Part 6: Super High-school Level Update #4

Ding Dong Ding Dong





Aaaa--- Aaaa--- Mike test, mike test! This is an announcement!
Is this thing on? They can hear me, right? Ehh... in any case...

It was an easygoing, light voice that was very out of place.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but feel heavy discomfort upon hearing it.
It was like a reverberating voice of laughter at the scene of an accident. A discomfort that makes your spine shiver.

Ehh... All new students. We want to start this year’s entrance ceremony, so please gather at the gymnasium as soon as possible.
And with that, I welcome you all!

This voice belongs to Nobuyo Ooyama, a charming lady in her ‘70s who is a household name in Japan for being Doraemon for more than 25 years. Doraemon, for the few of you who has no idea, is a serious contender for the title of Japan’s most popular children cartoon. He’s a robot cat from the future and has been a constant in TV, movie theaters, computer games, commercials and countless other media for decades now.
Ooyama wasn’t the first to portray Doraemon, not is she his current voice (she retired in 2005). She did it the longest, though.
Most Japanese people grew up listening to Ooyama’s Doraemon, and her voice is rooted deep inside their psyches. I’ve now watched several people play through this part of the game (through the Japanese equivalent of Let’s Play), and it never fails to cause a huge reaction. To mimic the experience, I suggest readers imagine the voice of Bugs Bunny (or their own favorite cartoon hero from their childhood) coming out of this dude.





............



What...? What was that, just now...?



I’m going on ahead.

Sorry about that one. The game didn't let me hide the text box for this one line. This won't happen very often, but since it's the first time we're seeing this pose, I let it pass.



H...hey, wait! Why are you leaving so quickly?



A ceremony. I see, it’s like that... That was just part of our entrance ceremony, ‘right?
They’re so funny! Seriously, so funny!
So, I’m going too. Can’t wait to find out what they come up with next...



And just when I thought I was going to get a nap... Seriously.
Hey, wait, let’s go together!
Excuse me, I shall be going as well.
You probably won’t even notice, but I’m coming too!

I watched as many faces headed towards the gymnasium. As for myself, I stood there without moving.
I had a bad feeling floating inside my head. As much as I tried, I couldn’t let it go.
But it seemed I was not the only one who was troubled...



Is it... really all right?



That announcement just now, it was weirdly scary, wasn’t it?



We can’t expect to escape danger just by staying here, though.
Besides, aren’t you intrigued? Don’t you want to know what’s happening to us right now?



If we do not go forth we shall never know. Therefore, we must go.

It certainly... looks that way.
But I still can’t help feeling uneasy.
There’s nothing to do but go, though, is there?

The gymnasium, was it?



Before we go on, there are still some characters who don't seem so eager to follow the announcement. Let's see what they have to say.





What the hell is going on with that announcement? There’s no way that’s normal...



Shit! What the fuck are they planning?



W...what was that thing? It must be some kind of prank, right?



Something... weird is happening, isn’t it?



I understand why you’re uneasy, but we must go see what’s going on for for ourselves, don’t you agree?



As long as we do not proceed we shall forever stay engulfed in darkness. We must move.



Is everything all right? Everything is all right. Right?

...not much, it seems. Fine, let's just press the cross button and go to the other side of the floor, where the gymnasium is.















There's a little trophy room that serves as a lobby to the gym. We're stopping for a short rest here before going in.



Y’know, I didn’t think Hope’s Peak Academy would be such a depressing place...
Somehow, it feels just like this prison I was locked in that time. Nah, this place is even worse.



And why isn’t there anyone else around? Just now when we walked here, I couldn’t see a single person...



It seriously just gets worse and worse, isn’t it?



I...it’s just them trying to trick us! I’m sure they’ll remove the steel plates later...



Whatever the case may be, we must prepare for the worst. We will not be any wiser until we enter the lion’s den.



It’s not like I’m scared or nothing... Let’s just go in!
Fuck it! I'm going! Where are the bastards who called us here hiding?!
Hey, Oowada-kun! We’re not allowed to run inside the school!
Well, then. I shall go in as well.
Aaa, wait! Don’t leave me alone!!



Any final words from those who hasn't gone in yet?





......

Completely silent.
She’s the only one of us who seems completely calm...
Maybe I’m just imagining it?



Where did all the other students disappear to? Why are our class the only ones here?



The atmosphere in this place is seriously wrong, you know?

Okay. Let's just go in, finally.



Engulfed in uneasiness and fear, we entered the gymnasium as instructed by the announcement.
What waited for us inside was...



It looks just like an... opening ceremony? Nothing seems to be out of place...



See, it’s just like I told you, ‘right? Just your ol’ “regular” new school year opening ceremony.

And then, just after Hagakure-kun said that,
Something happened that made it very clear how “anything but regular” our new surroundings were...

Oy! Is everyone here!? Well then, I think it’s time to begin!!



Enter Monobear (Youtube via Polsy)