There is something wrong with Hikigaya’s classroom of the Elite, as expected

Chapter 158: The Taste of Hikigaya

“Is it for Class A?”

Hikigaya sneered. “You sure are good at finding excuses for yourself.”

Sakayanagi’s reasoning was pure sophistry. If it were truly for the class, internal struggles might be understandable, but externally, unity should take precedence—rather than seeking outsiders to strike down competitors.

“I heard from Hiratsuka-sensei that you used to be her student?”

Suddenly, Sakayanagi shifted the topic, bringing up someone Hikigaya had not expected.

“How nice it must be to meet a teacher who once looked after you in this school.”

Hikigaya’s expression changed in an instant, his face turning ice-cold as he stared at the silver-haired girl with indifference.

Sakayanagi noticed the abrupt shift in his demeanor—like a soft piece of cotton that had suddenly grown sharp thorns, ready to pierce anyone who touched it carelessly.

But… this was exactly what the silver-haired girl had been hoping to see.

Ever since their last chess match, while she wouldn’t say she was obsessed with it, Hikigaya had undoubtedly left a deep impression on her.

She started keeping an eye on this Class D boy’s actions and slowly discovered something interesting.

It was exactly what she saw now—a person with outstanding talent who chose to remain hidden. Not out of deliberate concealment, nor was it the classic “playing dumb to fool the enemy” strategy. Instead, it was an act of self-abandonment!

Only when he was cornered or when someone touched his reverse scale would this dead-fish-eyed boy reveal his sharp fangs!

It was through that chess match that Sakayanagi had faintly realized—a beast more terrifying than anyone else lurked within him.

And not long ago, a major violation incident had stirred up the first-year students. Because it involved someone she was particularly interested in, she had investigated the situation thoroughly through certain channels…

The boy she had always regarded as a “genius”—Ayanokouji—had actually been “defeated” in such a manner!

At least in Sakayanagi’s eyes, Ayanokouji had not only “voluntarily” taken the blame, but now bore infamy within the grade. Even many Class A students had begun to view him in a negative light because of it.

So… she wanted to personally “taste” this Hikigaya who had brought down Ayanokouji!

“Sakayanagi, what do you mean by this?”

Hikigaya’s tone was especially cold.

Sakayanagi smiled slightly. “I simply wish to invite you to a game of chess, nothing more. Of course, if you win, I can grant you one request.”

Hikigaya stared deeply at her. The silver-haired girl maintained her smile, unfazed by his gaze.

“Hope you won’t regret this decision,” Hikigaya said coldly.

“Apologies, but the only words in my dictionary are ‘victory’ and ‘success.’”

Sakayanagi did not retreat in the slightest. The composure in her demeanor stemmed from her absolute confidence.

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Hikigaya had left.

At the cafeteria table, only Sakayanagi remained. Before long, a short-haired girl dressed in black sat across from her.

“Little Sakayanagi, you’re playing with fire, you know~”

“Heh, hearing that from you is quite laughable.”

Sakayanagi glanced at Haruno across the table, still smiling—but the warmth in her smile had faded.

“Too bad for you, your little scheme has failed. If you thought I’d seek your help to take down Katsuragi in the next exam, you’re mistaken.”

Sakayanagi slowly stood up. “But unfortunately, I’m the kind of person who likes to take a different path.”

The partial information about the next exam had been revealed to Sakayanagi by the person in front of her—Haruno. Sakayanagi was well aware of Haruno’s motive for doing so: because of her own physical condition, she was bound to be absent from the next exam.

Without Sakayanagi, the key figure, Class A would inevitably be led by Katsuragi in this exam. If Katsuragi were allowed to continue gaining influence, his power would solidify, making it extremely difficult for Sakayanagi to shake his position. In other words, the semester-long “battle between two kings” would finally come to an end.

At that point, the already disadvantaged Sakayanagi faction would begin to crumble.

In Sakayanagi’s view, she never cared much for a by-the-book “obedient student” like Katsuragi and never even considered him a true rival. However, that didn’t mean she could continue to underestimate him and let him grow unchecked.

She needed to take this opportunity to cut his throat!

With her own absence, relying solely on Kamuro, Hashimoto, and the others would obviously not be enough to pose a threat to Katsuragi. The only person she deemed worthy of recognition was the one before her—Yukinoshita Haruno.

And that was precisely why Haruno had given her this information!

However, when Sakayanagi unexpectedly ran into Hikigaya in the student guidance office earlier today, a new idea had suddenly formed in her mind, which led to everything that followed.

One could only call it “fate.”

“Is that so?”

Haruno was unfazed by Sakayanagi’s words. “I was just giving you a kind reminder. You may have noticed Hikigaya’s talent, but underestimating your opponent is never a good idea.”

“Underestimate? No, Yukinoshita, you say that only because you’ve never truly seen a ‘real genius.’”

Sakayanagi seemed to recall someone, and an excited expression unconsciously surfaced on her face. “But I will prove who the real genius is and who the fraud is!”

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On the first day of the August summer vacation, all first-year students gathered early at the meeting point and boarded the school bus, heading to Tokyo Bay, where they embarked on a luxurious cruise ship—one that many people might never have the chance to step foot on in their lifetime.

The cruise ship had a total of nine levels, including a rooftop, with five floors above ground and four below. The rooftop featured a swimming pool and a café, the third to fifth floors were designated as guest room areas, and the first to third basement levels housed entertainment facilities such as a movie theater.

All amenities and food on the cruise ship were provided to students free of charge. This brought some Class D students to tears, as they had been eating basic vegetable meals for two to three months. Many students could be seen in the dining hall indulging in a feast as if seeking revenge on their past hardships.

At the same time, students could be found enjoying themselves at the rooftop swimming pool, movie theater, and game center, while the high-end spa on the cruise became a top choice for many girls.

Each room accommodated four students. Hikigaya was assigned to share a room with Miyake Akito, Hondou Ryoutarou, and Koenji Rokusuke. Hikigaya wasn’t particularly familiar with the other three. He had only encountered Koenji a few times—during the midterm exams and occasionally at a café—but they were practically strangers.

Just then, Hikigaya received a message on his phone.

[MAO: Hikigaya-kun, would you like to take a walk around the ship with me?]

Hikigaya could already picture Sakura, full of curiosity about everything on the cruise yet feeling uneasy about being alone. He sighed helplessly and shook his head before replying to her message.

Before long, at the agreed meeting spot in the first-floor reception hall, Hikigaya saw Sakura, who had been waiting for quite some time.

The nervous girl, who had been anxiously fidgeting, instinctively smiled from the heart the moment she saw the dead-fish-eyed boy.

Ever since she met him, everything had started to change for the better.