Ripples from the confrontation with Ryuen Kakeru were quietly spreading through Class D.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka knew very well that someone like Ryuen wouldn't give up easily.
The so-called "game" was only a facade. What he really wanted was control—control of the situation, control of his opponents, even control of the balance of power across the entire year.
But control required leverage, and leverage was exactly what Ayanokoji lacked most at the moment.
"Core group..." He stared at the few names in his notebook, lost in thought.
Suzune Horikita's fighting ability and academic skills, Yosuke Hirata's knack for bringing people together, Kei Karuizawa's information network, Ken Sudō's athletic talent... If he could unite these scattered strengths, Class D might actually have a chance.
The problem was that each of them had their own principles and flaws.
Horikita was aloof and refused to cooperate; Hirata was kind, but too idealistic; Karuizawa seemed cheerful, yet kept her heart closed off; and Sudō was impulsive and quick-tempered, making him difficult to control.
"Trying to persuade them outright definitely won't work." Ayanokoji closed his notebook. "We need an opening... or rather, a crisis big enough to make them realize the limits of going it alone."
And at this school, a crisis never kept people waiting for long.
Three days later, during morning homeroom.
Sae Chabashira stood at the podium, her expression more serious than usual. The students seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere, and one after another fell silent.
"There are two things I need to announce today." Chabashira's voice was clear and cool.
"First, all the midterm exam scores have been calculated.
"Second, the details of this semester's first 'Special Exam' will be announced at the year-wide assembly this afternoon."
Special Exam.
The words struck the still surface of the classroom like a massive rock, stirring up a thousand waves.
"A Special Exam? Already?!"
"School's barely started..."
"I heard Special Exams affect Class Points. Is that true?"
Voices rose around the room. Chabashira didn't stop them. She waited a few seconds before continuing, "Your midterm score sheets will be handed out shortly.
"I want to remind you—the results of this exam will directly affect your position in the Special Exam."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over several students with low scores. "Anyone who fails will not only lose a substantial number of personal points, but may also face other risks."
Risks. She said the word lightly, but everyone could hear its weight.
"Hand out the score sheets."
The exam papers and score sheets were passed down from the front rows.
Ayanokoji received his. He ranked second in Class D overall, just behind Horikita. He'd scored full marks in math, and his other subjects were all above the excellent threshold.
That was an impressive result for Class D, but he'd deliberately left a few small mistakes in language arts and history rather than score perfectly in every subject. Excessive perfection would draw unnecessary attention.
He glanced around.
Horikita looked at her score sheet, which showed she'd ranked first in the class. Her expression remained cool, but the slight lift of her chin revealed her satisfaction.
Hirata had ranked fifth in the class. As he held his score sheet, he looked worriedly toward the back of the room—where Sudō was staring at his own, his face ashen.
Fifty-eight points. A narrow pass, but the third-lowest score in the class.
"Damn it..." Sudō gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He looked at Ayanokoji, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes—gratitude mixed with resentment and humiliation.
Without that crumpled paper, he might not even have passed. But even with a passing grade, his score still made him feel ashamed to hold his head up.
Karuizawa had ranked eighth in the class. She seemed quite pleased with her result and was chatting easily with the girls around her. But Ayanokoji noticed that her gaze occasionally drifted to the back of the score sheet, where the class rankings were listed.
She was keeping an eye on other people's scores, especially those who might become her "rivals."
Kushida had ranked fourth in the class. Now she was comforting several girls who hadn't done well, her voice sweet. "It's okay! Just do better next time! If you want, I can help you study!"
Her performance was flawless, but through [Insight (Beginner)], Ayanokoji noticed her gaze linger briefly on Horikita and him. A barely perceptible competitiveness flashed in her eyes.
Once all the score sheets had been handed out, Chabashira spoke again. "At two this afternoon, the year-wide assembly will be held in the gymnasium. All first-year students must attend. No one may be absent."
She paused, then added, "There's only one thing I can tell you about the Special Exam: its format has never been used in this school's history. Be prepared."
A format never used before.
Those words made the mood in the classroom even heavier.
During lunch, on the rooftop.
Ayanokoji had asked Horikita to meet him. It was their first proper conversation since their talk beneath the cherry tree that night.
"What is it?" Horikita's manner was still cool, but at least she hadn't refused to meet him outright.
"It's about the Special Exam." Ayanokoji got straight to the point. "Chabashira-sensei said the format had 'never been used before.' What do you think?"
Horikita furrowed her brow. "There isn't enough information to analyze it."
"But we can make some guesses." Ayanokoji walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the school grounds.
"Everything this school does has a purpose. The Special Exam's purpose can only be one of a few things—testing class cohesion, eliminating the weak, or... provoking competition."
"I know all that." Horikita came to stand beside him. "The question is how we should respond."
"We?"
Horikita turned to look at him.
Her expression grew slightly awkward, but she quickly regained her composure. "If the exam involves competition between classes, an individual's strength will be limited. On that point... you were right."
It was the first time she'd admitted Ayanokoji had a point.
"So?"
"So I need a... partner." Horikita said it with difficulty, but with conviction. "Someone capable who won't hold me back."
She looked at Ayanokoji. "Your grades prove your academic ability. Your performance in PE proves your physical fitness. I don't know why you're hiding your abilities, but at least... you're more valuable than I'd previously assessed."
It was a very Horikita-like way of putting it—discussing cooperation as though she were appraising a product.
But Ayanokoji didn't mind. This was already a major step forward.
"I accept," he said. "But I have one condition."
"What condition?"
"Our cooperation can't be limited to the two of us." Ayanokoji spoke seriously.
"For Class D to survive this exam, we'll need the strength of more people. Hirata's ability to bring people together, Sudō's athletic ability, even Karuizawa's information network... Any of those could prove crucial."
Horikita's brow furrowed even more. "You mean we should cooperate with those... ordinary people?"
"They aren't ordinary." Ayanokoji shook his head. "Everyone has areas they're good at and areas they aren't. The key is putting them in the right roles."
Horikita fell silent. After a long while, she finally asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"First, we need information," Ayanokoji said. "Information about the Special Exam. Chabashira-sensei won't reveal the details, but the school can't have given us no clues at all."
"Where do you think we could find some?"
"Upperclassmen," Ayanokoji said. "Or... the Student Council."
Horikita's pupils contracted slightly. The Student Council—where her older brother, Horikita Manabu, served.
"I don't think that's a good idea." She objected at once. "The Student Council has no obligation to give us information."
"But if we formally ask about the school's rules, they'll at least give us some basic guidance," Ayanokoji said.
"Besides, haven't you always wanted to prove yourself? Getting in touch with the Student Council might be an opportunity."
Horikita fell into thought. Ayanokoji didn't rush her. He knew this was a difficult decision for her—she would have to face the brother who had always looked down on her, and admit that she needed help.
"I'll think about it," Horikita said at last. "I'll give you an answer after this afternoon's assembly."
"Sure."
As the two of them prepared to leave the rooftop, Horikita suddenly stopped.
"Ayanokoji."
"Yeah?"
"What's the real reason you're hiding your abilities?" She looked at him, her gaze frank and probing.
"I don't believe it's simply because you 'want to keep a low profile.'"
It was a pointed question.
Ayanokoji was silent for a few seconds, then gave her an answer that was half true and half false.
"Everyone has a past they don't want others to touch. My past... taught me that it's necessary to hide things."
The answer was vague, but Horikita seemed to hear something in it. She didn't press him further, only nodded.
"I understand," she said.
At two in the afternoon, in the gymnasium.
All the first-year students had gathered there. The four classes sat in separate sections, clearly divided.
The students in Class D were obviously nervous. They sat on the far left, right beside Class C. The Class C students were looking them over with undisguised contempt.
Ryuen sat in the front row of Class C, one leg crossed over the other, looking relaxed. When his gaze swept over Class D, it lingered on Ayanokoji for a moment before he flashed a provocative smile.
Ayanokoji didn't respond. He simply looked away, calm.
The students in Classes A and B seemed much more composed. Class A in particular sat in the center, every student sitting straight with a confident expression. It was the composure that came from having long occupied the top spot.
Members of the Student Council walked up onto the stage.
At the front was a tall, cold-looking boy—Horikita Manabu, the Student Council president. His gaze swept across the crowd, and the gymnasium fell silent at once.
"I've called you all here today to announce the details of this semester's first Special Exam." Horikita Manabu's voice carried throughout the gymnasium through the microphone, clear and strong.
"Before that, I need to restate this school's fundamental principle—meritocracy. Every resource and every privilege you receive here depends on the ability you demonstrate."
He paused, then continued, "And the Special Exam is an important way to measure that 'ability.'"
The students below held their breath.
"The format of this Special Exam is—" Horikita Manabu's voice echoed through the gymnasium. "Uninhabited Island Survival."
A wave of astonishment swept through the crowd.
An uninhabited island? Survival in the wilderness? This was beyond anything they had expected.
"Silence." Horikita Manabu's voice overpowered the commotion. "Here are the rules."
The screen behind him lit up, displaying the details of the exam.
[Special Exam: Uninhabited Island Survival] [Duration: Two weeks] [Location: An affiliated uninhabited island fifteen nautical miles from the school] [Participants: All first-year students, competing as classes] [Basic Rules:] [1. Each class will receive the same initial supplies (food, water, and simple tools)] [2. During the exam, each class must establish its own camp on the island and solve its survival needs] [3. The island has several "task points." Completing designated tasks will earn additional supplies or "Class Points"] [4. At the end of the exam, classes will be rated based on their camp construction, resource management, task completion, and other factors] [5. The class with the lowest rating will lose a large number of Class Points (the exact amount has yet to be determined)] [6. Individuals may "withdraw," but their class will receive an additional penalty]
The information on the screen scrolled down one line at a time, and the atmosphere in the gymnasium grew increasingly tense.
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