Chapter 40: Is There Something Wrong With Your Brain?

The cliff side air was heavy with the scent of salt and the crackle of burning wood. After securing the stronghold, Hikigaya crouched near a makeshift stone stove, a simple contraption he'd built by stacking a few rocks. He had, as always, secured the task he preferred most: boiling water. His duties were straightforward—managing the drinking and washing water supply for Class B and keeping an eye on the fire. Simple. Solitary. Perfect.

Around him, the rest of Class B bustled with activity. Ichinose and some girls were setting up an awning. A few boys wrestled with tent poles. Other students cleaned the area. Everyone had a role, and nobody was slacking. It was, Hikigaya begrudgingly admitted, a pretty functional team. Suddenly, a voice broke the rhythmic hum of work.

"Hey, everyone! I found a cornfield!" A boy emerged from the trees, clutching corn husks, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Really?"

"For real! Let's grab a few more people—tonight's dinner is sorted!" The announcement sparked a wave of enthusiasm. Several students quickly followed him back toward the cornfield.

Moments later, another shout echoed through the camp. "Everyone, listen up! Watanabe's a fishing genius—he just caught a ton of fish!"

Watanabe returned, dragging a net bulging with river fish. His face beamed with pride as the group flocked to admire the haul.

"Alright, Hikigaya!" Watanabe called. "Can you build more stoves? The girls need to cook faster."

"Why don't we just buy a couple of pots and cook for ourselves the rest of the week?" someone suggested.

"Good idea! Anyone here good at cooking?"

"I've cooked before!" a girl volunteered. "Not sure how good I am, though."

"It doesn't have to be perfect," another chimed in. "As long as nobody gets food poisoning, we're fine."

"Exactly. The more points we save, the closer we get to Class A!"

"Everyone, we don't have enough firewood. Can you help us pick up some more?"

"Oh, let me help, I remember there is a place with some."

Enthusiasm surged as the students divvied up new tasks. Firewood was needed, so a group headed off to gather more.
Hikigaya, crouched by his stove, sighed. His workload had somehow tripled. If cooking was added to his water-boiling duties, they'd need at least three stoves—maybe four to be safe.

It's fine. It's only the first day. Things will get easier tomorrow, he told himself.

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and crimson.

Dinner was ready. The girls had prepared fish soup, steamed corn, and a selection of fruit. It wasn't fancy, but it was enough to fill their stomachs. The boys had set up the tents and hauled back river water in empty plastic bottles.

Hikigaya wiped the sweat from his brow. This exam wasn't turning out to be as grueling as he'd expected. Class B's performance seemed solid. Even so, a nagging thought lingered at the back of his mind. Certain rules in the exam bothered him, but for now, he focused on his assigned role.

"Shibata! Yuki! Welcome back! Wait, who's that?" The question drew everyone's attention. Hikigaya turned to see Shibata and Himeno Yuki returning to camp, their arms laden with fruit. Behind them trailed a blond, bespectacled boy.

The unfamiliar face stirred murmurs among the group. "This is Satoru Kaneda from Class 1-C," Shibata explained, smiling.

Hikigaya froze. What?! The final day of the exam required identifying rival class leaders. Letting someone from another class waltz into their camp was practically handing them vital information on a silver platter.

"Shibata, what's going on?" someone asked.

"Well," Shibata began, "Kaneda-san had a falling out with his classmates and got kicked out. I couldn't just leave him out there, so I invited him to rest here for a bit. Don't worry—I'll check with Ichinose first."

Kaneda nodded awkwardly. "Thank you for understanding."

Hikigaya stared, dumbfounded. Spy. This has to be a spy. Even if he got kicked out, he could've spent points on supplies or dropped out altogether. Why come to Class B? Hikigaya glanced around. No one else seemed to grasp the sheer absurdity of the situation.

His desire to be promoted to Class A wasn't particularly strong, but he still wanted it. After all, class points affected his monthly allowance. He didn't mind working hard on his own—he'd volunteered for it. But there was no way he could just let a guy who was clearly a spy from another class into their camp!

Sneaking up behind Himeno, he whispered, "Hey."

"Huh?!" Himeno jumped, clutching her chest. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I'm serious. Is there something wrong with your brain?"

"What do you mean?" Himeno hissed, glaring at him.

Hikigaya gestured toward Kaneda. "You brought a potential spy into camp."

Himeno sighed. "Look, Shibata said we couldn't just leave him. What was I supposed to do—argue? That'd make me look heartless."

Hikigaya groaned inwardly. Fine. It was Ichinose's decision now. He didn't have the authority to stop this, even if every fiber of his being screamed that it was a mistake.

"Kaneda-san, long time no see."

"Ichinose-san, I'm sorry to trouble you. I'll leave soon if it's an issue."

The two exchanged polite greetings, Hikigaya wasn`t surprised that Ichinose knew Kaneda, Her social skill is S++ that`s to be expected.

Her smile remained bright, but her tone shifted, firm yet kind. "As the leader of Class B, I have to prioritize my class's well-being. If you can answer a few questions honestly, I'll consider letting you stay."

"I understand." Kaneda smiled bitterly and nodded.

Ichinose's eyes sharpened. "Why were you kicked out of Class C?"

Kaneda hesitated, then sighed. "Ryuuen's leadership style... It's violent, to put it mildly. I spoke out against it, and, well, this is the result."

Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. Violent leadership? This was the first he'd heard about Class C's methods. Until now, he'd assumed their rivalry with Class D was standard friction. Class C sounds like a group of delinquents. Great to be in Class B... Still, he couldn't shake his skepticism. Allowing Kaneda to stay felt like inviting a fox into the hen house.

Ichinose's decision would determine whether this gamble paid off—or backfired spectacularly.