"We are wasting time, Tanaka, another trial might have already happened by now. Meaning that less survivors are left to save." Byakuya scoffed at the breeder.

"Ha, you say that I am 'wasting time', yet I have managed to finalize our assault upon the armored fortress. All thanks to the tribute those same survivors left me, now what have you accomplished since joining us?" Gundham returned a scoff to the affluent progeny.

"Tch, I decided to take a page out of your companion Mahiru's book. I included a camera, along with a message of my own to go along with it, so now I require you to send in one of your hamsters in. Those pictures the survivors will send us could be useful in determining who we are up against, I, along with Saihara will analyze them." Byakuya took out a digital camera along with a slip of paper.

"I see, where is Saihara and the rest of his companions at the moment?" Gundham asks him.

"He's still attempting to help Hina understand the concept of being fictional in one world, yet being real in this one. I would give up myself, personally." The rich blonde sighed.

"As would I…" Gundham began walking off towards the shore.

"Hey, where are you going? We still have a job to do here." Byakuya asked as a dolphin popped up from the water.

"Ha ha ha ha… do not fret you arrogant Prince of Wealth, I am simply setting my plan into motion. In order for that however, I require the skills of my allies in battle. We are in the endgame now, after all… and make sure Maga-Z returns." Gundham rides away as the aforementioned member of the Four Dark Devas hops off his scarf.

Byakuya sighs, as he ushers Maga-Z to follow him, "Just who is… the mastermind?"

Chapter 4: Clash, J-Stars! Part 1 (Daily Life)

Remaining Citizens: 11

Ai Mizuno (Zombie Land Saga): Ultimate Idol

Emma (The Promised Neverland): Ultimate Moral Compass

Killua Zoldyck (Hunter X Hunter): Ultimate Assassin

Gold (Pokémon Adventures/Pokémon Special): Ultimate Hatcher

Miles Morales (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse): Ultimate Successor

Yu Ishigami (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War): Ultimate Pessimist

Espio The Chameleon (Sonic The Hedgehog): Ultimate Ninja

Aoba Kuronuma (Durarara!): Ultimate Manipulator

Trunks Brief (Dragon Ball): Ultimate Swordsman

Ryuji Sakamoto (Persona 5): Ultimate Track Star

Bernadetta von Varley (Fire Emblem: Three Houses): Ultimate Recluse

Danganronpa Cast:

Gundham Tanaka: Ultimate Breeder

Byakuya Togami: Ultimate Affluent Progeny

Aoi Asahina: Ultimate Swimming Pro

Shuichi Saihara: Ultimate Detective

Maki Harukawa: Ultimate Assassin

Himiko Yumeno: Ultimate Magician

Hajime Hinata: Ultimate Hope

Mahiru Koizumi: Ultimate Photographer

Nagito Komaeda: Ultimate Lucky Student

Ai's POV

"Hm…" I observe the footage of Kaiba over and over again in the large otaku department store, and it still has me confused.

His strategies while playing this single card game are so calculated, even if some of them fail at the hands of his rival. I can't even fathom how a man this intelligent could set up a murder that could be solved in about almost an hour. This can't be the same person, so who was that who was with us at the beginning of the killing game? Almost like… an abridged version of this Kaiba.

"Yo!"

"YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" I was suddenly startled out of nowhere.

"GAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The voice that spooked me screamed along with me.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!" As did three other voices behind me.

As the five of us tried to catch our breath, I looked up to see who they were.

"Don't scare me like that, Gold!" I scolded him.

"Hey, I could say the same for you!" He sneered.

"You…" A small smile creaked onto my face before I began to ball up my hand into a fist.

"Whoa whoa whoa, sorry for bothering you, Ai. No need to get mad." Miles put down my hand.

"We were just trying to see where you were, we saw Aoba walking around freely when you were supposed to be watching him. Miles webbed him up again, by the way." Emma stepped forward next.

"Ack, sorry about that. I just needed to check something real quick, it might be important for later, huh?" I looked behind them and Ishigami was there as well, so he was the fifth one screaming, "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Eh, I needed some air. I don't want to end up like Bernadetta. Oh yeah, after what happened to Ryuji, she's feeling guilty about it."

Oh, right. I'm really being careless right now with my forgetfulness. Ryuji was flown off to the hospital by Trunks last night, and I haven't seen the two of them since. If he didn't do what he did… Bernadetta would be the one in his shoes, so it's no wonder that she would be saddened by this. I'm thankful she's alright, but I just hope that she'll be alright mentally after having a near-death experience, and that Ryuji will be alright physically from his wound. I need to have faith that the two of them will turn out fine, I can't help but worry though.

We just all looked down, depressingly, until Gold started to break the silence.

"That dummy… he better come back to us."

"Yeah…" Emma let out.

"Well, no use moping around, we just need to move on for now. Am I right?" Miles asked and we slowly nodded.

"Indeed. How about I show you what I discovered." I suggested and I began my explanation.

All that I've seen of the Kaiba we met, did not match up with the Kaiba being shown to us through the screen.

"Uh… maybe he was just feeling the pressure of the killing game? That's why he couldn't focus on strategizing a good murder…" Ishigami said.

"No, no, maybe this is just a Fake Kaiba, the one in this show!" Emma pointed at the screen.

"Wait… maybe the one we were with is the phoney! And the real one is still around!" Gold guessed.

"Huh, that's what I'm thinking more or less." I responded.

"There was some kinda imposter among us?" Miles asked.

"That's… possible. But that's so strange… though we have seen stranger things." Emma pondered.

"Eh?" Ishigami walks over to the stairs and looks up, "Was there always a third floor?"

"Huh?" All of us went before making our way up to the top.

"Gee, it's kinda dark." Emma tries to observe the room.

"You bring a light?" Gold asked us.

"No." Ishigami answered.

Miles went towards the wall and feeled around until he found the light switch and flicked it on.

"Future Participants, what does that mean?" Gold read the sign at the top of the room.

We browsed the shelves and saw a couple of manga, anime, games, and movies. Some of them we recognized downstairs, while others have people we never saw before.

I looked to my right and saw a cutout of a familiar face, "Saki?"

My fellow Franchouchou member, Zombie No. 2 was right in front of me. Why is she here?

"Whoa, is that girl part-Politoed?" Gold asked as he was watching the tv screen that just switched on.

"Huh, I saw this girl with Ryuji downstairs, crushing a soda can. Some kind of… post-apocalyptic raider." Ishigami saw on another screen.

"Huh, maybe these guys know Espio? They seem cute." Emma picked up a plush of a silver anthropomorphic hedgehog and a yellow fox.

I looked at some anime dvds of "Silver Spoon", "Laid-Back Camp", "Good Luck Girl!" and "Lucky Star", just why were these in their own section? Then I looked closer at the dvds and saw a small sticker on them, some had "Epice", while others had "Culmin". This is all too confusing.

"Ow! That bump was starting to heal too…" Ishigami complained as he hit his head against the foot of a girl wearing an orange bandana, hanging from the ceiling in a kick pose.

After browsing this new section, we just exited the store, deciding that all of this stuff probably won't affect us anytime soon. Although seeing Saki there left me wondering how she's doing, since last I saw her she was tearing up the streets of Saga on a motorcycle. It just made me more determined to make it out and save them.

"I gotta run guys, have some big plans for later so uh… see ya!" Gold suddenly dashed away on his skateboard.

Miles thought for a moment before shrugging, "Whatevs, I'm going to survey the city from above. Later, guys!" He said before swinging off.

"I'm going to see where Killua went, I haven't seen him since last night. Bye, Ai!" Emma waved before leaving herself.

I just waved to everyone else as I walked back to the Hope-tel for a quick break.

That was pretty informative looking through the new room, and discussing the Kaiba stuff. Yet it made me dread exploring the new area when it opens up, I wonder when that's going to happen.

Especially since Monokuma opened it for Trunks and Ryuji, but left it closed for everyone else. It probably was still being built, oh dear, I hope they left Ryuji in an actual hospital then.

An hour passes as I wake up from my nap. Well, no time to be lazing around. Have some time to kill and nothing new to discover yet.

Free Time Start

I went to that MonoMono Machine earlier in the day, and I received an Armored Bear Stuffy, Choco Bears, and a large sunflower. I could think of three people that would enjoy these gifts.

I should go see Bernadetta first though, to check if she's doing fine. Especially after last night. I knocked on the poor girl's door like I've always done and it slightly creaks open to let me in.

"Hi…" Bernie solemnly let out.

"Hey Bernie, do you want to talk for a bit? To get your mind off things?" I asked her, and she hesitantly agreed.

We spent the next thirty minutes talking about what might happen to Ryuji and what to say in the next message. Bernadetta and I grew a little closer.

I then handed her the bear stuffy, "Here, I thought you might like this."

She gasps before hugging it tight, "Do I really deserve this? Wow, thank you so much!"

I smiled as she placed it on her bed neatly.

I then heard something drop from the ceiling, Maga-Z is back, and he's got a lot with him. Poor thing had to carry all of that? Aw…

"What's this?" Bernadetta picks up what the hamster brought with him.

"It's a camera, but why would that be needed?" I wondered as I opened up the letter to see that it wasn't from Gundham Tanaka at all.

Good day to the survivors within this compound,

I am not the same individual who has been writing these letters for you thus far. I am his temporary ally in assisting with your escape. I only ask you to take some photos of the location you are staying in, in order for us to analyze them and discover who may be behind the killing game. Cooperate with us, and your freedom may be sooner than you think. - Byakuya Togami

I don't know why, but reading this letter makes me want to hit the guy who wrote it. It sounds blunt, like it's ordering us around.

"We have to… what?" Bernadetta asked me.

"Take pictures of the various locales in the city. Photographs are realistic images of people, places, etc., captured within a certain moment. We can take pictures using this device called a camera." Explaining how photography works is giving me some flashbacks to when we did our first fan photo shoot…

"Um… I don't know if I'm ready to be out there yet… What if everyone blames me for getting Ryuji hurt?" She worried.

"The only person capable of being that cruel would be Aoba, and you shouldn't let a person like him get to you. Your confidence has really improved since we've initially met, and I believe you will overcome all that you've gone through." I explained.

"Still… What if I fail?" Bernie asks as I stand back up off her bed.

"Well, I don't believe you will. Even if that's the case, I don't think mistakes or failures are a bad thing…" Her eyes widened as I began, "... Because they always end up helping with whatever happens next. I believe I'll only be the best version of me once I overcome it all. The same thing applies to you as well."

"... Thank you, Ai." She didn't have anything to say after that.

I feel like our bond has managed to get even stronger.

I think I'll leave her to think about what I said for a while, I need to take some pictures of the city for this "Byakuya". Looking at the gifts I had gotten from the MonoMono Machine, I knew just the two people to get help from.

"Hey, how's Ryuji been?" Killua asked.

"His condition is stabilizing, yet he needs more time. He has been getting fed and hydrated so at least there's that, in addition to him breathing fine…" Trunks mentioned.

"I see. Glad to hear that. Y'know I checked back by the school building and saw the door was left slightly open, you know anything about that?" Killua puts his hands in his pockets.

"No, perhaps the mastermind was careless?" Trunks suggested.

"Or someone else knew what was in there…" Killua shot that guess down.

"Then they must have overheard our conversation. Couldn't be Aoba thankfully, but…" Trunks pondered.

"I did hear some footsteps, but I think they only heard about what was in the room, instead of our plan. Even then, I saw everyone still alive earlier, so they must have shut down the gun mounted cameras temporarily like I did. Hm? Something up?" Killua noticed Trunks looking down.

"I just… can't seem to trust any of them anymore. Even now I'm struggling to trust you, and even someone like Ai." Trunks crossed his arms and turned away.

"... I want to say something about that, but I'll hold off on it until the moment we set the plan into motion. All I have to say for now, trust me, and trust them. Ai especially, somehow I got a good feeling about her. Now if you'll excuse me, I promised to hang out with Emma by the ice cream shop. Later." Killua walks off, leaving Trunks to his thoughts.

Man I did not expect to get this one completed so soon after the trial. After this chapter and the next one, the finale is coming up. It feels so close, yet so far at the same time. May you follow along with the mystery until the very end! Welcome to Chapter 4, enjoy the ride. And don't expect the next chapters to be done as quickly as the past few. Also posting this chapter on my birthday for some reason lol, so I'll leave you all with a single question. How do you feel about our protagonist, Ai Mizuno?