Houtarou Oreki Classroom of the Elite

"Chabashira-sensei, can you make the leader card now?" Rokusuke didn't reply to Yōsuke, instead crossing his arms.

"Teacher, please apply for the leader card quickly—"

The other classmates joined in urging her.

Without objection, Sae walked toward the theater exit to submit the information and get Rokusuke's leader card.

The distance was short, and within five minutes she returned with the card. She handed it to him.

The leader card was green with a circuit pattern on one side and Rokusuke's name on the other.

He took it and slipped it into his tracksuit pocket.

Kikyō maintained her sweet smile and, like everyone else, looked expectantly at the "leader." However, her focus wasn't on him.

It was on... Suzune.

Something felt off. This was Rokusuke's moment — he claimed to have information about 40 bases worth over 700 Base Points. Yet that lone girl seemed completely indifferent.

This wasn't right. Was Rokusuke really the type to work so hard for the class?

Both his and Suzune's behaviors were suspicious.

In other words...

Damn it!

Suzune must be collaborating with Houtarou again, and they'd brought Rokusuke into their scheme — completely excluding her!

She regretted sharing those conversation topics about Suzune with him last night. She wanted to flood his phone with angry messages right now!

But with so many people around, she maintained her composure.

While she was processing this, Rokusuke revealed everything.

"Now that I have the leader card and base information." He said, "My goal for this exam is 600 Base Points. I'll collect them from the bases. Following Horikita's previous method of earning Class Points, I want to do the same. After this exam, these reward points will convert to Class Points — 600 of them. I'll take 200, 300 will go to Horikita, and the remaining 100 Class Points can be split among you all."

After these divisive words, the person he'd mentioned remained silent.

That was Suzune.

Though she'd been working with Houtarou all along, taking her usual 10% share, she now realized something: Rokusuke hadn't exposed Houtarou but had instead put her in the spotlight.

Was she being set up to take the fall?

In the two boys' arrangement, Rokusuke would receive 200 Class Points and handle the task of collecting 600 Base Points, along with managing Class D's issues.

And his solution was to shift all responsibility onto her?

"Horikita, is this really true?" Kikyō asked sharply.

She appeared to be simply asking a question, but inside she was seething. Once again, Houtarou had completely excluded her from a money-making opportunity.

Her question drew everyone's attention to Suzune.

How would she respond?

"That's how it is." Suzune said, choosing to accept the blame since she was already implicated in the profit-sharing, "Besides, this is an opportunity for Class D. Kōenji and I are just taking the points that the school deposits monthly. But the fact remains — Class D's Points will increase, allowing us to challenge Class A. I refuse to accept being labeled as trash just because we're in Class D."

Was it truly for the class's sake?

Indeed, while Horikita and Kōenji would pocket the monthly Private Points from school, Class D's overall evaluation score would still improve.

Yet who could really believe such justification?

Even Sae wasn't convinced.

The regular classmates, however, remained unaware that Suzune had gone independent.

"So what you're saying is — this could be our class's chance for a comeback?" Yōsuke said, "After this exam, we might finally move up from Class D?"

Though he spoke these words, he hadn't thought them through carefully. He was merely echoing Suzune's statement.

Both he and Kikyō were similar — gentle mediators who helped resolve class conflicts. Yet neither could handle Rokusuke.

The wealthy student's apparent willingness to work hard for the class gave Yōsuke hope. Right now, unity mattered more than internal disputes.

"But taking so many points at once seems a bit—"

Yōsuke had supported Suzune's earlier proposal about Ken purchasing Points for the exam and had defended his classmate. Her approach had satisfied his desire to keep the class together.

However, allocating only 100 Class Points out of 600 to everyone else — he doubted others would accept that.

"Is it really that much?" Rokusuke retorted, "You don't seem to understand. These are points I earned myself — I decide how to distribute them, not you. In fact, I could choose not to give you any at all."

He crossed his arms defiantly.

"Kōenji-san, that's going too far!"

The class erupted in protest.

"Who's really going too far?" Rokusuke rolled his eyes, "Look, we still have time before reaching the island. Anyone who wants to swim there can gather base information themselves. If you find information on your own, I promise not to take any points from those bases."

"Um, who'd go swimming? We don't even know the ocean's depth." One student quickly backed down.

It was Haruki.

"Hey, hey, Ike! You could swim there, right?" When challenged, he immediately threw his friend under the bus.

The students' attention shifted to Kanji.

His full name was Kanji Ike, and his face flushed red immediately.

"I didn't say anything — Hey Ayanokōji, what do you think? You're in good shape, right?" Kanji quickly deflected the attention.

He directed this at Kiyotaka, who had remained silent throughout.

Ironically, Kanji's deflection was accurate — Kiyotaka wouldn't have hesitated to swim to the island.

Yet he stayed quiet. As he observed, he realized he may have underestimated Rokusuke. Unlike what others believed, he suspected Rokusuke had visited the island last night to photograph and scout the base locations.

This revelation suggested both cleverness and physical capability.

Rokusuke was a natural genius, unlike him, who had been molded into one at the White Room.

What would happen in a confrontation between a natural and manufactured genius?

The thought intrigued him.

His continued silence drew no attention — it was, after all, his usual behavior.

Just then.

"Still haven't settled on an exam strategy? How typical of Class D."

A voice cut through the air.

"It's that guy from this morning—"

Ken and his classmates recognized the arriving Class A students.

This time, a larger group had come, including two familiar faces: Houtarou Oreki and Masumi Kamuro, who had previously sold materials to their class on the first day.

Could they be here to strike another deal?

"We're here to make a deal." Houtarou said, noting Suzune's stern expression.

Seeing that Rokusuke hadn't finalized the distribution of the 600 Class Points, he seized the opportunity.

"Kōenji, you mentioned having information about 40 bases. Our class will pay 2 million for it."

"Oh." Rokusuke nodded, "I could sell it — for 5 million flat."

"Please don't do this, Kōenji—" Yōsuke cut in before he could finish.

After all, even though Rokusuke demanded many points, they weren't guaranteed yet.

If he sold all the base information that could help their class advance to Class A, he wouldn't just be a traitor — he'd destroy their chance to climb up the ranks.

This would split the class and eliminate their opportunity for advancement. It was unacceptable.

Moreover, if Rokusuke sold the information to Class A, he'd pocket all 5 million Points himself, leaving nothing for his classmates.

From this perspective, though his demands seemed excessive, they were ultimately acceptable.

After a brief discussion, Class D students agreed to Rokusuke's terms.

He would guarantee earning 600 Base Points and distribute 100 Points to everyone at the end — equivalent to increasing each student's monthly allowance by 10,000 Private Points.

They also struck a deal with Class A: Class D would provide Class A with 200 Base Points in exchange for monthly living supplies, and Class A would pay Class D Private Points worth 200 Class Points until graduation.

Could it be true? Next month, regardless of exam results, everyone would receive a 20,000-point increase in living expenses?

And this was guaranteed until graduation, even if their Class Points dropped to zero?

It seemed too good to be true — though 20,000 wasn't much, they could manage if they were careful with spending.

So...

"Agree to it, Hirata!"

"Agree!"

Class D students' uncertainty transformed into excitement.

And so, Class A and Class D formalized their contract.

First, Class D would handle supplying Class A's living conditions, with Class A providing monthly Points as compensation.

Second, Rokusuke would share information about 5 Bases with Class A.

The arrangement benefited both sides.

However.

"If we give up 200 Base Points, our class will only have 100 left." Yōsuke said, concerned.

"This exam offers two ways to earn points: saving and collecting Base Points." Houtarou explained, "With an entire class living on the island and the school's supply exchange system, saving isn't really feasible."

Oh.

"Then we'll have to depend on the Base Points that Kōenji collects." Kei suddenly remarked.

Houtarou paused at her comment.

Then continued.

"Exactly. Besides, just by forming this contract with Class A, your class has already secured a significant advantage, wouldn't you say?"

A significant advantage? That's right.

Even without Rokusuke's Base Points, the alliance with Class A guaranteed 20,000 in monthly living expenses — this was certain. If Rokusuke succeeded with the Base Points, everyone would receive an additional 10,000 in living expenses.

Looking at it this way, it was quite a favorable deal.

"Moreover, if you only look at the Base Points, students in your class can choose to forfeit some. After all, even if the 300 Base Points drop to zero, you won't go into negative points." Houtarou added, "So having many students forfeit won't harm you. You can treat this exam like an actual camping trip — there's no pressure at all."

"Huh?"

"We can do that?"

"Then I want to stay on the ship!"

"I want a vacation!"

Class D students immediately erupted in noise.

"Oh—" In the corner, Sae sighed softly.

As expected, she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up. She was surprised earlier when Rokusuke revealed he knew about 40 bases.

But it was clear now. While this situation involved Suzune, Sae doubted that lone girl was clever enough to orchestrate it — someone else must be pulling the strings. The hand dividing the Points had already reached Class D.

And she understood Rokusuke's true motives: secure stable Points, gather 20 million, and bail.

So this was how it would be — the capable students refused to lead Class D and chose to go solo, while those without ability remained oblivious to their predicament.

So what was she hoping for?

Sae wondered if she should read some books about maintaining inner peace, as her heart had been too stirred up lately.

After all... there was no hope; they had failed from the start.

And so, the big cake was divided.

As for the remaining two classes...

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Here in Class C.

Each class gets 300 Base Points and must choose a leader who receives a special card. The leader uses this card to occupy bases. However, these Base Points are unstable — if other classes correctly guess the leader's identity, the Points drop to zero.

Additionally, 300 Base Points will be reduced by 50 Points for each class that guesses correctly.

Such devious rules.

And there's more — correctly guessing other classes' leaders not only zeroes their Base Points but also rewards you with 50 Points.

Guessing the leaders of Classes A, B, and D correctly would net 150 Points.

"This might work in our favor." Kakeru remarked after their homeroom teacher Kazuma explained the rules, "We could make something of this."

Though still bitter about Houtarou's 100,000-point scam earlier, Kakeru had spotted an opportunity.

The exam centered on Base Points and leader identification. While they could technically save some of their 300 Base Points by being thrifty with supplies...

But saving? Kakeru wouldn't have it.

Instead, he'd found a better way.

The exam would run for a week, with final Points tallied on June 22nd. What if they sold their Base Points to Class B beforehand for a substantial amount of Private Points now?

This would minimize their risk and be easy to justify to his classmates.

They'd been questioning his usefulness and complaining about their low Class Points. This plan would silence those doubts.

Plus, they could still participate in the leader-guessing phase and potentially earn more Base Points.

First step: approach Class B.

Time to fleece this little sheep.

⍟⍟⍟

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