I came, I saw, I lost! (Classroom of the Elite Fanfiction)

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"What the hell is this?!"

"This isn't what I signed up for!"

Originally, everyone thought they were just here to enjoy a summer vacation. The unexpected turn of events naturally threw their minds into chaos before they could even begin to process and digest all the information.

Even after some time, some students still couldn't accept the situation.

Thankfully, with Hirata's presence, he managed to calm everyone down. Perhaps because of the suddenness of the exam, he seemed to have returned to his usual composed self, much like at the start of the school year.

"There's still time to decide the leader. Let's think about it a little longer—there's no need to rush."

Hirata's gentle tone soothed the restless students.

"Yousuke-kun is right," Karuizawa agreed, naturally supporting her boyfriend. "Anyway, let's follow Yousuke-kun's direction for now."

Her words received unanimous agreement, especially from the girls.

"If it's Hirata-kun, there's no problem."

"I leave it to you, Hirata."

"Could you please lead us, Hirata-kun?"

"Yeah, that's right."

They acknowledged his leadership without hesitation. Some of the boys were clearly uncomfortable with it, but they didn't voice their objections.

Generally speaking, no one opposed Hirata when he spoke.

"Hirata-kun, we're counting on you."

Even Kushida spoke in a way that made it sound like she was asking for a favor.

Faced with so many expectations, Hirata didn't refuse.

In the end, the first thing Class D decided to do was find a designated spot before choosing their leader. Securing a base came first—without a place to settle, they couldn't even begin to plan or strategize.

Chabashira quietly followed them from the sidelines.

Most of the students grumbled along the way, clearly unhappy, but there wasn't much of a choice.

So they gathered in a spot in the forest, and Hirata quickly began to work. They would split up to search for a designated spot and regroup here in fifteen minutes.

Staying together as a full group would only slow them down. With over thirty students moving as one, their pace would be sluggish, and covering a large area efficiently would be impossible. Searching separately in smaller teams ensured they could locate the spot faster while minimizing unnecessary delays.

"For the scouting team, we'll need volunteers. Who's willing to go?"

Most of the boys immediately raised their hands, eager to take on the role. Even Koenji, who had been sitting atop a tree the entire time, casually lifted his hand as if it were only natural.

Among them, Ayanokouji also raised his hand.

"...That's unexpected," Horikita, who was standing beside him, glanced at him with mild curiosity. "Why are you volunteering all of a sudden?"

"Doing nothing would stand out more in this situation."

Ayanokouji spoke indifferently, but his eyes subtly scanned their surroundings. Something felt off. There was someone missing.

"Where's Kumagawa...?"

Hirata, who happened to overhear him, also looked around, only to realize the same thing.

"Now that you mention it... I don't see him anywhere."

It wasn't just that Kumagawa was absent—no one had even noticed his absence until now. Ayanokouji, who had been paying attention to the class's movements, couldn't recall when Kumagawa had slipped away.

Even when standing right next to them, he left no impression. That was just the kind of person Kumagawa Misogi was.

"He went in the other direction earlier," Chabashira said flatly, as if it wasn't worth mentioning.

Of couse chabashira noticed when Kumagawa slips away, since she's watching the student from the very back with her eyes. But because she didn't want to deal with whatever antics Kumagawa may cause, he just let him do whatever he want.

It was like trying to keep a stray dog on a leash. If you pulled too hard, it would just squirm free and run off again. At some point, you just accepted that it would come and go as it pleased.

The moment she said that, the class started murmuring in protest.

"What the hell? He just wandered off on his own?"

"We should all be working together, right?"

"Is he seriously taking this exam seriously?"

Annoyance spread through the group, but before things could escalate, Hirata and Kushida stepped in to calm everyone down.

"It's okay, everyone. This exam is about independence, too. We don't all have to move as one big group," Hirata reassured them with his usual gentle tone.

"That's right. If Kumagawa-kun thought he could handle something on his own, we should trust him," Kushida added, flashing her usual bright smile.

Though their words helped to settle some of the irritation, the atmosphere was still uneasy.

"What do you think about this?"

Horikita, turned to Ayanokouji.

"Nothing. It's just Kumagawa doing Kumagawa things. If you think too hard about it, you'll end up with vertigo." Ayanokouji shrugged.

Horikita frowned slightly but didn't press further.

To be honest, there wasn't much to say. Kumagawa had always moved at his own pace, doing things that seemed completely random.

Going off alone during an exam like this wasn't exactly ideal, but it wasn't like Kumagawa had ever been the type to follow the group. If he had a reason for wandering off, they probably wouldn't understand it even if he explained.

Horikita crossed her arms. "He really has a talent for disappearing, doesn't he?"

"It's impressive, in a way," Ayanokouji replied. "Even I didn't notice."

"That's not impressive—that's a problem," she shot back, clearly irritated. "This isn't a game. He should at least stick with the group until we organize ourselves properly."

Before anyone could add more, a voice suddenly rang out from above.

『Hey, hey, look up here! 』

All heads turned toward the trees, and sure enough, perched high among the branches, was Kumagawa. He waved down at them with a bright, carefree smile, completely at ease despite being several meters off the ground.

『I found the spot! 』 he announced cheerfully.

Hirata, still processing the situation, blinked in surprise.

"How...? How can you tell from up there?"

『With my eyes, obviously. 』

A moment of silence followed.

"...Your eyes?" Hirata repeated.

『Yeah. I've got a really good sense of smell.』

Another silence.

Ayanokouji instinctively tried to find the connection between "eyes" and "smell," but no matter how he thought about it, the logic didn't track. Did he mean he could visually identify scents? Or was he saying he used his eyes to find a location, but his nose to confirm it? Either way, it didn't explain anything.

"...I see," Hirata said, though his tone suggested he absolutely did not.

『Come on, hurry up! Before another class takes it!』

Leaving them no room to argue, he jumped down from the tree, landing lightly on his feet as if gravity didn't apply to him.

The moment he landed, multiple students gasped.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Kumagawa-kun, are you okay?!"

Several people rushed over, their faces a mix of shock and concern. It was only natural—they had all seen him jump from the highest point of the tree, at least seven or eight meters high, and he landed directly with his feet.

『Ah, thanks for the concern, but it's fine. You guys worry too much. Is this what they call "babying"?』

Despite his reassuring words, there was a subtle jab in them, as if he was mocking their overreaction.

"You really shouldn't do reckless things like that..." Hirata said with a nervous laugh, though it was clear he wasn't sure how to handle this situation.

『Reckless? What, do you guys normally break your legs from just that? That's rough.』

That only made them more exasperated. But rather than dwell on it, Kumagawa turned and pointed toward a direction in the forest.

『Anyway, the designated spot is that way. About five minutes if we hurry. 』

Seeing no reason to waste time, Class D moved as a group, following his lead. It was fortunate that they hadn't split up beforehand—if they had, it would've taken even longer to gather everyone again.

As they walked, Ayanokouji casually approached Kumagawa from the side.

"You're pretty impressive," he said. "Physically speaking."

『Oh my, a compliment? From Ayanokouji-kun? What's next, the world ending? 』

"...I'll take it back."

『Ahaha, too late. It's already recorded in my lungs.』

It didn't take long before they arrived at the designated spot, a relatively clear area surrounded by trees.

What made it ideal as a base was the river flowing nearby, providing a steady water source. In a week-long survival exam, having access to water without having to trek long distances was a major advantage.

Not only would they avoid dehydration, but they could also use it for cooking, washing, and possibly even cooling off from the summer heat. The terrain was also fairly level, making it easier to set up sleeping areas without the risk of rolling downhill in the middle of the night.

A terminal device was embedded into a tree nearby, standing out against the natural surroundings. A card reader was installed on it—this was where the leader's key card would be registered.

"This should be it," Hirata said, glancing around.

Since no other class had claimed it yet, Class D had successfully secured a stronghold.

『See? I told you. My heart never lies,』 Kumagawa said with a smile.

"You said it was your eyes before," Ayanokouji pointed out.

『Did I? Well, eyes, nose... they're both on my face, so same thing, right?』

"...And your heart?"

『Oh, that's simple. 』 Kumagawa grinned. 『Your heart pumps blood, right? And blood flows through your whole body, including your eyes and nose. So, technically, everything connects back to the heart!』

There was no real logic to it, but he sounded way too confident for anyone to bother arguing.

For now, they began gathering in a loose circle around the post. Since they had secured a location, it was time to make the next big decision—choosing the leader.

"There's still time, but we should decide soon," Hirata said, looking at everyone. "Who should be our leader?"

Some students hesitantly glanced at each other.

『Ah, isn't this obvious? 』 Kumagawa said, raising his hand lazily. 『I'll do it. 』

The atmosphere froze for a moment. It was clear that no one had expected him to volunteer so easily.

"...Are you serious?" Horikita narrowed her eyes.

『Why wouldn't I be? It's not like the leader actually has to do anything, right? Just use the card and pretend nothing's happening for a week.』

"That's not true," Hirata said. "If someone figures out who the leader is, we'll lose a massive amount of points. We need to pick someone who won't be obvious."

『Then that makes me even more perfect. Who'd ever think someone like me is the leader?』

No one knew how to respond to that.

Ayanokouji, however, rejected the idea outright.

"I think it should be Horikita."

Horikita raised an eyebrow at that, looking slightly annoyed. "Why me?"

"Because you're one of the more competent people in the class. More importantly, you're not the type to get easily exposed. You won't draw unnecessary attention to yourself."

".....I see" Horikita seemed to accept the reasoning, but before she could say anything, Kumagawa cut in.

『Ahh, Ayanokouji-kun, you just don't get it, do you? 』 He waved his hand in mock disappointment. 『Horikita-chan is the worst possible choice. 』

"...And why is that?"

『Well, let's see. First off, she's too competent. That's bad. 』

"What kind of logic is that?" Horikita asked, clearly irritated.

『If you were from another class, wouldn't you suspect her? 』 Kumagawa pointed out. 『She's smart, she's capable, she takes charge when needed—if someone had to guess the leader, she'd be one of the top candidates. 』

Horikita's expression stiffened slightly.

『Second, 』 Kumagawa continued.

『Horikita-chan doesn't get along with people. If she's the leader, we'll have a hard time coordinating things because she won't be able to act naturally. The more she avoids people, the more suspicious she looks. 』

That was... actually a reasonable point.

『And lastly, 』 Kumagawa smiled. 『I just think it'd be funnier if I were the leader. 』

"...That's not a reason."

『Isn't it? I think it's the best reason.』

Despite how ridiculous it all sounded, his argument wasn't completely baseless. Picking someone too obvious would be risky, and Horikita's personality wouldn't make things easier.

Kumagawa, on the other hand... was so unpredictable that no one would think he was the leader in the first place.

But not everyone agreed so easily.

"Wait, shouldn't it be the opposite?" Karuizawa frowned. "If we pick someone we think no one will suspect, isn't that exactly what they would suspect?"

"I agree," Onodera added. "It feels like we're overcomplicating things. Wouldn't it be safer to just pick someone everyone trusts, like Hirata?"

Hirata, who had been listening quietly, smiled wryly. "I don't mind, but... I don't think I'm the best option either."

Ayanokouji somewhat agreed with their reasoning. If another class analyzed Class D's structure, they would likely assume the leader was someone trusted and competent. Hirata, being the natural class representative, would fit that profile. However, that also meant he would be one of the first people suspected.

Still, there was logic to Karuizawa and Onodera's concerns. If Kumagawa's unpredictability was his advantage, wouldn't that make him predictable in a reverse psychology way?

『Ohh, you girls are thinking! That's great! But you see... you're thinking too much.』

Kumagawa adopted a mock-teacher stance, folding his arms and nodding as if he were lecturing a bunch of clueless children. His body language remained casual, but his tone? It was the unmistakable tone of someone explaining something painfully obvious to complete idiots.

Of course, no one was happy about being talked down to by Kumagawa of all people. But they begrudgingly let it slide.

『If we assume they will suspect someone unexpected, then wouldn't it make more sense to pick someone obvious after all? But if we pick someone obvious, that makes it too obvious, which means it actually isn't obvious... and since it isn't obvious, it becomes obvious!』

"...What?" Karuizawa blinked.

『Exactly! 』 Kumagawa pointed at her dramatically. 『That confusion right there? That's exactly why it'll work. If they try to guess, they'll go in circles and self-destruct. So, in the end, the smartest move is to not think about it at all. That's why I should be the leader. 』

Ayanokouji followed his reasoning, as weird as it was. Stripped down, the logic was simple—overthinking led to paralysis. If Class D acted naturally and treated Kumagawa as a non-threat, other classes might hesitate to act.

"...I see." Ayanokouji nodded slightly. It was absurd, but he got the gist of it.

After some back and forth, Class D begrudgingly accepted it.

Kumagawa Misogi became the leader.

Hirata sighed and walked toward Chabashira, who was standing quietly at the edge of the forest, arms crossed.

"We've decided who the leader is."

She nodded, unfazed. "Then someone follow me to get the card."

"I'll go," Sudo said suddenly, stepping forward. "Someone other than the leader should pick it up, right?"

Everyone turned to him in surprise.

"...Sudo, you actually thought about that?" Ike muttered.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Sudo snapped.

Kumagawa clapped his hands. 『Wow, Sudo-kun, I never knew you had a brain! Are you sure you're not just borrowing it for the exam?』

"Shut up, freak." Sudo clicked his tongue and followed Chabashira.

A few minutes later, he returned, wordlessly handing the key card to Kumagawa. Even in a forest, one couldn't be too careful.

Hirata clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's register our spot. We should all form a makeshift veil around the leader so—"

『Oh, I already did it. 』

Hirata froze.

The entire class turned to look at Kumagawa, who stood there grinning, holding up the key card. The terminal now displayed a countdown with seven hours and 58 minutes remaining.Top of FormBottom of Form

『What? We were gonna do it anyway, right?』

A moment of silence.

Then—

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!"

The class exploded into protests.

"What the hell, man?! We were just about to cover you!"

"Do you even get how serious this is?!"

"We're supposed to be careful about this!"

Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi—the three idiots—had just called Kumagawa an idiot.

『Ahh, sorry, sorry. My bad, my bad.』 Kumagawa waved them off with a lazy smile. 『It just felt like a pain, you know? All that unnecessary suspense and secrecy... I figured I'd just get it over with.』

"That's not the point!" Hirata exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. Even he, who always kept a calm demeanor, was visibly struggling with the situation. "We don't know if someone from another class saw you register the card! If they did, then—"

『Then we lose. That's how the game works, right? You take a gamble and see if you win or lose. Unfortunately, I always lose in a gambling. Besides, I yelled when I did it, so if anyone was nearby, they definitely heard. 』

"You what?!"

More protests. Some students looked about ready to strangle him.

Ayanokouji, watching the chaos unfold, simply sighed.

Hirata, forcing himself to remain composed, took a deep breath.

"Okay. What's done is done. There's no use panicking now. Let's just be extra cautious from here on out."

『Yep, yep. That's the spirit. No point in regretting things you can't change, right? 』

"...You're seriously the worst." Karuizawa muttered, arms crossed.

『I hear that a lot. 』

Kumagawa had just taken the worst possible action at the worst possible time. Registering the key card so carelessly was the kind of mistake that could single-handedly cost them the exam. If anyone from another class had been watching, they now had a huge advantage.

But thankfully, Ayanokouji had been paying attention.

From what he could sense, no one else was nearby when Kumagawa had done it. If someone had been hiding, he would have noticed at least some disturbance in the surroundings. For now, they were safe. But that didn't mean he wasn't concerned. If Kumagawa was going to keep making decisions like this, Class D might not last the whole week.

Even so, there was one positive to all of this.

As reckless as Kumagawa was, his actions had a strange effect—by throwing everything into disarray from the start, he had taken away some of the tension. Up until now, the class had been afraid to make mistakes, too focused on playing things safe. But now that the worst had already happened, they had no choice but to adapt.

And in a twisted way... that might actually work to their advantage.

Horikita, standing beside Ayanokouji, sighed deeply. "This is already turning into a disaster."

"I agree."

『』『』『』『』『』

The class D then began with the preparation for their own camp.

The school had already provided tents for each class. Each of the supplied tents was large enough to accommodate eight people and weighed close to fifteen kilos. There were two of them in total, meaning there wouldn't be enough space for everyone.

Aside from that, everything went fine.

Surprisingly, Ike turned out to be really useful this time around. He quickly set up one of the boys' tents without any issue, then immediately went over to help the girls.

Seeing how efficient he was, someone asked, "Wait, how are you so good at this?"

Ike grinned, puffing out his chest. "Heh, I've got experience! I used to go camping with my family all the time when I was a kid. My dad was super into it, so we'd go on trips every summer. I even learned how to start a fire without a lighter!"

His usual carefree attitude made it hard to take him seriously, but seeing him work so quickly, there was no doubt he knew what he was doing.

Everything was going fine—until it wasn't.

The problem started when the girls took one look at the toilets and immediately protested.

By toilets, they meant the makeshift cardboard boxes that both boys and girls were supposed to share.

It was a simple setup: a cardboard toilet with a blue vinyl bag placed inside. The sheet inside was made of a water-absorbing polymer, which covered and solidified waste, making it invisible and suppressing odors. After using it, all one had to do was stack another sheet on top. With this method, a single vinyl bag could be used up to five times. The school had provided an unlimited supply of these sheets, so in theory, hygiene wouldn't be a problem.

Theoretically, at least.

The girls, however, were absolutely against it.

"No way. There's no way I'm using that thing," Shinohara said firmly.

"I agree," Onodera added. "It's only thirty points to get a proper toilet, right? Then we should just buy one."

Ike frowned. "What's the big deal? It's just a toilet."

Karuizawa gave him a deadpan stare before sighing dramatically. "Oh my god. You really don't get it? Do you seriously think girls can just use this like you guys do?"

Ike still looked confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Seeing his blank face, Karuizawa looked even more irritated.

"Girls have, you know, things to deal with! We can't just squat in some cardboard box like cavemen!"

Of course, the way she said it made it sound like the boys were complete morons.

Naturally, that didn't sit well with them.

"What, you're saying we should just waste thirty points on something like this?" Yukimura, the bespectacled boy, adjusted his glasses. "We only have a three hundred points for the entire week. We need to conserve as much as possible."

"We're literally in the middle of nowhere," he continued. "There's no guarantee we won't need to spend points later, especially if we run into unexpected problems. Do you really want to burn through them just because you don't like the idea of a toilet?"

Of course, his logical reasoning was immediately shot down.

"This isn't just about liking or not liking it! This is basic human dignity! If you guys want to be gross and sit in your own stink, go ahead, but don't lump us in with you!" Shinohara snapped.

And just like that, a full-blown argument broke out.

"That's not the point!" Yukimura interjected, adjusting his glasses in frustration. "We need to prioritize our spending! If we waste points on every little inconvenience, we'll run out before the week is over!"

"It's not a little inconvenience! If we don't have proper facilities, we're going to suffer for the entire week! Are you seriously saying our comfort doesn't matter?"

"The school literally gave us unlimited sheets to keep things clean," Yukimura argued. "This isn't some unsanitary mess; it's a controlled system. You're just being picky."

The girls collectively gasped, looking at him like he had just declared war.

"Oh my god, you really don't get it," Karuizawa muttered, shaking her head. "I swear, boys are the worst."

"What does that even mean?!" Ike shouted, completely baffled.

"It means you're all insensitive morons," Shinohara said bluntly.

"Well, excuse us for not caring about fancy toilets in the middle of the damn jungle!"

At this point, neither side was backing down. The boys saw it as a pointless waste of resources, while the girls refused to compromise on what they saw as a basic necessity.

As the shouting match continued, Hirata stepped in, raising his hands in an attempt to mediate.

"Okay, okay, let's calm down. I understand both sides, but fighting like this isn't going to get us anywhere."

"We shouldn't have to argue about this in the first place, It's not even a big expense. Just thirty points, right? We'll still have two-hundred-seventy points left." Onodera said, arms crossed.

"Yeah, but if we keep thinking like that, those two-hundred-seventy points will disappear fast,"

Seeing the debate going nowhere, Ayanokouji sighed internally. This was just another example of how different priorities could tear a group apart.

『Whoa, whoa, whoa! Everyone, let's take a deep breath. Inhale... and exhale...』

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

Kumagawa, who had been completely uninvolved until now, suddenly stepped forward, clapping his hands together with a bright smile.

『Since I'm the leader anyway, it seems there's no choice but to intervene. 』

"...What are you talking about?" Shinohara scowled.

Not just shinohara, everybody else also confused by that statement.

Just because he had the leader's card didn't mean he would actually lead. Up until now, no one expected him to take responsibility for anything. But it seemed that simply having the title had gotten into his head. Now, for whatever reason, he had decided to act like a real leader.

『Oh, come on! I'm on your side, actually. Let's be real, the boys don't stand a chance in this argument.』

"Huh?" The boys collectively turned to him in disbelief.

『I mean, isn't this a classic case of 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus' type of scenario? 』

Nobody had any idea what he was trying to say.

『You can talk about logic and points all you want, but at the end of the day, if all the girls refuse to use the cardboard toilet, what are you gonna do? Hold them at gunpoint?』

The boys grimaced at the phrasing.

『Let's say that women are unreasonably stubborn. And for a week, they stick to their principles, refusing to use the toilet out of pride or whatever. Then, a few days in, they start dropping out due to stress, dehydration, or whatever weird health issues girls have. Isn't that basically the same as us losing points?』

The girls probably didn't fully understand what he meant, because they let that part go over their heads. But the boys, on the other hand, processed it immediately.

"...Wait," Yukimura muttered, adjusting his glasses. "That actually makes sense."

"If someone retires because they got sick, that costs us points," Ayanokouji added.

『Ding-ding-ding! And guess what? If you make the girls miserable, they'll make you miserable in return! You think they're annoying now? Imagine if they're angry and constipated. You guys are finished. 』

『So, the best thing to do... is to accept your loss now. This isn't about logic or fairness—it's about survival. And in this jungle, the girls hold all the power.』

The boys looked at each other, slowly realizing they had been completely outplayed.

"...Tch. Whatever," Ike muttered, clearly irritated but unwilling to keep fighting.

Seeing the boys' surrender, the girls immediately took it as a victory.

"Finally," Karuizawa huffed. "That took way too long."

"So we're getting a toilet?" Onodera asked.

Hirata, relieved that things didn't escalate further, nodded. "Yeah, I think it's for the best."

『Well, that's settled. See? I am a great leader, aren't I?』 Kumagawa said, looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"...You just picked the easiest side and insulted everyone involved," Ayanokouji said flatly.

『Exactly! That's what leadership is all about.』

With the internal problems settled—for now—Hirata gathered everyone again.

"If possible, we should send out a scouting group," he said. "We need to check the island for food, water sources, and other designated spots."

Some of the boys raised their hands, eager to explore. Others seemed more inclined to stay and help around the camp.

Naturally, Kumagawa raised his hand.

Hirata hesitated for a second but then smiled.

"Alright. Just be careful out there, okay?"

『Of course, of course. I'm always careful. 』

Immediately after saying that, Kumagawa bent his knees slightly—then launched himself straight up, effortlessly grabbing onto a thick tree branch several meters above the ground.

The entire class went silent.

"...Huh?"

The reaction was practically unanimous.

No normal high schooler should have been able to do that. The sheer vertical leap, the way he moved as if gravity didn't apply to him—it wasn't something that could be explained by athleticism alone.

Even Ayanokouji, who rarely showed much emotion, found himself impressed.

Kumagawa swung his legs up, flipped himself onto the branch, and perched there casually.

『I'll scout from above. I bet I can see way more from here than on the ground. 』

"Y-Yeah... I guess that makes sense," Hirata said, still processing what just happened.

"Wait, no it doesn't," Ike muttered. "What kinda human moves like that?"

『Oh? What's wrong? You guys can't do this?』 Kumagawa tilted his head, smiling down at them.

Of course, no one answered that.

『Don't worry, if I get lost, I'll just claim another leader spot and start my own class. 』

Nobody had any idea whether he was joking.

"Ha ha ha. Impressive, Misogi-boy."

A voice called out from above. Kumagawa turned his head slightly, mid-air, and spotted Kouenji lounging casually on a thick branch of a nearby tree. His golden hair shimmered under the sunlight, and he wore his usual smug expression.

『Oh? If it isn't the beautiful and perfect Kouenji-kun.』

"Indeed. Truly, I must commend you. That agility, that recklessness... not bad, not bad at all." Kouenji smirked, watching as Kumagawa leaped from branch to branch with unnatural ease. "But alas, you are still beneath me. No one can hope to compare to my elegance and grace."

『Oho? I dunno, I think we're pretty similar. We're both a little too dazzling for these boring, normal people. 』

"You think so? Ha! That's amusing, but unfortunately, you lack the most important thing—true perfection." He gestured to himself dramatically, as if his very presence was a gift to the world.

『Perfection, huh...? 』

The two continued their exchange for a little while longer, exchanging jabs and playful remarks.

Eventually, Kouenji stretched his arms lazily. "Well, I suppose I'll be going. Try not to fall out of the trees, Misogi-boy."

With that, Kouenji disappeared into the treetops, moving with his own impressive speed.

Kumagawa watched him go, then let out a small, amused sigh. After a moment, he turned and resumed his own scouting, vanishing into the forest.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Ayanokouji took his time, walking at a slow and steady pace. Unlike Kumagawa and Kouenji, who leaped through the trees as if gravity was just a suggestion, he preferred a more grounded approach—both literally and figuratively.

Aside from scouting the island, he intended to search for edible food, preferably fruits. Since this island was owned by the school, there was a good chance they had ensured the presence of safe, consumable plants. At the same time, they likely removed any major threats, such as dangerous animals.

Given that this was a government-run institution, they had likely taken precautions. If a student were to be seriously injured—or worse, killed—the backlash would be immediate. The school wouldn't risk a scenario where they could be held legally responsible.

Ayanokouji remained cautious as he moved, carefully observing his surroundings.

After tromping through wild terrain, a pathway appeared before him.

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.

It was unlikely to be the work of Kumagawa or Kouenji, since they spent most of their time above ground, leaping through the trees like wild animals.

If the school had prepared this, then perhaps a spot lay further ahead.

Soon Ayanokouji 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.

Soon a familiar man come out of the cave. It was Katsuraig from Class A

Katsuragi stopped at the entrance and quietly looked to the southwest. He stood there for a minute or two, scanning the area. He was tightly holding onto what looked to be some kind of card.

Then a second person come out, it was katsuragi follower named Yahiko.

A few moments later, another person stepped out—it was Yahiko, Katsuragi's loyal follower.

"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," Yahiko said with a satisfied nod.

Based on his words, they wasted absolutely no time in securing this spot. It seemed like Katsuragi had come straight to this cave without any hesitation.

"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.

"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!" Yahiko said admiringly.

"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?" Yahiko scoffed.

"Underestimating the weak is how the strong fall, Yahiko. We don't need to go out of our way to crush Class D, but that doesn't mean they should be ignored."

Ayanokouji listened to their conversation in silence. From Class A's perspective, Class D wasn't even a threat—just an irrelevant obstacle in their path. Their level of confidence made sense, considering their point difference.

He waited three to four minutes after Katsuragi and Yahiko left, ensuring their voices and footsteps faded completely before making any movement. Then, just as he was about to peek out from behind the tree—

『Yo. 』

A figure dangled upside down from the tree branches right in front of him.

Ayanokouji's body stiffened for a brief second.

It was Kumagawa.

Ayanokouji narrowed his eyes. "Since when have you been here?"

『Before you were here. 』

"...Before I was here?"

『Yup. I was already here before you even thought about being here. 』

Ayanokouji studied him carefully. If that was true, then Kumagawa had been observing the situation from the very beginning, and yet Ayanokouji hadn't sensed his presence at all.

Kumagawa lazily flipped himself upright and landed silently on the ground next to Ayanokouji.

『Should we head inside? 』

For once, Kumagawa had said something reasonable. Ayanokouji gave a slight nod before scanning their surroundings one last time. Katsuragi and Yahiko had left without hesitation, unaware that they had been watched.

Inside the cave, the first thing that caught their eye was a terminal device embedded into the rock wall. It looked identical to the one back at Class D's camp, except for one key difference—where theirs had displayed "Class D," this one read "Class A." Below that, a countdown timer showed seven hours and fifty-five minutes remaining.

『Man, Katsuragi's pretty sharp, huh? Figuring out the cave's location before even setting foot on the island? That's some next-level elite behavior.』

Ayanokouji had to admit, it was impressive. Memorizing the island's topography and pinpointing key locations beforehand was the kind of foresight that separated Class A from the rest. If Class D had done the same, they could have claimed a stronghold like this before anyone else.

『So? What should we do now, Ayanokouji-kun?』

"Why are you asking me? Aren't you the leader?"

『Well, as the leader, I order you to decide what we should do. 』

Ayanokouji took a moment to process that sentence.

"...That makes no sense."

『Oh? But it makes perfect sense to me. See, leaders don't do the actual thinking. They delegate! They push all the annoying decision-making onto their poor, unfortunate subordinates. Like you.』

Ayanokouji sighed. There was no point in arguing.

"We should report this to Hirata, or at the very least, Horikita."

Even though Kumagawa was technically the leader, Ayanokouji felt more comfortable entrusting this information to someone competent.

『Well, unfortunately for you, I don't like following orders, advice, commands, suggestions, hints, or even guidance. I'd rather swallow my own tongue than do any of that.』

Ayanokouji stared at him.

"..."

『That's why I invoke my right as a leader. And, as my completely useless subordinate, I order you to take full responsibility for this matter, relay the information to Hirata, and make yourself useful for once in your life. Ahh, how great it is to have such an obedient and hardworking underling! I almost feel bad for dumping everything on you. Almost.』

Ayanokouji didn't respond. He simply turned around and walked away.

『Oho? No retort? You're such a good subordinate, Ayanokouji-kun. 』

He ignored him.

If the concept of "annoying" could take physical form, it would undoubtedly look like Kumagawa Misogi.

And if he decided to take things further... Ayanokouji had no way of predicting what he might do.

『END』

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