COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya-Chapter 174: The Gambler

After parting ways with Kamuro, Hikigaya had a strange expression on his face.

Based on what Kamuro had just revealed, Ryuen had contacted Katsuragi and transferred 200 points worth of supplies to Class A. In exchange, Class A agreed to pay each Class C student 20,000 private points per month—totaling 800,000 private points every month—until graduation.

Hikigaya's first thought when he heard this was that his plan had been leaked.

But he quickly dismissed the idea. More likely, Ryuen had come to the same conclusion as him and opted for the selling-points strategy. Instead of gambling on how many class points those supplies could bring, he chose to convert them into immediate, guaranteed benefits.

"Still, Ryuen's going all in... selling 200 points in one shot?"

Hikigaya was surprised by how bold Ryuen was. The gap between Class C and Class B was just over 200 points. Under ideal conditions, this special exam could have earned them at least 200 class points.

Would Ryuen really just give up on such a big opportunity?

And with only 100 points left, it would be tough for Class C to last seven days on the uninhabited island. Plus, Hikigaya recalled seeing Class C indulging in entertainment on the beach earlier. Thinking back to the snacks, drinks, and various recreational equipment he saw...

"That must've cost around 80 to 90 points."

Hikigaya had a good memory when it came to point conversions. In other words, Class C had spent their remaining 100 points purely on enjoyment!

"So they're going all-in on a zero-point strategy?"

Hikigaya had more or less figured out Ryuen's plan. It was essentially the same as Class D's approach, but unlike Class D, who still held on to their remaining points, Ryuen was much more ruthless—or maybe just more decisive—by blowing the last 100 points completely.

"In other words, Class C isn't planning to last the full seven days on the island?"

But then another thought crossed Hikigaya's mind. What was going on with Ibuki?

Did they really fall out because of this?

But that doesn't seem right.

Hikigaya had a feeling Ryuen was up to something. From what he knew about him, Ryuen wasn't the type to give up so easily.

In the evening, Hikigaya unexpectedly heard from Hirata that Class C had completely withdrawn and returned to the cruise ship. There wasn't a single Class C student left on the beach.

Everyone in Class D reacted differently to the news, but most of them either found it amusing or were just plain jealous.

At that moment, Horikita approached Hikigaya. But before she could say anything, he frowned. "You haven't taken a break today, have you?"

Horikita looked much better than yesterday, but Hikigaya could still see traces of exhaustion and fatigue on her face.

She hadn't expected that to be the first thing he said. For some reason, it made her feel a bit strange.

Seeing her stay silent, Hikigaya sighed and spoke in a more serious tone. "You're still not fully recovered. If you keep pushing yourself like this, your condition could get worse. When you're on the edge of getting sick, it's easy to ignore it, but that's exactly when you need to be careful."

Looking at Horikita, Hikigaya couldn't help but think of Komachi. She had done the same thing before—taking some medicine, feeling a little better, and then immediately acting like she was fine. And of course, she ended up getting sick again.

That was why he made a point to remind Horikita to rest. The environment they were in was already tough. Even in the summer, the temperature in the forest could change a lot between morning and night. If she didn't take care of herself, she'd only make things worse.

"...I'll be careful."

To Hikigaya's surprise, Horikita didn't argue and instead responded quietly.

Seeing her like this, he decided not to press the issue. But he had a good guess about why she had come to find him.

"You're here to talk about Class C, aren't you?"

Horikita nodded and looked at him with a complicated expression. "Class C's behavior is too strange. It's like they deliberately wasted their points. And now that all of them have returned to the cruise ship, it means they've withdrawn from the exam. That also means they've used up all 300 points the school gave them."

"So?"

"So, I think Class C did the same thing we did—they must have sold their supplies beforehand!"

Horikita said confidently, "Since Class B and Class C are direct competitors, the only ones they could have sold to are Class A!"

"Looks like you didn't fall for the distraction."

Hikigaya nodded.

Hearing his praise, Horikita unconsciously clenched her fist slightly. "So you think so too, Hikigaya!"

When she saw what was happening with Class C at the beach, her first thought was that they must have done the same thing as Class D—trading their points for supplies and selling them to another class.

"I... I want to hear your thoughts on it."

"My thoughts?"

Hikigaya looked at her in surprise, then shook his head. "Since you're asking me this, it means you already have an answer in your head."

Horikita was momentarily stunned but then nodded. She glanced toward Ibuki, who was standing alone in the distance. "Yeah, but I'm not entirely sure yet. And there are still some things I don't understand."

"If Class C really has a plan, they'll show their hand eventually."

Hikigaya also looked toward Ibuki. He wasn't too worried about what Ryuen was up to. The advantage of being in the dark was that you could observe without acting first. It was just a matter of who would lose their patience and slip up first.

Horikita seemed to agree with him. But then, as if remembering something, she said, "Oh, right. When I went to the beach to check on Class C, I ran into Ichinose from Class B. Apparently, they took in a student from Class C—someone named Kaneda. He got into a fight with Ryuen and was beaten up before getting kicked out. So now, he's staying at the Class B camp for the time being."

"Oh?"

Hikigaya narrowed his eyes. This was an unexpectedly useful piece of information. It also helped him connect some of the things he hadn't fully understood before.

So that's what Ryuen is aiming for?

It was a bold and risky plan. Ryuen had completely grasped the key to this special exam. If he succeeded, Class C would be the biggest winner.

But the risks and uncertainties were just as high. A single mistake could lead to complete failure.

Ryuen was still Ryuen—the same reckless mad dog.

But in Hikigaya's eyes, Ryuen's plan had too many holes. It might sound aggressive, but in reality, it was nothing more than a gamble.

Hikigaya couldn't help but smirk coldly at the thought.

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