Shortly after Arisu Sakayanagi left, the cruise ship's broadcast system sounded a notification.
Due to the multiple accidental injury incidents that occurred during the Uninhabited Island Special Exam, involving a large number of students, the school administration decided to adjust the subsequent teaching arrangements.
The second round of exams, which the school had originally prepared to conduct, was forced to be postponed indefinitely—essentially cancelled—because a vast number of students required further medical observation and physical and mental recovery.
Instead, the remaining days before the cruise ship arrived at the port were converted into a relatively relaxed period for free activities and psychological counseling.
The areas housing the infirmary and the psychological counselors remained busy throughout, and the broadcast frequently reminded students that they could seek help at any time if they felt any discomfort or emotional distress.
For most students, this sudden "vacation" did not bring much joy. The tension of the exam was no longer present on the deck, but it was replaced by the stifling gloom of survivors and a lingering haze.
Students from Class A and Class B mostly looked listless. When gathered together, they spoke in low voices about the weirdness of the exam and their own losses. Occasionally, suppressed curses directed at Class C's Subaru could be heard, but they were quickly stopped by companions. It seemed the name "Subaru" itself had already taken on a taboo color.
The Class C area was even more terrifyingly quiet. The injured students were being cared for centrally, while the others appeared at a loss. After losing the violent core that was Ryuen, the entire class seemed to have lost its direction and cohesion.
Meanwhile, the interior of the new Class C presented a peculiar sense of fragmentation.
Part of the group was still excited about the class promotion and the hard-won points that would follow. They enjoyed the entertainment facilities provided on the ship, trying to forget the unpleasantness—after all, at this moment, none of the facilities on the ship required points to use.
The other part was left unsettled by the anonymous rumors; their eyes dodged one another, and trust had dropped to freezing point. Even if they pretended not to care on the surface, cracks had already formed in their hearts.
Yosuke Hirata tried to organize a few small-scale heart-to-heart talks or group activities, but the results were minimal, and he himself appeared exhausted and lost. Suzune Horikita, on the other hand, spent more time alone, pondering Subaru's previous words, her brow rarely un-furrowed.
Kikyo Kushida continued to keep a low profile, spending most of her time in her cabin or in unpopulated corners. Her face wore its usual, slightly pale calm, but the gazes she occasionally cast toward Horikita, Hirata, or Subaru in the distance would leak a trace of icy hatred.
After the initial waves of anonymous messages caused violent tremors, the account seemed to have gone dormant for the time being. But everyone knew this was merely the interval in a storm.
Subaru became the most detached existence. He had no interest in the activities arranged on the ship, spending most of his time alone in his cabin or in secluded corners of the deck, staring blankly at the sea. His emotionless eyes reflected no scenery, only a void of waiting.
Yet, the eyes of those around him would uncontrollably fall upon him. Fear, doubt, and curiosity.
However, the other students would only watch him from a distance, not daring to approach. Everyone knew that the series of events that had occurred previously could not be unrelated to Subaru. But no matter who it was, no one could find any evidence linking him to it.
He was like a magnet, silently attracting various gazes of fear, curiosity, and resentment, yet isolating himself from everyone's emotions, purely playing the role of an observer.
A few days passed slowly in an atmosphere that was nearly stagnant.
Finally, on a morning when the sky was just brightening, the cruise ship sounded a long whistle, slowly sailing into Tokyo Bay and docking at the familiar port. The gangway was lowered, and the students, carrying complex emotions and dragging their luggage, filed off the ship.
Sunlight spilled onto everyone's faces, yet it could not dispel the heaviness or dazed looks between their brows. Ambulances were already waiting at the dock to take away the injured students who needed further treatment. The remaining students, led by their homeroom teachers, boarded the pre-arranged buses and returned to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.
The campus remained tidy and solemn, shaded by green trees, but after experiencing such a tragic and bizarre special exam, this school that flaunted elite education seemed to be cast in a shadow different from before in the eyes of the students.
There was no grand summary meeting, no lengthy lecture.
Sae Chabashira simply announced in the classroom: "Since the main special exam of this semester has ended, and many unexpected situations occurred, the school administration has decided after research that the semester ends early. Summer vacation begins immediately."
"I hope everyone uses the summer vacation to rest well and summarize your gains and losses. Pay special attention to your physical and mental health; the school's psychological counseling room will also be open regularly during the summer break, and students in need can make appointments. Personal points have been distributed according to the exam results and class rankings. When the new semester starts, there will be new class arrangements and special exam notifications."
Chabashira's gaze swept over everyone in the class, pausing on Subaru for a split second before quickly moving away. Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible fatigue.
Why did this exam turn out like this? Sae Chabashira didn't know either. Originally, it was just an exam, but it resulted in the biggest accident in the school's history. The few first-year teachers and exam staff were all held accountable.
But at least... they had successfully risen to Class C.
When Sae Chabashira thought of this, she felt somewhat happy deep inside. Regardless of the result, at least the class was moving forward. Of course, some potential unstable factors still existed.
"Remember, no matter what happened, you are now students of Class C. This means more resources, and it also implies... higher expectations and more severe challenges. Look out for yourselves."
After the dismissal was announced, the classroom was briefly quiet before a mix of discussions and the sound of packing belongings erupted.
After Sae Chabashira left, Kikyo Kushida was the first to leave the classroom. The joy of promotion had long been washed away; at this moment, there was mostly confusion about the long summer vacation and a faint worry about the uncertainty of the future.
"Summer vacation, huh... Finally, we can relax! Do you want to go somewhere together?"
"What is there to play? We should think about what to do next semester, right?" someone retorted in a low voice.
"That thing with Kushida... are we just letting it go?"
"The school isn't doing anything about it, so what can we do..."
The sound of discussions buzzed. Yosuke Hirata tried to say something to stabilize everyone's emotions, but his voice was quickly drowned out.
Suzune Horikita quickly packed her things, took a glance at Subaru—who sat motionless in his original seat as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with him—pursed her lips, and ultimately said nothing before leaving the classroom as well.
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, as usual, was preparing to slip away unnoticed into the crowd. But at this moment, he received a message.
[Teacher Chabashira]: Come to the counseling room after school.
Ayanokoji's expression did not change. He knew why Sae Chabashira was looking for him at this time. Soon, he headed to the counseling room. Sae Chabashira had been waiting there for a long time.
"Chabashira-sensei, is something the matter?"
An indescribable silence permeated the room, but this silence was somewhat heavy at the moment. Sae Chabashira didn't beat around the bush. She looked into Ayanokoji's eyes, which seemed forever devoid of ripples, and spoke directly:
"How much do you know about the Uninhabited Island Exam?"
Her tone wasn't as serious as usual; instead, it carried a trace of imperceptible tension and inquiry. As the homeroom teacher, she bore immense pressure from the school administration and had to provide an explanation and accounting for this major accident.
Even though Subaru's answers at the time had left several teachers and even the Chairman speechless, Sae Chabashira had still received orders to investigate this matter. She herself also wanted to know the truth.
And this Kiyotaka Ayanokoji before her was a hidden and elusive piece in her hand, as well as one of her biggest sources of doubt.
Ayanokoji blinked, his expression remaining unchanged. "What does Sensei refer to? The process of the exam? Or... those accidents?"
"All of it." Chabashira took a step forward, lowering her voice. "This time, the development of events went completely beyond control."
Chabashira's gaze became sharp. "Massive student injuries, nearly destructive strikes against other classes, eventually leading to an absolute advantage for Class D—now Class C. This method, this scale... it doesn't look like ordinary student competition. Even someone like Kakeru Ryuen completely collapsed."
She paused, staring tightly at Ayanokoji's face, not letting go of any subtle change in expression. "Is this related to you, Ayanokoji-kun? Or perhaps... do you know something?"
The air seemed to freeze. The light cast interlaced shadows on Ayanokoji's face, making his already plain expression appear even harder to interpret.
A few seconds later, Ayanokoji slowly shook his head, his voice as steady as a placid lake. "Chabashira-sensei, I am not clear about the events of this time."
He denied it decisively, but Sae Chabashira did not believe him immediately.
"Moreover, on my side, there was indeed no action. The exam succeeded without me needing to make a move. Sensei, you really made a loss coming to me for cooperation earlier," Ayanokoji said slowly.
"Then do you know what happened? What actions did Subaru take? Tell me everything."
"I don't know." Ayanokoji gave a negative answer without hesitation.
"You don't know?" she repeated, her tone carrying skepticism. "You were on the island at the time. With your observational skills, I don't believe you saw nothing and sensed nothing. Subaru's actions, those accidents that were coincidental to the point of being weird—you didn't have even the slightest guess?"
Ayanokoji fell silent for a moment, seeming to think about how to answer. Then, he raised his eyes, meeting Sae Chabashira's gaze calmly.
"Sensei, I indeed saw some of Subaru-kun's actions. He is... very special. His capacity for action is far beyond ordinary people, and his thought patterns are hard to fathom with common sense. But regarding how those 'accidents' specifically happened, and whether they are directly related to him, I do not have definite evidence. As for the movements and encounters of other classes, my range of activity was limited, so I cannot know everything."
His answer was watertight. He admitted Subaru's abnormality while clearing himself, and emphasized the lack of "evidence." This was exactly his consistent style—stating partial facts while hiding key information, always maintaining the position of a seemingly reasonable, harmless bystander.
Sae Chabashira frowned. She could feel a deliberate concealment in Ayanokoji's words. She couldn't see through this student at all. Just like Subaru.
"Then, what about Kikyo Kushida? The anonymous rumors?" She changed the angle. "You should have sensed the chaos within the class. This has no benefit for the stability of the class. What is your view?"
"The rumors indeed caused trouble," Ayanokoji replied. "As for the source... I have no clue. It could be Kikyo Kushida, or there might be external support. Just as you mentioned before, Sensei, in this school, many things can be done with points."
He deftly tossed the question back to Chabashira. Sae Chabashira felt a wave of powerlessness. Facing a student like Ayanokoji, who was impervious to everything and always maintained an attitude of "I don't know, I'm not clear," she felt as if she were talking to a smooth wall.
She held the so-called leverage, but in the face of such ambiguous and major events, that bit of threat seemed pale.
Moreover, the words Sae Chabashira had previously used to threaten Ayanokoji were a lie. Sae Chabashira had only realized Ayanokoji was a special student with a very special father when sorting through student profiles earlier. But as a homeroom teacher, she had no right to override the rules and expel a student.
All she could do now was use the fact that Ayanokoji didn't know this to facilitate the class promotion—because the other student, Subaru, was one she absolutely could not control.
That guy didn't look like a normal student no matter how you looked at him. Sae Chabashira couldn't even access his enrollment data. But undoubtedly, Subaru was that most unstable factor.
"Ayanokoji," her tone took on a trace of fatigue and warning. "I hope you understand. Although the class has risen to Class C, there are many internal hidden dangers, and externally... we have become a target of public criticism because of this exam. The road ahead will not be easy. I need to ensure the class can continue moving forward, rather than disintegrating internally or being crushed by external pressure. I don't wish to see you choose to 'do nothing' because of certain reasons, or... do something that exceeds my expectations. Otherwise—"
"For an adult homeroom teacher to actually threaten a student, oh my," Ayanokoji said expressionlessly.
"The world of adults is just this cruel." Sae Chabashira gave a helpless, bitter smile and shook her head.
Right now, for the sake of rising in class rank, she could pay any price. At least—she herself thought so.
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