"Totsuka went crazy and suddenly stood up, wanting to fight me."
Hashimoto tried to use the same trick again, but Katsuragi Kohei's eyes were fixed on Hashimoto's eyes the entire time.
Glared at by Katsuragi, Hashimoto, whose momentum had significantly dropped, had no choice but to give up his attack.
"I saw what happened just now. I hope Hashimoto-kun can observe the most basic human etiquette. If you can't even manage the most basic etiquette between people, I think Hashimoto-kun needs to re-learn dining etiquette."
Katsuragi finished calmly, his gaze sweeping over Hashimoto and the people behind him.
"As punishment for not observing dining etiquette, Hashimoto-kun's bento will not be ordered this afternoon. For dinner, I hope Hashimoto-kun can make his own arrangements. If anyone disagrees, you are welcome to step forward, and I will treat each of you fairly."
Katsuragi crossed his arms, his gaze stern as he stared at the crowd.
But no one dared to look up and glare at Katsuragi again.
Katsuragi scanned Hashimoto and the people behind him with satisfaction, then snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Totsuka also strutted away behind Katsuragi like a triumphant rooster.
"That bastard Totsuka, I really want someone to punch him in the face."
Kitou said ominously, looking at Totsuka's retreating back.
"Don't act rashly. Right now, we can't compete with Katsuragi with just our own strength. His prestige here is far beyond what we can shake. So, for now, we still need to endure."
Hashimoto calmly advised Kitou.
Despite being punished by Katsuragi as a warning to others, Hashimoto's nonchalant attitude made Kitou admire him.
"Endure, endure, when will this endurance end? If we don't bring that guy down this time, what will happen if we encounter such exams in the future? Hashimoto, you're not thinking of switching sides, are you?"
Kamuro, from the side, eyed Hashimoto suspiciously.
Hashimoto's approach was simply too passive.
When it came to strategy and cunning, Katsuragi was no match for Sakayanagi. So why was Sakayanagi's faction being bullied like this?
The most crucial reason was the lack of influence.
Sakayanagi's physical condition meant she couldn't participate in any sports activities.
This essentially meant she had to say goodbye to any special exams involving sports.
If Katsuragi were to gain a large number of points this time without Sakayanagi's involvement, even those who had joined Sakayanagi would believe that Katsuragi was the most suitable leader.
This would continuously dilute Sakayanagi's prestige in Class A, eventually removing her from the list of candidates for class leader.
Once people got used to Katsuragi's leadership style, it would be very difficult for them to accept other management styles.
If it were merely a dilution of prestige, Sakayanagi could still accept it, as she truly couldn't participate in some special exams, and the leader of the team could only be Katsuragi Kohei.
But what if future special exams all required physical fitness?
She couldn't possibly not participate in any of them, could she? What would be the difference between that and giving up?
Therefore, to defeat Katsuragi, they had to deliver a head-on blow right at the beginning, affecting his prestige and shaking his position.
Only then could Sakayanagi successfully become Class A's leader.
Hashimoto and his group were also gambling, gambling that they could defeat Katsuragi Kohei this time.
Otherwise... their lives for the next two and a half years, as core members who joined Sakayanagi, would be unimaginably miserable. They couldn't even bear to think about it.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Me, switch sides? He'd have to dare to trust me first. Right now, we can only contact Miyako-san. Hopefully, our hints will work."
Hashimoto placed all his hopes on the unusual circumstance of Katsuragi's sudden return from Class B to Class A.
He hoped Amane would notice this and provide them with some assistance within her capabilities.
This was something Sakayanagi had agreed upon with them in advance. Although they needed to follow Amane's command in everything, making a small sacrifice for Sakayanagi to successfully take power was not out of the question.
However, most of Sakayanagi's faction didn't really believe Amane could cause trouble for Katsuragi. In their eyes, Ryuuen was just a small-time thug, and even if Amane gained an advantage over Ryuuen, she might not be able to compete with Katsuragi on the same chessboard.
As for Ichinose? Everyone in Class A believed Ichinose's failure was due to her being too greedy, which led to a major turning point in a situation she was sure to win, ultimately ending in a crushing defeat. This was her own doing and had little to do with Amane.
In such a situation, Hashimoto didn't think that everyone in Sakayanagi's faction could be of help to Amane, but with him, Kamuro, and Kitou, the three of them would be enough to complete some simple assigned tasks.
"Why do we have to wait for them to notice the changes here? Why can't we proactively go find Miyako-san?"
Kamuro's words were like a sudden enlightenment, waking Hashimoto up.
Instead of sitting idly, it was better to proactively contact Amane and ask her to find a way to curb Katsuragi's momentum.
"I'll go to Class D tonight."
Hashimoto thought about it and decided it would be more assured if he went personally.
Class A's location was on the westernmost side of the island, while Class D was on the easternmost side. It could be said to span the entire east and west of the island.
To cross this area, one would have to go through at least two forests and climb a small hill.
During the day, it would be fine, but Hashimoto couldn't leave during the day. If he waited until night, the risks would double.
After all, it was impossible for him to carry a flashlight through the forest.
The entire class only had two flashlights.
If one suddenly went missing, Katsuragi, with his abilities, would immediately guess that someone wanted to travel at night and take immediate preventive measures.
"If you go... I feel a bit uneasy. How about letting Kitou go with you? With Kitou's strength, taking you to Class D would be easy, wouldn't it?"
Kamuro said optimistically.
"No, two people would be too big a target."
"Then why can't Kitou go alone?"
If it came down to choosing between Hashimoto and Kitou, Kamuro would most likely choose Kitou.
Kitou's physical fitness meant that even if he encountered danger in the forest, he could safely retreat. Just as Kitou expressed his willingness to go, Hashimoto shook his head.
"Can Kitou really convince Miyako? Sakayanagi told us that Amane-san would agree to help, but Sakayanagi didn't know the situation would turn out like this. Whether Miyako-san is still willing to honor her promise is probably an issue."
This was Hashimoto's biggest worry.
If he went and she refused to help, he would be a complete clown.
If Amane-san truly wouldn't help, then he would have no choice but to withdraw from the exam. He didn't have the nerve to return and face Katsuragi's and Totsuka's mockery and humiliation.
"Alright, just be careful. Actually, I feel like Miyako-san is quite easy to talk to…"
Kamuro muttered softly.
Hashimoto beside her smiled wryly and shook his head. Who would help you for no reason without tangible benefits?
Kamuro was still a bit too naive.
After deciding on the future plan, all that was left was to wait patiently.
Waiting for nightfall.
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