"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means what it means. Despair is stronger in the end."
"Just in the end, hm?"
"Yes. Hope shines brightly at the start. Everyone starts with Hope. Even you started with Hope.
"But the more Hope there is, the more potential for Despair?"
"Yes. However, Despair can be turned into Hope as well. If you bring someone out of Despair and give them Hope, they may shine even brighter than before."
"..."
"But it's easy to break them. Someone who is brought back from Despair is extremely easy to break. All it takes is a small push."
"..."
"And when they break, there will be even more Despair."
----------------------------------------
Act Two
Transmutation of Philosophies
"Back and forth… Wherever there's hope, there's always despair."
- Junko Enoshima
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The 3rd Killing School Game.
Pain.
This is what Makoto Naegi is currently feeling. He was suffering from a headache that was so bad that Naegi thought his head was surely being split into two. It was as if an iron pike was being stabbed into his brain.
What…?
The last thing he remembered was standing with all of his friends, in front of the main door. Everyone was alive, including Ikusaba and Junko. They were going to move forward and face the world. The world was caught in a whirlpool of despair, but Naegi knew it could be saved. He knew that if they all worked together, hope would shine through again.
But…
Why?
As suddenly as it came, the headache stops. Once again, all that remained was a subtle feeling of drowsiness. His body buzzed unpleasantly as Naegi pulls his head up from his arms to observe his surroundings.
He was in a familiar room with bolted windows. In the room, there were several desks and a security camera. A small string of drool had been going down the side of his mouth. Inside of the desk he had been sitting at, there was a messily drawn pamphlet.
It was happening again.
Trembling slightly, Naegi stands up a bit too quickly and almost trips over his own feet. As he regains his balance, he slowly makes his way to the main hall. What he would do once he got there, he had no idea. But where else would he go?
----------------------------------------
"What do you want, ahoge boy?" Ikusaba, still disguised as Junko, rolls her eyes. Naegi had pulled her aside so that they could talk alone. Since Ikusaba was close to Junko, telling her about his situation early could serve to be advantageous. He needed to find out what was going on. In his head, he had somehow come up with something that resembled a plan. The confusion and panic that had clouded his mind when he first woke up was replaced with a strong determination.
First, he would talk to Ikusaba and Kirigiri. They were the people he had told about his time travelling stunt in the second Killing Game. From what Naegi could tell, he could trust them. Kirigiri was extremely smart and had repeatedly helped him over both of the Killing Games he had been in. She had seen many clues that Naegi had completely missed and he knew that she would be a huge help.
While Ikusaba was an accomplice for Junko, she had taken his side once Junko had betrayed her. He was sure that once he explained what was going to happen, she would be willing to help him. Not only was she a talented fighter, but she also knew all of the details and inner workings of Junko's plan.
"Look, Ikusaba." Ikusaba's eyes widen as she hears her name. "Junko is planning to-"
!
Suddenly, searing hot pain spreads through Naegi's body. The pain burst out from his stomach and completely filled him, blindingly white agony pumping through his veins. It was as if someone had run him through with a hot poker. Slowly, Naegi looks down. A serrated combat knife was sticking out of him.
Naegi collapses on the floor, hands reflexively grasping his wound. He tries to scream. He wants to scream. But he can't. Again and again, waves of pain wracked his body. But it wasn't hot anymore - the pain was cold. So, very cold. Blood spilled everywhere. On his fingers, on the floor, on his clothes…
On Ikusaba.
She was nothing.
Her eyes were blank.
From what he could tell, there was absolutely no emotion on her face. It was impossible to think that this was the same Ikusaba that he had interacted with during the school years and the second Killing Game. The Ikusaba he knew was painfully shy and had a hard time talking to people. Despite this, he knew that she cared about her friends. She was someone precious to Naegi, one of his best friends.
This wasn't her.
The Ikusaba who was standing over him wasn't Ikusaba at all.
blood why is there blood what happened
It was obvious what happened. Ikusaba had stabbed him. Or was it Ikusaba?
Naegi couldn't see very clearly. At first he thought that maybe it was because of the pain coursing through him. But as a hot liquid began to pour down his cheeks, he realised that he was crying. He didn't even notice.
Through his blurred vision, all he saw was Junko.
JunkoJunkoJunkoJunkoJunko
Was it possible that this wasn't Ikusaba? Was it possible that for some reason, she hadn't disguised herself as Junko?
Was it possible that Junko had stabbed him?
Naegi groans pitifully as something hot ejects itself from his mouth. It seared his throat and filled his nostrils on the way out, leaving behind the taste and smell of rusty copper. The sensation was almost unbearable. Vision darkening, Naegi shifts his gaze downwards.
All he saw was pink. It filled his eyes, threatening to completely overwhelm him.
"J-Junko…?" Naegi asks weakly, still writhing in pain on the floor.
"Mission compromised…" Ikusaba didn't even look down, instead stepping over Naegi's body while muttering to herself. "I need to tell Junko right away."
How naive. The Killing Games were being replayed scene by scene - it had to be replayed, as Naegi was just time traveling backwards. It was impossible to think that it was Junko who stabbed him.
Nope.
It was Ikusaba.
It was Ikusaba and she just stepped over him like he was nothing. He probably was nothing in her eyes. Nothing but a potential threat to Junko. Naegi had known Ikusaba for years, and she just stabbed him with no hesitation.
What was I thinking?
Confronting Ikusaba like this was reckless. He knew this now. Even if she didn't stab him, she probably wouldn't have believed him anyway. Junko was the most important person in her life - why would she believe Naegi, especially if he told her that he was a time traveler?
No. Trying to do something like this was just stupid.
Naegi was going to die. As this dawned upon him, his eyes widen in terror. Even doing something as insignificant as widening his eyes caused fresh waves of agony to overtake him. Why was this happening to him?
We were going to get out of here.
I had a second chance. I saved my friends.
He went through so much, only to die here? Like this? Stabbed by one of the people that he wanted so desperately to save?
Shaking violently, Naegi could only spit out more blood and cry weakly as life drains from his body. He didn't even have the strength to open his eyes. It felt like there were giant weights on all of his limbs.
…
Makoto Naegi becomes the first victim of the Killing School Game.
----------------------------------------
The 4th Killing School Game.
Pain.
Once again, this is what Makoto Naegi is currently feeling. He was suffering from a headache that was so bad that Naegi thought his head was surely being split into two. It was as if an iron pike was being stabbed into his brain.
Naegi had died. He saw his own blood seep away from his body. He felt his life get torn away from him.
He died.
I died.
Naegi had experienced death - that much was obvious.
And yet, here he was.
He had woken up on a desk, with his head burrowed within his arms. This desk was in a room, one with a security camera, a shoddy pamphlet, and bolted windows. The overwhelming pain that had consumed him just a moment ago was completely gone, leaving behind only a memory.
A shiver runs down Naegi's spine as he recalls Ikusaba. How she had just stood there, watching him bleed out without a care in the world.
Not a care in the world… no, that wasn't true. She still cared for Junko.
I don't think I will ever be able to see Ikusaba in the same way ever again.
----------------------------------------
In hindsight, Naegi probably should have contacted Kirigiri first. She was smarter then he was, and would have probably known to not rush into talking to Ikusaba. There was always the chance that she wouldn't believe him, but at least she wouldn't pull a knife out of nowhere and stab him.
"What do you need to talk to me about?" Kirigiri stares at him curiously.
Sighing, Naegi scratches his cheek and looks down at the floor. "Well… Look, I know this sounds crazy, but it's the truth. I'm from the future. I'm pretty sure I time traveled here."
…
Without even saying a word, Kirigiri spins on her heel and tries to walk away. Key word being tries - Naegi snatches her arm and pulls her to him. But as soon as he does, Kirigiri shoves him backwards. She shoves him hard. So hard that Naegi falls backwards and onto the floor.
"Ack!"
"Don't touch me." Kirigiri says icily, already walking away from him. "And don't try to talk to me again."
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Look, I can prove it!" Naegi winces as he sits up. "You have amnesia, right? You don't even remember your own talent."
"..." Kirigiri blinks in mild surprise. In her mind, she had already pinned Naegi down as a rambling idiot, one who was probably delusional. What else could you expect from someone who walks up to you and randomly says that they were a time traveler? But when Naegi revealed that he knew that she had amnesia…
She walks back to where Naegi was sitting.
"Tell me more."
"Alright…" Naegi stands back up and clears his throat. "Soon, we will be called into the gymnasium. There, a bear called Monokuma will pop up and tell us that we will be forced to kill each other if we want to escape from this place."
"..."
"There, Owada will get really angry and pick up Monokuma. From there, it will start beeping, hinting that it will self destruct. When that happened, you told him to throw it away. He does, and it blows up in the air."
"That's enough." Kirigiri puts her hand up, signaling for him to stop. "If those two last events come to pass, perhaps I will be inclined to listen to you some more. But as of right now, I think that your a lunatic. So give me some space."
With that last scalding remark, Kirigiri swiftly disappears, leaving an exasperated Naegi behind.
… I guess I should reintroduce myself to everyone. It would be sort of suspicious if I was the only one who doesn't bother with introductions.
Of course, Naegi knows each person here extremely well. He could even consider himself close with Junko, the mastermind herself. Not only had he gone through the Killing Game twice, (three if you count the time he was killed) but he also has the memories of their school years together. To be frank, introductions really weren't necessary for Naegi.
Wouldn't hurt to talk to them some more, though.
----------------------------------------
"Hi, I'm Sayaka Maizono. I look forward to getting to know you!"
Naegi nods in response. "I'm Makoto Naegi. We went to junior high together, didn't we? You were in my class."
Maizono's expression brightens. "So that's where I recognize you from! I remember you."
Back when Naegi had started his first semester at Hope's Peak, Maizono had brought up that they went to the same school before. In fact, that was what prompted her to approach him and try to start a friendship.
Kind of funny how two people from the same class both ended up getting invited to a school like Hope's Peak…
Suddenly, Maizono's expression turns slightly downcast. "You… You knew that I recognized you, huh?"
"Huh?"
Maizono acts kind of ditzy at times, but she's actually really sharp… I keep forgetting about that.
"You see, I'm an esper!
Naegi grins cheekily. Maybe he should pull Maizono's own joke against her. "But it's just intuition, right?"
Maizono's expression shifts once again as she starts looking at Naegi with suspicion. She generally did this type of introduction to everyone she met for the first time. Every single time, they always reacted the same way. First, they react with confusion. Then we she said that she was an esper, they reacted with surprise.
But… Naegi was the first one to break the pattern. He had turned the tables on her, which had never happened before.
"How did you know that?"
"Just some intuition of my own."
"Hey, you two!" A loud and slightly strained voice abruptly breaks their conversation. Jumping at the sudden interruption, Maizono and Naegi both turn to Ishimaru. He was looking at them with a look of clear disappointment on his face.
"Jeez, you guys! How long do you plan to waste our valuable time with this ridiculous back-and-forth?! This is the time for introductions, not idle chit-chat!"
"S-Sorry about that… See you later, Naegi." Maizono gives him one more smile before walking off to introduce herself to someone else.
Naegi sighs and looks around.
Two down, thirteen to go…
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"Yo! The name's Leon Kuwata. What's up?" The baseball star poses in an exaggerated manner, holding both of his fists up.
"Hey. I'm Makoto Naegi. You're the Ultimate Baseball Player, right? I've seen you on some magazines before."
Kuwata's eyebrows scrunch up as soon as Naegi says the world 'magazines'. "Hope you weren't expecting a shaved head or anything. Did you see that picture of me playing baseball? Aw man, I hate that picture.
Naegi nods sympathetically. "It sucks how shaving your head is a part of the championship regulations."
"Yeah, that's right!" Kuwata looks at Naegi with a pleasantly surprised expression. Practically no one knew that rule. Even some of the most die-hard baseball fans didn't know that. "I'm kinda shocked that a kid like you would know that! You don't really look like the sporty type, ya know?"
Looking around, Kuwata suddenly drops his voice to a whisper. "Wanna know a secret? I've never gone to practice. Ever. Know why? Cuz I freakin hate baseball!"
"Is that so?" Naegi taps his chin. "Maybe you should try to become a different Ultimate then. You kind of have a rock star look to you. You could be the Ultimate Musician or something."
Kuwata's eyes bulge out. "Woah kid You got that right on the money! I've been holding my musical talents recently."
"Smiling, Naegi nods. "Well, good luck with that Kuwata. See you later!"
"Yeah, see you kid. I think I'm gonna like you a lot!"
----------------------------------------
"I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I believe in bold simplicity! Let's work together on our educational crusade!" Ishimaru shouts energetically. Even if Naegi wasn't a time traveler, he still could have guessed that this was what Ishimaru would have said. He had shouted this introduction to everyone else here. Naegi had probably heard him say this a dozen times by now.
"Hey, I'm Makoto Naegi. Nice to meet you." Naegi responds.
"Same here! By the way, you can call me Taka if you wish. Makoto Naegi is a great name. You should thank your parents! Thank them by devoting your life to working hard every day! Life is worth every ounce of effort put into it!"
Naegi nods in agreement. "Right. People say that you must be born a genius to get far in life, but hard work and determination is better. Well, that's what I think anyway."
Ishimaru freezes in place.
For a few seconds, he just stands there standing completely still, gaping at the luckster with a shocked look in his eyes.
Then, Ishimaru quickly rushes forwards and grasps Naegi's hands, shaking it enthusiastically.
"RIght! You are completely right!" Ishimaru laughs, eyes sparkling. He looked like his energy had somehow doubled since he first started talking to Naegi. "You are one of the most upstanding students I've seen so far! I look forward to being your classmate!"
Naegi just nods. He had learned that trying to match Ishimaru's energy was practically impossible. It was better to just go with the flow when talking to him.
"Same here."
----------------------------------------
"N-Not that you would remember my name anyway, but… Toko Fukawa." Fukawa mutters, avoiding eye contact.
Even though she always said nasty things to everyone, Naegi couldn't help but sort of feel sorry for Fukawa. He could only imagine what kind of childhood she must have had to become like this - chock full of social anxiety and self deprecation.
Smiling softly, Naegi raises his hand. "I'm Makoto Naegi. I'm actually a fan of your books, you know."
Gasping, Fukawa recoils. "W-What?! Y-You're just saying that to be polite!"
Naegi shakes his head. "So Lingers The Ocean was a great book. You should be proud of it! You deserve recognition for being such a talented writer."
"W-What?! Why are you praising me?! Just be honest, I'm a f-filthy creature! That's what you're really thinking, aren't you?!" Fukawa spits out, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I-I bet you despise me!"
"I'm being honest, Fukawa. You're a good author, and you're definitely not a filthy creature!"
"Y-Your kindness! It's BURNING me!" Shrieking, Fukawa begins to pull at her pigtails. If you looked at her, you would have guessed that she was being tortured, not complimented.
"Um, Fukawa?" Naegi asks tentatively.
"AUGH!" Fukawa quickly runs away from him, screaming about how she was going to be melted by his words.
"I guess I should have known better." Naegi says to himself, smiling awkwardly.
----------------------------------------
"I am Hifumi Yamada. But if you want to call me by my nickname, 'The Alpha and the Omega' then I don't mind." Yamada says smugly, adjusting his glasses.
"I'm Makoto Naegi. Nice to meet you!"
"By the way… how much do you know about the 2D world?" Yamada stares intensely at Naegi, ready to judge his entire character based off of his response.
"I have enough knowledge to know that you're the Ultimate Fanfic Creator." Naegi says brightly. "And that you're famous for being at the center of a legendary event where you sold 10,000 copies of a single fan comic."
Puffing out his chest pridefully, Yamada nods. "Ah, so you've heard of my exploits! Very good Mr. Naegi, very good indeed!"
"I'm sure that in a way, your like Van Gogh, right? Underappreciated for your work."
"My my!" Yamada grins delightfully at Naegi. He seemed extremely pleased with himself, and for good reason - it wasn't every day that Yamada received praise like this. He mainly got told off for being 'creepy' or 'weird'. "You took the words right out of my mouth! If you're willing, Mr. Naegi, I would be willing to give you an apprenticeship! You show definite promise."
Naegi smiles sheepishly. "Oh really? I'll think about it."
"Yes, that's fine. I hope to work with you in the future, Mr. Naegi!"
----------------------------------------
"Name's Mondo Owada. Nice to fuckin meet ya." Owada grunts.
"Makoto Naegi. Likewise." Naegi replies nonchalantly.
Suddenly, Owada grins. "Ah, you look like a weak kid huh? But you seem to have some spunk in you. That's rare these days. Respect."
Naegi returns the grin with one of his own. "I think that I'm stronger than I look. Thanks though."
----------------------------------------
"Hey! Name's Junko Enoshima. Charmed, I'm sure." Ikusaba shoots him a peace sign along with a big toothed grin.
As Ikusaba 'introduces' herself to him, Naegi couldn't help but flinch a little. He knew that Ikusaba had no reason to kill him, but that could change at any minute. One wrong move and he could die again.
"Hey, um did I do something to offend you?" Ikusaba asks. "You have this weird expression on your face."
"Ah, no it's just… You seem different in real life. I'm guessing they use photoshop and stuff?" Naegi asks cautiously.
"Ohhh!" Ikusaba squeals excitedly. "You got that exactly right! It's totally normal these days to photoshop the crap out of cover photos. For some reason, people always get surprised when they hear that. It's a totally normal thing in the industry!"
"I figured that they would do stuff to make the eyes bigger and tweak the skin to look clearer." Naegi comments.
"Yup yup!" Ikusaba gives Naegi a proud smile. "You know, you're smarter than you look! I'm sure that we're gonna get along fine."
Naegi involuntarily winces. "... Same here."
----------------------------------------
"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki." Fujisaki nervously twiddles her fingers as she introduces herself.
"I'm Makoto Naegi. What's up dude?"
"D-Dude?" Fujisaki's eyes widen marginally.
"Am I wrong?" Naegi asks as innocently as possible.
Fujisaki gasps, putting his hands over his mouth. Instantly, he began to panic. "H-How did you know?! A-Ah, please don't tell anyone! I'll do anything!"
"Oh, I won't. I'm sure that you have a good reason to dress up as a girl - I won't judge." Naegi gives Fujisaki a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone or start bullying you or anything."
"R-Really?" Fujisaki gives a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Naegi! You're really nice."
"Just remember that if you need to talk to anyone about your problem, I'm here."
Fujisaki timidly nods. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind!"
----------------------------------------
"Hello! I'm Makoto Naegi.
"Heya! I'm Aoi Asahina! But my friends just call me Hina. Sup?" Asahina smiles sweetly.
"Ah, Aoi Asahina. Got it." Naegi nods as he writes her name into his hands.
Asahina gasps and leans over to look into his hands. "You do that too?!"
Naegi glances up at her. "Huh? Oh, I just write names five times into my hand if I need to remember it."
"No way! I do that too!" Asahina giggles cheerfully as she writes his own name onto her hand. She somehow seemed even more energetic than she was before.
"It's N-A-E-G-I by the way."
"Oh, thanks a lot!" Asahina bobs her head up and down as she continues scribbling on her hand.
"You think this school has any donuts in the cafeteria?" Naegi suddenly asks. "They're like my favorite food.
"You like donuts too?!" Despite it being completely off topic, Asahina didn't seem bothered. In fact, she starts literally jumping in joy as her eyes shined brightly. "That's it, Naegi. You're gonna be my best friend here, no questions asked! Got it?!"
Naegi was a little taken aback by her sudden burst of energy. While he should be used to her antics by this point, he couldn't help but still be a little surprised. "A-Alright, got it."
"Good! See ya later Naegi!"
----------------------------------------
"I am Sakura Ogami." Ogami leers down at Naegi as she introduces herself.
"I'm Makoto Naegi. Nice to meet you!"
Out of nowhere, Ogami starts to poke and prod at various parts of his body. She seemed oddly serious as she did this.
"Ah, I'm afraid that my muscular quantity is pretty average. I don't think that I could serve to be your training partner."
Ogami pauses and looks at him with renewed interest. "You may not be that strong, but I see that your mind is sharp enough. You are very interesting, Naegi."
"Thanks! I look forward to getting to know you better." Naegi says, smiling.
Ogami nods before backing up.
"The feeling is mutual."
----------------------------------------
"Hey, I'm Makoto Naegi." Naegi says simply. Before Togami could even issue a response, Naegi turns around and begins to walk away.
"Wha - Where are you going?" Togami's sharp voice stops him before he could get to the next person.
Naegi glances back with a confused expression on his face. "Well you kind of looked like you were already sick of looking at me. So I just decided to introduce myself and get it over with as quickly as possible."
"... I suppose you're right." Togami concedes, though there was still a hint of indignation in his voice.
Naegi simply nods before turning back around.
Togami stares at the luckster with disdain, but also with curiosity. He had certainly piqued his interest.
----------------------------------------
"I'm Yasuhiro Hagakure - Hiro for short! Take it easy, yeah?"
"I'm Makoto Naegi. What's up?"
…
"Ah, alright, I give up." Hagakure sighs heavily before throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. "Seriously."
"Oh?" Naegi tilts his head slightly.
"I saw it dude, right through it!"
Naegi puts a hand on his chin and smiles wryly. Hagakure had done this same exact introduction both in the first Killing Game and during the school year. "Let me guess: a guardian angel with a crazy perm chasing after Bigfoot?"
Bewildered, Hagakure just stares at Naegi for a long moment.
Then…
"Bwahahahaha!" Hagakure bellows loudly, slapping him roughly on the back. "You're good dude! But it was bigfoot with a skyfish in his mouth! Close, but no cigar!"
"Ah, shoot." Naegi smiles tentatively.
"Your a chill dude, Naegi. If you want, we can grab some brewskis and get real deep into the civilization of Lemuria sometime." Hagakure offers, nodding appreciatively.
"Ah, I'm a minor so I can't drink." Naegi points out.
"Oh, that's too bad." The clairvoyant frowns slightly. "Well, we can still hang out sometimes. Stay chill, won't ya?"
"Yeah, for sure."
----------------------------------------
"Hey, I don't think that we've been introduced. I'm Makoto Naegi."
"I am Celestia Ludenberg." The gambler responds in a stoic manner.
"Celestia Ludenberg, huh?" Naegi says, grinning. "That's a pretty name. I like it."
Celestia smiles with a hint of pride. "Why, thank you Naegi. I'm glad that someone appreciates it. You can call me Celeste, if you wish."
"Alright Celeste. I look forward to getting to know you better."
Celeste nods. "As do I."
----------------------------------------
As Naegi wraps up his introductions, he and the other students begin talking about their troubling predicament. They were all unsettled of course - the front door had a gigantic lock on it and they all woke up inside of the school with no memory of how they had gotten in. It was natural that they would be confused.
Naegi participated in the discussions of course, but he didn't try to add anything extra. It would only cast unnecessary suspicion upon him - that would be bad, especially with Ikusaba listening in. If she found out that he knew about Junko's plan, then…
I might get killed... Again.
Then, as the conversation starts to wane…
*ding dong bing bong*
"Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check, one two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay, well then! To all incoming students! I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at… right now! Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience… That's all. I'll be waiting!"
Just hearing Monokuma's voice caused Naegi to cringe involuntarily. The voice itself was bad enough - disturbingly enthusiastic and high pitched. It was a sound that you couldn't bear to listen to for longer than five minutes at a time. But Naegi also knew that whenever Monokuma spoke, something bad was sure to follow soon afterwards.
Well, at least I know what's going to happen...
Once again, it was time.
Time to begin a new Killing Game.