Chapter 789

From the moment Kaoru received that walkie-talkie, he had already guessed what Miyabi intended to do.

He simply hadn't expected Miyabi to be quite this direct about it.

"First you provoke me into fighting you, then have someone record the decisive moment on a tablet. It's not a bad idea."

Kaoru grabbed Miyabi by the collar.

"But the more you resort to something like this, the more obvious it becomes that you're completely helpless against me. You couldn't think of any legitimate way to force me out of school, so all you had left was this kind of cheap setup."

Miyabi had already been beaten into a miserable state, yet he still glared at Kaoru with undisguised hatred.

"Actually, if you'd really fought me fairly just now, I might've thought you were an idiot, but at least not completely rotten."

Kaoru sighed.

"Looks like I gave you too much credit. You're just someone willing to use absolutely anything if it gets you what you want. Arrogant, convinced everyone else is beneath you, and constantly forcing your own ideas onto people as though they have no choice but to obey."

"What makes you any different?"

Miyabi forced the words through clenched teeth.

"Stop pretending you're so noble. You're just a woman-obsessed pervert."

"No, there's still a difference."

Kaoru quietly rejected the comparison.

"I know exactly what I have, and I know exactly what I want."

Miyabi snorted.

He had no intention of wasting any more words on Kaoru.

Right in front of him, Miyabi pressed the emergency distress button on his watch.

The school's management staff would immediately receive the signal.

Under normal circumstances, using that function meant the student had encountered a situation they could no longer handle themselves and would generally be considered unable to continue the exam normally.

"The moment I press this button, the nearest teacher starts heading here."

Miyabi wanted desperately to see panic cross Kaoru's face, even if only for an instant.

"You don't have much time left, Mitoma."

He chuckled.

"Though running now won't save you either."

Kaoru's expression remained exactly the same.

He did not even furrow his brow.

"If I were planning to run, I wouldn't have bothered coming here in the first place."

Kaoru paused.

"What interests me more is you, Nagumo-senpai."

"A move this close to mutually assured destruction is something a normal person saves for the very end."

"Why use it now?"

It was only the seventh day of the exam.

There was still a long way to go.

A move that inflicted enormous losses on both sides should never have been used this early unless there was no other choice.

For Miyabi to attempt something so desperate already, no matter how much he hated Kaoru, suggested he had been pushed into a corner.

"I'm curious."

Kaoru continued.

"What happened to that Nagumo-senpai who once thought he was so incredible?"

"Is this really all you have left?"

There was little change in Kaoru's tone.

To Miyabi, however, every word sounded unbearably mocking.

Anger surged through him.

He stared at Kaoru with a twisted mixture of resentment and hatred before speaking hoarsely.

"Save your pathetic attempts at provoking me. I'm not giving you another word."

Provocation?

Miyabi had already won.

He could not imagine any way Kaoru could escape this.

The method might have been filthy, but victory was victory.

Why should he care how it looked?

"Hehehe. If you've hidden a second recorder somewhere, go ahead and bring it out."

Mockery entered Miyabi's expression.

Even now, he had never forgotten their first encounter.

"I'd love to."

Kaoru smiled.

"But there's no need."

"Besides, why would I bother provoking Nagumo-senpai now? I'm simply analyzing why you chose this particular strategy."

Miyabi looked at his supposedly doomed opponent with open contempt.

He clearly did not care what Kaoru wanted to say.

Combined with his swollen and battered face, however, the smug expression looked almost comical.

"Your class started showing signs of instability from the very first day."

Kaoru continued.

"I remember several groups refused to follow your plan and insisted on moving independently, even taking routes different from yours."

Kaoru had learned that on the very first day.

As Miyabi's influence declined, Class 3-A had begun showing increasing internal instability.

Normally, Miyabi would have possessed enough authority to suppress that discontent.

Unfortunately for him, he had become profoundly suspicious of everyone around him.

Instead of calming the class, he had begun aggressively targeting anyone he suspected of being a spy or enemy.

Because of people like Tonokawa Sōsuke, Miyabi no longer felt secure even inside his own class.

He had decided Class 3-A needed a ruthless purge.

Anyone dissatisfied with him had to be removed.

In his words, they were traitors.

The first person purged had been Mizowaki Mito, who had been forced to withdraw during a previous special exam.

And Miyabi had not stopped with the people he personally deemed traitors.

He also targeted anyone who showed sympathy toward Mizowaki Mito or Tonokawa Sōsuke.

That widening circle of punishment had kept Class 3-A under constant pressure.

It was also one of the main reasons Nazuna had grown so dissatisfied with him.

By treating his own classmates that way, Miyabi had created resentment even among students who had never previously considered opposing him.

Combined with his repeated failures in external conflicts, many students had begun to find following him humiliating.

During this uninhabited island exam, that frustration had finally erupted into open defiance.

Several groups had blatantly ignored Miyabi's orders.

If Miyabi headed toward a designated area, they went after tasks.

If Miyabi pursued a task, they headed toward their designated areas.

In short, they had begun opposing Miyabi purely for the sake of opposing him.

That behavior had severely damaged Class 3-A's overall effectiveness.

On the fourth day, Miyabi had still occupied a position within the top five.

Now he had fallen to eighth.

At the same time, Ikuto and the others had never relaxed their encirclement.

They constantly interfered with Miyabi's ability to score whenever possible.

"Simple disobedience was already enough to damage your authority."

Kaoru looked at him.

"Add Kiriyama-senpai and the others constantly disrupting your movements, and by now some of your people must be exhausted enough to consider making peace with them."

Miyabi was currently a solo group.

Not everyone could dominate the island alone like Kōenji Rokusuke.

At least half of Miyabi's score depended on support from other groups.

Tasks were only part of it.

Simply providing him with food, water, and supplies so he could continue moving without worrying about logistics already gave him an enormous advantage over ordinary competitors.

But every group had limits on what it could carry.

The more Miyabi demanded from them, the greater their own burden became.

Ikuto's harassment looked almost insignificant when viewed one incident at a time.

In reality, it resembled old hit-and-run warfare.

They would appear, disrupt Miyabi's people just enough to prevent proper rest or efficient movement, then disappear again.

The students of Class 3-A were not superhuman.

If things continued like this, only Miyabi's most fanatically loyal supporters would remain.

Everyone else would eventually scatter.

"You know perfectly well that if you want them to continue supporting you, there are only two options."

Kaoru raised one finger.

"Either you take first place and prove your strength through results again..."

At that thought, the images of Rokusuke and Arisu crossed his mind.

The two currently occupied first and second place respectively.

"Leaving Kōenji aside, if you could still mobilize your entire year properly, even Sakayanagi-san wouldn't be your match."

Arisu could command the resources of Class 2-A.

And even then, only roughly half of the class truly moved under her direct control.

That could not compare to Miyabi at his peak.

Unfortunately...

This was no longer Miyabi at his peak.

Miyabi clearly understood that as well.

He still sneered.

"At least you understand that much. She's only playing with tricks I already used long ago."

In Miyabi's eyes, Arisu's current strategy was merely an imitation of things he had done before.

If he still possessed his old reserves of private points, he was convinced he could execute the same strategy far better.

Then Kaoru spoke again.

"But you can't anymore."

Miyabi's body stiffened.

His fists clenched until the knuckles turned white.

"You've spent several days trying."

Kaoru continued calmly.

"And eventually you realized the truth."

"You can't climb any higher."

"Your current strength is no longer enough to maintain your position."

Miyabi's expression became ugly.

His face slowly reddened.

He already knew it.

Hearing his greatest rival say it aloud, however, turned that realization into humiliation.

"So you needed another way to raise morale."

Kaoru pointed toward himself.

"I'm the perfect sacrifice."

"Everyone thinks I'm responsible for everything that's happened to Nagumo-senpai."

"If you defeat me, you save face."

"Your people can tell themselves that at least Nagumo-senpai isn't someone who can only stand there and take one beating after another."

It did not matter how Miyabi accomplished it.

If everyone saw him force Kaoru out of the exam, morale would recover before it reached rock bottom.

"You know this is a stupid plan."

Kaoru said.

"But you still had to use it because you had no better options."

To Kaoru, Miyabi's situation resembled a team already being pushed back to its own base.

Someone had gone AFK at the fountain.

Others refused to follow calls.

Even if Miyabi still had some miraculous comeback strategy, his first priority had to be restoring enough morale for his remaining teammates to fight.

And if he needed a target to rally everyone around...

Kaoru was the obvious choice.

He was the enemy jungler who had accumulated all the aggro.

Take him down, and morale would surge.

From Kaoru's perspective, though, it simply meant Miyabi had been cornered so badly that he was desperately trying to force a kill.

"So what if you figured it out?"

Miyabi had regained some composure.

"Want to talk a little more before you die?"

"Nothing like that."

Kaoru sighed deeply.

"I just thought it was a shame."

"Then someone gave me a strange note a few days ago."

"The contents were interesting."

"It was a request for help."

"The writer said Nagumo-senpai seemed to be plotting something, and several groups around him had been steadily falling down the rankings."

Miyabi's expression shifted.

Inside, rage exploded.

'Another goddamn traitor!'

"Looks like Nagumo-senpai thought of something."

Kaoru noticed his reaction and smiled faintly.

"Is it the same conclusion I reached?"

"Want me to say it for you?"

Alongside his anger, Miyabi felt a deep wariness toward Kaoru's perception.

Ever since their first meeting, this man had possessed an infuriating ability to notice things.

It was as though Kaoru could look at someone and simply understand what they were thinking.

"Sometimes I genuinely admire you, Nagumo-senpai."

Kaoru quietly watched him.

"You're absolutely merciless toward your own people."

"You were planning to execute the classmates who stopped supporting you during this exam, weren't you?"

Miyabi fell silent.

Then his face twisted into a smile.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Mitoma, you're terrifying."

"You don't have a shred of evidence, yet you still dare say something like that!"

Kaoru watched him laugh without responding.

"This is ridiculous!"

Miyabi looked genuinely delighted now.

"I never thought the person who understood me best would be you."

"Even Horikita-senpai was never this sensitive."

"What the hell happened to you before coming here?"

Then Miyabi suddenly remembered something else.

"That training camp exam too!"

"You were the first person to figure out what I intended back then."

"You really are something!"

For some reason, Miyabi seemed almost exhilarated.

He stared at Kaoru intensely.

Kaoru expected denial.

Or perhaps more insults.

Instead, Miyabi admitted it without hesitation.

"You're absolutely right, Mitoma."

"This exam is their finish line."

Madness flashed through his eyes.

He sounded like a man who had already compiled a complete execution list.

"If I don't eliminate them now, I'll never defeat you!"

"You don't think you're being a little extreme?"

Kaoru knew perfectly well he had not planted that many spies.

"As far as I know, five or six groups from your class have fallen unusually far down the rankings."

Miyabi merely sneered.

"These snakes—this brood of vipers—will not escape the judgment of hell."

Kaoru paused.

Then Miyabi continued slowly, practically carving each word into the air.

Every syllable carried bone-deep hatred.

"Every traitor will be nailed to the cross."

"Not one of them will escape."

Kaoru finally realized he had underestimated just how much Miyabi hated betrayal.

His true objective during this exam might never have been winning first place at all.

It was judgment.

Purging every person who had become dissatisfied with him until Class 3-A belonged entirely to him again.

That only made Kaoru despise him more.

According to Miyabi's own absolute-strength ideology, the problems inside his class existed because Miyabi himself was no longer strong enough.

That was why people had begun doubting him.

If he could still demonstrate overwhelming strength, would anyone have needed to complain or rebel?

Instead of improving himself and proving everyone wrong through results, Miyabi wanted to punish the students who had lost faith in him.

At that point, he could hardly blame them for abandoning him.

If Miyabi was no longer capable of protecting or leading the class, why should he retain absolute control over it?

Kaoru turned toward the male student who had spent the entire conversation standing silently in the background.

The boy was now staring in shock.

"N-Nagumo-kun... what do you mean?"

Even one of Miyabi's most loyal followers could no longer ignore what he had just heard.

"Y-you're really planning to eliminate that many people?"

The boy's face had gone pale.

His words came out in a stammer.

"W-weren't we only supposed to... only..."

Kaoru did not know exactly what Miyabi's plan involved.

But given the current situation, he could probably force two or three groups out if everything went according to plan.

"Itō-kun."

Miyabi's voice was ice-cold.

"It's the only way to wash the sinful blood from them."

Whatever illusion Itō had been clinging to shattered immediately.

Students had openly disobeyed him.

Did anyone seriously think Miyabi would swallow that humiliation?

Before dealing with Kaoru, Miyabi intended to come down on those people with everything he had.

Every last one would be nailed to his metaphorical cross.

"I-I can't accept that!"

Itō shook his head desperately.

"If we do that, what will even be left of our class?!"

"I'm sorry."

"I can't keep following your orders!"

Miyabi did not care.

He already intended to crucify so many people that adding one more name hardly mattered.

At that moment, the school employee Miyabi had been waiting for finally arrived.

"Who requested assistance from the school?"

Miyabi expected one of the nearby teachers.

Instead, he turned and saw Acting Director Tsukishiro Tokinari approaching.

Tsukishiro wore his usual mild smile.

Especially when his eyes landed on Kaoru.

Miyabi failed to notice anything strange.

He immediately raised his hand.

A victorious smile returned to his face as he glanced toward Kaoru.

This was perfect.

He had expected a teacher.

The Acting Director was even better.

Kaoru had attacked a fellow student with a knife.

Surely Tsukishiro would impose an even harsher punishment.

Expulsion was entirely possible.

Afterward, Miyabi would slowly eliminate every traitor in his class.

Then he could turn his attention toward Kaoru's women and repay everything in kind.

An eye for an eye.

A tooth for a tooth.

Then the situation took a turn Miyabi had never imagined.

Tsukishiro heard that Kaoru and Miyabi had fought.

He barely even looked at Miyabi.

Instead, he directly asked Kaoru how the matter should be handled.

Miyabi's expression froze.

The photographs he had placed all his hopes on vanished just as quickly.

Itō hesitated.

Then, right in front of Miyabi, he denied that any photographs existed at all.

He claimed he had simply been passing through and had never recorded anything.

If that had been the end of it, Miyabi might still have endured.

Then Kaoru accused him of assaulting Kaoru.

Deliberately attacking a fellow student.

Worse...

Itō supported Kaoru's version.

He even volunteered to testify.

Miyabi nearly laughed from sheer disbelief.

Who exactly had been beaten here?!

His face was swollen beyond recognition.

Kaoru did not have so much as a scratch.

And somehow Miyabi was being accused of beating Kaoru?

He really had been a fool to expect anything from these people.

They should all be nailed to the cross.

Every last one of them.

Soon, however, Miyabi could no longer laugh at all.

Tsukishiro gave him only a brief glance before calmly announcing the final disciplinary decision.

Because both students had engaged in a physical altercation, and because Miyabi had introduced a weapon...

Nagumo Miyabi would be forcibly withdrawn from school.

Mitoma Kaoru, meanwhile, would receive a three-month suspension.

Only then did Miyabi finally understand.

His eyes widened.

Shock flooded through him.

He had never once considered this possibility.

The Acting Director himself...

was on Kaoru's side.

Everything suddenly made sense.

That was why Kaoru had never shown the slightest fear when Miyabi threatened him.

He had not walked into the trap.

He had been waiting for Miyabi to deliver himself.

Unfortunately, understanding that now changed nothing.

There were no cameras here.

Whatever Tsukishiro said had happened was effectively what had happened.

It was a blatantly rigged call.

Kaoru watched as teachers escorted Miyabi away.

Tsukishiro remained beside him.

After a short silence, the Acting Director spoke first.

"Mitoma-kun, will you be remaining on the island, or would you prefer to return to the cruise ship?"

"I'll go check on—"

Kaoru stopped himself.

"No. I'll withdraw from the exam."

His voice remained calm.

"Bring Nanase-san to me."

"There's something I need to discuss with both of you."

Tsukishiro's expression became remarkably complicated.

A trace of alarm.

A trace of awkwardness.

Then finally—

"Understood."

Kaoru did not look at him again.

He merely extended one hand.

A raindrop landed in his palm.

Cold.