On August 8th, the grueling examination on the deserted island finally reached its conclusion.
Though the official end would come at noon, the morning hours were no time to slack off. Each class had to tidy up their camps under the watchful eyes of their homeroom teachers.
"Ayanokoji, you're not in that kind of relationship with Horikita, right?!"
"I've told you countless times—there's nothing between us."
Since last night, Sudou had relentlessly been asking the same question, wearing Ayanokoji's patience thin.
The odd stares from the rest of the class only added to his discomfort. He even tried approaching Ike and Yamauchi for answers, but they simply patted him on the shoulder, offering only a cryptic "You should grow up a bit" before walking away.
What on earth happened while I was gone?
Ayanokoji couldn't figure it out. He had always tried to avoid attracting attention, yet it felt like someone was constantly setting traps for him.
…Whatever. Once the exam is over, they'll forget all about it.
In reality, the class dynamics had already started to soften. Some students were laughing and chatting as they worked, a stark contrast to the tension of the previous days.
Much of the blame had fallen on Ibuki, whom everyone now knew was a spy. Naturally, all the ill will was directed at her.
But this newfound camaraderie was merely a facade.
Class D had failed to withstand the pressures of the exam, and it was clear that any future challenges would likely cause the class to fracture once more.
The thought of leading such a dysfunctional group to Class A... their homeroom teacher had certainly set a difficult task.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Ayanokoji subtly glanced at Chabashira-sensei, who was standing nearby. Due to the threat of expulsion from this unfit teacher, Ayanokoji had no choice but to take action and contribute to the class during this exam.
Fortunately, everything had gone according to plan.
Last night, Ayanokoji and Hirata had discussed their situation. The remaining points for Class D, combined with the additional rewards for occupying the base camp, totaled 185 points.
Points were deducted mainly due to Horikita and Kouenji's departure, which cost 60 points, and the 10-point penalty for Ayanokoji and Hikigaya's lateness, leaving them with 115 points.
Class A's leader was undoubtedly Totsuka Yahiko.
Even though the reason for Hikigaya's sudden focus on Class A was unclear, he was a responsible person who wouldn't lie about such things. Moreover, he had personally confirmed that Yahiko hadn't withdrawn from the exam, so there shouldn't be any surprises.
As for Class C, the leader was none other than Ryuuen Kakeru. On the first day, when Ayanokoji and Horikita scouted Class C, Ayanokoji noticed a walkie-talkie on Ryuuen's desk, which raised his suspicions about Ibuki's true identity. Later, discovering a camera in Ibuki's bag further confirmed that Ryuuen might be dealing with other classes.
Through a series of strategic maneuvers, Ayanokoji coerced Ibuki into stealing Horikita's key card and fleeing, thereby confirming that Ryuuen was indeed hiding on the island.
With Ryuuen's dictatorial nature, there was no way he would let anyone else be the leader.
Horikita's failure to develop a fever was an oversight, but it was still within salvageable limits. They just needed to find a way to smooth things over.
As for Class B, there was no need to worry for now. The two classes were still allies, and there was no reason to create another enemy for short-term gain.
In the end, Class D's score was 215 points.
With such results, Chabashira-sensei should be satisfied.
As Ayanokoji pondered, he silently followed his classmates as they made their way to the shoreline.
There was no doubt that this victory belonged to him.
"Katsuragi-san! This morning, Mashima-sensei mentioned that our class lost fifty points due to someone's mishap. Do you think it was the work of those guys from Sakayanagi's faction?"
In Class A's main camp, Yahiko anxiously questioned Katsuragi about the incident.
"Who else could it be?" Yahiko continued. "I can't think of anyone else who'd do such a thing!"
"There's no need to worry about it. They can't cause any more trouble now."
Katsuragi shook his head gently, his eyes never leaving the notebook in front of him.
He wanted to confirm Class A's results one last time.
Thanks to their deal with Ryuuen, they had preserved the initial 270 points. The additional rewards for occupying the base camp totaled 274 points, and correctly guessing Class D's leader added another 50 points.
Although Sakayanagi's faction's mistake cost them 50 points, it was not an insurmountable loss.
In the end, Class A's score was 544 points!
Just thinking about the moment when the results would be announced caused Katsuragi's heart to race with excitement, a rare smile of triumph crossing his face.
This achievement would be enough to prove his capability, and even Sakayanagi would have to acknowledge it.
Even though Hikigaya would likely blackmail them for a large sum of points every month going forward, by then, Class A's points would reach 1,548, making those small sums insignificant. The other students would hardly have any complaints.
With a decisive snap, Katsuragi closed his notebook.
Without a doubt, Class A had secured a decisive victory this time!
As noon approached, the exam officially ended. The students from each class gathered on the beach, but there was no sign of Mashima-sensei and the other teachers.
"The results are being tallied. Please wait a moment. Since the exam has ended, students who wish to get a drink or use the restroom may do so now."
A nearby loudspeaker crackled to life, and the students began to move around in small groups, chatting about the exam as they did so.
Meanwhile, the students from Class C, who had already withdrawn, were waiting on the cruise ship, watching the live broadcast on the big screen.
"Tch, they're taking their sweet time."
Ryuuen leaned alone against a wall, a malicious grin tugging at his lips as he stared intently at the screen.
Ryūen's face was wrapped in bandages, giving him the appearance of a mummy. Ibuki had shown no mercy whatsoever. It was as though all her pent-up frustration had exploded in that moment, and she had pounded him relentlessly until he was unconscious. By the time she was done, she was exhausted, and only thanks to Sakagami-sensei's intervention was Ryūen carried back to camp.
Despite the brutal beating, Ryūen felt an odd sense of satisfaction. He regretted not being able to witness the spectacle firsthand, but he was eager to imagine the shocked look on Hikigaya's face when the truth was revealed.
There was no way Hikigaya could have predicted Class C's latest twist—a new leader.
Class C's initial points had already been severely depleted, and the bonus points for securing a base would only be tallied at the end of the exam. But Ryūen had planned everything carefully. He withdrew from the game strategically, avoiding the thirty-point penalty.
To remain under the radar, Ryūen had captured only a few well-hidden bases, securing a modest bonus of thirty-six points. However, the real reward came from the points gained by outsmarting the captains of Class A and Class D—a staggering total of one hundred thirty-six points.
And the best part? He had finally managed to get one over on someone he considered his true adversary.
For Ryūen, the points were secondary. This victory wasn't just about numbers—it was about savoring the satisfaction of defeating his rival.
"Just you wait, Hikigaya. This time, you're going down for sure!" he muttered under his breath, unable to suppress a smirk.
"Man, what's taking these teachers so long?" Hikigaya sighed, lounging on a rock as he stared at the cruise ship docked in the distance. He longed to escape the sweltering heat and return to the cool embrace of air conditioning.
"Hey, look! Isn't that Ibuki?" A sudden shout broke through the chatter, causing everyone to turn in the direction of the trees.
Emerging from the shadows, Ibuki strode toward the assembly point with a calm, composed expression. It had been assumed that Class C had completely forfeited, so her sudden reappearance sent a ripple of surprise through the crowd.
"Damn it! How dare she show her face here!"
"Framing us like that—she's got no shame!"
"I knew we couldn't trust her!"
Class D erupted in a chorus of angry voices, with Hirata and Kushida looking particularly remorseful. Their heads hung low in guilt. Some of the more hot-headed students looked ready to confront her on the spot.
Ibuki, however, remained unfazed. She kept her gaze straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge their accusations.
Amid the clamor, Hikigaya noticed Ayanokōji observing Ibuki with a serious, calculating expression. Hikigaya immediately understood that Ayanokōji had pieced together what had truly happened.
Heh, as expected of a genius. The guy figured it out in no time.
If Hikigaya weren't so adept at masking his emotions, he might have chuckled at the sight.
Just then, the loudspeaker crackled to life, and Teacher Manashima's voice echoed across the beach. The students quickly fell into line, but Manashima raised his hand, signaling them to relax.
"You don't need to be so tense. The exam is over, and it's technically your summer vacation now," Manashima said. "You can loosen up a bit, though I understand everyone's anxious to hear the results."
Despite his words, the atmosphere remained taut with anticipation. No one was willing to truly relax—not when the final rankings were about to be revealed.
"Now, I'll announce the results of the special exam," Manashima continued.
"But before I do, let me make one thing clear: no questions will be taken regarding the outcome. You'll have to accept the results and analyze them yourselves for future reference."
Manashima put on a headset, receiving the final results from the exam officials. It appeared even he didn't know the scores until they were transmitted to him in real-time to ensure complete impartiality.
His voice returned over the loudspeaker.
"First, I'll announce the rankings. In last place, with 20 points… Class A."
"?!" Katsuragi's eyes widened in shock.
"In third place, with 36 points… Class C."
Ryūen, listening from the sidelines, barely concealed his confusion.
"In second place, with 115 points… Class D."
Ayanokōji remained expressionless as if he had anticipated this.
"And finally, in the first place, with 420 points… Class B."
Ichinose gasped, her eyes lighting up in disbelief. She could hardly contain her excitement.
For a moment, stunned silence swept over the beach before it was overtaken by a flurry of reactions. Some students were shocked, others frustrated, while many were celebrating their unexpected victories or lamenting their failures.
But for Hikigaya, the noise was nothing more than an irritation.
Yare yare, at least it's finally over.
Time to head back.
***
A/N: With the Island Exam now concluded, I'll be taking a week off before resuming updates for this fanfic.
In the meantime, I have some exciting news! I've begun translating another Hachiman COTE fanfic that you might enjoy. It's just as good as this one.
The title of the new fanfic is COTE: Hikigaya's Rejection of the Strength-First Philosophy.
Check it out!