Classroom of the Elite: Legacy

V.1-Ch.9.1: All For One & One for All

"I understand the calculation for the passing grade. However, is there a chance that the calculation you made could be wrong by chance?"

"How so?" she asked.

"In the formula you gave us, you divide the average score by two, giving you the passing grade. However, what if the average score you gave us was wrong?"

"T-That's right! How do we know that that's the right score?" asked Tsukamoto.

Matsubara-sensei grinned and chuckled. "Well Horikita, I assure you that the average score I've given you is not wrong." Matsubara-sensei changed the screen again, showing our test results. "Using all your scores, I calculated and ended up with that average score of 79.1. If you'd like, you can do the calculation to see for yourself."

Just as she told me, I analyzed the scores on the screen, adding them all up and dividing them by the number of classmates in our class, which was forty. When I got the answer, my expression darkened.

"79.1...just like you said..."

"N-No way..." said Kawasaki.

"Tsukamoto...my man..." said Azuma.

Matsubara-sensei chuckled. "You thought you were going to get a lower average score, didn't you, Horikita?"

Confused, everybody turned to look at me. "I was."

"I thought so. Four of your tests were perfect scores, but when looking at your English score, it was lower. Quite low in fact. You dropped it down because you knew Tsukamoto may fail, didn't you?"

"Horikita..." Tsukamoto said, looking at me with a surprised look on his face.

"And not just you." Matsubara-sensei pointed to a name on the screen and everybody turned to look.

"Furukawa...?" said Tsukamoto. "You...did it too?"

Furukawa had scored seventy points out of the four other subjects. For English, he had scored a lower score, getting a fifty, which was the favor I asked him to do.

Yesterday...

"Furukawa-kun, if it's not too much, can I ask you for a favor?"

"A favor?"

I nodded. "Seeing that Tsukamoto didn't review for the English test, I'm predicting that he'll score quite low. Maybe even failing. Because of that, I want you to lower your scores."

"To change the average score."

I nodded. "Of course, I'll lower my score as well. It may not change much, but it's the least we can do."

Furukawa silently stared at me for a moment, then turned away. "Fine. I'll do as you say."

"Thank you."

Present day...

The entire class turned their attention towards him, and Furukawa stayed silent, doing nothing but listen and watch the situation at hand.

"I apologize, Furukawa, Horikita, but it seems your efforts were futile," said Matsubara-sensei.

"Tch...!" Tsukamoto clenched his fists, then slammed his desk. "Dammit...! Dammit! Dammit!"

I turned to look at him and saw how truly frustrated he was. He had worked hard to get up to this point, studying by taking notes and reviewing the old test answers, but now it all meant nothing.

And as for our classmates, most of them didn't seem to care as much. There were a few, like Azuma and Kawasaki and Kasai, who had concerned looks on their faces, but there were many of them who've already accepted Tsukamoto's fate.