Chapter 008: The Elite Class A, Katsuragi: The Advantage is Ours!
Having paid points to buy useful information, Sakayanagi's intent was to maximize their interests, reaching a height that no previous Class A had ever achieved.
That was to take advantage of this month's "Behavioral Standards Evaluation," where the initial 1,000 evaluation points of each class would be continuously deducted, and ensure the other classes had their points deducted until they were absolute zeros! 2
That way, Class A could directly lead by over nine hundred points.
One could say her idea was insane, but it would naturally be rejected by a moderate like Katsuragi.
After all...
Class A had obtained the true nature of the school and the exam questions in advance on the first day of enrollment.
According to the class teacher, the Behavioral Standards Evaluation is the first special exam for every new batch of students, and it is never announced. If one can perceive the school's peculiarities in advance and prepare, they can ensure their class loses fewer points.
A class capable of maintaining 900 evaluation points in the first month currently does not exist.
Even the Third-year Class A, where the most excellent Student Council President Horikita Manabu resides—when they were first-years, after the first month's Behavioral Standards Evaluation ended, their Class A only had 898 evaluation points.
Despite that, it was still an incredibly strong showing, as past Class As generally fluctuated between 750 and 800-plus after the first month, while Class Bs fluctuated between 600 and 750.
However, this year's First-year Class A, because they obtained the school's true nature and the exam details on the very first day, was very likely to achieve an evaluation score of over 950 points.
Such a feat would be enough to break the school record.
Furthermore, knowing that Student Council President Horikita Manabu is the type of person who recognizes you if you have strength—and might even invite you to join the Student Council—achieving this score might grant them entry into the council.
No matter how you looked at it, this was more effective.
The 1.5 million points paid on the first day had already yielded practical results.
Thus...
Many people supported the Katsuragi faction's preference for stability, but there were still those who supported Sakayanagi Arisu's radical faction.
Because...
Since they had obtained information from the start that no other class had, simply seeking stability seemed like a bit of a waste.
They could completely use this to maximize their profits. Since special exams occur every month and continue until graduation in the third year, being in Class A now doesn't mean you'll be in Class A forever. If the lower classes have excellent individuals, they might successfully stage a reversal.
So, rather than letting the other classes have points slowly deducted for "behavior not befitting a qualified, excellent student" like the usual Classes B, C, and D, it would be better to be more aggressive. If they could open a massive lead right away, they wouldn't have to fear being slightly overtaken by a lower class once or twice in the various upcoming special exams.
"Admittedly, your proposal has its merits, but if we truly drag the other classes down to a low-point state..."
Then perhaps in the upcoming special exams, our class will face a joint siege from the others.
School has only just begun; I don't want our Class A to face a situation where we are up against three classes at once. After all, even if the students in Classes C and D have low ability, we cannot rule out the possibility of special exams involving 'human wave' tactics in the future.
Therefore, Sakayanagi, give it up," Katsuragi said.
Following this, the number of students supporting Katsuragi's moderate faction reached 25.
As the leader of the radical faction, including Sakayanagi Arisu herself, her supporters ultimately numbered only 15.
However, Sakayanagi was unconcerned.
Because, just like playing chess, it's not about the quantity of pieces, but the quality. Those who supported her now could be considered the elites of this class, possessing excellent vision.
At this moment, the students began discussing the commotion coming from Class B.
"Perhaps the Class B students have also discovered the true nature of this school," Sakayanagi Arisu said unhurriedly.
Her voice was also quite pleasant to the ear.
She was incredibly cute, with a beautiful voice, complemented by white silk stockings and a cane.
It made people feel she was both adorable and pitiable.
However...
"Class B has already found out?" Katsuragi frowned slightly.
This meant that the advantage of steadily opening a gap between themselves and Classes B, C, and D was going to be weakened.
"After all, ten days have passed. If they didn't have any insight by now, then the other classes in this year's batch would be quite boring," Sakayanagi Arisu wore the expression of a master lonely at the top.
"But also because ten days have passed, Class B has likely already had 100 evaluation points deducted."
"That's a fair point," Katsuragi nodded again with confidence.
So what if this year's Class B finally obtained information about the school at this point? They were still a step behind Class A. They had already been docked over 100 points.
Therefore, the advantage still belonged to their Class A. No—they had also lost fewer points than any other First-year Class A in history.
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On the other side, the afternoon finally passed. Although Advanced Nurturing High has its differences from the outside world, school still let out quite early in the afternoon.
Because the Sobu High school Hikigaya previously attended was itself a school with a very high deviation value, and he had already completed a full year there, the curriculum at Advanced Nurturing High was relatively easy for him.
He could get by just by "slacking off".
As the two consecutive periods ended, the students welcomed the end of the school day.
However, there were many "good kids" in Class B. They either went to participate in club activities or stayed behind to study, forming their own study groups to help one another.
They did this without needing any supervision.
One could say that Hikigaya had never encountered this kind of class atmosphere even at Sobu High. Unfortunately, being a "purely good kid" wasn't particularly suited for this school.
Hikigaya packed his bag, preparing to leave the classroom to look for a specific person.
Of course, Hikigaya wouldn't say it out loud, but it was because the message he sent to Student Council President Horikita Manabu had finally received a reply.
[I don't know where you obtained my number, but if you want the list of first-year students, you need to pay 100,000 points. For the whole school, it is 300,000 points. I do not provide a service for simply inquiring whether I have a certain student's name. I have work to do.]
That was Horikita Manabu's reply.
This President seemed quite business-like.
However, Hikigaya remembered from the original story that he was a person who placed great importance on the strength of others. If he recognized someone, he would grant them preferential treatment.
Therefore, he had to show his strength to Horikita Manabu. Or perhaps, the mere fact that he had obtained his number already made the President want to test him a little.
Because his reply was "I do not provide such a service," could it be understood that he could do such a thing, but... he wouldn't?
Then, what kind of "strength" would be recognized by Horikita Manabu?
Hikigaya recalled the first time the original protagonist met Horikita Manabu.
It was at the end of the first month; Manabu went to see his foolish sister who had been assigned to Class D, wanting to persuade her to withdraw.
When Horikita Suzune refused, he seemed prepared to use violence, and then the original protagonist, Ayanokouji, engaged him in combat using "fist techniques learned from practicing calligraphy while carrying a piano." The two fought to a stalemate, thereby earning his recognition.
But...
Isn't this "meritocracy"? Can fists really achieve such a great effect?
Hikigaya had no talent for sports like Hayama or Totsuka Saika, and compared to a sports monster like Shibata-kun here in the "Elite" world, he was far inferior.
However, using one's weak points to compete against another's strengths is not something a smart person would do.
Hikigaya had his own advantage: he had finished reading all 23 volumes of "Classroom of the Elite." Thus, he knew that Horikita Manabu actually never had the intention of making his sister withdraw.
Moreover, he was a massive "Siscon" who cherished his sister deeply and worried himself sick over her.
To some extent, Hikigaya had something in common with him.
That being the case...
He knew better than anyone how to deal with a "Siscon."