COTE: Popularity System

Night.

Takada Hikaru received a text message from the school, instructing him to go to Room 301 at eight o'clock in the evening.

Apart from him, all students on the luxury cruise ship received similar messages.

7:45 PM.

Takada Hikaru arrived at Room 301 and found a seat.

"Kozue, Chihiro, you two sit down too."

After sitting down, Takada Hikaru spoke to the two somewhat reserved girls beside him.

Minamikata Kozue, and Shiranami Chihiro.

They were also Class A students who had received the school's text message requiring them to come to Room 301.

"Takada-san, are we having another special exam?" Minamikata Kozue sat down beside him without hesitation, seemingly unconcerned that he was a peer of the opposite sex.

"The Deserted Island Exam just ended." Shiranami Chihiro sat to the side of Minamikata Kozue, her face showing worry, and she didn't seem to be in good spirits.

Takada Hikaru nodded slightly. "All students across all grades received a message, so I assume a special exam is about to take place."

"I feel a bit nervous." Minamikata Kozue's lips curved slightly as she smiled and swung her calves beneath her skirt.

After the Deserted Island Exam ended, aside from Class C, the class points of every other class had changed.

Class A: 1030 -> 1170

Class B: 1004 -> 1124

Class C: 400 -> 400

Class D: 0 -> 220

Currently, the difference between Class A and Class B had reached 46 points. However, this difference was still too small. Just one special exam would be enough to change the rankings of the two classes.

It was no wonder that Minamikata Kozue and the other Class A students still felt nervous.

The last Deserted Island Exam could be said to have resulted in second place purely by luck.

This time, would they still have such good luck to defeat the original Class A, led by Katsuragi Kōhei?

While the girls were harboring feelings of unease, the door to Room 301 was pushed open, and a sleek, black figure swiftly entered the classroom.

"I am Chabashira Sae, the one responsible for explaining the situation to you. I believe you all know me?"

Chabashira Sae had a cold voice and an even colder expression, giving the impression that she was difficult to approach.

However, recalling the scene during the Deserted Island Exam where this teacher was affectionately called "Sae-chan" by Hoshinomiya Chie, they felt that this distant female teacher was not so terrifying after all.

"Takada, Minamikata, and Shiranami, everyone is here."

Chabashira Sae found a seat and sat down, saying to the three students before her, "Although the scheduled time hasn't arrived, since everyone is present, I will begin explaining the rules of this special exam."

"I will reserve time for your questions, so please refrain from asking questions while I explain the rules, understood?"

Seeing the Class A students across from her listening quietly, Chabashira Sae sighed slightly.

They truly were Class A. In terms of conduct, they were far superior to Class D.

If Class D students encountered this scenario, many would definitely be shouting and complaining that the school was inhumane for holding yet another exam.

"This exam tests the students' thinking, or rather, their ability to think..."

As Chabashira Sae explained, the three students present understood the rules of this special exam.

Simply put, this special exam could be called the VIP Exam. The 158 students on the ship will be divided into 12 groups to participate in the exam. Each group name refers to one of the twelve zodiac animals, such as the Rat Group, the Ox Group, etc.

Furthermore, each group's members will ensure representation from all four classes.

Tomorrow morning, the school will select one VIP in each group. In the same group, students other than the VIP can guess the group's VIP by sending a text message to the school.

The school has made specific divisions for the method of guessing the VIP and the corresponding rewards and penalties, resulting in the following four outcomes.

Outcome 1: If everyone successfully guesses the name of the group's VIP during the designated answer period after the VIP Exam ends, then everyone in the group receives 500,000 Private Points, and the VIP receives an additional 500,000 Private Points.

Outcome 2: If not everyone successfully guesses the name of the group's VIP during the designated answer period after the VIP exam ends, then only the VIP receives 500,000 Private Points.

Outcome 3: If the guess is made at any time during the VIP Exam, and the VIP is successfully guessed, the guesser's class gains 50 Class Points, the guesser receives 500,000 Private Points, and the VIP's class loses 50 Class Points.

Outcome 4: If the guess is still made at any time during the exam, but the leader is guessed incorrectly, the guesser's class loses 50 Class Points, the VIP personally gains 500,000 Private Points, and their class gains 50 Class Points.

"The treatment for the VIP is really good."

Minamikata Kozue exclaimed after listening to Chabashira Sae's explanation.

Aside from Outcome 4, the VIP can receive a large amount of Private Points in all other outcomes. Isn't that great treatment?

"You're right, that's why they are called VIPs."

Chabashira Sae paused, then continued, "Starting tomorrow, and until the fourth day of the exam, you must participate in a one-hour discussion every day at 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM. During the discussion, you must state your name."

Then, Chabashira Sae took out two sheets of paper and placed them on the table.

"These two sheets are your group's member list, and the rules and precautions for this exam."

"Neither of these sheets can be taken away. You may record the member list, but the rule explanation document is strictly forbidden from being leaked."

Takada Hikaru accepted the two sheets of paper, handed the rule explanation document to the girl beside him, and looked at the member list himself.

Upon seeing the name Ayanokoji Kiyotaka among the Class D students, Takada Hikaru's lips curved into a slight smile. 'Is the plotline for a direct confrontation with Ayanokoji finally here?'

Chie really did place him in the same group as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

In the original series, the arrangement of members for each group in the VIP Exam was actually handled by the teachers themselves.

It was just that, in principle, the most outstanding student in the class needed to be placed in the Dragon Group.

However, Hoshinomiya Chie did not place him in the Dragon Group, but rather in the Rabbit Group.

The reason was that she wanted to use Takada Hikaru's ability to restrict Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who was also in the Rabbit Group.

Hoshinomiya Chie, as the homeroom teacher, became vigilant towards Class D after noticing they achieved first place in the Deserted Island Exam. She subsequently discovered that the person secretly helping Class D rise was this brown-haired boy who looked like Horikita Suzune's shadow.

"Takada-san, what are your thoughts on this exam?" Minamikata Kozue frowned slightly and gave an embarrassed smile. "I'm completely confused right now."

Guessing the leader of another class might increase their class points, but guessing incorrectly would deduct class points. She really didn't know how to proceed.

"My thoughts, huh..." Takada Hikaru smiled.

He probably figured he would earn so much in this exam that his scalp would tingle.

(End of Chapter)

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