In Ryuuen Kakeru's pupils, the golden cloud that had shot upward and scattered down was reflected—he could still hear the dull thud of the earthenware pot's seal bursting from within. The muscles in his face stiffened for an instant, then gave way to an expression of pure, unfiltered bewilderment.
"It's a fresh batch. Quite palatable. Ryuuen-kun, would you care to try some?"
Sakamoto's voice remained calm, devoid of any boasting or mockery.
Ryuuen fell silent.
Anger? A little. But more than that, what surged through him was a deep, unfamiliar sense of powerlessness.
He drew a long breath, forcing himself to steady his mind. Anger accomplished nothing. He, Ryuuen Kakeru, was not a man ruled by emotion.
His gaze shifted from Sakamoto's unperturbed face, sweeping sharply across the entire Class A camp once more. The students continued their tasks, but their attention subtly lingered here—not in panic, but in accustomed familiarity with Sakamoto's display. Katsuragi Kohei, Hashimoto Masayoshi, Kamuro Masumi... the core members stood together, vigilant, yet beneath that vigilance lay a cohesion centered unmistakably on Sakamoto.
A solid block.
The phrase surfaced in Ryuuen's mind again. This Class A was unlike any other class he knew. It wasn't bound by strict discipline or mutual self-interest, but by something more intangible—a centripetal force. And the source of that force stood before him, offering popcorn.
Looking for clues about the leader?
Ryuuen discarded the thought almost instantly. In this atmosphere, any obvious lead could be a deliberate misdirection. If Sakamoto dared to display his abilities so openly, he must have prepared thoroughly to conceal the leader's identity. Continuing this standoff would only make him look like a clown.
Ryuuen's lips curved into his familiar cold sneer.
He reached out—not for the whole plate, but to precisely pluck a single plump kernel with two fingers. He placed it in his mouth.
Crunch.
A faint crisp sound. Sweetness and roasted aroma flooded his senses. Perfectly cooked.
"It tastes good." Ryuuen chewed, his tone flat—impossible to read as sincere or sardonic. "Sakamoto, you really... can do anything."
He didn't look at Sakamoto again, nor at anyone else from Class A. He simply turned and walked toward the jungle from which he'd come.
"Thank Class A for their hospitality."
His figure vanished quickly behind the lush foliage.
In the camp, with Ryuuen's departure, the tension dissolved. Katsuragi watched the direction he'd disappeared, brow still furrowed. "He just left like that? That's unlike him."
Sakamoto pushed up his glasses, handing the plate of popcorn to a nearby student who'd been eyeing it longingly. Calmly, he said, "Ryuuen-kun is a realist. When he realizes direct confrontation won't yield results, he immediately adjusts his strategy."
Kamuro muttered softly, "I just feel like he won't give up that easily..."
Sakamoto offered no response, simply turning to walk toward the central stove, preparing for his next task. He seemed utterly unconcerned by Ryuuen's presence—or his departure.
Ryuuen Kakeru walked alone along the forest path back to Class B's camp. His mind raced, coolly dissecting the situation.
First conclusion: abandon direct assault on Class A.
With Sakamoto at the helm, Class A's camp and stronghold defenses were like an impregnable fortress. Conventional reconnaissance or provocation would yield little—and would likely tip them off.
But that didn't mean there was nothing to be done.
Sakamoto's existence was, in itself, the biggest variable—and potentially a breakthrough point.
He recalled the scene from yesterday's cornfield: Sakamoto actively intervening to help Class D resolve a crisis. What did that indicate? It meant Sakamoto wasn't entirely detached. He harbored some degree of concern—or tendency to intervene—regarding Class D. Or perhaps regarding certain people, certain situations.
If he couldn't attack Class A directly, then what if he attacked a target Sakamoto might care about? That would force Sakamoto to react.
And as soon as Sakamoto moved, Class A's tight defenses might reveal a fleeting weakness.
The outline of a plan began taking shape in Ryuuen's mind.
He didn't need to find Class A's leader directly. That was too difficult. But he didn't need to. All he needed was to find the right lever—and let Sakamoto do the rest.
He only needed to create enough chaos, then observe Sakamoto's reaction. Once Sakamoto was drawn in, many things would change.
Moreover, he was not without pawns in Class D. Ibuki Mio had successfully infiltrated and was waiting for the opportune moment. More importantly... there was that twisted woman, yearning for destruction—Kushida Kikyo. His secret cooperation with her remained intact. Her goal was to destroy Sakamoto and Horikita Suzune, which, to some extent, aligned with his own objective of disrupting Class D and testing Sakamoto.
"Kushida..." A thin smile curved his lips. "It's time for you to play your part."
The third day passed in an eerie calm.
The fourth day, on the surface, still seemed peaceful and quiet. All classes appeared to have entered a phase of rest and consolidation. But secretly, orders had been transmitted through covert channels to Class D's camp. A storm was quietly brewing beneath the calm surface of the sea.
At the same time, his informant in Class C sent back news, basically confirming the identity of Class C's leader. This way, in the final leader-guessing segment, he could at least ensure a precise strike against Class C.
Temporarily abandoning Class A, concentrating firepower to first disrupt Class D, forcing Sakamoto to act, while consolidating his advantage over Class C—this was Ryuuen's adjusted new strategy.
The advantage is mine.
Fifth day, early morning.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, and Class D's camp was still immersed in the quiet peace of sleep.
Suddenly, a sharp and excited female voice shattered the dawn's silence!
"Wake up! Everyone wake up!"
This was followed by more clamor and scolding from other girls.
Hirata Yousuke was jolted awake. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he drowsily poked his head out of the tent. A gentle smile still lingered on his face as he tried to soothe them. "Everyone... what's wrong? What happened?"
But the next second, when he clearly saw the scene at the center of the camp, that gentle smile froze instantly. All traces of sleep vanished.
Most of the girls were gathered together, their faces filled with anger and vigilance, forming a stark confrontation with the boys who had just been woken—bewildered and still half-asleep. A girl standing slightly ahead of the others spoke, her voice not loud, but her tone exceptionally firm.
"Hirata-kun... please ask all the boys to come out. We need an explanation."
"Explanation? What explanation?" Sudo Ken yawned, muttering impatiently.
The curtain of Karuizawa Kei's tent remained tightly closed. Faint, suppressed sobs were audible from within.
Kushida Kikyo stood among the group of girls, her face displaying just the right measure of worry and indignation. She looked at Hirata and spoke clearly, her voice carrying across the camp.
"Hirata-kun... Kei—Karuizawa-san's underwear is missing this morning."
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