Time rewinds to the afternoon of the second day of the uninhabited island exam.
Class B's camp was situated on a riverbank nestled in the lee of the island, where several dark blue tents stood in orderly formation. Nearby, supply boxes—clearly purchased with private points—were stacked up, containing folding tables and chairs, portable stoves, and reserve drinking water. Unlike Class A's almost primitive, entirely handmade encampment, Class B's setup leaned toward pragmatism: exchanging points for modern conveniences to steadily endure the week.
At the center of the camp, Ryuuen Kakeru sat cross-legged atop a flat rock, with Yamada Albert standing behind him like a silent guardian. His gaze swept over his classmates as they busied themselves organizing supplies, yet his expression remained far from relaxed.
He had once entertained a far more radical plan: exhaust all 300 private points to purchase enough comfort items for the class, have everyone withdraw from the exam early, and remain on the island alone to carry out his scheme. Everything would then hinge on the "leader guessing" segment on the final day. Guess one correctly—a net gain of 50 points. Guess two—100 points. On top of that, he could deduct points from other classes. High risk, high reward.
But the thought lingered only briefly before he dismissed it. The risk was too great.
Class C, led by that woman Ichinose Honami, was breathing down Class B's neck in class points. If he guessed wrong, not only would he fail to earn points, but deductions might even allow Class C to overtake them. That outcome was absolutely unacceptable to Ryuuen.
"Tsk. If it's stability, then fine—stability it is," he muttered to himself, sealing the decision. Spending some points to ensure basic survival, taking steady steps, and safeguarding the class ranking was the most rational choice at this stage. Defeating Class A would require more precise strikes—not a blind gamble.
Just then, a light figure approached through the camp and stopped before him. It was Shiina Hiyori. She bowed slightly and spoke softly, "Ryuuen-kun."
He lifted his chin. "Report. What's the situation with Class A?"
In her calm, measured tone, Shiina Hiyori relayed what she had observed at Class A's camp that morning: a shantytown with functionally divided zones, purely handmade pottery bowls, readily available hot water, and especially the lunch prepared by Sakamoto-kun—seasonings so refined they might as well have been homemade. Ryuuen listened in silence, his fingers drumming absently against his knee.
Even through her retelling, he could clearly sense the kind of survival advantage that man had created—a dimension‑reducing attack.
"Hmph... wanting to do everything perfectly, huh? That's really his style." Ryuuen sneered, though his eyes grew sharper. This only reinforced one of his conjectures.
Shiina Hiyori soon excused herself and returned to the girls' area. That morning, relying on intuition and observation, Ryuuen had scouted several suspected stronghold locations—only to find every single one already claimed, the cold metal stake screens displaying the same message: "Occupying Class: Class A." Without exception.
Waiting for the rabbit...
A plan began forming in his mind. Class A's efficiency in occupying strongholds was too high, and their coverage too wide. That monster Sakamoto-kun had to be orchestrating it from behind, mastering the island's terrain in some inhuman way. But the leader couldn't be Sakamoto himself—Ryuuen was almost certain of that.
According to Shiina Hiyori's report, Sakamoto had spent most of the morning at Class A's camp, busy with construction and guidance. Yet the strongholds Ryuuen had discovered were occupied precisely during that same time. Sakamoto couldn't be in two places at once. Therefore, Class A's leader must be someone else holding a key card: Katsuragi Kohei, Totsuka Yahiko, or some other inconspicuous but trusted student.
If they could find a stronghold Class A hadn't yet occupied and lie in ambush nearby, there was a good chance they'd intercept a Class A team coming to claim it—and confirm the leader's identity.
Simple, direct, and effective. That was Ryuuen's plan.
—Time slipped to the early morning of the third day.
Ryuuen Kakeru, accompanied by Ishizaki Daichi and Yamada Albert, ventured deep into the jungle, searching for that elusive unoccupied stronghold. Reality, however, was merciless. Class A's sweep appeared utterly thorough. They scoured for nearly three hours, crossing more than half the island—only to find every stronghold already bearing Class A's mark.
"Ryuuen-kun... how are we supposed to find anything? Those Class A bastards have occupied everything!" Ishizaki wiped sweat from his brow, irritation creeping into his voice. Even Albert, usually stoic, showed a flicker of helplessness.
Ryuuen's expression darkened. He was just about to abandon the waiting game and consider other options when Ishizaki, scouting ahead, suddenly lowered his voice and called back excitedly:
"Ryuuen-kun! Ahead... there's something ahead!"
Ryuuen's eyes narrowed, and he quickly signaled Albert to follow. The three of them crept forward stealthily, concealing themselves behind a dense thicket.
In a clearing ahead, a familiar figure stood quietly—tall, pushing up his glasses, the lenses catching fragmented sunlight filtering through the leaves. It was Sakamoto. He seemed to be waiting for something, his gaze calmly fixed in a certain direction, utterly still.
"Sakamoto?" Ryuuen's mind stirred, but he didn't reveal himself. Instead, he carefully studied the surroundings. Soon, he noticed it: a thriving cornfield cleverly hidden behind the bushes.
A cornfield... a resource point?
Understanding dawned. His thoughts raced: Sakamoto was waiting here alone? For whom? Perhaps for Class A's true leader to bring a team and harvest this unexpected bounty together?
This was a golden opportunity.
Ryuuen suppressed his excitement and decided to remain hidden, observing. He wanted to see just who this esteemed person was that Sakamoto would personally wait for.
But the next arrival defied all expectations.
It wasn't someone from Class A—it was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune from Class D.
Ryuuen watched as Sakamoto conversed with the two Class D students, saw Horikita point out the marker, and observed Sakamoto frankly acknowledge Class D's prior claim before preparing to leave. In that instant, he realized his miscalculation: Sakamoto hadn't been waiting for Class A's leader at all—he'd been waiting for these two from Class D.
As for why? Ryuuen had little interest in delving deeper.
But an opportunity to stir trouble had presented itself. If he couldn't wait for the rabbit, then he would muddy the waters. Creating chaos, probing reactions, observing how Sakamoto and Class D responded—that itself was valuable intelligence.
So, just as Horikita prepared to return to camp for reinforcements, Ryuuen, flanked by Ishizaki and Albert, made a swaggering entrance. He arrogantly claimed ownership, ignored the marker, and ordered the resources seized, successfully provoking Horikita's anger and Ayanokoji's pragmatic scramble to harvest.
And though Sakamoto's intervention resolved the conflict in that cool-headed, speechless way of his, Ryuuen's objectives had been met. He witnessed Class D's reaction under pressure. He glimpsed Sakamoto's attitude toward them. More importantly, he had successfully played the role of an expected "bully"—which would help his planted agents in Class D integrate further and earn trust.
As for the corn itself? That was merely a bonus—a convenient prize.
— Carrying their stolen harvest, Ryuuen and his two subordinates quickly returned to Class B's camp.
Once back, Ryuuen immediately gathered his core circle, including Shiina Hiyori, who had just returned. He swiftly laid out the tasks ahead: strengthen camp defenses, continue regular exploration and food gathering—but suspend the search for strongholds. He also stressed vigilance, urging everyone to monitor the movements of other classes, especially Class A.
"Ryuuen-kun, what do we do now? All the strongholds are taken," Ishizaki asked.
Ryuuen's response was bold. "I'll go to Class A's camp myself."
Surprise flickered across his subordinates' faces.
"Ryuuen-kun, isn't that rather risky?" Shiina Hiyori gently cautioned.
Ryuuen sneered. "Risky? According to your description, Hiyori, Katsuragi may be vigilant, but Sakamoto doesn't seem to reject outside visitors. Besides, the more dangerous a place, the easier it often is to find a breakthrough."
He paused, then continued, "The waiting game isn't working. There are no empty strongholds left. Instead of wandering the jungle like headless chickens, I'll go straight to Class A's lair and see for myself."
His eyes gleamed. "I want to see their camp with my own eyes. And I want to see where Class A's true leader—the one hiding in Sakamoto's shadow—is lurking."
After arranging everything at camp, Ryuuen Kakeru departed alone, heading toward Class A's camp guided by Shiina Hiyori's description.
Walking straight into the lion's den—sometimes, that's the quickest way to glimpse the lion king's true face.