The group entered the Judgment Room once more.

"Back here again…" Chikasu said. Soon enough, The End appears.

"I'm impressed you all made it this far." The End said. "I suppose a round of applause is in order…"

"How about a round of go-screw-yourself. Now drop the act and fight us!" Zenji said.

"You make us risk our lives while you watch us from high above." Mana said. "You have quite the twisted mind."

"Cowardly maggot. Why don't you join us face to face?" Nagi asked.

"Well, if we're in this chamber again, that can only mean one thing." Chikasu said.

"That's right. Time to whittle away our comrades once again." Toya said.

"You're having us do that again!?" Yoko asked. "I don't want to kill any more teammates!"

"But we don't know who the traitor is...and you expect us to kill them?" Marco asked. "Do we have a choice in the matter!?"

"What benefit do you gain from doing any of this? Do you enjoy all this, The End…!?" Sho asked only to receive a glare from The End, who soon regained his composure.

"You all have a choice before you." The End said. "But it's not the choice of whether or not to erase. It's the choice of whom to erase...or whom to be erased by."

"No, I won't accept that!" Yoko said. "We all managed to get this far by working together. Can't we work together to overcome this too!?"

"I think we can assume the only way upward is for us to vote again." Sojiro said. "We can't just sit here, so there's really no alternative. We need to keep climbing…however sickening this whole affair may be."

"Quit jerkin' us around! What the hell do you want from us!?" Zenji asked. "If all you want is a fight, then bring it on! Fair and square! Stand your ground, not this BS!"

"You know, maybe this is just what he wants. He might be one of those sadistic freaks that enjoys watching people suffer." Agito said.

"S-so there's really no other way, huh? We need to go through with it…?" Marco asked.

"No hard feelings, mates. I won't hold a grudge either." Mana said.

"Sorry, but I have no intention of stopping here. I will reach the top floor and kill The End." Himeno said. "In order to accomplish that, I'm prepared to make any sacrifice and accept any sins I must commit."

"Why does it have to come to this…?" Yoko asked as The End disappeared.

"So we need to do this...again." Sho said.

"I'm afraid so. Let's get this over with. The longer we dawdle on this, the harder it will be for all of us." Chikasu said causing the group to nod and take their positions.

The group all casted their votes, which caused the screens to flicker between different people before settling on…

Toya.

All screens then turn red with his portrait.

"*sigh Wait a pity…" Toya said. "Though, that's more of a subjective analysis, I suppose. "I should say 'What a pity...for me!' As for the rest of you, congratulations! You all chose correct. Good job on spotting the traitor."

"Toya…" Chikasu said.

"Chikasu. Don't feel about about this. Part of me wanted this to happen." Toya said. "I spent all of my life towering above others. I was searching so desperately for a place where I can treat others like equals."

"Then...what you said when George got erased…" Chikasu said.

"That's right. All I really wanted was to accept and treat you all as equals. And in a way...I got my wish. I'm glad that the one who stood above me and casted judgment on me...was you." Toya said.

"Toya… I… I swear by your memory. I won't let your efforts be in vain." Chikasu said.

"You better not. If what you say is true, the entire multiverse is at stake. Don't waste your time with sentimentality. All we can do is follow the paths we believe in." Toya said. "I thought I was keeping up the deception pretty well, but the results speak for themselves. It's a pity, but I accept my defeat with grace. May we all meet again, in a better life…" he said as a beam hit him, causing him to vanish leaving behind his Materia.

"We did it again…" Yoko said. "How much longer do we have to keep doing this!?"

"We're murdering people… Their blood's on our hands…" Marco said.

"Don't be so quick to judge, Marco. We're not exactly sure if they're dead yet." Chikasu said.

"All the same, even if we save the world, c-can we say for sure we're doing the right thing?" Marco asked.

"I'm used to staring death in the face on the battlefield." Nagi said. "But… to take your comrade's life with your own hands…!"

"It's sad, I know… A few moments ago, we were allies. Enter this room, and we turn on each other." Chikasu said. "A pretty twisted system he's thought up."

"Do not worry, Toya. Your efforts won't be in vain." Sojiro said looking at the Materia that was left behind. "...Though that's a hollow sentiment in this current situation."

"Even if it's to save the world, I doubt we can go to Heaven after all this." Mana said. "We've stained our hands in far too much blood to be honored as heroes."

"David kind of thought that way as well, but look where he ended up." Chikasu said.

"Man, I've had it up to here with this crap… We might actually save the world, but I'll never be able to sleep at night again!" Agito said.

"Such a pain in the ass…! How much longer you gonna make us do this?" Zenji asked as The End appeared.

"Congratulations. You have all earned the right to continue onward now." The End said.

"Damn you!" Sho said.

"What's the point of all of this? Why do you insist we keep doing this?" Chikasu asked.

"If it's answers you seek, then continue your climb upward…" The End said. "Continue to select without being selected. I'll be waiting for you above…"

"We're coming, just you wait." Sho said. "We will survive…"

"And we will defeat you, for the sake of those that have been lost." Chikasu said.


A/N: And the results are in. I kinda felt like Toya layed suspicion on him with that comment earlier. I really don't want to do this or anyone else, Toya, but... It's votes that count. In this story, or at least my version of it... You're the traitor for this floor. ...I'm sorry. Anyway, I'll see you all next time.