AUTHOR'S NOTE:

To clarify something the 'Target' means the VIP. That's all. I got my free time so I was available to do an update.

Thank you! stay safe and healthy everyone!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

Third Person's Point of View

ON THE DECK THERE IS A CAFE called "Blue Ocean". The two boys chose to sit there on an empty table in the shade and called for the waiter. The current time is 7:55 AM. One minute just before the designated meeting time the person they were waiting for appeared before them with an empty expression.

"You're two here early." Horikita comments as she sits down in the seat in front of them. Axel smiled at her while Kiyotaka just nodded at her. On the other hand, Horikita just sighed.

"Do you two want to order anything?" Kiyotaka asked them.

"Nah, I'm just going to cook for myself." Axel said as he put his face on the table.

"No." Horikita said. Kiyotaka just sighed and put the menu list and looked at Axel.

"Then cook for me too, Axel."

"Of course hehe I will go to your room again."

"Use your own room, Axel." Horikita said, Axel's face was still on the table as he pouted his lips.

"I won't." Horikita just sighed and she put his two hands on the table.

"Right now, let's continue our chat from yesterday," Horikita said. Making Kiyotaka nod.

"Before that, here I take down notes about the Rules and Possible Result of this Exam." Horikita said and put the notebook on the top of the table.

Explanation of the Rules

In this exam, the cornerstone will be a 'VIP' student who will be chosen from each group. By using your critical thinking, you will be able to achieve one of the four given outcomes in this exam.

── Each group will receive a letter, which will state that a VIP student has been chosen from your group, by 8:00am tomorrow.

── The exam will itself take place anytime between 1:00pm to 9:00pm. Students are free to act as they please during the rest of the day.

── For about an hour each day, groups will be required to meet up and discuss together. Content of discussion is left to the discretion of the group.

── At the end of the exam, the VIP student of your group must be identified. This will be done between 9:30pm and 10:00pm. Only one answer can be submitted per group, and the answers must be sent to a certain email address that will be provided to mobile phones.

── The VIP students cannot be the one to send the answers.

── The identity of the VIP student of the group you are a part of only must be sent. Any other answer will be considered as invalid.

── Details of the results will be mailed to the students by 11:00pm on the final day.

Possible End Results

── Share the identity of the VIP and clear the exam as one:

If the answers of the VIP student as well as the other group members are all correct, they will all receive Private Points (including members other than the VIP student themselves). The members will receive 500,000 Points each, and the VIP will receive 1,000,000 Points.

── Answer incorrectly and the group loses but the VIP still gets Points:

If there are incorrect answers or unanswered questions by people other than the VIP student, only the VIP student will receive 500,000 Private Points.

☆ A Traitor uncovers the identity of the VIP:

In the case that someone other than the VIP answers the question before waiting for the allocated time and answers correctly, the class of the answerer will be awarded 50 Class Points and the answerer will receive 500,000 Private Points. The class whose VIP has been identified will lose 50 Class Points, and the test will be terminated for that group.

☆ A Traitor disregards the VIP's judgement:

In the case that someone other than the VIP answers the question before waiting for the allocated time and answers incorrectly, the class of the answerer will lose 50 Class Points. The class which the VIP belongs to will be rewarded 50 Class Points, and the VIP will still gain 500,000 Private Points. The test will then be terminated for that group.

"Hm. Did every student in the school form a group?" Axel asked while looking at the notes that Horikita gave to him.

"Yes. Just as you said 12 groups with four possible outcomes and the "target" being announced to us today by mail at 8:00 in the morning. If there are any small differences, I suppose you could chalk it up to the difference in teachers."

"Who are your group members and how many are there?" When Kiyotaka asked that question, Axel put his hands on his face as his shoulder started shaking, he was clearly laughing.

"It was quite amazing actually, almost as if it was on purpose and not just coincidence." Horikita shortly answered.

After telling them that, Horikita hands them a slip of paper that contains the names of people in her group. When Axel read their names, he couldn't help, but to laugh.

Class A: Katsuragi Kohei, Nishikawa Ryouko, Shita Shinji, Koharu Yano

Class B: Ando Sayo, Kanzaki Ryuuji, Tsukabe Hitomi

Class C: Oda Takumi, Suzuki Hidetoshi, Sonoda Masashi, Ryuuen Kakeru

Class D: Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, Horikita Suzune.

"It's quite an amazing group..." Axel said while shrugging his shoulders.

"You're worried about Ichinose-san in your group, right? Right now, only her class knows just how excellent she truly is. It's not always that the face of the class is the leader." she said.

'I'm not worried though.' Axel on his thoughts while pouting.

"From this I can somewhat understand how they've divided us up into 12 groups. Ayanokouji-kun and Karuizawa-san are very similar right? In terms of grades. Perhaps they are grouping us in terms of our current points. But the only flaw in this theory is that Yukimura-kun is also in the top grades and the same goes for Kouenji-kun and Arison. " Horikita continued as she looked at Axel.

"You do have a point, Sotomura and I have similar grades as well...then there's you and Hirata." Kiyotaka listed.

"In any case, this is a problem, to effectively lead this group and clear the exam. It's about time, I wonder if the mail really will come."

Once the clock hit 8:00 AM their phones vibrated at once without even being a second apart. The moment Ayanokouji and Axel finished reading the contents of their mails, Horikita pushed her phone and the mail displayed on it towards them and they did the same to check the details of the mail while comparing it to the others.

After a period of thorough consideration, you have not been chosen as the "target". Please act together as one and challenge the exam in that manner. The exam itself shall begin from 1:00 PM today onwards. The exam will be held for three days from this point onwards. If you belong to the (Dragon) group, please come up to the room marked as such on the second floor immediately.

The mail sent to them and Horikita were 'almost' the same.

"I suppose if we were chosen as the "target", the mail would be slightly different informing us of this fact." Kiyotaka said while nodding his head.

"It seems neither of us has been chosen as the "target" for our groups. I don't know whether to be overjoyed at this or sad." Horikita said.

"If you're the "target", depending on your personal choices, you would be able to lead your group to any one of the four possible outcomes." Axel said while putting his hands on his chin.

"I still don't like it though. It's almost as if they're telling me I don't qualify as the "target" student. In this exam, there is a massive difference between the student selected as the "target" and the ones not selected. Since all the other students must by default struggle to uncover the identity of the "target" and there is always the possibility that the point gap between classes may be closed after the exam."

"I don't know how the students whose names I don't even know will act. We'll need to interact directly with them for that." Axel said with a sad tone, Kiyotaka turned to him.

"Don't worry. I have thought of a way to get rid of them if necessary." Kiyotaka said while putting Axel.

'I'm not sure if this is the Ayanouji-kun that I know.' Horikita on her thoughts. After that she nodded at the two boys.

"I'll be looking forward to your results."

"We're looking forward to seeing what direction you will lead your group in." Kiyotaka said.

"In either case, I'll ask you two about this now, but who in our group are you most suspicious of right now? Judging from the flow most of the other classes should have already gotten the same information we have."

"Ryuen." the two boys said in unison.

"That's right."

"Because there's no one as suspicious as him." Axel theory as his finger trailing the hands of Kiyotaka.

"What about Katsuragi-kun? It's only because of him that Class A was able to secure the most desirable spot in the island test. That's also something notable. Wouldn't you say we should be suspicious of him?"

"Of course that is an excellent accomplishment for a 1st year student. Therefore, if you're asking us who's the most excellent student in the group I'd say Katsuragi. On the other hand, the most suspicious one would undoubtedly have to be Ryuuen." Axel continued.

"While the identity of the "target" is something to be worried about after reading the mail, just now I was thinking about something. Isn't something strange about the mail sent to us from the school? And the strict..."

Before she continued what she was going to say with the two boys, they felt that someone was staring at them.

"Nice weather isn't it, Suzune, Arison? What are you having for breakfast?" It was Ryuen with two people behind him.

"Don't call my first name so casually, Ryuuen-kun. And you, it's quite amazing you'd dare to show your face in front of us again after what you did, Ibuki-san."

Ibuki simply tightened her lower lip without saying anything, Ryuuen was grinning.

"I believe the mail has already arrived, so how was it? Did you become the "target"?" Ryuen asked.

"There's no way I'd tell you, or perhaps you're going to tell us." Horikita said as she crossed her arms.

"If that's what you wish." Ryuuen then sat down on a vacant seat nearby.

"But before that please do tell me, how did you three or rather two manage to achieve that result in the island test?"

'Did he just leave out Ayanokouji?' Horikita's thoughts.

"I have nothing to tell you." When she said that she saw that Ryuen smirked.

"I don't care either way, but according to her report, you didn't do anything much during the island test to allow your class to achieve those results."

"I'm not such an idiot that someone like her would be able to figure me out. I was just saving my strength back then thanks to my fever."

In response to that provocation, Ibuki immediately stood up.

"Then let's have a rematch right here and right now, let's fight."

"I'll have to decline, unfortunately, since violence will be a violation of the school's rules for this exam. If you do happen to use violence on me, however, I will report this to the school. Please do as you wish then."

Ibuki angrily stepped towards Horikita after that, but stopped just shy of actually laying a hand on her.

"Since we're all here, let's have some coffee. It seems to be as good a time as any to drink."

Horikita ordered the waitress for her morning coffee. Ayanokoji also ordered the same coffee, while Axel ordered an Ice Cream.

"Unsurprising. After all, you never would've thought that someone from Class D like me would be capable of such feats after all. Isn't it the same for you and Ibuki being here now? You're all on your guard against me aren't you?"

"Kuku. I'm not going to even deny it. I am indeed here to confirm your capability for myself. But, I'm not only cautious about you." Ryuen smirked and gave a quick glance at Axel who was enjoying eating his Ice Cream.

'He really loves Ice Cream..' Ryuen on his thoughts.

While Horikita takes a sip of her coffee, Ryuuen looks at Axel.

"I'm very interested in you, Arison, but you know. I'm still so cautious of you, Axel Arison." Ryuen smirked as he put his one leg crossed to his other leg.

"You're dangerous." Ryuen finished his sentences, he don't know what Axel can do. But he confirms that Axel was a very wise person, but the question is, is there any limit to his intelligent?

He didn't know if Axel could fight. Is he only good at academics? Is he weak physically?

Axel stopped eating as his eyes gazed on Ryuen. This is also the reason why Ryuen is very cautious around Axel, he cannot read Axel. He cannot tell if he was pissed, angry, sad, or what.

"Eh?" Axel said with dumb expression.

"Eh?" Ryuen also does the same tone as Axel.

"Eh?" Horikita turns her head to the two.

"Eh?" Kiyotaka did the same too.

"Pfft–ahem." Ibuki turns around as she coughs. Pretending that she didn't laugh.

Ryuuen coughed as he put his one hand on his mouth, then he removed it and looked at Horikita. Forgetting about what he said to Axel, Axel just shrugged as he continued eating.

"But you should also know, Suzune, that my methods are different from Katsuragi's, besides a serious-chan type girl like yourself would definitely not be capable of formulating a strategy like the one on the island test."

"I don't care either way, but how would you know what my strategy during the island test was? All that was announced were the results after all." Horikita scoffed.

"I wonder if you can explain how you two did it then?" Ryuen said and let out a simple laugh.

"At the end of the exam when the leader names were to be written, the only reason why we answered wrong was because the leader had been changed to someone else previously before the exam's end and was no longer you. The important thing is that the new leader of the island tests, the one who switched with you at the very end. They are the ones pulling your strings from behind the scenes."

He then turned to Axel.

"Are you the mastermind, Arison?" Ryuen smirked and glanced at Axel who is currently looking at him.

"Guess it." When Axel said that, Ryuen only laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I barely have any friends to scheme with anyways. The only ones I can consider somewhat close to me would be Arison and Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita said as she sipped.

"Then I will change the question." when Ryuen said that all their eyes were on Ryuen.

"Did you somehow help them?" When Ryuen asked, Horikita looked directly into his eyes.

"Why did you ask?" Horikita asked.

On the other hand, Axel who finished his Ice Cream who is currently whipping his lips with a tissue. Kiyotaka looked at him while sipping his coffee. Anyways, Kiyotaka is currently in his dream land.

"Ryuen." Axel said, making all the eyes look at Axel, who is smiling at him.

"Horikita plays a very huge part in our plan." Axel said that as he put his hand on his chin.

"If I'm correct you already knew that the three of us planned that?"

"Yes, I know that. I'm quite impressed by your performance Axe–"

"Arison."

"Okay, Chill kukuku." Axel just rolled his eyes, as he looked at Kiyotaka who is also looking at him.

'To be honest Ryuen, I didn't do anything.'

"In any case, I'm glad I got to talk to you, Suzune and Ax–Arison. Remember, this is a game. Anyways, I was convinced that Arison is one of the masterminds, but I don't know if he is the only one who is controlling you." Ryuen said as he looked at Horikita.

Horikita, on the other hand, stands up. "I understand being cautious of us, but why obsess over our class? Aren't there others you care about? Like Ichinose-san in Class B or Katsuragi-kun in Class A and then there's the person known as Sakayanagi according to the rumors. There should be guys above Class C you'd normally worry about. You said you'd tell me something good so answer me that much at least."

To this, Ryuen's lips form a smirk. "It's because I already know more or less their capabilities and none of them are capable enough to be my enemies. If I wanted to crush them, I could crush any of them whenever I want..."

"That Sakayanagi, I'm saving that woman for dessert. It'll be a waste for me to eat Sakayanagi now." he continued and looked at Axel.

"And you... you will be my main course." After that he stood up and left the three people of Class D.

Axel stand up, Horikita curiously looked at him. But when Axel looked at her she shiever, really she didn't know what will Axel do to her right now.

"And you... you will be my main course." Axel imitating Ryuen, as he do the same posture and facial expression of Ryuen making Horikita laugh a little.

"Eww, Sometimes Ryuen are cringe." Axel said and went back to his seats. He moves his chair to Kiyotaka as he takes the cup of Kiyotaka coffee and drinks it.

COUGH

"T-Too strong."

"You're just a baby that's why." Kiyotaka said while taking his coffee in the hands of Axel.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"I'm no–"

"You just buy an Ice Cream."

"You two, can you please shut your mouth. The discussion is over for now, right? You can go back to your room." Horikita said while signing. It was almost like she was babysitting.

"Hmm, then goodnight Horikita!" Axel said, Kiyotaka just nodded at her. The two boys stand up and start walking away.