Inside the base, Airi Sakura crouched in a corner, her eyes filled with terror.
Naturally, she didn't believe in ghosts or spirits. In all likelihood, this was all a trick played by the other classes. However, what Sakura found most difficult to accept was the fact that she might be being watched by others. Those people hiding in the surroundings might be staring at her at this very moment. Even when sleeping...
Such thoughts filled Sakura's heart with a sense of insecurity, and her body trembled slightly. To make matters worse, Kikyo Kushida was nearby, fanning the flames.
"Did you guys see that?"
"What on earth is going on?!"
"It's so, so scary!"
"I felt like someone was staring at me the whole way here..."
"Actually, usually it wouldn't matter... but if it happens when going to the toilet..."
"Is there no one who can think of a solution?"
At this moment, Kushida looked at the surrounding students with a face full of worry. Yet, in her heart, she was already secretly rejoicing.
Panic was fermenting in the camp, guided and sustained by Kushida. The whispering voices grew louder, and the content increasingly pointed toward the fear of unknown voyeurism and vague dissatisfaction with the leader's inaction.
For Kushida, this was the best way to strike at both Subaru and Suzune Horikita simultaneously. Subaru wasn't originally on Kushida's priority list, but due to Miyabi Nagumo's threat, she had no choice but to act ahead of schedule. However, this exam would definitely impact Horikita's reputation as well. After all, it was Horikita who had chosen to nominate Subaru as the Leader.
"Enough!"
A cold voice, tinged with anger, interrupted the growing noise.
Horikita stepped forward, her brows locked tight. Her sharp gaze swept over the fearful students, finally landing on Kushida's face, which was written with concern.
"This is absolutely not a supernatural event, nor is it a simple illusion!" Horikita's voice was decisive. "Clearly, this is Class C and Ryuen's trick! He sent people to lurk around the camp, deliberately making noise and leaving vague traces. His goal is to make us paranoid and disintegrate our morale and judgment from the inside!"
She took a step forward, attempting to dispel everyone's fear with reason. "Think carefully. Why do we always feel something is wrong when we are fetching water, on night watch, or acting alone? Why does the opponent vanish every time we try to check? This is typical psychological warfare! They don't dare to engage in a direct conflict, so they can only use these despicable means!"
Horikita's analysis was logical and cut straight to the core. Upon hearing this, some students showed expressions of realization and contemplation; their fear seemed to be suppressed somewhat by reason.
However, Kushida sighed softly. Wearing a helpless expression, her voice remained gentle, yet she skillfully interjected.
"Horikita-san makes a good point... But, even if we know it's Class C's doing, what can we do right now? They are hiding in the dark. We don't know how many of them there are or where they are. Do we have to ask everyone to just endure this feeling of being stared at? Especially..."
Her gaze turned sympathetically toward the still-trembling Sakura. "...For someone like Sakura-san, who is easily frightened to begin with, this pressure is too much. I'm really worried about everyone's mental state..."
Her words didn't directly refute Horikita, but they shifted the focus from "what it is" to "what to do" and "the harm caused," once again stirring up the crowd's frustration at their powerlessness and their concern for their fragile classmate. The bit of rationality Horikita had just awakened was covered again by more practical anxiety.
After Kushida finished speaking, the eyes of the other students in the class turned to Sakura one after another. This made the latter feel incredibly tormented.
Horikita's face sank. She could sense the intent in Kushida's words—seemingly considerate, but actually undermining the platform, and even implicitly directing the spearhead at Subaru. An anger at being deliberately targeted and having facts twisted rose in her chest.
Kikyo Kushida... What on earth is she trying to do?
"Kushida-san," Horikita's voice turned a few degrees colder. "The important thing now is to recognize the enemy's methods and stay calm, not to blindly amplify the fear! What good does your way of speaking do, other than making everyone more uneasy? Do you wish for all of us to be as scared and overwhelmed as Sakura-san?"
These words already carried a clear tone of accusation. The surrounding students all sensed the suddenly taut atmosphere between the two.
Kushida immediately revealed a hurt and aggrieved expression, her eyes even glistening with tears. "Horikita-san... how can you say that? I'm just worried about everyone! Is it wrong to care about classmates? Sakura-san is already so scared..."
She timely grabbed Sakura's hand; the latter looked up blankly, even more at a loss. The slight confrontation between the two made the atmosphere in the camp even more eerie.
Just during this delicate standoff, someone suddenly realized—
"Eh? Where is Natsuki-kun?"
"He was just... here..."
"Where did he go?"
The crowd looked around, only to discover that Subaru, who had been sitting on the rock, had disappeared without a trace at some point.
*
Outside the camp, deep in the dense forest.
Daichi Ishizaki was leading two Class C students, crouching behind a cluster of bushes. Following Ryuen's instructions, they would occasionally shake the branches deliberately or use a polished piece of metal to reflect sunlight toward the Class D camp.
Hearing the faint sounds of commotion from Class D, Ishizaki wore a smug smile.
"Heh, Ryuen's trick really works. Look how scared they are."
"Exactly, we don't even need to lift a finger."
"Let's change spots again, go to the west..."
Before the voice had faded, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees behind them without any warning, like a ghost. The footsteps were so light they were almost non-existent. It wasn't until the person was practically pressed against their backs that Ishizaki and the others realized it with a jolt, turning around in horror!
Subaru stood there, his face devoid of any expression, his eyes looking exceptionally dark under the mottled tree shadows. He looked at Ishizaki as if looking at a dead object.
"You...!"
Ishizaki was greatly alarmed. Instinctively, he wanted to retreat or assume a defensive stance, but an icy oppression, seemingly substantial, slowed his movements by half a beat.
Subaru moved. His movements were unreasonably fast, with no superfluous nonsense, nor even a starting stance.
In the instant Ishizaki's pupils contracted, Subaru had already closed in. One hand clamped onto the arm Ishizaki tried to block with like an iron pincer, while the other hand turned into a knife-hand, chopping precisely and ruthlessly into the side of his neck!
"Ugh!"
Ishizaki only felt his vision go black. The immense impact caused him to instantly lose his balance; half his body went numb, and he stumbled backward.
The other two Class C students reacted only then, screaming as they lunged forward. One threw a punch at Subaru's face, while the other tried to tackle him from the side.
Subaru didn't even turn completely. Using the hand clamping Ishizaki's arm, he pulled and guided the stumbling Ishizaki to act as a meat shield, slamming him into the student lunging from the front. Simultaneously, he turned sideways and delivered a swift, lightning-like low side kick, smashing hard into the outer knee joint of the student flanking him.
Crack!
A muffled sound that set one's teeth on edge accompanied a shrill scream. That student clutched his twisted, deformed calf, wailing as he rolled onto the ground.
The student who had collided with Ishizaki was also dizzy. Before he could adjust, Subaru had already released Ishizaki, stepped forward, and drove his elbow like a heavy hammer ruthlessly into the boy's abdomen.
"Hurgh—!"
That student's eyes bulged, bile nearly vomiting out. He curled up clutching his stomach, losing all combat capability.
The entire process happened within just a few seconds. Crisp, clean, without a single wasted movement. It even carried a kind of violent aesthetic bordering on art, yet it was chillingly cruel.
To these ordinary high school students, Subaru was like a monster. Ishizaki had been a delinquent and his style was incredibly impulsive, but it couldn't be denied that as a high schooler, he had a sense of limits—at most, he would injure someone to teach them a lesson. But Subaru was different. His movements even carried killing intent.
"You... you guy... are you crazy?" Ishizaki struggled to crawl up, the severe pain in his neck and dizziness blurring his vision. He looked at Subaru in terror as he approached step by step. Those eyes held no emotion, only a bottomless coldness. It was as if a darkness was about to swallow him whole.
"Do you know what happens if violence occurs in the school—"
Without waiting for Ishizaki to finish, Subaru suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the neck. It was like a clamp locking Ishizaki's throat; he coughed violently, unable to breathe. This was the first time he had experienced the sensation of impending death.
Subaru... What kind of monster is this...
Just as Ishizaki was about to lose consciousness, Subaru suddenly released his hand. The former crawled on the ground, greedily sucking in air.
"...This level is just right. Last time, I accidentally killed him, and it triggered the alarm."
Subaru murmured to himself, no fluctuation in his tone. Meanwhile, Ishizaki's crotch had been stained by filth; warm liquid flowed down his thigh. Just now, he truly felt he was going to die. Subaru really wanted to kill him!
This guy isn't a normal person?!
Subaru stood before Ishizaki, looking down at him imperiously.
"Go back and tell Ryuen," Subaru spoke, his voice so calm it held not a single ripple. "I received his 'fear game'."
He paused, bent down slightly, and leaned close to Ishizaki's face, which was twisted with fear. In a volume only the two of them could hear, he whispered softly:
"If it's only at this level..."
The corners of Subaru's mouth hooked up extremely subtly; the arc was bone-chilling.
"...I will personally go to the Class C camp and play some 'adult games' with him."
After speaking, he straightened up. He no longer looked at the three people groaning in pain on the ground, as if he had merely swept away a few bugs blocking the path. He turned, his figure merging once again into the dense jungle, and disappeared.
All that remained in the forest clearing were the painful groans and panting of the three Class C students, as well as a diffusing fear that was a hundred times more real than anything before.
Ishizaki struggled to fish out a transceiver—this was something the class had exchanged points for earlier, but it had been damaged in the battle just now. He endured the intense pain and fled toward the Class C base, scrambling on hands and knees.
He had to tell Ryuen immediately—that man was not someone they could toy with like this. That guy was a monster. An existence more terrifying than Ryuen. Ryuen tried to erode Class D with invisible fear, but Subaru used tangible violence to return that fear, doubled, to the oppressors themselves.
*
The dispute and panic in the camp seemed like irrelevant background noise compared to the brief but cruel clash in the forest.
Subaru strolled along the forest path back to the camp, the tactile sensation of striking flesh and bone seemingly still lingering on his fingertips. His eyes remained indifferent.
A little... boring.
He thought to himself.
Ryuen, your methods are still too gentle. Hurry up and bring out something that can truly pique my interest. Otherwise... this exam will really be too dull.
Since Ryuen is a bit of a disappointment, then, let's start with Kikyo Kushida.
Subaru soon returned to the camp. The standoff between Horikita and Kushida was still continuing.
Upon seeing Subaru return, Kushida's gaze immediately shifted to him.
"Natsuki-kun, you're finally back! We were just—"
"Similar things won't happen again after this."
"What?"
"The few people from Class C pulling petty tricks behind us have been taken care of by me. If I'm not wrong, at least two of them should be withdrawing from the exam."
Subaru's tone was icy, as if stating a fact.
"W-what?"
Kushida froze for a moment, seemingly unable to understand the meaning of his words. But associating it with Subaru's previous actions...
Did he... use physical means to deal with the Class C students? How is that possible...
"Natsuki-kun... did you fight with the Class C students?"
"Fight? No."
Subaru spoke lightly. This level couldn't be counted as a fight at all. Despite coming here with provocative thoughts, they ultimately revealed expressions of fear. Boring. However, he would find a little amusement.
"Speaking of which, Kikyo Kushida, I have things to ask you too."
Subaru's gaze was like a blade, looking to tear Kushida apart layer by layer.
"...What?"
A confused expression appeared on Kushida's face. But her heart suddenly raced. A bad premonition swept over her.
"You met with a classmate from Class C yesterday, right?" Subaru said slowly.
____
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