Danganronpa V3 x Male reader

Hope

Y/N POV: I didn't wait to hear a response before I walked to the Shrine of Judgement, not bothering to check behind me. I need to keep my cool, I can't attack the mastermind even with how much I want to, I...want to kill them, but...I gotta keep it together, once everything has been cleared up and there's no reason for them to be alive...I'll get it done and over with. 

Once I made it I finally turned around, surprised to see everyone besides Kiibo. "The next time we come out of the trial grounds, it'll all be over, right!?" Tsumugi said. "W-We can win, right...?" Himiko questioned. "Of course we will." I responded quickly. "Should be okay...trial should be easier than others." Gonta pointed out. "Till now, everyone had to find culprits among people in group during class trials. That why we never could work together. But, this time...it different." Gonta explained. "Ah, since there isn't a culprit among us we can work together without any doubts." Tsumugi concluded. "..." "We're all going to be working together this time... I already feel more at ease!" Himiko yelled. I wanted to say something about 'we shouldn't get our hopes up, there still could be something we're all not prepared for' but I couldn't bring myself to ruin the mood. "But...I wish it had happed sooner. At the beginning, there were 17 of us... But now there's only 6 of us standing here, plus Kiibo who's coming later." Tsumugi sighed sadly. "...We only have the mastermind to blame for that." I huffed. "...We're about to head to the last battle. Why are you so depressed?" Maki asked Tsumugi. "Oh, sorry... You're right." Tsumugi said. 

I was surprised to then see Kiibo walk up to us, with his signature antenna and all. "...Thank you for waiting." Kiibo told us. "That was fast, Kiibo." Shuichi responded. Kiibo doesn't have his weapons on him right now...but I guess that's for the best. Kiibo looked down at the ground, as if he was in thought. "Wh-What? Are you disappointed? Did you prefer you sci-fi gear after all?" Himiko asked the robot. "Don't worry, Kiibo! Gonta think Kiibo look fine without cool sci-fi gear!" Gonta told him. "No, it's not that... I'm just...very sorry!" Kiibo yelled, bowing at the waist to us. "I acted recklessly and put you all in serious danger... I'm sorry! I'm very, very sorry!" Kiibo apologized. "...What's with you? You really didn't seem to care all that much back when...you were destroying the academy. What's with the sudden change of heart?" I asked the robot, taking a step toward him, curious to see how he would react. "You...told me that there will always be light in a dark situation" Kiibo sweat dropped. "Hmm?" I hummed. "I finally realized you were right... My inner voice told me..." Kiibo sweat dropped. "You told us that you couldn't hear your inner voice anymore...that is what you said, is it not?" I asked him. "Well, I had the Monokubs repair me in addition to removing my battle gear... And now, for some reason, I can hear my inner voice again." Kiibo said happily. So...he just gets repaired by the Monokubs and for some reason he can just...hear these voices in his head again? The antenna on his head....was it not just for decoration? Now that I think about it...what exactly is his inner voice? What does he hear exactly? "I was wrong to try to destroy everything just to avoid losing to despair... Even if I had followed through, there would've been no hope or future left afterward. In which case, my actions would have merely resulted in a different despair altogether... I do not expect you to forgive me. What I did was foolish. But...will you allow me to fight alongside you!? I want to help everyone find the truth! Please!" Kiibo pleaded. For some reason...I felt my vision return all the way back to when I was apologizing to Himiko for the awful things that I had done. And I smiled. 

"Haha, of course Kiibo, I'm sure that's what everyone wanted. Let's defeat the mastermind together." I felt happy that even for a mere moment...we can all just be friends, not having to worry about the killing game or for how much longer it's going to go for...because I know for sure that this is it. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have been able to do this." Maki pointed out. "Yeah, Kiibo. You've helped us plenty by giving us this opportunity to end the killing game." Shuichi told the robot. "So...you'll allow me?" Kiibo asked, looking as if was about to cry. Tsumugi crossed he arms, looking displeased. "Oh... You seem angry, Tsumugi. Would you prefer I not help...?" Kiibo asked her. "I'm not mad...I'm just holding myself back. When someone says 'please' that strongly, I always want to respond with, 'But I refuse.' But I can read the mood here... So I'm holding back." Tsumugi admitted. "Well of course." Himiko mumbled. "Yeah, I'm okay now! Of course you can fight with us, Kiibo!" Tsumugi told the robot happily. "There's a big wall between living things and objects, but you're our friend, Kiibo." Himiko said. "Isn't that rude? After all this time Gonta can't see Kiibo as object, Kiibo is our friend! Always will be!" Gonta said. "Th-Thank you... Um... By the way, Maki, I've been meaning to ask you, but... What is that...vacuum cleaner you're carrying?" Kiibo asked the girl. "...It's the Bugvac. I think Kokichi designed it and had Miu make it." Maki responded. "Ah yes, Gonta had mentioned something about tiny bugs before..." Kiibo said. "Yes, I thought it could be a clue to something. But we can't seem to catch any bugs with it. Even Gonta said that he wasn't even sure that their were any in there." Shuichi pointed out. "Don't worry...probably just Gonta's imagination." Gonta said. "Wait, it might be too soon to determine that. Can we...wait until I've examined it with my eyes, at least?" Kiibo asked us. "What do you mean, Kiibo?" Shuichi asked him. "What good can your eyes do? It's not like you've got good eyesight, right?" I said. "That was true...until I installed my zoon function." Kiibo explained. "...Zoom function?" Gonta mumbled. "It was in my lab, next to the jet pack and rocket launcher... Thanks to that zoom function, my vision has increased a hundredfold." Kiibo said. "A hundredfold!?" Shuichi sweat dropped. "That's a power-up that goes way past your default settings!" Himiko yelled. "Not even Gonta could break the cycle of machines being better than humans." I sighed. "This is the true talent of the Ultimate Robot... Because I'm a robot, I can evolve in ways that are simply not possible for a human. I've...finally accepted that. There are notable differences between us, but they're nothing for me to be ashamed of. Because...with my talent, it's possible that I can save you all." Kiibo then took the Bugvac from Maki, and... 

"It's worth a shot. At maximum zoom, my vision is on par with that of a microscope. Maki, I'll borrow that Bugvac for a moment." Kiibo said, looking at the machine intensely. "...I see it! I'll print out this memory!" Just as before, Kiibo printed a picture right out his mouth, a rather comical sight. He then took it from his lips then handed it to Shuichi. I looked over Shuichi's shoulder to see it to. "Is this...Monokuma?" Shuichi questioned. On the picture was of a small Monokuma with a headset and camera. "Are these the small bugs you were talking about, Gonta?" Maki asked him. "...Ah! Yes! These exactly it!" Gonta exclaimed. "A human's eyes would not be able to see things that exist at a nanoscopic level." Kiibo said. "Gonta never stop thinking about small bugs...but it never seem possible for them to exist." Gonta admitted. "But, still...for you to have noticed them first...your vision really is superhuman." Himiko said. "Hey, what are these things holding? Are they holding cameras?" I said. "...Why don't we ask them?" Kiibo chimed in. "We can talk to this?" Shuichi questioned. "Yes, I have already installed an augmented hearing function." Kiibo responded, looking proud of himself. "I-I guess anything is possible..." Himiko muttered. Kiibo then held the Bugvac up to where his ears would be. 

"Start talking. Now. Or I'll squish you one my one. Whatever function you serve, you'll be unable to carry it out... Do you accept these terms?" Kiibo said firmly. The way he talked made it clear that what was demanding from these...things, was not up for negotiation. "They call themselves...Nanokumas. Apparently, they're members of the Monokubs." Kiibo told us. "Pft- Nanokumas?" I couldn't stop myself from these names, Motherkuma...now Nanokumas? How original. "Then there were actually six Monokubs?" Tsumugi questioned. "Not quite. These don't exist as individuals, but rather as a hivemind. They travel through the air in a swarm, covering every square inch of this campus." Kiibo informed us. So...an entire swarm? "If they're that small, they coulda been in my nose or mouth and I'd never know." Himiko pointed out. "Gonta...not like the thought." Gonta muttered. "Yeah...me neither." Tsumugi admitted. "And their function...is to record footage of the events that are unfolding here, and transmit it to Monokuma." Kiibo said. "...What?" I muttered. "Using their tiny cameras, they record footage and transmit it wirelessly... Motherkuma receives the footage and parses it before sending it off to Monokuma." Kiibo explained. "You mean...like a security camera!?" Shuichi yelled. Something so small that it can't be seen with the naked eye...no matter what. Doesn't that mean that no matter what he did and how careful we were...the security cameras would've just alerted Monokuma ahead of time. Dammit. 

"S-So there were security cameras after all." Himiko sweat dropped. "And they'd been recording the footage wirelessly... Kokichi was correct to use the Electrobomb. When he used it, the Nanokumas were unable to send any footage back to Monokuma." Maki said. "Yes, in that case, I doubt Monokuma. Knew the real culprit." Shuichi concluded. "Umm...the more I learn, the more I wish that Kokichi had just worked with us normally." Tsumugi admitted. "Impossible. He never would've fought alongside us even if he pleaded for him to, he just...wasn't like that." I sighed. But still...I never could've guessed that such a thorough camera in the academy existed, but it does make sense, Monokuma knew all of our moves even before we could fully fight back. We never stood a chance against him...but I know that it changes now, even if there's the smallest chance that we can beat him, it's good enough, I need him gone, I don't care exactly how confident he is about winning, heck, I don't care if he's sure that he's going to win, I don't care how much pain I have to go through to kill him, that time when I first killed Monokuma...was the most exhilarating experience I've been through. Killing the true culprit of our suffering...I will do anything I can to do it again. He must be thinking about ways to kill us all once we lose the trial, but I won't let that happen. 

"...At least we know that important detail now. I'm glad you told us before the trial." Maki admitted. "Thank you, Kiibo!" Gonta yelled. "Yeah! Thanks Kiibo!" Tsumugi said. "You're welcome, but...we should get going now." Kiibo pointed out. "I agree, we don't know what he'll do if we're late." I pointed out. "Y-You're right... Then let's start heading to the trial grounds." Himiko said. "...Okay." Shuichi mumbled. 

Like all the other times...the pathway opened up and we all headed inside of the elevator, once I stepped inside of the elevator...I felt unsure about where to stand, of course, the more obvious option would be where I've always stood, right next to where he once was. But now...I'm unsure. I slowly walked to the small area in the elevator and I leaned my back on the cold wall. Once everyone was inside and the elevator began to descend...I then slowly scooted my way over to Shuichi, standing close beside him. "Hey." I muttered to the detective. "...Hey." Shuichi responded. "This...is probably our last semi-normal conversation before the big fight, huh?" I pointed out. "It is...I'm a little nervous, I've been waiting for this day." Shuichi admitted. "Haha, I have to." I said. "You were a good friend Shuichi, I appreciate the time we spent together, y'know...the tea and...that time in my Ultimate lab, it really made me happy that you decided to spend time with me, even if you didn't think much of it, no matter the outcome of this trial, I just...think you're pretty neat." I muttered, my cheeks flushing, I know that I'll have to have a personality of steel once I'm behind my podium, so...to have this moment of vulnerability with Shuichi like this...feels nice. I just can't help but feel human whenever I talk with someone like this...especially if it's Shuichi. "...You're an amazing friend, too Y/N. I'm happy to have met you. You're...truly incredible." Shuichi told me. "A-Ah..." I muttered, my face turning pink. "Sorry...too sappy?" Shuichi joked. "N-Not at all..." I smiled at Shuichi. 

I heard a bell ring and the elevator doors slowly opened....everyone then quickly walked out of the elevator, Shuichi and I following after them. The trial grounds looked...really flashy, with a blue and pink hue to it and with a screen with the words 'class trial' on them, everything looked a lot different compared to the other times...well, I guess it makes sense, this is the final trial after all. 

"So this...is the final trial grounds." Shuichi mumbled. "Puhuhu, it's not up to you or me to decide whether or not this is the end." Monokuma laughed. "What are you talking about?" I asked him. "More importantly, since you guys requested we hold this class trial... I'm sure you won't mind me allowing me to participate, too, right? It'll be easier to argue if I do." Monokuma said. I glared at Monokuma however making sure that I bit my tongue...I remained silent. "True, I was going to have you participate this time, but I didn't think you'd volunteer." Shuichi admitted. "...Monokuma seem confident." Gonta said, looking at the bear intensely, dare I say angerly. "Well he shouldn't be." Maki mumbled. "Puhuhu..." Monokuma giggled. "Y-You're confident now, but I'm gonna turn your body into an omnibus with my magic!" Himiko yelled at the bear. "A-An onmibus...? Do you mean the vehicle or, like, a compilation book, or...?" Tsumugi hummed. "Knock it off! I won't be provoked by your cheap threats!" Monokuma yelled at us. "But I'm sure you'd be pretty provoked once I shove my foot up your-" "...He seems really provoked." Monophanie said, interrupting me. 

"If Pops is gonna participate, things are gonna get pretty damn interestin'." Monosuke pointed out. "You can do it, Father!" Monotaro cheered. "We'll cheer you on until our voices are hoarse and bleeding! Right, Monodam!?" Monokid yelled. "...THIS-IS-BEAUTIFUL." Monodam said. "...Hm? Cheer me on? You guys are totally participating, too." Monokuma broke to his cubs. A horrified expression spread across each of them. "Whaaaaat!?" The Monokubs yelled in sync. "You kids have a pivotal role to play. What kinda dad would I be if I hogged the spotlight? And if you kids don't play a pivotal role, then what use are any of you?" Monokuma questioned. "P-Pivotal role? Can we really do it?" Monotaro sweat dropped. "I dunno..." Monophanie admitted. "Don't worry! As a good parent, I will do my darndest to motivate you! With this button." Monokuma said as he pulled out a red button the shape of a skull. "What's...that button for?" Tsumugi asked Monokuma. "It's a Monokub detonator that I prepared to ensure my adorable kids do their very best." Monokuma explained. "D-Detonator!?" Monokid yelled. "Yep! With a push of this button, I'll detonate the bombs inside each of your bodies. So make sure you try really hard, or I'll start pressing this button. Got it?" Monokuma asked his cubs. "That's too far!" Monokid shrieked. "You know what they say... If your kids are cute, put a bomb inside of them!" Monokuma yelled. "Th-That's not a real saying!" Monosuke cried. "I know you kids can do this. You just need the proper motivation... So no need to worry! Just make sure you all play pivotal roles! That's all!" Monokuma encouraged. "AHHHHHHHHH!!!" The Monokubs yelled. "...How absurd." Kiibo said. "...You really are the worst." Shuichi told Monokuma. "I'm the best at being the worst, don'tcha think so!?" Monokuma asked us. "...Go to hell." I told him, my glare never leaving my face. 

"Puhuhu... you really wouldn't believe it, but I tell ya, people can't get enough of my crude antics! Alright, let's get started! Let's get this crude climax underway!" Monokuma yelled. Not wanting to waste another second standing around. We all then walked to our respective podiums, not muttering a word to each other. I looked up to now see Monokuma sitting in his high chair with his Monokubs standing below him, lets begin. 

"I'd like to begin by asking Shuichi a question, since this class trial was his idea... What, exactly, is the point of this class trial?" Monokuma asked Shuichi. "Yeah! Why are we having a class trial if no one died!?" The Monokubs exclaimed. "Whoa! My voice was way louder than I expected! I might be on a roll today!" Monotaro yelled. "Hey, I'm no slouch at bein' a loudmouth either!" Monokid said. "Me too!" Monophanie yelled. "Monodam's voice is super soft, though. Everyone cool with him gettin' blown up!?" Monosuke asked his siblings. "YOU-SAID-THAT-THE-KILLING-GAME-WOULD-END-IF-YOU-EXPOSED-THE-TRUTH-AT-THE-CLASS-TRIAL. SO, YOU-BASTARDS... WHAT-IS-THE-PURPOSE-OF-THIS-CLASS-TRIAL?" Monodam asked the detective. "Oh! That's a good question!" Monokuma pointed out. "But his voice was quiet!" Monotaro shrieked. "Does voice volume not matter at all!?" Monophanie questioned. I...don't exactly know the answer to that question, but...I trust that whatever Shuichi says will be a good reason. "Alright, I'll give you an answer. The reason I called for this trial is...I wish to retry a past case." Shuichi answered. A...retrial? But...if he wanted a retrial he would be going against everything that we thought we knew...there isn't a point in a retrial. "A retrial!?" Monokid yelled. "For which case?" Tsumugi asked Shuichi. "The first one-the murder of Rantaro Amami. I've found new evidence relevant to the case. In light of that evidence, I demand a retrial!" Shuichi yelled.

"What's the point of a retrial? The result of the first class trial has already been settled." Monokuma told Shuichi. "Yeah, Yeah!" Monotaro agreed. "What if our vote...was wrong?" Shuichi said. Wrong...? "Nyeh? Wrong!?" Himiko shrieked. "But...Monokuma say that blackened Kaede." Gonta sweat dropped. "Are you saying he was wrong!?" Kiibo exclaimed. "Wh-Wh-Wha-Whaaaat!?" Monokid yelled. "Monokid, your reactions are too extreme! It's making the rest of us look bad." Monophanie pointed out. We all watched as Monokuma took out the detonator, hovering his paw over it. "O-Oh shit! He's already got the detonator!" Monosuke yelled. "To test the validity of our vote, we're going to retry the entire case. If Monokuma was wrong...the validity of these trials would be in question. The entire killing game wouldn't make sense anymore!" Shuichi explained. "I see... You think you can destroy the game by calling out my failure as the gamemaster." Monokuma said. "...Shuichi's right, we will retry the first case, you shouldn't have a problem with this, since you got nothing to hide, Monokuma." I sneered at the bear. I don't know exactly what Shuichi is getting at, but...I know that whatever he's trying to do...he has us in his best interest. I trust Shuichi. "Puhuhu... So in the end, the first case has become the focal point yet again... What a twist! What an interesting twist! Okay, let's do this!" Monokuma yelled. "So what is this new truth?" Maki asked Shuichi. "There are several...but before we go any further. I want to discuss Rantaro's talent." Shuichi said. "Did you learn what his talent was?" Kiibo asked. "He...was the Ultimate Survivor." Shuichi answered. "Ultimate...Survivor?" Maki sweat dropped. "Y/N and I saw it, too. He said so in his video." Himiko said. 

Well, the truth is...this isn't your first killing game. You're the Ultimate Survivor. You survived the last killing game. That's why you get this Perk-the Survivor Perk.

"Rantaro became the Ultimate Survivor after surviving a past killing game. After his memory was wiped...he participated in the killing game once again." Shuichi explained. "So this wasn't Rantaro's first killing game?" Tsumugi sweat dropped. "But why Rantaro participate in other killing game!?" Gonta questioned. "I'm not sure yet... But after I learned Rantaro was the Ultimate Survivor, I deduced his objective." Shuichi said. "...Rantaro's objective?" Maki muttered. "The reason he went to the library before he was killed, and why he knew about the hidden door." Shuichi explained. "Didn't he just happen to randomly notice the hidden door?" Himiko questioned. "That's what I thought at the time, but it appears that assumption was false. There was an actual reason Rantaro knew about the door." Shuichi begun. "...That was because of his Monopad, right? It acted as a 'Survivor Perk' The Survivor Perk has a map of the entire academy, including areas that had not yet been unlocked. This also includes the hidden room." I told everyone. "To think Rantaro was given that as a Survivor Perk..." Kiibo muttered. "He found out about the hidden room with this map?" Maki said. "The Monopad also contained a video that Rantaro recorded for himself." I responded. "If the mastermind ever needed a spare Monokuma, they would head to the hidden room." Shuichi explained. "The mastermind would've gone to that room to mass-produce Monokuma's once time ran out... So, in order to figure out who the mastermind was... Rantaro went to the hidden room at the back of the library before time ran out." Kiibo concluded. "That's right. Rantaro must have come to the same conclusion that Kaede and I did." Shuichi pointed out. "It sure is ironic that the Ultimate Survivor died because of Kaede's trap." Himiko mumbled. 

"But...if Rantaro know something important, why didn't Rantaro tell us?" Gonta questioned. "We assume that Rantaro didn't trust us. The killing game had just started, I personally don't blame him. The information in the video message didn't help either, I'm sure. He told himself to only share this information with people he could trust." I pointed out. "He didn't have any recollection of filming this message, right? That means he must've had trouble believing it as well." Maki said. "It was probably confusing to him, too. That's why he didn't consult us." I explained.

"Why the long face?" Ryoma asked Rantaro. "It's nothing... I figure no one would listen to some guy who can't even remember his own talent, right?" Rantaro responded.

"This is exactly what Monokuma wants us to do... So what else is part of his plan? Is my memory part of it too? If it is, then...can I even trust myself?" Rantaro questioned.

"I'm sure that he didn't know if he could trust that video, or trust us, or even trust himself... He must've felt...so lost... However, with the time limit quickly approaching, he decided to take a chance." I begun.

"There's no need for that, because I'm going to end this game. I've already decided." Rantaro said. "You're...going to end this game?" Kaede sweat dropped. "It's not about outfoxing everyone in this killing game, it's about ending the game itself. That's the real goal." Rantaro responded, his expression growing intense. "Can you...even accomplish such a feat?" Kiyo asked him. "I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't think I could." Rantaro said, sounding confident.

"So he went to the library alone, without telling anyone..." Kiibo muttered. "And then he got killed by Kaede's trap..." Himiko muttered. "The only people who knew about the hidden door at that time were Rantaro and I... I had Kaede with me and I thought I could trust her. So I told her about the hidden room... That was the difference between me and Rantaro, I suppose. I had Kaede...I think a little bit after that is when Y/N learned about the hidden door as well." Shuichi pointed out. "And Kaede's the one who killed him!" Monokuma yelled. "What a snake!" Monosuke exclaimed. I bit my tongue at such a remark, I could ruin this trial in one swift motion. "Hey, so...what're you guys talkin' about? Is this somethin' I forgot?" Monotaro asked. "I don't know anything about what they're saying." Monophanie said. "IS-THIS-SOMETHING-THAT-TRANSPIRED...BEFORE-WE-WERE-BORN?" Monodam questioned. "So what's your point? You know who Rantaro was and why he did what he did... But It's pointless now, isn't it?" Monokuma told Shuichi. "No, It's not pointless. Now that we have this information, if we look back at Rantaro's case...we can find a new truth that we missed at the time." Shuichi said. "...A new truth?" Monokuma muttered, looking puzzled as to what is going to come next. "Gonta not really get it, but everyone just need to look back at Rantaro's case again, right?" Gonta concluded. "Then let's do it." Maki said. "Yes! let's do this together!" Kiibo yelled. "With my vast magical powers, I'll turn Monokuma into an omnibus!" Himiko cheered. "I don't really get that at all, but I guess we're gonna republish Monokuma!" Tsumugi said happily. "Can't wait." I mumbled. To be completely honest, I am a little lost on what to do, however, I'll just go with it. All I gotta do is use my brain...right? 

"Rantaro went to the library...just before Monokuma's time limit expired..." Maki begun. "Using the information provided by the Survivor Perk...he made his way to the hidden door." Kiibo said. "To expose the identity of mastermind!" Gonta yelled. "But before he could achieve that goal...he got hit on the head with a shotput ball and died." Tsumugi said. "Cuz of Kaede's fully automatic killing machine!" Monokuma yelled. "Eh? Fully automatic?" Monotaro muttered. "There was no culprit at the scene... The only one in the library at the time of the murder... Was Rantaro himself!" Monokuma yelled. "No, Rantaro was not the only one in the library at the time the murder occurred. This Survivor Perk Monopad is proof of that." Shuichi pointed out. "Why would that Monopad be evidence?" Himiko questioned. "It's because the Monopad was given exclusively to Rantaro as his Survivor Perk, right? But when we searched Rantaro's body, he didn't have it on his person. He only had his student handbook Monopad. Which means that someone took this Monopad from Rantaro after the murder, my guess is the masterm-" "That's beary wrong!" The Monokubs yelled in sync. I sighed tiredly, seriously? Right now? "Wow! That's what we've been saying!" Monosuke yelled. "Can you just...shut up? The actual relevant important people are talking right now." I told the Monokubs firmly, glaring at them. "Really, I have no clue what anyone is talking about..." Monophanie sweat dropped. "If we don't chime in soon, Pops is gonna push the detonator!" Monosuke pointed out. "Then we better not let these fuckin' chumps run their mouths anymore!" Monokid yelled. "A bloody Monopad is disgusting! You should wash it right away!" Monotaro exclaimed. "That's not a real rebuttal!" Monophanie yelled, getting more nervous by the second. "Someone stole the Survivor Perk Monopad? Where's the proof!?" Monosuke yelled. "No way there's a bloody thief!" Monokid argued. 

"...Remember, Rantaro brought the Survivor Perk Monopad to the library. So if it's missing now...that means someone must've stolen it." I explained. "He brought that Monopad to the library?" Monosuke muttered. "I think there's maybe no way that's possible!" Monotaro yelled. "All he had on him was the student handbook Monopad! He didn't bring the Survivor Perk with him!" Monokid argued. "Are you dumb? There is no doubt that Rantaro brought the Survivor Perk with him to the library. The last picture taken of him clearly shows him holding it." I told the Monokubs. "That could be the student handbook for all you fuckin' know!" Monokid yelled at me, I could feel my eye twitch as all I could do was sink my nails into my palms. "It was the same goddamn Monopad. You see the way the blood has dried here? The outline of his fingers matches how he was holding it in the picture!" I pointed out. "Oh, you're right!" Tsumugi yelled out in surprise. "Shortly after this photo was taken, Rantaro was struck in the head by the shotput ball. Do you think that's when this bloody outline on the Monopad was formed?" Kiibo asked me. "Mhm, that's why the Monopad Rantaro was holding in this picture...has to be the same Monopad we have now!" I concluded. "Wh-Whaaaat!?" Monosuke yelled. "C'mon, no overreacting! It makes us look like we're not paying attention!" Monophanie said. "Scream all you want! Monosuke's the one that's gonna get blown u-" Before Monokid could finish speaking, he was quickly blown up before I could kill him myself, which I was kinda thankful for. "Waaaaaah! Monokid!" Monotaro yelled, looking shocked about the sight that he had just witnessed. Monophanie was quick to physically show her discomfort by throwing up. 

"Kh! I was so upset that my cute cubs lost that my finger slipped! But those were some pretty fireworks. Even in death, my kid's a real cutie. I hear lions push their cubs into bottomless ravines to kill them." Monokuma said. "You clearly don't know anything, sure lions kill their cubs but hardly for a lack of reason." I informed. "How sad." Gonta muttered. "So there was a thief, huh? I can't believe someone would do something so evil..." Monokuma giggled. "So, who took the Monopad? Do you know anything else?" Maki asked. I...think it would be better to let someone else answer that, I think it would mean a lot more if the literal detective said it. "The one who took that Monopad...is the mastermind. I'm sure of it." Shuichi admitted. "The mastermind!?" Himiko yelled. "The Survivor Perk Monopad was found in the library's hidden room. And only the mastermind would have been able to enter that room, correct?" Shuichi pointed out. "Between the time Rantaro died and when he found him, they put that Monopad in the hidden room?" Maki muttered. "Nope, that's impossible!" Monokuma yelled. "Impossible? Why?" Kiibo questioned. "Huh? You don't know? Why, even my cute little cubs have already figured it out." Monokuma said. "Huh!? We have!?" Monophanie sweat dropped. "Y-Yeah. So...I'll let Monotaro explain." Monosuke muttered. "Huh? I've already forgotten what we're even talking about..." Monotaro admitted, Monokuma didn't hesitate this time as he pulled out the detonator. "Oh crap, he's gonna push it! It's gonna be Monokid all over again!" Monosuke yelled. "THE-MASTERMIND...IS-NOT-IN-ANY-OF-THE-PHOTOS-TAKEN-IN-THE-LIBRARY. WHY-IS-THAT?" Monodam asked. "Huh?" Monotaro hummed. "Oh, that's true... In order to get to the hidden room, you need to move the bookcase, right? But Shuichi and Kaede set up those hidden cameras, so... If the mastermind was using that door, they would've been caught on camera." Tsumugi explained. "But no pictures showed anyone like that." Gonta mumbled. 

"THEN...THAT-REASONING-IS-WRONG..." Monodam said. "Amazing, Monodam! Well done!" Monophanie cheered. "Hold on. The hidden cameras in the library had interval timers." Kiibo argued.

"After the shutter snaps, the camera can't take a new photo for 30 seconds. Cuz I redesigned the cameras to auto-roll the film instead of havin' to do it manually." Miu explained.

"Perhaps the mastermind worked within that 30-second interval?" Kiibo pointed out. "I see. So the mastermind hid in the hidden room, waited for the right timing...grabbed the Monopad from the library, and then returned to the hidden room!" Himiko concluded. "Hold on! There's a flaw in your logic!" Monokuma yelled at Himiko. "What!? A flaw!?" Himiko yelled in surprise. "Huh? Don't ask me-the Monokubs are gonna explain it." Monokuma said. "What!? Again!?" Monotaro yelled, looking nervous. "Reject your logic without explaining why! That's the Monokuma debate style! Take it from here, Monokubs! And you better use your brains or I'll kill ya!" Monokuma threatened. "What are we arguing about again!?" Monophanie questioned. "Th-The hidden camera! Isn't it weird that the mastermind's not in any of the photos!?" Monosuke argued. "Unless they used the interval between shots." Kiibo chimed in. "Camera have 30-second interval between shots. Maybe...enough time to take Monopad from body." Gonta said, however, he didn't look too sure about what he was stating. "THEN-WHERE-WAS-THE-MASTERMIND-HIDING?" Monodam questioned. "In the hidden room, of course!" Himiko answered. "IF-THEY-WERE-STILL-INSIDE-THE-HIDDEN-ROOM...HOW-WOULD-THEY-KNOW-WHAT-WAS-HAPPENING-IN-THE-LIBRARY?" Monodam questioned. "The mastermind knew everything that was going on up to this point, since they had surveillance cameras." I pointed out. "...SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS?" Monodam said quietly, compared to his loud and choppy tone of voice. "Wh-What...? Where would...somethin' like that be?" Monosuke stammered. 

"...You don't know, even though they're just Monokubs just like you?" Kiibo said, rolling his eyes. "Eh? Monokubs?" Monophanie sweat dropped. "...I mean these." Kiibo said, pointing to the Nanokumas. "Ohhh... So cute and tiny." Monophanie hummed. "...Aren't they? They're your siblings, too." Monokuma told them. "That's a big reveal to drop so casually!" Monosuke yelled. "These little guys are called Nanokumas. Their job is to monitor the campus." Monotaro explained. "HOW-DO-YOU-KNOW-THAT...?" Monodam asked his sibling. "Oh, Father told me! He said to make sure I told everyone! I had completely forgotten about it. Good thing I just remembered!" Monotaro said. "Dumbass! You remembered too late!" Monosuke yelled at him. "There are countless Nanokumas buzzing all over the campus. All the footage they record is wirelessly transmitted through Motherkuma...and then sent to Motherkuma." Kiibo explained. "Yes, via Motherkuma. That's an important point. If Motherkuma receives the camera feeds, the mastermind could ask it anything. They would know about the situation in the library and the hidden room." Shuichi pointed out. "I see! Motherkuma can tell them the interval timers for the cameras!" Himiko yelled. "...Then the mastermind was in the hidden room after they stole the Monopad from Rantaro." I concluded. "But why would they steal the Monopad?" Tsumugi questioned. "The mastermind was probably terrified of the idea of us finding the Survivor Perk on Rantaro, it also held some valuable information that they also probably didn't want us knowing about." I responded. "No, that's wrong!" Monokuma yelled. What? 

"I wasn't necessarily afraid... The Survivor Perk was for Rantaro's eyes only. Sure, he could've shared the info with you... But that's not the same as getting the info directly from the Monopad. Cuz then, you can't say it was a Survivor Perk for Rantaro's eyes only, right? So when he died, I took it back. That's all." Monokuma explained. "I don't know about that." I admitted. "Hm? How do you figure?" Monokuma asked me. "You may look calm now...but at that time, you must've been pretty desperate. If I'm not mistaken, the Monopad clearly stated that there was a mastermind in the academy. If we all knew then without a doubt that a mastermind was behind everything, we would've all worked together. But you didn't want that to happen, the killing game was all about us turning on each other, after all." I argued. "Either way, you admit the mastermind stole the Monopad, right?" Maki asked him. "Well, yes... But only reluctantly." Monokuma sighed in defeat. "Then mastermind mess up! If they wanna take Monopad, then should've just let Monokuma do it!" Gonta said. "Nope, that's impossible. The rules state I can't participate in a murder, which includes tampering with the crime scene." Monokuma reminded us. "...If you're so strict about following the rules, does that mean that someone is watching? If that's the case-" "Still, what a waste of a Survivor Perk! If only he had lived a little longer, then this info would've made things interesting!" Monokuma yelled, cutting Shuichi off. "When people die isn't for you, or others' entertainment, you scum." I glared at Monokuma angrily. "Yeah! And stop changing the subject!" Himiko yelled. There's no way Monokuma would just interrupt someone without the intent to cover something up, that or he was just trying to be annoying. However...all we gotta do to end the killing game is just to show that they don't follow their own rules. My case isn't going to work so we'll have to find something else. 

"But the point of this class trial is to discuss Rantaro's case, right? The mastermind stealing the Survivor Perk shouldn't affect it whatsoever. In the end, Kaede killed him... There's no shaking off that truth." Monokuma said. "Yeah, yeah!" Monosuke agreed. "One truth prevails!" Monotaro yelled. "No, that's not it. I'm certain of that. It's a lie that you made up." Shuichi yelled, pointing at the bear. "...Me? Lie?" Monokuma muttered, tilting his head to the side. "That's right! Kaede wasn't the one who killed Rantaro! The true culprit is...the mastermind controlling Monokuma! They're the one who killed Rantaro!" Shuichi yelled. "The mastermind is the culprit?" Shuichi sweat dropped. "Geez... And you call yourself the Ultimate Detective? Tryin' to overturn the results of the first class trial... The Monokubs won't be silent about this!" Monokuma yelled angrily. "Whaaat!?  Us again!?" Monotaro yelled. "But we said we don't know!" Monosuke admitted. "If Rantaro's killer is the mastermind...that means Kaede was the mastermind!" Monotaro concluded. "CAN-YOU-PROVE-THE-MASTER-MIND-IS-THE-CULPRIT?" Monodam asked us. "Yeah! Got any evidence!?" Monosuke said. "Ya want evidence Kaede is the culprit? The shotput ball at the murder scene! She used the camera flash to lure Rantaro in... And then cracked his skull with the shot put ball!" Monokuma yelled. "Yep, yep! Kaede set up the whole thing... Even the lethal shotput ball... Kaede had it all along." Monophanie said. "One of the most important facts we discovered during the investigation is this... The shotput ball that Rantaro was killed with, was completely different than the one Kaede had!" I argued. "What'd you say!? I have no idea what's going on!" Monophanie yelled, looking frightened all of a sudden. "A different shot put ball? What do you mean?" Maki asked me. 

"Shuichi and I found a shotput ball in the trashcan in the hidden room. However, it was not the murder weapon. That shotput ball didn't have any blood on it. Instead...there were some small pink fibers stuck to that shot." I explained. "...Pink fiber? So what?" Monokuma questioned. "Do you remember how Kaede was carrying the shot put ball? Back then, I remember Shuichi saying that Kaede was storing the shotput ball in her backpack. Other important points were that she also had a spare vest, which she could have wrapped it in, along with the cameras just to make sure they didn't get damaged." I pointed out. "Ah... So Kaede had shot put ball in backpack!" Gonta yelled. "Yes... It was wrapped in her spare vest. Her pink vest." Shuichi clarified. "I see... The shot put ball you guys found in the hidden room had a pink fiber on it." Maki hummed. "Yes, it's a fiber from her vest. That can only mean that the ball we found was the one that was in Kaede's backpack." Shuichi concluded. "Wh-What'd you say!? Really, I got no idea what you're talkin' about!" Monosuke yelled. "That shot put ball did not have blood on it, so it could not have been the murder weapon. In short, the shotput ball that Kaede used didn't hit Rantaro!" Shuichi yelled. "Th-Then...maybe they just washed off the blood!" Monosuke stammered out. "If that were true, then the fibers on the shot put ball would've been washed off as well. It's very clear that the real murder weapon is different than the shot Kaede had. Hmm, Kaede set up the bookcase and rolled the shot into the vent... But that shot never hit Rantaro! Kaede's plan failed!" I yelled. "F-Failed!? I don't even know what that means!" Monotaro sweat dropped. "I-If you found the shotput ball in the hidden room, then that means..." Himiko trailed on. "The mastermind took it from the library. Only they could get in that room, after all." Shuichi quickly concluded. "The mastermind took it?" Tsumugi muttered, looking nervous. 

"So they recovered the shot that missed Rantaro, and he was killed by a different one." Kiibo said. "Rantaro was killed by the mastermind, who made it look like Kaede was the culprit. That required a bit of trickery on the mastermind's part... They prepared their own shot to kill Rantaro and switched it with Kaede's shot. They took Kaede's shotput ball and stowed it in the hidden room. To put it simply...Kaede didn't kill Rantaro, it was the mastermind!" Shuichi yelled. "What!" Monosuke screeched. "Did you!" Monotaro cried. "Sayyyyy!?" Monophanie yelled. "EVERYONE, CALM-DOWN! FATHER-IS-GOING-TO-YELL-" Just like with Monokid, Monodam was the next one to blow up by the detonator. "What! Monodam, why!?" Monotaro yelled before throwing up, now that I think about it...what even is he throwing up? Wait- actually...maybe it's best if I don't ask. 

"Whoops. I got too worked up and accidentally pressed the detonator." Monokuma shrugged off. Monophanie was quick to follow her brother and throw up...the color coming out blue, how does that even- y'know what? I'm not even going to bother anymore. 

"But...why would mastermind kill Rantaro?" Gonta questioned. "...Probably had something to do with the time limit motive. Kaede was the one keeping us all together, and we all collectively refused to kill each other. So to break up that stalemate, the mastermind introduced that motive. However, this was quite the gamble. They didn't want to cause total chaos, after all." I explained. "Because that would just end everything. They wanted an exciting killing game..." Himiko mumbled. "That motive put pressure on the mastermind as well as us." Kiibo said. "Yes. Kaede had a plan to kill the mastermind, but Rantaro was caught in the trap. However...her plan ultimately failed. The shotput ball that she rolled didn't hit Rantaro." Shuichi concluded. "Because it missed, we would've been annihilated due to the time limit... But the mastermind wanted to avoid that situation, so they took action." Maki thought out. "Thanks to the Nanokumas, the mastermind would have known Kaede's intended murder weapon... So when her plan failed, they would already have another shot put ball prepared." Kiibo said. 

"Then, the mastermind manipulated the scene to make it look like Kaede succeeded. All they had to do was hide Kaede's shot in the hidden room that only they could enter." Shuichi explained. "S-So...Kaede was executed on false charge!?" Gonta yelled in shock. "Yes...yes, she was. She didn't actually kill anyone. But she was executed nonetheless. All because the mastermind framed her for Rantaro's murder! Monokuma only played along. He let us believe the mastermind's lie. We were all fooled, including Kaede. We thought Kaede was the culprit till the very end. And you want to tell us that this game is fair? That there are rules? That's all bullshit! This game makes no sense at all!" Shuichi yelled at Monokuma angrily. "If Monokuma twisted the truth for this case...then he could've twisted it for the other cases as well, making this killing game unfair..." Maki said. "You...are truly are a vile and utterly disgusting being, you can't even call this a killing game anymore, it's just...killing. I... won't forgive this." I muttered with gritted teeth. I clenched onto my podium, ready for anything, any sort of retaliation, or complaint, or even denial. Whatever Monokuma or the Monokubs try to throw at us...I will argue. 

"I... won't forgive them. I'll never forgive them for breaking the rules and killing Kaede. So cruel... I'll never forgive them! And I will avenge Kaede! I swear on her kindness and her love...and her grave that I will avenge her!" Shuichi yelled, determination leaking into his voice. "Yeah! How dare the mastermind create the detonator that blew up my adorable Monodam!" Monokuma yelled. "You're the one that blew him up! Don't pass the buck!" Himiko yelled at the bear. "Anyway, we know the mastermind is also Rantaro's killer. Let's figure out who that is." Kiibo said. "That is, if Monokuma still wants to continue this class trial..." Maki muttered. "Of course we're gonna keep going! Like I said, this killing game will never en-" I clenched onto the pole that was leaning on my podium and slammed the end of it on the ground. "Shut up, you know damn well that what you're saying is not true, the killing game has to end. I will make sure to reveal the identity of the mastermind and end the killing game." I told Monokuma, scowling at him. "U-Um... May I interject? You keep accusing this so-called mastermind, but...are you sure there's even a mastermind at all?" Monophanie questioned. "Are you sure you bastards aren't imagining it? If the mastermind is real, show 'em to us." Monotaro said. "Monokubs are ones hiding them!" Gonta argued. "It's possible the mastermind is still in this academy. The Survivor Perk said so." Maki pointed out. "If they were involved in Rantaro's murder, there's no doubt." Himiko concluded. "Then they must have snuck in during the Gofer Project and stayed hidden in the aca- Ah!" Tsumugi suddenly yelped in surprise. "You just ah'd! What was that 'ah' about?" Himiko asked her. "I just realized something..." Tsumugi sweat dropped. "Say it! Or I'll cast my 'All the Guys You Date Will Be Single Fathers' curse!" Himiko yelled. 

"It's...Kaede's younger twin sister!" Tsumugi yelled. Her what now? "Younger...twin sister? Gonta confused." Gonta muttered. "It was on the Gofer Project participant list. She has a twin sister. It seemed sorta weird to me. Junko Enoshima had a twin, too, right?" Tsumugi reminded us. "Are you saying those same circumstances apply here, as well?" Kiibo asked the girl. "This killing game was influenced a lot by the past one, right? So maybe the mastermind's real identity was, too." Tsumugi said. To be honest...I was kinda expecting Tsumugi to accuse me of being the mastermind, since the documents of my approval to be a part of the Gofer Project...weren't exactly the original plan, anyone could look at that and assume that it would be oddly like the mastermind to try and sneak into the Gofer Project for malicious intent. However, that wasn't at all close to the original reason I was being snuck on in the first place, either way...I probably shouldn't bring that up. 

"M-Maybe... I guess that's a possibility..." Himiko said. "Either way, there's no doubt that the mastermind is hiding somewhere in this school." Kiibo concluded. "How unfortunate that you couldn't find them during your final investigation. You're not allowed to leave while the trial's in session, so you can't search for them now." Monokuma pointed out. "You can't leave during a trial unless you gotta pee!" Monotaro yelled. "Oh! I gotta pee!" Himiko said. "We're not falling for that one!" Monophanie yelled back at the magician. 

For some reason...I have something against Kaede's alleged twin sister being the mastermind, it just...doesn't make sense. It's...way too simple. "Can you guys figure out the identity of the mastermind?" Monokuma asked us. "Besides the 17 of us at this school...there was a 18th person, too! That 18th person is the mastermind!" Himiko said. "Ah, sorry...can I say something? I doubt the mastermind could be this so called '18th person' it contradicts the thing Motherkuma said." I pointed out.

"The one you're all looking for comes to this room quite often." Motherkuma said.

"It implies that the mastermind wasn't in the hidden room the whole time. So they must have been coming and going between the room and the academy, right? So would someone who has to stay completely hidden really risk that?" I questioned. "Right. If they were trying to hide, they woulda just stayed put." Himiko muttered. "I see! That's some impressive logic!" Monotaro praised me. I...wasn't really looking for his approval in particular...it was more of an annoyance rather than flattery. "Don't agree with him!" Monophanie scolded him. "Er...and during that investigation, Shuichi and I also found a classroom that makes Flashback Lights..." I admitted to everyone. "A classroom that makes Flashback Lights?" Tsumugi mumbled, sweat dropping. "Ah, I'll explain the details later... But there was something interesting... When the door in the classroom is opened, the classroom reverts to its original state. Clearly, the room is hiding something." I said. "Isn't it obvious? The mastermind didn't want anyone to see them making Flashback Lights..." Tsumugi pointed out. "But why create such a classroom at all? If the mastermind were the 18th person...they could have their own completely separate room to make Flashback Lights." I argued. "Indeed... That would be much safer." Kiibo agreed. "So, knowing this, we can make a few assumptions about the mastermind's identity. Though...they really aren't that good." I sweat dropped. "Wh-What an ominous way to say it... But there's nothing to worry about! We got this far because we're friends! We're in this together, no matter what! There's nothing to fear!" Himiko yelled. "Y-Yeah! She's right!" Tsumugi said. "...The mastermind is most likely...one of the participants of this killing game." I broke to everyone. 

"O-One of the...participants!?" Tsumugi yelled, sounding astonished by the idea. "One of the 17 people who were forced to play this game. One of us." I clarified. "Wh-What...did you say?" Himiko asked me. "The classroom that makes Flashback Lights, a-and the hidden room being visited often...along with other things... Everything has been leading that the mastermind is someone we'd see every day at the academy." I said. "Someone we'd see...one of the 17 students?" Gonta muttered, looking shocked. "Th-That's crazy! There's no way one of us is the mastermind! Because...we're all friends! We swore to fight together!" Himiko argued. "Puhuhu... Then it just means that all your friendship talk was a lie, right?" Monokuma laughed. "Sh-Shut up! That's not possible!" Himiko argued with the bear, anger driving every word. "Puhuhu... You're upset and irrational. At times like this, a voice of reason is necessary. Absolutely necessary!" Monokuma exclaimed. "G-Got it! We're up!" Monosuke stammered out. "Alright, we're gonna put on a reasonable yet outstanding show and earn our right to live!" Monophanie yelled. "Eh? Our right to live...? Is someone about to die? Is that what's going on?" Monotaro muttered. "Whatever! I don't believe you! There's no way the mastermind's here!" Himiko yelled at the Monokubs. "Wait... Even if it's one of the 17 students, it doesn't mean it's one of us, does it?" Maki said. "Huh? What do you mean?" Tsumugi questioned. "It's possible that the mastermind merely faked their death, and has been alive this whole time. Now that we know Monokuma will break the rules as he sees fit, that possibility should be-" "What's that supposed to mean? Hurry up and answer! If you don't hurry up, I'm gonna blow up the rest of the Monokubs!" Monokuma yelled at Kiibo angrily. "Ahhh! Hurry up and answer!" Monophanie shrieked. 

The person who killed Rantaro is the mastermind, it's as simple as that. Since I've already paved the road to catching the mastermind all I need Shuichi to do is set the trap, the mastermind can't hide forever. "We need to go over everyone's alibi for Rantaro's murder again." Shuichi told everyone. "Our alibies...from way back then?" Tsumugi sweat dropped. "Didn't we discuss that during the first trial? What good would it do to discuss it again?" Kiibo asked Shuichi. "Now that we know Rantaro was killed by the mastermind, it might lead somewhere. We might find a hole in someone's alibi that we didn't see at the time." Shuichi pointed out. "So...everyone must give alibies again." Gonta said. "F-Fine... Then let's do it. So we can be sure that the mastermind's not one of us..." Himiko muttered as she pulled down her hat, looking bitter. "Puhuhu... I wonder where this discussion will lead. Will it lead to the mastermind in this very room? Or...not? Either way, we're gonna make sure this trial stays exciting!" Monokuma yelled enthusiastically. "I was in the Game Room in the basement. With Kaito and Gonta and Maki... Also, Tenko and Angie were there too." Himiko began. "Though...Gonta left Game Room to go watch bug film in A/V room, but... Gonta never kill Rantaro!" Gonta said. "Even if I was in the same basement... It's also impossible for me to have killed Rantaro." Maki argued. "Hey! I didn't kill Rantaro either!" Himiko yelled. "I was in my room by myself... And so were Ryoma and Kokichi, too. I know that is a poor alibi, but... I did not kill Rantaro!" Kiibo yelled. "I was in the-" "I was in the dining hall the entire time. Kiyo, Miu, Kirumi...and Tsumugi were with me as well." I said, purposely cutting Tsumugi off. "Ah, yes... Though I did leave briefly to use the bathroom... I couldn't have killed Rantaro!" Tsumugi said. I caught you. 

"Wait a minute, Tsumugi." Shuichi muttered, loud enough for Tsumugi and the rest of us to hear. "Huh?" Tsumugi hummed. "...You said you went to the bathroom. That is what you said, isn't it? Am I right?" I asked her again and again, my fingers digging into my podium. 

"It's true. I went to the restroom closest to the dining hall." Tsumugi admitted.

"The girl's bathroom near the dining hall, am I right?" I asked again. My mind felt fogged in a way, I could feel my blood rushing quickly in my veins, a rather...euphoric feeling. "Wh-What did you say!? The bathroom!?" Himiko yelled. "Huh? Wh-What? What about it?" Tsumugi sweat dropped. "Shuichi, Y/N...didn't you two investigate the girl's bathroom? Did you find anything?" Maki asked us. "The utility closet in that bathroom...has a hidden passageway. One that's connected to the hidden room in the back of the library. Which means it's possible to get into the hidden room from that bathroom!" Shuichi yelled. "What?" Tsumugi mumbled, keeping a confused expression on her face. "Around the time Rantaro was killed, Tsumugi went to that exact bathroom. I'm positive that when Rantaro was killed, the culprit was in the hidden room. It's too convenient to be coincidence." Shuichi pointed out. "H-Hold on. This is all so sudden, I don't think I understand." Tsumugi said, tripping over her words, looking more scared by the second, a look that some time ago I would find to be normal...however I can't say that I feel the same way now. 

"So...instead of using the library to go inside of the hidden room, they went into the girl's bathroom instead." Maki concluded. "Yes, I believe that's the case. The culprit entered the hidden room from the girl's bathroom on the first floor...and, with the help of Motherkuma, watched the situation in the library unfold. As soon as they saw that Kaede's plan failed, they waited for the camera interval...and leaped out of the hidden room, shotput ball in hand. The hidden door could open from the inside, so there was no need to use the card reader. In any case, the culprit attacked Rantaro with a shotput ball, left it in the library...picked up the shot that Kaede had used, and returned to the hidden room." Shuichi explained. "And they also took the Survivor Perk Monopad that Rantaro had, right?" Maki asked. "Yes. Then they left the Monopad and the shot in the hidden room, headed into the passageway...and returned to the girls bathroom." Shuichi concluded. "Is Shuichi saying... Tsumugi do it?" Gonta stammered. "N-No... It has to be...some kind of mistake. Up till now, everything pointed to the mastermind not being one of us!" Tsumugi yelled, I could feel my fists clench on their own. However, I observed Tsumugi carefully. 

"Is Tsumugi even capable of doing all this? She's just a cosplayer, y'know?" Himiko pointed out. "Y-Yeah! All this would be impossible for just some cosplayer!" Tsumugi argued. "But you were the one that said that you went to the bathroom during Rantaro's murder, heck, I saw you leave the dining hall. Or is it just some coincidence?" I asked Tsumugi, getting more irritated by the second. "It's...it's all just a coincidence... Oh! Kiibo and Ryoma didn't have alibis. What if they went to the girls' bathro-" "Did you see one of them in the girl's bathroom?" Shuichi asked her, cutting her off. "What?" Tsumugi muttered. "If one of them had gone into that bathroom, you would have seen each other, right? But you never mentioned that." Shuichi pointed out. "Th-That's..." Tsumugi muttered. "Nghh! S-Sorry! Gonta...feel like he should say something!" Gonta yelled. "Huh? Gonta, what do you mean?" I asked him. "Back when...Y/N survive execution, and pass out, Gonta told friends he would watch over him in case anything bad happen while he resting...but, after awhile...Gonta get bad feeling that someone outside door, so Gonta decide to check outside, just in case. Outside...he saw Tsumugi leave dormitories, Gonta wanted to call out for her, but...something inside him tell him not to." Gonta confessed. "W-Wait! Th-That... I was just taking a walk! What's suspicious about that!?" Tsumugi yelled. "...Don't you remember? I destroyed Monokuma during my execution, someone would've had to create another one to continue hosting the killing game, was that perhaps the reason?" I asked Tsumugi. Gonta looked down when I said that, almost ashamed about what he had witnessed. 

"Th-That's really not it at all! I was really just going out for a walk!" Tsumugi continued to argue. "Late at night? I'm not an idiot, Tsumugi. I doubt that's really what you were doing." I told her. "...Tsumugi, what's the meaning of this?" Maki asked her. "Can this...really be true?" Kiibo questioned. "Tsumugi...is this true?" Himiko asked the cosplayer, looking upset. "N-No, it's not! I really only went to use the bathroom, and I only went out to take a walk. I didn't know about the hidden passage-" "Look lively, Monokubs! You're up! Move your asses!" Monokuma yelled. "F-Father's never yelled at me like that before..." Monotaro muttered. "If you don't do well here...we're all gonna get blown up together!" Monosuke exclaimed. "I still wanna live longer! I wanna see the next chapter! So please-let us win!" Monophanie yelled. "...Excuse me?" I asked her, my fingers twitching. "Please! Please let us win! We don't wanna die!" Monotaro cried. "We're like snowflakes! We're one of a kind!" Monophanie yelled. "I dunno what Four-Eyes is talkin' about... Bad guys never wear glasses!" Monosuke argued. "Anyway, just cut it out! We don't wanna die!" Monotaro continued to cry, I'm sorry Shuichi, this isn't up for debate, if the Monokubs or Monokuma or even the mastermind themselves want to argue with someone...it's going to be me, everything else is up to you, I need to put them in their place, I need to eradicate them. "Monokuma and the mastermind are the bad guys here. 'We don't wanna die'!? Do you know how many times we've had to suffer to get to where we are now!? You guys haven't done a damn thing to survive! It was just handed to you! The best thing you can do right now is stay outta the way!" I yelled at them, my blood seething. "Please! Help us!" Monotaro yelled. "Is Four-Eyes over there really the mastermind? We dunno anything!" Monosuke exclaimed. "I don't wanna! I don't wanna explode!" Monotaro cried. "Even if she is the culprit..." Monophanie muttered. "Hey! let's just stop this!" Monotaro yelled. "There is no evidence that she is the mastermind!" Monophanie argued. "Before being destroyed, Motherkuma told us something." I said.

"I have a built-in voiceprint authentication system...I can't birth Monokumas unless the designated person specifically says the word 'birth'..." Motherkuma explained.

"That individual who it was referring to is, of course, the mastermind." I pointed out. "When the mastermind commands Motherkuma to give birth, it makes a spare." Maki informed. "We all tried it out." Himiko sweat dropped. "Ah! But Kiibo wasn't there, was he!?" Tsumugi pointed out. "R-Right... Because I was fighting the Exisals." Kiibo sweat dropped. "Did you hear that!? Kiibo didn't try giving Motherkuma a command! So the real mastermind is-" "Tsumugi...you were one of the only people who didn't say 'give birth.'" I said, interrupting her. "Huh...?" Tsumugi muttered. "Everyone else said 'give birth' all with the exception of me." I admitted.

"Whatever, just give birth to a Monokuma!" Himiko yelled. 

"...Are you listening? We said give birth to a new Monokuma." Shuichi commanded the robot.

"...Hurry up and give birth to a Monokuma." Maki told it.

"Please birth new Monokuma." Gonta said.

"Admittedly, Tsumugi and I used a different phrase." I said.

"Yeah! Try and make a new Monokuma!" Tsumugi yelled.

"Are you dense? Is your lack of ears affecting your cooperation? Make a new Monokuma!" I yelled at it angrily. 

"Tsumugi and I didn't say 'give birth,' we said 'make.'" I said. "Ah! B-But...! Wouldn't that make you suspicious as well!? You didn't say 'give birth' either!" Tsumugi yelled at me. "Tsumugi...are you accusing me of being the mastermind?" I asked her. "A-Ah! That's...not what I'm saying, just that- it's a possibility! It is a little odd that Monokuma has been letting you off the hook." Tsumugi corrected herself. "I could say the same for you, it isn't like Monokuma to just defend anyone during a trial, especially a suspect, can you explain that?" I asked her, leaning over my podium. "A-Ah-" "I...apologize, Tsumugi. But I can't ignore the fact that you've admitted to going inside of the very bathroom that is connected to the hidden room, as well as leaving the dormitories at night the very day Monokuma needed a spare, me not saying the word 'birth' couldn't possibly lead to me being the mastermind, unlike me...you really knew how to get Motherkuma to make a spare...didn't you? That's why you said 'make.' Because you knew that if you had said 'give birth,' Motherkuma would have made a spare. Does this sound right, Tsumugi?" I asked her. "Hey... Come on... What's wrong? Don't be like that, Y/N. Do you...really think I'm the mastermind? Th-There's just no way! Hey everyone, say something! I'm not the mastermind! That's crazy, right!?" Tsumugi yelled at everyone desperately. "Then refute it. We're waiting." Maki responded. "Huh...?" Tsumugi muttered. "I don't want to believe it either. That one of our friends, the survivors...could do this. That's why I'm begging, Tsumugi. I'm begging you to refute us. We might be wrong, I... I was wrong before, about Kaede... That's why I need everyone's help! I don't care if we're wrong, I want to hear your argument! Reaching the truth together is what cooperation means to me!" Shuichi yelled at her. 

"..." Tsumugi didn't say anything, she just had a shocked expression on her face, an expression that I couldn't help but despise, didn't she have anything to say for herself!? Goddammit, I was accusing her of being the person that lead all of our friends to their deaths! Doesn't she know how serious this is!? "Tsumugi, please." Kiibo muttered. "Tsumugi...please!" Himiko yelled at her. "Tsumugi, Gonta begging! Gonta not want Tsumugi to be mastermind!" Gonta yelled, clearly getting more upset by the second. "...What's the matter? You can't argue back after hearing that?" Maki asked her. "Whoa! Hold on! I dunno what's going on right now, but just hold on a sec!" Monosuke yelled. "Oh, Monosuke's infamous impatience rears its ugly head!" Monotaro said. "And what an ugly head it is..." Monophanie muttered. "I...I don't think friends should blame each other like this, y'know!? C'mon, smile everyone! I know, we could watch a comedy special so we can all smi-" Thankfully, before we could finish spouting his nonsense, Monosuke was blown up. "Geez, your noisy." Monokuma said. "Waaah! Monosuke!" Monotaro yelled, Monophanie was quick to show her displeasure by puking...again. "F-Father...why? You loved Monosuke so much!" Monotaro cried. "...Oh yeah, you're right. But we're at the good part now. So be quiet and watch like good little cubs." Monokuma told them. "F-Father...?" Monotaro muttered. "Puhuhuhuhuhuhuhu... See? It's getting exciting. Y/N is playing detective and trying to reveal the mastermind... Trying to overcome despair... It's so...heart-pounding..." Monokuma sighed happily. Despite the mastermind being cornered like this...why is he so calm? This...isn't what I want, I want him to suffer just as much as all of our friends did, so...why is he so calm!? No...that doesn't matter, we finally have the control now. I...just need Shuichi to take over from here, I...need the mastermind to be uncovered...for everyone.

"The mastermind of his killing game, and the culprit who killed Rantaro...is you, Tsumugi. There are no other possibilities." Shuichi concluded. "..." Still nothing, the silence making me scoff. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" I asked Tsumugi. "A-Anything to say...? Even if you keep saying all that stuff... I...still don't get it... Hey, let's stop this already! You're mistaken! C-Cuz we're all friends, right? Weren't we going to work together to end this killing game!?" Tsumugi yelled. "This is a class trial!" I reminded her. "Ah...!" Tsumugi muttered. "Even if we were forced into these class trials by the mastermind, that's how we survived! We weren't given a choice! That's all we were given! Tsumugi...if we're wrong, then refute it! Your life depends on it! P-Please..." I begged the girl. "Tsumugi...I don't wanna suspect you... I wanna believe in you. I want the mastermind to be somewhere else like in the previous killing games... So...if you're really not the mastermind then don't give up! I'll cheer you on!" Himiko yelled encouragingly. "E-Even...if you say that..." Tsumugi muttered, trailing off, we all waited for her to argue something, anything that could prove she was innocent, even I was desperate in some way for my answer to be wrong, because...if we're right...it would make me question everything. All the promises we made to each other, even my morals will be put up for question, That time when I talked with Tsumugi in her lab...she just seemed so normal, even the way she held my hand was so gentle and forgiving...I would be lying if I said that it didn't make my heart flutter when I saw her face go pink. And yet...I feel forced to just stand behind my podium and wait for her to argue out her point which didn't even seem like it was coming any time soon. "Puhuhu... Tsumugi's taking her sweet time, but waiting around is so boring... Hey, Shuichi. Why don't we look over the case again?" Monokuma asked the detective. "What?" Shuichi muttered. "C'mon, it'd be weird if I asked Y/N. It's, like, your thing. Present the truth and end this. Cuz there are people who don't know what the heck is going on until we get to this part!" Monokuma yelled. "Hey, Shuichi...I don't know what Monokuma is talking about, but...I do think it'd be for the best. We await patiently for your conclusion." I told him. 

"...With this new evidence...let's look back at Rantaro's murder. The night of the incident, Kaede and I were in the 1st floor classroom. We were waiting for the mastermind to trigger the trap we set in the library. Around that time, there were five people in the dining hall...including the mastermind. The mastermind was probably irritated that no murders had yet occurred. After the motive was given, they knew that Kaede was planning something... But the mastermind wanted some insurance. They would take action, if necessary. The mastermind excused themself from the dining hall and went to the bathroom. And from there, to the hidden room in the library that only the mastermind could enter. And there...they waited. With less than an hour before the time limit expired, Rantaro moved the library's bookcase...which set off the receiver I was holding. It all happened the way we determined in the first trial...except at the end... I ran out of the room, and Kaede rolled the shotput ball into the air vent. At the same time, Rantaro was lured by the flash of the hidden camera Kaede set. He unwittingly stepped right into the path of the shot. The shot rolled down the path Kaede made, and then...fell right onto Rantaro's head, killing him instantly...or so we thought. It turns out, that was just what the mastermind wanted us to believe. In reality, Kaede's murder plan happened quite differently. The shotput ball that Kaede rolled didn't actually hit Rantaro. He must have been surprised, seeing a shotput ball drop out of nowhere like that. But his fate was sealed. The mastermind saw that Kaede's plan failed, and stepped in to finish the job. The mastermind jumped out of the hidden room and attacked Rantaro from behind! And in their head, the real murder weapon-their own shotput ball. Rantaro wasn't killed by Rantaro's shot, but by the mastermind's. The mastermind picked up Kaede's shot and left their shotput ball at the scene. They also looted the Survivor Perk Monopad from Rantaro's body. Those things in hand, they retreated back into the hidden room. I remember seeing the bookcase closing just as Kaede and I got there. The mastermind had probably just finished their crime. And so, the real truth was perfectly hidden from us. We went to the class trial...and reached the truth that Kaede was the culprit. But that truth had been twisted by the mastermind! After the murder, the mastermind left the stolen Monopad on the table in the hidden room...and threw Kaede's shotput ball into the trashcan. A little careless of them...to not get rid of all the evidence. They probably believed no one would ever get into that room. But we did. Their crime complete, the mastermind went back through the hidden passageway. The passageway that led from the hidden room all the way to...the girl's bathroom on the first floor! While the mastermind was pretending to use the girl's bathroom...they were actually using the hidden passageway. That's how they moved around without being noticed. Anyone could have used the hidden passageway, not just the people in the dining hall. But looking at the survivors...only you could possibly be the mastermind. If I'm wrong...please, refute me. Please tell us that you aren't the mastermind, Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Cosplayer!" Shuichi concluded the timeline of events...for what would hopefully be for the last and final time. 

"That's the truth of this case, of the killing game itself. Well, Tsumugi?" Shuichi said. "W-Well...what?" Tsumugi muttered. "Y-Yes! What a scorching hot twist! My hand holding the detonator is tensing up..." Monokuma yelled. "D-Don't get tense! C-C-Calm down!" Monotaro stammered out. "Daddy! Please, stop this! Go back to how you used to be, when you loved us oh-so much!" Monophanie yelled desperately. "How I used to be...was more suited to a different story than this one." Monokuma responded. "...Huh?" Monophanie muttered, sounding hurt. "Basically, your story doesn't matter! I gotta watch this exciting development!" Monokuma yelled angrily. "Well, Tsumugi? Are there any flaws in Shuichi logic? If so, then...please tell us." Kiibo told her. As time went on...I swore I could feel a dreaded feeling rising in my chest. "F-Flaws? There's a bunch of flaws...all over it." Tsumugi said. "Then explain." Maki responded. "Y-You can do it! You can do it, Tsumugi!" Himiko cheered. "Gonta believe in Tsumugi! No way she could've killed Rantaro." Gonta yelled. "E-Even if you cheer me on... It's not like that! I didn't do it! It's plain to see!" Tsumugi yelled, the more she cried on about how she 'couldn't have done it' or how 'she isn't the mastermind' it doesn't seem to be swaying everyone's mind all that well, to be quite honest I'm quite grateful for that...it just makes my life a lot easier, how could I possibly lose to someone who cannot even defend themselves properly? "Fight back, Tsumugi! C'mon! You can do it, you can do it!" Monokuma yelled, sounding as if he was on the edge of his seat watching us...which he probably was. "Daddy, you're tensing up again!" Monophanie yelled at her father. "I still wanna live so please don't push the button!" Monotaro cried. "Tsumugi, please just say something! If you don't defend yoursel-" "It's Junko Enoshima!" Tsumugi seemingly just blurted out. "...What?" I muttered. 

"Cuz...it's always been her. In Hope's Peak killing game and in the Jabberwock Island killing game... Junko Enoshima didn't participate. She controlled the game from outside. Even if it's boring or repetitive, she's always been the mastermind, isn't she!? Then it's like that this time, too! It's gotta be Junko again!" Tsumugi yelled. 

"All the sources we've been given say that Junko Enoshima is dead... I doubt that she's a part of this killing game." I pointed out. "Y-You're wrong... She hasn't been eliminated... She's... It's all Junko's doing! This killing game is her doing, too! Yeah! That's gotta be it! Cuz Junko Enoshima is..." Tsumugi muttered. "Junko Enoshima is?" Monokuma urged Tsumugi to continue. "Cuz Junko Enoshima is..." Tsumugi trailed off. "Junko Enoshima is!?" Monokuma yelled, his paw hovering over the detonator again. "Daddy, please don't get so excited! You'll press the button by accident!" Monophanie cried. "Look at our cute faces! Can you really bear to be without us!?" Monotaro questioned. "Junko Enoshima is..." Tsumugi muttered. "Junko Enoshima is what!? Okay, time for a commercial break!" Monokuma yelled abruptly. "No it isn't!" Monophanie argued. "See, we're a good comedy group, too! So please don't-" Monotaro's hardly convincing arguments were...pretty bad. So it didn't come as a shock to me when both he and Monophanie blew up via the detonator. However, they were hardly on my mind before something that I could only describe as smoke enter the trial room, covering Tsumugi almost like an infectious disease. "Cuz...Junko Enoshima is... Junko...Enoshima is..."

"Right the fuck here!" An unknown voice yelled.

Suddenly the smoke cleared, revealing the Ultimate Despair herself...Junko Enoshima, with Tsumugi nowhere to be seen, wh-what...the hell? "Puhuhu... Sorry to keep you waiting. Even if nobody was waiting, even if it makes you go, 'What, again?'... The diva of despair takes the stage once more! Junko Enoshima the 53rd!" Junko laughed. "Bwah-hahahaha! There you have it! Once again, the mastermind is Junko Enoshima! Bwah-hahahahahaha!" Monokuma laughed manically, it was pretty annoying. "Junko Enoshima...53rd?" Gonta muttered, sounding confused. "Tsumugi...wh-what's the matter? Aren't you...Tsumugi Shirogane anymore? Our friend who survived with us?" Himiko said. "Hahaha, sorry about that. You can go ahead and forget about Tsumugi Shirogane." Junko said, then suddenly. 

"Cuz I'm just a character! Y'know, a lie!" Tsumugi suddenly yelled, did she...just change her appearance...how...is this even possible?

"Sorry to all her fans out there. If any of you even exist, that is." Junko said. "A-A lie...?" Himiko muttered, starting to look upset. "Tsumugi Shirogane was nothing more than a cover for me, the mastermind. Puhuhu... Calling her your friend... Oh, it's laughable, really. Really, I'm gonna laugh! Ahahahahahahahaha!" Junko laughed. "I-Is...this some sort of joke? Are you really the mastermind?" I asked her, my expression looking puzzled. "But, why? That face and that voice! It's just like..." Maki trailed off. "Junko Enoshima!" Kiibo yelled. "I know, right!? Oh, does it make you fall into despair!? Ahahaha! Well, does it!?" Junko asked us. "No, that's not possible... Junko Enoshima is dead!" Shuichi yelled at her. "But...why did you call yourself 'the 53rd'?" Himiko sweat dropped. "As history repeats itself, so does Junko Enoshima..." Junko responded. "Nyeh...?" Himiko mumbled. "As you can see, I am a perfect reproduction of Junko Enoshima." Junko said. "So...you're just some sick freak pretending to be Junko Enoshima, huh!?" I concluded. "No, a perfect reproduction!" Junko corrected me. "Perfect reproductions  are exactly the same as the original." Tsumugi said. "Her logic is impossible to follow, much like the real Junko Enoshima's..." Kiibo pointed out. "Whatever it is... You're the actual mastermind of this killing game, right? So if we kill you, then that'll be the end, correct?" Maki asked the mastermind. "Oh, don't say mean things like that... Besides, killing me never ends the game." Junko replied. "Never end game? What do you mean?" Gonta asked her. "She's bluffing. Let's just kill her and get it over with." Maki said. "...I'm never for hitting a woman, however in these circumstances, I guess it's okay." I admitted. "Wait you two! If force is necessary, it should wait until after we see what she-" 

"No need, Kiibo. Because this class trial is over." Shuichi told him. "What? It's already over? But I just showed up!" Junko wined. "You killed Kaede, and Monokuma covered it up with a false narrative! The class trials are rigged, and this whole game is illegitimate!" Shuichi yelled. "Oh that, right. Yeah, I definitely messed that up. Sorry about that. So..." Junko mumbled. "So? Is that all you have to say?" Shuichi asked her, getting a little frustrated, and quite understandably so, this game needs to end. "The viewers won't accept that kind of apology! You gotta stop the killing game!" Himiko yelled angrily. "Eh? The viewers? Umm... it seems like you're on the wrong track, so let me explain..." She said. "Okay! So first, I'll start with the event that inspired me to plain this killing game. That was...about the time the meteorite impacts started intensifying..." Junko trailed off. "Did she just start some big story on her own...?" Himiko questioned. "I knew of Hope's Peak Academy's Gofer Project, and my inner Junko told me... Crushing the Gofer Project, humanity's last hope, would be the perfect despair. That's when I took over the first killing game I devised... I forced those selected as humanity's last hope to play my killing game. And then I took the name 'Tsumugi Shirogane' and sneaked in among them." Junko said, changing between her and Tsumugi several times as she did so. "Did...Kokichi know about this? Wasn't he a Remnant of Despair? He was your comrade, right?" Maki asked her. "Huh...? Comrade? Junko Enoshima doesn't have comrades. It's like, you don't need a remote after you've thrown out the TV, right? The Remnants of Despair are just a bunch of despair fanboys and fangirls. But I...am despair itself... I am a god of despair! Kokichi was just one of my believers! A god wouldn't be comrades with one of their believers, right?" Tsumugi pointed out. "Then not even Kokichi know your identity." Gonta mumbled. "Puhuhu... What a hopeless existence he led... To the end, he had no idea the object of his worship was right under his nose." Junko said. "I-I don't care about your story! Tell us about the people watching! Who's this killing game being shown to!? Where are the survivors of humanity!?" Himiko yelled at Junko, getting angrier by the minute. 

"There's nobody watching." Tsumugi answered simply. Is she...trying to annoy us? There's no way that could be true. "Huh?" Shuichi hummed. "We were the last 17 people alive, y'know? Who could be watching? Humanity is gone." Junko said. "You must be lying, if there isn't anyone watching then why do you care so much about the rules? Since all you seem to care about is making the game more interesting, who exactly are you trying to make it interesting for?" I asked her. "That was just a part of my perfect reproduction." Tsumugi said as she smiled. "Your what?" I sweat dropped. "I just perfectly reproduced my own killing game is all. Just like the old Junko! The original was meant to be shown, so that's how I made mine!" Junko yelled. "You just wanted to recreate the past killing game... That's it?" Kiibo muttered, a shocked expression growing on his face. "Yup, that's it. There are no survivors of humanity. Things are just as you recalled... That is the truth of the Ultimate Academy killing game!" Junko exclaimed. "No, that's wrong!" Shuichi argued. "Oh dear! I am so surprised!" Tsumugi mocked. "Maybe we all remember that there's no one left out there... But how do we know our memories are real?" Shuichi questioned. "Huh? What do you mean by that? You think your memories are wrong?" Junko said. "There's something that's been bothering me about our memories... Here, look at this book." Shuichi told everyone. "The Complete History of Hope's Peak Academy?" Gonta muttered. "This book contains years of research about Hope's Peak Academy. Nothing would indicate this book is a prop. I believe the information here is accurate. But there's a lot written in here that differs from our memories." Shuichi concluded. "...What is different?" Kiibo asked him. "To know for certain, I'll need everyone's help. I want you all to tell me everything that you remember about Hope's Peak Academy." Shuichi instructed. "We just need to talk about what we remember from Hope's Peak? Okay..." Himiko mumbled. "Um... So it started with the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History. That event originated at Hope's Peak Academy, inspiring wars and terrorism around the world. It would not be a hyperbole to say that event brought despair to all mankind." Kiibo began. "And it was all caused...by a single high school girl." Himiko sweat dropped. "Yeah! It was me! Junko Enoshima enrolled in Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Fashionista... But my real identity was the Ultimate Despair! In order to cover the world in despair, I put my plans-" 

"Wait a minute, something doesn't add up here." Shuichi said, interrupting Junko. "Huh? I detect no discrepancy in my memory banks..." Kiibo admitted. "Yes, everything we just said is just like we remember it... But it doesn't match what's written in the history of Hope's Peak Academy." Shuichi argued. "So you gotta play 'Spot the Difference'! Point out what everyone is mistaken about in their memories of Hope's Peak Academy. Alright! Time to play some Danganronpa trivia!" Monokuma yelled. "The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History..." Gonta muttered. "That event originated at Hope's Peak Academy... Inspiring war and terrorism around the world." Kiibo said. "The cause of all that despair...was just a single high school girl." Himiko explained. Suddenly, a realization overcame me, and with the sudden jolt of energy I yelled out. "One high school girl started the tragedy. The Ultimate Despair, Junko Enoshima... Though...this is only what we remember. It actually doesn't say that in the book. 'Ultimate Despair' doesn't just refer to Junko Enoshima... It only refers to a group and the movement that came after. In more similar terms, there's more to Ultimate Despair than Junko Enoshima." I explained. "Gonta...never hear that before. Wasn't Junko Ultimate Despair?" Gonta questioned. "...That's what I recall as well. That label should only apply to her." Kiibo said. "Coincidences sure are scary. Everyone misremembered the same thing." Junko sighed. "Coincidence? Misremembered?" Himiko mumbled, pulling her hat down over her eyes. 

"And that's not all, there are other discrepancies I'd like to talk about." Shuichi said. "Ugh, does it even matter? I'm bored already." Junko wined. "We don't care about how you feel. Shut up and keep quiet." I spat at Junko. Shuichi is more important than Junko could ever hope to be, interrupting him should be a crime. 

"So, let's continue where we left off. Junko resorted to different tactics to cover the world with despair. The killing game between the 78th class of Hope's Peak Academy, for example." Kiibo said. "They were locked up and forced into the killing game by the Ultimate Despair." Himiko explained. "But...boo-hoo... When I, the one who started it all, died, events were set in motion... And the world began to move towards restoration." Tsumugi said. "Then the fight between the Future Foundation and the Remnants of Despair raged on... But the worst-case scenario was avoided! Yay, a happy ending!" Monokuma cheered. "The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History happened...because Junko had prepared countless ways of spreading despair." Kiibo explained. "Like killing game of 78th class of Hope's Peak Academy." Gonta chimed in. "They the Ultimate Despair." Maki began. "It wasn't the Ultimate Despair that trapped the 78th class in Hope's Peak Academy. It was the class themselves. They shut themselves in." Shuichi pointed out. "Shut themselves in?" Kiibo muttered, sounding confused. "Why would they shut themselves in?" Maki questioned. "It has something to do with the Hope's Peak Academy Shelter Project. During The Tragedy, the 78th class...trapped themselves inside Hope's Peak Academy for protection." I explained. "So our memory of the 78th class being trapped by the Ultimate Despair..." Himiko muttered. "Are you saying...our memories are wrong?" Maki muttered, looking concerned."It just means those documents were written all half-assed. There's no need to worry about it. Your memories are all correct." Junko said. 

"What you've been saying isn't consistent! First you said it was just 'coincidence.'" Shuichi argued. "Huh? Is that so?" Tsumugi muttered. "...Let's just move on. I want to talk about one more thing from our memories. It's about the rebuilt Hope's Peak Academy that we were attending." Shuichi said. "What about Hope's Peak?" Gonta asked Shuichi. "There's no doubt that the 17 of us were students at Hope's Peak Academy. We heard it had been rebuilt, and was accepting applications for talented students again... And so, we gathered at the brand-new Hope's Peak Academy." Kiibo explained. "Since Hope's Peak Academy was large, we were all in separate classes... But there's no doubt we were students of the new school." Maki concluded. I...have always had my reservations about the school and our memories in a whole. It concerns me that we are believing the Flashback Lights as facts, despite the Flashback Lights seeming real, even forcing me to believe them at first...seeing that you could choose the Flashback Lights in the classroom back then...confirmed my suspicions that the Flashback Lights could be fabricated. But, right now I can't say it, something...so farfetched will probably just scare everyone. I don't want to bother Shuichi. 

"Hope's Peak Academy was rebuilt... And with that...recruitment of talented students resumed." Kiibo begun the debate, however...I couldn't help but see the holes in his statement. "We all remember Hope's Peak Academy taking applications from talented students...but that's not what I read from the history book. The academy did not take applications. All of their students were scouted." I informed everyone. "Scouted!? I've never heard that!" Kiibo yelled. "I wasn't scouted. I applied to Hope's Peak Academy on my own!" Himiko yelled. "Me too. I chose to come to Hope's Peak... At least, that's what I remember." Shuichi said. "Is Y/N saying everyone remember it wrong?" Gonta asked me. "But what if this book's just wrong!? Researchers make mistakes, too!" Himiko argued. "Maybe so,  however, I'm not getting all of this from just the book... There is other evidence as well." I responded. "Other...what?" Monokuma muttered, tilting his head to the side. "The killing game we're in now is one that began with Hope's Peak Academy. So this is the third game, after Hope's Peak and Jabberwock Island. But remember what Rantaro said?" I asked everyone.

"Well, the truth is...this isn't your first killing game. You're the Ultimate Survivor. You survived the last killing game." Rantaro said.

"However, Rantaro's name wasn't listed among the past participants of the game. He was not present at the two killing games that Junko orchestrated." I pointed out. "Then...which killing game did Rantaro participate in?" Maki questioned. "I'm not entirely sure, but...it is quite odd, isn't it? However, the inconsistences don't stop there. Kokichi's account is also suspect." I said. "Kokichi's account is inconsistent, too?" Kiibo sweat dropped. "Oh, an inconsistency? Do tell..." Junko told me. I only stared back at her, and huffed, quickly looking the other way. "Oh? You don't wanna say it now since I asked you to, right? Am I right?" Junko asked me. My silence and unwillingness to answer her question was enough, I'm sure. 

"...We remember Kokichi as a Remnant of Despair... But I don't think that's true. He wasn't a Remnant of Despair." Shuichi concluded for me. "He wasn't...a Remnant of Despair?" Maki muttered, sounding astonished at the thought. "Th-That's impossible! He was definitely a Remnant of Despair! The Remnants of Despair were the ones who tried to stop the Gofer Project... And Kokichi was their leader... If he was the one leading the Remnants of Despair... Then he must have been second only to the Ultimate Despair herself!" Kiibo argued. "Yes, he loved me more than anyone... Like an obsessed fan hiding in the bushes. So where's your proof he wasn't a Remnant of Despair?" Junko asked Shuichi. "The motive video we found in Shuichi's dorm room." Shuichi said.

Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader... He caused mayhem the world over as the leader of the secret organization, D.I.C.E. And by 'mayhem' I mean petty, nonviolent crimes and harmless pranks... Anyway, Kokichi had ten loyal goons working for him. These goons were like friends and family... The most important people in his life...

"An organization centered around petty crimes, one that forbids murder. And in addition to that, the group was only 10 people. That's far too few to be the same group that tried to sabotage the Gofer Project. Meaning that whatever group Kokichi was a part of...is not the Remnants of Despair. His motive video clearly contradicts our memories. The memory we have of Kokichi being a Remnant...has to be false." Shuichi explained. "You mean...he wasn't a Remnant of Despair? That's...not possible..." Maki muttered. "Now that Gonta think about it...Kokichi never say he Remnant of Despair." Gonta said. "But it's still not possible!" Maki yelled. "I think Kokichi didn't tell us because he wasn't exposed to the Flashback Light. And...neither was Kaito." I pointed out.

"...Junko...? Hope...? Despair...?"

"Kaito didn't appear to know anything about the Remnants of Despair or Junko Enoshima." I said. "If they'd been exposed to it, maybe we'd know the truth..." Himiko sighed. "...Perhaps it's better that they weren't. I've been thinking that the people who were exposed to the Flashback Light were wrong for a long time now..." I admitted. "Nyeh? What do you mean?" Himiko asked me. "It's just- all of these weird coincidences are from memories we got from the Flashback Lights." I said. "So the Flashback Lights are the cause?" Kiibo questioned. "You and Shuichi found the classroom that makes all the Flashback Lights...right?" Maki asked me. "Mhm, I think we both found something strange about it." I hummed. "I ended up doing a little experimenting with the device hidden in the room. It allowed you to select the memory that a Flashback Light would recover. However, some of the memories were inconsistent with each other. One might say 'there are survivors,' but another would say 'there are no survivors.' Strange, right? The Flashback Lights allegedly help us recover our memories. We're supposed to remember the truth that we forgot, and there should only be one truth. But then, having the option to recover contradictory memories just doesn't make sense." I told everyone. 

"Then what are you saying?" Monokuma asked me. "H-Huh?" I sweat dropped. "The Flashback Light isn't for recovering lost memories, is that what you're saying?" Monokuma questioned. "Then what was it for? What was it for, huh? Huuuh?" Both Junko and Tsumugi asked me. "Go on, tell them. What are the Flashback Lights for?" Monokuma asked me again. "...Hmph." I huffed, simply turning the other way, I will not answer to such scums. I never thought I would hate something so much that even looking at them tick me off. I guess I even surprise myself. 

"Yes, that's it! The Flashback Light isn't supposed to help up remember anything! It's a tool for implanting false memories!" Shuichi concluded. "Implanting...memories!?" Himiko yelled. "Yes. The memories you could select for the Flashback Lights weren't our real memories. They were memories to be implanted inside us. That's why the contents of those memories contradict each other. Once we're exposed to a Flashback Light, those memories...become the truth for us." Shuichi said, however, there was a tinge of carefulness in his voice, almost as if he was struggling to comprehend it all himself. "So the memories we recovered with the Flashback Lights were..." Kiibo muttered. "Not real. They were false memories. They were lies." I told everyone. "Lies!?" Gonta yelled, looking upset. "Oh! What a horrible truth! If the memories from the Flashback Lights are lies... Then everything was a lie! All the suspense and foreshadowing was for nothing! Can you believe it? It's like everything that happened didn't matter at all." Monokuma said. "Well, that is what it means." Junko said nonchalantly. "...Huh?" Kiibo muttered quietly. "Lies are like snowballs. The more you roll them, the bigger they get. The bigger they are, the more fun and shocking it is when they're revealed. That's why everything up till now has been lies! That's the truth!" Junko yelled. So...I was right? Of...course I was, I don't know what would've proved me wrong, but...what does that mean for us? 

"The memories from the Flashback Lights...were just lies?" Maki sweat dropped. "It's just as Shuichi said-the Flashback Lights are not for recovering lost memories. They're tools for implanting new ones. The light they emit is actually information that has been converted to light waves. That light is beamed directly into the brain, causing a deja vu sorta phenomenon. The brain gets confused and thinks the info it just received happened in the past." Monokuma explained. "W-We were just...confused?" Himiko stammered. "For example, your memories of being students of Hope's Peak Academy...? Fake! Hm-hm! You guys don't have anything to do with Hope's Peak Academy! None of us were ever students there. It was just a fake memory." Tsumugi broke to us. I felt as if I was hit in the chest, my eyes widened and my lips began to quiver. 

"Wait...what? Th-That couldn't be-" "Yup, that was all fake. Looking back, it was a mistake to have you remember Hope's Peak. I didn't originally plan on giving you those memories, but... I was in a rush and overlooked all those inconsistencies, so you figured it all out... Ahahaha! It's hopelessly the worst!" Junko laughed. "So that's why Kokichi had to die?" Shuichi asked Junko. "Hmmm. Good job, Mr. Detective... You got it." Junko responded. "The only reason we thought Kokichi was a Remnant was because of the Flashback Lights. But he did say that he was the leader of a cult organization... That was a lie he invented himself. He wanted to be the mastermind... He wanted us to believe it... That's why he lied." Shuichi pointed out.

"Anyway, I gotta confess... You know that cult I mentioned earlier? The leader...is me." Kokichi said. "...Huh?" Shuichi mumbled. "Which meeeans...the mastermind who snuck Monokuma onto the Ark is... Meeeee!!!" Kokichi yelled.

"He usurped the mastermind's role, but in doing so, became a thorn in their side. So to get rid of that hindrance, the mastermind played along with the lie. The mastermind manipulated us into thinking Kokichi was a Remnant of Despair." Shuichi pointed out. "At the same time, having everyone remember Hope's Peak Academy...made you guys target him because you thought he was a Remnant of Despair." Tsumugi said. "You were using the Flashback Lights to control us!?" Kiibo yelled. "Then the reason I tried to kill Kokichi was..." Maki muttered. "You were being controlled by false memories, like putty in the mastermind's hands. But Maki wasn't the only one being controlled. You all were. Remember when Kokichi revealed the truth of the outside world...? You all got so depressed, you couldn't even focus on the killing game." Monokuma said. "Wait, then...to make us recover from that, you..." Kiibo trailed on. "Yep! We gave you memories of being Hope's Peak Academy students! The symbol of hope!" Monokuma yelled. "So you all could face despair." Tsumugi said. "You...controlled us with a fake memory?" I muttered. "Well, it wasn't just that memory. It was all of 'em up till now. New mysteries and truths turn to motivation. Motivation drives a story. Everything from the Flashback Lights was just motivation to move you forward. Buuut...I guess it was fake motivation." Junko said, her cheeks flushing. "You idiots kept getting jerked around by meaningless lies!" Monokuma yelled at us. "This class trial was like that too, wasn't it? Why was it you were so motivated to do it? Because you got a memory from one of the Flashback Lights, right?" Junko questioned. "Was that also a memory you used to control us?" Shuichi asked her. "Hey, what was it you guys remembered from it, again? At first, you ran away from the Gofer Project, humanity's last hope... But then, you bravely chose to accept your fate... You took on all the wishes of your friends and family... And now, you remember how you got here. You remembered that you had all been entrusted with the world's hope, right? Remembering the weight of that hope should've made you feel stronger. 'I have to escape!' 'I'll never give up!' 'I won't be defeated by the mastermind!' Even though Kaito and Kokichi were gone, and Kiibo started to go beserk... You guys didn't give up hope. You decided to face this killing game, right?" Tsumugi said, drool running down her chin and her cheeks flushing. 

"You were controlling our emotions? Even our resolve to defeat the mastermind?" Maki questioned. "This is a killing game. A death game where emotions run like blood. If the participants aren't trying their best to live, it's just not very exciting." Junko said. "A-All the memories...were fake? Then...what was everything till now? That memory and that memory... And that memory and that memory and that memory and that memory and that memory and that-! If they were all fake memories, then... Where...are we? Why are we in this killing game?" Himiko questioned as she began to cry. "Yeah, who knows? My plans for mankind's last killing game kinda just fell apart. So figure out why on your own. This is a class trial, after all." Junko said, her expression darkening. "Then...who the hell are you!?" I asked her. "Hm?" Tsumugi hummed. "...I don't know who you are." I admitted. "Huh? What's not to understand? I...became me. What about that don't you get?" Junko asked me. "If this killing game is connected to Hope's Peak Academy, then I will believe you. This is certainly the work of someone carrying out Junko Enoshima's will. But we have nothing to do with Hope's Peak, so you can't be Junko. So answer me, who the hell are you!?" I asked the mastermind. However...all sense of reality was thrown when...she changed, not to Tsumugi...and not to Junko...but into someone else. One of the participants of Jabberwock Island, I think. What...the hell is going on? "I'm me. No one else." They said. "What...this?" Gonta mumbled, not knowing what to make of this. "Huh? You know him, don't you? He was in the Jabberwock Island killing game. I'm Hajime Hinata..." They said. "Th-That's not what we mean. What are you doing!?" Himiko yelled at her. "What am I doing...? I'm just cosplaying." Tsumugi said. "Cosplaying?" Shuichi muttered. "Yeah, this is just cosplay. But it's not just normal cosplay! Cuz I can perfectly replicate the character! Check it out! Even my voice sounds exactly the same!" The different people from all the different killing games boasted. 

"Is Junko Enoshima also..." Maki muttered. "Yes... It's my cosplay. I can perfectly reproduce a number of characters and actually become them. This is the talent of the Ultimate Cosplayer!" Hajime Hinata yelled, I...didn't know anymore, everything just...doesn't make sense. "A number of characters?" Himiko sweat dropped. "How can she cosplay as students of Hope's Peak Academy!? Because Tsumugi told us..." Shuichi trailed off.

"That's what cosplay is supposed to be in the first place! Lately, some people prefer to cosplay as non-fictional characters, which is unforgivable... It's so unforgivable that I break out in cospox if I even attempt it..." Tsumugi admitted...all the way back then.

"Ah, you remembered! Yes, that's exactly right. So then...what does this mean?" She asked. "H-Huh...?" I mumbled. "If what I said was the truth, then Hope's Peak Academy was..." She trailed off. 

"..."

"F-Fictional...this...was all fictional?" I muttered, my voice cracking. "...Fictional?" Maki muttered, looking shocked. "The Biggest Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History never happened... Hope's Peak, the Future Foundation, and the Remnants of Despair do not exist... Because it's all fiction. None of it actually happened in the real world. All of those events took place within a world known as Danganronpa." She said. "Danganronpa!" Monokuma cheered. "Dangan...ronpa...?" Shuichi stammered. "What!? What is Tsumugi...even talking about?" Gonta questioned. "What? You've never heard of Danganronpa? We're all...characters in it. That's right! Me, that nasty pig barf, and everyone else are all fictional." Two girls said. "Hold on. Then...Hope's Peak Academy doesn't exist?" Maki muttered. "Nope! Cuz it's fiction! Doesn't exist in the real world!" Tsumugi yelled. "Wh-What...?" I mumbled, my hands beginning to shake. "Isn't that surprising!? Yep... Up till now, you thought fiction was fact. But fiction is just fiction. Danganronpa's just fiction. This whole Danganronpa story was just stuffed into your memories. For that reason, you all believed that work of fiction was, in fact, reality. And that's how we put on a cosplay performance for everyone to see! A cosplay performance of the whole wide, Danganronpa world!" A girl with different colored hair and a school uniform yelled. "Cosplay...of a whole wide world? S-So...this was all fake! Everything was made up? And the whole time...we thought it was real!?" Himiko yelled. 

"Did you think the Ultimate Cosplayer's talent was only limited to characters? It'd be kinda lame if that was all the big bad mastermind could do... I can do far more than that... I can cosplay the world itself! So if you want to make me your enemy... Then your enemy is the world of Danganronpa itself!" She said. "Danganronpa...itself?" Gonta mumbled. "I-I don't care about any of that! I can accept the Flashback Lights to have been fake, but...this is all just bullshit! I don't know what you're talking about, that all my emotions and actions have been useless up to this point!? I don't care who I have to make my enemy, I'll knock down anything or anyone who wants to get in my way!!! I've had enough! I'll just kill you right now-!" 

"Y/N? That was real mean, y'know...bullying your older sister like this."

That face...those kind eyes, looked at me sadly, my grip around the pole leaning on my podium, loosened as I looked back. "I-I..." My throat felt dry, it felt as if I couldn't take my eyes off her, I could even feel my eyes growing glossy, my vision becoming a little blurry, however, I tried almost desperately to look for any sort of flaw in the way she looked, but...just as Tsumugi said...it was a perfect match, however...her actions still couldn't deceive me. That wasn't my sister, it...was the mastermind, the person that I have undoubted hatred towards...and the person that I have sworn to kill to end all of this madness. But...even with all of this hatred and anger building up...why 

...can't I bring myself to kill her?

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