When I got out of the building which looked like an advanced high school of some kind, I saw that this whole environment was encased in some kind of caged dome.
How long did it take to to build this place? Must've been a long time if anyone had time to build something like this! I thought to myself.
"Hey, let's ask her if she's an Ultimate student too!" A female voice said from a distance.
"A-Alright." A male voice replied.
I turned around to see a boy wearing a black cap with three white stripes lining the back of it, and a silver star pinned near the front. Underneath the cap, he has short dark blue hair. He has very pale skin and a slim figure. His eyes are gambogeish grey, with thick, feminine eyelashes that are completely natural. His outfit is double-breasted and pinstripe, thin, grey stripes over a black uniform. His pants match his uniforms design, black with a pinstripe design to accentuate his long legs. His former high school emblem is on the breast pocket of his uniform, the pocket accentuated with a dull golden color to stand out from his generally dark, monotone uniform. His shoes are dark blue loafers that are both fashionable and appear easy to walk in.
The girl he was with has smooth ash blonde hair, reaching just below her shoulders, which is somewhat curved outwards to each side, making it look a lot bigger than what it actually was. Her hair is parted to the far right, her bangs hanging low over her eyes before they're swept behind her ears, with a single arcing ahoge poking out from the back of her parting and two thin clumps of hair sitting over each shoulder, which curve outwards at the ends. Her eyes are tilted inwards a little, and are framed by quite long and pronounced upper and lower eyelashes, and their irises are a warm plum color. She wears a pinkish off-white dress shirt with an orange tie at her neck, over which she wears a sleeveless pale pink sweater with a darker pink hem and v-neck collar, her upside-down triangle insignia adorned on the left side of her chest. She wears a short, dark purple skirt, which is patterned with 5 thin black lines with musical notes decorating them, which creates an actual melody, although it doesn't seem to be any relevant tune, and in her bangs she wears five hair-slides of a similar design. Her knee-high socks are a much colder purple color than her skirt, bearing the same crest as her sweater on their outer sides, and on her feet she wears tan lace-up shoes with thick brown soles. She's also carrying around a plain white backpack, which has a flap lid, fastened with a rectangular golden clasp, and two small pockets on the sides.
"Hey, are you an Ultimate student too?" The girl asked.
"That's right. I'm Sharla Kuhlauf. My title is the Ultimate Sharpshooter, but you can call me the Ultimate Sniper if you want." I confirmed.
"Oh! You're a sniper?! That's so cool!" The girl admired.
"Yeah. What are your names, anyway?" I asked.
"Well... I'm... Shuichi Saihara. They call me the Ultimate Detective." The boy, Shuichi introduced himself.
"Oh, yeah... My name is Kaede Akamatsu. I'm the Ultimate Pianist. Nice to meet you, Sharla!" The girl, Kaede said with a bright smile.
"A detective and a pianist, huh? Those sound like great talents." I admitted.
"Well, no one really calls me the Ultimate Pianist. Usually just Piano Freak. Ever since I was a child, I would play the piano whenever I got bored... There were even times I played the piano so much, that I would forget to eat and sleep. Eventually, I won trophies from concerts. And people started praising me..." Kaede muttered before trailing off.
"It's fine. Being dedicated to your talent is nothing to be ashamed of." I told her.
"Are you OK, Kaede?" Shuichi asked, looking concerned.
"I'm fine. I just got lost in memory." The pianist replied.
"Then why are you blushing?" The detective asked.
That only made Kaede's face turn even redder. "O-Oh!" She yelped.
"Let's just find anyone else still here. There should be at least 15 other Ultimate students here. It was nice meeting you, Sharla."
After that, the two of them walked away. I went back into the building to search for any other students.
15 others? Then I have to look for 12 more Ultimate students! How can whoever brought me here even get all of these guys here?! I thought to myself as I kept walking.
The first person I saw in the building was so still that I thought she was a really detailed mannequin. She was a tall, young woman with long, knee length, cerulean hair which starts out smooth and becomes wavy the lower it goes. Her eyes are soft teal and round. She wears rimless glasses with white temples. Her outfit consists of a white blouse, a knee length pleated skirt, adorned with six white buttons on her waist; her skirt seems to be held by suspenders. She wears an orange bow, black socks ending under the knee, and grey shoes. Her blazer has two pockets on both sides and is adorned by the same white buttons as her skirt. Overall, she looked like a normal and plain-looking otaku.
"Uh, hello? Can you hear me?" I asked as I poked at both of her cheeks. Now that I think of it, I've seen her hairstyle before but my memory is still fuzzy right now so I shook the thought aside for now. Either way, the poking got her to move and she turned to face me.
"I never thought I'd be poked from both sides. How truly unexpected." She muttered.
"Woah! You gave me a small jump." I told her.
"Oh, I didn't mean any harm... I was just deep in thought. So I thought if I ignored you, you'd go somewhere else." The long-haired girl admitted.
"Isn't it a bit rude to do that?" I pointed out.
"Umm, well isn't it rude to force someone to talk when they don't want to? Oh, but it's fine. I feel like talking now."
Immediately, a big smile appeared on her face.
"Now, let's talk. What do you want to start with? My favorite Doraemon episode is #53. The one with security cameras and target practice."
"Before going into that, can you tell me your name?" I asked as I scratched at the back of my head.
"Oh, my name is Tsumugi Shirogane. I'm the Ultimate Cosplayer." The girl, Tsumugi replied.
"Oh. You're a cosplayer?"
"Are you...surprised? I get that a lot, since I'm so plain."
"I mean, it's makes sense. You have that strange, almost sexy aura about you. I'm not being rude, of course."
"Normally, I don't really like people looking at me like that... I just like making cosplay. I'm fine with others wearing them... But lately, more cosplayers are putting themselves before their characters. I'd rather wear my outfits myself, with love, than give them to people like that." Tsumugi rambled on.
"Wow, you're pretty intense." I mentioned. I felt like I knew her name too. I shouldn't think about this too much until I find out why everyone is here.
"It makes me happy when I get to show people the outfits I've made. And thanks to my sponsors, I can use materials that are just plain expensive."
"Oh! Well, of course the Ultimate Cosplayer would have sponsors!"
"It's not a big deal. People just crowd around like I'm a panda at the zoo."
"Amazing. You're kind of like a celebrity. Anyway, earlier you said you were hard in thought about something. What was it?" I asked.
"Ah... that bronze dragon statue over there. I'm just plain curious about it. It almost seems like it's floating, right? Doesn't it look pretty out of place?" The cosplayer pondered.
"Now that you bring that up... you're right. It does look out of place in a school like this." I theorized.
"This is a school, right? But everything here is so weird, isn't it? There's trees and grass growing inside, I can't find any exits... And it seems like we're the only people here..."
Tsumugi then had a fearful look on her face.
"Are we...going to be okay? Are we going to be able to get out?"
The two of us were silent for a moment before I decided to speak up.
"You shouldn't worry about it. For now, you should focus on our present situation. When it's done, everything should be OK. It's better to just be carefree." I told her.
"Yeah... I guess so. Being all depressed won't help anything." The cosplayer said with confidence as she ran off.
I walked down one of the hallways as soon as she left. I stopped when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a relatively good-looking boy, and his looks resemble those of a stereotypical "playboy." He has curly hair the color of green tea with the tips colored orchid purple, which he keeps relatively short, a small patch at the base of his head completely shaved, with two short ahoges sprouting from the top of his head with the tips colored the same orchid purple as the other tips. He has a few longer clumps of hair hanging down in front of his left ear and between his eyes, and long bangs that cover the majority of his forehead sideswept. His eyes are green, and they slope downwards towards the sides of his face, both framed by notably long, thick eyelashes. He wears a dark blue striped sweater with wide, elbow-length sleeves, a small chain accessory pinned on just beside his right shoulder. Underneath this, he wears a darker shirt that pokes out from below the hem of his sweater and from above its low-dip collar, still leaving his collarbone exposed, and another white garment that hangs out of the bottom. He also wears baggy, light-brown sarouel pants, and navy-blue slip-on shoes with white soles. On his sweater there's a crest some sort as well as a larger symbol, a ship's steering wheel, which also bears some resemblance to the setting sun, which covers most of the lower half of his sweater, centered to the left. He's also wearing a necklace with a rectangular crystal pendulum hanging at the end of it, a silver bracelet on his right wrist and a different, larger, dark brown bracelet on his left that wraps around his wrist several times. He has multiple silver rings: one on his left index finger, one on his right thumb, and one on his right index finger, and on his right middle finger he wears one longer and darker ring. His right ear has five ringed cartilage piercings, and he wears a small beaded earring in the lobe of each ear.
"Oh, hey there. You got kidnapped too? Well, you look alright. That's good. Situation could be better, though." He muttered.
"Yeah. I think it could be better too." I admitted.
"Hey, let me ask you something. Do you remember how you got here?"
"Well, I was looking for a friend of mine who went missing when I was attacked by a black and white bear. I blacked out and now I'm here." I explained the best I could.
"Huh, so you're the only one who remembers, right? I guess you're the odd duck out."
"Odd duck out?" I repeated.
"I asked the other 15 students. They all said they don't remember."
"So none of them remember how they got here?"
"It's like... we all have amnesia or something."
"I'm a medic. So I'm sure that isn't normal. If everyone else had amnesia-" I was going to say before the boy interrupted.
"Welp, I guess we're all in a pretty abnormal situation then."
"What..?" I asked in shock before continuing.
"Wait... amnesia's a bit of a stretch. You're all probably just confused... I'm sure you guys will remember eventually."
"Or it could be group hypnosis, maybe brainwashing..."
The boy then dropped his freaky façade and rubbed at the back of his head.
"In any case... I hope we remember soon. Otherwise...I'll end up the outcast."
"The outcast..? What do you mean?"
"To tell you the truth, how I got here isn't the only thing I don't remember. I also forgot...my own talent."
What? He forgot his own talent? I thought.
"Phew, I'm in trouble. I know I must have been some kind of Ultimate... I just don't remember." The boy muttered in embarrassment.
"Is that true?" I asked.
"'Course it is. But then again, I don't blame you for not believing me."
He then seemed to remember something and he turned to ask me.
"Oh...I never told you my name, did I? It's not like...I already told you, but then I forgot I did, right?"
"No, you didn't tell me yet." I admitted.
"My name is Rantaro Amami. I can't remember my Ultimate talent at the moment... But I promise, I'm not a bad guy. Nice to meet ya." The boy, Rantaro introduced himself with a wave.
"Not to change the subject or anything but, how did you get the tips of your hair purple?" I asked.
"Ah. It's orchid purple hairdye. I just thought the color suited me, that's all. Anyway, it'd be nice if we could get along. We aren't going anywhere for a while." Rantaro responded.
"Unless you guys can pull a fast one on whoever brought us here." I teased.
"...You really think it's gonna be that easy?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.
"Nothin'. Just a feeling. Haha, hey, don't worry about it, alright?"
I was even more confused even after Rantaro left. Shaking the confusion off, I opened a pair of duel doors and ended up in what I assumed was the dining hall. I saw two girls with a major height difference.
The short girl had pale skin, reddish-brown eyes, and chin-length red hair. Her most notable trait is her black "witch hat", with a red strip around the middle of it, a small pin on the cloth. She also has a quite short stature and round face, giving her quite a young appearance. The right corners of her upper lips are slightly curled up, and her eyes are lazily lidded. She also wears brown medieval boots with white ribbons tied around her ankles, dark brown tights, and a pleated bubble red skirt. Around her shoulders is a black blazer with grey accents, with a grey blouse underneath a brown sweater vest. On the pocket of her blazer is an insignia, and gold buttons adorn her blazer. Some of her hair is hidden underneath the witch hat she wears on her head. She also wears a hairpin on the right side of her bangs, which resembles a blue gem. The same similar gems appear as cufflinks on her sleeves.
The taller girl had fair skin, her legs maybe a little tanned, and is quite an athletic build, with notably wide shoulders and quite large muscles. Her eyes are a warm green color, her eyelashes are relatively thick, and she has a two slightly longer clumps of them sticking out at different angles, one towards the side of her face and the other diagonally down her cheek. Her hair is dark brown with a slight green tinge, and rather thin, and in length, it reaches about halfway down her calves. It's tied behind her with white ribbons in two low bunches, three extra hair ties placed at even intervals down her pigtails, the hair between them split into two clumps, leaving the last and longest stretch loose. A large green pinwheel bow with a white floral pattern is attached at the back of her head by two hair slides, and she also wears a lilac headband with a star-shaped adornment on the left side, and a matching-colored choker with a golden bell at her neck. She has a small mole below her bottom lip, centered to the left. Her outfit is a double-breasted crop top, a rather desaturated blue, with the flannel collar of a seifuku, a large white bow sitting just underneath it in the center of her chest. This collar is white, with a blue line around the edge which matches her knee-high socks and the cuffs of her sleeves. Her skirt is very short, and has two layers of thick frills. On her feet, she wears a pair of sandals that appear to be made from straw rope.
I turned to face the shorter girl who was looking down at the floor.
"Nyeeeh... So are we stuck here?" She pondered.
"It seems that way. But don't be scared, I'm sure there's a way out of here somewhere." I told her.
"I'm... not scared. It's just a pain. Something like this won't make me panic. Cuz...I'm a mage." The girl muttered.
"A mage?" I repeated.
"Hm... that's right. I haven't told you yet."
She then seemed to put on a brave face.
"Prepare to be amazed. Fall to your knees. I am Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Mage."
The two of us were silent for a moment and then Himiko became thoughtful.
"But... I'm officially called the Ultimate Magician."
"Oh, so you're a magician. You should've said that from the start. It makes sense since to most people, magic doesn't exist." I pointed out.
"Nyeeeh... magic does exist." Himiko muttered unexpectedly.
"Huh?"
"Because... I am a mage."
"You're just a magician, right?" I asked.
"Only on paper... I'm known as a magician, but that's just a ruse. I am actually...a mage." The self-proclaimed mage said with a sly smile.
"Just a ruse?" I muttered.
"You might not know them, but... There's a group called the Magic Castle. Also known as the Hall of Magicians, it's where the world's magic lovers gather. I was youngest person to ever win their Magician of the Year award." Himiko explained.
"That's pretty cool." I admitted.
"It's all a ruse. They're keeping my magic a secret by disguising it as tricks. Because of this ruse, I became famous all over the world for performing tricks. But...*sniffle*...I'm not a magician... I'm a mage... Nobody believes me..." The magician said as she started to breakdown in tears.
"Aw. It's OK. I know a lot of about magic myself." I told her.
Himiko's eyes seemed to light up with hope. "Really?" She muttered in disbelief.
"Yep. Where I came from, magic is completely possible to do and can be achieved by anyone with the skills. You could make a powerful fireball, heal wounds with bullets, and many other possibilities!" I explained as best as I could.
"Really?! Magic exists?!" Himiko exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes. I can show you how to do it if you want." I offered.
"That would be amazing. Everyone would believe me!" Himiko cheered.
I smiled as I turned to face the taller girl. I suddenly heard her yell "HAAAAIYAAAAAAAHHH!"
"H-Huh?" I yelped in shock.
"I'm yelling so I can build up my spirit energy! Don't you know you can unlock your brain's full potential by yelling to build up spirit energy!?" The tall girl explained.
"I've heard that pro athletes do that. It's supposed to help you focus." I recalled.
"I must be prepared for combat at all times, just in case someone tries to attack me! I will protect myself with Neo-Aikido!" The girl said with pride.
"Aikido..? Then you must be-" I was cut off by the confident tall girl.
"Oh, yes! I'm Tenko Chabashira! HAIYAH! The Ultimate Aikido Master!"
"I've always thought Aikido masters were huge, burly guys, but you're so cute!" I admired.
"C-Cute!? Aaaahhh... St-Stop iiit... I...I-I'm not...cute... My face crinkles when I suck down a shake... And when I wipe my face, my eyelids turn inside-out." Tenko muttered as she blushed hard.
"U-Uh, I see... But I think you're cute. I'm sure any guy would agree." I said.
Tenko then made a weird look on her face.
"Is something wrong? Your face looks intense now!" I asked in worry.
"I don't like to be praised by degenerate males." The Aikido master admitted.
"Degenerate males? You mean men, right? Are you uncomfortable around them?" I asked her.
"It's a way bigger problem than just being uncomfortable. If any degenerate tries to touch me, my reflex is to grab them and throw them across the room."
"You're right... That is a way bigger problem than just being uncomfortable around men. I know how that feels. By the way, what is this Neo-Aikido you mentioned?"
"Neo-Aikido is an original form of aikido that my master and I completely made up ourselves!"
So her Aikido is self-taught. After splitting from Himiko and Tenko, I went into what I believe was the storage room.
When I got in, I heard a raspy female voice mutter "Dammit... Where the hell is it?"
I saw a tall, young woman with an hourglass figure. She has long, strawberry blonde hair and two ahoges. She has icy blue eyes, and her irises, as well as the rings around her pupils, have an unusual, ragged pattern, making them appear slightly mechanical-looking. She wears brown goggles with yellow accents on her head. She wears a modified pink sailor school uniform and a matching skirt, her collar noticeably exposing her cleavage, lacking the cover on her chest. She wears black studded fingerless gloves, with black heeled-boots with gold buttons and buckles on them. She has black straps connected with gold rings attached to her white socks, and over her clothes, gold ring covering her blue ribbon around her collar. She wears a black choker, and two smaller black collars that resemble barbed wire made out of rubber around her neck. On her uniforms collar, she wears a pin of a cartoon mouse rummaging through a shelf fill with various chemicals.
I walked up to her and asked her "Hey, what are you looking for?"
She turned around and shouted "Don't sneak up on me, bitch!"
"Sorry if I surprised you." I said as I sweatdroped.
"Don't try to play fucking innocent with me! You were gazing at my beauty, weren't ya?" The girl teased.
"Hey! I wasn't doing whatever you just said! I just wanted to know your name!"
"Huh? S-Seriously? You don't...know who I am?"
The girl then put her brave face back on.
"I'm the gorgeous girl genius whose good looks and golden brain will go down in history! I'm the one, the only, the legendary Ultimate Inventor herself—Miu Iruma!"
"So, what kind of things do you invent?" I asked.
"I make all kinds of gadgets—ones that let you type while you sleep, read while you sleep... Even ones that let you eat while you sleep." Miu explained.
"Why does everything involve sleeping?"
"I was inspired after I realized how much time people waste on sleep. Though, this one time I invented these really stupid eyedrop contact lenses as a gag."
"Wait, really? That's your invention? Some of the people I've encountered wear them!" I exclaimed.
"Psh! Your friends sound like total plebs! That invention was nothing! It doesn't make you more productive while you sleep, so it was a failure! Unlike like you with your large breasts! I signed the patent rights over to some company and never looked back." The inventor claimed.
"By the way, what were you looking for earlier? You sounded pretty desperate to find it." I couldn't help but ask.
"Eh? Are you a dumbass? In a situation like this, I gotta find some meds!"
"Medicine? Are you hurt or feeling sick?"
"No, idiot! I need strong meds cuz I wanna trip my fuckin' balls off! *sigh*... I just wanna set my mind free and forget all about this shitty situation!" Miu groaned as she blushed hard.
"Wait, what?! You can't use drugs to get high! You definitely shouldn't do that!" I yelled.
"Heeee! Wh-What the hell...? My genius can't be constrained by the wisdom of the masses... Besides...this place probably doesn't even have the shit I need to get loosey-goosey... S-So...are we cool...? Are you...done being mad at me?" Miu muttered in fear.
They say there's a fine line between genius and insanity, but that was ridiculous. Leaving the storage room, I then heard arguing in a nearby classroom.
I went inside to see a human-like robot. His face has very pale skin. His eyebrows press closely to his round, mechanical blue eyes, making it appear that his brows are a part of his eyes. Thick black lines run from around his eyes and down his cheeks to reach his chin. He has white hair that is very sharp and swayed to the left, along with the very large ahoge on the top of his head. possesses a very tall, round and metallic collar around his neck, an emblem on the left side of his collar. A thin strip of screen wraps all the way around it, displaying a constantly changing string of green text. A softer black material covers his neck entirely. The collar is open in the middle. He doesn't seem to have actual ears, but black, headphone shaped objects in the area around them. He has four glowing buttons that run from his chest to his stomach down the middle of his torso, a metallic left breast pocket, and something that resembles a belt around his waist, two red buttons attached.
There was also a young man with an innocent look and a rather refined face. He has a short stature, a thin build, and very pale skin. He has purple eyes and moderately long, wavy blackish purple hair, with the tips dyed a brighter purple. He wears a white suit with multiple straps wrapped around his arms, and two straps hanging loosely around his legs. Apparently, his pants are made to look like a piece of punk fashion with bondage pelts, but they are actually just fake belts sewed to thicker part of the thighs. His shirt is ripped at the hem and the collar part of it is completely gone, and big parts of the uniform are fixed with metal clips. He has multi-colored buttons running down the middle of his shirt, with a few usually hidden under his scarf, and he has military badges on his right. His scarf has black and white spaces alternating exactly like a chessboard. He also wears two-colored black and purple slip flats and he appears to wear a white belt.
Something about him felt familiar to me. Seriously, when am I going to remember why I feel that way with some of these guys? Either way, the young man was a little to close for comfort for the robot.
"Please stop! Don't come any closer!" He pleaded.
"C'mooon! Wait up! Lemme touch your body a little! I've always wanted to be friends with a robot!" The young man said with excitement.
"A robot?" I repeated.
"...What is it? Are you another robophobe? I have a recording function. If you make any robophobic remarks, I will see you in court."
"Wait, are you a Mechon by any chance?!" I asked in worry.
"Do not compare me to what you just said! I am not just any old robot! I am K1-B0, the Ultimate Robot! But please, address me as Keebo!" The robot, Keebo muttered angerly.
"Ultimate Robot..?" I couldn't help but say.
"That's not faaair! You can't be the only one who gets to show off! I'll introduce myself, too!" The man exclaimed.
"Oh, uh... go ahead." I complied.
"I'm Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader!" The man, Kokichi introduced himself with a sly smirk.
Another name I somehow feel familiar with. If only I could remember why right now. I can still get through Keebo and Kokichi's petty argument and find the other Ultimate students.
"By the way, I learned the hard way that a robot's breath smells like gasoline." Kokichi muttered unexpectedly.
"My breath does not smell like gasoline! I am powered by electricity!" Keebo yelled.
"Nee-heehee...I'm just kidding."
"...You're not funny."
"Of course you don't think I'm funny. Robots can't understand human humor to begin with!"
"D-Don't mock me! I have studied the complete history of stand-up comedy! Plus, I may have the appearance of a robot, but I am a high school student just like you."
"You're a high school student?" I asked Keebo.
"I was created by Professor Idabashi, the leading authority in the field of robotics... He installed in me a "strong AI," capable of learning and maturing like a human brain. That's why, at the time of my creation, I didn't know anything. I was like a baby... But the professor raised me like I was his own child. He taught me so many things... Until finally, he enrolled me in high school. And now I stand here before you! See? I'm just like everyone else!" Keebo explained with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Hey, do robots have dicks?" Kokichi asked.
"Please do not ask ridiculous questions!" Keebo said angerly.
"Nee-heehee... I only asked because your backstory is pretty flaccid for a robot." The supreme leader replied with a grin.
Well, I can see how being a robot might be enough to be called the Ultimate Robot... I thought before I turned to Kokichi. "Hey, Kokichi? I don't really understand your Ultimate Supreme Leader talent..." I told him.
"...Oh. I'm just the supreme leader of an evil secret organization. That's all." He responded with a sinister look on his face.
"What?"
"I gotta say, it's pretty impressive. My organization has over 10,000 members!"
"Seriously? The supreme leader of an evil secret organiza—"
"Who knows? I am a liar, after all."
"Huh? So you were lying just now?"
"Well, I am the supreme leader of an evil secret organization. That part was true!"
"So...were you lying or not?"
"Nee-heehee... I'm not telling youuuuu."
"What's the name of this secret organization?"
"It's a secret. Y'know, cuz it's a secret organization."
"I've never even heard of such an organization like it..."
"Of course you haven't. Because it's a secret organization."
"Hey, Keebo... Everything he's said so far has sounded like a lie, so that's gotta be a lie too, right?" I asked the robot.
"Just leave him alone. Everything he has been saying has been a lie. ...He's a far more suspicious person than I am, that's for sure." Keebo admitted.
"Well, of course you're not a suspicious person, because robots aren't people, silly." Kokichi mocked.
"Grgh...!" Keebo growled.
"Oh, you mad? Are you gonna hit me with a rocket punch?"
"I don't have that function!"
"Aw maaan, you're boring."
I didn't want anything more to do with what was going on, so I left the classroom.
What a weird boy... He's like a mischievous little kid... This is no time to be joking around. Unless...he really is an evil supreme leader? I thought to myself as I headed down to the basement. I then opened the closest door to find myself inside a game room.
"A Game Room in a place like this?" I muttered.
"It is a bit strange. Sheesh...what a strange place. When I noticed we were trapped here, I didn't expect we'd have a Game Room." A deep male voice said.
I turned to see a man much shorter than me. He has cropped red hair, black eyes with no visible pupils, and rosy cheeks. He wears a black hat with two points that has a picture of two blue tennis rackets on it, a black leather jacket, and a black and dark blue striped jumpsuit underneath, similar to that of a prisoner. He wears black shoes with red soles and has a metal cuff attached to his left leg with a bit of a chain attached to it. His legs are notably much more muscular than the rest of his body. He also has a candy of some sort in his mouth.
"Are we really trapped here? Everyone else is looking for an exit, right?" I asked.
"Isn't that what everyone except you are walking around for? Then... they're on their own for that." The man muttered, pulling down his hat for a bit before lifting it back up to it's original position.
"Oh, o-okay..." I complied with a smirk.
"We may be trapped, but it's pretty cool here. Compared to prison anyway..." The man admitted.
"Prison..? What? But you're an Ultimate student, aren't you?" I asked.
"Hmph...that's an old story. Ryoma Hoshi, the man called the Ultimate Tennis Pro...no longer exists. I'm nothing more than his empty shell." The man, Ryoma muttered.
"Hold on, you're the tennis prodigy who took down a mafia single-handedly, right?" I theorized.
"Hmph, so you know that much already... Well? What do you think of the loser before you who used his talent to kill?" Ryoma asked.
"B-But...why would you throw away your future the way you did?" I wondered.
"Hmph, because I didn't need a future anymore..."
"Huh?"
"No...it's nothing. It's not like me to talk so much. Anyway...I'm warning you. It's dangerous to just walk up to a killer like me."
As he said that, Ryoma turned his back to me. I left the Game Room soon afterwards. I went down the basement hallway and went into the library.
Once there, I saw a girl with red eyes and very long, dark brown hair that she ties into twintails held by two big, red scrunchies. She has straight bangs that hide her eyebrows, as well as two small strands of hair that fall at the sides of her head, the one falling at her right side being a bit longer. She also has a beauty mark under her left eye. Despite having a slender physique, she does possess some muscle. She dons a red sailor-uniform accompanied by matching colored thigh-high socks, a short, pleated black plaid skirt, and brown ankle boots. The scarf on her uniform is a pale pink with a very slight visible star design on it. A pin of her former high school is on her breast pocket and an emblem at the bottom right of her shirt. Her accessories include a dark grey wristband that looks similar to magnetic bracelets athletes wear, small, silver stud earrings, a white hairpin at the side of her head, and a flower brooch on her right shoulder. She was silent when I approached her.
"Uh... Are you an Ultimate student too?" I asked.
"Yeah, that's right." She responded simply before staying silent again.
Does she not talk much? I thought before introducing myself to her. "I'm Sharla Kuhlauf. I'm called the Ultimate Sharpshooter, but you can call me the Ultimate Sniper. What about you?"
"Maki Harukawa... Ultimate Child Caregiver..." The girl, Maki introduced herself.
"Ultimate Child Caregiver, huh..." I repeated her talent.
"...Surprised? I don't look like someone who'd like kids, do I?" Maki asked.
"Huh?"
"Well, you'd be right. I don't like kids all that much."
"B-But...if you're the Ultimate Child Caregiver, then children must like you a lot, right...?"
"Kids are...weird. They come to me on their own. I'm not that good at taking care of them... I'm not that friendly, either..."
"But they say kids are very intuitive. If they like you that much... ...then they can probably tell how loving you really are, Maki!"
"Yeah! That must be it! You've chosen a perfect career for yourself!"
Maki was silent before saying "...It wasn't my choice to begin with."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"...Nothing. It's just...I grew up in an orphanage and got saddled with helping out a lot."
Orphanage, huh? I see... I thought to myself.
After bidding farewell to Maki. I left the library and went up to what I'd believe would be the entrance hall.
"Out of everyone I've encountered here, does whoever brought us here really want 17 people here?" I asked myself.
"One can only hope that is the case." A raspy male voice answered for me.
I looked behind me to see a tall, slim student with rather pale skin and long ocean green hair. He has narrowed yellow eyes, and his mouth is covered by a black mask, covering his mouth and neck, with a zipper where his mouth would be, giving him an unsettling and mysterious appearance. He wears a dark green military-style uniform with knee-high black boots, a zipper lining the front and two straps over it. The uniform consists of a white button-up underneath it, a dark green button-up, a red armband around his left arm from a high school I somehow recognize, Sunset Hill High School, a green military regulation cap with the school's insignia on the top, and a decorative chain dangling from it. He wears what appears to be some kind of silver locket around his neck. Both of his hands are completely covered in bandages.
Somehow, this man feels familiar to me as well. Maybe it's his unsettling appearance or my memory's messing with me.
"Oh... Uhhh..." I stammered.
"You wonder, "Who is this?" Yes...I shall make that clear first. My name is Korekiyo Shinguji... I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist." The man, Korekiyo introduced himself.
"Korekiyo? Anthropologist?" I repeated. That name feels familiar too!
"Please, call me Kiyo. As for anthropology, would you like a simple explanation?" Kiyo asked.
"OK, sure..." I complied.
"Anthropology...studies customs, legends, folk tales, songs, and much more. There may even be customs in your daily life, the origins of which you do not know. For example...certain aspects of birthday or new year celebrations. Anthropology sheds light on traditions and customs such as these through rigorous analysis. It is a study that examines the thought behind culture, faith, and customs." The anthropologist explained.
"OK... I kind of understand, but not really. It sounds like a lot of fun though!" I pointed out.
"Well of course it's fun... It is a study focused on humanity. I believe...that human beings are creatures who possess infinite beauty."
"Oh, ummm..."
"I find all aspects of humanity—even the ugly parts—to be beautiful. Our present situation is rather...intriguing. What beauty will I be able to witness here? Kehe... Kehehehe... People are wonderful..."
This guy looks like a creep... and yet he still feels familiar to me. I thought before asking "Do you think the others could escape easily?"
"You should find the answers to such question on your own... The moment your hopes are shattered... That, too...may be beautiful..." Kiyo muttered.
Sh-Shattered...? What does he mean by that? I thought to myself as I exited the building. Looking up at the wall surrounding the whole environment, I thought No matter how many times I see it, I'll never get enough of this sight.
I walked up to a tall, young man with gel-spiked purple hair that's grown out both at the top and bottom of his head, that looked like a space jet coming out of a black hole and a short goatee. His eyes are a warm lilac, and he has fairly long eyelashes. He also has a slightly tanned complexion. He wears a white t-shirt with a strange crimson design stamped on it, on top of that he wears a long sleeved dress shirt with a breast pocket. On this shirt are black buttons which are currently not in use. On top of that, he wears a long, purple blazer with a galaxy design on the inside of it. However, his coat is worn improperly, instead, he wears his left sleeve and leaves the right side of the coat to drape over his shoulder to leave it fluttering to show the space design. He wears purple pants matching the color of his blazer that are rolled up over his ankles. He also wears slippers with the same galaxy design on them. He was also looking upward at the wall surrounding this environment.
"Geez... How'd the person behind this even make this big-ass wall?" He asked.
"I don't get it either. I wonder what will happen to us... If you guys can't escape then-" I started to say before being cut off by the man.
"What, are you complaining?"
"Huh?"
"Quit complaining and grumbling, or it'll turn into a habit. Besides, this cage is nothing compared to the vastness of the universe!"
"Huh? The universe?"
"Oops, I haven't introduced myself yet. My bad. I'm Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars! Even crying children adore the Ultimate Astronaut! How 'bout it!? I'm an astronaut! Isn't that cool?!"
"Yeah, I've only been to space once, so I only know little about it." I admitted.
"Haha! Well, of course! Not just anyone can get up there! I may be an astronaut, but... I'm actually still in training." Kaito exclaimed.
"So you're still a trainee..." I said.
"But I'm the first teenager to ever pass the exam! I mean, normally you need a college degree to even take the exam."
"Huh? Then how did you take the exam?" I asked in confusion.
"I had a friend who was pretty crafty... So I had him forge some stuff for me." Kaito admitted.
"Isn't that illegal?" I brought up.
"Yeah, I ended up getting caught. I was in pretty deep shit! But the people up top decided they liked me and let me in anyway. 'Course I aced the exam anyway."
"That's a bit reckless if you ask me." I said.
"Sometimes you gotta be a little reckless to make your dreams a reality! No way I can wait till after college! I wanna get to space as fast as I can!"
"You sure do have a lot of energy."
"Yeah, everyone told me it was impossible, but I never gave up! Not for a moment! That's because...limits don't exist unless you set them yourself! There are no walls you can't get over! The same goes for that one!"
"So, do have any ideas for how you and the others to escape?" I asked.
The astronaut was silent for a moment before saying "Th-That's not the problem!"
Um...no, that is the problem. Geez, this guy sure talks big game. I thought to myself as I left.
I stopped by the dormitory to see a tall, thin young woman with pale, sandy blonde hair with a green tint and long bangs that obscure her left eye. Her skin is fairly pale, and her eyes are of a warm green color. Her maid uniform consists of a long black apron dress in a pinafore style with a spiderweb motif, four white buttons along the middle of the torso of her dress, and the button of what I assumed was her former high school emblem on the left. A white dress is donned underneath her apron dress with a black collar, and a purple tie around her neck. The sleeves of her shirt have elegant frills at the end, which goes along with the bubble skirt appearance of her dress. She wears a black headdress with black lace and frills attached to it, with four white pins on it, a common appearance that maids take up. She wears black, form-fitting gloves with silver rings attached to the back of her hands. Underneath her dress is a chic-combination of a petticoat with black lace and black tights, which she deems practical by not exposing her legs. She also wears grey, high-laced pinwheel shoes, the laces white and wrapped around her ankles and settling into a neat bow at her feet. She seemed to walk out of the dormitory deep in thought as I approached her.
"I fail to see their objective..." She muttered unexpectedly.
"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.
"If they are holding us for ransom, a large facility such as this would be unnecessary. Furthermore, I gather they would rather care for us than hurt us. In light of this...I fail to see the true objective of the culprit responsible for kidnapping us." The woman explained.
Culprit, huh...? I never even thought about that. Why would the one who attacked me go to all this trouble? Seventeen of us have been gathered here...but why? What's the reason? I thought to myself. The woman then seem to notice me.
"Pardon me...I have not introduced myself yet. I am Kirumi Tojo the Ultimate Maid. Please let me know if you require my service." Kirumi said.
"Oh, you're the private maid with work so perfect that you can complete any request given to you, aren't you?" I asked.
"Please, you are exaggerating...I will not complete any request that is asked of me. I once received a request to annihilate a rival nation, but as it was impossible I rejected it." The maid admitted.
"But being asked to do something like that is really impressive on it's own. What about those times you were hired as a bodyguard to several foreign dignitaries?" I mentioned.
"I have only been employed as a maid, not a bodyguard."
"But you've been hired by so many important people... You're, like, a super maid!"
"Moving on... What do you intend to do now?"
"It's hard to say. What would you do, Kirumi?" I asked.
"I hold no opinions or desires of which to speak. As a maid, my only desire is to fulfill the desires of others. So please, think about what you desire for yourself, and what you desire from me. No matter the situation, no matter what happens, I am here to serve everyone." Kirumi explained with a smile before leaving.
Even in this situation, she's more concerned for others... Well, she is the Ultimate Maid, after all. I thought to myself as I kept walking.
I eventually enter a cage-like garden with a waterfall. When I got in there, a young girl turned to face me. She has dark skin and round, blue eyes the color of the ocean. Her hair a pale platinum blonde that looks nearly white and is loosely tied into two wavy ponytails by small, thin hair bands. There are three dots surrounding her belly button, and it is very likely that they are small, silver bead piercings. She wears a white, frilly bikini top, the frills a very pale blue, presumably matching bikini bottoms under the blue skirt with white frills sewn to the bottom of it and a blue bow at the waistband. On top of her skirt, she wears a pink utility belt which holds various carving tools and paintbrushes. She also wears a yellow smock which reaches below her knees, sleeves loose and wide as they stop before her wrists. Her smock has black symbols on her shoulders, the insignia of a high school I seemed to recognize. Her shoes are simple white slip-ons with light grey soles. She has a white beaded bracelet on her left wrist, as well as another one on her right ankle. She also has a white pearled necklace with a seashell in the middle of it.
"Yah-hah! How are ya? My name is Angie Yonaga! I'm the Ultimate Artist!" The girl, Angie introduced herself with a wave. I'm hoping that's the last name I'm familiar with!
"You're pretty cheerful." I pointed out. She's a bit too happy, considering the situation we're in right now... I thought.
"Nyahahaha! There's no reason to carry bad thoughts with ya! You gotta live every day like it's bright, cheery, and fun! ...So says Atua." The artist cheered.
"Atua?" I repeated.
"The god of my island, Atua, is always with me, speaking to me with His divine voice..."
Oh, well, she's certainly devouted... I thought before asking "Do you specialize in painting or sculpting?"
"Hmmm... I do both. I paint paintings and I sculpt sculptures. But Atua's the one who makes the art. I merely offer my body as His vessel. Nyahahaha! How divine!"
"Amazing. If you don't mind, can you show me some of your artwork?"
"Of course, of course. In return, will you make an offering?"
"An offering..?" I repeated.
"Every Monday and Wednesday morning on my island, a truck comes to collect offerings." Angie explained.
"That sounds oddly similar to putting out the trash for pickup." I snarked.
"Don't worry, don't worry. When I say offering, I just mean a pint or two of your blood!" The artist exclaimed
My eyes widened. "What?!" I yelled as she got closer to me.
"C'mon, c'mon! It won't hurt one bit!" Angie pleaded.
"Hey! Hold on for a moment!"
"Nyahahahaha! Don't run away!"
Th-This girl is so...weird! And yet, she feels so familiar to me! If my memory becomes less fuzzy, I might know why. I thought to myself as Angie ran off.
I was alone in the garden. I wasn't expecting much until...
DING-DONG, BING-BONG
"What's that bell?!" I asked as I turned to the monitor.
It turned on and on the screen was five bears, all with their left side white. One was mechanical and green, another had a yellow tiger print and glasses, the third was red and was wearing a scarf, the forth was clearly female by her flower motif and was pink with stripes, and the last one had a punk rock vibe and was blue.
"Hiiii! Thanks for bear-ing with us!" The pink one cheered.
The green one kept silent as the blue one asked "Kept you bastards waiting, huh?!"
"Everyone, make your way to the gym please." The red one demanded.
"The opening ceremony can finally begin!" The blue one exclaimed.
"Phew! We finally finished our preparations!" The red one sighed.
"You do realize you just read your lines backwards, don't you?" The yellow one pointed out.
And in unison, all five shouted "So long! Bear-well!" and then the monitor turned off.
Opening ceremony?
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go. Everyone else must be already heading down right now." I said to myself.
I ran back to the main building, rushed to the second floor, and eventually made to the doors leading to the gym. Sure enough, everyone was there.
"All 17 of us have gathered..." Kirumi muttered.
"Hmm, it's pretty spectacular seeing all 17 of us Ultimates gathered together." Kaito admitted.
"Kehehe... You may not be able to be so easygoing for much longer..." Kiyo mentioned.
"In this situation, it's no use thinking about things. So eventually, Tsumugi stopped thinking." Tsumugi said.
"Nyeeeh... What's gonna happen to us? I bet it'll be a big pain..." Himiko theorized.
"Hmmmmm..." Tenko hummed.
"What? What are you looking at?" The magician asked.
"Um... Himiko, you can use amazing powers, right? Cuz you're a psychic and stuff, right?"
"I'm not a psychic... I'm a mage."
"Whoooa! That's amazing! I definitely wanna incorporate that into Neo-Aikido! Hey, what sorta training did you undergo to gain your awesome powers?!"
"Talking about it is too tiring..."
"You're pretty lazy." Kaede snarked.
"Pardon me, but... we need to be on our guard. We do not know if and when danger will strike." Keebo advised.
"D-Don't say that... I'm so scared... I don't know what to do..." Kokichi stuttered.
"There is no need to worry. Atua will protect us." Angie encouraged.
"Phew! That's a relief." Kokichi said with a smile.
"Is your brain full of weeds or somethin'? I'll whack 'em outta that skull of yours!" Miu yelled.
"Don't worry about it! Just leave it to me! If those teddy bears from the monitors show themselves, I'll kick all of their asses!" Kaito told her.
"...Huh? What that?" Gonta said suddenly.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Ryoma asked the entomologist.
The sound Gonta heard rumbled in my ears. It sounded like a robot engine.
"Listen... Hear that?" Gonta asked.
"I hear it. What's that sound?" I wondered as I stepped back so I'm the closest to the stage.
"It sounds like an engine from a robot anime-" Tsumugi began to speak before being cut off by five mechanized walkers.
"Yoo-hoo! Rise and shine, ursine!" They shouted in unity.
Tsumugi screamed as Gonta shouted "Everyone, behind Gonta!"
"Wh-What the heck are these... monsters?!" Tenko asked in a panic.
"Whoooooaaaa! So cooool!" Kokichi admired.
"They're Exisals- highly mobile, bipedal weapons platforms! They got lotsa hometown pride, too!" The blue one claimed with pride.
"I can't keep track of these backstories..." The yellow one muttered.
"Wh-Whatever they are, they better kill off the uggos and save me for last!" Miu pleaded.
"Run, Himiko!" Kokichi yelled to her.
"Why are you concerned about me all of a sudden?" The self-proclaimed mage asked.
"Hm, didn't someone say they would "kick all of their asses"?" Maki asked the astronaut.
"Wh-What the hell?! Nobody told me about these!" Kaito yelled.
"Alright, chill out, no need to panic... We're probably not in any danger. If they wanted to kill us, they'd have done it by now." Rantaro pointed out.
He then walked up to the Exisals and told them "So... what do you want from us? You clearly want something, that's what the guns are for, right? Let me guess. You're gonna force us to do something, and if we don't, we get hurt."
To be fair, I was thinking the same thing. I thought.
"Well, you have our attention. So what do you want?" Rantaro asked.
"Huh. Well aren't you a wiseguy?" The yellow one mentioned.
"I'll start us off! Listen up! Here's what we want you punkasses to do... Hahhhhh! My heart's goin' 100 miles per hour! I'm gonna say it! You ready?!" The blue one dared.
"Of course, what is it?!" I asked.
"Hell yeah! It's a-" The blue one was suddenly cut off by the green one.
"KILLING-GAME."
"...What?" I asked in shock as my eyes widened in shock and horror.
"M-M-Monodam! How DARE you upstage me!" The blue one yelled.
"W-Wait a second. What did you say?" Tenko asked nervously.
"I-If I heard him correctly-" Keebo started to say but was cut off.
"KILLING-GAME." Monodam repeated.
"Oh! He said it again!" The red one yelled.
"Grrrrrrr! God damn it, Monodam! I'm gonna crush you with this here Exisal!" The blue one shouted.
"C'mon, we don't have time to fight amongst ourselves." The pink one pleaded.
"Yeah! If you don't stop fighting, I'm gonna crush you with this here Exisal!" The red one shouted.
"You too, Monotaro?" The pink one asked before shouting "If this is what it's comes to, then I will crush the four of you with this here Exisal!"
"Hey! Why are you including me?! Oh well! It's more appropriate for us to be hostile to each other!" The yellow one said angerly.
Things soon got heated. "You wanna go, jabroni?!" Monotaro asked.
"Who you callin' jabroni, jabroni?!" The blue one yelled back.
"What'd you say, jabroni?!" The yellow one shouted.
"I'll throw down any time, jabroni! Check yourself before you wreck yourself!" The pink one challenged.
"S-Seriously?! Are they gonna get it on right in front of us?!" Miu asked.
"Don't worry. Atua is watching over us." Angie said.
"In a situation like this, is he just going to watch?!" Tsumugi asked the artist.
"Either way, it's too dangerous! We need to get out of here or else-" Keebo was about to say before a high-pitched voice I recognized echoed from the stage behind me.
"Now, now, now..."
"What..?" Kaede asked.
"My cute little cubs... You gotta knock off this awful fighting."
"Oh! That voice!" The pink one realized.
The bears from the monitor jumped out of the Exisals and landed on the stage as I turned around to face them.
"Father?! Father, is that you?!" Monotaro asked.
"Papa Kuma! Papa Kumaaaaa!" The blue one yelled.
"Daddy?! Where are you, Daddy?!" The pink one called out.
"Daddy? Wait a second, your dad's the one who attacked me!" I yelled.
I've just remember what my attacker looked like now. Suddenly, the lights in the gym shut off on their own. Five spotlights shined onto the podium on the stage and the black and white bear that attacked me jumped out from behind and landed in front of the microphone with wings that soon popped off him.
"I am the god of this new world... and the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy! The one, the only... Monokuma! Nice to meetcha!" The bear, Monokuma greeted.
"Yayyyyy! Father's here!" Monotaro cheered.
"Hell yeah! Another epic entrance from Papa Kuma!" The blue one yelled.
"Daddy is soooo cool." The pink one admired.
Monodam remained silent.
While Monokuma rambled on about his cubs named Monotaro, Monosuke, Monophanie, Monodam and Monokid, I could only watch on in confusion and anger.
"Wh-What is this? What's going on?" Kaede asked.
"Another teddy bear appeared..." Tsumugi muttered.
"Yes, but that is no ordinary teddy bear. I can see it... the despair and madness swirling around that cursed thing..." Kiyo said.
Monokuma must have overheard that as he said "Woah... First of all, I'm no teddy bear. I'm Monokuma. And show some respect! I'm the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles!"
"Headmaster..?" Maki repeated.
"It appears to be some sort of autonomous robot with a built-in A.I., like me..." Keebo exclaimed.
"Dong dong dong!" Monotaro said.
"The Exisals are different, though! They're brainless buckets of bolts!" Monosuke claimed.
"They're mindless pretty killing machines that can only be controlled by us, the Monokubs." Monophanie explained.
"Autonomous robots piloting weapons platforms... This is certainly turning into quite the story." Ryoma muttered.
"Well that may be, but what I'm worried about is this "killing game" you mentioned. What exactly does that mean?" Rantaro asked.
"I'm a bit curious myself." I admitted.
"Puhu...puhuhuhuhu..." Monokuma laughed.
"What is so amusing?" Kirumi asked.
"It's just... when I said it before, I kinda just phoned it in and now I feel awkward... I want you students with your Ultimate-level talents to participate in a killing game." Monokuma said.
"Hold a second! First you attack me and now you force us into a killing game?! Why would any do that?!" I shouted.
The other students started to shout and plead that they don't want to get involved in this. Monokuma looked down at me and said "I just thought you would be a perfect fit for this game. The only side effect of bringing you here is that Flashback Lights don't work on you at all."
"So that's why I still remember some of these guys' names and their appearance?" I asked.
"Pretty much. And before anyone asks, at the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles... the killing game is quite the refined, sophisticated experience!"
"Sophisticated experience?" Maki repeated.
"Yes... Here, the killing game is punctuated by class trials." Monokuma claimed.
"Class... trials..?" I muttered.
"Okay! Let us explain!" The Monokubs exclaimed.
"Alright, so if one of you maggots kills someone, you all gotta take part in a class trial." Monotaro started.
"The class trial is where the blackened killer faces off against their spotless classmates." Monosuke claimed.
"It's where you punkass bitches argue over who you fuckin' think the blackened is! After that, it's Voting Time! And if the majority of you idiots vote correctly..." Monokid said with pride.
"Th-Then only the blackened killer will receive pu-pu-punishment... Hrk..! So cruel... Just imagining all the blood and gore... makes me want to puke..." Monophanie whimpered.
"After the blackened is punished, the rest of youse'll just keep right on livin' together." Monosuke mentioned.
"But! If you vote for the wrong person during the class trial... The blackened gets off scot-free, and all the spotless students get punished instead!" Monotaro pointed out.
Monodam stayed silent as Monokid yelled "Hell yeah! Them's the rules of the class trial! Woo-hoo-hoo! AOOOWWW!"
"Ahhh, too much! That explanation revealed way too much! You gotta be more coy! Flirtatious! Seductive! Just like your old man!" Monokuma shouted.
"Gross..." Himiko groaned.
"The point is, it's not enough to kill someone. You also have to survive the class trial." Monokuma exclaimed.
"Kill without being caught, and then survive the trial... Sounds eerily similar to the real world." Rantaro remarked.
"You think so? Then the outside world must be masterfully designed- even at it's cruelest." The twisted bear theorized.
"One can likely imagine... but I shall ask, just in case... What is the "punishment" you mentioned earlier?" Kiyo asked.
"Simply put, it's an execution!"
"E-Execution?!" Gonta repeated.
Monokuma got in my face and I saw the piecing glow in his evil eye as he explained.
"If you do a crime, you get punished for it. That's, like, the most basic rule of society. But this is a killing game, so the punishment for murder is a bit more... permanent."
"Now with that out of the way... Let's get this killing school semester started already!" Monokuma demanded afterwards.
His red eye glowed again as he got close to me. "You have free rein to murder however you like, too. Anything you can think of! You can kill anybody you like, anyway you like! At the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles, you will realize your murderous potential! Seventeen teenage prodigies, all competing for first place in a killing game, and five traitors lurk among them... There's no better setting for an event like this than the Ultimate Academy!
"Killing school semester... It's like a game." I heard Rantaro say.
"Kehehe... risking our lives for some silly game is absurd." Kiyo muttered.
Everyone was whispering about how this can't be true when Shuichi said "I-I don't want... to be in a killing game... It's wrong, I... I'd never do that."
"Puhuhu... Well, if you don't wanna participate in the killing game, that's gonna be a problem... Cuz the killing game is the only reason you're here." Monokuma exclaimed.
"...What?"
"Please! Why should we do this?! You don't even know what some of us been through!" I shouted.
"Come on now, Sharla. Why else would I bring you here? Where's that special hope you always have? As your memories become less fuzzier, the truth about who the traitors are will become more clear!" Monokuma cheered.
I could only look on as the gym echoed with Monokuma and the Monokubs' laughter. This whole ordeal was insane! Five traitors... all lurking among this group. And the truth to become clear when my memories become less fuzzier. Against my will, I was now involved in this twisted game.
...
End of Prologue: Ultimate Awakening
Surviving Members: 17
Present Obtained: Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles Badge - Proof that you cleared the Prologue. It's a badge of the Ultimate Academy insignia. Apparently, there are only 17 of these in the world.