Danganronpa: Poisoned Hope (Fanganronpa)

Chapter 5 - A Traitor's True Anguish - A Hunt

I glanced over at the small digital clock on my bedside table to be surprised. It was already 11, almost noon. Had I slept for that long?

I figured that the abrupt sprinklers that started in the middle of the night must've been the reason why I had overslept. I usually was always ready and right on time, but I guess sleeping in once in a while was a nice treat.

Especially since this might be my last day alive. We have less than 24 hours to kill Mei, but a part of me really hoped she didn't die. But in the end, I know her death had to happen. I just wasn't ready for it.

Everyone in the dining hall must be furious. They all most likely ate without me. I should get ready and apologize to them.

Getting dressed, I also decided to clean up the rest of my room. I figured I had time, although the tiny chance of everyone still waiting me scared me a bit.

Once everything was dry, tidy, and back in place, I finally began my daily walk to the dining hall.

Like I had guessed, the school was soaked. It took me q moment to balance, but I would occasionally slip and catch musket right on time. When I arrived, I burst through the doors, wanting to make a grand entrance to alert everyone I was there.

"I'm sorry for the...wait?" my tone went from apologetic to confused rather quickly as I saw the state of the room.

The table was covered in plates, clutter, and cutlery that hadn't been put away yet. The chairs were messily left out, not tucked in. And the most confusing thing was...

The dining hall was empty.

No one was there.

Not a single trace of life or people.

"Where did everyone go?" I asked myself, walking close to the large table to inspect it.

Did I really oversleep that much? Did they all leave while I was asleep?

My mind kept thinking about those possibilities as I took a seat, wondering what to do.

I tried sending a message to the main chat on my handbook, but after 10 minutes, there was no reply. I even made myself some toast and waited, hoping that someone would realize I was in here. But still nothing.

Soon, after eating, I got tired and stood up.

Why wait when I could find them myself? That wouldn't be too hard. Although they could be anywhere...

After finalizing my decision, I left the dining hall to hunt down my other 7 classmates, wherever they were.

I chose to begin with the third floor. As it was the newest and last floor available, I presumed that it would be the most populated. The climb up the stairs was long, but I believed it was worth it so I could find my friends.

I began by just walking around the hallways to scope out the area, but didn't see any signs of movement or anyone in general. I then started entering rooms, seeing if I could find anything of interest.

Nothing much happened until I reached the headmaster's room. In front of the door was a small mint roller skate that would probably fit someone of a petite stature. I had seen this roller skate long enough to immediately recognize who they belonged to.

This was Mei's rollerskate!

It gave me a hint of hope, meaning she could still be up here. However, it was also followed with worry as I panicked.

Why was the only one? Where was the other skate? Why is it in front of the headmaster's room?

And where was Mei, the rightful owner?

My questions were interrupted by a loud sound nearby.

"Woah! What's the hell?"

I know that voice too well.

It was Mizuki!

I was glad to know that I wasn't the only person here. I was also glad that I had finally found someone else. Relieved, I strolled to her lab as that's where the sound came from.

"Hey, Mizuki! I'm so happy to finally find-" I arrived and tried to greet her, but stopped dead in my tracks. "W-What happened in here?!?"

The room was a burnt mess. The white cushions that lined the walls were charred to a crisp while the room with soaked and was dripping with water.

This room must be the source of the sprinklers. A fire must have happened here.

That wasn't all I noticed. A strong and apparent smell of thick gasoline lingering all around the room, giving it an unpleasant feeling. A massive splatter of blood stained the cushioned floor along with a bloody fire extinguisher that had rolled a few centimeters away from it. Nearby, a small black cloth was on the floor with a lighter and a strange bucket, paintbrush, and gas mask. A small, broken bottle was in the center of the room, and some long bloody drag marks that led through the door and all the way from the Ultimate Psychopath's lab to the same classroom with the peculiar smell. But I was completely ignoring the enormous elephant in the room.

I looked to the very back of the room to see...a body, sitting upright in Mizuki's lab against the cushioned wall, unresponsive, their head hanging low. Completely still, cold, lifeless. His snow-white hair was stained a crimson red and his head was severely wounded. In his limp hand was a tactical knife, covered in blood as well. Aside from that, there were no other noticeable injuries that I could see from a first glance.

But he was dead.

I expected to see Mei's body, seeing as that was a requirement for the motive, but...

I was starting at Kei's.

Kei, the person who caused chaos and despair amongst the group and was seen as an antagonist to the others.

The person who I had spoken to and spent time with just yesterday.

Kei was...

Dead.

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