In Class C, an air of tension enveloped the room as Ryueen Kakeru, the class leader, began chuckling intensely. His amusement seemed unsettling, causing his classmates to avoid his gaze, afraid he might have lost his sanity and could lash out at them.
"Hey, what's so funny? Cut it out, it's freaking us all out!" Ibuki remarked with disgust, eyeing Ryueen, who seemed fixated on a particular student from Class D.
"I see! I see! Ke ke ke! I figure it now! How this mastermind in class D outsmarted me during the deserted island exam!" Ryueen announced, visibly amused.
"Are you seriously still hung up on that? And when you say mastermind, you don't mean that person didn't you? That's ridiculous! I have been observing him during the island exam, sure the screening did reveal that he's smart, observant and all but that doesn't mean he's the mastermind behind class D's success!"
Ibuki vehemently denied, dismissing any suspicion towards the brown-haired boy.
"Ku ku, Then, how do you explain the results, then, Ibuki?" Ryueen provoked. "We saw Suzune's card as Class D's leader, yet upon entering her name, we lost a substantial number of points. The only plausible explanation I have in mind is that someone, this mastermind in exact, switched the leader's card for their name, outsmarting all of us during the exam."
"And you believe this mastermind is Ayanokouji?" Despite the logical arguments, Ibuki couldn't help but snorted in disbelief.
"Precisely, what do you think is the screening's purpose besides the entertainment? It's to exposed this mastermind, well, it's understandable if you still don't believe me. Hey ishizaki!" Ryueen called Ishizaki who ran into him from his seat just like a servant dog.
"W-what is it, Ryueen-san?"
"Go and fetch Sakagami," Ryueen ordered with a smirk.
"What are you planning?" Ibuki couldn't shake off her suspicions. What in the world is he trying to achieve?
"You'll see"
With a smirk, Ryueen refocused on the screen, leaving Ibuki perplexed and Ishizaki hastily making his way towards the teachers' lounge even without asking why.
___________________________________________
"So, what are we going to watch next?" Ike asked, anticipating the upcoming video.
"Judging by the flow of the videos we've seen, we're probably going to watch how each class manages to survive the week in the uninhabited island exam, I guess?" said Nene Mori, making a thinking gesture with her lips. "Oh! And we're probably going to see what strategy Horikita-san used for us to take first place in the exam."
Sudou, upon hearing this, jumped in his seat enthusiastically. "Hell yeah!" From Sudou's perspective, everyone would see how impressive Horikita is on the screen as she outsmarted every class, earning our class a huge amount of points compared to the results of other classes.
Just as everyone is finally on the same page with the idea, the screen, which was showing nothing earlier, began to light up as it prepared for the next video.
As we neared the edge of the forest, we saw the beach, and the large group of Class C students on that beach. Horikita and I could never have imagined the situation we beheld.
The video started, portraying Horikita and me walking near the forest's edge, with the beach unfolding before us. On the shore, a group of Class C students was seen enjoying life to the fullest, as if it were a vacation, oblivious to the special exam taking place. A collective gasp filled the room as everyone watched the unexpected scene unfolding on the monitor.
"No way... All this stuff... Is it even possible?"
Even Sudou found what was in front of us abnormal as he asked, "What's going on? Don't they want to save points?"
Even beholding the very real spectacle, Horikita kept repeating the word "impossible." I felt the same. They had installed temporary toilets and shower rooms. But they also had a tarp to protect against sunlight, a barbecue, chairs, and a parasol. They had snacks and drinks. Everything required for a good, relaxing time was here. We smelled the smoke of cooking meat, and heard laughter. Jet skis whizzed past the shoreline. Students were enjoying themselves in the ocean, screaming with joy. Based on a rough calculation, they'd likely spent 150 points or more.
The students wore looks of dumbfounded disbelief as they watched the students in Class C enjoying themselves. They remembered the time when they gritted their teeth to survive the exam, using as few points as possible to save.
"Oh my, oh my, Ryueen-kun, you sure have a different way of leading," chuckled Sakayanagi as she watched the screen with amusement.
Sakayanagi was the student from Class A who was exempted from joining because of her physical disability. Her not participating resulted in Class A starting the exam with 270 points.
"Ku ku, depending on how you look at this exam, all classes can take different approaches; it's just that we simply used this opportunity to enjoy ourselves to the fullest rather than experience hell for a week," he said, showing up a huge grin as he relaxed in his seat. Ibuki looked at him with contempt, and Ryueen immediately added, "Tho it was such a shame you weren't there, Sakayanagi. I guess it would be far too heavy for a person like you to do something like that, I assumed?"
"Fu fu, you were completely right, but what are these results from the exam I hear? It seems like you stayed up all week avoiding being noticed, showing up at the end of the exam like you have some certain schemes under your sleeves, but didn't your class end up with having 0?" Sakayanagi, though clearly affected by Ryueen's words calling her crippled, returned with a counterattack.
"Let's just say I overlooked someone who wasn't under my radar at that time."
""And I assumed this certain person you're referring to did something to hinder your plan?" Sakayanagi inquired, interested to see Ryueen's reply.
"Yes. And after I'm done eliminating this person class, I'll be coming for your class next," Ryueen declared, his eyes filled with confidence. The look on his face showed no sign he was affected by what happened in the past; Ryueen was a person who looks straight ahead and learns from his mistakes.
Sakayanagi smiled, as if satisfied by Ryueen's answer. "Fu fu. I see. I would be waiting for it to happen when that time comes."
I assumed that they both meant me; just by their interaction, one could see that both of them are the pillars of their own class and hold a huge amount of influence. They're both confident in themselves too. I was wondering how Sakayanagi learned about the island exam results since she didn't participate, and there was no sign of her on the ship. But it seems like her connections and influence are much bigger than I expected, while Katsuragi's reputation from his class decreases because of his mistakes in teaming up with Ryueen, only ending up in third place. Whatever both Ryueen and Sakayanagi are thinking, I have no intention of amusing them. They can both play with each other however they want; just don't drag me into it.
"Man, Sakayanagi is kinda cute, but she's unexpectedly scary," Yamauchi couldn't help but blurt out after seeing what had just occurred.
"But what does Ryueen mean when he said there's someone who ruined his plan or something, that he has an intention of winning or something? My brain couldn't connect what's going on!" Ike complained, racking up his brain for nothing. "What do you think about it, Sudou?"
Sudou replied, "I have no idea," then looked at Horikita for a second, then to me, and shifted his attention back to the screen.
"What in the world is Class C doing? Do they not plan to save points?"
That was the sole explanation. This went beyond splurging.
"Let's check things out. I wonder what Class C is thinking?"
Miyamoto replied, "there's no reason to it; they probably just spent all of their points because they thought they had no chance of winning to begin with, thinking they could just get it back when the next special exam begins. Honestly, what idiots," he said, taunting Ryueen. "He acts so high and mighty, but all he has is a fist and no brain."
"Your class seems to have gotten cocky Suzune just because your class unexpectedly won. Since you said all I have is my fist and skills, wanna try throwing fists right here right now?" Ryueen said, though he said it as a joke, his tone indicated he's serious.
Miyamoto started sweating as he forced himself to say, "H-Ha! Big words for a loser like you! We'll do it after this screening ends!" He then turned to Sudou, whispering, "S-Sudou, you're a strong guy, right? Lend me your strength."
"No way, man." Sudou denied. "That's none of my business."
Miyamoto went pale. Hirata, sensing this would come off as trouble, directed his attention to Ryueen and apologized on his behalf.
"Thank goodness, I was saved."
Though there wasn't any point for Hirata doing that, Ryueen isn't dumb enough to start a fight after announcing it for every student body to witness. This might result in a penalty for his class or even lead to expulsion, so it was probably a message for everyone to watch their mouths.
We came out from the bushes and walked to the beach. One of the male students noticed us, and called out to another male student nearby. We couldn't see his face too well, since he was leaning over in his chair. One of the boys rushed over to us.
"Um, Ryuuen-san has requested your presence," he said. Judging from the timidity of his voice, he was either frightened or naturally listless.
Ibuki shotted Ishizaki some eye "What are you doing stupid? What are you? A slave?"
"My, oh my, it appears Fistboy has a firm grip on his class, indulging in the luxury of a leisurely island exam. I'd love to follow suit, relishing the experience, but alas, these people in my class have a different stance on spending points."
"Shut it, Koenji! Because of you dropping out, we lost 30 points!" said Hondou on the brink of throwing himself at Koenji.
"Calm down, bangs boy. As I had mentioned earlier. I was clearly in poor health, so I had no choice but to rest this beautiful body of mine," he said as he observed his beautifully done nails.
"He rules his classmates like a king. It's like a royal welcome. What should we do?"
"It's up to you, Horikita."
"Fine. I'm interested in learning his intentions. Let's go."
"What's the point? Isn't it clear that he's just throwing off this exam and enjoying the 'vacation'?" Shinohara irritably said.
"That's what I thought at first too..." whispered Horikita. 'If it weren't for
Ayanokouji-kun, the difference between the classes would increase by a large margin. Class D would suffer a major setback because of the lack of points, making it harder for us to catch up with the other classes,' she thought.
We accompanied the boy. As we approached the ocean, the delicious smell of cooked meat wafted by our noses.
"This is absolutely outrageous."
"Well, if you're that mad, you can try to take the exam with such a similar approach, you know?" mocked Hashimoto as she looked at the leader of Class D.
"And risk losing the opportunity to catch up with the other classes? I'm sorry, but I'll pass," rejected Horikita bluntly.
Our class didn't seem to know how to have a vacation. We approached the man in command of this hedonistic paradise.
"I thought someone was sniffing around. It's you, huh? What business do you have with me?"
"You seem to be doing well for yourself. This looks like quite the extravagant party."
"They're wasting too many points. Ugh! as someone who struggles to survive a week during the exam just to save points, seeing this is so annoying!" said Ike as he wailed at the sight.
Ryuuen, tanned and clad in his swimwear, laid back in his chair. He flashed his white teeth at us.
"Just as you see. We're enjoying our summer vacation."
He spread his arms wide, proudly showing off the extravaganza.
"I wish we could enjoy our vacation, but I want to save points too!" Onodera, a girl from my class, exclaimed her thoughts.
"Well, we girls certainly have the hardest of times when it comes to living in the wild, especially when it comes to 'that stuffs,'" Maezano offered a comment.
Ishikura inserted, "I wonder how the students of class B still manage to make a smile despite the hardship we experience."
"Well, they're class B; they're known for their friendliness and unity." Onodera then whispered, "And I don't mean to badmouth them or anything, but I think even if there was a chance they got demoted to class D, they wouldn't be greatly affected by it and instead simply face everything with a positive mindset."
"This is a test. Do you understand what that means? You don't seem to understand the rules..."
Ryuuen didn't seem happy being told about his apparent ineptitude. Actually, he looked disappointed.
"I'm shocked. Does that mean you're offering help even to an enemy like me?"
"He is right, Horikita-san," said Shinohara as she turned to our class leader Horikita. "Even if you just say some words of advice because you pitied him just because he's ignorant of the rules, he's still an enemy, you know?"
"If the person on top is incompetent, those below him will suffer. This is pitiful," Horikita said.
"You say some interesting things for someone who once considered abandoning Sudou, Ike, and Yamauchi." I lowered my voice only for Horikita to hear.
"That was months ago. Stop trying to bring up the past," she retorted, unamused by my irony.
"And you're saying you're thinking differently now?"
"Yes. Starting from now on, I'll try to lead everyone in the class to Class A. I realized during the uninhabited island exam that some students like Ike have their own fields that they're good at which I am powerless. Sudou, with his physical abilities and basketball skills, would certainly be useful when it comes to exams that require physical abilities. I don't know the exact things that might happen in the future, but if in some cases there would come a chance that we need to sacrifice someone, I wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice the students who contributed less to the class," She said, her eyes as if she had found some determination looked at mine,
"Even if it was you, Ayanokouji-kun."
Ryuuen simply smiled, grabbing the bottle of water placed next to the radio.
"How many points did you use? To be able to enjoy this level of entertainment, I mean."
"I can sense the wariness in your eyes, Suzune. You can rest assured. We spent every point we had for our entertainment, leaving nothing to zero, even the results show that I'm not lying, hm?" Ryueen said, testing Horikita if she knows about his deal with Katsuragi and him.
"That's a lie." Horikita saw through Ryuuen's scheme and immediately replied.
"Hm?" Ryueen raised his eyebrows, waiting for Horikita to continue.
"It's true that you spent all of the points that have been given to you on the exam. Even if you save some remaining points, it would be useless since every student in your class except for you dropped out after having your fun. You made it look like that on the surface, but the truth is, you and Class A were collaborating on this exam, sharing some of your stuff to Class A so they can prevent spending points in exchange for giving your class some private points. Am I right?" Horikita elaborated in detail.
This is a bombshell for students who weren't aware of the collaboration between the two classes in the uninhabited island exams; students from Class B and Class D were looking at each other as if it was the first time they heard of it.
"My, oh my, this is the first time I'm hearing this," tapped Sakayanagi's cane twice. She looked at the opposing leader of the class for some explanation, but her face clearly indicates she was already aware of it. Katsuragi decided not to say anything.
"Ku Ku, well, it seems like you're aware to some degree," Ryueen laughed. 'And here I thought she was just a puppet.'
Horikita let out a sound of disdain. "Are you done questioning now?"
Horikita did well based on the details I'd given her last time. It seems like Ryueen was trying to see how much Horikita knows and the connection she has with me.
"Hmm. Well, I didn't make a precise calculation," Ryuuen responded guilelessly. "Tch. Already getting warm. Hey, Ishizaki. Bring me some cold water, right away."
Ryuuen poured out his remaining water on the sand, almost in provocation. Ishizaki, who'd been playing volleyball nearly, panicked and rushed to get Ryuuen another water. A mountain of cardboard boxes were piled up inside the tent, likely filled with food and water. Ishizaki peered into a cooler beside the boxes.
"Hey, isn't Ishizaki famous in your middle school as a delinquent or something? I heard he already got into lots of fights. Why doesn't he just fight Ryuuen? If I were him, I wouldn't like being ordered like that, as if I'm one of his underlings, alright?" said someone from Class A to his classmates.
The person he's talking about nodded in agreement and said, "It seems like there was a fight going on in Class C on the week we were admitted because a group of students didn't like how their class leader led the class, but I heard they were defeated countless times until they finally submitted to him. And it seems like one of those students is Ishizaki and that giant guy named Albert."
"Seriously?! He beat that Albert guy too?" exclaimed the Class A student loudly.
"As you can see, we're enjoying our summer vacation. We're not your enemies. Do you understand?"
Katsuragi shook his head in disagreement, 'Ryueen is the kind of student everyone should be wary about. He's not afraid to use violence as a resort, plus he's cunning when it comes to schemes and poking at the exam's flow, which makes him hard to deal with. It's a mistake on my part in teaming up with such an individual,' he thought.
Horikita, finding his behavior incomprehensible, pressed her fingers against her forehead and wrinkled her brows as if she had a headache.
"We're trying to warn you. You're an idiot."
"Which one of us is the idiot? Me? You?"
Ryuuen would accept no insults, and threw them back at Horikita.
Sonoda retorted, "Well, it's obvious you're the one who's the idiot here, judging by the results. Your class ended up in last place with zero points. So much for this so-called 'fun' of yours."
"Sonoda, right? Then would you mind explaining to us how Horikita-san came up with a plan to end up your class in first place?" This time, it wasn't Ryueen who asked, but rather Kanzaki from Class B, his voice filled with suspicion as he observed my classmate.
"We don't know the details. Horikita-san just said she found some loopholes in the rules, so she exploited it."
This earned various raised eyebrows from a lot of individuals as they began to wonder why the class D's leader refuses to elaborate her strategy in her own class, only giving them the bare minimum.
"Loopholes, huh? I see. Then, care to enlighten us about that specific loophole that we overlooked, Suzune?" Ryueen directed his gaze to Horikita
Horikita replied without wavering, "I'm not discussing any of our strategies with enemies. If it's revealed on the screen, then fine, but you won't hear it from me." She shut down all questions decisively.
"You want to try surviving on this deserted island in this shitty heat? Don't joke. Class D, the lowest of all, has to put up with starvation, heat, and futility just to save a measly 100 or 200 class points. It makes me laugh."
"Don't look down on us! We're slowly catching up with the other classes. Soon we'll rise up through the ranks and overtake Class C-no, Class A, and we'll see who's the one making the last laugh. Isn't that right, everyone?" Shinohara shouted, earning her a lot of support from my classmates.
Sakayanagi was looking at them as if she was observing a bug, a bug that is to be squished and killed.
Ishizaki ran over, dripping with sweat as he brought the water. He handed a cold bottle of water to Ryuuen. However, Ryuuen threw it back at Ishizaki.
"I said to bring me cold water. This water's warm."
"I... B-but..."
"Hmm?"
Ryuuen's pupils were just like those of a snake. Ishizaki's body stiffened. He picked up the bottle and ran back toward the tent.
"Honestly, this is so annoying and frustrating to watch. He's acting like a dictator in his class and doing everything he wants. What if his classmates gather together and report him to the school? Even he, won't come up with a plan to prevent his expulsion," Shibata asked their class leader, as he looked at Ryuuen with disdain.
Ichinose was troubled on how to answer it. She hesitated to continue but replied, "Umm... Do you see the faces of his classmates over there Shibata-kun? It's not that they're afraid of what Ryueen-kun would do if they report him; it's because they're afraid of what would happen to them if he was gone." She continued "With Ryueen-kun in their class, their chance to compete with other classes for Class A is high compared to if he's not. Ryueen-kun is the only student who manages to rule his class in the first week, and he has the intelligence to back up his skills. Ryueen-kun is the kind of student I wouldn't like to face off in a class confrontation, but if we want to graduate in Class A, we have no choice but to confront him with everything that we've got," said Ichinose, her eyes filled with determination and confidence.
"This test is about perseverance, ingenuity, and cooperation. It would likely have been impossible for you from the start. You can't even establish a satisfactory plan."
They couldn't possibly hold on for a week after having spent points so lavishly. Eventually, their lives would become hell. The tarps, parasols, chairs and other things would become obstacles.
"So that's why they all pretended to be ill and dropped out, just like Koenji does, so that they wouldn't have to spend more days on the exam when the time comes where their points run out?" said Sudou, understanding where this conversation is going.
"But how is that possible?" Said Wataru, "Wouldnt the school sense something is going on when every students dropped out from participating the exam and they noticed they're taking Ill?"
"That is one of the loopholes the rules have that Ryueen exploited, it's true that dropping out from the exam would results to minus 30 points, so they took advantage of the rule and uses the remaining points they have until it runs out so that each and everyone of them can return to the ship and spends the rest of their time there without struggling theirselves on the island exam nullifying the penalty of minus 30 points if someone drop out. Of course, this strategy can only be used if you're thinking of spending every points you have in exchange for a short term fun, besides the school doesn't have a choice but to forfeit a student even if they know there's nothing wrong with them because the students forcefully assest that they're ill." Explained Horikita.
"But why would Ryuuen do that? He doesn't seem like the type to act on a whim... Could his deal with Class A's Katsuragi be related to this?" Ike voiced her opinion to Horikita.
Horikita nodded.
"Cooperation? Don't make me laugh. People betray each other with ease. People lie. Relationships built on trust just aren't viable. You can only trust yourself. If you've finished your reconnaissance, leave. But if you wish, we'd welcome you here. You're free to enjoy yourself, whether it's to eat meat or play on jet skis. Or perhaps you would prefer to have a different kind of fun with me? I can prepare a tent for personal use."
The girls and guys alike threw Ryueen a look of disgust as they witnessed him holding his crotch, implying something to Horikita.
Katsuragi, on the other hand, sighed upon hearing Ryueen's reasoning. He knew that Ryueen isn't the kind of person who fulfills his promises, but there was some hope in him that he would do exactly as they had agreed. Then again, that doesn't explain how Ryueen suffered a major loss during the exam and how Class D managed to place on top. No matter how much Katsuragi racked his brain, it wouldn't make sense, unless, just like Ryueen said, someone from Class D managed to see their schemes and outsmarted both of them during the exam. His instinct made him turn to Ayanokouji, who was sitting on his seat comfortably, unbothered.
"That's not the kind of answer I'd expect to hear from someone who declared war on us."
"I absolutely loathe hard work. Patience? Saving? You must be joking."
Ishizaki returned once again, and handed over another bottle of water. Ryuuen opened the cap and chugged.
"This is the way I do things. No more, no less."
"So much for the so-called tyrant of class C, and here I thought he would make a threat to class A, even if it's just a little. What a letdown," Takemoto expressed his disappointment.
"Right. Well then, do as you please. It's convenient for us, anyway."
Horikita had changed her mind. Class C wasn't going to be our enemy here, so they weren't a problem.
"Wait! You're just going to accept things like that? Wouldn't you at least be a little wary about what Ryueen-kun might be hiding? You're just too fast to assume that he wouldn't be a threat. Maybe he did that to lower your guard down... or something?" said Matsushita, deep in thought, as she saw how Horikita quickly changed her mind, thinking Ryueen wouldn't be a threat anymore now that Class C blew up all their points.
Her close friends Shinohara and Satou looked at her with an unexpected reaction. The former had suspicion in her eyes, "Eh? Since when did you become so observant, Chiaki~? You're greatly invested in this, you know," teased the other.
Matsushita quickly racked her brain to make a quick excuse, "Eh~ what do you mean? I mean, that's just common sense, you know?"
"Hmm... You may be right," said Shinohara, shifting her attention back to the screen.
"Working up a sweat in order to evaluate other classes is such a pain." Horikita turned on her heel to walk away, but paused. "There is one more piece of business. You know Ibuki, of course?"
"Yeah. She's a member of our class. What about her?"
"Her face is swollen. Who did that to her?"
Every student body expectantly turned their attention to the magenta-haired boy sitting in Class C, who was grinning at the screen as if he's enjoying the other students' reactions.
"The way he does things is really cruel," said Machida, shaking his head, arms crossed, as he thought of the fact he would never resort to violence as a way to lead his classmates.
While Horikita was nearly convinced he was the culprit, she purposefully asked in a roundabout way.
"I still can't believe we fell for Ibuki-san's act. We didn't even realize she was sent by Ryueen-san to infiltrate and create a dispute within our class," grumbled Onodera.
Karuizawa chimed in, "I know, right? Her hate directed towards Ryueen-kun just looks so believable that we didn't consider those options."
Ryueen grinned upon hearing those comments and turned his attention to Ibuki, who didn't like the words directed at her, "I didn't know you were such a great actor, Ibuki. I didn't expect that from you; you clearly fooled them well."
Ibuki, from the far corner of everyone in Class C, threw a kick into the seat in front of her, causing the students seating in front to get startled, "It's not like I did it because I liked it," she let out a tch sound with her lips, "You forced me."
"Kuh? But didn't it turn out well? Your hate directed at me was so real that you were determined to play your role and managed to fool those Class D defects into believing that you were outcast from the class," said Ryueen, grinning at Ibuki as if he remembered something funny.
"In the end, we still lost though," grumbled Ibuki quietly.
"Ah. She ran out of here rather suddenly. She went looking for help from another class in the end? Pathetic girl."
Ryuuen snorted in disgust, then laid back in his chair.
"Ah, she didn't come to us for help, did she? It's more like our classmates directed her to our camp because she seemed like she needed assistance," remarked Nishimura. She then turned to Yamauchi and inquired, "By the way, how did you guys come across Ibuki-san?"
"Ah... um..." Yamauchi glanced in my direction, seeking help with the explanation.
"We stumbled upon her near the camp while we were gathering wood for the campfire. Since we found her close to our camp, it doesn't seem like a coincidence," I explained.
The video continued playing.
"There are helpless idiots in this world. A ruler doesn't need subordinates who disobey orders. We determined that I would use our class points to my liking. That's the fact of the matter. Besides, it's pointless to raise the banner of revolution against the ruling class."
"In other words, Ibuki-san clashed with you when you wanted to spend points."
"Well, you could say that. That's why she got a light punishment."
He made a gesture like slapping someone's cheek. Ryuuen had indeed hit her.
"He really doesn't care about their gender; if they oppose him, he beats them up," Kobashi from Class B said in concern.
"For some reason, I suddenly became glad I was placed in Class D, not in Ryueen's class," chuckled Hondou nervously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Hiyori Shiina, a girl from Ryueen's class, closed her book and looked at Ibuki's face in concern. "Are your cheeks okay now, Ibuki-san?"
Ibuki nodded, insisting that she was fine. Hiyori then stated, "Look, I know you were doing this for the sake of our class, but you shouldn't push yourself too hard." She flashed Ibuki a modest, cute smile and continued, "If things get rough, I'll talk to Ryueen-kun about it, okay?" Her voice was filled with a soothing tone. She seemed to be the complete opposite of Ibuki, but they unexpectedly got along well.
Another boy defied me as well, so I had him driven out. I heard he didn't die, so he's probably off somewhere eating grass and insects to survive."
I couldn't imagine that was something you could say about a friend. But now I fully understood. Even if Ibuki were absent during roll call, Class C wouldn't care. That's why Ryuuen didn't care about his classmates or trying to find them.
"At first glance, it might seem like they're having a dispute within their class, but it was actually part of Ryueen's plans. Their real purpose is to spy on us and try to gather the name of our leader on the card," Kanzaki threw Ryueen a glare. "We were too naive to trust Kaneda and bring him to us in our group." He recalled the time when their class finished the last day of the uninhabited island exam, ending up with a total of 140 points. They tried to spend points as little as possible to conserve their points and didn't participate in guessing the leaders of the other classes since they risked their collaboration with class D and would lose 50 class points if they were mistaken.
He looked at Ryueen's face and observed. He was confident in his answer, and there was someone who had actually hindered his plans. He remembered the rule that if the leader was correctly identified, they would lose all of the bonus points they'd saved up until then. Hence, why Ryueen didn't gain anything but 0.
But who would be this person from class D who hindered Ryueen's plans? He then turned to the apathetic boy who remained emotionless, looking at the monitor disinterestedly. Back then, he knew there was something about him, but he couldn't pinpoint what that was. Now, he was certain that this Ayanokouji guy is a threat, more so than Horikita and Ryueen. He didn't take the role of leadership in his class because he wanted to support Ichinose's way of leading. Still, now that there's someone practically the same as him, holding their abilities, he couldn't help but think it's time to change strategy.
"You...used up all your points on the first day, didn't you?" Horikita asked.
Even if you used all of the 300 points you were given, there wouldn't be any penalties. The effect was nonexistent.
"Yes, as you said. I used all of our points."
His strategy was to be at zero points to negate negative elements. It was certainly unexpected, but it came at a high price. With no points, Class C would have the lowest rank. Even if they managed to guess every other class leader's identity, they could only achieve a maximum of 150 points.
Sudou asked Horikita as he genuinely tried to observe what was happening on the screen, probably to learn something. "But he didn't, right? It still gets me confused... We saw Ryueen didn't drop out of the exam, but he already spent all of the points, so he literally has nothing left. I don't know the deal he has with Katsuragi from Class A, but what is he trying to come up with?" Sudou said as he scratched his head.
Horikita sighed at Sudou's unexpected question that he would usually never think of. "I also don't know the full details between their deal. I had only speculated it's between points and giving the other class leaders' names, nothing more." She continued, "it would be less of a hassle if we could see both of their discussions on the screen."
"If Ibuki is with you, you're better off chasing her away. If you shower her with your awkward sympathies, you'll have one extra person to prepare water, food, and bedding for. Anyway, if you can't deal with it, she can return here. If she grovels on the ground, I'll forgive her. I've a tolerant heart."
He'd forgive her defiance if she returned to being under his control. He seemed pretty sure that she would. It would be difficult for Ibuki to live alone on a deserted island for one week.
"Fu, seems like someone deserves an Oscar for their beautiful acting," Sakayanagi said with her signature grin.
"What would've happened if your plan backfired, and Class D heeded your advice, hm?"
"Ku ku, no need for that, I already took into consideration that Class D wouldn't abandon Ibuki, especially when they have the wannabe hero- Hirata in their class who can't just leave people alone, especially if they're hurt," said Ryuuen proudly, showing his calculations.
"What short-sighted thinking. You're happy right now using your points, but what are you planning to do after the party's over?"
"Ha ha ha. What should I do, I wonder? Well, I suppose that plain, ordinary people can only engage in plain, ordinary thinking. You're desperate to protect the points you were given. Looking around for the leaders, desperately holding spots, working up a sweat running through the forest. Absolutely worthless."
Even though we'd confronted him with facts, Ryuuen laughed and showed no sign of panic.
Students from all over the class couldn't help but be confused by Ryuuen's confidence in his words and actions. They already knew the results, and it was announced that Class C ended up in last place, but Ryuuen's behavior shown on the screen indicated that he's not going to lose. Just where is his confidence coming from? Many asked.
"Ho, you seem like you have already established some sort of plan, Ryueen," asked Hashimoto, the blonde-haired guy from Class A, who was also supporting Sakayanagi's faction.
"Heh, maybe I have, maybe I have not," Ryueen dismissed his inquiries.
"Fine. Let's head back, Ayanokouji-kun. If we stay here any longer, I'm only going to start to feel ill."
"See you later, Suzune."
"I don't know where exactly you found that out, but do not call me by my first name so casually."
"Heh, you're quite strict. As the formal leaders of the class, it's not a big deal to build a bit of a relationship, you know?" Ryueen replied with a mischievous grin, but Horikita chose to ignore it.
Ryuuen had clearly done some investigating.
"Well, I rather like forceful women. I'll make you submit to me eventually. When that time comes, it will be the ultimate pleasure."
When he said that, Ryuuen touched his crotch under his bathing suit, clearly to provoke Horikita. Horikita, eyes full of contempt, turned her back and walked away.
Observing Ryueen's treatment of his crush on the screen, Sudou glared daggers at Ryueen, who simply scoffed at the threat as nothing but insignificant.
As I started running after her, I stopped to look at a passenger boat anchored by the pier. I saw students swimming in the ocean, playing volleyball and beach flags on the shore, celebrating with barbecues. Also, I saw the tent where they were stockpiling food.
Ryuuen seemed content to mock the school rules, apparently.
"Well, Mashima-sensei did say something about the theme of this exam being freedom, and the outcome would ultimately depend on the decisions made by the classes. So, I don't think the school would scrutinize it too much," remarked Kamuro from her seat.
"Class C is irrelevant. Their self-destruction will help us."
"Seems that way. They've used up all their points, anyway."
Even if they had some saved, it could only be a few dozen at most. The two students' absence at roll call would swallow those.
Koenji was humming something as he started observing his supposedly-called beautiful face in his mirror. "Hmm~ hmm~ hmm~ foolish Horikita-girl"
"I can't wait to see what they'll do once trouble hits."
"Unfortunately, Class C probably won't face any trouble during this test."
"Why wouldn't they? How can they endure this test without any points?"
"That was Ryuuen's original goal. We were given 300 points as funds to enjoy our vacation for one week, which is not at all impossible. No matter how much we economize on our food, we have to give up on luxury items. The school made these rules accordingly."
"Why does this Ayanokouji guy seem more like the leader of their class compared to that black-haired arrogant girl," remarked Kamuro to no one in particular, but since the theater was designed for everyone to hear others' comments, and since no one else was speaking, everyone heard her well.
"Hm?" raised Sakayanagi's eyebrows as she was also intrigued by the question. "Why does it look like that was the case, Horikita-san?" teased Sakayanagi.
"Ayanokouji-kun is an important asset for our class; he's my personal advisor," said Horikita as if it was just obvious, based on everything we'd seen from the screening.
Horikita nodded.
"So, we should try to save where we can," she said.
"Yeah. But Ryuuen's different. He can't see past the end of his nose, much less a week."
"He can't see past what now?"
"Suppose the test ended today. What then? Do you think this trip would transform into a perfect vacation?"
"That's... Well, okay. So what? If you have zero points-"
"That's simple. He'd just do what Kouenji did."
The Class B kids looked puzzled for a second at this student's name, then remembered that he's the weird blonde guy who dropped out on the first day of the exam because he stated that he was ill.
"Huh?"
"His physical condition was poor and he was mentally unstable. In that case, it's better to just retire. If everyone did that, they could return to the passenger boat and go about their lives. That's what they meant by fully enjoying their summer vacation: without hardship."
Granted, the school might turn us away if we feigned sickness. 300 points were enough to use freely for a one-night, two-day vacation. But sooner or later, the bill would arrive.
"So he really gave up on the test from the very beginning?" Horikita murmured.
"It was more like a bluff," remarked someone from my class. "It's as if he had no intention of winning the exam from the start but took the opportunity to make a deal with Class A in exchange for private points and relied all or nothing on their last resort that the spy would identify the other class leaders' names."
"But it looks like we haven't suffered any points deductions. That means Ibuki-san failed to identify Horikita-san as our leader, right?" inquired Onodera.
"Yeah, it seems that way. I mean, I guess we did a pretty good job of hiding our class leader, huh?" responded the same girl.
Maybe this was just a theory. Perhaps Ryuuen simply hated troublesome things, or perhaps he wanted to avoid mental exhaustion and preserve his physical strength. Or perhaps he wanted to improve morale.
"The test is literally about freedom. Ryuuen's way of thinking is one way to approach it. It seems like Ibuki and another student rebelled, and because of that Class C will lose twenty points a day. Since he knew he'd be losing that many points every day no matter what, he came up with a drastic strategy."
Since I didn't know when Ryuuen had decided to spend all of Class C's points, I could only guess.
"But I don't think the Class C kids would think about rebelling against Ryueen-kun or something," said Karuizawa, the girl who leads most of the girls in Class D, "I mean, there are so many things that Ryueen-kun can do instead of hurting his classmates that isn't a violation against the school rule, like outcasting them from the class from all the way to the third year." She offered some perspective on how it wouldn't be possible for the Class C students to think about betraying their own class due to the long-term consequences.
"I see. That certainly makes a good point," Yukimura nodded.
"We ought to think of a way to get points back without giving up. Ryuuen is most definitely wrong. I cannot possibly understand him," Horikita said.
Horikita excels in leveraging people's strengths, preferring to conserve points and avoid the risk of identifying other classes' leaders. In contrast, Ryueen's strategy is more on offensive, willing to risk everything to secure victory rather than relying on saving points or claiming spots. No matter how much you look at it, they're the complete opposite.
I suppose that was true. It was certainly true that we couldn't predict the actions of Ryuuen, whose plans were likely geared to a very unusual purpose, if his words earlier were true. Any rational person would regard Ryuuen's bizarre schemes with some anxiety. After we passed the beach, I turned back and scanned the shore once more.
"So, how was it Suzune's tagalong? Anything that caught your interest?" said Ryueen as he directed his question to me. He seemed to be testing my thinking.
I shrugged off his question, "You should be asking Horikita; I'm just tagging along with her."
"How boring."
Ryuuen appeared dissatisfied with my response, redirecting his gaze back to the monitor.
"A zero-point strategy, huh? I see. That's really interesting."
If we could simply shut down dissenting views from our classmates, it'd be a rather interesting method. After all, this test wasn't just about saving points within our own group. We had to strategize if we wanted to win.
After those parting thoughts, the video faded to black, marking its end. Students stood up, likely heading to the restroom in the theater's left corner or discussing their musings with classmates. I saw Sakagami, Class C's homeroom teacher, conversing with Ryueen. I couldn't hear their discussion, but it was clear what they were implying. Whatever schemes Ryueen had in mind, whether him, Sakayanagi, Ichinose, or Horikita... they're no match for me.
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After the video concluded, Sakagami made his way toward where Ryueen was seated.
"What is it that you wanted, Ryueen? You know my time is important; this should be something noteworthy," Sakagami said, glancing at his watch before focusing on Ryueen. Behind him, in the teachers' lounge, other instructors observed their interaction, wary of any potential rule violations.
"I'll cut to the chase now, Sakagami," Ryueen said without using any honorifics to address his teacher. "Class D's leader on the key card. I want you to tell me who it is."
He locked eyes with Sakagami, conveying the seriousness of his request. Ibuki, who had been watching nearby, wore a dumbfounded expression, almost blurting out, "Are you out of your mind!?"
Sakagami was briefly shocked before regaining his composure. Ryueen suspected he had anticipated this question.
"Well, I didn't expect you to be that blunt, Ryueen," he said, adjusting his glasses. "But if you want to ask something like this, surely you already know the payment for it, hm?" He referred to private points.
"Kuku, how much?" Ryueen immediately replied.
Sakagami showed two fingers at Ryueen, staying silent.
"200,000?!" exclaimed Ibuki, unable to believe they would have to spend such a large amount just to know the leader of the other classes.
Sakagami shook his head before answering, "2 million."
Ibuki was on the verge of losing her mind at the staggering amount. Ryueen, on the other hand, laughed as if finding it interesting.
"What! Don't tell me you're planning to do it. Even with the deal with class A, we don't have 2 million private points right now! Even with all the points from our classes combined!" Ibuki yelled, fuming at the idea.
"Fuh~ I could say this is an extremely reasonable amount. We're talking about the other classes' leader's name privacy, after all," said Ryueen, considering the deal.
Sakagami nodded, about to continue the negotiations, as if assuming Ryueen would agree. However, Ryueen unexpectedly cut him off.
"However," Ryueen said, "I do not have a need for such a thing." His unexpected words puzzled Ibuki and even their homeroom teacher.
"I already know who this mastermind is and what method they used to switch out the leader's name during the exam. I just asked Ishizaki to get Sakagami here to test if I'm correct," Ryueen revealed, disclosing his plan from the start. His goal was never to negotiate with Sakagami but to read his thoughts.
"After all, the real mastermind behind class D's success is 'him,' right? Ayanokouji Kiyotaka," Ryueen declared, confident in the correctness of his revelation.
Sakagami remained silent, but a determined look gleamed in his eyes.
"Can you beat him?" he whispered for only the three of them to hear. This wasn't something he wanted the others to hear, especially his colleagues, as they shouldn't overstep their boundaries as teachers. But he couldn't help but ask.
"Of course," Ryueen said with absolute confidence. "Whether it's Ichinose, Sakayanagi, or Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. No matter how many times I lose, I'll climb up, I'll always climb up and face forward. The one who stands up at the end will be the victor, after all," he grinned, concluding his speech.
"I see. Don't disappoint me, Ryueen," Sakagami said as he walked toward the teachers' area.
Ryueen once again directed his gaze at the apathetic boy who had been watching their entire interaction from the start.
"Whoever goes against my plan will face the consequences. I can't wait to play with you, Ayanokouji..." He flashed the biggest grin he had ever shown, anticipating the clashes that might unfold in their future encounters.
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