Chapter 1: Early Graduation or Early Grave? Part 1 (Daily Life)

Remaining Students: 18

Yūgo Hachiken (Silver Spoon): Ultimate Tutor

Reyn (Xenoblade Chronicles): Ultimate Tank

Pietro Maximoff "Quicksilver" (Marvel Cinematic Universe): Ultimate Speedster

Miles "Tails" Prower (Sonic The Hedgehog): Ultimate Pilot

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (Fire Emblem: Three Houses): Ultimate Prince

Satou Kazuma (Konosuba) Ultimate Thief

Bede (Pokémon): Ultimate Gym Leader

Ray (The Promised Neverland): Ultimate Strategist

Finn (Star Wars): Ultimate Rebel

Sayori (Doki Doki Literature Club): Ultimate Poet

Konata Izumi (Lucky Star): Ultimate Otaku

Saki Nikaido (Zombie Land Saga): Ultimate Biker Gang Leader

Tsuyu Asui (My Hero Academia) Ultimate Amphibian

Kokomi Teruhashi (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K): Ultimate Beauty

Minori Ichinose(Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure): Ultimate Bookworm

Sora Takenouchi (Digimon Adventure Original): Ultimate Love

Kale (Dragon Ball Super): Ultimate ?

Sakaki (Azumanga Daioh): Ultimate Animal Lover

Hachiken's POV

Insert Song: Despair Syndrome (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch." Dimitri tells Sora as she's wrapping bandages around his arm.

Sora shakes her head, "No you're not, none of you aren't. You all could have gotten even more injured, or worse, killed."

There were only fifteen of us here in the student center. Kale ran off after the confrontation with Sird, Bede didn't want anything to do with us, and Pietro was out surveying the area. Those who actually tried to fight Sird were being patched up, after she used her… Pokémon(?) on them.

As for me… I don't know what I'm feeling right now. Confusion? Fear? Frustration? Pretty much a mix of all of that and more, since I'm trapped in a "killing game" with strangers in a creepy university. That's just me though, I look to my right and see someone who's in worse condition than me.

Sayori, that cheerful girl I met earlier today, is now quivering in her chair with tears streaming down her face. She hasn't said a word for about a few hours and I'm really getting worried about her. I was about to say something to help, but someone else started speaking up instead.

"This is close to being one of the worst things that ever happened to me. And the world I live in is almost like hell." Kazuma leaned back in his seat and groaned.

"A-Are we sure this is even real right now? We could be dreaming, I've even had dreams that felt real like this before!" Teruhashi's beautiful voice was shaky.

Ray shook his head, "Not a chance, all of us having the exact same dream at the same time? That would be too coincidental. Like it or not, we're trapped in here."

Tails stood up, "There's gotta be some way out! I can try building something to help get through that barrier, I just need some time and—"

"I don't think we'd have enough time, mate. Being stuck in one place for too long could drive a Hom mad." Reyn sighed.

"We shouldn't give up though, ribbit. Even if someone wanted to kill someone, they would have to go through one of those class trials. It's not as easy to escape through graduation as Monokuma said, so I'm good with waiting for another solution." Tsuyu responds to the redhead's concerns.

"Who's to say nobody could still try? I mean… we're all strangers, so what we're saying right now could be lies." Finn states.

He's… unfortunately right. I wish he wasn't, but we all just met hours ago. I don't think any of us could read minds, so someone could secretly be planning to kill us. Maybe the people who aren't here are probably doing that? Even I might be pushed to a breaking point where I could consider it, it's terrifying.

"Those would sacrifice the lives of others for their own survival… it's disgusting." Dimitri uttered intensely as he clenched his arm.

"Ugh, this is so god damn stupid. I ain't gonna listen to that bear and that bitch's rules!" Saki grit her teeth.

"We have no choice for now. Until a new solution comes up for us, we have to follow the rules. Or else something worse could happen…" Minori softly tells her.

After that discussion, we all ate dinner in the cafeteria before going off to our dorms. Monokuma mentioned there were six personal rooms per building, good, so I don't have a roommate that could hear my screams of anguish. I did have dormmates though, so I checked to see who I was staying with.

On the 1st floor it was myself, Reyn, and Tails, while on the second floor it was Sayori, Konata, and Saki. I walked in and at the very least we aren't living in terrible conditions. The fridge was filled with food, there was a clean kitchen and dining area, soft couch, and a tv with video game consoles, plus movie streaming service.

After checking out the amenities, I went over to my room and scanned my e-Handbook on the door. I walked in and immediately fell face first onto my bed, yelling into my pillow. Ten minutes later I fell asleep, and hoped that this nightmare would end soon.

MONOKUMA THEATER

"Some people for some reason can't accept other interpretations of certain characters."

"Like having different stories or different people stepping into the roles of previous characters!"

"There are also fans who just fail to see any good of a particular interpretation, just blindly worshipping the ones they like!"

"Just ask the fans of a particular web-slinger, they can't stop living in the past and insult the new movies without looking closer! He isn't going to be the next Iron Man, you idiots, he doesn't want to be!"

"Well, it's a good thing there's only ONE TRUE Monokuma, one that's AMAZING, SPECTACULAR, SENSATIONAL, and SUPERIOR!"

It didn't end. I'm still in the same room I was last night.

I walked over to my personal bathroom and looked in the mirror, man I look awful. I washed my face to get rid of the remaining sleepiness and washed my hair a bit. For some reason one of my hairs just kept standing up and couldn't be patted down. I just ignored that as I changed out of the clothes I had worn last night.

When I came downstairs I saw Tails working on some kind of gadget, while I saw Saki and Reyn in the kitchen. Sayori and Konata must not be awake yet. I sat next to Tails on the dining table and began to rub my eyes.

"Good morning!" Tails greeted me.

"Mornin' pal!" Reyn said as took out a carton of eggs.

"Yo, g'morning Hachiken!" Saki waved.

Insert Song: Beautiful Days (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)

"M-Morning everyone…" I replied to them.

H-How are they so… chipper? Was I still dreaming? Because I vaguely remember us being STUCK IN A KILLING GAME yesterday. I think I feel numb.

"Uh… Hachiken, you alright man?" Reyn snapped me back into reality.

I got my bearings and cleared my throat before speaking, "Y-Yes. Sorry I'm just still trying to get over what happened the other day. Speaking of, how are you guys holding up?"

Reyn let out a sigh, "I uh… it's not something you can stop thinking about, that's for sure."

"I really don't like it, but ain't gonna change anytime soon. Whoa!" Saki suddenly turned the flame on the kitchen range too high.

Oh god, I do not feel safe with those two in the kitchen.

"H-Hold on! There we go." Tails rushed over and turned down the stove.

"Hoo, nice going there Foxy, about as quick as the Blue Blur Himself!" Saki complimented him.

Tails lightly blushed, "Thanks, though I'd never be as fast as him, or Pietro either! But uh, be careful next time."

"Yeah, for sure." Reyn scratched the back of his head as he began to take out the eggs.

"Morning… oh wow, the muscle heads are in the kitchen, this'll be fun." Konata came down the stairs and into the dining area.

"Huh?!" Reyn and Saki let out angrily at once as Konata giggled.

"Oi, brawn is better than brains, y'know?!" Reyn yelled.

"Heh, as if." Tails laughed in response.

Konata then sat down in the seat across from mine and glanced over at Tails, "Hey, whatcha working on?"

"Oh this? I'm just trying to make a new Miles Electric, it's like a handheld computer that has a whole range of functions! I'm thinking I could build one that could help us contact people from the outside, wherever we are at least. Sorry if I was making any noise last night while working on it, ha ha…" Tails explained.

"No it's fine, I was out cold last night. Though, after screaming for a bit, sorry if you heard that." I apologized.

"Weird, I didn't hear anything and my room's right next to yours. Hm… perhaps these rooms have soundproof walls?" Tails ponders.

Soundproof walls, huh? They do sound convenient if we want to rest, but at the same time it would be terrible when emergencies happen. Like if the dorm was on fire or… if someone got killed.

Damn it, I can't get it out of my head!

"D-Do I smell… breakfast?" I hear Sayori's voice come down from the stairs seconds later.

Of course she'd be down immediately if she knew we were cooking something, although I wonder if she's feeling alright. She did come out the latest out of all of us so she's probably not in the best of moods. Especially after seeing her left speechless last night…

"Good morning, everyone!"

EH?!

"Reyn…" Sayori ran up and hugged the redhead, almost making him drop a stack of bacon.

"Saki…" The zombie biker gang leader was also confused, as were the rest of us.

"Konata…" The otaku just rolled with it and hugged her back.

"Tails…" She squeezed the poor fox tight and I felt bad.

"And Hachiken!" ACK, I THINK MY BONES JUST CRACKED.

"Mmm… bacon, eggs, toast, and even rice too! Thanks for the food!" Sayori told Reyn and Saki.

"Uh… no problem, don't expect it to be too good though." Saki awkwardly smiled.

"Yeah, we ain't master chefs. You can always go to that diner place if it's terrible." Reyn recommended.

Sayori shook her head, "It's fine, food tastes better when it's an actual person who does it!"

"Do we actually know who cooks the food in the diner?" I raised an eyebrow.

Konata had come up with something, "Maybe it was Monokuma? That Sird lady said he was a machine, so it could have a special function. Plus it's called Black & White Bear Diner, so it goes along with the theming."

"Well… I've heard stranger things, so that could be possible…" Tails just went back to work on his pad device.

"Yo Hachiken, how do you like your eggs?" Saki asked me.

I then suddenly got an idea, "Just hand me one raw please, also a bowl of rice and soy sauce."

"Uh… you sure? Don't think I heard of this…" Reyn was confused, he must not have this where he's from. Although based on his accent, he likely doesn't.

"I have, and I want to try it too! Give me the same, but also with some bacon please!" Sayori requests.

"Actually can you add bacon with mine too? Thanks." I told them as I waited for my breakfast.

When I got the rice and bacon, both of them were piping hot, perfect for what I was going to do. I cracked the egg over the bowl as well as some soy sauce, and then stirred as quickly as I could with my chopsticks. The result I got was some warm rice coated in egg with bacon bits all within that bowl, a simple meal but…

"Soooooo gooooood!" I exclaimed after shoving so much into my mouth.

The first of many meals I enjoyed when I enrolled into Yezo Agricultural High, tamago kake gohan (farm fresh egg on rice)! I was originally disgusted after seeing them come from the chicken's anu-I mean cloaca, until I was finally convinced to try it.

"Mmmmm, what a delicious idea Hachiken!" Sayori said with her mouth full.

"Man, what kinda school taught you this stuff?" Reyn's face lit up when he took a bite.

"It's a farm school, it's a lot better than it sounds."

I finished that bowl fast, so I went over to the sink and started washing my dish… and then everyone else got done as well.

"Wow, you just got up and started washing the dishes, huh? You're an alright guy, Four-Eyes, hah!" Saki placed her bowl in the sink as well as the container for the rice cooker and the frying pan.

"H-Huh?!" I let out.

The others put in their dishes as well.

"Yeah, thanks for volunteering!" Tails smiled at me.

"Wait a minute—"

"You're a real stand-up guy, Hachiken." Reyn chuckled.

Ugh… I can't believe I couldn't say no. After being unfortunately stuck with washing all the dishes by hand, we all sat back until the food went down. I decided to check on Sayori real quick.

"Hey, Sayori?"

"What's up?"

I cleared my throat before I continued, "I was wondering if you're feeling any better after… what happened the other day."

She was silent for a few seconds until she decided to answer, "Oh, I… I'm alright! You don't have to worry about little old me."

Hm… that's just making me worry more. Why do people even say that?

"I see… you sure?"

"Yup! It's still very scary, I admit, but we can't get anywhere just moping around. Oh, I know! Let's meet up with everyone today to check in, how does that sound?"

I guess she's right, and it would be nice to see how everyone's holding up since the big info dump on the killing game. Before we could answer though, Sayori's already out the door.

"Hey Pietro, are you out there? Helloooooooo!"

"You called?" The quickster arrived, blowing a gust of wind into the doorway.

"Yeah, can you gather everyone up? We're gonna have a quick check-in at the fountain." Sayori explained.

"H-Hold on, we didn't all agree on that yet!" Tails told him.

"Eh, but we might as well." Pietro said before speeding off.

"Alright, I'll meet you guys there then!" Sayori ran out the door after him.

I just sighed heavily, the day just started and I'm exhausted.

"That girl's no slouch, I can't just sit back and let her do all the work. Hey Sayori, wait up!" Saki left as well.

"You guys go on ahead, I just need to make a quick adjustment to this and I'll join you." Tails says as he turns his attention back to his "Miles Electric".

"If you say so, Hachiken, Konata?" Reyn ushers us to go with him.

"If we have to…" I sighed again.

"Wow, you're like one of those characters who can't say no and overwork themselves, huh?" Konata said to me.

How did she… never mind, probably because she's seen a lot of anime with characters like that.

Insert Song: A Gentle Breeze (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

The three of us left the dorm and walked our way to the fountain at the center of the "Kuma-versity", as the bear called it. On the way there though, I spotted someone about to join us.

"Mornin' Your Highness!" Reyn greets Dimitri.

"O-Oh, good morning."

The Prince didn't look like he was all there, so he was a bit startled. He wasn't in the best shape last I saw him, physically and emotionally. He still had his bandages on to cover the scratches he got from that lioness-like thing.

"So are we doing more training today, or what?" Reyn asks him.

"Ah, my apologies, but I have to decline that offer for now. I will let you know immediately when an opportunity comes up. Please excuse me for now." Dimitri leans his head forward apologetically.

Reyn shakes his head in disappointment, "Aw, man. I woulda loved finally taking you down, oh well."

"Is fighting all he thinks about?" I whispered to Konata.

She shrugged, "Probably, though I also heard him whisper some girl's name in his sleep when he passed out on the couch. Sharla, I think?"

"Eh? Are you two talking about something?" Reyn turns back to us.

"It's nothing!" I reply back to him and he shrugs it off.

We soon arrived at the fountain where Monokuma and Sird first appeared, and some of us were on high alert if either of them showed up. Bede wasn't there unsurprisingly, though Kale was, fidgeting as she looked around.

"Okay, everyone! Ehehe~, I sound like a club leader. Ahem, I'm glad you're all here with us this morning!" Sayori welcomed everyone in attendance.

Kazuma didn't look like wanted to be there, "Did you really have to call us out here so early?"

"Now now, let her explain why she brought us here." Sora chastises him for being rude.

"Ugh, man this is annoying." He grumbled in response.

"I just wanted to check in on how you're all doing, since things aren't… the best right now." Sayori explains.

"Understatement of the century." Kazuma snarked.

Finn shushed him, "Quiet, kid. I'm getting by, though it is a lot to take in."

"This enclosed space isn't doing anyone favors either. I barely have enough room to jog." Pietro states.

Sayori just nods as she listens to the discussion. I wonder what's inside that brain of hers…

Ray was next, "I was thinking of having us split into groups to explore the surrounding areas that none of us have been to. We were interrupted by the meeting before we could continue."

"Good idea. Some of us just decided to stick to only one location, so having us all be more familiar with this place would be beneficial, ribbit." Tsu agrees.

"Or it can be one of the many factors that can lead to someone's downfall." A voice suddenly speaks up and we hear footsteps.

Insert Song: Bede Encounter (Pokémon Sword and Shield)

"Bede…" I saw him approach with a smirk on his face.

He looks up at Sayori before speaking, "Gathering up everyone for a little camaraderie, aren't you? Instead of doing that, you could have all gone searching the area immediately, rather than having that be a suggestion."

"What did you think I was doing, sitting on my ass?" Pietro got up in his face.

"Exactly, since if you were, you would have found one of these." Bede takes out a paper pamphlet in front of all of us.

"What is that?" Sayori asks him.

"A map of this zone, obviously." He reveals.

"Zone? Like the levels Tails would go through in his games?" Konata tilts her head in confusion.

Bede sighs, "That map calls this the first out of five main zones in the entire campus. What we're in right now is the Ex Zone and the one after this one is the R.A. Zone."

These are strange names, but I should expect no less from this place.

"You received this information from this single map? Where did you find it?" Dimitri looks over the map as he asks his question.

"The student store. Now if you've all gotten the information you wanted out of me, I'll be leaving to do more searching." Bede turns away to depart.

"Hold on!" Sayori grabs his arm before he can go.

"What now?" He glares at her.

I have a bad feeling about this. Hope you know what you're doing Sayori…

"Don't just leave like this! If we're getting out of here, we all have to work together to make it possible!" She tells him.

"Ugh, that's such a childish thing to believe. We're all still strangers to each other, and the only guaranteed way of escaping is to kill. The person right next to you could be planning on killing you right now, and you'd be blind if you didn't have any distrust. How do we even know that you aren't willing to murder one of us right now?" Bede berated her with his words.

I'm really wishing that I can just walk over and hit him, making him shut up. But… he was right in some ways, and I hate that he is.

"That's not true, I would never kill anyone! And none of the others would do that either!" Sayori denied it.

"Hmph, such ignorance. Do you truly believe that?" He asked her.

"Absolutely." She answered.

Bede grit his teeth, "Then from my perspective, you'll be the first to go."

Sayori was left speechless.

What a start… this is gonna be some killing game with how these characters are interacting with each other. I guarantee you all this will probably be another great ride like Nexus was, maybe even more thrilling! I can't wait until it gets going, hope you all enjoyed this part! I'll see you all next time, happy holidays, happy new year, etc.. Thanks so much, and I'm going to Disneyland, later readers!