Chapter 327 Final Results of the Special Exam / Nagumo Miyabi's Total Defeat
The last day of the training camp. 6:00 AM.
Shimizu Akira and his group followed the teachers to their designated classroom.
The senpais from their large group—Mikutani's group and Tsunoda's 3rd-year group—were already there.
"Don't be too nervous. Just relax and perform like usual," Mikutani nodded to them.
"Understood, Senpai," Katsuragi Kohei responded steadily.
'He's quite the actor' Akira thought.
This senior had been spying on them for days; he was almost certainly one of Nagumo's people, yet here he was acting the part of the kind senpai.
The eleven members took their seats. A few minutes later, a teacher entered to explain the schedule. As announced, the exam consisted of four subjects: Zen (Meditation), Public Speaking, Road Relay, and Written Exam.
With over 450 students, the school utilized a rotation system. The first-years started with Zen, followed by the Written Exam, the Relay, and finally Public Speaking.
By 7:30 AM, all first-year boys gathered at the meditation hall. The Zen exam focused on two criteria: etiquette upon entering and remaining perfectly still.
Katsuragi and Ishizaki went first. Their performance was average. Yukimura Teruhiko was visibly trembling with nerves until Yamada Albert and Miyake Akito gave him encouraging pats on the shoulders. Soon, it was Koenji Rokusuke and Akira's turn.
"Go for it, Shimizu!"
"Yeah."
"Hey, Koenji! Don't do anything unnecessary!"
"Hmph~ Don't worry, I shall give my all today," Koenji stretched his neck and sat gracefully on the first cushion.
Akira took the second. He closed his eyes and sank into the state. Practice had paid off; while he hadn't reached true enlightenment, sitting still for a few minutes was no longer a challenge.
The second subject was the Written Exam.
The difficulty was moderate—anyone who paid attention in class could score between 80 and 90. Akira didn't need to hide his strength like Matsushita or Ayanokouji, so he answered every question.
The third item: the Road Relay. This was the team event where groups could truly pull ahead.
Outside, several vans waited.
"Each student must run at least 1.2 kilometers! Totaling 18 kilometers. Exchanges happen only at 1.2km stations. Failure to finish or meet the minimum distance results in disqualification. Your watches are GPS-tracked—don't try to cheat."
Miyake Akito distributed the roles. "As planned, Akira, you volunteered for the final five legs (6km). Given your sports festival performance, I trust you. Keisei (Yukimura) will take the first leg to minimize pressure, then Katsuragi..."
"I suddenly have an urge to run~" Koenji chuckled.
"How about giving me 2.4 kilometers? I'll exert my full power!"
"Ask Shimizu," Miyake looked at Akira hesitantly.
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Meanwhile, in Nagumo's group: "I refuse," Nagumo said, vetoing Kiriyama Ikuto's proposal.
"Why, President?" Kiriyama frowned.
"I've been in top form. I ran 3.6km easily yesterday. 2.4km today should be no problem."
"I simply feel your condition is 'off' today." Nagumo's smile was sharp.
"You wobbled during Zen, and you paused for a second during your speech. Even Class B's overall energy seems... subtle." He patted Kiriyama's shoulder heavily.
"For this relay, I'm adjusting the order. You guys from Class B will take the early legs—just 1.2km each."
Nagumo wrote Kiriyama's name for the very first leg.
"I doubt it... but surely you aren't still bitter about the President election and planning to lower the score? You're just 'feeling unwell,' right, Vice President? So, lead the way for the first 1,200 meters. Surely you can manage that?"
Kiriyama felt the weight of Nagumo's hand. He had planned to take a longer distance to sabotage the group's average, but Nagumo wasn't a fool.
He had spotted the tiny inconsistencies.
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5:00 PM. The exams were over. For the first time in eight days, boys and girls were permitted to gather together in the gymnasium for the results.
A middle-aged teacher took the stage. "Good work over these eight days. This year's evaluations are excellent. We will announce the girls' results first. We will only name the 3rd-year group leader. Points will be distributed to all members of the winning groups later."
"First place: The group led by 3rd Year Class C, Ayase Natsu."
Cheers erupted. Akira looked over and saw Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi in that group. Sakayanagi was thanking a senpai: "Thank you, Ayase-senpai. As expected of the Track and Field captain, you were a huge help."
"No, thank you for the 2 million points reward you promised us," the senior laughed. "And Kamuro-san's physical stats are amazing. With your speech notes and exam prep, we couldn't have lost."
'Sakayanagi took first?' Akira smiled. She had simply bought her way to the top to ensure her group's safety. It was very much her style.
"The last place team: The group led by 3rd Year Class B, Ikari Momoko."
Wails of despair came from the first-year girls. Looking closer, Akira saw Horikita Suzune was in that group, though she remained perfectly calm.
"Fear not," the teacher continued.
"As long as a group reaches the passing threshold, no one is expelled. In this case, only the 3rd-year subgroup failed. The leader, Ikari Momoko, will be expelled."
The room buzzed. The reality of expulsion hit home. However, Ikari Momoko and her friends didn't panic. Instead, they turned to look at the small girl with purple hair buns standing next to Horikita Manabu.
"Hey, Tachibana Akane! What was that? You skipped training, hid in the infirmary, and missed the exam today! You got a 0! You sabotaged Class B's results on purpose, didn't you?"
Tachibana looked up.
"I took leave because you harrassed me for days. The dorm was no longer a place I could rest."
"Lies!" Ikari retorted.
"We didn't hit you! If you're 'emo' that's your problem! Don't drag us down!"
Horikita Manabu stepped in, his voice icy.
"Are you 100% sure you didn't harrass her? There are no cameras in the rooms, but the hallways and cafeteria are recorded. Have you never laughed about it in public? Are you sure?"
The girls paled. They were typical "gal" types—mocking others was second nature to them. They couldn't be sure they hadn't slipped up.
Nagumo laughed.
"Horikita-senpai, checking months of footage for a verbal comment? Besides, the result is that Akane-senpai failed the group. That is a fact."
Ikari Momoko saw her opening.
"Right! As leader, I exercise my right to take Tachibana with me in a joint-responsibility expulsion! Sensei, can I do that?"
"By the rules, yes," the teacher confirmed.
Nagumo grinned. "Oh, Akane-senpai... if only you'd endured. Requesting leave and skipping the exam just made it easier. Poor Horikita-senpai, having a secretary like you."
Manabu stepped in front of Tachibana.
"Enough. I instructed her to take leave. And stop pretending, Nagumo. Ikari's group intentionally scored low to force this. You want Akane expelled. Senpai, 3rd Year Class A will pay 20 million personal points and 400 Class Points to keep Tachibana Akane in school."
The crowd gasped.
"Allowed," the teacher confirmed.
"Miyabi, that was your plan?" Manabu stared him down.
"Just to drain our points? You transferred those 20 million points to Class B on the bus, didn't you? You planned this from the start."
"Heh, my plan goes further than that," Nagumo turned to the teacher. "I'll pay 500,000 points for you to announce the boys' rankings by average score for all 18 groups. That's a fair request, right?"
The teacher cleared his throat. "Very well. First place: The group led by 3rd Year Class C, Ninomiya Kuronosuke."
That was Horikita Manabu's group. Manabu looked at Nagumo.
"You didn't have the 3rd-years sabotage me?"
"I still respect the President," Nagumo smiled. "The one I'm targeting is someone else." He looked at the back of the room.
"Shimizu... I suspect I over-prepared for you."
Nagumo shook his head.
"I watched you all week. You did nothing. You just floated along like an average student. I thought you were a rival... but you were just a bystander."
Akira didn't look at Nagumo. He looked at the teacher. "Senpai, can you announce second place?"
"Junior-kun, do you really think—" Nagumo started to mock him, but was cut off.
"Second place: The group led by 1st Year Class C, Miyake Akito."
"What?!"
"Miyake's group? That's Shimizu's group!"
"How is that possible? The President made so many arrangements!"
Nagumo froze.
"How... how are you second?!"
The room was silent.
"Second place? With Ryuen and Koenji?"
"And Yukimura's injury?"
Nagumo's smile vanished.
"You... what did you do?!"
"What's wrong? When I do nothing, you complain I'm lazy; when I act, you look like you've seen a ghost." Akira shook his head.
"Nagumo Miyabi, are you okay in the head?"
Nagumo ignored the insult and screamed at the crowd: "You betrayed me? Ryuen!"
"Hey, hey, watch your language. 'Betray' is such an ugly word." Ryuen Kakeru walked out of the crowd, grinning wildly.
Manabu was stunned.
"Shimizu? Why is Ryuen... what is going on?"
Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami both wore expressions of pure shock.
"Ryuen and I are partners," Akira said casually.
"We planned this before the exam. Ryuen pretended to join you just to flip at the last second."
"Shimizu and Ryuen are working together?!" The students couldn't believe it. These two were known to despise each other.
"Ryuen-san! Is that really you?!" Ishizaki grabbed Ryuen's arm.
"You hate him! Last time on the roof, he—"
"Get off me! Don't touch me, it's gross!" Ryuen shook him off.
"I do hate him, but do you think I like Nagumo? That guy lowered the dorm quality. My subordinates got sick, and I had a sore throat for days! Akira offered me a cut of the winnings, and Nagumo is a fat sheep. Why wouldn't I agree? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This exam was about setting aside class positions to cooperate, right?"
Ryuen sneered. "And honestly, after working with this guy, I realized he's even more devious than I thought. He planned everything ahead of time."
Akira had left nothing to chance. Because he didn't trust Ryuen, he made him sign a contract before the exam: if Ryuen didn't score at least a passing grade, he'd owe Akira 100 million points. Ryuen was never going to score a zero.
Then, he had Ryuen approach Nagumo with the video of Akira beating him on the roof, claiming he wanted revenge. Since the story was true and their mutual hatred was public knowledge, Nagumo fell for it.
"Oh, and you know why I approached you the night before school started?" Ryuen laughed. "Akira picked that time because the school office was closed—we couldn't sign official contracts with you, only verbal ones! We couldn't meet the school staff during the week because of the schedule, so there was never a chance for me to sign a binding agreement with you, Nagumo!
Plus, I care about Class Points now. Why would I trust your word when you didn't pay me the 20 million upfront? You lowered our dorm standards today; who's to say you won't cut our monthly allowance tomorrow?"
Ryuen didn't mention what Hashimoto had said: Miyake Akito was the leader who took him in when no one else would. Even Ryuen had a "baseline."
"Ryuen Kakeru! Remember this choice!" Nagumo's face turned ashen.
"Hmph! Until then, try beating that guy first!" Ryuen waved him off and returned to the group.
Horikita Manabu looked at Akira.
"These arrangements weren't just for the bet. What else did you prepare? Speak."
Akira sighed as the eyes of the 2nd and 3rd years fell on him.
"This exam was a contest of raw strength. Four subjects, almost no room for cheating. The outcome was predictable the moment the teams were set."
"I joined Miyake's group because its core strength was top-tier. Koenji is peak in everything. Katsuragi and Yukimura are top of the class. Albert's physical rating is an A. Hashimoto is an all-rounder. Miyake is from the Archery club. And then there's Ayanokouji..."
"On the morning of the exam, I spoke to everyone individually and asked them to go all out."
Katsuragi owed him favors; Hashimoto was a friend; the Class B members were coordinated through Honami; Ryuen had a contract and made his underlings work; Miyake and Yukimura were his own people. As for Koenji... Akira used the favor Koenji owed him from the V.I.P. exam to make him try for once.
When that group actually tried, they were unstoppable. In the relay, Akira, Koenji, and Ayanokouji pulled so far ahead they gapped the second-place group by over a kilometer.
With Vice President Kiriyama's subtle help and the three "monsters" in their group giving their all, losing was never an option.
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