~ ◇Twisted game◇ ~

~ ◇In... the game?◇ ~

KAEDE: What?

MALE VOICE 5: I'm talking about us. There are 17 of us—all high schoolers. What do you think that means?

 I can give you my name. It's Rantaro Amami.

 Let's leave it at that for now.

 Huh? Um...okay.

It was at that moment... An unknown voice suddenly echoed throughout the gym.

MALE VOICE 6: Okayyyyy, quiet everyone! Shimmy down, shimmy down!

FEMALE VOICE 3: No, no, no. It's "simmer down."

FIVE VOICES: Kyahahahahaha! Thanks for bearing with us!

 Damn it! There are more monsters! We're surrounded!

 These aren't monsters. They're Exisals.

 They're highly mobile, bipedal weapons platforms.

 Should we take these for a spin by killin' one of 'em!?

 It wouldn't be any fun picking on plain, good-for-nothing commoners!

 You're right. We should at least think of an interesting way to kill you. Maybe I'll pick ya up and squeeze ya till your guts come gushin' out like toothpaste!

 P-Please! Not like toothpaste!

 Urgh... I just imagined it. I can't handle gore.

 Then what if...we start peelin' off their limbs one by one, like string cheese?

 Please, not like string cheese either!

 Wait! We can't kill them with the Exisals. According to the schedule, the Exisals aren't supposed to show up till later!

 But...we're in the Exisals right now.

 We screwed up. We're not supposed to be in the Exisals for our first appearance.

 I told ya we shoulda read the script!

 ...No, ya didn't.

 Well...why don't we just get out of these mechs? It shouldn't be too late for that.

 Y-Yeah! Let's do that! Okay, readyyyy!
 

The Exisals' cockpits open...

...and these little guys fly out.

With our powers combined,

We are the Monokubs!

 Now we're not scary anymore, right? Right? Right!?

 And he's just outright terrifying!

 I'm a messenger from hell from the depths of hell, here to drag ya down to hell!

 Eh? What's hellish mean?

 H—Hey...what's up with these stuffed animals? How are they moving?

 I-I have no idea.

 Moving stuffed animals...

 Moving stuffed animals? Monokubs?

 Wait! You guys call yourselves...the Monokubs?

 Oh... Don't bother askin' Monodam. He only talks to close friends. The years of abuse have really done a number on his heart. Isn't that right, Monodam?

 M-Monodam! You won't even open your heart...to me!?

 ...Looks like I was right.

 But who's behind all this? Why the ridiculous theatrics—