Starting in class B: Ayanokouji Kiyone

Arc 3 chapter 3: Special Examination.

As we got off the boat, chatting amiably with one another, our homeroom teacher greeted us.

"I will now start roll call for class B. When you hear your name, be sure to respond loud enough for me to hear."

Our homeroom teacher started taking attendance, clipboard in hand, while simultaneously instructing us to form a line. Hoshinomiya-sensei wore the same kind of jersey as her students, except she had taken off the jacket. The t-shirt she wore revealed her slim waist, and accentuated her developed bust.

This atmosphere was more akin to training camp than summer vacation. Still, not many of the students seemed tense at all.

"Oh, come on!"

"I want my free time already!"

"The sea is right in front of me!"

Most of the students wanted to run off onto the sandy beach. Soon enough, a tall teacher stepped onto a prepared white platform. It was Mashima-sensei, class A's homeroom teacher. He normally taught English, and was well-known for having a stubborn disposition. At first glance, he could easily be mistaken for one of those bodybuilder types. He was built like a professional wrestler, but was actually quite intelligent. He'd even taught special courses in the past.

"First, I would like to say that I'm happy you've arrived safely. However, it's unfortunate that one of you was unable to participate due to illness."

"Oh wow, someone couldn't come on the trip because he was sick? Poor guy," I heard someone say quietly, so the teachers wouldn't hear. He certainly had a point.

If this were some kind of dinky field trip, that'd be one thing, but such a luxurious vacation was another story altogether. I wondered if that kid would regret not coming after hearing friends talk about it. Even in poor health, I think he should've pushed himself and participated. Oddly enough, the teachers themselves looked rather grim. Well, while this was a vacation for us students, maybe the teachers supervising us had to think of it as a job.

No. Somehow, it seemed more than that. While Mashima-sensei surveyed the students in silence, I could see that adults in uniform had started setting up some kind of special tent nearby. I also saw a computer and other equipment on a long table. This increasingly business-like setup didn't match the natural splendour around us at all, and many of the students looked perplexed.

Mashima-sensei uttered a few cruel words, as if waiting for the atmosphere to change.

"Well then. We shall commence the current academic year's first special examination."

"Huh?"

"Special test?"

"What do you mean?

Almost everyone asked some variation on that question. We'd all thought this was just a class trip, only to be hit by this surprise attack. Our summer vacation was a product of the school's goodwill, but that had been an illusion. We plummeted from relief into stark tension.

"The test commences now and lasts for one week, concluding on August 7th at the year's end. This test will determine if you can live on a deserted island together as a group. In addition, I should warn you that this special test is both practical and realistic, designed on real-world corporate training."

"Living on a deserted island? Does that mean we're not staying on the boat, but the island?"

Some students form class B and C voiced their obvious concerns.

"You are correct. During the test, you will not be allowed to board the ship without a suitably justifiable reason. It will be necessary for you to fend for yourselves on this island while you are here, from creating a place to sleep to preparing food to eat. Once the test starts, each class will receive two tents, and two flashlights. You will be provided with one box of matches. There is no limit to the amount of sunscreen you can have. Each student will be provided with one toothbrush. As a special case, girls will be allowed to have as many feminine sanitary products as they'd like, without any restrictions. Please ask your respective homeroom teachers for those. That is all."

With that, the teachers began distributing the items.

Developing skills of self-sufficiency on a deserted island—hunting wild animals, washing in the river, building bedding from tree branches—it certainly was like something you'd see in a movie or read about in a book. No one could've imagined that the school would put us through a test like this.

"You may think that this is unbelievable, but that's because you've lived a short, superficial life. There is an actual, prominent company that holds training sessions on uninhabited islands."

"Huh?"

"B-but this...this isn't special at all. Is it?"

"Isn't it too much to ask for us to start living on a deserted island with no warning?"

"No way! This is unreal!"

Many of the students were unconvinced and wore dissatisfied looks.

"I assume you're all thinking something like, 'what does this test mean?' Or perhaps some of you doubt the expression stance of such training programs. However, students who remain at such a base level of thought are unlikely to become anyone promising in the future. What is your basis for determining this to be 'unbelievable' or 'ridiculous'? You're just students. In my opinion, you're all equally worthless. What kind of insignificant person determines that they can criticise a leading company? That's bizarre. Were you a president in charge of one such notable business, then you might have some right to deny our claims. However, there shouldn't be any grounds for someone of your station to be able to do that."

As we listened, we did certainly determine that parts sounded unreasonable or unrealistic. But, just like Mashima-sensei said, we had no basis to oppose their claims. Those who found this beyond the realm of their understanding could call it "bizarre" or "unbelievable," but for someone who did understand the point, well, it would be a shred to think other

Authors notes
1003 words.
Almost verbatim from the ln.
It's come to my attention recently that there's some kind of virus going around. I wonder how that happened.
Anyways, as I explained in last chapter's A/N, I went down south recently, and I keep getting the smell of smoke/ash filling my sense of smell every minute or so.
I know that COVID symptoms are things like an absence of taste/smell, so I wonder if the smell that I'm smelling is linked to me having covid.
If you've had it and you've experienced the smoke smelling symptom, please tell me, I want to know if I have the VID.
Not much else to say really
Hope you're all doing well and I hope you enjoyed