Yamauchi offered a deal to Sakayanagi.
Just a few minutes before, she was the one offering a deal to him, by showing him false hope of letting class C win the special exam.
However, not only, class C is about win without any external support, the tables have completely turned over Sakayanagi.
The flash mental arithmetic event went on smoothly later.
The sums were getting harder and harder, as time went on.
There were total 10 questions with increasing difficulty.
From class A, Tamiya Emi answered the questions flawlessly until the 5th one.
After that, the questions were too hard for Tamiya.
Similarly, from class C, Matsushita scored till the 7th question, and couldn't answer any further.
And the results were declarrd, based on the fact that, the one class whose student had the best score, would win.
Hence, class C won without any hindrance at all.
However, class A had a chance to win this specific event.
In the flash mental arithmetic event, there were 10 questions with increasing difficulty.
Which also implied that the more difficult the question is the more points you would get, if answered correctly.
And the commander had the power to give the answer of a single question to a player.
If Sakayanagi wanted to win this event, she could have simply given the answer to the 10th question, and the scores of Tamiya Emi would have crossed that of Matsushita.
"Why didn't you answer the 10th question? You could have easily won that way. ", Yamauchi asked the reason behind her actions, but he knew it all too well.
Sakayanagi is not someone concerned with class points or anything of the sort.
She thrills for a battle with the best minds. Where she wouldn't feel bored. Where she could go all out, and where the opponent's moves become uncertain even to her.
Sakayanagi didn't answer Yamauchi's question.
Instead, she flashed a smile to him, hinting that she has decided upon something.
Something she would do in the next special exam, or next academic year, but not right now.
Right now, she would just sit back and enjoy the remaining matches without giving it much thought.
Meanwhile, students of class C were rejoicing in their victory, as they took over class A with 3-2, in the fifth event itself.
After consecutive defeats right from the start, they continuously stacked up victories, to finally surpass class A.
There were two more events left to go.
At least one of them would be class C's event, which they have confidence in, to win.
With this newfound confidence, their once lost spirit was back, as if they were ready to take on class A.
The next event that was chosen was Typing skills.
This event needed speed and accuracy both from the players.
An event from class C's selected list, which meant they had someone prepared for this event.
With that being said, the student Sakayanagi appointed didn't really have much proficiency in typing, for which with the skills of a computer expert, Sotomura - the Professor, class C won this event too, winning the whole special exam with another event to spare.
The score had become 4-2.
Not much talk happened between the commanders during the last minutes, and the teachers were just left astonished, especially Hoshinomiya.
She cared more about class C's defeat than her own class, because she somehow hates Chabashira, their homeroom teacher.
Sakagami was also surprised, but maintained his composure through out the exam.
The last event was announced on the screen.
It was tennis with the requirement of 2 players, male and female.
Another event from class C's list, which meant, they have the chance to win 5 events in total, gaining a whooping 190 class points as a whole.
90 net (150-60) points from the special exam itself, and 100 more for winning it overall.
The players were chosen.
Sakayanagi, still sitting with an unsettling smile, chose 2 random players from her class, who were available.
But, everyone in class C was surprised to see their own draft.
As it was the last event of this special exam, Yamauchi used all of his Trump cards in this one.
The female player was of course, Horikita Suzune.
But, the most surprising draft was the male player from class C in this tenis event.
During the last week, the state class C was in, clearly indicated that, it was already done for.
Students with broken trust, some friends of the expelled Sakura still in depression, and the vital part of the class, who used to bind all of them together, Hirata Yousuke, couldn't come to terms with the forced expulsion of a single student.
It was not something minor, because this incident reignited some of his past trauma, which he had not confronted, yet.
So, the pseudo loss of such an important student in class C might have been the breaking point.
Or so everyone thought, until the same Hirata Yosuke came onto the tenis ground upon being his name displayed on the screen.
What's more is that, the long lost usual charming smile on his face has finally returned, as he greeted Horikita, who was already on the court.
The scene was heartwarming for each and every student of class C.
Hirata was in soccer club, so he could move well in this tennis event too.
The only thing he needed was to read the rules and formulate simple strategies for a sure shot win.
That role was given to Horikita.
Moreover, the players from class A were not that much experienced in sports, for which, Hirata and Horikita didn't have to do much, to win this event with a large lead.
A wave of cheers and laughter spread through out class C, as Hirata scored the last shot as fast as a lightning, and his figure as radiant as the sun itself.
Cries of victory reverberated inside that court, as class C literally swept class A away with a score of 5-2, in the whole 7 events.
With a short ending note, the examiners declared the victor of this special exam, and it ended.
On the way, Sakayanagi and Yamauchi were conversing.
"So, what did you think of my proposal? If you would have agreed at that time, we would have made an actual contract with both the homeroom teachers as eye witnesses. ", Yamauchi asked her.
"I will think about it a bit later. By the way, are you sure, you want to worry about this proposal right now? Isn't there something else you should worry about? Or have you not noticed yet? ", Sakayanagi asked with her usual playful manner.
" What are you talking about? "
"..... Let me give you a personal advice. ", Sakayanagi said confidently, catching up to Yamauchi with her cane.
" If it's free then I am in", Yamauchi replied mockingly, slowing down his pace to match with her.
"Acting director Tsukishiro is not exactly the type of man he seems or you perceive. Hence, there will be consequences to the actions you took. Keep that in mind", Sakayanagi said by stopping on her path.
Yamauchi didn't reply anything, so she said she had some business to take care of, and went on her own way.
Meanwhile, Yamauchi sighed heavily, as he resumed his path towards the dorms.
He walked "slowly" along the path leading back to the dorms, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the campus.
The cool breeze gently stirred the fallen leaves at his feet, adding a calm rhythm to his otherwise chaotic thoughts.
His footsteps were heavy, yet his demeanor was relaxed, his head slightly tilted back as if he was savoring the aftertaste of his victory.
A victorious smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, subtle but unmistakable.
The satisfaction of outmaneuvering Sakayanagi, a formidable opponent, lingered in his mind.
He had won not just the exam but a battle of wits with one of the most cunning minds in the COTE light novel.
Just a month before, he was caged in a prison like a bird, but now that there was neither bars nor walls in the front, which would stop him....
Now that he was free, he felt something deep in his heart.
And thought to himself.
"This is life."
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Author's Note :
The special exam has ended.
A few more chapters for the epilogue part, until first year is over, will come, soon.
If you have any thoughts on how to proceed in Yamauchi's second year, then do comment below.
Also, if you have not checked out my new web novel series, The Last War : Celestial Rebellion, please do check it out.
You can find it on my profile page, and drop a review if possible. I would try to improvise accordingly.
Next Chapter - The Escalation
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