As the saying goes, one person’s joy is another’s sorrow.
While the current Class A was still basking in the euphoria of their promotion, over in the original Class A, the atmosphere had plummeted to rock bottom.
“What?” When Mashima-sensei announced the school’s hidden rules, the comprehensive assessment results, and the final point totals from the podium, the original Class A erupted in an uproar.
“How is this possible?” Totsuka Yahiko shot to his feet in disbelief.
Katsuragi Kohei didn’t even bother to rein in Totsuka’s outburst.
He simply stared fixedly at the two numbers on the blackboard, his knuckles white from clenching his fists.
980, 950.
A mere 30-point gap—yet it had decided the class ranking and knocked them down to Class B in the very first month of school.
“I’ll speak frankly with all of you—don’t be too hard on yourselves.” Mashima Tomoya stood at the podium, calmly observing the reactions below.
“Your performance this month has been quite outstanding by this school’s historical standards.
It’s just that this year’s Class B is the strongest Class B in the school’s history.” Whether these words actually comforted the original Class A students was another matter.
Sakayanagi Arisu, wearing her signature beret and having remained silent all along, finally spoke softly: “Mashima-sensei, for the current Class A to have retained such a high score in the first month—does that mean there are students in that class who saw through the school’s rules?” Mashima looked at Sakayanagi with an approving smile: “That’s correct.
One of their students figured out the school’s rules on the very second day.
That’s how they were able to retain so many points in the first month.” “Just as I thought.” Sakayanagi’s lips curled into a faint, dismissive smile: “Even knowing the rules this time, they still didn’t achieve a perfect score in the first month.
Yet we, without knowing the rules, still retained 950 points—a remarkably high score.
It seems the current Class A’s capabilities aren’t as impressive as we imagined.” “That’s right.
The school divided classes based on overall ability.
Look at Class C—only 490 points.
And Class D’s idiots managed to drain all their Class Points.
Class B just got lucky this once.
A mere 30 points—we’ll overtake them in the next exam.” Hashimoto Masayoshi chimed in at the perfect moment.
In the first month, he had fully aligned himself with Sakayanagi’s faction.
Seeing his leader speak, he immediately seized the opportunity to comfort and rally the class.
The current Class A was clearly divided between Katsuragi’s faction, Sakayanagi’s faction, and a number of unaligned neutrals.
This was the perfect time to boost Sakayanagi’s prestige and win over the moderates.
“That’s right—this time, they just got lucky.” Driven by Sakayanagi and Hashimoto, the original Class A students, who had been somewhat demoralized, regained their fighting spirit, one after another vowing to make the current Class A pay in the next exam.
Katsuragi turned his head toward Sakayanagi, and she met his gaze.
Neither spoke, but an invisible clash had already unfolded between them.
Class C.
“They lost that many points, huh.” Ryūen Kakeru stared at the Class Points on the blackboard, clicking his tongue in irritation.
He knew exactly what he’d been up to in the first month.
If he hadn’t consistently avoided or obscured the cameras in advance—and if their homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma hadn’t been covering for them—Class C would have had their Class Points completely drained by now from all the fighting.
The only thing he hadn’t anticipated was that Class A and Class B would retain so many points, making the gap between them and the upper classes far larger than expected.
“You lot—I don’t care what you do behind closed doors.
But in the classroom and under the cameras, you’d better act like model students.” Ryūen pointed at the most troublesome students in the class, his tone harsh and threatening.
The students all nodded hastily—it wasn’t a particularly difficult demand.
But when Sakagami announced the quiz results and the expulsion policy, quite a few students visibly panicked.
A full six students had landed below the failing red line, with several more hovering dangerously close to it.
“Ryūen, w-what do we do?!” Ishizaki Daichi, Ryūen’s most loyal follower, blurted out in a panic—he was among those who had failed.
“Pay attention in class, study hard, ask the top students for help when you don’t understand.
Do I even need to spell that out for you?” Ryūen barked.
“Not just you—every single one of you who failed or nearly failed: you’re going to study like your lives depend on it this month.
If you get expelled because your grades aren’t good enough, I won’t lift a finger to help you.” Sakagami Kazuma stood at the podium, turning a blind eye to Ryūen’s near-dictatorial behavior.
He could see Ryūen’s burning desire to rise through the ranks and had already been won over.
He’d decided to cede control and support this leader in whatever schemes he pursued.
And Class D.
“Teacher…
I checked this morning—the points didn’t arrive.
Didn’t you say they’re distributed on the first of every month?” Hondō Ryōtarō stood up and asked.
“Hondō, I told you earlier: the points are deposited on the first of each month.
This month’s distribution has already been completed.” Chabashira Sae stood at the podium, her expression even colder than usual.
“But…
they really aren’t there.” Hondō, Yamauchi, and the others exchanged bewildered looks.
“…You’re truly hopeless.” Chabashira’s voice carried no anger—but it held a chilling weight that made one’s spine tingle.
“Hondō, sit down.
I won’t repeat myself.” “Ch-Chabashira-sensei?” Hondō flinched at the unfamiliar severity in her tone.
Throughout the month, even when they’d chatted, slept, or played on their phones during class, the teacher had never once intervened.
This sudden shift in attitude was jarring.
“The points have been deposited correctly.
And the assumption that ‘the school skipped over Class D alone’ is impossible.
Do you understand?” “B-But the fact is they’re not there…” Hondō remained utterly confused.
“Heh.
I see.
I understand now.” Kōenji Rokusuke let out a booming laugh, his legs carelessly propped up on his desk as he pointed at Hondō with an arrogant flourish.
“The answer is simple—our class received exactly zero points this month.” “Huh?
Why?
Aren’t we supposed to get 100,000 points every month?” “I don’t recall the school ever guaranteeing that.” Kōenji retorted without hesitation, then brazenly pointed his finger at Chabashira.
“Though Kōenji’s attitude is severely problematic, the facts are as he says.
Honestly—I’ve given you all so many hints, and only a few have caught on by now.
Pitiful.” At that, Chabashira couldn’t help but think of Class B, which had achieved a miracle this month.
Someone else had seen through the entire school’s rules on the very second day—yet this Class D, faced with such obvious hints, remained completely clueless.
Could the gap between people really be this vast?