The next morning felt different.
Not because the weather had changed.
Not because the students had changed.
But because everyone knew something was about to begin.
The first official evaluation.
The first battle.
The first chance to gain points.
Or lose them.
Class 2B was unusually quiet.
Students sat at their desks waiting for instructions.
Some looked nervous.
Others looked excited.
Most looked uncertain.
The atmosphere reminded Nya of a forest before a storm.
Calm.
But only on the surface.
Kaito was tapping his desk repeatedly.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"You're annoying."
Nya didn't even look at him.
He stopped immediately.
"...Sorry."
Across the room, Daisuke Ryo was loudly discussing theories.
"I bet it's gonna be some physical challenge."
"No way," Haruto replied.
"If it was physical, Class 2C would win instantly."
"Fair point."
Aiko Hanami sat with several girls nearby.
Already gathering information.
Already building connections.
Nya noticed it immediately.
Aiko wasn't trying to win games.
She was trying to win people.
That was far more dangerous.
Mina Kurose remained near the back.
Silent.
Watching.
Just like always.
The girl rarely spoke.
Which made her impossible to read.
The classroom door opened.
The teacher entered carrying several envelopes.
Everyone became silent.
"Good morning."
Nobody answered.
The teacher smiled.
"You all seem nervous."
Still no answer.
"Good."
That got their attention.
The teacher placed the envelopes on the desk.
"The evaluation teams have been assigned."
The room immediately became tense.
"You will each receive your team assignment."
"You will then proceed to the examination hall."
"The challenge will begin there."
Students exchanged glances.
The teacher began handing out envelopes.
One by one.
Slowly.
Painfully slowly.
Nya received hers.
She opened it immediately.
Inside was a single card.
TEAM 7
Members:
Nya Ishikawa
Takumi Arata (Class 2A)
Yuna Sera (Class 2D)
Daisuke Ryo (Class 2B)
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Takumi.
The leader-like figure from 2A.
Yuna.
The mysterious observer from 2D.
And Daisuke.
The loudest student in 2B.
A strange combination.
Kaito suddenly groaned beside her.
"Oh come on."
Nya glanced over.
TEAM 11
Members:
Kaito Hayashi
Riku Sano (Class 2C)
Haruto Shin (Class 2B)
Aiko Hanami (Class 2B)
Nya almost laughed.
That team was a disaster waiting to happen.
Across the room, she noticed Mirion reading his card.
His expression didn't change.
Neither did Ren's.
As expected.
Ten minutes later.
The entire second year gathered inside a massive hall.
Over one hundred students.
Four classes.
Dozens of teams.
One battlefield.
The room buzzed with conversation.
Nya immediately spotted Takumi.
The Class 2A student stood near a pillar.
Calm.
Composed.
Watching everything.
Their eyes met.
Takumi walked over.
"You're Nya."
It wasn't a question.
"Correct."
Takumi nodded.
"Good."
That was all.
Interesting.
A moment later, another voice appeared.
"I suppose we're teammates."
Yuna Sera.
The quiet girl from Class 2D.
She stood beside them.
Expressionless.
Her eyes were sharp.
Far sharper than most people realized.
Nya immediately understood.
This girl wasn't weak.
Not even close.
Then Daisuke arrived.
"LET'S GOOOOO!"
The hall turned toward him.
Nya immediately regretted everything.
"We're gonna crush this exam!"
Takumi stared at him.
Yuna stared at him.
Nya stared at him.
Daisuke finally noticed.
"...What?"
Nobody answered.
"Right..."
He became quiet.
For once.
At the front of the hall, a large screen activated.
The principal appeared.
Silence instantly filled the room.
"Welcome."
His voice echoed through the hall.
"Today marks the beginning of the Competitive Evaluation System."
Students listened carefully.
"This examination is called..."
The screen changed.
RESOURCE WAR
Murmurs spread.
"You will each receive one hundred resource points."
Numbers appeared on screen.
"Your objective is simple."
The principal smiled.
"Leave the examination with more points than you started with."
Silence.
Then confusion.
"What?"
"That's it?"
The principal raised a hand.
"However."
The room became quiet again.
"There are rules."
Of course there were.
"Teams may negotiate."
"Teams may trade."
"Teams may form alliances."
"Teams may exchange information."
Students nodded.
That sounded easy enough.
Then the principal continued.
"Teams may also lie."
Silence.
"Teams may deceive."
More silence.
"Teams may betray."
The entire hall froze.
Nya's eyes narrowed.
Now we're talking.
"This examination is not testing intelligence."
The principal smiled.
"It is testing human nature."
The room became colder.
"You have six hours."
The screen changed again.
"Good luck."
Then everything began.
Chaos erupted instantly.
Students rushed across the hall.
Forming alliances.
Making deals.
Sharing information.
Creating plans.
It looked random.
But Nya knew better.
This was the real test.
Not resources.
Not points.
People.
Takumi spoke first.
"We need information."
Yuna nodded.
Nya agreed.
Only Daisuke looked confused.
"Information about what?"
Three people stared at him.
"...Never mind."
Takumi sighed.
"We need to understand the hidden rules."
Exactly.
There were always hidden rules.
The principal had practically announced it.
Nya began observing nearby teams.
Immediately she noticed something strange.
Several Class 2A students weren't negotiating.
They were gathering information.
Only information.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Meanwhile, across the hall.
Nya spotted Mirion.
He was standing completely alone.
Not negotiating.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Just watching.
People approached him.
People left him.
But he remained still.
Like a spider waiting in the center of a web.
Dangerous.
On the opposite side.
Ren was doing something different.
He was talking.
Not much.
But enough.
Building connections.
Planting seeds.
Two completely different strategies.
Yet both seemed effective.
Then the first plot twist arrived.
A loud voice echoed across the hall.
"WE GOT SCAMMED!"
Everyone turned.
One team was shouting at another.
Apparently a trade agreement had been fake.
Resource points were gone.
Trust was broken.
The first betrayal.
And only thirty minutes had passed.
Nya smiled slightly.
Human nature was moving exactly as expected.
But then she noticed something else.
Something far more interesting.
Yuna was staring toward a specific team.
Not randomly.
Intently.
"Who are you watching?"
Nya asked.
Yuna hesitated.
Then answered.
"Class 2A."
Takumi looked surprised.
Even Nya was curious.
"Why?"
Yuna's eyes narrowed.
"Because they're losing."
Silence.
Takumi frowned.
"No they aren't."
Yuna shook her head.
"That's what they want you to think."
Nya felt a chill.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
For the first time all day.
Takumi Arata looked genuinely surprised.
And that alone told Nya something important.
Yuna Sera was not an ordinary student.
Not even close.
Across the hall.
Mirion suddenly smiled.
The smallest smile.
As if he had just discovered something amusing.
At the same moment.
Ren looked toward the center of the hall.
His eyes narrowing.
Both had noticed something.
Something hidden beneath the surface.
Something everyone else had missed.
And Nya had a feeling.
A very dangerous feeling.
This examination wasn't about resource points.
It wasn't about alliances.
And it definitely wasn't about negotiations.
There was another game being played.
A hidden game.
And somewhere inside this hall...
Someone had already started it.