The day after the cruise vacation that had been filled with the excitent and lingering triumph of the survival exam—
Every first-year student received a single ssage from the school on their phones.
"This is a notification regarding the comncent of the Sumr Group Special Exam."
The carefree atmosphere aboard the ship froze instantly.
The deserted island exam had only just ended, yet the school was already throwing them into another special test without giving them ti to rest.
The email contained a detailed explanation of the complicated rules.
---
Sumr Group Special Exam — Basic Rules
> At 8:00 AM on the first day of the exam, all students will receive a ssage simultaneously.
> Students selected as the "VIP" will also be inford that they are the VIP.
> The exam will last until 9:00 PM four days later, with one complete free day in between.
> Students will be divided into twelve groups modeled after the Chinese zodiac signs. Twice a day, each group must gather in an assigned room for one hour of discussion.
> The content of the discussion is left entirely to the students.
> Answers may only be submitted through the designated email address using the student's phone. Each student may answer only once.
> The VIP themselves do not have the right to submit an answer.
> Any answer submitted for a group other than one's own zodiac group will be invalid.
> Detailed exam results will be sent to all students by email at 11:00 AM on the final day.
---
Result Conditions
> Result 1
If every student in the group other than the VIP and the VIP's classmates correctly identifies the VIP:
Every mber of the group receives 500,000 private points.
Students from the VIP's class also receive the sa amount.
The VIP themselves receive 1,000,000 private points.
> Result 2
If even one person fails to answer or answers incorrectly:
The VIP alone receives 500,000 private points.
> Result 3
If a student other than the VIP correctly identifies the VIP before the exam period ends:
The exam ends imdiately.
The student who answered correctly receives 500,000 private points.
Their class gains 50 Class Points.
The VIP's class loses 50 Class Points.
> Result 4
If a student other than the VIP answers incorrectly before the exam period ends:
The exam ends imdiately.
The class of the student who answered incorrectly loses 50 Class Points.
The VIP receives 500,000 private points.
The VIP's class gains 50 Class Points.
---
"…I see."
After reading the ssage, I quietly let out a breath.
(So the deserted island exam was a physical survival battle… while this one is completely about psychological warfare and deduction.)
My assigned group was the Dragon Group.
From Class B, the other mbers assigned there were Ryuuji Kanzaki and Hitomi Tsube.
That evening, each group was assigned separate tis and gathered in different rooms aboard the ship.
Perhaps to preserve fairness, the instructor overseeing our explanation session was not Hoshinomiya-sensei from Class B, but Sakagami-sensei from Class C.
"Additionally," Sakagami-sensei said flatly, "the group assignnts and VIP selections were made after strict adjustnts by the school."
My ears did not miss that particular phrase.
After the Q&A session ended, we were dismissed.
"Aizen-kun, Kanzaki-kun, could we talk for a mont?"
As we stepped into the hallway, Ichinose and Hiyori called out to us.
"Let's move sowhere else," Ichinose said. "We should discuss how we're going to approach this exam."
"Fine by ."
The four of us moved to a quiet lounge and began a secret strategy eting.
"The key point of this exam," Ichinose began while displaying the rules on her tablet, "is definitely Results 3 and 4."
"If you identify another class's VIP before the deadline, you gain 50 Class Points. But if you're wrong, you lose 50. It's similar to the leader-guessing ga on the island, except this ti everything's split into groups, making the information war much more complicated."
Kanzaki folded his arms.
"True. But unlike the island exam, there aren't any obvious clues this ti. Trying to determine the VIP through conversation alone will be extrely difficult."
(No… not really.)
The phrase "strict adjustnts" from Sakagami-sensei was the key to everything.
I slowly brushed my bangs back with refined elegance.
"—Just as God does not roll dice, neither does this malicious little garden operate without order."
"Hidden behind the words strict adjustnts lies deliberate design. Gather the scattered stardust… and reveal the invisible constellation."
(Translation: The VIPs weren't chosen randomly. There has to be a pattern. If the school wanted fairness, then each class should have exactly three VIPs. First, let's identify every VIP in Class B.)
My grand, galaxy-scale poetic deduction left Ichinose tilting her head.
"Stardust…?"
Beside , my angelic best friend smiled gently and translated.
"He believes the VIP selection follows a fixed rule rather than randomness. Since the school ntioned 'strict adjustnts,' fairness likely ans there are exactly three VIPs per class. We should first identify all the VIPs within Class B."
"I see!"
Ichinose clapped her hands.
"If there are three VIPs per class, that perfectly matches the twelve groups!"
She imdiately pulled out her phone.
"I'll ask everyone in the class chat to privately ssage if they were selected as a VIP."
Thanks to the overwhelming trust Ichinose inspired in Class B, information gathered almost instantly.
Only a few minutes later, three classmates contacted her claiming they were VIPs.
"The VIPs from Class B are in the Monkey Group, Snake Group, and Dog Group."
She looked up in amazent.
"You were right, Aizen-kun. There really are three!"
"Good," Kanzaki muttered while writing the nas down. "That gives us three stars."
"…But that alone isn't enough to form a constellation."
He frowned deeply.
"Yeah…" Ichinose sighed. "Three data points aren't enough to identify a pattern."
(Naturally.)
To understand the complete rule, we needed more samples.
At minimum, information from another class—three more VIPs.
And the optimal answer my Aizen-spec calculations produced was…
An alliance with the most dangerous man in the first year.
"—If one wishes to reach the heavens, one must sotis clasp hands with venomous serpents crawling through the mud."
"With poison itself, we shall seize complete control of the board… and build the staircase to the unseen throne."
(Translation: If we want to beat Class A decisively, we should cooperate with Ryuen's Class C and share information.)
"'If we want to secure enough points to surpass Class A, then we should form an alliance with Ryuen-kun's Class C and exchange VIP information,' he says."
"Ryuen!?"
Ichinose and Kanzaki reacted simultaneously.
Kanzaki imdiately objected.
"That man used insane tactics during the island exam. Forming an alliance with him is too dangerous!"
"I also… don't think Ryuen-kun would cooperate honestly," Ichinose admitted.
Hiyori calmly supplented their concerns.
"But at present, the only classes capable of completely consolidating VIP information are probably ours and Class C."
"Class B is unified by Ichinose-san's trust… while Class C is unified by Ryuen-kun's fear."
"If we obtain information on six VIPs total, we should definitely be able to uncover the pattern."
Kanzaki's eyes widened.
Class D lacked unity.
Class A was divided between the Katsuragi and Sakayanagi factions.
Only Classes B and C could gather information efficiently on a class-wide scale.
"…You're right," Kanzaki admitted. "But Ryuen would betray us the instant he obtained our information."
(A reasonable concern.)
But binding soone like Ryuen wasn't difficult.
"—Removing a serpent's fangs is simple."
"One need only carve an inescapable collar upon its throat… forged from an absolute contract."
(Translation: We just need a contract with severe penalties so he can't betray us.)
"'We can prevent betrayal by creating a binding agreent with heavy penalties attached,' he says."
Ichinose nodded slowly.
"…You're right. Class A is already within reach. We can't afford to stop now."
She took a breath.
"Okay. I'll contact Ryuen-kun."
Following Hiyori's suggestion, Ichinose asked Kushida for Ryuen's contact information.
As expected, Kushida had it.
Ichinose imdiately sent him a ssage and invited him to the lounge.
---
Ten minutes later—
Ryuen Kakeru arrived with both hands in his pockets and a fearless grin on his face.
"Ku-ku-ku… What's this?"
"All the honor students from Class B personally inviting ?"
He dropped onto the sofa opposite us and swept his predator-like gaze across Ichinose, Kanzaki, Hiyori, and finally .
"Ryuen-kun," Ichinose began directly, "we want to propose an alliance between Class B and Class C for this special exam."
"Ku-hahahaha!"
Ryuen burst into laughter.
"So the righteous little model students want to cooperate with , huh?"
"Fine. I'll hear you out."
Then his eyes narrowed toward Hiyori and .
"But there's a problem."
"Your class already has a huge lead over ours after the island exam."
"And on top of that… your precious vice-president stole one of my class mbers."
He was clearly referring to Hiyori's transfer to Class B for twenty million points.
"If we both identify the VIPs from Classes A and D, we gain the sa reward."
"That ans the gap between us never closes."
"So unless the deal benefits more… I'm not interested."
"Ridiculous!" Kanzaki slamd the table.
"You expect us to concede additional benefits on top of equal information sharing!?"
(Expected.)
From Ryuen's perspective, rely discovering the pattern wasn't enough.
Even if both classes won together, the gap between B and C would remain unchanged.
So naturally, he demanded more.
My thoughts accelerated at high speed.
(If both classes identify all the VIPs from A and D, both gain 150 Class Points.)
(Then, if B and C identify each other's VIPs normally, both remain at 150 overall.)
(The gap stays unchanged.)
(So instead… Class B deliberately submits one wrong answer against Class C's VIP.)
(That would make the final result: Class B gains 100, while Class C gains 200.)
(But B needs additional compensation.)
(In that case… we divide the private point rewards evenly between both classes.)
(Yes. That should satisfy Ryuen.)
I raised a hand to stop Kanzaki and smiled arrogantly at Ryuen.
"—So the ravenous beast demands premium at before accepting chains around its neck."
"Very well."
"Then let us share a portion of our flesh… and devour the heavens together."
(Translation: Fine. We'll accept terms where Class B sacrifices so Class Points.)
"—After we feast upon the thrones of others…"
"We shall intentionally 'misbite' your throat, granting your class even greater strength."
"In exchange for our hundred rays of light… we shall bestow two hundred upon you."
(Translation: After both classes gain 150 by identifying A and D's VIPs, Class B will intentionally answer one of Class C's VIPs incorrectly. The final result becos 100 for Class B and 200 for Class C.)
"—However, the golden rain descending from the heavens shall quench our thirst equally."
"In exchange for surrendering light… the gold itself shall be divided evenly."
(Translation: In return, the private point rewards earned from the exam will be split evenly between our classes. Three million each. What do you think?)
Ryuen frowned deeply.
"…The hell are you talking about?"
Even Ichinose looked confused.
"Golden rain…?"
But then Hiyori calmly translated every detail flawlessly.
"…I see."
The mont she finished, a dangerous grin spread across Ryuen's face.
"So you're willing to deliberately hand us Class Points in exchange for equal private point distribution?"
"Ku-ku-ku… Fine."
"I'll take that deal."
"Wait!" Kanzaki protested.
"Why should we willingly sacrifice points to Class C!?"
Ichinose imdiately stopped him.
"Kanzaki-kun. Calm down."
"This proposal makes sense."
"If we gain even 100, we can overtake Class A with certainty."
"And securing three million private points is a huge advantage for the class as well."
She looked firmly at him.
"Compared to Class C, we already have a lead. Right now, the important thing is securing the top position."
Kanzaki clenched his jaw.
"…Understood."
"If you and Aizen agree, then I'll follow your judgnt."
(Good.)
The negotiation was complete.
Now all that remained…
Was the collar.
"—The contract is forged."
"But verbal promises are no more than dust scattered by the wind."
"So let us engrave an absolute curse upon ourselves…"
"One so absolute that betrayal itself would erase our very existence."
(Translation: Let's create a written contract stating that anyone who betrays the agreent will voluntarily withdraw from school.)
"'As proof of the alliance, we will create a written pledge. Anyone who violates the agreent must voluntarily withdraw from school,' he says."
"Ku-ku-ku… Now that's interesting."
Ryuen grinned fearlessly.
"So it's a contract staked on my expulsion and Ichinose's, huh?"
"Fine by ."
And thus—
Within the quiet evening lounge aboard the luxury cruise ship—
A secret alliance between Class B and Class C was ford.
An alliance bound by the condition that if either side betrayed the agreent…
Their leaders, Honami Ichinose and Kakeru Ryuen, would voluntarily withdraw from school.
User Comments
0 comments from readers