The Price of Victory

On the way back to camp, the students of Class D were immersed in the joy of victory. Laughter and chatter echoed through the forest, and even their weary steps felt much lighter.

But Hanyu Xiuyi's mood grew heavier and heavier. He walked at the tail of the group, occasionally turning back to observe the forest behind them. It was too quiet—quiet in an unnatural way.

"You feel it too?" Horikita Suzune walked up beside him, her black hair gleaming with a dull luster in the twilight.

"Yeah." Hanyu nodded. "Ryuen's not the type to take a loss and just give up. He's definitely planning something."

"Then what do we do?"

"Speed up. Get back to camp as fast as possible," Hanyu said. "Open ground is safer than the forest."

He quickly walked to the front of the group and said to Hirata Yousuke, "Tell everyone to pick up the pace. It's getting dark, and the forest isn't safe."

Hirata nodded and immediately organized the group to quicken their steps. But burdened with a large amount of supplies and several injured students, their speed was ultimately limited.

The sky grew darker, and fog began to rise in the forest. A thin mist spread among the trees, gradually reducing visibility.

"Everyone, stay close!" Sudo Ken shouted from the front. "Don't get separated!"

Just then, a sudden cry of alarm came from the side of the group. It was Sakura Airi's voice.

"What's wrong?" Hanyu immediately rushed over.

"There, there's someone..." Sakura pointed trembling into the depths of the fog. "I think I saw a figure..."

Everyone tensed up. In the mist, several blurry figures were indeed shifting.

"From Class C?" Sudo tightened his grip on the wooden stick.

"Don't know." Hanyu said calmly. "Everyone, gather together. Don't split up. Sudo, Hirata, you two watch the flanks. The rest of you, keep moving."

The group continued forward in a tense atmosphere. But they hadn't gone far before the scout at the front came running back in a panic.

"Bad news! The path is blocked!"

"What?"

"There's a fallen tree up ahead, plus a pile of stones. The road is completely blocked!"

Hanyu's heart sank. This was clearly man-made. Ryuen indeed had another trick up his sleeve.

"Can we go around?"

"There are steep slopes on both sides. Can't get around." The scout shook his head. "We'll have to clear it or turn back."

Clearing it would take time, and it was about to get dark. Turning back meant having to cross this dangerous forest again.

Hanyu Xiuyi thought quickly. Just then, Ayanokoji Kiyonaga walked up beside him and said in a low voice, "I don't think this is just about blocking the road."

"What do you mean?"

"If the goal was to stop us from getting back to camp, blocking the road is effective," Ayanokoji said. "But if the goal was to ambush us, blocking the road would actually make us more alert."

"So?"

"So there might be another purpose." Ayanokoji looked into the depths of the fog. "Like... steering us in a certain direction."

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion suddenly came from the woods on the left. Several figures rushed out of the mist and threw something toward the group.

"Watch out!" Sudo Ken shouted.

Several round objects rolled into the middle of the group, bursting with a bang and releasing a pungent odor and thick smoke.

"Smoke bombs!" someone yelled.

The thick smoke spread rapidly, reducing visibility to nearly zero. Coughing and screams erupted all around.

"Everyone, don't move!" Hanyu shouted loudly. "Crouch down where you are! Cover your mouth and nose! Sudo, Hirata, guard both ends of the group!"

The chaos lasted about a minute. When the smoke gradually cleared, Hanyu Xiuyi immediately took a headcount.

"Is everyone here? Sound off!"

The students began to count off. One, two, three... thirty-eight, thirty-nine.

"One's missing!" Hanyu's heart tightened. "Who didn't report?"

"It's... it's Sakura!" Kushida Kikyo said in a panic. "Sakura Airi is gone!"

"What?" Hanyu's expression changed. "When did she disappear?"

"When the smoke went up, she was right next to me..." Karuizawa Kei's voice trembled. "Then I felt someone pull her away..."

"Which direction?"

"I... I don't know..."

Hanyu Xiuyi clenched his fist. So this was Ryuen's real goal—not to ambush the whole class, but to take a hostage.

"Hanyu, what do we do?" Hirata Yousuke asked anxiously.

"Split into two groups." Hanyu made a quick decision. "One group stays to guard the camp, protect the supplies and the injured. The other group comes with me to find her."

"I'm coming with you!" Sudo Ken said immediately.

"I'll go too." Horikita Suzune's face was cold. "More hands make lighter work."

"And me." Ayanokoji Kiyonaga said calmly.

Hanyu selected six people: Sudo Ken, Horikita Suzune, Ayanokoji Kiyonaga, Matsushita Chiaki, and two other physically strong boys. The rest were led by Hirata Yousuke to set up a temporary camp on the spot and wait.

"Remember," Hanyu warned before they set out, "if we're not back in an hour, you return to the main camp on your own and contact the school with the satellite phone."

"But—" Hirata started to say something.

"This is an order," Hanyu said. "Ensuring the safety of the majority is more important."

The six-person team set off. The fog grew thicker, and in the forest, it was almost impossible to see your hand in front of your face. They could only rely on the beams of their flashlights and Ayanokoji's guidance to move forward.

"This way." Ayanokoji crouched on the ground, pointing at some marks. "There are drag marks, and this too."

He picked up a small hair clip—it was Sakura Airi's.

"They went this way." Ayanokoji pointed deeper into the forest.

"How can you be sure?" Sudo asked.

"The footprints are chaotic, but the direction of the drag marks is very clear," Ayanokoji said. "And they were in a hurry, leaving plenty of traces."

The six followed the trail. The forest grew denser, and the terrain began to get rougher.

"This direction... it seems to be heading toward the island center," Horikita said, looking at her compass. "What do they want with Sakura there?"

"I don't know," Hanyu said. "But it's definitely nothing good."

After about twenty minutes of pursuit, they arrived at a cliff edge. The traces disappeared here.

"Damn it!" Sudo cursed. "Dead end?"

Ayanokoji examined the ground carefully. "No, there's a way. Look here—"

He pointed at the cliff's edge. On closer inspection, there was a very hidden path, winding down along the side of the cliff.

"This path is too dangerous," Matsushita Chiaki assessed calmly. "It's easy to slip at night."

"But we have to go down," Hanyu said. "Sakura might be down there."

The six carefully descended along the narrow path. It was so tight that only one person could pass at a time, with a bottomless cliff beside them. The thick fog made visibility extremely low, and every step required utmost caution.

After descending about fifty meters, they arrived at a cave entrance. The opening was half-hidden by vines, and a faint light seeped out from inside.

"This is it," Ayanokoji said in a low voice.

Hanyu signaled everyone to stop, and he crept close to the cave entrance. Through the gaps in the vines, he saw the situation inside.

The cave wasn't large, with a campfire burning in the center. Sakura Airi was tied to a stone pillar, a cloth stuffed in her mouth, her brown long hair disheveled and scattered, her eyes full of tears. In front of her stood three people—Ryuen Sho, Ishizaki Daichi, and Ibuki Mio.

"That bastard Ryuen!" Sudo gritted his teeth.

"Calm down," Hanyu held him back. "Let's hear what they have to say first."

Inside the cave, Ryuen was speaking.

"...So, little girl, don't blame me. Blame that show-off Hanyu Xiuyi from your class."

Sakura Airi made muffled sounds, shaking her head desperately.

"But don't worry, I won't hurt you," Ryuen laughed. "I just need you to deliver a message."

He crouched down, looking into Sakura's eyes. "Tell Hanyu Xiuyi that if he wants you back safely, he comes alone to the Special Supply Point at the island center by tomorrow noon. I'll be waiting for him there. Remember, alone. If he brings anyone else, or if he tries any tricks..."

Ryuen pulled a small knife from his waist, its blade glinting in the firelight. "...then I can't guarantee your safety. Got it?"

Sakura Airi trembled all over, tears streaming down continuously. But she still nodded firmly.

"Good." Ryuen stood up. "Then, we should be going. You just stay put here. Oh, and—"

As he turned, he deliberately kicked over a nearby water canteen, spilling water all over the ground.

"Sorry, accidentally knocked your water over. But it doesn't matter, you won't need it anyway."

With that, the three left the cave. The sound of footsteps gradually faded away, disappearing into the fog.

Hanyu Xiuyi and the others waited a few minutes, confirming they were far gone, before rushing into the cave.

"Sakura!" Sudo was the first to dash over, untying the ropes binding her.

The moment she was free, Sakura Airi threw herself into the arms of the nearest person, Kushida Kikyo, and burst into loud sobs.

"It's okay, it's okay..." Kushida gently patted her back.

Hanyu Xiuyi inspected the cave. Aside from the campfire and the knocked-over canteen, there was nothing else. Ryuen had left no food or water, clearly intending to let Sakura fend for herself here—or more accurately, to make Hanyu see her miserable state when he came to rescue her.

"Bastard!" Sudo punched the stone wall.

"Now's not the time to be angry," Horikita Suzune said coldly. "We need to get out of here as fast as possible. Ryuen might not have gone far."

"She's right." Ayanokoji checked the cave entrance. "The fog is too thick; they could be nearby watching."

Hanyu Xiuyi walked over to Sakura Airi, crouched down, and looked at her. "Sakura, can you walk?"

Sakura wiped her tears and nodded, but when she stood up, her legs gave way and she nearly fell. Sudo caught her with quick reflexes.

"I'll carry you," Sudo said.

This time, Sakura didn't refuse. She lay on Sudo's back and whispered a quiet thank you.

The six left the cave with Sakura, retracing their original path. The way back was harder than the way there, because the sky was now completely dark and the fog even thicker.

About halfway there, Ayanokoji suddenly stopped.

"Wait," he said in a low voice. "I hear something."

Everyone held their breath. In the thick fog, there were indeed faint footsteps, coming from all directions.

"We're surrounded," Matsushita Chiaki said calmly.

"How many?" Hanyu asked.

"At least six," Ayanokoji judged. "Maybe more."

Figures gradually emerged from the fog. They were Class C students, led by Ryuen Sho himself.

"Oh, you made it here pretty fast," Ryuen said with a grin. "I was wondering if you'd find that cave."

"Ryuen, that's enough," Hanyu said coldly. "We've already rescued her. What else do you want?"

"What else do I want?" Ryuen's smile twisted. "I want to have a nice 'talk' with you, Hanyu Xiuyi. You made me lose face in front of everyone today. We need to settle that score, don't we?"

"How do you want to settle it?"

"Simple," Ryuen said. "You and me, one-on-one. Right here, right now. If you win, I guarantee Class C won't bother Class D for the rest of the exam. If you lose..."

He paused. "You'll publicly admit that Class D is inferior to Class C, and pay one million points as compensation."

The stakes were high. But Hanyu knew that if he didn't accept, Ryuen wouldn't let it go. And with them surrounded, a direct fight had no chance of success.

"I accept," Hanyu said. "But the rules need to be fair. Unarmed combat. The match ends when someone hits the ground or surrenders."

"Fine," Ryuen said, taking off his jacket. "Then let's begin."

The others stepped back, clearing space. In the fog, the leaders of the two classes stood facing each other.

"Hanyu, be careful!" Horikita shouted. "Ryuen is cunning!"

Hanyu nodded and assumed a defensive stance. Ryuen, on the other hand, looked relaxed, even contemptuous.

The fight began.

Ryuen struck first. His movements were fast and tricky, targeting Hanyu's joints and weak points. Hanyu barely dodged a few blows but quickly fell on the defensive.

"What's wrong? Where's that spirit you had on the challenge platform today?" Ryuen taunted.

Hanyu did not answer, focusing entirely on the fight. He noticed that Ryuen's fighting style was strange—not straightforward like Sudo, nor power-based like Ishizaki, but a mix of various street-fighting techniques, dirty and effective.

After several exchanges, Hanyu had accumulated a few bruises. But he had also figured out Ryuen's pattern—he liked to deliberately leave openings after attacking, baiting his opponent into countering, then turning it against them.

Once again, Ryuen threw a straight punch that Hanyu dodged, deliberately exposing his left side. If it had been earlier, Hanyu might have taken the chance to attack. But this time, he didn't.

"What? Afraid to counter?" Ryuen provoked.

Hanyu remained silent. He was waiting for a real opportunity.

Ryuen grew impatient and launched a fiercer assault. This time, he didn't deliberately leave an opening—he actually overextended, and his footing became unstable.

Now!

Hanyu sidestepped a punch and swept his leg precisely into the side of Ryuen's supporting knee. Ryuen grunted and dropped to one knee. Hanyu didn't give him a chance to recover, following up with an elbow strike to his shoulder, then a shoulder throw that slammed him hard onto the ground.

"One, two, three..." Sudo began counting.

Ryuen struggled to get up, but the sharp pain in his knee made it impossible.

"...Ten! Hanyu wins!"

Cheers erupted from Class D. The Class C students looked grim.

Hanyu Xiuyi walked up to Ryuen and extended his hand. "As agreed, Class C won't bother Class D for the rest of the exam."

Ryuen stared at his hand for a few seconds, then finally grasped it and pulled himself up.

"I keep my word," he said through gritted teeth. "But only for this exam. After that... we'll see."

With that, he led Class C away into the thick fog.

The immediate crisis was over. But Hanyu Xiuyi knew this was only the beginning. Someone like Ryuen wouldn't give up so easily.

"Let's hurry," Horikita said. "The fog is getting thicker."

The group continued on. By the time they returned to the temporary camp, it was nearly midnight. Hirata Yousuke and the others sighed with relief when they saw them back safely.

"Are you all right?" Hirata asked.

"I'm fine," Hanyu said. "But we need to head back to the main camp tonight. It's not safe here."

In the fog and darkness, all of Class D moved with their supplies and the injured, struggling toward the main camp.

Along the way, Sakura Airi remained quiet. It wasn't until they were almost at the camp that she spoke softly to Sudo Ken, who was carrying her on his back. "Sudo... thank you."

Sudo was taken aback, then said awkwardly, "It's nothing... it's what I should do."

"And..." Sakura looked at Hanyu Xiuyi walking ahead. "Hanyu... thank you for saving me."

Hanyu turned back and smiled at her. "You're a member of Class D. Protecting you is only right."

The words were simple, but Sakura Airi's eyes reddened again. This time, though, they weren't tears of fear.

At one in the morning, they finally made it back to the main camp. Everyone was nearly exhausted, but at least they were safe.

Hanyu Xiuyi arranged the night watch and sat alone at the camp edge, staring at the forest shrouded in thick fog.

Horikita Suzune walked over and handed him a bottle of water.

"You worked hard today," she said.

"Everyone worked hard," Hanyu accepted the water. "But Sakura worked the hardest. She must have been terrified."

"But she's strong," Horikita said. "She didn't break down or blame others."

"Yeah," Hanyu nodded. "Everyone in Class D is getting stronger in their own way."

The two fell silent for a moment. Horikita suddenly asked, "Hanyu, why do you push yourself so hard? For the class? Or for something else?"

Hanyu thought for a moment and answered honestly, "At first, it might have just been to prove myself. But now... I think it's for everyone. To see each person realize their value, to see Class D no longer looked down upon."

Horikita looked at him, her gaze complicated in the night scenery. "Do you know? Sometimes I think you're naive. But other times... I feel that kind of naivety is precious."

With that, she turned and left.

Hanyu Xiuyi continued to gaze at the forest. The fog gradually dispersed, revealing the starry sky. Vast stars twinkled in the night sky, beautiful and distant.

The special exam still had a day and a half left. Though they had faced many difficulties, Class D was still moving forward.

That was enough.

He took a deep breath, ready to head back and rest. Tomorrow awaited the final challenge—heading to the special supply point at the island center.

And there, new trials might still be waiting for them.