chap 3

Introduction

Today, I feel the arrival of spring like never before. Finally,

the day has come for the culmination of my second year of

school life. Those who started the race for a spot in Class

A two years ago and quickly fell to Class D are now able to

fight again. Even those who lacked the strength to fight

until today now clearly understand that today's exam can

turn the situation upside down. The final special exam will

bring significant changes to class points.

I left my room at 7:40 AM. On my way to the lobby, I didn't

encounter any students. The representatives from each

class are supposed to gather in the special building at 8

AM, while the rest of the students will gather in their

classrooms only by 9 AM. It would be nice to meet

someone from the other classes' representatives on the

way, but the walk from the dormitory to the special building

takes only about 10 minutes, so the chance of running into

someone was quite low.

On my way to the special building, I met a student in

casual clothes. She was sitting on one of the benches.

— It's pretty early. What are you doing here, Kiryuin?

— Actually, I was waiting for you. I wanted to see you

before you go to the exam.

I noticed the bag next to Kiryuin and said:

— It looks like you're leaving?

— The third-year students have already had their

graduation. Some have already left. I should be going too.

But Nagumo asked me to keep an eye on you. He's

interested in how you'll handle the final special exam. He

didn't want to do it himself, so he asked me.

If Kiryuin wasn't comfortable with this role, she could have

easily refused, but since she was here, everything was

fine.

— But now that I've seen you, I think there's nothing to

worry about.

— You were worried about me? I didn't think you were that

kind.

— You know, you're very unpredictable. What result will

you achieve in the exam? I can't wait to find out.

Saying this, Kiryuin waved her hand, reminding me that I

should hurry. I nodded goodbye and walked towards the

special building.

Approaching it, I found two of our class representatives

and an unfamiliar adult near the door. In most special

exams, the staff consists exclusively of teachers. It seems

that this time they brought someone else in.

— Good morning, Kiyotaka-kun.

Yosuke greeted me with his dazzling smile, capable of

competing with any girl's smile. Horikita, on the other

hand, looked irritated. Apparently, because I arrived later

than them.

— You're the last to arrive. We're the last ones here.

Horikita's voice was harsher and louder than usual.

— I arrived right on time, so there shouldn't be any

problems.

— You're right, but… never mind, it's not important now.

Let's go.

The final special exam is about to begin. I'm sure Horikita

had been anxious about this all morning, maybe even all

of yesterday evening. When Horikita informed the adult

standing there of our readiness, he opened the door.

Inside the room, a total of nine people, three from each

opposing class, were sitting in rows. Sakayanagi, Ryuuen,

and Ichinose were indeed here. Additionally, a few others

turned to see us, the newcomers, to find out who they

would be competing against. Ichinose's group was looking

at us most intently.

I caught Kanzaki's eye, who had been questioning me just

yesterday about whether I would be a class

representative. Of course, they had to prepare for the

worst outcome, but judging by Kanzaki's expression, he

was not pleased with this development. It wasn't hard to

guess what he was thinking. "So, I was right," probably

something like that. I understood his feelings, but there

was nothing I could do.

Horikita and Yosuke also looked around the room,

familiarizing themselves with the representatives from

other classes. When we took our seats, Sakamagi-sensei

and Hoshinomiya-sensei approached us. Sakamagisensei was holding a small empty white box labeled "2B."

— If you have cell phones or any other metal or electronic

devices, please hand them over.

Sakamagi-sensei said, extending the box towards us. I

took my phone out of my pocket and placed it inside.

Horikita and Yosuke followed my example.

— Good. Please remain still. I will conduct a search.

With these words, Hoshinomiya-sensei began scanning us

from head to toe with a handheld metal detector.

— This is a very thorough check.

Yosuke said as it was Horikita's turn.

— Sorry, but this is a direct order from the administration.

You three are clear.

Once all formalities were settled, Sakamagi-sensei

nodded.

— Your smartphones will be returned after the exam.

Please take your seats and wait.

I took one of the three remaining seats and then looked

back at the other students. It seemed that Ichinose's group

included Hamaguchi, Kanzaki, and Ichinose herself. At

first, I thought choosing Hamaguchi as a representative

was odd, but comparing his abilities with Hirata's, I

concluded they were quite equivalent. So, he was a logical

candidate.

But there was a surprising student in Ryuuen's group.

— Is that...

Horikita was surprised not by the fact that Ryuuen had

chosen Katsuragi for his group. This choice surprised not

only her and Yosuke but also me to some extent. It was

because the third candidate in his group was Takeko

Nishino, a student who seemed highly unsuitable for this

special exam. She seemed to understand this herself as

she sat in an awkward position, arms crossed over her

chest.

According to the rule, at least one group member must be

female, but I never expected Ryuuen to choose Nishino.

— It's a peculiar choice.

— Yes, I also didn't expect to see Nishino-san here.

Ayanokoji-kun, do you know why this was done?

— Perhaps for the element of surprise. But at the same

time, it's a serious risk.

I don't think Nishino is a bad student. Her fearlessness

towards Ryuuen is commendable, but in this specific case,

there were other students in Ryuuen's class who could

have taken this role.

— Maybe someone had to be replaced due to illness?

— That's possible… But choosing Nishino-san as a

replacement? That's strange, isn't it?

Of course, Nishino is a dubious choice in this situation, but

does Ryuuen's class even have enough female students

as resources?

— I thought he would choose Shiina-san among the girls.

Maybe she's sick?

Horikita believed Ryuuen would appoint Hiyori as a class

representative. If she was indeed absent due to illness,

that would explain a lot, but I was thinking in another

direction.

— Honestly, there aren't many girls in Ryuuen's class. In

this special exam, many focus on the representatives,

while it was said in advance that other students would also

play an important role. He probably decided to leave Hiyori

in that team.

— So... he decided to distribute the strengths evenly.

If Horikita decided not to participate in the exam as one of

the representatives, she could easily be replaced by

Kushida or Matsushita, for example. But Ryuuen's class

was different.

— Besides, would Hiyori perform well in an exam where

she has to fight one-on-one? It's more of a rhetorical

question.

Until we hear a clear explanation from Ryuuen himself,

coming up with reasons is pointless. However, the fact

remains. Choosing Nishino for his team is a risky move.

Maybe Ryuuen intentionally exposed all his weaknesses.

Or perhaps, on the contrary, with this decision, he made a

statement: "As long as I'm the representative, it doesn't

matter who's on my team." If that's the case, Ryuuen will

be a formidable opponent.

The situation with Sakayanagi's group was also

ambiguous. It wasn't as surprising as choosing Nishino,

but it remained unusual. This was because one of her

group's members was Hayato Kito. Kito is a close ally of

Sakayanagi, so this decision didn't seem strange, but

given the circumstances, the student's physical strength

likely wouldn't play a role, thus Kito's greatest advantage

would be negated by the rules.

Perhaps there were hidden intentions behind

Sakayanagi's decision. It would be interesting to ask each

of the leaders about this, but that wasn't possible at the

moment. All the representatives had already taken their

seats, but for some reason, the exam wasn't starting yet.

— Hmm…

Horikita, sitting to my right, hummed thoughtfully. It's

normal to be tense in this situation, but Horikita looked

overly anxious. Yosuke, however, didn't seem to know how

to help Horikita with her stress. If the exam starts with this

state of mind, it could end badly for Horikita. But choosing

the wrong words might only amplify her fears. I had a few

potential solutions for this issue, but I decided to go with

the most effective one. In a usual situation, I would never

dare to do this, but what other option do I have?

I carefully extended my right hand and grabbed Horikita's

left side as hard as I could.

— Ow!

Horikita immediately jumped from her chair. Her loud

exclamation disturbed the general silence. Many students

immediately turned towards the sound to find its source,

but Horikita had already sat back down. She panicked,

shaking her head from side to side. Additionally, she

blushed so much that she probably wanted to sink into the

ground.

— What are you doing?!

— I wanted to calm your nerves. This

is much better, isn't it?

— Did you have to do it like that?!

Horikita expressed her displeasure in a whisper, but her

expression said more than a thousand words.

— I just wanted to bring some nostalgia. Is that so bad?

— I don't need such nostalgia…

The other students didn't seem interested in Horikita

anymore, but Yosuke looked relieved at the sight of our

argument. At that moment, the teachers finally began to

move. Mashima-sensei and Chabashira-sensei entered

the room.

— Let's keep it down now, okay?

— As you say.

As much as I didn't want to repeat my nostalgic stunt, it's

essential to focus on the exam rules now. The homeroom

teachers lined up. Mashima-sensei stepped forward.

— It's time to brief you on the upcoming exam. We have

plenty of time, so we'll go through everything in order and

cover all the rules that have been kept secret until now.

The special exam will start at 10 AM. Considering it's just

past 8 AM, we indeed had enough time to prepare.

— First, we'll announce the three representatives from

each class who will participate in this part of the exam

today.

Class 2A Representatives:

- Vanguard: Kosei Sanada

- Main Force: Hayato Kito

- General: Arisu Sakayanagi

Class 2B Representatives:

- Vanguard: Yosuke Hirata

- Main Force: Suzune Horikita

- General: Kiyotaka Ayanokouji

Class 2C Representatives:

- Vanguard: Takeko Nishino

- Main Force: Kohei Katsuragi

- General: Kakeru Ryuuen

Class 2D Representatives:

- Vanguard: Tetsuya Hamaguchi

- Main Force: Ryuji Kanzaki

- General: Honami Ichinose

The first thing displayed on the screen in the middle of the

room was the names of all the representatives. Each

group included two boys and one girl. Judging by the

absence of information about substitutes, it could be

assumed that none of the representatives were missing.

Additionally, there was a chance that the school

intentionally withheld this information. In any case, the

three representatives from each class are already

determined and cannot be changed. Mashima-sensei

paused, waiting for potential questions, then continued:

— The exam will be conducted in rooms like this one,

equipped with tables, chairs, and tablets. The exam for

Classes A and C will take place in this room, while Classes

B and D will need to move to the adjacent room.

This system reminded me of the final special exam in the

first year.

"Exam Procedure"

- The exam includes discussions between "Student," "Top

Student," "Teacher," "Graduate," "First-year," "Third-year,"

and "Traitor."

- Students from each class form 5 groups of 7 people

each.

- The same group cannot be used twice in a row. A break

is required.

- If the total number of students is insufficient to form a

group, it is allowed for one student to participate in several

groups simultaneously.

First: The representatives of each class use tablets to

select one of the groups for the discussion. Two groups of

seven people combine into one, totaling 14 people in each

group.

Second: The representatives observe the discussion of

each selected group through monitors. Each discussion

round is given 5 minutes.

Third: After the discussion round, both class

representatives will be allowed to nominate one participant

and designate their role. The choice must be made within

a minute after the discussion round ends. The nominated

participant leaves the discussion room.

Fourth: The representatives' life points will change

depending on the accuracy or inaccuracy of matching the

student to their role.

- Additionally, the "Teacher" and "Graduate" will perform

their roles.

- "Top Students" choose one of the game participants, and

this participant leaves the room (without changing the

representatives' life points).

- As a result, at the end of the round, one or two students

will leave the discussion room. The nominated student's

role will be revealed to the discussion group, while the role

of the student excluded by the "Top Students" will not be.

Fifth: The discussion ends when one side fully leaves the

discussion room.

- Even if the discussion is not over, the game will stop if

one representative's life points reach 0.

- The exam ends when the general loses all life points.

- If both generals lose all life points simultaneously, a

rematch with 1 life point will be scheduled, continuing until

a winner is determined.

We were gradually being introduced to the details of the

special exam. Eventually, the overall picture should

become clear. Mashima-sensei continued:

— The main process of the exam is described in the

above points. However, I'm sure some concepts might

have raised questions. It should be noted that

simultaneously with you, the exam will be conducted

among your classmates. They will all participate in

discussions among themselves. More details on the next

slides.

"Exam Details"

- Each group member will receive their role.

- The discussion ends when all top students or regular

students leave the room. Additionally, the discussion ends

when one representative's life points run out (in this case,

all students remaining in the room will receive 5,000

personal points).

- Representatives can nominate students without a special

role, but in this case, they will not receive a reward for

their nomination.

- Other students, besides the representatives in the

special building, will be able to observe the course of the

game.

- If both representatives correctly nominate participants,

the first action will be to restore life points, not their loss.

"List of roles and their number among players:"

- "Student" - from 6 to 8 people.

 - "Students" have no special privileges.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of a "student"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 1 life point.

- "Top Student" - 2 people.

 - If you successfully identify and nominate a "top

student," the opponent's representative will lose 3 life

points.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of a "top student"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 2 life points.

 - "Top students" know about each other's existence.

 - Each "top student" has the right to nominate another

discussion participant at the end of the round. The

nominated participant will leave the discussion room.

 - If there are two "top students," the participant who

leaves the room is chosen randomly.

- "Teacher" - 1 person.

 - In case of a correct nomination of the "teacher," the

representative will gain 1 health point, and the opposing

class's representative will lose 2 health points.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of the "teacher"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 2 life points.

 - Effect: At the end of each round, the "teacher" can block

the nomination of one of the participants by the "top

student."

- "Graduate" - 1 person.

 - In case of a correct nomination of the "graduate," the

representative will gain 1 health point, and the opposing

class's representative will lose 2 health points.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of the "graduate"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 2 life points.

 - Effect: At the end of each round, the "graduate" can

appoint one student and learn their role, but if the

appointed student is the "traitor," their role is not revealed.

Instead, the "graduate" receives information that the

"traitor" is an ordinary "student."

- "First-year" - 1 person.

 - In case of a correct nomination of the "first-year," the

representative will gain 1 health point and an additional 2

health points.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of the "first-year"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 1 life point.

- "Third-year" - 1 person.

 - In case of a correct nomination of the "third-year," the

representative will gain 1 health point, and the

representative will randomly learn the roles of two random

discussion participants.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of the "third-year"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 1 life point.

- "Traitor" - from 0 to 2 people.

 - One representative can designate a "traitor" from the

opposing class participating in the discussion once per

exam.

 - In each round, the "traitor" will randomly reveal the role

of one of the other discussion participants (excluding the

top students) to the representative who appointed the

traitor.

 - In case of a mistaken nomination of the "traitor"

(including a nomination with a specific role), the

representative loses 2 life points, and the right of the

opposing class's representative to appoint a traitor is

restored.

 - If a "top student" attempts to nominate the "traitor" to

leave the discussion room, their action is canceled, and

the "traitor" remains in the room.

 - The traitor is not allowed to leave the room until the

opposing class's representative makes an incorrect

nomination or the opposing class's representative confirms

the traitor's role through dialogue.

"Reward for actions:"

- Victory of the regular "students" team. All students

receive 10,000 personal points.

- For each correct nomination of a "top student," you

additionally receive 5,000 personal points. Moreover, if the

"top students" team wins, they receive 500,000 personal

points.

- If you are a "teacher" or "graduate," you receive "50,000

personal points" if you

do not leave the room until the end of the discussion.

- If the "first-year" or "third-year" leaves the discussion

room due to the actions of a "top student," the participant

in this role receives 50,000 personal points.

- If the traitor does not leave the room until the end of the

discussion, they receive 5 million personal points or 50

class points for their class.

Mashima-sensei clarified the composition of the roles and

their effects to all present, then took the tablet that would

be used during the exam and demonstrated how it

worked. The names of the students would be pre-written

on the tablet. To nominate one of them, you need to select

the desired student and choose their role in the pop-up

window.

— As representatives, you play an important role in this

exam, but your classmates are also essential. The rules

may seem complicated, but if you recall your special exam

on the liner in your first year, you can draw some

analogies.

The exam on the cruise liner at the beginning of the first

year. At that time, the system was deliberately hidden, but

it was actually an analog of the "werewolf game." The idea

was to track students representing the role of a traitor.

Back then, I knew nothing about such games, but since

then, my knowledge has increased. This can be called

growth. If you think about it, back then, it was also

Mashima-sensei who explained the exam rules to us, just

like this time.

— If both representatives correctly nominate students,

your results will offset each other. The case with "firstyears" is special. For example, if you correctly nominate

the "first-year," and your opponent nominates the

"teacher" or "graduate," you will first lose your life points,

and only then restore them, but not vice versa.

Essentially, this means that the result of your own

nomination will be compared with the result of your

opponent's nomination.

— You representatives may want to participate in the

discussions of your classmates, but this is forbidden. No

instructions can be passed.

Participants will argue among themselves without the

possibility of contacting the representatives. However, the

representatives can only observe the course of the game

and nominate other players, indicating their roles.

Additionally, "top students" inside the game have the right

to decide who will leave the room bypassing the

representatives. If representatives were allowed to

participate in discussions, they could use the results of

their nominations to determine the roles of other

discussion participants. But the school anticipated this

possibility and prohibited representatives and discussion

participants from communicating with each other.

— Furthermore, different roles affect the course of the

exam in different ways. In particular, the "traitor," who can

only be appointed once per exam. As long as the "traitor"

is present in the discussion room, they will reveal one role

of another participant each round. Therefore, it is

unprofitable to leave them there for long. However, if you

incorrectly nominate the opposing class's "traitor," you will

lose life points, the "traitor" will not leave the discussion

room, and the opposing class's representative will regain

the ability to appoint a "traitor."

It turns out that the "traitor" is one of the strongest roles.

That is why they can only be appointed once per exam.

You can use the "traitor" for a quick start or hope that the

opponent incorrectly nominates them and then use them

again later. The only thing that worries me is that the

"traitor" cannot be expelled from the room through a

nomination.

— So how can you detect the "traitor" and make them

leave the discussion room? These special rules are only

used when a traitor is present in the round. They allow you

to call one of the discussion participants to a dialogue after

each round and try to find out if they are the "traitor."

"Dialogue"

- At the end of each round, representatives can call for a

dialogue in a separate room.

- During the dialogue, discussing the details of the exam

rules is prohibited.

First: Start the dialogue.

Second: The discussion participant called for the dialogue

admits whether they are the "traitor" or not. They inform

this in advance.

If the participant is the "traitor":

- If the "traitor" admits that they are the "traitor," and the

representative nominates them, the opposing class's

representative will stop receiving leaks, and the traitor

leaves the room.

- If the "traitor" admits that they are the "traitor," and the

representative does not nominate them, the representative

loses 5 life points.

- If the "traitor" denies being the "traitor," but the

representative nominates them, the "traitor" is expelled

from school.

- If the "traitor" denies being the "traitor," and the

representative does not nominate them, the representative

loses 5 life points.

If the participant is not the "traitor":

- If a participant who is not the "traitor" admits to being the

"traitor," and the representative nominates them, the

representative loses 1 life point.

- If a participant who is not the "traitor" admits to being the

"traitor," and the representative does not nominate them,

there is no penalty.

- If a participant who is not the "traitor" admits to not being

the "traitor," and the representative nominates them, the

representative loses 1 life point.

- If a participant who is not the "traitor" admits to not being

the "traitor," and the representative does not nominate

them, the representative loses 1 life point.

It turns out that the side called for dialogue first must

confess whether they are the "traitor" or not, and then the

representative decides whether to trust this statement or

not. It seems unlikely that someone who is not the "traitor"

would pretend to be the "traitor," but even this possibility

was considered in the rules.

— These rules will be embedded in your tablets, so you

can always refer to them. Also, feel free to ask us, the

examiners, any questions. We will answer as best we can.

Perhaps this is not the most suitable place and time, but

the teachers still care about the students.

— May I clarify something?

Until this moment, all the students had remained silent, but

after Mashima-sensei's speech ended, Sanada stood up

from his chair, bowed to the teachers, and asked:

— As you explained earlier, we can infiltrate a "traitor" into

the opposing class's students. But won't they immediately

reveal themselves to avoid betraying their classmates? It

seems to me that no one would betray their class for

personal points or 50 class points at the end of the

discussion. Won't some of them directly declare

themselves a "traitor" to the monitor?

If the discussion is on equal terms, undoubtedly, there will

be students who will want to support their class by being

"traitors." However, as Sanada said, traitors can earn

personal and class points while remaining in the shadows.

Therefore, there was a chance that traitors could

deliberately hide the truth from their class for profit.

— This is a valid question, but within the framework of this

exam, it is impossible because the discussion participants

will receive slightly different explanations than you.

— Different explanations?

— Yes. The victory conditions are only open to you, the

representatives, while other students do not know all the

details. Their goal, as stated to them, is simply to

participate in discussions. They are unaware of what is

required to achieve victory.

Roughly speaking, the discussions among the groups will

not make any sense. If the discussion participants knew

that the representatives needed to find the "top students,"

they could signal their representatives with gestures like a

stomach ache or cough. But the school effectively

resolved this contradiction. As a result, the representatives

will compete under one set of rules, while the discussion

participants will follow another. Of course, some students

might find this unnatural or even guess that the

representatives are observing their discussions, but

without complete information on what is required for

victory, they cannot help their class win.

Rather, revealing their role could lead to problems like

losing rewards. The same applies to the "traitor." Even if

the "traitor" manages to speak with the representative of

the opposing class during the dialogue, due to the specific

rules, they will likely be unable to stay in the room and

earn 50 class points for their class. However, during the

dialogue, it is crucial to answer honestly. If you lie and are

exposed, you will be expelled from school.

It seems several abilities are required for success in this

special exam. First, it's important to have a good

understanding not only of your classmates but also of the

classmates from the opposing class. The exam's difficulty

level will be much lower if you are familiar with the usual

habits, tone, voice, and gestures of other students.

Additionally, significant insight is required to detect subtle

movements and not miss important fragments of

conversations. Moreover, since representatives can

communicate with each other, they must not be misled. All

of this is essential to keep in mind. Meanwhile, according

to Mashima-sensei, the students' physical abilities indeed

will not play any role. Moreover, it turned out that not

appointing Hiyori as a member of his team was the right

decision for Ryuuen, as Hiyori would be most useful

during discussions rather than observations.

At this stage, I cannot make a final judgment, but it seems

to me that Ryuuen is in a good position, for example,

because this exam does not require academic knowledge

from his class. It seems a calm before the storm has

begun.

Part 1

The 12 class representatives headed to the waiting room,

where they would remain until the official start of the

exam. Inevitably, the conversation turned to the rules. I

listened to Horikita and Yosuke's discussion.

— As expected, the school designed it so that both the

representatives and the regular students play crucial roles

in this exam.

— Indeed, victory can only be achieved through the

coordinated efforts of both parts of the class.

If the discussion participants speak little or make careless

remarks, it increases the likelihood that the representative

of the opposing class will deduce their roles and deplete

our life points. Additionally, we cannot rule out the

possibility that some students might deliberately refuse to

engage in the discussion, making it difficult for either side's

representatives to designate their role. In such cases, we

would have to rely on luck or innate intuition. Of course,

this is the least desirable option.

— Even so, to be honest, I'm worried about Ike-kun and

the others…

Horikita seemed concerned that some of our classmates

might misunderstand their roles as participants. It seemed

she wanted to personally explain the aspects of the rules

to the whole class. But the things known to the

representatives cannot be conveyed to other students.

Those are the rules.

— I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried, but I get the

feeling that everyone is on edge right now.

Yosuke concluded this by looking around at the other

representatives.

— You're probably right. Everyone is in the same boat,

and no one knows for sure how the exam will go.

— Something tells me this won't be easy. Under normal

circumstances, the school would organize a 7-on-7

competition, but here, the roles are the only thing that

matters. In other words, even students from another class

can bring us victory.

The conditions of this exam put both classes on equal

footing.

— Nothing comes to mind…

Yosuke seemed to try generating a plan in his head but

quickly gave up on the idea. The waiting room had two

large monitors and 12 chairs.

— Students in this waiting room can observe the exam's

progress through the monitors. All the necessary

information about the remaining life points of each side will

also be displayed on the left.

"Result"

- "Vanguard Representative, Class 2B - _. Life Points – 0."

- "Main Force Representative, Class 2D - _. Life Points –

4."

- "Main Force Representative, Class 2B - __. Awaiting…"

- "Interval Remaining Time: 10:00."

— This is an example of how you will receive information.

The blanks will be filled in with the names of your

representatives. The same applies to the second monitor

for Classes A and C.

The monitor displayed only the most basic information and

did not offer any hints for a successful strategy for the

exam.

— Representatives are prohibited from leaving this floor

until the special exam is over. During the waiting period,

you may go to the restroom, but if you exceed the allowed

time limit, you will be penalized. Be careful.

Apparently, these measures were necessary to isolate the

representatives in the waiting room from the currently

playing representatives and other students.

Representatives were stripped of any communication

devices and subjected to thorough inspections. It seemed

that now even their movements would be closely

monitored. Therefore, it was best not to engage in any

suspicious actions that could arouse the teachers'

suspicion.

— I would like each trio of representatives to discuss the

composition of each of the five groups among themselves.

The time limit is 1 hour.

Following Mashima-sensei's instructions, Horikita, Yosuke,

and I formed an improvised circle. Ichinose's class

followed our example. As for Sakayanagi's and Ryuuen's

groups, their representatives moved slightly closer

together but didn't start talking.

— It looks like those two want to designate the groups

themselves.

Horikita murmured.

— I think they never planned on relying on their

classmates' help…

Yosuke was somewhat puzzled by Ryuuen's and

Sakayanagi's behavior but maintained a smile.

— Do you have any suggestions?

Horikita, who didn't intend to solve this issue alone, turned

to Yosuke and me for advice.

— I think we should create a group consisting only of

talented students. Yes, we can't use them twice in a row,

but if we don't need to, we can make them our trump card.

The term "talented" in this context didn't mean

academically gifted. It referred to quick-witted students

who could easily read the atmosphere and had excellent

communication skills. Additionally, these students should

have high social approval and not evoke negative

emotions.

— Perhaps Kushida-san would have been more useful if

she were in my place.

— Nothing can be done about it. We assembled the

groups based on the information we had at the time.

Like any other leader, if Horikita had known all the rules in

advance, she would have made the best possible choice.

— In any case, Kushida would be perfect for a strong

group.

— I agree. I think Kushida-san will succeed in this group.

Yosuke nodded confidently and looked at Horikita.

— I sacrificed a lot to keep her in this class. She has to

succeed.

With that, Horikita used her tablet to include Kushida in

one of the groups. From time to time, she sought our

opinions, and Yosuke continued to advise her. I only

occasionally voiced my thoughts, observing their work

from the sidelines. After all, Horikita knew best which

group she considered the strongest.

— By the way, Horikita-san, what do you think about the

exam rules?

Yosuke wouldn't be Yosuke if he didn't lighten the serious

atmosphere with a bit of conversation. Moreover, it

seemed he was genuinely interested in Horikita's

perspective.

— I knew the exam wouldn't just require academic or

physical abilities, but I never expected it to develop like

this. What skills are needed to win here? Even if you form

a good group, there's no guarantee of victory.

— Yeah, the school is asking for some extracurricular

skills.

An exam where the real battle is only between the

representatives, while the students gathered for

discussions are all in the same boat. Moreover, the regular

students aren't even given the full conditions of the exam,

making them discuss without a clear understanding of the

situation. In such a scenario, we can't count on help from

classmates. The question of group composition then takes

a backseat. What's important is not the status of a student

but their behavior in discussions and how easily their role

can be analyzed by the representative.

— At the very least, the representative must have a good

understanding of people. They must even possess some

level of insight.

— That's true, but… In that case, our opponent is far more

formidable than we anticipated.

Saying this, Horikita glanced at Ichinose. Fortunately, their

group was engrossed in forming their groups, so they

didn't notice Horikita's behavior.

— Based on the known rules, they might have a better

chance of winning.

— Maybe so…

I think this is a very interesting special exam. Especially

valuable is the fact that any representative can win.

Usually, the outcome of a special exam is determined by

the overall effort of the entire class, but now victory can be

achieved by one person. This may sound biased, but it

seems to me that each of the four groups has equal

chances of winning. Anyone can win. Horikita, with

Yosuke's help, finished forming the groups. One last thing

remained that I wanted to clarify. I realized this as soon as

I read the rules.

— We need to discuss one more thing unrelated to group

distribution. The right to appoint the "traitor." Leave it to

me.

As soon as I said this, Horikita's fingers loosened their grip

on the tablet she was holding.

— This is another one of your unfair demands… I thought

we had discussed everything, and I had high hopes for the

role of the "traitor." I wanted to win as the main force using

it, you understand?

Horikita was in the main force rank but was eager to

defeat the opposing general. But it's important for me to

implement the "traitor" myself, so I decided to discuss this

issue in advance.

— Does this not suit you? You won't yield to me?

— It depends on the severity of the situation. How badly

do you need the "traitor"?

Horikita tried to clarify whether I could win without using

the "traitor."

— My opponent is Ichinose. And if I understand the rules

correctly now, she will be a formidable opponent. I would

be glad if you could handle the exam without my help, but

from a rational standpoint, it would be better to save the

"traitor" for last.

— I understand where you're coming from, but still… Then

you'll have to soften your other conditions. After all, we

didn't agree to this.

If Horikita refuses the right to appoint the "traitor," she will

have to defeat Ichinose, who has this right. Even despite

the difference in life points, these are extremely unfair

conditions.

— Then let's do this. If I lose after appointing the "traitor," I

will cooperate with the class until the end of our schooling.

— Are you willing to give up your meager six months?

— Exactly.

— You never declared a willingness to cooperate

unconditionally… So with the "traitor" role, you won't lose.

Then there should be no problem.

I hadn't expected my decision to extend the cooperation

period by another six months to have such an effect.

— You know, in that case, I won't even mind losing. Maybe

I'll deliberately let them win?

Horikita smirked. Of course, she would never actually do

that. Although we had an hour allotted for forming the

groups, all the representative groups finished this task in

just 10 minutes, leaving us with nothing but waiting for the

exam to start.

Even now, with all the rules revealed, no one could be

100% sure of what awaited us. However, I didn't plan on

sitting idly by, so as soon as I caught Ryuuen's eye, I

gestured to him that I wanted to talk. Ryuuen seemed to

understand the signal and immediately stepped out of the

class.

— I need to go to the restroom.

I informed Horikita and Yosuke and also left the corridor of

the special building. There, I was already being waited for.

— Ayanokoji-kun.

Hoshinomiya-sensei addressed me standing behind the

door. She spoke quite quietly, likely to prevent her voice

from echoing down the corridor.

— Are you heading to the restroom? Can you spare a

minute?

As soon as I stopped, Hoshinomiya-sensei approached

me even closer. So close that I could have reached out

and touched her.

— It's surprising that you were chosen as a representative.

I never would have thought.

— Really? At the end of last year, I also participated in the

final special exam.

Hoshinomiya-sensei chuckled slightly.

— My class already has slim chances. We're in Class D,

you know? And your presence lowers our chances to

below zero. Do you understand the irony?

Hoshinomiya-sensei openly expressed her opinion. To

some extent, she was even exceeding her authority.

— Your class has every chance of winning, given the

exam's rules. You are quite a formidable opponent.

— Does it matter whether it's easy or hard to defeat us?

Only victory matters.

Hoshinomiya-sensei continued to speak vaguely:

— Maybe so, but right now, everyone is on equal footing,

so…

I was suddenly interrupted by Hoshinomiya-sensei:

— Let us win. Don't play at full strength.

It was a direct request. Much cruder than the one Kanzaki

had asked of me.

— This is a serious request. Can I hold back when the

class entrusted me with the role of "general"?

— I'm not saying you should do it for free. If you want, I

could give you something in return.

— Very few things can be exchanged for an exam victory.

Besides, you, Hoshinomiya-sensei, are a teacher. Isn't

interfering in the exam against the unspoken rules?

Hoshinomiya-sensei looked around, making sure no one

was watching, and then stepped half a step closer to me.

— I can't lose to Sae-chan. I'm willing to do anything for

that.

— I see. So you don't care about the position of a teacher.

— Exactly.

— Then let me hear you out. What can you offer?

— Anything within my power. For example, I could find out

information about the special exams you'll face in your

third year in advance. And share it with you, of course.

I was curious to see what Hoshinomiya-sensei would be

willing to do for victory, but what I heard exceeded all my

expectations. She probably wasn't joking.

— If you're willing to go that far, why not share this

information with your class?

— These kids aren't capable of it. They would never stain

themselves with wrongdoing. Even if I offered them this

option, they wouldn't use it. They'd probably try to talk

sense into me.

Even in pursuit of victory, Ichinose wouldn't resort to

deception. If she found out about the gamble

Hoshinomiya-sensei wanted to pull off, she would

probably stop her to save her from dismissal.

— But you're not like that, Ayanokoji-kun? I'm sure you'll

find a worthy use for this information.

— It's a great offer, but too risky. I have to decline.

Hoshinomiya-sensei likely hadn't expected me to refuse

her tempting offer.

— Then what would you like? Ayanokoji-kun, just ask, and

I'll…

— I don't need anything specific. It's better if you make the

offers.

— Hm… Well, there is another option… One that only I

can do…

Saying this, Hoshinomiya-sensei reached her right hand to

my ear.

— You want to clean my ears?

— Don't joke… You know perfectly well what I mean.

Hoshinomiya-sensei made it clear she was willing to give

up everything she had, but agreeing to her offer now

would be too risky. If she were just a foolish teacher

striving for victory, I would have brushed her off without

hesitation. But I could clearly sense genuine determination

in her words. And if that's true, she could use any of my

words against me in the future. I had to be aware of this

risk.

— Ayanokoji-kun, you have such an unpleasant look… As

if you're looking straight into my soul…

— The only thing you can do now, Hoshinomiya-sensei, is

to wish your class luck.

— So you won't let us win?

I took a step away from Hoshinomiya-sensei.

— Is that so surprising? Ichinose's and Horikita's classes

are in completely different positions.

— In that case, I can't guarantee the methods I'll resort to.

— That's interesting. It will be fascinating to see. And now,

please excuse me.

Saying this, I headed towards the restroom. Hoshinomiyasensei didn't try to call or stop me again.