Uninhabited Island

At five in the morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

All the first-year students had gathered at the pier, carrying the hiking packs issued to them and facing a transport ship that would take them to an unknown island.

The sea breeze carried a damp, salty scent, dispelling the last traces of sleepiness.

"Everyone, line up by class!" Teacher Sae Chabashira's voice came through the loudspeaker. "Once aboard, you'll receive a detailed rulebook and a map of the island. Let me emphasize this again: the exam will last two weeks. The school will not intervene unless there's an emergency that threatens someone's life."

Her gaze swept over Class D. "All the wisdom and strength you need to survive are in your own hands."

The students boarded quietly. The four classes were assigned to different parts of the ship, kept apart by design to prevent them from meeting or exchanging information too soon.

Inside the cabin, the students of Class D gathered around the map they had just received, their expressions serious.

The island was an irregular oval, about three square kilometers in area.

The map showed the basic terrain: hills in the center, a freshwater stream on the eastern side, a rocky beach to the west, a small grove of trees in the north, and an open stretch of sand in the south.

"Our landing point is here." Yosuke Hirata pointed to a marker on the southern side of the map. "It's a beach. The advantage is that water is easy to get, but there's no natural cover, and... it's too exposed."

That was true. There was nowhere to hide at the beach landing point, so the other classes would be able to see Class D's movements at a glance.

"What about the task locations?" Suzune Horikita asked. She was quickly flipping through the rulebook, her brows knitted.

The handbook listed twenty task locations spread across the island. The tasks varied widely: some were simple tests of physical strength, some involved solving puzzles, and others required teamwork.

Completing tasks earned "task points." The students could exchange these points for supplies before the exam ended, and the points would also count toward their class's overall score.

"Three task locations refresh each day, and their positions are random." Kei Karuizawa shared what she had just learned. "Class A seems to have already worked out a strategy. They plan to secure the central hills first. They're high up, offer a good view, and are close to several likely task locations."

"What about Class C?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka asked.

"Ryuen's strategy is straightforward." Karuizawa's expression turned serious. "They brought nothing but practical tools: ropes, machetes, fishing nets, and almost no personal belongings. My people saw them practicing knots and setting traps in the cabin."

Practicing how to set traps. The words made several of the students nearby shudder.

"Class B is keeping a low profile, but Honami Ichinose has a lot of connections. They might try to cooperate with the other classes," Karuizawa continued. "But the biggest problem is... Sakayanagi Arisu didn't board the ship."

"What?" Yosuke Hirata stared at her in surprise.

"She applied for an exemption from the exam, claiming she was 'feeling unwell,' but she stayed at school to direct them." Karuizawa lowered her voice. "That means Class A has someone calling the shots from off the island. They might be able to stay in contact with the students there somehow and get information we don't have."

The news made the mood even heavier. Class A already had an advantage in resources, and now they had someone directing them from outside the island. Their lead had grown even greater.

"The ship will dock in twenty minutes." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood up. "We need to decide what to do as soon as we land: stay on the beach and set up camp, or move inland."

"We should move inland," Ken Sudō said at once. "The beach is too exposed. If the tide comes in at night or there's a storm, we won't have anywhere to shelter."

"But moving inland will take time, and we don't know what the other classes are doing," a boy named Yukimura argued. "What if Class C or Class A attacks our camp while we're moving?"

"Attacks? Is that allowed?"

"The rules only say that 'a certain degree of competition is permitted.' They don't clearly forbid anything." Suzune Horikita closed the handbook. "But if a class uses violence, the school will definitely step in... at least on the surface."

"On the surface?" Hirata asked, confused.

"It means a lot could happen as long as there's no clear evidence, or it doesn't reach the point of 'threatening someone's life.'" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka spoke calmly. "Ryuen should know exactly where that line is."

A brief silence fell over the cabin. Everyone realized that this exam was far more dangerous than they had imagined.

Twenty minutes later, the ship docked.

The students from all four classes stepped onto the beach and began moving out in their assigned groups.

Class D quickly gathered at its designated spot. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked around. Class A was organizing its gear on the eastern side of the beach, moving in perfect unison. They were clearly well trained. Class B was on the western side, where Honami Ichinose smiled as she spoke to her classmates. They seemed relaxed. Class C had already split into several groups, spreading out in different directions like wolves before a hunt.

"Ryuen's watching us," Karuizawa quietly warned him.

Ayanokoji turned and saw Ryuen Kakeru standing on a nearby rock, watching Class D through binoculars. When their eyes met, Ryuen bared his teeth in a grin and made a throat-slitting gesture.

A provocation.

"Leave him alone." Ayanokoji looked away. "As planned, we'll split into two groups. Hirata will lead one to set up a temporary camp on the beach. I'll lead the other inland to survey the terrain and find a suitable spot for a permanent camp."

"I'm going with you," Suzune Horikita said at once.

"I'll go too." Ken Sudō stepped forward. "I'm good at physical labor."

Ayanokoji nodded. "Then it'll be the three of us, plus..." His gaze swept over the crowd. "Ike, Yamauchi, you're coming too. We'll need people to carry anything we find."

Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi looked reluctant after being singled out, but they joined the scouting group after Hirata persuaded them.

The six-person team quickly left the beach and headed inland.

Inland, at the edge of the jungle.

Less than ten minutes after they left the beach, the surroundings had changed completely.

Dense tropical vegetation blocked out most of the sunlight, and the air grew hot and humid.

Soft, rotting soil lay underfoot, while insects buzzed all around them.

"Can anyone really live out here?" Haruki Yamauchi asked between breaths, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Keep going. We should find a more open area ahead." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka walked in front, using [Insight (Beginner)] to analyze the surroundings.

There were animal tracks in the soil—wild boar, but not very large. There were nests in the trees, which meant bird eggs might be a source of food. The sound of running water came from the distance, indicating that a source of fresh water was nearby.

"Watch your step," Suzune Horikita suddenly warned. "There are vines. They're easy to trip over."

She was indeed observant. Ayanokoji noticed that although Horikita wasn't skilled at surviving in the wild, she was highly analytical and alert.

After another twenty minutes or so, they reached a relatively open clearing in the forest.

The clearing was about half the size of a basketball court. The ground was level, trees surrounded it on three sides, and a small stream ran along the fourth.

Most importantly, a few large rocks stood in the center. They could sit on them or use them as a natural barrier for the camp.

"This place looks good." Ken Sudō set down his pack. "There's water, shelter, and it's fairly secluded."

Ayanokoji looked around, assessing the area in his mind: The water is about fifty meters away, close enough to fetch easily but not so close that it'll make the camp damp. The trees offer natural cover and firewood. The clearing has limited visibility, but that also makes it harder to spot...

"Fine." He made his decision. "We'll establish our permanent camp here."

"But how are we going to bring everyone over?" Kanji Ike asked. "Some of the girls might not be able to walk this far, and we'll need to carry supplies too."

It was a practical concern. The temporary camp on the beach had the tents and supplies issued to them at the start. Moving everything here would take a lot of manpower and time.

"We'll move in stages," Ayanokoji said. "First, we'll bring the essential supplies—tools, some food, and medical supplies. We'll move people in stages too. Those in good shape can come first and help build the camp. Those who aren't as strong can move later."

"I'll go back and tell Hirata now," Sudō offered.

"Wait." Ayanokoji stopped him. "It's not safe for you to go back alone. Horikita, go with him. Keep an eye out on the way. If you see any signs of another class, hide immediately."

Horikita nodded without objecting.

After the two had left, Ayanokoji looked at the remaining pair, Ike and Yamauchi. "Let's clear the campsite first. Ike, gather dry branches for firewood. Yamauchi, help me move these rocks to the edge of the camp and make a simple windbreak."

"Why do we need a windbreak?" Yamauchi asked. "The weather looks fine."

"Just in case." Ayanokoji said no more and got to work.

The strength and control granted by [Combat Mastery (Master)] let him move the seemingly heavy rocks with ease. Yamauchi's eyes widened as he watched.

"Ayanokoji... you're really strong."

"I've trained," Ayanokoji replied curtly.

The two got to work. An hour later, the camp was beginning to take shape: the rocks formed a semicircular barrier, the ground in the center had been cleared and leveled, and a small pile of firewood had been gathered.

Just then, a notification sounded in Ayanokoji's mind.

[Beep! The host is establishing a wilderness camp. Skill-unlock conditions have been met.]

[Wilderness Survival Knowledge (Basic) unlocked successfully!]

[Current skills: campsite selection, construction of simple shelters, water purification, basic trap-making.]

A flood of knowledge poured into his mind. Ayanokoji stopped working and closed his eyes, absorbing the information.

"Ayanokoji? Are you okay?" Yamauchi asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Ayanokoji opened his eyes. "I was just thinking about what to do next."

He walked to the stream and studied the current. The water was clear, but water from the wild had to be boiled before drinking.

"We need something to boil water in..." he thought. "The supplies only include one canteen, which won't be enough for the whole class."

"We can build a stove out of stones and boil water in a metal mess tin," a voice said from behind him.

Ayanokoji turned and saw that Horikita and Sudō had returned, with Yosuke Hirata and several other students following behind them.

"Hirata? What are you doing here?" Ayanokoji asked.

"Kei and the others are watching the camp on the beach, so I came to help." Hirata smiled. "And I brought some useful things."

He opened his backpack. Inside were not only more tools, but also several collapsible water bags and a small packet of water-purification tablets.

"What are these?"

"Kei exchanged her personal points for them in advance," Hirata explained. "She knew we'd have to survive in the wild, so she made some preparations. She also got some fishing line and hooks we can use to catch fish."

Clever. Ayanokoji approved of the foresight. Kei Karuizawa might have seemed like nothing more than a fashionable, popular girl, but she was remarkably proactive and far-sighted.

"Then let's pick up the pace." Ayanokoji began assigning tasks. "Sudō, take a few people to cut some thick branches. We need to build a simple rain shelter. Hirata, build a stove and get the water boiling. Horikita, come with me to check the area and make sure there's nothing dangerous nearby."

"Dangerous?" Horikita frowned.

"Wild animals, poisonous plants, and..." Ayanokoji paused. "Scouts from the other classes."