Part 163: Way Down in the Hole

MUSIC: Hope Searching



That meter at the top of the screen is my least favorite mechanic in the whole game. Can you guess why? You'll know in due time.



The map is unavailable in Chapter 6. You'll have to remember where everything is yourself. Fortunately the layout has been simplified a bit.



Monokid blocks our path to the west, shoving us back into the entrance hall.



The front door is blocked by debris. We need at least one friend to move it.



The hallway to the basement is blocked by even sterner stuff.



Oh, but don't forget to look for hidden Monokumas! This one's next to the rubble, behind the bars near the edges of the entrance hall.





Our only way forward is down.



Was this staircase...supposed to be unlocked by a mysterious item?

There must be clues here... I have to investigate!





Shuichi doesn't need help moving the debris in the tunnel.



We remember how to slap, right? Now's when all of our training pays off.



After a few twists, turns and roadblocks, we find a door.



This must be an Ultimate lab.

It isn't open, but there's only one Ultimate lab left...

It's Kokichi's... The Ultimate Supreme Leader's lab.

This door isn't supposed to open...



...then that lab will remain closed.



I have to go inside.





It certainly does have that "evil organization" feel... But there's nothing that would identify the Remnants of Despair.



...Hope...? Despair...?



But it didn't seem like he knew anything about the Remnants of Despair.





If this lab was made for Kokichi, there should be *some" link to the Remnants...

Perhaps it's hidden somewhere... I should investigate thoroughly.



Did you notice that the timer moved ahead a bit? It increments every time you click on something. So contrary to what Shuichi said, and much to my chagrin, the game doesn't want you to investigate thoroughly. But I'll do it anyway, because there's some flavor text that's worth seeing.





The toy helicopter circles around when I click the remote.







Is this the kind of thing that members of this evil organization drive around? ...But would an evil organization really want to drive around in such flashy cars?

This is more like...a child's idea of what an evil organization would have.





Is this Kokichi's?





There's nothing of any particular interest on top of the table.





...But do the Remnants of Despair put up emblems...?





Ooh, a hoverchair!



But...something feels off. It's all too...cliche. It feels as if this entire room is just an elaborate prank.

...





While Keebo is keeping Monokuma and the Monokubs busy, I have to find the truth!





I knocked all the suits away between screenshots.

If this is the Ultimate Supreme Leader's lab...are these uniforms for the other members of the organization? There are some...unsettling objects here... Gas masks, handcuffs... There are also wigs and glasses, for disguises I imagine. But they seem...comical.

This...doesn't seem like something the Remnants of Despair would use...







I picked up the book and began rapidly flipping through the pages. And inside...



SHUICHI: This is...a history of the battle between hope and despair.

But we've already remembered all this. We know this information. I don't suppose it'd make for a particularly useful clue......I don't...suppose...

SHUICHI: ...

MUSIC: Wonderful Story

SHUICHI: No. Something's not right.

Something is off. Because the things written in this book—





I flinched in surprise as Maki peeked at the thick book in my hands.

...The Complete History of Hope's Peak Academy? What's the point of reading this now? You already remembered Hope's Peak Academy with the Flashback Light, didn't you?

Yes, I...thought that as well...



...For what?

I need you to tell me everything you remember about the history of Hope's Peak Academy.

Huh? But why?



...

I don't really understand...but I just need to talk about it, right?

She gave me a big, almost theatrical sigh, then started speaking in bored narration.

MUSIC: New World Order V3

AUDIO: The Tragedy



MAKI: The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History...



MAKI: This tragic event was caused by a lone high school girl...



MAKI: In order to fulfill her plans to plunge humanity and the world into utter despair......she organized the killing game of Hope's Peak Academy's 78th class.



MAKI: ...was forced to participate in the killing game.



MAKI: With her death, the despair outbreaks ended, and the world slowly began to recover.



MAKI: The Future Foundation was established to fight against them, and their war raged on... Until one day, when the war suddenly ended.





As for Hope's Peak Academy...

AUDIO: The Rebuilt Hope's Peak



MAKI: They continued to scout students who possessed Ultimate-level talent, and that's all we know...





No, that doesn't make sense, because what Maki just told me...is exactly what I remember.



Or...are they...?



I turned to one of the pages, almost without thinking.

...What's wrong?

Ah, it's just...the afterword written on the last page...



This is the most thorough, accurate book written on the subject.

Well, it says it's the complete history. So what's the problem?

The problem is... If this is true......



NO MUSIC



In order to investigate this... I need to know more about Kokichi. I found this in *his" lab, after all...

MUSIC: Hope Searching



Why Kokichi's room?

I have to verify something. I have to determine which things he said were the truth and which were lies.



Huh? There's no doubt that he was a Remnant of Despair. Because in that memory—

...

Well, whatever. If that's what you want to do, then I won't stop you.

Thank you...



That Kokichi's lie might be the breakthrough we need to find the truth—

NO MUSIC



I don't know how to describe the noise that plays on this screen. Let's just call it "ominous."



The colors invert again.

Ah, aaugh! Wh-What is this!? What's...happening?

VIDEO: Remember

MUSIC: Heaven of Almost Hell

AUDIO: Memories with the Baby





Hey...what's going on?

Hello... Are you one of the chosen for the Gofer Project?

Gofer Project...?

I saw you on a flyer on the ground.

That's...the Remnants of Despair's doing. Gofer Project participants are classified—

Are you one of them? I'm really good at remembering faces.

Yeah...I get that a lot. Just a case of mistaken identity, I'm afraid. They're all students from Hope's Peak Academy, aren't they? l'm...just a normal high school student. I don't have any special talent.

I see... But you look just like him.

Don't worry about that. Hey, listen, should you really be outside right now? The meteor—

I'm not scared of them! Because my dad told me the Future Foundation will take care of those meteorites! If the Gofer Project succeeds, then the meteorites won't fall down!

No, I've heard...the Gofer Project doesn't exist to save us... Have you heard the rumor? All the participants died in an accident...

You're wrong! They didn't die!

How would you know that...?

Because! Those people are the heroes that will save the world, right?

The Gofer Project wasn't created to save us—! ......Never mind.

Heroes don't die! Heroes don't give up! That's why they're still alive! Because they're heroes!

Heroes...?

MUSIC: Rise of the Ultimates



Th-That...was a memory...right?

It's...from that Flashback Light!







That...must have been the Flashback Light. The one that Monokuma used after Kaito's trial.

After Kaito's trial...?

...Hey, what did you remember?



was from when I tried to get away from the Gofer Project and threw away my talent...



But why...? Why did Monokuma give us that memory? And...will we experience another flashback like the one we just saw?

I...don't know, but... I can't hesitate now.



...

...You're heading to Kokichi's room, right? Then I'll go with you.

Huh? You will...?



...

She looks...worried. Did that flashback—



Ah, no, nothing. Let's go.

Even so... A hero, huh?







I...chose to walk a different path than that of an assassin...

But in the end...I was dragged back...



Let's go to Kokichi's room. That's what you wanted, right?

Next time, we duck out of the main building for a bit.