Finally Across the Borders

Day 7 – The Final Day

The beach was silent save for the wind and the waves. Everyone was present, their expressions a spectrum of fatigue, anger, or quiet worry. Their once-pristine jerseys were now stained and wrinkled, like battle-worn armor after a long campaign.

Class A stood stoic but tense. Most students wore expressions bordering on collapse. Katsuragi, however, held his head high, shoulders squared with determination—a sharp contrast to his exhausted peers. Beside him, Ai Morishita twisted a strand of her hair lazily. Her half-lidded eyes gleamed with something unreadable despite her vacant look.

Sienna stood near Ai, one eye constantly flicking to her wristwatch, alert for something only she knew. Hashimoto and the rest of Class A wore the same heavy exhaustion across their faces.

Class B, in contrast, carried a different air entirely. While clearly tired, they spoke among themselves, their voices hushed and reflective. It was clear they valued the time they had spent on the island. Ichinose looked conflicted, her hesitation written all over her face. Kanzaki, however, was stiff with paranoia, his eyes darting, clearly expecting the worst.

Ryuen of Class C exuded composure. His hands were deep in his pockets, his gaze calculating. Albert stood behind him with an air of nobility, posture straight and hands clasped behind his back. Ibuki scowled at the sun, as though blaming it for her irritation, the familiar disdain on her face ever present.

At the front, the teachers gathered. Mashima-sensei stepped forward after a brief discussion with his colleagues. He wore a rare look of amusement. Beside him, Sae Chabashira looked as grim as ever. Chei Hoshinomiya waved energetically to her students but her smile dropped the instant her eyes met Lloyd's. Her cheerful act melted into cold wariness.

"As planned," Mashima-sensei began, his voice firm but relaxed, "the exam and all its trials officially end today. You've each endured hardships, and hopefully found moments of teamwork and growth in between."

Ayanokoji stood quietly behind his classmates, adjusting his stance. Hirata, meanwhile, had his hands full consoling their discouraged group.

"Well, without further delay, we'll be announcing the results of this Special Exam."

Mashima-sensei pulled out a sheet of paper, unfolded it, and read aloud:

"Beginning with last place: Class B, ending with a score of 60 points."

Gasps and murmurs erupted among the students. Ichinose's eyes widened in disbelief, and then she quickly turned to her classmates.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," she said with a weak smile. "I really tried my best but—"

"It's alright, Ichinose," one of her classmates interrupted. "We all gave it our best. What really mattered was spending this time together, right guys?"

"Yeah!" several students agreed in chorus, lifting the spirits of their peers, if only slightly.

"Third place," Mashima continued, "goes to Class D, with a total of 110 points. Second place: Class C, scoring 180 points. And finally…"

He paused.

"Class A, with a perfect score of 300 points."

Class A shared a mix of stunned glances and sighs of relief. Katsuragi exhaled deeply, his rigid posture finally loosening. Ai Morishita murmured something under her breath, too quiet for anyone to hear.

Class D students, while disappointed, shrugged it off. They consoled themselves with the fact they hadn't landed in last place—even with the unexpected dropout of their two leaders.

Class C looked quietly pleased, though Ryuen couldn't hide the slight twitch of frustration at the corner of his mouth. His original plan could have dominated this entire exam—if only it hadn't collapsed midway.

Ayanokoji, meanwhile, was deep in thought. A mental list of potential suspects formed and dissolved in his mind.

Kanzaki… What happened with them? Miscalculation? Or something deeper? His expression doesn't give anything away—it's too genuine. Unless… he's just that good at faking it. No, something doesn't add up. Is someone in his class using him without his knowledge?

Too many missing pieces. His reasoning would remain incomplete with this many blanks in the puzzle.

Lloyd, meanwhile, remained indifferent, unmoving even as Whis and Nero stared daggers into his back. The quiet venom from Sienna's gaze didn't faze him either.

"Well, with that settled," Mashima-sensei concluded, "let's return to the cruise ship."

---

Lloyd's POV

Mashima had announced the results exactly as anticipated. The emotional reactions from each class played out like a script I'd already read. Class B's drop? Predictable. Class A's flawless score? Expected.

But one detail remained uncertain—Ayanokoji.

Had he played his part? Had he caught on to what I handed him? His silence made it hard to tell.

Ryuen too was an unpredictable variable. I couldn't tell if he aligned with my vision yet. But that was why this test existed—to observe, to provoke, to manipulate. How each class leader responded to the information I leaked told me everything I needed to know.

Nero and Whis getting eliminated? Unplanned, but not unwelcome. Just a bonus.

I stood on the ship's deck, wind brushing against my face like a soft whisper. Then, I heard footsteps behind me.

"Lloyd," came a familiar voice. "How's it going?"

I turned to see Kozue—a classmate who had, unfortunately for her, glimpsed parts of who I really was.

"I assume this isn't just a friendly chat, is it, Kozue?"

"You make it sound like I've got something up my sleeve."

"Do you?"

She gave a small laugh, but her eyes narrowed.

"Okay, you got me. I've been wondering… why'd you ask me to do those things during the exam?"

"Like what?"

"Like the note I gave Ayanokoji. Or why you told me to report our class for environmental pollution. That cost us points, didn't it?"

Her voice shifted. No longer playful—now edged with confusion, and a touch of anger.

"You're the reason we ended up at the bottom."

I didn't respond immediately. I just looked down at her, letting the silence grow thick. Something in my stare made her back down. She folded.

"I'm sorry… I just… I know you have a reason."

I turned away, letting my eyes rest on the horizon. The water shimmered under the setting sun.

"I'll explain. But it won't be easy to hear."

She nodded.

"It's personal. It's about my past. I don't talk about it, but... I used to be bullied."

Kozue blinked. "You? Bullied?"

"Surprised?" I replied dryly.

"N-no, I mean… you're just… never mind."

"But it happened. And the people who did it—they're here. In this school."

Kozue's face twisted with discomfort.

"That's... awful."

"What do you think?"

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. I can't. I tried before."

I rolled up my sleeve and showed her a long, thin cut—one I had inflicted during the exam for this very moment.

She gasped, covering her mouth.

"That's—Lloyd, that's serious! You have to report this."

I lowered my gaze, feigning a broken demeanor.

"I can't. If I do, they'll get expelled."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"I don't want to ruin someone's future just because I wasn't strong enough to defend myself. I need to face them… when I'm ready."

She hesitated. "…Okay. If that's what you want."

Yes.

That was all it took.

Lies.

More lies.

And a little more.

That's all it takes to move the board the way I want.