Part 156: Trial 6, Part 11

Click here to watch this update's video.







: The final Hangman's Gambit introduces dark green letters that take five hits to break.



: The letters are also moving at max speed and aren't on screen for very long so for the first time in the whole game, this minigame actually poses some challenge. Too bad it only happens on the final instance of the game on the hardest difficulty.



> HIJACK





: You're talking about you hijacking the airwaves, aren't you?
: Uh-huh. That's exactly what I'm talking about. To show the world the murders taking place at this school, which was meant to be a symbol of hope...
: That was the whole point of the Ultimate Despair! When I said "climax," THAT was what I was talking about!
: The world watched as you fell into despair, and began to kill each other one after another... Despair is as contagious as any disease; any hope left turns to despair.



: Puhuhu. Isn't the power of television just amazing!? By the way, since we started broadcasting, a whole bunch of people have tried to come and rescue you.
: A-Are you serious!?





: But utilizing the heavy weaponry I installed around the school grounds, I had no problem expelling them.
: You...expelled them?
: I have to thank you all. They were a relentless bunch, refusing to give up on hope and trying to force their beliefs on the world. But in the end, I was able to give them the final despair--death.



: So you just used us? To bring despair to everyone in the outside world...?
: Well sure, but I also gave you a second chance at life, right? So it's like...give and take!
: Give and take!? You're so full of...shit!



: And there's a reason I chose you guys to survive, when all the other students were dropping like flies... I mean, we built up two years of memories together. You were all my treasured classmates...
: Sorry, that's a lie. I just figured you'd despair even more when you found out a friend had betrayed you.
: And that's the truth! Which is what you wanted, right? So? Does it make you feel utterly lost and hopeless? You solved the mystery but despair at the truth, right!?



: Don't tell me... Did you seriously count on the possibility that we would solve your mystery?
: And if we did? Then what? Our final desire for creating this world of despair was so we could experience one last class trial. If you were bold enough to solve the mystery, only to discover that the truth was utterly hopeless...how would you react? What would you do?
: ...



: See? Discovering the truth doesn't necessarily lead to a sense of hope.
: Truth can be full of despair, too! Like right fuckin' now!

Truth...full of despair... That's...!

: Not to mention, all those motives I talked about were totally meaningless. I mean, with the world having ended and all...
: Meaningless? Then we...



: We've been murdering each other...for nothing?
: And think about it. You chose to lock yourselves up here, then started murdering each other to get out...
: We weren't just random strangers, either. We were classmates. We'd spent two years together...
: Kh--!
: Kyeeha--! No, even I can't laugh at that.



: We get it... We get it, okay? You're totally awesome, right? We get it already!
: So help us! I'll do anything! Just help me!
: A peasant begging for his life? How delightful! We've never witnessed such a travesty firsthand...
: But I'm sorry to say, begging doesn't work on me. All I want is despair. And there's no reason for it. And since there's no reason, there's no argument against it. There's just no understanding it. No argument, no understanding... What better definition of ultimate despair could there be!?



♪ Music fades out. ♪

: Wait, hold on... You've just been going on about whatever you feel like, but...
: But there's no real reason for us to believe anything you have to say!



: ...Huh?





: You say the world's fallen apart. But I haven't seen it for myself.
: So I don't acknowledge it...! I don't accept it as the truth!
: Until you see it with your own eyes, truth and falsehood overlap one another. In other words, you're not unlike Schrödinger's cat right now. Is that what you're saying? If so, what then?
: Are you saying you won't accept the truth until you can go outside and see for yourself!? Well you better not! You go out into that world, and you're all goners for sure! Trust me, I'm not lying about any of this!
: W-Well...even if it's all true...



: I refuse to give in! I refuse to lose to you! For the sake of everyone you've killed...!
: Huh? Everyone I've killed? What are you talking about? You're the ones who killed them.
: I didn't kill anyone. I simply gave you a little nudge in the right direction.
: And that's all it took for you to start killing each other. You're nothing but bloodthirsty animals...
: That's why anyone was murdered here, peasant!
: Say what you want about hope, but we're all creatures of instinct, right? Despair comes naturally!
: Hell yes! That's funny as shit!
: No...! This isn't just some game to us!



: It's murder, plain and simple!
: You stole our memories, invented reasons for us to do it... You pushed us all into a corner...!
: It's all your fault!
: You certainly have a talent for passing the buck, don't you? That must be your hope, huh? But we don't have much time left to keep up this banter. We have to draw things to a close soon...
: What do you mean?





: I'm talking about the vote, of course! You didn't forget about that little rule, did you? Oh! And also, since this'll be the last vote, I decided to change the rules!
: What...?
: You guys so full of hope... And me so full of despair... I've decided to have you vote which one will be punished! If even one of you votes to punish hope, well then...I'll consider that a win for me, and punish everyone on the side of hope!



: Even if it's just one person...?
: Oh, but don't worry. I won't be voting, of course.
: Even if you don't, you've still got the upper hand in all this!
: It's okay. Nobody would actually vote to kill themselves, right?
: Oh, let me just mention one more thing. When I win, to punish you guys...



♪ Music cuts out. ♪

: You'll have to stay here till you grow old and die. No fighting, no killing. That's your punishment.





What...?

: You mean...we'd just...
: We'd have to just...live here?
: She's saying she'll let us live!



: If you're not happy with that...then go ahead and punish me, and make your way to the outside world.
: Enter a world fallen from grace, where only despair exists. Where you'd likely be dead within a day.
: Wh-What are you saying? So no matter what, we're doomed...!
: Wait a sec! I just got hit with an inspiration bomb... Dying of old age is boring as shit, right? The audience at home isn't gonna dig that at all!



♪ Music cuts out. ♪

: So, here's what'll happen! One of you will get to experience an instant, super impressive punishment!
: What!? Y-You can't just--!
: Do you mean to say...you'll execute one of us?
: And I get to decide...who's gonna hafta suck it down!





: Makoto! You're up!
: ...M-Me?
: Yeah! You've been acting up, causing all kinds of trouble! I haaate you!



: So, let me make this clear. Everyone has two choices in front of them. If a single person votes for "hope" to be punished...then only Makoto will receive a harsh punishment, and the rest of you will live here in peace.
: If, on the other hand, you desire to see us punished, then you must all leave this place.
: I will force you out, ensuring you all die horrible deaths in the outside world.
: What I'm saying is, if you sacrifice Makoto, the rest of you will get to live out your lives.

Sacrifice me...? B-But that's--!

: What, has your resolve softened? Have you lost confidence? Are you afraid of being punished? Don't you have faith in your friends?



: N-No, that's not it...!
: It's okay. You're right to be afraid. It would seem all of those around you have realized the futility of going against me.
: ...
: ...
: ...
: ...
: G-Guys...?



: It's so beautiful... Your lovely faces, eroded by despair, have come together as one...
: Besides... Kyoko, you could never betray your father, could you?
: ...What?
: I mean, the headmaster's only wish was that all of you would survive, right? That's why he tried to trap you all here, after all! The least you can do is try to honor your dead father's wishes. Puhuhuhu!



: ...
: Kyoko...!
: One person's despair is enough to seal your fate. Isn't that just the most hopeless outcome ever!?
: So who do you think's gonna give in? Whose despair is gonna sign your death warrant!?
: ...



♪ No Music. ♪

: No one... Nobody's gonna give in to despair!
: We're not gonna lose to you!



: ...So boring. Stubborn till the very end, huh? Well, that's fine. Then let's just hurry up and get it over with. It's time for the final vote. Everything will come to an end. Your stupid hope... And your stupid life!



The final vote... This is it... The ultimate confrontation... I have to show everyone... I have to make them remember! I have to convince them not to give up. To live in despair...



That's not really living at all!