Classroom of the elite: The four elites

The cruise ship

Ayanokoji pov:

I was heading to class a little later than I usually would, pondering over recent activities that involved class C before making my way inside. As I entered, something felt off.

Scanning the classroom, two things struck me as unusual. There were four more cameras than usual, discreetly covering key areas. Two were visible if you looked closely, while the other two were well-hidden and clearly only meant to be found if you observed the classroom thoroughly.

Moving on from the extra cameras, there were ABC blocks at the very front, stuck to the board. At first glance, they seemed meaningless, but upon closer inspection, birth dates were planted on each one. Before I could investigate further, a girl's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Oh, Ayanokoji, none of the girls or boys know anything about this. It's put the class on edge," Kushida said, expecting answers from me.

"I see. Well, I don't know anything about it either," I replied, examining the blocks once more.

"Do you think this is possibly a test by the school?"

"Highly unlikely given the setup," I responded.

Before we could continue, she was pulled away by other worried classmates, as it seemed some of the class was on edge.

I took my seat next to Horikita, observing her as she diligently wrote down the words, trying to piece them together.

"Do you know what it says?" she asked, acknowledging my presence but not looking up.

"Not a clue," I admitted, scanning the board.

There were forty-three blocks, each containing different words:

i-o-s-d-n-h-u-D-w-r-o-s-o-C-i-s-t-y-a-d-n-i-a-g-i-a-f-n-s-i-m-l-m-i-r-k-a-e-u-o-n-d-l

After a brief moment, I deciphered the puzzle's format. It was presented as if arranging dates from youngest to oldest, but that wouldn't form a coherent sentence.

Considering other options, I thought about arranging the months alphabetically. However, that approach didn't yield a meaningful sentence either. Even if you did the reverse order, it still didn't hold a result.

It became apparent that the intended order was longest month to shortest, not by the number of letters but by visual size if spelled out side by side with the same ratio per one.

Although someone might guess it's longest to shortest, the similarity between months like July and June, which share four letters, would mostly throw them off. Yet, when written out, June is slightly longer than July, even if you apply it on the phone.

While other sentences could be formed, they wouldn't utilize every word or convey a meaningful message like the one before us:

Class D
Did you know
Dreams flourish in imagination

It was clear this message was intended to waste our time, as it held no actual meaning. I thought to myself as I started examining one of the newly placed cameras.

The cameras were watching the class's reactions to see if anyone could piece it together. This set-up was clearly orchestrated by a fellow student. The school wouldn't need to add new cameras for such a task. This raised the question: was Class D the only target, or was this on a larger scale? Possibly for only the first years, or was this something that was sent to every year?

Glancing back at Horikita, I saw she had formulated a few sentences but was stumped. It didn't seem all that complicated, yet she couldn't form anything that would help her solve the message.

I let out an inner sigh as I surveyed the classroom. I suspected Koenji could probably solve it if he wanted, but he seemed too preoccupied with his nails and his physical appearance. The rest of the class appeared clueless by the ABC blocks.

I was one hundred percent sure it wasn't someone from Class D, but I couldn't help but notice Nene Mori seemed rather off. She appeared unusually worried, unlike her usual self. Compared to the other students worries, it seemed as if she knew something about this.

Looking away from the students and back at the ABC blocks raised another question: who set this up? Could it be a third-year, or perhaps a first-year? If so, it's clear this person may just be very childish in nature.

The way they formulated this challenge suggested someone calling out the other elites they deemed worthy to oppose them. It was a challenge for anyone who could solve it, using pupils' birth dates and monitoring us with the cameras they implanted into the classroom.

They were trying to imply power over us and assert superiority. Though there wasn't anything that could be done right now, I was certain whoever orchestrated this was playing the long game, testing those they deemed worthy and possibly challenging them once more when he has narrowed the student's down.

If not, they would have hidden another message within this one. But, as far as I was aware, there wasn't another one. The chatter picked up around the class, with some ignoring the blocks entirely while others tried to solve them.

"Say, Ayanokoji, do you think this is something done by a student from this class?" Horikita randomly blurted it out to me.

"Nope, I don't think so," I replied.

She clicked her pen, clearly stumped, as I glanced at her page and noticed she had covered at least a page and a half with information.

Before anything else could be done, Chabashira entered the classroom. After only a brief moment, she took down the blocks from the wall, appearing confused by their presence but not questioning anyone about it.

I rested my head on my hand as I narrowed my eyes at one of the cameras. I guess we have no other option but to wait until they try something like this again.


Light pov:

Gazing out at the expanse of the vibrant blue sea, it felt as though time had whisked by in the blink of an eye. The conclusion of our first semester arrived with minimal concern, besides the minor hiccup involving Sudo and our class. A mere annoyance that was resolved peacefully, but something that will never happen again when I take full charge of class C.

The finals had breezed by, demanding little effort, if any at all, as our attention was captivated by the grandeur of the colossal ship we found ourselves aboard. Though something did seem off, the school's generosity appeared almost too good to be true for us to get a free cruise and island trip for doing basic tests that didn't seem all that hard.

Only a few hours into our voyage, and already everyone seemed to be relishing in the moment. I found myself accompanied by a fellow classmate, Saki Yamashita, who had invited me to hang out via a text message she had sent me. From my observations, she tended towards introversion, yet she displayed a commendable effort to excel academically, redeeming her character to some extent, at least unlike some others.

As we conversed while also exploring the ship together, our quest to explore the ship led us to an unexpected encounter with Hirata and Kei, students from Class D.

"Oh, it's Yagami from Class C. Good to see you," Hirata greeted, extending a handshake, which I graciously accepted.

Hirata, arguably the most popular boy in Class D, bore an amiable disposition, a trait that had facilitated several conversations between us due to the social circles formed around him as the girls I would sometimes hang out with would occupy some members of his large circle.

"Likewise," I replied, casting a glance at the blond girl beside him. "And good to see you again as well."

Amidst the exchange of pleasantries, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The subtle tension between the girls was nothing less than palpable; I couldn't help but notice that there wasn't definitely something up between them.

"Say, Hirata, if you're agreeable, why don't we continue exploring together?" I suggested casually, testing my suspicions, as I could tell they were also exploring the ship like us.

"I see no issue with that. We'd be ha—" Hirata's response was cut short as Kei interjected, her tone tinged with apprehension.

"We'd love to, but we have to get going," she interjected, her urgency apparent as it was clear she was hiding something.

Before Hirata could even offer a rebuttal, Kei whisked him away, as though attempting to conceal something between the girls. I glanced back at Saki, sensing a shared history between the two but opting not to pry as it didn't concern me enough to care about it right now, though I'll keep my eye on them just in case there is something of importance.

We settled down for lunch and engaged in various activities throughout the day. However, as an announcement went off, we were making our way back to our respective rooms to get changed to look at the island from the boat when suddenly we were intercepted by a familiar face.

In the dimly lit corridor, I noticed a familiar, unorthodox posture by a man with black hair. My inquiry was directed at the man known as Ryuzaki, whose keen gaze fixated upon a well-designed staircase ahead.

"May I ask, Ryuzaki, what are you doing?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued by his contemplative demeanor.

For a fleeting moment, he cast his gaze upon us as he began drawing closer to us as he looked at Saki. "I see. I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Light," he remarked, a subtle flush gracing Saki's cheeks as I silently shook my head, deciding it would be best to urge her departure.

"Saki, could you please excuse us?" I requested, and though she complied with reluctance, she finally disappeared around the corner. Alone with Ryuzaki, he started walking, so I trailed after him, eager to discern his intentions, as from what I know from him, he's here for a reason.

"What do you believe is happening?" he inquired, his eyes probing mine as we traversed the corridor.

"What exactly do you mean?" I countered, seeking what he may be referring to.

"You know," he began, his voice low and contemplative. "I'm sure you've also realised that this school is not to be taken as any other school. There's most likely a reason why we are on this ship and going to the island."

"I do find it odd by the school standards, but they could definitely just be treating us," I offered, though knowing this definitely wasn't the case.

His gaze bore into me, as if he were questioning something about what I said. Without further discourse, we randomly emerged into a scene of commotion where something had just ended.

Observing from a distance, I noted the aftermath of a confrontation between Albert and Ibuki, as Albert was walking off while Ibuki looked hurt against a railing. As I looked closer at the situation, I could see Ayanokoji and Horikita standing nearby the incident.

I expected Ryuzaki to approach them, but I was surprised when he veered in a different direction, as if he were uninterested in what happened. Even so, I followed after him to continue our little discussion, as I was tempted to see what happened but decided to follow him instead.

"What was your opinion on the ABC blocks from not so long ago?" Ryuzaki queried, his voice a whisper.

"The blocks, huh? Well, I found them quite insulting, if I'm being honest," I confessed, recalling the cryptic message that had stirred some unrest amongst our students. "It was clearly a message by someone who thinks they're better than everyone, but that's just my guess, so I could be wrong."

He nodded in agreement, a silent acknowledgment of my observation. "From what I gathered, it seemed as if every class got one," he continued, his tone thoughtful. "Not only did every class receive one, but they all had different words with different amounts of words. From thirty-four to forty-five, what does come off as a little odd as it follows a certain pattern of all being different from each other but going up by one?"

With a gesture, he handed me a sheet of paper with the following:

3D-45 blocks
2D-44 blocks
1D-43 blocks

1C-42 blocks
2C-41 blocks
3C-40 blocks

3B-39 blocks
2B-38 blocks
1B-37 blocks

1A-36 blocks
2A-35 blocks
3A-34 blocks


"That's how many blocks each class had," Ryuzaki explained, his words laden with significance, as I pondered the possible meaning of the number layout.

"I wonder, was there a reason the person who formulated this started with the number thirty-four and ended on the number forty-five, or was that just something that happened randomly?" I mused, shifting my gaze between the sheet and Ryuzaki, searching for answers in the depths of his enigmatic demeanour.

"Possibly, but if so, I wouldn't know what it would be," he replied, his tone tinged with a hint of intrigue. After a few moments, we began resuming our journey, walking around the ship. He redirected our conversation with a sudden change of subject.

"Now that we're speaking, there's one thing that does interest me. Who do you think is the strongest class to oppose you and class C?" He inquired as he looked at me once more, waiting for an answer.

"The strongest class, huh? Well, Class A would make the most sense, as they are Class A for a reason. Though Class B seems to be a formidable opponent, given Ichinose and Lelouch are amazing leaders from what I know," I responded, attempting to decipher Ryuzaki's true intentions in asking me this.

"And what about Class D? Are you worried about them at all?" He pressed his thumb to his lips as his probing gaze fixed upon me once more.

"Class D?" I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the notion. "We both know they're in Class D for a reason. There's no one to fear from Class D or even be worried about. There are classes full of defectives after all.".

"I see. Though speaking about the Class B leaders, from my observations and the chats I've had, you share a lot of similarities with the vice leader of Class B, Lelouch Lamperouge," Ryuzaki remarked, drawing parallels between myself and a man I do know little about.

"Do I?" I queried, narrowing my eyes slightly, intrigued by his observation.

"Yes, at your core, you both remind me of each other. There are some major differences, don't get me wrong, but there's some noticeable contrasts between you that I can't quite pinpoint as of right now," he elaborated, his words definitely catching my attention about him.

"Is that so?" I pondered for a moment before steering the conversation towards a more personal matter, as I decided it was time to ask some questions. "You never did tell me how you know my father."

He paused, his expression betraying a hint of hesitation, before he replied, "It's nothing too impressive, but our parents know each other. Your father works in the same agency as mine, and he often shares insights about your father with me."

Despite his plausible explanation, I couldn't shake the feeling that Ryuzaki was concealing something. But with no means to unearth the truth, as I knew he wouldn't tell me the truth, I reluctantly shifted my focus to a different line of questioning that I knew I could get an answer for.

"He is amazing, but to be honest, you never answered this question as well from our last chat. If you had to pick between Sakayanagi and Katsuragi, who would you choose as the leader of class A?" I pressed, my gaze fixed on him, awaiting his response.

"Well, as I've said, I'm not supporting either, but if I were to align myself with a candidate to remain in Class A, it would most definitely have to be Sakayanagi," he admitted, as he nodded his head to what he had just said.

"Understandable. I'd probably support her too if I were in your position," I conceded, acknowledging the strategic importance of having a mind like hers as the leader.

"Tell me, Light, why does it seem like you're always lying?" Ryuzaki's sudden accusation caught me off guard, his penetrating gaze probing beneath the surface of my carefully constructed facade.

"Huh?" I stammered a little, taken aback by his astute observation.

"The way you speak, the way you act—it all seems too perfect," he continued, his analytical gaze dissecting my every word and gesture.

"I don't know what to say, Ryuzaki. This is no act; this is just how I am," I replied, though inwardly acknowledging the truth in his assessment.

As silence enveloped us once more, it became apparent that Ryuzaki had gained all he sought to know. With a sense of closure, we finally reached the area where all the student rooms were.

"Well, this is where I depart. I've enjoyed our chat," he remarked, a somewhat genuine tone infusing his words before a more serious tone crept back into his voice. "But like someone else who has caught my interest, I will get you to show me the real you. I'll expose the facade you have on now and get you to reveal your true self," he declared before retreating and leaving me in the corridor we had met.

"Is that so, Ryuzaki?" I murmured under my breath, as I was unable to stop myself from clicking my tongue at his remark. "Before you can even attempt to do that, it seems I'll have no choice but to deal with you. Ryuzaki, I will expel you if I need to." I whispered to myself before deciding it was best to get some rest, but before I could, another announcement went off.

"We will disembark in thirty minutes. Please assemble on the deck. All students should have changed into their jerseys. Make sure to check your designated bag and your luggage, and do not forget your cell phone. Please keep all other personal items in your room. There is a possibility that you will not be able to visit the bathroom for some time, so please do so now."

As the announcement ended, I retreated to the room I was given, troubled by the peculiar nature of the announcement. The insistence on leaving personal belongings behind, the mandatory school uniform, and the repetitive circling of the island with Ryuzaki only heightened my suspicions. I'm sure he noticed it as well, as his gaze kept alternating between me and the island that we were circling.

After a swift change, I joined the assembly on deck, falling into line amidst a sea of uniformed students, as I could see students awaiting our journey to the island that many expected to be a paradise vacation.

"We will disembark now, starting with Class A. Cell phones are strictly forbidden on the island. Please surrender them to your homeroom teacher as you exit," commanded the voice over the intercom, setting off a procession of obedient compliance.

As Class B had followed shortly after, a discordant sight caught my eye: a helicopter ominously stationed on the stern, a glaring incongruity amidst our supposed academic venture. As the alarm sounded, I retreated to my quarters, troubled by the peculiar nature of the announcement. The insistence on leaving personal belongings behind, the mandatory school uniform, and the repetitive circling of the island with Ryuzaki only heightened my suspicions. His alternating gaze between me and the shoreline mirrored my own apprehension.

After a swift change, I joined the assembly on deck, falling into line amidst a sea of uniformed students, awaiting our journey to the island's mysterious shores.

"We will disembark now, starting with Class A. Cell phones are strictly forbidden on the island. Please surrender them to your homeroom teacher as you exit," commanded the voice over the intercom, setting off a procession of obedient compliance.

Amidst the orderly exodus of Class B, a discordant sight caught my eye: a helicopter parked on the stern of the boat, a glaring incongruity amidst our supposed academic venture. Yet, attempts at rationalisation dulled my suspicions; perhaps I'm just overthinking; it was a precaution against something bad or unforeseen emergencies, I guess. Despite my efforts to see if this could just be natural, it was definitely unlikely and was placed by the school on purpose.

Finally, class C had been called, and we did a quick roll call on the island. Next was class D, and when did a voice start to speak amongst all the students?

"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."

As I scanned the beach, I couldn't help but remember everyone I've deemed important, besides one girl. So it was Arisu who didn't come. I wonder if it's because she's crippled or if there is something else at play.

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 test."

"Huh? Special test? What do you mean?" Many different students said it in unison.

"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 based on real-world corporate training."

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

Some students from Class B and my class 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."


I pierced at the island ahead of us as many different emotions rushed to me, but there was someone I couldn't help but look at. Ryuen, I think it's time that I slowly assend to the absolute leader of this class. There's no need to rush, but when I am, I'll make sure to make you one of my lackeys. You'll be a useful pawn, but this is where the downfall of your reign of power begins. Before I could think anymore about this, I heard Mashima speak up once more.

"You may say 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!"

"Keeping on like that would be shameful, Ike, so stop talking. What Mashima-sensei just said is only part of it. There are many companies in the world with many different training activities. There are workplaces where there aren't any chairs in the office and companies that decide salaries with dice rolls. The world is wider and deeper than you even know."

As he finished, I heard Chabashira speak up, "In other words, you are ill-equipped to distinguish between what is reality and what isn't."

Many of the students appeared 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 existence 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 the 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."

Some more words were exchanged, nothing to important until they began talking about how they plan on distributing points and letting us still have fun on the island.

"As a major part of this special test, we've decided to distribute 300 points to each class. By using your points well, you might be able to enjoy this week's special test just as you would a normal trip. We've also prepared a manual just for that purpose."

Mashima-sensei received a booklet that looked to be a few dozen pages thick from another teacher.

"This manual lists all of the ways you can obtain points. It also explains where to get drinking water and food, as well as essential necessities. If you want to have a barbecue, it explains how to prepare the equipment and ingredients. We also have numerous tools for you to be able to enjoy playing in the ocean to the fullest."

Gradually, the students' grim expressions grew calmer.

"So, we can do whatever we want with the 300 points?"

"That's right. It's possible to arrange for anything using your points. Of course, it's necessary for you to use them in a systematic way, but with a solid plan, you can spend your week without any difficulties."

So, from my understanding, if we can get through the points correctly that we had, Then it would end up being a vacation more than it would be a test.

"B-but, teacher. You said this was a test, right? So shouldn't there be some kind of difficulty to it?"
"No, there's nothing difficult. It won't even have any adverse effects on your second semester. I guarantee it."

"So it's really okay for us to just have fun for one week?"

"That's right. You're all free to do what you want. Of course, there are some bare minimum rules that you need to abide by as a group, but there shouldn't be anything difficult about that."

If that were true, then did that mean there really was no risk? In that case, we should ask if he could explain the purpose of this test. Was it linked to some kind of exchange between grade levels? I couldn't understand the school's true intentions, but Mashima-sensei's next statement clarified everything.

"When this special test period is over, each class' remaining points will be added to their total class points. Your point totals will reflect this change once summer vacation is over."

So that's the bit that caught my eye; it seemed this was putting teamwork and trust to the test as a class. This was also the best chance to finally start catching up on class A, as 300 class points could mean a lot in the long run.

"So if we can endure this for one week, then starting next month we could see a huge increase in our allowance?!" Someone from class D asked.

That's right... This wasn't a competition to test our scholarly abilities, but our endurance. If we managed to curb our basic desires, we might get closer to being in the top class.

"Each class will receive one copy of the manual. If the manual is lost, you may have another copy. However, it will consume points, so please be very careful. Also, the student who was marked absent from this trip was from Class A. According to the rules of this special test, should any student have to leave due to illness, there will be a thirty-point penalty for the class as a whole. Therefore, Class A will be starting with 270 points."

Even though it didn't affect our class, the penalty was still merciless. The students from Class A were visibly trembling. The other classes also appeared shocked. As soon as Mashima-sensei had finished speaking, he told us to disperse. Another teacher's voice came over the loudspeaker, telling us that each class would receive supplementary instructions from our respective homeroom teachers. We then gathered around our homeroom teacher. The four classes had congregated in order to keep some distance from each other.

"I will now hand out wristwatches to every one of you. You are not to take them off until the end of the test. If you remove your wristwatch without permission, you will be punished. This watch doesn't just tell time. Its sensors also check your body temperature, your pulse, and even your movements. It's equipped with a GPS. Also, in the off chance something bad does happen, this watch comes equipped with the means to notify the school. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, please do not hesitate to push that button."

The vendor who supplied the watches had stacked them next to Sakagami. The time had come for Class D to collect our supplies. We were instructed to take the watches out of their boxes and put them on.

"When you say an emergency, do you mean, like, if one of us falls sick?"

"The test has already begun. I cannot answer any questions that might possibly influence your results."

We talked more about understanding basic information like how we'd use the toilet and so on before something more interesting caught my ears.

"Soon you will be permitted to roam about freely, but there are several designated'spots' on the island. In these spots, there is what's referred to as the right of exclusive possession, and only the class that occupies that spot may exercise those rights. The class that obtains those rights is entirely free to determine how they wish to exercise them. However, rights of exclusive possession are only valid for a period of eight hours after being invoked, after which they are automatically revoked. That means that another class can acquire those rights at that time. Also, you gain one bonus point if you occupy a spot once. However, that point is provisional and cannot be used during the testing period. Therefore, bonus points are calculated and added to your total after the test has ended. Because the school is constantly monitoring you, there is no room for fraud. Please be aware of that fact."


After a quick read-through of the manual, it's clear it went into great detail on the bonus point. Apparently, there was some kind of apparatus installed near each spot, one of which showed rights to exclusive possession. It was unclear how many spots were on the island, but they were clearly important. However...

"I can understand your impatience, but be aware of the risks. After you take those risks into account, you have to consider what to do. Everything is written in the manual."

A specialised key card is required to occupy a spot.

So you can earn one point by occupying a spot each time you scan the card in it. Occupied spots can be used freely. You will also receive a fifty-point penalty if you use a spot occupied by another class without permission.

Only a designated leader can use the key card.

It is impossible to change the leader without suitable justification.

On the seventh day, the last day of the test, you had the right to guess the identity of the other class's leader during roll call. If you managed to get it right, then you could obtain fifty points for each correct guess. Conversely, the other class would have to pay fifty points as compensation. If you moved to acquire a spot without caution and your leader was discovered, then you could lose a great number of points. So, high risk, high reward.

However, the guesses couldn't be hazarded without risk. If you happened to be mistaken, you would suffer a fifty-point penalty for being incorrect. In addition, a class whose leader had been found out would lose all of the bonus points they'd saved up until then. This rule made it so that if you didn't have much confidence, you would be hesitant to join the battle to occupy spots.

"One person must be chosen as the leader; there are no exceptions. However, you are free not to participate. Please tell me once you've selected someone. At that time, I will provide you with a key card stamped with the leader's name. You have until roll call today. In the event that you do not decide by then, we will decide for you. That is all."

With that, Sakagami basically left us to decide what our strategy would be.



This is the end of this chapter. It was hard to narrow down the rules for the island exam without making it too long, so I did change it up a little, but this chapter did end up having just under 5,700 words.

For the island exam, which class should I focus on the most? All classes will have their own time, but which should be the main focus?