Volume 4
Chapter 6: The Weak Get Thrown to the Fire
The moment I picked up the phone, Shinko spoke.
There was no greeting.
No pointless introduction.
Only information.
"Kyou, also known as Subject Negative, passed away an hour ago."
His voice remained calm.
As if he were discussing the weather.
"And there's something else."
I stayed silent.
"The Phantom Bishop sent messages to half the students from every ranked class. All sixteen classes."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"They somehow knew about the special exam before it began."
That was impossible.
Or at least it should have been.
Only a handful of people should have known.
Yet somehow the Phantom Bishop had obtained the information beforehand.
Shinko continued.
"They instructed those students to vote for specific individuals."
I didn't react.
"The students who comply are being offered fifteen thousand private points."
I already understood where this was going.
"In Class 1-C, half of the students were instructed to vote for you."
Silence.
Then Shinko laughed quietly.
Not because he found it funny.
Because he found it interesting.
"I suggest you figure out who was contacted."
His tone lowered.
"If you don't take control of the situation immediately, you're finished."
The line went silent.
I thought for a moment.
Then I replied.
"I see."
Click.
The call ended.
I slowly lowered the receiver.
Every student in the classroom was staring at me.
Waiting.
Expecting an explanation.
I had no intention of giving them one.
Instead, I looked across the room.
"We need to expel Hiro immediately."
The reaction was immediate.
Shock.
Confusion.
Anger.
Exactly what I expected.
Hiro's face turned pale.
Daiko stood up so quickly his chair nearly tipped over.
"Hell no."
He crossed the room and stopped directly in front of me.
Neither of us looked away.
"Absolutely not."
His voice echoed through the classroom.
"We're not expelling Hiro."
Before I could respond, Mei stepped forward.
Her expression looked concerned.
Almost convincing.
"Why would you even say something like that, Kei?"
Interesting.
Too fast.
Too emotional.
Too prepared.
"We're all family here."
Family.
A convenient word people liked to use when reality became uncomfortable.
"If you're trying to break that unity," Mei continued, "maybe we should vote for you instead."
There it was.
The first move.
I already understood.
Mei had received the Phantom Bishop's message.
Whether she realized she was exposing herself was another matter entirely.
Before anyone could continue—
A timer appeared on the projector.
89:59
89:58
The countdown had begun.
Ninety minutes.
That was all we had.
Rika finally stood.
Until now she had remained silent.
"Everyone calm down."
Nobody listened.
So she raised her voice.
"Have any of you actually looked at the class rankings recently?"
That got their attention.
She pulled out her phone.
The rankings appeared.
Class A — 2490 CP
Class B — 1998 CP
Class C — 1011 CP
Class D — 749 CP
Daiko frowned.
"Okay? What does that prove?"
Rika's expression became colder.
"Use your brain."
The room immediately fell silent.
"If we fail this exam, we lose five students."
Nobody argued.
"And we lose five hundred class points."
Still silence.
Then she looked around the room.
"What is 1011 minus 500?"
Ayame answered immediately.
"511."
Rika nodded.
"Exactly."
Her voice was emotionless.
"We become the new Class D."
Now the room understood.
The weight of the situation finally settled over them.
"We become the bottom class."
Nobody wanted that.
Especially not after everything we had gone through.
Daiko folded his arms.
"Then let's vote Kei."
Several students murmured in agreement.
Rika shut that idea down immediately.
"No."
Daiko looked annoyed.
"Why not?"
"Because Kei is average."
The room turned toward me.
I wasn't sure whether that was meant as an insult.
"He doesn't significantly help the class."
Rika continued.
"But he doesn't significantly hurt it either."
Then she looked toward Hiro.
"Hiro consistently scores among the lowest in the class."
The atmosphere shifted.
Hiro noticed it too.
People began avoiding eye contact with him.
"He contributes less than most students here."
Harsh.
But not incorrect.
Then another voice interrupted.
"We're not choosing anyone."
Haruto had finally spoken.
Everyone turned toward him.
Even I was curious.
Haruto slowly stood.
His expression remained calm.
"Who are we to decide who deserves expulsion?"
Nobody answered.
"That's not our right."
Daiko looked like he was about to explode.
"So what are you saying?"
Haruto didn't hesitate.
"I'd rather five students be expelled randomly."
The room froze.
"Than have us deliberately choose one person."
For a brief moment, complete silence filled the classroom.
Then Daiko lost his patience.
"Are you insane!?"
Haruto didn't react.
Daiko pointed at the timer.
"If we don't decide, five people get expelled!"
"Yes."
"And we lose five hundred class points!"
"Yes."
"And we get demoted!"
Haruto nodded.
"Probably."
Daiko's fist clenched.
I thought he was actually going to hit him.
He took a step forward.
Immediately Shuto and Hiro grabbed him.
The situation was already falling apart.
Exactly as I expected.
I observed Haruto carefully.
The logic made no sense.
At least not on the surface.
Any rational person would choose the sacrifice of one over the sacrifice of five.
The numbers weren't even close.
One student.
Or five students.
One outcome was objectively better.
Yet Haruto was rejecting the entire premise.
Not because it was efficient.
Not because it was strategic.
Because he refused to accept the role of executioner.
Idealism.
Morality.
Or perhaps stubbornness.
Whatever the reason, it was dangerous.
The timer continued ticking downward.
The classroom was already dividing into factions.
And if things continued at this pace—
Class 1-C would destroy itself long before the ninety minutes expired.