The cold air from the air conditioner sweeping across their skin felt like a sinful luxury.
Inside the cabins of the cruise ship Speranza, the traces of suffering from the uninhabited island seemed to be erased in the blink of an eye. There was no more muddy ground, no more jungle mosquitoes, and no more hunger gnawing at their stomachs. All that remained were thick carpeted floors, the tantalizing aroma of buffet meals, and soft beds lulling their consciousness to sleep.
However, for Seiji Koroizumi, this instant comfort actually triggered his vigilance.
He sat on the edge of the bed in his new room—a room he shared with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Hirata Yosuke, and (surprisingly, by the luck of the draw) Sudou Ken. In his hand, a pistachio-flavored gelato cone he had just bought from the ship's cafeteria was slowly melting.
"Sweet," Seiji murmured, taking a lick of the ice cream. "But this sweetness... tastes like bait."
"You think too much, Koroizumi," commented Sudou, who had just stepped out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe, trying to look cool. His face was glowing, as if the trauma of last week's math exam had never happened. "We won! We're Class B now! We're above bald Katsuragi and crippled Sakayanagi. It's party time!"
Hirata, who was unpacking his belongings, smiled awkwardly. "Sudou-kun, please don't call Sakayanagi-san that. But... I agree we can relax a little. The school said the rest of this trip is pure vacation, right?"
"This school never gives anything 'purely', Hirata," Ayanokouji chimed in from the top bunk. His voice was flat, his eyes focused on his phone screen. "An email just came in."
Those words instantly froze the room.
Seiji reached into his pocket. His school-issued phone vibrated with a long, sustained pulse. It wasn't an ordinary message notification, but a system alert—the exact same vibration used for the monthly S-Point announcements.
[IMPORTANT NOTICE][To All First-Year Students][Please gather in the Main Hall (Main Deck, 2nd Floor) within 20 minutes. Wear your full school uniform. Attendance is mandatory. Absence will result in a deduction of private points.]
Seiji stared at the screen, then looked back at his half-eaten gelato.
"Nurufufufu..." a soft chuckle escaped his lips unconsciously. "It seems our break is over. The next lesson is about to begin."
.....................................................
The Main Hall of the Speranza was designed to resemble a classic opera house, complete with a giant crystal chandelier and tiered rows of red velvet seats. Hundreds of first-year students filled the room. Whispers, complaints, and speculations saturated the air.
"Why do we have to wear uniforms again?" "I was just about to go to the pool!" "Is there another exam? No way, right?"
Seiji walked in with the rest of Class 1-B (formerly C). He could feel the stares directed at him. Those gazes were different from a month ago. Back then, they looked at him as an odd or irrelevant student. Now, those stares were a mixture of respect, fear, and envy.
A perfect 500-point score. The island strategy. The "teacher" to the class outcasts. Seiji's reputation had spread far beyond the boundaries of his own class.
He sat in the middle row, flanked by Horikita Suzune and Karuizawa Kei.
"You look calm," Suzune whispered, her eyes staring straight ahead at the empty stage.
"Panic isn't going to change the exam questions, Horikita," Seiji answered casually. "Besides, I'm curious. After 'survival', what other kind of psychological torture has the school prepared to test our mental limits?"
The house lights dimmed. A single spotlight illuminated the center of the stage.
The four homeroom teachers walked out from behind the curtain.
Hoshinomiya Chie (Homeroom Teacher of Class A - Ichinose). Chabashira Sae (Homeroom Teacher of Class B - Horikita). Mashima Tomonari (Homeroom Teacher of Class C - Sakayanagi). Sakagami Kazuma (Homeroom Teacher of Class D - Ryuen).
The shift in their standing positions reflected the brutal new hierarchy. Chabashira stood tall with her chin held high in the second position, while Sakagami and Hoshinomiya looked slightly gloomier in the lower positions.
"Good afternoon, first-year students," Mashima's voice echoed through the speakers, heavy and serious. "I hope you enjoyed your brief rest."
"Brief?!" a quiet protest could be heard from the back rows (most likely Ike's group).
Mashima ignored it. "This ship will continue to sail for the next three days before returning to port. During that time, you will undergo the Second Special Exam: The Zodiac Exam."
A giant screen behind the stage lit up, displaying a complex diagram composed of Western astrological symbols.
Aries. Taurus. Gemini. Cancer. Leo. Virgo. Libra. Scorpio. Sagittarius. Capricorn. Aquarius. Pisces.
"Unlike the island exam, which tested physical endurance and class cooperation," Mashima continued, his eyes sweeping the room, "this exam will test your thinking skills, negotiation, and... deception."
"Deception?" Kei repeated softly, her hands gripping her skirt.
"The mechanics are as follows," Mashima clicked a remote.
[ZODIAC EXAM BASIC RULES]
Group Division: The entire first-year cohort (approximately 160 students) will be shuffled and divided into 12 Zodiac Groups.Composition: Each group will consist of a mix of students from Classes A, B, C, and D. The number of members per group will vary between 13 to 14 people.Objective: Identify a single student designated as the "VIP" (Target) within your group.
"You are no longer fighting as a unified class," Mashima explained. "You will be forced to sit at the same table with your enemies, eat together, and discuss together."
Seiji narrowed his eyes. Divide et impera. Divide and conquer. The school was fracturing their newly formed class solidarity to see if the individuals could survive without their primary pack.
"Each group will have one VIP. The VIP's identity will only be known to the VIP themselves and the school via a private email that will be sent after this assembly," Chabashira added, taking over the explanation.
"The exam lasts for three days. There will be four mandatory discussion periods per day. At the end of the exam, all of you—except the VIP—must submit an answer to the school: Who is the VIP in your group?"
The screen changed again, displaying a complex table of outcomes.
[VICTORY & DEFEAT SCENARIOS]
Scenario 1 (Solidarity): If all group members (including those from other classes) agree to hide the VIP's identity, and the submitted answers are incorrect or left blank until the time limit expires:The VIP receives 500,000 Private Points.All group members receive 500,000 Private Points.No change in Class Points.
"This is called a Win-Win outcome," Hoshinomiya stated with a sweet, sarcastic tone. "Everyone gets rich, everyone is happy. But... can you truly trust the enemies sitting next to you?"
Scenario 2 (Betrayal): If someone (other than the VIP or the VIP's classmates) successfully guesses the VIP's identity and submits the answer before the exam ends:The Guesser's Class receives +50 Class Points.The Guesser receives 500,000 Private Points.The VIP's Class receives -50 Class Points (Penalty).The group dissolves, and the exam ends for that group.Scenario 3 (VIP Failure): If the VIP is discovered or guessed correctly at the end of the exam:Only the Guesser/Guesser's Class profits. The VIP receives nothing.
"The core of it is simple," Mashima concluded. "You can work together to earn Private Points, or you can betray the group to steal Class Points for your own class and drag the others down."
The atmosphere in the hall turned freezing cold.
This was a massive-scale Prisoner's Dilemma. Personal Gain vs. Class Gain. Trust vs. Betrayal.
"The group rosters will be displayed now. Find your name, memorize your Zodiac sign, and gather in the designated meeting rooms," Mashima ordered.
The giant screen blinked, then displayed twelve long tables containing the names of all the students. Seiji immediately scanned the screen with his extraordinary information-processing speed. He wasn't just looking for his own name; he was mapping out the positions of the other "key players."
"Interesting," Seiji murmured. "Very interesting."
................................................................
ZODIAC EXAM GROUP ASSIGNMENTS(Class assignments reflect current standings: A=Ichinose, B=Horikita, C=Sakayanagi, D=Ryuen)
GROUP 1: ARIES (Meeting Room A)
1. Katsuragi Kohei - Class C (Ex-A)
2. Tobe Hitomi - Class C (Ex-A)
3. Kanzaki Ryuji - Class A (Ex-B)
4. Shibata Sou - Class A (Ex-B)
5. Yukimura Teruhiko - Class B (Ex-D)
6. Ishikura Kayoko - Class B (Ex-D)
7. Ibuki Mio - Class D (Ex-C)
8. Ishizaki Daichi - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Minami Setsuya - Class B (Ex-D)
10.Yamana Yui - Class C (Ex-A)
11. Sumida Makoto - Class A (Ex-B)
12. Nomura Yuuji - Class D (Ex-C)
13. Tsunoda Reo - Class C (Ex-A)
14. Yano - Class D (Ex-C)
GROUP 2: TAURUS (Meeting Room B)
1. Hirata Yosuke - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Wang Mei-Yu (Mii-chan) - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Kamuro Masumi - Class C (Ex-A)
4. Hashimoto Masayoshi - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Albert Yamada - Class D (Ex-C)
6. Suzuki Hidetoshi - Class D (Ex-C)
7. Hamaguchi Tetsuya - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Beppu Ryouta - Class A (Ex-B)
9. Nishikawa Ryoko - Class C (Ex-A)
10. Onodera Kayano - Class B (Ex-D)
11. Azuma Sana - Class B (Ex-D)
12. Kondo Reo - Class D (Ex-C)
13. Ando Sayo - Class A (Ex-B)
14. Kobashi Yume - Class A (Ex-B)
GROUP 3: GEMINI (Meeting Room C)
1. Koroizumi Seiji - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Kouenji Rokusuke - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Ichinose Honami - Class A (Ex-B)
4. Chihiro Shiranami - Class A (Ex-B)
5. Kitou Hayato - Class C (Ex-A)
6. Yamamura Miki - Class C (Ex-A)
7. Hiyori Shiina - Class D (Ex-C)
8. Tokito Hiroya - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Hasebe Haruka - Class B (Ex-D)
10. Miyake Akito - Class B (Ex-D)
11. Sawada Yasumi - Class C (Ex-A)
12. Ninomiya Yui - Class A (Ex-B)
13. Watanabe Norihito - Class A (Ex-B)
14. Morishita Ai - Class C (Ex-A)
GROUP 4: CANCER (Meeting Room D)
1. Horikita Suzune - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Ryuen Kakeru - Class D (Ex-C)
3. Manabe Shiho - Class D (Ex-C)
4. Yahiko Totsuka - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Yui Hirasawa - Class C (Ex-A)
6. Nakanishi - Class A (Ex-B)
7. Ishida Daisuke - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Sudou Ken - Class B (Ex-D)
9. Ike Kanji - Class B (Ex-D)
10. Maezono - Class B (Ex-D)
11. Kinoshita Minori - Class D (Ex-C)
12. Komiya Kyogo - Class D (Ex-C)
13. Fukuyama Shinji - Class C (Ex-A)
14. Mori - Class D (Ex-C)
GROUP 5: LEO (Meeting Room E)
1. Kushida Kikyo - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Inogashira Kokoro - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Machida Koji - Class C (Ex-A)
4. Morishige Takuro - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Amikura Mako - Class A (Ex-B)
6. Ninomiya - Class A (Ex-B)
7. Yabu Nanami - Class D (Ex-C)
8. Yamashita Saki - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Sotomura Hideo - Class B (Ex-D)
10. Sonoda Chiyo - Class B (Ex-D)
11. Masuda Koichi - Class C (Ex-A)
12. Ejiri - Class D (Ex-C)
13. Haruto Amamiya - Class A (Ex-B)
GROUP 6: VIRGO (Meeting Room F)
1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Karuizawa Kei - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Matsushita Chiaki - Class B (Ex-D)
4. Satou Maya - Class B (Ex-D)
5. Tsukasaki - Class C (Ex-A)
6. Nakajima - Class C (Ex-A)
7. Moriyama - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Tokunaga - Class A (Ex-B)
9. Oda Takumi - Class D (Ex-C)
10. Noguchi - Class D (Ex-C)
11. Nishino Takeko - Class B (Ex-D)
12. Shimazaki - Class C (Ex-A)
13. Yoshimura - Class A (Ex-B)
GROUP 7: LIBRA (Meeting Room G)
1. Sakayanagi Arisu - Class C (Ex-A)
2. Kano Nene - Class C (Ex-A)
3. Yamauchi Haruki - Class B (Ex-D)
4. Sakura Airi - Class B (Ex-D)
5. Shinohara Satsuki - Class B (Ex-D)
6. Aoi Mizuhara - Class A (Ex-B)
7. Himeno Yuki - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Kaneda Satoru - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Suzuki Rio - Class D (Ex-C)
10. Matoba - Class C (Ex-A)
11. Shigeru - Class C (Ex-A)
12. Tanaka - Class A (Ex-B)
13. Hayato Mikage - Class C (Ex-A)
GROUP 8: SCORPIO (Meeting Room H)
1. Nene Mori - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Ijyuuin Wataru - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Urushibara - Class C (Ex-A)
4. Satomura - Class A (Ex-B)
5. Ishikura - Class B (Ex-D)
6. Nishi Haruka - Class A (Ex-B)
7. Omi Eitaro - Class C (Ex-A)
8. Kei Tsukishima - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Noguchi - Class D (Ex-C)
10. Sawada - Class C (Ex-A)
11. Katagiri - Class A (Ex-B)
12. Daigo - Class D (Ex-C)
13. Miyamoto - Class C (Ex-A)
14. Rokkaku - Class A (Ex-B)
GROUP 9: SAGITTARIUS (Meeting Room I)
1. Hondo Ryoutarou - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Fujii Takahiro - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Okitani Kyousuke - Class B (Ex-D)
4. Makida - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Kaito - Class A (Ex-B)
6. Ono - Class D (Ex-C)
7. Minamikata - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Yano - Class C (Ex-A)
9. Suzuki - Class D (Ex-C)
10. Takemoto - Class A (Ex-B)
11. Nakata - Class C (Ex-A)
12. Sonoda - Class A (Ex-B)
13. Kaito Hoshino - Class D (Ex-C)
14. Nishikawa - Class C (Ex-A)
GROUP 10: CAPRICORN (Meeting Room J)
1. Kikuchi - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Nakamura - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Sanada - Class C (Ex-A)
4. Tokunaga - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Beppu Ryouta - Class A (Ex-B)
6. Goda - Class D (Ex-C)
7. Tanaka - Class D (Ex-C)
8. Fukuyama - Class A (Ex-B)
9. Kobayashi - Class C (Ex-A)
10. Azuma - Class A (Ex-B)
11. Riju - Class D (Ex-C)
12. Baba - Class C (Ex-A)
13. Eguchi - Class A (Ex-B)
14. Yumi - Class D (Ex-C)
GROUP 11: AQUARIUS (Meeting Room K)
1. Nomura - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Sano Kouta - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Shimizu - Class C (Ex-A)
4. Takahashi - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Miyazaki - Class A (Ex-B)
6. Yano - Class D (Ex-C)
7. Hoshino - Class D (Ex-C)
8. Watanabe - Class A (Ex-B)
9. Sasaki - Class C (Ex-A)
10. Utomiya - Class A (Ex-B)
11. Kondo - Class D (Ex-C)
12. Masuda - Class C (Ex-A)
13. Uchimura - Class A (Ex-B)
14. Mika - Class C (Ex-A)
GROUP 12: PISCES (Meeting Room L)
1. Endou Yuta - Class B (Ex-D)
2. Ichihashi Ruri - Class B (Ex-D)
3. Nishimura Ryuko - Class B (Ex-D)
4. Kojima - Class C (Ex-A)
5. Akira Shirai - Class C (Ex-A)
6. Yoshida - Class A (Ex-B)
7. Inoue - Class A (Ex-B)
8. Kinoshita Minori - Class D (Ex-C)
9. Mori - Class D (Ex-C)
10. Abe - Class C (Ex-A)
11. Kato - Class A (Ex-B)
12. Ryota Sakamoto - Class C (Ex-A)
13. Yamamoto - Class D (Ex-C)
14. Kenji - Class A (Ex-B)
Seiji stared at the roster for Group 3: Gemini.
"A deadly combination," he murmured.
He was in the same group as Ichinose Honami, the leader of Class A who had just won a resounding victory in the island exam thanks to his business lessons. Ichinose was no longer a naive girl; she was a cunning information merchant.
He was also grouped with Shiina Hiyori, the smart, sharp book-loving girl from Class D, and the only person in that class Seiji intellectually respected.
And the most troublesome of all... Kouenji Rokusuke. The school's biggest anomaly was also in his group. Controlling Kouenji in a jungle was one thing, but controlling him at a discussion table was an entirely different nightmare.
"Seiji-kun," a soft voice greeted him from the side.
Ichinose Honami stood in the aisle, smiling at him. But that smile was slightly different from usual. There was a layer of wariness to it—the wariness of a rival who knows her opponent is hiding a knife behind their back.
"We're in the same group, huh? I'll be in your care, Teacher," Ichinose said, emphasizing the final word with a tone that couldn't be interpreted as pure praise.
"Of course, Ichinose-san," Seiji replied amiably, donning his model student mask. "Let's have some productive discussions. I'm sure with your leadership, our group can reach Scenario 1."
"Scenario 1?" Ichinose tilted her head. "Peace and 500,000 points for everyone? That's awfully idealistic for someone like you."
Across the room, Ryuen Kakeru stared at the screen with a horrifyingly wide smirk. He was in Group 4: Cancer.
And in that exact same group, was Horikita Suzune.
"Kukuku... finally," Ryuen licked his lips, his eyes glinting savagely. "I'm locked in a room with you, Suzune. This time, there's no Koroizumi here to protect you. I'm going to skin you alive until you beg for mercy."
Suzune, seeing her name listed right next to Ryuen's, merely adjusted her uniform collar calmly. Her hands weren't trembling like they did on the island. Her bout with the fever and Seiji's medicine had granted her a newfound mental immunity.
"We'll see who ends up preying on who, Ryuen," Suzune muttered coldly.
Meanwhile, in the Class C rows, Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled softly upon seeing her group assignment in Libra. She was grouped with Yamauchi Haruki.
"Ah, a broken toy," Sakayanagi stared at Yamauchi's back as he panicked, trying to find his name. "It seems I'm going to have a lot of fun manipulating an idiot in this exam. Manipulating defective pawns is sometimes much more entertaining than moving a queen."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka stared at his roster in Group 6: Virgo. He was placed with Karuizawa Kei and Matsushita Chiaki.
An interesting formation, Ayanokouji thought. Matsushita already knows I hold back. Karuizawa is Seiji's fortress. And I... I am right in the middle of them. If I want to remain invisible, I have to let Karuizawa take the stage.
Suddenly, a synchronized vibration echoed throughout the entire hall. Hundreds of hands reached into their pockets simultaneously.
The emails from the school had arrived.
Seiji opened his phone. The screen lit up brightly, displaying a single, short message that would determine his fate for the next three days.
He read the contents of the message. His face remained completely flat, betraying no emotion whatsoever that could be read by Ichinose, who was secretly glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
In his heart, however, Seiji smiled.
"Nurufufufu... This school really knows how to set up a dramatic scenario."
The Zodiac Game had begun. And on this oceanic chessboard, Seiji Koroizumi wouldn't just have to protect himself, but he would also have to navigate the storm that would undoubtedly be created by the other 11 monsters in his group.
Seiji's Email Status:[CONFIDENTIAL][You have been selected as the VIP for the Gemini Group.]
Seiji closed his phone with a soft click.
Alright then, he thought, feeling a familiar adrenaline pumping through his veins. Let's see how long I can hide my tail from a detective like Ichinose and an observer as sharp as Hiyori.
------------------------------
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