The Exam Called "Freedom"

When Majima-sensei said "Special Exam," it was like a boulder crashing into a tranquil lake, sending a thousand waves rippling across the crowded beach. The air, which had been filled with the excitement of a vacation, seemed to drain away in an instant, replaced by speechless shock and rapidly spreading panic. Whispered conversations surged like a tide, drowning out the soft sound of the waves.

"Huh? A Special Exam? What's going on? Did I hear that right?"

"Here? Now? You've got to be kidding!"

"Weren't we here for a trip to the island? Why has it suddenly turned into an exam?"

"Majima-sensei... are you serious? That doesn't sound funny at all..."

Majima-sensei's calm, imposing voice rang out over the loudspeakers again, easily suppressing the commotion.

"The exam will last one week, starting now, and will end precisely at noon on August 7. You will spend the entire week ahead living as a group on this deserted island beneath your feet. That, in itself, is the entire exam." His sharp gaze slowly swept over the young faces below him, each marked with confusion, tension, and even helplessness, before he continued. "I'd also like to make one thing clear in advance: the framework for this exam was based on real corporate wilderness survival and team-building programs. This is no game. It is highly practical and realistic."

"Realistic...?" A boy from Class C cried out before he could stop himself, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Does that mean... we really have to survive here on our own, like we're stranded in the wilderness, for a whole week?"

"Precisely." Majima-sensei's confirmation was cold and blunt, leaving no room for argument.

"B-but we don't have anything! How are we supposed to survive?" Another voice rose in obvious panic, prompting a chorus of uneasy agreement from those nearby.

"To start, the school will provide each class with basic supplies: two tents, two flashlights, and a box of matches." Majima-sensei listed them in a calm, businesslike tone. "In addition, sunscreen is available without restriction. For personal hygiene, each of you will be given a toothbrush. As an exception, female students may request menstrual products without limit. Please submit your specific requests to your Class Advisor. That is the minimum level of support the school will provide for your survival."

The list was like a bucket of cold water to the face. Even the usually optimistic and close-knit Class B saw the mood plummet. Ichinose Honami bit her lower lip without realizing it, her delicate brows drawn together, her bright blue eyes brimming with unprecedented worry. She instinctively looked around at her classmates—Shiratori Chihiro nervously twisted her fingers, the tips turning pale; Shibata Kaede, normally so cheerful and sunny, had lost her smile, his lips pressed tight as he stared gravely toward the distant forest; even Kanzaki Ryuji, usually as steady as a mountain, unconsciously pushed up his glasses, his gaze sharp and wary behind the lenses as he clearly calculated the possibilities at a rapid pace. The crushing pressure made Ichinose's heart race. She opened her mouth, but for a moment couldn't think of what to say to reassure everyone.

Just then, her gaze happened to fall on Shimiya Kuki beside her. The boy still stood tall, his profile hard-edged and his expression as calm as ever. His deep eyes were like an ancient well, without the slightest ripple, as though he'd just heard an ordinary forecast about tomorrow's weather. Amid the panic all around them, his absolute composure seemed strangely out of place, yet it was like a solid rock resting beneath the water, bringing an inexplicable sense of calm. Looking into his inscrutable eyes, Ichinose felt her wildly beating heart ease a little. It was as if he had silently taken on part of the heavy worry weighing on her chest.

"Come on, come on~ Don't make such scary faces, everyone!" A lively voice, utterly at odds with the somber mood, suddenly broke the silence. Hoshinomiya Chie-sensei bounced to the front of Class B's group like a light-footed butterfly, still wearing her trademark smile, so sweet and sunny it seemed untouched by a cloud. She did her best to chase away the gloom hanging over her students. "Don't worry! Your teacher will be staying on the island with you, too! The rules say I can't help you directly, of course~ But I'll support you with all my heart and spirit! One hundred percent energy! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧" She clenched her fists and made an intensely encouraging gesture, trying to ignite their fighting spirit. "Besides! I believe in every single one of my Class B kids! As long as we stick together and help each other out, this little adventure is sure to become an amazing memory! We'll be just fine! Have confidence!"

Hoshinomiya-sensei's infectious encouragement had some effect. The frost on the faces of Class B's students began to thaw. As they exchanged glances, a faint glimmer returned to their eyes, along with a renewed resolve to face the challenge together.

Majima-sensei picked up the thread at the right moment. His tone seemed imperceptibly softer than before. "Still, there's no need to be too pessimistic. If this exam forced you to endure extremely harsh survival conditions, it would be entirely reasonable for people outside the school to criticize it. However, its core isn't simply wilderness survival." He shifted his approach, trying to guide the students' thinking. "Even though this is a Special Exam, you don't need to imagine it as excessively difficult or complicated. As long as you follow the established rules, you're allowed to go swimming at the beach or have a barbecue during the coming week. Occasionally building a campfire and sitting around it to chat with your friends and deepen your bonds is also encouraged."

He paused to let his words sink in, then clearly and emphatically stated the central theme of the exam:

"The true theme of this Special Exam is... 'freedom.'"

"Freedom?" Confused and doubtful voices immediately rose from the students below. At that moment, the word seemed so contradictory.

"That's right. Freedom." Majima-sensei repeated his answer. "And to support that 'freedom,' as a fundamental condition of holding this Special Exam on a deserted island, we will first give each class three hundred Exam Specific Points."

"Points?" The word, so closely tied to every student's personal interests, immediately drew everyone's attention like a magnet, introducing a touch of practical concern to the tense atmosphere.

"That's right." Majima-sensei's voice carried a guiding emphasis. "If you plan and use these initial Points wisely," he said, looking around at them, "you may be able to spend these seven days of the Special Exam as if you were on a real vacation. To that end, the School Administration has also prepared an extremely detailed Guide Manual."

As he spoke, he took a fairly thick booklet, dozens of pages long, from another teacher beside him and held it high so everyone could see.

"This Guide Manual lists in detail all the items you can obtain in exchange for Points. Drinking water and all kinds of food are, of course, included. If you want to hold a barbecue, the school offers a full service, from grills and charcoal to all kinds of ingredients. We've also prepared a complete range of equipment for enjoying the ocean, such as various kinds of swim rings, snorkeling masks and snorkels, and even beach volleyballs and nets."

"In other words—" A cool-headed boy from Class A spoke up from the crowd, his voice measured and analytical. "—as long as we use the three hundred initial Points wisely, we can get anything listed in the manual that we need, right?" The speaker was Katsuragi Kohei.

"In theory, that's correct." Majima-sensei gave him a clear answer. "As long as you use your Points wisely, you can obtain any of the items listed in the manual. Of course," he added, his tone shifting to a necessary warning, "that will require careful planning and making the most of every resource. But overall, the exam has been designed so that each class can get through the week without excessive difficulty, provided they come up with a sound, reasonable plan. Points are the only currency you can use here to buy 'freedom' and sustain your lives."

Majima-sensei's voice grew more serious as he delivered the most crucial information. "At the end of this Special Exam, the Points remaining to each class," he deliberately slowed down, making sure every word landed heavily on the students, "will be converted into Class Points at a one-to-one rate and added directly to your class's total for this term. The final results will be officially calculated and reflected after summer break."

His words were like cold water splashed into boiling oil, setting off an explosive reaction. Class Points! They directly and fundamentally affected the Personal Points paid out to each student every month—the money they depended on to live! All their hazy thoughts about "freedom" and "enjoying a vacation" shattered in an instant, and everyone realized the truth: this was a ruthless competition over resource allocation! Careful budgeting and saving as many Points as possible had instantly become the core strategy, affecting everyone's quality of life and their class ranking. The tension in the air surged, now tinged with the unmistakable scent of competition.

"Additionally," Majima-sensei raised his voice again, drowning out the buzz of discussion, "there is the matter of the traveler who is absent for unavoidable reasons: Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A. Under the rules of the Special Exam, if a student withdraws for a legitimate reason such as poor health, their class will be penalized thirty base Points. Therefore, Class A will begin this Special Exam with two hundred and seventy Points."

"Each class will receive only one Guide Manual. Although you may request a replacement if it is lost, you will have to pay additional Points for it, so please take good care of it." His gaze deliberately swept over Class A's group. "Even Class A is not exempt from the rules."

Behind Katsuragi Kohei's steady figure, Class A's students mostly remained composed, but a shadow of concern and gloom inevitably crossed many of their eyes. Losing thirty Points right from the start meant they were already behind every other class before the exam had even begun, putting them at an inherent disadvantage. The other classes' students, especially those from Class B and Class D, were surprised when they heard this unexpected "good news," and their expressions grew complicated. There was some relief, some subtle sympathy for Class A's situation, but above all, they quickly began reassessing and revising their own class strategies.

"That concludes my remarks," Majima-sensei announced at last. "Next, each class's Class Advisor will explain the detailed rules of the exam, how the internal groups will be divided, and the specific rules for managing Points. Now, dismiss by class!"

When he said "dismiss," the taut string on the beach didn't loosen. Instead, it was replaced by a much more intense and practical buzz of calculations and discussion. The students immediately crowded around their respective Class Advisors. The ease and anticipation they'd felt when arriving on the island had vanished from their faces, replaced by caution, anxiety, deep thought, and an eager determination to plan how to use their three hundred—or two hundred and seventy—Points of survival capital.

The setting sun cast its final rays across the white beach, painting it a brilliant gold and crimson, while the sea breeze continued to stir the palm leaves. Yet the air on this deserted island had changed completely. Freedom had never been a gift without a price. The brutal competition and pressure to survive hidden beneath the calm surface of this Special Exam called "freedom" had only just revealed the tip of the iceberg to these young men and women.