Kure Ragna spread his hands in an innocent gesture, a faint smirk on his face.
Yahiko Totsuka, trembling from exhaustion, forced himself to his feet, pointing a shaking finger at him. His frustration was clear, and he was about to lash out.
"I warn you, Kure! Our Katsuragi faction—"
"Believe it or not, I'm about to check in," Kure Ragna interrupted, raising the key card threateningly.
Yahiko's words died in his throat.
"And for the record, I'm doing you a favor, you idiot." Kure shrugged casually.
"I'm letting Class B use the cave as their camp, which technically makes it your temporary base as well. If you want to roll your name later, Mashima-sensei will have to come to the cave for roll call. Once in the morning, once in the evening. That means you'll be running back and forth twice a day. You sure you want that?"
Yahiko's expression stiffened. "…That can't be true."
Desperately, he turned toward Tomonari Mashima, their homeroom teacher, hoping for denial. But Mashima gave a silent nod, confirming Kure's words.
"That's correct. I only came here out of concern for you, Totsuka. But according to the rules, roll call must happen at the designated camp. Once you all settle down, I'll return to the cave."
"How… how can this be…" Yahiko muttered, stunned.
A heavy silence filled the air. Then, a hand shakily rose from the crowd.
"I… I want to quit the Katsuragi faction."
The voice belonged to a thin, frail-looking boy, his pale face drenched in sweat. He seemed on the verge of collapse.
"You bastard!" Yahiko burst out angrily.
Before he could continue, Kure Ragna cut in with a smirk.
"A wise decision. To be honest, most of your Katsuragi faction looks like a group of weaklings. If you keep running back and forth every day just to eat and sleep, you'll burn out fast. Trust me, some of you won't last long."
His words were like a whisper from the devil himself.
"That's… actually true," the boy hesitated before reaffirming his stance.
As if breaking a dam, a few more hands shot up.
But the majority hesitated, clearly tempted yet unwilling to betray their faction so soon. It was evident—loyalists like Yahiko Totsuka were rare.
"Alright, that's enough for now. Seven spots for today." Kure clapped his hands together, signaling the end of the shift.
"For the rest of you—don't stress. I'll be asking every day, so whenever you're ready to come to your senses, I'll be here." He grinned. "Now, shall we head back, Sakayanagi faction?"
With that, he led the defectors back to the cave, casually briefing Masayoshi Hashimoto about the situation.
---
Moments Before
After seizing Class A's base camp, Kure Ragna stretched lazily.
Then, his gaze flickered to a nearby tree.
"…You weren't even trying to hide it this time, huh?" His tone was light, but his eyes carried a sharp glint. "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."
Ayanokoji stepped out from behind the tree, shrugging nonchalantly.
"There was no point in hiding anymore."
The two stood face to face, silence stretching between them like an invisible tension.
Kure crossed his arms. "I hope you have a good reason for showing up."
Ayanokoji's voice remained calm. "I just wanted to contribute to the class. Is that good enough?"
The air hung heavy between them.
After a pause, Kure let out a chuckle laced with sarcasm.
"Contribution? You, of all people? The guy who never lifts a finger for his so-called friends?" He tilted his head. "Ike, Yamauchi, even Sudo—you've known them for a while, yet you never really helped them when they were struggling. And now, suddenly, you want to contribute?"
Ayanokoji remained unfazed. "You can't judge people solely by their past actions."
Kure studied him for a moment before letting out a sigh.
"…Are you saying you're changing?"
Ayanokoji didn't answer. He simply met Kure's gaze, his expression unreadable.
Seeing his silence, Kure smirked. "Guilt? Or something else? You've been unusually proactive in this exam. Though your actions were flawless, you slipped up by revealing yourself here. I take it that was intentional?"
"Maybe," Ayanokoji said calmly.
Kure stared at him for a beat longer, then clapped a hand on his shoulder with just enough force to test him. Ayanokoji barely moved, but his eyes flickered slightly in surprise.
"Fine. Now, let's talk about why you're really here."
Ayanokoji explained his reasoning and asked Kure to take the key card instead, preferring to stay under the radar while still making a meaningful contribution.
Kure wasn't fully convinced but took the card anyway, already forming a plan for the Katsuragi faction.
After exchanging a few more words, they parted ways, each carrying thoughts they didn't voice aloud.
---
Back at the Camp
After spending half the day outside, Kure Ragna finally returned to his class's stronghold, stomach growling.
As he stepped into the camp, his eyes caught a few noticeable details.
The four tents Yukinoshita Haruno mentioned earlier were now set up, along with a portable toilet. Some pots and pans were scattered around.
But the most eye-catching sight?
A massive pile of empty disposable food boxes, stacked carelessly in the center of the camp.
His heart sank.
"…Don't tell me they already had lunch?"
The camp was quiet, with most people either resting in their tents or out enjoying themselves.
Just as he was processing the situation, the zipper of one tent opened, revealing a flash of light brown hair.
Kushida Kikyo stepped out, spotting Kure immediately. A warm smile lit up her face as she jogged toward him, holding a neatly sealed boxed lunch.
"Kure Ragna-kun, you're back! Here, this is for you."
Kure accepted it, glancing at the pile of discarded food boxes again. "Didn't think I'd have any left."
Kushida laughed lightly, matching his pace. "You almost didn't. Yamauchi tried to take your share, but I stopped him in time."
Kure clicked his tongue. "That guy eats like a pig. Doesn't he know lunch boxes are distributed based on headcount?"
"Haha… well, you know how he is," Kushida said awkwardly.
Kure shook his head and dug into his food.
After a few bites, Kushida tilted her head. "By the way, Kure Ragna-kun, what were you doing all morning? You were gone for quite a while."
Kure paused, then smirked.
"What I did, huh…"
He thought back to his morning, replaying the chaos, the negotiations, and the tension-filled encounter with Ayanokoji.
Then, taking another bite of his meal, he began to explain.
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