Danganronpa: All At Once/Chapter 6 - Goodbye, Killing Game of Despair

* Monomi

## Chapter 6 - Goodbye, Killing Game of Despair

### Blackout

*Everyone is standing in the courtroom, looking at the remains of the last remaining hosts.*

**Juzo:** See? Nothin' happened. Told ya they were bluffin' just to save their asses.

**Kazuo:** That most certainly is a possibility. However, what does it mean for us?

**Yasuhiro:** Yeah. Are we free now? Can we go home?

**Hiroko:** According to that Mugi girl, there were still a few masterminds left aside from her. Only one of them died so far. The game was supposed to end with all of the masterminds' deaths, not the hosts.

**Yasuhiro:** Damn it.

**Byakuya:** We are this late in the game and you still did not remember that part?

*Suddenly, someone drops something. A gas spreads among the group.*

**Kaede:** Sleeping gas again! Everyone, cover your noses and run away!

*Some manage to follow Akamatsu's example and run away from the gas on time. However, their plan fails anyway, as the wristbands inject a sleeping drug into them.*

### New location

*The remaining participants wake up in what appears to be some kind of a conference room. There is a huge screen on the wall, but it's turned off.*

**Kotoko:** Where are we?

**Byakuya:** It appears that destroying all of the hosts must have triggered a new stage of this killing game. We have been once more transported to a new location.

**Hiroko:** Yeah, but what now? Are the masterminds really going to start hosting the game from this point on? Their lives are at stake if they come forward.

**Yasuhiro:** Yeah, but if they don't, the game can't continue, right? Someone gotta tells us when a mastermind dies and send us those Monokuma Files and stuff.

**Byakuya:** For now it appears as we are left for ourselves. We may as well use this time to investigate this new location.

**Kiyotaka:** Wait! Before that, I have another idea! Whoever spreat that sleeping gas must at least be working with the masterminds, correct? Perhaps they'll tell us who they are.

**Byakuya:** As if they'd do that. Especially since they haven't until this point.

**Kiyotaka:** It is worth giving a shot! Now then, did anyone notice who spread the gas?

**Mikan:** I-It was a crowd...And several people and hosts have just died at that moment...I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention...

**Seiko:** I wasn't paying attention either. When I'm in crowds, I have to make sure no one accidentally steps on my shadow.

**Kiyotaka:** I see, that is unfortunate.

**Yūto:** Well, I can tell you...

**Kiyotaka:** Really?

**Yūto:** You see, I was the one who was spreading the sleeping gas until this point. Including back at Towa Hotel before the game even began. The masterminds hired me as one of their accomplices in order to use my talent to hide, as well as the huge crowd, to make sure no one would notice a person like that spreading the gas.

**Juzo:** You little-!

**Yūto:** But this time it wasn't me. I don't know who else could it be... And besides Junko Enoshima, I didn't get to meet the other masterminds.

**Chihiro:** Why did you even agree to such a thing in the first place?

**Yūto:** Well, I figured Junko would owe me a favor and she needed my talent for that role the most. Let's face it, she's a really hot chick! Who could resist?

**Teruteru:** I see what you mean. If only my talent was about hiding...

**Celestia:** Shut up.

**Kaede:** I see...Not only that, but some of us who managed to run away from the gas on time, still got injected with sleeping drugs from our wristbands. This time making us fall asleep really was different...

**Maki:** Probably because with the hosts' deaths, the masterminds were desperate. And with us being together, it was a perfect opportunity to kidnap us to another location once more.

**Byakuya:** Fine. If that guy doesn't know who could've done it, let's just investigate this place and find some clues.

*The group starts by looking around the conference room.*

**Juzo:** Wait a minute...This conference room...It looks strangely familiar...

**Hiroko:** It does?

**Juzo:** I got it! It's the new overseas location! With the success of Class 79th, Hope's Peak was expanding overseas. They managed to quickly build a new building. But...

**Chiaki:** What is it, Mr. Sakakura?

**Juzo:** This plan was a secret...Only very few knew about this...The Steering Committee, the headmaster, Kizakura, Mr. Tengan, Kyosuke and the bodyguards since some of them were sent to guard that new location while it was under construction...

**Hajime:** I see...So what you're saying is...that unlike all of the previous locations of this game, only a few selected people knew about this place.

**Kaede:** That's great! This can narrow down the list of potential mastermind suspects for us!

**Juzo:** Let's see...Kyosuke, Gozu, the headmaster and Kizakura are already dead and the hosts didn't say that they were the masterminds, so they're out...

**Chiaki:** Since you told us about this, I don't think you can be a mastermind either, Mr. Sakakura.

**Byakuya:** Unless he did this exactly so you'd think that.

**Kaito:** Come on, Chiaki's right! Let's believe in Mr. Sakakura!

**Maki:** Besides, if he was a mastermind, he wouldn't have cut off his arm to stop the game.

**Juzo:** Phew, and there I thought you'd start suspecting me since I was one of the bodyguards who knew about this place.

**Kiyotaka:** Who else does it leave?

**Juzo:** Well, we dunno what happened to the Steering Committee and the remaining bodyguards who knew about this location...We can assume they died at the Reserve Course students' Parade, but it's not certain...So until we know for sure our only certain suspect is...

**Ryota:** Mister...Tengan?!

**Juzo:** No doubt about it.

*Tengan starts sweating.*

**Juzo:** Well, Mr. Chairman?

**Ryota:** I can't believe it! It's gotta be a lie!

**Hiroko:** Speaking of lies, wasn't his forbidden action related to lying? If so, we can easily interrogate him about that.

**Kazuo:** That's right...My forbidden action is "answering question with a lie" specifically. Simply "telling a lie" was Kokichi Oma's NG Code.

**Juzo:** Great! Then let's just start askin' him questions!

### Kazuo Tengan's interrogation - the masterminds

**Kiyotaka:** Alright, Mr. Tengan! Speak! Now! How many masterminds are left?!

**Kazuo:** This is a little tricky question. You see, besides me, there is a mastermind who's an alter ego of someone here. There's also a mastermind who's a hidden participant. Counting us all, there are 3 of us left.

*Tengan's wristband didn't react, meaning he had to tell a truth.*

**Juzo:** The number's not important! We want their names! Who are they?

**Kazuo:** Me, Izuru Kamukura and Shūji Fujigawa.

*No reaction from the wristband again, meaning Tengan was truthful.*

**Yasuhiro:** Who?

**Imposter:** I know who Izuru Kamukura is, but I've never heard of that other guy. Who is he?

**Chihiro:** H-His name was listed on that hidden part with hidden participants' forbidden actions. But we didn't know who he was, so we didn't mention him earlier.

**Kazuo:** He's serial killer who kills serial killers because he despises murder.

**Toko:** What a twisted logic!

**Hiroko:** Did you say Izuru Kamukura? The founder of Hope's Peak Academy? Isn't he already dead?

**Kazuo:** He is. I meant a different Izuru Kamukura.

*Hinata starts sweating.*

**Imposter:** There's someone else who shares that name with our school's founder?

**Kazuo:** Indeed. An artificially created alternate personality of someone who's still amongst us. Isn't that right, Hajime?

*Everyone turns their heads towards Hinata, who becomes even more nervous.*

**Hajime:** Wh-What? B-But I thought...

**Chiaki:** Hajime, what does he mean?

**Toko:** Y-You're also someone with a-alternate personality? H-How do you manage to keep your alter ego f-from appearing?

**Hajime:** I...I don't know.

**Toko:** You don't know?!

**Hajime:** I mean...I remember participating in a project called **Izuru Kamukura Project**...B-But I didn't know it'd create a completely different personality for me! And I was told the project failed!

**Chiaki:** Well, Mr. Tengan? What is the meaning of this?

**Kazuo:** You see, there were some Reserve Course students who still wanted to go to the Main Course. Like Natsumi Kuzuryu. However, Hajime Hinata was an unique case. Unlike other Reserve Course students, he didn't have the money to afford an entrance fee to the Reserve Course. However, he still wanted to attend Hope's Peak Academy badly. The Steering Committee agreed to let him in the Reserve Course if he'd participate in "Izuru Kamukura Project". Their plan was to artificially create a person known as the **Ultimate Hope**. A person who'd possess all the of the talents researched by Hope's Peak Academy thus far. Naturally, no one would possess such ability. That is why the person needed to obtain those talents through a process similar to placebo effect. Those talents would be artifically "added" to the person.

**Hajime:** A-Alright...But what about the part about an alternate personality?

**Kazuo:** Obviously, the subject needed to have their personality erased in order for this project to work. Their existing hobbies, insecurities and such could interfere with some of the talents.

**Hajime:** B-But...I don't recall ever being someone else. I don't remember ever losing control of my body! What are you talking about, then?

**Chiaki:** Yeah, I don't remember Hajime being someone else, either.

**Kazuo:** You see, around the time when the project was meant to reach the stage of erasing Hajime's personality completely, information about Hope's Peak Academy's security guards and Class 78th's loved ones being kidnapped and killed was leaked. The Steering Committee didn't want any more bad reputation caused by the info about human experimentation that also was mostly forced on Hajime by his lack of money for attending the Reserve Course. Thus, they asked the Ultimate Neurologist, Yasuke Matsuda, for help. They wanted to know if it was possible to switch between Hajime and Izuru's personalities, so that Hajime's friends wouldn't notice that he was gone. Yasuke suggested the Neo World Program developed by him, Chihiro and Miaya. When Hajime was sleeping, the scientist and Yasuke were sneaking into his room and giving him strong sleeping drugs so that he wouldn't wake up while being moved to the laboratory where the Neo World Program's computer was being kept. Then, Hajime was being connected to the virtual reality and sleeping there, while a personality created there was being transported to his body. Izuru's visits never lasted long though, as he did not find interest in doing anything.

**Chiaki:** I see. So that's why Hajime never found out he was Izuru.

**Kazuo:** The idea was to keep making Izuru appear in secret until Hajime's graduation, when the scientists decided to erase Hajime's personality inside Neo World Program completely, in order to make room for Izuru Kamukura. After all, it's natural for people to part ways after graduating. The scientist believed Hajime's disappearance wouldn't be found out by most of his friends and even those who would try to stay in contact with him, wouldn't find out where he had gone to.

**Hajime:** That's...messed up!

**Kazuo:** I know. I never agreed with their ways of doing. But there wasn't much I could do.

**Chiaki:** B-But that means Izuru isn't in control now, right? He's inside that Neo World Program?

**Kazuo:** No, he is inside Hajime's mind now.

**Chiaki:** But still, he isn't in control. That counts as his death, right? We don't have to kill Hajime to end the game, right?

**Kazuo:** That's true, the host of the body was being siwtched through Neo World Program during Izuru Kamukura Project. However, things changed when this killing game was being planned. Yasuke Matsuda told his girlfriend, Junko Enoshima, about the project when he joined it, just in case the scientists killed him for knowing too much. Junko used this and added it to the list of information she spread in order to ruin Hope's Peak's reputation. However, she only mentioned human experimentations being held on a Reserve Course student against his will. She did not say a word about Izuru Kamukura because she had other plans for him.

**Hajime:** Go on...

**Kazuo:** She wanted Izuru to be one of the masterminds working with her on her killing game. His countless talents would come in hand, after all. Besides, she was excited to meet someone who could think just like her, thanks to having her talent of the Ultimate Analysis Prowess, which makes its holder bored with the predictability of everything. Once she convinced Izuru to join her, she asked Matsuda if it was possible for both Hajime and Izuru to be in charge of their body at the same time. Yasuke agreed, saying all that was needed was to connect them both to their body through Neo World Program. This could also only work because Izuru is very stoic and doesn't even move a finger if he believes there's no point to it.

**Hajime:** I see...That's why I've never made any movements against my own will or haven't heard his thoughts in my mind...Because he believes they're meaningless, is that right?

**Kazuo:** Correct. Everything is meaningless for him.

**Hajime (Izuru):** That is correct. Once you are blessed with every talent, everything seems boring to you. With that being said, this killing game seemed like an exciting idea. Witnessing which is more unpredictable - hope or despair - with my own eyes seemed worth the struggle. And it indeed was worth it.

*Everyone gasps.*

**Chiaki:** H-Hajime?

**Hajime:** What was that now? I didn't say anything! Yet words came out of my mouth.

**Kazuo:** That's how both of you existing at the same time works. Now you know how Izuru feels when you're in charge the entire time.

**Hajime: It's terrible! Not being able to control everything you do...**

**Hajime (Izuru): No, I would say it is rather boring.**

**Kazuo:** Besides, even if Izuru wasn't in control, it wouldn't be counted as his death. Therefore, even if only Hajime was in charge of his body, you'd still have to kill him in order to end the killing game.

**Chiaki:** Isn't there another way?

**Chihiro:** Y-Yeah, the Neo World Program is still working! Surely we can...

**Kazuo:** I'm afraid it's not possible. Neo World Program's computer was left back at Jabberwock Island. You can't leave this area.

**Juzo:** Why not? The hosts have been destroyed. We should move wherever we want now!

**Kazuo:** The rule stated the game takes place where the hosts are, yes. But that's not all there is to it. The latter part of that rule wasn't mentioned, but the game also takes place where the masterminds are. After all, if all the hosts were destroyed before all of the masterminds' deaths, which did happen, the game wouldn't continue.

**Juzo:** I see.

**Kazuo:** In other words, you can't go back on Jabberwock Island while the game still takes place. Even if you somehow did, Yasuke Matsuda changed the password, remember? If Chihiro used his programming skills, he'd die of his forbidden action. This basically means you either choose Chihiro or Hajime and Izuru to die.

**Yasuhiro:** Wait, Chihiro's a dude?!

**Chihiro:** Oh, right, I still didn't share my secret with everyone.

**Byakuya:** That isn't important now.

**Chihiro:** Y-Yeah.

### Kazuo Tengan's interrogation - the masterminds' reasons

**Ryota:** Mr. Tengan...Why? Why did you do this?!

**Kazuo:** Well, I cannot speak for every mastermind, but in my case, it was for self-defense and in order to save Hope's Peak Academy.

**Ryota:** Save Hope's Peak...? With a killing game?!

**Kazuo:** You see, Junko Enoshima takes pleasure in despair. She wanted to ruin Hope's Peak's good reputation forever and force it to shut down. However, all of the information about its dark secrets weren't enough. The students and the staff still wanted to prove Hope's Peak's worth and their successes kept bringing Hope's Peak's good reputation back. That's why Junko came up with her ultimate plan, one that she was certain would force Hope's Peak Academy to close forever. A killing game where a lot of us would die, if not all of us. This was bound to ruin Hope's Peak good reputation once and for all.

**Ryota:** But why did you-

**Kazuo:** In order to make that killing game happen, Junko asked the most influencial members of Hope's Peak's staff for help. The Steering Committee, Jin Kirigiri and me. The Steering Committee refused, so Junko had Mukuro Ikusaba kill them in front of our own eyes. This made me scared about my own life. Jin still refused though...And you could see how it eventually ended up for him...Killed off right at the start...I was scared, so I agreed. But I also agreed to ruin her plan from the inside, as my last attempt to save Hope's Peak Academy.

**Ryota:** Ruin her plan from the inside? What do you mean?

**Kazuo:** I was the one who came up with the idea of the masterminds' death being necessary for the game. I was worried they'd kill me for treason, but luckily for me, Junko enjoys despair. She thought the idea of having masterminds participate and be able to die, even furthermore, having to die in order to end the game, was perfect. I also came up with the idea of the forbidden actions, to make the masterminds' potential deaths even easier. That's how I hoped those responsible for the game would pay and the innocent ones would have easier chance of survival.

**Kaede:** Mr. Tengan, do you happen to know why the other masterminds agreed?

**Kazuo:** I can't say for certain in all cases because not all of them told me, but I can assume in cases I don't know. I told you I did it so Mukuro Ikusaba wouldn't kill me back then and also to fight against the masterminds and ruin their plan. I already told you Junko wanted it for despair of the participants and people watching this game. Izuru Kamukura wanted to see whether hope or despair would be more unpredictable. Tsumugi Shirogane was just Junko's fangirl and followed her blindly. Monaca Towa also looked up to Junko and thought she could use the killing game to kill the adults more freely. Nagito Komaeda simply wanted the ultimate game where hope and despair would clash. Shūji Fujigawa just wanted to punish more serial killers.

**Hajime (Izuru):** That is correct. Even without knowing their reasons, they were easy to predict.

**Kiyotaka:** How about the masterminds' accomplices, then? Why did they agree to help?

**Kazuo:** Well, I can't say for sure, but the idea of helping without having to die definitely had something to do with it.

**Yūto:** I already told you why I agreed.

**Kazuo:** Mukuro Ikusaba followed her sister's orders blindly. She also seemed to take pleasure from despair. Her boyfriend, Yasuke Matsuda, also followed her. He also wanted to make sure she'd survive. That's why he came up with creating Ryōko Otonashi's personality, to help her survive the game. Little did he know that per the game's rules, she'd still have to be killed for the game to end, as Junko's personality would have to be completely erased, without a chance of coming back, for it to count as her death.

**Hajime: Damn it! This reminds there's no hope for me...**

**Kazuo:** Ted Chikatilo simply enjoyed explosions and was glad his talent could provide for additional weapons. Keebo was one of unwilling accomplices. He had no idea that Izuru Kamukura had him modified to be our camera and a murder weapon for the hidden mastermind in case only one mastermind was left alive in the game. Ryota Mitarai was the same.

*Mitarai starts sweating upon hearing his name being brought up.*

**Kazuo:** Just like Keebo, Ryota had no idea that Junko had analyzed his anime techniques and used it to make the viewers of her Suicide Video feel more despair, to the point of wanting to commit suicide.

**Ryota:** That's right, I had no idea! Back when I met her, she seemed sincerely interested in watching my anime! I had no idea she'd use them for evil! I'm so sorry I haven't told you earlier about this...

*Mitarai begins to cry.*

**Ryota:** I was afraid you'd think I'm one of the masterminds and kill me...

*Imposter gives his friend a hug in order to comfort him. Tsumiki and Kimura join to do the same, although Seiko quickly backs away, not wanting anyone from the group hug to accidentally step on her shadow.*

**Seiko:** I hear you. I also blame myself for not being able to find a cure to fight against the poison from our wristbands.

**Imposter:** It's alright, buddy. You were used and you had no idea. Junko's the one to blame.

**Byakuya:** Enough with this emotional nonsense. Let us continue with Mr. Tengan's interrogation.

### Kazuo Tengan's interrogation - how the game started

**Juzo:** Continue? Don't we know enough? We already know who to kill in order to end the killing game!

**Byakuya:** That is true. However, we still do not know many details about how they started this killing game. I for example find it interesting to learn about. Besides, if we finished this game without learning it, there is a chance we would never be able to solve this mystery.

**Celestia:** Agreed. I too am interested in how they managed to pull this off.

**Juzo:** Fine. That Izuru guy barely talks and we don't even know how that hidden mastermind is, so I guess we gotta use Mr. Tengan to learn anything while we still can.

**Byakuya:** Precisely.

**Celestia:** Well then, Mr. Tengan? How did the game start? How did all of you manage to pull this off?

**Kazuo:** That is a long story, heheh. Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba have been sneaking around the academy to learn its dirty secrets for a long time. They were better at it than Chisa Yukizome and Juzo Sakakura.

**Juzo:** Tsch!

**Kazuo:** But as I told you, revealing all the dirty secrets wasn't enough to ruin Hope's Peak Academy forever. So Junko came up with an idea of a killing game, including majority of its elements and rules. She also wanted her classmates and their loved ones connected to Hope's Peak Academy, that is Hiroko Hagakure, Jin Kirigiri, Kanon Nakajima, Komaru Naegi, Taichi Fujisaki and Yuta Asahina, as participants of her game. With Mukuro Ikusaba killing a vast majority of Hope's Peak's security guards, eventually leaving only Great Gozu and Juzo Sakakura, all of the locations needed for the game were easy to take over. Obviously, her boyfriend followed her about from the start as well. Even if he didn't, she wouldn't let him back away after learning about Neo World Program. She also told him to change the password to it so its other developers wouldn't be able to use it anymore.

**Chihiro:** I see...

**Kazuo:** I believe next one recruited was Tsumugi Shirogane. She already told you how she fell in love with Junko's character after cosplaying as her. She was the next one to add more rules. She used Junko's idea of Monokuma as a host and developed it further. She created even more mascot characters to host the game. She also created a few of them to be on the "good side", at least seemingly. Usami was the only truly good host. Shirokuma was meant to be just pretending. Monodam was meant to be useful for us, potentially killing some of the hosts, but not someone entirely morally good. She also based off Usami's character of Miaya Gekkogahara's avatar in order to frame her. After all, the less Neo World Program developers in the game, the better for Yasuke Matsuda.

**Chihiro:** I see. So that's where my and my father's forbidden actions came from.

**Kazuo:** I guess it's better than being framed like Miaya. Tsumugi also added her own list of desired participants - her own classmates. Anyway, the next one recruited was Monaca Towa, if I'm not mistaken.

**Kotoko:** Grr! That traitorous traitor!

**Kazuo:** At that point Junko saved the Warriors of Hope from suicide by giving them their new hope of killing the adults in Towa City. However, only Monaca was informed about a larger plan, that of a killing game. She added her friends and her half-brother to the list of participants. She also began building Monokuma Units to take over Towa City. This was meant to not only kill the adults, but also make taking over locations located in Towa City - Hope's Peak Academy and Ultimate Academy - much easier, without a risk of the police getting in the way.

**Nagisa:** So she really did sign us up for this...

**Kazuo:** Nagito Komaeda, who was easily bribed with the concept of the ultimate battle between hope and despair, was recruited next, I believe. At that point he didn't add any game elements and only added his own rather large list of desired participants - his own classmates and a few Reserve Course students close to them, that is Hajime Hinata, Natsumi Kuzuryu and Sato; the Student Council that he considered the main symbol of students' hope, and finally an already graduated student, Ultimate Pyrotechnician, Ted Chikatilo, whom he believed could provide for weapons for the game. And he indeed did. That's also how Ted Chikatilo got recruited as an accomplice. Just an accomplice because, like Mukuro and Yasuke, he did not come up with any elements for the game or even add his own desired participants.

**Hajime:** Damn it, Nagito!

**Kazuo:** I believe that was also when Junko analyzed Ryota Mitarai's animation techniques and used them to develop her Suicide Videos, added to the game to make sure there would be some murders in the game.

**Ryota:** To use anime for evil...How dare she?!

**Kazuo:** Finally, she also learnt about Izuru Kamukura's existence and had Yasuke Matsuda use Neo World Program to contact him. She convinced him to take a part in creating the game in order to see which would be more unpredictable for him - hope or despair.

**Hajime (Izuru):** That is what happened.

**Kazuo:** With so many supporters, ideas and preparations in an advanced stage, Junko was ready to ask for her final accomplices.

**Yūto:** One of them was me. As you already know, I was needed to spread a sleeping gas without anyone noticing.

**Kazuo:** And the other ones included Hope's Peak Academy's most influential people. The Steering Committee, the headmaster - Jin Kirigiri and the advisor - me. As I already mentioned, Steering Committee refused and paid with their lives for it. Jin Kirigiri refused, but since Junko wanted him to be a participant, he was left alone and the time and killed first during the game. I already told you why I agreed.

**Ryota:** That's right.

**Kazuo:** My idea for forbidden actions was inspired by Monaca's idea to have the participants be blown up for leaving the area of the game and Junko using the Suicide Video, which could also result in the mastermind's suicide if we were lucky. Nagito helped me to develop ideas for them. He was the one who suggested every non-Ultimate should have a forbidden action about dying when their close person who's an Ultimate dies. He only made exceptions for Taichi Fujisaki and Hiroko Hagakure because they worked at Hope's Peak and were talented programmer and nurse respectively.

**Mikan:** I didn't know you used to be a nurse, Miss Hagakure.

**Hiroko:** There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Miki.

**Mikan:** M-Miki?

**Kazuo:** Also, just like Chihiro, Taichi needed a forbidden action that would prevent him from using Neo World Program. Chisa Yukizome was another exception, but that was purely because of her strong love for Kyosuke Munakata.

**Juzo: Well, she wasn't the only one who loved him. Where's my forbidden action related to Kyosuke's death?**

**Kazuo:** I also added a new location that has just been built - Hope's Peak Academy's overseas location, in which we are now. Not many knew about its creation, so I knew this would steer the participants towards the right answer about one of the masterminds, me. Obviously, that's also why it was the last location - because it was a too obvious hint. Other hints included lists of every group of participants.

**Byakuya:** You mean the files about my class, Class 77-B and Class 79th?

**Kazuo:** Yes. There was a hint written in invisible ink on each of them. The hint directly stated who suggested which group for the game. There are also files with the Student Council, Reserve Course students, Hope's Peak Academy's staff, Ted Chikatilo and the Killer Killer in this building. You'd probably find them had we began with an investigation instead of my interrogation.

**Chiaki:** Wait, Mr. Tengan, you never mentioned who suggested Hope's Peak Academy's staff and the Killer Killer for the game.

**Kazuo:** Oh, right. Forgive me. It was me, obviously. Every other person was meant to be killed in Reserve Course students' Parade. That's why I listed several people from our school's staff whom I hoped would survive the killing game and restore Hope's Peak.

**Juzo:** Thanks, old man.

**Hiroko:** Yeah, thank you.

**Kazuo:** I also suggested the Killer Killer because I hoped he'd increase the chance of the masterminds' deaths. After all, he despises murder and punishes serial killers. The masterminds would be responsible for every death that happened during this killing game.

**Maki:** Makes sense.

**Kazuo:** He even proved more useful than I thought. He changed Junko's idea for executions. Originally, she wanted everyone to be executed if a wrong person was accused at the Class Trial.

*Everyone gulps upon hearing that.*

**Kazuo:** However, Killer Killer changed that to only the accusing person's execution. In his words, the accusing person had the will to execute someone, so they deserve to die for a wrong choice more than the others. He also added his own desired participants.

**Kaede:** Huh? Even more? I thought all groups were already mentioned.

**Kazuo:** Well, his desired participants weren't meant to be active participants. More like hidden participants. Although their true role was to be used as hostages.

**Teruteru:** Hm? Hostages? For whom?

**Kazuo:** Unfortunately, I don't know that. Shūji Fujigawa had a plan of his own, which he never shared with me. Perhaps you'll have a chance to ask him soon.

**Byakuya:** Before we do that, let me ask you about how exactly you managed to get all of your desired participants in the game. The Reserve Course students' Parade was quite chaotic. There was a chance we would die in it.

**Hajime:** And how did you manage to make all of the Reserve Course students crazy?...Well, except for the ones you wanted for the killing game.

**Kazuo:** Aside from a Suicide Video, Junko had also prepared a **Despair Video** with the animation techniques she learnt from Mitarai.

**Ryota:** ...

**Kazuo:** She brainwashed the Reserve Course students by sending them those videos to watch on their e-mails. She also thought of brainwashing some of the game's participants, but eventually decided not to, thinking that breaking a normal person's mind is more entertaining and that she has enough supporters in her fellow masterminds.

**Byakuya:** Sure, that explains why they acted so crazy. But what about the part where we survive the Parade, just as you'd want?

**Kazuo:** I believe Nagito Komaeda's luck played some part in it, especially for his desired participants. But of course we couldn't rely just on it. That's why Junko has been messaging the Reserve Course students about where to go to kill the Ultimates. She and Izuru then came up with the escape route for each group of our desired participants to escape without meeting the brainwashed Reserve Course students on our way. This was easier for the Warriors of Hope and Class 79th because it took some time for some of the Reserve Course students to reach their school buildings. Obviously, it was the easiest for Haiji Towa, who already was at Towa Hotel. And the hardest for our non-brainwashed Reserve Course students, but Junko and Izuru's escape route and most likely Nagito's luck managed to pull this off.

**Nagisa:** So by being chosen for this game, we actually got to survive the Reserve Course's students Parade? And there were special escape routes planned for us? Maybe we should be thankful to Monaca for surviving this long...

**Kotoko:** Nuh-uh! She's still a traitorous traitor! She didn't even tell us about any of her true plans!

**Nagisa:** She probably...wasn't allowed to...

**Hajime (Izuru):** Coming up with an escape route when you tell the brainwashed Reserve Course students where to go and when it takes them some time to reach other buildings? I wish it was more of a challenge.

**Hajime:** Wait, but I don't remember losing control of my body...So you prepared that escape route when I was sleeping?

**Hajime (Izuru):** Correct. Junko just had to informed brainwashed Reserve Course students about where to go and Mr. Tengan to tell the others about how to escape.

**Kazuo:** The plan worked perfectly. In fact, we had one additional participant with us as a result. Aside from our desired participants, Daisuke Bandai, former Ultimate Farmer and the biology teacher at Hope's Peak joined us during our escape purely by accident. That is also why he got a rather generic forbidden action related to the killing game and a one that was meant to result in his early death...Because he was the only participant whom we did not plan to participate in our killing game.

**Hiroko:** Poor guy...

**Kazuo:** But that is not all. The masterminds were prepared for when the sleeping gas would be spread. We held our breath and ran away. Then we put everyone in a huge truck that we had prepared. The Monokuma Units had just started attacking Towa City and Junko had came up with a plan about how to reach the beach and a huge boat, along with Monaca. Then we put everyone on the boat and eventually reached Jabberwock Island. Oh, Yasuke Matsuda also took the Neo World Program computer with us. And you know the rest.

**Leon:** Wow. One hella complicated and twisted plan, man!

### Kazuo Tengan's interrogation - hidden mastermind

**Kazuo:** Is there anything else I might have forgot to mention or you'd like to know?

**Byakuya:** Of course there is!

**Kazuo:** And it is?

**Byakuya:** Why is there a hidden mastermind to begin with? That is so unfair. The masterminds' deaths are necessary to end this killing game, so for this game to be fair, all of the masterminds should be amongst the regular participants, not hiding like cowards!

**Kazuo:** Well, that is related to Shūji Fujigawa's plan, which I don't know about. However, his case is a bit different. You see, all of the regular masterminds' deaths are necessary to reach the final stage of the game. That's when the door to Fujigawa's hiding location will be unlocked and when you'll be given a chance to kill him and end the game once and for all. As I mentioned, Keebo was also meant to become a murder weapon controlled by him if you managed to kill all regular masterminds...But he already died, so you won't have to worry about that.

**Byakuya:** I see. That makes it more fair. Although it makes sure Fujigawa is the last mastermind standing and, in case the other participants were down to one survivor, one of the two final participants left. That is still unfair for the others.

**Kazuo:** You'll have a chance to tell him your thoughts soon, I assume.

**Celestia:** Oh, that is correct. Now that we obtained the knowledge about how this complicated scheme has worked out, we will have to move to the next, not as enjoyable part...We will have to execute the remaining masterminds!

### Kazuo Tengan's execution

**Juzo:** I'm sorry, old man. I'm sure you've been ruling the academt right back at your days of being the headmaster. But now is the time for-

**Kazuo:** Do not worry. I am fully aware of what has the come. I came up with that part about the masterminds' deaths being necessary, after all. And since you managed to find out who all of the remaining masterminds are and can finally end the killing game without any more innocent people dying, I can die happy.

**Juzo:** So you're ready, huh?

**Kazuo:** I am. No need to delay the inevitable.

**Byakuya:** Wait! Toko, you do this!

**Toko:** Huh?

**Juzo:** What? Why?

**Maki:** Shouldn't I do this? I've killed a fair number of people in my life.

**Kaito:** No, Maki Roll! You're going to quit being an assassin! It doesn't suit you!

**Maki:** Hm? Why are you deciding it for me?

**Kaito:** Well, it's your decision in the end. But I thought you hated being an assassin. It makes you feel inhuman, doesn't it? Maybe you should think about becoming an actual caretaker?

**Maki:** Maybe I...will.

**Juzo:** So...Um...Again, why her exactly?

**Byakuya:** She has an item that can be used to kill more quickly than strangling someone with your bare hands, remember? Her other personality's beloved scissors. Besides, you can prove your loyalty to me in this way, Toko. Obey my order!

**Toko:** O-Obey y-your o-order...Y-Yes, M-Master!

*Fukawa faints from the excitement. This naturally brings her alternatte personality, Genocider Syo.*

**Syo:** I'm back, bitches! Did ya miss me?

**Byakuya:** Syo, I know you have missed quite a lot, but I am going to need you to kill that old man for me.

**Juzo:** Wait, what about the rules? One person can kill only up to 2 people. And there are 3 masterminds left! Shouldn't I be the one to execute them? I can't be punished with my lack of the wristband, ya know?

**Byakuya:** No one can in this case. The game ends with each mastermind's death, so once you kill the 3rd and final mastermind, you won't get to be punished. Besides, it is better for just one person to execute all of them. We don't need every mastermind to be executed by someone else. And as I said, I want her to prove her loyalty to me.

**Leon:** Dude, she's been following you around this whole game, like Kanon did to me. She already proved it.

**Byakuya:** Simply following me around isn't such a hard task...

**Leon:** Trust me, it is.

**Byakuya:** ...However, something as immoral as killing would prove her loyalty even more. After that, I can make sure the Togami family is going to hire her.

**Syo:** Togami family is going to hire me? YYYYAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!

*Syo takes out her beloved scissors and runs up to Tengan.*

**Syo:** Ya know, I only kill handsome men and only in my own specific way. You're just an old fart and I can't finish my killing here the way I do usually. But Master Byakuya asked me and promised me a job! So I will kill you anyway, even if it won't be in my glorious style!

*Syo says and slices Tengan's throat with her scissors. This time there's an automatic message on everyone's e-Handbook congratulating them for killing another mastermind, voiced by some artificial voice generating program and with no image in the video.*

### The final regular mastermind's execution

**Byakuya:** Good job, Syo. Now, kill that plain-looking guy!

*Togami orders her, pointing at Hinata.*

**Hajime:** This is so unfair!

**Chiaki:** Yeah! I mean...You weren't even responsible for anything of this...Just your artificially created alter ego...

**Syo:** Hey, you can mourn him later! I gotta kill him now!

**Hajime:** Ghh!

**Chiaki:** I'll never forget you, Hajime!

**Hajime:** Me neither...Goodbye, Chiaki...Goodbye, everyone...Thank you for...accepting a non-Ultimate like me as your friend...

*Chiaki Nanami and Hajime Hinata begin to cry...Chiaki's classmates who also got to spend some time with Hajime back during school days also tear up.*

**Syo:** Well, at least this one's kind of a hottie!

*Genocider runs up to Hinata and slices his throat.*

**Hajime (Izuru):** So...boring...

**Hajime:** So...unfair...

*Hinata falls on the ground. With his throat sliced, the body dies and so do its both owners. The automatic message using a computer-generated voice and showing no image congratulating on killing another mastermind plays again.*

**Chiaki:** Hajime...I'll give you a proper burial after this game ends...

**Syo:** I did it, Master! I did what you asked me to! How do you love me now, huh?

**Byakuya:** Good job.

*Some noise can be heard somewhere.*

**Byakuya:** That must have been the door to the hidden mastermind's location opening!

**Sayaka:** Anyone heard where exactly the sound came from?

**Kaede:** More or less...Let's go!

*The group follows Akamatsu.*

### The hidden mastermind

*The group enters some room. There is a Mona Lisa-like portrait of Monokuma inside, a sofa and a few bookshelves. One of them has fallen, revealing a Monokuma-colored door. Kaede Akamatsu opens the door and everyone gets inside a secret room. The final, hidden mastermind is already waiting in the middle of the room.*

**Kaito:** There you are! Our final enemy!

**Kaede:** Wait a minute...Who are those people?

*The Ultimate Pianist points at three women who are lying tied up in the middle of the room, right next to the hidden mastermind.*

**Shūji:** They're just extras, like all of you.

**Byakuya:** Extras?

**Shūji:** Yes, extras. Mr. Tengan mentioned to you my secret plan, but didn't explain it. I suppose I owe you an explanation.

**Fuyuhiko:** Damn right you do!

**Shūji:** I used this game as a way to lure certain person here...To show them how disgusting the murders are...To make him quit being a **Killer Killer**.

**Celestia:** A Killer Killer, you say?

**Shūji:** Yes, a Killer Killer. A serial killer who kills other serial killers.

**Maki:** Doesn't that make that person a hypocrite?

**Shūji:** Who cares?! At least they do the world a favor of cleaning it of murderers!

**Juzo:** Hmm...Such person would be useful in eliminating despair indeed.

**Shūji:** See? This guy gets it.

**Kaede:** You still haven't answered who these three women are.

**Shūji:** Why do you care? You don't know them anyway. But fine, if that makes you feel better. Their names are **Ikue Dōgami, Mesuru Katsuragi and Misaki Asano**. They're all policewomen working with a certain childhood friend of mine.

**Kaede:** Is that why you kidnapped them?

**Shūji:** Bingo! And that childhood friend of mine is none other than...**Takumi Hijirihara, the second bearer of the title of the Killer Killer**. You see, I was first Killer Killer. Killing murderers because I despise murders with every fiber of my being...He started doing the same at some point and the police confused him and me as the same person. But I knew the truth. I knew that he was my copycat. A failed copycat, that is.

**Byakuya:** And what do you mean by a failed copycat?

**Shūji:** He was killing serial killers and ranking their murders! As if it was fun or something! I'm killing them to get rid of them! They're the worst human beings who do not deserve to live!

*Maki Harukawa becomes visibly sad. Kaito puts his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Meanwhile, Genocider Syo is annoyed.*

**Chiaki:** So you decided to kidnap your friend's coworkers to lure him here?

**Shūji:** Not exactly. He arrived with them. I just locked him outside of this building. The police can't interfere. They've been informed that if they attempt to reach any location of our killing game, all of its participants will explode.

**Yasuhiro:** AAAAAH! We gotta tell the police not to come here!

**Hiroko:** Don't worry, son. If we survived this long, this means they know they can't do that.

**Shūji:** I just told you we informed them about it. That explosion of Jin Kirigiri right at the start was meant to be a warning for them if they thought we're bluffing.

**Juzo:** But if the police can't interfere, then why are three policewomen here?

**Shūji:** They were my desired participants. I already told you I wanted to lure Takumi Hijirihara here. I sent an information about the killing game's last location to him and his closest co-workers before the game even started. Once they arrived here, I sprayed them with that sleeping gas. Then I left Takumi outside of this building and tied up these three women and left them in this room. Affter they woke up, I've informed them that, just like any other policemen, they can't interfere with the game or else its participants will explode.

**Juzo:** I see so would you. You have that wristband as well.

*Fujigawa shows his wristband.*

**Shūji:** Yep, that's right. Just like every other participant, I have a wristband and I can explode if the police arrives here. And like other hidden participants, I don't have any forbidden actions.

**Kaede:** Then how about these women? They won't explode?

*Akamatsu points at the three women once more, noticing they're not wearing wristbands, unlike the other participants.*

**Shūji:** They're not really participants, after all. They're just my hostages. The police is less likely to interfere if some members of it are caught in the middle of the action. Besides, they can still explode. Ted Chikatilo, that Ultimate Pyrotechnician guy, planted several bombs in this building. If the police arrives here, not only our wristbands will explode, but so will those planted bombs.

**Celestia:** I see. You are crazily prepared, then.

**Kiyotaka:** But why to do this?! You already lured Takumi Hijirihara here!

**Shūji:** Oh, I needed him not to interfere. He is a Killer Killer, after all. And I needed him to show this killing game. He watched it on a monitor outside. He saw all the murders that took place during the game.

**Chihiro:** W-Why though?

**Shūji:** To show him how disgussting murders are! To make him quit killing others! And to make him realize everyone's capable of becoming a murderer!

*Fujigawa reaches for his pocket.*

**Shūji:** But you see...My mission is far from over...I am a Killer Killer as well, after all. And there are lots of murderers among your group too!

**Yasuhiro:** Huh? Haven't all the killers been executed?

**Shūji:** Not every of them! Look at this girl!

*Fujigawa points at Maki.*

**Shūji:** She's the Ultimate Assassin! A person who kills for her job! Look at this girl!

*Fujigawa points at Genocider Syo.*

**Shūji:** She's a serial killer as well! Look at this guy!

*Fujigawa points at Yūto.*

**Shūji:** He worked with the masterminds responsible for this game! Sure, he exposed Korekiyo as a killer, but his plan costed Aoi Asahina's life! Look at this guy!

*Fujigawa points at Teruteru.*

**Shūji:** He framed Kirumi Tojo into killing Hifumi Yamada! While he's not the culprit per the game's rules, this still makes him responsible for their deaths! Look at these kids!

*Fujigawa points at Kotoko and Nagisa.*

**Shūji:** They and their falled friends are responsible for the deaths of countless adults in Towa City! Look at this guy!

*Fujigawa points at Ryota.*

**Shūji:** His animation techniques were used in Junko's Suicide and Despair Videos, making him responsible for the deaths of every brainwashed person and their victims, both during Reserve Course students' Parade and this killing game! Look at this guy!

*Fujigawa points at Fuyuhiko.*

**Shūji:** He's the Ultimate Yakuza, for crying out loud! The Kuzuryu Clan has killed many! And look at this guy!

*Fujigawa points at Juzo.*

**Shūji:** His reckless sacrifice would end up as a suicide had the Ultimate Nurse not treated his wounds and prevented him from bleeding to death! And it's not just among your group of survivors. There were plenty of murderers among the already dead participants. All of the masterminds and masterminds' accomplices...Everyone who killed during this game...Peko Pekoyama, the swordswoman working for the Kuzuryu Clan and Natsumi Kuzuryu, another member of it...Korekiyo Shinguji, a serial killers who kills girls he thinks are worthy for being his dead Sister's friends. Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba, who killed many security guards to learn Hope's Peak's dirty secrets! Dead Warriors of Hope responsible for the attacks in Towa City! Mondo Owada, who got his brother killed in a car accident! And many, many more!

*Fujigawa laughs.*

**Shūji:** Besides, it's not important if you have already killed or not. Everyone is capable of becoming a murdered. This killing game is a perfect proof of that. Had this game continued even longer, more of you would resort to killing!

**Hiroko:** Now that's too far!

**Yasuhiro:** Yeah! And it's not like being stuck in the game forever was any better. We didn't have a choice!

**Shūji:** I don't care if you had a choice or not. Truth is, some of you are murderers. And those who aren't yet, would most likely be if the game continued...That's why...I'm going to kill all of you!

**Yasuhiro:** Whaaaa?!

**Shūji:** Starting with this guy, before he hides again!

*Fujigawa takes out a gun from his pocket and **shoots Yūto Kamashiro**.*

**Juzo:** He's batshit crazy!

**Shūji:** Now, time for one of the serial killers and a person who has just killed two masterminds!

**Syo:** Who? Me? That was for everyone's sake, you ungrateful-

*Syo doesn't get to finish her sentence, as she's **shot by the Killer Killer**.*

**Byakuya:** You bastard!

### The hidden mastermind's execution

**Shūji:** Now it's your turn, miss Ultimate Assassin!

*Fujigawa points his gun at Maki Harukawa. Kaito Momota immediately jumps in front of her.*

**Kaito:** There's no way I'm gonna let another of my sidekicks die!

**Shūji:** Huh? Well, this isn't the order in which I wanted to kill you...But whatever, I wanted to kill all of you anyway!

*While Fujigawa was distracted by Kaito's sacrifice and his own monologue, someone had sneaked up behind him. It was Yasuhiro Hagakure.*

**Yasuhiro:** I've had enough!

*Fujigawa turns around. Hagakure immediately punches him in the face. The impact is so hard that Fujigawa drops his gun. The Ultimate Clairvoyant kicks the Killer Killer in the groin, causing him to kneel on his knees. He then punches him in the face once more, causing him to lose balance and fall on the ground.*

**Yasuhiro:** You made a fool out of me! Because of your stupid forbidden action, I had to spend the entire time with my mom! Even when goin' to the bathroom! That was so uncomfortable! And the others laughed at me! And avoided me more than usually! All because of you! Not just that, you're just some psycho killer! I've had enough of you!

*Hagakure picks up Killer Killer's gun and **shoots him with it**.* The survivors cheer upon the defeat of the last mastermind.

**Hiroko:** Good job, honey!

**Yasuhiro:** Thanks, mom! Hahah. I don't know what got into me.

*The wristbands turns off and unlock themselves from the participants. Kaede, Kaito and Seiko start untying the three women.*

**Ikue:** Phew.

**Mekuru:** At last.

**Misaki:** Where's Takumi?

### The second Killer Killer

*After a short while, Misaki Asano gets her answer. Takumi Hijirihara, known as the Killer Killer, who's in fact the second holder of such title, enters the room. He then reaches his pocket.*

**Takumi:** Yasuhiro "Hiro" Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant...

**Yasuhiro:** Um...Yeah?

**Takumi:** Your murder intent was driven out of the mockery that you have experienced throughout this killing game and not only. Furthermore, you wanted to stop the game and prevent the crazy killer from killing everyone else. You seeked revenge, had pure intent and helped the others. You also had a strong hatred towards your victim, knowing he's one of the masterminds behind this game and the last person you need to kill in order to end it. This is great, it means there was a lot of passion in your murder. You also killed your victim with the very same weapon he used to kill your friends, making it for a quite ironic outcome. However, I doubt you noticed that, as you simply picked the nearest weapon necessary. Therefore, you didn't really paid attention to the value of your weapon choice.

**Yasuhiro:** Um...So?

**Takumi:** I give your murder 95 points. Excellent job! Try a bit harder next time, though.

**Yasuhiro:** Huh?

*But before Hiro is able to make sense of Takumi's words, the second Killer Killer takes out his own gun and **shoots the Ultimate Clairvoyant with it**.*

**Hiroko:** NO!

**Takumi:** It's a shame. The game already ended. He could have seen it coming.

*Yasuhiro's mother immediately jumps on the second Killer Killer, making him fall on the ground and knocking his gun out of his hands. She then runs for it and grabs it. After obtaining the weapon, she comes to Hijirihara and turns him over, so that he's lying on his back. Once he does, she shoots him in the groin.*

**Takumi:** AHH!

**Misaki:** NO!

*After taking pleasure from seeing him suffer for a while, Hiroko **shoots the second Killer Killer right in the head** to make sure he'll be dead.*

**Hiroko:** No one kills my son and gets away with it! NO ONE!

*Misaki Asano runs towards Takumi's fresh corpse, picking the first Killer Killer's gun by the way.*

**Misaki:** Takumi, no!

*She turns around to Hiroko.*

**Misaki:** What have you done?!

**Hiroko:** What have I done?! What has he done?!

*Hiroko points the gun at Misaki, knowing she may wants to shoot her first out of revenge. However, Misaki points her gun at herself instead.*

**Misaki:** He promised to kill me one day...He promised we'd committ lovers' suicide.

**Hiroko: That's...fucked up. But I should probably not tell her that right now...**

**Misaki:** But now it's all gone...It's all meaningless...

*Asano says and **shoots herself right in the head**, mimicking the way her beloved was killed.*

**Hiroko:** So...Is that it? No one else is going to do anything stupid?

*Silence. Everyone's in too much shock after so much happened recently.*

**Hiroko:** Good. Now that the game's over, let's get out of here!

**Ending Song**

**END OF CHAPTER 6
Survivors: 22
Remaining hosts: 0**

## Epilogue

* Monomi