Chapter 91: The Uninhabited Island Exam Begins! The Rules Revealed!
After parting ways with Chabashira, Hachiman quickly took out his phone, found Kushida Kikyo's contact information, and initiated a transfer of 500,000 Private Points without hesitation.
To his surprise, the moment the notification for the successful transfer popped up, his phone vibrated instantly. It was a message from Kushida Kikyo.
[Hikigaya-kun?! 500,000 points?! You're way too generous! I didn't expect you to actually transfer that much. I thought 200,000 would be good enough already~ (> 皿 <)]
No.
To be able to send a message that quickly means you've been waiting for this transfer the whole time. You probably had the text pre-edited and just hit send the moment the points hit your account. Therefore, if the 500,000 points had actually turned into 200,000, you would have definitely put on a sour face.
Hachiman's inner thoughts were quite active.
After all, there was now an optimal solution for the matter of Ichinose being fooled by Hoshinomiya. All that was needed was for this island exam to end, and then for Chabashira to go to Hoshinomiya herself to declare she was giving up on her long-held wish.
Hoshinomiya would likely go into seclusion after that, but that didn't matter; as long as she stopped being obsessed with Class D, it was enough.
However, looking at the message from Kushida, Hachiman decided to reply to her.
"Since we agreed on the price of 500,000, it won't change. Also, you don't need to mention me seeking a girlfriend to other girls anymore. Let's stop here for now."
After the message was sent, the other end remained silent for a few seconds before Kushida's reply arrived—a simple and brief: [Oh.]
Based on Hachiman's understanding of her, she seemed to be in a bad mood.
And indeed, Kushida's mood was not good. While receiving 500,000 points from Hachiman felt great—after all, 500,000 points is a very pretty sight—there was a catch. For Kushida, there was once an opportunity to obtain 20,000,000 points right in front of her, and she had rejected it out of ignorance.
She stared at the screen, hesitating for a long time. Her fingertips tapped on the input box repeatedly, deleting and revising. Ultimately, she typed out a line—she wanted to ask if there was still a chance if she regretted her previous rejection.
But before she could press the send button, Hachiman's next message arrived.
"Enjoy the cruise ship life properly tomorrow, because the exam is starting soon. You basically didn't leave your room today in order to finish the task, right?"
Oh.
Kushida wanted to send the same word back, but her feelings had changed. Was Hikigaya considering the fact that she had spent the entire day tracking Chabashira-sensei and Ayanokouji? In other words, was he acknowledging that she had completely sacrificed her own time?
As expected.
She suddenly felt that the type of person she told Karuizawa and the others she liked—the mature type who wouldn't make her feel exhausted and would even make her feel cared for—might be real. Since she was always the one taking care of others and few people truly cared for her, she found it hard to resist when she actually encountered someone like this... Perhaps, if Hikigaya asked her the same question after this exam ended, she might not be so firm in her refusal, even without the 20 million points as an incentive.
But, whatever.
Kushida decided not to think about such troublesome things and just enjoy the luxury cruise services. Opportunities to experience such a lavish scene were rare. She quickly stripped away her emotional thoughts because she suddenly realized how close she had come to being "conquered" by Hikigaya Hachiman with just 500,000 points. Was she such an easy catch?
"That was close, that was close," she thought. She absolutely could not think about boys anymore tonight! Thus, Kushida had a blast on the third day.
-
.
.
The third day was the same, but for one person, the mood was quite low.
In another corner of the cruise ship, Shiina Hiyori was sitting on an open-air bench, holding a book in her hands, yet unable to read a single word. Her eyelids drooped with disappointment, and her face bore an expression of helplessness and frustration.
Since boarding the cruise, she had forgotten to look for Hikigaya Hachiman because she was immersed in the library. Yesterday and this morning, she had specifically set aside the time she would have spent in the library to wander around, hoping for a chance encounter with him. But whether she went to the deck, the restaurant, or the recreation area, she never saw that familiar figure. She had to admit that relying on her own power to actively meet Hikigaya Hachiman was far too difficult.
According to her deductions, this exam was very important. For Class C, it meant whether they could rise, and Ryuen also held great expectations for it. Therefore, she had to act. Relying solely on Ryuen-kun felt unreliable. She wanted to obtain more accurate information about the exam, which was something she could do because she could hear Hikigaya Hachiman's inner voice. If she could utilize this, she might secure more advantages for Class C.
But she hadn't run into Hikigaya-kun at all yesterday.
After agonizing for a long time, Shiina Hiyori finally took out her phone and dialed Ibuki Mio's number. The call was answered quickly, and Ibuki's voice came through with a hint of confusion, "Hello, Shiina?"
"Ibuki-san." Shiina Hiyori's voice was soft but carried a trace of pleading, "Are you free now? Could you do me a favor? I want to find Hikigaya Hachiman, but I've been looking for a long time and can't find him. I'd like to ask you to keep an eye on his whereabouts. You know, in this school, and even in Class C, I don't actually have a single friend."
'Not a single friend, yet you can ask Ibuki? Or rather, by saying this to Ibuki now, are you also not considering Ibuki Mio a friend?' To some extent, it was understandable why Hiyori had always been alone.
However, Ibuki remembered the time on the bus when she consulted Hiyori, and Hiyori had given her a reply. So, she owed her a favor. Ibuki's voice came through again, "I can't help you right now. Ryuen has arranged other work for me; I can't get away."
"Ryuen-kun arranged work?" Shiina Hiyori was slightly stunned, a trace of doubt flashing in her eyes. "Hasn't the exam not started yet?"
"It's acting." Ibuki lowered her voice slightly as if trying to hide something, but then she confessed, "Ryuen wants me to oppose him in public to deliberately create a false impression of internal discord in Class C. According to him, we don't know what the upcoming exam questions will be, so he said to set things up in advance—pretending there's a conflict—and then adjust later based on the exam questions. This might catch other classes off guard."
"He wasn't planning on telling you this arrangement because it's probably a rather unpleasant thing."
Acting, faking discord... knowing Ryuen's methods, it very likely involved violent conflict. Since Hiyori herself disliked violence, it wasn't surprising that Ryuen didn't tell her.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Shiina Hiyori asked. "It's very likely you'll get hurt." Normally, this was just a special exam; there was no need to pay such a high price.
There was a silence on the other end of the phone. Then: "I won't be able to get into the university I want based on my own strength, and I don't agree with Ryuen's methods, but besides trusting him, there is no other way for Class C to move up." Ibuki said, "So it's not for Class C; I'm doing it for myself."
Ibuki had great physical strength, but her academic ability was low—only C-. With those grades, even a normal university was a concern, let alone a prestigious one. But this school had a special promotion channel: graduating from Class A allowed one to go to any university they desired. If Class C could rise to Class A, she might have a bright future. So, what Ibuki was saying was indeed for herself.
"Then I can only hope you get hurt as little as possible," Hiyori consoled her. But Ibuki didn't continue talking and hung up the phone.
After hanging up, Shiina Hiyori fell back into a state of disappointment. On one hand, Ibuki Mio couldn't help her, and on the other, she couldn't search for Hikigaya Hachiman too openly. Being too conspicuous would easily attract the attention of other classes, which would be counterproductive.
After a bit of thought, she put away her phone, hugged her book, and continued to wander aimlessly, her eyes full of vacancy and her mood darkening.
Time passed slowly until it was evening. Shiina Hiyori had searched for a whole afternoon and evening and still hadn't seen Hikigaya Hachiman. She finally felt a bit discouraged and decided to give up the search. She looked down at the book in her hand; she had borrowed it from the cruise ship's library and had already finished it. Although she wanted to re-read it a few times, she hadn't been able to settle her mind. Since she couldn't find Hikigaya, she might as well return the book to the library first to clear one thing off her mind.
With this thought, Shiina Hiyori turned and walked toward the library. Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, the familiar scent of ink hit her face. It was still so quiet, a sharp contrast to the noise outside. She walked straight to the service desk on the first floor to return the book, but instinctively looked up at the stairs leading to the second floor.
'Maybe he's here?'
A faint thought rose in her heart. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly walked up to the second floor. It was still empty.
Of course. Everyone was enjoying the services on the ship; how could anyone pass up those high-priced welfare benefits to come to the library?
However, just as she was about to turn and leave, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of the window corner. She discovered a boy with dark green hair quietly holding a book. His eyebrows twitched slightly, seemingly changing due to the content of the book.
This boy, with dead-fish eyes, tall, slightly thin, and even a bit of a habitual slouch... this boy was indeed the person she had been looking for—Hikigaya Hachiman!
Shiina Hiyori's heart skipped a beat, and a flash of joy instantly crossed her eyes. A famous quote from the University of Tokyo suddenly came to her mind:
[I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd; suddenly turning back, I found him right there under the dim light.]
She had abandoned staying in the library to search the entire ship for him, only to find him in the library she had abandoned in the first place. No wonder she couldn't find him for two days straight.
She walked over quickly, her steps light to avoid disturbing him. Only when she was in front of him did she speak softly, her tone carrying a hint of excitement, "Hikigaya-kun? Why are you here?"
Hearing the voice, Hachiman slowly raised his head and looked at Shiina Hiyori, appearing somewhat confused. "If I'm not here, where would I be? A library is a place for reading. Should I be on the deck feeding seagulls? That's something one does on the first day of boarding."
Shiina Hiyori was stunned by his counter-question, then smiled sheepishly, her cheeks flushing slightly as she said hurriedly, "No, that's not what I meant. I just... searched for you for a long time and couldn't find you. I didn't expect you to be here."
Hachiman didn't respond, seemingly preparing to continue reading. He had reached a crucial part and didn't want to be disturbed.
But Hiyori knew that opportunities to meet him were rare. Being polite and knowing when to push or pull, she knew Hikigaya-kun seemed captivated by the book's content, so she was already disturbing him. However, even if it was a disturbance, she had to speak.
'Sorry, Hikigaya-kun.'
Just as Hiyori was about to be "impolite," she noticed Hachiman's gaze move from the book to her. He said, "Speaking of which, students in my class said that students in your class seem to be opposing Ryuen and were then treated violently by him. If a video were recorded, it would be a bad thing for Ryuen."
"Uh..." The smile on Shiina Hiyori's face froze instantly, a trace of embarrassment flashing in her eyes. She was speechless.
Right, how could she have forgotten this? Ryuen-kun's arrangement this time was indeed impulsive. After the violent incident in the first month of school, if he were to publicly treat classmates violently again and someone recorded and reported it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Whether or not evaluation points would be deducted was unknown, but a suspension at the very least was certain.
Although she knew this was just a scene staged by Ryuen to create the illusion of internal strife, to outsiders, it was actual violence.
Once caught, it would be hard to defend.
However, from this perspective, Ryuen was also putting himself at risk of punishment to work hard for Class C, all to seek a future for the class in this exam. Since that was the case, she couldn't fall behind. she had to obtain information about the exam as soon as possible to gain more advantages for Class C.
Meeting Hikigaya Hachiman now was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; she had to seize it and try to hear his inner thoughts. Hiyori's heart became determined.
With this thought, Shiina Hiyori's gaze instinctively fell on the book in Hachiman's hand. The title was Beneath the Wheel. She had read it too; it was a deep book about the conflict between education and human nature.
Speaking of this book, Shiina Hiyori suddenly remembered that she had previously investigated the books Sakayanagi Arisu had read in the school library, and this book happened to be among them. Just as Sakayanagi had borrowed books Hiyori had read, Hiyori had specifically borrowed books Sakayanagi had read to understand her thoughts. However, she hadn't finished Beneath the Wheel yet.
Curiosity overcame her nervousness, and Shiina Hiyori couldn't help but ask, "Hikigaya-kun, are you reading Beneath the Wheel too? I've read it as well; I find it very deep. What are your thoughts after reading it? Come to think of it, do you really like reading? Have you been here all day today and yesterday reading?"
Hachiman looked up at her, appearing a bit surprised yet somewhat understanding. After all, the first attribute Shiina Hiyori was known for was being a "literature girl."
Naturally, she cared a lot about reading.
"Reading is a hobby of mine. When I'm at school and have nothing to do, I go to the library to borrow books. Beneath the Wheel is indeed a good book; the principles it tells are very realistic and worth pondering. I don't have many profound reflections, I just feel that everyone has their own life trajectory and shouldn't be bound by worldly rules. Otherwise, they will just end up like the protagonist, crushed under the wheel and losing themselves."
Hmm? Hearing Hachiman's words, Shiina Hiyori's eyes lit up instantly.
She hadn't expected that Hikigaya Hachiman also liked reading and, like her, frequently hung out in the school library. She came to this school with a small wish: to find a like-minded book friend to discuss books and share reflections with. If they could maintain contact after high school graduation, that would be even better.
Previously, she had never met such a person. Although Sakayanagi Arisu also liked reading, their positions were different, making it hard to truly settle down and communicate. Or rather, finding out Sakayanagi would read the same books she had read was actually terrifying. Hiyori had no idea how she had offended her.
As for Ryuen, Ibuki Mio, and the others, they had no interest in reading at all. Thus, Hiyori had always been in a state where she had no one to talk to about reading. But now, it seemed someone was just like her. She felt she might have found a fellow enthusiast.
Her joy seemed hard to hide as she said hurriedly, "Me too! I also love hanging out in the library. Since coming to this school, I've always hoped to find a book friend. Hikigaya-kun, if you don't mind, let me recommend some good books to you!"
Looking at her excitement, Hachiman thought for a moment and nodded. "Sure, go ahead. As long as they aren't too obscure or difficult, I'll take a look."
Having received Hachiman's agreement, Shiina Hiyori's mood rose again, and she quickly began her "sales pitch." "If you can accept mystery novels, I highly recommend Whose Body?! It's the first work in the Lord Peter Wimsey series; the plot is tight, and the reasoning is rigorous. Once you read it once, you'll definitely want to finish the whole series! Also, Wuthering Heights—this book is highly evaluated and is a monument in English literary history. With this book, Brontë was able to stand alongside giants like Shakespeare and Dickens."
She paused, her tone softening with a bit of her own insight. "However, I neither like nor dislike this book. Because after reading it, you'll find one sentence—'People love some people, but marry others.' This is both the love in Wuthering Heights and the norm in our real lives. It feels too realistic, which makes one sigh."
Shiina Hiyori recommended books non-stop, from mystery novels to literary classics, introducing the highlights and her own feelings for each book, her eyes full of light. Hachiman sat to the side, listening quietly, occasionally nodding or asking one or two simple questions, without a hint of impatience.
He had to admit that Shiina Hiyori really understood books. The recommended titles were profound, and her insights were unique, sharing many similarities with his own.
'Could this be what it feels like to have a common hobby?'
Although Yukinoshita also liked reading, she was easily distracted by anything related to cats. Thus, Yukinoshita's preferences were too specific, lacking the broadness of someone like Shiina.
Finding someone willing to sit and listen to her recommendations without rejection made Hiyori feel wonderful. She even felt that the frustration of searching for Hikigaya-kun for two days and coming up empty was completely filled. Because Hikigaya-kun was reading in the library, which is why he hadn't appeared before her. He was not wrong. People who like reading are never wrong.
Wait a minute.
It was only then that Hiyori snapped out of it.
'No, I didn't come here to find a book friend. I have to do it for the class, for the class! For Class C!'
"Speaking of which, Hikigaya-kun, I've deduced that the special exam this time won't be simple. It's already the third day; when do you think the exam will continue? I'm feeling a bit nervous." Hiyori asked quickly.
Hachiman seemed to have expected this question. He put down the book in his hand and said, "I went to see a few theatrical performances earlier and noticed that the cruise's theatrical schedule is only for three days. And today is the last day."
"..." Shiina Hiyori was stunned, then realized, "You mean... the exam will start as early as tomorrow morning?"
"Most likely." Hachiman nodded lightly. "The school arranged the cruise trip as a prelude to the exam. Now that the trip is nearing its end, the exam should officially begin."
Shiina Hiyori's heart rate quickened, and the tension in her heart grew stronger. She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and continued, "Then, Hikigaya-kun, what kind of exam do you think will be held this time? Will it be a written test like before, or some other type of exam?"
"It's not reasonable to ask me that; I'm a student of Class B." Hachiman seemed to refuse.
Faced with Hachiman's refusal, Shiina Hiyori did not lose heart. Instead, she reacted quickly, her tone carrying a hint of "it's only natural": "But we are in a B-C alliance now, aren't we? Since the alliance has been formed, a lot of information should be shared. That's one of the benefits of an alliance, isn't it? For example, I speculate that we might not return to school so early, and the number of exams might increase to two." Hiyori shared.
'Is that so? Indeed.'
Besides not fighting each other, an alliance needed a bit of mutual support. Hachiman thought to himself.
"In that case, I'll disclose some information to you." Hachiman said. "The ship has actually arrived at its destination; it's currently moving in a circle."
Moving in a circle? Hiyori was stunned, then immediately went to the window to look out. She saw a black object far in the distance—no, it was an island. A small island. The ship was indeed slowly circling around the island.
'Could it be that the school is going to let us go to that island for the special exam next?'
However, Hiyori didn't just want to listen to Hachiman speak; she knew she could hear his inner voice. Inner voices were fast and were expressions of inner emotions; generally, they wouldn't lie. So she hurriedly listened.
Hachiman naturally noticed her state.
'As expected of someone from Class C; all actions have a purpose.'
However, for this exam, he really had to "give Class C a break"—letting them feel that this exam was profitable and that the advantage was theirs... only then could he get more chips from them.
With that thought, Hikigaya Hachiman began transmitting his inner thoughts.
'Shiina Hiyori is truly the brain of Class C; she is sharp. There are indeed two exams. The first is a week-long island exam. The content is to assess the students' survival on the island. Besides needing to survive for seven days, there's an option to occupy "spots." The school has arranged for staff to place card readers in many areas of the island. When the time comes, whoever arrives first gets points. And many of the spot choices are places suitable for camping and possess resources.'
"Oh!" Hiyori instantly felt that things were settled.
The two chatted for a while longer, mostly about books. Shiina Hiyori remained in a good mood, a faint smile always on her face. Since it was getting late, they began to part ways. Hachiman walked slowly along the corridor, preparing to return to his room for a good night's rest in preparation for the exam starting tomorrow.
Just as he was about to reach his room door, he saw a familiar figure suddenly appear at the corner of the corridor. This person was none other than Sakayanagi's "little dog," Kamuro Masumi.
Right. She was also tasked by Sakayanagi to eavesdrop on Hikigaya's inner voice to confirm exam information.
But since he was fooling everyone, he transmitted the same words he used to trick Hiyori to Kamuro Masumi. Since Shiina Hiyori could get the information, Class A should also get a "matching" piece of information. Only by making both Class A and Class C feel that they have mastered the key information and have a great chance of victory will they compete with each other and be willing to give up more points to trade with him.
Hachiman also had high expectations for Class A.
After all, Class A was different from Class C; they possessed more evaluation points—meaning they were wealthy.
-
-
-
Early the next morning, Hachiman got up early. After a simple wash, he went straight to the ship's restaurant. There were already quite a few students in the restaurant, mostly gathered
in small groups. Compared to the first three days of enjoying the cruise life, people were starting to wonder: Is it really okay to keep indulging like this?
Thus, some had already started discussing when the special exam would begin. Hachiman found a corner by the window and sat down, ordering a simple breakfast. Shortly after he sat down, he saw Ichinose Honami running toward him quickly. Her hair was a bit messy, clearly from running, and her tone carried a hint of urgency, "Hikigaya-kun! Hikigaya-kun! You're here!"
Hachiman looked up at Ichinose Honami, seemingly puzzled.
"What's wrong? What happened? Why the rush?"
"Some strange phenomena have appeared on the deck!" Ichinose Honami panted, trying to calm her breathing, then spoke quickly, "Katsuragi-kun from Class A went to the highest point of the deck early this morning, leaning against the railing and staring into the distance. I don't know what he's looking at. And among the Class C students, someone went to the service desk to borrow binoculars and has been staring at the island in the distance. Their expressions are all strange. I felt something was wrong, so I rushed over to tell you."
'Oh, I see.' So Shiina and Kamuro didn't keep it to themselves but told their respective classmates the information they got from him. However, Ichinose hadn't been told anything. She had only been comforted by Hachiman's inner voice earlier.
"It's nothing strange. If you feel nervous or uneasy, go to the service desk and borrow all the cameras so that students from other classes can't borrow a single one." Hachiman said.
"Huh?" Ichinose Honami was stunned, her face full of confusion, obviously not understanding Hachiman's meaning. "Borrow cameras? Why borrow cameras? Does that have anything to do with the strange phenomena on the deck? Besides, borrowing that many cameras won't be of much use, right?"
Hachiman explained, "The exam is about to start, and the location is that island in the distance. Classes A and C already know this information. We can't board the island yet or observe its conditions up close, but they are going to the deck to look ahead and borrowing binoculars to understand the terrain in advance and plan their exam strategy. Katsuragi is looking from the highest point to observe the overall outline of the island and judge its size and terrain distribution. The Class C students are using binoculars to observe details. So this is a sign that both Class A and Class C are already prepared."
Now Ichinose understood Hachiman's logic. Whether it was Class A's observation or Class C's binoculars, neither was as precise as using a camera to take snapshots. To compensate for the disadvantage, they indeed had to monopolize all the cameras for their own class's use and deny them to others.
It was indeed... a solution Hikigaya-kun would think of.
But Ichinose still felt something wasn't right. "Hikigaya-kun, since Class A and Class C have already started preparing, don't you have any arrangements for this exam?" Ichinose felt Hachiman wasn't the type of person to leave himself without a backup plan.
'No arrangements?' Actually, making Classes A and C feel that they could win and had the advantage in this exam was his arrangement. Because he wanted to plunder a large amount of Private Points in this exam. But how could other classes just hand over money so easily?
Like fishing, you have to spend a little bit on bait first.
You have to make them feel that victory is certain.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting