After Hoshinomiya-sensei announced that she had finished explaining the rules, she hummed an unfamiliar tune, waved the Cat Flag, and strolled over to a nearby coconut tree. She found a shady spot to sit down, pulled out a small pair of binoculars, and watched with interest as the other classes began their discussions. A smile spread across her face as she settled in to enjoy the show, leaving the students of Class B to work through the pressure on their own.
As soon as the teacher left, the air within Class B's circle seemed to grow even heavier, as though invisible threads were tangling around everyone. The sea breeze no longer brought refreshing coolness; instead, it carried a stifling heat and an indescribable unease. The waves still rolled in rhythmically, but now they sounded like a countdown.
"Three hundred Points... It sounds like a lot, but when you think about it, how much does that come to per person each day? We still have to buy food and water, and if anyone gets sick and needs extra supplies, or a tent breaks..." Shiratori Chihiro counted on her fingers, speaking quietly. The more she calculated, the more deeply her brow furrowed, her voice full of worry about the unknown.
"And drinking water is crucial, right? The manual says there might be a Freshwater Source on the island, but it doesn't guarantee we'll find one or tell us what the water quality is like. If we can't find one, and have to buy all our water, we'll burn through our Points fast." Another girl chimed in, her gaze drifting toward the dense forest, which looked rich in resources but was full of unknowns and potential dangers. Her voice wavered.
"The most important and troublesome thing is that Leader Guessing Game, right?" Hamaguchi Tetsuya folded his arms, his expression more serious than ever. "Earning points by capturing a base is great, but the leader has to show up in person. The more activities we take part in, the greater the risk of being exposed. If they guess the leader correctly, not only do we lose 50 Points, but all the points we painstakingly earned from our bases get wiped out! That's one hell of a risk-to-reward ratio... It's like walking a tightrope." He voiced what many others were worried about.
"And the toilet... There's only one..." Shibata Kaede tried to break the gloom with his usual cheerfulness, but even he scratched his head hard, looking awkward as he brought up this very real problem. "That setup really puts us to the test, huh? Especially in the morning and at night..." A few girls blushed and glared at him, but the mood eased a little. After all, it was a practical problem they couldn't avoid.
The faint anxiety spread like tiny ripples, gathering into larger waves that washed through Class B. Everyone looked from one person to the next, seeing the same confusion in each other's eyes: they were anticipating a difficult week ahead and didn't quite know what to do. Unease began to spread in the absence of a clear direction.
"Everyone," Ichinose Honami said, taking in their reactions. She drew a deep breath, her face blooming with her usual warm and resolute smile, like sunlight breaking through the clouds. Her clear voice reached every ear. "It's okay! The rules sound a little complicated and strict, but that's exactly why we need to stick together and stay calm while we talk things through, right? First of all, we absolutely can't panic! We're Class B!"
Her smile and words seemed to have a remarkable power to soothe and unite. Like an anchor, they calmed the students' agitation and anxiety, and their attention returned to her as they waited for her next instructions.
"By the way," Ichinose said, looking around at everyone and raising a practical question that needed an answer right away, "before we start, we should figure out what experience we have. Has anyone in our class ever been camping or taken part in anything similar outdoors? Even a little experience would help, like putting up a tent or starting a campfire. Any experience at all could give us some valuable ideas and help."
Kanzaki Ryuji paused to think, then spoke first in a steady voice. "I once took part in a three-day Mountain Summer Camp organized by the school. I've put up group tents, cooked outdoors with assigned stoves, and planned a Hiking Route. However," he added, objectively and calmly, "we had plenty of support back then. The organizers provided food, drinking water, and equipment; we were there mainly to learn and get some experience. Compared with this Survival Exam, where we're starting from almost nothing and have to make our own decisions and bear the risks, my past experience may offer very little practical help, especially with acquiring resources and managing risks."
Everyone nodded. Kanzaki's experience was valuable and worth learning from, but it would be hard to apply fully to the truly deserted island before them, where they would have to rely on themselves. The small glimmer of hope they'd just found seemed to dim again.
Just then, Shimiya Kuki silently held out his hand to Ichinose once more. Ichinose was briefly taken aback, then immediately understood and handed him the thick Guide Manual without hesitation. Shimiya took it and said nothing. He went straight to a quieter spot on the outskirts of the group, turned his back on the noisy crowd, and quickly flipped through it again. His movements were highly efficient, his fingers darting precisely over the pages as his focused gaze swept across the dense text, charts, and appendices. He seemed to be checking some key details or looking for anything he might have missed during his earlier quick read. His calm, solitary figure stood in sharp contrast to the restless, bewildered atmosphere around him, as if he were surrounded by an invisible "do not disturb" barrier.
Watching Shimiya's focused back as he studied the manual, Shibata Kaede suddenly seemed to be struck by lightning. He slapped his thigh. "Oh, right! If we're talking about real wilderness survival experience..." As he spoke loudly, he pointed without hesitation at the boy who seemed completely absorbed in his own world.
Hearing this, Ichinose and the others followed Shibata's gaze without thinking, and they all turned to look at Shimiya Kuki. A dozen pairs of eyes instantly fixed on his back.
Perhaps sensing the sudden weight of all those gazes, Shimiya Kuki closed the manual and turned around smoothly. His expression was perfectly calm as he met their curious, expectant looks. "I don't think I ever told you I had that kind of experience."
"No, no, you never told me!" Shibata quickly waved his hands to set the record straight, but his face wore a smile of almost blind certainty. He nodded firmly, trying to explain his intuition. "It's just that whenever I see how unflappable you are, no matter what happens, and how you seem to know a little about everything, I get this feeling that you could handle wilderness survival too. That's it! It seems like there's nothing you can't deal with! It's a trust based on years of observation!"
"Yeah, now that Shibata mentions it, I feel the same way." "Shimiya-kun just seems so reliable." "It feels like he can do a little of everything." The other students seemed to reach the same conclusion and nodded in agreement, their expectant looks growing more obvious. Ichinose blinked her bright blue eyes, her long lashes fluttering as she gazed at Shimiya with curiosity and hope. Her gentle smile was encouraging, as if she were waiting for him to say something that would put everyone at ease.
Shimiya Kuki's calm gaze moved across the eyes filled with trust, dependence, and expectation. He was silent for a moment beneath their unspoken, collective plea. The sea breeze lifted a few strands of dark hair from his forehead. At last, he spoke in a flat voice. "All right. I do have some wilderness survival experience."
"See? I told you Shimiya was versatile!" Shibata Kaede was suddenly bursting with pride, almost jumping for joy, as if he himself had discovered Shimiya's talent. He was even happier than if he'd learned the skill himself.
"It just so happens I've had some experience and learned a few things about it," Shimiya said, his voice still as flat as water. He promptly interrupted Shibata's overenthusiastic praise and tempered the others' expectations. "I don't know how to do everything. Nobody does. I may just be able to offer some advice on basic survival." He stated the facts calmly, drawing a clear line.
But that was enough. For Class B, who desperately needed direction and expert guidance, it was a ray of light in the darkness.
A bright, decisive gleam flashed in Ichinose Honami's eyes. She took a deep breath, then turned to the whole class and made her suggestion in a clear, resolute voice full of trust. "Everyone! I think we should leave the planning and decisions to Shimiya-kun from now on! For this exam, I believe the best choice is to have him serve as our leader and commander. I'm sure nobody objects, right?"
"No objections! I completely agree!"
"Agreed! We can trust Shimiya-kun!"
"Thank goodness! Having Shimiya in charge makes me feel like we have a real plan!"
"Exactly! He's the best person to lead us!"
Class B answered almost as one, their anxiety and confusion replaced by the relief and excitement of having found a reliable leader. In this extreme environment, Shimiya Kuki's usual calm, decisiveness, and analytical skill, along with the newly confirmed fact that he "happened" to have survival experience, seemed especially reassuring and invaluable.
Ichinose turned around and clasped her hands in front of her chest, giving Shimiya Kuki a radiant smile, full of sincere gratitude and earnest appeal. "Everyone trusts you! Then it's settled, Shimiya-kun! We'll be counting on you for the next seven days! Lead us through this and help us get a great result! o(^▽^)o"
Every eye was on Shimiya Kuki. His expression remained unchanged. He neither refused the sudden responsibility nor showed any excitement. He simply looked back at Ichinose and the others with calm eyes, then gave a slight nod, accepting the heavy burden.
"First," he said, wasting no time before taking charge. His steady voice carried a convincing strength that immediately commanded everyone's attention. "We need to decide on the location of our Base Camp. It will be our starting point for surviving, resting, defending ourselves, and carrying out all our activities over the next seven days. We need to consider several factors, including water, terrain, safety, sunlight, and protection from the wind. We can't be careless. Before we move there, we also need to take stock of all our Basic Supplies and distribute them."
He raised the Guide Manual in his hand. "The map of the island in the manual is rough, but it marks the approximate locations of several areas that might be suitable for camping. Let's get ready and head out."
With an undisputed leader in place, Class B's struggle to survive on the deserted island had officially begun. An invisible sense of unity began to replace their initial listlessness and anxiety.
Before you continue