"Ultimate Counselor K, you again?!"
Enoshima Junko sneers at me. Damn it. I threw everything I had at her, and this is how it ends?
"You kept resisting right up to the very, very end—so you, K! Honestly, I'm a little touched. You worked this hard just to stop lil' old me…!"
My teeth grind. At first I thought I could win—in fact, I did win a couple of rounds—but when I came to my senses, I was already cornered on the edge of the cliff. Where did it start to go wrong…?
"Sure, you lost, but getting every member of Class 78, most of Class 77, the Student Council, and even the Reserve Course kids to band together against me? Credit where it's due! I had so much fun thanks to you!"
Was it the moment I failed to stop Hinata Hajime from becoming Kamukura Izuru? Or when Komaeda stabbed me in the back?
"I never dreamed Big Sis Yukama would betray me either, y'know! Because of you, I have one more person whose memories I need to tinker with!"
Maybe it was when I couldn't rehabilitate Junko after she turned herself into Otonashi Ryoko, or when I failed to secure Ultimate Animator Mitarai Ryota?
"Originally I was going to keep everyone inside the school-turned-shelter for a full year, nice and slow, getting the killing game ready. But thanks to you I've had to cryo-freeze the brats until prep is done! Really—thanks a bunch!"
Or maybe, the very first day, when Junko shot me that weird look, my defeat was already decided. The thought makes me clench my jaw so hard it hurts, and Junko chatters on even more gleefully.
"Oh, I just got word—Classes 77 and 78 have been completely subdued! Like you already know, I'm tossing 78 straight into a killing game, but with 77… I've got something extra-special! You know, that 'brainwashing video' you tried soooo hard to block? I was thinking of testing it on them! Thoughts?"
Of course. It was only a matter of time before that cursed video that turns anyone who watches it into Ultimate Despair became reality. Even when I saw it in the anime I called it an impossible plot device—now that it's here, it's just hopeless.
"But it'd be boring to slap any old footage on and call it brainwashing, right? So! I cooked up a fun little scenario—want to hear? Oh, you do? Great! First we let the 77th-class kids loose, then we use that idiot teacher to lure her in and…"
Pfft
Junko is so wrapped up in gabbing about how she'll brainwash 77-B that I can't help but laugh out loud.
"Huh? K, what's with you? Don't tell me you finally fell into despair? Or did you just snap?"
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…!
I honestly don't have the strength to laugh, but I wring out every last drop of energy to do it anyway. Junko blinks, baffled, then scowls.
"Trying to buy time? Give it up already. All your little friends are neutralized. Dragging this out won't—"
"You're right. There's no need to buy time anymore. I already accomplished my goal."
Junko's face says she has no idea what I'm talking about. Good—one last punch before I go.
"Just now, I smuggled 'that girl,' the lynchpin of your brainwashing plan, out of the academy."
"…..!"
Even as my vision blurs, Junko's twisted expression makes me laugh again.
"See? I told you. You're not some 'Ultimate Despair.' You're just a student, same as us—someone who smiles when she's happy and frowns when things don't go her way."
Gathering the dregs of my strength, I fling back the one line I've always wanted to return.
"What's wrong? Feeling despair?"
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…A strange—no, a familiar ceiling. I stare blankly at the dorm ceiling I've grown used to and think about the dream I just had.
'It felt… important somehow… but I can't remember a thing. All I feel is this weird sense of relief…'
I try to recall the crucial scene I saw in the dream, but nothing surfaces. Giving up, I replay yesterday instead.
The motive screening… my secret rendezvous with Kirigiri… the life-or-death counseling session with Maizono…
My head should be throbbing all over again—except it isn't? Wow, I actually slept like a rock. Feeling refreshed for the first time in ages, I start to sit up, then freeze.
Wait—who stood night watch? I collapsed right in front of Kirigiri last night, didn't I…?
No way… Did Kirigiri carry me to my room and watch over me all night by herself?
"Heuee~ng, Mommy Kirigiri…"
"…Excuse me?"
"…?"
I turn toward the sudden voice—Kirigiri is sitting there.
"….."
"….."
My face turns tomato-red in an instant. Kirigiri stares at me like I'm pathetic. I wish the floor would swallow me.
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"So… you'd been nursing me this whole time?"
"That's right. Problem?"
"No… I'm just… really grateful…"
"We agreed to cooperate. This much is only fair."
Kirigiri nursed me all night—am I still dreaming? Disbelieving, I pinch my own cheek—
Yow!
Oh right, Maizono cut me yesterday. It hurts so bad I clutch my cheek. Kirigiri sighs, grabs gauze and a fresh bandage.
"Honestly… sometimes you're hopeless."
Heuee~ng, Mommy Kirigiri…
This time I keep it in my head so neither of us turns red. She removes the old bandage, disinfects the cut, and applies a new one.
"Normally you'd need proper treatment, but we don't have the equipment—or the expertise—so this'll have to do."
"It's fine. I'll call it a brand-new look."
Yeah—every wild guy needs at least one scar, right? I can sell the wild image now—
"You already looked pitiful. Now you look even worse."
Kirigiri's cold, hard fact hits me harder than Maizono's knife.
I glance at her with a wounded expression—and I swear she's smiling? Is this still the dream? I rub my eyes; when I look again, her face is back to its usual ice. Figures—the cold-blooded goddess herself wouldn't smile like that. Must be the stress.
"K, is your future goal a harem by any chance…?"
Damn it—Monokuma barges in without warning. Just when I'm having a rare dream moment with Kirigiri. Truly a diabolical bear.
"I mean, you're basically a walking flag generator, y'know, K…"
I let the sulky bear mutter to himself and ask Kirigiri instead.
"So, about last night's patrol—you couldn't stand watch, right? Nothing happened?"
"When the others heard you'd collapsed, they volunteered to cover it."
Wow. I honestly didn't expect that. Connections matter after all.
"Right, makes sense you'd pass out after that intense night with Maizono—"
"Shut it."
I hurl my pillow at Monokuma in pure rage. He dodges nimbly and laughs.
"Upupupu… If I hadn't dodged, that'd be violence against the headmaster, y'know! Aren't you grateful? Huh?"
"Stop yapping and get out."
"Eh? What's this? Jealous, Kirigiri?"
"…Haa."
Kirigiri grabs him and drags him outside. Monokuma squeals that violence against the headmaster is forbidden, but she coolly replies that grabbing isn't violence and flings him into the hall. Throwing… probably still isn't violence… right?
Back in the room, Kirigiri says with her usual blank face that breakfast is soon and I should get ready, then leaves. That damned bear cost me precious Kirigiri time. Fuming, I head to my room to change.
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When I reach the dining hall, everyone swarms me, asking how I am. All the handshakes make my head spin, but I pull myself together, say I'm fine, and look for Maizono.
Maizono is chatting with Naegi across the room. The second she spots me, her face goes bright red and she bows her head.
Well, after what happened, that's natural. At least she looks sane today—good enough for me.
I sense a presence; Kirigiri is glaring at Maizono with open dissatisfaction. I ask why. Apparently Maizono told everyone what happened yesterday.
Wow. She really does want to change. Good for you, Maizono.
I stare at her, pleased, and now Kirigiri glares at me. I-It's not what you think, sis…
I want to explain, but Kirigiri heads off to sit alone. Sighing, I start assessing the high-risk students.
First: Togami Byakuya. Normally the designated troll of DR1, but so far he hasn't stood out at all.
That's fine. His trolling doesn't kick in until the trials start, meaning things are still peaceful. Hopefully the day he shines never comes.
Next: Oowada Mondo. Low threat for now, but in Chapter 2 he murders Fujisaki. The motive is trauma about his brother. If I can remove that trigger, the murder never happens. Need a plan.
Fukawa Toko is just a gloomy girl in her normal state, but her real power is "Genocide Jack." In Ultra Despair Girls she's shown strong enough that only someone like Ikusaba or Oogami can stop her. Best carry a pepper shaker on me at all times.
Celestia Ludenberg—another threat. As the Ultimate Gambler, she excels at strategy and deception. If she lays a meticulous trap, even my meta knowledge might not save us. Stay alert.
The top dangers are Ikusaba and Oogami. One of them will make a move soon, so I'll have to keep my guard up and run this by Kirigiri.
Upupupu! "Good morning, everyone!"
Monokuma bursts in cheerily, met with icy silence. After showing us yesterday's video, what kind of welcome did he expect?
"Huh? What's with the mood? I thought things would get nice and hot after that motive video, but this frostiness—really?!"
He babbles for a while, getting absolutely nothing back, until he finally cuts to the chase.
"Sooo, the first motive alone feels a smidge weak, sooo I prepared Motive Number Two!"
He even sets off fireworks from who-knows-where. Of course. Another stunt I never want to see. Motive Two already? The Chapter 1 murder never happened, but this is way too fast.
"This time the motive is… your 'cringey memories' and 'embarrassing past'!"
Right. If no one commits murder within 24 hours, our darkest secrets go public. Even Satan would shake his head.
But I already left all my cringe back in the real world. Even if something leaks, it won't be mine—so who cares?
"Inside each envelope I'm holding is top-secret dirt I dug up on all of you!"
The others pick up their envelopes with grim faces. Feeling fairly relaxed, I open the one Monokuma hands me…
– K knows the secret of the killing game but is deliberately hiding it.
…What the hell?!