Final Exam Of First Year [5]

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Chess

Required Participants: 1 Person

Allotted Time: 1 Hour (Going over time results in a loss)

Rules: Standard chess rules apply. However, the allotted time will not increase, even after the forty-first move.

Commander: The commander can give instructions to their respective player for up to a maximum of thirty minutes at any time. Time spent by the commander in this way will use up the allotted time.

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Another event popped up from class A's selected list.

Moreover, it was an event, Sakayanagi personally selected to compete against Ayanokouji.

But, from her actions of breaching her contact with Yamauchi, perhaps, he would not appoint Ayanokouji for this match.

However, in class C, there was not a single student who played well in chess, except Ayanokouji.

He was trained to be perfect in every field in the white room, so he was kind of like a trump card for class C and Yamauchi.

So, if Yamauchi wanted to win this event to break his chain of losing streak, then he would have to choose Ayanokouji for this match.

But, if he does that, then Sakayanagi would be able to get what she wanted, even after breaking their deal.

This was all going according to her anticipation too.

And, if he chooses another random student, then it would be 3 losses in a row.

Recovering from that much backlash would be impossible for class C.

Because, only 2 events from class A's selected list has been chosen to compete on, that is English test and chess.

If another event from their list would be selected, then, it would seal the coffin on class C as well as Yamauchi.

"Fu fu~ It seems like you are in a complete bind, Yamauchi-kun. Though, that's to be expected from looking at the scores."

Sakayanagi didn't lose a single chance to poke at him.

As if like a drowning man holding onto straws, his desperation to save himself was visible from his each and every actions.

Both the teachers calmly observed the situation.

Hoshinomiya, though kept silent, was meaning to say something to Yamauchi to keep his composure.

However, Sakagami's stern warning stopped her from doing so.

And finally, this time, Yamauchi opened his mouth.

"What do you want?", he asked to Sakayanagi.

"Heh~? That's quite the expression you have there. Are you that desperate?", she replied with her playful tone as usual.

"Just tell me what do you want?"

"Hmm....I can't just lose on purpose, after coming this far, you know. My friends would be quite disappointed in me if I do so........But, you know what? I am a very kind girl. So I will give you a chance if you just answer my question."

This kind of conversation was not something to be having in front of two of the home room teachers.

Sakayanagi was essentially offering a trade to Yamauchi for losing the exam on purpose.

That might be considered as in terms of match fixing, which would not be allowed in general.

However, both of the teachers know very well that this conversation can be easily evaded as just a word play.

"Please be mindful that time is passing by. Converse after appointing your players."

Sakagami's usual warning interrupted their conversation.

There was only a few seconds left to appoint a student for this chess match. 

Both the commanders had yet to assign someone from their respective classes.

Although Sakayanagi's offering of a deal gave some hope to Yamauchi, he had yet to know what he had to answer i order to be saved by her.

"What do you want to know?", he asked with just 10 seconds left to appoint.

Yamauchi Haruki was an insignificant character in every way.

He was the bottom of the barrel in his own class, and didn't contribute to the class much.

His personality was shitty as hell, as well.

Therefore, he was an easy to manipulate prick for Sakayanagi who would do anything for her in return for a false promise of dating her.

She intended to use him until the in-class voting special exam, and discard him afterwards.

However, things deviated from what she anticipated.

Yamauchi exposed himself, and somehow, miraculously survived that special exam as well.

Then, he was forced to be the commander for the year-end special exam, which he accepted, while he had the option to bail out feigning sickness.

He even dared to make a contract with her, and not to mention he knows about the acting director and Ayanokouji's connection.

The more she tried to investigate him, the more this intrigued her.

She set up spies in order to track his daily life bit by bit to find out the reason behind this major change.

However, she couldn't find anything, which confused her more.

There was one thing for sure though. 

Someone was controlling his actions.

That's the conclusion she arrived at.

There was someone in the shadows, who manipulated his behavior and each and every action.

What's more, that person cleaned their involvement very well. 

The fact that there was such a student in this school, and Sakayanagi had no idea about them, was something more overwhelming than her desire to compete with Ayanokouji.

However, she was sure that it was not Ayanokouji, but someone else.

Hence, after confirming that Yamauchi was going to be the commander for this special exam, she decided to breach their contract in order to drive Yamauchi to a corner.

She was sure that his decision of becoming the commander also came from the mastermind behind him.

Sakayanagi just wanted an opportunity to completely demoralize Yamauchi and make him believe that no one including that master mind behind him, can save him from being expelled.

After closing all the doors of escape, she gave her a light of hope in form of a deal to answer her questions.

An ordinary student like Yamauchi, having lost all hope, would definitely surrender to her.

Therefore she asked him, what she wanted to know from the starting.

And she was sure that Yamauchi would not dare lie after his spirit was crushed.

"Tell me the name of the person controlling you.", she asked.

There was just 5 seconds left until the appointment time for this chess event.

Yamauchi's bewildered face intrigued Sakayanagi even more.

Both the teachers were also stunned by such a question.

As the clock ticking went on, Yamauchi struggling to decide what to do, was perspiring heavily.

If he is not able to appoint a student, then someone would be randomly assigned for this event.

And that would mean another loss for class C.

Moreover, he also had to decide what he was going to answer to Sakayanagi.

Hoshinomiya was also getting nervous at the corner, because she knew very well, that even if Yamauchi told Sakayanagi the name of the person manipulating him, there was simply no way Sakayanagi would keep her side of the deal.

That means, whatever he decided to do, his defeat was for sure to happen.

And, the appointment time was over.

The names of students assigned for this event from both of the classes was shown on the screen.

Class A : Hashimoto Masayoshi

Class C : Koenji Rokusuke