A while after the island exam was announced, all the students lined up to board the boat. Daiko, ever the fool, strutted forward wearing a ridiculous Hawaiian shirt, as if this were some kind of vacation. I sighed, knowing full well that he'd spend the entire trip playing around like an idiot. Class D wasn't any better—they were celebrating as if this were a luxury getaway, laughing and joking without a care in the world. Some of my own classmates in Class C cheered too, though not with the same level of obliviousness.
But Class B and Class A? They were different.
Class B glared at Class A with nothing short of hatred, while Class A, in their usual manner, paid them no mind. Indifference was their greatest weapon.
As I observed the scene, Haruto approached me. Without a word, he handed me a key card.
"We're bunking together," he stated bluntly.
I glanced at the card, then at him, my annoyance evident. "You did this on purpose."
Haruto smirked. "Of course. I don't trust you, and I'm going to keep an eye on you. As the leader representing Class C, I have some authority. Don't forget that."
I ignored him. It wasn't worth engaging in his games.
As we boarded the cruise ship, the teacher of Class A, Ms. Nakamura, took hold of a microphone. "Attention, students," she announced. "During this cruise, you will be facing a special test."
Class D collectively groaned. Daiko rolled his eyes. It was almost comical how predictable they were. I could hardly believe Daiko was even in Class C—he was like an out-of-control gorilla lucky to have stumbled into our ranks.
Meanwhile, Class B and Class A watched the scene with disdain. Class B whispered amongst themselves, mocking Class D, while Class A simply observed with quiet amusement.
Ms. Nakamura continued, "This is no ordinary test. Think of it as a game. A game called 'Shadows Among Us.'"
A low murmur spread through the crowd.
"The objective is simple," she explained. "Students must identify and eliminate the covert 'Infiltrators' within their group, while the Infiltrators aim to sabotage the team's objectives without being discovered."
She detailed the game's structure:
**Participants:** Groups of 12-15 students, each assigned a secret role.
**Roles:**
- **Loyalists (Good Team):**
- Survivor: A standard player aiming to identify Infiltrators and survive.
- Detective: Can investigate one player per round.
- Medic: Can protect one player from elimination.
- Psychic: Gains insights about the number of Infiltrators remaining.
- Spy: Observes interactions to deduce alliances.
- **Infiltrators (Evil Team):**
- Mole: Can eliminate one player per round during the "sabotage" phase.
- Assassin: Has a single-use ability to eliminate a player, bypassing protection.
- Deceiver: Can manipulate information, causing false investigation results.
**Gameplay Phases:**
- **Night Phase:** Infiltrators secretly choose a target. Special roles perform their abilities.
- **Day Phase:** Players discuss, share insights, and vote to eliminate a suspected Infiltrator. The cycle continues until one faction wins.
"The test will take place in a VR simulation," Ms. Nakamura concluded.
Daiko, the idiot, cheered loudly.
Every student turned to look at him like he had lost his mind. I, on the other hand, had to stop myself from slapping him.
"At 7:00 PM," Ms. Nakamura continued, "each student will receive an email with their assigned test room."
---
A few hours later, my device buzzed. I checked the email: Room 304.
Haruto glanced at his own screen. "Looks like we're in the same group."
Of course we were. I sighed. Just my luck.
As we walked toward our assigned room, we crossed paths with Ichika Renji. He stood there, smirking.
"Well, well," Ichika drawled. "It seems you've made a friend, Kei. Don't worry—when I get you expelled, I'll make sure to bring Haruto down with you."
Haruto clenched his fists but remained silent.
Ichika glanced at our room number and chuckled. "Oh, this is going to be fun. The proctor for your test is… quite the surprise."
He left without explaining further.
Haruto frowned. "What the hell was that about?"
"No idea. Don't care."
We reached Room 304 and stepped inside.
Ten other students were already seated. This was a mixed-class test. My eyes flicked over the group. One other Class C student—Mei Lin, the most popular girl in our class. A few Class A students, though none I immediately recognized. Then, there was Class B.
Sitting among them was **Kaito**, the so-called "Monster" of Class B. He glared at us with the intensity of a predator.
Haruto stiffened. I remained indifferent.
When Kaito realized we were Class C, his glare softened.
He didn't see us as threats. Good. That meant he'd ignore us.
Then, from the shadows of the room, a figure stood.
A familiar voice spoke.
"I am Aoi Fushimiya. I am 19 years old. I graduated from NIFL last year. And I am the proctor for this exam."
My **brother**.
He sat at the head of the table, cold and unreadable.
"Sit down. Now."
Something twisted inside me, an emotion I couldn't quite define. A stab to the heart.
So **he** would be the one overseeing this game.
The cruise had only just begun, but already, the battlefield was taking shape.