"Hey, are you guys finally done talking?"
At the sound of that voice, Ryuen and Ibuki froze, their faces reflecting pure shock, as if they'd just seen a ghost.
Following the voice, a figure emerged—a figure that always managed to ignite their ire just by appearing.
"Hikigaya..." Ryuen hissed through gritted teeth, barely able to contain his anger. "How... how are you here? This is impossible!"
"Surprised? You shouldn't be," Hikigaya responded with a smirk, taking in the sight of Ryuen. The guy was a mess—mud splattered all over his clothes, his hair matted with dirt, and an unpleasant odor emanating from him. Anyone who didn't know better might mistake him for a homeless man who had crawled out of some ditch.
"Cut the crap," Ryuen snapped, his eyes narrowing as his mind raced. It had to be Katsuragi or Ibuki who slipped up, leading Hikigaya to track them here. But now wasn't the time to dwell on how he was found.
"So what?" Ryuen taunted, holding up a key card. "You think you can take Suzune's card back? Or maybe you're planning to report us? Too bad for you, I just found this lying on the ground."
"You're kidding, right?" Hikigaya was unfazed, shaking his head slightly. "You never learn, do you?"
He pulled out a digital camera and turned the screen toward Ryuen. "You recognize this?"
Ryuen squinted at the screen, then his lips curled into a menacing grin. "Ah, I see now. I was wondering how B-Class idiots managed to find Kaneda. Turns out you were behind it."
"Ichinose figured it out long before I got involved."
Ryuen sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "And yet she still sheltered students from other classes. She and Suzune are destined to be trampled in this school."
"Maybe you should look in the mirror first," Hikigaya countered, pointing at the camera's screen. "Take a good look before you start boasting."
"What are you talking about?" Ryuen frowned, leaning closer. "It's too dark to see anything. Bring it closer."
"Are your eyes that bad?" Hikigaya complained, but he complied, moving the camera closer.
Just as the two were inches apart, Ryuen lunged at the camera. Unfortunately for him, Hikigaya was already anticipating this move and swiftly pulled the camera back.
"You're moving slower than a granny crossing the street," Hikigaya mocked. "But I guess it's understandable. After a week of living off bugs and weeds, your nutrition must be pretty lacking."
"Shut it!" Ryuen spat, while Ibuki, standing beside him, tensed up, ready to fight.
But Hikigaya remained calm.
"I'd advise against doing anything stupid. I'm pretty confident in my ability to escape, and if I do, this photo of Ibuki stealing will go straight to the school."
Ryuen and Ibuki, both worn out and in poor shape, were at a disadvantage. Even if they managed to land a hit, Hikigaya could easily flee, leaving them powerless to stop him.
Understanding this, Ryuen's frustration grew, but he kept his composure. He inhaled deeply, forcing down his anger, and spoke in a cold, measured tone. "Hikigaya, you didn't come here just to taunt me. What do you want?"
"My demands are simple," Hikigaya replied, cutting to the chase. "I hear you struck a pretty sweet deal with A-Class, getting a hefty amount of points every month. Congratulations on that."
"Did Hiyori tell you?"
"Come on, you know better than that." Hikigaya shook his head, sounding slightly exasperated.
"I know plenty of people in A-Class. This isn't something Shiina would have to tell me. And you also know that Sakayanagi and Katsuragi have never been on the best of terms. You exploited that rift to make this deal with Katsuragi, didn't you?"
Ryuen didn't bother to deny it. "Fine, you got me. But you should know that I've already reaped the biggest rewards from this exam. Even if C-Class loses its exam privileges, it won't affect me much."
Losing the exam privileges wouldn't nullify the contract with A-Class, which is why Ryuen remained unbothered. After all, he had a safety net in place.
However, Hikigaya wasn't about to be fooled by Ryuen's bravado. "Is that so? Then let's do some math." He began counting on his fingers. "First, you already know A-Class and D-Class's leaders, which is worth 100 points. Then, you likely earned another 50 points from securing a few spots while you were hiding on the island."
Ryuen sneered. "Is that all? I couldn't care less about such meager rewards. Besides, do you think I'd name myself as a leader?"
He spread his hands in mock helplessness as if to say how ridiculous Hikigaya's assumptions were.
"Feel free to write my name down if you believe that."
"Don't be stupid. I'm not helping D-Class," Hikigaya retorted, unimpressed by Ryuen's performance. But he didn't plan to tell anyone else. "I just want to point out that you're losing out. Ending things here wouldn't be worth it for you."
Hikigaya's tone became more serious. "And I also got a photo of you taking the key card from Ibuki. That makes her the primary culprit and you an accomplice. You could both lose all your points."
Though it was uncertain how the school might rule, Hikigaya used the potential threat to corner Ryuen. The decision wouldn't be his to make.
Ryuen hesitated. But the truth was, more than anything, he couldn't stand the idea of losing to Hikigaya.
He'd endured a week of hardship, living like a wild animal, all for the sake of shocking everyone and crushing the other classes by the end of the exam. To be disqualified now would make him a laughingstock.
"Hikigaya, what do you want?"
"You're raking in 1.2 million points from A-Class every month, right? It's only fair to share. Just give me 600,000."
The sheer audacity of Hikigaya's demand left both Ibuki and Ryuen speechless.
"There are no 1.2 million points," Ryuen snapped. "It's only 600,000 points in total. Do you expect me to hand it all over to you?"
"You must think I'm either an idiot or that you're one," Hikigaya responded, unperturbed. Despite knowing Ryuen was lying, Hikigaya played along, carefully pointing out the flaws. "Your deal with Katsuragi saves A-Class 200 class points, which translates to 800,000 personal points for the entire class. But the value of those points is different."
Ryuen grunted, unable to refute this logic.
"And then there's the fact that you revealed D-Class's leader to Katsuragi. That's another 400,000 points a month. I know all about your dirty little deal."
Ryuen scowled. "No dirtier than yours. But fine, I'll admit it. The total is 600,000. Believe what you want."
"Alright, alright. Let's say it's 600,000. Just give me 300,000 then," Hikigaya sighed as if he were reluctantly agreeing to the lower sum.
In reality, Hikigaya never expected to extort 600,000 points. That figure was designed to exceed Ryuen's threshold. By proposing 300,000 afterward, it would seem like a more reasonable demand, something Ryuen could accept.
This tactic was something Hikigaya had picked up from e-commerce marketing.
"...Fine. Bring it here," Ryuen eventually muttered, practically spitting out the words.
"What?"
"The contract!" Ryuen barked, irritated by Hikigaya's feigned ignorance. He nearly exploded in anger. "You must have prepared it beforehand, you bastard!"
"Of course, you know me so well," Hikigaya laughed. "But don't be in such a hurry. We need someone to witness it, and I'm sure Sakagami-sensei is nearby. Let's have him notarize it."
A homeroom teacher had to stay near their class's base camp. Though Ryuen had kept his base camp's location a secret, and likely moved it frequently, Sakagami-sensei's protective nature meant he would always be close by, ready to assist.
And just as Hikigaya predicted, Ryuen had positioned Sakagami-sensei nearby when negotiating with Katsuragi, to prevent any potential betrayals.
"Fine. Follow me," Ryuen grumbled, frustration evident in his every step.
Under Sakagami-sensei's supervision, Ryuen signed a contract agreeing to pay Hikigaya 300,000 personal points every month until graduation. In return, Hikigaya deleted the incriminating photos of Ibuki and promised not to report the incident to anyone else.
"Thanks, Ryuen. I'm going back to my class to have dinner," Hikigaya said cheerfully, waving to Ryuen, who offered no response, only spitting disdainfully on the ground.
With Ryuen silent, Hikigaya turned to Ibuki. "And thanks to you too, Ibuki. It seems like every time we cross paths, I end up making money."
Ibuki turned her head away, eyes flashing with fury. "Next time, Hikigaya. Next time..."
Ryuen grinned at that, pleased by Ibuki's resolve. He might have been bested by Hikigaya today, but he'd recover and make Hikigaya pay eventually.
For now, though, Hikigaya had won the day.
Again!
...
Horikita's mind was still clouded with confusion and frustration after Ayanokouji's interruption. As her surroundings dissolved into darkness, she began to piece together her predicament, each moment sharpening her realization of failure.
"I... messed up," she murmured, her voice trembling with the weight of her defeat. The words seemed to echo in the void around her. With a heavy sigh, she collapsed onto her knees, feeling utterly drained. "If I had known who to trust, none of this would have happened..."
Her isolation had led to her downfall. In hindsight, Horikita recognized that a trusted partner could have held the key card, preventing Ibuki from exploiting her vulnerability. Yet, her self-reliant nature had left her exposed, and now she faced the consequences of her arrogance.
"Horikita, what's our next step?" Ayanokouji's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts.
"This is all my fault," she responded, her tone bitter as she laughed at her own misfortune.
"Because of me, Class D will lose 50 points. I can no longer criticize Karuizawa or anyone else for using their points selfishly. I'd be a fool to do so."
"I think those situations are different," Ayanokouji said gently.
"Maybe, but the outcome is the same... I need to get back to the class as soon as possible and explain everything. Roll call is tonight, and I can't let the class suffer any further."
Despite her apparent resignation, there was a lingering determination in her eyes. Ayanokouji noticed this but also saw that her condition seemed to be worsening. Her cold had taken a toll, and her injuries suggested that the school might deem her unfit to continue. Still, he knew the school's decision was unpredictable, and he wasn't willing to leave anything to chance.
"Horikita, it's only five o'clock," he pointed out, glancing at his watch. "There's still time before roll call. You look exhausted. Rest for half an hour before heading back. Besides, I'd rather not have to carry you."
Horikita shot him a sharp look. "Ayanokouji-kun, I never intended to ask you to carry me. And besides, the places you'd touch need to be disinfected."
"Am I some kind of biohazard?" Ayanokouji asked a hint of amusement in his voice.
Ignoring his comment, Horikita sighed deeply. "You're right. Maybe it's the cold medicine making me sleepy. I can't do anything but rely on others... No wonder my brother never takes me seriously... I'm really…"
Her voice trailed off into self-deprecation, but Ayanokouji's thoughts were elsewhere. The mention of cold medicine struck him as odd. Horikita was known for her independence, and it was unusual for her to accept help in such a manner.
Pushing aside his curiosity, Ayanokouji focused on the immediate task. Horikita's murmured words grew fainter until she fell asleep. Seeing this, he carefully carried her to a nearby tree, propping her up gently. He waited patiently for ten minutes, ensuring she was deeply asleep.
When he was certain she wouldn't wake, Ayanokouji moved behind her, his actions precise and methodical. With quiet determination, he wrapped his arms around her neck, counting silently as he applied just enough pressure to render her unconscious without causing harm.
"…It's finally over," he whispered to himself, his relief palpable. He lifted Horikita and began the journey toward the coast where the exam was set to take place. Though pressing the emergency button on the watch was an option, he preferred to avoid drawing attention from a helicopter.
It was better to find the staff personally and explain the situation.
He knew that the school would likely rule Horikita unfit to continue the exam. To any outsider, his actions might seem ruthless, but he was driven by a single principle: victory. No matter the cost, achieving the final win was all that mattered to him.
Ayanokouji's resolve was unshakeable.
He believed in the sanctity of victory above all else, a belief that had become a core part of who he was.
As long as he emerged as the victor in the end, nothing else mattered.