43 - Hikigaya's Exam Battle Game
In the blink of an eye, it was already noon.
Shimotsukiuri Ouri sat at the entrance of the library, holding a book. Hikigaya Hachiman cast her a fleeting glance, preparing to leave with Yumeko.
"Hikigaya-kun, why did you refuse Mibuomi-senpai's kindness?"
Her voice was still sweet, but it now carried an icy undertone.
"No particular reason. It's just like when you see maggots in the drain; you don't step on them just because they're dirty. But when they come for me, I'll crush them without hesitation."
These words caused Shimotsukiuri Ouri's eyes to widen.
'Did I hear that wrong? How could someone like Mibuomi-senpai, who is so kind-hearted, be compared to such a thing?'
'Not only does he hold the revered position of the student council treasurer, but even when facing adversity, he stands up for people like me. How could someone insult such a person?!'
She truly admired Hikigaya Hachiman. Both of them were special admissions, both excellent students, both were outliers in their class... If he didn't oppose Mibuomi-senpai, the two might even become good friends.
Even though he appeared to have some conflict with Mibuomi-senpai, Shimotsukiuri temporarily set aside her reverence for Mibuomi-senpai and decided to personally try to convince Hikigaya Hachiman.
She had thought of many possible explanations Hikigaya might offer.
However, she never expected such a rude, arrogant, and disrespectful response. Not only was he trampling on Mibuomi-senpai's dignity, but also on her own faith, on her god!
Her fingers suddenly tightened, gripping the edge of the book so forcefully that it crumpled, just like her twisted, disgusted face.
Her image as a quiet, literary girl collapsed, replaced by that of a vengeful demon from hell. She gritted her teeth and spoke each word with venom: "No... mercy!"
"Hikigaya Hachiman, I will personally send you to hell, make you repent for your mistakes there, and let you understand how ridiculous you are for rejecting Mibuomi-senpai's friendship!"
Upon hearing this, Hikigaya sighed, his hands casually in his pockets, his eyes filled with a mixture of laziness and pity: "I'm curious. What exactly did he do or say that made you worship him as a god?"
"Heh, there's nothing to say to someone like you." Shimotsukiuri Ouri's face darkened. "Just wait for it. After school, during the exam battle gambling match, I'll personally let you taste the bitterness of hell."
"Even if Mibuomi-senpai is willing to forgive you afterward, I will never forgive you. I'll make you kneel in front of Hyakkaou Academy's gates and repent for your disrespect toward Mibuomi-senpai."
With those harsh words, Shimotsukiuri Ouri moved her seemingly fragile body. The sound of her brown boots stomping echoed sharply in the library. Hikigaya Hachiman watched her leave in silence.
It seemed that during the years he had been away, Mibuomi Aoi had evolved into someone capable of perfectly disguising his malice as kindness.
Shimotsukiuri would be the first person he had seen bewitched by Mibuomi, but she certainly wouldn't be the last. There would be many others who would come to him in the future, all defending Mibuomi and looking for trouble with him.
"Really... this is getting more and more interesting."
A faint red glimmer danced in Hikigaya's eyes.
"Hikigaya-kun…"
Hm?
Hikigaya snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Jabami Yumeko, whose bright eyes were locked onto his.
Everything was silently understood between them.
The scorching sun set, marking the slow commencement of the exam battle gambling match.
Hikigaya Hachiman sat expressionless in his seat. Though he still wasn't sure how the group led by Aiura Kokoro and Shimotsukiuri Ouri would approach him, his mind was calm, and he didn't feel the slightest panic.
To remain unchanged in the face of countless changes. This was the answer Hikigaya Hachiman had come up with.
Life was not always smooth sailing. Even if he wanted to devise a foolproof strategy, with a clear view from thousands of miles away, fate wouldn't always give him the opportunity to see through the illusions.
He was a human, not a god. Hikigaya Hachiman understood this about himself.
He accepted the fact that he lacked information and didn't feel he would lose.
"Let's go." He said quietly.
His words were heard by Yumeko, and as she caught sight of his profile, she hurriedly took a sip of water, trying to prevent herself from becoming dehydrated due to the dampness on her thighs.
'It's only this Hikigaya-kun who is the best.'
'Let's fall together into the abyss of wild gambling! Hikigaya-kun!'
Yumeko was captivated by him.
.
.
.
"Now that all the students have submitted their registration fees, I hereby declare the exam battle game officially begins!"
"I'll be the dealer, and my name is Mizuka!"
A girl with a microphone jumped onto the podium to announce the start of the gambling match.
She looked at the list and was immediately taken aback. "Wow~ the first round of the first game is a duel between two special admissions?!"
"Shimotsukiuri Ouri vs. Hikigaya Hachiman!"
"Two-time first-place Shimotsukiuri Ouri faces the newly famous transfer student Hikigaya! A king-making showdown between two iconic figures!"
"…"
Mizuka spoke quickly, flipping through the seat number cards representing the thirty students in Year One, walking up to the two, and placing the cards on the table.
"Here you go, this is the seat number card. Please feel free to shuffle the cards."
Hikigaya frowned, realizing that things weren't as simple as they appeared.
This was too fast. According to his assumptions, someone like Shimotsukiuri Ouri would probably be used by Aiura Kokoro as a secret weapon, a tool to take him down. It didn't make sense for her to be the first to step into the ring in the first round.
His eyes briefly swept over the partition next to them. This partition was designed to prevent participants from communicating with classmates during the game and separating the space.
This did reduce the possibility of cheating.
That much made sense. Considering this was a gambling match involving fifty thousand yen, such precautions seemed necessary.
Having been in Hyakkaou Academy for a while, Hikigaya had grown accustomed to large-scale gambling, but he wasn't numb to money. He still maintained a keen sensitivity toward it.
Although he didn't know what the other influential students in the class thought, Hikigaya wanted that fifty thousand yen prize. For the sake of that money, even knowing it was a trap, he had chosen to jump into it without hesitation.
Since he had decided to use his hard-earned ten thousand yen from writing to pay the registration fee, he would give his all to fight for victory!
Hikigaya pulled his gaze back and gestured for Shimotsukiuri Ouri to shuffle the cards. His eyes carefully observed her movements but found that, surprisingly, she was playing by the rules and didn't tamper with the cards while shuffling.
[Next, please draw the seat number cards~ It doesn't matter who goes first.]
'This step is crucial, but it's all down to luck now.' Hikigaya closed his eyes, reflecting on the intelligence he had gathered over the past few days about everyone in the class and his analysis of their academic models. He could roughly guess their scores in each subject.
But if luck was too bad and he drew the seat number of a student with poor academic performance, Hikigaya would have no choice but to accept it.
Both of them each drew a seat number card from the deck and handed it to the dealer, Mizuka.
[Alright, the seat number cards have been confirmed!]
[Now, the results are announced:]
[First, Hikigaya-kun drew——]
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