In Classroom of the Elite, but in the Underworld Chapter 27

Eito smiled slightly and joked.

"Eh... I, I didn't... no... I... I'm, I'm sorry!"

Sakura bowed to him and ran off with her head lowered.

"..."

"Attention, students. If you have a moment, please gather on the deck. We are about to see the island. You will surely see a very meaningful sight in the short time ahead."

A voice came over the broadcast, and upon hearing the announcement, students from every class began to arrive on the deck one after another.

Among them, he saw a girl with outstanding features and long pink hair. Her figure was quite good, and with her soft, lovely face, just standing there gave off an approachable aura.

She was the leader of Class B and the class representative trusted by her peers. Half the reason Class B was so united was thanks to her.

If Kikyo relied on acting to gain the trust of her classmates, then she relied on her own genuine charm to naturally win the affection of others.

Those who treat others with kindness will be treated with kindness in return.

This seemed to apply to most situations, but at the same time, being too kind also made one easy to be taken advantage of.

Besides her, he also saw one of the leaders of Class A, Katsuragi Kohei.

That shiny forehead made his eyes ache.

His bald head was particularly conspicuous among the students. He looked like an upright person, and in reality, he was just that—like a rigid old man, stubbornly clinging to outdated rules.

He cast his gaze toward the small island they were about to land on.

The island was neither small nor large, with an area of 0.5 square kilometers, equivalent to about 750 mu of land.

Because he had known in advance that this island would be the location for the exam, he had carefully observed it during the voyage, memorizing it repeatedly until a rough model finally formed in his mind.

However, the specific terrain would only be fully clear once he walked across the island.

"We are about to land on the isolated island owned by this school. Please have all students change into sportswear in thirty minutes, and after confirming your designated bags and luggage, bring your mobile phones and gather on the deck. Please leave all other personal items in your rooms. Since you can still go to the restroom for now, please take care of your needs."

Just as he had expected, the exam was about to begin.

After the students from the four classes gathered on the island, a sturdy teacher with a stern gaze stepped onto the podium. He was the homeroom teacher of Class A, Mashima Tomoya.

"First of all, I am glad that everyone arrived here safely today. However, on the other hand, although it is only one student, it is very regrettable that someone is unable to participate due to illness."

The student he mentioned who could not participate was Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A.

She was also the other leader of Class A.

"Now then—we are going to begin this year's first special exam."

"Huh? A special exam? What's going on?"

Almost all the students felt confused.

"The duration of the exam is one week from now, ending at noon on August 7th. You will spend the next week living as a group on this uninhabited island; that is the content of the exam. Also, I will say this upfront: this is a special exam modeled after real-world corporate training. It is highly practical and realistic."

"Living on an uninhabited island?... Does that mean we aren't staying on the ship, but living on this island?"

"Yes. You are not allowed to board the ship during the exam without a valid reason. Everything regarding life on this island, from where you sleep to preparing food, must be thought out by yourselves. At the start, the school will provide each class with two tents, two flashlights, and a box of matches. Furthermore, there is no limit on sunscreen. As for toothbrushes, one will be distributed to each of you. As a special exception, we allow female students unlimited use of sanitary products. Please submit your requests to your respective homeroom teachers. That is all."

The so-called vacation was just a ruse; the real purpose was actually an exam.

It was easy to imagine how difficult this blow was for the first-year students.

Many had already begun to protest.

But Mashima then told them a piece of good news:

"However, you can rest assured. If this were an exam forcing you to live a harsh life, then criticism would be natural. But even though this is a special exam, you don't need to overthink it. For the week starting now, you can swim at the beach or have a barbecue. Occasionally lighting a campfire and chatting with friends is also fine. The theme of this special exam is 'freedom'."

Freedom.

Each class would be issued 300 points, which could be used to exchange for various items for a vacation.

For example, tents, grills, various foods, and various entertainment toys.

They even thoughtfully prepared disposable silicone products with good elasticity for the students—no, they didn't.

As long as they were used well, a perfect vacation could be achieved.

However.

"When this special exam ends, all the points remaining in each class will be added to the class points, and the results will be reflected at the end of the summer vacation."

Without a doubt, this was a trap that had been used widely before.

The victims seemed to have the right to choose freely, but in reality, they did not, because this was 300 points—which converted to 30,000 personal points. Anyone who knew how to count understood that surviving for a week meant an extra 30,000 points every month from then on; even a fool knew how to choose.

In addition, those who withdrew from the exam for personal reasons would have 30 points deducted, meaning Class A now only had 270 points left.

As for Sakayanagi's absence, no one in Class A showed any displeasure, which showed her influence in the class.

Chapter 35: Liking is a Certainty

"Now I am going to distribute a watch to each of you. Please do not take it off and keep it on your wrist until the exam ends in a week. You will be punished if you take off the watch without permission. This watch can not only check the time but is also equipped with sensors to detect body temperature, pulse, and human movement, as well as a satellite positioning system. In addition, just in case, the watch is also equipped with a function to communicate emergencies to the school. Do not hesitate to press this button in an emergency."

After the classes separated, Chabashira distributed the free survival items to them, such as tents, watches, and toothbrushes.

To ensure student safety, the school has specially chartered several helicopters capable of providing support at any time, and the watches serve a similar purpose.

Once the button is pressed, it signifies withdrawal from the exam, and points will be deducted accordingly.

Furthermore, the watches are waterproof.

Although it is an exam, the thought of spending a week on this deserted island caused many to show expressions of unease.

"No problem at all. Just catch some fish and find some fruit in the forest, right? We can make tents using leaves, wood, and other materials. Even in the worst-case scenario where I get sick, I'll do my best."

Ike said with full confidence.

He seems to have some experience with outdoor camping.

However, relying solely on these things is not enough for a group of over thirty people to survive a week comfortably.

Conflict quickly arose over the issue of toilets.

Because the free toilets provided by the school are disposable plastic bags and cardboard boxes, containing absorbent pads to block and isolate odors.

As someone who is determined to keep all the points and is full of confidence, Ike doesn't care.

But the girls have objections.

Shinohara, who belongs to the Karuizawa group and has a certain amount of influence among the girls due to her strong personality, got into an argument with Ike.

This type of makeshift toilet might seem convenient, but for girls, it is unbearable, and the thought of having to share it with boys makes it even worse.

However, the school can specially build a toilet with functions similar to a home one, with features that are not inferior at all, but it requires 20 points.

"It's just a toilet, let's just endure it. This isn't something worth arguing about, Shinohara."

"Don't joke around. This has nothing to do with the boys, right? A cardboard box toilet? I absolutely cannot accept that!"

Chabashira: "The decision is yours to make. I have nothing to say. However, let alone the sea or the river, the school does not allow students to relieve themselves in the forest at will. Please do not forget this."

"Paper, cardboard boxes or whatever, I absolutely can't do it! Besides, the boys will be nearby, right? It's disgusting!"

"What's that supposed to mean? I can't accept you treating us like perverts."

"That's a fact, isn't it? And you look like a total pervert."

"Huh? Whoa, that really hurts—I'm a total gentleman, you know."

"Don't make me laugh. A gentleman? Seriously? You're the top candidate for the biggest pervert."

Ike and Shinohara kept arguing, and most of the girls supported Shinohara's stance.

But there was one person who remained silent.

Eito looked at Karuizawa, the girl who is ostensibly the leader of the girls in Class D, yet hadn't said a single word.

She seemed to notice his gaze, glared at him, and then looked away.

At this moment, Kikyo, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward:

"Everyone, why don't we hear what Eito has to say?"

"Hm?"

Meeting Kikyo's sweet smile, his heart sank.

She's trying to set him up again.

Shinohara also looked at him: "Takeda, you should be able to understand our side, right?"

Regarding this boy who is constantly praised by her friend Sato, Shinohara has a certain level of goodwill toward him, though it doesn't reach the level of liking.

Ike said excitedly:

"You're my friend, right? You'll be on my side, won't you?"

"Uh, get lost."

For the boys, there is no need to spend these points. Yukimura in the class also agrees with Ike's idea, and the other boys also tacitly agreed with Ike's statement.

They are supporting Ike.

Opposing them now would surely lead to being disliked by the boys.

However.

"I think it's better to buy a toilet," he said.

No matter what, he couldn't bear to see Suzune and the others using such primitive toilets; he even felt that they might as well learn from Class C and just enjoy themselves for once.

That is true freedom.

Hearing his words, Shinohara smiled happily, and the girls' gazes toward him became much kinder.

He hit the jackpot, gaining so much favor with just one sentence.

However, Ike had a tearful face:

"Why? We're friends, why would you betray me?"

"...Stop it, it's disgusting."

Yukimura adjusted his glasses and stepped forward, saying:

"Can you give me a reason? As a member of this group, I have the right to object. If you can't convince me and the others, I imagine they won't be satisfied either, and there will only be more conflict in the future."

Yukimura didn't directly oppose him; instead, he asked for a reason. It was likely that he wasn't necessarily against the idea, but rather couldn't find a reason worth agreeing to.

He was a serious person who considered various factors from the perspective of utility. In his view, spending points on toilets was not a worthwhile investment.

Eito understood him, and he also knew that while this was something boys could simply endure, it was very difficult for girls to tolerate.

After all, in interactions between the opposite sex, women tend to pay more attention to their external image.

He had many reasons he could use to explain his decision, but seeing Kikyo watching him with a full smile on her face, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration:

"Well... because I can't bear to watch Kikyo use such a crude toilet. How is that for a reason?"

"Eh?"

As soon as those words were spoken, the people in the class let out gasps of surprise, especially the girls.

Listening to the whispering behind him, Kikyo smiled awkwardly and gave him a pointed look, as if to say:

You just wait.

"Could it be—" Yukimura spoke a bit sluggishly, "do you... do you like Kushida-san?"

"Of course," he laughed.

"Eh, eh, eh?"

Many of the girls covered their mouths in shock.

"Is this a confession?"