The scorching sun hung high in the sky.
The salty sea breeze carried the scent of the ocean, ruffling hair and cooling sun-warmed skin. Below, waves crashed against jagged rocks, their rhythmic beat reminiscent of a drummer skillfully tapping on a well-tuned instrument. The surface of the sea shimmered like a sheet of glass, reflecting the brilliant sunlight.
"So beautiful," Ichinose murmured, standing at the cliff's edge.
Behind her, the students of Class B gazed at the scenery with awe, their eyes shining with admiration.
A small wooden cabin stood on a rocky outcrop not far away, perched above the shoreline like a lone sentinel. Beneath their feet was a sturdy steel ladder leading down to the structure. Hikigaya stepped onto the first rung and tested its stability.
It held firm.
It seemed the school took maintenance seriously, regularly reinforcing the structure for safety.
Still, living in such an isolated place came with challenges—safety risks, noise from the waves, dehydration, and the ever-present threat of heatstroke. But despite these drawbacks, the advantages were undeniable.
All things considered, it was a solid choice.
"I'll go down and check it out first," Shibata volunteered, climbing down swiftly.
Moments later, he returned, his expression brimming with excitement.
"Guys, this place is amazing! There's a toilet and even a bath inside. Plus, there are several fishing rods! Oh, and there's a stronghold below the cabin too. The only problem is that it's built on the rocks. Without proper cover, it could be a bit dangerous."
"That's not a big issue," one of the students said. "We just need to buy some fabric to use as makeshift walls. And since we won't have to spend points on food, that's a huge advantage."
"I know how to fish," another added. "But can we really survive on fish alone for seven days?"
"True," someone agreed. "Still, this setup will help us save a lot of points. This is a great opportunity."
The class collectively smiled, excitement growing.
Saving points meant earning more class points, and with that, Class B would be one step closer to challenging Class A.
"Everyone," Ichinose raised her hand, her gentle voice settling the buzz of conversation. "After considering everything, I think this location will work as our base. We'll need to buy a few things: an awning, two safety ropes, a boiling water shower, and some earplugs. Let's go over this and see if there's anything else we need."
The girls would sleep inside the cabin, while the boys would use tents.
The earplugs would protect against the relentless sound of the ocean, ensuring everyone could sleep soundly.
The awning would serve multiple purposes: blocking visibility to prevent others from spying on their leader, shading the girls while they worked, and reducing the risk of heatstroke. Far more useful than a simple sheet of fabric.
As for the safety ropes—
Hikigaya personally felt they were unnecessary. The ladder was solid, and the drop was only about two meters. Even if someone slipped, it wouldn't be a life-threatening fall.
But considering that the girls might struggle with climbing, having the rope as an extra precaution wasn't the worst idea.
More than safety, though, it was about efficiency. If one person climbed, another wouldn't be stuck waiting below doing nothing.
Spend wisely. Save when possible.
That was the key to maximizing their survival strategy.
Hikigaya did a rough estimate—these items wouldn't cost more than thirty points. Compared to the alternative of buying a tent toilet or other luxuries, this was the smarter investment.
Even if they spent some points on food and water, they should be able to conserve at least 250 points by the end of the exam. And that was without factoring in the rewards for holding a stronghold.
Actually…
There was another way to get supplies.
Hoshinomiya-sensei allowed students to use personal special points to purchase items individually.
Hikigaya was seriously tempted to buy a can of MAX Coffee.
…But knowing Ichinose and the others, that request would probably be rejected outright.
Maybe even get him beaten to death.
Better not risk it.
"No, we need to buy a lot more things," Watanabe suddenly interjected.
"Huh? Isn't a shower enough?" he continued. "Can't we all just use the bathroom in the cabin? That way, we'll save even more points."
…Watanabe-san.
Hikigaya closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed internally.
Please use your brain.
Girls obviously wouldn't want to share a bathroom with the boys.
If one of them said, "I don't want to use the same shower Hikigaya used," he might actually consider throwing himself off the cliff.
"Yeah, wouldn't it be fine if we all just shared the bathroom?"
A girl chimed in.
…Okay, never mind. This entire class is made up of lunatics.
Hikigaya gave up trying to make sense of their logic.
"I've thought about it carefully," Ichinose interjected smoothly. "Even if we only take quick showers, each person would need at least two minutes. The girls might take longer."
"That means just bathing alone could take over two hours. That's way too inefficient. Buying a separate bathtub for the boys will make everything more convenient. What do you think?"
"That makes sense."
Watanabe nodded, and the others followed suit, accepting the plan without argument.
Ichinose clapped her hands lightly. "Now, the next issue is food and water."
"Hikigaya mentioned there might be natural resources on the island," she continued. "I think I saw an orchard on the way here."
"Plus, we have fishing rods," someone added. "That should last us the full seven days. If not, we can spend a few points as a backup plan."
Hikigaya remained silent, staring at the ocean with an expressionless face.
He refused to be influenced by the atmosphere.
"That sounds good." Kanzaki nodded. "I also heard running water earlier. There should be a river nearby. That should solve our drinking water problem."
"Is everyone okay with drinking river water?" Ichinose asked.
"Wait… isn't that risky?" a girl with short hair hesitated. "If someone gets sick and has to leave the exam, we'll lose 30 points. Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"
"Good point, Xiaomeng."
Ichinose smiled reassuringly. "How about this? We'll have one person drink it first. If they don't get sick, we'll all drink it. If there's a problem, we'll buy bottled water. Sound good?"
"…That's reasonable."
Xiaomeng let out a relieved sigh.
Hikigaya, however, noticed that a few other girls seemed uncomfortable but didn't speak up.
Not his problem.
If they boiled the water properly, it wouldn't kill anyone.
"Alright, let's assign tasks." Ichinose looked around. "Anyone want to volunteer?"
Why would anyone want to work?
Hikigaya sighed.
To his horror, everyone enthusiastically raised their hands.
"I'll check out the orchard!"
"I'll fish and collect river water!"
"I'll explore the island for other strongholds!"
"I'll set up the tents."
"We'll clean the cabin!"
…This class is hopeless.
Hikigaya knew what he had to do.
Raising his hand, he finally spoke up.
"Hikigaya?" Ichinose turned to him, eyes curious. "What would you like to do?"
"…I'll stay here and boil the water."
Silence.
Ichinose blinked.
The others stared at him, speechless.
After all, compared to running around the island, exploring, or fishing, boiling water was the easiest task imaginable.
But Hikigaya stood firm.
If work was unavoidable, he would pick the path of least resistance.
The Lone Ranger wasn't affected by the atmosphere.
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