Side: Hope Episode 1

Tokyo, Japan

18:37 PM

Just another day in the Tragedy

The world has become a desolate wasteland with little life in sight. But beyond the city lies a shelter for the last symbols of hope. A school standing in the centre of Tokyo. A would-be utopia for talent.

Hope's Peak Academy. This was where it all began… and where the Ultimate Hope was born.

BGM: Beautiful Dead

It all began as a government funded institution designed to bring in high school students who were said to be the very best in their discipline. Known as Ultimates, these students were brought on to raise hope for the world and once they graduated, they were guaranteed the strongest positions in society.

BGM: The Biggest Tragic Event in Human History

However, it was not to last. Standing amongst the student body was the Ultimate Despair, Junko Enoshima. She, along with her twin sister Mukuro Ikusaba, began to inspire despair within the students and used her influence to breed chaos.

Spreading their malice, Junko and her followers started a killing spree in the school. The scourge released on Hope's Peak soon spread all over the world creating an event known as the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History. Also known as the Tragedy.

BGM: Desire for Execution

Within a few months the world plunged into chaos. Junko had gotten what she wanted. However, she and Mukuro did not follow their disciples to spread despair outside. Instead, they locked themselves inside Hope's Peak with the A section of its 78th class. Amongst the students was a young boy, Makoto Naegi. He was a thorn in Junko's side.

Inside the school, Makoto found death, despair, and the secret of the outside world. A secret obscured due to memory loss inflicted by Junko. He also discovered Mukuro's treachery, as she had been disguised as her sister, only to be betrayed herself and executed.

BGM: Super High-School Despair-inducing Punishment

In the end, Makoto and his friends defeated Junko, causing her to feel the despair she desired and for everything she had built to be destroyed.

And that's where our story begins.

The story of Makoto Naegi continues

BGM: DANGANRONPA (The Animation)

Based on characters created by Spike Chunsoft and Kazutaka Kodaka

Music by Masafumi Takada and Siknakaliux

Additional music from

Zero Escape by Shinji Hosoe

Beyond Good and Evil by Christophe Héral

Silent Hill by Akira Yamaoka

Your Turn to Die by Nankidai

The Last of Us by Gustavo Santaolalla

Danganronpa: Despair's Survival Road of Hope

Prologue -Prelude to Despair-

Hope's Peak Academy Entrance Hall

21:37PM

Present Day

BGM: Goodbye Despair Academy

The atmosphere in the entrance hall was wrought with tension. On one hand, the six survivors achieved a great victory. Junko Enoshima's death meant that despair was finally defeated and no one else had to die by her hand.

But on the other hand, the heaviness of the situation made things worse. 10 people still died to the killing game that she and Monokuma orchestrated. Additionally, the world had apparently fallen into chaos which they would have to confirm first-hand.

Makoto looked down at the object in his hand. A large remote control that Junko had thrown away during her execution. This was the final thing he needed to end this nightmare, and so, after gathering enough confidence, Makoto pressed the red button to open the door and finally be free.

As the doors to the outside opened, the survivors couldn't help but wonder what the outside world was like, awaiting to find out if what Junko had told them during the final class trial was true.

In another version of events, this would lead to the survivors being found and recruited by an organisation dedicated to fighting despair and bringing back hope to the world. However…

Episode 1: A New Journey Begins

BGM: Sublimity (Virtue's Last Reward OST)

The metal doors screeched open, leaving distinct scratches on the floor, bright light bleeding through the gap between them only to greet the students with a horrifying image. The area surrounding the school had been reduced to an ash-covered landscape, the buildings in the distance falling apart with some on the brink of collapse. However, the most striking image was the once bright, blue sky overhead, now a nightmarish, blood red.

Everyone's reactions were the same, their skin sheet white, eyes wide and bodies rigid. Makoto was so shocked that he remained rooted in place, not noticing once the others had recovered and gone off to investigate.

The mentally exhausted boy looked back at the now empty school and breathed a sigh of freedom. However, shortly after exhaling that breath, he suddenly realised a very confusing truth. The air that he breathed was fresh and not polluted as Junko said it was.

"By the way, the air outside is totally polluted, ya know," Junko said dryly. "The only reason we're okay in here… is thanks to the air purifiers in the physics lab."

BGM: Despair Syndrome (1)

Makoto's thoughts began to spin wildly in his head while he went to check on Kyoko and Byakuya, who were investigating where the main gate used to be.

"Hey, find anything?" Makoto asked.

"Nothing yet," Kyoko replied. "How are you holding up?"

He scratched his head uncomfortably before replying, "Fine, I guess… I've just got a few thoughts in my head. That's all."

"Would you care to share those thoughts with us?" Byakuya asked.

Meanwhile in another area, Hina, Hiro and Toko were in awe at the destruction surrounding them. However, Toko kept her distance as she was not in the mood to investigate with them.

"W-Why am I hanging around with these two i-idiots? I-I mean m-m-master's hanging around with M-Makoto when he should be with m-m-me! We're supposed to be making plans for our honeymoon."

Hiro decided to break the silence, "So this is what the outside world looks like now…"

"Yeah, very creepy..." Hina said, stunned. "Is the whole world as bad as this?"

"Well, thanks to their advanced technology, Atlantis is probably A-OK!" Hiro said with a burst of confidence.

BGM: Junk Food for a Dashing Youth

"Oh, come on!" Hina grumbled. "Not only did Atlantis sink, but it's also not even real! You need to get your head out of the clouds!"

"Aww man, that's a bummer," Hiro pouted.

Hina, on the other hand, wouldn't drop the issue. "Then why! Did you! Think that!?" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "That was the stupidest thing you have ever said, which is saying a lot!"

"Hey, man, you don't know what they're capable of!" Hiro shot back.

While the two bickered back and forth, Toko grew fed up with their chit-chat and headed to join Byakuya's group.

BGM: Rise of the Ultimates

"What!? Survivors?" Kyoko gasped. "What makes you so sure?"

Makoto looked up at her with a serious look, "Kyoko, I've been thinking about the air purifiers in the physics lab." Kyoko settled as she listened to him. "Junko said that they were the reason we were able to breathe normally. But then, how is the atmosphere breathable outside when we were locked inside?"

"There could be more to them than we may have thought," Byakuya answered. Kyoko, meanwhile, pondered Makoto's thoughts.

"Or there could be multiple air purifiers," she theorised. The three were so engrossed in discussion that they didn't notice that Toko had joined them.

"Kyoko, you get what I mean?" Makoto asked.

"I do. If the air is pure, there must, obviously, be air purifiers. If that's the case, then someone must be alive to create and distribute those air purifiers."

"There's nothing to suggest that the people who made those purifiers are still alive," Byakuya countered. "We were in the Killing Game for who knows how long, and we were part of the Shelter Program even before that. It's possible that we simply narrowly avoided the last people alive."

"Wait! Hold on a minute," Toko interrupted while gripping onto Byakuya's arm, much to his chagrin. "How do we know Makoto's not gone crazy and is just making it up? There's no way to t-tell if there are other people around."

"Toko, I would appreciate it and perhaps even answer your question if you get your filthy hands off of me!" Byakuya firmly snapped. Toko refused and instead rubbed her cheek on his arm.

BGM: Beautiful Days

"Well, why don't we go ahead and find out together?" Makoto held his fist up to Kyoko. While she was initially confused, a moment later she smiled and bumped hers against his. Hina and Hiro joined in the discussion shortly after.

"Hey, you two seem excited. Did you find anything useful?" Hina asked.

"Well, we may have some hope that there are survivors!" Makoto said with a bout of optimism. "Kyoko and I believe that air purifiers have been distributed to other areas of the world."

"Really!?" Hina gasped. "That's amazing! We need to get searching right now!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"We should get going then," Kyoko said.

"Alright! Count me in!" Hiro said with enthusiasm.

"Hmmm… I suppose," Toko grumbled.

"Very well, if that's what you want, I'm in," Byakuya said after deliberation.

"Alright, let's go!" Makoto moved to walk away from the school and toward the city in the distance.

Before he could leave, however, Hiro stopped him, "Hey, Makoto! Shouldn't you close the door?"

"Hmm? Oh, right." Makoto then took the remote control out of his jacket pocket and pressed the red button. Seconds later, the doors began to screech and scrape the floor as they finally closed shut.

"There we go. Now, what should we do with this?"

"We can't take it with us. It's useless right now." Kyoko then took the remote and placed it next to the door. Afterwards, the group ventured out into the unknown.

BGM: Claw Finger (Silent Hill 1 OST)

The destruction was even worse than Makoto and the others had seen from the distance. Every building they came across was abandoned, with cracked windows and debris blocking the occasional doorway, and some were ablaze. The air was almost dead except for the sounds of fire crackling from afar, a single lamppost's droning buzz as it randomly flickered sparks onto a road filled to the brim with cracks, and the cawing of the birds. All of that, however, was window-dressing compared to the alleyways with mangled corpses being picked at by stray cats and crows.

More crows were hungrily circling overhead as the group wandered through the city. Makoto, Hiro and Hina were all wide-eyed, their mouths agape and their skin white as a ghost. Kyoko looked around the environment in an inquisitive manner, her eyes serious as she examined. Byakuya, however looked annoyed… though more at Toko, who was violently shaking and pressing her face against his back trying to avoid seeing the carnage before her.

"Whoa…" Hiro muttered, rendered nearly speechless by what he was seeing.

"Yeah, hard to believe all of this happened while we were trapped…" Makoto said as he looked around his surroundings, Hina following suit.

"It looks like something out of a movie…" she whispered. "It… It's worse than we thought."

"…I know." Makoto's eyes were downcast, struggling to meet his surroundings.

Toko on the other hand, was a frantic mess. "M-M-Master, t-t-this is t-t-too much for me to handle!"

"That should have been obvious to you after one single, solitary look," Byakuya said through his gritted teeth in annoyance. "And for the last time, will you let go of me!?"

Suddenly, Kyoko stopped in her tracks as she looked around and put her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… I wonder…"

BGM: Despair Syndrome (2)

Everyone else paused their movement in confusion as they went back to check up on her. Little did they know however, that in a dark alleyway, a shadowy figure was watching their every movement from afar.

"Kyoko? What's wrong?" Makoto asked.

She looked at him with a serious gaze, mirroring the one he gave her at Hope's Peak. "Makoto, do you remember when we searched my father's room during our last investigation?"

"Yeah, I do," Makoto replied. "Why'd you ask?"

"Because I want to tell you about something that I've been holding onto since the last trial."

The others' confusion heightened even further, "What!? You brought leftover evidence with us!?" Hiro and Hina shouted in unison.

"If you held onto it for so long, why bring this up right now!?" Byakuya firmly said before calming down. "What did you find?"

"To answer your first question, I didn't want Junko to find out," Kyoko answered. "What I found made me think that… it could very well be that she may not have been the true mastermind."

"Wha…!?" Makoto was shocked by this revelation. He never could have imagined that there was another mastermind, Junko blatantly admitted to having caused the Tragedy during the class trial, on top of the fact that she was the True Ultimate Despair. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Kyoko continued her explanation, "After you left, Makoto, I did a little search in the hidden room. I eventually came across a scrap of paper with my father's handwriting. The only thing it mentioned was that he was working on something with someone, a project of some sort, I presume."

"Do you have it with you?" Byakuya asked. As if on cue, Kyoko pulled an object out of her coat pocket. A small scrap of paper that looked to be torn. Once everyone had gathered round Kyoko, she began to read the excerpt on it.

"-but then a client who called themselves the Ultimate Mastermind showed interest in the-"

BGM: Consternation (Virtue's Last Reward OST)

'Ultimate Mastermind'. Just that title was enough to send a chill down everyone's spine. Makoto was especially uncomfortable about the fact that not only was there another mastermind besides Junko, but also the fact that the Headmaster, Kyoko's father, had considered working for them. In the alleyway, the shadowed figure perked their head up in interest.

Byakuya deeply pondered Kyoko's explanation, "How strange… I searched both the Headmaster's office and the library in thorough detail and not once did I see anything that mentioned an 'Ultimate Mastermind'."

"Do you think Hope's Peak covered it up?" Hina asked.

"Now that, I don't know."

"Oh, then what if they're part of some underground conspiracy?" Hiro thought. "I mean, with a title like the 'Ultimate Mastermind', it sounds super fishy."

Makoto and Kyoko looked over the paper carefully, "Kyoko… don't you think there should be more to this?" Makoto asked.

"It would seem that someone must have torn it up on purpose," Kyoko answered.

"Yeah, you could be right," Makoto concurred, "but what about that last part? You said it might be some sort of project, what do you think it could be?"

"I can't say for sure," Kyoko elaborated. "Because it cuts off, there's nothing concrete."

"Also, how do we know this 'Ultimate Mastermind' is still alive? And how do we know it wasn't just a forgery made by Junko?" Byakuya pushed up his glasses as he tried to piece together the meaning of the note.

"I know my father's handwriting well enough to know it isn't fake," Kyoko countered.

Byakuya sighed heavily, "Very well, I see your point, but my first question still stands."

"I get what you mean," Kyoko looked upward as she answered Byakuya's question. "Since we were locked in the school for however long we spent, there's a chance they could be dead. But, if they are still alive, then they're probably hiding somewhere."

"Not to mention, that they will probably throw every trap they can at us to cover their tracks if we try to find them," Byakuya concluded.

"We won't let that happen, right Makoto?" Kyoko looked at Makoto for an answer.

BGM: This is the Path we Follow

"She's right," Makoto stated. "As long as we have hope by our side, there will be nothing that can stand in our way! How about we have one more adventure together! You all with me?"

Everyone smiled and nodded. Toko, however looked uncertain. "W-Well… I guess I could…" she said.

"Yeah, I'm pumped up for another adventure," Hiro boasted. "I'll be with you all the-"

BGM: Tinderbox (999 OST)

*BANG*

Suddenly, a stray object shot onto Hiro's right wrist and wrapped around like a snake. After it finished attaching, it began to resemble a bracelet.

A shriek from Hiro caused everyone to look back at him, "Hiro! What's wrong!?" Makoto shouted.

Hiro started to panic, "WHA-! What is this thing!? Get this off me!"

In short order, five more stray objects were shot at the others and like Hiro's, they too became bracelets. Everyone was just as confused as he was.

"WHAAAA! There's something on my arm!" Toko shrieked. "I can't get it off!"

Byakuya darted his eyes onto Kyoko, who was just as bewildered as he was. "What's the meaning of this!?" he shouted.

"I-I don't know!" she answered.

Hina tried her best to remedy the situation, "Everyone, calm down! There must be a way to remove them!"

Makoto wrenched at the bracelet with all of his strength. But before he could make any progress, they were alerted to a new voice.

"I would not do that if I were you."

All eyes turned to see a sinister figure, clad in a dirty white cloak like a ghostly phantom and whose face was obscured by the hood.

Makoto got into a defensive position, "Hey! Who are you!?" he shouted. Rather than answer, the stranger walked at a menacingly slow pace towards the group. Makoto began to sweat nervously as Toko shoved him out of the way.

"D-Don't come any closer!" she yelled. "If you do, I-I'll show you the true meaning of pain!"

Hiro shoved in afterwards, causing her to lose her balance, "Yeah! And I happen to know all of the ancient martial arts techniques!" he proclaimed. "Therefore you will know the true meaning of pain!"

Before Toko could regain her footing, Hina shoved in as well, causing her to fall to the ground. "And just so you know, my friend was the Ultimate Martial Artist!" Hina shouted. "So I've learned a thing or two from her to show you the true meaning of pain!"

The stranger just ignored their commentary and continued his advances. Byakuya, too, was not amused. "Tch, idiots," he scoffed.

"H-Hey! S-Stop trying to steal my thunder!" Toko shrieked, agitated. This did not make the situation any better as the stranger kept advancing. But one voice soon broke the tension.

"ENOUGH!"

All eyes were turned on Kyoko as she made her way to the front. Everyone else soon relaxed and the stranger stopped their advance. Makoto and Toko got up from the ground as Kyoko gave an icy glare towards the cloaked person.

"Now, answer our questions," Kyoko demanded. "What is going on here and who is distributing the air purifiers?"

The stranger straightened up before speaking, "I shall kindly do so, Miss Kirigiri," he said. "While you were locked inside Hope's Peak Academy, the Towa Group created and distributed the aforementioned air purifiers all around the world. This is your explanation as to why you are able to breathe normally when you should have suffocated."

Everyone else was immediately confused, Byakuya in particular. "The Towa Group?" he spoke.

"You know them, Byakuya?" Makoto asked.

"Yes, they were known for being a rival to the Togami Corporation, though they never really held a candle to us," Byakuya answered. "That said, apparently they're still active enough to distribute air purifiers."

"You seem to know a lot about them," Hina commented. "I'm impressed."

Byakuya continued, "Now you should answer her first question."

"War has broken out," the man answered. "Junko's followers, the Remnants of Despair, are engaged in a battle with the new governing powers. They are an organisation dedicated to restoring hope and eliminating despair, and they are called the Future Foundation."

BGM: Nightmare in the Locker

This piqued Makoto's attention, "Future Foundation?"

"Indeed, and it is thanks to them that the Remnants are on the losing side," the man answered.

"Then, who are you and what's your part in this?"

The man bowed his head to Makoto, "I am a wandering messenger," he said. "And to answer your question, I have come to tell you of a quest that you will partake in."

Kyoko raised her eyebrow at that statement, "A quest?"

The man continued his explanation, "A quest to rejuvenate the world of Junko's despair, and to prepare you for the journey ahead, I am offering you these."

After finishing, the man pulled out two objects from his cloak. In his right hand was a silver briefcase and, in his left, a device that looked like a megaphone.

"These are the key items that you will need for your quest." He then tossed the items up into the air which Makoto caught before they hit the ground.

"What's all this, a megaphone and a briefcase?" Makoto asked. The man simply shook his head.

"Not a megaphone, but a hacking gun developed by Future Foundation."

"A hacking gun?" Makoto asked. "What do we use this on?"

BGM: DISTRUST

"There are many enemies that will try and get in your way," the man said. "This hacking gun is the thing you will need to fight them. So, never let your guard down!"

The mood immediately turned sour at the thought. Everyone, sans Kyoko and Byakuya, gulped as the man proceeded.

"Now, as for the briefcase… There may be times where the six of you will be separated. So this device will be your way of communication."

"Wait, device?" Makoto was caught off guard. "Then you're saying this is a-"

"Video-call device," Byakuya finished for him. "All members of the Togami Corporation often used these while on international duties. So this should work the same."

"I've also seen devices like these used in movies and TV shows," Hina said.

Kyoko, however, still showed doubt and looked at the man, "What else is this device used for other than communication purposes? And what else does this 'quest' entail?"

"The quest entails a game that you will all play, and this case will be your guide," the man answered.

"A game?" Makoto asked. He suddenly had a dark thought come into his mind. "D-Don't tell me… is it another killing game!?"

The man simply shook his head, "This game is different from the one that Junko Enoshima forced onto you at Hope's Peak. But you will need to work together to overcome it."

The others looked at each other uncomfortably before turning back to the man.

BGM: Walking Despair

"Now, regarding what the game is… It is a series of trials based on your talents," he summarised. "During the trials, one of you will have to use both your talent and your willpower to complete them while the rest of you provide assistance by controlling obstacles during certain trials via the briefcase."

Kyoko cocked her eyebrow in curiosity while Makoto was sweating profusely due to the danger these trials seemed to pose. Nevertheless, the two listened on to the man's explanation.

"If you succeed in the trials, you will earn a reward for your efforts and learn more about the outside world." He then looked at them, emanating a sinister aura. "However… if you fail the trials, violate the rules or you do not turn up in time… then the only reward will be death's embrace."

BGM: Chill & Rigor (999 OST)

Everyone immediately went pale and speechless at those words. For Makoto in particular, it was more frightening than he could have imagined. He suddenly felt a hand wrap around his as Kyoko spoke up.

"What about the bracelets? How do we remove them?" she asked. The man simply nodded in respect.

"Yes. Let us discuss the bracelets. They are simply your motivation to keep you moving forward, as they have a timer installed in them," he said as everyone pressed the buttons flanking either side of the bracelets. "Right now, you have 45 hours before your first trial begins. When you have completed a trial, the person who participated will have their bracelet detached."

Makoto looked down at the now blank screen on his bracelet as he listened.

"As for failure, outside interference is strictly prohibited, as is failure and rule violations. Should either of those happen, the bracelets will inject you with a drug that will slow down your heart rate and poison you from the inside."

Byakuya immediately interjected, "I have a question to ask about the number of trials. Are there only six of them or do our deceased classmates have trials of their own? And if so, how do we partake in them?"

"Yes, Mr. Togami. The belated students of your class have trials of their own," the man answered. "However, details are currently confidential."

"What do you mean 'confidential'?" Hina chimed in. "All of us here don't have the talents of our dead friends. So, what do we do about that?"

Hiro immediately had a frightening thought, "Please, don't t-tell me we have to summon their g-g-ghosts!?"

The man simply shook his head, "You'll find out soon enough."

As Hina tried to calm Hiro down, the others took in what had been said thus far.

"Now that you have been prepared, you are ready for your quest." The man then gestured and moved out of the group's way. "Go forth, Symbols of Hope. Disinfect the despair within this world and plant the seeds to a new one."

Makoto looked back at the others, "What do you think, guys?"

Everyone was mostly quiet. Byakuya was deep in thought about the trials. Toko refused to believe the man's words. Hina was too busy reassuring Hiro. However, Kyoko was suspicious of the man's words and the very idea of a series of trials.

BGM: Face Off

"This all feels like it's been planned," she said. "What's your intention with these trials and what is the Future Foundation's role in all this?"

"Like I said at the beginning, I am simply providing you with the tools required for the quest," the man answered. "The Future Foundation know nothing of the trials, but if you want, I could bring you to them."

He then reached his hand out to the group, beckoning them to join him. Kyoko's eyes widened at this. What reason could the self-proclaimed fighters for hope have for working with someone with such a sinister appearance? She then looked back at Makoto.

"What do you think we should do, Makoto?" she whispered in his ear.

"I…" He trailed off and closed his eyes to think for an answer. Everyone around him waited patiently. Before he came to an answer, a voice broke through the silence.

"I'll go if that should spare you some trouble." To everyone's surprise, it was Byakuya who spoke.

"Huh!?" Hira and Hino cried overdramatically in unison.

"M-M-Master!?" Toko shrieked.

"Oh?" The man cocked his head to the side and, were it not for his ghostly mask, Makoto thought he might've seen a smirk surface.

BGM: Exploration A (Your Turn to Die OST)

"Byakuya, what are you doing!?" Makoto yelled. "You're going with him?"

The scion just looked at him and smirked, "Don't worry, I have a plan," he whispered to both Makoto and Kyoko. The man lowered his hand, not knowing what the three were discussing. After a while, Makoto handed Byakuya the hacking gun.

"Okay, I'm ready," Byakuya declared.

"An interesting compromise," the man muttered. "Very well, I understand. Shall we go?"

Byakuya turned to the others as he prepared to make the journey ahead, "All right, I'm going now. But I will let you know what happens."

"Got it." Makoto nodded.

"Make sure you do your best out there!" Hina exclaimed.

"Byakuya, be careful," Kyoko said as she nodded, Byakuya reciprocating.

"I will."

Byakuya then nodded to the man, and they made their leave. However, the man looked back at the others.

"I should warn you, Makoto Naegi," he said, "if you do go ahead with these trials, you will no longer be who you are."

Makoto went pale with those words and failed to notice Kyoko putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The man walked away slowly, but not before muttering to himself.

"Now that the era of Despair has begun, it is only a matter of time before Hope arrives and the Cycle continues…"

With that, the two disappeared into the unknown, leaving the others behind. Everyone had mixed feelings about the Messenger's explanation. On one hand, Makoto was stiff as a board, deep in thought about all that had transpired. Kyoko examined the bracelet on her wrist and traced her gloved finger across both the screen and buttons.

BGM: Welcome to Despair Academy

"So, I guess we have no choice but to do as he says," Hina muttered.

Hiro just nodded silently. He felt more concerned about Makoto's wellbeing than he did about the trials.

Toko, on the other hand, was not pleased about the fact that Byakuya was abandoning her to the others.

"M-M-M-M-Master?" she stuttered as she fidgeted on the spot. "WAIT FOR ME!"

Toko then sped off like a lightning bolt towards where Byakuya and the man walked off to and disappeared in a flash. The other four were understandably confused.

"Jeez, talk about being a stalker," Hiro deadpanned.

Hina's confusion didn't last long, returning to melancholy as she looked at Kyoko, "So, now it's just four of us."

"Seems like it," Kyoko answered.

"Then, what do we do now? We've got nowhere to go, and this city is huge."

"Well, Makoto?"

Eyes still closed, Makoto steeled his resolve.

BGM: New World Order (The Animation)

Then, he opened them and looked to the road ahead.

"We'll let Byakuya and Toko investigate the Future Foundation, while we deal with this game," he declared. "It may be even more difficult than what we went through at Hope's Peak… But if we stay together, we won't give up! So, we should go… and fight whatever's ahead!"

Kyoko smiled, "That's the spirit."

And so, the four made their way into the unknown, ready to face the perils that awaited them.

Now, Makoto Naegi and his friends will have to work together to end both the Tragedy and the game set upon them. Hope keeps on going.

Episode 1: A New Journey Begins

END

To Be Continued…