The sun shone brightly through the classroom windows as birds chirping outside. Mitsuba looked around the room, seeing all her classmates chatting away in their groups. Slowly, the class door slid open and their teacher walked inside.

"Stand." Tomoki's voice rang out. As everyone, Mitsuba included, stood, he continued the routine. "Bow."

Mitsuba rose to a different site. Around the now destroyed classroom, her fellow students laid dead and bloody. She took a step back. Beneath her, blood pooled by her feet.

Suddenly, the mangled body is began to rise. Little by little, the sixteen corpses grew closer. Mitsuba tried to let out a scream, but nothing came out.

This was the nightmare that jolted Mitsuba Kanamori awake in a cold sweat that morning. Even after waking up and going about her morning routine, the dream and it's sense of dread carried with her.

Sora stopped as he reach the seating area in the main entrance. Ever since their captivity, the cyclist had kept up a physical regiment. He had never been the type to slack off and let circumstances prevent him from doing so. Now, he had just finished doing a few laps around the floor.

"Um, Sora…" he heard a voice.

Opening his eyes, he saw Kirika standing before him. Looking at her, it was evident she was uncomfortable. However, her face also hinted she had something she needed to say.

"Ah, Kirika, what's up?"

"Tell everyone to go to the basement. There's…there's something we need to see."

Kirika began to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going? Don't we need to go altogether?"

"I've seen it. Just…please."

Within 10 minutes, Sora had gathered the other six. Following Kirika's suggestion, they had descended into the basement.

"So she wanted us to check this please?" Takura inquired.

"That's what she told me." Sora replied.

"Well, it doesn't look like much." said Aiyaka. "Still, why did she tell us to look and leave by herself?"

"It's probably because of Seiji." Mitsuba stated. "Kirika was always with him when she socialized."

"Yeah, that's right." Takashi spoke up. "The times when she was by herself, Kirika would always stay away from us and kinda glare. I always wondered a bit about that."

"Actually, when she spoke to me earlier, she seem to be having a little problem." Sora said. "I'd wager she just has problems speaking with others and was always her support. But now that she is all by herself-"

"Not that it isn't important to discuss our friend and their problems, but she gave us a task. With time not on our side, we may want to check this floor." Ito calmly interrupted.

"Ito is right." Tomoki agreed. "Given the bare bones layout and what Sora has stated words were, I can conclude whatever we need to observe is behind the sole door."

Taking the initiative of his words, Tomoki lead the group to the room. He opened the door, revealing to the group what Kirika had seen beforehand.

"What the…" muttered a few in the group.

"It appears our captor has quite an unhealthy obsession with the late Ms. Enoshima." stated Tomoki.

"Wow, look at all this! No wonder Miss Moody wanted us to see this. I mean, damn, what a collection!" Aiyaka sounded out.

"Look, some of these were taken at Hope's Peak." Takashi said. "These have gotta help."

"No, they don't." Mitsuba replied. "Given she and all of us were students levels none of this down. Add in the times of day from the shots from the backgrounds and we all still could have taken these."

"Even this does not factor in the possibility that these were given or taken." Tomoki added.

"So, we're back to square one." Takashi sighed dejected.

"Unfortunately." Ito called out. "Even this door isn't opening."

Although given more insight, the group left in dissatisfaction. What was hopefully a lead had brought them nowhere. They ascended the stairs and went about their normal business for the remainder of the day.

The next morning before breakfast, Ito entered the Records' Room upon the fourth floor. With other efforts not getting them anywhere, she had decided to re-check previous efforts. The bluenette scanned the bookshelves and came upon the school records Tomoki had mentioned the first day. She flipped through the pages and noted everything was there. Their pictures, names, statistics, achievement, everything. However, she also took note of what wasn't there.

"Hmm…where are the others?" she mumbled to herself in thought.

As she said, the records only contained information on the initial 11 that were held there. The files of the other former five classmates were absent.

Despite this fact, it still remained that the files present looked official. There was no doubt in Ito's mind that these were the real deal. Whoever the mastermind, they had enough pool or ingenuity to get the documents from Hope's Peak.

Ito placed the files on a nearby table and begin again her search for clues.

"Rise And shine, kiddos." the announcement blared. "Welcome to day seven of our little getaway. Unfortunately, that means after today, will be halfway done. Oh boo-hoo, I miss you already. Is this what they call empty nest syndrome? Well, anyway, it's time to get up. Now, if you excuse me, I need to talk out my issues."

Mitsuba groggily awoke. As she dressed and styled her hair, she recalled that for the second night, that nightmare had returned. The athlete knew the stress was getting to her. Throughout the day, she could do activities to get her mind off the fact. At night as she laid in her bed however, it was a different story. Throwing those thoughts aside for now, she steeled herself for the day

As per the morning routine, she left and headed for the mess hall. Getting out of the stairwell on the third floor, Mitsuba continued towards her destination.

Behind her though, a shadowy figure approached her. A hand reached out, catching the girl off guard.

The cafeteria was mostly quiet as it three occupants sat and went about their business. Tomoki ate his breakfast as Sora was finishing making his tray and Kirika seemed to be scrambling away at some paper.

"Hey, what'd you got there?" asked Sora as he sat next to Kirika.

Sora had decided yesterday to help Kirika out of her shell. By his own volition, he would help her branch out in Seiji's place. He noticed how he seemed to be the one Kirika was most comfortable with. Whether that was due to him providing her comfort when she needed it most, he knew not.

Looking at the paper. He was blown back by the image that greeted him. Even though the piece was only in pencil, the paper before a realistic picture of Seiji Utaru. It was truly worthy of her former title of Ultimate Artist.

"I just wanted a picture of him." Kirika said softly. She continued refining the image as she spoke; her eyes never leaving the paper.

"That's completely understan-"

"Ahem," a loud voice interrupted. "Attention, a body has been discovered. After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the trial will begin."

Takura looked over the body and crime scene in detail. He had discovered the scene and immediately went to find someone. That was when he had run into Mitsuba and brought her here.

Laying prone was the lifeless body of Ito Tsubomi, the Ultimate Voice Actor. Blood pooled around her head in a sign of brutally that had ended her.

After the announcement sounded for the two observers, a small ding alerted them to the arrival of the next Monokuma File.

Victim: Ito Tsubomi

The victim died due to blunt force trauma to the school. They appear to have only a wound sustained on the back of their head. Time of death was 6:43 AM

The pair looked over the document and awaited for the others to begin to arrive.

The first three to arrive were Kirika, Sora, and Tomoki. They told how they had heard the announcement, looked over the Monokuma File, and had the bear tell them to head to the Records' Room.

"Well, now that we have more people, we should start investigating. Shall we?" said Takura.

At that statement, the quintet begin their search waiting for the other two to arrive.

"I am sorry I was unable to save you." Tomoki muttered as he looked over Ito's body. It was only a few days ago that the two had teamed up to find the mastermind and help everyone get out. Now there she laid, never to get up again.

"Here." Kirika said to the room. Everyone turn their attention to her to see her crouched down by a shiny object.

"Ah, she's right." Sora said. "Look at the end of the bat. It's covered in blood."

The metal bat that laid on the ground near Ito's body was far enough away that the blood pool wouldn't have a dirtied it. A small splash of blood colored the end which seemed slightly bent.

"It looks like the culprit just abandon the bat." Mitsuba observed.

"What's this about a bat? Are there vampires here now?" A voice called out, startling the group. The five turned around to be greeted by a smiling Aiyaka and Takashi entering the room.

"Sorry we took so long." Takashi let out.

"It is not a problem." said Tomoki. "All that matters is that you are currently present. Two more pairs of eyes are much appreciated."

"So Strawberries got chopped, huh?" Aiyaka spoken once more.

"That's correct." Takura responded. "And it's this bat that we think may be the cause. That should catch you two up."

"Alright, let's investigate!" Aiyaka started off again.

Takura took position again as crime scene watcher as the other six set to work.

"Hmm, what of these documents?" Sora said, gesturing to the table. Both the Hope's Peak student profiles and another book sat atop the furniture.

"That is the school files I mentioned earlier." Tomoki stated. "Although, this is one I don't recall." He opened the book and was greeted by ghastly images. "What person would create this?"

Inside the black book were images that were burned into several of their brains. The book seemed to be a collection of images from the Killing School Life. As he flipped through the pages, a small strand of hair seemed caught on one photo.

"Seems like someone was keeping tabs on a ton of things." Mitsuba said.

"Indeed. And it would be best if we do not dwell too much on this for now."

"Hey everyone." Sora called out. "I want to verify something. The Monokuma File said Ito was killed at 6:43 AM. Does anyone have an alibi for then?"

The group mostly shook their heads.

"I can touch for Kirika and I." Tomoki replied. "The two of us had arrived at the cafeteria already."

"Yeah, same." Kirika quickly tossed back.

"So that leaves most of us without one. Unfortunately I can't give one for myself." Sora commented

"Well, this area is covered. Shall we all go elsewhere to look for clues?" Mitsuba spoke.

The group agreed to her idea and split up. The clock tick onwards and soon the trial began.

The time seems to fly by as the daily stream of the 78th class continued. Alone in the dark, they watched. Soon this game would reach its end. With only six people left, the climax was around the corner. Hope would lose in the spare would spread.

"Soon, Junko, soon your vision will completely spread further. Hope will vanish. Your legacy will further cement."