What was Hikigaya thinking?
Hachiman was indeed thinking.
Now that 20 strongholds had been occupied, it was confirmed that the stronghold points would definitely exceed 300 when the exam ended.
So, in this exam, they had already secured a minimum of 300+ points.
As for the stronghold points being invalidated and points being deducted if the Team Leader was guessed correctly, there was no need to worry. On one hand, the initial points had already been spent, and at the same time, Hachiman believed Kouenji could handle it.
However.
Their Class's Team Leader and stronghold points were safe. What about the other Classes?
After all.
The points for this exam were significant, and there was a lot of room for manipulation.
Although their Class C had already secured a minimum of 300 points, Hachiman still wanted to increase the points further, especially considering Horikita's health and the self-discipline of the surrounding students, so he spent all the points before they could be deducted.
But to narrow the gap in Class competition, one method is a point battle, and another is to obtain points from the opponent, which is equivalent to doubling the distance reduction.
So, the guessing the Team Leader segment could be worth paying attention to.
As long as they correctly guessed the Team Leader of the opposing Class, they could obtain 50 points from them.
This meant the opponent would be -50 and they would be +50, making the difference 100 points.
And if a Class's Team Leader was guessed by one Class, it was -50. What if it was guessed by 3 Classes?
Then 50x3 points would be deducted.
Therefore, due to Kouenji's actions, other Classes might only be able to obtain 1 or 2 strongholds, so their stronghold points would not be worth much.
However, by saving some on this island, they could still have over a hundred initial points left.
So, the guessing the Team Leader segment could be used to attack opponents.
And now.
Horikita was looking at him, wanting to ask him something?
However.
Please take care of your own health first, Horikita.
When Hachiman received the supply exchange manual, he also saw the rule that the Team Leader could not be changed without reason.
So, according to Kouenji, if there was a reason, couldn't the Team Leader be changed?
Like Horikita Suzune, if she was chosen as the Team Leader and then withdrew due to illness, it would be permissible.
Because illness is an irresistible force, perhaps if Horikita had been chosen as the Team Leader from the start, even if their Class's Team Leader identity was leaked, they could still change Team Leaders due to Horikita's illness.
Then, during this process, they could mess with other Classes.
However, Horikita was in a weakened state, so having her run around was obviously unrealistic and not gentlemanly.
So, this surefire plan was just thought of by Hachiman and then immediately discarded.
Just wait a little longer for now, and see if there's a chance to contact Ryuen.
Because Hachiman doesn't believe that students from his Class can directly obtain information about Class A's Team Leader.
However, Ryuen's act on the ship, making it seem like his Class's students had a bad relationship with him, could now come in handy.
Meanwhile, Ryuen had already begun to act.
They didn't have a base, but that didn't stop them from operating.
Since the initial 300 points had already been traded with Class A and all supplies exchanged, they were now casually staying at one of Class C's bases.
Anyway, no one was at that base.
He sought out Ibuki alone.
"So, what do you want with me?"
In the forest, Ryuen looked at the girl in front of him, frowning slightly, his tone stern with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Our Class's initial points have already been squandered by you."
"What do you mean squandered? I used the initial points to get you guys a stable meal ticket," Ryuen said.
"But didn't you only give us half the points?"
"So you actually pocketed the other half, right?" Ibuki said.
And as she said this, she seemed to glare at Ryuen, a bit annoyed.
On the ship, Ibuki's hostility towards Ryuen was an act, but in reality, she was also dissatisfied with Ryuen's current act of pocketing the points.
"Foolish!" But Ryuen merely said dismissively, "First, the plan to have Class A pay for the initial points was my idea, and then..."
"As the actual operator, isn't it perfectly reasonable for me to receive income?"
"Or do you pig-headed fools think of these things?" Ryuen said. "Stop blabbering. The plan for this exam is out."
"The bottom line is that Class A has taken our Class's initial points, so our future living expenses are guaranteed."
"So, as long as we achieve this, our Class will win this exam."
"Then there are the conditions of the trade with Class A: we need to obtain information about the Team Leader of the other Classes."
"You and Kaneda will follow the original plan to scout for information on the Team Leaders of Class B and Class C," Ryuen said.
Ibuki remained silent.
Ibuki had nothing to say about this; in fact, it was precisely because Ryuen considered that she might need to act that he put on that bitter play with her on the ship.
Now it had come in handy.
"Then the other students will return to the ship," Ryuen said. "I will stay on the island. After you get the information on the other Classes' Team Leaders, show me the evidence."
"Although our Class's initial points are zero, it doesn't mean we can't continue to participate in the guessing the Team Leader segment."
"If I can guess the Team Leaders of the other three Classes, including Katsuragi's Class A, then I can get 50X3, a total of 150 points."
"Why not take the points if we can get them?" Ryuen said.
"We can guess Class A too?" Ibuki was surprised.
Because hadn't Ryuen teamed up with Class A this time?
As a result, he was going to target an allied Class.
"Foolish, the agreement I signed with Katsuragi didn't say we couldn't guess their Class in the Team Leader guessing segment, did it?" Ryuen chuckled. "So we can bully Katsuragi a bit."
"At the same time, I plan to assign you to Class C, which is Horikita Suzune, Kushida, and Hikigaya's Class."
"This time, their Class has racked up a lot of base points, and it would be really annoying not to get rid of their base points. And having accumulated so many base points, they will definitely protect their Team Leader's identity very carefully."
"So, Ibuki, this task is quite difficult, and I can only entrust it to you, do you understand?" Ryuen said.
This time, the spies sent out were Kaneda and Ibuki.
Kaneda had good academic ability and brains, but Ryuen felt Ibuki was more suitable for this kind of work, so he had high hopes for her.
"Understood."
Ibuki was a girl, excellent in physical ability among girls, but very poor academically, and also... not very bright.
But she knew that if she wanted to climb up and achieve Class A status, to graduate as Class A, she couldn't do it on her own.
Only Ryuen could lead them upwards.
"Then go call Kaneda over," Ryuen said. "Since we're acting as spies infiltrating other Classes, let's make the act more realistic."
"So let me punch you guys a few times. When I gathered you, I also got hurt, and now I can get my revenge."
Ibuki remained silent.
Thus, Ryuen Class was in action.
Meanwhile, Class C was also in action.
In the evening, Kouenji returned from scouting bases and mentioned something.
One of the bases scouted in the morning had been occupied by Class B.
It seemed that Class B's students had been waiting nearby, and then quickly occupied it when the base occupation effect expired every 8 hours.
And the base they occupied was the one by the half-acre vegetable patch.
This left some students who had exchanged for woks and wanted to stir-fry vegetables a bit disappointed.
However, Ichinose was very popular, so a large portion of the Class actually felt it was fine that Ichinose and her Class occupied it.
"Everyone!"
Hirata had already started recruiting students to work.
"Our tents are already set up, but it will be night soon."
"Considering we're on an island, warmth is also very important, so we still need to collect some firewood to burn tonight," Hirata said.
Once the main base was confirmed and all supplies were moved, they also had to consider setting up camp on the island.
This kind of thing was not difficult for Hachiman, Horikita, or even Kushida, as they had all borrowed relevant books beforehand.
But Hachiman also remembered that the Class had Ike Kanji, who was good at camping.
So when it was time to set up tents, he complimented Ike twice, and the latter happily started working hard.
Thus, the two tents given by the school for free, plus the two tents exchanged with points, were all set up with his help.
As a result, Hachiman received quite a few glares from Horikita Suzune that afternoon.
Because she saw that he was slacking off.
However,
"Hey, everyone..."
"Those who agree to go collect firewood, please raise your hand, and it's best to form small teams of 2 or 3 people," Hirata said. "I walked through a section of the forest in the afternoon and saw a snake, but don't worry, it was a non-venomous snake."
"So please be careful, everyone."
If Hirata hadn't mentioned the snake, it would have been fine, but as soon as he did, some students who had suddenly come from the city to the island and were interested in camping immediately put down their hands to collect firewood.
The situation was even worse: five minutes after Hirata's request, not even 10 people were willing to work.
"Sigh." Life is not easy, Horikita sighed.
Class C students really needed to be coaxed and tricked; they couldn't be relied on to be self-aware.
So she raised her hand.
And seeing her raise her hand, Hachiman hesitated for a moment and also raised his hand.
"Ah, thank you, Horikita and Hikigaya," Hirata had only managed to gather 2 small groups willing to go after calling out for a while.
So, seeing Horikita and Hachiman raise their hands, he quickly spoke to them.
"Then... is there anyone else willing to go collect firewood?"
And seeing Hachiman and Horikita volunteer, Hirata hoped for one more person to join their team.
So he looked at the students.
But unfortunately, many of the students in the Class avoided his gaze.
After all, collecting firewood was not an easy task, and they would also be grouped with Horikita and Hikigaya.
Hey.
Wasn't eating their dog food in the school classroom enough?
And now they had to eat it on the island too.
It was too much.
"Then... that... if—"
And facing Hirata's recruitment, in the corner, an inconspicuous girl with a plain pink twin ponytail and clear-rimmed glasses seemed to want to try.
But her voice was very soft, and Hirata was standing quite far away, so he didn't hear her request.
Hachiman immediately recognized her: it was Sakura.
But, was Sakura, who was so shy, actually going to volunteer for labor?
However, as Hachiman thought this, he saw Sakura immediately shrink her head back.
And then she didn't speak again.
Ah.
In other words, her courage had run out.
Although it was a little disappointing that Sakura didn't come along, acting with Horikita wasn't too bad either.
However,
Hachiman knew her physical condition.
At this time, was she so enthusiastic as to actively offer help?
Hachiman didn't think so, so, perhaps Horikita had something to say to him.
Thus, the two followed the firewood-collecting team towards the southwest, where there was a forest.
Finding branches was the simplest task.
"This island, it's unclear how primitive it is, and we don't know what dangers there are," Horikita, who was beside Hachiman, said.
Perhaps there were others around, so Horikita, though feeling unwell, still tried hard to act as if nothing was wrong.
"Are you talking about snakes?" Hachiman asked.
"Not just snakes, haven't you noticed? The trees on this island are quite tall, so it's quite primitive. So, it's possible for some dangerous animals to appear," Horikita said, pressing her left hand against her right elbow.
Although it might be impolite to say so, Horikita-san in her sick state was indeed more adorable.
However,
"No, my view is the opposite of yours," Hachiman said. "You see the wristbands we're wearing, right? They have GPS and many sensors, and don't forget what the school loves to do, so there must be a bunch of cameras on the island, so there shouldn't be much danger. So students won't easily get into trouble."
"I see." Horikita nodded.
And Hachiman continued, "By the way, are you afraid of snakes?"
"No," Horikita said calmly. "The restaurant at home also has snake-related dishes; I've been exposed to them since I was little, so I'm not afraid."
Is that so.
Then you're very brave.
And Hachiman was against snakes as creatures.
"Snake... snake... there's a snake!"
However, as the two continued their conversation, a girl suddenly shrieked.
The team that had volunteered to collect firewood in front scattered immediately.
It seemed most people were scared.
"Why is there a snake!"
Sudo, who was part of the firewood collection team, suddenly recoiled.
"..."
So, even a tough guy is afraid of a mere small snake?
Just as Hachiman was about to speak, he suddenly stopped, because he noticed something moving in the grass by his right foot, and then a snake's head suddenly popped out. "Horikita!"
The snake's head appeared very suddenly, and it had already coiled around his left foot.
It looked like it was about to bite the next second.
Damn it, he had just said he intentionally spent all his points considering Horikita's physical condition.
That was a gentleman's act.
But now, was he going to withdraw from the exam because of an injury?
As Hachiman thought this, he saw Horikita Suzune suddenly extend one hand forward and act.
She directly pinched the snake at its vital point and, before the grass snake could react, threw it far away like trash.
Eh!
Instantly, Horikita's cuteness and reliability soared.
Hikigaya Hachiman felt a strong sense of security.
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