Chapter 120: From Orderly to Chaotic? Interesting!
At exactly 6:00 PM, footsteps echoed with unusual clarity in the second-floor corridor of the cruise ship.
Hachiman walked side-by-side with Ichinose Honami and Kanzaki Ryuji. The dim amber lights of the hallway cast long shadows of the trio; signs on the walls clearly labeled every room number, with Room 201 situated at the very end of the hall.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you nervous?" Ichinose asked softly, glancing at Hachiman as she noticed his pace felt somewhat heavy.
Hachiman spared her a glance and shook his head. "I'm a class representative for Class B; what is there to be nervous about? Besides, if I panic, the rest of you will be even less stable."
Ichinose blinked, then let out a gentle laugh. "That's true."
It had to be said—Ichinose Honami was truly top-tier. Even though he had seen her smile many times, Hachiman felt every single time that this girl's "attack power" was simply too high.
Walking on Hachiman's other side was Kanzaki Ryuji, who had also been scheduled to go to Room 201 at the same time. He lowered his voice slightly. "Ichinose, being nervous now is useless. The rules haven't been announced yet; overthinking it will only cloud your judgment."
"Fair point," Ichinose nodded, taking a deep breath.
The three arrived at the door of Room 201 and stopped. A white card was taped to the door, with black text clearly stating: [Class B Designated Gathering Point · Exam Briefing].
Since every Class B student had received a school message instructing them to come to Room 201—albeit at different times—it was confirmed that this room was dedicated to Class B's use.
Hachiman raised his hand and knocked.
"Come in," a deep male voice responded quickly from inside.
As they pushed the door open, the scene inside came into view. It was a standard meeting room of about thirty square meters. A long table with several chairs sat in the center, a whiteboard hung on the wall, and crates of unopened mineral water were stacked in the corner.
Sitting at the head of the table was the homeroom teacher of Class C— Sakagami Kazuma.
The thin man, always wearing glasses, sat with his hands folded on the table, eyeing the three as they entered through his lenses. His gaze seemed to intentionally linger on Hachiman before quickly shifting away.
Several documents were spread out before him, and a steaming cup of coffee sat at the corner of the table.
"Hikigaya, Ichinose, Kanzaki." Sakagami nodded slightly, his tone professional. "Arriving on time. Good. Sit down."
The three took their seats in order. Hachiman sat on the far end, Ichinose to his right, and Kanzaki across from them.
Sakagami didn't start the briefing immediately. Instead, he took a sip of his coffee, seemingly waiting for them to settle into the right headspace.
Hachiman's gaze moved past him, landing on the stack of documents on the table—only four pages total. They were thin, looking like rule explanations or something similar. He withdrew his gaze discreetly and asked, "Sakagami-sensei, are the other homeroom teachers doing the same thing?"
Sakagami set down his coffee cup, looked at him, and nodded. "Correct. Each class is being briefed by a different homeroom teacher. I am responsible for Class B, Chabashira for Class A, Hoshinomiya for Class C, and Mashima for Class D."
He paused, adding, "This arrangement is random. Don't read too much into it."
Hachiman didn't reply, his eyes sweeping over those four pages again.
'Random?'
If it were a simple rule explanation, why split it into four rooms with four teachers simultaneously? Why not gather all students together to explain it once? There had to be a reason.
"Sakagami-sensei," Hachiman spoke up again. "This exam doesn't actually start right now, does it?"
Sakagami pushed up his glasses, a subtle expression crossing his face.
"How do you know?"
"A guess," Hachiman said. "If it started immediately, there would be no need for batches; you'd likely just notify us of the same content. By arranging it this way, the teachers are actually transmitting a certain piece of information—one that only those who think deeply can discover."
He paused, his eyes fixed on Sakagami's face. "So, while the rules are the same, the real test is whether the students can see the intent behind them. Right?"
Sakagami remained silent for a few seconds before sighing softly.
"Hachiman Hikigaya, you really are just like the rumors say." There was a hint of begrudging respect in his tone. "I haven't even started the briefing, and you've already harvested a pile of intel. No wonder Ryuen couldn't get the better of you."
Hearing this, Ichinose subconsciously looked at Hachiman, her eyes filled with surprise and a touch of admiration.
'I see.'
Hikigaya-kun wasn't asking those questions out of curiosity; he was gathering information.
Just then, Hachiman's inner thoughts drifted into her mind—
'Ichinose might not know yet, but in the original story, this exam is called the "VIP Exam." It's conducted in groups—the entire grade is split into 12 groups, with each group containing members from Classes A, B, C, and D.
One student in each group is chosen as the "VIP" and receives special benefits. However, the selection of the VIP usually follows a pattern. The difficulty was relatively low.
But this time, even Sakayanagi has come onto the ship for the exam, which means the difficulty will increase. Right now, the exam rules are likely being modified.'
Upon hearing this, Ichinose understood instantly.
So, Hikigaya-kun was asking those questions to confirm this. This exam was a variable assessment.
Kanzaki Ryuji sat across from them, focused intently on Sakagami, waiting for the rule explanation. He was one of the pillars of Class B, boasting top-tier physical, academic, and analytical abilities, so his sense of self-awareness was also extremely strong.
Sakagami glanced at his watch. Confirming it was 6:00 PM, he cleared his throat, picked up the documents, and officially began.
"Now, I will begin explaining the rules for this Special Exam. Listen carefully; I will only say this once."
At this, Hachiman, Ichinose, and Kanzaki all sat up straight, their attention fixed on him.
"The subject of this exam is titled 'Manage'." Sakagami pushed his glasses up. "Translated, this word means to administer or control."
He paused, his gaze scanning the three as if checking if they understood the weight of the word.
"First, all first-year students will be divided into twelve groups based on the twelve signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Each group will be a mix of students from Classes A, B, C, and D.
Within each group, one student will be randomly designated as the 'VIP.' At 8:00 AM tomorrow, the school will notify the selected student via email. You need to identify the VIP's identity. However, unless the VIP voluntarily reveals themselves, no one else will know who it is. And unless the VIP consents, you are forbidden from using violence, coercion, or seizing phones to forcibly confirm their identity."
Ichinose frowned slightly and asked instinctively, "With so many restrictions, who else can know who the VIP is besides the person themselves?"
Since violence was off the table and the VIP's refusal to cooperate would block any progress, it seemed impossible.
"It is actually possible," Sakagami nodded. "Through subsequent discussions and observations, you can deduce the VIP's identity. Listen as I continue."
He went on with the explanation.
"The exam officially begins tomorrow at 8:00 AM and lasts for four days, ending at 9:00 PM on the fourth day.
During this period, group members are required to gather in designated rooms twice a day for one-hour discussions: from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Any student who fails to participate in discussions will have class points deducted from their respective class.
The final assessment is scheduled between 10:00 PM and 10:30 PM on the fourth night. Within those thirty minutes, members of each group must send the name of who they believe the VIP is to the school's designated email address."
Hachiman listened, his mind racing through the calculations.
This was indeed similar to the VIP exam from the "original story," but the timing and rule details had changed.
Sakagami continued:
"There are a few points that require special attention.
First, the VIP themselves cannot participate in the answering process. Meaning, if a VIP submits an answer, whether correct or incorrect, it will be deemed invalid. The same applies to the VIP's classmates within the same group.
Second, answers regarding other groups are strictly invalid. You can only guess the VIP of your own group.
Third, the detailed results of the exam will be sent to everyone's phones simultaneously at 11:00 PM on the final night."
Sakagami paused here and took another sip of coffee.
Kanzaki couldn't help but ask, "So, it's a game similar to Werewolf? We use the twice-daily discussions to identify the VIP?"
"You can look at it that way," Sakagami set down his cup. "However, failing to protect your own class's VIP identity or guessing incorrectly prematurely will result in massive losses. This isn't a simple deduction game; it's a gamble involving Class Points."
He picked up the four pages and handed them to the three.
"These are the specific rule handbooks and your group assignments. Look for yourselves."
Hachiman took the papers and quickly scanned the contents.
The first page contained the rule specifics, mostly matching what he'd just heard but written in greater detail. The second page was the group list.
His eyes landed on his own name—
Dragon Group.
The roster for the Dragon Group was as follows:
Class A: Sakayanagi Arisu, Katsuragi Kohei, Hashimoto Masayoshi Class B: Hikigaya Hachiman, Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuji Class C: Ryuen Kakeru, Satoru Kaneda, Shiina Hiyori Class D: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Hirata Yousuke, Kushida Kikyo
After reading it, Hachiman had only one thought.
'They're all familiar faces. And not a single one of them is dead weight.'
Sakayanagi and Katsuragi—both class representatives of Class A—were in the Dragon Group. Ryuen and Shiina—the core figures of Class C. Ayanokouji, Hirata, and Kushida—the elites of Class D.
Combined with the three of them from Class B, this group was essentially a first-year "All-Star" lineup.
Ichinose saw the list too, her face showing shock. "It's everyone... the people we deal with the most."
Kanzaki nodded with a grim expression. "This grouping definitely isn't random. The school did this on purpose."
Sakagami didn't deny it, stating plainly, "The groupings were decided by the school. The specific reasons are outside the scope of my briefing. You only need to know that you belong to the Dragon Group and must complete this exam alongside students from other classes."
Hachiman didn't respond and continued reading.
The third and fourth pages explained the specific outcomes of the exam.
Outcome 1 (Universal Correctness) Trigger: Everyone (except the VIP and their classmates) submits the correct answer. Reward: All group members receive 500,000 Private Points each. The VIP receives 1,000,000 points.
Outcome 2 (Successful Concealment) Trigger: Everyone (except the VIP and their classmates) abstains from answering, OR at least one person submits an incorrect answer at the final deadline. Reward: Only the VIP receives 1,000,000 points. Other members receive no reward.
These two outcomes covered a "normal" exam conclusion—meaning everyone waited until the fourth night to act. Either everyone got paid, or only the VIP did.
However, the next two rules covered "Early Submission" during the exam period.
Outcome 3 (Early Correct Guess) Trigger: Someone other than the VIP/classmates sends the correct answer before the exam officially ends. Reward: The VIP's class loses 100 Class Points. The individual who guessed correctly receives 1,000,000 Private Points, and their class gains 100 Class Points.
Outcome 4 (Early Incorrect Guess) Trigger: Someone other than the VIP/classmates sends an incorrect answer before the exam ends. Reward: The VIP's class gains 50 Class Points. The class of the person who guessed wrong loses 50 Class Points. The VIP individual receives 1,000,000 Private Points.
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Hachiman finished reading, his gaze lingering for several seconds on the figures: "+100 points" for a correct guess and "-50 points" for a wrong one.
During the Deserted Island exam, occupying a spot for a whole week only netted 18 points, and correctly guessing a leader only gave 50. Now, a single early guess could swing a class's score by 100 points.
The scale was massive.
With Sakayanagi's arrival, the difficulty of the modified exam had indeed jumped up several tiers.
"Well? Do you understand?" Sakagami's voice rang out, carrying a hint of testing. His eyes were fixed on Hachiman. After all, this guy was the monster who had snatched 99 million Private Points during the last island exam.
Could he really protect that many points this time?
Hachiman looked up, his gaze calm.
If the person explaining the rules were the teacher of Class A, Class D, or even his own Class B, Hachiman certainly wouldn't have spoken. But since it was Ryuen's teacher—someone with a lower moral baseline and a tendency to leak info—he could try his luck.
Barely ten minutes had passed since they entered; there were still ten minutes left before the 20-minute slot ended. Perhaps he could squeeze some intel out of this teacher.
With that thought in mind:
"I understand," Hachiman said as if pondering. He then theorized, "The subject of this exam is indeed 'Manage'—management and control. But what needs to be managed isn't the group; it's the students of one's own class."
Sakagami was slightly startled, then revealed a meaningful smile. "Go on."
"Whether it's Outcome 1 or Outcome 2, it requires the entire class—or even the entire grade—to act in unison," Hachiman explained. "If someone takes it upon themselves to guess early and gets it wrong, the whole class loses points. If someone is bribed by another class and leaks the VIP identity, it likewise brings massive loss to the class.
However, for four days, students will be scattered across 12 groups for 'discussions.' These are all occasions where the VIP identity could be exposed or where someone might ignore orders and act recklessly on their own.
Therefore, the true test of this exam is class cohesion—whether you can control your own students and ensure everyone obeys a unified command. For classes that can't, their points will be slowly devoured until nothing is left."
Sakagami was silent for a few seconds, then lightly clapped his hands.
"As expected of Hikigaya Hachiman." His tone held a touch of praise. "It's no wonder Ryuen suffered at your hands."
Ichinose and Kanzaki exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.
They had only just begun to feel the complexity of the rules, yet Hachiman had already seen through to the essence of the exam. This insight was truly beyond the ordinary.
"So, Sensei," Hachiman continued, "is there a pattern to the VIP selection?"
Sakagami pushed his glasses up, a subtle smirk touching his lips. "What do you think? As a teacher, I cannot reveal extra information."
Hachiman didn't answer, simply watching him.
Sakagami stopped playing hard to get and added, "However, I can give you one reminder—this time, the distribution of VIPs is different from before."
'Different from before.'
Hachiman's mind whirred. In the original story's VIP exam, the distribution followed a pattern with three VIPs per class. But Sakagami's emphasis on "different from before" suggested that this time, VIPs might be concentrated in the upper classes.
Because the school had specifically delayed and redesigned this exam, they were likely very aware of the current state of A, B, C, and D. Given that guessing a VIP resulted in a 100-point penalty, and students in C and D generally had lower self-control—making them likely to slip up if they knew they were the VIP—it would be pointless to deduct points from C or D once their scores hit zero.
Therefore...
Class A and Class B were likely to be the primary targets of attack.
And if the teachers designing the questions were factoring in the massive harvest from the island exam to increase the difficulty... was Class B about to explode this time?
Noticing Hachiman's expression grow serious—to the point where he seemed to break a cold sweat—Sakagami let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course, that's just my personal speculation; it might not be accurate. Even I don't know the specific arrangements; only the Chief Proctor does."
Saying this, he stood up and tidied the documents.
"The rule explanation ends here. You may leave. Remember, tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM, you will receive notification of whether you were selected as the VIP. The first group discussion is at 9:00 AM; the location will be sent to your phones later.
Since there's a bit of time left, do you have any other questions? If they aren't out of bounds, I can answer."
Ichinose hesitated, then asked, "Sensei, if someone in the group makes an early guess, what should we do?"
Sakagami glanced at her, his tone flat. "That is a problem you need to solve yourselves. I am only responsible for explaining the rules, not teaching you how to take the test."
With that, he folded his hands on the table, clearly signaling them to leave.
The three stood up and walked out of the room.
The corridor was still quiet, save for the faint sound of voices from other rooms. Kanzaki checked the time—6:20 PM. The briefing had lasted exactly twenty minutes.
The three continued down the hallway.
"Hikigaya-kun... this exam feels like it's going to be extremely difficult," Kanzaki remarked.
"Possibly." Hachiman pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and lightly wiped the sweat from his face—sweat that seemed to have been caused by his earlier nervousness. "But I've already thought of a solution."
"Eh?"
Ichinose had thought the atmosphere was heavy, but now she realized Hachiman didn't look nearly as dejected as she expected.
Could it be?
"So you weren't actually that nervous just now, Hikigaya-kun?" Ichinose said quickly. She realized now that Hachiman had seemed overly restrained and "well-behaved" earlier—not his usual self.
"I managed to get some intel from the Class C teacher, at least," Hachiman admitted. "The Class C homeroom teacher seemed like the type who would leak information."
"That's true..." Ichinose began to think.
"In that case, I can't help but feel that Class C's teacher lacks a bit of a moral baseline," Kanzaki added. "Even during Class C's unification, which was fueled by Ryuen's violence, he never stepped in to stop it."
To Kanzaki, a homeroom teacher was an important figure who needed a sense of justice and boundaries. Class C's teacher didn't seem to fit that description.
"Our Class B teacher is much more reliable," Kanzaki said. "Even if she likes to drink, there are no major issues."
'No, no, no.
Our Class B teacher is actually even more formidable in her own way.
In a sense, only the Class A teacher is a normal person.'
The three continued walking, but after only a few steps, they spotted two students from Class A who quickly snapped a photo of them with their phones.
"They're coming, hurry up and take the picture!"
The students whispered to each other and quickly scurried away.
"..."
'Wait, Class A!'
In the original story, Class A was exceptionally skilled in various "spy" tactics—both high-profile and low-profile—gathering intel through social circles and networking. Now that Sakayanagi was back on the ship, it seemed they were already cranking those skills to the max.