Chapter 244: Class A's Overwhelming Pressure

In the silent classroom, time passed amid the ticking of the wall clock and the rustle of pen tips across exam papers. The two days of testing went by in a flash.

A few more days passed. Outside the window, more than half the leaves had fallen, revealing bare branches. The weather grew colder and colder, making one wonder if snow might suddenly fall from the gray, overcast sky.

Monday. During the routine homeroom period in the Class B classroom, most of the students kept their heads down. The atmosphere felt somewhat stagnant.

Bang!

A sudden, jarring noise broke the silence. Hoshinomiya Chie slapped a hand onto the poster displaying each class's results.

"Listen up!"

The homeroom teacher, drunk as always, was especially loud today. Her face flushed red, she stood swaying on the podium.

"Everyone in Class B, you need to push harder from here on. Although no one had to drop out this time, Class A pulled ahead of Class B by more than ten points on the average," she said, then her volume suddenly rose a notch. "Also, Class C and Class D need to be on guard too. Their grades have been surging lately. If you're not careful, they could overtake you and leave you as a lower-tier class. And also..."

Watching Hoshinomiya ramble on from the podium, selflessly trying to motivate them, the entire Class B slowly tilted their heads to one side in unison and collectively produced a:

"?"

"Is Hoshinomiya-sensei a bit strange today?" Amikura Mako murmured, as if puzzled. "She's not usually like this even when drunk, is she?"

Was this really Hoshinomiya-sensei? Why did she seem like she'd been injected with chicken blood?

"I feel like Hoshinomiya-sensei's mood is a bit off today."

Sitting in the front row, Shiranami Chihiro, who had endured Hoshinomiya's alcoholic aura for months, pinched her nose, fanned the air with her hand, and delivered this judgment.

"Same here..." Kanzaki Ryuji closed his eyes, pressed his temples, and let out a long sigh. "After all, we lost the exam. And by such a large margin. Even the gap between Class C and Class D isn't this big. As expected of Class A, famous for its high academic ability and comprehensive strength..."

"But... the questions they set were really impressive. Almost every single one landed right at the limit the school could tolerate."

Ichinose Honami slumped dejectedly over her desk. Her blazer uniform seemed unable to contain that fullness, squeezing out a graceful curve. Her cherry-colored lips let out a sigh.

"Everyone worked so hard too..."

On the blackboard poster, each class's points were listed in order.

Class A vs Class B. Class A wins.

Class C vs Class D. Class D wins.

Class A: 1712 cl

Class B: 1087 cl

Class C: 227 cl

Class D: 100 cl

The gap between Class A and the other classes had widened further.

One had to remember that the current second-year Class A only had a bit over twelve hundred points. For the first-year Class A to pull the gap to this extent in their very first year, one could imagine just how formidable this year's Class A was.

"That guy really is... unfathomable." Kanzaki leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, brows tightly knit, and suddenly spoke.

By now, he had basically figured out Fuyuji Mikage's position in Class A. Judging from the serious expressions on the entire Class A's faces that day, it was most likely above Katsuragi. To be able to unite such a talented Class A around him, consolidate them so tightly that not a single leak escaped beforehand, Fuyuji's terrifying nature was easy to imagine.

Even regarding why that Ryuen, whom he found such a headache, had fallen to his current state, he now had his answer.

At this moment, Ichinose, who had been slumped over her desk, suddenly reached up and patted her own cheeks. She stood up, planted her hands on her hips, and turned a smiling face toward the class.

"Everyone, it's true we lost to Class A, but every one of us improved compared to last exam."

"But..."

Kobashi Yume opened her mouth, then stopped. The other Class B students also lowered their heads.

No matter what, they had still lost. And Class A had widened the gap by a large margin.

"Then... how about we all go to the library later and summarize the lessons from our defeat, and put them to use for the next exam? This was only our first clash with Class A. There will be plenty of chances in the future."

"That's true..."

In the Class B classroom, the oppressive atmosphere brought by Class A's pressure was dispelled somewhat.

Seeing this, Ichinose continued to propose, a smile even more relaxed than usual blooming on her face. The radiance of the great angel once again shone upon Class B.

"How about going to karaoke tonight to unwind? Everyone's worked hard lately."

"Huh? But didn't our class lose?"

"No one says you have to be depressed just because you lost. Everyone needs to cheer up."

"..."

The Class B students' tightly knit brows eased a little.

"Later, let's pick a song and sing it together. Kanzaki-kun can lead."

Instantly, the entire Class B, including the drunk homeroom teacher, erupted in cheers.

"Banzai!"

...

Meanwhile, Class D's classroom.

Class D's homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, wore an expression that was hard to tell whether it was mockery or genuine satisfaction. She planted both hands on the podium and announced to the class.

"Congratulations. Since Advanced Nurturing was founded, the longest zero-point record has finally been ended by you."

The moment the words landed, the entire class instantly boiled over, erupting into cheers loud enough to shake the whole school building.

"Ohhh!"

Sudo Ken shot up from his seat, clenched his fists, and howled toward the heavens. "Finally, finally we're not at zero anymore!"

At the same time, the other Class D students stood up one after another, turning to the classmates beside them to express their excitement.

"So that means... we'll have ten thousand points coming in next month? Plus Class C's share, that's twenty thousand. Amazing!"

"This way, we won't have to eat the scorn of the other classes. Studying hard really does pay off!"

"This kind of exam is a piece of cake for the genius Haruki-sama."

...

Just as the Class D students were cheering endlessly over their victory.

"Phew..."

Watching her math score of one hundred from afar, Horikita Suzune's hands, which had been gripping her skirt, quietly loosened. She let out a long breath.

This was the first time she had studied to the point of being sick of it herself.

With this, the plan was officially on track. Add Kushida's help, and as long as one more opportunity arose, she could unite the majority of Class D.

"Well done, Horikita-san. You've made me see you in a new light."

A pleasant voice came from beside her. Sakayanagi Arisu had her hands folded on her thighs, an elegant smile on her face.

"Sakayanagi-san is impressive too. First in the class this time."

"It's nothing. Just ordinary general education knowledge."

Sakayanagi replied in an unhurried tone while fixing her gaze on the combination that sat at the top of the rankings.

"However, you should also be clear that the gap between us and Class A hasn't closed."

"Yeah."

Looking up at the numbers on the blackboard, a gap wide enough to drive one to despair, even the normally spirited Horikita couldn't help feeling a bit discouraged.

"That's why I said I see you in a new light. You didn't rashly use your contract with Ryuen-boy on this exam."

"At this stage, if we're still spending energy keeping each other in check with Ryuen, then for our two lower-tier classes, graduating from Class A is basically just a fantasy."

Yes. Horikita had not used the leverage Sakayanagi had caught at the cafe on this exam. Instead, she chose to save it for some suitable moment in the future, to join forces with Class C and attempt to drag Class A down.

Her feelings for that person were real. That flutter of her heart could not be denied. But her original goal of graduating from Class A had not changed. At worst...

On Horikita's fair, delicate face, a faint pink blush quietly spread, like scattered red plum blossoms blooming in the first snow.

She'd apologize to him when she got back!

Mm... at most, one more kiss!

Outside the window, the gray, overcast sky seemed to press down even heavier. A few tiny white crystals, almost too small to see, drifted quietly down.

Winter had come.

-----------------------------------------------------------

If you want to Support me, you can Read 50+ Extra Chapters on : [email protected]/Yuni_TL

50 [Power Stones] = Bonus Chapter!