EDIT 07/06/2022: Fixed some typos and extended a certain dialogue almost near the end, Kudos to Pecan Crisp for the later.
…I Would Choose You Over and Over Again.
"Alright! Before I get into details of what a Class Trial is, you guys must know that maaaaaybe a tiny, teeny, puny, little, diminutive, minuscule, insignificant, microscopic, bit―"
"Just get on with it!" An irritated Togami snarled.
Seeing the glares from the rest of the class signaling their agreement with the Heir, the monochrome bear conceded by dropping the 'pun' "Okay! Okay! Geez, you people get snarky so easily…" Monokuma proceeded to make a clearing throat sound before continuing "As I was saying…there's the chance that perhaaaps I might've forgotten about telling you guys the full details of the second part of the rule regarding graduation"
! ! !
Could it be…?
…Is he really going to explain rule 6 properly? I thought for sure that he was going to wait to use it as a trap for the first blackened regardless of my interference with this first murder attempt. Maybe he is switching gears into using it to motivate those who were wary of going with murder for the same reasons as I? I can't discard the possibility that I wasn't the only one who caught up on how ambiguous that rule has been up until now, so It's possible…
"If you people remember, on your first day here it was stated that you must kill someone if you want to leave. However…even if you do that, there's still one extra part in the agreement you have to uphold, ring any bells?"
"You are talking of the rule number 6 of the school regulations, yes?" It seems my suspicions weren't unfolded, if how quickly Celeste piped in after Monokuma finished that sentence is any proof "If you are the 'Blackened' that committed the murder, you can't be found out by the other students. That is what you are referring to, correct?"
Cheeringly raising his paws in celebration, the monochrome bear gave the gambler an enthusiastic nod "Ding! Ding! Ding! It's not enough to just kill someone. You have to actually get away with it! Which naturally means that there has to be a system in place to assess whether or not it's been gotten away with!"
He really is going to, huh? Alright, if he's willing to grant me access to the medium that will allow me a way to go after him this early, then so be it.
"So that's what you were talking about previously, what Maizono planned to do last night was only the first half of the process…" Togami mused.
Some classmates winced at that while the Idol opted to shrunk on her shoulders with a guilty expression coming back to haunt her.
Not like Monokuma cared, though "Yep! A certain amount of time after a murder takes place, a Class Trial will begin! Everyone will gather together, including the blackened who committed the murder. And they and the spotless students will all engage in one big debate showdown!"
…That goes with his usual modus operandi, I suppose. Not only getting satisfaction out of the killing itself but of the discord that such an event will plant and that will also flourish among the group during these 'Class Trials'
In between my musing, the monochrome bear continued "During these trials, you'll have to present your arguments about who you think the blackened is. And once everything comes to an end, the outcome will be decided by popular vote!"
I see, so this entire thing…this, Killing School Life, it's not only an arena of the physical sense, but also an intellectual one 'Well, of course you need a brain to pull an assassination in the first place, but these Class Trial require it in a more…pure sense so to speak'
And yes, it is a coliseum in its own sense. It will be a battle of keen intellect, deception, adaptability, force of will, cautiousness, and self-restraint. 'Huh, yesterday incident with those accusations towards me of being Genocider Syo and blaming the Holy Salvation Society as the responsible of this situation had their use, it appears"
They certainly gave me an insight into who my opponents are.
Togami, he certainly is above the average member of the group 'Not like it's that hard to get there, that much I can tell by what I have seen so far…'. He's perceptive and when he makes the effort for it, he's also capable of deception. However, while he can keep his calm most of the time, I have seen the slip-ups he has when something happens that he was previously assured of being otherwise.
Then there's his ego. That aspect of the Heir will be my best weapon against him, of that I have no doubt. As much as he claimed to be capable of seeing through my lies, it is a fact that yesterday when my motive was brought up among the group, all I needed to do was to play a bit around said ego to make him unintentionally help me sell my lie. Keeping an eye on opportunities like that will be of essence.
About Celeste, she certainly will be a trickier adversary. She is prone to seeing through certain deceptions, that much I know. But I haven't had the chance to test how well she is capable of detecting my lies. So far, I have been relying on ambiguous truths, half-truths, or partially avoiding questions, but a straight-up lie? That's unexplored territory and something I should only rely upon when every single other option gets discarded, an absolute last resort. Not only that, but I also need to be careful of deceptions she could make use of.
The dark horses of all this are going to be without a doubt Naegi and Maizono.
When it comes to Naegi, I have seen him show certain moments of lucidity from time to time, that combined with the recent events regarding Maizono, it is possible that some of his naivety has been wiped off 'It's too soon to know whether that's the case or not, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious about it', making him a sharper person than what he lets on at first glance.
That…and his talent. As the Ultimate Lucky Student, he hasn't shown something that could make him classify as such, but who knows, maybe his talent it's more complex than just having good luck all the time as it would initially suggest. I know he said that he gained his talent out of a lottery and that said talent isn't genuine…but I won't rely on my luck for that being the case.
As for Maizono…that intuition of hers, I need to be cautious of it. The fact that she hasn't commented or reacted to my inner thoughts, some of which involve my willingness to kill my classmates, makes it safe to assume she hasn't seen anything or much so far, something I need to keep that way.
…Saving her from becoming the Blackened ended up being a detriment to myself, eh?
And then last, but most important of all…
…Kirigiri.
What can I say about her that I haven't said before? She has all the strengths of all of the previously mentioned classmates with none of their weaknesses. Apart from that, it hasn't gone past me that beyond the bias of being the Ultimate Assassin, it appears she has suspicions about me.
Besides that intellect of hers, one of her most problematic traits is her capability to keep things on track. The silver-haired girl has proved capable of reigning onto the walking mass of chaos that are our classmates time and time again in a way none of the others can claim to be capable of.
Yes, Togami's talent should include leadership skills, but I highly doubt that his arrogance and the circumstances of this Killing Game would allow him to resort to that kind of cooperative mindset, and if he were to, it would be until he begins to panic, and by then, it would already be too late for him.
If I am completely honest with myself, I don't like my chances with her in the game. The first floor it's just way too small and limited to elaborate a murder plan capable of derailing her from smelling blood on me.
That's exactly why she's the one I have to get out of the picture.
Precise use of my presence erasure and speed will be of utmost importance, both of them to scout for an opportunity where Kirigiri is alone and to fabricate a false alibi, selling the illusion of me being somewhere else during the time the murder takes place.
While a nighttime murder would be easier to accomplish, people now know of me wandering around those hours. As far as they know, it has been just a one-time moment and it was to save a life, and while I'm confident that this will serve for the group to not point fingers at me on the first chance they get, I don't doubt that Togami and Celeste would still be cynical to believe in my good faith. Meanwhile, even if I'm capable of deceiving them into excusing me from not being there to save another life, I don't know if Kirigiri does still have any interest in leaving her room during those hours. After all, surely she has already explored all that there is to explore in this place available to us, right?
As for the murder itself, it has to be a place people frequent so the list of suspects grows 'Maybe the kitchen or the laundry room? The kitchen seems like a place where anyone could commit murder without a problem thanks to the tools available, so perhaps…', and I have to time it in a moment where the window of opportunity is moderately short while making sure that nobody sees me wandering around that area, that way, once I commit the deed, I can bolt out of there and 'appear' in a completely different location just in time for somebody else to find the body in the other side of the floor 'Perhaps I can arrange a meeting beforehand with Enoshima to fortify said alibi? Would that make it too over the top? I…I don't know, I'm not a fan of the idea of using her either, but…'. Fortunately for me, nobody has seen how truly fast I can be when push comes to shove, and the possibility of stains on my clothes shouldn't be a problem…I have way too much experience in dealing with clean kills.
During the class trial, I must never be the one leading the discussion towards pointing a culprit, I can't stay quiet either as both of those directions would eventually bring suspicion towards me, again, half and ambiguous truths will be important tools in my hands 'IF used carefully…'. All in all, the conclusion of who committed the murder is something that people have to come by themselves organically without me forcing it…either that or make use of a loud storm of discord and eccentricity that are my classmates, which without Kirigiri around, I doubt there will be anyone capable of taming.
Of course, this is just forming the base of the idea, there are details I have to polish like observing their routines, planning the times, looking for possible people to put the blame on, things like that. I need to take my time in forming a plan that while well crafted on the inside, appears 'sloppy' and desperate from the outside, making it hard to correlate with me…
…Sigh.
I detest the thought of that bastard's face when he gets his Class Trial, but it can't be helped, I need to get out of here, not only because of the grudge against the mastermind thing but also…
…Even if everything points toward both Maki and our orphanage being safe from this person, it is undeniable that he did indeed attacked one of which the Salvation Society owns, who's to say he didn't the same to others? Or that at some point he won't truly go after Maki? This person already has proved capable of breaching places even someone like Togami owns. The fact that the cult hasn't retaliated against it already proves that they are incapable of guaranteeing Maki's safety 'It's not like I was counting on them for that at any point though…'.
As much as I trust her capacity of taking care of herself, I don't like the idea of relying on that alone forever. I have to check on her and I can't afford the luxury of waiting months expecting a rescue that might as well never comes.
And why not, once outside I can be the one to help them escape…most of them. Perhaps they would resent me for 'betraying' them in the first place, which is something I couldn't care less about…well, with one exception, but…maybe…
…Maybe Enoshima will―
"―However…if you choose poorly…"
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…Huh…?
…He…He can't be serious…right?
"…Then the one got away with murder―"
It…it doesn't make any sense…
"―Will survive―"
It just doesn't! Everything so far points to this psycho wanting to prolong the suffering of everyone trapped here! S-Surely he can't imply―
"―And the rest of you will―"
―HE CAN'T! WHAT THE HELL IS HE THINKING!? It doesn't benefit him at all to have a first and single victor and make e-everyone e-else―
"―Receive your punishment. Which of course means your school life will come to an end!"
! ! ! ! ! !
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…
…H-He really went…and…and said it…
"As far as class trial rules go…that's all there is to it!"
…Apparently, most members of the class choose this moment to act as fucking stupid as Hiro and required clarification of…that "So, um…when you say 'punishment', what exactly are you referring to…?"
…Seriously, can't they even freaking figure that out?
Without hesitation, the monochrome bear replied to the Fanfic Creator "Oh! It's nothing complicated, what I'm talking about resumes to…"
…He's…He's saying that if I want to have any chance…any Hope of escaping this place, I…I…I―I―I―I―I―I―I―I―
"Execution!"
―I have to kill Enoshima too…
As soon as he said those words and I came to that conclusion, my brain tuned out my classmate's exclaims of surprise, fear, anger, and whatever other commotion or protest they were having right now, only managing to hear Maizono saying something about not meaning to at last. All of that in favor of…of trying to process…process the information that…that thing just gave us…
…Basically, if I were to fail a class trial, it would mean my execution. That much I know and even see the 'logic' behind it because losing a Class Trial would be the equivalent of breaking rule 6.
But to kill the entire class save for the blackened if he wins? Why? Just why? He clearly would gain much more of this…this…this fucking despair if he were to keep the game going even after someone escapes. It would make the remaining people more rabid for a way out…more desperate to commit a murder just like he wants. Why can't he see that!?
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…
…Of course, I'm just being a damn hypocrite claiming all of that. The only reason this bothers me at all is because…because…because…
…Because of Enoshima.
This scumbag is telling me that to leave this place I…I-I have to…t-to k-kill…kill…E-Enoshima. '…When was the last time I hesitated to say that word…? Has it ever happened before…?'
If I were to win a Class Trial that would be the exact same as taking her life with my own hands. As an Assassin I'm not inexperienced with indirect kills, this is about the same and I'm not stupidly naïve to believe otherwise…
…
…Why…?
…Why I couldn't stop myself from acting like a blind fool?
…Why I couldn't avoid bonding with someone inside this place?
…Why the person I bonded with had to be her of all people?
…Why do things have to come to this…?
I-I must…w-what…? What…just what the heck I am supposed to do…?
…
…
…
…At the end of the day there's just one answer, right?
…I―
"W-Wait, hold on a second!" A feminine voice brought me out of my stupor.
It was…
…Enoshima…?
W-What…?
W-What is she doing…?
"You're freaking insane, you know that!?" Enoshima…she…she continued.
"Hmm?" The robotic bear questioned.
"A Class Trial? What the hell are ya talking about!? I don't want anything to do with it!"
What the hell is she doing!?
"Why not?"
"What do ya mean why not!? Why do I have to waste my time trying participating on that crap!"
S-She…she does understand the shit she's getting into, r-right!? She couldn't be that impulsive to forget―
…Right, for a moment I forgot about that, kind of happens when I get angry, y'know?
When the hell are we gonna get out of here!?
Hey! Whatever dumb bastard trapped us in here, are you listening!? When are you gonna let us OUT!?
…
…
…She is…S-S-She is that impulsive…
I was about to move out of my spot and rush towards Enoshima to call her out of it, when…
…When the information of just a few moments ago came back to me…
Once a Class Trial is won by the blackened…everyone besides that person will get executed.
The only way I will get out of here is by killing everyone trapped in this place…
"What!? Are you saying you're going to refuse in attending these Class Trials…EVEN when there hasn't been one in the first place!? Such blasphemy can only be answered with a punishment!"
SHIT!
"W-What? Punishment!?" 'Will that be enough to make her back down!?'
"I might…I dunno, throw you in a deep, dark, scary prison or something!"
Who does that shithead think he's fooling!? That's obviously a lie! Thanks to yesterday's lack of a murder, I don't doubt that piece of shit is thirsting for a kill! E-Everyone can see that, r-right!? No one would believe―
"Shut the hell up! Say whatever you want, I'm not gonna be part of this!"
―FUCK!
"Don't be so selfish!"
"You're the one being selfish! Do whatever you want, that junk got nothing to do with me!"
FUCK! SHIT! FUCK! SHIT! FU―
"The evil standing here before me…I'm trembling with fear…! B-But I won't give in to such darkness! It's my style to stick it out and resist till the very end…!"
J-Just what the hell I am suppose to do!? Will…Will it fucking make a difference!? N-No it won't…the…the moment I get out of here, she―
"If you really wanna get out of here you will have to go through me first!" Was all that thing said before wobbling towards Enoshima 'S-Someone… S-Surely someone will see where this is going and prevent Enoshima from going with it, right!? RIGHT!?'
…
…
…No…no one was doing anything. All they were doing was standing there like useless fools. 'What right do I have to say that bullshit!?'
B-But then again…what…what does it matter? It…It would be only a delay of the inevitable, right? There's nothing―
"Gyumeh!" Monokuma groaned…as Enoshima stomped on him…breaking rule 5…
…N-N-no…
"Are you enjoying yourself now?" Enoshima asked…completely ignorant of what she has just done.
"…Are you?"
…I-It's already over, r-right? I-I should no longer bother with this…after…after all, there are more important things in my life, right? Maki is out there and I need to make sure she's okay, and here? What reason could I have to care―
Hehehe…Ya know…there's something about you. I don't get sick of talking to you, like I do most people.
As long as I keep looking for a dream…as long as I am capable of even that, maybe that's enough to be happy…
Maybe we can look for one together!
Once we get outta here I'm gonna need to look for this new dream of mine and you said that you lack one in the first place, right? Looking for a dream together…that would be, like, two confirmed kills with one bullet! Isn't it perfect!?
Hehehe, seriously Shigaraki, you truly are lucky for knowing me, aren't you?
…
…
…
…I'm sorry…
…I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorr―
"…H-Huh?"
I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORR―
"Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is not allowed, didn't I said so? And you've just violated a school regulation…"
―I'M SORRY MAKI! This…this failure of a brother is going to disappoint you for the umpteenth time…
"I invoke the mighty summon spell!"
Because I just can't allow―
"Help!"
―That fucker―
"To me, godly spear of Gungnir!"
―TO TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!
*FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* *FWOOSH*
"WHAT!?"
"Eeeeeeek!"
"What…What is this!?"
"The fuck!?"
"What the heck!?"
"N-No way…!"
That and other types of horrified cries were heard among the class due to the inconceivable scene that unfolded before them…
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…Zero.
Point.
Four.
One.
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…0.
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4.
1.
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…Kill…
…That's…
…That's a word I have spent more than half of my life coexisting with. Since such a young age I have killed and killed and killed and killed and killed and killed and―The point is, that word is a term I've heard and applied so many times that I have become numb to it and what it implies…
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…Death…
…That's another word I'm used to. As an Assassin, I'm no stranger to seeing people die, even less when it's at my hands, and as the Ultimate Assassin, I have seen thousands of lives leave before my own eyes. Some begged me, others cursed me, and some just dedicated to cry or scream in frustration. Those were the rare ones, most of the time I didn't even gave them the time to do any of that, I have to prioritize discretion when committing an Assassination after all.
Regardless of all that though, I remember with clarity what I feel when seeing those people die.
Nothing.
Good, bad, young, old, female, male, full of hope, nothing but despair…I have seen thousands of lives of all kinds vanish forever in front of me and I. Have. Felt. Nothing…
…
…
…But…
…When…
…When I look down…and see…
…When I see in my arms…at the trembling girl I'm holding in them, that would've died if I had hesitated 0.41 more seconds, I just couldn't control the primal horror that washed over my entire body.
Enoshima…she could've died…
Just behind me, I could almost feel the cold caressing of the spears meant to impale her entire body, a despairful monument of what her destiny was meant to be if I had hesitated for zero freaking point forty-one extra seconds…
…I had long since lost the fear of death…and when it comes to my own, that still holds true…
…But it seems that she 'Death, that is…' couldn't let that stay that way, and forced its sick claws to take hold of me somewhere. If not fear of my own death…then at least fear of seeing one of the only two people I care about in this world die…
…Death is a jealous bitch, huh?
"…H-Huh? Wha…W-Wha is this…? T-That wasn't supposed to…" Enoshima stuttered while looking to her right, observing the lances that rose out of the floor and were viciously intended to end her life just a few seconds ago.
And hearing her voice also brought with it a whole new set of emotions seeking to consume me. Fear, hatred, guilt, self-loathing and so many more acting like wild and hungry animals looking to be the one to break my spirit.
Because of that, I put my mind into overwork to focus on the one feeling that should take focus at the moment…
…And that would be relief.
Relief that Enoshima was breathing, she…Enoshima was alive and I would do as much as defy the entire world if that meant keeping it that way.
Although even if that was the case "…E…E-Enoshima…are…are you okay?"
I had to make sure, I-I was sure that I dashed fast enough so that neither I nor she received an injury, but a confirmation… I-I needed confirmation from herself that she hadn't even a scratch.
It seems my voice brought her out of her daze as she snapped her head in my direction with an even paler than usual skin and wide eyes, all the while her mouth could only form a shaky "… H-H-H-Huh…?"
I replied at that with all the patience of the world and with a more reassuring tone of voice "Are you okay, Enoshima? Do you feel any injuries somewhere?"
She did nothing but stare at me for a few seconds before finally understanding my question, she slowly but surely began to check for any abnormality in the upper and middle part of her body, her current position making it impossible to check on anywhere under her thighs.
But after confirming for myself that such area lacked any sign of blood or wounds and that Enoshima did the same in the aforementioned areas, she once again turned towards me "…I…I…I-I'm alive…"
That's not what I asked her, but it was enough for me. The small smile growing on my face was proof of it "I see…that's good to hear"
And it seems that our little chat also woke everyone out of whatever spell that previously froze them.
"…W-Wha…W-What the frigging hell…?" The Baseball Star stuttered.
"T-Those fucking spears appeared out of nowhere…" I heard Owada mumble.
"A-And if Shigaraki hadn't reacted just…just in time, J-Junko…she…" Maizono trailed off.
I couldn't avoid grimacing at that.
Just in time.
…If hadn't been that much of a freaking idiot, things wouldn't have gotten to this point in the first place.
I heard footsteps approaching, and even if I had my back on them, I could asses that whoever this person belonged them to, they stopped just in front of the spears. The next thing they did was to tap them and then "…E-Eh? H-Hold on…W-W-W-WAIT A MOMENT! T-T-These spears! T-They are real!? Then that means…!" I could see from the corner of my eyes Hiro proceeding to look in my direction with a haunted look "That means that everything so far has been real!? It's not a joke!? It's really really real, a-and…and Shigaraki-chi is…is he really the Ultimate Assassin!? Hell no! S-S-SOMEONE SAVE ME! LET ME OUTTA HERE! SOMEBODY HELP ME! ! !"
Even in a moment like this I would've joined in my classmate's exasperation of Hiro finally accepting that nothing of what has happened so far was false…I would've indeed been willing to do that if it wasn't because…
"Hm? What are you rambling about? Of course this is real! Did you perhaps hit your head as a child, is that it?" A pitch voice commented.
The moment that voice reached my ears, the smile I had on my face turned into a thin line.
From behind me, the sound of someone dusting itself was made itself known, and not so long after, tiny steps followed "…Anyhow, there are more important matters that need my care"
Another step and my expression turned into a frown.
"Credit where is due Shigaraki, just a bit faster and I would have you collecting rings all around the school"
Another step and it turned into a scowl.
"And I certainly didn't expect you to be in your rebellious phase, I thought that cult of yours were professionals in wiping that from their toys"
Another step and I was gritting my teeth.
"But here we are, with you once again playing Hero, only this time with the intention of rescuing your not-so girlfriend, trying to save her from her stupidity for breaking the rules in a fit of fury. Unfortunately for you…"
Another step and my anger towards him was multiplying at an exponential speed.
"…I was pretty clear about my opinion on rulebreakers and what does happen to them once I have my eyes set on them. Sooooo…unless you wanna join her for this new recipe involving kebabs I'm planning to try, I suggest you to drop her and back away" Monokuma said, finally stopping in front of me.
"W-W-What!?" Enoshima cried out.
"N-No…" Fujisaki mumbled.
"You bastard!" Ogami followed with a growl.
"No! You can't do that!" While Hina protested.
The monochrome bear looked behind me while holding its paws in its mouth "Upupupu, oh, I believe that yes, I can! I'm your headmaster and as such, it is within my right to be capable of applying punishments to those who refuse to follow the rules. I was pretty serious about that, y'know? Now…" Monokuma turned once again towards me "…Times ticking, golden eyes. Drop her nice and easy…or do it roughly, it is completely fine for me either way"
As soon as he finished talking, ordering me to leave Enoshima to her death, that worked as a trigger for me to release my pent-up hatred towards him in cold fury.
For me to unleash genuine killing intent that made the one I released on the first day seem like child's play in comparison. It got to the point of making my body twitch everywhere, one could almost see the spiky lines surrounding my entire being.
And so, ignoring the whimpers from some of my classmates behind me, I addressed the monochrome bear "…No, I will not allow you to do anything to her, you fucking waste of space"
"Whoa! I didn't know you were capable of swearing! And that dangerous energy surrounding you…Uwaaah! I try to vanquish an evildoer from this world, and the leader of the League of Villains itself comes to its rescue! But I will not falter, my heroic heart will do everything in its power to follow its righteous path!" The next thing he did was puff out his chest in a pseudo-heroic pose "That, I swear! Or my name is not―"
! ! ! ! ! !
I quickly sidestepped to my left.
"Eep!"
"―Handsome Mono―Arghhh!" Monokuma cried out…as a spear perforated his belly, impaling him into the ground.
I didn't give it any more thought than that as I leaped a few meters back, retreating towards the rest of the group while giving a quiet "Sorry" every time Enoshima yelped because of my sudden moves. 'It was adorable, I admit, but this was not the time to think about that…'
While everyone gave me surprised looks, Yamada piped in "Oooh! You can jump like a ninja, Master Shigaraki!? You have to teach―"
*BOOOOOOOOOM*
As Monokuma exploded and some classmates gave their respective cries of either surprise or shock, I looked behind me, and up on the ceiling with narrowed eyes…towards the harpoon poking out of a tile to be more precise.
I didn't hear it.
Not when it was coming out of the ceiling, not when it was loading, and neither when it shoot. Based on the direction from which that spear was coming and where it ended up striking Monokuma, I can say without a doubt that it was meant to perforate my skull if I had moved not much more than a second late. 'It didn't go unnoticed by me that his stupid monologue was also a way to distract me and lower my guard…'
I suppose I have to thank both my spatial awareness and danger detection for that one.
"What the hell, man!? Another one of these things!?" Leon commented while looking at the spear surrounded by the remains of Monokuma.
"Explosions again!? Waaaaah! Superman, Thor, Spiderman, Zeus, protect me! ! !" Hiro screamed. 'Now he accepts those are real too…'
"Eeeek! I-Is that thing trying to turn this place into some kind of battlefield or w-what!?" Fukawa cried out.
And almost as in on cue, a new Monokuma popped out of the stage while fuming in my direction and stomping his feet on the ground "Hey! That there are a ton of Monokumas to spare doesn't mean that I enjoy exploding again and again. I don't have insurance if you must know, so I would appreciate it if you don't dodge the next spear wanting to make a nice home on your skull, alright?"
No one found his sense of humor worth a laugh it seems, Ogami being a clear proof of that "Dishonorable scum, how dare you use such a trick in an attempt to kill Shigaraki!" And it seems she also put the two and two together of what he tried to do.
Monokuma for his part, just waved off her protest between giggles "Attempt to kill him? Ohohohoho, I knew something like that wouldn't kill him, it wouldn't be his first rodeo dealing with stuff like that. No, that was…"
While the atmosphere tensed up, the monochrome bear spoke with a more no-nonsense tone of voice while focusing his gaze on me "…A warning shot. Yeah, I admit it was amusing watching you act all emotional for a bit, breaking your usual stoic self, but playtime is over, I wasn't messing around when I said that freckles over there has an appointment with the reaper and you have a first-row seat to watch it happen"
This son of a bitch "If you think for a moment that I will―!"
"You will what? You don't seem to get it, so let me put it in a way that good-for-nothing-but-murder brain of yours understand: Everything I have shown so far? It's not even close to the tip of the iceberg. I have traps upon traps upon traps upon traps upon more and more traps, each more lethal than the previous one all around the school, some even specifically designed to deal with you, such honor, eh? Let's say you keep up with them for a few minutes or let's be generous and say a pair of hours, both options lead to the same conclusion anyways. You will eventually tire; you won't be capable of avoiding them forever and even less with that extra weight you will carry around" The bear spat while pointing at Enoshima "What will follow after that? A useless death, because you followed up with a useless act of defiance, all to protect an even more useless person, do you see that as a worthy waste of time? Really? I don't think as such, so here's the deal: Let her die or die with her, nothing more, nothing less…"
A hollow silence was everything that followed such declaration, a despairful ultimatum made by our 'Headmaster' in which either one life is lost or the number goes up to two, with zero room for negotiations against that.
And me? I…I…
…I can't make a rebuttal against that, what he said is true. By no means do I have low stamina, quite the opposite as it's one of my stronger traits…but that doesn't equal an unlimited one. Sooner or later, something he throws will eventually catch up to me 'That's not even talking about those traps he mentioned that are designed against me, I have no way of knowing is he's bluffing or not…', even more so because of how limited we are on just the first floor of this place, and once that happens everything will spiral out of my control…and that would be it.
A fruitless endeavor as he pointed out.
I looked down…on the girl I'm holding in my arms, and…and I fought the lump that was developing on my stomach when I saw the resigned look she was giving me, silently telling me what is on her mind right at this moment, the decision she was about to make know for everyone to hear.
But even that wasn't enough for this asshole, was it? He had to go and throw more salt on the wound "Such a tragic end, I know, but it can't be helped: Rules are rules, they are meant to follow as they are written or face the consequences of wronging them"
…Then there are those rules…
…Those damnable rules, which if it weren't for them, I would've ripped that grin of his apart, again and again, no matter how many copies of himself it owns, even better, nothing of this shit would've happened.
All because of these fucking rules only meant to kill―
! ! !
…
…
…
…Wait a moment…
…The rules…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…Maybe…
…Perhaps there is a way…
…I'm risking it way too much with this move…
…However, the alternative only guarantees mine and Enoshima's death, this idea at least gives me a chance.
Either it works or it doesn't, there will be no middle ground for it.
"It may not seem like it, but I am a busy bear, are you going to give up on her or―"
"No" I declared with a firm and less murderous tone of voice.
The bear blinked a few times before sighing and shrugging at my negation "…*sigh* Stubborn to the very end, huh? Well, at least your body will have to make up for the one you already denied me. I suppose I will mark you as another rule breaker and―"
"You will not do that either"
That made him look at me blanky for a few moments before tilting his head "Hah? Is your brain melting as we speak? If you keep with that, then I don't even know why I am bothering in explaining to you that the rules―"
! ! !
There!
"It is precisely because of those rules that you will not lay a finger on her and you will stop any retaliation against me"
If my actions so far hadn't brought everyone's attention by now, then this sure as hell did.
That blank look of his came back with vengeance and it didn't change from there as he spoke "…That I will not harm you because of the rules? What are you talking about?"
…This is it…
Taking a few breaths to neutralize the tension from my body, I steeled myself "…Tell me…which one of your rules says that I couldn't prevent Enoshima's punishment from killing her?"
"…Huh?" The monochrome bear intelligently asked.
"I repeat, which rule forbids me from doing what I did?"
"…H-H-Huh!?"
Ignoring his growing panic, I addressed the rest of the group while keeping my eyes on the monochrome bear "Do any of you guys know of any 'school' regulation that prohibits my actions?"
Before I finished that sentence, I was already hearing the furious swipe of the e-handbook screen from behind me "―All remaining students will be executed―No! Not a single one of the regulations is even close to implying that a fellow classmate can't lend a saving hand and prevent someone else from dying!" The Ultimate Moral Compass exclaimed.
"Yeah! None of those shitty rules says that the dude couldn't save the chick!" Owada added.
The Ultimate Programmer of all people brought out the courage to give a protest of 'her' own "Y-Y-Yes! There is nothing wrong with what Shigaraki did!"
As more and more agreements with my line of thought appeared, Monokuma's surprise turned into anger "Grrrr! Who asked for your guy's opinion!? And regardless of that, even if this guy over hasn't broken any rule, miss flat chest still has to receive a punishment―"
Putting aside my annoyance at that last part and Enoshima's "H-Hey!", I interrupted him before he gained more bravado "Which she already did. This procedure you speak of has already happened: Enoshima broke a rule, in consequence to that you launched those Spears of Gungnir against her as a punishment, then I interfere with said punishment, which because nothing is written against it in your regulations, I am allowed to do, and thus thanks to my interference, Enoshima survived her punishment, which again, nothing in your rules forbids from happening"
"Y-You―!"
"Did anything of what I said was incorrect?" I taunted with narrowed eyes.
That followed a glaring contest between me and the bear, with me daring him to prove me wrong while he tried and failed to make me cower under his bright red and murderous eyes. This silent confrontation lasted for around a minute 'Which admittedly felt like hours…' until a new voice joined the fray.
"…Hmmm, while everything the Assassin said sounds like a solid argument, I recall that the stuffed animal talked of a harsher punishment than what the biker's act of aggression merited, did he not?" Togami mused.
…Tch.
Reactions to that commentary were soon to follow, beginning with the Lucky Student "T-Togami!?"
"What the hell are ya doing, dumbass!?" The Baseball Star snapped.
"You fucking bitch, you had to open your goddamn mouth, didn't ya!?" Owada growled.
Meanwhile, the Heir's commentary gained a wicked grin from Monokuma "Upupupupu, as expected of Togami, nothing goes past him, does it? Yes, it is as he just said, the next punishment was meant to be worse than the previous one, as such―"
"―And it already was" I immediately countered.
"OH! C'MON! ARE YOU JUST GONNA KEEP INTERRUPTING ME!?"
If it is to ensure Enoshima's safety, yes.
I highly doubt that what Togami said was meant to help, but I can make use of that too "First and foremost, as I've been repeating, regardless of what you said, that was never written in those rules of yours, whether you forgot about it or otherwise, I don't know and I couldn't care less about―"
"Objection! It may not be in those regulations, but I warned about it beforehand! So, I refuse to accept that argument, refuse I say!"
I resisted the urge to scowl as I continued "…Then even if we take such warning at face value, it can't be denied that Enoshima's penalty for disobeying the regulations was much worse than what Owada went through"
"What!? How!?"
"Her punishment consisted in you attempting to impale her with those spears that appeared from the ground, even putting aside the infections that could bring being perforated by even one of them, such attack against her would've been much more painful than an instant death an explosion provides"
"XANADU!"
I hated that this topic was making Enoshima's face blanch while it was also forcing her to release a few whimpers, but I had to keep going, for her sake "And if that wasn't enough, in the miraculous chance that she had survived that, the wounds coming from something like that would've made her bleed to death, adding extra agony to her punishment"
"ZANADU!"
"So yes, her punishment was much worse than Owada's one…but with your regulations, neither denying the possibility of someone interfering with a punishment and for a rule-breaker to survive it, it is completely fine for Enoshima to walk without a scratch on her"
"SHENGDU!...G-Guh, e-even if it wasn't written…It was implied since the beginning that breaking the rules equals death, that's why―!"
"Then are you going to kill yourself?"
"W-WHAT!? What are you talking―"
"I don't doubt that the person who controls you is the same one in charge of the traps, and if you remember just a few moments ago, the spear intended towards my head ended up attacking Monokuma instead, breaking the rule number 5"
"AUNEGDU!"
"That's the same rule Enoshima broke, meaning that if you are still intended to punish her with a death penalty, then that same death penalty applies to you"
"FAXANADU!"
"All of that happened working around your rules, following along with this game of yours fair and square, and if you attempt to invalidate my claim, then you might as well invalidate all of this Killing School Life in its entirety, as you will be making it pointless for anyone to follow the rules or to participate in your game. After all, if you aren't willing to respect your own rules now, then what guarantee there is that you will do so in the future? That, at the very least, would surely scare future blackeneds, putting your game on a standstill"
"GAH!" The monochrome bear groaned one last time before slumping down and going silent.
That didn't make me relax, if anything, it brought back my previous tension and doubled it. Everything I said was backed with solid arguments, yes…but only if the person controlling Monokuma actually gives a damn about their rules or keeping up with this Killing School Life. I have zero evidence to prove that such is the case, for all I know, they could just say 'No' to my rebuttal and launch everything it has against me and Enoshima.
I couldn't help but look at the still figure of Monokuma with growing dread, waiting for his verdict, and with my body ready to make a retreat in case he turns hostile. It may be a futile endeavor…but…but it is what it is…
My tension multiplied when I saw his robotic body twitch as if coming back to life. A jerk here and there, and his head snapped up until it turned in my direction. Following that, he finally spoke…
…But…
"…Pu…"
…This time…something about it…was different, if I were to put it into words, it was almost as if a mask was ripped off, if only partially.
"…Upu…upupu…upupupupu, maaan that sure as heck was a rebuttal showdown right there! Not even a chance to make a counter of my own against that big…and thick…logic of yours!" Ugh "All this time, and I never knew of this side you just showed! Like seriously, I have always taken you for a blind lov―Ah! I already said too much! A bit more and…well…let's not go back there, alright?"
…What? That sounded as if he knew―It doesn't matter, at least not right now, there are bigger priorities that I need to take care of.
Like making sure Monokuma stops trying to kill Enoshima, for example.
"…*Ahem* *Ahem* In any case…" It seems he is going to put that weird moment 'By his standards…' aside "…As much as I hate to admit it, you actually brought some valid points, that, and it's too early to have serious talks about ending our precious Killing Game, more so when things are just barely beginning to get spicy, don't you think?"
This time it was Enoshima who spoke "…E-Erm, so…does that mean that I…?"
I don't like at all how much he took to reply "…*sigh* Yeah, yeah, Shigaraki saved your ass, you can go suck his face in a corner when nobody is looking…"
…That's…that's not what this is about…
"W-What!? I…I-I d-don't…we…w-we aren't l-like―"
"Oh, shut it! That's not my problem and neither I am in the mood to care about it! Just have clear in that thick head of yours that you or anyone else who breaks the rules next time, will have an immediate date with Miss Mitrailleuse, which will leave you full of holes so quick that no argument will get you out of that one, c'est compris?"
While Enoshima gave a quick nod at the monochrome bear, I opted for staring at him for a pair of seconds before allowing myself to leave some tension out of my body…but only a little, I still like feel like it's too early for―
"Ah, one more thing…" Monokuma said in a calmer voice as he addressed me again.
That did nothing but ring more alarm bells in my head.
"While it is true that you saved her from turning into a salad skewer…" I scowled at that 'I already long since burned the option of hiding my low opinion of him…' "…If you think that there won't be consequences from all those ruses you have already pulled so far, then you are naïve, super naïve! Devilishly naïve! HELLISHLY NAÏVE!" The bear howled while raising his paws "You know…I was planning to use That until much later into the game, but I strongly agree with you on the fact that I have to keep things balanced while you also clearly need a reminder of why it's a terrible idea to poke a bear"
…That makes sense, it would have been weird if he had just let me go just like that.
"Okay, that about covers it all…well, there's actually something else, but I'm getting sick of looking at your faces, so we will talk about that tomorrow, yeah? Yeah, fantastic, whatever…see ya!" And with that, he was finally gone.
For who knows how many times in the last dozen minutes, I kept myself steeled for a few seconds waiting for any last-minute hazard Monokuma was to throw at me. When it never came…I didn't relaxed at all, but I allowed myself to give a sigh of relief.
Finally…Enoshima was out of danger.
Either way, standing here was of no use. Because of that, I turned around and…
…
…
…
…Eh?
I admit that it was a bit strange that a group so loud as the one I'm surrounded with stayed silent for so long, but at the time that was way too low on my list of things to care about, so I didn't gave it much thought about the lack of usual eccentricity in the last few minutes…
…That changed entirely once Enoshima was no longer in peril and turned to my classmates and saw…their expressions.
Gobsmacked would be an understatement.
Kirigiri was giving those stares of hers, that while lacking hostility it was quite intense. Although when I locked eyes with her, she dropped it for her trademark pensive pose while looking aside.
Fujisaki was looking at me with so much wonder that I could almost see stars growing out in 'her' eyes.
Strange.
Hiro…he seemed terrified of me. 'Took him long enough for that, I suppose…'
The rest either had their mouths hung open, wide eyes, or a combination of the two.
It was…weirding me out if I am honest.
"…What?" In the end, I decided to ask flatly and with my brows furrowed what was their deal.
That brought them out of their daze and ready to answer my question. I…certainly didn't expect their following reactions, that's for sure.
"Shigaraki, that…that was amazing!" Naegi cheered.
Huh?
"Yep! How you kept Junko away from that jackass of a bear was awesome! Man, I wish a guy cared that much about me too…" Hina commented with a pout.
Said comment was followed by a grinning from ear-to-ear Owada "Hell yeah, dude! You put that piece of shit in its place to defend your chick! That was manly as fuck!"
…
…
…Enoshima…she…we…i-it's not like that…I-I just really care about her because she means a lot to me―A-As my best friend, of course! She's a really important friend…that I felt really warm both the moment I saw she hadn't received any scar and when I finally managed to save her in its totality, can absolutely happen when talking about a friend, it doesn't necessarily mean anything else…right?
…
…
…
…I will deal with that later…much, much later…
"…Manly…" I heard Fujisaki repeat.
"H-Hey d-dude, w-we are cool, right? You aren't here to c-collect my organs as payment for those debts I-I have, right!?" Hiro stuttered.
No one was paying attention to him though "It was indeed a marvelous display of camaraderie! Once again, by who knows how many times in the last twenty-four hours you have saved this group from its doom, truly a Heroic quality!" Taka exclaimed.
"Ufufufu, I always knew that Master Shigaraki had the traits of a Hero, but alas, being ignored by its peers is the curse of the greatest artists through history" Yamada added.
…Hero…I've been called that a few times already, and every time it happens…I dislike the word more and more.
My actions so far have been only for my own interests…and because of Enoshima. Besides that new addition, the only thing that has changed is that because of those rules regarding the Class Trials, I have to stay here. I understand that things could take at some point a turn for the worse for Maki if I keep myself in this place for too long, but…but…but right now until I find another alternative to escape, Enoshima is in more immediate danger…which is why, as my best friend, I have to protect her.
Though any more internal musings were interrupted by a tugging on my shirt.
That made me panic for a fraction of a second before looking down…and seeing that Enoshima was fine, but she was nervously wriggling around my arms while holding her own around her chest as her face heated up by the second.
…
"…U-Um, S-Shigaraki…m-maybe you should, y-y'know?"
"…Mhm…right…" I hesitantly said before slightly crouching down to allow her feet to touch the ground.
Once she was standing on her own, I followed up.
"…"
"…"
"…Shigaraki" Enoshima addressed me again.
…D-Don't tell…Is she actually injured!? "Yes? What's wrong?"
"…Y-You know what? It's nothing…I'm…I'm fine staying this way…"
…Staying this way…? What does she mean by that? Could it be that―
! ! !
…My left hand…there's something, warm and soft around it.
I gave an inconspicuous look down on said location, and saw…another hand intertwined with mine, Enoshima's hand to be more specific.
…
…
…Oh.
…W-Well if says it's fine… A-A-A-And in case of a surprise attack, having her this close to me will guarantee my chances of keeping her safe, it can't be helped, right?
As not for the first time, and I doubt that it would be for the last time either, I was giving excuses to myself about the why of my actions, Celeste joined in the…conversation? "…My, while it's good to celebrate Shigaraki's most recent actions…" Then she turned towards Enoshima "…I believe that congratulations are in order"
Enoshima opted to give her a look while her brows furrowed "…Congratulations?"
"Yes, a congratulations, if not, what else is there to say when your gamble paid so handsomely" The gambler replied.
That made me also narrow my eyes while Enoshima looked warily and with some irritation at Celeste "Excuse me? Gamble? What are ya talking about?"
The gothic lolita gave me a quick look before turning again to Enoshima "…Right, I suppose that you will have your way of referring to it, but if you must know, I was talking about taking the risk of befriending the most dangerous member of our group"
Enoshima turned from wary to angry "Hey! I don't know what's up inside that head of yours, but Shigaraki and I―"
"As I said, refer to it as you please, I don't have any right to reprimand you for that, quite the opposite, I wanna commend you. I, along with surely a not-so-small amount of the group, were skeptical about how this bonding between you and Shigaraki was going to end up, but seeing that such a bet won you the biggest of prices just a few moments ago, that is to say, your very life, then…congratulations Enoshima, you gained a very powerful ally inside this place"
…I suppose that was a way to look at things, I mean even if you put aside her wording, she is not wrong.
I saw that Enoshima looked like she wanted to say something to me with a slightly panicked look on her face, but it appears that Celeste was not done "As for you, Shigaraki…"
I just raised an eyebrow, a pseudo-signal of sorts to tell her I was listening, if only adamantly.
Not that she minded that though "I hope you understand that your actions today will have retaliation from the hands of our captor. It is true that we haven't seen that much yet, but I couldn't help but wonder how truly powerful he is"
It appears the Heir took that to give his own piece "She does bring an interesting point"
"Holy shit, man…your freaking mouth put the girl at risk of getting killed, why the hell are you still talking?" Leon snapped.
"Hmph, as if she needed my helped for that to happen…" I don't know if Owada's fuming glare was having any effect on him, but I sure hope for his own good that mine was actually having it "…And in case you forgot, the Assassin twisted the words I used at that moment to further pull his ruse, did he not?"
Seeing that such last-moment statement saved his skin 'One can only hope there's a limit to his lack of self-awareness…', he continued with what he was previously saying "Monokuma said something about using That, I am curious of what he was talking about"
"That's an actual good point. Monokuma said that it was something he initially planned to use until 'late into the game', I wonder what does that mean…" Ogami commented.
"B-But whatever it is…it can't be that bad, right?" Hina innocently asked.
*Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding*
And in cue, as soon as she said that, everyone's E-Handbooks ringed.
…Sigh, of course, someone had to jinx it didn't they?
Deciding that it wasn't worth it to mull over that, I brought my E-Handbook out, turned it on, and having the suspicions that this ring signaled the addition of a new rule, I checked that section.
I only spared a few seconds to observe each new rule added recently. Beginning with the new rule number 7, then the 8th rule, the 9th, and then―
The collective gasps around the room made me turn at them before I managed to see what is the rule 10 about.
"Is this shit for real!?" Owada exclaimed.
"Oh? Our captor is certainly taking his previously declared threat seriously, interesting..." Togami commented.
"U-Uh…Master Shigaraki, p-perhaps it would be of your interest to see this…" Yamada mumbled.
"H-He can't be serious…" The Ultimate Lucky student added.
When I saw the worried looks some members of the group 'Enoshima considerably more intensely than the rest…' were giving me, I decided to look again in my own E-Handbook and see what caused this commotion.
…
…
…
…
…
…Huh.
I can see why Monokuma said That was intended as a late-game feature, it certainly does make more sense later rather than sooner…as you sure as hell wouldn't expect that he would put a rule like this one before any murder happens:
* If someone becomes the 'BLACKENED' by killing Shizuka Shigaraki, this person will gain the perk 'Slayer of Assassins' which allows him to graduate along with HALF of the surviving students without the need for a class trial.
Though I can't deny this does indeed 'balance' things either.