That afternoon, during Class B's homeroom session, a heated debate—or rather, an outright argument—broke out.
The first to stir up trouble was the faction formerly led by Katsuragi, with Totsuka Yahiko at the forefront.
"Everyone! You all saw what happened at noon, right? Sakayanagi went and interfered with another class's exam for no reason, and now she's facing retaliation. She deserved it!"
Technically speaking, Yahiko wasn't wrong, and a portion of the class echoed his sentiments.
However, many others found his words uncomfortable. After all, Sakayanagi was still their classmate, and her actions were meant to deal with external threats—it just so happened that she failed.
Yahiko quickly followed up, "And let's not forget what happened on the uninhabited island. She used a bet to manipulate Hikigaya into attacking our class, all so she could seize control! When she was exposed, she dared to claim it was a 'test'! Well, guess what? Now she's the one being tested by Hikigaya!"
"Pfft—Hahaha!"
The tense atmosphere in the classroom instantly broke, erupting into laughter.
Thinking back, Sakayanagi's excuse back then was that she had Hikigaya test Katsuragi's abilities. Hardly anyone had genuinely bought into that reasoning, but Katsuragi's failure was undeniable.
In the end, most people had simply let Sakayanagi's actions slide.
But now, it was her turn to get wrecked by Hikigaya—and she ended up in an even worse state than Katsuragi.
Only now did everyone realize: that maybe Katsuragi wasn't weak—it was just that both leaders were equally unreliable.
Especially Sakayanagi. No matter how one looked at it, she had brought this upon herself.
First, she had gone out of her way to spread rumors about Ichinose, only to be immediately put in her place by Hikigaya. Then, she attempted retaliation, which backfired so spectacularly that she could barely even stay in school anymore.
It was like a country boasting about its military strength before a war—shouting about its unstoppable armored divisions, its position as the world's second-strongest military, intimidating the surrounding nations into submission.
Through sheer propaganda, it had built an image of invincibility, and plenty of people bought into it.
Unfortunately, it wasn't just outsiders who were fooled—the country itself started believing its lies.
And when the real battle began, the world watched in shock as it crumbled, to the point that some even considered canonizing the enemy as a saint.
"Someone like that has no right to lead us!"
Determined to keep his respected Katsuragi-san from being expelled, Yahiko didn't hold back. He openly criticized Sakayanagi in front of the entire class, calling for a vote against her.
"Besides… You all heard what Hikigaya said at noon, right? I suggest that we use this exam to expel Sakayanagi!"
"Uh…"
Quite a few people were indeed entertaining that thought. After all, losing 1.9 million points per month was no small matter—especially since everyone except Sakayanagi had to bear the cost. That alone was enough to make people resentful.
But thinking it and saying it out loud were two different things.
Because… it just didn't sound good.
And strictly speaking, Sakayanagi wasn't the direct cause of their losses—at most, she was indirectly responsible.
The true culprit, on the other hand, was still out there, shamelessly stirring up trouble.
That said, the rumor that "this exam was arranged by Sakayanagi's father" had already taken root. Combined with the previous setbacks she had brought upon the class, many people harbored resentment against her.
Even those who still respected or sympathized with Sakayanagi found it difficult to speak up against the collective pressure of the entire class.
As for her loyal followers, Kamuro and Kito were never the most eloquent, and Hashimoto… well, he was already considering his next move.
Even Yamamura, who had been indirectly dragged into this because of Hikigaya's words, was struggling just to keep herself from becoming another target.
At this moment, not a single person in Class B was willing to stand up for their leader.
And yet, Sakayanagi herself remained silent, her expression calmed as she accepted everything.
It was an odd sight, yet at the same time, it felt completely natural.
No one believed she could turn things around in this situation—not even herself.
Struggling until the very end would only make her a laughingstock.
So at the very least, she intended to leave with dignity.
"Mashima-sensei."
Suddenly, Katsuragi stood up.
"I have a question: Who was responsible for designing this exam?"
"That is not information relevant to students," Machima-sensei replied firmly.
Just as Hikigaya had predicted, the school was always extremely cautious when it came to maintaining the fairness of exams.
Even a seemingly absurd test like this one was no exception.
"But don't you think this additional exam is rather strange?" Katsuragi pressed on. "Forcing an expulsion in an exam isn't something the school has ever done before. Even the harshest exams, like Paper Shuffle or the Mixed Training Camp, only resulted in expulsions under failing conditions. This is just my speculation, but… could this have something to do with changes in the school's administration?"
"Katsuragi-san!"
Yahiko was startled.
Why did that sound like he was defending Sakayanagi?!
And indeed, he was. Because Katsuragi Kouhei was simply that kind of man.
Even if he stood against Sakayanagi, he couldn't just sit back and watch her suffer unjust treatment.
Even if this exam had been arranged by Sakayanagi's father, she shouldn't have to take the fall for it.
That would just be scapegoating.
Most importantly, no matter what external influences were at play, the integrity of the exam should never be compromised.
In the long run, that wouldn't benefit the class at all.
"Katsuragi, I've already told you—this has nothing to do with the exam."
Mashima-sensei repeated himself once more.
Of course, he understood Katsuragi's thoughts. Even if, deep down, he agreed with this student, an exam was still an exam. As a teacher, he would never do anything that went against his role.
However, to some students, Mashima-sensei's words seemed like nothing more than an excuse to protect the chairman's daughter.
Besides, the vast majority of people wouldn't think as deeply as Katsuragi did.
No matter how you looked at it, forcing Sakayanagi to drop out this time would bring tangible benefits.
"Katsuragi-san, just leave that kind of person alone," Yahiko quickly advised. "Even if Sakayanagi is ranked first in our year, what has she actually contributed to the class? Instead, she dragged us down on the uninhabited island, the sports festival, and the training camp. No matter how you look at it, the cons outweigh the pros. Besides, as long as we make her drop out, Hikigaya will agree to cancel our class's debt. Otherwise, if we keep getting squeezed dry, how will we ever have the resources to compete with the other classes?"
"...But there's no guarantee Hikigaya will keep his word. And what he's asking for is a 'satisfactory result,' yet he refuses to clarify what that means. It's hard not to be suspicious."
"Making him 'satisfied' just means getting rid of Sakayanagi!"
At times, Yahiko found Katsuragi's cautious nature downright frustrating.
Being meticulous was fine and all, but right now, they were at risk of expulsion.
If they didn't take this chance to finish Sakayanagi off, who knew how things would turn out?
Fortunately, Mashima-sensei delivered an unexpected assist.
"Hikigaya-kun has already appointed me as the arbitrator for this matter."
"Arbitrator?"
"At the end of the exam, as long as Katsuragi joins the student council, the two contracts binding Class B will be canceled within the same month."
"Oh! See? I told you!" Yahiko instantly lit up. "Hikigaya's a bastard, just like Sakayanagi, but at least he keeps his word. I knew he wouldn't go back on the deal!"
Hearing Mashima-sensei's statement, the others weren't as overjoyed as Yahiko, but it was clear from their expressions that they were swayed.
Many of them had worried Hikigaya might deceive them. But with this, their fears were put to rest.
Mashima-sensei took in their reactions as if he had expected them all along, before quietly shifting his gaze away.
Before long, the bell rang, signaling the end of Class B's meeting.
Students left the classroom in small groups, exchanging hushed opinions.
Not everyone openly declared their intent to vote Sakayanagi out, but the overwhelming trend was irreversible.
Additionally, some students noticed that Hikigaya's arbitration was somewhat vague.
At noon, he had requested a 'satisfactory result,' but now, all that was required was for Katsuragi to join the student council.
However, no one wanted to complicate things at this stage.
If they overanalyzed it, they might just provoke Hikigaya's dissatisfaction.
If that happened, he could just as easily play the same game with them—like getting Nagumo to reject Katsuragi's application.
From a results perspective, if Katsuragi failed to join the student council, the two contracts wouldn't be canceled.
Of course, this was just paranoia.
In reality, Hikigaya would love nothing more than for Sakayanagi to exploit a loophole.
Regardless of whether Class B ultimately expelled Sakayanagi, they certainly wouldn't allow Katsuragi to be expelled.
That meant Sakayanagi would have to find a new target.
The student she singled out wouldn't be as passive as Katsuragi—they'd expose all of her misdeeds, turning the class into a battlefield.
Even if she barely managed to stay, her desperate struggle to avoid expulsion would be seen by the entire class.
If that happened…
No one would ever fear her again, let alone accept her as their leader.
Sakayanagi herself understood this all too well.
She often said, "A true genius never gives up."
But this time, she had encountered an unprecedented setback.
The prestige and trust she had painstakingly built within her class since enrollment—Hikigaya had effortlessly destroyed them.
And there had been no warning signs.
It was as if the world had changed overnight.
Perhaps… this was what a real battle looked like.
Sakayanagi couldn't help but smile bitterly.
This wasn't about strategy or tactics.
The key was that before the opponent even noticed, the battle had already been decided.
And no matter how things played out, the result would remain the same:
Sakayanagi Arisu's presence in this class had lost all meaning.
Everything was in Hikigaya's hands…
Heh.
So this is what defeat feels like?
More than frustration or humiliation, Sakayanagi felt something… strange.
She couldn't quite put it into words, but the sensation made her heart race.
At this moment, whether she could 'bury' Ayanokouji, that so-called artificial genius, no longer mattered.
Or perhaps, deep down, she had realized this a long time ago.
That entire afternoon, she reflected on everything that had happened up to now.
Maybe, when that confession letter had been pinned to the forum's front page, the so-called 'masterpiece of the White Room' had already become a joke.
And yet, for the longest time, Ayanokouji had remained the goal she strove to defeat.
Sakayanagi had instinctively avoided this realization—
Because she didn't want her years of effort to go to waste.
But now, faced with her first true defeat, she could finally view herself with clarity.
In pure chess ability, Ayanokouji was undeniably strong.
That scene of him crushing the competition had left a lasting impression on young Sakayanagi.
However, that was only within the confines of the White Room.
Ever since then, she has studied chess as well.
At first, things went smoothly—none of her classmates were a match for her.
She was even recognized as a genius.
But as she encountered stronger opponents, she realized how lacking she truly was.
Forget renowned masters—she couldn't even defeat some boys her age.
Like most competitive fields, chess had separate women's and open divisions.
At best, she could only achieve results in the women's division.
On the world stage, everyone was a genius.
That was why, when Hikigaya suggested she play Ayanokouji directly, she immediately found an excuse to refuse.
Because deep down, she feared that Ayanokouji was just like her—someone who could only rule over this tiny school.
And that was why she was obsessed with defeating him in Advanced Nurturing High's special exams instead.
Otherwise, even if she crushed that so-called 'artificial genius,' wouldn't it all just be a childish game?
In the past, Sakayanagi would never have allowed anyone to belittle her beliefs.
But now… it no longer mattered.
Hikigaya didn't just grasp the essence of the special exams.
His unique perspective enabled him to devise unimaginable strategies.
This wasn't an opponent who could be measured with common sense.
Even more astonishing—
He hadn't even gone all the way.
He had deliberately pointed out a way to counter him.
The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous she felt.
She recalled the sports festival when Hikigaya had sarcastically pointed out that Ayanokouji had lost to Horikita's older brother in running.
At the time, she had played dumb.
But now, she saw it clearly—
The so-called 'masterpiece of the White Room' had already been buried long ago.
"Heh… This time, I'll accept the fate of a loser."
[T/N: Now this is what I called absolute cinema!]
"What did you say?"
Kamuro looked at Sakayanagi with a strange expression as she noticed the latter seemingly giggling to herself.
At this moment, everyone else was consciously or unconsciously avoiding Sakayanagi. Only Kamuro, as usual, approached her right after class.
Sakayanagi shook her head, indicating it was nothing, then smiled and said, "Masumi-san, remember last time when I invited you to try the new drink, but we got interrupted? Let's go again this time."
"…You still have the mood for drinks at a time like this?"
Kamuro was completely speechless. She quickly glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention before lowering her voice with a slightly stern tone.
"What's wrong with you? Why didn't you say a single word during the class meeting just now?"
"And what exactly was there to say?" Sakayanagi asked back, her face full of feigned innocence.
"Ugh…"
Kamuro was momentarily stunned by her calm demeanor before hurriedly lowering her head and whispering,
"Hey… do you still have some kind of last-minute comeback plan?"
"Of course not." Sakayanagi chuckled, as if finding the question amusing. "Hikigaya-kun really got me this time… Sigh, well done. If I get the chance to see him again, I must give him a proper compliment."
"You… You're unbelievable…!"
Kamuro was utterly dumbfounded. As if snapping out of it in frustration, she slammed both hands heavily onto Sakayanagi's desk.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! If this keeps up, you're going to be expelled!"
"Mm, that's true."
"Then hurry up and think of a way! Aren't you a genius?!"
"Even a genius isn't omnipotent. If something can't be done, it simply can't be done."
Sakayanagi looked at Kamuro with an expression of helpless amusement, as though she were watching a child throw a tantrum.
Yet within that gaze, there was also a hint of fondness.
"More importantly, Masumi-san, let's head to Keyaki Mall. I really want to try that drink. This time, it's on me."
"Drink your damn head! Go by yourself!"
The students nearby were startled by Kamuro's sudden outburst. They watched as she stormed out in anger, leaving Sakayanagi alone.
But after just a few glances, they quickly averted their gazes.
No matter what, Sakayanagi was still the leader of their class. It was difficult to witness her in such a pitiful state.
Perhaps in their eyes, she was already abandoned by everyone—even Kamuro, the person closest to her, had left her behind.
"I suppose that's true…"
Sakayanagi let out a self-deprecating chuckle before picking up her bag and cane, leisurely making her way back.
"Honestly, I just wanted to spend these final moments getting along with Masumi-san… Oh well, there will be other chances in the future."
For Sakayanagi, this was not the end.
After all, life was still long.