Projection
[This school provides students with exceptional benefits—free tuition, living expenses covered, and even a guaranteed job placement or 100% university admission rate after graduation.
It sounds too good to be true.
And that's because—
It is a lie.]
Commentary
Komachi: eyes widen "A lie?! But… the pamphlet said…"
Yui: shocked "Ehh?! So everything they brag about is fake?!"
Yukino: coldly "It's as I suspected. Nothing in life is truly free."
Haruno: smirks "Ufufu~ see? Always strings attached."
Ichika (COTE): grimaces "…Finally, they show it. Took us months to find out."
Ichinose: quietly pained "…So Class A really was the only one…"
Ryuen: snorts "Hah! Trash school wrapped in a pretty bow."
Sakayanagi: soft laugh "Ara~ lies make for the best bait. And the fish keep biting."
Hiratsuka: folds arms "…Figures. Even the school sells illusions."
Hachiman: deadpan "…Free, huh? Told you. The price tag's always hiding somewhere."
Projection
[Every year, students are divided into four classes: A, B, C, and D.
But in the end—
Only students from Class A receive the rewards that the school advertises.]
Commentary
Komachi: frowns "So no matter how hard you work… only Class A gets the prize?"
Yui: angry "That's not fair!"
Yukino: coolly "Fairness is irrelevant. Systems are designed to maintain hierarchy."
Haruno: grinning "Ara, Yukino-chan speaking like a true cynic. Onii-chan's rubbing off on you."
Ichika: bitter "…Exactly. A, B, C, D? It's not even a competition, it's a rigged race."
Ichinose: sadly "…So everyone else graduates with nothing."
Ryuen: growling laugh "Heh! Figures. That's why I don't give a damn about rules."
Sakayanagi: fan hiding her smile "And yet, people cling to hope. How cruel."
Hiratsuka: mutters "…This is worse than I remembered."
Projection
[All other students—
Upon graduation, they are transferred to another school's records to make it appear as though they graduated from there.
This is how the school maintains a 100% university admission and employment rate.]
Commentary
Komachi: gasps "They… fake it?! That's so dirty!"
Yui: disbelieving "Transferred records?! That's like… a scam!"
Yukino: sharp tone "It's deception dressed as efficiency."
Haruno: chuckling darkly "So even diplomas lie. How very Japanese."
Ichika: grim nod "…We all suspected. Now it's spelled out."
Ichinose: hurt expression "…All that work, and in the end, it's erased…"
Ryuen: smirks "Perfect. A system built to crush the weak and feed the top."
Sakayanagi: mock sympathy "Ara~ don't look so sad. Illusions are valuable too."
Hachiman: flatly "…Figures. Even education's just a brand image."
Projection
[Advanced Nurturing High School mission is to cultivate future elites—people who can shoulder heavy responsibilities and solve society's toughest problems.
And their method?
Competition.]
Commentary
Komachi: softly "…Competition… so Onii-chan's right. Free is the most expensive."
Yui: frowns "But… can't they just teach normally?!"
Yukino: matter-of-fact "Adversity breeds strength. It's not nurturing—it's culling."
Haruno: teasing "Ufufu~ Yukino-chan, you're scarier than the school."
Ichika: mutters "…That's exactly it. They pit us like animals."
Ichinose: shakes her head "…But we're just high schoolers."
Ryuen: snickers "So what? Either fight or die. I like it."
Sakayanagi: smiling behind her fan "Ara~ survival is the finest teacher."
Hiratsuka: scowling "…They dress abuse up as education."
Hachiman: deadpan "…Sounds a lot like real life, honestly."
Projection
[By gathering select students together and making them compete as class units,
The school ensures they experience both gains and growth through repeated class battles.]
Commentary
Komachi: worried "Class battles…? So you're fighting classmates and other classes?"
Yui: clutching her sleeves "That sounds awful… all that pressure."
Yukino: narrowed eyes "It enforces dependence while sowing division."
Haruno: smiling "Like putting rats in a cage and seeing who bites first."
Ichika: grim "…That's literally what it feels like."
Ichinose: hesitant "…We tried to stay united, but… it's not easy."
Ryuen: smirking "Heh! Easy? It's survival of the fittest."
Sakayanagi: delighted "Ara~ competition makes such elegant chaos."
Hiratsuka: mutters darkly "…No wonder this place broke me back then."
Hachiman: flatly "…Good thing I already suck at teamwork."
Projection
[So, while it's called class competition, the starting conditions for each class are fundamentally different from the beginning.
The higher-ranked a class is, the better the students' initial abilities tend to be.]
Commentary
Komachi: pouts "So D-Class is doomed from the start?"
Yui: angry "That's not fair! How are they supposed to climb up?!"
Yukino: coldly "It's designed so they don't. It's hierarchy disguised as meritocracy."
Haruno: mock applause "Ufufu~ A system after my own heart."
Ichika: tight-lipped "…Yeah. We felt it every day."
Ichinose: sad "…It was crushing. Knowing the gap was rigged."
Ryuen: growling "Exactly. They shove trash at the bottom so A can shine brighter."
Sakayanagi: soft laugh "And still, some fools believe they can overturn it."
Hiratsuka: sighs heavily "…D was always a dumping ground."
Hachiman: grimace "…Figures I'd end up there."
Projection
[And that was also what she had originally planned to tell Hikigaya if he asked,
In exchange for a huge point cost she was prepared to pay.]
Commentary
Komachi: gasps "So Sensei was ready to tell you!"
Yui: pouts "But only if you asked the right thing?"
Yukino: sharp tone "Information has value. She understands that."
Haruno: grins "Ara~ but Onii-chan's already sniffed it out without paying."
Ichika: mutters "…Lucky bastard. We paid blood for scraps."
Ichinose: admiring softly "…He was close, even without answers."
Ryuen: snarls "Tch. Too damn sharp already."
Sakayanagi: fan hiding her smile "Ara~ worth every gamble, I'd say."
Hiratsuka: half-smile "…That's my idiot."
Hachiman: deadpan "…And they say cynicism doesn't pay."
Projection
["As your homeroom teacher, I don't know much about each of you personally," Chabashira said.
"So I want you to investigate some of your classmates for me. Write up profiles on them and submit them.
For each student, I'll pay you 200,000 points."]
Commentary
Komachi: gasps "Profiles?! She's bribing you to spy?!"
Yui: stammering "T-that's… like… totally shady!"
Yukino: coldly analytical "A test. She's gauging loyalty—and ruthlessness."
Haruno: grinning "Ufufu~ Blackmail as currency. I approve."
Ichika: grim nod "…We got offers too. But not that high."
Ichinose: worried "…200,000… that's so much. It would tempt anyone."
Ryuen: laughs harshly "Now that's power. Snitching for cash."
Sakayanagi: smiling slyly "Ara~ Sae-sensei is clever. Dangle wealth, watch him bite."
Hiratsuka: sternly "And you? You didn't refuse, did you?"
Hachiman: grumbles "…I accepted. What else could I do? Information's worth more than pride."
Projection
[After accepting Chabashira's request, Hikigaya returned to the classroom.
After all, he was still just a student.
But the moment he walked back in—
He found that most of the students were gone.
Only two or three remained.]
Commentary
Komachi: pouts "See?! You were late and missed bonding time!"
Yui: sadly "Aw… Hikki's always left behind."
Yukino: soft but pointed "Because he isolates himself, even when not forced."
Haruno: grins "And now the gap only widens~"
Ichika: grim "…Yeah. Cliques form fast here. He's already behind."
Ichinose: worried "…He'll struggle to catch up."
Ryuen: snickers "Perfect. Outsider from day one."
Sakayanagi: soft laugh "Ara~ some people are destined for solitude."
Hiratsuka: sighs "…Idiot. Always a step late."
Hachiman: flatly "…Story of my life."
Projection
["Hikigaya-kun."
A voice called out to him.
Turning around, he saw a boy with neatly styled greenish-blond hair sitting near the teacher's podium.
"The others went to pick up their textbooks and already brought them back to the dorms."]
Commentary
Komachi: relieved "Ah! Someone noticed you!"
Yui: brightens "Hirata-kun! He's so kind."
Yukino: nods lightly "A natural leader. Reliable."
Haruno: teasing "Ufufu~ looks like Onii-chan found his opposite."
Ichika: half-smile "…Yeah. Hirata's an angel. Almost annoyingly so."
Ichinose: fond smile "That's just like him. Always watching out for others."
Ryuen: snorts "Angel? More like babysitter."
Sakayanagi: smirking "Ara~ the perfect foil to a cynic."
Hiratsuka: amused "…Now that's one boy who'd save him from himself."
Hachiman: awkwardly "…He's… too shiny. I feel like I need sunglasses."
Projection
["It's just—during introductions, you got interrupted, right?
For some reason, I just felt like I couldn't leave you alone."]
Commentary
Komachi: teary "See?! Even strangers look after you, Onii-chan!"
Yui: sniffling "Hirata-kun is too good for this world…"
Yukino: soft sigh "…An angel indeed."
Haruno: smirking "Ufufu~ poor boy doesn't know what he's in for."
Ichika: admits grudgingly "…Hirata's heart is too soft. He'll break himself protecting others."
Ichinose: quiet "…And yet, he never stops."
Ryuen: scoffs "Idiot. That kindness'll get him killed here."
Sakayanagi: delighted "Ara, but doesn't it make for a beautiful tragedy?"
Hiratsuka: watching both boys "…Two opposites. Let's see which one bends first."
Hachiman: mutters "…What kind of guy is this? A male angel, seriously? I can't compete with that."