"..." Shuichi was left speechless. Everyone was left with no words at what they had witnessed. It was over. What they had witnessed...it didn't feel real. It was as if everything they had known to be true had suddenly vanished from reality itself. Despite what they may have thought of the person who was called Tsumugi Shirogane, it no longer mattered. That girl didn't exist in the world anymore. Like a small flame on a candle, her life was easily snuffed out. The Monokubs were also freaking out due to what had happened to their brother.

"Huh? What the…? Wh-Why is Monokid…?" Monotaro stammered as he tried to reason why one of his own died.

"M-Monodam? What...have you done…?" Monophanie asked before puking.

"But this tension ain't so bad, y'know? Finally feels like a proper killing game. If anything, we could stand to use a little more tension in our lives. Right, dad?" Monosuke commented.

"Nooo! My sweet, darling Monokid… Claimed as collateral damage!" Monokuma cried. "This is a nightmare… This is unacceptable… My precious cub is…" Before he finished, Monokuma lit up with happiness and joy as he smiled. "On second thought, I guess it's okay. After all, I still got four more cubs! Phew! I'm glad you kids came in bulk."

"...Huh? It's okay?" Monotaro asked as sweat dropped from his face.

"I-I'm shocked… Our existence...means that little, huh?" Monophanie whimpered.

"What's done is done, what's dead is dead. No point crying over blown up cubs." Monokuma said with no emotion. "...Unless you wanna end up like these sad sacks." He then said as he pointed at everyone.

"What…! What in the world...is this…!?" Keebo cried out as he backed away from the screens and made a horrified expression as his eyes widened and something that looked like sweat poured from his face.

"A-Are you...fuckin'... kiddin' me!? Talk about overkill…!" Miu shrieked as she cowered at what was witnessed.

"Atua… Please grant Tsumugi's soul eternal repose." Angie whispered in a prayer, not a distressed emotion on her face.

"I...I can't believe this happened to Tsumugi… Even if she was the mastermind, such a thing is...t-to...m-m-muuuuch…!" Kokichi whimpered "WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" He cried out as tears exploded from him. He was probably faking the tears, but Shuichi doubted that even he wouldn't feel anything after both Kirumi and Tsumugi's deaths.

"Puhuhu! All this adrenaline creates such an exquisite feeling of despair! Yes! Not even the mastermind can escape from the despair of this killing game!" Monokuma cried out with a bellowing laugh. "It's moments like this that make all the killings worth it!"

"Is that why you're doing this?" Rantaro asked with a pissed off expression full of hatred and malice. "Tsumugi mentioned that this was for 'everyone' before she died, so what? Does that mean this is a show for someone? We're just someone's entertainment?"

"You're the worst of the worst! Does human life have no value to you at all!?" Tenko asked as she cried.

"Hey, I know human life is precious. I'm not a monster, y'know." Monokuma said. "Cuz if human life wasn't precious, ending it wouldn't be nearly as much fun! There's no greater joy than witnessing such a display of despair entertainment. And don't worry about that everyone Tsumugi mentioned. I don't want to spoil it for you after all!"

"Kehehe… You've surpassed psychotic by a wide margin." Kiyo said with a glare to the bear, visibly angered for what seemed like the first time.

"...I don't think I've ever felt quite this...irritated." Ryoma hissed as he pulled his hat down to hide the dark look of disgust he had.

"I… I won't forgive you for this! Got that!? I won't ever forgive you!" Kaito shouted as he clenched his fists and teeth, seething with anger.

"Spoken like a marked man!" Monokuma laughed.

"Wh-What… is this? What could ever be the purpose behind this? It can't just be because people enjoy watching us suffer can it?" Kaede asked.

"...Do you hate us?" Maki asked. "If so, have we done something to make you and anyone watching hate us?"

"...Hate you?" Monokuma tilted his head as he thought about Maki's words. "Puhuhu… Who can say? That's your job to figure out. But you shouldn't worry about that right now. You never know who could be the next killer. Who's going to be the next Kirumi and Tsumugi, I wonder? I can't wait! I wonder what kind of killing game we'll get to see next!"

"Dammit! You may have gotten us this time, but we'll get you next time! You'll see!" Kokichi declared with a determined look.

"Why are you all psyched up…?" Himiko asked with an upset look.

"It's nice to see that at least one of you has some chutzpah around here. I have a feeling you're gonna live for a while." Monokuma said happily.

"Thanks! I'll do my best!" Kokichi chirped with a wide smile.

"Shut the hell up! We're… not gonna have another killing game!" Kaito said with a worried expression. "I, Kaito Momota, am not gonna let you have your way anymore! Got it!? I'm gonna punch that grin right off your face. For sure!"

"Oh, really…? That seems unlikely." Monokuma replied with a bored look. "I'm pretty sure you won't live long enough to do that."

"Krgh…!"

"Shut up! No one else is going to die!" Kaede said while pointing at Monokuma. "I… I won't let anything like this happen ever again. That'll be… how I make up for my mistakes this time around!"

"Whatever. Anyway, you guys have a lot to think about…" Monokuma said. "Work hard and do your best to graduate! Cuz the fun's only just begun!" With that, the bear left the trial grounds.

"Hey, Monodam! Explain yourself!" Monophanie demanded.

"I get that monokid was obnoxious and rude, but that was way over the line…" Monotaro explained.

"..." Monodam didn't respond at first. He didn't show any emotion, even when he did finally answer. "...I-DID-IT-FOR-US." Monodam then left without another word.

"Hey! Wait, Monodam!" Monotaro yelled.

"Wh-Where are you going!?" Monophanie cried out.

"He probably killed him as payback for all the bullying. What an interestin' turn of events…" Monosuke said with a grin, clearly enjoying the turn of events. With that, the other cubs left, following after their green brother, leaving the remaining 15 students behind. No one said anything after that. It was dead silent as everyone processed what was happening, and what would happen to them.

"I...can't deal with this anymore. It's too much...of a pain…" Himiko groaned out quietly.

"We can't give up that easily, Himiko." Rantaro tried to comfort her. "We can still find a way to escape from this place. We just gotta keep hoping and work towards that hope."

"Is there even hope to be had here? The room feels utterly drained of it." Kiyo said sadly as he fiddled with the various accessories on his outfit.

"K-Kirumi…! T-Tsumugi…!" Gonta cried out as he tried to stop his tears from falling.

"Wh-What kinda d-degenerate male...cries in p-public…? It's so r-rude…" Tenko said as she wiped her eyes.

"But, Tenko, you're crying too." Keebo said in a confused tone.

"Now's not the time to point that out, Keebo. Just let it be." Ryoma told the robot with a sigh.

"In times like this, we should pray for Kirumi and Tsumugi's souls so they can rest in peace." Angie said as she prayed.

"H-How's anyone supposed to rest in peace after getting killed like that!?" Miu asked in a terrorfied shriek.

"What are we gonna do from now on…? Himiko asked sadly.

"Y-Yeah, I'd like to know, too… I'm so over this already…" Kokichi said with a dejected expression. No one knew what to say in this situation. Not even Kaede was her usual cheerful encouraging self.

"Aaargh! Shut up! SHUT UP! You all just need to SHUT UP!" Everyone went quiet at the sound of Kaito's booming voice. "Every single one of you...and your meek little complaints… You're pissing me the hell off! What's done is done. There's unfortunately nothing we can do about it. All we can do now is to keep moving forward! We should live for those who have died and survive! That's all we can do. So quit complaining!" At Kaito's words, the atmosphere of the trial grounds slowly got better.

"Hmm… I suppose that's true." Ryoma said with a small smile.

"Gonta will do Gonta's best. Gonta will protect everyone!" Gonta said with a determined look.

"Kaito's right. We just have to focus on what happens next and how we'll overcome it. We'll get through this together!" Kaede said. Soon, everyone seemed as close to happy as they could be and were ready to face tomorrow. Shuichi noticed that one person, however, had not spoken or moved even a muscle.

"Hey, Rin… are you okay?" Shuichi asked as he walked up to the man in question. Rin was just staring at the ground, his eyes glazed over as he did. Shuichi couldn't even tell what was going through Rin's mind at that moment. It seemed as though he was just...empty. The defeated look on his face was something Shuichi had only seen when Kirumi was found, but this was much worse than back then. Kaito and Kaede came up to Rin as well, looking just as concerned for their friend as Shuichi.

"Hey, Rin. Don't worry about what Tsumugi said. She was just trying to get under your skin." Kaito said as he put his hand on Rin's shoulder. "We already know the kind of guy that you are, so you ain't gotta worry 'bout a thing!"

"Kaito's right. You're...one of the kindest people I know." Kaede said with a melancholy look. "So please, don't believe those lies. We still know you're an amazing person. You still have our trust."

"They're right." Shuichi added. "You...must have had it rough these past few days. You've been constantly worrying about us, haven't you. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you with anything. But… I hope that you'll let us help you in the future." Rin's expression didn't change, but those words from the others did get a small reaction from him. Shuichi was shocked by the reaction. Rin...had started shaking.

"...Y-You don't…" Rin began. "You don't understand. I...I'm… This is...all my fault"

"Rin…" Kaede said as she tried to take a step closer to reassure him, but Rin suddenly backed away quickly. "Huh?"

"Y-You all...need to stay away! I'm...dangerous." Rin said. Something akin to terror and confusion were painted over his features, and fear and dread were swirling in his eyes. "I...I don't even know who I am...What I am, but I know that nothing good awaits me. I'm...a magnet for tragedy."

"Wh-What are you saying?" Kaito asked with concern.

"...I can't… I can't let you all…" Rin mumbled to himself. "...You all need to stay away."

"What? No! We're friends! We can't just leave you like that!"

"I was wrong!" Rin yelled. Everyone fell silent

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Tenko asked.

"Tsumugi...wasn't the mastermind." Rin said slowly, as if still digesting the words himself.

"Wh-What the fuck!?" Miu screamed.

"What are you talking about? Tsumugi confessed before she died." Maki said sternly.

"If that were the case, this killing game would have ended." Rin refuted, causing even more silence. "I...never accounted for this. The possibility that the game wouldn't end if the mastermind was caught or killed. Now that we've been thrusted into that possibility, a million reasons as to 'why' come to mind."

"Reasons as to why?" Shuichi asked.

"1. Even without the mastermind, Monokuma can function just fine and pick up where they left off, since he is an autonomous AI like Keebo." Rin began to say, panic spreading throughout his body with fidgety movements as he did. "2. There are other masterminds, whether here among us or outside where we'll never find them. Those could be the 'everyone' Tsumugi was talking about. And finally, 3. Tsumugi was never the real mastermind."

"What does that last option mean?" Keebo asked.

"Tsumugi… might have just been a pawn for the real mastermind or masterminds of this game."

"A pawn!?" Himiko cried out.

"Exactly. If that's the case, there are a few ways that could have happened as well. Maybe they bribed her before the game started. Maybe she was an agent from the beginning here to pretend to be the mastermind. However, considering how much she believed in it, I think that she was brainwashed, or something similar, to make her fully believe that she was the mastermind."

"B-Brainwashed…?" Kaede whimpered.

"Tsumugi mentioned that our memories were wiped. None of us remember how we got to this Ultimate Academy, either. That probably means they have a device or machine capable of erasing select memories. If that's the case, it's possible they can also add memories, whether fake or not."

"Then...Tsumugi might have been forced to 'remember' being the mastermind, but actually not be?" Shuichi asked.

"I...I don't know anymore… I was wrong before about what the mastermind would do. I made so many assumptions before, and this is no different. I...I haven't changed at all. In fact, I'm worse than before… I can't do anything right…! I'm letting it happen again!" Rin muttered, almost screaming at the end.

"Wh-What do you mean by 'worse than before'?" Kaede asked. Rin realized what he said and backed away.

"Rin...what are you talking about?" Rantaro asked.

"I...I…!" Before anyone could stop him, Rin turned and ran to the elevator. As soon as he got on, he slammed to button and the doors started to close.

"Rin!" Shuichi and a few others shouted, but Rin didn't stop. Rin just crouched down and clutched his head as the elevator doors shut.

"Rin…" Kaede whispered quietly as she began to clutch her arms. "Did…I do something wrong? Does he...blame me for what happened. It makes sense. He has a right to hate me now…"

"N-No! Of course he doesn't hate you!" Kaito quickly said. "He's probably just...going through a lot of stuff right now."

"It makes sense." Kiyo said. "For someone with no memories to suddenly be told all of those things that Tsumugi said, he must be completely overwhelmed, whether they were true or not."

"Of course not true!" Gonta exclaimed. "Rin friend. Rin no hurt friends!"

"But what Tsumugi said is still concerning. Why did she even say those things about Rin? Was it merely to hurt him mentally?" Keebo asked.

"And who were those people she was cosplaying as?" Maki asked.

"They're supposedly Ultimates as well, but I've never heard of a single one of them." Ryoma said.

"Tsumugi did say our memories of Rinny were erased, so perhaps our memories of those people were erased too! Especially if they were Rinny's friends." Kokichi suggested. "Such a shame! Some of those people looked really interesting! I wonder if Rinny remembers them."

"Th-There's a bigger problem than that!" Tenko cried out. "Kaede said that Tsumugi shouldn't be able to cosplay as real people! If she was able to cosplay as Rin's friends, then what does that mean?"

"Could it mean that all those people were fake? Tsumugi could have lied about those actually being people Rin knew" Keebo suggested.

"That's not possible though!" Tenko objected. "Tsumugi also dressed up as Rin as well, so it's not possible that those weren't real people!"

"Perhaps this goes deeper than we think." Shuichi thought out loud. Not even he could wrap his head around Tsumugi's cosplay. Kaede saw the 'cospox' herself after all. The chances that it was a lie is…

"I might have a solution." Rantaro spoke up. "But it's only a theory at this point. Can't prove it anymore since Tsumugi is...well, y'know."

"By all means, do let us hear it. Perhaps it will calm Rin's nerves when he hears." Kiyo said.

"Well, what if Tsumugi was lying about the cospox stuff?" Rantaro said.

"But I saw it myself. It was really gross!" Kaede said. "She dressed up as me and it happened immediately.

"Maybe she did something to make it seem real." Rantaro refuted. "She was the Ultimate Cosplayer. We saw her in action a few minutes ago. She could completely change her voice, height and appearance to match whoever she was cosplaying as. So maybe the cospox was a sort of 'cosplay' as well."

"She was able to change in the blink of an eye…" Maki added.

"Th-Then she was just lying to me? Why?" Kaede asked.

"Perhaps it was to prevent us from accusing her of disguising as one of us. She was the mastermind of this killing game, or at least thought she was. She would have no trouble lying to us like it was second nature." Shuichi said.

"She was a really good liar too!" Kokichi added. "As a fellow liar, I know my kind. I usually can pick out a person's lies easily, but I never knew Tsumugi was lying this whole time. She must have been really good at it."

"What a mystery! So strange! Atua knows the answer though!" Angie claimed happily. "Still, no matter what reasons she had, it was horrible to do what she did, killing Kirumi and saying horrible things about Rin."

"Agreed. It's been...a long day. I can only hope Rin isn't too affected by this." Rantaro sighed. "We should head back as well. It's pretty late. We can discuss this tomorrow after we get some rest."

"Y-Yeah. You're right…" Kaede agreed.

"Rantaro's right. Staying here will only make us more depressed." Maki said.

"Kehehe… Well put. I agree wholeheartedly." Kiyo added. Everyone else agreed and they all stepped onto the elevator, which had returned from the surface, though Rin was no longer in it. Kaito sighed as he stepped into the elevator.

"I hope Rin is ok." he said quietly. "He's probably blaming himself for everything that happened again. Next time I see him, I need to make sure he understands none of this was his fault, even if I gotta knock some sense into him to do it."

"..." Shuichi didn't say it, but he agreed with Kaito. He knew Rin had the bad habit of bearing the responsibility for these situations due to how he acted during the underground tunnel fiasco and when the first killing happened. He knew that out of everyone, Rin was probably taking this the hardest. If anyone should blame themselves, it should be Shuichi. His plan to stop the killing game failed as well, and as Rin said, it was incredibly flawed. As a detective, he never made assumptions without evidence, but that almost ended up killing someone. His reasoning and logic almost made Kaede kill Rantaro and Rin could have died. And Shuichi knew that if Kirumi hadn't followed Tsumugi into the bathroom, Rin might have died and Kaede would have been framed. Even if Rin had a knife, the chance of that happening was still there.

Rin probably already knew that, which might be a reason he is blaming himself so much. But even still, Rin and Kaede faced the truth during the trial. Kaede confessed to her attempted crime, altering the views of her classmates about her forever, but she still did it so we could move forward. She faced it head on and is ready for any consequences that she has to face. Rin then revealed the mastermind and showed proof using his plan. Even though Tsumugi was one of his friends, and even though he seemed incredibly betrayed by the truth, he still accepted it and revealed it to the others. Shuichi thought about the trial as the group rode up to the surface.

The truth… It seemed so scary to Shuichi. He was horrified that if he ever found the truth, something horrible would happen because of it. He was terrified at the possibility that his reasoning would be flawed and that the truth he reached would lead to tragedy. And to an extent, that's what happened in this trial. His reasoning did end up being flawed, and tragedy did occur when the truth was revealed. 2 people are dead, and they could have been either Rantaro, Rin, or Kaede instead of Kirumi and Tsumugi. Yet despite this failure, Shuichi realized another truth. That even if the truth is painful, or if revealing it causes someone to get hurt, or even if revealing the truth is wrong, the truth still needs to be seen. Especially in this killing game. Everyone's lives depend on that truth. So maybe...Shuichi should strive for the truth, instead of cowering from it, as Kaede and Rin did. Maybe, he really should believe in himself and the truth a bit more. The words Kaede said before they rushed down to the basement and before starting the trial echoed in his mind.

"I'd be a mess if you weren't here. I wouldn't have been able to do anything… I would've been so lost. I'm glad you're here with me, Shuichi. With you by my side, I feel like I can stand up to anything. You give me the courage I need to take on the mastermind. So please...be more confident. I believe in you, so you should definitely believe in yourself!"

"I think everyone is afraid of learning the truth, but the people who are willing to find the truth are the ones who can decide their fate. If you never know the lies from the truth, then you can't choose a path. You won't even know you're on a path. So...fight for the truth...even if it is frightening. I know you can do this. If you're scared, then borrow the strength of others who will be there for you. Think of everyone you're helping, and let that be your strength."

Those words would encourage Shuichi as he continued down his path. The path of detective. One who will do everything he can to seek the truth and protect the people he holds dear.


Am I Who I Am? That was the only thought going through my mind at the moment as I ran through the courtyard.

Numb...that's not the feeling one should have in the face of a person's death. A normal person should have some kind of feeling or emotion pouring out of their heart, whether anger, sadness, confusion, disbelief...something. And yet, I felt nothing. It was sort of like what happened when I saw Kirumi, except it was amped up to 100. I didn't feel a damn thing. That's when I truly realized that I wasn't a normal person. I was probably far from that. I mean, not even I knew what the hell I was. Tsumugi seemed to, and what she said I was...would explain a lot.

The visions of death and nightmares I've had, the panic attacks towards the killing game and motive, the numbness to any death...I've seen all of this before. Because I've killed before, haven't I. Because I've witnessed death so many times. That has to be the reason. I mean, why else would I feel absolutely nothing when I saw my friend, Tsumugi, brutally killed in front of me. Not even the memories that Tsumugi's words gave me can explain why I felt no emotion. Yes, I did remember some things. But there was no context to the memories, no emotions tied to them. I just saw images. What did I see? The bodies of almost everyone that Tsumugi was cosplaying as.

There were only 5 people's bodies that I didn't see. But even so, why would I remember all of those dead bodies? The bodies of people who were supposedly my friends? Did I kill them? Did I let them die? Why? Why would I do something like that if I really did do that? Is that the kind of person I was? And then there's the cospox dilemma. Fictional. Lies. Fake. There was no other explanation. I'm real. Everyone of those people were-no, is real. It had to be a lie.

But if it wasn't...then who am I? What am I? Am I fake? Is 'Rin Wakuri' not real? Then why do I remember that name? Do I just know the character? Or am I really this person and Tsumugi was lying? Or am I myself completely fictional? A person who thinks they are someone who doesn't exist could be considered not real, right? Or am I thinking about this wrong? All I've done while here is overthink things. That's why we're here. I overthought things. Or did I not think about it enough? Nothing makes sense.

And the words they spoke to me...

"Hey, Rin. Don't worry about what Tsumugi said. She was just trying to get under your skin. We already know the kind of guy that you are, so you ain't gotta worry 'bout a thing!"

You're wrong. You're SO very wrong.

"Kaito's right. You're...one of the kindest people I know. So please, don't believe those lies. We still know you're an amazing person. You still have our trust."

Kaede, you can't possibly know. I'm horrible. I'm a plague. I have to be if all I am is numb to death.

"They're right. You...must have had it rough these past few days. You've been constantly worrying about us, haven't you. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you with anything. But… I hope that you'll let us help you in the future."

Stop lying to me! I've had it rough!? My struggles don't even compare! Kaede was willing to get her own hands bloody to save everyone! The guilt she must have must be unbearable! Rantaro was willing to risk his life to find the mastermind! He was afraid to trust people and almost died because of it! Kirumi placed her trust in me, and take a look at what happened to her! And Tsumugi...I didn't even consider what was happening with her. Who cares about what I was going through when everyone else was dealing with their own troubles?

I remember Kaede trying to take a step towards me, trying to comfort me. Something in me immediately reacted in a panic at that. NO! She can't get close to me! It was as if I was a caged animal, afraid of getting close to anyone. Afraid of hurting anyone. Don't let them near. Don't let what might have happened to your other friends happen to them! I can't...I can't let them die because of me! I'm nothing but a magnet for tragedies. Everyone I've known and will know will be dragged down with me, I'm sure!

It's my fault. It's always my fault.

A slip of the tongue was all it took to let them know too much. Too much is known. Panic. Fear. Terror. Dread.

I have to get out of here! With that thought, I ran away. I spun around and made a break for the elevator. I had to move! I had to escape their gazes! Their eyes that can see through me, judging me and all that I do! Believing I was nothing but a lying child who didn't understand what I had done. They think I did it I DIDN'T! Get out! Before they find out what you are and hate you for it! I didn't even turn around to face them as I fled and went up the elevator. How could I? I'm… I crouched down and gripped my head. A familiar pain in my chest flared up once again.

"I'mnotakillerI'mnotakillerI'mnotamonsterI'mnotamonsterI'mfineI'mfineI'mrealI'mreal." I muttered the elevator doors closed and I ascended to the surface. I kept muttering nonsense to myself as an attempt to collect my thoughts and calm down, but I knew it wasn't going to work. Before I knew it, the elevator doors opened and I was back in the Shrine of Judgement. I dashed out like my life depended on it. I needed to find a place where I wouldn't be bothered by the others.

I can't let them find me while I try to piece everything together. The dorms are out of the question for now. That would be the first place they check. I need a place that has a lock and where they wouldn't think to look. A perfect place comes to mind. I grimace at the thought, since it's so close to that place, but it's fine for now. I rushed into the academy and ran down to the basement. I rushed into the game room and made my way to the AV room. I closed the door and locked it before letting out a sigh of relief.

Peace at last. Now I can attempt to gather my thoughts. I could almost laugh at how impossible that seemed right now. A million thoughts were in my head. Thoughts about possible mastermind theories, possible killing theories, possible me theories. It was enough to give me a headache. Calm down, me. Just take a deep breath and try to think about things 1 at a time.

With that deep breath, I began to analyze again. What do I do now? Is there anything I can do now? 2 people are dead. The person who claimed to be the mastermind was among them, yet this game is still continuing. What's left to do other than survive or kill?

This place...is hell. That's the only way to describe it. A place where all hope is shot down. Where peace and normalcy doesn't exist. It makes me think of what Tsumugi was saying.

Despair, huh? Is that what this is? This feeling that nothing really matters. That no matter how hard we struggle, we won't get anywhere? That all of this is so frighteningly familiar that it feels like a life I've lived before? If this is despair, then it's horrifying. It's horrible. Maybe even the worst feeling someone could have. And I'm knee deep in the apex of the stuff. This place was made to breed it out of us like cattle. The thoughts begin to overwhelm me once more. I cover my face with one of my hands and just grimace at it all. I doubt I'll be getting any sleep tonight. Not when so much plagues my mind. But among the worries about this place and the situation as a whole, there is one underline thought that worries me the most.

Who am I? Am I really who I think I am? The possible answers to those questions...scare me the most.

1st Arc: Our Fun, Twisted, Broken Killing Game

END

Remaining Students: 15