The morning in E Class started normally. Everyone had already gathered to talk.
Nagisa smiled brightly.
"Yesterday's drama festival was fun, wasn't it?"
Sugaya nodded.
"Sugino sure had an enthusiastic performance."
Hazama turned a page.
"I didn't know he could make such an evil face."
Sugino was slumped over his desk.
"I tried too hard thinking about co-starring with Kanzaki-san. She probably hates me after seeing my face like that, though."
Kanzaki smiled.
"That's not true, Sugino-kun. I thought it was really cool that you could act."
Sugino sat upright at once.
"Seriously? Maybe I'll quit baseball and become an actor!"
Koro-sensei laughed.
"Pitchers need to be able to act, too. I'm happy to see my students show unexpected talents."
Nagisa glanced at the empty seats.
"Speaking of acting, it's too bad Akira-kun didn't want to play any role. Both he and Erika-san only helped behind the scenes."
Hazama closed her book a little.
"Well, he did ask if he could play Darth Vader. Then he withdrew himself."
Okuda added quietly, "Erika-san said it's because they were preparing for a date."
Nakamura grinned.
"Hehe. I wonder how their date went. We have to interrogate them."
The door opened.
Ritsu, Akira, and Erika came in.
Akira and Erika both looked awkward. Neither met the other's eyes.
The class thought as one.
Okay. Something really happened.
Before either of them could sit, the boys kidnapped Akira while the girls closed around Erika.
Nakamura leaned in.
"Now, Erika. Tell me everything. Where did he take you?"
Fuwa pushed up her glasses.
"Yeah. How much did you guys progress? Don't tell me it's still hand-holding."
Kurahashi smiled.
"She already kissed him on the cheek during the summer festival. If there is any progression, maybe it's on the lips."
Irina joined the circle like she had been invited.
"That's right. As your teacher, I want to know. How did it go?"
Erika held up both hands.
"Please calm down, everyone."
Nakamura turned.
"Ritsu. Do you know?"
Ritsu answered brightly.
"Well, Akira-kun told me not to disturb them. But I did document their entire date."
Erika stared.
"What?"
Nakamura's grin widened.
"Tell us everything."
Erika reached for her.
"Wait—"
They could not be stopped.
On the other side, the boys piled onto Akira.
Maehara asked first.
"So, how did it go?"
Akira smiled smugly.
"It went well."
Sugino leaned over the desk.
"Where did you take her?"
Koro-sensei crowded in with them.
"Exactly. Where did you go, Akira-kun? Sensei was prepared to accompany you for educational and supervisory purposes, but couldn't find you."
Akira looked at him.
"You just want gossip, don't you? I took her to the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai."
Koro-sensei blinked.
"You took her there?"
Okajima frowned.
"Where is that?"
Maehara answered before Akira could.
"It's a famous festival in Thailand."
Koro-sensei nodded, already delighted.
"So you used the Moon Infiltrator. No wonder I couldn't find you."
Akira shrugged.
"Well, I don't want anyone to disturb me, after all."
His eyes moved toward the door without meaning to.
Kayano was there, silently pulling Nagisa away.
He knew the timing. He knew what was coming. Before he could do anything about it, Irina charged over.
"Akira. How did you mess up a kiss? A kiss on the cheek, at that."
Everyone turned.
Akira looked at Erika with a look that said, Girlfriend, why?
Erika pointed at Ritsu like it was entirely her fault.
Irina stepped into his line of sight.
"Don't look at her. Look at me. How did you mess up something so basic? In the future, don't tell anyone you are my student."
Akira tried.
"Bitch-sensei, that's because I never needed to know until now, okay?"
Irina smiled suggestively.
"Oh. Now you need it, right? Want me to teach you?"
Before he could answer, Erika charged over.
"No. I will not allow it."
She hid him behind her like she was blocking a powerful enemy.
From behind her shoulder, Akira noticed something else.
At some point, Koro-sensei was missing too.
Irina teased over Erika's shoulder.
"Oh, Erika. I'm telling you, it's good to train him. When I'm done with him, he'll be an amazing boyfriend for you."
Erika went red and screamed.
"Irina-sensei. He is mine. I will train him in the future myself."
The class screamed back.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh!"
Irina laughed.
"Oh my. So bold."
Akira wiped imaginary tears in an exaggerated arc.
"Erika. I will endure any training."
Erika went completely red and pounced.
"It's all your fault."
Akira flailed.
"Wait, I am inno—"
Boom.
The building shook.
Everyone went alert.
Isogai was already at the door.
"I think that's the storage room."
Akira took the exit immediately.
"Let's go look."
Erika muttered behind him.
"I will deal with you later."
Class E ran for the storage building and stopped in the doorway.
Nagisa was sitting on the ground. A hole had opened in the middle of the room.
Isogai stared at it, then shook his head.
"What happened? That hole… Wait. First, we need to get out of here."
He pulled Nagisa up, and they ran.
The ground outside the storeroom blew open.
Another hole appeared. Koro-sensei flew out of it and hit the dirt, breathing hard and utterly battered.
Nagisa's voice cracked.
"Koro-sensei?"
Isogai couldn't look away from the pit.
"What in the world was that just now?"
Kayano came through the roof.
She broke through it on the way out and landed on top of the building.
She looked different. Her face was colder. Her hair was down. Behind her neck, two green tentacles swayed in the air.
The class froze.
Kanzaki whispered, "Kayano-san…?"
Kataoka stared.
"What's with those tentacles?"
Akira muttered to himself.
"I see. So hair color influences the tentacles. That's why hers are green. But how does it work with dyed hair? What if we dye it pink? Will they turn pink too, or is she actively changing their color to match her hair?"
Erika stepped on his foot.
"Now is not the time."
Kayano smiled coldly.
"Aw, man… I attacked with all I had, too. I can't believe I let him get away. I must have underestimated him."
Nagisa looked up at her.
"Kayano-san, what in the world…?"
She didn't look at him.
"Sorry. Kayano Kaede's not my real name. I'm Yukimura Aguri's little sister."
Koro-sensei looked genuinely shocked.
Kayano looked down at him.
"You understand now, don't you? Murderer."
Hara's voice was barely audible.
"Yukimura…"
The original Class E students stared at her.
Kayano kept her eyes on him.
"It's no use crying over spilled milk. I have to reset. I'll try to kill you again tomorrow, Koro-sensei. I'll let you know where beforehand. Now that I've fought you tentacle-to-tentacle, I know for sure. I can definitely kill you as I am right now."
The green tentacles struck the ground.
She launched herself off them and vanished into the forest.
No one knew what to say.
Itona spoke first.
"Unthinkable. If she grew tentacles without any maintenance, she would have been in constant, hellish pain. There's no way she could bear it without having it show on her face."
Maehara was still staring at the trees.
"Not only that, but she's Yukimura Aguri's little sister?"
Sugino frowned.
"Isn't that our old homeroom teacher?"
Mimura already had his phone out.
"I thought I'd seen Kayano before somewhere."
He turned the screen around. A young girl with black hair.
"Do you remember Mase Haruna? The young acting prodigy who could slide into any role? It's been a while since she left the entertainment business, and her hair and personality are completely different, so I didn't notice…"
Akira was already scrolling.
"Mase Haruna. Real name Yukimura Akari. Younger sister of Yukimura Aguri, former homeroom teacher of Class E. She had an accident and died in a lab explosion run by her fiancé and chief scientist, Yanagisawa Kotaro. Apparently, a so-called genius. But I think his research are—"
Erika cut in.
"Alright. Let's go talk inside when everyone calms down."
Akira tried.
"But I have more to say—"
She dragged him along.
"Let everyone calm down first. Then you can tell them."
A few people sighed. His usual behavior brought a little calm with it.
They followed her inside and gathered together.
Mimura put on a clip from a series Mase Haruna had been in.
Maehara leaned closer to the screen.
"Now I can see it. That's definitely Kayano. Wow. Her expression and personality are completely different."
Sugino nodded slowly.
"No wonder she was able to hide her identity for almost a year."
The class watched. No one filled the silence.
Mimura turned.
"Koro-sensei. Kayano called you a murderer. What happened in the past?"
Kimura shook his head.
"We've built up trust with you for so long now, so we won't doubt you."
Kataoka didn't look away.
"But you have to tell us about your past."
Isogai finished.
"If you don't, no one will be able to accept the current situation. That's where we're at right now."
Koro-sensei looked around the room.
"Very well. I'll tell you everything about my past. But before that, Kayano is an important member of E Class. I will tell you when everyone in the class is together."
His phone lit up.
A message from Kayano.
Come to the field of zebra grass in the back hills at 7 p.m.
---
Seven p.m.
Class E stood in the field of zebra grass in the back hills.
Kayano was already there, facing away. A dark brown dress. A red scarf.
She turned.
The smile she gave Koro-sensei did not reach her eyes.
"So you came… Then let's end this. Koro-sensei, I'm the one who gave you your name. I'm practically your mother, so I'll scold you… destroy you."
Akira muttered.
"Wow. This is so cringe. Ritsu, save the recording. We can use it when she calms down."
Erika pushed his head down.
"Don't joke in a serious situation."
Koro-sensei didn't laugh.
"Kayano-san, it's too dangerous to keep using those tentacles! If you don't remove them and get treated immediately, your life could be in danger!"
Kayano tilted her head.
"What are you talking about? They're in excellent condition."
Nagisa's voice was smaller.
"Kayano… was it all an act? Even when we were having fun? Or overcoming trials together with everyone?"
She didn't look away from the teacher.
"It was all an act. I am an actor, after all. When Kataoka-sensei was beating you, I was so irritated that I wanted to join the fight, too. When those delinquents kidnapped me and the Reaper kicked me, I was so angry that I wanted to kill them. But I put up with it and acted like a frail girl. Because if my identity was found out before I killed him, I wouldn't be able to avenge my sister."
Fuwa said it quietly.
"Your sister… Yukimura-sensei?"
Kayano's mouth tightened.
"It was so unfortunate that she was killed by Koro-sensei. She loved being a teacher. I heard a little about you all, too."
The field went quiet.
Takebayashi spoke first.
"We know, Kayano. We only had her for two short weeks, in March of our second year, but she was a very passionate and good teacher."
Sugino shook his head.
"Would Koro-sensei kill Miss Yukimura just like that?"
Kimura backed him up.
"He's never done anything that cruel in front of us before."
Kurahashi stepped half a pace forward.
"Right? At least hear him out, Kaede-chan."
Karma also looked serious.
"This is a teacher who even came all the way to my house when I was suspended. Are you really okay with this? I can't imagine that what you're doing now is the best way to solve this as an assassin."
Akira felt he had to add something.
"Yeah. Koro-sensei might be an unreliable adult, but hearing his story might solve a lot of misunderstandings."
Itona watched her tentacles.
"Your body probably feels hot, with just the nape of your neck cold. It's the abnormal metabolism characteristic of those with implanted tentacles. If you fight in that condition, you'll really be in trouble. You'll lose control from the heat and intense pain, and the tentacles will suck out your life force. Worse comes to worst…"
The tentacles lit up.
Flames ran down the green.
Kayano's voice cut him off.
"Shut up. Outsiders should be quiet."
The class stepped back.
She swung the burning tentacles once.
"No matter the weakness or shortcoming, if it's polished, it can become a weapon. You're the one who taught me that, Koro-sensei. If my body's so hot I can't bear it, then I'll make it even hotter and gather the heat in my tentacles!"
Koro-sensei reached out.
"No! Any more and—!"
She moved.
The tentacles tore a ring of fire through the grass and closed it around her and Koro-sensei.
Kayano stood inside it, smiling.
"I'm in the best condition. My whole body's so sensitive that I won't miss any opening right now."
Nagisa shouted over the heat.
"Stop it, Kayano! This isn't right! I learned, too! If you sacrifice yourself to kill someone, there won't be anything left behind!"
She didn't stop.
"I'm not planning on sacrificing myself, Nagisa. I'm just going to… kill this guy."
The flaming tentacles spun.
She jumped.
"Once I put my mind to something, I just keep on rolling!"