Even with the sound of rain, Hikigaya heard Ryuen's voice clearly.
The "familiar faces" ahead at the Class A base were none other than Ryuen, Ibuki, and Katsuragi.
He had only been looking for shelter from the rain, but he had accidentally stumbled onto something interesting.
Compared to Katsuragi and Ibuki, Ryuen looked especially rough. His tracksuit was covered in dirt, his face was unshaven, and overall, he looked like someone who had been living in the wild for days.
One glance at Ryuen's appearance told Hikigaya that he must have been through a real survival experience over the past few days.
"Hey, Katsuragi, this is proof of the Class B and Class D leaders' identities!"
Ryuen pulled out a photograph and a green key card. Hikigaya's eyesight was sharp, and he could clearly see the name printed on the key card—Horikita.
"Why does Horikita's key card end up in Ryuen's hands? Was it Ibuki? No... Horikita should've been on guard. It shouldn't have been that easy for Ibuki to steal it."
The sight of Horikita's key card in Ryuen's possession set off a flurry of thoughts in Hikigaya's mind, but he quickly pushed them aside for now.
Katsuragi took the photo and nodded.
"The leader of Class B is Shiranami Chihiro, but what's with this Class D key card? This isn't what we agreed on. Ryuen, you realize how much trouble we'll be in if the school finds out, right?"
It was clear Katsuragi wasn't happy that Ryuen had brought the key card along. The risk was simply too high.
"Can't be helped. Ibuki's camera had some issues."
Ryuen brushed it off casually, as if he didn't care at all about the penalties in this exam.
A problem with the camera?
Hikigaya froze for a moment. Suddenly, he remembered the morning of Ibuki's second day at Class D's camp. If he wasn't mistaken... that was the day Ayanokouji was going through Ibuki's bag!
So, Ayanokouji not only noticed something was off with Ibuki early on, but he also tampered with the digital camera in her bag?
That would explain why, even after stealing the keycard, Ibuki couldn't take a picture of it. She had no choice but to carry it with her the whole time, taking a huge risk until she could hand it over to either Ryuen or Katsuragi.
But why would Ryuen go through all this trouble?
Obviously, it was to make sure both Class B and Class D got their leaders exposed by Class A and Class C. That way, both classes would lose 100 points each, which would pretty much guarantee their total defeat in this special exam!
That being said, Katsuragi was known for being a cautious and level-headed person. He wouldn't just trust any intel—especially from Ryuen. That's why he needed proof, like a picture of the keycard with the owner's name.
Ibuki had some issues on her end, but in the end, it didn't affect the outcome.
Once Hikigaya heard from Kushida that there was a digital camera in Ibuki's bag, he quickly put the pieces together. However, he hadn't expected one thing—Ayanokouji's interference.
What was his goal?
At this point, Hikigaya wasn't just impressed by how accurately he had figured out Ryuen's entire plan—he was even more curious about Ayanokouji's thought process. It was clear Ayanokouji had also seen through Ryuen's plan, but what was he planning to do about it?
"Well then, as we agreed, the deal is done."
Katsuragi looked at Ryuen and spoke in a serious tone.
"What deal? Ryuen, are you working with Class A?!"
Ibuki looked shocked by Katsuragi's words. It was clear that she hadn't been told about Ryuen's plan—she was just a pawn carrying out his orders.
Since the deal was already sealed, Ryuen didn't bother hiding anything anymore. He explained everything to Ibuki.
"Wait... Ryuen, you mean you sold 200 points worth of supplies to Class A?"
Ibuki's expression suddenly changed.
"Hm?"
Ryuen noticed the shift in her demeanor.
"There's something important I need to tell you."
Ibuki hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"I just heard from that idiot Yamauchi in Class D that they also transferred 100 points worth of supplies to Class B!"
As soon as she said that, silence filled the air.
Then, the next second—
"Hahaha!"
Ryuen suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
"Hey, Ryuen!"
Ibuki frowned.
Ryuen's laughter faded, and his expression darkened. His voice was laced with frustration.
"So Class D pulled a move like this too?!"
"But it doesn't matter—Class D was just an extra piece in the game."
Ryuen quickly composed himself and smirked mockingly.
"So what if Class B managed to save 100 points? As long as both of their leaders are exposed, in the end, it's all meaningless. Haha... I can't wait to see the miserable faces of those Class B guys tomorrow! Don't you think so, Katsuragi?"
Unfortunately for Ryuen, Katsuragi didn't respond.
But silence was its own kind of answer.
After all, Class A and Class C had the same goal—Class A wanted to crush Class B, and Class C wanted to drag Class B down. That's why Katsuragi and Ryuen were able to strike a deal. Of course, there was **another reason** for Katsuragi's decision—one that he didn't say out loud.
"I've got things to do. I'm leaving."
With that, Katsuragi turned and walked away without looking back.
"Man, those Class A guys really love acting superior."
Ibuki was clearly unhappy with Katsuragi's attitude. He had been stone-faced the entire time, acting all high and mighty. Even though Class A was **the biggest winner** in this deal, Katsuragi gave off the vibe that **Class C was the one begging them** for the trade.
To him, it seemed like every student outside of Class A was beneath him.
Ibuki hated people like that.
"Heh."
Ryuen's cold eyes locked onto Katsuragi's retreating figure as he sneered. "That bald guy won't be feeling smug for long. By tomorrow, he'll know what's coming for him!"
"By the way, did that guy notice anything strange?"
Suddenly, Ryuen turned to Ibuki and asked.
Who was he talking about?
Ibuki didn't need Ryuen to spell it out—she knew exactly who he meant.
"I-I don't think so."
She wanted to give a definite answer, but she hesitated at the last second and ended up giving a vague response.
Ryuen didn't seem bothered by her uncertainty. Instead, he fell silent, as if deep in thought.
"No... Knowing him, he definitely noticed!"
Ryuen spoke abruptly, his expression dark. "Since Class D is also using the point-selling strategy, there's a good chance he saw through our plan from the very start!"
Hearing that, Ibuki suddenly recalled Hikigaya's strange behavior last night and the way Horikita had chased after her all the way from the camp.
That girl, Horikita, had mumbled something right before she lost consciousness after being taken down. But at the time, Ibuki was exhausted and in a hurry to leave, so she hadn't caught what was said.
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