Part 36: Super High-school Level Update #32

CHAPTER 02 - WEEKLY SHONEN DESPAIR MAGAZINE / abnormal days part





I tried to restrain myself, but it was no use.
Like a spring sprouting up from underground, my screaming voice streamed out, unstoppable.



But, in a complete contrast to my state...



She looks strange... Don’t you think so as well?

Togami-kun was calm, speaking as if he was making a televised speech...



Look. Chihiro Fujisaki was crucified. And furthermore...
There’s something written in blood on the wall behind her...
“Bloodstain Fever”, is it?



That’s a cruel way to murder someone. No, it’s far too cruel.
Don’t you agree?
T...there’s a dead girl here... How can that be anything but cruel...?



...That’s not what I’m trying to say.
This murder was not the work of an amateur. It is far too steeped in the occult for that.
It’s not like Sayaka Maizono’s case, where someone got involved in a murder by pure chance.



It’s as if it’s a murder done for pleasure, don’t you think?
...Eh?

My brain, which was still in disarray, could not yet grasp what he was trying to say.

And then, before I had time to do so...



Hey, I head a scream. What’s...



...AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!? Fujisaki-kun!?

* Ding-dong-ding-dong *







A body has been discovered!
Following a brief period of investigation, we will commence our school trial!



W...what was that...?



That’s right... you were out cold last time, so you don’t know...
That was the body discovery announcement...
As soon as 3 people find a body, that announcement is broadcast throughout the school to let the rest know.
He said it’s so the hunt for the culprit is conducted fairly.

Hunt... Fairly...



A body discovery announcement! Does that mean Fujisaki-kun is...!?



That’s right. She’s dead.



D... D... D... D...!!!



...before you start screaming, go gather the rest. It seems it started once again.
Our hunting game of life and death...



Ishimaru-kun rushed out of the changing room...
I don’t think it took him long to gather the rest of our classmates...

...But my sense of time was all messed up as I was standing there, waiting...

In any case, when I came to my senses, everyone was standing there, encircling Fujisaki-san...
...mixed emotions of confusion, fear and anger on their faces.







I... could not protect her...!



Once again... we have a new victim...



...that means it starts again.



Y... you mean...



W...who the fuck did such a thing?!



A dream... This is just a dream! It’s all a dream!!



That’s right, I probably have not even been born yet! These are the memories of an unborn fetus...!
Gyaaaaaa!!



You’re being too noisy...



We're in control again. The body is interesting, but those blood letters are of even more interest. Let's check them out.



On the wall, “Bloodstain Fever” is written in blood.



This is not a dying message...
It is too... grotesque...



By the way, blood letters spelling “Bloodstain Fever”... Where have I heard of that before?



Killing his victims in occultish and cruel ways. An extremely vicious murderer...
Always leaving the message “BLOODSTAIN FEVER” at the scene of the crime, painted with the victim’s own blood.
He seems to indiscriminately attack people with no rhyme and reason in sporadic bursts. The police are stumped.
The nickname given to this serial killer on the Internet was...



It’s Genocider Syo, ‘right?!!

Genocider Syo... The vicious serial killer from the newspaper headlines...
Killing his victims in occultish and cruel ways. A Super High Level... abnormal murderer.



So... did someone here mimic Genocider Syo’s murders...?
But... for what reason?



Or maybe... It’s the work of the real Genocider Syo...



The real... Are you saying one of us is Genocider Syo!?
T...that’s impossible!!



Whether that’s true or not... Writing “Bloodstain Fever”... I’m surprised how tasteless that turned out to be.



Nevertheless, having a murderer among us flourishing that kind of style is worrisome.



Ah...!
What is it now!?
Fukawa-san...!

We looked over to where Asahina-san was pointing, and over there, by the changing room’s door...



A.......aa.........

...Stood Fukawa-san, arriving late to the scene of the crime.

...??????
N..n..n..n..n..n..no way........ W...why... Why...?
W....h........y..........



Whhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!



* BUMP! *





She collapsed! And made a terrible sound hitting the floor!



Fu...Fukawa-chan!!

Asahina-san rushed to the fallen Fukawa-san’s side, and started shaking her body.

Fukawa-chan, are you alright!? Try to hold on!



She did say last time that she’s weak to blood, didn’t she? She said just seeing some makes her faint...



It’s called hemophobia. Someone who has it can’t even watch horror movies.



Hey, is that okay? Sleeping outside her own room... isn’t that against the rules?
No, it should be fine... The rules only forbid purposely sleeping outside the dorms...
Ah, I see. It’s fine if she fainted.



Fukawa-chaaan, can you hear me!? O~y, hold on!!

And then, as if responding to Asahina-san’s words...
...Fukawa-san jumped back up.

She was certainly awake now, but...

...I was at a loss for words by her strange movements.

Her posture was as if she was still fainted, but she was jumping up and down. And then, it suddenly changed again in mid-air...



...And she remained standing there motionlessly.

It was as if her body was ignoring the structure of its muscles, and moved randomly instead...



Eh...? Eh...?



Sorry sorry I got surprised and fainted. It happens. Things like that. Huh or is it just me?
Fu...Fukawa...san? Are you okay...?
I’m Fine I’m fine! Geeheehee..!
Oh there’s a dead body here! Oy why are you being dead in a place like this!
Geeheehehhee!



I think she hit her head too hard, ‘right?...



The world is composed of innings and outings! 9 innings and 9 outings, and there are also truths and lies!!



She got kind of scary... Isn’t her tone of voice different...?



No no don’t worry! I probably just lost my stutter or something...
Isn’t that lucky!? Geeheehehheh!!



I see, it’s clear that she is not okay! Even her eyes are strangely vacant!



...We should probably escort her back to her room.



I can do that... Can someone come along and help...?



I volunteer!



Ishimaru, can you join me?



Eh? Didn’t you hear me!?



Well, then. I’ll leave that girl to you two. The rest of us should get started on the investigation.
Let’s have Oogami and Oowada guard the crime scene, like we did last time.
W...wait a second. Things are going too fast...
...We already know this is not the work of the mastermind. That should be clear after what happened last time.
Uu...!!



The person who killed Chihiro Fujisaki is undoubtedly one of us.
...Isn’t that right? Monobear.





Of course it is!!
But, that’s not a bad thing. It’s just a matter of course.
After all...



They were just following our Graduation rule!



So... it happened again...?

Is that... what they’re saying...?

Once again... one of us...
One of us... killed...

A friend......?



What, you’re being all angsty again? You’re so small-minded, you know?!



I wonder if that’s the only thing that’s small? Well, you have no choice but worship me, do you.



You do!!



Enough with the brazen talk. Just give us that thing. That’s what you came here to do, didn’t you?
Heh heh heh... Of couse I did!



Well, then. I will now distribute, as always, The Monobear File 2!!
Good luck with the investigation! Bye!





An investigation... Do we really have to do that again...?



Investigate a friend’s death...
Suspect our friends...



I hate it... I can’t endure it any more...



I HATE IT TOO!!
I... I... I... I’m sorry!! I’m going to run away!!



Where do you intend to go? There is no place to run to.



...you should all just stop panicking and get used to it. Blood is just a liquid. A body is just a thing...



You’re unexpectedly full of vigor, aren’t you.



Why shouldn’t I be? If we don’t stop the culprit, I’ll be dead.
T...that... may be right, but still...



...What is it? Do you want to die?
In that case, feel free to die. Go die right now. You’re a waste of oxygen.



A body... is just a thing...?
That kid... Chihiro Fujisaki is not a “thing”!! I won’t stand for treating her lightly!!



Please stop this cheap fight... Togami-kun’s words are not necessarily wrong.
Ki...Kirigiri-san...!
If we don’t solve this mystery and find the culprit, our own lives are at stake...
In addition, if Togami-kun is right and Genocider Syo killed Fujisaki-san...



...We might have a few more victims on our hands before this investigation is over...



M...maybe it won’t be just a few more victims... He might massacre us all...!!



Ah-ah. You don’t have to worry about that!
In this school-life of mutual killing, one culprit can kill two people at most!



Eh...? Was there a rule like that?



I just made it.
I mean, if one person kills too many, our fun school-life will come to a premature end, won’t it?




In that case, why not make the limit one person?



A “serial murder mystery” is a surprisingly hard concept to just throw away, don’t you think?
Nyohohoho~! One person isn’t serial at all!



Okay, I’m really leaving this time! See you at the school trial!



It’s not completely satisfying, but I guess if only two people can be killed at a time...
We only have to worry about one more for the time being...



That will be terrible. We must find the culprit before that happens.



Shut up, you bastard!!



W...well, I’m going to go with Ishimaru and carry Fukawa-chan to her room now.



Coooooming~!



The rest of us should start the investigation. We have no time to fool around.
Who killed Fujisaki-san...? We have to solve that mystery...



...Or else we will all be executed.



...That’s right...

I hate doing it, but in order to survive...
...In order for everyone to survive...

I have no...

I have no choice...!



INVESTIGATION START!





First, I should check the Monobear File.

“The victim is Chihiro Fujisaki... The time of death was around 2am.
The body was found in the second floor school area, in the girls’ changing room.
Cause of death is a blow to the head with a dull object. Death was instantaneous.”

There’s nothing else written in the file...
But... complaining will get me nowhere.

I must hold on... I have no choice!






Hey, Naegi... May I have a word...?
...eh?
Do you... want something from me?



Obviously. Talking to someone I want nothing with is boring.
Um... what is it...?
Assist me with my investigation.
...Huh?



I’m buying your cooperation. You were the one who solved Sayaka Maizono’s murder, after all...
I... I didn’t solve anything... That was just...
You seem like a person I can use. That’s why I decided to choose you.
So, assist me in my investigation.

Is that his way of inviting me to come along? It’s awfully aggressive...



Well then. Let’s begin.
B...but...



Just go ahead and start. We don’t have time to stand here idling.
............

I don’t really understand what’s going on...

But it seems... I’m suddenly working together with Togami-kun.