COTE: A Man On A Mission || Love is War?

“Hikigaya-kun, have you found any useful information?”

”Thank you, Hoshinomiya-sensei,” Hachiman handed phone to Chie, “Just now, a student in my class was attacked and left, Chabashira-sensei was worried about the situation, so she left the phone with me. Now, please return it to her...”

“Students got attacked?” Chie finally realized seriousness of the matter.

But Hachiman had already ignored her darkened face, because he saw a familiar person at the convenience store of Class 2-A.

“That’s all for now—” The man said hello to a girl from Class 2A who was working, then left with supplies.

But other party was stopped by Hachiman after taking only two steps.

“Next, you stay at the starting point and don’t go out.”

Huh? Kushida-chan blinked softly.

’Because what’s boss talking about?

Don’t let me leave the starting point. You have to know we are in middle of an exam now, and I am in a group with Mii-chan and Ichinose-san. The ranking is around 83rd. Neither high nor low. But if I don’t continue to take the exam, my score will definitely drop, or be deducted.’

Although Kushida-chan is a little bit stupid, her emotional intelligence has always been good.

“Did something happen?” She asked cautiously.

“Just now I suspect that Yagami Takuya had taken action.”

Good lord! This sentence was almost a fatal blow to Kushida-chan.

Because Yagami Takuya was the one who pretended to be her junior to scam her, and judging from the situation, other party might have known her dark history and even wanted to use it to control her.

So this person is at the top of Kushida’s blacklist.

’Although the first place was replaced by Ichika Amasawa, Yagami has been promoted to second place in annoying ranking list. This is a different list from Hikigaya-kun and Horikita-san, and it belongs to truly annoying type. Last month, other party had been squatting on first floor of dormitory and seemed to be pestering me, Kushida-senpai non-stop like a stalker....However, this month, Yagami has restrained himself and no longer stays downstairs in the dormitory...But look now....This guy wants to cause trouble in exam!’

“His target should be Ayanokoji. But I can’t confirm whether he will attack you.....”

’So that’s it, his intention was not to control me at beginning, but why did it become Ayanokoji-kun in the end? But since it’s the annoying person who has problem, I am of course willing to obey....Boss is probably trying to protect me by saying this. It puts me in a good mood. Sure enough, after we started dating, Hikigaya-kun treated me much better!’

While thinking so.

“So what do you want me to do?” Kushida immediately said sensibly.

“Call Ichinose over here.”

Hikigaya-kun’s eyes also noticed the student council president walking over with a cane, so he also said this to Sakayanagi.

“Next, I will borrow strength of the boys in Class B, Class A, and Class D. I need them to follow instructions today and tomorrow. This is a matter of Student Council now.”

xxxxx

Sakayanagi follows after her because she noticed Hikigaya-kun’s condition.

Look, Arisu finally got news from the puppies.

Two students from Hikigaya’s group gave up because they were forced to withdraw due to physical discomfort.

The information obtained from the people who were sent out after contacting Yukimura was more detailed.

It was that Shinohara and Komiya from Hikigaya’s group were attacked and had to withdraw.

The students were attacked and had to leave.

This is totally against rules.

At the same time, two students have already been attacked, and there is no guarantee that a third person will not be killed.

As for Student council president, as pinnacle of the students, it is of course her responsibility to protect the students.

This was one of the reasons why Horikita Manabu was fooled by Nagumo in the forest exam.

Worried that Nagumo would interfere with other students, he used himself as bait to prevent from interfering with other students at will.

However, Manabu didn’t expect that his enemy had grasped honest nature and kept his promise by not interfering with boys, but arranged for people to touch the girls.

xxxxx

Archangel Ichinose, who came back with Kushida to rest, has also arrived.

This was also the first time Hachiman saw her during exams in the past few days.

Looking a little haggard. She was exhausted. Her physical fitness is very poor.

Hachiman already knew this, so this kind of exam was a real torture for her.

This was also the reason why Hachiman had set out in the morning with some supplies, planning to provide them if he met Kushida and her team.

“I heard that some students were attacked and dropped out,” Ichinose said immediately after seeing Hachiman, Vice-president.

As everyone’s angel, Ichinose cannot accept this, she is waiting for orders now.

“Komiya from my class and Shinohara from Class D were both attacked and fell down the hillside. Fortunately, their lives were not in danger, but I don’t think we can just sit back and do nothing. When teachers arrived at the scene, I applied for permission to view the surveillance and obtained the footage of that time period, but unfortunately, no information about the criminal was captured, that person is more cunning than expected.”

“So the camera didn’t work....?” Ichinose was really shocked!

President Sakayanagi arrived early, but she didn’t interrupt and just kept listening.

“But, I have a suspect. I want to mobilize students to find this person. GPS positioning requires 0 o’clock to be used. Now we can’t determine the other party’s direction and position. But notifying students in advance of the action can have a certain deterrent effect. And if the other party insists on having his own way, then I think he is no longer suitable to stay in this school.”

Boom!

“I understand,” This statement was like being given an order to President Sakayanagi who responded immediately, “At that time, I will use my authority as Student council president to expel him. After dismissal, police will be notified according to the rules and case will be handled.”

“Police....” Ichinose murmured on hearing these words, she too had a dark history after all.

“So what do you want us to do?” a male voice came over.

It was Ryuji Kanzaki wearing a red sportswear.

During this period, his team also came back to replenish supplies.

After hearing that Ichinose was nervously looking for him, he followed.

Previously, during Commander Tower exam, he was a traitor to his own class and felt very painful at that time, but fortunately, he had Hikigaya to talk to him about life.

Let him know that everything he does is valuable.

So, Kanzaki thought that he owed Hikigaya a favor after all. And now, perhaps it is an opportunity to return it back. ’According to Hikigaya, school has not found the attacker yet, who is still among the students, so people in my class must be in danger. I have a responsibility to protect everyone!’

“I hope everyone can work together in groups of 5-6. Mobilize the students at starting point and have them go to the island. When they meet their classmates, can pass on the same message. Let’s team up and search for this student on island together.”

Hands in pockets, bangs swaying.

“For this matter, students in Class A can convey it relatively quickly,” Sakayanagi whose eyes were focussed on something else entirely, was a bit enchanted, “This thing can be used together for time being.”

Kamuro-san on the side handed over a walkie-talkie.

Intercom. Ryuen arranged for Ibuki to use it last year. But exchange price of material points required this time is very high.

It takes 50,000 material points, which is the total of ten ordinary students.

Unless you are a big shot, you can’t get it.

Sakayanagi paid a large sum of money to get it, probably hoping to contact the classmates who served as chess pieces through the intercom.

But also in order to help Katsuragi and his team to get a ranking if a risky situation arose, and then whole class would go to support them.

“Thank you for the trouble,” Hachiman didn’t act pretentiously.

Risk of this exam is increased. He had to do something.

xxxxx

The boys at starting point were quickly arranged to go out for action.

As for girls, Hachiman asked them to stay and wait until examination environment was safe before letting them out.

For a moment, atmosphere became a little solemn.

xxxxx

Here is the starting point.

“If the situation arises where you can’t continue with exam, Sakayanagi, how do you think the normal exam will end?”

It was only at this time Hikigaya-kun began to talk to Sakayanagi alone.

“Are you asking this as Vice president?”

“Yes, For everyone’s greater good, Takuya Yagami needs to be cleared out of this exam. But there is also the possibility that it may be terminated.”

Cane! Thump!

“Then I would like to propose ending with the current results. Although it is a bit regrettable, this is also we must face.”

According to current group scores, the Ryuen-Katsuragi team, formed by the combined efforts of Sakayanagi and Hachiman classes, ranked only eighth.

So according to this result, top three students from both classes will have to send their plans in gutter.

That is to say, Class A of Grade 2 did not get results they wanted in this exam.

“If we can’t continue with the exam. I’ll give you 10% of my reward.”

’Oh? So, there is something to gain from this exam. That’s right.’ Sakayanagi looked at the real-time rankings that were displayed.

Even if exam is suspended now, there is no doubt that Koenji’s group will win first place.

’Hikigaya Hachiman bet so much on him, and result of the exam is not to see who got how many points, but to confirm the ranking...Therefore, as long as it is confirmed Koenji-kun is the first, then even if the exam ends early, Hikigaya-kun will still make a lot of money. So what he is most worried about right now is the cancellation of exam, rather than ending with current result. Therefore...That’s why me, Student Council President, needs to speak up. During this exam, there were cases of students being attacked and forced to drop out. This was definitely not just a minor fight or a certain degree of conflict as Chairman Tsukishiro had mentioned. Therefore, he had to shoulder this responsibility. In other words, he had to deal with it. As a student representative, he could only passively accept my proposed solution. But, I look at Hikigaya-kun who is leaving to make arrangements.....’

“If this exam is over, even if I talk, and will be useless. Then we have to cancel it. Then what do you think, Hikigaya-kun?”

“It’s just a waste of time. Look for the next opportunity to get points.”



’In other words, between huge amount of points and safety of students, Hikigaya-kun, you chose the students first....Suddenly I feel that even if I give him tasks worth higher amounts in the future, he would still be able to maintain his original intention of saving...This is quite rare.’

Arisu felt her heart pounding loudly.

xxxxxxx

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