Luxury Travel

"Whoa~"

"Whoa~"

"Yahoo~"

Sudo and his two friends raised their arms on the deck, letting loose the joy of the study trip. The Western Zhou echoed with their shouts.

Normally, the three of them would've been hit with something like "Shut up," "So annoying," "Reincarnated monkeys or what?" But not today. After surviving the midterms and finals, the pent-up school stress finally had an outlet here.

The girls' group led by Karuizawa was taking photos by the railing, while Kushida chatted with Ayanokouji about the scenery nearby.

As for Takahashi?

He was in the café with Shiina from Class C, sipping coffee and discussing novels. To match the study trip's vibe and his own twisted taste, Takahashi was telling her about Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

"Agatha's And Then There Were None fits this trip pretty well, huh? A serial murder case on a deserted island."

Attention all students: If time permits, please gather on the deck. We will soon arrive at the island, and you'll be able to enjoy a truly meaningful view.

The ship's announcement cut off Takahashi's story.

"Want to go see the view together?" Takahashi stood up and offered his hand to Shiina.

More and more people gathered on the deck. Sudo was already clashing with a Class A student, but with Ayanokouji and Hirata nearby, it probably wouldn't blow up.

A few minutes later, the island came into view.

"If we had to survive out there, now's a good time to observe the island."

Shiina's voice came from beside him.

"Takahashi, can you come here for a sec?" Ike called out from the side.

"Sorry, excuse me for a moment." Takahashi apologized to Shiina.

"What's up, Ike?"

"Takahashi, I've decided. I'm gonna confess to Little Kushida." Ike said excitedly. "Little Kushida's like an angel—gentle and pretty. How could anyone not fall for her?"

"So, why'd you call me over? Want me to be your wingman?"

"No, it's just—you've got a lot of pretty girls around you, right? So I wanted you to help me come up with what to say."

"I see~" Takahashi said thoughtfully. "When you confess, just say: 'If you're ever tired, my arms will be your safe harbor. Let it all out in them!'"

"Huh?" Ike was stunned at first, then savored the words and happily hugged Takahashi. "That's awesome, Takahashi! As expected of you. I'm using that line."

"No need to thank me." Takahashi replied with a smile, thinking to himself: I wonder what Kushida's reaction will be when she hears that, haha.

That confession was a double entendre. On the surface, it sounded like a sweet line, but it involved Takahashi—since Kushida's venting spot had already moved to his arms.

"Hey, hey, Little Kushida, can I bother you for a sec..."

Ike hurried over to Kushida, who was gazing at the sea nearby. The move was obviously suspicious.

"Actually... how should I put this? We've known each other for almost two months now, right? I think it's about time we just call each other by our first names. Always using last names feels too distant."

"Come to think of it, you've already started calling Yamauchi and the others by their first names, haven't you?"

"Is... is that not okay? If... if I call you Little Kikyo..."

Faced with Ike's question, Kushida showed a innocent smile. "Of course it's fine! Then can I call you Kanji?"

"Wooooah! Little Kikyo!"

Ike threw his arms up and shouted like a gorilla, just short of beating his chest.

"So, Little Kushida," Ike said, looking at her expectantly.

"What is it, Kanji?"

"Well, we're friends, right? So, if you're ever tired, my arms will be your safe harbor. You can let it all out in them." After saying that, Ike stared at Kushida nervously.

Hearing Ike's words, Kushida's smiling expression froze instantly.

Inner thoughts: Ike: Haha, as expected, Takahashi's the man. He stunned Little Kushida cold. She must be thinking I'm a responsible guy.

Kushida: Annoying, annoying, annoying. Takahashi taught you that line, didn't he? Takahashi, you deserve to die. And Ike, who cares about you calling me by my first name? You should die too. End inner thoughts.

Kushida smiled as she spoke. "Hmm... but Kanji, I don't have anything I need to vent."

As expected, he got rejected.

"Ayanokouji, Ike mentioning names reminded me—what's Horikita's first name? You know, Horikita?" Sudo, who was hiding and watching the show like Takahashi, suddenly asked.

"Hmm... Suzune. Horikita Suzune." Ayanokouji thought for a moment and replied.

"Suzune, huh. What a cute name, just like her."

Yamauchi wanted to ask Takahashi about Sakura's info, but remembering how close Takahashi and Sakura were, he ultimately kept his mouth shut.

The cruise ship moved fast. By the time everyone could clearly see the island, it was already nearing the dock. The students on board grew more and more excited, all eager to get ashore. But just when they thought the ship would dock directly, it passed right by the pier and started circling the island.

This island was rented and managed by the school from the government. It was only about 0.5 square kilometers, with the highest point at 230 meters above sea level. Compared to Japan's landmass, it was tiny, but for over a hundred students arriving by cruise, it was plenty spacious.

It seemed the cruise ship was going to circle the island once, so everyone could get a full view of it. The ship maintained the same speed, moving quite fast, the bow churning up large sprays of water, which looked a bit odd.

Attention, students: We will be landing on the school's private uninhabited island. Please change into your gym clothes within 30 minutes, check that your required luggage is in order, and bring your phones to assemble on deck. Leave all other personal belongings in your rooms. As restrooms may be temporarily unavailable after landing, please prepare in advance.

The ship's announcement rang out again.

Ike and the others, hearing this, headed back excitedly to change clothes. Takahashi also walked toward his room, but on the way, he ran into Horikita, who didn't look well.

"You look terrible. Are you sick?"

"No." Horikita replied coldly, though she didn't seem to realize that her usually neat hair was a bit messy today, and she was unconsciously rubbing her arms.

"If I'm not wrong, this study trip might be a special exam. If you don't want to hold the class back, follow me." With that, Takahashi didn't bother with Horikita anymore.

Horikita thought it over and still followed Takahashi.

"Here." Takahashi handed Horikita a cup of warm water and some cold medicine.

"Mm... thanks." Horikita hesitated for a moment before taking them.

As the island drew closer, the first-year students' excitement peaked.

"Starting now, Class A students, please disembark in order. Also, cell phones are prohibited on the island. Please hand them over to your homeroom teacher before disembarking."

The teacher ordered through a megaphone, and the students filed down the cruise ship's steps one by one.

"So hot, hurry up... No matter how thin I dress, I'm still sweating buckets." The trio of Ike grumbled.

The deck of the ship docked at the shore was scorching, so complaints were inevitable. Since they were disembarking in order from A to D, Class D had to wait in the sweltering heat.

Disembarking took longer than expected, but seeing two teachers checking each student's luggage one by one made it less surprising. It seemed this really would be a dreamlike experience.

Teacher Chabashira watched all the students descend the gangway before speaking sternly: "We'll start roll call now. When your name is called, answer loudly with 'Here,' then come over here." She held the roll sheet in one hand, confirming everyone's attendance.

Teacher Chabashira was wearing the same gym clothes as the students, giving off a bit of a training camp vibe, but most people didn't look particularly tense.

"Ah... I hope free time starts soon. The ocean's right there." Ike muttered impatiently, and most of the others clearly wanted to rush to the beach.

Just then, the tall Teacher Mashima stepped up to the white podium at the front—he was Class A's homeroom teacher, taught English, and was known for being strict. Built like a wrestler, he looked rough but was actually sharp, and had taught other subjects too.

"First, welcome, everyone, for arriving safely. However, unfortunately, one student is absent due to illness."

Ike muttered under his breath: "So someone really got sick and couldn't come. That's rough."

"Yeah, for a regular trip it'd be one thing, but with such a luxurious itinerary, hearing their friends describe it later will definitely make them regret it. Even if they felt a bit unwell, they should've gritted their teeth and come." Yamauchi chimed in.

As Teacher Mashima silently watched the students, Takahashi, who had been winking and flashing smiles at Hasebe in the girls' line, noticed Ayanokouji beside him staring at something. Following his gaze, he saw workers in uniforms deliberately setting up tents in the distance, with computers and other items laid out on a long table. The students looked puzzled by this urban noise clashing with the sound of the waves. Teacher Mashima seemed to wait for the atmosphere to settle, then dropped a cold statement:

"We will now begin the first special exam of the year."

"Huh? Special exam? What's going on?"

Not just Ike behind Ayanokouji, but nearly every class let out predictable questions—to students who thought (even now) this was a trip, it was a bolt from the blue. The school's so-called "benevolent" luxurious summer cruise trip was, as expected, just an illusion.

"The exam starts now and lasts for one week, ending at noon on August 7th. The content of the exam is group life on this uninhabited island. This is a practical exam designed with reference to real corporate training, highly realistic."

"Living on an uninhabited island? So we're leaving the ship to stay on the island?"

Someone from Class B or Class C raised the question.

"Correct. During the exam period, you may not board the ship without a valid reason. Everything from sleeping quarters to food must be handled by yourselves on the island. The school will issue each class two tents, two flashlights, one box of matches, unlimited sunscreen, and one toothbrush per person. As a special exception, female students may request unlimited sanitary products from their homeroom teacher. That is all."

"What! You're seriously saying we have to survive on an uninhabited island? That's absurd! This isn't an anime! Two tents can't fit everyone! What about food! Unbelievable!" Ike shouted loudly, his voice clear to everyone. Self-sufficiency on an uninhabited island meant hunting, bathing in rivers, making wooden beds—scenes only found in movies and novels, something no one expected to become a school exam.

Teacher Mashima didn't deny it was a joke, and even showed genuine exasperation at Ike's reaction: "You find it unbelievable only because your life experience is shallow. In reality, there are well-known major corporations that conduct training on uninhabited islands."

"No... that must be an exception! An uninhabited island is too extreme, absolutely impossible! It's not realistic!"

Teacher Chabashira couldn't stand Ike's outburst and warned him: "Shut up. Keep this up and you'll only make yourself look worse. What Teacher Mashima said is just the tip of the iceberg. There are companies in the world with no chairs in their offices, and businesses that determine salaries by rolling dice. The world is more complex and diverse than you think. In other words, the one who can't tell reality from fantasy is you."

Most students still looked dissatisfied. Teacher Chabashira continued: "You might think this exam is meaningless now, or even doubt the authenticity of the training. But people stuck at that level of understanding won't go far in the future. What right do you have to criticize things as 'impossible' or 'stupid'? You're just students, in an insignificant position—what gives you the authority to reject the methods of top-tier companies? If you were a CEO running a company better than those, maybe you'd have the right to deny them. Otherwise, you have no basis for denial."

It was clear the students were unhappy—after all, they'd been promised a vacation trip, and suddenly it turned into a special exam. It was like a girlfriend who said she'd cosplay as Changli in her Western Fire state with a black blindfold at night, but then suddenly switched to cosplaying Lao Luo instead—the loud marks on the brain just didn't feel right.

Teacher Mashima comforted them: "But don't worry, everyone. If this were an exam forcing you to suffer, your complaints would be understandable. But even as a special exam, don't overthink it. For the next week, you can swim at the beach, have a barbecue, occasionally light a fire and chat with friends. The theme of this special exam is 'freedom.'"

"Huh? The theme is 'freedom,' so that means... we can still have a barbecue? What kind of exam is this? My head's spinning..." Ike said, grabbing his hair.

An exam that allowed free play—the contradictory information left the students baffled.

"Before the exam, we will issue each class 300 Exam Points and one Representative Card. Once you've chosen a campsite location on this island, report it to a teacher, and they will set up a base there. The base requires a class representative to check in every 8 hours. Under normal circumstances, the class representative cannot be changed. Alright, use the 300 points wisely, and you can spend this week like a vacation. For that purpose, we've prepared a Guide Manual."

Teacher Mashima took a booklet dozens of pages thick from another teacher and continued: "The manual lists everything you can exchange with points—drinking water, food, and other daily necessities go without saying. If you want to barbecue, you can exchange for equipment and ingredients, as well as various marine entertainment items."

The students' tense expressions gradually relaxed.

"So, with 300 points, we can buy everything we need?"

"Correct. As long as you plan your points well, you can get through the week easily."

If what he said was true, this exam seemed more like a special summer activity than a test.

"But since it's an exam, there must be some difficulty, right?"

"There's no difficulty, and it won't affect your second-semester grades, I guarantee it."

"So we can just play all week?"

"Completely free. Of course, group life has minimum rules, but they're not hard to follow."

A risk-free exam? That made me question its purpose—was it just to promote grade interaction during summer break?

Then Teacher Mashima dropped the key line: "At the end of the exam, each class will guess the representatives of the other classes. Fifty points added for each correct guess, fifty points deducted for each wrong one. The final tally will be added to your class points, and the results will take effect after summer break."

The summer sea breeze kicked up sand as those words slammed into everyone like a hammer.

In the past, written exams favored academic ability, giving Class A a huge advantage while Class D often struggled with point deficits. But this time was different—it wasn't testing grades, but "restraint." As long as they resisted temptation and planned wisely, Class D had a chance to turn things around.

"You mean if we tough it out for a week, next month's allowance could skyrocket?!" Ike's voice was brimming with excitement.

"Each class receives one Guide Manual. If lost, a replacement can be issued but points will be deducted, so keep it safe. Also, Class A has one absent student; per the rules, thirty points are deducted, leaving them with two hundred and seventy."

Even Class A couldn't escape punishment—how fair and square. The other classes showed expressions of surprise.

After Teacher Mashima dismissed them, Class D students gathered around their homeroom teacher, Teacher Chabashira. The four classes each clustered together, maintaining a subtle distance.

"Thirty thousand points next month, thirty thousand... let's go for it!" The boys cheered with raised fists, while the girls excitedly discussed what they'd exchange for. For Class D, this was a golden chance to escape poverty.

"Handing out watches now. You must wear them during the exam; removing them without permission will result in penalties. The watches have timers, monitor body temperature and pulse, have GPS functions, and an emergency call button." Teacher Chabashira pointed to the box beside her, signaling us to take one.

"Are there dangerous animals like bears on the island?"

"I can't answer exam-related questions."

"Teacher, saying that makes it even scarier!"

Hirata interjected, "I don't think there are dangerous animals. The school has to ensure safety. The watches are probably for monitoring health, since they can't install surveillance on the island."

Indeed, on a deserted island, it's hard to supervise a hundred students with manpower alone. The watches' GPS and health monitoring functions served both as constraints and safeguards.

Every student received a watch, putting them on their left or right wrist as they preferred.

"Is it okay to go in the sea with this watch on?"

"Don't worry, it's waterproof. If it malfunctions, exam staff will immediately bring a replacement."

"Teacher Chabashira, the school says we have to live on the island for a week. If we don't use points, do we have to figure everything out ourselves?"

"Correct. The school won't interfere at all. You'll have to prepare your own food and water, and if the tents aren't enough, that's your problem. Figuring out solutions is the exam content—none of my business."

Compared to the boys, the girls clearly looked troubled—they were probably anxious about the upcoming island life.

"No problem! We'll catch some fish, pick some wild fruit, and build tents from leaves and wood. Even if I get exhausted, I can tough it out!" Ike was completely focused on saving three hundred points, his tone full of confidence, not taking the difficulties seriously at all.

But with over thirty people in the class, self-sufficiency wasn't that easy.

"Ike, hold on. Check the last page of the manual." Hirata, following Teacher Chabashira's instruction, opened the guide and pointed to the final page. "The Deduction Rules are written here—they're crucial."

The last page listed four penalty clauses:

1. Physical discomfort or serious injury preventing exam participation: deduct thirty points, student withdraws from exam; 2. Environmental pollution: deduct twenty points; 3. Absence from morning and evening roll calls (daily at 8:00 and 20:00): deduct five points per person per occurrence; 4. Violence, robbery, or destruction of others' property: class immediately disqualified, all personal points of the offender confiscated.

Class A's earlier thirty-point deduction for one absence was based on the first rule. The second targeted malicious interference with others, while the remaining three were meant to discipline students—roll calls prevented all-night partying or unauthorized departures, environmental penalties discouraged random destruction, and health management forced students not to push themselves recklessly.

In short, these rules meant the school wanted to test the students' "endurance" while ensuring everyone "followed the rules" within safe boundaries. After all, the school couldn't just let over thirty kids run wild on a deserted island; necessary constraints were both a bottom line and a form of protection.

"It's your freedom to tough it out, but if ten students have health problems, all your endurance and effort will go to waste. Once the school judges you as withdrawing, you can't continue the exam. Ike, you'd better think that through before you push yourself."

Teacher Chabashira's words directly crushed the fantasy of "pure endurance." Many students who had planned to test their limits looked confused. This meant a strategy of using no points at all was almost impossible, and other classes' chances of surviving purely in the wild were basically zero—this exam was neither a gamble on luck nor a brute-force test of stamina. The outline of the rules was gradually becoming clear.

"So we have to use some points, right?"

A girl named Shinohara spoke up after listening.

"I'm against giving in from the start. We should endure as much as we can." Ike tried to argue.

"I get your point, but if we collapse from exhaustion, it'll only cause more trouble." Hirata persuaded him.

As their understanding of the rules deepened, opinions began to diverge. After all, the Guide Manual listed an incredibly wide range of purchasable items—from tents, cooking utensils, and other wilderness survival necessities, to electronics like digital cameras and two-way radios, to leisure items like parasols, lifebuoys, barbecue sets, and even fireworks, plus essential food and drinking water. According to the rules, anyone could use points to exchange for items by applying to their homeroom teacher.

"Teacher Chabashira, if it's convenient to answer—" Horikita, who had roughly finished listening to the explanation, raised her hand to ask, "If someone withdraws after the three hundred points are used up, how are the class points calculated?"

"As the number of withdrawals increases, the points remain at zero; they won't become negative."

"So there's no 'negative point penalty' in this exam?"

Seeing Teacher Chabashira nod in confirmation, and recalling that Teacher Mashima had said "it won't affect the second semester," it seemed credible. Teacher Chabashira glanced at her watch and continued, "The school provides eight-person tents, each weighing nearly fifteen kilograms. Be careful when carrying them. Also, distributed items will not be replaced if damaged or lost; if you need a new tent, you must use points to exchange for one."

At the edge of the crowd, Takahashi held Sakura's slender fingers beside him, pondering the exam rules, doing his best to commit some key terms to memory.