Starting in class C: not completely defective.

Arc 6 chapter 4: contract

"This tests results will have an enormous impact on your next final exam," he added.

Of course. Nothing could be simple at this school. Our next challenge was about to begin, it seemed.

"Wait, what kind of impact? Can you tell us?" I asked. Sakagami-sensei had purposefully drawn thing out to exacerbate the class's anxieties.

I would love to help you understand, Ryuuen. The school has decided that this next quiz's results will help determine which students to partner in class," said Sakagami-sensei.

"Partner?"

"That's right. Pairs decided based on this test will go on to take the final exam together. There will be eight subjects on that exam, each worth a total of one hundred points. Four hundred test questions, fifty for each subject. There are also two possible ways for you to fail this exam. If your pair scores under sixty in even one subject, then the school will expel both students. The sixty-point total, by the way, refers to the partners' combined score. For example, let's say Ishizaki and Ryuuen were partners. Even if Ishizaki scored zero points, they'd both be safe as long as Ryuuen scored 60 points."

Everyone gasped. With an excellent partner, this would be an easy test.

However, this still left the second method of failing.

"There's one additional hurdle to overcome. The school has decided that you must secure a certain overall score to avoid failing. Even if you get sixty points or more in each of the eight individual subjects, failing to meet this overall score requirement will mean expulsion."

"So, the overall requirement represents both partners' combined score?"

"Yes, exactly. The school hasn't yet determined the exact score required, but in year's past, it's been around seven hundred points," said Sakagami-sensei.

Seven hundred points. With two people working together across eight subjects—sixteen scores in total, two for each subject—you'd need a minimum average of around 45 points in every subject. Even excellent students would be in trouble depending on their partner.

"You mentioned that the overall required score is still unclear. Why?" I asked.

"Don't be so hasty. I'll explain the overall requirements in more detail later. The final exam will be held over two days, with four subjects per day, and I'll let you know the subjects' order. In the event that someone is absent due to poor health, the school will investigate the absence's legitimacy. If it's confirmed to be unavoidable, the student will receive points based on a rough estimate of what they would've earned given past test results. However, should the school find that an absent student didn't have sufficient reason to miss class, they will receive a score of zero points for all tests missed," Sakagami-sensei replied.

We couldn't avoid taking this exam. The school was telling us that caring for our health was another test of ability.

"I'm going to give you just one piece of advice. Don't assume that you understand how this school works just because you've finished the first semester of you first year. In the future, you'll face countless exams far more difficult than those you face now," Sakagami-sensei warned.

"P-please don't say such terrifying things, sensei," said one of the girls.

"Well, it's the truth. In years past...we call it the 'paper shuffle,' but one or two pairs are usually expelled due to this test. Most of them are from class D. But don't think you're immortal just because you're in class A."

The class's optimism rapidly faded. But what did Sakagami-sensei mean by "paper shuffle," exactly?

(A/N there's just another page telling you not to cheat blah blah blah author too lazy blah blah blah create questions and attack other class blah blah blah I'm tired)

To sum up, pairs needed to score above seven hundred points in aggregate or be expelled. Meanwhile, we also needed to score sixty points or higher for each individual subject or be expelled. Furthermore, our entire class's overall score had to exceed the overall score of the class whose test questions we set, or 50 class points would be transferred from us to them, shortening the gap between us and them by 100 points.

"We're holding a meeting. Everyone stay behind," I said, walking to the podium.

"So what do you think?" Ibuki cut to the chase.

"It's just like Sakagami-sensei said. This exam will be difficult. The bar is high, and the partner system makes it worse. To top it off, if another class comes up with the problems we have to solve, the test could get extremely tough. Depending on how the question's worded, even something straightforward could appear unsolvable."

"That's true. This time, it's not just about studying. We have to be creative," said Ibuki.

Simply tutoring the weaker students among us wouldn't be enough. Understanding the other classes' strengths and weaknesses would be ideal, but they wouldn't show us their hands easily. Still, we'd overcome trials based on intelligence and teamwork before.

Ina sense, this test might be less difficult than other special examinations. If the sports festival had tested our class's accumulated physical strength, this was a test of accumulated academic knowledge.

I feel as if Sakagami-sensei was hinting at something.

"For now, everyone, study hard. Get in at least 20 minutes per subject per day. And don't slack off. You're free to leave now," I ordered.

This was a tough situation, but not one that I couldn't think myself out of.

Think: what would Ayanokouji do?

What did Ayanokouji have that I didn't?

Then, it struck me.

I selected a number on my phone and called it. A few moments later, a male voice answered.

"Ryuuen. Taking me up on my offer this quickly? You really are incapable without Ayanokouji," he said.

"Whatever. I need to ask: do you know of any pawns Ayanokouji had in class D?"

"Well, that is strange. As it happens, I know that Ayanokouji bought off Chiaki Matsushita in the sports festival. I also know the terms of their conditions. They had a contract, just like Ayanokouji and I," he said.

"Contract? Why is this the first I'm hearing of this, Katsuragi?" I asked.

"Hahaha. Yes, it seems I failed to mention. Ayanokouji has promised to transfer me to class A when he has saved up 20 million private points. He also made the same agreement with Matsushita, as I understand," he chuckled.

I gritted my teeth.

"That wasn't Ayanokouji's decision to make," I started to say.

"Too bad. Contracts are binding, both at this school and in the wider world. Perhaps you should keep Ayanokouji on a tighter leash when he returns from 'studying abroad' as you've put it,"

I hung up.

Although I was a little annoyed with Ayanokouji for making contracts like that, it wasn't too bad, actually. 2,700,000 private points were going into the class bank each month.

(1350 class points=135,000 private points per month. Each student gives half of their private points each month so 67,500 x 40=2,700,000)

I checked my balance: 12,477,000

We were already more than halfway to transferring someone in or out of our class.

I suppose it wasn't such a bad arrangement after all.

I made a mental note to speak to Chiaki Matsushita.

Authors notes
1218 words
Yeah, I think the parts of this chap that weren't just copied from the ln were fairly OK. What do you think?
Not much else to say really
Hope you're all doing well and I hope you enjoyed