Danganronpa Reimagined Remake: Another Return to the Academy

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/45217060.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Major Character Death
Category: Gen
Fandom: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Dangan Ronpa Series, Dangan
Ronpa Zero
Relationship: Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto, Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo,
Enoshima Junko/Matsuda Yasuke, Asahina Aoi/Ogami Sakura, Kirigiri
Kyoko & Naegi Makoto, Kuwata Leon & Naegi Makoto, Celestia
Ludenberg/Yamada Hifumi, Kuwata Leon/Maizono Sayaka (one-sided),
Fukawa Touko/Togami Byakuya (one-sided)
Character: Naegi Makoto, Maizono Sayaka, Ishimaru Kiyotaka, Asahina Aoi,
Togami Byakuya, Fukawa Touko, Kuwata Leon, Celestia Ludenberg,
Oowada Mondo, Ogami Sakura, Yamada Hifumi, Kirigiri Kyouko,
Monokuma (Dangan Ronpa), Fujisaki Chihiro, Alter Ego (Dangan
Ronpa), Hagakure Yasuhiro, Enoshima Junko
Additional Tags: Murder Mystery, Drama, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence,
Retelling, Spoilers, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Killing Game (Dangan
Ronpa), Tragedy, Killing School Life (Dangan Ronpa), Rewrite, Class
Trials (Dangan Ronpa), Hope vs. Despair, Trauma, Psychological
Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Series: Part 3 of Danganronpa Reimagined
Stats: Published: 2023-02-24 Updated: 2023-08-23 Words: 118,483 Chapters:
15/?

Danganronpa Reimagined Remake: Another Return to the

Academy
by TheAPPstore

Summary

A remake of Danganronpa Reimagined 1.

16 students found themselves trapped in Hope's Peak Academy by the infamous

Monokuma. In order to escape the school, they must commit a murder and get away with it,
or be executed trying. At first, nobody believed that anyone would be willing to kill each
other. Why would they? They are classmates, after all. Then the bodies began to pile on,
and soon everyone realizes that not everyone will make it out of this killing game alive...

The same 16 students make a return in a new version of the first story of the series. With
additional scenarios and altered cases, this story will be a different take of the events of the
story that began the series.
 Prologue Part 1: Another Return to the Ultimate Academy
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

A man finds himself blindfolded and tied to a chair in a classroom. The man's arms are wrapped
around the back of the chair and tied together at the wrists, while his legs are tied together at his
ankles. The man struggled to free himself from the chair, but no matter how hard he tried, he was
unable to move.

Across from the man, there is a black and white teddy bear who is sitting down. Despite appearing
to be a toy, the bear is sentient and able to move. The bear watches as the man struggled, taking
joy in the man's fruitless attempts. Then, the bear pulls out a device and slams down the button.

Suddenly, a rocket appears behind the man. The doors close down on the man as if it's an iron
maiden, pulling him inside the rocket. The man screamed in terror as he became trapped inside the
rocket. The rocket then began to lift off, plowing through the roof of the classroom.

The rocket soared through the sky at high speed. It was launched so far up that the stars are
becoming visible. After a while, the rocket reached the peak of its launch before plummeting back
down towards the surface. As the rocket fell, its engines boosted it even faster, generating an
intense amount of reentry heat that cooked the interior of the rocket. At this point, the man was
already dead, presumably from the intense g-force and the reentry heat. But if those things didn't
kill him, then the crash down into the surface certainly would.

The bear watched as the rocket crashed back into the classroom it had launched from, this time
upside-down. The rocket then opens up, revealing that the man trapped inside had turned into
nothing more than a charred, unrecognizable corpse. The bear could only laugh manically as he
saw that his execution had worked. Now, it's time to take that concept and apply it to other
people...

The massive high school towers over the surrounding buildings, even in this urban area. It stands
out among the rest of the buildings, having a grandiose appearance in contrast to the boring office
buildings. It would be considered out of place in most cities if it weren't for one thing: this school
isn't just any ordinary school. This school is Hope's Peak Academy.

Hope's Peak Academy is widely considered to be the most prestigious school in all of Japan,
maybe even the entire world. The school was founded many years ago in order to raise hope for the
future of Japan, and soon the entire world. The building of hope is what led to the school's name.
For decades since its foundation, the school has produced hundreds of highly talented students who
would go on to have highly successful lives. In fact, many science and political leaders were once
students of Hope's Peak Academy. For this reason, it is often said that graduating from this school
would guarantee success later in life. Hope's Peak Academy has lived up to this reputation time and
time again.

Unlike most schools, Hope's Peak Academy has an unusual way of recruiting new students. No
ordinary student could even enroll into the school. For starters, in order to qualify to enter the
school, one must already be attending high school. This makes Hope's Peak Academy a two year
school for most students. Secondly, one must also be the very best in any field. It doesn't matter
what field the school excels at, be it sports or arts or hobbies or careers. As long as they are
considered to be the best, they are qualified. When these students enter the school, they gain an
Ultimate Title that describes what they are the best at. Lastly, one does not simply submit an
application to enter the school. The school must scout the student out first and then invite them into
the school.

For years, Hope's Peak Academy has operated this way, scouting highly talented students to invite
them into school, and then build them up to enter the work force. It used to work this way for most
of its existence, until something happened that would change the school forever. In recent years,
the school has been hosting lotteries once a year to invite one ordinary student into the school. The
winners of these lottery became known as the Ultimate Lucky Student, as they were admitted into
the school through sheer luck alone. It doesn't matter if these students have any talents or are the
best at a certain field. They simply gain this title should they win the lottery.

This change sparked many debates over whether or not luck can be considered a measurable skill.
Supporters of the decision claimed that luck is a measurable skill, and that many of the school's
students have talents which cannot be measured. Also, they said that many of the students can
attribute most of their success to them being lucky. Opponents say otherwise, claiming that luck
simply cannot be measured at all. Plus, they say that admitting these ordinary students who lack
any talent would be an insult to those who worked long and hard to gain their talent, as well as
insulting those who weren't so lucky.

Regardless of one's opinion on the topic, there is one thing about this change that everyone can
agree on. The lottery has made Hope's Peak Academy seem more accessible to most students.
Previously, students need to be considered the very best at a certain field, an impossibility for most
students. With this change, everyone has an equal chance of being invited into the school,
regardless of their social status. No longer would they have to fight in a potentially highly
competitive field just to have a chance of getting into Hope's Peak Academy. No longer will these
students be forced to find niche talents to try to get into the school. Now, they must simply be
lucky enough to win the lottery to enter the school. And if they don't win the lottery? Well, these
students can rest easy knowing that they didn't choose to participate in it. They had nothing to lose
by not being the winner, so there's no reason to be upset.

Standing before the massive school is the most recent winner of the lottery. The student is a young,
short boy with spiky, light brown hair and olive green eyes. The most prominent feature of his hair
is a large spike sticking out the top. He is wearing his old school's uniform over his forest green
hoodie, as well as a pair of red shorts. The boy's name is Makoto Naegi.

Makoto was born into an ordinary Japanese family. He had largely considered himself to have no
notable traits, aside from his above average sense of optimism and honesty. He's average at
everything he does in school, aside from sports which he is terrible at. His favorite things are
what's considered popular at the time. For example, ask Makoto on who his favorite idol is, and he
would reply Sayaka Maizono. Coincidentally, she happens to be invited into Hope's Peak Academy
as the Ultimate Idol.

When Makoto got the news that he had won Hope's Peak Academy's lottery, he initially declined
the offer to join the school. Even though most people his age dreamed of getting into school,
Makoto didn't feel the same way. He felt like the prestigious school was just too good for an
ordinary guy like him. He would rather stick with the high school he's already attending. But his
family disagreed with him. His parents want him, their eldest son, to live a successful life. The
prospects of getting a highly successful life upon graduating the school was just too good to pass
up. Plus, his sister, Komaru, is a huge fan of Sayaka Maizono and wanted her brother to spend time
with her favorite idol up close and personal. Makoto tried to protest against his family's wishes, but
they won out in the end, and soon Makoto found himself on the campus of Hope's Peak Academy.
 Before entering Hope's Peak Academy, Makoto looked up on who his classmates will be. There is,
of course, Sayaka Maizono, who he is surprised to see in his new class. Then there's the Ultimate
Baseball Player; pro teams have their eyes him for years ever since he first played the sport.
There's also the Ultimate Fashionista, who has made appearances on the cover of countless fashion
magazines. Then there's the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader and the Ultimate Yakuza...

Yeah, when Hope's Peak Academy says that they will accept any talent, they really mean it. Some
of the talents Makoto found on the forums are...unusual. The Ultimate Fan Creator? Really? The
school just invited someone who creates many fan works? This school is...as unusual as some of
the talents they accept.

Still, Makoto can't help but feel overwhelmed looking at the list of students in his class. He is an
ordinary student about to be surrounded by a class full of highly talented students, after all. He
doubted that any of them would be as ordinary as him. He felt like a little house cat who had
wandered into a pride of lions, or a little puppy who had wandered into a pack of wolves. It's easy
to develop an inferiority complex in this situation. Despite the discomfort in being surrounded by
these talented students, Makoto had hope that things will turn out well for him in the end.

With a deep breath, Makoto took his first steps into Hope's Peak Academy. He thought that even
though this is a prestigious school, his time there would go like any other high school. But when he
entered the entrance hall, something unusual began to happen. The world around him began to
warp, and he began to feel dizzy. Try as he might, he just couldn't regain his footing after that
moment. Soon, Makoto blacked out and collapsed, and nothing would be the same from that point
onward.

Chapter End Notes

So, you guys have noticed that I decided to remake Reimagined 1. My reasoning for
this decision is that I felt like there are some things that I could've done better in the
original version. My memory isn't perfect, but I'm pretty sure that there were a few
strange writing decisions that I made that I think I probably shouldn't have done.
Additionally, reading other killing game stories gave me some ideas that I wished I
could've implemented in the original version. As such, I have decided to remake
Reimagined 1 with this in mind. Also, I enjoy writing the cast of THH.

Now, I'm going to give you guys a spoiler warning: the list of survivors will remain
unchanged between the original and the remake versions. While this may defuse any
semblance of tension whenever the survivors are in danger, it will mean that either the
original version or the remake version can be taken as the canon version. Any event
that is not consistent between the two versions will not be referenced in any future
entries in the Reimagined series, so there's no need to worry about any continuity
errors.

But while the list of survivors will be the same, the death order won't be. The students
who will die will do so in a different order than in the original version. This means
that most of the cases will be different from the original. I will explain why I killed off
these characters in the way that I did when those characters die. You know what they
say? It's about the journey, not the destination. Even if you know how a story will end,
you can still be curious about what happens in between. In this case, its the
anticipation that keeps the reader/viewer invested in the story.
I will be accepting any suggestions for Free-Time events in certain parts. If you have
an idea on which two characters should interact, feel free to leave them down in the
comments.
 Prologue Part 2: Meeting the Students
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 1 - 12:00 AM
Classroom 1-A, First Floor

"Ugh..."

Makoto woke up to find himself resting on a desk. It's nothing unusual to him. He had slept
through a couple of boring lectures in the past. But in this case, something felt unusual to him.

"...Huh? Where...am I?"

Makoto has no idea how he pass out at the entrance hall and then woke up in a classroom. He tried
his best to remember how he got here, but he came up blank.

"What is going on...? I don't understand..."

Makoto decided that it would be best for him if he assessed the situation first. He looked around
the classroom he found himself in. It looked like an ordinary classroom, aside from the metal
plates that are bolted to the windows. At least, he thinks they are covering the windows. The
teacher's desk in unremarkable, too. There's also a television screen at the corner of the classroom.
Weird. He doesn't remember seeing any televisions in any school he had attended in the past.

"Hmm...that's strange..." Makoto concluded. "I thought that since Hope's Peak Academy is said to
be the most prestigious school in the world, the classrooms would be luxurious or something. I
guess not..."

There is one more thing that stands out to Makoto. On the desk in front of him, there is a crudely
written note.

"Huh? What's that?" Makoto asked himself as he reached out to grab the paper. He then read the
message written on it.

"Hey there, new kid!" the note read. "The next semester is starting soon. Meet up at the gym.
Starting today, this school would be your whole world."

Makoto is baffled upon reading the crudely written note. "What the...?" he said. "Is this some sort
of joke? What kind of school would make their orientation guide this way? Hope's Peak Academy,
you're not living up to your prestigious status."

Makoto placed the note back down on the desk. He then stood up from the desk.

"Okay, I don't understand what's happening here," Makoto said. "First I enter the front doors of
Hope's Peak Academy. Then, I pass out for some reason. And then, I found myself in a classroom
with no memory of how I got here. How...? I can't think about this." He then thought about what to
do next. "Okay, so it looks like orientation will begin in the gym, so I should head there next.
There might be other students waiting for me there..."

Makoto then opened the sliding doors of the classroom and ran out into the hallway.
Day 1 - 12:03 PM

Hallway, First Floor

*WHAM*

"Ah!"

Okay, maybe Makoto should have paid attention to what was in front of him before running out of
the classroom. Stupid him. Now he had hurt himself along with whoever he had run into.

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" Makoto apologized as he rubbed his head. "I didn't mean to-" He stopped
himself upon realizing who he had ran into.

The girl Makoto ran into has long, navy blue hair that reaches down to her hips. She wore a white
school girl's uniform with a blue collar and cuffs. A large pink ribbon is tied around her collar. At
her waist, there is a pleated blue skirt with a plaid pattern on it. Going down to the girl's legs, there
is a pair of dark blue socks that reach up to her thighs, as well as a pair of dark brown Mary Jane
shoes.

Makoto could feel his heart race as he recognize who the girl is. Her fair skin, doll-like face, and
that long blue hair...Makoto has seen that look many times before. The girl then opened her eyes,
revealing that they are dark blue as well. This confirms Makoto's thoughts. He knew that he would
meet her in this school, but he didn't expect this meeting to happen so soon.

The blue-haired girl stared at Makoto with a bewildered look on her face. "Huh...?" she asked. Her
voice sounded so soft and cute. "Why are you giving me that look?" She then realized who she had
ran into. "Wait a second...are you...?"

"Uh..." Makoto grunted. He's struggling to find a way to introduce himself to the girl he just met.
"I'm..."

"You're Makoto Naegi, right?" the blue-haired girl asked.

Makoto was surprised to hear the blue-haired girl say his name. "W-What?" he gasped. "H-How
did you know my name?"

Makoto Naegi - Ultimate Lucky Student

The blue-haired girl pondered for a moment to come up with a response. "I'm psychic," she bluntly
said.

Makoto was left confused by the response. He had no idea how to reply back.

The blue-haired girl then smiled giggled. "I'm just kidding," she replied. "I looked up who my
classmates are going to be, and I found your face among them. When I saw your face in person, I
knew that I had to be you, Makoto."

Of course, the list of students in Makoto's new class was available online. It is expected that some
of his classmates have done the same thing as him beforehand.

The blue haired girl then lifted herself up to her feet. She then offered her hand out to Makoto.
"Here, take my hand," she said.

Makoto was struggling to process his feelings. He was about to take the hand of this beautiful and
cute girl. He hesitated to grab the blue-haired girl's hand. The blue-haired girl then reached out to
grab his hand and pull him back up on his feet.

"There you go," the blue-haired girl said. "That's better. So, Makoto, you must recognize me too,
right?"

Makoto stared blankly at the blue-haired girl. "Uh..." he said.

"Come on," the blue-haired girl said, trying to nudge Makoto into saying her name. "I know that
you know my name. Practically everyone knows who I am. Go on. Say my name."

"Ah, right..." Makoto said as he felt his cheeks becoming warmer. "You're...Sayaka Maizono..."

Sayaka smiled upon hearing her name. "Yep, that's right!" she said.

Sayaka Maizono - Ultimate Idol

Ah, the world famous Sayaka Maizono. Many boys Makoto's age would dream to have her as their
girlfriend. Why wouldn't they? She's the top idol in all of Japan as of now. It didn't take much for
Makoto to figure out why. Her beautiful face, her slender looking body, and the way she
moves...it's all so mesmerizing. It helps that the way she is photographed makes her even more
attractive. There's also that pleasant scent of hers that brings her attention.

Makoto knows Sayaka personally. They once attended the same middle school, although he's
pretty sure that they never said a word to each other. He remembered attending Sayaka's concerts
along with his sister Komaru. He once wished that he get to meet her up close and personal. And
now...

Well, this is probably not the time to look back at his history with Sayaka. There's probably things
that need to be prioritized, such as finding out how the heck they got into this school and what's
going on. Still, Makoto can't help but keep his eyes on Sayaka. She's just too beautiful to ignore,
almost as if she's a doll...

"Huh? Did you just call me a doll?" Sayaka asked.

Makoto snapped out of his trance. "Huh?" he said. "Did I...say my thoughts out loud?"

"No," Sayaka replied.

"Then how did-?"

"I'm psychic," Sayaka said bluntly again.

Just like last time, Makoto was left confused for a moment. "Huh...?" he said.

Sayaka smiled and giggled again. "Kidding!" she said. "I just have really good intuition. I had a
feeling you would see me that way."

That girl is sharp, Makoto thought.

Sayaka then thought about something else to talk about. The topic she choose really sounded like
she was reading Makoto's mind. "By the way..." she began to say. "Did you really attend-"

Before Sayaka could finish her question, someone shouted from down the hallway. "Hello? Is
anyone there?"
Makoto and Sayaka jumped upon hearing that voice.

"Ah!" Sayaka yelped. "W-Who said that?"

Makoto turned around towards the source of the voice. He saw another student round the corner to
face him and Sayaka. The student appears to be a boy with short black hair and red eyes. He's
wearing a white uniform with a red band wrapped around his arm. He appears to always have a
serious look on his face.

The serious looking boy turned around and spotted Makoto and Sayaka standing near the
classrooms. "Ah! There you are!" he said as he marched towards them. "I've been looking for you
two!"

"Huh? Who are you?" Makoto asked. "Are you a student here too?"

"I was about to ask you two the same question!" the serious looking boy said. "Are you two
students?"

"Uh...yes..." Sayaka replied.

"Good!" the serious looking student said. "Now, tell me your names!"

"Uh..." Sayaka said, feeling unsure.

"Wait, hold on," Makoto said. "Would you mind if you introduce yourself first? We have no idea
who you are."

The serious looking boy paused for a moment before growing a smile on his face. "Ah, my
apologies," he said. "I have never met you two in person before, so allow my to introduce myself! I
am Kiyotaka Ishimaru! You may call me Taka for short!"

Kiyotaka Ishimaru - Ultimate Hall Monitor

Ah, Kiyotaka Ishimaru. Makoto remembers seeing his name on the forums. Based on his limited
research, Kiyotaka has won top honors at the private school he attended. He is known as a hard
working student with a perfect attendance record and perfect grades. He's basically the Ultimate
Student, if Hope's Peak Academy allows such a title. Kiyotaka is well known for respecting the
rules above all else. He has done great work at enforcing school rules in the hallways, which what
gained him an Ultimate Title.

"Now, with that out of the way, how about you two introduce yourselves?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Ah, right," Sayaka said. "I'm Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Idol."

"And I'm Makoto Naegi," Makoto said, "the Ultimate Lucky Student. At least, for this year..."

Kiyotaka can't help but feel insulted by the way Makoto got into Hope's Peak Academy. "Luck,
you say?" he asked. "You mean to tell me that you got into this school because of luck?"

"Well, all of the winners of that lottery never chose to participate in that," Makoto said. "There's no
reason to complain.

"No reason to complain?!" Kiyotaka said, sounding increasingly angry. "I spent so much time
working hard to get top honors at my old school. I worked so hard to gain my Ultimate Title and a
place at this school! And you just get into this school...because you won at a lottery! That's...that's
so insulting! You being here in an insult to everyone who had to work for their talents! If I were in
control of this school when they made that decision, I would want it to be shut down immediately!
But alas, that's how Hope's Peak Academy operates now. There's no changing it unless I became a
staff member. Which I will be!"

"Um...speaking of staff members," Sayaka said, "where are they?"

This reminded Makoto of something. "Ah, that's right," he said. "I don't remember seeing any
teachers in this school. What's going on? Aren't there supposed to be staff members working at a
school?"

Kiyotaka thought about it for a moment and then sighed. "You're right..." he said. "I have not seen
any staff members anywhere ever since I got here. I looked everywhere and I couldn't find them."

Makoto turned around and saw another hallway that leads to another part of the school. It is
blocked by a gate. Makoto walked up to the gate to try to open it. It's locked. "Maybe that's
because we have a limited area to search in the first place," he suggested. "There might be more to
this school beyond that gate..."

"Well, if that's the case, then some staff members would have come to rescue us by now!"
Kiyotaka shouted. "Anyways, we've wasted enough time with this chatter. We'd better be heading
to the gym. The entrance ceremony will be starting soon!"

"Hold on..." Makoto said. "If there's aren't any staff members in this school, then...who's hosting
the entrance ceremony?"

Kiyotaka blankly stared at Makoto for a moment. "I...don't know," he replied. "But that doesn't
matter. We have to hurry. Now, let's go!"

Makoto and Sayaka immediately started to run down the hallway towards where the gym
presumably is. They were stopped by Kiyotaka shortly after that.

"Hey! No running in the halls!" Kiyotaka said.

Makoto and Sayaka came to a sudden halt, with Makoto falling down on his face.

"Huh? Didn't you tell us to hurry up?" Sayaka asked as she looked behind her.

"I didn't mean for you two to run in the hallway," Kiyotaka said. "I meant for you two to just get to
the gym as soon as possible. Gah, I spent too much time talking. I'm going right now." He then
marched down the hallway back towards the gym.

Sayaka watched as Kiyotaka matched away. She looked down at Makoto and crouched down.
"Hey, are you okay, Makoto?" she asked.

"Ugh..." Makoto groaned in pain.

"That fall must've hurt, didn't it?" Sayaka asked. "Come on. Let me help you get back up." She
grabbed Makoto and lifted him up to his feet.

Makoto stumbled for a moment after Sayaka got him back on his feet. He quickly regained his
footing and glanced at Sayaka. "Thanks," he said.

"You should be more careful," Sayaka said. "If you get hurt, treatment might not come for your
help. We don't even know if there's any doctors in this school."
"I think I'm going to be fine," Makoto replied as he rubbed his nose. "I'm used to having falls like
this. They're nothing to worry about."

Sayaka breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she said. "Now, how about we head to the gym
right now? There might be others waiting for us there."

"Right, let's get going," Makoto replied.

Makoto and Sayaka then followed Kiyotaka towards the gym.

Day 1 - 12:15 PM
Entrance Hall, First Floor

Well, Makoto and Sayaka were about to head to the gym, but they heard some commotion coming
from the entrance hall. They grew curious about what's going on, so they decided to make a quick
stop there to have a look.

The entrance hall is a room with a large metal door at the opposite wall to the hallway door.
Hanging above the metal door is a pair of surveillance cameras with turret guns attached to them.
Off to the side is a metal box and a . It appears that Kiyotaka had heard the commotion as well, as
he's there too. There are three other people who are checking the metal door: a redheaded boy, a
man with a pompadour shaped like corn (if you value your life, don't say that about his hair), and a
blonde girl.

The redheaded boy has light blue eyes. He wears a white jacket, white shirt with a skull design on
it, black jeans, and a pair of platform shoes. He is dressed pretty much like a punk, with a
padlocked chain necklace, piercings, and studded belts. His hair has a lot of spikes clumped
together, and there's a goatee under his chin.

The pompadour man has purple eyes, with deep-ridged eye lines surrounding both of them. He
wears a long, black overcoat with an ornate gold design on it, beneath which is a white tank top
and baggy black pants. His shoes are a pair of white loafers. The pompadour man has a muscular
build to him, empathized by his skintight tank top.

The blonde girl has olive green eyes and wears a striped black suit, a white dress shirt, a black tie,
a black skirt, and a pair of dress shoes. Her cheeks have permanent blush marks on them. There's
something about this girl that spells trouble for some reason.

"There has to be a way to open this damn door," the redheaded boy said as he reached for the
control panel. "What do all these buttons do? Does one of them open this door?"

"Come on..." the pompadour man said as he pounded on the metal door. "Open up already!
Dammit...why won't you budge!" He ended up hurting his fist while pounding on the door. "Shit!
Gah, my fingers..."

"What were you expecting?" the blonde girl asked. "You tried to open a metal door by punching it.
What a small brained move. That's what I expect from a leader of a pathetic bike gang."

"You piece of-!" the pompadour man said as he raised his fist to punch the blonde girl who
insulted him. But he froze his fist before he could land the punch. His arm is shaking, as if he's
struggling to bring himself to punch the blonde girl.

The blonde girl grew a smug grin on her face. "Hah, I knew that you're pathetic," she said. "You
might look strong, but your willpower is actually weak. You couldn't even bring yourself to punch
a girl. Even if you could, you would still be in a lot of trouble. Do you realize who you're trying to
hit?"

The pompadour man tried his best to land his punch on the blonde girl, but he couldn't. "I...I..." he
said.

"Hey!" Kiyotaka shouted. "What are you three doing here?"

The three students who are checking the metal door turn their attention towards Kiyotaka.

"Huh?" the redheaded boy said. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru," Kiyotaka introduced himself. "Now, let's save the introductions for later.
We'd better get to the gym as soon as-" He stopped himself upon noticing that the redheaded boy
isn't paying attention to him. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"

The redheaded boy ignored Kiyotaka and set his eyes on Sayaka. He let out a whistle. "Ooh boy,"
he said. "Look at what we have here." He walked up to Sayaka.

Sayaka doesn't know why, but the redheaded boy brought her some discomfort. "Um...hi?" she
greeted with an awkward smile. "Uh...who are you?"

"Oh, Maizono," the redheaded boy replied. "I've been waiting all year to meet you. Ever since I
learned that you will my classmate, I knew that I had gotten an opportunity to meet you! Name's
Leon Kuwata, by the way. 'Sup?"

Leon Kuwata - Ultimate Baseball Player

Makoto became confused upon hearing that name. "Huh? You're Leon Kuwata?" he asked.

"Yep, that's me," Leon replied. "Why'd you asked."

"That's weird..." Makoto said. "I thought that I had seen a different person with the same name as
you...?"

Leon grew a concerned look on his face. "Wait, you didn't see that photo of me with the shaved
head, did you?" he asked. "Aw man, I hate that photo! Out of all the photos this school had to
choose, why did they choose that photo?! Gah, I hate that look. It's so uncool."

"Why was your head shaved in that photo?" Makoto asked.

"Look, I didn't have a choice, okay?" Leon explained. "They made my shave my head as part of
national tournament regulations or something. I hate those regulations. I'd rather let my hair grow
out and never shave it again."

"Kuwata!" Kiyotaka shouted. "How dare you disrespect the regulations of baseball! These people
who made these rules have a point! It's highly uncomfortable to-"

"Dude! Who cares about the regulations?" Leon asked, rudely interrupting Kiyotaka. "I don't like
playing baseball. I've never been into a single practice."

Kiyotaka was baffled at Leon. "You've never been to a single practice?!" he asked. "How could
you?! Practice is important! You may be the Ultimate Baseball Player, but that doesn't mean that
you don't get to skip out on practicing. You'd better keep your skills sharp, or else someone might
take your place at the top!"
Sayaka grew uncomfortable when Kiyotaka said that.

Leon slapped Kiyotaka away. "Like I said, I don't like playing baseball," he said. "I don't care
about the sport anymore. I'm planning to quit. I have a new dream for my future."

"A new dream...?" Makoto asked. "What dream?"

"I'm planning to get into the world of music!" Leon said with confidence. "That's right, my real
passion is music! I want to become the Ultimate Musician or something. I'm gonna start my own
band and I'll become successful! And it looks like my path to success is right in front of me."

Leon locked his eyes on Sayaka, who just stared at him with a confused look.

"Huh?" Sayaka said as she pointed to herself. "Me?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Leon replied. "It's you, Maizono! You're the Ultimate Idol, right? You must be
so successful, and I want that same success! So please tell me, what's your secret? How did you
become so successful? And, can you teach me how to play music? You must know how to play an
instrument, right?"

Sayaka was unsure if she could help Leon achieve his new dream. "Uh..." she said.

"Don't listen to a word she says, Kuwata," the blonde girl said.

Everyone's attention turned towards the blonde girl.

"Huh? Why not?" Leon asked.

"That blue-haired girl is probably trying to trick you," the blonde girl explained. "She'll use her
charm to lure you into a trap. And then...wham! You're dead!"

"Hey!" Leon shouted angrily. "How's that relevant?! There's no way that a pure, innocent soul like
Sayaka would do such a terrible thing, right?"

The blonde girl grinned and chuckled.

"Hold on," Makoto said. "Who are you? We never got your name."

The blonde girl gave Makoto a smug grin. "Me?" she began. "I'm not someone who should be
trifled with. I'm the heiress to the largest yakuza clan in all of Japan. If you dare mess with me,
then you're going to be in a world of trouble. I'm the one, the only, Natsumi Kuzuryu!"

Natsumi Kuzuryu - Ultimate Yakuza

For some reason, that name didn't ring a bell in Makoto's head. He could've sworn that he had
looked up who his classmates will be beforehand, so why does that name not sound familiar? Oh
well. It's probably not something to worry about too much.

Kiyotaka let out a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, I'm wasting too much time here," he said. "Come on,
everyone! We'd better get to the gym as soon as we can! The entrance ceremony will be starting
soon!"

Natsumi blew a raspberry. "Entrance ceremony?" she asked. "What entrance ceremony? No one
told me that there would be an entrance ceremony!"

"Didn't we receive a note telling us to go to the gym?" Makoto asked.

Leon glanced at Makoto with a puzzled look. "What note?" he asked.

"...Never mind," Makoto said.

Kiyotaka decided that he had enough of this. "You know what?" he said. "I'm taking you two with
me." He grabbed both Leon and Natsumi by the collar and dragged them out of the entrance hall.

"Hey! What the hell?!" Leon shouted. "What are you doing?!"

"Let go of me!" Natsumi shouted as she struggled to free herself. "This is not how you treat a
woman! Hey! Stop it!"

The remaining three students watched as Kiyotaka dragged Leon and Natsumi to the gym.

"Well...that's one way of getting students into the gym..." Sayaka remarked. "I think we should
follow them. Sound good?"

Makoto nodded his head. He and Sayaka were about to follow Kiyotaka when the pompadour man
stopped them.

"Hey, wait a minute," the pompadour man said. "What about me? I didn't get to introduce myself."

"Huh?" Makoto said as he and Sayaka looked behind them. "Oh, right. We almost forgot about
you. Uh, what's your name?"

"Name's Mondo Owada," the pompadour man introduced himself. "Nice to meet ya..."

Mondo Owada - Ultimate Biker Gang Leader

Unlike with Natsumi, Mondo's name rung a bell in Makoto's head. He remembered Mondo from
his research. Mondo is the leader of an infamous biker gang and has earned the respect of every
other biker gang. Based on that alone, Makoto knew that he should be careful around Mondo. One
wrong word and he might find himself eating a knuckle sandwich...

"Well...uh...nice to meet you too..." Makoto replied, being very careful to not make Mondo angry.
"Uh...let's get going. The others are waiting for us at the gym."

Makoto and Sayaka then walked out of the entrance hall, with Mondo following them.

Day 1 - 12:24 PM
Gym, First Floor

Makoto, Sayaka, and Mondo made their way to the gym. On their way there, they passed by a few
more points of interests. The student store is right across from the entrance hall, and there's an A/V
room off to right. Turning left and heading down the hallway, the trio passed by the infirmary,
some restrooms, and a set of stairs. The stairs are blocked by a metal gate, so they can't go that
way yet. They then turned around and entered the athletics hallway. There's a lot to see in the
athletics hallway, but this isn't the time to be checking them out. The doors to the gym are right in
front of them, so they went there next.

The gym is a large room with lines marking the various sports fields that can be played within it.
At the sides of the gym are several rows of seats. At the back wall of the gym, there is a stage. The
gym is mostly empty, having only 16 students occupying it. Most of them are taking to each other.
Immediately upon entering the gym, Makoto, Sayaka, and Mondo can see Kiyotaka, Leon, and
Natsumi in an argument. Leon and Natsumi look like they're not pleased with being forcefully
dragged into the gym.

"What the hell, Ishimaru?" Leon complained. "Do you really have to do that?"

"Hey, I can get to this place all my myself!" Natsumi shouted.

"No, you can't," Kiyotaka said. "You two will probably fool around until the very last second. And
then you two will become late to the entrance ceremony?"

Natsumi blew another raspberry. "Excuse me?" she said. "Since when are we having an entrance
ceremony?"

"It says so right on the note we got!" Kiyotaka said.

"What note?" Leon asked.

The three of them then broke into a fierce argument. It's hard to tell what they're saying since
they're shouting over each other.

"Hmm..." Sayaka said indistinctly. "It looks like not everyone got the note about the entrance
ceremony."

Makoto was surprised to hear that Sayaka figured out what Kiyotaka, Leon, and Natsumi are
saying. "Huh?" he said. "How did you-?"

"I'm psychic," Sayaka said once again.

This is third time Makoto has heard Sayaka pull off that joke. He could get used to this pretty soon.
Mondo, on the other hand, seemed to be confused by this, as he had never heard the joke before.

"...The hell?" Mondo said as he raised an eyebrow.

Sayaka giggled once again. "I'm kidding, of course," she said. "I just have good hearing. My ears
are trained so that even if a crowd of people is shouting at once, I can pick up what one specific
person is saying."

"Uh-huh..." Makoto said. "I see..."

As the argument between Kiyotaka, Leon, and Natsumi continues on, everyone in the gym began
to turn their attention towards them. It was at this point that someone spoke up to break up the
fight, as they're becoming an annoyance.

"Quiet, you three!" someone shouted.

The voice made Kiyotaka, Leon, and Natsumi stop their argument. Everyone's attention then
turned towards the source of the voice.

The student who stopped the argument is a girl with long, lavender hair and purple eyes. A single
braid tied with a black ribbon is hanging off the side of her head. Her outfit consists of a purple
jacket over a white blouse and a brown tie. She also wears a dark purple skirt, a pair studded black
gloves, and a pair of heeled knee-high boots with socks reaching just as high. She has a serious
look on her face, maybe even more serious than Kiyotaka's face.

The lavender-haired girl approached the three students who were arguing. "Listen, you three," she
began. "This isn't the time to be arguing over trivial topics. We have more important things to
discuss."

"I agree with you!" Kiyotaka said. "Alright, everyone! It's time to discuss! We need to-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up," Makoto said.

"Naegi!" Kiyotaka scolded. "Didn't your parents tell you that it's rude to interrupt?"

Makoto paused for moment to let out a sigh. "What I'm trying to say here is that I haven't met
everyone yet," he said. "Can we please hold of the discussions until the introductions are done?"

"And besides, didn't you say that the entrance ceremony could be starting soon?" Sayaka added.
"Why you chatting with the others?"

Kiyotaka hesitated for a moment to try to come up with a response. "I...uh..." he said as he tried to
find the right words. "I was just...trying to find a way to spend the time while waiting for the
entrance ceremony to begin. Sure, that could start at any moment, but that doesn't mean that I
shouldn't do something to pass the time. Right?"

Makoto decided to ignore Kiyotaka and focus his attention on the lavender-haired girl. "Hey,
excuse me for a moment," he began.

The lavender-haired girl looked away from Makoto, almost as if she's ignoring him.

"Uh..." Makoto continued. "Could you please tell us what your name is?"

The lavender-haired girl still didn't say anything.

"We're just curious, is all," Sayaka said. "Would you mind telling us who you are?"

Without looking at Makoto or Sayaka, the lavender-haired girl gave a basic introduction. "My
name is...Kyoko Kirigiri," she said.

Kyoko Kirigiri - Ultimate ???

Just like with Natsumi, Kyoko's name didn't ring a bell in Makoto's head. He doesn't remember
seeing her name when looking up the list of his new classmates.

"So...uh...what are you doing in this school, Kirigiri?" Makoto asked. "Do you have a talent or
something?"

Kyoko gave a puzzled look to Makoto. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Well, you are here because you are considered the best in a certain field," Sayaka said. "Would
you mind telling us what you're the best at?"

Kyoko turned her head towards Sayaka, also giving her a puzzled look. "Why should I tell you?"

"You're not going to say anything, will you?" Kiyotaka asked.

Kyoko let out a huff of air. "I *don't* have to say anything," she said. "So I won't."

Makoto took this as a sign that he shouldn't bother Kyoko anymore. "Let's just move on to another
student," he said. He turned to his side and began to walk away, only to bump into another person.
The collision cause Makoto to stumble backwards.
"Makoto!" Sayaka gasped. She ran towards Makoto to catch him. "Are you alright?"

Makoto groaned as he rubbed his head. "Not again..." he said.

"Oh hey look!" a man said. "A new student! It must be fate that we bumped into each other!"

Everyone turned their attention to the man who spoke. The man has brown hair styled to resemble
a sea urchin. He wears three layers of shirts: a yellow shirt, a white open button shirt, and a green
jacket. The urchin-headed man's arms didn't go through his jacket's sleeves. The urchin-headed
man also wore baggy black pants and a pair of sandals.

Mondo raised an eyebrow upon seeing the urchin-headed man. "Huh? Who the hell are you?" he
asked.

"Name's Yasuhiro Hagakure, Hiro for short!" the urchin-headed man introduced himself. "I'm a
world famous fortune teller! Nice to meet you!"

Yasuhiro Hagakure - Ultimate Clairvoyant

Sayaka was confused when Yasuhiro claimed that he's a world famous fortune teller. "Huh? World
famous?" she said. "I'm a world famous idol. Practically everyone knows who I am. So...why
haven't I heard of you before?"

"Ah, you must be comparing apples to oranges, miss," Yasuhiro replied. "The fortune telling world
is a lot different than the world you came from. Practically everyone in the fortune telling world
knows each other! That's what makes me world famous!"

None of the students bought that.

Yasuhiro then began to see a vision of the future. At least, the students think he's doing that based
on what he said next.

"Ooh, I think I saw something in your future!" Yasuhiro said.

"Huh? My future?" Sayaka asked.

"Hmm...let's see..." Yasuhiro said as he took a glimpse at Sayaka's future. He then cringed.
"Ooh...that looks painful..."

"What?" Sayaka asked. "What is it?"

"Uh...it might be a painful process," Yasuhiro said, "but you're going to bring new life into this
world soon!"

Everyone was stunned into silence for a moment.

"...What?" Sayaka said.

"Wait, wait, wait," Makoto said. "What the heck does that mean?"

Kiyotaka became shocked upon realizing what Yasuhiro meant. "Oh no..." he said.

Makoto turned around towards Kiyotaka. "What is it?" he asked.

"You're not telling me...that Maizono is going to have a baby?!" Kiyotaka said, raising his voice in
the second half. "How could you say that?! She's a teenager! Girls shouldn't be having children this
early on into their life!"

"Hey, I'm just saying that she's going to have baby eventually," Yasuhiro replied. "Oh, and by the
way, I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen to you in the future."

Kiyotaka became shocked by this. "What?!" he shouted.

Yasuhiro then turned his attention towards Makoto. "And...uh...bad news little guy," he said. "It
looks like...you're going to discover an uncomfortable truth about a close friend you made..."

"E-Excuse me?!" Makoto shouted.

Kyoko stepped forward to confront Yasuhiro. "Hold it right there, Hagakure," she said. "What's
with these predictions you're making? Don't these sound ridiculous?"

"Hey, hey, easy there!" Yasuhiro said as he put his arms in front of him. "I'm just making
predictions, alright. They're right 30% of time, every time!"

Kyoko gave Yasuhiro a puzzled look. "That doesn't make sense," she said.

"If that's the case, then I really hope that the thing about Maizono having a baby doesn't come
true..." Kiyotaka said.

"Well I sure hope that it's true that Maizono is about to have a baby!" Leon said excitedly, drawing
disapproving attention from the others. "By the way, who's going to be the father of Maizono's
baby? I hope that's it me."

"Hey!" Kiyotaka shouted. "What part of 'not letting teenagers have children' did you not
understand?!"

"My brother would never approve of this!" Natsumi said. "He hates it when he sees teenagers
doing adult things!"

"Quiet, you two!" Yasuhiro said. "I'm trying to get a read on this girl's future."

"Who? Kirigiri?" Makoto asked.

Yasuhiro tried his best to look into Kyoko's possible future, but then gave up soon afterwards.
"Ugh, it's no use," he said. "All I'm getting is a foggy image. I can't tell what your future is going to
be."

Kyoko sighed. "It's not like I believed in fortune telling in the first place..." she said.

Yasuhiro then turned his attention to the remaining students that he haven't gotten a future reading
on. "Although...I do have a good idea on what you three's future will be like," he said. "Let's
see...the redhead will find himself in a life-or-death situation by someone he calls a friend..."

"Yeah, yeah, that's cool..." Leon said, paying little attention to Yasuhiro's predictions. Then he
realized that Yasuhiro probably meant him in that prediction. "Wait...what?"

"The blonde girl will see her entire family crumble..." Yasuhiro continued.

Natsumi became angered by that prediction. "What did you just say?!" she said. "How dare you say
that my family will crumble! Do you even know what my family is? I am the heiress to the
Kuzuryu Clan! There's no way it will crumble! It's too big to fall!"
Yasuhiro ignored Natsumi as he made his prediction for Mondo's future. "And that corn-headed
man will see the one he calls his brother die," he said.

Mondo became ticked off when he heard what Yasuhiro called him. "What the shit did you just
call me?!" he roared.

"Hey, I'm just warning you," Yasuhiro said. "You will see your brother figure-"

Mondo wouldn't let Yasuhiro finish. He lunged towards the fortune teller and grabbed him by the
collar. "Nobody calls my hair corn and gets away with it!" he roared.

"What?" Yasuhiro asked. "What do you mean? Your hair totally looks like corn!"

"Shut up!" Mondo shouted. "I don't want to hear that word ever again! And that prediction you just
made...how dare you say that to me!"

The students began to become nervous as Mondo's anger grew. They felt like someone had to
intervene before this escalates into something terrible. Luckily, someone came in right before
Yasuhiro could get hurt.

"Enough of this!" a man shouted.

Mondo halted his actions as he and everyone else turned to the source of the voice.

The man who stopped Mondo is a tall man with a lean figure. He has messy black hair and stormy
gray eyes. He wears a white dress shirt, a black tie with red decals, black pants, and a pair of
slippers. His face is both apathetic and drained.

The black-haired man walked up to Mondo and Yasuhiro. He set his eyes on Mondo first. "You sir,
drop Hagakure immediately," he ordered.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do," Mondo said with a growl in his voice.

"You're letting your anger take control of you," the black-haired man said. "Stop it. You must be
more aware of your emotions."

"But..." Mondo tried to say.

The black-haired man gave a menacing glare, which made Mondo drop Yasuhiro down to the
floor. Yasuhiro breathed a sigh of relief, but his woes have yet to end. The black-haired man then
turned his attention on him as well.

"And Hagakure..." the black-haired man continued, "enough of your pseudoscience bullshit. I had
enough it."

"What?!" Yasuhiro gasped. "How dare you insult my talent! Don't you realize how hard I had
worked to earn my talent?"

"People like you are all the same," the black-haired man said. "They're all preachers of
pseudoscience who manipulate unaware people into falling for their lies. As a doctor, I won't let
anyone fall for your pseudoscience."

"Hey!" Yasuhiro shouted. "Don't you dare look down on an adult. I'm older than you!"

"Wait, you're older than all of us?" Makoto asked.

The black-haired man sighed and shook his head. "You may be old," he said, "but being old
doesn't always mean that you're wise. From what I've heard, you were held back a couple of
times."

Yasuhiro tried to open his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the black-haired man.

"And don't even bother trying to argue against me," the black-haired man said. "You've already
lost."

Yasuhiro couldn't find anything else to say in response to the black-haired man. So he threw his
arms into the air. "Gah!" he yelled as he walked away.

Seeing that his job is done, the black-haired man began to walk away. Makoto became curious
about who the black-haired man is, so he decided to follow him, with Sayaka trailing behind him.
Before they could reach him, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair tied into two big pigtails walked up
to the black-haired man and wrapped her arm around him. The girl wears a black cardigan, a white
tie with a black polka dot pattern, a short skirt, a pair of boots. Her eyes are ice blue and her face is
dotted with freckles. Her pigtails are held in place by two hair ties: one of them is a rabbit and the
other is a large black and white bow.

"Wow, Yasuke," the girl with the big pigtails said with a big smile on her face. "You really did a
great job making a fool out of that fortune teller!" Her cheerful expression quickly turned into a
deadpan one. "Seriously, I hate that man's guts."

Makoto became curious about the girl with the big pigtails as well. "Um, excuse me," he said.
"Who are you two?"

The girl with the big pigtails heard Makoto's voice and turned her head towards him. "Oh, ciao!"
she greeted. "I didn't see you two, so I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Junko Enoshima!"

Junko Enoshima - Ultimate Fashionista

"And this here is my boyfriend: Dr. Yasuke Matsuda!" Junko continued. "Say hi, Yasuke!"

Yasuke glanced at Makoto and Sayaka for a brief moment. He turned his gaze away from them and
sighed.

Yasuke Matsuda - Ultimate Neurologist

"Ah, Junko Enoshima," Sayaka said. "I remember you! We once met each other during a photo
shoot, right?"

Junko looked at Sayaka with a confused look on her face. "Uh...what?" she said.

"Oh, right..." Sayaka said upon realizing it. "You probably don't remember it because you've been
to so many photo shoots. It's fine. We can be friends now that we're classmates. From what I've
heard, you became popular because of your...uh...interesting fashion tastes..."

"Oh yeah!" Junko said upon being reminded of her specialty. "That's right! I specialize in western
fashion! Hey, you should try out these cool western fashion trends. I think you look great in them!"

"Yeah...I'll pass," Sayaka replied.

Makoto can't help but feel like something's a bit...off about Junko. "Uh...Enoshima?" he began to
ask.
"Yeah?" Junko said. "What is it?"

"Don't you look a little...different than those magazine covers?" Makoto asked.

Junko rolled her eyes. "Ugh, those covers with photos of me..." she said. "You know, take this as a
lesson to not expect celebrities to look the same in person as they are in photos. These photos of
them are probably edited to hell and back. It's a totally normal thing."

"Well, at least I look the same in person as I am in photos," Sayaka added.

Junko squinted her eyes as she glared at Sayaka. "Don't lie, Maizono," she said. "You know that
there are photo editors are your agency who will make you look as attractive as possible in these
photos of yours."

"But-" Sayaka tried to say.

"Enough of this," Yasuke said. "Junko, stop talking to these two. I'm already getting tired..."

"Oh...right..." Junko said. "Well, it was nice getting to talk to you two. I look forward to the next
time we'd get to talk. Ciao!"

Makoto and Sayaka then walked away from Junko and Yasuke. They searched the gym for more
people to meet.

"Hmm...let's see..." Makoto said. "Who's next?"

The next student Makoto and Sayaka meet is a big, round boy with legs that look a bit too small to
be able to support a body this large. His hair as a spike at the top, just like with Makoto. The round
boy wears a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, a white shirt, a gray cardigan, dark gray pants, and gray
shoes. There's also an orange backpack hanging off of his back.

"What's your name?" Makoto asked.

The round boy adjusted his glasses. "Ah, I see that you have taken an interest in me," he said.
"Most people would have run away from me as soon as they see what I look like. People these
days. Why can't they appreciate fat people? They're human too, not some horrifying creature!"

"But these people do have a point," Sayaka said. "I'm concerned at how...heavy you are..."

"Shut up!" the round boy said. "This is my body! I get to do whatever I want with it! Although, I've
got to admit, this is partially out of my control, but let's not drag down the mood too much. From
now on, you may call me The Alpha and the Omega!"

The name of the round boy sounded a bit too cumbersome to say in any normal conversation.
Makoto and Sayaka have a feeling that the round boy has a real name they could use instead.

"Is that your pen name or something?" Makoto asked. "Do you have a real name?"

"Yeah, that one's my pen name," the round boy said with a sigh. "But if you want my real name,
then it's Hifumi Yamada. I don't mind if you say my real name."

Hifumi Yamada - Ultimate Fan Creator

"By the way, have you two ever delve into the world of fan fiction?" Hifumi asked. "I must say, the
things the fan creates are as impressive as the official content, maybe even more! There's a
surprisingly high demand for fan created content, by the way. One time, 10,000 copies of my fan
comic at a school festival."

"10,000 copies?!" Makoto and Sayaka shouted at the same time.

"Those numbers might seem unimpressive," Hifumi said, "but they're actually quite high by fan
fiction standards. Most fan creators can only dream of getting even a thousand views of their
works. I'd like to say more, but it looks like we still have some students to introduce to you two. I'm
looking down the list, and I can tell that there are five students left."

"What?" Makoto asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Hifumi replied. "Just move on..."

Makoto and Sayaka were left confused at how Hifumi was able to do that. They swore that they
didn't saw him with a list of students. It's probably best for them if they don't think about it too
much, though. Makoto and Sayaka went to the remaining five students to meet them.

The next pair of students Makoto and Sayaka met are two girls who are talking to each other. The
two girls are vastly different sizes. The bigger girl has a large and muscular build. Her skin is dark
and has scars of the face and shoulders. She has long, white hair and pale blue eyes. Her outfit is a
typical schoolgirl's uniform, resized to fit her body. Her limbs are wrapped in bandages.

The shorter girl appears to be around the same height as Makoto, not counting the curled ponytail
that's sticking up. The first thing Makoto can see about the shorter girl is her big...breasts. The
busty girl has tanned skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. Her outfit consists of a white tank top, a red
tracksuit jacket, blue shorts, a pair of knee length socks, and a pair of green sneakers. There's a red
knee brace on her right leg.

The two girls turn their attention to Makoto and Sayaka as they approached them. The busty girl
seems to be excited to see them.

"Oh, hey you two!" the busty girl greeted. Her voice is filled with energy. "Good to meet you two!
I'm Aoi Asahina! But my friends usually call me Hina, so you can call me that if you want."

Aoi Asahina - Ultimate Swimmer

"Ah, I've heard about you before, Hina," Sayaka said. "You've been chosen as a candidate for the
upcoming Olympic Games because of your swimming abilities, right?"

Hina performed a couple of stretches. "Yep, that's me," she said. "I'm still a little young, though, so
it will be a few more years before I could participate in the next Olympic Games, or any other
international swimming competitions. Oh, and by the way, don't let my title fool you! I'm actually
quite good at many sports! It's just that swimming happens to be the one I'm the best at."

"I see..." Sayaka replied.

Hina then glanced at Makoto and noticed that he's...not looking at her face. "Huh? What are you
looking at?" she asked.

Makoto snapped himself to look at Hina in the face. "Ah, sorry about that," he apologized. "It's just
that...I've been hearing discussions about your body as well as your sports performance..."

Hina placed her hands on her breasts. "What, you talking about these things?" she said. "Yeah, I
must say, my body is a bit unconventional in the world of sports. These things tend to get in the
way when I try to play sports. But I managed to work through that limitation and became quite
good at many sports."

"That's...interesting..." Makoto said. He then looked at the giant girl Hina was talking too.
"And...who's that right there?"

Hina turned towards the giant girl. "Oh, that one?" she asked. "She's a friend I've made here in this
school. She's Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist. She may not look like it, but she's actually
kind and gentle! Say hi, Sakura!"

The girl named Sakura looked down at Makoto and Sayaka. She made a soft grunting sound.

Sakura Ogami - Ultimate Martial Artist

Makoto was unsure if Hina was right about Sakura. From his limited research on the forums, the
posters told him to avoid her at all costs. Looking at Sakura now, these forum posters might have a
point. Sakura's big, imposing figure...it might look like she could crush him with her bare hands.
How could she be kind and gentle?

Oh well. There's probably more to Sakura than meets the eye.

Sakura looked at Makoto and began to prod his body with her finger.

"Hey!" Makoto yelped as he was being prodded. "Ah! What was that for!"

Sayaka gasped in horror upon seeing Makoto being prodded. "Makoto!" she cried.

"Relax," Hina assured. "Sakura is just doing a body assessment. Your friend will be fine! By the
way, what's his name"

"Makoto Naegi," Sayaka replied.

Hina paused for a moment to let the name sink in. "Hmm...yeah..." she said. "Interesting name.
So...how do you spell that name?"

Sayaka was stunned to hear that Hina find it difficult to spell out someone's name. How could Hina
forget how to spell? Japanese names are easy to write...in hiragana at least. Kanji, on the other
hand, is a lot more complicated. It's understandable to forget how to write kanji, but not so much
with hiragana.

Sakura finished the assessment on Makoto's body and stopped prodding him. "Hmm..." she said as
she made her conclusion. "Your body...it's lacking in muscles. Your strength, stamina,
durability...it's all below average."

"Ugh...that's what I expect..." Makoto said, groaning in discomfort from all the prodding. "I was
never good in any sports..."

After finishing her assessment of Makoto, Sakura moved on to assess Sayaka's body. Just like with
Makoto, Sayaka found the process to be uncomfortable.

"Ow!" Sayaka yelped. "Hey! Stop...poking me there!"

Sakura then finished the assessment on Sayaka's body. "Hmm...your stamina seems high, but your
durability is low," she said. "I would advise that you try to not get yourself hit."

"Well, that was an interesting assessment," Hina remarked. "I'd thought that you two would be
tougher, but I guess not. Oh well. That means that you two have the potential to become strong
with training. I look forward to exercising with you two. See ya later!"

With two more students having been met, Makoto and Sayaka moved on to the last few students.

The next student Makoto and Sayaka talked to is a gothic looking girl. Her skin appears to be even
paler than even Sayaka's skin. Her hair is black with a pair of large pigtails that resemble drills, and
her eyes are red. She wears a bonnet on her head, a white blouse with a red tie, a black jacket, a
black multilayered skirt with white laces, a pair of knee high socks with white laces, and a pair of
dark red Mary Jane shoes. There's also a pair of plated metal rings on both of her index fingers.

"Hello," the gothic girl greeted. "I not not believe we have met before. Very well. I shall introduce
myself. I am Celestia Lundenberg, Celeste for short."

Celestia Ludenberg - Ultimate Gambler

Makoto tried his best to pronounce Celeste's name. "Celestia...Luden..." he tried to say, only to give
up partway. "I...I just can't..."

"That name sounds hard to pronounce," Sayaka said. "Would you mind telling us your name
again?"

"It's Ludenberg," Celeste said. "Celestia Ludenberg. Remember that well. Although, if you do find
that name too much for you, then I am fine with being called Celeste."

"Celeste..." Sayaka said. "Yeah, got it. That sounds much easier. Thank you for telling us that."

Makoto can't help but feel a bit suspicious around Celeste. "Um...Celeste?" he began to ask.

"Yes?" Celeste replied.

"Are you...Japanese?" Makoto asked.

"Hmm?" Celeste said, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you ask me that?"

"Celestia Ludenberg..." Makoto muttered. "That doesn't sound a name a Japanese person would
have, right?"

"Why, of course," Celeste replied. "I am a foreign exchange student from Germany."

"Germany?" Makoto asked. "I don't remember hearing about any foreign exchange student coming
to this school for the school year..."

"Your memory must be messing with you," Celeste replied. "Of course I am a foreign exchange
student. Is there a problem with that?"

"I don't have a problem with that," Makoto replied. "I'm just asking... What's your real name?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Celeste asked. "My name is-"

"Don't listen to a word she says," another person said.

"What?" Makoto said in shock. "That's your real name?"

"No, I think another person is talking..." Sayaka said, looking towards the source of the voice.

Makoto and Celeste turned to where Sayaka is looking. Just ahead of them, there is a tall man with
blond hair and teal eyes. He wears glasses over his eyes, a black suit, a white shirt with a crossing
blue tie, black pants, and a pair of black dress shoes.

"Who are you?" Makoto asked.

The tall man glared at Makoto. He looked like he was about to introduce himself when something
caught his attention. He shifted his gaze off to the size. "Would you stop giving me that look, you
filthy pest?"

The three students turn to where the tall man is looking. They saw a girl with purple hair tied into
two braids. She also has gray eyes covered with large, round glasses. Her outfit is a purple
schoolgirl's uniform with a long skirt. She appears to be nervous.

Makoto grew curious about the nervous girl. "And who might you be?" he asked.

The nervous girl looked at Makoto for a moment before turning her eyes away. "I-I'm...Toko..."
she said. "Toko Fukawa."

Toko Fukawa - Ultimate Novelist

Makoto recognized that name from the covers of a few novels. He remembered the time when "So
Lingers the Ocean" was published and became a massive hit among women. He had never read the
book, but based on the reviews, he can guess that it's quite a good read. And Toko wrote it at such
a young age. Not many people can claim to have written a bestseller when they are still in high
school. It's no wonder that Toko was invited into Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Novelist.

Toko gave a suspicious look at everyone who's staring at her. "W-What are you all looking at me
for?" she asked. "S-Stop staring like I'm some filthy creature!"

"That's because you are one," the tall man said. "You never seem to keep your eyes off me."

Toko began to squeal for some reason. "H-He acknowledged me!" she said.

The others can't help but feel weirded out by Toko's reactions.

"That girl is...weird..." Sayaka said.

"I must say, there's a lot one can learn from meeting someone in person," Celeste remarked. "No
one would have imagined that the author of 'So Lingers the Ocean' would be so obsessive over the
heir to the Togami Conglomerate."

"What did you say?" Makoto asked.

The man let out a sigh. "Well, guess I should introduce myself," he said. "I'll make this quick. My
name is Byakuya Togami."

Byakuya Togami - Ultimate Scion

"Now, enough with the introductions," Byakuya said. "Time to get down into business."

Makoto became confused when Byakuya skipped the introduction. "What?" he said. "But we
didn't-"

"Enough chatter," Byakuya said. "This is not the time to be walking around making friends. We
have a bigger problem in our hands."
Makoto was disappointed to not get to know Byakuya better. But he decided to go with what
Byakuya was planning, as he had the exact same thoughts.

"Okay..." Makoto said. "So...what were we supposed to talk about, again?"

"Makoto, we bumped into each other outside the classrooms, remember?" Sayaka asked.

"Yeah," Makoto replied. "What about it?"

"You woke up in one of the classrooms, right?" Sayaka asked.

"I think so," Makoto replied.

"Well, the same happened to me," Sayaka said. "I woke up in the classroom next door."

Makoto was surprised to hear that. "Whoa, really?" he said.

"Yeah, the same happened to everyone else," Leon said as he and the rest of the students joined the
discussion. "We were all on our way to Hope's Peak Academy when suddenly, we lost
consciousness as soon as we stepped into the entrance hall! And when we woke up, we found
ourselves somewhere in the school, with no idea how we got there!"

"That's not all," Kiyotaka added. "Does anyone remember what the windows look like? They were
all covered in big metal plates. We can't see outside!"

"And that metal door at the entrance hall..." Leon said. "I don't remember passing though a damn
metal door when I entered Hope's Peak Academy! I tried to find a way to open it with the control
panel, but it looks like it's just for show."

"The metal door is tough as hell," Mondo added. "I tried punching it, but it wouldn't budge..."

"What did you expect?" Natsumi asked. "It's a metal door! You can't punch through that!"

"Actually, I've heard of some people that can bend metal by punching them," Sakura corrected.
"However, the metal door might be incredibly thick. I doubt that we can punch through it, and I'm
not willing to break my own fingers trying that out."

"Everything about this place is so strange..." Kiyotaka concluded. "What is going on here?!"

"Could we be...kidnapped by someone?" Junko suggested.

"No, no, you've got it all wrong," Yasuhiro said. "I bet this is all part of the school's orientation
procedure. I'm sure of it."

"What kind of school would pull of a stunt like this, though?" Yasuke asked. "I thought that this is
Hope's Peak Academy. They shouldn't be doing something like this to incoming students. Is this
even Hope's Peak Academy?"

"And come to think of it...where's the opening ceremony?" Kiyotaka asked as he checked his
watch. "It's past 1 PM! It should have started minutes ago. Why hasn't it starting yet?"

Right after Kiyotaka asked that question, everyone began to hear a strange voice coming from the
school's intercom system.

"Ahem, ahem!" the voice said. It sounded shrill. "Testing, testing! Mic check! Can everyone hear
me? Good, the intercom system is working. Now, has everyone arrived at the gym? Good. Now
 then, let's get things rolling!"

Everyone looked at each other after the shrill voice ended.

"W-What was that?" Sayaka asked.

"I don't know..." Makoto replied.

Hina then saw something move on the stage. "Everyone!" she shouted, pointing her finger towards
the stage. "Look!"

Everyone turned their eyes towards the stage at the back of the gym. There's a table with the crest
of Hope's Peak Academy on it. A microphone is placed on it. Suddenly, a stuffed bear popped out
of the floor and landed on the table. The bear is divided into two halves down the middle, with one
side being white and the other being black. The white side has a beady black eye, while the black
side has a jagged red eye and a wide, evil-looking grin. On the middle, there is a white snout and a
white belly with a belly button sticking out of it. Both the snout and the belly were not affected by
the division. Looking at the bear as a whole, it resembles a yin-yang symbol.

From that point onward, nothing about everyone's lives would ever be the same.

Chapter End Notes

I was originally going to include this as part of the first part of the prologue. I realized
that the introducing the students part was getting a bit too lengthy. I know that most of
the readers would already know what these characters are, but I want to write it as if
this is someone's first time at experiencing Danganronpa. Because even though I am
using preexisting characters, it's still a good idea to give them a proper introduction.

In the original version, I had Sayaka wear a blue hoodie to serve as a parallel to
Makoto. Instead of wearing the hoodie underneath the school uniform, Sayaka would
wear her hoodie above her uniform. I find that description to be a bit confusing at
times, as most people would have imagined Sayaka as wearing just her school
uniform, so I reverted it back to how she is usually depicted.

I also decided to have Natsumi's outfit resemble Fuyuhiko's normal outfit. They are
siblings, after all, and they're both heirs to the same yakuza clan. It would only make
some sense if they wore similar outfits.
 Prologue Part 3: The Killing Game Begins (Again)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 1 - 1:05 PM
Gym, First Floor

Everyone was left confused upon seeing the bear. It's hard to take it seriously when it resembles a
teddy bear.

"...What the hell?" Yasuke said. "What's this? A teddy bear?"

"Aw, that teddy bear looks cute," Junko said. "Can I keep it?"

The bear became angry upon being called a teddy bear. "I am not a teddy bear," the bear said. "I
am not just a toy! I am Monokuma, your friendly neighborhood headmaster of this school!"

Monokuma - The Headmaster

Most of the students freaked out upon hearing the bear speak.

"GAH!" Hifumi screamed. "I-It can talk!"

"This must be the work of the supernatural!" Yasuhiro shouted.

Natsumi rolled her eyes upon seeing the students' reaction to Monokuma. "What? Are you all
scared of some toy?" she said mockingly. "What a bunch of wimps."

"Calm down, everyone," Kiyotaka said. "I'm sure that toy only spoke because there's a speaker
inside it. There's no need to worry!"

Monokuma grew angrier when he sees that the students still doesn't get it. "I already told you
guys," he said as he waved his arms around. "I am not a toy! I am Monokuma, this school's
headmaster!"

"WAH!" Hifumi screamed. "It can move!"

"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Yasuhiro asked.

"Seriously, everyone!" Kiyotaka yelled. "Calm down! It's probably just a remote controlled toy."

Monokuma can't believe that none of the students are taking him seriously. "How many times to I
have to tell you all?!" he said with furious tone in his voice. "I. Am. Not. A. Toy! I'm Monokuma,
the headmaster! Gah, I can't believe that you guys treated me like I'm some child's plaything. You
all just got into this school and already you've left some very bad impressions on me!"

Yasuhiro became increasingly frightened as Monokuma continue to speak. "W-What kind of

toy...is this?" he asked.

Monokuma became ticked off yet again. "Again?!" he shouted. "Do I have to hammer this fact into
all of your heads? 'Cause I won't ever again! My internal remote control systems are so complex,
no one, not even the folks over at JAXA, will be able to comprehend me!"
Kiyotaka gave a blank stare at Monokuma. "D-Did you just insult our country's space agency?" he
asked.

"Yes," Monokuma replied. "Yes I did."

At this point, Kiyotaka gave up in seeing Monokuma as a toy. "Okay, I'll admit it," he said with a
pained tone in his voice. "You're not a toy. Got it..."

Monokuma then began his speech. "Alright, we've wasted enough time already," he said. "Time to
get this entrance ceremony started! Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Hope's Peak
Academy! Now then, let's first talk about what your school life will be like from now on. Make no
mistake, you students represent the hope of the world! That's why you're here in this school. But
sometimes, the outside world is not a welcoming place for students like you. So to protect this
hope, you must all live a communal life together within the confines of this school. Everyone will
live in harmony while abiding by the rules."

Leon raised an eyebrow when Monokuma mentioned the rules. "Rules?" he asked. "What rules? I
don't care about any damn rules!"

"But we need rules in order to live in harmony with each other," Kiyotaka said. "Speaking of rules,
what are they?"

"I'll get to that later," Monokuma replied. "Now as for when this communal life will end..." He
paused to lower his head and sighed. "Well, I hate to break it to you all, but there is no end to this
communal life."

Everyone became shocked when they heard the news.

"What?!" Kiyotaka gasped.

"There's no end?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka shivered and pulled her arms closer to her. "W-Wait a second..." she said. "Are you
saying...that we're going to live here...until we die?!"

"Yep, that's right!" Monokuma replied. "You're all going to live in Hope's Peak Academy until the
day you die...whenever that is."

Everyone began to have questions about their new life in Hope's Peak Academy.

"Wait, what about food?" Hina asked. "How are we supposed to get food? Ugh...I feel so hungry. I
could really grab a bite..."

"Oh, don't worry about the food situation," Monokuma assured. "We have an abundant budget, so
essential things shouldn't be a concern."

"What about sleep?" Yasuke asked. "Isn't that a concern, too?"

"We've got that covered as well!" Monokuma replied. "You see, there are dorm rooms for each and
every one of you, each of which are decorated to your personal tastes. Oh, and by the way,
illnesses and minor injuries shouldn't be a concern, considering that you're a doctor."

"I'm a neurologist," Yasuke corrected. "I specialize in studying and treating brain disorders, not
treating injuries."
"Well, a doctor is a doctor, right?" Monokuma replied. "As long as he's here, none of you guys will
have to worry about treatment not coming!"

Yasuke can't help but feel irritated at the oversimplification of the field of medicine.

"But what about our families?" Makoto asked. "We all have families who are waiting for us
outside this school!"

Monokuma gave a blank stare at Makoto for a moment. "Well, I hate to break it to you..." he said,
"but...your families won't be seeing you again."

"What?!" Makoto gasped.

"T-That's so horrible!" Sayaka added.

"What do ya mean we can't see our families again?!" Mondo shouted.

"Did you guys see what the windows are like?" Monokuma asked. "Were they...completely
covered in metal plates?"

Everyone began to recall the metal plates they saw around the school. They slowly began to realize
the purpose of these metal plates.

"Just to let you all know," Monokuma continued, "you guys are all cut off from the outside world.
You're all completely trapped within this school. You can cry for help all you want. Help will
never come to you."

"Oh no..." Sayaka muttered.

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said. "You guys are taking this far too seriously. This is
probably some cruel joke make to freak us out."

"Yeah, she's right!" Leon said in agreement. "I don't care who is responsible for this, it's not funny!
This is a bad joke taken too far!"

"Cut this shit out already!" Mondo demanded. "Let us go!"

Monokuma laughed at the students who are skeptical of this. "Ah, you skeptics must see what I'm
doing as some kind of joke, aren't you?" he asked. "What a bunch of fools. But I guess you can't
help it. You guys must be raised in an age where you can't take anything for granted. Every
ridiculous event that has ever happened...your first reaction is to assume that it's not real, that it's
all a lie. I will assure you, however, that all of this is real. I am not making any of this up. You guys
are all trapped in Hope's Peak Academy, forced to live within it until the day you die, whenever
that day is."

Everyone became incredibly worried. They don't want to believe it, but it's true. They're stuck in
Hope's Peak Academy for the rest of their lives. Sure, it sounds like a nice place to live in and all of
the essential amenities are covered. But without being able to go outside, they will surely grow
bored of this place eventually. This place has become a gilded cage for everyone: luxury without
freedom.

At this point, Kyoko began to notice that Monokuma worded something in a specific way. "Wait a
second..." she said upon realizing it. "You said that we're forced to live in Hope's Peak Academy
until the day we die, and our date of death is ambiguous. Would you mind if you elaborate on
that?"
"Ah, so you've figured it out, haven't you?" Monokuma said. "Yes, of course I said that. You're all
forced to live in this school for the rest of your lives. However, there is another way to leave this
school."

"And what's that?" Kyoko asked.

"As the headmaster of this school," Monokuma began to explain, "I shall create a special clause for
those who would like to leave this school. I call it, the Graduation Clause."

"The Graduation Clause?" Yasuke asked. "What does that mean?"

"Recall how I told you guys to live a communal life in this school," Monokuma said. "I told you all
that you should live in harmony with each other. That's how things are supposed to go normally.
However, if someone were to disrupt that harmony, they are allowed to leave this school. That is
my Graduation Clause."

The vague wording left everyone wondering what Monokuma meant.

"What do you mean by 'disrupting the harmony'?" Byakuya asked. "I'm not planning to live in
harmony with these commoners."

"Oh, you know," Monokuma said before dropping the next part casually. "Murdering someone."

It took everyone a moment to take it all in. Then, everyone began to panic.

"M-Murder?!" Makoto gasped in shock.

"Stabbing, cleaving, bludgeoning, drowning, burning, blowing up, poisoning, the list goes on!"
Monokuma said. "I don't care how you do it. If you want to leave this school, you must murder
someone. It's as simple as that."

"N-No..." Sayaka said as her entire body shivered. "N-No way..."

"You have got to be shitting me..." Mondo growled.

"This is just blasphemy..." Yasuke said. "This is madness! Murdering someone...taking away
someone's life...just to leave this school... This is just wrong on so many levels!"

"Madness?" Monokuma asked. He paused for a moment before raising his voice. "This. is. MY!
WORLD! You cannot defy me in my world! This is your new reality now! There's only one way
for you to escape this school, and that's to murder someone! Try your best to find another way to
escape! It's not gonna work!! And don't you dare defy me! It will never work out!"

Everyone was left frozen in silence. They can't believe the game that they're playing. A game of
life and death, where they have to sacrifice someone if they want to escape this school. Nobody
wants to believe it, but what Monokuma said is true. This is their reality now. They can try their
best to accept it, or die trying.

Mondo appears to be reaching his breaking point. He has his head down, with his gaze pointed to
the floor. His fists are shaking with extreme anger, but he looks like he's trying his best to contain
it.

"You asshole..." Mondo muttered.

Monokuma heard what Mondo said and tilted his head. "Huh?" he said. "What did you just call
me?"

Mondo lifted his head to face Monokuma. "Listen up, asshole!" he shouted. "This shit has been
taken too far! What kind of cruel joke is this?!"

"Eh?" Monokuma said. "What are you talking about, Corn Head?"

That's it. Mondo had enough. "You piece of shit..." he said in a quiet voice before exploding into a
full blown anger. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Mondo ran towards the stage and grabbed Monokuma
by the neck.

"Hey, hey!" Monokuma shouted as he flailed his limbs around. "Let me go!"

"You piece of shit," Mondo said once again. "Do you think you can get away with calling me
that?! That's it, I'm done with this game! I'll rip you to shreds!" He then began to beat Monokuma
up.

"Ow!" Monokuma yelped. "Hey! Knock it off!"

Everyone watched as Mondo punched Monokuma senselessly, hearing Monokuma yelp with each
punch. After a while, Monokuma stopped yelping, and Mondo stopped soon after that.

Mondo brought Monokuma up to his face. "Ha, take that, you stupid bear!" he said. "Was that
enough for you?"

Monokuma was limp as Mondo held him. He didn't say anything.

"What?" Mondo asked. "Got no more comebacks?"

Monokuma didn't say anything again. Then, he began to make a beeping noise.

"A beeping noise?" Mondo asked. "Is that all you've got? Come on! Say something, dammit!"

The beeping began to go faster. At this point, everyone registered that Monokuma is a bomb that is
about to explode. Everyone began to panic.

Sayaka grabbed Makoto and jumped away from Mondo. She dove to the floor, taking Makoto
down with her. Then, she had Makoto land on top of her. "Ahhh!" she screamed. "Makoto! Protect
me!"

"Whoa!" Makoto yelped as he fell down on top of Sayaka. "Sayaka? What are you doing?"

Meanwhile, Junko hid behind Yasuke, who was slowly backing away from Mondo.

"Yasuke, I'm so scared..." Junko said. "Protect me!"

"Everyone!" Yasuke shouted. "Stay away from Monokuma!"

Mondo still doesn't get that what he's holding is now a bomb. The beeping began to go even faster.
"Hey, what the hell is with that beeping?" he asked. "Stop with that beeping! Just say-"

"Owada! Throw Monokuma!" Kyoko shouted.

"Huh?!" Mondo said as he looked at Kyoko. "What did you-"

"Do it now!" Kyoko shouted.

"Why?" Mondo asked.

Suddenly, Monokuma began to speak in a robotic tone. His red eye began to flash in sync with the
beeping sound, and his limbs are flailing rapidly. "YOU HAVE VIOLATED A SCHOOL
REGULATION," he said. "VIOLENCE AGAINST THE HEADMASTER IS PROHIBITED.
COMMENCING EXECUTION."

At this point, Mondo realized that he's holding a bomb that's about to blow up on him. "OH SHIT!"
he yelled as he threw Monokuma into the air.

Monokuma then blew up high above everyone else. The sound created by the explosion was so
loud that everyone was left disoriented by the ringing in their eyes. The smell of burnt gunpowder
began to fill the air. It was a terrifying event, but at least nobody was hurt.

"Phew," Kyoko said, letting out a sigh of relief. "That was close. I've never been this worked up in
my life."

Mondo freaked out upon seeing what he had thrown. "W-What the hell?!" he said, struggling to
process what he had just witnessed. "That was a bomb?!"

"Yeah, that Monokuma turned himself into a bomb, alright," Yasuke said. "That was really scary. I
can't believe that happened. Is everyone alright?"

Everyone confirmed to Yasuke that they are fine.

"Good," Yasuke said. "Well, at least that bear is gone now. Can we leave?"

"No, you can't!" Monokuma said as he appeared again. His appearance caused everyone to freak
out.

"Gah!" Yasuhiro gasped. "Another one?!"

"The hell?!" Mondo roared upon seeing Monokuma again. "You bastard! How dare you show your
face to me again?! You nearly blew me up, dammit!"

"Yes, I tried to do that," Monokuma said. "And then you threw my body away! I was about to
deliver you a punishment for violating one of the school rules, but you managed to escape your
punishment. Oh well. It can't be helped. I'll let you get away with that, Corn Head, but mark my
words. The next time you violate a rule, there is no escaping it."

"Did you just called me that again?!" Mondo roared.

"Wait a second," Leon said. "What rules? You never told us anything about the rules!"

"I was about to get into that," Monokuma said. "Now then, to commemorate your entry into Hope's
Peak Academy, allow me to give you a special object." He then pulled out a box with 16 electronic
devices on them. He went to each student and handed them the device.

Makoto grabbed the device Monokuma gave him. The device appears to be a phone bearing the
crest of Hope's Peak Academy. "Whoa..." he said. "What are these things?"

Monokuma finished handing out the last device to the last student. "These...are your electronic
student handbooks," he began to explain. "They're called E-Handbooks for short. These devices
were designed and developed by Hope's Peak Academy for use within the school. These
handbooks are essential to your student life in Hope's Peak Academy. It can do it all! It keeps track
of your assignments, it keeps you in touch with your fellow students and staff, and does everything
a smartphone can! But...I had to disable all of those things for the purposes of our communal
school life. So just see these E-Handbooks as a useful tool for your new school life. Be sure to not
lose these E-Handbooks, as they're irreplaceable."

Makoto turned on the E-Handbook. The first thing that is displayed on the screen is his name. He
looked around the gym and saw that everyone has turned on their E-Handbooks. By the looks of
things, it appears that they have seen their names on their E-Handbooks.

"Did you all get the right E-Handbooks?" Monokuma asked. "Good. It'll be shameful if you got the
wrong one. Now, these E-Handbooks are amazing little devices. Unlike most electronics, these
things are completely waterproof! Dunk it into water all you want; this thing will keep on going!
Also, its space-age design makes it resilient to impacts. It can withstand a force of up to 10 tons!
How tough! These E-Handbooks contain all of our school rules and regulations, so make sure you
review them thoroughly!

There's an icon on the home screen of the E-Handbooks. The text next to the icon reads "Rules and
Regulations". It looks like this contains a list of rules for the students to follow during their school
life. Everyone tapped on the icon and began to read the list of rules.

Rules and Regulations

1. Students may reside only within the school building. Leaving the campus without permission
is not allowed.
2. The day is split into daytime and nighttime. Nighttime lasts from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM the
following day. Daytime lasts on all other hours.
3. Some areas are off-limits during nighttime. Please be outside of these restricted areas before
the nighttime announcement plays.
4. Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and will be
punished accordingly. This only applies if the student sleeps on their own accord.
5. With minimum restrictions, you are free to explore any accessible areas of Hope's Peak
Academy. New areas may open up over time.
6. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited.
7. Damaging the surveillance cameras and monitors is also strictly prohibited.
8. Stealing or lending E-Handbooks to or from a live student is, once again, strictly prohibited.
9. Breaking into locked rooms is, yet again, strictly prohibited.
10. Violating rules 6-9 will result in punishment.
11. If a student forces another student to violate rules 6-9, they will receive punishment instead
of the rule breaker.
12. Anyone who kills a fellow student will become the blackened. Blackened students may
graduate and leave the school, unless they are discovered.
13. Additional rules may be added when necessary.

Everyone began to feel dizzy after reading the list of rules. It felt a bit much to have so many rules
for living out a school life. There are four rules that will result in punishment should they break
them. It probably doesn't matter if they break it accidentally or intentionally. Monokuma will
punish them the same regardless.

"What the hell?" Mondo asked. "What kind of rules are these?! I'm not gonna let a bunch of rules
control me!"

"Yeah, this isn't nice at all!" Leon said. "Why do we even need rules? I'm so sick of them!"
"Hey, do I need to remind you guys why rules exists?" Monokuma asked. "Rules may restrict what
actions you can do, but they can also protect the people who are placed under them. Without rules
or laws, society will devolve into a state of chaos. People will regularly steal from each other,
murder each other, and will commit any crimes imaginable! Of course, the only crime I will allow
under my reign is murder! But in case you didn't get it the first time, allow me to remind you this:
any violation of the school's rules will not be tolerated. You will be punished no matter what. Got
it?"

Most of the students became nervous. They became worried about accidentally breaking any of the
rules and getting punished as a result. Yasuke, however, noticed something odd on the list of rules
that goes against what Monokuma said earlier.

"Wait a second..." Yasuke said. "Forcing someone to break a rule is a punishable offense? What? I
thought you said that you don't care how someone commits a murder!"

"Ah, you've got a good eye, doctor," Monokuma said. "It's true that I will accept any other method
of murdering someone. But forcing a rule violation? I can't accept that! I won't tolerate any
attempts at forcing a rule violation! The student breaking the rules must do so on their own accord.
Then I will deliver them their punishment! But if someone forces a rule violation onto another
person, then I will punish the one who forced the rule violation instead! So don't think about trying
to murder someone by forcing them to break a rule! Got it?"

No one said anything. Monokuma took everyone's silence as a yes.

"Good!" Monokuma said. "Now then, this concludes the entrance ceremony. From now on, this
school will be your home. There won't be any escaping from it, unless you kill someone and get
away with it. Enjoy your new dreary school life, everyone. I will be seeing you all again soon.
Bye!" After finishing the speech, Monokuma disappeared.

The gym fell into silence for a moment as everyone took their time to process what they had just
witnessed.

"So...uh...everyone?" Kiyotaka began to ask. "How would you describe...what we had just
witnessed?"

"I...I don't know..." Makoto replied.

"This all sounds so scary..." Sayaka said. "W-We have to live here...for the rest of our lives? And if
we want to escape...we'd have to kill someone?"

"T-This is too much!" Toko cried. "I can't take it!"

"This is just so insane!" Hifumi said. "We were abducted by that bear and placed into Hope's Peak
Academy, which has been turned into our new home. We were completely cut off from the outside
world, and our only way of escaping is killing each other. This is just..what even is this?!"

"Everyone, calm down," Kyoko ordered. "We need to assess the situation first."

"Calm down?" Natsumi asked. "You'd expect us to calm down after learning that we'd have to kill
each other in order to escape this school? How could we be calm? Even for a yakuza, this is all too
extreme for me!"

"Everyone, I think Kirigiri is right," Kiyotaka said. "We all need to calm down and try to think
about how to handle this situation."
 "We have to options in how to handle this," Kyoko said. "Our first option is to live a communal
life in this school for the rest of our lives. Going down that route, we would never see the outside
world again, but at least everyone can live a long, if unfulfilling, life. Our second option is to try to
escape this school by murdering someone and getting away with it. I don't like either of two
options we were offered."

"Why would you think that?" Makoto asked. "Isn't trying to live a peaceful life with each other a
good thing?"

"True, that is our ideal option," Kyoko replied. "However..." She paused for a moment to start
thinking.

"What? What is it?" Sayaka asked.

"...If we decided to go down that route," Kyoko continued, "then it will only be a matter of time
before someone snaps and tries to kill someone. The question is, though...who will be the first to
snap?"

Everyone then began to look at each other, studying each other's faces for any signs of snapping. A
feeling of unease and hostility filled the air. They repeated the Graduation Clause in their heads
over and over again. "You must kill someone if you want to leave." Soon, everyone became
suspicious of each other. They began to wonder which one of them will be the first to snap. They
wondered when someone will get sick of being stuck in this school. They wondered how long this
period of peace and harmony will last.

In that moment, everyone began to realize something. They had once thought that they were going
to Hope's Peak Academy, the school of hope where dreams are fulfilled. But thanks to Monokuma,
this school has turned into the complete opposite of that. They were no longer living in a school of
hope.

Instead, it became a school of despair.

Prologue: Another Return to the Academy

END

Starting Survivors: 16

Chapter End Notes

And here ends the prologue to the remake. I hope that you readers have been enjoying
this story so far, even if you are aware of who will survive in the end. If you're new to
this series, then you can ignore this. I recommend first timers to only read one version
of a story at a time to not make them confused.

Starting now, I will be taking suggestions on which pair of characters should interact
with each other for the Free-Time events. I've already got plenty of Free-Time events
planned out, but I feel like I could use a bit more. Post your suggestions in the
comments and I may accept them if I can work with them. Just remember that only
interactions between live characters will be accepted. If you try to submit an
interaction involving a dead character...well, you'll get a moment to realize that you've
made a mistake.

Sorry if some of this sounds like I'm copying from the official version. I was looking
at an archive of the dialogue as I'm writing this.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 1)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die

Daily Life

Day 1 - 2:00 PM
Gym, First Floor

The tension in the air rose as everyone continued to stare at each other. They repeated those words
in their head. "You must kill someone if you want to leave." Each time they repeat those words, it
became increasingly clear what they're up against. Anyone can become a murderer at any moment.
It was an oppressive thought. Most of the students were left paralyzed upon getting that thought.

But as oppressive as the air felt, all it took was one person to break everyone's silence.

"So? What are you all going to do now?" Kyoko asked. "Just stare at each other all day long,
wondering when one of us will snap and try to kill another student?"

Kyoko's words snapped everyone back into reality.

"R-Right," Kiyotaka said. "She's right! We may be afraid of each other, but that doesn't mean that
we get to spend all day staring at each other. Even when we're afraid, we've got take a step
forward! We've got to trust each other and make sure none of us ever commits a murder?"

Hifumi was sweating profusely. "Uh...are you sure all of us can do that?" he asked. "Not everyone
is trusting of the others, you know..."

"I'd say that the first person to snap and murder someone would be you, fatty," Natsumi said. "You
look like the most nervous out of all of us, so that means you must be the closest to snapping,
fatty!"

"Hey!" Hifumi yelled. "Don't call me fatty! Do you realize how much that word hurts to people
like me?"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Yasuhiro shouted. "Are you trying to make predictions of
the future? That's my job!"

"Shut your mouth, urchin head!" Natsumi said, turning around to insult Yasuhiro. "You fortune-
tellers are the absolute worse! I once got scammed by one of them!"

"Uh...what are we supposed to do, again?" Junko asked, looking like she's spacing out.

"We're trying to find a way out, duh!" Leon replied in an insulting manner.

"Preferably without having any murders," Kiyotaka added.

"Also, we need to figure out who's controlling Monokuma," Yasuke said. "Whoever's controlling
him must be behind our imprisonment in this school. If we can find that person, then we can be
free."

"I'm going to beat the shut outta that person," Mondo declared. "There are promises I've made that
are left unfulfilled. I can't afford to die with these unfulfilled promises!"

"Which means that you're going to abide by the rules, correct?" Celeste asked.

Mondo gave Celeste a baffled look. "Huh?" he said. "What do ya mean?"

"You said that you were adamant about not following the rules, correct?" Celeste asked. "Which
means that you don't care about rule. You just want to do whatever you want. If you're so insisted
on disregarding the rules, then go on ahead and try to break them. I'd personally love to see what
happens when someone breaks one of the rules."

"Didn't we see what Monokuma tried to do to Mr. Mondo Owada when he attacked him?" Hifumi
asked. "That Monokuma straight up tried to blow him up! If something like that happens again, I
don't think Mr. Mondo Owada will live to tell the tale..."

"Yeah...you're right..." Mondo said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Sayaka looked at the list of rules again and became confused by one particular rule. "Um...excuse
me?" she said. "I have a question."

Makoto turned to look at Sayaka. "What is it?" he asked.

"About the rule about the blackened," Sayaka replied. "It's rule 12, I believe? I'm confused by that.
Could someone explain what that means?"

Rule 12: Anyone who kills a fellow student will become the blackened. Blackened students
may graduate and leave the school, unless they are discovered.

"Oh, you're talking about the second half, right?" Makoto asked. "Where it says 'unless they are
discovered'? Yeah, I was wondering the same thing, too."

Byakuya entered the conversation with an answer. "It means that if you want to graduate," he
began to explain, "you have to kill someone without anyone figuring it out that it was you. That is
what I believe the rule means."

"Ah, I see..." Sayaka said upon getting it. "But...what if we failed to get away with murder?"

Byakuya sighed. "Personally, I don't see a reason to worry about it," he said. "Just worry about
following rules as they are written."

Hina then began to tug on the collars of her jacket. "Well, the whole thing about murders might be
worrying," she said, "but let's forget about that. Now that we know what's going on, how about we
start exploring this school?"

"Ah, that's right," Kiyotaka said. "We still know very little about this place. I mean, we are
supposed to be in Hope's Peak Academy. But we don't know what it looks like from the inside.
Also, we don't know where we'll be getting food or where we'll be sleeping. These are the questions
we must answer as we explore. So, how about we split off into groups and explore each part of the
school?"

"Sounds like a great plan to me!" Leon said excitedly. He then turned his attention towards
Sayaka. "Yo, Maizono? Thinking about exploring this school with me?"
Makoto and Sayaka looked at Leon with confused looks on their faces.

"Um...excuse me?" Sayaka asked.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Leon said. "We'd get to spend some time together!"

"Um...sorry to say this," Sayaka began to reply, "but I'm planning on exploring this school with
Makoto. You can team up with another person if you want."

Leon was shocked to hear that response. "What?" he said. "No, I won't team up with another
person. It has to be you, Maizono! Hey, how about a better idea? If you don't mind, could I join
your group instead? That must work for you two, right?"

Makoto and Sayaka said nothing in response. Makoto opened his mouth to try to say something
when he heard another student's voice.

"Hey!" Junko shouted in the distance. "Where did you think you're going?!"

The trio turned their heads towards Junko. They saw her talking to Byakuya who is walking away
from the rest of the students.

Byakuya stopped to deliver a response to Junko. "I'm going by myself," he declared.

"Why would you do that?" Yasuke asked, taking a step towards Byakuya. "Going by yourself
sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

Byakuya let out another sigh. "Why would I?" he asked. "I know that someone is planning on
murdering one of us. I can tell from the looks of everyone's faces. Why would I put myself at risk
by grouping up with a potential murderer?"

"Wait a second!" Makoto shouted. "It's good to go in groups! If one of you guys get murdered, then
the survivor-"

"Shut your mouth, you commoner," Byakuya said. "Don't deny that possibility. If I go with
someone, they will backstab me. I'm trying to do things that will ensure my survival. Don't
continue to argue with me. Groups are simply too risky. Now, leave me alone. I've got better things
to do than to be stuck in this room with the likes of you." He then continued to walk towards the
doors of the gym.

Suddenly, Mondo ran up to Byakuya and stood in front of him. "Hey!" he shouted. "Where did you
think you're going, you rich little piece of shit?"

Byakuya scoffed at Mondo. "Out of the way, plankton," he said.

Mondo felt insulted by that name too. "W-What the hell did you just called me?" he asked.

Natsumi laughed mockingly at Mondo. "Ha, you're letting another insult get to you?" she asked. "I
knew that you're a weakling, Owada!"

"Kuzuryu!" Kiyotaka shouted. "Knock it off!"

Byakuya ignored what was going on around him as he continued to talk down at Mondo. "You're a
plankton," he said. "A small, insignificant creature drifting in the sea. No matter what it does, it
couldn't possibly have any influence on the boundless ocean."

"Yer trying to talk down on me, aren't ya?" Mondo asked as he cracked his knuckles. "Well then,
I'm gonna kick your ass!"

Makoto began to panic. It looks like Mondo is about to start a fight with Byakuya. He felt like he
had to do something to stop them. He ran off towards Byakuya and Mondo to try to defuse the
situation, leaving Sayaka and Leon behind.

"Wait! Makoto!" Sayaka cried. "What are you doing?"

"Well, there goes Naegi," Leon said. "I guess he just wants the two of us together!"

Sayaka shook her head. "N-No...that's not it..." she said. "Makoto...he's about to get himself hurt! I
must save him!"

"Nah, he's totally screwed," Leon said. "Come on. Let's explore this school together." He then
grabbed Sayaka by the arm.

Sayaka tried to pull herself free from Leon. "NO!" she cried. "STOP! LET ME GO!"

Meanwhile, Makoto tried to defuse the tension between Byakuya and Mondo. "Stop it, you two!"
he ordered. "We shouldn't fight!"

Byakuya and Mondo turned their heads towards Makoto.

"What?" Byakuya asked. "Are you trying to defend that plankton? Don't make me laugh,
commoner. This will end badly for you."

"Hey, what do ya think you're doing?" Mondo asked. His anger is starting to reach a breaking
point. "Are you some goody-goody little bastard? Who do you think you are? My dad? Don't make
me laugh!"

"I don't know who your dad is," Makoto replied. "But all I wanted you two to do is-"

"SHUT UP!" Mondo roared as he began to throw his punch at Makoto.

It was at this point that Makoto realized that he had made a mistake. He acted on his instinct and
wanted to break up a fight. But instead, he probably made it worse. As Makoto watched as
Mondo's fist got closer to his face, Makoto closed his eyes and covered his face, hoping that the
punch wouldn't hurt too much. He anticipated the moment when he would be hit. He did get hit,
but not in the way he expected.

*WHAM!*

Makoto felt something slam against his back. The impact caused him to fall forward and land on
his face. Not only that, but it felt like someone else had landed on top of this. This felt weird to
him. A punch to the face shouldn't feel like that...

Makoto then felt his body being rolled. Someone then began to shout at him.

"Makoto? Are you okay? Please...answer me!"

Makoto can feel his body being shaken.

"Everyone, stay away! I need to check up on him!"

"Is he gonna be alright?"

"Ugh..." Makoto groaned.

"H-He's moving! I think he's about to wake up!"

Makoto slowly opened his eyes, thinking that he had been punched. His vision was blurry at first.
There were a few moving figures in front of him, but he couldn't tell what they are. As his vision
cleared, though, he began to see a few familiar faces. He saw Sayaka and Yasuke, who are looking
down at him.

Yasuke let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness," he said. "You had worried for a moment."

Makoto had a confused look on his face. "Ugh..." he groaned again. "What...what happened?"

"Uh...sorry about that," Sayaka apologized. "I freed myself from Kuwata's grip but...I was a little
too forceful. I ended up stumbling and ran into you..."

Makoto was still confused. "...Did Owada punch me...?" he asked.

Yasuke shook his head. "No, he didn't," he replied. "You were shoved out of the way before the
punch could land."

Ah, that makes sense, Makoto thought. I was wondering why didn't felt pain on my face. But wait a
second...

"...What happened to Owada?" Makoto asked.

Everyone turned their gaze towards Mondo. They saw him kneeling on the floor, clutching his
wrist. He was surrounded by students.

"S-She just came in at the last second!" Mondo shouted. "I-I couldn't lay a finger on her!"

"You spinless coward," Natsumi said. "You still couldn't bring yourself to hit a girl? How
pathetic."

"Would you please cut that out, Kuzuryu?!" Kiyotaka asked.

It was at this point that Makoto realized that Sayaka had saved him in the last moment. "Oh...I
see..." he said.

Sayaka then helped Makoto get back up on his feet.

"Thanks, Sayaka," Makoto said. "You really saved me there."

Sayaka grew a soft smile on her face. That smile quickly faded away as she heard Leon's voice.

"Gah, what the hell, Maizono?" Leon complained as he clutched his stomach. "Do you really have
to kick me back there?"

"Ah, sorry about that, Kuwata," Sayaka apologized. "I didn't mean to. I was just trying to get
Makoto out of the way. I don't want to see him get hurt. By the way, you should've let me save me
Makoto. You don't have to grab me..."

"I don't want to see you get hurt as well!" Leon replied, explaining his actions. "Besides, I wanted
to spend time with you. I can't do that if you're injured."

"If you want to do that, then you'd better be coming with me and Makoto," Sayaka replied.
"Why?" Leon asked.

"Well..." Sayaka said, hesitating before continuing her answer. "I just...really wanted to spend time
with him..."

Leon raised an eyebrow at the answer. "Okay..." he replied. "Well, if you're gonna spend so much
time around Naegi, then you'd better be spending the same amount of time with me as well. This is
payback for kicking me away. Ya got that?"

Sayaka didn't reply.

While all of this is happening, Kiyotaka has organized all of the students into groups that will split
off and explore the school. Not every student is in a group, but that's fine with him. Not everyone
wants to explore the school with another student.

"Alright, everyone!" Kiyotaka said. "We're all set! Time to move out and explore the school!"

The students are divided into the following groups. Junko and Yasuke formed one group, as did
Hina and Sakura. Mondo and Natsumi were teamed up with Kiyotaka, though that's only because
Kiyotaka wanted to monitor both of them. The next group to be formed is Hifumi, Celeste, and
Toko. Toko actually wanted to be with Byakuya, but he refused to work with what he considered a
pest. So she is left to group up with Hifumi and Celeste. Makoto, Sayaka, and Leon formed the last
group, with Leon only joining to spend time with Sayaka. The remaining three students were left to
go on their own. Byakuya doesn't want to cooperate with anyone, and nobody wants to work with
Yasuhiro. That leaves Kyoko, who seems disinterested in teaming up with anyone. At least, for
now.

"Well, I guess that settles it," Leon said. "Let's go explore this school together!" He was about to
head out the gym when Makoto stopped him.

"Wait a second," Makoto said.

Leon gave Makoto a confused look. "Huh?" he said. "Why are we stopping?"

Makoto stared off towards Kyoko, who's standing all by herself. She appears to be thinking about
what to do next.

"Makoto, are you thinking about recruiting Kirigiri into this group?" Sayaka asked.

"You want to get another girl?" Leon asked. "Damn, Naegi. I didn't know that you're a player."

"I-It's not like that!" Makoto replied. "I just...I felt like we could use a fourth member to round out
this group."

"Really?" Leon asked. "Well, if that's what you want, then go ahead. Invite Kirigiri in. Make this
quick, though. I'm itching to see this school with Maizono."

Makoto walked up to Kyoko to ask her to join his group. "Hey, Kirigiri?" he began.

Kyoko shifted her gaze towards Makoto. "Yes?" she said.

"I'm just wondering," Makoto began to ask. "If you don't mind, would you please join my group?"

Kyoko looked at Makoto's group. She sees both Sayaka and Leon within the group. She felt like
the group is big enough. "Why should I?" she asked. "Your group already has enough members."
"Well..." Makoto began to explain. "I just...I felt like you shouldn't be doing this on your own,
alright? I'll ask this again: would you please join my group?"

Kyoko began to ponder for a moment on if she should join Makoto's group and explore the school
along with two other students. She felt like this isn't something that she usually does. Her memory
is foggy, but she's pretty sure that she usually works alone. Still, there's something about Makoto
that intrigues her for some reason. She can't seem to know why...

Leon is staring to sound impatient. "Come on, Naegi," he said. "We have to go now!"

After a bit of consideration, Kyoko made her decision. "Alright," she said. "I'll join."

"Finally," Leon said in relief. "Now, let's go explore this school together!'

The four students, now known as Makoto's Group went out of the gym to began their exploration
of Hope's Peak Academy.

Day 1 - 2:35 PM
Athletics Hallway, First Floor

Makoto's group began their exploration of the school with the room right outside the gym. The
Athletics Hallway is a long, narrow room with several shelves with trophies on display. These
trophies are presumably won by previous students of Hope's Peak Academy. Looking off to the
side, the group saw Hina and Sakura at the other end of the room. Hina appears to be pounding on
a door. The group decided to check Hina and Sakura out to see what they found.

"Hey, girls," Makoto greeted. "What's up?"

Hina and Sakura look off to the side.

"Oh...hey, Naegi," Hina greeted back. She then sighed. "Look, I'm so disappointed right now..."

"Why are you disappointed?" Sayaka asked.

Kyoko looked at the sign next to the doors Hina was pounding on. She read what's written on the
sign, drawing everyone's attention to it. The sign reads, "Swimming Pool - Ultimate Swimmer
Lab".

"That's the swimming pool?" Makoto asked. "And...it's a lab at the same time? How is that
possible?"

"These rooms must be facilities for us to hone our talents," Sakura explained. "They're called
Research Labs."

"I was so excited when I saw that this school has a pool," Hina said. "I wanna take a dip there and
relax. But...it looks like this room is locked for now. I was left disappointed. That room is my
Research Lab, and I can't access it yet!

"Research Labs?" Sayaka said. "That sounds interesting. I wonder...does everyone have them?"

Leon immediately answered Sayaka's question. "Aw...crap," he groaned.

Everyone turned their attention towards Leon. He's standing in front of a door with a ball and bat
symbol on it. Next to the door is a sign that reads, "Batting Room - Ultimate Baseball Player Lab".
"Why is my lab like that?" Leon asked. "Seriously, did nobody ask me if I wanted this lab? This
place sucks!"

"Why are you complaining, Kuwata?" Hina asked.

"Look, I hate playing baseball, alright?" Leon explained. "I don't like the sport anymore, and I don't
like to practice. Why can't this room be replaced with my actual passion? I wanna play music,
dammit!"

"Wait, you hate doing practice?" Hina asked. "How could you? Practice is important! You need to-
"

"Don't say that to me!" Leon shouted. "Who are you? My coach? I don't wanna hear those words
again! Got it?"

Hina was confused. "But...why don't you like playing baseball?" she asked. "And...why did you
want to play music instead?"

Leon let out a sigh. "Listen, I don't like playing baseball anymore because I find it boring," he said.
"I'm just way too good at the sport. It's no longer exciting to me. Why should I practice if I'm
gonna win anyways? What a waste of my time. That's why I decided to become a musician instead!
That sounds way more exciting!" He turned around and walked up to Sayaka. "And plus, it lets me
get closer to my favorite idol. What do you say, Maizono?"

Sayaka grew a bit uncomfortable when Leon got this close to her. "Um..." she said.

Makoto continued to look around the Athletics Hallway for more things to find. "So uh...did you
find anything else of interest?" he asked.

"This is all this room has to offer to us now," Sakura replied. "There's also the changing room, but
that's locked too. There's nothing else left to see in this room, so we had to go somewhere next."

"We'll see you four again soon," Hina said. "If you find us again, please share your findings. I
would like to hear what you guys have found. Well, see you guys soon."

Hina and Sakura then walked out of the Athletics Hallway for another part of the school. Makoto's
group decided that this is their time to leave as well.

"Well, I guess this is our cue to leave," Kyoko said. "Shall we go, then?"

The rest of Makoto's group agreed, and soon they were on their way out of the Athletics Hallway.
Before they leave, there was something that caught Makoto's attention for a moment. On one of the
display shelves, there is a replica sword covered in gold, underneath which is a plague that reads
"Ultimate Swordswoman - Winner of the Slicing Competition". The replica sword seems
interesting to Makoto. He might check that out later.

Day 1 - 2:42 PM
Infirmary, First Floor

The next place Makoto's group explored is the infirmary. The infirmary contains three beds, as
well as cabinets full of medicines and medical supplies. Yasuke and Junko are in the infirmary, as
expected. An infirmary would be a natural place for a doctor, after all.

Junko saw Makoto's group enter the infirmary. "Oh hiiii!" she said in an enthusiastic tone. "Wow,
Naegi. I didn't know that you were a player. Picking up two girls and a boy, wow! You must
be...very open about your feelings."

Makoto's group could only stare at Junko in silence.

"It's not like that..." Makoto replied. "Anyways, could you tells us what you've found in here?"

"Of course!" Junko replied. "Although, I'll let Yasuke explain what we've found because there's no
way I can describe what these things are or that they do. Care to explain what we've found?"

"Huh?" Yasuke said. Then he saw Makoto's group. "Oh...right. Well, there's a lot I have to say
about this infirmary. This school is like a hospital when it comes to being prepared. It's probably
too complicated for any of you to understand. All you need to know is that we are prepared to
respond to any injury, as long as we can act fast enough. We've got blood bags for blood
transfusions, bandages to cover up wounds, and IV fluids for emergency treatment. Of course, we
do have to act fast enough if we want to save a patient. If we wait too long, then the patient is
beyond saving..."

"It's true," Kyoko remarked. "Time is important when it comes to saving patients. We can't afford
to make mistakes, either. One mistake and the patient might die..."

"Yeah...that would totally suck," Junko replied. "Gosh, I sure hope Yasuke doesn't die. That would
be really unfortunate if we lose the doctor first. Also, I would be totally devastated if Yasuke
happens to die..."

There's not much else to do in the infirmary, so Makoto's group say their goodbyes to Yasuke and
Junko for now and move on to another room.

Day 1 - 2:50 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

On the way to the other side of the building, Makoto's group passed by the A/V room. They
checked that room for a moment, but only saw rows and rows of chairs and monitors. There's no
one else in this room, so they moved on to another room. At the end of the hallway, the group saw
that the gate that was blocking the hallway earlier is now open, allowing access to what's beyond
it. Makoto's group went through the hallway and entered another part of the school: the dormitory.

The dormitory consists of a large lobby that leads to other rooms. Connected to the lobby is a
hallway that loops around, connecting to all of the dorm rooms. There's a branch that leads to
another room and another set of stairs, but both of them are currently closed off. There's also the
bathhouse, which is also closed off as well. Then they entered the laundry, a room filled with
washing machines, clothes dryers and hampers. Yasuhiro is currently in the laundry room, but
Makoto's group decided to not bother. That leaves the dining hall as the only option left, so the
group went there next.

Day 1 - 2:52 PM
Dining Hall, First Floor

The dining hall is a large room with several tables for the students to sit at. There's a large table at
the center with enough seats to fit most of the students. Surrounding the large table are several
smaller tables that can each seat up to four students.
Makoto's group entered the dining hall and found Kiyotaka's group sitting at the central table.

"Hey, Ishimaru," Makoto greeted. "Did you guys find anything?"

"Ah, hello there, you four!" Kiyotaka greeted back. "Yes, my group did find something: this dining
hall!"

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course," she said. "We're in this room right now."

"Is that all you have to say?" Kyoko asked.

Kiyotaka was silence for a moment before giving an answer. "Yeah...that's about it," he said.
"Although, this dining hall looks like it could be a good place to host a meeting. I'd say that
tonight, we would all gather around in this room to share our findings. When that time comes, I will
go around the school to tell everyone to head to the dining hall. Then we can share what we've
found to each other. Sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sayaka replied. "By the way, is there a kitchen, too? I feel like there
should be a place for us to get some food to eat..."

"Of course," Kiyotaka said as he pointed off towards another door. "There's a kitchen right there. I
saw Yamada and the others enter there. I would suggest waiting until the meeting to find out what's
inside. The kitchen could get crowded if you were to enter it."

"No, I think we're going there now," Makoto said. "I want to see what's inside there."

"Seriously?" Leon asked. "Do you want to get squished by a fat person?"

"I think we'll be fine," Makoto assured. "There might be enough room to fit seven people
comfortably."

Kiyotaka and his group stared at Makoto for a moment. "Well, if that's what you want, then go for
it," he said. "I won't stop you. Just don't say I didn't warn you if you get crushed by Yamada. I'll
stay in this dining hall in the meantime. I don't want to see these two cause any trouble."

"Tsk," Mondo said.

Makoto's group then walked towards the kitchen, making sure that they don't get crushed by
Hifumi.

Day 1 - 2:55 PM
Kitchen, First Floor

The kitchen contains the usual things found in a typical kitchen. There are several stoves and ovens
to prepare food, as well as several sinks to clean all of the dishes. Mounted on a wall is a kitchen
knife set, with each knife placed in an increasing order of size. A large fridge is off to the side, as
well as a door that leads to what seems to be a food storage room. There's also a table with boxes
full of fruit on them.

Makoto's group entered the kitchen to meet up with Hifumi's group.

"Hey, Yamada," Makoto greeted. "Did you guys find something in here?"

"Ah, hello there Mr. Makoto Naegi," Hifumi greeted. "And hello to you too, Miss Sayaka
Maizono, Miss Kyoko Kirigiri, and Mr. Leon Kuwata."

Leon gave Hifumi an annoyed look. "Dude, you don't have to say our full names," he said.

"Well, that's just his way to addressing people," Celeste replied. "As for what we found, what else
did you expect? This is a kitchen. It's full of food. Although, I am disappointed with the selection
presented to us. For a prestigious school, I was expecting something better than these commoner
food."

"By the way, how much food do we have?" Sayaka asked. "I'm kind of worried about running out
of food..."

"I believe it's much better to say how long the food will last for us," Celeste replied. "Considering
that there are 16 of us here, it's possible that we could run out of food soon."

"M-Make that 15," Toko attempted to correct. "That fat guy over there p-probably can go without
food for a while. Y-You could stand to lose some kilograms, you know!"

"Hey!" Hifumi shouted. "Do you think all this fat I have will help me survive without food? I need
carbs and proteins, too!"

While everyone was discussing over how long the food will last, Kyoko checked both the fridge
and the food storage room to see how much food the school has. She also counted up all the fruit
on one of the tables. She counted up all the food and made some mental calculations.

"Hmm...let's see..." Kyoko said as she walked around the kitchen. "There are 16 of us here.
Assuming that we eat three meals a day, and factoring in the shelf life for all of these foods..." Her
voice trailed off for a moment before she came across an answer. "Three days. The food will last us
for just three days!"

Everyone was shocked by Kyoko's conclusion. The fact that the food will last them for only three
days is concerning. Even if Hifumi were to not eat anything for a while, that still doesn't leave
them with much time to live. Sure, humans can live for some time without food, but still... If
they're going to live in this school for the rest of their lives, so to speak, they're going to need a lot
more food than that.

"How are we supposed to live with only three days worth of food?" Sayaka asked.

"Maybe if we could conserve our food..." Kyoko began to say. She was about to continue when all
of a sudden, Monokuma showed up.

"What? Are you guys worried about the food situation?" Monokuma asked.

Most of the students jumped upon Monokuma's arrival.

"Gah!" Hifumi screamed. "He's back!"

"What's going on in there?" Kiyotaka asked from the dining hall.

Leon looked outside the kitchen and called out to Kiyotaka. "Nothing!" he replied. "We're fine!"

Kyoko gave Monokuma a glare. "Monokuma, didn't you say that we don't have to worry about
running out of food?" she asked. "Then why did you give us only three days worth of food?"

"Three days?" Monokuma asked. "Wow, you're a sharp one. It's almost as if you're-" He stopped
himself all of a sudden. "Whoops! Almost spilled the secret!"

Everyone became confused with Monokuma said that.

"...What secret?" Makoto asked.

"Forget what I said earlier!" Monokuma said. "Anyways, I stocked up the kitchen this way because
if I gave you guys a lifetime supply of food at the beginning, then most of the food will decay and
expire before you could even get to them! Plus, where would I find the space to store all of that
food? This kitchen isn't big enough for that! So instead, I decided to only give you guys a few days
worth of food at a time. Then, when your food supplies are starting to run out, I'll restock them on a
regular basis. This way, you guys will never have to worry about running out of food!"

"That's good to know," Sayaka said.

"Anyways, I will be going for now," Monokuma said. "I'll see you all again soon! Bye!" And then,
faster than anyone could blink, Monokuma disappeared again.

"Huh? Where did he go?" Leon asked.

"I don't know," Kyoko replied. "He moved away faster than my eyes could track him. This school
must contain some secrets if he can appear out of nowhere..."

"I guess that's all we can see in the kitchen," Makoto said. "We should be moving. Come on,
everyone. Let's see what else this school has to offer."

Makoto's group then exited the kitchen, with Hifumi bidding the four of them goodbye.

"Bye, you four!" Hifumi said. "I'll be seeing you soon!"

"Be sure to come back here for the meeting, alright?" Kiyotaka said as Makoto's group exited the
dining hall.

Day 1 - 3:10 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

The last place Makoto's group went to is the dormitory rooms. Looking down the hallway with
one's back facing the lobby, the group saw six rooms to their right-hand side, five rooms to their
left, and a couple rooms on the far end of the hallway. They don't see enough rooms to house every
student in the building, so there must be a few more down the hallways. On each of the doors,
there is a nameplate featuring a pixelated image of the owner's face with their name written below
them. Above each doorknob is what appears to be a large card reader, and inside each door handle
is a keyhole.

"Looks like these must be our rooms," Makoto said. "I wonder who got which room..."

Makoto's group consulted the map to see who got which room. The map revealed a couple more
rooms that weren't visible from their current position. In total, they counted 16 rooms, one for each
student. There are six rooms "south" of the "south" hallway, five rooms facing directly opposite of
those rooms, four more rooms on the "east", and one more room at the "north", right next to the
trash room. Of course, without a compass, it was difficult to tell where they're facing, so this is the
best that they can do for now. To everyone's surprise, Makoto, Sayaka, and Kyoko's rooms are
located on the "southernmost" rooms nearest to the lobby, going in the order of Kyoko, Makoto,
and Sayaka.
"Wait, what?" Leon said in shock. "You've got two girls are your neighbors?!"

"Wow, looks like we're neighbors, Makoto!" Sayaka said. "Isn't this great?"

Makoto rubbed the back of his head as he blushed. "Yeah...I guess..." he replied.

Kyoko doesn't seem to care who her neighbor is.

Leon became concerned about where is room. "Wait, so if those are you guys' rooms, then...where'
my own?" he asked. "Hold on. Give me a second!"

Leon then ran down the hallway looking for his room. He soon found his own room, which is
located at the far end of the dormitory. His neighbors are Yasuhiro and Sakura.

"Aw...dammit!" Leon complained from across the hallway. "Why is my room located so far away?
And why are my neighbors a stupid fortune-teller and that muscular martial artist? Ugh, I'm going
to talk to person who assigned these rooms, if they are here at all!"

Seeing as Leon has split off from the rest of the group, Sayaka and Kyoko decided that it's time to
part ways with Makoto for now.

"Well, it's been fun getting to explore this school with you, Makoto," Sayaka said. "But I think it's
time for us to go our separate ways for now. Let's explore our rooms on our own."

"Yeah, I agree," Makoto replied. "Now...how do we access our own rooms?"

Makoto walked up to the door leading into his dorm room and tried to open it up. He grabbed the
door handle and tried to push it down, but it wouldn't budge.

"Huh? It's locked?" Makoto asked. He tried again to get the door handle to move, but nothing
works. "How do we access our dorm rooms?"

Kyoko was standing in front of the door to her own dorm room. She stared at the card reader above
the door handle. Looking at the card reader, she can't help but feel like something would fit inside
the slot on it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her E-Handbook. She then inserted her E-
Handbook into the card reader. It perfectly fitted into the slot. The light on the card reader turned
from red to green. Kyoko pulled down on the door handle now, and the door opened up.

"That wasn't so bad," Kyoko remarked.

"Oh, I see," Sayaka said, now getting how to unlock the dorm rooms. "But...what about the
keyhole?"

"I'm sure that's an alternative way for us to unlock our dorm rooms," Kyoko replied. "It's probably
there just in case. Now, leave me alone for now. I need some...time to myself." She then entered
her dorm room, closing the door behind her and locking it.

Makoto and Sayaka looked at each other for a moment.

"Well, looks like this is goodbye for now," Sayaka said. "I look forward to seeing you again,
soon."

Makoto smiled and nodded at Sayaka. "You too, Sayaka," he replied.

Makoto and Sayaka then unlocked the door to their dorm rooms and entered through them.
Day 1 - 3:16 PM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

Makoto took his first look at his own dorm room. The walls of the dorm room are red, with blue
tiled carpet covering the floor. There's a bed with a blue blanket on it, as well as a wooden desk and
chair behind it. Placed on the desk is a notepad and a charging port for the E-Handbooks. There's
also a low shelf, a table, another chair, a trash bin, a hanging lamp, and a monitor. On the opposite
wall to the hallway door, there are metal plates that cover what seems to be the windows. There's
also a surveillance camera pointed at the bed.

Makoto felt a sense of unease upon seeing the camera. I could've sworn that I've been seeing that
camera everywhere, he thought. He began to think about who could be watching him. It could be
Monokuma, considering he's the headmaster of this school now.

At least each dorm room seems to have their own bathrooms, so that's nice. Aside those things,
there doesn't appear to be any decorations in Makoto's room. The room is as bland and ordinary as
the owner himself. A fitting room for someone who considers himself completely average. Well,
aside from sports, that is.

...

Makoto can't help but feel an eerily silence standing in his dorm room. It was quiet...maybe too
quiet. He began to wonder if his neighbors can even hear him.

"Hello?" Makoto shouted. "Can anyone hear me? Hello?"

No response from anyone. Makoto decided to walk up to the wall shared between his room and
Sayaka's room. He heard that Sayaka has good hearing. Maybe she can hear him through the wall.

"Hey! Sayaka!" Makoto shouted. "Can you hear me?"

Still nothing...

Makoto sighed. "Looks like the walls might be soundproof..." he concluded.

Makoto decided to continue exploring his own room. Even though it might look bland, he felt like
there's still more to explore in this room. He found a key with his name etched into a metal piece. It
looks like this is the key to his room. He decided to take the key and put it in his pocket.

There's also a sheet of paper hanging on the wall. Makoto gave it a read.

"Attention all students! All dorm rooms can be unlocked by putting your E-Handbooks into the
card reader. But in case of emergencies, we have offered an alternative way of unlocking your
rooms. We gave each student a key that can be used to unlock your dormitory rooms instead.
Remaking a key can be troublesome, so please do not lose your room keys. The locks are designed
to be completely immune to tampering or lock-picking, so there's no need to worry about anyone
sneaking into your rooms without your permission. For your safety, please lock your dorm rooms
after you leave them.

Additionally, we have included a bathroom in every student's dorm room. These bathrooms come
furnished with a toilet, a sink, and a shower. Please note that the water in the dormitory bathrooms
will be shut off at night. If you have an emergency, please use the public bathrooms instead. Also
note that none of the dormitory bathrooms come with locks, so exercise caution if you use the
bathrooms while a guest is around.
Enjoy your stay in Hope's Peak Academy!"

"..."

Makoto grabbed the sheet of paper and crumpled it up into a ball. He then threw the paper into the
trash.

There is one more thing that needs to be pointed out. There's a closet in the room next to the dorm
room door. Makoto opened up the closet to see what clothes he has. There's nothing much to say
about his wardrobe. They're just a few copies of his old school uniform, some spare green hoodies,
and some green clothes. Makoto also found a few additional clothes, but doesn't feel like wearing
them anytime soon.

After spending some time exploring Hope's Peak Academy, Makoto decided to take a break in his
room. He relaxed on his bed and waited for the meeting to arrive.

6:00 PM

Makoto spent the hours resting on his best, trying to figure out what's going on. He was on his way
to Hope's Peak Academy when suddenly he and 15 other students were kidnapped by some
mysterious force. They were then placed into this school, forced to live out the rest of their lives
unable to leave it. The only way to leave this school is to murder someone and get away with it...

Makoto found that idea disturbing. The thought of someone killing him in an act of desperation
was a bit much for his mind to handle. On top of that, the people he's trapped with are highly
talented students who are the best at a certain field. He really felt like he's a little cat who had
wandered into a pride of lions. The only student he is familiar with prior to entering Hope's Peak
Academy is Sayaka. Even so, he doesn't remember talking to her at all in middle school.

Speaking of Hope's Peak Academy, is this place even the real Hope's Peak Academy? There's no
way that someone would hold hostages in such a prestigious school. He remembered what the
entrance hall looks like, but that's about it. Other than that, the rest of the school is unfamiliar to
him. More importantly, where are the other students? What happened to the other staff members?
And why is Monokuma the only staff member? Something about this place seems off to him...

*Ding-Dong!*

"Huh?"

It looks like someone is ringing his room's doorbell. Who could it be? Makoto got off his bed and
put on his shoes. He went up to the door to answer the bell. He wished that there were peepholes
installed on these doors. It would help if he knows who's coming before answering the door.

Makoto opened the door to find...Sayaka standing right outside. She must've been the one who rang
his doorbell.

"Sayaka?" Makoto asked.

"Good evening, Makoto," Sayaka greeted with a bow. "Or at least, I think it's evening. I'm not sure.
The clocks say that it's evening, but without being able to look outside, there's no other way to tell
the time. Anyways, could you come with me to the dining hall? There's something that I want to
talk with you."

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked.

"I'll explain later," Sayaka replied. "I'll go on ahead and meet you at the dining hall. See you soon."
She then walked away towards the dining hall.

Makoto grew curious about Sayaka. He wondered what she wanted to say to him. He decide to
meet her at the dining hall as promised.

Day 1 - 6:25 PM
Dining Hall, First Floor

Sayaka came out of the kitchen holding a tray with two plates full of meals. She placed down the
tray at the large table, where Makoto is sitting at. She then sat down besides Makoto and brought
the plates towards both of them.

"Here you go," Sayaka said as she placed down a plate in front of Makoto.

"Thanks, Sayaka," Makoto replied.

Makoto watched as Sayaka began eating her dinner. As he watched, Makoto began to develop
some thoughts on this situation. He can't believe that he's doing this at first, but he's having dinner
with none other than the Ultimate Idol. It's like a dream come true. His heart fluttered upon getting
this thought, though Makoto tried his best to maintain control of himself. Normally, in this
situation, whenever someone does anything with an idol, they would lose their minds. Makoto is
not like those people. To him, doing all of this feels pretty...normal to him. It's as if he has done
this many time before. Or maybe this is because he's treating Sayaka as a person rather than an
idol. He's not sure which is true.

Sayaka stopped eating her food for a moment and chuckled. Her cheeks began to blush.

Makoto became confused at Sayaka chuckling. "Huh? What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, Makoto," Sayaka replied. "You're so sweet."

"H-How did-?" Makoto asked as his cheeks blushed.

"I'm psychic, remember?" Sayaka replied.

Makoto was left stunned for a moment.

Sayaka then giggled again. "Come on, you know I'm just kidding," she said. "How many times
have I pulled of that joke on you?"

Makoto lost count of how many times Sayaka has made that joke. But regardless of how repetitive
it feels, that joke never fails to bring a smile to Makoto.

Makoto and Sayaka continued to eat their meal. When they were halfway done with their meals,
Sayaka began to ask Makoto something.

"Hey...Makoto?" Sayaka asked.

Makoto stopped eating food as he looked at Sayaka. "Now what?" he asked.

"Well...I know that we're continuing the introduction thing," Sayaka began to reply, "but there's
something that I really want to ask you. Remember that question I tried to ask you when we first
met?"
"What question?" Makoto asked. "I never got to hear you complete it."

"Um...what I'm about to ask you is..." Sayaka said, pausing for a moment before bringing up her
question. "Makoto, did you happen to go to Blackroot Junior High? The Sixth one, I mean. Does
that ring a bell?"

"The Sixth Blackroot Middle School?" Makoto replied. He paused to look back at his memories.
"Yeah...I do remember going there."

"Ah, I knew it!" Sayaka said in a cheerful tone. "I went to that school, too! Do you remember me?"

"O-Of course I do!" Makoto replied, struggling to contain his feelings. "I remember those days
when you were surrounded by the fans who attended our old school. The teachers and staff were so
annoyed at all the clogging that tends to cause. Ah, those were the old days..." He then noticed
something a bit odd. "Hey, wait a second...how come you remember me?"

"Huh? How did I remember you?" Sayaka replied. "We went to the same school for three years! Of
course I remember you!"

"T-That's true..." Makoto said. "But even so...there were a lot of students in our school, right?
You're the most popular student in the school...and I...was the complete opposite of that: I'm a
nobody. I was never the type who would stand out. I'm average at everything that isn't sports. With
someone as unremarkable as me, how could anyone, let alone a world famous idol, possibly
remember me?"

"What are you talking about, Makoto?" Sayaka asked. "Personally, I think you're special!"

"Special?" Makoto asked, his face looking shocked. "W-What do you mean I'm special?"

"Well..." Sayaka began to say, but then her voice trailed off. "Let's just say that you did something
that puts you into a special place in my heart. I'm...glad that I got to meet someone that I know
before. And I'm sure you're glad to see a familiar person, right?"

Makoto wasn't sure if Sayaka is right, but talking to her has put his heart at ease. So he has to agree
with her. "Yeah...I guess..." he replied.

Sayaka grew a big smile on her face. "I really enjoy hanging out with you, Makoto," she said.
"That's why I want to become your Ultimate Assistant!"

"Huh? Ultimate Assistant?" Makoto asked.

"Yep! I'm your assistant now," Sayaka said. "I'm going to help you as much as I can! I look
forward to working with you, Makoto."

Seeing all of Sayaka's smile and hearing her say all that...it make Makoto's heart warmed up. He
felt pumped about working with Sayaka again.

Sayaka then looked at the clock on the wall. "Hmm...what's taking the others so long?" she asked.
"The meeting's starting soon. They should be here by now..."

Right when Sayaka said that, Kiyotaka entered the dining hall along with the rest of the students.

"Alright, this is the last place I'll look," Kiyotaka said. "Now where are those-" He stopped himself
upon seeing Makoto and Sayaka sitting at the central table.
"Something wrong?" Makoto asked.

"Wait..." Kiyotaka said in shock. "You two are here the whole time! Gah! I was wondering where
you two went! I've been looking all over the school for you two!"

It looks like Kiyotaka was gathering everyone for the meeting. No wonder they didn't see him and
his group when they entered the dining hall. Well, it sounds like the meeting is about to start.
Makoto and Sayaka made sure to finish their meals and bring the dishes back to the kitchen before
the meeting starts.

Day 1 - 6:45 PM

A few minutes later, the students are gathered in the dining hall to start the meeting. Most of the
students sat at the central table, while a few others sat at one of the side tables. They were about to
begin the meeting when someone noticed that someone is absent.

"Wait, isn't someone missing here?" Junko asked. "Uh...what's her name again? You know who
that girl is, right? The lavender haired girl?"

"Who? Kirigiri?" Kiyotaka asked. "I've been looking all over the school for her, but I can't find her.
So we'll have to start this meeting without her."

"Do you think she has been...you know...murdered?" Yasuke suggested.

An unsettling fear began to envelop everyone as they gained that thought.

Kiyotaka shook his head in denial. "No, that can't happen yet!" he said. "It's too early for a murder
to happen! You all are just overthinking things."

"But...what if that did happen?" Hina asked.

"Don't bring that thought up!" Kiyotaka shouted. "For now, let's just assume that she's alive.
Ugh...darn it, Kirigiri! You're going to be late to the first meeting? And you never told us that
you're going to be late! You're just taking your time, aren't you? Well, no matter. We'll start this
meeting without you! And with that, I declare that our first meeting has begun! Now, who would
like to speak first?"

Everyone in the dining hall began to share with the others what they found while exploring Hope's
Peak Academy. Along the way, everyone learned a few things.

"Wait, you were shouting out my name?" Sayaka asked up learning that Makoto tried to shout
through the soundproof walls. "Oh. I see. I thought that our dorm rooms were too quiet. Now I
know why."

"Well, at least none of us will be disturbed by what our neighbors are up to," Kiyotaka remarked.

Then, Sakura talked about what she tired to do with the metal plates.

"The bolts are placed on the inside, so I thought that I can unfasten them with my bare hands,"
Sakura explained.

"And what did you find?" Kiyotaka asked.

"I couldn't loosen those bolts," Sakura replied. "They metal plates were bolted tightly. There was
no way I can take them off."
"Wow, not even the world's strongest woman can stand a match against metal," Natsumi said
mockingly.

"Would you cut that out, Kuzuryu?!" Kiyotaka shouted.

Then Yasuhiro began to describe the other services available to the students.

"I found some washing machines and dryers in the laundry room," Yasuhiro said "It looks like we
don't have to worry about running out of clean clothes. I also found an incinerator in the trash
room, so we know where to dispose of our trash."

"That's good to know," Kiyotaka said. "That reminds me something. Everyone, we are all
responsible for the maintenance of Hope's Peak Academy. This is our home now, and we'd better
take care of it. From now on, everyone will be assigned jobs to perform around the school.
Hagakure, you're in charge of the laundry."

"Oh, that's really cool," Yasuhiro said. Then he realized that he made a mistake. "Wait, oh no! I
don't want to do laundry!"

"That's what you get for not keeping your mouth shut!" Natsumi said.

Kiyotaka had enough of Natsumi's insults. "Kuzuryu, you are cleaning the floors," he said.

Natsumi was shocked that she's being forced to some low-paying job. "What?!" she gasped. "Hey,
make someone else clean the floors! Do you even know who I am?!"

Byakuya took a sip of tea and sighed. "You mock others for not keeping their mouths shut," he
said. "Yet you refused to keep your mouth shut, too. How hypocritical."

Natsumi was left stunned.

Kiyotaka was about to assign the final task. "Now, as for taking out the trash," he began, "I shall
hand that job over to-"

Before Kiyotaka could finish his sentence, Kyoko entered the dining hall with a large roll of paper.

"Kirigiri!" Kiyotaka shouted. He then paused to make it clear to everyone that he's not assigning
trash duty to Kyoko. "Where have you been? We've already started this meeting without you!"

Kyoko said nothing as she walked up to the central table. She tossed the roll of paper onto the
table, make it unroll to reveal its contents. Most of the students looked at the large sheet of paper.
They couldn't believe their eyes, but this looks like a map of Hope's Peak Academy. And the layout
shown on the map matches up with what they have already seen! Furthermore, the map shows the
layout of floors they aren't able to access yet. The second floor of the dormitory appears to be
scribbled out, however.

Seeing the map of Hope's Peak Academy is interesting, but Kiyotaka has questions regarding the
map's origins. "Kirigiri...where did you find this map?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter where I found it," Kyoko replied.

"It does matter!" Kiyotaka said. "Just tell us where you found this map! You're freaking us out if
you don't!"

"Calm down, Ishimaru," Yasuke said. "If she says that it doesn't matter, then it probably doesn't
matter. There's no need to freak out over it."

"So then...what does this mean?" Junko asked.

Kyoko placed her hand on the map of the academy. "Just look at this," she said. "This map and the
places we've seen so far matches up almost exactly. This is Hope's Peak Academy. There's no
doubt about it. But...while it does match up in terms of construction, this building we're in appears
to have undergone a number of...renovations."

"Renovations?" Makoto asked. "Like what?"

"Just the obvious stuff," Kyoko replied. "The covered windows, the metal door at the entrance hall,
things like that. I can't say for sure what's going on in the upper floors. We only have access to the
first floor."

Sayaka then looked at the scribble in the area above the dormitory. "Wait, what's that over there?"
she asked.

"That might be the second floor of the dormitory," Kyoko replied. "I can't say for sure. It may
match up with the dormitory on this floor. Who knows."

"So...this place really is Hope's Peak Academy," Mondo said. "What the hell? Is this supposed to
be the school where the talented come and learn?"

"It might be..." Hina replied. "But if that's the case, then where are all the students? I saw two
classrooms, but only enough students to fill one..."

"And where are all the teachers?" Sakura asked.

"Hey, come on, guys," Yasuhiro said, trying to calm everyone down. "Let's not think about the
negative side, okay? I mean, this has to be some elaborate experiment, right? This entire school is
probably just a lab designed to study how we behave in a situation like this.

"What of experiment would place unwilling people into a building and ask them to kill each other?"
Yasuke asked. "That's definitely an unethical experiment. No sane lab would ever want to pull that
off. Also, is that another stupid prediction of yours? I'm getting tired of your pseudoscience
bullshit."

"Hey!" Yasuhiro shouted. "Don't take everything I say as a prediction!"

Then, Celeste began to laugh all of a sudden. "Haha..." she said at first. Then, she broke down into
a laughter of madness. "Hahahahahahaha!"

Everyone turned towards Celeste and gave her confused looks.

"W-Why are you laughing?" Toko asked. "W-What's so funny?"

"Oh, you poor fools," Celeste said. "Don't you all realize that you're spending too much time
worrying?"

"W-What are you talking a-about?" Toko asked.

"It's clear to me the situation all of us are placed in," Celeste said. "Trapped in a school with no
way out, with no end to the imprisonment in sight."

"Y-You don't have to tell that us to us a-again," Toko said. "B-But still...trapped in h-here...with n-
no way o-out...and with no e-end in sight... W-What are we s-supposed to d-do?"

"It's simply, really," Byakuya replied. "If you want to leave, all you have to do is-"

"Don't even talk about that!" Junko shouted. "We get it already!"

"Guys, calm down!" Makoto said. "I believe that our best course of action is to try to find a way
out of this school together!"

Celeste laughed at the idea. "Escape? From this school?" she asked. "I think you're having the
wrong reaction, Naegi."

Makoto looked at Celeste with a puzzled look. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Instead of trying to find a way to escape," Celeste suggested, "we should all just spend the rest of
our lives living peacefully together in this school."

Sayaka is just as confused as Makoto over what Celeste was saying. "I still don't get it," she said.
"What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that we should accept our current situation and adapt to it," Celeste said.

"What the hell?" Mondo said. "You're telling us that we should just...accept this?!"

"Face it," Celeste began to say. "Adapting to this place is our best chance at surviving. If you can't
adapt, then you won't survive. You know what they say? Survival of the fittest? That means that it
doesn't take the to be the strongest, smartest, or fastest in order to survive. In order to survive, you
adapt. Without that adaptability, you won't survive."

Most of the students are confused by what Celeste is saying, but it appears that Sakura gets her.

"I get what she's saying," Sakura said. "If you can't adapt, then you won't succeed. I'll give an
example based on my experiences. Even though I am the Ultimate Martial Artist, I am constantly
finding ways to improve and refine my fighting style. I have fought over 400 matches and never
lost a single one. That means that every fighter I face will know how I fight. They will develop
counter strategies in an attempt to defeat me. If I don't adapt to those counters, then I will lose for
the first time."

"Wow, that's so cool..." Hina said.

"How interesting," Celeste remarked. "It seems that we see eye to eye about this, Ogami. It's true. I
have changed my strategies to thwart my opponent attempts at defeating me. As someone who has
come out on top many times before, I have a suggestion to me."

Mondo raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

"We will be spending many nights in this school," Celeste began. "And we understood the rule
regarding nighttime. Are we all on the same page?"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it now," Leon replied. "We're trapped in this school, blah, blah, blah."

Celeste glared at Leon. "Rude," she muttered. "Anyways, about this rule about nighttime. I believe
that we should add another rule on top of that."

"Aw, don't add another rule to the list!" Leon complained. "Our actions are restricted enough as it
is!"
"What's your suggestion?" Makoto asked, curious about what Celeste has to add.

"Going out at night should be prohibited," Celeste said.

Mondo slammed his hands on the table. "What the hell?!" he shouted. "You're telling us to say in
our rooms all night?!"

"Allow me to explain," Celeste said. "The way things are now, we will have to worry about our
own safety when we're walking around the school at night. We might be afraid that someone will
kill us in the middle of the night, when everyone else is sleeping. By the time we discovered a dead
body, it'll be too late."

"W-What?" Sayaka gasped.

"T-That sounds s-so scary..." Toko said. "I-I don't want anyone to ambush me at night!"

"Face it, everyone," Celeste said. "If you keep on worry about this night after night, you will be
worn down in no time. That goes for all of you. As long as we all remain in our rooms at night, we
should be safe. However, unlike all other rules, we aren't forced to comply to it by Monokuma. We
all must agree to follow this rule. So, is everyone with me?"

Kiyotaka raised his head. "Yes!" he said. "Yes, I do! On behalf of all the men here, I shall
comply!"

"Dude, you can't just speak out for all of us," Leon said. "Let us have a say in this!"

Celeste grew a small smile. "I see..." she said. "Then on behalf of all the women, I shall agree to
follow this new rule."

"Aw, not the girls, too!" Leon complained again. "Hey, girls? Are you with me? You do agree that
this new rule is dumb, right?"

None of the girls said anything.

"Then that settles it," Celeste began to declare. "From now on, all of us must follow this new rule.
Now, if you would excuse me, I'd better be going." She then got up from her seat and walked out of
the dining hall.

"Hey!" Natsumi yelled. "Where do you think you're going?"

Celeste stopped where she is for a moment. "To my room, of course," she said without turning her
head. "It's getting awfully late. I want to take a shower before the water shuts off at night. And
don't ask me if I had dinner. I already had my meal earlier." After saying that, Celeste continued
her way back to her room.

Celeste mentioning that she had dinner already made nearly everyone feel hungry.

"Well, that was an interesting first meeting," Kiyotaka said. "I must say, we have learned a lot
about our current situation, but there may be more to discover in the future. I'd say that we
reconvene in this dining hall for another meeting first thing tomorrow morning. For now, I declare
that today's meeting has come to an end! Everyone, let's have some dinner!"

Sayaka then raised her hand. "Um...Makoto and I already ate so, I think we're free to leave now..."
she said.
 "Oh, you two had dinner already?" Kiyotaka asked. "Well, then, go on ahead. You two are
dismissed now."

Makoto and Sayaka then exchanged look with each other.

"Makoto, are you ready to call it a day?" Sayaka asked.

"Yeah," Makoto replied with a nod. "Let's head back to our rooms for the night."

Makoto and Sayaka then left the dining hall together as the rest of the students began their first
dinner together.

Day 1 - Unknown Time

Unknown Location

"...H...lo? A...one th...re?"

"..."

"Can a... hear m...?"

"..."

"I'm s...k in here... I don't k... how to... out..."

"..."

"S...one! P...se! Sa... me!"

Chapter End Notes

The official English version of Trigger Happy Havoc translated the name of Chapter 1
into "To Survive". I took the liberty of taking the original name and extending it into a
reference to the song "Fly". I hope you guys don't mind all the references I'm going to
make, because there will be a lot of them.

I will admit that it feels kind of silly to start off Chapter 1 right after the prologue ends
and not include it in a separate chapter or with the rest of the first part. I wasn't sure
what I was thinking when I wrote that part in the original version. Oh well. That
couldn't be helped.

Starting in the next chapter and continuing on until Deadly Life begins, there will be
Free-Time events between the various students. My memory may be hazy, but I do
believe that one of the main criticisms made against the original version were the lack
of Free-Time events past Chapter 1. I will say, it's hard to interact with anyone when
you're under extreme stress, but that doesn't mean that there can't be any interactions at
all. Maybe I'm wrong here and that point of criticism doesn't exist, and I'm only
noticing this as I'm reviewing the original versions. Whatever the case, I will make an
effort to include more Free-Time events between the characters.

As always, feel free to leave suggestions for which pair of students should have a
conversation with each other. If I find the idea good enough and I can implement it, I
may write that down. I do have plenty of events planned out, but that doesn't mean that
there couldn't be more.

Also, what's that strange sound you're hearing? In this story, not in real life,
presumably. Did someone say something? Nah, probably doesn't matter. Let's just
ignore it for now.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 2)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 1 - 10:00 PM
Sayaka's Room, First Floor

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

The monitor in the room turns on, showing Monokuma sitting at a chair while having a drink.
Behind him is a wall of monitors, each showing footage from different parts of the school.

"Ahem, attention all students," Monokuma began to announce. "This is a school announcement.
The time is now 10:00 PM, which means that nighttime has officially begun! The doors to the
dining hall will be closed at this time, so accessing it is strictly prohibited. Sweet dreams,
everyone! And don't let the bed bugs bite."

The monitor then turns off, ending the announcement.

...

Despite being called the Ultimate Idol, Sayaka's dorm room is as bland as ever. There's only the
furniture that all the other dorm rooms get. Any other decorations are nowhere to be found.

Sayaka rested on the bed, covering herself with the pink blanket that comes with the girls' rooms.
Her eyelids became heavy as she stared at the ceiling. As she drifted into sleep, Sayaka thought
about the situation she and 15 other students had found themselves in. Everyone is forced to live
out the rest of their lives within the confines of Hope's Peak Academy, with their only method of
escaping is to sacrifice the life of someone. The thought of taking another student's life is a
terrifying thought to her. It made her worry about her own safety.

On the bright side, at least there's Makoto in this school. Just seeing him again was enough to
make her happy. She had enjoyed the time she had spent with him, and wanted to hang out with
him again. There's something on her mind that she wanted to let out.

"Makoto..." Sayaka muttered.

That was her last word before she completely fell asleep.

Day 2 - 7:00 AM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Good morning, everyone!" Monokuma said, waking everyone who heard the announcement. "It's
7:00 AM right now, which means that nighttime is officially over! Rise and shine, everyone! Get
ready for a beautiful day!"

...

That's the strangest alarm bell I have ever heard, Makoto thought as he woke up.
Makoto's first instinct is to check the windows to verify the time of day. Of course, the windows
are covered in metal plates, so there's no way of telling the exact time of day. All he's got is the
clocks placed throughout the school.

Makoto slid off his bed and slipped into his shoes. He thought about the meeting Kiyotaka had
scheduled for this morning. He remembered him saying that everyone should head there first thing
in the morning.

"Alright, I should go there right now!" Makoto declared.

With a newfound determination, Makoto ran out his room.

Day 2 - 7:03 AM
Dormitory, First Floor

*CRASH!*

Okay, maybe Makoto shouldn't have done that. He should have just taken his time and calmly
walked his way to the dining hall. It's not like he's in a rush to get here.

Makoto landed on his butt. "Ugh," he grunted as he rubbed his head. "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to-" He stopped himself upon seeing who he had ran into. "AHHH!"

Of course. It was Mondo. Of all people, his room was placed right across Makoto's own room. It
was only a matter of time before they ran into each other as they went out of their rooms for the
morning.

Mondo was irritated over being ran into. "Hey, watch where ya going, ya runt!" he said. "Do ya
wanna get a knuckle sandwich or something?"

"AH!" Makoto screamed. "D-Don't hurt me! I didn't mean to run into you!"

Mondo then sensed something familiar about Makoto. "Hey, wait a second," he said. "Aren't you
one who tried to be my dad or something? Gah, who cares? All I care about is for you to shut up!"
Mondo then tried to deliver a punch to Makoto.

"NO!" Makoto screamed as he attempted to block his face.

"Owada!" someone shouted in a scolding manner.

Mondo stopped his fist before he could land his punch on Makoto. He turned his head towards the
source of the voice. It was Kiyotaka, one of his neighbors.

"What are you doing, Owada?" Kiyotaka asked. "Trying to punch Naegi? I knew you would cause
some trouble."

"Hey!" Mondo shouted. "He ran into me!"

"That one's probably on him," Kiyotaka replied. "It was an honest mistake. Speaking of which..."
He then turned his gaze onto Makoto. "Naegi, you'd better slow yourself down and pay attention to
what's in front of you. Remember, no running in the halls. Got it?"

"You told us to get to the dining hall first thing in the morning..." Makoto replied.

As the three boys talked to each other, Sayaka came out of her room and encountered the group.
"Huh? What's going on here?" she asked.

The three boys turned their attention at Sayaka.

"Ah, good morning, Maizono!" Kiyotaka greeted. "I hope you had a good sleep last night! We're
just having a bit of a problem here in the morning. That's all."

Sayaka was confused. "I still don't get it," she said. "What happened here?"

"It probably doesn't matter," Kiyotaka said. "Now, our second meeting is about to start soon, but
first we've got to fill our bellies up. We need to prepare food for breakfast. Care to join us?"

"Ah, no thanks," Sayaka replied. "I have something else planned for the morning."

"Really?" Kiyotaka asked. "Well, that's fine. Owada and I make breakfast ourselves."

"Wait...me?" Mondo asked, pointing to himself. "What are we making?"

"You'll see when we get there," Kiyotaka said. "Now come on! We need to prepare breakfast for
the others!"

Kiyotaka and Mondo then walked off to the dining hall, leaving Makoto and Sayaka behind.

Sayaka knelt down to Makoto. "Are you alright?" she asked. She then offered her hand out to
Makoto.

Makoto rubbed his head again. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied.

Makoto then reached out to Sayaka's hand and grabbed it. Sayaka then pulled him back up on his
feet.

Makoto blushed as he stared at Sayaka. It felt like she wanted to do something with him.
"So...uh...what are we doing?" he asked.

"Um...while we're waiting for breakfast to be ready," Sayaka began to answer, "how about
we...um...find a place to chat?"

"A place to chat?" Makoto asked. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I'll reveal it when we get there," Sayaka replied. "Come on. Let's head...somewhere."

Sayaka then walked towards the passageway leading to the main part of Hope's Peak Academy.
Makoto wasn't sure where Sayaka is heading. There's only so many places in to go in this school so
far. Makoto decided to join Sayaka in where she's going.

Before they could get to the main part of the school, Makoto and Sayaka encountered Leon who is
standing around near the passageway.

"Dammit...what should I do now?" Leon asked. "There's nothing to do in this school. God, I think
I'm gonna freaking die of boredom at this rate..."

"Something wrong, Kuwata?" Makoto asked.

"I just...what can I do?" Leon asked. "I can't even race for my dream in this place..."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow when Leon mentioned his dream. "Your dream?" she asked. "What
dream?"

Leon turned to face Sayaka. "You know that dream, right?" he replied. "I want to become the
Ultimate Musician or something. You sense that potential within me, right? The strongest vocals,
the dexterity to strum a guitar, and the passion to make music. It's all here in one big package! God,
I feel so cool saying that in front of a celebrity. Hey, Maizono? Mind if you train me? I wanna
know the secrets to your success!"

"Ah, sorry," Sayaka replied. "But I'm planning something else right now. I want to talk to Makoto
about something."

"Huh? Him?" Leon asked with a perplexed look on his face. "You two have been spending all day
with each other yesterday, haven't you? What? Are you two in some sort of date?"

"It's not like that..." Makoto tried to explain.

Leon doesn't seem to buy Makoto's explanation. "Well, it sure seems like it!" he said. "Dammit,
Naegi. Why do you have to steal the girl of my dreams before I could have a chance?"

...

Hearing Leon talk about his dreams reminded Sayaka of something. "Dreams..." she muttered.

Makoto heard Sayaka say something and looked towards her. "Huh? Did you say something?" he
asked.

"Oh, sorry," Sayaka replied. "It's just...I've gotten something in my head. Come on. Let's go."

Makoto and Sayaka then entered the passageway, leaving Leon behind to watch them.

"Aw..." Leon groaned in disappointment. "What can I do now...?"

Leon then turned around and came face to face with Hina, to his surprise.

"Hey, Kuwata!" Hina greeted. "Good morning! I saw that you were feeling down so...do you think
you can train with me?"

Leon felt like he's going to dread every moment of his upcoming training session.

Day 1 - 7:09 AM
Hallway, First Floor

On the way to their destination, Makoto and Sayaka encountered Yasuke and Junko. Yasuke
appears to be on his way to the infirmary, with Junko accompanying him.

Junko spotted Makoto and Sayaka coming. "Oh, hi there, Naegi! Hi, Maizono!" she greeted with a
huge smile on her face. "Wow, I can't believe it, Naegi. Not even a full day has passed and already
you've got a girlfriend! Are you two on a date again?"

Yasuke heard Junko speaking and turned around to see why. "Oh...it's just you two..." he said.
"Good morning..."

"Good morning to you too, doctor," Sayaka replied with a bow. She then turned her attention to
Junko. "Um...no, Enoshima. We're not on a date..."
"Really?" Junko said with a puzzled look. "It sure looks like you two are. I must say, I'm getting
kinda jealous of you two! I mean...getting to date a fashionista is one thing, but getting to date a
national celebrity? That's something else! And you're even an ordinary boy, Naegi. You're really
living up to your title!"

Makoto and Sayaka stared at Junko in silence for a moment.

"...It's not what it looks like..." Makoto flatly said.

Yasuke has an annoyed expression on his face. "Would you stop now, Junko?" he requested. "I
have something to do in the infirmary."

Hearing about Yasuke and Junko's relationship made Makoto curious about something. "Wait,
doctor," he began. "Can I ask you something?"

"Make it quick," Yasuke said. "I need to be in the infirmary soon."

"Well, I've gotta ask..." Makoto began to ask. "How did you and Enoshima met?"

"Oh, you want to know our origin story?" Junko replied. "Why yes, of course we will! Hey,
Yasuke! Take it away!"

Yasuke let out a sigh. "If I must..." he said before getting to his backstory. "I first met Junko when I
was in elementary school. I didn't have any other friends at the time, and neither was she. We
quickly became friends after that point, and the rest is history. Now, I've said enough for now. Tim
to go." After finishing his story, Yasuke continued to walk towards the infirmary.

Makoto and Sayaka were still left confused about Yasuke's story with Junko.

"Wait, doctor!" Makoto said. "I still don't get it. Could you explain-"

"That's all you need to know about me," Yasuke replied. "Now leave me alone."

"Wait! Yasuke!" Junko cried as she ran towards Yasuke. "Don't leave me behind!"

Makoto and Sayaka watched as Yasuke and Junko disappeared behind a corner.

Makoto was left still wondering about Yasuke and Junko. "Is there more to them than what the
doctor told us?" he asked. "It felt like he's leaving out some details..."

"We probably shouldn't bother him for now," Sayaka replied. "Anyways, I think I found a good
place for our conversation."

"Where?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka grabbed the door to one of the classrooms. "Here," she replied. "This might be a good place
to have a conversation. Come on in." She then entered the classroom.

Makoto read the sign to see what classroom Sayaka had entered. He saw that the classroom is
labeled 1-A, the same classroom where he first woke up. A wave of nostalgia hits him as he looked
back into that classroom. This part of the hallway is also where he met Sayaka, too. With a sense of
nostalgia in his heart, Makoto entered the classroom.

Day 1 - 7:12 AM
Classroom 1-A, First Floor
Makoto and Sayaka took a pair of seats in the classroom. They stared at each other for a moment,
trying to figure out where to start their conversation. Sayaka has her hands placed on her lap while
her legs are kicking the air. She looked away from Makoto with blushes on her face.

"Well, Sayaka?" Makoto asked. "Do you have something to say? It's getting...awfully quiet in
here..."

"Ah, sorry about the silence," Sayaka apologized. "I'm just...not used to having normal
conversations. I'm trying to figure out where to start and my mind ends up blank. And I was the
one who invited you into this. Sorry for wasting your time, Makoto..."

"It's okay," Makoto assured. "We don't have find something to talk about. You don't have force
yourself into saying something. We can just...sit around and stare off into the distance or
something."

"Stare off into the distance...?" Sayaka asked as she stared at something with a finger on her chin.

"You're probably bored, right?" Makoto asked. "Just sitting around with nothing to do but wait for
breakfast..."

"Oh no, I don't find this boring," Sayaka replied. "It's just...I'm never used to having so much free
time, and I've never gotten used to spending that time...doing nothing..."

"I get where you're coming from," Makoto said. "You're an idol. You've got a busy schedule. You
always have something to do every day. Don't you agree?"

"I guess..." Sayaka replied.

Sayaka doesn't realize it, but she's doing some small talk right now, and she's doing fine with it.
Makoto began to notice this too. He's glad to see Sayaka being about to pull this off. But now it's
time for him and Sayaka to talk about an actual topic. This small talk conversation can only go on
for so long.

Makoto tried to bring up a topic for Sayaka to talk. "If you're feeling bored, then why don't we find
something to talk about?" he suggested. "For instance, I heard you muttering about dreams when
we talked to Leon a moment ago. Could we talk about that?"

"Dreams...?" Sayaka muttered. She appears to be interested in the topic. "Um...Makoto? Sorry if
this feels like it came out of nowhere, but do you have a dream?"

Makoto is sure that it didn't came out of nowhere. He decided to answer Sayaka's question and
follow it up with his own. "Well, I don't exactly have a dream," he replied. "I'm not much of a
dreamer, to be honest. I don't have any big goals that I want to reach. I just go wherever my live
takes me. Sorry if that sounds like a boring answer, but that's how the way things are with me."

"So you don't have a dream?" Sayaka asked.

"Yeah," Makoto replied. "But what about you, Sayaka? Do you have a dream?"

"My dream...?" Sayaka said. She spent long and hard thinking about her dream. "My dream...is to
become the biggest star in all of Japan, and maybe even the whole world. That's been my
dream...for as long as I can remember."

"That's your dream?" Makoto said in reaction. "Interesting... But wait, haven't you already
achieved this dream? You're the Ultimate Idol, right?"
"That's right..." Sayaka replied. "I remembered the moment when I got that dream. My mom died
when I was young, and my grieving father...spent long hours at work. I was forced to spend long
hours all alone in my house...without anyone to take care of me..." There was a hint of nervousness
as Sayaka told her backstory.

Makoto became shocked to learn about the lonely past Sayaka had gone through as a while.
"Whoa..." he said. "That's an awful childhood..."

"There's more..." Sayaka said as she continued her story. "I've spent all of those lonely hours
watching television...in an effort to escape my loneliness. I was trying to find something...anything
that would make me escape my loneliness. And then...everything changed when I saw an idol
show on TV. Those idols I watched...they were like princesses dancing and singing to their heart's
content. I saw their big smiles in full display. And when I saw those smiles, I could feel my
loneliness melt away. It's those idol shows that made me want to become an idol myself. I want to
be like those girls who inspired me, becoming an idol so that I can do the same to others as what
they did to me. I wanted to give encouragement to others, to lift them out of their lonely lives. And
that...became my dream."

Makoto was amazed at Sayaka's story. "Wow, Sayaka," he said. "That's impressive! You were able
to achieve your lifelong dream after many years of hard work! Honestly, you're amazing, Sayaka!"

Sayaka then stared straight into Makoto's eyes. "I know..." she said. "But...the truth is...that success
doesn't come without a price. I had to do everything I can to make that dream come true, even
things that were...unpleasant..."

Makoto grew a concerned look on his face. "What?" he said. "What did you do?"

"I'd rather not say..." Sayaka replied.

Makoto was left even more confused. Even if he doesn't know what Sayaka did to advance her
career, he's still wondering why she did those unpleasant things, and if there's a reason behind
those actions.

"So then...why did you do those...unpleasant things?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka took a deep breath. "I did what I had to do," she began, "because I believed that...if you
keep on chasing your dreams...you'll get them eventually. But to keep on chasing your dreams, you
have to keep your eyes on them. If you look away from that dream for even a second, you won't
make it a reality. No matter what happens, you must keep your gazed fixed on your dream. No
matter what."

Makoto is starting to sense that there's something wrong going on with Sayaka. He wondered what
the idol industry did to her to make her turn out like this.

"So...what was the idol industry like?" Makoto asked.

"The idol industry..." Sayaka began to reply. "It's a highly competitive industry. In that world, all
the agencies are fighting each other...just to get their idols to the top of the charts. And us idols?
We had to constantly fight against a current without getting any time to breath. If we lose focus for
even a single second, if we make even a single mistake, we'll get swept downstreams, and our
dream would die. That world is where my dream lives in. I did everything I could to get ahead of
the competition. And in the end...only I managed to reach that dream."

Makoto was left shocked upon hearing what Sayaka had to go though. "Whoa...that sounds so
harsh," he said. "I didn't know that the idol industry was so...competitive. I thought that it was all
about singing and dancing and garnering an audience."

"That's what I though when I joined..." Sayaka replied. "But the truth couldn't be any different."

"Is the idol industry really that tough?" Makoto asked. "Is it really not that fun to go through it?"

"Oh, don't get the wrong idea," Sayaka said. "As brutal as the idol industry is, it's still a lot of fun to
go through. But still, the fact that my success can be taken away at any moment...that's what scares
me..."

Makoto grew a puzzled look. "Huh...?" he said. "What do you mean now?"

"I'm the face of my idol group," Sayaka explained. "Out of everyone in my group, I am the one
who is the most popular. I'm practically the leader of my idol group. I enjoyed every moment I
spent with them. They're a group full of amazing girls. They may be my rivals in a sense, but they
mean to much to me. We worked together for as long as I have worked as an idol, so long that they
have become a family to me. Without my group, I wouldn't have achieved my dream at all.
Working together towards a common goal...just thinking about it brings me happiness..."

Then, Sayaka started to become nervous all of a sudden. Her body began to shake as she talked
about her fears.

"But now, I'm worried about my group's future," Sayaka said. "We may be the most popular group
right now, but that won't last forever. Soon, the world will grow tired of me, and we'll be forced to
retire. Then we'll go our separate ways. And if that happens, the dream I've spent years on will die.
All of the wonderful days will come to an end..."

Makoto noticed that Sayaka is starting to tremble. It looks like she's terrified of losing her dream
that she worked so long and hard to achieve. She's worried that all of her hard work would have
been for nothing...

"I was so scared for that day to come..." Sayaka continued. "So when I was invited to join Hope's
Peak Academy, I accepted it immediately. After all, it's said that graduating from this school
guarantees success, right? I thought that by going to this school, I would be able to perform with
my friends forever and ever. But now...I'm trapped in this school...unable to get out. My
friends...they're probably out there...waiting for me..."

Makoto saw that Sayaka is shivering. Her eyes are starting to look empty. He became very
concerned about her. "Sayaka!" he cried.

"I-I don't know what's going on..." Sayaka continued. "But...I think...the world is forgetting about
me... Minute by minute...someone is forgetting me...and soon...I'll be right back where I started...
I...don't want that day to come... I don't want everything I worked for to be for nothing..."

In that moment, Sayaka threw herself into Makoto's chest. She cried into Makoto's clothes.

"I don't want to be stuck in here!" Sayaka cried.

Makoto watched as Sayaka cried into his chest. He was surprised to see how emotional Sayaka can
get. At the start of their conversation, Sayaka was happy to talk to him. But by the end, she was
weeping, crying out to the world begging to be freed from this prison. She sounded so desperate in
that moment. Makoto understood how Sayaka felt. He was never that famous, but knowing that all
of those years of hard work could amount to nothing in the end...it's a terrifying thought. No
wonder Sayaka was so worried for that moment to come.
...

Makoto felt like he had to do something to comfort Sayaka. So he wrapped his arms around her and
rubbed her back.

"Sayaka..." Makoto began to say. "I'll promise to you..."

Sayaka lifted her head off of Makoto's chest. "Huh...?" she asked as she looked into his eyes. Her
eyes continue to shed tears.

"I'll never forget about you," Makoto said. "I promise, Sayaka. I won't. Even if the rest of the
world forgets about you, even if the world stops listening to your music, even if your dream ends
after years of work, I will continue to support you. I will continue to listen to your music. And
above all else, I will never abandon you."

Sayaka's heart began to race. The tears stopped flowing out of her eyes. "You...won't...?" she asked.

"I won't," Makoto replied. "I'll always be there by your side, ready to cheer you on no matter what.
Because...you matter to me. My sister and I are big fans of you. I don't know where my sister is
but...if she learns that your dream has died, she would be devastated. The same can be said for all
of your fans. So for the sake of them, please...don't give up. If we can get out of this school
together alive, maybe we can save your dream and your career. And if that fails...just know that I'll
still be there by your side."

Sayaka clutched her fists, tightening her grip on Makoto's jacket. "Makoto..." she said. Her eyes are
starting to become full of life again. She then rested her head on Makoto's chest, rubbing her head
against it. "Thank you... Thank you so much... You're...such a sweet person, Makoto..."

Makoto smiled as he felt like Sayaka's mood has improved. She's starting to come back to the
cheerful self he's familiar with.

Sayaka then lifted her head off of Makoto's chest and stared at him into the eyes. They locked
gazes at each other for several moments. In that moment, something strange began to happen. As if
their heads were magnets of opposite charge, their heads began to pull towards each other. Their
lips got closer and closer. They're not sure why they're doing this right now. It's an unconscious
decision. They were about to lock lips with each other when something interrupted their moment.

"Hey!" Kiyotaka announced as he opened the classroom door. "Breakfast's ready!"

Makoto and Sayaka's minds snapped back into reality when they heard Kiyotaka's voice. They
became startled by how close their lips are to each other. Makoto fell backwards, trying to get
away from Sayaka, while Sayaka fell forward as she lost her balance. Makoto landed his back on
the floor, while Sayaka landed her head on Makoto's chest. Their legs rested on the chair Makoto
was sitting on.

Kiyotaka became shocked upon seeing what Makoto and Sayaka were up to. "What the-?!" he
gasped. "What are you two doing?! Are you trying too...? That kind of behavior is unacceptable in
a school environment!"

Sayaka lifted her head off of Makoto. She looked confused. "Huh...?" she asked. "What's going
on?"

"Hey, you two!" Kiyotaka said. "Get up! Get to the dining hall! Breakfast is ready! You don't want
to go hungry, right? Oh, and don't even think about doing that again. I don't want to see anyone
doing something so unacceptable!" He then walked down the hallway to search for the rest of the
students.

Makoto and Sayaka then got back up on their feet. They were left confused at what they were
doing.

"Uh...what happened?" Makoto asked.

"Ah, sorry about that," Sayaka apologized. Her face was red from embarrassment. "I kind of got a
little carried away, didn't I? It was a supposed to be a simple talk but..." She then shook her head to
snap herself out of it. "Ah, never mind that. How about we head to the dining hall to have our
breakfast?" She was back to her normal mood almost instantly.

"Yeah, sure," Makoto replied. "But before we go, there's something that I want to say."

"Oh?" Sayaka began to ask. "What is it?"

"About yesterday's dinner," Makoto began to reply. "That was...great. I never thought that an idol
like you would be able to cook so well."

"Aw, how nice of you to compliment my cooking skills," Sayaka said. "Hey, want to know my
specialty?"

Makoto grew curious about Sayaka's specialty. "What is it?" he asked.

"Chili oil," Sayaka said with a straight face.

Makoto became baffled by that answer. "You mean the condiment?" he asked.

Sayaka laughed and giggled. "Just kidding," she said.

Sayaka's joke has really lightened up the mood. The mood she displayed earlier had disappeared,
being replaced by a smile that Makoto knows well. It happened to fast, as if she's wearing a mask.

With no more things to talk about for now, Makoto and Sayaka headed out the classroom to have
some breakfast.

Day 2 - 8:00 AM
Dining Hall, First Floor

The students gathered around the central table with empty plates in front of them. They have
finished their breakfast for now, so it's time move on to the morning meeting.

"Alright, everyone," Kiyotaka began. "We need to form a plan for what we're going to do from
now on. Our goal here is to find a way to escape this school without having to kill another person.
I doubt that we'll be able to achieve this goal, but we must try our best to not fall for Monokuma's
temptations. As you all know, this school will be our home for now on, so it's our duty to maintain
this home. I have already assigned the roles of laundry duty and trash duty to two other students, so
it's time for me to assign the remaining roles."

Natsumi was still bitter about being chosen to handle the trash. "Oh please..." she said as she rolled
her eyes. "If you're going to make someone clean this school, then why don't you make that fat sod
do it?"

Hifumi was angered by that insult again. "Hey!" he complained. "How many times must you call
me 'fat'? Do you have a vendetta against fat people?"

Natsumi said nothing.

"Seriously, Kuzuryu," Kiyotaka said. "I am having enough of your bullying habits. Stop it."

"I won't," Natsumi replied.

Kiyotaka looked around the dining hall for someone to assign the cleaning duties to. He can't seem
to find someone who is suitable for the job. "I have no idea who I should assign the cleaning duties
to," he said. "If there's anyone who wants to do it, please raise your hand!"

Nobody raised their hands at first. It appears that no one who wasn't assigned a job wants to be in
charge of cleaning the floors.

Makoto then decided to raise his hand. "I'll do it," he said.

"You want to clean the floors, Naegi?" Kiyotaka asked. "Well then, if that's what you want, the so
be it. You're cleaning the floors now, Naegi."

"Wait a second!" Sayaka said as she raised her hand.

Kiyotaka turned to Sayaka. "Maizono, what are you doing?" he asked. "Are you trying to take
Naegi's job?"

"I'm not doing that," Sayaka replied. "I just want to help him out, is all."

Kiyotaka then thought about giving Sayaka the job of cleaning the floors as well. "Hmm...this
school is pretty large," he said. "It'll take a while for one person to clean all of the floors. It might
be better with two people... Alright, that's it. Maizono, you're cleaning the floors as well."

"Phew..." Sayaka said in relief.

"As for the job of taking care of our health," Kiyotaka continued, "Dr. Matsuda? Are you up to the
task?"

Yasuke let out a sigh. "Of course..." he replied. "I may be a neurologist, but that doesn't mean that I
can't do basic medical jobs."

"As for the rest of you..." Kiyotaka said. "Well, I have no more tasks to give out. Just try to find a
way out of this school, alright? Now, with that out of the way, I declare that this meeting is over!"

Junko then jumped up and raised her hand. "Wait! Hold on!" she said.

Kiyotaka gave an annoyed look at Junko. "What is it?" he asked.

"If Naegi and Maizono were to clean the floors," Junko began, "they would need cleaning supplies,
right? So then...where would they find them?"

"You can find the cleaning supplies in the public restrooms," Kyoko replied. "They're located in a
closet at the far end of the rest rooms."

"Ah, that's good to know," Sayaka said with a nod.

"Alright, with that out of the way," Kiyotaka said, "this meeting is now over! Everyone, you're
dismissed!"
 Everyone then got up out of their seats and went their separate ways.

Chapter End Notes

In the canon version, Sayaka asked Makoto to find a weapon to defend with, and they
found the replica sword on the display outside the gym. Some fans mistake this as
Sayaka planning to betray Makoto from the start. But if that's the case, then she
wouldn't have asked Makoto to do that. Otherwise, her target will have gotten
something to defend themselves with. Additionally, Sayaka would've asked Makoto to
bring the replica sword with him as they swapped rooms.

Personally, I see that moment as Sayaka looking out for Makoto's safety. She just
wanted him to feel safe with a weapon he can use to defend himself with. Her not
telling him to bring the sword with him was probably a lapse in judgment, or maybe
bringing the weapon along was too impractical.

We're going to see plenty of Free-Time events between various characters. I have a lot
of events planned out already, but if you want to see one more, just let me know and I
may include them.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 3)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 2 - 9:30 AM
Ultimate Baseball Player's Lab, First Floor

Hina decided to take Leon to a batting room, the Ultimate Baseball Player's Lab, in hopes of
getting him to train at his sport. The batting room is a narrow room with the practice area
surrounded by nets. At the back of the room are several targets.

"Aw man..." Leon groaned as Hina took him to his lab. "Do I really have to do this?"

Hina grabbed a baseball bat and tossed it at Leon. He didn't catch it.

"Come on, Kuwata," Hina said. "Don't be like that! Baseball is your favorite sport, right? You are
called the Ultimate Baseball Player, after all."

"I already told you," Leon replied. "I don't like baseball anymore. I'm just too good at it. I want to
become a musician instead."

Hina picked up a baseball mitt and a baseball. She walked towards the circle marked as the
pitcher's mound. "Listen, Kuwata," she said. "Just because you are the best in your field for your
age, that doesn't mean that you can just skip out of practicing altogether. You've gotta keep on
practicing!"

Leon shrugged in dismissal. "Why should I?" he asked. "I already know that I'm good at baseball. I
don't need to practice anymore. It's a waste of time to me."

Hina let out a sigh. "Kuwata...just take this from me, okay?" she said. "I am the Ultimate
Swimmer, and I know it. But that doesn't mean that I get to stop practicing. I still need to train my
muscles. Otherwise, I may forget the skills and techniques I've built up over the years, and I will
lose out to the competition. Sports is a highly competitive field. When you've reached the top,
you've gotta keep on working to maintain that place. If you don't, then someone else will take your
place."

"If someone wants to take my place, then so be it," Leon replied. "I don't care. I just wanna get out
of baseball so that I can pursue my real passion."

Hina sighed and shook her head in disappointment. "You're just that stubborn, aren't you?" she
said. "Well, let's just move on. Here, try to hit this baseball. You're ready?"

Leon halfheartedly picked up the baseball bat and stood at the place marked as the home plate. He
tapped his bat on the home plate and gets ready to bat.

"Alright, Kuwata," Hina said. "Here goes!" Hina then pitches the ball.

Leon watched as the baseball flew towards him. His instincts told him to swing the bat, but his
mind says otherwise. His arms remained stiff as the ball whizzed past him and hit the net behind
him.

"Really, Kuwata?" Hina asked. "You didn't even try! Here, let me try again. Maybe this time you'll
hit the ball. Okay, here I go!" Hina picked up another baseball and pitched it at Leon.

Just like last time, Leon let the ball get past him, not putting in the effort to hit it.

Hina let out a frustrated sigh. "So much for being called the Ultimate Baseball Player..." she said.
"Alright, one more try." She picked up yet another baseball and pitched it at Leon.

Once again, Leon didn't bother to try to hit the baseball. He let it get past him again. In a normal
game, he would be considered "out".

Hina was left baffled by Leon's unwillingness to cooperate. "Seriously, Kuwata?" she asked. "Why
do you have to be this way?"

"I already told you!" Leon replied. "I'm tired of playing baseball! I wanna do something else!
That's it, I'm leaving!" He then turned around to get out of his lab.

"Oh, no you don't!" Hina said, trying to stop Leon from leaving. "You're not leaving this lab unless
you can hit at least one of the targets in the back!"

Leon turned around and threw his baseball bat towards the back of the lab. Hina yelped and ducked
as the baseball bat flew above her. The baseball bat hit the net at the back of the lab on one of the
targets. Hina stood up and turned around to see what Leon had done. She realized that Leon had hit
the target, though not in the way she expected. She looked back at where Leon was standing and
saw that he was about to leave the lab.

"Hey! Get back here!" Hina shouted as she began to chase Leon. "I meant with the ball, not with
the bat! Hey!"

Day 2 - 9:37 AM
Athletics Hallway, First Floor

*CRASH*

Whoops. Looks like Leon wasn't paying attention to what's in front of him. He had accidentally
crashed into someone.

"Ow!" Leon yelled in pain. "Argh... What the hell? Watch where you're going, dammit!"

Leon then looked at who he had crashed into. It was Makoto.

"Ugh..." Makoto groaned as he rubbed his head. He then looked ahead to see who crashed into
him. "Huh? Kuwata? What are you doing?"

At that moment, Hina exited the batting room and caught up with Leon. "There you are, Kuwata,"
she said. She was about to continue when she saw Makoto on the floor. She gasped in horror. "Oh
my gosh! Are you okay, Naegi?"

Makoto grabbed the mop he was using and lifted himself back up on his feet. "I'm fine," he said.
"Though, people should really stop crashing into me, or I should stop crashing into people. By the
way, Kuwata, what are you doing out here? Didn't I see you and Hina enter your lab?"

"We did," Hina replied. "Problem is, Kuwata is refusing to do any practice. I pitched a ball at him
and he just straight up ignored it!"
"Hey, shut up!" Leon said. "I don't wanna play baseball anymore! Let me do my own thing!"

"Like trying to become the Ultimate Musician?" Makoto asked.

Leon gave a confused look at Makoto. "Huh? Who told you that?" he asked.

"You did," Makoto replied. "By the way, why did you want to become the Ultimate Musician
instead? Other than trying to stop playing baseball, of course."

"Do I really have to do this?" Leon asked with a groan. "Fine, I'll tell ya why. You see, becoming a
musician has always been my passion. For as long as I can remember, I wanna start up a band and
go on tours and play in front of a crowd full of a cheering audience. I wanna do that, but nooo. I
had to become a baseball player because I'm a natural at it. Freaking idiots. Do they even know
me?"

"You know, Kuwata..." Hina replied. "If you're a natural at something, you should probably-"

"Shut up!" Leon shouted. "I don't wanna hear that anymore, got it?" He then turned his focus back
on Makoto. "Anyways I once met a girl at a salon. I've dated plenty of girls before, but the girl at
the salon was something special. Her face is okay, but her body...ooh, her body! It's smoking hot! I
wanna get some of that! I once tried to date her, but she told me that she only dates musicians. And
so, that's when I decided to abandon baseball and go for music instead!"

"So you wanted to become a musician...to impress a girl at a salon?" Makoto asked.

Hina grew a concerned look on her face. "Sounds like you've been dating lots of girls before,
Kuwata..." she said. "I don't like the sound of that..."

"Hey, the point of becoming a musician is to become popular, right?" Leon asked. "You become
world-famous and you get all the girls. Is that how that works?"

Makoto and Hina have no answer to that.

"I just want to become the Ultimate Musician," Leon said. "That's all. Now, to reach that goal, I'm
gonna need a little bit of help. And I know exactly who to look for!"

Makoto can easily guess what's on Leon's mind. "You mean Sayaka?" he asked.

"Yes, her!" Leon replied. "I'm gonna ask Maizono out and make her teach me her secrets to
success! Once I got them, my path to stardom is as clear as day!"

"Just a second!" Hina said. "Before you go, what kind of music do you want to play, Kuwata?"

"What kind of music do I want to play?" Leon replied. "Well, I wanna be just like The Damned,
The Clash, and The Jam! Yeah, I wanna be like those bands! You get that?"

Makoto doesn't know who those bands are. But but based on what Leon looks like, it isn't too hard
for him to guess.

"Those are all punk bands, right?" Makoto said.

"Damn right!" Leon said. "I wanna conquer the world with punk music!"

"But isn't Maizono a pop idol?" Hina asked. "She specializes in pop music. There's no way that
your music styles and tastes can mix together..."
"Hey, if Green Day can do it, so can I!" Leon said. "The world of pop punk is an amazing place,
and I wanna be just like those bands as well! I'm sure it'll work. Don't you two agree?"

Makoto and Hina were left silent.

"By the way, what kind of guys do you think Maizono's into?" Leon asked. "Is she into musicians?
Or maybe she's into actors. Ooh, I should become an actor instead! Ah, whatever. I'm sure it
doesn't matter. She has tons of admirers. She'll accept anyone. Now, if you would excuse me, I'd
better get going. I wanna hang out with Maizono for once!" He then began to walk down the
hallway towards the exit.

Makoto reached his hand out to try to stop Leon. "Watch out!" he warned. "The floor's-"

Leon slipped and fell on the floor. His body slid for a short distance. Hina walked up to Leon to
check on him, making sure to watch her step so the same doesn't happen to her.

"...Can't you see that the floor's wet?" Makoto asked. "Aw man...now I have to clean that spot all
over again! Ugh..."

Day 2 - 9:42 AM
Entrance Hall, First Floor

Mondo returns to the metal door at the entrance hall again. This time, he brought along Sakura and
Hifumi as well. They tried their best to figure out how to bust open the door.

"So...what can we do about this door this time?" Mondo asked. "I punched it once and I didn't even
make a dent."

Sakura gave the metal door a touch. She glided her hand across the door to inspect it. "Hmm...so
my suspicious were correct," she concluded. "This metal door is thick, perhaps reaching a meter
thick in some places. It's made of the toughest steel known to man. It's so thick and tough, no one
can make a dent in it with their bare hands..."

"But if we use a hammer, would that work?" Hifumi asked.

"I doubt it," Sakura replied. "Striking this door with enough force to make a dent on it would likely
break a hammer."

"So what the hell are we supposed to do then?" Mondo asked.

Hifumi got an idea. "Maybe you should try punching it multiple times in quick succession," he
suggested. "Would that work?"

"How the hell is that supposed to work?" Mondo asked. "A single punch couldn't make a dent, so
how the hell would a hundred be any different?"

"Well, you could give it a try..." Hifumi said.

Mondo turned back towards the metal door. "Well...if you insist..." he said as he crackled his
knuckles. Mondo put himself into a readied stance as he gets ready to deliver a flurry of punches to
the metal door. Then, Mondo began the flurry of punches. "DORARARARARARARA!"

In that moment, Hifumi realized that Mondo might have made a mistake. "Wait! Stop it right now!"
he cried. "If you keep on doing that, then you might restore the door! Then you would've done
nothing!"

Mondo finished his flurry of punches...with not a single dent seen anywhere on the door. He also
ended up with a pair of bleeding hands.

"GAAAAAHHHH!" Mondo screamed as he clutched his bleeding fists and fell to his knees.
"ARGH! Why the...hell did I do that...?"

Sakura looked down at the screaming Mondo and sighed. "What did I expect?" she asked. "No
human hands can ever hope to make a dent on a metal door that tough and thick. They can try, but
they'll be left with broken hands."

Hifumi looked at Sakura and wondered if she can bust through the door instead. "Hey, Miss Sakura
Ogami?" he asked. "Do you think you can must through this door?"

Sakura glared at Hifumi with a frown. "I'd rather not," she bluntly said before leaving the entrance
hall.

"Hey! Wait, Miss Sakura Ogami!" Hifumi cried. "Come back! You haven't even tried it out yet!"

Sakura ignored Hifumi as she exited the entrance hall.

Hifumi let out a disappointed sigh. "Guess we're not getting out that way..." he said.

As Mondo continued to scream in pain, Yasuke's voice can be heard coming from the hallway.

"Did I hear screaming over there?" Yasuke asked.

Day 2 - 9:45 AM
Athletics Hallway, First Floor

Makoto was done cleaning the Athletics Hallway and Leon's lab, so now it's time to clean the most
difficult part of the school: the gym. Well, it's not so much difficult to clean the gym. His job
remains the same regardless of location. The issue here is that the gym is large, which means that
it'll take him quite a while to clean the whole place.

Before he moved on to the gym, Makoto took a moment to look at the replica sword that caught his
attention. Its golden coating shines in Makoto's eyes. It might look like a replica sword, but it could
still be effective as a weapon. Makoto placed his hand on the sword and gently rubbed his hand on
it. The golden coating felt great, until he noticed something odd when he put his hand off it.

"Jeez!" Makoto yelped upon seeing that his hand is partially covered in gold. "There's gold stuff all
over my hands!"

Makoto concluded that the golden coating on the replica sword is peeling off. A slight touch is
enough to transfer it onto another surface. It might be a bad idea to take it right now and have it
leave a mess everywhere. Makoto decided to not take the replica sword for now. Maybe he'll take
it later when it feels like the time is right...

Ah, forget about the replica sword. He has a job to do, and he's better not break that promise.
Makoto ran to the nearest restroom to get his hand cleaned. Then, he went back to work.

Day 2 - 9:50 AM
Dormitory, First Floor

Sayaka swept the floor of the lobby with the mop she got from the storage closet in the dormitory
girl's restroom. It was tiring work. Even though the area that needed to be clean was rather small,
consisting of only a handful of rooms, it still took a long time just to get the lobby cleaned. After
cleaning just the lobby, Sayaka took a break. She leaned against one of the walls and rested for a
while.

"Phew, that was tough work..." Sayaka said. "Cleaning just this lobby alone took me a while. I
haven't done any cleaning before outside of my own room. There's usually a janitor or two at the
studios ready to clean after ourselves. I know that these janitors usually don't get paid much, but
doing all of this makes me appreciate their work in keeping places clean..."

"Yo, Maizono!" Leon called. "What's up?"

Sayaka was surprised to hear Leon's voice. She turned around and saw Leon standing near her.

"Uh...Kuwata?" Sayaka asked. "What is it?"

"Do you have a moment to talk?" Leon asked. "Looks like you're not busy at the moment."

Sayaka glanced at the mop and bucket of water near her. She had stopped cleaning for now and
will resume her task soon, but for now it looks like she has some time to chat with someone.

"Uh...sure," Sayaka replied. "So...what do you want to talk about?"

"I'm just wondering," Leon began to say. "Could you...teach me your secrets to your success? If
you want to, you can take this chat to my room."

"Ah, no thanks," Sayaka replied.

"Oh really?" Leon replied. "Then...what are your secrets to your success? How did you become so
successful?"

Sayaka thought long and hard about what to say to Leon. "Uh...it's complicated..." she replied.
"There are a lot of factors behind my success. I'm good at singing and dancing on stage. My smiles
never fail to make someone else smile. And...my songs managed to touch the hearts of millions of
fans..."

"There's also the fact that you've got a pretty face and a smoking hot body!" Leon replied.

Sayaka felt a bit uncomfortable talking about her looks. "Yeah..." she said. "That too... But
wait...what are you planning to do with this information?"

"Oh, you know..." Leon replied. "I just want to learn how to become the Ultimate Musician. I
thought that by following your footsteps, I would be able to become successful just like you! I
mean, it's gotta be easy breaking into the music industry. There's tons of bands in that industry right
now!"

Sayaka looked away from Leon, her mood feeling like it's dropping every moment when she looks
at him.

Leon grew a confused look on his face. He tried to lean over to get a look at Sayaka's face, but she
just keep on averting her gaze at him.
"Hey, Maizono?" Leon asked. "Is there something wrong?"

Sayaka let out a sigh. "Listen, Kuwata..." she began. "The music industry has a lot of bands, yes,
but...these bands are fighting over a limited number of listeners. There's only so many songs that a
person can hear in their lives. If you want to be successful in that industry, you're going to need to
find your own way of becoming successful. What has worked for one band may not always work
for you. Besides, I can tell from your looks that our genres of specialty are vastly different. There's
no way that my lessons will work for you..."

"Hey, come on!" Leon said. "Don't be like that! Look at me, Maizono. Look at me!"

"Just...leave me alone, Kuwata..." Sayaka said. "I don't feel like talking to you for any longer."

Leon was about to say something, but he couldn't find the right words to say. It'll probably be best
if he do as she said and walk away.

"Okay..." Leon said as he began to walk away. "Well, I hope that we get another chance to talk
soon. Just be sure to smile for me next time, okay?" He then went back to his dorm room.

Even though Leon had already left, Sayaka continued to look to her side in a dim mood. Just talking
to him had left her drained. She wished that Makoto would be here to lift her spirits up...

"Hey, Maizono?" someone asked.

Sayaka heard the voice call out her name. She looked ahead of her to see who it is. It was Junko,
greeting her with that big, wide smile.

"Oh...hey Enoshima..." Sayaka greeted.

Junko frowned upon hearing the tone of Sayaka's voice. "Aw...what's wrong?" she asked. "Did
something happened to you?"

Sayaka drooped her head and sighed. "It's nothing..." she replied.

"Aw, don't be so dim," Junko said. "Here, let me cheer you back up! So, why is 77 a cowherd's
luckiest number?"

Sayaka has a bewildered, though intrigued, look on her face upon hearing the question. She
wondered what the answer to that question is.

"Because that's the date he'll get to see his long-lost lover again!" Junko replied. "Isn't it
heartwarming?"

Sayaka grew a smile upon hearing that question and its answer. "Yeah...it really does..."

Junko smiled upon seeing Sayaka smiled. "Aw, that's great," she said.

Sayaka then grew curious about what Junko has been up to. "So...Enoshima..." she began. "I've got
to ask, what have you've been doing lately? Before you got trapped in this school along with the
rest of us?"

Junko played with her pigtails as she gave an answer. "Well, I did the usual stuff," she replied. "I've
been performing some photo shoots out in the jungles..."

"You posed for photos out in the middle of a jungle?" Sayaka asked, finding it unusual for a
fashionista to have photos of them taken out in the wilderness.
"Ah, did I say jungle?" Junko asked. "Uh, what I meant to say is, I posed for photos out in the
desert!"

Okay, that sounded a lot more unusual. What's a fashionista doing out in the middle of a desert?

"Ah, did I say desert?" Junko asked, sounding increasingly embarrassed. "Uh, I mean in the middle
of a dirty alleyway!"

Sayaka had a absolutely baffled look on her face. "...What?" she asked.

Junko let out a groan. "I give up," she said. "I can't seem to speak correctly today. Maybe I'll do
better next time. I'd better be going. You continue to clean the floors for us. See ya!" She then ran
off towards her room, not seeming to care about the wet floor she's running on.

Sayaka's eyes were wide as she watched Junko leave. That girl is unusual, Sayaka thought. I
wonder where she has been too recently...

Shaking these thoughts out of her mind, Sayaka decided that it's time to resume cleaning up the
floor. She grabbed her mop and swept it across the floor again.

Day 2 - 11:00 AM
Infirmary, First Floor

Cleaning the gym was tough work for Makoto. It is a huge room with a ton of area to clean, so it
took him quite a while to clean the entire gym. He wasn't even sure if he got every spot. Oh well. It
looks clean enough already.

After cleaning the gym, Makoto went on to clean the infirmary. There, he met Yasuke, of course,
as well as Mondo who is occupying one of the beds. Both of Mondo's hands are wrapped in
bandages.

"What happened here?" Makoto asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Yasuke replied. "Owada broke his own fists trying to punch that metal door,
like an idiot."

"That yakuza chick is going to mock me for days..." Mondo grumbled.

"Is he going to be alright?" Makoto asked.

"He will," Yasuke replied. "Just give him a few days to recover. He didn't break any of his bones,
so the injury isn't permanent."

"Dammit..." Mondo groaned as he clutched his fists in pain. Well, he tried to clutch his fists while
they're both bandaged. The bandages are binding his fingers together, so he can't move them.

Makoto grew curious about Yasuke's profession and its origins. "So...doctor?" he began to ask.
"How did you get into...neurology?"

Yasuke opened up a cabinet full of medical products to check on them. He didn't bother to look at
Makoto as he replied to his question. "Do you really want to know?" he asked.

"Hey, the kid's just asking how'd you get your talent," Mondo said.

Yasuke closed the cabinet and sighed. "It's a long story," he said. "I became an orphan when I was
growing up. My dad left me when I was young, leaving me with just my mother. She tried her best
to take care of me, but then...she developed some sort of neurological disorder. Her mental state
deteriorated rapidly after her diagnosis, and she died not too long afterwards."

Makoto got curious about what happened to Yasuke's mother. "What was your mom diagnosed
with?" asked.

Yasuke let out a heavy sigh. "You don't want to know," he replied.

"But-" Makoto tried to say.

"I said you don't want to know!" Yasuke shouted. "Are you really that curious? Stop being so nosy.
Not everyone wants to talk about everything about themselves!"

Makoto was left stunned into silence for a moment.

"I picked up this field to get a better understanding of what happened to my mother," Yasuke
continued, "and to prevent what happened to her from happening to anyone else ever again. Our
brains are an integral part of our bodies. If something goes wrong in there, the body will fall apart.
My job is to study neurological disorders and find ways to treat them. That is all you need to know
about me. Got it?"

Makoto felt like his understanding of Yasuke is incomplete, but he understands that not everyone is
like Sayaka in that they're willing to spill everything about themselves to him. He decided that it's
best to leave the doctor alone for now. "I get it..." he replied.

"Good," Yasuke said. "Now, if you would excuse me, Owada, you're discharged. That means
you're free to go now. And Naegi? Clean up the bed Owada was using. I need it ready for the next
patient."

Mondo got off the bed, allowing Makoto to step in to clean it. He took out a sheet of wet wipe and
cleaned the bed. After doing that, Makoto move on to cleaning the rest of the infirmary. But then,
he saw that Mondo is still in the infirmary.

"Gah!" Makoto yelped. "W-Why are you still here?"

Yasuke gave Mondo a disapproving glare. "Hey, I told you to get out, Owada," he said. "There's no
need for you to stay here."

"No! Wait!" Mondo said. "Let me talk to Naegi first!"

"Make it quick," Yasuke said. "I need this place cleaned as soon as possible."

Mondo turned his head towards Makoto, who is shivering up meeting his gaze. "Hey, kid," he
began.

"W-What do you want?" Makoto asked.

"Hey, no need to be afraid of me," Mondo assured. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise."

"Didn't you try to punch me twice earlier?" Makoto asked.

"Hey, I was just angry, okay?" Mondo replied. "My mind was going haywire in those moments. I
wasn't thinking straight. I might not look like it, but I'm actually a chill kind of dude."

Makoto is getting mixed messages from Mondo. On the one hand, Mondo appears to be a
stereotypical delinquent, what with his prominent pompadour and ornately decorated long coat. On
the other hand, Mondo told him that he's a chill person at heart. Makoto wasn't sure which one of
the messages to trust.

"Look, you saw what I did, didn't ya?" Mondo asked. "My instincts wanted me to punch some
chicks but...my mind wanted me to not hurt them. That might seem strange, but that's actually a
part of my code of honor. I never hurt a chick, no matter what. Even if that chick is hurting me, I
will never lay a single finger on her. This is a promise that I made to myself, and I must stick by
that promise. Of course, with that yakuza chick mocking me all the damn time, I felt like I wanted
to break that rule just for her. But still...I mustn't make any exceptions..."

Makoto had a face that screams bewilderment. "Okay..." he said, feeling unsure about what to
think about Mondo. "That's...interesting. I'll just...try to avoid you while I can from now on. I don't
feel like getting knuckle sandwiches from you..."

"Hey!" Mondo shouted. "Don't use that as a takeaway! Trust me, I'm just-"

"Time's up, Owada," Yasuke said. "Time for you to leave."

Mondo turned around towards Yasuke. "What?!" he shouted. "Hey, I'm not-"

"Just leave already, Owada," Yasuke said. "You're free to go!"

"Ugh...fine..." Mondo said with a groan. "See you 'round, kid." He then slowly walked out of the
infirmary.

Owada is a strange guy, isn't he? Makoto thought. He looks like a delinquent, yet has a kind heart
deep inside him. I'm...not sure what to think of him from now on. I'm not sure if I'm ready to lower
my guard around him. Oh well. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Makoto then proceeded to clean up the rest of the infirmary.

Day 2 - 12:00 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Mondo was on his way to join the rest of the students in the dining hall for lunch. Makoto and
Sayaka are still busy with cleaning up the rest of the school, so they'll have lunch at a separate
time. Of course, joining the rest of the students in the school means that he'll have to come face to
face with the one student who he dreads encountering. It's Natsumi Kuzuryu, and sure enough,
she's standing there at the entrance to the lobby.

"Ah...shit..." Mondo groaned. "Not you again..."

"Oh, look who showed his stupid corn head to me again," Natsumi said.

Mondo growled at Natsumi. "Would ya stop calling me that?"

Natsumi noticed that Mondo's hands are bandaged. "Ooh, what happened here?" she asked. "Let
me guess. You tried to punch that metal door again, didn't ya, idiot? What did you expect? A single
punch wouldn't do it, so what would a hundred punches be any different?"

"I thought that'll work for sure!" Mondo shouted.

"Oh please..." Natsumi said as she rolled her eyes. "It's always the same story every time. You may
talk tough. You may look tough. You may even act tough. But nothing you can do can change the
fact that you're a weakling at heart."

"Stop calling me weak!" Mondo shouted. "I hate being called that!"

"See?" Natsumi said. "Your reactions tell me that you're weak. A strong and tough person would've
been unfazed by that."

"Stop it..." Mondo grumbled before going into a full on roar. "STOP IT! What gives you any right
to call me that?!"

"You wanna know why?" Natsumi replied. "Because I am superior to you. The world you came
from is nothing compared to the world I came from. My world is a lot harsher than your world, yet
I managed to survive it. That's why I'm superior to you."

Mondo is gritting his teeth. "I still don't get it..." he said. "What kind of world did you even come
from?"

"Shut up!" Natsumi shouted. "Why should you care? I'm the Ultimate Yakuza. You're the Ultimate
Biker Gang Leader. Our worlds are vastly different, and I happen to come from the harsher one.
Got it?"

Mondo is grumbling from the irritation. He ran out of words to say to Natsumi.

At that moment, Kiyotaka came out of the dining hall to see what's causing the commotion outside
it. He spotted Mondo and Natsumi standing there talking to each other, not heading to the dining
hall where they should be.

"Hey! You two!" Kiyotaka shouted. "Why are you two standing there? Lunch is ready! You don't
want to go hungry, do you?"

Natsumi heard Kiyotaka's voice and turned her head to look behind her. "What?" she said before
turning the rest of her body towards Kiyotaka. "Hey! Who do think you are? Trying to control
me?"

"No, I'm saying that you should get some lunch," Kiyotaka replied. "Now head inside! The food's
about to become cold!"

Natsumi was about to say something, but then she felt her stomach growl from being empty. She
then watched as Mondo walked towards the dining hall. Seeing that it might a bad idea to go
hungry, it might be best for her if she do as Kiyotaka says and head to the dining hall. Besides, she
hates eating cold food. That sounds unappetizing.

"Fine..." Natsumi said as she walked towards the dining hall.

Day 2 - 1:30 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka are done cleaning the school for the day, so they head to the dining hall to grab
some lunch. At this point, the rest of the students were already done, and most of the food has
already been eaten. That means that they have to prepare their own meals for them to eat.

Makoto and Sayaka sat down at the side table with their meals in front of them. Before they could
start their meals, the two have a little chat about the work they have done.
"That took us quite a while, didn't it?" Makoto asked. "It's a good idea that you decided to help me
on that part. Otherwise, cleaning this school might take me all day..."

"I am your Ultimate Assistant, remember?" Sayaka replied. "Of course I had to help you right
there. I don't want you to take on anything by yourself."

"Yeah, I agree," Makoto replied. "Well, we've been waiting for our lunch for long enough. Time to
eat!"

Makoto and Sayaka then went on to eat their lunch. After they're finished, the two stared off at the
ceiling, wondering what they should do next.

Sayaka then glanced at Makoto. "Um, Makoto?" she began. "If you don't mind, could you...spare a
moment for us to talk?"

"Huh?" Makoto said as he turned towards Sayaka. "What is it?"

"Um...sorry if I'm being too formal..." Sayaka said.

"It's okay," Makoto replied. "You don't have to apologize."

"Yeah...it's true..." Sayaka replied. "It's just...having you by my side...it makes me feel a whole lot
better. If it weren't for you being here, I would've felt so lost..."

Makoto nodded his head. "Yeah, I feel the same way, too," he replied.

"You do?" Sayaka asked.

"Yeah, I do," Makoto replied. "When I first came into Hope's Peak Academy, I felt like I didn't
belong. I was a totally normal student who found himself among a class full of highly talented
students. I once thought that there was no way that I can fit in, that I can even talk to anyone in my
class. But thanks to you, I feel more comfortable talking to anyone. Well, for the most part."

Sayaka grew a smile on her face. "I'm glad to hear that," she replied. "It's so nice getting to see you
again, Makoto. It's too bad that we had to meet in such awful conditions..."

"It would've been much better if we met anywhere else, right?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah, it would've been better..." Sayaka replied. "Although, it feels kind of strange getting to talk
to you like this, just being so...casual around you."

"It feels so strange being casual around you, too," Makoto replied. "Why should I be so casual?
You're a celebrity. I couldn't just go around being casual around any celebrity. Now that I think
about it, this is really strange." Makoto then got an idea. "Hey, Sayaka...I've been wondering. How
did you recognize me?"

"Huh? How did I recognize you?" Sayaka asked. "You're asking that question again?"

"Well, I'm just a normal, everyday guy," Makoto replied. "And you're a national celebrity. You've
seen lots of faces before, right? So how come you managed to remember mine?"

Sayaka thought about a response to that question for a moment. "Well...it's because I looked at you
all the time," she replied.

Makoto was confused at the response. "Huh? You were looking at me?" he said. "But...why?"
"Because...I wanted to talk to you," Sayaka replied. "I was looking for an opportunity to talk to
you."

"An opportunity to talk to me?" Makoto asked in reaction.

"Yes," Sayaka replied. "But...you know, I'm a popular celebrity, even during our middle school
years. I was always surrounded by many people. Everyone came up to me, asking me for my
autograph. You weren't one of those people who approached me. In fact, you never even looked at
me. I was waiting for that opportunity to talk to you for three years, yet that day never came. As a
result, we ended up graduating without saying a word to each other. Not getting a chance to talk to
you has always been one of my biggest regrets..."

Makoto was left scratching his head. "I still don't get it," he said. "Why do you want to talk to me
so much, of all people?"

"Well...uh..." Sayaka began to say. She paused for a moment to find the answer. "Do
you...remember that incident that happened during our first year of middle school, when a giant
bird wandered into the school pond? I think what happened next was straight out of a fairy tale,
like that man who saved a turtle, or that woodcutter who saved a sparrow..."

"You're talking about that crane incident, right?" Makoto said.

"Ah, yes!" Sayaka replied. "That one! I remembered that day well. A huge crane had wandered into
the school's pond, and it caught the attention of everyone. It looks like the crane was injured. It
was unable to fly! The teachers were talking about what to do with it, but none of them had gotten
any ideas. Then you came in and rescued the crane, nursed it back into good health, and led it back
into the forest behind the school."

"Well, that's only because I was in charge of taking care of the animals," Makoto replied. "The
teachers made me do it."

"Even so, I think that's so sweet of you to go rescue a crane," Sayaka replied. She then paused for a
moment to gather up her thoughts. "Um...is it okay if I say thank you right now? It might be a bit
late..."

Makoto had a shocked look on his face. "Thank me?" he asked.

"I'm that crane you saved, by the way," Sayaka explained. "I remember your kind touch very well.
It was so soft and gentle, I want to experience it again. As a reward for your act of kindness, I'll
make you a fine cloak..."

Okay, Makoto is pretty sure Sayaka is joking at that moment. There's no way that she could be the
crane that he had rescued years ago. A person who is able to transform into an animal? That's the
type of stuff that only happens in fiction, such as folktales.

Sayaka smiled and giggled, figuring that Makoto would get that it's a joke. "Just kidding," she said.
"But in all seriousness, I am impressed by your act of kindness to that crane. It made me want to
talk to you, even just once. I wished on every day of my life that I would get to meet you. My wish
came true eventually, though...not in the way that I would like..."

"Yeah, I would agree," Makoto replied. "It'll be much better if we would meet each other at a train
station or some other public place, not trapped in this school that's meant to be Hope's Peak
Academy..."

"I do wish that our reunion would be like that..." Sayaka replied. "But even so...perhaps one day,
 you would help me find my way out of this mess, just like what you did with that crane. You'll save
me. It's just my intuition, I know, but still...I believe that it'll become true. You will get me out of
this school, right? Do you promise me that, Makoto?"

Makoto can feel his heart racing as Sayaka told him that promise. "I-I will, Sayaka," he replied. "I
will keep that promise. I'm going to get you out of this school, without sacrificing a single person!"

Sayaka grew a big smile. "I'd knew that you'll do it," she said. "I believe in you. Besides, my
intuitions are always right, because I'm psychic. Kidding!" She then went into a giggle.

As he watched Sayaka giggle, Makoto grew a smile on his face once again. He can feel a deep
bond forming between him and Sayaka. After their conversation ended, Makoto and Sayaka picked
up their empty bowls and took them to the kitchen to clean them.

Chapter End Notes

I may have overcompensated when I wanted to make up my past mistake of not

including enough interactions between the characters. Looking this now, I can already
tell that I've included way more Free-Time events than in the previous version. Maybe
I should cut down on them in the next arc, considering what happens next. Nah, I'm
not going to do that.

Also, yes. I did make a Jojo reference there. What do you expect? Mondo's biker gang
already references Josuke's Stand, which in turn is a reference to a Pink Floyd
composition.

Warning: this is your last chance to submit Free-Time Event ideas. After the next
chapter, there won't be any more Free-Time events until the next Class Trial ends.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 4)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 2 - 4:00 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Byakuya was on his way to the dining hall to get a cub of tea. He was about to enter the lobby area
when he felt a strange presence behind him.

"Hmm?" Byakuya said as he came to a halt. "Who's there?"

Byakuya heard some nervous muttering behind him. From this alone, he can tell who's following
him.

"It's you again, isn't it?" Byakuya asked as he quickly turned around. "Pest."

Byakuya found Toko following him, as usual. Toko is biting her nails for a moment before she
noticed that Byakuya is looking at her.

"Oh! M-Master Togami!" Toko said. "You've finally notice me!" Her expression appears
be...disturbing.

Byakuya squinted his eyes as he glared at Toko. "Don't take it that way," he said. "I know exactly
what you're trying to do with me."

Toko didn't get what Byakuya was trying to say to her. She just continued on as if she didn't hear
anything. "Oh, Master Togami!" she said with a moan. "Make me y-your servant! I will do
anything for you! Anything!"

Byakuya groaned and turned his back on Toko. "Go away, pest," he said. "I am not worthy of the
services you provide. Besides, I don't need servants anymore. I can do anything by myself. Frankly,
you are disgusting. I can tell that you smell exactly as what I would describe you: a pest."

It appears that Toko still doesn't get it, as she's still fawning over Byakuya. Either that, or his words
are making her become even more infatuated with him. It's hard to tell.

"Now, go away," Byakuya ordered. "I don't want to catch you stalking me anymore." He then
continued his walk towards the dining hall.

Toko stood still as Byakuya walked away. She kept her eyes on him. She appears to have...vivid
imaginations regarding him. "Oh, Master Togami..." she said once again. "You're so charming..."

As Toko fawned over Byakuya, Makoto and Kiyotaka are behind her, looking visibly disturbed by
how she's behaving. They were in the middle of a conversation when they heard Byakuya talking
to Toko. The two boys soon turn their heads towards each other, wondering about the same thing.

"Can someone get Fukawa back in her room?" Makoto asked.

Day 2 - 9:45 PM
Sayaka's Room, First Floor
The rest of the day was rather uneventful. The students either lounged around in their rooms, talked
to each other, or tried to find a way to escape the school. There's not much to do in this school.
There's only so many thing one can do given the accessible rooms.

Sayaka spent the rest of the evening taking a nice, relaxing shower. She could really use a wash
before the water gets shut down for the night. She used the provided soap and shampoo and made
sure that both her skin and her hair are silk smooth. It felt great for her to be feeling fresh. Once she
felt like she's clean enough, Sayaka turned off the water and dried herself.

Sayaka slipped on her undergarments first before putting on her actual clothes. They're a pair of
pink undergarments made out of cotton, with both having a lacy bow on then. They're also
inexpensive. Her panties went up without a hitch. But when she tried to put on her bra, she noticed
something strange.

Huh? That's weird, Sayaka thought. This is the same setting that I'm used to putting on, yet my bra
felt a little tight on me. I wonder why...

It felt a little comfortable having her bra be a bit too tight on her chest. Sayaka wished that this
school measured her properly and gave her bras that fit her. Luckily, there is a larger setting on the
bras she's currently using. Sayaka put the clip onto the highest setting and suddenly her bra no
longer feels tight.

Ah, that feels much better, Sayaka thought. Still, I could've sworn that my bras are sized corrected
for me, and I'm pretty sure my measurements haven't change. Which one's wrong? My bras, or my
measurements? Oh well. It's probably not worth it to think about it...

Sayaka shook the thought of that oddity out of her mind and put the rest of her clothes on. After
that, she headed for her bed and began to sleep for the night. But as she began to fall asleep, she
also noticed something odd about her stomach. It felt empty.

Again? Sayaka thought. What's with these strange things that's been happening to me? First my
bra feels tighter than usual, and now mu stomach feels empty. I could've sworn that I ate the
amount of food that I usually eat. What's going on? Ah, why should I care? I just eat a little more
tomorrow morning.

With all those strange thoughts shaken out of her mind, Sayaka drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Day 3 - 7:00 AM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Good morning, everyone!" Monokuma announced. "It's 7:00 AM right now, which means that
nighttime is officially over! Rise and shine, everyone! Get ready for a beautiful day!"

...

Another day, another morning announcement by Monokuma. This is starting to become a routine at
this point.

Makoto woke up to the morning announcement and quickly got off his bed. Soon, he'll come to the
dining hall to grab some breakfast. As he put on his shoes, however, someone began to ring the
doorbell.
*Ding-dong!*

"Huh?" Makoto said. "Who is it?"

Makoto walked up to his dorm room door and answer it. It was Sayaka.

"Good morning, Makoto," Sayaka greeted with a bow. "Um...would you mind if I come to your
room for a moment?"

"Good morning to you too, Sayaka," Makoto greeted back. "Sure, you can come here. Although, I
will say that my room is a little bland, just like me..."

Sayaka entered Makoto's room as Makoto closed the door behind her. Sayaka looked around
Makoto's room, noting the lack of furniture aside from the ones everyone got.

"Huh..." Sayaka began to remark. "This room looks...just like my own room. Aside from the bed
and the closet, everything about this room is the same as my room..."

"What? Are you're about as bland as I am?" Makoto asked.

"Of course not!" Sayaka replied. "I'm the Ultimate Idol."

"So is everyone's room like ours in that they all look the same?" Makoto asked.

"I'm not sure," Sayaka replied. "I've never been to anyone's rooms besides of our own, so I don't
know what they look like on the inside."

"Aren't you in charge of cleaning the dormitory area?" Makoto asked.

"I was," Sayaka replied. "But...I don't think that grants me access to anyone's rooms. I'm guessing
that everyone is responsible for cleaning up their own rooms, so I don't have to go inside anyone's
rooms."

"I see," Makoto said.

A moment of silence then passed by for Makoto and Sayaka.

"Um...listen," Sayaka began to say. "I know that this might sound like a random question, but...do
you have a girlfriend?"

Makoto was caught off guard by the question. "Huh? What kind of question is that?" he replied.

"Remember what Enoshima said to us yesterday?" Sayaka asked. "She assumed that we're dating,
which...I think we're not. But that leaves me wondering if you ever had a girlfriend before."

Makoto can feel himself blushing from embarrassment. "Uh...no, I don't," he replied.

"Then how about a crush?" Sayaka asked. "Do you at least have that?"

"Just hold on a second!" Makoto said. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

"I'm just curious, is all," Sayaka replied. "It's only natural that I would ask these questions. You are
my classmate, after all." She then paused for a moment to think. "Although...now that I think about
it, we might be more than just classmates. We're friends!"

"Yeah, I guess so..." Makoto replied.

Sayaka then began to stare at Makoto in the face. "So, Makoto?" she began to ask. "Aren't you
going to ask me a question, too?"

Makoto had a puzzled look on his face. "What?" he asked.

"No, not that question," Sayaka said. "I mean, aren't you going to ask the same questions that I
asked you? Like...do I have a boyfriend or have a crush on anyone?"

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you did," Makoto replied. "I mean, you're popular, after all."

"Nope!" Sayaka replied with a smile. "I definitely don't!"

"You don't?" Makoto said in reaction.

"The truth is..." Sayaka began to reply, hesitating for a moment. "I'm way too busy for stuff like
that. I just don't have the time to peruse any boys. But as for who I have a crush on... Well..let's just
say that there's someone who I'm really interested in..."

Sayaka then stared straight into Makoto's eyes. Her cheeks are beginning to be tinted red.

Hold on a second, Makoto thought. Is she...thinking about me?

Sayaka saw that Makoto was blushing too at that moment. It made her giggle.

"Huh? What are you laughing about?" Makoto asked.

"Oh, nothing," Sayaka replied. "But I guess this isn't the time for us to be discussing stuff like this.
After all, I feel like someone's going to die soon. By the time we realize our feelings for another
person, it might be too late; they're already dead. We must put our focus on getting out of this
place. Then...we can reveal our feelings."

Makoto nodded his head. "Yeah, I agree," he said. "Let's work together and find a way out of this
place."

Sayaka smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah," she said. "It's a promise."

Makoto and Sayaka carved their promises into the walls of their souls as they headed out to have
breakfast. They hoped that they can keep that promise for as long as this killing game goes.

Day 3 - 7:30 AM
Dining Hall, First Floor

Sayaka walked out of the kitchen holding a plate with three slices of toasted bread. It's a little more
than what she's used to eating, but she felt like she must eat more to keep herself from getting too
hungry. She has noticed that she's getting hungry a bit earlier than she expected. Her body probably
should've processed all the food she ate a little slower.

Sayaka looked for a place in the dining hall to sit at. Her first choice is to sit next to Makoto, as
usual. She enjoys spending time with and would love to take any opportunity to sit with him.
However, for today, Sayaka wants to sit with someone else. She felt like she should hang out with
more students other than Makoto. So, she looked for anyone who seems to be alone.

Hmm...looks like Kyoko is sitting at a table alone, again. Sayaka felt like Kyoko could use a little
company for the morning, so she decided to sit down next to her.
"Good morning, Kirigiri," Sayaka greeted as she sat down next to Kyoko. "How are you doing?"

Kyoko shifted her gaze over to Sayaka. She looks confused to see the idol. "Hmm? Maizono?" she
began. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just..." Sayaka began to say. She paused for a moment to come up with something to
say. "I noticed that you were eating alone for a while, so I felt like you could use a little company."

Kyoko looked away from Sayaka and huffed out some air. "I don't need company," she said. "I'm
fine on my own."

"Okay..." Sayaka said. "I'll just...eat my breakfast." She picked up one of the slices of toasted bread
and took a bite out of it.

As Sayaka ate her breakfast, Kyoko took a glance at Sayaka's plate. She was surprised to see how
many slices of bread Sayaka is planning to eat. "Three slices of bread?" she said. "Isn't that a bit
much for you to eat?"

Sayaka swallowed up her food before talking again. "Yeah, it's a bit much," she replied. "But I feel
like I must eat a lot of food, otherwise I'll go hungry before the next mealtime comes."

Kyoko began to wonder what's going on with Sayaka. "Has your metabolism changed?" she asked.

"I don't know," Sayaka replied. "I can't quite recall how long it took me to feel hungry after each
meal. All I know is that I feel hungry earlier than usual."

"You must not be eating much before, right?" Kyoko suggested. "After all, you are an idol. You
must maintain a certain body image in order to remain appealing to the masses. I bet you didn't
give yourself much food to maintain that look, right?"

"Maybe..." Sayaka replied.

"Well, I would advise you to watch your weight," Kyoko said. "You don't want to wake up to see
that you've gotten a little heavier than usual. I would imagine that you would be shocked to see that
you've gained some weight, and thus your body image would be ruined."

"Yeah...I guess..." Sayaka said.

Sayaka and Kyoko then continued on to eat their breakfast. Things were going well until Sayaka
noticed something odd about the toast she's eating. She had put some marmalade on the toast to
sweeten it up and give it a fruity flavor. However, when she ate it, the marmalade tasted differently
than what she's used to.

"Huh? That's weird..." Sayaka said.

Kyoko turned her head towards Sayaka. "Hmm? What's weird?" she asked.

"This marmalade..." Sayaka said. "It tastes so...strange. I thought that I used the sweet type, but
now I tasted sour..."

"Really?" Kyoko asked, wondering if Sayaka is making things up. "Let me have a taste." She
reached out to Sayaka's plate and tore off a piece of toast with some marmalade on it. She then put
the toast into her mouth and tasted it.

Sayaka was shocked to see that Kyoko touched the food with her gloves. That seems unsanitary to
her. "Uh...what?" she said. "Kirigiri...did you just touch my toast with your gloves?"

Kyoko finished her taste analysis of the toast with marmalade. "Hmm...this marmalade is fine," she
concluded. "It tasted sweet with a hint of sour. It seems that your taste preference is different from
mine. You might be more sensitive to sour foods."

"Okay, so it's probably just me," Sayaka said. "But...now I'm wondering. Kirigiri, do you ever take
off your gloves?"

Kyoko rubbed her fingers together to get the crumbs off of her glove. "Why would I?" she replied.
"I'm fine with keeping these gloves on all day. I don't need to take them off, except when I'm
changing them."

"What's underneath those gloves?" Sayaka asked as she reached over to touch Kyoko's gloves.

Kyoko pulled her hand away before Sayaka could touch her gloves. "Hey, no peeking under these
gloves, got it?" she said. "I don't want anyone to see what these gloves are hiding."

Sayaka felt like she really needs to know why Kyoko keeps these gloves on all the time. There
must be something that Kyoko doesn't want anyone to know about underneath those gloves. But
she understands that it's perhaps best for her if she doesn't know. After all, there are some things
about herself that she would rather not talk about with others. So she decided to leave Kyoko alone
for now.

"Okay, if you insist..." Sayaka said. "I'll just...finish up my breakfast. The marmalade might taste a
little sour to me, but I can just fight through it."

Sayaka and Kyoko then went on to finish their meals. Once they're done, the two girls brought their
dishes back to the kitchen for cleaning.

Day 3 - 8:15 AM

Everyone is done with their breakfast for now, so it's time for them to either relax in their rooms or
look for a way out of this school. Makoto was planning to return to his room and rest for a while.
After bringing his empty dishes back to the kitchen for cleaning, he headed for the door of the
dining hall to return to his room. Along the way, he encountered Celeste.

"Hello, Naegi," Celeste greeted.

Makoto stopped at where he is upon Celeste greeting him. "Oh, hello Celeste," he greeted back.
"Good morning."

"Do you have a moment to play a card game with me?" Celeste asked.

"Yeah, sure," Makoto replied. "I don't have anything else to do for the day other than wait around.
So uh...why are you doing this?"

"You are the Ultimate Lucky Student, correct?" Celeste asked. "And I'm the Ultimate Gambler,
which means that our talents are practically identical."

"Really?" Makoto asked, feeling unsure if that's true.

"Yes, really," Celeste replied. "Our talents practically revolve around our unusually high luck. You
got into this school because you won at this school's lottery, while I got here because I have won
many gambling games. I was thinking about testing your luck to see if it exceeds my own."
"Okay..." Makoto said. "Um...doesn't gambling games involve money or something? I don't think
any of us are carrying around any money. All we've got are these...coins with Monokuma's face on
them..."

"Oh, there's no need to worry about gambling money," Celeste assured. "Nor will we be using any
simulated currency. This will just be a simple card game played just for fun. And also to test out
your luck. That too. So? Are you in? I've got this pack of cards we can use." She pulled out a small
box containing a full deck of playing cards.

Makoto nodded his head. "Sure thing," he replied.

A few minutes later, Makoto and Celeste are playing War, a simple two-player card game. For a
simple card game, though, there is a lot to say about it. At the start of each game, both players are
given an equal amount of cards, and then the top three cards in each player's deck are placed in
front of them face down. Then, both pick on of the three cards to play, and then both cards begin to
fight. The highest ranking card will always win, and the winning player will take both cards. If
there is a tie, another battle begins, and the winner of the next battle will take all the cards from the
previous battle. Once both players' decks are exhausted, the game will end. The player with the
most cards win.

Being a game of pure chance, Makoto...won his first game to both players' surprise. He had never
played the game before, yet he managed to score a victory against Celeste, of all people.

"Huh? I lost?" Celeste said, finding it unbelievable that she had lost. She then shook the disbelief
away from her. "Oh, why should I care? I'm not betting anything on this game, so the outcome
doesn't matter. It's just a simple game of pure chance, after all. I'll just chalk that up to beginner's
luck on Naegi. Oh, but don't think that this is over yet. I'm still not certain if your luck is better
than mind. How about we play another round?"

Makoto and Celeste then engage is several rounds of War. Each time, the outcome seem to
fluctuate between either Makoto winning or Celeste winning. Neither of them can manage to have a
win-streak lasting more than two rounds. At the end of their playing session, the final scores are
pretty much tied.

"Hmm..." Celeste said as she drew her conclusion. "I can't seem to tell for sure which one of us is
the luckier one."

"This game...seems rather simple, doesn't it?" Makoto asked. "And it's basically all just luck. All
we can do is pick a card and hope that it wins."

"At least with that game, we can factor everything else out," Celeste replied. "After all, you can't
measure luck when there's skill involved."

Makoto grew bored of playing War after several rounds. "Hey, do you have another game we
could play with cards?" he asked. "I want to play something that is a bit more than just picking a
card and hope that it wins."

"Of course," Celeste replied. "What card game do you want to play next? I know plenty of games
we can choose from."

After that, Makoto and Celeste played a different card game using the same deck of cards.

Day 3 - 10:00 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Junko walked around the lobby of the dormitory, wondering what she can do for the day.

"I'm so bored..." Junko complained. "Is there, like, anything else we can do in this school? I haven't
been doing any photo shoots in a long time. I wonder how many sessions I have missed..."

As Junko muttered to herself, Hifumi walked passed her on his way back to his dorm room. He
looks miserable.

"Hey, Miss Junko Enoshima..." Hifumi greeted.

Junko perked up and looked at Hifumi. "Oh, hey Yamada," she said. "Hey, why are you feeling so
down? Did something happened to you?"

"I just got back from a checkup by Dr. Yasuke Matsuda..." Hifumi replied. "He had some...choice
words to say about my...figure..."

"Oh, did Yasuke really said those things to you?" Junko asked. "Don't be surprised about the things
he say. He is a doctor, after all. He would be concerned if anyone has a body like yours, Yamada."

"That doctor keeps on telling me to eat less and to exercise more often," Hifumi said. "He told me
that I should work to get a leaner body, because my current body is unhealthy or something. Well,
forget that! This is my body! I get to decide what to do with it!"

"Well, if it's your body, then you do what you want to do," Junko said. "Just don't say that your
doctors didn't warn you if you developed any...health complications from being this fat."

"It's not like I can make any babies when I grow up," Hifumi said. "No girl wants a fat guy like me,
and I have zero interest in 3-D women. I now prefer the 2-D ones."

"Oh...I see..." Junko replied.

Hifumi then took a look at Junko's lean figure. "By the way..." he said. "How do you manage to get
a body this lean?"

"Oh, so you're wondering how I got a boy this lean, huh?" Junko replied. "Well, it is a prerequisite
for becoming a fashionista. You've got to have the greatest looking body to be accepted, and even
then, the photos of us fashion icons are altered to make us even more attractive. I did the usual
things, such as watching what I eat and in what amount, as well as doing some exercising."

"You did some exercising routines?" Hifumi asked. "Like what?"

"Well, like, for starters..." Junko began to reply. "I put on my heavy duty boots and run, like, five
kilometers daily."

"You what?!" Hifumi gasped in shock. He's finding it hard to believe that a fashionista would be
doing an exercise routine like that.

Junko then continued on, oblivious to what she's saying. "Then, I perform 50 sit-ups per day," she
continued, "and then I do 50 push-ups, 50 pull-ups, 50 repetitions of squats..."

Hifumi was baffled by all the exercising routines Junko was doing on a daily basis. "Wait, wait,
wait..." he said. "You're telling me that you did all of those things...on a daily basis?! That sounds
like...way too much for a person to do on a daily basis! How did you manage a routine like that
while still retaining that slim look?"

Junko then began to wonder what she's saying. "Wait a second..." she said. "What was I saying,
again? I was talking about how I maintain my slim body, and now I'm talking about exercising
routines. Like, what's going on here?"

"I was wondering the same thing!" Hifumi said. "If you really did all of those things on a daily
basis, then...where are your muscles?"

Junko had a confused look on her face. "Huh?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm looking at your arms and legs and I can't see any muscles!" Hifumi said. "Where are they? Are
you secretly packing them down there?" He pointed to Junko's abdomen. He then reached to try to
grab the bottom of Junko's shirt. "Let me see..."

Junko slapped Hifumi's hand away. "Gah! Get your hands off me, you pervert!" she shouted.

"Ow!" Hifumi yelped as his hand was being slapped. "Hey! I was just curious!"

"Do you think you can just look underneath anyone's clothes without their permission?!" Junko
asked.

"I was only-" Hifumi tried to say.

"That's it!" Junko declared. "I'm done with you, Yamada. Don't talk to me anymore! Back into your
room you go!" She then began to push Hifumi towards his room.

"Wait!" Hifumi cried as he was being pushed around. "How are you pushing meeeee?"

Day 3 - 2:00 PM
Infirmary, First Floor

Today is checkup day, which means that Yasuke is going to check everyone's health to see how
they're doing so far. Each student will come to the infirmary at a certain time and Yasuke will
perform a checkup on them. So far, Yasuke has performed a checkup on half of the students, and
he's in the middle of preparing for the next student.

But as Yasuke prepared for the next checkup, an unexpected visitor arrives at the infirmary.

"Yo, what's up, doc?" Yasuhiro greeted.

Yasuke turned towards the door and was baffled to see Yasuhiro there. "What the-?" he said.
"What are you doing here, Hagakure? Your checkup isn't supposed to come until much later."

"I know," Yasuhiro replied. "But...listen to me, doc. I've got something important to tell you."

Yasuke immediately turned his back on Yasuhiro. "If this is another one of your predictions, I don't
want to hear any of it," he said. "Get your pseudoscience bullshit out of this room."

"No, no, no! You must listen!" Yasuhiro said. "This is really important! I used my crystal ball to
see into your future. And...it's not pretty."

Yasuke is starting to become irritated. "What is it...?" he said with a growl in his voice.

"Well..." Yasuhiro said, feeling pain from having to tell someone this. "It's just...you're going to die
soon."

That does it. Yasuke turned around and became angry at Yasuhiro. "What did you say to me?!" he
shouted.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Yasuhiro said as he put his hands in front of him. "Don't take it at face value yet.
My predictions have a 30% chance of succeeding, every time!"

"That doesn't make sense!" Yasuke yelled.

"Nah, it totally makes sense!" Yasuhiro replied. "Listen, my crystal ball has quite the history,
alright? It was first discovered in the ruins of the sunken city of Atlantis..."

Already, Yasuke is finding it hard to believe Yasuhiro's story of his crystal ball. As far as Yasuke
knows, the supposed lost city of Atlantis is nothing more than an ancient myth.

Yasuhiro then continued his story. "The people who found the crystal ball then lifted it out of the
ruins," he said. "After that point, the crystal ball then found its way into the hands of many famous
people, bringing prosperity and power to all who owns it. It has been in the hands of Napoleon,
George Washington, and even Genghis Khan himself! And now, it's in my hands!"

Yasuke couldn't help but shake his head at Yasuhiro's story. "Ugh..." he said. "I'm finding that
entire story hard to believe. Everything you said sounded ridiculous and unbelievable..."

"It's not ridiculous!" Yasuhiro exclaimed. "Everything I said totally happened!"

"If what you said was true, then that crystal ball would've been placed in a museum," Yasuke said.
"Not in the hands of a grubby fortune teller like you."

"Hey, how dare you say that about me!" Yasuhiro complained. "It's a true story! I swear!"

Yasuke sighed in frustration over Yasuhiro's stubbornness. "That crystal ball of yours..." he began
to say. "It's probably just a cheap glass ball with no historical significance."

"Hey, how dare you call my crystal ball cheap!" Yasuhiro complained again. "Do you realize how
much money I had to spend just to get my crystal ball? 1 billion yen! It's an important and
expensive object. That's why you've gotta trust what it says. If it says that you're going to die soon,
then you'd better be prepared to accept your fate. If you can't do that, then you'll-"

Yasuke had enough of Yasuhiro's nonsense. He decided that it's time to get him out. "I'm done," he
said as he began to turn towards Yasuhiro. "I'm done with hearing your pseudoscience shit. Get
out."

"What?" Yasuhiro gasped. "But...I'm not done trying to-"

"I said get out right now!" Yasuke shouted as he began to shove Yasuhiro out of the infirmary.
"That's it, you're not getting a checkup today! Out! Out, I say! I don't want to see or hear about any
of your pseudoscience bullshit ever again!"

"Hey! Stop it!" Yasuhiro cried as he was being shoved. "Let me gooooo!"

After shoving Yasuhiro out of the infirmary, Yasuke spend some time sitting down at a desk. He
felt drained from talking to the fortune teller. He wasn't in the mood to perform anymore checkups.
Perhaps he should delay the remaining students' checkups for tomorrow...
A short time after Yasuhiro was forcibly shoved out, Junko entered the infirmary, ready for her
checkup.

"I'm here, Yasuke!" Junko said in a cheerful voice. Her smile turned into a frown upon seeing
Yasuke. "Huh? Yasuke? Is there something wrong?"

Yasuke let out a sigh. "Hagakure came in to tell me about my future," he explained. "He then went
on into the history of his crystal ball. I couldn't take his pseudoscience crap anymore, so I shoved
him out of this room. And now...I feel so drained..."

"Oh, I see..." Junko said. "I was wondering why Yagakure was grumbling to himself when I passed
by him. Now I get it. So...what did he tell you? What was your future like?"

Yasuke refused to say anything about his future.

Junko gets what Yasuke is feeling and decided to not figure it out herself. "Well, let's not let any of
his predictions get to us too much," she said. "After all, his predictions are true 30% of the time,
which is a rather low probability. There's a good chance that it'll not come true. So don't worry
about it!"

Yasuke let out a groan.

"Aw, cheer up, Yasuke," Junko said. "Don't let knowing about your future discourage you.
Besides, as long as you have me by your side, we can overcome our fates!"

Junko then gave Yasuke a tight hug, expecting him to cheer up from her affection. He doesn't react.

Day 3 - 5:00 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Kyoko was walking around the lobby of the dormitory, trying her best to figure out what's going
on.

"Hmm...why can't I remember most things about my past?" Kyoko asked herself quietly. "The
others appear to have a gap in their memory between when they arrive at this school and when they
woke up. They don't appear to have lost much memories, so why am I different?"

As Kyoko thought about the situation, Makoto walked up to her for a chat.

"Hey, Kirigiri!" Makoto greeted.

Kyoko heard Makoto's voice and turned to look at him. "Yes?" she asked. "What is it?"

"Do you have a moment to talk?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko just glared at Makoto and turned her back on him.

"Hey, don't be like that!" Makoto said.

"If you're looking for a conversation, you're looking at the wrong place," Kyoko said. "Leave me
alone. I have no need to talk to you, Naegi."

"But...I mean..." Makoto replied. "Talking to each other is important, right? I mean...we're all
trying to find a way out of this school and uncover who's behind our imprisonment. If we want to
get that done, then we'd better be all on the same page, right?"
Kyoko thought about Makoto's words for a moment. "Hmm...you could make that argument," she
said. "Forming friendships and bonds may prevent the killings, and it will certainly help us in
solving this mystery. However...it's possible that you have a different reason for making friends.
Isn't that right?"

Makoto was shocked by the implied accusation. "What?" he gasped. "T-That's not-"

"If you really are making friends just for the sake of it," Kyoko began to explain, "then you might
not pass my quiz. But if you do pass, then it tells me a lot about yourself. So? Are you ready for
my quiz?"

"Uh...they're just simple questions, right?" Makoto asked.

"The questions in my quiz are easy," Kyoko replied, "as long as you retain some details about the
people you talk to. Enough chatter. Let's begin."

"Okay..." Makoto said, readying himself for the quiz.

Kyoko stare at Makoto as she put him through the quiz. "Question 1," she began. "Hina is one of
our classmates in this school. What is her ultimate ability?"

Makoto knew the answer immediately. "Ultimate Swimmer," he replied.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kyoko said. "Next question: Leon detests his current ultimate ability.
What is his current talent and what does he want to become instead?"

This question requires Makoto to put a little more thought into his answers. "Let's see..." he said as
he began to answer. "Leon's the Ultimate Baseball Player, and he wants to become the Ultimate
Musician instead."

Kyoko nodded her head. "Good," she remarked. "You seem to be doing well so far. Last question:
Dr. Yasuke Matsuda and Sayaka Maizono have next to nothing in common, except for one. What
is it? Oh, and don't look at their names. You won't find the answer there."

This question took Makoto the most amount of effort into finding the answer. At first, he wasn't
quite sure about what Yasuke and Sayaka have in common. That is...until he remembers their
history. That's where Makoto found the answer.

"I got it," he said. "They both lost their mothers at a young age, which is why they decided to get
their talent."

Kyoko assessed Makoto's answer, studying his face through it all.

Makoto was confused at the look Kyoko was giving to him. "What? Did I get it wrong?" he asked.

After a while, Kyoko sighed and turned her back on Makoto. "I can tell you're not lying," she said.
"You seem to be confident in your answer. If you would say a wrong answer, you would feel
nervous, right?"

"Uh..." Makoto said in confusion.

"Well, that concludes my quiz," Kyoko said. "You seem to know and remember a lot about your
classmates. You make friends to get a better understanding of them and deepen your bonds with
them. You don't plan on deceiving them anytime soon, or using the information about your
classmates against them. When you're recalling certain information, you know exactly what to say.
Congratulations, Naegi. You passed my test."

"Um...thanks?" Makoto said, feeling unsure if he really deserves it.

"Now, if you would excuse me, I'd better be going somewhere," Kyoko said. She then began to
walk away.

"No! Wait!" Makoto shouted. "Kirigiri! Come back! We didn't get to start a proper conversation!"

Kyoko ignored Makoto as she walked into the passageway leading to the main part of the school.

Makoto let out a heavy sigh after Kyoko left him. He just wanted to get to know his classmates
more, and initiate the conversation with others instead of waiting for others to start a conversation
with him. Oh well. Maybe he'll get his chance next time.

Day 3 - 8:30 PM
Laundry Room, First Floor

Most of the students have taken at least one shower at this point, so they're at least one set of
clothes placed into the bathroom hampers. Being in charge of the laundry, Yasuhiro took all the
hampers and put all the clothes into the washing machines. He has never gotten a good grasp on
how to do laundry, but luckily, there is a guidebook in the laundry room to tell him which type of
clothes should be washed in which way. After the wash cycles are done, Yasuhiro put the clothes
into the dryer to, well, dry them off. Once that's sorted out, Yasuhiro took all the clothes out and
attempted to sort them based on which student the clothes belong to.

The shirts and pants parts were easy for Yasuhiro. He has seen these students wear them
throughout their time in this school. He knows who these clothes belong to. But the undergarments
on the other hand...that's a lot harder for him to figure out. Unless he is a pervert who has seen his
classmates in just their undergarments, there is no way to tell who these undergarments belong to.

Of course, Yasuhiro recognize his own undergarments. They're a blue briefs with a white pattern
on them. He can also easily guess that the really stretched out underpants belong to Hifumi,
because who else but him would wear clothes that are this large?

Still, that pattern on Hifumi's underwear looks really strange. It's probably because they're so
stretched out, but still...Yasuhiro can't help but feel like there's something going on in there. He
tried to take a closer look and...

"What do you think you're doing, pervert?"

"GAH!" Yasuhiro screamed. "W-Who's there?"

Yasuhiro turned around towards the door of the laundry room. There, he found Natsumi, standing
there with a trash bin by her side. She's giving Yasuhiro a disapproving look.

"W-What are you doing here?" Yasuhiro asked.

"I'm here to clean out the lint traps, of course," Natsumi replied. "That Ishimaru guy told me that
they're my responsibility, since my job is to take care of the garbage. Stupid guy. Who does he
think he is, assigning me to take out the trash? Now, what are you doing sniffing someone's
underwear?"

"I wasn't sniffing!" Yasuhiro said, trying to defend himself. "I was just...taking a closer look at one
of them! Honest!"

Natsumi doesn't seem to buy it. She just groaned and shook her head. "You fortune tellers are the
absolute worse..." she grumbled.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Yasuhiro asked. "Hey, I'm just wondering. Why do you
hate fortune tellers so much? I once heard that you were scammed by one of them..."

"I'll tell you the full story," Natsumi replied. "Some random fortune teller approached me one day
and sold me a 'holy stone' under the guise that it'll bring me good fortune. Foolish as I was, I
purchased the 'holy stone' for a large sum of money. But when I got home, my family discovered
that I had bought a worthless piece of rock salt! My parents were furious at me for wasting money
on such a worthless product. We tried to track down the fortune teller who sold me that rock,
demanding that he refunded the purchase. We almost succeeded, but then that fortune teller
disappeared! We weren't able to track him down ever since."

"Ah, I get it now!" Yasuhiro replied. "Come to think of it, I do recall having some unpaid debts to
some mafia family or something."

Natsumi felt like she's onto something. "Oh yeah?" she asked. "Who do you have debts to?"

"Uh...I can't tell!" Yasuhiro replied. "My memory is a bit foggy in that area, and I would rather not
remember the mafia family I have unpaid debts to..."

"Hmm..." Natsumi said, giving Yasuhiro a suspicious look. "Well, I can't remember who scammed
me with that rock salt, and I would rather not remember their name."

"Well, if you can't remember their name," Yasuhiro began to ask, "then you must know what they
look like, right? So...what does their face look like?"

Natsumi scoffed as she turned away from Yasuhiro. "That's something that I would rather have my
family figure out instead of me," she said. "I'm trapped in this damn school along with you, so I
can't send any information out to my family. Besides, that scam happened a long time ago. I
would've forgotten about his face by now! Although..." She shifted her gaze over to Yasuhiro.

Yasuhiro grew confused by the look Natsumi was giving him. "Huh? What are you looking at me
for?" he asked.

Before Natsumi could say anything, Kiyotaka began to shout from outside the laundry room. "Hey!
Are you two done yet?" he asked. "We need our clothes back in our rooms right now, and I want to
see those lint traps cleaned! What's with the hold up?"

"Why don't you guys come in and find your clothes?" Natsumi replied as she faced the door. She
then turned back around towards Yasuhiro. "Forget about this talk. I'm cleaning the lint traps now.
I don't want to hear that guy shouting at me again."

"Wait, are you talking about-?" Yasuhiro tried to asked.

"No more talking!" Natsumi shouted as she cleaned out the lint traps.

Yasuhiro was still left wondering why Natsumi gave him that strange look. Oh well. It's probably
best for him if he tries to not think about it too much. Back to sorting out these clothes he goes.
Now uh...who owns this white underpants with a yellow star pattern on it?
Day 3 - 9:30 PM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

It got a little awkward in the laundry room when everyone tried to get their clothes back. When
Makoto entered the laundry room to retrieve his clothes, he caught Yasuhiro sniffing at his own
underpants for some reason. That was an embarrassing sight to see.

That ordeal is over now, and Makoto managed to get his clothes back without much issues.
Looking back at that incident, Makoto wished that someone else was assigned to handle everyone's
laundry. It might've been a terrible idea to give Yasuhiro that job. He hoped that the roles will be
changed soon. After the first time washing everyone's clothes, Yasuhiro shouldn't be allowed to
handle everyone's laundry from now on.

Nighttime was nearing and Makoto was growing tired. It had been another long day for him and
the other students. So far, they are still nowhere near finding a way out of this school. He thought
about calling it a day and going off to sleep, but then he heard a doorbell.

*Ding-dong!*

"Ugh..." Makoto groaned. "Who's there...?"

Makoto walked up to the door to answer it. He expected Sayaka to be there since that always seem
to happen. But instead of Sayaka, Makoto got Junko instead.

"Hi there, Naegi!" Junko greeted in a cheerful tone.

"Oh...good evening, Enoshima," Makoto greeted back.

"Do you have a moment to talk?" Junko asked. "I know that it's getting late, but I, like, really
wanted to talk to someone before I go off to sleep."

"Uh...sure," Makoto replied. "Come on in."

Junko entered Makoto's room while Makoto closed the door behind her.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Enoshima?" Makoto asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to hang out with you," Junko replied. "That's all. Don't take this as anything else,
okay?"

"Huh?" Makoto said, sounding confused. "Why?"

"Look, I have a virtue to maintain, okay?" Junko replied. "I mean, I hope you're not expecting
anything else from me. It's a girl hanging out with another boy. That's all."

Makoto shook his head. "Uh...no," he replied. "I'm not expecting anything else from you,
Enoshima."

"That's what I thought," Junko said. "I figured that you're not that type of guy, right? Looking at
you, I'm getting a total 'herbivore man' kind of vibe, right?"

Makoto had a confused look on his face. "What's a herbivore man?" he asked. "Are that...some
kind of vegan or vegetarian?"

"Oh, don't take that so literally," Junko replied. "A herbivore man is a type of man who expresses
 little desire to pursue any romantic relationships. They aren't very assertive when it comes to
relationships with women, and thus they choose to not proactively start any relationships with
them. You're a herbivore man, right?"

Makoto thought about the term for a moment and how it could apply to him. "Yeah...I guess..." he
said, nodding his head. "I think I remember a few girls at my old schools showing interest in me.
I...never showed any interest in them in return."

"Ah, so you really are a herbivore man," Junko said. "I like boys who are like that. I'm just so sick
of attracting boys who always wanting to hang out with me. They kept approaching me late at
night and telling me, 'Hey, let's hang!' or something. Like, hello! I have a boyfriend already! I don't
need any more boys in my life! It's, like, so totally annoying."

"That sounds tough," Makoto remarked. "I mean, you are popular, being a fashion icon and all."

"Yeah, I totally get that," Junko replied. "You know, I was, like, thinking about introducing you to
one of my friends. They're all 'carnivore girls', by the way, a perfect fit for a herbivore man like
you! But I guess you already have a carnivore girl, that being Maizono..."

"What?" Makoto asked.

Junko noticed that she might be saying too much. "Oh, am I talking too much?" she asked. "Sorry
about that. It's just...a nasty habit of mine. I got into trouble on more than one occasion by saying
too much. Ah, me and my leaky mouth. Just can't seem to stop speaking. Anyways, it was nice
getting to hang out with you, Naegi! See you tomorrow!" She held up a V-sign with her fingers
before she left the Makoto's room.

Makoto was left wondering about what Junko had said before she stopped and left. "Sayaka...a
carnivore girl?" he asked himself. He wondered if what Junko said was true before shaking his
head. "No...that's not possible. Sayaka told me that she doesn't have enough time to pursue any
relationships. There's no way that she's a carnivore girl, right...?"

...

I guess I should just forget about it, Makoto thought.

After a while, Makoto got on his bed to sleep for the night. It was just in time for the nighttime
announcement.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Ahem, attention all students," Monokuma began to announce. "This is a school announcement.
The time is now 10:00 PM, which means that nighttime has officially begun! The doors to the
dining hall will be closed at this time, so accessing it is strictly prohibited. Sweet dreams,
everyone! And don't let the bed bugs bite."

...

Makoto slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Chapter End Notes

Two of the Free Time Events in this chapter has been submitted by readers. The rest
were made up by me. I was struggling to find a way to fit in the reader requested
events into the events I already made.

No more Free Time Event requests will be accepted for a while. Sorry about that. I
was really looking forward to getting more requests. But I guess not. It feels so lonely
not getting any feedback.

The game Celeste and Makoto played in their Free Time Event is a variant on the card
game War, where each player is given three cards to choose from before every battle,
and the game ends once both players' decks are exhausted. There is a popular variant
of War that simply involves the player drawing cards from the top of their decks and
pitting them in a battle, but given that there is no player choice, its status as a "game"
is up for debate.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 5)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 4 - 7:30 AM
Dining Hall, First Floor

There was a sense of unease as everyone gathered in the dining hall for another meeting. After just
three nights of being stuck in Hope's Peak Academy with barely anything to do, the boredom is
starting to frustrate some of the students.

"Alright, everyone," Kiyotaka began. "Before we begin this meeting, there's something that I
would like to point out first." He then pointed his finger at three pairs of students: Makoto and
Sayaka; Junko and Yasuke, and Hina and Sakura. "You six," he began. "There's something that I
must point out about your habits."

"Oh yeah?" Junko asked. "And what's that?"

"I noticed that whenever these students talk to the other member of their pair, they usually address
the others by their first name," Kiyotaka explained. "I find this highly unusual. Addressing
someone by their first names usually suggests that the two people know each other well enough.
We were supposed to not know each other before coming into Hope's Peak Academy, yet these
three pairs of students are calling each other by their first names! What's going on?"

"Well, Yasuke and I are childhood friends," Junko explained. "Of course we should call each other
by our first names. Isn't that right, Yasuke?"

Yasuke just let out a sigh.

"Ah, I understand," Kiyotaka said. "I find that explanation reasonable enough. Now, as for the
other two pairs, what are your excuses?"

"Sayaka and I used to attend the same middle school," Makoto explained.

Leon was shocked to hear this. "What the-?" he gasped. "Seriously? You do?"

"Yeah, I did," Makoto replied. "Thing is, I didn't really talk to Sayaka at all during our middle
school years..."

"I can confirm this," Sayaka added. "I never had a conversation with Makoto until just recently.
This thing about calling each other by our first names just feels...natural to us."

"Okay..." Kiyotaka said, feeling unsure if he should accept this explanation. "I'll...let that slide for
now. As for you two girls, what are your excuses?"

"Hina is just a nickname everyone uses," Hina explained. "No one outside of my family ever calls
me 'Aoi', not even my closest friends. Now as for why I call Sakura by her first name...I have no
idea!"

Kiyotaka pondered as Hina gave her explanation. "This is strange..." he muttered. "What is going
on here?"
"Um...what should we do about this, Mr. Kiyotaka Ishimaru?" Hifumi asked.

Hearing Hifumi address him by his full name gave Kiyotaka an idea. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot,"
he said. "Yamada, what are you doing addressing people by their full names?"

"Ah, sorry about that," Hifumi replied. "It's just how I like to call people. Don't judge me on that!"

"I see..." Kiyotaka said. "Now, about how should I go about this...?" After thinking about it for a
while, Kiyotaka came up with a solution. "Alright, I got it. I have a feeling that there's more to our
relationships than we previously thought. So...how about we all call each other by our first names
from now on? And if they have a preferred nickname such as me, be sure to use that as well. Does
that sound good?"

Everyone was stunned to hear that solution.

"W-What?" Toko gasped. "Y-You're going to m-make me call Master Togami Master Byakuya f-
from now on? Just because of a h-handful of students?"

"Please, don't you ever call me that," Byakuya ordered. "Drop the 'Master' part. You're never going
to be my servant."

"That's going to take some getting used to..." Yasuke muttered.

"Listen, everyone!" Kiyotaka said. "We're all working together towards a common goal, and that's
to escape this school without letting anyone die. It's clear that we're going to be here together for a
while. It's best to us to jump straight to calling each other by our first names now rather than
waiting until later."

"It also makes it much easier for the author and readers to follow this story!" Hifumi said.

"What did you say?" Junko asked, giving him a bewildered look.

"Nothing!" Hifumi replied.

Kiyotaka then closed his eyes. "However, speaking of that common goal," he began to say, "there's
something that I must say regarding our progress being made towards it." His eyes then shot open
as he jumped from his seat and slammed his hands down on the table. "This is ridiculous! We've
spent the past two days looking around this for a way to escape, and so far we have gotten nothing
done!"

"What do you mean we've gotten nothing done?" Makoto asked. "We did talk to our classmates a
lot during our time in this school. Are you calling that nothing?"

"No, no," Kiyotaka replied. "I don't mean that. Talking to your classmates is a normal part of the
school experience. The problem is that we're not having a normal school experience. There are no
teachers, no other staff members, and there are no other students. We are trapped in this school
against our will with no way of escaping. Our only option is to take someone's life and get away
with it, which obviously we don't want to happen. So instead, we're going to escape without having
to kill anyone. The problem is, we weren't able to find anything about our imprisonment. We've
found no clues about who trapped us into this school. We've spent the past two days looking for
clues and found nothing! Is there anything else we can do?"

Everyone was silence for a moment. They tried to come up with anything else for them to do. But
given how limited the available area of the school is to them, there wasn't much else they can do
other than wait.
Celeste then giggled after hearing about the students' fruitless attempts at finding a way out of the
school. "Oh, you all are silly fools," she began to say, drawing everyone's attention towards her.
"Don't you all realize that you're wasting your time trying to find a way to escape? It should be
obvious by now that there is no way for us to escape unless we take the life of someone away.
Which means that someone...will die soon."

A wave of dread began to hit everyone. They realize that at least one of them have not much longer
to live.

"Hey!" Yasuhiro yelled. "What do you think you're doing taking away my ability to predict the
future?!"

"Oh shut up..." Yasuke said, feeling drained from hearing Yasuhiro talk too much.

Celeste looked around the dining hall for everyone's reaction. "Do you all realize this by now?" she
asked. "We've spent nearly three full days cooped up in this school. Three. Full. Days. All during
all this time, we've done nothing but wander around the school, looking for an exit that doesn't
exist. It's clear to me that someone will snap soon. Someone will grow bored of this school and will
try to murder someone to escape it. I can tell. There are cracks showing up on everyone's mask. If
you can't stop these cracks from growing...you will die."

Everyone then began to look at each other, wondering how close the others are to snapping and
trying to murdering one of them. They also wondered over who is going to be the first person to
get murdered. Someone's going to target someone else. They're not sure who is targeting who, and
that's what scaring most of them.

Junko is not buying into what Celeste is saying, however. "What the hell are you even saying?!"
she asked.

"I've said this once, and I'll say it again," Celeste replied. "If you can't adapt, you won't survive.
You're all just refusing to adapt because you keep insisting that we should find a way out. You're
all just wasting your time and energy. Our real solution right now is to sit back and enjoy spending
the rest of our lives in this school."

"Have you've gone mad, Celeste?" Junko asked, sounding increasingly angry. "Are you saying that
we should be complacent and just accept our new lives trapped in this school?"

"It sure sounds like she wants to live in this school," Mondo remarked. "Well, more power to her, I
guess. But still, that doesn't mean that we can be the same as her! This damn prison...it may be
shiny, but it's still a prison. No way in hell am I willing to live in this hellhole of a place! I wanna
get outta here!"

"Sure, go on ahead," Natsumi said sarcastically. "Punch that giant metal door at the entrance for
the thousandth time. I dare ya."

Mondo looked down at his bandaged hands. They're still recovering from the bleeding they
suffered when he tried to rapidly punch the metal door. It's a stupid idea to try that again, so he
decides to not bother.

"Okay, so getting out is not an option," Leon said. "Great. Is there anything else we can do?"

"How about we find the person behind our imprisonment?" Hina suggested. "There's only one
thing I can tell about that person. They are totally messed up. What kind of person would imprison
a bunch of students in a school and force us to kill each other if we want to escape?"
"Um...a psychopath?" Junko suggested.

"Nah, you've got it all wrong," Yasuhiro said. "This is all some sort of social experiment set up by
the school designed to test our mental endurance. Anyone who isn't able to pass the experiment
would not get into the school."

"That sounds like the least ethical scientific experiment in the history of science," Yasuke said.
"There's a reason why we have a code of ethics in the field of scientific research. We don't want a
repeat of those messed up psychological and neurological experiments from decades ago."

"Well, experiment or not, there is one thing I know for certain," Hina said.

"Are you trying to steal my predictions?" Yasuhiro asked.

Yasuke glared at Yasuhiro with a menacing glare. "...Shut up," he said.

Hina then continued on as if she didn't hear anything. "Okay, so we all have some family who is
waiting for us out there, right?" she asked. "We've been stuck in here for a few days with no way of
contacting the outside world. We haven't heard from our family in days, and they haven't heard
from us in return. I'm sure that they're all worried about us right now. I bet they contacted
emergency services and sent them on our way to help us out!"

"Phuhuhu, I don't think so," a voice said from somewhere.

Everyone jumped upon hearing that voice. Just as they feared, Monokuma appeared to interrupt
their meet.

"Aw shit..." Mondo groaned. "It's you again!"

"Hey!" Kiyotaka shouted. "What are you doing interrupting our meeting?"

"I'm part of this meeting too, you know!" Monokuma replied. "Anyways, I must say, you guys have
way too much faith in emergency services right now. Do you even know what purpose they serve
these days? All they're good for is cannon fodder, practice targets meant to be used by the bad guys
or a giant monster just to show how much of a threat they pose. Are you sure you want these group
of losers to come and rescue you? Of course not! The fact that you guys haven't been rescued yet is
proof at how useless these losers are at doing their job!"

Hina could feel a sense of dread filling her body. "Wait...so you're saying that we're not getting any
help...?" she asked.

"Of course!" Monokuma replied. "There's no other way of escaping. I mean, if you REALLY want
to get out of here, then all you've got to do is kill someone! Simple as that!"

"D-Didn't the rules say that you have to get away with it as well?" Sayaka asked.

"Ah, yes," Monokuma said. "Thanks for reminding me. If you want to escape, you have to kill
someone and get away with it. Sure. Let's go with that. Now, I've been sitting here observing you
guys doing your things, and I must say, it's all incredibly boring! Seriously, where's the bloodshed?
Nobody has killed anyone so far! I can tell because you're all still here alive and kicking!"

"That's because there's nothing you can do to get us to kill each other," Makoto said. "We will get
out of this together with everyone alive!"

Monokuma stared at Makoto for a moment and tilted his head. "Oh really?" he asked. "Are you
sure about that?"

"Uh...y-yes!" Sayaka replied. "He's r-right! We will survive together! I'm sure of it!"

"I will agree with...Makoto right there!" Kiyotaka said, hesitating for a moment to make sure he
calls Makoto by his first name as promised. "Murder is not tolerated in a school environment! I
will assure you: no one will die!"

Monokuma stared at the three students who stood up to him. "Oh really?" he asked. "Are you three
sure about that? Well, I hate to break it to all of you, but your peace times are about to run out!"

Makoto, Sayaka, and Kiyotaka were all shocked to hear this. "What?" they said in unison.

"Aw, how cute," Monokuma remarked. "It seems that you three are in unison. But no amount of
unity, no amount of showing defiance towards me will ever change my mind. You see, I was
sitting around wondering what I can do to nudge you guys into killing each other. That's when I
realized that there's a key ingredient missing: I didn't give everyone a motive!"

Most of the students stared at Monokuma in confusion, wondering what he's talking about.

"Didn't you already given us a motive?" Yasuke asked. "You told us that if we kill someone and
get away with it, then we'll get to leave this school. That's part of your Graduation Clause, right?"

"Ah yes, that Graduation Clause," Monokuma said. "It's true that I will allow anyone who can
successfully murder someone and get away with it to leave this school. However, I felt like that's
not enough of a motive to get you all to kill each other. So, I decided to give you all an additional
motive on top of that."

"Oh yeah?" Junko asked. "And what's that?"

Monokuma then laughed once again. "You know, I did hear you guys mention something about
your loved ones, right?" he asked. "Well, if you're wondering what they're been up to while you
guys were trapped in this school, then I have a very special video for all of you! Come to the A/V
Room to have a watch. I know you'll like them!"

Hina seems confused when Monokuma mentioned the A/V Room. "Wait, the what room?" she
asked.

"The A/V Room..." Kiyotaka said. "That sounds like a place where us students can go and watch
some dirty adult video, right? Who designed this place?! That room is simply unacceptable! I want
that place closed down!"

"Oh, don't worry," Monokuma assured. "They're not some dirty adult video or anything. They're
just nice, innocent videos featuring your loved ones. The A/V Room is located near the
classrooms, by the way. If you want to figure out what's going on with your loved ones, just go
there! Well, that's all I've got to say for now! The rest you will see soon enough. Bye now!" He
then disappeared once again.

After Monokuma left, everyone began to stare at each other, wondering what they should do next.

"So...now what?" Hina asked. "What do we do?"

Kiyotaka thought about everyone's next action. "I don't think we have much of a choice," he said.
"If we want to find out what our loved ones' been up to, we'll have to go the A/V Room."
"But what if it's a trap?" Mondo asked. "What if that damn bear is tricking us into a trap where he'd
kill us all?"

"I doubt that Monokuma is willing to do something like that," Kyoko replied. "He is trying to
nudge us into killing each other, after all. If he wanted to kill us, then he would've done so by now.
We would all be dead at the point. But since that didn't happen, it definitely isn't a trap..."

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" Kiyotaka asked. "Everyone, to the A/V Room! This
meeting is over!"

Everyone then got up from their seats and headed out the dining hall together.

Day 4 - 8:15 AM
Hallway, First Floor

Everyone stood by the door to the A/V Room, acting cautious to enter it. Kyoko, however, is
standing in the middle of the hallway, finding everyone acting a bit too cautious.

"What are you all doing standing here?" Kyoko asked. "The door's right there. Go enter it."

"But...it might be a trap..." Mondo said.

"I already told you," Kyoko replied. "It's not a trap. It should be safe to enter it."

"But what if it isn't?" Mondo asked. "What if it is a trap? We might have to send someone in to
make sure."

Kyoko facepalmed at everyone's overly cautious actions. "I swear..." she said. "You guys are so
paranoid..."

"What did you expect?" Junko asked. "Our lives are at stake. We have to be careful with every
step."

"Okay, so we're sending in someone to make sure this room isn't a trap," Kiyotaka said. "The
question is...who will be sent in first?"

Mondo then laid his eyes on Makoto. "Hey, kid," he said. "Why don't you go in first?"

Everyone then set their eyes on Makoto.

Makoto is confused when everyone looked at him. "Huh? Me?" he asked. "Why me?"

"You're the one standing closest to the door," Mondo explained. "That's what we always do back in
my gang. We always send the low-ranking ones first before sending the rest of the gang. If the little
guy doesn't make it out, then it's probably not safe to enter."

"Can't argue with that..." Natsumi remarked.

"So, kid?" Mondo began to ask. "Are you ready to task?"

Makoto then stared straight ahead at the A/V Room door. "Okay..." he said with a gulp. "I'm
ready..."

Sayaka then ran up to Makoto and latched onto him. "Wait! Hold on!" she said. "If you're going,
Makoto, then I'm coming too!"
"What? Why?" Leon asked. "Why would you go in as well? It's not safe!"

"It's not safe to be entering dangerous places alone, too!" Sayaka countered.

"Well, two is better than one," Mondo said. "If we send two people in and only one of them gets
out, then we know for sure that it's not safe."

"I find that logic flawed, though," Kyoko replied. "If two people were to come back alive, it might
mean that the obstacles ahead is still unsafe to traverse..."

"Shut up!" Mondo shouted. "If it works, it works. Now, we're counting on you two. If anything
happens, just call out to us! Well, what are you two waiting for? Just get in already!"

Makoto and Sayaka nervously gulped as they faced the door to the A/V Room. "Well, Sayaka?"
Makoto asked. "Are you ready?"

Sayaka nodded her head. "Yeah..."

"Alright," Makoto said. "Now, on the count of three, we charge in! One...two..."

Kyoko realized that Makoto and Sayaka are about to make a mistake. "No! Wait!" she shouted.
"Stop!"

It was too late. Makoto and Sayaka charged towards the door and...slammed right against it as if it
were a wall. Their bodies slid down the door and into the floor. Everyone was left confused on
why the door didn't open. Everyone except for Byakuya and Kyoko.

"...The handle indicates pull..." Kyoko said.

Day 4 - 8:25 AM
A/V Room, First Floor

The students sat down at the monitors all around the A/V Room. There are dividers set up between
the monitors, so there's no peeking at their neighbor's monitors. Each student was also provided a
set of headphones, so that they can hear the audio of the videos all by themselves.

The students found a cardboard box in the A/V Room. Inside the box is a set of DVD cases, each
of which has a name written on them. These names correspond to the students. The students picked
up the DVD cases with their names on them and took them to a monitor of their choosing.

Makoto and Sayaka sat down at the rear two monitors. They nervously stared at each other as they
put on their headphones. They looked ahead at the large monitor at the far end of the A/V Room
along with everyone else. On the screen is Monokuma giving them instructions on what to do next.

"Alright, everyone!" Monokuma said. "Are you all set? Good? Now, insert your DVD into the slot
near your monitor. Then sit back and relax as you enjoy the video inside your DVDs!"

Makoto took out the DVD from the case with his name on it. He stared at the DVD for a couple of
moments before inserting it into the slot. Then, he watched the monitor display the video from
beginning to end.

Makoto's video opens up with a shot featuring a young girl with green hair, a man, and a woman,
all sitting at a couch in a living room. Makoto can feel his heart racing as he saw the people on the
monitor. He recognized them. They're...his family. The two adults are his parents, while the young
girl is his younger sister, Komaru.

"Hey, son!" Makoto's dad said. "Congratulations on being picked to enter Hope's Peak Academy! I
will admit, we didn't expect to see this day come since...you know. But hey, make us proud, son!"

"We're so glad to see you be invited into such a prestigious school," Makoto's mom said. "It's like a
dream come true! You have a great life ahead of you, son. I will understand if you find it difficult
studying there, but as long as you do your best and don't give up, I'm sure you're going to make it."

"I hope that you enjoy your time in Hope's Peak Academy!" Komaru said as she waved at the
camera. "Oh, and don't forget to say hi to Maizono for me!"

Makoto smiled as he watched the video. It was...his family's message to him to enjoy his time in
his new school. He was going to spend a long time in Hope's Peak Academy. It'll be a while before
he could see his family again. Seeing them in this video...it gave Makoto hope and strength. It
made him wish that he was living a normal school life in Hope's Peak Academy, where he didn't
have to worry about being killed or seeing others get killed.

But of course, that didn't happen. He's stuck in this school along with 15 other students, forced to
live here for the rest of his life. His only way to escape is to take someone's life and get away with
it. Knowing Monokuma, Makoto felt like this video won't end on a happy note. As much as he
hated that thought, he was right.

Soon, the video began to go static, catching Makoto completely off guard. He wondered what's
going to happen next. And then...the worst possible image showed up on the monitor. It's the same
shot as the first part of the video, only now his family is gone. The couch, the window, and the
walls...everything is in ruins. It looks like a war had occurred in this area...

"W-What?!" Makoto gasped.

Makoto heard the other students gasp in horror as well. It seems that the videos are timed in such a
way that everyone would get this reveal at the same time.

Then, Makoto began to hear Monokuma's voice.

"Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student," Monokuma began. "He was invited into the school
through sheer luck alone. He was disappointed to learn that he had to leave his life of normalcy
behind. But with his family's support, he gained the confidence needed to enter his new life. Ah,
how sweet. A totally average family supporting their eldest son on his road to success. It'll be a
shame if something were to happen to them. Oh, this is bad. What could've possibly happened to
this normal family? Well, Makoto Naegi? Do you want to know? Find out after graduation!"

...

Makoto's arms were trembling as he moved them to grab his headphones. "N-No..." he said.
"This...this can't be..."

Makoto's immediate thoughts were to get out of this school right now so that he can save his
family. His other immediate thought was to resist this temptation and try to remain calm. These two
thoughts clashed against each other in his head. He wasn't sure which one of them is winning at the
moment. He's sure that remaining calm is the right choice but...the thought of his family being in
danger...it was just too much for him to ignore...

All around the A/V Room, Makoto was hearing voices of anger and confusion from everyone.
"What the hell?" Mondo asked. He then pounded on the monitor. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"T-This can't be real, right?" Hina asked as she shivered. "This can't be real..."

"H-How?" Leon asked. "W-Why? What...? I...I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!"

"This must be fake, right?" Kiyotaka asked. "There's no way that these videos are real!"

Throughout the A/V Room, Makoto was seeing various reactions from everyone. Some were
shocked to see what happened to their loved ones, such as Makoto. Others are in denial of what
happened, such as Hina. Still others are left in complete silence, such as Yasuke. A few are having
a different reaction. They're starting to understand what these motives are.

"So this what he means by motives," Kyoko said. "He's fueling our desire to leave to make us kill
each other."

"Puhuhuhu...that's right!" Monokuma said from the large monitor. "These videos that I showed
aren't just to show what your loved ones are doing while you kids were gone. It's to give you
another reason to escape. If you graduate from this school, for example, you might get to learn
what happened to your loved ones."

Kiyotaka was left shaken by the implications. "S-So...that means...?" he said.

"That's right!" Monokuma said. "Something terrible has happened to your precious loved ones!
Those sweet bonds outside of this school that you've been treasuring so far? They're all in danger of
being wiped away. Of course, you don't know what happened to your loved ones. Are they still
alive? Are they dead? Who knows! If you want to know what happened to your loved ones and
potentially save them, then you'd better be playing by my rules. There's no other way around this.
Kill someone and get away from it and you'll get to see your loved ones again!"

Natsumi was shaking furiously as she stared at the large monitor. "So you're telling me...that I have
to kill someone...just to see my brother again?" she asked.

Monokuma then made a buzzer sound with his voice. "Too bad!" he said. "Looks like you're not
seeing your brother ever again, dragon girl, because you just broke a rule!"

"What?!" Natsumi gasped.

"Wait, wait, wait, what?" Leon gasped. "What the hell? What do you mean she broke a rule? I've
never heard of a rule like that!"

"Ah, I almost forget," Monokuma said. "Everyone, I have now added a rule regarding the motives!
Be sure to check them out!"

Makoto pulled out his E-Handbook to check the new list of rules. He was shocked to see the new
rule that was added.

Rules and Regulations (Version 2)

1. Students may reside only within the school building. Leaving the campus without permission
is not allowed.
2. The day is split into daytime and nighttime. Nighttime lasts from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM the
following day. Daytime lasts on all other hours.
3. Some areas are off-limits during nighttime. Please be outside of these restricted areas before
 the nighttime announcement plays.
4. Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and will be
punished accordingly. This only applies if the student sleeps on their own accord.
5. With minimum restrictions, you are free to explore any accessible areas of Hope's Peak
Academy. New areas may open up over time.
6. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited.
7. Damaging the surveillance cameras and monitors is also strictly prohibited.
8. Stealing or lending E-Handbooks to or from a live student is, once again, strictly prohibited.
9. Breaking into locked rooms is, yet again, strictly prohibited.
10. Violating rules 6-9 will result in punishment.
11. If a student forces another student to violate rules 6-9, they will receive punishment instead
of the rule breaker.
12. Anyone who kills a fellow student will become the blackened. Blackened students may
graduate and leave the school, unless they are discovered.
13. Once a personal motive has been distributed, students may not exchange information about
their personal motives with anyone else. Violation of this rule will result in your motive
being revoked.
14. The above rule remains in effect until someone has been killed.
15. All motives will last until either the time limit has expired or someone has graduated.
16. Additional rules may be added when necessary.

"So as you can see," Monokuma said, "you cannot share details about your own motives to other
people. If you do that, your motive will be rendered null. Got it?"

Everyone was left too stunned to answer.

"Listen up, everyone!" Monokuma said. "You've got 48 hours to act on this motive! If you can
graduate from this school within that time frame, then you'll get to know what happened to your
loved ones. But once that time has passed, it'll be too late. The fates of your loved ones will be lost
forever! Oh, and if your motive has been nullified, such as with this dragon girl idiot, then you
won't get to see your loved ones no matter what you do!"

Natsumi fell to her knees as she discovered that she will not be seeing her brother anytime soon.

"You've been a foolish one, dragon girl," Monokuma said. "You should've kept your mouth shut.
You had once chance to learn the fate of your loved ones, and you blew it. You only got yourself to
blame for this."

Natsumi was left shivering after all of this.

"Alright, everyone," Monokuma said. "I think I've spent enough time relishing in your despair. I'll
be leaving for now, but never forget: you have 48 before this motive is gone forever. Tootles."

The large monitor then turns off, leaving everyone wondering about what they should do next.

"...What the hell?" Leon asked. "What are we supposed to do?"

Kiyotaka then issued an order to everyone, hoping that they would listen to him. "Everyone, you
must listen," he said. "Just don't let these motives get to you. Let the time limit pass. I know that
getting to see your loved ones again might seem great, but...what if they're really dead? Then all of
our efforts would have been for nothing. You would've sacrificed a life for nothing. I find that offer
not worth it at all. So that why...we must all continue to live in peace!"
"But...what if our loved ones...are still alive?" Junko asked, sounding worried about her own life.
"What if someone couldn't take it anymore...and tries to kill someone to save their loved ones?"

Celeste listened to Kiyotaka and Junko and can't help but feel like this seems similar to a thought
experiment. "You know, this reminds me of the prisoner's dilemma," she remarked.

"The prisoner's...what now?" Hifumi asked.

"Let me explain what it is with an example," Celeste began. "Say two people were convicted of a
minor crime, but one of them is suspected of committing a much bigger crime. The prisoners are
then told that if they can say which one of them committed the bigger crime, then they can leave
free while their partner serves a larger sentence. But here's the catch: if both pins the bigger crime
on each other, then they'll both serve the larger sentence. If the prisoners said nothing instead, then
they'll both serve a smaller sentence. In other words, the threat of treachery leads to a worse
outcome for everyone than if they had simply cooperated. That's the situation we're in right now.
Our ideal is for all of us to work together, but there's always the temptation to betray the others to
gain freedom."

"Don't you dare put that thought into our heads!" Kiyotaka shouted. "I can assure you: we will
survive! We will work together to get out this school without anyone dying!"

Celeste laughed at the notion that everyone will cooperate and survive. "Are you sure of about
that?" she asked. "Try to convince everyone to cooperate all you want. Someone will fall into
temptation and kill someone. Mark my words: this will happen."

"Why are people trying to take away my job?!" Yasuhiro cried.

"Hey, that sounds exactly like the type of stuff Monokuma would say," Hina remarked. "You're the
mastermind of this, aren't you, Celeste? You're the one who trapped us into this cruel game!"

"What are you talking about?" Celeste asked. "I have no part in our imprisonment. I'm just simply
accepting my new life in this school."

"Drop the false accusations, Hina," Kyoko said. "This is exactly what Monokuma wants from us.
He wants us to turn on each other and potentially try to kill someone else. We should not allow that
to happen. We should not give Monokuma what he wants. We should remain calm and-"

"Remain calm?" Hina questioned as she turned towards Kyoko. "How could we remain calm in
this situation?! Our lives are at stake right now! Our loved ones are at stake! If we don't do
anything, then they might die!"

As Makoto watched the panic began to build up amongst everyone, he can't help but think about
what Sayaka is feeling right now. He turned to his side towards where Sayaka is sitting. He was
shocked to see that she's hugging herself and shivering in fear. Her eyes are empty, devoid of any
soul. It's as if she was reduced to an empty shell.

"Hey...Sayaka?" Makoto asked as he got up from his seat. "Are you alright?"

Sayaka said nothing.

"Sayaka..." Makoto said, feeling increasingly concerned for her. "Just say something...anything,
would you?"

Sayaka still said nothing.

Makoto thought that maybe all Sayaka needs is a touch from him, so that's what he did. So Makoto
reached out and gently touched Sayaka's shoulder. But as soon as he did that...

"STOOOOP!" Sayaka screamed as she slapped Makoto's hand away. "GET AWAYYYY!"

...Well, Sayaka certainly responded from Makoto's touch. It's just that it didn't happen in the way
he expected. Sayaka leapt from her seat and ran out of the A/V Room, slamming the door shut
behind her.

"Wait!" Makoto cried as Sayaka ran away. "Sayaka!"

Meanwhile, Junko saw what Makoto tried to do and thought about doing the same to Yasuke. He
hasn't said anything ever since he watched his motive video. Maybe all he needs is a little touch
from her. So Junko tried to reach out and touch Yasuke.

Yasuke slapped Junko's hand away before she could touch him. "Go away!" he shouted. "I don't
want to talk to you anymore!"

Junko was confused by Yasuke's reaction. "What?" she asked. "But-"

"Just...don't!" Yasuke replied.

Junko was left heartbroken. She can't help but think about what could've caused Yasuke to have a
sudden change of heart.

Going back to Makoto, he was about to head off and go after Sayaka when Byakuya stopped him.

"Let her go," Byakuya said. "She doesn't want to talk to you anymore, especially since you two
have spent so much time together.

Makoto turned his head towards Byakuya. "Let her go?" he questioned. "What do you mean 'let her
go'? I can't just...let her go off all by herself. I need to talk to her right now!"

Leon then walked up in front of Makoto and blocked his path. "Oh, no you don't!" he said. "You
and Sayaka have spent enough time together. Allow me to comfort her."

Makoto doubted that Sayaka would listen to Leon. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," Leon said, sounding overconfident. "I'm sure I can help Sayaka out! I'll just have to
remind her about all the good times she had as an idol."

Makoto stared at Leon for a few moments. "I'm pretty sure that's not how therapy works," he said.
"Look, if you want to help someone out with their problems, you've got to understand them first. I
understood Sayaka better than anyone else. She told me everything about herself."

"You sure?" Leon asked, sounding doubtful that Makoto would know everything about Sayaka.

Makoto hesitated for a moment. "Look, I can do this, alright?" he said. "Just let me go."

"No, I'm not letting you see Sayaka anytime soon," Leon said. "What even gives you any right to
comfort her? Who you think you are? The Ultimate Therapist? I don't think so. For all I know,
you're just an ordinary lucky bastard. You don't even deserve to hang out with us, let alone a
national celebrity."

That does it. Makoto became fully infuriated with Leon right now. He felt like he became Mondo
for a moment. "You..." he muttered as he curled up his hand into a fist.
Leon saw that Makoto was about to throw a punch at him. "What?" he gasped.

Makoto then lunged forward and tried to punch Leon. Keyword there being tried. As Makoto
charged towards Leon, he ended up tripping over a leg of one of the chairs. He fell flat on his face,
only ending up injuring himself.

"Ow..." Makoto groaned.

"Whoa, what the hell, dude?" Leon gasped. "Did you just tried to punch me? What did you do that
for?"

"Sounds like you said something that he doesn't like to hear," Mondo said as he walked up to Leon,
cracking his knuckles along the way.

Leon gave a confused look to Mondo. "Huh? What did you mean?" he asked. "What did I say?"

"Doesn't matter," Mondo replied. "All I care is that you did something to piss him off. And when
he's pissed...I'm pissed too!"

"Wait, what the hell?!" Leon shouted.

"TAKE THIS!" Mondo roared as he tried to punch Leon. Keyword there being tried, again.

As Mondo lunged towards Leon, he ended up tripping over something and fell flat on his face, just
like Makoto.

"Doh..." Mondo groaned.

Despite having avoided being punched twice in a row, Leon was left shaken after the whole ordeal.
"What the hell...?" he asked. "What just...happened?"

"Did...Makoto tried to punch someone?" Hina asked. "That's strange. For all I know, Makoto is a
kind person. He would never do something like that, right?"

"Plus, he and that foolish Corn Head tripped as they tried to punch Leon," Celeste added. "Could it
be that Leon is lucky like me?"

Mondo grumbled upon hearing that name again.

"What? No!" Leon replied in denial.

Makoto then got up back on his feet. He stared at Leon with a displeased look on his face.

"Ah, he's alright!" Hina said.

"Whoa there!" Leon said, flinching upon seeing Makoto. "Don't give me that look!"

Makoto continued to stare at Leon with his displeased look. "Don't talk to me ever again..." he said.
"I'm going to talk to Sayaka myself. Don't even bother trying to find me." He then walked out of
the A/V Room, shoving Leon away as he left.

"Whoa! Hey!" Leon yelped as he was being shoved. "Gah... What's up with you, Makoto? How did
you get so aggressive?"

"You will be surprised at how much stress can change a person," Celeste said. "I would watch my
back if I were you. I wouldn't want to be ambushed by the last person I would think would attack
me."

"What did you say?" Leon asked as he turned around towards Celeste.

"Nothing," Celeste lied.

There was a heavy air in the A/V Room as everyone began to leave. They began to sense that one
of them will try to kill another soon. The question is, who will be the first to snap? And who will
be the first to get killed? Everyone is on edge around each other as they live about the rest of their
day.

Day 4 - 9:30 AM (47 Hours, 30 Minutes Remain)

Classroom 1-A, First Floor

Makoto searched the entire first floor looking for Sayaka. He knew that she couldn't have gone
very far, so he limited his search to the main hallway and the connected rooms. It didn't take him
long before he found Sayaka. She was in Classroom 1-A, the classroom Makoto first woke up in,
and the classroom where he had his heartfelt talk with Sayaka.

"There you are, Sayaka!" Makoto said.

Makoto found Sayaka standing at one corner of the classroom, up against the wall with the metal
plates. She was hugging herself and shivering nervously. She appears to be muttering to herself,
saying the words, "I wanna get out, I wanna get out, I wanna get out," over and over and over
again. Her expression on her face was completely blank. It really does look like she had been
reduced to an empty shell.

"Sayaka?" Makoto asked. "Could you talk for a moment?"

Sayaka stopped muttering and looked at Makoto for a brief moment. She quickly turned her eyes
away from him. "Go away!" she shouted. "Leave me alone!"

"Sayaka..." Makoto said as he reached out grab Sayaka. As soon as he did that, Sayaka began to
thrash around, trying to free herself from Makoto.

"AH!" Sayaka screamed. "Let me go! I don't wanna be stuck in here any longer! I wanna get out
right now!"

"Sayaka!" Makoto shouted as he tried to maintain his grip on Sayaka. "Calm down!"

Sayaka stopped thrashing around. Her body was completely frozen as she stared at Makoto.

"Sayaka..." Makoto began to say. "I understand how you feel right now. Seeing your loved ones be
in danger...I get that feeling. I had the same thoughts are you...when I saw...whoever that was on
my video."

Even though he felt like getting rid of his motive is the right decision, his other thought kept
begging him to not reveal who he saw in his motive video. It took him a moment to regather his
thoughts.

"Listen to me, Sayaka," Makoto continued. "You must remain calm. You mustn't let Monokuma
win! You can't allow Monokuma to control your actions! What you're doing right now is exactly
what he wants you to do. He wants you to fall into his temptations! Think about it, Sayaka. There
must be no way that these videos are actually real. If they did, there would be an uproar. People
will notice that our loved ones have gone missing. They will try to figure out what happened to
them. And soon, they will figure out what happen to us!"

Sayaka hugged herself even tighter.

"Sayaka..." Makoto continued. "If we lose our calm, then we have lost. Monokuma will manipulate
us into killing each other and all would be lost. We can't allow that to happen. That's why...we must
keep on working together! As long as we can do that, then we can get out of this place alive
without having to kill anyone. And who knows? Maybe help will arrive soon and we'll be out of
here."

Makoto knew that he's trying to convince himself as much as he's trying to convince Sayaka. He
kept thinking to himself to remain calm, to drive away the thought of trying desperately to save his
family. His heart was pounding as he continues on with this.

Sayaka was shivering violently. Her self-hugs were becoming as tight as they could get.
"But...what if there isn't a way out...?" she asked. "What if help never arrives?"

Makoto tightened his grip on Sayaka. "If that ever happens..." he said before raising his voice,
"then I'll get you out of here myself! I'll do anything to get you out, no matter what!"

Sayaka froze in place when Makoto said that. Her breaths became small and shaky.

Makoto grew a concerned look on his face when that happened. "Sayaka...?" he asked.

Sayaka then threw her face into Makoto's chest. She cried and wailed uncontrollably. "Why?!" she
cried. "Why is this happening to me?! To kill or be killed... To be sacrificed for another's desires...
I can't...I just can't... I can't take this anymore!"

Makoto can feel himself losing his balance as Sayaka pushed herself into him. "Whoa!" he yelped.
"Sayaka!"

Makoto ended up falling down into the floor, dragging Sayaka down with him. Makoto landed on
his back, while Sayaka landed with her head on his chest. This seems familiar...

Sayaka then lifted her head off of Makoto's chest. She stared at him with her wet, puffy eyes. "Can
I...believe what you said...?" she asked. "That you'll...do anything to get my out of here...no matter
what?"

"O-Of course I will!" Makoto replied.

Sayaka gripped the sides of Makoto's jacket. "Makoto..." she said. "You're the only one I can
trust...the only one I can rely on. So please...promise to me... No matter what happens..you'll be on
my side... Please promise to me that... I need you..."

Makoto wasn't sure why he's doing that, but he moved his arms and wrapped them around Sayaka
for a hug. "I promise..." he replied. "I will be there for you...always. You are my assistant, after all.
And you'll do the same too, right? You'll be on my side no matter what, right?"

"Right..." Sayaka replied.

"Then that settles it," Makoto said. "We'll be working together to escape this school alive."

"...Thank you..." Sayaka said.

Sayaka then stopped tearing up. Her eyes became full of life again. Makoto couldn't help but stare
into those eyes. It looks like she's begging, no, screaming at him to do...something with her.
Slowly, Sayaka pulled herself up to Makoto's face. Their lips then began to move closer together. It
was an unconscious act. They have no idea what they're doing. Right before their lips could touch,
an interrupt happened at the worst possible time.

"It's growing..." Monokuma said as he appeared.

Hearing Monokuma's voice snapped both Makoto and Sayaka out of their trance. This made them
realize what they're doing. In shock and disgust, Sayaka quickly pulled herself away from Makoto.

"Ah!" Sayaka screamed as she wiped her lips. "W-What was I doing?!"

Makoto covered his mouth, wondering if his lips had been touched. "I...don't know," he replied. "I
hoped our lips didn't touch each other..."

"Aw, what a disappointment," Monokuma said. "I was looking forward to seeing some smacking
action from you two."

This made Makoto and Sayaka realize that Monokuma is in the room. They turned their heads
towards him.

"Gah!" Makoto yelped. "Monokuma?!"

"That's right!" Monokuma said. "It's me! You know, I really thought that my appearance would
make you lips smack, but I guess not! Oh well. We've still got some more hot action going on
down there! Hey, Sayaka! Can you feel that?"

Sayaka was both nervous and confused as Monokuma talked. "F-Feel what?" she asked.

"Makoto's flagpole," Monokuma replied. "Can you feel it growing, stiffing up beneath your you-
know-what?"

Sayaka realized what Monokuma meant by that. She quickly leapt off of Makoto, putting her hands
on her skirt and screaming in the process.

With Sayaka now off him, Makoto lifted himself up to a sitting position. "Monokuma, what the
heck are you saying?" he asked.

"What? You didn't see the situation you've found yourself in?" Monokuma replied. "A girl, an
international superstar, has placed herself on top of you! It is a dream come true for young boys
like you. It's the perfect opportunity to reach into her skirt and play with her-"

"Just stop!" Sayaka screamed. "Please!"

"Monokuma, why are you doing this?" Makoto asked. "There's no way that I would...do that to
Sayaka!"

"Why not?" Monokuma replied. "You had the perfect opportunity to do that to her, and you blew
it! I am so disappointed in boys like you." He then suddenly left.

Makoto and Sayaka got back up to their feet. They were left confused by the end.

"What was...that?" Sayaka asked.

"I think he's just messing with us..." Makoto replied.

"I really hope he doesn't do that again..." Sayaka said. "Ah, sorry about making you worried about
me, by the way. I was just...freaking out there..."

"You should take a rest, Sayaka," Makoto advised. "I think you'll feel much better after a nap.
Well, should we head back to our dorms?"

"Yeah..." Sayaka replied.

Makoto and Sayaka then left the classroom and began to head for their dorm rooms.

Day 4 - 10:30 AM (46 Hours, 30 Minutes Remain)

Hallway, First Floor

Makoto escorted Sayaka to her dorm room, where he bids her goodbye for now. After Sayaka
entered her dorm room, Makoto walked around to try to find someone to talk to in an attempt to
calm them down and get them to cooperate. Unfortunately, most of the students are unwilling to
talk. They're either distrusting Makoto or are holed up in their rooms. Only Kiyotaka is doing
neither, and even then he looks too stressed out to be willing to talk.

The last person Makoto tried to talk to was Yasuke Matsuda. He saw the doctor walking towards
the infirmary for some reason.

"Hey! Dr. Matsuda!" Makoto said as he ran up to Yasuke. "Wait up!"

Yasuke stopped in his tracks and turned towards Makoto. "Shut up!" he shouted. "Get lost!"

Makoto stopped right behind Yasuke. "What?!" he gasped. "But...why?"

"I won't say," Yasuke replied.

"Do you not trust me anymore?" Makoto asked.

"I said I won't say!" Yasuke shouted. "Why are you so nosy? Get lost! I don't want to talk to you
anymore!" He then continued his way to the infirmary.

Makoto persisted on in trying to talk to Yasuke. He followed the doctor for just a little bit longer.
"But...I saw you slap away your girlfriend when she tried to comfort you," he said. "Why won't
you accept Junko's help? She's only trying to help you."

Yasuke stopped right in front of the infirmary. He took in a deep breath as he continued to talk to
Makoto. "Listen, Makoto," he said. "This is a killing game that we're in. We can't trust each other
anymore. Someone's going to be killed soon."

"But your girlfriend-" Makoto tried to say.

"I don't care about Junko anymore!" Yasuke shouted. "Face it, Makoto, It's time to accept the
reality of this situation. We cannot ignore it any longer! We are playing a game where even our
best friends can turn into our worst enemies in a heartbeat. We are playing a game where we have
to fight for our own survival. We are playing a game where we could die at any moment! I cannot
trust you anymore. You can't trust me anymore. You come to the infirmary for a checkup by me,
and I will jab a syringe full of a lethal substance into your body. There is no trust anymore in this
game. It's every man and woman for themselves."

Makoto was intimidated by Yasuke's death threat, but he still clung to the hope that Yasuke will
 cooperate. "Please, doctor," he said. "You must listen to me! You must-"

"No one wants to listen to you anymore!" Yasuke shouted. "Everyone is fearing each other right
now. They might say that they're listening to you, but they're just pretending. They're going to take
advantage of your kindness and use that against you. It's just as Celeste said: no adapting means no
survival. It's time for you to change, Makoto. It's time for you to drop that mask of idealism. It's not
going to work anymore."

Makoto was left heartbroken by Yasuke's rant. He felt like his entire character was broken down in
a single speech. He could feel the life dying inside him with every word. By the end of it all, he
was barely above an empty shell.

"Now, if you would excuse me," Yasuke said in a harsh tone, "I'd better be in the infirmary to do
something. Do not enter the infirmary while I'm there. Now leave me alone." Yasuke then entered
the infirmary, closing the door behind them.

Makoto thought about the series of events that happened that day. In just a single morning,
everyone turned from working together towards a common goal to fearing each other. In a single
morning, everyone learned that their loved ones are in danger and if they don't do anything, then
their loved ones will die...if they already alive, that is. In a single morning, Makoto went from
comforting a friend to having his entire character be wrecked.

Makoto was left with nothing left to do anymore. He decided to leave for his dorm room, leaving
Yasuke alone.

Chapter End Notes

In the original version, I had Makoto and Sayaka's motive video excluded from the
rest of the students to give them a different motive video that has each other as their
loved ones. For this version, Makoto and Sayaka aren't treated differently than anyone
else, so they received their motive videos as usual. Additionally, I had every student
go to the A/V Room as a single group rather than sending Makoto and Sayaka ahead
of them.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Daily Life 6)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 4 - Unknown Time (Unknown Hours Remain)

Unknown Location

"You can't be serious about this, Monokuma," a mysterious figure said. "Threatening both my
family and my boyfriend at the same time, but I can save only one? How is this fair?"

Monokuma laughed at the figure who spoke to him. "Phuhuhu..." he laughed. "Did you like the
motive video I gave you?"

"No, I did not, you bastard!" the figure yelled. "I swear, everyone else only got one option, a single
group of loved ones for them to save. Why do I have to be the only one who has to choose between
two options?"

"Because, you have two groups of loved ones!" Monokuma explained.

"Calling my boyfriend 'a group' is calling it a stretch," the figure said. "He's just a single person..."

"Hey, groups can consist of just a single member, right?" Monokuma replied.

"I don't think so..." the figure replied. "Please, Monokuma. I beg of you. Let me save both my
family and my boyfriend at the same time!"

"Oh, is that what you want?" Monokuma asked. "Do you really want to save both your family and
your boyfriend? Do you want to know the fates of both of them? Well, if you wanna do that, then
all you have to do is cooperate with me! How's that sound?"

"...What are the terms to this agreement?" the figure asked.

"It's simple, really," Monokuma began to explain. "All you have to do is to murder someone.
There's no need to get away with it. Just kill someone and you'll be free, with both your family and
boyfriend having been saved. However...you must only do this on one condition."

"What condition?" the figure asked.

"See that timer I gave everyone?" Monokuma began to reply. "That's the amount of time everyone
has before the fates of all of their loved ones are lost forever. Once that time limit begins to expire,
that's when you come in and kill someone. Don't try to do this too early, though. Otherwise, you'll
be subject to the same conditions as everyone else. Sound good?"

The figure was silent for a moment.

"Oh, and one more thing," Monokuma continued. "Under no condition must your status as my mole
be revealed to the others. Once this happens, you'd better be prepared. You will find yourself as the
target of murder, and the terms of your service to me will be revoked. So? Are you willing to work
with me? Are you ready to throw away your morality for the sake of your loved ones?"

The figure thought about working with Monokuma for a while before making their decision.
Day 4 - 11:00 AM (46 Hours Remain)
Makoto's Room, First Floor

Makoto went back to his room to rest for the day. He was left stressed out over the events that
happened a couple hours ago. He can't shake that image out of his head, the image that featured his
decayed house with his family nowhere to be see. The temptation was there: kill someone to learn
the fate of his family, and hopefully try to save them. Makoto tried his hardest to fight back against
the temptation, but no matter how hard he tries, the temptation always returns.

Makoto collapsed onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. He began to think about what he should
do.

What can I do? Makoto thought to himself. Everyone is distrusting each other now. They're getting
worried that one of them will try to kill each other. I really wanted to talk to them, try to convince
them to calm down and work together to escape this school without anyone dying. But...after
failing to convince Dr. Matsuda...I doubt that anyone else would listen to me. Maybe Taka would,
but I doubt that he has the energy to talk...

Makoto then thought about Sayaka and became incredibly worried about her.

Sayaka... Makoto continue to think. I...I really wanted to get out of this school with her. That's the
promise we made to each other I'm the only one she trusts completely, and she's the only one I
trust. I can't afford to get her into harm's way. I must keep her safe...no matter what.

Makoto then began to doubt that he can protect Sayaka. What is he supposed to use? His own
body? Based on Sakura's analysis of him, he is quite frail and couldn't take a hit. There was no way
he can simply protect Sayaka. And what if he gets targeted instead? Then he has to fend for
himself, and there's little chance that he'll survive a murder attempt made against him. Sure, his
luck can save him, but luck can only protect him for so long...

"That's it..." Makoto said, coming to a decision. "I'm getting a weapon. I can't afford to go around
defenseless any longer. I need something to defend myself with in case of an attack. How could I
protect Sayaka if I couldn't protect myself?"

Makoto decided to go to the Athletics Hallway to retrieve the replica sword that caught his
attention. It might be messy, but it'll work for him. Makoto got off his bed and began to head out of
his room.

But before Makoto could leave, he noticed something on the table. There's a sheet of paper placed
there for some reason.

Huh? What's a paper doing here? Makoto thought. Was it always there this whole time?

Curious about the paper, Makoto walked up to the table to give it a read. It appears to be a letter
made by Monokuma. The contents of the letter were...shocking.

"Hey, Makoto Naegi!" the letter greeted. "So, you wanna escape this school along with your
precious Sayaka Maizono, right? Well then, I've got just the solution for you! All you have to do is
to kill someone and get away with it. Then you can graduate this school along with Sayaka! But do
be warned: you cannot allow anyone else to know about your murder plan, not even Sayaka. If that
happens, then both this additional motive and your current motive will be revoked. Enjoy planning
out your murder!"

...
Makoto tore the letter into shreds and dumped the remains into the trash bin. No, he will not do
that. He will not kill someone so that he can escape along with Sayaka. He would like to do that,
but he felt like he mustn't put Sayaka's safety above everyone else. He wants everyone to get out of
this school alive, no matter what it takes.

...

Now that he thinks about it, Makoto's plan to bring the replica sword to his room might not have
worked. There might be others out there walking around the school. If they caught him
transporting a replica sword to his room, he would become suspected of planning out a murder. He
might try to explain that it's for self-defense, but he doubted that the others will buy it. He decided
instead to wait in his room for an opportunity to bring the replica sword to his room.

Day 4 - 9:00 PM (36 Hours Remain)

Athletics Hallway, First Floor

The rest of the day went by quietly. There was little interactions between the students anymore.
Barely anyone had talked to each other at all throughout the day. The meal times were rather quiet
as well. It was decided that whoever is preparing the food would do so under supervision to make
sure no poison was mixed into the food. Soon, nighttime was approaching, which means that
everyone should be in their rooms at this point.

With the coast now clear, Makoto quickly made his way to the Athletics Hallway to retrieve the
replica sword. Knowing that the sword will make a mess if he touches it, Makoto decided to bring
something along with him: one of his spare green hoodies. He pushed his hands into the sleeves of
the hoodie and grabbed the stand the replica sword is sitting on. Then, he carefully carried it all the
way to his dorm room, making sure that no one is around to see him.

Eventually, Makoto made it to his room without anyone noticing.

Day 4 - 9:45 PM (35 Hours, 15 Minutes Remain)

Makoto's Room, First Floor

Makoto placed the stand with the replica sword on top of his shelf. He wasn't sure if he felt any
better with a weapon available to him. The sight of the replica sword sitting right across from his
bed made him uncomfortable. But at least he'll get a chance to defend himself should the need
arises.

...

Makoto looked up at the clock in his room. It's getting late. Soon, the nighttime announcement will
be playing soon. There wasn't anything left for him to do for the day. Everyone's too paranoid to
want to talk. He was about to head off to his bed to sleep when...

*Ding-dong!*

"Huh?" Makoto said upon hearing his doorbell. "Who's there?"

It's times like this when Makoto wished that peepholes were installed into the doors. That way, he
wouldn't have to answer the door to know who rang his doorbell.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong!*

It sounds like whoever is ringing his doorbell is getting desperate, trying to get him to answer the
door immediately. That's a definite sign that someone's out to murder him. Luckily, Makoto just
got himself a weapon to defend himself with. He walked up to his replica sword and grabbed it by
the handle on top of the sheath. He had cleaned off the handle earlier so that he doesn't get his
hands coated with gold every time he uses it. He went up to the door with the replica sword in his
hand. He answered the door and gets ready to strike.

"Ah!" someone shrieked.

Makoto was about to grab the sword and swing it at whoever is ringing his doorbell. He stopped
himself when he realized who's outside.

"Huh? Sayaka?" Makoto said in confusion.

Sayaka placed one of her hands on her chest, with the other hand being in between her back and her
hair. "Oh...good evening, Makoto..." she greeted with a sigh of relief. "You really scared me there."
She put her hand right back in between her back and her hair. She appears to recognize the sword
Makoto is holding. "Oh...that's the replica sword from the awards display, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Makoto replied. "I got this weapon for use in self-defense. You know, just in case."

"I see..." Sayaka said. "Um...can I...come in for a moment? There's something that I...really wanted
to talk about. Sorry if I came in late..."

Sayaka appears to be trembling for some reason. Makoto wondered why.

"Uh...sure," Makoto replied. "You can come in, I guess..."

Sayaka then entered Makoto's room, with Makoto closing the door behind her. She seems rather
insistent on keeping her back to her wall for some reason. Makoto placed his replica sword back on
the stand as he stared at Sayaka. Looking at her now, Makoto got a concerned look.

"Um...Sayaka?" Makoto began to ask. "Is there something wrong?"

Sayaka looked at Makoto with a nervous look on her face. "Y-Yes..." she said. "Just a while ago, I
was...laying in my room...when all of a sudden, my door started to rattle..."

Sayaka's voice sounded like the air in her lungs had been squeezed out of her. It's almost like she
was ill...

"I-I tried to ignore it, but...it just kept on going..." Sayaka continued. "Then they started to ring my
doorbell like crazy. It was a nightmare to go through. It's...almost like whoever is out there is trying
to force my door open, desperately trying to get into my room. My door was locked, of course, so
they couldn't get in. But still...I can't shake the feeling that whoever is out there is trying to kill me.
I was so scared...my body was frozen..."

"You think someone's trying to kill you?" Makoto asked. "I...get that feeling. All of us are probably
thinking about murdering someone, and we're all worried that we might get targeted for murder.
So...what happened next?"

"After a while, it just stopped," Sayaka continued. "I got up after a while and checked outside, but
there was nobody there. I don't know who's going after me. I'm not suspicious of anyone, but...I'm
so scared. What if something like that happens in the middle of the night? Even if my door is
locked, I'm still going to be scared. I don't think I feel safe in my room anymore..."
"Well, it's nothing to worry about, right?" Makoto said, trying to assure Sayaka. "I mean, we're not
allowed to go out at night."

"But...isn't that a promise we made?" Sayaka asked. "We're not forced to abide by it or anything. If
someone were to break that promise then..."

"Look, if you don't feel safe in your room anymore, then why don't you stay in my room tonight?"
Makoto suggested. "Would that make you feel better?"

Sayaka gave Makoto a confused look. "...What?" she asked. "You mean...that I should
sleep...outside of my room...?"

"The school rules just say that we have to sleep in the dormitory, right?" Makoto asked. "It
shouldn't matter which room we sleep in. As long as we sleep in any dorm room, we should be
fine, right?"

"Y-Yeah...I guess..." Sayaka said. "But wait...two people sharing one room is a little...weird,
right?"

Makoto looked at the bed in his room. It is large enough to comfortably fit a single person. So if
two people were to share a bed of that size...

"Ah, jeez," Makoto said. "Sorry about that. I didn't think about how we could fit each other on the
bed at the same time."

"Yeah, I didn't think about that either..." Sayaka replied.

"How about you sleep on the floor, then?" Makoto suggested. "Or how about you sleep on my bed
while I'll sleep on the floor? Sound good?"

"Um, I don't think this floor is suited for that kind of use," Sayaka pointed out. "And I don't think I
see any sleeping bags anywhere..."

Makoto was left wondering on what to do with Sayaka. "So then...what are we supposed to do?" he
asked.

"Uh...how about we...switch room?" Sayaka suggested. "Just for tonight?"

Makoto gave a puzzled look at Sayaka. "Switch rooms?" he asked. "But, didn't you say that
someone tried to break into your room? Isn't your room unsafe for anyone now?"

"I guess..." Sayaka replied. "But...I can't imagine a way for us to share the same bed. We have to
swap rooms. It's our only good option."

"Well, if it works, then I'll go for it," Makoto said.

Sayaka smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you, Makoto," she said.

After making that agreement to switch rooms for the night, the nighttime announcement began to
play.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Ahem, attention all students," Monokuma began to announce. "This is a school announcement.
The time is now 10:00 PM, which means that nighttime has officially begun! The doors to the
dining hall will be closed at this time, so accessing it is strictly prohibited. Sweet dreams,
everyone! And don't let the bed bugs bite."

...

"That's the nighttime announcement..." Sayaka said.

"Okay, it's settled, then," Makoto said. "I'll head to your room right now."

Makoto was about to say something, only for him to remember a rule regarding personal
belongings.

Ah, that's right, Makoto thought. There's a rule against exchanging personal belongs with each
other. I'm guessing that means we can't exchange our room keys and E-Handbooks. How am I
supposed to access Sayaka's room if I can't have her keys?

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that," Sayaka said. "I've left the door unlocked for you,
Makoto, so you an access it. Just remember to lock the door after you enter it."

"Ah, thanks," Makoto said. He stopped himself he realized something. "Hey, wait a minute. How
did you-?"

"I'm psychic," Sayaka explained.

Okay, here goes that joke again, Makoto thought.

"I'm kidding, of course," Sayaka said, cracking a small smile. "Anyways, just remember to not
answer the door if anyone knocks or rings the doorbell."

"I promise," Makoto replied. "And the same goes to you, right?"

"Right," Sayaka replied.

"Okay," Makoto said. "I'll be going, for now. See you tomorrow, Sayaka."

Makoto was about to leave his room when Sayaka stopped him.

"Oh, and Makoto?" Sayaka said.

Makoto stopped and turned around. "What is it?" he asked.

"You almost forgot your replica sword," Sayaka reminded.

Makoto looked at the replica sword on the shelf. "Ah, thanks," he said as he walked up to the
replica sword and grabbed it. "It'll be a terrible thing if someone were to attack me and I have
nothing to defend myself with. I hope this doesn't make too much of a mess..."

"Oh, and one more thing," Sayaka continued. "Remember all those times when I joked about being
a psychic?"

"Huh?" Makoto said in reaction. "Now what?"

"It's just..." Sayaka said as she glanced off to the side for a moment. "I'm very perceptive, honestly.
I can tell exactly what people are thinking."

"Ah, I see..." Makoto replied.

Sayaka's smile grew a little larger. "Good night, Makoto," she said. "See you tomorrow."

Makoto smiled in return. "Good night to you too, Sayaka," he replied.

Makoto then walked towards the door and exited his room. With Makoto now gone, Sayaka began
to make her way to the desk to do something. She was in the middle of the room when suddenly...

"Wah!"

"Huh?" Sayaka said as she turned around towards the door.

Makoto walked backwards into his room, chased by both Hina and Sakura. Sakura closed the door
behind her, trapping everyone inside.

"Makoto, what are you doing walking around with a weapon?!" Hina asked, sounding furious.

Sayaka became confused by what's going. "Huh?!" she said. "Hina? Sakura? What are you two
doing here?"

Hina turned her gaze over to Sayaka. Looking at the way Sayaka is holding her hands, Hina had a
feeling that the idol is hiding something. "I knew it," she said. "It was you who did that!"

"Huh? Me?" Sayaka asked.

"Hold on a second!" Makoto begged. "What's going on? I don't understand!"

Hina shifted her gaze over to Sakura. "Sakura, take care of Sayaka," she ordered.

"As you wish, Hina," Sakura said with a nod. She then walked up to Sayaka.

Sayaka looked up at Sakura, feeling incredibly intimidated. "Uh..." she said. "Can I help you?"

Sakura doesn't give a response. She curled up her hand into a fist and punched Sayaka in the
abdomen.

"Sayaka!" Makoto cried.

Sayaka could feel immense pain coming from her abdomen. Her hands loosen up from the pain,
dropping something behind her. It's a kitchen knife. Sayaka clutched her stomach as she collapsed
onto the floor.

Makoto became baffled upon seeing the kitchen knife. "What the-?!" he gasped.

"Aha!" Hina said as she walked up to the dropped kitchen knife. She then picked it up off the floor.
"I knew that you stole that, Sayaka! You must be planning to murder someone, weren't you?"

Sayaka could only groan in pain.

"W-Wait a second!" Makoto begged. "Let's not jump to conclusions, Hina. Uh...what's going on?
Why are you in my room?!"

"I'll explain later," Hina replied as she turned around to face Makoto. She then spotted the replica
sword Makoto is holding. "Oh, and don't think you're off the hook just yet, Makoto. You have
something suspicious that must be taken away." She made a signaling gesture at Sakura.

"What?" Makoto gasped.

Makoto only had enough time to glance over at Sakura before she punched him in the face. The
blow made him fell to the floor, dropping his replica sword along the way.

"Ma...koto..." Sayaka cried in pain.

Sakura picked up the replica sword that Makoto had dropped. Hina then walked up to her and hand
over the kitchen knife.

"That's both weapons confiscated," Sakura said.

"Good," Hina said with a nod. "Now, put these weapons somewhere safe, where neither of them
can have access to them."

"Of course," Sakura replied with a nod. "Good night, Hina."

"Good night to you too, Sakura," Hina replied as Sakura exited the room. "Now, as for you two,
I'm going to stick around to make sure neither of you two leave."

Makoto lifted himself back up on his feet. "Hina, I still don't understand..." he said. "Why did you
and Sakura decided to barge into my room? Why did you take my replica sword away?"

"I'll tell you right now!" Hina began to explain. "Sakura and I were in the dining hall having a late
snack. She's the only one I trust, by the way. We saw Sayaka enter the dining hall and into the
kitchen, and then shortly after that, she left the kitchen and the dining hall. When we went into the
kitchen to clean off our dishes, we saw that one of the kitchen knives had gone missing! I figured
out that it was Sayaka who stole them, so I decided to put a stop to whatever murder plans she
might have."

"H-Hold on, Hina!" Makoto shouted. "You can't just accuse someone for planning a murder over
one piece of evidence. You can't just jump to conclusions!"

"Listen, Makoto!" Hina replied. "Our lives are at stake right now. We have to take anyone carrying
a weapon at face value and assume that they're planning to murder someone."

"But what if they're planning to defend themselves in case of an attack?" Makoto asked.

"Don't ask me with those 'what if' questions," Hina replied angrily. "Anyone carrying around a
weapon is an immediate sign that someone's about to commit a murder. If we want to prevent any
deaths, we must prevent anyone from carrying around anything dangerous, no matter what! Oh,
and by the way, Makoto? Sneaking around when no one's watching just to bring that replica sword
to your room? Yeah, that's a definite sign that you're planning to murder someone."

"But-" Makoto tried to explain himself.

"No more excuses!" Hina said. "Don't try to hide your intents anymore. You and Sayaka are just
the same: you're so scared about the fate of your loved ones that you've resorted to murder. And
because of that, I'm not letting you two leave this room!" She then leaned against the door and
stared at both Makoto and Sayaka.

Makoto was left shocked. He can't believe that he's being accused of planing a murder along with
Sayaka. He then felt a rumble in his pocket. He took out his E-Handbook to see the most recent
notification. His screen reads, "Someone has discovered your murder plan! Your motives have
been revoked. Too bad! Better luck next time!"

"Dammit..." Makoto grumbled.

Well, there goes Makoto's chances of ever seeing his family again. That Monokuma is a really
cruel headmaster. He counts him stealing a replica sword as a planning out a murder? Figures.
Makoto should've known that sooner. He put his E-Handbook back into his pocket. He turned
around towards Sayaka and saw her staring at her E-Handbook and crying. It looks like she's
planning out a murder as well, and Hina had foiled her plans.

...

Still, Makoto felt like he needs to confirm that Sayaka really was planing a murder. He walked up
to Sayaka to check on her.

"Hey, Sayaka?" Makoto began.

Sayaka cried and sniffled as she stared at the message on her E-Handbook.

Makoto offered his hand out to Sayaka. "Here, take my hand," he said.

Sayaka looked up at Makoto and grabbed his hand. He pulled her up back to her feet..

"Makoto..." Sayaka began, struggling to say anything. "I'm...I'm so sorry..."

Makoto was silent for a moment. "Sayaka...please tell me..." he said. "Is it true? Are you really
planning to murder someone?"

"Y-Yes..." Sayaka replied through her tears. "I...I...really do..."

"...Who are you planning to murder?" Makoto asked.

"I...I can't tell...right now..." Sayaka replied.

Makoto understood that feeling. It looks like Sayaka isn't comfortable enough to reveal the details
of her murder plan. Still, now that her motives have been revoked, Makoto felt like it's time for
Sayaka to reveal who she saw in her motive video.

"So...who was on your motive video?" Makoto asked. "Who are your loved ones?"

Sayaka tried her hardest to tell who was on her video. "My..." she began. She paused for a moment
to sniffle up. "My... my..." But she couldn't say anything. She was too devastated to say anything.
She ended up throwing her head into Makoto's chest once again, crying into it uncontrollably and
wailing all the way.

"So you can't say it right now, can you?" Makoto asked. "That's...fine. I'm...sure you'll feel better
after a good night's rest..." He then turned his head towards his bed. "Although...we might have to
figure out how to fit both of us into the same bed..."

"Well, figure it out, then!" Hina said from across the room. "If Sakura and I can sleep on the same
bed together, so can you! Sakura is much larger than me, remember?"

Makoto turned his eyes towards Hina upon realizing the implications. "Wait, you and Sakura did
what?" he asked.

"Forget about it," Hina said in dismissal. "I'll sleep in front of the door, by the way. Don't worry
about me or anyone breaking into this room. I already locked the door."

Well, that's assuring... Makoto thought.

Makoto turned his eyes back on Sayaka. "Hey, Sayaka?" he began to ask. "Are you fine with
sharing a bed with me?"

Sayaka just groaned.

Soon, Makoto and Sayaka are sleeping on the same bed. Their bodies are near the edges of the bed
and they're facing each other. Makoto could feel Sayaka's desperate breaths from this distance. She
looks so scared now, scared of being alone. Her body is shivering as if it is cold. The thin blanket
probably doesn't help.

...

Makoto found it hard to believe, but he's sleeping with Sayaka right now. It's not quite a dream
come true, however. They didn't do it because they have deep feelings for each other. They did it
out of necessity, as they're now unable to leave this room. This isn't the ideal situation for them to
be sleeping with each other.

If Taka ever hears about this, we will never hear the end of his rants, Makoto thought.

Makoto can't see Hina from the bed. He's pretty sure she's standing right up against the door, not
allowing either him or Sayaka to leave. She'll probably made sure that he and Sayaka are both
asleep before returning to her room, or just spend the night in his room and sleep in front of the
door. Who knows what she'll do.

...

Makoto is getting really tired. It had been a long, exhausting day for him. The tension in the air had
left him drained. His eyes quickly switched between open and closed for a few moments before
they closed for the night. The last thing Makoto saw before falling asleep was the sight of Sayaka's
depressed face.

Day 5 - 6:57 AM (26 Hours, 3 Minutes Remain)

"Makoto..."

...

Makoto could feel something jumping on his body. It felt so...fluffy, like a stuffed animal...

"Wake upppp..."

And the stuffed animal's voice... It sounded so shrill...

...

Wait a second...

Makoto opened his eyes to see...Sayaka's exhausted face. Her hair was all messed up. It's like she
didn't get any sleep at all. That's a concerning look if he's ever seen one.

But more importantly, who's bouncing on his body?

"Look at me... I'm here..."

Makoto and Sayaka stared at each other for a moment. They looked confused at who's speaking to
them right now. Then they turn their eyes towards the other end of the bed and found...Monokuma.
"Rise and shine, ursine!" Monokuma announced. "Man, I always wanted to say that."

"GAAAHHHHH!" Makoto and Sayaka screamed in horror at the same time. Sayaka instinctively
latched onto Makoto in fear.

"Huh?! What?!" Hina shouted from beyond the corner. She ran up to the bed to find Monokuma on
it. "What the-?! Monokuma? What are you doing here?!"

"T-That's what I was about to ask," Makoto said.

Monokuma observed Makoto and Sayaka for a moment. "Wow, Makoto," he remarked. "You're
being bold, aren't you? First you let Sayaka be on top of you, and then you decided to bed her!
How sweet."

Sayaka tightened her grip on Makoto as she became more frightened.

"S-Shut up!" Makoto shouted. "It's not what it looks like!"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, Monokuma?" Hina asked. "This isn't funny!"

Monokuma turned around and saw Hina as well. "Oh, and what's this?" he asked. "You've got two
girls sleeping in your room? How bold of you to do that!"

Hina was left flustered. "W-What?!" she gasped. "Hey, this isn't what it looks like! I'm not
spending the night with Makoto! I'm just...uh...making sure that he and Sayaka doesn't leave!"

"That still counts as spending a night with Makoto, doesn't it?" Monokuma asked.

Hina felt even more embarrassed. She felt like she's digging herself a deeper hole as she tried to
explain the situation.

"Look, Monokuma..." Makoto said as he covered his head. "Enough of this. Just get out of my
room right now."

This reminded Monokuma of something that he has schedules. "Oh yeah, I remember now," he
said. "It's almost 7:00 AM, right? That means that I should do the morning announcement. Hold
on. Give me a second." He then disappeared.

Shortly after Monokuma left, the morning announcement began to play.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Good morning, everyone!" Monokuma began to announce. "It's 7:00 AM right now, which means
that nighttime is officially over! Rise and shine, everyone! Get ready for a beautiful day!"

...

"What a strange wake-up alarm clock..." Hina said. "I can't believe we were woken up by that.
Well, at least nobody died thanks to me. I'd better start eating breakfast right now. See you two at
the dining hall!" With a smile on her face, Hina left Makoto's room for the dining hall.

Makoto and Sayaka figured that they should be heading to the dining hall as well. Before they
could leave, Makoto decided to ask Sayaka something.

"Hey, Sayaka?" Makoto began to ask. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"
Sayaka made a soft grunting sound in response.

"Can you speak?" Makoto asked. "I could've sworn that I heard your voice just a moment ago."

Sayaka hung her head down as she spoke. "I didn't sleep..." she admitted.

"You didn't sleep?" Makoto said in surprise. "How come?"

"...I just couldn't..." Sayaka replied.

Makoto brushed his hand against Sayaka's hair. It felt unkempt. "Your hair is messy," he said.
"Looks like you could use a brush. How about you brush your hair before we head off for
breakfast? Sound good?"

Sayaka said nothing. She made another soft grunt.

"...You're not in the mood to do that, are you?" Makoto said. "Tell you what, how about you get
some rest right after breakfast. I'm sure you'll feel better after a nap. Does that sound good?"

Sayaka said nothing again.

Makoto sighed as he slid off the bed. "Well, I'm not willing to waste any more time doing this," he
said. "Come on, Sayaka. Let's go to the dining hall. Follow me."

Makoto walked around to the other side of his bed and pulled Sayaka off of it. They then left the
room to join the others for breakfast.

Day 5 - 7:15 AM (25 Hours, 45 Minutes Remain)

Dining Hall, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka entered the dining hall for breakfast once again. As expected, Hina was there
along with Sakura. They are having breakfast at a table together, as usual. Kiyotaka was there as
well, greeting everyone that enters the dining hall.

"Ah, hello you two," Kiyotaka greeted. "And good morning!" He then noticed that Sayaka's hair is
messy. "Whoa, what happened to you Sayaka? Why is your hair so...messy?"

Sayaka felt too miserable to say anything, so it's up to Makoto to explain what happened.

"Sayaka...had a rough night," Makoto explained. "She spent the entire night awake, unable to
sleep."

"So you're saying that Sayaka didn't get any sleep?" Kiyotaka asked. "I understand that. After all,
it's hard to shake off what we saw yesterday. Even now, I can't shake that image of my loved one
out of my head. Well, no matter. I'm sure you'll feel better soon, Sayaka!"

Sayaka let out a soft grunt once again.

Kiyotaka stepped off to the side and guided Makoto and Sayaka to one of the tables. "Here, have a
seat, you two," he said. "I will be bringing breakfast to you two soon. And don't worry! The food
isn't poisoned at all!"

"...Not that we have access to any poisons..." Makoto added.

Makoto and Sayaka soon took a seat at one of the tables. Kiyotaka soon served them some
breakfast. As they ate their breakfast and waited for everyone else to arrive, Makoto began to make
observations about when everyone arrives. Looking at the first five students in the dining hall,
including himself, Makoto concluded that they are model students. They are usually the best
behaved of all the students and are rarely late to anything.

Now that I think about it, maybe I'm not so average after all, Makoto thought for a moment. He
then shook that thought out of his head. No...that can't be right...

Soon, a few more students entered the dining hall, those being Mondo, Junko, Celeste, Hifumi, and
Natsumi.

"'Sup?" Mondo greeted as he entered the dining hall.

"Ah, good morning, Mondo!" Kiyotaka greeted in return. "How was your night's sleep?"

Mondo just let out a groan in response.

"Sorry if I'm late," Junko apologized as she entered the dining hall. She sounded dejected. "My
make-up game is not on point today..."

"Maybe you should wake up early next time," Celeste suggested as she entered the dining hall.
"Putting up make-up takes quite a while. You shouldn't rush it."

"I'm here!" Hifumi announced as he entered the dining hall. "My sincerest apologies, everyone. I
was a little late because my...uh...morning duties took a little longer than usual..."

"What morning duties?" Natsumi asked. "Don't tell me that you had a potty failure right when you
woke up."

"I did not!" Hifumi shouted.

Makoto considers these students to have a more relaxed sense of time. They typically don't like to
rush things and like to come to class right on time. At least, that description probably applies to
Junko, Celeste, and Hifumi. As for Mondo and Natsumi...Makoto wasn't sure if the same can be
said about them.

Lastly, there's the group that kept everyone waiting practically forever for them to arrive. Those
students are Kyoko, Leon, Toko, and Yasuhiro.

"Am I late?" Kyoko asked as she entered the dining hall. She looked around the room to count the
number of students. "I suppose I am, considering that most of you are here..."

"No, no, no, you're not late," Kiyotaka assured. "I can assure you that it's still breakfast time."

Kyoko rolled her eyes as she walked to a table. "Whatever..." she said.

"Yo, what's up?" Leon greeted as he entered the dining hall. "Sorry if I'm late! It's totally my bad! I
had completely forgotten about the morning announcement."

"H-How could you forget?" Toko asked as she entered the dining hall following Leon. "That
announcement plays every morning!"

"Hey, at least you weren't like me," Yasuhiro said as he entered the dining hall. "I just got lost on
the way here, so that's why I'm late. Nope, I didn't overslept. That totally didn't happen."

"H-How could you get lost?!" Toko questioned. "It's not that hard to navigate around the school, y-
you know."

"I'm blaming my sense of direction," Yasuhiro said. "It's getting all messed up!"

"Y-You're messed up!" Toko said accusingly. "You and your stupid predictions...t-they're all
messed up!"

"Hey, who do you think you are?!" Yasuhiro shouted. "The doctor?!"

"Would you two just shut up and get to a table?!" Kiyotaka shouted at Toko and Yasuhiro, getting
annoyed at their argument.

Looking at the five students who came in a lot later, Makoto concluded that these students don't
care about time or other people in general. They like to take their time and move at their own pace.
They don't care if they're late to anything.

With the arrival of the latecomers, 14 students are currently in the dining hall right now. That
leaves Byakuya and Yasuke as the only ones remaining. Everyone in the dining hall waited even
longer for these two to arrive, but so far, neither of them have come yet.

"Okay, where is Byakuya and Dr. Yasuke?" Kiyotaka asked. "Has anyone seen them yet?" He first
set his eyes on Junko. "Junko! Have you seen Yasuke? I could've sworn that you two always have
meals together."

Junko shrugged and shook her head. "Sorry, Taka," she replied. "I just don't feel like having meals
with Yasuke today...or at all..."

"Why not?" Kiyotaka asked.

"He straight up slapped me away when I tried to comfort him," Junko replied. "And when I tried to
talk to him, he said harsh things to me and refused to hang out with me. I thought of him as my
boyfriend, but now...we've broken up..."

Kiyotaka nodded his head as he understood what Junko is saying. "I see..." he said. "That sounds
reasonable. So then...we're Byakuya? Has anyone seem him yet?"

Just as when Kiyotaka asked about Byakuya...

"Someone called my name?" Byakuya asked as he arrived at the dining hall.

"Ah, there you are!" Kiyotaka said. "Now, that still leaves us with one more student missing..."

Mondo jumped up from his seat and walked up to Byakuya. "Hey man!" he said. "Have you seen
that doctor anywhere?"

Byakuya gave Mondo a disdainful look. "Out of my way, plankton," he ordered.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Mondo growled. "I'm asking ya a question! Have you seen that
doctor yet?"

Byakuya continued to glare at Mondo for a moment. "Why would I?" he asked. "I just simply came
straight from my room to here. I didn't do anything else. Besides, the doctor's room was not on my
path to here, I had no chance of encountering him."

"So you haven't seen him..." Mondo concluded. "Dammit. What are we supposed to do?"
"We should just wait!" Junko suggested. "I'm sure Yasuke will arrive soon. He just...likes to take
his time." She then made a nervous laugh.

And so, the students waiting in the dining hall for Yasuke to come. And waited. And waited. And
waited. Soon, everyone has finished their breakfast, and Yasuke is still nowhere to be found. At
this point, Kiyotaka was getting frustrated.

"What is going on here?!" Kiyotaka said. "Yasuke is taking way longer than anyone to arrive!
There's taking your time, and then there's not showing up at all! Ugh, I'm getting so tired of
waiting."

"What should we do now?" Kyoko asked.

"That's it!" Kiyotaka shouted in frustration. "I'm done with waiting for Yasuke to arrive! It's been
nearly an hour since breakfast started and he's still not showing up! We're already done with out
meals at this point! We have to find him as soon as possible! Everyone! Split up and search the
entire school! If you find any signs of Yasuke be sure to report them to me!"

Everyone then began their frantic search for the doctor.

Day 5 - 8:00 AM (25 Hours Remain)

Dormitory, First Floor

The students searched all over the school looking for Yasuke. They were split into two groups.
One group checks every accessible room in the main school area, while the other group checks the
dormitory. Makoto and Sayaka were part of the dormitory group, along with Kiyotaka, Kyoko,
Leon, Hina, and Sakura. Their first instinct is to check Yasuke's room first, as they believe that he
might still be there, sleeping through the morning announcement.

Yasuke's room is located right next to the trash room, which is on the "northern" part of the
dormitory hallway. Not exactly a pleasant place for a doctor, but where else would this room be
located in?

Kiyotaka rapidly pressed the doorbell over and over again, hoping that Yasuke would answer the
door. But no matter how many times he tried, Yasuke just wouldn't respond.

"Hey! Doctor!" Kiyotaka shouted as he moved on to pounding the door. "Wake up! Open the door!
We're getting worried about you!"

Still no response...

"Damn, that doctor is a really heavy sleeper, isn't he?" Leon asked. "He just heard the doorbell
many times and just slept right through it."

"I find that hard to believe..." Hina said.

Kyoko is getting really annoyed at Kiyotaka's fruitless attempts at getting Yasuke to answer the
door. "That's enough, Taka," she said. "It's not going to work. No matter how many times you try,
the results will be the same."

Kiyotaka stopped pounding on the door and turned around to face Kyoko. "Don't say that to me,
Kyoko," he said. "I will assure you. He will answer this door. Eventually. We've just got to wait it
out. I'm sure he'll come."
The group waited for a moment for Yasuke to answer the door. Once again, nothing happened.

"Gah, this is getting so annoying..." Kiyotaka said. "What's taking that doctor so long?"

"Maybe we should just open the door," Sakura suggested.

"Open the door?" Leon asked with a puzzled look. "How's that gonna work? Is it really as simple
as that? Don't tell me that the doctor forgot to lock his door. I mean, who the hell would do
something as stupid as that?"

Sakura walked up to the door and grabbed the handle. She then pulled it down. To no one's
surprise, the handle didn't move.

"Well, what did ya know?" Leon remarked. "The door's locked."

"Of course the door is locked," Kyoko replied. "Dr. Matsuda isn't stupid enough to leave his door
unlocked."

"Okay, so the door to Yasuke's room is locked," Kiyotaka said, recaping everything the group
knows so far. "And so far, he has not respond to me ringing the doorbell. Which means that he
must be out of his room."

"So then...where could he be?" Hina asked.

"We should check in on the other group," Kyoko suggested. "Perhaps they have found a clue to his
whereabouts."

Then, Sayaka remembered something, a detail that made her horrified upon remembering it. "Oh
no..." she said.

Makoto turned his head towards Sayaka. "Huh?" he said. "What's wrong?"

Sayaka shivered in horror as she revealed the answer. "My room..." she said. "I...left it unlocked..."

This caused everyone in the group to turn their heads towards Sayaka in shock.

"You did what?!" Kiyotaka exclaimed.

Sayaka had a very bad feeling about this. It made her shiver even more. "I...I have to go now!" she
shouted as she began to run away.

"Hey! Sayaka!" Leon shouted. "Wait up!" He then began to run after Sayaka, followed by the rest
of the group.

Sayaka really regretted leaving the her dorm room unlocked last night. She just wanted Makoto to
swap rooms with her for...reasons. And thanks to Hina, she was unable to lock her door. There
were many thoughts going through her head as she ran towards her room. If Yasuke isn't in his
room, then he must be somewhere else within the school. So far, the other group hasn't reported
their findings to her group, which means that they haven't found him yet. This leaves the dormitory
as the only area remaining where he could possibly be. And since her room has been left unlocked
the entire night...

"He must be right there!" Sayaka shouted as she burst open the door to her room.

As soon as Sayaka got a look inside of her room, she was left in complete shock. Her room was left
in a complete mess. There were cuts made all over the walls, and some of the furniture was
 damaged. It's as if a fight had broken out in her room while she was gone. That alone would've
made her shocked. But what shocked Sayaka was something she didn't think would happen. Laying
there in the middle of the room...was the lifeless body of Dr. Yasuke Matsuda.

Sayaka was left out of breath upon seeing Yasuke's lifeless body. She became more terrified the
longer she spends staring at the body.

Soon, the rest of the group arrives at Sayaka's location. They soon saw what Sayaka saw, and they
too were left shocked.

"W-What?" Makoto gasped.

"H-How?!" Hina cried.

"Oh no..." Kiyotaka whispered

"Seriously, Sayaka?" Leon said as he caught up with the rest of the group. "Do you really have to
run off like that? Why don't you-?" He stopped himself upon looking into Sayaka's room, and the
lifeless body that lies inside it. "...What the hell?"

Sayaka couldn't take it anymore. Her horror levels were just too much for her to handle. She let out
an piercing scream that echoed throughout the entire school.

From that moment onward, nothing about their school life would ever be the same. There's no
turning back after this. They had crossed the point of no return.

Chapter 1: To Life, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die

Deadly Life

Chapter End Notes

Yes, I do really mean it when I say that the death order will be changed from the
original. This time, it's Yasuke who bites the dust first instead of Yasuhiro.

Why did I kill off Yasuke first? Well, I feel like us killing game writers kill off
Yasuhiro in the first chapter a little too often. Maybe I'm just cherry-picking, but the
most popular killing game stories that feature canon characters tend to do just that,
assuming Yasuhiro is a participant. Now, I know that he doesn't exactly have the best
reputation, but that doesn't mean that we can just kill him off early on. Plus, I have
some plans for Yasuhiro for later on. You'll find out in the next chapter.

(Also, I really wanted to make the first case in this version different from the original
version, just to keep the readers on their toes.)

Unfortunately, as with all killing game stories, someone has to be killed off first, and I
had to chose Yasuke. Some things just never change for you, doctor. The mastermind
must really not want you to survive.

As for who killed Yasuke, you'll have to wait until the Class Trial begins. Or you can
just pay attention to the character's behaviors. I'm sure I had sprinkled in a few clues to
the blackened here and there.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Deadly Life 1)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Day 5 - Unknown Time

Unknown Location

"...Dr...Yasuke?"

...

"N-No...it can't be..."

...

"I've worked with him for so long on that project. He may not be the nicest person, but he's still
willing to work with me. I remembered all those times when we worked together on that project
while we're stuck in this school. Dr. Yasuke Matsuda was a man dedicated to exploring the limits
of medical treatments. He had poured years of his life into this project."

...

"And now...he's dead. Someone...has murdered him..."

...

"I don't know what to do now. Someone...please. Free me..."

Day 5 - 8:10 AM
Sayaka's Room, First Floor

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"A body has been discovered!" Monokuma announced over the intercoms. "Everyone, please
gather at the dormitory as soon as possible!"

...

Everyone was absolutely baffled upon seeing Yasuke's body. They couldn't believe what they were
seeing at first. They don't want to believe what they saw. They wished that they were in a
nightmare, that none of what they're experiencing is real. But no amount of denial will ever change
the fact that Yasuke is dead. His body laid motionless in Sayaka's room. He responded to no
stimuli. There's no doubt about it: Yasuke is dead and he's the victim of a murder.

"H-How?!" Hina asked. "How is this possible? I thought that I had done everything I could to
prevent a murder from happening!"

"Apparently not..." Kyoko said. "I shouldn't be surprised. There are 15 of us and only one of you.
There's no way you can possibly monitor everyone to make sure a murder doesn't happen."

Hina began to tear up as she realized that her efforts to prevent a murder has been fruitless. "N-
No..." she said through her tears.
Kyoko looked off towards the corridor that leads to the main part of the school. She can sense the
others approaching due to the announcement. "The others are coming soon," she said. "We should
take a look at the body while we still can."

Following Kyoko's suggestions, the group entered Sayaka room to take a closer look at Yasuke's
dead body. Makoto and Sayaka didn't join them. Sayaka suddenly felt nauseous upon seeing
Yasuke's dead body, and Makoto had to stay behind to comfort her.

"You're feeling alright?" Makoto asked as he patted on Sayaka's back.

Sayaka covered her mouth with her hand. "N-No..." she replied, trying her best to not throw up.
"I'm not..."

"Just hang in there," Makoto said. "Just...try to not look at Yasuke's...corpse too much. If it bothers
you, then look away."

Sayaka whimpered as she struggled to recover from the nauseous feeling.

Meanwhile, the others were taking a look at Yasuke's dead body to see what they can find.
Yasuke's limbs were stiff and straight. His feet were pointing towards the door. His eyes were wide
open and stared at the ceiling. His mouth was gaping open as well. There were bruises spotted all
over Yasuke's dead body, along with some yellow dust surrounding the bruises. Most strikingly of
all, there was a knife stabbed into his stomach. Blood was pouring out of the stab wound, forming
a circular shape.

Leon look around the room, seeing the slice marks all over the walls and the damaged furniture.
"What the hell happened here?" he asked. "Did a fight broke out in your room, Sayaka?" He heard
no response from Sayaka. He turned around towards the door, thinking that Sayaka is outside.
"Sayaka? Answer me!"

Leon heard Sayaka whimpered from outside.

Hina's eyes widened upon seeing the knife. That alone was concerning enough. But then she saw
something else near Yasuke's body: a long, thin, golden sword. Almost immediately, she knew
what the sword and the knife are.

"Hey, wait a minute..." Hina said in realization.

Everyone in the room turned their eyes towards Hina, with the exception of Kyoko who was still
checking Yasuke's corpse.

"What is it, Hina?" Kiyotaka asked.

"That's the sword and knife I took from Makoto and Sayaka!" Hina shouted.

Everyone in the room, with the exception of Kyoko, gasped in shocked.

"They had what now?!" Kiyotaka shouted.

"What the hell?!" Leon gasped. "Are you saying that Makoto and Sayaka were planning a murder?!
I knew it! I should've known that Makoto would be planning something like that when he tried to
punch me! And Sayaka?! Dammit, now I don't find her cute anymore!"

Sayaka whimpered once again. It broke her heart to hear details of her murder plan to be revealed
to the others.
Hina then remembered the person who she handed these weapons to last night. She turned to
Sakura to look for answers. "You took these weapons to a safe place like I asked, didn't you?!" she
asked.

Sakura stared at Hina for a moment. It took her a few moments to respond. "I did," she replied. "I
just didn't think that the killer would be able get them..."

Leon the got confused. "Wait, what the hell is going on?" he asked. "I'm so confused. Can
someone explain this to me?"

No one gave an answer. It's not like they had time to explain, though, as the rest of the students
arrived at the crime scene.

"What the shit?" Mondo said as he barged into Sayaka's room. "Is this...where you found the
body?!"

"Who died?" Natsumi asked. "Don't tell me it's that doctor you found dead..."

"Wait, did Yasuke just...?" Junko asked. Then she began to tear up upon realizing what happened to
him. "Oh no...Yasuke! Nooooo!" She then charged into Sayaka's room to see Yasuke's body. She
ended up pushing against the crowd in the room.

"Hey! What the hell?!" Leon yelled as he was being shoved.

"Outta my way!" Junko cried. "I need to see Yasuke!"

Kiyotaka then began to feel like the room is getting a bit crowded. "Everyone, get out of this
room," he ordered. "This room is getting crowded with the 15 of us in here. Let the others see the
body."

Everyone who has already seen Yasuke's dead body began to leave Sayaka's room, with the
exception of Kyoko. The rest of the students then entered the room so that they can see Yasuke's
body.

"Wait, so the doctor is dead?" Yasuhiro asked. "I knew it! I tried to hard to warn him about his
fate, but he just refused to listen! If only he would listen to me. Then he could've avoided the fate
that I predicted! Or maybe not, since his fate is sealed anyways. Hey, at least I didn't die first, that's
for sure!"

"Oh shut up..." Natsumi groaned, feeling tried of Yasuhiro talk about fate and fortune telling.

Junko stood over Yasuke's dead body. She cried as she looked into Yasuke's lifeless face.
"Yasuke..." she muttered in tears. She tried to reach down to touch Yasuke's body, but then Kyoko
slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch the body!" Kyoko ordered.

"Ow!" Junko yelped. "Ah...why not?"

"This is a crime scene now," Kyoko replied. "We shouldn't disturb it." After inspecting the body,
Kyoko stood up and tries to figure out what could've happened here. Before she could make any
conclusions, though, Monokuma made another announcement.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*
"Ahem, attention everyone!" Monokuma began to announce. "I'm sure you're all wondering what
happens next now that a body has been discovered. Well, I've got the answer to you! Please report
to the gym as soon as possible. I'll be waiting for you there!"

...

"...The hell?" Mondo said after the announcement ended. "What now?"

"We just got to see a dead body," Natsumi said. "And now we're expected to go back to the gym?
Why?"

"I believe that Monokuma has something to tell us now that the first murder has happened," Kyoko
said. "I don't want to say this, but we can't continue without knowing what to do next. We must do
what he told us to do. Everyone, to the gym."

Kyoko then left Sayaka's room and headed to the gym. Everyone else doesn't want to believe
Kyoko at first, but she's right. What will happen next now that a murder has happened? Would the
blackened get to graduate from this school? Or will something else happen? An air of nervousness
surrounded everyone as they followed Kyoko to the gym.

Day 5 - 8:30 AM
Gym, First Floor

Everyone arrived at the gym, where Monokuma was waiting for them.

"Well, well, well," Monokuma began. "Looks like all of you decided to show up."

Makoto stared at Monokuma and gave him an angry look. "Monokuma..." he growled.

Monokuma looked back at Makoto and returned a confused look. "Huh? What are you looking at
me for, Makoto?" he asked. "Are you mad about me waking you up this morning?"

Makoto clutched his fists as he shook his head. "No...it's not that..." he replied. "I'm mad
because...someone has been killed! Dr. Yasuke... He may not be a great person to hang around, but
he still cared about our health! He's our once chance at a saving a wounded person! And now...he's
dead...all because of you!"

Monokuma still gave Makoto a confused look. "What? You're blaming me for the death of one of
your fellow classmates?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah!" Junko shouted. "My boyfriend is dead, thanks to you!"

"Me?" Monokuma said. "What do you mean I killed your boyfriend, Junko? I didn't do anything! In
fact, unless someone violates one of the rules, I won't kill anyone! Looking at you, Corn Head!"

Mondo growled angrily at Monokuma once again. "Call me that one more time..." he grumbled.

"Quit abusing your power over us, Monokuma!" Kiyotaka shouted. "Just come forward and say it
straight! Who killed Yasuke?!"

"Huh? Who killed that doctor?" Monokuma replied. "Well, isn't it obvious? The one who killed
him...was one of you!"

Everyone was left stunned by what they were told. Someone killed Yasuke? That can't be possible,
could it?

Monokuma looked at the faces everyone was giving him. "Hey, what's with all the looks you're
giving me?" he asked. "You all look like you're about to witness a poor crane bird get shot down
by an anti-air gun, mistaken for an enemy plane! Did you all forget what I told you all earlier? If
you want to graduate this school, you've gotta kill someone! And if you graduate, you'll get to see
your loved ones again! Obviously, someone became desperate enough to see their loved ones that
they snapped and killed someone! And that poor doctor happened to be the first one to kick the
bucket."

"Y-You're lying about this, aren't you?" Hifumi asked.

"Of course I'm not lying!" Monokuma shouted. "One of you is a killer! One of you became so
desperate to escape, they became willing to sacrifice another person!"

"So that's it, then," Byakuya said. "If one of us really did kill the doctor, then that means they'll get
to graduate, right?"

Monokuma gave a puzzled look to Byakuya. "Huh? What did you say?" he asked.

Byakuya became irritated at Monokuma. "Hey, don't play dumb with me," he said. "That's what
you said, isn't it? If you kill someone, you'll get to leave, right?"

Monokuma became silent for a moment before he began to laugh. "Phuhuhu..." he said before
bursting into a full on cackle. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Mondo became absolutely baffled by Monokuma's laugh. "What the hell?" he said. "Hey! Shut the
hell up! Someone has died!"

"Cut the laughter, Monokuma," Byakuya ordered. "Just say it upfront. Since someone has killed
someone else, that means they'll get to leave, right?"

Monokuma then stopped laughing. "Oh, you poor fools," he said. "You're all so naive. You're all so
GODDAMN HELLISHLY NAIVE! Do you all really think that it's enough to kill someone? Do
you all think you can just waltz outta here just by killing someone? Yeah, sure, I did say that you
have to get away with murder if you want to escape! But as you all are about to learn, that is
simply not enough."

Sayaka shivered in fear as she learned more about the killing game. "There's...more...?" she asked.

"Attention, everyone!" Monokuma began to announce. "Allow me to explain the other part of the
graduation rule! As you all remember, the rules state that the 'blackened' will be allowed to
graduate this school, assuming that they got away with murder. And by getting away with it, I
mean committing murder without anyone else figuring out that it was you who did it. And by that,
I mean..." He then paused for several moments.

"What's with the silence?" Byakuya asked. "Cut that out already and get to the point!"

"I'm going to do that, Mr. Rich," Monokuma said.

"...How many names must you make up for all of us?" Byakuya asked.

Monokuma then cleared his throat as he continued with the explanation. "Obviously, if we want to
count someone as getting away with murder," he continued, "we'll need a system to assess whether
or not they have gotten away with murder. And that system is...the Class Trials!"
Everyone seemed bewildered upon Monokuma brining that term up.

"Class...what now?" Hifumi asked.

"The Class Trials!" Monokuma began to explain. "Once a certain amount of time has passed since a
dead body has been discovered, a Class Trial will begin! In a Class Trial, everyone, including the
blackened, will participate in a debate to determine who the blackened is. During the Class Trial,
everyone will present their arguments on who they think the blackened is. Once all the debates are
over, everyone will place their votes, and the outcomes will be determined by popular vote. If the
majority of the surviving students voted correctly, then only the blackened will be punished.
Everyone else will continue their communal lives as normal. But if you get it wrong or can't settle
on any option, then everyone but the blackened will be punished, and the blackened will graduate
from this school. That is all you need to know about the Class Trials."

Okay, so everyone's on the same page on how the Class Trials will go. If the blackened is ever
discovered, then they will not get to graduate from this school. Simple as that. However, there's
still one question remaining before they could move on.

"So...what do you mean by 'punishment'?" Hifumi asked.

"Oh, you're wondering about what punishment means, right?" Monokuma replied. "Basically...it's
execution."

A wave of shock hits everyone at once. Sayaka was particularly shocked. Learning about what
punishment means brought her down to her knees.

Kiyotaka was at a loss for words. "W-What...?" he could only utter.

"That's right!" Monokuma announced. "Failing to get away with murder will result in execution!
Guillotine! Burned at the stake! Poison gas room! Whatever Carrier does to his victims! Anything
that could kill you! If you are discovered as the blackened of the case, you will be torn asunder in
the most brutal way possible!"

"T-That's..." Sayaka could only utter. She could feel herself becoming increasingly ill with every
word she hears from Monokuma.

"W-What kind of justice system is this...?" Kiyotaka asked. "Brutally executing someone just
because they murdered someone else... There's no way that's fair!"

"Hey, do I have to remind you guys about the justice system we use in the real world?" Monokuma
asked. "Basically, if you're caught committing murder, you will be sentenced to death. I've
implemented that part of the justice system into my justice system. Only...I've made it a bit more
extreme..."

Makoto saw that Sayaka was getting absolutely crushed by what she heard. He felt like a part of
himself is being crushed as well from seeing Sayaka like this. It made him furious at Monokuma
for subjecting Sayaka to this level of suffering.

"Monokuma...you..." Makoto began. He was about to swear, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"How...how could you do this to us?!"

Monokuma turned his attention towards Makoto. "Oh, and what's this?" he asked. "Are you trying
to defy me, Makoto?" He then saw on the floor next to Makoto. "Oh, I see. You're just doing that to
defend Sayaka, aren't you?"
"How could you call your justice system fair?!" Makoto shouted. "Brutally tearing people apart
just because they murdered someone and failed to get away with it...how is that fair?! Dr.
Yasuke...he probably died...to that knife to the stomach. How is brutally executing someone for
that crime fair?!"

"Hey, my justice system is totally fair, right?" Monokuma replied. "You murdered someone, you
get brutally executed in return! I say that's a fair justice system, am I right?"

That's it. Makoto had enough of Monokuma's words. "You..." he said at first before charging
towards Monokuma. "YOU MONSTER!"

Kyoko realized that Makoto is about to make the same mistake that Mondo did earlier. "Makoto!
Stop!" she ordered.

Everyone began to panic as Makoto approached Monokuma. They feared that he will be punished
for attacking Monokuma, just like what will happen to everyone who fails to get away with
murder. Makoto may be the Ultimate Lucky Student, but no amount of luck will save him from
whatever punishment Monokuma as in store. But just as when Makoto was about to make a run for
Monokuma, something happened to him.

*WHAM!*

Everyone was in shock upon seeing what happened in front of their eyes. They watched as Makoto
flew off to the side and landed on the floor. His body slid for a moment before hitting against the
seats. It looks like he was punched, but by who? Turning their heads to where Makoto once stood,
they saw Mondo with his fist extended out.

Mondo breathed heavily after he punched Makoto out of the way. "G-Gotcha," he said.

"Ow..." Makoto groaned in pain.

Monokuma was surprised to see what just happened before his eyes. "Wow, what did I just
witnessed?" he asked. "Someone was about to violate a rule for attacking me, only for someone
else to attack my would-be attacker! Great job, Corn Head!"

Mondo quickly turned his head towards Monokuma and growled at him.

"Hey, no amount of growling and anger will ever stop me from calling you that," Monokuma said.
"Anyways, I have now updated the rules with this new information. Along with that, I shall provide
you guys with something that will help you in your search for the blackened."

Everyone then received a notification on their E-Handbooks. They turn them on and see the new
list of rules.

Rules and Regulations (Version 3)

1. Students may reside only within the school building. Leaving the campus without permission
is not allowed.
2. The day is split into daytime and nighttime. Nighttime lasts from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM the
following day. Daytime lasts on all other hours.
3. Some areas are off-limits during nighttime. Please be outside of these restricted areas before
the nighttime announcement plays.
4. Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and will be
punished accordingly. This only applies if the student sleeps on their own accord.
 5. With minimum restrictions, you are free to explore any accessible areas of Hope's Peak
Academy. New areas may open up over time.
6. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited.
7. Damaging the surveillance cameras and monitors is also strictly prohibited.
8. Stealing or lending E-Handbooks to or from a live student is, once again, strictly prohibited.
9. Breaking into locked rooms is, yet again, strictly prohibited.
10. Violating rules 6-9 will result in punishment.
11. If a student forces another student to violate rules 6-9, they will receive punishment instead
of the rule breaker.
12. Anyone who kills a fellow student will become the blackened. Blackened students may
graduate and leave the school, unless they are discovered.
13. Once a personal motive has been distributed, students may not exchange information about
their personal motives with anyone else. Violation of this rule will result in your motive
being revoked.
14. The above rule remains in effect until someone has been killed.
15. All motives will last until either the time limit has expired or someone has graduated.
16. Once a body has been discovered, a Class Trial will begin after a certain amount of time.
Participation is mandatory for all surviving students.
17. At the end of a Class Trial, all surviving students must place their votes on who they think
the blackened is.
18. If the blackened is exposed and the majority of students voted for them, they alone will be
executed.
19. If the blackened is not exposed, they alone will graduate, and all remaining students will be
executed.
20. The blackened may only kill up to two people during a single Killing Game. Killing a third
person will result in immediate execution.

Along with the new set of rules, everyone has received a case file summarizing what happened to
the victim of the case.

The file reads, "The victim was Dr. Yasuke Matsuda. The time of death was approximately 12:00
AM. The body was discovered in the dormitory, specifically in Sayaka's room. The victim had
suffered from respiratory failure and paralysis. Multiple bruises were detected on his body, and the
victim suffered a single stab wound to the stomach. No traces of poisons or toxins were detected in
his body."

Truth Bullet Acquired: Monokuma File 1

"Now, this little file here contains everything you need to know about the death," Monokuma
explained. "I call it the Monokuma File! You guys aren't experts in that sort of thing. After all,
there's only so much you can glance from a corpse. So that's why I did all the dirty work!"

Kyoko became puzzled upon reading the information on the Monokuma File. "Wait a second..."
she began to ask. "How...did you know all of this information?"

"Huh? How did I know that?" Monokuma began to reply. "Why, the surveillance cameras, of
course! They're installed in every dorm room. And the murder happened in one of the dorm rooms,
right? Those cameras picked up the footage of the murder, and I got to witness all of it!"

"So that means...you saw who did it, correct?" Kyoko asked.

"Correct!" Monokuma replied. "I know exactly which one of you kids committed the murder!
Now, I would reveal who murdered that doctor, but where's the fun in that? You guys will have to
figure it out all on your own!"

That's good to know, Kyoko thought. Then she took another glance at the Monokuma File and
noticed that there's one detail missing from it.

"Hold on..." Kyoko began to ask. "Where's...the cause of death?"

Monokuma became annoyed at the amount of questions Kyoko was asking him. "Hey, enough
with the questions," he said. "Is this what you kids do these days? Ask questions over and over
again no matter how many times they are answered? Anyways, I won't specify the exact cause of
death, because there were so many things that could've caused that doctor to die! You all will just
have to figure out which one of them was the fatal blow. Got it?"

Kyoko nodded as she understood what Monokuma was saying.

"Alright, everyone!" Monokuma began to close off his speech. "Have a fun time investigating this
murder! Gather as many clues as you possibly can! I will meet you guys at the Class Trial after
some time has passed. Tootles!"

Monokuma then disappeared off the stage. A heavy air surrounded everyone as they thought about
what's going on. Someone has killed Yasuke, and it's up to them to uncover his killer. If they
succeed, then the killer will be executed. But if they failed to identify his killer...

...Let's just say everyone wanted to avoid that outcome.

"Yasuke..." Junko said in a whimpering tone.

"Dammit..." Mondo said. "Why did that doctor have to die?"

"It was fate, I swear!" Yasuhiro claimed. "I saw his future! He was fated to die!"

"...Shut up," Natsumi said as she glared at Yasuhiro.

"Look, I don't think that doctor deserves to die," Hifumi said. "He may have said some...harsh
things about my body. But I understood where he's coming from. Anyone who dedicates their lives
to saving others doesn't deserve to die!"

Kyoko sighed after hearing about the things the others have to say about Yasuke. "Look,
everyone," she began. "I know that you all want to mourn over the deceased, but this isn't the time
to do that."

"I do agree with Kyoko right there," Celeste replied. "Continuing to think about the deceased won't
do us any good. We should just forget about them and move on."

"How could you say stuff like that?!" Hina shouted angrily. "This is the deceased we're talking
about! They died because of this cruel game we're playing! They deserved to be remembered!
They deserved to be mourned over!"

"You would only clog up your mind if you continue to carry the legacy of the deceased," Celeste
said. "How many times do I have to tell you? If you don't adapt, you won't survive. Anyone who
can't accept this situation...will die. Death awaits all of us soon. All we can do now is sit back and
accept our fates."

Hina stomped right up to Celeste. "Accept our fates?" she asked. "You're telling us that we should
just...accept all of this?! How...HOW DARE YOU!" She then slapped Celeste right across the face,
much to the shock of everyone.

"Whoa! What the hell, Hina?!" Leon gasped.

"Hina! Stop!" Sakura shouted.

Celeste then recovered from the slap, covering her cheek where she was hit. "So you're not willing
to accept your fate, then," she said. "Fine enough. Go ahead and try to defy your fate all you want.
If you die, you've only got yourself to blame."

"Do you want to be slapped again?!" Hina asked, her anger rising as Celeste continue to speak to
her.

Kyoko then stepped in to defuse the tension between Hina and Celeste. "Enough of this, you two,"
she said. "We shouldn't waste our limited time on pointless arguments. Right now, our biggest
priority is gathering clues and exposing the killer. If we can't do that, then we'll all die."

Hina felt like continuing to argue with Celeste, telling her that everyone should work together in
order to survive. Nobody wants to become complacent to their fate. No one wants to sit back and
wait for their death to come. Hina wanted to tell Celeste that everyone should be fighting for any
chance to survive. But...she couldn't bring herself to continuing this argument, or else she'll waste
even more time on pointless topics. She must keep her focus on finding the killer, and nothing else.

That's the sentiment everyone has in that moment. Everyone's lives are on the line. If they fail to
identify Yasuke's murderer, then none of them except the culprit will survive. That's why...most of
them decided to put their focus on solving this murder case. With a resolve to survive the killing
game, everyone begins the investigation.

But before anyone could leave the gym, there are some things that needs to be resolved first.

"Before we begin the investigation," Kyoko said, "we need to decide who will be guarding the
crime scene. After all, we don't want anyone to disturb the crime scene. Some evidence might
become lost if that were to happen."

Mondo then raised his hand. "I'll do it," he suggested.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Mondo. "Hmm? Why you, plankton?" he asked.

"I just...don't mind doing it," Mondo replied. "I don't like having to think. I'll just let the rest of you
guys do it. Besides, I'm good at guarding things and keeping 'em safe."

Byakuya grinned at Mondo. "Well, in that case, I'll have someone else join you on guard duty," he
said.

Mondo became puzzled upon hearing that. "What? Why?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Byakuya asked. "By volunteering for guard duty, you would've given yourself
the perfect opportunity to mess with the crime scene, obscuring critical evidence needed to identify
the culprit. Isn't that right, plankton?"

"W-What?!" Mondo gasped. "Are you seriously accusing me of murder?!"

"Of course," Byakuya replied. "That's why I wanted someone else to accompany you on guard
duty, just so you don't get any funny ideas."
"Dammit..." Mondo grumbled.

"In that case, I'll volunteer for guard duty as well," Sakura suggested. "But that means that I won't
be able to help with the investigation. We're putting faith in the rest of you to solve this murder."

Hina grew concerned for Sakura. "Are you sure you're going to be safe?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me, Hina," Sakura assured. "I'll be fine."

"Are we all done talking?" Kyoko asked. "We should start our investigation soon. We don't have
much time before the Class Trial begins. At this point, we should all split up and look for clues.
Then, we can get to the bottom of this and figure out who killed Dr. Yasuke."

"Do we really have to do that?" Hina asked. "Because I have a pretty good idea of who killed the
doctor!"

Kyoko raised an eyebrow, not believing in Hina. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Hina replied. "It's...that one right there!" She pointed her finger at Sayaka, who
was curled up on the floor and sobbing.

Kyoko grew a confused look as she and the others stared at Sayaka. "Hmm? Sayaka?" she asked.
"Are you sure it's her?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" Hina replied. "I mean, look at her! She has the strongest reaction to hearing about
what happens after someone has been murdered. That means that she realized that she has made a
big mistake!"

Sayaka whined as she was accused of murder.

"Hey, Hina!" Makoto shouted from the seats. "Don't accuse Sayaka of murder! She has done
nothing wrong!"

Hina quickly shifted her gaze over to Makoto. "Hey, don't you dare defend Sayaka, Makoto!" she
shouted. "She has definitely done something wrong! I mean, have you seen the crime scene?
There's a kitchen knife stabbed into Yasuke's stomach! And I know exactly who took a kitchen
knife! It's Sayaka!"

Sayaka whimpered in fear.

Hina then remembered something. "Oh, and looking at you reminds me of something, Makoto,"
she continued. "I remembered seeing a sword at the crime scene. There's only one sword in
existence in this school, and I know who took it! It's you, Makoto!"

"What?!" Kiyotaka gasped.

"Did you say a sword?!" Natsumi asked.

"What are you doing, Hina?" Makoto asked.

"That's what I was about to ask you, Makoto!" Hina replied. "Tell me, are you defending Sayaka
because...you cooperated with her? You took that sword just so you could assist her?"

"P-Please...!" Sayaka begged. "STOP!"

"Hold it, Hina!" Kyoko shouted. "How did you know all of this? How did you know that Sayaka
has a knife and Makoto has a sword?"

Hina turned her head towards Kyoko, giving her a confused look. "Huh?" she said.

Kiyotaka felt like he needed to do something to resolve this. "Alright, show of hands!" he said.
"Raise your hand if you've spent the night in your own room!"

Most of the students, including Kiyotaka, raised their hand in response. Junko hesitated for a
moment before raising her hand. The only ones who didn't were Sayaka and Hina. Not that Sayaka
would be able to raise her hand since she was left frozen in fear.

"Hmm...looks like Sayaka and Hina didn't spend last night in their own rooms..." Celeste remarked.

From this, Kiyotaka knew who he should ask first. "Alright, time to figure this out!" he said.
"Sayaka! Where were you last night? Whose room did you sleep in?"

Sayaka let out a whimper, unable to give a response.

"Hold on!" Hina said. "Allow me to explain!"

"It's not your turn yet, Hina," Kiyotaka replied. "We must wait for Sayaka to say something."

"No, no, no, wait!" Hina said. "I can explain where Sayaka was last night. Not only that, but I can
explain how I knew that Sayaka had a knife and Makoto had a sword."

Everyone began to stare at Hina, wondering what she has to say.

"...Go ahead," Kyoko replied.

"Alright," Hina began to explain. "So, before the nighttime announcement yesterday, Sakura and I
were in the dining hall having a snack. That's when we saw Sayaka enter the dining hall. We
watched her walk to the kitchen to spent a few moments there before leaving. Once we saw that the
nighttime announcement was about to play, we decided to return our dishes to the kitchen for
cleaning. But that's when I noticed that one of the kitchen knives had gone missing! And since the
last person we saw enter the dining hall was Sayaka, we knew who took the kitchen knife."

Most of the students gasped in shock upon hearing Hina's testimony.

"So it's true..." Leon said. "Sayaka was planning to murder someone..."

"That's what I thought," Hina said. "We decided to head towards Sayaka's room to confront her
about the kitchen knife she stole, and put a stop to any murder plans she might have. We waited in
front of her door, waiting for her to come out. But then...Makoto walked out of his room...with a
sword."

Everyone soon turn their eyes on Makoto.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Makoto shouted. "It was for self-defense purposes only, I swear!"

"That's what you would say," Hina replied. "However, I knew that you were the one who stole that
sword. Because that sword...was the one that in the display shelf!"

Most of the students gasped in shock again upon hearing that Makoto stole the sword on the
display outside the gym.

"Wait, what?!" Natsumi gasped. "He's the one who took the sword?! I was wondering where that
went!"

Hina took a step towards Makoto and pointed her finger at him. "You can claim self-defense all
you want, Makoto!" she said. "But don't try to hide it. You were planning to murder someone all
along. You took that sword without any of us noticing, until I caught you holding one in your
hands!"

Makoto opened his mouth to try to form a counterargument. But he couldn't find the right words to
say it.

Kyoko stepped towards Hina, pressing her for more information. "Hold on," she said. "We're not
done yet, Hina. Tell us: what happens next?"

"Oh, what happens next?" Hina began to reply. "Well, after I caught Makoto and Sayaka with the
weapons, I had Sakura confiscate them to take them away to a safe place. Once she left, I blocked
the door so that they couldn't escape. As a result, they had to spend the night together along with
me."

Most of the students gasped in shock once again, though this time, it's for learning that Sayaka had
slept with Makoto.

"Wait, so are you saying...that Sayaka slept with Makoto?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Don't tell me that they shared a bed..." Leon said.

Hina nodded her head. "Yes," she confirmed. "They slept on the same bed."

There was an outcry among the students upon hearing this information.

"GAAHHH!" Leon screamed. "Makoto!"

"This is an outrage!" Kiyotaka shouted. "A boy and a girl sharing the same bed... I can't accept that
in a school environment!"

"Hey, it's not like we had a choice!" Makoto tried to explain. "Hina was blocking the way out!
Sayaka was unable to go back to her room!"

It was at this moment that Kyoko made a realization. "Wait a second," she said. "Does that
mean...?"

Hina replied immediately. "Yep," she said. "I slept in Makoto's room...in front of the door."

That's interesting to know, but Kyoko felt like she needed more information. "Did either of them
leave the room at any point during the night?" she asked.

Hina shrugged and shook her head. "Not that I know of," she replied. "I was asleep the entire night,
and when I woke up, they're still there on the bed."

"Don't tell me that did anything...funny with each other," Natsumi said.

Kyoko felt like she heard enough of this. "Alright, enough talking," she said. "I've gotten plenty of
clues already from this, but it's still not enough for us to pin down the identity of the culprit. We
need to investigate this place thoroughly. So for now, let's stop talking about this topic."

Truth Bullets Acquired: Hina's Account, Kitchen Knife, Replica Sword

"Anyways," Kyoko continued, "we should be starting our investigation right about now. We've
wasted enough time already, so we need to act fast before the Class Trial begins. I suggest that we
all split up into groups and explore each part of the school. We need to collect enough clues to pin
down the identity of the culprit. If we get this wrong...well, do I even need to say it?"

"I would rather not hear that grim reminder again..." Hifumi replied.

Kyoko let out a huff of air. "Well, we've been talking for long enough," she said. "Now, if you
would excuse me, I'd better go back to the crime scene." She then walked out of the gym.

Mondo then remembered what he volunteered for. "Oh, that's right!" he said. "Hey! Wait for me!"
He began to run after Kyoko.

"Don't forget about me," Sakura said as she went after Mondo. "I'm on guard duty, too."

One by one, each other students began to head out of the gym to gather clues by themselves.
Makoto walked up to Sayaka to help her get back up to her feet. He offered his hand to Sayaka. It
took Sayaka a moment to look up to see Makoto's hand. She grabbed the hand, and soon Makoto
pulled her up to her feet.

"Alright, Sayaka," Makoto began to say. "I know that...you're really stressed out right now. You
learned what really happens after someone commits a murder, and you were accused of murder. I
have no idea who killed Yasuke, but I know that it's definitely not you, and it's definitely not me. If
we want to solve this murder and survive, then we'd better be working together. You're my
assistant, right? You told me that earlier. So...are you ready to start investigating?"

Sayaka took a moment to think about it. She felt...nervous about investigating the murder of
Yasuke Matsuda. For one, most of the students believed that it was her who committed the murder,
with Makoto assisting her. She knows that she didn't do it. She wanted to clear her name, to
convince everyone that she didn't do it. But she doubted that the others would believe her.

Still, she trusts Makoto that he would get her out of this killing game alive. Right now, everyone is
at risk of dying. If they get it wrong, which they will if they voted for her, then everyone but the
true blackened will be brutally executed. She doesn't want to die, at least, not in a horrifying way.
She believed that, if she helped Makoto find the truth of the case, then she and everyone else will
survive.

So with that in mind, Sayaka nodded her head. "Yes..." she said weakly.

"Good," Makoto replied. "Now, let's go."

Makoto and Sayaka began to head out of the gym to begin the investigation. Before they could
leave, however, they came face to face with Hina, who gave them a suspicious stare.

"Whoa!" Makoto yelped upon seeing Hina. "Hina? What are you doing here?"

"Listen, you two," Hina began to say. "You may think that you're not the ones who murdered the
doctor, but that doesn't mean I'll let you off the hook. I'm still suspecting that you two are behind
this murder."

"Hina, let's not jump to conclusions," Makoto said. "You can't just accuse anyone of committing a
murder without any evidence. Remember, if we voted for the wrong person as the blackened, then
we'll all-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it," Hina said, interrupting Makoto. "We get it wrong, we all die. No need
to tell me that again. So, to make sure that neither of you two do anything funny, I'm going to stick
around and monitor you two."

"W-What?" Sayaka gasped, shivering in fear.

"Hina..." Makoto tried to say.

"Don't say anything else to me," Hina said. "I'm not letting you two go until I'm absolutely sure that
the culprit wasn't you two. Got it?"

Makoto and Sayaka said nothing.

"...I'll take that as a yes," Hina said. "Now, let's go get some clues. And don't you two ever get
away from me."

Hina then walked out of the gym, with Makoto and Sayaka following her. They maintained a close
distance to Hina, as to not make her go angry.

Day 5 - 8:50 AM
Athletics Hallway, First Floor

The trio of students left the gym to look for places to investigate. Hina's first thought was going to
the kitchen to prove that one of the kitchen knives was stolen last night. On the way there,
however, the trio encountered Natsumi, who was standing in front of the trophy display staring at
the spot the replica sword once occupied.

Natsumi spotted Makoto as he was walking across the hallway. "Oh, hello there, sword thief," she
greeted.

Makoto stopped in his tracks as he looked at Natsumi. "Huh? Natsumi?" he asked.

Sayaka and Hina stepped out of the hallway for a brief moment before stepping back into the
Athletics Hallway.

"Hey, Makoto?" Hina said. "Aren't you coming?"

"I will, Hina," Makoto replied. "It's just...it looks like Natsumi has something to say to me."

Hina and Natsumi exchanged looks for a moment. Natsumi then turned her attention to Makoto.

"Okay, sword thief," Natsumi began. "What were you thinking? Sneaking out when no one's
looking and stealing a trophy sword?"

"Trophy sword?" Makoto asked, looking puzzled.

"That sword you stole..." Natsumi began to explain. "It was won by my bodyguard during a speed
slicing competition. It was a decisive victory. She won the competition by a landslide. That trophy
was her reward for winning that competition. According the ones who made that trophy sword, the
sword is functional and can be used as a weapon. The blade may be dull, but it'll still hurt if you
swing it hard enough."

"I see..." Makoto replied. "No wonder Hina saw that replica sword as a weapon..."

"Well, duh!" Hina said. "Of course I saw that sword as a weapon! I mean, a sword is a sword, right,
and swords are a type of weapon. I don't wanna see anyone carry around a weapon, no matter what
intentions they might have."

"I was planning on using it for self-defense!" Makoto shouted. "I was never intending to kill
anyone!"

"Oh yeah?" Hina asked. "Well then why did you sneak off when everyone else isn't watching and
stole that sword?"

Makoto felt like he doesn't want to explain his actions to Hina anymore. He turned his attention
back on Natsumi to talk about another thing about the replica sword.

"Okay, so about that replica sword," Makoto began to say. "It...has a nasty tendency to make a
mess. I barely grazed by hand against the sheath and I got gold dust all over my hands..."

"Oh, that's another thing about that trophy sword," Natsumi began to explain. "You see, the sheath
isn't actually made up of pure gold. There's just a thin layer of gold placed on top of it as
decoration. Thing is...the gold layer tends to flake off if something even brushes up against it, so
it's recommended that you don't touch it. The same goes for the trophy sword itself. It's not made
out of gold; it's just a wooden sword with a gold layer coating it."

Truth Bullet Updated: Replica Sword

"The sword is made out of wood?" Hina gasped. "Oh...I see. I guess it's a mistake to take that away
since it'll probably break if it strikes a-"

"Nope!" Natsumi said, shaking her head. "The type of wood used to make the trophy sword is
sturdy type of wood. It was survive plenty of swings before breaking."

Hina paused for a moment to let it sink in. "Oh..." she said. "Well, never mind, then. I guess I was
right in taking that sword away from you, Makoto."

Makoto just glared at Hina, feeling a little mad at her for taking away his defensive options.
Sayaka also gave an angry look at Hina, feeling mad over her knife being taken away.

"Anyways, it was nice taking to you, Natsumi," Hina said, "but we've really got to go. I've got to
check on the others to see how they're going. See you at the Class Trial."

Hina then grabbed both Makoto and Sayaka and dragged them out of the Athletics Hallway.

"AHHH!" Sayaka screamed. "Let me go!"

"Hey!" Makoto shouted. "What are you doing, Hina?! Let us go!"

Natsumi watched as Hina dragged Makoto and Sayaka away. She let out a sigh as she began to
walk around the hallway wondering what to do next.

Day 5 - 9:00 AM
Infirmary, First Floor

On the way to the dormitory, the trio of students passed by the infirmary where they encountered
Leon who is blocking the way.

"Yo!" Leon greeted. Then he saw that Hina was dragging Makoto and Sayaka along. "Uh...Hina?
Why are you dragging Makoto and Sayaka?"
"Let me go!" Sayaka screamed as she struggled to free herself. "Please!"

"What's going on out there?" Byakuya said from inside the infirmary.

"Nothing!" Leon replied.

"I can see what's going on from here," Byakuya said, catching Leon lying. "Now cut it out and
focus."

Leon sighed as he returned his focus on Hina. "So...Hina," he continued. "What are you doing with
these two?"

"Oh, I'm just...making sure that these two don't escape me," Hina explained. "I'm suspecting that
they're the ones behind this murder since their weapons are present even though I had Sakura take
them away. How did these two manage to get past me and get their weapons back is beyond me.
So that's why I'm keeping under my watch."

"Oh, so you're still thinking that Sayaka did it, right?" Leon replied. "Well, here's my opinion: I
don't think Sayaka did it."

"Oh yeah?" Hina said, feeling doubtful of Leon's opinion. "Why?"

"Look, Sayaka is just pure and innocent to be doing stuff like that," Leon explained. "And besides,
you were blocking the way out of Makoto's room. I can't imagine a way that she would escape
without taking you up. And on a related note, I don't think Makoto did it either, because he also
can't leave."

"Didn't Makoto tried to punch you yesterday?" Hina asked.

Leon opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find anything to say.

"Would you two cut out the chatter?" Byakuya asked. "We're in the middle of an investigation."

"Oh, right," Leon said. "Anyways, as I was about to say, could you come to the infirmary for a
moment? You've gotta see this!"

Hina was puzzled over what Leon wanted her to see, so she entered the infirmary, dragging Makoto
and Sayaka with her. Upon entering the infirmary, Hina was left in shock. The entire infirmary was
left in a mess. Bottles of medicines are scattered everywhere. Luckily, their caps are still on, so the
contents of these bottles aren't left to spill on the floor. Still, it might be a good idea to watch her
step. She could slip on them and fall if she isn't careful.

Byakuya saw that Hina was dragging along both Makoto and Sayaka. Sayaka was thrashing
around, trying to free herself from Hina's grasp.

Byakuya gave Hina a glare. "What are you doing with these two?" he asked.

"Oh..." Hina began to explain. "I'm suspecting them to be the culprits, so I'm keeping them in my
hands to make sure-"

"Drop them," Byakuya ordered.

Hina was shocked about the order. "What?" she gasped. "But if I do that, they will-"

"Now's not the time to be drawing conclusions," Byakuya said. "I'm not willing to risk my life on
baseless accusations. Now drop them."
"But-" Hina tried to say.

"I said now," Byakuya said, making his words clear.

Hina left out a defeated sigh as she dropped Makoto and Sayaka onto the floor.

"Ow!" Makoto yelled as he landed on the floor on his back. "Ugh... Hina, do you really have to
that?"

"What? I can't have you two do go off and do whatever you want," Hina replied.

Makoto sighed as he lifted himself back on his feet.

Leon walked over to Sayaka to help her get back up. He offered his hand out to her.

"Hey, Sayaka?" Leon began to ask. "I know that I learned that you were planning a murder, but-"

Sayaka didn't let Leon finish. She slapped his hand away as she lifted herself up.

"Ow!" Leon yelped. "Hey, what the hell, Sayaka? What did you do that for? I thought that we're
friends!"

Sayaka gave Leon a menacing glare. "How could you...?" she muttered.

Leon got confused at the look Sayaka is giving him. "Hey, what's with the look?" he asked. "What
did I do? Also, you should comb your hair, Sayaka. You don't look cute and beautiful anymore
when your hair's like that."

Sayaka growled at Leon for making that comment.

Makoto lifted himself up and looked around the infirmary. He was surprised to see the mess in the
room. "Uh...what happened here?" he asked.

"We have no idea," Byakuya replied. "We found this room in this state while we're searching for
Dr. Matsuda. The last time I saw this place, it was perfectly clean with nothing scattered all over
the floor. Looking at this place now, it's clear to me that someone's been here last night."

"Who could've done this...?" Makoto asked.

"Again, no idea," Byakuya replied. "And before you ask, no, I see no reason why these bottles
would still have their caps on and not have their contents spilled everywhere."

"Maybe whoever was last in this room was in a rush to find some medicine," Hina suggested.

"Perhaps..." Byakuya replied. "Still, I don't see how this mess relates to the murder case. We
should clean this mess up before someone slips on the bottles."

Makoto began to feel like the mess in the infirmary does have a connection to the murder of
Yasuke. It's probably a piece of evidence that could be used to help find out who killed him and
what they were doing. He wanted to speak up and tell everyone to leave this room how it is so that
the other students can verify what they said about the infirmary was true. Then again, most of the
students probably have gotten a look at the infirmary at this point, so it might not matter. Besides,
he was afraid that if he spoke up, he might land himself into deeper trouble with the others. So he
decided to go ahead and help the others clean up the infirmary.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Messy Infirmary

The students went around the infirmary to pick up all the bottles of medicines on the floor, with the
exception of Sayaka. She just sat down at one of the beds looking away from the rest of the group.

Leon noticed that Sayaka isn't doing anything to help. "Yo, Sayaka?" he began to ask. "Aren't you
gonna help us clean this place up?"

Sayaka let out a sigh as she spoke to Leon without looking at him. "Go away," she said in a bitter
tone. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Hey, don't give me the cold shoulder," Leon said. "We're friends, right?"

Sayaka turned her head even further away from Leon.

"What's going on over there?" Makoto asked as he walked up to Leon.

Leon turned towards Makoto. "Hey Makoto, you've gotta help me," he said. "Sayaka is
acting...sort of weird, don't ya think? She's becoming so cold to me all of a sudden. What happened
to her? Where's her cheerful self? I wanna see her smile again!"

"Clearly, you've underestimated the power stress has over a person," Byakuya said as he stepped
into the conversation.

Leon quickly turned his head towards Byakuya. "What?" he said in reaction. "What are you talking
about?"

Byakuya didn't explain what he meant by that. He doesn't have time to explain anyways, as Hina
interrupted him.

"Um, where do these bottles go?" Hina asked.

"Just place them back in the cabinets," Byakuya ordered. "I don't care where they go."

"I can't open this cabinet up," Hina said.

"What?" Byakuya asked.

The boys then walked up to Hina, who's struggling to open up one of the cabinet. The cabinet Hina
was trying to open appears to have a lock on it.

"It's locked," Byakuya concluded. "You need a key to open it."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Mr. Obvious," Leon said sarcastically.

Byakuya scoffed at Leon before returning his gaze to Hina. "Ignore that," he said. "Just put the
medicine bottles back into the cabinets."

"Okay..." Hina replied as she put the medicine bottles back into the cabinets.

As Hina put the medicine bottles into the cabinets, Makoto began to wonder what's inside the
locked cabinet. It must be locked for a reason, right? Whatever is in there must be too dangerous
for anyone to have free access to. Who could've had the key? Perhaps the late Yasuke must have a
key on him somewhere.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Locked Cabinet

It looks like there aren't clues left to found inside the infirmary, aside from the potential clues that
could be found in the locked cabinet. With the infirmary done for now, Hina decided to move on to
the crime scene to look for more clues. She took Makoto and Sayaka along with her. But before the
group could leave, Leon walked up to one of them to ask a question.

"Hey, Sayaka?" Leon began to ask. "If you don't mind, do you think you could-"

"Leave me alone..." Sayaka replied.

"Hey, quit being so cold to me, alright?" Leon said. "I know that you were planning a murder, but I
believe that you're not the culprit. There's no way you could've pulled off a murder after what
happened last night, right?"

Sayaka said nothing.

Makoto let out a sigh. "Leon..." he began to say. "Cut it out. The only reason you're asking to join
this group is to spend more time with Sayaka, when she's clearly not interested in you."

"What? No, I'm not!" Leon replied in denial. "I'm totally not doing that! Honest!"

"Yes, you are," Byakuya replied. "Now do as she says and stop bothering her."

"Oh, shut up," Leon replied. "I'm sure Sayaka is interested in me. She must be playing hard to get
to make me work harder to get her attention. Am I right, Sayaka?" He turned around towards
where Sayaka was standing, only to find her gone. Not only that, but Makoto and Hina have left as
well. Leon was shocked to see them missing. "Huh? Where did you go?"

Byakuya let out an exasperated sigh. "I swear, you are the most insensitive person I've ever seen,"
he remarked.

Truth Bullets

Monokuma File 1: The victim was Dr. Yasuke Matsuda. The time of death was
approximately 12:00 AM. The body was discovered in the dormitory, specifically in
Sayaka's room. The victim had suffered from respiratory failure and paralysis. Multiple
bruises were detected on his body, and the victim suffered a single stab wound to the
stomach. No traces of poisons or toxins were detected in his body.
Hina's Account: Before the nighttime announcement played last night, Hina and Sakura
were in the dining hall having a snack when Sayaka passed by them and entered the kitchen.
She was soon seen leaving the kitchen shortly afterward. During the clean-up of their plates,
Hina noticed that one of the kitchen knives has gone missing and concluded that Sayaka
must've stolen it. She and Sakura soon confronted Sayaka about the knife, confiscating it
along with Makoto's sword. Hina then spent the night in Makoto's room guarding the door.
Kitchen Knife: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was
stolen by Sayaka from the kitchen, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with
it. It was later found at the crime scene stabbed into Yasuke's stomach.
Replica Sword: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was a
trophy sword won by Natsumi's bodyguard, the Ultimate Swordswoman. The sword is
coated with a thin layer of gold that flaked off upon being touched by something. Even the
slightest touch would transfer some gold over to the other surface. Makoto took this sword
from the trophy display case, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with it. It
was later found at the crime scene near Yasuke's body.
Messy Infirmary: The infirmary was left in a mess. Bottles of medicines were scattered all
over the floor. Their caps were still on. It looks like someone was in a rush to find a
 medicine, but couldn't be bothered to place the bottles back where they found them.
Locked Cabinet: The infirmary contains several cabinets filled with various types of
medicines. One of the cabinets appears to be locked, and it requires a small key to unlock it.

Chapter End Notes

The investigation section is going to be a lot longer than in the original version, isn't
it? Maybe that's because I included the part where Monokuma explains what happens
next after someone has been murdered into the Deadly Life section. Even so, the
investigation will take two chapters, each with several thousand words.

Even to this day, I've encountered a couple of people who question why Sayaka, in her
dying moments, didn't write her Leon's name in hiragana or katakana, given that she's
a Japanese girl. I can't believe we're still having discussions like this. I have no clue on
what's on Sayaka's mind as she breathed her last breaths. Perhaps she's looking for a
way to write her killer's name in the fewest strokes possible, or maybe she doesn't
want her killer to realize that she's writing their name down as a clue to the survivors. I
don't know. The writers must've really wanted a language-based clue, and it ended up
looking silly to English-speaking people.

Oh, about what I said on Sayaka's death not impacting Makoto that much, at least in
Trigger Happy Havoc? Well, I learned that if you interacted with Sayaka's dorm room
door in Chapter 2 onward, Makoto would lament how much he misses Sayaka. His
thoughts will change depending on when that interaction happens. Learning about this
secret really expands on Makoto's character, and empathizes how much Sayaka's death
impacted him.

The problem is...the player needs to go out of their way to find this thought. If memory
serves, Makoto just laments about Sayaka's death at the beginning of Chapter 2 and
that's about it. I wish that the writers would let Makoto think about Sayaka and the rest
his deceased classmates throughout the story, making it visible to everyone who plays
through it to the end. It would really show how much these deaths is impacting his
mental state.

Now would I include moments like these in this story, where Makoto would try his
best to make sure the deceased weren't forgotten? Maybe. You'll just have to wait and
see.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Deadly Life 2)

Day 5 - 9:25 AM
Dormitory, First Floor

Hina's next stop was the crime scene. She felt like she hasn't gotten a good enough look at the
crime scene, so she wanted to go back there to see what else is there to find. Just like before, she is
joined up by Makoto and Sayaka, though this time Hina was not dragging them around.

On the way there, however, Kiyotaka walked up to them to ask them about something.

"Hey, Hina?" Kiyotaka said.

Hina stopped in her tracks along with Makoto and Sayaka. "Oh, hey Taka," she greeted back.
"So...did you find any clues?"

"No," Kiyotaka replied as he shook his head. "I looked inside the kitchen and couldn't find any
clues. But that reminds me: Hina, did you really see Sayaka steal a knife from the kitchen?"

Sayaka shivered and whimpered as everyone drew their attention to her.

"Uh, yeah," Hina replied. "I have an alibi, remember? You can confirm my alibi with Sakura. She's
with me last night before she took the knife and the sword from Sayaka and Makoto respectively."

"Oh yeah?" Kiyotaka asked, looking at Hina with a suspecting gaze. "Then explain this! Here,
come with me into the kitchen." He then walked into the dining hall.

Sayaka felt nervous about entering the kitchen and seeing the evidence that she did stole a knife.
She wanted to stick to the original plan and go back to the crime scene, as uncomfortable as it
sounds. She tried to run away from Hina, only for the athletic girl to grab her by the collar and drag
her into the dining hall. Makoto followed them into the dining hall, wondering what Kiyotaka
wanted him to see.

Day 5 - 9:26 AM
Kitchen, First Floor

The students arrived at the kitchen, where Sayaka had stolen a knife from according to Hina.
Celeste and Hifumi were there as well. Kiyotaka pointed a finger towards the knife rack on the
wall. All the knives are still there.

"What?" Hina said in shock upon seeing that the rack is full.

"See?" Kiyotaka said. "I had a feeling that you were lying about Sayaka stealing a knife from the
kitchen, Hina. When I was preparing breakfast for everyone, I didn't notice a single knife missing!"

Hina was left scratching her head. "I...I don't understand..." she said. "I could've sworn that Sayaka
took a knife from that rack. I saw a missing knife with my own eyes!"

"Perhaps your memory is missing with you," Celeste suggested. "The stress of this killing game
must've warped how you remember things."

Hina shook her head in denial. "No..." she said. "No, I swear. I'm not lying. My memory isn't
messing with me. Sayaka really did stole a knife last night. I saw her walk into the kitchen for a
brief moment before walking right out. When I went back into the kitchen, I saw that a knife had
gone missing!"

"Which one?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Uh...that one?" Hina replied, pointing to the largest knife in the set. "The big one right there. I
could've sworn that Sayaka had stolen that last night."

"Are you sure?" Kiyotaka asked again.

"Uh...Miss Sayaka Maizono?" Hifumi began to ask. "Is it true that you stole the large kitchen knife
last night?"

Sayaka groaned as she hugged herself. It felt so hurtful to confess that she had stolen a knife, even
though everyone already knew that she had planned to commit a murder until her plan was foiled.

"Sayaka..." Makoto said, his voice sounding so drained. "Just...admit it already. We already know
what you did at this point."

Sayaka groaned again as she considered whether or not to confirm that she had stolen a knife. It
took her a while, but with the growing pain in her heart, Sayaka confessed what she did.

"Y-Yes..." Sayaka replied. "I...did stole a knife...from the kitchen. I...took the largest one...I could
find... I'm...so sorry...for all of this..."

Celeste rolled her eyes at Sayaka's apology. "Ugh, it took you long enough," she said.

Hina then jabbed her elbow at Makoto.

"Ow!" Makoto yelped in pain. "Hey! Hina!"

"And you'd better apologize for stealing that sword too, Makoto!" Hina shouted.

"Okay, okay!" Makoto replied. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for all of you to panic. I just wanted a
weapon to defend myself with! That's all!"

"But stealing a sword while nobody's watching?!" Hina replied. "That sounds like highly
suspicious behavior if you ask me!"

"Hina, enough of this," Kiyotaka ordered. "Save the accusations for later. We've got a murder to
investigate."

Hina let out a soft growl at Makoto and Sayaka.

"So, we know that Miss Sayaka Maizono was planning a murder, right?" Hifumi asked. "So
then...who was she originally planning to murder?"

"That's not important right now, Hifumi," Makoto replied as he walked up to the knife rack. "The
more important thing here is that we need to confirm that Sayaka had stolen the largest knife.
Forgive me, Hina, but I need this to compare with the knife at the crime scene." He then took the
largest knife from the rack.

"Hey!" Hina shouted. "Put that back right now, Makoto!"

"I'm sorry, Hina," Makoto apologized. "But we can't afford to risk our lives with incomplete
information. We need to know who killed Dr. Yasuke and what happened. If we get it wrong,
well...you've heard Monokuma."

"But-" Hina tried to say.

"Sayaka, you taught me a valuable lesson," Makoto said. "If we wanted to achieve something, we
must be willing to extreme measures. Even if we don't agree with the actions we have to take, even
if they go against our moral code, as long as the end result is positive, we will take those extreme
measures. I have no idea who was in your motive video, but based on what you've done last night,
you must be willing to do anything to save them and find out their fate."

Sayaka whimpered as she looked back to who she saw in her motive video. Just thinking about
them brought her pain and tears.

Makoto clutched the knife in his hand. "And with that in mind, I must take this knife," he said.

Celeste was impressed by Makoto's brief speech, but she wondered about something. "Is that really
necessary, Makoto?" she asked. "Do you really have to take that knife?"

"Yes, Celeste," Makoto replied. "I had to."

Truth Bullet Acquired: Kitchen Knife Set

Kiyotaka then got an idea. "You know, maybe I should've done this earlier," he said. "I'll just make
a list of the kitchen's equipment. Now that we know that a knife was stolen from this kitchen, I'd
better make sure that it won't happen ever again. Give me a few moments. I need to count
everything in the kitchen."

Kiyotaka pulled out a pocket notebook and began to perform a survey of the kitchen's equipment.
While he's doing that, Hina decided that it's time to go back to the crime scene to look for more
clues. She led Makoto and Sayaka out of the kitchen and dining hall, returning to the crime scene.

Day 5 - 9:35 AM
Sayaka's Room, First Floor

Of course, the trio of students needed to get past Mondo and Sakura first before they could enter
the crime scene. Needless to say, Makoto has some explaining to do regarding the knife he brought
with him.

"What the hell?!" Mondo shouted. "Did you just took another knife?!"

Makoto looked at the knife he brought for a brief moment. "Yes, I did," he bluntly replied.

Sakura gave Makoto a stern look. "You do realize that this is a dangerous thing to do, right?" she
asked. "We're in the middle of an investigation, and you thought that it would be a great idea to
bring along another weapon?"

"I'm not using this to attack anyone, alright?" Makoto explained. "I'm just using this to compare
with the knife in the crime scene. I heard from Sayaka that she took the biggest knife she could
find, so I need to confirm that what she said is right."

"Dude, the knife in the crime scene looked big as hell," Mondo said. "You don't have to bring
another knife to compare it with."
"Well, you never know unless you try," Makoto replied.

Sakura thought about letting Makoto enter the crime scene with the knife for a brief moment. She
then came to a decision. "Alright, I'll let you into the crime scene, Makoto," she said.

Mondo quickly gave a shocked look to Sakura. "What?!" he shouted. "Are you crazy?! You're
telling me that you're okay with letting someone walk around with a knife again?!"

"It might be crazy," Sakura began to reply, "but it looks like Makoto has no intention of using the
knife to harm anyone. At least, for now. We should trust him and let him into the crime scene."

"You serious?" Mondo asked, questioning Sakura's logic.

"I'm serious," Sakura replied. "Let him in."

Mondo is left at a loss for words.

Hina then bowed at Sakura. "Thanks for letting us in, Sakura," she said. "That was...easier than I
expected. Alright, come on in, you two. Let's see what we can find in the crime scene. And don't
you dare stab anyone with that knife! Got it, Makoto?"

Sayaka shrieked upon hearing that reminder again.

"Okay, okay!" Makoto replied in a panic. "I get it! You don't have to remind me again, Hina..."

The trio of students then entered the crime scene.

Sayaka shook nervously as she approached Yasuke's corpse. The murder of the doctor...it happened
right inside her room. She berated herself for not locking the door to her room last night. She had
been planning to swap rooms with Makoto for her murder plan, but that had been foiled, and she
wasn't allowed to exit Makoto's room to lock her door. If she was allowed to lock her door, then
the murder wouldn't have taken place in her room. Of course, who would bring a fight to someone
else's room? Who would think that someone had left their room unlocked last night and decided to
use the unlocked room as the site of the murder? Just thinking about how this murder happened
made Sayaka feel sick.

Kyoko was in the crime scene inspecting the corpse. She dragged her hands across Yasuke's
lifeless body, trying to get every last detail out of it. Looking at Kyoko inspecting the corpse made
Sayaka feel even more sick. That girl is touching corpses without any issues! At least Kyoko is
wearing her gloves...

As Sayaka became lost in her thoughts, Makoto and Hina talked to Kyoko about what she found.

"Hey, Kyoko," Makoto greeted. "Did you find anything on...Dr. Yasuke?" He hesitated upon
seeing what Kyoko was doing to the late Yasuke.

"I did," Kyoko said as she stood up. "I found a lot of things that I didn't catch when I first saw the
body." Her eyes then drifted over to the knife on Makoto's hand. She squinted her eyes, giving
Makoto a suspicious look. "What's with the knife?"

"Oh, this?" Makoto began to explain. "Um...I heard from Sayaka that she took the biggest knife she
found, so I took this knife to see if she's-"

Kyoko felt like Makoto didn't have to explain why he brought another knife with him. She swiped
the knife from Makoto's hand and compared it to the knife that is stabbed into Yasuke's corpse.
"Hey!" Makoto complained. "What are you doing?"

Kyoko ignored Makoto as she looked at the two knives. "Hmm..." she said as she formed her
conclusion. "These two knives look exactly the same. Their sizes are identical, their designs are
identical, and the branding on these knives are identical. The company that makes these knives is a
renowned manufacturer of kitchen supplies. That just confirms it further. The knife that was
stabbed into Yasuke did came from the kitchen."

"Well, duh," Hina said. "We know that already. There's no need to tell us that again."

"At least we know for sure that Sayaka took the knife," Makoto replied.

Kyoko then set the knife down. She grabbed Yasuke's head and turned it around. "There's
something else that I want to show you," she said. She placed a finger on Yasuke's neck. "Did you
see it?"

Hina scratched her head, wondering what Kyoko wants her to see. "Um...what are you trying to
show me?" she asked.

"Take a closer look," Kyoko replied. "Can you see it now?"

Makoto knelt down next to the late Yasuke to take a closer look at his neck. He freaked out upon
seeing what's on Yasuke's neck. "Whoa!" he yelped. "What the heck?!"

Turns out, there is a small hole in Yasuke's neck. Just the sight of it can make some people
nauseous.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Small Hole in Yasuke's Neck

Hina leaned over to look at the hole. "Oh my gosh..." she said in horror. "What could've created
that hole?"

"It must be a small, sharp object," Kyoko replied. "There's nothing else that could've created a hole
that small."

"That looks...painful," Makoto remarked. "I wondered if that's the cause of Yasuke's death..."

Hina gave Makoto a puzzled look. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

Makoto pulled out his E-Handbook to open the Monokuma File. "The Monokuma File doesn't
specify the cause of death," he said. "It only mentions that Yasuke suffered from paralysis and
respiratory failure...whatever that means."

"It means that your lungs fail to bring in oxygen to your body," Kyoko explained, "thus leading to
asphyxiation."

"Ah, so that must be the cause of death," Hina concluded. "The knife was just there to confuse us."

"But that still leaves us with a question," Makoto replied. "What caused Yasuke's lungs to fail?"

"There's no sign that Yasuke was strangled to death," Kyoko said. "So that leaves us with a
substance." She then got an idea. "Hmm...I'm getting an idea on how this murder played out..."

"Huh? You got it?" Hina asked.

Kyoko dismissed her thoughts and stood up. "We'll save that for later," she said. "For now, let's
focus on the other clues."

"Other clues?" Makoto asked. "You mean...the scratches all over the walls?"

Everyone stopped to look around Sayaka's room. They were reminded of how much of a mess they
found this place in just a few hours ago.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Hina said. "It looks like a fight broke out in this room, doesn't it? Maybe
that's what happened?"

"It would be a reasonable assumption..." Kyoko replied, "...if it didn't contradict with what I've
found on Yasuke's body."

Makoto and Hina gave Kyoko a confused look.

"What?" Hina asked.

"You see, if a fight did broke out in this room, then Yasuke would've received some wounds all
over his body," Kyoko began to explain. "However, when I checked his body, I only found bruises
and wounds on his front side. There weren't any bruises on his sides or back."

"Well, maybe you didn't look hard enough," Hina suggested. "After all, it's hard to look at the
undersides of things."

"No, I did check his back," Kyoko replied. "Trust me. There weren't any wounds there. Now,
unless his killer was really precise, there's little chance that all of his wounds would be received at
the front. This is a strange oddity. We'd better keep this in mind."

It's also good to keep in mind the state of this room, Makoto thought. Who knows when it will be
useful.

Truth Bullets Acquired: Signs of a Fight, Wounds on Yasuke's Body

Hina noticed that Sayaka has been rather silent for most of the investigation. "Huh? What's up with
Sayaka?" she asked. "She hasn't said a lot during this investigation."

The students turned their heads towards Sayaka. They found her kneeling near the trash bin. She
looked nauseous and was about to throw up, but was trying her best to keep it all in.

"Sayaka?" Makoto asked. "What are you doing?"

Sayaka reached into the trash bin and pulled out a DVD case. It contains the disk with her motive
video, which reminded everyone about the motive.

"Is that...your video?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka silently nodded her head.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," Hina said. "You...freaked out a lot when you saw your
motive video. I mean, you screamed and bolted out of the A/V Room when Makoto touched you.
Based on what you did after that, I can tell that you really wanted to save whoever you saw on your
motive video. You're willing to commit a murder in order to save your loved ones. The same
applies to you, Makoto."

Makoto glared at Hina with a disapproving look. "...Would you stop saying that I was planning a
murder?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
"Hey, you did steal that sword without anyone knowing about it until I stopped Sayaka's plan,"
Hina replied.

"I just don't want to get into any trouble with anyone..." Makoto explained his actions. "Anyways,
Sayaka, would you tell us who you saw in your motive video?"

Sayaka hung her head down. "I can't..." she said weakly.

"We can talk about the motive videos later when they're relevant," Kyoko said. "It's clear that they
played a huge role in influencing our actions. Once we learned about each other's motive videos,
we will gain a better idea about why someone has taken a certain action."

Truth Bullet Acquired: Motive Videos

Kyoko them remembered something about what Sayaka had said earlier. "By the way," she
continued. "You said something about you forgetting to lock your dorm room last night, correct?"

"Huh...?" Sayaka replied. Then she remembered what she did with her dorm room lock.
"Oh...yeah... I did leave my room unlocked..."

Hina scratched her head in confusion. "How did you manage to leave your door unlocked,
Sayaka?" she asked.

Sayaka gave Hina a bitter look. "...You never let me," she replied.

"I didn't let you lock your door?" Hina replied. "But...couldn't the dorm room just lock themselves
instead? That way, you don't have to lock your door every time you leave. Is that right?"

Makoto remembered a sheet of paper he saw taped to one of the walls when he first got to his dorm
room. "We were reminded to lock our doors when we leave, right?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Hina replied. "But even so, the doors should be able to lock themselves, right?"

"How about we take a look?" Kyoko suggested.

Day 5 - 9:45 AM
Dormitory, First Floor

The students gathered around the door to Makoto's room for a experiment on the door locks. They
need to determine if the doors are able to lock themselves automatically. The results of this
experiment are critical in understanding how the murder played out.

"Alright, Makoto," Kyoko began. "We'll be using your dorm room door to see if they lock
themselves automatically. Make sure that you turn the doorknob every time you close the door. Do
you understand what you have to do?"

Makoto nodded his head. "Of course," he replied.

Hina then wondered about something. "Hold on," she began to say. "Shouldn't we test this on
everyone's doors? I wonder if everyone's door act a little differently."

"There's no need to do that," Kyoko replied. "Every dorm room door is the same, so we don't have
to test every single one of them. Any conclusions we can make from Makoto's door can be applied
to everyone's doors."
"Okay, I think I get it now," Mondo said. "But...why are we using Makoto's room?"

"You'll see..." Kyoko replied. "Alright, try opening your door, Makoto."

Makoto turned the door handle to his room. It doesn't budge.

"Okay," Kyoko said. "Now use your room key."

Makoto pulled out his room key and inserted it into the lock. He twisted the key to unlock the door
and opened it slightly.

"Good," Kyoko said as she nodded her head. "Now, close the door. But don't remove the key just
yet."

Makoto closed the door without twisting the key. He turned the door handle again, and to no one's
surprise, the door handle turned just fine.

"How unsurprising," Kyoko remarked. "Now, try using your E-Handbook."

Makoto put his keys back into his pocket and swapped them for his E-Handbook. He inserted his
E-Handbook into the reader to unlock the door. He turned the door handle and opened the door
again.

"Oh, so the door opens fine again," Hina said. "What's next?"

"Watch what happens when Makoto closes the door this time," Kyoko said.

Makoto closed the door to his room and tried turning the door handle. To everyone's surprise, the
door handle continued to turn.

"What?" Mondo said.

"It still turns unimpeded!" Sakura said.

"So, that means that the doors don't lock themselves at all!" Hina said.

"Interesting result," Kyoko remarked. "But that still leaves us with one more question: what
happens when we insert the E-Handbook into the reader this time?"

Makoto inserted his E-Handbook into the reader once again and tried to turn the door handle. This
time, it wouldn't budge.

Kyoko made her conclusion. "That does it," she said. "The doors don't lock themselves
automatically. In order to lock the doors, we have to either use our room keys like most people, or
we'll use our E-Handbooks on the card readers. Either method works."

"Ah, I see," Hina said. "But then...what's the point of the E-Handbook readers, then? Can't we just
use our room keys all the time?"

"Both locking mechanisms are there as redundant systems in case someone loses their belongings,"
Kyoko concluded. "With these two systems, there is a high chance that someone will retain access
to their dorm room even if they lost their belongings. Personally, I find these card reader systems to
be impractical at best. They are interesting in theory, but when implemented, they just lead to a lot
of complications. The traditional method is there in case the power goes out."

"Will that ever happen, though?" Hina asked in a worried tone.

"I sure hope not..." Makoto replied.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Dormitory Door Locks

"Okay, so we know that Sayaka's room was left unlocked the entire night," Hina said. "I...really
should've let Sayaka lock her room last night. Then we wouldn't have that scene happen in her
room."

Mondo stretched and rubbed the back of his neck. "So, now what?" he asked. "What do we do
next?"

"Actually, there is a reason why I decided to use Makoto's door for the experiment," Kyoko
replied. She turned her eyes towards Makoto. "Makoto, the sword you stole from the trophy
display case was involved in the murder of Yasuke, correct?"

"...You don't have to remind us that," Hina said as she gave Kyoko a glare. "We saw that sword in
the crime scene."

Makoto gave Kyoko a confused look. "Why would you ask me that?" he asked.

"Because...there could be clues in your room," Kyoko replied. "Unlock your door again. I need to
investigate it."

Day 5 - 9:51 AM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

The students entered Makoto's room to look for more clues. The first thing that caught everyone's
attention is the streak of gold on the carpet. Makoto frowned upon seeing the streak of gold.

"Oh...yeah," Makoto said. "I forgot about that..."

"That came from when you dropped that gold sword, didn't it?" Hina asked.

"I think so," Makoto replied.

"Is that a piece of evidence, though?" Mondo asked.

"It's a definite sign that the gold sword was here," Kyoko replied. "But the question is...how did
Makoto get the sword here?"

Everyone then turned their eyes on Makoto.

"Well, Makoto?" Hina said. "Do you have an answer to that?"

Makoto felt uncomfortable about the attention he's getting. He hesitated to give the answer for a
moment. He was about to explain how he got the sword to his room when Kyoko interrupted him.

"I'll take a look around this room," Kyoko said. "There must be something that Makoto used to get
the sword here." She then walked around the room to find a clue.

As Kyoko looked around Makoto's room, the students continue to ask Makoto about what he used
to carry the sword to his room.

"So how did you get the sword here?" Mondo asked.
Makoto grew a sense of dread as he watched Kyoko enter his bathroom. "I think Kyoko is about to
find out..." he said.

Not too long after Makoto said that, everyone heard Kyoko's voice coming from the bathroom.
"Aha! I found it," she announced.

Kyoko exited the bathroom holding a green hoodie, identical to the ones Makoto usually wears.
She placed the hoodie on the bed and everyone walked up to it to have a better look at the hoodie.
As it turns out, there are traces of gold dust on the sleeves of the hoodie.

"Whoa!" Hina gasped. "There's some gold on this hoodie!"

Sakura glanced at Kyoko. "Where did you find this?" she asked.

"I found this in the laundry basket," Kyoko explained.

Mondo gave a puzzled look at Makoto. "Did you use that to carry the sword here?" he asked.

Makoto felt ashamed for thinking about bringing the trophy sword to his room. He just wanted
something he could use to defend himself with, but that ended up landing him into a lot of trouble.
He glanced at Sayaka, who felt ashamed as well for stealing the knife from the kitchen. He wasn't
sure which one of them had the most shame: him or Sayaka. In either case, there is one thing
Makoto has over Sayaka: he's more willing to explain his actions.

"Yeah, I did," Makoto explained. "I had to use something to cover my hands as I carried the sword
stand to my room. I quickly found out that the gold coating on the sword flakes off easily with the
slightest touch. I...may have accidentally brushed my hand against the sword as I was carrying it. I
used my hoodie to cover my hands because...well, what am I supposed to use instead?"

"Gloves?" Kyoko suggested. "There are some disposable gloves in the infirmary."

"Yasuke told me not to bother him while he's using the infirmary," Makoto replied. "I can't just go
there to borrow some gloves."

"What about the handle?" Hina suggested. "Why don't you use that instead?"

"I needed a place to put the sword down," Makoto replied. "I don't want to place that sword on a
table and have gold stains all over it."

"Then why don't you just use your bare hands to carry the stand?" Mondo asked.

"Enough with the questions," Kyoko ordered. "It's clear to me that this killing game is stressing
Makoto out, and stressed people tend to make irrational decisions. Just ask Sayaka. She's clearly
undergoing the most stress out of all of us, and she nearly did something that could've costed her
life. Makoto just wanted to transport a sword without making his hands messy, so he used what he
felt like the easiest option to use."

With that in mind, Hina remembered that her decision to stop Sayaka's murder plan might not be
the most rational thing she could've done. "You know...stopping Sayaka's plan might not be the
smartest thing to do," she said. "I was just...stressed out, alright? I was really worried that one of us
might be planning to commit a murder. Well, at least I did stop one murder plan from happening."
Her mind then went back to the topic of why Makoto decided to use his spare hoodie as makeshift
gloves. "Anyways, couldn't you just clean the gold dust off of your hands if you got some on them?
They're easy to rub off the sword, right? So it must mean that it's easy to clean."
Makoto was left in silence. He had no idea what to say next.

Kyoko sighed upon seeing how long this topic has been dragging on. "Let's just move on..." she
said.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Gold Stained Hoodie

"There is...one more thing that I need to bring up," Kyoko continued. "You know that I check
Yasuke's body thoroughly, right? Well, I tried to look for his belongings, but I can't seem to find
his E-Handbook or room key on him."

"You're saying that someone stole them?" Hina asked. "That sounds great! If we can find whoever
has these items, then we know who killed Yasuke!"

Kyoko shook her head. "Not exactly," she said, disappointing Hina. "A smart person would've
never allowed themselves to be caught holding those objects. They will try their best to hide them
somewhere. Besides, there's no guarantee that whoever has these objects is the killer. The killer
may have given these objects to them in order to frame them."

"Wait, how is the killer able to steal those belongings?" Mondo asked. "Didn't the rules say that
we're not allowed to lend or steal them?"

"The rules only say that we're not allowed to steal or lend our E-Handbooks to or from a *live*
person," Kyoko clarified. "If the owner is dead, then we're free to take their E-Handbooks."

Being reminded of that rule made Sayaka realize something. "Wait...does that mean...?" she asked.

"What is it?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka fell to her knees upon realizing it. "Oh no..." she said. "I...I could've kept my door
locked...and just lend my room key to Makoto!"

Kyoko sighed and shook her head. "That's why you pay close attention to the rules, especially in a
life-or-death situation," she said. "Always, while I didn't find any belongings on Yasuke, I did find
this on him." She pulled out a small key from her pocket and presented it to everyone.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Small Key

"Is that a key?" Hina asked. "What does it unlock?"

"No idea," Kyoko replied. "My best guess is that Yasuke has this key for a reason."

Makoto took a closer look at the small key and wondered something. "Hey, Kyoko?" he began to
ask. "Can I borrow that key?"

Kyoko raised an eyebrow upon hearing that question. "Hmm? What is it, Makoto?" she asked.

"I'm wondering if that key unlocks that cabinet..." Makoto replied.

Kyoko grew a bewildered look on her face. "What?" she said.

Makoto felt like it's time for him to act. "Excuse me for a moment!" he said as he swiped the key
from Kyoko's hand and ran out the door.

Hina was angered when Makoto decided to run away from her. "Hey! Makoto!" she shouted as she
began to chase Makoto. "Get back here! Where do you think you're going?"
Sayaka saw that Makoto is going away and decided to follow him. "W-Wait for me!" she cried as
she got up to her feet and ran out the door.

Kyoko, Mondo, and Sakura had no idea what Makoto was planning to do with the small key, so
they decided to follow him as well.

Day 5 - 10:15 AM
Infirmary, First Floor

Makoto ran all the way back to the infirmary along with several other students. He was on his way
to unlocking the locked cabinet when the rest of the students caught up with him.

"There you are!" Hina shouted. "Makoto, what were you thinking running away from me like that?
You can't just go off on your own!"

"Just give me a moment!" Makoto said as he inserted the small key into the lock. "I almost have
this..."

As Makoto began to unlock the cabinet, Mondo turned his head towards Kyoko to ask her a
question.

"What is he doing?" Mondo asked.

"Looking for clues," Kyoko guessed. "I should've figured out that the small key would unlock
something in the infirmary. Dr. Yasuke had spend a lot of time here. I wouldn't be surprised if
there's something he wants safely secured."

Kiyotaka then ran up to the group in the infirmary to scold them about all the running.

"Hey! What you are doing?" Kiyotaka asked. "Don't you remember that you shouldn't run in the
halls? It's dangerous, and there's no need to be in a rush!"

"Our apologies, Taka," Sakura said. "We were in a hurry."

"In a hurry?" Kiyotaka asked. "There's no need to be in a hurry. We have plenty of time to carry out
this investigation. We can pace ourselves."

Mondo glanced at Kiyotaka. "Dude...we have no idea how much time we have left..." he said.

While this is happening, Makoto managed to unlock the cabinet with the key. "Got it!" he said as
he opened the cabinet. "Looks like this key unlocks the cabinet. That's good to know."

"Now," Makoto continued. "Let's see what's inside this cabinet."

Truth Bullet Updated: Small Key

The students helped Makoto take out most of the medicine bottles found in the newly unlocked
cabinet. They read the labels on the bottles to determine what category of medicine these fall into.

Hina gasped in joy upon seeing what one of the bottles contain. "Protein powder?!" she gasped.
"This is...this is so great! Now I can use this to help build up my muscles! I wonder why a bottle of
protein powder is behind a locked cabinet..."

Kyoko gave Hina a odd look. "Focus, Hina," she said. "We're in the middle of an investigation."
"Oh, right..." Hina said as she placed down a bottle of protein powder.

Kiyotaka gave a confused look at one of the bottles. "What is this?" he asked. "I don't know what it
is. All it says here is that I shouldn't use this in large doses..."

"Side effects include..." Mondo muttered as he read the label on the bottle he's holding. "Gah, I
can't read that much..."

"What are these medicine?" Makoto asked. "I can't even pronounce their names..."

Kyoko studied one of the bottles closely. "Hmm...this medicine is dangerous at even small doses,"
she said. "It appears that this cabinet is full of medicine that are dangerous if used improperly. Now
I get why that cabinet had to be locked. We wouldn't want these medicine to be freely accessible."

Truth Bullet Updated: Locked Cabinet

"I don't get it," Hina said, looking confused after reading so many bottles with confusing labels and
instructions. "How is this have anything to do with the murder?"

As Hina asked that question, Makoto picked up a bottle with something strange on the lid. There's
a small hole punctured on it.

"Hmm?" Makoto said upon seeing the bottle. "This bottle has a hole on the lid..."

"What?" Kiyotaka said in shock.

"Give me that," Kyoko ordered.

Makoto handed the bottle over to Kyoko, who proceeded to study the label.

"Botulinum toxin," Kyoko read. "A.K.A., Botox."

"Botox?" Hina asked. "As in, the cosmetic product?"

"It's not just a cosmetic product," Kyoko replied. "It's also a medicinal product. Botulinum toxin is
one of the most potent toxins known to mankind. Even a nanogram of this toxin would be lethal."

Hina gave Kyoko a confused look. "What's a nanogram?"

"Nanogram..." Kiyotaka said, recalling his metric prefixes. "It contains the prefix 'nano', meaning
billionth. So nanogram means a billionth of a gram."

"Correct," Kyoko replied. "Now, this bottle says that it contains 100 doses. But half of the doses
have already been used up. The hole on the lid looks freshly made, so it means that this bottle was
full."

"What happens if you overdose of botu...botcha..." Mondo began to ask. He struggled with
pronouncing the name of the toxin. "Uh...Botox?"

"The side effects of too much botulinum toxin in the body..." Kyoko began to reply. "It can lead to
a potentially fatal illness called...botulism."

Makoto shook upon hearing that name. "Ugh, hearing that name gives me chills," he said. "What
are the symptoms of...botulism?"

"It's going to take too long to explain for now," Kyoko replied. "I'll save the symptoms for later
when they're relevant."

Oh yeah, that's right, Makoto thought. We probably need to hurry up now. The investigation
started on 8:30 AM this morning. Assuming that we are given two hours to do the investigation...
Well, we don't have much time left to investigate, do we?

Truth Bullet Acquired: Bottle of Botox

"Okay, I think we should wrap things up," Makoto said. "So, does anyone have anything else to
add?"

"I found something in this disposal bin," Sakura said as she presented a bin for disposing medical
waste. Inside the bin was a syringe with some blood on the needle. The size of the needle looked
about as big as the holes found on Yasuke's neck and the bottle of Botox.

"Is that...the weapon used to kill the doctor?" Hina asked.

"Kill?" Kiyotaka asked. "We don't even know how he died. Besides, how do you even kill with a
syringe of all things? Just stab a person with it over and over again?"

"No, it's much more simple than that," Kyoko replied. "You can inject a toxic substance directly
into the victim's bloodstream. Then the substance can wreak havoc on the victim's body, possibly
leading to their deaths. Perhaps that's how Yasuke met his fate..."

Mondo saw how bent the needle was. "Damn," he remarked. "That needle is bent."

"Looks like someone was in a rush to dispose of that syringe..." Sakura replied.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Used Syringe

"Is that all?" Makoto asked. "Is that all the clues we could gather?"

"Hold it!" Kiyotaka said. "I have one more piece of evidence!"

Everyone turned their attention on Kiyotaka.

"What do you have, Taka?" Kyoko asked.

Kiyotaka pulled out his pocketbook and turned to the page where he recorded the kitchen's
inventory. "Here," he said as he handed over his pocketbook to Kyoko. "I was counting up all the
equipment in the kitchen. I found out that there are 20 knives for each size of knives. Well, except
for the largest size, of course. I only counted 18."

Kyoko was puzzled by the names Kiyotaka gave to each knife type. They were all size based.
There was a "Small Knife" label, a "Medium Knife" label, and a "Medium-Large", "Medium-
Small", "Extra Small", and so on. It felt weird having to read through a list with labels like that.

"...You never bothered to measure how long these knives are, correct?" Kyoko asked.

"Do I look like I have a ruler on me?" Kiyotaka replied.

Kyoko sighed. "Well, the exact size of these knives doesn't matter," she said. "The only thing that
matters here is the knife count. As you said earlier, there are 20 knives for each size of knives,
with the exception of the largest size of which only 18 were counted. We've already accounted for
two more of the largest knives: they're both in the crime scene. Which means that in total, there are
20 knives that are of the largest size, just like the rest of the sizes."

"That sounds...reasonable," Hina remarked. "I wonder why we didn't think of doing that earlier. It
would've been way easier for us to notice that a knife had gotten missing."

"I don't think we even thought of doing that in the first place..." Makoto replied.

"Indeed, Makoto," Kiyotaka replied. "We never thought about keeping track of the kitchen's
inventory...until now. Alright, everyone! Listen up! From now on, I will be checking the kitchen's
inventory every day so make sure that no more utensils are stolen from it. With so many knives
available to us in the kitchen, it is inevitable that someone will get the same idea as Sayaka and
steal a knife from the kitchen. If a knife or any utensil ever goes missing, I will notice it and will
try to find out who stole them! Everyone got that?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Sayaka hesitated for a moment before reluctantly
promising to never steal a knife from the kitchen ever again.

"Good!" Kiyotaka said. "And please be sure to remind everyone else about this. Now hand back
my pocketbook, Kyoko."

Kyoko gave back the pocketbook to Kiyotaka.

Truth Bullet Acquired: Kitchen Inventory List

As soon as Kyoko handed the pocketbook back to Kiyotaka, an announcement played across the
school.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Ahem," Monokuma began to announce. "Attention everyone! The time for the Class Trial has
come! All surviving students, please gather at the elevator room. You'll find that room behind the
large red door on the first floor. I'll be seeing you there!"

...

"Looks like our time is up," Kyoko concluded. "We should be going. The Class Trial is about to
start soon."

"Have we really gathered all the evidence?" Hina asked. "I feel like we might have missed a critical
clue..."

"I'm sure that the clues we have right now is enough for us to figure out who the culprit is," Kyoko
replied. "Now, let's meet up with the rest of the students."

The group then exited the infirmary to meet the others in the elevator room.

Day 5 - 10:35 AM
Elevator Room, First Floor

Everyone soon gathered up in the elevator room. Well, most of the surviving students, anyway.
There's still two more students to wait for, those being Toko and Junko.

"What's taking those two girls so long?" Kiyotaka asked as he checked his wristwatch.
"I don't know," Hina replied. "I'm pretty sure I haven't seen those two at all during the entire
investigation."

"Don't forget about Hiro," Sakura added. "I haven't seen him either."

"Oh yeah, him too," Hina said. Then she realized something. "Hey, wait a minute. What were you
doing this entire time, Hiro?"

Yasuhiro was surprised to see someone ask him. "Huh? Me?" he asked. "Why me?!"

"We were wondering what you've been doing while the rest of us are investigating the murder,"
Byakuya replied.

"What have I been doing?" Yasuhiro began to reply. "Well, I pretty much spent the entire
investigation period consulting my crystal ball for answers."

Byakuya glared at Yasuhiro. "You used your crystal ball to find out who the culprit is?" he asked.

"That sounds like the stupidest idea I've ever heard," Natsumi added.

"Hey! It's not stupid!" Yasuhiro shouted. "I've seen the murder happen with my own eyes! I
watched that stupid doctor tried to sneak up on someone from behind, and then WHAM! The
doctor became the one who got stabbed instead!"

Everyone's eyes widened upon hearing Yasuhiro make that claim.

"...Are you sure that's how the murder went?" Kyoko asked, skeptic that what Yasuhiro said was
true.

"Yeah! I'm sure of it!" Yasuhiro replied. "I completely trust what my crystal ball tells me. Its
visions are true 30% of the time, every time!"

...

"That still doesn't make sense," Kyoko replied.

Soon, Junko and Toko met up with the rest of the students in the elevator room.

"Junko! Toko!" Kiyotaka shouted in a scolding tone. "You're late! What took you two so long?!"

"Sorry about that..." Junko replied in between breaths. "I've spent the entire time in my room
mourning over Yasuke. I was...late in noticing that the investigation has ended..."

"I-I spent the entire time in my r-room, too!" Toko added. "A-Although...I could've sworn that I b-
blacked out in the middle of it. When I w-woke up, the investigation was already o-over..."

"So you two have spent the entire time doing nothing to help us solve this murder," Kyoko
concluded. "You two are so useless..."

Shortly after Junko and Toko arrived, Monokuma showed up to greet everyone.

"Ah, you're all here!" Monokuma said. "It took you guys long enough. Alright, everyone! We'll be
hosting the Class Trials in a room right underneath your feet! Just step into that elevator and it'll
take you straight into the courtroom, where your fates will be decided with each murder case. I'll
be seeing you all there soon. Phuhuhu..."
Monokuma then disappeared. Soon, the doors to the elevator open, and everyone began to board it.
The last ones to board are Makoto, Sayaka, and Kyoko. Sayaka grew nervous about boarding the
elevator. She leaned on Makoto and latched onto his arm, shivering as her grip tightened.

Makoto turned his attention to Sayaka. "Huh? Are you scared, Sayaka?" he asked.

Sayaka silently nodded her head.

"Yeah, me too," Makoto said. "To be honest, I'm not sure on how this Class Trial will go. We
know we didn't commit the crime, but will everyone believe us if we tell them that?"

Sayaka let out a soft whimper.

"If you don't confront your fears, you'll never be able to reach the truth," Kyoko said.

Makoto and Sayaka turn their heads towards Kyoko. They had confused looks on their faces.

"...What?" Makoto asked.

"I can tell that you two are scared," Kyoko explained without looking at Makoto and Sayaka.
"You're scared that everyone might think that both of you are the culprit. You two took those
weapons, and they were found at the crime scene. It's going to be difficult trying to convince
everyone that you're innocent with that piece of evidence. It's easy to cave in to the accusations,
easy to admit defeat. But if you do that, then you'll never reach the truth of the case, and everyone
but the true culprit will die." She then turned her head to look behind her. "The fates of everyone
now rests in your hands. It is up to you two to find the truth."

Kyoko's message for Makoto and Sayaka were a bit much for them to swallow. They weren't sure
what to make of this.

Kiyotaka grew annoyed that three students have yet to board the elevator with the rest of the class.
Not only that, but he was also annoyed at Kyoko for wasting everyone's time with a little speech.
"Hey, what's taking you three so long?" he asked. "And what's with all those words, Kyoko? Get on
the elevator right now! You're leaving us waiting!"

Kyoko soon went ahead and boarded the elevator, with Makoto and Sayaka slowing making their
way towards it as well. With every step, their bodies shake with anticipation. Their hearts were
racing as they got closer to the elevator. It didn't help that some of the students were giving them
glares, as if they are still the prime suspects. Soon, they stepped onto the elevator, and the doors
closed behind them. The elevator then began to make its descent.

The ride down to the bottom took a while. There was no music playing in the elevator. It's just the
sound of the elevator moving down the shaft. Feeling bored about the long ride down, some of the
students decided to do something to pass the time.

"...Is this what it feels like to be a death row inmate when their execution finally comes?" Natsumi
asked.

"No, it's more like we're approaching a place where we'll receive our judgment," Celeste replied.

"How long is this damn elevator ride gonna be?" Mondo asked. "It feels like we're being taken to
the gates of hell."

"Be patient," Kyoko replied. "I'm sure we'll be there any second now."
Leon glanced at Sayaka and wondered if she wants to talk to him now. He took one step closer to
her and...Sayaka hid behind Makoto, pulling him away from Leon.

"Hey!" Makoto yelped as he was being pulled.

"Aw, not again, Sayaka!" Leon complained. "I thought that this time, you would want to talk to me
now!"

"Hey, quiet down, everyone!" Kiyotaka ordered. "We're about to be at our destination soon. Just
wait a moment."

Soon, the elevator arrives as its destination. And with a ding of the bell, the elevator doors open up.

Day 5 - Unknown Time

Trial Room, Underground

The courtroom where the Class Trials will be taking place is a large, circular room with a circle of
podiums at the center of it. The large chair is placed near the circle of podiums, facing directly at
the elevator. There are rows of chairs surrounding the main area, but they're all empty.

The courtroom is themed to resemble a hospital room. There are medical beds placed around the
main area, with prop human figures placed on them. Protection screens are placed on the walls,
suggesting that the people participating in the trial are being quarantined from the non-existent
audience.

Monokuma then showed up sitting on the large chair. "Welcome, one and all, to the trial room!" he
greeted. "Please, head to your assigned podium and we'll start the Class Trial shortly."

Everyone soon walked up to their assigned podiums. The students are placed as followed, starting
from the front of Monokuma and going clockwise: the late Yasuke Matsuda, Yasuhiro "Hiro"
Hagakure, Natsumi Kuzuryu, Byakuya Togami, Celestia "Celeste" Ludenburg, Leon Kuwata, Toko
Fukawa, Hifumi Yamada, Makoto Naegi, Sayaka Maizono, Kiyotaka "Taka" Ishimaru, Junko
Enoshima, Sakura Ogami, Kyoko Kirigiri, Mondo Owada, and Aoi "Hina" Asahina. Of course,
since Yasuke was dead, he couldn't participate in the Class Trial. In his place was a portrait of him
that is crossed out with a pair of neurons. This arrangement meant that Makoto was standing right
across from Yasuke's portrait, which felt uncomfortable to him.

The other students noticed Yasuke's portrait as well.

"Hey, what's with that portrait?" Hina asked. "Why is that there?"

Junko shivered upon seeing the portrait of Yasuke. "Ugh..." she said in a cringed tone. "I can't
believe I'm forced to see that face again..."

"Look, Junko," Monokuma said. "I know you're all in a bad mood because your boyfriend is dead,
but that doesn't mean he gets to miss out on the Class Trials! And so in his place will be a portrait
of him, just so that he doesn't have to feel left out of the Class Trials. That goes for all of you, by
the way. If you die, you will be replaced with a memorial, just to remind everyone that you're dead.
As we all know, friendship penetrates even death!"

Hifumi grew a puzzled, and perverted, look on his face. "Penetrates?" he asked.

Monokuma ignored what he said earlier. "Alright, enough talk!" he declared. "We're starting this
Class Trial right now! Please placed your E-Handbooks into the designated slot on the podiums.
Then, we can get this Class Trial started!"

Everyone followed Monokuma's instructions. They placed their E-Handbooks into the empty slot
and it opens up a new screen. With the E-Handbooks in place, it's time for the Class Trial to begin.

Dr. Yasuke Matsuda, the Ultimate Neurologist... He was a rather cold guy to pretty much everyone
but Junko. Even so, his medical skills are valuable to everyone. He was their one chance at saving
a life in case someone got seriously hurt. And now...he's dead with no one to save his life. Who
could've done this? Who could've killed Yasuke and why? How did he die? What were Makoto
and Sayaka's weapons doing in the crime scene? Why was he in Sayaka's room of all places?

All of these questions and more will be answered...in the Class Trial.

Truth Bullets

Monokuma File 1: The victim was Dr. Yasuke Matsuda. The time of death was
approximately 12:00 AM. The body was discovered in the dormitory, specifically in
Sayaka's room. The victim had suffered from respiratory failure and paralysis. Multiple
bruises were detected on his body, and the victim suffered a single stab wound to the
stomach. No traces of poisons or toxins were detected in his body.
Hina's Account: Before the nighttime announcement played last night, Hina and Sakura
were in the dining hall having a snack when Sayaka passed by them and entered the kitchen.
She was soon seen leaving the kitchen shortly afterward. During the clean-up of their plates,
Hina noticed that one of the kitchen knives has gone missing and concluded that Sayaka
must've stolen it. She and Sakura soon confronted Sayaka about the knife, confiscating it
along with Makoto's sword. Hina then spent the night in Makoto's room guarding the door.
Kitchen Knife: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was
stolen by Sayaka from the kitchen, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with
it. It was later found at the crime scene stabbed into Yasuke's stomach.
Replica Sword: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was a
trophy sword won by Natsumi's bodyguard, the Ultimate Swordswoman. The sword is
coated with a thin layer of gold that flaked off upon being touched by something. Even the
slightest touch would transfer some gold over to the other surface. Makoto took this sword
from the trophy display case, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with it. It
was later found at the crime scene near Yasuke's body.
Messy Infirmary: The infirmary was left in a mess. Bottles of medicines were scattered all
over the floor. Their caps were still on. It looks like someone was in a rush to find a
medicine, but couldn't be bothered to place the bottles back where they found them.
Locked Cabinet: The infirmary contains several cabinets filled with various types of
medicines. One of the cabinets was locked, and it requires a small key to unlock it. Inside,
the cabinet contains various types of medicine considered to be dangerous to be freely
accessible.
Kitchen Knife Set: A set of kitchen knifes found in the knife rack. According to Hina,
Sayaka stole the largest knife from the kitchen, so there should be gap at one end of the rack.
However, when Kiyotaka saw the knife rack the following day, another knife had taken its
place.
Signs of a Fight: Sayaka's room was left in a mess overnight. It looks like a fight had broken
out in her room.
Small Hole in Yasuke's Neck: A small hole was found on Yasuke's neck. It appears to have
been made by a thin, sharp object.
Wounds on Yasuke's Body: All of the wounds found on Yasuke's body are on the front
side. There were no wounds to be found on his sides or back.
Motive Videos: Momokuma distributed the motive videos to everyone in an attempt to
manipulate them into murdering each other. Most of the students were shocked by what they
saw, but there were two reactions that are noteworthy. Sayaka panicked upon seeing her
motive video, while Yasuke was completely dismissive towards Junko.
Dormitory Door Locks: The locks on the dormitory doors don't lock themselves
automatically, contrary to what the card reader might suggest. In order to lock a door, a
student must use the correct key or E-Handbook, and the same applies to unlocking a door.
Before Yasuke's body was discovered, Sayaka realized that she hadn't locked her door since
last night...
Gold Stained Hoodie: A copy of Makoto's hoodie that was found in Makoto's laundry
basket. Some gold streaks were found on the sleeves. According to Makoto, he used his
hoodie to transport the replica sword along with its stand without having to fear getting his
hands stained with gold.
Small Key: A small key that was found on Yasuke's body. It unlocks the cabinet containing
dangerous medicines.
Bottle of Botox: One of the items found in the locked cabinet in the infirmary. It contains
botulinum toxin, a highly potent chemical used to treat muscle disorders and skin wrinkles.
A small hole was found on the cap, and some of the substance appears to have been used up.
Used Syringe: Found in the medicinal waste disposal bin. It extracts and injects fluid
through a small needle. Some blood was found on the needle. It appears that the syringe was
hastily disposed of.
Kitchen Inventory List: A list made by Kiyotaka to keep track of the inventory of the
kitchen. According to the list, there are 20 of each size of knives except for the largest size,
of which there are 18. The two large knives had already been accounted for, meaning that
there's a total of 20 knives that are of the largest size.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Class Trial 1)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die

Class Trial Part 1

Dr. Yasuke Matsuda was found dead, and Sayaka became the prime suspect with Makoto being
suspected as the accomplice. Can Makoto dispel these accusations and clear his and Sayaka's
names? And who really killed Yasuke and why? The first Class Trial begins as the reality of the
killing game settles in...

Truth Bullets

Monokuma File 1: The victim was Dr. Yasuke Matsuda. The time of death was
approximately 12:00 AM. The body was discovered in the dormitory, specifically in
Sayaka's room. The victim had suffered from respiratory failure and paralysis. Multiple
bruises were detected on his body, and the victim suffered a single stab wound to the
stomach. No traces of poisons or toxins were detected in his body.
Hina's Account: Before the nighttime announcement played last night, Hina and Sakura
were in the dining hall having a snack when Sayaka passed by them and entered the kitchen.
She was soon seen leaving the kitchen shortly afterward. During the clean-up of their plates,
Hina noticed that one of the kitchen knives has gone missing and concluded that Sayaka
must've stolen it. She and Sakura soon confronted Sayaka about the knife, confiscating it
along with Makoto's sword. Hina then spent the night in Makoto's room guarding the door.
Kitchen Knife: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was
stolen by Sayaka from the kitchen, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with
it. It was later found at the crime scene stabbed into Yasuke's stomach.
Replica Sword: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was a
trophy sword won by Natsumi's bodyguard, the Ultimate Swordswoman. The sword is
coated with a thin layer of gold that flaked off upon being touched by something. Even the
slightest touch would transfer some gold over to the other surface. Makoto took this sword
from the trophy display case, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with it. It
was later found at the crime scene near Yasuke's body.
Messy Infirmary: The infirmary was left in a mess. Bottles of medicines were scattered all
over the floor. Their caps were still on. It looks like someone was in a rush to find a
medicine, but couldn't be bothered to place the bottles back where they found them.
Locked Cabinet: The infirmary contains several cabinets filled with various types of
medicines. One of the cabinets was locked, and it requires a small key to unlock it. Inside,
the cabinet contains various types of medicine considered to be dangerous to be freely
accessible.
Kitchen Knife Set: A set of kitchen knifes found in the knife rack. According to Hina,
Sayaka stole the largest knife from the kitchen, so there should be gap at one end of the rack.
However, when Kiyotaka saw the knife rack the following day, another knife had taken its
place.
Signs of a Fight: Sayaka's room was left in a mess overnight. It looks like a fight had broken
 out in her room.
Small Hole in Yasuke's Neck: A small hole was found on Yasuke's neck. It appears to have
been made by a thin, sharp object.
Wounds on Yasuke's Body: All of the wounds found on Yasuke's body are on the front
side. There were no wounds to be found on his sides or back.
Motive Videos: Momokuma distributed the motive videos to everyone in an attempt to
manipulate them into murdering each other. Most of the students were shocked by what they
saw, but there were two reactions that are noteworthy. Sayaka panicked upon seeing her
motive video, while Yasuke was completely dismissive towards Junko.
Dormitory Door Locks: The locks on the dormitory doors don't lock themselves
automatically, contrary to what the card reader might suggest. In order to lock a door, a
student must use the correct key or E-Handbook, and the same applies to unlocking a door.
Before Yasuke's body was discovered, Sayaka realized that she hadn't locked her door since
last night...
Gold Stained Hoodie: A copy of Makoto's hoodie that was found in Makoto's laundry
basket. Some gold streaks were found on the sleeves. According to Makoto, he used his
hoodie to transport the replica sword along with its stand without having to fear getting his
hands stained with gold.
Small Key: A small key that was found on Yasuke's body. It unlocks the cabinet containing
dangerous medicines.
Bottle of Botox: One of the items found in the locked cabinet in the infirmary. It contains
botulinum toxin, a highly potent chemical used to treat muscle disorders and skin wrinkles.
A small hole was found on the cap, and some of the substance appears to have been used up.
Used Syringe: Found in the medicinal waste disposal bin. It extracts and injects fluid
through a small needle. Some blood was found on the needle. It appears that the syringe was
hastily disposed of.
Kitchen Inventory List: A list made by Kiyotaka to keep track of the inventory of the
kitchen. According to the list, there are 20 of each size of knives except for the largest size,
of which there are 18. The two large knives had already been accounted for, meaning that
there's a total of 20 knives that are of the largest size.

Class Trial 1

IN SESSION

"Welcome, everyone, to the first Class Trial of the killing game," Monokuma greeted. "Before we
begin, how about we remind everyone on how the Class Trials work? During the Class Trials, you
will all present your arguments on who you think the blackened is and how the murder happened.
Once all the discussions are over, we will vote someone out as the blackened. If you get it right,
then the blackened alone will be executed. But if you pick the wrong person or can't reach a
consensus, then everyone but the blackened would be executed. Place your votes carefully,
children, or else your life would become forfeit."

The Class Trial beings with everyone staring at the memorial for the late Yasuke, except for
Sayaka who hung her head down.

"Yasuke..." Junko said with a pained expression on her face.

"Who could've killed him...?" Makoto asked.

"Is the culprit really one of us?" Leon asked.

"Of course!" Monokuma replied. "Who else could've done it? The only ones in this school are you
kids! There's no way to get in and no way to get out. So the culprit has to be one of you!"

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, duh," she said sarcastically. "Thanks for reminding us..."

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Yasuhiro shouted.

Everyone turned their attention towards Yasuhiro, with the exception of Sayaka who's still looking
down.

"Huh? What is it, Hiro?" Hina asked.

"How are we supposed to do this?" Yasuhiro asked. "We're in a trial, right? So that means that we
must need lawyers to get through this. Where's my lawyer? Let me call my lawyer!"

"Calm down," Celeste said. "There's no need for lawyers in this Class Trial."

"What do you mean we don't need lawyers?" Yasuhiro asked.

Celeste smiled and giggled. "I mean, we don't have to hire any lawyers," she explained. "We'll
become our own lawyers. We'll be serving the roles of lawyer and defendant at the same time."

"I'm sensing some serious impartiality issues from this arrangement," Kyoko commented. "This is
definitely not how court trials work in the real world."

"Well, you guys aren't in the real world anymore!" Monokuma said. "You're in my world now! I
get to decide what the laws in my world are! And in my world, it is perfectly acceptable to be both
the lawyer and the defendant at the same time! Don't question it. That's how it works in my world!"

"Bah, enough with the discussions!" Kiyotaka declared. "We don't have time for that nonsense!
Everyone! Close your eyes! Raise your hand if you're the killer!"

No one followed Kiyotaka's orders. No one raise their hand.

"Dude, do you think anyone's dumb enough to fall for that?" Mondo asked, wondering what
Kiyotaka was trying to achieve.

Kiyotaka looked at everyone and saw that no one has raised their hand. "Really? No one?" he
asked. "Come one, the killer has to be one of you! I'm sure of it!"

"Do you really expect anyone to reveal that they are the culprit immediately?" Kyoko asked.

Kiyotaka was left in a stunned silence for a moment. "Fine!" he said. "Guess we're doing this the
hard way then!"

It's about the begin, Makoto thought. Everyone is going to start discussing who they believe the
culprit is. So far, they seem to believe that Sayaka did it. I must...I must defend her with everything
I've got. Every evidence I brought up, the words that I say... I must choose them carefully to get to
the truth of this case. This trial...it isn't just about me, Sayaka, or Yasuke. Everyone's lives is on the
line. If we get this wrong, we all die. Monokuma has told us this several times. Yasuke... I know
that we don't get along well when you were alive, but you don't deserve to die. I will find out who
killed you. I promise.
 Nonstop Debate 1

START

Kiyotaka: Alright, let's review the facts! / The victim of this Dr. Yasuke Matsuda!

Mondo: Dude, do you really have to repeat what we've already know?

Byakuya: The murder took place in Sayaka's room...

Leon: What was he doing there of all places? / What? Did Sayaka invite him into her room?

Toko: T-That dumb doctor... / He had f-fallen into her trap!

Natsumi: He was probably caught by surprise. / I bet he didn't get a chance to resist!

Huh? What she said sounded off. If Yasuke didn't put up a fight, then how did Sayaka's room got
turned into a mess? I'd better speak up before this discussion goes in the wrong direction!

Truth Bullet Used: Signs of a Fight

Weak Point Refute: "he didn't get a chance to resist"

"No, that's wrong!"

BREAK

"Just a second, Natsumi," Makoto said. "Are you sure that Yasuke didn't put up a fight?"

Natsumi gave Makoto a puzzled look. "Huh? What are you saying?" she asked.

"Try to remember what Sayaka's room looked like this morning," Kyoko hinted. "Did you notice
something?"

"Uh, yeah!" Natsumi replied. "It was in a mess. So what? What does that mean?"

"With how much of a mess Sayaka's room was left in," Makoto explained, "I think we can agree
that a fight definitely broke out over there. Yasuke likely put up a fight against his killer. He
managed to last for a while, but in the end, it was him who died."

"So are you saying that he was expecting to see someone?" Natsumi asked. "He wasn't caught by
surprise?"

"I doubt it," Celeste replied. "He was visiting someone else's room, after all. He probably didn't
expect the room's occupant to attack him. Regardless, he didn't go down without putting up a
fight."

"L-Looks like you're the dumb one, yakuza girl!" Toko said mockingly.

Natsumi angrily growled at Toko. "Hey! How dare you call me that!" she shouted.

Leon still as a question about the victim. "Hey, why was that doctor in Sayaka's room of all
places?" he asked. "Did she invited him over to her room? I mean, if she's gonna invite someone,
then it better be me. Right, Sayaka?"
Sayaka looked up and gave Leon a displeased glare.

"Hey, what's with that look, Sayaka?" Leon asked. "Surely, you must secretly like me, right?"

Sayaka said nothing in response.

"Focus, Leon," Kyoko said in a scolding tone. "This isn't the time for side chatter. We've got a
murder to solve, remember."

"But...the site of the murder..." Leon said.

"We can talk about that at a later time," Sakura said. "For now, we should be talking about the
murder weapons next. There were two weapons at the crime scene, correct?"

"Yeah, I can remember," Hina said as she nodded her head. "It's the knife and the sword, the ones
that these two took..."

Everyone turned their attention towards Makoto and Sayaka. So far, it's unclear how involved they
are with the murder of Yasuke. The evidence would suggest otherwise, but some of them felt like
there's still the possibility that they're the culprits. Sayaka shivered upon looking at everyone's
faces. They're all so...cold.

"Hey, don't look at us like that!" Makoto said as he waved his hands. "It's not like we did it."

"Oh yeah?" Leon asked. "Then why is Sayaka giving me cold looks as well?"

Sayaka whimpered as she gave Leon another glare.

Kyoko then did something surprising. "Let's assume that the culprit really is Sayaka," she said,
"with Makoto being her accomplice."

Sayaka was shocked to hear that.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second!" Makoto shouted. "You can't just draw a conclusion just yet!
We barely even started this Class Trial!"

"I'm not making a conclusion," Kyoko replied. "I'm making an assumption. There's a method to
finding the best theories. You test out several alternative theories to see if they logically hold up. If
a theory leads to too many unexplainable issues, then we discard it. We know that Sayaka took the
knife, you took the sword, and both weapons were used in the murder. I'll see if the theory that
Sayaka is the culprit can hold any water."

"Hold water?" Hifumi asked. "How could a theory hold any water? It's not like it's a cup or
anything..."

"I-It's an expression meaning the t-theory can be supported, dummy," Toko explained.

"Hey, don't call me dummy!" Hifumi shouted.

"Well?" Kyoko said. "Shall we test that theory out?"

Makoto can't believe that this Class Trial is starting out with the assumption that he and Sayaka
killed Yasuke together. He felt anxious about this. He turned his head towards Sayaka. She seems
to have a pale look on her face.

I don't know if I'm okay with this, Makoto thought. I'm definitely sure that this theory will fall
apart. I've just got to point these contradictions out...

Nonstop Debate 2

START

Kyoko: Let's assume that Makoto and Sayaka worked together to kill Yasuke. / How would their
murder plan play out?

Byakuya: And just to remind you commoners, / the murder must end with Yasuke getting stabbed.

Leon: Well, to start off... / Sayaka invited Yasuke to her room...

Hina: And the she tried to stab him... / only for him to dodge the attack.

Yasuhiro: And while he is being distracted by Sayaka, / Makoto swooped him to strike him from
behind! / A sword-based sneak attack!

Hina: Hey! How dare you butt into our discussion!

Yasuhiro: What? We're all a part of this discussion, right? / Besides, that vision is what my trusty
crystal ball tells me!

Natsumi: I'd rather not rely on that stupid thing...

It seems reasonable that the murder of Yasuke would play out like that. However, there's one piece
of evidence that shuts it all down.

Truth Bullet Used: Wounds on Yasuke's Body

Weak Point Refute: "strike him from behind"

"No, that's wrong!"

BREAK

"Sure, it seems possible that the murder of Yasuke would play out like that," Makoto said,
"assuming that the culprit is Sayaka while I'm acting as the accomplice. Sayaka distracting Yasuke
while I use my sword to attack from behind seems like a reasonable thing that would happen.
However, the wounds on his body...it doesn't match what would happen if that's the case."

"What?" Yasuhiro gasped. "Are you saying that my crystal ball visions are wrong? How could
they?! They're right 30% of the time, every time! I've done studies, you know!"

"I think I can predict what your apartment smells like, Mr. Hagakure," Hifumi said as he adjusted
his glasses. "Let's see, there's a 60% chance that your apartment reeks of...used gasoline."

"Hey!" Yasuhiro complained. "My apartment smells fine! And I don't even have an apartment!"

Everyone proceeded to ignore Yasuhiro and move on.

"Anyways," Makoto said, continuing on with his explanation, "if I were to attack Yasuke from
behind, then he would've had wounds on his back side. However, all of the wounds were on his
front side."

"Trust me, I checked thoroughly," Kyoko said. "I looked everywhere on Yasuke and couldn't find
any wounds on his back or sides."

"Well, maybe that's because Makoto's a wimpy boy," Leon said. "I mean, look at him! He's so
small! And Mondo's punch sent him flying! There's no way he could wound anyone with a sword!"

"Actually, he could!" Natsumi replied.

"What?" Leon gasped, his jaw dropping from shock. "How?"

"I know from experience that even the weakest of people can inflict wounds with a sword,"
Natsumi explained. "That is, if they can swing it hard enough. That sword at the crime scene... It
may have a dull edge, but it can still deal serious damage even if Makoto uses it. And besides,
knowing that sword, it will still do something even if it doesn't deal any damage."

"Oh yeah?" Toko asked. "And what's t-that?"

Natsumi grew a smug look on her face. "You see, that sword was actually a trophy sword," she
explained. "It's made out of wood with a thin layer of gold on top."

"Wait, so are you saying that sword wasn't entirely made of gold?" Yasuhiro asked. "Dang it! I was
looking forward to selling that sword to pay off my debts! Wait, what about the other trophies,
then? Are they just made out of cheap material and are covered in gold?"

Byakuya groaned when he heard that idea. "Seriously, Hiro?" he asked. "Stealing trophies from a
prestigious school just to pay off your debts? How low could you go?"

Natsumi ignored what Yasuhiro said earlier and moved on. "Anyways, the gold coating on that
sword doesn't stick well to it," she continued to explain. "If that sword even brushes up against
another surface, some of that gold would rub off into the other surface. So you've got to be really
careful with handling that sword. Otherwise, you'll have gold dust everywhere!"

"Okay, I get it," Leon replied. "But what the heck does this have anything to do with the murder?"

"Well, there's something else that I must bring up about Yasuke's body," Kyoko answered. "Not
only were the wounds only found on his front side, but the gold dust markings are also only on his
front side as well. And just to be clear, the places where the gold dust markings showed up are the
same places as where the wounds are. So that definitely means that the replica sword was used to
harm Yasuke before the final blow was dealt."

"Oh, I get it, too," Leon replied. "So that means that Makoto must be attacking Yasuke from the
front. So...where does that leave Sayaka? Did she attack Yasuke from behind or something?"

"Remember, all of the wounds were found on Yasuke's front side," Kyoko reminded, "the side
facing the ceiling. If Sayaka were behind Yasuke while Makoto was attacking him, then she
should've had the opportunity to stab Yauske from behind. But as we saw on his corpse, that isn't
the case."

"Okay, so they simply attacked him from the front," Leon corrected himself.

"If they do that, then they would get in each other's way," Kyoko replied. "It would also put them
at risk of accidentally hurting each other while trying to kill Yasuke."
"Take it from my experience in the yakuza world," Natsumi said. "You do NOT want to attack a
person from the same direction at the same time, especially not in a confined area such as, oh, I
don't know, your own dorm room?"

"Look, I don't care how tempting that idea is," Mondo added. "Ganging up on someone is a risky
thing to do. It could get your friends hurt if you're not careful."

"Plus, if Makoto and Sayaka were to attack from the same direction," Kyoko added, "then Dr.
Yasuke would had a much easier time defending himself against them than if they attacked from
different directions. Remember, we've established that the victim fought back against his murderer.
I can't imagine that he would be killed by two people who kept on getting in each other's way."

"So is that it, then?" Leon asked. "Is there any way that Makoto and Sayaka could've pulled this
murder off?"

Kyoko opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak another word, Yasuhiro
interrupted the discussion.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Yasuhiro shouted. "Wait a second! I have a question!"

Byakuya glared at Yasuhiro with an annoyed look. "What now?" he asked with an annoyed sigh.

"How did these two manage to get their weapons?" Yasuhiro asked. "I mean, they have to
materialize them out of nowhere, right?"

Makoto stared at Yasuhiro with a baffled look on his face. "...What?" he said.

Kyoko gave Yasuhiro a disapproving look. "You do realize that you can't materialize things from
thin air, right?" she asked. "Both weapons that were found at the crime scene had to come from
somewhere. We know that Sayaka stole a knife from the kitchen..."

"...While Makoto stole the sword from the trophy display," Natsumi finished.

"Ah, so they stole their weapons without anyone noticing!" Yasuhiro concluded.

"No, they didn't!" Hina refuted. "At least, Sayaka didn't. There's a reason why I confronted Sayaka
about the knife she stole! If I hadn't saw her stole that knife, I wouldn't have put a stop to her
murder plans!"

"You idiot!" Yasuhiro said as he pointed his finger at Hina. "You must be lying! How could you
come up with stuff like that?"

"...Says the one who keeps on making up statistics," Byakuya muttered.

"I can back Hina's alibi up," Sakura said. "I can confirm that we saw Sayaka enter the kitchen for a
brief moment before walking out. When we entered the kitchen again, we noticed that one of the
knives has gone missing."

Sayaka shivered as she spoke. "I...really should've checked the dining hall...before I tried to steal
that knife..." she said.

"What did you say, Sayaka?" Kiyotaka asked.

"I think she said that she should've made sure nothing was watching her take the knife," Makoto
replied. "I'll blame that on her lapse of judgment. She was really stressed out. She should've been
more like me; be absolutely sure no one was watching me as I carried that sword to my room..."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me..." Yasuhiro said. "How did you manage to get that sword to your room,
Makoto?"

"I can explain!" Makoto replied. He was about to speak up, but Yasuhiro wouldn't let him.

"No, you won't!" Yasuhiro insisted. "You might make up lies to cover up the truth! Here! Allow
me to explain!"

Makoto could feel himself sweating over hearing Yasuhiro's unusual theories. Oh crap, he thought,
preparing himself for a wave of dread and cringe.

Nonstop Debate 3

START

Yasuhiro: I've got this wild theory... / ...that Makoto used his telekinesis to carry the sword!

Byakuya: That sounds like a ridiculous theory. / There's no way you can prove that's true!

Natsumi: So then, how did he carry that sword? / With his bare hands?

Leon: Nah, he just used someone's clothes he stole.

Kiyotaka: No, none of these can be right! / You're all forgetting the simplest answer! / He used
gloves! That's all he used!

Hifumi: There's so many options to choose from! / I wonder which one Mr. Makoto Naegi chose...

I should know how I carried that sword around. I'll make myself look like an idiot if I don't.
Hmm...looks like I have to agree with someone where. Which evidence should I use to support
someone's theory?

Truth Bullet Used: Gold Stained Hoodie

Weak Point Agree: "clothes"

"I agree!"

BREAK

"I think you're onto something, Leon," Makoto replied. "I did use clothes to carry the sword."

"Really? Was I right?" Leon asked, surprised to hear that Makoto agrees with him on something.
"Oh, so *now* you've decided to side with me on something."

"As if he had never sided with you on anything before..." Celeste muttered.

"So, whose clothes did you use to carry that sword?" Leon asked. "Considering how close you two
seem to be, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Sayaka has offered you her own clothes. Come on,
I'm sure you're excited to see her show off some skin to you, Makoto!"

Sayaka gave Leon a disdainful look as she let off a growl.

"Hey! How dare you make that insensitive suggestion, Leon!" Kiyotaka shouted in a scolding tone.
"Saying that a girl would be willing to strip herself in front of a boy is just...unacceptable! That
kind of stuff is intolerable in a school environment!"

Kyoko gave Leon and Kiyotaka a disapproving look. "Focus, you two," she ordered. "We're in the
middle of a discussion here."

Makoto steered the discussion back on track. "...Anyways," he continued, "no, I didn't use anyone's
clothes to carry the sword. I used my own clothes."

Leon was shocked to hear that. "You what?" he asked.

"Our closets are full of spare copies of the clothes we usually wear," Makoto explained. "My closet
has several green hoodies just like the one I'm wearing right now. I used one of my hoodies to wrap
my hands around them so that I can carry the sword without having to worry about my hands
getting stained in gold. I may have accidentally made the sleeves brush up against the sword as I
was carrying it. Oh well. The gold will be washed off after it gets cleaned."

"But...why would you use your own clothes instead of gloves?" Kiyotaka asked. "Kyoko has
gloves! Why don't you ask her to let you borrow some?"

"I'm not willing to give away my gloves to someone," Kyoko replied. "If someone asked me to give
my gloves to them, I would become suspicious of them immediately."

"Okay..." Kiyotaka said. "So what about the gloves from the infirmary? Can he use those instead?"

"Um, sorry if I'm being quiet for most of this Class Trial..." Junko said. "But I'm pretty sure
Yasuke has locked the door to the infirmary after the motive videos were given out. So...no gloves
from there..."

"And what about the bare hands suggestion?" Hifumi asked. "Would that work?"

Makoto felt embarrassed about this, but he felt like he had to bring it up. "Well, I did rub my hand
on that sword when I first took a closer look at it," he said. "That's when I discovered that the gold
coating rubs off easily. I tried to clean my hands of the gold dust but...let's just say that took me a
while to get my hands cleaned. I'm not willing to let my hands be stained with gold again."

"Plus, if Makoto did use his bare hands," Kyoko added, "he wouldn't have left behind evidence that
he used his spare hoodie to cover his hands."

"That settles it, then," Sakura said. "Makoto used his spare hoodie to transport the sword."

After everyone reached that conclusion, Mondo turned to Natsumi with a puzzled look. "By the
way, why did you think that Makoto used his bare hands?" he asked. "Didn't you say that gold
coating rubs off easily and this no one wants to get their hands covered in gold?"

"I was joking!" Natsumi shouted.

"Right, so we have a clear idea on how Makoto got the sword to his room," Kiyotaka said. "Which
leaves us with Sayaka. How did she manage to sneak in a knife?"

"M-Maybe she hid it underneath her skirt," Toko suggested.

Kiyotaka was grossed out by that suggestion. "Gah!" he screamed. "Underneath there?! Why would
anyone hide a weapon underneath someone's skirt? That's disgusting!"
"Nah, I don't think that Sayaka hid her knife there," Leon replied. "Besides, skirts aren't really
known for holding stuff."

"Plus, that knife is pretty big..." Hina said. "I'd imagined that it would be difficult to hide
something that big into that small space."

"Also, that knife would weigh the skirt down," Junko added. "It would cause the part of the skirt
it's on to sway. You would definitely notice that she's hiding something there."

"Well, what about her pocket?" Leon suggested. "That works too, right?"

"Our pockets are only designed to be large enough to hold our E-Handbooks," Junko replied. "That
knife is definitely larger than our E-Handbooks, so you can't hide a knife there too."

"We're running out of options, aren't we?" Kiyotaka asked. "It shouldn't be possible! There's no
place where Sayaka can hide her knife!"

"Not quite," Kyoko said. "There is one place where Sayaka could hide her knife."

"Her clothes?" Leon suggested. "She hid her knife underneath her clothes, right?"

Kyoko gave Leon a disapproving look. "That's too dangerous," she explained. "If she did that, she'll
put herself at risk of cutting herself with the knife. No, she used something else."

"Like what?" Hifumi asked.

Kyoko turned her head towards Makoto, giving him a grin. "You saw Sayaka last night, correct?"
she said.

Makoto pointed a finger to himself. "Me?" he asked.

"Yes, you," Kyoko said. "Tell us: did you notice anything suspicious about her last night?
Anything that's just a little...off? If so, that could give us a clue on where Sayaka was hiding her
knife."

Something suspicious, Makoto thought. What did I saw last night that would make Sayaka
suspicious?

As Makoto began to think about where Sayaka could've hid her knife, Hina raised her voice to try
to talk.

"Hey, I saw Sayaka last night too!" Hina said. "I can-"

"No, Hina," Kyoko said. "This is a question that must be answered by Makoto alone. Let him
figure this out."

Hina groaned in disappointment.

Meanwhile, Makoto dove into his memories to see if he found find any clues that point to where
Sayaka was hiding her knife. Let's see, Makoto thought. What was Sayaka doing last night that
gave away the location of her knife? I wonder...

Logic Ride 1

START
 Question 1: Where was Sayaka holding her hands last night?

A. At her front
B. Behind her back

Question 2: From where did the knife fell from Sayaka?

A. Her back
B. Her skirt

Question 3: Did Sayaka put her hands in front of her hair or behind?

A. In front
B. Behind

Now that I think about it, there's something weird about the way Sayaka was holding her hands last
night. She doesn't normally hold her hands that way. And from my perspective, her arms aren't
obscured by her hair. Also, she was insistent on facing me, making sure that I don't see her back.
Which means...

Answers
1. B / 2. A / 3. A

"I got it!"

BREAK

"I got it!" Makoto shouted. "I know where Sayaka was hiding her knife!"

"What?!" Leon gasped. "Really?"

"I remember now," Makoto began to explain. "Last night, Sayaka placed her hands in an unusual
manner for her. Normally, she held her hands in front of her. Sometimes, she would put one of her
hands behind her, but she'll always have at least one hand in front of her."

Leon rolled his eyes at Makoto's explanation. "Yeah, yeah, big deal," he said sarcastically. "Who
cares about the way someone positions their hands? That doesn't matter."

"It does matter!" Makoto insisted. "Because last night, Sayaka had both of her hands behind her,
and she kept her hands that way until Hina and Sakura confronted her! Therefore, the knife was
hiding right behind Sayaka!"

Kiyotaka was in disbelief by what he's hearing. "What? That's nonsense!" he said. "If Sayaka had
her knife behind her back the whole time, then Hina and Sakura should've seen that knife as she
was leaving the dining hall. They would've confronted her then and took the knife from her!"

"That's when Sayaka used something else to hide her knife," Makoto continued. "She used...her
own hair!"

Mondo was bewildered by that explanation. "Hair?" he asked. "How the hell can you use hair to
hide a knife?"

"Take a look at Sayaka," Kyoko explained, drawing everyone's attention to Sayaka who is
currently hugging herself, shivering in fear. "Do you see how long her hair is? It's long enough to
reach down into her hips. Therefore, from behind, her hair covers her entire back."

"Sayaka placed her hands between her hair and her back," Makoto added. "This means that from
the front, her arms would appear in front of her hair, which I saw last night! She held her knife in
such a way that made it hard to tell that she's holding a knife. No matter what angle you try to look
at her from, you can't tell if she's hiding a knife or not. However...the fact that Sayaka hid her knife
behind her back doesn't matter in the end, because Hina and Sakura already figured out that a knife
went missing and Sayaka had stolen it."

Natsumi then noticed something off about that theory. "Wait, there's multiple knives of the same
size in the kitchen, right?" she asked. "Why didn't Sayaka just replace the knife she stole with a
different one of the same size? That way, those two meatheads wouldn't have figured out that she
had stolen a knife."

Hina felt insulted by what Natsumi called her. "Hey!" she shouted. "Who are you calling a
'meathead'?!"

Sayaka froze in place, unable to respond to Natsumi's question.

Makoto decided to answer in Sayaka's stead. "We didn't know until recently that the kitchen has
multiple knives that are of the same size," he explained. "We just assumed that there's only one
knife that's of each size. If we don't know that there are multiple duplicate knives, we weren't able
to replace a knife with another one of the same size. Therefore, when Sayaka took the knife and
walked away, she left a noticeable gap in the knife rack. That's how Hina and Sakura realized that
Sayaka must've stolen a knife!"

"And so, we're brought back to Sayaka's murder plan," Kyoko said. "With the weapons ready, it's
time for Sayaka to bring her murder plan into motion. First, after stealing the kitchen knife, Sayaka
went to Makoto's room. There, she tricked Makoto into swapping rooms with her."

"We didn't know at the time that we could exchange our room keys," Makoto added. "We just
assumed that we're not allowed to take each other's room keys like with our E-Handbooks. So
Sayaka left her room unlocked for me to-"

"Hold it!"

"What did you say, Makoto?!" Kiyotaka shouted. "Are you saying that Sayaka left her dorm room
unlocked?"

Makoto was shocked by Kiyotaka's sudden interruption. "Uh...Taka?" he said. "What are you
saying?"

"I'm saying that it shouldn't be possible for our dorm rooms to be left unlocked!" Kiyotaka shouted.

"That's not-" Makoto tried to say.

"Don't say another word!" Kiyotaka ordered. "You don't understand a thing on how this school
works!"

I think you're the one who doesn't understand how the dorm room locks work, Makoto thought.
That's right...you weren't there when we tested out the dorm rooms' locks. Well, let me show you
how wrong you are.

Rebuttal Showdown
 Kiyotaka vs. Makoto 1

START

Kiyotaka: Sayaka didn't leave her dorm room unlocked all night. / She tricked us into believing
that it was! / After she got ahead of us, / she used her E-Handbook to unlock her door. / Either that,
or she used her room key. / Sayaka is such an amazing, hard-working idol. / It's possible for her to
feign panic! / So as you can see, / she had us all fooled!

ADVANCE

Makoto: But when we caught up to Sayaka, neither her E-Handbook nor her room key were on her
hands. Furthermore, her panicked reaction looks and feels genuine. What made you believe that
Sayaka had her dorm room locked?

Kiyotaka: Don't you get it? / This school is full of hard-working students! / They would never
make such a simple mistake / such as leaving their rooms unlocked! / Even if they did, / there
would be a system in place to prevent that from happening! / The doors automatically lock upon
being closed! / That must be how the doors work!

If the dorm room doors automatically lock upon closing, then there wouldn't be a reminder for us
to lock our doors, would it? And based on the experiment results, the dorm room locks clearly
don't work that way. I must show him that result and prove that Sayaka's room was left unlocked!

Truth Blade Used: Dormitory Door Locks

Weak Point Cut: "automatically lock"

"I'll cut through your words!"

BREAK

"I understand that you would believe that the dorm room doors lock themselves automatically,"
Makoto said. "After all, there are card readers attached to each door, making it look like the doors
can lock themselves automatically. But when we actually tested them out, we discovered that the
doors aren't about to do that!"

Kiyotaka was shocked by the revelation. "What?!" he gasped. "Seriously?!"

"There's a reason why we're told to lock our dorm room doors whenever we leave," Makoto said.
"It's because the dorm room doors can't lock themselves! We have to lock them manually!"

Kiyotaka was left bewildered by that design decision. "But...why would they be designed like
that?" he asked. "If you're going to use a machine as an alternate method of unlocking the doors,
when why not let them lock themselves automatically?"

"Ahem, allow me to explain why the dorm room doors are like that," Monokuma said. "You see, in
the very unlikely, but possible, scenario that a student has left both their E-Handbook and their
room key in their dorm room, they would be locked out of their room if the doors lock themselves
automatically. It would really suck to be stuck outside of your room, never to return to it. So, I
disabled that function. Oh, and by the way, it's technically not against the rules to exchange your
room keys with each other. But...I would advise against doing that as whoever you gave your room
key too could just throw your room key into an inaccessible place, meaning that you won't have a
backup option in case something happens to your E-Handbook."

"Oh..." Kiyotaka said in realization. "Now I get it. Still, it feels silly to have those locks designed
like that. Why couldn't they just lock themselves automatically..."

Monokuma then cackled at Sayaka's expense. "Oh, Sayaka!" he said. "You're such a fool! You let
your room unlocked the entire night, meaning that anyone can waltz into your room and take all of
your belongings! Not that it matters, since your room has no decorations. But if you have anything
that's important to you in your room, be prepared to say goodbye to it! Your murder plan was so
poorly thought out! I can think of a thousand other ways it could be pulled off better!"

Sayaka blankly stared at the floor, pulling her arms closer together. She was frozen in place, feeling
too crushed by guilt to respond to anything.

"By the way..." Mondo began to ask, turning his gaze over to Hina. "If that blue-haired chick's
room was unlocked the whole night, why didn't you enter her room?"

"I didn't know that Sayaka had left her room unlocked," Hina replied. "I assumed that she's in her
room. I tried ringing the doorbell to get her to come out, but she never answered. That is...until
Makoto walked out of his room with a sword in his hands. Then, Sakura and I discovered where
Sayaka was really at."

"That brings up another point," Kyoko said. "All of this set up leading up to Yasuke's murder
doesn't matter."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing that the entire discussion up to this point was useless.

"Whaaat?!" Yasuhiro gasped. "What do you mean none of that matters?"

"Since Hina and Sakura intercepted Sayaka before she could carry out her murder plan," Kyoko
explained, "there is simply no way Sayaka could commit murder and get away with it. Too many
people knew about her murder plan at that point. Therefore, Sayaka couldn't possibly be the
culprit."

"Also, I took away Sayaka's weapon," Sakura added. "And also Makoto's. Both of them were
completely disarmed. They weren't able to harm anyone."

"That also means...Makoto can't be the accomplice either," Kyoko concluded.

"So wait...what the hell are we even doing, then?" Natsumi asked in bewilderment "We've spend
all this time discussing who the culprit could be, and all we got was nothing?!"

"You know, somethings running into dead ends can be a good thing," Hifumi said. "If you keep
running into dead ends, then it means that you should backtrack and try something else. Trust me,
if you write yourself into a corner, maybe reconsider what you're writing and rewrite the entire
section. I know that I've run into that issue plenty of times."

"I agree with that notion," Kyoko said, nodding her head in agreement. "Now that we know that
Sayaka couldn't have committed the murder, we should try approaching this problem from a
different perspective."

"Like what?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Instead of asking us if Sayaka could have committed the murder," Kyoko said, "we should be
asking who had access to the weapons at the time of Yasuke's murder."
Yasuhiro then thought about the person who is able to use both the knife and the sword at the time
of Yasuke's death. "Hmm...the person who had access to both weapons..." he began to say. "At
first, it was Makoto who had the sword and Sayaka who had the knife. However, both of them
were taken away by Sakura. Which means...you're the culprit!" He pointed a finger towards
Sakura.

Sakura was shocked to see that she's the new suspect. "What?!" she gasped.

Hina panicked upon seeing that Sakura is now being accused of killing Yasuke. "Whoa, whoa,
whoa!" she said. "Hiro, what you doing?! You can't just...accuse Sakura of being the culprit!"

"It's true!" Yasuhiro insisted. "Sakura must be the culprit! She used the weapons she took from
Makoto and Sayaka as part of her own murder plan!"

"She did what?!" Hina gasped. Then she quickly shook her head in denial. "No...no, that can't be it!
Sakura may be big and muscular, but she's also a sweetheart! She'll never kill anyone!"

"Have you seen Sayaka?" Yasuhiro asked. "She may be an idol and act cute and pretty. But we just
learned that she tried to hatch a plan to murder someone! No one can be trusted anymore! Everyone
is a suspect!"

Natsumi seemed doubtful that Yasuhiro's accusation is true. "Are you sure you didn't consult your
crystal ball while making that accusation?" she asked. "Because it sure sounds like you did."

"No! Of course not!" Yasuhiro shouted. "It's as clear as day! Sakura had the weapons at the time,
therefore, she must be the culprit!"

Hearing the chaos surrounding the accusation of Sakura as the culprit made Sayaka snap out of it
and began moving again. She looked around the trial room and heard what everyone is saying. She
looked even paler than when she was accused of being the culprit.

"Um..." Sayaka said, feeling anxious at what's going on around her.

Makoto glanced over to Sayaka. He saw that she's responding to stimuli again, which is great.
However, he doesn't feel any better about this situation. He sweated as arguments are being made
for and against the idea of Sakura being the culprit.

I get it, Sayaka, Makoto thought. First, you're being suspected of killing Yasuke, and now Sakura
is. I didn't think of that. I should've figured out that Sakura would do something with our weapons
after the took them away from us. However, I don't think that Sakura is the culprit. I have a feeling
that there's a hole somewhere in Hiro's argument. I just need to wait until it shows up before I can
point it out...

Nonstop Debate 4

START

Yasuhiro: Sakura didn't just take the weapons. / She also stole Sayaka's murder plan! / She took
the weapons from Makoto and Sayaka / and used them in her own murder plan!

Leon: Wait, why would she need weapons to kill someone? / She's the Ultimate Martial Artist. /
Can't she just, you know, punch people to death?

Mondo: Nah, that'll be too obvious. / If we saw fist marks on the body, / we'll know who did it.
Hina: Sakura is a gentle person! / She'll never punch someone to death!

Yasuhiro: You just don't get it, don't you? / That ogre is the one responsible for this. / She's
responsible for every wound on the doctor's body!

Sakura: ...

Could Sakura have done the crime? Maybe. However, there is one injury that simply couldn't be
explained as being caused by a knife or a sword. Once I bring that up, Hiro's entire argument falls
apart.

Truth Bullet Used: Small Hole in Yasuke's Neck

Weak Point Refute: "every wound on the doctor's body"

"That's where you're wrong!"

BREAK

"Hold it, Hiro," Makoto said. "Not every injury on Yasuke's body can be explained by Sakura, or
anyone, using the weapons on him."

Yasuhiro looked at Makoto with a baffled look. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Of
course all of those wounds were caused by those weapons!"

Makoto shook his head in disagreement. "Not every wound, Hiro," he replied. "There is one
wound that can't be caused by either the knife or the sword. Now, I will forgive you if you
overlook this, since it's really hard to spot, but there is a small hole found on Yasuke's neck."

Yasuhiro was shocked to hear about the small hole. "Wait....what?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, that thing," Hina said. "I almost forgot about that small hole. Thanks for reminding me,
Makoto."

Leon was confused about the small hole. "Wait, what does a small hole have to do with anything?"
he asked. "I mean, it's just a small hole, right?"

"Wrong," Kyoko said. "That small hole gives us a clue about what happened to Yasuke. Based on
my analysis, the hole is around 1 millimeter in diameter and penetrates deep into his neck. Such a
wound can't be made by a sword or a knife. You can use the tip of the blade to make a small hole,
but you can't penetrate deep into the skin without creating a huge wound."

"So...what does it mean?" Hifumi asked.

"The existence of that small hole could only mean one thing," Makoto said. "A third weapon was
used to kill Yasuke!"

The students were about to move on into discussing what the third weapon could possibly be. Then
Kiyotaka interrupted the discussion.

"Wait, hold on a minute!" Kiyotaka said. "Something's bothering me!"

Everyone gave Kiyotaka a bewildered look.

"What?" Byakuya asked. "Can't you see that we're in the middle of a discussion?"
"I feel like there's something that needs to be cleared up," Kiyotaka said. "Who was Sayaka
planning to kill?"

Makoto was puzzled by Kiyotaka's question. "Seriously?" he asked. "You're asking us that
question?"

"Whoever Sayaka was planning to kill doesn't matter anymore," Kyoko said. "We've moving on
from that."

"No!" Kiyotaka insisted. "I need an answer! If Sayaka's murder plan had gone through as she
intended, who would she kill?"

"Hey, you're dragging down the entire discussion, dummy," Natsumi complained. "Just drop it and
move on!"

Sayaka listened to everyone as they argued over if they should stop to ask the burning question or
try to push the discussion forward. She recalled what she was planning to do last night, until Hina
and Sakura came in and took away her knife. She had never told anyone about what her plan was.
Thinking about her plan now, she felt too ashamed to want to talk about it anymore. But with the
debate grinding to a screeching halt, the pressure to confess grew too much for her to handle. If she
doesn't reveal her plan, then this debate will never continue. And so, Sayaka decided to reveal her
plan. Not only that, but she decided to also reveal the reason why she chose that person to be her
target.

"It's...Leon..." Sayaka said, trying to hold back her tears.

Everyone stopped talking as they turn their attention towards Sayaka.

"What?" Kiyotaka said.

"Hey, what did you say, Sayaka?" Leon asked. "Was that my name you just said?"

Makoto was stunned by what he heard from Sayaka. "Sayaka?" he asked. "Is...what you
said...actually true?"

Sayaka lifted her head up, pointing her eyes straight towards Leon. Tears poured out of her eyes as
she delivered a rant.

"Leon..." Sayaka began to say. Her voice started with a whisper before raising it to a raged-filled
rant. "How could you?!"

Hearing Sayaka raise her voice made everyone jump.

"Ah, Sayaka!" Leon said. "What the hell?"

"Do you really think you can just waltz into the music industry and succeed immediately?!" Sayaka
shouted.

"That's not-" Leon tried to reply.

"Don't lie to me!" Sayaka shouted. "I know that you wanted to become a musician so badly. So you
discarded your own talent and tried to become one! I will admit, I admire your efforts in
diversifying your skills, but why did you choose me to train you of all people?!"

"Well, you're a successful idol," Leon tried to explain. "I wanted to know the secrets behind your
success so that I can apply them to my music career."

"Do you really want to know my secrets?!" Sayaka said. "Do you even know how much I had to do
to earn my title as the Ultimate Idol?! I had to push my body to its absolute limits, do rehearsals
after rehearsals, and perform concerts after concerts, just to stay ahead of the competition! The idol
industry is a highly competitive place. Very few idol groups ever see any amount of success. I was
lucky that I managed to succeed at all! And then you came in, believing that joining the music
industry would be easy for you!"

Leon was left scratching his head. "Uh...is the wider music industry really like that?" he asked. "As
far as I know, it's all-"

Sayaka didn't let Leon finish his sentence as she continued her rant. "And don't even get me started
on you wanting to hang out with me," she said. "I know exactly what you want from me, Leon.
You may say that you want to hang out with me so that you can get music lessons from me. But
really, you only came to me because you like my body. How dare you treat me like that! Don't you
see that it's dehumanizing to treat me as some...object?!"

"Whoa, there!" Leon said. "That's not true! I don't see you as an object to be desired!"

The other student's couldn't help but facepalm at Leon as he dug himself deeper.

"And don't even get me started on how much trouble I would get into if I'm caught dating you!"
Sayaka continued. "Even if I'm allowed to date someone, I would never risk my career by dating
you! Just by looking at you, I can tell that you want to be a punk rock star. Don't you get it? I'm an
idol! I have a reputation to uphold! If I'm caught dating you, my entire career would be ruined!
Face it, Leon! We're never becoming more than friends! So why don't you just accept the truth
and-"

Kiyotaka decided that he heard enough of Sayaka's rant. He covered Sayaka's mouth and held her
in place. "Sayaka, calm down!" he ordered. "That's enough!"

Sayaka struggled to free herself from Kiyotaka. "Let me go!" she said, her voice muffled from her
mouth being covered up.

The other students were left stunned by the end of Sayaka's rant. Most of them were left speechless.

"What the hell...?" Natsumi uttered. "I've...never seen an idol...that angry before."

"I figured that she would be like that," Celeste remarked. "There's something brewing underneath
that mask of hers."

Makoto reached over to Sayaka and grabbed her by the shoulder. At first, Sayaka jumped upon
being grabbed from both sides. But when she turned to face Makoto, she stopped struggling. She
stared into Makoto's eyes, those forgiving, understanding eyes. It's clear to her that Makoto
understood everything she said and is willing to give her another chance. Makoto had already
learned about the harsh truth of this case, that Sayaka would've used him as her scapegoat. But
after learning who Sayaka was planning to kill, he got a full picture of what's going on inside of her
head. Seeing that Sayaka had calmed down, Kiyotaka let go of her.

Leon was baffled by Sayaka's rant. "Wait, what's going on?" he asked. "What's with that rant?
Sayaka, why did you decide to rant about me?"

Sayaka felt too burdened with guilt to respond, so Makoto explained in her stead.
 "Leon..." Makoto began. "I think...Sayaka hates you."

"She what?!" Leon gasped.

"You should've read the signs, Leon," Kyoko said. "Sayaka doesn't want to talk to you. She sees
you as more of a nuisance than anything else. She kept giving you the cold shoulder every time
you tried to talk to her. You may see this as her playing hard to get, but in reality, she's not into you.
And you just keep getting on her nerves. That's why, when Sayaka formed her murder plan, she
was planning to target you."

Leon was left speechless for a moment.

"Leon..." Makoto began to add. "When Sayaka panicked after seeing her motive video, you tried to
go after her to calm her down. I had a feeling that you might make things worse for her, so I
stopped you. If other people believe that you shouldn't be hanging out with Sayaka, then you
should steer clear of her. I don't know how long Sayaka was planning to kill you, but if she was,
then...I don't want to imagine how badly you trying to calm her down would go..."

It was at this point when Leon finally snapped. He countered Sayaka with a rant of his own.
"Sayaka...you bitch!" he roared. "How could you this to me?! I was willing to believe that you're
not the culprit, that someone so cute would never harm anyone! But now that I know the truth of
what you're planning to do, I'm done trying to hang out with you. You're not longer an idol to me.
You're-"

Celeste hit Leon in the head with her fist, putting his rant to a stop.

"Hey!" Leon shouted. "What the hell?"

"Don't give another rant," Byakuya said in an annoyed tone. "I don't want to hear two of them in a
row."

"So, we've learned about who Sayaka was trying to kill," Kiyotaka said. "What's next?"

"We're going back to the topic we were about to talk about," Kyoko replied. "As we've learned
earlier, a third weapon was used in the murder of Yasuke. That weapon explains the wound on
Yasuke's neck. If we can figure out what that third weapon is, we'll find ourselves closer to the
truth."

The third weapon that was used in the murder of Yasuke... Makoto thought. That weapon created
the small hole in Yasuke's neck. I wonder...what could've created such a wound?

Class Trial 1

INTERMISSION

Chapter End Notes

Hey guys. Sorry that this took so long to make. I got distracted in the middle of writing
this Class Trial. My memory of how I wanted this Class Trial to go is a little fuzzy, so
if the second half of this chapter feels a little different than the first half, now you
know why.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Class Trial 2)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Class Trial Part 2

Truth Bullets

Monokuma File 1: The victim was Dr. Yasuke Matsuda. The time of death was
approximately 12:00 AM. The body was discovered in the dormitory, specifically in
Sayaka's room. The victim had suffered from respiratory failure and paralysis. Multiple
bruises were detected on his body, and the victim suffered a single stab wound to the
stomach. No traces of poisons or toxins were detected in his body.
Hina's Account: Before the nighttime announcement played last night, Hina and Sakura
were in the dining hall having a snack when Sayaka passed by them and entered the kitchen.
She was soon seen leaving the kitchen shortly afterward. During the clean-up of their plates,
Hina noticed that one of the kitchen knives has gone missing and concluded that Sayaka
must've stolen it. She and Sakura soon confronted Sayaka about the knife, confiscating it
along with Makoto's sword. Hina then spent the night in Makoto's room guarding the door.
Kitchen Knife: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was
stolen by Sayaka from the kitchen, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with
it. It was later found at the crime scene stabbed into Yasuke's stomach.
Replica Sword: One of the weapons that was involved in the murder of Yasuke. It was a
trophy sword won by Natsumi's bodyguard, the Ultimate Swordswoman. The sword is
coated with a thin layer of gold that flaked off upon being touched by something. Even the
slightest touch would transfer some gold over to the other surface. Makoto took this sword
from the trophy display case, but it was confiscated by Sakura upon being caught with it. It
was later found at the crime scene near Yasuke's body.
Messy Infirmary: The infirmary was left in a mess. Bottles of medicines were scattered all
over the floor. Their caps were still on. It looks like someone was in a rush to find a
medicine, but couldn't be bothered to place the bottles back where they found them.
Locked Cabinet: The infirmary contains several cabinets filled with various types of
medicines. One of the cabinets was locked, and it requires a small key to unlock it. Inside,
the cabinet contains various types of medicine considered to be dangerous to be freely
accessible.
Kitchen Knife Set: A set of kitchen knifes found in the knife rack. According to Hina,
Sayaka stole the largest knife from the kitchen, so there should be gap at one end of the rack.
However, when Kiyotaka saw the knife rack the following day, another knife had taken its
place.
Signs of a Fight: Sayaka's room was left in a mess overnight. It looks like a fight had broken
out in her room.
Small Hole in Yasuke's Neck: A small hole was found on Yasuke's neck. It appears to have
been made by a thin, sharp object.
Wounds on Yasuke's Body: All of the wounds found on Yasuke's body are on the front
side. There were no wounds to be found on his sides or back.
Motive Videos: Momokuma distributed the motive videos to everyone in an attempt to
manipulate them into murdering each other. Most of the students were shocked by what they
saw, but there were two reactions that are noteworthy. Sayaka panicked upon seeing her
 motive video, while Yasuke was completely dismissive towards Junko.
Dormitory Door Locks: The locks on the dormitory doors don't lock themselves
automatically, contrary to what the card reader might suggest. In order to lock a door, a
student must use the correct key or E-Handbook, and the same applies to unlocking a door.
Before Yasuke's body was discovered, Sayaka realized that she hadn't locked her door since
last night...
Gold Stained Hoodie: A copy of Makoto's hoodie that was found in Makoto's laundry
basket. Some gold streaks were found on the sleeves. According to Makoto, he used his
hoodie to transport the replica sword along with its stand without having to fear getting his
hands stained with gold.
Small Key: A small key that was found on Yasuke's body. It unlocks the cabinet containing
dangerous medicines.
Bottle of Botox: One of the items found in the locked cabinet in the infirmary. It contains
botulinum toxin, a highly potent chemical used to treat muscle disorders and skin wrinkles.
A small hole was found on the cap, and some of the substance appears to have been used up.
Used Syringe: Found in the medicinal waste disposal bin. It extracts and injects fluid
through a small needle. Some blood was found on the needle. It appears that the syringe was
hastily disposed of.
Kitchen Inventory List: A list made by Kiyotaka to keep track of the inventory of the
kitchen. According to the list, there are 20 of each size of knives except for the largest size,
of which there are 18. The two large knives had already been accounted for, meaning that
there's a total of 20 knives that are of the largest size.

Class Trial 1

RESUME

"So...could there be a third weapon that was used to murder Yasuke?" Hina asked.

"It's the only logical explanation," Byakuya replied. "That small hole could not have been made by
either the knife or the sword."

"But what kind of weapon would make such a small wound?" Kiyotaka asked.

The weapon that created the small hole... Makoto thought. It definitely couldn't have been caused
by the knife or the sword. The hole is 1 millimeter in diameter and penetrates deep into Yasuke's
neck. What weapon could've made a wound like that? Think...think... There has to be an answer
here somewhere...

New Hangman's Gambit 1

START

Question: What weapon was used to make the wound on Yasuke's neck?

Hint 1: The wound is 1 mm in diameter, so the weapon has to be around that size.

Hint 2: The hole penetrates deep into Yasuke's neck, so the weapon has to be long and narrow.

ANSWER: NEEDLE
 "I got it!

BREAK

"Could it be...a needle?" Makoto suggested.

The most of the other students were puzzled by Makoto's suggestion.

"Huh?" Kiyotaka asked. "A needle?"

"Ah! Like a sewing needle!" Junko said. "You know, the one used to make clothing? That could be
it!"

"B-But...a sewing needle is too t-thick," Toko said. "It can't create a h-hole that s-small..."

"So...are we wrong, then?" Hina asked. "Could it not be a needle?"

Kyoko shook her head. "Not quite," she said. "You were close, Makoto. The weapon used to create
that hole in Yasuke's neck is definitely a needle. However, the needle is just one part of the
weapon used to kill Yasuke."

Makoto was confused by what Kyoko is talking about. "Just one part of the weapon?" he asked.
"What do you mean?"

"Look through the evidence once again, Makoto," Kyoko replied. "Do you remember seeing
anything with blood on them? And no, the knife stabbed into Yasuke doesn't count. If there's
anything with blood on them, that's definite the weapon involved in Yasuke's murder."

So I was right, Makoto thought. Yasuke was stabbed by a needle to his neck. But it's not just any
needle. The needle used to stab Yasuke was just one part of the weapon that was involved in his
murder. Kyoko told me to look back at all of the evidence I have gathered so far. If there's blood on
any of the evidence that was found outside of the crime scene, then's the weapon that was involved
in his murder. Hmm...I wonder what fits that criteria? Has a needle and has blood on it... What
could that possibly be?

And then it hit him. "Ah! I got it!" Makoto shouted, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"What? What did you find out?" Kiyotaka asked.

"The third weapon that was involved in Yasuke's murder was...a syringe!" Makoto shouted.

"A syringe...?" Yasuhiro asked.

"You mean...the medical tool?!" Natsumi asked, shocked by the revelation.

"During the investigation, we found a used syringe inside the infirmary's medical waste bin,"
Makoto explained. "The needle on that syringe had some blood on it! Which means...it was used to
stab Yasuke in the neck!"

"You're out!"

"Makoto, you stupid, stupid, bastard!" Leon shouted. "How dare you assume that the syringe killed
the doctor?"

Makoto was confused by Leon's counterargument. "Uh...Leon?" he asked. "What are you talking
about? I never said that syringe killed Yasuke."

"But you implied that it did!" Leon countered. "You're so stupid! You're stupid, stupid, stupid! I
refuse to listen to you! You keep on defending that bitch Sayaka even after you learned that she
tried to use you as part of her murder plan!"

Sayaka was left shaking from Leon verbally attacking her. "P-Please...Leon..." she begged.

"Shut your mouth, you bitch!" Leon roared. "I don't wanna listen another word from you!"

"Leon, enough of this nonsense," Byakuya said. "If you have something to say, then say it. Don't
bury it underneath all of this nonsense talk."

"You want my counterargument?!" Leon said. "I'll give you one! Just you wait, Makoto. I'll make
you look like a stupid bastard!"

Rebuttal Showdown 2

Leon vs. Makoto

START

Leon: Why did you say that the syringe killed the doctor? / It's impossible! / The needle is too
small to do any real damage! / There's no way that it could've killed the doctor! / I can't believe
you're so stupid, Makoto. / How dare you overlook such a simple fact!

ADVANCE

Makoto: But I never said anything about the syringe killing Yasuke. I'm just saying that it was
involved in his murder. Just because the syringe didn't deal the killing blow, that doesn't mean that
we can dismiss it!

Leon: So what? / Even if the syringe was used, / it wouldn't matter in the end. / It's clear how the
doctor died. / He was killed by the knife! / The knife that stabbed into his abdomen / was his true
cause of death!

Wait, do we even know Yasuke's cause of death? Throughout this entire debate, we didn't bring up
how Yasuke could've died up until now. We just tried to find out who could've done it. This isn't the
time to be jumping to conclusions. I must remind everyone that we don't know the cause of death!

Truth Blade Used: Monokuma File 1

Weak Point Cut: "killed by the knife"

"I'll cut through your words!"

BREAK

"Wait a second, Leon!" Makoto said. "Are you sure that Yasuke was killed by the knife?"

"Yeah, I'm sure!" Leon insisted. "That knife was stabbed into his body. Therefore, he died from
that!"
"But if you look through the Monokuma File," Makoto said, "you'll find that no causes of death are
listed anywhere. It just lists off a bunch of things that happened to Yasuke at the time of his death."

"Are you kidding?!" Leon said, stubbornly sticking to his beliefs. "Why do we even need to check
that file? We already know how he died, right?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No, we don't," she said.

Leon turned to Kyoko with a baffled look on his face. "Huh? Why not?!" he asked.

"Check the Monokuma File again," Kyoko said. "You'll see that Makoto is right."

Leon blew a raspberry. "Nah, I don't need to!" he said. "I don't need that Monokuma File to figure
out what's going on! Just looking at the corpse will tell me everything!"

Hina looked through the Monokuma File again to verify that Makoto is right. "Uh...not really," she
said. "I don't see a cause of death here..."

"Same with me!" Kiyotaka replied after checking the Monokuma File.

"It doesn't matter how hard you look," Byakuya said. "You'll never find the exact cause of death."

Leon is baffled by what everyone is saying. "Wait...what's going on here?!" he asked. "Why isn't
there a cause of death listed on the Monokuma File?"

"Ahem, allow me to explain how you should interpret the Monokuma Files," Monokuma said. "If
a cause of death is listed, or if it stated how the victim died, then you should take it at face value.
If no cause of death is listed, then it means that the exact way the victim died is unknown. In that
case, do not assume how the victim died."

"Since we don't know Yasuke's exact cause of death," Kyoko said, "we can't assume that he died
from the knife stabbing into his abdomen. We must look at the clues we have to try to find out how
he died."

"So...he didn't die from the knife...?" Leon asked, shocked that his conclusion was wrong.

"And speaking of that knife," Kyoko continued, "there's something else in the crime scene that
makes me doubt that Yasuke died from being stabbed."

"And what's that?" Mondo asked.

"Pay attention to Yasuke's corpse," Kyoko said. "Specifically, look at the way his body is bleeding.
Did you notice anything unusual about it?"

Kiyotaka scratched his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What do you want us to
see?"

"Remember the bloodstains on his body," Kyoko said. "That alone will reveal the truth of how he
died."

Makoto recalled what he saw at the crime scene, keeping in mind the hint Kyoko gave to
everyone. Hmm...the way Yasuke bled... he thought. What about it seems unusual? I mean, what
can be so unusual about the way someone bleeds? There's no way-

And then, it hits him. "Wait a second..." Makoto said in realization. "That's it!"
"Huh? What's it?" Kiyotaka asked.

"I didn't realize it until now," Makoto began to explain, "but thanks to your hint, Kyoko, I was able
to see that the way Yasuke bled does look unusual! Think about it: if Yasuke did die from being
stabbed, then some of his blood would've flowed downward, towards his legs. But looking at his
corpse again, I can see that all of his blood flowed outward, towards his sides!"

Sayaka gasped upon realizing what happened to Yasuke. "Does that mean...that he was
stabbed...while he's...on the floor?" she asked.

"It seems like it," Makoto replied.

"Hold on!" Mondo shouted. "Are ya saying that the doctor was pinned to the floor and then got
stabbed? If that happened, he could've fought back against his killer!"

"If Yasuke's killer did pin him down, then he wouldn't be stabbed in the abdomen," Kyoko
explained. "Instead, his killer would've targeted places where they can reach, such as his face or
neck. And they stand up to access his abdomen, then he would've moved out of the way"

"So...what's going on here?" Natsumi asked. "Why is everything about the corpse feel so...strange?
I don't understand a thing!"

Makoto thought about the strangeness surrounding the entire case. There's only one thing that
could explain everything strange about this case, he thought. Once I figure that out, we'll become
closer to finding the truth of this case. Think...what word can describe the truth of the crime scene?
The answer is around here somewhere...

New Hangman's Gambit 2

START

Question: What is the truth behind the crime scene in Sayaka's room?

Hint 1: The blood from the knife wound flowed outward instead of downward.

Hint 2: Why do all of Yasuke's wounds and bruises are on his front side?

Hint 3: Does the way Yasuke fell to the floor look natural?

ANSWER: FAKED

"I got it!"

BREAK

"That's it!" Makoto exclaimed. "The truth of the crime scene we found in Sayaka's room was that it
was faked!"

Everyone was stunned by the revelation.

"The crime scene was...fabricated?" Byakuya asked.

"What the hell?" Mondo asked. "You're telling me that the crime scene...isn't real?!"
"Looks like we've been fooled all along..." Celeste remarked.

"Wait, what does that mean?!" Leon shouted.

"It means that Sayaka's room isn't where Yasuke died!" Makoto said. "The real culprit made it look
like he was lured to Sayaka's room and was killed there. In reality, he died somewhere else!"

"I had suspected that the crime scene was fake the moment I saw the body," Kyoko said. "After all,
bodies don't typically fall down with their arms stiffly by their sides. And if a fight had broken out
in Sayaka's room, then Yasuke would've been hit from all sides, not just at his front."

Sayaka was shocked by the implications. "So...does that mean...I was framed...?" she asked.

"It definitely looks like it," Kyoko replied. "His killer found out that your room was unlocked, and
so got the idea of moving his corpse there. After all, if a body is found in one of the dorm rooms,
whoever owns that room would immediately become a suspect."

"Couldn't the killer just drag his body into his own room?" Mondo asked. "After all, he's dead.
They're free to take his stuff and hide his body into his own room."

"If the killer simply wanted to obfuscate where Yasuke died, they could've done that," Kyoko
replied. "And if Sayaka had locked her room, that was their only option. However, the killer had a
different plan. They didn't just wanted to obfuscate where Yasuke died. They wanted to frame
Sayaka for their crime!"

"But how did the killer find out that Sayaka's room was unlocked?" Natsumi asked.

"They probably tried out every door to see which one is left unlocked," Makoto said. "Once they
found the unlocked room, they decided to hide Yasuke's body there."

Yasuhiro scratched his head. "Wait, I'm confused," he said. "How exactly did the doctor die?"

"That's a good question, Hiro," Kyoko said. "Let's get into that."

Nonstop Debate 5

START

Kyoko: Regarding the true cause of Yasuke's death... / Since we know that the crime scene was
faked, / we can rule out both the sword and knife / as they were used postmortem.

Byakuya: Which leaves us with the syringe as the murder weapon...

Leon: Hold on! Didn't I tell you guys earlier?! / It's impossible for the syringe to kill anyone! / The
needle is just too small!

Natsumi: Maybe the syringe didn't directly cause his death. / The killer must've injected
something into him!

Toko: O-Or they could extract blood...

Yasuhiro: Nah, that syringe was a red herring. / The knife was the real cause of death!

Kyoko: No. Yasuke must've been stabbed postmortem. / We've already established that.
Byakuya: How dumb can you be...?

What could a syringe do that would lead to Yasuke's death? Looking at the evidence, I can see that
there's another thing with a small hole as well. Perhaps that's the answer...

Truth Bullet Used: Bottle of Botox

Weak Point Agree: "injected something"

"I agree with that!"

BREAK

"You're onto something, Natsumi!" Makoto said. "Something was injected into Yasuke that caused
his death!"

Natsumi was surprised that she got something right. "What? Really?" she asked. "What do you
mean?"

"During the investigation, we found a bottle with a hole on its lid," Makoto explained. "Looking at
hole closely, it looks like it's the same size as the hole found on Yasuke's neck. That implies that
the same syringe was used in both instances."

"What does that bottle contain, by the way?" Hifumi asked.

"Botulinum toxin," Kyoko said. "Also known as Botox. It's among the most potent toxins known
to mankind. Even a nanogram would cause serious damage to the nervous system, possibly leading
to death."

"What does botulinum toxin do when it's injected into the body?" Byakuya asked.

"Botulinum toxin blocks the release of neurotransmitters," Kyoko explained. "These

neurotransmitters link the nervous system with the muscular system. Now, our muscles don't move
on their own. They need a signal from the brain to tell them to move. A neurotransmitter's job is to
relay those signals to the muscles so that they can move. But if something prevents these signals
from being relayed, those muscles would be left unable to move. In most medical cases, botulinum
toxin is used to treat overactive muscles and other muscle disorders. And in most cosmetic cases,
the toxin is used to reduce facial wrinkles. However...if too much botulinum toxin is injected into
the body, then it could lead to a disease called botulism."

"Wow, I'm impressed that you know so much about...whatever that thing is called," Natsumi
remarked. "What are you? Some sort of doctor?"

Hearing about the toxin again reminded Mondo of something. "Hey, weren't you going to explain
the symptoms of...whatever that is," he said.

"Botulism," Kyoko said. "It's a potentially fatal disease cause by an overdose of botulinum toxin.
Symptoms include weakness, blurred vision, fatigue, and difficulties speaking. Normally, the
disease doesn't affect a person's consciousness. A person can remain awake while suffering the
effects of botulism. However, in severe cases, botulism will indirectly lead to someone blacking
out and dying. You see, our breaths are controlled by muscles in our respiratory system. If those
muscles become paralyzed for any reason, such as botulinum toxin preventing signals from the
brain from reaching those muscles, it could lead to respiratory failure. And based on the
Monokuma File, that's exactly what happened to Yasuke."
Makoto thought about what he saw on the Monokuma File and realized Yasuke's true cause of
death. "Now that I think about it, that might be how Yasuke died," he said. "If that toxin prevented
him from breathing, then he would've died from oxygen starvation!"

Leon is puzzled by the term Makoto brought up. "What the hell is oxygen starvation?" he asked.
"You can't starve to death from a lack of oxygen."

"Actually, you can," Kyoko replied. "It's called suffocation."

"Don't forget about drowning," Hina added. "My swimming teachers advised us to not stay
underwater for too long. Otherwise, you'll run out of oxygen and drown. From what I've heard, you
can survive without oxygen for only a few minutes at best."

"So the killer injected that...Botox stuff into his body," Mondo said, "which stopped his lungs from
breathing, which led to his death."

"That's a reasonable sequence of events," Kyoko remarked.

Kiyotaka then noticed something wrong with the theory that botulinum toxin led to Yasuke's
death. "Wait a second!" he said. "Hold up! How dare you say things that clearly contradict what
the Monokuma File said?!"

Everyone turned to Kiyotaka with a puzzled look on their faces.

"What's the matter, Taka?" Makoto asked. "What do have to say?"

"You guys claim that botulinum toxin was the cause of Yasuke's death?" Kiyotaka questioned.
"How could that be? The Monokuma File clearly states that no traces of toxins were found in his
body!"

"Don't you remember what you said during the investigation?" Kyoko asked. "A nanogram means
a billionth of a gram. It's tiny amount."

"Even so, that toxin should've been detected in his body, right?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Ahem, allow my to explain how my Super Advanced Toxin Detection Machine (Patent Pending)
works!" Monokuma said. "This advanced piece of technology allows me to detect any toxins that
were found within a dead person's body! All I need is a small sample of their blood and then I can
run the tests to see if something toxic was used within their murder! That said, my Super Advanced
Toxin Detection Machine (Patent Pending) is a tad inaccurate. It can't detect things if they are, oh I
don't know, less than a microgram in mass. Still, it is a useful machine, don't you think?"

"So it can't detect things if they're less than a microgram in mass," Kyoko said. "A microgram is a
millionth of a gram, and botulinum toxin is lethal on the order of nanograms, which are a billionth
of a gram. It's possible that Yasuke was injected with enough toxin to kill him while also avoiding
detection by the machine."

"Oh...I get it..." Kiyotaka said, nodding as he understood what Kyoko is saying. But then another
thought hits him. "So wait...where did the culprit get that toxin? How did the culprit managed to
get their hands on the toxin?"

Makoto gave Kiyotaka's questions some thought. Hmm...where could the culprit have gotten the
toxin, he thought. We found a bottle of Botox in the cabinet of the infirmary. That cabinet contains
lots of dangerous substances. It's usually locked. You need a key to have access to that cabinet, and
the key was found on Yasuke's body. How was the culprit able to take from the key from Yasuke?
The more Makoto thought about how the culprit got the botulinum toxin, the closer he got to
finding the truth of the case. He felt like he's on the verge of a major revelation, one that will turn
everyone's perception of the case on its head.

Something's definitely off about this, Makoto continued to think. There's no way that the culprit
could've gotten that key from Yasuke. Could they have known that he's carrying that key? I
wonder...have we gotten this wrong the whole time? Think...think... There has to be an answer here
somewhere...

Logic Ride 2

START

Question 1: Who had access to the locked cabinet in the infirmary?

A. Yasuke
B. The culprit
C. Monokuma

Question 2: What was used to extract the Botox?

A. Eyedropper
B. Paintbrush
C. Syringe

Question 3: Who originally had the syringe?

A. The culprit
B. Yasuke
C. A third party

Question 4: How did Yasuke lose the syringe?

A. He threw it away
B. Someone stole it
C. He left it behind

There's only one person who had access to that cabinet, one person who could've used the
botulinum toxin, one person who had access to the syringe, and only one explanation for how the
culprit got their hands on the toxin. That must be it. That must be how his murder went down.

Answers:
1. A / 2. C / 3. B / 4. B

"I got it!"

BREAK

"That must be it!" Makoto shouted upon realizing it.

Hifumi turned his head towards Makoto, giving him a confused look. "Huh?" he said. "What did
you say?"
"There's only one way for the culprit to have gotten their hands on the toxin!" Makoto declared.
"They stole the toxin from Yasuke!"

Some of the students were left scratching their heads.

"Uh...I don't understand what you mean by that," Natsumi said. "What? Are you saying that the
killer stole the bottle of...whatever from that cabinet?"

"If that were the case, then the killer had no reason to put it back where they found it," Byakuya
replied. "They could've kept that bottle all to themselves."

Makoto shook his head. "No, I don't mean that the culprit stole the entire bottle," he said. "That's
impossible. What I mean is...that we've been getting this case wrong the entire time!"

Everyone was baffled by what Makoto is saying.

"What the hell?!" Mondo exclaimed. "What are you even saying?!"

"That is crazy talk, Makoto!" Kiyotaka said, pointing a finger towards Makoto. "You can't just say
stuff like that!"

"Actually, that's the truth!" Makoto insisted. "I tried to find an explanation for how the culprit got
the toxin from Yasuke, and in doing so, I made a realization. Yasuke wasn't the victim. He was
originally the culprit!"

Everyone gasped upon hearing that revelation.

"W-What?" Sayaka asked, stunned by what Makoto is saying.

"Whoa! What a twist!" Hifumi hollered. "The victim was originally the culprit all along? Who
could've seen that coming?"

"But why would you think that way, Makoto?" Hina asked.

"It's the only logical explanation I could come up with," Makoto explained. "Think about it. The
bottle of Botox was found in the cabinet in the infirmary, a cabinet only Yasuke had access to with
the key he had. Yasuke is also a doctor. He knew how to handle syringes properly. He used a
syringe to extract the Botox from its bottle. That syringe became his intended murder weapon. He
then attempted to use that syringe on someone to inject them with a lethal dose of Botox."

"But...why Botox...?" Sayaka asked.

"I'm not sure," Makoto replied. "He probably wanted his victim to die a slow death where they die
from their lungs being paralyzed. Anyways, somewhere along the way, Yasuke's plan backfired on
him. His would-be victim took the syringe he was holding and used it on him instead, thus
swapping the roles of victim and culprit. Yasuke would soon die by his own murder plan."

"Wow! Talk about someone's murder plan ending up backfiring on themselves!" Monokuma said.
"I sure didn't see that coming, or seen it happen like a thousand times before."

"And so, we become one step closer to finding the truth of this case," Kyoko said. "Now that we
know that Yasuke was the original culprit, we can find out who he was originally going to target
was. Whoever he was planning to kill, that person is the true culprit of this case."

"Alright, everyone!" Makoto said. "We're almost there! We just need everyone's account of what
they did last night. Then, we can-"

"It was me."

Makoto was stunned into silence when he heard the confession. "Huh?" he said in confusion.

"What's going on?" Kiyotaka asked. "Who said that?"

"You heard me. I did it."

"Uh...what the hell was that?" Mondo asked. "Whose voice did I just hear?"

"I'm saying it right now. I'm the culprit you've all been looking for."

It was at this moment when everyone made a collective realization. Slowly, they turn their heads
towards the source of the voice. They saw Junko Enoshima hanging her head low, as if she's
confessing something.

Sayaka gasped in horror upon seeing who the culprit of the case is. "Junko...?" she asked.
"You're...the culprit...?"

"Of course I am," Junko replied. "Is there any doubt about it?"

"Wait, this doesn't make any sense!" Leon shouted. "How come you're the culprit?! Are you
lying?!"

"Calm down, Leon," Kyoko ordered. "Let Junko explain."

Junko nodded her head as she explained her account of what happened last night. "So...last night,"
she began. "I was in my room trying to get some sleep for the night when suddenly, I heard my
doorbell ring. I don't know who's at my door, so I cautiously answered it. To my surprise, it was
my boyfriend Yasuke. I thought that he had abandoned me after watching those motive videos. I
was so relieved that he came to talk to me again. Or at least...I thought he was going to do that.
Then, he pulled out a syringe from his pocket, took off its cap, and lunged at me. I was frightened.
I thought that I was going to be killed. My survival instincts kicked in. I fought back and took the
syringe right from his hands. And then...I jabbed that syringe straight into his neck."

"You poor thing..." Hina said.

"Did you know what's in that syringe?" Natsumi asked.

"I didn't know," Junko replied. "Shortly after I jabbed the syringe into his neck, Yasuke...froze in
place. I was stunned. I couldn't believe what I had just done. My own boyfriend...was killed by me.
I pulled myself away from and he just...fell to the floor. I tried shaking his body, trying to find out
what's wrong with him. But I just couldn't find out. I was so ashamed of what I had done that I ran
out of my room..."

"Oh no..." Sayaka said in shock.

"Did you try asking Yasuke anything?" Makoto asked. "Did he respond?"

"I tried speaking to him, but he wouldn't respond," Junko replied. "In fact, it was like he's
completely unable to say anything..."

"Normally, the effects of botulinum toxin is limited to the injection site," Kyoko explained. "A
typical dose of the toxin is small enough that it would not cause any complications. But since
Yasuke was injected with an extremely high amount of the toxin, the effects of botulinum toxin
was able spread across his body. And since the toxin was injected directly into his bloodstream, it
was able to be distributed all around his body in a short time. The toxin wrecked havoc on his body
as it stopped signals from getting to his muscles and internal organs, causing his body to shut
down. If Yasuke doesn't receive immediate medical care, he will die. And in this case, we were far
too late to save him."

And then, another shocking thing happened.

"I must also confess something," Sakura said.

Hina gasped when Sakura said that. "Huh?!" she said. "You too, Sakura?!"

Sakura nodded her head. "Yes," she replied. "The truth is, I encountered Junko as she was exiting
her room. She was in a panic, as if she did something she deeply regrets. She led me to her room,
where I found Yasuke's body."

"Was he dead back then?" Byakuya asked.

Makoto gave Byakuya's question some thought. Hmm...in order for Sakura to have encountered
Junko, she must've done so while they're both in the dormitory hallway, he thought. Yasuke's listed
time of death on the Monokuma File is 12:00 AM, two hours after the nighttime announcement. If I
recall correctly, Sakura left my room shortly after taking the weapons from me and Sayaka, and
that happened shortly after the nighttime announcement. Which means...

"No, Yasuke wasn't dead yet when Sakura found his body," Makoto answered. "He was still alive,
but he was just hours from dying."

"How could you tell?" Byakuya asked.

"Sakura left my room after she took the sword and the knife from me and Sayaka respectively,"
Makoto explained. "Hina and Sakura's confrontation with Sayaka occurred just after the nighttime
announcement played. Since she encountered Junko shortly after leaving my room and Junko left
hers shortly after injecting botulinum toxin into Yasuke, it means that Junko's brief fight against
Yasuke must've happened while Hina and Sakura are confronting Sayaka about the knife she took
from the kitchen."

"So...a murder was happening close to where I am..." Hina said in horror.

Yasuhiro then spotted something wrong about the theory. "Wait, something's not right!" he said.
"If both events happened at around the same time, then why didn't Hina and Sakura spotted that
doctor walking towards Junko's room? I mean, Junko's room and Sayaka's room are close to each
other, right? Why didn't those two girls see him at all?"

Makoto thought about it for a moment before giving his answer. "Yasuke was probably on his way
to Junko's room while Hina and Sakura were waiting in front of Sayaka's room," he said. "Once he
saw that Hina and Sakura were near his destination, he hid somewhere to evade their sights."

"But where would he hide?" Yasuhiro asked. "It's a hallway! There's no place you can hide in
there?"

"Actually, you can use corners as a hiding place," Makoto replied. "Yasuke's room is all the way
up there near the trash room. His route to Junko's room would've taken him around a corner. After
seeing Hina and Sakura in the hallway, he knew that he couldn't get to his destination without
drawing their attention. He knew that if he was caught, his plan is done for. So, he hid at the corner
and waited for both girls to leave the hallway. Once he saw that both girls had entered my room,
that's when he made his move. He went to Junko's room as fast as he could before Hina and Sakura
could leave my room. And from there...you all knew what happened, so I won't mention it again."

"By the way, Hina..." Kyoko said. "How long was that confrontation with Sayaka?"

"Oh, I don't know," Hina began to reply. "Like...it was probably a minute long at most."

"One minute, huh?" Kyoko said, making sure to keep that time in mind. She then turned her head
towards Junko. "And Junko, how long was that fight against Yasuke?"

"Uh...it probably wasn't that long..." Junko said. "The whole fight consisted of him lunging at me,
him raising his arm up, me grabbing the syringe from his hand, and me jabbing that syringe into
his neck. If I had to guess, it was probably less than a minute long."

"I see..." Kyoko said. "So the confrontation with Sayaka lasted about a minute, while the fight
against Yasuke lasted less than that. I see enough time for Yasuke to walk up to your door, and for
you to regret your actions."

"Junko, what did you do after showing Sakura what you did?" Byakuya asked.

"Well, after I showed Yasuke's body, I asked Sakura to help me find a cure for Yasuke's
condition," Junko explained. "We went to the infirmary to look for something, anything that could
save Yasuke's life. But we never found a cure. We didn't clean up after ourselves, so...we left
behind clear evidence."

"Evidence like...the mess in the infirmary?" Makoto asked.

Junko nodded her head. "Yes," she said.

"What about that syringe?" Kiyotaka asked. "Did you dispose of it while you were looking for a
cure?"

"I did," Junko replied. "I took the syringe with me to get rid of the evidence. I...kind of, sort of,
slammed the syringe into the medical waste bin."

"After failing to find a cure, we went back to Junko's room to check on Yasuke," Sakura continued.
"We stood there watching Yasuke waste away...until he passed away from suffocation."

Hina was left in tears after hearing that story. "Oh Sakura..." she said. "I...I can't believe...that you
watched someone die...before your eyes..."

Kiyotaka then realized what Sakura watching Yasuke die meant. "Wait a second..." he began to
say. "Sakura, if you watched Yasuke die, then that means you're the first person other than the
culprit who saw the body! In that case, we should've heard an announcement stating that a body
has been discovered in the middle of the night! So...why didn't we hear such an announcement back
then?"

"Ahem, allow me to explain how the body discovery announcement works," Monokuma said. "In
order for the body discovery announcement to play, at least half of the surviving students who
aren't the blackened must set their eyes on a dead body. That's all you need to know about the body
discovery announcement!"

"You know, you could've just explained all of this to us earlier instead of delaying it until it's too
late," Natsumi said.
Kyoko thought about the criteria needed for the body discovery announcement to begin playing.
"Hmm...at least half of the surviving students must see a dead body before an announcement could
play," she said. "Let's see...we stared out with 16 students. One of them died, so we're down to 15,
and one more student committed the crime, so we're down to 14. That means that we need at least
seven people to see the dead body before the body discovery announcement could play."

"There were seven people in our group when we discovered Yasuke's dead body," Makoto added.
"Those people were me, Sayaka, Kyoko, Taka, Leon, Hina, and Sakura. However, Sakura had
already seen Yasuke's dead body earlier, so we just need six more people to discover the body
before the body discovery announcement could play."

"And it just so happens that we had just enough people in our group to fulfill that criteria," Kyoko
said. "Thus, when we all set out eyes on Yasuke's corpse, the body discovery announcement began
to play. Now, back to the topic at hand..."

Junko nodded as she continued her testimony. "So, after I watched Yasuke die," she continued, "I
noticed that Sakura was holding two weapons in her hand. I asked her where she got them from.
She told me that she took them away from Makoto and Sayaka. That's when I got an idea. I decided
to make it look like they did it, to frame them for my crime. I checked every dorm room too see
which one I can use. I discovered that Sayaka's room was left unlocked, so I decided to fake a
crime scene there. And...you knew how the rest went..."

Sayaka was left in tears. "Junko..." she said, whimpering as she learned what Junko did to her room.

Junko turned to Sayaka. "I know, Sayaka," she said. "I'm so sorry for using your room. I'm so sorry
for framing you and Makoto for my crime. But...I felt like I had to do it. I wanted to clear myself of
any suspicion. But...I guess there's no running away from the truth now."

Sayaka sobbed as she felt like she's being used as part of someone else's crime. It made her feel
even worse for nearly doing the same thing to Makoto. She threw herself into Makoto, crying into
his chest. Makoto patted Sayaka on the back to help her calm down.

"Well, that was an interesting trial," Kyoko said. "Looks like we have everything we need to go
over what happened in this case. Shall we begin?"

Makoto nodded his head. "Right," he replied.

Makoto then began to do a recap of the entire case from start to finish. But before that could
happen, he pushed Sayaka back to her podium and let her wipe away her tears. Then, he started his
closing argument.

"So, here's everything that happened in this case," Makoto began. "The case began last night. I was
at the trophy display case in the Athletics Hallway, having my eye on a specific weapon. That
weapon was the gold-coated trophy sword. Due to the motive videos Monokuma had given us, I
became concerned that-"

"We're not done yet," Leon said, interrupting Makoto's recap of the entire case.

"What?" Makoto said.

Kyoko turned her head towards Leon, wondering what he's planning to do. "Leon...what are you
doing?" she asked. "We're done with this case. There's no need to-"

"SHUT UP!" Leon roared.

Everyone jumped when Leon roared out his rage.

"Oh no..." Byakuya muttered in disgust. "Have you learned nothing?!"

"Leon, stop it," Kyoko ordered. "This case is over! The culprit has been-"

"It's not over yet!" Leon declared. "There's still the possibility that bitch Sayaka could the culprit!"

"Me...?" Sayaka said in horror. The shock from the continued accusation made her drop to her
knees.

"Dude, what the hell?!" Mondo shouted. "Why are you still attacking that Sayaka chick?!"

"It's because she could be the culprit!" Leon insisted. "Everything that Junko said must be a lie!
She's tricking us into believing that she's the culprit to cover up for Sayaka's crimes!"

"But...that doesn't make sense!" Makoto shouted. "We've already established that there's no way
Sayaka could be the culprit. We already have proof that she couldn't have done it!"

"So what?!" Leon shouted. "There's still a chance that bitch Sayaka could've pulled it off! You hear
me?!"

Leon is getting stubborn, Makoto thought. He still believes that Sayaka committed the crime, that
she killed Yasuke, even though all the evidence points to otherwise. Well, looks like I'm going to
have to show you the definite proof that Sayaka couldn't have done it! It doesn't matter if Sayaka
had her weapons. All she needs is access to the crime scene at the time of Yasuke's death. And
based on that one piece of evidence, she didn't have access to her own room when Yasuke died!

Argument Armament

Vs. Leon

START

"Shut up!"

"You bastard!"

"Why do you still believe in Sayaka?!"

"She was planning to kill me!"

"Don't you get it, you lucky bastard?"

"Everyone here is a monster!'

"You can't trust anyone!"

"Junko must by lying!"

"She's only claiming to be the culprit to cover up Sayaka's crime!"

"Just...shut up already!"

"You're stupid..."
 "All of you are stupid!"

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Moment of Truth

"Sayaka can go to her room and commit her crime there!"

HINA BLOCKED THE DOOR

This is my answer!

"Gaaaaaahhhh!"

BREAK

"Even if Sayaka was able was able to get the weapons used Yasuke's murder," Makoto explained,
"she couldn't access the fake crime scene, her dorm room, because Hina was blocking the door!"

"I told you guys about my account of what happened last night, remember?" Hina said. "I blocked
the door to Makoto's room to prevent him and Sayaka from leaving. There's no way they could've
accessed the fake crime scene."

"So?!" Leon asked, still sounding insistent that Sayaka is the culprit. "You must be sleeping last
night, were you? That means Sayaka must've waited until you fell asleep and then exited Makoto's
room without you noticing!"

"But I had my back to Makoto's dorm room door the entire night," Hina countered. "I slept right in
front of it. If that door were to open up, I would've woken up upon feeling my body move. Either
that, or the door would've been difficult to move with me being in the way."

"Also, look at Sayaka, Leon," Kyoko said. "Does that look like someone who has the kill
someone?"

Everyone drew their attention to Sayaka. She was on her knees, with her hands gripping the railing
of the podium she's on. She's crying nearly uncontrollably.

"Ever since Sakura took away her weapon," Makoto began to explain, "Sayaka was in an awful
mood. I have no idea what's she saw in her motive video, but...from the looks of it, she values the
lives of the people that was in her motive video. She wanted to do whatever it takes to save their
lives, including murder. She came up with her murder plan to try to save them. So when her murder
plan had been foiled, she felt like she lost...everything. Her mood became like this ever since."

Leon was baffled by what Makoto said. "W-What?" he asked. "How...? But she can still..." He was
too frustrated to continue talking.

"It takes a lot of willpower to bring yourself to kill someone," Kyoko explained. "After all, you're
taking away someone's life. Most people will hesitate when presented with the choice to end
someone's life. And when that happens, most people will regret their actions. Sayaka here
exemplifies this. She's simply too weak-willed to being herself to end someone's life."

Leon was left speechless.

"By the way..." Mondo began to ask. "Why did the doctor target the fashion chick? I thought that
they were close friends."

"I can explain that," Junko replied. "So, after we watched those motive videos, Yasuke became
dismissive towards me. He refused to talk to me no matter how hard I tried. I'm not sure what he
saw in his motive video, but...that video must've turned him against me. I think...he was planning
to kill me from that moment onward..."

"Aw...what a sad way for a relationship to end," Monokuma remarked. "It's also a surprisingly
common way for a relationship to end."

"So, that should be it," Kyoko declared. "Everything about this case is cleared up. It's time for the
denouement."

"Don't you mean denouncement?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Y-You should get your ears c-cleaned," Toko said. "She clearly said de-new-man."

Makoto ignored the little tangent. "Everyone!" he said. "Let's go over everything that happened in
this case, starting from the beginning!"

Closing Argument

START

The case began last night. I was at the Athletics Hallway, looking at the trophy display case for a
specific weapon. That weapon was the gold-coated trophy sword. Due to the motive videos
Monokuma had given us, I became concerned that someone might try to kill me. So, I decided to
grab the trophy sword for use in self-defense. However, the gold coating easily rubs off the sword
if it even slightly touches a surface. I don't want to get my hands stained with gold, so I used my
spare hoodie as makeshift gloves to protect my hands as I carried the sword and its stand to my
room.

Meanwhile, Sayaka went to the kitchen, passing by Hina and Sakura along the way. There, she
looked for a specific weapon to be used in her murder plan. She soon found a suitable murder
weapon: a large kitchen knife. It was one of the many large kitchen knifes that can be found in the
kitchen. Sayaka took the large kitchen knife and walked out of the kitchen and the dining hall.
Normally, it would've been difficult for anyone to get away with stealing a kitchen knife. But
thanks to Sayaka's long hair, she was able to hide her knife underneath it, so she got away with
stealing a knife. Or so she thought...

And earlier, Yasuke was in the infirmary preparing his murder weapon. He had locked himself
within the infirmary so that nobody would catch him with his murder weapon. Using his access to
the dangerous substances cabinet and his vast knowledge in neurology, Yasuke extracted an
extremely high dose of botulinum toxin using a syringe. He planned to use the syringe to inject his
victim with a lethal dose of botulinum toxin, thus dooming them to a slow death where their body
would shut down and they will die from respiratory failure.

All three of us had taken our weapons independently of each other. We all planned to use our
weapons to either murder someone or to defend ourselves in case of an attack. But little did we all
know, our weapons will become involved in a tangled up murder case where the truth is buried
underneath a pile of complications. If it weren't for our actions, this case wouldn't have happened.

Soon, nighttime was approaching. After taking the knife from the kitchen, Sayaka immediately
went to my room. She had planned to swap rooms with me so that she can trick a certain someone
into my room, kill them there, and then frame me for her crime. For this reason, she left her room
unlocked so that I can enter it. That would turn out to be a big mistake. I foolishly let her into my
room, not knowing about her murder plan.

Meanwhile, Hina and Sakura went back to the kitchen to clean up their dishes when they noticed
that one of the knives had gone missing. They concluded that since Sayaka was the last person
they saw enter the kitchen, she must be the one who stole the knife. And so, the two girls went to
Sayaka's room to confront her about the knife.

Elsewhere, Yasuke exited his room and made his way to the culprit's room. He had his syringe full
of toxin in his hands, ready to use it against his victim. However, along the way, he encountered
something he didn't expect to see. Hina and Sakura were waiting in front of Sayaka's room for her
to come out. The culprit's room is close to the two girls. There's no way he can go there without
being caught. Yasuke knew that if was caught with the syringe, his plan would be done for. So, he
hid behind the corner and waited for the two girls to go away.

Back in my room, I had foolishly agreed to swap rooms with Sayaka. I went out to go to her room,
not knowing that she had planned to use me as her scapegoat for her murder plan. But that's when it
began to fall apart. Just after leaving my room, I encountered Hina and Sakura. The two girls
spotted me and chased me back into my room. There, they saw that we both have weapons and
concluded that we're planning a murder. Sakura took away our weapons and walked away, leaving
Hina behind to prevent us from leaving my room.

Outside in the hallway, Yasuke saw that Hina and Sakura were gone, but he knew that his window
of opportunity was short. He quickly made his way to the culprit's room and rang the doorbell. The
culprit answered the door, expecting a conversation to mend their relationship. But they were
wrong. Yasuke lunged at them, intending to inject the toxin into their body. In a panic, the culprit
stole the syringe from Yasuke and used it on Yasuke himself. Thus, the roles were swapped.
Yasuke, who was the original culprit, became the victim. And his intended victim became the
culprit. Immediately, the culprit regretted their actions and wished for a way out of the situation
they had out themselves in.

Sakura then exited my room with both my weapon and Sayaka's weapon in her hands. She met up
with the culprit and saw the body. The culprit explained to Sakura what they had done. The culprit
thought that she had injected poison into Yasuke and thought that there would be a cure for it.
They soon searched the infirmary looking for a cure, but no such cure for the disease Yasuke is
undergoing, botulism, was available. The only thing they could do is watch as Yasuke suffocates to
death.

Seeing the weapons that Sakura had confiscated from me and Sayaka, the culprit decided to frame
both of us for their crime. And seeing that Sayaka's room was still unlocked, the culprit decided to
move Yasuke's body there. After doing that, the culprit worked with Sakura to make it look like
Yasuke was actually killed there. And so, a fake crime scene has been created.

That was everything we know about how the crime happened. This case is a tangled, confusing
mess, but we managed to get through it.

So, do you have anything else to say, Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Fashionista?

COMPLETE

"Well? Any questions?" Makoto asked after finishing his conclusion of the case.
Junko shook her head. "No...I don't," she said. "That was...everything that happened..."

Sayaka lifted herself up and stared at Junko. Her eyes were red from all the tears she shed.
"Junko..." she muttered.

Hina began to regret not getting out of Makoto's room when she had the chance. "If only I didn't
stay in Makoto's room and looked outside for just a moment..." she said in lament. "Then I could've
prevented another murder from happening..."

"There wasn't much we could do to prevent Yasuke's death, Hina," Sakura said. "As soon as we
both entered Makoto's room, Yasuke's fate was sealed."

"Nah, he was totally doomed to die," Yasuhiro said. "I saw his fate with my crystal ball. He's
definitely going to die soon."

"You know, I would complain about how you relied on that stupid crystal ball to see everyone's
futures," Natsumi replied. "But I just...I just don't have the energy anymore..."

"Damn..." Mondo grumbled. "Why does it have to be this way?"

Everyone was in silence as the Class Trial came to a close.

"Wow!" Monokuma exclaimed. "That Class Trial ended quickly! I thought that this will take a lot
longer what with all the red herrings you encountered. But since the blackened has decided to
confess, I guess that means that this Class Trial is now over, which means that we can finally move
on to the long awaited Voting Time! Everyone, please case your votes on the blackened!"

A special screen then appeared on everyone's E-Handbooks. It's the voting screen. It consists of a 4
by 4 grid of everyone's faces. To cast their vote, the students pick one of the faces and press a
button to confirm their selection. Since Junko had confessed to killing Yasuke, everyone decided to
pick her.

Voting Results

Junko Enoshima: 14 votes

Sayaka Maizono: 1 vote

Everyone else: No votes

"I would ask if you guys had either made the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one,"
Monokuma said, "but that would be fluff. You all know who the blackened is. Anyways, onto the
results!"

Final Verdict

The blackened of this case is: Junko Enoshima

"Congratulations! The blackened was discovered!"

Class Trial 1

ALL RISE
Chapter End Notes

And so, the first trial came to an end. To anyone who figured out that Yasuke was the
original culprit, congratulations. You realized that the twist that the victim was the
original culprit has been reused! Then again, with so many fan-made killing game
stories having been written over the years, is anything a surprise anymore?

I had to do a lot of research into the effects of botulinum toxin to make sure I got
things right. I'm not entirely sure how much of the toxin is in each dose when used
cosmetically or medically, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of does would cause some
serious havoc on a person's body. Of course, you could argue that Yasuke has
increased the concentration of the toxin within the syringe making the amount of
doses he got injected with effectively a few hundred doses, but I'd rather no get into
that. I'm not a doctor. I'm a writer.

I know, it's kind of lame that the culprit has decided to confess to their crime, but most
of the Class Trial is spent trying to untangle the truth from this complicated mess of a
case. I don't feel like dragging this Class Trial any longer than it has to. So, I had to
close off the Class Trial this way.

Looking back at the previous version of this story, I will admit that making Sayaka
rant to Leon about how much she dislikes him and how much he gets on her nerves
was one of my better changes. In the old version, Leon kept trying to hang around
Sayaka and never got the hint that she doesn't like him. I know, he didn't last past the
first chapter, so he didn't have the time to get any focus. But still, he really deserves a
rant on how much of a nuisance he is to Sayaka. Now that he gets to live past the first
chapter, perhaps I should give him time to try to learn from that mistake. Or don't.
Leon probably won't learn much and won't change his behavior when he's around girls
he likes. Who knows.

Oh, and new minigame! New Hangman's Gambit! I don't know what that will look
like, but Shinigami Puzzle from Master Detective Archives does look like an
improvement. Finally, we can fill in spaces two letters at a time so that the answers
don't take too long to spell! Finally, we have clues to help us narrow down the possible
answers! The format I'm using will be the one used in future instances of Hangman's
Gambit.
 Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die (Post-Trial)

Day 4 - 9:59 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Yasuke exited his room and locked the door. He made his way towards Junko's room, planning to
murder her. She used to be his girlfriend, but not anymore. Ever since he saw his motive video, he
doesn't Junko as his girlfriend anymore. There's a syringe in his pocket, filled with an extremely
high dose of botulinum toxin. With his vast knowledge on neurology, Yasuke decided to use a
neurotoxin to commit his crime. He doesn't care if his crime could be traced back to him. After all,
who else but a doctor can think of using a syringe to inject a deadly toxin to his victim's body? And
only he had access to the dangerous substances in the infirmary. A moderately competent person
would've figured out that the culprit could only be him. He doesn't want to escape this school. He
wanted Junko dead.

However, along the way, Yasuke encountered an obstacle. He turns around a corner to reach the
part of the hallway Junko's room is connected to. Immediately, he saw Hina and Sakura standing in
the hallway in front of Sayaka's room.

That's no good, Yasuke thought. If those girls catches me with my murder weapon, then my plan is
done for. I'd better hide...

Quickly, Yasuke backed off and hid behind the corner before the two girls could notice him. From
there, he waited until the two girls leave.

Soon, the nighttime announcement played. Yasuke peeked from around the corner to see what's
going on. Shortly after the nighttime announcement played, Makoto exited his room. Hina and
Sakura spotted Makoto and chased him back into his own room, closing the door behind them as
they went in. Seeing this opportunity open up, Yasuke acted quickly. He rushed to Junko's room
door and rang the doorbell.

...

Junko answered the door and sees Yasuke outside. Initially, she seems excited that her boyfriend
wants to talk to her again.

"Oh, hi Yasuke," Junko greeted. "I'm glad that you decided to talk to me for once. Are you here to
apologize for pushing me away?"

Yasuke had no intention of mending his relationship with Junko. He squinted his eyes as he
reached for his pocket.

Junko grew a concerned look on her face. "Um...Yasuke?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

It looks like Junko is suspecting that Yasuke is planning to do something to her. Yasuke knew that
he had to act fast. Hina and Sakura could come out of Makoto's room at any moment. He pulled the
syringe out of his pocket, took off the needle cover, and lunged towards Junko.

"Whoa! Yasuke!" Junko cried.

Junko grabbed onto Yasuke's hand and tried her best to push it away from her. She saw the syringe
in his hand. She doesn't know what's inside that syringe, but it'll probably kill her if it was injected
into her. Thinking fast, Junko did something that Yasuke didn't expect her to do. She threw Yasuke
down into the floor, knocking the syringe off of his hand.

Junko then jumped on top of Yasuke, pinning him down to the floor. She then grabbed onto
Yasuke's neck, planning to choke him to death. Yasuke tried his best to pull Junko's hands away
from his neck. But for some reason, Junko's grip on his neck was tighter than he expected. He
doesn't know why. Junko then reached out for the syringe and grabbed it. Then, she lifted the
syringe high into the air.

Yasuke's eyes widened upon seeing Junko grab the syringe. He knew what was about to happen.
His own murder weapon was going to be used against him!

Junko then jabbed the syringe straight into Yasuke's neck and injected him with everything in the
syringe.

Yasuke froze in place as the botulinum toxin was injected into his body and flowed through his
bloodstream. The dosage he got was much higher than what is considered safe. Soon, that toxin
will block signals to his muscles, making them unable to move again.

Junko then became horrified at what she had done. "Oh no..." she said. "Yasuke...?"

"Junko..." Yasuke said as he felt his chest becoming tighter. "What...have you...done...?"

Junko got off of Yasuke, pulling the syringe out of his neck in the process. She stood above him as
she realized that she had killed her own boyfriend. "No..." she said in denial at first.
"No...nonononono! No! What have I done? What have I done?!"

It was at this moment when Sakura exited Makoto's room with the confiscated weapons in her
hands. She noticed that the door to Junko's room had been left open, so she went there to check.
There, she saw Junko standing in front of Yasuke on the floor.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked. "What happened here?"

Junko turned around and saw Sakura at her door. She freaked out at the sight of Sakura. "Ah!" she
screamed. "Oh no! I've been caught!"

Sakura looked down at Yasuke. He seems to be alive, but something's seriously wrong with him.
"Dr. Matsuda..." she said. "Junko...what did you do to him?"

"I don't know!" Junko replied. "Yasuke lunged at me all of a sudden with a syringe in his hands! I
had to do something to save my life! So, I took that syringe and jabbed it into his neck, injecting
everything in that syringe into his body! I don't know what's inside that syringe, but it's probably
killing him..."

"Jun...ko..." Yasuke gasped out. "How...could you...do...this...to me...?"

Sakura heard Yasuke's voice and concluded that he's still alive. "So he's alive," she said. "Based on
how he looks, he might not have much time left to live. We could save him if we acted fast..."

Junko perked up upon hearing Sakura's suggested. "You think we can cure...whatever Yasuke is
suffering from?" she asked. "That sounds great! Hey, let's get to the infirmary and see if we find a
cure!"

Junko and Sakura rushed to the infirmary to look for anything that could save Yasuke's life. They
searched through every cabinet they had access to in hopes of finding a cure. But all of the
medicine they could find treats minor ailment such as headaches, runny nose, sore throats, and the
like. None of them could possibly treat what Yasuke is suffering from. Not that it matters, since
neither of them are doctors, so they have no idea what medicine treats what ailment.

The two girls returned to Yasuke empty-handed. By the time they returned, Yasuke was breathing
his last breaths. His gasps for air are weak, as if his lungs are being restricted. Soon, he stopped
breathing altogether. And without being able to breath in precious oxygen, Yasuke passed away
not too long afterwards.

"Yasuke..." Sakura said in sorrow.

Junko knelt down next to Yasuke's lifeless body. She cried over the death of her boyfriend,
knowing that she had killed him. "What should I do...?" she asked. "I...killed my own boyfriend.
I...know that he attacked me first, but still... This shouldn't have happened... If the others found this
body in my room...then...I'm done for. I won't be able to escape this school..."

Sakura lifted up the weapons she has been holding the entire time. "Well, what about these
weapons?" she suggested. "Do you have any idea on what we should do with them?"

Junko stopped crying as she turned her heard towards Sakura. She saw the weapons in her hands.
She can't believe that she had missed these weapons the entire time. No wonder Sakura didn't help
her at all in finding a possible medicine. Her hands were too full. She wondered where Sakura had
gotten those weapons, though.

"Sakura..." Junko began to say. "Where did you get those weapons?"

"I confiscated them from Makoto and Sayaka," Sakura explained. "I caught them with these
weapons. Hina assumed that they were planning to murder someone, so she had me take those
weapons away from them."

"Makoto and Sayaka...?" Junko said. An idea then formed in her head. "Hey...do you think I
could...move Yasuke's body somewhere else and frame someone for my crime?"

"If that's what you want to do, then go ahead," Sakura said. "I'll hand over these weapons to you.
Then, you can use these weapons to create a crime scene that will frame whoever you want for
your crime."

"Aw, thanks," Junko said as she took the sword and the knife from Sakura. "By the way...why are
you helping me?"

Sakura turned her back on Junko. "I cannot say," she replied. "You're on your own, Junko. I'm
going back to my room."

Sakura then walked away. With the weapons in her hands, Junko soon got to work in creating a
crime scene to frame someone of her choosing. She doesn't want to do this, but since the weapons
were taken from Makoto and Sayaka, Junko decided to frame both of them. She tried out every
dorm room door to see which one she could use. If there aren't any, she could always use Yasuke's
room. Yasuke is dead, so Junko should be free to take his E-Handbook and room key. Soon, Junko
discovered that Sayaka had left her room unlocked. Junko then dragged Yasuke's corpse into
Sayaka's room, turned the room into a mess as if a fight had broken out there, beat up Yasuke's
corpse with the sword, and finally stab him in the abdomen with the knife.

After creating the fake crime scene, Junko left Sayaka room and held her breath as she waited for
everyone else to discover the body.
Day 5 - Unknown Time
Trial Room, Underground

Everyone stepped off of the podiums as Monokuma delivered the announcement.

"Wow, what a shocking surprise!" Monokuma said sarcastically. "The person who confessed into
committing the crime turns out be the culprit! Yes, you've got it right! The person who killed
Yasuke Matsuda, the person whom Yasuke was trying to kill, was none other than his girlfriend!
Junko Enoshima!"

Everyone stared at the guilty Junko. Well, almost everyone. Junko looks ashamed at what she had
done. She had killed her own boyfriend, and had done everything she could to try to obscure the
truth as much as possible. Even if it turns out that Yasuke initiated the fight and was intending to
murder Junko, he still doesn't deserve his fate.

Monokuma then turned his attention to Leon, who still looks pissed. "And to the one person who
rebelled from the rest and voted for someone else," he began to say, "jeez, do you have a grudge
against whomever you voted on? Even after you heard all of the evidence pointing to the contrary,
you're still insistent that she's the killer?"

Leon began making incoherent sounds as he stared at Sayaka.

"Jeez, Leon," Mondo said. "How pissed off are you? You look even angrier than me on my worst
days."

Sayaka took one look at Leon before turning her head away. She doesn't want look at Leon in the
eyes ever again.

Kyoko got annoyed at Leon for continuing to be angry at Sayaka. "Leon, drop the grudge," she
ordered. "I know that you're mad at her for planning to kill you. But you must understand that her
plan had been stopped. It's in the past now. Get over it."

"If anything, you should be thanking me for saving your life, Leon," Hina said. "If I hadn't
intervened and stopped Sayaka's plan, who knows what might happen..."

"Shut up!" Leon shouted. "She planned to kill me, dammit! How could I stay calm when the girl I
liked was planning to kill me?! I thought that Sayaka was interested in me. I thought that she liked
me. I thought that if I learned some tricks from her, my music career would be a successful one!
But now...I can't see Sayaka as anything other than a bitch!"

"If there's anyone to blame for this, it's you," Byakuya said.

Leon turned towards Byakuya and grew angry at him. "What?!" he asked. "What do you mean I'm
the one at fault here? Sayaka is the one you should be blaming! She's the one who planned to kill
me, remember?!"

"Face it, lion-wannabe," Byakuya began to explain. "You're no different than that pest standing
there. You remain insistent that the person you're interested in is reciprocating your feelings, even
though all the signs point to the opposite. You got on Sayaka's nerves and made her angry at you
enough to want you dead. You're a leech, a person who offers nothing of value in return to the
person you're with. Those who become leeches to the person they're in a relationship with doesn't
deserve to be in a relationship! Unless you're willing to learn from that mistake, you should stay
away from girls!"
"H-Hey!" Toko complained. "D-Don't compare me to t-that loser!"

Leon is at a loss for words. He doesn't know what to say next. He stuttered and stuttered until he
ran out of things to say.

"Enough with the talk about Sayaka, Leon," Kyoko said. "This case isn't about her. It's about
Junko. She's the one we should be focusing on."

Everyone soon turned their attention towards Junko.

"Look...it was an accident, okay?" Junko said. "I just...I didn't expect to see my boyfriend try to kill
me. I didn't know that my boyfriend was intending to inject me with a toxin that would paralyze
me to death. I relied on my instincts, and I...I killed Yasuke...with my own hands..."

Makoto began to recall his last conversation with Yasuke. In that moment, he realized that what
Yasuke had said back then was a warning for what will happen next. "You know...this reminds me
of something," he said. "I talked to Yasuke just after we watched our motive videos. I asked him
about why he slapped away Junko when she tried to comfort him. His reply... I can't help but feel
like what he said is an ominous message..."

"What did Yasuke said to you?" Kyoko asked.

"Yasuke told me that we're playing a game where our best friends can turn into our enemies,"
Makoto replied. "He told me that we can't trust anyone anymore. Someone may attempt murder on
another person at any time. He gave me an example that if I tried to get a checkup from him, he
may jab a syringe full of a lethal substance into my body. Looking back at my last conversation
with him when he was alive, I should've taken that as a warning of what he's planning to do."

"So he was planning to murder Junko from the moment he watched his motive video," Kyoko
concluded.

"Wait, so if Yasuke was planning to kill Junko the whole time," Hina began to ask, "then why
didn't you tell us that? We could've stopped him from carrying out his murder plan long before he
had a chance to do it!"

"It's just as Yasuke said," Makoto explained. "Our trust in each other is fragile after we watched our
motive videos. Everyone is on edge, worried that someone might try to kill them. If I told you guys
that Yasuke was planning a murder, I doubt that any of you would believe me. Besides, it's not like
I can do anything to stop Yasuke once I learned about his plan. If I try to enter the infirmary while
he's preparing for his murder plan, he might inject a toxic substance into my body and kill me."

"So in the end, that doctor was fated to die," Yasuhiro concluded. "The moment that doctor made
his murder plan, he was doomed. Now if only would listen to me and hear my predictions for his
future, he would've done everything he could to stop himself from dying. My predictions do come
true 30% of the time, every time. Once you learned about your fate, you are given a chance to avert
it. But since that doctor chose to ignore it, he's doomed to die."

"What did you expect?" Natsumi asked, exasperated at Yasuhiro still making these stupid
predictions. "Yasuke was a doctor. He'll reject anything that doesn't conform to his scientific
viewpoint."

"And one more thing about what Yasuke said in my last conversation with him," Makoto
continued. "Do you remember what he said about our best friends turning into our enemies? Well,
that's kind of what happened in this case...twice."
"What do you mean by that?" Kiyotaka asked.

"Leon thought the world of Sayaka," Makoto explained. "He once saw her as a world-renowned
idol. He thought that learning her tricks would help him become a musician. But after learning that
Sayaka had planned to kill him, he lost all respect for her. He no longer sees Sayaka as a friend
anymore. And as for Junko and Yasuke, they were dating each other until they watched their
motive videos. After watching his motive video, Yasuke turned against Junko and wanted her dead.
In both cases, a friend had turned into an enemy."

Leon threw his hands into the air. "So what?!" he shouted. "What about you and Sayaka? How
come you didn't turn against her when you learned that she was trying to use you as part of her
murder plan?!"

"Because...I knew that Sayaka was in a really bad mental state," Makoto explained. "From the
moment I saw her reaction to her motive video, I had a feeling that she might do things that she'll
never do under any normal circumstances. Sayaka deeply regrets what she tried to do to me. That's
why I forgive her for her mistake. I don't see her as...whatever mean word you want to call her. I
see her as a victim of the situation we're all trapped in. That goes for all of you. I won't blame any
of you for trying to kill each other."

Monokuma tilted his head in confusion to what Makoto is saying. "Eh? What do you mean by
that?" he asked. "Don't tell me..."

Makoto then turned his head towards Monokuma, pointing a finger at him. "Because, the one we
should be blaming for all of this tragedy," he continued, "is you, Monokuma! It's all your fault!
You nearly pushed Sayaka into murdering Leon. You pushed Yasuke into trying to kill his
girlfriend Junko! Every murder that will ever happen here is all because of you!"

"Aw, come on," Monokuma said. "Do you really think that it's my fault that you guys decided to
kill each other? If anything, the real blame should be placed on you guys! You all saw this
opportunity to betray each other and used it to your advantage. I had no part in any murders that
happened in this school."

"Yes, you do!" Makoto shouted angrily. "You all trapped us into this school and forced us into
playing a killing game! You offered the prize of getting to escape this school should we get away
with murder! You gave us motives to push us further into killing each other! If it weren't for you,
none of us would've died. All of us would still be alive! We all could've worked together to find a
way out of this school! But thanks to you, we began turning against each other. Don't you see? It's
all your fault! Every tragedy that will ever happen in this school is your fault! So stop blaming us
and accept that you're-"

Kyoko ran up to Makoto and restrained him. "Makoto! Calm down!" she ordered.

"Hey! Kyoko!" Makoto yelled as he struggled to free himself from Kyoko. "Let go of me!"

"Stop trying to get Monokuma to change his mind," Kyoko said. "No matter what you try to do,
you can't change Monokuma's mind. He'll dismiss everything you try to say to him."

"She's right," Monokuma said in agreement. "You can't change my mind. You think you can end
the killing game just after your first case? You're such a naive fool, Makoto. I won't stop this
killing game. It'll continue on until there's only two people remaining! Or at least, until my motives
stop working. But it'll definitely end once there are two people who are left alive! Oh, and by the
way, do you remember the special motive I gave to you and Sayaka?"
Everyone became shocked by what they heard, especially Makoto and Sayaka.

"...What?" Makoto said as he stopped struggling.

"Special motive?" Kiyotaka asked. "What do you mean they had a special motive? I never heard
anything about someone getting a special motive!"

"Phuhuhu," Monokuma laughed. "That's because I gave them the special motives in secret, while
none of you guys aren't looking. You see, I saw how close that couple had gotten ever since this
killing game started. I thought about getting one of them killing off one of them to give the
surviving so much despair, but I find that too boring. Killing off a protagonist's love interest just to
move the plot forward is just too cliche these days. So instead, I gave them an opportunity to
graduate together! As long as one of them commits murder without the other discovering their
murder plans, both parties will get to graduate together! However, if at any point one of the parities
discovers the other's murder plan, then both parties' motives would be revoked!"

"That sounds so cruel..." Hina said, lamenting her decision to stop Sayaka before she could pull off
her murder plan.

Leon grew angrier at Sayaka after learning about her special motive. "So you were planning on
murdering me just so you can escape this school with that damn lucky bastard!" he shouted. "You
bitch! Why would you save his life over mine?!"

Sayaka fell to her knees and cried uncontrollably. Kyoko let go of Makoto to let him try to comfort
Sayaka. Mondo saw how devastated Sayaka is and decided to punch Leon in the face as
punishment.

"Ow!" Leon yelped. He covered his bruised cheek in pain. "Hey! What the hell?!"

"You leave that blue-haired chick alone!" Mondo shouted.

"She planned to kill me!" Leon countered.

"So what?!" Mondo shouted. "She was stopped before she could kill anyone!"

Leon shoved Mondo away. "Even so, I can't stop being mad at her!" he shouted. "I once respected
Sayaka, seeing her as my idol. I once thought the world of her! But now...I saw what she truly is.
She's a bitch, and I won't forgive bitches who tried to kill me!"

"But what if Sayaka were to try to kill you?" Celeste began to ask.

"Huh?" Leon said as he turned to Celeste, giving her a confused look.

"Let's say that Sayaka is approaching you, and you didn't know that she was intending to kill you,"
Celeste said. "How would you act once she begins trying to kill you?"

"Well, I would try to fight back, obviously!" Leon replied without thinking.

"But you respected Sayaka," Celeste said. "You thought of her as your idol. You thought that she's
interested in you. Surely, you would lower your guard once she approaches you, right?"

"Huh?" Leon said again. "Why would I do that?"

"That's what you get for getting on Sayaka's bad side," Byakuya said, "and not picking up the signs
that she's not interested in you. There's a reason why she chose you as her target. She believed that
you would lower your guard when she's around you. And once she saw that your guard has been
lowered, she'll move in for the kill."

"But-" Leon tried to say.

"Enough of this talk about Sayaka and her murder plan," Sakura said. "It's not relevant anymore.
Her plan has been foiled, and her and Makoto's motives were revoked once I confiscated their
weapons from them."

Makoto was confused when Sakura mentioned that his and Sayaka's motives were revoked.
"Huh?" he said in surprise. "How did you know that my motives were revoked along with
Sayaka's?"

Sakura let out a sigh. "I cannot say," she said.

Makoto tried to open his mouth to question Sakura further. But before he could say another word,
Monokuma interrupted him with an announcement.

"You know, I would love to stick around and hear what everyone has to say about that Class Trial,"
Monokuma said. "But I'm getting bored here. The execution is ready and it's thirsty for the blood
of the blackened!"

Junko knew that her life is about come to an end. "Well, this is it," she said. "I'll get my
punishment...for murdering my boyfriend..."

"So what's your execution going to be like?" Celeste asked. "Will you get your head chopped off
via a guillotine? From what I've heard, even the most vile person in history was executed with a
guillotine."

"How about an electric chair?" Kyoko suggested.

"Or hanging," Kiyotaka added. Then he realized what he just said. "Wait, why are we talking about
executions in a positive manner? We're about to watch one of our own be executed!"

Monokuma looked at all of these suggestions and laughed them off. "Hahaha!" he laughed. "No,
you silly students. My executions are nothing like that! I've tailored my executions to fit with the
talent of the blackened, and I made sure to make these executions as painful and humiliating as
possible! You won't find any dignity in any of my executions! Now then, for our very first
punishment of the killing game, I've prepared a special one made just for the blackened, Junko
Enoshima!"

A door then opened up in one of the walls. A claw came out of the opening, weaving its way
around the students as it approached its target. It soon reached Junko Enoshima. The claw clamped
down on Junko's neck, ready to drag her away to the execution chamber.

Before the claw could yank her to the execution chamber, Junko made one final request to
Monokuma. "Hey Monokuma," she said. "Can I...say some last words?"

"Make it quick," Monokuma said. "You don't want to keep your execution waiting."

Junko then turned towards Makoto and Sayaka. "Makoto... Sayaka..." she called.

Makoto and Sayaka lifted their heads up to Junko.

"...What?" Makoto said.

"I'm sorry to say this to you two right before I die," Junko confessed. "But...you two are the best
friends I could ever ask for. Even if we only knew each other for a short time, I will treasure every
moment we spent together."

Makoto was left stunned and confused. He had no idea that Junko had these thoughts about him.
Those words she said to him...they felt...strange for some reason. Makoto became silent as he
struggled to process these feelings.

Sayaka cried even harder after hearing Junko's confession. "Junko..." she muttered.

Monokuma then declared that the execution has been waiting for long enough. "Alright, that's
enough!" he declared. "Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Junko Enoshima, the
Ultimate Fasionista!"

Sayaka began to panic as she watched as one of her friends was about to be executed.
"No...please!" she begged. "Junko! Please stay here...for just a little longer..."

Junko shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sayaka," she said. "But rules are rules, and I must face my
punishment...no matter what."

"Let's give it everything we've got!" Monokuma shouted. "It's PUNISHMENT TIME!"

The claw then yanked Junko into the execution chamber, leaving everyone behind. Sayaka
fruitlessly tried to reach out to Junko as she was being dragged away, disappearing into the
darkness.

"JUNKOOOOO!" Sayaka cried.

GAME OVER

Junko has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!

The footage of the execution begins in complete darkness. Sounds of clothes ruffling fill the air. It
sounds like Junko is being disrobed and is dressed up in a new outfit. Soon, the ruffling sounds
stop and the lights turn on, revealing that Junko is in a catwalk surrounded by all sides by a crowd
of Monokuma units. Her outfit leaves little to the imagination. It can only be described as a black X
that spans across her torso, conveniently covering her naughty parts. The black X is connected to a
miniskirt not too different from the one Junko usually wears. Her footwear simply consists of a pair
of black high heels. The outfit as a whole looks like a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.
Hopefully, something like that doesn't happen during the execution...

Catwalk to Death

"Search traffic are going to spike after this!"

Ultimate Fashionista's Execution

Junko looked confused and mortified at the situation she's in. She's confused at the fact that she's
on a fashion show catwalk for her execution, and mortified at the outfit she's wearing for her
execution. Her outfit is incredibly revealing, showing off most of her skin for everyone to see. She
began to regret killing her boyfriend Yasuke, but it's not like she had a choice. It's either she dies
and Yasuke gets executed, or the other way around. Either way, they're both going to be dead.
That's the only good thing that will come out of this execution.
Junko then felt a sharp pain coming from her back. She turned around and saw Monokuma poking
on her back with a spear. It looks like he wants her to walk out into the catwalk as part of the
fashion show. Junko reluctantly agreed to doing what Monokuma wants from her. She walked out
into the catwalk to show off her...embarrassing outfit to the crowd of Monokuma units.

The crowd of Monokuma units pulled out cameras and began taking pictures of Junko. Junko
initially tried to pose for the camera to make herself look good in her final moments. But it quickly
became apparent to her that the crowd of Monokuma units are more interested in the amount of
skin she's revealing than the outfit as a whole. Junko could feel her dignity dropping as more and
more photos are taken of her.

Then, the real execution began. Monokuma came down from the ceiling of the stage welding an
assortment of weapons. He revved up the machine gun and began firing it off into the catwalk.
Immediately, Junko saw that she's under attack, and soon made a run for the end of the catwalk.
Platforms began to rise up from the floor, extending the catwalk further.

Junko ran across the stage on the catwalks, desperately trying to escape the barrage of attacks
coming from Monokuma. Monokuma grew frustrated at how Junko is avoiding all of his shots, and
so decided to use more of his arsenal. He fired rockets at Junko, lobbing grenades at her, even
launching harpoons at her. None of these attacks hit. Somehow, Junko managed to avoid all of the
attacks. She jumped, slid, and sidestepped out of the way of every attack, frustrating Monokuma
even more.

Finally, Junko reached the exit doors. She's excited to see them at first. She thought that she could
escape from her execution and get to live with the rest of her classmates. Sure, some of them will
want to keep their distance from her as she's a known murderer. But still, she just wanted to
survive, even after she had done something so horrible. She reached out to the doorknobs, opened
the door, and...was greeted with a spear to the abdomen, the exact spot where she stabbed Yasuke
to make the fake crime scene.

Junko froze in disbelief after seeing that she was hit. She can't believe that she let her guard down
for even a single moment. She can't believe that she had been tricked by Monokuma into thinking
that the exit door is real. Monokuma approached Junko from behind with the machine gun in his
hands. He fired the gun at Junko, tearing countless holes into her body. The spear then retracted,
leaving Junko's now-lifeless body to flop to the floor. The execution ends with a view of Junko and
her bleeding body, focusing on her wide open eyes.

...

Every surviving student was shocked at what they had witnessed on the big screen. The entire
execution left scars on everyone's minds. Junko...the girl who murdered her boyfriend in self-
defense, was executed mercilessly. Everyone watched as one of their classmates was shot to death.
Soon after the execution ended, Monokuma came out of the headmaster's podium to announce the
results.

"Wahooo!" Monokuma cheered. "What a despair-inducing ending! Do you guys really think that
Junko can escape me forever? I sure didn't! I made sure to puncture her with more holes than what
can be found in Swiss cheese!"

Sayaka felt like vomiting at the sight of the execution. What she saw was so sickening. She saw so
many holes in Junko's body. Junko was impaled by the spear so hard that it left a gaping hole in her
body. And the worst part? Sayaka felt like that could've been her. If Sayaka had successfully pulled
off her murder plan and fails to get away with it, she will find herself executed in a similar manner
to Junko. The entire thought made Sayaka feel stick to her stomach.

Makoto patted Sayaka on the back to stop her from vomiting. He too felt disturbed at the thought
of witnessing Sayaka be executed like Junko. That execution was far crueler than he could've ever
imagined. Being impaled by a spear and being gunned down by a machine gun is a brutal way to
be executed. Well, it's a good thing that Sayaka's murder plan was stopped in time. If that wasn't
the case... He doesn't want to imagine the feeling of sentencing his best friend to death.

Toko had passed out upon seeing the spear impale Junko. She woke up shortly after the execution
ended, wondering what's with everyone's shocked looks on their faces. "H-Huh?" she said as she
looked around, seeing everyone's reaction to the execution. "W-What happened? W-What did I
miss?"

"You didn't miss much, Toko," Sakura replied. "Junko was doomed to die the moment that spear
impaled her in the abdomen. Monokuma then did something else to Junko just to make sure she's
dead. You don't want to know what happened to Junko after she got impaled."

The other students had more vocal reactions to seeing the execution of Junko.

"What the shit...?" Mondo said, wishing that what he had witnessed wasn't real.

"W-What the hell?!" Leon gasped in horror. "So...you put Junko into a sexy outfit...and then put
holes all over her body?! Gah! That just sounds...so wrong in so many ways! Now I don't feel like
looking at barely-clothed girls anymore..."

"You see that execution?" Monokuma said. "This is what you get if you disturb the harmony. This
is what you get for murdering someone and failing to get away with it. You will die in a
humiliating way, tailored to your talent. And if you think that witnessing this execution will get
you to stop murdering each other, then you're wrong! This won't be the last time someone gets
executed! Mark my words: you will continue to see this!"

"That was...so brutal!" Natsumi shouted in horror. "Even my yakuza clan's punishments weren't as
brutal as that! And we often let the people we punish live!"

"Ugh, that looks disgusting..." Hifumi remarked, repulsed by what he had witnessed. "I prefer 2-D
women over 3-D women, but still, watching a woman be gunned down is just..." He was unable to
bring himself to speak further.

"Oh no..." Hina said in horror. "Poor Junko... Even if she did commit murder, she deserve to die
like that..."

"...Well, that certainly was an interesting way to execute someone," Celeste remarked. "I didn't
expect Junko to be executed like that."

"How could you say something like that to someone who just died?!" Kiyotaka shouted.

Byakuya glanced away from the rest of the group. "Shut up," he ordered. "Why should we care so
much about someone who died? Junko got what she deserved."

Kiyotaka turned towards Byakuya, appalled by what he said. "Huh?! Are you saying that you're not
going to care about someone who just died?!" he shouted. "Come on! That was our friend! We
can't just dismiss our friends after they died!"

Hina became angry at Byakuya after hearing what he said about Junko's death. "Hey, did you just
say that Junko got what she deserved?" she asked. "I don't think so! None of us deserve to die! It's
not our fault that we're trying to kill each other. Like Makoto said, it's all Monokuma's fault! He's
the one to blame for everyone's deaths!"

"Aw, are you kids still insisting that it's my fault for everyone's deaths, that I'm the one to blame
for all the tragedy?" Monokuma asked before shaking his head in denial. "No, no, no. I'm not the
one at fault here. I may have trapped you kids within this school, but you're the ones who chose to
kill each other to try to graduate from this school. My paws are completely spotless, just like the all
of you...for now. This won't be the last Class Trial that we'll be doing. You kids will find
yourselves in another Class Trial soon enough. Now, if you guys would excuse me, I'd better be
going. See you guys back at the surface!" Monokuma then vanished from the trial room.

...

"He's gone..." Kyoko said.

"So...what do we do now...?" Yasuhiro asked. "We just watched one of our classmates die in a
brutal way..."

Everyone then heard a bell sound coming from where the elevator is at. They turned their heads
towards the elevator and saw that its doors are open.

"Looks like we can head back to the surface..." Makoto said.

Kiyotaka then came up with an idea. "Alright, here's the plan, everyone," he said. "Once we head
back to the surface, we'll begin an emergency meeting to discuss what we should do moving
forward. Got it?"

Most of the surviving students agreed to Kiyotaka's plan. With heavy hearts, they made their way
to the elevator and took the ride back up to the surface.

Day 5 - 3:00 PM
Dining Hall, First Floor

Everyone gathered around in the dining hall to have lunch before the meeting started. Most of the
students sat around the central table, although there are some that sat at the smaller tables. Byakuya
sat alone at one of the tables, disinterested in the meeting. Leon, still pissed at Sayaka for planning
to kill him, sat alone at another table as far away from Sayaka as possible. Finally, Makoto and
Sayaka sat together at yet another table, watching the meeting from a distance. Sayaka felt
uncomfortable sitting with the other students after the Class Trial ended. She felt like the others
might want to keep their distance from her now that they know that she could try to commit murder
again. Makoto sat down with her to make sure that she doesn't feel too lonely.

Celeste began the meeting with a remark about how poorly her suggested rule went. "Well...my
suggestion about not going out of our rooms at nighttime didn't work as well as I thought," she
remarked. "Our very first murder of the killing game happened right after nighttime began, and we
didn't discover the body until the next morning."

"This is what you get for voting on our behalf, genius," Leon grumbled, making a snide comment
at Kiyotaka.

Kiyotaka turned to where Leon is sitting. "Hey! Don't call me that!" he shouted.

Hina became confused at Kiyotaka's reaction to what Leon said to him. "Huh?" she said. "What's
with that reaction? Aren't you being...praised or something?"
"No, I'm not being praised!" Kiyotaka said. "Being called a genius is one of the most insulting
things you could call me, because I'm no genius! I'm just a hard-working student!"

"I was being sarcastic," Leon clarified.

"That just makes it worse..." Mondo said.

Kiyotaka then cleared his throat as he began to explain his reason behind agreeing with Celeste's
suggestion. "Anyways, I thought that it would be a good idea if we all stayed in our dorm rooms at
nighttime," he explained. "After all, if everyone stays in their dorm rooms, no one's going to get
murdered. However, as we could all see, that also means that should a murder happen at nighttime,
it would take a long time before the body gets discovered, thus giving the culprit plenty of time to
try to cover up their crimes."

Natsumi lets out a sigh. "I knew that we should've spoken up about that suggestion when we had
the chance..." she said. "Then we could get everyone's opinion on it before we place our votes..."

"So...what should we do now to prevent another murder from happening?" Hina asked.

"I suggest that we should disregard the self-imposed rule against going out at night," Kyoko
replied. "Instead, what we should do is be on the lookout for any signs that someone is planning a
murder."

"But that would require having every student monitor each other," Hina said. "How are we
supposed to find out if someone is planning a murder or not? I mean, I managed to figure out that
Sayaka was planning a murder, but that's only because she left behind the obvious clue that she
took one of the knives. If a student really is planning a murder, can we really trust what they say
about the others?"

"Nah, none of that is necessary," Yasuhiro said. "Just a single gaze into my trusty crystal ball will
bring me visions of the future. I can see people's deaths coming! My predictions may only come
true only 30% of the time, but that's still a lot better than most other fortune tellers!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at Yasuhiro, not trusting his method of finding
out potential killers.

"...Shut up," Natsumi said.

The next topic to discuss is the reassignment of roles. With Dr. Yasuke Matsuda dead, there is no
longer a doctor who can look after the health of all the students. The students began a discussion of
who should replace Yasuke as the doctor and if any roles need to be reassigned.

"So, we need a new doctor to replace Yasuke now that he's dead," Kiyotaka said. "I can't believe
that out of all the people who died, it's our doctor who died first. As a result, we could get into
serious trouble if any of us becomes ill. Is there anyone willing to take on his role?"

No one raised their hand to volunteer to be the doctor. Sure, illnesses are a concern, but that's
nothing compared to the threat of being murdered by someone. Besides, what are the odds that
someone's lives can be saved from a major injury? No one has the medical knowledge to save lives.
It looks like this role may remain empty.

That's when Makoto realized something. He wondered if he still had that thing he had picked up
during the investigation. He reached into his pocket and...pulled out a small key.

Sayaka glanced over to Makoto and noticed the key in his hand. "What's that...?" she said weakly.
"It's...the key to that cabinet in the infirmary, Makoto replied.

Everyone turned their attention towards Makoto upon hearing that.

"What? You still have that key?" Hina asked.

"I didn't remember until now," Makoto explained, "but I put this key inside my pocket after the
investigation was over. I never pulled this out during the Class Trial, but this might help with
explaining why I believe that Yasuke was the original culprit."

"It's too late for that," Kyoko said. "We've already concluded that Yasuke was the original culprit
without that evidence."

"So, does this mean that you get to be the new doctor?" Hina asked.

"What? Me?" Makoto said in surprise.

"Alright, it's been decided!" Kiyotaka declared. "Makoto will be our new doctor from now on!"

"Why didn't you let us vote on who we want to be the replacement doctor?" Leon asked, growling
at Kiyotaka.

"Listen," Kiyotaka began to explain with a sigh. "We're all tired from that Class Trial. I would like
everyone to get their rest as soon as possible."

"Wait, isn't Makoto a janitor?" Hina asked. "Why are you making him a doctor? Sayaka will have
to clean this entire school all by herself! I mean, that would be a suitable punishment for trying to
kill someone, but still, it'll take a long time for anyone to clean this school."

"I don't care who's responsible for cleaning this school," Kiyotaka replied. "No one is in charge of
keeping the floors clean. It's not like the floor will get dirty anytime soon...unless a murder
happens..."

Natsumi then got an idea. "Wait, does that mean-" she tried to say.

"No, Natsumi," Kiyotaka said. "You're still on trash duty."

"Dammit!" Natsumi grunted.

Kiyotaka darted his eyes over to Yasuhiro. "The same applies to you, Hiro," he said. "You're still in
charge of laundry."

Yasuhiro rolled his eyes. "Well, at least I get to keep my chance of sniffing everyone's clothes," he
said.

Everyone was shocked at Yasuhiro for saying something like that.

"You've been doing what to our clothes?!" Mondo shouted. "Why are you sniffing people's
clothes?!"

"...Okay, so Hiro is no longer in charge of handling our laundry," Kiyotaka declared. "Mondo, you
do that instead."

"What?" Mondo gasped in shock. "Why me?"

"...You two should've kept your mouth shut," Byakuya said.

The rest of the day then went on with nothing much happening. Everyone doesn't have the energy
and motivation to do anything, so they spent most of the remaining day resting in their rooms, only
going out to have dinner. The only exception is Sayaka. Her room is unavailable as it's being
cleaned up.

Day 5 - 9:45 PM
Dormitory, First Floor

Sayaka walked up to her dorm room door along with Makoto. Earlier, they've been told by
Monokuma that the former's room is now cleaned up. They should find no trace of the fake crime
scene there. With nighttime approaching soon, Makoto and Sayaka decided to take a look inside
the latter's room before going to bed.

Sayaka nervously shivered as she stared at the door handle and the E-Handbook reader. She was
still disturbed at how leaving her room unlocked led to her and Makoto being framed for murder.

"Are you feeling okay?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka said nothing in response.

"Look, Yasuke's corpse won't be in your room anymore," Makoto tried to assure. "You won't have
to sleep with a dead body."

Sayaka lowered her head and whimpered. "Are you sure...?" she asked.

"Well, if what Monokuma told us is true, then there shouldn't be any corpses in your room,"
Makoto said. "Still, it's best if you checked your room to make sure. So, go ahead. Unlock your
dorm room's door."

Sayaka pulled out her E-Handbook and inserted it into the reader. The door unlocks and Sayaka
opened the door. As she stepped into her room, Sayaka can see that there really are no traces of the
fake crime scene. Yasuke's corpse has disappeared, the walls are repaired, and all the damaged
furniture has been replaced with new ones. The room looks good as new, as if a murder had never
happened there.

"Looks like Monokuma is right..." Makoto said. "Your room has been cleaned up. There's...nothing
left of the fake crime scene. Well, I hope that you rest well tonight. I'll be heading back to my room
to sleep. See you tomorrow, Sayaka."

Makoto then headed off to his room, but he didn't get far as Sayaka stopped him.

"Wait, Makoto," Sayaka said.

Makoto stopped in his tracks and turned around. "What is it?" he asked.

"Look...I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with sleeping alone for now..." Sayaka said.

"Why don't you feel comfortable?" Makoto asked.

"It feels...scary...to be all alone in my room..." Sayaka explained. "I feel like...if I don't have
someone by my side...I might snap again... And...my own room...it was used...to fake a crime
scene... Even if Yasuke's corpse is gone...I can still feel his presence lingering in the air... I...don't
think I want to sleep in a room...that used to have a corpse..."
"Well, what do you want to do, then?" Makoto asked. "There's not many options. I don't know
where Yasuke's belongings went, and I doubt that you want to sleep in Junko's room."

Sayaka thought about it for a brief moment before giving her suggestion. "Can I...sleep with
you...?" she asked.

Makoto was shocked to hear that from Sayaka. "What?" he gasped. "You want to sleep with me
again?"

Sayaka nodded her head.

"Well, if that's what you want, then I'm okay with it," Makoto said. "After all, if you want someone
by your side, then...your only option is me. I doubt that any other student would want to hang out
with you after learning about your murder plan, especially Leon. And...I wanted to keep you safe
from now on. I promised to you that we would get out of this school alive as long as we work
together. If we become separated for too long, then...one of us might not live to escape this school
alive. Now that we know that we can't protect ourselves from murder if we remain in our dorm
rooms at night, we should spend as much time as possible keeping an eye on each other. So...do
you mind if we stick with each other at all times?"

"Yes," Sayaka replied.

"Alright," Makoto said. "Let's go to my room."

Day 5 - 9:48 PM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka entered the former's room in preparation for nighttime. On their way to the
bed, they noticed something on the shelf. The trophy sword and the kitchen knife that was
involved in the fake murder scene. Most of the gold on the sword had been flaked away, revealing
the wood underneath. Sayaka yelped upon seeing the weapons. Just looking at them made her feel
ill.

"Huh?" Makoto said in confusion. "Is that the sword I took and the kitchen knife? What are those
doing here in my room?"

"Uh...I don't know..." Sayaka said. "Are they...a keepsake or something?"

Makoto walked up to the shelf wondering if Monokuma left a message explaining why he put the
weapons there. No such message can be found, so it's a mystery why the weapons are in Makoto's
room. Either Monokuma put them there so that Makoto has a weapon he can use to defend himself
with...or he's trying to nudge Makoto into attempting murder. It's either those two reasons, or the
weapons really are a keepsake. Regardless of the reason, Makoto doesn't feel like touching those
weapons ever again.

"So...uh...what are your thoughts?" Sayaka asked, nervous about having to sleep with the weapons
visible from the bed.

Makoto let out a sigh. "Just...ignore those weapons," he said. "I don't know what Monokuma is
planning next, but he might be planning on trying to push you into commuting a murder. If that's
the case, then don't let him control your actions. We can't let him win no matter what."

Sayaka lowered her head and whined. "I know..." she replied.
Looking at the weapons gave Makoto an idea. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to
the infirmary cabinet once again. As this key gives its holder access to the cabinet with the
dangerous substances, he felt that it would be too big of a risk to keep it with him. If someone
knocks him out and stole this key from him, he could expect to see a murder that involves
poisoning. He doesn't want to see that again. With that in mind, Makoto placed the key on the shelf
near the sword and the knife, not intending to touch it ever again.

A few minutes later, the nighttime announcement began to play. By that time, Makoto and Sayaka
are already on the bed. Just like the previous night, they stared at each other closely as they began
to close their eyes. For some reason, they felt an urge to pull their faces close to each other. Their
hearts are racing as they stared into each other's eyes. They have no idea why they're feeling this
way. It's been only a few days since they met each other. Then again, Sayaka is the Ultimate Idol,
and Makoto is a huge fan of her. It's probably a natural feeling that comes from sleeping with an
idol.

...

Makoto can feel his eyelids becoming heavy. Today has been another exhausting day for him. He
had spent nearly all of his energy on that Class Trial, exposing the truth behind it and watching one
of his classmates die before his eyes in a horrible way. Even if it's ultimately Monokuma's fault
that this tragedy happened, and even if Junko accepted her fate, Makoto can't help but feel a little
guilty over sentencing someone to death.

Makoto watched as Sayaka closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. She deserves a long rest. She
barely got any sleep last night, if she did sleep at all. Seeing that Sayaka had fallen asleep, Makoto
closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

Chapter 1: To Live, To Survive, To Prosper, To Die

END

Surviving Students: 14
 Chapter 2: The Serial Killer Among Us (Daily Life 1)
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

I've shown who I'm truly am to everyone in the killing game.

I'm not the perfect girl that everyone says. I'm not infallible. I'm not a goddess that should be
worshiped wherever I go. I'm...just a normal girl...who is terrified of losing everything that I've
worked for. Expecting me to live up to my public image just isn't realistic, especially in this killing
game. It just puts too much of a toll on my mind...for me to handle it.

I joined the idol industry to try to escape my lonely life, to carry on the legacy of the idols who
preceded me. I just wanted to uplift the people who are just like me, those who are lost in their
lives and trying to find a way out of it. I never intended to become the Ultimate Idol. I just wanted
to have fun. But it was due to chance that I happened to become wildly popular, and my managers
wanted to capitalize on my popularity.

My managers made me do...many uncomfortable things on the road to become the Ultimate Idol. I
ruined so many of my rival's lives and career...just so I could stand alone at the top of the charts. I
did all of those things for the sake of my friends...my idol group. I have made so many sacrifices to
push my idol group to become the most popular. I worked so hard to make our shared dream a
reality. They wanted a successful idol career, and I delivered on that promise.

But now that I'm stuck in this killing game, retaking that dream may no longer be a possibility. The
fate of my idol group is unknown. They might be dead, or they might be alive. Who knows. This
killing game pushed me to make a desperate attempt to find the answer. But in doing so, I had
revealed to everyone that even the most kindhearted of people can turn into monsters once the right
buttons are pushed.

I nearly betrayed my best friend in this school. I nearly framed Makoto for the crime I'm about to
commit. I had doubts about if I really wanted to do this, but...I felt like I had to do it. I had to stop
my fame and career that I worked so hard for to be all for nothing. If Hina didn't stop me at the last
moment, I probably would have lived with the regret of betraying my best friend. Or maybe I
would've died. I'm not sure if my plan would've succeeded anyways...

But now that I've revealed what's underneath the mask that I've been wearing all the time, I'm left
to wonder: what terrifying secrets lie underneath everyone's mask? What is everyone trying to hide
that they don't want others to know about? How ashamed are they about their deepest, darkest
secrets? Do I really want to know their secrets?

And...what potential do they have to become murderers? Can they become even bigger monsters
than me at my worst? On the other hand, do the people we call delinquents really have hearts of
gold? Are they...softer than they look? I'm not sure. I may not want to know the answers to these
questions...

-Sayaka Maizono

Chapter 2: The Serial Killer Among Us

Daily Life
Day 6 - 6:55 AM
Makoto's Room, First Floor

"Makotoooo!"

...

"Wake uuuuuup!"

Ugh, it's that shrill voice again, Makoto thought. I think I'm getting used to hearing Monokuma's
voice every morning.

"I'm over heeeeere!"

Makoto can feel something bouncing on his body.

Huh? What's going on? Makoto thought again. Why am I feeling something soft bouncing on my
body again? And that voice...it doesn't sound like it's coming from the intercoms.

"Hey! Your flagpole is growing again!"

It was at this point that Makoto woke up and opened his eyes. Just like yesterday, he's greeted to
the sight of Sayaka's sleeping face. He was relieved to see that Sayaka is at least sleeping
peacefully. The events of yesterday did put a toll on her mental state. It'll be a long time before she
fully recovered from what happened yesterday...assuming she even lives to see that day.

"Hey! Look at me! I've over here!"

Huh? Makoto thought once again. That voice...it sounded a lot like Monokuma. Wait a
second...Monokuma?

Makoto turned his head around to see Monokuma sitting on top of him. He freaked out upon seeing
the malicious stuffed toy bear.

"GAAH!" Makoto screamed. He backed away from Monokuma until he was sitting on his bed.
"Monokuma?! You again?!"

"Yep, I'm here in your room again, ready to wake you up!" Monokuma replied. He then looked at
the sleeping Sayaka. "My, my, looks like you're being bold again. You've bedded your precious
Sayaka two nights in a row! How sickeningly sweet."

Hearing Monokuma's voice made Sayaka wake up. "Ugh..." Sayaka groaned as she opened up her
eyes. "Makoto...what's going-?" She stopped herself upon seeing Monokuma and soon shrieked.

"Ahahahaha!" Monokuma laughed. "Oh, hearing the sounds of your terrified screams brings me so
much joy!"

"Monokuma, what's going on?" Makoto asked. "What are you in my room again?"

"Well, I'm here to tell you something regarding you letting Sayaka sleep with you," Monokuma
replied. "Seriously, what are you thinking? You just learned that your precious Sayaka tried frame
you for her murder plan, and you just...let her sleep with you? Come on! That girl is a dangerous
beast! One of these days, she'll snap and try to commit murder again!"

Makoto stopped getting fearful of Monokuma and returned to becoming angry at him. "You didn't
listen to me, right?" he said. "I told you, every murder that happens here is all your fault! You
pushed someone into commuting murder! If it weren't for you, Dr. Matsuda would have never tried
to kill his girlfriend Junko. They could've survived together!"

"Oh? And what's your point?" Monokuma replied. "Are you trying to tell me that I'm the one at
fault here? That what happened to those dead lovebirds wouldn't happen to you and Sayaka? Don't
make me laugh! I would advise that you try to stay as far away from Sayaka as possible. One of
these days, she will try to betray you again!"

"No she won't!" Makoto countered. "Sayaka has learned her lesson. She won't betray me ever
again!"

"Are you sure about that?" Monokuma replied, doubting that Makoto is right. "Why don't you ask
from Sayaka herself? Hey Sayaka, will you try to betray your precious Makoto again?"

Sayaka is too terrified to give any answers. She stuttered as she tried to get her words out.

"Yeah, I thought so," Monokuma said, interpreting Sayaka's silence as yes.

"Wait, she didn't even say anything!" Makoto shouted. "What do you mean 'you thought so'?"

Monokuma refused to give an answer, as he noticed that it's almost time to play the morning
announcement. "Oh, would you look at that," he said. "It's almost 7:00 AM! I'd better get moving.
Toodles!" He then vanished.

*Ding-dong, ding-dong!*

"Good morning, everyone!" Monokuma announced. "It's 7:00 AM right now, which means that
nighttime is officially over! Rise and shine, everyone! Get ready for a beautiful day!"

...

Makoto let out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh...that Monokuma..." he groaned. "He is toying with is..."

Sayaka winced as she leaned over to Makoto and latched on to his arm.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Makoto asked.

Sayaka tilted her head down and groaned. She didn't give an answer.

Makoto looked at Sayaka's face. She appears to be tired. "I take it that you have trouble sleeping,
right?" he asked.

Sayaka nodded her head.

"The events of yesterday must've hurt you that hard, huh?" Makoto remarked. "I understand that. I
still don't know what you saw in your motive video that pushed you into trying to commit murder,
but I think it's someone who is so important to you that you're willing to sacrifice someone just to
see if they're safe. Isn't that right?"

Sayaka paused to think for a moment before giving a response. "Yes..." she said.

"I see..." Makoto said. "So, will you tell me who you saw in your motive video now?"

Sayaka opened her mouth to speak, only to decide that she still feels too uncomfortable about who
she saw in her motive video. "Never mind..." she replied.
"...So you're still not ready to reveal it, then," Makoto said. "That's...fine. I can ask again once you
feel better. Anyways, we should get going to have breakfast."

Makoto and Sayaka got off the bed and began to prepare for the morning. Since Sayaka's hair is so
messy, Makoto thought that she could get it combed. So they headed to the bathroom. Sayaka
stood in front of the mirror while Makoto stood behind her. Sayaka watched as Makoto combed
her hair. Slowly, Sayaka's hair went back to what it was before she watched her motive video.
Seeing her hair return to normal made Sayaka feel a little better. She felt like she was preparing for
her idol concerts, getting dressed up and getting her hair combed for the event. At least she doesn't
look like someone who is slowly losing their mind to the killing game.

But then...something happened that prevented Sayaka's hair from being combed back to normal.
There's a clump of hair at the top of her head that sticking up away from the rest of her hair. It's
sticking up at a shallow angle, but still...it's noticeable. Makoto tried his best to comb that clump of
hair down, but no matter how hard he tried, it just refused to stay down.

"Hey! Stay down!" Makoto said as he tried to comb down the clump of hair. "Work with me!
You're stopping Sayaka from returning to her original look. Please!"

Makoto pressed the comb down so hard, Sayaka could feel pain coming from her scalp.

"Ah! Makoto!" Sayaka screamed. "You're scratching up my scalp!"

"Oh, sorry about that, Sayaka," Makoto apologized as he stopped coming Sayaka's hair.

Sayaka looked up at the cowlick on her head and groaned. "Ugh...my look is ruined..." she said.
"I'll never look the same with that...thing on my head. I've had bad hair days before, but this is on
another level. Is there anything we could do to get rid of that...?"

Makoto gave a shrug. "Sorry, I'm not a hair stylist," he replied. "I have no idea how to get rid of
that thing on your head. It...kind of reminds me of the hair spike on my head. Maybe if we find a
pair of scissors-"

"Nope! Not doing that!" Sayaka declared. "I'm not getting my hair cut! It's fine the way it is!"

Makoto let out a sigh. "Well...I guess that means I'll leave your hair at that..." he said.

Makoto and Sayaka soon left the room and headed off to the dining hall.

Day 6 - 7:30 AM
Dining Hall, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka then arrived at the dining hall. Most of the students were already there eating
breakfast. Some of them are still feeling down from the events of yesterday. Others appeared to
have moved on from the tragic events.

Kiyotaka walked up to Makoto and Sayaka to greet them. "Ah, good morning, you two," he
greeted. "You two sure did take your sweet time. I was about to go out there and drag you two over
here. What took you two so long?"

"Sorry if we're late," Makoto apologized. "I had to...uh...brush Sayaka's hair. It was a complete
mess."

Kiyotaka glanced over to Sayaka to see how she's looking. "Hmm...you look like you turned back
to normal," he said. "So, how you feeling right now? Did you sleep well last night? I would
imagine that it'll be really hard to sleep with a rotting corpse in your room!"

Sayaka cringed upon hearing that.

"Taka..." Makoto said as he gave Kiyotaka a disapproving look.

"Dude, what the hell?" Mondo complained. "Why would you say that shit to a traumatized chick?"

"Look, it's not like that," Makoto replied. "I checked Sayaka's room last night and...her room was
spotless. Yasuke's body...was gone. And her entire room was repaired. It's as if her room being
turned into a fake crime scene had never happened."

"Still, I'd imagine that it'll be tough staying in your room knowing that something terrible has
happened there," Sakura remarked. "So, did Sayaka sleep in her own room?"

Makoto and Sayaka blushed upon being asked that question. They know what they did last night.

"Hey, what's with that look on your faces?" Kiyotaka asked. "Why are both of your faces' red?"

"Well...it's just..." Makoto began to explain. "I...I had Sayaka sleep with me...again..."

A sudden save of shock flooded the dining hall.

"You did what?!" Kiyotaka gasped.

Leon spit out his drink in shock, going into a coughing fit for a brief moment. "Gah...what the
hell?!" he shouted. "You let that bitch sleep with you again?! How could you?! Don't you get it
already? That girl is a bitch!"

"Enough of this, Leon," Kyoko ordered. "Drop that grudge right now."

"But she planned to kill me!" Leon countered.

"This isn't her fault," Kyoko said. "Sayaka wasn't planning to kill you from the start. You may
have gotten under her nerves at times, but Sayaka never wanted to kill you. She only planned to do
so once she saw her motive video."

"But...she chose to try to kill me," Leon countered again. "It's her choice!"

"Blaming the person who did or planned to do a crime won't solve anything in the long term,"
Kyoko said. "Instead of pointing fingers at someone, we should ask ourselves: what pushed that
person to make that decision?"

"Uh...what's your point?" Leon asked. "It's obvious why Sayaka planned to kill me. She said it
herself! She hated me. She planned to kill me out of her own volition!"

"But if Sayaka never got her motive video, would she make the decision to try to kill you?" Kyoko
asked.

Leon was left speechless. He found it difficult to imagine how things would've been like had those
motive video weren't distributed.

"Listen, Leon," Makoto said. "Sayaka isn't a scheming girl looking for an opportunity to kill
anyone. She's a vulnerable girl with big insecurities. Monokuma took advantage of her insecurities
and nearly pushed her into committing murder. I've said this many times, but this is all
Monokuma's fault in the end. He made Sayaka plan to kill someone, and he made Yasuke want to
kill his girlfriend. That's why...I forgive both of them for their actions. And as for Junko? Well...I
forgive her too."

"Didn't we sentence her to death?" Yasuhiro asked. "Seriously, we sent that girl off to die just
because she killed someone! That's no different than if we all killed her with our own hands! That
makes us murderers too!"

"It's not like we had a choice," Hina replied. "It's either we all die except for the blackened, or we
sacrifice the blackened to preserve our lives."

"Besides, we had no choice but to vote for someone," Makoto added. "I...really don't want to know
what happens if we refuse to vote for anyone. In the end, Monokuma is the one responsible for all
the tragedies. So, don't waste your anger on anyone. Instead, direct your anger at Monokuma."

"Hmm...I get what you mean, Makoto," Kiyotaka replied. "You forgive Sayaka and chose to blame
Monokuma instead. However...that's no excuse letting her sleep with you again!"

"Sayaka is in a fragile state!" Makoto countered. "I don't want to leave her alone in her room. She
might snap from loneliness!"

"Hey, what's your problem with letting two people sleep with each other?" Hina asked. "I've slept
with Sakura every night since the killing game began, except that one night when I had to stop
Sayaka from leaving Makoto's room."

"Because...it's a boy and a girl sleeping together!" Kiyotaka said. "Think about it. When a boy and
a girl sleeps with each other, that provides them with the perfect opportunity to do...disgusting
things with each other! Such things are unacceptable in a school environment!"

"Taka, calm down," Kyoko ordered. "This isn't something to be upset over. Makoto and Sayaka are
hungry. Let then have breakfast. And don't get angry whenever you heard that they're sleeping with
each other. They might be doing that for the foreseeable future. Besides, we have much more
important things to be concerned about."

Kiyotaka let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine..." he said. "The food's in the kitchen. Go grab something
to eat..."

Makoto and Sayaka soon went into the kitchen to get food for breakfast. Makoto came out of the
kitchen holding a plate with a modest amount of food on it. Meanwhile, Sayaka's has practically a
mountain of food on it. Everyone is shocked to the amount of food on Sayaka's plate.

"Whoa!" Kiyotaka said. "Sayaka, are you're seriously planning to eat that much?"

"...I felt hungry..." Sayaka explained.

"...I hope that you get fat, bitch..." Leon muttered.

"Hey, what did I just hear from over there?" Hifumi asked from across the dining hall. "You know,
it's fine that people have a choice in what they do to their own bodies, but you can't wish that
someone got an unhealthy body. Not everyone wants their body to have some girth to it!"

Leon made a disapproving interjection. "Shut up, fatty," he grumbled.

Makoto and Sayaka sat a table together to begin eating their food. As everyone continued to eat
their breakfast, Kiyotaka noticed that someone is taking a really long time to arrive at the dining
hall.

"Hey, wait a minute," Kiyotaka said as he began to do a headcount of everyone in the dining hall.
He made sure that everyone who is currently arrive is accounted for, and one of them has yet to
arrive. "Where's Byakuya? Has anyone seen him?"

Mondo gave a shrug. "Beats me," he replied.

"He must be in his room, right?" Kiyotaka said. "Wait here, everyone. I'll go out to drag Byakuya
to the dining hall. I'll take a minute."

Before Kiyotaka could leave the dining hall, Toko stopped him in his tracks.

"You can't!" Toko yelled. "M-Master Togami isn't in his room!"

Kiyotaka turned his head towards Toko. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm sure!" Toko replied. "I-I tried ringing his doorbell this morning and h-he never
responded! He always a-answers the door when it's me who rings his d-doorbell!"

"You're as delusional as that baseball loser," Natsumi remarked. "I'd bet he'll want you dead if you
irritate him long enough."

"Hey!" Leon shouted. "What did you just call me?!"

Kiyotaka let out a sigh. "I don't know if I should trust Toko on that part," he said. "I'll go check
myself." He took one step forward before someone else stopped him.

"My, my," Monokuma began to say as he appeared in front of everyone. "Looks like someone has
figured out what happens after a Class Trial has been overcome ahead of everyone else!"

Kiyotaka quickly turned around to face Monokuma. "What? Monokuma?" he said. "What are you
doing here?"

"Ahem, allow me to make a special announcement," Monokuma said. "As a reward for
overcoming a Class Trial, a brand new world shall open up to you guys!"

"A brand new world...?" Yasuhiro asked, curious at what Monokuma is talking about. "What's
that?"

"You see, it's a real shame that you kids are stuck in this school forever with nothing to do,"
Monokuma said. "If I continue to have you kids bored for all of eternity, one of you guys might
snap and try to kill someone! I love to see some bloodshed and all, but there must be some time in-
between the killings. Otherwise, there won't be any hope built up that will be crushed by despair.
And so, to keep you guys occupied for the time being, I'll open up more of the school for you kids
to explore! Enjoy the new areas while you can!" He then left the dining hall.

...

"Did he say that he's going to open up more of the school to us?" Makoto asked.

Kiyotaka then looked out the doors to the dining hall. He saw that the doorway at the other side of
the lobby has been removed. "Hold on, that room on the other side of the lobby has opened up!" he
said. "The barrier that was blocking the way is no longer there."

"Hold on," Hina said. "Do you think that we can find a way out of this school in the new areas?"
"I find that unlikely," Celeste replied. "Monokuma has taken over this school and forced us to
participate in this killing game. I doubt that he's willing to let us have a way of escaping."

"Well, we'll never know 'till we look!" Mondo said.

"Alright, so here's the plan for today!" Kiyotaka began to declare. "Once we're done with breakfast,
we'll split up and explore the newly opened up areas of this school. If any of you guys find
Byakuya, be sure to let me know. Once we're done, we'll meet back at the dining hall to exchange
what we've found. Now, let's eat up and get moving!"

The rest of the students then finished eating their breakfast and left the dining hall to begin
exploring the school. Makoto and Sayaka stayed in the dining hall for a little while, due to the
amount of food on Sayaka's plate and Makoto not wanting to leave her unattended. It took a while
for Sayaka to finish all of her food. Once they're done, Makoto and Sayaka put all of the empty
dishes back into the kitchen and began to explore the school.

Day 6 - 8:00 AM
Bathhouse, First Floor

The first place Makoto and Sayaka explored is the bathhouse. This area was originally blocked off
by some tape and barriers, but now that the first Class Trial has been finished, the bathhouse has
been opened up. The lobby of the bathhouse consisted of a room with its floors and walls made out
of wooden planks. Some benches are visible in the bathhouse lobby. There are three doors leading
out of the bathhouse lobby, not including the one that links to the main lobby. The two doors on the
opposite wall have a male and female sign on them. The one off to the side has a glass door that
peeks into a room that appears to be a sauna.

In the bathhouse, Makoto and Sayaka met Kiyotaka and Mondo there.

"Ah, hey you two!" Kiyotaka greeted. "Check this out! This place turns out to be a bathhouse! You
know what that means?"

Makoto and Sayaka were confused for a brief moment.

"What?" Makoto asked.

"It means that we have a place where we can relax for once!" Kiyotaka said. "Think about. We'll
get to sit down in the hot springs soaking in the hot water."

"Taking a dip in the hot springs can be great for ya," Mondo added. "The hot water makes ya
loosen up, and the heat makes your heart and body pumpin'. Plus, it makes for a great bonding
experience. We've all gotta bear ourselves to each other."

Makoto and Sayaka felt embarrassed to hear that.

"I'm sorry...what?" Makoto said. "Are you saying that we should...uh...be naked around each other?
Hey Taka, didn't you say that you have a problem with me and Sayaka sleeping with each other?"

"Don't mention it!" Kiyotaka ordered. "I do not want to hear about you two sleeping with each
other ever again! Even if you two do it again next night, I don't want to hear about it. Anyways, I
believe in the philosophy that when the body is naked, so is the soul. When we're naked, the
complexity of our social standing is broken down, allowing us to bear our true selves to each other.
In the end, it doesn't matter what clothes you wear. Deep down, we're all human."
Makoto and Sayaka were so embarrassed that they were left speechless.

"What? Have neither of you two ever been to a bathhouse?" Mondo asked.

Sayaka looked away as she grabbed her arm. "...No," she replied. "I've...never been in a
bathhouse..."

"Look, I find the concept of being naked in a public place to be...embarrassing," Makoto explained.
"Even if I'm in a public place where being naked is acceptable, I...won't take off all of my
clothes..."

"I get where you're coming from, Sayaka," Kiyotaka replied. "You're an idol. Or at least, you're
used to be one, considering your current mood. It'll cause quite a scandal if you were caught in a
public bathhouse, even if being naked in there is acceptable. But Makoto? You should toughen up
and act like a man! You shouldn't be ashamed of being naked around other boys. Hey, I have an
idea. Why don't we all spend some time in the bathhouse? It'll be a great time for both the boys and
the girls."

"Uh...no," Sayaka said.

"Me neither," Makoto said. "By the way, Taka. How come your attitude is so...high today? Didn't
we saw two people die yesterday?"

"Listen, Makoto," Kiyotaka began to explain. "We must keep our morale high in the face of this
killing game! The killings only began because someone lost hope and tried to kill someone."

Sayaka cringed upon being reminded of what she did yesterday.

"If we want everyone to get out of this school alive," Kiyotaka continued, "then we must make
sure that nobody falls to the motives. We must calm down and focus on working together to get out
of this school alive. Don't you agree?"

"Uh...yeah," Makoto replied. "But we must also never forget those who died. They serve as a
reminder of how we failed to keep them alive. If any more of us died, then we should take it as a
sign to work harder to stop another tragedy from happening again."

"That's exactly that I've been saying!" Kiyotaka replied.

Sayaka felt like the boys are ignoring something of importance here. "Um...boys?" she asked.
"What about...Byakuya...? Have you...seen him yet...?"

The boy were then reminded of who they were supposed to be looking for.

"What? You're talking about that rich ass?" Mondo asked. "Oh...right. We didn't find him here."

"That reminds me," Kiyotaka added. "Have you two seen Byakuya yet?"

"Not really," Makoto replied. "We just came out of the dining hall, and this is the first place we've
explored."

"Then look somewhere else, dummy!" Mondo shouted.

Makoto flinched when Mondo raised his voice. "Alright, you don't have to shout at us," he said.
"Come on, Sayaka. Let's go to another place."

Makoto and Sayaka then walked out of the bathhouse.

Before Makoto and Sayaka could step out of the bathhouse, Kiyotaka attempted to make a
reminder to Makoto. "Be sure to meet us here tonight, Makoto!" he said. "We're going to have a
great bonding session!"

Makoto...ignored the invitation.

Day 6 - 8:15 AM
Hallway, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka stood in front of the stairs that leads up to the second floor. The gate that
closed off the stairs has been lifted up, granting the students access to the second floor. Makoto and
Sayaka looked up at the stairs, wondering why lies above them.

"This must be the whole new world Monokuma was talking about," Makoto said. "I wonder what's
up there. Has Byakuya arrived there already?"

There's no point in delaying this any longer. Makoto and Sayaka began climbing up the stairs to the
second floor.

Day 6 - 8:16 AM
Hallway, Second Floor

Makoto and Sayaka took their first step into the second floor of Hope's Peak Academy. The
hallway of the second floor is basically a straight line with little branching paths. There are two
classrooms on this floor: one near the stairs to the first floor, and another that's all the way on the
other side of the floor. Some restrooms are located near the stairs. Looking down the hallway,
Makoto and Sayaka could see...Hifumi leaned out of a door waving at them.

"Hey! Mr. Makoto Naegi!" Hifumi greeted. "Miss Sayaka Maizono! Come over here! We've found
Byakuya!"

"Byakuya?" Makoto asked. "Where did you find him?"

"You've gotta see this for yourselves!" Hifumi said as he went back into the room.

Makoto and Sayaka are curious about what Byakuya is doing right now. They followed Hifumi
into a room with a sign featuring a book hanging above it.

Day 6 - 8:17 AM
Library, Second Floor

The library is a large room with many shelves of books on them. Several tables are placed around
at the front area. Each has a desk lamp placed on them, their cords reaching all the way to the
walls. Sitting at one of the tables is Byakuya. He appears to be reading a book. Surrounding the
table Byakuya is sitting at are Hifumi and Toko.

Makoto felt relieved upon seeing Byakuya. "Byakuya! You're here!" he said. "What are you-"

"Shh," Byakuya said. "Be quiet. This is a library. Anyways, to answer the question you're about to
ask, I'm reading a book."

"Well...duh," Hifumi said. "We can clearly see that."

"What kind of book are you reading, though?" Makoto asked, making sure to lower his voice.

"It's none of your business," Byakuya replied. "Don't bother me."

"I-Is it one of my books?" Toko asked. "I-I hope that it's one of them. Ah...Master Togami...reading
my own books...! It's like...a dream come t-true!" She acted weirdly upon saying that.

Byakuya gave a disapproving glare at Toko before shifting his eyes back on his book.

Sayaka then began coughing all of a sudden. Makoto grew a concerned look on his face as he
looked at her.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked. "What's wrong."

"There's...something in my lungs..." Sayaka said before returning to a coughing fit.

"This place sure is dusty, isn't it?" Hifumi remarked. "I wonder when is the last time someone
cleaned this place up. What a shame. A plethora of books is being neglected for a long time! I
would love to give them the read they deserve, but none of the books catches my eye. There's not a
single manga book in this entire library! How could this Japanese school not carry a single volume
of manga?!"

Byakuya gave a highly annoyed look at Hifumi. "Would you shut up?" he demanded. "I'm in the
middle of reading this book here."

Suddenly, a door at the back of the library opened up. Kyoko walked out of the door holding what
appears to be an envelope n her hands. She walked up to the tables where everyone has gathered.

"Kyoko!" Makoto said. "Where did you go?"

"There's an archive behind this library," Kyoko explained. "It contains a record of important events
that happened in this school. I was unable to find anything of importance regarding the school's
history, but I was able to find this." She tossed the envelope onto the table Byakuya is sitting at.

Byakuya pulled his eyes away from his book. "What's that?" he asked. "Can't you see that I'm
trying to read this book?"

"You can save the reading for later, Byakuya," Kyoko said. "For now, we shall see what's inside
this envelope."

"Isn't that someone's mail?" Makoto asked. "It might be rude to read other people's mail without
permission..."

"Perhaps," Kyoko replied, agreeing with Makoto in that notion. "However, something tells me that
we shouldn't leave this letter unopened. So, shall we take a look inside?"

Byakuya took the envelope and opened it up. He pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it out.
From there, he read what was written on the letter.

"For generations, Hope's Peak Academy has been a pinnacle of education institutions," the letter
read. "We have shaped many youths over the years into leadership roles in every major field. Our
graduates have used their knowledge and talent to improve all of society one step at a time.
However, our golden years must come to a close, at least for the time being. This was not an easy
decision to make, but serious issues beyond our control has made it impossible for us to continue
operations as is.
"But make no mistake. This is not the end of Hope's Peak Academy. We will resume normal
operations as soon as the issues that forced our closure have been resolved. For now, Hope's Peak
Academy will cease operating as an educational institute. I will personalty and sincerely thank
everyone who has supported us over the years. We are currently waiting official government
approval to give us authorization to formally cease operations. Once approval has been granted,
Hope's Peak Academy will close its doors for now."

It appears that someone signed this letter, but the name has been blacked out.

"What an interesting letter..." Byakuya remarked. "There's no way to know who wrote this letter,
but its contents are interesting."

"It would seem that Hope's Peak Academy had stopped functioning as a school," Kyoko guessed.
"It appears that it was closed a while ago. Based on the amount of dust in the archives, I would
guess that this letter is at least a year old."

"So the school has been closed for at least a year?" Hifumi asked.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense," Makoto said. "We just got to this school a few days ago, right? If
the school was closed at the time of our arrival, we wouldn't have been invited to it in the first
place. Plus, if the school was shut down, wouldn't its closure be all over the news? This school is
well known across all of Japan. Everyone would be talking about its closure. But when I looked it
up online, I've never heard anyone talk about how this school is going to shut down."

"So...is this letter...even real?" Sayaka asked.

"Perhaps not," Byakuya guessed. "This might be part of the mastermind's plan. They fabricated the
story of how this school was shut down as an excuse to convert it into a place where a killing game
happens."

"A school being shut down..." Kyoko muttered. "That would explain why we're the only ones in
the school..."

"But why would Hope's Peak Academy be shut down?" Hifumi asked. "It says in the letter that it's
for 'serious issues beyond our control'. What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure," Kyoko replied. "We may need more clues to find the answer to that question. I'll
head back to the archives. There may be things that I have overlooked. The rest of you can split off
and explore the rest of the newly opened up areas. We can share what we've found in the next
meeting." She then headed back to the archives.

"I have no interest in exploring more of the school other than this library," Byakuya said as he
picked up his book to resume reading. "So I'll just stay here and continue reading this book." He
read a few lines of the book before he felt like someone's staring at him. He glanced off to the side
and found Toko, still standing there and staring at him. "Would you quit ogling at me, pest? Do
you want me to try to kill you like with what Sayaka tried to do with Leon?"

"Please don't remind me of that..." Sayaka begged. "I wanna get out of here..."

"I agree, Sayaka," Makoto replied. "Let's go somewhere else to see what the others have found."

Makoto and Sayaka then left the library.

"Hey!" Hifumi shouted as he ran after Makoto and Sayaka. "Wait for me!" He left the library as
well.
Byakuya let out an annoyed groan as someone shouted in the library again.

Day 6 - 8:30 AM
Athletics Hallway, First Floor

Aside from the library, there's not much to say about the second floor. The classrooms on this floor
are unremarkable. There's nothing to see except rows of desks and some artwork on the
chalkboards. It appears that the hallway continues further into the dormitory area, but it's blocked
off. Going back to the stairs, there is a bit of hallway that branches out from the main hallway. It
leads to another set of stairs that goes up to the third floor. It's currently blocked off, so it looks like
another Class Trial will need to be overcome in order for it to open up.

With nothing left to explore on the second floor, Makoto, Sayaka, and Hifumi went back down to
the first floor. So far, they haven't seen everyone yet. It looks like the rest of the students are
exploring the newly opened up areas on the first floor. The trio went to the athletics hallway to see
if there's a room that's been unlocked.

Makoto looked through the window of the pool doors. There, he saw Hina taking a swim around
the pool. That must mean that the pool has opened up.

"Guys, the pool's open," Makoto announced. "Let's take a look inside."

The trio then entered the pool.

Day 6 - 8:31 AM
Pool, First Floor

The smell of chlorine filled everyone's noses as they entered the swimming pool room. The room
itself is about as large as the gym. Rows of seats line the edges of the pool, much like the gym.
Lifeguard seats are placed along the edges of the pool, allowing lifeguards to have a good view of
the pool. The pool itself is quite large. It's not as big as the swimming pools used in the Olympic
Games, but it is large enough to accommodate several classes of students.

Hina is seen in the school provided swimsuit, making laps around the pool. Sakura, Celeste, and
Leon are also in the pool area. They're watching Hina swim around the pool.

"Hi, Sakura," Makoto greeted. "Hi, Celeste. Hi...Leon. What's up?"

Sakura, Celeste, and Leon turn their heads to the trio that came in. Leon looked in the trio's
direction for a moment before turning his head away from them.

"Hina saw that the swimming pool has opened up," Sakura explained. "She got excited that she
gets to practice her favorite sport, so she went into the locker room, which was also unlocked, and
began to swim laps around the pool."

Sayaka then remembered an adage she heard regarding swimming after eating. "Wait...aren't
you...supposed to not swim...right after eating a meal?" she asked.

"That's a misconception," Sakura explained. "There is no increased risk of stomach cramps when
swimming right after eating a meal. Hina should be fine swimming around at this time."

"You know, there are a lot of common beliefs that people believe are true, but are actually false,"
Celeste remarked. "For example, I've met countless gamblers who insist that their odds of them
winning will increase after a string of losses, and this will make needlessly risky plays. Of course,
their odds of winning never changes, so they kept losing lots of money anyways."

Makoto grew curious about Celeste's gambling career. "Celeste, have you ever fallen into that
fallacy?" he asked.

"I have not," Celeste replied. "I have never fallen into the false belief that the odds change based on
previous outcomes. I always knew that my odds of winning are the same, so I played it safe and
watched as my opponent stumble into this fallacy and gave me lots of money."

"How interesting..." Hifumi remarked.

It was at this point where Hina stopped swimming laps around the swimming pool. She emerged
out of the water like a dolphin, leaning back and basking in the light.

"Ah, it's so nice to be swimming again," Hina said. "I can't remember the last time I swam in a pool
like this. I miss being in the water. I feel so great right now." She turned her head towards Makoto
and Sayaka. She waved at them. "Hey, Makoto! Hey, Sayaka! Wanna join me in the pool? It's
really refreshing!"

Sayaka doesn't feel like she's in the mood to go swimming, so she shook her head. "Uh...no..." she
replied.

"I'm...going to say no to that," Makoto replied. "I'm not good at swimming. I don't think I'll fare
well in a pool like that."

"If you're gonna ask me, I'll say no," Hifumi said. "Swimming is exercise, and exercise is not for
me. It sucks!"

"I prefer to not go in the water," Celeste said. "I would rather not wear those boring school
swimsuits and swim around in the water. Instead, I prefer to bring in my own swimsuit and go
sunbathing."

"This pool isn't meant for sunbathing, Celeste," Sakura said. "There are no pool chairs for us to sit
at. All the chairs are meant for spectators. Besides, there's no sunlight in this pool. All of the
windows are blocked off. As for me swimming in a pool, I'll consider it."

Leon refused to give an answer.

Hina frowned upon seeing the amount of students who would want to swim with her. "Well, that's
disappointing," she said. "Hey, I have an idea. How about instead I show you the lockerrooms
where I changed into this swimsuit?"

Makoto grew curious when Hina mentioned the locker room. "Wait, so the locker room has been
opened up too?" he asked.

Hina climbed out of the pool. "Yeah, that room's opened up!" she replied. "It's right across from the
pool. I can show you guys that place."

Most of the students in the pool agreed with Hina to explore the locker rooms. Even Hifumi joined
in with the rest of the group, though he has...less than pure reasons for visiting the locker room.
The one exception is Leon, who refused to go with the rest of the group.

"Count me outta this," Leon said. "I don't wanna be anywhere near that bitch anymore."
Hina grew an annoyed look on her face. "Look, Leon," she said. "We can't just leave you alone
here. It's our job to prevent another murder from happening again, and a good way of preventing
murders is to make sure no one is alone for too long. Otherwise, someone might do things without
anyone to witness them do it. Now come with us, Leon! And don't mind Sayaka. With me and
Sakura around, she won't try to kill you ever again."

"I'm pretty sure Sayaka already knows to not kill anyone..." Makoto muttered.

Leon turned away from Hina. "Nope. No way," he said. "That bitch might try to kill me again
while you're all looking away from us."

"Leon, aren't you forgetting something?" Celeste said. "If any one of us tries to commit murder
here, there will be far too many witnesses for them to be able to get away with it."

"So what?" Leon replied. "She still might do it even if there are witnesses. Screw her. I'm not going
anywhere near that bitch."

"You know what?" Sakura began to declare. "I'm dragging you along, Leon. We're not leaving you
behind." She then grabbed Leon by the collar and dragged him out of the pool room.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Leon shouted as he flailed his arms around. "Let go of me!
Gah!"

The rest of the students then followed Sakura and Leon into the locker rooms.

Day 6 - 8:44 AM
Exercise Room, First Floor

The group entered the room that is across from the pool. The room they entered is full of exercise
equipment. There's dumbbells, barbells, pull-up bars, mats on the floor, various types of balls, and
so on. At the other side of the room are a pair of doors, each of them labeled as being for girls or
for boys.

"I must say," Celeste began to remark, "the amount of facilities that have been opened up to us has
increased drastically. This school is feeling a lot more comfortable to live in. We have a lot more
things to do that will keep ourselves occupied. Perhaps these Class Trials aren't as bad as we
thought."

Most of the students then gave Celeste a disapproving look.

"Well, we do have to lose two students in order to have more things to do," Makoto said. "I'm not
sure the sacrifice is worth it..."

"...Fair point," Celeste replied.

"At least I won't get bored anytime soon," Leon said. He then glared at Sayaka. "You don't deserve
any of this stuff, you bitch. You should've been the first one to die for planning to kill me."

Sayaka cringed as she clung to Makoto. Makoto then glared at Leon in return.

"Leon, stop this," Makoto said. "This isn't the time to be holding grudges."

Leon growled at Makoto in response.

Hifumi walked up to one of the locker room doors. "So...how do these doors work?" he asked. He
grabbed the door handle to try to turn it, but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked. I wonder how you
unlock these."

"Well-" Hina tried to explain.

"Allow me to explain!" Monokuma said as he appeared in front of everyone.

Hina was annoyed that Monokuma cut her off before she could explain how the locker room doors
work. "Hey! Monokuma!" she shouted. "Can't you see that I'm about to explain how these doors
work? And didn't you explain that to me when I first got to this place?"

"I did!" Monokuma replied. "However, there are some new faces here this exercise room, so I must
explain the locker room doors to them as well! Even if someone of you have already heard me
explain them before, you're still gonna hear it!"

Hina groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Now then," Monokuma began to explain, "in order to unlock the locker room doors, all you need
to you is swipe your E-Handbook into the card reader near the door. Then the door will unlock,
allow you to enter inside. It's that simple!"

"Great, thanks for pointing out the obvious again, genius," Leon said sarcastically, rolling eyes
eyes as he said it.

"That seems...easy enough to understand," Makoto remarked. "So...what's the catch?"

"Oh, you want to know what the catch is, huh?" Monokuma said. "Well, the catch is that to ensure
maximum security, only a boy's E-Handbook can open the boy's locker room, and the same goes
for he girls. The door only remains unlocked for a limited time, so enter the locker room right after
scanning your E-Handbook. If you dare try to use a boy's E-Handbook to unlock the girl's locker
room, or vice versa, you will get an electric shock! I was thinking about mounting a Gatling gun
onto the ceiling to shoot at anyone who tries to access the locker room they're not supposed to be
in, but I found that my Gatling gun is so heavy that it'll rip a hole in the ceiling. So I settled with
electrocution."

Hifumi then got an...interesting though. "Hmm...what if a girl unlocks the girl's locker room, but a
boy sneaks in?"

"If you dare try to sneak into any locker room after someone else unlocked it," Monokuma
explained, "then you'll be electrocuted as well! It doesn't matter who does it to which locker room.
I will not tolerate anyone to dares commit such indecent actions! Walking into someone while
they're in the middle of changing clothes...that's just scandalous! You teenagers are such sex-crazed
maniacs. I bet that if you see someone in a state of undress, you might try to hump them!"

"That sound exactly like what that stupid rule-upholding boy would say..." Leon remarked.

Hearing Leon's remark reminded Makoto of something. "Wait, if you don't want a boy and a girl to
do...dirty things together," he said, cringing when he mentioned dirty things, "why didn't you stop
me and Sayaka from sleeping together?"

"It's your private dorms!" Monokuma replied. "You can do whatever you want in there. I don't care.
The point is, all I care about is protecting the pure image of this school!"

"Considering that two people have already died within this school," Celeste began to remark, "I
wouldn't call this school's image pure anymore."

After hearing that it's possible that a boy and a girl can do...intimate things with each other in their
dorm rooms, Leon glared at Makoto and Sayaka. "You'd better not have taken that bitch's v-card,
you lucky bastard," he muttered.

Makoto didn't catch what Leon said, but he swore that he heard something from him. "What did
you say?" he asked, turning his head towards Leon.

"Nothing!" Leon lied.

"But I heard you say something about-" Hifumi tried to say.

"Hey, don't talk about it!" Hina ordered. "I'm...getting uncomfortable just hearing about that..."

Monokuma stood in place for a moment, not saying a single word. Then, he suddenly spoke up.
"Alright, I'm outta here," he declared. "Enjoy the new facilities, everyone! Toodles!" He then left
the exercise room.

"So...what's next?" Sakura asked after Monokuma left.

"Have you guys explored the second floor yet?" Makoto asked.

"I've seen the stairs, but I've never went up to the second floor," Hina replied. "What's up there?"

"It's nothing much," Hifumi said. "There's some classrooms and a library, but that's about it."

Leon blew a raspberry. "Who cares for some silly books?" he asked. "I don't."

"Yeah, me neither," Hina added. "I'll just...swim around the pool for a little longer. I'm thinking
about timing myself to see how fast I can swim across the pool and back."

"I'm sticking with Hina," Sakura said. "She needs someone to time her on how fast she could
swim."

"I'm going back to the dining hall," Celeste said. "All this exploring has made me thirsty. I would
like someone to make me some tea."

"Why don't you make it yourself, you lazy bitch?" Leon asked.

Celeste glared at Leon. "I would prefer if you don't call me that name," she said. "Anyways,
Hifumi? Would you be so kind to make me tea?"

Hifumi became confused about why Celeste chose him. "Huh? Why me?" he asked.

"Your round figure..." Celeste began to explain. "It reminds me the barista of the coffeehouse I
used to frequent. Come with me to the dining hall. I could feel my throat drying out." She then left
the exercise room.

Hifumi pondered for a moment on if he should follow Celeste's orders. He sighed and followed her
out of the exercise room. "Fine, if you insist..." he said.

"Well, Sayaka," Makoto began to say. "Looks like that's everything new that was unlocked. We
should go back to the dining hall and wait for everyone to come back."

Sayaka nodded in agreement with Makoto. Together, they followed Celeste and Hifumi back to the
dining hall. Behind them, Leon watched as they left the exercise room, giving both of them a glare.

"Hey, Leon?" Hina asked.

Leon turned his head towards Hina. "What?" he said in a grumpy tone.

"Look, we should talk about your opinion of Sayaka," Hina said. "I know that you're mad at her,
but...something tells me that you're planning on doing something to her as revenge for what she
tried to do..."

Leon stood in place as he growled at Hina. Then, he silently walked out of the exercise room and
headed for his room.

Hina let out a heavy sigh. "Fine, we can talk later," she said. Then, she uplifted her mood. "Okay,
now I should head back to the pool to see if I can beat my swimming record..."

Day 6 - 9:04 AM
Lobby, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka were on their way back to the dining hall when they encountered Yasuhiro and
Natsumi.

"Hey, you two!" Yasuhiro called.

Makoto and Sayaka stopped in their tracks as their turn their attention towards Yasuhiro and
Natsumi.

"Oh...hi you two," Makoto greeted. "Where were you two this entire time? I didn't see you at all in
the new areas. Did either of you two get a look at the second floor?"

"We did," Natsumi replied, "for a brief moment."

"We saw that the hallway on the second floor leads right into the dormitory," Yasuhiro explained.
"We tried going back to find a way up to the second floor of the dormitory, but the stairs leading up
to there is blocked as well."

"So that place hasn't been unlocked to us yet," Makoto concluded. "I wonder when that'll open up
to us..."

"Our efforts aren't foodless, though," Yasuhiro said. "We did find a storage room behind the
kitchen. It has a lot of stuff in it! You should check it out!"

"It's 'fruitless', dummy," Natsumi corrected. "You're getting your words mixed up."

Leon walked past Makoto and Sayaka during the conversation. He didn't bat an eye to anyone.

"...Was that place always unlocked?" Sayaka asked.

Yasuhiro gave a shrug. "I don't know," he replied. "I never checked that place out before. It might
be locked before today as far as I know. Anyways, go ahead and check out the storage room if you
want. I'll be heading back to my room to see what the future holds for me. See you soon!" He then
went back to his dorm room.

Makoto and Sayaka looked down the hallway that leads to the stairs in the dormitory. They saw
that it's blocked off by another gate. Connected to that hallway is the storage room. Assuming that
 place was unlocked after the first Class Trial, this is the last newly unlocked place that they have
yet to explore.

"Well, looks like we have one more place to explore," Makoto said. "Shall we head in?"

Sayaka nodded her head in agreement. Together, she and Makoto began to explore the storage
room.

Day 6 - 9:07 AM
Storage Room, First Floor

Makoto and Sayaka didn't know what else to expect out of the storage room. There's just shelves
full of stuff everywhere. Most of them doesn't seem useful to anyone at the moment. There's a set
of ladders, some sports balls, a large net, a box full of candy, a tub of some powder, and so on.
Overall, the storage room is unremarkable.

"Hmm...not sure what to do with all of this stuff," Makoto said. "Why do we even bother with
exploring this place?"

Sayaka then began coughing again. "Ugh...this storage room..." she complained. "It's so dusty..."

Makoto wiped his hands on one of the shelves and saw a visible trail where the dust has been
cleaned off. "Oh my god," he said. "This place is really dusty! How long has this place been
neglected for?"

Sayaka continued to cough. "Let's...get out of here..." she said in a pained tone. "I don't want to get
my lungs filled with dust..." She then coughed again.

Makoto began coughing as well. "Yeah...you're right..." he said.

The two then quickly got out of the storage room.

Chapter End Notes

The title of this chapter is not a reference to the game Among Us, even though that
game also features players voting one of their own out in an attempt to weed out the
impostor. That's an overused joke at this point. Whenever you see the phrase "among
us" anywhere, assume that it's not a reference to the game. The phrase itself is so
common, anytime it shows up it'll be a superficial reference at best.

No, the actual inspiration for the title of this chapter is the game The Wolf Among Us.
If you've gone through most of that game, you know what's about to come up next.
And no, the game Among Us not a reference to The Wolf Among Us. It's actually a
combination of the tabletop game Werewolf and the film The Thing.

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