Ayanokoji What If: Popularity Time(Old)

Chapter 18: Zodiac

                         Ayanokoji Pov

On this very morning, the next special exam would start.  Many students were apprehensive, but determination burned in the eyes of the Class A students.  They had lost last time, and were embarrassed.  They were going to prove their worth

Class C and Class B had the same determination.  They wouldn't lose after such a win.  They felt they were invincible.  But no one can win every time.  But I will try my hardest to win.  Chabashira had blackmailed me, and after that, we had a strange conversation

Flashback

         I will win no matter what the cost

Ayanokoji: Chabashira-Sensei, do you think society is equal?

Chabashira: Are you really asking me this now?

Chabashira lit a cigarette while she sighed.  The play in front of was reaching the conclusion.

Chabashira: Haah, well if I had to say...Equality is possible...just very idealistic

Ayanokoji: Objectively you are wrong.  Society is unequal from the moment we are born

Chabashira: Don't tell me you really believe that genetic genius crap.  Tomonari has debates with Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A about that.  I suppose that makes you even more befitting of Class A

Ayanokoji: That is but one inequality in out world but that can be changed.  Hard work, dedication-Think if Sudo Ken.  He was an idiot before but he had slightly matured, even if only by a few marks. Regardless of that, society is unequal due to the economic, political, medical fields.  Many are born with disabilities, other healthy.  Some are born in poverty, others rich and pampered

Chabashira: Tell this to the guidance counselor, not me

Ayanokoji: Yes, yes Chabashira-Sensei, I am sure you are quite busy blackmailing your students.

I walked away as the play finished with the father cradling his son Icarus, who had flown too close to the sun.  I suppose Chabashira-Sensei has flown too close to the sun

Present

I received a ping on my phone and looked to see an email on my phone stating a date and time, as well as a zodiac.  Mine was Cancer, the water sign I believe.  I am not too knowledgeable on the zodiacs, apart from my zodiacs personality traits and my comparability with the other signs.

Time: 3:00pm

Be punctual, or you may suffer a demerit in the coming exam

So if anyone were to not make it on time, they would suffer a consequence.  I imagine many would make sure to get there early.  I had time to kill before there exam start, so I decided to read a book to get my mind in the zone

I approached the room I was assigned to and I entered.  In the room were 2 of my classmates, 3 Class C students, 1 Class B student, and 3 Class A students.  There were four empty seats, for a total of twelve.  I can assume that each class has 3 members per group.  But I hurt of 160, there are 12 zodiacs, and 12x12 is 144, so what happens to the remaining 16?

I sat down in my chair, and the remaining students came into the room. 

I examined the students around me: Ichinose Honami, Shibata So, Hamaguchi Tetsuya of Class B

From Class A: Yahiko Totsuka, Teppei Araki, Hashimoto Masayoshi

Class D: Ibuki Mio, Albert Yamada, Manabe Shiho

And from my Class C: Me, Karuizawa Kei, Sotomura Hideo

Sakagami, the homeroom teacher of Class C stood in front of us and held a clipboard in his hand.

Sakagami: So it seems no one is absent; good.  This is the Zodiac Killer Exam.  As you can see, you have all been divided into the zodiacs from Western culture, and this is the Cancer group.  There is a VIP in this group, and they must remain hidden.  This VIP has the ability to "eliminate" one person in their group.  This person cannot participate in this exam, and if they attempt to return to the group, they will suffer a 100-class point demerit.  There are five outcomes to this exam: The first which involves the VIP being found out and reported before midnight on the fifth day of the exam.  You will report the VIP to the instructor presiding over your group, this being me.  The class that correctly guessed the VIP will gain 50 class points, and the class of the VIP loses 50 class points.  The second outcome: The VIP is incorrectly guessed before midnight of the fifth day.  In this case, the person who incorrectly guessed, their class loses 50 class points, which are then transferred to the VIP's class.  The VIP will also gain 1,000,000 private points.  The third result: No report is sent it the instructor before midnight of the fifth day.  The VIP gains 150 class points, and the other classes lose 50 points each.  Result 4: The VIP's class sends a result in.  If this occurs, the three people in the group will be disqualified and will lose 50 class points which will be added to the winning class after.  In this case, that group's exam resets with a new VIP being chosen.  All the other results still apply, but with an extra 50 class point bonus.  The 5th result: The VIP turns themself in by reporting three self to the school, and everyone in the group gowns 2,000,000 private points.

5 results in one exam?  That's complicated, needlessly so.  The third result may seem impossible, but it can be achieved because no class wants to only take the 50-point loss due to an incorrect guess, leading to a stalemate.  In that situation, that could very well topple any class in moments.  This exam could easily be a game changer.  Class C could fall to the bottom if this isn't played correctly

Sakagami: The VIP has already been told before this meeting, so to the VIP, I wish you the best of luck.  May the odds be ever in your favor

He whipped out a bow and arrow and cawed like a mockingbird before shooting the arrow at me-I'm kidding that didn't happen, instead, he set an alarm on the board for one hour

Sakagami: The groups will have an hour of deliberation in the morning and afternoon, so two hours total.  Any means may be used to find the VIP, of course, violence is not allowed.  With all said and done, any questions?

I raised my hand

Ayanokoji: From what I understand, there are 12 students for each zodiac, so what happened to the other 16 students?

Sakagami: See the school has put them in a special group.  The Planet X group.  That group follows the same rules, but they have an extra result.  In their case, the sixth result goes as follows: In the case that the VIP is found out before midnight on the fifth day, the members of Planet X can vote to expel the VIP of that group the day after the exam is over, however, if the VIP is expelled, their class gains a powerful advantage in the next exam

In Planet X, it seems the VIP is in a fight for their life.  Everyone here released a relieved sigh, thankful they weren't in Planet X.  I will have to monitor the members of Planet X very closely, to see if I can find who the VIP is, and to see if they are worth expulsion and the possible boon to the class

Sakagami: It seems there are no more questions

Let the First Years Zodiac Exam Begin!

Author: Cliffhanger!  How cool, I am such a great author Fr Fr.  Feed my ego please🥲.  Let's see how this exam goes, so buckle up and get ready for the show.  Have a great day and see you next time I update!