Just as Kitagawa Ryo arrived at the registration point for the "Impromptu Poetry Recital" task and began listening to Shiina Hiyori's recitation of "The Raven," two more groups came running up from the direction of the woods.
Ryo glanced over casually but didn't recognize anyone. He was familiar with all the students from Classes C and D—after all, one was his current class and the other he'd spent over a semester in. That meant these new arrivals were most likely from Classes A and B.
Since registration for this task remained open for an hour after its appearance, and there were no restrictions on the number of teams, things remained fairly cordial. Everyone had just arrived on the island, so the atmosphere was still polite. The newcomers even greeted Ryo with friendly smiles.
After noticing that Shiina was reciting her poem in English, the two groups deliberated for a moment before choosing their representatives—confident individuals who queued up behind Ryo.
After all, only the top three would receive prizes. With just four groups currently present, the odds seemed decent. They didn't mean to look down on Shiina and Ryo as representatives of Classes C and D, but the students from the top classes couldn't help but feel a subtle sense of superiority.
However, their confident expressions soon faded.
Shiina Hiyori's performance had taken a dramatic turn the moment Ryo arrived. What had merely been fluent and clear diction now seemed touched by magic—infused with vivid emotion and rhythm.
Shiina had previously trained in theater alongside Ryo, so her skills were solid. She was also deeply familiar with "The Raven," having read and loved it before. The combination of well-memorized lines, nostalgic emotions, and a subtle desire to impress someone special allowed her to deliver a mesmerizing performance.
Though the poem spoke of the sorrow of lost love and carried a haunting tone, Shiina's voice added an unexpected touch of sentiment.
"Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'"
With the final word spoken, Shiina let out a long breath and smiled as she offered a polite bow to the judges.
The six judges—five faculty members and one invited professional—discussed briefly before giving their scores. The average came out to a solid 9 points.
Being the first contestant, Shiina wasn't sure how to interpret the score in context. She had no idea how harsh or lenient the judges were, but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she immediately moved to a nearby bench in the waiting area and turned her shining gaze toward Ryo.
Understanding that others were still waiting and more groups might arrive, Ryo refrained from speaking to her. He simply gave her a discreet thumbs-up and stepped forward to draw his own poem.
He received Lord Byron's romantic classic: "She Walks in Beauty."
Thanks to his golden talent, "Photographic Memory," and all the simulations he had run, Ryo had an immense reading background. This poem was no stranger to him. Compared to "The Raven," it was much simpler.
Without hesitation, he began to recite:
"She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies..."
His dramatic delivery immediately caught the judges' attention. Some even recognized him and quietly explained to nearby teachers that Ryo was a trained theater actor.
As Ryo continued, Shiina stood up from the bench, picked up a small stool from near Hoshinomiya Chie's feet, and sat near the judging panel, resting her chin in her hands and smiling mischievously at Ryo.
It was like she was trying to play a "don't laugh" challenge.
But Ryo was a seasoned actor. He had performed on far bigger stages under far greater pressure. Naturally, her antics didn't faze him.
Besides, he'd once calmly recited romantic lines to Shiina herself during rehearsals—he was well used to this.
"A mind at peace with all below, / A heart whose love is innocent."
Ryo locked eyes with Shiina as he delivered the poem's final line. His voice flowed like warm syrup, gentle and soothing.
"Thank you very much. That concludes my impromptu poetry recital."
Only then did the audience seem to come back to their senses. The professional judge, invited by the school, couldn't help but speak:
"Technically, we aren't supposed to comment... but that was truly exceptional."
The middle-aged man seemed almost flustered. He shut his mouth and simply raised a card reading "10." Then he stood up and swept his gaze across the other judges as if daring anyone to give less.
The other teachers chuckled awkwardly and raised their own 10-point cards.
That meant no matter how the other groups performed, Ryo had already secured first place.
Hoshinomiya Chie realized this as well and pulled out a large bundle from the tent behind her, handing it to Ryo.
"Here's your prize: a three-person tent for first place."
Ryo opened his large-capacity backpack and stuffed the tent inside. Then he nodded to Shiina and Ibuki Mio.
"I'm heading back. My teammates are waiting, and it's a long way."
He dropped this false hint for the nearby groups to throw them off.
Knowing that the first day of the uninhabited island exam was critical and time was tight, Shiina didn't insist on chatting longer. She simply waved at him.
"See you next time, Ryo."
"Yeah. See you."
With a quiet reply, Ryo tightened the now much heavier straps of his backpack and ran off toward the spot where he had parted ways with his group.
Just as he disappeared into the forest, another group came scrambling over the hills.
They didn't see Ryo, who was already gone, but he recognized them from behind—Sudo Ken and Yukimura Teruhiko from his own class. Their group also included Yamada Albert and Miyake Akito. It seemed they had split up.
Using his "Eagle Eye" talent, Ryo scanned the area, noting the time. Less than three minutes remained until registration closed.
Sudo and Yukimura seemed aware of this too. But Yukimura's stamina was already flagging on the first day. Gritting his teeth, Sudo suddenly hoisted him onto his back and sprinted the final stretch, making it to Hoshinomiya Chie just in time.
"Sign us up!"
Panting, Sudo put Yukimura down and helped him recover.
"Yukimura! Our camp tonight depends on you! That three-person tent—"
"Already claimed."
A male student from Class B chimed in.
"Huh? But registration's still open, right?"
"Yeah, but your classmate Kitagawa Ryo already locked in first with a perfect score."
"Oh, Ryo? Makes sense."
Sudo scratched his head and patted Yukimura's shoulder.
"Then shoot for the double tent."
"I'll try."
Adjusting his glasses, Yukimura acknowledged the pressure. Yamada and Miyake had gone to the geography quiz, but they couldn't be relied on entirely—everyone had to contribute.
That's why he had insisted Sudo carry him here.
Class 1-D probably couldn't win the overall class rankings, but some of their groups had strong individual potential.
After watching them for a moment, Ryo turned and left. Sudo and Yukimura seemed to be getting along better these days, and their group had decent strength. Especially with the Sudo–Albert combo, physical tasks were practically free points.
Still, Ryo's main concern wasn't this team.
One of the four special cards was in Class D—he was certain of it.
-------------------------------------
"...To be honest, when I saw that the cooking task required making as many portions as possible within the time limit, I already had a feeling... but I didn't expect the school to actually go through with something like this."
Horikita Suzune pressed a hand to her forehead, stunned by the sight before her.
Beside her, Matsushita Chiaki wore the same dazed expression. She and the three other girls in their group whispered among themselves.
"I mean, I do know how to cook a little, but this is just ridiculous."
"It's fine, it's fine. We're all in this together. Worst case, we just get participation points."
"Let's just go slow. An hour will pass before we know it."
Eventually, the group reached a consensus. They'd come this far—might as well try.
Horikita gathered herself and walked up to the instructor in charge, Mashima Tomonari.
"I'm signing up."
"Get your apron over there."
Mashima pointed to a nearby rack. Suzune put on the apron with practiced ease and took a deep breath.
Many girls in the class could cook to some degree; after all, home economics wasn't new to them. But most of the students now wore troubled expressions.
The reality of the cooking task wasn't a picturesque scene of delicately prepared dishes judged with fork and knife. Instead, they were facing towering piles of ingredients and industrial-sized kitchen tools.
"This is dinner for the school staff stationed on the island. We're not too picky about flavor, but try not to torment the teachers too badly."
Mashima even managed a rare joke. To minimize risks, over 300 school personnel were deployed on the island, with helicopters and yachts on standby aboard the cruise ship.
Thanks to the participation prize, many students signed up, some in full groups. But it quickly became clear that a number of them didn't even know how to handle knives. Mashima had to step in multiple times to stop them.
Horikita was confident in her cooking skills. However, she had never cooked for a large group. Her experience was limited to single servings—later extending to two after meeting Kitagawa Ryo.
Realizing that no one here was likely experienced in mass cooking, Matsushita Chiaki pivoted and began preparing ordinary meals, betting on quality over quantity.
"...Tch."
Meanwhile, Horikita ran into trouble during the very first stage: chopping vegetables.
Cutting one vegetable and cutting an entire bundle were two different beasts. The knives provided weren't particularly sharp—likely a safety measure—so physical strength was essential.
After finishing a hefty batch of chopped vegetables, Horikita wiped the sweat from her forehead. She seemed to be the only one still attempting a multi-serving dish. Most of the others had defaulted to familiar, single-portion meals.
"Stay calm." "Memorize the steps. Execute them in order."
In her mind, she recalled Ryo working in the back kitchen of his bustling dessert shop. Despite the pressure, he had always remained composed.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Horikita summoned everything Ryo had ever taught her—both directly and indirectly.
And so, she launched her assault on the cooking task.
"She's one of your students, right? Not bad at all."
A senior teacher beside Mashima nodded toward Suzune.
"This task is half-won the moment you attempt large-portion cooking."
"Too many students stay in their comfort zones because of the participation prize," the teacher added. "This was clearly a test of volume over flavor, and you even gave them a hint."
Mashima nodded again, then sighed.
"Still, it takes courage to publicly attempt something you're not good at."
Forty minutes passed.
Matsushita stretched her neck. Her progress was decent—she was producing one dish at a time, but her skills and early start had paid off.
However, her attention was drawn to Horikita.
Just then, Suzune turned off the burner and lifted the lid on an enormous pot of stew—enough to feed dozens.
But quantity alone didn't guarantee victory. There were still variables: seasoning, heat control, and whether the ingredients were fully cooked. Most avoided this approach precisely because it was risky—and messy.
Horikita had rolled up her sleeves. Her sweat-dampened hair clung to her pale forehead. Even with her stamina, she looked exhausted.
"Pass."
Several teachers tasted the stew. After exchanging glances, they gave their verdict in unison.
Suzune finally smiled.
She had secured first place. No one could match her volume, and the taste met the standard.
Dinner was handled.
She'd let Ryo cook the rest later.
"Whew."
She exhaled deeply, and in the post-exertion haze, her mind wandered.
She swore she would never cook for that many people again.
...
But maybe she'd learn to cook for three or four.
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