Chapter 178: Declaration of War
Hikigaya was certain he didn't harbor romantic feelings for his sensei, but the gratitude he felt toward Chabashira Sae had reached the same level he reserved for Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Sometimes, a small, unconscious action could save someone in deep distress, and Chabashira had inadvertently done exactly that for him.
For someone like Hikigaya, an "outsider" by nature, having his personal affairs openly discussed in class was unbearably humiliating, so much so that he would bury his head and pretend to sleep. In that sense, his gratitude toward Chabashira deserved repeated expression.
Chabashira's arrival was simple enough: a new semester meant a new test. After two semesters at this school, students were already accustomed to it. But what kind of troublesome challenge had the school devised this time? Hikigaya was genuinely curious.
As Chabashira explained the rules, the details of the Cultural Festival were revealed.
Each class would compete by selling goods. Rewards were based on total sales:
1st–4th place: 100 Class Points
5th–8th place: 50 Class Points
9th–12th place: No change
This was an inter-grade examination. Classes would secure stalls and compete by selling various goods to see who could earn the most.
Each student received an initial fund.
First-years: 5,500 points per student
Second-years: 5,000 points per student
Third-years: 4,500 points per student
Additional points would be awarded based on club activities and other social contributions.
For First-Year Class B, the largest additional point allocations were.
Hirata Yosuke: 10,000 points
Sudō Ken: 10,000 points
Kushida Kikyō: 10,000 points
Sakura Airi: 10,000 points
Onodera Kayano: 10,000 points
Horikita Suzune: 10,000 points
Ichinose Honami: 10,000 points
Other students received points ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand, reflecting their diverse contributions: Miyake Akito earned points through the Archery Club, Sotomura Hideo through his otaku group, and even Yukimura Teruhiko through the Shogi Club.
What was unusual, however, was that Hikigaya, who hadn't actively contributed to any club, also had 10,000 points.
Karuizawa Kei frowned. "Hikigaya, why do you have so many points? I'm not in a club, so logically, you should only have a few hundred points like me."
Sakura Airi smiled and explained, "Actually, he's also in the Student Council. Horikita Manabu's activity lists always included his name, so naturally, he got a lot of points."
Hikigaya realized the reason. His respect for Horikita Manabu deepened. If he hadn't joined the Student Council, he might have ended up shouldering a massive portion of the responsibility.
Thanks to Class B's wide participation, their total additional points reached a staggering 113,900 points. The next closest was Ryūen's class with 25,000 points, followed by Sakayanagi's class at 18,000, and Kanzaki's class with only 16,000.
This gap was absurd. The combined points of the other three classes didn't even reach half of Class B's total. Their enormous starting capital practically made the competition meaningless.
Even Ike Kanji wondered what the other class leaders' reactions must have been when they saw Class B's total. Surely they must have tried convincing themselves that it was just an inter-grade battle, or they were completely doomed.
---
Meanwhile, in Ryūen's class.
Hiyori Shiina said quietly, "Ryūen-kun… maybe we should change our approach. Since it's an inter-grade battle, why not team up with Hikigaya-kun?"
Ibuki Mio nodded. "Teaming up with him is annoying, but considering the huge point gap… Plus, our class is too small to compete alone."
Ryūen Kakeru scowled. "Huh? You want me to team up with that little brat? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
Kinoshita Minori pressed, "Aren't you going to at least consider it? If other classes team up first, like Sakayanagi's, we'll be left behind…"
Ryūen sneered. "Hmph. If those two team up, I'll just crush them myself."
Yamada Albert leaned toward Kaneda Satoru and muttered in English, "Boss is boasting again. Hurry up and wake him."
In the end, with only one opposing vote from the entire class, Ryūen's resistance collapsed. A team-up was inevitable. The only question now was Hikigaya's decision.
---
Meanwhile, Sakayanagi Arisu glanced at the enormous additional points without any surprise.
Kamuro Masumi asked hesitantly, "Princess, should we…"
Kitō Hayato interjected, "Let's team up. The competition is simple, just reach the top four and we get 100 Class Points. It's a huge opportunity."
Sakayanagi shook her head, instantly dampening her class members' enthusiasm.
Katsuragi Kōhei frowned. "I still think a team-up is the best option."
Her classmates questioned her decision silently, but Sakayanagi smiled gently: "Little Hiki will come to find us. Don't worry."
----
Shiranami Chihiro said firmly, "Kanzaki, our class is slipping. Without Ichinose, we need to implement reforms immediately."
Himeno Yuki nodded. "She's right. If we keep dwelling on the past, we'll only keep falling. Progress means nothing if we stop climbing; falling into the abyss is inevitable. We can't hold onto our old principles anymore."
Kanzaki Ryūji sighed, acknowledging the truth in their words. "I've realized that too. To pull Class C completely out of this slump, we need a major opportunity. I think this is it…"
Shiranami's eyes brightened, "We can use Honami to continue our team-up with Class B! If we stay close to them, we can avoid being left behind."
---
Nagumo Miyabi stood on the podium, pride radiating from his expression.
Nagumo Miyabi: "For this test, we must take first place. Not just top four, first place. Why go this far? Because this is Horikita Manabu's last semester. I must defeat him directly, and this inter-grade exam is the stage I've prepared for. I will stand above him."
---
Third-Year Class A.
Horikita Manabu remained a figure of unwavering authority, like an unyielding tree.
Even after the training camp incident, the gap between Class A and Class B had narrowed. Yet as long as Horikita Manabu led them, the students trusted him without question.
Horikita Manabu: "Regarding the last incident, I hope you don't blame Tachibana. Everyone makes mistakes, including me…"
Tachibana Akane was too moved to speak. She buried her face in her hands, letting tears flow freely.
Horikita Manabu continued, his voice steady. "This test is another challenge set by Nagumo. We all know him well. This time, we must take first place, not just for Class A's honor, but to show him that no matter what he tries, he cannot defeat us."
---
While the total additional points of other classes were known, detailed scoring remained secret. Each class could only see its own members' points. Guests' basic information would be made public, including political figures, children, and parents, making it clear this was far from a normal exam.
Regardless of who attended, points per person were fixed: adults received 10,000 usage points, minors 5,000.
---
Back in First-Year Class B, after the rules were announced, preparations began. Horikita Suzune oversaw the task, while Hikigaya followed Sakura Airi to the Student Council room.
Hikigaya immediately dove into a pile of work: mostly personal applications for the Student Council. Aside from Katsuragi Kōhei from First-Year Class A, almost all applicants were second-years. This was clearly part of Nagumo's plan to tighten his control over the council.
Sakura, meanwhile, seemed dominated by constant summons from Nagumo. Hikigaya felt uneasy. Officially, it was fine for her to inherit Tachibana's seat and serve as Student Council President, but the very fact that it all appeared "normal" was precisely the problem.
After the incident with Ichinose, Nagumo had grown increasingly arrogant. Now, his attention had turned to Sakura. If Hikigaya hadn't witnessed this firsthand, he might not have realized how long she would endure such treatment.
From the moment Nagumo's intentions toward Sakura became clear, he became Hikigaya's enemy.
---
After finishing their duties, the Student Council members gradually left. Sakura waited for Hikigaya outside the door.
Hikigaya approached Nagumo. "Student Council President, I have some objections to your management."
Nagumo sneered. "Oh? You dare question me? If Horikita Manabu hadn't arbitrarily included you here, I would never have acknowledged someone like you."
Hikigaya remained calm, emotionless. "The truth is, I'm just as you said, a weakling. But there are many like me in this school. As Student Council President, someone above everyone else, shouldn't you care about their thoughts?"
Nagumo's eyes lit up with mock interest. "Oh? Tell me more."
Hikigaya: "Next semester, the school will continue admitting new students. The Student Council is currently understaffed. Such large-scale recruitment… isn't it too much?"
Nagumo laughed derisively. "Hahahahahaha! Weaklings like you! Horikita Manabu's system is outdated. I won't cling to old ways. Anyone with talent can join the council. That's the new era. And your worries? Mere self-consolation. I pity weaklings like you. The more strong people there are, the more you realize your own weakness. Hahaha. But weaklings serve no purpose, and I never care for them. Even if faced with thousands, a weakling is a weakling."
Hikigaya smiled faintly in response. A weakling, huh…
Hikigaya: "In that case, how about a wager?"
Nagumo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You?"
Hikigaya: "If I'm correct, you've never been defeated. Let's use this exam as our battleground. If you win, I'll obey any decision you make, even leave the school. If I win, you will step down as Student Council President."
Sakura, who had been outside the door, rushed in. "No, Hachiman! I won't allow this! I can't… I can't lose you!"
Nagumo smirked triumphantly. "Your poor attempt at provocation is amusing, but unworthy of me. I will beat Horikita Manabu, and while I do, I'll make you mine. By then, everything you hold dear, including the woman behind you, will belong to me."
Sakura's gaze remained fixed on Hikigaya. He turned to her, gave a gentle smile, and faced Nagumo with sharp resolve.
Hikigaya Hachiman: "In this school, you are the first person to truly cross my bottom line."
Nagumo Miyabi: "Hahaha… I want to see how far a person's death struggle can reach."
After finishing his conversation with Nagumo Miyabi, Hikigaya didn't rush into exam preparations. Instead, he turned to the girl who had been following closely behind him and kissed her deliberately.
Hikigaya: "I'm sorry for this… I just can't stand by and watch you suffer this kind of humiliation."
Sakura Airi's eyes shimmered with tears, but she shook her head firmly. Sakura Airi: "It's alright. If anything, I can't bear to see you suffer humiliation, Hachiman. I've already decided, if you lose, I'll withdraw from school with you. No matter what the future holds, I'll walk alongside you. That decision was made long ago."
---
[In the chatroom]
[Asahina Nazuna let out a soft sigh, clearly troubled: "As I thought… it's come to this point. Miyabi, it didn't have to be like this."]
[Nagumo Miyabi responded sharply: "Are you implying that I will lose?!"]
[Asahina: "No! I don't think you'll lose," Asahina replied helplessly. "It's just… is this meaningful? Going to such lengths just to defeat Horikita Manabu? You are Nagumo Miyabi. Not him. Does it really matter if you don't beat him?"]
[Nagumo: "You wouldn't understand. As a woman, you can't grasp what men pursue. For me, only first place matters. If I don't defeat everyone, it's meaningless!"]
[Asahina tried again, softly: "But there is always someone stronger. Isn't cherishing the present more important?"]
[For the first time, the two were at a real disagreement. Until now, Asahina had always understood him, helping him again and again. But now… everything has changed.]
[Horikita Manabu's voice echoed in Hikigaya's memory: "Perhaps some things can only be learned through defeat."]
[Nagumo scoffed. "Horikita Manabu, what are you talking about?"]
[Horikita Manabu: "Even if I explained now, it would be meaningless. Only when that moment comes will you understand. If power truly mattered most… I wouldn't have been so disappointed in Suzune back then."]
[Nagumo didn't fully grasp it, but he was determined: the version of himself in the video had to win, silence everyone, and ascend to a greater stage.]
---
After leaving the Student Council room, Hikigaya and Sakura walked toward their rooms. The path was livelier than usual.
Ryūen Kakeru: "Hey, young man, what a coincidence. Got a minute?"
Hikigaya: "Ryūen, you look ridiculous. Who reduced you to this state?"
Ryūen: "Don't talk nonsense. I'm here for one thing: the Cultural Festival. Team up or not? Hey, don't walk away!"
Hikigaya simply asked, calm as ever: "Do you have a proposal worth discussing?"
Ryūen Kakeru instantly grew angry. "Aya, aya, aya, you little brat! Are you looking down on me?"
Hikigaya ignored him, walking forward, while Sakura quietly chuckled.
Shiina Hiyori tugged on Ryūen's sleeve. "Ryūen-kun… we're requesting an alliance. Show some sincerity."
Ryūen: "Go to hell! Me showing sincerity? Again, Hikigaya, team up or not?"
No response.
After ten minutes of following them, Ryūen finally blocked Hikigaya.
Ryūen: "Give me a reason not to team up."
Hikigaya: "Give me a reason to team up."
Ryūen: "I'm serious."
Hikigaya: "I'm serious, too."
Ryūen: "You bastard!"
Ryūen tried to intimidate him, but Hikigaya remained unshaken. Ryūen had never been able to provoke him with force alone.
Hiyori finally stepped in.
Hiyori Shiina: "Hikigaya-kun, our class is serious. If we form this alliance, we'll pay two million Private Points. Deal?"
Hikigaya smirked. "Ah, Hiyori-san speaks so much better. Negotiating with people who only know violence is exhausting."
Ryūen rolled his eyes and stepped back, leaving the negotiations entirely to Hiyori.
---
At that moment, Kanzaki Ryūji and Shiranami Chihiro appeared, accompanied by Ichinose Honami.
Kanzaki greeted Ryūen casually. "What a coincidence."
Ryūen scowled.
Hikigaya asked, "And you are?"
Ichinose explained, "Kanzaki-kun and Shiranami-chan came to us about forming an alliance for the Cultural Festival. I was just about to talk to you about it."
Ryūen bristled. "Ichinose, using your old classmates to leverage this? Things should go in order, first come, first served."
Ichinose laughed lightly. "Ryūen-kun, you've changed. You're actually reasonable now."
Ryūen groaned. "I helped you in the bathhouse last time!"
Hikigaya noted quietly, "As I suspected, you two planned this. Something felt off."
Kanzaki interrupted. "Ryūen, Ichinose is Hikigaya's girlfriend now. She should be on our side, no matter what."
Sakura quietly giggled behind Hikigaya.
Ryūen waved it off. "Fine. As long as we team up, I'll offer you that girl Ibuki!"
Ryūen: "Oh, no. She's reckless and fights without strategy. Fine, I'll offer Shiina Hiyori instead, the brains of Class D. Deal?"
The group froze.
Shiina frowned. "Ryūen-kun, are you treating me like a trade item? Maybe I should just go to Class B, and Class D can fend for itself."
Kanzaki muttered, "If Ryūen acts like this, that's probably what will happen eventually…"
(End of this chapter)