Kakeru Ryuuen Plans to Survive in the Wilderness / Mio Ibuki: I'm the Leader!

"After we set off, everyone can proceed in the direction I remember until we find that artificially altered location," the boy said, taking out the island map from the handbook and pointing to it. "Because we can't confirm whether these places are all outposts right now, we'll have to see them for ourselves to understand."

"Our current plan revolves around finding out who the class leaders of the other classes are, so the goal of this reconnaissance isn't to capture a stronghold, but to gather as much intelligence as possible."

"For example, what is the environment around the base like? Is it easy to be spied on? Has the base already been captured? If it has been captured, which class captured it?"

Hashiba Hikaru slowly posed this series of questions, which were key to this intelligence gathering, and it was essential to make sure everyone understood the main points of the approach.

"If we find an unoccupied stronghold, we can execute the plan I just mentioned. Everyone can hide near the stronghold. According to the rules in the manual, other classes cannot use the stronghold without permission, so they will naturally check the stronghold's occupation status as soon as possible."

"At this time, everyone can pay attention to the situation of these class members, carefully observe their attitudes and listen to the content of their conversations, and perhaps discover very important information or intelligence."

"So they want us to become ninjas? Hahaha."

After Shibata Sou understood the core operation of the plan, he immediately laughed.

"Whether you're a ninja or an assassin, the ultimate goal is always to successfully gather intelligence; that's the most important thing."

Hashiba Hikaru's expression remained serious as she added without any sign of relaxation, "According to what the teacher just said, there are multiple outposts set up on this island. We're all heading into the forest from the island's beach, so as long as we don't know the movements of the other classes, this plan can continue."

"There's still plenty of time before tonight's roll call. We can gather intelligence by finding out where to hide," the boy paused, then continued, "As for those of you who are gathering this intelligence, the rest of you need to work hard to manage our base and ensure everyone can get through these seven days smoothly."

"In daily tasks such as collecting supplies, preparing meals, and cleaning, we can only achieve better results through better division of labor and cooperation. Do you all understand?"

"Clear!"

"We will work together."

Now that everyone has agreed to carry out this plan, we must put in our best effort. No one wants to miss the final victory; it concerns collective honor and the Private Points we've earned, so we must go all out.

"Alright, now let's decide on the number of people for the three teams. Let's tentatively set it at three people per team, so we'll need nine people in total."

After some discussion, a list of nine people was finally finalized, mostly students who are quite active in the class.

The first group consists of Hashiba Hikaru, Ichinose Honami, Ando Sayo; the second group consists of Shibata Sou, Beppu Ryota, and Himeno Yuki; and the third group consists of Kanzaki Ryuji, Amikura Mako, and Hamaguchi Tetsuya.

Hikari borrowed a pen Hashiba Hikaru Chie Hoshinomiya and then roughly drew the movement routes of several points she remembered on the map for everyone. These points were all in the first half of the island, so there was a pretty good chance of running into students from other classes.

"Then let's set off. Remember our objective, and be sure to gather intelligence carefully."

"Clear."

The three small teams began to head deeper into the forest following the directions given by Hashiba Hikaru. After the other students watched them leave, they began to arrange the various furnishings around the camp as instructed by the boy. Some of them went into the forest to collect supplies and food, and the construction of the camp proceeded in an orderly manner.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest, at the campsite chosen by Class D, two people were facing off.

On one side is Ibuki Mio, the current class leader of Class D, and on the other is Ryuen Kakeru, who has been silent for a long time. The long-haired man has a cold smile on his face, as if he is mocking the girl opposite him.

"Well, speechless now, huh? Do you really have a plan that can help Class D gain an advantage?"

"I've already reiterated the arrangements for this: securely occupy strongholds and conserve base points. In the end, we'll definitely gain more Class Evaluation Points." Although Ibuki was provoked, having been a class leader for so long, her abilities had been greatly honed, and she wouldn't be easily swayed by others' emotions.

"Hahaha, that's hilarious! Looks like you still don't understand the purpose of the school organizing this exam!"

After a disdainful smile, Ryuen sneered, "It would have been best if I had been the class leader. You've only made everyone continue to suffer."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Ibuki forced down her anger and asked the other party about their purpose.

"I have a pretty good plan, but it requires the cooperation of everyone in the class," Ryuen Kakeru grinned. "And if we execute it this way, our class will be the final winner!"

"Ha, anyone can talk big."

"This is certainly not boasting; it's a clever strategy with multiple safeguards, but someone has to suffer."

Ryuen Kakeru looked at his homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma, who was standing next to him, and said, "Teacher, if I call a student from another class over now, it shouldn't be against the rules, right?"

"No, you can call me whatever you want." After hearing Ryuen's words, Sakagami Kazuma suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for him.

"That's good."

Ryuen Kakeru paused, then turned and called out to the nearby woods, "You can come over now."

As soon as the voice finished speaking, rustling sounds came from the woods, and then a figure emerged from them. It was a blond boy with a small ponytail, and he also had a smile on his face, as if he had been there for a while.

Who is this?

"They seem to be students from Class B... I remember their name is Hashimoto."

When the boy appeared in the camp, Ibuki Mio was stunned for a moment, and then she said sternly to Ryuen Kakeru.

Are you planning to betray our class?

"Of course not, this person is here to seek cooperation with us; he's an ally."

Ryuen Kakeru slowly shook his head and said to Ibuki Mio, "To win this exam, the key is to focus on guessing the list of leaders from the other classes."

"And this Hashimoto student is here now to provide us with the names of their class leaders."

"What!"

Upon hearing this, all the students in Class D were instantly shocked, and disbelief was written all over their faces.

This is undeniable betrayal!

Chapter 148 Ryuen Kakeru's Plan to Survive in the Wilderness

Inside Class D's camp, all the students, including Ibuki, were speechless, stunned by what Ryuen Kakeru had just said. Given the well-known competitive dynamics within the class, and facing such an important Special Exam, how could someone possibly betray their class leader?

Moreover, these were originally members of Class A, the first tier of students selected by the school before the start of the semester.

This illogical situation left everyone feeling incredulous.

The blond boy, Hashimoto Masayoshi from Class B, glanced at the expressions of everyone in the camp, but didn't really have much of a reaction. As Sakayanagi's capable subordinate, he naturally had his permission to make such a decision beforehand.

To explain why Class D was chosen as the partner, we actually have to go back to the Cruise Ship.

When she first boarded the ship, Sakayanagi had already guessed that the school might hold Special Exam. Although she couldn't participate due to health reasons, she could devise a plan remotely to strike at the Katsuragi Faction's influence in the class.

Being consistently overshadowed by Class A for several months left Sakayanagi quite unhappy. However, since the rotation system for class leaders had been agreed upon at the time, Katsuragi Kohei remained the one who formulated the class's strategic plan until the first Special Exam.

This steady, bald man is cautious and clearly prefers a defensive strategy in both offense and defense. Therefore, he has not implemented any overly proactive offensive plans since the start of the semester and has not caught up with Class A's Class Evaluation Points.

This Special Exam is clearly a great opportunity. Sakayanagi's task for Hashimoto is to find a way to make Katsuragi suffer a major setback during the Special Exam, preferably severely damaging his prestige.

After this Special Exam is over, it will be Sakayanagi Arisu's turn. She plans to use this time to consolidate her classmates so that she can focus on dealing with Class A, which is ranked higher, and reclaim her rightful ranking.

After hearing the school's announcement that day, Hashimoto Masayoshi ran into someone on the deck: Ryuen Kakeru, who hadn't given up vying for control of the class since the start of the semester.

Perhaps it was because the other person was involved in two suspensions from school that Hashimoto remembered the other person's name, but to his surprise, the other person took the initiative to contact him at that time.

"You're a member of the Sakayanagi Faction, aren't you?"

Yes, what advice do you have for me?

"I heard that Sakayanagi and Katsuragi from your class are having a fierce battle. How about we make a deal?"

When Ryuen Kakeru saw the other person stop, he realized that this was a good opportunity, and he had to find a way to increase his authority within the class.

"What transaction?"

"Haven't you realized what we're about to face? There might be a very important exam coming up."

After hearing the broadcast and seeing the Cruise Ship circling the island, Ryuen Kakeru guessed that the school might be preparing to hold some Special Exam. However, he had no bargaining chips at the moment, so he could only use this discovery as an anchor point to propose cooperation and put forward his plan.

Upon hearing Ryuen's speculation, Hashimoto Masayoshi immediately realized that this guy had some ability. In any case, his plan needed a partner, and perhaps this was a good opportunity.

That's how the two were able to communicate and reach an initial cooperation agreement.

Once the detailed rules of the Special Exam were revealed, Hashimoto Masayoshi immediately understood what to do, which is why he found Class D's camp alone while his classmates were searching for supplies.

"Ryuen, is what you just said true? Is this guy really here to provide the name of the leader of Class B?" Ibuki, her pretty face showing obvious distrust after hearing the other party's explanation.

"Of course, as I've already said, he's currently our class's business partner, and he came here this time simply to finalize the collaboration."

Ryuen Kakeru smiled, his gaze sweeping over the others in the camp, and said in a deep voice, "I've been emphasizing all along that I'm the most suitable person to be the class leader, and I'll prove it to you all in this exam!"

"This Hashimoto is just one part of the plan. After he tells us who the class leader of Class B is, we'll need to get the names of the leaders of Class A and Class C."

"If we can get the names of all the class leaders, victory in this exam will be ours!"

Is such a thing really possible?

"According to the rules, the names of the class leaders should be the most important secret within the class, right? How could you possibly find out so easily? You're not joking, are you?"

The students were somewhat incredulous, since Ryuen had always been perceived as a violent gang leader, and now he was taking the initiative to use his wisdom to devise a plan, catching everyone off guard.

"Before I explain my plan, let's have this Hashimoto -kun tell us the name of their class leader. Everyone must be curious why you would make such a betrayal decision, right?"

Ryuen Kakeru didn't respond to everyone's questions, but instead gestured with his eyes for Hashimoto to come on stage and perform.

"That's true, but the reason is not complicated at all. I simply reached a cooperation agreement with Ryuen. Everyone gets what they need. Can you accept this reason?"

Following the plan he had discussed with Ryuen, Hashimoto explained to the students of Class D, "I have personally verified the leader's Key Card, so there is no way it could be wrong. However, since I am working with Ryuen, I can only tell you this name."

The blond boy glanced at Ibuki standing beside him, realizing that she was currently the leader of Class D. However, helping Ryuen improve the class's prestige was the reward she wanted, so he had no choice but to do so.

"You!"

Upon hearing the other party's obvious implication, Ibuki Mio's face tightened with anxiety, and she immediately said, "Ryuen isn't our class leader. If you have any cooperation plans, you can tell me."

"Hey, why are you in such a hurry? It wouldn't matter if only I knew, right? Didn't I already say I would help Class D win this exam?"

Seeing the other person's anxious expression, Ryuen Kakeru believed that his plan was beginning to take effect. He looked at the expressions of the others and understood that everyone was now considering the pros and cons of the matter, so he prepared to add fuel to the fire.

He glanced at Hashimoto Masayoshi first, then instructed the students of Class D, "Since Hashimoto- kun has decided to tell me his name, let's go somewhere else first. I'll come back after I get the answer."

The two left Class D's camp and found a secluded spot to talk.

"I can tell you my plan, which will definitely help you achieve your goal."

"I'm all ears."

Hashimoto Masayoshi smiled slightly. On the ship, the two had only established a basic cooperative intention, and he was not yet clear about Ryuen Kakeru's specific plan.

After Ryuen finished explaining, the blond boy nodded and pondered, "It is indeed a good method. Let's proceed according to your plan."

After saying that, the student from Class B quickly turned and left.

Hashimoto knew very well that everything Ryuen was doing was to enhance his authority within the class, so he had to produce results. He didn't need to worry that Ryuen would deny it after he told the guy his name; as long as the plan was executed smoothly, the Katsuragi Faction would definitely suffer a huge blow.

After Hashimoto left, Ryuen Kakeru returned to the camp. Facing everyone's scrutinizing gazes, he appeared even more smug. "Now that I know who the leader of Class B is, it's time to explain my plan. Don't you all want to win this exam?"

Although Ibuki Mio was displeased, after scanning the camp, she noticed that her classmates seemed to have accepted Ryuen Kakeru's attitude after Hashimoto's appearance. So she had to suppress her emotions for the time being and wanted to hear what this guy's plan was.

"My plan is to create the illusion that the class has forfeited, and then use a desperate counterattack to achieve victory!"

"After reading the rules, everyone should understand that as long as you live on this island, you will always be subject to the rules, and your points will be constantly consumed. Therefore, the normal approach is to try to reduce the use of points by being patient."

"But don't forget, the rules state that once your exam points reach zero, you won't incur any more deductions. In other words, once you reach this stage, you can move around the island without any restrictions."

"Does Ryuen mean... he's planning to infiltrate the island?" Someone quickly understood his thoughts; it was none other than Shiina Hiyori, the class's strategist.

"That's right. The conventional approach won't work if we want to get the names of the leaders from other classes. We can have most of them choose to abstain and return to the Cruise Ship, creating the illusion that our class has given up on the exam," Ryuen Kakeru said, glancing at Ibuki's serious expression. "The people left on the island will be our ambush force. In addition, to ensure that our plan to find out the leaders' names is perfect, we also need to send spies to the other two classes."

"An undercover agent?"

"The purpose of the undercover agent is to infiltrate the camps of other classes and then find an opportunity to secretly check the names on the Key Card," Ryuen Kakeru looked at Sakagami Kazuma standing next to him and asked, "Even if most of the students in the class have returned to the Cruise Ship, those who stayed on the island can still take the exam, right?"

"Yes, there's no rule restricting that," Sakagami Kazuma nodded. "If your goal is to guess the leader in the final round, then the students remaining on the island must include the leader."

"Of course, this is the key to victory."

Ryuen Kakeru's gaze fell on Shiina Hiyori, who had just spoken. After arriving on the island, the students of Class D had already discussed and decided on a leader, namely Shiina Hiyori, who was the class's strategist. The reason they did not choose Ibuki Mio as the class leader was also due to considerations of reducing risks.

"The core of this plan is the infiltrators on the island. Since suffering is inevitable, the best candidate is me, the one who proposed this plan!" Ryuen's tone rose considerably. This was a plan he had already devised. To increase his authority within the class, he wouldn't care about suffering a little bit.

"This is the resolve I have: whether it's spending the night on the island or finding food, I'll take full responsibility on my own."

"So, do you all understand what I mean now?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in Class D froze. If this were to be done, the others would return to the Cruise Ship to enjoy a comfortable life, but Ryuen Kakeru would have to survive alone in the wilderness on the island, which was no easy task.

"I see. If we really follow this approach, it can indeed have a surprising effect. It seems you've thought this through carefully, Ryuen."

After Sakagami Kazuma greatly appreciated Ryuen Kakeru's idea. Class D was currently ranked last, and without drastic measures, they wouldn't be able to catch up with the classes ahead.

While everyone remained silent, Ryuen Kakeru then presented the practical steps of the plan, which included a very important temptation that no one could resist.

This was his true objective in taking the exam: to gain authority within the class and obtain the most crucial benefits.

Chapter 149 Ibuki Mio: I am the leader!

After Ryuen explained all his plans, the students in the class fell silent. He had considered almost every aspect, and if the plan was successfully implemented, Class D might really be able to turn the tide.