In the field.
Top of the eighth, score 17:7.
2 outs, bases loaded!
Regrettably, Yonezu Haruto's emotions were a bit agitated, which instead made his movements too forceful, and he was struck out.
A staggering score.
It had reached a difference of ten points.
These points are not as easy as they look.
If they lose the game like this, about 500 class points will be plundered by Class B, and Class C will fall back to the bottom layer again!
For this result to happen.
It was naturally still Ike Kanji.
In the second round of the lineup, even if the ball flew to his hand, Ike Kanji would be a bit stiff.
Looking at Hikigaya in the batter's box, Ike Kanji was somewhat hesitant.
When you start to doubt someone.
All you think of in your mind are the other person's bad memories.
By now.
Ike Kanji had also pretty much recognized reality.
He himself didn't have the ability to satisfy others' expectations; being able to hit that ball could only be considered good luck, or Hikigaya deliberately let him hit it.
This also isn't important.
What's important is.
Right now he is already in last place in the OAA.
Today's performance is even more unsightly.
At this time.
Hirata Yousuke, Kushida Kikyo, and Onodera could not help but stand not far behind him respectively, ready at any time to assist him with his missed balls.
Truly a touching sense of companionship.
How could that be?
If it were before, such a thought might have occurred.
But now.
Isn't this exactly the evidence of his being in the last place of Class C?
With today's performance.
It's fine if nothing happens.
No... it's impossible for nothing to happen.
A ten-point difference is already an irrecoverable gap.
And in the middle of this.
Half of it was his "contribution"...
He had been treated as the breakthrough point for Class C; Ike Kanji clearly realized this point.
And so...
An idea couldn't help but pop up in his mind.
Why not just transfer to Class B?
Long before the start of the game.
Hikigaya had naturally contacted him as well, and Ike Kanji had flatly refused as a matter of course; how could he possibly betray the class?
But thinking about it carefully.
How could this be considered betrayal?
Even if it is betrayal.
It wouldn't count as breaking the law, nor would it be a violation of rules.
Such is the fact.
There's even less of a regulation that doesn't allow people to transfer classes.
Having the thought of betrayal.
Is inherently the moral constraint in one's own heart.
Continuing like this.
The next person to be cut off by Class C will inevitably be him.
Since Horikita Suzune and others can keep traitors and cut off the person with the lowest value, why can't he transfer to another class?
The bottom-out elimination system.
Can indeed greatly increase enthusiasm.
But at the same time.
It is equivalent to proactively liberating moral constraints, providing everyone in Class C with a rational reason to betray the class.
Since you don't even take me seriously, you still want me to work for you with total devotion?
On what basis?
It would be fine if there were no choice.
Since Hikigaya provided a choice.
Jumping ship is truly a most normal thing.
However.
Classes and companies are ultimately different.
After all, for friends like Sudo and Hokamura, this is indeed a kind of betrayal.
Horikita Suzune can make a resolution.
Ike Kanji, however, cannot.
He is just an ordinary person with some problems.
His heart always held some hesitation.
Transferring classes.
Also means there would be no more possibility of communication with these people.
That also doesn't matter.
As long as he carries such a thought, his movements will become sluggish.
Whenever a ball flies past his hand, Ike Kanji hesitates on whether it's better to deliberately go easy, and just transfer to Class B like that.
Although no contract was signed.
Ike Kanji still believed what Hikigaya said.
After all.
Doubling monthly personal points, exams focusing more on unity, reducing tardiness penalties, increasing club rewards.
Every item Hikigaya promised.
Was completely fulfilled!
Setting character aside for now, his credibility was fine.
More importantly.
He could no longer continue to stay in Class C.
With today's performance.
If he stays in Class C, the next one to be cut off will only be him.
Ike Kanji still hesitated.
Wandering between betrayal and the class.
Being unable to correctly recognize himself is his biggest flaw.
He wants to, yet doesn't dare.
The first half of the game ended just like that.
Back at the coach's bench.
"Ike, what on earth are you doing?"
Veins popped on Yukimura's forehead as he began to scold him.
Even someone like him, who didn't know much about baseball, could see that Ike Kanji was the main problem.
Ten points!
If it ended like this.
They would likely fall straight to Class D.
If the score gap widened further, it wasn't even impossible for the Class Points to drop directly to zero.
Until now.
The people of Class C finally understood the terrifying nature of high risk and high reward.
The members of the study group sat in their seats with faces full of despair.
"What's wrong?"
Ike Kanji, dripping with sweat, glared back.
"I didn't know how to play baseball in the first place; didn't you guys force me onto the field, hoping I'd get lucky and hit something? If you're so capable, why don't you go up yourselves?"
"You."
"Yukimura, calm down a bit; continuing to argue like this is meaningless."
Before Ayanokouji could speak, Horikita Suzune walked up to Ike Kanji and asked softly:
"Ike, what are you afraid of?"
Looking at Ike Kanji's terrified and uneasy expression, anyone could see he was afraid.
At the very least, they had to figure out what he was afraid of first.
This was also the question Ayanokouji wanted to ask.
"No... nothing, I'm just a bit tired. Why don't you guys just swap someone else in."
Ike Kanji said with darting eyes.
After speaking.
He felt a bit of regret.
Replacing him was certainly the best choice now, but then he would have no bargaining chips to transfer classes.
Hesitation, indecision, and going with the flow of the atmosphere.
That was the biggest problem.
Could he say he was afraid of Horikita Suzune?
Naturally, he couldn't.
Even if he said it, and Horikita Suzune said everyone shared responsibility and wouldn't cut him off.
Could Ike Kanji believe that?
Naturally, he couldn't.
They clearly agreed to expel Kushida Kikyou, yet in the end, Sakura Airi was sacrificed.
Horikita Suzune had a prior record.
It wouldn't be surprising if she turned her back on him again in the end.
No matter how much Horikita Suzune insisted or how reasonable she sounded, the trust relationship had already shattered at that moment.
They were merely maintaining a facade of unity.
Seeing this.
Horikita Suzune and Ayanokouji exchanged glances.
They didn't know what to do.
The class was the thing Ike Kanji feared the most.
Facing the object of his fear, he naturally wouldn't say anything.
"Ike."
Ayanokouji asked flatly: "Do you think this is okay? If it goes on like this, you'll end it with a performance like this, you know?"
"Then what do you want me to do, let me play? I'm not incapable of it either."
Ike Kanji's eyes were still darting around.
It didn't matter.
After all.
Since he hadn't even made up his mind himself, he naturally couldn't give a decent answer; whether it was swapping out or playing, it didn't matter.
However.
Ayanokouji was only confirming.
Judging whether he had the thought of transferring classes.
Being indifferent to ending it like this naturally meant Ike Kanji had the tendency to transfer.
It wasn't that Ike Kanji wanted to betray the class.
Rather, the surrounding environment would force him down that path!