And so, both Year 2 Class A and Class C ended up paying a huge amount of points to save their students.
It was quite rare for two classes to face such a situation simultaneously, and as a result, Class C, which originally had only a little over 400 points, dropped below Class D.
For reference, the former Class D's points had already dipped below three digits, making them evenly matched-opponents.
Meanwhile, Class A also suffered a loss. Though their ranking remained unchanged, the gap between them and Class B had significantly narrowed.
Especially the group led by Mikiya, which was mainly composed of Class B students. They secured first place in this exam, earning nearly 300 class points.
At this point, the difference between them and Class A was now less than 100 points—just one final step away.
With the remaining time in this semester, there was likely to be another special exam. Kiriyama and his group might truly have a chance to turn the tables.
Of course, Nagumo would do everything in his power to defend his position and strike back at Class B.
Still, the second-years had more than a year left. The real battlefield was among the third-years.
Even though Ishikura and his group's scheme to frame Horikita Manabu had failed, they unexpectedly reaped the benefits, securing first place in the large-group ranking and earning around 300 class points as well.
Now, the two classes were essentially standing at the same starting line.
The next special exam would be the decisive moment that determined their fate.
One way or another, this grueling eight-day, seven-night mixed training camp had finally come to an end.
While the outcome wasn't perfect for everyone, most were simply relieved to return safely to school.
"Hehe, Hachiman, that was so satisfying."
As soon as we got on the bus, Kushida couldn't stop excitedly talking about what had just happened.
Clenching her small fists, she whispered, "That blond guy is always bossing you around for no reason. I've been sick of him for ages. He's done for now, isn't he?"
"Well, I suppose it's not impossible to understand that feeling."
The usually high-and-mighty student council president was now being utterly humiliated by these first-year students, and the worst part was that he didn't even realize what had gone wrong.
Unfortunately, that guy was still far from collapsing completely.
But since Kushida was so happy, there was no need to correct her.
"By the way, do you know how to contact Manabe Shiho from Class C? If you do, let me know."
Hikigaya suddenly remembered that he hadn't given out the reward yet.
"Huh? Why do you need that?" Kushida asked, puzzled.
"It's just to send her the money… You should ask Horikita for the details, she was there at the time."
Since explaining would be troublesome, Hikigaya decisively pushed it onto someone else.
"Uh, how should I put this..." Horikita gave a wry smile. "Basically, in order to help Tachibana-senpai, Hikigaya-kun asked Manabe to… do something a bit excessive."
"What? Be more specific." Kushida impatiently urged her.
"…Fine."
Seeing no way out, Horikita gave a brief summary of what had happened yesterday at noon.
After listening, Kushida immediately laughed. "Heh heh heh, as expected of Hachiman, you really have an eye for people."
"Indeed." Matsushita, who was beside them, nodded in agreement. "Manabe is very suited for that kind of role. Students like us, who follow the rules, could never do it. Mainly because we lack… well, that kind of vibe, I suppose?"
She wasn't wrong, but calling herself a rule-following student so openly…
Matsushita's skin was getting thicker by the day.
Just then, Horikita's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at it, and for the first time ever, a smile appeared on her face.
Kushida, seeing this, bluntly asked, "What's up, Horikita? That smile is creepy."
"…It's from my brother."
Apparently in a good mood, Horikita didn't bother arguing.
"My brother said he wants to meet and talk with me. This is the first time he's reached out to me on his own… Thank you, Hikigaya-kun."
"Huh? Why are you thanking me?"
Hikigaya wasn't completely clueless, but he felt she was exaggerating.
At the end of the day, if Horikita hadn't been willing to take the first step herself, no matter how good the plan was, it wouldn't have worked.
"Yeah, why are you thanking Hachiman?" Kushida joined in questioning her.
"Nothing much, I just felt like it." Horikita answered nonchalantly.
"Hmph… I'm warning you, don't drag other people into your family matters."
"Too bad, this isn't just about my family."
Horikita calmly brushed back her long hair and moved on to the main topic. "I plan to bring up the matter of the reward when I meet my brother. However, I can't guarantee the exact amount, so I hope you all understand."
"Uh, I don't need anything," Matsushita declined. "I didn't really do much this time. Just give it to Hachiman-kun and Kushida-san."
That was true. Among the girls, Horikita and Kushida had been the main ones taking action, while Matsushita had only been responsible for keeping an eye on Manabe.
From an objective standpoint, her contribution was less significant than the other two.
However, Horikita didn't accept this reasoning.
"No, that's not right. The fact that you were willing to help for my brother's sake is enough to be grateful for."
"But… it still feels a bit wrong." Matsushita seemed slightly embarrassed.
In reality, this was exactly the effect Horikita was aiming for.
This wasn't about handing out rewards based on merit—it was about building relationships. There was no need to be overly calculating.
Even if Matsushita's role wasn't critical this time, what about next time?
With her abilities, she would definitely be useful in the future.
"Hikigaya-kun, Kushida-san," Horikita turned to them. "I'd like to hear your thoughts, but I personally think splitting it evenly would be fair."
Kushida scoffed, "Why are you asking me? Do I look like someone who cares about this stuff?"
For her, seeing the student council president suffer such a massive loss was already satisfying enough.
So what if he was the number one second-year student? He still got tricked into losing forty million private points, not to mention the class points.
That alone was enough to bring Kushida immense satisfaction, making the reward itself seem insignificant.
As for Hikigaya, he had no interest in it to begin with.
But before he could say anything, Horikita, as if predicting his response, spoke first. "Hikigaya-kun, don't say you don't want it. If even you refuse, then we have even less of a reason to accept it."
"Ugh… Fine."
Thinking it over, Hikigaya realized she had a point, so he didn't bother arguing.
It looked like Horikita-senpai would be the one covering Manabe's payment, but it wasn't an unreasonable amount.
"By the way, there's one more thing."
Horikita suddenly took out a notebook and flipped to a page.
"I've recorded the groupings and results from this training camp. I want to reorganize the current standings of each class based on this. Can you take a look?"
"Nope." Kushida immediately waved her hand. "I have zero interest in that. I just want to sleep, so don't bother me."
After a full day of exams, plus a week of both physical and mental exhaustion, most students were already fast asleep on the bus.
"Haha, now that you mention it, I'm feeling a little tired too," Matsushita agreed, though she recommended an alternative.
"Besides, Hachiman-kun is the right person for this, right? We wouldn't understand it anyway."
Saying that she deliberately yawned and closed her eyes.
"Wait, but I also—"
Just as Hikigaya was about to refuse, Horikita looked over at him.
"Hikigaya-kun… can you?"
"…Fine."
Seeing the anticipation in Horikita's eyes, Hikigaya couldn't bring himself to say no and took the notebook.
Well, whatever. It was just a quick look.
Besides, this girl was seriously meticulous. Every piece of data was carefully recorded, including the number of people in each group and their scores.
The exam results were as follows:
Class A: -29 points
Class B: +159 points
Class C: +138 points
Class D: +125 points
Overall, the point changes weren't massive.
But there were some notable details.
"Ryuuen pulled it off, huh," Hikigaya mused. "Quietly racking up this many points—he almost overtook Katsuragi's class. But our class didn't do too bad either."
"Yes, thanks to Kushida's efforts," Horikita nodded before asking curiously, "But I remember you and Ryuuen were in the same group, right? Did he use any special strategy during the exam?"
"No, I don't think he did much. But just having him there was useful."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, how should I put it..." Hikigaya stroked his chin in thought. "Take Yamauchi as an example. If he wanted to slack off during the exam, like half-assing the morning cleaning or sitting carelessly during meditation, what do you think Hirata would do?"
"Hirata-kun would… Oh, I see now," Horikita immediately grasped the point.
The reality is that if such a situation were to occur, Hirata would be completely powerless.
At best, he might offer a few kind words of persuasion, but the effectiveness of that would be entirely subjective.
Ryuuen, however, is different. As long as he remains in a leadership position within his class, even if he isn't in the same group, no one would dare slack off.
Otherwise, they'd better be ready to face his iron fist.
Perhaps understanding this is exactly why that guy felt comfortable enough to come over and join in the commotion.
Honestly, if Class D had such a strong leader, Ayanokoji wouldn't have to worry about Yamauchi's betrayal. Just one word would be enough to deal with it.
But if it were Hirata, his first reaction would undoubtedly be disbelief that there could be a traitor in the class, followed by futile attempts to mediate.
People often believe that "harmony is precious" means peace, but in reality, it just forces one side to suffer a loss.
Though dictatorship has many flaws, sometimes it works wonders—especially when dealing with shameless individuals. Just flexing a little strength can be enough to make them behave.
That guy, Kaneda, also has some skill. With his glasses, he looks like a bookworm, yet he's managed to keep the class's muscleheads in check, even leading his group to second place.
Additionally, the second-place group among the girls was also mainly composed of Class C students.
That's the one Matsushita joined, with Manabe in charge… Though to be fair, that delinquent girl is quite good at winning people over, so it's not all that surprising.
"Hikigaya-kun, you must have noticed something else worth paying attention to," Horikita suddenly said.
"…You're talking about Class A?"
"Yes. It looks like they were severely affected."
In this exam, Class A's performance was mediocre for both boys and girls, with both main groups placing fifth.
While the influence of the second and third-year students in the same major group had to be considered, the Class A students' condition on exam day was poor.
The reason, of course, was the rumors about Ichinose.
Even though Bikigaya spread some tabloid news to suppress the rumors, it didn't solve the core issue—it only diverted the spectators' attention.
For the Class A students who cared about Ichinose, what they truly wanted to know was where these rumors came from and who was behind them.
That said, Ichinose also bears a significant responsibility for this poor performance.
Not because she was the target of rumors, but because she didn't stay with her class's group.
If Ichinose had been there in person, then no matter how wildly the rumors spread, at least the girls' group could have remained stable—perhaps even secured a strong result.
Of course, that's not to say she was completely wrong. She worried that a classmate placed alone in an unfamiliar group might struggle to adapt, so she stepped in to take their place. That was an admirable act.
The problem is, she isn't just any ordinary student—she's the core of her class.
Even among class leaders, Ichinose and Horikita are completely different types.
The former integrates deeply with her classmates, while the latter always maintains a certain distance.
That's why Horikita could go to a different group alone, but Ichinose shouldn't have. She should have fully utilized her ability to unite her peers.
"Horikita, are you asking me this because you want to help Ichinose?"
Back in the cafeteria, Horikita had already mentioned something similar, though, at the time, it was more out of disapproval than an intention to intervene.
For now, the rumors have temporarily subsided—or rather, they've been overshadowed by Ayanokoji's yellow journalism.
But the biggest difference between the two is that the rumors about Ichinose were deliberately spread by Sakayanagi. Among them, the accusation of theft was true—Sakayanagi deliberately mixed fact with fiction to attack her psychologically.
It's easy to imagine that once they return to school, the rumors will immediately resurface.
"I…"
Horikita hesitated for a long time before finally shaking her head.
"Sorry. Honestly, I still don't know what's best for the class… No, what I mean is… Ugh, sorry."
"It's fine. There's no need to rush," Hikigaya reassured her. "And you don't have to tell me, either. Given your position, you need to think this through carefully. Sometimes, having no answer might be the best answer."
"I see… Thank you, Hikigaya-kun."
Horikita was probably feeling quite conflicted right now.
Through the results of this exam, she had come to understand that Ichinose was the backbone of Class A. If Ichinose were to fall, Class A would practically collapse on its own.
As a class leader, Class A was an inevitable future opponent.
At a time like this, simply not kicking them while they were down was already quite generous—there was no reason to extend a helping hand.
And yet, just like how Horikita had chosen to involve herself in her brother's affairs instead of focusing solely on the exam this time…
The old Horikita would have only stood by, watching silently and worrying from a distance. She never would have dared to take that step forward.
Similarly, the current situation is no different.
On one hand, Horikita understood that leaving Ichinose alone was the best choice for the class. But on the other hand, she didn't want to see Ichinose being treated this way.
That said, no matter what decision she made, it wouldn't be wrong.
At least, that's what Hikigaya thought… After all, even he hadn't made up his mind about whether to intervene.
At the end of the day, this was a hurdle that Ichinose had to overcome on her own. And she wasn't entirely blameless in this matter either.
If she had faced the issue head-on from the start, neither Sakayanagi nor Nagumo would have been able to exploit the situation.
Of course, Hikigaya also knew that not everyone could confront their dark past so easily…
Which is why, sometimes, a little bit of suffering was necessary!