---Notice---
I hope everyone enjoys the chapter. Powerstones are greatly appreciated, and so are reviews and opinions on the story thus far.
Sorry, I couldn't upload. I was dealing with finals, and I also opted to take some classes over the summer so I will be dealing with that soon.
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"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." ~Robertson Davies
"Light, someone is nearby," Ryuk's voice cut through the silence, a hint of amusement in his voice. I halted, the realization setting in that retreating would trap me between the encampments of Class B. I stood still, straining to catch any sound that might reveal more information, but instead, two figures emerged before me.
"Why did he have to send us out here?" the girl before me grumbled, locking eyes with me. Masumi Kamuro not exactly the talk of Class A, but certainly one of Sakayanagi's main followers.
Beside her stood Ai Morishita, her purple hair a match for Kamuro's, though she remained a mystery to me for the most part.
(Img)
"A pleasant surprise encounter with members of Class A; how has your class been doing?" I greeted, offering a hand.
Morishita regarded my hand with a mix of curiosity and indifference, while Kamuro outright dismissed the gesture.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Morishita inquired, her tone laced with suspicion, but I kept my composure.
"And what might that be?" I retorted, lowering my unshaken hand.
"As we ventured into the woods, we found you motionless. Odd, don't you think? It's as if you were alerted by something… perhaps us?" Morishita probed further.
"Well, are you hiding something?" Kamuro pressed, her gaze sharp.
Ryuk chuckled from the shadows, "What's your move, Light?"
I weighed my options. They were here on a mission, likely to scout the area. Any deception on my part would be futile; the only notable location nearby was Class B's camp.
With a resigned sigh, I conceded, "There's no use in lying. I was spying on Class B—their base is not far from here. I trust this stays between us."
Kamuro gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment. Morishita, however, stepped closer, her actions strange as she sniffed me. "You carry the scent of seawater," she observed, tilting her head up to gauge my reaction.
"Indeed, my class's base is near the shore. I was there not long ago," I replied, maintaining a composed facade.
"I see," Morishita mused, "then what brings you to spy on Class B?"
Kamuro interjected with a hint of irritation, "We're here on Katsuragi's orders, not to make friends. I want to leave as soon as possible."
Morishita countered, her curiosity undimmed, "My interest lies not with the class or Katsuragi but with the island itself. I dont care about what Kasuragi wants, and I know you dont either."
I overlooked Kamuro's annoyance and addressed Morishita's question, "I was hoping to get an idea of their strategies for the exam and perhaps identify their cardholder."
"So, you're Light Yagami, right?" she inquired, and upon my confirmation, she circled me, assessing. "You're quite perceptive, though I should've anticipated as much."
I offered a modest shake of my head, "Your intuition may surpass mine."
She returned the gesture, her voice tinged with reluctance, "It's too soon for such judgments, though I must confess, you intrigue me. Since you've entertained my questions, I invite you to ask one of your own."
"Are you aligned with either of Class A's main factions?" I asked.
Her response was tinged nonchalance, "An interesting question. I suppose you're still gauging my trustworthiness. I am affiliated with neither; their squabbles hold no appeal to me."
While skeptical, I acknowledged her potential as a noteworthy member of Class A.
"Such talents would indeed be wasted in their petty conflicts. You seem quite capable on your own," I remarked.
"Is that so? While I question the sincerity of your praise, I'll accept it graciously," she replied.
"Please do," I extended my hand, "I look forward to a future friendship."
Morishita hesitated, her preference for distance clear, yet she conceded, "It would be disrespectful to refuse," and accepted the handshake.
Kamuro's impatience broke through, "Are we finished here? I'd rather not waste any more time."
"My apologies," I said, stepping aside, "Time does escape us when engaged in stimulating discourse. Farewell for now."
As I departed, their voices faded into the forest.
Kamuro's voice was a whisper, "It's odd to see you so talkative; you're usually really quiet."
Morishita chimed in, "When we first crossed paths in the woods, he seemed off. I can't put my finger on it, but Light Yagami… he has something up his sleeve."
"Quiet down; he's not far off," Kamuro cautioned, and that was the last I overheard as I made my way back to Class D's encampment.
Ryuk's chuckle echoed in my head, "You were panicking just now, weren't you?"
"Panicking? Hardly," I retorted. "Though I'll concede, the girl did surprise me. I hadn't pegged anyone in Class A to be so perceptive without my notice. And if she's as sharp as I suspect, she and Kamuro might've pieced together that either I or Class C intend to take this exam seriously.."
"And? Does this alter your grand plan?"
"Not in the slightest. As you've observed, she claims to be a loner, unaffiliated with any faction, and Kamuro is under Sakayanagi's thumb. They're in the dark about whether it's just me or all of Class C taking this seriously. I need to get closer to Morishita; she may prove to be a valuable asset."
With my plan in mind, I continued towards the Class C base, arriving promptly.
The scene was just as I left it: students gathered around, enjoying a barbecue on the beach.
Ryuen raised an eyebrow at my return. "Back from your little adventure, Yagami? Or did you just lose your way?"
I flashed a confident grin. "You'd be surprised at the scale of this place."
Ryuen leaned in, a smirk playing on his lips. "Cut the act. Find out anything interesting?"
I want to keep my cards close to my chest, not fully ready to share my deductions about Class B's leader. "I've located the camps for Classes B and D," I offered, a half-truth at best.
Ryuen's interest was piqued. "And where might those be?"
"Class B has nestled themselves westward, deep in the forest. Follow the river to a waterfall; they're camped nearby. Hard to miss," I instructed with deliberate vagueness.
"And D?"
I relayed the information as Ryuk had whispered it to me. "Northeast from Ichinose's camp or northwest from ours. Look for a gentler river and a stand of large oaks."
Ryuen nodded, satisfied. "Good. That'll make tonight's task easier for our scouts."
'Tonight, huh?' I thought to myself. Ryuen's strategy was sound, albeit predictable. Sending Kaneda to spy on Class B was a decent move; he wasn't seen as a threat, which could work in our favor. As for Ibuki, her known association with me and disdain for Ryuen would add credibility to her cover. The real question was how others would perceive my lack of intervention. Would they see it as a betrayal, or would they see it as a choice to protect the majority? This could raise suspicions, but it was a risk I was willing to take.
I turned the conversation back to Ryuen. "What about the Class A visitor earlier? What did he want?"
Ryuen's smile widened, revealing a hint of disdain. "That guy? A real piece of work. Offered up his class leader, Yahiko Totsuka, for a handful of points."
"So, his allegiance is with Sakayanagi, then?"
"Allegiance?" Ryuen laughed sharply. "That traitor doesn't know the meaning of the word. He's looking out for himself and his position in Class A. It was Hashimoto if you're curious."
I nodded, piecing together the implications. "Self-preservation, then. Sakayanagi must hold quite the sway if he's willing to go to such lengths to ensure her leadership."
Ryuen's nod was all the confirmation I needed.
***The Next Day***
I turned to Shiina, the waves gently lapping at the shore beside us. "It's rather boring here, don't you think?"
Shiina glanced up from her spot on the sand, a serene expression on her face. "Not at all. I do miss my books, but there's a certain peace in these quiet moments."
Her response caught me off guard. "I assumed you'd be happy to return to the ship."
She shook her head slightly. "The open air has its charms. What about you, Yagami?"
"I'm mostly indifferent, though, given the choice, I might lean towards staying," I admitted.
Shiina looked puzzled. "But you just said it was boring here."
"That's true," I conceded. "But I have a hunch that won't be the case for much longer."
Shiina's voice dropped to a whisper. "Ryuen warned us not to pry, but you're aware of what happened to Kaneda and Ibuki yesterday afternoon, aren't you?"
I met her gaze, acknowledging her insight. "You're perceptive, Shiina. While Ryuen plays his cards close to his chest, he's made it clear to everyone he has no plans to abandon this exam. He may have exiled those two, but in reality, they're gathering intelligence for us."
Shiina nodded, her eyes reflecting a disinterest in the underlying schemes. "I had my suspicions. To be honest, the competition doesn't intrigue me. I've said it before, but I'm here for different reasons than most."
"I understand. No one will force you to participate. My aim is Class A, but not at the expense of our collective happiness," I assured her.
She offered a small smile of gratitude, and then her attention shifted. "It seems we have visitors from Class B."
Following her gaze, I spotted Ichinose, Kanzaki, and a few others approaching. None were particularly noteworthy, but their arrival promised a shift in the monotony. It was about to get interesting.
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I really like Morishita's character. With her weirdness and intuition, she reminds me a lot of L.
The chapter was a bit short, but as I said at the beginning of this fanfic, a lot of stuff will vary. Plus, I was really struggling to write this chapter, not because of writer's block or anything, just because of general disinterest. Although I got through it as best as possible, hopefully, it was a good read for all of you.
Still, there are no promised upload dates. I finished my classes and finals, but I want to do some stuff in my free time, and the classes I opted to take start pretty soon, but I'll try to write and upload when I get the chance if you really want a schedule I will try to upload every other day now (except Fridays I'm busy Fridays), but this is just an estimate.