After the exam ended, all the students except Tokito, who had been expelled, went straight home.
Kamio Tatsuya left the classroom with his classmates. As for Tokito's expulsion, it did not stir even the slightest emotion in him.
At the same time the exam results were confirmed, the school posted them on the first floor of the main building.
Aside from Tokito in Class C, the last-place students in the other classes were Kanzaki Ryuji, Takemoto Shigeru, and Horikita Suzune.
However, all three classes except Class C chose to use points to save their classmates.
In addition to the students who came last, the school also announced who had received the protection points in each class.
Class A: Ichinose Honami, Class B: Kamuro Masumi, Class C: Kamio Tatsuya, Class D: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Kamio Tatsuya paused there for a moment and took in the entire exam result. Just then, Sakayanagi appeared around the corner with Kamuro.
"As expected, you manipulated Class B's protection points and made sure they went to Masumi, didn't you?"
The moment they met, Sakayanagi began provoking him.
"Heh heh. How does it feel to see through someone else's plan but still be unable to stop it?"
As she spoke, Kamio Tatsuya pointed toward Class B's result on the board. Class B's last-place student was Kamuro.
Class B had forty students. Without counting praise votes from other classes, one student could receive at most thirty-nine criticism votes. The maximum number of praise votes was the same.
Kamio Tatsuya, however, had gathered the strength of two classes and collected eighty-one praise votes.
Even after subtracting the thirty-nine criticism votes from his own class, forty-two praise votes remained—three more than the thirty-nine criticism votes.
So manipulating a class's praise votes was not actually that difficult.
"So, are you going to use points to have Masumi transfer to Class C next?"
Kamio Tatsuya really had brought this up with Kamuro before, but after discussing it with him, she had refused.
She still felt a certain sense of belonging to Class B.
Kamio Tatsuya was glad that Kamuro had her own thoughts. He did not want her to be nothing more than his accessory.
Besides, when it came to class battles, Kamio Tatsuya tried not to let personal feelings get in the way. Just like during the forest exam, even though he had a good relationship with Ichinose, he had shown no mercy when he went after Class A.
He had demanded fifteen million points, and he had done it without the slightest hesitation.
"I did think about it, but Masumi refused."
"Heh heh. You really are a heartless man."
Sakayanagi looked at Kamio Tatsuya with a faint smile.
"That was Masumi's choice. I'm not going to interfere," Kamio Tatsuya said calmly.
Why did Sakayanagi call him heartless?
The reason was simple. Because of Kamio Tatsuya's actions, Kamuro's situation in Class B would not be good from then on. Some of her classmates would certainly think she was a traitor.
But since Kamuro had chosen that path herself, Kamio Tatsuya did not want to interfere.
Kamio Tatsuya glanced at Sakayanagi, then looked at Kamuro behind her. When Kamuro noticed his gaze, she gave him a firm nod.
"If you can't handle it, tell me right away."
"I'll endure it. Besides, I've never betrayed my class."
Hearing that, Kamio Tatsuya smiled and turned back to Sakayanagi.
"By the way, Sakayanagi, how does it feel not to have received the protection points?"
"I don't really feel anything. Personally, I don't care whether I get expelled."
Sakayanagi continued smiling at Kamio Tatsuya, as if his words had not affected her at all.
While the two of them were trading verbal blows, several other people also came out of the school: Ichinose and Kanzaki from Class A, Katsuragi from Class B, and Ayanokouji from Class D.
"Well, now everyone who received protection points is here."
The people who had received protection points were, for the most part, some of the most capable students in the entire year.
"More importantly, I'm curious about how you managed to convince Class A to give all their praise votes to Kamuro."
"Since everyone is here, I'll explain how this exam worked."
Kamio Tatsuya smiled and began explaining the exam.
"First, Class A. I spent four hundred thousand points and bought the praise votes they would have given to another class. In exchange, I promised not to cause them any trouble. Naturally, those votes went to Masumi from Class B.
"As for Class B, I can more or less guess what happened. You gave your praise votes to Kaneda, right?"
"Next is Class C. Class C's votes for another class naturally went to Masumi as well. Otherwise, Masumi would not have received enough praise votes to secure the protection points.
"Then there's Class D. Their praise votes went to me because I knew from the start that you, Sakayanagi, would interfere, so I took precautions in advance.
"As for why they listened to me, it's because I made up the private points they needed to save their classmates."
Using the information he had gathered and the final results, Kamio Tatsuya easily reconstructed what had happened.
Kamio Tatsuya had told Sakayanagi from the beginning that he planned to manipulate Class B's protection points. Even though Sakayanagi knew what he intended to do, she had no way to stop it.
At that point, Katsuragi fell silent. He glanced at Sakayanagi and saw that her expression had not changed. That made sense—she had realized from the start that anything she did would be pointless.
"You really are annoying."
Sakayanagi sighed as well. This strategy was very much Kamio Tatsuya's style: completely straightforward, yet impossible to break through.
"Thanks for the compliment. But it was nothing special—just a cheap little trick," Kamio Tatsuya said with a broad smile.
Horikita and Ichinose, standing nearby, could not help but marvel at what had happened.
In reality, what Kamio Tatsuya had done was very simple. He had deliberately revealed that he planned to manipulate the praise votes so Sakayanagi would not receive the protection points.
Once Sakayanagi learned that such a strategy was possible, she and Katsuragi naturally had to consider whom Kamio Tatsuya wanted to receive the protection points.
In the end, they concluded that it was probably Kamuro.
They had guessed correctly, and Kamio Tatsuya had intentionally allowed them to figure it out. However, they had no way to stop him because they could not obtain praise votes from any other class.
Katsuragi then decided to use the same tactic against Kamio Tatsuya's class.
But Kamio Tatsuya had prepared for that in advance by having Class D give all its praise votes to him.
There was also a small twist. Kamio Tatsuya had received seventy-six praise votes, while Ryuen had received forty.
Kamio Tatsuya had received all thirty-six of Class D's praise votes. If those votes were removed, his total would be the same as Ryuen's.
That meant Ryuen had also wanted Kamio Tatsuya to receive the protection points.
"Hmph. Enjoy your victory for a few days. We'll see what happens in the final exam."
Even Sakayanagi could not be in a good mood after being completely outplayed like this.
"In that case, I'll see you at the final exam."
After leaving him with that warning, Sakayanagi left with Kamuro.
Once Sakayanagi was gone, the atmosphere immediately became boring.
"Everyone, good luck on the final exam."
After saying that, Kamio Tatsuya also left. However, not long after he had gone, he received a text message.
It was from Sakayanagi Arisu.
[Before the exam, someone asked me to force Ayanokouji-kun to drop out.]
Kamio Tatsuya's mouth twitched as he looked at Sakayanagi's message.
Sakayanagi, don't you think you're sharing this information a little late?
Still, it seemed very likely that the message had come from Tsukishiro. But his real goal probably was not to get Ayanokouji expelled.
Did that mean he simply did not believe Sakayanagi could force Ayanokouji to drop out?
With that thought in mind, Kamio Tatsuya replied to Sakayanagi.
[It was probably Tsukishiro, the newly appointed acting chairman. But I already knew about it. Otherwise, why do you think I made sure Ayanokouji received the protection points?]
Sakayanagi replied soon after.
[That's just like you. So what are you planning to do next?]
[Heh.]
Kamio Tatsuya did not answer Sakayanagi. Who knew what she was thinking right now? Besides, the school monitored phone communications.
Some things were better left unsaid.
As for revealing that he knew about Tsukishiro's plan, it did not matter. Given Ayanokouji's relationships in Class D, it would have been strange for him to receive the protection points in the first place.
On Monday, there was one fewer desk in the classroom. Tokito Yuya had disappeared from the school.
Kamio Tatsuya's seat had also moved one place forward, while Ryuen had gone from sitting in front of him to sitting beside him.
There was no time to mourn Tokito's expulsion. The students in Class C immediately learned about the final exam from Okabe.
"As I mentioned before, I'll be announcing the details of the final exam today."
Okabe then wrote several large words on the blackboard.
Selection Event Exam.
Just as expected. It was unclear whether the school had adopted his suggestion.
"This will be the last special exam of the school year. You will be asked to show the combined results of everything you have learned so far, including intelligence, physical ability, teamwork, and luck. In short, you must make use of every ability you possess."
Okabe's tone was the same as before, but this time there was a slight seriousness in his voice.
"Normally, based on previous years, the final exam for first-year students would be arranged as a series of one-on-one matches, with the four classes divided into two groups.
"But this year, the exam format has changed. All four classes will be placed in the same group and compete in a free-for-all."
Kamio Tatsuya smiled when he heard that.
Heh heh. They really did take my suggestion.
The exam was originally supposed to be a series of one-on-one matches. Two classes would face each other in events they had chosen, and the winning class would take points from the losing class.
Kamio Tatsuya had thought that sounded a little boring, so he had made a suggestion: during the exam, each class should be free to choose its own target.
The reason was simple. Society never gives you the chance to compete one-on-one. In the cruel competition of society, everyone in the same field is a rival.
Besides, under this school's system, he had always felt that a class only deserved to graduate from Class C if it could defeat the other three classes working together.
"First, I'll explain the details of the exam."
As he spoke, Okabe took five cards from his pocket.
"These five white cards represent the events each class can choose." As he explained, Mr. Okabe took out a stack of yellow cards. "These yellow cards represent the students."
Five? Kamio Tatsuya rubbed his chin. Originally, each class had been expected to prepare ten events—five real ones and five fake ones. It seemed the fake events were no longer necessary.
After all, under the current format, one class might have to take part in as many as twenty events.
He then placed the cards one by one on the blackboard. There were five white cards and forty yellow cards.
There was nothing written on the white cards, while the yellow cards each had a student's name on them.
"First, I'll explain these five white cards. Each card represents an event you will compete in. You will discuss the matter later and write down five events of your choice."
Events…
The students looked confused.
"Okabe, what exactly is an event?"
"Written tests, shogi, card games, baseball—you can write down any event you think you can win. Then write the event on one of the cards.
"You also need to clearly state how the winner will be decided. For example, in basketball, you could say that the team with the most points within a set time wins, or that the first team to score ten baskets wins.
"But remember, each class can choose only five events."
Kamio Tatsuya listened carefully to Okabe's explanation. Although he had seen a rough draft beforehand, the actual details had to be based on what Okabe said.
If anything had been changed later and Kamio Tatsuya had not heard about it, that would create a serious misunderstanding.
Kamio Tatsuya had no intention of making such a basic mistake.
"You have a great deal of freedom when choosing your events. However, even with that freedom, you cannot do whatever you want. There are still several rules regarding the events.
"For example, the rules must be fair and easy to understand. Written tests, shogi, races, and soccer would all be acceptable.
"But if you choose an unusual competition or game that most people are unfamiliar with—something where no one except the person who proposed it would have a chance of winning—it will be rejected.
"After you submit your proposed events, the school will judge whether they are appropriate and decide whether to approve them.
"The deadline is next Monday. At that time, the five events chosen by each class and their rules will be finalized and announced. The actual exam will take place two weeks later, and all the events must be completed that day."
"As for the events themselves…" Okabe paused, then looked at Ishizaki. "Ishizaki, what are you good at?"
"Huh? What am I good at?"
Ishizaki scratched his head, looking completely confused.
"Hahaha, do you really have to think about it? Ishizaki is obviously good at fighting."
Seeing Ishizaki's confused expression, his good friend Komiya teased him without mercy.
"Hey! You bastard, Komiya! You're no different!"
"No, I'm actually pretty good at basketball. Oh, and I can run too." Komiya grinned at Ishizaki.
"Damn it."
However, Mr. Okabe did not object to the event Komiya had suggested. Instead, he immediately used fighting as an example.
"Then let's use fighting." Okabe adjusted his glasses. "Of course, we can't call the event 'fighting' in the actual exam.
"Hmm… Let's call it boxing."
As he spoke, Okabe wrote the word "boxing" on a white card. The students in Class C were stunned.
Damn, they can really do that?
"Suppose this event is boxing. The rules would follow the standard rules of boxing. Each class would need one participant, and the match would be decided by the best of three rounds.
"An event like that would easily be approved. If I remember correctly, our school even has a boxing club."
"T-That's allowed?"
The students looked at one another. The exam seemed almost like a joke.
"After that, you simply repeat the process until you have chosen five events."
Mr. Okabe picked up a piece of chalk and began writing on the blackboard.
"The exam schedule is also very important. It will be divided into roughly three stages."
March 7—the announcement of the special exam, which is today.
March 14—the five events and their rules will be finalized and announced.
March 21—the day of the Selection Event Exam.
"Teacher, if each of the four classes has five events, that means there could be as many as twenty events in one day. Will there be enough time?"
"You don't need to worry about that. According to the rules, any class that loses four matches first will be eliminated immediately. Based on the calculations, there will be at most fifteen matches.
"Also, depending on which opponents are chosen, some matches may take place at the same time."
Fifteen matches? Kamio Tatsuya did a quick calculation and reached the same conclusion.
Indeed, there would be at least twelve matches and at most fifteen.
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