"Senpaku, I am Sakamoto. What brings you here?"

The fact that Ayanokouji withdrew from the exam early, leading to a change in leadership, made him realize that he might have underestimated this seemingly ordinary student in Class D.

He focused too much attention on the dazzling Sakamoto himself, which almost caused him to capsize in the gutter.

However, Dragon Garden is Dragon Garden after all.

"Forget it, you were lucky last time. But this exam is different."

He glanced around at the "elites" from various classes gathered in the corridor.

"No matter how good Sakamoto is, he can't possibly take care of all the groups at the same time."

His gaze eventually returned to Ayanokouji.

"I will win."

Ayanokouji sensed Ryuen's gaze, but he didn't respond, simply standing there expressionless.

He did indeed take advantage of the information gap and attention blind spot in Longyuan during the test on the deserted island.

It now appears that Longyuan has raised its level of vigilance towards him. But this doesn't change anything.

After all, Longyuan was not in the same group as him in this group exam.

The main battleground remains within the "Rabbit Group," specifically in potential clashes with Sakamoto.

Just as the atmosphere in the corridor became somewhat tense due to Long Yuan's appearance, a clear female voice broke in.

"Huh? Hirata-san? And even Ayanoji-san is here?"

Kikyo Kushida walked over from the corner of the corridor with an innocent yet surprised expression on her face.

"What's wrong with all of you gathered here?"

Her gaze swept over Katsuragi, Horikita, Kanzaki, Ryuen, and the others present.

He perfectly conveyed the astonishment of "encountering an important person".

"Could it be that you, Kushida-san, are also in the 8:40 group?"

Hirata Yosuke asked gently.

"Hmm? Group? I don't really understand."

Kushida tilted his head, looking confused.

"The letter just said I should come here at this time... I feel like there are some really powerful people gathered here."

As she spoke, she bowed slightly to the people present, displaying a humble demeanor that perfectly showcased her impeccable social skills.

Needless to say, Kikyo Kushida is one of the members of the "8:40" group.

Ayanokoji and Horikita Suzune exchanged a glance.

They were all aware of the other side of Kushida hidden beneath her sweet exterior, and the possible secret connection between her and Ryuen.

Her arrival added an element of uncertainty and danger to this already complex group.

However, the unexpected episode was not over yet.

Just as Kushida finished speaking, a figure appeared in everyone's sight in an extremely abrupt yet incredibly natural way.

They didn't come from the end of the corridor, nor did they come out of a room.

Instead, it was as if they had always been standing there, only that no one had noticed them before.

Sakamoto stood tall and straight at the boundary between shadow and light on one side of the corridor, pushing up his glasses so that the lenses reflected the light from the overhead lamp.

His appearance came without warning, without even a sound of footsteps, as if he had solidified in the air.

This bizarre entrance stunned everyone present, even Long Yuan's cold smile froze for a moment.

Sensing the attention focused on him, Sakamoto spoke in his characteristically calm tone:

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry to have disturbed you all."

"I just wanted to take a look at the composition of the 'Dragon Group'. I didn't expect to come across this."

Upon seeing Sakamoto, Katsuragi immediately stepped forward and asked in a low voice:

"Sakamoto-kun, regarding this exam, should our Class A adopt a unified strategy? For example, in certain situations, should we prioritize protecting the interests of classmates who are 'favored'?"

This is undoubtedly a crucial strategic decision.

Sakamoto looked at Katsuragi, and it seemed as if he could see even further through him.

He gently pushed up his glasses and replied:

"Katsura, the choice of strategy depends on your assessment of the situation and your inner principles."

"Just follow your heart."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces of the people in the corridor, before finally saying:

"I wish you all the best in your upcoming exams and hope you all achieve great results."

After speaking, he bowed slightly to everyone again, then turned around and calmly disappeared into the shadows at the other end of the corridor.

They came suddenly and left gracefully.

A group of people with different thoughts were left in the corridor.

First Grade Summer Vacation: Chapter 119: Sakamoto of the Rabbit Group

The designated discussion room was spacious and bright, with a round table in the center that could accommodate more than a dozen people.

The members of the Rabbit Group had already taken their seats according to some kind of invisible class boundary.

Sakamoto, Machida, and Takemoto from Class A sat upright on one side.

Mio Ibuki, Shiho Manabe, and others from Class B sat at one end, their eyes filled with aloofness and wariness.

Opposite him was Ichinose Honami from Class C, with her usual gentle smile on her face.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, Megumi Karuizawa, Hideo Sotomura, and Teruhiko Yukimura from Class D sat at the other end.

Karuizawa seemed a little uncomfortable, while Yukimura tried his best to remain calm.

The air seemed to freeze.

No one spoke; only the faint sound of the waves outside the window could be heard.

Their gazes met silently in the air, probing each other before quickly looking away.

This suffocating silence lasted for almost a minute.

In the end, it was Ichinose Honami, who was sitting at the top of Class B, who took a light breath and broke the deadlock.

She gently placed her hands together on the table, a smile blooming on her face, her voice soft and clear:

"Alright, everyone, look over here! Sitting here like this isn't going to work. Let's start with introductions, shall we? After all, the school's instructions also suggest that we get to know each other better."

Koji Machida from Class A responded almost immediately, straightening his back and speaking in a loud, rigid voice:

"Class A, Koji Machida. Nice to meet you."

Ichinose immediately gave him an approving look:

"Thank you, Machida-kun! You're very energetic!"

Immediately afterwards, Shigeru Takemoto, who was sitting next to Machida, followed suit:

"Class A, Takemoto Shigeru."

order,

Naturally, it was the turn of the person sitting in the center of the three from Class A, the one with a very strong presence.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's gaze fell on Sakamoto.

Ichinose took the initiative to lead the conversation, which was within his expectations.

Given her personality, she would never let the atmosphere remain so cold.

As for Sakamoto... he's definitely not the type to rush to take control of the game's tempo from the start.

He's more like a player waiting for the perfect moment.

However, the other two students in Class A responded so cooperatively, almost like obeying orders, which seemed a bit unusual.

Did Sakamoto give prior instructions?

Or does Class A inherently possess such a high degree of discipline?

Perfect timing, it's Sakamoto's turn.

Ayanokouji wanted to see how things would turn out in situations requiring self-introductions.

How will this legendary figure perform?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Sakamoto moved.

The way he got up was not like most people who would use their hands to support themselves or lean forward.

Instead, it was as if the entire body was being steadily lifted upwards by an invisible force, like the translation of a precision machine.

He pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the halo of the overhead light, obscuring his eyes.

He could only utter four words in a flat, emotionless tone:

"My name is Sakamoto."

There are no classes, no superfluous words, not even "please give me your guidance".

Then, in the instant everyone was stunned, he sat back down in the chair with a steady descent as if he had overcome gravity, the whole process being eerily quiet.

A subtle silence fell over the room once again.

Ichinose blinked, reacting first:

"As expected of Sakamoto-san! Even her self-introduction is so unique!"

With Sakamoto's highly impactful "demonstration," the subsequent self-introductions went much more smoothly.

After the introductions were completed, the atmosphere in the room seemed to ease a little.

At least that tense, absolute silence was broken.

Ichinose seized the opportunity, clasping her hands together again to draw everyone's attention back:

"Alright, everyone has gotten to know each other. Now, let's discuss our strategy for this exam. What are your thoughts on our group's goals?"

She looked around, her gaze sincere.

Her response was, as always, silence from most people.

The three students from Class A, in particular, seemed to be in a meditative state, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Ayanokoji observed Sakamoto discreetly.

How will Ichinose, the key figure of Class A, react under the "cooperation framework" she leads?

Is it tacit approval, or will intervention occur at some point?

Seeing no one respond, Ichinose was not discouraged and offered her own suggestion, her voice filled with encouraging power:

“I think we should aim for ‘Outcome 1,’ which means everyone except the privileged individuals and their classmates gets the answer right. This way, most members of our group can earn individual points, achieving a win-win situation.”

"Isn't that a matter of course?"

Karuizawa Kei blurted it out almost without thinking.

She has a natural affinity for schemes that "benefit everyone."

However, the three members of Class A, including Sakamoto, remained silent.

Ayanokouji's attention was more focused on Class A, especially on Sakamoto himself.

Their indifference to the cooperative strategies advocated by other classes is itself a question worth examining.

Is he confident in his plans, or does he have ulterior motives?

Just then, a voice carrying a clear provocative tone rang out.

Manabe Shiho from Class C.

She tilted her head, a disdainful sneer on her face: