Chapter 054 VS Tsukishiro and Shiba ! / The Uninhabited Island Exam Concludes
Due to the remedial measures taken for the rain on the seventh day, all task check-in points on the final day of the special exam had their scores doubled.
Consequently, Shimizu Akira ran into several groups of students on his way to the nearest check-in point. Everyone was in a hurry, clearly wanting to seize the final day to rake in as many points as possible.
The current top three rankings for the Uninhabited Island Special Exam were as follows:
First Place: 3rd Year Nagumo Miyabi Group – 288 points Second Place: 2nd Year Koenji Rokusuke Group – 278 points Third Place: 2nd Year Sakayanagi Arisu Group – 215 points
The Sakayanagi Arisu group remained in third, unchanged, but the gap between them and the top two had widened further. It seemed there was no longer any hope for them to push for a higher rank. The title of first place would be decided solely between Nagumo Miyabi and Koenji Rokusuke. Currently, Nagumo Miyabi held a slim ten-point lead. However, since the exam wasn't over, the outcome was still uncertain.
As for the bottom ten, it roughly consisted of five groups from the 1st year, three from the 3rd year, and two from the 2nd year. The 1st years had taken some advantage of the four-person group limit in the early days, but once the team restrictions were lifted, their inherent weakness in overall composite strength was fully exposed, causing them to lose their edge.
While the 3rd years had the advantage of age and experience, Nagumo Miyabi had mobilized twenty to thirty people specifically to win first place for himself while simultaneously interfering with Koenji Rokusuke, which caused many other 3rd-year groups to fall behind in the rankings.
The 2nd years, performing steadily, fared surprisingly well. Their two lowest groups didn't fall into the bottom five but were ranked 8th and 9th, temporarily safe from expulsion.
The absolute last place was the Yagami Takuya group with only 10 points. They were at zero yesterday; it seemed the remaining five members had begun a frantic check-in. With today's doubled scores, they managed to go from 5 points to 10. However, the groups from 2nd-to-last to 10th-to-last had also gained a dozen points. Compared to the 52 points of the 2nd-to-last group, the gap for Yagami Takuya's group remained massive.
"Those people teamed up with Yagami Takuya really have terrible luck."
That guy only participated in tasks for the first four days. After attacking Ike Kanji's group on the fifth day, he hid in the forest, acting as dead weight and causing his classmates to worry about his safety. Furthermore, he wasted points checking his and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's GPS positions; yesterday, he spent the entire day dumping points into GPS searches. He was beyond help.
Yagami Takuya likely didn't have one million private points on hand, so by school procedure, his expulsion was basically confirmed. Of course, one couldn't rule out Acting Chairman Tsukishiro transferring a million points into his account to save him.
However, his injuries wouldn't heal overnight. Whether he was expelled or not, he would need to convalesce for at least two or three months. One thing was certain: he wouldn't be seen during the cruise ship vacation.
Just then, the walkie-talkie in Shimizu Akira's pocket crackled with static, followed by a voice.
"Good morning, Akira-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu's voice came through light and airy; she sounded in high spirits. "Today's intel is as follows: Yagami Takuya seems to have been given a beating and has withdrawn from the exam. He was injured quite badly."
Is this person doing a cameo as a daily news reporter?
Shimizu Akira stopped in his tracks and replied, "You're well-informed."
"After all, I am at the starting point. I saw Yagami Takuya's black-and-blue face with my own eyes," Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled. "As I thought, it was Akira-kun's doing?"
"It was me."
"Admitting it so readily? That's not like you."
"I have things to do, so I don't have much time to chat. So, Sakayanagi Arisu, let's talk next time..."
"Wait a moment."
"?"
"If I'm not mistaken, the 'urgent matter' Akira-kun mentioned wouldn't happen to be going to the starting point to find Mashima Tomonari-sensei?"
"...How did you guess?"
"Since Yagami Takuya failed, Acting Chairman Tsukishiro won't just sit and wait. My father is about to return, so he has no choice but to act today. If it were me, my first reaction would be to seek help from a reliable teacher. And Mashima Tomonari is the most trustworthy among the four 2nd-year homeroom teachers. Most importantly, on the first day on the ship, you proactively spoke to him.
But unfortunately, Mashima Tomonari isn't at the starting point today. He has already headed back early with the other teachers responsible for the tasks."
"Then do you know where he went?"
"I don't. But rest assured, I already asked him to keep an eye on Tsukishiro and Shiba today, so you needn't worry too much. Oh, by the way, a small boat fully fueled was added to the luxury
cruise's docking area this morning. I took a brief look at the crew—I didn't recognize a single one of them."
"You mean... it's Tsukishiro's doing?"
"Most likely. It should be related to the final day's operation. Also, five minutes ago, Tsukishiro and Shiba came down from the cruise ship and even greeted me. So, you and Ayanokouji-kun should be extra careful today."
Shimizu Akira breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Sakayanagi. Hearing you say that makes me feel a lot more at ease. I owe you one this time."
"Including the time you asked for my father's phone number, this should be the second time, right?"
"That time doesn't count; I said I'd provide compensation. Have you thought of a request for this time?"
"Not yet. However, I won't make a request at a time like this. Please just get through this exam safely, Akira-kun. Otherwise, everything else is moot."
Shimizu Akira inexplicably felt like Sakayanagi Arisu was raising a "death flag." But since she hadn't actually made a request, he figured it didn't count.
At 9:00 AM, the second check-in location was announced: I2.
To be honest, this location was quite far from where Shimizu Akira was; it was likely the result of a random assignment. He walked for about ten minutes and didn't run into anyone along the way.
"Akira!"
A familiar voice called out. He turned to see Ayanokouji Kiyotaka arriving.
"Your check-in location is I2 as well?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"Yes," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka nodded.
The two walked for another seven or eight minutes, finding that there was still no one on the path. Shimizu Akira picked up his walkie-talkie. "Horikita Suzune, where is your check-in location?"
"I'm at D4. Why?"
Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka looked at each other, both guessing the same thing. Tsukishiro must have tampered with the system behind the scenes to assign them both to this remote location. In reality, they were likely the only two assigned to this point, which was why the path was empty.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka thought for a moment. "I2 is near the beach. By the seaside, it's convenient for action in many ways. My current score is 130. What about your group?"
"We're at 176."
"Tsukishiro must have set a trap there. It might be a good choice to just head back now; we don't necessarily need this one point," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka analyzed rationally.
"Fair point." Shimizu Akira wasn't the type to go looking for trouble for no reason.
If they just went back, they could avoid the confrontation and wait until 5:00 PM to return to the ship. Why bother with Tsukishiro?
"You two children are indeed smart, but you really lack the drive of youth!"
Just then, Tsukishiro's voice came from behind them. They turned and saw Tsukishiro walking calmly out of the nearby woods.
"You've been tailing us the whole way?" Shimizu Akira was somewhat surprised.
"Indeed. I was worried you two would just run away. If you did, all the groundwork I spent so much time laying would have been for nothing," Tsukishiro agreed with a smile.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained expressionless, but he was internally shocked. Tsukishiro had followed him, and he hadn't sensed a thing.
"You don't need to be so tense." Tsukishiro spread his hands with a seemingly gentle smile. "How about we chat first?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't speak, but he quietly took half a step in front of Shimizu Akira. This subtle movement didn't escape Tsukishiro 's eyes.
"Good vigilance," he nodded approvingly. "But as I said, I just want to chat. If I really wanted to do something, I wouldn't have spoken up first."
"What do you want to talk about?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka asked.
Tsukishiro walked slowly in front of them with his hands behind his back.
"Shimizu-kun, regarding the matter of Yagami Takuya... didn't you go a bit too far?"
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow. "I actually held back quite a bit."
"I know," Tsukishiro nodded. "But that child is my subordinate, after all. Beating him like that makes me lose face."
"When did you ever have 'face'?" Shimizu Akira retorted. "Since the Class Poll exam last year, hasn't it been gone?"
Tsukishiro smiled. "Haha... in a sense, you are quite right." He turned to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. "Ayanokouji-kun, your father asked me to pass a message to you."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was expressionless. "What did he say?"
"He said... if you go back now, he can tell you who your real mother is and where she is. You haven't seen your birth mother since you were born, have you? Don't you want to see her once?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was silent for several seconds. "Are you finished?" he asked.
"I am."
"Then can we leave?"
Tsukishiro looked puzzled. "You won't go back to see? That is your biological mother."
"I have no family," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said. "I haven't had any since the moment I entered the White Room." He finished and looked at Shimizu Akira. "Let's go."
Shimizu Akira glanced at Tsukishiro and nodded. "Alright."
As the two were about to turn and leave, Tsukishiro blocked them again.
"You two disobedient children," he sighed.
"I didn't really want to threaten you, but at this point, it seems I have no choice. Amasawa Ichika, the traitor assassin of the White Room, was captured by Shiba last night. He originally intended to teach this mole a good lesson—after all, she helped you capture Yagami Takuya by using the White Room's GPS system. However, I stopped him."
"Are you using Amasawa Ichika to threaten us?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"You can interpret it that way. Amasawa Ichika has undoubtedly betrayed the White Room, so there's no point in her staying at this school. According to normal procedure, I should have her expelled and handed back to the White Room. As for how the White Room will deal with her... Ayanokouji should know that best.
But, if you two are willing to come to the beach with me and walk this path, I can use the privileges I currently hold to keep Amasawa Ichika in this school instead of handing her back. What do you think of this trade?"
Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka exchanged a look.
"It seems you had this calculated from the start," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said.
Tsukishiro stood there smiling, waiting for their answer.
"Where is Amasawa Ichika now?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"A safe place," Tsukishiro said. "At least for now. But I can't guarantee that if too much time passes."
Shimizu Akira frowned; no one likes the feeling of having their weakness held. "You said 'go to the beach'—what exactly do you want to do?"
"Nothing special," Tsukishiro said dismissively. "I just want you to walk with me and chat. Of course, it would be even better if you were willing to have a match with me and Shiba ."
"A match?" Shimizu Akira narrowed his eyes.
"I'm curious." Tsukishiro 's gaze swept between the two. "How strong can the 'Ultimate Weapon' of the White Room and the kouhai I've taken a liking to actually be?"
"If we refuse?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka asked.
"Then there's nothing I can do." Tsukishiro spread his hands. "Amasawa Ichika will have to be handled according to the rules. Assisting outsiders in capturing a White Room member is no light offense."
Silence. The atmosphere was deadlocked for several seconds.
Finally, Shimizu Akira couldn't help but speak up. "Tsukishiro , you went to all this trouble just to have a fight with us? To be honest, I'm having trouble understanding your true goal."
With Amasawa Ichika as leverage, Tsukishiro could have demanded many things: for Ayanokouji Kiyotaka or Shimizu Akira to voluntarily withdraw, for them to forfeit the exam, or for Shimizu Akira to admit he assaulted Yagami Takuya.
Instead, he didn't even mention those and shifted the focus back to combat. Tsukishiro shouldn't be a muscle-brained idiot like Housen Kazuomi.
"You seem to have misunderstood something." Tsukishiro smiled. "I am not a White Room employee myself; I am only acting because I received a request from Mr. Ayanokouji. I don't need to complete the task at any cost; I only need to do my best. Since I've delivered the message, is there a problem with me choosing to end this exam in a way I enjoy?"
This guy isn't from the White Room? For real?
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka whispered beside him, "Tsukishiro indeed isn't part of the White Room. I've heard rumors about him; he has his own agency and accepts most requests. His reputation is quite good. Ayanokouji Atsuomi likely hired him to take action."
A "handyman" agency? Is this guy a knock-off Sakata Gintoki?
Shimizu Akira's mouth twitched, unsure of what to say. After all this, the guy was just a contract worker.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka observed Shimizu Akira's expression and, seeing he was swayed, asked, "How can I be sure you're telling the truth?"
Tsukishiro opened his backpack, took out a contract, and handed it over.
"I've already signed the contract; take a look."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka took it and read it for a couple of minutes before nodding. "Akira, the contract is very clear. Amasawa Ichika's enrollment will be directly transferred to Advanced
Nurturing High School, and the White Room personnel guarantee they won't pursue her for further liability. It just needs Amasawa Ichika's own signature."
So those freshmen from the White Room didn't even have formal school registrations?
Shimizu Akira rubbed his temples and fell into thought. To be honest, his relationship with Amasawa Ichika was at most that of ordinary friends, nowhere near his friendship with Nanase Tsubasa. But Amasawa Ichika had betrayed the White Room for him, after all.
Thinking it over, he nodded. "Fine, I agree. Ayanokouji, what do you think?"
"I think it's fine." Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had promised from the start to help Amasawa Ichika stay at the school. This contract was practically perfect.
"Good! Then keep the contract safe and come with me." Tsukishiro finally laughed with satisfaction. "If you two lose to me and Shiba-sensei, I won't hesitate to take this contract back. So you must give it your all."
Having said that, he walked ahead alone, completely unconcerned that the two might run away. Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka stood there for a few seconds before following.
Ten minutes later, the three arrived at a stretch of beach. In the distance was the endless blue sea and sky. A man was standing there, appearing to have been waiting for a long time. It was Shiba , dressed in a tracksuit similar to Tsukishiro 's.
Tsukishiro walked up to Shiba . "We can begin."
Shiba nodded. Just as the two students thought they were about to move, Shiba pulled out a tablet and tapped it.
"Look at your tablets."
Shimizu Akira was startled. He pulled out his tablet and saw a brand-new task on the screen.
Task: Ring Fight Rules: Within a circle with a 5-meter radius, two participants will engage in physical combat against two school staff members. The first two to be pushed out of the circle lose. A weapon box is located in the center of the ring; the four participants may use weapons to fight. There is no time limit, and if one party is knocked to the ground, they are also considered disqualified. Limit: 2 people Reward: 1st Place - 20 points
"You specifically turned this into a task?"
"I am the Acting Chairman, after all. I designed this exam myself, and I want to follow the rules as much as possible. How about it? If you two win, since today is a double-score day, you'll get 40 points in one go."
Getting extra points was an unexpected bonus. The two students signed up via their tablets. Then, following Tsukishiro 's instruction, the four slowly stepped toward the edge of a circle drawn in white line.
The four took their positions on opposite sides. The circular area marked by the white line, with its five-meter radius, was neither too large nor too small. The sea breeze blew in, carrying fine grains of sand that swirled at the edge of the ring. The weapon box sat quietly on the sand in the center, its lid closed.
Tsukishiro stood opposite Shimizu Akira, leisurely stretching his wrists and neck, producing a series of small joint-cracking sounds. "Shimizu-kun, it seems we are opponents," he said with a smile. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."
Shimizu Akira didn't respond, silently observing the other's stance and weight distribution. Tsukishiro 's age was apparent, but the vitality in his eyes was definitely not that of an ordinary middle-aged man.
On the other side, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Shiba also took their places. Shiba remained expressionless, standing like a statue at the edge of the ring.
"Can we start?" Tsukishiro asked.
Shimizu Akira nodded.
"But—"
Before Tsukishiro finished his sentence, he moved. His start was without warning; one second he was standing there smiling, and the next he was in front of Shimizu Akira. His right hand formed a fist, striking toward Shimizu Akira's chest.
Shimizu Akira ducked to the side. The wind from the punch brushed past his collar, carrying a hot current of air. Before he could steady himself, Tsukishiro 's left hand followed—not a fist, but a clean, sharp palm strike aimed at the side of his neck.
Shimizu Akira raised his left arm to parry. A dull thud followed. A surge of immense force came from the arm.
'His strength is quite high. Does this old man really have some age on him?'
Shimizu Akira used the momentum to step back twice, creating distance. Tsukishiro didn't pursue, instead staying where he was and flexing his fingers.
"Good reflexes," he said approvingly. "But you can't win against me just by dodging."
Shimizu Akira shook his numbed arm and reset his stance. He glanced at the weapon box in the center, about three meters away. If he charged for it, given Tsukishiro 's speed, he would likely be intercepted halfway.
On the other side, the clash between Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Shiba was happening simultaneously. Unlike Tsukishiro , Shiba 's fighting style was extremely steady. He stayed nearly stationary, using his arms and legs to build a tight defense. No matter what angle Ayanokouji Kiyotaka attacked from, Shiba parried accurately.
A punch was parried. A kick was deflected. Even a feint followed by a directional shift was blocked by Shiba 's positioning. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka stepped back half a step, observing his opponent expressionlessly.
This man's defense had almost no flaws. It wasn't a defense based on reaction speed, but on anticipation; his eyes were constantly fixed on Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's shoulders and hips, using the smallest movements of these two areas to determine the direction and force of the attack in advance.
"What's wrong?" Shiba spoke for the first time. "Not attacking?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't answer, silently adjusting his breathing. Then, he suddenly accelerated, charging toward Shiba 's left. Shiba shifted his weight left and raised his right arm to parry...
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka tapped his toe on the sand, suddenly changing direction and darting to the right. Simultaneously, his right hand reached out toward the lid of the weapon box. Shiba 's reaction was lightning-fast; he kept pace almost the moment the direction changed. A leg swept across with a gust of wind, blocking Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's path.
If he kept charging, the leg would hit his waist squarely. If he didn't, the attack would be wasted. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka chose a third path. He didn't slow down but accelerated his dash. Before Shiba 's leg could connect, he leapt into the air, flipping over the leg at an almost impossible angle. His body traced an arc through the air, and his palm slammed steadily onto the weapon box.
With a clack, the lid popped open. But Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had no time to grab a weapon; Shiba 's next wave of attacks had already arrived. He could only roll with the momentum, flipping past the box and regaining distance.
However, in this round, he at least saw what was inside the box: a short rubber baton, a wooden sword (bokken), a wooden spear, a set of brass knuckles, and a roll of bandages.
On the other side of the circle, the battle between Shimizu Akira and Tsukishiro had entered a more intense phase. Shimizu Akira was no longer passively defending; he began to take the initiative. A probing jab, a leading straight, and a finishing hook—his combination punches were fluid.
Tsukishiro parried while retreating, the smile never leaving his face. "Not bad, not bad. Very impressive."
Shimizu Akira ignored the commentary, pressing forward with punch after punch. He had realized that Tsukishiro 's strength wasn't in head-on power, but in experience and timing. If given a chance to breathe, he could seize a flaw at any moment for a counter-kill. So, Shimizu Akira had to keep the pressure on.
Punches landed like raindrops on Tsukishiro 's defense, each carrying full power. Tsukishiro 's parries became more hurried, and his footwork began to look slightly disorganized. Shimizu
Akira saw an opening and launched a right hook around Tsukishiro 's defense, aimed straight at his ribs.
Tsukishiro 's eyes suddenly changed. It wasn't panic, but a look of "finally caught you." His left hand had been waiting there at some point, catching Shimizu Akira's fist.
"Hmm? Such strength?"
Tsukishiro had intended to catch it with one hand, but Shimizu Akira's strength was so great that he was forced to use both hands, and he even took a large step back. Immediately following, his right foot stepped between Shimizu Akira's legs, and his body lunged forward with his shoulder pressing against the other's chest—a standard starting position for a shoulder throw.
However, in the next second, Tsukishiro realized to his shock that he couldn't move him. Despite using judo techniques meant to redirect force, his own strength combined with Shimizu Akira's weight failed to move the boy even an inch.
Tsukishiro 's gaze shifted slightly. He bent his knees a little and exerted force again, but Shimizu Akira remained motionless. Shimizu Akira was planted firmly on the ground like a rooted tree.
Tsukishiro didn't force it, letting go and stepping back. "It seems I am old after all; I can't compete with you youngsters in terms of strength."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka suddenly accelerated toward Shiba 's right. Shiba instinctively moved right, raising his arm... but Ayanokouji Kiyotaka changed direction at the last moment. Instead of going left, he dove toward the ground, his legs sweeping toward Shiba 's supporting foot.
A leg sweep.
Shiba 's reaction was incredibly fast; he hopped off the ground with his left foot, avoiding the sweep. But Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's target wasn't the leg. Under the cover of the sweep, his right hand reached out and grabbed the edge of the weapon box. Shiba adjusted his center of gravity in the air and stomped toward Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's hand as he landed.
If Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't let go, his fingers would be crushed. He let go. But at the moment of release, his left hand scooped something out of the box... the short rubber baton.
Shiba 's foot landed on the empty box with a dull thud. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had already rolled and leapt up, spinning the baton once in his hand before gripping it firmly in his right.
"Got it," he said flatly.
Shiba glanced at the box he was stepping on, then at the baton in Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's hand, and nodded expressionlessly. "Good."
As soon as he spoke, he closed the distance. Facing an armed opponent while unarmed, he became more aggressive than before. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka swung the baton to meet him. The rubber baton swept toward Shiba 's waist with the sound of breaking wind.
Shiba neither dodged nor parried traditionally; he reached out with his left hand and grabbed the baton itself. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka flicked his wrist, causing the baton to rotate half a turn in Shiba 's palm; the end snapped up, striking toward the inside of Shiba 's wrist. If that landed, the wrist would be numb for at least half the day.
Shiba was forced to let go and retreat. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka seized the chance to press forward, the baton flying up and down in a fast, dense pattern. While the rubber material had limited lethality, the pain of being hit was enough to distract anyone.
Shiba was forced into a defensive stance, his arms constantly parrying the rain of attacks while his feet began to retreat.
One step. Two steps. Three steps...
His heel hit the boundary line of the circle. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka swung the baton horizontally, forcing Shiba to dodge to the side. This dodge opened up a half-step gap—enough for Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to charge at the weapon box again.
But he didn't charge at the box. He charged toward... Tsukishiro .
Shimizu Akira was engaged with Tsukishiro when he saw Ayanokouji Kiyotaka charging from the side, instantly understanding his intent. The two had no verbal communication, but their coordination was as seamless as if they had rehearsed a thousand times.
Shimizu Akira launched a heavy punch at Tsukishiro 's face, forcing him to parry with both hands. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka cut in from the side, the rubber baton sweeping toward the back of Tsukishiro 's knees...
Attacked from both front and back, Tsukishiro lowered his center of gravity, dodging Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's sweep while simultaneously kicking Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's shin. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka felt a sharp pain and his body wavered. Tsukishiro used this momentary opening to slip out of the pincer attack like a loach, retreating to the other side of the circle.
"Two against one? I was having enough trouble with just Shimizu-kun."
"You said it yourself—no rules."
"True."
As he spoke, he took off his jacket and tossed it onto the sand. Beneath the jacket was a tight-fitting athletic vest, revealing lean muscle lines. Unlike most middle-aged men, Tsukishiro had almost no excess fat.
"Shiba," he called out.
Shiba understood, walked to the weapon box, leaned over to pick up the wooden sword, and threw it to Tsukishiro . Tsukishiro caught the sword, weighed it in his hand, then gripped it with one hand, pointing the tip at the ground.
"If it's bare-handed, I'll eventually lose to Shimizu-kun. After all, I've never been able to break your defense. The power of your punches is too great; every parry is exhausting. At this point, I have to use a sword," he said. "Don't worry, the back of the blade is facing forward; I won't actually cut you."
Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka exchanged a look. Tsukishiro might be old, but his experience and tactics were as polished as if they were carved into his bones. He clearly knew how to use a sword.
"Switch," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said briefly, handing the rubber baton to Shimizu Akira while he himself ran to the weapon box. He grabbed the wooden spear. He weighed it; the shaft was lighter than he expected, with the balance point about one-third of the way from the front—an easy type to control.
He turned to face Shiba . Shiba took a weapon from the box—the brass knuckles—and leisurely put them on.
Shimizu Akira took the baton thrown by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and weighed it. Too light. This thing hurts when it hits, but the problem was... he didn't know how to use a short baton. Trying to use it to suppress Tsukishiro with a wooden sword was almost impossible. Moreover, the rubber was too elastic; every parry required extra energy to dampen the recoil. He needed a more suitable weapon.
His gaze swept the weapon box. There was one pair of brass knuckles left, and... No.
He suddenly realized something. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had the spear, Shiba had the knuckles, and Tsukishiro had the sword. The weapon box was empty. Wait, there was still a roll of bandages. But what kind of weapon is a bandage?
Shimizu Akira thought quickly while parrying Tsukishiro 's attacks.
"You're distracted."
Tsukishiro 's voice came from above. The wooden sword slashed down from the side at an awkward angle. Shimizu Akira reacted, instinctively swinging the baton to block—he actually managed a steady "empty-handed blade catch," sandwiching the sword between the baton and his palm.
"Your strength is truly immense, child... always using unexpected moves."
Tsukishiro immediately tried to pull the sword back. Because Shimizu Akira was holding the baton, the friction and resistance were increased. It took Tsukishiro some effort to slowly pull the blade out of his grasp.
Thump, thump, thump...
On the other side, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was parrying Shiba 's punches with the shaft of the wooden spear. Every impact vibrated through the spear. In such close combat, the spear was actually a liability—it was too long to swing freely. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka realized this and began to retreat, trying to create distance to utilize the spear's range advantage. But Shiba wouldn't give him the chance, sticking to him like glue and raining down punches relentlessly.
Shimizu Akira looked back. Although Tsukishiro couldn't break his defense, Shimizu Akira couldn't use the baton effectively either, and he had no advantage in a clash with a wooden sword. In that case, he had to change weapons.
He faced Tsukishiro again and threw the rubber baton onto the ground.
"You're...!" Tsukishiro said with some wariness. "Going to catch a wooden sword bare-handed?"
"Not bare-handed." Shimizu Akira flexed his fingers, his gaze landing on the bandages near the weapon box. "Ayanokouji...!"
He shouted. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who was being pushed to the edge of the circle by Shiba , heard the shout. He glanced at Shimizu Akira out of the corner of his eye and understood the intent instantly. He lunged forward with a sudden spear thrust, forcing Shiba back half a step, then used the momentum to turn and kick the weapon box.
The box slid across the sand, carrying the bandages with it, toward Shimizu Akira. Shiba realized and tried to intercept, but Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was already blocking him again, the spear held horizontally between them with the tip pressing against Shiba 's chest.
"Your opponent is me," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said.
The weapon box slid to Shimizu Akira's feet. He leaned over and picked up the bandages.
Tsukishiro chuckled. "Bandages?"
Shimizu Akira didn't answer. He quickly wrapped the bandages around his hands several times, tightened them, and then pulled hard. The bandages made a sharp snap.
"Does this count as a weapon?" Shimizu Akira asked.
Tsukishiro thought for a moment. "It was just something I put in to make up the numbers."
"Is that so?"
As Shimizu Akira spoke, he took the initiative and charged. Tsukishiro swung the sword down. This time, Shimizu Akira didn't use the bandages to parry—they couldn't stop the force of the wooden sword. His target was Tsukishiro 's wrist.
At the moment the sword slashed down, Shimizu Akira dodged to the side while reaching out with his right hand, flicking one end of the bandages toward Tsukishiro 's sword-hand. Tsukishiro flicked his wrist, the wooden sword drawing an arc in the air; the end of the hilt accurately struck the bandages, knocking them away.
"Good idea," Tsukishiro praised. "But too obvious."
Shimizu Akira wasn't discouraged. He pulled the bandages back and closed in again. This time, his target was Tsukishiro 's feet. The bandages slid across the ground like a snake, winding toward Tsukishiro 's ankles. Tsukishiro stepped back to avoid it; Shimizu Akira used the chance to press forward, throwing a left punch at Tsukishiro 's abdomen.
Tsukishiro parried the punch with the hilt of the sword, but he didn't realize Shimizu Akira's true target was the sword itself. At some point, the bandages had looped around to the other side of the wooden sword, wrapping once around the hilt.
Shimizu Akira pulled sharply. Tsukishiro felt the pull on the hilt and instinctively gripped it tighter. But Shimizu Akira's goal wasn't to take the sword; it was to restrict his movement. The moment Tsukishiro tightened his grip, Shimizu Akira pressed in close, his left shoulder against Tsukishiro 's chest, his right hand forming a fist with the bandages wrapped tight over his knuckles.
The force of this punch was heavier than any before it. The bandages not only protected his fingers but also concentrated the impact of the fist even more intensely onto the target.
Tsukishiro's body bent slightly. This time, he finally failed to block the opponent's fist with both arms.
In that instant, he felt as if his chest had been hit head-on by a five-hundred-kilogram iron fist; a wave of intense, dull pain immediately erupted from his soft abdomen. It wasn't just pain, but the kind of impact that explodes from deep within the thoracic cavity, making one instantly speechless.
His ribs voiced a faint protest; he couldn't tell if it was a fracture or a break, but that dull pain was enough to make any ordinary person kneel directly on the ground.
'This kid used this same move when he faced Albert Yamada last time, didn't he!'
But Tsukishiro was no ordinary person. His knees only buckled slightly before he forced himself to stay upright.
Shimizu Akira did not stop. Taking advantage of the rhythm Tsukishiro lost from that punch, he threw another punch at the same spot.
How could Tsukishiro dare to take it head-on again? He sidestepped to dodge, the wooden sword sweeping up from below, trying to force Shimizu Akira back.
But Shimizu Akira did not retreat.
He took the hit from the sword squarely on his left arm—it didn't hurt him anyway—while his right hand had already seized Tsukishiro's sword-wielding wrist.
The bandage wrapped around. One loop, two loops, three loops.
Tsukishiro's wrist and the sword hilt were tied tightly together by the bandage.
"This..." Tsukishiro was stunned.
Shimizu Akira pulled the bandage hard; Tsukishiro's wrist was pulled to one side, and the angle of the wooden sword followed.
Then, Shimizu Akira's final punch arrived.
This punch had no technique; it was the most direct, purest straight punch, just like the one he had practiced thousands and tens of thousands of times in the boxing club.
The fist, carrying the bandages, smashed into the inner side of Tsukishiro's wrist.
"..."
Another strike that was completely undefended!
Tsukishiro squeezed a muffled cough from deep in his throat, feeling as if his wrist had been struck head-on by a sledgehammer. A burst of intense pain exploded from his carpal bones, spreading all the way up his forearm to his elbow; his entire arm lost sensation in that instant.
It wasn't shattered.
Judging by his experience, it should be a bone fracture, but the pain was hardly different from being shattered. The wooden sword held in his right hand fell onto the sand involuntarily with a dull thud.
"...Good punch." Tsukishiro gritted his teeth, his voice trembling slightly. "That punch... how long did you practice it?"
"I've been practicing since the start of school. Do the math yourself!"
With one hand incapacitated, Tsukishiro refused to sit and wait for death. He quickly used his left hand to reset his stance.
It was another left hook. This punch came from a tricky angle, circling beneath Shimizu Akira's defense and heading straight for his ribs.
Shimizu Akira blocked with his arm. At the moment Tsukishiro exerted force, Akira abruptly changed direction, cutting in from above and driving an elbow strike straight toward Tsukishiro's abdomen.
Tsukishiro was startled. For a moment, he failed to react; the opponent had previously used only boxing techniques. However, relying on his experience, he immediately used his remaining left hand to guard his front.
The next second, violent pain exploded from his left arm. Tsukishiro felt his entire arm, from wrist to shoulder, instantly lose sensation. His body instinctively retreated two steps, his left hand hanging limply by his side, fingers trembling uncontrollably.
From the moment the opponent obtained the bandages and planned the brawl, barely a minute had passed, and both of his arms were now useless.
"Do you still want to fight? Just admit defeat. Your moves, techniques, and reaction time are indeed much stronger than mine. But you can't break my defense, and you can't withstand a single one of my punches. Therefore, you couldn't win against me from the start."
To be honest, Shimizu Akira was quite surprised by Tsukishiro's combat ability. The man had taken three of his punches head-on; his two arms and ribs should have been ruined long ago. If this had been Takuya Yagami, he probably would have been lying on the ground after the first punch.
"Yeah, you have a point. But I still want to keep fighting you."
"With what?"
"With my feet."
As Tsukishiro spoke, his right foot had already kicked off the ground, sending a sharp front kick straight toward Shimizu Akira's abdomen. Shimizu Akira sidestepped to avoid it. Tsukishiro's foot changed direction in mid-air, shifting from a kick to a sweep, whistling through the air toward Akira's calf. This kick's power was not at all lighter than a fist.
However, this time, Shimizu Akira simply took the hit head-on. He didn't retreat; instead, he seized the opportunity to grab Tsukishiro's ankle and exerted sudden force, throwing him directly out of the circle.
"And now?"
Shimizu Akira stood inside the circle, still clutching Tsukishiro's ankle. Tsukishiro fell onto the sand outside the circle, his back hitting first, kicking up a cloud of dust. He lay there, looking up at the sky, silent for several seconds.
Both of his arms hung powerlessly at his sides, sprawled on the ground, his right ankle still held by Shimizu Akira—his entire person presented in a pathetic posture. It looked as if Shimizu Akira were bullying an old man.
Tsukishiro felt completely defeated. In the initial probing phase, they could barely hold a fifty-fifty split. But once the opponent adapted to his rhythm, it became impossible to fight.
How could he fight this? His own full-power kick felt like an itch to the opponent, whereas the opponent's three punches had directly made him spit blood.
As things stood, Tsukishiro could only admit helplessly: "I lost. To be honest, if you didn't only knew boxing and no other moves, I probably wouldn't have lasted even a minute."
On the other side of the circle, the battle between Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Shiba Katsunori also stopped. Both looked over at the same time.
Wood chips were stuck to Shiba's brass knuckles, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's wooden spear was covered in dents. Both men were drenched in sweat; neither had gained an advantage over the other.
"I lost to him." Tsukishiro stood up somewhat disheveled and shook his head. "Even though you can barely contend with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, you are absolutely no match for this Shimizu Akira... give up."
"But—"
"There are no more 'buts.' Look at the shore."
Shiba wanted to say something else, but instinctively looked toward the shore... Only to find that at some point, Mashima, accompanied by Chabashira Sae and Hoshinomiya Chie, was heading this way in a small boat. Meanwhile, the ship that he and Tsukishiro had prepared had completely vanished.
-
-
-
As Koenji Rokusuke stepped out of his tent, eighteen people had already formed a semi-circle, blocking him in tightly. Kiriyama stood at the front.
"Good morning, Koenji. Today is the final day."
Koenji stretched, completely indifferent to the gazes surrounding him. "You people really are here rain or shine. After all these days, coming to watch me sleep on time every morning—you wouldn't happen to have any improper thoughts about me, would you?"
Mitsuiya gritted his teeth. "Youuu, your mouth is tougher than anyone's."
Koenji slowly adjusted his collar, his gaze sweeping across the group. Over the consecutive days of being blocked, his actions had indeed been restricted significantly. His participation in tasks had plummeted, and designated spots were often occupied in advance. During yesterday's settlement, the point gap between him and the Nagumo group had widened to 10 points.
But no anxiety could be seen on his face.
"Today is a double-points day." Koenji smiled. "A 10-point gap becomes 20 points after doubling. President Nagumo should be celebrating already, shouldn't he?"
Chiba Kiriyama signaled the people behind him to block the path even tighter. "Sorry, Koenji. You're not going anywhere for the whole day today."
Koenji shrugged and wasn't in a hurry. He just leaned against his tent, looking up at the gradually brightening sky.
Time passed minute by minute. Seven o'clock, eight o'clock, nine o'clock. Tasks began one after another, and the scores for designated spots were constantly ticking up. Kiriyama
checked his tablet from time to time, confirming that the gap between the Nagumo group and Koenji was steadily widening. Everything was going according to plan.
Until...
"Vice President!" a third-year student suddenly shouted in a lowered voice. "Over there... someone is coming."
Kiriyama turned to look. In the morning light, over a dozen figures crossed through the woods, walking toward them. Walking at the very front was none other than Suzune Horikita.
Kiriyama squinted. "Horikita?"
He quickly recognized the others: Akito Miyake, Teruhiko Yukimura, Maya Sato, Wang Mei-Yu, Ryotaro Hondo, Minami Setsuya, and others. Everyone who came was from 2nd-year Class B.
"Excuse me, Vice President Kiriyama." Suzune Horikita stopped a few steps away. "We are looking for Koenji-kun."
Hearing the voices, Koenji poked his head out from beside the tent. Seeing the newcomers, he froze for a rare moment, then started laughing.
"My, my, these are rare guests indeed. Horikita-girl, and Miyake-boy and Yukimura-boy... are you here to see me make a fool of myself?"
"Who would come to see you make a fool of yourself?" Yukimura crossed his arms, his expression somewhat unnatural. "We are here to help you."
Koenji Rokusuke asked back, "Help me? Yukimura-boy really knows how to joke! On the cruise ship last time, weren't you the one who couldn't stand me the most?"
"Yeah! Though I'm not satisfied with your personality, you are a member of our group after all." Yukimura lightly adjusted his glasses and continued: "We are a collective. You've worked so hard to participate in the tasks—isn't it to get first place? As your classmates, there's no way we could just remain indifferent and watch you be targeted like this!"
Koenji didn't speak. He moved his gaze from Yukimura and swept over the others standing in the back row. For once, all the students at the scene were looking at him with eyes full of trust and support.
Koenji fell silent for a rare moment.
Horikita Suzune took a few more steps forward. "Vice President Kiriyama, I know this is a strategy arranged by President Nagumo, and there is nothing wrong with it according to the rules. But today is the final day. Koenji-kun has participated in the exam alone since the first day. To be able to reach this point... I feel he should at least be given a chance for fair competition."
"Horikita, do you mean you're going to help him?"
"Yes."
Not just Suzune Horikita—this time, everyone from 2nd-year Class B nodded.
Kiriyama looked at this group of second-year students and remained silent for a few seconds. "You should be clear that doing this brings you no benefit. President Nagumo won't let this go easily."
"I know." Horikita did not back down. "But some things are more important than benefits."
Kiriyama's gaze darkened. He was about to speak when he was interrupted by a commotion behind him.
"Vice President! Koenji ran away!"
He snapped his head around and saw that Koenji Rokusuke had already walked over ten meters away, leisurely strolling toward the east. Meanwhile, Mikiya, who was supposed to block him, was currently being held in place on both sides by Akito Miyake and Ryotaro Hondo.
"Sorry, Senpai." Akito Miyake held out his arm expressionlessly, seemingly casually blocking Mitsuiya. "We happen to be walking in this direction too. You don't mind going together, do you?"
"You guys...!" Mitsuiya tried to circle around, but Ryotaro Hondo immediately filled the gap.
"Get out of the way!" Mitsuiya grew anxious.
"Don't be so angry, Senpai." Hondo smiled. "The road isn't owned by your family."
At the same time, Maya Sato and a few others moved unobtrusively between several other third-year students, chatting with smiles about exam topics. Constrained by social etiquette, the third-years couldn't easily push them away.
"Yamada-senpai, how many tasks did you participate in today?"
"Huh? I... well..."
"Oh, right, right, I heard something happened over at the free group? What exactly is going on?"
With just a few sentences, the attention of several third-year students was mostly distracted.
Kiriyama's expression changed slightly. He was about to personally give chase when he found someone standing before him. The sister of the senpai he respected most, Horikita Manabu—Suzune Horikita—was blocking his path.
"Vice President Kiriyama."
"Horikita." Kiriyama narrowed his eyes. "Are you really going to block me? The fact that you were able to join the student council smoothly back then was my doing."
"It's not blocking." Suzune shook her head. "I just want to ask you a question."
"What question?"
"Do you think a victory obtained by using a numerical advantage to block one person has any meaning?"
Kiriyama did not answer. Suzune had no intention of waiting for his answer and continued. "The meaning of an exam should be fair competition, right? We all admit President Nagumo is strong. But if he doesn't even have the courage for a fair-and-square showdown, then what is the difference between him and admitting defeat directly?"
Kiriyama frowned slightly. "I don't quite understand what you mean..."
"No, you do understand." Suzune interrupted him. "My brother would absolutely never do such a thing. Having stayed by his side for so long, you should know that better than anyone."
These words were like a thorn, accurately piercing a certain spot. Kiriyama fell silent for another three seconds.
Three seconds were enough.
By the time he looked up again, Koenji Rokusuke's figure had already vanished into the depths of the forest.
"...We've been played." Kiriyama said in a low voice, his tone unreadable—neither angry nor helpless.
He looked back at the Class B students behind him. They had scattered in twos and threes, seemingly resting on their own, but in reality, they were perfectly blocking all paths leading to the east. Everyone acted very naturally. There was no shoving, no conflict, and not even anyone speaking loudly. But you simply couldn't get through.
"Vice President, should we force our way—" Mitsuiya finally broke free and asked, panting.
Kiriyama shook his head. "Forget it."
"..."
Kiriyama looked at his tablet and sighed helplessly. "Koenji's GPS is gone. That guy probably destroyed his watch directly. It will be hard for us to catch up to him again."
He put away his tablet and turned to walk in the opposite direction. "Withdraw."
"What? We're just letting him go like this?"
"Vice President, aren't you giving up too early!"
"Wait, without the GPS, it really will be hard to find Koenji!"
"We can't catch him anymore. And..." He stopped his pace and looked back at that group of Class B students. Over a dozen people—not one showed hostility, but not one yielded a single step.
"And, today is the final day." Kiriyama withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward. "The point gap is a full 30 points. Even if Koenji escaped, he won't necessarily catch up. Let's hurry and assist Nagumo in getting more points."
Mitsuiya ultimately said nothing and followed. The third-year students left one after another.
Deep in the forest, Koenji Rokusuke moved swiftly along familiar paths. Behind him, those annoying footsteps were gone; ahead of him was a high-value task. He pulled out his tablet and glanced at the score.
"Thirty points short... well then, today, I'll be a little more serious."
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