-230- The opportunity to make a decision
The second discussion session ended in a stifling atmosphere.
As soon as it was over, Machida Koji and his group left the room immediately, just like they had in the afternoon, rushing off in a hurry.
Poor Class A, despite having devised an ultimate defense strategy that troubled all the other classes, ended up being unnerved by Hori twice. It was unclear if Katsuragi Kouhei could maintain his composure as he did before.
He probably could.
After all, without his composure, Katsuragi Kouhei wouldn't be Katsuragi Kouhei.
So, the nervousness of Machida Koji's group would likely be suppressed by Katsuragi Kouhei, allowing them to continue their solid, steady defense.
Unfortunately, Katsuragi Kouhei didn't know that his defense was already meaningless.
Because Hori had completed all the steps and identified all the VIPs.
Now, it was up to Hori whether or not to end this exam.
Although the VIP of the Rabbit Group was Karuizawa Kei, and due to being in the same class as her, any premature answers from Hori would be considered invalid, continuing the exam. And since Hori didn't belong to another group, he didn't have the right to answer. However, if Hori wished, he could provide the VIP list to classmates, allowing Class D to answer all the remaining VIPs, ending the exam for all groups except those with Class D's VIPs.
At that point, even without answering Class B's VIP, Class D could still correctly identify the VIPs from Class A and Class C, gaining 300 class points and 3 million individual points, while Class A and Class C would each lose 150 class points.
This was no trivial matter.
After the special exam on the deserted island, the class points gap among the four classes had changed.
...
Class A: 1101.
Class B: 917.
Class C: 455.
Class D: 454.
...
This was the class points situation for the first-year classes after the special exam on the deserted island.
Class D was only 1 point behind Class C.
Class B had closed the gap with Class A, trailing by about 200 points.
This meant that if Class A lost 150 class points, Class B would be only a few dozen points behind, very close.
As for Class D, they would advance to Class C next semester, with less than a 200-point gap to Class A and Class B.
Compared to the beginning of the first semester when Class D lost all their class points and had a gap of about 1000 points from Class A, this was an immense improvement.
If, at that time, Class D was deemed the worst class with no chance of recovery, then after this special exam, this evaluation would be completely overturned, and the power dynamics among the classes would be entirely altered.
This would be an event capable of shaking the history of Advanced Nurturing High School since its founding.
To be able to turn around from 0 points in just one semester, reaching a point where they were less than 200 class points behind Class A, was unprecedented in the school's history.
Of course, if Hori had wanted to, he could have made Class D rise directly to Class A during the special exam on the deserted island.
For Hori, class competition posed no difficulty, which didn't need repeating.
But Hori also had no interest in class competition, which also didn't need repeating.
Therefore, even though Hori had identified all the VIPs, he had no intention of providing the VIP list to Class D for another overall victory.
How to utilize this list was something Hori was still contemplating.
Maybe, on a whim, Hori would lead Class D to the top.
Maybe, he would let the list rot in his hands, watching the outcome of this special exam from the sidelines.
After all, the VIP of the Rabbit Group was Karuizawa Kei, who was in the same class as Hori.
As a student in the same class as the VIP, Hori had no right to end the Rabbit Group's exam early or end the exams of the other groups.
He could either share the list or keep it hidden.
These were the only two options available to Hori.
And neither option particularly motivated Hori.
Without interest in class competition, there was no reason to share the list.
Hiding the list seemed too wasteful.
Ultimately, how to proceed was up to Hori's thoughts.
At the moment, Hori had clearly not decided yet.
But it didn't matter.
There were still three days left until the exam ended.
Hori had plenty of time to think.
However, what Hori didn't expect was that the opportunity to make a decision came faster than he imagined.
Just after the second discussion session ended and Machida Koji's group left, someone hesitantly called out to Hori before he had a chance to leave.
"Nanaya..."
Karuizawa Kei seemed to have made a decision and immediately wanted to call out to Hori.
However, almost at the same time, Ibuki Mio approached Hori.
Behind her, Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki followed hesitantly.
Hori acted as if he hadn't noticed and looked at Karuizawa Kei.
"Do you need something?"
Hori asked.
"...No, nothing."
Karuizawa Kei's determination quickly faded when she saw Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki approaching. Replaced by hesitation, she gave this response.
Then, Karuizawa Kei quickly left the room, as if she didn't want to deal with the Class C students.
Hori watched Karuizawa Kei leave, then slowly shifted his gaze to Ibuki Mio, who was glaring at him.
"Do you need something?"
The same question, asked a second time, now carried a hint of indifference.
Faced with this, Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki were all terrified, but only Ibuki Mio, with a defiant look in her eyes, stared at Hori. After a moment, she spoke in a cold voice.
"Ryuen wants to see you. He's in the Dragon Group."
Leaving these words behind, Ibuki Mio walked away without looking back.
Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki also quickly left.
"Ryuen, huh?"
Hori raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
It seemed Ibuki Mio had reported the earlier incident to Ryuen Kakeru, prompting Ryuen to want to see him.
"Are you going?"
Beside him, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who had been silent, asked.
Hori's response was calm.
"Yes."
Hori was quite interested in what Ryuen Kakeru wanted.
After all, with Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A absent and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka being a classmate without a competitive relationship, only Ryuen Kakeru in the first year of Advanced Nurturing High School could provide some amusement for Hori.
However...
"Can I come too?"
Ichinose Honami approached, possibly having overheard the conversation.
"I'm very interested too."
Ichinose Honami said with a cheerful smile.
Hori was momentarily surprised but didn't refuse.
Thus, the Rabbit Group disbanded on the spot.
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