Skippable

Facing the students' continuous questioning and loss of composure, Hoshinomiya Chie still wore her signature sweet smile, though her eyes held a hint of unquestionable certainty.

"That's right! (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧" She pressed her palms together and nodded playfully, her light, clear voice cutting through the noise. "During the exam, you cannot return to the ship without a valid reason! You must settle down on this lovely little island~ From finding a place to sleep to preparing delicious food, everything—absolutely everything—must be figured out by your own clever little heads!"

She counted off on her fingers, listing the school's "generosity" as if reciting a treasure trove:

"The school will provide a little help to get you started: each class will receive two tents, two flashlights, and a box of matches for starting fires and cooking!" She gestured as she spoke. "As for sunscreen, to protect your delicate skin, it's available in unlimited supply! (´▽`ʃƪ) And toothbrushes, one for each person—take care of your teeth, okay?" Her gaze swept over the girls, her tone becoming more considerate. "As a special courtesy, feminine hygiene products are also available without limit! If you need them, just quietly let your homeroom teacher know! That's all~☆"

The words "that's all" fell lightly, yet they struck everyone's heart like a boulder—it meant that beyond this, not even a single slice of bread or a drop of water would be provided!

"What the hell--!!!" Ike Kanji's scream instantly tore through the fragile peace on the beach. He jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, waving his arms, his face flushed bright red. "Are you kidding me?! A real survival test on an uninhabited island? This isn't some shonen manga! Two tents? Who is that supposed to fit? What about food? What about water?! This is impossible! Absolutely impossible! I don't believe it!!!" He shrieked, as if trying to shatter this absurd reality.

The scenes he envisioned—hunting wild beasts, bathing in rivers, building wooden beds—these were plots that only existed in movies, yet they had become their "exam"? This was simply a fantasy!

However, the sweet smile on Hoshinomiya's face didn't waver in the slightest; she had no intention of "correcting the joke."

"You say you can't believe it?" She tilted her head, her tone carrying a hint of innocent confusion. "That's just because you haven't walked a long enough path or seen enough of the world yet." She held up a finger and said earnestly, "In fact, there really are large corporations that drop their employees onto uninhabited islands for 'trials of love'! And they are super-famous, world-renowned companies, too! That is exactly how they train their talent!"

"Ugh—that, that is completely different!" Ike was left speechless, his face turning even redder as he retorted in vain. "That situation is too extreme! It's an exception! This is a school! This is an exam! This is too unrealistic! It's absolutely impossible!"

"Enough!" A cold, sharp reprimand cut through Ike's hysteria.

Chabashira Sae stood with her arms crossed, her eyes sharp as blades. "Continuing to make a scene will only make you look more pathetic. What Hoshinomiya-sensei said is only a part of reality." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a powerful pressure that silenced Ike instantly. "The world is vast and full of wonders. Offices without chairs, companies that use dice to determine salaries... reality is always broader and more complex than your meager imaginations." Her gaze swept coldly over Ike, finally locking onto his face, her words falling like a cold verdict: "The one who cannot distinguish between reality and unreality is you."

Since their homeroom teacher had said so, there must be a reason for it; now, they truly couldn't tell what was real anymore.

Although suppressed by Chabashira, the students' dissatisfaction did not dissipate; stifled whispers and resentful glares permeated the crowd.

"Sensei!" A relatively calm voice rang out—it was a student from another class. "Even if this is corporate training, they wouldn't trick people into coming here under the guise of a 'vacation,' would they? Isn't this kind of behavior just fraud?" This rebuttal, based on "common sense," hit the nail on the head.

"Mm-hmm~ You make a very good point!" Hoshinomiya didn't refute this time; instead, she nodded in agreement, her expression softening as she understood the anger stemming from the students' feeling of being deceived. "Regarding that, your thinking is correct. I completely understand why everyone feels dissatisfied~"

Ike's loss of control stemmed from the panic of survival, while this student's questioning pointed directly to the legitimacy of the school's actions—these were two completely different types of "dissatisfaction."

"However~ everyone, please rest assured!" Hoshinomiya changed her tone, becoming energetic once more as she spread her arms. "If this were an exam forcing everyone into hellish training, then criticism would be only natural! But—" She intentionally drew out her tone and winked, "Even if it's called a 'Special Exam,' you don't need to think of it as something so scary or profound!"

She painted an alluring picture: "For the next week, you can swim and play in the azure sea, hold fragrant barbecue parties on the beach, and at night, gather around a campfire to share stories and laughter with your friends!" She opened her arms as if to embrace the blue sky and sea. "The theme of this special exam is—'Freedom'!"

"Huh? Freedom? An exam... of freedom?" Some students were completely bewildered, their brains feeling tied in knots. "We can play? We can have barbecues? Then... is this still an exam? My brain... it's going to melt..." The collision between the concept of free play and a serious exam brought the students' confusion to its peak.

"That's right!" Hoshinomiya nodded vigorously, her smile radiant. "As a pass for this Uninhabited Island Adventure, first of all—" She raised her voice, "Each class will receive three hundred super-precious exam-specific points! As long as you use these points wisely, you can enjoy this week happily, just like a real dream vacation! To help everyone realize your wishes, we have thoughtfully prepared a thick guidebook for you! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

She took a booklet, dozens of pages thick, handed to her by another teacher and held it high, shaking it.

"This 'Magic Manual' contains a list of all the treasures you can exchange for with your points! Not to mention daily necessities like drinking water and delicious food—" She flipped through the manual, her finger quickly scanning the pages. "Want a barbecue? We have full sets of grills and fresh ingredients! Want to play in the water? Snorkeling gear and surfboards are all available! We even have preparations for a small beach party! (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧"

Following her tempting description, cracks finally began to appear on the students' tense faces, and their seriousness was replaced by curiosity and a glimmer of anticipation.

So, could they really "buy" everything with points?

"In other words..." one student cautiously confirmed, "as long as we spend points, we can get anything we want? Like we're at a resort?"

"Bingo! You got it!" Hoshinomiya snapped her fingers playfully. "As long as you plan well and budget carefully, spending a relaxing and happy week is not a dream at all! Of course, since it's an exam, there are still some basic rules to follow when living together," she waved her hand, her tone as casual as if she were explaining game rules. "But don't worry, they are all very easy to follow; it's not hard at all!"

"Then... if we really just play for a week, is that okay too?" Another student still found it hard to believe.

"Of course—it's fine!" Hoshinomiya drew out the cute tail of her sentence. "I said it's 'freedom,' didn't I? How you want to play is entirely—up to your own choices! (◕‿◕✿)"

Just as the students were almost convinced by this blueprint of a "free vacation" and the atmosphere began to ease, Hoshinomiya suddenly shifted her tone and dropped a real bombshell:

"Oh, right, right! There is one more very important thing to tell you—" Her voice carried a hint of mysterious excitement. "When this special exam ends, the points remaining for each class will be—every last one of them—" She paused intentionally, watching the students hold their breath, "added to your Class Points! This big gift will officially take effect after the summer vacation ends!"

A sudden sea breeze swept across the scorching beach, kicking up fine sand and hitting the students' faces and legs.

The words Hoshinomiya announced were like this gust of wind, instantly sweeping through everyone's minds and bringing the most intense shock of the day!

"Points... added to Class Points...?" After a brief, dead silence, someone muttered to themselves.

"That means... if we can resist spending, or spend very little..." another voice continued with an incredulous tremor.

"Starting next month... our personal points... will skyrocket?!" A fanatical light instantly erupted in Ike Kanji's eyes; his previous panic was replaced by immense greed, and his voice even cracked with excitement!

"Each class only gets one manual!" Hoshinomiya added at the right moment, shaking the booklet in her hand. "If you lose it, you can get a replacement, but it will cost you points, so protect it like a treasure!" She paused, her tone carrying a touch of well-timed regret. "Also, the student who couldn't come this time due to illness is from Class B... according to the rules, withdrawing from the exam costs thirty points. So, Class B students, you need to do your best! You're starting your adventure with two hundred and seventy points!"

Although suppressed by Chabashira, the students' dissatisfaction did not dissipate; repressed whispers and disgruntled glares permeated the crowd.

"Teacher!" A relatively calm voice rang out—it was a student from another class. "Even in corporate training, you wouldn't lure people here under the guise of a 'vacation' before starting, would you? Isn't this kind of behavior just fraud?" This rebuttal, based on "sound logic," hit the nail right on the head.

"Mmm-hmm~ You make a very good point!" Hoshinomiya did not refute this time; instead, she nodded in agreement, her expression softening as she understood the anger stemming from the students' sense of betrayal. "Regarding that, your thinking is correct. Teacher completely understands why everyone feels dissatisfied~"

Ike Kanji's loss of control stemmed from a panic over survival, while this student's questioning pointed directly to the legitimacy of the school's actions—these were two entirely different types of "dissatisfaction."

"However~ everyone, please rest assured!" Hoshinomiya changed her tone, her voice becoming energetic once more as she spread her hands. "If this were an exam forcing everyone into hellish training, then being criticized would be a matter of course! But—" She intentionally dragged out her tone and blinked, "even if it's called a 'Special Exam,' there's no need to think of it as something so scary or profound!"

She painted an alluring picture: "For the next week, you can swim and play in the azure sea~ You can hold a fragrant barbecue party on the beach~ And at night, you can gather around a campfire to share stories and laughter with your friends!" She opened her arms as if to embrace the blue sky and sea. "The theme of this Special Exam is—'Freedom'!"

"Huh? Freedom? An exam... is freedom?" Some students were completely bewildered, their heads feeling as if they were tied in knots. "We can play? We can have a barbecue? Then... is this still an exam? My brain... it's going to explode..." The concept of free play clashing violently with a serious exam brought the students' confusion to its peak.

"That's right!" Hoshinomiya nodded vigorously, her smile radiant. "As a pass for this Uninhabited Island Adventure, first of all—" She raised her voice, "each class will receive three hundred super-precious exam-specific points! As long as you use these points wisely, you can spend this week happily, just like enjoying a real dream vacation! To help everyone realize their wishes, we have also thoughtfully prepared a thick guidebook! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

She took the booklet, which was dozens of pages thick, from a teacher beside her and held it high, shaking it.

"This 'Magic Manual' contains a list of all the treasures you can exchange for with your points! Not to mention daily necessities like drinking water and delicious food~" She flipped through the manual, her fingers quickly skimming the pages. "Want a barbecue? We have full sets of grills and fresh ingredients! Want to play in the water? Snorkeling gear and surfboards are all available! We've even prepared things for you to host a small beach party! (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧"

Following her enticing description, cracks finally began to appear on the students' tense faces, with curiosity and a hint of anticipation replacing their seriousness.

So, it was really possible to "buy" everything with points?

"In other words..." a student confirmed cautiously, "as long as we spend points, we can get anything we want? Like being at a resort?"

"Bingo! You got it!" Hoshinomiya snapped her fingers playfully. "As long as you plan properly and budget carefully, spending a relaxing and pleasant week is absolutely not a dream! Of course, since it's an exam, there are still some basic little rules to follow while living together," she waved her hand, her tone as light as if she were explaining game rules, "but don't worry, they are all very easy things to do; it's not difficult at all!"

"Then... if we really just play for a week, is that okay too?" Another student still found it hard to believe.

"Of course—it's okay!" Hoshinomiya dragged out the cute tail of her sentence. "I already said it's 'freedom'! How you want to play is entirely—up to your own choices! (◕‿◕✿)"

Just as the students were almost convinced by the blueprint of this "free vacation" and the atmosphere began to ease, Hoshinomiya suddenly changed her tone and dropped a real bombshell:

"Oh, right, right! There is one more very important thing to tell everyone—" Her voice carried a hint of mysterious excitement. "When this Special Exam ends, the points remaining for each class will be, in their entirety, without a single point left—" She paused intentionally, watching the students hold their breath, "added to your Class Points! This grand gift will officially take effect after the summer vacation ends!"

A sudden gust of sea breeze swept across the scorching beach, whipping up fine sand and hitting the students' faces and legs.

The statement Hoshinomiya announced was like this wind, instantly sweeping through everyone's minds and delivering the strongest shock of the day!

"Points... added to Class Points...?" After a brief, deathly silence, someone muttered to themselves.

"That means... if we can resist spending them, or spend very little..." another voice continued with an incredulous tremor.

"Starting next month... our personal points... will skyrocket?!" A fanatical light instantly erupted in Ike Kanji's eyes; the previous panic was replaced by immense greed, and his voice even cracked with excitement!

"Each class only gets one manual!" Hoshinomiya added at the right moment, shaking the booklet in her hand. "If you lose it, you can get a replacement, but points will be deducted, so you must protect it like a treasure!" She paused, her tone carrying a perfectly measured hint of regret. "Also, the student who couldn't come this time due to poor health is from Class B... According to the rules, withdrawing from the exam results in a deduction of thirty points. So, Class B students, you need to do your best! You are starting your adventure with two hundred and seventy points!"