As Chabashira Sae spoke, the atmosphere in the classroom grew increasingly tense.
[No way? Every time we were late to class or even played with our phones, it was recorded?]
[When did they record this...? Cameras? Did they really record such minor details?]
[Wait, wait, I thought that in this school, as long as you scored high, you could do whatever you wanted...]
The thoughts of everyone present flooded Saiki Kusuo's mind, making it feel somewhat noisy.
'Yare yare, things like attending class on time should be a given for students.'
Thinking this to himself, Saiki Kusuo turned his gaze toward Chabashira Sae.
Although Chabashira Sae seemed to be sarcastically criticizing the class's previous behavior, there was a hint of genuine joy in her heart.
"Teacher, at the very least, you should have told us the detailed criteria for earning points!"
At this moment, Hirata Yosuke stood up and addressed Chabashira Sae.
"In the real world, performance evaluations won't tell you the detailed criteria either."
Chabashira Sae maintained her smile.
"But you should still feel fortunate. As the originally worst Class D, the preparations you made before the exam were still meaningful."
After saying this, Chabashira Sae picked up a marker and wrote a series of numbers and text on the whiteboard behind her.
Class Points Overview for First-Year Classes
Class A: 940 cp
Class B: 650 cp
Class C: 490 cp
...
Class D: 550 cp
"As the class originally predicted to be the worst, Class D, you've managed to retain over 500 points thanks to that exam. Congratulations. I thought you defective students would have lost all your points."
Chabashira Sae's gaze swept across the students, seemingly enjoying their shocked expressions.
[Damn it.]
Saiki Kusuo clearly heard a voice filled with frustration coming from behind him.
The voice belonged to Horikita Suzune.
"You all figured out that you could buy the exam questions, right? Although I don't know how you found out about this, it did help."
As she spoke, Chabashira Sae took out a large score sheet and posted it on the whiteboard.
This time, the class's average score was remarkably high, exceeding 80 points. Saiki Kusuo scored 81 points, placing him in the middle of the pack, though not exactly in the center.
Seeing his score, Saiki Kusuo felt relatively satisfied. Through careful score control, he had achieved a rank that met his expectations.
[It seems 50 points is still a bit too low.]
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's thoughts reached Saiki Kusuo's mind. Since the class's average score was high, Ayanokoji's score of 50 points placed him near the bottom of the class rankings.
Even with the leaked questions, the "idiot trio" still occupied the bottom ranks.
'It seems like a false alarm. Class A's points are much higher than the other classes, nearly 300 points above Class B, which is in second place. Did they know the school's rules in advance, or are they just naturally excellent students?'
Saiki Kusuo wasn't sure, as he hadn't interacted much with Class A. He wasn't particularly interested either.
In his eyes, the more outstanding Class A was, the better it was for him. The chances of his class rising to Class A were low, which meant they were less likely to attract attention from other classes.
"According to the S System, the school ranks each class based on their class points."
Chabashira Sae slightly raised her head, and the curve of her smile seemed to grow more pronounced.
"Congratulations! You've successfully replaced the former Class C and have now become the new Class C. For a class originally deemed as trash, this is something to be proud of!"
There was a hint of sarcasm in Chabashira Sae's words, but there was also genuine joy in her heart.
The fact that her Class D had managed to rise to Class C in the first exam was a pleasant surprise for her.
No matter what methods they used, as long as they achieved the desired result, it was enough.
"We've risen to Class C?"
"So the ABCD ranking is the class ranking? I didn't know that... Wait, if we were originally Class D, doesn't that mean we were last?"
"But now we've moved up a rank. Not bad!"
As Chabashira Sae spoke, the students in the classroom began to discuss excitedly—some even genuinely felt happy.
[Why? Why was I placed in Class D?]
At this moment, Saiki Kusuo could clearly hear Horikita Suzune's voice, filled with dissatisfaction.
[If the classes are ranked based on student ability, then based on my entrance exam results, I shouldn't have been placed in Class D...]
[These hopeless idiots are actually proud of rising to Class C?]
[Even Class C is only second to last... No matter what, I must rise to Class A. I have to catch up to my brother.]
Unlike the other students, Horikita Suzune's heart was filled with nothing but frustration. Her desire to elevate the class's standing was far stronger than anyone else's.
"Look at you all. Just because you've risen to Class C, you're already this pleased with yourselves?"
Chabashira Sae paused for a moment, her smile not fading. She seemed to be looking forward to the students' reactions.
"Go ahead and celebrate for now. But don't forget, class points can change. The next evaluation will be the midterm exam next month—if your points are surpassed, you'll be demoted back to Class D, where you'll be no different from the defective students you once were."
'Chabashira-sensei seems to have a lot of disdain for Class D, but aren't you the teacher of Class D yourself?'
Saiki Kusuo couldn't help but complain in his mind.
"In the next midterm exam, the class with the best performance will receive 100 points. However, there's another rule for the official exams."
"Starting from the next exam, anyone who fails the midterm or final exams will be immediately expelled."
Almost everyone's expression instantly turned grave.