Showdown

Soon, the three of them followed Onizuka's lead, quietly making their way to the Class C campsite along the route he had scouted previously.

What came into view was a scene that bordered on the extravagant.

Out on the sea, a small speedboat zipped along under the sunlight, its blue and white hull carving a bright arc across the water, looking exceptionally dazzling.

On the shore, several colorful beach umbrellas were neatly arranged, with various drinks and snacks placed beneath them.

And on several comfortable lounge chairs, the students of Class C were lazily enjoying a sunbath, some chatting, others resting with their eyes closed.

It was a complete vacation mode, as if this were not an exam site, but some pleasant beach resort.

Onizuka swept a glance over the expensive supplies, quickly calculating the points required in his mind.

A pile of equipment and supplies like this must have cost at least a hundred points; it could be called a thorough "money-burning" indulgence.

As the three of them approached, they saw Ryuen, dressed in casual beachwear, lying on a lounge chair and waving at them, wearing his usual cynical expression, his smile tinged with a hint of nonchalant provocation.

"Yo, Horikita, Ayanokoji, and Onizuka—come to see how Class C's 'luxury amusement park' is? Why not join in and enjoy yourselves?" Ryuen said, wearing a pair of sunglasses and looking completely at ease.

Horikita narrowed her eyes, looking at Ryuen coldly, her voice tinged with confusion.

"If you squander your resources like this, you won't even last seven days, will you? Burning through your supplies this early, do you really intend to give up so easily?"

Ryuen just chuckled at her words, not the least bit shaken by her questioning; instead, he appeared even more relaxed.

He crossed his hands behind his head and leaned lazily against the back of the chair, as if he didn't care about her concern at all, even showing a hint of mockery.

"Seven days? On this deserted island? Do you really take this damn school exam seriously??"

"Horikita-san, this so-called 'survival exam' is nothing more than a boring trick by the school. Working yourself to the bone for days just to earn a few dozen or a hundred points? Don't make me laugh."

He spread his hands, his gaze sweeping over the luxurious setup around him, and said leisurely.

"We're going to enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Once the points are gone, we'll all withdraw and head back to the ship with our heads held high. As they say, seize the day."

He then gave a meaningful look at Horikita and Ayanokoji, who were standing to the side, before lazily gesturing toward an empty lounge chair nearby, his smile carrying a hint of teasing.

"But really, don't you guys want to 'enjoy' this together? It's a rare treat to have this kind of luxury on a deserted island."

Ayanokoji shook his head silently, then calmly declined.

"Sorry, I don't really have a need for that kind of enjoyment."

As soon as he finished speaking, he walked toward the edge of the campsite, his gaze occasionally scanning other corners, clearly unwilling to waste time talking to Ryuen.

Horikita snorted coldly, a hint of disdain in her eyes, and also turned decisively to leave.

However, the moment she turned, she noticed Onizuka smiling and accepting the invitation, walking calmly toward the empty lounge chair next to Ryuen.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Onizuka raised an eyebrow at Ryuen, walked with a steady pace to the empty chair beside him, and lay down without the slightest hesitation.

"It's a rare opportunity to witness Class C's 'luxury,' so I shouldn't miss it. I really must thank you, Ryuen-kun."

Ryuen paused slightly, his brow arching; he was clearly surprised by Onizuka's familiar demeanor.

Recalling just a moment ago, he didn't seem to have specifically invited Onizuka, did he?

But then he thought, since this kid walked right into the trap, he might as well see what kind of tricks he could pull.

Horikita witnessed this scene and secretly rolled her eyes, filled with speechless contempt for Onizuka's actions.

She said no more, cast a cold glance at Ryuen, and then turned her head and left, as if staying here for even a moment longer would be a waste of her time.

Ayanokoji stood to the side, observing silently, looking at Onizuka with a faint, unreadable smile before quietly following Horikita's footsteps, leaving Onizuka alone at the Class C campsite.

Seeming to find the sunlight too harsh, Onizuka squinted his eyes and turned his head toward Ryuen.

"Hey, Ryuen-kun, could you get me a pair of those sunglasses too?"

Hearing him say this, the corner of Ryuen's mouth twitched slightly, and he shouted toward Ishizaki, who was nearby.

"Get him a pair of sunglasses!"

"And a drink, make it cold!" Onizuka added, waving his hand without even lifting his head.

Ishizaki stood frozen in place, unsure whether he should actually get them. He looked at Ryuen, wanting to seek his opinion.

Ryuen tilted his chin toward him, signaling that he should just go ahead.

Onizuka put on the sunglasses, leaned back comfortably on the lounge chair, and took a gulp of the cold drink, as if his entire being were immersed in the refreshing summer air, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Refreshing! This is the life!"

Watching him like this, Ryuen's expression grew increasingly stiff, his gaze becoming sharper.

He sneered, leaned in toward Onizuka with a fierce look in his eyes, and lowered his voice to question him.

"You guy, don't tell me you came to our camp just to mooch off some sunglasses and a drink? Tell me, what is your real objective?"

Onizuka smiled leisurely, turned his head slightly, and deliberately took his time lifting his sunglasses to reveal a playful grin.

"Weren't you the one who invited me to sit down?"

The corner of Ryuen's eye twitched slightly; he was clearly unable to suppress the simmering anger in his heart.

He leaned in one step closer, unable to hold back any longer, his face dark and on the verge of snapping, when he heard Onizuka speak.

"I know about the deal you made with Class A."

Ryuen's expression froze the moment he heard those words, but it only lasted for a fleeting second before he regained his composure and let out a cold snort.

"So what if you know? Everyone will find out once the results are announced in a week anyway; you just happened to discover it a little earlier."

Onizuka unhurriedly pulled a card from his pocket—it was the Leader ID Card for Class D—and as he flicked it between his fingertips, the smile on his lips deepened.

"I've calculated the cost of your deal. Trading twenty thousand points a month for this meager amount of supplies is a losing bargain no matter how you look at it."

"If Class A went to such great lengths, it would be hard to justify if it were merely to solve a temporary shortage of supplies, wouldn't it?"

Ryuen's expression darkened slightly, but he didn't rush to respond, merely eyeing the card in Onizuka's hand with a cold gaze, his thoughts unreadable.

"There is nothing more valuable than this, is there?"

Onizuka's voice was low yet firm, and the Leader ID Card in his hand glinted under the sunlight.