Strife

Early the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka woke everyone up.

"I have important news." He stood in the center of the camp, his voice not loud, yet everyone heard him clearly. "A special task will refresh today, called the 'Perch Dispute'."

He briefly relayed the information Akane Tachibana had revealed the previous night: occupy the high ground, hold it for twenty-four hours, and alliances are permitted.

"This is our chance to turn things around." Ayanokoji looked at everyone. "The reward points are substantial. If we can secure it, Class D's ranking will jump significantly."

The camp was silent for a few seconds, then erupted into chaos.

"For real? A special task?"

"Hold it for twenty-four hours? How long are we supposed to fight for?"

"The other classes will definitely try to snatch it, too..."

There were many voices of doubt. After all, Class D was accustomed to being at the bottom; when suddenly told to compete for a major task, many people's first reaction was, "Can we actually do this?"

"Quiet." Yosuke Hirata stepped forward, rarely using such a serious tone. "I believe the news brought by Ayanokoji is true. The question now is not whether we should participate, but how we can win."

His words had an effect. Hirata still held a great deal of prestige within the class.

"The map." Ayanokoji spread out the island map and pointed to a spot north of the center. "The high ground should be in this area. We won't know the exact location until the task is released, but we can prepare in advance."

"How do we prepare?" Ken Sudo asked. "Just charge in?"

"Three steps." Ayanokoji held up three fingers. "First, reconnaissance. Kei, take a few people to the central area and scout the terrain and the movements of the other classes."

Kei Karuizawa nodded. "Leave it to me."

"Second, the combat team." Ayanokoji looked at Sudo and Horikita. "You two take those with good stamina and prepare to occupy the high ground. Remember, don't be the first to rush up; wait until the others have worn each other down before entering the fray."

"Scavenging?" Horikita raised an eyebrow.

"Conserving strength," Ayanokoji corrected. "Our goal is to win, not to be heroes."

"Third, logistics and support." He said to Hirata, "People must remain to guard the camp, and supplies must be managed well. Additionally, we may need to move the camp closer to the high ground."

With the division of labor clear, everyone began to take action.

Hiyori Shiina was still sitting in the corner; the swelling in her ankle had subsided slightly, but she still couldn't walk.

"Um..." she spoke softly. "I can help analyze intelligence. Even though I can't move, I'm fine with looking at maps and formulating plans."

Ayanokoji thought for a moment and nodded. "Then you'll be in my group. We need to anticipate the movements of the other classes."

At eight o'clock in the morning, a broadcast sounded from the sky.

"Attention all first-year students, the special task 'Perch Dispute' has now been released."

"Task location: 'Lookout Hill' in the center of the island. Coordinates have been marked on the map."

"Task rules: The first class to occupy Lookout Hill and plant their class flag receives 100 base points. For every hour held thereafter, an additional 50 points are awarded. A maximum of two classes may form an alliance to share points."

"Task duration: From now until eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

"Repeating..."

After the broadcast ended, the entire island became restless.

Ayanokoji immediately checked the map. The location of Lookout Hill was further east than he had anticipated, closer to the middle of the camps for Class A and Class C.

"This is troublesome." He frowned. "At this location, both Class A and Class C will arrive first."

"What about Class B?" Hirata asked.

"Class B is on the west side; it will take them time to get here." Ayanokoji analyzed. "So, it's highly likely that Class A and Class C will start fighting first."

"Then we wait?" Sudo was a bit anxious. "What if they don't fight?"

"They will fight." It was Hiyori Shiina who spoke, pointing at the map. "Given Ryuen's personality, he would never let the high ground go to Class A. And Katsuragi, to maintain the dignity of Class A, will not back down either. The first wave of conflict is inevitable."

Her analysis was calm, not at all like someone who was injured.

"Then we wait." Ayanokoji made his decision. "Kei, have your people reached the position?"

"I'm here." Kei Karuizawa's voice came through the walkie-talkie. "There's no one under Lookout Hill right now, but people from Class A and Class C are both rushing this way. They'll meet in ten minutes at most."

"Continue observing and report at any time."

Below Lookout Hill.

Just as Hiyori had predicted, the people from Class A and Class C arrived almost simultaneously.

Eight people came from Class A, led personally by Kohei Katsuragi. They were well-equipped, disciplined, and stood in a row.

Eight people also came from Class C, led by Kakeru Ryuen and Daichi Ishizaki. They looked more slovenly, but their eyes glinted with malice.

"Katsuragi, what a coincidence." Ryuen grinned. "You've got your eye on this land, too?"

"The task has been released, so naturally, I had to come." Katsuragi's expression was calm. "According to the rules, it's first come, first served. We arrived thirty seconds before you."

"Thirty seconds?" Ryuen laughed. "There are no stopwatches on this island, so who's to say?"

The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.

Students from the two classes glared at each other, their hands resting on their respective weapons—Class A carried wooden sticks and ropes, while Class C had machetes and stones.

"Should we fight?" Daichi Ishizaki clenched his fists, eager to try.

"Fight?" Katsuragi shook his head. "There is no need. We can follow the rules, take turns guarding, and share the points."

This was the most rational proposal. But Ryuen clearly did not want rationality.

"Share?" He sneered. "Why would I share with you? This place belongs to me."

Before the words even faded, the students of Class C suddenly moved.

They did not charge at Class A, but split into two groups—one group pinned them down from the front, while the other flanked to the side, preparing to charge directly up the hill.

"Stop them!" Katsuragi ordered immediately.

The students of Class A reacted quickly, blocking the path of Class C. Both sides began to brawl at the foot of Lookout Hill.

The sound of wooden sticks and machetes clashing, shouts, and cries of pain... the battle entered a white-hot state from the very beginning.

"They're fighting!" Karuizawa reported over the walkie-talkie. "It's very intense. Two people from Class C are injured, and one from Class A as well."

"Continue observing," Ayanokoji said calmly. "Wait until they've exhausted themselves, then we'll enter the fray."

"How long do we have to wait?" Sudo was already unable to sit still.

"At least half an hour." Ayanokoji looked at the sky. "Let them bleed a little more."

Half an hour later.

The battle at the foot of Lookout Hill had temporarily come to a halt. Both sides had paid a price: three from Class C were lightly injured, with one suffering a sprained ankle; two from Class A were injured, one of whom had blood streaming down his forehead and needed bandaging.

The two sides separated for the moment, standing twenty meters apart and panting for breath.

"Now is the time." Ayanokoji stood up. "Sudo, Horikita, take the team up. Remember, do not get entangled with either side; charge straight to the summit and plant the flag."

"Understood!"

The six-person combat team from Class D rushed out from the bushes where they had been hiding and headed straight for Lookout Hill.

"Someone's there!" the students of Class A spotted them.

"It's Class D!" the students of Class C saw them too.

But both sides had fought too fiercely and were severely exhausted, causing their reactions to be a beat slow.

It was in that split second that Ken Sudo reached the halfway point of the hill.

"Stop them!" Ryuen roared.

Daichi Ishizaki of Class C tried to give chase, but his companion with the injured ankle slowed him down.

Katsuragi of Class A also ordered an interception, but they were further away.

Thirty seconds later, Ken Sudo reached the top of Lookout Hill. There was a flagpole there, with four class flags of different colors placed beside it—red for Class A, blue for Class B, green for Class C, and yellow for Class D.

He grabbed the yellow flag and shoved it firmly into the slot on the flagpole.

"Class D, occupying Lookout Hill!" Sudo shouted down the mountain.

The broadcast sounded immediately: "Notice: Class D has completed the first occupation of Lookout Hill and has received 100 base points. The timer has begun."

Success.

At the foot of the hill, the students of Class A and Class C were stunned.

They had fought for so long, only for Class D to swoop in and reap the rewards?

"Damn it..." Ryuen's expression was terrifyingly gloomy. "Class D... fine, very fine."

Katsuragi's expression was also complex. He had not expected Class D to intervene at this moment, nor had he expected them to be so decisive.

"What do we do now?" a student from Class A asked.

"Wait," Katsuragi decided. "They have to guard it for twenty-four hours; they won't be able to hold it. We will recover our strength and wait for them to show a flaw."

On the side of Class C, Ryuen's thoughts were different.

"Ishizaki, go call the others," he said in a low voice. "Call everyone who can still move. We must take back the hill within today."

"Understood!"

On the hill, the students of Class D quickly set up their defenses.

The top of Lookout Hill was not large, roughly the size of half a basketball court. The east side was a steep slope, the west side had a gentler incline, and the north and south sides were bordered by woods.

"The west side is the main defensive line," Ayanokoji said, observing the terrain. "Sudo, take two people and guard here. Horikita, take one person and guard the north woods. Leave the south side to me."

"What about the east side?" Horikita asked.

"It's a steep slope; it won't be easy to climb up. Just leave one person to keep an eye on it."

With the tasks assigned, everyone took their positions.

Ayanokoji stood at the edge of the south woods, looking down the mountain. Neither Class A nor Class C attacked immediately, choosing to rest in place instead.

"They won't wait for long," Hiyori Shiina's voice came over the walkie-talkie—she was with the logistics team, responsible for analyzing intelligence. "Given Ryuen's personality, he won't be able to endure for an hour."

"And Class A?"

"Katsuragi will wait, but his subordinates might not," Shiina analyzed. "The students of Class A are accustomed to a sense of superiority. Having the hill snatched by Class D is something many of them won't be able to swallow. Internal pressure will force Katsuragi to act."

Just as she was speaking, there was movement at the foot of the mountain.

Over on the side of Class C, four or five more people arrived. They now had a total of twelve people present, a clear numerical advantage.

"Here they come." Ayanokoji tightened his grip on the wooden stick in his hand.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Class C began to move.

But it wasn't a frontal assault; instead, they spread out, slowly approaching from three different directions.

"They're trying to surround us," Horikita said over the walkie-talkie.

"Stay steady," Ayanokoji ordered. "Wait until they enter our attack range before making a move."

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

The members of Class C drew closer and closer, the nearest ones now only twenty meters away from the high ground.

Just then, an accident occurred.

A sudden scream erupted from the west side.

It wasn't someone from Class D—it was a student from Class C who had stepped on something and collapsed to the ground, clutching his foot.

"A trap?!" Daichi Ishizaki froze in shock.

Ayanokoji was also taken aback. They hadn't set any traps, had they?

Then, a cry came from the north side as well; another Class C student had their ankle snared by a rope and was hoisted into mid-air.

"It's an ambush!" Ryuen realized. "Retreat! Fall back for now!"

The members of Class C scrambled backward, dragging their injured companion to a safe distance.

The high ground was temporarily secure, but the members of Class D looked at one another in confusion.

"Who did that?" Sudo asked.