Chapter 100: Failure Even at Gatekeeping? Useless Sakayanagi!
While half of the first-year students were still undergoing the special exam and the other half had withdrawn, Sakayanagi Arisu sat bored in the library of the Advanced Nurturing High School.
In a secluded corner of the third floor, she sat quietly at a mahogany table. Soft natural light streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, draping over her evenly. Since classes were out, she wore her own clothes—a well-fitted white dress that was pure and cute, much like a little princess, yet her temperament remained exceptionally noble.
On the table lay a neat Go board with black and white stones scattered, the situation already beginning to take shape. Two upperclassmen stood by her side with their hands lowered; one held a cup of warmed black tea, while the other stood quietly, ready to follow her orders at any moment. Even if she couldn't go to the deserted island for the exam, as the young lady of the Sakayanagi family, her dignity and standard of living never faltered.
This was a school where merit was everything, and for the students, points were supreme. A casual toss of 100,000 points was enough to make upperclassmen willing to act as her "dogs."
However, the person sitting opposite Sakayanagi was by no means an upperclassman to be ordered around. It was the second-year Kiryuin Fuka. This senpai was as free-spirited as ever. Wearing the standard school uniform, her hair flowed like a waterfall, and her eyes carried an innate confidence and an aura of pride.
The two took turns placing stones. The light clicking of stones against the board was particularly clear in the quiet, empty reading area. The black-and-white battle on the board was not a bit gentler than the confrontation on the deserted island.
Sakayanagi pinched a white stone with her fingertips, applying slight pressure before gently placing it in the upper right corner of the board. Her lips curled slightly as she spoke, "Senpai, this move of yours has left an opening for me."
She had always preferred chess, loving the exquisite feeling of calculating every step and controlling the whole board.
Her father was skilled at Shogi and had patiently taught her when she was young, but she always felt Shogi was too restrained and lacked the sharp edge of chess. Kiryuin-senpai, on the other hand, had learned Gomoku from her grandfather and eventually dabbled in Go. Her style was free and easy, yet hidden traps were everywhere; a seemingly careless move often served to turn the tide of the game.
Playing against a genius like this had become Sakayanagi's primary way of killing boredom recently.
But Kiryuin-senpai looked down at the board, and after seeing the situation, she smiled helplessly. She pinched a black stone and slowly placed it next to Sakayanagi's white stone,
saying softly, "You still saw through it. Speaking of which, for my year, today would be roughly the day of the formal exam."
"Everyone takes a cruise out to sea together, and then the special exam begins on the fourth day."
"And then, Sakayanagi-kohai, you can't participate. It must be somewhat lonely, isn't it?" Kiryuin said.
Hearing the word "lonely," Sakayanagi's fingertips tightened slightly on the stone, but she quickly regained her usual composure. She slowly picked up the teacup, the rim lightly touching her cherry lips for a small sip. After setting the cup down, her tone carried its innate pride. "Lonely? Senpai, you joke. My life is quite fulfilling right now. As for this exam, even if I don't go, I can guess the result—without me, Class A will surely lose miserably."
"I naturally have no interest in an exam destined for defeat.
By my estimation, at this time, the result of this special exam has likely been decided."
Sakayanagi's tone was exceptionally certain, as if she already knew the outcome despite not being on the ship or outside the school.
Kiryuin-senpai raised an eyebrow, a look of obvious surprise on her face. Her hand stopped mid-move, and her eyes turned curious.
"You're that sure? You should know that this month's special exam is the final for the first semester. Because you are freshmen, the school makes you experience a truly large-scale exam, which usually lasts a long time. In my year, we fought until the very last day, and I was even sabotaged by Nagumo, who was in Class B then, completely flipping the final result. So, while I don't favor Class A, I recognize that exams at this school are always full of variables. No one can predict the outcome in advance, so how can you assert the ending so definitively?"
As the eldest daughter of the Kiryuin family and its heir, Kiryuin knew Sakayanagi's father was the Chairman, but that wouldn't grant her the privilege of checking the first-year exam status at any time.
Therefore, for Sakayanagi to be this certain, she must have unknown intelligence, or there was someone in the first year whose strength she recognized enough to believe the exam would end quickly even in her absence. Or rather, because she didn't go, she confirmed that the other person had the strength to determine the result.
Sakayanagi Arisu smiled without answering directly.
In her heart, she thought it was possible because Hikigaya-kun was a "transmigrator"—an "overpowered" individual who already knew the exam's contents.
How hard could it be to confirm the result quickly? Knowing the content and then following the steps of the exam was what would be torturous. She didn't believe Hikigaya-kun was the
type of person who enjoyed being tortured. As her chosen rival, she believed she understood him somewhat.
However, she would never easily reveal Hikigaya-kun's secret. Hikigaya Hachiman was the person she had set her sights on, the rival she deemed capable of contending with her. Naturally, the secret of him being a transmigrator should ideally only be known to her. But Hikigaya-kun was truly a useless fellow; not just her, but even Kamuro-san could hear his inner voice.
She was no longer the sole possessor of this secret.
Since even Kamuro-san could hear it, was it possible other exceptional girls could as well?
Sakayanagi couldn't help but feel a flicker of vigilance.
Kiryuin-senpai, who was playing against her, would eventually have to take over the family business and take a husband into the family. Hikigaya-kun might happen to meet her requirements. If Kiryuin-senpai could also hear Hikigaya-kun's voice... it might make this free-spirited senpai increase her attention toward him.
That was not something Sakayanagi wanted to see. So, she chose to remain silent.
Beyond that, she had specifically arranged for Kamuro to eavesdrop on Hikigaya's inner voice just to cause him some trouble and disrupt his pace. But Sakayanagi never imagined that Kamuro, whom she held high hopes for, and Hashimoto, her capable right-hand man, were at this very moment filled with thoughts of self-preservation.
They were worried about their own massive debts and had no mental space for her instructions or for Class A's sake. They were thinking only of their own interests.
Thus, at this moment, Sakayanagi Arisu remained in a state of zero intelligence, still foolishly believing her deployment had no issues.
Kiryuin-senpai, seeing Sakayanagi's reluctance to talk, didn't press further. She just chuckled, pinched a black stone, and broke the brief stalemate on the board. She then changed the subject casually.
"Speaking of which, Kiriyama mentioned to me yesterday that there's a very interesting kouhai in the first year named Hikigaya Hachiman. He earned President Horikita's recognition. As a member of Class A and a prominent figure among the freshmen, you surely know a lot about him, right?"
Hearing the name "Hikigaya Hachiman," Sakayanagi's heart skipped a beat. She immediately felt her previous thought was a bit foolish. Even if she wanted to hide info about Hikigaya-kun from Kiryuin-senpai, he was simply too brilliant to be obscured.
Despite her thoughts, Sakayanagi spoke casually. "Oh, him. He does have a bit of cleverness, a bit of a maverick genius. Katsuragi-kun in my class can only defend and not innovate, so he might suffer a loss against Hikigaya-kun in this exam. Though Hikigaya-kun has some talent,
his appearance is quite poor—like a delinquent, especially those dead-fish eyes. But after spending time with him, you realize he's a decent person."
Sakayanagi added: "Probably someone of the same type as Kiriyama-senpai."
Kiryuin went silent.
If he was the same type as Kiriyama, that would be terrible, as Kiryuin truly disliked Kiriyama from her own class, who loved to morally kidnap her. If Hikigaya was like Kiriyama, she wouldn't have the slightest interest. On the contrary, if he was like President Horikita, she might pay more attention.
Just as Kiryuin thought about dropping the subject, she suddenly realized something was wrong. No, no. This wasn't right.
Sakayanagi-kohai had asserted the exam results early on. Based on her analysis of her own classmates and Hikigaya Hachiman, she was essentially saying that because she didn't attend, Katsuragi was no match for Hikigaya.
Was her evaluation of him true, then?
"Though Hikigaya-kun has some talent, his appearance is quite poor—like a delinquent, especially those dead-fish eyes. But after spending time with him, you realize he's a decent person."
Kiryuin judged right then that Sakayanagi's words were likely an intentional "cover-up" to distract her. It was a protective, "food-guarding" stance, and Kiryuin saw through it completely.
Kiryuin Fuka almost couldn't help but laugh, a playful look in her eyes.
"Is that so? It seems I was too curious. I shouldn't pay too much attention to an unremarkable kouhai."
As a senpai, she didn't expose Sakayanagi's thoughts or pursue the matter further. She knew everyone had something they wanted to protect. If Sakayanagi wanted to hide this kouhai, she had her reasons.
Just as Sakayanagi understood her, Kiryuin understood this kouhai who shared a similar destiny—inheriting a family business and taking a husband.
Although Sakayanagi had few people she could interact with due to her physical condition, her standards were high and her nature proud. Someone she would go to such lengths to hide and protect would never be an "unremarkable delinquent." She vaguely felt that this Hikigaya Hachiman must have something special.
The more it was like this, the more Kiryuin Fuka's curiosity grew. For instance, she might want to interact with him later. Of course, the senpai felt she had no ill intentions; she just felt school life was boring and wanted some "spice."
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Back on the island, the exam indeed seemed mostly settled. After the students of Classes B and D left, only the students of Classes A and C remained, along with Hachiman, Ayanokouji, Sudo, and Hirata.
During this time, Classes A and C conducted another transaction. Class A held 15 spots, and Class C held 12. These spots were scattered all over with no pattern, yet they required a card swipe every 8 hours. Constant patrolling and guarding were exhausting and risked exposing the leader's identity. For the safety of both sides, they eventually exchanged some spots to redraw clear boundaries.
Class A kept 15 spots and retreated to the east side of the island; Class C kept 12 and controlled the west side. From then on, each side would stay in their own territory, strictly following the agreement not to cross borders or meet frequently until the end of the exam.
This was undoubtedly the most stable and optimal solution, and it was finalized as soon as it was proposed. Everyone prepared to return to their respective bases to arrange evening lodging. Hachiman, now assigned to Class C, had to handle the matter of assisting Ryuen.
He said directly, "This afternoon, I will personally explore for the hidden spot. Once found, I'll lead Class C to occupy it. As Mashima-sensei said, I can guess its general distribution, but it's likely very hidden, so it will take some time."
Hearing this, Ryuen's face darkened, and he said warily, "Don't try any tricks! If you find a hidden spot, you can't sell it to Class A! It's already a resource sold to me. If it's to be sold, I'm the one who sells it!"
Perhaps feeling this was too aggressive while they were still in an alliance, Ryuen changed his phrasing. "I can provide you with plenty of supplies, but from now on, I will have someone follow you and watch you the whole time. I have to be responsible for Class C!"
Hachiman wasn't surprised by this move. He had a strategy to implement, which required staying with Class C. He said, "Suit yourself. Once this hidden spot is found, the betting part of our agreement is over."
The spot exchange was quickly settled. Katsuragi and Ryuen Kakeru each gathered their students to prepare. Meanwhile, the three Class D students—Hirata, Sudo, and Ayanokouji—stood by. They knew there was no point in staying here. Class D had mostly withdrawn; they didn't need to participate in spot exchanges or search for hidden spots. They just needed to last until the end without being a burden.
Hirata Yosuke stepped forward and bowed deeply to Hachiman, saying sincerely, "Hikigaya-kun, thank you so much. It's thanks to you that Class D could withdraw smoothly, get stable
points, and not have to suffer on this island or worry about more debt. If you ever need help in the future, if we can do it, we'll do our best to cooperate."
Hachiman almost laughed in surprise.
He had sold Class D's resources, yet Hirata was thanking him.
But that was Hirata Yosuke—someone who gave everything to Class D to atone for his past guilt. If Hirata were in Class B, he'd be a beloved friend; but for Class D, his obsession with people like Yamauchi was too much.
However, Hirata's desire to keep everyone in Class D was beneficial for Class B.
Facing Hirata's offer to repay him, Hachiman retained some conscience and said, "No need. This was a normal transaction. I gained something too." With that, he left with the Class C group.
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Ryuen immediately arranged for a few students to follow Hachiman and then quickly went to occupy a spot. The group headed toward one of the spots he had already taken. Although Class C had 12 spots, not many were suitable for camping with sufficient resources. Following the group, Hachiman noticed the vegetation grew denser, weeds reaching ankles, and trees soaring over ten meters high. The primitive breath of nature was palpable.
Class C students whispered in small groups, their voices hiding excitement and relief. They didn't have to patrol or worry about sneak attacks; they just had to guard the west side. Ryuen walked at the front with his hands in his pockets, but he frequently looked back to count heads, his eyes lingering on Hachiman with undeniable wariness. Even though he agreed to Hiyori's arrangement to let Hachiman join, he felt it wasn't safe.
Hachiman remained calm; as Hikigaya Hachiman, he wasn't afraid of negative looks.
"Hikigaya-kun, you don't seem worried at all," Hiyori Shiina said softly behind him. Her voice was as light as the wind but filled with curiosity.
"Ryuen-kun looks fierce, but he has no ill intent. He's just too focused on Class C. Our class has a thin foundation; we can't afford to lose this exam."
Hachiman glanced at her, then slowly looked away and shook his head. "I don't need to worry. I just need to do what I have to do and get the points I deserve. The rest doesn't concern me."
At this moment, Hikigaya-kun seemed much colder than he was in the library on the ship.
But his coldness didn't deter Hiyori Shiina. She continued softly, "I know you're only in an alliance with Class C, but I still want to thank you. Without you, Class C wouldn't have a place in this exam."
Feeling her words weren't strong enough, she paused and added seriously, "I know you agreed to stay in Class C perhaps for your own purposes, but I only hope you follow the agreement with Ryuen-kun and don't lead Class C into a dead end."
Hachiman's pace faltered slightly, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
He had wanted to talk privately with the person who specifically kept him in Class C, and now Hiyori's attitude was unexpectedly sincere.
"Rest assured," Hachiman said, looking into her eyes. "I keep my word. As long as you don't break the agreement, I won't leak any Class C info or watch you lose completely—after all, if you lose, I won't get the rest of my points."
Hiyori's face broke into a soft smile, her eyes sparkling like gems.
"Thank you, Hikigaya-kun. I knew you weren't a bad person."
Hachiman didn't respond, turning his gaze back to the terrain.
He could feel that while Ryuen didn't bring Hiyori as a strategist for the trade, she definitely had skill. If Ayanokouji said two people were similar to him in the original story, he felt Ryuen's thinking was like his.
The second person was Hiyori Shiina.
It wasn't the way of thinking, but rather the approach of using any means, regardless of fairness, just to win and achieve a goal.
Was Hiyori in Class C because of her social skills? She didn't seem to have friends. No, it must be her unique way of thinking. She was like someone from a "chaotic" alignment—outwardly a kind literary girl, but her way of handling problems wasn't necessarily gentle.
Any method was on the table to reach an objective.
However, some things couldn't be said casually here. Hachiman stopped talking and followed the group.
After walking for about half an hour, the vegetation thinned, and an open space appeared. Unlike the overgrown path, there was a thriving vegetable garden here. Green cabbage and lettuce covered half the space, with tomato plants on the edges climbing wooden frames, bearing small green fruits. In the center, a brick well stood out, its mouth covered by thick planks, with an old wooden bucket nearby.
"This is it! Half of you stay here and camp tonight," Ryuen said, stopping and gesturing for the group to halt. "With vegetables and water, this is way better than those other trash spots. This will be our main base from now on. Settle in!"
The Class C students' eyes lit up, their fatigue replaced by surprise and excitement. Seeing the B and D students leave for the cruise ship, they were inevitably envious or even complaining about the hardship. But seeing this vibrant garden and the well for clean water, everyone's eyes brightened.
"Vegetables! We don't have to eat bread and biscuits every day! This is great!"
"A well! I wonder if the water tastes better? I heard mountain water is delicious."
The students discussed in a frenzy. A few lively boys broke from the group, squatting by the garden to touch the tender leaves with curiosity, afraid of damaging them. They were city kids, after all, and rarely saw such raw nature except at their grandparents' homes in the country. Especially since vegetables were expensive; usually, they only got cheap cabbage or carrots.
Ryuen didn't stop their excitement. As an expert with survival experience, he immediately became serious and began commanding.
"Don't just stand there! Move the supplies over! Half of you move the showers, toilets, and tents to the high ground by the garden so it doesn't flood if it rains. Some go clean the well and check the bucket; fetch a bucket to check the water quality. The rest, go pick some greens. We're having stir-fry tonight!"
The students immediately moved. The loose group became orderly under curiosity, passion, and Ryuen's orders. Some carried heavy tent frames; others moved shower crates; some cleaned the well; others picked greens. There were some who wanted to slack off, but after being intimidated by Ryuen, they got to work. In a way, this class could only be led by a "tyrant" like Ryuen.
Hachiman wasn't assigned work. He knew this spot—it was the base Class B got in the original story. Now, the Class B students were mostly back on the ship, and he, a Class B member, was still at this base.
Watching from the side, he noticed Ryuen's command ability was far beyond expectations. He seemed hot-tempered and impulsive, but in a survival scenario, he was exceptionally steady and far more meticulous than he appeared. Ryuen moved among the students, correcting their actions with sharp but necessary instructions.
"Are you an idiot? Secure the tent frame with stones so it doesn't blow over! Move the shower near the well and check the hose!"
His movements were practiced. He grabbed a tent pole and secured it with a few quick motions, showing this wasn't his first time in the wild. Those who wanted to slack off integrated into the work under his stern gaze—they knew he would actually hit them if they didn't listen.
"What are your thoughts seeing this?" a female voice asked, interrupting Hachiman's thoughts.
"I suppose I think even the most brutal tyrant becomes a hardworking person when faced with no money and the temptation of huge income... er, no, Shiina-san, what do you want to say?" Hachiman looked at the speaker.
It was Hiyori Shiina. She had walked over, holding a freshly picked cabbage leaf, her finger brushing the dew on it. She seemed to enjoy the scene.
"Oh, I thought Hikigaya-kun would think Ryuen-kun is amazing," Hiyori said softly.
"Though he has a temper, he's reliable. Especially for a poor class like C, being able to suppress so many delinquents and unite them is not easy." She lightly raised her left hand. "One can imagine what would happen if we failed this exam and ended up in debt." Her expression became serious.
Hachiman understood. Since Hiyori had specifically kept him in Class C, and their earlier conversation was interrupted, she would surely seek him out again. And here she was, playing the emotional card.
Unfortunately, Hachiman was still the Hikigaya Hachiman who didn't have many friends. Though he could see through many things, he only had one tool for this kind of communication with girls: the direct approach.
"Shiina-san!" Hachiman said directly. "Don't play the emotional card. As an ally for this exam, I won't attack Class C or leak your info. You can rest assured. And this is the second time I've said this."
"Oh, right," Hiyori nodded. "I know. I was overthinking. Sorry for disturbing you."
"It's not overthinking." Looking at this girl qualified to be the protagonist's first love in the original work, Hachiman was willing to say a few more things, his tone relaxing. But his words weren't relaxing for Hiyori at all.
"For example, if I had to guess, I'd say Ryuen is the leader of Class C this time," Hachiman said.
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