Kaoru checked his score.
Although the exam had only been underway for two or three days, his total was almost certainly near the bottom.
The school would announce the ten highest- and lowest-ranked groups tomorrow. Once the standings became public, the competition would grow far more intense.
For that reason, Kaoru intended to separate from Ai's group for a while.
He had expected Ichika to follow him, but she merely watched with a cheerful smile and made no move.
Then again, all their groups were following the same route. Even if she did not accompany him now, they would probably encounter each other again at the next designated area.
Once they reached the destination, everyone split up.
Following the directions on his tablet, Kaoru traveled between nearby task sites. As long as he registered successfully, he could usually place within the top three.
Around noon, he finally met Kiriyama Ikuto.
"I can't thank Mitoma-kun enough for the food these past two days. We managed to survive until now while barely touching our own supplies."
Ikuto thanked him the moment they met.
"There's no need."
Kaoru felt somewhat guilty.
When he had released the Automatic Hunting Machine, his original intention had been to gather food for himself and Ikuto's people.
Who could have expected the thing to target other groups' supplies instead, automatically collect them, and eventually inspire an entire ghost legend?
Kaoru had urgently recalled the machine on the second day.
He probably would not use it again.
"By the way, Nagumo-kun is still behaving normally. He hasn't deviated from his assigned route."
Ikuto continued, "However, Class A is still trying to gather points. Their objective is obvious. One faction is focusing on early-arrival rewards, while another is concentrating on task rewards."
"Was that Nagumo's plan?"
Kaoru asked.
"It was. Apparently, he intended to sacrifice several weaker groups and transfer all their supplies to a few strong ones. Nagumo-kun himself would then lead those groups in contesting task rewards."
Halfway through the explanation, Ikuto showed a hint of malicious satisfaction.
"Unfortunately, Nagumo-kun failed to suppress the opposing voices inside Class A this time. Several physically capable students want to focus on early-arrival rewards, so the class has now split into two forces pursuing different objectives."
There was no fundamental conflict between early-arrival rewards and task rewards.
However, anyone aiming for the former could not afford to run all over the island and waste stamina.
If a group preserved its time and energy for designated areas, it could only attempt tasks that happened to lie along the route. It could not repeatedly make detours to chase them.
Miyabi's preferred strategy was to abandon early-arrival placements and concentrate manpower on tasks.
Each task offered fewer points, but the sheer number they could win would more than compensate.
After Ikuto briefly described the situation in Class 3-A, Kaoru understood.
The class was developing an internal fracture.
Disagreement meant several students wanted to act independently and had become dissatisfied with Miyabi's leadership.
"How are things on your side?"
Kaoru asked.
"Classes C and D are both willing to make the attempt with us. Wherever Nagumo-kun goes, our people follow."
Ikuto did not dare answer carelessly.
They were currently carrying out a plan to surround and obstruct Miyabi.
Joint operations were nothing unusual for third-year students.
During Miyabi's reign, cooperation between several classes—or even the entire year—had become standard practice.
In every special exam, Miyabi had led them in collecting the school's rewards together.
That was why so many students feared him while simultaneously admiring him.
Miyabi probably had never imagined that one day the entire year would cooperate against him.
Ikuto's encirclement strategy was simple.
Whatever Miyabi attempted, they would send people to interfere. Class 3-D students would even obstruct his movements along the route.
Miyabi was not their only target.
Class 3-A itself was also being attacked.
Using their numerical advantage, Ikuto's alliance deliberately shadowed Class A's students and competed with them for both task and early-arrival rewards.
Kaoru then asked about their current scores and gained a rough understanding of the standings.
At that moment, several figures emerged from the forest, startling Ikuto.
"Don't worry. They're also with us."
Kaoru reassured him before turning toward Ayanokōji Kiyotaka and Utsunomiya Riku.
Tsubaki Sakurako followed behind them.
"Good afternoon, Mitoma-senpai."
Riku greeted him politely.
"We were delayed along the way. Please excuse us."
"It's fine. I was the one who arranged this meeting on short notice."
Kaoru glanced at Kiyotaka and Sakurako.
"Could I hear about the current situation among the first-years?"
Only then did Ikuto realize who the newcomers were.
He could not help feeling surprised.
Had Kaoru already brought the first-years under his influence too?
Riku glanced at Ikuto and thought for a moment.
"There was an incident this morning. I heard that an entire group's luggage disappeared. They were students from your class."
"What kind of person do you think did it?"
Kaoru had already heard the news while traveling.
"A ghost."
Riku answered.
"Or rather, a student pretending to be one."
"It wasn't Nagumo-kun."
Ikuto immediately rejected the possibility.
"Our people never saw him leave their surveillance—unless..."
Ikuto suddenly stopped, his face paling.
"He isn't that stupid."
Kaoru had no interest in treating this like a mystery game.
"Even if he ordered someone else to do it, the incident would expose him immediately."
He continued calmly, "The school doesn't need to hunt for a ghost. They only need to check which student suddenly had to replace a damaged watch."
Ikuto froze.
The reasoning itself was straightforward. He might have reached the same conclusion eventually.
What impressed him was how quickly Kaoru had organized the facts without showing the slightest panic.
"It was Hōsen-kun."
Riku became excited.
"He replaced his watch this morning. That's exactly what I came to report."
"But we have no evidence."
Kaoru remained calm.
"Even if we report our suspicions, the school won't punish Hōsen based solely on our statement."
A replaced watch was not enough to prove Hōsen Kazuomi had stolen the luggage.
The school would never accept such an accusation without stronger evidence.
Unless Kaoru personally pressured the administration to punish him, the matter could only be treated as an accident.
"Are we simply going to let Hōsen-kun escape responsibility?"
Riku restrained his emotions.
"We could wait until he acts again. Or use bait to lure him out and obtain decisive proof."
"He replaced the watch already. He won't make a second attempt."
Kaoru coldly dismissed the suggestion.
"He was only testing whether I would respond."
Riku fell silent.
Sakurako spoke instead.
"Does Senpai have a solution?"
"Of course."
Kaoru pointed back at himself with one thumb.
"I'm the best bait available. Whether it's Nagumo or Hōsen, their target is me."
"Hmm. Senpai certainly is important."
Sakurako did not dispute it.
"And then?"
"I don't currently have six million private points."
Kaoru said, "And I intend to enter the top five within two days."
Riku, Sakurako, and Ikuto all turned toward him.
"Y-you're going to reach the top five?"
Ikuto found the claim absurd, yet somehow entirely believable.
"How many points do you have right now?"
"Fewer than forty."
Kaoru answered without embarrassment.
Ikuto was speechless.
His own group had already reached somewhere between sixty and seventy points. They would probably exceed ninety before the top-ten rankings were announced.
"Do you need our assistance, Senpai?"
Sakurako asked.
"Yes. I'll need everyone's cooperation over the next few days."
Kaoru explained, "The moment my name appears near the top, I'll attract their attention."
"And once they learn that I don't possess enough private points to save myself from expulsion, they'll come after me like sharks smelling blood."
Everyone assumed Kaoru was extraordinarily wealthy.
However, someone like Miyabi would naturally think one step further and ask where Kaoru's seemingly endless wallet came from.
The obvious answer was Class 2-A.
Across the entire second year—perhaps even the whole school—Class 2-A was the only class wealthy enough to stand completely apart from the others.
Kaoru's true wallet was Class 2-A.
That was the only explanation for why he appeared capable of spending private points without limit.
However, Ai currently controlled Class 2-A's purse strings.
At this moment, Kaoru himself did not possess enough points to pay the six-million-point rescue penalty.
"Wouldn't that expose Senpai to serious danger?"
Riku showed genuine concern.
"As far as I know, Hōsen-kun is dangerous. If he believes he can expel you, he'll use any method available."
Kaoru merely smiled and turned toward Ikuto.
"What does Kiriyama-senpai think?"
"It's certainly a good plan. I'll cooperate fully."
Ikuto looked faintly pained.
"As long as we defeat Nagumo-kun, our agreement still stands."
If Kaoru took first place, Class 2-A would receive the feast while Class 3-B survived on leftovers.
Still, leftovers were better than nothing.
Kaoru discussed the details with them and finalized their plan for the coming days.
They possessed walkie-talkies, but meeting directly was much more convenient for complicated arrangements.
After Ikuto left, Riku also prepared to depart.
However, when he noticed Sakurako remaining still, he stopped as well.
Only then did Riku realize that Kiyotaka—whom they had encountered along the way—had remained silent throughout the entire conversation.
He had not spoken even once.
"How is Kōenji doing?"
Kaoru ignored Riku and Sakurako's presence and asked Kiyotaka directly.
"Not optimistically."
Kiyotaka answered.
"I estimate his score will exceed one hundred today. His stamina is exceptional. He has taken nearly every early-arrival reward along his route and placed in most of the tasks he attempted."
The reality was even more extreme than Kiyotaka's description.
Kōenji Rokusuke had transformed the special exam into a marathon.
No other group following his route could keep pace with him.
Aside from a few unusual circumstances, Rokusuke took first place almost every time.
After only two days, his score was already approaching one hundred.
He was also acting alone.
One student was single-handedly overwhelming most ordinary groups.
Kiyotaka had originally been placed by Kaoru as a piece within the second year, primarily responsible for monitoring Ryūen's movements.
Nobody had expected Rokusuke to suddenly emerge.
From the first day Rokusuke began acting seriously, his abnormal performance immediately attracted both Kiyotaka's and Kaoru's attention.
Kaoru suspected that Rokusuke could enter the top five purely through running.
Once task rewards were included, this exam was practically a private playground designed for him.
Since the school had not yet announced the rankings, most groups probably had not noticed what Rokusuke was doing.
Even Arisu might not know how quickly he was moving.
Had Kiyotaka not been capable of following Rokusuke's pace, Kaoru would never have obtained this information.
"How should we handle him?"
Kiyotaka asked.
Kaoru considered it.
"Kōenji isn't one of our targets. Leave him alone."
"However, his sudden enthusiasm for the exam must have a reason."
Kiyotaka understood.
From now on, he would closely monitor Rokusuke's every movement.
Kaoru arranged the time and location of their next meeting, then turned toward Sakurako.
"Does Tsubaki-san have something to tell me?"
"I heard Amasawa-san and Nanase-san are both traveling with Senpai."
Sakurako's expression remained completely blank.
"I was simply surprised by Senpai's taste. Apparently, you truly accept anyone."
For a moment, Kaoru could not tell whether she was insulting him or insulting Ichika and Tsubasa.
After delivering that single remark, Sakurako immediately turned and left, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.
"We'll be going now. Until next time, Mitoma-senpai."
Riku hurried after her.
Kaoru said farewell, exchanged a few additional words with the quietly reserved Kiyotaka, and waited until everyone had departed.
Only then did the girl hiding nearby finally lose patience.
She rushed up behind Kaoru and clung to him like a koala.
"Producer-san!"
...
On the morning of the fourth day, the school finally announced the top-ten rankings.
At the beginning, Kaoru had been only thirteenth.
After one day, however, he had climbed to sixth place with one hundred and sixteen points.
That should have attracted considerable attention.
Instead, almost every student's eyes were drawn toward someone else.
Kōenji Rokusuke held first place with an astonishing one hundred and forty-two points.
The result became even more shocking once everyone learned that he was a solo group.
One student claimed to have seen Rokusuke swinging through the forest from tree to tree, moving with the agility of a mountain monkey. That was supposedly why nobody could catch him.
Another swore they had personally witnessed his rampage along the route.
Whenever a fallen tree blocked the path, Rokusuke would allegedly throw back his head, laugh toward the sky, and knock the entire trunk aside with one punch before continuing forward.
He sounded less like a student and more like a superhero.
Ignoring those rumors, Ikuto's group held second place.
Miyabi's group was third.
Arisu's group followed in fourth.
Honami and Ryūen's groups had barely entered the rankings in ninth and tenth.
The standings appeared clear.
However, nearly every group understood that the true test of their ability was only beginning.
Supplies were running low, and signs of fatigue had appeared among almost every student.
The uninhabited island exam was about to enter its second stage.