Hachiman's Classroom of Strength's Supremacy

First Semester

Chapter 1: Hikigaya Hachiman Wants a Dramatic Introduction

Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School.

Located on an artificial island built with government funding.

Currently, in Class 1-D, the new students were introducing themselves.

Arriving at a new class and then introducing oneself to get to know each other—it was an important step.

"Excuse me, everyone? I'm Yosuke Hirata. Let's all take turns introducing ourselves. I hope we can quickly bond and become friends."

There were also introductions like:

"Next up is me! My name is Kushida Kikyo. My goal is to be friends with everyone here! I want to create lots of wonderful memories, so please come talk to me often!"

And soon, it would be his turn.

At that moment—

A black-haired boy sat by the window.

If one were to describe his appearance, he could be considered an ordinary handsome guy.

His dead fish eyes slightly ruined the aesthetic, but he was certainly someone you could get used to looking at.

...

His name was Hikigaya Hachiman.

Originally a student at Sobu High School in Chiba, on his very first day of school, he was hit by a car while trying to save a puppy that had run into the street.

That led to three weeks of recovery in the hospital.

For a first-year student, this was devastating. Small social circles typically formed within the first week—or sometimes even within two to three days.

It was easy to imagine that, upon returning to class, he would be destined to spend his high school years alone again.

However, something unexpected happened.

His guidance counselor, Shizuka Hiratsuka, pointed him toward a new path.

She recommended Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School to him.

The reason was simple: one of the students admitted to the school had an issue, creating a vacancy.

As an alumnus of this institution, Hiratsuka Shizuka thought of him and gave him this special recommendation.

"She really is too kind... This teacher."

Moreover, the school offered excellent benefits.

It boasted a 100% university admission and employment rate—an attractive selling point.

The most important thing was that tuition was free, and no living expenses were required to enroll.

Yes, you heard that right—no tuition and no need for living expenses.

It was almost unbelievable.

It made people suspicious—why would they be granted such special treatment?

However—

Even though this school, which seemed like a free gift, was full of mysteries, his parents still signed the agreement without hesitation.

This made Hachiman wonder if he had actually been adopted.

But—

His younger sister, Komachi, was still in her second year of middle school. In two years, she would also be taking high school entrance exams.

If her scores were lower, the tuition fees would increase accordingly, placing a heavier burden on their parents.

So if he could save the cost of his own high school tuition, that would be a good thing.

That was what Hikigaya Hachiman thought.

And—

It wasn't a loss for him.

At Advanced Nurturing High School, all the first-year students were just starting.

That meant he had a chance to integrate into a group.

Being alone wasn't necessarily bad, but in group settings, it could be inconvenient.

He had already experienced it many times—being unable to find a partner for PE class, playing tennis alone, baseball alone.

So—

If possible, he should seize the opportunity.

His sister had also told him, "If you get the chance, you should work on fixing that twisted personality of yours."

In other words—he needed to take a real step forward and try making a friend.

And now—

"Komachi, watch this."

"Making friends should be quite easy."

Now was the opportunity.

With that thought—

Hachiman had already come up with an intense and passionate self-introduction.

Something like—

"Catering to others, seeking approval, staying in touch, going along with conversations—that's not real friendship. That's not what a true friend is."

"A real friend is someone who, when you call for help at 2 AM, gets on their bike and rushes to your side at 50 km/h without hesitation."

"So, if anyone here shares that kind of mindset—let's be friends."

And then…

Yeah, that was definitely a no-go.

Because… did such friends even exist in real life?

As he was thinking about this—

"Horikita Suzune."

A top-tier beauty sitting behind him introduced herself, but her introduction was extremely brief—just her name.

Hachiman had been trying not to pay attention to her.

Yes.

This class was weird.

While the boys looked rather plain—in fact, other than Yosuke Hirata, who had a refined appearance, most of the boys were average or even sloppy-looking—

The quality of the girls… was unbelievably high.

After the opening ceremony in the gym, all students had been assigned to their classrooms.

20 boys and 20 girls.

It was unclear if this gender ratio was intentional.

But among the 20 girls, at least 10 were stunning.

Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo, Sato Maya, Karuizawa Kei, Wang Mei-yu, Matsuhita Chiaki, Hasebe Haruka—

Most of them were the kind of class beauty you would expect to see in other schools.

Yet, they had all gathered in this one class.

And then there was the 100% employment and university acceptance rate—as if it were some kind of advertisement.

Suspicious.

As Hachiman pondered this, his turn for self-introduction finally arrived.

"Alright, next up—"

Hachiman held his breath.

And then—

He began.

"I am Hikigaya Hachiman… from Chiba. My hobbies are—"

"What are you all doing?"

At that moment—

A tall woman with black hair tied in a single ponytail entered through the front door of the classroom.

Her figure was outstanding.

She wore a black women's suit, with a white shirt underneath, creating a sharp and dignified contrast.

She also wore black stockings—the garter belt type.

With every step she took in high heels, the sound of her heels echoed—click, click, click.

The rhythm was almost mesmerizing.

Her voice was slightly low, but it had an unexpected magnetic charm that made it pleasant to listen to.

For your typical otaku, they would probably be begging to be stepped on by her high heels at this point.

But Hachiman thought—If she wore a maid outfit instead, the contrast would make her incredibly eye-catching.

And just like that—

This woman interrupted Hachiman's self-introduction.

She then walked up to the podium, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote down her name—

And introduced herself.

Chapter 002: Chabashira Sae – "Well, Aren't You Just Adorable"

"I am the homeroom teacher of Class D, Chabashira Sae. Here is my phone number—you should all remember it."

The woman—no, Chabashira Sae—introduced herself.

She was the homeroom teacher for the class.

"The homeroom teacher will not be changed."

"For the next three years, I will be your homeroom teacher."

Saying that, she picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a string of numbers on the board.

But—

"There is a special system in place at this school. Until you graduate, all students are required to live on campus…" the homeroom teacher continued.

"Eh…?"

This news immediately caused an uproar in the class.

Because—

"Wh-Why for three whole years?!"

"And a boarding system?! I didn't bring anything with me! Not even a change of clothes!"

"What about food?! How are we supposed to eat?!"

The students became restless and uneasy.

But—wasn't the tuition and living expenses exemption announced from the start?

Hachiman found it strange—why were his classmates only now reacting in shock? Did none of them read the enrollment handbook?

Besides—

Hachiman didn't see anything wrong with this arrangement.

The benefits provided by the school were too generous. If there weren't some requirements attached, now that would be truly suspicious.

Still—

Was a three-year full boarding system the only condition?

It felt like this alone wasn't enough to justify the school's generosity.

Hachiman pondered this.

Meanwhile, their cold and indifferent homeroom teacher ignored the students' complaints and continued her explanation in a disinterested manner.

"Now, turn on your phones. Inside, you'll find a student ID app that contains your basic information."

Hearing this, the students reluctantly took out their phones.

Following the instructions, they opened the student ID app.

It displayed their personal information.

Hachiman also glanced at his own profile screen:

[Name: Hikigaya Hachiman

Class: 1st Year, Class D

Student ID: 108510000

Personal Points: 100,000]

It was indeed basic information—not much else was listed.

Chabashira lifted her own phone and spoke:

"You can check the 'Personal Points' section. These points are an extension of the school's advanced technology—you can think of them as a form of currency. They can be spent like real money."

"One point equals one yen."

"Are you shocked by the large number of points? This school evaluates students based on their abilities. The fact that you've been accepted means you hold a certain level of value."

So, in addition to exempting tuition, the school also provided living expenses.

However—was this 100,000 points meant to cover three years, or was it just a short-term stipend?

If they received this amount every month, then things would get really crazy.

The benefits granted to students were excessively generous—but since this was a public school funded by the government, it didn't make sense for them to be giving away free money like this.

There was no way the government would approve of such a money-draining system.

So…

Had he really just entered a school that was far from ordinary?

Hachiman pondered.

Setting aside those thoughts for now, he subtly glanced up at his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, and the phone in her hand.

Her phone was identical to the students'—a white, sleek device, resembling a certain famous fruit-branded phone.

But—

What caught his attention was the number displayed on her account's personal points balance.

6,022,000 points.

Could a teacher really earn that much?

Hachiman felt that everything about this school seemed off—inside and out.

—

"That concludes the general explanation," Chabashira said.

"You can use the points in your student ID app to make purchases within the school."

"The school is very accommodating. Your phones come pre-installed with a GPS feature, allowing you to access a detailed map of the campus at any time."

"To ensure your three years of dormitory life aren't boring, we have fully equipped living facilities—from simple restaurants and bubble tea shops to larger venues like movie theaters and bowling alleys. Everything you need is available."

"As long as you have enough points, you can buy anything you want."

"Because, after all…" Chabashira paused for a moment before continuing—

"This is a school where strength is everything."

Hachiman couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but it felt like she had deliberately emphasized those words—"where strength is everything."

After introducing everything, she glanced around the classroom at the students.

Hachiman noticed that her gaze lingered on him for a brief moment before shifting away just a second later.

Then, she continued speaking.

"Now, I need a few students to go to the faculty office to pick up the textbooks. Classes officially begin at 8 AM tomorrow."

"I will send the class schedule to your email later."

"As for your accommodations, you can find the first-year dormitory on the map. Go to the dorm manager's office on the first floor to collect your room key."

"Each of you will have a private room."

These were all the necessary instructions that a homeroom teacher had to give.

After finishing, she began walking toward the front door of the classroom.

She didn't seem like a teacher who liked to drag things out.

However, just as she was about to leave the classroom, she glanced back.

She saw the students, excited after hearing that they would receive 100,000 yen worth of points as a stipend and that each of them would have their own private room.

In her gaze, there was a fleeting moment of emptiness.

Because, for her, this year would probably be the same as always—disappointing.

After all—

Strenght.

That was the phrase she had deliberately emphasized.

But—

This year's students, this class, none of them had noticed.

The chatter of excitement filled the room as students celebrated the school's generosity.

Yet—

Anyone with common sense should have realized that with free tuition and living expenses, such a sweet deal couldn't possibly exist without a catch.

Because—

Nothing is more expensive than 'free'.

But—none of the students even considered this possibility.

Or should she say—as expected of Class D?

The class that everyone referred to as—trash.

Which meant—this year, too, her wish would not come true.

Thinking this, she continued walking forward in her high heels.

But—

"Wait a minute, Chabashira-sensei!"

A voice called out from behind her.

Someone ran from the back door, catching up to her.

"Hm?"

Chabashira stopped and turned to look at the student who had chased after her.

She thought she had covered everything just now. But knowing herself, she wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic teacher, so it was possible that she had missed something.

"I wanted to ask…" the student said. "Will our student accounts receive another 100,000 points next month?"

"Also, Chabashira-sensei—your phone shows 6 million points. Did the school give you that this month, or have you accumulated it over time? Since personal points can be used as real money in this school, can they also be exchanged for actual cash?"

This student had a lot of questions.

But—

Oh?

Like a stagnant pool of water suddenly disturbed by a stone, Chabashira turned her full attention to him.

She closely examined this student—someone who, from the very beginning, did not belong in Class D.

Chapter 003: This Guy Is a Siscon?!

Hachiman: Got a Problem? My Sister's Cute.

Chabashira turned to analyze the student who had chased after her.

A boy—his features were delicate, but his lifeless fish eyes ruined his overall attractiveness.

However, in Chabashira's professional opinion, if he wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, his charm level would probably go up significantly.

"Hmm. So, what exactly are you asking?" Chabashira said. "There are some things I can't tell you."

"As expected," the student replied. "The school has placed a gag order on you, huh?"

"But, sensei—you yourself said it in class, didn't you? With enough points, you can buy anything."

"So—can I use my student ID points to buy answers to my questions?"

Oh?

Chabashira paused.

Now this was interesting enough to make her stay and listen.

Indeed—

She had explicitly stated that everything in this school could be bought with points.

Which meant—even knowledge about the school's true nature could be purchased.

However—

This kid… is already thinking this far ahead?

"I did say that, and you can use your points this way. However, unfortunately, the 100,000 points you have is far from enough," Chabashira replied.

"So, in other words, the purchasing power of 100,000 yen worth of points is that low?" The student seemed a bit disheartened.

"No need to be so negative. You just asked three questions—I'll make an exception and answer one of them," Chabashira said.

Her previously indifferent attitude shifted.

As the homeroom teacher, she had reviewed all the student files in Class D before their arrival.

Originally, there was one more student assigned to Class D, but due to their parents' job transfer, they moved abroad.

Advanced Nurturing High School was a school that all middle school students dreamed of attending. The school publicly held an entrance exam every year, but this was a deception—students were actually preselected based on recommendations from principals across the country.

So—

The list of admitted students had been finalized six months ago.

Now, with a sudden vacancy, the school administration found itself in a bit of a bind.

But then—

Her close friend, Hiratsuka Shizuka, recommended a student.

That student was—Hikigaya Hachiman.

Chabashira had once been a student at this very school. Shizuka Hiratsuka was her classmate.

After graduation, everyone went their separate ways.

Chabashira eventually returned to the school.

Hiratsuka, however, chose to teach outside.

She had a bit of a "tough old man" vibe, but deep down, she was an incredibly kind person.

Because of Hiratsuka's recommendation—

The school administration reviewed Hikigaya Hachiman's records, analyzing his background, personality, and social interactions.

In the end, they approved him as a candidate for Advanced Nurturing High School's experimental program.

Then—

Hikigaya was placed into Class D.

That was why Chabashira had initially thought that Hikigaya didn't belong in Class D.

But now—she wasn't so sure.

Hikigaya Hachiman was recommended by Shizuka Hiratsuka.

And based on Chabashira's understanding of her former classmate, Hiratsuka must have had a deeper reason.

Which meant—

Hikigaya's enrollment might not be ordinary.

So even now… was she still looking out for me?

As that thought crossed her mind—

Chabashira gazed at the boy in front of her.

He had asked three questions earlier:

1. Will students receive another 100,000 points next month?

2. Where did Chabashira's large sum of points come from?

3. Can points be converted into real money?

If she were to answer truthfully, then Questions 1 and 2 would reveal the true nature of the school.

And just as she had said—

Even though she was a homeroom teacher, she was still bound by a gag order.

However—

If someone paid enough points, she could override that restriction.

The amount required would be somewhere around 1 to 2 million points.

And for the missing portion—

She decided to cover it herself.

Also, this could be considered her final struggle for her long-held wish.

To see if the boy recommended by Hiratsuka could be worth expecting something from.

"I see…" The student seemed a bit bashful. "Chabashira-sensei, you said I don't have enough points… so does that mean you'll be the one paying the price?"

Oh?

Chabashira glanced at him.

She realized that this student understood social dynamics quite well.

"Indeed, I'll pay the price. But not in points—after all, I have six million, don't I?" Chabashira replied.

At that moment, she realized—when she had casually held up her phone as an example, Hikigaya had immediately noticed the six million points in her account.

So—

This kid's observational skills are quite sharp, aren't they?

"Then, I'll ask my question." Hikigaya said.

Alright.

Ask away.

If he asked Question 1 or Question 2, it would reveal the truth about the school, and she would answer—at her own expense.

Even though losing two million points would be painful,

She was also a little excited.

Because since a student had asked, it wouldn't count as her breaking the rules outright.

And—

If a Class D first-year learned the true nature of the school within an hour of enrollment,

What kind of storm would that create among the other classes?

She was curious.

And just thinking about it…

She felt thrilled.

Chabashira stared at the boy.

She watched as he opened his mouth to speak.

She had never closely examined a young male student's face before.

But—

She couldn't deny it—right now, she was a little excited, her heartbeat slightly quickening.

Then.

She listened as he spoke.

"I want to know—can points be converted into cash?" Hikigaya asked.

"Then, I want to convert my points into cash and send them home."

"…"

Huh?!

Chabashira was stunned.

Because.

He had asked Question 3—

A question that graduating students are informed of.

It wasn't a secret.

A student could get that answer from any teacher for just 100,000 points.

Yet she had mentally prepared to pay two million points.

And now, she only needed to pay 100,000.

It was cheaper, sure.

But—

Kid… is all you care about money?!

Just because he was told that 100,000 points equaled 100,000 yen,

He immediately wanted to cash out—and send it home?!

What kind of responsible family boy is this?!

"I'm just a regular Japanese high school student," Hikigaya said.

"My monthly allowance is only 2,000 yen, and I get it once a month.

Now, suddenly, I have a huge sum of money—I want to send it home."

As he spoke, he looked a bit embarrassed.

But—

He still said it.

"I have a younger sister at home. She always says her allowance isn't enough."

His sister complained about money.

And as her older brother, the moment he got money, his first thought was her?

Hmm.

This was like one of those anime catchphrases from recent years…

What was it called again?

"Little sisters are the cutest."

Yeah.

A siscon.

Chabashira suddenly remembered—

When she had entered the classroom earlier, Hikigaya had introduced himself.

He mentioned he was from Chiba.

She recalled an old TV ad—

Chiba's specialties were peanuts, sake… and siscons!

People were shaped by where they grew up.

It was said that boys and girls from families with little sisters in Chiba tended to pamper them.

"I can answer your question." Chabashira said.

"When you graduate, the school will convert your remaining points into cash."

"However, the exchange rate is not 1:1.

It's about 0.7 to 0.8."

"If you want less loss, you can buy unopened electronics from the school shop and sell them off-campus.

That might get you a 90% return."

She explained in detail.

Hachiman listened carefully.

"So… we can only exchange points at graduation?" Hachiman asked.

"Yes." Chabashira nodded.

"But what if I use my points to purchase the right to exchange early?" Hachiman continued.

Oh?

Buying the right to cash out early?

No one had ever tried that before.

And now—

He was already extrapolating from the information given.

However—

Chabashira was still a little disappointed, so she didn't dwell on it much.

She simply replied—

"Your current points aren't enough to purchase that right."

"Then—"

Hikigaya pressed on.

"Chabashira-sensei, what exactly does the school want from us?"

"To be precise—"

"The school gives us such privileged conditions.

What does it expect in return?"

"Free things are the most expensive."

"I doubt we'll receive another 100,000 points next month.

But—"

"If the school plans to convert our points into cash at graduation—

That means it must offer ways for us to earn more points."

"This school must have methods for students to acquire large amounts of points."

"I want to know—how do we earn a lot of points?"

Oh?

Chabashira's attention snapped back.

Because—

Maybe she hadn't misjudged after all.

This kid… isn't just "potentially talented."

He was placed in the wrong class.

Chapter 004: A Boy Like This—A Normie? No, Yosuke's Mom

This school provides students with exceptional benefits—free tuition, living expenses covered, and even a guaranteed job placement or 100% university admission rate after graduation.

It sounds too good to be true.

And that's because—

It is a lie.

Every year, students are divided into four classes: A, B, C, and D.

But in the end—

Only students from Class A receive the rewards that the school advertises.

All other students—

Upon graduation, they are transferred to another school's records to make it appear as though they graduated from there.

This is how the school maintains a 100% university admission and employment rate.

After all—

Is this school a charity?

Of course not.

Advanced Nurturing High School operates to cultivate future elites—people who can shoulder heavy responsibilities and solve society's toughest problems.

And their method?

Competition.

By gathering select students together and making them compete as class units,

The school ensures they experience both gains and growth through repeated class battles.

The students were recommended by middle school principals nationwide,

After which the school conducted special evaluations and assessments,

Finally sorting them into Class A, B, C, or D based on merit and potential.

So, while it's called class competition, the starting conditions for each class are fundamentally different from the beginning.

The higher-ranked a class is, the better the students' initial abilities tend to be.

As a result, by the time students reach graduation in their third year,

Most of the students representing the school at graduation come from Class A.

Rarely do lower-ranked classes overthrow the ones above them.

Meanwhile, Class D is seen as a dumping ground—full of failures and hopeless students.

That is the true nature of this school.

And that was also what she had originally planned to tell Hikigaya if he asked,

In exchange for the huge point cost she was prepared to pay.

However—

Chabashira no longer felt the need to tell him.

His ability to notice her massive point balance,

His clarity of mind, unshaken by the school's generous perks,

And his logical thinking, recognizing that there's no such thing as a free lunch—

All of it made her realize:

If given time, he would likely figure out the truth on his own.

It seemed Hiratsuka had sent her a valuable student.

"Your question requires a very high point cost, so I cannot answer it," Chabashira Sae said.

"Oh."

"Don't look so disappointed," she continued.

"Let's make a deal instead.

I can arrange for you to gain the ability to convert your points into cash in advance."

Huh?

Hikigaya looked up at the female teacher.

Despite her usual carefree demeanor,

At this moment, her eyes... were shining.

But—

Hikigaya also had a strange feeling... like he was being targeted.

"And what exactly does Chabashira-sensei want me to do?"

Hikigaya's private account on his student ID only had 100,000 points.

Within the school, 1 point = 1 yen in purchasing power.

However—

He suspected that next month, they wouldn't receive nearly as many points.

After all—

Each class had 40 students,

And there were 4 classes per grade, meaning 160 students in total.

If each student received 100,000 points per month,

That would mean the school was spending 16 million points per month—just for first-years.

And that didn't even include upperclassmen.

No matter how he looked at it, this was an enormous financial burden.

Would the school really keep giving out that much money every month?

Chabashira's repeated refusals to answer his questions only reinforced his suspicion—

This school wouldn't be that generous.

This school wasn't a charity.

"As your homeroom teacher, I don't know much about each of you personally," Chabashira said.

"So I want you to investigate some of your classmates for me. Write up profiles on them and submit them.

For each student, I'll pay you 200,000 points."

"Don't refuse.

You won't find anyone else willing to pay you this much."

—

One profile = 200,000 points.

With 40 students in a class, that was 8 million points.

At the moment, each new student received 100,000 points just for enrolling.

It seemed like a generous offer.

However—

Chabashira's words—"You won't find anyone else willing to pay this much"—

Suggested that things would only get worse from here.

—

After accepting Chabashira's request, Hikigaya returned to the classroom.

After all, he was still just a student.

But the moment he walked back in—

He found that most of the students were gone.

Only two or three remained.

…Huh.

So that meant—

The students had already started forming their own cliques.

"Hikigaya-kun."

A voice called out to him.

Turning around, he saw a boy with neatly styled, greenish-blond hair sitting near the teacher's podium.

"The others went to pick up their textbooks and already brought them back to the dorms."

"Some students also went to the school store to check if they could use their student ID points for shopping."

Oh.

That made sense.

After all—

While he was following Chabashira,

She had led him all the way up to the rooftop.

By the time he finally got back,

A full 30 minutes had passed.

That was more than enough time for everyone to get their books, distribute them, and leave.

And with free dorms and 100,000 yen's worth of living expenses,

It was only natural that students would rush off to test if they could really use it.

However—

This was bad.

Because—

It meant the students had already started forming their own groups.

And he was the one left behind.

Meanwhile—

He still had Komachi's request:

"Onii-chan, make some friends!"

And now—before he even got started—

The difficulty had already increased.

Hikigaya sighed.

"I kept your textbooks for you. It's good that you came back in time."

The green-haired boy, Hirata Yosuke, stood up.

"I already asked someone to bring my books to the dorms. Want me to help carry yours too?"

"Also, we made a class group chat. Mind if I add you?"

"I'll send you an invite."

"It'll be useful for sharing announcements and helping each other out."

"Ah, not that you need to worry or anything…"

"It's just—during introductions, you got interrupted, right?"

"For some reason, I just felt like I couldn't leave you alone."

…Huh?

What… What kind of angel is this guy?

Hikigaya was stunned.

When he first entered the classroom—

It was this guy who had organized the introductions.

At the time, Hikigaya thought:

"He must be a normie."

"He's the kind of guy who thrives in social settings."

"No doubt, he'll be super popular."

But now—

It wasn't just that he seemed nice.

He was actually—

A real-life male angel.

"Alright, let's add each other as friends first."

Hirata pulled out his phone.

But then—

His screen lit up.

It seemed like multiple classmates had messaged him at the same time.

"Ah, give me a second…" Hirata said apologetically.

Quickly, he started replying to his classmates' messages.

Most of them were asking him—

"What's going on?"

"What should we do?"

It was clear that many students relied on him.

He was extremely busy.

Hmm.

Seeing this, Hikigaya's opinion of him shifted slightly.

Because—

He wasn't just an angel.

He was also—

A motherly figure.

Chapter 005: Kushida the Little Angel Joins the Battle!

"Beep!"

After retrieving his room key from the dorm manager, Hachiman swiped it to unlock the dormitory room assigned to him.

Room 304.

The room wasn't very large, roughly four meters by five meters.

However, it was well-equipped:

• A single bed covered with white bedding, indicating that it was brand new and completely clean, allowing him to move in with peace of mind.

• A computer desk, a swivel chair, and a landline telephone sitting on the desk, with a storage cabinet beside it.

• Above the desk, an air conditioner was mounted on the wall.

• Directly across from the entrance was the bed.

• To the right of the entrance was a bathroom with a shower and a toilet.

• The wall outside the bathroom was a wardrobe.

• Between the entrance and the bed, there was also a small kitchenette.

That was everything in the room.

Simple—yet fully functional.

For a student, it was an unquestionably excellent living environment.

For Hachiman, who had never experienced sharing a room with others, it was a relief.

"Alright, I'll leave the books here."

Hirata Yosuke said as he placed the textbooks down.

"Do you have any plans next, Hikigaya-kun?" Hirata asked.

Was he planning to stick with Hachiman for a while?

"I'm thinking of heading to the shopping district to pick up some daily necessities," Hachiman replied.

"And maybe do a little exploring around the school.

After all, we just enrolled, and I haven't even had the chance to check out the campus yet."

"I see..." Hirata seemed like he was about to join him but then shook his head.

"I have some things to take care of, so I won't be able to go with you."

As he spoke, he was looking down at his phone.

It seemed like some students from their class were having a conflict with students from other classes.

As the "class mom", Hirata had decided to go check on the situation.

In other words—

He was already acting as the glue of the class, running around like a firefighter, resolving conflicts and disputes wherever they arose.

Having a classmate like him was reassuring.

But at the same time…

The fact that so many students in their class required Hirata's attention wasn't exactly a good sign.

As expected—

Just like Chabashira-sensei had refused to say outright…

Would they really not receive the same generous living allowance next month?

—

After Hirata left,

Hachiman placed the textbooks on the desk and took a moment to familiarize himself with the dormitory.

Then, he leaned back in the chair and sat down.

"Click—"

He opened his phone and took a picture.

It wasn't because he liked doing this, but because he wanted to send a photo to his sister, Komachi.

He wanted to tell her that he had settled down and, as a bonus, show off how good the living conditions were.

But—

[Message not sent]

??

Hachiman then walked over to the balcony and raised his phone.

He checked his phone screen again.

[Message not sent]

"Beep!"

Hachiman stepped outside the door.

[Message not sent]

"..."

Well.

He understood now.

The full boarding system meant this.

Not only were students required to board for the entire three years, but it also cut off any connection with the outside world.

However, aside from the student ID that Chabashira-sensei had mentioned, there was another piece of software originally installed by the school—the school forum.

The forum was managed by the student council.

Hachiman opened the school forum and found that it required him to log in with his ID number.

It seemed like real-name registration was mandatory.

But the content on the forum was a bit chaotic.

[The freshmen enrolled this year, the store I work at is so busy.] This was likely from a part-time worker.

[Ugh, it's so exhausting during this time of year. I really want a holiday, but I still have a 4-year contract.] Another part-time worker.

It was clear that the part-time workers couldn't leave the school freely and were required to stay for a certain number of years.

[Please be respectful online, the internet connects us all, and it's up to everyone to maintain a healthy environment.] This was probably a notice from the student council.

[The painting club is recruiting members. Students whose works are rated excellent will receive point rewards.] This post was from an upperclassman.

It seemed like a good opportunity, and it even offered a way to earn points.

But—

Hachiman scrolled down the forum and suddenly stopped.

A new post caught his attention.

[Chess Tournament, 100,000 yen entry fee, best of three, but challengers who win any match will receive 1,000,000 points.] This was from a regular student.

The title was quite bold.

1,000,000 points—who was this rich person?

Hachiman clicked on the post.

He found that the poster's real-name registration had been verified.

Her name was Sakayanagi Arisu.

Her name was likely pronounced "Alice," a pretty name.

However, Hachiman wasn't one to be obsessed with looks or voices.

He thought even petite girls could be cute.

When he clicked on the post, he saw that some students had already replied, criticizing her for being too proud and showy.

They pointed out that she was just a new student.

That meant they could check her class?

Hachiman then clicked on the profile of the person with a chess piece as their avatar—Sakayanagi Arisu.

[ID14520, Real Name Verified, First Year, Class A, Sakayanagi Arisu]

Class A of the first year?

That meant she was also a new student.

Did students in Class A start with different points than those in Class D?

Hachiman replied to the post: "Did you also start with 100,000 points?"

But after waiting for two minutes, there was no response.

At that moment, it seemed like some people were starting to take action.

They began asking where the match would take place, planning to give this arrogant new student a shock from the upperclassmen.

However, the response was to go to the chess club, where the facilities could be used at any time.

She had already taken over the school's chess club.

Really?

Hachiman was a bit curious.

But—

He continued gathering information.

[The free mountain vegetable set at window 5 of the cafeteria doesn't seem that bad.] These were regular students.

When he clicked on the post, someone immediately replied.

"Are you sure? The mountain vegetable set I had at window 9 today was awful."

"Can you save me a spot in line? I'll get one too."

"Is there still any left? Can you get one for me as well?"

"..."

When Hachiman clicked on the profiles of the students who replied, he found that they were from the second-year Class D, the third-year Class C, and the third-year Class D.

He felt a bit uneasy.

Because, although anyone could take the free stuff,

...

now it seemed like everyone was fighting for it.

Did the second- and third-year seniors have such a tough life?

...

Ten minutes later,

Hachiman quickly skimmed through the first two pages of the forum.

He then quietly analyzed the situation.

It seemed that not only students, but also the student council members and people from the shopping street, could log in.

This provided a way to collect information.

However, the information was quite messy and needed to be organized.

Speaking of collecting information, Hachiman didn't directly go to the shopping street to check whether the points on the student IDs could be used like money.

This was because some students in the class group had already verified it.

Some students had gone to the shopping street and directly bought items using their student ID.

They successfully paid with their student IDs.

There was no restriction on large purchases either; spending 50,000 points on a game console was allowed.

That sounded great.

Or rather, it was a bit problematic.

Why would anyone spend 50,000 points on a game console?

Did they have no sense of security or crisis awareness?

If you look at the forum a bit more, you'll see that the students from Class D were eating bad-tasting meals. How did they end up eating such bad food?

However, Hachiman's luck seemed decent.

He found that the students in the class group weren't fully accounted for yet.

When he was invited by Hirata to join, the top of the group interface showed 25, meaning only 25 students had joined so far.

But considering that the semester had only just started, having 25 students in the group already meant that those who were good at socializing really stood out.

...

After getting familiar with his dorm again, Hachiman was ready to go shopping.

On one hand, he had learned that the points looked plentiful, but judging from the performance of the upperclassmen, it seemed that Class C and D students might face difficult situations.

So, he might need to be cautious with spending.

Then, he also had to start completing the tasks that Chabashira-sensei assigned.

Finishing her tasks would earn him a reward of 200,000 points, which still sounded pretty tempting.

However—

Hachiman stood by the elevator, waiting. The elevator doors opened automatically as it came down.

He saw that a girl was already inside the elevator.

She had short golden hair, shiny wine-red eyes, and a smooth face.

Her lips were also slightly glossy.

She was quite a cute girl.

And Hachiman recognized her because she was the second person to stand up and introduce herself during Hirata's self-introduction session.

He remembered what she said.

Her name was Kushida Kikyo, and it seemed like she wanted to be friends with everyone.

If it wasn't ambition, then it must have been strong social skills.

"You are...?" she seemed to think Hachiman looked familiar.

But Hachiman thought about how his self-introduction had been interrupted.

So, it was normal for people not to know him.

"You are Hikigaya Hachiman, right?" she said. "Back then, when Chabashira-sensei came in, you didn't finish your introduction, but I remember you said you're from Chiba."

"Chiba? I have a classmate whose hometown is also Chiba. The scenery there is beautiful, and many dramas are filmed around the seaside Makuhari area." Kushida seemed very chatty.

Eh!

That meant she remembered his incomplete self-introduction?

"Hey, Hikigaya-kun, can you tell me about Chiba sometime?" Kushida looked at him with her cute, moist eyes.

So cute.

This was the first time Hachiman... was being looked at by a girl with such a gaze.

Hmm.

What's going on? Not only does Class D have Hirata, the "mom," but now there's also this "little angel" Kushida?

Chapter 006: Kushida is such a kind person!

Hirata is like the role of a typical good guy, a very reliable person, and Kushida is also someone with strong social skills.

The reason for this is that some of the students in the class group that Hirata set up were people Kushida kept adding.

Being able to do this means she not only gained the status of the group administrator but also managed to get everyone's contact information, which allowed her to add people.

Therefore, Kushida is also a potential "real winner" in life.

For someone like Hachiman, who tends to stay in the shadows, it's hard to deal with these kinds of people, but strangely enough, he finds there is no problem interacting with her.

Perhaps it's because... Kushida is looking at him with such soft, dewy eyes, almost pleadingly.

Her friendly aura seems to have completely bloomed.

It's hard to refuse.

"By the way, Kushida, are you planning to go to the shopping street?" Hachiman asked.

"Mm-hmm, everyone went to the shopping street and found that the points can be used like money," Kushida nodded.

"I also went back to my dorm, and while the bedding and everything were prepared, there are still some daily necessities that need to be bought."

This point can't be denied. When living on your own, you need a variety of things.

From big things like clothes, tables, and chairs, to small things like toothpicks and napkins. And if you're planning to cook, you need even more items.

And Kushida is going to the shopping street.

I see.

So, they would soon part ways.

Hachiman had also planned to go to the shopping street to buy some things.

But suddenly feeling a sense of crisis, he decided to first gather some information from the older students.

Like Chabashira, who had been given the order to keep quiet, but since everyone was staying closed off in the school dormitory, there would definitely be things or phenomena that could provide information.

While thinking this,

"Well then, Kushida, could you... give me a list of everyone's contact information?" Hachiman asked.

"Huh?"

Kushida blinked her eyes adorably.

It seemed like she was asking what he wanted.

"I'm a bit of a loner, and I hope I can make some friends here," Hachiman said.

In fact, this was a lie. What he really wanted was to do Chabashira's task.

Chabashira's deal with him was that he would investigate the classmate's profiles, and for each student, she would reward him with 200,000 points and grant him the ability to exchange points for cash directly.

Forget about investigating all 39 students; even just investigating one or two would be a good amount of compensation.

Hachiman wanted to do it.

And to do this task, the first thing you need is information about the students in the class, like their social skills... If they really have them, then Komachi won't need to worry anymore.

So, if he could get started with social butterflies like Hirata or Kushida, it would be much easier.

Because both Hirata and Kushida seem really easy to approach.

But right now, Hachiman only knows Hirata, and for Hirata, he is just one of 39 classmates.

It's clear from how Hirata was replying to classmates on the way to the dorm that he cares about everyone.

The reason he was paying attention to Hachiman was because he was worried Hachiman might drift away from the group.

He had been worried about him.

So, Hachiman didn't really want to trouble someone like Hirata.

Kushida, on the other hand, felt more approachable.

Of course, he would also feel a bit swayed.

Because Kushida was very cute, and it's hard to imagine anyone not enjoying interacting with a cute girl.

So, could he make this request?

"You want to make friends?" Kushida tilted her head.

"Is it really not possible?"

Hachiman knew it might be a bit bothersome to ask this suddenly.

"It's not that it's impossible, I'm just a little surprised because this was actually my goal too," Kushida said. "I want to be friends with everyone and make good memories in this school."

She had actually said this in her self-introduction during class.

[My name is Kushida Kikyo, my goal is to be friends with everyone here, and I want to make lots of memories, so please come visit me often.]

And she had already gathered so many classmates' contact information.

Kushida was clearly working on this goal.

However, even classmates might not give out their contact information.

So, Kushida had already gained some popularity.

"By the way, Hachiman, have you thought about confirming any friends to make?" Kushida asked.

"Uh... not yet," Hachiman replied. "I was just thinking of getting contact information first, so I can reach out to people if I decide I want to become friends with someone later."

This reasoning didn't quite hold up because if you wanted to make friends, you wouldn't need to gather contact information from so many people.

"I see..." However, Kushida seemed to pause for a moment. "Alright."

She said, "I can give you the contact information of the classmates."

"But before that, can you promise me one condition?"

"That is, will you become my friend?" Kushida said.

She looked at him with her sparkling eyes as she spoke.

From the way she phrased her condition, it was clear she was smart and had figured out that his reason for wanting the classmates' contact information was a lie, a pretext to make friends.

But... even though she had seen through that, she was still willing to give him the contact information.

And the reason was... she wanted to earn his... friendship.

Kushida wanted to be friends with him.

But the cost was a bit high.

You have to understand that wanting to obtain the contact information of the classmates is not a trivial matter—it could potentially be used for other purposes.

Thinking like this, it was rather unsettling.

So if anything were to happen, Kushida, as the one who disclosed the information, might end up taking the fall.

In other words, even if she knew there was a risk, Kushida still wanted to be friends with him?

Hey, hey, hey.

Realizing this, Hachiman was a little surprised.

Because...

If he were an ordinary guy, he'd probably think that Kushida had a high level of affection for him right now.

And this kind of thing...

Stay strong, Hachiman.

It's just friendship, not a romantic relationship. Don't easily trust the kindness of girls.

You mustn't misunderstand.

"Although I do want to become friends with you, Kushida," Hachiman said, "I have somewhat high standards for friendship. I'm looking for a lifelong kind of friendship—where we help each other, confide in each other, and truly value one another. A friendship where we can help without hesitation when the other is in need."

"Ahaha..."

However, Kushida's expression didn't change.

"Hachiman, you're looking for that kind of intense friendship..." Kushida said.

"That's going to be difficult."

Kushida gave him a cute expression.

Indeed.

How could it be so simple to find a true friend?

Just eating together, chatting, or even going to the bathroom together—that's just socializing. It can't be called friendship.

Hachiman knew his mindset was different from other people his age.

In fact, he wasn't interested in the lives of those "real winners" around him. He didn't think such a life was the true essence of youth.

However, from Kushida's expression, he couldn't quite tell if she had been mocking his boundaries for what constitutes a true friend just now.

But in reality, the conversation grew cold all of a sudden. The two had already walked out of the elevator and the first-floor lobby and were now outside the dormitory.

Kushida continued walking towards the shopping street, while Hachiman was heading towards the academic building.

"Did you forget something in the classroom, Hachiman?" Kushida asked.

"No, not really," Hachiman nodded. "I just want to explore the campus a bit. The school suddenly gave us such treatment, and the expenses are quite high. It feels a bit unreasonable."

"I asked Chabashira about it earlier, but it seems like the teachers have been given a gag order."

"So, I thought I'd try my luck with the upperclassmen."

"Oh."

I see.

Kushida nodded. Originally planning to go shopping at the street, she suddenly turned around and grabbed Hachiman's sleeve.

"Then, can you take me with you?"

Chapter 007: Kushida Kikyo: I Want to Be Friends with Everyone

Kushida was cute, and her voice was sweet.

"Can you take me along?" she asked.

She looked at him with a pitiful expression. If you looked closely, you could see that her pupils were reflecting his figure.

Then, when she probably noticed he wasn't moving, the hand that had originally just grabbed his sleeve transformed into both of her hands gently holding his left hand.

She gently lifted his hand after wrapping her hands around it.

This was a surprising move.

It was the first time he had been so closely touched by a girl. Even his sister, Komachi, had never done something like that.

Is this the warmth of a girl?

But…

Hachiman nodded.

"If you want to come," Hachiman said.

He didn't think Kushida had feelings for him beyond friendship. In fact, the two of them weren't even friends yet, so he didn't believe Kushida had this kind of intimate affection for him.

So, the reason she made this gesture might have been related to what he had said earlier about investigating the school and the teachers being silenced.

In other words…

She probably wanted to get information through him.

Kushida... you're a little too utilitarian, huh?

Though he thought that, he said nothing.

"Um, could you put my hand down?" Hachiman asked.

"..." Kushida.

"Mm."

Kushida seemed to freeze for a moment before gently touching the tips of her not-so-long hair.

She seemed a bit embarrassed, but as soon as Hachiman started to move, she quickly followed him.

Maybe she was surprised by his straightforwardness.

After all, she was so cute, but he acted like a stone-hearted person.

And that was certainly the case.

After all, Hachiman didn't believe in absolute kindness, nor in affection from the opposite sex.

Girls were creatures who were easy to misunderstand. When they showed tenderness, it was easy to think that tenderness was directed specifically at him.

And once someone got carried away and began to feel pleased with themselves, it would quickly lead to an unpleasant situation where both parties ended up hurt.

And he despised this type of situation.

Because... the material for that realization... came from his own experience.

So, the two walked together toward the academic building.

Kushida walked quite close to him, their shoulders about 20 centimeters apart.

"Has a girl ever hurt you before, Hachiman?" Kushida suddenly asked.

"Eh?" This question had a huge impact on him.

Hachiman stopped walking.

"I get the feeling that you don't really want anyone to enter your heart," Kushida said.

But... did she want to enter his heart?

"I've had a bit of a dark past," Hachiman said. "It was probably in middle school. One of the girls in class exchanged phone numbers with the students, and when she exchanged numbers with me, I misunderstood."

He had misunderstood.

In other words, he had some history of liking someone, and that past with the opposite sex had led to a distrust of any further contact with girls.

"I see."

Kushida seemed to accept his response, gently nodding. "But I think your way of thinking is a bit different from other students."

"And this way of thinking seems more mature."

"I think girls like it a lot. At least, I like it."

Really?

Hachiman had just gotten used to being alone, immersing himself in the world, and occasionally venting his frustrations.

He didn't think of it as anything mature.

Wait a second.

Hachiman realized something.

Because...

Could this person be trying to win him over?

Hachiman noticed that the 20 cm distance between his and Kushida's shoulders had shrunk to about 10 cm when she spoke to him earlier.

A faint fragrance, typical of girls, drifted toward him.

And when he turned to look at her, she gently lifted her head and showed him a cute expression.

"…" Hachiman.

Don't waver, Hachiman. Kushida definitely doesn't have feelings for you beyond being a classmate.

She's just aiming to make friends with everyone, that's all.

And she probably just wants to understand this strange school, using you as a means to help her.

So… don't, don't waver.

"The teaching building is just ahead," Kushida said.

Hm.

Hachiman quickly calmed himself.

Now, they were on the first floor of the first-year teaching building.

The morning had been busy with enrollment, attending the graduation ceremony, and then everyone focusing on their classrooms, leaving little room for observation.

But now, as they stood on the first floor, they noticed that the building had a notice board. Much like the school's promotional brochure they received before enrollment, the school's facilities seemed very advanced; even the notice board was an LCD screen.

Next to the notice board hung a small chalkboard.

But the chalkboard was blank.

On the notice board, there was only a message from the student council welcoming the new students, telling them to attend the opening ceremony in the gym at 10 AM.

Hachiman didn't linger and walked on.

He arrived at the third-year teaching building.

Today was a weekend, so it seemed like the upperclassmen weren't attending classes.

On the first floor here, Hachiman also saw the same type of notice board and chalkboard.

The notice board contained the same message, welcoming new students.

However, Hachiman noticed that the chalkboard in the third-year building had some information written on it. It showed a few numbers that caught his attention:

A 2530

B 1300

C 300

D 20

Hachiman took a photo of it with his phone.

Kushida didn't think there was anything strange about the chalkboard. Instead, she continued, "Do you want to go upstairs?"

"No, not really. It's the weekend, so I'm not sure if the upperclassmen's classrooms are locked," Hachiman replied.

"And if no one's in there, it would be troublesome if something got lost," he added.

"Mm-mm," Kushida nodded.

So, the two of them headed toward the second-year teaching building.

Just like at the third-year building, Hachiman looked around the second-year teaching building, searching for differences in its layout compared to the first-year building.

The notice boards were the same, but there was also a small chalkboard in the second-year building.

This chalkboard had numbers as well:

Class A 2000

Class B 600

Class C 400

Class D 200

Compared to the numbers on the third-year building's chalkboard, these numbers seemed more polished, almost as if they had been organized.

Hachiman took out his phone to take a picture.

"Are you first-year students? What are you doing in the upperclassmen's area?" A voice suddenly called out.

The voice had a somewhat authoritative tone, and it sounded familiar.

Hachiman and Kushida quickly looked over and saw the student council president and a girl with a bun hairstyle.

The student council president stood still, while the girl with the purple bun jogged over to them.

"The girl with the bun is probably named Tachibana Akane. She introduced herself during the opening ceremony," Hachiman said. "She's the secretary of the student council."

"Your memory is really good, Hachiman," Kushida said, looking at him with a slightly admiring expression.

"…"

Hachiman.

Please, Kushida, don't look at me like that.

Hachiman was already feeling like he might just give in.

But facing the approaching upperclasswoman, he said, "We just got here and are familiarizing ourselves with the environment. We've already passed through the first-year and third-year areas, and now we're in the second-year area, but we didn't go upstairs."

"I see," the girl with the bun said.

It seemed like the act of wandering around the school as a new student wasn't anything unusual, so the upperclasswoman didn't make things difficult for them. She returned to the student council president.

She reported to the student council president, "Looks like they're just ordinary new students exploring the school."

"This is pretty normal for the outside world—when people come to a new place, they try to familiarize themselves with their surroundings," the upperclasswoman reported to the student council president.

"Not necessarily," the student council president said, pushing up their glasses. "Did you not notice? The guy took a photo just now. His target was the chalkboard."

"That means he noticed something about the school," the student council president continued. "And those two students, the boy and the girl, they're from the first-year D class."

"Eh?"

"Alright, it's time for us to intervene at the chess club," the student council president said.

Yes.

They had noticed a freshman from first-year A class who had been widely challenging people to chess matches on the Western chess platform. She was being very arrogant.

However, her chess skills were impressive. Through chess, she had already accumulated nearly a million points.

Furthermore, upon investigation, it turned out she wasn't alone but had gathered nearly half the students in her class.

In other words, after receiving special treatment at the school, instead of going shopping or exploring the campus, they had come to extract points from the upperclassmen.

They understood the principle of [using points to buy anything], so they aimed to collect as many points as possible to buy the information they needed.

That meant, this year's first-year A class was quite formidable.

As they watched the student council president leave, the secretary upperclasswoman quickly followed after him.

However, she looked back at Hachiman and Kushida with a somewhat surprised expression.

Because...

The students in this year's first-year A class were really causing a stir.

But at least they were from class A.

But now, were the students in first-year D class this outrageous too? They immediately spotted the class evaluation score, something incredibly important to all students.

...

On Hachiman's side.

Because of the interference from the student council's officers, their investigation had come to a pause.

Hachiman felt like he had gathered some information.

But...

"Beep beep!"

At that moment, he received an email.

However, the sender was from an unfamiliar number.

There was only one line of text in the email.

[Congratulations, Hikigaya Hachiman. Your application to convert your points into cash in advance has been approved. The board of directors has voted and granted you this privilege.

You can visit the headmaster's office anytime to apply for the points-to-cash service.

The conversion rate is 1,000 private points for 800 yen. We are also responsible for depositing the cash or sending it to your specified address.

However, please note that the minimum amount for conversion is 1 million points. Therefore, you need to accumulate 1 million points before you can officially convert them.

Additionally, you are not allowed to collect points through crowdfunding to help others convert points, nor can you act as an intermediary for profit.

That's all. We look forward to your development.

The High-Level Development High School Board of Directors.]

Although the number wasn't familiar, it gave off the feeling of being from the school administration.

Immediately after, Hachiman noticed that his homeroom teacher, Chabashira, had called him.

Chapter 008: Chabashira: Do you think Kushida Kikyo has something going on in her heart?

Almost right after Hachiman received the email that seemed to be from the school, Chabashira-sensei's phone call came through.

However, since Kushida was still there, Hachiman didn't immediately answer the call. Instead, he rejected it and sent a message saying he couldn't take the call at the moment and would contact her later.

After doing that, Hachiman turned to look at Kushida.

Kushida blinked lightly, maintaining her cute demeanor. Although she looked at him curiously, she kept her distance.

Or rather...

She had acted as though she was avoiding him when Hachiman had been looking at his phone just a moment ago.

She really knew how to balance interacting with people.

"What place would you like to go next?" Hachiman said as he put his phone away.

"Eh? Hachiman-kun, have you already finished exploring the school?" Kushida asked, a bit surprised.

"I'm planning to go to the shopping street to buy some daily necessities, and it's already about time for lunch," Hachiman replied.

It was 12:30, so it was indeed time for lunch.

"Also, I just discovered the school's exclusive app, the school forum. It seems like as long as we verify our student ID and student number, we can post there."

"It includes regular students, members of the student council, and even some faculty and shop staff are on there," Hachiman added.

"Oh," Kushida nodded in response.

She quickly picked up her phone.

Then, she opened the forum app.

She had been busy contacting people earlier, exchanging friend information, and didn't have time to explore the contents of her phone.

Watching Kushida's actions, Hachiman remained expressionless.

Actually, during the exploration of the first-floor areas of the three grades earlier, Hachiman had gathered more important information and had some related ideas. But since he hadn't confirmed anything yet, he didn't think this was something he needed to announce or make public.

So he had just shared the basic forum information.

For someone like Kushida, who was good at socializing, she would likely figure out the purpose of the forum very quickly.

So bringing it up now was just a way to offer something ordinary to ease her into helping him check the information.

"..." Hachiman.

Suddenly, he felt like he was wavering a bit.

"So, Hachiman-kun, are you planning to go eat first?" Kushida asked after checking her phone.

"Pretty much," Hachiman replied. "According to the GPS on my phone, it'll take nearly 10 minutes to get to the shopping street, but the cafeteria is only 5 minutes away."

So, Hachiman-kun is the type to choose the nearest option?

"I see, so do you want to eat together?" Kushida asked, extending the invitation.

"..." Hachiman.

???

During the walk with Kushida, Hachiman had been telling himself to stay clear-headed and not be influenced by her.

To not waver.

Kushida wanted to be friends with everyone, so maybe this demanding and stubborn person was also within her range of interest.

So, don't waver, don't waver.

And yet...

Kushida... you really seem like you're actively pursuing him now.

Are you this obsessed, Kushida?

...

The school cafeteria.

It was the first time for both of them, and they found it to be very large with many food counters.

But...

"Hachiman-kun, I found something! Some of the food counters don't require points for payment," Kushida said.

"It seems like you just need to line up, and you don't even need to swipe your student ID."

"Heh, the school is really nice to the students."

"If you run out of points, you can still get some help."

"I see."

Hachiman had noticed this as well.

In fact, he had deliberately checked for it.

Moreover...

Hachiman had been paying attention to counter number 5.

The staff there had placed a sign saying "[Sold Out]."

That meant the free meal packages at that counter were out of stock.

Hachiman had discovered this counter while checking the school forum in the dormitory, where a senior had mentioned the free, relatively easy-to-eat mountain vegetable meal set at this counter.

And now, it was sold out.

So... this meant that a lot of people at the school needed to rely on the free meal packages to get by.

And the seniors from class D had the largest number.

So, as expected... the school must have limited living expenses for the students, and going forward... the students in class D were going to have a hard time.

...

The school meals were delicious, but Hachiman felt like he couldn't taste them.

And the reason was clear to him—it was probably because he wasn't eating with a girl, and especially not with such a cute one.

However, after the meal, Kushida didn't continue to hang out with him.

Because she was also a busy person, similar to Hirata, but not to help; rather, she had been invited by some other girls to go shopping and buy supplies.

So the two of them split up outside the fountain near the shopping street.

Kushida asked him to go ahead, and she would wait for a while before entering the shopping street.

That was very realistic, Kushida.

Were you worried about being seen with me?

But Hachiman followed the map on his phone's GPS to the shopping street.

Just as Chabashira-sensei had said, the school required all students to board, but also provided various facilities to ensure that students wouldn't be bored during their three years here.

From regular electronics stores, family restaurants, teppanyaki, hot pot, to various shops for daily goods, there was everything.

And excluding one type of store, most of the recreational spots were in the middle of the shopping street at the Keyaki Shopping Center.

It was very popular among the students.

Hachiman entered the Keyaki Shopping Center, not to buy anything but to sit on one of the sofas for people to rest and observe the students shopping and strolling by.

Sometimes he would see students in uniforms, but there were also many wearing their casual clothes.

Judging from this, these were probably the seniors, who didn't have to wear uniforms during holidays.

However...

He also noticed that some of these seniors were spending money lavishly, buying very expensive items.

For example, gold pendants and bracelets.

Some seniors couldn't afford meals, while others were spending money recklessly.

It was a very interesting scene.

But for someone like Hachiman, who came from class D, it was somewhat sigh-worthy.

Because the more he observed, the more he realized how bad it was to be placed in class D.

Thinking this, Hachiman noticed a group of about ten students coming up from the elevator on the first floor.

All of them were wearing student uniforms.

Counting them, there were sixteen students.

Among them, the leader seemed to be a silver-haired girl.

Her health seemed to be poor, as she was holding a black cane with her left hand.

But her appearance was very cute.

Her pupils were clear and lively, and her skin was fair and tender.

In fact, the moment Hachiman saw her, with her white stockings, silver hair, and petite figure—

No, no, no. When combined with her apparent mobility issues—

The term that immediately popped into Hachiman's mind was:

"Fragile loli."

She looked quite delicate, yet her demeanor was remarkably graceful.

This group of students gave off a strange vibe.

It seemed like a group of people were crowding around the fragile silver-haired girl.

.

.

.

"Thanks to Sakayanagi-san, we were able to obtain such points and gain this crucial information for us."

"Not at all, I was just lucky," the student, referred to as Sakayanagi, replied modestly.

"Although the Student Council President stopped us, it's a bit regrettable. Otherwise, our class could have gained even more advantages," another student added.

"Indeed, it's a bit unfortunate, but offending upperclassmen entirely wouldn't be ideal either."

And so, another round of flattery ensued.

The elevator arrived soon after.

Hachiman noticed that the fragile silver-haired girl, who was holding a cane, glanced in his direction.

But she quickly looked away.

"..." Hachiman.

Perhaps it was because he had been staring at her too long, and she thought he was a lolicon.

Hachiman then averted his gaze, preparing to reply to Chabashira-sensei's message.

Chapter 009: D-Class May Have Just Struck Gold!

Hachiman was about to send an email to Chabashira-sensei to inform her that he was now free.

However...

Ding!

He had barely sent the message when he quickly received a reply.

The specific action was that the email Hachiman sent was marked as "read" within two seconds.

But Chabashira's reply seemed somewhat cold and impersonal.

[I've got some things to handle, so I don't have time right now. Meet me at the rest bench near the artificial lake at the student dorms at 8 PM.]

It seemed like she had brushed him off.

She was busy and didn't have time to deal with him.

However, upon closer inspection, something unsettling appeared.

Because if she were really that busy, she wouldn't have marked his message as read immediately and replied so quickly.

Even in work-related matters, there's a hierarchy of urgency, so Chabashira's quick response conveyed a sense of urgency.

This was a bit terrifying.

Hachiman felt his sixth sense kicking in. He noticed Chabashira-sensei's previously indifferent demeanor from class was now more alert, and he realized he had become a target.

Now, it was confirmed that he had indeed been targeted.

However, after observing for most of the day, he found himself in the unfortunate position of being in D-Class.

From the circumstances of the older students in D-Class, poverty and the need for assistance with living expenses seemed to be the norm.

This made the task of assisting Chabashira-sensei in compiling student dossiers, with each file worth 200,000 points, seem like an incredibly lucrative opportunity.

Speaking of huge points, Hachiman opened the school forum and noticed that the post about the chess tournament from the previously arrogant first-year student, Sakayanagi Arisu, had disappeared.

In D-Class, the seniors could only live off relief food, while some seniors were living lavishly.

The disparity was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Which means, Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A might have actually collected an enormous amount of points.

With this thought in mind, he heard voices coming from downstairs.

"You'll see hell soon enough!"

"You idiot!"

The commotion downstairs caught Hachiman's attention as he was near the window on the second floor and could see what was happening.

It was a tall male student with red crew-cut hair being mocked by two older male students.

Hachiman recognized this tall student.

He was from his class.

This was the same guy who, during the self-introduction segment by Hirata and Kushida, suddenly kicked the table and shouted, "Are you all kids? Why are we doing self-introductions like this?"

But when it was his turn, did he introduce himself?

Yes, he did.

He appeared strong but seemed to be all bark and no bite.

Hachiman remembered his name: Sudo Ken, who was good at basketball and seemed to want to join the high school basketball club.

"Don't run away!" Sudo shouted.

But the older students had already left.

He seemed still quite upset and kicked over a nearby plastic trash can.

Then, in displeasure, he walked off.

"..."

Hachiman returned to his conversation with Chabashira-sensei.

"What's the deal with the rest bench near the artificial lake at the student dorms?"

[There are no cameras there. It's one of the few places on campus where students can meet in private.] — Chabashira

Oh.

No cameras, huh?

But this is a shopping mall.

And the place Sudo had just been at had cameras directly facing it.

So, Hachiman went downstairs and righted the trash can that Sudo had kicked over.

...

Since the meeting time was set for 8 PM, Hachiman decided to go shopping first.

He didn't have any experience staying in a dorm, except for when he went to Chiba Village for nature lessons back in elementary school.

But now, he had to stay at one place for three years.

The dorms were fully equipped with all the necessary facilities, so he only needed to buy basic living supplies.

Things like toiletries, toilet paper, pajamas, slippers, shower gel, shampoo, and other miscellaneous items—nothing expensive but still a hassle.

The shopping street only had one shopping center, but there were many discount supermarkets and convenience stores.

Hachiman went to one of these supermarkets because they offered points. After making a purchase, he'd receive a point card, and after accumulating enough points, he could redeem them.

It felt very much like regular life.

Apart from the fact that he was using private points instead of cash.

...

"Alright, time to go," Hachiman muttered as he leaned back in his chair and glanced at the clock.

It was 7:15 PM.

There were still 45 minutes until the agreed meeting time of 8 PM.

The meeting place wasn't far away, just around the student dorms, near the rest bench by the artificial lake.

It took less than 10 minutes to walk from the dorm.

Very close.

When Hachiman returned to the dorm with his bags, he made a point to check the area.

It was very open, and although it was near the artificial lake, it was enclosed by a guardrail, making it very safe and a great place to enjoy the natural scenery.

The wind was a bit strong there.

So, most people wouldn't choose to go there, but that made it an ideal place for a conversation.

However...

Hachiman opened his phone.

GPS.

As long as friends had added each other, they could directly locate each other via GPS.

And now, Hachiman noticed that Chabashira-sensei was not too far away.

She was in the northwest direction.

Which was the direction he needed to go to.

So...

"..."

Even though there were still 45 minutes left before the scheduled time... Chabashira-sensei, you're already there, huh?

...

Although Hachiman knew Chabashira-sensei was in a hurry, he didn't want to make her wait too long.

He started going downstairs and jogged over.

In six minutes, he reached his destination.

He saw a woman in a professional OL outfit leaning against the guardrail, holding a cigarette in her left hand.

She wore high heels.

Her black hair was tied up in a single ponytail with a blue ribbon, giving her a very professional look.

Perhaps hearing his footsteps, Chabashira turned around and seemed to smile.

That smile reminded him of a sly fox—slightly teasing.

Of course, this wasn't something a student should be thinking.

"You arrived a little early, Chabashira-sensei," Hachiman said seriously.

"You came early too, didn't you?" Chabashira Sae retorted.

"...Heh—" X2

Both of them seemed to laugh, but it was an awkward laugh.

They both understood that this had actually been a confrontation, a very tense one at that.

Hachiman's comment about her coming early was meant to imply that she was anxious, and Chabashira directly responded, explaining that she arrived early because she was eager to carry out the task she had assigned him.

In other words, let's not complicate things.

"A day has passed," Chabashira didn't continue to play games and said directly. "You should have some answers now."

"..." Hachiman. "Yes, this school is indeed very different, and it seems to use class competition as a way to motivate the students."

"Oh?" Chabashira lightly took the cigarette out of her mouth. "What do you mean?"

"I went to the three grade-level buildings with Kizuna today," Hachiman continued. "And I found that the setups were all the same—there was a bulletin board and a small blackboard. Except for our first-year class, where the small blackboard was blank with no writing."

"The second and third-year classes' small blackboards had numbers on them."

"The format was the same, divided into A, B, C, D, and then followed by a string of numbers," Hachiman explained.

"Hmm." Chabashira nodded calmly. "So?"

"I suspect this is some kind of evaluation system," Hachiman said. "It's an evaluation that the school provides based on each class."

"I observed that the seniors in the second-year D class and the third-year C and D classes live off of aid."

"And that matches with this."

"They have low evaluations, like the third-year D class, which only has 20 points."

"And the living allowance they get from the school based on these evaluations is definitely very low." Hachiman said. "It's absolutely not enough to live on."

Oh.

Chabashira nodded lightly.

"I see."

'So... D-Class might have really struck gold this time' she thought.

"Good insight." Chabashira pressed the cigarette against the guardrail. "In that case, you were the right person to entrust with the task of investigating and compiling the student dossiers."

"20,000 points per student."

"And you said you went with Kushida to investigate the school buildings."

"Then you can choose her to start making the dossiers," Chabashira said. "What do you think of her?"

"Well…" Hachiman spoke, but his head didn't lift.

"Is there something you can't say?" Chabashira asked.

"No," Hachiman shook his head. "If I'm to give an evaluation, it's not very good."

"Oh?"

Chabashira Sae blinked.

"Chabashira-sensei, could you first tell me if Kushida is good in regular areas like academics and sports?" Hachiman asked.

"What do you mean?" Chabashira furrowed her brows.

"If Kushida excels in these areas, and she also helped Hirata set up the class group, obtaining contact information for most of the class members in a short time."

"She's also active in interacting with the students," Hachiman said. "These are all excellent traits."

"But the more she seems to excel... the more I feel she..."

"Maybe there's something major going on with her."

"That this problem is so big that, once it's exposed, all her good qualities will become meaningless."

Chapter 010: Chabashira: Go get close to Horikita Suzune! That person is just like you!

Kushida has a big problem.

This is a surprising conclusion.

But Chabashira is very clear on this.

What Hachiman said is correct.

She had reviewed the files of all the students in Class D, and as the class advisor, she also has the responsibility to periodically evaluate the students.

This means she can access the students' past records.

And guide them towards positive development.

However, the file for Kushida Kikyo was problematic.

The interviewers' feedback was like this: her academic and athletic abilities both reached a B level.

Although her intellectual strategies were slightly lacking, she had an incredibly strong charisma, and her coordination and organizational abilities earned her an A rating.

People who excel at interpersonal communication are rare.

So initially, they had planned to place her in Class B.

However, due to her past experiences, they had to abandon that idea and place her in Class D instead.

The reason for this was the principal's report from her middle school, which stated that her class, from students to teachers, had experienced a complete breakdown due to a strike. The cause of this disruption was Kushida Kikkyo herself.

In other words, while Kushida Kikkyo's foundational skills were on par with students in Class B, she was essentially a ticking time bomb.

So, such a bomb could not be placed in Class B. Otherwise, one person could ruin the entire class, and all the interviewers would be held accountable.

Thus, Kushida was thrown into Class D.

This is also the reason why Class D is considered the "garbage" class.

Apart from students who are inherently lacking in many areas, it also houses a collection of students with various strange issues.

The purpose of this is to prepare students for the class competition, to help the more competent students in higher classes adapt.

It's to prepare them for a future society where they may encounter difficult-to-handle individuals.

These were the materials Chabashira had obtained using her authority as a class advisor.

And so, she knew that Kushida Kikkyo was a bomb.

But…

Hachiman, how did you know?

Why did you conclude that the more excellent Kushida seemed, the more dangerous she was?

So, facing Hachiman's statements, although Chabashira maintained an adult posture, her mind had already spun several times.

She was also analyzing Hachiman's record.

Hachiman was a special student recommended by Hiratsuka Shizune.

However, the school reviewed his records and decided that he could still be admitted.

So, in a way, he had used the back door, but was still placed in Class D.

Because...

His record was also quite subtle, showing no outstanding traits. He often kept to himself, not that he hadn't tried, but he usually failed.

He appeared to be just a solitary boy.

The only advantage he had was his excellent performance in Japanese language.

He seemed to have great depth in writing.

This was the advantage noted by the interviewers.

But now it seemed that there was more to him than that.

His insight was also strong.

"You certainly gave an amazing evaluation," Chabashira said. "You're right about Kushida."

"She is indeed a person with significant risks."

"Just, how did you come to this conclusion?" Chabashira asked.

"It's like reasoning," Hachiman said. "Because if my conclusion is correct, the school is using class competition to distribute resources."

"And if it's competition, how can one achieve better development?"

"Of course, it's through balanced competition. Having opponents who need to keep getting stronger in order to win, so they can grow stronger themselves."

"So, I initially assumed that all four classes had fairly excellent students and that they would drive the competition within each class."

"But…" Hachiman continued. "But looking at the circumstances of the seniors in second and third-year Class D, it seems that no matter the grade, they are all in the poorest situation."

"Class competition naturally has success and failure, and if one failure happens, it's not a big deal."

"But…"

"Looking at the values on the third-year small blackboards, the third-year Class A had 2530, Class B had 1300, Class C had 300, and Class D had 20."

"The evaluations for the four classes are like cliffs, with a massive gap between them."

"So, I rejected the idea that all four classes were evenly matched at first."

"It's more accurate to say that Class A students were already more outstanding and more likely to stand out."

"And Class D is the worst class." Hachiman said. "Because it's so bad, it always ends up at the bottom. So if an exceptionally good student ends up in Class D, isn't that a waste of resources? That's why I believe that the more excellent a student is in Class D, the bigger their problem must be."

"The negative impact they bring could overshadow all their advantages."

And this also includes Hirata.

Hachiman sighed in his heart.

Finally, he meets an angelic boy, only to find that he's also a ticking time bomb, just like Kushida?

Chabashira's eyes slowly closed.

I see.

So this is how you understand it.

I see now.

She had realized.

She had underestimated him.

Hachiman's insight and analytical abilities exceeded her expectations.

"Have you ever played any reasoning games before? Like often trying to reason with your friends?" Chabashira wanted to know how he became like this.

"No," Hachiman said. "I could never find anyone to play reasoning games with me, so I just played multiple roles by myself."

"…" Chabashira.

Alright.

Now, she somewhat understood how Hachiman became so strong.

Because he was alone.

Being alone can feel lonely, but sometimes, being alone can also make you stronger.

"Then, this is for you."

Chabashira placed her left hand into the pocket of her suit and took out a black card, about 10x5 cm in size.

At the center of the card were two QR codes.

One represented receiving payments, and the other represented making payments.

"This is a points card," Chabashira said. "This type of card is anonymous, allowing you to scan the points from your student ID onto the card, and you can also scan points from the card onto your student ID."

"The method to obtain it is simple; you can go to the electronics store in the shopping district, where they are sold. One card costs 100 points," Chabashira continued. "The points card allows you to hide your actual points. It's very convenient."

"So, the school encourages students to compete by class," Hachiman said, continuing. "But they allow students to hide their points, meaning they tacitly permit some students to be bribed? And use unspoken methods?"

"Heh..." Upon hearing Hachiman's question, Chabashira chuckled softly.

It was indeed a tricky situation.

Because this guy's brain was working so quickly, Chabashira almost had the illusion that he hadn't just started school but had already been here for three months.

"Take a look at the points," Chabashira said. "I've scanned 200,000 points into the card."

"You can withdraw a bit at a time into your student ID, or you can save it and use it all at once later."

"Oh."

Hachiman nodded, but he didn't immediately scan the card.

To directly check would imply distrust towards Chabashira.

Since Chabashira had access to large sums of money, and Hachiman was looking to take on some money-making tasks to save up, there was no need to ruin the relationship with her right now.

Also, she had the authority to convert the points into cash from the school.

This meant she had already paid the price. Therefore, she wouldn't break the agreement easily.

Especially since... Chabashira was acting quite eager.

So, just based on this, he didn't think she would break the agreement—at least not right now.

"By the way, do you have any future goals?"

As Hachiman put the points card away, Chabashira asked further.

She felt that just reviewing Hachiman's file wouldn't give her all the information about him.

"Me?"

When asked this question, Hachiman's mind suddenly flashed with the image of the silver-haired girl, supported by attendants, sitting on the sofa at the beech tree shopping mall, using a cane.

But that wasn't the kind of attention he wanted. If he had to express it in words...

He would probably say...

"I want to be a stay-at-home husband," Hachiman said. "I don't want to work hard every day and support a family. I'd rather stay at home and be a stay-at-home husband."

"In other words, I don't want to work. Why does the man always have to go out and support the family?"

"I want to be supported!" Hachiman said.

"...?"

"Then, just work hard," Chabashira replied, though she thought this kid seemed to lack ambition. Still, she continued, "You will definitely gain something in this school."

"That is, I can't guarantee whether you'll meet a wealthy woman who'll support you."

"But you can use these three years at this school to make yourself wealthy first," Chabashira said.

"Oh?"

Hachiman was slightly taken aback.

Chabashira then added, "Go get close to Horikita Suzune. That girl is just like you."

"Investigate her records, same reward, 200,000 points."

So...

Having already earned the 200,000 points from Kushida, could he earn another 200,000 points now?

Hello everyone! I'm VarieTL.

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