—I can't believe we're leaving school so soon again —Honami commented, sitting next to me on the bus, with a light smile, though her words reflected a bit of surprise.
We were on one of the buses taking us to our next destination: a camp in the mountains, owned by the school. The landscape was already starting to change, with rolling hills and dense forests flanking the road. This school never ceases to amaze me. It always manages to plan the unexpected.
Unlike the special island exam we had last year, where only the first-year students participated, this new exam seemed to involve all the grades. That made it much more interesting... and probably more difficult. I couldn't help but feel a slight excitement, mixed with the tension of the unknown.
We had been traveling for quite a while now, but there was still a long way to go. The journey lasted about three hours, giving us plenty of time to chat, relax, or, like many on the bus, stare out the window, lost in our own thoughts.
—Kayden, do you want one? —Honami suddenly asked, pulling out a pack of Pocky and offering it to me with a smile.
—Sure —I replied without a second thought, leaning slightly forward and opening my mouth for her to feed me.
The relationship between Honami and me had changed quite a bit since our last conversation. Now, she showed her emotions much more openly, and although at first, I found it unexpected, I couldn't deny that I liked seeing her this happy. Besides, her closeness no longer made me uncomfortable as it once did; in fact, I had grown accustomed to her warmth and kind gestures.
At that moment, Hoshinomiya-sensei's voice echoed throughout the bus.
—Everyone, attention for a moment! —she announced from the front of the vehicle, grabbing a microphone she didn't really need, as her energetic personality easily grabbed our attention—. I have some important information to share with you about our destination.
We all turned towards her as some of our classmates, who were either distracted or half-asleep, straightened up, now focused on what was coming.
—The place we're heading to is located deep in the mountains, on a property owned by the school —she began, taking a deep breath to make sure everyone was listening clearly—. We'll be there for eight days and seven nights. It's going to be like a camp, where not only the first-years will be involved. This time, all grades will participate. Yes, that includes the second and third-years as well.
A murmur spread throughout the bus. It wasn't common for the school to organize activities that mixed all the grades, which added a layer of mystery to the exam. What kind of challenges awaited us?
—Now, I'll be passing out sheets with the detailed information about the special exam —continued Hoshinomiya-sensei, as she began distributing the handouts. As usual in this school, we were given written instructions to avoid any misunderstandings… or perhaps to let us analyze what awaited us in a more meticulous manner.
Mixed Training Camp
Duration: 7 nights and 8 days.
Main Objectives:
Social Integration: Teach students to live and work as a team with people they don't usually interact with.Adaptation and Harmony: Assess students' ability to live in harmony and face challenges together.
Exam Structure:
Group Formation:
Small groups: Groups will be divided by gender, with 6 small groups per grade, and each group consisting of 10-15 students.
Large groups: The small groups from each grade will combine with groups from the 2nd and 3rd years to form large groups of 30-45 students.Groups must include students from at least two different classes.
Activities:
The groups will share daily activities such as:
Joint classes.
Cooking and cleaning as a team.
Sleeping and bathing together.
Participating in training activities (zazen, cleaning, study).
The focus will be on evaluating morality, mental discipline, order, and individuality.
Evaluation:
Average Score: The final score will be the average of all members of the large group.
Prizes:
1st Place: 10,000 private points and 3 class points.
2nd Place: 5,000 private points and 1 class point.
3rd Place: 3,000 private points.
Prizes may be doubled or tripled if the groups include students from various classes.
Penalties:
Last Place: The leader of the lowest-scoring small group risks expulsion. The leader will be held responsible and may choose to expel another member of the group.
Important Rules:
No leaving or changing group members once the groups are formed.
The group leader will be decided among the members. If no leader is chosen, the entire group will be disqualified and expelled.
Expulsion can be avoided by paying 20 million private points and 300 class points.
All phones will be confiscated during the exam, and students may only interact with the opposite gender during meals.
Expulsion Penalty:
Affected Class: If a member is expelled, their class will lose 100 class points.
Strategic Considerations:
Form balanced groups to maximize the chances of success.
Protect the group leader, as their expulsion will negatively affect the class.
Collaborate with other students from different grades and classes to ensure group cohesion.
...
After reading the instructions for the special exam, the first thing I thought was that with all the grades gathered, this exam would be really complicated. However, the more I read, the simpler it seemed. There weren't any overly difficult tasks, at least regarding the activities. The real challenge here wasn't the tests themselves but the penalties. The rewards, on the other hand, were so uninteresting that they weren't even worth the minimal effort. But the consequences for failing… those were serious.
Unlike the previous exam —which, by the way, we won—, the gap with Class B was about 39 points, giving us a clear victory. I must admit that Class B is quite competent academically. As for the other classes, Class D surpassed C, which didn't surprise me. Class C has never excelled academically, so now Ryūen has returned to Class D, while Horikita has remained in Class C.
—This exam doesn't seem too complicated —Honami commented, sitting beside me as she read the instructions.
—No, it's actually quite straightforward —I replied—. The only worrying part here are the penalties.
—Yes, it would be terrible if someone ended up expelled —she said, with a slight tone of concern.
—Of course, but that will depend on performance. Our classmates are quite capable, so I don't think there's much to worry about.
—You're right… though I'm still a bit uneasy about the idea that if one of us joins a group from another class and that group loses, they might try to harm one of our classmates —Honami added, lowering her voice.
—True, something like that could happen, but it wouldn't be that easy if you keep up good performance throughout the stay —I reassured her.
—Really?
—Of course. Do you think the leader of a group can just choose anyone to penalize simply because they lost? Obviously not. They have to justify their choice. They can't just point fingers without reason.
—I see… I guess I can relax a bit then —Honami said, letting out a sigh of relief.
While we were talking, I heard Kanzaki speaking from the seat behind us.
—Osawa, what do you think we should do? The optimal thing would be to form groups with as many classmates as possible to maximize the rewards —Kanzaki suggested.
—True, but considering that at least one person from another class is required in each group, do you think others will be willing to join so easily? —I responded, turning towards him.
Kanzaki reflected for a moment before answering.
—Hmmm, I see. It probably won't be that easy.
—Exactly, something like that won't work so smoothly —I told him.
—Then what do you suggest? —Kanzaki asked, clearly looking for a more viable solution.
—It's likely that the other classes are thinking similarly, but in the end, the most logical thing is for each class to try to form groups with as many of their own classmates as possible. By recruiting at least one person from another class, all the classes will be on equal footing. That way, there won't be any complaints, as the outcome will depend on both the leader and the performance of each member —I explained, trying to clarify the strategy.
—I see… So all we can do is make sure we perform well within our larger group, right? In other words, find the most competent people to maximize our chances —Kanzaki said, nodding slowly.
—Exactly, that's the best option we have for now —I responded.
—Alright, we'll talk more about this when we get to the camp —Kanzaki concluded, making it clear we'd continue the conversation later.
The rest of the trip passed in calm, though my mind kept analyzing the penalties. The rewards weren't much, but if someone made a mistake, the consequences could be severe. Maybe, if I played my cards right, I could use the penalties to secure an advantage. I looked out the window, seeing the mountains rising in the distance, and an idea began to form in my head. Perhaps this exam wouldn't be as simple as it seemed.