Koenji's departure does not fade even after the second stage of the exam. Until today, on the tenth day, he has been scoring points to stick with Nagumo's group. After 5pm, when today's test ended, Ikuto Kiriyama, 3rd year of B-class, who finished speaking into a walkie-talkie, quietly closed his eyes once. He was a bit surprised that Koenji was on the fourth day when the scores for the top teams were posted, but at the time there was nothing close to impatience in Kiriyama or Nagumo.

Everyone thought that he would reach the limit soon as long as he was alone.

- "Kiriyama. Isn't there something in Nagumo's answer that makes you feel like he's on the defensive? Normally, by the second stage of the exam, you should be in a position to take the lead. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only fan of your work. "

Mikitani, a student from class 3B, talks to me while showing me his tablet. The global score of the tablet shows that Nagumo's group has 236 points, while Koenji has 230. The difference between the two is 6, and they are in a position to turn the tables if they get the first place in the order of arrival reward. Nagumo's group, which has a much larger group and more members than Koenji's group, can secure 7 points in the arrival reward as long as they arrive on time. The Koenji group, on the other hand, only has one point, but that makes it the only group that can easily get a reward for finishing first, and it has the most rewards for finishing first of all groups. .

- "Even if Nagumo can get away with it, you'll finish third if you're not careful. If you lost to a loner second year, our reputation as your supporters would take a nosedive.

Kiriyama and his team now have a total score of 188 points. The difference between them and Koenji begins to widen little by little.

- "Oh, by the way, there was a rumor last year. Shortly after Koenji entered the school, he would approach the sophomores and juniors in a familiar way, flirting with the purchase of private points. What did you think at that moment? "

- "All I could think was: 'Don't get carried away just because you're rich.'"

His academic ability was moderate, his physical ability appeared to be high, but he had no outstanding grades, and his family was wealthy. That was undoubtedly the image that all the students of this school had.

Mikitani nodded once at Kiriyama's reply.

- "The main reason why Koenji has not been appreciated is that he has not had a sincere attitude towards things. He has not taken things seriously, he has gone against what he is supposed to do as a student, and he has had a strong attitude of dropping out of the exams from the beginning. "

It was a fact that had spread not only to second-year students, but also to third-year students.

If Koenji had been a serious and sincere person, he would have been recognized as an enemy to be watched by Nagumo long before.

- "I don't know what happened, but Koenji has literally gone all out in this special survey of the uninhabited island. And the result is that he has become the strongest opponent of all the students. His stamina, especially his tirelessness, was terrifying. I could go all the way like this. "

He advances with his inexhaustible physical strength, taking advantage of being able to move alone.

At this point, even as a third-year student, I had to think of a move.

If left unchecked, Koenji will definitely finish the exam in the top three places.

In some cases, it is not even possible to reach Nagumo.

Losing to a group from the younger years was a problem, but losing to a loner would be a disgrace for the third year.

As an adversary to be defeated, you must confront him as soon as possible.

Of course, violence should be avoided as much as possible.

If a third year student had attacked Koenji by surprise, injuring him and forcing him to retreat, there would naturally be a problem.

If they had tried to prevent him from entering the top ranking, they would inevitably face expulsion.

We have to sink Koenji as peacefully as possible.

- "Have you decided what you are going to do? Kiriyama. "

- "We will use the Free Groups."

Free groups. It is a group of three people selected from among five groups of each class, from B to D, prepared by Nagumo, who act as his hands and feet. There are a total of 15 groups, and two of them are assigned to follow the instructions, while the remaining group is assigned to follow the designated zone in order not to receive any penalties.

This means that there are two students per free group who can move freely.

- "Well, you're right. So how many are you going to use? "

- "The six groups that I have in custody. I am mobilizing you all. "

- "Six? Are you serious? You're dealing with just one person, and no matter how many there are, four groups with my group should be enough. The other two groups will be in your group ... "

As if to interrupt Mikitani's words, Kiriyama continued.

- "The only threat is Koenji, and other than that, there is plenty of time to go on after destroying him. We will be able to see the results until the end of the 12th. In the two days starting tomorrow, we will fully contain Koenji. Once Koenji loses his thrust, he won't surface again. "

Even if we met with some other group, it would be the same.

- "Didn't Nagumo say that there were other groups that interested him? If we attack Koenji with all the available groups, we will not have enough personnel to dedicate ourselves to the others. "

Mikitani was not told which group it was, but if it was one of the top ten, it was Ryuuen's second year group, Sakayanagi's group, or Utomiya's group and the others in first year.

- "I don't think you have to worry about that anymore. Nagumo's fears are unfounded."

Of course, Kiriyama knew which group he was looking for.

However, that group has not appeared in the top ten in ten days.

If they keep scoring points at a fast pace, they will never reach the podium.

- "Blame it on Nagumo"

- "...... It's rare that Nagumo makes a mistake in that kind of decision."

- "An invisible ghost grabbed me by the shoulders, I am not surprised."

The only man Nagumo recognized, the only thing left of Manabu Horikita.

It's no wonder that Nagumo's eyes, who can see the battlefield with an eagle's eye, are clouded.

- "So we'll let the six groups take care of Koenji and we'll just score points as usual, okay?"

- "No, I will take direct command to contain Koenji."

- "Your? That's a bit inefficient, don't you think? Let me do it."

Kiriyama's Group is currently in third position, so it will affect the score if he moves to prevent Koenji from advancing.

- "Do you want me to put you in charge?"

- "It is not that I have decided to win. Unlike you, who have decided to win, I have to earn Nagumo's reputation. "

Mikitani advised her to do so, but Kiriyama didn't seem to listen to her.

- "That's not good. There are six free groups so if you fail, it's a pretty big blow.

- "But you also have to get second place, right? Don't waste your time on unnecessary things. "

Mikitani, eager to get the credit, insisted.

- "There is no one who can stop Koenji except Nagumo and me. That is the end of the story. "

When Mikitani heard these words, he slightly frowned and made a disgusted face. But Kiriyama didn't notice, because he didn't even look at Mikitani.

To stop a student, six groups of students led by Kiriyama rushed to move at night.

If it were a normal opponent, Koenji's unfathomable ability would be unheard of for Kiriyama.

The question was, where would the designated zone be at 7:00 am tomorrow, the 11th?

Depending on where Koenji starts moving, east, west, north, south, or west, the scope of the siege will change.

Therefore, the ideal would be to complete the siege of Koenji between the hours of the night, when they would have to decide the camping place and stop moving, and 7 in the morning tomorrow.

Fortunately, B3, Koenji's current location, and E3, where Kiriyama and the others are located, are relatively close to each other.

As the highest-place group scores could only be tracked until the end of the twelfth day, there were only two days left, tomorrow and the day after, to see if they had made any progress.

- "How far do you plan to go today?"

At the beginning of the long journey, Mikitani asked Kiriyama to ease his boredom.

- "As much as possible. I know it's risky to proceed at night, but I want to get to an area around Koenji in the worst case. We have to reach them before seven in the morning. "

Once it starts to move, the difficulty of catching it goes up two or three degrees.

- "I think it will be easy to kick him out if we have two days. There are seven groups here, including the six from Kiriyama, for a total of 18 people. "

When Mikitani turns around, he can see sixteen third-year students.

- "Don't let your guard down. It is a large forest, there are many possibilities that it will escape. "

- "I know he's a bad boy for a second year. But he's still younger than you."

Since neither Kiriyama nor Mikitani directly saw Koenji's incredible physical abilities, it is difficult to make an accurate assessment. However, third-year students we have worked with on various assignments have provided us with data on Koenji's physical abilities.

- "Be cautious. Recognize your opponent as your greatest enemy."

- "The oldest?"

Kiriyama told himself: "I knew I couldn't trust someone like Mikitani with this."

If we have become the enemy to defeat, we have to act with the intention that it stops breathing.

If they respond with little enthusiasm, they could find themselves in the situation of being defeated.

1

The next day, the 11th, a little after 6:30 in the morning.

Kiriyama's group and six free groups, including Mikitani's, had succeeded in besieging Koenji.

- "What is the situation?"

"There doesn't seem to be any movement in the tent yet. He's sleeping slowly. It would be so much easier for us if he got sick and stayed in bed all day."

Mikitani started talking to the members of the free group.

"Hey, why don't we go around him and block him before he leaves the tent? If we make it impossible for him to leave the store, Koenji won't be able to move."

Mikitani made that suggestion, and the others in the free group agreed that it would be easy.

- "If we interfere with your departure, we can delay the time it takes to reach the designated area. But what would be your excuse if a third party saw the situation? If you are going to interfere, you must refrain from doing something that can be easily recognized. "

Even if you break the rules, you should eliminate the risk as much as possible.

- "Why don't you do a GPS search? Anyway, there are a lot of points to spend. "

- "Our tablets don't know where the teachers are. Do not forget that the search is not absolute. As originally planned, we'll be settling in when Koenji clears the tent and starts moving. If you come across a freshman or sophomore, or an adult on your way to set a task, immediately open a distance of at least two meters from Koenji.

Kiriyama has nailed it: "Do not shorten the distance to the point of making contact."

As seven o'clock approached, the situation finally changed.

- "It's on the move, it's Koenji!"

He had no idea we were watching him, and he hummed as he began to take down the tent. We were well on our way and it seemed that we had finished preparations for departure before the clock struck seven.

And with your tablet in hand, you expect the exam to start at seven.

- "Go."

Kiriyama decides that it is the best time to leave and heads to Koenji.

Mikitani and the other members of the free group followed close behind.

Whether or not he was aware that Kiriyama and the others were silently approaching, Koenji did not stop handling his tablet and did not look up. Even after being surrounded by a total of 18 people, Koenji continued to act like he was oblivious to their presence.

- "Can you give me some time, Koenji?"

They called Koenji by name, but his gaze stayed on the table and he didn't look up.

- "Do you want something from me?"

This is not the way to address a superior, but Kiriyama continues without any reproach.

Kiriyama is aware that Koenji Rokusuke doesn't have any common sense.

- "I didn't expect you to do so well in this special exam."

"Is this something we should talk about right now? It's almost seven in the morning. Shouldn't you hurry up and get ready to go to the designated area?"

- "You know what I mean, Koenji. You've got too many points."

Kiriyama said, since Koenji was sounding like he didn't understand anything, but that couldn't be true.

- "I want you to stay where you are the rest of the day."

- "Does that mean you don't want me to earn points ......?"

-"Yes."

Of course, there was no way for Koenji to shake his head when saying this.

- "I don't know who you are, but you only need to think a little to realize that it is an impossible proposal. But even so, the fact that you have brought so many people means that you are prepared to interfere with my plans if I ignore it, right? "

- "It is not good that you are in a group alone. I recognize that you have made great progress so far, but your results will most likely decline in the second half of the exam as you get tired. "

- "Then you don't have to worry about me, right?"

- "It is a matter of precaution. Also, it is difficult for a third year student to accept the fact that he is competing for the highest position with you, a lonely student. The following is not a bad idea, if you are willing to follow it. If you have the student council president, Nagumo, on your side, your school life will be more stable.

There are two options for Koenji: he can be held back using force tactics, or he can obey and side with Nagumo.

The time is exactly 7 o'clock, and the first designated zone on the 11th appears on the tablet.

After confirming, Koenji slowly put his tablet back in his backpack.

At that moment Kiriyama and the others were watching to see if it would move or not.

- "I'm going to hurry, so if you'll excuse me."

As soon as the words of rejection were spoken, Koenji accelerated instantly and ran into the free group.

- "Hey, hey!"

Although they were surrounding him, there was still enough room to sneak around, so he took the opportunity. It would be a lie to say that everyone, including Kiriyama, had not been caught off guard; they had underestimated the likelihood that he would ignore the orders of the third-year students and flee.

- "I'm going after him!"

Mikitani yelled, but meanwhile Koenji disappeared into the depths of the forest.

- "Don't be scared, you'll hurt yourself if you match Koenji's rhythm."

- "This is not the time to relax! We have lost it!"

- "You may get the reward on a first come, first serve basis, but that's how far it goes. If Koenji chooses to run away, he won't be able to take his time to participate in the tasks. Instead, if you choose to participate with impunity in the challenge, we will be able to reach you there. "

Kiriyama knew that it would be dangerous to determine which area Koenji was heading to based solely on the direction in which he fled, but he also knew that it would be impossible to hide from the GPS search.

Still in a hurry, Mikitani started running after Koenji.

two

Kiriyama and the rest of the free group, led by Mikitani, were following Koenji.

- "What is Koenji's position?"

- "I've looked for it three times, but it hasn't moved at all."

It is unnatural for him not to move at all, even if it is not break time.

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Kiriyama also peeks out at the tablet to find out what caused Koenji's inexplicable behavior.

- "It doesn't seem like there is a task nearby."

-"Yes. We will reach Koenji in about 200 meters. "

- "This time we will be attentive and we will make sure to catch it. Well."

- "I don't need you to tell me."

Koenji wanders away, but about six hours after starting to chase him, they are surprisingly reunited.

The reason he hadn't moved was because he had fallen asleep even though it was broad daylight.

The third year students look at each other in disgust.

Mikitani walks up as a representative, looks at Koenji's face and says with a strong tone.

- "Get up, Koenji! You've been running for more than 10 days, so you took a nap from exhaustion, right? "

Even if he didn't want to sleep, he had to.

When he thought about the reason why he was asleep in the situation he escaped from, he could only think of one thing: Mikitani.

Slowly opening his eyes, Koenji smiles and laughs softly.

- "I'm sure you will agree. I am a human being like you. "

- "If that's the case, then go ahead and take the rest of the day off. You must be exhausted from all this. You must listen to the kind advice of your elders. "

- "Take the day off? That's kind of funny. "

Koenji stands up, unfazed by the situation around him.

Mikitani had been looking down, but when Koenji, who is over six feet tall, got up, his gaze reversed naturally.

His eyes were full of vitality and he seemed much larger than the Koenji from before.

- "Don't... make an effort. If you could get rid of fatigue just with a little rest, no one would have a problem. "

Mikitani, feeling intimidated, approached him.

-"Do not worry. My physical strength has already recovered perfectly. I don't want you to talk about me as a normal person. "

It is possible to take it as a mere posture, but Kiriyama directs his words to Koenji, who seemed to be relaxed.

- "You certainly look good. But like Mikitani said, you've run for the last 10 days or so with more energy than anyone. There's no question about it, since you've probably repeatedly ranked first in the order of arrival. But even if you have extraordinary stamina, you should have already reached your limit. "

- "I think that if you are reaching your limit, you are not in the realm of normal people."

- "You mean you haven't reached your limit yet?"

Kiriyama's suspicion intensifies, but Koenji responds immediately.

- "I have a very short dream. I have an extremely low REM phase. "

[Note: REM phase is the part where dreams occur]

-"What? What is that REM phase, huh?

Mikitani lunged at Koenji's comment, but here for the first time Kiriyama's expression hardened.

- "A short dream. ...... If that's true, then we have a serious problem. "

- "What do you mean, Kiriyama?"

- "The ideal average daily sleep time for a human being is about seven to eight hours. It is said that the ideal amount of sleep is between seven and eight hours a day, because more or less is not enough to maintain good health. However, those who sleep little are those who are predisposed to maintain good health even if they sleep less than six hours. "

Sleep is an alternate cycle of REM and non-REM phases. The REM phase is the stage in which the brain is active and awake, so to speak. On the other hand, the non-REM phase is when the brain is asleep.

Since those who sleep less spend less time in REM sleep, they are able to rest their brain and body even with little rest.

- "It seemed strange to me to sleep in peace, but I suppose that is what there is ..."

Koenji has extraordinary physical strength, but even so, fatigue often appears after a long period of intense travel and repeated challenges.

The time remaining after reaching the designated area or when there are no tasks nearby.

By sleeping well here, Koenji was able to keep his stamina at a high level.

If the claim that he has a super short sleep is true, it means that Koenji is not only physically stronger than a normal person, but his resilience is also beyond normal.

For the first time, a slight impatience arose in Kiriyama.

Everyone was tired and exhausted, even when they were trying to keep up.

The mere act of walking makes your legs cry out for a break and makes your heart break for not wanting to take the exam anymore.

That is the common perception of students in their deep psychology.

With that premise in mind, I thought it wouldn't be difficult to contain Koenji.

If the premise fell apart ...

- "By the way, do you still need me?"

- "I don't care if you are physically strong or not, shut up ..."

If you're looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you'll want to take a look at the following.

- "I'm not here at all, don't worry about us."

He avoided direct expressions as much as possible and tried to keep things smooth.

Mikitani was even more frustrated by such a tepid attitude, but he complied.

- "He seems quite belligerent when he says that."

He didn't seem to heed the third year's advice or threats.

In the middle of the conversation, when the third designated zone was announced, Koenji glanced at his tablet and immediately started walking in that direction.

- "I'm not one to accept advice, Kiriyama."

- "It may be true."

- "And he's probably bluffing when he says he has a super short sleep."

However, while many students have already lost a lot of effectiveness, Koenji has maintained a good pace almost unchanged from the beginning. It is evident that he constantly trains his body every day, and considers the special exam on the uninhabited island as just another part of his training. This is how he analyzes it.

- "It's useless, I'll change my strategy. We will seal the matter. "

At this point, Kiriyama finally made up his mind and instructed each of them to hunt down Koenji.

However, Mikitani's lips pursed in dissatisfaction.

- "I'm the one in charge now. Don't interrupt the circle, Mikitani. "

"Tch, ......."

While they were puzzled by Koenji's steady pace, the third year students began to expand widely.

The 18 formed a circle with Koenji in the center.

Also, Kiriyama calls his friends while communicating with them by walkie-talkie.

Without thinking about what was going to happen next, Koenji kept walking.     

They do not stop moving or stay still.

Kiriyama had three plans in total: the first was simply to persuade Koenji to resign his top position using words, which of course included surrounding him with various people to pressure him. The second strategy was to keep Koenji in a circle and move on. The third strategy was to get ahead of Koenji's task.

With six groups free and Kiriyama, a total of seven groups interfering, the obstacle to participating in tasks inevitably becomes quite high. Also, if all of them stick around just to crush Koenji, they can lower the odds of winning the task.

Each task has different participation requirements, but the pattern is fixed.

There are two types of tasks: "Each task is open to a different number of players" and "Each task is open to a group of players".

In the latter case, a free group that does not have all its members together does not meet the participation requirements, but most tasks that require group participation basically require two or more members. In other words, Koenji, who is working alone, can only participate in assignments that require the participation of one person, so the third-year students here can participate as well.

For a time, the third-year students followed him without any distraction, but gradually they grew impatient.

Koenji's speed was so fast it could be mistaken for a foot race if you looked closely, and just keeping up with him consumed a lot of stamina. The simple act of walking at the same speed was beginning to make them feel extremely tired.

When they were forced to adjust to the unusual speed of the march, they felt a wave of exhaustion.

It would be so much easier if they just ran.

"Koenji! Don't be so harsh!"

Mikitani yelled impatiently, judging that he was only thrusting forward with empty energy.

- "Well, well, they're getting noisy. So, let me pick up the pace a bit."

With these words, Koenji started running again.

- "Don't let him get away this time! Surround it!

The third year students who had been chasing him while keeping their distance simultaneously approached Koenji.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure they can figure it out.

- "No way, no way, no way ..."

The third-year student's words were drowned out by the wind.

Koenji's legs were as fast as if he were running in a well-kept field.

He was as fast as a sprinter as he glided through the trees.

Most of the twelve members of the free group were proud of their physical strength.

Many of the twelve members of the Free Group boast of their physical strength, and even in the OAA, their physical abilities are above a B.

These are the soldiers, so to speak, that Nagumo and Kiriyama have brought together to monopolize many of the tasks.

- "Chase him! Don't let him escape!"

- "Wait, Mikitani, don't act on your own!"

-"Shut up! I won't let him get away twice! Catch it and drag it! "

Ignoring the instructions, Mikitani and the others went after Koenji.

-"Moron..."

Kiriyama, who had momentarily wondered if he should hunt him down, calmly looked at his tablet and rethought his strategy.

It was hard to believe that Koenji had started running for no reason.

You considered whether your goal is a designated area or a task.

- "There is a task at E3 in which Koenji can participate. But the reward is 8 points for the first place or ....... No wonder the reward for the first place of 10 points is the highest priority, but where is the designated zone for the... guys?

D4 is the most likely direction, but it could also be any other random zone.

- "This is not a good place to analyze ......."

3

As a result, Koenji's goal was to participate in an assignment at E3.

He quickly got to the desired task and agreed to participate. He immediately stopped on his way.

After a few minutes of delay, Mikitani and his team caught up with Koenji. However, they were forced to wait until the end of the task because one person had accepted after Koenji and the number of participants had reached their capacity. Homework is an English test, and although there are participants in grades one through three, the content level is the same.

The result was that Dodo Michimichi, one of the most gifted third-year students, took first place, but Koenji came in a close second, and was awarded four points.

With the teachers' eyes on him, Mikitani and his team planned to approach him as soon as he left the homework area, but Koenji ran before his eyes disappeared.

However, Koenji fled before they could reach him. They were forced to distance themselves and just chase after Koenji, who was too fast for them to catch up.

The next time they were able to circle Koenji was just before 3:00 p.m., when they reached the designated area for the third time.

Mikitani and his team managed to corner him three times.

- "They are working very hard."

- "We cannot pretend to be something we are not".

On the eleventh day, they tried to anticipate the task in advance, but could not stop it even once.

It is no exaggeration to say that my pride as a third year student was shattered.

And when Nagumo found out about this result, he was very disappointed.

Calm is no longer a word that has any meaning in this situation.

- "This is your last warning, Koenji."

Kiriyama led the free group around Koenji's path and told him.

"Only tomorrow. Take our advice and stay put. That's it."

If we can keep him at bay for a day, Nagumo will be able to escape with the safe first place.

The important thing is not to let Koenji take the top spot again.

- "Oh hey, Nagumo, he needs to be held for two days. ......! Shouldn't they do it tomorrow and the day after? "

"The day after tomorrow, we will no longer be able to see the groups leading the way. I don't think there is any group that is going to come after us strongly, but we should be concentrating on improving our own score rather than retaining anyone."

This was the only decision of Kiriyama, who had seen the situation in Koenji closely.

- "I don't think it's a good idea to dedicate a total of three days to Koenji."

- "Then leave the minimum number of guards and leave it abandoned for two days!"

- "Do you think Koenji will accept that?"

If it's just for one day, chances are good that Koenji will be able to hold the top two or three.

I'm not sure what to think.

- "It is impossible for them to accept defeat"

- "It depends on how you do it."

Mikitani, who had been following Kiriyama with dissatisfaction up to this moment, turned on him.

"...... Do you think you can do it?"

"I can do it. If I can do it, I'll get a ticket for class A. "

I'm not sure it's a good idea.

Then he turned to Koenji and said.

- "I'm sure you heard us. I'm going to ask you to stay here tomorrow and the next day. "

- "Are you asking me for a favor?"

- "No, it's an order."

- "It is a request that I cannot ignore, but what happens if I refuse?"

- "In the worst case, you will be expelled."

Although he didn't say it in words, it was clear from the fire that it was a form of violent suppression.

Even with the threat, Koenji didn't stop smiling fearlessly, waiting to see what the third-year students would do.

- "If you don't answer, does it mean that you will obey me?"

- "I don't obey anyone."

- "Then I will make you obey me. You understand? Kiriyama. "

- "As long as Koenji obeys, I'll leave it up to you."

I'm not sure what to make of it.

But as soon as the last designated zone for the 11th is announced, Koenji stands up.

Seeing this, Mikitani rushes to give him direct instructions and surrounds him.

-"I have told you. I told you to stay put. "

Since they were so close that their skin touched, the only way for Koenji to move was to forcefully shove the third-year students.

- "It is not a pretty situation. I don't like male sexuality. "

-"What would you do? If you try to push me away, I will take it as a declaration of war. "

-"Oh now I see."

- "Laughing, Koenji took a step forward."

Of course, that big step was enough to touch Mikitani in front of me.

But there was no pretense of trying to push him away with his arm.

He just started walking normally, so it was as if their shoulders were colliding with each other.

The point is, he was trying to force his way through without raising his hands.

It could have been taken as a push, but Mikitani was confident that she would be able to hold his ground thanks to his good physique. This is an opportunity to show that being fast is not the same as being powerful.

But it was as if a large rock was slowly crashing into him, and before he knew it, he was forced to move to the side to give way.

Koenji, on the other hand, showed no sign of having hit an obstacle and kept walking solemnly and silently.

"Hey wait!"

Mikitani rushed to grab Koenji's shoulders, but was unable to stop him with half-hearted force.

If Koenji is allowed to go unnoticed by now, the stupid development will be repeated.

I'm not sure what to make of it.

He clicked his tongue when Kiriyama saw him do it, and then changed his mind.

Call one of his friends and try to stop Koenji with two of his own.

Morooka, who had been dragged to stop him, collapsed.

Then he fell exaggeratedly and showed signs of suffering.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

-"What? I think I have broken my arm! "

Morooka ranted and ranted loudly like the appeal of a soccer player.

- "You have done something terrible, Koenji."

- "You sound like a hit man."

- "No matter what you say, it doesn't change the fact that you pushed Morooka away."

The modest strategy of a moment ago has disappeared.

I'm not sure what to do about it, but I'm sure it's something I can't ignore.

- "It seems that you are willing to hit us, your senpai. But if you did, you'd be in big trouble right? "

-"You can not touch me."

He said, nailing it ahead of time.

However, Koenji continued after Mikitani.

I have no intention of showing mercy to those who prevent me from moving forward, much less turning against me.

Mikitani's expression froze for a moment as he replied that he was willing to resort to violence.

"What if we report it to the school?"

"What's going to happen, or is it just going to be a stain on the name of the third year students who tried to sink a lone kouhai?"

- "I don't need to confirm that Mikitani's watch is working properly. Otherwise, they would not have been able to enter the challenge ahead of Koenji. "

- "It was about time, right? Your group has put a damper on my chances of earning the order rewards. "

More than ten minutes had already passed since the announcement of the designated area.

I'm sure the rivals are targeting designated areas that Koenji should target one after another.

There is a good chance of regaining first place from here, but what will happen is unclear.

- "I'm sorry, but you're not going to ...... go."

Based on her steadfast determination, Mikitani said that he would not hesitate to fight Koenji.

- "I can't be nice to you all the time, and neither can I."

- "Does that mean you're going to turn against me?"

The third year students had been confused by Koenji's environment up to that point, but they remembered their role. They knew it was an embarrassing situation to be surrounded by so many younger students, but if this was the only way to survive, they couldn't pretend otherwise.

Normally, the other party would realize that there is no end in sight, but Koenji was different.

The man, who had no interest in anyone but himself, was only thinking about how to handle the situation here to make it beautiful. His blonde hair was as lustrous as a woman's, and he never failed to maintain it even while living on an uninhabited island. He lightly touched his slightly unruly bangs and smiled.

Mikitani, momentarily shocked and frightened by this, walked away.

- "Time is money, come quickly."

Koenji, who was prepared to receive the attack, slowly spread his arms and gestured to accept the attack from the third year students.

- "Didn't you, Mikitani? You really did."

- "...... Ah. If that's the case, I'll go down with Koenji in my arms. Let's do it! "

At the same time as the scream, three students rushed towards Koenji at once. One of them will choke you from behind, while the other two will choke you from the front and left.

At first glance, it may seem difficult to deal with all three jumping at the same time, but that does not mean that all three are especially experienced in fighting or coordinated.

Just try to compete with Koenji at a similar time.

No one is really trying to hit him, it's more of a weird kind of thinking for him.

Koenjio dodged them all with one spectacular stride, causing the surprised third-year students to collide head-on.

- "Hey, hey, watch out!"

-"You too!"

It was by no means a pretty combination, and the third graders complained to each other as if they were arguing.

- "Do not lose sight that the target is Koenji."

You must have heard of him.

4

After a few moments, Koenji found himself surrounded by exhausted third-year students and on their knees, breathing heavily.

He broke their spirits by continuing to nullify their attacks without directing a single fist at him.

-"What the hell is that......? You are a real monster. I'm sure it would have been a lot easier ...... "

Even as Mikitani walked away in amazement and fear, I realized that he could have taken advantage of the gap.

- "It's not nice that they always follow you. It's not nice to have a dead leaf slapping my cheek over and over again. "

Hearing this, Kiriyama analyzed the situation without panicking, despite being in a difficult situation.

-"I see. It is true that the current Mikitani was prepared to go after you until the end. If he was shown such an overwhelming skill difference, his spirit would be broken. But you are the only one who can devise and carry out the trick of breaking your opponent's heart without counterattacking. "

- "Even if I have to drop the reward for reaching the designated area, here I will nip the counterattack of the third year students in the bud."

Kiriyama and the others were surprised by Koenji, who had made that decision.

- "Are you okay, Mikitani?"

- "Oh yeah. No ...... I have no suspicious thoughts."

Some students fell or fell to the ground in the form of self-destruction, but all were mostly unscathed. All of them were mostly unscathed, with only a few scratches on their hands at most.

Faced with such overwhelming power, he didn't even need to shake his fist to show the difference.

- "I'll go then, if it's okay with you."

- "Do what you want, Koenji."

"Now if you'll excuse me. Bye."

No one could stop him, and Koenji left.

After that, Mikitani muttered to himself in a broken spirit.

"What the hell is that guy? Is he really in high school?"

- "There is always someone who does not agree with your calculations. Like Nagumo."

- "In the end, the only thing we can do is crawl on the ground like this forever?"

I hit the ground with my fist in frustration at my inability.

"That monster of youth! He even made me look like an idiot! He made me look like an idiot! Shit! Shit!"

Our fight is not over yet.

I glanced back at the missing figure of Koen Enji and grabbed my walkie talkie.

- "Are you going to report my failure to Nagumo?"

- "What do I win? I am the one who has already decided to win."

- "Don't worry, Miki, I've already assumed from the beginning that Koenji is out of this world. But there is always a weakness in every opponent. You know what they say, big is better than small. "

Mikitani nodded silently, feeling somewhat grateful for Kiriyama's words.

Kiriyama, for his part, was not the least bit upset because he had expected this to happen from the beginning.

A strategy to give a blow to Koenji, who is sure to have removed the obstacle.

Despite the large number of people who interfered, almost no real damage occurred. As a result, Koenji must have gotten the strong impression that third-year students were no big deal. That was exactly what Kiriyama wanted.

5

Day 11, just before 5:00 p.m. I had barely reached the last designated zone, J10, when I was startled by the sight. It is important to collect scores and homework objects, but even more important is to be careful with scoring. It's surprisingly difficult to keep 11th place at all times. You have to make sure you don't step on the designated area and get penalized, and you also have to keep up with those who score in 10th place.

Yesterday, on the 10th day of the test, the third designated area was announced as F4 followed by a random area in B9, and I gave up soon. I couldn't even get to C9, the fourth designated area, and had to pass twice in a row. I managed to get to the first designated area in the morning, C8, and avoided the penalty, but this time I couldn't get to the random area of ​​H9, and had to get to I9, which was a tough day.

Once an area is designated as a long-distance destination, the next area continues to refer to it.

I realized once again the main reason why my overall score was not increasing.

As we reached the end of the steep and rocky road we could hear a man and a woman talking to each other in front of us.

Maybe it's because the wind was blowing, but the voice was vaguely familiar.

I thought I might meet him, so I decided to take a look.

The voice comes from the west, the direction of the ocean.

There, I met a group of three girls from class B, from the second year, consisting of Iso Yamanagisa, Morofuji Rika and Shiina Hiyori.

...... And there are three more from another group of sophomores. I haven't seen them since the first day of the exam.

I'm sure I've heard of them. The tables were supposed to be different at first, but did the designated areas overlap this time?

-"What? Isn't it Ayanokouji-kun? "

The five of them were still talking and had not yet noticed my presence, but only Hiyori, who was in front of me, perceived my presence and noticed me. As soon as our eyes met, she waved at me.

- "You look better than I thought."

- "Everyone has worked very hard. We have expanded our group to a maximum of six people."

This is how they met Ishizaki and the others.

Truth be told, it seems that many of the students lack ability, but Hiyori can bring a lot in terms of brain. That's what she is for. However, her physical capacity is not as high as it should be. Taking into account the members of the group, I would say that they function in a balanced way.

- "Did you plan to join Ishizaki and the others from the beginning?"

- "That's right. We have several priorities for the merger, and this is one of those groups."

Without denying it, I turned my gaze to where Ishizaki and the others were chatting as they gazed at the soon-to-set sun, as if to ease their fatigue.

They seem to get along well with each other as they are basically a group made up of 2nd year class B.

Tsutsube, the only one of a different class, integrated very well.

- "Ayanokouji-kun, how do you feel?"

Hiyori didn't seem especially bothered by the fact that no one was coming after her.

Yes. So far, so good."

"I don't think there is anything to worry about, but you have to be careful."

-"I know."

She motioned for me to sit next to her and I did

-"Three days left."

I don't think she asked me for any particular reason.

After that, we silently stare at the sea and feed our spirits.

In most cases, when I meet a friend or someone close to a friend, they ask me how I am doing.

As it is a battle for survival, curiosity cannot be avoided.

Hiyori, however, showed no sign of asking me what my score was.

It is not so much that she is not interested, but that she is convinced that they will not expel me.

- "Hey, Ayanokouji!"

I'm not sure if she finally noticed my presence or not, but for some reason, Ishizaki smiled at me in a very happy way. The rest of the group seemed to notice immediately and grabbed Ishizaki by the shoulders as he tried to approach us.

- "What the hell? Do not get in my way."

- "What? It's not that Ayanokouji doesn't like it, right?"

-"Not......"

-"Nothing happens. That is one of the good things about you, Ishizaki-kun. "

- "No. Good point? I'd say you just can't read air."

- "Well ...... yes, that could be undeniable."

Nishino and Tsutsube have become good friends with each other.

This would be a common sight for many groups in a prolonged battle on an uninhabited island.

If we work together as much as we can to avoid being kicked out, we can easily overcome the smallest of barriers.

But at the same time, it is also cruel.

After this special exam is over, the class war will resume again, and the future awaits us as we kick each other out.

At that time, there will be few students who will not be able to make normal decisions.

-"Sorry to interrupt."

I was about to leave when Ishizaki came running over and grabbed me by the shoulder.

"I'm a lonely man, come hang out with us, Ayanokouji. Anyway, you're not going to do any more chores today, and you had planned to camp on I9, right?"

The designated area, J 10, was not suitable for pitching a tent due to the strong wind and rocky ground. In that sense, I was going to avoid the seashore, as Ishizaki said, and I would go by I9 .......

-"It's a great idea!"

Hiyori, who had just got up, approached me in agreement.

These two people are relatively close to me and have few problems, but what about the others?

- "Isn't it good? Ayanokouji-kun seems quite harmless.

-"I know."

And apparently, there was not a single objection. What can I say, I found the group to have such a comfortable and friendly atmosphere that I almost forgot that we were doing a very tough special exam.This kind of environment is often seen in Ichinose's class, but it seems that Ryuuen's class is also starting to change little by little.

6

- "Ayanokouji-senpai, Ayanokouji-senpai ......!"

In the middle of the night, while falling asleep, I woke up to a voice calling out to me. The voice was a silent whisper that could not be heard, and it came from right next to the store. I checked my watch and it was around 2:30 in the morning.

- "It's me, Nanase."

I wake up quickly and peers into the tent. The light from the tablet in the dark shows Nanase's terrified figure.

-"What do you do here at this time, ......?"

- "I'm fine, I was in I9 like you. In fact, I even saw you from afar at night, but since I was working with Housen-kun, I decided to avoid contact. "

"...... Y?"

- "There is something I need to tell you as soon as possible. ...... Today ......, well, the date has already changed, so it was yesterday to be exact, but Housen-kun told me that on the twelfth day, the first years will do a great trick on Ayanokoji-senpai. "

"A great trick? It sure isn't the only one."

- "No, no, let me tell you in order."

Nanase calmed her breathing and began to explain.

I'm not sure how many days passed, but Housen was summoned by Takahashi, Yagami, Tsubaki, and Utomiya, but he ignored them. However, on the ninth day, a student who appeared to be an errand boy for one of the group members showed up with a walkie-talkie and again asked for Housen's help. This is what he said.

He wanted to force me to withdraw at the end of the uninhabited island exam.

He also said that he intended to hunt down and remove seniors who were performing alone as well.

Specific details would be announced on the day of the event, and the walkie-talkie was still in Housen's possession. The walkie-talkies are still in Housen's possession, but Nanase has been told that Housen has no intention of cooperating with him, and is planning to use it by pretending to cooperate. I'm not sure what to think about it. It is worth taking action in advance.

- "It's good that you told us the date and the details until the last moment."

If the date and details were leaked to us, it would be easier for us to deal with it.

In fact, Housen, who could betray them, has not yet received the details of the plan.

- "Who is in charge?"

-"I do not know. I don't know, but Tsubaki was the main person I spoke to on the walkie-talkie. "

- "He didn't seem like the type that has long been outdoors."

- "I agree with you, because I had the impression that Class C was more focused on Utomiya. But Utomiya and Housen don't get along, and when it comes to arguing, they quickly get into quarrels and quarrels, so Tsubaki may have been deliberately chosen to act as an intermediary. "

There is also the possibility that someone like Yagami or Takahashi is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

- "I appreciate knowing the date of the meeting. It is best not to stay too long, even late at night. It's good to know what's going on. "

For better or for worse, Housen and I will have to stay in the same freshman class D.

I'll tell him to go before Housen finds out.

- "Yes, I'll let you know if there are more important news."

- "Oh no, thanks for that, but that's enough for this uninhabited island exam. If you see a freshman moving around, you don't have to come tell me, and you don't have to help me."

-"However..."

- "Nanase, you have given me enough information. Now you must do what you have to do as one of the group of Housen and Amasawa.

If Nanase loses all credibility here, there will be no more information.

I'm sure you can find something that works.

- "If Ayanokouji senpai says so, I understand ..."

I bow my head deeply and decide to do so, and Nanase walks away into the dark.

When I no longer see it, I take out my tablet and think for a while.

My drowsiness disappears and I start looking at the screen.

The details of first-year D-class are unknown, but Housen is a person who uses a type of power similar to Ryuuen's to control the class and act. However, the difference is that Housen tends to take the initiative to try to overcome obstacles.

In this situation, Housen has kept Nanase close to him since the beginning of school.

It is true that Nanase has a strong and tough mindset that most high school freshmen do not have, and with her academic ability and physical prowess, there is no question that she is a valuable asset.

However, Housen's level of trust in Nanase remains completely unknown.

If you didn't trust her, would you let her know about the surprise attack from the first year? I don't think Housen alone can sustain the idea that Nanase is on my side, but I wouldn't be surprised if he felt some kind of discomfort. If Amasawa is advising him, there is a chance that he may see the truth .......

Either way, the first year's plan of attack isn't surprising. I'm not sure what to make of this. It was nice that Nanase came to inform me, but she did not change our plans in any way.

7

After a short sleep, I turn on the GPS search just as 6:00 AM arrives. If we do this today, we should see some unusual activity among top freshmen, including Housen.

There is nothing unusual about the positioning.

The only one at the same table, Housen, is in a close position, but everyone else is at least three squares away. There is no indication that they are preparing anything at this time. It's hard to imagine being attacked in a public place, so as long as Ishizaki and the others are around, we can assume we're safe.

Hiyori, Ishizaki, and the others began to wake up and prepare for the 12th day of the exam.

When everyone is ready, we start walking together.

Ishizaki complains, still groggy from sleep.

It can not be helped. We will lose points if we suddenly step on the designated area.

Ishizaki and Nishino started talking.

They must have been talking like this for more than ten days.

The rest of the group concentrated on walking, as if they weren't listening.

"Ayanokouji-kun, do you ever feel lonely being in the exam?"

Hiyori, who was walking beside me, asked me.

-"Not especially. I feel more comfortable. "

- "I think ...... he's a bit lonely and it's scary."

- "Scared, huh? I can't imagine Hiyori being scared. "

Since she is always so relaxed, she seems to be insensitive to these issues.

Even when psychic phenomena occur, she seems to just clap his hands and say, "This is amazing!"

- "But I'm still pretty scared, you know. That is why I am sincerely impressed with Ayanokoji-kun. "

I think Horikita and Ibuki are doing better than me.

The longer she struggled with loneliness, the weaker her mental state became, and the more she began to think about things she didn't need to think about.

You begin to feel things that are not there in the sound of the wind or the swaying of the trees.

- "Surely ...... living on an uninhabited island alone is ...... impossible for me."

Hiyori looked a bit scared when imagining it.

Only through this test of the uninhabited island was I able to see an unusual side of it.

- "They are very close. Not?"

I'm not sure how long he had been walking in front of everyone, but Ishizaki turned around, looked at us, and said so. You don't need to get involved in anything else

"Why don't they go out? They could be boyfriends and that's how you come to our class, right? You're thinking a lot about that."

Nishino throws a heavy punch and Ishizaki yells holding his head.

- "It's funny, isn't it, Ishizaki-kun?"

With a giggle, Hiyori replies without seeming to care.

If I took Ishizaki's words at face value every time, I'd be in trouble.

I will let it pass.

"Ouch, that hurts. If you want to bring Ayanokouji into your group, don't you think it's necessary?"

-"I do not think so at all. You are the one who is so obsessed with Ayanokoji-kun. "

For those of other classes, who do not know the details of the situation, that would be more mysterious.

Getting a perfect score on an exam can seem like too demanding.

- "Well, what can I say? ...... We are on the same wavelength."

- "I don't think they are on the same wavelength. I don't think anyone is on the same wavelength as you. "

Faced with Nishino's harsh response, Ishizaki sought help without hesitation.

- "That's not true. Ishizaki-kun has a determined look."

Hiyori says as if to continue, but they all bow their heads in unison.

-"What do you mean?"

- "It is what it is. I can't answer any more questions."

-"...... So yes. In any case, it's good that Shiina-san praises you. "

-"Oh yeah! I don't know what it is, but I don't feel bad about being praised! "

I guess I couldn't think of anything specific to say.

There was no way to say something so cruel, so I listened silently.

Later, at seven in the morning, it was announced that the first designated zone was H10.

Hiyori and her friends seemed to be in a different designated zone than J9, so it seemed like we weren't going to compete with each other.

I appreciate it, because it is not good to compete with other students in the same course.

- "That's all for now, Ayanokouji. See you later."

- "Ah. There are only a few days left, so don't lose your temper. "

Ishizaki offered me his fist, which I accepted, and then we started going our separate ways.

After a short walk, I thought I heard a voice behind me.

I turned around and saw Ishizaki and Hiyori waving at me.

I waved goodbye to them and headed for H10.

I spared no effort to repeat the GPS search every hour this day, but there were no signs of any change in the movements of the freshmen.

The information Nanase had risked so much to tell me about the trick of the 12th was empty. Either Amasawa, who knew of Nanase's betrayal, pointed out the information leak, or the plan was going to go ahead today but was postponed or canceled due to some accident.

In any case, we cannot let our guard down tomorrow, the 13th and last day. The third and fourth designated zones of the day had to pass twice due to random zones.

We didn't lose much ground in the rankings, but the searches took a toll on us and we dropped to 16th place.

Tomorrow, I have to step on the designated area at all costs.