Chapter Summaries

After Komiyama and Kinoshita were assaulted on the island, Oreki watched Tsubasa calm Shinohara while the teachers investigated the attack. Tsukishiro ruled out several suspects but concluded that the White Room Student, Sumakiden, remained a possibility.

• Tsubasa returned after losing sight of someone who had been watching them, then comforted the panicked Shinohara.
• Ike arrived and found Komiyama injured, but Shinohara recoiled from him after Tsubasa had already calmed her.
• Teacher Bando and the rescue team arrived about an hour and a half after the alert; Komiyama woke but could not identify his attacker.
• Teacher Bando warned that the assault might cause the school to end the exam early, while the Class A homeroom teachers scrutinized Tsukishiro.
• Tsukishiro showed the teachers the rankings and argued that ending the exam would cost him heavily, clearing himself of suspicion.
• Tsukishiro considered Oreki, Kōenji, and Ayanokouji but dismissed them, leaving Sumakiden among the remaining suspects.

Mr. Tsukishiro concluded that Takuya Yagami had attacked Komiyama and Kinoshita, and he expected Houtarou Oreki to expose him. Oreki and Tsubasa Nanase traveled toward a task together, where he confronted her about why she was targeting Ayanokouji.

• Mr. Tsukishiro suspected that the White Room Chief had provoked Ayanokouji and decided Yagami would take the blame for the attack.
• Oreki's group returned to camp, where Komiyama and Kinoshita were sent for treatment and Shinohara stayed behind, feeling guilty and unable to face them.
• The group chose to continue the exam, and Ike volunteered to help Nanase keep watch at night.
• The next day, Oreki noticed Nanase was still following Ayanokouji and found that Yagami's GPS had recovered near supply base D6.
• Oreki suggested Nanase give a task to Shinohara, then led Nanase along a difficult mountain route and asked why she was targeting Ayanokouji.
• Nanase hesitated when Oreki warned that he would obstruct her unless she convinced him.

Oreki drew out Tsubasa Nanase’s secret: she sought to expel Kiyotaka Ayanokouji because his escape had led to the Matsuo family’s tragedy. He challenged her to consider whether Ayanokouji’s father was the true target, then left her confused and reached a girls’ beach volleyball assignment.

• Oreki baited Tsubasa into revealing that she had trained to confront Ayanokouji and blamed him for Eiichiro Matsuo’s death and his father’s suicide.
• Tsubasa said she wanted Ayanokouji expelled because she believed he did not deserve his freedom.
• Oreki argued that Ayanokouji’s father had caused the Matsuo family’s suffering and that expelling Ayanokouji would serve his father’s goal.
• Tsubasa was left questioning whether she hated Ayanokouji or his father as Oreki continued to the assignment site.
• Hoshinomiya Chie told Oreki he could not participate because the assignment was a girls’ swimsuit beach volleyball match.

Oreki watched Ichinose, Tsubasa, and the other girls compete in a beach volleyball assignment, while Tsubasa reconsidered her opposition to Ayanokouji. Afterward, Tsubasa caught up with Oreki to deliver water Ichinose had left for him.

• Oreki greeted Ichinose at the volleyball area, and Hoshinomiya Chie persuaded the girls to proceed once Tsubasa arrived as the sixth participant.
• Tsubasa told Oreki she wanted to oppose Ayanokouji's father but was unsure whether Ayanokouji deserved blame or whether she should stay at the school.
• Ichinose and Tsubasa's team won the girls' beach volleyball assignment, and all participants received points and canned water.
• Sakayanagi discussed the tea stems and the restrictions on contact between boys and girls with Kamuro and Yanagi.
• Oreki left to look for another assignment, and Tsubasa followed him with a bottle of water Ichinose had left behind.

Oreki learned that Tsubasa had been recruited to help frame Ayanokouji but encouraged her to choose her own ambitions instead. After checking the exam rankings and finding Rei Ibuki’s tent, he confronted the dehydrated Ibuki, who was angry that he had entered it.

• Honami’s reward supplies reminded Oreki that students could freely give assignment rewards to others.
• Tsubasa revealed the plan for her, Sakurako Haru, Utsunomiya, and Ichika Amasawa to use a staged fight and evidence to force Ayanokouji’s expulsion.
• Oreki urged Tsubasa to find her own purpose and resist becoming a pawn of Ayanokouji’s father, and she decided not to give up.
• Oreki completed four assignments, bringing his score to 64 points, then spent 10 resource points to check the rankings and saw himself in first place.
• Oreki found a tent with fourteen books and empty water bottles, then lit a fire nearby and waited.
• Rei Ibuki arrived dehydrated and accused Oreki of entering her tent.

Oreki spoke with Ibuki during the deserted-island exam and suggested she consider becoming a police officer, prompting him to realize he had changed her ambitions. After learning that Ibuki knew nothing about Shiina’s future plans, Oreki left and used the tablet GPS to head toward Horikita, who was setting up camp nearby.

• Oreki offered Ibuki water, and she took the half bottle he had already drunk from in exchange for jerky.
• Ibuki asked whether Oreki liked Horikita, and he told her he was dating Sakayanagi Arisu.
• Ibuki explained that she had wanted to become an astronomer but doubted her ability to understand the subject.
• Oreki suggested that Ibuki become a police officer because she had a strong sense of justice and was physically capable; Ibuki said the idea sounded good.
• Oreki asked Ibuki about Shiina’s future plans, but Ibuki said their relationship was only average and she knew nothing.
• Oreki noticed Horikita was about a ten-minute walk away and headed toward her while she set up camp.

Houtarou Oreki found Horikita Suzune working at camp and noticed that she was acting unusually distant after they had been apart for a week. When he tried to check on her health, she closed her eyes as though expecting a kiss, then seemed conflicted when she realized what he intended.

• Houtarou Oreki helped Horikita Suzune drive a tent peg into the ground and told her he had teamed up with Rokosuke Kōenji again.
• Horikita Suzune recalled her uncertain feelings for Oreki and stepped away, saying she wanted to shower before bed.
• Oreki offered to stand watch while Horikita showered, but she refused.
• After Horikita returned, Oreki asked to shake hands, and she hesitated before refusing.
• Oreki leaned in to check Horikita's temperature, and she closed her eyes until she realized he was not trying to kiss her.

Oreki stayed with Horikita, and the two held hands before Tsubasa Nanase unexpectedly arrived. Tsubasa reported seeing her teacher, Sumakiden, fight and injure Ichika Amasawa, leaving Oreki to consider reporting the teacher as a suspect in the other student attacks.

• Oreki stayed with Horikita and shared fire-cooked food with her while they talked about his time near the supply points.
• Oreki called Horikita his friend and interlaced his fingers with hers when she reached to shake his hand.
• Tsubasa Nanase tracked Oreki down and interrupted them, leaving Horikita distracted after Oreki let go of her hand.
• Tsubasa told Oreki she had seen Sumakiden fighting Ichika Amasawa and that Amasawa fled with her left arm hanging limply.
• Oreki suggested reporting Sumakiden to the faculty and connected the teacher to the attacks on Komiyama and Kinoshita, though he knew Yagami was responsible for those attacks.

After Tsubasa Nanase reported that Sumakiden had attacked Ichika Amasawa, Oreki found the injured Amasawa and persuaded her to return to the D6 area as a witness. Amasawa also revealed that Takuya Yagami had attacked Komiyama and Kinoshita, while Oreki already knew their White Room connection.

• Tsubasa Nanase told Oreki that she had seen Sumakiden attack Amasawa, then lost track of Amasawa and came to find him.
• Oreki sent Tsubasa to stay with Horikita and left to alert the teachers and search for Amasawa.
• Oreki deduced that Amasawa was nearby, and she emerged from the woods with an injured arm.
• Oreki asked Amasawa to cooperate in getting Sumakiden expelled, and she agreed to return with him so her injuries and testimony could be documented.
• On the way to D6, Amasawa admitted that Takuya Yagami had attacked Komiyama and Kinoshita, and explained that she had followed him and tried to cover up his actions.

Oreki uncovered Amasawa’s connection to the White Room and learned that Sumakiden had planned to use her to lure Ayanokouji into an attack. After bringing Amasawa to the D6 supply point, he found that Teacher Bando was seeking to end the exam, while Sakayanagi stayed by his side.

• Amasawa told Oreki that Sumakiden, a White Room instructor, had wanted her to lure Ayanokouji to a designated area so he could force his expulsion, but she had refused.
• Oreki explained that Yagami’s attempt to frame Kushida exposed him, and that Tsukishiro had already told him White Room Students would be enrolled.
• Amasawa stopped resisting and followed Oreki to D6, reflecting that she wanted to understand the freedom Ayanokouji had chosen over the White Room.
• Amasawa revealed that Tsukishiro had recruited other first-years to target Ayanokouji, though most were mainly pursuing a high score and class advantage.
• At D6, Teacher Bando learned that Sumakiden had attacked students and said he would ask Tsukishiro to terminate the exam.
• Sakayanagi brought Oreki a towel after his return, then remained beside him.

Oreki and Sakayanagi organized a mass student forfeit to end the Deserted Island exam despite Tsukishiro’s refusal, leaving only three students in the rankings. Tsukishiro learned the next morning that the exam had ended and was stunned by the students’ tactic.

• Tsukishiro rejected a request to end the exam and ordered the suspected Teacher Sumakiden returned while prohibiting further discussion of the attack.
• Ichika Amasawa reported that the plan had failed, and Oreki suggested ending the exam by having the students forfeit.
• Oreki and Sakayanagi arranged for students to be notified and offered fifty thousand points to each student who forfeited.
• Tsukishiro prepared to support Sumakiden in a final attempt to expel Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, believing the mission was nearing completion.
• The next morning, Suma Bando informed Tsukishiro that every student except the top three had forfeited, forcing the exam to end, and sent him the remaining rankings.

After the special exam ended early, Tsukishiro met with Oreki and asked what had happened, paying him for the explanation. Oreki revealed how the students had thwarted Sumakiden and Yagami’s plans, then began to describe some complications they faced.

• Tsukishiro reviewed the exam results as the Class A homeroom teachers reported that the exam and withdrawals were over.
• The students returned to the cruise ship, while Ryuuen’s class counted its earnings from selling supplies.
• Oreki received one million Private Points from Tsukishiro in exchange for ten minutes of his time and met him at Esther's Stocking Hotel.
• Oreki explained that Yagami had approached Ayanokouji, partly revealed Tsukishiro’s offer, and later attacked Komiyama and the others.
• Oreki said Sumakiden had pursued a decoy wearing Ayanokouji’s wristband through the night, while Ayanokouji had already withdrawn and the decoy had returned to the ship.
• Tsukishiro understood that the students had ended the exam to prevent the adults’ planned violence, and Oreki began describing complications they had encountered.

Oreki secured the Points Tsukishiro owed for the exam and arranged to distribute the rewards and compensation among the students. As the gathering began dividing the money, Nagumo challenged the withdrawal compensation plan, leaving the students to negotiate how the funds would be allocated.

• Oreki made Tsukishiro pay the 50,000 Points used to buy off students who withdrew, in addition to the other amounts owed.
• Kōenji met Ayanokouji on the deck, and the two realized they were both waiting for someone.
• Chairman Sakayanagi arrived by helicopter to deal with the violent assault and the failed attempt to expel Ayanokouji.
• Oreki gathered class representatives in the theater and distributed the exam’s rankings, Class Points, Private Points, and withdrawal compensation.
• Nagumo objected to the first-years receiving 50,000 Points each and proposed reducing their compensation to make up for the third-years’ lost early-withdrawal rewards.

The first-year results made Class 1-B the new Class A, while Oreki and the other grade leaders divided the enormous betting profits from the Uninhabited Island exam. Sakayanagi confronted Nagumo about his money, and Oreki reflected on the brutal White Room upbringing that shaped Takuya Yagami and his fixation on Ayanokouji.

• Utsunomiya's class earned third place and 100 class evaluation points, bringing Class 1-B to 850 points and making it the new Class A.
• Oreki divided the exam betting profits among the grade leaders, while Nagumo arranged to pay Kiriyama the promised 10 million Points.
• Sakayanagi arrived with Hashimoto, Kito, and Kamuro and asked Nagumo how many Points he had available, making him uneasy.
• Oreki met Kōenji, who praised his result but said he hoped to compete against him again.
• Oreki considered his growing wealth and recalled the White Room's harsh training, which had shaped Takuya Yagami's drive to surpass Ayanokouji.

Oreki learned that Sakayanagi was arranging a low-cost special exam for the second- and third-years after the school canceled its original plans. Sakayanagi revealed that she was saving up to leave school early, while Oreki avoided Kei’s invitation to visit her room.

• Oreki learned that the first-years’ cruise ship exam had begun and that his class had reached a record 3,568.5 Class Points after the Uninhabited Island exam.
• Kei told Oreki that Sakayanagi had gone with Katsuragi and Kiriyama to discuss a replacement exam, then invited him to her room; Oreki declined.
• Sakayanagi and the teachers agreed on a lower-cost Student Council exam that excluded its members from participation and compensated them with 50,000 Points each.
• Sakayanagi told Kamuro that she wanted to leave school early and was saving for 100 million in cash, with 83 million Private Points already in her account.

Sakayanagi Arisu tried to recruit Masumi Kamuro to withdraw with her, then learned that nearly all the people she had sent had been exposed. Oreki completed his 100-million-point mission and received an Out-of-Body Experience ability, while Ryuuen and Hiyori divided the first-years’ exam earnings and celebrated their gains.

• Sakayanagi Arisu offered Kamuro up to 20 million yen a year for ten years to persuade her to withdraw, but Kamuro resisted after realizing the pay might only arrive in the tenth year.
• Kamuro reported that 99% of the people Sakayanagi had sent were exposed, and Sakayanagi decided to meet the person responsible.
• Oreki completed the mission to earn 100 million in 300 days and received the Out-of-Body Experience ability; the first-years’ special exam ended.
• Ryuuen set aside Oreki’s 50 million points and split the remaining 11 million with Hiyori and the Class 2-C students, then planned to exploit the first-years again.
• Ryuuen invited his classmates to spend money, while Ichika Amasawa noticed people looking toward her from the Cafe and glanced back.

Ichika Amasawa told Sakayanagi Arisu she had been stripped of her White Room status and wanted to live as an ordinary student, while Sakayanagi worried she might pursue Houtarou Oreki. Oreki noticed Horikita Suzune avoiding him and lying about having lunch with Kushida, so he asked her roommate Airi Sakura what had happened.

• Sakayanagi Arisu visited Ichika Amasawa, who said she was no longer a White Room Student and wanted to enjoy an ordinary student life.
• Ichika noticed Sakayanagi's students surveilling her and criticized their disguises; Sakayanagi withdrew most of them but kept Yamamura watching.
• Sakayanagi guessed Ichika might choose the popular Houtarou Oreki to date and worried because he was her boyfriend.
• Oreki invited Horikita Suzune to lunch, but she claimed she had already eaten with Kikyou Kushida.
• Oreki checked with Kushida and learned she was with Ichinose, realizing Horikita had lied and had been avoiding him since the deserted island exam.
• Oreki invited Horikita's roommate, Airi Sakura, to talk, and Airi was surprised to hear that Horikita was avoiding him.

Airi Sakura suggested that Horikita had fallen in love with Oreki and was avoiding him because she had realized it, while Oreki considered how to help her. On the third day, a school notice announced an optional Treasure Hunt Game for the upperclassmen, and Oreki learned that Nagumo had been watching him out of fear that he would take Nagumo’s points.

• Airi Sakura told Oreki that Horikita had once asked her for advice and might now be avoiding him because she had realized she loved him.
• Oreki thanked Sakura, reassured her about her future, and briefly held her hand, making her blush.
• Oreki asked Kikyou Kushida to teach Horikita about love, but Kushida said she did not understand love and questioned whether Oreki had discovered her feelings about Horikita.
• The school announced that an optional Treasure Hunt Game would begin at 10:00, and Oreki confronted a third-year student who had been watching him for Nagumo Miyabi.
• The third-year said Nagumo feared Oreki might take his points, while Oreki read the game rules and suspected the school had replaced a costly upperclassmen exam with the paid-entry event.
• Karuizawa sent Oreki a message.

Oreki attended the Treasure Hunt Game briefing, where Sakayanagi explained the rules and rewards for the optional ship-wide event. As students queued to register, Oreki waited and was asked whether he already had a teammate.

• Oreki went to the cruise ship’s third floor, where Horikita and Ichinose were recording participants; Horikita dropped her Card Reader after meeting his gaze.
• Horikita asked Ichinose whether she had experience with love, and Ichinose wondered if Horikita had realized she liked Oreki.
• Teacher Majima and Sakayanagi introduced the Treasure Hunt Game, explaining its entry fee, QR-code rewards, cross-grade pairs, and three riddles leading to valuable prizes.
• Ichinose told participants to register with Horikita and Kikyou Kushida, pay the fee, and report any rewards they found.
• As students lined up, Oreki waited off to the side, and another Student Council member asked whether he already had a teammate.

Oreki joined Maya Sato as a team for the Treasure Hunt Game while Shiina recruited Ibuki to pursue high-value QR codes. After registering, Oreki noticed Horikita’s feelings for him and decided to give her space; he and Sato then began searching for QR codes in the spa area.

• Shiina persuaded Ibuki to team up, proposing that they search for QR codes linked to the written clues and split any large prize unevenly.
• Kamuro warned Sakayanagi that Oreki was with Sato, but Sakayanagi dismissed Sato as no threat.
• Oreki and Sato registered as a team, with Oreki registering at Kikyou Kushida’s table and Sato at Horikita’s.
• Kikyou Kushida noticed Horikita’s wavering feelings for Oreki, while Oreki decided to give Horikita time and avoid pressuring her.
• Oreki and Sato headed to the spa area to search for QR codes, and Oreki found none in a private room.