Chapter 308: Cracking Down on Campus Bullying
"Doubling the chips?"
Ishikura Ren's brow furrowed, his face clouded with suspicion. "Hmph! That sounds like a nice pie in the sky, but coming from your position, it looks like a trap no matter how I view it!"
At the retirement ceremony for the previous Student Council President, Manabu Horikita had personally led Hachiman onto the stage. It was easy for outsiders to perceive the latter as a member of the "Horikita faction."
"You're overthinking it, Ishikura-senpai. There is no class competition between different school years," Hachiman noted, aware of the other's concerns.
"That's not necessarily true."
Although Ishikura didn't name names, everyone understood the implications of Nagumo Miyabi's public challenge to Manabu Horikita.
"It is true—because I'm from Class D."
"..."
Ishikura was stunned for a moment, then his lip couldn't help but twitch.
Who would have thought that a campus celebrity like the "Great Demon King" of the first-years—the Public Morals committee member who had faced off against upperclassmen several times—actually came from the "trash" Class D.
"I don't even care about my own class, so why would I care about anyone else's?" Hachiman shrugged, adopting an air of indifference.
"Then why are you telling me all this now?" Ishikura asked, puzzled.
"Before I answer, I want to confirm something." Hachiman narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the man. "Does Ishikura-senpai truly have the determination to reach Class A?"
"What kind of question is that? Everything I do is to lead my class to victory over Class A!" Ishikura reiterated his stance solemnly.
"Really? Even if it means sacrificing Ikari-senpai for the sake of victory?" Hachiman's gaze became sharp.
"What did you say? That's preposterous! How could I abandon my own... comrade!" Ishikura retorted emotionally.
"Heh~ Ishikura-senpai, isn't that a bit hypocritical?" Hachiman let out a sneer, his face full of mockery. "I checked the numbers for the third-year Class B. There are 38 people total. That is to say, up until now, you have already abandoned two comrades!"
Ishikura's face darkened, and he immediately countered: "That was the Unanimous Special Exam vote..."
Realizing that upperclassmen were forbidden from leaking details of special exams, Ishikura immediately shut his mouth. Hachiman, however, keenly committed this key intel to memory.
'Unanimous?'
It sounded like a multiple-choice question or a vote that required the entire class to reach a consensus.
"In short, it wasn't that we abandoned our comrades. Those expulsions were caused by force majeure," Ishikura said hurriedly, sounding somewhat guilty.
Hachiman seized on this point to continue his attack: "Ultimately, Ishikura-senpai can accept the outcome of a classmate being expelled. In that case, to gain more chips for the duel against Class A, the most correct move right now is to abandon Ikari-senpai, isn't it?"
Hachiman finally showed his hand.
To clarify: in this Forest School Exam, saving a student from expulsion requires not only 20 million private points but also a penalty of 300 Class Points!
"You shut up!" Ishikura clenched his fists, staring at him with a face full of rage.
Exactly as Hachiman said: if they gave up on Momoko Ikari, they could keep the 20 million points provided by Nagumo, and the class point deduction for expulsion would only be 100 points. Conversely, for Manabu Horikita to exempt Akane Tachibana from expulsion, paying 20 million points and 300 class points would deal a massive blow to Class A.
With one class losing and the other gaining, the score gap would close infinitely!
"It seems Ishikura-senpai values Ikari-senpai more than the class." Hachiman struck directly at Ishikura's true heart.
"..."
"Stop trying to stir up trouble! Momoko is an elite of our Class B. No one should be sacrificed, least of all her!" Ishikura emphasized righteously.
"And does everyone else in Class B think the same way?" Hachiman countered.
Based on human nature, most people are selfish.
Under the massive temptation of graduating from Class A with a guaranteed spot in a top university, it was hard not to be moved. Ishikura was momentarily choked with anger, unable to find a rebuttal.
From his reaction, Hachiman could see that Ishikura had definitely kept his class in the dark when making this decision.
"I think the senpais of the third-year Class B all have a right to know." Hachiman's words carried a veiled threat.
"Shut up! You bastard!!" Unable to contain himself, Ishikura rushed forward and threw a punch.
Hachiman stepped aside to dodge, using his forearm to parry and deflect the punch.
"Why is Ishikura-senpai in such a hurry? According to social surveys, 95% of high school romances don't make it to the end. As long as you graduate from Class A and get into a top school, why worry about finding an even better girlfriend?" Hachiman stimulated him with words while dodging.
"Hikigaya! You scum!!" Infuriated, Ishikura chased after him frantically.
"Eh? What's happening?"
"Someone's fighting!"
"Is that Ishikura from 3-B and that dead-fish-eye from the first year?"
The scuffle quickly attracted the attention of other group members running past. Everyone stopped to watch the drama.
"That guy Hikigaya really loves causing trouble.
He just went up against President Nagumo not long ago, and now he's fighting a third-year!"
More and more onlookers gathered. Seeing the timing was right, Hachiman shouted loudly: "Alright, I was wrong! Just spare me, Ishikura-senpai! I shouldn't have questioned your love for Ikari-senpai~"
"Ikari? What does she have to do with this?"
"That Ikari woman has been making quite a stir lately, tearing into people in the girls' dormitory!"
"Wait, isn't she the person in charge? Isn't she afraid of being expelled if she keeps messing around?"
"Who knows, maybe Class B is already prepared to save her?"
The crowd buzzed with gossip. But for the members of the third-year Class B, they were the ones caught in the middle.
"Wait, Ishikura?"
"What exactly are you plotting?"
"Where would we get that many points to save Ikari?"
"This isn't what we agreed on!"
As expected! From the reaction of the 3-B students, Hachiman's guess was confirmed. Ishikura Ren had not consulted everyone in the class regarding the cost of saving Momoko Ikari.
It made sense. Once the whole class knew that sacrificing Ikari alone could yield a chance to overtake Class A, it would inevitably cause a fierce reaction within the class, potentially leading to a split. Ishikura Ren making a unilateral decision as the class leader was a valid, if flawed, means of maintaining internal unity.
"You guys, don't listen to this dead-fish-eye's nonsense! He's trying to drive a wedge between us!!" Ishikura tried to explain urgently.
However, at that moment, word reached the girls' groups, and Momoko Ikari herself rushed over.
"Ren-kun, what is going on?"
"Momoko! Please believe me!"
"I do believe you, but..."
Momoko Ikari hesitated. Because her personality was too aggressive, she had offended many people in her class; thus, it was hard to believe the class wouldn't backstab her.
This was precisely the fundamental reason why Ishikura Ren hid the true plan from the class.
A well-intentioned concealment had evolved into a crisis of trust! The two stared at each other, falling into a long silence.
Hachiman, the instigator, slipped away.
'My, my, I feel like I've become the villain...'
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Perhaps due to the trust crisis, Momoko Ikari quieted down a lot that day and stopped causing trouble. The patrol teachers relaxed their control over the large groups, allowing Shiina Hiyori to be "liberated" and find time for a secret meeting.
"Hachiman-kun, I'm truly sorry. I missed our appointments the last two days." Shiina Hiyori held his hand with a face full of shame.
"It's okay. You were stuck and couldn't get out, I know." Hachiman's expression was normal.
Hiyori suddenly narrowed her eyes and said thoughtfully: "Hachiman-kun knows everything... Does that mean that besides me, you found other women for secret meetings?"
"Cough~ that phrasing isn't quite accurate..." Hachiman scratched his cheek with slight embarrassment, trying to gloss it over, but facing Hiyori's wise eyes, he had to confess: "I did find other collaborators to provide information."
"..." Shiina Hiyori sighed helplessly: "It's all my lack of ability; I alone cannot satisfy Hachiman-kun's needs."
"No, no! Hiyori is amazing! I heard you stood your ground against that Ikari person and didn't back down at all!" Hachiman praised.
On the surface, Shiina Hiyori was a gentle and quiet girl, but she wasn't weak at the core. Even facing Ryuen Kakeru, who frequently used violence, she could maintain a calm and composed demeanor. So why would she fear a mere bully like Momoko Ikari?
"I was just stating the facts." Hiyori smiled slightly. Then she shared some info about the large group. Momoko Ikari had stopped, but a Sakamoto-senpai from the third-year Class D had launched an attack on Tachibana Akane. And the methods were even more despicable: verbal abuse, stealing indoor shoes, splashing cold water during baths, and so on.
As expected of the trash from Class D!
"This is blatant bullying behavior!" Hachiman's expression turned to one of disgust. It reminded him of the past Karuizawa Kei had confided to him—that dark, unbearable experience.
"Hiyori, you should head back first," Hachiman instructed.
"Okay." Hiyori nodded obediently, finally joking: "But Hachiman-kun, don't chat too late."
Before leaving, she glanced toward a dark corner.
"Come out, Kikyo." Hachiman called out the other person he had an appointment with.
"Hmph! That Shiina girl really knows how to put on an act!" Kushida Kikyo's face was dark.
"Talking bad about others behind their back is beneath the dignity of a 'little angel'," Hachiman teased.
"And you're even defending her! Hachiman, you should know, that kind of woman is a real liar!" Kikyo widened her eyes, continuing her trash talk.
"Yes, yes, Kikyo is the most honest." Hachiman lied through his teeth.
"At least I won't lie to Hachiman. Alright, whatever the mission is, feel free to use me!" Kikyo puffed out her chest, looking ready to be at his beck and call.
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Forest School Exam, Day 6.
Everything was normal in the morning.
In the afternoon Physical Education class, someone finally couldn't resist making a move!
Thud—!
Tachibana Akane was intentionally tripped when Sakamoto stepped on her heel from behind, causing her to fall hard.
"Oh my~ I'm so sorry, I accidentally stepped on you."
"You... you clearly did it on purpose!"
"Who saw it? Did anyone see it?"
Most of the people in Tachibana Akane's group had already been bought off by Nagumo, so they naturally turned a blind eye.
"I saw it! You were deliberately bullying Tachibana-senpai!"
Kobashi Yume, full of a sense of justice, stepped forward to testify. But in the end, she was outnumbered and unable to deal with the unified targeting from the third-years. Both sides held to their own stories; aside from a war of words, it achieved nothing.
"Without proof, don't talk nonsense! Besides, this is a third-year matter. You first-year brats should stay out of it!" Sakamoto's attitude was extremely arrogant.
"Who are you calling a brat? Just because you're two years older, I really don't know where you get the confidence to be so high and mighty."
Led by Shiina Hiyori, Hachiman intervened in the dispute at the right moment.
"Who are you? What right do you have to meddle in others' business?" Sakamoto still wanted to play the "senpai" card.
"Unluckily for you, I do have the right to meddle."
Hachiman placed the red armband representing the Public Morals committee on his wrist. Though it was a bit embarrassing, it was an indispensable step to establish his identity.
"You... you're that Public Morals guy..." Sakamoto's face changed instantly.
During the Christmas period, Hachiman had caught students violating rules everywhere, showing no face even to upperclassmen, making a name for the Public Morals committee!
"Hikigaya-kun? You came at the right time, hurry up and deal with this despicable person!" Kobashi Yume looked delighted.
'Does this girl think I'm some messenger of justice?'
Shiraishi Asuka, meanwhile, was secretly observing him. Although she was very discreet, Hachiman still noticed her curious gaze. As for why he noticed, it was mainly because Asuka Shiraishi was beautiful.
Asuka Shiraishi
Student ID: S01T004743
Birthday: 07.21
A student in Ayanokouji's class. High academic ability but lower physical ability; has a quiet personality. Rumors whisper about her relationships with the opposite sex; she has taken an interest in Ayanokouji, who suddenly transferred classes.
Category Grade
Academic Ability B+ (76)
Physical Ability D (34)
Adaptability C+ (57)
Social Contribution C- (44)
Overall C (54)
Being stared at by a beautiful girl would make any normal man feel secretly pleased. But Hachiman was different. As a "loner," he never believed in good things falling from the sky.
Especially from a first glance, Hachiman faintly caught a scent of something familiar from her.
'Ayanokouji Kiyotaka!'
Well, imagining someone as a "pseudo-human" for no reason was indeed a bit much. Although the two had a slightly similar aura, overall, Hachiman's first impression of Asuka Shiraishi was "an extraordinary high school girl."
But she was a stranger; since they had no intersection, there was no need to care.
"Bullying is a severe violation of school rules!
I suggest Sakamoto-senpai comes clean and confesses honestly!"
Hachiman wasted no words, immediately slapping her with the charge.
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