Chapter 83 Sakayanagi: ? You are truly arrogant! Hachiman: Then let us wait and see!
The meeting place was chosen by Sakayanagi.
Following her directions, Hachiman arrived and immediately saw a figure sitting on a bench near the railing. Sakayanagi Arisu was dressed in a cream-colored knit cardigan over a light pink shirt, with a small bow tied at the collar—she looked quite adorable.
Most striking was her beautiful, short silvery-white hair. Atop her head sat her familiar black beret, tilted slightly over her eyes, making her face look petite and her skin as white as snow. When Hachiman arrived, she was sitting demurely, like an exquisite porcelain doll, while the tall Kamuro Masumi stood quietly by her side.
Hachiman stopped and discreetly scanned the surroundings. He quickly understood: there were no cameras here, it was right by the railing, remote and secluded—indeed a good place for a "private meeting."
'Wait. Wasn't this the exact area where Kushida likes to kick railings and vent her frustrations?'
It turns out not just her, but even Sakayanagi noticed this spot and chose it for a meeting.
'Kushida-san, your choice of secret base is really not that great.'
Subconsciously, he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the scene. Although Hachiman had asked a teacher to disable the shutter sound, the moment he did it, Sakayanagi looked up. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and though her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction, her voice remained quite cute.
"Hikigaya-kun, what are you doing? I didn't give you permission to take photos."
As she spoke, she raised a slender finger to gently tuck a strand of short hair behind her ear. Her beret wobbled slightly. Her usual oppressive aura softened, replaced by a touch of girlish liveliness, yet that pride etched into her bones remained unchanged.
Hachiman put away his phone. His tone was relaxed, lacking any embarrassment of being caught. "Nothing, just a random shot. If you mind, you can take a photo of me to even the score."
He held his phone out toward Sakayanagi, showing zero awkwardness.
"Hmph." Sakayanagi let out a small laugh and turned her head away.
"No need. I'm not a fangirl who revolves around boys; I don't need to waste my time."
Despite her words, the displeasure in her eyes quickly dissipated, replaced by her usual calm and elegance. Hachiman thought to himself: 'Sakayanagi can be quite magnanimous sometimes, not sweating the small stuff, but other times she's very sensitive. Just suggesting she take a photo back made her feel like a 'fangirl'.'
Actually, his reason for taking the photo wasn't because he thought Sakayanagi looked particularly rare at that moment—though the silver hair and black beret did suit her delicate face perfectly. He just felt he should take a photo to remind Kushida that her secret base is accessible to everyone.
She really ought to give up the habit of kicking railings and cursing!
Kamuro, while standing aside, was listening intently. She thought Hikigaya might have some insights into the upcoming exam and hoped to hear his inner thoughts. Unfortunately, she heard nothing. Sakayanagi seemed to be "listening" as well, but after a moment, she too heard nothing.
This was normal; it meant Hikigaya-kun likely wasn't thinking about anything at all.
After a moment of silence, Sakayanagi adjusted her posture, leaning forward slightly. Her left hand rested on the bench's armrest as her gaze landed on Hachiman. Her tone deepened, losing the playfulness and gaining seriousness.
"Let's get to business. We won't be able to face off in this school trip special exam. The school has confirmed that I cannot leave the campus."
Although she had already learned this through Hikigaya's inner voice, now that it was official, a "warmonger" like her felt a trace of loneliness. However, that feeling didn't last long. Sakayanagi quickly tucked away her emotions and tilted her head, her eyes under the beret carrying a hint of playfulness.
"Hikigaya-kun, you should be happy to hear this, right? After all, without me as an opponent, you and Class B should have a much easier time."
'Easier? True.'
Without Sakayanagi as a variable, he could proceed largely according to the original plot, making many plans run smoother.
Hachiman nodded frankly. "It certainly saves a lot of trouble. This way, I can lead Class B to Class A without any reservations."
As a pure Class A student, Kamuro Masumi's expression changed instantly at those words. But Sakayanagi remained calm. She didn't get angry; instead, she smiled, her eyes curving. "Oh? If you can actually do it, I look forward to it. I hope you really can bring Class B up."
Her tone was relaxed, completely unbothered by the threat to Class A's status.
Hachiman raised an eyebrow and cut straight to the chase. "You're being so cooperative because you want me to help you deal with Katsuragi, right?"
Whether from the original story or his current experience, he knew Sakayanagi too well.
This "evil loli" wouldn't do anything without profit.
A flash of approval appeared in Sakayanagi's eyes.
She nodded. "As expected of Hikigaya-kun, you guessed it instantly. Class A only needs one representative. Katsuragi seems steady, but he is actually indecisive and cares too much about fairness and rules. He might not be able to lead Class A properly. Moreover, if he faces you, he likely won't win. Instead of letting him drag Class A down, I'd rather you help me replace him... during this exam."
Her words hid her ambition. Since she couldn't participate, it might be a problem for Class A, but if she could use this chance to strip Katsuragi of his leadership, Class A would fall entirely into her hands. Sorting out internal affairs before growing stronger was a plan that suited her perfectly. She firmly believed that only a Class A led by her could become the best.
"So, I invited you here hoping you would demonstrate your true strength in this exam," Sakayanagi said.
Hikigaya: "..."
'How is that any different from telling me to attack Class A directly? Sakayanagi, you are quite the traitor to Class A.'
But her idea was likely... to let Class A be destroyed so it could be reborn. To wither under Katsuragi and be resurrected under her.
It was incredibly "chuunibyou" (edgy/delusional).
Hachiman recalled that he initially worried about Sakayanagi using her privilege as the Chairman's daughter, information he got from Horikita's older brother. Now, he saw it wasn't necessary.
Whether in the original story or the girl he knew now, there was no need to fear she would abuse her power. To do so would be an insult to her self-proclaimed status as a "genius."
She was too edgy and had immense pride. However, Hachiman deduced her strategy. She still decided to face off with him in this exam, just not through direct combat, but through early positioning.
By calling him out before leaving, she hoped to gather intel. If she couldn't, she could lure him into attacking Class A. Firstly, his attack would damage Katsuragi's command.
Then, as he caused massive losses to Class A, Kamuro would listen to his inner thoughts to figure out his arrangements and inform Katsuragi to minimize the damage.
This way, Class A wouldn't suffer too much, Katsuragi's leadership would be questioned, and Kamuro—acting as Sakayanagi's "hound"—would look like a savior.
Everything would play out in Sakayanagi's favor. As a tactic, it was excellent.
However, there was a bug: Sakayanagi didn't know that Hachiman knew his inner thoughts were being leaked.
Sending Kamuro to eavesdrop was useless. It wasn't about what she could hear of his plans, but what he wanted her to hear.
Secondly, asking him to attack Class A was Sakayanagi's biggest mistake.
"So, what if I say I take this chance to completely crush Class A?" Hachiman looked at Sakayanagi's expression. "By the time Class A reaches your hands, it'll be a total mess."
Sakayanagi's expression didn't flicker. She asked calmly, "Crush it? You mean letting Class A drop to Class B's position?"
"The gap between Classes A and B right now is less than 50 points. After this exam, will the gap be 200 or 300? I'll give you a 400-point gap."
"What difficulty is there in that!" Sakayanagi was full of confidence.
"You seem very sure of yourself," Hachiman remarked.
"Just say whether you'll do it or not," Sakayanagi said.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your Class B. Because I won't be there."
'In the original story, Sakayanagi didn't go, and the Class A led by Katsuragi was indeed weak. Katsuragi's prestige fell because of it.' Hachiman deliberately leaked some useless information internally.
Sakayanagi maintained her confident smile and added, "Even if Class D makes progress, it'll be hard for them to reach Class B, let alone affect Class A."
Wait, Hachiman hadn't leaked info about Class D yet.
This meant Sakayanagi likely already knew that the "Masterpiece of the White Room," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, was in Class 1-D. Naturally, she held some respect for such an expert and believed Class D might perform well. Thus, she expected a chaotic three-way battle between A, B, and D, thinking Hachiman couldn't achieve a total victory.
However, her words also showed her utter disdain for the remaining Class C. Much like Horikita Suzune's initial isolationist attitude, Sakayanagi also looked down on everyone.
Hachiman wasn't like that.
Although he knew the plot and everyone's secrets, just as Hirata's early breakdown proved, knowing the story didn't mean things would go exactly the same way. Everyone has their own thoughts and can act differently from the original.
Therefore, he treated Ayanokouji Kiyotaka with even greater seriousness. He couldn't rule out the possibility of Ayanokouji using even more extreme methods than in the original story. He had to assume the worst.
"I think Class C is actually quite formidable," Hachiman evaluated fairly. "So, what I want to say is: if you don't participate in this exam, I will seize the chance to turn Class A into Class C."
!
Sakayanagi and Kamuro both froze. Hachiman's words sounded completely unrealistic.
The current class points were as follows: Class A: 1055 points Class B: 1011 points Class C: 100 points Class D: 80 points
The gap between A and B was small, and since Sakayanagi wasn't going, B overtaking A was perfectly normal. But Class C only had 100 points. To make the top-ranked Class A drop to Class C's level was an exaggeration. That wouldn't just be a 300-400 point loss; given Class C's current standing, even if C got lucky and gained 100-200 points, Class A would have to lose at least 900 points to drop that far.
Hikigaya Hachiman, you turned Class C's 1000 points to 0 in the first month; are you planning to do the same to Class A?
The idea was still a fantasy. However, this school had already seen two "fantasies" come true. First, Class 1-D lost all 1000 points in the first month. Second, Class 1-C also reached 0 points—because Hikigaya Hachiman set them up. Since he had actually done it before, they couldn't completely dismiss his words.
Sakayanagi regained her composure and glanced at Kamuro. They exchanged a look, and Kamuro understood immediately—while Hachiman's words sounded absurd, they couldn't be ruled out. She had to find more chances to get close to Hachiman on the ship and try to hear his inner thoughts to prepare A class. If Class A really hit 0 points, even Sakayanagi probably couldn't salvage it.
'It's all Sakayanagi's fault. Why did she have to invite Hikigaya Hachiman? Now I know something so terrifying.'
Kamuro had been somewhat unwilling to deal with Hikigaya because his thoughts were too deep and dangerous. But now, she resolved: once they were on the ship, she must find every opportunity to meet him, even if there was only a sliver of hope to hear his mind.
"You truly are arrogant!" Sakayanagi commented on his idea.
"Then let us wait and see!" Hachiman responded.
"..."
The atmosphere became sharp and heavy with the scent of gunpowder. Even Kamuro, standing quietly by the side, could feel the subtle pressure; even her breathing grew heavier.
After a moment, Hachiman seemed to want to ease the tension. He slowed his pace and said, "Actually, I don't think it's a good thing for you to become the class representative of Class A."
He had his own plans. If Katsuragi continued to lead, Class A would remain overall weaker. Sakayanagi would never cooperate with Katsuragi and would even target him; even if Class A lost points, she didn't care, thinking she could earn them back later. But if Sakayanagi led,
even if Katsuragi lost, he would prioritize the big picture and cooperate with her. At that point, Class A's internal division would heal, making them far harder to deal with.
As the representative of Class B, what was most beneficial was a divided Class A or a weaker Class A led by Katsuragi. A Class A led by Sakayanagi was too big a threat.
"Then can you give up this chance to earn massive points?" Sakayanagi asked back. "Or rather, how many points would it take for you to not take action in this special exam?"
She had intended to lure Hikigaya into attacking, but now she felt it wasn't so simple. Even with Kamuro eavesdropping, the fact that she couldn't go herself presented a risk.
She began considering other options. Since she wasn't going and wouldn't have external contact through her phone, remote command was impossible.
"..." Hachiman remained silent.
In normal logic, with Sakayanagi absent, it was the perfect time to raid Class A's base. If he could drag them down, it was a golden opportunity. Not taking action was impossible; it couldn't be settled with points. Sakayanagi obviously knew this.
However, Hachiman was also a "bad Hachiman" now. He had just made the atmosphere tense. If he pushed Sakayanagi too hard, she might actually find a way to attend the exam. Although Class A would lose points due to her inability to move, her presence alone could give them a lifeline. The leverage he wanted to gain would then be halved or lost.
Thus, while Ryuen was still naive, he could let Class C hit zero. And while Sakayanagi was still somewhat "innocent," he could push Class A to the point of no return.
Now, he needed to soothe Sakayanagi slightly. Hachiman began transmitting "half-true, half-false" inner thoughts. Of course, since Kamuro was Sakayanagi's "hound," he had to account for her too.
Hachiman started transmitting his heart:
'Sakayanagi might be small, but her attack power is still so strong. Her thinking is top-tier; she noticed I might use this exam to do something big. Kamuro will go to the exam, but her brain isn't up to it, so no need to worry.
First, Sakayanagi can't attend, so it really is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attack Class A. Katsuragi is inferior to her. The Class A he leads is weaker.
But there's a problem: once Katsuragi fails, the Sakayanagi faction will rise. The next leader I'll have to face in Class A will be Sakayanagi Arisu. She's much harder to deal with than Katsuragi.
So, the only solution is to crush Class A as much as possible! Let Sakayanagi take over a class with 0 points. But...
This island exam has a minimum score limit of 0 points. There is no negative scoring. So I can only prevent Class A from gaining points; I can't force them to lose points they already have.
Even though Sakayanagi can't go and there's an opportunity, it's impossible to completely wreck Class A.
How regrettable.'
'Regrettable? No, the fact that you even harbor the idea of wrecking Class A to 0 points is terrifying already.'
Sakayanagi felt that her reputation among the third-years was already considered "excessive" by some, but Hikigaya-kun... this guy was many times more insane than her.
Kamuro finally heard Hikigaya's inner voice and felt a bit relieved. At least the scenario of Class A becoming Class C wouldn't happen; as long as Class A didn't lose too many points, it would be fine.
However, the inner voice Hachiman output was a mix of truth and lies that neither of them realized. The truth was literal, but the lie was that he had other plans for this exam.
Class points were important, but this exam was also the one in the entire original story where the rewards could be made the most abundant.
There was a better solution than the one in the original story. In the original, Ryuen carried out a "0-point operation" on the island and obtained nearly 20-30 million points from Class A, which he eventually used to buy Katsuragi from Class A.
As a "stronger, upgraded version" of Class C, how could Class B not do better than Ryuen?
The three people present had three different thoughts. However, even after transmitting half-true info, Hachiman had to play the part fully.
"If we are to face off, then let's do it next time," Hachiman said. Meaning, he wouldn't accept her "recruitment." He would go all out in this special exam.
Sakayanagi was silent. She knew she might have played with fire too much; perhaps it would have been better not to invite him out today. But since the exam had a floor of zero points, Class A shouldn't end up too badly.
Once Katsuragi returned, she could clean up the mess and lead the class back from its lost status.
But just as she was about to speak, Hachiman pulled a black voice recorder from his pocket and pressed it with a "click."
?
Kamuro became instantly tense. Her voice was filled with dissatisfaction.
"Hikigaya Hachiman! What are you doing? Recording us to try and split Class A? It's useless! Katsuragi won't admit defeat, and neither will Class A!"
Kamuro was nervous, but she wasn't wrong. Sakayanagi's previous statement was indeed a misstep—practically equivalent to telling Class B to attack Class A. It was an act of a traitor. Class A was already divided into Sakayanagi and Katsuragi factions; once the recording was public, the conflict would escalate. If exposed before the exam, Class A would surely fracture.
Maybe Hachiman's talk of dropping Class A to Class C wasn't a fantasy but an actual maneuver. Such an impact would inevitably cause trouble for next semester's special exams.
But Hachiman sneered. "You're overthinking. I'm not that childish. This recording wasn't just made, and it has nothing to do with Class A's infighting.
My talk of pulling Class A down isn't about attacking you directly," Hachiman said. "First of all, I don't even know the exam content or arrangements."
'Liar.'
Both Sakayanagi and Kamuro knew Hikigaya was a "reincarnator" who knew the future they didn't. To him, the exam was an open-book test. His "not knowing" was just an excuse. But they didn't call him out.
They had their own trump card—hearing his inner thoughts. As long as they could keep hearing his mind, they could prep and not be passive.
This was why Sakayanagi specifically invited him today. Even if she couldn't go, she could use his thoughts to prevent him from damaging Class A too much, while simultaneously letting him attack Katsuragi to strip him of leadership.
Hachiman has the "open-book test" of the future, but they have the "open-book test" of his mind. So, they hadn't lost yet.
Hachiman continued, "This recording comes from Nagumo-senpai of the second year."
Hearing the name "Nagumo," Sakayanagi's expression didn't change. She remained calm. She had predicted this—Nagumo wasn't a generous man. After being scammed out of 5 million points (even though she only took 2 million and Hachiman was the real culprit, she took the blame), he would surely hold a grudge. She just didn't expect him to move so fast.
Hachiman didn't stop. He pressed play. Nagumo Miyabi's steady yet arrogant voice came from the recorder.
"Ryuen, for this exam, take Class C and attack Class A in secret. Mess up their rhythm. If you do it, I'll give you enough points. I want to make Sakayanagi lose face!"
The recording was brief, and it was indeed Nagumo's voice. Hachiman paused it and put the recorder away.
"We settled our business last time. However, Sakayanagi-san, you don't seem like the type who would stay magnanimous after knowing someone is attacking you.
Of course, Nagumo probably forbade you from targeting the second years," Hachiman said. "Otherwise he wouldn't have paid the remaining balance so readily."
"..." Sakayanagi remained silent.
Last time, Hikigaya had impersonated her people to attack, and the blame fell on her, making Nagumo hate her. But she had also intercepted a portion of the points Hikigaya got from Nagumo, so in a sense, she had attacked the second years.
Fair play. She could attack the second years, so Nagumo could attack her. And Sakayanagi couldn't even fight back. Because when she intercepted the 2 million points from Nagumo's deal with Hikigaya, she had agreed to the condition of not attacking the second years.
'So, she has to take this loss?' Being passive wasn't her style.
"It seems Hikigaya-kun came prepared today," Sakayanagi said immediately. She understood why he messaged her on the night of the 1st. He probably got the recorder then and planned to sell it to her at a high price.
Sure enough. "Sakayanagi-san is indeed smart," Hachiman said. "For 2 million points, I'll sell this recorder to you.
Don't complain about the price. I paid Ryuuen 600,000 points for it."
'Bought it for 600k and selling it for 2 million! More than triple the price! Are you a black-market merchant?'
Moreover, the price was subtle—it was exactly the amount Sakayanagi had intercepted from Hikigaya and Nagumo's deal.
"Hikigaya-kun really doesn't yield an inch," Sakayanagi realized the significance of the number. "You've remembered those 2 million points for this long."
"Likewise," Hachiman said. "If you had the chance, I'm sure you'd want me to spit out the other 3 million points too."
The two looked at each other and smiled. There was no hostility or probing, only a silent understanding—they both knew that given the chance, they would take back what belonged to them. Sakayanagi even felt a bit of validation.
'Hikigaya-kun truly understands me.' Not as a "reincarnator" knowing a character, but he understood her. Perhaps he needed to be treated even more formally.
"The point card will be sent to you later," Sakayanagi said. "If there's nothing else, you can leave."
She had intended to trap Hikigaya-kun and get info from his thoughts, but now, a new problem had arrived. First, she couldn't transfer the points directly; it would look like they were conspiring or that she was paying him to target Katsuragi. Second, the 2 million points she "stole" from him had been taken back.
'It's a loss.'
Hachiman got what he wanted. He turned and left, leaving a lonely silhouette, though his stride was quite leisurely. Having confirmed Sakayanagi would pay for the recorder, he was certain she would formally attack Nagumo.
That would keep her occupied, and by the time she realized what was happening, the island exam would be over.
'As for the 2 million points from the recorder? Hah, who cares about 2 million points! It was just the bait.'
Back at the railing, once Hachiman's back disappeared, Kamuro breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Sakayanagi, her tone puzzled. "Why were you so easy to talk to? Since he played the recording and we know Nagumo bought off Class C, that's enough to handle it. There was no need to spend 2 million on the recorder. What a waste!"
To her, knowing the plan was enough to guard against Class C. Especially since Class C had already provoked Katsuragi, and even Katsuragi didn't take them seriously. Sakayanagi had spent 2 million points on "stale" information.
Sakayanagi shook her head gently, her tone carry a hint of reproach. "Masumi-san, you are still too naive. Do you think this voice recorder is just a simple recording? And do you think Hikigaya-kun just wanted his points back?"
Kamuro remained confused.
"This recorder belongs to Class C," Sakayanagi said, looking at the device. Her tone was certain.
"Nagumo's deal with Ryuuen was a secret; how did the recording end up with Hikigaya-kun? This means that before this special exam even started, Class B and Class C had already formed a secret alliance. With Class B's support, Class C might actually gain points in this exam.
Of course, Class C doesn't matter," Sakayanagi continued. "The real meaning is that this recorder captured Nagumo Miyabi's information.
He proactively contacted Ryuen and ordered Class C to attack us. This is ironclad proof of Nagumo-senpai interfering with the first-years' special exam."
Sakayanagi looked into the distance, her eyes deep. "By selling me this info, he is giving me the means to report it. Hikigaya-kun is baiting me into competing for the position of the next Student Council President.
True, Nagumo-senpai controls nearly half the students' votes. But votes bought by Nagumo are only useful as long as he is the Vice President and eligible to run. Once he is removed from his post and loses his eligibility, those votes are worthless.
And even if I don't proactively compete, if I sell this to Vice President Kiriyama of Class 2-B, I can get a very high price.
That is the real reason this recorder is so expensive. In fact, he actually undercharged me."
Kamuro was shocked. "Then why didn't he sell it himself? Why sell it to you for just 2 million?"
Clearly, Kamuro now felt the recorder was worth the 2 million.
Sakayanagi continued. "So I speculate: during the time the first-years are away for the exam, he deliberately used this recorder to bait me. On one hand, he wants to tie me down so I can't interfere with his plans against Class A. On the other hand, he wants to distract me, giving me something to do so I won't disrupt his arrangements. He did this because he feels I am a threat; only by involving me in the fight for the Student Council can he feel at ease."
'Oh. I see.'
"So, are you going to do as he says?" Kamuro finally understood why she paid. This was an "open scheme." Even if Sakayanagi saw through his goal, could she refuse?
"Why not?" The corners of Sakayanagi's mouth curled into a faint smile, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"I already felt this school life was too dull and boring. Now that there's such an opportunity, it adds some fun."
'So, if you can't attack the second-year special exam, you're going to attack Nagumo Miyabi directly? You're quite violent.'
"But is the exam really going to be okay?" Kamuro was a Class A student and relied on its status, so she had to ask.
"You heard Hikigaya-kun's thoughts just now; this is an island exam with a 0-point floor. Class A won't lose points, just gain fewer of them."
"Hikigaya-kun's plan is likely to score big in this exam. But as long as it doesn't exceed 400 points, there's no need to worry. I can lead Class A to catch up from that kind of gap."
"Still, his elaborate effort to keep me 'hard-controlled' here... that meticulousness is quite cute. I'll grant his wish for now," Sakayanagi said.
"I want to see what he can achieve."
One week later, after seeing the exam results, Sakayanagi remained silent. Then, with an expressionless face, she tried to take back everything she had just said.
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