Hachiman Hikigaya, who returned from his studies after completing his training.

While not to the pathological degree of Hirata, Katsuragi was undoubtedly the kind of student who cared about his classmates and was also an upright person.

As for Sakayanagi's attitude towards other classmates, Hikigaya can only be said to be incomparable to Katsuragi.

“Because…because Sakayanagi-san said she needs me.” Yamamura turned her head to the side. “It’s the first time a classmate has said she needs me.”

“From kindergarten onwards, no one’s eyes would linger on me. I was alone throughout elementary and middle school.”

"When I first entered the school, it was the same. They would even skip me during class introductions. Just when I was thinking that it was fine to be alone, Sakayanagi found me and told me that she needed me."

Unlike Horikita Suzune, who actively rejected everyone and ended up all alone, Yamamura, whose presence was minimal, was forced into being alone; she didn't want to be this way.

Ugh--

This is so depressing. Hachiman feels like there are so many problem students at this school!

"Is it really okay for you to tell me something like this? You can make up any excuse, right?" Hachiman was surprised by Yamamura's honesty.

"Because Hachiman is a good person, he works hard every day, and I'm very happy that he didn't ignore me just now."

every day?

Sakayanagi is someone even more ruthless than any capitalist.

With a heavy heart, Hachiman just wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"Can you do me a favor? It's about the leader of Class C..."

There are a total of ten outposts that Hachiman has explored on the island. Class A has three outposts, while Class B and Class C were a step behind and only have two outposts.

Because of the rule that you have to occupy it once every eight hours, if you want to get more points, you have to occupy it according to the time limit. Class C is not another base of the well. I have seen the occupation time displayed above.

Based on the timeline above, Hikigaya can deduce when their next occupation will be, which will be Kayama Village.

"Aren't Class C and Class D allies?" Yamamura whispered back.

"Do you think Ryuen would fill in the form if he knew who the leader of Class D was?" Hachiman felt no remorse for this.

"Just tell me who participated in the check-in later, and the reward will be that I owe you a favor."

Hikigaya originally intended to point out that Yamamura was following him and ask her for help, but Yamamura just blurted it out.

He wouldn't mind paying personal points, but given Shancun's personality, it's clear that the points the school provides are enough for her.

"If I don't want payment, I don't need your help. Given that Class A and Class D are in competition, you don't owe me anything."

Before the mountain village could even speak, Hikigaya directly refused to let her say what she wanted to say.

"...Okay, I understand."

Yamamura stood up from the rock. "If it's alright, could you please walk around with me, Hachiman-kun?"

"Want to walk around with me?" Hachiman was puzzled. He had thought Yamamura had gotten up to say goodbye and leave.

Is there somewhere you can't go?

"No, I just wanted to wander around with Hachiman."

"Okay." Since the mountain village had said so, he stood up from the tree root.

There aren't many man-made roads on the deserted island. Following the newly opened road from the mountain village, the two entered a jungle with a slight slope.

The fact that Yamamura kept her in a position where one hand covered the other fist in front of her chest made Hachiman move a little closer, worried that she might fall.

"Maintaining this posture on this type of road surface is possible—"

Before she could finish speaking, Shancun tripped over a protruding tree root. Fortunately, Hikigaya had been keeping his attention on her and was able to help her arm in time.

"Thank you."

"Why do you keep that posture?"

After restoring the mountain village, Hikigaya's gaze fell on her hands, which were tightly clasped together in front of her chest. The veins on the back of her fair hands, which only appeared when she exerted force, were visible.

“This…” Yamamura’s eyelids drooped, “When I’m nervous, my right hand always tries to grab onto something to feel at ease. I’m sorry.”

Why apologize to this person? And if you're nervous about walking with him, you shouldn't have invited him in the first place.

"If you want to feel at ease, then grab my arm. The road ahead is not easy."

No one is so oblivious to romance as to speak their mind, so Biqi Gu extended his arm to the mountain village.

Although Shancun said he was just going around, he never hesitated about the route he was taking, even though he was always at the forefront.

There must be some place she wants to take him with her.

"Yes, thank you, Hachiman."

After grabbing his arm in the mountain village, the two walked for another ten minutes or so, and then the boundless sea appeared before them.

Taking off his shoes and rolling up his trousers, Shancun immersed his slender, white legs in the seawater.

Following the example of the mountain village, Hikigaya walked to her side and said, "Isn't this a place we can come to anytime?"

"I'm sorry, I don't really want to come alone."

The mountain villager's eyes no longer drooped, and a charming smile appeared on her beautiful face. "That way, I'll receive my payment."

Hikigaya:? ? ?

What kind of compensation is this?! Miki Yamamura, can you please stop being so stingy?

Chapter 74 Sakayanagi's Visit

Resolutely resisting the petty and narrow-minded approach of the mountain village is more effective than expressing his personal favors to Biqi Gu.

After spending about half an hour with Yamamura on the beach, Hachiman took her back to the vicinity of Class A's base and then returned to his own base.

"We lost again! Hirata, can't you give it your all?"

Just as they reached the vicinity of the cave, Hachiman heard Sudo's big mouth.

They quickened their pace and returned to the outer edge of the cave. The small table that was originally used for chopping vegetables had been moved to the center of the open space, where some playing cards were placed.

On either side of the table sat a silver-haired young lady with an elegant smile, and Hirata with a wry smile.

After losing, Hirata left his seat and joined the group behind Sakayanagi.

Besides Hirata, the boys behind Tosaka Ryu also included Sudo, Okiya, Sotomura, and most of the boys in Class D.

"Welcome back, Hachiman Misaki."

Sakayanagi, wearing a white athletic short-sleeved shirt, waved gently at him.

"What's going on, Karuizawa, tell me." As Hikigaya approached, he looked at the D-class girls who were glaring angrily at Sakayanagi.

"Uh—just now..." With a stiff face, Karizawa slowly recounted the whole story.

As it was nearing bath time, most of the boys were preparing to fetch water from the river to boil for their baths when Sakayanagi arrived, supported by Kamuro and guarded by Onito, carrying a set of Gomoku.

After a few words, the boys, led by Sudo, accepted Sakayanagi's bet, and Hirata couldn't stop them.

The bet was that the loser would have to do chores for the students in Class A, while the winner would have the boys from Class A do chores for Class D, with a time limit of one hour.

After losing to several people, the remaining boys in Class D were about to give up, but Sakayanagi offered to let them go if they won one more game.

Whenever Class D wanted to back down, Sakayanagi would increase his stakes, eventually even losing Hirata.

"Want to play a round, you little fish?" Sakayanagi picked up a white stone.

"I wouldn't come even if I won one game and lost everything."

"You're such a coward, Hachiman, you wouldn't even dare to come if you were to exchange one for all of them."

With his arms crossed, Kamuro wore a mocking expression.

"I'll come if you come, or I'll come if you race against Sakayanagi."

Anyone who wants to play against Sakayanagi can play. Hakiya knows that Sakayanagi's chess skills are top-notch, and in terms of calculation ability, Sakayanagi undoubtedly crushes them.

Only a fool would use their weakness to attack someone else's strength.

"Compete with Sakayanagi in running? You're shameless." Kamuro looked speechless.

"That Sakayanagi has no shame. As a genius, he bullies ordinary people." Hikigaya retorted, saying that Sakayanagi playing Go with Sudo and the others was no different from him and Sakayanagi having a running contest.

"Hehe, since Mr. Minor Fish is unwilling to compete, let's retreat first."

Sakayanagi stood up from the stone bench, but instead of leaving immediately with her people, she walked to Hachiman's side and grabbed his arm. Following the force of her arm, Hachiman also put his ear close to her mouth.

"Guess how many of these boys will be swayed by the promise of getting into Class A and betray you? As long as I don't let them be exposed during this special exam."

Hikigaya's expression was a little strange. Sakayanagi hadn't given up on her plan to use Class A tickets as bait to bribe the students of Class D.

Putting aside whether Katsuragi would agree to spend 20 million to buy back a traitor, she also thought that Class A could maintain its position after the summer vacation.

Class A, who were tricked by Hashimoto, now only have about 90 exam points left, while Class B has over 200. What can give her the confidence to win this special exam?

Whether it was bluffing or a sure-fire victory, Hakiya couldn't quite figure out Sakayanagi.

"If you can do it, then give it a try."

Even if you lose, you can't lose face. After responding to Ayanokouji by borrowing Sakayanagi's words, Hikigaya then responded to Sakayanagi by borrowing Ayanokouji's words again.

For scholars, borrowing is no big deal.

...........

"No, Hachiman!" Sudo clutched his head with both hands.

"If there are any further objections, submit them for next month as well."

After the boys who had lost an hour of freedom returned, Hachiman punished them by confiscating all the points the school would award them for the month.

"Hirata, come with me."

They found a corner to sit down with Hirata and Hikigaya.

Unlike the students of Class A who can freely enter the Class D base, there is no reason why the students of Class D cannot enter the Class A base.

Hirata's observations and experiences inside may contain some useful information.

"Approximately how much will it cost based on the supply points you saw at Class A's base?"

"According to the guidebook, the price is around fifty-something," Hirata replied quickly, indicating that he was also concerned about this.

"In your opinion, is it Sakayanagi or Katsuragi who is in charge of this special exam? Are there more students surrounding Sakayanagi or Katsuragi?"

At first, most of the students in Class A rallied around Katsuragi as their leader because he seemed to have been the student council president in junior high and appeared trustworthy.

However, shortly after the start of the semester, some students left Katsuragi and went to Sakayanagi, resulting in a situation where the number of people supporting each side was roughly the same.

The dual leadership situation has continued to this day.

"They seem to be about the same." Hirata frowned. "As for who is in command, I really can't tell."

"Just tell me who you think it is; I'm just using it as a reference."

"It must be Katsuragi-kun."

Assuming Katsuragi is the commander of this deserted island exam, Hachiman can guarantee that Class A will lose.

Because Katsuragi's personality is unlike Ryuen's, he is not good at using schemes and tricks, and belongs to the kind of leader who is more capable of maintaining the status quo than making progress.

However, Sakayanagi's presence always gave Hachiman a strange feeling, but since he couldn't think of a reason for it, Hachiman could only put aside his questions about Hirata and inquire about other matters.

"Have you seen Totsuka, the one with the green hair who likes to jump out and mock the students in Class D?"

"Yes, he was inseparable from Katsuragi-kun."

"Did he talk to or mock any of the students in our class?"

The arrogant Totsuka always sought to gain a sense of superiority from the students in Class D, and the boys in Class D who were 'captured' by Sakayanagi were his best targets for ridicule.

Just like a leopard can't change its spots, despite Katsuragi's repeated orders not to talk nonsense, he still went to mock the students of Class D multiple times.

If Hikigaya hadn't come to mock the D-class students this time, he could only be considered 90% the exam leader of the A-class.

"He didn't communicate with us at all."

"Among those of you who went to help Class A, did any of you get separated and disappear before your eyes?"

Although he knew that what Sakayanagi had said earlier was most likely to make him suspicious of his classmates, there was one classmate that Hikigaya was genuinely worried about.

Shinmura Hikoki,

A guy whose only thought is graduating from Class A once voted without hesitation to let his friend drop out in order to save the class points, and now he doesn't even have a single friend in the class.