"What... is this?"
"How is this even possible?!"
Yahiko Totsuka and Kohei Katsuragi weren't the only ones stunned—every student in Class A looked as if they had just seen a ghost.
Since revealing location records to students was considered cheating, Mashima Tomonari had enlarged the display scale to show only the general area around the cave, avoiding any accusations of favoritism.
Yet, according to the tracker, Yahiko Totsuka and Kohei Katsuragi had indeed been there.
The problem was what happened next.
Totsuka's signal remained in place for about ten minutes before it suddenly shot northwest at an impossible speed, as if he had sprouted wings and flown away.
Meanwhile, Katsuragi's signal remained fixed, completely motionless—like a statue.
At this point, no one could suspect Katsuragi of setting up a staged theft. The movement was simply unnatural.
With Yahiko's D-rank physical ability, even if someone chased him with a whip across flat ground, he wouldn't be able to escape at this speed—let alone on an uninhabited island with rough terrain and sandy soil.
"This is beyond running..." someone muttered.
"This is practically flying."
A heavy silence hung over Class A.
"No one in our class has that kind of ability," Masayoshi Hashimoto said, baffled. Even the so-called 'muscle' of the Sakayanagi faction shook his head in disbelief.
Masumi Kamuro, however, seemed deep in thought.
"The southwest… that's Class C's territory, isn't it?" someone suddenly pointed out.
"Class C?" Yahiko frowned. "Wasn't that Ryuuen's class? No, wait—it's Ichinose's class now, right?"
"But does Ichinose even have anyone that strong?" Hashimoto rubbed his forehead, visibly confused.
"I don't think so," Mashima Tomonari said. "Class C has solid teamwork and a high average, but nothing particularly outstanding in terms of individual ability. If there were someone capable of this…"
He trailed off abruptly.
Takamichi pressed him. "Who?"
Mashima shook his head. "No… never mind. Just a misremembered detail."
Hashimoto sighed, bringing the conversation back on track.
"Either way, we're still stuck. We don't have the means to switch our leader under the current rules, and if we don't figure something out, we risk being exposed by the end of the exam."
Katsuragi's frustration was evident. "Mashima-sensei, is there really no way to change the leader?"
"As I said, only if there's a legitimate reason," Mashima replied. "If the school determines a student is unfit to continue the exam, they'll be forced to withdraw, allowing the leader position to be reassigned. In that case, even the key card would be reissued."
"What...?"
Katsuragi's pupils shrank.
Hashimoto, on the other hand, smirked.
"I see. So that's how it is. Totsuka, I'm sure you understand what needs to be done?"
"I—"
Before Totsuka could react, Katsuragi stepped forward, raising a hand in warning.
"Stop! If you're thinking about violence, that'll only cost us class points!"
"Violence? Come on, don't be so dramatic."
Hashimoto took another step closer, his smirk widening. Behind him, the rest of the Sakayanagi faction followed like a tightening noose.
"We just want Totsuka to step down voluntarily. That way, our class survives the exam, and we all get to enjoy the next few days on the cruise ship stress-free. It's a simple solution, don't you think? A little short-term pain for long-term gain."
"Hashimoto!" Mashima's stern voice cut through the tension.
"Alright, alright." Hashimoto raised his hands in mock surrender, taking a step back. But his words still dripped with manipulation.
"Look, we're all in the same class. No need for unnecessary drama. But if Totsuka stays, our entire class suffers. I'm sure most of our classmates would prefer he take responsibility, rather than drag everyone down."
His voice turned softer, yet more insidious.
"After all, sometimes sacrifices are necessary."
It was a brilliant, ruthless move. Hashimoto hadn't even directly told Totsuka to step down—he simply created an environment where not stepping down would make him the villain.
It was a no-win situation.
If Totsuka left, Class A would lose 30 points, and Katsuragi's authority would be shaken. How could he call himself a leader if he couldn't even protect a loyal follower?
But if Totsuka stayed, the class would risk losing even more.
The best solution? Find the person responsible for this mess and present solid proof to the school.
But that was just a fantasy. In their current situation, finding the culprit was impossible.
The second option? Let everything collapse. Accept that they couldn't win, withdraw from the exam, and go back to the cruise ship pretending nothing happened.
But if Katsuragi took that path, his leadership in Class A would be over.
For the first time, Katsuragi felt completely powerless.
Even Arisu Sakayanagi—his long-time rival—had never put him under this kind of pressure.
"I'll take responsibility."
Yahiko Totsuka's voice broke the heavy silence.
"I'll get sick within the next few days. A fever, a cold—something that forces me to withdraw. Once the school determines I can't continue, they'll allow a leader change."
"Yahiko..." Katsuragi looked at him in shock.
Totsuka stood tall, his eyes filled with determination.
"I've made my decision. Please don't stop me, Katsuragi-san. In return, I'll leave the task of identifying the other class leaders to you. As long as we gather enough intel, we can still win. Now then—Hashimoto, do you have anything else to say?"
"Of course not," Hashimoto said smoothly. "As long as you follow through."
Totsuka nodded.
Just as everyone thought the situation had settled—
BEEP!
A sudden notification echoed from the cave entrance.
Then, a mocking voice followed.
"Wow, you guys really went all out hiding this place. You stuffed so much junk in the entrance that I could see it from a mile away. Thought I'd stumbled onto some kind of treasure cave… but turns out, it's just a bunch of people hiding."
A figure sauntered in, hands casually tucked in his pockets.
Kure Ragna.
His gaze swept over the group as he smirked.
"This is an interesting little hideout you've got here… but you're not using it properly."
His smirk widened into a grin.
"Alright then. As of now, this place belongs to Class B."
He took a step forward.
"Please leave—voluntarily, of course."
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