Part 106: Super High-school Level Update #95
I arrived at the cafeteria just as everyone else started gathering.
And then, after a few minutes...
It seems everyone is here.
That said, there's just the six of us now... That's as many people as a volleyball team...
Hey! What's up with that depressing tone of voice!? Try thinking positively!
Even if another one of us dies, we can still make a basketball team, right?!
That sure is a negative way of being positive...
...We don't have time to feel depressed, though.
We must do our best. For our dead friends' sake, too.
Are you done licking each other's wounds? I want to start our information exchange...
We'll start with Fukawa.
............
Hey, Togami-kun... I think Fukawa-san wants to say something...
And why are you telling me this?
Don't you remember how you sealed her mouth...?
Oh. I forgot all about it.
There's a limit to not caring, you know!
Fukawa, if you want to open that smelly mouth of yours, you may.
I...I am honoured, Byakuya-sama...
I...I will keep my smelly mouth in check, s...so don't worry...
Ahaha! You're in good shape, Fukawa-chi!
L...Leave me alone... And don't interrupt my important conversation with Byakuya-sama...!
...So, did you find anything?
I found something interesting... in one of the classrooms on the fifth floor...
T...This thing...
...A knife?!
It's huge! It's like something Rambo would use!
A survival knife, huh?
But... why was it in a classroom...?
D...Don't ask me... I have no clue...
Hey, you aren't planning to do anything devious to us with that knife, are you...?!
I...I just brought it here...! It was too dangerous just leaving it there...!
It's even more dangerous in the hands of a serial killer like you, 'right?!
D...Don't you dare compare me to her! We're nothing alike!
Hey, much more importantly...
What are we going to do with this knife?
We can't let Fukawa-chi keep it, that's for sure. I have no clue where to put it, though.
I...It's not like I want it, anyway...!
Yeah... It's a problem...
...Let's just have Naegi-kun keep it.
Eh? Me!?
Yeah, Naegi-chi is perfect!
That's that, then!
W...Wait a second! Don't just decide things for me...!
Just be happy everyone trusts you that much. Go ahead, take it.
Is that... really trust? I feel like they're just throwing a problem at me...
Here, take it, Naegi...
I guess I can't escape it...
S...Sure...
I have no choice... I'll just hide it in my desk drawer later...
T...That's all I have to report...
Hey, Fukawa.
Ah...! Is it about my smelly mouth!?
I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry for having a smelly mouth I'm sorry for having a smelly mouth I'm sorry for having a smelly mouth...
...That was a fine report. Good job.
Eh...?
Eh...?
Eh...?
A compliment... from Byakuya-sama...?
Way to go, Fukawa-chan!
Uuuuuuuuu...!!
I...It's a dream... It must be a dream...!!
Ha ha... To think, I'd have such a dream...!
Aha... ahahahahaha...! How dirty I am...!
Ahaha... dirty... real dirty...! Wait... stop... aha... hee... hya... hahaha!
Lately, just looking at Fukawa-chi makes me shiver.
Next, let's see what Hagakure has to report.
There's a lush garden on the fifth floor, 'right? I found several interesting things over there.
There's a humongous plant and a chicken coop. And also, how d'ya call it... a shed.
humongous plant
Monobear called that flower a Monobear flower.
It's dangerous if you touch it, so we'd better be careful.
Death by being eaten. And it's nothing like those plants that come out of pipes!
I think those sprinklers are also there just to keep it growing.
Those sprinklers are activated automatically every morning at 7:30...
I'll keep that in mind! I don't want to catch a cold!
You'll be fine! They say idiots never catch colds!
Of course! It's because idiots can't get wet!!
No... you're thinking of ghosts...
Y'know, I'm getting a little worried. Do you know what 10+10 is, Hagakure?
Hey, hey! Even if you say I'm an idiot, there are limits!
I did repeat a grade 3 times, so I can at least solve that kind of problem!
Here, let me show you...
Um... Huh...? Can you remind me what the question was?
It's fine... I get the general idea.
chicken coop
There were some chickens in that coop, weren't there?
Exactly five of them!
Oh, I love chickens!
Let's all raise them together, and then make us some fried chicken! Oh, but yakitori might also be good... That sure is a problem!
Ah! We should eat them rare! I mean, we can have them as fresh as we want!!
We'll just get food poisoning...
shed
So, did you see it too? That pickaxe...
...Was there anything special about it?
There's a pickaxe in the shed at the garden...
And the words "Crazy Diamonds" are carved on its handle.
I'm sure I heard those words somewhere before... Does anyone remember...?
"Crazy Diamonds"...? I feel like I should know what that means...
It's not just a feeling. We've seen those words before.
Eh? where?
...That's right. I just remembered.
They were written on Oowada-kun's jacket... Right there on his back.
"Crazy Diamonds"...
Yes... I believe you're both right.
But why are the same words on a pickaxe?
Maybe Oowada-chi sneaked into that garden and carved it himself?
We just gained access to that garden today.
Maybe Monobear confiscated a pickaxe that Oowada brought with him to this school?
...Whatever the case may be, I'm worried. That pickaxe seems to be connected to Oowada-kun somehow...
...By the way, the thing that caught my attention in that shed isn't the pickaxe.
...Eh? It wasn't?
It's the lawn mower. I think we can call for help using that thing...
How do you call for help with a lawn mower?
Don't you know anything? We make a crop circle!
We make a crop circle with the lawn mower!!
That will get their attention, for sure!
Hey, Hagakure. When did you get that way?
I don't remember you acting like that when we got here...
My character wasn't yet well established back then.
I give up...
Next, Kirigiri.
I'm worried about the biology lab... It's the only room on the fifth floor that's locked.
A biology lab, huh? I wonder what's in there...?
Based on what we experienced so far, it's probably some kind of a freaky creature. A gigantic last boss type.
But... this isn't an action game...
Whatever is in there, now's not the time to worry about it.
Worrying won't get us any closer to opening that room, so we might as well not waste our mental strength.
We must make effective use of the tiny amount of brain power we share among us.
I don't like the metaphor, but I guess you're right.
It wasn't a metaphor.
We're almost done! Next, Asahina.
I checked all the windows in the fifth floor. That was Sakura-chan's job before.
But, it was useless, as expected. Every one of them has a metal plate bolted to it...
...So there's no exit on the fifth floor.
I did notice something about the school building, though...
the school building
Asahina-san, what is it about the school building?
...Naegi-kun, didn't you walk around the entire fifth floor?
Eh...? Why are you asking...?
If you did, you must have noticed. Something that was in all the other floors but not in this one...
Something that was in all the other floors... but not in the fifth...?
Are you talking about a stairway leading up?
You're right. There wasn't any at the fifth floor.
Does that mean we've reached the top?!
We finally have a complete picture of this school.
All that's left to do now is solve its mystery...
That won't be easy...
Even if it isn't, we must do it!!
That's right. It's just like Asahina-san says.
We'll make it... If we work together, we can work it out!
We will! I'm sure of it!
Finally, Togami.
By the way, did everybody see it?
The strange classroom on the fifth floor... No, I wouldn't call it "strange"...
It smells of blood and entrails...
There are many human-shaped white lines on the floor...
It was much more gruesome than anything we encountered until now...
...W...What the hell happened there?!
The smell was overwhelming. A murder crime scene is nothing next to it. It was like the smell of every conceivable human fluid condensed together.
I...I'm glad I didn't go into that classroom... I feel like throwing up just hearing about it...
But, really, what happened in there?
I have an idea. Most likely...
Many people died in that classroom.
M...Many people... died...!?
Wait... I really am going to throw up...
Could it be...
"The Worst, Most Despair-inducing Incident in the History of Mankind"...?
...Eh?
...It seems you and I think alike.
That's right. It's conceivable the deaths in that classroom are exactly what that incident one year ago was all about.
So, the origin of that classroom's condition...
...Is what happened a year ago? "The Worst, Most Despair-inducing Incident in the History of Mankind"?
In other words, The Worst, Most Despair-inducing Incident in the History of Mankind was the mass slaughter of Hope's Peak Academy students.
And if that's true...
That incident was also the reason Hope's Peak Academy had to close down.
It all makes sense, but... that would be the worst.
It wouldn't just be the worst... It would be the ultimate worst...
They're right. It is the worst.
A truly despair-inducing situation.
But, if that's the case...
How come not one of us knew that such a huge incident happened...?
Did they really cover the entire thing up...?
...Well, then. I think we're done with our information exchange.
...So, what are we going to do now?
Hmmm...
From this day forward, you will all follow my leadership. But before that, there's one thing I want explained.
Honestly, if you get more high and mighty, you'd hit the ceiling!
So... what is it you want explained?
Kyouko Kirigiri's identity...
...Eh?
............
K...Kirigiri-chan's identity...? Kirigiri-chan is Kirigiri-chan, isn't she?
...But who is that Kyouko Kirigiri?
There's a reason why each and every one of us was chosen to attend Hope's Peak Academy.
Asahina is a "Super High-school Level Swimmer"... Hagakure is a "Super High-school Level Fortune Teller"...
Even Naegi has a "Super High-school Level Good Luck"...
Not that it helped me much so far...
But what about Kirigiri...? Does anyone here know her speciality?
Now that you mention it... I have no clue...
Kirigiri-chan... doesn't really like talking about herself.
It isn't a matter of liking or disliking. It is a matter of trust.
How can we trust anyone who isn't even willing to make it clear who they really are?
I don't want those dark feelings of distrust to stir us up again. Kirigiri, tell us.
............
I can't.
Huh?! Why won't you talk?!
I didn't say I "won't".
I said I "can't".
W...What do you mean...?
I don't remember...
Eh...?
My memory is gone.
Your memory is gone...? You don't mean...?!
Is that what they call "amnesia"?
............
Now's not a good time to start developing a sense of humor. Amnesia isn't even all that funny.
Y...You just want to hide the truth from us, don't you...?
I knew that would happen. I knew you wouldn't believe me...
That's why I didn't say anything.
But I don't mind. The truth always comes out, sooner or later.
...So you insist on not speaking, do you? In that case, I can't let you do as you please.
What are you going to do? Torture it out of me?
I will not succumb to such barbaric methods. It's just that...
I must limit your actions somehow. We can't have you doing who knows what in secret.
Limit my actions...?
Give me your key. The key to your room.
The key to her room...? But, without that key...!
There's a rule saying we aren't allowed to sleep anywhere but in the dorm rooms! She won't have anywhere to sleep!
If that's not to her liking, she can just start talking. It's very simple. She always has the option of telling us about herself.
Wait... That sounds like a threat...
...Fine. Have it your way.
So, you're finally going to talk.
Kirigiri-san walked up to Togami-kun without saying a word. And then...
She gave him her key.
Don't tell me...!
Why are you so stubborn...? If you don't talk...
Even if I wanted to, I can't. I wasn't lying before.
I...I think she may be telling the truth... Maybe she really does have amnesia...
Yeah, it's not impossible, 'right?
I mean, this is a place where the the worst possible things happen all the time, isn't it? Amnesia isn't the weirdest thing we've seen here...
...A place where the worst possible things happen? Are you sure that's the case...?
...Eh?
Can you really say everything about life here is bad?
W...What do you mean...?
............
I think... I said too much.
Kirigiri-san turned her back to us, and stepped out of the cafeteria without saying another word.
...Where do you intend to go?
Don't worry. I won't do anything that would inconvenience you.
Those were her last words.
Kirigiri-san's last words...
They left the cafeteria in a sudden dead quiet, with just the sound of the shutting doors ringing in our ears...
W...What's up with her...?
I...I think we went too far... We shouldn't have taken her key...
S...She deserved it...!
S...She must be the type who gets all excited when people say nasty stuff about her...? The worse people say, the more excited she gets...
Fukawa. Shut up.
............
You're still too loud. I can hear you breathing and your heart thumping.
Are you asking her to die? Not that I don't understand how you feel!
What is Kirigiri-san going to do now...?
And... this situation...
It's just the same, isn't it...?
The same as when they all went against Oogami-san...!
No...It's not just them. I'm also acting just the same...
I'm just standing here... doing nothing to stop them...
KYAAAAAAAA!!
Whaa!!
W...What is it? Why are you yelling all of a sudden?!
Look, over there...!!
............
H...How long has he been standing there?!
I. am. very. very...
ANGRY!!
W...Why are you so angry?
A thief! I hate telling you this, but one of you is a dirty thief!
Huh...!?
Who stole it!? Who stole my treasure?!!