Special Reward for My Amazing Supporters!
Time really flies—it's been almost 2 years since I started this project, and I wouldn't have made it this far without all of you. To show my gratitude, I've decided to launch a new fan reward program!
Here's what you can get:
-The Top 3 fans with the highest contribution points will receive a free 3-month Patreon subscription.
-This subscription gives you full access to all chapters of this novel—around 60 chapters ahead as a thank-you for your amazing support.
-Contribution points on WebNovel come from donating power stones and leaving comments, so every bit of activity counts!
I want this to be a monthly reward, not just a one-time thing so:
-From now on, anyone who reaches 400 contribution points will also qualify for the same reward—even if you're not in the Top 3.
-This applies not only to this novel, but also to the other fanfics I'm translating, giving you even more chances to win.
How to claim your reward:
-If you're in the Top 3 or have passed the 400 contribution point goal:
-Write a review stating that you've reached the requirement.
-Include your Discord ID in that review. I'll send you the Patreon access link directly through Discord.
This is my way of giving back to the readers who've stood by me all this time. Thank you for almost 2 years of support—let's keep pushing forward together!
...
On the second day of the forest-camp Special Exam, the sky was barely beginning to lighten when the students were rudely awakened by the intercom chime. Some tried hiding under their covers to escape the noise; others hurled curses at the school. But no matter how unwilling they were, the draw of class points eventually forced them out of their warm beds. With heavy reluctance, they washed up in the chilly January air and trudged over to the school building.
Each class had a designated classroom there. According to the camp's schedule, they had to sit in meditation for half an hour before being allowed to go eat breakfast. Since meditation itself wasn't on the list of evaluated tasks, the students didn't take it seriously. With eyes closed and minds wandering, they were in no mood for discipline. In fact, hearing Ishizaki's snoring mid-meditation made the others chuckle awake.
After meditation and breakfast came ordinary classes—just like at AN High School. The only difference was that the instructors sped through lessons, trying to cover a lot of material quickly. Every topic could show up on the big test on Day Eight, so the students listened intently, fully aware this exam was more serious than their typical day-to-day.
Kaneda and Shiina, being the class's two top academic performers, ran extra review sessions afterward—one for the boys, one for the girls. Observing everyone's enthusiasm, Yukio decided not to mention his plan about acquiring the exam paper yet.
During break, Ishizaki, Shiina, Kaneda, Ibuki, and a few others crowded around Yukio's desk, asking if he had any strategies up his sleeve. They'd grown used to Yukio's resourcefulness and didn't see the point in slogging through the test the normal way if some shortcut existed.
Realizing why they'd gathered, Yukio gave a faint smile.
"What, you guys don't trust Kaneda and Shiina to carry you academically? They can tutor you, and I'm sure you'll manage fine."
"Don't put it like that, Aniki," Nomura muttered. He was perched on a desk, twirling a pen. "Sure, we've got confidence in ourselves, but we can't look down on the other classes, right? Sakayanagi and Ichinose's classes are both academically strong. There's a good chance they'll beat us."
"Exactly," Ishizaki chimed in. "I know Kaneda's a beast at studies, probably better than them. But me? I barely scrape by with a passing grade. The last thing I want is to drag everyone down."
"All right, that's enough," Ibuki cut Ishizaki off. "Give it a rest. Of course Yukio's got ideas—why stress about it?"
Hearing Ibuki mention Yukio, Ishizaki couldn't hide his deep respect. He stuck his chin out in that overly loyal way.
"It's just curiosity, y'know? I know Aniki will figure something out. But the teachers said each class is tested in its own room with no chance of tampering. I'm just wondering how Aniki's gonna do anything across different classrooms."
"The building has multiple floors, each grade on a separate level. Once we're in our assigned rooms, how could Yukio cause any trouble for the others?"
Yukio shot Ibuki a cheerful glance, making her blush and avert her eyes. Shiina, next to them, held back a giggle. Then Yukio turned back to the group with a reassuring nod.
"All right, since you're so eager… let's stay up a bit late tonight. I'll show you how to play dirty."
It was probably only Yukio's class that would still be scheming like this. Most other classes—across all grades—didn't even consider tampering, since it was obvious they'd be too far apart to interfere with each other's exams. Even Horikita Manabu, now presiding over the third years, saw no value in that approach.
Hence, for now, everyone else just focused on studying and ate extra at lunch to prepare for the afternoon's physical training.
…
While the students sweated through their training, Hoshinomiya had the time of her life in the infirmary. She wasn't playing on her phone or watching a show, but waiting—fully alert—for more arrivals from Class D. Finally, her little angel Kushida limped in for treatment.
"Aiyo, Kushida-chan, you've got to be more careful. Looks like you sprained your ankle, though there's no swelling. Maybe it's an internal strain, hmm? I think you need a solid two days off."
Of course, Kushida's acting skills were top of the first-year class. She wasn't hurt at all, simply following Yukio's instructions. Inwardly, she found Hoshinomiya's diagnosis laughable.
Seriously, Sensei, your medical level is questionable, she thought. I'm not injured in the slightest.
Still, outwardly, she put on her best sweet-girl smile.
"Hehe, I stepped on a little rock while running. I'm too careless."
"Just be more mindful. You see now, don't you?" Yukio-kun told me the truth—yet another important D-Class member has gotten hurt. Who would have thought?
Hoshinomiya was beyond thrilled. She was certain Yukio was swiftly crippling Class D, one key figure at a time. This was, to her, a joyous development.
In truth, from her perspective, it looked like Kushida's ankle sprain was practically nonexistent. If there was any pain at all, it could be fixed in an hour or two. But Hoshinomiya cheerfully claimed it should be rested for two full days—to hold Class D's training scores back.
Kushida, no fool, sensed something off about Hoshinomiya's enthusiasm.
"Sensei, you seem… unusually happy?"
"!" Hoshinomiya realized she'd been letting her excitement run wild. She couldn't allow her side to drop its guard. So she bluffed.
"Hahaha, to be honest, it's kind of dull hanging around the infirmary all day, waiting for injuries or illnesses. So if someone like you comes in, at least I have something to do!"
"Oh, I see. It must be rough on you, too."
They chatted politely, all smiles. Inwardly, one was smug about her success, and the other was mocking Hoshinomiya's lackluster medical skills.
When it was time for Kushida to leave, she stood up and gave her best imitation of a limp:
"Thanks again, Hoshinomiya-sensei. I'll head out now."
"Huh? Don't you want to call a classmate to help you? Your ankle might hurt while walking, no?" Hoshinomiya asked.
Kushida merely shook her head, hobbling out.
"No need, that'd be too big a favor."
The moment she was out of sight, her limp vanished, and she hurried off happily. She'd barely slept last night, stuck in a dorm room full of other girls where she couldn't get comfortable in her top bunk. Now, thanks to Yukio's tip, she could skip training with a doctor's note—pure bliss. She smiled to herself, promising she'd repay Yukio somehow after the exam.
…
Hoshinomiya had only a few minutes to savor her delight before even bigger news arrived. Karuizawa and Satou came in, both leaning on each other, each claiming a leg injury—one with a hurt knee and the other an ankle in pain.
Hoshinomiya paused, cheeks flushing slightly. Did Yukio really go all-out? Three D-Class girls hurt in such a short span? That rascal! Clearly, he was eager for his reward.