Remember a couple chapters ago, when I had the longest chapter I had ever written, and I figured I'd probably surpass that number with one of the final trial chapters? I was wrong, I surpassed it with this one. You thought 12.8k was a doorstopper? Try 14.5k, peasants! Seriously though, I strongly encourage you to take breaks in the middle of this. There are a bunch of page breaks, so it's not too difficult to find a stopping point.
Another milestone that I'll be reaching soon is my three year anniversary on this site. That's right, exactly one week from now is May 27th, which officially marks three years since the day I created my account. Of course, I consider the true anniversary to be June 16th, the day I posted the first chapter of Another Hope. But even so, the fact that I've been writing for so long just completely blows my mind. I could have channelled this energy into my original works, but then I guess we wouldn't be here, huh? I've changed in a lot of ways, and in a lot of others, I'm still the same. In any case, I've still got a lot planned for you guys. We're nowhere near the end, yet.
As always, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, feel free to let me know. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 41
Memories & Mysteries
Hajime found himself standing in a classroom. There were rows of chairs, a classic blackboard, and a teacher's desk at the front of the room with a Hope's Peak crest on it.
"...Huh?...A classroom?" He tried to recall the events that lead him here. He opened the door to the ancient ruin with everyone else... and arrived at a place that looked like a trial ground. Then... he was here. There was no memory connecting the previous events to this one. It was just like... on the first day, when everyone had gathered in the classroom.
"But... where is this place? Is it somewhere... on Jabberwock Island?" Suddenly, before he could explore his surroundings, a familiar bell rang through the PA system.
The monitor in the corner of the room sparked to life, and Monokuma's face appeared on it, though the screen distorted and glitched slightly. "Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check, one two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay! Well then... Welcome to Hope's Peak Academy, you guys! At this point, I shall explain the graduation exam to you all... So please assemble at the gymnasium immediately."
"...Huh? Why would this place be... Hope's Peak Academy...? And not just that... What... is the graduation exam?" With nothing left to do, he left the classroom and began navigating his way toward the gym.
The hallway was unsettling, to say the least. "At least... it doesn't look like a normal school at all. It's... probably a building that Monokuma made to startle us, just like the Funhouse... That's right. That's definitely it. Then I'll go... and definitely clear things up...!"
He wasn't prepared for what he would find when he opened the door. Inside... was a completely normal gymnasium.
And in it, his fellow survivors. Hiyoko and Sonia, Nekomaru's robotic body, Nagito still delirious and bound to a wheelchair, and Maki off to the side, deep in thought.
"H-Hey, Hajime...!" Nekomaru greeted. "You heard the announcement and came here, too?"
He nodded. "You guys did too... right?"
"H-Hey... what do you think about all of this?" Hiyoko asked. "Monokuma said this place was Hope's Peak Academy, right?"
"Th-That cannot be possible!" Sonia argued.
"Impossible... heh, what other word is dripping with so much despair?" Nagito... agreed. In his own way.
"Hellooooooo!" Monokuma suddenly appeared on the podium at the back of the room. "How does it feel to return to long awaited Hope's Peak Academy?"
"Hey, where are we?" Nekomaru growled. "Where did you lock us up this time!?"
"Wh-What a shock... I just told you guys this is Hope's Peak Academy...!"
"There's no way that's true!" Hiyoko snapped.
"Oh, but it is... I mean, this is definitely Hope's Peak Academy. Well, what's left of it anyway..."
"What's left of it...?" Hajime repeated.
"Didn't I tell you before? Unfortunately, Hope's Peak Academy fell to ruin."
"Y-You were serious about that!?" Nekomaru asked.
"But of course it fell to ruin... I mean, they were doing things that they deserved to be ruined for."
"Wh-What do you mean?" Hajime asked.
"Hmm... anyway, I'm pretty disappointed. I went to all this trouble to bring you to Hope's Peak Academy, and you don't feel surprised or nostalgic... Oh well. It's not like I did this for you guys. Even if you don't feel nostalgic, I'm sure someone is feeling nostalgic right now!"
Sonia spoke up. "Though I am not certain of my memories... I believe... we entered the ancient ruin and..."
"It means... I made this Hope's Peak Academy between the door to the ruin and the inside of the ruin."
"What do you mean, "between"!?" Nekomaru snapped.
"What do you mean, "made"!?" Hiyoko snapped.
"Oh my! Are your minds getting the grumblies that only knowledge can satisfy? Good, very good... It's fine to hurry along to the graduation exam, but it's in my nature to provide a little entertainment."
"Entertainment..." Hajime repeated. "You're planning to make us do something, aren't you...?"
"It's nothing to be so cautious about. It's not like you'll be making life exchanges or anything like that. It's just a simple graduation exam."
"Then... what's the graduation exam?" Hiyoko asked.
"Well, as the headmaster, I'm conflicted, you know. On one hand, I'm really happy that you're finally going to graduate... But on the other hand, I'm worried about whether you guys will be okay in the outside world. That's why I'm thinking about telling you what the outside world is like before you make a decision. Whether you wanna leave Jabberwock Island... or stay here..."
"...Huh?"
"We're obviously going to get out!" Nekomaru shouted. "There's no way we'd stay here!"
"This is annoying!" Hiyoko snapped. "Just hurry up and let us choose! Let us choose right now!"
"You can't do that. The main cast hasn't arrived yet."
"...Main cast?" Sonia repeated.
"Meaning... you guys are just extras until the guests of honour arrives. So enough complaining already! Hurry up and start researching the outside world!"
"Wh-What do you mean...!?" Hajime asked.
"I have dispersed all the teaching materials you need for your research throughout Hope's Peak Academy. Well, I don't think this needs to be said, but... All the information is accurate and contains no lies whatsoever. Otherwise the main cast is gonna hate me. Soooo please rest assured and strive to do your best during your field trip!" With that, he disappeared.
"Wh-What is going on?" Sonia asked. "Outside world...? Main cast...? Somehow... I have a bad feeling about this."
"Why did he keep saying this place is Hope's Peak Academy...?" Hiyoko wondered. "That's impossible, right?"
"How did we make it back to Hope's Peak Academy from a tropical island anyway?" Nekomaru asked. "It's definitely impossible."
"There is no place for Hope's Peak Academy to exist on Jabberwock Island." Sonia added.
"I said I wanted to go back, but I don't wanna go to a creepy place like this!" Hiyoko snapped.
"...Hajime...? Did something happen...?" Sonia asked.
"...Huh?" Her question snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Now's not the time to zone out." Nekomaru said.
"Sorry... it's nothing..."
"Just what the heck is Monokuma anyway?" Hiyoko wondered. "He's not part of the Future Foundation, right?"
"If you say that... then what is the Future Foundation?" Sonia wondered.
"Even though Chiaki and Monomi are gone, our situation hasn't changed one bit." Nekomaru noted. "Which means... the Future Foundation wasn't our enemy... That's the only thing I can think of."
"So they're not World Ender...? Then we really were tricked by Monokuma!?" Hiyoko asked.
"However... the Future Foundation is responsible for trapping us on this island, right?" Sonia asked. "Regarding that matter... I believe Monomi never once denied that."
"So even if they're our allies... they might not just be allies..." Nekomaru said.
"Maybe Monokuma is telling us to investigate that information on our own." Hajime suggested.
"So what should we do?" Hiyoko asked.
"Well, that's obvious... If we're going to get out of here safely, we have to do that graduation exam, right?" Nekomaru said. "Monokuma said something about a field trip, right? Is he telling us to investigate like we have been?"
Hiyoko sighed. "I don't care if we don't know anymore... If we can just go back to our normal lives after this, I'm fine..."
"If that's the case, let's all leave this island behind by any means!"
"Hell yes!" Sonia agreed.
"...I guess there's no way out of it." Maki decided. "Let's do it."
Nagito cackled to himself. "Such a frail, delicate hope... there's no escape for us any longer..."
"...So what're we going to do?" Nekomaru asked, ignoring him. "Should we start already?"
"What are we even looking for?" Hiyoko wondered. "Do we just have to investigate this weird building?"
"Even so... I don't think we'll find the answers to all our questions inside this damn building..."
"I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather just get this over with as quickly as possible." Maki said, turning and swiftly walking out the door.
"H-Hey! You're already going!?" Hiyoko asked.
"What is she thinking, running ahead like that...!?" Nekomaru wondered.
"Ripping off a bandage..." Nagito muttered. "But you can't rip off something that's so infused into you...!"
Sonia spoke up. "It will be fine... There will no longer be any situations where we must exchange each others' lives... So we should do our best as well! Like they say, "It is not so scary if everyone stops at a green light"!"
"Well, Maki already took off on her own... It might be faster if we split up and look around, too." Nekomaru decided. "Like Sonia said... if there's no more killing, we don't have to worry about anyone betraying us anymore."
"Then... let's get this over with and go home." Hiyoko agreed, turning and leaving, herself.
"I'll go on ahead. I'll see you guys later..." With those parting words, Nekomaru left the gym, too.
"I shall do my best to obtain a wonderful clue that will be useful to everyone." Sonia declared, before bowing and leaving. "Now then, please excuse me."
"I... should hurry and start too..." Hajime's eyes trailed toward Nagito, who he was now alone with. He shook his head and turned toward the door. "For the sake of everyone who couldn't make it this far, I'm definitely going to go home!"
With that, he dashed out as well, determined to discover the truth.
"You're still thinking about what Monokuma said, aren't you?" Toshihide asked.
Seeing as we were nearing the final battle, I had gathered as many people who were directly involved in this incident as possible into the Observation Room. This included Makoto, Byakuya, Kyoko, and Chiaki, as well as Chihiro to monitor the program itself. Toshihide had decided to tag along for some reason.
The "observation" wasn't exactly going well. The screens were glitched and distorted, and half of them displayed only static at any given time. The other half showed parts of the school that Monokuma had set up with evidence for the participants. However, even when they were clearly talking, the audio was muted for long stretches of time, unless the virus specifically wanted us to hear something. The line that Toshihide asked me about was one such case.
"You know, it's typically seen as impolite for psychics to reveal what other people are thinking." I said.
"You will have to tell me who came up with that rule, given that I'm the only psychic in this world. That I know of, anyway."
"The sci-fi community seems to consider it common knowledge." I smirked, but let it drop from my face as I thought how best to answer his question. "Yeah, I guess what he said sort of resonated with me. He said it for all the wrong reasons, but that doesn't change the fact that there was some truth to it..."
"Which line are we talking about, exactly?" Makoto asked.
I turned to him and the others. "...Hope's Peak Academy was doing things that it deserved to be ruined for. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time... A lot of people in charge of Hope's Peak were willing to do some pretty fucked up things just for the sake of profit. I mean... you all remember what I've told you about Izuru, what they put him through to turn him into what he is. That could've been anyone..."
"It wasn't just those in power, either." Toshihide added. "My moral compass may have been a lot better back then than it is now, but still... Myself and many of my peers were willing to cross a lot of lines to pursue our talents. For example, if Hope's Peak offered Susumu or I the opportunity to perform human experimentation with no repercussions... I can't say for sure that I wouldn't take the chance."
"Yeah... when I say "people in charge" I really should have said "people with power." Like it or not, every Ultimate student was essentially their own master. They were granted opportunities that no normal person would ever have to worry about getting, often at the cost of those same normal people."
"Isn't that the point of Hope's Peak Academy's existence?" Byakuya asked. "They ended up taking it to the extreme, of course, but the school was founded on the idea of providing opportunities to the very elite of humanity."
"...But... that's not right..." I muttered, my fists clenched. "I mean, look at someone like me. If it wasn't for our killing game, if it wasn't for the fact that I knew the events of the future... I wouldn't have been able to meet all of you, or help you get this far. Maybe normal people can be something special, if they just get the chance. Maybe reserving the golden opportunities for the golden elite is precisely the problem, whether it's at the cost of the everyman or not. To Hope's Peak, I was just another resource, another chance to line their pockets, but despite all of that, here I am, standing beside you all. Hope's Peak didn't have anything to do with that. They didn't provide me with anything."
Toshihide raised a finger. "Not technically true. It was only through the hubris of those in charge of Hope's Peak Academy that The Tragedy was able to happen in the first place. By that logic, they were indirectly responsible for you growing and developing into the man you are today."
I thought about that for a minute. It's true that I was a stupid, selfish kid before all of this, and it was true that it was Hope's Peak's fault I had to go through all this. But that doesn't mean...
Makoto looked like he was about to say something to reassure me, but I didn't need it. I simply looked straight ahead and said, "I'm more than my despair. The Tragedy might've ground me down, but my friends and I were the ones who built me back up. We made me. No one else."
If Toshihide had a response to that, he didn't offer it. However, I could swear I noticed him give a small nod of respect.
After spending a lot of time wandering around, trying to figure out the ever-shifting layout of the school, Hajime found himself in a dojo. The decor made it hard to think of it as an area inside a school, especially with the picturesque cherry trees growing along the sides.
After looking around for a moment, he noticed something on the ground. A book, labelled "Manga for Morons! A History of Hope's Peak Academy by Monokuma!"
"Why is a manga with such a suspicious-looking title laying out in the open like this...?" He wondered aloud.
"Puhuhu! Let's start with history first, class!" Monokuma mocked as he appeared. "Reading manga is the third best way to learn about history! Then what's the first, you ask? That depends on the person!" With that, he disappeared.
Hajime looked down at the book. He wanted to ignore it, but it could potentially contain clues that they would need. "...Fine... I'll look at it..."
Hope's Peak Academy is... A government-funded school of privilege where only the most talented high school students can hope to attend. Built to raise hope in the nation's future, many of its alumni are key leaders of various industries. New students are chosen through a scouting process, but the ones who scout them are... Hope's Peak Academy's teachers, who serve as both educators and researchers of talent. Hope's Peak Academy isn't just a school for talent... It is also a school for researching talent as well. However... for the past few years, Hope's Peak Academy has been suffering from a decline in funding. If this persists, the academy believes they will not be able to make progress with their research of talent... So they decided to implement a new system. The Reserve Department. Unlike the Main Department who scouts for students, the Reserve Department utilizes a general entrance exam. "Normal" faculty was hired and placed in charge of looking after the Reserve Department. The expenses and exam fees for the Reserve Department are quite high compared to most high schools. Nevertheless... Hope's Peak Academy received an endless stream of applicants. Hope's Peak Academy was now available to talentless commoners... People who only cared about the brand. With this, Hope's Peak Academy managed to amass sizable funds, and began further research of talent. To create Hope's Peak Academy's earnest wish: a true genius who would become mankind's hope... But just when they thought everything was going well... and unprecedented incident occurred. The incident that triggered The Tragedy, the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history. That's right, it was The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy. Hope's Peak Academy was crippled by this incident, and was forced to shut down without accomplishing anything. The End.
As he read the last line, Hajime put the book down and took a step back. "...Huh? These names are so melodramatic. There's no way these incidents really happened, right?... The Reserve Department... I... was one of those Reserve Course students... right?"
"Hmm... that's weird..." Monokuma muttered as he appeared once again.
"...Oh, you're here again."
"Ah, the thing that's weird... is you, of course."
"...Huh?"
"Why did you forget that you were a part of the Reserve Department. The Future Foundation only took away your school life memories, right? But you should've known even before you entered that you had no talent, right? So... I think it's weird that you actually forgot something like that, too."
"Wh-What do you want me to say...!?" Hajime snapped.
"Hm, based on my assumption... The Future Foundation must've wanted to hide the fact that you were one of those Reserve Course students... Ooooor you willingly sealed those memories yourself..."
"...Huh?"
"You wanted to be confident in yourself, so you wanted to forget everything that embarrassed you. You know, when humans experience trauma, sometimes they erase their memories of what happened... It happens pretty often! Not that I'd know anything about that, though!"
"Are you saying it's my fault I forgot!? That's not it!"
"When things get inconvenient, you always get angry and try to brush it off... Well, that's expected of a Reserve Course student." With that, he disappeared.
"...Damn it! What the heck!?" Angry and confused, Hajime stormed out of the dojo.
Exploring the halls of the school once again, Hajime found himself in a classroom labelled 5-A. The only thing of note in the room was yet another manga. It was labelled "Manga for Morons! The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy!"
"Um... this one is... Wasn't the Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy mentioned in that other manga, too? If I read this manga... will I be able to learn a little more about that incident?"
With nothing to lose, he sat at the desk and opened the book.
As the name suggests, The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy occurred at Hope's Peak Academy. The key player in that event was a student named Izuru Kamukura. Izuru was a genius known as a symbol of hope. Hope's Peak Academy used all their resources to develop him. Supposedly Izuru was a genius among geniuses, and possessed various talents... Wielding superior talent for the hope of mankind, the academy referred to Izuru as... The Ultimate Hope... To protect such rare talent, the academy completely concealed all evidence of Izuru's origins and identity. Because of that, most of the students at the academy were completely unaware of Izuru's existence... But Izuru, who was known as the symbol of hope, was responsible for a horrible incident. Thirteen students of Hope's Peak Academy's Student Council, among the academy's best and brightest... were brutally murdered by Izuru! However, the incident did not end there. The academy tried to protect Izuru's superior talent and concealed the incident as though it never happened. However... A certain student began working in secret to use that incident to their advantage. That student uncovered what the academy did, and by making that knowledge public... It stoked the fires of Reserve Course students, who had long been dissatisfied with how they'd been treated... and the uprising began. And that... heralded Hope's Peak Academy's destruction. This is the entirety of The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy. Eventually, that incident would lead to that horrifying, devastating incident. The incident that would be known as the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.
With a heavy sigh, Hajime closed the book.
"A-Am I supposed to believe this?" He wondered aloud. "There's no way thirteen people were killed at Hope's Peak Academy..."
"What irony!" Monokuma shouted as he appeared. "For a genius known as the Ultimate Hope to cause such a gruesome incident... A talent like that is too regal for society... It's like trying to buy juice with a bar of gold! Oh-hohohoho! You should be lucky that you're incompetent!" With that, he disappeared.
Hajime grumbled at his offensive comment, but started putting his thoughts in order. "But... Ultimate Hope... What Nagito said was the true meaning of hope... But for Izuru, hope simply means talent... More importantly... a genius who possesses various talents... That's right, the Reserve Department! Here... it said that the Reserve Course students in the Reserve Department began uprising... No, that's not possible... There's no way... I have no reason to do something like that."
He slowly got up. "...This incident is really messed up, but all it's doing is raising more questions. The mysteries just keep piling up."
"Was Susumu involved in the Hope Cultivation Plan?" I asked. "Seems like the kind of thing you'd want a lot of doctors for."
Toshihide shook his head. "Not to my knowledge, no. I believe most of the people involved in the Plan were alumni of Hope's Peak, not students. Perhaps they thought it would be easier to keep it a secret if they made as few people as possible aware of it. Regardless, Susumu focused his efforts in the Hope's Ascendence Project, the results of which you are no doubt aware."
"If you don't mind me asking, what was the purpose of the Hope's Ascendance Project?" Kyoko asked.
"...It's a bit difficult to explain. Since, you know, you're not a scientist, of any kind. The end goal was to make it more feasible for humans to do... well, a lot. I think the word "transhumanist" would describe a lot of the ideas that went around. We started with the idea of creating a device that could manipulate matter at a molecular level, and branched out from there."
"Which you tried to do through a neural interface." I recalled. "Which is why, now that you've turned yourself into a 4th dimensional... ghost... thing, you can manipulate matter with your mind and telepathically communicate with us and all that."
"Essentially, yes. However, Susumu was the first participant to formally deviate from those plans, and chose to use the funding from Hope's Peak to focus on his long-time fixation of immortality. Which didn't work out for him, but in the end, he still succeeded."
"I wonder if he'd believe "the ends justify the means," like every other "self-respecting" scientist." I snarked.
Toshihide rolled his eyes. "Given that he is dead, your musings are wasted effort."
"Oh, don't worry, Toshi, most of my efforts are wasted." I added bitterly.
The next stop on Hajime's journey was the bio lab. The moment he stepped inside, he was hit with a blast of frigid air.
"Wh-What the hell is with this room!? It's freaking cold in here! I should hurry up and investigate so I can get out of here already!"
He found another manga on the floor. This one was titled, "Manga for Morons! The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History!"
"The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history, huh... Just what was that incident really all about? It might turn out to be something lame..."
The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy was simply the trigger... At first, the uprising by the Reserve Course students that triggered The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy... was initially hoped to be resolved quickly, but the situation continued to escalate to dangerous extremes. The movement started spreading all over the Internet, and fostered a thriving online community. The community was not limited to students, and people of various races and nations began joining in. But the movement was not confined to the Internet, and began spreading and eroding the real world. When the movement started, it was indistinguishable from any other demonstration inspired by social unrest... But as it spread across the world, certain abnormalities soon came to light. By then it was too late. The ends and the means had vanished, and wanton destruction became their only goal. The strong butchered the weak... The weak killed the weakest among them... And soon, the weak formed factions to brutally murder the strong... As the violence and death continued to spread, the shock of their actions began to disappear... As if the era was regressing to more uncivilized times, when senseless deaths were the norm. The media was oversaturated with deaths to the point where people would watch them while enjoying a meal. By the time the world realized what it had become, it was too late to stop what had happened. A feeling of immense despair began spreading and eventually engulfed the world... Acts of terrorism and coup d'etats began occurring around the world- a war waged in the name of despair. A war fought not for principles, religion, or personal gain... Just war. Pure war. And because of that, there was no way to resolve it. How could a movement started by high school students progress to such a hopeless scenario? The only explanation... is the existence of a certain organization. Devoted to a certain student who influenced Hope's Peak Academy... A group called Ultimate Despair. Instead of using Hope's Peak Academy's talents for the sake of mankind's hope... They used them for the sake of mankind's despair. Key members of society used their influence to brainwash the masses in order to spread despair... Tech-savvy computer programmers wrote software to spread despair... The powerful and influential created new values and morals to spread despair. And with this, they created The Tragedy, the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history. As long as Ultimate Despair exists, the despair engulfing the world will never end... The Tragedy will never end...
Hajime put the book down, shivering. "The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history... This is definitely all made up..." But he couldn't stop his mind from racing, imagining the ordinary life he had before all this. His family, his friends, the convenience store he frequented, the nearby bookstore, his favourite restaurant... "What's happened to them!?"
"Hey hey, are you seriously yelling at a manga...?" Monokuma teased as he appeared. "How crazy are you!?"
"Wh-Who would enjoy reading something like this...!?"
"Oh my? You don't like manga? A high school student who doesn't like manga is like an office lady who doesn't like to eat candy!"
"E-Enough...! What is this messed up manga...!?"
"Puhuhuhu. I thought you'd obviously know about such a horrible event that destroyed the world, but... for you not to remember that... such despair. That's the Future Foundation's fault, though. Thanks to them stealing your school memories. The incident that happened during that period has been completely removed from your brains."
"Th-This incident really happened... and... I actually forgot about it...? There's no way that's possible!"
"How many times do I have to tell you? All the clues here are real! Please understand, I'm rooting for you. If you don't learn about the full extent of the outside world, you guys will suffer for it. I just want to help you guys so you can live well-adjusted lives in the outside world!" With that, he disappeared.
Hajime continued staring at the spot he was just standing. "...I see... so that's how it is... That's what he meant by what he said at the beginning... But... there's no way I'm going to do what he wants...! Perhaps... no, that's definitely it. Whether or not this incident really happened... What in the world is this Ultimate Despair group? If they're devoted to a certain student who guided Hope's Peak Academy to its destruction... Are they connected to both The Tragedy and The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy? Plus, that organization isn't just one person, but a group of people..."
He thought about it for a few moments longer, trying to figure out how that group might relate to their present circumstances. Eventually, he shook his head. "...I-It's no use! I'm going to freeze to death! I-I'm at my limit...! I need to get out of here...!"
With that, he quickly dashed out of the bio lab.
Hajime's next destination was another classroom, this one labelled 5-B. Inside, there were no books or manga, but instead, Maki and Monokuma glared at each other from across the room.
He tried to avert his gaze and ignore Monokuma, but it did little good. "Why helloooooo Hajime! I hope you're doing pleasingly well! Are you pleasingly well!? You're pleasingly well, right!?"
He sighed and approached the bear. "...What are you doing here?"
"Well, there was another thing I needed to tell you on this floor... Tehehe... I got bored of drawing manga. Can you forgive me for telling you by word of mouth?"
"You should've done that from the beginning... I didn't want to read your manga in the first place."
"A high school student who doesn't like manga is like a sumo wrestler who doesn't like eating hot pots!"
"I'm getting really fed up with your babbling. Hurry up... what did you need to tell me?"
"Puhuhuhu... It's about that key piece of information you've been waiting sooooo long for... Surprise! It's about Ultimate Despair!"
"...Huh?"
"Ahem! Even though the term "Ultimate Despair" refers to a group these days... It was originally the title for a high school girl who was the most powerful, evil, and feared person alive. Lady... Junko Enoshima."
"Junko Enoshima...?"
"As the former Ultimate Despair, she created a despair brimming with charm and humour... and created the Ultimate Despairs. Puhuhu... there was one really horrible person in that group..."
"It might seem unbelievable, but I've seen her work firsthand." Maki suddenly said.
"Wh-What...!?" Hajime asked, turning to her.
"She has all the makings of a natural leader, and under her central philosophy of despair, something that everyone has felt at some point in their lives... She was able to influence all sorts of powerful people. Especially the sort of people who would have been in the position to stop her. Those connections were the main reason The Tragedy blew up like it did."
"But... what was their purpose? Why would they join a group like that?"
"Their purpose? Simple. Junko Enoshima's despair."
"...Huh?"
"For Junko, despair isn't about purpose, a set of principles, a way of life, or an instinct... Despair is what defines Junko Enoshima."
"...Wh-What are you saying?"
Monokuma laughed. "I'm a stuffed plushie. Hajime is a human. It's exactly like that... Junko Enoshima is full of so much despair that she's truly hopeless. Living, dying, eating, loving... For her, everything is despair."
"Wh-What the hell...!"
"With her overwhelming force of personality, Junko recruited the Ultimate Despairs one by one... She controlled their despair by taking advantage of their love, hate, grudges, anything really. Junko's despair is far more dreadful than any other. That idea has been slammed right into their minds. And so, the Ultimate Despairs who had been recruited became nothing more than Junko's limbs. All despair, whether it was their own or anyone else's, was dedicated to Junko Enoshima. Like believers making offerings to their god... Like a mother providing food to her children... They dedicated all despair so they could escape from despair, all in Junko Enoshima's name. For example... They killed their families and friends, and even destroyed their bodies through relentless mutilation. And to hopelessly top it off... They completely believed it was something they had to do."
"How do you know it wasn't?" Maki asked. "I myself should be sufficient proof that some people are willing to do anything to survive. In the face of an army of despair, some of them may have decided that playing along was safer than resisting."
Monokuma giggled again. "You know, Maki, for the Ultimate Criminologist, you sure do underestimate just how much influence Lady Junko has over regular humans. And here I thought you were someone who could understand her..."
"H-Hang on!" Hajime snapped. "Th-There's no way something that crazy is possible!"
"Do you know about the final days of the Reserve Course students during The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy?"
"F-Final days...?"
"Junko has the power to change people's values."
"Hey, what do you mean final days!? What happened to the Reserve Department?"
"They fulfilled their role as disposable limbs. They believed in what they needed to do... And so, the 2,357 students of the Reserve Department all committed mass suicide!"
"M-Mass suicide!"
"All 2,357 of them, you say?" Maki asked.
"Oops, it wasn't all of them. Two people were excluded...!"
Maki huffed. "Well, in any case, none of this even matters. Junko Enoshima is already dead."
Hajime paused, processing what he just heard. "H-Hey Maki... Is it true what you said? Junko Enoshima is really dead...?"
"You didn't see? There was a book called "Manga for Morons! Killing School Life!" in that bloody classroom."
"A bloody classroom...? No, wait, what was that you said about the killing school life...!? Like the killings we were involved in, they were killings that happened at Hope's Peak Academy... As I recall, the mastermind took her own life because the remaining students worked together to defeat her."
"Yes, essentially. In the end, the mastermind failed, and the seven survivors managed to escape. And according to that manga, the mastermind of the killing school life was... Junko Enoshima."
"The mastermind took her own life... which means Junko Enoshima is dead!"
She nodded. "The killing school life was an event part of the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history. She rounded up a bunch of former students of Hope's Peak, took away their memories, and forced them to kill each other. Sound familiar? Apparently, the whole thing was filmed by surveillance cameras and broadcast worldwide."
"The surveillance cameras were broadcasting the whole thing?"
"The students of Hope's Peak Academy are known far and wide as symbols of hope. By forcing people to watch them kill each other for the sake of survival... She was trying to fill the whole world with despair."
"Th-That's messed up...!"
"Luckily, that messed up plan was stopped. Junko failed, and after being overcome by the very despair she created... She took her own life."
"Then... Junko is no more."
Maki was quiet for a moment before she spoke next. "...I wouldn't say that. A long time ago, someone I used to know once said... Even after we die, we live on in the way we changed those around us. That's our legacy. That's the legacy of the people who came before us. In the same way we'll continue carrying the dreams and wishes of our fallen friends... The people Junko affected will continue to carry her poison and malice."
"...Maaaan Hajime!" Monokuma groaned. "You totally know about that story, huh!?"
"Wh-What? Do you have a problem with that?"
"Well, I really wanted you to read the manga version since I took the time to draw it... Oh well! I'll just raise the flag!"
"...Flag? What do you mean "raise the flag"? What's going to happen if you do that?"
"One step at a time, you're getting closer to clearing my character route!"
"You're not making sense again..."
"Now then, I'll give you guys my all. I'll tell you everything I know, including information on the outside and the inside... I'll raise them flags like crazy!" With that, he disappeared.
Maki sighed. "What a waste of time. Well, I guess there's no helping it. Let's keep going."
As she moved to leave, Hajime spoke up. "Maki, wait! Or... should I call you Alice?"
She stopped in front of the door, but didn't say anything.
"We learned your name... when we were investigating Nagito's cottage. He had a file with all of our information in it, including yours."
"Hm... Monokuma was able to get ahold of that information. That's more power than I thought he had, but it doesn't surprise me..."
"Maki... Alice... why didn't you tell us your real name?"
"Hey, that's a tad presumptuous, isn't it?" She asked, turning toward him. "All you know is that Alice Kizuki is my legal name. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the name I prefer. What makes a name "real," anyway?"
"I-I guess you're right..." He admitted. "So, you just prefer the name Maki? That's all there is to it?"
She shrugged. "Actually, I don't really prefer one name over the other. The real reason I gave you the non-legal one is because of the Future Foundation. Back when we first met, I wasn't sure of the situation. For all I knew, the Future Foundation kidnapped me by mistake, in which case, I'd want to give them as little info on me as possible if they were watching. But that's all out the window now, anyway."
"I see, the Future Foundation again... Maki, er, Alice-"
"You should probably just keep calling me Maki. It'd be a waste of time if you accidentally used "Alice" in front of the others, and I had to explain this all over again."
"Okay, Maki, then... you said that you would tell us everything about our situation, and about Future Foundation. That was two days ago, but you never made good on that promise. Why?"
"The same reason you never brought it up until now, probably. I was distracted by more pressing matters."
"More pressing matters? We finished dealing with the bomb, and the trial, what could be more pressing than those?"
"Well, I had to steel myself for the events of today, for one. I don't know how well I'm hiding it, but my heart is ready to burst out of my chest at this point. Other than that..."
"...What?"
Her face fell to the floor. "...Chiaki's death. I'd be lying if I said that didn't distract me."
Hajime's face dropped as well, but his grief was quickly replaced by anger. It was an anger he had felt in the past, but never truly expressed. Before he could stop himself, he exploded. "What the hell!? You feel bad now!? What about all the others who died!? What about the people you killed!? Gundham, Fuyuhiko, Byakuya... You killed them in cold blood, brushed their deaths aside... and now you expect me to believe that you care about the rest of us!?"
Maki kept her voice level, but with a dangerous tone. "I killed them because I believed it was the only way to survive. Don't you dare imply that I made that call lightly. I might be willing to take that disrespect from one of the others, but from you? Mr. I'd-rather-starve-to-death? You don't get to talk. You're only standing here because of me. Though I suppose that always was the case, wasn't it? Nagito, Chiaki, myself... you've always relied on those around you to help you."
He backed down, but continued to glare at her.
"...I've mourned every death, and I'll never be able to let them go. Just because I only openly wept for one of them doesn't mean I don't feel anything for the others. I never stopped you from mourning however you want, so leave me to my own."
He didn't know how to respond to that, so he simply looked away as she turned toward the door. As she left, he swore he could hear her mutter one last line, barely louder than a breath. "Of course Chiaki's death would affect me... She was my first friend..."
"How did you survive the Reserve Course uprising?" Kyoko suddenly asked me. "You explained how Hajime was able to, but I wonder how you avoided Junko's influence."
"That's a good question, actually." I said. "Unfortunately, my memory of that time range is extra fuzzy."
"Ooh, that might be my bad." Toshihide said with a grimace.
"Hm?"
"You'll recall, during our last trial together, that you guessed it was my fault you never stopped Junko during your academy days. Because I used my psychic influence to prevent you from saying anything about her."
"Wait, why would you do that...?" Chiaki asked. Ah, right, she was the odd-one-out in this group. She never even got to see the broadcasts of our killing game.
"Let me explain." I started. "It wasn't the Toshihide of the past who did that. It was future Toshihide, who I guess is now present Toshihide, who first manipulated his past self into summoning me, so that he would have an agent he could work through to create serious changes to the killing game. Oh, yeah, I should mention that new experiences are practically food for present Toshihide, so he needed to create as many changes as possible to generate energy. However, he didn't want to prevent the killing game from happening outright, so he manipulated my past self into not revealing Junko's identity during our academy days. This way, he could eventually take the credit for stopping Junko after she becomes infamous. But then, at the end of this timeline's version of our killing game, I realized this and exposed the truth, which was enough of a blow to Toshihide's pride that we were able to convince him to give up his plan to murder me. Oh yeah, I should mention that he planned to murder me to end the time loop he was trapped in. I should also mention that he was trapped in a time loop."
Chiaki looked between me, Toshihide, and the others, seemingly trying to figure out if I was joking or not.
Makoto simply scratched his head. "Yeah, that, uh... That pretty much sums it up."
"I found his explanation a tad too brief for my taste." Toshihide added. "But overall, yes, that's the abridged version of Albert's time in this universe."
I noticed Chiaki's expression shift from confusion to just plain anger at Toshihide. Which made sense, he had just admitted to being indirectly responsible for The Tragedy, including all of her classmates turning into Despairs. We wouldn't be in this mess if he had just done his job right. He didn't give any indication that he noticed her change in expression, but knowing how analytical he was, I'd bet he knew damn well how she felt.
I quickly got the subject back on track. "But why does that make it your fault my memory is particularly fuzzy?"
"Do you remember how, during the second case of your killing game, I had tried to use my psychic influence to forcibly awaken you? And it instead resulted in you prancing about in a half-asleep stupor?"
"I'd use kinder words to describe it, but yeah."
"It's sort of like that. I had placed a powerful psychic block over your mind. When Junko Enoshima removed your memories, that block was forcibly removed. But your memories from that time were... connected to that block, in a way. So now, even with the Future Foundation's help to restore those memories, they're still chained to that missing block. I believe the only surefire way to restore them would be if you somehow restored the block, and remove your ability to talk about Ultimate Despair."
"Well, that doesn't sound worth it at all. You're saying I'll never get those memories back, then?"
"I wouldn't go that far. Think of it like this... Have you ever had a dream where you were almost entirely lucid through it? Maybe you didn't realize you were dreaming, but it felt like it may as well have been real? But then, after you woke up, you completely forgot what the dream was even about, except for how real it felt? It's like that. The you from that period of time, and the you from right now, are both versions of you, who have experienced equally real parts of your life, but there's a serious disconnect that you need to bridge before you can have two become one."
I nodded, hoping that I properly understood everything he just said.
"It does make me wonder... How much would Al change if his memories were restored?" Chihiro asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, you often talk about how different you are compared to how you were before. Your past self probably went through some similar changes, but in a different direction. So, if you bridged the disconnect, like Toshihide said, would you still be who you are now? Or would you be who you were back then?"
"Jeez, Chihiro, I never took you for a philosopher..." I scratched my head. "I suppose I'd be both. Maybe some aspects of my personality would change, and maybe I'd have to make some compromises with my ideals... but I'll always be me."
At least, I hoped that would be the case.
Eventually, Kyoko spoke up again. "I noticed that my question wasn't really answered."
"Ah, of course." Toshihide seemed to think how best to word it. "Junko Enoshima's method of control could possibly be resisted, but most normal people would never plausibly be able to. I believe, because of his understanding of psychological tricks, knowledge of Junko and her plans, and sheer willpower, Albert had the perfect combination of circumstances to avoid or resist the effects for long enough that he survived the mass suicide. From there, I had negotiated with Junko to include Albert in her plans for the killing school life, and the rest is history."
I imagined what it must have been like, watching all of my Reserve Course classmates happily killing themselves for the sake of their Lady Junko. Surrounded by bloody bodies of dead innocents, knowing that I was the only one who could have done something to save them. The idea caused my blood to turn cold, and a shiver ran up my spine.
"This looks like... the music room." Hajime observed as he stepped into his next destination. He turned to the massive stone tablet floating in the centre of the room. "Looks like it's some sort of monument...? Why would there be a monument in a music room? And not just that... the mark engraved into the monument is the symbol of the Future Foundation, right?" He read the short passage below the symbol.
To combat the biggest,
most awful,
most tragic event in
human history,
the graduates of
Hope's Peak Academy
were among the many
who established
the Future Foundation.
"Huh...? A-Aren't they known as World Ender...? This is completely different... Monokuma... he completely made it up!"
He stepped away from the stone tablet and turned toward the text document floating nearby. "This... is like a hologram, right?"
Regarding the report we gave you the other day... We have obtained information... a person who claims to be a survivor of Hope's Peak Academy. Upon further investigation, there are a total of 15 survivors. You may be wondering about the number of people at this time... If they're survivors of Hope's Peak Academy, it's possible they may be targeted by Ultimate Despair. We believe we should acquire them and place them in our care as soon as possible. Though I don't believe the group can go that far without Junko Enoshima rallying them... In a worst-case scenario, we must prevent a repeat of the killing school life. Also, if they are survivors of Hope's Peak Academy, we should expect them to be quite valuable to us. However... we are still investigating the details of their origins and we haven't located them either. We will continue investigating this matter. Also, regarding a separate matter... We have received a report from the research facility on Jabberwock Island. Preparations have been completed. It seems we can proceed with the experimental phase of the Neo World Program.
"...Is that... about us? Excluding Chiaki who was part of the Future Foundation, and Maki who has different reasons for being here, there were definitely fifteen of us, but..." If this were all true, then the world... "...isn't normal anymore... maybe..."
He looked around. "I guess that's all the clues in this room..." Future Foundation, graduates of Hope's Peak, took him and his friends under their care to protect them. That was what the evidence was telling him. But why didn't Chiaki just say so in the first place? "...No, as long as Monokuma was around, she probably couldn't say anything carelessly."
The e-mail also mentioned a research facility on the island, but Hajime could only recall the ancient ruin bearing the Future Foundation's symbol. "There's no way that's the research facility... Somehow... there are still so many mysteries."
"This... feels different from a classroom..." Hajime noted as he entered a room lined with desks with flowers on top of them. He turned to the other person in the room.
"It's probably the office, right...?" Hiyoko suggested. "I mean, this place has a bit of a stuck-up, teacherly feel."
"The office, huh...? Now that you mention it, it does look like that..." He noticed another text document floating in the air, just like in the music room from before.
We understand this matter regarding the survivors. In order to safely acquire them, please do your best and continue your investigation. However, you must exercise extreme caution concerning the Remnants of Despair. Even though they have lost Junko Enoshima, the fact remains that they are incredibly dangerous. Even after her death, The Tragedy has not ended... Perhaps... there is still a leader on par with Junko Enoshima. As long as we do nothing about the Remnants of Despair, we will not be able to end this incident. For this reason, the Remnants of Despair must be immediately eliminated once they are discovered. Everything is for the sake of a shining future...
"I-Immediately eliminated...!? Does that mean... this is an order to kill them?"
"Why do you care?" Hiyoko asked. "Aren't these Despair Remnants or whatever supposed to be super-dangerous terrorists? For scum like that, the death penalty is the only fitting punishment..."
"I wouldn't go that far, but... I guess you're right. There's no way they'd be forgiven that easily..." He turned toward the back of the room, where a blackboard hung with something written across it. "What's written here...?"
The two of them approached. "List of Subjects" was written in large letters, and below that... "...are names I've seen before..." ...the names of all of his classmates.
However, what caught his attention was a newspaper clipping above one of the names. The name was "Hiyoko Saionji," but the woman featured in the newspaper article didn't quite match up to the real one.
"...What is this?" There was some resemblance between the two, but the one in the picture was tall and voluptuous. Their body shapes were completely different. "Wh-What does this mean...?"
Hiyoko simply cocked her head to the side. "Who's this supposed to be? She's dressed like a traditional dancer, but I've never heard of her. Do you think she's one of those slutty models that try to look classy and refined by wearing kimonos?"
"No... it says "Hiyoko Saionji" here..."
"Huh?" She did a double-take. "Th-Then... do you think she's trying to steal my identity or something?"
"S-Steal your identity...?"
"That has to be it, right? I mean, it goes without saying that the old bitch in this picture looks nothing like me!"
"That's not an imposter!" Monokuma argued as he appeared. "Besides, we already pulled that twist before!"
"What? Then why does this newspaper have my name on it?"
"That's you."
"...Huh?" Hajime gasped.
"Wh-What are you saying!?" Hiyoko snapped. "Like I said, she looks nothing like me! I mean... I'm famous for my innocent, child-like charm!"
"I dunno what to tell you..." Monokuma admitted. "Maybe you had a growth spurt?"
"What are you saying!? Just look at me! There's no way I could've ever looked like that!"
"Puhuhuhuhu... Well, regardless, all the clues I've provided are true. If they weren't, it wouldn't be fair!" With that, he disappeared.
"Wh-What the heck!? There's no way this is true!"
Hajime eyed the newspaper clipping. How could this image exist, if it contradicted reality?
"C-Could it be... related to that "List of Subjects" over there?" Hiyoko suggested.
"...Huh?"
"I-If it says subjects... maybe it means there was some kind of experiment, right? D-Did that experiment change my body...!? Just like my memories...!? Ugh, what am I saying!? That's so, so messed up! What's going on...? This better not be some crazy time travel story...!"
Hajime tilted his head back, confused. He noticed a portrait of an old man hanging above the blackboard. "I feel like I've seen it before, but the name etched onto the placard says... "Hope's Peak Academy Founder - Izuru Kamukura." The founder of Hope's Peak Academy... And this name... Izuru Kamukura... Dammit, another mystery."
"Okay!" Monokuma suddenly appeared again. "With this, you've totally raised all the flags on this floor! Congratulations Hajime! You shall now go on to the next stage!"
The new floor was just as labyrinthine as the previous, but Hajime eventually managed to find his way to the next room. It had a billiards table, a dartboard, and a shelf lined with magazines, among other things. It didn't look like a room that belonged in a school.
On the Othello table, he found a file with the Hope's Peak crest on it. It was labelled "Confidential." He briefly wondered what it was doing in a place like this, before smacking himself. "...Why am I even asking a question like that. Obviously Monokuma is responsible."
About the Hope Cultivation Plan... For many years, Hope's Peak Academy has conducted rigorous research into various talents. The Hope Cultivation Plan seeks to use the fruits of our labour to further our true goal. With our hands, we will birth a true hope that will bring hope to the entire world... Truly, the program is the next innovation in providing the ultimate education. This plan has been the academy's wish since its foundation, so we must succeed at all costs...
What followed was a list of detailed instructions and intricate orders. It was full of technical terms that Hajime had no way of understanding.
"The Hope Cultivation Plan was created for the sake of birthing true hope... Hope's Peak Academy was behind something like that...?" He looked up and noticed another text document floating in the air. "It... looks like another e-mail passage..."
Regarding the report we gave you the other day... We have finally succeeded in acquiring them and have placed them in our care. Though they were all dispersed, we were successful in acquiring all 15 of them. Due to the fact that we are unable to ask them about specific details... It is unknown how they managed to survive The Tragedy... It's been reported that some are wounded, so it seems certain that they survived under harsh conditions. Over the course of our detailed investigation, we determined that they are the same age as the others... So we have decided to entrust them to the survivors of the killing school life. As for the Remnants of Despair... There are still no solid leads regarding this matter, and we have no new information to report. We will continue with the investigation. Once they are discovered, we shall eliminate them immediately. Everything is for the sake of a future filled with hope...
"Well, I guess it's not possible that the Future Foundation set this all up..."
"My, my Hajime!" Monokuma suddenly appeared next to him. "If you keep worrying like that, you're gonna get a toothache and collapse!"
"It's your fault...! What is this hologram thing anyway...?"
"It's exactly what it looks like. They're the Future Foundation's e-mails. I thought they made the perfect clue, so I did a little bit of hacking here and there to get them."
"Y-You can even do that...? Whoever's controlling you... seems to possess many talents."
Monokuma laughed. "Well, who cares about me anyway? That's not important at all." With that, he disappeared.
Hajime made a mental note of his reaction before he moved on to the next location.
"This must be a library..." As soon as he entered, he got to work investigating. Immediately, he noticed yet another text document. "I should read it. There's no doubt that it's another clue."
To Future Foundation 14th Division - Makoto Naegi
Where are you guys? What are you doing right now? What you're doing is a serious act of treason. Do you understand? Why are you protecting the Remnants of Despair? It should be abundantly clear to you how dangerous it is to keep these people alive. Stay calm and think about this carefully. You guys are being lied to. Think carefully about what's important to bring the light of hope to the world. The seven of you joined the Future Foundation because you agreed with our ideals, right? The Future Foundation rescued you from the tragedy you survived and cooperated with recovering your memories. Immediately return the Remnants of Despair to our headquarters. Unless we eliminate them, The Tragedy will never end... Everything... is for the sake of a future filled with hope...
"Wh-What... does this mean...? But... he's with the Future Foundation, right? Then... why was he trying to protect the Remnants of Despair?"
That was the only thing of note in the room, so he made his exit.
The next room disoriented Hajime. He could have sworn he walked into a classroom, but where he ended up... "I-I don't really get it, but... um... this looks like the laundry room."
On the table, he saw a tablet computer. He got closer so he could examine what it was displaying. "...Is this the next clue? Neo World Program...?"
The Neo World Program has another name... Psychotherapeutic Communication Simulator. The Neo World Program is built with the most recent psychotherapy technology and administrative software. To develop the Neo World Program... Individuals such as the Ultimate Programmer, the Ultimate Neurologist, and the Ultimate Therapist... were among the many people whose research results were utilized. By mounting a device to the cranium, the Neo World Program... allows its subjects to experience a 'Synthetic Virtual World.' Additionally, the Neo World Program has another feature. It can replace memories made in the real world with information contained in the synthetic virtual world... Therefore, it is possible to undo trauma sustained in the real world through the use of the virtual world... However, this device is for psychotherapeutic purposes only. Any other use is expressly forbidden. Though it is highly effective at treating brainwashing, abusing the device risks total personality destruction. Thus, extreme care must be exercised when operating this program.
Hajime's vision turned black as everything pieced together, and fell apart.
"Synthetic virtual world...? Program...? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He suddenly broke out into a scream, as if he needed the sound of his voice to keep him grounded. "This... this... Th-There's no way... s-something as crazy as this... actually exists...!"
"You gotta raise the flags more to clear my character route!" Monokuma encouraged as he appeared. "Now then! Despair is waiting for you!"
As he disappeared, Hajime continued to stare into space, at a loss for words. He couldn't believe any of this. There was no way it was real. It had to be made up.
"Made up...?" On shaky legs, he turned and made his way out of the room.
"Oh, there it is..." I muttered.
Chiaki stared at the screen that Hajime was just on, her eyes wide. "Is he gonna be okay?"
"Assuming everything goes according to how I remember it, he should be fine." I assured. "But what he's going through right now... isn't going to be pleasant."
"What's... happening to him?"
"...He sees the truth." I said. "It's a common issue with Virtual Reality technology, and I bet it's only intensified for full-dive VR. Have you guys ever heard of the Placebo Effect?"
"That's when someone's body reacts to a treatment that their mind thinks it's receiving, but isn't really there, right?" Kyoko answered.
"Yeah, it's a well-documented phenomenon. Some doctors give their patients sugarpills, telling them that they're painkillers, and they end up having the same effects as morphine. But it doesn't just apply to the medical field. As long as your mind believes something is real, your body will go along with it. That's why all the participants who died in the program are in critical condition in reality. Their minds are convinced that they're dead. My point is, "mind over matter" isn't just some cheap proverb. The way we perceive the world around us is often more important to our health than how it truly is."
"But how does that relate to Hajime?" Chiaki asked.
"As for him... he's going through something similar to an extreme case of Virtual Reality dissociation. His mind, at least on the subconscious level, is suddenly aware that he's in a simulation, and that the avatar he's piloting isn't his real body, leading to feelings of dysmorphia and disorientation. The quickest way to alleviate this would be to connect him back to his real body for a few hours, to help him get grounded to reality again. But he can't wake himself up, that's not how the system is designed. So his mind starts reacting... violently, to the world around him."
"Sounds like hell." Byakuya summarized.
"Yeah. The symptoms would be similar to some common mental disorders, and those cases typically don't end well without proper treatment." I sighed. "Hajime's strong, though. He'll survive for a couple more hours."
Just a few more hours... By this point, all of the screens in the room had been reduced to static. But I knew we'd get some sort of signal on the progress inside, one way or another.
Next, Hajime stepped into a classroom. It was entirely monochrome, and the only thing of note was a large black monolith floating in the centre of the room.
"I-Is this... floating...?" Hajime stepped forward cautiously. "...But what in the world is it?"
Suddenly, the monolith turned so that one of its flat surfaces faced him. Red code danced across the surface, lighting up the room. Once the code finished, the whole surface flashed, and standing before Hajime was the image of a small, thin man in a suit.
"Welcome... Welcome to the Neo World Program..." He greeted.
"A p-person!?" Hajime shouted. "A floating person... is talking to me... Wh-Who is it...? No... is this even a person in the first place?"
"Um... I'm not quite a person... I'm simply an artificial intelligence program. It would make me happy if you called me Alter Ego. That is the name my master gave me when he created me."
"B-But... what are you? Alter Ego...? Artificial Intelligence program...?"
"I... am the master program behind the Neo World Program. I'm responsible for creating and overseeing this world... However... only the Observer has the authority to directly influence you guys... I can't actually exert much influence. In fact, my existence is one that you don't normally meet. I'm sort of like an apartment manager or something. I may oversee the entire apartment building, but I lack the power to influence individual rooms... But the virus has infected everything I'm supposed to be managing... And because of that, this world I'm managing is acting very peculiar..."
"H-Hold on! My... brain can't follow what you're saying... Let me gather my thoughts first...!" He shook his head, and after a moment, he asked, "...Hey, you should know, right? Where is this place? Tell me...! What is the Neo World Program!?"
"The Neo World Program has omitted the data collection procedure for shaping the entire world. As such... only the data we collected during the experimental stage is being utilized. Specifically, that means the data detailing Jabberwock Island, where this research facility is located. That is why the previous Jabberwock Island's cityscape was restored. Ergo, if I am to answer your question, "Where is this place?"... The answer would be, "Mostly Jabberwock Island"... Certain portions of it are different depending on the circumstances... For example, this school you're in. It appears... this space is entirely under the virus' influence. That's probably why I'm appearing before you, too. However... even without the virus, these circumstances are a bit unnatural... It seems the launch was rushed, and because of that there wasn't enough time to collect any data... I'm sorry... I don't really know the circumstances of the outside world. After all, I'm simply... the overseer of the Neo World Program."
"Wait... are you saying this world is a fictional world?" He paced the floor for a moment, confused and feeling as though his mind was ready to split apart. "...Hey, can you tell me? What was the Neo World Program used for in the first place?"
"The Neo World Program serves only one purpose... It is used to make the real world a splendid one. I guess you can say... it's a program for creating hope."
"A program for creating hope...? But... the fact that we're here, and the fact that we don't have our memories... That's all the program's fault, right?"
"Deleting memory... is the first step toward replacing memory. Replacing memory data is one of the features of the Neo World Program. With the installed memory control unit, it is possible to remove any time period you set it to. And from there... you upload the memories obtained in the virtual world."
"...But why? Why us? Why were our school memories taken away? There's... a reason for that, right?"
"That... is a mystery to me, too. Booting the program on the survivors of Hope's Peak Academy while it's still in its experimental stages... I'm sure... there was a very good reason... But unfortunately, I don't know what's happening in the outside world... I'm sorry... Um... I'm sorry... I can't provide that much help... If only I was more reliable... I wouldn't have lost my authority to a virus like this..."
"...All these new words make my head feel like it's about to burst... Can you tell me more about the Observer and that virus...?"
"Well... For this session, the Neo World Program was programmed to house fifteen people, along with two monitors..."
"Two monitors...?"
"Yeah. They were disguised as a teacher and one of the students. They were intended to guide the participants in this way. By the way, the observer in the teacher role has been given the authority to influence you all... But the observer in the student role was not... They weren't given any special authority at all so they'd seem the same as everyone else."
"What kind of authority does the teacher role have?"
"As an example... the teacher creates the rules of this world, and manages them. If the teacher is properly managing the rules they've created, there is no risk of abuse... But because of the virus infecting everything, that has changed. It... changed this world where violence shouldn't have existed in the first place... The Neo World Program would've promised eternal peace... But just like the outside world, it's become a world filled with violence and death."
"Wh-What... is that virus?"
"No matter how much we try to stop it, it behaves as if it already knows what we're attempting to do... In the end, it stole the portion of my abilities which contain my authority to build the world. It was like... it was a grandmaster chess master. We desperately tried to fight back so it wouldn't have complete control... But even so... a portion of the world has been modified at its convenience..."
"...But how did that virus infect the Neo World Program?"
"The Neo World Program exists in isolation. It's impossible it was infected through a network... I'm fairly certain... someone physically uploaded it."
"...Physically?"
"Perhaps someone secretly brought an external memory drive containing the virus into the facility... and directly uploaded it into the main computer where the Neo World Program is installed... Based on my calculations... that's most likely what happened. Ah, but... It's true that the virus is powerful... and that I'm completely overwhelmed by it... But I'm still able to defend the essential areas. So... it has a limit too."
"A limit...?"
"If it took over an Observer, then it has to follow the rules of an Observer... Um... such as... In order to end the program and release everyone, I need to follow the correct procedure and..."
"Okay!" Monokuma suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Even if you're just a god in the machine, that's enough hints from you! If you're gonna say something more... Suppose that you exist between life and death, the death of your self is inevitable. If so, it can be parallel to the defluxion based on the definition of existence that constitutes the relationship. From there, the paradigm change results by being cut off rapidly and causes a situation where your own existence is unobservable and accelerates and crosses with the joint ownership of the world and the situation from the context invites your death death death death death death death death death-"
Hajime's gaze shifted between Alter Ego and the glitching Monokuma. "H-Hey...?"
When next he blinked, he awoke in a room identical to the classroom he was just in, but all the walls, floor, and ceiling were all solid black, only measurable by the tron lines across them.
The monolith in the centre of the room displayed a different image than Alter Ego.
"Wh-What the heck...? What just happened?"
"Ah...!" Chihiro suddenly gasped. On the monitor he was seated at, a small light had switched on. It was the indicator for whether or not the mic was operational. Alter Ego had finally found a way to help us in the outside world connect with those in the Neo World Program.
"Is that...?" Makoto started.
I nodded. "That's your cue."
He hesitated. "Are you sure...? I don't really know what I should say..."
"You're the Ultimate Hope." I assured him. "You know exactly what they need to hear."
He still seemed nervous, but he nodded and stepped toward the mic.
It was one of those desk mics that you had to hold down a button to turn it on. Makoto took a deep breath, pressed the button down, and spoke.
"You're... right there, aren't you? Someone... is right there, right?... I'm currently talking to the world through Alter Ego... Ever since you guys vanished into that space, the video's feedback has been pretty distorted... But even so... we were forced to watch you this entire time. The things you guys were forced to do... We were forced to watch it. I really want to save you right away, but because of the virus' interference... I couldn't. Our orders are no longer being accepted, including shutdown requests... The Neo World Program is beyond our control now... In that world, that person created an independent country that doesn't accept outside interference. But... Alter Ego created an opportunity for me to speak to you directly... If this means that's working... Then it means the person I need to talk to is right there... I hope. Since there's no time... I'm going to say what I need to say and believe you're there listening to me. But first... I should apologize to everyone. I know apologizing won't help but... we knew something like this was going to happen. We knew an atrocious virus was lurking inside the Neo World Program... and yet, we still decided it was worth it to go through with the plan. But it's not just the virus either... We had reason to believe that the program itself had problems in the first place... To tell you the truth, I was unsure about whether or not to run the program on you guys... But this was the only way to save you all! I wanted to save you guys! You've... already seen the password to enter the graduation exam ground, right? You know, "11037." The door to the ancient ruin was supposed to open after you all finished gathering the Hope Fragments. From there, you guys were supposed to challenge the graduation exam... However, I prepared that password just in case something went wrong. Like I said earlier... I had reasons to doubt that this program was perfect, and I knew what the virus had planned. That's the reason I left that 11037 password in a place where the teacher role would not be able to go. I never thought Nagito, who saw it first, would erase that password... Anyway... I'm also the person who set the password to that number. That number contains a secret. Someone close to me... left that number to save me when I was in a dilemma. Can you understand what I'm trying to say? I'm entrusting that will to you all. I've entrusted it to your future. But... that person is trying to abuse the graduation exam... I'm sure they are going to crush you with despair using the graduation exam that's waiting for you... But I want you guys to endure it without giving up on hope. I want you guys to withstand it until I get there! Because... I have a secret to defeat them! For just this situation, I've prepared a hidden command to use at the graduation exam site. It's... the forced shutdown sequence. Even a teacher's authority can't stop that command... It's a way to end this that you guys can choose on your own, independently of the Observer. Which means even if they stole the teacher's authority, they shouldn't be able to stop it. If you use that... you guys will win. However, in order to start the forced shutdown sequence, you need more than half the number of people... And in order to do that... I need to somehow get that number."
Before he could say more, the indicator light suddenly switched off. We were once again disconnected.
Makoto stepped away. "I hope that was enough..."
"Hajime's a smart guy." I said. "He'll figure it out. All we can do now is wait to take our places in the final battle..."
"-death death death death death death death death death death death death death death death death death death-" Monokuma suddenly jerked back into his original position. "...What was that just now? Hey Hajime! What was that weirdness just now!?"
"N-Nothing really..."
"I see... Oh well! Anyway, that's all the hints you're gonna get... If that no-good artificial intelligence tells you anymore useless stuff... I'm gonna butt in again!" With that, he disappeared.
Hajime stared at the spot he was just standing for a few more moments.
Alter Ego cut through the silence. "It's been a while since I've spoken at length, but... It was important to talk to you. It... was worth waiting a long time here."
"Hey... about that guy just now..."
"...There shouldn't be anything else for you to ask me. You guys have a weapon... A very powerful weapon... It all depends on how you guys use that weapon... The only thing I can do... is prevent the virus' invasion with all my might so you guys can use that weapon... The rest... is up to you all. Do your best..." The image bowed, signalling that the conversation was over.
"...What... am I supposed to do...?" Hajime muttered as he turned toward the door.
As he left the room, he heard the familiar ring of the bell going off. Monokuma's face appeared on the nearby monitor.
"As, so, um... I'm getting tired of waiting. Shall we just plunge right in? It's time for the long-awaited graduation exam! Please enter the red door located on the first floor of Hope's Peak Academy. Puhuhu, see you soon!"
"Huh...? This place...!" Hajime looked around at the concrete trial room he entered. Beside him, all of his fellow survivors were there.
"Looks like... everyone's here..." Nekomaru noted.
"It seems like this is our final battleground..." Maki said.
"H-However... this place is..." Sonia looked around. "We've... been here before, right?"
"Yeah, this should be the place that the door at the ancient ruin leads to..." Hajime explained.
"Isn't it pretty weird that we were in that other building up until now?" Hiyoko asked.
"Hehe... like a fever dream... a nightmare with no end..." Nagito muttered.
"So you've finally arrived." Monokuma announced. "Congratulations! You guys are the first ones to ever beat this game! After stopping by Hope's Peak Academy, you've finally come back to this place. To the graduation exam site within the ancient ruins of Jabberwock Island!"
"You can dress it up as a "graduation exam site," but it's no different from the trial grounds from before." Nekomaru said.
"This trial field actually inspired the one from before." Monokuma corrected. "So in a way, this place is the original!"
"Who cares..." Hiyoko muttered. "This graduation exam means we can finally go home, right?"
"Of course! If that's what you guys decide!"
"So... how does this work, exactly?" Maki asked as she pushed Nagito's wheelchair up to his podium. Everyone else moved to their positions as well. "I'd rather not make a mistake for something this crucial."
"Ahem! Please take a look at the LCD touch panel built into your seats! Compared to the other trials, the rules are much simpler this time. There are two options: Graduate and Repeat, right? You just have to choose one of them, and press it. All of you will cast your vote, and whichever one has the majority will be considered your final decision! If you don't press either of them, it will be treated as an absence and will not be counted. Which means, everyone who has died up till now will have their votes treated as absences!"
"Then... the result is based on our majority vote." Sonia summarized.
"Ahem! If Graduate is chosen by a majority vote... From there, an event that's kinda like a graduation ceremony called the Graduation Program will begin..."
"We don't need to do this stupid majority vote!" Hiyoko argued. "The answer is already obvious!"
"Don't be so sure." Maki interjected. "I, for one, would like to solve as many of the mysteries as I can before making my final decision. That is what you brought us here to do, isn't it?"
Monokuma nodded. "As usual, Maki is right on the money. Besides, to participate in the Graduation Program, you need my final say as your teacher, you know?"
"Wh-What... Does that mean it won't end with just a majority vote?" Hajime asked.
"After the vote... I'm going to judge every single one of you to see if it's okay for you to graduate or not."
"So even if we vote, you're saying we won't graduate without your acknowledgement." Nekomaru muttered.
"But you don't have to worry. There's no way I won't acknowledge your graduations. This is merely a formality. I'm just doing it because that's how it has to be. Anyway... even if you don't want to do it, you guys still need to do it to solve the mystery. Afterwards, you cast your majority votes... And from there, we move on to the Graduation Program."
"But... why do we have to do something so dumb?" Hiyoko asked.
"Well... that is..."
"You said... you were waiting for the "main cast," right?" Hajime recalled.
"...Hm?"
"Which means... you're just stalling for time, then."
"Who's... the main cast?" Nekomaru asked.
"Oh... no need to worry about it. It has nothing to do with you guys."
"Th-There is no way it has nothing to do with us!" Sonia snapped. "We are the only ones who are involved, you know!"
When he spoke, Monokuma's voice took on a dangerous edge. "It doesn't matter if you're involved or not, you're just a bunch of chumps in the big picture. That's why it has nothing to do with you. Just perform your roles without complaining."
"Hold on, what's with that "chump" comment?" Nekomaru asked. "I can't ignore that!"
"Ah, not that it's important or anything but... make sure you turn off some of your extraneous functions."
"H-How dare you treat me like a toy!"
"I did treat you like a toy... you gotta problem with that? I created everything. Puhuhu... You're actually picking a fight with me? I'm basically a god! Just how promising can you guys be!? I guess this... is just the nature of life... Fine then. Before you die, sear my power into your memories!"
And so, the curtain opened for the final time... The final judgement, the final betrayal... The final deception, the final treachery... The final riddle, the final mystery... The final justification, the final rationalization... The final faith, the final trust... The final... life or death... Class Trial!
This is it. The moment we've all been waiting for. All the pieces are in place. The participants of the Neo World Program are holding one last trial, and Albert and his friends are moving to aid them. There are still many mysteries not answered, both from canon, and from Maki herself. The battle has only just begun.
In the next chapter, will the answers to these mysteries be revealed, or will the survivors fail in the face of despair?