The Mastermind Behind Class D-Uesugi Gen / What Do You Mean, Your Money? This Is My Money-The Emperor's Money!

Horikita Suzune was an important part of his plan for this exam. If she collapsed before it even began, who was he supposed to complain to?

Then—

In an instant, Uesugi Gen called Horikita Manabu.

You said I don't keep my word. Well, sigh, I really don't.

"Hey, your sister's sick, but she's insisting on taking part in the Special Exam. Go deal with her."

Horikita Manabu fell silent on the other end of the phone. A moment later, Uesugi Gen received a notification in his personal account.

[Points received: 500,000]

"Keep an eye on her. Just make sure she doesn't get into any danger."

Uesugi Gen looked at the points that had appeared on his phone and fell into thought.

"Why are you siblings both so awkward? Why not just say what you mean?"

"No. She became the way she is because she was influenced by me too much. Until she can truly move on, I won't appear in her life too often. Anyway, I'm counting on you, Uesugi."

Horikita Manabu's sincere plea came through the phone.

Uesugi Gen sighed helplessly.

"I'll only keep an eye on her health, at most. Don't expect me to go easy on her."

"Of course. I just want to make sure she doesn't get into any danger."

After taking care of Horikita Suzune's situation, Uesugi Gen wandered around the ship for a while longer.

When it was about time, Uesugi Gen returned to his dorm room.

He opened the door and saw Kanzaki and the others on high alert, packing their things so they'd be ready for the Special Exam ahead.

When they saw Uesugi Gen return, Kanzaki and the others nodded solemnly.

"Is it starting?"

"Yeah. Get everyone in Class B to gather on the deck. The ship's been slowing down for a while now."

"Got it. I'll go notify them right away."

Soon, students from the other classes saw a huge crowd from Class B streaming onto the deck.

"Hey, look! Everyone from Class B is over there. What are they doing? Quick, go tell Katsuragi!"

The students from Class C followed right after.

"Quick, go get Big Brother Ryuen!"

As for Class D...

"Woohoo! This is awesome!"

Class B.

"Start carrying out the plan I told you about."

[Notice to all students. If you have time, please gather on the deck. We are about to see an island. You will soon witness a scene of great significance.]

Just then, an incomprehensible announcement suddenly played over the ship's speakers.

A few minutes later, an island gradually appeared on the distant horizon.

Ryuen and Katsuragi led their respective classes to the deck and found their classmates.

"What did you say? They were already here before the announcement came on?"

Ryuen had just arrived. After hearing one of his underlings report what Uesugi Gen had been doing, his expression changed abruptly. He grabbed the underling by the collar and questioned him.

"Y-yes, Big Brother Ryuen. They'd already gathered on the deck before the announcement came on."

After hearing his underling's reply, Ryuen's face darkened.

There was only one possible explanation for their behavior: Class B had found a way to learn what this Special Exam would be in advance.

Katsuragi from Class A looked grave, too. He'd reached the same conclusion.

The question was—

How had he done it?

D Class's Behind-the-Scenes Leader—Uesugi Gen

An area of 0.5 square kilometers, with a maximum elevation of 230 meters...

As the cruise ship circled the island, its full shape gradually came into view before Uesugi Gen and the others.

Uesugi Gen didn't hurry to survey the island's terrain. He could leave that work to Kanzaki and Ichinose.

He had something more important to do.

"Did you find it?"

Uesugi Gen turned to look at one of the groups behind him.

Since the exam was about surviving on an Uninhabited Island, the school probably wouldn't provide a very detailed map.

Seki Island was an island rented from the government and managed by them. It had no military secrets or anything of the sort. Given the cruise ship's current location, a quick online search might well turn up a detailed map of the island.

That would let them see at a glance every spot on the island they needed to watch out for. They'd also be able to take in the terrain around the island that they hadn't been able to observe from the ship.

"Just a little longer... Hmm... Uesugi, got it."

Hamaguchi Tetsuya raised his hand and quickly passed his phone to Uesugi Gen.

Just as he'd thought!

The moment Uesugi Gen took the phone and saw the map, he knew.

This might not be a deserted island at all. They might have simply sent away the people who normally managed it, temporarily turning it into an uninhabited island in practice.

A lake, a stream, a small hill... Just those features alone would make the island quite valuable.

The tower and wooden cabin they'd seen earlier were further evidence of that.

So, there probably wouldn't be much danger on the island during this exam. At most, the students would have to find food and build suitable shelters.

Uesugi Gen came to this conclusion.

By then, the cruise ship had nearly finished circling the island.

[We will soon disembark on the uninhabited island owned by our school. In thirty minutes, please change into your sportswear, make sure you have the required bags and luggage, and gather on the deck with your phones. Leave all other personal belongings in your rooms. Since you can still use the restrooms for now, please take care of your needs before we disembark.]

Another announcement came over the ship's speakers, reminding the students.

After a tedious wait, roll call, and inspection of their belongings, all the first-year students gathered on the beach, where they endured the blazing sun.

Mashima, looking like an overworked office drone, walked over and stood behind the white podium that had been set up. He held a megaphone in his hand.

"First of all, I'm glad that all of you arrived here safely today. On the other hand, it's unfortunate that one student is unable to participate due to illness."

Uesugi Gen glanced at Class A with interest. Only Kamuro Masumi was standing there; Sakayanagi Arisu was nowhere to be seen.

Noticing Uesugi Gen looking her way, Kamuro Masumi immediately glared back at him.

Uesugi Gen didn't mind. Instead, he waved to her amiably.

What was with the hostility? They were partners this time around, after all.

Mashima continued speaking with the same expressionless face.

"Now then—we're about to begin this year's first Special Exam."

"Huh? A Special Exam? What's going on?"

Mashima's words poured cold water on the students, who had been in high spirits.

The students in Class D erupted into an uproar, and plenty of students in the other classes also voiced their confusion.

The contrast between heaven and hell was simply too great.

Ignoring their questions, Mashima continued to read out the exam rules.

"The exam will last one week, starting now and ending at noon on August 7. You will spend the next week living as a group on this uninhabited island. That is the exam."

"During the exam, you may not return to the ship without a valid reason. You must figure everything out for yourselves, from where to sleep to how to prepare food. At the start, the school will give each class two tents, two flashlights, and a box of matches. Sunscreen is unlimited. You will each receive one toothbrush. As a special exception, female students may use as many menstrual products as they need. Please make your requests to your homeroom teachers."

The students in Class B stood quietly and listened to Mashima's rules. Everything was more or less just as Uesugi Gen had explained.

Classes A and C were a little restless, but Katsuragi Kohei and Ryuen silenced their classmates with a look.

As for Class D...

"What?! Is this what they mean by surviving on a real uninhabited island? I've never heard of anything so ridiculous! This isn't an anime or a manga! And two tents aren't enough for everyone to sleep in! What are we even supposed to do about food? I can't believe this!"

The shouting was so loud that even Mashima's megaphone couldn't completely cover it. He had no choice but to stop reading for a moment.

Class D really was something. They were as hopeless as ever.

Seeing the uproar in Class D, their homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, offered an explanation, trying to persuade her students with her words.

"You can't believe it, but that's only because the life you've lived has been short and shallow. In fact, there are companies that hold training programs on uninhabited islands—and they're major companies everyone knows. They hold them as an experiment."

But there was clearly no way such a lofty argument would convince them.

"Ugh... Th-this is—"

"Hey!"

At that moment, Uesugi Gen spoke up.

If they kept blabbering on, he'd end up getting sunburned.

He swept his gaze across the rowdy students of Class D.

"Once we're dismissed, you can complain all you want. For now, let Mashima finish explaining the rules. Don't waste my time. Understand?"

"Yes!!!"

The three students from Class D flinched at Uesugi Gen's sudden outburst, then immediately bowed to him at a ninety-degree angle.

"We're really sorry!!!"

Uesugi Gen's words had an obvious effect. Now, not a single student in Class D dared to speak.

So who was the real leader of Class D, anyway?

Everyone there, teachers included, couldn't help but think the same thing.

Seeing this, Hoshinomiya, who hadn't said a word until now, walked over to Chabashira Sae, who was holding her forehead, and nudged her with an elbow.

At the smug look on Hoshinomiya's face, Chabashira Sae already knew what she was going to say.

Seeing that the first-years had finally quieted down, Mashima continued speaking into the megaphone.

"The main objective of this Special Exam—"

"Wait a minute. I have a question."

An incredibly arrogant voice came from the direction of Class C. It was none other than Ryuen Kakeru, Class C's leader.

Would this ever end?

Uesugi Gen sighed inwardly.

Ryuen Kakeru strode arrogantly out of the Class C group, pointed at Uesugi Gen, and asked his question in front of all the students and teachers.

"How did he find out what this Special Exam was about in advance?"

What's Yours Is Mine? No, Your Money Is Mine—My Money, My Rules!

Looking at Ryuen's wicked, overconfident grin, Uesugi Gen replied helplessly,

"I see you still haven't learned your lesson."