We have to admit, walking mountain paths is pretty tiring, and to get familiar with the route, students have to complete the entire eighteen kilometers.
"How long is this uphill going to last? I'm so tired."
Ishizaki grumbled as he led the way, but the fact that he still had the energy to complain meant he wasn't really struggling.
Two students in our class were already out of breath.
"You guys go on ahead. Koenji went into that small path behind us. I'll go get him."
Kamio Tatsuya and Koenji were at the very back, so Koenji's disappearance naturally caught Kamio Tatsuya's attention.
"Huh? He's really gone."
"What is that guy thinking? He's such a weirdo!"
Ishizaki vented his frustration with Koenji directly.
"Alright, save your strength." Kamio Tatsuya glanced at Ishizaki. "Ishizaki, you lead the group forward. Albert, give him some assistance. I'll be back in a moment."
After giving instructions, Kamio Tatsuya headed towards the small path where Koenji had disappeared.
When he arrived, Kamio Tatsuya understood why Koenji had vanished. There was a sign that read 'Wild Boar Sighting.'
This guy...
He wouldn't have gone looking for wild boars, would he?
Is this something a person would actually do?
Following the tracks, Kamio Tatsuya walked on, staying alert. If wild boars really showed up, it wouldn't be a laughing matter.
After walking about a hundred meters, Kamio Tatsuya saw Koenji facing off against a wild boar.
Was Koenji cornered by the wild boar?
No, it was the exact opposite; Koenji was blocking the wild boar.
People who are "max level" are just that exaggerated. At this moment, Kamio Tatsuya almost believed the story of Wu Song fighting the tiger was true.
"Isn't that Kamioboy? This doesn't seem to be the designated route."
"Since you know it's not the designated route, why are you here? Are you here to catch wild boars?" Kamio Tatsuya was speechless.
At the same time, he gained a new understanding of Koenji's abilities.
"Isn't that obvious?"
While Koenji was talking to Kamio Tatsuya, the wild boar suddenly charged at Koenji.
However, Koenji simply dodged it perfectly with a sidestep. It wasn't over yet; as the wild boar ran past him, Koenji kicked it square in the head.
But the wild boar didn't fall. Instead, it let out an angry roar.
Then, Koenji's relaxed expression tightened slightly.
"Kamioboy, I remember you're pretty fast, right?"
"What's wrong?"
Kamio Tatsuya was confused. Just then, he felt the ground tremble, and large dark shapes appeared in the distant forest.
Holy cow!
A herd of wild boars!
There must be at least... dozens.
Kamio Tatsuya didn't say a word and turned to run, while Koenji ran in another direction.
It seemed even a "max level" human couldn't handle a herd of wild boars.
Actually, Koenji didn't intend to run; he was just trying to draw the wild boars' attention. But perhaps because Kamio Tatsuya turned and fled immediately...
Some of the wild boars started chasing Kamio Tatsuya.
Then, Kamio Tatsuya thought about the students on the mountain path ahead. Although he was confident in his speed and could escape, it would be difficult for those students.
With that thought, Kamio Tatsuya sped up and caught up with the group.
Soon, he saw the group making their way forward at a rather slow pace.
"Run! The wild boars are coming!"
When Kamio Tatsuya shouted, Ishizaki and the others' first reaction wasn't to flee, but to freeze.
Wild boars?
What were they talking about?
But immediately after, their faces turned to terror because, not far behind Kamio Tatsuya, a vast army of wild boars was charging towards them.
"Whoa!"
With a wild cry, Ishizaki took off running, and the others, spurred on by Ishizaki, also ran up the mountain.
"Anyone who can climb trees, get up them immediately! If we keep going like this, we'll definitely be attacked by the wild boars!"
In the blink of an eye, Kamio Tatsuya had caught up with the group, and the boar troop was still hot on their heels.
As for Koenji, he had vanished long ago. However, thanks to his disappearance, there were only five wild boars left chasing Kamio Tatsuya.
But even five of them were too many for them to handle.
If it were just one, everyone working together could probably manage it, but with five, it was best to just run.
"There's a house up ahead. Let's hide in there."
Ishizaki, who was at the front, saw the house and immediately called out to everyone.
At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from the house. Seeing the situation, he quickly urged the students to take shelter inside.
Everyone's spirits lifted, and they ran towards the house. However, to their regret, some students fell behind. Two students from class A and one student from class B, too nervous, tripped and fell on the ground at a crucial moment.
We're doomed!
This was the thought running through everyone's minds. The faces of the students from class A showed sheer terror.
Facing the prey before them, the wild boars charged straight at them. Not only that, they even opened their mouths and began to bite at the students.
One student instinctively raised his hand to block, and as expected, his hand was bitten by a wild boar. Blood spurted from his forearm.
"Ah!"
The scream lasted only an instant before it abruptly stopped, as the attacked student had already fainted.
"Bang!"
Just then, a gunshot rang out from behind Kamio Tatsuya and the others. The middle-aged man inside the house emerged holding a hunting rifle.
A hunter?
Judging by the faint wisp of white smoke rising from the barrel, he was the one who had just fired.
The wild boars seemed startled by the gunshot. They lost interest in the two people on the ground and turned to flee back into the forest.
After the wild boars left, the person who appeared to be a hunter immediately went to check on the two students' injuries.
Fortunately, neither of them seemed to be in life-threatening danger at that moment.
Unfortunately, their injuries were not minor. Broken legs were the least of their worries; internal injuries were the real concern.
"Uncle, can I borrow your phone?"
"Here, I need to give them first aid."
"Thanks."
Kamio Tatsuya took the phone and immediately dialed Okabe, briefly explaining what had happened.
Before long, Okabe and the homeroom teacher of class A, Mashima Tomonari, arrived by car. Accompanying them were class B's homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya, and several medical personnel.
Their faces were grim.
They had never expected a wild boar riot, nor had they expected students to get injured because of it.
"What exactly happened? Wild boars shouldn't leave the forest and attack people at this time of year."
Kamio Tatsuya helplessly recounted the incident with Koenji.
"Expulsion! This kind of student must be expelled immediately!"
Okabe's voice trembled with anger.
Besides his concern for the students, it was also because his dream had almost been ruined by Koenji.
If Kamio Tatsuya had been seriously injured, his ambition for class C to be promoted to class A would likely have shattered instantly.
"I understand. I will report this to the higher-ups. A car will come to pick you up later. We'll go back for today."
Mashima Tomonari's expression was also grim.
Parents sent their children to school to learn, not to survive in the wilderness.
Although they had the means to suppress the incident if something happened, as an upright teacher, Mashima Tomonari felt it wouldn't be the right thing to do.
Soon, the car to pick up Kamio Tatsuya and the others arrived. On the way back to the dormitory, no one spoke, and the atmosphere in the car was heavy.
After all, someone had almost died right in front of them. At a time like this, as students, they couldn't possibly find it in themselves to laugh.
Before long, the car picked up the second group, the third group...
No one spoke until they returned to the dormitory, and it was Kamio Tatsuya who broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't stop Koenji."
"How can you blame yourself? It was that bastard Koenji who angered the wild boars, causing this..."
Ishizaki said this and then angrily kicked the leg of his bed.
"Besides, I was only focused on escaping back then. I didn't even notice what was happening to them."
The members of the group started chiming in, saying random things, either blaming Koenji or blaming themselves for not helping those who fell.
Seeing this, Kamio Tatsuya breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, they were just sixteen-year-old first-year high school students. Witnessing such a horrific scene unfold before them, if they weren't guided, who knew if they would be left with psychological issues later.
"I suddenly feel fortunate just to be alive."
Someone said this, and everyone in the dormitory froze.
"That's true. It's about time for dinner. Let's go."
Perhaps after venting, the mood of the group members temporarily recovered.
Meanwhile, after such an incident, the teachers had no appetite for food. They were currently gathered in a classroom discussing Koenji's problem.
"We've already questioned him, and it's true, as Kamio said, that Koenji angered the wild boars. He has admitted to this."
Chabashira Sae, the homeroom teacher of class 1-D, looked extremely displeased.
"Hmph. After doing something like this, there's no other outcome but expulsion."
"Although he engaged in dangerous behavior, strictly speaking, he didn't violate school rules. Is direct expulsion not a bit too harsh?"
"Even if he didn't violate school rules, his actions are beyond the scope of school rules, aren't they?"
"Exactly. Even if he didn't violate school rules, he caused serious consequences. Expulsion is too lenient. He should be held accountable and made to compensate the victims!"
"Did he say anything himself?"
"He said that doing something that implicated others was an ungraceful act, so he's willing to be expelled as atonement and willing to compensate the victims."
Chabashira sighed, looking troubled.
...
The discussion in the classroom continued, but most people felt that Koenji, who had caused this incident, should be expelled.
"Let's put Koenji's matter aside for now. What about this exam? Two students in the first-year group are seriously injured. While they are not in life-threatening condition, it's clear they can no longer continue the exam.
Furthermore, if we continue with the wilderness relay race, similar accidents might occur. What if more students get hurt..."
The teacher trailed off, but everyone understood what he meant.
"Perhaps we should cancel the wilderness relay race? Even for the students' safety, it shouldn't continue."
"But there's never been a precedent for anything like this before."
"Special circumstances require special treatment. Besides, after losing two students, the first-year group only has nine people left besides Koenji. Do you plan to make nine people run fifteen kilometers?"
"Exactly. And after witnessing such a brutal scene, their psychological state is likely to be affected as well."
After a long discussion, the teachers present stopped talking and looked at the members of the exam committee.
"What do you think, Hasegawa-sensei?"
The person named Hasegawa was a middle-aged man who looked about fifty. After a moment of silence, he gave his answer.
"Koenji Rokusuke of class 1-D will be expelled. We can notify his family now.
The exam content remains the same, the exam rules remain the same, and the exam will continue. The Kamio group in the first year will be counted as eleven people. If they fail, the person in charge will be expelled. That's all."
"Mr. Hasegawa, isn't that too harsh!"
Okabe immediately expressed his dissatisfaction with the judgment.
"Students may encounter various unexpected events after graduation. This is also an assessment of their ability to cope with unexpected events."
Hasegawa did not change his decision despite Okabe's displeasure. It could only be said that this school remained as heartless as ever.
"As for those two injured students, I've just received news that they are no longer in life-threatening danger, and their condition has stabilized.
As for compensation, medical expenses are a given. In addition, each person will be compensated with five million private points or a one-time exemption from expulsion later."
The teachers present remained silent, but they all knew that if they were expelled, those five million points would be useless.
As for waiving a one-time expulsion penalty, this was equivalent to offering no private compensation at all, because if this matter became known, it would become class resources.
"These points can be exchanged for cash at a one-to-one ratio upon graduation or expulsion."
Hearing this, Mashima Tomonari's expression remained grim. It was only five million, and his students had almost died.
"For this exam, they probably won't be able to participate anymore, right?"
"That's right, so they will still be treated as casualties," Hasegawa said coldly. "As I said, life is full of unexpected events."
Is this reasonable?
Of course, it's not reasonable.
Because even if you get injured at work after you graduate, it's considered a work-related injury. Not only do you get compensation, but you also get paid leave.
Of course, you wouldn't be fired during your recovery period.
However, this school is just that unreasonable and inhuman.
In fact, this wasn't the first time someone had been injured at this school. It was just that this time, the school had failed to take proper precautions, so the school had to bear some responsibility.
"I will report this to the chairman."
"Whatever you please."
Hasegawa left these words and then departed from the classroom, which was serving as a temporary meeting room.
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