Leaving aside Class A camp, on the sandy beach by the sea, Horikita Suzune watched Class B depart and then turned her gaze back to the noisy Class D, feeling somewhat frustrated.
Not long ago, Ichinose Honami had suddenly approached them, expressing a desire to collaborate with Class D.
This unexpected proposal was so surprising that even Horikita Suzune was momentarily stunned.
With the special exam just beginning, Class B initiative to propose cooperation inevitably raised suspicions about their motives.
Ichinose Honami was well aware of their concerns, so her idea was a mutual non-aggression pact, where both classes would refrain from guessing each other leader.
After all, the school hadn't mandated that leaders must be guessed, and there would be no penalties for not doing so.
On this basis, Class B and Class D could potentially work together to identify the leaders of Class A and Class C and even collaborate further.
This was also why Kaoru Mitoma had seen Class B and Class D lingering on the beach on the Marauder's Map.
Regarding this proposal, Class D readily agreed, especially the boys like Ike Kanji, who seemed particularly excited about the points.
Horikita Suzune had some reservations, having been tricked by Kaoru Mitoma once before, which left her with little trust in others.
But faced with the high-spirited Class D, she had no room to interject and her thoughts were somewhat muddled for a certain reason.
However, Horikita Suzune could console herself with the thought that at least Class D was being a bit more proactive.
Soon after, Class D shattered her illusions.
As soon as Class B left the beach, Class D immediately started arguing.
It wasn't about how to win the special exam, they were simply arguing about how to handle bathroom needs.
The girls insisted on more comfortable living conditions, such as temporary toilets, showers, and tents, while the boys believed that enduring a bit wouldn't kill anyone and couldn't understand the girls' demands.
As a result, the two sides nearly came to blows.
Horikita Suzune was utterly exasperated.
If it hadn't been for Hirata Yosuke acting as a mediator, Class D might have argued all day.
It wasn't until an entire hour had passed, leaving Class D alone on the beach that they finally realized they needed to take action.
Seemingly annoyed by the delay, Ike Kanji rushed into the forest alone.
His friends, Sudou Ken and Yamauchi Haruki, seeing this quickly followed him into the forest.
Walking through the forest, Horikita Suzune occasionally rubbed her arms, lagging behind at the end of the group.
At this moment, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka for some reason also slowed his pace, deliberately matching her speed.
"Honestly, the school is a bit ridiculous, expecting us to live like savages on this island. I wonder if the other classes feel the same way?"
Faced with his seemingly complaining words, Horikita Suzune frowned slightly and said unhappily.
"We're not close enough to be each other's sounding boards, are we?"
"I know, so I'm just talking to myself" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sighed.
"Class A is the fastest to act. It feels like they really understand the special exam. We just can't compare to them." Horikita Suzune paused for a moment, then glanced expressionlessly at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
"Acting quickly doesn't mean they can win the exam. The key points of this special exam are only two: how to preserve exam points and the leader along with the base."
"You really intend to advance to Class A?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka showed a rather shocked expression, as if looking at an anomaly.
Horikita Suzune took a deep breath.
What was this guy deal?
Was he trying to provoke her on purpose?
"Heh, how I act is none of your business. But you, are you really going to just give up and stay in the lower class?"
"It doesn't matter what class I'm in, but it would be nice if my allowance could be a bit more. If I'm lucky, a trip to Class A wouldn't be bad."
"I see, so you're not like the others who don't care about Class A privileges."
"Are you after Class A privileges?"
Horikita Suzune shot a cold glance at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who promptly closed his mouth, sensing her displeasure.
After a while, their scout, Ike Kanji, returned to the main group his face brimming with excitement.
"Hey, Hirata! Come quick! There's a river up ahead, and nearby there's flat land we can use as a campsite! It's just a few minutes away!"
Upon hearing this news, Class D nearly shook with anticipation.
When they hurriedly followed Ike Kanji to the river, they found indeed a vast expanse of flat land, clearly a place the school had intentionally prepared, perfect for camping in the wild.
"Look, there's a checkpoint device here, and it shows that Class A... is occupying it?"
Ike Kanji, who had been pointing at a large rock, suddenly froze.
He had just seen this and rushed back to inform everyone without taking a closer look.
Hirata Yousuke walked beside him, following his finger to see a checkpoint device embedded in the rock, displaying that Class A was occupying this stronghold, with over six hours remaining.
"Why is Class A occupying it?" Ike Kanji couldn't comprehend the situation, he hadn't seen a single Class A student around!
"Class A is too quick to act" Hirata Yousuke muttered, then suddenly realized something.
"We need to leave here quickly, retreat to the forest!"
If he remembered correctly, using another class stronghold without permission would deduct 50 exam points!
If a Class A student suddenly appeared and accused them of illegally using their stronghold, Class D would be in serious trouble!
Thanks to Hirata Yousuke vigilance, Class D retreated to the river's edge, confused.
Minutes passed, and still no sign of Class A.
Only then did Hirata Yousuke finally relax.
It seemed Class A was merely seizing the opportunity to claim points and had no intention of ambushing them.
"What should we do next?"
Someone instinctively looked to Hirata Yousuke.
Hirata Yousuke replied steadily "No need to rush. With us here, Class A won't come back to check in. Once the time passes, we can claim the points ourselves."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the people around him.
"Is there anyone who wants to be the leader?"
At that moment, Kushida Kikyo spoke up first.
"I think if Hirata-kun or me take on the leadership roles, it would be quite noticeable. How about we let Horikita-san take charge?"
Everyone eyes turned to the outermost Horikita Suzune, who was momentarily taken aback before returning to her usual demeanor, looking at Kushida Kikyo and Hirata Yousuke.
"Though it's just my personal feeling, I believe Horikita-san is very responsible. She helped Sudou-kun and the others get through the exam smoothly, this role would suit her well."
With Kushida Kikyo' explanation, many began to lower their resistance.
"I think that's a good suggestion too. If you're willing, Horikita-san, would you take on the leadership role?" Hirata Yousuke asked with a smile.
"I understand, I accept" Horikita Suzune nodded. It was just a leadership role, if it were someone else, she wouldn't feel as secure.
Seeing the leadership issue resolved, Hirata Yousuke was about to continue arranging the campsite and dispatch others to scout the uninhabited island.
However, fellow scout Sudou Ken and Yamauchi Haruki quickly returned with alarming news.
"This is bad! The entire uninhabited island has turned into Class A stronghold!"
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