As group selections began, Hikigaya followed the members of Class A to the school playground. There, he was informed that their team's true leader wasn't Katsuragi, as everyone thought, but rather a student named Nobuji.
In reality, Katsuragi was just a figurehead—a scapegoat. The real decisions were made by Nobuji. If anything went wrong, only Katsuragi would be held responsible and risk expulsion, so long as he didn't take anyone else down with him.
"What a shame," Hikigaya muttered as he walked beside Katsuragi. "You're really okay with such unfair treatment?"
"It's not unfair," Katsuragi replied calmly. "Sakayanagi gave the order. Since someone had to be chosen as the face of the team, it made sense for it to be me."
"You really drew the short end of the stick, meeting someone like Sakayanagi," Hikigaya said with a smirk, a trace of glee in his voice. Katsuragi clearly still wanted to help his class reach Class A, even if he wasn't the one leading them anymore. That kind of loyalty was rare.
Katsuragi was genuinely a good person. Unfortunately, he was tied to someone like Sakayanagi, who didn't care about the values or welfare of the people she used. She saw Katsuragi as nothing more than a disposable piece.
"Sakayanagi's abilities are real," Katsuragi responded without hesitation. "I might not agree with her methods, but if she can lead our class to Class A, then I have no complaints."
Hikigaya gave him a sideways glance. "But what if she decides to use you as a pawn again? Like now? Throw you away in exchange for something else?"
Katsuragi looked ahead at the other Class A students, his expression unreadable.
"Even so… it doesn't matter," he said at last.
Hikigaya's gaze followed Katsuragi's. The second-year students didn't even pretend to respect him. It was obvious they were part of Sakayanagi's faction.
This kind of blind dedication confused Hikigaya. How could people like Ryuuen and Katsuragi believe their sacrifice was worth the future of the 39 classmates who relied on them?
Did they really think their value equaled the future of nearly forty people? Hikigaya couldn't imagine thinking that way. He knew his own worth—he wasn't that arrogant.
Meanwhile, the students in the second and third years had also begun forming groups. Everyone was gathered on the field, awaiting further instructions.
Some familiar faces stood out—Shinji was chatting with upperclassmen, and Hikigaya spotted Manabu Horikita and Nagumo Masaru as well. But he didn't approach. It wasn't the right time for action yet.
Still, if he could somehow be placed in a group with heavyweights like them, it would all but guarantee his survival in the upcoming test.
Just then, Nagumo Masaru strolled out of the gymnasium, his usual smug smile plastered on his face.
"You're early," he said. "I didn't expect you all to be finished so quickly. I have a proposal for you first-years—how about we form the large groups now?"
"Isn't that supposed to happen tonight?" someone asked.
"That's just what the school says," Nagumo explained with a sly grin. "They didn't expect us to be this fast. But now that everyone's sorted, we might as well get started."
Hikigaya frowned. This was suspicious. The school had specifically mentioned that in previous years, the large groups weren't decided until the next day. Why change that now?
Unless the school was run by total slackers, which seemed unlikely, there was a reason behind this early regrouping.
Nagumo clearly had an agenda.
"Is that okay, Horikita-senpai?" one of the students asked.
"It would be more convenient," Horikita replied calmly.
"Well then!" Nagumo turned to the gathered crowd. "Let's make it fun. Each grade will send six representatives to decide the group order by rock-paper-scissors. Once the order's set, we'll pick groups until all six large groups are formed."
The first-years, eager to play along, quickly selected their representatives. Shinji led the charge.
It sounded fair on the surface—but Hikigaya knew better.
This method hid a major trap.
Back in elementary school, when teams were picked for games, Hikigaya was always the last one chosen, hearing things like, "Ugh, it's Hikigaya again. He's useless."
That feeling stuck with him. Being the last one left to join a group felt awful.
And that's exactly what this setup created.
Whoever ended up last wouldn't just feel left out—they'd be at a strategic disadvantage. They'd get stuck with whatever second- and third-year group remained, which would likely be the weakest.
This wasn't a mistake. This was sabotage disguised as fairness.
Hikigaya said nothing. He watched as Nobuji emerged victorious in the game of rock-paper-scissors and chose the third-year Horikita group and a second-year Class B group.
A strong start.
Hikigaya remained quiet. If the system benefited him, he would play along. If it didn't, he'd resist.
Being on the same team as Horikita Manabu was a massive win. There was no way their group would finish last.
But then he noticed something odd.
Nagumo Masaru, the current student council president and a powerhouse in his own right, was picked third. He ended up forming a group with Ayanokouji and some unfamiliar students.
That didn't sit right.
Hikigaya didn't recognize Nagumo's teammates, and there was no telling how competent they were. Maybe his group wasn't as strong as it looked.
Eventually, all six major groups were formed.
"Horikita-senpai, what a coincidence," Nagumo smirked as he approached. "Looks like we ended up in different groups. Care to make this more interesting?"
"Nagumo, don't start this again!" snapped a third-year student from Class A—Fujimaki-senpai, who had once given Himenoyuki an extra four hundred yen out of kindness.
"Why not?" Nagumo shrugged. "Whether you're a first-year or a third-year, it's fair game. There's no rule that says we can't challenge each other, right?"
"Some things don't need rules," Fujimaki shot back. "It's called basic decency."
Hikigaya silently agreed. If people like Nagumo had basic courtesy, the world would be a better place. But Nagumo was the type to use any loophole, regardless of morals.
"I disagree," Nagumo said with a fake smile. "The only obstacle to a student's growth is being stuck in their comfort zone."
He's justifying selfish ambition by calling it educational. Hikigaya rolled his eyes.
This was the kind of thinking you'd expect from people who hadn't been chewed up by society yet. They called their recklessness 'strength.'
Even when they had no ethics, they believed they were virtuous.
Fujimaki stepped forward. "Just because you're the student council president doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."
"If you feel that way, try stopping me," Nagumo challenged, hands in his pockets. "You're supposed to be the number two in third-year Class A, right?"
What a jerk. Nagumo didn't care who he dragged into his ego battles.
That's when Horikita Manabu stepped forward to intercept.
"What will you use to settle this?" he asked.
"Let's see who gets more students expelled."
"Don't joke around."
"Well, what about a serious one?" Nagumo shrugged again. "We could compare which group has the highest average score."
"That's acceptable," Horikita replied calmly. "But keep it between us. Don't drag others into your rivalry."
A commander standing to protect his team—how fitting.
Too bad it probably wouldn't go as planned.
"No involvement?" Nagumo smiled mockingly. "But sabotaging your enemy is part of strategy, right?"
"That's not what this test is about. This is a group exam. It's about unity—not exploiting your opponents' weaknesses."
Horikita's morals were unshakable. Hikigaya respected that. He, on the other hand, had a mindset closer to Nagumo and Ryuuen—pragmatic and unidealistic.
The playground had become a battlefield of ideologies.
"If you don't accept my terms, I won't accept the challenge," Horikita declared.
"So you're saying I can't target your group?"
"Not just mine. I refuse to accept any plan that hurts other students. If I find out you interfered, the challenge is void."
A noble stance—but incredibly naive.
Nagumo didn't care about honor or promises. In his eyes, agreements were tools to be broken when convenient.
And with that, the tension between two powerful seniors reached its peak, setting the stage for a fierce competition—one built not just on strength, but on principles.
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