Generally speaking, there's a trick to dealing with this written exam.
And this has already become an unspoken understanding among the upperclassmen, so they don't need to review at all.
As for Hikigaya and his peers, even if they don't discover it this time, by next year, when new First Years enroll, they should know how to take the exam.
However.
Is it really good to stick to the old ways like this?
Admittedly, since the School allows it and even the exam questions don't change, it hopes that students aren't too rigid and should be flexible and adaptable when necessary.
However.
Hikigaya felt this was an opportunity.
By tricking Sakayanagi Arisu's attention towards the Student Council upperclassmen, his probability of advancing to Class A significantly increased.
And he could also test the upperclassmen's bottom line.
If Sakayanagi Arisu could gain some support from the upperclassmen through this exam, then she would have a chance to become the Student Council President.
If she wasn't allowed into the Student Council, then she would become the Student Council President herself.
This seemingly morbid suggestion was, however, gladly accepted by Sakayanagi Arisu.
The Student Council election will be in the second half of the year, and Hikigaya has already decided to aim for Class A by challenging it in these six months.
Of course, Sakayanagi might also fail in her election. From Ichinose's words, Vice President Nagumo of the Grade 2 is very strong.
But as long as Sakayanagi's attention can be diverted, it's worthwhile for Class C.
Although the chance is relatively small, Sakayanagi might also become the Student Council President, in which case Hikigaya's Class would also fall.
But Hikigaya was a staunch supporter of the new Student Council President from the beginning, even providing advice for her campaign.
Therefore.
This could also be considered doing a favor.
If Sakayanagi really rises to power, he hopes she won't forget him.
So, this is a win-win situation.
It's just that, if everyone's bowls are broken as Hikigaya said, wouldn't the exam papers Kushida and the others bought be useless?
No, they wouldn't.
Because even if the table is overturned, Sakayanagi still needs to have a backup plan.
Otherwise, why would the upperclassmen listen?
So, Hikigaya reported that the selling of exam papers was done by First Years, and Sakayanagi needed to be responsible for producing another set of papers for the First Years.
Reporting the School's ancient circulated First Year exam paper, but at such a time, providing new exam papers would also save the School's face.
It's a win-win move.
"Although I feel like I'm being used as a pawn, I have to say, your suggestion is good," Sakayanagi Arisu said. "It seems to have added new fun to campus life."
So, Sakayanagi, you're actually the type who likes challenges?
Good.
Then you should work hard for the position of Student Council President.
And at this moment.
"The food is ready."
A tall girl with purple hair appeared at the door of the private room.
This was Kamuro.
Kamuro wasn't there when Hikigaya arrived, and now he knew what she had gone to do; it turns out she had gone to buy food for them.
How hard you work, Kamuro.
It's just that.
Kamuro Masumi frowned.
"What are you talking about?" Kamuro had, after all, spent over a month with Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi truly treated her as… a flexible tool.
So, she was assigned to do many things.
And because she was given many instructions, she noticed that Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to be in a good mood.
While she was out buying food, the other two were probably talking about something with Hikigaya Hachiman.
Thinking this, Kamuro glanced at Hikigaya.
Only she and Hikigaya knew about her buying the papers. Could it be that Sakayanagi was in a good mood now because she discovered that Kamuro was a bad student?
And then, similar to having another weakness of hers, she could use it to bully her?
This kind of thing, this kind of thing…
"Oh no, this has nothing to do with you," Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"…" Kamuro.
In other words, Sakayanagi didn't know about her academic problems, but something else, and it wasn't even related to her?
She always felt like she missed something.
However, for this written exam, she had already obtained a surefire solution, so there was no need to worry, and nothing else mattered.
Thus.
The three began to eat.
Because Sakayanagi Arisu was very rich, Kamuro never held back with her. The meals she bought were… just ordered casually. She bought whatever she thought tasted good, never looking at the price.
And because of this, she had a very free appetite.
So Kamuro began to eat heartily.
…
On the other side.
After three days of effort, Horikita and Kushida finally completed the answers to the exam papers obtained from the poor student senior, using the past textbooks borrowed by Hikigaya.
After all, they were ancient papers, so in order to get the correct answers, Horikita and the others put in a lot of effort.
And Hikigaya's suggestion was that if they really couldn't fill it in, then they didn't have to.
For the students in the Class, it was enough to roughly get an average score of 80 points and receive the 100 points Class evaluation score reward for the first tier, as mentioned by Chabashira Sensei.
So, just producing answers that would result in around 90 points would be sufficient.
However, Horikita Suzune refused.
According to Horikita, if she didn't solve problems that could clearly be solved, she felt unwilling.
This was the persistence of an academic ace, which Hikigaya didn't quite understand.
But it was great that they could acquire new knowledge.
Although… their exam papers would probably not be used.
Because Hikigaya had already extended an invitation to Sakayanagi Arisu.
She would be responsible for predicting and creating the First Year exam papers to present to the School, while he would be responsible for leaking the old papers.
So the old papers would be exposed, and then… useless.
It's just that.
Telling them this directly would be too cruel.
Therefore.
"I think we shouldn't give them the organized exam papers yet. The students with poor academic performance are all studying now, and if they knew the exam questions, what do you think they would do?" Hikigaya said.
"In other words, everyone would stop studying and start frantically memorizing the obtained papers?" Kushida said.
"Yes." Hikigaya nodded. "So I suggest distributing the papers a few days before the exam." Hikigaya said.
"In that case, there's no other way." Kushida thought for a moment about the character of her classmates and immediately nodded.
Although they had now borrowed 10 academic aces from Class B, and the classmates could only passively study.
But there must be some who don't want to study, but what about after this exam, when there are future written exams?
It's impossible to always have answers to copy, right?
So, everyone needs to improve their academic ability themselves.
"However, you can tell the classmates this news to put their minds at ease," Hikigaya added.
"Tell the classmates?"
"Hmm." Hikigaya nodded. "Give them something to look forward to. If they can persist in studying for 20 days, then I'll give them the papers. And if they're unhappy, just push all the dissatisfaction onto me."
"Hikigaya!"
But as soon as Hikigaya said this, he found his left hand being held by a girl's soft hands.
"Do you want to be the bad guy who pushes everyone?"
"But that would be very difficult." Kushida showed a pitiful expression, which, of course, was like comforting someone.
However.
"…" Hikigaya.
Just a few days ago, Kushida still thought he was a nuisance, but now, he can freely enter and exit Horikita's dorm room. Does he think he has already conquered Horikita Suzune?
And then he thought, what about him?
When Hachiman's hand was held by Kushida, he quickly turned his gaze to the black-haired, fox-eyed girl beside him.
However, Horikita had already finished filling in the old questions. Since she had borrowed an old version of the book, she continued reading.
This was Horikita Suzune's room, and there was no problem with her reading in her own room.
Moreover.
Kushida was also someone he had entrusted her to try and accept, but for her, she was still used to being alone.
"Then let's arrange it like this for now," Hachiman said.
Horikita and Kushida had no objections.
Because Hachiman provided reimbursement for the money spent on buying the practice tests, Kushida suffered no loss.
And when it was finally time to distribute the practice tests, she participated in filling in the answers.
So… her name, Kushida, would also be known by the Class.
This was very satisfying.
At the same time.
She and Horikita seemed to have… become [friends].
Then her goal was mostly achieved.
It became a bit safer.
And Horikita Suzune.
"…"
Hmm.
For this academic genius, she couldn't understand how someone could fail if they studied hard.
However, she also participated in filling in the answers, even borrowing an old version of the textbook to study in order to complete them.
Even though she knew the Class were going to cheat, she ultimately chose to participate rather than stubbornly believe that cheating was wrong.
This was also an aspect of her becoming slightly more adaptable.
Hachiman thought to himself.
…
Thus.
Time passed.
"Everyone, you've worked hard studying these past few days. We've received news from the upperclassmen that their second-month entrance exam written test from last year had the same questions as the previous year's second-month entrance exam written test."
"And I have this test paper," Hachiman announced a "rumor" during Physical Education Class.
Then the Class immediately erupted.
"If, if that's the case…"
"Then why do we need to study… as long as, as long as we look at, look at that test paper, wouldn't that be enough?"
As the academic failures of Class C, their mentality instantly changed.
"But it's a shame."
"I can only show you the test paper three days before the exam," Hachiman said. "Because for now, it's still important to improve your own academic ability. You can try to cut corners once, but you definitely can't keep doing it."
"And buying the test paper requires 100,000 point," Hachiman said.
"Eh…"
Hearing this number, students who thought Hikigaya was being excessive and then tried to buy from upperclassmen themselves immediately fell silent.
"At the same time, the fact that the test uses old questions seems to be a common secret among the upperclassmen."
"And what if you go about buying it so openly and get blackmailed?" Hachiman said.
Thus.
The Class immediately fell silent.
Because it would cost 100,000 point and they might even be scammed or blackmailed by upperclassmen, the risk was too great.
It was better to wait for Hikigaya to give them the test paper for free three days before the exam.
Moreover, many people had experience that if they crammed and did practice problems frantically for three days before the exam, there should be no problem.
And Karuizawa finally understood what Hachiman meant by his method of guaranteeing she would pass the exam.
"Kei?"
"Why are you staring at Hikigaya in a daze?" Satō Maya, a gyaru next to Karuizawa, asked.
She noticed Karuizawa was distracted.
Then she followed her gaze and saw Hikigaya.
"…" Karuizawa.
She had been ordered by Hachiman not to look at him casually.
And she was actually thinking just now.
It was just.
"I just think it's a bit unbelievable that Hikigaya actually has 100,000 point to buy practice tests," Karuizawa said. "Does he have that many point?"
Everyone received 100,000 point in their first month of enrollment, and then on the 1st of the second month, they all received 45,000 point from the School.
But Hikigaya could pay 100,000 point for consumption.
It was surprising.
"Maybe he has other ways to get point," said a girl who, although she often hung out with Karuizawa and her friends, would not be overshadowed in a group of cute girls.
This was Matsushita Chiaki.
She seemed to come from a good family, with rich experience in both fashion taste and perfume usage.
She was the more mature type within the gyaru group.
"Didn't Kei say she saw Hikigaya eating with a silver-haired loli before?" Matsushita said.
In other words, Hikigaya was actually… being kept by a silver-haired loli from another Class?
He was a gigolo, a kept man!
Thus.
After today, two rumors spread among the First Year.
One was that Hikigaya in their Class was a kept man.
The other was that the Class had received news that the exam would use old questions, so… it definitely couldn't be kept a secret.
They were unwilling to spend money to buy test papers or anything like that.
But it was quite possible for them to chatter and expose some information.
And Hachiman did not stop this; in fact, he did it on purpose.
Among them, Class A, Class B, and Class C all knew about the existence of old questions.
So only Class D, Ryuen Class, remained.
So hurry up and find out, Ryuen Class.
…
And on the other side.
Sakayanagi Arisu's room.
Before her lay old questions for five subjects: Math, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Biology.
The old questions did not have troublesome essay options, only multiple-choice questions.
And the five subjects combined had at least two hundred and fifty questions.
These questions also had to take into account the teaching focus and progress of each of the four Class teachers.
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