Observation

Under Shimiya Kuki's command, Class B quickly and orderly checked the basic supplies provided by the School Administration, sorting the tents, sleeping bags, toolboxes, and other items into categories. Everyone shouldered their own packs. Though their faces still showed some anxiety about the unknown, they now had a clearer sense of direction than they had at first.

"Let's go," Shimiya said succinctly.

Class B's group began moving along the coastline. Shimiya Kuki led from the front, his sharp eyes scanning the terrain, vegetation, and tracks in the sand ahead. Ichinose Honami followed close behind, smiling encouragingly at everyone. She had even produced a little flag bearing the Cute Cat Pattern from who knew where—most likely something Hoshinomiya-sensei had secretly slipped her—and was waving it energetically, as if they were heading out on a pleasant picnic rather than taking a grueling Survival Exam.

At the rear of the group, Hoshinomiya Chie-sensei watched the students' retreating figures, her smile growing ever brighter. She vigorously waved an even bigger cat flag that she had somehow produced, her voice carrying over the sea breeze, full of energy and the excitement of watching a show. "Good luck, all you adorable Class B cuties! Sensei will be watching over you from here (through binoculars)! Stick together and do your best to survive! Don't be afraid if you run into trouble—just remember to press your watches! Of course, unless the rules allow it, Sensei won't be able to help! Fight, okay! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧" Her gleefully troublemaking tone dispelled much of the sadness of parting, leaving everyone unsure whether to laugh or cry.

The group continued along the coastline. The white sand was fine and soft, leaving shallow footprints underfoot that were soon smoothed away by the incoming tide. To their right stretched the boundless blue sea, its gentle waves glittering in the sunlight like scattered gold. To their left, the terrain gradually rose, and dense Tropical Vegetation spread out from the edge of the beach, forming a green barrier. Coconut palms, palm trees, and broad-leaved plants whose names they didn't know grew together, while the air carried the salty scent of seawater and the fresh fragrance of plants. Occasionally, the calls of unknown birds sounded from the woods.

Shimiya Kuki kept up an unhurried pace, slow enough to keep the group from spreading out too much but fast enough to survey their surroundings efficiently. From time to time, he would stop to check the soil moisture where the beach met the woods or look into the distance, judging whether there might be a suitable water source or campsite ahead.

After about half an hour, Shimiya Kuki suddenly stopped. He raised a hand, signaling for the group behind him to halt.

"All right, let's make this our base," he said, turning to address Class B.

Everyone followed his gesture and looked ahead. The view opened up before them.

Not far away, a waterfall like a Silver Ribbon plunged down a cliff. Its volume wasn't particularly great, but the current was swift as it crashed into a pool below with a clear, rushing roar, sending countless sparkling droplets into the air. Sunlight refracted through them, creating tiny rainbows. The pool was crystal clear, and its overflow formed a shallow stream that wound its way into the sea. The air around the waterfall was especially cool and humid, as if the place came with its own cooling effect.

Perhaps thanks to the nourishment of the Stable Water Source, the trees around the waterfall were exceptionally sturdy and lush, their broad crowns spread out like canopies that provided plenty of shade. Their arrangement was also somewhat unusual, as though shaped by some kind of Human Intervention. They formed a natural semicircle that partially enclosed the waterfall and pool, while the outer edge connected seamlessly to an Open Beach. The site also offered water, shade, and a clear view.

Most importantly, on a Flat Open Space beside the waterfall stood an unmistakably out-of-place Silver-Gray Mechanical Facility. Its simple shape bore a distinct industrial design, and it seemed to have indicator lights and a display screen. There was no doubt about it: this was a base set up by the School Administration.

"Wow, there's a waterfall!" "It's so cool here!" "And there's already a base set up!" Class B's students let out a small cheer, excitement and relief showing on their faces.

Under Shimiya's direction, everyone temporarily set their luggage down in a cool, dry spot near the edge of the woods. Then they quickly gathered around him, waiting for their new commander's next instructions.

"I've used my watch to notify Hoshinomiya-sensei of our location. She's on her way," Shimiya said, raising his wrist to show them. His gaze swept over the group. "Next, before Sensei and I confirm the Base Camp location and collect the Key Card, Ichinose and I will go into the woods nearby to gather Dry Firewood for tonight's campfire."

He paused, then changed tack, putting forward a question that called for a group decision. "The rest of you should use this time to think and discuss together how Class B ought to allocate and spend our initial three hundred Points. Also, how many Points should we aim to retain by the end of this exam?"

The students looked at one another. Someone soon spoke up. "Shimiya-kun, you can decide. We'll follow your lead!"

"Yeah, you have more experience. Just use them however you think is best."

"We all trust your judgment."

Shimiya Kuki shook his head, his tone calm but firm. "No. This isn't an exam for me alone. Everyone here should have a say in how we use the Points. I want you all to be clear about your own opinions and discuss them thoroughly. My responsibility is to consider everyone's views, refine them, and ultimately decide on the most reasonable Action Plan for what we do next."

With that, he said no more and headed straight for the nearby woods, making sure to signal Ichinose with a glance as he went.

Ichinose immediately understood. She gave the students, who were still processing Shimiya's words, an encouraging "Do your best!" gesture, then jogged after the boy who had already entered the woods.

The woods were dimmer than the area outside, and the air was more humid. Thick layers of fallen leaves and humus covered the ground.

"Ichinose, let's split up and gather some dry branches nearby. We'll pile them together and carry them back all at once," Shimiya Kuki said, swiftly picking up a few suitable branches from the ground with efficient, precise movements.

"Sure!" Ichinose followed his example and began gathering branches, though her mind was clearly still on what had just happened. "Kuki-kun! By the way, why didn't we discuss it with everyone? Wouldn't it be better to talk it over together?"

Shimiya didn't stop working as he calmly explained. "When a group reaches a certain size, especially when there's a clear leader present, people are prone to 'Obey Authority.' There are surely classmates who want to endure things and save as many Points as possible, but there are also those who want to enjoy the vacation to some extent and improve their living conditions. If the two of us were there for the discussion, most of them would instinctively prioritize our opinions. Those with different views who might not be as confident would suppress what they really think, choosing to stay silent or simply agree. That wouldn't help us understand what people actually want, and it could create problems when we put our plans into practice later."

"Ah...I hadn't thought of any of that..." Ichinose suddenly understood, then looked a little guilty. "Everyone really does seem to rarely express opinions that differ from others... Could it be because of me...?" She seemed worried that this had happened because she was too controlling in the past.

But soon, she began worrying about something else. "Still, if we let them discuss it on their own, won't they end up arguing? I'm really worried they'll fall out!"

"They won't," Shimiya said with complete confidence. "Someone will step in at the right time, guide the discussion, and work hard to find a compromise that both sides can accept. The argument won't be allowed to continue."

Ichinose immediately thought of someone. "Do you mean Kanzaki-kun?" As another member of Class B's brains, he was always calm and logical, and good at analyzing things. He really was the best person to keep the discussion orderly.

"Mm," Shimiya confirmed.

Only then did Ichinose truly relax, smiling with relief. "If it's Kanzaki-kun, then it should be fine!"

Just then, Shimiya Kuki abruptly stopped gathering wood, fixing his gaze on an unusually tall tree nearby with evenly spaced branches. Before Ichinose could react, he took a running start and climbed the trunk using both hands and feet, nimble as a monkey. His ascent was swift and steady, and within a few breaths he had reached the top.

"Kuki-kun?!" Ichinose stared up at him in shock, covering her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out.

Shimiya Kuki steadied himself atop the tree and gazed into the distance, quickly imprinting the surrounding terrain on his mind—the mountains far away, other possible beaches, and the density of the forest—forming a three-dimensional map. Finally, he lifted his gaze to the blue sky, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, as if studying the clouds or something else.

"Is there something different about the sky?" Ichinose called up from below, puzzled, trying to see what Shimiya was looking at.

At her voice, Shimiya withdrew his gaze. He didn't answer her question about the sky right away, instead sliding down the tree just as quickly and neatly, landing lightly on the ground as though the dangerous scene had been an illusion.

"No, nothing in particular," he said, casually brushing the question aside.

Ichinose was clearly still too shocked to recover. She looked him up and down, unable to stop herself from blurting out, "By the way, Kuki-kun...are you secretly in the Special Forces or some kind of secret agent?" His climbing ability had been far beyond that of an ordinary high school student.

Shimiya glanced at her and gave a seemingly reasonable explanation without batting an eye. "A lot of kids who grew up in the Rural Mountains can climb trees like that."

"R-really?" Ichinose blinked, unconvinced. Shimiya's movements had been so smooth, full of the strength and efficiency of someone who had been thoroughly trained, that they hardly seemed like something a country kid could manage.

"We've gathered enough wood," Shimiya said, looking at the small pile of branches they had collected and ending the discussion about climbing trees. "We should head back. They've probably reached some initial conclusions by now."

"Oh, okay!" Ichinose nodded at once.

Each of them gathered an armful of Dry Firewood, then turned toward Waterfall Camp. Only the rustle of their footsteps and the waterfall's ceaseless roar remained in the woods.