The location of April's special exam is a deserted island. This island, just by observing it, is massively vast.

However, something gave me the certainty that this island was indeed vast. Upon arriving on this island, a mini bag was allocated next to my sleeping position.

This is no coincidence. The last recollection I have while entering the helicopter was seeing a staff member, who was wearing a mask. I already knew that this would imply that as soon as I would enter the helicopter that I would be exposing myself to some sort of substance.

Sleeping gas, in other words, an incapacitating agent. That would explain how I suddenly started to feel dizzy.

"It's not surprising. However, this means that they went out of their way to hide something. No one is at sight. On my left, sand. On my right, even more sand. On my front, a vast ocean. On my back, a profound jungle. The tip of an inactive volcano remains at the top of this island."

Feeling hot, I took all my clothes off and went for a swim.

The water was extremely cold, contrasting the horrendous hellish atmosphere.

I took a swim further and further. I had lost my feet a few minutes ago, however, this was ultimately for one purpose.

"...Huge. The jungle ahead is nothing more than a mere illusion. The volcano itself; only a small tip could be seen from back there, at the beach's bay, however, from here, it's noticeably tall as it towers everything below it."

There was still yet one more purpose. No, that's not true... It's not just one.

"What are the odds?"

Diving inside the water once more, instead of creating distance on the surface, I allowed myself to adventure the profundity of the ocean, as the previously blue-colored view of the ocean's depth turned into pitched dark-blue momentarily.

Growing darker and darker, the unknown encounters that could ultimately become true became true to me.

Nonetheless, once I was able to glance at a dark silver-blue colored oceanic creature venturing the profundities of this ocean's depth, I became slightly alerted regarding its existence.

The curvature of its teeth and the abnormally large jaw that extends just so the voluptuous teeth could fit inside its mouth.

One of the common tactics that this creature usually has in order to attract its prey is to utilize the low visibility and impenetrable darkness that slowly yet surely becomes undoubtedly permanent in the depths of this ocean.

By utilizing this, any creature would become the ultimate predator as its blinking shocking light held close to its jaw provides a useful luring method, also known as baiting.

All in all, I had to keep my distance from it. The Pacific viperfish isn't necessarily aggressive, however, should the target in its sight become rapidly active with its movements, then it will alert the Pacific viperfish.

With that in mind, I retreated slowly from the depths and returned to a more stable surface, almost close to the beach's bay.

Afar, my clothes and the mini-bag were still visible.

Furthermore, no one was still around. Consequently, I was the second person to be called after Kuzan did.

Seeking out Kuzan can be done at any time via exploring, however, what's more important is finding out where this place is.

That's why I just went to the depth of this ocean. Simply by learning about the creatures' habitat; that itself already tells me a lot.

"The Pacific viperfish's usual habitat is either around the Gulf of Maine or the Pacific Ocean around Australia..."

As I took another quick swim and then reached the surface a few seconds later, another thought came forth.

"Those two places are far too different from each other. Supposedly, we left our school, which is ultimately located in Japan when it was 7 am. Yet, the sun is still up. Checking my phone's hours would automatically tell me what I need to know yet I don't even need to. If this was located near the Gulf of Maine, which is located in North America's East Coast, it would most likely be dusk or night by now. However, here, it's not. The afternoon sun, oblique to the semi-low sun that was evident when I left the school, can be witnessed."

There's also the fact that even if it's a helicopter, the time of travel would ultimately come as huge.

"Gulf of Maine. East Coast... Around 14 hours...? No, it's through a helicopter. It's bound to be faster. Therefore, 11 to 12 hours."

The course would have to be the obvious one. Leave Japan, cross the Pacific Ocean, enter the West Coast, go through the entirety of the USA, and then, when on the East Coast, drop us in a deserted island lying somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.

It's dumb to even consider the other way around, such as doing the opposite course.

There's no way that the course would allow us to arrive here at another time which isn't during the night.

It would also make the most sense for us to already start the exam as soon as possible.

"As I thought... what actually makes the most sense is that we are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It would be a blunder to assume that this is a Pacific island... They are habituated. Unless this is actually habituated, I refuse to believe that it is one. Certainly, the probability of this island being deserted is high."

It can't be the Gulf of Maine.

Now, assuming that the current location that I am in is somewhere near Australia...

No...

It doesn't necessarily have to be near Australia. Maybe near New-Zealand? No, that's near Australia...

"...Further evidence needs to be confirmed..."

Thus, once again, I went for a swim, going far into the depths.

This time, however, I went in diagonal direction instead of going fully ahead.

There, without being noticed, creatures started to unravel one after another.

Hammerhead shark. Eyes that are fixated and allocated on the sides of its signature hammer-like head.

Nevertheless, this didn't tell me much. Hammerhead sharks are abundant throughout the Pacific Ocean.

Of course, this was enough to tell me something valuable. Hammerhead sharks love to indulge themselves in adventures in tropical areas.

Though, quickly, this realization became useless as it came with a lack of weight in terms of information.

Hammerhead sharks don't belong to the Pacific Ocean only. They can be found throughout the entirety of other oceans too.

Wanting to speak yet unable to, I had this specific loud thought in my brain...

"Spotting out unusual creatures who live in specific zones of the Pacific ocean would be for the best of interests."

Strictly speaking, analyzing creatures that live in abundance will not tell me much.

However, should I come across creatures that only live in particular parts of the ocean... West, North, East, South... 

That would be important. Those little differences will be able to tell me where this location is. 

Because, even if this is a deserted island, it is somewhere on this planet. But, I need more evidence.

Therefore, I started to swim all the way to the east and as I went far deeper, I would occasionally glance at the translucent color that the sunlight would emit and ultimately allow the water's surface to reflect.

Small fishes would come and go, far too afraid of the large creatures that dwelled deep within.

By contrast, my lack of fear enabled me to spot a Dugong.

This obtuse creature had its semi-closed eyes on my radar for quite a while yet I simply stood there. 

From time to time, as my inability to stay underwater became more and more apparent, returning to the top of the surface was almost like routine, something that I wouldn't be able to escape from.

Though, even after that set of consequential actions, the Dugong stood in the same place, midst the small eels that would pass through its voluminous body; only to further unleash their movements within the free ocean's water.

"You're smiling like a damn buffoon..."

Provided that it's deep waters, unless you have experience on how to perceive sea creatures and on how not to accidentally provoke them, it's a peril to do the action of allowing your hand to venture the wet skin of a Dugong like this.

Yet it's refreshing to see a scenario like this.

So this is what it feels like. The ocean is so peaceful and harmonic yet at the sight of harmful creatures that dispel this heavenly transparent atmosphere, havoc is written on the minds of these kind creatures.

Bloodcurdling caution quickly made the Dugong flee from a drowning calamity that this insatiable holocaustic creature otherwise going by the name of Killer Whale.

To these creatures near the black coral; who love the jet-black stern chitin skeletons, nothing else could come as dreadful except this deadly juggernaut.

Naturally, my time here, in this specific area, dominated by the insidious meltdown left me with no option but to go to my window's exit; the surface.

There, I felt my hair strands teetering around from the melancholic left all the way to the symbolic left. Reaching out to its end, a fast movement made by my own two hands opened my eyesight, as I yet again went to a safer surface.

Floating on the water, I spoke to the nothingness that lived forever in this thin air.

"The Killer Whale is seemingly the typical resident of the Pacific Ocean. Nothing too interesting nor informative can come from analyzing something like a Killer Whale. It's already evident that this is the Pacific Ocean. What I was important to decipher is which part and..."

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Conquering crucial information is always a condemnable thrill. 

In this case, the only important piece of information is the Dugong.

"Their habitat is within the shores of the west side of the Pacific Ocean. Yet, West-south or West North? Or simply West? The time gaps would ultimately be small, however, they are important to evaluate."

Supposedly, if this island is within the West-South of the Pacific Ocean, then that would make the most sense.

To the end of concluding the possible time gap between the departure in arrival, a line needs to be drawn.

If this was truly located on the West North, then the sun would be far more up. Almost at the limit of midday. Yet that's not the case. The sun is clearly far more titled, beginning to show a lack of power. It desires a rest nonetheless it is still not showing.

A description of the already set afternoon. 

"...Furthermore, this is a summer environment. Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin..."

Which one would be the best for this hypothetical evaluation?

"...40 celsius might not seem like much now because without my clothes on and being submerged on this watery surface calms every sensation of heat and empowers me with a feeling of calm."

Respectively, Fahrenheit... It would be around 104 degrees. Kelvin-wise, undoubtedly 313.15 degrees. 

"It can't be North. It doesn't add up. The temperature cannot reach this level of heat yet. Therefore... Only West and South remain. This location is either near Australia or near Indonesia. Perhaps far more to the east. North to Australia. A linear way from Japan to here..."

Habitats.

Temperature. 

With a swift sip of the salty water, my lips turned into a canon as the water that was fired from the inside meaninglessly erased itself from the high plane and descended far down to my body in a heartbeat.

"On a more important note, this could all be meaningless too. Just like how I consumed that water, in my mouth, I took it for a round or two in my teeth and fired up in the air. In order to meet its end, it had to go all the way to the top, only to drop."

Until the end of the month, was it? This special exam is only a scapegoat. Trying to conceal the real purpose of the exam even though it was briefly mentioned.

To give an illustration, swimming around in the endless bottom of this ocean, the further you go, the darker it gets.

The whole picture can be described as something as simple as that yet I don't concretely believe it's that simple.

"It happened while I was advertising my focus on my own tasks, already self-established. This so-called suspect is already on the loose and he or she knows this."

Which leaves the wider picture available for a transient sight.

A sight that was manufactured by wicked side effects already orchestrated from within the shadows.

"Playing a double mystery like that. Really now? A deserted island that only has a blue horizon to offer? The way out is the main mystery. That itself already is obvious. Naturally, with exploration throughout this island, clues might be all over the place. Or not. It could just be a deserted island to the core. If so, what's the way out?"

The common thought here would be: 'There's no way out; therefore make your own exit.'.

Expectations are a railway without an end. An infinite train track.

"It's sub-par. It's not irrelevant but the essence of this special exam is exactly like conducting a laboratory experiment for the most part. To observe. It wouldn't make any sense to create this exam in the first place. With this in mind, the bait is already self-evident."

A walk in the jungle will make you completely exposed, for the record, or so I would assume.

Observation methods such as hidden cameras or other external existences have to be taken into consideration.

Getting out of this island is essential for survival, however, this is primal manipulation. This exam's essence is so manipulative that the subjects that take the exam will naturally allow their minds to contract a state of mind that will make them vulnerable to this feeble manipulation.

Nevertheless, this is practically far too illogical. Would an exam like this even be admissible in the first place?

"Probably not."

There has to be some sort of fair drawback. But, with methods that could serve as a way to conceal that drawback, it wouldn't be strange if they were flat out unnoticeable.

"Yulia's suicide took place when I was absent. My absence was taken into account, most likely. Either that or it's a coincidence."

If the suspect is caught quickly, then it was nothing more than a coincidence.

However, if not, then it was all planned. Yet I'm not taking my absence only into account.

There are far more relevant factors to take into account.

"....?"

My thought process was fastly shattered like a bubble poked by a stick as soon as I saw a helicopter flying from the west.

Without wasting any time, I drifted away to the west area by swimming once again.

Crossing the far ocean, at a large distance, multiple new avenues to the jungle started to become more visible as their entrances each differed slightly. 

Noticeably, there was a rock cliff that I had to climb before I could continue to swim onto the location that the helicopter had allocated itself.

Alas, one last thought of certification remained attached to the back of my mind. 

Becoming visible to these unknown yet to be seen people would be fatal.

Therefore, I lowly swam, and eventually, with a vast number of meters between the location that the helicopter was currently in, I held my head low as I watched the scenery from afar.

"Two black-suited men are carrying out a body from the helicopter..."

...

After putting down the body, one of them went to the inside of the helicopter and simply threw a bag at the body's side, and ultimately, once both inside, the helicopter rose to full height and took off.

As soon as the helicopter took its own height to the point of towering me, I took a deep dive into the ocean yet again and went back to the rock cliff.

There, I hid my entirety while still enabling my vision to catch a glimpse of the helicopter that was entering a state of disappearance as it became less and less visible.

"It would be extremely inconvenient if they somehow were using binoculars and spotted me while on their way out."

Making my own actions public or exposing myself unnecessarily is out of the question, which is why I did what I just did.

To put it in another way, it was also a movement out of perseverance. 

Thus, I went back to the area and this time, I approached the beach's end instead of remaining attached to the oceanic waves.

"..."

Without making a sound, I firmly decided to cast a sharp glance at the body that was comfortably lying amidst the light yellow sand, bathing in the afternoon sun, which was not far from turning dusk.

However, I went a little bit further. I did consider the fact that there could be someone spying on me yet after watching my surroundings, examining both my left side and right side, carefully glancing upon the looming jungle up ahead, no traces could be found.

Nevertheless, I didn't fully trust this and so, evaluating the perimeter was something that became far too essential at that moment.

"...No one around."

Done checking the jungle's entrance, the top of the trees and the places that someone could vastly use to conceal their presences such as bushes, treetops, I concluded that there was no one else around, except me, and the person, who I labeled as just a body a while ago.

Sound asleep, with nothing in the world possibly disturbing him, he could not notice my presence at the moment.

Yet what I came here for was far more important this person's existence.

"A real shame, Kan, but I'll be taking your bag. Good luck without it."

Taking his mini-bag in a silent manner, I went back to my original location, where my clothes were still intact, along with my mini-bag.

"...This is inconvenient. I'm all wet from being underwater and putting up my uniform is... Well, it's hot as hell anyway, so it's a bother to walk with my uniform on."

Although I said that, I put on my uniform's pants and bent its edges to my knees so it would be less uncomfortable that way.

In order to avoid the tremendous blazing heat unfairly creating heat hazes, taking a nice and fresh warm seat under the palm tree that rightfully illuminated my grand dark silhouette was far too optimal of a choice to escape from, ultimately.

"...4:17 pm..."

With a swift check on my phone's screen, time became knowledge effortlessly.

As I placed my phone on my right side, underneath the sand, my right hand reached out to my mini-bag that I still had yet to scrutinize.

"Map, compass, and a phone..."

Perhaps the most intriguing part was the phone.

The map was self-evident yet I didn't exactly think that I would get the privilege to have a map.

A compass to indicate where I currently am and for the record, it appears to be South-West.

Why the phone though?

That question was quickly answered as it had a small paper note behind it.

"... 'Use this in case of emergency.'...."

It's bait, no doubt.

I know for a fact because once I turned the phone on, it only had one remote to it, which was to deal a call to a certain number.

"In other words, there is a way out of this island already. Simply call this number and you are out, most likely. Of course, only a fool would do that."

Because this would one-hundred percent mean that by dealing this call to the number, you would be out of the program.

He did say that anyone was free to give up on this exam. 

Cheeky bastard, offering a way out only to lead into the worst outcome ever.

Out of anger, I almost crushed the phone with my bare right hand yet its usages were still like a diamond in the rough, waiting to be discovered.

"..Hm?"

Just when I was about to move onto Kan's bag, I found something in the end of my bag.

Something that piqued my interest right away.

"What is this? Some sort of joke?"

A small box that had a black color, lying on the end of my bag, inside it, contained a wrapped letter in it.

That letter simply contained a single word midst its endless blank space.

"Words? Words. Words, huh?"

....

Out of curiosity, I immediately took ahold of Kan's bag forcefully and inspected the inside of it.

"Exactly the same. However, what does it say?"

I needed to make sure that I wasn't the only one that got this message.

There is no way that this message, that was so carefully wrapped in an envelope would simply be here for no reason.

Undoubtedly, it's crucial.

"...Way? Way. Way...?"

No use in trying to understand what I can't understand yet.

The meaning is probably not important yet.

However, what's important to notice is how it's different from mine.

It looks like the effort paid off. 

"Words and way. A wordplay? No, that doesn't matter. This already confirms something. Each of us has a message that's different from each other completely."

This is most likely related to the drawback. This is the way that that damn teacher used to conceal the drawback.

Nevertheless, this is also a bait, regardless. Every single one of these movements that are purposely drawn out of me is steeming my curiosity accordingly.

As of now, I simply want to venture into the island's entirety and discover the remaining messages so I can see if there is a connection that can be formed.

No. 

There's no way that a connection can't be formed. This would be nonsensical otherwise. There has to be a connection and that connection is ultimately linked to a very important part of this special exam.

"Though, something else that's already evident is that we clearly did not arrive at the same time. Furthermore, our arrival locations are different altogether. This is no coincidence either; it's meant to be."

All things considered, it was about time I took some action, and thus, I put a stop to my reflection.

Subsequently, I reached my phone and attempted to call Kuzan.

"No net whatsoever. Impossible to make calls. Also, this is an island. My phone's battery is bound to die eventually. It's a good thing I brought some things with me in my own bag and not the one that was given to me. But seriously, an island, a deserted one, out of all things? This is bound to be fun. I was getting tired of being in the same classroom every single day!"

But, the situation already favors me.

Under my own possession, those messages, in a way, already belong to me, in a sense.

Although... 

"Not all of them. And besides, will the gathering of them be as easy as I expect them to be?"

It's frankly far too easy to get conceited and arrogant about this and even if this feeling of supremacy dares to get the best of me as it always did, unless it obeys logic and reasoning, I refuse to bend my will entirely to its grace.

"Time to search for Kuzan. He undoubtedly reached here before I did, so he already is somewhere around this island."

What would Kuzan do in this situation though?

He's an idiot. A moron. 

He's probably up to nothing productive.

I can already imagine him swinging around the juggle like a true ape and having incomprehensible conversations with other chimpanzees.  

"I'll have to search for him, it seems..."

Placing my mini bag and Kan's mini bag on my own school bag, along with the rest of the uniform pieces I wasn't using, I abandoned the beach and ventured into the jungle.

In comparison with the beach's atmosphere, that upheld no wind whatsoever, the inside of the jungle, covered with a dense colossal forest, had no mercy on me, as the intense hot climate screamed unbearable in all directions.

A common misconception is the inability to distinguish a jungle from a rainforest. This has no rainfall, at all.

Compelling as it would seem, a rainfall would be extremely pleasing, if there was one yet the wild climax here mixed with several lianas begs to differ.

Green lizards at sight and semi-large spiders on their webs, devouring their caught prey, noticeably speaking, in this scenario, the loser mantis.

Furthermore, the shrubs kept on making my movements sluggish and jagged, as my progress steadily increased within.

"...Oh."

Climbing one of the tallest trees in this particular vast hot area, Kuzan became visible to my eyes.

Kuzan did once told me how he loved climbing and thus, based on that, I went forward into the jungle, instead of following the trail on the beach.

In any case, this would also be the way to the volcano, which I figured would be the ultimate way to Kuzan.

Yet from the looks of it, I found it far earlier than expected.

He hasn't noticed my presence either, as I am at the bottom of the gigantic rustic tree that he is phenomenally climbing.

However, the usage of lianas does alert me.

If I was in his position, I would not rely on lianas that much to climb my way to something that high.

But I do understand the purpose, after all. Reaching the peak, the summit of the tree will grant you a great vision of the island and so, I do support that idea.

Ultimately, with all my lung power, I performed a deep inhale and borderline yelled in Kuzan's direction.

"Kuzan!!! How's the ape life going?!"

"Mhm? That voice..."

Our distance is about to 20-30 meters, so, naturally, Kuzan had to stop climbing through a liana in order to look down from that realm above.

"Master?! Is that you?!"

"Yes, you fucking dumbass! Get your ass down here and stop climbing that tree like a damn monkey!"

"Alright, alright! Give me just one seco-------- Ah."

"..."

While trying to descend through the liana, Kuzan accidentally broke the liana as a consequence for applying all of his body weight onto it...