Today was the day of the exam, which meant the usual morning cleaning duties were suspended.
After breakfast, the first-year boys were led to the Zen meditation hall, preparing for their first test.
"Now, we will begin the Zen meditation exam. The grading criteria consist of two main parts: first, the etiquette and movements upon entering the dojo; second, whether there are any irregularities during meditation. Be sure to remember everything that was taught in class. After meditation, remain in the classroom until further instructions."
The teacher emphasized these points repeatedly before starting the roll call.
"Students whose names are called, step forward in order. Class A, Shibata Sō. Class D, Yamauchi Haruki—"
As soon as the second name was called, murmurs erupted among the students.
Most hadn't expected the seating arrangement to be random. Normally, meditation practice was done in fixed groups, allowing students to sit with familiar peers.
The school had likely scrambled the order on purpose, applying psychological pressure to add an extra layer of difficulty.
"Quiet down, everyone. Yamauchi, step forward. Next, Class B, Morishige Takurō."
Not everyone panicked, though. At least in Hikigaya's group, the students from Class B remained unfazed. Morishige, for instance, walked up calmly to take his place in line.
Standing at the front, Katsuragi kept his gaze forward, showing no concern that his classmates might falter at this stage.
No wonder these guys were placed in Class A from the start—their fundamental discipline was clearly stronger than most other students'.
Soon enough, Hikigaya's name was called.
Upon entering the dojo, he immediately noticed several teachers holding clipboards and pens, ready to take notes. To his surprise, cameras were also set up nearby.
Was this really necessary? It wasn't like they were competing in a professional tournament… What a hassle.
Hikigaya wasn't aiming for a high score, nor was he planning to sandbag the test. He simply followed what was taught in class, completing the exam with the proper etiquette and movements.
From his own perspective, his actions should have been flawless. He managed to sit in the lotus position without any issues and maintained good posture until the end.
In short, his performance wouldn't be a liability to his group.
That was his only goal for the test—anything beyond that was not his concern.
Once meditation ended, under the watchful eyes of the instructors, all students silently exited the dojo and proceeded to their assigned classrooms as instructed.
Just as Hikigaya stepped through the door, an odd laugh echoed from inside.
"Heh heh heh… Today, I am as beautiful as ever… No, even more beautiful than yesterday."
The self-proclaimed ultimate free spirit of the first years, Kōenji, was humming to himself while admiring his reflection in a mirror, running his fingers through his hair in delight.
It was a scene no different from his usual antics at school.
The students from Class D were long used to his behavior, but students from other classes looked utterly baffled.
Since the next exam was about to begin, no one had the time or energy to deal with his theatrics, so they simply let him be.
Still, listening to him prattle on was getting annoying… Thankfully, the break ended quickly. A teacher unfamiliar to the students walked in, carrying stacks of exam papers.
Hikigaya took his copy and quickly scanned it.
The questions were all based on the material covered during their time at the forest training camp.
Some were even basic life knowledge questions—things anyone could answer, even if they hadn't paid attention in class. Realistically, one could probably pass this test with their eyes closed.
Like the Zen meditation exam, this test was straightforward. As long as a student understood the core concepts, scoring well was easy.
Even for those weak in academics, memorizing a few key points was enough to avoid a disastrous score.
Overall, both exams were relatively simple. The average scores across the groups shouldn't vary too much.
Hikigaya finished the test in less than half an hour.
After all, there were no science-related questions, so writing the answers felt much easier.
After reviewing his work to confirm there were no mistakes, he set down his pen and rested his head on the desk.
Next up was the relay marathon. Since he had some free time, recovering a bit of energy wouldn't be a bad idea.
Unlike other exams, running wasn't something that could be improved just by taking it seriously. A mere week of training wasn't enough to make a real difference.
In other words, the real deciding factor for their scores would likely come down to the next test.
That was why the absence of Gokyou and Tonegawa would severely impact their group's performance, potentially leading to a disastrous failure.
On the girls' side, Sakayanagi wasn't participating in the marathon either… but since she was just one person, it wasn't a big deal.
More importantly, she was in a group built around her class. Even if she held them back, no one would dare complain to her face.
Before long, the bell signaling the end of the written exam rang.
During the break, a few members of their group started checking their answers.
As Hikigaya expected, they got most of the answers right. The students from Class B were already quite adept at studying, so this level of difficulty was no challenge for them.
Even Ryuuen, whom people might worry about, didn't seem to have any problems.
After all, the guy wasn't dumb—he just didn't like studying… what a waste.
Under the teachers' supervision, the boys made their way to the parking lot, where several trucks were parked. It seemed these would be used to transport students to their relay points.
On the way, the teacher reiterated the key rules of the exam:
1. Each person had to run at least 1.2 kilometers.
2. The relay points had to be spaced at intervals that were multiples of 1.2 kilometers.
3. If someone couldn't complete their section or failed to meet the minimum distance due to an accident, they would be disqualified.
For smaller groups, the 18-kilometer course was quite a burden.
But Hikigaya's group had the full fourteen members. If everyone ran a minimum of 1.2 kilometers, the remaining distance would be left to the strongest runner—Kito.
That said, this setup meant that other athletic students wouldn't be able to maximize their performance, which limited the potential for shaving off more time.
In the end, their group would likely end up with a mediocre ranking… oh well, whatever.
The first to get off the truck was Machida, who wasn't great at endurance running, so he was assigned one of the easier routes.
As for Hikigaya, he was given a rather steep mountain trail—not an easy run.
But since both Katsuragi and Kanzaki had volunteered to take on difficult sections, and Kito had to run 2.4 kilometers, Hikigaya had no grounds to complain.
One by one, the students disembarked. As they neared the turnaround point, it was finally Hikigaya's turn to get off.
"Hey, Hikigaya, you're at this spot too?"
Naturally, other male students were also at the relay points. One of them was none other than Ayanokoji… how annoying.
Why did he always run into this guy?
During the wait, some people chose to chat freely, while others focused on their thoughts—it was up to the individual.
Hikigaya, of course, had no interest in talking to Ayanokoji. He turned away, pretending not to hear him.
But that didn't stop Ayanokoji from speaking on his own.
"I spoke with Kiriyama last night. He agreed to my request. Not only will the second-year Class B students fully participate in the exam, but the upperclassmen he's close with also won't hold back. I don't think he's just paying lip service—there shouldn't be any surprises."
"Is that so… well, let's assume that's the case."
Even as he said that Hikigaya didn't have any doubts.
Kiriyama was a fence-sitter, doing whatever it took to graduate as a member of Class A.
Whether he was submitting to Nagumo or using this as an opportunity to betray him, his goal remained the same.
Right now, Nagumo's grand promises sounded appealing, but they were nothing more than illusions. Kiriyama himself was probably uncertain about whether he could get a ticket to Class A.
He wouldn't let this chance to turn things around slip away.
"We'll know the results by this afternoon. You can tell me then."
"No need, I'll tell you now." Hikigaya shook his head, lowering his voice. "You were right. Back then, I was determined to get you expelled. But a certain big shot intervened, so I had no choice but to back off."
"…Who?"
"Sakayanagi's father—this school's chairman. You've met him before, right?"
"Yeah, but I didn't expect it to be him."
Though Ayanokoji said he didn't expect it, he didn't seem all that surprised. He must have already suspected as much.
After all, there weren't many "big shots" at ANHS to begin with.
Besides, Sakayanagi's father had once defied that man's pressure to keep Ayanokoji in the school.
There's a saying: those who have helped you before are more likely to help you again, rather than those you've helped.
Psychologically, it made sense.
Still, Ayanokoji seemed a little taken aback by the chairman's protection—it didn't quite match the impression he had of him.
"Did Sakayanagi's father say why he did it?"
"Not really, just that he wanted to give you a chance… haha."
Hikigaya didn't bother hiding it, even laughing as he spoke.
"But knowing you, I get the feeling that having the chairman as a backer will only make you act even more recklessly."
"No, you don't have to worry about that."
"I know, I was just joking."
"Uh…"
"Uh…"
They exchanged glances before simultaneously falling silent.
In truth, when Ayanokoji said "You don't have to worry," he didn't mean that he wouldn't abuse his position. Rather, he meant that he would never trust the chairman or rely on him for anything.
He would only act based on his judgment.
Hikigaya knew this guy well enough to understand that, which was why he had made that joke in the first place.
…Talking to him was exhausting.
"By the way, your group has twelve people, right? Are you running 4.8 kilometers?"
"That would be ridiculous. I'm only running 3.6 kilometers," Ayanokoji replied before adding, "Our group's Hashimoto is covering the rest. You should be familiar with him."
"No, I don't know him well." Hikigaya flatly denied it.
"Really? But he's been subtly asking me and Yamauchi about you."
"…Tell him to ask me directly next time."
"I will."
Seeing Ayanokoji nod seriously like that only made Hikigaya even more annoyed.
…Forget it. There was no point arguing.
They were still in the middle of an exam, after all.
Overwhelmed by his desire to get away from Ayanokoji, Hikigaya took the baton from Katsuragi and sprinted off at the fastest pace of his life.
It was an overperformance!
In the end, Tokito finished in third place… which was decent enough.
As long as they weren't sixth, it was a victory!
Once all the groups arrived, they were immediately ushered into the final test.
The first-year boys, still breathless from running, now had to give speeches at the top of their lungs—completely draining their stamina.
Still, perhaps as a last burst of energy, everyone pushed themselves through to the end, each in their way, completing the exam.
...
At 4 P.M., the long day of the special exam had finally come to an end.
Honestly, it was even more exhausting than expected. Most students in the school likely felt the same way.
Hikigaya followed the boys' group into the gymnasium, and before long, the girls also arrived one by one.
It was time for the results to be announced.
"Over these eight days at the forest camp, you've all worked hard. Each of you put in a great effort, and through teamwork, you've achieved commendable results. I hope you can continue to maintain this spirit."
A male teacher in his fifties stood on the podium, smiling as he addressed the students.
But it felt like there was an underlying message—he wasn't entirely satisfied with the results. Not that it was surprising. Many second-year students had intentionally held back under Nagumo's orders. It would be a miracle if the scores turned out well.
"Now, we will announce the rankings of each major group. Here, I will only mention the names of the third-year students who were in charge. All students in the respective groups will receive their reward points later."
After this explanation, the teacher began reading out the names.
"First place goes to the major group led by Ishikura-kun from Class 3-B."
"...Huh?"
After a brief moment of silence, some third-year students reacted with surprise, though mixed within were voices of doubt.
Even Ishikura himself seemed a little incredulous.
Unfazed by the reactions, the teacher continued, "Second place goes to the major group led by Ninomiya-kun from Class 3-C."
That was Horikita Manabu's group. In other words, he had taken second place.
This was likely the cause of the third-year students' confusion. No one had expected the former student council president to lose.
"It's fine, Horikita. Just win next time!"
Some of his classmates from Class 3-A, including Fujimaki, didn't seem particularly bothered by the results. Instead, they praised Horikita Manabu for doing well.
And truthfully, they weren't wrong.
Horikita Manabu hadn't lost due to a lack of ability. Rather, the second-year students in his group were mostly from Class 2-A—Nagumo's staunch supporters, who had faithfully followed his instructions.
Considering that, securing second place despite the collective underperformance of the second-years… As expected of the man who had once beaten the so-called greatest masterpiece.
Was this guy cheating or what?!
The rest of the rankings were announced one after another, with Nagumo's group coming in dead last. Given that two members had been absent, this outcome was inevitable.
Now, the real question was whether anyone had failed.
After finishing the boys' rankings, the teacher on stage spoke in a heavier tone.
"Additionally, I regret to inform you all that one of the boys' groups failed to meet the passing score."
The gymnasium fell silent. Even the students who had been celebrating immediately stopped talking.
Gradually, many eyes turned toward Nagumo.
Yet, Nagumo himself seemed completely unaware of this attention, his usual fearless smile still plastered on his face.
"The group that failed to meet the passing score… is the one led by Tokito-kun from Class 2-C."
As soon as the words were spoken, distressed voices erupted from the girls' side, while some of the boys let out sighs.
Although Nagumo had made every effort to manipulate the results, getting others to throw an exam was inherently difficult.
The biggest issue was: How much should they underperform?
If they went too far, they risked failing themselves.
This concern could never be eliminated. On top of that, Kiriyama had been working against him from the shadows. In the end, Nagumo's group still failed.
But he probably didn't care.
"Heh… As expected of Horikita-senpai."
Nagumo clapped for Horikita Manabu, offering genuine praise.
"Or perhaps I should say… as expected of Ayanokoji, the one you have your eye on. That move was truly impressive. Even I was completely fooled."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I only know that you lost this exam," Horikita Manabu replied indifferently.
"Yeah, I lost."
Even as he admitted defeat, Nagumo's smile didn't waver in the slightest.
"In the boys' group, the outcome is settled. I have no complaints about my loss."
"Uh…" Having already guessed the situation, Horikita Manabu didn't respond. Instead, he simply narrowed his eyes at Nagumo.
Then, he silently closed them.
"Horikita-senpai…?"
Nagumo showed an expression of disbelief. He had expected Horikita Manabu to question him relentlessly, yet the reaction he got was completely different.
But now was not the time to ask. He could only wait for the results of the girls' group.
"Now, let's move on to the results of the girls' group. Every group in the girls' division has passed the minimum requirement, and there are no expulsions! Well done, everyone!"
Upon hearing this, cheers erupted from the girls' side. However, one person's expression froze in place.
"…Huh?"
Nagumo involuntarily let out a strange sound, then, like a headless fly, started glancing around in a panic.
"Igari-senpai… why?!"
The person named Ikari had initially intended to hide within the crowd, but when she noticed Ishikura looking in her direction, her anger flared up instantly.
She shoved aside the people on either side of her and shouted, "Nagumo, you still have the nerve to ask me that?! What kind of garbage strategy did you come up with? Horikita-kun and his sister saw through it on the first day! And yet, you were still so smugly kept in the dark!"
"B-But! Even if Horikita-senpai found out, it shouldn't have affected the plan. I sincerely wanted to help Class B!" Nagumo defended himself.
"Hah! You wanted to help us defeat Horikita-kun, but only by using me as a sacrifice, right?! You and Ishikura were just using me from the start!"
Ikari exposed the truth in front of everyone.
Ishikura, standing nearby, had a complicated expression but didn't offer any rebuttal.
"Senpai, you've misunderstood." Nagumo still tried to play dumb. "Could someone be trying to sow discord between us? Who told you this?"
"I don't need anyone to tell me! The fact that you didn't hand the full 20 million points directly to me is proof enough!"
"But giving it to Ishikura-senpai is the same thing, isn't it? Do you not trust him?"
Nagumo was being bombarded by Igari's yelling, his head aching and his heart full of frustration. Yet, what he truly wanted to know was—where did it all go wrong?
At that moment, Horikita Manabu stepped forward.
"Nagumo."
"…Horikita-senpai."
"This is where it ends."
Horikita Manabu stood directly in front of Nagumo, staring him down.
Nagumo forced a laugh. "Haha… As expected of you, Senpai. You saw through my plan, then sent your sister to stop me. No wonder she ended up in the same group as Tachibana-senpai."
"…You've got it wrong."
"Huh?"
"I said, you've got it wrong." Horikita Manabu repeated. "I did notice, to some extent, what you were trying to do. I even prepared everyone mentally for the possibility of spending points to save classmates… But I wasn't the one who acted to stop you. I never gave Suzune any orders."
"Haha… Hahaha. So you're saying your sister took the initiative, wanting to help her older brother?"
"Yes… As her older brother, I feel ashamed. I was always so focused on what was in front of me that I neglected those around me."
For the first time, in front of so many people, Horikita Manabu admitted his shortcomings.
"For example, Nagumo, you. Even though our approaches differ, I always trusted you. I naively believed that no matter how persistent you were about me, you would still challenge me face-to-face… But I seem to have been mistaken. Just as I misjudged Suzune's growth, I also misjudged you—I thought you were someone who could face victory and defeat head-on."
"…Hah, say whatever you like, Horikita-senpai."
Nagumo let out a bitter smile.
The victor dictates history.
Even though he didn't feel any guilt or shame in his heart, anything he said now would only sound like the lamentations of a loser.
If he had succeeded, it would have been a different story.
Just then, a sudden loud cry echoed through the venue. A figure rushed toward Nagumo.
"N-Nagumo! President Nagumo! Please help me! I don't want to be expelled!"
"…Sorry, I'd love to help you, but I can't."
Nagumo looked apologetically at the leader of his group—it was none other than the student the teacher had mentioned earlier, Tokito from Class 2-C.
By now, the students had already gotten their phones back. Nagumo opened the S-System and displayed his points.
"Look, I only have a little over ten million left… I'm sorry."
Rescuing a student required twenty million personal points and three hundred class points. Class 2-C barely had over four hundred class points, but even after deducting Nagumo's remaining amount, the shortfall of several million was simply beyond their ability to cover.
After all, to support Nagumo's reforms, the entire year had pooled their excess points with him.
"H-How could this be…"
Togumo looked utterly devastated, his face drained of all color as he collapsed onto the ground, unable to move.
Just as a few Class C students were about to help him up, he suddenly lifted his head, his eyes filled with resentment as he glared at Nagumo.
"I followed your instructions to become the leader! And now you're letting me get expelled?! I won't let you get away with this!"
"Come on, Tokito, there's no need for that." Nagumo sighed in exasperation. "We were all classmates, after all. I didn't want this either, but there's nothing I can do… Besides, liability doesn't always apply in every situation."
"Hmph! Of course, I know that!"
Tokito snorted, then suddenly pointed at Gokyou and Tonegawa, who were standing beside Nagumo.
"It's these two! Because they couldn't take the exam, our group failed! I'm taking them down with me!"