Can Jump

Hoshinomiya Chie's signature sweet smile remained on her face, but her eyes held an undeniable certainty as she faced the students' rising questions and outbursts.

"That's right~ (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧" she clasped her hands together and nodded playfully, her voice light yet clear enough to cut through the noise.

"During the exam, you can't return to the ship without a valid reason! You'll be settling down on this lovely little island~ From finding a place to sleep to preparing delicious food, everything will depend on your own clever little brains!"

She counted on her fingers, listing the school's "generosity" as if reciting a familiar tale:

"The school will provide a little help to get you started: each class will receive two tents~ two flashlights~ and a box of matches to start fires for cooking!" she gestured.

"Sunscreen, to protect your delicate skin, is supplied in unlimited quantities! (´▽`ʃƪ) Toothbrushes, one per person, so take care of your teeth~" Her gaze swept over the female students, her tone becoming more considerate.

"As a special consideration, sanitary products needed by the girls are also supplied with-- no limits! If you need them, just quietly tell your homeroom teacher! That's all~☆"

The two words, "That's all," fell lightly, yet they struck everyone's hearts like a massive boulder—it meant that besides these items, not even a slice of bread or a drop of water would be provided!

"What the—!!!" Ike Kanji's scream instantly tore through the fragile peace on the beach. He jumped up like a cat with its tail stepped on, waving his arms, his face turning bright red.

"What kind of joke is this! Real uninhabited island survival? This isn't a hot-blooded shonen manga! Two tents? Who are they supposed to sleep in! What about food? What about drinking water?! This is impossible! Absolutely impossible! I don't believe it!!!" he yelled hoarsely, as if trying to shatter this absurd reality.

The scenarios he painted—hunting beasts, bathing in rivers, making wooden beds—these plot points that existed only in movies, had actually become their "exam"? This was simply a fantasy!

However, Hoshinomiya's sweet smile didn't waver in the slightest, showing no intention of "correcting the joke."

"You say you can't believe it?" she tilted her head, her tone carrying a hint of innocent confusion. "This is simply because the paths you've walked aren't long enough, and the world you've seen isn't wide enough~" She raised a finger and said seriously, "In fact, there are real corporations that throw their employees onto uninhabited islands for an 'ordeal of love'! And not just any company, but a super—powerful one that's known worldwide! They train their talent this way!"

"Ugh—that's completely different!" Ike was speechless, his face turning even redder, only able to refute futilely. "That situation was too special! It was an exception! This is a school! It's an exam! This is too unrealistic! Absolutely impossible!"

"Enough!" A cold reprimand interrupted Ike's hysterics.

Chabashira Sae, crossing her arms, her eyes sharp as blades, said, "Continuing to make a scene will only make you look more pathetic. Hoshinomiya-sensei is only stating a part of reality."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a powerful oppressive force, instantly silencing Ike. "The world is vast, and there are all sorts of wonders. Offices without chairs, companies that decide salaries by dice roll… reality is always broader and more complex than your impoverished imagination."

Her gaze swept coldly over Ike, finally settling on his face, her words like a cold verdict: "The one who cannot distinguish between reality and unreality is yourself."

Since it was their homeroom teacher saying it, there must be some truth to it. Now, he truly couldn't tell what was real.

Although suppressed by Chabashira, the students' dissatisfaction didn't dissipate. Murmurs and discontented glances filled the crowd.

"Sensei!" a relatively calm voice rang out, from a student in another class. "Even for corporate training, you wouldn't lure people under the guise of a 'vacation' and then conduct it like this, would you? Isn't this practice fraud?" This rebuttal, based on "justification," hit the nail on the head.

"Mhm~ You make a very good point!" Hoshinomiya didn't refute this time, but instead nodded in agreement, her expression softening slightly. She understood the anger brought on by the feeling of being deceived.

"Regarding this point, your thoughts are correct. I completely understand why everyone is dissatisfied~"

Ike's loss of control stemmed from the panic of survival, while this student's question directly addressed the legitimacy of the school's actions—these were two entirely different kinds of "dissatisfaction."

"But~ everyone, please rest assured!" Hoshinomiya's tone shifted, becoming full of energy again as she spread her arms.

"If this were an exam forcing everyone into hellish training, then criticism would be understandable! But—" she deliberately lengthened her tone and blinked, "—even if it's called a 'Special Examination,' you don't need to think of it as that scary or profound!"

She painted an enticing picture: "Starting from now, for a week, you can swim and play in the azure ocean~ You can have a delicious barbecue party on the beach~ And at night, you can gather around a bonfire, sharing stories and laughter with friends! (◕‿◕✿)"

She spread her arms as if to embrace the blue sky and sea. "The theme of this Special Examination is—'Freedom'!"

"Huh? Freedom? An exam… freedom?" Some students were completely bewildered, their minds feeling tied in knots. "We can play? We can barbecue? Then… is this still an exam? My brain… is going to explode…"

The intense clash between the concepts of free play and a serious exam pushed the students' confusion to its peak.

"That's right!" Hoshinomiya nodded vigorously, her smile brilliant. "As your pass for this Uninhabited Island Adventure, first—" she raised her voice, "Each class will receive 300 points of super—precious Exam Points! As long as you utilize these points well, you can spend this week happily, just like enjoying a real Dream Trip! To help you achieve your wishes, we've also thoughtfully prepared a thick Handbook! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

She took a booklet, dozens of pages thick, from another teacher and held it up high, shaking it.

"This 'Magic Handbook' lists all the treasures you can exchange points for! Daily necessities like drinking water and delicious food go without saying~"

She flipped open the booklet, her finger quickly scanning the pages. "Want to barbecue? We have a full set of grills and fresh ingredients! Want to play in the water? Snorkel Gear, surfboards, we have it all! We even have preparations for a small Beach Party if you want one! (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧"

As her tempting descriptions continued, cracks finally began to appear on the students' tense faces, seriousness replaced by curiosity and a hint of expectation.

So, they could really "buy" anything with points?

"In other words…" a student cautiously confirmed, "as long as we spend points, we can get anything we want? Like at a Resort?"

"Bingo! Correct!" Hoshinomiya snapped her fingers playfully. "As long as you plan properly and budget carefully, spending a relaxing and enjoyable week is entirely possible! Of course, as it's an exam, there are still some basic rules to follow when living together,"

She waved her hand, her tone as relaxed as if discussing game rules. "But don't worry, they're all easy things to do, not difficult at all!"

"Then… if we really just play for a week, is that okay?" another student still couldn't quite believe it.

"Of course—it's okay!" Hoshinomiya drew out the cute ending syllable. "I already said it's 'Freedom'! How you want to play is entirely up to your own Choice! (◕‿◕✿)"

Just as the students were almost convinced by the blueprint of this "Freedom Vacation" and the atmosphere was gradually easing, Hoshinomiya suddenly changed the subject, dropping the real bombshell:

"Ah, right, right! There's one very important thing I need to tell everyone—" her voice held a hint of mysterious excitement. "At the end of this Special Examination, the remaining points for each class will be added—entirely, without a single point left—to your Class Points! This grand gift will officially take effect after the Summer Vacation!"

A sudden gust of sea breeze swept across the scorching beach, kicking up fine sand that stung the students' faces and legs.

Hoshinomiya's announcement, like this gust of wind, instantly swept through everyone's minds, delivering the strongest impact of the day!

"Points… added to Class Points…?" After a brief dead silence, someone murmured.

"So… if we can resist spending, or spend very little…" another voice followed, trembling with disbelief.

"Starting next month… our Personal Points… will skyrocket?!" Ike Kanji's eyes instantly erupted with fervent light, his previous panic replaced by immense greed, his voice trembling with excitement!

"Each class only gets one handbook!" Hoshinomiya added at the opportune moment, shaking the booklet in her hand. "If you lose it, you can get a replacement, but it will cost points, so you must guard it like a treasure!"

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of appropriate regret. "Also, a student from Class B couldn't come this time because they were feeling unwell… According to the rules, withdrawing from the exam deducts thirty points. So, Class B students, you have to work hard! Your adventure begins with two hundred and seventy points! (◞‸◟)"