COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

"That was close!" 

Having successfully escaped from the demon king, Hikigaya returned to the student dorms, still feeling shaken. From the morning onward, one bad thing after another had happened, and he was completely exhausted. 

At the front desk, he received a key card labeled "407" along with a student dormitory guidebook. Each student was assigned a private dorm room. 

The space was about four tatami mats (6.48 square meters) in size—more than enough for a single person. Despite being small, the room had everything one could need: a brand-new bed with fresh sheets, a water heater, air conditioning, a washing machine, and even a small kitchen! 

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Hikigaya still couldn't help but think, "Damn, this school is loaded!" 

Lying down on the fresh sheets, his tense nerves gradually relaxed. His thoughts drifted back to the familiar figure he had encountered earlier. Memories he had long sealed away came rushing back. 

This was his third year in this world. He had spent his last two years of middle school here before enrolling at ANHS in Tokyo. His life had completely deviated from what he knew as "Hikigaya Hachiman's path." 

After being diagnosed with Puberty Syndrome, Hikigaya had given up on struggling. He worked hard to bury those memories deep in his mind. 

Even though Yukinoshita Haruno existed in his middle school, he had always avoided interacting with her. Or rather, he had been afraid—afraid that this Haruno was not the one he knew. Today's unexpected encounter had confirmed that fear. 

But aside from missing those memories, this world's Haruno seemed almost identical to the one he remembered. 

They say that when you retrieve a forgotten past, the memories come flooding back like a tidal wave. 

Meeting Haruno in this unfamiliar environment had reopened Hikigaya's past wounds. The struggles, the pain—he had tried everything, even praying to gods and spirits, fantasizing about an impossible outcome. But in the end, it had all been in vain. 

Reality was brutally clear: there was no going back. 

Had he been holding onto all of this simply because of regret and unwillingness to accept it? 

Yes. And no. 

That night on the bridge, when Shizuka-sensei talked to him, he had felt it—truly felt it. Meeting Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuigahama Yui, and little angel Sai-chan… Oh, and Isshiki Iroha too. The experiences they shared together, big and small—that was a stroke of luck. And it was the most precious thing in his life. 

But because of this ridiculous Puberty Syndrome, that luck was now forever out of reach. Along with his regrets and the honesty he never got to express, everything was buried deep inside. 

"Hikigaya, have you forgotten what happened? Maybe it was all just in your head. Maybe you were just fooling yourself, thinking that meeting them was some kind of blessing." 

Lying on his bed, staring at the spotless white ceiling, Hikigaya let out a self-mocking smile. 

"Maybe… the best thing that ever happened to them was not having me in their lives at all." 

The biggest misfortune is probably being connected to others. 

Maybe this outcome is actually the best arrangement. This way, they'll never have to deal with someone as troublesome as him again. 

A misfit who was even diagnosed as mentally ill. 

"But… meeting Haruno again is really nice." Hikigaya muttered, his eyes dull. 

Lone Wolf Rule #5: 

A true lone wolf doesn't need friends. As long as he has a little sister, that's enough! 

… 

Snapping out of his thoughts, Hikigaya refocused and slowly reached out his hand. "System." 

Huh? No reaction? 

Seeing this, Hikigaya tried again. "System!" 

Several seconds passed. Nothing happened. 

So all those web novels and light novels with "system" cheats were just fantasies? What about the overpowered system every transmigrator is supposed to have? The wise old man in the ring? I wouldn't even mind an old lady instead. 

"Sys! Tem!" 

One second… two seconds… still nothing. 

"This is dumb." 

Hikigaya couldn't help but laugh. Indulging in a bit of childish fantasy once in a while wasn't a bad way to lighten the mood. As for whether he truly believed in it deep down, even he wasn't sure. 

"If Komachi or Sensei finds out, I'll probably get dragged away again." Hikigaya covered his forehead and muttered self-mockingly. 

After calming down, Hikigaya casually picked up the dorm rules manual and flipped through it. As expected, it was full of the usual regulations—garbage disposal schedules, curfew times, restrictions on boys entering the girls' dormitory, and so on. 

"Hmm…" 

Suddenly, he came across a particular rule: 'Romantic relationships inappropriate for high school students are forbidden.' His expression turned strange. It reminded him of those convenience stores earlier, where the checkout counters had small packets of balloons on display… and they weren't fully stocked. 

"Isn't this just self-deception?" 

He understood that the school was implementing preventive measures, but when you think about it, wasn't this also a subtle hint? 

At the same time, Hikigaya recalled something odd about the new school—there were a lot of security cameras everywhere. 

At first, he hadn't thought too much about it. But later, while wandering around campus searching for a vending machine that sold MAX Coffee, he noticed something strange. Some areas had noticeably fewer cameras, especially places like special teaching buildings or secluded spots where hardly anyone went. In some areas, there were barely any cameras at all. 

That was what really made Hikigaya suspicious. If someone claimed the school had budget constraints, he would be the first one not to believe it. 

It wasn't hard to figure out why the school installed so many cameras. It was similar to how modern society uses surveillance—to prevent rule-breaking and ensure safety. The cameras also acted as a deterrent. 

But if you flipped the perspective… 

Could this mean that something unstable or unsafe existed within the school, forcing them to install so many cameras? 

And on the other hand, could the areas without cameras be intentionally left that way? Was the school deliberately creating these blind spots? 

Otherwise, this contradiction wouldn't make any sense. 

"This is disgusting." 

Hikigaya frowned in disgust. It was just like corrupt politicians—rules that were merely a facade, covering up the shady dealings happening behind the scenes. 

They really think people are fools. 

And it wasn't just about the surveillance cameras. The so-called private points were another example. The school was supposedly generous, giving students 100,000 private points per month as a special privilege. 

But if that's the case, why even bother offering 'free food and supplies' in the first place?

From Hikigaya's observations, there were indeed some upperclassmen using the "free supplies" and "vegetable set meals." This meant that some students clearly lacked enough private points. 

At the same time, there were also students choosing high-end meal sets. This difference in spending habits suggested a significant wealth gap among students. 

But here's the question—if every student received 100,000 private points from the school, why would such an extreme difference exist? 

Even if someone was bad at managing money, they should have improved after living in this school for a year, right? 

If we rule out poor money management, then the only possible explanation for this wealth gap must come from the school itself. 

In other words, the amount of private points each student received wasn't actually the same, despite Chabashira-sensei's claim that everyone got 100,000 points per month. 

And… there might even be ways to increase or decrease private points. 

Hikigaya shuddered. He had a vague feeling that he was starting to see the truth behind this school—the part that had been hidden all along. 

Everything exists for a reason. 

As if realizing something, Hikigaya quickly pulled out his student handbook from his bag. Every student was given one, but ironically, almost no one took it seriously. Hardly anyone had read through it completely. 

When Hikigaya had skimmed through it before, some details had been passively imprinted in his mind. Usually, these details only surfaced when he actively recalled them. 

This was even more impressive than memory-enhancing bread or quantum reading. 

Maybe this was fate's way of compensating him. 

He flipped to a certain page—"Each class starts with 1,000 class points..." 

A seemingly unimportant sentence, even a little random. 

"Why bother setting up something like class points? Is it supposed to measure class performance?" 

Back in elementary and middle school, there were things like "Best Class of the Month" evaluations. Could this school be doing something similar? 

Hikigaya also recalled the conflict outside the convenience store earlier. From the way those upperclassmen talked, it seemed like there was a hierarchy between classes. 

In other words, classes with higher class points were recognized by the school and given higher status. That would explain why some students developed a superiority complex. 

Usually, an atmosphere or trend like this could only form from the top down, spreading from higher levels of authority. 

Suddenly, a memory flashed through Hikigaya's mind. 

"Private points are automatically distributed on the first of each month. This school evaluates students based on ability. By enrolling, you've already proven your value and potential..." 

That was exactly what Chabashira-sensei had said. 

If he put the pieces together, did this mean that the school wasn't evaluating students individually, but rather based on class points? 

The 100,000 private points students received weren't just a personal evaluation—they were tied to the class's performance. 

1,000 class points. 100,000 private points. 

"Tch, what a perfectly balanced set of numbers! It's like they're just waiting for us to figure out the trick!" 

Hikigaya let out a cold laugh. 

"So class points fluctuate? Maybe even by a lot? Otherwise, there's no way to explain why the wealth gap between students is so big. This must be the real nature of the 'S-System'!" 

Class points were used to evaluate a class's overall performance, and private points were the rewards for those evaluations. 

All the contradictions from before suddenly made sense. 

Honestly, Hikigaya didn't dislike this kind of evaluation system. He had already expected that a closed-off, three-year high school might operate under a semi-military-style management system, which would naturally include strict assessments. 

But… that didn't mean he could accept the school's deliberate deception. 

They were clearly creating conflict among students on purpose! 

It was obvious that the upperclassmen fully understood the true nature of the S-System, while only the first-years were still in the dark. 

Those two idiots in his class had probably already blown through their points without a second thought. 

What was the school's goal? 

"Competition." 

From the very beginning, everything pointed to one undeniable fact—the school encouraged conflict. 

A brutal survival-of-the-fittest system where the strong thrived and the weak were eliminated.

The victors hold the power to speak and enjoy a life of wealth and privilege. The losers become stepping stones at the bottom, living a life labeled as "free" but in reality, just a life of "handouts." 

Even the promises the school made from the start—preferential treatment for higher education and job placement—probably… no, definitely only apply to the winners. As for everyone else, haha… who even remembers the losers? 

"They always say that school is a microcosm of society. But this school takes it a step further—it directly applies society's rules onto the students, making them feel the pressure and cruelty of competition in advance. Is it really about nurturing the best talents? Or is it just some kind of experimental education policy?" 

Hikigaya sighed. As expected, there's no such thing as a free lunch. With unbelievable benefits like a 100% graduation and employment rate and three years of waived tuition, there was bound to be a price to pay. 

"So this is what Chabashira-sensei meant… proving one's value and potential? Makes sense. Only students who can prove their worth get to enjoy these privileges that anyone would kill for." 

Realizing this "truth" didn't bring Hikigaya any joy. Instead, it left him feeling completely drained. 

He, Hikigaya Hachiman, just wanted to get through these three years peacefully. But with how this school actively encourages "competition," it was obvious—getting by peacefully was almost impossible. 

Should he tell someone about this? 

That thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately rejected it. What a joke. Someone like him, who got labeled an "outsider" on the first day, had already lost his voice in the class. 

Chances were, people would just say, "Oh, I knew that already," or "Huh? You're only realizing that now?" or "Tsk, you really think you're something, huh?" 

Never overestimate yourself. Never underestimate others. 

And most importantly, Lone Wolf Rule #6: 

Avoid trouble at all costs. 

Now that he had figured out the truth about this school, Hikigaya, who only wanted to be a stay-at-home husband in the future, felt incredibly uncomfortable. He resisted the entire thing with every fiber of his being. 

"Maybe I should just run away?" 

The very next second, he shot that idea down. 

Before leaving home this morning, he had promised Komachi that he would do his best in school. If he ran away on the first day, the most loving sibling relationship in all of Chiba would be shattered forever. 

A promise must not be broken, especially one between siblings. 

That's the bond of the Chiba siblings! 

In his palm lay a small red charm—an important item that Komachi had solemnly handed him before he left. 

"This is a protective charm I personally got for you at Inage Sengen Shrine, Onii-chan! It's filled with my blessings, so for the next three years, 'Komachi' will always be by your side! That way, even if you don't make any new friends and end up hiding in your room crying, you'll still have me!" 

"Hehe, as far as Komachi's rating goes, I'd say that was a pretty high score!" 

Hikigaya pictured Komachi's cute little fang in his mind. The "Komachi energy" helped ease his depression a bit. Though next time, it would be nice if she remembered to peel off the 250-yen price tag from the charm. 

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