Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Danganronpa V3 nor am I making any money by writing this.

Prologue

The rain poured down, causing the pavement to glimmer in the lamplight. A single figure made their way through the gloom, that of a girl. Kaede Akamatsu was returning from a party celebrating her latest triumph. Though only nineteen years old, she was already a highly accomplished concert pianist.

The hunter watched his prey, careful to keep his distance for now. He would have to wait for the right opportunity to strike, but it mattered not; he could be patient a little longer.

He moved through the shadows with ease, avoiding Kaede's attention. She walked on, sheltered from the downpour by a large pink umbrella, heedless of the fact that she was being watched.

Kaede turned down a dark, narrow street, a shortcut, the hunter knew. This would be her undoing. Her heels clicked on the cobblestone path and echoed off the walls. The hunter's footsteps, on the other hand, were virtually soundless.

He melted into the shadows as Kaede uneasily glanced behind her. He wasn't sure if she sensed his presence or if she was just being cautious, but he took no chances. He lengthened the distance between them until she was just barely in sight. She quickened her pace and he did as well. She glanced behind her again and broke into a run. He pursued her, all pretense of remaining invisible gone. She was almost through to the other side, the street lamps of the main road just ahead, but he was nearly upon her.

He leaped from the shadows and overtook his prey, muffling her scream with his hand. There was a brief struggle, but he was far stronger than her and he was able to overpower her without much difficulty. Then, he melted back into the darkness to enjoy his prize.