Chapter: 2.5

"Don't you understand the school's rules at all? Eavesdropping on other classes when they are giving information is inexcusable."

"Aw, I'm just an unimportant teacher, though. Even if I did hear something, I'd never tell. But doesn't this feel like fate? I can't believe that we both came to this island together."

Fate? Chabashira-sensei ignored the hidden meaning in Hoshinomiya- sensei's words.

"Shut up. Just hurry on back to Class B."

"Ah! Isn't that Ayanokouji-kun? It's been so long!"

Unlike the other teachers, who occasionally popped into class, I didn't normally get many opportunities to interact with Hoshinomiya-sensei. I gave her a slight bow.

"Summer is the season of love. If you want to confess your feelings to a girl you like, perhaps it'd be more effective while standing before the beautiful ocean?"

"The ocean may be beautiful, but I can't afford to do that during class."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Since everyone was staring at us, I really wished she'd disentangle herself from my romantic life.

"You need to be more carefree!"

"Hey. Should I report you to the school authorities for behavioral problems? Besides, I don't have any more time." Chabashira-sensei said.

"Ooh, don't glare at me like that. Fine, fine, I get it. See you later!" Hoshinomiya-sensei walked away with a sad look on her face.

Chabashira-sensei immediately started on a new topic.

"Well then, allow me to explain some additional rules." "A-additional rules? There's more?"

"Soon you will be permitted to roam about freely, but there are several designated 'spots' on the island. In these spots, there is what's referred to as right of exclusive possession, and only the class that occupies that spot may exercise those rights. The class that obtains those rights is entirely free to determine how they wish to exercise them. However, rights of exclusive possession are only valid for a period of eight hours after being invoked, after

which they are automatically revoked. That means that another class can acquire those rights at that time. Also, you gain one bonus point if you occupy a spot once. However, that point is provisional, and cannot be used during the testing period. Therefore, bonus points are calculated and added to your total after the test has ended. Because the school is constantly monitoring you, there is no room for fraud. Please be aware of that fact."

"Huh? Huh? Well…wait, isn't that super important, though?! Getting to add a point is awesome! Leave everything to us!"

"Let's go looking right away!" Ike said to Yamauchi and the others, his eyes shining.

The manual went into the bonus point in great detail. Apparently, there was some kind of apparatus installed near each spot, one which showed rights of exclusive possession. It was unclear how many spots were on the island, but they were clearly important. However…

"I can understand your impatience, but be aware of the risks. After you take those risks into account, then you have to consider what to do.

Everything is written in the manual."

A specialized key card is required to occupy a spot.

You can earn one point by occupying a spot each time. Occupied spots can be used freely.

You will receive a fifty-point penalty if you use a spot occupied by another class without permission.

Only a designated leader can use the key card.

It is impossible to change the leader without suitable justification.

The manual outlined those rules. While Chabashira-sensei explained, I noticed details such as how the rights of exclusive possession were reset every eight hours; how if a space wasn't occupied, you could take it immediately; how it was okay for the same class to occupy the same space repeatedly, etc. So if one class successfully managed to repeatedly hold onto three spots for eight hours at a time, that class could obtain fifty points or more by the end of the test. However, there were big risks associated.

With the rules established thus far, it looked like a simple matter of the early bird getting the worm. It seemed like a good system, if you were able to

forcibly occupy spots over and over again.

But that was impossible. The final rule detailed why.

On the seventh day, the last day of the test, you had the right to guess at the identity of the other class' leader during roll call. If you managed to get it right, then you could obtain fifty points for each correct guess. Conversely, the other class would have to pay fifty points as compensation. If you moved to acquire a spot without caution, and your leader was discovered, then you could lose a great number of points. So, high risk, high reward.

However, the guesses couldn't be hazarded without risk. If you happened to be mistaken, you would suffer a fifty-point penalty for being incorrect. In addition, a class whose leader had been found out would lose all of the bonus points they'd saved up until then. This rule made it so if you didn't have much confidence, you would be hesitant to join the battle to occupy spots.

"One person must be chosen as the leader, no exceptions. However, you are free not to participate. Please tell me once you've selected someone. At that time, I will provide you with a key card stamped with the leader's name. You have until roll call today. In the event that you do not decide by then, we will decide for you. That is all."

In other words, the leader's identity would be discovered if you only managed to glance at the card. With that, Chabashira-sensei seemingly finished with her explanation. The die was cast. Hirata immediately started taking action.

"We'll have time later to think about who should be the leader. First, where will our base camp be? Do we camp somewhere around here, on the beach? Or do we go into the forest? We need to think carefully about our spot."

The manual included a simple map of the island, with only its size and the shape drawn. Things like the total area of the forest and the topography were completely unknown. It was more like a blank sheet of paper.

"It looks like we need to fill in the necessary parts ourselves." A ballpoint pen had been given to us as well, for that exact purpose.

"It's good to have a spot near the boat where lots of teachers are, right?"

"No, I'm not too sure. There may not be anything here."

If there was no water, then there was no food. Building a base in this location could possibly mean being as far away as possible from convenient resources. On top of that, the sunlight would be intense during the day, making the environment harsh. On the other hand, there would also be risks if we went too far into the forest.

"More importantly, I need to use the bathroom. I can't hold it anymore."

Sudou grabbed the simple toilet that Chabashira-sensei had made. We assembled the one-button tent and set it up a short distance away. Shinohara and the others observed the situation while huddled tightly together.

Chabashira-sensei retreated. She probably meant to imply, "I'm not getting involved anymore. Do whatever you want."

"Hey, Hirata-kun. Isn't it better to decide ahead of time what we should do about the toilet?"

The toilet was definitely going to become an issue before long. The girls' opinions were reasonable.

"Well, we can talk about a decision, but in the end don't we just have to grin and bear it?"

"No, there could be another way."

Hirata looked at the manual, and then looked back up.

"It says that temporary toilets can be purchased and installed using our points."

Shinohara and the other immediately gathered around the manual. The functions of the temporary toilets appeared impeccable. The reference pictures made it look like a flushable toilet you'd see at home. If that were the case, then the girls would be well on board with it. However, the problem was that we needed to spend twenty points per toilet. It was difficult to judge whether that was expensive or cheap.

"We absolutely need it! I mean, I really don't like that we have to spend points… But if we don't, it's just impossible!"

A lot of girls, triggered by Shinohara's remarks, agreed. For the girls, having a toilet might outweigh having food or water. They didn't intend to

budge on this issue.

"W-wait a minute here, you guys! Twenty points?! Just for a toilet?!"

Ike reacted with horror. His desire to be economical and save points was all-consuming. Also, some of the guys could put up with using a cardboard toilet. They probably wanted to refrain from making unnecessary purchases as much as possible.

"Yes, as a toilet, that one's good. But we already have this one! Right?

We still have a lot of time left to use our points. It's bad for us to splurge now!"

"You don't get to decide that. Hirata-kun is going to consider all of our opinions and decide. Right, Hirata-kun?" Shinohara ignored Ike and pleaded with Hirata to buy a temporary toilet.

"I see. At the very least, having a toilet for the girls would be—" "You're free to consider everyone's opinions, but that doesn't mean

you get to make decisions," said Ike, frantically trying to stop Hirata, who appeared to be about to buy the toilet.

"Ah, shut up already! Karuizawa-san, say something, will you? We need a toilet!" Shinohara begged Karuizawa, the girls' representative.

"Really? Well, I suppose it'll be tough, but I really want class points. I guess I'll just grin and bear it." An unexpected response from Karuizawa, who seemed like she would've been first to complain. "The school has already prepared for our needs. I can endure it. If we take baths in the river and use what we have here, don't you think everything will be fine?"

"But…Karuizawa-san!"

If Karuizawa said as much, then even the strong-willed Shinohara couldn't oppose her openly. Many of the girls followed Karuizawa, after all. However, Yukimura suddenly joined the fight.

"It's not as though I don't understand the girls' desire to have a temporary toilet. However, I'm not convinced that we ought to arbitrarily spend our points, whether it's for boys or girls. I suppose if you want the toilet, then I'd like to at least make a decision after collecting a majority vote."

He slid his glasses up his nose, voicing his disagreement in a rather

aggressive tone.

"I'm just making a natural request for a girl, that's all. It doesn't involve boys at all."

"A natural request? Doesn't involve boys? I can't understand that. Isn't that simply a form of discrimination?"

"Discrimination? Ah, this is giving me a headache. Hirata-kun, please make them leave me alone." Shinohara, unable to give up on the toilet matter, frantically pleaded for help.

"This test is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bridge our point gap with the other classes. We can't use valuable points on things like temporary toilets. I have no intention of being in Class D forever. I don't agree with Shinohara-san, who's making arbitrary requests based on her personal wishes. I would like for us to uniformly decide upon a clear policy."

"Huh? Are you trying to say that I'm not considering anything?" she asked.

"Even money can move based purely on instinct. I hate that women argue so emotionally."

"Huh? That doesn't mean that I want to use our points indiscriminately.

What I'm saying is that we should have at least the bare minimum. Do you not understand that?"

"Both of you calm down. Yukimura-kun, I understand what you mean to say, but if you speak so belligerently we're not going to resolve anything, are we? Let's do this calmly."

"Calmly? Don't you agree that we should, under no circumstances, use our points arbitrarily?" Yukimura asked.

"Well…"

Hirata was caught in an increasingly fraught situation. He didn't know what to do, yet frantically tried to mediate while doing his best not to show mounting concern.

"Class D has no leadership, which worries me. Besides, Hirata's a pushover. He can't even make one decision, can he?"

I stood a short distance away, watching the situation unfold. Horikita

stood next to me. After realizing that it was unlikely any progress would be made, she sighed heavily.

"It looks like this test is going to be more complex and challenging than we thought…"

Horikita, oddly enough, looked perplexed.

"It's a chance for us to get a lot of points. Are you okay, Horikita?"

When I looked at her in profile, she appeared a little annoyed rather than conflicted.

"I wonder. At this stage, I'm not optimistic enough to say it'll be easy. I'm the same as the others. I've never lived in such an environment before, so I can't really make any predictions. I realize now that this test is more complicated than we thought, and our position more precarious. I do want to increase our points, but I can't come up with a good solution. What an unpleasant test."

One group wanted to use points, one group didn't want to use points, and one group wanted to use points only when necessary. Those were three fully split groups right there. Furthermore, there were some minor differences even within those separate factions.

This week would not be easy in a class of more than thirty people. The manual seemed to represent every difficulty we would face in uniting as a class, while simultaneously laying out our freedom. From a little further away, Chabashira-sensei watched our confrontation with cold eyes. She wasn't going to appraise her students, though. After all, Class D was a collection of failures; we existed solely to fail. Was that the focus of this exercise?

"Horikita, what do you think?"

"Like Yukimura-kun says, I would like to get by without using unnecessary points. However, I'm not confident that I can make it through the week without satisfactory equipment. That's just my honest opinion.

However, I think that we ought to challenge ourselves, see how much we can endure. What do you say?"

"I think the same. There's too much we don't know," I replied. "Hey, look. Did Class A and Class B perhaps already decide what

they're doing?"

We turned toward a girl's flustered voice. Although only a few minutes had passed, several students had gathered together and were heading into the forest. They were probably looking for the best place to set up base camp. It was almost symbolic of their superiority. Meanwhile, Classes C and D still lacked cohesion. We couldn't even get off to a satisfactory start.

"Ah, damn it! This isn't the time for a long, leisurely chat about toilets!

I intend to do anything to protect our points. I'll go look for camp areas and spots. Yukimura, Shinohara, and the rest of you, don't start spending any points."

"Got it. We don't intend to."

You couldn't call Ike and Yukimura the best of friends, but apparently they could cooperate with a shared goal.

"Wait a minute, Ike-kun. It's dangerous to go into the forest without a

plan."

"Will staying here and worrying solve anything? It won't."

The desire to go and the desire to stay clashed. However, Hirata wasn't

persuasive enough to stop Ike and the others.

"I'll come back once I find a spot we can use. Then, after everyone moves there, we can talk. A simple plan, right?"

Did Sudou and Yamauchi also intend to search for spots? They gathered around an impatient Ike.

"Are you going too, Ayanokouji?" Sudou asked looking me in the eye.

I casually shook my head.

"I don't want you three to ever do anything alone. If you get lost, it'll be trouble." Hirata seemed to realize that he couldn't stop this.

"We get it. All right, we'll look for lots of stuff!"

Just as I'd thought, with no shade to block out the sunlight, it got really hot. While we'd spent time sitting here discussing things, we had all grown dehydrated.

"It'd be really tough to try building our campsite here."

The intense heat made some of our classmates started whining. Hirata

also seemed to realize just how difficult camping on the beach would be. If this were a genuine camp with an umbrella, a beach tent, and plenty of options for swimming in the ocean and protecting ourselves from the sun, that'd be one thing. But our current situation made that difficult.

"For the time being, how about we find a place in the shade? We can talk while we move." Hirata took the initiative and started carrying the tent. The other guys followed suit.

"By the way. Did Sudou-kun tidy up the toilet properly?"

One of the girls looked anxious as she pointed to the toilet. It was true that Sudou had been empty-handed when he exited after going in to do his business. So at the very least, the inside was…

We left the toilet under the scorching sun. The inside of the tent would've been like a steam bath.

2.2

We walked from the beach toward a gigantic forest. One of the boys looked visibly shaken.

"Is it really okay for us to go in there? We might get really lost. I can't see into it at all."

That was precisely why we had the roll call rule and the emergency button installed on our wristwatches. We had to cooperate. If we didn't work together, then we'd probably end up panicking and spending our points like they grew on trees.

"Wow, Karuizawa-san. Hirata-kun is really amazing, isn't he? He takes on everything that comes his way, even if he dislikes it."

"Oh yeah. The other guys are pathetic, so it's good to just leave everything to Hirata-kun, right?"

Hirata, still carrying the tent, walked ahead of Karuizawa's group, who looked at him with admiration. Incidentally, I was helping carry the luggage, too. I also carried the simple toilet made out of folded cardboard. I'd determined that if I didn't help now, extra work might come my way later.

For the time being, I wanted to preemptively give the impression that I was helping.

Horikita, who was isolated from the other girls, calmly followed the group from the back. She would occasionally act as though she were going to stop, but then immediately started walking again. I slowed down a little bit until I was walking side by side with her.

"Not in a good mood?" I asked.

"To be honest, I'm depressed. These kinds of things just aren't for me.

Life on an island seems primitive, and worst of all, I can't be alone."

Enthusiastically joining in a group effort was far beyond Horikita's capabilities. I thought it would've been good to make an effort to fit in, but it would've been pointless to say that to her. I relented.

"You know, what you said to me before might end up being true."

Horikita wore a look of slight amusement.

"This test will likely fall outside of my academic abilities. I'd determined that Ike-kun and Sudou-kun would be hindrances, but they took the initiative to go out searching. I wasn't able to do anything, because I kept debating what action to take. If they'd started moving quicker, they probably would've been able to find something useful."

"Maybe. More importantly though, are you okay?" "What do you mean?"

She glared. I quickly said "Nothing," and averted my gaze. While talking with Horikita, I felt someone watching my back. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Sakura, who was walking way in the back. When she noticed that I'd turned around, she got flustered and looked away.

"What's the matter?" Horikita asked.

"Oh, nothing." Maybe I was being too nosy. I turned back around.

"I wonder what the other classes will do. I've been curious about their movements. If Classes A and B intend to obtain as many points as possible, then we'll need to prepare as well. We can't let the difference between us widen." Horikita wore a serious expression on her face. In that respect, she had extraordinary resolve. Currently, we were separated from the other classes by a wide margin based solely on our academic abilities. For Horikita, who aimed to reach Class A, this was a fight she absolutely could not afford to lose.

"Aiming for the top is tough," I said.

"I thought what Chabashira-sensei said back then was a joke, but are you really not at all interested in moving up?" Horikita asked.

Chabashira-sensei had probably said something about that back when she encountered Horikita and me in the guidance room.

"It's not particularly weird or anything, is it? It's not like Ike and the others are gunning for Class A or anything. If we got an increase in our allowance each month, that'd make me happy. If I'm lucky, maybe we can even reach Class A."

I couldn't speak to others' true intentions, like Hirata and Karuizawa.

"People who come to this school do so to make use of the privileges it offers." Rather than dissatisfied, Horikita appeared puzzled. At the time of our enrollment, access to elite universities and job opportunities were supposed to be guaranteed. Many students expected it.

"Why did you choose this school?" she asked me.

"Well, can't I just say the same thing? To shamelessly make use of the privileges the school offered me."

"I see." This time she sounded blatantly dissatisfied, and regarded me with a sharp side-eye. I thought that Horikita had enrolled here to be at the same school as her older brother. She wasn't aiming for Class A for her own sake, but rather, sought her older brother's approval. Her ambition differed from most others.

"It doesn't feel good to have someone pry into your past," she said, forestalling me. I'd intended to dig deeper, but it looked like she'd immediately understood my true intentions. I'm trying to understand my past, or should I say this person's past, by thoroughly analyzing and breaking down people.

"I'll tell you this: Chabashira-sensei leaked the information. Don't misunderstand me. All right? Besides, we're still not friends. Don't forget that."

"Don't worry. I'm not really thinking about friendship, anyway." Shortly after, Hirata and the others stopped.

"If we stop here, there's foliage blocking the sunlight, and it doesn't

seem like we'll have to worry about anyone hearing us."

Some of the boys began teaming up, and it wasn't long before they had their own opinions that clashed with Hirata's.

"We ought to be moving, too, not leaving everything to Ike and the others. Don't you think? If another class captures one of the main spots, the point difference will widen."

"Yeah, you're right. We do need to get moving right away, but it's not a good idea to neglect our problems and scatter. First of all, we need to resolve the toilet question."

"That's why I'm saying we should just use the toilet that they gave us."

Yukimura glared at the girls' group.

"I've thought it over, and I believe we should install one toilet first," Hirata said forcefully. Apparently, he was done being pushed around.

"You don't just get to decide. Ike also had an opinion."

"Installing a toilet might be a necessary expense. To begin with, we have one simple toilet that our class, which has thirty or more students, isn't used to. I have to wonder if we can really take turns effectively without any trouble?"

"That's… If we use it well…"

"It's unrealistic. We have to consider the worst-case scenario. If everyone took three minutes to use the restroom, then it would take an hour and a half or more for everyone to go. Can that possibly work?"

"That's pointless. Not everyone would need to use the toilet at the same time. The school provided us with just one toilet because it was realistic. We should be able to effectively take turns, right?"

"I don't think so. From the beginning, I thought using only one toilet would be impossible. If you reason it out, I think it's less about refraining from spending any points, and more that we need to spend our points effectively. You should know that, Yukimura-kun. The other classes have most likely come to the same conclusion."

No matter how we used our points, this was a critical junction for determining whether we'd win or lose. All of the supplies we'd been given seemed insufficient. By giving us a tent that only about half our class could use and a small flashlight, the teachers seemed to be suggesting that we would need to use points.

"That's all just speculation on your part. Besides, if the other classes did install the toilets, we'd be twenty points ahead just by doing without them. So that's precisely why we shouldn't install one."

"You're right about that, but it's unlikely that putting up with a faulty toilet will work out in our favor. It'll add unnecessary stress and anxiety. I'm also worried about sanitation. Objectively, we should install at least one toilet."

It looked like after taking time to calm down, Hirata had come to a

solid conclusion. It wasn't just to provoke arguments; he was convinced that he'd get their approval eventually.

"I think this'll grant the girls peace of mind."

Not even Yukimura could deny Hirata's impeccable reasoning. Hirata understood wanting to preserve our points, but he'd also deduced the downsides of a single toilet. Truth be told, our classmates had been given so much information in one go that they'd overlooked obvious things.

Yukimura, who couldn't bear being stared at in silence, broke. "Fine. In that case, let's install one toilet."

In the end, Yukimura had been beaten. Shinohara, Karuizawa's group, and even Horikita all looked relieved.

"Teacher. If we wish to install a temporary toilet, can we decide where to have it installed?"

"As long as it's not on impossible terrain, it can be put anywhere. It's also possible to have it moved after installation, but it would take some time. It weighs about 100 or more kilos, thus requiring quite a bit of labor."

With one problem resolved, Hirata sighed in relief.

"Next. We've already heard some opinions, but I think we need to search around and decide where our base camp will be. Where we settle will impact how we consume our points," said Hirata, obviously trying to head another argument off at the pass.

We recruited volunteers, but barely got anyone to help. We ended up with only two guys. Most people weren't willing to enter such a sprawling forest. That was only natural.

"I wonder if anyone among us has expert survival skills?" said Hirata, holding onto a sliver of hope. According to manga clichés, there was always that one person you could depend upon in times like these. Hirata checked our classmates, but everyone seemed reluctant to step forward. Just then, the Professor, who thus far had silently watched, raised his hand.

"Since childhood, my father trained me in a particular set of skills. He taught me to survive, even alone in the jungle…is precisely how I would describe the type of character needed for this situation."

Everybody booed. The Professor got flustered and apologized, but it

was too late. We all hated him.

"Um, if you don't mind, I'll go."

Kushida volunteered herself. Suddenly the boys' eyes lit up, even though they'd refused to participate before. The formerly reluctant fellows stepped forward and volunteered, saying, "Me too, me too!" Some were probably motivated by goodwill for Kushida, while others might've been embarrassed that a girl had taken the initiative before them.

I raised my hand as Hirata started counting people.

"Okay, so eleven people, huh? If we had one more participant, we could make four teams," Horikita said.

"Are you going, too?" I asked.

"I have to hang back. But it's unusual to see you be so proactive." "Well, without a role to fill in the class, you'll get cut off."

Just then, someone raised a rather shy hand. When Hirata saw her, he

smiled in relief.

"Thank you, Sakura-san. That makes twelve. Let's go in four teams of three people. It's 1:30 right now Regardless of results, I want everyone to meet back here by 3:00."

With that, the twelve volunteers began to form up into teams according to their preferences. In the blink of an eye, I became one of the leftovers.

"N-nice to see you again, Ayanokouji-kun," said Sakura, who'd also been overlooked. And then…

"The sun certainly is refreshing. My body needs energy."

Kouenji Rokusuke. That guy was actually going to join our search party. Fortunately, I'd been paired with a free spirit and a quiet girl. With these two, I'd be able to move without any difficulty.

2.3

The forest's verdant, overgrown foliage surrounded us. The further in we went, the thicker it became. It was preferable to the scorching beach, but the damp heat was agonizing. I grabbed the neckline of my shirt and fanned myself to cool down. It was as steamy as water over hot stones.

As I thought about it, all I could think was how hot it was. It was way

too hot. Would talking be enough to distract myself from it? "Kouenji?"

"Ah, so beautiful. As I stand here amongst such vast nature, with an air of composure, I really am too beautiful. The pinnacle of beauty!"

It was no use. I couldn't hold a proper conversation with him. There was really only one person I could talk to.

"Amazing, isn't it?" I asked. "Huh?!"

Sakura, who was walking a bit behind me, jumped in surprise. Perhaps

she hadn't expected anyone to talk to her.

"You raised your hand when Hirata said he wanted one more person, didn't you? There are lots of things you can do now."

"Well, I don't think that's particularly amazing or anything. It's really not. Even now, I'm still a little confused."

Rather than calling her meek, I'd say that Sakura was pensive and bad at talking with others. She was probably pretty passive when it came to things like being on a group trip. I'd thought that she would move away from me, but we continued to walk side by side. Hiking from the beach to the forest had put a serious drain on our stamina. Not only was the footing unstable, but the path was on a bit of an incline.

"So why did you raise your hand to do something as difficult as exploring the forest?"

"Well, that's… I felt kind of uncomfortable when everyone else in the crowd got so fired up…"

"Well, I don't know how you feel, but even with a small number of people, this won't be easy."

Now I was definitely in this conversation, even if it became unpleasant. "But Ayanokouji-kun, you raised your hand, so…" Sakura raised her

head in surprise, growing flustered and making frantic gestures. "Th-that's

not what I mean! It's just that since there isn't anyone I can talk to, that's why… That's what I mean!"

With this feverish denial, she hurried forward. "H-hey, watch ou—"

"Wh— Aah!"

As she turned around to look at me, Sakura's foot caught on the roots of a large tree. Panicked, I tried to grab her, but didn't make it in time.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Oh, ouch…"

Fortunately, she'd landed on her butt and hands. It didn't look like anything serious.

"You'll get hurt if you're not careful in the forest. Here, take my hand." "Th-thank you."

Sakura sheepishly reached for me, but then noticed that her hands were dirty and quickly withdrew. I didn't particularly care that her hands were dirty, though, so I grabbed her and helped pull her up.

"S-sorry."

"You don't need to apologize."

I brushed the dirt off Sakura's hands. This was probably the first time any of us had set foot in such a wild forest. I thought we'd be fine so long as we walked in one direction, but I was wrong. First of all, walking in a straight line was impossible. There were natural obstacles we couldn't cross, which forcefully changed our path and veered us right or left.

If we kept going like this, we'd probably get lost. I had to make sure not to lose sight of Kouenji, who'd been pushing forward relentlessly.

Meanwhile, Sakura kept silent and absentmindedly stared at the palm of her

right hand.

"Hey, Sakura, come on. Hurry up a bit." "Huh?! A-ah, o-okay."

At my words, Sakura panicked and rushed forward. She was probably

going to trip again.

"Ah, Kouenji-kun sure walks fast, doesn't he?"

Kouenji ventured further and further into the forest without once considering a girl's pace. I honestly admired his stamina and his strong legs.

"In the first place, I can't believe he'd…" "What's the matter?"

"No, I…"

What in the world was he up to? Was it a coincidence? No, Kouenji walked without hesitation. Even if our team was free to choose the base camp's location, you'd expect him to be looking around as you went. Kouenji walked straight ahead, almost as if he had another purpose.

More than anything else, his progress surprised me. It was possible that Kouenji wasn't simply pushing ahead recklessly. Maybe he had a goal in mind. However, the problem was that Sakura, in trying to keep up with Kouenji, was running out of breath.

"Kouenji. Don't you think it's a bad idea to rush forward like this?

We'll get lost."

I was feeling anxious about both my teammates. Kouenji remained with his back to us and started fixing his hair.

"I am a perfect human being. I would never foolishly lose my way in a forest. If any problem occurs, it would most likely be because you two lost sight of me. When that happens, you should give up."

Just as I'd expected, he was the sort of guy to declare that he wasn't interested in anyone other than himself. Was he really this inconsiderate, given our circumstances?

"By the way, I'd like to ask you ordinary people something. Don't you think this is truly beautiful?" Kouenji flashed an audacious smile, showing us his white teeth.

"Well. I do think that the forest…well, nature…is quite mysterious, or rather beautiful." I tried telling him what I thought, more or less. However, Kouenji sighed in disappointment.

"What on earth are you talking about? That's not what I meant. I mean how I, with my perfect physical beauty, shine in such a place. Do you not understand?"

So he wanted me to compliment him on his self-proclaimed "perfect physical beauty." I see.

"He's probably acting a little messed up because of the heat. It's best you don't pay him any mind, Sakura."

"Y-yeah. Kouenji-kun has been acting pretty funny from the start, so it's okay."

Wow. That may have been the truth, but it was unexpectedly harsh.

Anyway, Kouenji, seemingly satisfied with his own beauty, started walking again. From that point onward, I decided not to get my hopes up with regards to our third teammate.

"There's no need to worry. Even if something happened in a forest like this, there won't be a problem."

"What do you mean by that, Kouenji?" I asked.

"I wouldn't call this a natural forest. The probability of getting lost during the day is extremely low. It's precisely for that reason that I'm a little curious."

With those mysterious words, Kouenji continued quickly forward, seemingly having lost interest in us. He was so fast that Sakura couldn't keep up with him.

"Hey!" I called.

"U-um, I'll be okay. I'll do my best to follow."

Even though she was all sweaty, Sakura tried to give a small fist pump. She still looked uncertain, like she was going to trip and fall, but I supposed that she'd hardened her resolve to do her best. Kouenji, clearly taking no notice of Sakura's efforts, got further and further ahead. I'd thought he'd keep going until we passed through the forest, but he suddenly stopped.

Turning, he flashed another audacious smile while stroking his hair.

"May I ask you common folk another question?" Before we could reply, Kouenji continued.

"What do you think of this place? What do you see when you look around?"

"Huh? Wh-what does he mean? Ayanokouji-kun?"

In the face of Kouenji's sharp gaze, Sakura hid behind my back. What did I think about this place? I tried scanning my surroundings. While I did so, Sakura also looked around. However, nothing seemed especially notable. It was just forest. What in the world was he trying to get at?

"Good. I understand. Please, do not worry. Common folk are simple, after all."

When Kouenji realized that he wasn't going to get the answer he wanted, he walked quickly forward into the forest again.

"What? Did something change?" "No…"

If you honestly believed everything Kouenji said to you, you'd go mad.

He was the sort of man who would play any number of games. However, it was possible we were missing something. In any case, we didn't have the time to search at our leisure.

"Sakura, do you have a handkerchief with you?" "Oh, yeah. This okay?"

Just as I'd expect of a girl, she seemed to be prepared.

"If it's all right with you, could I borrow it? It might get a little dirty, though."

"Sure, that's perfectly fine," replied Sakura, without any hint of objection. She handed me her handkerchief.

I tied it to a nearby tree branch, one that didn't seem like it would break easily. It would act as a sort of marker for us later on.

"Ah, we're going to lose sight of Kouenji-kun. Let's hurry, Ayanokouji-kun."

Sakura was flustered, and increasingly exhausted. It seemed likely she

was about to trip and fall. After all, she was probably close to her physical limits. Even if she forced herself onward, she wouldn't be able to keep up.

"Sorry, but this is a bit too physically demanding. Do you mind if we slow down?"

With that, I slowed my pace. That way, Sakura wouldn't feel like the problem. She probably saw through my ploy, but I didn't mind. It wasn't as though she could call me out on it. By this point, we'd lost sight of Kouenji. Far ahead, I could occasionally make out the rustle of grass and the footsteps on the earth.

"Wow, he's a man of many talents. Kouenji, I mean."

He possessed a brilliant mind and outstanding physical ability, which he'd perfectly adapted to the forest without hesitation. If only he had a personality like Hirata's, he would be a perfect superhuman.

"…"

Sakura seemed to have been silently looking over at something for some time. I was curious, but she didn't bring it up, and the two of us continued our search.

"It would be great if we secured some drinking water. Or maybe a place where we could take shelter."

Since I had nothing to do, I tried making light conversation. If we managed to secure a spot that made it possible to save points, our lives would get much easier.

"Oh yeah. I suppose that two tents probably won't be enough… But I can't find anything."

No matter how much I tried or how far we walked, I couldn't seem to find even one man-made object. Well, while I say we walked far, we'd only really covered a fraction of one percent of the island. The school probably wouldn't be kind enough to go easy on us. After tromping through wild terrain, a pathway appeared before us.

"This is a path, isn't it?" "Looks like it."

In the middle of a forest on an uninhabited island, someone had created

a path. It wasn't paved or anything, of course, but trees had been chopped down and the path was well-trod. If the school had prepared this, then perhaps a spot lay further ahead. Sakura and I pressed onward.

"Wow. Amazing!"

Soon we arrived at what appeared to be a large hole in the mountainside: an entrance into a cave. At first glance it appeared to be a natural cave, but upon closer inspection the inside appeared properly reinforced. Perhaps the hole itself had been created by human hands.

"Could this possibly be…a spot?" "Maybe."

Since ancient times, caves have provided outstanding dwellings for

people. If this place had been designated as a spot, there should have been proof. I tried to approach the cave to check, but then saw some guy coming out of it. I immediately grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her to hide in the shade. I felt bad, but I didn't understand the situation. Hopefully she'd forgive me.

The person stopped at the entrance, and quietly looked to the southwest. He stood there for a minute or two. He'd wasted absolutely no time in securing this spot. It seemed like he'd gone straight to this cave without any hesitation. That aside, the man was tightly holding onto what looked to be some kind of card. Then, we heard a voice coming from inside the cave. Panicked, I hid my face.

"In a cave this size, we should have enough room for two tents, Katsuragi-san. We sure were lucky. We secured a spot really quickly."

I listened carefully, trying to grasp the situation.

"Luck? What are you talking about? I figured that there was a cave here even before we landed. Finding it was inevitable. Be mindful of what you say and do. We don't know if anyone is out there listening to us. As the leader, I have a responsibility. Be sure you don't make even the slightest mistake."

"S-sorry. But when you say 'since before we landed', what do you mean?"

"Before the ship docked at the pier, it had already taken a trip around

the island as a detour for some reason. That was probably a deliberate move by the school to give the students some hints. From the ship's deck, I noticed a path that cut through the forest. All I had to do was take the shortest route from the pier after we'd landed to the path."

"B-but it might've been just a chance for us to enjoy the scenery." "That was far too long of a roundabout for sightseeing. Besides, the

announcement was strange, too."

"I didn't notice anything at all, and yet… Katsuragi-san, you managed to see the school's true intentions. Because of that, you understood there was a cave here. Just as we'd expect from you!"

"Let's go to the next one, Yahiko. It's pointless to linger here after we've claimed the spot. There's a path to two other places that I noticed from the ship. There should be some kind of facility up ahead."

"Y-yeah! If we leave it like this, Sakayanagi will have no choice but to be quiet!"

"If you only look straight ahead, you might overlook things." "You say that, but isn't it enough just to be cautious of Class B? I

mean, Class D is just an assortment of failures, right? They're defective.

Considering the point difference, it's probably fine to ignore them, right?"

I'd heard talk like that on the ship earlier—that Class D was basically beyond Class A's consideration. They treated us like pebbles in their path.

"That's enough chit-chat. Let's go, Yahiko."

I waited until I could no longer hear their voices or footsteps, and then waited two minutes more.

"Did they go?" Sakura whispered.

I peeked out to check, but I didn't see them. As I caught my breath, I noticed that my hands had grown comparatively warmer. I must've kept hold of Sakura's hands after I grabbed her in a panic.

"Sorry, Sakura. Sakura?" "Whaa?!"

Sakura was all right, though for some reason she seemed almost comatose.

"A-are you okay?"

"I-I-I-I'm o-o-okay…"

Her face turned so red I was afraid steam was going to start rising from her body. She sat weakly right down. Perhaps I'd held onto her more forcefully than I thought.

"Ah, ah, ah… I-I thought I was going to die. My heart stopped…"

Hopefully that was an exaggeration. Sakura's breathing stabilized as she adjusted her glasses.

"Those two guys seemed like they were from Class A, based on what they were saying."

I worried about abandoning this place. With no one here keeping watch, this spot could be intercepted. After waiting for Sakura's strength to return, we approached the cave entrance once again. Those two had left without any hesitation…

Inside the cave, some kind of terminal device with a monitor was embedded into the wall. The words "Class A" were displayed on the screen, along with a countdown timer that showed seven hours and 55 minutes remaining. Was this the proof that they owned this spot? We couldn't do anything to interfere until the countdown reached zero, and we couldn't force our way in.

That's why those two had left this place without worry. But that wasn't the only problem. As long as the rights of ownership weren't snatched by another class, Class A would keep acquiring one point every eight hours.

Although they'd lost thirty points because of one student's illness, they were earning it back. Besides, that Katsuragi guy seemed to have determined there were a few other facilities. If a spot happened to have food and water, could they widen the gap between the other classes?

"He said he'd noticed something even before we landed on the island…"

They'd memorized the island's topography and used that to find a spot.

Brilliant. I supposed that Class A students saw the world differently. However, that way of thinking led to some depressing conclusions.

"H-hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Could that person from before have been…

the leader?"

She was right. This incident had proved to be a fatal mistake. Class A had to use their key card in order to maintain rights of exclusive ownership to the cave. They had clearly made their leader known to us. Of course, he probably hadn't considered that someone from another class could be watching him, but that had been careless of them. I considered investigating the entire cave, but there was no sign of anyone hiding.

"Wh-wh-what should we do? We just found out an incredible secret!" said Sakura. She sounded impatient, perhaps because she was excited to have delivered a huge blow to Class A.

"I'll report it to Hirata later."

Sakura appeared relieved. She had poor communication skills, and by taking that responsibility, I'd helped her.

2.4

Things started to move when we returned to Hirata and the others, who hadn't achieved any results. The Idiot Trio seemed to be in surprisingly high spirits, and were speaking rather enthusiastically to Hirata about something.

"A river, a river! What an incredible feeling! And there was some kind of mechanism installed around there! It could be a gadget to get right of possession, or whatever! It's only a ten-minute walk from here, so let's hurry!"

It seemed like Ike and his group had made some headway, and wanted to stand guard so another class wouldn't snatch the spot.

"This is huge. If we can secure the river, our situation might take a turn for the better."

It seemed we'd decided on the base camp's location. Of course, it would depend on the terrain and environment, but this likely was going to be our first step forward.

"But there are two teams that still haven't returned. Someone should wait for them, right?"

It was a little before three o'clock. If they hadn't returned by the appointed time, there was a good chance they were lost in the forest.

"I'm sorry, Hirata. Kouenji isn't back yet, either. We got split up." "Ah, Kouenji-kun actually came back a little while ago. He left to go

swimming."

So he hadn't gotten lost, but had instead slipped away. I should have expected it.

"Split up? Didn't you take the lead?" Horikita asked with a sigh, as everyone began moving toward the river.

"I can't control that guy. You know that."

Had he been trying to start trouble? Kouenji had run off at a quick pace, suggesting that he was already familiar with the forest.

"I see. You can't really complain about his abilities, though the same can't be said of his personality."

"Just like you."

"Did you say something?" she growled. "N-nope, I didn't say anything."

Our class was rife with personality issues, myself included. Poor Hirata.

"What?"

Horikita suddenly turned and looked behind her, staring sharply at Sakura.

"Eh?!"

"Were you looking at me just now?" Horikita asked. "I-I-I-I wasn't looking at anything!"

Sakura, flustered, ran off to put some distance between us.

"Don't scare her like that. You can be a monster, Horikita."

"So I should freely let her poke around and misconstrue things?" "There! We found the spot! It's amazing!"

We finally arrived at Ike's chosen land. Inside the cave, the mechanism had been embedded into the wall, but here at the river's edge, the equipment was installed on an unnaturally placed boulder. Hirata and his team started setting up the tents and other necessities for camp near the river.

"Okay. The water is beautiful, and there's shade that blocks the sunlight. The terrain is level. This might be the ideal place for our base camp here. Amazing, Ike-kun!" Hirata said.

"Heh heh heh, I know, right?"

The river was about ten meters wide, and the water flowed gently. It was amazing. Deep forests and sandy roads surrounded the river, but this place looked as if it had been maintained. I doubted this location was so naturally perfect. Our school had likely set it up for this purpose.

"So how do we show that this is ours now?"

The river was pretty wide, and flowed downstream for quite a ways. At first glance, our flat piece of land was surrounded on all sides by the trees.

There may not have been another favorable location like this, but it did seem like this was a natural entranceway to the area. Perhaps following the river might lead you here. Or was use of the river a privilege only given to those occupying this space?

I was a little concerned as I walked along the river toward the forest.

Horikita tagged along for some reason.

"The school seems to know about this area, too. It looks like we're the only ones who can use the river."

In the middle of the path, a signboard was affixed to a tree. A message read that the river was a designated spot, and that unauthorized use was prohibited. After casually looking about, we returned to the others.

"So if we make this spot our base camp, the problem is whether or not we can occupy it."

"We already decided that this would be it! If we don't choose this spot, what'll we do?"

"We have other choices. If we claim this place, there are obvious merits; we can monopolize the river, for one. Also, we can gain some points by holding this area. However, that requires us to update it once every eight hours, and since the designated leader is the only one who can handle that operation, it'll be serious trouble if he or she is seen. We still don't know if someone might be watching."

We were surrounded by forest on all sides. We couldn't notice a spy in the brushwood.

"Hmm, so if we stay hidden and protected, it'll be fine, right? We can keep the area surrounded."

Although there were risks, Ike was correct. If we made our base camp in this area, there was no way to pin us down. If students from another class took this place, it would become impossible to use the river. Both guys and girls agreed with Ike on this. I think that Hirata had wanted to agree anyway, but being a font of neutrality, he'd wanted to collect a lot of opinions.

It was true that obtaining the rights of exclusive possession was

something of a double-edged sword, with both risks and rewards. However, as with Class A occupying the cave, it was possible for the class to act together to protect ourselves. It went without saying that Classes B and C would most likely have done the same thing. In other words, it was an acceptable risk.

"Okay. Well, the next question is, who will be the leader?"

More than whether we'd take possession, the leader was key. A mistake here could prove fatal. While everyone wanted to avoid a role with such important responsibilities, Kushida asked everyone to form a circle.

"I thought a lot of things over. I have to say, Hirata-san and Karuizawa-san just stand out too much, like it or not. However, a leader's no good unless that person has a sense of responsibility, right? I think that Horikita-san meets that criteria. But, what do you think?"

Horikita looked like she hadn't expected such a recommendation, but her expression didn't change. I'd wondered if she were perhaps the least risky choice, since she was so desperate to reach Class A. That was crucial.

I calmly observed everyone's reactions.

"I agree with Kushida-san. That is to say, I also think that Horikita-san would be a good leader. So long as Horikita-san is okay with it, then I think it'd be good for her to take over. What do you think?" Hirata said.

With everyone's eyes fixed on her, it didn't appear that Horikita was going to refuse.

"You don't want to do it though, right? Don't make her do it. I can do it in her place."

Sudou stepped forward, seemingly to protect Horikita's wishes.

However, Horikita then calmly accepted the decision, almost as if Sudou's remarks had triggered her to do so.

"I understand. I accept."

Personally, I was relieved that someone like Sudou or Ike wasn't the leader. Hirata immediately went over to Chabashira-sensei to pass on Horikita's name. Before long, he returned with a card and entrusted it to Horikita. Taking into consideration the possibility that we were being watched, we had everyone touch the device without it activating. This was to

camouflage the leader, so a spy wouldn't know who he or she was.

"Okay, so we've resolved the problems of bathing and drinking water!

Right?" Ike's eyes sparked brilliantly as he dreamed of saving points. "Huh? Drink from the river? Are you insane?"

Apparently Ike intended to use this as an all-purpose river. However,

Shinohara and the other girls did not appear to agree, glancing at the river in disgust.

"Well, it'd be great for swimming, but…to drink from?"

"What the heck? It's perfectly fine. The water's clean and pure, right?" Ike said.

"Well, yeah. It certainly seems like you can drink it, but…"

Shinohara tugged on Hirata's sleeve, asking her champion to defend them against Ike's frugality.

"Hey, Hirata-kun. Is it really okay? It's not normal to drink from a river, is it?"

Several uneasy girls gathered around Hirata to ask his advice. They shook their heads, as if signaling that such a thing was impossible.

"I don't think we can drink from that."

Ike, visibly frustrated, had had enough. "Really? Look how inviting the water is. How it flows. It's like perfectly natural spring water!"

Even though the water didn't look muddy or cloudy, the girls were not the only ones to hesitate. The boys also looked unsure.

"What the heck, you guys? What's wrong with you? There's no reason not to use the river after going through all the trouble of finding it."

"Then you drink it, as an experiment." "Huh? Well, fine, whatever…"

Pressured, Ike scooped up some water with his hands and drank.

"Ah! Whew, that's ice cold. It feels great! It's damn good!"

"Okay, that's a major turn off. No way, no way! There's no way I'm drinking that. Gross!"

two?"

"Huh?! You're the one who told me to drink it, Shinohara!" "No way! Ugh, I hate barbarians like you most of all, god!" "What the hell?"

The two of them exchanged glares hot enough to send sparks flying. "I've heard that hatred is close to love. Could that be true with these

"That…really doesn't seem to be the case here."

With the toilet resolved, the next issue was drinking water. Even with

the river, it didn't appear as though everything had been settled.

"For the time being, let's table the water issue. It's only going to be painful if you fight," said Hirata, apparently desperate for peace.

Our problems would likely grow if we delayed things, but no one was really going to object to Hirata. Or so I thought, until a certain guy butted into the conversation.

"Shinohara, don't complain. We gotta cooperate on this test."

That came from our class' number one problem child, Sudou, who chided Shinohara in an unusually calm tone.

"Oh, don't make me laugh. Cooperate? That's funny coming from you, Sudou-kun."

Shinohara laughed, seizing at her stomach as if it hurt. It was only natural she'd poke fun at Sudou. Since Sudou had started at our school, he'd repeatedly caused problems for our class. He was far from being a model of cooperativeness, though in a different way from Horikita. It seemed that Sudou himself was aware of this.

"I know I've caused trouble for the class. That's what I'm saying. If you keep antagonizing people with trivial crap, eventually it's gonna come back to bite you, er, you know where."

"What? You're saying that because you don't want to use any points, Sudou-kun."

"No one said anything about that. Kanji, calm down a little. If someone suddenly told you to drink from the river, you'd put up some resistance, right? I would. Hey, if we boil the water, it'll become sterilized, right? So

right now, why don't we try that?"

"Boiling? This isn't some kind of chemistry experiment. Stop coming up with such unexpectedly thoughtful suggestions!"

Shinohara was being rather aggressive toward Sudou, as if she were prepared to fight against anyone who displeased her. Hirata once again tried to calm everyone down as the fight got heated.

"Let's try breaking apart for a bit. We still have some time. It's not necessary to decide things in a panic."

Calmed by those words, Shinohara fell silent and withdrew. Shortly afterward, Hirata went over to Chabashira-sensei to request the temporary toilet. Ike, unable to contain his anger at Shinohara, just kept biting his lip in frustration.

"Damn it! What the hell is Shinohara's deal? It's like she won't even

try."

Upset, Ike skipped a pebble across the river. He got five or six good

skips before it effortlessly hit the other bank. For an accident, it was still beautiful. If I tried to do that, it probably wouldn't have gone so well.

"Hey, you're surprisingly really good at outdoorsy stuff." "Hmm? Oh, I wouldn't really say that. It's just that I used to go

camping together with my family back when I was little. I'm not opposed to drinking river water. I can tell if the water source is clean just by looking."

Ike sounded honest rather than boastful.

"Well then, wouldn't it have been a good idea to tell us about your camping experience from the beginning? If you'd gained people's trust, things might've gone more smoothly."

You had to give an explanation for your actions. Especially since this wasn't something that could be observed easily, unlike a test score.

"If I'd been in the Boy Scouts, I'd have legitimate bragging rights. But just going camping isn't anything to brag about. Even if I said anything, it would've been pointless, anyway."

He'd apparently gotten rather discouraged after being so harshly criticized by the girls. For Ike, who normally only cared about being

attractive to the ladies, that had to hurt. However, if he'd only changed the way he handled things, the situation might've gone differently.

But then…Ike said something unusual.

"It seems like it's everyone's first time camping out. I thought that everyone had at least a little experience. I guess the stuff I said was probably a little unreasonable."

He'd realized he made a mistake. That was the first time Ike had ever expressed regret.

"Sorry. I gotta think of how to take care of this. I'm gonna go for a swim in the river."

Ike stood and turned his back to me. I thought that was probably fine for now. The heat had likely muddled his head, and searching around had probably tired him out.

"Ayanokouji-kun. Can you follow him?" "Huh? Why?"

Horikita stood next to me. After Ike left, she spoke.

"It's possible that his knowledge will prove useful. He might be instrumental to Class D. In addition to his outdoor knowledge, he seems to know his way around the forest. Also, since Kouenji-kun is basically useless, the class will need Ike to pull them forward."

"You don't think you can persuade him yourself?"

"Me? Persuade him? You think I can?" She sounded nonplussed, almost as if she couldn't believe I'd asked her such a thing.

Even though she had smugly appealed for me to handle something she couldn't…she had a point. In truth, Horikita's interpersonal skills were well below that of an average person.

"I'm relying on you because I know I can't do it. Can I count on you?" "Well sure, I guess. You don't have anyone else to rely on but me?"

Even if I wasn't great in this area, I was certainly better than no option

at all.

"I suppose it must be relaxing to be unreliable and underachieving.

Isn't it, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Amazing that she could so brazenly ask a favor while being so condescending.

"I'll talk to him, but leave the timing to me."

"Fine. I'm not entirely certain if now is the best time anyway."

We left it at that, with my acceptance and the realization we had nothing left to say to one another. I wondered if this week would show Horikita how difficult it was to live life as a hermit. Alone, she was amazing…but only alone.

In an academic setting, she could quietly continue her race to the top without relying on anyone. But this test proved that there were some things you couldn't do alone. Horikita now probably felt powerless for the first time. It was probably why she'd come to rely on me so quickly, at this early stage. If you didn't have any friends, you'd have no one to talk to. Without communication, there could be no cooperation or trust. An academically brilliant girl was less useful than a normal student in a situation like this.

"The school probably factored that into their calculations, too," I muttered.

This week would test Horikita Suzune's limits, and show her at her worst. The school had made her isolated life impossible.