Classroom of the Elite: Standing Firm in Class A — Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Unchanged Class C

Kaedehara Tetsu swallowed the last spoonful of his lunch, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and stood up.

The set meal was genuinely excellent. Although it cost a steep six points, compared to foraging for wild game and chewing on bitter roots, this hot, normal food did wonders for the class’s morale.

He scanned the dim interior of the cave. Most of the students were resting in the cool shade. A few girls huddled together to discuss dinner arrangements, while the boys who had stayed up late on night watch were still sprawled out, catching up on sleep.

With Katsuragi Kohei’s guaranteed points no longer in play, Tetsu needed to see if Class C was still sticking to their original, reckless plan.

“I’m going for a walk by the beach,” Tetsu said to Katsuragi, who was methodically gathering the empty meal boxes.

Katsuragi paused. “Is there anything specific you need to do?”

“Just checking on the other classes’ situations.”

Sitting near the cave entrance, Kamuro Masumi caught the exchange. She immediately stood up, brushing the dirt from her sweatpants. “I’ll go too.”

Tetsu didn’t refuse. He gave a slight nod, and the two stepped out of the cave and onto the familiar dirt path leading toward the coastline.

The midsummer sun scorched the uninhabited island. Even with the salty sea breeze rustling the canopy, the humidity remained sweltering, clinging to their skin.

After pushing through a dense thicket of tropical shrubs, the treeline broke. A wide expanse of white sand stretched out before them.

Upbeat music and loud laughter drifted over the crashing waves. The relaxed, cheerful atmosphere formed a jarring contrast to the gritty survival state of the other classes.

Class C’s campsite was impossible to miss.

Brightly colored parasols were planted neatly along the shoreline. Large barbecue grills hissed, sending thick, savory plumes of smoke into the air. Several boys were sweating profusely on a makeshift beach volleyball court, while the girls lounged on reclining beach chairs, soaking up the sun in their swimsuits.

It didn’t look like a special exam. It was a luxury resort vacation.

“How extravagant,” Kamuro muttered, eyeing the scene. Her tone carried a mix of envy and sheer disbelief.

Tetsu didn’t reply. He simply adjusted his pace, walking straight into the heart of Class C’s territory. Kamuro followed a half-step behind, slightly taken aback by his brazenness.

A few Class C students noticed the two intruders. One or two glanced over, but quickly lost interest, returning to their games. After all, scouts from other classes had been passing by since yesterday. It was old news.

On the sand court, a tall, muscular boy leaped up to serve. He struck the ball with far too much force. The white volleyball launched into a high, erratic arc, sailing out of bounds and hurtling directly toward Tetsu and Kamuro.

Its trajectory was locked dead on Kamuro’s face. She flinched, subconsciously taking a step back.

Before she could brace herself, Tetsu casually raised a hand. The heavy ball smacked into his palm with a sharp thud. He caught it firmly, not even breaking his stride.

“Hey, you. Hand the ball over,” Ishizaki Daichi barked, trudging through the sand toward them.

Tetsu nodded agreeably. He extended his arm, offering the volleyball to the approaching boy.

Just as Ishizaki reached out to grab it, Tetsu smoothly withdrew his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the ball backward in a blind, casual arc.

The volleyball sailed through the air and crashed precisely into the small wooden table situated next to a luxurious beach chair.

Crash.

The table tipped over. Expensive snacks, glass bottles, and iced drinks shattered and scattered across the sand.

“Ah, my bad,” Tetsu said. His tone was entirely flat, devoid of any actual apology. “My hand was a bit slippery. I couldn’t hold onto it.”

Ishizaki’s face instantly darkened into an ugly scowl. He glared at Tetsu, his voice dripping with open hostility. “Are you looking for trouble?”

“Why would I?” Tetsu replied, his expression mild. “I’m terrified of violent acts.”

“You’ve got guts.”

Before Ishizaki could escalate, a languid, dangerous voice drifted over.

Ryuen Kakeru, who had been resting with his eyes closed on the beach chair, slowly opened them. His dark gaze swept over the ruined snacks pooling in the sand, then locked onto Tetsu.

“Speaking of which… who are you?”

“Just a small fry,” Tetsu answered easily.

A student hovering behind Ryuen immediately leaned down, whispering hastily into his leader’s ear. He clearly recognized the visitor.

Ryuen’s lips curled into a predatory smirk. “I see. So you’re a bookworm.” His tone was laced with heavy mockery. “What is the top student from Class A doing slumming it over here?”

Tetsu remained entirely unfazed. He casually shifted his gaze away from Ryuen, taking his time to survey the lavish facilities surrounding them.

“When do you plan on leaving this place?” Tetsu asked out of nowhere.

Ryuen didn’t blink at the abrupt shift in topic. He leaned back into his chair, lazily clasping his hands behind his head. “We’ll leave once we burn through our points. Who in their right mind wants to play survivalist on a deserted island?”

“That’s true.” Tetsu nodded slowly. “After you withdraw, these tents and barbecue grills can probably be packed up and reused by the school.”

“You seem awfully carefree, worrying about junk like that.”

“Instead of worrying about my junk, you should be thinking about how to scrape together your own pathetic points through suffering,” Ryuen sneered.

“You don’t need to worry about my points,” Tetsu said, his voice dropping a fraction of an octave. “Rather… whether your upcoming plan succeeds is what you should be more concerned about.”

The air around the beach chair shifted. Ryuen’s smirk vanished. He sat up straight, his eyes narrowing as he carefully scrutinized the Class A student standing before him.

Anyone who could casually drop a line like that was no mere ‘small fry’.

“Interesting,” Ryuen murmured, his voice low and calculating. “What do you know?”

“I don’t know anything. I’m just making random guesses.”

Before Ryuen could press the issue, the crunch of footsteps on sand drew their attention. Two figures were walking along the coastline toward the camp.

Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

When Horikita spotted Tetsu standing amidst the Class C setup, a flash of genuine surprise crossed her usually stoic face. She clearly hadn’t expected to run into him here.

“Kaedehara-san. What are you doing here?”

“Just taking a walk.”

Seeing two more ‘guests’ arrive, Ryuen’s amusement returned in full force. “Yo, isn’t that Suzune?” he drawled, his voice thick with provocation. “Did you come to observe our vacation life too?”

Horikita ignored the bait entirely. She shot Ryuen a single, freezing glare before turning her attention back to Tetsu.

“Classmate Horikita,” Tetsu said smoothly, “where exactly is Class D’s campsite? I’d like to pay a visit, if you have the time.”

“Our campsite…” Horikita hesitated, her dark eyes shifting slightly. “It’s on the other side of the island. However, it is not convenient to receive guests right now.”

Standing half a step behind her, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained perfectly silent, his blank eyes observing the delicate four-way tension playing out on the sand.

“Oh?” Tetsu tilted his head. “Are you running into some difficulties?”

It was an open secret. Class D’s situation was far from optimistic, plagued by severe internal conflicts. Half the class was whining about the abysmal living conditions, while the other half rigidly insisted on hoarding every single point.

“We are simply still setting things up,” Horikita replied, choosing the most diplomatic excuse available.

Ryuen listened to the exchange with keen, predatory interest.

“By the way, Classmate Horikita,” Tetsu said, suddenly shifting his focus. “Who is holding your class’s key card? It wouldn’t happen to be you, would it?”

Horikita stiffened. “Why are you asking that?”

“Just curious. After all, you seem like the type who would proactively take on that kind of responsibility.”

“Too bad. You know it’s impossible for me to tell you that.”

“That’s true.” Tetsu didn’t look the least bit disappointed. “Then we won’t bother you any longer.”

He turned away, glancing back over his shoulder one last time. “Classmate Ryuen, I wish you success with your upcoming plan.”

With a brief nod to Kamuro, the two turned and walked back toward the treeline.

Ryuen Kakeru watched their retreating figures, a sharp, dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. The Class A student absolutely knew something. But now was not the time to force his hand.

He slowly turned his gaze back to the remaining duo.

“Well then. What are you two here for?”