"RINKU! STOP RUNNING! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!" As puny as Muni was, the anger from the mushrooms was so overwhelming that she had no choice but to run after Rinku as hard and fast as her little legs could carry her. All that mattered was ending the pain in her chest, and seeking revenge.

"I'm sorry, Muni! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to leave you back then! But don't you remember?! I tried to write you as often as I could!" The Ultimate Explorer through a remorseful look over her shoulder, moving fast enough that Muni was no real threat to her, but slow enough that she would not lose sight of the other girl. I don't want her getting lost out here because of me.

The poor girl couldn't help but blame herself for everything. She was the one who recommended those mushrooms, after all. But I don't understand! she thought frantically. I was CERTAIN that those mushrooms were safe! Yeah, they aren't very common, but they've been in some of the guidebooks I've read! As an Ultimate Explorer and expeditioner, she'd read more nature guidebooks than anyone except another Ultimate Explorer, or someone with an adjacent Talent. And yet still, she failed to identify the havoc those mushrooms would wreak upon the class.

If… something… goes wrong… will I be executed? Even scarier, would Maho be in any danger as the one who prepared and served the mushrooms? Oh, Maho, Muni… I'm so, so sorry…! Rinku hadn't the faintest idea where Rei even was, and with Muni so hot on her tail, still slinging swear words left and right, Rinku didn't dare slow down to try to check.

Little did Rinku know, Rei was actually very close by in the forest, though because of what her hallucinations and delusions showed, she reacted in fear, hiding anytime anyone drew near. All she could see was bloodlust and rage, in the eyes of every student, and it was scary! How long before one of them came for her? She wanted to say she had more faith in her friends than that, but the hatred in some of them? She heard Muni's screaming, and she'd seen Shinobu with the knife… How many people would die or kill for even a fraction of her family's generational wealth?

Oh, Mother and Father were right about the dangers of the world! Why did I ever leave their side to begin with? None of this was worth it!

Passing by in the opposite direction with the opposite mannerism was Maho. Useless… useless! I'm completely, utterly… useless…

What good was a stupid, worthless Talent like cooking anyway? Sure, she could make food taste good, but that was nothing compared to some of the other Talents she was surrounded by. Even outside of the context of a Killing Game, some of her classmates' Talents were far more useful and impressive than hers. And I can't believe I didn't catch the mushrooms…! Some Ultimate Cook I am! No… I'm just… Hapiara's Forgettable Fourth.

Maho didn't have Rinku's spirit, Rei's grace and poise, or even Muni's quirky, endearing tsundere-ness. She was just Maho Akashi. DJ, yes, but rather bland otherwise. I think it says a lot about me that the most unique thing I have going for me is my hair… She sighed, running fingers through the two layers of color, stared unseeingly into the darkness ahead.

Miyu passed her like a ship in the night, in a zombielike trance of her own. Like Maho, she silently prayed for death. It was hard to herself over the voices of her fallen friends, one begging her to join them again, one berating her for not doing so sooner, and one asking if it would really be that bad. The dead would welcome her, and the living probably wouldn't miss her, since she had no unit-mates left on that side of the line between life and death. I'm so tired… I just want to be with them again…

ooo

RONDO was one of the last units to flee the fireside. Tsubaki sat hunched over with her arms wrapped around herself, eyes squeezed shut. Heart pounding in her head, she could feel her face flushing, and she didn't dare look up to meet any of the gazes of any of her classmates, lest she be met with hostility and judgement. Similar to Towa and Saori, she feared that the others secretly despised her, and would soon take their chance to rid themselves of her. Despite the danger, though, what hurt her most of all was thinking that anyone hated her that much.

I know I'm not very likeable, so I don't blame anyone who doesn't like me, but I thought at least Rika… Tsubaki angrily blinked away the tears filling her gray eyes as she was dimly aware of M4 taking flight from the campsite. Of course, Rika was merely attempting to save herself and her unit-mates, knowing that trying to save too many people would prove impossible, but the mushrooms convinced Tsubaki that it was personal.

To distract herself, the Ultimate Vocalist sought her own unit-mates. That was a mistake. Hiiro was curled up in fetal position by the dying flames. Aoi stared dazedly at Tsubaki. Once again, Tsubaki mistook concern for rejection, and coming from Aoi, it was even more unbearable than if it had come from anyone—or even everyone—else. Oh, God, does she hate me too…? Is she mad at me for driving the others away?

The delusions and hallucinations finally won and Tsubaki fled towards the forest.

"Tsubaki!" She heard Aoi call her name, but she blocked out the sound and pushed herself even faster and farther. Aoi struggled to her feet, but Tsubaki was long gone, little knowing that the look she misconstrued from Aoi as annoyance was actually worry and self-doubt.

As the mushrooms took hold over Aoi, all she could think about was the guilt she repressed and denied surrounding Nagisa's death.

Doesn't matter what anyone says, not even Tsubaki or Hiiro. I could've done something differently. I SHOULD'VE done something differently. But I let my guard down, and instead of checking up on Nagisa, I… Aoi genuinely believed that Miiko did not mean to kill Nagisa, but even though the death was nothing but a tragic accident, that was still on Aoi for not checking in on Nagisa. There was no excuse for failing to do that. Intention or not, they were in a dangerous situation, and they all knew that.

Now they were in another one. Was Aoi going to do the right thing this time? Or would she fuck it all up all over again? Her head swung helplessly back and forth between her two surviving unit-mates until she noticed Hiiro and realized that the Ultimate Diviner was—

"Hiiro! No!" Without thinking, Aoi lunged, just barely preventing Hiiro from shoving her hand into the dying embers of the campfire. She was shaking and sobbing quietly, desperate for the light and warmth to come back, but it was dying.

Damn it! Aoi thought. As she gathered Hiiro in her arms, she threw one last helpless look towards the forest. In the final second before Tsubaki took off, their eyes locked and Aoi saw the pain in Tsubaki's gray eyes. Tsubaki didn't realize that the look of doubt in Aoi's eyes was meant for Aoi, not her. The sight of Tsubaki running away, though, broke Aoi.

She was… afraid… of me…? Aoi's gut wrenched. Th-there was something in her eyes… Repulsion… Fear? She would never forget the shame and disgust it made her feel for herself. The only good thing to come out of it was that it motivated Aoi to spur herself onward again. She grit her teeth, secured Hiiro in her arms, and took off running towards the academy, making a vow to go after Tsubaki as soon as Hiiro was safe.

Every step Aoi took towards Hope's Pinnacle, Tsubaki took several more away. At some point, she even crossed paths with Towa and Ibuki, two of the three Photon Maidens at last reunited. Tsubaki, however, was in too much distress to see them as she ran by.

"Towa! There you—!" Ibuki reached out to Towa. Towa gave an undignified howl and shied away from her. Then Muni, of all people, came flying out of nowhere, throwing sticks and stones. It was a full-on Battle Royale now!

Rinku and Muni were finally forced to part ways, another pair of brawling students unintentionally separating them. The pair was Yuka and Esora, Yuka convinced that the only way to bring about peace and prevent any life-ending accidents was to subdue and neutralize the others by any means necessary. Murder couldn't happen if everyone was knocked out!

But Esora's hallucinations, similar to Rei and Towa's, convinced her that everyone was out for her blood.

And why wouldn't they be?! I know I look suspicious! It was terrifying to think, but if there was ever a time someone wanted to take a shot at a suspected Mastermind, that time was in the mushroom-induced Battle Royale.

"YYYAAAAHHHHH!" Muni screamed as she charged at Ibuki. Her bunny-ear headband was already hanging by a thread—or rather, a lock of hair—but when Ibuki easily deflected Muni's attack with the sticks and stones, it finally flew off her head entirely. She was completely unaware, quick to try to attack Ibuki again and again while Towa took the opportunity to slip away silently. She chose flight, not fight.

"Muni! What the heck are you doing?!" Towa heard Ibuki thunder. Ducking her head down, ignoring the way her heart and legs burned, the Ultimate Idol Enthusiast pushed herself forward even faster. Mere minutes later, she was blindsided, and someone tackled her to the ground from the side. Towa could only scream as she fought blindly with her attacker. They rolled around on the ground for what felt like forever until the attacker finally got the upper hand, straddling Towa.

Towa looked up and screamed again as, through the sharp moonlight, she saw a sharp blade. "SHINOBU! WAIT! PLEASE! REMEMBER YOUR HUMANITY!" Towa howled, shielding her face with her arms as Shinobu straddled her and raised the knife high in the air. There were already splatters of blood across her face and clothes, and there was a wild, maddened shine in her golden eyes. They literally burned with rage and hatred as she ground her teeth and brought the knife back down as hard and fast as—

ooo

Esora slunk through the trees like a thief in the night, heart pounding. During her wild run through the forest, Tsubaki tripped over Yuka. The pain, shock, and surprise was enough that Esora—who had been stuck beneath Yuka at the time—was able to roll and squeeze her way out before fleeing into the night while Yuka was distracted trying to help Tsubaki to her feet. Now Esora was all alone, and it filled her with a dread just as intense as the thought of being surrounded on all sides by angry, vengeful classmates.

It's quiet… too quiet… No! I hate…! I hate…! I hate being alone…

Esora's stomach squeezed and she wrapped her arms around herself. She ignored the bumps and bruises she'd received from Yuka, pushing herself on as far away from the others as she could, almost reaching the north side of the academy. Every step she took sent another thrill of terror up her spine. It felt like suicide to isolate herself so completely, but what else could she do?! Go right back into the heart of the Battle Royale?!

Unfortunately for Esora, the Battle Royale came to her. "Hello, Esora Shimizu."

"H-huh?! Who's that?! Who's there?!" Esora cried before she could stop herself and think. She slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes widening in terror. A soft, low chuckle filled her mind, and she looked around wildly, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. She couldn't even identify a direction! It sounded as if it was coming from everywhere all at once.

"I am… Nozomi Kamukura. Now tell me, Ultimate Corporate Manager, do you stand on the side of Hope? Or the side of Despair? Are you vengeful and jealous, or can you forgive and forget? How ugly is your heart, or is there even a shred left of anything cute and lovely?"

No matter where Esora looked, the voice always came from somewhere else the next time it spoke. First it was right behind her left shoulder, then it was suddenly off in the distance in front of her. Next it was right over her head, then it sounded as if it was coming from within her brain.

Whimpering, Esora staggered around and clutched her head. She couldn't see anyone anywhere. Where was the voice coming from?!

And just who the hell is Nozomi Kamukura?! she thought, panicked.

"I…?" asked the voice, directly behind Esora this time, "…am Judgement." Then Esora was suddenly overwhelmed as something sharp stabbed her over and over and over again, leaving no inch of her body untouched.