As the figure approached, the one who reacted most strongly was Masumi Kamuro, who had been watching from the sidelines with her arms crossed.
"Are you… Kure Ragna from Class D?"
"Come on, he just said it—he's in Class B now," Masayoshi Hashimoto corrected with a laugh.
Kamuro didn't acknowledge him. She simply furrowed her brows, her expression twisting further into what could only be described as intense displeasure.
But don't get the wrong idea—she had no particular grudge against Kure Ragna. This was just her natural resting face.
Even when neutral, she looked irritated, and the slightest frown only made it worse. She always seemed difficult to approach.
Of course, for some people with… particular tastes, that might actually be a plus.
"Well, whether it's Class B or D doesn't really matter," Kure Ragna said casually, leaning against the rock wall at the cave entrance. His lips curled into an easy smile.
"What does matter is that this place is our class's territory now. So, Class A—if you don't want to be labeled as trespassers, I suggest you leave."
"...I see."
Katsuragi Kōhei closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. He turned to address his classmates.
"Let's go."
There was a brief silence.
Yahiko Totsuka immediately stepped forward to follow, and, one by one, members of the Katsuragi faction rose and exited the cave.
But the Sakayanagi faction—including Hashimoto and the three main guards—remained seated, unmoving.
Tomonari Mashima, their homeroom teacher, cast a glance at them before speaking.
"Time to go."
"…Yeah."
Hashimoto sighed, running a hand through his hair before offering a helpless shrug.
"Alright, alright. No need to push."
But when they stepped outside, something unexpected awaited them.
Nothing.
There were no Class B students surrounding the area, no ambush waiting for them.
Just silence.
"…Hold on," Hashimoto muttered under his breath. Did he come here alone?
If Kure Ragna was the only one here, and Class B had claimed this cave, then—
Is he their leader?
Hashimoto was quick to put the pieces together. His sharp eyes flickered toward Kure Ragna, who, noticing his gaze, smirked.
"If I was afraid of being discovered, I wouldn't have shown up in the first place," Kure Ragna said, casually falling into step beside them as if he belonged there.
Hashimoto frowned. "Wait… Are you—?"
"Let me guess," Ragna interrupted, grinning. "You're wondering why I came alone, right?"
His tone was playful, but there was something sharp beneath it.
"I like to gamble, you see," he continued. "And when I saw that you guys hadn't claimed such a prime location yet, I figured… maybe the key card was missing?"
Kure Ragna clapped his hands together, his smile widening.
"Or maybe, just maybe—your leader hasn't returned yet."
The group fell silent.
"Now, the exam's been going on for half a day already," Ragna went on, tilting his head.
"If they still haven't shown up, well… they could've gotten lost. Or maybe they fell into a ravine. Who knows?"
He let out a dramatic sigh.
"But either way, you don't have the key card. So all I had to do was chase you around, right?"
The way he said it, so lighthearted yet calculated, sent a chill through the group.
"I mean, think about it," he said, grinning wider. "Six days left. I could drop by whenever I feel like it—during your meals, when you're sleeping… even when you're taking a dump. Keep you on edge. Make sure you're too exhausted to function."
His voice dropped slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"All without ever exposing my leader's identity."
A collective shiver ran through the group.
"…You're insane," someone muttered.
"Relax, I'm just kidding~"
With a laugh, Kure Ragna clapped Hashimoto on the shoulder, his usual playful demeanor returning.
"Actually, I overheard you guys talking in there," he admitted, motioning toward the cave.
"Something about the key card being stolen, yadda yadda… So really, there was no gamble at all! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Hashimoto turned his head away, resisting the urge to sigh.
This guy is a menace.
That was when Katsuragi, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. He turned around and fixed Ragna with a firm stare.
"Kure Ragna," he said. "This is Class A's marching unit. I don't believe a member of Class B should be following us."
Ragna blinked. "Oh? Would that be a problem?"
"It would."
"Tsk."
Scratching his cheek in exaggerated embarrassment, Ragna took a step back.
"Fine, fine. I'll be on my way."
And just like that, he turned and strolled off without hesitation, disappearing from view in mere moments.
Katsuragi watched him go before shifting his attention to Yahiko Totsuka.
"Yahiko," he said, lowering his voice, "go to the back of the formation. Make sure he doesn't try to follow us."
"I-I got it…"
Yahiko hurried to the rear.
Roughly forty minutes later, the Class A group arrived at another unoccupied stronghold.
Unlike the previous cave, this one was nearly impossible to find—hidden deep within a thick forest, a simple patch of grass with no cover, no resources, and no shade. It was, objectively, a terrible location.
But for a class without a key card, it was their only option.
However—
Just before they stepped into the clearing, completely unaware—
A figure stood hidden beneath the stronghold marker embedded in a tree trunk. Hands in his pockets, his breathing calm and steady.
He had arrived long before them.
His golden eyes flickered slightly.
Looking at Katsuragi Kōhei and the rest of Class A, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka mercilessly turned around and left the scene.
[Remaining use time of Class B: 7:59:59]
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