Choice

Back in the forest clearing chosen as their temporary base, fatigue mingled with the excitement of arriving in an unfamiliar environment. The first order of business was to establish a leader to coordinate their survival efforts. Everyone sat in a circle, the atmosphere somewhat tense.

Kushida Kikyo spoke first, her usual sweet smile on her face. "I think the leader should be someone responsible who cares about everyone! Who do you all think is suitable?" Her words easily steered the conversation.

Discussion quickly unfolded. Someone mentioned Horikita Suzune, citing her calm rationality; others quietly suggested Kazama In, given the strong leadership he displayed on the ship—especially during the "Painted Skin" incident, though details were obscured, his presence left a deep impression. Horikita Suzune immediately refused coldly: "I'm not interested." Her sharp gaze swept over the group, carrying obvious detachment.

Amid the debate, Kazama In calmly raised his hand, his voice low but clear to everyone: "I'll do it."

His self-nomination silenced the murmurs instantly. Many breathed sighs of relief—Kazama In's demonstrated ability and reassuringly steady aura made him the most suitable choice. Koenji Rokusuke applauded elegantly from the side. "Oh-ho-ho! Arbiter's commanding presence will surely add a splendid chapter to our survival journey!"

Hirata Yosuke also smiled in support. "I believe everyone has seen Kazama-kun's abilities." Kushida Kikyo nodded repeatedly, her smile radiant. "Yes! Kazama-kun can definitely do it!"

The leader was thus decided. Next came the registration step. According to the rules, the leader had to input their "student card" information into a special watch for identity binding.

"To prevent information leaks, everyone gather closer to block outside view," Kazama In said calmly. The suggestion was immediately heeded. Class D students instinctively huddled together, forming a relatively closed human wall to shield against potential prying eyes from other classes.

Kazama In pulled his student card from his pocket. Just as he was about to swipe it over the watch's reader, his gaze naturally, briefly, met Koenji Rokusuke's from the edge of the crowd. The eye contact was lightning-fast, unnoticed by anyone except the two involved.

A faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of Koenji's lips.

Kazama In moved his wrist smoothly, swiping the card over the watch. A soft beep confirmed the registration. He returned the card to his pocket.

"Identity binding complete."

—What was bound was Koenji Rokusuke's student card information. The true leader's identity was cleverly hidden beneath Koenji's flamboyant exterior. This was an agreement reached between Kazama In and Koenji on the way back: Kazama In would act as the visible "leader" to attract potential attention and risk, while he controlled the overall situation from the shadows, facilitating his "cleanup" operations.

As dusk fell, the forest's outlines grew blurred and mysterious in the twilight. A three-person exploration team consisting of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Sakura Airi, and Yamauchi Haruki brought back an unexpected find—Ibuki Mio from Class C. She claimed Ryuen Kakeru had abandoned her, leaving her with nowhere to go. Despite Class D's suspicion and wariness toward her, under Kushida Kikyo's plea of "we can't just let her die" and Kazama In's (as the new leader) tacit approval, Ibuki was temporarily taken in at Class D's base.

A campfire was lit, its orange-red flames dispelling the forest's chill and darkness, bringing a measure of security. Some wild fruits gathered by the girls during the day were washed and distributed, few in number but better than nothing.

Just as everyone relaxed around the fire, Koenji Rokusuke and Kazama In appeared again at the firelight's edge. Koenji carried several cleaned frogs strung on vines, while on Kazama In's shoulder perched a small, delicate bird with deep blue-black feathers dotted with star-like white spots—a rare nightingale.

"Oh! Food!"

"Frogs! And a bird!"

"Koenji-kun and Kazama-kun are amazing!" At the sight of food, the weary students cheered, momentarily forgetting the day's hardships and their vigilance toward Ibuki.

However, more eyes were drawn to the unusually tame nightingale on Kazama In's shoulder.

"What a beautiful bird!"

"It... isn't afraid of people? It's just perching on Kazama-kun's shoulder?"

"Kazama-kun seems popular with animals?" someone murmured.

Kazama In ignored the chatter. His gaze fell on the small creature on his shoulder, a rare softness flickering in his eyes. This nightingale was unusual—it wasn't entirely wild; its feathers were too clean, its claws and beak showed no signs of wear from the wild. Most importantly, he detected a faint scent on it, not of the forest, but of a specific kind of cleaner—a sign of professional training. Combined with the hidden campsite traces with gunpowder residue he'd found at a high point earlier, the answer was clear: this nightingale was likely a tool bird raised by the two lurking assassins for reconnaissance or communication.

But now, this bird, which should have belonged to the enemy, nuzzled affectionately against Kazama In's neck with its small head, chirping softly as if begging for attention. Kazama In extended his slender fingers, gently stroking its smooth feathers, pinching a small piece of the wild fruit he'd just received and bringing it to the bird's beak. The nightingale pecked at it without hesitation, letting out a satisfied trill.

The sight stunned many classmates. The firelight cast Kazama In's sharp profile into relief, contrasting strangely with his gentle touch and the bird's intimate cuddling, exuding an indescribable charm. Some girls even blushed.

"Taming..." Kazama In's thoughts drifted back to his distant childhood. In that family mansion, the only comfort he'd had was a wounded canary his mother had secretly brought him. He'd cared for it meticulously, shared his thoughts with it, watched it recover and sing. That brief, warm memory full of life was one of the few bright spots in his gray childhood. Later... the bird died, and his mother... He looked at this similarly tamed nightingale, a complex emotion spreading in his heart.

"From now on, you'll stay with me," Kazama In said very quietly, almost a whisper, audible only to the nightingale on his shoulder. He'd made his decision. Not just to use it against the assassins, but because it had touched the sealed softness in his heart. "I'll protect you." This thought surfaced quietly. He even began planning to use personal points to apply for legal ownership from the school once they returned.

"Give it a name, Kazama-kun?" Kushida Kikyo leaned in, curious about the docile bird.

Kazama In paused for a moment, looking at the bird's feathers shimmering with a deep blue luster in the firelight. "Let's call it 'Shadow'."

The food was distributed. The frog meat and ordinary bird meat Kazama In and Koenji brought back were roasted over the fire. Though bland in flavor, they were a delicacy to the hungry students. Kazama In carefully tore off some cooked, boneless tender meat to feed "Shadow," who ate with relish, occasionally chirping in delight.

Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo carried some food toward Ibuki Mio, who sat alone in the shadows at the edge of the campfire.

"Ibuki-san, have something to eat," Hirata said gently.

Kushida also showed a friendly smile. "Yeah, don't be shy."

Ibuki Mio looked up, her eyes complex as she glanced at them, then quickly flicked toward Kazama In playing with the nightingale by the fire. She silently accepted the food.

Kazama In's gaze swept over Ibuki, his jet-black eyes showing understanding. Ryuen Kakeru's discarded pawn tactic? Crude, but effective. He didn't call it out. Ibuki's presence might become a clue to Class C's movements, or even... bait to lure out greater threats. On the chessboard where survival and hunting intertwined, every piece had its value.

"Shadow" had eaten its fill and affectionately preened Kazama In's silver-white hair with its beak, then curled up quietly in the crook of his neck, as if treating him as the safest perch. Kazama In's fingers unconsciously stroked its warm body, feeling the trust and dependence of this tiny life. The campfire crackled, illuminating Class D students' tired or excited faces, and also the faint glimmer of something awakened beneath the unfathomable ice in Kazama In's eyes—something called "protection."

The nightingale's song, the assassins' gunpowder scent, the hunting excitement gleaming in Koenji's eyes, Ibuki Mio's hidden intentions, and this unexpected warmth on his shoulder, laced with a trap... By this campfire far from civilization, the challenge of survival had only just begun, and the hunting and protection in the shadows were quietly intertwining. Kazama In knew the true test would come after dawn.