Veltrops - Thanks :D I think the improvement to the nonstop debates was mostly because I was watching the SDR2 trials, and I realised that all the ones in the game all had at least 7 or 8 statements in them versus the ~5 statements I had in previous trials... lol.
CaptainPancakes - Yeah, I confirmed with you that Erika wasn't the killer... in case 2 :P
I should be more thorough with responding to the reviews, but it's 2:30 am here and I'm tired lol. Enjoy the chapter!
SAITO: You were... going to kill me?
ERIKA: If there's one thing I have learned, it is that competitive types are easy to manipulate.
ERIKA: When you lost that game against Aurora... It was an opportunity I could not ignore.
ERIKA: With Izanagi's proposed rule in place, there was an exceedingly low chance of witnesses... optimal circumstances for committing a perfect crime.
ERIKA: The note also served a secondary purpose: it would have been simple to pin it all on Aurora.
SAITO: ...
ERIKA: That effectively sums up my plans. In the end, perhaps we are both fortunate that it did not come to pass... I appear to have underestimated everyone's detective skills.
ERIKA: No hard feelings, I hope.
SAITO: What the... Hell no! No way you're getting off that easy!
AURORA: I agree! That's really messed up!
AURORA: Why did you do it, Erika? Why resort to murder...?
MONOKUMA: Zzz...
MONOKUMA: Huh? What's going on?
AKEMI: ...
AKEMI: ... Well, that killed the moment.
AURORA: Hey, don't fall asleep on me! That was supposed to be a dramatic segment!
MONOKUMA: But I can't help myself! You can't just go off talking about motives and stuff, while the culprit is still out there!
MONOKUMA: I will remind you that the class trial is still in session. There is a murder to solve... so please stay on topic, you bastards!
AURORA: ... Oh, I guess you're right. Let's talk about the case, everyone!
DAISUKI: Where is your conviction!? Don't just let it go so easily!
AURORA: But I'm not even that interested! I just thought it was the right moment to ask.
ERIKA: How rude. I'll have you know my reason is incredibly interesting and mysterious.
MONOKUMA: Oi, don't just ignore my orders! That's exactly the kind of conversation I was talking about!
AURORA: Ooh, right. Sorry, Monokuma!
MIHARU: Before we move on... there's something I don't get, Erika.
MIHARU: Why did you lie about the number of hammers missing from the art room?
ERIKA: I had no choice. By the time I arrived, the first hammer had already been taken... and as Tomoe had observed, I did not visit that room over the investigation.
ERIKA: Logically, the best option was to feign ignorance about the second hammer.
MIHARU: ... I see. And when did you get the hammer?
ERIKA: As per my plan, I left my room at precisely 10:30 PM. It would not have taken long to ascend to the third floor.
REI: S-so then someone must have gone up to the storage room before Erika...
TOMOE: Aw... that's not super helpful, is it? I mean, someone could have taken them whenever.
REI: Um, actually... I did go up there earlier in the evening. All the hammers were there, so I think they were taken after 10 PM.
TOMOE: Really? Cool!
TOMOE: Okay, let's add that to our knowledge base and review what we've found!
TOMOE: Let's see... so far we know that the hammer in the kitchen - the first hammer - isn't the real weapon.
ERIKA: And neither is the second. After discovering murder was unnecessary, I stashed it inside my room.
TOMOE: Yeah! Wait... so what's the murder weapon, then?
ERIKA: Logically speaking... It could be anything. Heh heh.
IZANAGI: Hrm... Two hammers, and neither of them is the murder weapon? Criminals are getting craftier by the day!
AKEMI: It might not be a hammer, but it's still a large, blunt instrument. Something like that isn't too hard to find.
IZANAGI: Good point! I propose we take a break, and do another sweep of the academy to look for potential weapons!
MONOKUMA: Denied! Try looking harder next time you investigate!
IZANAGI: What!?
MIHARU: I think Monokuma has a point. If we didn't find it during the investigation, the culprit has probably already disposed of it...
IZANAGI: ... I-I guess that's true. But what else can we do?
MIHARU: We should concentrate on finding who took the first hammer. It was taken, and used to tamper with the crime scene in order to try and throw us off...
MIHARU: It's more than likely that person was the culprit.
ERIKA: Heh. An excellent deduction.
TOMOE: Alright! We'll catch the culprit in no time!
TOMOE: So, er... how do we figure that out?
ERIKA: Logic, of course... In fact, I have already deduced the culprit of this case.
SAITO: You're serious...? Who is it!?
ERIKA: Heh heh heh... Hisoka, of course. I recommend that you confess to your crimes now.
AURORA: Hey, don't hog the accusations! We didn't even get to discuss anything!
ERIKA: Oh... my apologies. Feel free to accuse Hisoka in my place.
AURORA: Hey, thanks!
AURORA: Hisoka! You're the culprit!
HISOKA: Returning my accusation? That's rather petty of you, Erika.
ERIKA: It's quite the opposite... I have a strong logical basis for my deduction. Please, listen carefully.
ERIKA: As my testimony establishes, the first hammer had already been stolen by the time I went up to the art room. Thus, it must have been taken beforehand.
ERIKA: You were the only person outside their room during this time, as you have so kindly volunteered.
ERIKA: Unless, of course, there is another way you could have seen me heading to the third floor from inside your room?
KURODA: (Erika is right... Hisoka must have been up at that time.)
KURODA: (Does that mean... he's the culprit?)
KURODA: Well? What do you have to say to that, Hisoka?
HISOKA: I admit that reasoning does isolate me as the killer... However, your underlying assumptions are wrong.
HISOKA: If you wish to prove I was the culprit, you'll have to do better than that.
ERIKA: You believe my argument is flawed?
HISOKA: Your assumption that the culprit was the one who took the first hammer is only valid if neither one was used as the murder weapon...
HISOKA: However, the only thing you are going off to say the second hammer isn't the weapon is Erika's word.
HISOKA: Can she really be trusted? We never found the hammer, so we can't say for sure whether it was used or not.
KURODA: It's true that we didn't find the second hammer... but we know that Erika definitely isn't the culprit.
HISOKA: ... What? And how can you say that?
KURODA: The evidence proves it. If she was the one who killed Takao... It causes an inconsistency between these two pieces of evidence!
:==:| Present Evidence x2! |:==:
1|: Monokuma File : There is no information contained in this file.
2|: Bloody Hammer : A large, blood-covered wooden hammer. Quite heavy.
3|: Blood-covered Clock : A broken clock stuck at 10:15 PM. Belongs to Rei, but she lost it.
4|: Kitchen : The kitchen has been totally cleaned.
5|: Night Time : Night Time begins at 10 PM.
6|: Erika's Whereabouts : Erika left her room at around 11:00 PM, to investigate the cafeteria.
7|: Erika's Testimony : According to Erika, one hammer is missing from the art storage room.
8|: Saito's Whereabouts : Saito left her room at around 11:15 PM, and met Erika on the way to the recreation room.
9|: Note From Aurora : A note, asking Saito for a rematch at 11:30 PM. Not written by Aurora.
10|: Body Discovery Announcement : Monokuma announces the discovery of a body after three people find it.
11|: Blood Packs : Blood packs are missing from the infirmary.
12|: Art Storage Room : Two hammers are missing from the art storage room.
13|: Akemi File : Information on the body.
14|: Akemi's Testimony : The high angle of Takao's head wound suggests a tall culprit.
KURODA: This is it!
KURODA: It's the time that doesn't match up. Erika said earlier that she stole the hammer after 10:30... but the time on the clock is 10:15.
KURODA: She still would have been inside her room at that time.
HISOKA: Hmph... that excuse is only valid if Erika is actually telling the truth.
HISOKA: She has no true alibi. It is easily possible to commit the murder at 10:15 and go up to the storage room at 10:30.
KURODA: But there's no reason she would have to lie.
HISOKA: What do you mean? She has lied once already, has she not?
TOMOE: Wasn't that to cover up her plan though? If she was the culprit, I don't think it makes sense...
TOMOE: You only need to kill once, so she wouldn't have a reason to get Saito involved if she'd already killed Takao.
HISOKA: ... Tch.
ERIKA: Heh heh heh. Do you see now?
ERIKA: Your insistence that I am the culprit is misguided... not to mention highly suspicious.
DAISUKI: Yeah, I get it now. You started us off by accusing Erika to try and throw us off your trail!
HISOKA: ...
ERIKA: We have our suspect... Now, let's prove him to be the culprit.
:==:| Nonstop Debate! |:==:
Useable Ammunition:
::| Body Discovery Announcement
::| Blood-covered Clock
::| Night Time
SAITO: So Hisoka left his room shortly after night time...
SAITO: What happened after that?
DAISUKI: The first thing he did was commit the murder!
DAISUKI: He brought Takao into the kitchen, then smashed his head in.
AKEMI: Right. Then he would have went to get the hammer... I think.
AURORA: Yeah! He went up to the storage room, stole one of the hammers...
AURORA: ... and set it up to look like the weapon!
IZANAGI: Which is when he saw Erika heading for the art storage room, correct?
ERIKA: Precisely. Knowing I would be the ||first to discover the body...||
ERIKA: He decided to attempt to frame me for the murder.
MIHARU: Which is why you've been accusing Erika... to divert suspicion away from yourself.
ERIKA: I believe that sums up this explanation...
HISOKA: ...
ERIKA: There is no doubt. Hisoka is the culprit.
KURODA: You've got that wrong!
Ammunition used: Body Discovery Announcement
KURODA: I don't think it's possible for Hisoka to be the culprit. The fact that the body discovery announcement went off at all proves it.
ERIKA: Monokuma's announcement...? What about it?
KURODA: There's a specific requirement before Monokuma will play the annoucement. Three people need to discover the body, not counting the culprit themselves.
SAITO: The announcement played when I saw Takao... so I must have been the third person to see him, right?
SAITO: And Erika was in there before me, which would make her the second.
KURODA: Yes... In other words, someone else discovered Takao's body before Erika did.
KURODA: Isn't that right, Hisoka?
HISOKA: ...
TOMOE: E-eh? Hisoka found Takao first!?
IZANAGI: B-but if Hisoka discovered the body first...
IZANAGI: Why didn't you say something earlier!?
HISOKA: ... It wasn't the right time, that's all. Doing so would have accomplished nothing but invite suspicion against me.
HISOKA: Either way, it doesn't matter now. As Kuroda has proved, I am not the culprit.
ERIKA: Heh heh heh... I don't think so. You are not off the hook yet, Hisoka.
ERIKA: If you recall, the clock we found on Takao's body reads 10:15. That still falls within the time frame in which you were out alone.
AURORA: Yeah! You can't explain why you were there around the time the murder happened!
KURODA: But then who was the first person to discover the body? You can't use that to say he's the culprit!
IZANAGI: You are mistaken!
IZANAGI: Kuroda! By that same logic, you cannot claim his innocence while evidence to the contrary exists either!
KURODA: W-well, that's true, but...
IZANAGI: I challenge your argument... Hisoka is the one who killed Takao!
:==:| Cross Swords Battle! |:==:
Useable Swords:
::| Blood-covered Clock
::| Bloody Hammer
::| Akemi File
Kuroda! Your counterargument ==/== is flawed!
We have al==/==ready had some of us lie...
No doubt there was someone ==/== else who discovered Takao first.
The clock was found on his body. The cul==/==prit had the opportunity to break it.
I do not see why it shouldn't be ==/== used to indicate the time of death!
...
DEVELOPMENT!
...
KURODA: What the clock says is just the time it was broken...
KURODA: We can't know for sure whether it's also the time of death!
Takao's death was ve==/==ry violent...
And we know the weapon must have had similar ==/== dimesions to a hammer.
As you know, su==/==ch a large weapon is not wielded with finesse!
During the murder, as a re==/==sult of the culprit's carelessness...
The culprit acci==/==dentally smashed the clock.
Which leaves ==/== us with the time of death!
KURODA: I'll cut that claim into pieces!
Sword used: Akemi File
KURODA: No, that's wrong. Recall what the Akemi File said.
AKEMI: Takao was killed by a single blow to the head... as well as the fact that there was no struggle of any kind. A surprise attack, in other words.
KURODA: Remember, it was a portable clock. He would have been carrying it around in his pocket.
KURODA: Under those circumstances, there's no way that it could be accidentally smashed like that!
IZANAGI: T-that... that is good point, I admit...!
DAISUKI: So it wasn't broken accidentally? What are you getting at?
KURODA: The only way it could have sustained this level of damage is if it was inflicted deliberately... but it wasn't done by the culprit.
KURODA: It had to be this person...!
:==:| Make an accusation! |:==:
1:| Izuki Shunari [DEAD]
2:| Yoshikawa Daisuki
3:| Kosaka Ichigo [DEAD]
4:| [Kangaeru Hisoka]
5:| Hayashi Kuroda
6:| Kato Miharu
7:| Mayaka Tomoe
8:| Suzuki Rei
9:| Takahashi Haruna [DEAD]
10:| Aurora Rouleau
11:| Honda Akemi
12:| Masaoka Kioshi [DEAD]
13:| Miyuki Saito
14:| Tsukasa Erika
15:| Hatakeda Izanagi
16:| Matsuda Takao [DEAD]
KURODA: It could only be you!
KURODA: 10:15 isn't the time of death. It's the time that Hisoka discovered Takao's body... and broke the clock himself.
AURORA: Eh? It was Hisoka!?
AKEMI: Do you really think he tampered with the evidence...?
AKEMI: ... On second thought, I can totally see that happening. Never mind.
HISOKA: While I appreciate you defending me... There is no reason why I would be the one who broke the clock.
HISOKA: Surely the culprit could have changed the time on the clock before breaking it?
KURODA: That's impossible. Even if they set the time forward, they couldn't have predicted what time you would discover the body.
KURODA: Besides... the only other possibility is that you're actually the culprit. Admit it, Hisoka!
HISOKA: ...
HISOKA: Heh. Well done. I'm impressed.
TOMOE: Eh? So you really messed with the crime scene?
HISOKA: Yes, exactly. I was also the one who put the hammer there, and set it up to look like the weapon.
DAISUKI: And then you disposed of the real murder weapon, yeah? What was it!?
HISOKA: Oh, there wasn't one.
REI: T-there wasn't a weapon...?
HISOKA: No doubt the culprit had already disposed of it. That's why I thought I should put one in instead.
SAITO: That's... the dumbest logic I've ever heard. What were you thinking!?
HISOKA: I was making this case more interesting, of course. There was no evidence around his body, so I put some there.
IZANAGI: More interesting...!? We have been running in circles, thanks to you and Erika!
HISOKA: Heh... you're welcome.
IZANAGI: T-that was sarcastic! Don't just accept it as if it were praise!
MIHARU: ... Hey, Hisoka.
HISOKA: Yes?
MIHARU: I think I can understand why you faked the weapon, in a way...
MIHARU: But not why you decided to set up the clock as evidence. What was your rationale behind breaking it?
HISOKA: Well... In hindsight, breaking it wasn't the best idea. I did it as an afterthought after I'd already set up the hammer.
HISOKA: I hadn't originally planned to frame Erika, so I didn't bother setting up another time before I broke it.
IZANAGI: But then the time displayed on the clock is not the true time of death, correct? It was actually when Hisoka finished altering the crime scene...!
AKEMI: ... Yeah, it seems that way. So it's pretty much useless to us now.
TOMOE: Aw, too bad. Now we don't even have a time of death!
SAITO: Is there anything you didn't fake about the damn scene!?
HISOKA: Yes, actually. The cleaning of the crime scene was not my handiwork.
DAISUKI: Well, shit... so the culprit had the balls to stick around and clean up.
DAISUKI: ... It was the culprit who did that, yeah? Not someone else running around at night?
MIHARU: Yes... If you remember, Hisoka was the first to discover the body. At the very least, we can say the cleaning was done by the culprit.
AKEMI: ... So where does that leave us?
AURORA: Well, we've got something the culprit definitely did, right? That's progress!
MIHARU: That may be so... but she has a point.
MIHARU: Where do we go from here? We know what Erika and Hisoka were up to now... but we still have basically nothing figured out about the actual murder.
MIHARU: Knowing that the culprit probably cleaned up some evidence isn't really helpful to us at the moment.
AKEMI: Plus, our prime suspects were those two... but it's looking like neither of them are the culprit.
ERIKA: A problem, indeed... compounded by the fact there is no evidence to suggest anyone else was up.
ERIKA: Provided our current assumptions are correct, of course. Perhaps there is an alternative explanation we are overlooking?
DAISUKI: Speculation is nice and all... But that's not going to get us anywhere.
TOMOE: Hm... If we're asking more questions, I'd like to ask one too!
MIHARU: ... It couldn't hurt, I guess. What did you want to know?
TOMOE: Well, we never figured out why Takao was out during night time in the first place... so I'm still kind of curious about that.
DAISUKI: He wouldn't have gone out randomly... The guy is too law abiding for that.
DAISUKI: They must have drawn him out somehow. I mean, it worked just fine for Erika.
TOMOE: But he didn't get a note or anything like Saito did, right? So how would the culprit draw him out of his room?
AURORA: They could have just knocked on his door, couldn't they?
HISOKA: I somehow doubt neither him nor the culprit would be that stupid. It's too suspicious... and dangerous, if someone else witnessed it.
AURORA: How is that suspicious? If someone knocked on my door and asked nicely, I would've gone with them!
HISOKA: ... *sigh*.
TOMOE: Aw... I guess we can't figure it out.
KURODA: (It really is strange... Like Tomoe said, there doesn't seem to be any reason why Takao would leave his room.)
KURODA: (... Wait a second.)
KURODA: Actually... You may be onto something, Tomoe.
TOMOE: Really...? Cool!
TOMOE: ... But I don't know the answer. You'll have to tell me.
KURODA: (I think I have an idea...)
KURODA: (I'll need to think this over logically. What reason would Takao have to go out...?)
:==:| Dive Drive! |:==:
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QUESTION #1: How many students were outside of their rooms after 10 PM?
A: 2.
B: 3.
C: 4.
||/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\||
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QUESTION #2: What order did the students discover Takao's body in?
A: Hisoka, Saito, Erika.
B: Hisoka, Erika, Saito.
C: Erika, Hisoka, Saito.
||/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\||
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QUESTION #3: What time did Hisoka discover Takao's body?
A: Between 10 PM and 10:15 PM.
B: Around 10:15 PM.
C: Between 10:15 PM and 10:30 PM.
||/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\||
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QUESTION #4: What did the culprit do after killing Takao?
A: Faked the murder weapon.
B: Tried to kill Saito.
C: Cleaned the kitchen.
||/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\||
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QUESTION #5: What time did the culprit kill Takao?
A: Before 10 PM.
B: Around 10:15 PM.
C: After 10:30 PM.
...
...
...
KURODA: I've connected the dots!
KURODA: That's why Takao was out! We couldn't find a reason for him to be out at night, because there wasn't one.
KURODA: Takao must have died before night time started!
DAISUKI: N-no way...!
MIHARU: Which means the culprit could have committed the murder without breaking our night time rule...
MIHARU: It looks like the suspect list has opened up again.
Two parts down, one to go.