Summary: Turn your back on them. They are not worth your kindness.

"Good afternoon, Naegi." Ogami Sakura inclined her head slightly before surveying the room. "I was looking for Hina, but it seems as though she must've retired to her room already."

He blinked. Odd that an energetic sportswoman like Asahina would decide to take an afternoon nap, but he supposed that everyone else was waiting out the last couple hours before their secrets were revealed. Apart from the few he had managed to go through before being thrown into a wall about five times in quick succession, and the other two who had willingly divulged their secrets, there was still like half the class to deal with. It wasn't too surprising that they'd want to mentally prepare themselves before the veil was ripped away. Naegi chuckled, shrugging slightly.

"Secrets are secrets, and people do like to hoard their own." He turned around, beginning to make a beeline for the kitchen. "Have you eaten already? I wouldn't mind making an extra share of food if you don't mind helping out a little." Soft footsteps followed shortly behind him, and he took that as her silent agreement. Slipping his hands into his pockets, Naegi briefly debated over what he could cook with the ingredients that Monokuma "helpfully" provided to ensure that none of them ended up dying of starvation. He absentmindedly wondered if the bear would pull a motive like that. Hunger certainly was one way to drive people to kill one another, but would they last long enough to even have the strength to do so? Either way, it was best to stock up on non-perishables like he was currently doing. Lacking food was always quite the inconvenience to deal with.

The sounds of Ogami walking stopped while he was in the midst of his musings, causing Naegi to pause as well. He turned around, reflexively taking several steps back when he realised how close the Ultimate Martial Artist had gotten within the couple seconds he had been caught up with his thoughts. An unpleasant sensation crawled up his spine.

"Is something the matter?" He tilted his head slightly, wondering why Ogami was being so silent. Had he offended her in some way that the teenager himself wasn't privy to?

"For what it's worth, Naegi—" She looked him in the eye, something akin to regret flickering across that gaze. "—I'm sorry it had to end this way."

His blood froze in his veins as the Martial Artist cocked her fist back. Before his conscious mind could process the sudden betrayal, Naegi was already diving out of the way. Even then, there was a sudden flare of pain along his side as he crashed into the table, clipped by a blow that could have killed him instantly. The teenager let out a guttural scream, something between fear and absolute rage at this turn of events. Grabbing a chair with a trembling hand, the boy threw it in the path of Ogami's next set of blows before scrambling back to his feet. There was a jagged piece of metal digging into his spine right now, but that was irrelevant.

Wood splintered and crumpled underneath the force of blows that could probably punch straight through his much softer flesh, but Naegi refused to falter. He threw another chair, ducking underneath the shattered pieces hurtling through the air towards him while Ogami continued to advance, deadly intent radiating off her body. Snatching a chair leg from the air, he turned the momentum from his fall into strength, deflecting a kick that caused the makeshift weapon to snap in two instantly, raining splinters that caused the teenage boy to flinch.

And what a misstep it was, for that brief moment of hesitation allowed his opponent to follow up with a strike to his chest that sent him airborne. He couldn't breathe. The air in his lungs had been forcefully punched out of him, and he sincerely hoped that nothing had ruptured even as he regained his bearings midair. That wall was coming awfully close! With dexterity that surprised himself, the boy managed to shift just enough while still flung back by that punch, sneakers impacting the wall rather than his incredibly bruised back. His legs creaked even as he bent to compensate for the impact, falling to his knees with a strangled gasp. A hand reached up to clutch at his chest. The pain that coursed through him was indescribable.

Ogami closed the distance between them in three quick strides, the same amount of time it took for him to pick himself up. Tears clouded his vision and he swiped them away before they could cripple his ability to defend himself. Untying the hoodie from around his waist, the teenager flicked it out like he was trying to straighten the article of clothing out before flinging it into the Martial Artist's face. It bought him a couple seconds, but that was more than enough for him to figure out his next move. If he turned his back on his would-be killer, it would sign his death warrant immediately. He sprinted through the door to the kitchen and quickly felt like a cornered rat. Vaulting over the rows of fresh produce, Naegi snatched up a series of fruits to throw at the doorway, knowing that Ogami would come through at any moment.

And to absolutely no one's surprise, she did. The fruits merely bounced off her face, but it gave her enough pause to allow him to finally get a proper breath. He sighed, ripping the metal shard in his back out with a sharp tug and tossing it aside. "Why?" There were countless people he expected to be after his life. But someone who was meant to be the epitome of an honourable warrior…? The betrayal stung more than the injuries peppering his body. Naegi spat out a glob of blood. Damn, he bit his tongue.

The person he was willing to call a friend hesitated, faltering for a moment. She shook her head. "It had to be done. I have no other choice."

"Don't tell me…" He growled, backing up until he collided with the stove. "The Mastermind? What did that bastard promise you, that was tempting enough to forsake your values for?"

She flinched as though struck by his words, shame clear in her expression. Still, the other teenager apparently figured that since he was thoroughly cornered at this point, she could give him the answers he so desperately sought. "I was approached by him at the beginning of this excuse of a game. He holds both my family and my dojo hostage."

Naegi flung his hand out to his side, ignoring the way his limbs shook from the agony he was currently suppressing under near incandescent rage. "All of us were put under pressure by the first motive! If Maizono-san hadn't succumbed to it first…you would have been the one to kill someone then?"

The Ultimate Martial Artist sighed, averting her gaze forlornly. "I was meant to ensure the Killing Game commenced. If no one had been convinced by those video tapes…"

"You'd murder someone in cold blood, and doom the rest of us for the sake of your family." The Luckster finished her sentence for her, lips curling unpleasantly. He could relate to that feeling. But even then, the Naegi Makoto who stepped into this school would not have had the guts to carry out a premeditated killing. And the Naegi Makoto currently about to die would have laughed in Monokuma's face rather than bow to his will. "Y'know, Monokuma offered me a similar deal."

"What!?" Ogami's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, he cut her off with the cruel efficiency of a doctor wielding a scalpel.

"Right after the first Class Trial. When I was at my lowest." He raised a hand to cover his face, glaring at her through the gaps between his fingers. "A way to strike back at the people who had been willing to throw me to the wolves. No strings attached." The boy slammed his hand into the metallic counter, creating an ear splitting sound of flesh against metal.

"But even then!" He laughed bitterly, an expression of absolute loathing finally breaking through the apathetic mask the teenager had built up to protect himself. "Even then, I rejected that offer. I spat in his face and refused to lower myself to the level of a filthy killer!"

Naegi straightened up, fists clenched tightly at his sides as he screamed at the Martial Artist. "The worst of the Ultimates, with a Talent that doesn't even make sense! A worthless, feeble student who wouldn't even stand out in a crowd! If someone like me could stand up against the Mastermind, why couldn't you!?"

Silence met his accusation. The female student lowered her head, as though that would make amends for the things she was willing to do. He scoffed, venom dripping from his lips as he spoke once more.

"Strongest Person In The World. What a joke." He raised his arms, beckoning her with a mocking leer. "Come on then."

Naegi Makoto's eyes burned with righteous rage.

"Try and kill me."

There was a beat of silence. Then two. As he sucked in a rattling breath that caused his lungs to ache, Ogami Sakura moved once more. His eyes could barely track the white blur rushing across the room, but barely was still enough for him to react. A trained martial artist, when facing a foe that was at a severe disadvantage would expect said foe to run away. Which was why he threw caution to the wind and dashed forward. The first blow whistled past his cheek and left a burning line across it, and he abruptly dropped to the floor in order to dodge the next. Raising his hands in front of his face in an X-shape, he grunted as bones shuddered against overwhelming strength. A kick to the side of his ribs sent him slamming into another shelf, but he managed to extend his lifespan by another few seconds by pushing off the surface and frantically rolling away.

Lips twisted into a grimace, Naegi swiped a ladle off its rack, meeting flying fists once, twice, three times before the thin metal snapped in two. Flipping it into a reverse grip, he stabbed downwards at the arm reaching out to grab him by the collar, but overextended and swung through empty air as his opponent reacted before he could even finish his attack. He cried out as a harsh blow broke his wrist, sending the shiv tumbling from limp fingers as he backpeddaled desperately, eyes continuing to search for more ways to buy himself some time.

He did not believe that he could defeat the Ultimate Martial Artist. Especially not in a fair fight. But with the amount of noise they were making, he didn't have to defeat her. Just stall long enough until someone comes to investigate. With the rules of the Killing Game, Ogami couldn't just go on a murderous rampage. So even if it cost him his life, he needed to make sure she paid dearly for her actions. Letting out a bloodcurdling screech that tore at his throat to even attempt, he stunned her for a fraction of a moment, which was just long enough to grab the nearest wok and swing it around like a bludgeon.

Even then, she reflexively batted it aside, sending tremors up his only operational arm. Naegi was forced to let go before he lost the ability to use both of his limbs, and the makeshift weapon clattered as it skipped along the floor. Hissing, he leapt for a new tool, desperation fueling his movements.

And yet, before he could even grasp something else, a muscular hand grabbed him by the back of his collar, tossing him into a wall. He suppressed a flinch, but couldn't choke back the cry that was knocked out of his chest when a hand clamped down on his throat, pinning him like a butterfly specimen on a corkboard. He scrabbled pathetically at the appendage pressing down heavily on his windpipe, thankful for the last gasp of air he had gotten before his air supply was cut off.

"You put up a fine fight, Naegi." Oh great, here came the dramatic monologue. Please, if you were going to betray his trust and murder him, at least spare him the speech. "I was hoping to catch you by surprise and end this quickly…but I suppose someone like you would not just roll over and die." Her grasp tightened and he wheezed, darkness beginning to encroach upon his vision.

"I did not want to kill you. But this is how it ends, for the both of us. Taking your life is a sin I will never be able to redeem myself of, but I will confess my crime immediately afterwards. Your sacrifice will not be in vain, my friend." She lowered her head, before looking him in the eyes. "I'm sorry. Perhaps in a different life, we could have enjoyed a proper high school life, with the rest of our classmates."

At this point, he was slowly suffocating to death. His originally vigorous struggles were starting to ebb as the fight drained from his system along with the lack of air. Was this really how it was going to end? "I will endeavour to make your death painless, and snap your neck after you pass out. Goodbye, Naegi."

His hands fell to his sides. The grip on his throat was like an iron collar. So this was all his struggles amounted to? A futile, useless attempt to fight against an unseen puppeteer, only to be stabbed in the back by someone he thought he could rely on? His eyes flickered, struggling to stay open in his last moments. No, it couldn't end this way.

This was…

Was…

…

…

…

Absolute Bullshit.

Naegi Makoto's eyes snapped open with a sudden surge of fury that put the fight back in him. He reached up with both hands, ignoring his broken wrist, and pulled at Ogami's fingers. She startled, alarm bleeding into her tone.

"Please, do not make this harder than it already is!" She slapped away his hands, even as he continued to struggle. "You did your best, Naegi, so please—" A rattling laugh cut off her sentence, and nearly horrified eyes snapped to regard a pair of bloodshot orbs.

"I. Am not. Going. To. Die. Like. This." He wheezed, arm swinging back. Ogami did not flinch, assuming that he was going to try and hit her…

…only to cry out in surprise when his hand came back clutching a kitchen knife, which was promtly buried into her shoulder. As he angled the blade in order to slice at a major artery, she immediately dropped him, falling back several steps and leaving him to hurriedly gulp in greedy breaths of fresh air. The knife was clenched in a white-knuckled grip as he fell down to the ground, and it scraped against the floor as he got to his feet, massaging his throat with the other hand. Bringing the bloodstained blade up to the light, he flicked it to the side, eyes half-lidded with pain.

Ogami was clutching her bleeding wound, something akin to admiration in her eyes. "I was a fool to underestimate you. Even from within the jaws of death, you can still manage to seize victory…truly amazing."

"Big words…" He croaked. "...from the person who put me in that situation in the first place."

She chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I was hoping you would forget." The Ultimate Martial Artist raised her fists, blood dripping from her injury in tandem with the drops falling from his knife. "This can only end one way."

A lopsided grin twisted his face. "Like I said earlier—" He swung the knife when she tried to make use of his lapse in concentration. "—you can try."

Lunging forward, Ogami blocked his next swing with an arm, ignoring the way it sliced a gouge into the limb while reaching once more to disarm him by grabbing his wrist. Twisting before she could snap it as well, he forced her to release her grasp with a downward strike that would've carved her hand open if she had continued to cling to it. Still, she pursued him, unrelenting like a tsunami on the horizon.

Which was when he got the absolute worst idea in the history of bad ideas. Throwing the knife at her, he reached backwards, blindly fumbling for the rack of kitchen knives and pulling them all off the wall. A blade cut into his fingers, but even as he spilled his own blood, Naegi smiled. Ogami scowled, closing the distance completely in an attempt to defeat him before he could react. But even then, his plan was already in motion.

Throwing the five other knives straight up in the air, he reached out, pulling her closer with one hand on her shirt and the other yanking her by the hair. She startled, but hesitated when he flashed her a dark, twisted snarl.

"This is going to hurt and I am going to enjoy it."

The first tool bounced off his head. The second slid straight into Ogami's back, and the third into an arm as he struggled to keep the Martial Artist still. He grunted as the fourth stabbed into his leg, but ignored it in favour of allowing the fifth to wound his would-be killer in the foot. Taking advantage of her momentary pause, he reared back the leg without a knife in it and lashed out, colliding with what felt like a brick wall.

The two simultaneously backed off, both heaving with exertion. He slowly picked up the first knife that had missed injuring either of them, raising it in a defensive stance. Ogami growled, eyes glinting with blue light as she sprung forward once more, completely unfazed by the knives that had found a new home in her body. He laughed, catching a hit to the chin even as it made his brain shudder within the confines of his skull. Stepping forward, Naegi stabbed straight through her outstretched arm, following through and pinning the limb to the wall with his weapon before bringing his hands up and slamming his cupped palms into her ears. Pivoting on his good leg, the Luckster followed up with an uppercut that caused her head to snap back from the whiplash before swinging around to grab the back of her skull and introduce it to his knee.

The Ultimate Martial Artist was the one to collapse first, falling to her knees even as her arm was still stuck to the wall via knife. He followed soon afterwards, limbs losing whatever hysterical strength had allowed him to execute the series of violent attacks earlier as he slumped against a table.

He sighed, pulling the knife out of his thigh in order to shakily press the blade against the unprotected throat of his opponent. Blood immediately began to soak into his pants, but it didn't quite matter now, did it? Naegi's breathing stuttered, but he refused to pass out this time. Not when he was within arm's reach of someone who could turn him into meat paste with a single swipe.

"Are we done now?" He appeared confident, but at this point it was clear that the duo were running on fumes. Ogami shook her head slowly, eyes unfocused and seemingly rattled by the consecutive strikes to her head. She blinked before they zoomed in on his face.

A deep, rumbling laugh bounced off the walls of the kitchen as the Martial Artist began to pull the knives out of her flesh, massaging her arms.

"Yeah…we're done."

He couldn't help but chuckle, finally dropping his weapon.

"Fuckin' fantastic."