Chapter 17: The School’s Reward
After completing his morning training, Hashima Hikaru was soaked in sweat.
Wiping his face, he glanced at the system screen in front of him.
[Training Time: 60 Minutes Achieved.]
[Exercise Log Updated.]
[Athletic Booster Active: Goal 1/30 Completed.]
"Finally, a good start."
Hikaru took a deep gulp of water, draining the plastic bottle dry.
Then, brushing back the damp strands of hair that clung to his forehead, he headed back to his dormitory.
---
By the time he finished showering, it was 8:00 AM.
He briefly considered heading to the cafeteria for breakfast—
But ultimately, he settled for a vending machine sandwich instead.
This new training regimen was something he still needed to adjust to—
Not just in terms of scheduling, but also physically adapting to it.
Breaking free from years of physical stagnation wouldn't happen overnight—
Consistency was key.
---
When Hikaru entered Class 1-B's classroom, he was surprised to find that most of the students had already arrived.
Only a few seats were empty.
And the moment he stepped inside—
All eyes turned toward him.
"Good morning, Hikaru-kun!"
"Morning, Hikaru."
"Hikaru-kun, good morning!"
The entire class greeted him with unexpected enthusiasm.
Hikaru smiled politely in response, acknowledging each greeting as he made his way to his seat.
But the moment he sat down—
The other students suddenly gathered around him.
"...What's going on?"
Hikaru was completely bewildered.
At that moment, Ichinose, his seatmate, leaned in to explain the situation.
"It's because of your plan yesterday."
"The 20 Million Point plan?"
"Yeah."
Ichinose looked slightly guilty as she continued.
"After we left, everyone was really curious about what we discussed—"
"They kept asking me, and I… couldn't keep it a secret."
Hikaru sighed inwardly.
So the whole class already knew.
And sure enough—
The surrounding students excitedly chimed in:
"Hikaru-kun! This plan is incredible! There's no reason for us not to join!"
"Protecting our classmates from expulsion is something I want to contribute to as well!"
"Exactly! We're Class 1-B—We stand together!"
The entire class voiced their unanimous support.
Not a single person objected.
Hikaru was momentarily speechless.
His original plan was to gradually integrate the class by first recruiting influential students—
Then, using their credibility to spread the initiative.
Ultimately, he had intended for Ichinose to formally propose the idea and handle the contributions.
But instead—
The entire class had already reached a consensus.
They were simply waiting for his approval.
Hikaru took a deep breath and asked seriously:
"Do you all really trust me with this?"
His gaze swept across the room.
"20 million private points is no small amount."
"If you join this plan, your available points will decrease significantly."
But the students responded without hesitation.
"We've already decided."
"With you and Ichinose leading us, we believe in your decisions."
"That's right! With Hikaru-kun's strategies, our class will definitely have an advantage in future competitions."
"If I have to save my points for this, I don't mind at all."
A playful girl winked at him as she said this.
"Hikaru, don't refuse."
At this moment, Kanzaki, who had been observing quietly, spoke up.
"For the next three years, we're all on the same boat."
"Since we trust your leadership, go ahead and do what you need to."
"Kanzaki-kun is right."
Ichinose nodded firmly beside him.
"If we truly want to avoid expulsions—"
"Pooling our resources is the best way to do it."
Hikaru hesitated briefly.
His concern wasn't about handling the funds.
It was about the responsibility of managing everyone's private points.
But looking at the determined faces of his classmates—
He knew that refusing now would only dampen their morale.
Finally, he nodded.
"Alright. If that's what everyone wants—"
"Then from now on, this plan is a class-wide initiative."
"I'll merge our group chat into a class-wide communication channel."
"That way, we can stay organized and exchange information efficiently."
"Great! Add me in!"
"Me too!"
The classroom erupted in excitement.
Hikaru renamed the group chat to "Class 1-B Family", per Ichinose's suggestion.
Just as they finished organizing—
The first period bell rang.
And their homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya, stepped into the classroom.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei looks unusually happy today."
One of the students remarked curiously.
And indeed—
The fashionable young teacher had a wide smile on her face.
"Did something good happen, sensei?"
A student jokingly asked.
Hoshinomiya's eyes gleamed mischievously as she turned toward Hikaru.
"Of course! And it's all thanks to Hikaru-kun."
"Huh?! What happened?"
Ichinose tilted her head, eyes filled with curiosity.
Hikaru sighed.
He already had a good guess.
"It's probably the reward from the school."
"A reward?!"
The entire class perked up instantly.
"What kind of reward?!"
All eyes turned to Hikaru again.
Smiling lightly, Hoshinomiya finally revealed the answer.
"Since Hikaru-kun successfully uncovered the school's hidden rules—"
"The school has decided to reward both him and Class 1-B."
"No way… Does that mean…?!"
"That's right."
Hoshinomiya nodded, grinning.
"Class 1-B will receive a +100 increase in Class Points."
"Which means—"
"Next month, each of you will receive an extra 10,000 private points."
"YES!!!"
"This is amazing!"
The class burst into cheers.
For them, this was a massive win.
And then—
Hoshinomiya's gaze returned to Hikaru.
"As for Hikaru-kun's personal reward—"
"He's been given 500,000 private points."
"Five hundred thousand?!"
Gasps echoed through the room.
Hikaru calmly checked his student ID.
Sure enough—
His account balance had already been updated.
[Student ID]
[Name: Hashima Hikaru]
[ID: S01T]
[Gender: Male]
[Personal Account: 500,000 Points]
So Horikita Manabu had followed through on his word.
And far quicker than expected.
"What an efficient guy."
Hikaru smirked.
Now that this matter was settled—
It was time to prepare for the next phase.
Target: Class 1-C.
Hikaru pulled out his notebook.
His eyes gleamed with anticipation.