Chapter 39: Veteran Loner The scorching sun blazed high above, casting a golden sheen over the sparkling sea. The salty breeze brushed against their faces as the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the rocks filled the air, like a drummer's steady beat.
"It's beautiful," Ichinose murmured, standing at the edge of the cliff. Her eyes reflected the serene scene before her, and behind her, the students of Class B shared her awe, their gazes alight with wonder.
On a rocky outcrop not far away stood a small wooden house, weathered but sturdy. Below it, a steel ladder descended to the base. Hikigaya tested it, shaking it lightly. It felt solid and clearly maintained by the school.
Living here came with its share of challenges: safety risks, constant noise, dehydration, and heatstroke. Yet most of these issues had solutions. All things considered, the advantages outweighed the drawbacks.
"I'll go check it out," Shibata offered. He climbed down the ladder, disappearing into the wooden house. Moments later, he returned, his face glowing with excitement.
"Everyone, it's great! There are toilets and bathrooms inside—and even fishing rods! There's also a stronghold below, but it's on the rocks. Without cover, it could be a little dangerous."
"It's fine. We can just buy a few pieces of cloth," someone suggested.
"Besides, we won't need to spend points on food, right?"
"I know how to fish," another added. "But eating fish for seven days straight might be tough."
"True, but we'll save a lot of points. This is a fantastic spot."
The smiles on everyone's faces widened. The points saved here could be converted into class points, bringing them one step closer to their ultimate goal: Class A.
"Everyone," Ichinose called gently, raising her hand to quiet them. Her tone was calm but filled with warmth. "After some thought, I've decided. If we use this place as our base, we'll only need a few essentials: an awning, two safety ropes, a boiling water shower, and earplugs. Anything else?"
The plan was simple. The girls would stay in the wooden house, while the boys used the remaining tents. The earplugs would block the ocean's constant noise, ensuring everyone could sleep. The shelter would provide shade, and privacy, and prevent outsiders from spying on the leaders with binoculars.
It would also serve as a workspace for the girls, shielding them from the heat. The safety ropes felt unnecessary to Hikigaya—the ladder was stable, and the height was only two meters. Even jumping down wouldn't be a problem. Still, it might be safer for the girls and would also speed things up when multiple people were climbing.
"This shouldn't cost more than thirty points," Hikigaya calculated silently. "Way cheaper than buying extra tents or toilets."
Including some food and water, they could potentially save around 250 points by the end of the exam—not counting any rewards for securing the stronghold.
For a brief moment, Hikigaya considered using his special points to buy MAX coffee from Hoshinomiya-sensei. But the idea was quickly abandoned. He could already imagine Ichinose and the others rejecting it outright—possibly with extreme prejudice. Forget it.
"No, I think we can save even more," Watanabe interjected. "Why bother buying a shower? Can't we all just share the cabin's bathroom?"
Watanabe, please have some basic awareness, Hikigaya thought, resisting the urge to sigh.
Girls clearly wouldn't want to share a bathroom with boys. Just the thought of someone saying, "I don't want to use the bathroom Hikigaya used," was enough to make him want to disappear into the ocean. And yet, to his horror, a girl chimed in, "Yeah, wouldn't share the bathroom save more points?"
This class really is full of terrible people, Hikigaya concluded.
"I've already thought about that," Ichinose said smoothly, her tone as patient as ever. "Even if we only use it for showers, it'll take at least two minutes per person—and probably longer for the girls. That's over two hours just for everyone to clean up. It's too inefficient."
She smiled brightly. "It's more practical to buy a small tub for the boys. What do you think?"
"Agreed," Watanabe said, nodding along with several others. With that resolved, Ichinose moved on. "Next, let's talk about food and water."
"Hikigaya mentioned earlier that there are likely resource-rich spots on this island," she continued. "I think I saw an orchard on the way here." "These fishing rods should also help us last the full seven days. If not, we can spend a few points to adjust as needed."
The group nodded in agreement, many stealing glances at Hikigaya. He ignored them, his eyes fixed on the ocean, his expression unreadable.
"There's also a river nearby," Kanzaki added. "I heard the sound of running water earlier, so we don't need to worry about drinking water."
"Does anyone feel uncomfortable about drinking river water?" Ichinose asked.
A short-haired girl hesitated. "It seems risky. What if someone gets sick and has to withdraw? Losing 30 points wouldn't be worth it."
"Good point, Yume," Ichinose said, nodding in approval. "How about this: one person can test the water first. If it's safe, we'll all drink it. If not, we'll buy bottled water. Does that sound fair?"
The group agreed though Hikigaya noticed a few girls still looked uneasy but chose to remain silent.
Not my problem, theres no need for me to get involved, Hikigaya thought. Boiling the water should be enough to make it safe.
"Now, let's assign tasks!" Ichinose said, her voice brimming with energy. "What does everyone want to do?"
Theres no way our classmates would just agree to that. Who would want to work with tiring tasks?. How did Ichinose make such a mistake?
The class quickly volunteered:
"I'll check out the orchard!"
"I'll fish and bring back water!"
"I'll explore the island for other strongholds!"
"I'll set up the tents!"
"We'll clean the cabin!"
His jaw almost dropped at what he saw. Hopeless. This entire class is hopeless, Hikigaya thought as he watched their enthusiasm. Still, as a member of Class B, he couldn't shirk his responsibilities. He sighed, raised his hand, and spoke up.
"Hikigaya," Ichinose said with a warm smile. "What do you want to do?" As expected she didnt ignore him but welcomed him with her kindness.
"I'll stay and boil water," Hikigaya replied flatly.
The group paused, staring at him. Especially The Class leader like he had grown two heads.
Boiling water wasn't glamorous. It was solitary and monotonous—an easy out for someone uninterested in teamwork. Since working is unavoidable, why not do the easiest job?
Perfect for a Veteran Loner like him, Hikigaya thought.