"Does that mean if we manage to endure this for one week... then our spending money will increase significantly starting next month?"
The students of Class D shouted after realizing that this exam worked in their favor.
An increase worth 300 class points was not something you could ignore so easily.
Mashima-sensei ignored the students' voices and continued explaining the rules.
"One guidebook will be assigned to each class. Although it can be replaced if lost, doing so will cost points, so please take good care of it. In addition, according to the rules of this special exam, the student from Class A who missed this trip counts as a withdrawal. Any student withdrawing results in a deduction of 30 points, therefore Class A only has 270 points..."
This meant that the students of Class A would begin at the bottom of the rankings, yet this didn't shake them at all. They continued staring at the stage calmly as if this obstacle meant nothing to them.
But that also meant if one of our students withdrew, we would lose points too...
But what would happen if everyone withdrew at once?
"The remaining rules will be explained by your homeroom teachers, so you may now disperse," Mashima-sensei announced, signaling the end of the official explanation of the special exam.
However, it seemed there were still additional details Chabashira-sensei would explain, so the students of Class D moved slightly away and stood to the side while waiting for her to continue.
"Man, won't this be awesome? 300 points just for sitting here for a week..."
"Hell yeah, more money is coming our way!"
The boys of Class D didn't hesitate to show their excitement over the grand reward, as if the path ahead would be easy.
Just spending one week here... right?
"But one week here..." Karuizawa didn't seem pleased by the idea.
Even the girls around her clearly looked dissatisfied.
Even I wasn't pleased with this sun.
I moved a little away from the crowd and sat beneath the shade of a large tree while making sure I could still hear Chabashira-sensei's explanation.
There might be important things that Mashima-sensei hadn't mentioned yet.
The conversations among the students of Class D continued, mixed between overwhelming excitement and unspoken worries that could only be seen on their faces.
Then Chabashira-sensei arrived carrying the guidebook Mashima-sensei had mentioned earlier.
Hirata quickly stepped forward to receive it and hold onto it carefully. Losing it meant losing more points.
"First of all, I want to tell you that the watches on your wrists are important. Please do not remove them until the exam ends in one week. Removing them without permission will result in punishment. These watches are not only for telling time; they are also equipped with sensors that detect body temperature and pulse, along with a GPS tracking system. Additionally, as a precautionary measure, the watch can transmit emergency alerts to the school. Do not hesitate to press this button in case of emergency," the teacher continued explaining everything related to the watches on our wrists.
I began tapping the screen with my finger. It really was more than just a multifunctional watch.
Maybe they had even turned us into aliens.
"But is it alright to wear it while going into the sea or something like that?" Hirata asked while touching the watch.
"That's fine. It's completely waterproof, and in the event of an unexpected malfunction, an exam supervisor will immediately provide a replacement."
So we didn't have to handle the watch too carefully.
Maybe I would swim in the sea after all...
"Sensei, we're in a forest. There aren't any bears here, right...?" one of the girls near Karuizawa raised her hand to ask.
Hmm. Well, that was a good question.
I looked toward Chabashira-sensei while waiting for her response.
"This is an exam. I cannot answer any question that could affect the outcome," Chabashira-sensei said.
What kind of vague answer was that?
Let's just assume the answer is no.
The school wouldn't place us in a forest full of predators... right?
"I think all of you already understand the basics of this exam, but I'll explain it again for those who still don't understand. This exam requires first-year students to stay on this island for one week. If you don't plan on using points, that means you must handle everything yourselves, and the school will not interfere at all. You must prepare your own food, water, and even tents. Finding solutions is part of the exam itself..."
So this exam was fundamentally about freedom.
We could spend points generously, save them carefully, or choose the third option: extreme stinginess and preserve all of them while somehow handling our daily needs ourselves.
This felt more like training.
"The final page contains extremely important information. Please review its contents," Chabashira-sensei said while pointing toward the book in Hirata's hands.
Hirata quickly opened the final page and began reading the written rules aloud so everyone could hear them.
"If a student is clearly ill or severely injured, and the school determines they are incapable of continuing the exam, that student will be considered withdrawn from the exam and will return to the ship. They will not be allowed to rejoin the exam, and 30 points will be deducted."
Mashima-sensei had already mentioned the first rule, though this included additional details.
"Any act that pollutes the environment will result in a deduction of 20 points."
"Attendance will be taken twice a day, at 8 AM and 8 PM. Every absence results in a deduction of 5 points."
That rule was practically a restriction. It would limit our movements around the island and force us to move as a group in order to attend roll call.
"Acts of violence, theft, destruction of equipment, or similar behavior against other classes will result in the immediate disqualification of the class involved, and all of their personal points will be confiscated."
This would limit the reckless behavior of students, but not by much.
Without solid evidence, the school probably wouldn't act at all.
Just like Sudō's situation before.
So caution was necessary.
These were the only four rules that resulted in point deductions from a class. Their purpose was to organize the exam so it wouldn't descend into complete chaos.
"Sensei..." Yukinoshita slowly raised her hand to question Chabashira-sensei.
"What would happen if all students withdrew...?"
That made sense.
There were 40 students in a class, and each withdrawal deducted 30 points. If everyone withdrew, then...
Ahem... I wasn't good at math, but I think the deduction would exceed 300 points.
"In that case, the number of points would remain at zero without becoming negative. As announced earlier, this exam will not produce any negative consequences for your class," Chabashira-sensei explained.
So the points wouldn't go below zero and no class points would be deducted.
"Guys, this book contains all kinds of equipment: tents, portable toilets, cameras, and even lots of entertainment tools..." Hirata said while flipping through the guidebook.
"Let me see, let me see..." The girls approached him to look at the contents.
"Oh... look, there are snacks too!" the girls exclaimed happily.
It seemed everyone had already started thinking of their own way to survive the exam.
"Each class has been assigned two tents weighing 15 kilograms each, and each tent can fit 8 people. Please be careful while transporting them. Any damage will not be compensated by the school," Chabashira-sensei said.
Two tents wouldn't be enough for the entire class.
Wait a second... did that mean I had to sleep in a tent with seven other students?
I suddenly feel sick.
I'm going back to the ship.
"The tents won't be enough for us, right...?" the girls around Hirata said.
"Yeah... but look, there are more tents here too, and their price is reasonable..." Hirata replied while showing everyone the guidebook.
"Sensei, where will attendance registration take place?" Kushida stepped forward to ask for more information.
"The school requires you to decide on a location that will serve as your main camp. You must inform me of it as soon as you choose it. Furthermore, you may not change your location except for a valid reason, so think carefully before making your decision."
There were still hidden rules that Chabashira-sensei was gradually revealing.
Every new rule changed the way this exam would unfold.
"A camp... We need to search for a suitable location that has everything we need," Kushida said while placing a finger on her cheek.
"Yeah... a place beneath the shade of trees and near a river would be ideal," Hirata said while rubbing his chin.
"Sensei, can we start searching now?" Hirata quickly turned toward her to ask.
"The exam has already begun. My role is only to provide you with the rules."
So she wasn't forcing us to stay and listen.
"Guys, we need to search for a place as quickly as possible, especially since we'll spend the night here. Let's form a small team to scout ahead first," Hirata said while turning toward the boys in search of volunteers.
"Leave that mission to us..."
"Yeah, we'll head into the forest and find the perfect location!"
Without taking any time to think, Yamauchi, Sudō, and Ike all volunteered for the scouting mission.
"Thank you very much..." Hirata said with an awkward smile.
"Ah... but what if students from the other classes come and take the area?" Sudō asked before following after his friends.
He was right.
The school must have already established a system for claiming territory.
The students turned toward Chabashira-sensei, waiting for answers.
"A number of designated zones have been established throughout the island. You may claim them using these cards..."
Chabashira-sensei displayed a green card with no name or information written on it.
"Occupation of a zone lasts for eight hours. During that time, your class may freely use the area, and other classes are prohibited from claiming it. However, after the period ends, other classes may occupy it. Any violation of this rule results in a deduction of 50 points. Every time you occupy a zone, you earn one point. However, these points cannot be used to purchase supplies during the exam and will instead be added to your final total at the end."
I scratched my nose with my finger while sweat gathered around my forehead from the heat, and with it came more rules that only complicated the exam further.
Would this turn into a race to occupy territories?
"This card will bear the name of a leader whom you will choose yourselves. Nobody other than the leader will be allowed to use it when occupying a zone. Any violation will be met with severe punishment."
This would limit the number of zones each class could occupy.
I felt like there was still more.
Chabashira-sensei didn't wait long before revealing the final point of the exam.
"On the seventh day, you may guess the leaders of the other classes. Every correct guess grants 50 points and deducts 50 points from the class whose leader was identified. However, if your guess is wrong, your class loses 50 points."
I quickly raised my head while thinking about Chabashira-sensei's final explanation.
This was the real exam.
This was the actual game.
Everything else was merely entertainment to fill the week.
If you successfully hid your class leader while correctly identifying the leaders of the other classes, you could gain another 150 points on top of everything else...
This greatly expanded the possible strategies each class could use for this exam.
The students began inspecting the tents brought by the workers alongside Chabashira-sensei, while another cardboard box was placed on the ground beside them.
"This portable toilet is what you'll be using here. It's perfectly suitable and even designed for emergency situations. Its method of use is simple..."
And with complete professionalism, Chabashira-sensei began teaching us how to use it from beginning to end, as if she were already an expert at using it herself.
"Are we really going to use only this...?"
"No, that's impossible..."
"Yeah, I don't want that..."
The girls immediately began protesting, completely unwilling to use it.
"Remember, polluting the environment carries penalties," Chabashira-sensei reminded them in an attempt to warn them of the consequences.
"Here... this is a proper bathroom," Karuizawa suddenly jumped beside Hirata while pointing at the guidebook.
The girls gathered around her once again to look.
"Oh, this is good..."
"Yeah... let's buy it."
The girls immediately began discussing ways to spend points without paying attention to the rest of the class.
"That's a waste of points. We don't need it..." A male student from Class D wearing glasses stood before the girls in an attempt to stop them.
"Hah? Why not...?"
"We should only buy necessities," he said while adjusting his glasses.
"This is necessary for girls."
The girls immediately united against the poor glasses-wearing boy once again.
From one perspective, the girls probably wouldn't feel comfortable in that regard, so they preferred spending points on a proper bathroom.
Meanwhile, the boys didn't really care much about the issue.
Still, this problem needed to be resolved now.
Spending an entire week together with tense nerves could cause the group to explode at any moment.
"Tch..."
Sand scattered nearby after someone kicked the ground beside me.
I quickly turned to the side to find out who I was about to teach a lesson they'd never forget.
Horikita stood there with an annoyed expression while rubbing her arm, clearly dissatisfied with the situation.
If she was dissatisfied, then she should intervene.
"It's just pointless noise..." Horikita muttered under her breath.
"Didn't you say you wanted to rise to Class A...? Then you should step in."
If she aimed for promotion, then she should prove herself.
"Do you really think words would work on them...?"
I turned toward the group of students arguing loudly, close to outright fighting.
Yeah, words probably wouldn't work.
But if they came from the right person, things might be different.
I reached toward a tree branch on the ground and began drawing two circles with a dividing line between them.
"Horikita, tell me what you see in front of you..."
Horikita stared at me for a moment, unable to understand what I meant exactly.
She sighed in resignation and began looking toward the group.
"A bunch of children fighting..." Horikita said, her voice growing colder.
"Hmmm..." What a terrible answer.
Did this girl really score higher than me on exams?
"I was talking about Hirata..."
"Ah..." Horikita said as if she finally understood what I meant.
"He's trying to lead them..."
Good answer. Worth 8,000 points.
Because I'm Hachiman.
"Yeah, but he's not suited for this..."
"What do you mean?" Horikita approached while crossing her arms.
"Hirata is only trying to calm them down to avoid problems... He's afraid of making a decision that might be wrong... A true leader wouldn't fear making the correct decision. They would bear the responsibility no matter what. They wouldn't try to satisfy both sides, they would lead them toward the proper solution... Hirata is trying to merge the two groups together, while a real leader would connect them solely for the sake of working together."
I drew a thin line connecting the two circles before throwing the branch away.
That was the kind of leader suitable for guiding the class.
Hirata was a good person, but not suitable for this.
His personality might be kind, but it wasn't strong.
"Hikigaya-kun..."
"What?" I raised my head toward Horikita.
She was narrowing her eyes at me in a terrifying way.
"Is this one of the powers of your rotten eyes...?"
"Hey... are you learning insults from Yukinoshita...?" I said while frowning at her.
"Yukinoshita-san..." As if Horikita had suddenly realized something, she quickly turned to search for someone.
"Wouldn't Yukinoshita be suitable as a leader...?" Horikita said while staring at the girl standing alone at the edge.
Yukinoshita was responsible and suited for difficult, even impossible tasks.
"Yeah... but Yukinoshita wouldn't force herself onto others..."
Yukinoshita would only move if someone asked her to, or if it aligned with her own convictions.
"Besides... if she leads them for an entire week, it might drain all her energy..." I said while digging my foot into the sand.
Horikita didn't reply and simply continued staring down at me.
Maybe she understood exactly what I meant.
Yukinoshita wouldn't accept my support because she wanted to rely on herself.
So maybe... if someone else helped her...
"What if I cooperated with her...?" Horikita said without taking her eyes off Yukinoshita.
I looked toward Yukinoshita.
She stood quietly at the side, away from all the noise.
"I don't know..."
Without even listening to my answer, Horikita walked toward the group of students.
What was she planning to do?
She stopped beside Yukinoshita and began talking to her quietly.
Yukinoshita slowly leaned down so Horikita could whisper into her ear.
Then Yukinoshita suddenly straightened up stiffly and began speaking with her.
It was truly a rare sight.
Horikita had too much pride to ask someone for help so easily.
At the same time, Yukinoshita's pride wouldn't allow her to refuse someone asking for her help.
Yukinoshita sighed helplessly before stepping forward toward the group.
"I don't think this is the right time to argue about this..." Yukinoshita said in a calm yet audible voice.
The argument between both sides stopped, and silence returned for a moment.
The only thing we could hear now was the sound of the waves.
"We're in a competition. There's no need for the other classes to know all our problems."
I looked around.
The other classes were still on the beach and hadn't left yet.
Maybe it was Class B. I recognized some familiar faces.
As if she noticed my gaze, Hoshinomiya-sensei from Class B turned toward me and winked with a sweet smile after realizing it was me.
That scared me.
"Move already..." Chabashira-sensei said from behind me.
"Ah... alright."
I quickly moved after the group and stepped into the forest.
I didn't know what would happen next, but all I knew was that this was far more than just a deserted island exam.