TK slowly sat up in his bed as the morning announcements played. Unlike the previous night, he managed to get a decent night's sleep. He ignored the morning announcement as he prepared for the day since they were all identical. He did break out of his trance when he heard his e-Handbook make a noise.

After turning it on and going through the device he saw the rules were updated. Assuming it was what Monokuma told him yesterday about loaning your handbook, TK turned it off and finished his morning routine.

With everything taken care of, TK made the short walk from his dorm room to the dining hall.

"Mornin', TK!" Hina greeted him when he entered the room.

"Morning," TK returned with a small wave, before doing a quick scan of the room. "So is everyone here already?"

"Nope! Still waitin' on Byakuya and Taka," Hiro answered, which raised some eyebrows.

Byakuya not being here isn't too much of a shock but Taka being late was. In the short time that they knew him, they expected him to be the first one to arrive at anything.

"Knowing Taka, I imagine he is trying to get the King of Tardiness up and out of bed," Celeste joked.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon enough. Just be patient…" Sakura reassured everyone, but Celeste didn't seem to mind.

"They can take as much time as they want, but there is one problem…"

"And that is?" TK asked.

"I am thirsty."

"How the hell is that a problem!?" Mondo questioned and TK wanted to know too. He thought it was something serious and not something so minor.

"Hifumi, would you please make me some tea?" Celeste asked the fanfic writer, choosing to ignore the biker.

"...Huh?" Hifumi said with the same amount of shock that everyone in the room felt.

"Milk tea, if you please," Celeste requested.

"Wh… why me?" Hifumi asked what everyone was thinking.

"Your roundish figure reminds me of the owner of the coffee shop I used to frequent," Celeste explained and everyone had the same thought.

'That's your reason!?'

"I can feel my throat drying out. Quickly, please," Celeste urged Hifumi with a few light claps.

"O-Okay…"

Obediently, Hifumi slowly made his way into the kitchen. Everyone was in disbelief after what happened while Celeste sat proudly at her table.

A few minutes later, a more reinvigorated Hifumi emerged from the kitchen carrying Celeste's tea on a serving tray. A gentle aroma grew stronger as he approached the gambler.

"Thank you for waiting!"

"Finally," Celeste said with a giggle. Hifumi placed the tea on her table and Celeste's small smile never left her face.

"You c-could've made some for the r-rest of us, you know…" Toko told the fanfic creator.

"I emphatically decline! You're not my type at all!" Hifumi proclaimed with a little laugh. "It's all about the law of causality, basic instinct, act and react!"

Toko growled softly to herself.

"Well then, if you don't mind…" Celeste delicately brought the cup to her lips but then paused when she looked at the liquid in the cup. "...Wait."

Celeste cocked her head to the side and threw the cup as hard as she could at the wall and it made a loud crash. Everyone was shocked by her sudden outburst but no one was more shocked than Hifumi.

"What the!? H-Hey! What are you doing, my little white rabbit!?"

"I HATE this kind of tea!" Celeste exclaimed in total disgust.

"U-Umm… I don't understand…"

"Imagine we are at a coffee shop– just any normal, everyday cafe. I sit down, and I order some tea. They then ask me, 'Would you like lemon or milk?' Now, further imagine that I replied, 'Ah, yes, I would like milk tea, please.' In this case, along with my tea, they may bring me a small container of milk, yes?"

Celeste pointed at the tea that was trickling down the wall.

"But this is not for me! I am among those who prefer the milk to be part of the process from the outset! The fragrance is just so overwhelmingly sweet that way. Adding milk or lemon right before you drink is like dousing your fries in ketchup– mere condiments! Whenever looking for a cafe, I first review their menu to see if it offers the proper style of milk tea. And I cannot acknowledge any 'milk tea' that does not add the milk during the brewing process!"

If there was a way to describe everyone's shared reaction to Celeste's rant it would be wide-eyed bewilderment.

"Umm… I went to all that trouble to make you that tea… and you wanted me to go even farther?" Hifumi asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I realize it can be a bit of a hassle. Even in cafes that offer proper milk tea, it is always more expensive than simple tea with milk. It takes more time to prepare, surely, but why even bother creating a menu if you are not going to offer the highest level of quality!?" Celeste explained.

"Well, um… we don't actually have a menu…" Hifumi nervously told her.

"That doesn't matter," Celeste snapped and pointed at the kitchen. "Hurry up and bring me what I asked for, swine!"

"WHAAAAAT!?" Hifumi squealed, which oddly sounded like a pig. He then ran into the kitchen without a second thought. "O-Okay! Your little piggy will bring it right out!"

"I do so love coercion," Celeste said with a proud smile.

Everyone stared at her with shocked expressions. No one wanted to say anything or wasn't brave enough because they were too scared that she would snap at them as she did at Hifumi, but someone eventually found the courage to say something.

"You were like… a totally different person just now," Hina said, choosing her words carefully.

"Yeah, shit… You really went psycho there," Mondo added, a little braver with his words than Hina was.

All Celeste did was respond with a light giggle as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

'I knew she was letting on something when I first met her, but I didn't think it would be something like that!' TK thought after the whole ordeal. 'Maybe if I get to know her some more I could peel back the walls she's put up and learn the real Celeste. Though I have to admit, she is scary.'

TK felt his stomach rumble and decided that he wasn't going to wait for Taka or Byakuya any longer. He was on his way to the kitchen when the dining hall doors flew open, and Taka flew in.

"Bad news, everyone! There is a mystery afoot!" Taka announced.

"Huh? What happened?" Hiro worriedly asked.

"It would seem that Byakuya refuses to leave his room! I stood there pressing his doorbell over and over, but he never showed himself," Taka explained and the tension in the room slightly disappeared.

"Maybe he wasn't there," TK suggested.

"I'd like to think so. But I'm worried something might have happened to him."

Taka didn't need to explain himself, everyone understood exactly what he meant. Before they all would've laughed at the thought of it happening, but after what happened to Sayaka and Leon they all took the possibility of it happening again seriously.

"I think we should all split up and look for him. He must be somewhere in the school," TK suggested.

"I was just about to suggest the same thing!" Taka proclaimed.

"Stop trying to one-up e-everyone…" Toko silently complained.

"Right, I'll go back to his room and see if he's there!" Taka volunteered.

"Very well, then the rest of us can go check the rest of the building," Sakura said.

"Yeah. Before it's, y'know… too late," Hiro said grimly.

Soon everyone filed out of the room to search for the progeny. TK was about to make his way out the door when he noticed Celeste was still in her seat.

"Celeste, you're not going to look for Byakuya?"

"I have not had my tea yet," she answered.

"What?"

"Until my thirst is satisfied, I have no urge to do anything. If you are in a hurry, feel free to motivate Hifumi to move faster."

"I'm good. Enjoy your tea, I guess," TK told her before he left.

He managed to take one step outside the dining hall when Hina ran up to him.

"Hey, wait up TK!"

"Hey, Hina, what's up?"

"I wanted to see if you want to look for Byakuya together?"

"Sure, but why?" TK asked.

"I thought it would be a good idea to partner up. You know, two heads are better than one," Hina explained and TK understood her reasoning. Whenever he and his friends split up in the Digital World they would always split off into groups.

"Alright, well follow me because I have a good idea where he might be."

"Oh, really, where?"

TK led Hina to the stairway and up the stairs. In the short time that he knew him, he had a good understanding of what he liked.

After a few short minutes, the two made it to the library. TK opened the door and they found Byakuya intently reading a book in one hand and a drink in the other with a desk lamp shining light over his shoulder.

"Byakuya! What are you doing?" Hina exclaimed and the boy in question rolled his eyes as he lowered his book.

"I'm fishing. What does it look like I'm doing?" Byakuya returned with a question of his own. "I'm trying to read. So if you'll be quiet…"

"You don't have to be so rude!" Hina shot back. "We were all worried and looked everywhere for you."

"Who asked you to do that?" Byakuya asked coldly. Hina growled but before she could do anything, TK placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Come on, man, don't be like that. We all made a promise to meet up in the dining hall in the morning and eat breakfast together," TK reminded the progeny.

"A promise…?" Byakuya let out an audible sigh before snapping his book shut and slowly standing up. "Can't I get a second's peace and quiet around here?"

The others must've heard Hina yell because one after another they all flooded into the library.

"Byakuya! So this is where you've been hiding!" Taka exclaimed.

"The heck are you doin' here, man?" Hiro worriedly asked.

"We were very concerned…" Sakura added

"Well you had no reason to be. I was just reading," Byakuya said before turning to his book, a small smirk etched on his face. "I've never read such a… coarse novel before, but it might just prove useful at some point."

"Wh-What were you reading?" Hifumi hesitantly asked.

"A mystery novel," Byakuya bluntly answered.

"W-Wait, so are you gonna use what you're learning in there to betray us!?" Hifumi accusingly asked.

"Don't be stupid."

"Yeah!" TK backed up the other blond.

"It's just something to keep in mind," Byakuya said with a sinister smirk.

"Wait what!?" TK bewilderedly said.

"If I decided to fight, of course, I'll come up with something original. Otherwise, this game of ours will be totally boring, right? It's not often you get to take part in such a high-stakes, high-tension activity. So if you're going to do it, you have to make sure it's entertaining."

No one could believe the words coming out of Byakuya's mouth. It was just so dumb to make everyone hate you and untrustworthy when they all need to band together to find a way out. It was as if he was enjoying himself in this deranged killing game.

"What the fuck do you mean, 'game'!? That's fucked up!" Mondo growled. Everyone tensed up and the more physically gifted students prepared themselves to hold back the biker if anything were to happen.

"But it is a game. It's a game of life or death, which can have only one winner. That's all there is to it," Byakuya stated calmly.

"He is right. It's a zero-sum game," Celeste agreed with the heir. All of the confused looks that Byakuya was receiving turned to Celeste as if her head just exploded. "It is part of game theory, a mathematical model. In game theory, what we are going through now is called a 'zero-sum game.' In this type of game, in order for one person to gain something, another must not necessarily lose something. In other words, it is a situation in which participants must compete for position or resources."

"You mean like… a kind of elimination match," Sakura said, giving an example.

"Entrance exams, sports tournaments, job openings– most social interactions fall into this category. Everyone must scramble to obtain something which is limited. For you to succeed, someone else must fail. This also applies to the school life we have been subjected to here. In this case, our 'limited resource' is that only one of us can successfully become the blackened," Celeste grimly told them.

"So, this game was designed from the beginning to force one of us to try and defeat all the others," Byakuya hypothesized.

"Don't you think you're reaching?" TK asked.

"This is why adaptation is so crucial," Celeste reminded everyone of what she said on the first night. "If those who want to escape were to disappear, there would be no reason to continue playing the game."

"But why would I want to stop playing? It's so much fun…" Byakuya smiled again as he spoke. It was one of the most twistedly evil smiles he has seen since his early adventures in the Digital World.

"It sounds as if you do not acknowledge even the possibility that you may lose, am I right?" Celeste asked the heir.

"Of course."

"You do not speak like the others. Exactly what I would expect from the Togami heir apparent," Celeste lightly giggled.

"...It's just normal arrogance, isn't it?" Hiro off-handedly asked anyone in the room.

"You talk like that, but what if you end up dead!?" Hina countered what the heir was saying.

"I won't. It simply isn't possible."

"Who the fuck do you think you are!?" Mondo angrily said while cracking his knuckles.

"You know, I still can't believe it…" Byakuya said and no one liked where things were heading.

"Believe what!?"

"That an uneducated, brain-dead, useless piece of garbage like you has survived this long."

You could hear a pin drop after how silent it got in the library. TK, Hina, and Sakura quietly moved toward Mondo and prepared themselves for when Mondo exploded. It took three seconds after the trio got into position for Mondo to react.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!"

TK and Hina quickly grabbed the enraged biker's arms as Sakura bear-hugged him as he tried to lunge at the heir.

"Like I said. I won't die," Byakuya teased and Mondo continued to try and attack the heir as TK and Hina struggled to hold his arms back.

"You keep saying that, but–"

"Do not bother arguing with him," Celeste interrupted the clairvoyant who was brave enough to speak up. "For him, the concept of losing simply does not exist. He is the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, after all– a boy raised to succeed from the day he was born. He considers victory his destiny, and has lived his life accordingly. Tests and challenges are merely ways for him to stand victorious. Even if it is a life-and-death situation. Is that not so, Byakuya?"

"At least one of you seems to understand," Byakuya said with a satisfied smirk.

"It is because I am the same as you. Games are meant to be won," Celeste returned with a smile of her own. Byakuya did not like that.

"Are you trying to suggest we're on the same level? Close that vulgar mouth of yours."

"Well, well. I do apologize," Celeste said with feigned shock.

"Anyway, let me just say this to all of you. You all need to try harder. If an opponent isn't going to give their best, where's the fun for me?" Byakuya challenged everyone.

TK and Hina continued to struggle to hold Mondo back while everyone else was at a loss for words, except for one person.

"Th-That's a terrible way to look at it…" Chihiro spoke up with tears in her eyes. Byakuya hummed as he stared at her as if she were an annoying insect. "This… isn't a game. Our lives are on the line, you know… To kill your own friends is… is… It's horrific!"

"Friends? Who decided that?" Byakuya said with his annoying smirk. "We're not friends. No, quite the opposite. We're in competition– we're enemies."

"B-But… you know…" Chihiro struggled to speak after losing her courage earlier.

"But what? Stop trying to force your contradictions on me and just accept what I'm telling you."

"U-Um…"

"Yes? If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, keep your mouth closed," Byakuya harshly ordered and Chihiro apologized.

"Hey, shithead! You get off on bullying people that can't fight back? You wanna try that on me!?" Mondo challenged. He calmed down slightly, allowing TK, Hina, and Sakura to ease up a little but they were still prepared for if things got harry again.

"So, you're back to pretending to be friends, huh? And how long do you think that's going to last?" Byakuya retorted, not even phased by the biker's menacing aura.

"Fuck you!"

"Is that all you can say? It's unfortunate you would waste your breath on such empty gibberish."

"That's it! You're fuckin' dead!" Once again, Mondo tried to lunge at Byakuya but TK, Hina, and Sakura were quick to hold him back.

"H-Hold on! Just calm down!" Hina pleaded with the biker.

"I AM calm!" Mondo shouted.

"I'm having a hard time believing that!" TK joked, trying to find some kind of humor during the whole ordeal.

"Anyway… I don't have any intention of working with the rest of you any longer. To cooperate during an elimination game is well, frankly, it's a waste of time. And I hate wasting my time," Byakuya walked past the group of students to the exit. "Engaging in 'friendly' group meals is out of the question. Someone could easily poison our food. And I'd rather not become part of the Last Supper just yet."

"Quit talking like you're in a fuckin' movie or something!" Mondo spat through gritted teeth.

"All I'm saying is that, ultimately, you are all free to do whatever you want on your own. Goodbye," Byakuya said as he disappeared behind the library doors. No one tried to stop him, and the ones that could've had their hands full holding back a ballistic biker in fear of him going after the heir.

"Was he serious about all that…?" Hiro spoke up.

"He was, without a doubt," Celeste answered.

"Well fuck him, then," Mondo stated without a second thought.

"B-But what he said… He might not n-necessarily be wrong. I mean, can you s-say for sure someone won't poison our f-food," Toko argued.

"Hey, come on! You too, Toko!?" Hina exclaimed.

"Well, it's n-not like anyone would care even if I w-was gone, right…? Actually, I bet you all w-want me gone! You all think I'm d-disgusting!" Toko shouted with an accusatory glare.

"No one thinks that," TK said to calm her down and diffuse the situation.

"You j-just think you don't think that!" Toko spat at him.

"I know some people like to play the victim, but this is just… totally out there," Hiro sighed while shaking his head.

"You think I d-don't know, but I do… You want me g-gone!" Toko accused the blond before booking it for the door. "And I'm s-sure… the rest of you want the same th-thing, don't you!?"

"Toko!" TK screamed after her and was ready to chase her down before Celeste stopped him.

"Just let her go. Once she gets going like that, there is nothing you can say to bring her back."

TK stood in silence. Just when he thought they could all band together they drifted further apart.