If you're enjoying Hachiman's journey through the Elite Classroom, please consider supporting the story with your Power Stones!
Every vote helps the novel grow and reach more readers.
Thank you for your support! 🙏😊
★★★
Hachiman returned to the dormitory.
Of course, he was now heading to Horikita Suzune's dormitory.
It was strange for a boy to frequently go to the girls' floor.
However, once there was a first time, there was a second, and after people saw Hikigaya from the same Class come to the girls' floor again, no one was surprised anymore.
Previously, he had gone all out against Kouenji in Class.
He also expressed his goal of being promoted to Class A.
And Horikita also seemed to have such a goal.
So, perhaps for this purpose, the two discussed Class matters with each other.
It's just that aren't they a boy and a girl?
However, no one would probably misunderstand.
Because Horikita is aloof and proud, she doesn't interact with people.
Rather, it's completely unimaginable that she would fall in love.
So when people saw Hachiman come to the girls' floor, some just gave him an extra glance.
But some would also talk to him.
After looking left and right and not finding any other girls, a girl with a beautiful golden ponytail walked up to him.
"You specifically came to find Horikita?" Kei Karuizawa said.
"Don't worry about the exam." Hachiman said.
"Just focus on your tutoring. We've already found the trick and are currently testing it. You'll pass no matter what later."
This was a form of comfort.
Horikita had said more than once that Karuizawa's grades were bad.
Of course, while they were somewhat bad, she could still pass if she studied.
"Oh?"
Karuizawa glanced at him, then watched him enter Horikita Suzune's dormitory.
"…"
Horikita probably prepared slippers, just like before, to make it convenient for him to come over for discussions.
It's just.
She and Kushida were not in a good state right now.
"They're actually testing this knowledge point."
"And this knowledge point isn't in the textbook. Perhaps we need to go to the Library to look at previous editions of textbooks." Horikita Suzune said.
"…" Hachiman.
Hmm.
You guys are really too serious.
And although Kushida didn't know why Horikita suddenly changed her personality and actually invited her, she naturally seized the opportunity to diligently improve her favorability with the other party.
She knew that Horikita Suzune was not the kind of person whose favorability would increase just by offering warmth and comfort.
Horikita was currently working on the papers, looking for answers.
So the action she could take now to boost the other party's favorability was probably this.
Kushida was also doing practice questions, looking for an unknown version of the paper from previous years.
"Excuse me." Hachiman said.
"Kushida, you spent 35,000 points to buy the papers, right? I'm transferring these points to you now. You shouldn't have to bear this cost personally."
"Eh?"
Kushida blinked softly.
"Hikigaya, are you saying you'll pay for it?"
"No," Hachiman said.
"It's just that someone is helping to reimburse it."
"Then that's truly a good person." Kushida said.
The current Class evaluation score was 450 points, and on the 1st, her account also received 45,000 private points transferred from the School.
Although she still had about 40,000 points left last month, if she had to pay 35,000 for the test papers, her life would become a bit tight.
However, whether it was buying the test papers or doing the problems at the printing shop, neither Horikita nor Hikigaya mentioned how the points she had already paid in advance for the test papers would be handled.
As a result, it was truly wonderful that Hikigaya was now coming to reimburse her.
But.
No, no.
Kushida.
If someone is responsible for reimbursement, then she should ask who is so rich, and if it's a student from another Class paying, then it means the test questions have been leaked to another Class.
So the matter is actually quite serious.
But Kushida didn't think in that direction at all.
Actually, Kushida seemed quite smart, but Hachiman always felt that she was... seemingly foolish, yet truly wise.
She only saw one point and missed everything else.
"Hikigaya, do you want to join us in solving problems?" Horikita said.
"There are still a few problems in Chemistry and Biology that haven't been dealt with."
"I'll pass on that." Hachiman said.
"If it's Kokugo, then I can help, but for these subjects, no."
This midterm exam's assessed subjects were Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, and Chemistry.
Actually, the courses taught also included History, Kokugo (National Language), and so on.
But now these five subjects were chosen.
"Then help me borrow the past textbooks from the Library." Horikita Suzune said.
"Some of the knowledge points for certain problems aren't written in our books. They should be content from previous years' textbooks."
"Alright."
Hachiman wasn't participating in solving problems, so he would go do this task of cooperative division of labor, like borrowing books.
Thus, although he had just arrived, Hachiman walked to the entrance and began changing his shoes.
Just.
"…"
He looked back at the busy Horikita and Kushida.
They were filling in answers.
But.
Hachiman suddenly thought.
Chabashira-sensei had said when announcing the exam rules that Third Year students also had written exams.
And then.
Horikita's actions now were undoubtedly the correct solution required by the School, which demanded flexibility, so they should seize this flexibility and make full use of it.
And now it was the seventh day since the teacher announced the midterm written exam.
Among them, Hachiman's Class had free tutoring from the top students of the allied Class B.
But other Classes, such as the Third Year, didn't take this special exam seriously at all.
Most of them even started shopping after School.
Very leisurely.
And if you went to the Library, you wouldn't see Third Year students occupying seats to study.
From this perspective.
Third Year students were relaxed, enjoying their School life.
These were students who had already grown accustomed to and enjoyed the School's rules.
But.
Hachiman wondered, was this truly the optimal solution for this exam?
…
The next day.
Lunch break.
Hachiman still went to the third floor of the cafeteria, to Sakayanagi Arisu's private room.
The room was reserved by Sakayanagi Arisu at her own expense, and even when she wasn't in the cafeteria, the room had to be kept empty for her.
She didn't like sharing rooms with others.
Doing so required more money.
But she didn't mind.
It seemed she was a very possessive person.
Just.
Could it be that Sakayanagi Arisu called him today because Kamuro's purchase of the test papers was exposed?
And Sakayanagi Arisu was seeking justice for Kamuro, who had been blackmailed into paying a high price?
Kamuro was indeed blackmailed, because buying the test papers only cost 35,000, but the other party paid 100,000 points.
She was truly a big sucker.
Hachiman arrived a bit early, so he waited for a while before he saw a girl with silver-white hair wearing a small black beret, leaning on a cane, slowly and with some difficulty stepping towards him with her slender legs clad in white over-the-knee socks.
This was Sakayanagi Arisu.
Her attendant, Kamuro, seemed to be absent now.
But.
"Hikigaya-kun, it's truly rare. You've already arrived before I did."
Sakayanagi's lips held a gentle smile, and her sapphire-deep eyes carried a playful look, "Are you that eager to meet me? But I'm sorry, you're not my type."
"I like unique and intelligent types." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
And she even took the initiative.
But.
The destructive power of this 'not the type the other person likes' item card is truly strong.
Hachiman thought to himself.
"So, what's the purpose of today's invitation?" Hachiman said.
"Because I'm feeling a bit bored." Sakayanagi said.
"…" Hachiman's expression was probably like (*_*).
She called him over specifically because she was bored?
And Sakayanagi continued speaking.
"My people found out that this special exam is a School-wide unified test."
"However, the Third Year students aren't studying, and upon inquiry, it was discovered that this written exam's questions are the same as previous exams."
"So, as long as you buy past test papers from Third Year students, you can pass very smoothly." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
Then you're truly bright, directly laying out the path to smoothly passing the exam.
But this also means that this midterm exam has no meaning.
Because Class A, Class B, and Hachiman's Class C also have test papers.
So, with effort, all Classes can receive a good Class evaluation score reward.
In this way, even Hachiman couldn't maximize his benefit.
And Class A's academic foundation itself isn't bad, and they also know that they can buy old questions, so obtaining 100 points as a Class evaluation score reward is almost a given.
And for Sakayanagi, there's nothing she needs to personally operate.
So, such an exam must be quite boring for her.
And the whole School taking the same exam makes it even more meaningless.
There's very little room for manipulation.
But.
"Although it's based on old questions." Hachiman said.
"This is a unified exam for all School students. It can be said that, apart from First Year students, Grade 2 and Third Year students already knew they could buy test papers from previous year's seniors or juniors."
"Oh?"
Sakayanagi Arisu looked over.
There was another reason she invited him over.
That was because his operations and ideas were unusual.
To some extent, she also needed to take them seriously.
"While eating together is good, but… I think sometimes smashing the rice bowl might be better." Hachiman said.
"Because the bowl is very expensive."
"Oh?" Sakayanagi blinked softly.
"What do you want to do?"
Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes seemed to light up, indicating her great interest, which meant she actually disliked adhering to conventions or rules, and instead preferred unconventional, extraordinary things.
What a terrifying little devil.
"Since the entire School is using old questions for the exam."
Hachiman said, "And this has become a custom, but I don't think this is the best way to approach the exam."
"So I have an idea." Hachiman said, "What if we break all their bowls?"
"For example, three days before the exam, the test papers they bought and memorized are leaked, or even unusable. What would that be like?"
What would it be like?
It would be despairing.
"So." Hachiman looked at Sakayanagi Arisu. "Sakayanagi, are you interested in this matter?"
Interested… huh.
"Leaking the questions before the exam, you truly are a devil." Sakayanagi said.
Her tone didn't reveal her mood.
But.
"And such a thing cannot gain the School's approval." Sakayanagi Arisu said, seemingly with some regret.
"Because it would cause a large number of expulsions, and the School would not support or agree to such a thing."
This is true.
Because most of the students came to this School through special selection.
They are all important samples.
And the School also provided points and resources.
If a large number of them were expelled like this, it would definitely be a waste of money.
So the School would not support it.
However, your comprehensive analysis now means that you are indeed interested in such a terrifying thing, aren't you?
"So we need to grasp a degree." Hachiman said.
"There's no need to truly break the rice bowl. Even if the questions are leaked, new test papers are prepared for replacement as a backup."
"And in this process, it's very likely to gain the support of Third Year students."
"The Student Council election requires all School students to participate, so this method can be used to gain a portion of the votes."
"And as Class A's representative, although Sakayanagi was rejected by Horikita Manabu, she must still want to achieve this position through her own efforts, right?" Hachiman continued.
Although these words sounded good, Sakayanagi Arisu had only casually submitted an application to the Student Council.
Then, on the 1st, she and Katsuragi were directly rejected by Horikita Manabu.
Although Sakayanagi maintained her cuteness at the time.
But there was dissatisfaction, too.
So, Hikigaya's proposal did indeed make Sakayanagi's heart waver.
The Student Council election requires a recommendation from the Student Council President, and then it also needs to gain support from all the students in the School.
And the latter point is very difficult.
So, it's necessary to seize the opportunity.
And isn't this opportunity right here now?
Sakayanagi thought to herself.
But very quickly.
"…" Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi Arisu immediately recognized, "Hikigaya, you're trying to set a trap for me. You want me to put all my effort into the Student Council."
Hikigaya remained expressionless.
However.
It really was a trap set for her.
On one hand, Hikigaya wanted to reach Class A, so he needed to stabilize Sakayanagi Arisu.
This girl is a genius.
If it weren't for her physical discomfort, then perhaps she would be an all-rounder type of genius.
So, with her leading Class A, Hikigaya's Class wouldn't even be worthy of trying to challenge it.
Then… what should he do?
Naturally, it was to restrain Sakayanagi Arisu.
By making her shift her focus from Class competition and pay attention to the Student Council, she naturally wouldn't have as much energy to lead Class A.
And the type like Katsuragi is the optimal state for Hikigaya's Class to easily challenge.
Therefore.
Sakayanagi Arisu, hurry up and get involved with the Student Council, and don't worry about Class evaluation points or anything like that.
Hikigaya thought to himself.
....
https://discord.gg/mjcCSyu7Yr
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)