The confrontation between the representatives, with their conversations and exchanges completely undisclosed, left the participating students and the waiting representatives, the middle guard and general positions, in a similar state of mind.
Considering the sudden call to action, it could be said that the mental and physical burden was even greater.
The waiting room was silent.
The only information that was disclosed was the decrease in the representatives' lives.
They stared intently at the monitor as fluctuations appeared.
Shortly after, an announcement began to flow into the room where the representatives were waiting.
'With Hamaguchi-kun's victory, Hirata-kun will leave the room. Middle guards, please start preparing.'
She wished her classmate's defeat hadn't come so soon.
Listening to the voice announcing this, Horikita let out a small sigh.
"I'll be going now."
With those brief words, Horikita addressed Ayanokōji, who was sitting next to her.
"Good luck."
His words sounded somewhat indifferent, but she wasn't irritated by them. She had learned over the past two years that this was just the kind of person Ayanokōji was.
His words might've seemed cold, but Ayanokōji contributed to the class in his own ways.
That included this special exam.
He'd asked for something in return, but as a general, he took on the role of leading the class to victory.
Therefore, Horikita could fight with all her strength without hesitation.
Above all, she felt confident in the presence sitting next to her.
Even if she were to lose to her opponent, Hamaguchi, she felt that Ayanokōji could go on to defeat Ichinose. It was a baseless belief.
However, she reminded herself not to rely too much on that belief.
She left the waiting room and headed for the classroom where the exam would take place.
On the way, she ran into Hirata who had just left the room.
"I'm sorry, Horikita-san... I couldn't be of any help..."
"I can somewhat guess the situation. There's no need for you to feel down."
Some students were better suited for certain tasks than others. Hirata was good at observing other students, but he definitely wasn't suited for exams that involved doubting others. She understood that.
There was a ten-minute recess interval.
The school must've anticipated that the losing class would pass by here during the switch.
That meant there was no problem in exchanging opinions as long as time allowed.
"Did you notice anything?"
"Well, I couldn't control the content of the discussion, but the timing of the attack, whether to go first or second, could greatly influence the outcome."
Hirata shared his experiences, and she listened intently.
"The situation can quickly change depending on the participants."
Indeed, if the conversation moved beyond control, there was nothing that could be done.
However, she believed that it wasn't completely unmanageable.
"Thank you. You should rest for now."
She watched Hirata's back as he returned to the waiting room before starting to walk again.
Finally, she arrived at the classroom where Hamaguchi was waiting and reached for the door.
"Ahem."
She gently cleared her throat and let go of the handle.
Once this door opened, there was no turning back.
She took a deep breath, emptied her mind, and then pulled out the organized information before slowly opening the door.