It's been three days since the island exam. Ayanokoji is seemingly faking contemplation while gazing at the sea through his window when Hirata, one of his cabinmates, approaches him and suggests that he should spend more time with others. Kiyo simply replies that he has no one to spend time with. Hirata then points out that he has Sudou and Horikita. Internally,
Kiyo remarks that he might be friends with them, but he's more like a low-level friend to both.Hirata follows up by saying that it's a good opportunity to make friends and apologizes, adding that it might not be his place to say such things to him.Hirata invites Ayanokoji to meet up with Karuizawa-san and the others at 12:30 for lunch, to which Ayanokoji questions who the others are and declines the offer.Hirata assures Ayanokoji that he can trust him.
Ayanokoji shakes his head and replies that he can spare ten minutes for lunch. Although he suggests that it would be better for Hirata to leave him alone, Hirata insists that he wants to have lunch with Ayanokoji, enjoys his company, and considers it a rare opportunity.
Normally, a guy would do anything to get the chance to eat a meal with a girl. Typical male thinking. However, Hirata seemed able to prioritize eating with another guy without hesitation. It was enough to give me doubts. Perhaps he swung “that way.” Hirata was an effortless multitasker, but he never did anything without reason. “I’d feel bad if Karuizawa blamed you later, though.”
Hirata avoids the question by saying that Karuizawa isn't that kind of girl. However, Ayanokoji knows that she can be straightforward with others, hold grudges, and act nice in front of Hirata.
- Hirata and Kei's relationship is weird, considering that they don't address each other by their first names in Volume 1 or afterward.
- During the island exam, Ayanokoji profiled Hirata and inferred that something in his past had made him a staunch pacifist.
- Despite Hirata's claims, Ayanokoji has reason to believe that Hirata doesn't trust him 100%.
- Hirata would do anything to prevent conflict. He prioritizes peace at any cost, even if it means hiding things and taking the stress upon himself.
That's why Ayanokoji notes that Hirata likely has an ulterior motive.
Hirata opened the door, as if to guide me, while I relaxed in bed. Hirata was being his usual concerned self, but taking me out when I wasn’t really that enthusiastic was odd. It seemed kind of forceful for Hirata, especially since he could normally read any situation well. He likely had some kind of ulterior motive.
Ayanokoji also asks Hirata about the island drama involving Class D, particularly the Karuizawa case, after Hirata thanks him for helping during the island exam. This further raises questions about Hirata and Kei's relationship from Ayanokoji's perspective.Hirata takes Ayanokoji out for lunch and explains that he wants to become friends with Horikita for the sake of Class D's unity.
Since Ayanokoji is supposedly friends with Horikita, Hirata thinks it would be nice if he could help them become friends before they establish a working relationship for the class.Ayanokoji replies that he and Horikita aren't that close and that, even with his help, it ultimately depends on Horikita herself, as she isn't the type to make friends easily
.After hearing this, Hirata politely apologizes for making the lunch about himself. They begin eating, but Kei and a group of girls surround Hirata and pull him away. Ayanokoji escapes the gathering while Hirata is occupied with the girls.also there katsruragi profiling and ryueen profiling from previous exam which connects to this exam .
A map of the ship was on a nearby signboard, and it was pretty easy to understand. The fact that the map had been placed in a gilded frame might've been overkill, but it also made it seem like something you'd find on a luxury liner. I drew a route that'd let me kill a bunch of free time and immediately hopped onto the elevator. I got off on the second deck.The ship had nine decks in total, plus a roof. The fifth deck was above ground, while the fourth was below. The first deck housed both the lounge and banquet area, while the rooftop had the pool, café, and other facilities. The third and fourth decks were for guest rooms. The guys were on the third deck; the girls were on the fourth.The ship also had various kinds of entertainment options, such as movies and a live theater venue. These were everywhere, from the first underground level up to the third underground level. On the fourth underground level—the lowest level at the bottom of the ship—was some kind of switchboard breaker room.
That particular level was irrelevant to the students.The lounge was open twenty-four hours a day. We were free to go there no matter how late it was, but a notice from the school urged us to refrain from going there as much as possible. As I walked through the second-level area, I noticed that the atmosphere felt quite different. The rooms were vacant, and I couldn't tell what they were used for. So few students were in the hallways that it appeared deserted.
During his walk, Ayanokoji meets Sakura, and Kushida later joins them because she's in the same area. Sakura tells Kushida that it's her first time properly meeting her, despite having seen her interacting with some girls earlier. Kushida replies that they were girls from Class C.Ayanokoji already knows from Volumes 1 and 2 that Kushida makes an effort to befriend everyone, including students from other classes.During their conversation, a message arrives on their phones, instructing them to meet in their individually assigned rooms at a designated time for the next special exam.
This probably wasn’t going to be a paper test or physical fitness examination, or something you’d see at a regular school—much like the survival test on the island. However, nothing in the message implied what awaited us. Were we supposed to be able to read into something, or should we just be prepared for anything? I didn’t know.
More than anything else, certain points in the message weighed on me. They wanted us to gather in the room at 18:00, but we only had about twenty minutes to get ready and head over, which was an extremely short amount of time. Plus, it seemed like it had been decided rather quickly. Also, why was the designated meeting spot one of the ship’s private rooms? That couldn’t make a good exam room by any standard.
Ayanokoji messages Horikita to ask whether she received the same message. She confirms that she did, and they briefly discuss the strange circumstances surrounding the exam before ending their conversation.
RULES:
Kiyotaka arrives at the designated location, where he finds his classmates Karuizawa, Yukimura, and Sotomura, along with Class A teacher Mashima. Once everyone has settled down, Mashima explains the rules.
In this special test, all the first-year students will be divided into twelve groups based on the signs of the Zodiac. Everyone will participate within their respective group. The purpose of this examination is to test your thinking.
Mashima further explains that the exam focuses on thinking, decision-making, and teamwork. Unlike the previous exam, this one will test the following abilities:
- The ability to thoroughly process information, which is an essential component of the test.
- The ability to analyze the current situation and clarify the task at hand.
- The ability to solve the problem after clarifying the process and identifying the task.
- The ability to utilize imagination and create new values.
Mashima informs them that they belong to the Rabbit Group and provides a list of its members.
CLASS A: Takemoto Shigeru, Machida Kouji, Morishige Takurou
CLASS B: Ichinose Honami, Hamaguchi Tetsuya, Beppu Ryouta
CLASS C: Ibuki Mio, Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, Yamashita Saki
CLASS D: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Karuizawa Kei, Sotomura Hideo, Yukimura Teruhiko
and explains the rules
The VIP Exam Rules
A VIP will be assigned to each group. By submitting answers to the school through a designated method, students can trigger one of four possible outcomes.
- At 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the test, every student will simultaneously receive a message identifying the person selected as the VIP in their group.
- The test begins tomorrow and ends at 9:00 p.m. on the fourth day. Students are completely free to do as they wish on the first day.
- The group must gather twice at predetermined times.
- The school will accept answers only between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the final night. During that period, each group must submit an answer identifying who they believe the VIP is.
- Each individual may submit an answer only once, but the first answer received from any member of the group will determine the group's result.
- Answers must be sent to the email address provided to each group, using mobile devices.
- The twelve VIPs cannot submit answers.
- Students may submit answers only for the groups to which they are assigned.
- Test results will be sent to all students by email at 11:00 p.m. on the final day.
The Four Possible Outcomes
Outcome #1: Everyone identifies the VIP correctly.Everyone in the group receives 1 million private points.
Outcome #2: The group fails to submit the correct answer, or another group's VIP submits an incorrect answer.
The VIP receives 500,000 private points.
These are the so-called traitor rules, as Ayanokōji refers to them. However, we won't focus on the reasoning behind these outcomes here.
Outcome #3: Someone other than the VIP submits the correct answer before 9:30 p.m. on the final day.
That student's class gains 50 class points, and the student who submitted the correct answer receives 500,000 private points. Meanwhile, the VIP's class loses 50 class points as a penalty.
The group's testing period ends immediately. However, if the person submitting the correct answer belongs to the VIP's class, the answer is not counted, and the test continues.
Outcome #4: Someone other than the VIP submits an incorrect answer before 9:30 p.m. on the final day.
That student's class loses 50 class points. The VIP receives 500,000 private points, and the VIP's class gains 50 class points.The group's testing period ends immediately. However, if the person submitting the incorrect answer belongs to the VIP's class, the answer is not counted, and the test continues.
The possible scenarios can be summarized as follows:
- The VIP reveals their identity to the entire group, and everyone clears the exam.
- Someone else submits an answer at the end but incorrectly identifies the VIP. The group wins.
- A traitor successfully identifies the VIP.
- A traitor is misled about the VIP's identity.
Mashima remarks that the exam resembles a game of Werewolf.
Anonymity and Punishments
The school will take anonymity into account during the test. At the end, only the outcomes for each group and the increase or decrease in class points will be announced. In other words, the school will not reveal the identities of the VIPs or the students who submitted answers.Students may also have temporary IDs assigned to them, allowing them to transfer their points to those IDs.
They can even divide the points among multiple recipients. If a student keeps quiet, there should be no fear of their identity being discovered after the test. Of course, those who have no reason to hide their identities may receive their points openly.Mashima also explains that certain actions are prohibited, including stealing another student's cellphone, using threats to obtain information about the VIP, and using someone else's cellphone without permission to submit answers.The maximum punishment for such violations is expulsion. Furthermore, if any suspicious activity is discovered, the school will conduct a thorough investigation to determine whether anyone has broken the rules.
Now his SQ showcasing
1.
After the rules are explained, Ayanokoji meets up with Hirata, and the two search for Horikita.They find her with Katsuragi, the leader of Class A, Ryuen, the leader of Class C, and Kushida.
Hirata becomes concerned about the situation, but Ayanokoji leaves him to handle Class D's coordination while arranging a meeting with Horikita somewhere they can talk without attracting suspicion.During their meeting, Horikita and Ayanokoji exchange information about their respective groups.
CLASS A: Katsuragi Kouhei, Nishikawa Ryouko, Matoba Shinji, Yano Koharu
CLASS B: Andou Saya, Kanzaki Ryuuji, Tsube Hitomi
CLASS C: Oda Takumi, Suzuki Hidetoshi, Sonoda Masashi, Ryuuen Kakeru
CLASS D: Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, Horikita Suzune
Ayanokoji mentally comments that the other classes' representatives seem relatively strong in terms of ability. He also notes that, based on ability, Ichinose should have been in Class B's group rather than Kanzaki.
"I see. This really seems like an inevitable grouping," I muttered.
"But something feels unnatural," I added. I didn't really know many students, but it was somewhat unnatural for Ichinose to be in Rabbit and not Dragon.
He further observes that Horikita's group contains several capable individuals and that Ryuen and Horikita are incompatible personalities who are bound to clash.
Ayanokoji informs Horikita that he hasn't been selected as the VIP and points out that the VIPs in the different groups have probably already begun devising strategies. He also suggests that Ryuen might be a threat during this exam.
2.
During their conversation, Ryuen approaches them and questions Horikita about several things, including the VIP system and the previous special exam—specifically, how Class D managed to pull off its result and whether the rumors were true.Ryuen also pays attention to Ayanokoji, remarking that he is considerably smart despite not having accomplished anything particularly noteworthy so far.Ayanokoji suspects that Ryuen has gathered information about him through his grades.
Maybe he'd spent time measuring my academic abilities, physical abilities, and even communication skills. Grades were objective and reliable. You couldn't deceive others with that information.
Ayanokoji also recognizes that Ryuen is the type of person who listens primarily to himself.
He refused to accept even the slightest hint of advice from others. He didn't appear to want to confirm anything during this encounter, only to chat with Horikita and pass the time amusing himself.
Considering how suspicious it is for Ryuen to show up in that particular area at that particular time, Ayanokoji concludes that someone in Class D must have leaked information about the class's abilities.
"I think we were being spied on. Him suddenly meeting up with us is too convenient," I said.
He rules out Ibuki as the spy and realizes that Ryuen has already begun implementing a strategy. He also recognizes that Ryuen's encounter with Horikita may have been a deliberate attempt to provoke a reaction.
"A mistake," I muttered.
He'd seemingly meant to say that there was someone smart here, someone just like him, but that was a little easy. Our encounter may have given Ryuen an even bigger hint than I'd imagined. Was I just being overly concerned about the test?
Horikita reassures Ryuen that Ayanokoji is merely an unremarkable student and that there is nothing worth worrying about.(this is also a throwback)However, Ayanokoji notes that Ibuki belongs to his group, meaning that Ryuen has a potential source of information about their group through her.
3.
During the first meeting of the Rabbit Group, Ayanokoji integrates socially without much difficulty while observing the dynamics within his group and the interactions between its members. The most noteworthy detail is the interaction between Karuizawa and Ibuki, as Karuizawa doesn't seem to have any problem with Ibuki being there despite Ibuki having stolen from them during the island exam.Ichinose naturally takes the lead when everyone is hesitant to speak.
She encourages everyone to communicate and aims for Outcome #1, in which the entire group correctly identifies the VIP and everyone receives 1 million private points. However, some members oppose this idea. Ayanokoji joins the conversation and encourages Sotomura to support the goal of achieving Outcome #1.A Class A student proposes a strategy of remaining silent and avoiding conversations with the other members.
Machida takes the lead in presenting Class A's position within the Rabbit Group. Hamaguchi, a Class B student, opposes this idea but eventually backs down from his position.Ichinose then speaks against Machida's proposal. Ayanokoji observes Class A's strategy and how Ichinose begins dismantling its defensive wall.
Apparently, Class A's policy had already been decided. But I didn't think that Machida himself held the power. I sensed someone else behind Machida, pulling the strings.
Ayanokoji already suspects that Katsuragi is the one directing the strategy from behind the scenes.
Machida's fake altruism didn't fool anyone. He was talking about a Class A strategy. Something extremely simple.
What's noteworthy here is that Ayanokoji immediately recognizes the simplicity of Class A's strategy despite never having participated in this kind of social game before.Machida opposes Ichinose's proposal, explaining that it is Katsuragi's strategy. He also challenges Hamaguchi's arguments concerning the distribution of points.Ayanokoji notices a problem with Hamaguchi's argument against Machida.
However, his argument wasn't really going to work for Class A. After all, we were dealing with Katsuragi, who must have realized the test's "trick." Otherwise, he wouldn't have suggested this strategy.
The trick lies in the potential outcomes of the VIP exam, particularly Outcomes #2 and #4, which can allow a VIP to benefit while affecting the points of other classes.
Katsuragi proposed that the VIPs had been distributed fairly amongst the groups. His plan was to let the test pass calmly so that all classes would receive the same number of points. However, Hamaguchi wasn't done.
Ichinose seemed receptive to Katsuragi's strategy. Machida looked as if he'd expected her agreement, but Ichinose wasn't done.
Katsuragi's plan was to play defensively, almost like he was putting up barriers. In order to pull off his strategy, he'd need the cooperation of everyone in the group, a difficult proposition. However, it really was a simple plan that anyone could pull off. All it required us to do was not talk. You could say that this strategy was a way to break the test.
Ayanokoji recognizes that Class A is essentially building a defensive wall around itself. By refusing to communicate, its students can make it significantly more difficult for others to identify their VIPs.After a prolonged back-and-forth discussion, most members of the Rabbit Group begin to agree with Class A's proposal to stop discussing the exam and go their separate ways.
It seemed like the trust Ichinose's class had in her was unshakeable. The other two students from Class B nodded in agreement.
"Thank you. Lastly, we have one more person to ask." Ichinose turned to me. "What do you think, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"I mean, the strategy's fine. Besides, I think most people here agree, and I've never been good at talking," I answered.
I promoted accepting the strategy. However, I doubted that Ichinose would just accept Katsuragi's plan so easily. No, if she just gave up and went with the flow, Class B would be headed toward a dark end. Katsuragi's strategy was hiding something.
Ichinose then opposes Class A's strategy, pointing out that they have no idea whether another special exam will follow this one. Any difference in class points resulting from this exam could have long-term consequences, making it dangerous to surrender potential opportunities to earn points.
Machida, representing Class A, maintains that his class will follow its strategy and isolate itself from the rest of the group.
Ayanokoji's Thoughts After the debate
Katsuragi's proposal had surprised me, but Ichinose and Hamaguchi's arguments made it seem like nothing more than a flustered attempt at a bluff—something they'd come up with on the spur of the moment. Ichinose's understanding of Class A allowed her to turn things around with just a few words. The students who had once agreed with Class A's plan were now mostly either neutral or aligned with Ichinose. Classes C and D were now more likely to follow her. It was like a duel between Class B, led by Ichinose, and Class A, led by Machida. Right now, the tide was turning in favor of Class B.
As a demonstration of their separation, the three Class A students stood and went to the corner of the room. It looked like they planned to spend the rest of the time doing what they wanted. I was betting that the other Class A students in other groups were probably doing the same thing. Katsuragi's strategy was the ultimate defensive move: something that would keep all of Class A behind a gate. If a VIP happened to be in Class A, it would be exceptionally difficult to find him or her.
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to read rest overview ; check this doc. this is due the fact i was apparently hitting 40k characters limit on this small over view analysis
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VERDICT:
This volume shows Ayanokoji’s baseline SQ, which is evident from the fact that the only person who figured out Ayanokoji’s scheme in the end was Class B’s leader, Ichinose, a social leader who leads her class without conflicts. She was sent by chae-sensei to spy on Ayanokoji because of her perceptiveness and awareness of her social surroundings. However, Ayanokoji avoids being exposed and even helps Ichinose, while also maintaining cooperation between Class B and Class D, showing his ability to navigate social dynamics beyond his own class, all while remaining hidden.
This is further evident from how he resolves the Class C vs. Class D conflict in the Rabbit Group (Karuizawa) and the Class A vs. Class D conflict in the Dragon Group (Katsuragi). (“I promoted accepting the strategy. However, I doubted that Ichinose would just accept Katsuragi's plan so easily.”)
Meanwhile, he avoids being exposed by Ichinose, Ryuen, and Ibuki, figures out Kushida’s betrayal and Katsuragi’s strategy, navigates the social game and its power dynamics, helps Hirata and Horikita, cracks the Zodiac pattern, and achieves Outcome #4 (the best option), all while maintaining concealment and not letting anyone know what he is doing.
This also ties into the X strategy, Class D’s development, and the development of Horikita and Hirata. If this really was Ayanokoji’s first Werewolf-style social deduction game, then he is genuinely impressive at both macro- and micro-level social deduction.
If he knew the code, why didn’t he betray every class?
To be honest, Ayanokoji was aware of his own limitations during this test.
"...No matter how much I schemed, it would be extremely tough to lead the Class D students from all the remaining groups to victory. You could even say it was impossible.
If the students came together, we could do something. Otherwise, we were beyond help. We had no connection. You couldn’t interfere with another group’s answers using your own phone. There wasn’t enough time to find another method, and the risk was high. If I had some information that could decisively turn everything around, that would be another matter. The ringleaders were Hirata and Kushida. If I could use them…
'It’s impossible,' I muttered. There were three days left. Even if I did manage to gain their cooperation, I still didn’t have enough eyes and ears. I needed to understand what was going on in each group’s discussions. Of course, I might still be able to use Horikita and Sakura, but…
Well. Right now, I needed to get more eyes and ears on my side."
Simply put, he had to stay hidden. I mean, he had literally two spies operating in this volume while developing Class D, preventing Ryuen from uncovering the mastermind, and strengthening cooperation between Class B and Class D. He didn't need to prevent Class A from losing points, since it would help him in the long run to have Class A weaken and make Ryuen look worse to the other classes.
Plus, he made a mistake. Due to his small social circle, Kushida was able to counter him, which is one of the reasons Ryuen was able to keep finding them. This shows that, despite Ayanokoji's strong analytical abilities, his limited information network created a weakness that someone like Kushida, who had extensive social connections, could exploit.
"Interesting thing was that, despite how recently our group had formed, we’d already developed our own unique hierarchy, including power dynamics. The loners were loners, and the popular kids were popular. The organizers were organizers. However, not everything was business as usual. For example, if there were two organizers in the same place, one would take charge, and the other would be dropped. It was like a microcosm of the jungle, survival of the fittest."
Basically, the story establishes the relationships within the class and in the rabbit . in the class D Ayanokoji and Sakura are loners, Hirata and Horikita are organizers, while Kushida and Karuizawa are popular. These represent different positions in the class hierarchy, with each having a different form of influence. Hirata can bring people together, Horikita can organize them, Kushida has extensive social connections but is against class D goals overall however Karuizawa holds influence among the popular girls and can adapt to difficult social situation when needed
Ayanokoji, meanwhile, is a loner in terms of social roles, yet he can influence all three groups through the people who occupy those positions. This is evident when he organizes a meeting with Hirata, Karuizawa, Horikita, and Sudo to discuss the exam results, while Ryuen approaches them again. This contrasts with the beginning of the volume, where Ayanokoji had a smaller social circle and didn't facilitate interactions between others. By the end of the volume, he demonstrates his ability to influence all three groups while maintaining his loner image.
This is further reinforced by this simple dialogue:
"I had a Joker, a pair of twos, and three other cards. Considering the hand I’d been dealt, I could’ve seemingly overwhelmed the others, but the winner isn’t always the one with the strongest hand. The smallest upset could weaken your hand, and then you’d be defeated."
This takes place during their Daifugo card game, where the Joker acts as a wildcard and has the highest rank in the stated ranking:
3 < 4 < 5 < 6 < 7 < 8 < 9 < 10 < J < Q < K < A < 2 < Joker
The storytelling basically suggests that Ayanokoji has a hand capable of overwhelming his opponents, but he's thinking long-term. Having the strongest cards doesn't automatically guarantee victory, since the smallest mistake can weaken your position and allow your opponent to take advantage.
This parallels Ayanokoji's situation in the exam. He understands the code and possesses a strategic advantage, but using it carelessly could expose his identity or damage the relationships he's building. That's why he focuses on developing Class D and preventing Class C from attacking it in the future instead of simply maximizing his immediate gains.
If we take the symbolism further:
- Joker/wildcard — Ayanokoji
- Pair of twos — Karuizawa and Chabashira
- Three different cards — Hirata, Kushida, and Horikita
This could look like a stretch, but it's not entirely unreasonable. The Joker represents Ayanokoji's versatility, since he can adapt to different situations and operate outside the established social hierarchy. He doesn't need to occupy a conventional role because he can influence the people who do.
The pair of twos could represent Karuizawa and Chabashira as two individuals who serve different purposes in his broader strategy.
The three different cards could represent Hirata, Kushida, and Horikita, who each possess different forms of social influence.
After the card game, Ayanokoji and Ichinose go to the Dragon Group, where this dialogue matches the possible symbolism of the three different cards, IMO:
"Horikita, Hirata, and Kushida were all star players. Ten minutes passed until, finally, the door opened. The first person to exit the room was Ichinose’s target, Katsuragi. Other Class A students trailed behind him. Katsuragi immediately noticed Ichinose."
The reference to Horikita, Hirata, and Kushida as star players reinforces their importance within the class's social structure.
There was also Old Maid, where players try to form and discard pairs while avoiding being left with the single unmatched card. Judging by the storytelling, Kushida could represent that unmatched card, as she didn't form any pair and was the betrayer in this exam.
Feat list
- Excellent SI display in social deduction, similar to Werewolf, despite supposedly never having played such a game before. This volume showcases his thinking, decision-making, and teamwork at both macro and micro levels.
- Achieving Outcome #4 (the best option for the VIP class and VIP), strengthening Class D's unity, and improving overall cooperation between Class B and Class D.
- Avoiding spy efforts while figuring out the strategies of two opposing teams, including Kushida's betrayal and Katsuragi's strategy.
- Tying into the X strategy, profiling Hirata and Karuizawa, obtaining a card in Class C against Ryuen, and concealing his identity as the mastermind without letting anyone know what he was doing.
TL;DR — Ayanokoji is really good at navigating social settings, and judging by how he performed in this social deduction game(which never played before ), he's pretty good at that as well in social deduction games in ability wiseAlright, done with this post, which will be ply called analysis slop by many. Now, two scd posts are left, and after that, imma reading Court of Cont Carlo.
