"Then who is it?!" Sakakura yelled. "Who in the world is capable of pulling this off?!"

"Who, indeed?" Kyoko said. "What Remnant of Despair possesses such perfect mastery of impersonation?"

Kyoko pointed her finger…

"You, Nagata-san."

Nagata grinned. "So the finger of suspicion returns to me."

"What grounds do you have to make such a claim?!" Eguchi demanded. "There is no way Nagata is with the Remnants!"

Kyoko breathed deeply. This is it. No turning back now. "No, I am not accusing Akihiro Nagata of being a Remnant."

"Then what are you saying?!" Sakakura shouted in exasperation.

"I suspect that the Nagata-san before us, is not Nagata-san at all!"

The courtroom fell into a long moment of silence.

Kyoko's steeled expression betrayed no sign of how hard her heart was pounding.

"… are you insane?" Eguchi asked. "I know Nagata better than anyone, I can assure you beyond any doubt that this man is Nagata."

"How can you be sure?" Kyoko countered.

"I can just look at him!" Eguchi exclaimed. "It's the exact same face and exact same voice that I've always known! No one is that good at impersonating people!"

Kyoko smirked. "Oh, but there is someone. If we suppose that Nagata-san is a certain Remnant of Despair, everything falls into place. The forged note, the impossible break-ins, the perfectly mimicked voices, they would be capable of all this."

Sakakura's teeth clenched. "Are you referring to…?"

"Looks like you're finally catching on," Kyoko said. "I suspect that Nagata-san's true identity, is one of the most notorious Remnants of all. From Class 77-B of Hope's Peak Academy, the Ultimate Imposter."

The courtroom clamored.

The thunder of Tengan's gavel did everything it could to fight back the crowd's shock. "Order! Order!"

"How the hell did you reach that conclusion?!" Sakakura objected.

Eguchi grit his teeth. "Damn right! What makes you think Nagata is the imposter?!"

Nagata laughed. "That's quite the theory you have, detective. You think I'm the Ultimate Imposter? I'd like to see you prove it!"

"As we've established already," Kyoko said, "his room is the only one that could have been vacant while my client had been lured to the breakroom. Furthermore, he's the only one with enough body mass. That's the one attribute the Imposter cannot imitate. No matter who they are impersonating, they always weigh approximately 130 kilograms. No other suspects fit this profile."

"Objection!"

Sakakura's finger shot towards Kyoko. "The court has not accepted your little door deduction as fact! Are we supposed to believe he's the Imposter just because he's overweight?!"

Kyoko shook her head. "I haven't claimed to have proven anything yet. It's just a possibility at this point."

"That won't cut it!" Sakakura yelled. "If you dare to make such an accusation, you will need some real evidence! Not mere conjecture!"

"Of course we need proof," Kyoko said. "There's a simple way we can test this theory."

"And what is that?" Sakakura asked.

"Couldn't we just test his DNA?" Makoto asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Kyoko said. "The Ultimate Imposter… is truly extraordinary. Even their blood samples are known to match the impersonation target."

Makoto's teeth clenched. "That's… are you kidding me?!"

"I'm afraid not," Kyoko said, "but there is still a way we can test him. His memory."

Makoto's eyes lit up. "Oh, of course! We just need someone to ask Nagata something only he would know!"

"Correct," Kyoko said. She faced Eguchi. "And what better person to test him than you?"

His fist shaking, Eguchi growled. "I… I don't need to test him! I know Nagata when I see him! No one, not even the Ultimate Imposter, could ever trick me!"

Hmm…

How could they convince Eguchi to expose the Imposter?

We only have one shot…

Kyoko gazed darkly at Eguchi. "And if you're wrong? Would you allow the Imposter to get away with what they've done?"

"I…" Eguchi's fists tightened. "I would never forgive anyone who hurt Aki, but why should I listen to a word you say? Where did this Imposter theory of yours even come from? Do you have any reason to suspect that Aki isn't who he says he is? How can you be sure that I'm not capable of mimicking voices? I'm the Ultimate Show Host, after all! I'm no stranger to performances!"

There was a long pause.

Kyoko bowed her head and closed her eyes. "You're right. This theory is just a shot in the dark. I lack any concrete evidence."

"Wait, Kiri. Remember –"

Kyoko furtively jabbed her elbow into Makoto's side.

"Follow my lead," she whispered.

Makoto pursed his lips, but he held his tongue.

Eguchi scoffed. "Is this the best Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Detective can do? Pathetic." He grinned. "Perhaps you would be better off as the Ultimate Clown?"

Sakakura smiled. "More like the Ultimate Circus."

Eguchi laughed and clapped his hands. "Yes, yes! I like it!"

Kyoko frowned. "I…" She raised a tightened fist to her clenched teeth. "I can't prove anything…"

A cold silence filled the room.

"… what you doing?!" Byakuya yelled. "Are you giving up?!"

"Kirigiri-chan!" Hina cried. "You can do this! I know you can!"

"Don't let Naegi-chi down!" Hiro exclaimed.

"Y-you've got this!" Toko stammered.

Kyoko's face was pale as she stared ruefully at Makoto. "Naegi-kun, I'm sorry…"

Makoto's jaw dropped in horror. "What…?"

"I couldn't protect you…"

"What?!"

Tengan tapped his gavel against his hand. "If the defense has nothing more to add, this trial will come to a close."

Eguchi gave a satisfied smile. "I expected better from you."

Makoto shuddered. "Kirigiri, is it really…?"

Kyoko shut her eyes as her teeth remained clenched. "I don't know what to do…"

"Kiri!"

Tengan raised his gavel. "In that case…"

"Naegi-kun, help…"

"I declare the defendant…"

"Nagata-san!"

Suddenly, Makoto thrust his finger towards Nagata. "If you're really Nagata-san, then tell me! On the day you saved Eguchi's life, what happened after you escaped the building?"

Nagata tilted his head. "Hmm? What does that have to do with anything?"

"On the day of the murder," Makoto said, "Eguchi told us a story. He told us how you rescued him from his studio as it burned to the ground, and you said that you were too embarrassed to say what happened next." Makoto glared fiercely at Nagata. "But is that true? Is it really that you didn't want to say, or that you couldn't?"

Kyoko's lips parted. "N-Naegi-kun…"

Eguchi's mouth fell wide open. "You really think…?"

The grin on Nagata's face was finally wiped off. He stared coldly at Makoto. "My personal life is none of your –"

"Nagata!" Eguchi shouted. "Answer the question!"

Nagata gasped in genuine shock. "What? You…?"

"Answer the question!"

"… right," Nagata said. "Of course I can answer. How could I ever forget? When we got to safety, we –"

"OBJECTION!"

Sakakura's teeth clenched tightly as he pounded his fists on his desk. "Stop! Stop! You don't need to answer that!"

Makoto jumped in surprise at the sudden objection. "What?"

"You can't make him answer!" Sakakura yelled. "The witness has the right to remain silent! I won't stand for this coerced testimony!"

"But, we need this!" Makoto said. "You can't just obstruct our argument like this!"

"To hell with your argument!" Sakakura screamed. "No one should be forced to –"

"Objection overruled," Tengan said. "The witness will answer."

Sakakura grimaced. "Y-Your Honor! You can't…!"

Tengan glowered at him. "My decision is final. Now, continue with the testimony."

Sakakura shut his eyes and growled in frustration. Kyoko had a theory about his behavior, but there was no need to pursue it.

"Well?" Eguchi said. "What happened?"

"Naturally," Nagata said, "we kissed."

Eguchi's hands smashed into his witness stand. "No! That's not what happened!"

Nagata gave an awkward laugh. "Oh, uh, sorry. I must have hit my head while escaping."

"You should know exactly what I'm talking about," Eguchi said. "What's the first thing I said to you?"

Nagata pursed his lips. "Umm…"

"Nagata! What's the first thing I said to you?!"

"… thanks?" Nagata said.

Eguchi closed his eyes. 'I've heard enough." He looked at Tengan. "Your Honor, I testify that, without any doubt, this person is not Akihiro Nagata."

Once again, shocked chatter filled the courtroom.

"So, it's true?" Hina asked, sitting in the gallery. "Kirigiri-chan's right? He's the Ultimate Imposter?"

"Quite the development," Byakuya said.

"Man, right under our noses," Hiro said.

Kyoko gazed upon Makoto with starry eyes. "Naegi-kun, you're amazing…"

Makoto blinked in confusion.

"I can't believe you thought of that," Kyoko said. "Thanks to that evidence, Eguchi-sama…" She gave Eguchi a smug smile. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Eguchi's eyes narrowed. "Wait…" His eyes widened. "You were playing dumb?!"

Still smirking, Kyoko crossed her arms. "I figured you would be more likely to drop your guard if the evidence came from Naegi-kun. In case you're the killer, I couldn't have you covering for Nagata-san."

"Tch, so Naegi told you about that conversation."

"Of course," Kyoko said. "We need to examine all the evidence we have. When put together with the impersonation techniques, that dodged question was enough for me to suspect him. Until now, it was only a suspicion, but thank you for confirming it. We couldn't have done it without you."

Eguchi sighed. "A fine performance, I must admit." He glared at 'Nagata.' "More importantly, what have you done with Aki?!"

'Nagata' sobbed. "A-Aoi, it's m-me. D-don't you b-believe me?"

"Cut the bullshit!" Eguchi snapped. "What have you done with Aki?!"

After a long pause, 'Nagata' snickered. "Hehehe… fine, I'm getting tired of this disguise."

"So you admit it?" Byakuya said. "You're the Ultimate Imposter?"

With a wave of their hand, as if taking off a mask, 'Nagata' changed their face. "Indeed, I am."

The whole courtroom gasped as what was once Nagata turned into the face of Byakuya Togami. The Imposter's hair turned into a bright blonde, and their eyes changed from brown to blue to perfectly match Byakuya, down to the blood vessel pattern. Even the burns on their hands had inexplicably vanished. Aside from being extremely overweight, they looked just like Byakuya.

Their voice was just the same as Byakuya's as well. "I suppose I should introduce myself properly. I have no name, other than the title of Ultimate Imposter, Remnant of Despair."

The real Byakuya shook his fist in exasperation. "Wh-what is the meaning of this?"

The Imposter laughed. "What's the matter? This is one of my favorite identities, you know. The bronze affluent progeny who clawed his way to the top. The most absolute existence I've ever seen."

"Shut up!" Byakuya yelled.

Kyoko addressed Tengan. "As you can see, the Imposter is capable of flawlessly imitating the voices of others. They can also change almost any aspect of their appearance in an instant, including their eyes. Right now, if the Imposter were to approach the scanner by Togami-kun's door, I have no doubt that it would open."

Tengan looked at the Imposter closely. "Hmm, yes, they're just as skilled as the reports say."

Sakakura's eyes widened in disbelief. "This… this isn't human!"

The Imposter shrugged. "What can I say? Welcome to the world of Ultimates. As a Hope's Peak Alumnus yourself, you should understand."

Eguchi tightly gripped the rails of his witness stand. "Where. Is. Aki?!"

The Imposter sighed. "Oh, Eguchi. Why did you have to be such a blabbermouth? If only that chance encounter with Naegi hadn't happened."

"Where's Aki, damn it!"

The Imposter flashed a sinister grin. "Dead, obviously."

Color drained from Eguchi's face. "H-how long?"

"About one month ago, before boarding the ship."

"This whole time…" Eguchi grimaced. "How did I not know?"

"Ah, don't feel bad," the Imposter said. "It's like the detective said. I can change almost anything about my body. My face, my hair, my eyes, even my fingerprints. I meticulously suit it all to my identity. The only thing I can't change on command is my total mass. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem with Nagata."

"And with easy access to anyone's room," Kyoko said, "the Imposter was able to plant the surveillance equipment in everyone's quarters."

With another wave of their hand, the Imposter changed their face to… Kyoko's.

The Imposter clasped their hands together and cried out in an exaggerated tone of anguish. "Oh, Makoto! I th-thought you were going to die! I thought I was g-going to lose you!" They sobbed. "I'm s-so happy you survived! I'm so glad you're here with me! Makoto!"

Makoto turned as pale as a sheet. "U-uh…"

Kyoko showed no emotion.

Not that she wasn't emotional.

Oh, she was mortified.

In that moment, Kyoko struggled to maintain one of her most hard-fought poker faces in her life.

Kyoko wanted to scream.

Kyoko wanted nothing more than to throw herself into the deepest, darkest abyss where no one would find her.

But could you tell that by looking at her?

No.

She hid her horrified emotions like a true Kirigiri.

The Imposter sniffled. "I'm so s-sorry, Makoto!"

"S-stop that!" Makoto stammered.

The Imposter changed their appearance again, to Makoto.

"Oh, Kyoko!" the Imposter cried. "Please don't hate yourself! I don't care if you tried to kill me! I looooooooove yyyoooooooouuuuu!"

"I… I don't sound like that!" Makoto said. "Do I?"

"… anyway," Kyoko said, "it was you who bugged those rooms, correct?"

The Imposter scratched their chin. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe?" They gasped. "Or what about Yasui? Maybe her missing eye isn't as missing as we think, hmm? She could be hiding a master key under there!"

With a sigh, Yasui lifted her eyepatch, revealing nothing but an empty eye socket.

"I mean, you could have removed it," the Imposter said.

Sakakura shook his head. "Not possible. Security conducted a thorough body check on scene, including underneath her eyepatch. Even if that weren't the case, security confirmed there's no 'master key' hidden in the system."

Kyoko smiled. "Oh, you checked under her eyepatch? Maybe you're not as bad as I thought." She turned her gaze to the Imposter. "Anyway…"

The Imposter laughed. "All right, it was me! As you said, I could easily get into those rooms. I wanted to keep tabs on our ex-operative, as well as the Ultimate Hope."

"And you witnessed the murder through those cameras?" Kyoko asked.

"Sure did," the Imposter said.

"Okay," Kyoko said, "who did it, then?"

Imposter-Makoto pointed to themselves. "Why, it was this adorable face right here! Makoto Naegi!"

"In the case," Kyoko said, "show us the footage."

"Eh?"

"Show us the footage."

The Imposter scratched their head. "You want to… see the footage?"

"Did I stutter? Show us the footage."

I wish I had thought of this during Ikusaba's trial.

The Imposter gave an awkward laugh. "Ah, well, uh, you know I can't do that. We gotta give the blackened a fighting chance at least."

Kyoko folded her arms. "Is that so?"

The Imposter smirked at her. "What? Is it really so hard to believe that Naegi would kill someone? Why? Because you 'trust' him? Because he's your 'friend' and wouldn't do that? I thought you were better than that. What happened to you, Kirigiri?"

Kyoko's heartrate elevated.

The Imposter snickered. "This isn't like you at all. You should suspect him like anyone else, but all your conclusions this trial have been built around the presumption that Naegi is innocent. Are you letting emotion control your judgment? Grandfather would be so disappointed."

Shut up…

I will not make that mistake again.

"You're getting too close, Kirigiri…"

Never again.

"You're going to make a misjudgment…"

No.

This time, I won't doubt myself.

Kyoko coldly met the Imposter's gaze. "My feelings have nothing to do with it. Today, I am not here just as a detective. I am Naegi-kun's defense attorney. I am not only allowed, but obligated to advocate for his innocence. And I can afford to do that, because…"

She looked at Sakakura. "We have him. In a traditional trial, the defense and prosecution work together to find the truth. We may argue opposing viewpoints, but in the end, we both want the same thing. Until Sakakura-sama proves Naegi-kun's guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt, I won't stop fighting for his side."

The Imposter slowly clapped their hands. "Wow! What a speech! Amazing!" They looked at Eguchi. "Hey! Ultimate Show Host! What do you think? Give the woman an Oscar already!"

Tengan slammed his gavel. "I think we're getting sidetracked."

"Very much so," Kyoko agreed. "We still need to determine who killed Nakazawa-sama."

"Wait!" Hina said. "How do we know this creep isn't the killer?"

"Of course I didn't kill anyone!" the Imposter said. "I'm a Remnant of Despair. You know we prefer it when you kill each other!"

"They have an alibi," Kyoko reminded Hina. "At 11:05pm, the Imposter was in the mess hall. They couldn't have killed Nakazawa-sama, but they did try to frame Naegi-kun."

"Objection!"

Sakakura folded his arms. "So you've proven that Nagata is the Ultimate Imposter. So what?"

Makoto gasped. "Huh?"

Sakakura's finger pointed at Makoto. "Even if they are the Ultimate Imposter, it changes nothing. Just because the Imposter was present doesn't mean they attacked the defendant. The defense has failed to produce a shred of evidence to exonerate the defendant."

Makoto's face turned blue. "Are you kidding me?!"

An icy chill gripped Kyoko's heart.

Sakakura was right.

The presence of the Imposter proved that Makoto could have been framed.

It didn't prove that he had been framed.

It was reasonable doubt.

But in this kangaroo court, reasonable doubt wasn't enough.

This time, Kyoko genuinely felt at a loss.

What can I do?

Makoto…

She knew he wasn't the killer.

She had to save him.

But if I can't…

The image of Yui Samidare, pinned beneath burning debris, flashed in Kyoko's mind.

I can't let it happen again.

But how can I…?

"Wait!"

Yasui suddenly exclaimed.

Sakakura furrowed his brow. "What do you want?"

Yasui pursed her lips. "I apologize. I may have… left something out of my testimony."

Chatter swept through the crowd.

Tengan glared at Yasui. "You committed perjury?"

Yasui lowered her head. "Sorry. I didn't know what to make of it until now. I didn't think anyone would believe me."

Hope dared to melt away Kyoko's festering despair.

Did she see…?

"What are you talking about?" Sakakura asked.

"At 11:10pm," Yasui said, "after I thought Nakazawa-sama tried to visit me again, after I yelled at her to leave again, I opened my door."

The crowd's murmurs intensified.

"Then what?" Makoto asked.

Yasui bit her lip. "I saw Nakazawa-sama, except, she was, umm, heavier. Much heavier."

Tengan pounded his gavel to stem the crowd's cries. "Order! Order!"

"Objection!"

Sakakura's finger sprung at Yasui like a rapier. "That contradicts your earlier testimony! You said you didn't see Nakazawa a second time!"

"Sorry," Yasui apologized. "I was confused. I didn't know what I had seen. But now, the situation's changed." She pointed at the Imposter. "It was them! They entered Nakazawa-sama's room!"

The boom of Tengan's gavel continued to fight the shocked crowd. "Order! Order!"

"I thought I was going crazy," Yasui said. "I'm really sorry I didn't say this before."

Sakakura's fist again pounded into his desk. "Do you have proof?! How do we know you're not lying?!"

Yasui took a deep breath. "You can check my search history."

"What?!"

"After I saw the Imposter," Yasui said, "I did some research trying to understand what I had seen."

"Are you…?!"

Kyoko glared fiercely at Tengan. "The defense demands examination of Yasui's search history."

Tengan nodded. "Yes, this claim warrants scrutiny." He struck his gavel. "Security, please procure the relevant data."

There was a brief recess while Yasui's search history was retrieved.

The evidence was displayed on the monitors. Running from 11:11pm to 11:19pm, Yasui's computer had conducted the following web searches:

sudden weight gain

natsuki nakazawa weight

hallucinations

miaya gekkogahara how to get appointment

Sakakura stared at the evidence in utter disbelief. "You can't be serious…"

"I'm not making this up," Yasui said. "I hope this is enough to convince you."

Kyoko squinted at Sakakura. "You didn't even check the suspect's browsing history? And here I was starting to think you were competent."

Sakakura snarled. "She was only a person of interest. There was no probable cause."

"Oh, yes, because you care so much about proper procedure."

Tengan struck his gavel. "Enough! What's important is how we access this new evidence."

Sweat dripped down Makoto's face. "Is it enough?"

Kyoko looked into Sakakura's eyes. "Well? What do you think?"

Sakakura met her gaze silently.

I know you hate Makoto.

But are you willing to convict an innocent person?

What will you do, Juzo Sakakura?

Sakakura closed his eyes. "The prosecution… has no rebuttal for Yasui's testimony."

Tengan looked at him with wide eyes. "So you accept it as fact that the Imposter entered Nakazawa-kun's quarters?"

Sakakura nodded. "I do."

"Holy shit," Makoto whispered.

Although she didn't show it, Kyoko was just as shocked as Makoto. Maybe he does have some honor.

Tengan hummed. "I am inclined to concur with Yasui-kun as well. In light of the evidence, I find her testimony credible."

"In that case," Kyoko said, "we can be certain that Nakazawa-sama was already dead at 11:10pm."

"Can we?" Sakakura challenged. "What if Nakazawa was still allied with the Remnants?"

"I don't think so," Makoto said. "The Imposter themselves referred to Nakazawa as an 'ex-operative.' She wasn't working with them anymore. Yasui-san's testimony also contradicts Nakazawa staying with the Remnants."

The Imposter chuckled. "Whoops."

"They could be lying," Sakakura said.

"Why lie?" Kyoko asked. "She's dead." Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Have you turned up any evidence that Nakazawa-sama was in contact with the Remnants?"

Sakakura had no response.

"In that case," Kyoko said, "it's reasonable to assert that the Imposter in the guise of Nakazawa would have alerted the real Nakazawa on sight."

After a moment, Sakakura shook his head. "There is another possibility. She could have been unconscious."

"Do you have evidence for that?" Kyoko countered. "According to the autopsy report, the only pre-mortem injury was the trauma to her right eye, which Yasui-san claimed responsibility for. If this blow did knock her out, that implicates Yasui-san. Other than that, the first strike to her forehead was instantly fatal, and all other strikes were post-mortem. Unless Yasui-san lied, there's no sign that she had been rendered unconscious."

"Then, what if the Imposter threatened her?" Sakakura suggested. "They could have kept her still until Naegi came."

"That's right," the Imposter said. "Maybe Naegi was working with me all along."

"To what end?" Kyoko asked. "What was Naegi-kun getting out of you as an accomplice?"

"Well…"

The Imposter couldn't answer.

Kyoko shook her head. "If I were to use the Imposter as an accomplice, I would expect them to at least open the door for me, allowing me to enter Nakazawa-sama's room without leaving a record behind. To do so in this scenario would be nonsense. Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that Nakazawa-sama wouldn't have mentioned the Imposter during her supposed confrontation with Naegi-kun. With the Imposter placed at the crime scene, the charges against my client no longer hold water."

A tense silence filled the room.

Tengan's gaze turned to Sakakura. "Do you have any rebuttal?"

Sakakura sighed. "It does seem improbable for Nakazawa to be alive at this time."

"Thank you," Kyoko said earnestly. "Now that we've determined that Nakazawa-sama was dead before 11:18pm, that leaves us with 11:05pm as the most likely time of death, coinciding with the sound Fukawa-san heard."

"But can you be sure that sound was really Nakazawa's murder?" Sakakura asked.

"Look at the autopsy report," Kyoko said. "There was a peri-mortem injury to the back of the victim's head consistent with falling. This tells us that Nakazawa hit the floor hard around the time of death. This sound would have been heard on the floor below. If it wasn't the 11:18pm sound Genocide Jill heard, only the sound Fukawa-san heard at 11:05pm remains. Let's also recall that she had allegedly unlocked her door at this time. While out in the hall, she would have been vulnerable."

Sakakura paused. "If that's true, we're back to square one. There are four people who could have killed Nakazawa at 11:05pm."

"Yes," Kyoko said. "Although it's not necessarily the job of a defense attorney, I'm still a detective at heart. I would like to solve this mystery."

Makoto held his chin. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Well," Kyoko said, "if we know that the 11:18pm murder was staged, what else can we say is fake?"

Makoto hummed, then his eyes opened wide in realization. "Of course! The murder weapon!"

Kyoko smiled. "Correct. The Tengan statue was inside the breakroom, and you were the first to enter that night at 11:13pm. Therefore, it couldn't have been used to kill Nakazawa-sama at 11:05pm."

"And that's why Nakazawa was struck multiple times," Makoto said. "The Imposter needed to cover the Tengan statue in blood. The killer probably only hit Nakazawa once, but the rest were done by the Imposter."

"A likely possibility," Kyoko agreed.

"So," Makoto said, "do you think that Nakazawa statue is the true murder weapon?"

"Remember," Kyoko said, "the Imposter saw the murder. They knew what weapon the killer used. I imagine they wanted to use a prop as similar to the actual weapon as possible, so yes, I suspect that weapon is the Nakazawa statue found in Yasui-san's quarters."

"Hold it!"

Yasui grit her teeth. "A statue in my room? What are you talking about?"

Makoto blinked. "You don't know?"

"There was a statue of Nakazawa-sama found in your room," Kyoko said. "Is it not yours?"

"No," Yasui said. "I don't own a statue of her."

"You don't?" Makoto asked.

"No," Yasui said.

Makoto squinted. "Why would it be there, then?"

Eguchi eyed Yasui suspiciously. "Or why are you lying about it?"

Yasui clicked her tongue. "I'm not lying!"

"Eguchi," Kyoko said, "you've visited Yasui-san's quarters in the past, have you not?"

Eguchi pursed his lips. "Umm, yes, that's right."

"Did you see the statue inside?" Kyoko asked.

Eguchi was silent for quite some time, then he laughed jovially. "Of course I saw it!"

Yasui's face reddened. "He's lying!"

"Oh, give it up!" Eguchi said. "It was obviously you! Just admit it!"

Yasui pointed her finger. "No! It had to be you! That statue must be yours!"

"It was in your room! It was yours!"

Hmm, we haven't even proven it's the murder weapon, and they're already fighting over it.

Kyoko folded her arms. "Regardless of the weapon, I am certain that one of you must be the killer."

"How do you figure?" Sakakura asked.

"The confrontation between the victim and Yasui-san," Kyoko said. "Assuming it actually happened, the killer must have heard it to intercept Nakazawa-sama as she unlocked her room. Eguchi was in the room next to Yasui-san, so he could have heard. Of course, Yasui-san herself also could have followed Nakazawa-sama."

"I did not!" Yasui shouted.

"I couldn't have heard the argument!" Eguchi said. "If I did, there's no motive!"

"Wrong!" Yasui yelled. "Nakazawa wasn't exactly screaming her confession to the world! She spoke quietly! You only would have heard bits and pieces! Enough to know there was an argument, but not enough to know what it was about! You were trying to frame me all along! It was you!"

Eguchi glared at her. "It could only have been you! That statue wasn't mine! I don't own such a thing!"

"That's not true!"

From the gallery, Hina stood and pointed her finger. "Eguchi! You are a big, fat, liar! I saw that statue in your office!"

After a brief pause, Eguchi laughed lightheartedly. "My office, you say? How long ago was this?"

Hina pursed her lips. "Umm, it was one month ago, right before we boarded the ship."

"Of course," Eguchi said. "My apologies, I should have been more clear. I did own that statue, but on the day we began our voyage with the Fourteenth Division, I gave it to Yasui as a gift."

"That's a lie!" Yasui shouted.

"Why wouldn't I?" Eguchi said. "I knew how much Nakazawa meant to her, or, well, so I had thought…"

"Fuck you!" Yasui spat.

Kyoko gave both an intense stare. "Given how adamant the two of you are on this point, can we agree that the statue must be the murder weapon? One of you is lying about it, after all."

"Absolutely!" Eguchi said.

"He used it to kill Nakazawa-sama!" Yasui said.

Tengan laughed. "So it was not the statue of myself after all. I'm glad we cleared my name. If it was Nakazawa herself, perhaps we can rule this a suicide?"

Kyoko resisted the urge to strangle him. A woman is dead, Your Honor!

"That's it, then," Byakuya said. "If the Nakazawa statue is the murder weapon, then the murderer is Yasui, no question."

Yasui's eye widened. "W-wait! No! It wasn't me! I've never seen that statue! I don't know what it was doing in my room!"

Byakuya looked down on her. "Oh, really? You're still going with that story? I say we lock you up right -"

"Togami-kun," Kyoko said sternly, "you are merely a spectator in this trial. Leave this to the attorneys, will you?"

Byakuya clicked his tongue. "Do you have a rebuttal, then? It's obviously Yasui."

"How can you accuse her?!" Makoto shouted. "If it weren't for her, we never would have proven that the Imposter was in Nakazawa's room!"

"You could say the same about Eguchi," Byakuya said. "We don't all act according to calculations and cost-benefit diagrams. That's what makes us so complicated."

Kyoko smirked. "Wise words. You're still wrong to jump to conclusions, but that last thing you said was very profound."

"Then, logically speaking," Makoto said, "can we really say for sure that it's Yasui-san?"

"No," Kyoko said, "we cannot conclusively say that Yasui-san is the culprit."

"Why not?" Eguchi asked.

"Because the statue could have been moved," Makoto said.

Eguchi pursed his lips. "Moved? How?"

"Right after the alarm rang," Kyoko said. "You and Yasui-san did not close your doors when you went out. All of us went inside Nakazawa-sama's quarters, except for the Imposter. If the statue was in your room, they could have taken it to Yasui-san's room."

"Oh, wow…" Imposter-Makoto swooned. "What an amazing theory, my beautiful detective! But, why would the Imposter do such a thing?"

Kyoko sighed. "I suspect you prepared this trick as a contingency in case we made it this far, just so we would still end up with the wrong culprit."

Eguchi furrowed his brow. "Now hold on a minute! Are you accusing me?! How could it be me? I exposed the Imposter for you!"

Makoto looked at Eguchi with a firm stare. "You're also the only one who didn't know about the investigation."

A faint growl escaped Eguchi. "Hold on, that's -"

"Your own logic," Kyoko said. "You said it yourself. If you had known that Nakazawa-sama had already been found guilty of a crime, you wouldn't have bothered killing her."

"Well, I retract that statement!" Eguchi said. "It's entirely possible that Nakazawa's confession made Yasui snap!"

"No! It wasn't me!" Yasui cried.

"If I may interject," Sakakura said, "there's also the issue of Yasui's fingerprints found on the statue."

"Yes, yes!" Eguchi said. "How do you explain that?"

"Simple," Kyoko said. "The Imposter can mimic fingerprints. They confirmed this themselves."

"And the lack of Eguchi's fingerprints?" Sakakura asked.

"He could have cleaned them off," Kyoko said. "The statue had been cleaned, though there were still slight traces of blood. I imagine that the killer hadn't quite finished since the body was found sooner than expected."

With a sigh, Eguchi shrugged. "That's an interesting theory you've got there, but it's only a theory. You don't have any proof that it actually happened. Have you considered that I could be the one being framed? Maybe the Imposter wants you to think the statue was moved, when it had actually been left where it had been all along."

"Your Honor," Kyoko said, "please pull up the exhibit showing the statue found in Yasui-san's quarters."

The monitors displayed the Nakazawa statue sitting on top of Yasui's dresser.

"Eguchi," Kyoko said, "to clarify, is this the statue you gifted to Yasui-san?"

"Sure is!" Eguchi chirped.

"And was the statue there?"

"Sure was!"

"Where was it exactly?" Kyoko asked.

"Right there!" Eguchi said, pointing at the picture. "On her dresser!"

"And is that where it's always been?" Kyoko asked.

Eguchi laughed and clapped his hands. "Yes, yes! That's where she kept it!"

"The whole time?" Kyoko pressed. "She never moved it?"

"The whole time!" Eguchi said.

Kyoko's lips curled up into a satisfied smile. "Sorry, but that's impossible."

Eguchi's jaw dropped in confusion. "What…?"

Kyoko gestured towards the photograph. "Look at the dust on top of the dresser. When I removed the statue, the dust underneath was at the same level. If a heavy statue had been sitting in the same spot for an entire month, the dust surrounding the statue would have accumulated, while the area underneath would have remained the same. The statue should have left an impression in the dust, but there was no such impression. Therefore, the statue had been placed there recently."

After a pause, Eguchi gnawed his teeth. "That's all you've got? A little dust? So maybe I misremembered slightly. Yasui probably did move it around."

Kyoko held her chin. Eguchi's claim wasn't unreasonable. It was one thing to find the probable culprit, but proving their guilt was another matter entirely.

Eguchi huffed. "In the end, you have no proof that the statue was in my room."

Before the murder, where was the statue?

Makoto stared intensely into space. "Wasn't there something strange in Eguchi's room?"

Yes, there had been.

Kyoko took a deep breath. "Let me confirm a few things. Eguchi, where were you from 11:00pm to 11:18pm?"

"In my room," Eguchi said. "I was there the whole time until I heard Naegi and Nakazawa's voices."

"You never left until then?"

"Never."

"And has Yasui-san ever visited your room?" Kyoko asked.

Eguchi scratched his head. "Not that I know of."

"No, I never entered his room," Yasui said.

If that's true, how do you explain…?

Kyoko thought about the blonde strand of hair found on Eguchi's desk.

Yasui had never visited Eguchi's room.

There was no reason for it to be there.

Unless, if the Imposter had mimicked Yasui…

Then, could it have been on top of…?

"Hey, Hina," Makoto said, "do you remember where Eguchi kept the Nakazawa statue in his office?"

Hina hummed, then she held up her finger. "Oh! He used it as a paperweight!"

A paperweight?

Makoto's eyes opened wide. "Then…!"

There was no guarantee, but Kyoko had to try something. She looked up at Tengan. "Your Honor, the defense requests a thirty-minute recess to conduct additional investigation."

"Are we really the 'defense' at this point?" Makoto muttered.

"Curious," Tengan said. "All right, then." He pounded his gavel. "Court will recess for thirty minutes."

During the recess, Kyoko returned to Eguchi's room. With a racing heart, she conducted her test…

When Kyoko returned to the courtroom, she presented new evidence.

It was the report found on Eguchi's desk, but it was covered in gray, except for a square. Inside the square was a name.

Nakazawa

Eguchi blinked. "Wh… what is this?"

Kyoko pointed at the evidence. "This report was found in Eguchi's room. I sketched over the sheet with a pencil to highlight an impression that was left on the page. A square object had been placed on the document, and this object had an inscription in the center. The name of the victim, Nakazawa. Incidentally, this is also the name inscribed in the base of the murder weapon.

"In other words, proof that the murder weapon was in your room, Eguchi."

Eguchi finally broke a sweat. "What…?"

"Just as Asahina-san said, you used this statue as a paperweight. You had it on top of that report the night of the murder, and you used it to kill Nakazawa-sama."

"That's…"

Kyoko smiled. "Here's exactly what happened…."

Closing Argument

To fully understand this case, we must go back one month ago. Just before the joint operation between the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Divisions began.

The real Akihiro Nagata had an intimate relationship with the killer. Sadly, shortly before boarding the ship, Nagata was murdered and replaced by a Remnant of Despair, the Ultimate Imposter.

The Imposter used the disguise of Nagata to infiltrate the ship. Sometime after boarding, they used their mastery of disguise to fool even the retina scanners by the doors in the Officer Quarters. They took advantage of this trick to plant spying equipment in almost everyone's rooms. Primary targets were Nakazawa, the ex-Despair operative, and my client, the renowned Ultimate Hope.

One month later, 11:00pm on the night of the murder, Nakazawa visited Yasui and quietly confessed to once being a coerced Despair operative. Yasui reacted unkindly to this revelation and struck Nakazawa's right eye, sparking a heated argument.

Unfortunately, part of this argument was heard by the killer. They may not have heard Nakazawa confess to her crimes, but they did hear Yasui scream at her to leave. As Nakazawa returned to her quarters at 11:05pm, the killer seized their opportunity. Taking the murder weapon, a statue of Nakazawa herself, the killer followed Nakazawa as she entered her room and struck her dead instantly.

The sound of Nakazawa's body hitting the floor was heard by Fukawa in the room below. The shock of this sound caused her to switch to her Genocide Jill persona. The time of the murder was unwittingly recorded by Genocide Jill wasting absolutely no time harassing Togami via text messaging.

The killer then left Nakazawa's body locked inside her room and returned to their own room, confident that the crime couldn't be traced back to them. All they had to do was clean the murder weapon.

That would have been the end of it, if it weren't for the Ultimate Imposter. The Imposter witnessed the murder through their surveillance equipment, and they quickly devised a plan to frame my client.

At 11:07pm, the Imposter entered the Officer Quarters, went into their room, and crafted a note in my handwriting, well-aware how much my client trusts me. As the Ultimate Imposter, such deception was no problem for them. They even endowed the note with my scent. In just a minute's time, they planted the note underneath my client's door, instructing him to meet 'me' in the breakroom five minutes later. Informing my client of the wiretapping also added to the note's credibility.

Meanwhile, at 11:09pm, the Imposter scanned Nakazawa's retina at Yasui's door. This was done not only to create the illusion that Nakazawa was still alive, but also to give the Imposter a cover to unlock Nakazawa's door. As the Imposter disguised themselves as Nakazawa to enter her room, Yasui spotted them, but she wrote off the encounter as a hallucination due to 'Nakazawa's' inexplicable weight gain.

The Imposter stayed in Nakazawa's room until 11:13pm, waiting to ambush my client. As my client entered the breakroom, the Imposter followed him inside and rendered him unconscious. While there, they retrieved a statue of Tengan that was inside.

By 11:15pm, they dragged my client to Nakazawa's room, and they staged a fake confrontation between my client and Nakazawa, imitating both voices perfectly thanks to their talent. However, they are only one person, and it takes them a moment to change their impersonation target. The Imposter couldn't simulate two voices talking over each other. This fake encounter was heard by Genocide Jill below, as well as the killer in the room next door. The staged encounter culminated in the Imposter striking Nakazawa's body with additional head wounds using the Tengan statue, bloodying it. The sound of this impact caused Genocide Jill to switch back to Fukawa. The Imposter then planted the statue in my client's hand and left the room.

It must have been quite the shock for the killer when the voice of the woman they had killed shouted from her room. They ran to investigate, and in their rush, they neglected to close their door. The killer found my client by Nakazawa's body and felt compelled to accuse him. The Imposter pretended to discover the incident themselves and rang the alarm at 11:19pm.

Hearing the alarm, Yasui and I left our rooms to investigate. Yasui also neglected to close her door. We passed by the Imposter as they stood by the alarm. Once we entered Nakazawa's room, the Imposter used this chance to move the murder weapon from the killer's room to Yasui's room, one final trick in case my client was exonerated.

However, the statue and the Imposter left behind traces in the killer's room. The Imposter left behind a strand of hair from their Yasui disguise while moving the statue, and the statue had left an impression on a Top Secret document addressed to the killer. After examining the document, I was able to expose the murder weapon's true owner.

You, Aoi Eguchi.

Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "Am I wrong?"

Eguchi fumbled for words. 'H-how do you know that the Imposter didn't plant that evidence?"

"Not enough time," Kyoko said. "When Yasui-san and I passed the Imposter in the hallway, security was mere moments from arriving. They only had just enough time to move the statue from one room to another, not back and forth, especially not if they had to plant the impression evidence themselves."

"B-but, that document could be –"

"Yours," Kyoko said. "It's dated the day of the murder, addressed directly to you, classified Top Secret, and confirmed genuine. You even said that you were looking over a document that night. If you can explain how that document could have been planted, go ahead."

"Umm, what if, uh, couldn't they have, uh…"

Tengan scowled. "Eguchi-kun, I am gravely disappointed."

Eguchi gaped at Tengan. He tried to formulate an argument, but his posture gradually deflated. "So this is it, then?"

Makoto glared at him. "It's over."

Eguchi sighed. "So it is. Well, you got it right. It was me."

A solemn silence filled the room.

Yasui clenched her teeth. "Why…? Why did you kill her?!"

"Her philosophy is poison," Eguchi said. "The Future Foundation has no place for pacifist weaklings like her. We need leaders who can command strength, and make the hard choices that no one else can. Nakazawa had to go."

Makoto's fists tightened. "So you killed her for what? Politics?"

"For our future," Eguchi said. "For everyone's future."

"No," Yasui growled. "I didn't always agree with Nakazawa-sama, either, but there is no excuse for what you did. You're just a murderer."

"But, earlier," Makoto said, "you said that the Future Foundation needs people like me."

"I was lying, obviously," Eguchi said. "I was waiting for my chance to take out Nakazawa. Couldn't let everyone know my true feelings." He gave Kyoko a sinister grin. "You understand, don't you?"

Kyoko scowled darkly. "I would never murder a friend."

Eguchi laughed derisively. "That's a lie, and we both know it! During the Killing Game, we all saw what you did to poor Naegi. You also know how to make hard choices. I respect that."

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "Please, spare me the cliché 'we're not so different' speech."

"Fine, fine," Eguchi said. "I guess it's time we wrapped this up."

"Indeed," Tengan said. "I will now render my verdict regarding the defendant, Makoto Naegi. The court finds the defendant…

"… not guilty."

Cheers and applause rang throughout the courtroom.

Although Makoto smiled happily, Kyoko's expression remained blank. It was a massive relief that Makoto had been acquitted, but even so, she wasn't satisfied with her performance. She had just barely scraped through, only surviving thanks to last minute revelations and help from others. She couldn't help but wonder how superior detectives like Grandfather Fuhito or Lico would have handled this case. She still had a long way to go.

"Eguchi-san and the Imposter shall be confined immediately," Tengan said. "Guards, take them into –"

"About that," the Imposter said. "This has been a lot of fun, but I'm afraid I can't stick around."

Tengan blinked. "What? You think you can…?"

"Just one thing before I go." The Imposter looked at Eguchi. "Out of curiosity, what was the correct answer?"

Eguchi closed his eyes. "Why should I tell you?"

The Imposter shrugged. "Ah, well. It doesn't really matter now. Can I at least ask why you exposed me? You really screwed yourself over, you know."

"Couldn't let you get away with it," Eguchi growled.

The Imposter laughed. "So only you are allowed to murder people?" They glanced towards Yasui. "Nakazawa had someone who loved her as well. Maybe not in the romantic sense, but they certainly had a strong bond. Did you spare a thought for her feelings?"

Eguchi had nothing to say to that.

Yasui bit her lower lip.

The Imposter changed their appearance again. This time to another Remnant of Despair, Nagito Komaeda, Class 77-B's Ultimate Lucky Student.

They gave Yasui a sickening smile. "Aww, Yasui-san! Don't look so sad! This is your chance to turn Nakazawa's death into something beautiful!"

Yasui's eye seethed with rage. "What the hell does that mean?"

The Imposter cackled like a maniac. "You never agreed with Nakazawa's ideals, yet you always believed in her. I wonder? Will losing her inspire you to carry on her legacy, or will you stay true to yourself? Either way, I expect you to confront the despair in your heart and grow stronger! Perhaps even talentless trash like you can use that pain as a stepping stone and became a true beacon of hope! Only by confronting despair can hope -"

"Shut the fuck up!"

Yasui fiercely shouted at Imposter-Komaeda. "You don't know a damn thing about hope! It may be true that we have to keep moving forward, no matter what happens, but the pain of losing a friend is never hope! Nakazawa, and everyone you've killed, they all wanted a future, too! They didn't deserve what happened to them! To treat their deaths like tools to strengthen others, it's sick!"

Imposter-Komaeda's head shot upwards as they laughed even more deliriously. "But it's the truth! Everyone's deaths make you stronger!" Their gaze turned to Makoto, and their face lit up with a sadistic grin. "Just ask Naegi! He understands!"

Makoto gaped as if his heart had stopped. "What are you talking about?"

"During the Killing Game," Imposter-Komaeda said, "you said, and I quote, 'Everybody who's died so far... the deaths of each and every one of our friends... they all make us stronger!' Those are your exact words!"

Makoto clenched his trembling fists. "I… I didn't mean it like that!"

Yasui glared at Makoto. "How did you mean it, then?"

Makoto grimaced. "I just wanted to say that our friends' deaths weren't meaningless."

"But it is meaningless!" Yasui snapped. "Their deaths were all senseless and unnecessary! How could you say they make you 'stronger?!' What about Maizono? Was her death a stepping stone for your strength?! Was her death a good thing?!"

Even Kyoko couldn't stop her eyes from widening. She grit her teeth. You ungrateful…

But, Kyoko couldn't deny that she saw some truth in Yasui's words. She had lost loved ones, too. Had their deaths really made her stronger? She had once believed that to be the case, but now, she wasn't so sure.

Makoto shook his shuddering head. "N-no! I'm not saying that! God, no! They never should have died! It's just, umm…"

"There is nothing to be gained from it!" Yasui yelled. "There is never, any good to be found in it! The way I see it, you are no better than him!"

"I'm nothing like Komaeda!" Makoto fired back. "I would never kill someone for the sake of hope!"

"But you would find strength in their deaths," Yasui said. "What are you? A hope vulture? Scavenging strength from your dead friends?!"

"It's not like that!"

"Oh, but it is!" Imposter-Komaeda exclaimed. "That's what you said! The more friends you lose, the stronger you get! As it should be! You are the greatest symbol of hope ever! Can anything make you fall to despair? I would love to see what would happen if you lost that little girlfriend of yours! God, you would become unstoppably strong! No matter what happens, your hope just keeps –"

Fire burned in Makoto's eyes. "You will not lay a finger on her."

Imposter-Komaeda hummed. "Then again, maybe it would be more interesting if it were the other way around. Kirigiri has come a long way since the Killing Game. What would happen if she lost you? Could she shoulder the burden of the Ultimate Hope? That would be a glorious sight to -"

Kyoko glared. "Hurt him and you're dead."

She probably should have controlled her emotions better, but she couldn't help it. She wouldn't forgive anyone who harmed Makoto.

"Stop it!" Yasui screamed. "Both of you! Just stop! Hope, despair, it's all fucked! Both of you are fucked! Fuck Naegi, fuck the Remnants, fuck Eguchi, fuck Enoshima, fuck hope, fuck despair, fuck all of you!"

Makoto frowned. He gave up trying to reason with her.

Yasui's hands collapsed onto her witness stand, tears running down her face. "I don't need my friends to die. I will never find strength in that. You're both wrong. The time we spend with our friends, the bonds we forge, that's where our strength comes from, and that happens while we're alive. Life is the foundation of hope, and death is nothing but despair."

Silence filled the room.

"… wow," the Imposter said. "Yet another award-winning performance! Man, we're on a roll today!"

"Fuck you," Makoto muttered.

"How uncouth!" the Imposter said with faux vexation. "Don't let Yasui's potty mouth rub off on you! It doesn't suit that adorable face of yours!"

Although Kyoko couldn't read Makoto's mind, his crestfallen face was an open book. Yasui's words had cut him deep, prompting him to consider his own words carefully.

"Yasui-san's right," Makoto said. "I still believe that our fallen friends give us strength, but it's even better when they're alive. It's always better when they're alive. And if anyone hurts my friends, I swear to God, I will make them pay."

Kyoko smiled to herself. She was grateful that her class's Ultimate Lucky Student was Makoto, and not this lunatic who the Imposter was impersonating.

The Imposter frowned with disappointment. "What a naïve platitude. Hardship always breeds strength, while peace breeds weakness. Yes, losing your friends, that pain, it always… brings… hope…"

A tear trickled down the Imposter's cheek.

Kyoko blinked. Why are they…?

"H-help…"

A faint voice escaped the Imposter's lips.

Makoto exhaled softly. "What…?"

As if nothing had happened, the Imposter laughed. "Alright, I've stuck around long enough. Time to go!"

Sakakura glared. "Where do you think you're…?!"

A thick cloud of smoke suddenly erupted beneath the Imposter's feet. Kyoko coughed as the smoke enveloped her. How had they gotten that through security?! She squinted intensely as she tried to see through the fog. What were they planning?

Kyoko's heart pounded. What if…?

Kyoko's self-defense training kicked in. First priority, if at all possible…

"Makoto, run!"

"What?"

Kyoko grabbed Makoto's wrist and pulled him along. Fortunately, he was quick enough on the uptake. He ran with her towards the courtroom's exit, as quickly as their legs would carry them.

A chill ran down her spine.

I hear them…

The footsteps…

As Kyoko's gaze tried to cut through the fog, she saw a figure stand before them.

A glint of metal sprung forth, aimed at Makoto's stomach.

"NO!"

Kyoko lunged in front of Makoto and struck her arm against the assailant's wrist, parrying the incoming stab just in time. The knife pulled back and spun upside down, raising for an overhead strike. As it came for her, Kyoko stepped in and blocked the attacker's knife arm with her left arm. At the same time, she jabbed her right elbow into the enemy's jaw.

The blow connected forcefully. As the attacker grunted in pain, Kyoko wrapped her arm around the enemy's knife arm. The attacker tried to step past, but Kyoko resisted with all her weight and kept her grip firm on the knife arm.

A cry from hell pierced the smoke. "Die you fucking…"

A pair of hands pried the knife out of the attacker's. Although his grip trembled, Makoto pointed the knife at the assailant. "S-stop!"

"You…"

With their free arm, the attacker reached into their suit, and another knife came out.

"Kyoko!"

Her eyes widened as the knife began to thrust towards her stomach. It was too late to evade. Kyoko braced for…

"Agggh!"

The knife fell to the floor. Kyoko saw Makoto standing behind the assailant, sticking the other knife inside the attacker's shoulder. The assailant grimaced and fell to their knees.

Her heart racing, Kyoko backed away from the enemy. She realized that it was Eguchi. The former Division Head clenched his teeth as Makoto kept the knife stabbed into his shoulder.

"I-it's over!" Makoto yelled. "P-put up your hands and…"

Eguchi wheezed, violently.

Makoto's eyes widened. "Wh-what…?"

"Aaaahhhhhgggh!"

Eguchi's hands clawed against his face as it turned a sickening shade of purple. His veins bulged out of his skin. Blood poured out of his eyes. His deathly rasps for breath intensified as he collapsed with his face to the floor, his body thrashing wildly.

Makoto shivered. "What…?"

As his agonized breaths faded, Eguchi's convulsions eventually grinded to a halt.

With a stone-cold face, Kyoko kneeled down and turned Eguchi over. His bloody eyes stared lifelessly into space. Kyoko pressed a finger to his neck.

Nothing.

With wild, shaking breaths, Makoto stared at the knife in Eguchi's shoulder. "It was…" He covered his mouth. "Oh, God…"

Kyoko stood, her expression as lifeless as the corpse.

As the smoke finally cleared, the guards reached the scene, far too late to help. One confirmed his lack of pulse. "He's dead."

Makoto's breath hitched, his face pale with horror. "I… I didn't know…"

The courtroom was silent as the guards secured Eguchi's body.

"I didn't know," Makoto whispered.

Kyoko stared at him coldly, her nerves too worked up to give him the comfort that he needed.

If that knife had pierced Kyoko's body…

Or Makoto's…

Wait, what about…?

Kyoko's head spun around, but the Imposter was nowhere to be seen.

The guards searched the building, but no doubt the Imposter had already changed disguise. They had probably left the base by now. Kyoko doubted that the guards would find them.

Makoto's body continued to shake. "I…"

Kyoko bit her lip.

Help him.

She placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder. Right now, that was the best she could do.

Makoto stared at her. "He would have…"

Kyoko nodded.

Makoto inhaled roughly, and exhaled slowly. "He would have killed you."

Kyoko nodded.

"If I hadn't, you would be…"

Kyoko nodded.

Makoto's eyes grew wet. "I… couldn't let that happen."

Kyoko's lips parted.

Although his hazel eyes glistened, Makoto stared into her deeply. "I'm… glad you're okay."

Kyoko stared back at him, her expression still stunted. "Are… you okay?"

Makoto nodded. "If it's to protect you, I'd do it all over again."

Although she lacked the strength to show it outwardly, Kyoko's heart jumped in her chest.

Makoto…

I'm sorry you had to…

Makoto stopped shaking.

The guards wrapped Eguchi in a body bag and removed him.

As the body was taken away, Yasui watched it leave with a dark glare, as if to say 'good riddance.'

On the judge's bench, Tengan closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "A most disturbing turn of events."

Sakakura folded his arms. "The fool reaped what he sowed."

Tengan sighed. "This whole trial has been a nightmare. Two Division Heads lost in one swoop." His gaze turned to Yasui. "Yasui-kun, while we're here, I must ask you. As Nakazawa-kun's second in command, will you succeed her as the Fourteenth Division Head?"

Yasui shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"Oh? Why not? I think you would be a fine –"

"I can't," Yasui said.

Tengan hummed. "Very well then. We'll need to find someone else." He looked at Makoto. "I wonder, how about you, Naegi-kun? I apologize for the false charges, but would the Ultimate Hope not be a fitting choice for the head our Public Relations?"

Tengan's suggestion was met with uncertain eyes and mutterings.

"… I don't know."

"… Naegi, a Division Head?"

"… I like him, but…"

"… he just doesn't seem…"

"… cut out for it."

Although horrified by Eguchi's methods, there was clearly those who sympathized with his sentiment. People wanted strong leaders, a kind of strength that Makoto couldn't inspire. Kyoko didn't agree with them. She knew that Makoto was strong in ways that few understood, but it didn't seem that there was any convincing them.

Makoto's eyes shifted in embarrassment, accepting the crowd's judgment. "Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea."

In that case…

"What about me?" Kyoko asked.

Makoto gasped. "Kirigiri, you…?"

"You nominate yourself?" Tengan asked.

"Eguchi put it best," Kyoko said. "You all saw me in the Killing Game. I don't allow emotion to cloud my judgment. You can always count on me to make the rational decisions that the Future Foundation needs."

"But, public relations?" Tengan said. "Forgive me, but that doesn't seem like your forte."

"It doesn't need to be," Kyoko said. "As a Division Head, I don't need to master every skill. I just need to surround myself with people who do. Delegation. Surely you understand that, Chairman."

Tengan hummed. "That is quite true. Yes, this is starting to sound like a fine idea. Okay, I'm convinced! The job is yours!"

Approving murmurs filled the room, except…

"Just like that?" Sakakura asked. "Shouldn't you think this over some more?"

"I'm confident in Kirigiri-kun's abilities," Tengan said. He smiled innocently at her. "I expect that in the future, you will need to make some very difficult decisions. I'm counting on you!"

Why did Kyoko feel like she was walking into a trap?

"I'll decide on Eguchi's replacement later," Tengan said. "With that, court is adjourned."

With a strike of his gavel, Tengan rose and left the courtroom. Everyone else soon followed.

As the crowd thinned, Kyoko stared at Makoto, a hint of concern finally reaching her eyes.

"I'm okay," Makoto said. "Really."

What kind of friend are you? Stop being an emotionless doll for once in your life and give him the support he deserves.

Kyoko frowned. "Naegi-kun, I…"

"We can talk about it later," Makoto said.

After a pause, Kyoko nodded. "Let's get out of here."

"Yeah."

They started to walk out of the courtroom, but Sakakura blocked their path, staring with a furrowed brow.

Crossing her arms, Kyoko's own brow furrowed as she looked back. "What do you want?"

Sakakura looked at Kyoko with a sideways glance. "I won't go as far to apologize, but I admit that I was mistaken."

Kyoko kept her arms folded. "Yes, 'mistaken.' That's a way of putting it."

Sakakura's gaze pierced into her. "He may not have killed Nakazawa, but he is still no hero."

Makoto lowered his head. "I never said –"

"He's more of a hero than you will ever be," Kyoko said sharply. "It was his hope that brought down Junko Enoshima, and for that, he will always have my utmost respe –"

Sakakura's fist sprung forward, stopping just before smashing into Kyoko's face.

Makoto gasped. "Kyo…! Kirigiri!"

Kyoko stared at Sakakura's frozen fist with narrow, unimpressed eyes. "Oh, yes. Go ahead. Commit assault right in the middle of a courtroom. Did you see what happened to the last guy who tried that?"

With a snarl, Sakakura pulled back his fist. "No, you're not worth it."

Makoto's teeth clenched. "What's your problem with us?"

As Sakakura stared silently with barely restrained fury, Kyoko spoke for him. "You know what I think? You're jealous. You were in charge of Hope's Peak Academy's security, were you not? It was your duty to stop Enoshima, and you failed where Naegi-kun succeeded. You know he's strong, and that's why you take your anger out on him."

Sakakura turned his back on them. "Think what you want. We're done here."

Sakakura walked away.

Makoto sighed. "Jeez, he's too much…"

Kyoko wasn't worried about that hothead. Instead, she took Makoto's hand into hers and squeezed it, not caring if anyone saw. "You are a hero, you know. I hope you understand that."

Despite the horrific turn of events, Makoto's cheeks turned pink. Kyoko needed to get him alone. With a flick of her head, she lead Makoto out of the courtroom.

But as the two of them stepped into the lobby, they saw Yasui, staring down with a sullen expression. Makoto went to her.

Makoto, leave it to him to reach out and help in his own time of need.

"Uh, hey," Makoto said.

Yasui's eye widened as if she were a cornered animal.

"It's okay," Makoto said. "I forgive you."

Yasui pursed her lips. "I haven't even apologized."

"I know."

She frowned. "I… I am sorry. I lost control of my emotions. I didn't really mean it, I think."

For a second, Makoto smiled reassuringly, but then he frowned. "I don't know how close you and Nakazawa-sama were, but I'm sorry about what happened."

"It's my fault," Yasui muttered. "I pushed her away when she needed me."

Makoto winced. "Don't say that! I'm sure she wouldn't blame you!"

"Maybe not," Yasui said, "but I still let her down."

"You did nothing wrong! There's no way you could have known what would –"

Kyoko stepped towards her. "Yasui-san, what you did was only natural. Anyone in your position would have felt betrayed. You needed time. You needed time to mend that sense of broken trust, and I'm so sorry that chance was taken away from you."

Tears welled up in Yasui's eye. "Time… if only we had more time…" A sob escaped her lips. "Nakazawa-sama, I'm sorry…"

Kyoko knew how she felt. She knew what it was like to lose a friend before having a chance to reconcile with them. That regret would haunt Kyoko for the rest of her life, and she imagined Yasui would be no different.

Yasui sniffled. "The autopsy report said she died crying. She died believing that I hated her. I wish I could tell her that isn't true, but it's too late."

Makoto solemnly closed his eyes. "It's so unfair. I want to help you, but nothing I can say will make this right. Neither of you deserved this."

Yasui took a deep breath. "I think that's the best thing you could have said. It's not fair. I know that I can't give up, but I still refuse to treat her death like a 'stepping stone' to strengthen my resolve. There's nothing glamourous about it. Her death was a tragedy. Nothing more, nothing less."

Kyoko looked at Yasui with a sympathetic expression. "That's understandable. I know how it feels to lose someone close. It certainly had an effect on me, but I'm not sure if it was a positive one. Regardless, no one should need to suffer like that."

"Yeah." Yasui sighed. "At least we brought her killer to justice. You have my thanks for that." She stared at Makoto. "Don't for a second feel guilty about ending that monster."

Makoto's eyes shifted. "I'm not sure how to feel about it."

Yasui nodded. "I know it's complicated. I've killed my share of Remnants during this war. I still see them as monsters, or at least, I want to, but it's not so easy."

"Yeah…"

"Still," Yasui said, "I'm sure you'll pull through. You are a tough one, Naegi."

"Thanks," Makoto said. "I'm sure you'll be okay, too. And, although I didn't know her well, I'll never forget Nakazawa-sama."

"… thank you."

"I appreciate the kind words," Kyoko said. She began to walk away, but she stopped and looked back at Yasui. "However, on the subject of remembering the dead, I don't think it would hurt to do one thing to honor Nakazawa-sama's memory."

Yasui tilted her head. "Huh?"

"Clean your room," Kyoko said. "Please. It's filthy."

Yasui blinked, and then she looked away in embarrassment. "I, uh, I'll do that."

Kyoko smiled. "Good. I'm sure Nakazawa-sama would hold you to that."

Kyoko started walking away, but Makoto stayed still, looking at Yasui with a concerned frown.

"Don't worry about me," Yasui said. "You just said I'll be okay, didn't you?"

Makoto held his chest. "I really am sorry."

"I know," Yasui said. "You should get going. I get the feeling that your friend wants to be alone with you."

Kyoko tried not to flinch at that comment. Was she really that obvious?

Makoto smiled awkwardly. "Uh, well, I'll see you around, then."

Yuri waved goodbye. "Take care, Naegi."

With that, Makoto turned and caught up with Kyoko.

"Shall we go?" Kyoko asked.

Makoto nodded. "Let's go."

There was so much Kyoko wanted to say to him. Maybe it was just the adrenaline, but she felt herself falling deeper for the man. Kyoko didn't want to waste another moment. She wanted to share more of herself with Makoto, and she wanted to know more about him. She had made him a promise, after all.

Together, Kyoko and Makoto left the courthouse.

One Year Ago

Akihiro Nagata panted while the cloud of dust slowly began to fade. He no longer felt any sensation in his hands, but as he looked at Aoi Eguchi collapsed against the wall next to him, still breathing, he knew that it had been worth it.

Aoi looked at Akihiro's hands with concern. "You're gonna need to get those looked at. Hopefully the damage isn't permanent. I'm sure the doctors will get them looking as good as new in no time."

Akihiro shook his head. "No, I don't want that."

"What? Why?"

Akihiro took Aoi's hand into his burned palms. "The way I see it, these burns are a badge of honor. I'm going to keep these scars for the rest of my life."

AN: So that's my attempt at a murder case. What do you think?

While planning this out, I found that the challenge with writing a mystery is to balance making the case solvable while not making it too obvious. I was so worried about making it too easy that I think I ended up going too far on the not solvable side. Shout-out to RedSunFX on Ao3 for an almost perfect theory. You got pretty much everything right except for the very end.

Next time: Makoto reacts to Danganronpa: Kirigiri