The fire at the Class A camp was only effectively contained after the school deployed helicopters, finally allowing firefighters to arrive and extinguish the flames.
However, the Class A camp was completely destroyed as a result.
Katsuragi, with his head wrapped in gauze, sat cross-legged on the beach, gazing at the Class A camp, which was still emitting black smoke.
He was lost in thought.
"Katsuragi, I..."
Totsuka came to Katsuragi's side, looking apologetic. Just as he was about to explain, Katsuragi interrupted him.
"Is anyone injured?"
"Seven people sustained minor injuries and have been transferred to a nearby hospital."
Upon hearing that seven people were injured, Katsuragi closed his eyes in pain.
"What are the results of the fire investigation? It must have been arson, right?"
Katsuragi didn't believe the camp would catch fire for no reason, and moreover, both the makeshift restroom and the tents caught fire simultaneously, indicating foul play.
"The fire was too big... No evidence was found at the scene."
The school took this fire very seriously, so they mobilized staff to collect evidence, but unfortunately, there was almost no evidence of arson.
The makeshift restroom exploded because a gas canister encountered an open flame, but where the open flame came from was unknown.
Mashima suggested checking the surveillance footage, only to find that Class A's surveillance system had not been working properly since yesterday's heavy rain. After investigating the scene in person, it was discovered that the surveillance wires had been cut with a knife.
"So you're saying no evidence of human involvement was found at a deliberate arson scene?"
Katsuragi sighed.
For the first time, he felt disappointed with the school.
If only the school had strengthened the management and maintenance of the surveillance system, they wouldn't have been unable to even find a suspect.
Thinking that the cause was Totsuka's barbecue party, which led to Class A's carelessness, Katsuragi couldn't help but want to scold Totsuka.
But seeing Totsuka also looking disheveled, Katsuragi could only swallow his blaming words.
"Katsuragi, Mashima wants to see you."
A staff member ran over to summon Katsuragi.
Katsuragi glanced at the time.
Eleven fifty.
Katsuragi calculated that although going back now to punch in at the base would delay subsequent punch-in times by an hour, it shouldn't be so severe that anyone would dare to seize their base after such a serious disaster occurred in Class A.
"I'll go see Mashima. Totsuka, you go back and refresh the base occupation time first."
"Okay... Will we be held responsible?"
Totsuka asked worriedly.
"Hmph, that's for sure, unless we can catch who started the fire... But no matter who started the fire, Class A is pretty much eliminated."
Seven people were injured and sent for treatment, which means seven people from Class A withdrew from the exam. One person is thirty class points, so seven people is two hundred and ten points.
That's enough to deduct all of Class A's points.
Now, Katsuragi could only rely on the base points to maintain Class A's dignity.
Hearing Katsuragi's words, Totsuka nodded, then dejectedly walked towards the Class A base.
They were currently settled in the staff living quarters, which was a considerable distance from the Class A base.
"Mashima, did you need something?"
As soon as Katsuragi entered the temporary office, he felt a weight on his shoulders.
Aside from Chabashira and Hoshinomiya, who had rushed to Class D to check on the injured, Sakaue, Mashima, and Nagumo Miyabi were all staring intently at Katsuragi.
"How are your injuries? Do they affect your movement?"
Mashima first asked about Katsuragi's condition with concern, which made Katsuragi feel somewhat uneasy.
Usually, when someone starts by comforting, it means that what they are about to say will be difficult for Katsuragi to accept.
"I'm fine, it's just..."
He was about to say that he had been attacked, but he couldn't prove who attacked him at the moment, which made Katsuragi hesitate whether to bring up the matter now.
"What? Is something bothering you?"
Mashima's concerned gaze touched Katsuragi.
"I'm fine. You're still here to talk to me so late, is there something you need to tell me?"
Katsuragi naturally knew that Mashima couldn't have called him over just for pleasantries. After all, such a major incident happened to Class A today, and Katsuragi himself wouldn't believe it if no one was held responsible.
"I called you here to inform you, Katsuragi, that Class A's special exam ends here. Due to Class A's mismanagement leading to a fire that caused extremely severe losses, it has been decided to deduct all of Class A's exam class points, but your base points will be retained. All Class A members must leave the island and return to the cruise ship by 8 AM tomorrow."
Katsuragi had anticipated Mashima's judgment, but he didn't expect the punishment to be so severe.
"Mashima! This punishment is a bit too much. Moreover, this fire was definitely not caused by a mistake by Class A. It was clearly arson! And even I..."
Mashima nodded.
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