Just as Yukio finished listening to Sakagami's explanation and left the classroom to find Tsukishiro, the other three first-year classes were also being informed by their respective homeroom teachers about this deadly sudden special exam.
A special exam targeting only the first-years, with such intense and deliberate malice behind it—it made everyone feel sick to their stomachs.
In Class 1-D, after Chabashira finished explaining all the rules, she let out a sigh. "That's the gist of it. Any questions?"
What answered her was utter silence. Or rather, it was the way many students started casting glances toward Ike and Yamauchi—two of the lowest-ranking boys in the class.
Ever since the Sports Festival, these two had been tacitly ostracized by nearly the entire class. Other than Hirata and Kushida, no one spoke to them anymore. It was as if they had silently been designated as the primary targets for criticism votes. Feeling everyone's gaze on them, Ike and Yamauchi broke out in cold sweat, visibly fidgeting and restless.
For other classes, this surprise special exam might seem absolutely revolting—they were being forced to sacrifice one of their own. For anyone, that was a cruel and unacceptable test.
But for Class 1-D? They didn't find it all that troubling. They were already sick of Ike and Yamauchi. If they could use this as an opportunity to get rid of one of them, the majority wouldn't hesitate to use their criticism votes on them.
"H-How could this happen?" Ike muttered in a tiny voice. But his pale face and hollow eyes told the real story—he was in despair.
He regretted it—truly regretted it. Why had he gotten swept up in that stupid idea during the summer to sneak into the girls' locker room with Sudo and Yamauchi? If he hadn't done that, maybe he could've just coasted through life at AN High!
If he got expelled, what would his family think? What would the neighbors say about him and his parents?
Just thinking about it made his heart feel like it would explode. Panic overwhelmed all reason. His teeth were chattering. His whole body shook.
Yamauchi was even worse off. He was already falling apart, desperately pleading with everyone. "No! Please! Guys, we're classmates, right? We wouldn't actually turn on each other, would we? There's no way we'd really vote like that, right?!"
But that desperate display only made the other students more disgusted—especially the girls. After all, these three had once plotted to sneak into the girls' locker room. The girls despised them the most.
The always blunt Karuizawa curled her lip in disgust. "Tch. Disgusting."
She'd always held deep resentment toward Sudo and the other two.
Her close friend Satou chimed in immediately. "Yeah, seriously. Have you even thought about what you did? Who would want to share a class with you two? Who else should get expelled if not you?"
"Enough," said Hirata, the class's eternal nice guy, finally stepping forward. "There has to be a way! We're all classmates—how can we let this happen?"
"Chabashira-sensei, the vote is in three days, right? What if we all call in sick? Can we just not show up?" Hirata asked hopefully, looking toward Chabashira as if grasping for a lifeline.
But Chabashira remained expressionless. "Impossible. Even if you claim to be sick, the school will have you vote from the infirmary. It's not a physically demanding exam, after all."
Hirata visibly staggered at her words, as if his legs had buckled. "How can something like this be allowed…"
"Uu…" Kushida, seeing this, realized it was time for her role to shine. Like clockwork, tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob gently. "Stop fighting… Everyone, please stop…"
Immediately, the students nearby started comforting the "sweet angel."
"Aw, Kushida, don't let those guys get to you. Not worth it."
"Yeah, seriously. Don't cry over creeps who tried to sneak peeks. Hirata too—why even try to help them?"
Kushida kept up the act, shielding her eyes with her hands as she wiped away tears. But behind that tear-streaked mask, her eyes glinted with contempt for the entire class.
Ike and Yamauchi are trash—but you're all just as bad.
Hirata glanced around the room, increasingly agitated. He realized he was the only one who wanted to save Ike and Yamauchi.
He couldn't help it—the memories came flooding back. Memories of middle school. Of a tragedy.
Back then, he'd had a best friend—a childhood buddy since kindergarten, someone who'd stuck with him through elementary and middle school. But during junior high, that friend had been viciously bullied.
And Hirata… had turned a blind eye. He avoided getting involved, avoided even looking, afraid he'd be dragged down too. Until… the day he saw his friend attempt suicide.
Thankfully, his friend had survived. Injured, yes, but alive—and ultimately transferred schools. But the image of that bloodstained scene left a scar on Hirata's soul.
He swore he would never let that happen again.
After that, he transformed. No longer passive, Hirata became a tyrant within his class. Since he hadn't acted when it mattered, he lashed out afterward—beating everyone who had taken part in the bullying. He beat the class into submission.
From that day on, no one in class was ever bullied again. Hirata made sure of it—he'd lash out at any sign of it, determined never to see that blood again.
At first, the lack of bullying made Hirata feel victorious. But after six months, something else vanished: the class's smiles.
Every time his classmates saw him, they shrank back in fear. There was no laughter anymore. Not even during break time. They stayed silently in their seats, terrified that moving around might earn them a punch from Hirata.
That's when he realized he'd made a mistake. His belief—that to protect a friend, he had to control the class—had been wrong.
The real truth?
You have to control the class in order to protect your friends.
Twisted as it was, that belief became his obsession. That's why he entered AN High and ended up in Class D.
He swore never to use violence again. He would rely only on sunshine and smiles, devoted entirely to the concept of "class unity."
As long as the class stayed whole, no one would be lost. That belief drove everything he did. That's why Hirata became the class's self-sacrificing good guy from the moment he enrolled.
Back when Sudo voluntarily applied for withdrawal, Hirata had locked himself in his dorm for two days. The guilt crushed him.
He finally managed to talk himself through it—reasoning that Sudo had made the choice himself—and carried on under enormous pressure. But he'd grown quieter since then.
Many in Class D had noticed: ever since the Sudo incident, Hirata had become more subdued. Often distracted. No longer the endlessly cheerful leader he used to be.
But Sudo's case had at least been voluntary.
Ike and Yamauchi's situation was different. How could he abandon them now?! No matter how gross or hated they were—if they were part of the class, he'd protect them to the bitter end.
"Ike! Yamauchi!"
"Don't be afraid! I'll protect you!"
Karuizawa shot Hirata a sharp look and started laughing bitterly inside. As expected. This guy really doesn't differentiate. No matter who it is, he always treats everyone the same.
Kushida also glanced at him sideways, deadpan. God, his act is even more ridiculous than mine.
Ike and Yamauchi, meanwhile, burst into sobs, overwhelmed with gratitude.
But just then, Chabashira cut in coldly. "Hirata. I think you're misunderstanding something. Ike and Yamauchi… have already been expelled. They won't be participating in this class vote."
...
For every 50 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.
Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon! [patreon.com/METARLN]
Use code FREE2ALL for 30% OFF!