“Attention all students. If you have the time, please come to the deck. For a short while you will be able to witness a very meaningful sight…”

Around a little more than a day after leaving Tokyo Bay, that announcement echoed throughout the ship.

The time was nine in the morning.

Right now I was in the middle of enjoying breakfast in elegance.

"Very meaningful sight... I wonder what that means."

Ichinose tilted her head.

If you hear it twice, it's certainly a strange way to phrase things.

Of course there is nothing wrong with saying a view has meaning.

But would they really make an announcement just because we entered a particularly beautiful area of ocean?

"I'm a little curious."

"Then should we all go check it out together?"

After Amikura responded to Kanzaki's muttering, the usual group decided to head out to the deck.

But first we needed to finish breakfast.

"...It's a little wasteful."

I muttered while looking at the steak pierced on the tip of my fork in my left hand.

Everything on this ship is free, which means the food is also free.

And yet it tastes incredibly good.

I wanted to savor it a bit longer.

Well, it can't be helped.

"We're just going to the deck. When we come back we can eat again for lunch and dinner."

"That's true. Shibata's right."

I quickly stuffed the steak into my mouth.

* * *

"So that's... the southern island."

Kanzaki muttered while staring at the green mass floating on the horizon.

So that meaningful sight was this.

"It's big."

"But there aren't any buildings or lodges."

I could hear Amikura and Ichinose talking.

Indeed, there were no pensions anywhere like Hoshinomiya had mentioned.

So how exactly were we supposed to play on this southern island?

No overnight stay? Just a day camp?

What kind of nonsense is that...

I was looking forward to it.

That's cruel.

I thought we'd get to play freely together...

Well, this must be the event.

"Maybe we won't stay overnight. Or we might have to camp."

Kanzaki spoke again.

"Seriously?!"

Even Shibata couldn't hide his surprise.

Naturally, neither could I.

"Uh... I don't like that."

Camping?

Are they joking?

We're high school students.

Students of an elite national school where supposedly only the best gather.

And now it's camping?

"I understand how you feel, but it's only a possibility."

"But it sounds pretty likely."

"The teacher said it was a vacation... maybe that was a lie..."

See?

Everyone hates the idea of camping.

Then maybe we should protest.

Tell the school something like, 'Are you insane for tricking students and bringing them somewhere dangerous?' and 'If our parents find out after graduation and sue you, you'll lose.'

If we did that, maybe the relaxing cruise could continue.

* * *

After that, all first-year students were gathered on the bow deck of the ship.

And not in uniforms or casual clothes, but in tracksuits.

In other words, it was exactly what we thought.

"Alright everyone, I'm going to explain the rules for the deserted island now, so listen carefully."

At the front, our homeroom teacher Hoshinomiya began speaking.

Just like the students, the teachers were also wearing tracksuits.

Looking again... they're pretty big—thud

"First of all, smartphones are not allowed on the island, so be careful. We'll inspect you before you get off the ship, so make sure you don't forget."

Smartphones prohibited...

So they won't even let us record our summer memories.

Curse this school.

Remember this.

After Hoshinomiya's speech, Chabashira handed out high-performance wristwatches.

Apparently we are required to wear them while on the island.

Breaking or removing them is prohibited.

Supposedly they monitor body temperature and physical condition.

Well, I'll accept it as a necessary sacrifice.

If someone caught a cold, it would be a problem.

Next it was the turn of Mashima, the grade supervisor.

He stood proudly in front of everyone holding a microphone.

"I'm Mashima, homeroom teacher of Class A. First of all, I am pleased that everyone arrived here safely today. However it is unfortunate that one student was unable to participate due to illness."

Well, technically eight people are absent if you count the original enrollment.

But apparently those don't count.

"Ichinose, do you know who it is?"

I whispered to Ichinose beside me.

She immediately answered with a confident expression.

"Sakayanagi from Class A. I heard she's in conflict with someone named Katsuragi over the leadership of Class A."

I see.

In that case, this Katsuragi person will definitely aim to win this event.

But if he interferes with us—

I'll crush him along with that Sakayanagi without hesitation.

That's what collective responsibility means.

"Now then, we will begin this year's first 'Special Exam'."

Don't give it such a cool name.

Rename it to something like 'We tricked students and brought them to a deserted island prank!'.

"Now I will explain the rules of the Deserted Island Special Exam."

All of us first-years had finished having our belongings checked and were lined up on the beach.

Stop giving it such a grand name.

Give me back my enjoyment...

"The duration of this exam is one week, ending at noon on August 8. For the next week you will live on this deserted island. Naturally you will also sleep here."

So it really is survival.

Kanzaki's prediction was correct.

I wish it hadn't been.

"At the start, each class will receive two tents, two flashlights and one box of matches. Sunscreen is unlimited. Each student may have one toothbrush. Female students may have unlimited sanitary supplies. For details, ask your homeroom teacher. That's all."

That explanation was short.

But surviving a week with just those supplies seems impossible.

Well, Hoshinomiya will probably explain the rest.

* * *

The outline and rules of the 'Deserted Island Exam' explained afterward by Hoshinomiya were as follows.

1: The theme of this exam is 'Freedom' and students may spend their time however they wish.

2: At the start of the exam each class receives '300P'. The P remaining at the end will be added directly to their CPT.

3: By spending P, supplies listed in the manual can be purchased.

4: Each class must choose one 'Leader'. That person will receive a key card described later.

5: 'Spots' are scattered across the island. A 'Leader' can occupy them using the key card.

6: Each occupation earns '1P', but these points cannot be used during the exam.

7: Each occupation automatically resets after eight hours.

8: Without legitimate reason, the 'Leader' cannot be changed.

Those are the main rules.

However there were also additional complicated ones.

Each class leader is allowed to nominate the leader of another class.

If you correctly identify another class's leader, you gain '50P'.

However if your leader is guessed, you lose '50P' and all P gained from spot occupation becomes invalid.

And even if you guess another class's leader incorrectly, you still lose '50P'.

That's too harsh.

This isn't about teamwork at all.

It's a ridiculous exam where whoever identifies the other leaders first dominates.

"There are also penalties written in the manual, so please read them."

Hoshinomiya said that and left.

Reluctantly I leaned over to read the manual Ichinose was holding.

Using a spot already occupied by another class without permission: −50P

Threatening, robbing or assaulting students of other classes: the perpetrator's class is immediately disqualified from the exam

Environmental pollution caused by students: −20P

Roll call is conducted daily at 8 AM and 8 PM. Each absent student: −5P

Retirement 'student judged unable to continue the exam': −30P per person

‘What a troublesome exam…’

One week of this?

Give me back my high school life...

Maybe we should all just retire together.

But that would mean giving up our chance to catch up to Class A.

Kanzaki would never allow that.

With those gloomy thoughts in mind, I prepared to listen to Ichinose as she began to speak.