The designated discussion room was spacious and bright, with a round table at its center large enough to seat a dozen people comfortably.
The members of the Rabbit Group had already taken their seats, divided by invisible class boundaries.
Class A's Sakamoto, Machida Koji, and Takemoto Shigeru sat on one side, their postures impeccably upright. Class C's Ibuki Mio, Shiho Manabe, and the others occupied one end, their eyes reflecting aloofness and vigilance. Opposite them sat Class B's Ichinose Honami, her usual gentle smile firmly in place. Class D's Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Karuizawa Kei, Sotomura Hideo, and Yukimura Teruhiko gathered at the remaining end—Karuizawa still seeming slightly uncomfortable, Yukimura attempting to maintain composure.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
No one spoke. Only the faint sound of ocean waves filtered through the windows.
Gazes met silently in the air—probed, assessed, then quickly looked away.
This suffocating silence stretched for nearly a minute.
Finally, Ichinose Honami, seated at the head of Class B's contingent, took a soft breath and broke the deadlock. She clasped her hands gently on the table, a warm smile blooming on her face, her voice soft and clear:
"Alright, everyone, look over here! Just sitting in silence won't accomplish anything, so let's start with self-introductions, shall we? After all, the school's instructions do suggest we get to know each other better."
Class A's Machida Koji responded almost immediately. He straightened his back further, his voice loud and formal: "Class A, Machida Koji. Pleased to meet you."
Ichinose cast an approving glance his way. "Thank you, Machida-kun! Very spirited!"
Next, Takemoto Shigeru, seated beside Machida, followed suit. "Class A, Takemoto Shigeru."
Then—
The turn naturally came to the figure with the strongest presence, seated centrally among the three Class A members.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's gaze settled on Sakamoto.
Ichinose taking the lead in conversation was within expectations. Given her personality, she would never let the atmosphere remain cold. As for Sakamoto... he isn't the type to rush controlling the pace from the outset. He's more like a player waiting for the optimal moment.
But the other two Class A students' cooperation—almost like following orders—hints at something unusual. Had Sakamoto given instructions beforehand? Or does Class A itself possess such a high degree of discipline?
Perfect. It's Sakamoto's turn.
Ayanokoji wanted to see how, in a situation requiring self-introductions, this legendary figure would perform.
Under everyone's gaze, Sakamoto moved.
His way of standing was unlike ordinary people—no hands pushing against the table, no leaning forward. Instead, his entire body seemed lifted steadily upward by an invisible force, rising with the smooth precision of a machine.
He pushed up his glasses. The lenses reflected the overhead light, rendering his eyes unreadable.
In a calm, unruffled tone, he uttered four words:
"I am Sakamoto."
No class. No superfluous words. Not even "Pleased to meet you."
Then, in the instant everyone was still processing this, he sat back down—his descent as graceful and evenly controlled as his rise, as if defying gravity. The entire process was eerily silent.
A subtle stillness once again enveloped the room.
Ichinose blinked, then recovered first. "As expected of Sakamoto-kun! Even his self-introduction is so unique!"
With Sakamoto's highly impactful "demonstration," the subsequent introductions proceeded much more smoothly.
After the round of self-introductions, the atmosphere seemed to ease slightly—at least the absolute, suffocating silence had been broken.
Ichinose struck while the iron was hot. She clasped her hands together again, drawing everyone's attention back. "Alright, now that we know each other a bit, let's discuss our strategy for this exam. Does anyone have thoughts on what our group's goal should be?"
She looked around, her gaze sincere and inviting.
Her question was met mostly with silence.
The three Class A members in particular remained still as if in meditation, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Ayanokoji observed Sakamoto without betraying any emotion.
Under the "cooperative framework" led by Ichinose, how will this key figure of Class A respond? Will he acquiesce, or will he intervene at some point?
Seeing no one respond, Ichinose remained undiscouraged. She proactively offered her suggestion, her voice full of encouraging warmth:
"I believe we should aim for 'Outcome 1'—where everyone except the beneficiary and their classmates answers correctly. That way, most of our group members can earn individual points. A win-win for everyone."
"Isn't that obvious?" Karuizawa Kei blurted out almost instantly. She naturally had no resistance to such an "everyone benefits" plan.
But the three members of Class A, including Sakamoto, remained silent.
Ayanokoji's attention remained fixed on Class A—especially Sakamoto.
Their noncommittal attitude toward the cooperative strategy advocated by other classes... that itself is worth scrutinizing.
Were they confident, or did they harbor other intentions?
Just then, a voice dripping with provocation cut through the tension—from Class C's Shiho Manabe.
She tilted her head, a disdainful sneer curving her lips. "All pass? Result One? Ichinose-san, you're truly adorably naive."
Her gaze swept over the Class D students before settling back on Ichinose.
"Think about it carefully. From the overall structure of class points, Classes A, B, and C have a huge lead. We don't lack these individual points at all. But what about Class D?" She gestured dismissively toward the opposite side of the table. "They're at the bottom."
Her eyes narrowed. "Who benefits most from pursuing Result One? Class D. This would only give the lagging classes a free ride—it won't widen the gap between classes at all. Do you really think the school designed this exam to promote egalitarian harmony? It's meant to encourage competition."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Karuizawa Kei flared up instantly, shooting to her feet and pointing at Manabe. "Why can't we all pass together? You just want to target us, Class D!"
"Manabe-san, your statement is far too one-sided!" Sotomura Hideo pushed up his glasses, his voice rising with academic indignation. "It's your three classes that are far ahead due to your initial advantages! Now you want to create divisions in a group exam that requires cooperation? Before this, Class A tried to sow discord between our class and Class C. Now you're openly excluding us again? And you still claim you're not targeting Class D? Look at you—you're acting like a common delinquent!"
"What did you say, you damn otaku?!" Shiho Manabe slammed her palm on the table and stood, her face twisted with anger.
The scene dissolved into chaos—voices overlapping, accusations flying, tension crackling like static electricity.
"Everyone, calm down! Please, stop arguing!" Ichinose raised her voice, desperately trying to mediate. Her face was etched with anxiety. "Manabe-san, I understand your concerns, but cooperation doesn't mean there's no competition! Sotomura-kun, please don't resort to personal attacks either!"
Ayanokoji observed the unfolding spectacle with detached calm.
Manabe's sudden attack carries Ryuuen's unmistakable fingerprints. After suffering that hidden loss on the uninhabited island, he's clearly adjusted his tactics—becoming more aggressive, using the rules to manufacture antagonism between classes. Targeting Class D, the seemingly weakest link, creates chaos. And in chaos, opportunities emerge—perhaps even a chance to break Class A's dominance.
Just as Ichinose struggled to maintain order and the discussion teetered on the edge of complete collapse, a calm voice cut through the noise like cold water dousing boiling oil.
"Regarding the feasibility of 'Result One.'"
The voice came from Class A's direction.
Every head turned.
Sakamoto had, at some point, raised his head. His gaze behind those glasses swept calmly over the arguing parties.
"I believe Manabe-san's argument contains a logical fallacy."
In an instant, the room fell completely silent.
All eyes fixed on the black-haired young man who had remained silent until now.
Ayanokoji's interest sharpened.
Sakamoto is finally making his move.