Chapter Summaries

Raku told Ayanokoji and Kushida that he had arrived after Sudo’s fight and could not testify about how it began, but he identified another eyewitness as a pink-haired girl with glasses who carried a digital camera. The chapter then left Raku reflecting on energy-conservationism and admitting he had simply gotten lost.

• Ayanokoji and Ike found Raku among the students surrounding Class B and asked whether he had witnessed Sudo’s fight.
• Raku explained to Kushida that he had arrived after the fight ended and had only seen Sudo with blood on his fists.
• Kushida told Raku that Sudo faced suspension and a class-point deduction unless they could prove the Class C students had attacked first.
• Raku described another eyewitness as a shy, pink-haired girl with glasses who carried a digital camera, and Ayanokoji and Kushida thought they could identify her.
• Raku reflected on his energy-conservationist principles and concluded he had only been making excuses for getting lost.

Raku spotted Ishizaki beating someone in the Special Building and recalled how he had become involved in the Class C and Class D dispute. After Ichinose asked him to investigate the case, Raku intervened in another fight and helped a frightened girl escape, then confronted the beaten students as they questioned his connection to Sudo.

• Raku saw Ishizaki beating someone on the third floor of the Special Building.
• Ichinose questioned Raku about the dispute involving Sudo and asked him to investigate the scene with her after school.
• Raku relayed what he had learned from Class D, and Ichinose decided to uncover the truth behind the school's ruling.
• Raku found a girl hiding near a corridor where Sudo had beaten three opponents, and he silently guided her toward the emergency exit.
• Sudo shoved Raku aside, and one of the beaten students called Raku over and accused him of being in cahoots with Sudo.

Raku and Ichinose investigated the place where Sudo’s fight with Class C students had occurred, then met Ayanokoji and Horikita. Ichinose offered to cooperate with them to uncover the truth, but Horikita remained wary as the discussion continued.

• Raku confronted three Class C students who had threatened him, and they left after he feigned not knowing them.
• Ichinose brought Raku to investigate the incident, where a witness girl ran into them on the stairs and hurried away after recognizing Raku.
• Raku and Ichinose encountered Ayanokoji and Horikita near the scene and learned that Horikita was investigating the dispute with Class C.
• Ichinose explained that Raku had witnessed the incident and argued that Class B should help uncover the truth, while Horikita questioned their motives.
• Ayanokoji encouraged Horikita to consider working with Ichinose and Raku, and Horikita asked whether Ayanokoji trusted them.

Raku and Ayanokoji discussed the investigation into Sudo’s alleged assault with Horikita and Ichinose, while the heat caused an awkward exchange between Raku and Ichinose. The next morning, Raku and Ayanokoji still crossed paths, and Raku described Class B’s voluntary teamwork on the case.

• Horikita agreed to help investigate Sudo’s case after Raku asked whether she would accept evidence proving Sudo’s guilt.
• Ichinose explained that a Class D student’s eyewitness testimony might lack credibility without physical evidence, and she offered to search for further clues.
• Ichinose told Raku and Ayanokoji that the school awarded points for club activities and volunteer work, which their homeroom teacher had not explained.
• Raku and Ichinose left the incident site, and Ichinose blushed and hurried away after accidentally revealing that she remembered seeing Raku use his handkerchief.
• The next morning, Raku told Ayanokoji that Class B had formed groups to investigate the case and that Kanzaki was passing information between them.
• Raku and Ayanokoji encountered a girl at the dorm elevator, who was surprised to see Raku up early.

Raku investigated the Class C incident with Ayanokoji and Ichinose, then agreed to meet Ichinose behind the gym after school when she said she needed his help with a confession. The chapter ended with Raku reflecting on his hidden self, before a new section introduced Class D as a possible haven for unusual geniuses and began his account of researching school ghost stories.

• Raku and Ayanokoji compared their investigations, and Ayanokoji explained that camera photos could provide an alibi for Class C.
• Ichinose drew attention as she greeted students on the way to school, while Raku struggled to keep up with her.
• Ichinose asked Raku to meet her behind the gym after school to help with a confession, and he agreed.
• Raku bickered with Kanzaki and later studied his reflection, wondering about the truth of himself.
• Raku introduced the idea that Class D might be a haven for malformed geniuses and described researching supernatural school stories.

Raku learned that Ichinose had received a love letter from Chihiro and wanted his help rejecting her without ruining their friendship. Ichinose asked Raku to pretend to be her boyfriend, but he instead rehearsed a real confession and rejection with her, urging her to tell Chihiro the truth.

• Raku followed Ichinose to the back of the gymnasium, where she showed him an unsigned love letter.
• Raku recognized the handwriting as Chihiro's, and Ichinose explained that she wanted to reject her while preserving their friendship.
• Ichinose asked Raku to pretend to be her boyfriend so she could tell Chihiro she was already seeing someone.
• Raku argued that the lie could hurt Chihiro more and suggested that he and Ichinose actually date instead.
• Raku pinned Ichinose against the wall, confessed to her, and demanded an answer; she said she did not feel that way about him.
• Raku revealed that the confession was a rehearsal and told Ichinose to reject Chihiro honestly.

Raku reflected on his motives after Ichinose confronted Shiranami, then waited while Ichinose resolved their misunderstanding and went to dinner with her. The story shifted to Raku discussing the upcoming meeting and witness evidence with Ayanokoji, Kushida Kikyo, and Sakura Airi.

• Shiranami overheard Raku and Ichinose talking, assumed they were dating, and ran away in tears before Ichinose chased after her to explain.
• Raku waited sixteen minutes while Ichinose spoke with Shiranami, then stayed until Ichinose emerged and admitted she had been avoiding Chihiro’s feelings.
• Raku reassured Ichinose, gave her a warm canned drink, and accepted her invitation to dinner at Keyaki Mall.
• Raku recalled meeting Ayanokoji, Kushida Kikyo, and Sakura Airi the previous morning and discussed the camera repair and witness testimony for the upcoming meeting.
• Ayanokoji explained that Horikita was handling the investigation and that Sakura had sorted through the photographs, while Raku struggled with the heat outside the dormitory.

Raku and Ichinose investigated evidence about Ishizaki’s fight with Sudo and used their class’s pooled points to arrange an anonymous information transfer. As the meeting to decide the case approached, Ichinose tried to persuade Raku to attend, while he dismissed his usefulness.

• Ayanokoji, Raku, Ichinose, and Kanzaki reviewed their notices seeking information, and Ichinose received a message claiming Ishizaki had been a skilled fighter in junior high.
• Raku pulled Ichinose into his arms to stop Ayanokoji from seeing her point balance, then helped her understand how her class’s pooled-point strategy affected the transfer.
• Ichinose asked Raku whether his earlier words during rehearsal had been a joke, but he confirmed they were and apologized in case he had upset her.
• Raku read an article listing traits of a failure and criticized himself, while Ichinose and Kanzaki pushed back against his self-assessment.
• As the meeting about the fight and its outcome approached, Ichinose urged Raku to attend as a witness, but he said he would ask Ayanokoji afterward.

Horikita revealed a risky plan to prove Sudo innocent and secured Class B’s support and points, leaving Ayanokoji enlisted to help. The next afternoon’s hearing approached, where Class D would have to present proof or Sudo could be expelled.

• Ayanokoji explained that the student council had postponed its ruling on Sudo until another hearing the next day, while Horikita rejected the compromise that would have punished both classes.
• Horikita returned and revealed her plan to fight Class C’s lies with lies, asking Class B for help and warning that the plan’s details had to remain secret.
• Kanzaki supported the plan, and Ichinose agreed to help by transferring a large number of points to Horikita.
• Horikita ordered Ayanokoji to assist her, struck him for his disrespect during the meeting, and left the others stunned.
• Ichinose and Kanzaki discussed how the school assigned students to classes as Raku wondered who had devised Class D’s plan.
• The next day, Class D prepared to present proof of Sudo’s innocence at the reopened hearing or risk his expulsion.

Raku reflected on Horikita’s psychological plan to make the Class C students withdraw their complaint, but Ryuen arrived and disrupted it by taking control of his classmates. Ichinose later summoned Raku back to the Special Building and said the plan had failed for another reason.

• Raku skipped the plan and reviewed how Horikita intended to use planted cameras, uncertainty, and the heat to confuse the Class C plaintiffs.
• Ryuen arrived as Ichinose pressured Ishizaki and the other two, then led them away and refused to let them withdraw their complaint.
• Ichinose called Raku after the plan failed and asked him to come to the Special Building, where Kanzaki was waiting.
• Raku arrived and learned from Ichinose that the plan had failed for a reason other than the Class C students thinking clearly in the heat.

After Class C’s homeroom teacher alerted Ryuen, Horikita’s plan to get Ishizaki and the others to withdraw their complaint appeared to fail. Horikita challenged their account with a photo and security footage, but Ryuen suddenly withdrew Class C’s complaint, leaving Ayanokoji’s role in the reversal unclear.

• Ichinose and Kanzaki went to help Horikita while Raku stayed behind to retrieve the equipment.
• Ryuen arrived with the Class C students, and their homeroom teacher explained that he had been called after noticing their absence.
• Horikita began the hearing despite lacking direct evidence, then used Sakura’s photo to point out injuries the Class C students said Sudo had caused.
• Ayanokoji presented security footage showing Kondo’s arm was unharmed when he left the Special Building.
• Ryuen announced that Class C withdrew its complaint, surprising Horikita while Ayanokoji remained unsurprised.

Class C withdrew its complaint against Sudo and Sakura, but Ayanokoji realized an unseen mastermind had manipulated the hearing and everyone involved. After Ryuen revealed that Class D had sacrificed an embedded pawn, he played a recording whose contents were not yet revealed.

• Ryuen withdrew Class C's complaint, and the hearing ended with Class D agreeing to pay for the damages.
• Sudo left to return to club activities while Ayanokoji spoke with Horikita President, who offered him a Student Council secretary position that he declined.
• Ichinose and Kanzaki arrived and learned from Ayanokoji that Class C had withdrawn its complaint.
• Horikita accused Ayanokoji of manipulating her, but he maintained that an unknown person had controlled the events.
• Ryuen confronted the group, revealed that Class D had lost an embedded pawn, and played an audio file from his phone.

Ryuen threatened to expose the person who had blackmailed him, while the narrator collected the surveillance cameras after Class D’s hearing. Horikita President confronted the narrator about his role in the dispute, then offered him a place on the Student Council as secretary.

• Ryuen stopped the recording and warned Ichinose that he would find the person who had planted a spy in Class C and make them regret threatening him.
• The narrator took down the remaining surveillance camera and carried the equipment toward the conference room, hoping Class D had won the hearing.
• Horikita President stopped the narrator and questioned him about the Class D and Class C dispute, and the narrator admitted he had handled cleanup.
• Horikita President told the narrator about a past blackmail threat and asked if he knew who was responsible, but the narrator denied knowing anything.
• Horikita President offered the narrator the Student Council secretary position, and Secretary Tachibana reacted with surprise.

Raku learned that Class C had withdrawn its complaint, while Kanzaki hinted that the settlement involved a recording and checked Raku’s student account. Ayanokoji hurried with Ichinose to find Sakura but arrived after security guards had intervened, and later Raku opened his door to Ichinose.

• Student Council President Horikita asked Raku to join the Student Council, but he declined and recommended Ichinose instead.
• Raku returned the borrowed surveillance equipment, and Ayanokoji abruptly rushed away after taking the bag.
• Horikita said Class D would repay its points debt and asked Kanzaki to keep a recording secret.
• Kanzaki checked Raku’s student account and said he would explain why Class C withdrew its complaint.
• Ayanokoji used location services to find Sakura and rushed there with Ichinose, but they found security guards restraining a man beside the crying Sakura.
• Later, Raku answered his door and found Ichinose there after turning down other invitations.

Raku and Ichinose discussed the hearing, Sakura Airi’s attempt to confront a threatening fan, and the unknown person who called the police. The chapter ended with Ryuen interrogating Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo about who leaked information to Class D.

• Ichinose visited Raku’s room and discussed the hearing, the planted informant, and the threat recordings Ryuen had revealed.
• Ichinose told Raku that Sakura Airi had nearly confronted a perverted fan alone, but an unknown caller alerted the police before she could be harmed.
• Ichinose wondered whether the anonymous caller was connected to the person hiding in Class D who had resolved the hearing.
• Ryuen demanded that Ishizaki identify who had leaked information to Class D, while Komiya and Kondo trembled nearby.

Ryuen questioned three students about the leaked recording but concluded that an unknown person must have planted a bug or infiltrated his class. Ichinose reflected on Raku’s hidden past and his reluctance to lie, while Raku later discussed the Class C–Class D dispute with classmates and was invited to karaoke.

• Ryuen threatened Komiya and the other two students, then dismissed them after they denied making the recording.
• Ryuen and Shiina concluded the three students were not responsible and considered whether a bug or a planted classmate had captured the dispute.
• Ichinose thought about Raku’s contradictions, his hatred of lying, and her plan to help him return to his potential.
• Shiratori asked Raku why he had left school early around the time of the Class C and Class D dispute, and Raku said he had been involved as a witness.
• Takashima reasoned that Raku had probably been forced to help, and the group headed out of school together.
• Shiratori invited Raku, Takashima, and Okabe to karaoke after dinner, and Raku agreed to go along.

Chie Hoshinomiya dreamed of a deserted amusement park where she destroyed everything after being told it did not belong to her, then woke and wondered what the dream meant. She reflected on betrayal, her rivalry with Sae, and the boy she called the Black Emperor before recounting the historical figure who inspired the name.

• Chie Hoshinomiya refused to sing with Shiratori and chose to play Ozmir World in Okabe's room with the others.
• Chie dreamed she wandered an eerily empty amusement park, was trapped inside a toy castle, and wrecked its attractions after a loudspeaker ordered her to leave.
• A man with a gun warned Chie that she would bring about her own destruction, then shot her; she woke after sleeping for an hour and sixteen minutes.
• Chie read about dreams and wondered whether her amusement-park dream expressed a desire, then questioned the identity of the man who had shot her.
• Chie recalled that Sae wanted to raise her class from Class D to Class A and resolved to use the boy to remove potential threats and help Ichinose.
• Chie recounted the Black Emperor's grim rise from the nameless Duanmu to the Marquis of Zhenbei, and his vow to help Emperor Wenren conquer the world.

Raku boarded the school’s luxury cruise for a two-week summer trip and spoke with Shiranami Chihiro about her suspicions that he and Ichinose were close. After an announcement called students to the deck to view an island, Raku went to investigate with Shiranami, Kanzaki, and Okabe while wondering why Ichinose was absent.

• Raku recalled the Black Emperor’s refusal to rescue Emperor Wenren and his eventual suicide, then resolved to force a boy to cooperate with Ichinose.
• Raku and his classmates boarded the luxury cruise ship for the second week of their school trip after spending the first week on a southern island.
• Shiranami Chihiro asked Raku about his relationship with Ichinose and described seeing them together in July; Raku insisted they had only met by chance.
• Shiranami asked whether Raku liked Ichinose and whether he had feelings for her, but Raku gave her an uncertain answer.
• An announcement invited students onto the deck to see an island, and Raku set off with Shiranami, Kanzaki, and Okabe while noting that Ichinose was missing.

Raku watched the island from the ship, fielded his friends’ teasing about Shiranami and Ichinose, and learned about the school’s student rankings. As the students began disembarking, he headed off the ship early to find shade, while Ichinose joined his group.

• Raku’s friends accused him of playing both sides by getting close to Shiranami, but he denied having romantic intentions.
• Kanzaki told Raku about the school website’s unusual student rankings, where Raku ranked first among first-years for being harmless to people and animals.
• An announcement instructed the students to change into sportswear, gather with their phones, and prepare to disembark on the school’s uninhabited island.
• Raku noticed Ichinose looked dazed and flushed before returning inside the ship, then later joined the Class A students disembarking.
• Okabe teased Raku for appearing to keep Ichinose company, while Raku said he had wanted to get off the ship early and find shade.

Class B discovered that the school’s supposed lodge stay was a week-long survival Special Exam on an uninhabited island, titled [Freedom]. Teacher Mashima began explaining the exam’s rules and supplies, leaving the students to learn how they could spend their class’s exam points to survive comfortably.

• Kanzaki noticed that the strict baggage restrictions and inspection suggested the trip was more than a lodge visit.
• The students disembarked and gathered by class while staff prepared a heavily equipped base on the beach.
• Teacher Mashima announced that the first Special Exam would require students to survive together on the uninhabited island for a week.
• Mashima explained that the school would provide each class with minimal basic gear and allow students to choose their own activities, naming the exam [Freedom].
• Mashima introduced a survival guidebook whose supplies could be bought with 300 exam points allotted to each class.