"Hello, you fraud... You look shocked," Ryūen said as he stepped right in front of me.
I glanced at the other students out of the corner of my eye. Every gaze was fixed on us...
Eyes that could barely understand what was happening, or what Ryūen was trying to say.
Even if the attention was unnecessary, I still had to respond.
"Hello. You look like you're in a miserable state..." I said as I looked him up and down.
His clothes were completely filthy. Even his body was covered in small scratches... Even his beard had started to grow.
"Fufufufu... You can say whatever you want, but this is the end..." Ryūen said, laughing like a madman.
"The end?"
What end was he talking about exactly? One loss didn't mean that much, did it?
"I exposed your trick this time..." Ryūen said as he closed the distance between us in an attempt to intimidate me.
"What trick are you talking about?"
---
[Flashback: Third Night, Around the Campfire - Narrator]
"Horikita, I need your help... We're going to change the way we protect the card," Hikigaya said while eating from the plate in front of him.
Their original plan was for Kōenji to protect the card. With his large build and strange behavior, no one would consider him a target, and even if they tried, they wouldn't achieve their goal...
Meanwhile, the real holder of the card was Yukinoshita Yukino...
From the very beginning, Hikigaya had decided that the game wasn't only about choosing the right person to hold the card, but also about how to protect it. There was no point wasting time thinking about it, especially since the class had genuinely chosen its leader.
"So... what are we going to do?" Horikita asked as she lightly rubbed her arm.
Hikigaya looked at the ground as he pushed the cup away from himself...
He hadn't wanted to go this far or put in this much effort, but after talking to Ryūen several times, he seemed like the reckless type who feared nothing.
If he said something, he'd do anything to achieve it.
Hikigaya didn't feel any fear toward his threats, but he knew someone else might get hurt because of them.
That's why he had to take responsibility and step in.
Hikigaya ran a finger across his chin while staring at the blazing fire before him...
An eye for an eye...
If Class C was putting on a play, then they would answer with another play of their own...
Taking into account that the camera recording everything to report back to Ryūen would be Ibuki...
An inaccurate camera that would miss details because of her limited mind.
Hikigaya's expression turned serious as he looked back at the girl in front of him, then at Kōenji, who was sleeping on his bed.
"Every day before occupying the area, Kōenji will hand the card to Yukinoshita. Then she'll go into the tent and give it to you. After that, you'll hand it to me in public," Hikigaya said while watching Horikita's reaction.
"I understand... You want to mislead him," Horikita said as she narrowed her eyes.
"More or less..."
This was the only suitable method of attack in this exam...
It might not work, but it was enough to plant doubt.
"I understand that, but who's the target?" Horikita asked in confusion.
"Ibuki... and Class C," Hikigaya answered as he picked up his plate again and continued eating.
"Huh...?"
Horikita quickly raised an eyebrow.
According to the information she had, Class C had withdrawn completely yesterday evening.
There was no need to go through the trouble of deceiving Ibuki.
"Why would we put in all this effort just for her?" Horikita frowned.
"Ryūen is still on this island," Hikigaya said as he put a piece of fish into his mouth.
"What are you talking about? That's impossible," Horikita replied, completely convinced of her own words.
Especially after observing Ibuki and carefully studying her reactions.
"Don't focus on that too much. We should focus on the exam," Hikigaya said as he began losing hope of convincing Horikita.
"I don't understand... So you want us to let Ibuki-san spy on us so she'll think you're the leader?" Horikita asked.
Hikigaya understood perfectly that Ryūen was targeting him because he held a grudge against him.
So Ryūen would be delighted if he uncovered their supposed plan—that Horikita was protecting the card to mislead them while Hikigaya was actually the true leader...
That truth alone could blind them.
They would be happy to think they had exposed the trap they had prepared for them, while completely ignoring the bigger picture.
"Exactly," Hikigaya nodded.
That alone would be enough for the first stage...
"How will we know if they're spying on us or not?"
Hikigaya suddenly felt extremely annoyed.
Why did this girl ask so many questions?
"If anyone comes near the exchange area, I'll let you know by kicking a pebble across the ground," Hikigaya said.
It was necessary to determine how they should talk and behave whenever they were being watched.
"Hah... What arrogance. Do you really think you can notice anyone watching you that easily?" Horikita frowned.
Hikigaya looked at her in confusion.
He never said he could notice everyone.
He would simply try.
"No... I'll just try."
"It's nothing but arrogance," Horikita said as she folded her arms.
Hikigaya let out a deep sigh, thinking about how difficult it was to deal with her.
"No... It isn't arrogance.
It's simply instinct," Hikigaya said as he took another bite.
Horikita continued staring at him as though wondering what kind of nonsense he was saying.
"...Isn't that right... Ayanokōji?" Hikigaya said as he finally wiped his mouth after finishing his meal.
Horikita kept staring at him, unable to understand the act he was putting on.
"Fufufufufu..."
Suddenly, even Kōenji, who had been sleeping, started laughing while looking at Hikigaya from his bed.
"He thought no one noticed him, didn't he, Eighth Boy?" Kōenji said while stretching.
Horikita couldn't understand the conversation between them.
To her, they simply looked like two idiots.
She turned toward Yukinoshita, who had her eyes closed peacefully, as though quietly appreciating the forest around them.
For a moment, Horikita began to doubt the sanity of the people around her.
Suddenly, the boys' tent opened, and Ayanokōji stepped out.
Most of the students had already gone to sleep early that night, so none of them expected anyone else to still be awake.
Hikigaya turned toward Ayanokōji.
He had sensed someone watching them, even though it was difficult to tell whether anyone was actually listening, especially since Ayanokōji's presence was almost impossible to notice.
Hikigaya knew he wasn't listening just for the sake of listening.
He was probably trying to make sure their plans were proceeding properly and to observe their reactions.
At least, that was Hikigaya's conclusion.
He looked toward Horikita, who was staring at him with her mouth half-open.
"That's all," Hikigaya said as he stood up to put away his plate.
"Oh, one more thing...
You'll take the medicine first," Hikigaya said while looking directly at her.
"Huh...? What are you talking about? I—"
Horikita tried to argue further, but Hikigaya raised his hand to stop her.
"Even if you deny it, your body is telling us the truth. Look at yourself. No one can sit this close to the fire unless they're suffering from a cold," Hikigaya said.
He had already noticed Horikita's obvious weakness over the past few days, even if she tried to hide it.
"Even so... I can endure it," Horikita stubbornly insisted.
"If that's the case... then you're excluded from the plan. We'll think of something else later," Hikigaya said, ending the conversation as he walked away.
"Why all of a sudden?" Horikita asked in confusion.
"I don't want someone whose physical condition could affect their performance. I don't need obstacles in my way," Hikigaya replied without looking back.
Horikita feared becoming an obstacle in her brother's path.
Simply bringing that up completely weakened her resolve.
Hikigaya didn't want to gamble with a classmate's health.
If something happened, all the blame would fall on the leader who ignored her condition.
That's why he had to take it into consideration.
"But..." Horikita still refused to give up.
"Hikigaya-kun is right. Buying medicine wouldn't be a waste of points either. We're sleeping out in the open. Anyone among us could catch a cold," Yukinoshita said as she looked directly at her.
"...I understand."
Horikita lowered her head after realizing she'd only become a burden and waste points for no reason.
Hikigaya gave her one last glance as she weakly hugged herself.
Then he walked away to return his plate, thinking that the first scene of their play had been prepared...
The scene that would be repeated every day until it became deeply rooted in Class C's mind.
Even so, that wasn't enough.
There would still be doubt, especially since three people were standing in front of the device.
So he had to give them absolute certainty.
After carefully reading the rules, Hikigaya understood that the real leader had to occupy the area personally before the timer ended.
Otherwise, there would be a severe penalty.
But what would happen if someone else handed over the card before the timer expired?
That wouldn't count as occupying the area.
And it wouldn't be a violation either.
That was the final scene of their play.
If he explained it now, they'd reject it because it sounded illegal.
So Hikigaya decided he'd explain it to Yukinoshita later.
As for Horikita...
It would be better if she was struck by the truth on the appropriate day.
---
POV: Hikigaya Hachiman
"What trick are you talking about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
I won't deny there were a few tricks here and there, but none worth exposing.
"Just keep acting. You'll find out soon enough," Ryūen said as he walked away to stand alone in Class C's designated area.
"Make sure you take a shower. You stink," I said, waving my hand.
Seriously, why doesn't he at least wash himself in the river?
I looked toward the other classes.
They had all lined up in their places.
What's this?
I'm the only one left behind because of that idiot Ryūen.
I walked back toward my class, dragging my feet through the sand until I ended up at the back of the boys' line.
"I will now announce the results of this special exam. Before we begin, understand that these results are completely fair. No objections will be accepted," Mashima-sensei announced through the loudspeaker as he stood on the stage.
He took the paper from Chabashira-sensei's hands and began reading the results with complete impartiality.
"At the bottom... Class C, zero points."
Everyone's eyes immediately turned toward Ryūen, who dropped his backpack after hearing the result.
"What a poor guy. Someone help him."
The students began mocking him after his dramatic entrance.
"Third place... Class A, one hundred twenty points," Mashima-sensei announced without showing any reaction despite it being his own class.
"What is this, Katsuragi? Didn't you say we'd win?"
"This is unacceptable!"
Voices of dissatisfaction rose from Class A, making it clear they considered Katsuragi the one most responsible.
"Second place... Class B, one hundred forty points..."
Class B's reaction was much calmer than the others'.
It ranged from relieved sighs to quiet smiles.
I wonder how Class D will react.
Wait...
They haven't announced us yet...
Does that mean—
"First place... Class D, two hundred forty points. You are dismissed."
Mashima-sensei finished announcing the results.
I remained standing where I was, looking up at the sky.
I've never been good at calculations, so I never bothered thinking about what our final score might be.
"We... crushed them."
After a moment of silence, Class D's voices echoed across the beach where the luxury ship was anchored.
"We did it! We really did it!"
The boys and girls began jumping in place with joy.
It was as if all the suffering they had endured on the island had ended with them being crowned champions.
"Hikigaya-kun... This brings us closer to Class B," Yukinoshita said as she walked toward me.
"Really...?"
Well, that's only natural coming from someone who's good at math.
If I had a calculator, maybe I'd be able to figure it out.
I turned toward the forest where we had spent the past several days.
Perhaps we'd changed it a great deal by catching its fish and picking its fruit...
But it had changed us just as much.
Perhaps the students who entered it a week ago weren't the same students who would leave today.
Everyone had won something...
And everyone had lost something.
I placed my hand on my chest as I looked at the scenery one last time.
"Hikigaya-kun, if you don't come now, we'll leave you behind," Yukinoshita called from the distance.
I turned around to find that almost all the students had already boarded the ship once again.
Only Yukinoshita remained standing on the beach, having stayed behind.
Why do you always tease me like this...?
And on top of that...
She looks happy.