Who is the real fool?

Chiba Yu looked at the simple map in his hand, comparing it with the surrounding road conditions while keeping a portion of his attention on Karuizawa Kei behind him.

"Where are we going now? Didn't you say we were going to scout?" Karuizawa looked at the unfamiliar environment around her and spoke with a hint of trepidation.

"If we keep going forward, we'll reach the beach. It's said to be Class C's base, and I want to go take a look."

"Class C... fine. Since we're already here, let's just go and see as you said." It was clear that Karuizawa wasn't keen on the idea of scouting Class C.

That made sense. After all, according to Ibuki, who had drifted into our class, Ryuen was a man who wouldn't hesitate to land heavy blows even on girls. It was no wonder Karuizawa felt afraid.

After some detours, the two of them gradually caught sight of that stretch of blue sea.

Just then, Chiba Yu spotted a familiar figure.

No, it couldn't be. Could it really be such a coincidence?

Chiba Yu's mouth twitched, and he began to mutter to himself.

He had already noted that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was still at the campsite when they left, yet here he was, appearing before them. Had he truly been cursed?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka soon noticed the two of them as well. Just as he was about to step forward to greet them, another familiar figure emerged.

Behind him, Horikita stood with her arms crossed, looking toward them with a stern expression.

Good heavens, was this a "buy one, get one free" deal?

"Those two over there, they look like Horikita and Ayanokoji, right?" Karuizawa saw them too.

Helpless, Chiba Yu couldn't just pretend he didn't see them, so he had to call out a greeting.

"Are you two out scouting as well?" Horikita's gaze swept over them, and she added with some uncertainty, "Or are you out on a date?"

"Who... who would go on a date with this idiot! We're out scouting, scouting!"

Horikita looked at Chiba Yu and nodded inexplicably. "I see. Since we've run into each other, let's just go together."

For some reason, Chiba Yu felt that the way Horikita looked at him was off—there was a sense of... disappointment in his lack of potential? It must have been his imagination.

"Have you discovered anything?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka asked casually.

"No. It's rumored that Class C's base is by the beach, so we were just heading that way." Sharing information was beneficial for future developments, though he hadn't actually gathered any intelligence yet.

"I see. We just visited Class B and Class A. Let's set Class A aside for now, but Class B seems to have an intention to maintain an alliance with us."

So they had already scouted Class B and Class A. They were fast; it was different from us, who had just been wandering around outside.

"Are we really going to that Class C place ruled by Ryuen?" Karuizawa asked, her voice timid yet trying to maintain her image with a mix of toughness and unease.

Horikita glanced at her and said in a calm tone, "This is to gather sufficient intelligence. If you're scared, you can go back yourself."

Upon hearing this tone, Karuizawa was instantly incensed. With her strong personality, she wouldn't allow herself to be spoken to like that.

"I'm doing this for everyone's safety, okay? And what do you mean by 'go back myself'? If anyone is leaving, it should be you!"

Chiba Yu watched this scene and exchanged a silent look with Ayanokoji, who was standing beside Horikita. For a moment, both of them sighed in tacit understanding.

Karuizawa's personality simply didn't mesh with Horikita's, and they had virtually no interaction in class. One could only say that both had their own strengths and weaknesses.

Karuizawa Kei, the leader of the girls, meeting Horikita, who ignored her and never looked her in the eye, was like a powder keg waiting to be lit; when they collided, a chemical reaction was inevitable.

Chiba Yu stepped in to interrupt their conversation and took the lead toward their destination.

Seeing this, Karuizawa and Horikita put aside their bickering, prioritizing the scouting mission and ending their argument.

Though it was called an argument, it was actually Karuizawa doing all the talking while Horikita ignored her, occasionally throwing in a sharp, venomous remark.

The four of them soon arrived at the beach marked on the map. Looking at the many figures in the distance, Chiba Yu knew they had reached their destination.

Some girls were lying on beds sunbathing, while others sat under umbrellas, chatting and laughing with friends.

The boys were diving into the sea, and some had even bought jet skis, racing passionately across the water.

Looking at this shocking scene, even Karuizawa and the usually expressionless Horikita couldn't help but be stunned.

"This is insane."

"What on earth is Ryuen trying to do?"

Thinking of how their own class had to struggle to save money for those class points, and then seeing this scene of revelry in Class C—the two starkly different scenes constantly clashed in Karuizawa's mind.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka watched with a blank expression, his gaze shifting constantly as if searching for something.

Chiba Yu stayed quietly in the back without speaking. The scene before him was truly too wild. Although he had been mentally prepared, it was only when he actually saw it that he realized his own capacity for shock still needed improvement.

"Hey... Ryuen told me to bring you over."

Just as the four of them were wondering what to do, a boy with a buzz cut walked over and gestured for them to follow him toward the center of the camp.

There, they saw Ryuen lying on a beach chair, shirtless.

"Yo, you really know how to enjoy yourself, don't you?" As soon as they met, Horikita began to taunt Ryuen.

Hearing this, Ryuen flashed a grin at us, revealing his white teeth. "As you can see, we are enjoying this so-called summer vacation."

"You haven't changed a bit, Suzune. Still followed by these two little puppies? If you beg me, I might just be generous enough to let you stay here. How about it?"

Chiba Yu felt no ripples in his heart at being compared to a sycophant following Horikita.

He knew very well that Ryuen's goal was to use words to provoke their emotions and force them into irrational behavior, which was exactly what he wanted.

Suddenly, Ryuen stared straight at Karuizawa, who was standing beside Chiba Yu, as if he had spotted an interesting toy.

"Yo, I remember you now. Aren't you that influential girl from Class D? What's the matter, have you become a little sidekick for Suzune too? Hahahaha!"

Facing Ryuen's mockery and his sudden outburst of laughter, Karuizawa frowned, yet she lacked her usual assertiveness; under normal circumstances, she would have started an argument by now.

Fortunately, Ryuen had no interest in Karuizawa at this moment; one could even say he hadn't looked at her properly at all.

Seeing Karuizawa intentionally or unintentionally shrinking toward Chiba Yu, the corners of Ryuen's mouth curled up slightly. "So that's how it is. How interesting."

Immediately after, Ryuen fixed his gaze on Chiba Yu. "Suzune, I remember telling you, it would be better to bring someone else along. Otherwise, if you keep two idiots by your side, it would be terrible if you caught their stupidity. I really do look forward to facing you head-on."

"That is none of your concern." Horikita offered a token defense of us.

Chiba Yu really wanted to retort that he wasn't actually Horikita's sidekick, but even if he said it now, no one would likely pay him any mind.

Sensing Karuizawa trying her best to hide her presence, Chiba Yu shifted his body discreetly.

"Since you're doing this, we're happy to take it easy."

"Heh, between us, who is the real fool? You? Or me?"

At this moment, Ishizaki handed a bottle of water, cold enough to be misting, to Ryuen. Ryuen took it casually and held it out toward us. "Here, consider this bottle of water a gift from me. Be sure to show some gratitude."

Hearing this, Chiba Yu reached out to take it instinctively.

The moment he touched the bottle, the icy chill instantly jolted his senses, and under the surprised gazes of everyone present, Chiba Yu pulled his hand back.

Seeing this, Ryuen laughed heartily. "It seems you aren't exactly a united front, Suzune. I had even wondered if that detestable 'rat' might be hiding right by your side, but it seems I had set my expectations for you too high."

Between the lines, Chiba Yu could hear the mockery directed at him.

"Tsk!"

Suddenly, Chiba Yu vaguely felt as if he heard someone click their tongue. He looked back, but it seemed he had misheard.

Horikita glared fiercely at Chiba Yu before looking at Ryuen. "There is no need for you to pass judgment."

"I suddenly feel that going to all this trouble to come here was a complete waste of time."

Horikita turned to leave, while Ryuen sat there, watching them quietly. Suddenly, Horikita paused in her tracks. "By the way, you should know a girl named Ibuki, right?"