Endurance

The sea breeze brushed gently, lifting a few stray strands of hair from Kiyona's cheek. She didn't ask further; their long-standing tacit understanding and unconditional trust in Hoshino Kanade made her question concise, direct, and aimed straight at the core of their operational strategy:

"What is your final judgment?"

Her tone was natural and calm, carrying the implication that she had fully delegated the decision-making power—when it came to analysis and resolution, she had always let Hoshino Kanade take the lead.

Hoshino Kanade's gaze remained steady, his eyes scanning the island's winding coastline and the undulating contours of the jungle like precision instruments, imprinting every detail into his mind.

Hearing Kiyona's inquiry, his movements paused imperceptibly before he spoke, his voice as calm as if he were discussing a choice for dinner:

"Synthesizing previous observations, the suggestive nature of the broadcast, and the deliberate traces of artificial intervention on the island... the most likely direction is already becoming clear." He turned his head, his deep eyes meeting Kiyona's directly. "It looks like, in all probability, this is a survival-themed exam."

"So—" he intentionally drew out the end of his sentence, not because he needed to confirm her understanding, but more as if he were calmly holding back a small reveal. "If the rules permit, then per the original plan, I'll go 'vacationing' with Shiina."

Upon hearing this, Kiyona's delicate eyebrows arched ever so slightly for a fleeting moment, and then a look of "as expected" dawned in her cold, clear eyes.

The image of Shiina Hiyori extending an invitation on the deck, and Hoshino Kanade's unhesitating acceptance at that time, became instantly clear.

"You knew all along?" she asked softly, her tone devoid of surprise, carrying only a sense of matter-of-fact certainty—after all, the person making this decision was Hoshino Kanade; he was always able to foresee moves further ahead than the average person.

She tilted her head slightly, her clear gaze resting quietly on his face, waiting for his further elaboration.

A faint, almost imperceptible arc tugged at the corner of Hoshino Kanade's mouth. "I wouldn't say 'knew all along'." He honestly denied this claim. "At the time, it was just a vague speculation. This kind of judgment is more the highest probability pointed to by logical deduction based on limited clues, or rather..." He paused, his voice low and firm, "a type of 'intuition' built upon a foundation of rationality."

He skillfully wove an objective description of the process, omitting the deeper, more "prophetic" nature of his insight.

"Heh..." Kiyona let out a laugh mixed with shared understanding and a faint sense of helplessness.

Understanding his line of thought, she no longer had any objections.

Immediately following, that hint of helplessness dissipated rapidly, like mist scattered by the wind.

Replacing it was a tiny spark, quietly ignited in the depths of her clear, cool eyes.

She gazed toward the exam island, which was within reach and draped in the guise of paradise:

"Exams and such... I don't want to waste my energy on them either." She stated frankly, her tone carrying her usual detachment.

However, in the next second, the tail of her sentence rose with a subtle, imperceptible positivity. "But..." She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping gently over Hoshino Kanade, as if looking through him to see the unknown tapestry about to unfold as she accompanied Shiina. "Since it's acting with a 'friend', then treating it as a special 'survival vacation' at a scenic spot, that sounds..." The corners of her lips also curved into a tiny arc, "not too bad, right?"

In that voice, there was a rare blend of something nearly relaxed and novel.

Long-term training and experience had long since smoothed away her fear of "survival" itself; instead, her curiosity was quietly piqued—she wanted to see what kind of novel tricks this survival game could perform on this carefully arranged stage.

Exploring unknown rules and challenges with a trustworthy partner—this format... seemed to possess a unique appeal.

Hoshino Kanade caught that fleeting light in her eyes and nodded slightly.

No need for more words; their minds were in sync. The goal remained unchanged, and the "vacation" would proceed as planned.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona turned around simultaneously, their gazes cast once again toward the island that was growing larger in the twilight.

The luxury cruise ship finally broke through the azure waves, sailing near the destination covered in lush vegetation. The island, like a massive emerald embedded in an endless blue sapphire, leaped into the view of all passengers with a clear outline.

The students of Class D were also attracted by this magnificent scenery, flocking to the best viewing positions at the front of the deck, their excited pointing and exclamations rising one after another; for a moment, the deck was filled with anticipation and joy.

However, the clamor changed abruptly. A burst of rough shoving and undisguised scolding erupted from behind the crowd:

"Hey, you road-blocking trash! Move aside! You're in the way crowding here!"

Several tall, arrogant-looking male students shoved the Class D students blocking their path, forcibly occupying the area with the best view. The hedgehog-haired boy in the lead had undisguised contempt etched onto his face. He scanned the area, and seeing most of the Class D students retreating, daring to be angry but not to speak, he locked his target onto Yamauchi Haruki, who was chatting with Ike Kanji ahead.

"I'm talking to you! What are you staring at? Get lost!" Before the words even faded, he had already lunged forward, his shoulder slamming hard into Yamauchi Haruki with full intent to humiliate and warn—a classic case of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

"Ugh!" Caught off guard, Yamauchi staggered back from the force, his back slamming hard against the cold metal railing of the ship. A violent tremor spread along his spine, and he instinctively grabbed the railing tightly to barely steady himself, avoiding the embarrassment of falling over.

Shocked and furious, Yamauchi whipped his head around, his cheeks flushed bright red: "What are you doing?!"

The hedgehog-haired boy crossed his arms, looking down at the disheveled Yamauchi with extreme disdain: "What am I doing? Just teaching a blind Class D piece of trash who doesn't know his place a lesson."

His gaze was like a blade, sweeping over the Class D students who had fallen into instant silence due to the conflict, his voice rising sharply, filled with deep-seated superiority: "Still haven't recognized reality, you defective goods? This school believes in naked meritocracy! Class A, B, C, D! The hierarchy is clear! You lot of screened-out rejects should just stay at the bottom like garbage, and don't dream of blocking the path of higher-ranked classes!"

This naked declaration of hierarchy was like a poisoned ice pick, piercing through the excitement that had risen among the Class D students due to the "vacation," freezing it instantly.

Lies are not sharp blades; the truth is the real razor.

Humiliation and resentment fermented in the silence; many clenched their fists so hard their knuckles turned white, hiding them at their sides and trembling slightly, forced to endure.

This bitter taste had followed them like a shadow since enrollment.

A silent indignation burned fiercely in the crowd: Just you wait... next exam... even if it costs us everything, we'll get those class points! We'll change this situation completely!

"Defective goods?"

A mocking voice, dragging out a long tail and full of imitation, suddenly cut through the heavy silence.

It was Yamauchi Haruki, who had just been used as the "scared monkey," now standing with his back straight.

He met the hedgehog-haired boy from Class B's contemptuous gaze without flinching, mimicking the other's arrogant tone and deliberately drawing out his words:

"Oh—so you mean the 'noble' Class B, who 'accidentally' fell from the glorious Class A just one month into the school year because they didn't have enough points, and now have to breathe the same deck air as us bottom-tier 'defective goods'?"

He shrugged exaggeratedly, spread his hands in a feigned realization, his voice full of flamboyant sarcasm:

"Oh my, my apologies! I really thought you were the Class A standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid~ Tsk tsk, looking at it this way, your level doesn't seem to be much higher than ours, does it?"

He paused, and with an incredibly punchable, flippant tone, delivered the fatal blow:

"Feels... just like that, doesn't it?"

Lies are not sharp blades; the truth is the real razor.

Yamauchi's full-throttle, sarcastic jab hit the students from Class B like a loud, backhanded slap to the face.

The deliberate elongation of the word "that" and the extreme disdain in his tone weren't necessarily physically damaging, but the level of insult was off the charts!

"You... are you looking to die?!" The spiky-haired boy and the Class B students behind him were instantly ignited, their faces turning livid and veins bulging on their foreheads.

The spiky-haired leader was particularly incensed, taking a sudden step forward with his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. His fierce, murderous gaze locked onto Yamauchi—having their deepest wound exposed in public by a piece of trash from Class D was far more infuriating to them than a physical punch!

The air grew as taut as a bowstring, as if it were about to be shredded by bloodshed in the next second!

The sea breeze blew gently, lifting a few stray strands of hair from Kiyona's cheek. She didn't ask for details; their long-standing rapport and her unconditional trust in Hoshino Kanade made her question concise, direct, and aimed straight at the core of their strategy:

"What is your final judgment?"

Her tone was natural and calm, carrying the implication that she had fully delegated the decision-making power—when it came to analysis and judgment, she always let Hoshino Kanade take the lead.

Hoshino Kanade's gaze remained steady, his eyes scanning the island's winding coastline and the undulating contours of the jungle like a precision instrument, imprinting every detail into his mind.

Hearing Kiyona's question, he paused imperceptibly before speaking, his voice as calm as if he were discussing a choice for dinner:

"Synthesizing previous observations, the suggestive nature of the broadcast, and the deliberate traces of human intervention on the island... the most likely direction is already obvious." He turned his head, his deep eyes looking straight at Kiyona. "It looks like there is a high probability that this is a survival-themed exam."

"So—" he deliberately drew out the end of his sentence, not because he needed to confirm her understanding, but more as if he were calmly teasing her with a small mystery. "If the rules allow it, I'll go 'on vacation' with Shiina as originally planned."

Upon hearing this, Kiyona's delicate eyebrows arched slightly for a fleeting moment, and then a look of "as I thought" rippled through her cold, clear eyes.

The image of Shiina Hiyori extending the invitation on the deck and Hoshino Kanade's unhesitating acceptance instantly became clear.

"You knew all along?" she asked softly, her tone devoid of surprise, carrying only a sense of matter-of-fact certainty—after all, the person making this decision was Hoshino Kanade; he could always foresee moves further ahead than the average person.

She tilted her head slightly, her clear gaze falling quietly on his face, waiting for him to elaborate further.

A faint, almost imperceptible arc tugged at the corner of Hoshino Kanade's mouth. "I wouldn't say I 'knew all along'." He honestly denied the claim. "At the time, it was just a vague speculation. This kind of judgment is more the highest probability derived from logical deduction based on limited clues, or rather..." He paused, his voice low and firm, "a kind of 'intuition' built upon a foundation of rationality."

He skillfully wove an objective description of the process, omitting any deeper "prophetic" nature.

"Heh..." Kiyona let out a laugh mixed with mutual understanding and a touch of helplessness.

Understanding his line of thought, she had no further objections.

Immediately after, that trace of helplessness faded away as quickly as mist dispersed by the wind.

Replacing it was a tiny spark, quietly ignited deep within the clear, cold light of her eyes.

She looked out toward the island, the examination site that was within reach and draped in the guise of paradise:

"Exams and such... I don't want to waste my energy on them either." She stated frankly, her tone carrying her usual detachment.

However, in the next second, her tone subtly lifted with a hint of imperceptible enthusiasm. "But..." She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping gently over Hoshino Kanade, as if looking through him to see the unknown tapestry about to unfold as she accompanied Shiina. "Since I'm acting with a 'friend', then treating it as a special 'survival vacation' in a scenic area sounds..." The corners of her lips also curved into a tiny arc, "...not too bad, right?"

Her voice rarely blended a tone of near-ease and novelty.

Long-term training and experience had long since smoothed away her fear of "survival" itself, and now, she found her curiosity piqued—she wanted to see what kind of novel tricks this survival game could perform on this carefully arranged stage.

Exploring unknown rules and challenges with a trustworthy partner—this format... seemed to possess a unique appeal.

Hoshino Kanade caught that flash of light in her eyes and nodded slightly.

No more words were needed; their minds were in sync. The goal remained unchanged, and the "vacation" would proceed as planned.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona turned around at the same time, their gazes once again cast toward the island that was growing larger in the twilight.

The luxury cruise ship finally broke through the azure waves and sailed near the destination covered in lush vegetation. The island, like a massive emerald embedded in an endless sapphire, leaped into the view of all the passengers with a clear outline.

The students of Class D were also attracted by this magnificent scenery and flocked to the best viewing spots at the front of the deck. Excited pointing and exclamations rose one after another, and for a moment, the deck was filled with anticipation and joy.

However, the clamor changed abruptly. A burst of rough shoving and undisguised scolding erupted from the back of the crowd:

"Hey, get out of the way, you trash! Move! You're in the way crowding here!"

Several tall, arrogant-looking male students shoved the Class D students blocking their path aside, forcibly occupying the area with the best view. The spiky-haired boy in the lead had a face etched with undisguised contempt. He scanned the area, and seeing most of the Class D students retreating in silent anger, he locked his target onto Yamauchi Haruki, who was talking to Ike Kanji in front.

"I'm talking to you! What are you staring at? Get lost!" Before he even finished speaking, he had already taken a fierce step forward, his shoulder slamming into Yamauchi Haruki with full intent to humiliate and warn—a classic case of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

"Ugh!" Yamauchi was caught off guard and staggered back from the force, his back slamming hard against the cold metal railing of the ship. A violent tremor spread along his spine, and he instinctively grabbed the railing tightly to steady himself, avoiding the embarrassment of falling over.

Shocked and furious, Yamauchi whipped his head around, his cheeks flushed red: "What are you doing?!"

The spiky-haired boy crossed his arms, looking down at the disheveled Yamauchi with extreme disdain: "What am I doing? Just teaching a piece of Class D trash who doesn't have eyes and doesn't know his place a lesson."

His gaze was like a knife, sweeping over the Class D students who had fallen silent due to the conflict, and his voice suddenly rose, filled with deep-seated superiority: "Haven't you realized the reality yet, you defective products? This school believes in naked meritocracy! A, B, C, D! The hierarchy is clear! You lot, the filtered-out rejects, should just stay at the bottom like trash and not dream of blocking the path of higher-ranked classes!"

This naked declaration of hierarchy was like an ice pick dipped in poison, piercing through the excitement that had risen among the Class D students due to the "vacation," freezing it instantly.

Lies are not sharp blades; the truth is the real razor.

Humiliation and resentment fermented in the silence. Many clenched their fists so tightly their knuckles turned white, hiding them at their sides and trembling slightly, forced to endure.

This bitter taste had followed them like a shadow since enrollment.

A silent indignation burned fiercely in the crowd: Just you wait... next exam... we'll risk our lives to get class points! We'll change this situation completely!

"Defective products?"

A mocking voice, trailing off in a long, drawn-out imitation, suddenly sliced through the heavy silence.

Yamauchi Haruki, who had just been treated as the "chicken slaughtered to warn the monkeys," now straightened his back.

He met the contemptuous gaze of the spiky-haired student from Class B without flinching, mimicking the other's arrogant tone and deliberately dragging out his words:

"Oh—so you mean the 'noble' Class B, who 'accidentally' fell from the glorious Class A just one month into the school year because they didn't have enough points, and now have to breathe the same deck air as us 'defective goods' at the bottom?"

He shrugged exaggeratedly, spread his hands in a feigned realization, his voice dripping with flamboyant sarcasm:

"Oh my, my apologies! I really thought you were from Class A, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid~ tsk tsk, looking at it this way, your level doesn't seem much higher than ours, does it?"

He paused, then delivered the fatal blow in an incredibly punchable, flippant tone:

"It just feels... like that, doesn't it?"

Lies are not sharp blades; the truth is the real razor.

Yamauchi's full-throttle "passive-aggressive" outburst was like a loud slap delivered backhand, striking the faces of the Class B students hard.

The deliberate elongation of the word "fell" and the extreme contempt in "it just feels like that" didn't necessarily cause much physical harm, but the level of insult was off the charts!

"You... looking to die?!" The spiky-haired student and the Class B students behind him were instantly ignited, their faces turning livid, veins bulging on their foreheads.

The spiky-haired leader was even more furious, stepping forward violently, his fists clenching with a cracking sound, his vicious eyes locked onto Yamauchi—having their most painful scar exposed in public by a piece of trash from Class D was far more infuriating to them than any punch!

The air was as taut as a bowstring, as if it were about to be bloodily torn apart in the next second!