Hachiman Hikigaya, who returned from his studies after completing his training.

"I admire Kushida as a kind and talented classmate. If she hadn't unfortunately been paired with Maezono, I wouldn't have wanted her to transfer classes."

Even after moving to Class B, Kushida still managed to do many things for him, such as providing the information that Maezono was Hashimoto's girlfriend.

Hikigaya won't let Kushida lose her kind-hearted persona for the time being.

Chapter Sixty-One: Forcibly Entering Class A

After giving Kushida a chance to save face and improve his image, Hikigaya took another piece of white paper from Chabashira, which showed the results of the top five and bottom five students in the final exams.

"It's time for Chabashira-sensei to go to Class A and help Majima-sensei, who is also a homeroom teacher, out of her troubles. As for Maezono, don't bring her back."

The commanding tone made Chabashira's face even uglier, but his predicament left him with no choice but to leave the classroom without a word and go to Maeen to process her withdrawal from school.

She didn't know if Hachiman would lead Class D to Class A, but given the current situation, only he seemed capable of doing so.

After the tea stalk left, Hikigaya fixed the white paper to the blackboard with a magnet.

"No way, wasn't Horikita's group supposed to be placed at the bottom?"

"Miyu, you're amazing! You're almost as good as Hikigaya and Koenji."

"Our class has three of the top five spots, but Class A doesn't have any? And that Ayanokouji guy is really hiding his true strength."

The students, who were initially surprised by Chabashira's humble attitude towards Hikigaya, became excited upon seeing the names of the top five students, and each of them whispered among themselves to their friends.

It wasn't surprising that Hikigaya and Koenji were in first place, since it was already known that they both got full marks in all subjects. But it was surprising that the second and third place were also from Class D. Horikita Miu and the others seemed to have cheated, each getting full marks in one or two subjects, with even the lowest subject scoring in the nineties.

The high scores of Ichinose and Ninomiya Yui from Class 4B, who were almost perfect or perfect in every subject, were understandable to others. However, the perfect scores of Ayanokouji from Class 5 were incomprehensible to them.

The fact that their former classmate, who always hovered around the passing grade, turned out to be a hidden academic genius left them speechless, and seeing the bottom five also surprised them.

"How come students from Class B occupy three of the last five spots? Isn't Kanzaki-san's academic performance quite good?"

“I remember that Shinpu also had very good grades.”

"Dong dong!"

After Hachiman tapped the blackboard twice, the discussion below gradually subsided.

“The class pooled 1.5 million points, which is why Class B had three bottom-ranked students. As long as they are obedient, I will try my best to prevent even students with poor grades from being expelled.”

After the big stick comes the sweet treat; even a struggling student needs a glimmer of hope for an easy win.

As a capitalist who levies a 75% tax on underachieving students, Hachiman wants them to know that it's only right for them to hand over these extra points, because Hachiman is spending money to protect them since their grades are poor.

They should thank Hachiman.

"That's surprising." Gao Yuanji smirked from the audience. "Wang's scores have improved a bit too much. You didn't get your hands on the final exam papers in advance, did you, you nobodies?"

"How could that be? It's just that my ability to estimate problems is a little better than I thought."

Hachiman raised his hand and made only a slight movement. He wasn't afraid at all that the school would find out about his 'cheating'. If the school could find evidence to prove that he had cheated, he would just jump out of the window.

Even though it's only on the first floor, you wouldn't die from a fall.

"Well, let's leave it at that. I'll honor my bet and won't do anything unnecessary in the next special exam."

Despite the contrast with Kiga's answer, Koenji showed neither dissatisfaction nor satisfaction, and continued to admire his own perfect appearance.

"Doesn't the individual points awarded to the top five winners need to be contributed to the class as a reserve fund?"

Shinohara suddenly raised her hand and said that it was a bit unfair after she realized that Hachiman was going to leave the stage and go back to his seat. The class had used up 1.5 million of the individual points collected and there were not many left, while Wang Meiyu and the others had gained a total of 6 million.

"They should hand in some, right?" Hondo Ryotaro echoed Shinohara's words, even though his grades weren't exactly good either.

"Classmates should help each other, right? Anyway, everyone has a million, so it's no big deal to take out a little bit."

As if he couldn't hear, Hachiman stood on the podium looking at each student who spoke, and under his gaze, the voices of those speaking or discussing gradually disappeared.

These people who talk are dreaming. He's here to be a tyrant, not a babysitter. His only policy for leading the class forward is that the capable rise to the top and the weak pay.

As for uniting the students in the class to help each other? That's a troublesome thing that only Hirata would do.

"With great power comes great benefit." After a moment of silence, Hachiman said this and left the podium. No one dared to speak out in opposition.

After class, Hikigaya dragged Sudo to Class C to find Ryuen and told him about Maezono being seduced and betrayed by Hashimoto. Then he invited Ryuen to bring Yamada to Class A to see the big show he had put on.

The play was called 'Yellow Hair's Trial Day'.

After gladly accepting the invitation from Longyuan, the group of four entered the bustling Class A.

In the classroom, a green-haired boy was standing in front of Hashimoto's desk. He was Totsuka, who always talked about how Class D was trash. Right now, he was cursing Hashimoto as a scumbag who played with girls and disgraced Class A. He said that anyone who supported Sakayanagi was probably not a good person.

"Get out. Class A doesn't welcome you now. Do you want your class points deducted?"

Katsuragi blocked Hachiman's group as they walked toward Hashimoto. Maezono's earlier outburst at Class A had already made everyone aware of her shady dealings with Hashimoto, and Hachiman was probably there to confront her.

"Whether or not class points are deducted is not up to you, a student who can't even get into the student council. Am I right, Secretary Hikigaya?"

"This is none of your business, Ryuen." Katsuragi remained blocking their way.

“I love watching a good show,” Long Yuan laughed arrogantly. “Albert.”

"Yes, boss."

"Sudo".

"understood."

With two giants, both over 1.8 meters tall, pushing forward, Katsuragi reluctantly pushed aside, allowing Hachiman and Ryuen to reach Hashimoto's table.

"It's rare to see such a tough guy like Hikigaya-kun. Is he trying to bully the students in Class A?" Sakayanagi stood next to Hashimoto with Kito Kamuro, still maintaining his usual elegant smile.

"How could that be? I'm the student council secretary, I wouldn't break the law. Besides, I'm just asking Hashimoto for an answer on behalf of the innocent girl who was deceived and forced to drop out of school."

With a single sentence, Hikigaya resolved Sakayanagi's attempt to incite the Class A students to drive them away, pulling out the cell phone that Maezono had kept with him and hadn't yet returned to the school.

Although Hashimoto was already dead, Hikigaya decided to make him even more dead.

"This is Mae-en's phone. Would you all like to hear how our great Casanova, Hashimoto Masayoshi, uses words to toy with the innocent girls in our class?"

Chapter Sixty-Two: Wall Slamming Kanzaki

"Ghost head."

"The show is about to begin, and I can't let you stop it."

Sakayanagi tried to stop him, but Ryuen blocked Kito's head.

Good things are meant to be shared, but even better things are best kept to oneself—like you.

I realized I really liked you yesterday, I still like you today, and I have a feeling I'll like you tomorrow too.

Although I can't see myself even with my eyes closed, I can still see you.

As Hikigaya rapidly recited line by line from a collection of Hashimoto love quotes he had carefully selected from his phone before coming, his face growing increasingly dark.

He felt that he himself was being executed when Hashimoto was being executed. It didn't seem like much when he read it, but it was incredibly embarrassing to read aloud. He was very curious about Hashimoto's state of mind when he wrote these love words.

I'm not trying to belittle Maenen, but Maenen's appearance is arguably the worst among the schools, and its academic performance and physical abilities are also lacking.

Hashimoto himself is a high-quality young man with both good looks and abilities, so the gap between the two is quite large.

"What were your feelings when you wrote these words about the less-than-ideal Maekyuan?"

"Of course I wanted to slap her. To be honest, I really felt like throwing up."

Hashimoto, who had maintained a lifeless expression since Hikigaya entered, said something that made the girls in Class A even angrier. His tone was no longer flippant, but rather flat.

"However, I do not regret doing this. People will not be forgotten only when they prove their worth. Thanks to the people in Maezono, I obtained a lot of useful information in each class, which enabled me to successfully become Sakayanagi's confidant."

"You're not calling Sakayanagi 'Princess' anymore?"

“It’s no longer necessary, is it, Sakayanagi?” Hashimoto looked calmly at the former silver-haired princess.

That's right. Hashimoto no longer needs to curry favor with Sakayanagi. With his reputation ruined and intelligence capabilities destroyed, Hashimoto has lost the right to stay by Sakayanagi's side. Hikigaya knows that Sakayanagi is the kind of person who uses people when he needs them and doesn't use them when he doesn't.

When something loses its usefulness, it is discarded.

"Yes, it's no longer needed."

Sakayanagi smiled slightly and, just as Hikigaya had expected, decisively cut ties with Hashimoto. Her earlier action of having Kito protect Hashimoto was merely a show for others before she abandoned him.

Since Hashimoto personally handed Sakayanagi the sharp blade, the cutting was a natural consequence.

"I really envy you, Hachiman." Hashimoto abandoned Sakayanagi.

Envious of me? What do I have to envy? Hachiman remembered that Sudo had said something similar before.

"Among the leaders of the four classes, I have always thought you are the strongest. Despite being resented by most of the students in Class D, your mind remains unshaken. Your rationality is so intense that it's almost frightening to me. If it were me, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep soundly."

"It's understandable that you can't sleep. Two years from now, Qian Yuan might stab you at the school gate when you graduate."

"Haha, you're right. Let's leave it at that. Class is about to start."

He chuckled twice, then slumped onto the table. His school life was over; no one would ever approach him again.

After leaving Class A, Hikigaya noticed that many students from Class B were gathered in the corridor of Class A, probably attracted by the conflict in Class A. Among them was Kushida, a new member of Class B, who was standing next to Kanzaki and talking to him.

After seeing him and Ryuen come out of Class A together, Kanzaki walked up to them.

"You're starting to act more and more like Ryuen. How can you face Ichinose?" Kanzaki looked at him angrily.

"Hey, hey, hey, Hachiman is nothing like me. He's dropped out of school three times already, but I haven't dropped out of school even once."

Long Yuan, standing to the side, wore a speechless expression.

Kanzaki was probably angry because of Hikigaya's casual expulsion of his classmates. Now, Class B is filled with an atmosphere of everyone graduating together without leaving anyone behind. Hikigaya's recent actions have repeatedly changed the students' perception of him.

While strengthening his control over Class D, Class B's dissatisfaction with him is also growing. They respect and love the kind Ichinose so much, yet he is the boyfriend of a classmate who has dropped out of school twice and violently defeated the kind Hirata, ruling Class D with terror.

Most of the students in Class B who admired Ichinose probably now see him as a stain on Ichinose's reputation.

Although Hikigaya understood Kanzaki's anger, he knew that if he didn't retaliate when Kanzaki did this in public, it would only reduce his deterrent power, and deterrence was the foundation of his rule over Class D.

Step by step, Hikigaya indifferently forced Kanzaki back against the wall, pinned him against the wall, and then leaned close to his ear and whispered.

"What you're doing will only lower my opinion of Ichinose. If Ichinose were here, I might have broken up with her on the spot. It's all your fault."

After Kanzaki's face turned pale, Hikigaya removed his hand from the wall-pinning position and said, "Let's go, Sudo."

................

"What about the gifts of love?"

After school, Hikigaya was walking along the tree-lined avenue on his way back to his dormitory when he was stopped by Hasebe and Sakura. Shiina was going to the library to pick out a book he liked to read tonight, so he was alone now.

Upon hearing Hasebe mention this, Hikigaya also remembered that before the final exams, he had told the trio that he would prepare a small gift for whoever did the best. This time, Sakura beat Hasebe and Karuizawa to become number one.

Seeing the expectant look on Sakura's face, Hikigaya didn't have the heart to say that he had forgotten about Maezono's matter.

Fortunately, no specific gift was specified, so the small gift could be anything, which gave him plenty of room to maneuver.

After a little thought, Hachiman came up with an explanation: "Since anyone could come in first, the small gift will be whatever the person likes, I'll go with them to buy it and give it to them."

"Anything is fine?" Hasebe revealed a malicious smile.

“It’s not like you’re number one, and I’m warning you not to instill bad ideas in Airi.”

Hikigaya's alarm bells rang loudly. He had a feeling that Nagabeya's smile meant he was thinking of something bad to trick him. Was it that Sakura wanted to take him to buy intimate clothing?

That's unlikely. Sakura's shy and obedient personality means she probably wouldn't agree to it.

"What inappropriate things? Hachi, you're not thinking about anything lewd, are you?" Hasebe grinned wickedly as he approached him and delivered a rapid elbow strike.

"No, I didn't." Hachiman grabbed Hasebe's shoulder and pulled her aside. "Airi, have you decided what you want? Let's go buy it now."

"Airi—"

I'm shaking!

"like--"

Keep shaking!

As soon as Hasebe wanted to speak, Hikigaya shook her body vigorously. After several repetitions, Hasebe revealed a resentful look in his eyes.

After Hasebe resigned himself to his fate, Hikigaya looked at the hesitant Sakura, hoping that she would quickly tell him what she wanted and not let Hasebe's nonsense influence her choice.

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Romantic History of the First-Year Secretary

The white off-shoulder plaid tie-front short-sleeved top was stretched taut across her chest, and beneath the gray-black A-line skirt were a pair of shapely and beautiful legs. Today, Sakura, with her idol image, was undoubtedly a very eye-catching presence.