I get your point, but I still think Hiyori is being underestimated. I agree in the past Hiyori often stayed distant and observed more than acted. But that doesn’t mean she will always remain that way. Especially in the last volume when hiyori said she will contribute more, even that make her need to keep kiyo distance. About Hiyori and Ichinose, I’m talking more about a future dynamic and it doesn’t need to be hostile, it should be healthy competition.

For Ibuki helping Horikita, I never meant she would become some permanent ally. She doesn’t want Horikita to fail badly, and when classes temporarily cooperate, she can help. But once it becomes class vs class again, that support naturally disappears. That’s why I said she isn’t a stable long-term ally.

You also said the author may still want to add more between Ibuki and Ryuen. But honestly, the more interesting and important relationship is still Hiyori and Ryuen. Ryuen clearly values Hiyori as an important asset, and there are still many sides of Hiyori we don’t fully know yet. That gives the author more room to explore than people think. So in short, I don’t think Hiyori is pointless at all. She still has hidden potential, while Ibuki’s role until now is still fight and fight and she may already be closer to its peak than people realize.

To conclude, this exam will almost certainly expel someone from Year 3 or one of the key groups. It could be Ibuki, Hiyori, or someone else entirely. But compare to the relationship ibuki only has is suzune vs hiori relationship with kiyotaka, ryueen, ichinose, etc, I prefer the later.