COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya-Chapter 200: The Special Exam for the "Preferred" Student

Hikigaya had some impression of these two girls.

The tall girl with long blue hair, Hasebe Haruka, had both an outstanding figure and appearance. In fact, when school first started, Ike even made an "Oppai Ranking," and Hasebe's name was high on the list.

With such good looks, she should have been popular in class. In Hikigaya's view, she fit the description of a "normie"—one of the top-tier students.

But in reality, Hasebe was very withdrawn and rarely interacted with other students. She was almost always alone, grouped among the class's outcasts along with Hikigaya, Sakura, and Horikita.

On the other hand, girls like Shinohara, who weren't as physically attractive as Hasebe, were doing quite well socially. She belonged to the third-largest group in class, separate from Karuizawa's and Kushida's circles.

As for the other girl, Inogashira Kokoro, she had an extremely weak presence. Her personality was similar to Sakura's, though she wasn't as socially anxious. Her academic performance was also on the lower end, placing her among the bottom tier of the class.

However, unlike Hikigaya and Hasebe, Inogashira had quite a few friends. She was part of Kushida's "good friends group." Kushida had a habit of befriending girls who were socially awkward and unpopular in class. She would offer them care and support, making them her most loyal followers.

Looking at the two girls in the room, Hikigaya felt a bit strange. Including himself, all three of them were among the least popular students in class. As always, Hasebe remained distant, showing no intention of greeting Hikigaya or Inogashira.

Meanwhile, Inogashira had kept her head down ever since Hikigaya entered the room. She seemed overwhelmed by the presence of Sakagami-sensei, who sat in the center. She might not have even realized when Hikigaya arrived if the teacher hadn't acknowledged his presence.

From the moment he stepped into the room, Hikigaya could feel Sakagami-sensei's intense gaze, as if the teacher was seeing right through him.

"There are only three students from Class D. Now, I will explain the details of the special exam," Sakagami-sensei said coldly, adjusting his glasses as he scanned the room.

This special exam, called the "Preferred Student" exam, involved all four first-year classes being divided into twelve groups. Each group had about three to four students from each class.

Hikigaya was placed in the "Tiger" group. The twelve groups were named after the twelve zodiac animals. He also received a list of the other students in his group from Sakagami-sensei. freёnovelkiss.com

Class A: Himeno Yuki, Shibata Sou, Kobashi Yume, Shiranami Chihiro.

Class B: Morishita Ai, Yamamura Miki, Satonaka Satoshi, Kamuro Masumi.

Class C: Komiya Yago, Yamada Albert, Ishizaki Daichi.

Class D: Hikigaya, Hasebe, Inogashira.

That made a total of 14 people in the Tiger group.

Looking at the list, Hikigaya's expression became complicated. Quite a few of these students had past conflicts with him. The only one he could consider somewhat friendly was Kamuro.

Unlike the survival exam on the deserted island, this special exam wasn't just about teamwork within one's own class. Students had to cooperate—or compete—with students from other classes as well.

The goal of the "Preferred Student" exam was simple: each group had a hidden "Preferred Student," and everyone else had to figure out who it was within the given time.

The exam was divided into two parts: the Examination Phase and the Answer Phase.

- The Examination Phase lasted four days, with one rest day. Each exam day included an hour-long discussion within the group, with no restrictions on the topics discussed.

- The Answer Phase started at 9 PM on the last day. Students had 30 minutes to submit their answers, from 9:30 PM to 10 PM.

"And now, regarding the most important part—the Answer Phase. Listen carefully," Sakagami-sensei said, looking at the three students before continuing.

"The results will depend on whether the group successfully identifies the Preferred Student. Please refer to the handout."

The outcome would be determined based on whether the group found the correct answer.

Outcome 1: If the group correctly identifies the Preferred Student, all members receive 500,000 private points. The Preferred Student themselves will receive double—1,000,000 private points.

Outcome 2: If the group fails to identify the Preferred Student, there will be no penalties, but no rewards either. The Preferred Student will receive 500,000 private points.

Sakagami-sensei, worried that the others might not understand, used Hikigaya as an example to explain the rules to the two girls. Despite looking strict and unapproachable, was Sakagami-sensei unexpectedly considerate toward students?

Hikigaya quickly grasped the rules of this special exam. The core idea revolved around whether or not the "privileged student" could be identified, which would lead to different outcomes.

However, Hikigaya soon noticed a problem. Based on Sakagami-sensei's explanation, the first outcome was clearly the most beneficial. Meanwhile, the second outcome seemed almost pointless.

The school wouldn't make such an obvious mistake in the rules. Seeing Hikigaya frown, Sakagami-sensei assumed he was still confused and decided to ask.

"I understand the rules, but there seems to be a flaw. There must be something more, like the additional rules during the uninhabited island exam, right?"

Sakagami-sensei didn't answer right away. Instead, she gave Hikigaya a deep look. "It seems I misunderstood. On the contrary, you already understand the rules. That's right—this exam has additional rules. Please turn over your papers."

Everyone flipped their papers over. As expected, there were two more outcomes written on the back.

Outcome Three: If the privileged student is identified, a student may submit their answer early during the "exam phase." If their answer is correct, the privileged student receives 500,000 private points, and their class gains 50 class points. However, the privileged student's class will also lose 50 class points for being exposed.

Outcome Four was similar to Outcome Three, but instead of identifying the correct privileged student, the student submits the wrong name. In this case, their class loses 50 class points. Meanwhile, the privileged student's class gains 50 class points and also receives 500,000 private points!

After reading this, Hikigaya's expression showed sudden realization. This explained why Outcome Two existed in the first place.

Despite appearing complicated, the rules of this special exam could be boiled down to two key factors: the identity of the privileged student and the timing of key decisions.

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