1:00 PM.
Luxury cruise ship, 2nd floor, Dragon Group.
[Well then, we will now begin the first round of group discussions.]
Listening to the broadcast in the room, Hikigaya sized up the others.
Strictly speaking.
Those present could be considered old acquaintances.
Class D's good guy Hirata, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyo; Class C's Ryuuen Kakeru.
Beside him was Kanzaki.
Next to them was a short-haired girl with glasses from Class A.
"Since the exam has started, I'll be blunt."
Ryuuen spoke first, scanning his surroundings and saying coldly: "Whoever the 'Target' is, step forward yourselves. Otherwise, if you dare waste my time, it won't be something that ends simply by not getting points."
Eh?
What does this guy want to do? Hit people?
Ryuuen's words carried a vague sense of threat. Hikigaya was curious if he could report him to the school.
But it probably wouldn't work, since Ryuuen didn't specify any particular target.
This was likely his way of searching for the Target.
"Sigh, I've had enough."
Horikita Suzune let out a heavy sigh: "Ryuuen, do you think the Target will step forward just because of your simple intimidation?"
"Don't say stupid things."
Ryuuen got up from his seat and said mockingly: "I'm just making a kind suggestion. Or is it, Suzune..."
"The Target... is you!"
Ryuuen walked up to Horikita Suzune, his snake-like pupils closing in on her. Being stared at by a delinquent like him would likely cause significant pressure for the person involved.
"I advise you to give up this foolish approach."
Horikita Suzune's clear, cold eyes met his without fear:
"If you continue, it wouldn't be surprising to be judged by the school as a violation for intimidation."
"Then I really thank you for the reminder."
Ryuuen slowly walked toward the next person: "But I didn't seem to do anything, I was just simply asking, wasn't I?"
At just this level, it would probably be difficult to judge it as intimidation.
"Or is it you?"
Ryuuen closed in on Kushida Kikyo, who maintained a sweet smile and said:
"Ryuuen-kun, regardless of the method, I think no one here will be scared by you."
"Don't make it sound so terrifying. How will you know if you don't try?"
Ryuuen continued to the next one, staring at Hirata: "Hirata, right? You look a bit pale; could it be that you're the Target?"
"Ryuuen-kun."
Hirata hurriedly tried to soothe him: "Doing this not only fails to achieve any effect, but it also makes everyone uneasy. Didn't the school also tell us to introduce ourselves first? How about we introduce ourselves first?"
"Whatever."
"I am Hirata Yousuke from Class 1-D."
Ryuuen ignored him completely and went directly to Class A.
However.
No matter how Ryuuen asked.
Class A's Katsuragi just sat in silent meditation. The others also did their own thing, not even looking at Ryuuen.
The girl beside him was just burying her head in a book.
"He's talking to you."
Hikigaya gave a friendly tip.
The other party finally reacted and glanced at him: "Is there something wrong with your brain?"
Kanzaki and Okakura Asako also looked at him with confusion.
Hikigaya gave two dry laughs and sat back in his seat sheepishly.
He hadn't played a game with so many people since he was a child, so he was inevitably a bit excited.
"Katsuragi?"
"Is this your Class A's strategy?"
Ryuuen stood in front of Katsuragi, his face full of disdain: "Playing dumb like a turtle?"
Since he was being insulted, Katsuragi still didn't respond; his brow didn't even twitch.
"Well then."
At this time, Horikita Suzune also looked toward Class A and said calmly: "Can I assume the Target is in Class A, and you, Katsuragi, chose this strategy to protect the Target?"
"Think whatever you like; it's your freedom."
Finally, the bald Katsuragi opened his eyes: "But not just in the Dragon Group—no one from Class A will participate in any dialogue."
After saying that.
As if only to make an announcement, Katsuragi closed his eyes again.
In this exam.
Each class has three Targets, totaling twelve.
As long as Class A maintains its leading position.
And doesn't participate in any discussion.
They can hide the three Targets without any risk.
Although they won't get class points.
They can guarantee obtaining 1.5 million personal points.
A risk-free "turtle" tactic.
It can also interfere with other classes searching for the Target.
Hmm.
Hikigaya stared at Katsuragi and fell into thought.
If it were before the deserted island exam, he wouldn't think there was any problem with this turtle tactic.
After all, Class A...
Had a lead of nearly 400 points when school started.
Playing it steady.
They only needed to be careful not to let the lower classes move up.
He had even admired Katsuragi's "getting something for nothing" approach before.
But.
During the deserted island exam.
Class A had occupied a large number of spots from the beginning and had even stationed many people near various spots.
Clearly.
Katsuragi possessed an offensive side.
While being defensive, he wanted to gain more.
To maintain Class A's advantage as much as possible.
As a tactic, it was executed perfectly. He didn't quite understand how Horikita Suzune had guessed Class A's leader.
Resulting in all of Katsuragi's efforts going down the drain.
Forget it.
What's past is past; it's not important.
The important thing is.
While being defensive, Katsuragi was also offensive.
However.
Now the gap between Class A and Class B has narrowed to 200 points.
Moreover.
Class B was the first place in the last exam.
If things continue like this, they will easily be overtaken by Class B.
As a leader.
Katsuragi couldn't help but be anxious.
Clearly, this was the time when he needed to make up the gap, yet Katsuragi only had defense and had completely abandoned the idea of offense.
This was irrational.
Thinking about Class A's attitude on the beach and how their leader was guessed by two classes.
Hikigaya couldn't help but speculate.
There was a traitor in Class A who told Class C and Class D who Class A's leader was.
Only then.
Would it be possible for Katsuragi to completely abandon offense.
Perhaps.
Even Katsuragi himself didn't know who Class A's Target was.
In such a situation, if the intel still leaked.
Then it was definitely a problem with the Sakayanagi faction.
Only this could explain Katsuragi's abnormal actions and shift the blame back onto the Sakayanagi faction.
Maybe.
He was even looking forward to someone in Class A betraying them.
However.
He didn't think Katsuragi was a person without defenses.
That Class A traitor.
How did they gain the trust of Horikita Suzune and Ryuuen? Trusting each other is definitely not an easy thing; there must be some collusion in between.
Forget it, it's something that already happened.
Hikigaya didn't want to think about it anymore; these should be things for Ichinose to consider.
"Then it's you."
Ryuuen also ignored Katsuragi and turned his gaze toward Okakura Asako, who looked toward Kanzaki, following his lead.
"Ryuuen."
Kanzaki spoke calmly: "Don't waste your energy. Just as Kushida said, no one here will be scared by you. Why don't you think of some more feasible methods?"
"That should be decided by me, not you."
Ryuuen bypassed the two of them and came to Hikigaya: "What a confident smile. Are you the Target?"
Damn.
I was seen through.
"What do I have to say for you to believe me?"
Hikigaya suppressed his slightly excited tone and said with feigned calmness.
Just like observing humans, he actually quite liked games of mutual deception like Werewolf; it's just that he had no one to play with before.
"Hmm?"
Ryuuen narrowed his eyes and said mockingly: "Then are you the Target or not?"
"No!"
Hikigaya raised his eyebrows.
Trusting each other is definitely not an easy thing, especially for someone as suspicious as Ryuuen.
No matter what he said, Ryuuen probably wouldn't believe it.
Besides, even if he asked everyone, he believed everyone would say they aren't. How interesting.
"Is that so."
Ryuuen clearly didn't believe it: "Then how about you take out your phone and let me see? I can give you money."
"How much?"
Hikigaya said with some excitement.
The money from these "rich households" is really easy to earn.
"Hikigaya."
Now, Kanzaki couldn't sit still, and the others also instantly knit their brows.
"Hikigaya."
Horikita Suzune knit her brows and said: "I advise you not to be clever. The moment you asked for the price, everyone here already knew you weren't the Target."
"Uh, I see. Then forget it."
Hikigaya scratched his head sheepishly.
Suppressing his inner excitement.
It was indeed as Horikita Suzune said—the moment he asked the price, the others basically knew the answer.
However.
Is that really the case?
Could he be using this method to intentionally eliminate suspicion that he is the Target?
The chain of suspicion thus began.
There is no such thing as trust between people; it's only interesting if the mutual suspicion continues infinitely.
That's why.
That's why he likes the Werewolf game.
Quickly.
Everyone reacted, and their gazes couldn't help but linger on Hikigaya.
Was he intentional, or was it an accident?
Is he the Target or not?
Once such a thought arose, it would never go away.
Hikigaya sat back, satisfied, enjoying everyone's suspicious gazes.
What's the fun in simply finding the Seer? The Werewolf game is only fun when you stir up the situation.
Kanzaki frowned and gave Hikigaya a slightly dissatisfied look.
Although he didn't know what Hikigaya wanted to do, if this continued, it would only allow the real Target to hide successfully.
Finally.
"Take out your phone and let me see."
Ryuuen couldn't hold back any longer.
"How about thirty thousand personal points?"
"Are you joking?"
"The reward for the Target is five hundred thousand. Divided equally, it should be over thirty thousand per person. I haven't even counted the class points that can be obtained. This should be very reasonable."
Hikigaya held up three fingers.
"Hikigaya-kun."
Okakura Asako kindly reminded him: "If it's divided equally, it's about forty-one thousand six hundred and sixty-six."
"Uh..."
Hikigaya's face darkened, and he looked at Ryuuen a bit awkwardly:
"Then forty thousand. Let's forget about the remainder. How about it?"
Ryuuen laughed out of anger.
This math failure was actually arrogant enough to round off the remainder for him.
Was he someone who lacked this little bit of money?
However.
He really did want to go and see if the other party was really the Target; otherwise, this exam probably wouldn't be able to continue.
"Then thanks."
"Fine. Forty-two thousand. The extra is a reward for you."
Hikigaya wasn't going to be polite with him.
These people didn't look like people who liked playing Werewolf.
Up until now.
No one had discovered the essence of Werewolf.
Hikigaya pulled out his phone without hesitation.