Chapter 309: The Tyrannosaurus Showdown!!!
"Wh-What bullying... I-I was just joking!" Sakamoto's expression panicked, though she still tried to maintain a facade of calm as she denied it.
"A joke?
The premise of a joke is that the person being joked about finds it funny too, isn't it?"
Hikigaya shifted his gaze toward Tachibana Akane, signaling her with his eyes to stay calm.
Tachibana's eyes flickered as if she understood something. She nodded in response, her expression turning stern. "I don't think it's a joke. This is bullying directed at me personally. I request the Student Council to intervene and investigate!"
"Tachibana, you!" The members of the same group all changed color.
They hadn't expected that Tachibana, who had been silently enduring everything these past few days, would suddenly have the courage to resist!
In truth, Tachibana was never a weak person; she only chose to swallow her pride because she didn't want to trouble Horikita Manabu and wanted to prioritize the overall performance of the group. She hadn't expected that her endurance would only lead to more intensified persecution.
"Tachibana-senpai, your request has been accepted.
To maintain the school's moral discipline, the Student Council has an inescapable duty.
I ask any witnesses present to step forward and testify."
As soon as Hikigaya spoke, Shiina Hiyori, Kobashi Yume, and Shiraishi Asuka all spoke up. Seeing someone take the lead, several more girls stood up to show their support.
"This..." Sakamoto looked completely frantic, perfectly displaying the true nature of a bully who "bullies the weak but fears the strong." The third-year girls instinctively looked toward their backbone, Ikari Momoko.
Ikari's eyes flickered. "In this situation, we can only get President Nagumo..." The Student Council has the authority to handle students who violate school rules. As the President of the Student Council, Nagumo would have plenty of room to maneuver!
However, Hikigaya had long anticipated this.
"Mashima-sensei, please come this way..."
Down the slope, Kushida Kikyo was leading Mashima-sensei, one of the examiners, arriving right on time. The situation was settled!
The bully Sakamoto was taken away directly by Mashima-sensei and had her individual exam eligibility revoked. Since Ikari Momoko's behavior toward Tachibana was mostly "cold
violence" and she hadn't taken physical action, she wasn't punished but received a stern warning from Mashima-sensei and was ordered to apologize publicly to Tachibana.
"I'm sorry, Tachibana-san." Ikari Momoko and the others were forced to bow ninety degrees in a public apology.
"Tachibana-san, you have the right to choose not to accept it," Mashima-sensei said gravely. "No, Sensei, this is enough." Tachibana shook her head; she didn't plan to pursue it further. If she pursued it to the end, Ikari Momoko would at least be suspended, missing the final forest exam. If that happened, the score for the entire large group would 100% fall to last place. Balancing personal feelings against collective interests, Tachibana ultimately chose the big picture.
Having failed her plan, Ikari Momoko actually felt a sense of relief in her heart.
Yesterday, under Hikigaya's instigation, a trust crisis had emerged within the third-year Class B. Although Ishikura repeatedly assured her that he would provide 20 million points to prevent her expulsion at the end, what if?
In Ikari's eyes, Ishikura held a sliver of hesitation.
Otherwise, why not just transfer the 20 million to her directly? Was it because he didn't trust her? It made sense... there are plenty of cases where couples turn against each other for profit. Let alone a boyfriend and girlfriend from high school.
She liked Ishikura, but that didn't mean she was "brain-dead" in love.
Seeking benefit and avoiding harm is just human nature.
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Night.
This was the final night of the mixed-dorm life. To ensure the students were in the best mental state for tomorrow's exam, the school arranged for the hot spring baths to be available for everyone to relax.
"Yo~ Dead-fish eyes. I heard you pulled off another big one.
You kept saying you weren't interested in the exam, so why are you fighting with the senpais?" Ryuen Kakeru teased mischievously.
"I'm just fulfilling my duties as a member of the Discipline Committee," Hikigaya replied nonchalantly.
"Admirable. It turns out, Hikigaya, you are indeed more qualified than me to be in the Student Council." Katsuragi Kohei had previously applied to join the Student Council but was rejected by the former President, Horikita Manabu.
Afterward, seeing Manabu actively invite Hikigaya, he had felt disgruntled. In his eyes, since he had been the Student Council President in middle school and had rich experience, he should have been better than Hikigaya.
However, regarding today's incident, if he had been the one on the Discipline Committee, he couldn't guarantee he would have stood up to fight campus bullying.
After all, at this school, the goal for most is to graduate from Class A. To openly oppose the current Student Council President for a senpai one has no relation to was not a wise decision.
"As expected of Hikigaya-kun!
Ichinose will surely agree with your actions once she finds out."
Shibata Souta looked at him with admiration.
"Shibata, stop praising me. It makes me uncomfortable." Hikigaya's lip twitched. He really couldn't understand how a man could so fervently praise his own "love rival."
Was this kid a cuckold type or just had a passive NTR attribute?
"Hikigaya-kun, can't you share half of that responsibility with your own group?" Hashimoto Masayoshi complained weakly.
"Heh~ Is it necessary? You're all elites. You're all self-disciplined talents; you'll all do well on the exam anyway, won't you?" Hikigaya was too lazy to care.
"Dolphin boy, how are you so sure I'll take the exam seriously?" Rokusuke Koenji idly groomed his fingernails.
"Take it or don't! If you really want to stir things up, have the guts to catch a wild boar tomorrow!" Hikigaya rolled his eyes. That last sentence was entirely a joke.
During PE classes these past few days, Koenji had often left the group without permission to run into the mountains to catch wild animals. You have to realize there are actual wild boars in these mountains!
"Good idea~" Koenji crossed his legs with interest. From his expression, he actually seemed intrigued.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't do anything reckless, Koenji!" Ishizaki Daichi looked panicked.
"What do you think the exam is? Don't drag the whole group down!" Yahiko shouted even more irritably. Facing all the doubt, Koenji maintained his usual "do as I please" attitude.
"Ah~ Bath time. My skin needs maintenance; I can't help it, I'm too beautiful." As he spoke, Koenji quickly stripped off his clothes, wrapped only a towel around his waist, and swaggered toward the bath.
"Stop, we're not done talking!"
"Curse that guy!" The group stomped their feet in anger but could do nothing about him.
"Tch! The weirdo from your class is way too arrogant." Ryuen spat in annoyance.
"Why? If you're not happy, go up and challenge him one-on-one," Hikigaya egged him on.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Ever since the rooftop battle where four of them were thrashed by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ryuen had finally learned his lesson.
"Albert, prepare the weapon!"
"...BOSS, is this really okay?"
"???" Hikigaya was shocked. He could actually see a suspicious hint of a blush on Albert's dark face. This was truly haunting!
"I see!"
"This is a battle between men!"
"Who is the true Tyrannosaurus!" Hashimoto Masayoshi had a meaningful smile on his face, looking quite confident.
"Sigh, what boring plan are you guys up to now?" Kanzaki Ryuji rubbed his forehead.
"Kanzaki-kun, what exactly are they talking about?" Shibata looked confused.
"This is too childish," Katsuragi sighed helplessly.
"Katsuragi is right... we... we shouldn't participate in such a boring competition..." Yahiko looked guilty and timid.
"Haha! Yahiko, you aren't scared, are you?" Ishizaki caught the other's weakness and mocked him.
"H-How is that possible! If we're comparing, then let's compare! Who's afraid?" When it involved a man's dignity, Yahiko could only bite the bullet and go for it.
"You guys are too stupid... you're just like idiots!" Hikigaya quickly realized what this group was planning. Not intending to join, he tried to slip away, but he was quickly grabbed by Ryuen and Hashimoto on both sides.
"Hey, don't try to run at the crucial moment!"
"Damn dead-fish eyes, today we have to make you look pathetic no matter what!"
The group marched grandly into the bath area, finding another group already there.
"Wait a minute. It's our group's turn to bathe!" Yukimura Teruhiko, the head of that group, tried to block them.
"Don't worry. I won't mind you admiring the beautiful me." Koenji barged in as if no one else existed.
"Koenji, you bastard!!" Sudo Ken had just finished cleaning the area around the bath and hadn't even gotten in the water yet when someone snatched the spot. He was instantly furious!
"Sudo, calm down. If a fight breaks out now, points will be deducted." Ayanokouji Kiyotaka expressionlessly held back the raging Sudo.
"Haha~ Sorry, sorry. The more the merrier. I hope you don't mind." Hashimoto apologized with his mouth, but his body moved quickly into the water.
"You guys are too much!" Seeing it as a settled fact, the previous group had no choice but to accept it.
"Hikigaya, strip. Let's soak together and enhance our friendship." Ryuen greeted him with a "kind" expression.
This made Hikigaya feel sick to his stomach!
"When did Ryuen become so friendly?" Sudo and the others were confused at first, but after being briefed by the others, they finally understood what was happening.
"A Tyrannosaurus Showdown?"
"Isn't that interesting!" A man's happiness is just that simple. Sudo and the others joined the showdown with excitement.
"This... this is too embarrassing..."
"What are you shy about? Everyone here is a man."
"But..."
"Shut up! I'm not small!"
"I didn't even say anything yet."
In this atmosphere, even those who didn't want to compete felt forced to join because it concerned their dignity as men.
"Ayanokouji, what are you hiding for?
Hiding all day, you must have a small mind (and other things)!" Tokito Hiroya grabbed Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who was trying to hide behind everyone as an invisible man.
This guy, in a sense, replaced Yamauchi from Class D; let's call him Yamauchi II!
"I'll go first!!"
"Let everyone see my strength!!!" Sudo was the first to jump out, eager to show off. He whipped off his towel and confidently straightened his back.
"Holy crap!"
"Damn Sudo, you actually..." Everyone on the scene was startled. Actually, it was normal.
With his athletic talent and 180cm+ height, it made sense for his "capacity" to be larger. But using your "ultimate move" right at the start? You're making it hard for everyone coming after you! Hikigaya felt Sudo's emotional intelligence was truly low!
"Uh... maybe... let's just not compare?" As expected, after seeing the first participant, Sudo, many people began to lose their nerve.
"Tch! A bunch of cowards!" Ryuen sneered and arrogantly revealed his "hole card."
"Nani?!"
"Ryuen's strength is actually not inferior to Sudo's!" Everyone was shocked.
"Losing to the boss isn't a disgrace." Ishizaki was the third to show his strength. His value was slightly lower than Ryuen and Sudo's, but still not to be underestimated.
"Why is everyone a 'Big Bond'?"
"Are you guys even Japanese?"
"Warning: Revoking your citizenship!" The crowd let out cries of despair.
"Yahiko, don't be afraid. As a man, you should have the courage to accept your true self." Katsuragi patted his best friend's shoulder. "Yeah, you're right." Yahiko gritted his teeth and accepted his fate, removing the towel.
"Whew~!" Everyone looked closer, and many expressed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone with a normal value!
The only thing surprising was that Katsuragi, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall, had an unexpectedly small "capacity." But seeing the serious look on the big bald head, Hikigaya respected him as a man!
The displays continued one after another... "H-How can this be?" Shibata Souta looked devastated. Currently the lowest value... one truly cannot judge by appearances.
"It's okay, Shibata. From a biological perspective, size doesn't affect fertility," Kanzaki Ryuji comforted him kindly. Well, nice comfort; don't do it again next time!
"I don't care at all... I don't care at all... glug glug..." Shibata sank soul-lessly into the water.
The last few people were the main event! "Albert, show your move... Help! There's a python!!" Although everyone had anticipated it, witnessing it with their own eyes still made them gasp!
Albert silently adjusted his sunglasses, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably. One can only say that global trends allowed even Albert to learn the essence of the "Crooked-Mouth Dragon King" meme!
"Heh~ A bunch of mediocre people who haven't seen the world.
Open your eyes wide and see who the most beautiful man is!"
Koenji Rokusuke was full of confidence.
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