The Mastermind Behind the Scenes, Starting from *The Fruit of Grisaia*

"Ah--!!!"

A scream abruptly pierced the tranquility of the dusk.

The two of them leaned over the railing in unison, following the sound.

At the exit on the first floor of the school building, several students trying to leave were crowding together, desperate to rush out.

Yet, in front of them, where there was clearly nothing, ripples shimmered as if a barrier existed that could never be broken through.

"What... is that?" Hirata's pupils constricted.

What left him even more helpless was the scene behind those students.

In the gloomy shadows of the school building, a group of humanoid monsters dressed in Edo-period attire, their hearts glowing with a dark red luster, were closing in with extremely twisted postures.

Ayanokoji narrowed his eyes; his powerful dynamic vision allowed him to see the monsters clearly.

Hideous, bloodthirsty, and completely beyond the realm of humanity.

Is this what Chabashira Sae warned about?

A biochemical experiment? They're playing for keeps.

Could it be like the White Room... completely devoid of humanity?

"Roar--!!"

The lead monster shrieked and lunged at the students trapped before the air wall.

"Run!!"

Hirata Yosuke's eyes were wide with rage, his instinct screaming at him to rush down and save them.

But he quickly realized that he was on the second floor; there was no way he would make it in time.

He had to draw their attention away first!

He looked at Ayanokoji beside him, speaking at a rapid pace:

"Ayanokoji-kun! Find a place to hide! That thing is clearly not something we can deal with!"

Having said that, this nice guy of Class D showed no intention of running away.

He gripped the railing with both hands, steadied his breath, and roared at the group of monsters downstairs:

"Hey!!! You monsters over here!!!"

"If you have the guts, come at me! What kind of skill is it to bully the weak!!"

"I'm right here!!"

The voice echoed throughout the empty campus.

The Kabane, which had been about to pounce, all paused in unison.

One Kabane suddenly looked up, its scarlet eyes fixed on the second floor, and then, using both hands and feet, it scurried up the wall like a spider at high speed.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."

Watching Hirata beside him frantically waving his arms to attract aggro.

Even though he had already silently stepped back half a pace the moment the other spoke, placing him in front, he couldn't help but sigh.

Why bother.

Ichinose Honami looked at her friend, who was smiling with such ease, her lips twitching as a complex mix of emotions washed over her.

Even though she knew full well that such matters shouldn't be hidden and ought to be discussed with everyone, the Black Sphere trials were different from ordinary exams. She couldn't simply let rumors spread throughout the class and incite unnecessary panic.

She had originally intended to find someone to discuss countermeasures with in private, but she hadn't expected Shiranami Chihiro to volunteer herself.

"Have you really thought this through?"

Ichinose couldn't help but press her hand against Shiranami Chihiro's, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"You don't have any room for error right now!"

"If an accident happens, there will be no turning back!"

"Ichinose, there's no need for that." Shiranami winked at her playfully. "Even if we went to change the roster now, who else in the class do you think is suitable to take my place?"

Ichinose was rendered speechless.

Just as Shiranami said, only a handful of people in the class, such as Kanzaki Ryuji and Amikura Mako, knew about the Black Sphere, and even they didn't fully believe it.

Besides...

Knowing there was a risk of death, would anyone truly be willing to step forward?

Or should she let a random, unsuspecting student participate and risk their life?

Shiranami Chihiro knew perfectly well that Ichinose would absolutely speak up to their classmates on her behalf.

But Ichinose Honami was not the type of person to use moral coercion against others; even for the sake of her own safety, she shouldn't do such a thing.

"It's okay, even if I fail..."

Shiranami Chihiro gripped Ichinose's slightly cold palm in return. "I believe that Ichinose will definitely be able to save up enough points to bring me back to life, right?"

"But..."

Ichinose still wanted to find a way that would satisfy everyone.

"Since Shiranami has already made up her mind, this is indeed the best solution for now."

Beside them, Amikura Mako, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up to remind them.

"However, this is not a long-term solution."

"Paper cannot wrap up fire. Perhaps... we should consider gradually letting everyone know the reality of this situation."

She paused, then added:

"If conditions allow during this exam, could we take some photos of the monsters? Even without a signal, the phones should still work, right?"

"Only by letting them see the cruelty of that world with their own eyes can we possibly inspire true unity."

"...I understand."

Ichinose reluctantly agreed.

But she knew in her heart.

It was hard to say if anyone would risk their lives for class points; in the end, they would likely have to rely on the equipment provided by the Black Sphere, wouldn't they?

Speaking of equipment, a small episode from the "test run" couldn't help but surface in Ichinose's mind, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

The body heat that had lingered on the bodysuit, that faint, lingering scent...

Now is not the time to be thinking about this!

She shook her head violently, forcing herself to calm down, and followed Amikura Mako's lead to look at the Advanced Nurturing map on her phone.

For the rest of the time, the three of them declined invitations from other classmates and stayed in the classroom, using the fading light of the sunset to repeatedly simulate the possibility of using various terrains to pin down the monsters.

Before they knew it, the sky had darkened.

"Ding-dong."

A notification for a specially tracked message rang out.

Ichinose opened the [Black Sphere Mutual Aid Society] group chat and discovered that Class A and Class D had already finalized their exam rosters, with no new members joining the group.

However, Ryuen Kakeru, who usually lurked in the shadows, suddenly pulled a new person in.

The note read: Yamada Albert.

That big guy from Class C?

"Is the exam starting?" Shiranami Chihiro asked softly.

Just as Ichinose was about to respond, a piercing scream suddenly echoed in her ears.

"Ah--!!!"

The three of them were startled, quickly running to the corridor railing to look in the direction of the sound.

They saw that in the lobby at the base of the school building, several students who hadn't managed to leave the school yet were swatting at the air, surrounded by a group of monsters wearing tattered Edo-period clothing, their chests glowing with an eerie red light.

And on the second-floor walkway not far away, Hirata Yosuke of Class D was leaning half his body over the railing, shouting at the top of his lungs at the floor below, trying to draw the attention of those monsters.

"That is..."

Ichinose turned deathly pale, her pupils constricting sharply:

"How could this be... does this mean the exam is taking place directly inside the school building?!"

If it were the Old School Building, that would be one thing.

But to unleash a monster like this inside the school building, a place filled with defenseless students...

Rage and terror instantly flooded the girl's chest.

"What is this, indiscriminate slaughter?"

"What does the school take human life for, anyway?!"

"Calm down, Honami!"

Amikura Mako watched the blue fluorescent light gradually brightening on Ichinose and Shiranami, speaking at a rapid-fire pace:

"I'll find a place to hide, don't worry about me."

"The rest is up to you!"

"Mako..."

"You must stay hidden...!"

Ichinose reached out, but before she could touch her companion, her entire body was swallowed by blue data and vanished from the spot.

The perspective shifted.

She had only just finished teleporting and landed.