The dense forest rustled as two figures moved swiftly along a narrow trail.
One was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a completely bald head, his smooth scalp catching the golden sunlight like a beacon.
His steady gait and imposing frame made him seem like a seasoned worker hauling bricks at a construction site—unyielding and unshaken.
The other, however, was far less composed.
"Hah… hah… Katsuragi, do we really have to move this fast?" Yahiko Totsuka gasped, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Other classmates are searching for a base too, right? Can't we just—"
"Search?"
Katsuragi Kohei turned slightly, his sharp eyes glinting.
"They're still scouting. We're different—we're heading straight for the first stronghold before anyone else can claim it."
"The… first stronghold?" Yahiko's breath hitched. "Wait… don't tell me you already know where they are?"
"Not exactly." Katsuragi scanned the area before lowering his voice.
"Do you remember when the ship circled the island before docking? That wasn't just for sightseeing."
Yahiko blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"The route was a hint from the school," Katsuragi explained. "If you looked closely, you'd have noticed artificially cleared paths cutting through the island. Those paths lead to strategic locations. If we follow them, we'll reach the strongholds."
"But… wasn't that just for scenery?" Yahiko hesitated. "Wouldn't most students assume that?"
"That's what makes it suspicious." Katsuragi shook his head. "The ship's speed, the announcement—it was all too deliberate. And we weren't allowed to bring phones. That's not a coincidence."
"I… I didn't even notice any of that…" Yahiko muttered, eyes wide.
"You figured all that out just from the boat ride? That's insane, Katsuragi-san!"
"Enough with the praise." Katsuragi waved him off. "Save your breath. We have two more locations to hit after this one."
"R-right!" Yahiko nodded furiously, barely keeping up.
"But once we secure this stronghold, the Sakayanagi faction won't have any room to talk."
Katsuragi frowned. "If you focus only on our class, you'll get blindsided by the real enemy."
"Ah—right, right…"
Their conversation faded into the thick silence of the forest. Katsuragi had been careful, ensuring they weren't followed.
They were walking along an exposed mountain trail—anyone tailing them would have to move through dense jungle while staying undetected.
And that was nearly impossible.
At least… for an ordinary person.
30 meters behind them.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka crouched on a thick camphor tree branch, watching them with an expressionless face.
"They're slow. If they're in such a rush, they should just sprint like racehorses."
He leaned back slightly, adjusting his balance.
No need to rush. There was still plenty of time.
10 minutes later.
The two Class A students finally reached the end of the mountain trail.
Nestled against a five-meter-high rock face was a man-made cave, its entrance wide and smooth, blending seamlessly into the natural formations.
Yahiko staggered forward, panting.
"Cough… we finally made it…" he wheezed.
Beside the cave entrance, embedded into the rock wall, was a card reader.
Katsuragi reached into his pocket, pulling out an emerald green key card—their ticket to occupying the stronghold.
"Looks like we're alone," he muttered. "Let's claim this place and move on."
Yahiko eagerly reached for the card.
Then—
Boom.
A figure dropped from above, landing behind them without a sound.
Before they could react—
Two precise chops to the neck.
Thud.
Both Class A students collapsed instantly, unconscious before they could register what had happened.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood over them, shaking his head.
"You were so careful the whole way, but you never thought to look up?"
He cracked his knuckles, stepping past their motionless bodies.
At the entrance, he examined the card reader.
"No camera… no fingerprint scanner… Just a key card system," he murmured.
His gaze shifted to the bracelet on Katsuragi's wrist.
With a slight application of force—
Click.
The strap snapped open.
Yet, surprisingly, the bracelet didn't signal a disconnection.
Ayanokoji paused.
…So that's how it works.
After a brief moment of thought, he made his move.
Instead of taking Katsuragi's bracelet, he carefully removed Yahiko's and placed it back on Yahiko's wrist.
Slowly, he adjusted his breathing—matching the subtle rhythm of Yahiko's pulse.
At the precise moment when their heartbeats aligned—
Switch.
Ayanokoji smoothly secured Yahiko's bracelet onto his own wrist.
Dong-dong. Dong-dong.
The device detected his heartbeat as if nothing had changed. The pulse rate gradually stabilized from eighty beats per minute to the low fifties.
Ayanokoji observed for a few seconds.
No alarms. No abnormalities.
"As expected."
Without hesitation, he turned and disappeared into the forest—leaving no trace behind.
Now—he was the leader of Class A.
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