Kaoru Nagate

**Kaoru Nagate** is a supporting character featured in Danganronpa Kirigiri. He is a researcher that participates in the Twin Abilities Research Center Case Duel Noir.

## History

### Prior Life

Prior to the Duel Noir, Kaoru was just a researcher that studied twin theory. He would receive a black letter from someone under the name of Ashvins that promised him quite the deal of money in exchange for working on twin research, which he accepted.

### Twin Abilities Research Center Case

On January 11th, Kaoru arrived at the center with three other researchers: Tōya Tsutsumi, Kamato Hachisuka and Taruhi Hoshī. The four of them would conduct experiments on Suō Kyūren and Shikon Kyūren. At first it would be just simple ESP experiments, but later on, the main route of these experiments would be to conduct pain tests to see if pain to one twin transferred to another. The goal was to see if a new form of secret communication could be garnered from this.

That night both twins would be murdered, with Taruhi, Toya and the detective for the case, Kyoko Kirigiri, discovering Suō's body and heading over to the other researchers to check up on Shikon. When they got to the room containing Kaoru and Kamato (both were sharing a meal), they informed them of the situation and Kyoko's presence. Kaoru, since Kyoko isn't a member of their team, wants to boot her out, but Tōya vouches for her legitimacy and that if she was the killer she would have done in both Tōya and Taruhi. After informing Kyoko on how the locking system works (which had a different padlock registered to a different researcher each fingerprints), Kamato urges them to check on Kamato, and so the group does. Though first, they went into the monitor room and witness the display of a robbed person murdering Suō, which convinced Kaoru and Kamato of the urgency of the situation.

As they they head over to Shikon, talk of the murder leads to the group discussing the possibility of it being Ashvins. Ashivins was the person who hired all four of them to conduct the experiments, and that they have never actually met him, aside from following the orders he left behind. The invitation came in a black envelope and promised a 3 million yen reward for their efforts. As Kyoko presses into the research done, all Tōya says is that it involves the research of twins as apart of a psychological study. Something Kyoko asks, in a cold manner, if such research involves locking twins up in small rooms and chain locking the exits. Tōya stutters out that he was just following orders, but before he could go on any further they reach Shikon's room. Similar to last time, Kyoko watches from an outside window to see the body, while the others enter. Like with his brother, Shikon is found dead. She reports that they died around the same time and that the killer could have only left from the room.

Tōya confronts this and demands an explanation to make sense of why this happened, though Kyoko only shrugs. Kaoru believes Ashvins is the one responsible for this, though his reasoning earns skepticism from the others. When Kyoko asks if anyone met Ashvins, its met with a general 'no' and that they only gotten an invitation in a black envelope that promised big payment for their services. Kyoko concludes it must have been what the Committee wanted and explains about their existence, alongside what a Duel Noir is, as well as pointing out that Ashvins was likely to be the challenger here instead of a member of the Committee.

Kaoru is skeptical and believes that such explanation were a lie, and that Kyoko was Ashvins. Tōya is uncertain and decides to back up Kyoko's claims, citing that the info they did have on Ashvins proved that he had had enough experience in a field that Kyoko, a junior high school student, could not have. Kaoru doesn't budge and says that Kyoko set her own fingerprints at the master key (which Kamato points out would be odd since Kyoko was the one that told them about the Committee). After some pressure to comply, Kyoko gives in, but when her fingerprints failed, Kaoru simply suggested it was her toe prints. Kyoko was adamant of not doing this, since she finds such a thing embarrassing. As she tries to back away, Tōya goes to grab her, but ends up getting flipped onto his back as a result of an aikido throw from Kyoko.

Taruhi is the one to get to her, with Kyoko going through with it as long as the men get out of the room. During this private meeting, Kyoko questions who was the one to lock up, with the answer being that it was Tōya. Once that was done, Tōya says Ashvins isn't amongst them. He believes that Shukon killed himself via an icicle that melted away. Kaoru thinks its stupid, but Kamato wants to hear Tōya out. Tōya claims that Shikon cut the video feed to his room and killed his brother before himself with an icicle. Tōya's reasoning is was that the kids probably didn't want to be treated as test subject by researchers and it was their way of sticking it to them. Kamato refutes that Shikon would have no way of getting to Suō since the padlocks only react to the specific researcher's fingerprints and Kyoko confirmed there was no secret passage out.

Taruhi believes that if they want to solve the murders, they need to solve the locked room first. It is then that Kamato suggests his idea. Basically, according to the Twins of Corsica theory, Shikon died after Suō was stabbed since, allegedly, twins feel the same pain. Tōya wants him to shut up since Kyoko was there, but by then Kamato ignored it and revealed the 'reason' for why they were here (with Kyoko saying nothing but giving them a chilly expression). The group heads back to the monitor room where Kyoko says she's leaving and will call the police. Kaoru and Taruhi object considering the danger and the fact she's a schoolgirl, which causes Tōya to volunteer to take Kyoko in his car, whilst the others remain behind.

## Appearance

Kaoru is a middle aged man dressed in a business suit and tie.

## Personality

Compared to the other researchers, Kaoru is shown to be an overly skeptical, aggressive and rather irrational, often holding out on putting faith in someone and their ideas and often giving out theories that lack substance, though that could be attributed to him panicking over the murders of their test subjects. Given that he also agreed to do research which would inflict bodily harm on twins, it can be said that he has no problems harming minors if its for science. However, he is not without heart and was concerned when Kyoko volunteered to go out in harsh weather to contact the authorities.