"Ayanokōji-senpai~"
Just then, Amasawa's voice called from behind him.
"Amasawa, what is it?"
Ayanokōji turned, his gaze meeting hers.
"Senpai's been staring at me the whole time~"
"I'm afraid you'll do something dangerous if I look away," he replied calmly.
"Senpai still doesn't trust me~ But I'm here to tell you something important."
"What?"
"Yagami's withdrawn from school."
"He has?"
Ayanokōji was surprised.
He'd thought Yagami only withdrew from the exam because of Saiki, not that he'd be expelled entirely.
"Yeah, he disobeyed orders and provoked Saiki-senpai. Apparently, Saiki-senpai crushed his will."
"Crushed his will?"
Ayanokōji narrowed his eyes.
Given enough time and the right conditions, he could push someone to their limits too.
But during the exam, he wasn't sure he could achieve that.
And Yagami wasn't just any student; he was the top student from the fifth White Room generation.
"I don't know what Saiki-senpai did, but it scared even Tsukishiro enough to keep him from acting."
"I see."
"And because I contacted Saiki-senpai without permission, the White Room sees me as a traitor now."
Amasawa smiled faintly.
"So I'm definitely not your enemy anymore, senpai."
"Really?"
Ayanokōji didn't fully trust her words.
But some of what she said was likely true, like Yagami's expulsion.
That would be announced soon, so she had no reason to lie.
"The exam ends in a few days. Do you think Saiki-senpai will stay in first place until the end?"
"I don't know."
Though Ayanokōji said this, he already knew the answer.
---
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
Meanwhile, Nanase jolted awake, shouting.
"President, you're finally awake," the students around him said.
"I just had a nightmare. I dreamed that guy Saiki slapped me away. Ridiculous."
Nanase laughed, shaking his head.
The others exchanged glances, unsure what to say.
Because what Nanase described wasn't a dream—it had actually happened.
"Wait, wasn't I competing with Saiki?"
"Um, President… the match is over."
"What?!"
Nanase froze in disbelief.
---
Two days later, the two-week deserted island exam finally ended.
On the last day, several teams pushed themselves too hard, resulting in injuries, but it was finally over.
By evening, all the students had returned to the ship.
The exam results would be announced later, and they were expected to be brutal. With many students likely facing expulsion, the school would notify the lower-ranked teams in advance.
During the brief period between returning to the ship and resting, the students would soon face the harsh reality of their situation.
At least they wouldn't be publicly humiliated in front of the entire school.
The bottom five teams would be called in for private meetings with teachers. Those who had prepared anti-expulsion measures could avoid being expelled by paying the required points.
Students without enough private points or those who chose not to pay would be expelled on the spot. They'd pack their bags and leave on smaller boats.
At 7 p.m., the students of Class A gathered for dinner.
"First of all… let's celebrate that all teams from Class A successfully completed the Uninhabited Island Survival Exam. Since everyone is here, it means we've all avoided expulsion. That's great!"
Hirata Yousuke smiled warmly at the others.
Saiki Kusuo glanced around. Though the final rankings wouldn't be announced, his psychic abilities allowed him to know everyone's standing.
The last-place team in Class A was Sakura Airi's group, but they weren't in danger of expulsion.
No one from the other second-year classes had been expelled either—
But Saiki could feel countless eyes on him.
*"Saiki must be in the top three at least, right?"*
*"Was he hiding his strength the whole time?"*
*"To get back into Class A, we'll have to beat Saiki."*
Saiki could hear their thoughts clearly.
Thanks to the exam, he'd become a target for everyone's attention, including his own classmates.
*"Saiki's so strong,"* Airi thought, her gaze fixed on his back.
*"I knew he was hiding his strength,"* Matsushita Chiaki thought, feeling vindicated.
Saiki shifted his attention elsewhere, pretending not to notice.
He looked ahead at the lavish spread of food, including high-end desserts. He couldn't wait to dig in.
But the other students weren't eating. They seemed tense.
After ten minutes, the teachers gathered, and a microphone crackled to life.
"Everyone, pause what you're doing and listen up."
It was Sasaki, the homeroom teacher for Class A. All eyes turned to him.
"First, let me say this: everyone worked hard during the Uninhabited Island Survival Exam. Though thirteen students were disqualified due to accidents, no team was completely eliminated. You all made it through these two weeks, and we teachers are proud of you."
"Some of you may have noticed absences in your classes. As per the rules, the bottom five teams were penalized. They are: Muto and Kawakami from Class D, Katsumata and Azuma from Class C, and Mikitani from Class B. Luckily, they all had enough relief points to avoid expulsion."
The students cheered. Everyone was safe.
Clearly, Nagumo Miyabi had provided the points to save them.
Saiki turned to Nagumo, whose expression remained unchanged.
But Saiki knew exactly what Nagumo was thinking.
Nagumo's mind was replaying scenes from the exam—scenes of Saiki defeating him.
Just then, a giant screen lit up, showing a figure in white.
It was Tsukishiro.
"Now, let's announce the top three teams."
"Third place: Nagumo Miyabi's team from Class A, with 301 points."
The students gasped.
At the start, everyone assumed Nagumo would win first place without question.
But he'd fallen to third, behind even second place.
After losing to Saiki, Nagumo seemed defeated. He'd slowed down on tasks and taken no special action against Takarada.
This had cost him the top spot.
Nagumo's face remained blank, but Kiriyama Ikuto clenched his fists in frustration.
He'd aimed for second place but hadn't even made the top three.
"Second place: Takarada's team from Class A, with 326 points."
"Second place, huh? Can't complain," Koenji Rokusuke said, smiling and accepting the result.
"Koenji, don't forget our deal," Horikita Suzune said seriously.
They'd made a pact before the exam.
If Koenji won first place, he could act freely.
But if he didn't, he'd have to act as part of the class.
Second place was the best outcome for Suzune.
"Of course, Horikita-girl. I keep my promises. And I accept this result. After all, I met someone interesting," Koenji said, smiling.
Suzune was surprised. It was the first time she'd heard Koenji acknowledge someone.
With Koenji's name announced, the first-place winner was clear.
"First place: Saiki Kusuo from Class A, with 327 points."
As his name was called, Saiki felt all eyes on him again.
*"Ugh, this is why I hate standing out,"* he sighed inwardly.
*"Saiki's amazing!"*
*"He's our biggest rival now!"*
*"I want to get to know Saiki-senpai better."*
The thoughts around him grew louder. Saiki had no choice but to accept it.
....
After the exam, Saiki's class earned a massive number of points.
Saiki alone contributed 300 points, and Koenji's second place widened the gap between Class A and the others.
Class B, led by Sakayanagi Arisu, had been close behind, but now catching up would be even harder.
With the exam over, the students could enjoy a special summer vacation on the luxury cruise ship.
Movies, pools, spas—they could use any facility they wanted.
For Saiki, it was a chance to relax. He hadn't eaten well during the exam.
He wasn't interested in the entertainment, so he spent most days in his room reading, watching movies, and eating desserts.
After the exam, the dessert options doubled.
It was his reward for winning first place.
*"Worth it,"* Saiki muttered, enjoying a special dessert.
But then his phone buzzed.
*"I need to talk to you. Meet me at the pool,"* Kiriyama Ikuto's message read.
Saiki didn't want to go, but to avoid trouble, he decided to head over.
Lately, his phone had been flooded with messages from girls wanting to meet him.
After the exam, it seemed the whole school knew about him, and many girls were interested.
But Saiki didn't want to engage, so he ignored most messages.
At the pool, Kiriyama wasn't there yet.
Saiki sensed trouble and was about to leave when someone called out.
"Saiki-kun, how've you been? You're the school's star now," Kiryuuin Fuka said.
"Not great," Saiki replied, sighing.
He hated being in the spotlight.
"You took first place, and Nagumo's fallen apart. Interesting. He's so proud, and he saw you as his rival. He wanted to crush you in the exam, but you turned the tables. He lost so badly, in front of everyone. Pathetic," Fuka said, smirking.
*"I didn't want it to go that way,"* Saiki thought.
"But I'm curious. What was that move? I've never seen someone get knocked away by a slap like that."
"I… trained in martial arts," Saiki said.
"Really? Martial arts can do that? I might have to study it more," Fuka said, laughing.
Saiki was speechless.
*"If she studies martial arts, will she figure out my powers?"*
"You're full of surprises, Saiki. What's next for you?" Fuka asked, smirking.