"Hinata, Nanami... you're here?"
"...You're late."
"...What were you two doing together— no, forget it. I don't even want to know."
As soon as we stepped into the gym, the others started throwing comments at us one after another. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just stood there with an awkward smile on my face—then, without warning, Monokuma popped up in the center of the gym.
"Well? How does it feel to be back at dear old Hope's Peak Academy...? Upupupu?"
"You bastard... where the hell is this place...?"
"Where did you lock us up this time...?"
"D-Don't tell me... you're gonna starve us again like in the Funhouse!?"
"I literally just told you!! This is Hope's Peak Academy!!"
At Monokuma's shameless declaration, the others erupted in protest.
"As if that could be true!!"
"Even an idiot like me knows Hope's Peak Academy is in Japan!!"
"You cur... if you continue to stain the air with lies, my dark power shall descend upon you."
"But... this place looks exactly like Hope's Peak Academy... And the real Hope's Peak Academy got destroyed, right...? So maybe this really is the real Hope's Peak Academy now...? Upupu, upupupu!!"
That bombshell froze everyone solid. Monokuma slowly swept his gaze over the stunned group with a deeply satisfied look. Then, just as they started to pull faces like they were about to object, he cut them off without mercy.
"How is that even supposed to make sen—"
"Enough!!! Enough with the pointless chatter!!! I'm a busy bear, you know!!"
After shouting that, Monokuma flashed a wicked grin and continued.
"Now then... shall we start talking about your 'graduation exam'?"
"...Graduation exam?"
When I muttered that, Monokuma's eyes suddenly gleamed. He stared straight at me and spoke.
"That's right! Your final choice—whether you'll stay on Jabberwock Island, or leave for the outside world...!"
"A-a choice...? Obviously we'd leave!"
"Yeah! Just let us out already—"
"Nope!! The star of the show hasn't arrived yet!!"
"What!?"
Monokuma kept his eyes fixed on me as he spoke in a loaded, theatrical voice.
"The protagonist of this carefully prepared play... and the one who'll bring down the curtain in style... Upupu, upupupu, upupupupupu!!"
"....."
"Looks like they dropped by for a moment earlier, but realized it wasn't time for their grand entrance yet, so they vanished again... Which means you lot, who are nothing more than props until that person arrives, are going to have to work hard for me...!"
"...W-What the hell are you talking about...?"
"In other words, quit your whining and start studying up on outside society already!! I've scattered your teaching materials all over Hope's Peak Academy!!"
With that, Monokuma sank into the floor like always and disappeared.
After Monokuma vanished, silence settled over us for a moment.
"...Let's go, everyone. We're investigating the academy."
The one who shattered that silence was Nanami, who was still holding my hand.
"N-Nanami...! What do you know about this situation?"
"Yeah! You're the one who said we'd be safe if we came in here! I mean, sure, at least we didn't get swallowed up by a collapsing island, but Monokuma's still keeping us trapped...!"
"And what was that stuff about a play? A star? And us just being 'props'...?"
The others, who had been holding themselves back until now, started firing questions at Nanami. She listened to them in silence for a while before finally answering in a calm, even tone.
"...Sorry. I can't answer your questions right now. But if you investigate this academy, you'll find those answers yourselves."
"....."
When that only deepened the silence, Nanami looked at them and forced a small smile.
"...Can I ask you all for one thing?"
".....?"
"No matter what conclusion you reach through your investigation, and no matter what truth is waiting for you at the end of it... don't give up. Keep moving toward the future."
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"...What is this?"
After Nanami said that, we split up and began investigating Hope's Peak Academy. This time, she said it would probably be better if I investigated alone, so she left my side for a while.
Anyway, the moment I stepped out of the gym, a wave of dizziness hit me—and when it passed, the hallway in front of me was completely different from before.
I didn't fully understand it, but it was obvious Monokuma was using some kind of trick to interfere with us again. The same sense of dissonance I'd felt in the classroom earlier still clung to me.
But I'd promised Nanami that no matter what happened, I'd keep moving forward. So I took a quiet breath and stepped ahead.
And while investigating that newly appeared corridor, I found this book in the archery dojo.
"...[A Manga Guide to the History of Hope's Peak Academy]? Why would a book like this even be here...?"
"What the heck... is with this moe mascot...?"
"To know history is a precious thing... young man. Open that book at once, grasp the hidden truth... and report it to us...!"
Apparently, the others were too put off by the book's design to open it themselves. Left with no other choice, I picked it up and started reading.
"Hope's Peak Academy started recruiting from the reserve course after it began suffering from financial difficulties... So what Komaeda said really was true..."
"...H-Hinata. I don't know if I should be saying this, but... the Hinata I've been watching this whole time has been just as amazing as the rest of us...!"
"Y-Yeah! So what if it's the reserve course or whatever!? What matters is that we're friends, right?"
"Fuhahahahaha! You're not the kind of man who'd be crushed by something that trivial! So pull yourself together and uncover the truth already...!"
"Haha, everyone... thanks. That really helps. I—huh?"
I was smiling as I read on, buoyed by their warm encouragement. Then I reached a certain passage—and froze.
"...W-What's wrong, Hinata!?"
"Did you find something?"
"'After gaining enormous funding through the creation of the reserve course, Hope's Peak Academy launched a project to create a true genius who would become humanity's hope... but as a result, an unprecedentedly tragic incident engulfed Hope's Peak Academy'... Ugh...!!!"
"Kyaah! Hinata!?"
My voice shook as I read that section aloud to the others. Then a brutal headache slammed into me out of nowhere, and I collapsed, clutching my head.
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"...Hinata! Get a hold of yourself!"
"Hinata! What's wrong with you!?"
"Uuuuuuh... I-I don't really see anything especially wrong with him..."
"Then why is Hinata like this...?"
"....."
"Ah! Hinata! Are you awake!?"
Tsumiki, whom Tanaka had brought over, examined Hinata for quite a while, but he showed no sign of waking. Then, all at once, he opened his eyes and rose to his feet.
"...I am fine. There is no need for concern."
"...Huh? O-Okay... but... your whole vibe is kinda..."
"I fail to see what you mean."
"Um... d-did Hinata always talk that politely...?"
"D-Don't tell me the shock from collapsing suddenly..."
"I... I..... Huh? Guys?"
"Uuuuh... I-I think his mind might be drifting in and out..."
For a brief moment, Hinata glared at everyone with an icy, alien air about him. Then, just as suddenly, he returned to normal.
"You look sick, so don't push yourself too hard!!"
"I-If anything happens, please call for me right away!"
Scratching his head, Hinata left the archery dojo and started toward another area. Then he suddenly stopped and muttered to himself.
"...When I blacked out earlier, I swear I saw a long-haired man..."
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"....."
After that, I continued investigating the corridors. Then I found another book—[A Manga Guide to Hope's Peak Academy's Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event]—and the moment I started reading it, shock ripped through me.
"...The [Kamukura Project] created Kamukura Izuru, the [Ultimate Hope]... and then he committed an act of terrorism against the very Hope's Peak Academy that created him?"
"...Yes. Assuming what's written there is actually true."
"This sounds way too much like some manga or video game plot! I can't believe it!"
"...It says that during the terrorist attack, most of the main course and reserve course students managed to escape. But among those who escaped, some fell into despair because of the aftermath, and some were already [Ultimate Despair] to begin with... and those people became the foundation of [The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History]... Are we supposed to believe this, or not believe it...?"
Hinata was reading with a look of utter disbelief when he suddenly stopped. Then, in a frigid murmur, he began to speak.
"...This was the first time my predictions failed. To be honest, I found it rather interesting back then. But now, even this is..."
"H-Hinata's whole style changed again!"
"H-Hinata... are you okay?"
"Hm?"
Just like before, Hinata had been radiating that same cold atmosphere. But at Pigami and Mioda's words, he snapped back to normal and asked,
"I'm fine... More importantly, what do you all think about what's written in this book?"
"...What the hell, was I just seeing things?"
"Seeing things?"
"Never mind. For a second there, it looked like your hair turned black. Anyway, as for my opinion..."
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"Upupupu...! And so... Junko Enoshima, the original [Ultimate Despair], began increasing the number of [Ultimate Despair] one by one... and those [Ultimate Despair], growing in number little by little, began tearing the world apart—"
"Bullshit! You expect us to believe some psycho gang started by a high school girl destroyed the whole world!?"
"Seriously, if you're gonna lie, at least put some effort into it..."
"I've heard enough of this nonsense!!! Just send us to the graduation exam grounds already!!!"
"Didn't you say this Junko Enoshima girl got beaten by Class 78? If that's true... she doesn't sound all that impressive to me..."
"Don't poke at painful memories! That one seriously couldn't be helped, okay!?"
Right now, I'd finished reading the book about [The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History], and Monokuma had gathered everyone together to give us the rest of the explanation, claiming there wasn't enough time to leave it at that.
According to Monokuma, the world had been swallowed by chaos in the aftermath of Hope's Peak Academy's Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event.
But because it hadn't unfolded exactly according to Junko Enoshima's original plan, resistance groups had started rising up all over the place. And when Junko Enoshima was ultimately defeated by Class 78 in the killing game she orchestrated to crush those resistance forces and drive the final nail into the tragedy, despair began to collapse at a terrifying speed.
Honestly, it was impossible to believe. And yet, for some reason, my subconscious kept insisting that what he was saying was true. Besides, K and Kyoko Kirigiri—both members of Class 78—had never denied going through a Killing School Life themselves...
'If that's true... then who exactly is our enemy now...?'
Most likely, the remaining [Ultimate Despair]. But for what purpose were they imitating Class 78's killing game? Were they trying to carry on her will?
As I sank deeper into that morbid line of thought, my head suddenly started throbbing again. I grabbed at it as the pain surged through me, and Monokuma shouted,
"Now then! You've got the rough outline of the background knowledge... so it's about time you started getting your hands on the real information...! I've displayed the data hacked from Future Foundation all over the place, so go check it out yourselves!"
"Damn it... this is way too much information all at once... [Ultimate Despair]... the biggest, most awful tragedy... Junko Enoshima... all this insane crap..."
"Well then... have fun... upupupupu...!"
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When Monokuma disappeared, silence fell over the room once more. In that silence, the man with the talent of a con artist began speaking to the others in a low voice.
"...We don't have a choice. We'll have to do what he says."
At those words, the others looked at one another and began to talk.
"D-Do you think the outside world really... was destroyed...?"
"...Right now, we can't be certain of anything. But one thing is certain—soon, the moment will come when all of this ends."
"Komaeda still doesn't look like he's waking up... He's heavy, so should we just leave him behind...?"
"Well, don't we just have to choose to go outside at the end anyway?"
"...But do you really think Monokuma will just sit back and let that happen?"
"The second he gets in our way, I'll smash Monokuma and anything else to pieces!! I've had enough!!"
"You reckless fool!! Calm yourself!!!"
The others launched into a heated debate, building off everything they'd uncovered so far.
"You'll see it soon enough."
And I looked at them coldly as I murmured,
"...The future you choose."