When Hikigaya returned to Class D's campsite, it was just in time for lunch.
After handing the hammock back to Hirata, he borrowed the guidebook and found a quiet corner to flip through it. Although the manual was quite thick, memorizing all of it wouldn't be too difficult for him.
Thinking back, Hikigaya remembered how, during elementary school, he had once memorized the names of all his classmates in a single day. However, instead of admiration, he was met with disgust... which is why he later stopped bothering with people he deemed unimportant.
After lunch, everyone resumed their free activities.
Recalling the information he'd received from Horikita last night, Hikigaya made his way toward the beach. He had a rough idea of what Ryuen was planning, but he still felt it was better to confirm things with his own eyes.
As he emerged from the dense forest, the sight before him was just as Horikita had described. A large number of Class C students were frolicking on the beach, their laughter and shrieks filling the air as they reveled in the ocean's embrace.
The scene was one of leisure, with temporary toilets and shower stalls, barbecue sets, snacks, drinks, beach chairs, umbrellas, and even jet skis zooming across the water. Hikigaya estimated that the visible facilities alone must have cost over a hundred points. There was no place on the beach to conceal anything, so where had the remaining points gone?
If they didn't spend them in time, Ibuki and Kaneda would fail to report back, leading to a point deduction. Ryuen wouldn't be careless enough to waste points like that.
Considering the significance of the camera... Had Ryuen used the leftover points to acquire supplies and then made a deal with Class A?
If that was the case, things could get troublesome.
It didn't matter what Class A gave up; the important thing was what they gained.
Hikigaya's strategy to weaken Class A relied on them spending at least a hundred points on supplies, leaving only twenty by the end of the exam. But if they managed to save two hundred seventy points, even if all three other classes correctly guessed their leader, they would still be left with a hundred twenty points.
...Wait.
A sudden realization struck Hikigaya. If things continued this way, he might end up losing to Sakayanagi. Letting Class A retain a hundred twenty points was not something that would shock that little devil.
"Hey, Hikigaya."
As he was deep in thought, someone called his name.
He looked up to see Ishizaki Daichi from Class C standing before him.
"Ryuen-san wants to see you."
"Ishizaki," Hikigaya said, his face expressionless. "Your tone is off-putting. I feel like I'm being harassed."
"Wha— What the hell! Not this crap again! Who's afraid of you? Go ahead, report me if you want!"
Despite his tough words, Ishizaki hurriedly scurried away after throwing a few last threats. It seemed the last time Hikigaya had dealt with him left a lasting impression.
But Hikigaya didn't think he had wronged Ishizaki; in fact, he had even treated his injuries properly.
Walking on the sand, he soon spotted Ryuen lounging on a beach chair. Instead of his usual athletic wear, he was dressed in casual clothes bought with points, sunglasses resting on his face, giving off the appearance of someone on a vacation.
On the table next to him were drinks and... a walkie-talkie?
"...Sigh."
"Hey, Rotten Eyes, why the sigh as soon as you see me?"
Ryuen taunted, raising his glass mockingly.
"Jealous that we're enjoying our holiday while you're stuck munching on grass and bugs with your trashy classmates? If you beg me, I might just let you join us."
Hikigaya did not react to Ryuen's provocation. He simply thought to himself that this guy was indeed an idiot.
Leaving such a conspicuous walkie-talkie out in the open... was he trying to broadcast his schemes to everyone? If someone like Ayanokoji noticed it during reconnaissance, he would certainly become suspicious.
Ryuen might believe his zero-point strategy was brilliant, but in reality, it had already been seen through.
With this in mind, Hikigaya spoke in a measured tone, "Ryuen, you should consider consulting with Shiina before you act. If you ask her nicely, she'll probably help you."
It couldn't be helped. Even if Ryuen managed to squeeze blood from Class B and D last time, that didn't mean he could succeed every time.
Ryuen's intellectual ceiling was clear. If he failed to recognize the importance of teamwork, he would never lead his class to victory.
"Hmph, what nonsense are you spewing, you bastard? I couldn't care less about this boring exam. Patience isn't my style."
Ryuen scoffed at Hikigaya's advice, his attitude unchanged from the norm. And in a way, it wasn't a lie. Ryuen had no intention of enduring this exam; it was indeed boring for him.
"By the way, I heard from Suzune that Ibuki from our class went over to your side," Ryuen smirked disdainfully. "Ha, what a pathetic woman. She talks tough, but when push comes to shove, she runs to another class for shelter."
"...Is that so."
Hikigaya didn't bother to expose Ryuen's bluff. He just kept his eyes fixed on the walkie-talkie.
There was nothing more he could do.
"The reason I came to find you is to let you know that Class A's leader is Totsuka Yahiko."
"Huh? I've already told you I don't care about this exam."
Ryuen waved dismissively, clearly uninterested. "We're planning to play around for a few days before heading back to the ship. You guys can stay on this crappy island and play with the bugs."
"...If you withdraw, can you still submit the other classes' leader names?" Hikigaya decided to go along with Ryuen's talk.
"Who knows?"
"If you can, you might as well write them down," Hikigaya said calmly. "Your class will get zero points anyway, so even if you guess wrong, it won't hurt. If you guess right, you get fifty points for free. Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it?"
Ryuen suddenly sat up straight, removing his sunglasses to look at Hikigaya.
"Tell me, Rotten Eyes, why are you being so generous with advice?"
"No reason. According to our contract, the more points your class has, the better it is for me."
"Heh, I'm sure there's more to it than that."
Ryūen couldn't help but laugh, his expression twisting into something slightly strange as he spoke. "You, of all people, usually lack any motivation, but this time, you're going all out for a girl. I never thought I'd see you taking the initiative."
"What are you talking about?" Hikigaya's face remained stoic, but inside, alarm bells were ringing.
Could it be that Sakayanagi has—
"Of course, I'm talking about that big bald guy from Class A and his sidekick. Those two idiots have no idea they've provoked a real pain in the neck... But I didn't expect you to go so far for Hiyori."
Ryūen's tone dripped with sarcasm as he finished.
Ah, so he was talking about what happened on the deck...
Hikigaya finally let out a breath of relief. It seemed he was overthinking things.
Still, he hadn't expected Ryūen to witness that... And it seemed like he had gotten the wrong idea about the whole situation.