"Explain how you could have possibly met a man who died years ago."
That should have been their first indication that whatever 'truth' they were about to discover would be the most painful thing they would ever have to face. None of them could even process the prompt Izuru gave them as they tried desperately to deny that they saw what was shown in the first place.
Because it was impossible.
Rin Wakuri was dead, yes, but he had died last night, not years ago when he was a teenager.
He had died in the Ultimate Academy, his body still within the Ultimate Survivor's Research Lab as this very trial went on, yet the video showed Rin being crushed beyond repair.
It was impossible. This entire thing was impossible. It was all fake. It had to be. Everything they were just shown…
"It's all…just fiction…" Shuichi spoke in a voice so broken it took a minute for people to realize that it was him who spoke those words. "It's all…fictional…"
Those were the words that he had said in response to the question about Tsumugi's cosplay of Rin and his friends. That was supposed to be the answer to this current dilemma the students currently face. It was all, supposedly, fiction. Their friend whom they had gotten to know throughout the course of the killing game was supposedly fictional.
That's what they were told and were now expected to believe, but even after seeing that footage, recorded as seemingly irrefutable evidence, how could they ever believe that was the answer?
"T-There's no way. That…couldn't have been Rin." Tenko muttered as her shaky eyes darted around to the others. "That all…was just a lie, right…!? That couldn't have been the Rin we knew, right!?"
No one answered. They all remained frozen in place as they stared at the screen that had shown them the brutal death of who they had believed to be a friend.
A friend, they were only now realizing, they knew shockingly little about.
"I…I don't get it. I don't get it at all." Kaede let out a soft whine as she slowly moved her hands towards her head, grasping at it as though she was enduring an endless headache. "Just…who was Rin? Who did we spend all that time with here?"
"It…was Rin Wakuri, wasn't it? It…had to be." Kokichi let out an empty laugh, even as his eyes showed genuine confusion and denial as he slowly shook his head. "Who else could he be if not that?"
"But he wasn't. He never was the real 'Rin Wakuri'. The real Rin Wakuri died before he hit eighteen." Izuru said in an emotionless tone.
"Then who the hell was that!?" Kokichi screamed. "The person we spent all that time with looked and acted just like Rin Wakuri! Everything we've seen here showed that! There's no way that was a lie!"
"That's right. Even if he was a fake, there's no way you could fake his appearance to that extent." Rantaro nodded, clearly still shaken by what happened. "That…had to be the real Rin Wakuri."
"But you've never known 'Rin Wakuri'. Not the real one. You've only known that fake who shares the same name and face. Can you honestly say without a single doubt in your mind that the person you've spent all this time with was the real genuine article? The true Rin Wakuri?" Izuru asked. "Didn't your 'friend' even say so in the very beginning?"
"So far the only name I can think of that might be my name is Rin Wakuri."
"You can call me Rin Wakuri. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, well, if you have to call me anything, call me Rin Wakuri."
"Anyway, I should introduce myself. I think my name is Rin Wakuri. I don't really have any memories about myself, so could I ask if you've ever heard of me?"
"I'm an amnesiac, so I'm not sure about much when it comes to myself. I'm pretty sure my name is Rin Wakuri, though."
"He admitted it himself back during that first day. He wasn't sure what his name was. The only name he could remember was 'Rin Wakuri', so he and all of you just assumed it was his name when it really wasn't." Izuru stated plainly.
"But…Why?!" Kirumi asked, her tone both furious and confused. "Why would he recall a name that wasn't even his own if he was not truly Rin Wakuri?"
"Because, as I've told you already," Izuru gave the maid a dismissive look. "Everything here, everything you've experienced, everything you believed in and fought for—All of it was simply fictional."
"W-When you say all," Kaede began with a shaky voice. "Do you mean everything?"
"That's right." Izuru huffed as he crossed his arms. "That pathetic shell of a person wasn't the only fictional thing here that you believed was real. Let me drop of few truth bombs on you."
"The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History never even happened. Hope's Peak, the Future Foundation, and the Remnants of Despair do not exist." Izuru told them as though it was an obvious fact. "It's all fictional. None of it happened in the real world. Those things only exist in a fictional world. A world called Danganronpa."
"Danganronpa!" Monokuma cheered gleefully.
"Dangan…ronpa…?" Shuichi repeated in disbelief.
"What!? What are you even…talking about?" Keebo asked as he tightened his fists nervously.
"Oh, that's right. You don't remember it. Even though you're in Danganronpa right now, you don't remember." Izuru sighed. "But it's true. Everything related to Hope's Peak that you remember is all fictional. Those people, those events, those places–none of them actually exist. Doesn't exist in the real world."
"Wh-What…?" Kaede gasped.
"What? Are you really surprised?" Izuru raised an eyebrow at that. "I suppose I can sort of understand your denial of it. But yeah. Up till now, you all thought fiction was real. But fiction is just fiction. Everything in and about Danganronpa is just fictional. We stuffed that Danganronpa stuff into your memories, and because of that, you believed this fictional world was actually real. It's pretty funny if you think about it long enough."
"But it's thanks to you thinking fiction was fact that we were able to put on such a grand Danganronpa show!" Monokuma laughed before he broke down into giggles.
"Show? Show!?" Tenko whispered before she began shouting with all her might. "S-So…all of this was just fake? Everything was made up by you, and this whole time, you tricked us into thinking it was real!?"
"Are you really surprised?" Izuru asked as he smiled widely, his eyes seeming to glow an eerie color the more he spoke on the subject, as though he was simply captivated by the very subject of 'Danganronpa'. "This place is a place built on lies and deceit! Did you think anything here was truthful in any way? Wouldn't it be lame if the setting of the story was indistinguishable from reality? There needs to be something entertaining for people to enjoy! In fact, for this story, it's not enough for me to be your final boss. Oh, no! I'm not suited for such a grand role, as I'm really such a poor actor as you saw before."
"But I do make for a fine host! So allow me to reveal your true final enemy: Danganronpa itself!"
"Danganronpa…itself is our enemy?" Rantaro let out a breathless gasp as he nearly stumbled back.
"B-But…why?" Shuichi cried out. "Why would you do this? Why make us think it's real—"
"Obviously it was so you all would play the killing game!" Izuru replied. "For the world of Danganronpa, the killing game is bound to happen. It should have been obvious from the start that this would be the outcome. But this isn't an ordinary killing game. Not anymore."
"This is a killing game that takes place in the real world, propped up by fiction." Izuru smiled madly, giddy with himself as he spoke. "You could call this Ultimate Real Fiction."
"Ultimate…Real Fiction?" Kirumi muttered in disgust.
"But…if it's all just a lie… If none of this was real…" Kokichi began, his eyes widening before he broke out into a grin. "That means I was right! The outside world isn't destroyed! Because that was just fiction too, right?"
"Is that true!?" Kaede asked.
"Oh, that scene? How did you like it? The staff went all out in designing an 'end of the world' setting like that." Izuru proudly said.
"...Staff?" Rantaro repeated with a deep frown.
"There's no need to worry about the people behind the scenes." Izuru dismissed with a wave of his hand. "But yeah, there's nothing to worry about. The world is perfectly fine. In fact, most would argue the world is in the best state it's ever been in."
"Really?" Tenko said as her expression brightened up. "If that's the case, then we could all just go home and—"
"Sorry, but that's impossible." Izuru interrupted.
"Why not!?" Tenko shouted.
"If the world is still intact, then we have homes to return to, so why–" Keebo tried to say, but Izuru once again cut in.
"I already said that's impossible. There is no home for you to return to. For any of you. Not anymore." Izuru said simply as he adjusted his suit and gloves without a care in the world.
"Monokuma, what's going on?" Shuichi asked as he turned to the giggling bear.
"Do you really wanna know?" Monokuma asked before he continued laughing maniacally. "Puhuhu… Forget about the world. It wants nothing to do with you. The walls of this academy are your world now. The outside world is of no concern to you. The audience agrees with me. Isn't that right, you guys?"
With that said, Monokuma took out the key he usually used to start up a Scrum Debate and inserted it into his throne, but this time, it did not move the podiums into the sky. Instead, it activated every single screen in the trial grounds, revealing thousands of different people, switching between them every few seconds or so. People who all seemed excited as they looked at the camera.
That's when words began to fly by the screens.
Miu Iruma: I'm so mad I died
Definitely worth the wait
I did propose the Ultimate Lawyer as Rin's talent once upon a time
Hey mr grim I love your story!
I'm SO hyped!
Bro fucking died💀
Honestly the sheer amount of effort that's been poured into this story is commendable
Ahhh Kokichi just not realising that he's crying is... so heartbreaking :(
KIRUMI MY SWEETHEART :'(
YESS GO KEEBO! SLAY :DD
Love Kokichi just being left ignorant about the Hope vs Despair thing lmao
Omg Izuru! He's the one behind this?! Hot damn
I don't know how to react anymore-So I'll just feel Despair!
Rin died congrats woohoo! (I am in extreme emotional pain)
Kokichi and Rin's dynamic had me rolling, they're just a perfect pair man.
I LOVE RIN AND KOKICHI'S FRIENDSHIP SM 33
I did NOT expect that.
It seems, the Truth Will now be revealed. Good.
I'm speechless. Umm... WOW. I just... this was brilliant... I don't know what else to say but... WOW.
hElp?! I'm literally screeching rn 😫😫
Also I LOVED this trial, my favorite after Himiko's
GODDAMMIT, SHUICHI IS TOO SMART FOR THIS
AHH I FEEL BAD FOR THEM ALL (I hate Monokuma sm, I'm now wondering if there is even a mastermind tbh)
AHH I DONT KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE ANYMORE
It's been ages since I've felt so gripped to a story, this is honestly an amazing project and I'm glad to have been around for it.
Fanboying rn egsbbaba
Love Tenko's character growth!
True, V3's cast is really the best 3
The cast of v3 solos and I don't know how else to put it
F in the chat for Rin
Everyone is dropping like flies I swear-
…Huh. Despair all over, hm? What a life.
I fugging love this story sm💕💕💕😭
Shuichi is sus
RIN DIED!?
Oh god this is intense, I can't even imagine if I'm stuck in their position.
Call me sadistic, but I kinda want to see an one shot where Rin ends up killing himself, and the others have to figure it out-
I SHIP THEM SO BAD! Rin and Kirumi all the way! ✨💕
My favourite part was the part where Kokichi pulled out a knife against Rin's neck. I just like these kinds of parts, And I have no idea why-
Thats rough buddy
Okay that was brutal wth—;;
Ngl kinda simp Rin
poor Rin…
Hate to love it, but I'll be lying to myself if I said that I dislike this–
i'm sobbing-
rin acts soo sus literally ALL THE TIME IM IN AGONY-
Tenko
Real 🔥🔥🔥🔥😍😍
I refuse to believe that Rin is dead 😭 he's still alive trust me 💪💪🔥
IM SCREAMING
Love it love all of it. I have become the citizens of the danganronpa world. I need more danganropna.
Holy moly
Please give me more.
I- I'm not crying, you're c- crying!
Called it!
"What…is this? Who are these people?" Tenko asked as she and the others witnessed these thousands of people and what seemed to be their words flying across the screens.
"They're the audience you were so desperate to prove existed," Izuru answered in a bored tone. "They've all been watching you during this killing game this entire time. Of course, these people and these comments are just a fraction of the total. There are far more viewers watching right now."
"So it's just as we thought. This whole game was made to be watched." Kokichi growled as he glared at the audience.
"So this is all just a show? This killing game is just a damn show people watch!?" Kaede screamed, her anger and disbelief now overflowing and boiling over.
"Yep. Everyone watches the killing game. The entire peaceful world we live in all loves Danganronpa." Izuru answered.
"Peaceful world?" Shuichi repeated.
"Yep. Out there in the real world, things like war, conflict, despair, hatred—none of it happens anymore. It's been eliminated completely. The world outside is as close to perfection as we are ever going to get, and it's all thanks to the killing games that people are crazy for."
"W-Wait. Why would a peaceful world need a deranged game like this?" Kirumi asked.
"Those things are not mutually exclusive. You can have a peaceful world that likes to consume deranged fictional media, you know. That's what that kind of fiction is for. In fact, the world is so peaceful because we have killing games like this." Izuru explained.
"What do you mean? Explain." Rantaro demanded.
"Well, it is true that the world is peaceful. Extremely so. But because of that, it is also extremely boring. With so much peace, people need something to…stimulate their senses, else they would just fall into endless boredom and tedium. So in order to prevent that, we created this Ultimate Real Fiction so that Danganronpa could fill the hearts of the empty masses. It's what they all desire, after all."
"Every person out there in the 'real world' is watching with excitement. Everyone is a huge Danganronpa fan. They all love the killing game. Of course they do. This killing game is for everyone. It would not be a stretch to say that it's everyone's killing school semester." Izuru explained.
"E-Everyone…Is that…really true?" Keebo asked.
"Of course it is. If it wasn't, Danganronpa wouldn't have gone on for as long as it has." Izuru scoffed before sending out his hands in a wide gesture. "This is the truth of this killing game you all were playing! This is Ultimate Real Fiction! Aren't you happy to finally learn this truth?"
"So…we were…forced to play…some fictional killing game?" Shuichi asked, his anger building as he shook in place.
"Danganronpa!" Monokuma cried out. "You noticed way too late! There's no Danganronpa without Monokuma! Since I'm here, that means this is Danganronpa!"
"But there have been entries where you have been absent," Izuru commented with an amused glint. "The audience would get bored if we use the same mascot over and over, y'know."
"Screw that noise! Those entries without me could hardly be called Danganronpa! They just had cheap knockoffs to take my place. They were different for the sake of being different, those contrarians!" Monokuma huffed. "But this killing game is 100% Monokuma approved! It's real Danganronpa!"
With that said, the screens switched from the changing audience members to what appeared to be a logo.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
"What now?" Kaede shouted.
"What, you can't tell? This is the title of the current Danganronpa we're all in." Izuru responded. "After all these years and seasons, we're finally here: the newest entry in Danganronpa. The biggest, grandest entry people have been waiting for."
"Years…? Seasons?" Kokichi frowned. "How long has this stupid show been going on for?"
"You don't know? It should be easy to tell what season you guys are in just from looking at the title." Izuru smirked.
"The title…?" Tenko mumbled.
"...53? This is…the 53rd season? The 53rd killing game?" Shuichi asked.
"5…53rd?!" Rantaro gaped at the large number, but–
"Ding, ding! Correct! This is the 53rd season of Danganronpa!" Monokuma cheered as the logo changed.
Danganronpa 53: Killing Harmony
"In other words, Danganronpa V3's official name is Danganronpa 53! Starting with the Hope's Peak Academy arc in Danganronpa 1, 2, then 3, the seasons just kept coming, and with it came more killing games!"
"Until it transcended games and anime to become this: Ultimate Real Fiction." Izuru finished. "Now we're in the 53rd season. It's not that hard to follow." Izuru then laughed. "Did the letter throw you off. 'V' is a Roman numeral, actually, so you might have already guessed that ahead of time. I also called myself the '53rd', as this is the 53rd game that 'Izuru Kamukura' as 'Masterminded'. It was a hint, but whatever."
"53…killing games…" Kaede gasped as the weight of her words sank in.
"Trapped in a fictional, Danganronpa-inspired world, and forced to play the killing game—That is what the world desired of you. That is your only purpose." Izuru stated plainly. "So yes. I am the one who created this killing game. Yes, I am technically the Mastermind forcing you to do this, but the real mastermind that caused all of this? That's the outside world. The people out there watching right now are the ones really forcing you to play this game. They are the ones really in charge. If you want to break this game, you'll have to destroy the outside world itself!"
"The outside world…is the real mastermind?" Shuichi gaped as the screens returned to showing the innumerable audience members, all happily watching and cheering even now.
"The reason I made this world, this killing game, it's all because that's what the world wanted me to do. I wouldn't have done this if they didn't demand it of me." Izuru smiled widely with that crazed gleam in his eye. "Not just me, either. Everyone involved in this project had the same reasons as I did."
"Project?" Keebo repeated.
"Well, obviously I couldn't do this entirely on my own. I'm just one person, no matter how talented I am. Unlike in your fake memories, the ones managing this killing game aren't psychos like the Remnants of Despair. Their normal people. Manages, professionals, all that stuff. I'm just the CEO of Team Danganronpa."
"CEO? You mean this is all the result of some company and team?" Rantaro gripped his hair in his hand as he tried to process it all.
"That's right. It's in the title and opening, after all." Izuru said as he snapped his fingers once more.
That caused the screens to play what appeared to be an intro or teaser to the show, replaying moments from Danganronpa 1, 2, 3, Ultra Despair Girls, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Danganronpa Another, Shattered Reality, Dead End, Blowback, reBirth, Shattered Hope, Eden's Garden, Despair Time, Lapse—so forth and so on.
So many Danganronpas that it was impossible to keep track of them all and their order past a certain point.
Then, at the very end, it reveals Danganronpa V3, along with every student who was forced to play this killing game except for Rin before ending with the Team Danganronpa logo.
"Yes. I am the CEO of Team Danganronpa. We've made some fine killing games in the few years I've been in charge." Izuru proudly claimed as he smiled warmly. "Everyone loves our work, and they love our newest creation just as much: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony!"
"A heart-pounding killing game, brought to life by Ultimate Real Fiction!" Monokuma cheered.
"Shut up… Shut up!" Shuichi suddenly shouted. "You created an entire fictional world…to make us do this fictional killing game!? No matter how many false memories we've been implanted with, we aren't fictional!"
"You sure about that?" Monokuma asked as he tilted his head cutely.
"...What?"
"W-Who cares about any of that!? Just let us out already!" Tenko screamed as she cried. "J-Just let us go home! This game is already over now, right?"
"I've told you that's impossible several times now. None of you have any kind of home to return to anymore."
"Why not? You haven't explained that." Rantaro pointed out with a weary glare.
"Because all of you are the exact same as this place," Izuru revealed with a crazed look in his eye. "You only exist within the world of Danganronpa."
"Just like…this place?" Kirumi repeated.
"Are you still having trouble understanding? If that's the case, just ask yourselves one question: Who are you? Who are any of you, really?" Izuru asked. "The answer…is…"
"We're…just like you? We're…just like this place…?" Kokichi asked.
"Yes. You're all just as fictional as this killing game and that 'friend' of yours." Izuru said coldly. "You're all fictional characters created solely for this killing game."
"What are you saying? Of course we're not fictional!" Kaede screamed.
"Yeah! We're living, breathing people! We're just as real as you!" Tenko added.
"Just as real as me, huh?" Izuru raised an eyebrow at that. "True enough, I suppose, but as I mentioned before, having a physical, living body doesn't mean you're real. Just like that Faker you all thought was Rin Wakuri, you're all living, breathing, fictional people."
"What do you mean?" Shuichi asked.
"You don't remember, but you all looked a lot different when you first arrived at this academy. That faker explained it to you, right?" Izuru asked. "Those were your true selves. Now you're all just fictional characters. That's the truth. Before this game, you all were just normal, average, everyday people, with no Ultimate talent whatsoever."
That caused the students to all be struck speechless as all their eyes widened. Despite seeing their distress, Izuru continued as usual.
"When you guys first arrived at this academy, you were just boring, everyday high school students. You were talentless people, with nothing truly interesting about any of you. But because boring people that could be found anywhere aren't interesting to watch, we needed to…spruce you all up before the killing game. After you all were dressed properly, we gave you your First Memory with a Flashback Light. You all were given personalities, talents, and upbringings to create truly interesting characters. That's when the prologue of this story truly began. That means your Ultimate Talents are all just fiction."
"Our talents as well…?" Kokichi asked. "They're…just lies like all our memories?"
"That's right. In fact, calling them lies is the perfect way to sum them up." Izuru sighed. "I mean, they suited you to a certain extent, but mostly in a placebo effect sorta way. It was like autosuggestion, like those 'talents' would be best suited for you or your character than anything else. And just like your talents, everything that makes you you is just a lie as well. Your memories, your personality, your families, your friends—all just fiction created by the Flashback Light."
"So…can you all really claim you're not fictional now? Even if your body is real, your identities, personalities, talents, and past are all fiction. Can you really say this is not fiction now?" Izuru asked.
"W-What are you saying? Everything about us: our personalities, talents, and past are all fictional?" Tenko asked before anger flared in her eyes. "That's stupid! Why would we ever believe that?"
"It's not stupid. This is what you all wanted, right?"
"We…wanted this?" Rantaro gasped.
"That's right. You wouldn't remember, but you all originally came from the outside world. The world obsessed with Danganronpa, remember? Is it really so strange that you all wouldn't want to be a part of the show you love so much?" Izuru questioned.
"No way! Are you saying we wanted to participate in this killing game!?" Kaede screamed.
"That's not possible!" Shuichi nodded fiercely. "How could we ever—"
"If that's the case, then why don't you see the evidence with your own eyes?" Izuru asked as the screens changed to a different display.
"Number 154… My name is $&%$"
It was Shuichi. The screen now showed a nervous-looking Shuichi wearing a normal school uniform instead of the one he was currently wearing.
"I've always been such a huge fan of Danganronpa and…always wanted to be in one…" Shuichi said. "If I were a contestant, I would want to be…an Ultimate Detective. I know there've been a few in the past, and I've always loved those characters, so I would want to be one of them. Ah, but I don't have to be a detective. I'll be anything to be part of the show. And I mean that, anything. I'd do…anything to be a part of Danganronpa."
The nervous face this Shuichi had slowly melted away as a more energetic Shuichi took his place. It would have been sweet, had it not been for what came out of this happy Shuichi's mouth.
"I promise, if I get selected…I will work as hard as I can! I will come up with the best, most gruesome murders, I promise! Everyone will love it! And an Ultimate Detective hasn't been the blackened yet, so I'm sure I can do that! I'm also thinking about…the perfect punishment for an Ultimate Detective!"
The video cut off then, leaving the real Shuichi to stare at the screen as he slowly started to shake his head in disbelief.
"Wh-What…was that…?"
"Wasn't that…you, Shuichi?" Kede asked as she turned to her dear friend, confused and hints of betrayal in her eyes
"NO! I-It can't be! I'd never say something like—"
"You wouldn't say that now, but this is you before you became who you are now." Monokuma clarified.
"What…?"
"This is your audition tape, back when you were still your real self," Izuru explained. "And boy, was it a special audition. When we saw it, we knew you had to be a contestant. It was like a flash of inspiration took over us. 'The Weakest Ultimate Detective ever created…', wouldn't it be great to see him grow? That's why you were chosen for this season. We made your character and you joined the cast as Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective looking to prove himself. The rest of you were no different. You auditioned and were selected out of a large number of applicants."
"A-Auditioned…?" Tenko repeated as she started to look sick to her stomach.
"Yep. You all were so excited when you were selected. Right after you received your Ultimate Wardrobe, you all became ecstatic." Izuru claimed.
Once more, the screens changed, revealing everyone in the gym before the killing game began.
"H-Huh? Wh-What am I wearing?" Kaede asked.
"Mm-hm! Looking good! Now you look more like Ultimates," Monophanie commented.
"Ultimates…? Really?" The nervous boy with the hat said.
"Next up, the memory youse all been waiting for," Monosuke said.
"Hell yeah! Get ready! Once the seal is broken, we'll be in the domain of the killing game!" Monokid shouted.
"K-Killing game…?" Kaede repeated as everyone in the gym began to murmur amongst each other. Everyone except for Rin, who's eyes went wide as he became pale. He hunched over as his breathing started to become hyperventilating, but as he was in his head–
"You mean…we were selected!?" Shuichi cheered.
"We got picked!? Really!? Alright!" Kaito fist pumped the air excitedly with a wild grin.
"Wh-Whoa, really!? I'm selected for it, too!?" Kaede asked with stars in her eyes.
In fact, everyone began to say similar things, so much so and with such fervor they nearly blended together into mush. It was difficult to make out what everyone was saying, but it was clear there was excitement in the air.
"Now then, after the Flashback Light helps you remember your amazing talents… This amazing story will begin for real this time!" Monotaro stated, as all the students in the room broke into shouts and noise. I couldn't make out any of it, though, as I was more focused on my own worries.
"W-Wait! Explain now! What do you mean 'Killing game'!? Answer me!" Rin shouted with panicked eyes as he stepped forward towards the bears, but it was too late. The kubs were already pointing the Flashback Light at them.
"So long! Bear well!" They all chimed as they activated the device.
There was a flash of light, and the video ended.
"We…really said all that?" Shuichi asked as he kept his haggard eyes on the screen, his voice weak as he spoke.
"That's a lie! I have no memory of that!" Keebo shouted.
"Yeah, because you forgot thanks to the Flashback Light. That should be obvious." Izuru said. "The people you used to be are gone. You're all fictional characters now. Do you get it now? You're all flesh-and-blood fictional characters. You've got nowhere to return to! All that stuff is fiction too!"
"Then…our friends and family…our lives before coming here…" Kirumi began.
"All fiction. Never happened and never existed. That's just your backstories we created to make you who you are now." Izuru answered. "You can't go back home, because there is no such place. The only place you fictional characters can be is the fictional world. Only in this world. Only in Danganronpa."
"Only…in this world?" Rantaro hunched over, as though he was in pain with everything they had learned thus far.
"Yes. The place you're actually trapped inside is the Danganronpa world! That's why you guys can't leave this place. That's why your only option is to continue the killing game here." Izuru smiled widely. "You're all fictional characters created to kill each other. It's what the world wants. That's why there's nowhere to run. Not even death itself can save you, just like how it didn't save that faker."
"What do you mean? Death can't save us?" Kirumi asked.
"No. It cannot. We own you all now. You're just fictional characters, not real people. Even if you die, that doesn't change." Izuru claimed before covering half his face with his hand, giving him his menacing presence. "How do you think we brought Rin Wakuri 'back to life'?"
"Just…what are you saying?" Kokichi growled.
"Remember? That Rin you knew in this killing game was just a fake. A copy of the real Rin. The real Rin died in a previous season of Danganronpa. Season 42: Shattered Reality. That was the game Rin was forced to play with the friends Tsumugi Shirogane cosplayed as, with only one exception: Yuna Tamura." Izuru began. "In that game, Rin was framed by that game's mastermind and disposed of due to the trouble he caused. Thus, he was executed, just as I showed you. That is an undeniable fact. However, after the season ended, fans wanted to see more of Rin Wakuri, despite his death. After all, it was revealed that the Rin in season 47 was a survivor of a previous killing game within that story, so people wanted a prequel."
"A…prequel?" Rantaro questioned.
"Yes. In the story of Shattered Reality, the main villain was a serial killer who only killed Ultimates. This muderer eventually created the killing games as a way to torture his victims and make them kill each other before he swooped in at the end to kill the rest. In Shattered Reality, this is the truth behind the killing cruise trip, but before those events, there was the first killing game that villain used to test the concept. This was the first game Rin was supposedly a part of, the audience discovers, along with his close friend Yuna and other characters that differ from the Shattered Reality cast. As a prequel, everyone knew Rin would survive this game, but that's when it ended with Rin being trick by his dear friend Yuna into accidentally killing her!"
"Wait…then that file we found… Yuna's murder was an accident?" Keebo gasped.
"An accident Yuna tricked Rin into committing!?" Tenko yelped.
"Yep, and here's the kicker: even after confessing his crime and proving his own guilt, the others still let Rin win the class trial!" Izuru laughed. "They sacrificed themselves in order for Rin to escape, because they believed only he could bring the mastermind behind the killing game to justice. That game ended with despair as the only survivor, the blackened Rin, escaped, only for him to be thrusted into the killing game of the previous season and die there, failing his mission to avenge his friends!"
"Wh-What's wrong with you!? How could you put Rin through any of that!?" Kaede screamed.
"I didn't. The real Rin died during his first killing game. That Faker is the one who went through the prequel a few seasons later." Izuru rolled his eyes. "Besides, this is all just fiction. It's meant to be engaging and heart pounding. Not every story can end with a good ending."
"Rin was a character designed from the ground up to be a martyr. He was always meant to suffer tragedy after tragedy and then lose in the end. Why? Because no matter what happens, the real Rin Wakuri strived to do what was right, no matter his lot in life. Rin Wakuri was a character who lived miserably, having suffered numerous injustices and was forced into a live he never wanted due to his talent, yet he still kept going down that path to 'save people'. That is who Rin Wakuri was designed to be, and that Faker couldn't live up to it. When things got too hard for him, he snapped and broke in that forth trial of yours. Because no matter what he does, he'll never really be 'Rin Wakuri'." Izuru explained.
"But…Rin was dead. So how…did you manage to do that prequel in the first place?" Keebo asked.
"It's simple. As I keep saying, it wasn't like Rin Wakuri was a real person. He was just a fictional character we made. So we just needed a double."
"A…double?" Kirumi gaped.
"That's right. Did you all think you were special, one-of-a-kind people? That's not true at all." Izuru shook his head in disappointment. "Let me drop some behind-the-scenes knowledge for you and the audience: the trick that we use whenever we bring back characters who had died in a previous season…is be 'recreating' that character."
"Recreating?" Kaede questioned, turning green at the implication.
"That's right," Izuru said as he snapped, causing the screen to now show medical diagrams of…what appeared to be surgeries and… dissections. "All we need is a similar enough base that matches the original. Then…we just impose the character onto the double. In Rin's case, we found someone with a similar build, and then transposed everything that was 'Rin Wakuri' onto them after they consented to the transformation."
"Consented? You mean these people wanted to…be changed into entirely different people!?" Shuichi cried out.
"What's the difference between this and plastic surgery? They're just becoming someone they want to be. In this case, this person's face, eyes, hair, muscles, teeth, nose—pretty much everything that was slightly off or needed to be changed was changed in order to make them a perfect copy of Rin Wakuri. That's how we brought him 'back to life'. Not like anyone can actually come back from the grave."
Izuru's eyes then gleamed as he looked over to the maid.
"In fact, that's how we brought you back, Miss Kirumi Tojo, or rather, Kirumi Tojo's double."
Kirumi froze after hearing that, her eyes shrinking down to pinpoints as she opened her mouth slowly, closed it, gulped, before slowly opening it again, as though she were having trouble finding words to speak with right now.
"I'm…I'm a fake…? That's…what you're implying, right?" Kirumi gasped before she gripped her apron tightly. "N-No! That's a lie! That can't be true. I am—!"
"Kirumi Tojo? But Kirumi Tojo was murdered by Tsumugi Shirogane. That's a fact. People can't be brought back from the dead, no matter what kind of magic ritual you use. So tell me…how can you be Kirumi Tojo if she's already dead?" Izuru asked her pointedly. "You're not Kirumi Tojo. Not the original one that the others met on that first day. No. You're a different person, dressed up and 'designed' to look like Kirumi Tojo and implanted with all the memories the original was meant to have. That's the truth. You're the same as that Fake Rin. You're just a fake Kirumi, and that's all you are."
"But…that's…" Kirumi tried to speak, but what could she say in response to that other than deny it more? Her refusal to admit it caused Izuru to sigh.
"You people are always like this. So what if you're a fake of a fake? Are you really trying to deny that these fake memories you have–fake memories not even made to be for you–are your own real memories? You already know it's all fake, so what if it's a lie made for someone else? You and that fake Rin kept denying it till the end, so I guess I need to show you the thing that finally pushed your fake Rin to admit the truth of his existence."
Another snap and the screens once again changed. This time, they displayed a horrific, grotesque sight. It was a hospital room of some kind, specifically a room meant for surgeries. There were a number of doctors at work, and lying there on the table was–
"Hrk–!"
Kirumi made a choking sort of noise as everyone was forced to watch would could only be described as body alteration surgery. They could see all the little cuts and changes the doctors made to who only sort of looked like 'Kirumi Tojo', but the changes started to make whoever this was more 'Kirumi-like' the longer the surgery went on. The eyebrow placement was adjusted, as was the mouth, eyes, lips, eyelashes, hair, skin, hands, body, chest, muscles–
"Enough!" Kirumi shouted as she finally turned away. "I don't want to see anymore!"
"I-I…I think I'm going to be sick…" Tenko groaned as she held her hands to her mouth and averted her own eyes too.
"Th-They did that to someone…?" Kaede asked. "They…changed them so much…nearly on a fundamental level…just to…'recreate' Kirumi?"
"And Rin was shown this?" Rantaro asked.
"Yes. Not Kirumi's surgery, though. No. Your fake Rin saw his own." Izuru stated. "He should have been quite proud of himself. He was part of the first 'patch' to have been 'reborn' like this, but I supposed learning he was a fake of a fake, filled with fake memories meant for someone else, and created in the image of another completely fake person didn't make him feel better about his situation."
"Then that's what he saw on those monitors? That's why they were all destroyed?" Kokichi asked in a shaky tone.
"That's right. He was so overwhelmed with despair when he first entered that room and saw the footage of his alteration into the new Rin. in his anger, he smashed those monitors, but it never really helped him forget the truth. He couldn't forget what he saw." Izuru then started laughing as he held his head. "You know…he also saw your audition tapes too. Rin learned the full truth after he found his Research Lab. No detail was spared from him. He learned everything, yet the one thing that seemed to break him more than anything was that video." Izuru then broke into a fit of maniac laughter as he held his head back.
"It's so funny! The truth is, out in the real world, there's a very small group of people who try to stop Danganronpa from going on. Typically they're made up of any surviving characters who managed to break free from us after their killing game. They banded together to try to end Danganronpa. Your fake Rin was a member of that group. That's why he broke into this killing game. He and his allies wanted to end it, and they planned to do it from the inside out."
"That's why Rin forced his way into this game?" Kaede asked.
"That's right, but we were prepared. The moment he snuck onto the set, we ambushed him and suppressed his memories with a Blackout Light. That's why he couldn't remember anything at the start of the game. In fact, do you remember how he acted back then? The Rin from back then wasn't confident in himself at all. He was a mature young man, yes, but he wasn't anything special. He was so boring and so average, but in truth, that was probably as close to that fake's real self as he could get. With all his memories suppressed, he actually managed to return to who he used to be, but not for long. Blackout Lights only suppress memories, not erase or replace like Flashback Lights, so almost immediately, he began to remember all the fake memories we put in him. Even though he had made himself immune to future Flashback Lights, the ones we used to convince him that he was Rin were still there in his heart and mind."
"Imagine how he must have felt, remembering exactly what and who he was in the worst way possible! He was a fake of a fake, and worst yet, he recalled how he willingly entered a third killing game in order to save a bunch of kids who wanted to be in Danganronpa! Can you imagine how stupid he must have felt in that moment? After all that, he claimed he despised you all! He told you that he hated you more than anything, and perhaps that was true to an extent after learning that you all were people who wanted to be in this killing game in the first place, but honestly, I think he hated himself more than anything else! A walking dead person, whose entire being was made to replicate some fake character who had died! That's who he really was, and he despised himself because of it. So much so that he let himself die in order to end it all!"
"Let himself die? But…he trapped you like this so we could…end this game." Kokichi tried to argue, but Izuru shook his head.
"Yes, he did do that, but do you really think this was the best way to go about it? There were several things that Faker could have done, but he chose the one that ended with him dead. Do you think that was a coincidence on his part? No… He wanted to die more than anything! He hated his fake life stolen from some fictional character, so he used me in order to commit suicide in a way that help you all out in the end so he wouldn't have to feel guilty after he died! He was a pathetic fake till the very end! How pitiful his ending was! And the same goes for that fake maid! She's just a fake of a fake, too! Nothing about her is original, nor was it even meant for her! She's just borrowing someone else's face."
"The truth is, this can still happen to any of you. If things go to shit here, we could just kill you all and reset with doubles. None of you are special. You're just characters we created, so we can do whatever the hell we want with you, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
There was silence in the trial room after that. All that could be seen was the pain-filled, despairing faces of all the remaining survivors of the 53rd killing game. They all looked sick to their stomachs if they weren't already paralyzed in terror and disguist.
"E-Enough…" Kokichi began in a soft whimper. "That's enough! I don't want to know anymore of this 'truth'! All of us are fake? Fictional? And the people we knew aren't even the people we thought they were? If this is the truth, I'd rather have just stayed with my lies like before! What was the point in any of this then!?"
"Ah! That reaction…!" Izuru began with wide eyes. "Could it be…you're in despair now?" A insultingly kind look appeared on Izuru as he held a hand over his heart. "When you're in pain, it's best if you confide in others, like your close friends." That kind smile then gave way to a sinister smile. "Too bad half of your friends are dead, and they're all just as fake as you." Izuru then held back more laugher, though loud snickers could be heard behind his hand. "In fact, everything about you all was just created by us. For example, Kaito's illness was given to him as part of his character."
"What…?" Shuichi gasped.
"It makes sense, doesn't it? How shocking and heart-wrenching was it that the survivors of humanity, who were supposed to be immune to the illness that destroyed mankind, somehow lost a close friend who wasn't actually immune to that virus? It makes for a good plotline, right? It was almost as good as the plotline of Kirumi falling in love with Rin!"
"Wh-What… What are you saying…!?" Kirumi asked as she held her chest tightly. "You mean…even my own feelings were…"
"Wait! Then… What about me?" Tenko cried out. "Is the reason I admired Himiko–?"
"It was just part of your character. Why else were you so stubborn with trying to befriend that lazy girl?" Izuru asked. "It was done in order to create excitement, tension, and emotion within this killing game. That's not all though. That's also the reason you and that fake Rin became close, Kokichi, and it's the reason Tsumugi was chosen to be the mastermind originally. She would have been such a dull character before, so she had to play the part of the Mastermind in order to spice up her character."
"Then…was Tsumugi even really involved in this killing game, or was that just part of her character?" Kaede asked with teary eyes. "Did you brainwash her into thinking she was in charge just to kill her off as the bad guy of this story?"
"Exactly. Tsumugi would have been that plain, boring self had we not given her memories of being the Mastermind. After all, I'm not supposed to be in this story. It would be better for the Mastermind to have been one of the participants, but that's not how it went this time around, I suppose."
"Then…even Tsumugi was tricked into buying this lie?" Rantaro muttered. "All of this…our emotions, as well…is just lies?"
"If you're saying fiction is nothing but lies, then yes, that is how things are." Izuru sighed. "Everything in this world has a writing credit. All your words and actions…they were all made up by some writer who's part of our staff. All you've ever felt, said, or thought…it was all a bunch of lies. Even that thing Kaede said that moved Shuichi's heart…"
"...Huh?"
"What I said…?"
Shuichi and Kaede gasped before the screens replayed a scene they both remembered very clearly. It was a moment they both looked back at fondly.
"I believe in you, so you should definitely believe in yourself!" Kaede had told the detective before that first murder.
"That was a lie!" Izuru claimed. "Because the real Kaede said this!"
With that, the screen changed to Kaede's audition tape.
"I'm perfect for a killing game. I don't have any faith in humanity." The creepily cheerful Kaede said without her smile wavering at all.
The real Kaede flinched as she gaped at who had apparently been her 'real' self.
"And who could forget kaito's inspiring line?" Izuru continued, not giving them a moment to rest or properly process what he was saying.
"The impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so!"
"That was a lie! Because the real Kaito said–!"
"I'm not just gonna be in Danganronpa, I'm gonna kill everybody and win! Once I've got fame and fortune, I don't gotta worry about what's impossible."
"It's aaaaaaaaall fiction! It's aaaaaaall a lie!" Izuru proudly declared. "Every single thing that has happened in this killing game is a lie!"
"It's…all a lie?" Shuichi muttered as he lowered his head. Not just him. Nearly everyone else did as well as they began to think the same thing.
If it was all a lie, then those things that kept me going…they were also lies.
All those precious memories and moments they shared…all the struggles that pushed them to be stronger, to be better, all the friends they lost along the way, the tears they shed, the pain they felt–
It was all a lie. The people they were trying to keep living for were just lies. They themselves were just lies. Their emotions too were just lies.
And if it was all just a lie, then…
"...Why…am I here? Why did I even survive this long?" Shuichi found himself asking in a heavy, dead voice as his head stared aimlessly at the ground.
"This is fiction. There is no greater meaning." Izuru explained. "No greater meaning to death. No greater meaning to life. It's all fiction. There's no meaning to be found in any of it."
"Y-You…How can you be so…so uncaring about all this?" Kaede asked. "Doesn't it bother you? What you've done to us, to Kirumi and Rin, to everyone else who was forced into these killing games? Doesn't it bother you at all that you've changed them so much?"
"Bother me? Why would it?" Izuru asked before he glared right at Kaede. "I mean…This is my fifth face and name myself, truth be told."
Another period of dead silence entered the room after that statement, but chills traveled across their spines once they realized what Izuru said.
"Your…fifth?" Keebo repeated. "No…! But then…that means you–!"
"That I was a participant in multiple killing games myself? Yes. I do suppose that would be true. Not that I really recall those games clearly. I was a different person for all of them." Izuru said without batting an eye.
"W-Wait wait wait! That means…You went through this yourself! And you're still helping make more!? What the hell is wrong with you!?" Tenko screamed.
"What does it matter if I've been in killing games like you? I survived all of them, didn't I? Besides, those were the 'old me's. I'm Izuru Kamukura now, the CEO of Team Danganronpa. Every new CEO becomes 'Izuru Kamukura' once they're where I am."
"You mean…?"
"That's right. 'Izuru Kamukura' is a title passed down from CEO to CEO. Each head of the team takes on the name, as well as the number of the current season they work on. While there have not been 53 Izurus, I have been around the longest and I am now hosting the 53rd season, thus the title Izuru the 53rd. I gained my new role and face after surviving numerous killing games. I've had more names and faces and bodies and sets of memories than you can even fathom. That picture you used to identify me? 'Kazuma von Karma'? That was just one of the people I was turned into during a previous killing game. Can't say I remember too much about that 'me'. In fact, I've had so many names and faces, I don't even know what I originally looked like."
Izuru then turned back to the students, his eyes cold and heavy as he became completely blank with his expression.
"Do you see now? There's no fighting this. There's no fighting the world of Danganronpa. Nothing you do can change anything. Nothing you do will save you from your circumstances now. All that's left for you is to just accept it. It would be easier if you did that."
Izuru's expression then return to the dismissive, lax one he had before as he shrugged.
"Not that it matters. You're all already in despair, and that's pretty perfect all things considered."
"What are you talking about…? Despair? I'm so sick of that word…" Kokichi growled, but there was on energy left to be found in it.
"Can't you tell? The whole pont of Danganronpa is despair. It's the reason this game is so popular. It's why everyone is crazy for killing games, to the point where we're on the 53rd season." Izuru explained. "The thing the audience can't get enough of is your own despair. They love seeing you flail about in your panic. That's why they're watching so happily right now."
"Then…all this suffering we've gone through…it was just so they could see us despair in the end?" Rantaro closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "That's what the world wants from us? Is that…really it?"
No one could answer. All they could do was stare aimlessly, either at the screens of cheering audience members or the floor in a vain attempt to refuse to acknowledge any of it.
At their core, they had given up.
"Oh? Don't have the energy to yell?" Monokuma taunted. "Well, yelling for help is useless for fictional characters anyway. It makes the viewers even more depraved and obsessed when they feel sorry for you. They watch, knowing that they shouldn't, just to revel in the depravity of it all. That depravity is the appeal of death games. It's the appeal of this very killing game! It's the appeal of Danganronpa itself!"
"...So what are we supposed to do?" Shuichi finally asked, his face showing just how destroyed he was in the wake of all these reveals, his hair a mess and his eyes completely sunken.
"Hm? What do you mean by that?" Izuru asked.
"What…are we…supposed to do? What's gonna happen to us?" Shuichi asked in barely a whisper.
"Oh? You want to know? I thought you already knew what you were going to do." Izuru laughed. "I thought your plan was to drag me into your killing game and end it all, right? You were gonna end this class trial and the killing game itself once you found me, right? Go ahead and try to stop it if you can! Try to stop a world obsessed with it!"
"That's…impossible. There's nothing we can do about it." Tenko cried as she closed her eyes.
"How…can we even try to stop it…if the world has already…already…" Kaede trailed off as she fell to her knees, unable to keep standing after all she had heard and seen.
"Then you're giving up?" Izuru asked.
"It's…all a lie, isn't it? Me… Everyone here… Everyone who died… Everything's a lie, right?" Shuichi asked. "I can't fight…for a lie, can I?"
"Is that so? It would seem that no matter how strong you get or how much you grow, you'll always be weak at heart, Shuichi Saihara. Now that you know it's all lies, you've gone back to being afraid of the truth. It's so sad I almost want to pity you." Izuru sighed. "The same can be said for your friends, though. Even the prince of lies himself cannot bring himself to fight against the lies that made up himself and his world, can he?"
"..." Kokichi just continued staring at the ground, the life and energy normally present in his eyes completely gone now. "...Am I supposed to be happy about this? About all these lies? Lies are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to create freedom since they can be anything…but the lies here are gone now, right? All that remains is the truth. Once the truth is revealed…there's no denying. I know that already. Everything…even…my friends…my life…even my own lies…it was all fake…and now even those lies are gone. What…else is left for me then? I…can't just lie to myself again, can I? I don't…know how I'd even do that anymore."
"I see… I suppose I can't blame you for losing all hope, then." Izuru hummed. "But hey, at least you aren't in a worse spot, like that fake maid over there."
"..." Kirumi couldn't even bring herself to dignify that with a response. She was too busy staring at her own hands and tears fell down her cheeks. She felt sick. It was as though she was no longer comfortable even being within her own body, let alone in this trial.
She no longer wanted to be who she was if she was just a fake of a fake.
"Well, I'd say this is good enough. This despair is perfect for the final trial of season 53, I'd say." Izuru smirked. "Hmm…perhaps it could have been better, but this should be good enough. The audience seems to be satisfied, and things are still on track, just as I expected. Now that those loose ends are all tied up, we can continue the game."
Izuru's words seemed to melt into the background of the students mind as the weight of the truth began to crush them. Everything was just a lie. Everything was meaningless. Everything they've done, everything they felt together, everything they believe…
All their feelings…all their bonds…all their strengths…
It was all just a lie.
Pitch black lies.
No matter what they did, what mysteries they solved, what meger power they dug up, nothing would change that. If it was all just fiction in the first place, what meaning does it even have? If it was all scripted, what meaning did they even have?
It was over. It was well and truly over.
But who would care in the end? It was just a lie anyway.
…
…But was this really the end?
If…if it were up to you…would it truly end here?
Should it end here?
They all had to be there for a reason, right? That couldn't be just a lie, too, right? It all couldn't have been a mistake on their part.
So…what should be done in this situation?
Can this situation be saved?
…
…No?
Then…can this situation…be remedied?
…
"...I hear your voices, crystal clear."
Thus…his eyes opened, and a new found clarity over came the new hero of the story.
"My inner voice is telling me I need to…rememdy this situation." Keebo stated in a soft voice before it grew stronger. "That is why I will not give up! I will not give up hope until the very end!"
Izuru stared at the robot after the sudden outburst, a blank expression painting the mastermind's face once more.
Then…he spoke.
"...Huh?"