"Tomorrow, everything will end…"
I ran my hand across my jaw after waking up in the forest on the sixth day of the exam.
There wasn't much left before everything ended. I didn't know whether I could call this a good or bad experience… but at least I knew it had been memorable.
"Kouenji, there's something I want to tell you…" I jumped down from my hanging bed and walked toward Kouenji.
This day had to end.
"I'm listening, eighth boy," Kouenji said while lying on his back, staring at the sky.
"Today, you'll submit the card early. Also, you'll do your role a little later than usual…" I said while glancing at Yukinoshita as she approached us.
"Hmmm… fine." Kouenji slipped a hand into his pocket while I turned to speak with someone else.
Horikita…
She had just woken up too and was sitting alone under the shade of a tree.
"Horikita, we're starting now…" I said while looking around for Ibuki.
She wasn't here…
We had to hurry.
"Huh? But there are still fifteen minutes left before occupation time," Horikita said while checking her watch.
"I know… just go and bring the card." I quickly walked away from her and stood alone at the edge of the forest, watching Class D students prepare for their beach trip.
Well, nobody invited me, so I missed my chance to reject them coldly…
Horikita came out of the tent and headed directly toward the agreed meeting spot after bringing the card.
I put my hand in my pocket while walking toward her. Suddenly, I raised my head and looked around.
Something felt strange.
I kicked a pebble with my left foot, then another with my right. Horikita immediately froze in place and stared at me.
I couldn't explain what was happening because even I didn't fully understand it.
But we had to finish this quickly. Time was running out.
"The card, please…" I pulled my hand out of my pocket and extended it toward her.
Horikita's eyes moved nervously in every direction, but she still took out the card and handed it over with her usual precision.
I placed it inside my jacket pocket and walked toward the device once again…
I didn't know whether this was just coincidence or not, but on the final day, both of our targets were here.
I sensed Horikita walking behind me.
Ah… I hadn't told her yet that I'd be doing this alone today.
"…Horikita, there's no need to follow me. I'll be enough on my own."
"Huh? What are you saying? You know that this…" Horikita reacted nervously after realizing what I intended to do.
"Yes, I know… but I'm doing it anyway," I interrupted quickly while leaving her behind.
Yukinoshita was still standing in front of the tent, and Kouenji remained in his spot.
So I would occupy the area alone.
I stood in front of the device, staring at the timer as it continued moving as usual. My eyes fixed on the camera attached to it while I pulled the card out and scanned it.
No cover.
No other people to distract calculations.
Just me and the machine.
I placed the card back into my pocket while staring at the timer.
Time was running out.
I quickly moved to return, but Horikita ignored the plan and blocked my path.
Even that worked in my favor.
"You do realize you're ruining everything right now, don't you?" Horikita frowned angrily at me.
"Yes, I know. Yukinoshita will explain the rest to you. Here, take the card. Kouenji will help you. I already spoke with him." I placed the card in Horikita's hands before turning toward the tent.
"What about what you said this morning? Are you sure?" Horikita jogged slightly to keep up with my pace.
"Mostly, yes."
"Then who…" Horikita lowered her head.
"I'll know now. Yukinoshita, the walkie-talkie please."
"Understood." Yukinoshita entered her tent for a moment to retrieve it.
Meanwhile, Horikita continued staring at me bitterly.
I wasn't lying to her. I truly didn't know who it was…
So why was she acting like that?
"Here." Yukinoshita came out and handed me the walkie-talkie that Class B had given her.
I stepped away from the tent since there were too many girls nearby and turned it on.
"Ichinose, this is Hikigaya. Can you hear me…?"
I didn't really know how these things worked, but I assumed setting the correct frequency would be enough.
I didn't have to wait long before hearing static, followed by Ichinose's voice.
"Ah… Hikigaya-kun, good morning. What's wrong?"
"I want to ask you something. The boy from Class D is still at your camp right now, correct?" I asked while staring at the device carefully.
"You mean Kaneda-kun? Yes," Ichinose replied with confusion in her voice.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm literally looking at him right now," Ichinose confirmed that the person in question was still there and hadn't left.
"Thanks."
I quickly shut off the device and handed it back to Yukinoshita.
If Kaneda was still at Class B's camp, then who came with Ibuki today…?
Ryuen? Impossible. There was no way he'd approach this close after hiding like a rat for the past few days.
Then who…
I opened my jacket, took it off, and placed it on my bed.
"Hikigaya-kun… what's happening?" Yukinoshita asked.
"I'm going to confirm something and come back. Occupy the area with Kouenji."
"Understood."
After making sure everyone knew their role, I sprinted into the forest at full speed.
I had to catch them before they got too far away…
I ran until I found fresh footprints on the ground.
One pair was small and obviously belonged to Ibuki.
The other was larger. I could only assume it belonged to a boy.
I followed the tracks carefully so I wouldn't lose them in the grass until I heard voices ahead and sensed people nearby.
A group of people…
I quietly moved between the trees until I got close enough to see what was happening.
Ibuki stood off to the side while Ryuen sat on a large rock…
He looked miserable. All this for an exam…
There were also two other faces with them.
A short boy with green hair I had seen among Class A students…
And a bald guy with no eyebrows.
"Then go tell Katsuragi what you saw," Ryuen said with a sly smile.
"Katsuragi-kun, they were right. I saw it with my own eyes. That boy, Hikigaya, occupied the area himself. He's definitely their leader…" the short green-haired boy said.
So this was Katsuragi…
He really did seem like a firm leader.
"Huh…" Ryuen raised an eyebrow as if he hadn't expected that answer.
"Yeah. For some reason, those idiots didn't even try to hide it today," Ibuki said while kicking the ground.
What was this…?
So they had been spying on us to identify the leader, and they concluded it was me…
I had no idea.
"It was a huge gamble… I honestly wasn't convinced when you suggested it yesterday, but it seems it paid off," Katsuragi said.
Ah…
So when he disappeared yesterday, he had actually been meeting Ryuen in the forest.
Were they allies too?
"Fufufu… didn't I tell you to trust my methods?" Ryuen leaned his arms on his knees while staring directly at Katsuragi.
"They're just a bunch of idiots, exactly what you'd expect from Class D!" the short green-haired boy shouted loudly.
Honestly… I agreed with him.
"This completes our agreement. Thank you for your hard work," Katsuragi said before turning to leave, his follower trailing behind him.
"We'll let you know if we figure out Class B's leader too," Ryuen waved them goodbye.
Had I suddenly become lucky or something…?
I followed them just to figure out who had accompanied Ibuki, and somehow I ended up witnessing a meeting between Class A and Class C and learning about their alliance.
An alliance made to discover the leaders…
Katsuragi wasn't an easy opponent either. He had allied himself with the devil just to bring down Sakayanagi…
But his methods seemed naïve. His downfall felt inevitable. If not during this exam, then during the next one—until Sakayanagi eventually reached the top of Class A.
Class C and Class A now believed I was the leader…
That changed everything.
It would be better to leave now.
I turned around to head back before they noticed me, but Ryuen's voice caught my attention once again.
"Ibuki, what happened with the thing I told you to do?" Ryuen asked while glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
A task…?
What task?
"I tried searching his pockets while we were in the bushes. That idiot wasn't carrying the card," Ibuki answered.
The card…?
"Hmmm. That bastard Hashimoto told us he was their leader… maybe they're using the same strategy as Class D. Someone else is holding the card," Ryuen said while standing up.
Had that bastard Hashimoto sold out his own class to Ryuen…?
Or was he simply carrying out Sakayanagi's orders?
"On the final day, we'll write down that traitor's name, along with the name of Katsuragi's follower. And if things go well, maybe even Class B's leader too. This will be a complete victory for us."
Ryuen started moving as if he was about to leave, so I quickly retreated toward the camp before he got any closer and spotted me.
I hurried back while thinking about everything.
The possibility that Hashimoto had leaked the leader's identity seemed realistic…
And it actively contributed to Katsuragi's eventual downfall from the top of Class A.
Hmm…
So that short green-haired boy was actually Class A's leader…
Wait.
I still don't even know his name.