Chapter 1

"Do you agree that no one here would kill a classmate?" Monokuma asked, leaning in so that Sayaka alone could hear.

"Speaking of, young lady... Why did you go to Makoto's room last night? It's not as though anything

strange happened to you or anything, right?" Sayaka's eyes widened in shock. So much had happened since they all woke up. they had went to the gym after an announcement was made. But then 'Junko Enoshima' attacked Monokuma. Everyone watched in horror as the spears shot up, but it was Makoto's voice that piered the deadly silence.

"Mukuro, watch out!'

When everyone had heard that, they were shocked. Mukuro? But wasn't that Junko? Mukuro had moved back at his warning, just barely dodging the spears. Unfortunately, Makoto had been stabbed instead, hit in his side. After Monokuma attempted to turn everyone against Makoto and Mukuro, the impersonator had fled, taking Makoto with her. Now, Makoto was beside Kyoy, leaning on her for support. yes, his injury was causing him excruiating pain, but at least his friends were slive. Mondo had rescued Mukuro from death at the hands of Monokuma by hijacking a large motorcycle. The others were still untrusting of makoto, until he convinced the ultimate martial artist, Sakura Oogami, that he had gotten his memories back. Apparently he had found a button, and it had returned his memories. When Sakura told everyone that she would trust Makoto, the others were forceed to agree with her. He knew things about them. Things they couldn't remember. Now, here they were face to face with Monokuma. Turning his attention from Makoto and Mukuro, he now had his sights set on Sayaka.

"...!"

"Could this be a case of unseemly student relations? Don't you think you're betraying your fans all over the

country by trying to seduce a guy? Or were you thinking of something even more sinister?" Sayaka bit her lip fearfully. How did Monokuma know that?! No one could possibly know what she had been thinking about!

"I..." Sayaka's trembling worsened. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to even scream. Monokuma had nothing in particular to gain from breaking her composure at this point. But he wanted to see the idol fall into despair at the

hideous truth about her own nature. For this reason alone he continued to drive her into a corner.

"Say, I wonder what Sayaka here was trying to do to these friends she's known for the past two years?" Tears began to fill the pop sensation's eyes.

"I... I..." Sayaka's determination from the previous night, coupled with the memories Naegi recounted to her, began to eat away at her psyche like acid. As her mind began to collapse into ruin, Sayaka nearly fell to her knees. At that very moment, a clear orb flying at 170 miles per hour was driven straight into Monokuma's jaws. The

speaker inside it was destroyed, and the unit itself was thrown all the way to the wall by the force of the impact.

Sayaka came to her senses and turned to the direction from which the orb had come flying. Standing there was

Leon Kuwata, breathing heavily and glaring at Monokuma's remains. He was taken off guard when Yasuhiro suddenly grabbed his collar.

"Hey, what the hell, man?! That was my crystal ball! Do you iknow what that cost me?" Leon had grabbed the crystal ball from Hiro's pocket in the commotion. He wanted something to throw so he could shut Monokuma up. Besides it was just a glass ball. More importantly, he just saved Sayaka's life! He grit his teeth in frustration at Hiro.

"That bastard was gonna get Sayaka! What the fuck was I supposed to do?!" Hiro didn't hear him.

"That crystal ball cost me a hundred million! A HUNDRED MILLION YEN! That means more bills than all the

people in Japan put together!"

"Check your math, buddy! 'Sides, if the outside world's really turned into a hellhole, what's cash gonna do for

you, anyway? And if things are actually fine outside, I'll make it to the Major Leagues or somethin' and pay you

back! ...Uh, well, I guess I'd rather try for something other than baseball, though..." He raked a hand through his red hair in aggravation. They had learned just how bad things have gotten in the world...Not to mention that two years worth of memories had been wiped...He wondered what those memories held. Were they good times? Did he have fun? Did he make his dream of becoming the ultimate musician a reality? Did he have any girlfriends? Did he get to date Sayaka? His thoughts were interrupted as Hiro's angry voice interrupted his train of thought. He was still arguing with Leon. Leon balled his fists and turned back to Hiro. As they argued, Sayaka fell to her knees. The argument came to a halt as worry gripped the baseball star. He looked over with a look of surprise on his face.

"Whoa! You alright, Sayaka?" He ran over. Sayaka looked up at him with a blank expression on her face.

"Leon...There's something I want to confess to you later..." Hearing those words made his heart race.

"What, seriously?! Uh, y-you mean it?" Leon asked, brightening up as he forgot the gravity of the situation for

a moment. He couldn't believe it! Sayaka was gonna confess her feelings for him! A large grin spread across his face. He couldn't hear the next part to Sayaka's words due to his excitement. He returned to the other students with a spring in his step, slapping Hifumi

and Hiro on the back and shouting cheerfully.

"Hell yeah! Better get this test over with quick and get outta this place! No way am I gonna let my sweet

memories disappear!"

Mukuro Ikusaba, who had become a living weapon-used her knee to hammer in the back of the metal pipe

Monokuma was still holding. The pipe was driven into the unit like a nail, tearing apart the detonation and support

systems at once.

Zero seconds. The students watched in anxious anticipation as Mukuro fought her way to the switch. Monokuma ha allowed them to take the graduation exam. If they acquired a switch at the end of the hall in 15 seconds, they would be free to go. thhat was the deal. It was Mukuro who volunteered to brave the explosions that were about to follow.

A hundred explosions later, the hallway was filled with smoke. Mukuro had rolled on the floor with Monkuma,

holding the immaculate escape switch in her hand.

In other words, the students of Hope's Peak Academy had passed their Graduation Exam.

This was the circumstance behind the little despair that came upon Monokuma in these three seconds.