As the afternoon homeroom session came to an end, Class D remained engulfed in constant noise and chaos.
Of course, they weren't arguing in any meaningful way—just venting their frustration.
Even Hirata, usually the one to act as a stabilizer, was unable to fulfill his role this time. In fact, he himself seemed lost in confusion and despair.
This man undoubtedly didn't want to abandon any of his classmates.
And precisely because of that, he found himself unable to take action.
Though all four first-year classes had to face the same unreasonable challenge, not every class had lost its sense of order like Class D.
At that moment, a strange atmosphere loomed over Class C's classroom.
There was no doubt that they, too, were uneasy about the upcoming exam. However, unlike Class D, no one was panicking, and there were no disputes. Instead, they quietly waited for their leader to speak.
"Ryuen-san, may I have the floor?"
Breaking the silence, a bespectacled boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle, Kaneda, was the first to raise his hand.
Seated on the podium as usual, Ryuen gave a slight nod.
"Go ahead."
"Then, I'll speak."
Upon receiving permission, Kaneda stood up and glanced around the classroom.
"When the exam was first announced this morning, everyone might have been a bit unsettled. But after a day of reflection, I believe our minds should have calmed down by now. So, please listen to my thoughts first."
"Oh? Does that mean you've already decided on whom to cast your praise and criticism votes for?" Ryuen asked, intrigued.
"Yes. However, discussing the criticism votes here might cause unnecessary issues. What I want to talk about is the praise votes."
Kaneda's judgment was undoubtedly correct. Anyone singled out for the criticism vote would likely become anxious, or worse, erupt in anger.
If the class fell into disarray, meaningful discussion would become impossible.
However, if the topic was limited to praise votes, the risk was much lower.
"First, let's talk about protection points. Depending on how they're used, they can become a powerful weapon. Given our class's achievements, abilities, and overall performance so far, I believe there is only one person who should wield this weapon."
Kaneda turned around and firmly declared, "Ryuen-san, there is no one more suitable than you."
"Oh! I agree!" Ishizaki excitedly raised his hand and shouted. "It's thanks to Ryuen-san that we've maintained our current ranking! He's indispensable to this class!"
This wasn't mere flattery—it was an objective fact.
Though Ryuen's methods were often reckless, and he had suffered many setbacks, the class's overall score had improved compared to when the school year began.
That was no small feat.
For lower-ranked classes like C and D, their collective abilities were inherently weaker. In reality, looking at the second and third-year students, it was clear that lower-ranked classes were usually eliminated within a year, leaving no chance for a comeback.
Most students in Class C understood this well. Their only real hope of reaching Class A lay with Ryuen.
Yet, the man himself merely smirked without giving a definitive response.
"Oh? You're saying I deserve the praise vote?"
"That's what I believe. After this exam, in the final special exam of the school year, if you hold a protection point, our strategic options will expand significantly. Besides, other classes are likely to allocate their protection points to their respective leaders as well."
As expected of one of the few intellectual figures in Class C, Kaneda not only recognized the true value of protection points but was already thinking ahead to the next exam.
"What do you think, Ryuen-san?"
"Heh… Kaneda, you sure have a broad perspective." Ryuen chuckled approvingly. "But before that, do you understand the true nature of this exam?"
"What do you mean?"
While Kaneda was focusing on future benefits, Ryuen was more concerned with the immediate situation.
His eyes swept across the classroom like a predator sizing up its prey before he slowly, deliberately spoke.
"Protection points are indeed important, but they're secondary. The real key to this exam… is the criticism votes."
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Ryuen had voiced the one issue everyone had been avoiding.
A silent yet palpable tension spread throughout the classroom.
Clearly, Ryuen had brought this up because he intended to name a target.
As the ruler of Class C, anyone he singled out would all but be guaranteed expulsion. Everyone in the room could already see where this was going.
Some students harbored resentment toward Ryuen, but even if they secretly banded together, they lacked the numbers to overthrow him—let alone expel him.
After all, Ryuen was bound to receive an overwhelming number of praise votes. The worst-case scenario for him would simply be failing to secure a protection point.
For anyone who dared oppose him, however, retaliation would be inevitable. No one was willing to take that risk.
"This exam… is about eliminating the unnecessary."
A simple yet brutal answer.
As the students anxiously waited for him to name a target, Ryuen suddenly chuckled.
"Hah… idiots. Did you really think I'd declare my choice here and now?"
"Huh? Y-you're not?"
Ishizaki was visibly confused by the unexpected response.
The other students also looked puzzled.
"This time, I'll respect your opinions. Vote as you see fit. But let me say this—" Ryuen's gaze sharpened as he surveyed the room.
"In this exam, the ones who should disappear are those with weak abilities."
His piercing eyes swept across each student.
"Those whose absence would benefit the class—those are the ones worthy of your criticism votes. Keep that in mind."
With those final words, he turned and walked out.
For a long moment, the classroom remained silent. Then, little by little, hushed conversations began to spread.
Most students accepted Ryuen's words without protest, though a few couldn't hide their unease.
One such student was Manabe Shiho.
Although she maintained a calm facade, cold sweat was forming beneath her skin.
Damn it… if this keeps up, I'm in serious trouble!
Ever since learning about this exam, Manabe had felt a deep sense of crisis.
She had once betrayed the class.
Even though it had been circumstantial, and Ryuen had publicly forgiven her…
She wasn't naive enough to believe that forgiveness was real.
There was no way she could trust the words of someone like Ryuen.
Under normal circumstances, he might not care enough to seek her out.
But in a situation where someone had to be sacrificed… even she knew she was the prime candidate.
Besides, even if Ryuuen forgave them on the surface, what about everyone else?
"Shibo-chan, what do you think we should do?"
At that moment, Manabe's close friends, Yabu Nanami, Yamashita Saki, and others gathered around, wanting to discuss the upcoming exam.
They started by complaining about the school for a while, then someone suggested, "How about this? To make sure no one in our group gets expelled, we should vote for each other in the appreciation vote."
No matter how they discussed it, the solution remained the same—manipulating the votes.
"We don't need to aim for first place, but at the very least, we must avoid coming in last."
"Yeah, I agree!"
"Me too. I don't want to see any of my friends expelled."
The girls responded enthusiastically to the proposal, and Manabe found it quite appealing as well.
She controlled a small clique of girls in her class, about four or five people.
It used to be even larger, but after that incident, several members had gradually left.
Still, they remained a force to be reckoned with.
As long as she used these core members as a base, it wouldn't be difficult to expand into a group of more than ten people. That way, she would be safe.
Just as Manabe was planning to put the idea into action that night, Chuto Rika suddenly raised her hand cautiously.
"Um... is it really okay to do this?"
"What's wrong, Rika? Do you have a problem with it?"
"But didn't Ryuuen-kun tell us to choose… you know… that kind of student?"
Chuto was a decent student, but she could be overly serious and rigid at times.
"Don't worry about that," Yamashita waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, didn't Ryuuen-kun say we could decide for ourselves? It's obvious he doesn't want to interfere in this exam. After all, he doesn't have to worry about getting expelled, so he couldn't care less."
"I-Is that so…? Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
Even though it still felt wrong, the timid Chuto didn't dare to say anything more, afraid of drawing attention to herself.
However, her hesitation made Manabe suddenly alert.
Now that she thought about it… this is Ryuuen we're talking about!
That guy never truly cared about his classmates—he only saw them as tools. Would he really leave them to make their own decisions?
The more Manabe thought about it, the more uneasy she became. This feeling… she had experienced it before.
It was like someone was deliberately leading her into a trap… Huh?
Isn't this exactly what Ayanokoji did?!
Just remembering the past made Manabe grit her teeth in frustration.
If it weren't for that deadpan bastard, her status in the class wouldn't have declined, and she wouldn't have to be constantly on edge like she was now.
And then there was that guy—Hikigaya. He had also manipulated her, using both threats and incentives… though at least he paid her.
"Shiho-chan? Shiho-chan? What's wrong?"
Noticing that Manabe had been silent for a while, Yamashita waved her hand in front of her face.
"Oh—oh, it's nothing," Manabe snapped back to reality. "I was just thinking… about the criticism vote. Who should we vote for?"
Hearing this, the girls exchanged glances.
Then, as if on cue, they all turned their eyes toward Ibuki, who was packing up her bag nearby. However, Ibuki ignored their stares and walked out of the classroom as if nothing had happened.
"Tch, she's as arrogant as ever."
"Exactly. She only gets away with it because she knows how to butter up Ryuuen-kun."
"She always acts like she hates Ryuuen-kun, but in the end, she's just his little lapdog."
Although no one said it outright, the way they casually badmouthed Ibuki made it clear who they were thinking of voting against.
But Manabe still couldn't relax.
She hated Ibuki too, but she also knew that Ryuuen frequently used her for various tasks.
And so, she returned to the same question as before—
Would Ryuuen not interfere in this exam?
...
Meanwhile, in Class B, a class meeting was being held to discuss the exam.
Normally, meetings like this were led by Sakayanagi, but this time, she simply sat quietly in her seat, as if waiting for something.
Then, a girl stood up.
"Everyone, before we discuss this exam, please allow me to show you something first."
The girl speaking was Yamamura Miki.
A few days ago, when Hikigaya had stormed into Class B to expose Sakayanagi's secrets, she had been the one to temporarily stabilize the situation, allowing the class to focus on their final exams.
However, that was merely a temporary fix.
Especially after learning the details of this special exam, an unsettling atmosphere loomed over the class.
Still, as students handpicked by the school as elites, they weren't as chaotic as Class D. They maintained a degree of composure.
Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have happened in Class B. After all, when Katsuragi gave up on competing for leadership, almost all of the students aligned with Sakayanagi's faction.
But now, things were changing.
Ever since the morning announcement of the exam, several students had privately approached Katsuragi for his opinion.
And it wasn't just his former supporters—some of Sakayanagi's followers had done the same.
If this continued, the exam might become the catalyst for another major split in the class.
Yet, despite this potential opportunity, Katsuragi did nothing.
He rejected all attempts to sway him, simply telling everyone to prioritize the class's best interests when making their decisions. Nothing else mattered.
This frustrated his loyal follower, Yahiko, who repeatedly urged him to use this chance to expel Sakayanagi or at least remove her from power.
But Katsuragi simply shook his head and remained silent.
However, Yamamura, who was now addressing the class, had always been firmly neutral. She wouldn't do anything to further deepen the divide.
Everyone eagerly awaited what she had to say.
Yamamura stepped onto the podium and picked up a piece of chalk.
As she started writing on the blackboard, Yahiko's expression gradually darkened. Eventually, he couldn't hold back and shouted, "Yamamura! What the hell is this?!"
"Is there a problem?" Without looking back, Yamamura continued writing. "I'm just listing out the past special exams and detailing how much they benefited or harmed our class."
Indeed, starting from the Uninhabited Island Exam, she recorded every major event that had impacted Class B this school year.
Two things stood out.
First, the Uninhabited Island Exam. Despite having a guaranteed 300 points, Class B only ended up earning 20 class points—a total disaster.
Not to mention, they had to pay Hikigaya and Ryuuen 1.2 million and 800,000 personal points every month, respectively. And unless something unexpected happened, these payments would continue until graduation.
Then came the Preferential Exam, in which Class B lost another 300 class points. This time, it was a devastating blow.
The Sakayanagi faction—or rather, the losses Sakayanagi had brought upon the class—mainly consisted of freezing all personal points for three months.
While this was indeed a heavy punishment, when Yamamura lumped it together with the others for comparison, it almost made it seem insignificant.
One could even say it paled in comparison.
"What do you mean by this?! This is just too despicable!" Yahiko angrily accused. "Bringing this up now is nothing more than an attempt to get Katsuragi-san expelled! And pushing all the blame onto him is completely unreasonable!"
"Yahiko, be quiet."
Before Yamamura could speak, Katsuragi was the one to stop Yahiko first.
"Everything written here is correct. This is indeed my responsibility to bear."
"No, that's not true! Sakayanagi and Hikigaya set you up!"
"They may have struck some kind of deal, but the fact remains that I was incompetent."
With his arms crossed, Katsuragi spoke with unwavering conviction.
It was clear he had already resigned himself to the idea of expulsion.
Yet Yahiko refused to give up. "No, that's not right! Katsuragi-san has contributed so much to the class. Like back during the forest training camp, wasn't it mostly the boys who earned points for the class? Sakayanagi was completely useless! Instead, she went out of her way to provoke Class A, ruining our class's reputation!"
At those words, many students' expressions subtly shifted.
Though there was no concrete evidence proving Sakayanagi had spread rumors, Kamuro had taken the fall for it. However, much like the infamous Simpson case, everyone knew exactly who was behind it.
Her reputation was in complete shambles.
And in a school where class unity determined everything, the leader's actions inevitably dragged the entire class down.
Even B-Class students, when eating at the cafeteria, would receive smaller portions of meat on their plates the moment the lunch ladies learned they were from First-Year Class B.
"Sakayanagi-san certainly made mistakes," Yamamura agreed with a nod before smoothly changing direction. "But ultimately, her actions were meant to take down our greatest enemy—Class A's leader, Ichinose. And if Katsuragi-kun hadn't dragged our class down to Class C, Sakayanagi-san might not have needed to be so aggressive."
"That's ridiculous! How can you blame the failure of the Preferential Exam on Katsuragi-san?! Everyone was informed of the plan, and we all agreed to send the betrayal messages! Besides, wasn't it Hashimoto and Katsuragi-san who acted together?!"
Yahiko's sudden accusation caught Hashimoto off guard, but he only responded with a wry smile.
Rather than that, something else was more pressing.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, first glancing at Sakayanagi, who had been listening quietly, then at Yamamura, who stood at the podium. A sudden thought occurred to him.
Why did this feel like… a trap laid by the princess?
Given Sakayanagi's usual methods, she would normally strike first in a situation like this. Yet today, she was uncharacteristically silent.
And Yamamura, who appeared to be impartial, had unexpectedly taken the stage. That was unlike her as well.
Hashimoto wasn't wrong. This was, in fact, Sakayanagi's setup.
She knew it wasn't convenient for her to take the lead herself. If she personally attacked Katsuragi, it would provoke backlash from the class. So, she had subtly arranged for Yamamura to act as the 'neutral mediator.'
When both factions had dirt on them, the supposedly impartial third party was often the most convincing.
"If Katsuragi-kun bears no responsibility, then Sakayanagi-san, who wasn't even present, has even less of one," Yamamura calmly countered Yahiko.
But Yahiko, as if he had found a weak point, immediately shot back, "That's right! Sakayanagi deliberately skipped the uninhabited island exam to frame Katsuragi-san, and because of that, she also missed the Preferential Exam! That's why we lost so badly!"
"By that logic, we have even less reason to expel Sakayanagi-san this time."
"Huh? When did I say that?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Yamamura sighed slightly. "You just implied that without Sakayanagi-san, our class lost the Preferential Exam. So if we expel her now, wouldn't that make it even harder for us to defeat the other classes?"
"Wha—!? That's not what I—I didn't…"
Yahiko stammered, unable to form a coherent response.
His confusion spread to the rest of the class, leaving them with uncertain expressions.
"Besides, Sakayanagi-san ranked first in this term's final exams. No matter how you look at it, expelling such a strong asset is out of the question." Yamamura reinforced her point.
"But—but Katsuragi-san's grades are excellent too!" Yahiko insisted.
"Yes, I know." Yamamura nodded. "But let's be clear—I never once said that Katsuragi-kun should be expelled, did I?"
"Eh? You didn't?"
"Of course not. You simply misunderstood. At the very least, I don't recall ever saying anything like that."
The students took a moment to reflect on the conversation.
Sure enough, Yamamura had only analyzed the current state of the class. It was Yahiko who had panicked.
"Then who are you saying should be expelled?!"
"Don't get the wrong idea—I don't have the authority to expel anyone. I'm merely suggesting that we cast our critical votes for 'the student who has caused the greatest harm to the class.'"
"Th-then that still means you're pushing the blame onto Katsuragi-san!"
"Who said I was talking about Katsuragi-kun?"
Yamamura gave Yahiko an odd look before leisurely continuing,
"I was referring to you, Totsuka-kun. You're the one who's caused the greatest damage to our class."