….huh?
What's happening...?
I'm... in a stretcher?
Lights... so bright...
People... I hear people...
Nurses? Doctors?
What... are they saying?
…...
Where... am I?
I'm... in a bed now...
I see...
I'm in... a hospital room...
..the door is open...
I can see into the hallways...
I see... another room?
It's occupied...
Somebody's inside... that hospital room...
My consciousness... is fading...
…..
Chapter 6: Ultimate Endgame
DEADLY LIFE
"I-Izumi!?" Eunji said.
And just as quickly, Monokuma sprung back to life.
"Hey! What is the meaning of all this young lady?" Monokuma said.
"Really?" Izumi asked. "You kidnapped the ULTIMATE HACKER, and you weren't expecting it to totally bite you in the ass?!"
"What!?" Monokuma said.
"That's right, you fucking ursine!" Izumi said. "I am in control of the facility! And I only have one thing in mind: I'm getting us the fuck out of here!"
Izumi... you really did it!
"Now then, leading us to the exit, you prick!" Izumi said, and the mecha suddenly activated... but this time it was turning it's guns towards Monokuma.
"Hold on, was anyone gonna tell me about this?" Seungyeon asked. "Izumi, how?"
"It's quite simple really." Izumi said. "I installed a backdoor into their system."
"Grr... I knew something was up!" Monokuma said. "Now goddammit why did nobody kill you!"
"What, the person who's saving their lives?" The hacker smirked.
Yeeun was quick to stand next to Izumi.
"Exactly, and Izumi would never come to any harm when I'm around!" Yeeun replied.
"I'm proud of you, Izumi." Youngjae said. "Your hacking skills really came through!"
"Puhuhuhu..." Monokuma said.
"Eh?" Izumi asked. "What are you laughing about?"
"Well... there's just one thing, girl." Monokuma said, his red eye starting to glow. "You can't get out."
"What are you talking about you asshat?" Eunji said.
"Not like this, anyhow!" Monokuma continued.
"What are you saying, bear?" Miyumi asked.
"Seriously, I'm confused!" Naomori replied.
"Well, you see..." Monokuma said. "That elevator you kiddos take to get down to the class trial room? That elevator also leads up. After all, it is the only elevator up in the building!"
"Okay?" Izumi said.
"But... in order to activate it to go up..." Monokuma said. "A member of the Ultimate Despair has to do it."
!
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Eunji said.
"You see, there's a secret hatch in there that contains a touchpad, but a member of the Ultimate Despair has to touch the touchpad, in which it'll recognize their fingerprint and make them go up!"
"So... our only way out of here is the mastermind?" Seungyeon asked.
"Yes indeed!" Monokuma laughs. "And by the way, we knew your grenade was a fake, so that's why nobody came!"
"Fuck..." Yeeun said.
"Then how about we just go up to the elevator and make everyone touch the pad?" Naomori asked.
"No can do, sport!" Monokuma said. "The elevator doors will only open up when it's time for a class trial!"
"Fuck that, I can override those locks!" The hacker stated.
"Nope, missy!" Monokuma said. "As you have just learned... you cannot take control of me! And those doors only unlock when I make my announcement that it's time for the class trial! Which means that's only my control room! And nobody can go in there except for me!"
"You're saying... that this was all for nothing...?" Seungyeon asked. "W-We're really trapped here...?"
Trapped in here... for the rest of our lives...?
After everything that's happen... everyone that has died...
Jutaro, Reika, Ichiro, Ayaka, Masahito, Kazuhiko, Hirokazu, Kaori, and Takashi...
We can't let their deaths go in vain!
I refuse to accept this...!
"No." Eunji said. "Monokuma."
"Yes?" Monokuma said.
"I demand a class trial!" Eunji replied.
"Oh, but what for? Nobody is dead!" Monokuma remarked.
"The class trial to end all class trials." The idol said. "The ultimate endgame."
"Hmm?" The bear titled his head. This definitely peaked his interest.
"Here's what I want." Eunji said. "We give one last investigation of the whole school, everything unlocked and nothing hidden. After we're done, we go in for one last class trial. There, we must figure out who the mastermind is."
"Hmmm..." Monokuma started thinking. "But what do I gain?"
"Oh please, bear." Miyumi said. "You know damn well that we're onto you and your schemes. You probably want this to end as much as we do, otherwise you risk losing everything."
"Well..." Monokuma said.
"If we discover who the mastermind is, you'll let us go." Eunji said.
"And if you don't?" The bear asked.
"Then you can execute all of us." Eunji stated.
"Woah, hello." Naomori said. "You're betting our lives on this!?"
"I don't know if you've noticed, but either way our lives are fucked." Seungyeon said. "I'm not spending another day in this shithole"
"Well... I haven't gotten to execute anyone in forever... and I have in fact grown quite tired of you kids, so... offer accepted!" Monokuma said. "Puhuhu... one final class trial! I'm sure everyone will love this!"
Then... Monokuma disappears.
"So... what the hell are we even supposed to do?" Yeeun asked.
"Investigate everything." Eunji said. "Any hidden doors or whatever. Hell, Izumi can help us with that."
"That's true!" Izumi replied. "I'll help!"
This is it...
This is the class trial to end this killing game...
We have to do this...
For everyone that died...
And for our future!
We must work together and find the mastermind!
To end this killing once and for all!
-INVESTIGATION START!-
"So.. where do we even start?" Youngjae asked.
"The fifth floor was the most mechanical of them all." Eunji said. "I have reason to believe there's more hidden than we were initially led to see. Especially after we unlocked all those secret doors."
"I agree." Miyumi said. "But I also feel this should go beyond the secret doors. After all, let's think about the mastermind's influence throughout the course of the killing game."
"Yeah, that's right." Yeeun said.
"It's suffice to say that the mastermind has fucked around a lot." Seungyeon replied.
"Yeah, definitely quite a lot..." Naomori said.
"I think the case that had the most minimal influence was certainly the first case." Izumi said.
"Well, yes, but Monokuma did make an offer with Reika." Eunji said. "It must show that at some point after Reika was betrayed that the mastermind started to take matters into their own hands..."
"Another thing that I thought about, well, it has less to do with the mastermind, but..." Yeeun said. "Remember how Reika picked the lock to Seungyeon's door? Then after the class trial, Monokuma said the doors were now resistant to lock picking."
"Yeah?" Eunji said.
"Doesn't that come across as kinda odd? I mean... you would think that they would have done that first thing." Yeeun said.
"What are you saying?" Seungyeon asked.
"I dunno... but it just strikes me as odd in any case." The songwriter stated.
Hmm..
She is right, though...
Why were the doors not resistant to lock picking at first?
It's definitely something to keep in mind...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – DORM DOORS
"Case 2 never sat right with me." Miyumi said. "What happened with Ayaka..."
Ayaka...
"Hmm..." Seungyeon said. "You guys don't think that there were also secret doors in our rooms, do you?"
"Why do you say that?" Eunji asked.
"Well, let's talk about how there was obvious intereference in Case 2... and yet nothing ever came up about it." The actress replied.
That's right!
The mastermind interfered with case 2!
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – CASE 2 INTERFERENCE
"Right... you mean that weirdly self destructed note?" Seungyeon asked. "Did find that whole thing odd."
"Do you think there's a way we can restore it?" Eunji asked.
"I'm not sure..." Miyumi replied.
"I'm sure we'll figure something out." Naomori said. "There has to be a way, right?"
"Let's not forget that Ichiro's monopad was destroyed." Eunji said. "Monokuma said there was no way for monopads to get destroyed, yet somehow his was?"
"Hmm... yeah, that never sat right with me." Miyumi said.
"Do you think the mastermind may have destroyed it themselves?" Yeeun asked.
"But why would they?" Izumi asked.
"Whatever was on Ichiro's monopad was obviously incriminating." The detective replied. "That much is obvious."
I agree with that.
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – ICHIRO'S BROKEN MONOPAD
"Don't forget that Takashi told us that Ichiro's room was tampered with." Miyumi said. "We took him for his word... but I think it's for the best if we can investigate it ourselves."
"Yeah, let's go." Eunji said. "Izumi?"
"Yeah, on it." The hacker said.
"I'm coming with." Yeeun said.
"Everyone else, split off and see what you can find!" The idol stated.
"On it, boss!" Seungyeon remarked.
…
The four of us made our way to Ichiro's room, and it was locked.
"Of course..." Eunji said. "MONOKUMA!"
The bear appeared.
"Right, sorry!" The bear replied, dropping the key to Ichiro's room and then quickly disappearing.
"Hah." Eunji said. "He's my bitch, now."
"Ehh..." Miyumi said.
"Sorry..." Eunji replied. "Hey, Yeeun..."
"What's up?" The songwriter asked.
"I recall something..." The idol replied. "You told me that Ichiro was acting weird the night before his murder, right?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Ayaka told say that Ichiro attacked her... but it doesn't exactly add up." Miyumi said. "I know people like Ichiro, and he isn't someone like that... and to take his own life the way he did..."
"So... what do you think?" Eunji asked.
"I don't believe he was acting out of his own free will." The detective stated.
"Eh!?" Eunji was confused.
"Think about it..." Miyumi stated. "Would that fool of a man really go to those lengths? And Yeeun said he wasn't acting like himself.. can you recall what he was saying?"
"That's the thing, he said nothing." Yeeun replied. "And he had this empty look in his eyes..."
"Hmm." Miyumi said. "Let's keep that in mind, shall we?"
Alright...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – ICHIRO'S STRANGE BEHAVIOR
Ichiro... acting odd like that...
Not of his own free will...?
…!
Jutaro...
He... was the ultimate hypnotist, wasn't he?
That sounds like something that would make someone not act of their own free will...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – THE ULTIMATE HYPNOTIST
"So..." Eunji said. "Have we ever considered what kind of deal Reika made with Monokuma? And why she targeted Jutaro specifically?"
Miyumi gave Eunji a small smile, obviously indicating that she knew about this as well.
"Reika..." Yeeun said. "Fuck, Monokuma and the mastermind had their nasty hands impacting this game all this time?"
"It makes sense." Eunji replied.
"Can we check out Ichiro's room?" Izumi said. "We've just been standing here..."
"Right, sorry." The idol replied, unlocking the door to Ichiro's room and entering.
…
"This room really has been untouched since Ichiro died, hm." Miyumi said.
"Have you been in here before?" Eunji asked.
"Well, back when we first got here I checked in with everyone." The detective said. "If only I knew just how bad things would get..."
"That's all in the past." Izumi stated. "We must move forward and give it all we got so we can finally get the fuck out of here."
"I suppose you're right." Miyumi sighed to herself, before proceededing to do a more thorough investigation of Ichiro's room.
"So... I know he's dead and all... but you don't think Takashi is the mastermind...?" Yeeun asked. "Since he did investigate this room, he could have tampered with it?"
"Are you kidding?" Miyumi asked. "Monokuma wanted him dead. I severely doubt he was the mastermind."
"It was just a theory." The songwriter replied. "I mean... I feel like it's been done before, you know? Someone fakes their death in a game and they come back later and look, they're evil."
"Terrible example, but... I suppose it isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility. But Takashi is dead for sure. After all... we felt his heart stop." Miyumi said.
"What do you mean it isn't out of the realm of possibility? You think someone faked their death?" Eunji asked.
"Let's just continue investigating." The detective said.
Miyumi knows something... doesn't she?
"So... there really is nothing here..." Miyumi stated. "But I can definitely feel that there was something here after all..."
"And you really don't think that there was secret doors for the mastermind to go in and out?" Yeeun asked.
"If that was the case, then wouldn't they have killed Izumi a long time ago?" Miyumi asked.
"Also, we would have found it already." Eunji replied.
"Let's not forget that when Ichiro was murdered, I still heard someone up there." The hacker replied. "It's entirely possible that the mastermind may have taken the keys to his room, used to cover up whatever they had, and leave. Then nobody would be none the wiser as to their antics."
"Izumi's theory definitely has some legs." Miyumi said. "After all, the lock was never tampered with."
That certainly makes sense...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – LOCK OF ICHIRO'S ROOM
"...huh?" Yeeun said, digging through Ichiro's pillow and finding something under it.
"What is it?" Eunji asked.
"It looks like... a note..." Yeeun said. "Ichiro, will you kindly come to the dining hall after the morning announcement. I have some info... then the name of the sender is torn out."
"Do you think that's the note that was on Ichiro's body?" Eunji asked.
"No, I'm sure it was one unique note." Miyumi said. "But that does get me wondering... who was the sender... and why did the actual erased note say?"
"Any idea when this was sent?" Yeeun asked.
"Judging by it being stuffed under his pillow, there's a good chance it was night." Miyumi said. "There is no time stated when to meet, so I assume he went to meet them at the moment it was sent."
"It adds up with his weird behavior at 5 AM." Yeeun replied. "After all, whatever the sender did must have take n a while."
"Hmm..." Eunji said.
This feels important...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – NOTE FOUND IN ICHIRO'S BED
"I think that's everything in here." Eunji said.
"Let's go, this room is giving me the fucking creeps." Izumi stated.
…
We made our way outside Ichiro's room, and saw Seungyeon staring at a wall.
"Seungyeon...?" Eunji asked.
"Aha!" Seungyeon said, pushing against the wall and watching as a secret passageway opened up.
"You have a real talent for finding these things." Miyumi said.
"Of course! Now, what's behind door number one?" The actress said, entering it.
…
We entered into the secret room... and were surprised by what we saw.
"Is this... a morgue?" Izumi asked.
Inside the room was 16 freezers that you'd normally see in a morgue. Complete with what appears to be an autopsy table and some medical supplies.
"Ugh, morbid!" Seungyeon said.
I took a very thorough peek at the fridge.
There were 16 freezers, each with a light bulb installed next to them.
8 were lit up green, while the other 8 were turned off.
Wait a minute... 8...?
But 9 of us have died before...?
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – EMPTY FREEZER
"Um... was Kazuhiko's body stored...?" The hacker asked. "He was burnt to a crisp."
Then Monokuma appeared.
"Well, obviously, but it would still be proper ettiquite to store him with the others!" The bear replied. "Just don't open it, unless you want to smell human bbq!"
Then Monouma disappeared.
So... Kazuhiko's body is still stored in the freezer...
So who the hell is missing?
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – KAZUHIKO'S BODY IN MORGUE
"The bodies don't have name tags." Miyumi said. "And... hmm..."
"Yeah, I'm sure we all noticed it..." Seungyeon said.
What the hell does this mean...?
Did someone who we thought died... not actually die?
"Let's uh... move along." Izumi replied. "This place is also giving me the fucking creeps."
…
"We should investigate the fifth floor." Miyumi stated. "There's probably a lot up there."
"Let's do it." Eunji said.
Judging from memory... Case 3 had Monokuma intereferring with banning me from the class trial...
Which makes me wonder...
Kazuhiko is dead, no doubt about that...
But I was in... a hospital...?
And there... there...
There was an occupied room!
Agh... it's making my head hurt!
Who... who was in it?
Is somebody still alive!?
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – EUNJI'S MEMORY
Anyways... we made our way to the fifth floor.
It was still creepy as fuck.
"Hmm..." Miyumi pondered for a bit. "I honestly do feel a bit nervous."
"What's up?" Eunji asked, as the detective pulled her away from the others.
"It's just... something feels wrong." The detective replied. "I feel like we're being misled."
Does she mean the empty freezer, and Ichiro being manipulated?
"So, you don't think Ichiro was manipulated?" The idol asked.
"No, he was." The detective replied. "It's just by who... there's something I remember, and I'm sharing this with you only.. I recall Jutaro was teaching some students hypnotism."
!
"W-What, really?" Eunji asked. "I recall Hirokazu being suspicious of that. I walked in on them fighting..."
"Yeah, he was only offering certain students." Miyumi said. "From memory... He approached me, and he also told me he was teaching, um... Ayaka... Takashi... Youngjae... Naomori... and Seungyeon..."
"I see..." Eunji said.
So that makes six suspects in total, but Takashi is dead... and why would Ayaka want Ichiro to attack her...?
So...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – THOSE WHO LEARNED HYPNOTISM FROM JUTARO
"I'm just saying besides Jutaro, there's others who could have manipulated Ichiro into killing Ayaka." Miyumi replied. "So... keep that in mind as you investigate."
"Yes... I will..."
With that, we joined the others. It seemed like everyone that was still alive were all back together as we joined up.
"Okay... so my investigation didn't get anything." Naomori sighed.
"Mine too.." Youngjae replied.
"Don't feel too bad, I'm sure this room has a lot we haven't seen." The detective replied.
The seven of them continued along their room, and made their way inside the secret hallway. They continued explore it, and eventually found another secret room... as they entered it, they were shocked.
…
"What... is this?" Eunji asked.
All she could see were bloody clothes, a bloody shard of glass, a bloodied knife...
"Hold on..." Seungyeon said. "Is this from all our previous cases?"
"Yeah, look." Eunji said, pointing to a table at the very left. "There's the bloodied dumbbell and knife that Reika used on Jutaro."
"And the hangers that were used to kill her..." Izumi said.
"This is the kitchen knife that Ichiro attacked Ayaka with..." Eunji said, and she looked... at the poison gun, and the dart that was injected. Her breathing hitched. "This is..."
"Eunji..." Miyumi said.
"So, everything that was used in the previous cases are stored room." Yeeun said. "But why?"
"Maybe for like, evidence?" Naomori asked.
"Why would the Ultimate Despair need evidence of their crimes?" Youngjae asked.
"Who knows... but it's all very suspicious." Seungyeon replied.
The detective approached the poison dart, but raised an eyebrow.
"Miyumi...?" Eunji asked.
"Hmm..." The detective whispered to Eunji. "Something is off about that poison dart."
"What do you mean?" The idol asked.
"I mean... it doesn't smell like any poison I know... it... has a different scent entirely... It almost smells like.. I'm not sure..."
So... Ayaka wasn't shot with poison...?
But.. she's dead...
I know she is...
But... what does it all mean?
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – DART USED TO SHOOT AYAKA
Seungyeon took out a paper from under the second desk.
"Huh?" The actress said.
"What's up?" The idol asked.
"It's... notes." Seungyeon said, giving it to Eunji.
"How to make poison for a poison dart." The idol replied. "Huh.. but they've been scratched out?"
"So, someone was making the poison?" Yeeun asked.
"But why would they do that?" Naomori asked.
"Hmm..."
"I can just make out something..." Miyumi said, taking the paper. "Um... poison was .ot e..ectiv., .ust ret..."
"What does it mean?" Youngjae pondered.
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – NOTES ON POISON MAKING
"The evidence ends at the fifth table." Seungyeon observed.
"Aha!" Izumi said. "I see a note in the first desk."
"What does it say?" The idol asked.
"It was adressed to Reika." The hacker replied. "It's all been erased as well, but... I can read something about... Jutaro? In the faded text..."
Wait a minute...
I just remembered something...
"Okay, well then!" Monokuma said. "You know what time it is!?"
"...huh?" Reika said. "W-Wait, you're...?"
"Oh, come on!" Monokuma remarked. "Did you really believe me? The robot bear!"
"But we had a deal!" Reika yelled. "I killed Jutaro, your biggest threat, and you would let me walk home free, no matter the outcome!"
"Don't you guys remember?" Eunji said. "We were all shocked in the moment... but Reika said that Jutaro was Monokuma's biggest threat, don't you recall?"
"Huh... she did... didn't she?" Youngjae asked.
"It must have slipped our minds because... well... she was about to die." Izumi replied.
"But why would Monokuma want Jutaro dead?" Yeeun asked.
I have a couple ideas...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – REIKA'S DEAL WITH MONOKUMA
"It's like we thought, this whole killing game has been tugged along by Monokuma and the mastermind." Miyumi said. "Think about it, every victim that has been killed was Monokuma's doing."
"Monokuma wanted Jutaro, Ayaka, and Izumi dead." The idol stated. "But what does those three have in common?"
It's a weird link...
TRUTH BULLET ADDED – MONOKUMA'S TARGETS
"I don't know... I feel like we aren't any closer to figuring out who the mastermind is." Naomori sighed.
"Yeah... I agree." Seungyeon replied.
"I definitely think we got a few ideas." The detective replied. "The devil is in the details. I'm starting to place it all together."
"We should investigate a bit more." Eunji said.
DING DONG BING BONG!
"Ahem! Investigation time is now OVER!" Monokuma announced. "It is now time for the class trial! Everyone! Please head to the red door!"
"Fuck." Seungyeon said.
"Looks like it's time..." Eunji said.
I think... I'm starting to place it all together.
There's a reason that Monokuma wanted those three dead...
But...
Who's still alive?
And who is the mastermind...?
Anyways... we all made our way to the elevator lobby, and entered the lobby.
"This is it." Miyumi said. "Everyone, let's all cooperate and do whatever it takes to make sure we end this killing game!"
"Yes... you're right...!" Youngjae said. "For all those who have died!"
"Monokuma and the Ultimate Despair... they will not win!" Yeeun said.
"Let us have hope." Eunji replied.
"Yes... hope..." Seungyeon smiled. "I believe in you all!"
"Well, I'm not sure how much hope I'll be, but I'll do my best!" Naomori replied.
"Hmm... I'm not one for mushy stuff... but... let's do this. I'm sick of this place." The hacker replied.
And so, we made our final descension.
The elevator stopped, and we made our way inside the class trial room.
"Come on everyone, take your spots!" Monokuma said. "This is it, the epic finale to the killing game!"
We all took our spots inside the 16 different podiums.
This was it... after everything we've been through... all those lives that were lost...
Eunji, Reika, Naomori, Takashi, Jutaro, and Youngjae's pictures showed up.
This is the final class trial we'll have to face...
Ayaka, Yeeun, Hirokazu, Masahito, Izumi's picutures showed up.
My heart is beating so fast.. but I have to do this...
Kazuhiko, Kaori, Miyumi, Ichiro, and Seungyeon's pictures showed last.
For everyone!
I wil save you all! I will put an end to this killing game... and I have to do is face this final life or death... class trial.
Chapter 6: Ultimate Endgame: CLASS TRIAL
This is it... after five class trials and 9 deaths... this was the final class trial. Eunji and everyone else wil have to give it their all to put an end to this cruel killing game.
TRUTH BULLETS
Dorm Doors: For some reason, the doors in the dorms weren't resistant to lock picking at first.
Case 2 Interference: It's quite obvious that the mastermind did have a huge influence in Case 2
Ichiro's Broken Monopad: It is now quite obvious that the mastermind broke Ichiro's monopad, for it presumably had incriminating evidence.
Ichiro's Strange Behavior: Ichiro was acting strange the night before his murder. Miyumi believes that he wasn't acting out of his own free will.
The Ultimate Hypnotist: Jutaro Harada was the Ultimate Hypnotist.
Lock of Ichiro's Room: It's quite obvious that the mastermind didn't have to break in, judging by the lock having never been tampered with.
Note found in Ichiro's bed: A note adressed to Ichiro asking to meet the sender in the dining hall, sent during night. The sender may be the mastermind.
Empty Freezer: Although 9 students have died, there were only 8 bodies in the morgue.
Kazuhiko's body in morgue: According to Monokuma, Kazuhiko was still stored in the morgue despite being incinirated.
Eunji's Memory: Eunji remembers seeing another hopsital room occupied during her time in the MonoHospital.
Those who learned hypnotism from Jutaro: Jutaro was teaching hypnotism to Miyumi, Ayaka, Takashi, Youngjae, Naomori, and Seungyeon.
Dart used to shoot Ayaka: According to Miyumi, the so called "poison dart" was probably not poisoned after all.
Notes on Poison Making: Someone in the Ultimate Despair was making poison that was used in the poison darts. Most of it was erased save for a few words. "poison was .ot e..ectiv., .ust ret.."
Reika's deal with Monokuma: Monokuma told Reika to kill Jutaro in exchange for her being let free regardless of whether she was caught. This deal was a ploy by Monokuma. But why did he target Jutaro specifically?
Monokuma's Targets: Monokuma specifically wanted Jutaro, Ayaka, and Izumi dead. What was the connection between those three?
START CLASS TRIAL
