Holy Diver

(Danganronpa/JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Crossover)

Arc One: Bizarre Trigger-Happy Academy

Chapter One: The Ultimate Male Model

Makoto Naegi stood outside the door and wondered when he was going to summon the courage to actually knock on it.

It wasn't as if the conversation was going to be worse than what had already happened today. Hope's Peak was meant to be the start of something new. A chance for Naegi to be more than just your average kid with luck that could go from terrible to amazing-where the worst day ever could become the best because of one simple ticket-and be a proud student of the best school in the world.

Instead, he and fourteen others were trapped in the school-building and forced to participate in the sick game of whoever was behind all of this.

A Mutual Killing Game that had already led to the deaths of four of Naegi's classmates, hell his friends, at least in his mind, and there was the fear in the back of his mind that it wasn't nearly close to over. A tiny part of him that wondered if it'd only end with one student left standing.

No. You can't think like that. We're not going to fall into that kind of despair. Naegi told himself. Maybe he was being naive; telling himself comforting lies to avoid facing the dark truth ahead. Or maybe he was on to something. Kuwata was acting in self-defence. Fujisaki and Maizono were-

Victims. Not directly of the Mastermind, although Naegi could never absolve that monster of true responsibility, but victims of their own classmates. Sayaka Maizono, who had been driven by fear of what would happen to her and her bandmates if she remained trapped in the school, had been the first to try and attempt a murder. Kuwata had only killed her to protect himself from a crime she planned on framing Naegi himself for, although Naegi could never have held that against her.

It was same with Oowada. They had been victims of the Mastermind just as the rest of them were. It was the Mastermind who had been the one to torment the group with threats towards loved ones and the revelation of their darkest secrets. It was designed to toy with their minds and torment them enough that at least one of them would lose all hope and try to 'Ascend' from the Killing Game.

Murralsee was what their 'servant' called itself. It had first appeared when Naegi and the others had been called into the school gym, all of them curious about why the exits were blocked by massive iron-gates. The mere sight of it had almost given him a heart attack when it emerged from the platform in smoke and darkness. It towered at seven feet and had the look of a demon from hell itself, red eyes on a smooth draconic face, and wielded an iron-chain whip to go along with the look of an underworld torturer. Its voice had been smooth enough that even its persistent echo felt soft on the ears, if it wasn't always demanding that the students kill one another.

It had proclaimed itself as the servant of the 'new master' of Hope's Peak and that it had been delegated the powers to compel, punish, and reward students based on how they acted. There were few who ever had the courage to stand up to the demonic entity, Oowada's death had taken one of the names off that list, and it had been made clear from the start that any show of defiance towards Murralsee would be treated as an act of defiance against their captor.

Naegi wasn't going to let Murralsee force him to kill, and they would stop it and the Mastermind's plans, but he also wasn't going to martyr himself for a brief moment of defiance.

What everyone needed to do was stick together and find a way out of this. It was just Naegi's terrible luck that there was just as much bickering and grudge-holding as there was on the very first day that they all arrived at Hope's Peak. The Second Class Trial had only made things worse after Togami's interference with the crime scene.

What was he even thinking? Naegi already knew the answer to that question. The great Byakuya Togami, Ultimate Affluent Progeny, had said that he wanted to see who'd be the first to suspect him if he actually did commit a murder and who would come the closest to figuring him out.

That little plan of his almost cost him, and the others, everything. If Naegi and Kirigiri hadn't spotted the meaning in Oowada's words in time...

Now four of the remaining eleven survivors had locked themselves in their rooms and refused to speak with the rest of the class. Celes had taken that as an opportunity to retreat into her own room and everyone soon split off into their own groups seemingly without any intention of co-ordinating or discussing what they should do now. It wasn't as if Ishimaru was going to enforce discipline any time soon. Not after Oowada's death.

Naegi and Kirigiri had agreed to split up and try to coax the others out of their rooms. They had decided to give Ishimaru time to properly mourn and instead focus on the other three. Fukawa would follow Togami so it was just a matter of winning him over. Kirigiri agreed to be the one to try and sooth Togami's ego enough that he'd be able to face the class again, Naegi being a comforting face would probably backfire somehow and only wound his pride further.

So it was that Naegi was standing in front of the Ultimate Male Model's room trying to summon the courage to knock on the door and try to be let in.

This wasn't going to be easy. Everyone had rallied behind the idea of Togami being Fujisaki's killer not just because of his tampering of the crime scene, but also because of the fierce and unrelenting accusations of the Ultimate Male Model. The two had never gotten along and it was obvious in hindsight that the whole accusation was more motivated by what Togami said on the first day of this Mutual Killing Game than actual proof. That entire case had been built on coincidence and Togami's own mockery of everyone around him.

As if beating the Ultimate Progeny within an inch of his life wasn't enough.

It was a miracle that a fight hadn't broken out again. The first time had been the last; Oogami having made it clear that she wouldn't show any restraint against whoever would throw the first punch or were about to kill the other. The two simply settled for throwing passive insults at each other that were so cruel that it made even Celes uncomfortable.

Getting the two to get along was impossible, but Naegi was an optimist. If they wouldn't be friends, they could at least be classmates enough that they could be in the same room without screaming at each other. If it could happen after half of Togami's face had been beaten black and blue, it could happen after a few moments of fearing for his life.

At least, that's what Naegi hoped.

He knocked three times on the door and waited for a reply. Luckily enough, the door opened after a few seconds and Naegi was now face-to-face, or rather face-to-pecs, with the Ultimate Male Model just mere hours after having kept him from making the biggest mistake of his life.

That didn't mean Naegi didn't start wondering if he just made that very mistake when he saw an unfriendly glare shoot far over his head. As the eyes looked down at Naegi, however, the ice-cold glare warmed into a welcoming fire that was complimented by the slight smile that appeared on the man's face. The effect was slightly undermined by the fact that Naegi had to crane his neck back just to look his classmate in the eye.

"Oh, Naegi. I thought you were someone else." The Ultimate Male Model said. The way he spoke in near-flawless Japanese made Naegi jealous at their language skills, while he had been barely passing English at his old school. That wasn't the only thing that he was jealous of.

Makoto Naegi wasn't exactly known for his height. His own little sister was 3cm taller than him, as she loved to brag in the days before he got the letter from Hope's Peak, but he never exactly felt tiny. 5'4 was a perfectly respectable height. That's what he had thought.

That had been before he spent time with people like Oogami, Oowada, and the chiselled statue before him. The Ultimate Male Model was the tallest one of the class at 195cm, or 6'4 to use the Imperial measurements that the British used for height, and managed the impossible in seeming somehow even larger than that.

Perhaps it was the physique? It took a lot of hard work to create a body that bulged with such muscle and could still be considered slender. Any clothing worn by this man managed to fit just enough to display his physique without looking to tear at the materials themselves, creating the impression that the fabrics and design were solely for his use. Maybe it was the golden-blonde hair? Or perhaps the piercing red eyes that could either spell hellfire with their fury or a soft candle-light of curiosity as Naegi explained the differences between Japanese and British schools.

The days where a man's attractiveness was judged by having the muscular build like the one before Naegi had seemed to be over until recently. The Ultimate Male Model apparently discovered something that made him from an appreciated niche to the man who dominated the world of fashion. That was less than two years ago and now Naegi wondered if Komaru had bought another poster of her 'most favourite model ever', to put it in her words.

Dio Brando had that effect on women.

"Hey, Dio, I was just wondering if I could come in." Naegi said. It was better to be straight and honest with Dio than make up some lie that the older peer would easily see through. "I know it's been a long day, but after what happened-"

Dio's grip on the door tightened, the sound of wood creaking echoing throughout the hall. "If you're asking me to apologise to Togami-"

"No, I'm not stupid." Naegi replied, a bit too quickly for his own liking. It seemed to work, however, as Dio let go of the door and leaned against it. Gah! Even when he was wearing a simple combination of a white shirt, chocolate-brown trousers, and a dark-blue sweater, Dio managed to turn leaning against a door into a pose that had a gravity of its own. As it drew Naegi in closer, he knew that he had to regain control of the conversation. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay. Kirigiri and I kind of went all-in during that trial and I don't want you to think that-"

A hand the size of Naegi's head was slowly raised in front of his face and he took the hint.

"Naegi," Dio leaned back and pushed the door further open enough that both of them could easily enter and exit his room. Any trace of hostility on his face was gone and replaced by cheerful welcoming, the hand that had been raised towards Naegi now motioning to the inside of the room. "If we're going to talk, we should probably do it sitting down. It'd be nice to have some kind of friendly talk after today."

Every bedroom for the students had been designed according to their personal tastes. For Dio, it was the very embodiment of luxury and wealth that fitted someone who conquered their field at the age of seventeen, right down to the golden sheen that flooded the room just from the decoration of the place. You would have never imagined that, only two years ago, this was a man who had been rejected from Hope's Peak.

But that was a story for another time. Right now, Naegi's priority was making sure that Dio knew that he was still part of their group.

The two of them sat at the table in perfect contrast. Dio sat on his chair and leaned forward as if he was the one who was checking up on Naegi rather than the other way round, pouring himself a glass of wine from the bottle he procured, and gently holding it with one hand. He let it sway and swish in his grip as if mocking Murralsee by defying the school environment. Dio had justified it to Ishimaru-who had wanted to confiscate it- in that he found it and Britain had different drinking laws to Japan so it was fine so long as only he drank it.

Ishimaru had brought up the subject again and again after the first day, but did nothing to forcibly remove the wine on the silent condition that Dio would keep it in his room at all times and that no one else would drink it. The fact that it had been a couple of hours after Dio's fists had been bloodied might have played a part in the Ultimate Moral Compass deciding to pick his battles.

"I don't suppose you'd like some?" Dio asked, moving his hand so that the open bottle was now leaning towards Naegi's face.

"No thanks. I'm too young to drink." That and the scent itself was enough to make him feel woozy, let alone even a sip.

"Suit yourself," Dio said. Silence took over for a few moments, Naegi trying to find the right words to say, when Dio took the initiative. "If you want to make sure that I was fine, I can assure you that I hold no grudges towards you or Kirigiri over what happened in the trial. We merely differed on details and I turned out to be in the wrong. I, Dio, am not the kind of person who wails and howls when they make a genuine mistake and are corrected."

Naegi ignored the implicit remark about Togami and focused on the real matter at hand. "It's these Class Trials. Forcing us to fight each other over who's the murderer. It just brings out the worst in all of us."

"Not all of us. Once again, you've surpassed yourself." Dio said, catching the Ultimate Lucky Student off-guard. What did he mean by that? "Naegi, do you remember what I said a few days ago?"

Despite everything that happened today, Naegi could remember the day before yesterday with picture-perfect clarity. Dio had been one of the few people who hadn't assumed the worst about Naegi when Maizono had been murdered, taking his side just as Kirigiri did during the whole Class Trial, so it made sense to give him a thank-you present. Naegi's luck had kicked in when he got Prince Shoutoku's Globe from the Murralsee Machine. He smiled when he saw that the softball-sized globe had been kept right next to Dio's mirror.

The gift worked as an ice-breaker and the two had talked about the strange circumstances of their acceptance into Hope's Peak. Naegi having gone through the worst day in his life and Dio having been approved despite being two years older than the standard age of entry. It had seemed odd, but no one would have said that Dio Brando didn't deserve to be a part of the student body. Reading the comments on the boards, most people thought it was a mistake to have not let him in earlier.

After they compared hobbies and skills, Naegi wondered if the reason for Dio's rejection was that he had too many talents. The Ultimate Male Model wasn't just a pretty face but was one of the sharpest fighters that Naegi had ever seen. He had seen Dio win in his games of chess against Celes and Kirigiri before, so he knew that he was smart, and the muscles should have been a dead giveaway, but he never expected the kind of skill Dio spoke about.

"I knew the basics of boxing from my childhood. No one in the streets could match me in a fight. It was when I rose to fame that I turned experience and street-smarts into something more." Dio had said, showing Naegi some air-boxing. "Mixed Martial Arts was popular and I, Dio, wasn't one to reject the opportunities to better myself, although I have my preferred forms."

Naegi knew what those were. Boxing. Not the Olympic style, or even the professional style, but a style that seemed design to hurt and cripple your opponents. It was vicious and cruel, made to keep the other fighter down and out before they came after you, and Dio somehow made it stylish. The only one in their class that Dio could really show his might against, without getting hurt, let alone winning as she did, was Oogami.

And it's not like Dio doesn't try to win. Naegi thought to himself. At times, it seemed like Dio was trying too hard to come out on top, as if winning was more important than keeping your opponent safe.

"It's hard to find a worthy opponent. I've even had a few rounds against the Ultimate Boxer." Dio had said, eager to move on from his loss. "That's a story for a different time. Let's simply say that pride might have played a role in why I was named Ultimate Male Model instead of Ultimate Boxer."

The main thing that Naegi remembered, however, was the question that Dio posed to him. The question he asked Naegi to contemplate when they had gone over the list of his potential 'talents'.

"You asked me who I thought had the strongest Talent." Naegi said.

"I can understand why you might not have thought about it. What must sound like harmless trivia is nothing compared to solving a murder, especially when it's all of our lives at stake. But this is an important question. The strongest Talent just might be what liberates all of us in the end."

"You've got that wrong." Naegi couldn't contain himself. "Talent isn't what's going to get us out of here. Working together and refusing to go along with Murralsee's little game is what will get us out of here."

Dio's eyes narrowed slightly, but more than enough to almost make Naegi shake in his seat. "Murralsee is only the face we see. Never forget that there is a Mastermind pulling the strings to all of this. A Mastermind that has managed to create a fortress that even the Ultimate Fighter herself couldn't break."

"Exactly. There's no single Talent that's going to come and bring us to safety. All we can do is hope. Hope in each other, for the people outside trying to rescue us, and that it's all going to work out." Naegi felt his body swell with each word, growing stronger in his stance and more confident in his voice. That was until he realised that he still needed to give his answer, causing him to deflate and shuffle in place. "Besides, and I don't mean to be rude, but your question doesn't make sense."

Maybe it was just his natural tendency to want everyone to get along, but the intrigued look on Dio's face, asking him to explain himself without a hint of offence, put Naegi at ease. It wasn't the first time that Naegi was relieved that he could speak with Dio while Kirigiri was stuck trying to make Togami re-join the group after everything that happened. Just the two talking was enough to give the Ultimate Lucky Student some peace of mind.

Not enough peace of mind to avoid stuttering as he began to talk. "W-Well, I mean, just, what are we even defining as 'strongest'? Are you asking if everyone got in a fight who'd win? Or are you asking which Talent is more useful? Or just which Talent goes further in their field? People have different uses for different skills. That's not even getting into the person themselves. Judging them on Talent alone is like judging someone based only on their looks, it's just one of many sides to a person. You can't really assign some objective strength to Talent. It's like asking who'd win in a fight. Where are they? How is their health? Is one of them willing to cheat to win?"

"So your answer is that it depends?" Dio asked. It was the kind of question that was a reply in itself, making Naegi wonder if the older man was disappointed that he went with an easy answer.

Naegi tried to retreat into his hoodie without making it obvious, suddenly embarrassed by his own words. "Sorry. You probably wanted something else from m-"

"I was hoping you would say that. It shows that your mind is sharp even when you're not under pressure." Dio smiled as he went on. "The skills needed to be a good king and the skills needed to be a good chef are completely different. To judge the strength of a Talent according to some sort of objective criteria is a fool's task. Having said this, I, Dio, have thought about who would represent the biggest danger to the Mastermind in this Mutual Killing Game."

"Y-Y-You have?"

"The Mastermind has control over the entire school and has copies of Murralsee all over the building just waiting to be activated. They then add to this control by having us fight amongst each other with the reward of escaping this building at the cost of everyone else. The Motives so far have simply been ways of increasing the costs of inaction. It might be that they even have the power to provide additional benefits to successfully committing a murder other than freedom."

Murdering someone to get a reward? Naegi didn't understand. He couldn't understand. What kind of reward would be enough to drive one of them to kill another, and doom everyone else, for the sake of what was basically a bonus prize? To kill to escape, that was something that Naegi could accept, no matter how much he hated it. To kill out of panic was wrong but at least it didn't come from a morbid cost-benefit calculation.

Even as Dio continued talking, Naegi refused to believe that someone would jump at whatever Murralsee-or rather the Mastermind-offered in exchange for an innocent life.

"With that power as the foundation to all this, it stands to reason that those that threaten the Mastermind's control are the greatest threats. Without that power over us, there is nothing they can do to force us to submit to their will. In this case, out of our entire class, the three most dangerous would be Oogami, Fujisaki, and Kirigiri herself. The Ultimate Fighter may only have a small chance of defeating a single Murralsee, but the Ultimate Programmer might have had a chance to access one of the Murralsees, or even the network itself, and bring chaos to the Mastermind's control. Kirigiri herself has proven resistant to the Motives and the paranoia that comes from murder. Even without a clear Talent, she's proven deadly."

"Fujisaki," Naegi's eyes feeling heavy, still fighting back tears even now. The fact that he might have found a way to help everyone escape. As if the way he died wasn't tragic enough. "Even if it was a small chance, why did-"

"Because Oowada was ruled by fear. Fear of what he had done, fear of what his followers would think of him, and fear of his own weakness. Humanity is haunted by anxiety, Naegi, and will do anything to find refuge from it, even if it means burying their sins deep down." Dio drank from his glass again and leaned forward, his very form seeming to grow even larger somehow. "That anxiety of the unknown, great enough to throw them into despair and madness, is what defines those who are the least threatening to the Mastermind."

"The least threatening?"

"Yamada, Hagakure, Maizono, Kuwata, Oowada, Fukawa, Togami, and now Ishimaru." Dio listed the names without hesitation. Alive, dead, culprit, victim, none of that seemed to matter. Only the distinction between a threat and a tool. "Those either willing to submit to the Mastermind's commands or are unable to overcome their own fears and anxiety to truly resist. Some will be unable to kill while also refusing to fight back against the Mastermind or their Murralsees in any worthwhile way. They are the mob mentality. Give them a direction and they'll flock towards it."

"What about the others?" Naegi felt uneasy. It was as if Dio was creating a list of the worthy and the unworthy. Those who he thought would survive and overcome the Mutual Killing Game, and those who he thought were doomed the moment they entered Hope's Peak. It wasn't right, and it was made all the worse by the fact that there were names missing from the list. "Me, Asahina, and Celes."

"Asahina and Oogami give each other stability and strength. I doubt anything will drive them to actually kill so long as they have each other. What happens if one of them is murdered, however, is what will determine the extent to which they threaten the Mastermind's designs now. The Ultimate Gambler's Talent is what makes her dangerous. How much of it is likes yours? The Talent with the greatest potential."

"Mine? The greatest potential?" Naegi couldn't believe it, even as Dio said that last sentence as if it were a basic fact. Something as obvious as the order of the alphabet.

But that couldn't be the case. Yes, Naegi had been given the title Ultimate Lucky Student, yet that was only because that was what every winner of the Lottery was called. It wasn't as if Naegi only ever had good luck. If anything, he had been cursed with terrible luck. The day he got his letter had only been after a whole series of problems and failures that made him ready to give up on things getting better until he got home and Komaru revealed that letter. He'd been so happy that the whole day had went from one of the worst to one of the best days of his life.

Until I actually came to the school. Naegi thought to himself. What was meant to be the start of a new life with new friends had turned into him and fourteen others into tortured victims. Nothing more than pawns in some sick and twisted game, all controlled by a Mastermind whose reach and power seemed endless to those locked inside the Academy.

This was a talent with the greatest potential?

"Ultimate Lucky Student. The Talent that seems capable of changing the nature of probability itself. If you were somehow able to attain control of that Talent." Dio drank the last of his wine in his glass, as if to show his calm, yet the way his other hand gripped itself showed how focused he truly was. "You could become a challenge for even the Mastermind. It's why the Ultimate Gambler might be more dangerous than she seems. What if her skills don't simply lie in her ability to create and see through lies, but to also alter the luck of the draw? She could be a powerful weapon against the Mastermind, or a tool for them to use to break everyone here."

"Being able to control luck." Naegi tasted the words in his mouth before shaking his head at the thought. It was just too ridiculous for someone like him. He apologetically scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Dio. That's something I could never do. Not for someone ordinary like me."

Dio shrugged his shoulders. "I thought as much. Your temperament betrays you. It's not in the nature of Givers to attempt to surpass those kinds of limitations."

Givers? What does he mean by that? Naegi was confused. Dio seemed to reach for the wine bottle to pour more into his glass, only to stop himself in a flash, his eyes bursting with raw energy. Energy that was pushed down and Dio's whole form seemed to be in a state of forced calm. He smiled at Naegi with a near-perfect serenity.

After hearing Dio's words, it almost made Naegi wonder if the Ultimate Model was mocking him. Asserting his superiority without realising it, or maybe just not saying it, by simply just being himself. Togami was straight with how he felt, declaring his disdain and perception of others as lower than him without shame, almost bathing in their reactions. As much as Togami liked to talk about not trusting others and approaching this as a game to play and win, he was one of the more honest people about his feelings.

Dio? Dio Brando made you feel inferior by simply being in the same room as him. The way his body just naturally posed and leaned in ways that emphasised his body structure, his way of cutting through or slipping around your words and dominating the conversation, and just how his sheer self-confidence almost came to life and flooded whatever room he was in. Without even saying a word, Dio could make himself seem like the most important, and the most superior, person in the room.

"Givers are people like yourself. They open themselves to others and invite them to take what they desire. If they saw someone trapped in quicksand, they wouldn't hesitate to do everything possible to get the victim out, even if it were to cost them their own lives." Dio said. It almost seemed as if he was mocking Naegi, if it weren't for the level tone. "They just give and give until there's nothing left. Then they try to give more until they are nothing more than a broken husk."

"You think I'm going to die because I'm open to people?" Naegi asked.

"You seem incapable of comprehending the idea that there are people in this building who lack your morality. That there is no one who decide that freedom from this prison is worth the lives of everyone else here. That people cannot be selfish." Dio leaned back in his seat. "It's often a Taker that destroys them. Maizono almost did it to you."

That made Naegi's chest burst with anger. Maizono wasn't that kind of person. Her dying message had been what saved Naegi and the rest of the class from certain death and Dio was sitting there calling her a 'taker'? Thinking of her as the kind of person that destroyed people who were willing to help others? It almost made him want to stand up and scream in her defence.

What kept Naegi restrained was first his own reluctance to get violent, and secondly the fear of what would happen if he tried to lay a hand on the Ultimate Model. The memory of what Dio had done to Togami on their first day still stuck with Naegi just as it did with everyone else. One second, Togami was coldly dismissing Dio in front of the group, and the next was seeing Togami's head smashed against the side of the bleachers before his whole body was thrown to the ground. He had barely been able to get up before Dio pounced on him, raining down blow after blow, screaming about the audacity of the Ultimate Progeny's words.

If it wasn't for Oogami locking in that full-nelson and Oowada grabbing at the legs, Naegi wondered if anything would have stopped Dio from murdering Togami out of sheer fury. Murralsee almost had his first murder literally seconds after he had declared the start of the Mutual Killing Game. The attack even left its mark now, the bruises that coated Togami's right eye were showing no matter how much make-up he used, and was a constant reminder of the dangers of pushing Dio's buttons.

Either way, Dio seemed to realise the tension in the room and raised his hands as a conciliatory gesture.

"I don't mean to insult her. I'm a Taker as well." Dio's spoke softly. Softly enough that it made Naegi feel like he was a child nearing a temper tantrum, having to be soothed into silence. He almost blushed from shame, although that dissipated when seeing Dio rise from his seat, his chair falling to the ground. "Anything in this world, anyone within it, I will use on my path to the top. I, Dio, will not die in this school-building from the machinations of a figure hiding in the darkness who thinks that we are starving rats."

There was something about the determination in his voice, the strength behind those words, that lent Dio the kind of charisma that a general had when leading soldiers into battle in olden times. The confidence that everything would end in their victory and that the enemy would be defeated. It made Naegi's chest swell with something. Not quite hope, this was something raw and furious, but it warmed the Ultimate Lucky Student all the same.

That sheer confidence of self. It made Naegi wonder if, although neither would ever admit it, Dio and Togami ever realised that they were more alike than they-

"Byakuya Togami is an Inheritor." Dio spat out that last word with enough venom that Naegi shivered from the feel of the poison. "All the trials and challenges I have faced began when I was nothing more than a child stuck in the dirt. Everything I became was a result of my own efforts and being, climbing to new heights and only going higher. A boy like Togami. He was born on top of the mountain and is praised for adding pennies to a sea of gold. He thinks harsh words and sharp glares will make him one worthy of fear and respect. He and I are nothing alike."

The same sense of confidence and determination was there, but it had been altered. Words of comfort had become words of resentful fury. The room turned ice-cold and threatened to freeze Naegi in place, no matter how he wore his hoodie. The loathing in Dio's voice was a reminder of the other side of Dio's passions and emotions. How he could get swept up in them just as easily as he could use them. Where it might have scared others off, and Naegi would never deny the fear inside him when seeing Dio like this, a part of him wanted to understand where this came from.

Where did Dio create this image of the world as one of givers, takers, and inheritors? Why did he seem to take pride in being a 'taker', look down on 'givers', and hold a special contempt for 'inheritors'? The questions in Naegi's mind mixed with the tempest of Dio's fury and nearly overwhelmed Naegi. Dio at least seemed to realised this in time and the spite and fury seeped back towards Dio and away from the room, and Naegi, just as quickly as it burst out.

"Forgive me, Naegi. I'm afraid that Togami has a tendency to..." Dio stopped himself, whether lacking a word to describe his feelings, or trying to find a way to phrase it that didn't scare Naegi. "Push my buttons, so to say. My temper is one of my less attractive features."

"It's fine. I think Togami pushes everyone's buttons." Naegi said. It wasn't his place to sit and judge Dio when he didn't know all the details, and it wasn't as if Togami didn't drive everyone else into madness. Apart from Fukawa, of course. "Just try to not let him get to you. We're all in the same situation and we can't just start fighting with each other. You're my friend, Dio, and I just want to make sure that this doesn't get any worse. Now that we've got the Ultimate Serial Killer here, and Togami thinking that you're trying to kill him-"

"I'm equipped to handle the Genocider." Dio said. Any other person smiling the way that Dio was and Naegi would have been worried that their ego was in control. Just by following where Dio's eyes were looking, at the pepper-shaker that Dio had apparently taken from the kitchen, Naegi could see that the Ultimate Model was well-prepared. That was ignoring the fact that he had every physical advantage against someone like Fukawa. "But I understand your point. Murralsee's next motive could be aimed at bringing up past grudges and, if there is another murder, it wouldn't do us any good if Togami and Fukawa were focusing on getting back at me than discovering the truth."

Dio was probably trying to comfort Naegi, but all that he could think about were those last few words. "You really think there'll be more deaths?"

"Possibly." Dio said. "That's a matter for tomorrow. Is the rest of the class meeting now? I won't apologise to Togami, but I almost got everyone killed."

"Everyone's already forgiven you for that." Naegi replied, finding his smile. In all honesty, no one really blamed Dio. All he did was lead them down a path that they were happy to go down. The only two that really held a grudge was Togami and Fukawa and it wasn't as if Dio was ever going to win them over after their first day. "Just try and be in the same room as Togami and Fukawa without a fight breaking out."

"I'll try my best." Dio met Naegi's smile with his own, before shifting his gaze over to the clock. "It's getting close to the Night Time. Unless you want to end up breaking the curfew rule-"

Naegi turned his back and held back a gasp of shock at how late it truly was. The Class Trial had taken a lot of time, as did trying to get everyone to stay together before he and Kirigiri focused on Togami and Dio, but he never realised just how long it had been between the beginning of the trial and now. He all but threw himself out of the chair and tried to get a closer look at the specific time. He still had enough time to get out and actually talk with Kirigiri about how it all went.

He just prayed that someone like Fukawa wouldn't notice him leaving Dio's room at this time. Komaru was one of millions of Dio Brando fangirls who looked at his latest pictures with yearning, but that didn't mean that he was exclusively loved by women. There was just something about Dio in every pose and style of clothing that just drew people in, regardless of gender. It was like the Ultimate Model had his own gravity. Naegi, however, was not that kind of admirer and he did not want Fukawa to latch onto the idea that he and Dio were having that kind of relationship.

If he was quick, and Kirigiri was either finishing up or waiting for him, then Naegi could get out and go over things with Kirigiri without anyone asking questions. He was at least grateful that Dio didn't seem to take offence to how quickly he was scrambling to leave the room. Spending time in dorms had taught everyone the value of not having to worry about neighbours prying into your business, even without a Mutual Killing Game hanging over everyone's heads.

Naegi was just about ready to leave when he felt something in the back pocket of his hoodie press against his waist.

How did I forget? Naegi had even intended this to serve as a peace offering. A way to win Dio over in case he had been more hostile than he really was. It had cost Naegi a lot of coins on the Murralsee Machine to get but it would all be worth it, if those online boards were telling the truth all those weeks ago. He ruffled through his pockets for the present.

"Dio, I actually wanted to give you something."

It confused Naegi on why the machine seemed to distribute presents. Yes, they were wrapped in a pure black ball which a tiny Murralsee face on it-which made each 'prize' seem more like a nightmare-but it seemed like a strange gesture of kindness for the Mastermind to give them some type of normality. Kirigiri had suggested that it was a way to make them let their guard down, or a sick way for a murderer to build trust before betraying them all. Naegi preferred to think that this was just a mind-game and nothing more.

A mind game that was really helpful in giving him presents to give to others. Such as the one he handed over to Dio, who was looking at the brooch that seemed tiny when in his hands.

"The Scarab Beetle. Ancient Egypt's symbol of the cycle of regeneration and rebirth and of the God Ra's command over the sun." Dio said to himself, looking at the present with glowing eyes. It seemed as if Naegi handled it perfectly. Until Dio's eyes narrowed and gave a sideways glance at Naegi. "Also known as the dung beetle."

It was almost enough to make Naegi wail in panic. The Scarab and the dung beetle were the same insect? How did that work? One was a symbol of wealth and fortune and the other pushed around a ball of poop! It was impossible. It was unthinkable. It was Naegi's bad luck. Dio was probably wondering if Naegi was trying to make some joke about him, someone who tried to reach for glory but was only covered in their own mess, knowing how his luck went.

Naegi was about to shoot out an apology when Dio's eyes softened again and a gentle laugh came from his lips. The smile on his face suggested that Dio knew exactly what he did.

"I like it. It's not going anywhere near my hair, but I appreciate the gesture." Dio said. He was speaking to Naegi but his eyes were completely focused on the scarab brooch in his hands. "The Egyptian culture's always fascinated me. From the dawn of man to the present day itself. The idea of a ruler as a God themselves."

Dio spoke softly and with admiration for what the brooch seemed to represent for him. The good mood was infectious enough to wipe away Naegi's earlier fears and brought a smile to his face as well, comforted by the fact that the internet did not lie to him, and that he hadn't wrecked his work. Dio could be aggressive and let his grudges get the better of him, but he had been a strong ally in trying to keep the class united and Naegi didn't want to lose that because of a few mistakes. softly smiled,

"Great. I'll bring something new the next time we meet, Dio. Maybe I can test my luck on the machines." Naegi said, emphasising the part about his luck.

The joke failed miserably.

It was a small mercy that Dio didn't seemed to notice Naegi's attempt at humour. He gave a smile and a wave from where he stood, as Naegi moved towards the door. "Don't worry, Naegi. I, Dio, won't let us fall to the Mastermind just yet. Not when we still have a chance at victory."

The two nodded at each other, Naegi feeding off Dio's natural confidence. It helped that the massive height difference was lessened by Dio being halfway across the room from him, instead of one having to look down and the other forcing their neck back. He opened the door and closed it behind him, looking to his right to see if Kirigiri was waiting for him. It was some kind of cosmic joke that, for all that the two hated one another, Dio and Togami's rooms were only separated by Celes' room. Well, he said cosmic joke, but it was really more a favour from the heavens.

Just as Naegi wondered if his partner had decided to head back to her room, Kirigiri herself exited Togami's room and shut the door behind her. Compared to him and Dio giving a warm farewell, all the girl with the unknown Talent gave Togami was a brief stare and a nod, as she closed the door. Without even changing expression, Kirigiri turned her head towards Naegi.

"I doubt that this experience has made Togami any more willing to involve himself in the group." She said. A chill crept up Naegi's spine before she spoke again. "But he won't be excluding himself any more than he already has. He also won't be attempting to avenge himself on Dio. The physical difference is enough to deter him and using Genocider Syo is too much of a risk for him, I presume."

"At least tomorrow will be better than today." As if that was going to be hard.

"Possibly. Or Fukawa and/or Ishimaru's reaction to today's events may make things worse. We've done all we can, assuming you manage to convince Brando to not isolate himself." Kirigiri had a way of coming off as brutally honest while also trying to be comforting. It was a strange combination but one that worked on Naegi.

As the clock moved closer to the Night Time, both Naegi and Kirigiri decided to head back to their rooms and place their trust in their classmates. There was still the question of whether Genocider Syo was going to be a threat to the safety of the group, and if Ishimaru was going to be any better than he was today after Oowada's death. There was only so much that could be done in a single day though, and Naegi and Kirigiri had done all they could in that time, and they could be proud of that.

Naegi even felt that he and Dio bonded a little.

Peace of mind. To be free of fear and anxiety. The true reason for which humans live their lives.

The pursuit of wealth, fame, power, all of these are done so that the one who attain them can gain peace of mind. To form relationships with others is done so that people can have peace of mind. When one offers aid to someone in need, or vows to live by the virtues of love, justice, and honour, they do so to have peace of mind. That sense of security and safety is something that no man or woman can truly resist.

Offer it to them and they will do anything to have it. Threaten to take it away and they will fight to their last breath to keep it.

What was hope but the desire to fulfil one's fate? To live a life that is free of the unexpected and chaotic? To avoid the pain of suffering or turmoil?

Take away that hope, that sense of stability, and throw a group into a situation where peace of mind is impossible and they would be ruined. The lowest of beggars, the greatest of kings, and the last remaining pillars of Hope's Peak Academy, all of them were equal in the face of these basic facts. The symbols that so much of mankind put their faith and hope in would crumble into common killers and tragic victims in a matter of days.

Who could question that fact now? An entire planet was forced to watch as these children, unknowingly carrying the burden of being the last hope of millions, were like lemmings. Incapable of overcoming instinct, they rushed to the edge of the cliff and towards their death.

But there were other factors in play! Just as that famous fact about the lemming was no more than a fabrication by documentary-makers interfering in the course of nature, so too was this Mutual Killing Game being manipulated as well. A Mastermind that gave them gentle pushes towards the right direction by the use of motives.

An eternity in the building they could not escape. The lives of their loved ones. Their darkest secrets. These dark threats, handed down by what looked like a demon itself, were more than enough to drive those who were meant to be kept safe behind these walls into their own greatest enemies.

Who could feel peace of mind in a place like this?

The answer was obvious. Peace of mind came from freedom from fear and anxiety, from a sense of total control over their lives and fate, and that belonged to one man. The Mastermind of this Mutual Killing Game. The man behind the rise of Ultimate Despair, the terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Hope's Peak and all its works. The man who had taken the old order and crushed it beneath his heels. The man who would soon take his rightful place as the ruler of all mankind.

The man who could no longer contain his laughter after hearing Makoto Naegi close the door behind him. His entire body arched backwards as he put a hand over his face, nowhere near close enough to cover up the sounds coming from his mouth.

Why even try to contain it? The rooms were soundproofed, after all. The Mastermind could have screamed all of his deeds for the outside world to hear and his next-door neighbour wouldn't have heard a single thing. Even if she did, it wasn't as if the Mastermind's very own loyal servant would actually rise up against him. Not when he offered her the very peace of mind that he himself enjoyed.

Dio Brando looked at the Scarab Brooch in his hand and grinned. The Ultimate Lucky Student's Talent had worked in Dio's favour again. With his control over Murralsee, the chosen avatar for Dio's will, there was nothing to stop Dio from attaining such a thing for himself, the same applying to the Globe itself. It was the principle of the matter, however, that gave Dio pleasure. The further vindication of his decision to directly interact with the others as a friendly face.

It was true that his illusion had come under threat. Byakuya Togami's arrogance, enough that he had the audacity to challenge one such as Dio, had almost sent the plan crashing down. Had it not been for the Ultimate Fighter and Oowada, Dio would have killed Togami with his bare hands. The others would have seen him as a murderer and realised that Murralsee had not called for a Class Trial.

The chain of logic would have been unbreakable. If Murralsee was only a servant, as the machine itself admitted, then the only thing that it would never threaten would be its master. Dio had no problem with ending the game, if it ever came close to ruining his plans, but he would have preferred some progress to be made in his wider scheme.

It was not enough to merely kill Class 78 of Hope's Peak Academy, the students that Jin Kirigiri had tried so hard to keep alive and safe. If it was, then Dio would have slaughtered them the second that they had all let their guards down. No. There needed to be something more. Something that would show the world that there was truly nothing left that Dio Brando did not hold power over.

Perhaps I, Dio, should begin work on the next murders. Dio already had a plan. With this, he would be able to kill two birds with one stone by testing a theory of his.

Making Taeko Yasuhiro into his servant had been easy. His natural charisma and physical appearance had cowed many women towards his will, especially when complimented by the threat of violence, but there was something more that Dio could use. The darkest secrets, once easily confessed to fellow classmates who had enjoyed the strong ties of friendship, now tormented each and every one of them. Old friends were now strangers who could barely be trusted.

The stick of revealing her true identity and destroying the idea of Celestia Ludenberg had been enough to break Taeko. It was the carrot of her dream-castle, however, which built her up again into a willing mole for Dio to use against the others. All of this had been done to test Dio's theory about the Luck aspect of her Ultimate Gambler Talent. Every variable had to be controlled and, if Taeko indeed had some power over luck, and thus probability, then Dio finally had a weapon against Naegi.

If not, and Taeko was caught, then there was no risk to Dio himself. Murralsee would silence her before she could reveal his identity.

Already, Dio Brando was taking control of the next battlefield. He was dominating the war that people like Naegi and Kirigiri were only just starting to fight. Chihiro Fujisaki, one of the few who stood as a threat, had been brutally dispatched and Kirigiri was no closer to discovering her true Talent than she was when the Killing Game began. All that left was Sakura Oogami. The woman who dared to humiliate Dio in single combat.

He had agreed in the expectation that his greater knowledge of her tactics and stances would have given him the edge. Instead, he was defeated! How would the world know to fear him if he could still be matched physically? Had the ogre held back during their schooldays, thinking that she was merely encouraging a friend? The thought destroyed Dio's good mood and made his blood boil with fury.

The only thing that calmed him was the thought of revenge. Just as the urge to end Togami whenever the brat opened his mouth was soothed by when the Final Trial would begin, the same applied to Oogami. When it would come to the final chapter in this little story, Dio would force Oogami to watch as he would break her beloved comrades into his puppets before sending her to the pits of hell. All the strength she took pride in would be nothing against the power of Dio Brando!

It wouldn't be long now. The time was coming when the remnants of Hope's Peak Academy would learn the truth about the world, the truth about their pasts, and why they were brought here in the first place. The realisation that they had not only been killing innocent people but also their close friends. The destruction of all their hopes and the end to seemingly any chance of peace of mind. It would break every single one of them.

As the survivors would break, so would the world.

Then that would be when Dio would make them his offer. The chance for them to attain peace of mind again. To live in a world where their dreams and desires could still be reached. All that they would have to do would be to accept Dio's total victory over them and the world, and kneel before him in unconditional submission.

Dio would then take the Talents that rightfully belonged to him, instead of that pathetic failed experiment, and transcend another barrier. The Future Foundation, who still dared to challenge Dio's rule, would have nothing to rally the people with. In the face of Dio's army, from Ultimate Despair to the Warriors of Hope to his spy to even his loyal friend who had helped him on the path towards his Fate, his enemies would either join the world in kneeling at Dio's feet or become stepping stones on his way to total domination of mankind.

Makoto Naegi. Kyouko Kirigiri. Those two made a formidable team, capable of besting any other opponent in a situation like this, if given time.

"But this is not any other opponent, Makoto Naegi, Kyouko Kirigiri." Dio spoke loudly. No one else inside Hope's Peak could hear him, but the entire world outside couldn't mistake even a single word now. "I, Dio, will conquer you just as I have conquered this planet! You think you can overcome the power of Dio Brando? Hah! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!"

The master of humanity laughed. The raw sense of triumph flooded his room until it needed some kind of escape, bursting through the cameras, and seeping into every single screen that was broadcasting this Mutual Killing Game throughout the globe. It was impossible to know just how many people were witnessing these events. All that could be certain was that they were witnessing the total confidence of the man who had all but taken over the world, and was it wrong to think that he had in fact already taken over the world?

For who could even think of challenging the Ultimate Master?

Yes, I've replaced the Despair Sisters with Dio Brando, or rather the Danganronpa-version of Dio Brando.

So this was inspired by a lot of things but mainly the fact that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a setting that works really well in crossing over into other medias, but especially Danganronpa. I'd say Persona is one of the few that works just as well/better. Both JJBA and DR have that mixture of an almost-camp atmosphere but a willingness as well to go into dark territory and kill off beloved characters. Apart from Hope-Arc, but that's a whole other kettle of fish.

Murralsee is this universe's version of Monokuma because Dio does not deal in teddy bears. The design is based on the cover of 'Holy Diver', the first album of the band Dio, the JJBA character's namesake, which introduced the band mascot Murralsee aka "Murray".

I will say now that this isn't an attempt at a linear timeline nor is this an attempt at seeing everything different about this universe. This'll be a series of snippets that takes us from Dio deciding to end the world to this universe's version of DR3, and updates won't be by a schedule, although I promise I will complete this. I've got ideas for where DR1, DR2, UDG, and DR3 go but we'll have to wait and see.

I might do a reverse-scenario of this i.e. Junko and Mukuro replace Dio in Phantom Blood, Stardust Crusaders, and Stone Ocean, and see how the two's characters would work in JJBA, but that's another project for another time.