Skippable 1

After announcing all the details, Hoshinomiya-sensei clapped her hands with satisfaction, signaling the end of her speech.

The sugar-coated yet razor-sharp speech from Hoshinomiya Chie had finally come to an end.

Mashima Satoshi exhaled calmly, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the sweat-dampened creases of his tracksuit.

The sea breeze carried a salty, sweltering heat across his face, yet it could not disperse the gloom gathered between his brows.

He watched Hoshinomiya nimbly jump off the podium, her smile vanishing the moment she landed as if she were shedding a costume. What surged in his chest was not anger, but a profound sense of exhaustion.

She must not be allowed to remain the homeroom teacher for Class A; his own class must reclaim the top spot. This thought had never been so clear and firm.

Another teacher picked up the megaphone at the appropriate moment, instructing everyone to head to their respective homeroom teachers for more detailed supplementary explanations.

The students from the four classes moved slowly, their hearts filled with complex and indescribable emotions—a mixture of confusion over the rules, longing for freedom, desire for points, and hidden anxieties about survival. Like chess pieces pulled by invisible threads, they gathered around their respective class mentors.

The students of Class D, carrying a belly full of questions and a newly ignited desire for points, gathered in front of Chabashira Sae, who still wore a cold and stern expression.

"Thirty thousand starting next month, thirty thousand starting next month, thirty thousand starting next month... I'm going for it!" Ike Kanji muttered repeatedly like a mantra, waving his fists in excitement. He high-fived several other equally agitated boys, striking exaggerated victory poses.

The air was filled with a near-fanatical longing.

The girls were also ignited by this high-spirited mood, gathering together to excitedly map out a blueprint for life once their points skyrocketed—no more eating unpalatable free meals or using low-quality daily necessities...

For Class D, which had long struggled at the bottom of the class point rankings, this "wealth" falling from the sky felt like a long-cherished dream finally within reach.

"Just endure it, it's only one week without spending money, right?" someone summarized loudly. "Sounds simple enough!"

But was reality truly that simple? A trace of doubt, like a faint electric current, flashed quietly in the hearts of a few, only to be immediately swallowed by the massive torrent of temptation brought by the points.

Chabashira Sae's voice cut through the brief commotion: "Now, everyone come forward to receive your watches." She had items piled up beside her that had just been taken out of cardboard boxes, and several staff members in work uniforms were assisting with the distribution.

The students stepped forward one by one, receiving a sturdy-looking electronic watch.

"You are forbidden from removing the watch without authorization until the exam ends," Chabashira-sensei's sharp gaze swept over the crowd.

"Violators will be punished. This watch is not just a timer; it also has built-in body temperature, pulse, motion sensors, and GPS satellite positioning."

She paused and pointed to an inconspicuous small red button on the side of the watch: "Additionally, an emergency distress function is integrated here. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, do not hesitate—press it immediately."

"Life, life-threatening?" a girl's voice trembled. "Sensei, on this island... there wouldn't be bears or anything, would there?"

Chabashira remained expressionless: "This is an exam. I will not answer any questions that might influence the results."

"Ugh... the way you say that makes it even scarier!" another student shrank their neck.

"I don't think we need to worry excessively," Hirata Yosuke's gentle voice rang out, carrying a reassuring strength.

"If there were truly a risk of students being attacked by dangerous animals, the school would bear unimaginable responsibility. The core purpose of installing these sensors and the distress function is likely to monitor our health and ensure a basic safety baseline. After all, by placing us on an uninhabited island, the school's primary consideration must be safety."

His logical analysis allowed most of the nervous students to breathe a sigh of relief.

At this moment, a more pressing question was raised. Horikita Suzune stepped forward and asked calmly: "Chabashira-sensei, the school said that our life for this week is entirely our own responsibility. Does this mean that if we do not use points, everything required for survival—including food, water, and shelter—must be solved by ourselves, and the school will not provide any additional assistance?"

"That is correct." Chabashira nodded decisively. "The school will not interfere. Water shortages, lack of food, having nowhere to shelter—these are part of the exam content, and you must find ways to overcome them yourselves. What methods you use to solve them is your problem." Her words were ironclad, cutting off any illusions of relying on the school.

The students of Class D looked at each other. Not using points at all? The lingering warmth of excitement had not yet dissipated, but the cold water of reality had already been poured over their heads.

Thirty-nine people, only two tents (each barely squeezing in eight people), meant that at least twenty-three people would have nowhere to shelter from the wind and rain.

Even more embarrassing—there was only one simple portable toilet! Were they really expected to sleep under the stars and brave the elements?

However, the temptation of thirty thousand points was simply too intense. Many gritted their teeth, feeling that for this "huge sum," they could endure anything.

Someone hurriedly flipped through the thick guidebook. The "penalty clauses" at the end of the manual instantly grabbed everyone's attention:

Severe injury or illness leading to withdrawal: 30 points deducted.

Polluting the environment: 20 points deducted.

Missing the twice-daily roll call (8:00 AM, 8:00 PM): 5 points deducted per person, per instance.

Violence, looting, or destroying the property of other classes: Immediate disqualification of the class from the exam, and confiscation of all personal points of the individuals involved.

The final clause acted like a cold iron gate, completely blocking the last retreat for the "ninja strategy"—endurance was fine, but if someone collapsed due to the harsh environment, polluted the site due to hygiene issues, or if conflicts broke out over resources, the price paid would be devastating.

"Looking at it this way... not using points at all probably won't work, right?" Shinohara Satsuki frowned, voicing the thoughts of many. "For the sake of safety and basic hygiene, we might... have to spend some."

"I object to wanting to compromise from the start!" Ike Kanji immediately retorted, feeling that Shinohara's words were undermining everyone's resolve. "We should grit our teeth and endure as far as we can! Otherwise, how can we justify taking those thirty thousand points?"

Hirata tried to mediate: "Ike-kun, I understand your persistence. But we must be rational. If someone's health truly breaks down because of this, that would be an irreparable loss..."

"Hirata, don't say such unlucky things!" Ike interrupted him rudely. "If we don't give it our all and grit our teeth to hold on, what is the point of this exam?!" Cracks in the class began to appear clearly.

At this moment, Horikita raised a key question: "Chabashira-sensei, where will the roll call take place?"

"The mentor must act together with the class," Chabashira explained. "After you decide on a campsite, report it to me, and I will set up a base there. The roll call will take place at that base."

She seemed to remember a missing item and walked over to another cardboard box, tearing the packing tape with a "rip." "Also, this is your solution for answering the call of nature." She took out the folding cardboard and accessories from inside.

"Huh? What the hell is that?" Yamauchi Haruki stared at the pile of things with disgust.

"A portable toilet. One is allocated to each class. Please use it properly." Chabashira began to assemble it efficiently.

However, the strongest resistance did not come from Yamauchi, but from a group of girls led by Shinohara Satsuki.

"Wait!" Shinohara's voice was filled with unbelievable resistance. "Are you saying... we all have to use that?!"

"It's unisex." Chabashira Sae didn't even look up, her hands continuing their work without pause. "However, we will provide a portable tent cover with a simple changing function to place over it, ensuring privacy, so there's no need to worry about being seen."

"That's not the point of whether we're seen or not!" Shinohara's cheeks flushed a deep red, her tone exceptionally agitated. "Doing it... in a cardboard box?! I absolutely cannot do that!" Other girls nodded vigorously in agreement, their faces filled with visceral rejection and embarrassment.

Chabashira Sae remained unmoved, expertly folding the cardboard box into a square structure, lining it with a blue plastic bag, and then taking out a thin white sheet. "This is an absorbent cloth. Place it over the waste to absorb moisture, solidify the form, and reduce odors. It's reusable; one bag can hold about five uses. The plastic liners and absorbent cloths are provided in unlimited supply. If you really mind, you can change to a new bag every time." She demonstrated the procedure calmly.

Even so, the girls' resistance showed no signs of fading.

No matter how tempting the points were, the psychological chasm created by overcoming this deeply ingrained sense of shame and profound anxiety over hygiene was simply too difficult to cross.

An atmosphere of unease and debate began to swell in the air once more.

"Alright," Chabashira Sae raised her voice, suppressing the brewing commotion. "There are important rules to add." She pointed to the guidebook:

Occupying Bases: Requires the use of a dedicated key card held by the "Leader." Each successful occupation of a base earns 1 point. You may freely use the bases your side has occupied.

Violation Penalty: Using another class's base without permission results in a 50-point deduction.

Leader Authority: Only the elected "Leader" can use the key card. It cannot be changed without a valid reason.

Base Refresh: Every 8 hours, the occupation status of all bases is reset.

Occupation Limit: Multiple unoccupied bases can be occupied simultaneously.

Day 7 Guessing Game:

During the final roll call, you may guess the Leaders of other classes.

Guessing one Leader correctly earns your class 50 points; the class whose Leader was guessed correctly loses 50 points.

If a wrongly guessed target is reported to the school as a Leader, it is considered a misjudgment, and 50 points are deducted.

The class whose Leader is correctly guessed will lose all extra points accumulated to date.

"Your class must also elect a Leader," Chabashira Sae concluded. "Whether you participate in the base competition is your choice. If you aren't greedy, no one will know who your Leader is if you keep it a secret. But if you decide to participate, or want to avoid being guessed, you must choose someone. Report to me once you've decided, and I will issue a key card engraved with the name. The deadline is the first roll call at eight o'clock tonight."

She paused, her voice carrying an undeniable pressure. "If a decision hasn't been made by then, I will designate one at random. That is all."

After Chabashira Sae left, Hirata Yosuke spoke up first, attempting to steer the discussion back on track: "The decision regarding the Leader can be discussed later. The most urgent task is to decide on a campsite—should we stay on the beach, or head deep into the forest to find a more secluded location? The issue of the bases can be considered after the campsite is determined."

He looked around at his classmates, whose expressions varied, hoping to find a starting point for consensus.

However, surrounded by the massive temptation of points, the grueling endurance of survival, the embarrassment of privacy, and unknown challenges, the path ahead for Class D was already overgrown with thorns.

After announcing all the items, Hoshinomiya Chie clapped her hands in satisfaction, signaling the end of her speech.

Hoshinomiya Chie's speech, coated in sugar yet sharp as a blade, had finally come to an end.

Mashima Satoshi exhaled without a sound, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the sweat-dampened creases of his tracksuit.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty heatwave, blew across his face, yet it could not disperse the gloom gathered between his brows.

He watched Hoshinomiya jump lightly off the podium, her smile vanishing the moment she stepped down as if she were shedding a costume. What surged in his chest was not anger, but a sense of exhaustion.

She could no longer remain the homeroom teacher for Class A; his own class had to reclaim Class A. This thought had never been so clear and firm.

Another teacher picked up a megaphone at the appropriate time, instructing everyone to head to their respective homeroom teachers to hear more detailed supplementary explanations.

The students of the four classes moved slowly with complex and indescribable feelings—a mixture of confusion over the rules, longing for freedom, desire for points, and hidden worries about survival—like chess pieces pulled by invisible threads, gathering around their respective class mentors.

The students of Class D, also filled with questions and a newly ignited desire for points, gathered before the still-stern-faced Chabashira Sae.

"Three months starting next month, three months starting next month, three months starting next month... I'm going all out!" Ike Kanji muttered repeatedly like a spell, waving his fists excitedly, high-fiving the similarly pumped-up boys around him, and striking an exaggerated victory pose.

The air was filled with a near-fanatical longing.

The girls were also ignited by this high-spirited mood, gathering together to excitedly map out a blueprint for after the points skyrocketed—no longer having to eat the terrible free meals or use low-quality daily necessities...

For Class D, which had long struggled at the bottom of the class points, this "wealth" that had fallen from the sky was a long-cherished wish finally within reach.

"Just endure it, it's only one week without spending money, right?" someone summarized loudly. "Sounds simple enough!"

But was reality truly that simple? A trace of doubt, like a faint electric current, flashed quietly through the hearts of a few, only to be immediately swallowed by the massive torrent of temptation that the points represented.

Chabashira Sae's voice cut through the brief commotion: "Now, everyone come over to receive your watches." She had items piled up beside her that had just been taken out of cardboard boxes, and several staff members in uniforms were assisting with the distribution.

The students stepped forward one by one, receiving a sturdy-looking electronic watch.

"You are forbidden from taking off the watch without permission until the exam ends," Chabashira Sae's sharp gaze swept over everyone.

"Violators will be punished. This watch is not just a timer; it also has built-in body temperature, pulse, motion sensors, and GPS satellite positioning."

She paused and pointed to an inconspicuous small red button on the side of the watch. "Additionally, an emergency distress function is integrated here. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, do not hesitate—press it immediately."

"Life, life-threatening?" a girl's voice trembled. "Teacher, on this island... there wouldn't be bears or anything like that, right?"

Chabashira remained expressionless: "This is an exam. I will not answer any questions that might affect the results."

"Ugh... you saying that makes it even scarier!" another student shrank their neck.

"I don't think we need to worry excessively," Hirata Yosuke's gentle voice rang out, carrying a reassuring strength.

"If there were truly a risk of students being attacked by dangerous animals, the school would bear unimaginable responsibility. The core purpose of setting up these sensors and the distress function should be to monitor our health and ensure a basic safety baseline. After all, by placing us on an uninhabited island, the school's primary consideration must be safety."

His clear and logical analysis allowed most of the nervous students to breathe a sigh of relief.

At this moment, a more pressing question was thrown out. Horikita Suzune stepped forward and asked calmly: "Chabashira-sensei, the school said that we are entirely responsible for our own lives this week, which means if we don't use points, then everything required for survival, including food, water, and shelter, must be solved by ourselves, and the school will not provide any additional assistance, correct?"

"That's right." Chabashira nodded bluntly. "The school will not interfere. Shortages of water, lack of food, nowhere to sleep—these are all part of the exam, and you must find ways to overcome them yourselves. What methods you use to solve these problems is entirely up to you." Her words were decisive, shattering any lingering illusions of relying on the school.

The students of Class D looked at each other. No points used at all? The warmth of their excitement had yet to fade, but the cold water of reality had already been poured over their heads.

With thirty-nine people and only two tents (each barely squeezing in eight people), it meant at least twenty-three people would have nowhere to shelter from the wind and rain.

Even more embarrassing was the fact that there was only one portable toilet! Were they really expected to sleep under the stars and brave the elements?

However, the temptation of 30,000 points was simply too intense. Many gritted their teeth, feeling that for such a "huge sum," they could endure anything.

Someone hurriedly flipped through the thick guidebook. The "Penalty Clauses" at the end of the manual instantly caught everyone's attention:

Serious injury or illness leading to withdrawal: -30 points.

Polluting the environment: -20 points.

Missing the twice-daily roll call (8:00 AM and 8:00 PM): -5 points per person per instance.

Violence, looting, or destroying other classes' property: Immediate disqualification from the exam and confiscation of all personal points of the individuals involved.

The final clause acted like a cold iron gate, completely blocking the last retreat of the "ninja strategy"—endurance was fine, but if someone collapsed due to the harsh environment, caused pollution due to hygiene issues, or sparked conflict over resources, the price paid would be devastating.

"Looking at it this way... I'm afraid not using any points at all won't work, right?" Shinohara Satsuki furrowed her brows, voicing the thoughts of many. "For the sake of safety and basic hygiene, we might... have to spend some."

"I object to wanting to compromise from the start!" Ike Kanji immediately retorted, feeling that Shinohara's words were undermining everyone's resolve. "We should grit our teeth and endure as much as we can! Otherwise, how can we justify taking those 30,000 points?"

Hirata tried to mediate: "Ike, I understand your persistence. But we must be rational. If someone's health actually breaks down because of this, that would be an irreparable loss..."

"Hirata, don't say such unlucky things!" Ike interrupted him rudely. "If we don't give it our all and grit our teeth to hold on, what's the point of this exam?!" The cracks in the class began to appear clearly.

At this moment, Horikita raised a key question: "Chabashira-sensei, where will the roll call take place?"

"The instructor must act with the class," Chabashira explained. "Once you have selected your campsite, report it to me, and I will set up a base there. The roll call will be held at that base."

Seeming to remember something she had missed, she walked over to another cardboard box and tore open the packing tape with a "rip." "Also, this is your solution for answering the call of nature." She took out the folded cardboard and accessories from inside.

"Huh? What the hell is that?" Yamauchi Haruki stared at the pile of items with a look of disgust.

"A portable toilet. One is provided for each class. Please use it properly." Chabashira began to assemble it efficiently.

However, the strongest resistance did not come from Yamauchi, but from a group of girls led by Shinohara Satsuki.

"Wait!" Shinohara's voice was filled with incredulous resistance. "Are you saying... we all have to use that?!"

"It's unisex." Chabashira-sensei didn't even look up, her hands continuing to move. "However, a lightweight tent with a simple changing function will be provided to cover it, ensuring privacy, so there's no need to worry about being seen."

"That's not the problem of being seen or not!" Shinohara's cheeks flushed bright red, her tone exceptionally agitated. "Doing it... on a cardboard box?! I absolutely cannot do that!" The other girls nodded vigorously in agreement, their faces filled with visceral rejection and embarrassment.

Chabashira-sensei remained unmoved, skillfully unfolding the cardboard box into a square structure, laying down a blue plastic inner bag, and then taking out a white thin sheet: "This is an absorbent pad. Cover the waste with it; it absorbs moisture, solidifies the form, and reduces odors. It is reusable, and one bag can hold about five uses. The plastic inner bags and absorbent pads are in unlimited supply. If you really mind, you can change to a new bag every time." She calmly demonstrated the procedure.

Even so, the girls' resistance showed no signs of fading.

No matter how tempting the points were, the psychological chasm was difficult to cross when it came to overcoming such deep-seated shame and profound anxiety about hygiene.

An atmosphere of unease and argument began to swell in the air once again.

"Alright," Chabashira-sensei raised her voice, suppressing the impending commotion. "There are additional important rules." She pointed to the guidebook:

Occupying a base: Requires the use of a special key card held by the "Leader." Each successful occupation of a base earns 1 point. You are free to use the bases you have occupied.

Violation penalty: Using another class's base without permission results in a 50-point deduction.

Leader authority: Only the selected "Leader" can use the key card. It cannot be changed without a valid reason.

Base refresh: Every 8 hours, the occupation status of all bases is reset.

Occupation limit: Multiple unoccupied bases can be occupied simultaneously.

Day 7 Guessing Game:

During the final roll call, you can guess the leaders of other classes.

Guessing one leader correctly earns your class 50 points; the class whose leader was guessed correctly loses 50 points.

If the person guessed as the leader is incorrect, it is considered a misjudgment, and 50 points will be deducted.

The class whose leader is correctly guessed will lose all extra points accumulated to date.

"Your class must also select a leader," Chabashira-sensei concluded. "Whether or not you participate in the battle for bases is your freedom. If you aren't greedy, keeping it a secret means no one will know who your leader is. But if you decide to participate, or want to avoid being guessed, you must choose someone. Report to me once you have decided, and I will issue a key card engraved with the name. The deadline is the first roll call at 8:00 PM tonight."

She paused, her voice carrying a hint of unquestionable pressure. "If you haven't decided by then, I will designate one at random. That is all."

After Chabashira-sensei left, Hirata Yosuke spoke first, trying to steer the discussion back on track: "The decision on the leader can be discussed later. The priority is to decide on a campsite—should we stay on the beach, or head deep into the forest to find a more secluded location? The issue of the base can be considered after the campsite is determined."

He looked around at his classmates, who all wore different expressions, hoping to find a starting point for consensus.

However, with the massive temptation of points, the arduous endurance of survival, the embarrassment of privacy, and the unknown challenges ahead, the path for Class D was already overgrown with thorns.