pared to the eted atmosphere in Css B, where students were still celebrating their promotion, the mood in Css A was much heavier.
Their homeroom teacher, a short-haired man in a ly pressed bck suit, stood at the front of the , his tie perfectly straight—a man who exuded seriousness in every aspect.
After writing the updated Css Points on the bckboard, a brief otion broke out among the students.
However, Katsuragi and Sakayanagi swiftly intervened, rest order.
As they analyzed the numbers, a single name came to mind—
A student who had sold them information on hidden rules on the very first day of school.
Hashima Hikaru.
The Special Exam had yet to begi Css B had already surpassed 1,000 Css Points—something clearly unusual.
There had to be a deeper reason, and without a doubt, that reason was lio him.
“Katsuragi-kun, Sakayanagi-san, do you have any questions?” asked Mashima Tomonari, their homeroom teacher, his sharp gaze falling owo.
Katsuragi immediately spoke up.
“Sensei, could you expin why Css B has over 1,000 Css Points? Did something happen that we weren’t aware of?”
“That information is not something I disclose.”
Mashima's tone was firm.
“If you want answers, you’ll have to find them yourselves. The school does not provide petitive intelligeween csses.”
With that Mashima turned his attention back to Katsuragi and Sakayanagi.
He khese two were locked in a power struggle for trol of the css.
However, it wasn’t his pce to intervene.
At this school, students were responsible for their own battles.
“Katsuragi, Sakayanagi, the future of Css A rests in your hands,” Mashima tinued.
“Although we’ve beeed to Css B, the point difference isn’t te. If you both remain diligent, we recim our position.”
“…Uood, Sensei.”
Katsuragi’s face remained serious.
“I will hahis matter properly.”
Meanwhile, Sakayanagi gave a calm, posed response.
“I’ll be sure to take it seriously as well.”
But deep inside, she had already figured out the truth.
Her mind drifted back to the boy who had oood before her, selling cssified school rules on the first day—
Hashima Hikaru.
And his cssmate, Iose Honami.
“How fasating…”
The silver-haired girl murmured softly, her pierg gaze gleaming with thought.
“To think they’d surpass us so quickly.”
Hashima Hikaru, I’m being more and more intrigued by you.
---
In Css C, a bespectacled middle-aged man calmly wrote the updated Css Points on the bckboard.
Theuro observe the students.
The current css leader, Ibuki Mio, stood up.
Her expression darkehe moment she saw the numbers.
“What… happeo our points?”
Her voice was shaken, struggling to prehend how much they had fallen behind.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Sakagami Kazuma, adjusting his gsses, spoke matter-of-factly.
“It’s because of those three.”
The two retly reinstated students, Ishizaki Daichi and Komiya Kyogo, shifted unfortably uhe icy stares of their cssmates.
“A suspension is a serious offense,” Sakagami tinued.
“It results in a massive dedu of Css Points.”
His gaze sharpened as he looked toward Ibuki.
“I heard Ryuen’s suspension was your fault, wasn’t it?”
“…I won’t deny it.”
Ibuki took a deep breath, showing no sign ret.
She expected this oute from the moment it happened.
Still, seeing the actual numbers on the board, the reality of it all weighed on her.
“No matter the circumstances, our css has fallen far behind the others,” Sakagami said.
“You’d better start thinking about a strategy to climb back up.”
He paused before adding—
“As the new Css Representative, the responsibility falls on you.”
“…I uand, Sensei.”
With that, Ibuki sat back down, gripping her fists tightly.
Sakagami ragmatic teacher.
He didn’t care who threw the first punch.
He didn’t care who was the victim.
All that mattered to him was whether the css could advance.
“Ibuki, don’t worry—we’re all behind you.”
Shiina Hiyori, ever calm and kind, offered her support.
“Ryuen-kun will be back soon. Until then, you’ll have to keep him in check.”
“Yeah… that bastard…”
Today was May 1st.
Ryuen’s suspension had three days left.
Even though he wasn’t physically present, ever since Ishizaki and Komiya returned, he had been gathering intelligehrough them.
Whatever he nning, it was already in motion.
“I won’t let him do whatever he wants.”
“This is our css. Not his personal pyground.”
“Haha, I believe in you, Ibuki.”
Hiyori’s gentle voice reassured her, but her gaze remained fixed on the bckboard.
B-Css CP: 1010.
That boy’s css… had surpassed 1,000 points?
Hashima Hikaru.
What exactly did he do?
---
Css D (Now Css C): Rising from the Bottom
Uhe serious tone in Css A and Css C, the atmosphere in Css D—or rather, the newly promoted Css C—was filled with excitement.
After writing the updated Css Points, their homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, turo the css.
“Well, it looks like your efforts paid off this month.”
“gratutions.”
“You’re no lo the bottom.”
“YES!!”
Hirata Yosuke ched his fists iement.
The first month, and they had already climbed up one rank.
“We krusting Hirata’s strategy was the right choice,” said Kushida, smiling warmly at her cssmates.
“Although we lost a fair amount of Css Points, this is still a huge achievement.”
“This victory belongs to all of us.”
“Yeah! It’s all thanks to Hirata and Kushida-!”
Yamauchi grinned, looking at the numbers.
Even though they had poiions, they still received 53,000 Private Points this month—more than enough to get by.
“We should celebrate! We might actually have a shot at Css A!”
Ike joined in, eager to ride the momentum.
Meanwhile, Kushida and Suzuh stared at the bckboard—
Eyes locked on one partiumber.
B-Css CP: 1010.
“They made it to Css A?”
Hikaru’s css had overtaken the 1,000-point mark.
An even more shog feat than their own promotion.
“…It’s him, isn’t it?”
Suzune murmured to herself.
Her brother had aowledged his strength.
It wasn’t surprising.
Meanwhile, Kushida’s thoughts were far more plicated.
So… you mao climb to Css A, huh?
What exactly did you do, Hikaru?
Recalling their ret versations, she narrowed her eyes.
This wasn’t enough.
She o push him further—make him work harder for her.
With that in mind, she picked up her phone—
A him a message.
*(TL/N - LoL, who's gonna tell her)
~~~
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