Sudden Fire, Counterattack Amidst Chaos, and a Flaw

The turmoil over the stolen undergarments gradually subsided, yet the atmosphere in Class D remained delicate. The rift between the boys and girls had not healed, and their vigilance toward Mio Ibuki had never truly relaxed. Over the following days, the maneuvering between the four classes became increasingly covert: Class A maintained the facade that Katsuragi was their leader, while Masumi Kamuro moved frequently between Class A and Class C, her whereabouts mysterious. Class B remained completely dormant, guarding their base and watching the fires from across the river. Class C's "revelry" never ceased; Kakeru Ryuen appeared to be doing nothing, yet the calculations in his eyes grew ever more intense. Meanwhile, Class D held their ground and managed their supplies, with Yosuke Hirata secretly monitoring Mio Ibuki, though he never managed to catch her in any substantial act of betrayal.

Time slipped away quietly, and the uninhabited island survival exam reached its final day. Night once again shrouded the entire island, the evening breeze carrying a bleak chill mixed with a salty, damp scent that made the campfire at the Class D base flicker unsteadily. Most students had already crawled into their tents to rest and conserve energy for the end of the exam; only a few remained on guard, patrolling the perimeter with wary expressions.

Taking advantage of a gap during the shift change, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji quietly slipped away from the patrol team. His expression was calm and his footsteps light as he headed toward a corner at the edge of the camp where discarded branches and empty cardboard boxes were piled. This was a spot he had selected long ago—far from the tent area and free of flammable materials—where he could successfully ignite a fire while keeping the damage to a minimum. More importantly, through days of observing the cloud formations, he had already predicted that a rain shower would arrive in twenty minutes, enough to extinguish the flames before they could spread, ensuring a foolproof outcome.

This was Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's plan to counter a scheme with a scheme, his second step. Mio Ibuki had remained dormant for days, refusing to act easily; relying on secret observation alone would never expose her flaws or force the conspiracy behind her into the light. Only by creating chaos and breaking the current calm could he force Mio Ibuki to rush the completion of the task Kakeru Ryuen had assigned her, compelling her to act and reveal her true intentions. To attack as a form of defense—that was Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's calculation.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji pulled a lighter from his pocket and, without a moment's hesitation, ignited the pile of discarded branches in the corner. The dry wood burst into flames instantly, and with the help of the evening breeze, the fire quickly surged, painting the night sky over the corner red. Wisps of thick smoke began to rise, and an acrid, smoky scent gradually filled the air. After finishing, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji retreated silently back to the patrol team, his expression remaining calm as if he were not the one who had started the fire. He occasionally glanced toward the blaze, a flicker of imperceptible certainty flashing in his eyes.

"Fire! There's a fire!" Before long, the patrolling students discovered the blaze, their panicked shouts instantly shattering the silence of the camp. Students were startled awake in their tents and scrambled out in a panic, some disheveled, others clutching makeshift firefighting tools. Looking at the open flames and thick smoke in the corner, their faces were filled with confusion and alarm.

"How could a fire start? Did someone set it on purpose?"

"It must be the boy who stole the underwear! He's afraid we'll find out, so he set the fire to create a distraction and destroy the evidence!" The girls exploded in an instant, their tones heated as their gazes once again snapped toward the boys present. The previous rift escalated instantly, and arguments broke out once more.

"Nonsense! We didn't set any fire! It's clearly you girls making a mountain out of a molehill; maybe you were the ones who accidentally started it!" The boys did not back down, retorting one after another. As both sides argued and shoved each other, the scene spiraled into uncontrollable chaos.

Yosuke Hirata stood in the center of the crowd, watching the chaos and the spreading fire, feeling an immense pressure bearing down on him. The days of coordinating arrangements and conducting secret investigations had already left him physically and mentally exhausted. With the hidden danger of the underwear theft still unresolved and now a sudden fire, the internal conflicts of the class had intensified once again. He clenched his fists, his chest heaving violently and his face flushed red. The long-suppressed emotions were on the verge of exploding, and even his voice trembled: "Who... who did this?"

But as the arguments among the students grew more intense and Yosuke Hirata stood on the brink of a total breakdown, a hand gently patted his shoulder. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's voice, flat yet possessing an inexplicable power to soothe, sounded in his ear: "Hirata-kun, now is not the time to be angry. If the fire isn't controlled, it will spread to the tent area, and then the losses will be irreversible. You are the core of Class D; only you can stabilize everyone, evacuate the students, and organize the firefighting. Right now, only you can do this."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly waking Yosuke Hirata from his near-breakdown. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Remembering his responsibilities, the panic in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by determination. He raised his hands and shouted with all his might: "Everyone, be quiet! Boys, come with me to put out the fire! Use sand and dirt to cover the flames—don't pour water directly, or it will spread! Girls, take charge of the evacuation! Move the supplies from the tents to a safe area! Don't panic, move in an orderly fashion!"

Yosuke Hirata's voice pierced through the noisy chaos. The crowd fell silent instantly, and seeing his determined expression, they set aside their arguments and began to act according to his instructions. The boys grabbed shovels and buckets, rushing toward the fire to cover the flames with sand bit by bit, while the girls evacuated in an orderly manner, carefully moving the supplies from the tents. The previously chaotic scene gradually became organized.

As for Suzune Horikita, the moment she discovered the fire, she did not go to help extinguish it. Instead, she instinctively searched for Mio Ibuki. In her view, this fire was far too suspicious; occurring on the final day of the exam, it was highly likely that Mio Ibuki had done it on purpose to disrupt Class D and complete her mission. Soon, she found Mio Ibuki on the edge of the crowd. At that moment, Mio Ibuki was standing still, watching the raging flames, her face full of shock and her eyes even showing a hint of panic.

Seeing Mio Ibuki's expression, Suzune Horikita paused, a flicker of doubt rising in her heart—if Mio Ibuki had set the fire on purpose, she shouldn't be acting this panicked. Could it really not be her? But besides her, who else would deliberately create chaos at a time like this?

Just as Suzune Horikita hesitated, Mio Ibuki's gaze inadvertently swept over the keycard holder at Suzune Horikita's waist—the one containing the Class D leader card, the very thing Kakeru Ryuen had told her to obtain at any cost. In a flash of lightning, Mio Ibuki reacted instantly. Regardless of who had set the fire, this was her only chance! Everyone was busy fighting the fire and evacuating; no one would pay attention to her. As long as she grabbed the keycard holder, she could successfully complete her mission and escape unscathed.

Mio Ibuki suppressed the wild joy in her heart and feigned a look of grievance. Taking advantage of the moment Suzune Horikita was distracted, she suddenly reached out, snatched the keycard holder from her waist, and turned to run toward the woods. Her movements were swift, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished into the night.

By the time Suzune Horikita reacted, Mio Ibuki was already far away. The empty sensation at her waist brought her to her senses instantly—her keycard holder had been stolen, and the leader card was inside! "Mio Ibuki!" Suzune Horikita shouted, ignoring the chaos around her, and immediately gave chase in the direction Mio Ibuki had fled.

By now, scattered raindrops had begun to fall from the sky, and the evening breeze grew increasingly cold. The rain hit her face with a biting chill. Suzune Horikita had only chased for a short distance when she felt her whole body grow cold, her head became dizzy, and her throat felt dry and painful—she had developed a fever. Perhaps it was the exhaustion from days of running about and the exposure to the night wind, but she now felt weak all over, and her pace gradually slowed. Yet, at the thought of the leader card, she gritted her teeth, forced herself to endure, and continued to chase forward.