Kuma Kuma Land Case File #3
Victim #1: Utano Kakimasu
"Cause of death is a broken neck"
"The time of death was approximately 9:45 P.M "
"The body was discovered in the Central Plaza of Amusement Park District at 6:27 A.M by Shiho,Naruhiko, and Kaizoku"
Victim #2: Churi Aikawa
"The victim suffered a single slash across her throat"
"Cause of Death is blood loss"
"The time of death was approximately 9:32 P.M"
"The body was discovered in the Amusement Park District on the trolley at 6:30 A.M by Shiho,Naruhiko, and Kaizoku"
TRUTH BULLETS
Soo Yeong's Account
Seikatsu was restrained
Annabelle's Autopsy
No Cellphone Signal
Seikatsu's unlocked door
Seikatsu's Account
Utano's Ruffled Clothes
Shiho's Account
Missing Hat
Kaizoku's Account
Moved Body
Lachlan's Autopsy
Attempted Calls & Texts
Seikatsu's Tarot Reading
Curfew on Cellphone use
Chapter 22: Jilted: Act Three
7:37 A.M Day Ten
Resort District
Hotel
Basement (Trial Room)
"Bahaha! Well, here we are again, you idiots! Gotta say, it never gets old for yours truly. Glad to see the good doctor could join us, too!" Kurokuma howled in laughter as he grabbed at his stomach.
The Plastic Surgeon offered a pained expression as he leaned against his podium for support. "As if I had any choice in the matter. I figured it was better to be here of my own accord than to be dragged here."
The bear snorted wildly. "Hah, you got that right. Unless you're dead, your ass is gonna be in my courtroom. Anyways, I think you chowder-heads know how this works by now. Catch the blackened and they face a death game. If you don't, they'll go free and you'll face a group death game. However, don't think you'll get away unscathed as a group a second time. Trust me when I say it'll be a bloodbath."
"If you're quite done with your idle threats, can we get on with this trial already?" Tomoko asked with a haughty expression. "The less time we have to hear your obnoxious voice, the better."
"You got it, bitch! Without any further ado, let the third trial begin! Break a leg!" Kurokuma exclaimed with a dark gleam in his eyes.
Lachlan cleared his throat before speaking. "Let's roll the clock back and start from the beginning, shall we? Earlier this morning, Shiho, Naruhiko, and Kaizoku discovered Utano's body first in the Central Plaza. Then they discovered the trolley stopped next to the Carnival District when they made out the pained cries of Soo Yeong. From there, they discovered Churi's lifeless body and Soo Yeong, who had been gravely injured. Have I missed anything thus far?"
"No, lad, that sounds about right. After we found Soo Yeong, and the second body announcement played, Shiho ran back to the hotel to find everyone else while Naru and I helped the doctor to the first aid building," Kaizoku responded.
Haruto nodded briefly. "Right. And as soon Shiho explained what had happened, I took off to lend whatever assistance I could to Soo Yeong."
"Not that I don't like this recap, dearie, but are we getting anywhere with it?" Seikatsu asked with a warm smile as she gazed around the room.
The Musician rubbed at his chin. "Yeah, why are we just stating shit we already know?"
"It's pretty simple, actually. In order to avoid a repeat of the last trial, it benefits us to remove as many suspects as we can early on. Since Shiho, Naruhiko, and Kaizoku triggered both announcements, it's safe to say all three of them aren't the culprit, which means we can remove them before we even delve into any of our physical evidence!" the Journalist exclaimed. TRUTH BULLET
Laris offered a nod in response. "If that's the case, we should be able to also remove Seikatsu, as Dolly, Becky, and I discovered her trapped in the closet. She was physically restrained, making it impossible for her to have been involved in either crime." TRUTH BULLET
"Bahaha! It was a fucking riot! She looked like a nut-job in a straight jacket!" Becky cackled wildly.
Chloe's brow furrowed slightly. "How precisely did you end up in such a state, to begin with, Seikatsu?"
The Tarotologist dabbed at her eyes. "Oh, it is a dreadful story to recount. One of my other personas was giving poor Utano a fortune reading, but he was most displeased with the news. He reacted violently and even threatened our well being. The Moon interjected on our behalf and agreed to give him information if he spared us. Alas, that side revealed to him the whereabouts of Doctor Moon and Miss Aikawa."
"You? This is your fault?!" Soo Yeong's normally composed expression twisted into a rage as his shoulders trembled. "Your cowardice caused an innocent girl's death. I hope you realize that, while her blood may literally be on Utano's hands, it is also on yours!"
"I-I realize that dear. From the bottom of my heart as the Empress, I cannot apologize enough for such a transgression," Seikatsu said as she bowed her head low.
The Surgeon polished teeth gritted together. "An apology? Do you think such an offering can undo such a cruel and ugly thing?"
"ENOUGH!" Tiana snapped as she cracked her whip into the air, her normally calm demeanor hardened. "We're not going to resolve anything through this senseless bickering. I refuse to let us end up in the gallows because of our inability to focus!"
Sigmund allowed for a rare smile. "Well said, Tiana. It's true, though. Our issues with one another aren't pertinent to this trial. What we can ascertain is that Seikatsu can be safely removed as a suspect and that her interactions with Utano caused a domino effect. Now that we have the origin of this case resolved, we can perhaps look at the evidence and the remaining ten suspects."
"Let's do this, then! For Churi and Utano's sake!" Shiho said, pumping her fist into the air. "Wait a second, since we're clearing suspects, can't we remove Soo Yeong, too?" she asked as she practically bounced in place.
Annabelle folded her tiny arms as a tiny frown crossed her face. "As much as I wanna say yes, we can't clear him as a suspect yet."
"May I ask why, Anna? I assure you that the wounds Soo Yeong received, while not fatal, were grievous. If he hadn't been discovered soon, he would have likely expired," Haruto pointed out thoughtfully.
The Plastic Surgeon weakly waved a hand through the air. "No, it's quite alright. We can't allow feelings to dictate our decisions. The fact is I was at the scene of a crime and I do have a motive for wanting Utano dead, especially after what he did to Churi. I can only pray that the evidence exonerates me."
"I have to say, lad, I, unfortunately, find some of the circumstances troubling. For one, how you managed to avoid bleeding out if you were, in fact, laying there for nearly nine hours," Kaizoku pointed out as he rubbed at his chin.
"As Haruto said, my wounds were grievous yet not fatal. The biggest concern was blood loss, but fortunately, no veins or arteries were hit. After trying both my own phone and Churi's to no avail, I did everything I could to stem the blood loss. I was afraid to move any further out of fear it would exasperate my wounds even more. Eventually, my body began to grow sluggish as the night wore on. I'm fortunate that blood packs are kept on hand in the first aid building," Soo Yeong said as he still used the podium to support himself. TRUTH BULLET
Naruhiko nodded his head in agreement. "Make sense to me. If there's anyone here who'd know how to survive shit like that, it would be our resident surgeon."
"It's pointless to waste too much time on this course of thought. Whether he's telling the truth or not, it's merely his word against that of the deceased. I say we let the evidence speak for itself," Tomoko said as she folded her arms.
"Well, since Churi was the first to die, let's start with her murder first. If we assume that Seikatsu somehow knew where Churi and Soo Yeong would be, Utano must have stalked them until he finally made his move sometime after nine. According to Soo Yeong's testimony, Utano killed Churi by slitting her throat with the very knife found at the scene of the crime before eventually attacking the Surgeon and taking off into the night. Does that fit what you discovered at the trolley, Annabelle?" Lachlan asked as he quirked a single brow.
The Forensic Investigator tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "It's true that the weapon and cause of death fits Churi's death perfectly. Rigor mortis had begun to set in and I suspect that seat is exactly where she died. The trolley can be stopped from the inside by a simple press of a button, and it only runs between eight in the morning to eleven at night before stopping. It was resting in front of the Carnival District so that most likely means Utano either jumped from the moving trolley or stopped it and left his two victims behind." TRUTH BULLET
"Soo Yeong, do you recall if Utano stopped the trolley or just leapt from it?" Laris asked as she eyed the Surgeon with a curious expression.
The Plastic Surgeon's brow furrowed for a moment. "Everything happened so quickly, but I do recall him leaping from the trolley. Part of the reason I recall it is I remember his cap being blown off his head as he lunged outward. I-I didn't pay much heed afterwards, as I was already trying to call someone for help. I had no such luck."
"Yes, because our captor was kind enough to shut of cell reception without informing us," Tiana said in a sharp tone as she leveled a glare at Kurokuma. "I found out the hard way when my call to Annabelle didn't go through. I got so worked up that I ran across the hall only to find Annabelle was safe and sound."
The dark-colored bear snorted. "What's with the sour expression? I figured throwing a wrench in the cogs would make things more interesting, and boy was I right!"
The Paralympic Athlete frowned. "Disregarding Kurokuma's actions, Tiana, do you recall what time it was when you were with Annabelle?"
The Ultimate Dominatrix eyed Sigmund a moment before quietly nodding. "Yes, it was probably ten or fifteen minutes before curfew. What does that have to do with anything, though?"
"I think I see what Siggy is getting at. Your maternal nature has given you and Anna a splendid alibi. Since Utano was killed at a quarter to ten, it would have been impossible for either of you to be involved," Chloe offered with a light smile. "I believe that leaves us with only eight suspects remaining." TRUTH BULLET
Seikatsu cleared her throat before offering a reassuring smile. "Well, my children, since we have resolved Churi's death in full, perhaps we should focus on Utano, the poor lad clearly stricken by madness. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how he died?"
"Uh, so maybe we should figure out what it takes to snap a neck?" Shiho suggested.
Becky grinned wildly as she paced back and forth across Dolly's podium. "Whelp, yours truly could have snapped that little neck like a chicken bone, but I'm not tall enough, and there's no way that sniveling little bitch would have let me shimmy up and crack his neck in the first place. Believe me, Dolls can't open a jar of pickles, let alone crack a neck. Must've been someone else who's super strong!"
"Hah! 'Fraid you weren't at the top of our list anyways, Beck. I think you're probably in the clear!" Naruhiko chuckled loudly.
Laris crossed her arms as she stared at the doll and Ventriloquist before shaking her head. "I'm not so sure about that. As bizarre as it sounds, Becky is… well, she is incredibly strong. Unnaturally so."
"Wah? You mean she's like that Chucky doll or something? The one that killed all those people in those bad horror movies?" Shiho asked as she tilted her head to the side.
Becky offered an indignant look before folding her small limbs. "Pfft, that loser ain't got shit on me."
"I cannot believe we're even entertaining the notion that some puppet snapped Utano's neck. Can we please return to reality?" Tomoko asked irritably.
"Believe me, I'm not saying that Becky is behind this, but that there is seriously something off about her. She kicked down Seikatsu's door, and I swear I'm not making that up," the Ultimate Knight said with a furrowed brow.
Seikatsu offered a trill of laughter. "What a marvelous story you've weaved, darling! Yes, my door was indeed caved in, but I'm afraid that's simply impossible. Nevertheless, it is quite an amusing notion."
"Hey, believe what you want. I didn't kill dick face, but I did knock in nut-job's door. Ain't that right, Dolls?" Becky asked as she tilted her head a hundred and eighty degrees to stare at her operator.
The Ventriloquist offered a timid nod. "It's true. Becky is incredibly strong, but I was watching her last night and she didn't go anywhere."
Lachlan sighed before shaking his head. "I think we've had enough of the sideshow routine. Let's get back to reality. How much force would it take to snap a human neck?"
"From my understanding, it varies from individual to individual. Age, diet, and a variety of other factors can change the force required. It's a reason why even well-planned hangings have failed in the past. One thing to note is that breaking someone's neck with your bare hands may look super easy in movies, but in reality it takes training and skill," Annabelle responded.
Naruhiko scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Right. So uh... what does that actually mean, squirt?"
The Forensic Investigator's face scrunched up. "Well, it means that without some proper knowhow, doing it with your hands would be extremely difficult. However, the way I see it, there's only two likely solutions. Either someone with experience broke his neck as I said, or… his neck was broken by another form of trauma."
"Aye. So our job is to determine how he was killed, then perhaps we may arrive at our answer," Kaizoku mused. "Anyone care to hazard which it may be?"
Chloe cleared her throat. "I believe our deceased poet was killed by some form of trauma, as I couldn't find any signs of bruising around his throat or of someone trying to twist his neck. In addition, I think it would explain the gash on this back of his head… Wait a moment, it's so obvious that it could be easily overlooked. He fell to his death."
"Excuse me, did you say he fell? Are you suggesting he climbed one of the attractions or something else entirely?" Tiana asked with a puzzled look.
"No, our killer had no reason to do so. They had all the momentum they needed to accomplish the task. I'm sure it only took a simple push. That's because Utano was pushed from the trolley by the lone survivor. Isn't that right, Doctor Moon?" Chloe asked as her eyes narrowed upon the Surgeon.
Soo Yeong shook his head weakly. "I appreciate your fervor to discover the truth, but have you forgotten that I was grievously injured, or that the fact Utano was discovered in the Central Plaza? If I had somehow mustered the strength to do as you say, would he have not been discovered near the tracks?"
"But isn't that why you moved the body?" Sigmund asked suddenly as a realization dawned on him. "You realized as soon as it happened you'd be the primary suspect, so you were forced to move the body to a place that seemed unfeasible for a half-dead man."
"Nonsense. That is an ugly assertion that holds no merit. Again, I will remind you that I was physically incapable of performing such a task. Please, Haruto, you saw to my stitches and bandages. You can attest to how gravely injured I was," the Plastic Surgeon said as his visible eye focused on the Parental Figure.
Haruto sighed as he shut his eyes. "Yes, it is true that you were injured, but I know just enough about first aid to find it remarkable that you didn't expire overnight. Your femoral artery was missed by a hair and the wound in your thigh was much cleaner than the one in your shoulder."
"Blah blah blah, just spit it out. What does all that junk mean?" Becky asked before being silenced by Dolly, who covered her puppet's mouth.
The Ultimate Tarologist's demeanor had shifted to one of serene calmness. "It means our good doctor inflicted the wound to himself after moving the body to keep up this ruse." TRUTH BULLET
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Shiho exclaimed her expression wilting slightly. "Why would he risk dying knowing he wouldn't be discovered before morning?"
"Dearie, that's just it," Kaizoku started as he offered the Surgeon a remorseful expression. "He wasn't aware of the lack of cell service until after he'd inflicted the second wound to himself." TRUTH BULLET
Tomoko raised a digit to her chin. "So he was anticipating pulling this ruse late last night, but was foiled by Kurokuma's sneaky antic. As a result, he was left with little choice but to hope he survived till morning and was capable of fooling us."
The Ultimate Plastic Surgeon offered a weary sigh. "I will commend you all on having a colorful imagination. However, all of this is a mere baseless assertion with not a shred of evidence to back it up."
"Non, that is where you are mistaken!" Chloe exclaimed as she rested a hand on her hip. "When we discovered Utano's body, we found that his clothes were ruffled in a way that's only possible if he'd been moved. We even found dirt and blood on them, even though the only blood we should have found was on the back of his head."
"I apologize for being frank, but that's simply absurd. Of course he'd have blood on him. Have you forgotten that Utano had just killed Churi before coming after me?" Soo Yeong pointed out with irritable edge in his tone.
"Doctor Moon, I'm really sorry, but you claimed that Churi was killed from behind by having her throat slit by Utano. So blood might have ended up on his shoes, but there's no way the spatter should have ended up on his own clothes. That's based off of your own testimony," Annabelle said in quiet voice as she couldn't bear to meet his gaze.
Tiana gripped her whip tightly. "Soo Yeong, just tell us the truth. If you were defending yourself, we'll understand. But continuing this is senseless."
"Senseless? No, accusing me with such flimsy evidence is senseless!" the Surgeon exclaimed, his composure cracking. "Utano wiped his knife off on his clothes as he came at me. That's why he had blood there of all places."
"Bullshit, you're not going to weasel out of this. The real reason the blood was there was because of your wounded shoulder. At first, you tried to carry him, but your shoulder made that difficult. So you ended up dragging him at some point, which explains his clothes and the dirt. The blood came from your shoulder, and I guarantee the blood on his clothes would match your own!" Lachlan said as he jabbed a finger at the Surgeon. TRUTH BULLET
The Surgeon scowled. "And can you prove that? Is there anyway you can prove any of this? Without proper evidence, you're going to make the same mistake we made last trial. There is no way to prove that I killed Utano, injured myself, or moved his body. We're wasting valuable time and energy on this witch hunt."
"...I really hate this job sometimes," Annabelle admitted as her lower lip quivered.
"Anna… did you discover something?" Haruto asked with a hesitant edge in his voice.
The Investigator nodded meekly as she continued to stare at Soo Yeong. "Doctor Moon, I'm so sorry. Maybe if I hadn't encouraged you to go out last night, none of this would have happened. B-But if you're innocent or guilty, there is one way for us to find out. Do you remember that on our first day, Kurokuma told us our phones have GPS trackers in them? If you're innocent, let me see your phone, and I'll prove it to everyone."
A pained laugh escaped the Surgeon as his shoulders slumped. "That won't be necessary, Annabelle. Considering how spur of the moment it was, I should have known you all would see through my ruse. It's just that, after what happened to Patrick, I was so terrified of sharing his fate."
"No fucking way. You really did off him, then?" Naruhiko asked with a slack-jawed expression.
Haruto gritted his teeth. "You were forced into a horrible situation, one in which you could either be a victim or defend yourself. Believe me when I say I understand that all too well."
"You shouldn't be too hard on yourself, y'know. In this world, it would have been either you or him. You just did what almost anyone would have done," Dolly offered timidly.
Soo Yeong offered a dry chuckle. "Perhaps, but, in killing him, I became every bit the monster he was. In that moment, all I could feel was rage and fear."
"Dark emotions lead us to do horrible things. Just please tell us what happened, in your own words," Laris implored softly as she eyed the Surgeon.
"There's not much to say, but I suppose you all deserve the truth," the Surgeon said. He stole another breath before continuing to speak.
9:30 P.M Day Nine
Amusement Park District
Trolley
"Shall we get back after this circuit?" Soo Yeong asked as he eyed the girl next to him with a warm smile.
The Love Guru flushed slightly before squeezing his arm. "Maybe just one more? Please? Tonight has been so magical, and I never thought I'd get a chance to feel this way."
The handsome boy nodded as a chuckle escaped his lips. "My, someone is getting greedy. You know curfew is coming up soon."
"I-I know, but I just don't want this moment to end. Being here with you makes me so happy; for a moment, I'm able to forget about everything else that's going on. I-" Churi trailed off suddenly before letting out a pitiful whimper. Blood suddenly spurted out of neck.
"CHURI!" Soo Yeong screamed as he bolted to his feet, staring down at the girl in horror with his shoulders shaking.
"Why is it always about her? Or anyone else? Why won't you just say my name?" Utano asked as he stepped out from behind Churi's chair, gazing at the Surgeon with a mixture of anger and manic devotion.
The Plastic Surgeon felt his mouth fumbling as he watched the life fleeting from the kind and lovely girl he'd grown attached to. "Why? What gave you the right? She did nothing wrong!"
The Poet shook his head frantically as he stepped forward and grabbed Soo Yeong by his collar. "No, that's not true at all. I told- I WARNED her what would happen. But that fucking slut just wouldn't listen. She wanted to steal you from me. She wanted to take away MY hero, the boy of MY dreams. I just couldn't let her have you, my love. You belong to me, and me alone."
"I belong to absolutely no one, let alone you," Soo Yeong spat out before feeling a searing pain in his shoulder.
Utano shook his head. "See what you made me do? They say you only hurt the ones you love. I just have to prove to you, my love, that I would do anything for you. I would sooner see you dead than with that bitch or anyone else. But I know you'll love me. Let's just enjoy the ride, it'll be our special evening together." The boy giggled as he pressed the blade against Soo Yeong's neck. "Won't you hold me? Like you were holding that bitch?"
Soo Yeong swallowed the bile in his throat as he slowly extended his arms and pulled the boy into a reluctant hug. "What now?" he seethed through clenched teeth.
"Just let me enjoy the moment," Utano purred as he nuzzled against the taller boy, still holding the bloody knife against the Surgeon's neck.
Minutes of uncomfortable silence passed between the pair as Utano seemed to be savoring the awkward embrace. Eventually, the Poet found his voice again.
"You sneaking off with this slut really made things more difficult for us. They're going to catch me, and then I won't get to be with you. I just can't bear the thought of that, you know? To be separated from you. But it's okay! If neither of us leaves this trolley, we can be together here and ever after!" The Ultimate Poet giggled cheerfully.
The Surgeon took a steadying breath. "...Before we go, can I at least kiss you? Just this once? I want to apologize for causing you so much pain and show my feelings."
A blush graced the Poet's face as he nodded quickly. "I-I knew it! I knew you felt the same way. Please, pour everything into it!" he begged as he lowered the knife against the Surgeon's throat.
"I won't leave anything out," the Surgeon whispered as he dipped his head and melded his mouth against the other boy's.
In the same moment, he gripped the boy's shoulders and violently forced him against the railing of the trolley. The knife clattered to the bottom of the trolley floor. The look of bliss and ecstasy still remained on Utano's face as he continued over the railing. A loud CRACK filled the night air a moment later.
Soo Yeong wiped at his mouth as he collapsed next to Churi. His eyes beginning to burn when he took her lifeless hands into his. "I'm so sorry that I brought this upon you. You deserved better than this. You were too good for this world."
8:08 Day Ten
Resort District
Basement (Trial Room)
"...I used his cap to soak up the blood from the gash on his head, and then I disposed of it in a trash can. I knew I was in over my head, so I improvised. I dragged his body to the Central Plaza and reboarded the trolley before inflicting the wound on my thigh. I then made a call on my phone, and Churi's afterwards, only to realize I had no reception. I actually did begin to panic and realized that I might not make it through the night. It wasn't hard to act like a victim when I was finally discovered. I apologize for the deceit. This is far from my finest moment," Soo Yeong admitted with a deep bow of his head.
"Lad, I'm so sorry. I can't say any of us would have fared any better," the Sailor said with a somber expression.
"I know I shouldn't take delight in someone's death, but I am pleased that Churi was avenged," Chloe mused thoughtfully.
Naruhiko nodded in agreement. "Yeah, just goes to show that it's hard to really know someone. Shit, this feels so wrong. Dude, I'm sorry we have to do this."
"Don't worry about it! I'm sure Doctor Moon can handle whatever that crazy bear can throw at him!" Annabelle piped up as she gave the Surgeon a thumbs up.
Shiho nodded her head vigorously. "Annabelle is totally right! Besides you've already survived one game, right? You've got this!"
"I would say break a leg, but depending on what Kurokuma has in store, that could be a bad thing," Lachlan mused as he scratched at his chin. "Just keep fighting, no matter what it is."
The Plastic Surgeon cleared his throat as he wiped at his visible eye. "I don't deserve such encouragement from you all. I was trying to deceive you all, and I killed Utano. I'm no better than him now."
"No, you did what was necessary, and anyone here would be lying if they said they would act differently in your shoes," Sigmund said in a mild manner.
The Parental Figure was trembling. He combed a hand through his hair while taking a few deep breaths. "A-As I said before, I can relate to what you're g-going through. I would be a hypocrite if I blamed you."
"Haruto is absolutely right. We're not about to judge you for this. You were in a situation no one would envy," Tiana mused with sympathetic smile.
Tomoko rolled her eyes. "This doesn't bring me any comfort, but I wish you well. Just pray it's not a challenge of the mind, because you won't have me to rely on this time."
"M'lady, that isn't the most comforting thing to hear. Please, Doctor, don't let your guilt hold you back. Do what it takes to survive. We'll be rooting for you," Laris said with a curt nod.
A sultry purr escaped Seikatsu as she winked at Soo Yeong. "I could read your fortune before we get to it, if ya want. I won't even charge this time, handsome."
"Hah, I'll politely decline that offer. I'd rather take fate into my own hands," the Surgeon responded softly.
Kurokuma cleared his throat. "Whelp, let's get on with voting. Now that the excitement is over, I wanna see some action!"
"Jeez, and I thought I was an asshole," Becky huffed as she watched her controller tentatively reach out to press a button.
Soo Yeong offered a strained smile as he reached out to cast a vote. "It's fine. I've made my peace with what I have to do. I'm sorry for putting you all through this. I hope you never have to experience it."
One by one, each of the survivors began to cast their votes before a chiming sound filled the room.
"You guys nailed it this time. The killer is none other than Soo Yeong. I say we get straight to business; I'm not in the mood for your sappy farewells!" Kurokuma howled in laughter as he pressed a button. The Surgeon was then promptly dragged out of courtroom by a series of chains.
8:15 A.M Day Ten
Resort District
Basement (Challenge Room)
A dark chuckle filled the room before a sterile light flickered on, illuminating a crisp white surgical room. There, in the middle of it, rested the Plastic Surgeon. He was strapped to a chair by his arms, legs, and torso via metal restraints. A mirror connected to the chair faced the handsome young man.
"Whelp, Doctor Moon, you didn't get away with murder. However, KKL is all about fucking games, and you've got a chance to survive. You've been so obsessed with appearances that seeing your own ugliness is enough to paralyze you. If you wish to leave this room, you'll have to discard that beauty. In thirty seconds, your restraints on your arms will be released. When that happens, you'll have ten minutes to use the scalpel in front of you to carve off your own face. If you can bring yourself to do this, the restraints around the rest of your body and the door on the far side of the room will open. On the other hand, if you can't stomach it when the ten minutes run out, you'll be burnt alive. Consider this room as one giant oven. Time for you to decide what's more important: your vanity or your life. Let the death game begin!"
Kurokuma howled in laughter.
Soo Yeong sneered as he looked from the scalpel to his own reflection in the mirror. His one visible eye studied the curves and ends of his face as he waited for the restraints to be lifted.
"Ooh, looks like someone's psyching himself up. Get ready to pay your pound of flesh, Doctor Moon," Kurokuma jeered. An alarm blared at the sound of the Plastic Surgeon's arms being released. Wasting no time, he immediately grabbed the blade and brought it before himself.
Soo Yeong closed his eye and dug the scalpel into the side of his cheek. He clenched his teeth, muffling the roar of pain that tried to escape. After a few moments, his eye opened and he looked into the mirror. He slid the knife down with a great deal of anguish, following the curves of his face. As his eyes watered in pain and he screamed into his gnashed teeth, his hand never once faltered.
Once the scalpel moved on to the other side of his face, Soo Yeong quickly traded hands. The now-freed hand clamped down along the fresh cut, trying in vain to staunch some of the blood that was pouring down his neck and drenching his sweater. As the blade continued along its path, the skin around his chin started to hang loosely. Soo Yeong pulled the scalpel out for a moment to reposition the blade along his forehead. His other hand raised up his hair, once again revealing the damaged skin around his eye to himself. He hesitated for a little as he took in the sight of it. Refocusing, the Surgeon deftly cut across his face and quickly reconnected with where he started.
The free hand grabbed at the tear along his forehead as he prepared for the next step. No longer able to hold back the screams, his mouth tore open. Howls of anguish filled the room, followed by a sickening ripping sound. With all the force he could muster, Soo Yeong continued pulling down on the loose skin of his face.
Much to his disdain, he wasn't done with the scalpel. While the skin peeled away, he would make quick cuts on any part of his face that clung too tightly. After what felt like an eternity, the last bits tore away. He held the remains of his face in his hand to his endless horror
"You're cutting it close on time there, Soo. Better hurry out of the room before things start really heating up!" Kurokuma taunted as his laughter echoed around the chamber.
The same alarm buzzed again. This time, all of his restrains opened up and the Surgeon bolted upwards. The remnants of his once beautiful face laid abandoned in the chair along with the scalpel. He wearily staggered as he felt the effects of losing blood, and knew he only had so much time until shock set in.
As Soo Yeong continued making his way towards the exit, he shrugged off his lab coat and pressed it around his exposed flesh. He slammed his body against the door and barreled through, disappearing into the darkness.
8:27 A.M Day Ten
Resort District
Basement (Trial Room)
"Doctor Moon! I-Is he gonna be alright?" Annabelle asked with tears in the corner of her eyes.
Haruto offered a pained smile. "I wish I could say, but it doesn't look good. Not at all."
"Holy fucking balls. He actually did it!" Kurokuma exclaimed with wide, beady eyes.
Kaizoku gritted his teeth. "He only had to mutilate himself in the process, and he'd already lost a lot of blood. He needs medical attention immediately!"
"Zoku is fucking right! Dude needs help or he's toast!" Naruhiko said with a furious expression.
The bear let out an indignant huff. "Sheesh, don't be so damn melodramatic! Shirokuma is gonna make sure our former pretty boy survives. A game is a game, and he managed to win. That makes two in a row! What a freaking bummer. Don't get fucking comfortable, you twats! The next district will be opening at noon. Ya better not get cocky, though, because this game isn't over. Not by a long shot!"
14 Survivors Remain
OMAKE
Insert Imagination Here
*AN* Phew. There goes the third trial down. I'd like to thank my betas as always for their help. Trust,Fee5H, Bouncing, and Torro you guys rock. Also I'd like to thank Petty who again took this idea I had for a death game and brought it to life in grisly detail. Awesome job babe! =)
Review Section:
Blazerxz
Sometimes it's fun when the most obvious answer is actually the real one. Especially since most people assume that I'm going to subvert their expectation lol.
RandomStranger48
Lol sometimes having the answer front and center is fun. Mainly because no one expects it to be that simple.
Fee5H
Hey I'm glad to genuinely surprise you for a change hah! xD
NSPunny
Haha it's funny because that does make a lot of sense, and most people assumed Soo was too easy of an answer. So most people didn't think he'd actually be the culrpit.
SootyThunder
Yeah I actually had an awesome Omake but I'm saving it for the next update of HoH as it's spoilery :P
bellatrixshine
Whelp he wasn't innocent, but he's still alive. So I guess it's a decent trade off hah
pokemansuperallstar
There's a lot of great images to be found from some of these scenes huh?
BirblordAlmighty
For once it was that simple, most people just assumed it wouldn't be Lol
doomqwer
Utano loves you too Doom! 3
MudkipOfDespair
Hey for once your theory was right! haha