Surrounded on Three Sides (Continued)

Thanks to the discovery of the secret that Black Belt can improve physical fitness, otherwise, Shuichi Kanda's current physical condition would probably make it difficult for him to traverse this small island.

On the other side, Nanase was already falling behind Ayanokoji's pace.

The mountain leading to D3 was very steep, and coupled with the fatigue accumulated over the previous days, Nanase seemed to be struggling. Not long after descending the small hill near C5, Nanase began to pant slightly.

Seeing Nanase's expression, Ayanokoji hesitated for a moment before slowing down, even though he could immediately speed up and shake off Nanase.

However, through observing her over the past few days, Ayanokoji also realized that Nanase was a very stubborn person, and if he just left her like this, she would definitely try to follow him.

The area is all mountain roads, and there's always the risk of danger. To avoid this, Ayanokoji chose to go along with Nanase's rhythm.

After all, there's still a long time to go, and Shuichi Kanda won't get the ranking bonus anyway.

As time went by, dark clouds gradually drifted over the island, the temperature began to drop, and the humidity slowly increased—all signs that rain was imminent.

Not long after Shuichi Kanda set off, he received a message from Ryuen.

[Yagami Takuya has been lost.]

This further solidified Shuichi Kanda going to find Ayanokoji. There was no doubt that Yagami was planning to go to Ayanokoji, otherwise he wouldn't have gone out of his way to shake off the people Ryuen sent to follow him.

Ayanokoji and Nanase spent more than an hour finally climbing to the top of the mountain. They had finished the uphill climb and all they needed to do was head north across the flat area in front of them to reach D2. Then, they could descend the mountain from the east side of D2 to reach the E2 area.

At this moment, Nanase took a few deep breaths and gradually calmed down.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing that Nanase didn't seem to be making any moves, Ayanokoji turned around and asked calmly.

"Ayanokoji- senpai, there's something I want to tell you."

Ayanokoji nodded upon hearing Nanase's words.

"Ever since you left Kanda, you've had this thoughtful look on your face."

"As expected... I was caught?" Nanase wasn't particularly surprised, and nodded honestly. "I had a reason for following you around these past few days."

Ayanokoji adopted a quiet listening posture. He knew, of course, that Nanase's purpose was not simple, but since Shuichi Kanda had been there before, Nanase had not made any rash moves.

However, after Kanda left, Nanase immediately guided, or rather propelled, Ayanokoji towards this area.

To find out what Nanase was up to, Ayanokoji went along with Nanase and came to Mount D3, a place almost no one ever visits.

The purpose was to make Nanase reveal her true intentions, and now it seems that she has finally achieved her goal.

"Senior, I will not let you reach area E2 today."

As Nanase said this, she put her backpack under the tree and looked at Ayanokoji, which was completely different from her previous behavior.

"Are you implying that you want to stop me from going to E2?"

"The senior student was walking ahead the whole time, so he probably didn't have time to check the GPS information."

Although Nanase's answer was irrelevant, what she said was true; walking on such a mountain path, Ayanokoji really didn't have a chance to take out her tablet to check the GPS. But did Nanase's statement mean she checked the GPS halfway through the journey?

However, she wasn't confirming her own information, so she was confirming the locations of others. In other words, does she have accomplices?

However, it's clearly too late to confirm using GPS now; Nanase probably won't give him that chance.

Moreover, Ayanokoji had to admire Nanase's timing. Due to the weather, visibility was decreasing and the wind was getting stronger, so even if someone was hiding nearby, Ayanokoji would hardly be able to spot them.

At least he hasn't noticed anyone else around him yet.

"Nanase, you still haven't given up on your plan to expel me? But you should know that the bottom few in this exam have already been decided, so even if I withdraw from the exam now, I won't be expelled."

"Yes, it's indeed difficult to expel the senior student using only this exam, but it's not impossible to get him to break the exam rules."

Ayanokoji tilted his head, not quite understanding Nanase's meaning.

"If we beat Ayanokoji- senpai here and then have sex with him, he'll definitely be expelled no matter what."

Nanase's expressionless words caused Ayanokoji's expressionless face to change, not with fear but with surprise. "What heinous thing have I done? Was it necessary to go this far?"

"Why do you have to go to this extent?" Ayanokoji wondered.

In the shadows, after using the Universal Reins, Shuichi Kanda finally caught up at the crucial moment. However, he was also quite exhausted, so he was eating bananas to replenish his energy.

As for Nanase, not only Ayanokoji, but also Shuichi Kanda, who was hiding in the shadows, found it very strange. It was just too strange, really, all for 20 million points?

This is completely unnecessary. If it were outside of school, perhaps someone might do this for money.

However, this is a school, and if you want to cash out, you must graduate safely. In the years you spend at school, 20 million points might disappear at any time.

Therefore, Shuichi Kanda couldn't quite understand why Nanase wanted to use her innocence to get Ayanokoji expelled from school; wasn't that going too far?

At the same time, Shuichi Kanda also realized that, in some ways, Nanase was even crazier than Hosen.

"Because, Ayanokoji- senpai, you shouldn't be here at this school."

"Shouldn't it exist? Tell me your reasons."

"Because you're from the White Room."

Ayanokoji was speechless, Shuichi Kanda also somewhat speechless. Was this Nanase also a member of the White Room? If she was, then Nanase's willingness to tarnish her reputation to drop out of Ayanokoji would make sense.

However... Shuichi Kanda shook his head. Impossible. This guy's style of doing things is completely different from Amasawa and Yagami.

Or rather, compared to Yagami and Amasawa, Nanase lacks something.

"I think you understand now. I enrolled in this school on the orders of Acting Chairman Tsukishiro. The content of the order is—to expel Ayanokoji."

"I understand. In other words, if I lose here, it means I'll be expelled from school." Ayanokoji put down his backpack, casually tossed it under a tree beside him, and looked at Nanase.

"Since Tsukishiro sent you here, he must have confidence in you. He must believe in your skills. In that case, even I should be in a tough fight. That being said, if I were to attack a girl, that would be a very serious problem."

"Yes, you might think it's despicable, but if I lose, Ayanokoji- senpai will lose too."

That's right. Although Tsukishiro said that students were allowed to fight to a certain extent on the island, Ayanokoji believed that this permission definitely did not include Ayanokoji.

If it escalates into a fight, or if Nanase suffers serious injuries, then Ayanokoji will undoubtedly be caught in a compromising situation by Etsukyo and expelled from school—at least that's what Ayanokoji believes.

If Shuichi Kanda were faced with this situation, what would he do?

After some deliberation, Ayanokoji took action...

Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, running away is the best!

Without hesitation, Ayanokoji turned around and started running in the opposite direction from Nanase, that is, to the east. In any case, it didn't matter to him if he withdrew from the exam now. As long as he could escape, Nanase would be helpless.

Seeing Ayanokoji turn and run away, Nanase showed no sign of panic, because that direction was not a good escape route.

Shuichi Kanda hand, felt that Ayanokoji had finally figured things out. He hadn't hesitated to beat up Ryuen during the rooftop incident, but now he knew how to use the tactic of running away.

"Ayanokoji- senpai, you've fallen so low, choosing to run away instead."

The sudden sound made Ayanokoji stop in his tracks. In his line of sight appeared someone he had seen before: Yagami Takuya.

It seems I chose the wrong direction, Ayanokoji thought with a slight sense of regret.

"Long time no see, Ayanokoji- senpai. Please allow me to introduce myself again. My name is Yagami Takuya, a student of the fifth term in the White Room."

After saying that, Yagami Takuya wanted to see a surprised expression on Ayanokoji's face, but Yagami was disappointed. Ayanokoji's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end.

He knew from Shuichi Kanda's question to him on the street that the people who attacked Komiya and the others were students from the White Room.

His later instruction to Ryuen to keep an eye on Yagami indicates that the attacker was Yagami. In conclusion, Yagami is the person in the White Room.

So when Ayanokouji saw Yagami, Ayanokoji wasn't surprised, just a little disappointed, because if Yagami had been there, he might not have been able to escape so easily.

"Ayanokoji- senpai doesn't seem surprised at all."

"Yes, although I only learned your identity yesterday, Kanda knew from the beginning that you came from the White Room. In other words, your identity was exposed from the start."

Although Ayanokoji's words were devoid of any emotional fluctuation, Yagami did feel that Ayanokoji was indirectly mocking him after hearing them.

"Impossible! My disguise was perfect, it's impossible that I was..." Yagami immediately denied Ayanokoji's words, but he quickly realized a flaw, "Was it Kushida- senpai?"

"It seems your intelligence gathering is inadequate; you haven't even discovered the relationship between Kanda and Kushida." Ayanokoji's calm words were extremely grating to Yagami's ears.

However, he quickly came to terms with these things.

His deception was exposed from the moment he approached Kushida, because Kushida was certain that no one named Yagami existed in the school a year below hers, so Yagami was lying.

The only people who could accurately obtain students' specific information, besides those who had previously been in contact with the students, were the school's senior management.

The incident that Kushida caused in middle school was almost immediately suppressed by the school, and the victim would certainly not go around talking about such a shameful thing, so Yagami could not be someone who had contact with Kushida.

If that's the case, just say so directly; why pretend to be her junior?

Therefore, there is only one answer: Yagami's information comes from the higher-ups at this school.

And no one with access to student information would do something as pointless as leaking second-year students' information to first-year students—except for Tsukishiro, the Acting Chairman.

Therefore, it is quite obvious that Tsukishiro and Yagami are related.

Tsukishiro's goal was to expel Ayanokoji, thus revealing Yagami's true identity.

After filling in the blanks in his mind, Yagami thought he had figured out the whole story. However, what he didn't know was that someone could easily investigate what happened in the past.

"Okay, I admit that was my mistake, but it's okay, as long as Ayanokoji- senpai doesn't guess my identity."

Looking at Ayanokoji in front of him, Yagami's face broke into an excited smile.

Over the past few months, he has thought more than once how meaningless and a waste of time it is to study in such a place.

Whenever that moment comes, he remembers why he's there.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji: If it weren't to bring him back to the White Room, why would I waste my time here?

As the top student of the fifth term of the White Room, Yagami completed one project after another, leaving behind excellent grades no matter how demanding the course was.

One of these is perhaps a barrier that ordinary people can never overcome.

He constantly proved himself to be a genius who was better than anyone else.

However, every time he achieved such outstanding results, he was never praised by the instructors in the White Room. They would only repeat one sentence—"Kiyotaka Ayanokoji was better a year ago."

Yagami had tried hard to surpass Ayanokoji, but after observing one of Ayanokoji's lessons, he realized that Ayanokoji was indeed very skilled.

If things continue like this, I will be abandoned, and my existence will be meaningless...

Under this extreme mindset, over time, Yagami developed an extreme hatred for Ayanokoji —if only Ayanokoji didn't exist!

If we can't solve the problem, then we should get rid of the person who caused it!

Yagami harbored murderous intent towards Ayanokoji; he wanted to physically eliminate Ayanokoji!

However, the lessons he learned in the White Room taught him that killing someone is not so easy; the first hurdle is overcoming one's own conscience.

If he can't get over this mental hurdle, then he can't possibly kill Ayanokoji with certainty.

So during this Uninhabited Island Exam, he targeted Komiya's group. Although he didn't kill them, he realized that he was now prepared to kill Ayanokoji!

Now, Ayanokoji stands before him, and the opportunity to eliminate Ayanokoji is right in front of him!

"It's so lively! Can I join you?"

The fourth person to enter the arena is Amasawa Ichika.

The moment Ayanokoji saw Amasawa emerge, he was speechless, because now he was surrounded by three people, and his only escape route was to the north, but the north was a cliff, with nowhere to run.

"Ichika, you've come at the right time. While preventing Ayanokoji- senpai from escaping, keep an eye on that woman for me. I don't want anyone interfering with my ceremony to bury Ayanokoji!"

Ayanokoji looked at Amasawa: "Are you also a student of the White Room?"

"Yes, I'm a fifth-term student, just like Takuya. But Takuya is much better than me; I've never beaten her even once."

As Amasawa said this, he got into a fighting stance, as if to prevent Ayanokoji from escaping.

"No! Ayanokoji- senpai, I must see him off personally."

Everyone thought it would be a one-on-one fight between Yagami and Ayanokoji, but Nanase stepped forward at that moment, and her words left everyone present dumbfounded.

Nanase and Yagami felt that Nanase was overestimating herself, while Ayanokoji felt that Nanase was too straightforward.

As for Shuichi Kanda was speechless and felt that he had come for nothing. How could these three people possibly be a match for Ayanokoji?

That Yagami actually wants to fight Ayanokoji one-on-one? Do you want to defeat Ayanokoji to prove yourself?

If Shuichi Kanda were on Yagami's side, he would definitely call for everyone to fight alongside him! He would never do anything risky!

In fact, he did just that. After discovering that someone had targeted Komiya, he immediately contacted all the second-year students to band together.

Why should I engage in a fair fight with you if you can bully the weak? Are you out of your mind?

And Amasawa over there, he actually agreed to Yagami's suggestion just like that. And Nanase, how much do you think you are? You actually think you can handle Ayanokoji...

How can something be accomplished when everyone is scattered and disorganized?