Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V3: Chapter 3 - Lying Monsters

Akabane Karma POV

Around midnight I woke up and slowly made my way out of our camp, making sure to not wake up anyone. Of course, she was the only one who noticed me and followed me.

I decided to let her be for the moment. Earlier I had been forced to explain part of my plan to the other leaders, but they promised not to tell anyone else. So, the rest of our classmates would remain in the dark about it. The less people knew about it the better. That was a point I had to make clear to both Ichinose and Matsuo, it wasn't about trust, it was about giving the information to those who need it and no one else.

I made my way up the mountain of the island to a point I had marked earlier when searching for spots. We had evidently found the hut and the tower and claimed them, but after that we searched some more to see if there were more spots. We found several places that looked like spots but there was no visible mechanism, so we left it at that for the day and returned to the camp to make sure to not be late for roll call. Of course, I marked some of them subtly to made sure to return later and recognise them easily.

My stalker was still following me, but I didn't call out to her. I wanted to test something first.

Arriving at one of those places, I saw the person I was going to meet. We hadn't talk in any way nor send any message to each other, but since our interests collide, I was sure she would find at least one of my marks and wait to meet me.

I stood next to her.

She was leaning on a tree looking at the landscape. From this elevation you could see a part of the island, the ocean and the night sky clearly. The sky was even more stunning than yesterday, it made sense though, the light pollution here was almost none. On the horizon you could even see the cruise ship, there were some lights coming out of it but it was mostly on the dark.

Looking at the gigantic ship hidden in the dark I remembered those Lovecraftian legends I read in that place. The sleeping monster whose awakening would annihilate you.

"Let's hope our monster stays sleepy..." I muttered to the night remembering yesterday's conversation in that bench.

I thought my words got lost in the wind, but Nao turned to me asking me if I said something.

"Nothing important, just thinking out loud."

She nodded and turned once again towards the landscape.

"How long will she stay there?" She asked.

So, the test failed huh? Well, there's no us for her to stay hidden now.

"You can come out Shinobu," I spoke to her.

Behind us, Shinobu revealed herself and joined us. Her everlasting smile on her face, she didn't seem perturbed by the fact that she was discovered. In fact, it even looked like she expected it. Normally I wouldn't be able to pick these subtle nuances in her face but after the night where she almost stabbed me, I find it more and more easy to read her.

"This is an interesting meeting you're having," she broke the ice first.

"It was expected, our interests converge," I told her with a smile, hers didn't waver.

That always impressed me. Even though she hated me she was able to talk to me as if I was her best friend.

"What do you need Karma?" Nao asked.

"Oh, you won't try to negotiate?" I inquired my smile transforming into a smirk.

"What's there to negotiate? You need goods and I'm willing to give you 270 points worth of goods. No strings attached."