Part 9: Super High-school Level Update #7

I ran out of the room, hoping to join my classmates.
But what waited for me outside...
Was a situation straight out of an old manga.

*BUMP*

"Kyaa!"





Ah! Maizono-san!?
I’m sorry! Are you alright!?
I...it’s fine... I’m the one who should be sorry...

Flashing an embarrased smile, she slowly lifted up from the floor.



Maizono-san, are you really okay? No injuries?



Heh heh. I’m pretty sturdy. You don’t have to worry about me.
I may look fragile, but my muscles are actually pretty strong. It’s because I’m always jumping around on stage!
That’s a relief...



Are you alright, though, Naegi-kun? That bruise from Oowada-kun’s punch...

That’s right... I lost concsiousness right in front of everyone.
Figures. The first thing I do here is look like a weakling.

...Naegi-kun?
Ah, I’m fine! This kind of thing is nothing to me, really!
Thank god. I was a little worried, you know.
Y... yeah...
By the way, what were you doing outside my door?



I came to call you out.
Call me out?
I thought if you’ve woken up already, you’d want to join the rest of us at the cafeteria.
Cafeteria?
After you collapsed, everyone went exploring on their own.
We thought it would be most effective to split up the investigation between us.
We promised to meet up at the cafeteria later and report our findings.
And... this meeting is happening now?
If that’s the case, of course I want to be there!
Thank god. Well, I’ll go on ahead.





And we're left on our own. There really isn't much to do other than heading straight to the cafeteria, which is just ahead. But first, let's take a look at where we just came out from.



It’s the room I just came out of. The name plate has my name and face on it.

So it looks it really is our own room we were in. Now that that's confirmed, let's go ahead and catch up with Maizono-san.









So this is the dormitory’s cafeteria.



Thanks god we have a clean cafeteria to eat in, don’t you think?



...but this is not the time to be happy. We’re locked in here, after all.
That’s right.

As far as I can tell, none of the others are here yet.
I guess we have to wait just a little longer.



That’s right. Let’s wait together!
...eh!? How did you...!?



I can read minds.



...just joking. I just have good intuitions.

Are they really... just intuitions?




Reaction Shot. Nice pun.
"-sama" is our new honorific of the day, and it is used for someone you want to show respect for. In modern Japan, you'll mostly encounter it in customer service situations. Clerks in shops, banks and even at the airport refer to whoever they're serving this way. If you're watching a certain type of anime (or visited certain places in Akihabara) you've probably heard it from butlers and maids.

Since I can't do color on the forums, I'll represent colored text with an underline. And look -- that last sentence in the tutorial is purple underlined. Let's press the triangle button!


These were a lot of fancy words for what is basically your simple conversation topic selection system. These are not branching paths, and you usually have to select all the purple words one by one in order to advance the story. Okay, let's talk to Maizono again.



By the way, Naegi-kun...
Eh? What is it?
Er, I don’t mean to pry, but
I wanted to talk to you about something since we introduced ourselves. There’s something I want to ask you.

The game is just demoing the system here, since the first option is virtually useless...

Introduced ourselves

Since our introductions?



We were interrupted back then, but there’s something I must ask you...

Something Maizono-san wants to ask me...
My interest is piqued.

I want to ask you

So... what do you want to ask?



Naegi-kun, you didn’t go to Roku Junior High by any chance, did you?
Class B at the Nekuro Roku Junior High?
I... I did, but...





I knew it!
I also went to the same school! I was in class D, did you know?
How could I not know...

Even back in our junior high days, she was already a famous person worthy of several “super”s attached to her name.
There was no one in the school who didn’t know her.
But that’s not the surprising thing here. What’s surprising is...
The fact that she remembers me!
We were never even in the same class. I don’t remember speaking to her even a single time.



Is something wrong?
No, I’m just a little surprised. I didn’t think someone like you would remember me...
Isn’t it natural? We went to the same school, after all!
Sure, it was the same school. But there were many other students there as well...
And I’m not someone who particularly stands out in the crowd...
I’m average in everything I do, I’m only interested in what’s at the top of the popularity charts. I’m an as plain a kid as you can find.
Oh, why are you saying such silly things?
You’re very special, Naegi-kun.
S...special? Me?



Ahaha.

Her laugh was like the sound of bells tinkling.
She had a wonderful smile. The kind that calms your heart when you see it.
It was so wonderful, I couldn’t imagine better expression on any face anywhere.

But really, it’s so great! Having someone I know here with me...
I’m sure from now on I’ll be able to cheer up just by talking to you.
You’re really amazing, Naegi-kun!
No, I’m really not...
Compared to all the other “Super High-school Level”s around here, I’m not much of a big deal...
But you’re the only one here who managed to calm me down. All the other “Super High-school Level”s couldn’t do that.
T...thank you for saying that...



Okay! As a reward for calming me down, I’ll become a “Super High-school Level Assistant”!
Huh? Assistant?
Naegi-kun’s assistant!
I’ll do my best to help you so we can get out of here together!

Hearing Maizono-san say that...
Suddenly, I felt like I could do anything!
That said,
Everyone sure is late, aren’t they...
Also, what time is it anyway?
There must be a clock around here somewhere...





Right there on the wall, Naegi.



Let’s see... the time is now...

Huh!? It’s seven!? Is it evening already?
Naegi-kun... You were out for quite a while...

...so that’s how it is.
There are no windows in this place, so my sense of time is all out of whack.
Being in this kind of environment can drive a man crazy.

Leaving that aside, everyone is quite late. They should really be here by now.

And in perfect timing, just as she finished speaking, the doors to the cafeteria opened.



Naegi-kun and Maizono-kun! You two sure are early birds!



It’s disappointing. I was sure I was going to be first...



Is my fighting spirit... not yet up to the challenge...!?



I won’t give up! Next time I will surely win!! Justice always wins in the end!
You’re making quite a scene!

Soon after that,
Others started to follow Ishimaru-kun into the dining hall.
And a few minutes after that...
Everyone was here.



It seems everyone is here! I propose we start the meeting!!
On the agenda, report what we found in our investigations, and try to make the most out of the information!
Let’s all work together to find a way out of this place as soon as possible!



Ah, wait a second...!
What is it!?
Eh, what was her name... that silver-haired girl...
Ah, that’s it, Kyouko Kirigiri...?
...what about her?
She’s not here.



What did you say!?

I looked around the cafeteria.
Sure enough, Kirigiri-san was nowhere to be found.



Where did she go? Did anyone see her around?

Everyone just shook their heads.



Eh? Did no one see Kirigiri-san all day?

The reason no one saw her...
It couldn’t possibly be...!



Beatingstabbingclubbingbeheadingburningsuffocatingstranglingslaughteringvoodoocursing... The method doesn’t matter.
“Only a student who kills someone can leave”. It’s a very simple rule.
The most evil of actions leads to the best of outcomes. I hope you all cooperate.



There’s no way...
No, I’m probably just worrying too much...



Unforgivable, Kirigiri-kun... Late on the first day...
Those who don’t mind being late and can’t even explain the reason soon have tardiness embedded in their very nature...



Do you even realise how incoherent you are?
Nevertheless, a strict adherence to being on time is essential. But I guess we must go on.
I hereby announce the opening of the first Hope’s Peak Academy report meeting!



...Naegi-kun,
I think we should start by asking everyone what they found after we split up.
Yeah, I agree.
Heh heh. Somehow...
What is it?



It really feels like I’m your assistant, don’t you think?
I may be unreliable, but I’ll try doing my best!

You’re not unreliable, Maizono-san. You’re truly the most comforting assistant I can think of.





So, In order to fill Naegi-kun in on what happened, Let me start with a simple explanation.
We divided into groups and explored this building.
Togami-kun and Ishimaru-kun went alone. So did Kirigiri-san, now that I think of it.
Kuwata-kun, Hagakure-kun, Enoshima-san and Fujisaki-san all went together.
Asahina-san, Oogami-san and Oowada-kun were also a group, and then the remaining Celes-san and Fukawa-san and Yamada-kun also stayed together.

Togami-kun



I went looking for leads regarding the culprit who locked us all here.
I couldn’t find anything, however. That’s all.



That’s... everything you have to report?
If I found anything I would have told you. I didn’t, so there’s nothing to say.
I... see. Understood.

Ishimaru-kun



I investigated the dormitory area.
I made a grand discovery!! We each have our own private room over there!!



Hey, we know that already... I mean, that was the first thing we confirmed together, wasn’t it?
There’s a name plate on each door designating whose room it is.
Forbye, we have even been provided with a labeled key.

So that room I was in is really my own, as expected.



That’s not all. It seems the rooms are completely sound proof. I tested it with Fujisaki.
We made a loud noise from the neighboring room, but couldn’t hear anything.



We also have a clean shower room. We can even lock its door.
I think the note said only the girls’ shower rooms are lockable, though.

Huh...? When I looked over my room before, my shower room’s door was locked...
It’s strange. I’ll look into it again later.



So, putting it all together, they prepared private rooms for all of us and expect us to live in this place, the fuckers!
It’s better than not having them! If we didn’t survival would be much more difficult!
S...so, is that all you have to report? A top student like yourself probably has something else...
.........



That’s everything! Let’s move on!

Kuwata-kun, Hagakure-kun, Enoshima-san and Fujisaki-san



We looked at the metal plates covering the windows in the classrooms and corridors. We went through them one by one.
We thought maybe one of them would be loose or something...
But in the end...



Nothing came out of it. Nothing. None of them would budge an inch.
It looks like there’s no way to escape anywhere...!
We’re really trapped inside this school...!



That’s bad...



Bad bad bad bad bad... seriously bad. What are we going to do?
Hey, calm down! You’re freaking me out too...

Asahina-san, Oogami-san and Oowada-kun



We searched the school area. We tried looking for a way to contact the outside world!
But we couldn’t find anything... I’m sorry...



We went back to the entrance hall, and I tried doing something about that huge bulkhead blocking the exit...
Even with the strength of me and Oogami together, no matter how much we pulled it was impossible to open.
It’s as if it’s made of iron. It’s very tough.



That’s because it is made of iron.



...anyway, there doesn’t seem to be a way to take out this bulkhead by force.
I feel like I’m about to cry...



Next, I will report my findings.
It does not have relevance to the outside world, but I discovered a peculiar thing.
In both the school and dormitory areas, there are stairways leading into a second floor.
But they’re all fenced off by shutter gates. We couldn’t find a switch to open them anywhere...
That is to say, in our present condition, we are not permitted to explore anywhere but the first floor of this building.
Nevertheless, it is possible there are even more floors in this building we have no access to.
It is possible there is a way out of the building in one of them.

Celes-san and Fukawa-san and Yamada-kun



To tell the truth, we didn’t really “go together”...
“Didn’t do anything together” would be closer to the truth. We stayed inside the gym the entire day.



You see, running around investigating isn’t really my style.
What the hell were you thinking, staying in one place and not gathering information?



No one invited me. Not one person asked me to join them.
I hate being treated like a pariah. I can’t stand it!
Hey, if you wanted to come along, you should have just said something!!
I... can’t go around asking others if I can come along... I... I’m not an unrefined dirty girl like you...



Dirty girl.....?
A girl with a light body and an empty head... I feel physically nauseous just thinking about it...
I’m shocked. I didn’t expect you to call someone you just met names based on just first impressions.



Hey, you two. Calm down, ‘right? It’s not good for your skin, you know?
That’s right! Are you already in such good terms that you feel it’s okay to fight?

Maizono-san... I don’t think that’s what it’s all about...



I think we’ve heard from everybody else.
So let me report what I’ve been doing...
I investigated this cafeteria.
The fridge in the inner kitchen is stuffed with ingredients.
It seems that we don’t have to worry about food, at least.



It doesn’t matter how full it is, how long can it last for 15 people?
We can survive on crumbs for a few days if we have too.



Eh? Am I a bird?



There’s no need to worry. It seems the fridge will be filled automatically with fresh ingredients every day.
That’s what Monobear said.
...you saw him!?
When I looked in the fridge he suddenly jumped out from somewhere, told me that, and disappeared again.
I don’t think you can control such speed by simple remote control.
An elusive weapon shaped like a stuffed toy... I can’t decide if it’s scary or not...



But are you alright? He didn’t look like he was going to eat you, right?
E... eat her...?



Hey, hey, what do you mean by that? What kind of “eating” are we talking about here?



H... hey, wait a second...!



Hey, fatty! That’s too agressive!! You’re like a no-good drunk old man!
I don’t think there’s any such thing as a good drunk old man, ‘right?



Hey, will you just stop with all that nonsense!
Did you fall asleep? We’re locked in this place! We could be killed at any moment!



That girl is right. This is not the place to be joking around. We should really figure out what to do...

And then, as if ignoring what Oowada-kun just said, that voice raised up.

You’re all really noisy, you know?



Do you have that much time to spare? Or maybe you haven’t grasped our situation yet...?
Kirigiri-kun! Where have you been until now?! The meeting started long ago!

Without saying a word, she placed a sheet of paper on the table.



Huh? That looks like...!
They’re the floor plans for Hope’s Peak Academy.
Floor plans?





Wait... Where did you get...



…does it really matter?
Of course it does! Are you trying to be funny?
Let’s leave that aside for a second. What’s the meaning of these plans?



As far as I can tell by looking at them...
The building we’re in right now is exactly the same as the academy.
Do you mean we’re inside the real Hope’s Peak Academy?
As far as construction goes, at least.
But it seems someone did many peculiar alterations...
Alterations?
I don’t know all the details. I could only get the plans to the first floor.
But we’re really inside Hope’s Peak Academy... We weren’t dragged away to somewhere else...
Don’t be an idiot! This place is supposed to be an elite school, raising the nation’s future leaders, isn’t it?
If this is really Hope’s Peak Academy, where did the other students go to?



Oh, stop it already, ‘right? This gloomy conversation.
But aren’t you also worried, Hagakure-kun? About our... situation?
Worry? What is there to be worried about, ‘right?
This is nothing but an scary initiation event planned by the school, isn’t it?
Really, if you continue talking like that, you’ll drain all the ectoplasm from your bodies, ‘right?
I say we just wait it out. Go to sleep and rest our bodies until it’s all over.



Hee hee hee...!
Why are you giggling like that...?!
Thank god. Splitting up and investigating the school was worth it after all.
Hey, did you even listen to everyone? We found absolutely nothing helpful!
There is no way out and we have no clue about the culprit’s identity...
Oh? I think something became very clear as a result of our investigation.



The fact we are locked in a closed environment with nowhere to escape to is the confirmed, unavoidable truth.

We could only stay silent in response to her words
It was a reality we didn’t want to accept, but was right in front of our eyes.





D...don’t say it! Just as I was starting to forget it all...
Being locked in a place with no exit... What should we do?



It’s simple, isn’t it? If you want to get out of here all you have to do is kill.
This is not a joke!



Calm down, everyone!
Let’s think calmly about what our next steps should be...
I... can’t think of anything...



Adaptation. All we have to do is to adapt to our new lifestyle.
Are you saying we have to accept living in this place?
Knowing how to adapt is the difference between life and death.
The ones who survive aren’t the strongest or the cleverest. They’re the ones who know how to adapt to change.
Based on that, I have a proposition for everyone.
Ah? A proposition?



Since we’re trapped in this place, it seems we have no choice but to pass the night here.
Do you all remember the rule about Night Time?



2. The time between 10pm and 7am is called “Night Time”. During Night Time there are places that are forbidden to enter, so please take care.
3. Sleeping is only permitted in the personal rooms prepared for you in the dormitory area. Anyone intentionally falling asleep elsewhere will be punished.



I suggest we make one additional rule regarding this Night Time.
One more rule?
“Walking outside during Night Time is forbidden”. That’s it.
The school rules don’t forbid us to walk around during Night Time, they just restrict the places we can enter.



W...why do you think we should do that?
If we keep to the school rules, it will be easy to become terrified once night arrived.
We will keep imagining someone coming to kill us.
Eh...!?
If we let this paranoia that darkness induces engulf us, we’ll be completely worn out in no time.
Therefore, you are suggesting a way to prevent that by restricting our movement at night.
That said, unlike the school rules we have no way to enforce it. Everyone must decide for themselves whether to cooperate or not.



I think I approve.
It’s just like this goth loli says. If we don’t make some rules it can only lead to self destruction.



I also approve on behalf of the boys!



Suddenly you’re our representative?
So everyone is in agreement? I’m glad.
That settled, I shall retire for tonight.
Eh? Where are you going?



It will soon be Night Time. I want to take a shower before that happens.
Well then, I bid you all farewell.

Celes-san gracefully left the cafeteria.
She didn’t leave an opening for anyone to stop her, acting as if it was the most natural thing to do.



T...that was quite amazing... Acting as if there’s no problem living in this place...
Adaptation... was it?
What should we do, Mr. Chairman? We’re one person down.
H... hm...
Well, then. Let’s end the meeting at this point.



Night Time will be here soon! We must all prepare for tomorrow!



Do we really have to sleep in this place?
We have no choice. If we don’t sleep we’ll be too weak to do anything.



It seems we must give up for today...
We may be done for today, but what are we going to do tomorrow?



There is nothing to do but split up and continue exploring this building. Should anyone find something they can call the others to assist them.
I guess so.
So, I’ll see you later. I’m so tired...

My classmates left the cafeteria and headed to their private rooms with heavy steps.



Naegi-kun, we should also go.
Yeah, I guess so.



.........

Do I really have to sleep in this room?
That’s right - before I go to sleep let’s try the shower room one more time...
Only the ones in the girls’ rooms should be lockable, right?



Right, let’s try to open it...
*rattlerattle*

It’s useless. It’s locked after all...



Wrong answer! This door isn’t locked!
Uwaaaa!



That was a big reaction. It’s as if you’ve seen a ghost!



Wait, in this case it’s “as if you’ve seen a bear”, isn’t it?
W...what did you come here for?
Naegi-kun! It’s really bad! It’s super-duper-extra bad!
Ultra-magical-bad-attack!
Seriously, I just came here to tell you that only in your room, the shower room’s door gets stuck easily!!
So the reason it doesn’t open is because it’s stuck?



Didn’t you see my announcment? Or maybe you can’t read?
You can’t lock the shower room in the boys’ rooms!
There isn’t any reason to make the door lockable for the boys, you know!



Actually, I shouldn’t say that. But I’m not very knowledgable those roses or lilies...

The roses (bara) are a symbol of the boys love genre of manga, and the lilies (yuri) represent the lesbian-themed genre. Both are written for and consumed mostly by women.



Anyways, there is a trick to open your stuck door...
I came here to teach it to you.
Are you paying attention? If you push the top of the door while you twist the handle, it will open easily.
Why don’t you try it?

While twisting the handle, I pushed the top of the door...
And sure enough, I managed to get the door opened.



Upupupu... It opened...
Isn’t it ironic, dont’cha think? You getting the room with the bad door.
I mean, aren’t you supposed to have Super High-school Level Good Luck? It doesn’t fit at all!
And now, I take my leave!
Hey, wait!
......

Shit.



Ding dong ding dong







Ehhh.... This is a school announcement. It is now 10pm.
Night Time begins now.
The cafeteria’s doors will be locked shortly. You are forbidden to enter it.
Well then, good night. I wish you all have pleasant dreams...

Night Time... We promised we won’t leave our rooms.

I guess there’s nothing to do but sleep.

I collapsed on top of my bed, whispering that to myself.
My eyes closed immediately.
I wasn’t really sleepy, but my body was incredibly weary.
It was a feeling of weariness you’d get if you’re forced to watch movies for an entire day.
A feeling as if I was thrown into a fictional world.

It’s natural.
No one can accept the situation we’ve been thrown into that easily...



That’s how our first day at Hope’s Peak Academy ended.
If I go to sleep...
Maybe everything will be alright when I wake up. Maybe it’s all a mistake, and will disappear like a bad dream.
It would be a loathsome mistake, for sure, but it would be amazing. The best thing ever.


MONOBEAR THEATER



A life of luxury with kind Professor Monobear. It’s the start of a great new school year here at Hope’s Peak Academy.
It makes me so proud and happy.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making our wonderful ceremony for new students a success.
Never lose sight of your pride as a student of this school, and aim for new excellence every day!
I pledge to make your life here the best I can!