in a deleted forum post about Sakayanagi and teased him as the three headed off together.

• Takahashi Ren sang badly at karaoke, amusing Toba Shigeru and Ishida.
• Toba Shigeru told Takahashi Ren that Shiraishi had asked him about Ren’s interests and hobbies when they met with Nishikawa Ryoko.
• Takahashi Ren thanked Toba Shigeru for keeping quiet and said they should not tell Ishida about the conversation.
• As the three left karaoke, Toba Shigeru mentioned a forum post about Sakayanagi’s shopping-mall date, then noticed that the post had been deleted.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida recognized Takahashi Ren in the photo, and Ren admitted he had met Sakayanagi by chance.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida jokingly chased Takahashi Ren down the road.

Takahashi Ren spoke with Akiyama at the gym and met Ichinose Honami, then ran into Ai Morishita and Miki Yamamura on the way back to the dorms. Morishita showed off her new goldfish, while Yamamura's planned love reading was interrupted by an elevator breakdown.

• Takahashi Ren noticed Ichinose Honami running at the gym and later exchanged friendly introductions with her.
• Takahashi Ren chatted with Akiyama about her homemade cookies, food interests, and days off, learning that she was single.
• Takahashi Ren and Ishida left the gym and spotted Ai Morishita and Miki Yamamura on their way back to the dorms.
• Ai Morishita showed Takahashi Ren the goldfish she had bought and declared that it had become part of the Morishita family.
• Ai Morishita revealed that Yamamura had wanted a love reading, but the two had found the fortune teller's building elevator broken down with people trapped inside.

Mashima explained the sports festival rules, team assignments, scoring, penalties, and entry procedures to Class A. The class began discussing the event before heading to meet students from the other years.

• Mashima announced that the second term would include extra PE classes to prepare for the sports festival, and said it would considerably affect every class.
• Mashima assigned Class A and Class D to the red team, opposite Class B and Class C on the white team, and explained the events and scoring rules.
• Mashima clarified that team wins would not earn Class Points, while each class's individual ranking could still cost it points.
• Mashima explained the Personal Point rewards and penalties, the exam-point deduction for the ten lowest-ranking first-years, and the rules for event entries and substitutes.
• Mashima ended the discussion and told the students to meet the other years in the First Gymnasium; Class A students gathered to discuss the festival.

At the sports festival briefing, the red and white teams met to discuss cooperation, but Ryuuen led Class C away rather than negotiate with Class B. Class A and Class D agreed to avoid interfering with each other while keeping their plans private, as Sakayanagi’s growing influence over Class A became apparent.

• Fujimaki told the assembled students that the sports festival mattered and that they should compete with the intention of winning.
• Katsuragi and Hirata agreed that Class A and Class D would cooperate while avoiding disputes.
• Ryuuen rejected Ichinose’s attempt to discuss cooperation and left the gym with Class C.
• Katsuragi warned Horikita and Class D not to underestimate Ryuuen.
• Sakayanagi announced that she would forfeit every event, while Takahashi Ren observed that most of Class A had gathered around her.
• Katsuragi and Hirata agreed to keep class plans private and arrange a later discussion about team events.

Class A approved Katsuragi’s sports festival plan after Sakayanagi voiced her support. Takahashi Ren agreed to pair with Hayato Kito for the three-legged race and considered how a leaked participation roster could affect the competition.

• Katsuragi proposed assigning individual-event competitors by ability and preference, pairing compatible students for the three-legged race, and using lots for luck-based events.
• After the class waited for Sakayanagi’s response, she said Katsuragi’s plan was reasonable, and students began signing up for nominated events.
• Hayato Kito asked Takahashi Ren to partner with him in the three-legged race, and Takahashi Ren agreed.
• Ishida and Toba Shigeru questioned Takahashi Ren about partnering with Kito and discussed the role of athletic ability and luck in the festival.
• Takahashi Ren explained that knowing another class’s participation roster could help predict its results, then decided Sakayanagi had no reason to leak it to frame Katsuragi.

Takahashi Ren reported that the investigation into Miss Akiyama had ended, then discussed the upcoming sports festival with the Light Music Club. Shiraishi invited him to partner with her in the mixed-gender three-legged race, and he agreed while suspecting she had another motive.

• Takahashi Ren told Mr. Mashima that the investigation into Miss Akiyama was settled for the time being.
• Takahashi Ren and the Light Music Club members discussed the joint sports festival and who would enter the all-years relay.
• Shiraishi invited Takahashi Ren to lunch, and Toba Shigeru diverted Yoshida so they could eat together with Nishikawa.
• Nishikawa explained that Shiraishi wanted Takahashi Ren as her partner in the mixed-gender three-legged race, and Takahashi Ren agreed to try.
• Toba Shigeru later described how he and Ishida had kept Yoshida away, then continued to assume Takahashi Ren's agreement meant more than it did.

Katsuragi finalized Class A’s provisional Sports Festival roster using students’ grip strength, running times, and a draw for the Scavenger Hunt. During Three-Legged Race practice, Takahashi Ren worked with Hayato Kito and Shiraishi, while Yoshida watched Ren catch Shiraishi after she stumbled.

• Katsuragi recorded the students’ grip strength and hundred-meter times to help choose participants for strength and running events.
• Takahashi Ren drew the number one slip and was selected for the Scavenger Hunt, while he and Shiraishi were chosen for the mixed-gender Three-Legged Race.
• Takahashi Ren practiced the race with Hayato Kito, and the two gradually matched their pace by adjusting their strides.
• Takahashi Ren practiced with Shiraishi, who stumbled; he caught her and helped her regain her balance.
• Yoshida saw Takahashi Ren catch Shiraishi, walked away, and told himself the contact was only necessary for the event.

Takahashi Ren and his classmates competed in the Sports Festival’s hundred-meter races, while Yoshida won his heat hoping to impress Shiraishi. The Red Team led the initial score tally, 2,110 to 1,891.

• The students began the Sports Festival, and Ishida placed sixth in his hundred-meter heat.
• Yoshida won his heat, but felt crushed when Shiraishi congratulated Takahashi Ren, who had finished third.
• Shiraishi gave Takahashi water and remarked that he could have placed higher with a better start.
• Toba finished third in his heat, while Hirata placed first and Ayanokoji fifth.
• Ai Morishita came last in her race, then seriously blamed Hermes for being assigned commerce duty.
• The Red Team took an early lead with 2,110 points against the White Team’s 1,891.

Takahashi Ren took part in the pole-tipping competition, where Class C’s force overwhelmed the Red Team and Ryuuen secretly used Sudo as a foothold to bring down the pole. The White Team won both rounds, and the chapter ended with Katsuragi and Hirata calming tensions between Class A and Class D.

• Takahashi Ren finished fifth in the hurdles without touching any hurdles.
• Takahashi Ren watched Class C’s Albert overpower the defenders as the White Team won the first round.
• Takahashi Ren charged toward Class B’s pole in the second round while Class C overwhelmed Class D’s defense.
• Albert and two students restrained Sudo, then Ryuuen stepped on him and kicked him, causing the pole to fall and the White Team to win.
• Takahashi Ren noticed the referee had not reacted to Ryuuen’s foul, while Sudo blamed the other students for the loss.
• Katsuragi stopped Class A students from arguing with Sudo, and Hirata and Katsuragi acknowledged that their teams had failed to defend.

After the girls won the ball-toss event, the Red Team faced the White Team in tug-of-war, where Katsuragi struggled to keep Class A united against Sakayanagi’s faction. The Red Team technically won after Ryuuen ordered Class C to release the rope, but his provocation left them unable to enjoy the victory as they prepared for the next event.

• Toba Shigeru reported that the Red Team had won the girls’ ball-toss event, recovering the points the boys had lost.
• Hashimoto challenged Katsuragi’s authority and strategy, but Katsuragi kept Class A focused enough to take their positions for tug-of-war.
• The Red Team won the first round as Class B and Class C pulled with an uncoordinated formation.
• Ryuuen reorganized Class C, and the White Team won the second round with a steadier pull.
• In the third round, Ryuuen ordered Class C to release the rope, making the Red Team fall and securing them a hollow victory.
• Katsuragi stopped Sudo from charging at Ryuuen, and the Red Team returned to Class A’s tent to prepare for the next event.