After a busy morning, the afternoon had a noticeably more relaxed and enjoyable rhythm.
With the basic necessities taken care of, the rest was about improving comfort—like adding finishing touches to a home after securing the foundation.
It was similar to playing Minecraft with friends. On the first day, everyone scrambles to punch trees, craft tools, and find shelter before nightfall.
But once the essentials are covered, the urgency fades. The next day, while people still go about their tasks, there's no longer the same desperate rush.
And just like that, the first day of the exam passed.
As night fell, the campfire flickered, casting long shadows across the gathered students. Sae Chabashira stood in the center, holding a clipboard as she conducted the evening roll call.
According to the special exam rules, attendance was checked twice daily.
If a student was absent, their class would lose a point. Two absences meant two points deducted, and so on.
She called out names in her usual indifferent tone.
"Next, Yukimura Teruhiko."
"Here."
"Next, Wang Meiyu."
"Um... present!"
"Next, Kure Ragna."
"To~"
"Next, Kouenji—"
Before she could finish, a sudden ringtone cut through the air.
All the students had left their phones on the boat. The only person who had one here was Sae Chabashira.
She sighed, slipped the ballpoint pen into her clipboard, and answered the call.
"Hello? …Yeah, I understand."
After a brief exchange, she hung up, pinched the bridge of her nose, and exhaled in clear frustration.
Sensing something was off, Kushida Kikyo hesitated before stepping forward.
"Teacher… is something wrong?"
Chabashira rubbed her forehead. "Yeah. I have bad news. Kouenji withdrew from the exam due to 'physical discomfort.' Our class just lost thirty points as a penalty."
"...What?!?"
"Is this a joke!?"
"That bastard Kouenji!"
The camp erupted.
Sudou clenched his fists, veins bulging as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Don't stop me! I'm getting on that boat and beating the crap out of him!"
"Ah, Sudou-san, calm down!"
Hirata quickly stepped in, wrapping his arms around Sudou in an attempt to hold him back.
What was surprising, though, was that despite the clear gap in their physical strength, Hirata managed to keep him restrained.
The two remained locked in a tense standoff.
Meanwhile, Kure Ragna yawned and lazily waved his hand as he turned to leave.
"Do whatever you want. I'm going to sleep."
"Wait, where are you going?" Yukinoshita Haruno called out.
He responded without looking back.
"Obviously, I'm finding a better place to sleep."
"There's space in the camp—"
"No thanks. Sleeping here is possible, but not comfortable."
He cast a glance over his shoulder.
"I already told you—I'll be moving independently during this exam. Don't worry, I'll be back before roll call tomorrow."
Before she could reply, he disappeared into the jungle.
---
About half an hour later, on a cruise ship anchored 300 meters offshore...
In a brightly lit bedroom, a petite silver-haired girl sat at a desk, flipping through a thick book.
A faint noise made her pause.
Sakayanagi Arisu glanced toward the half-open French windows, a glimmer of hope in her violet eyes—only to find them empty.
Again? Just the wind...
She sighed, closing her book and moving to shut the window. But just as she stood up, something on the table caught her eye.
A pair of sunglasses.
Her gaze sharpened.
At that moment, a familiar voice reached her ears.
"Ugh, I'm exhausted. There was way too much going on today... Hold on, let me shower first. I swam all the way here and climbed through a drainpipe—I'm filthy."
Before she could react, there was a rustle of fabric. The sound of a door closing. A switch flicked on, and warm orange light spilled from the bathroom.
Through the frosted glass, a blurry silhouette moved inside.
On the bedroom floor, a crumpled staff uniform lay in a heap—stained with traces of cake and fried rice.
…Did he sneak into the kitchen to eat before coming here?
Arisu stared blankly for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.
---
Ten minutes later, the bathroom door swung open.
Freshly showered and wrapped in a bathrobe, Kure Ragna stepped out, running a hand through his slicked-back hair.
"Ah~ I feel alive again—huh?"
He blinked in surprise.
The book on Arisu's desk had been replaced with a ten-inch pizza box, still warm from the oven.
"…Did you order pizza?"
Arisu, smiling faintly, rested her chin on her hand.
"You looked like you hadn't eaten enough, so I had the kitchen send another one." She paused before adding, "Under the chairman's name, of course."
Kure clicked his tongue. "Must be nice to have connections."
He walked over, flipped open the box, and grabbed a slice piled high with barbecue toppings.
The crust was still crisp, the cheese perfectly melted. He took a large bite, savoring the flavor.
Meanwhile, Arisu's gaze subtly shifted, landing on his chin.
Her eyes gleamed slightly.
"Ah, it looks like your beard is starting to grow in."
Kure blinked, touching his chin. "Huh. Guess it is. But… you know how to shave?"
Arisu tilted her head, smiling.
"Of course. I used to help my father shave all the time."
Kure fell silent for a moment before smirking.
"Poor Chairman Sakayanagi… I bet he never thought his daughter would use her skills on someone else."
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