Ayanokoji also, with an expressionless face, looked at her.
Chabashira very quickly then shifted her gaze, "I think you all also know, in order to address the final exam of the second semester, next week the school will carry out a small test consisting of eight subjects' questions."
"I think already there are people who have begun studying for the exam, but I still want to slightly remind those people who do not know."
"Ah? Just now was the midterm exam, and there is already another exam?!"
Ike Kanji's face showed an astonished expression.
"Don't worry, Ike, first point, the small test has one hundred questions in total, full score one hundred points, its content is extremely simple."
"That is to say, it is a test to conveniently once again confirm whether you have properly learned the basics."
"Also, same as the first semester's small test, in grades it will not have any influence, even if you score zero points, score one hundred points, it does not matter. This is completely only to clearly see your current situation's ability."
On Chabashira's face was a smile carrying a meaningful smile.
[This time's exam, although it is said to be nothing important, actually it is not so. This exam's influence will be, the grouping for the final exam.]
'Yare yare, as expected, how could this school possibly do that kind of thing that has absolutely no downside.' Saiki in his heart thus said.
And on the other side, Ayanokoji, after hearing these words, also at the same time discovered something abnormal.
[Inside this school, there should not exist that kind of arrangement of "will not cause any influence." I fear this small test also has another hidden matter.]
'Yare yare, you are also an esper huh.' Saiki in his heart made a retort.
"But, I must first tell you all, the result of the small test of course is not meaningless. If you ask why, it is because this small test result will bring about a huge influence on the next final exam."
And at this moment, Chabashira continued speaking. Obviously, it could be explained in one sentence, yet she wanted to, like now, deliberately make a mystery.
"What, what exactly do you mean?"
Sudo, with a face of doubt, asked.
"If I could say it in a way you can understand better, that would be good, Sudo, the school has stipulated that, based on the result of this time's small test, you will form a pair of two people with someone in the class."
Chabashira's expression gradually became serious, "That pair will, in the form of a combination, challenge the final exam."
"The subjects of the exam will be eight, full score one hundred each, fifty questions each, total four hundred questions."
"This time there exist two situations that may lead to expulsion. One, very similar to up until now, is that every subject will set a minimum standard of sixty points."
"If there is any subject not reaching sixty points, it is stipulated that both people must be expelled. And this sixty points refers to the total score of the pair combined."
"For example, if Ike and Hirata become a pair, then even if Ike scores zero, as long as Hirata scores sixty, then it is safe."
[What? A pair exam?]
[Then I only need to team up with the one whose grades are the best, right!]
[By all means, don't team up with Yamauchi....]
Astonished expressions, directly appeared in everyone's heart.
"Another one, is the total of all subjects added together. Suppose every subject passed the passing line, but if the total score did not pass, still it will result in expulsion."
"This time's passing line the school has not yet announced. According to past years' situation, it should be around seven hundred points."
"These two situations I have already told you. As long as either one is touched, the two people will both be expelled together~"
"For example, in past years in this special exam, commonly called Paper Shuffle, there would always appear one pair or two pairs of expelled students."
And while listening to Chabashira's words, Ayanokoji's brain began to think.
[Paper Shuffle? The meaning is shuffle of test papers? Merely from the name to look at, the core of this exam absolutely is not just simply pairing.]
[But teacher just mentioned, this time's small test will influence the final exam... This means, the small test results influence the pairing of the final exam?]
[Very possible that people with excellent grades and people with poor grades will be paired... Then this time's small test, although it looks very simple, actually is an arrangement of pairing. The result of the pairing will also directly influence the class's final exam result.]
'Yare yare, you analyzed that fast huh?'
Saiki's gaze could not help but slightly shift toward Ayanokoji's direction.
"Right, there is also one more thing. First, the questions for the final exam will be thought of and produced by you yourselves, then that problem will be allocated to one of the three classes other than your own."
"In other words, you must launch an 'attack' against another class. The class that receives it will be in the form of 'defense.'"
"Our class total score compared to the other class's total score, the winning class can obtain fifty class points from the losing class."
"Additionally, if two classes attack each other mutually, then that class point amount will become one hundred points."
"And also, the questions you complete will be strictly and fairly checked by all of us teachers. If there are things outside the teaching range, or questions that cannot be answered from the content, we will ask you to revise, and repeatedly confirm, letting students step by step complete question making and answers, guaranteeing fairness of the exam." Chabashira further explained.
'Yare yare, as expected it is like this, this school just likes to make simple matters complicated.'
Saiki in his heart thought, and in his heart sighed. But compared to the school suddenly doing something like deserted-island survival, this time's exam could be considered normal.
"This is the concrete situation of the coming exams. After that, the matters will be up to you yourselves to think."
———
After class was over, in the classroom, led by Hirata Yosuke, several people immediately gathered more students, preparing to discuss strategies for the coming exam.
Whether about how to pair, or how to face possible exam questions, raising each student's score was not a problem.
Saiki of course did not want to participate in related discussion, but was still requested by Hirata Yosuke, later to go to the school's café and with the others together discuss matters about the exam.
'If going to the café to discuss, I can reluctantly accept. After all, there are also things to eat there.'
Saiki, while thinking so, also packed up his schoolbag.
And at this time, Ayanokoji quickly came in front of Saiki.
"Saiki, later you will go together with them to the meeting, right."
"Aren't you also going?"
"I want to first discuss with you, about the tactics afterward." Ayanokoji spoke slowly.
"Mm... You say..."
Saiki nodded. Although he did not want to waste too much time, but if he knew what so-called tactics Ayanokoji had, in the future he could also prevent that guy from later doing some strange thing.
"Surely Saiki, you already heard from teacher Chabashira about the real meaning of this exam, right."
'Of course, since you already in your heart said all of these things out loud.'
Saiki in his heart thought like this, but still nodded, "The next small test decides the pairing situation for the final exam, right."
"Mm."
Ayanokoji nodded, "Because of your arrangement, Saiki, Ryuen has already concentrated his firepower onto Yamauchi. I remember not long ago, Ryuen seemed to be tailing you, right."
"Mm..."
In Saiki's mind again floated up the image of Ryuen's head rolling on the ground.
"But in the end, Ryuen seemed not to have done anything to you. This means you either diverted Ryuen's attention, or you used some method to restrain Ryuen. This also made Ryuen, for a long period of time, unable to make any big moves."
'You mean using invisibility to secretly record, and then using psychic powers to send information, that matter?'
Saiki pretended to look very calm, slightly nodded.
"Impressive. But it must also mean that Ryuen will be more wary of us. I think in the next final exam, Class D is very likely to attack our class. Surely Saiki, you are also preparing to settle things with Class D, right."
"Ryuen is a person with ability, somewhat similar to the two of us. In the future, perhaps he could also become a tool we can use."
'Where in the world are we similar! And you even want to use that kind of guy as well?'
Saiki, while in his heart making a retort, still slightly nodded, "Mm..."
"Ryuen will take action against our class. But I think they are not our class's biggest enemy. We have an existence we must eliminate. It is our class's cancer. If our class wants to advance further, then we must remove it."
On Ayanokoji's face there was no change of expression, but his gaze seemed to become somewhat cold, "Kushida. I want to make her expelled. Saiki, what is your thought?"
"Huh?"
Saiki's whole person froze for a moment. Ayanokoji suddenly saying this to him made him slightly surprised.
For the future development of Class B, Kushida without doubt is a calamity, at least until Kushida removes Suzune, Kushida's actions will obstruct the class's rise.
For Saiki, apart from that one night he accidentally bumped into Kushida venting emotions, on the surface at least Kushida to him was still passable.
'Wait... No... The troubles Ryuen caused me before, it was precisely because of Kushida's reason!'
Saiki only now remembered, he himself was actually the indirect victim of Kushida's various mischief.
"Saiki, what is your thought?" Ayanokoji's gaze projected onto Saiki's body.
[Sakayanagi of Class A seems to know my past, and teacher Chabashira also used that man's words to threaten me."
"Although Saiki has already told me she is someone who loves bluffing, but according to the present situation, I must make preparations for the worst."
"Horikita is a very suitable object. If I can cultivate her, she can become my strong weapon to deal with these people, but the premise is to remove Kushida. If Kushida is not removed, then Suzune cannot even stand at the starting line.]
Ayanokoji, regarding expelling Kushida, seemed somewhat persistent.
But for Saiki, Kushida did not have much influence. Whether she is expelled or not was irrelevant. He did not want to be dragged into more trouble.
"Up to you. Just act according to your own thoughts." Saiki immediately said.
"Understood."
Ayanokoji nodded. At the same time, in his brain instantly floated countless methods to make Kushida expelled.
'Really a strange guy...'
Saiki looked at Ayanokoji, feeling somewhat helpless in his heart. Fortunately, now Ayanokoji and himself were in the same camp. Otherwise, this guy might cause even bigger trouble.
"Then let's first go to the café and join with Hirata and the others."
"Mm."
———
Very quickly, Saiki and Ayanokoji together arrived at the café. Hirata, Karuizawa, and Kushida, Sudo had already arrived. Suzune was the last to arrive.
'Yare yare, you few people having a meeting is enough, right? No need to drag me in as well.'
Saiki in his heart made a retort, then slightly shifted his gaze, transferring to Sudo, 'But concerning exam matters, not to mention Karuizawa is here, even Sudo is here?'
For some reason, Saiki felt Sudo's presence in this place gave a sense of disharmony. Always feeling that no matter what the people around said, Sudo would have difficulty understanding.
[I must look very serious, right.]
Sudo at this moment, was sitting properly in his place, gaze falling on the others.
Saiki had just found a seat to sit down. Already arrived earlier, Karuizawa now stood up from her original seat, quickly sat beside Saiki, and also pushed a plate of dessert to his side.
Before Saiki arrived, Karuizawa had already ordered dessert for him.
'Nicely done, Karuizawa!' Saiki praised in his heart.
"Then let us start from the small test to be held next time."
Suzune took a sip of milk tea, then with a serious expression spoke.
"It probably can be not too cared about, right? Starting from the midterm, the study groups held in succession were a heavy burden for everyone."
"And also, the school seems to guarantee this small test's score will not influence our class points." Beside, Karuizawa spoke.
'This pudding is a new flavor.'
Saiki's attention was completely not on this meeting, his gaze always fixed on the pudding in front of him, 'Just now Horikita already drank milk tea. If I eat one bite of pudding now, it should not be a problem.'
"Yes, I also don't plan to forcibly make everyone study. But I do not think the school carrying out a small test is purely to test learning results, because we just finished the midterm exam. In such a short time, consecutive exams have no meaning."
Suzune said. She also already seemed to have noticed the hint in Chabashira's words.
'Mm, this taste is not bad.'
Saiki at this moment had already begun enjoying the delicacy.
"That is to say, the small test itself has meaning, right? It has a purpose other than seeing scholastic ability?"
Karuizawa's head obviously was not as good as Suzune's, still with a face of doubt.
"If the reason for holding the small test is not to confirm our scholastic ability, then it represents one matter. The small test results will bring influence to the selection of partners for the final exam. That should be it."
Hirata Yosuke immediately also understood Suzune's meaning.
"Do you understand, Sudo?"
Suzune turned her head, looking at Sudo.
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