Part 68: Chapter 3 Deadly Life, Part 1

Hifumi's body, discovered in the nurse's office...



Taka's body, discovered in the equipment room... I was witness to two nightmares, one right after another. No... They weren't nightmares. This is...harsh reality. The true nightmare is this reality, the reality I have to face every day. But still...



: Why...is this happening?
: ...
: ...





: T-Toko!? Don't tell me...! Toko, too!?



: Relax. She just passed out when she saw the blood.
: The blood...?

Oh, that's right. When Toko is, um, Toko...she has a fear of blood, huh?

: We've tried everything to get her to wake up, but no luck. Just leave her be for now.

It's like he said. I should just leave her alone for now.





Another hammer... Now it's Justice Hammer 4, and it's even bigger than before...! Is that "suspicious individual" responsible for killing Taka, too...!?



: But...why is it Justice Hammer 4?
: Huh? What do you mean?
: Celeste was attacked with Justice Hammer 1, then Hifumi was hit with Justice Hammer 2. But this time it was Justice Hammer 4. What happened to number 3?
: Ah--!
: ...What's the matter?
: W-Well, when you mentioned Justice Hammer 3, you just reminded me...



: Out with it. Do you know something?
: Actually...Taka's not the only one that's been killed. Hifumi's dead, too!



: Wh...!? Hifumi's been killed!?
: Y-Yeah...
: Which is why you came to get us... Then we'd better go check it out.
: Of course! Come on!



So Sakura, Byakuya, and I rushed out of the physics lab. But as soon as we were out of the physics lab...



: Ah--!
: Celeste? Aren't you supposed to be waiting in the nurse's office?
: S-Something has...come up.
: Yeah, I heard. Hifumi is dead, right?
: Well...that is not all. It is...gone.
: Huh? What's gone?
: It has disappeared...
: Disappeared...?





: Hifumi's body has disappeared!
: What...?



: What are you talking about? It's disappeared? Don't be ridiculous.
: ...
: ...Are you serious?
: What the heck is happening here...!? Everyone, back to the nurse's office!



I practically leapt down the stairs, nearly losing my balance. I reached the nurse's office, completely out of breath.



♪ Music cuts out. ♪

: ...!

I couldn't believe my eyes...




Hifumi's body was there just a few minutes earlier.

: It just...disappeared?





: ...Me and Celeste went to the bathroom... But we were only gone for like a minute! And then, when we got back...
: This must be the work of the culprit. They must have come and carried the body away. They must really be enjoying this... Enjoying the sight of us standing around, frightened and confused...
: We're all going to die here. We're going to die, just like those guys died...



: I don't believe this. I don't believe a body would just...disappear.
: First there were two murders, and now one of the bodies has been taken? This is...unnatural.
: H-Hold on! What do you mean, TWO murders!?



: Taka's been killed. We found him in the equipment room.
: I-It can't be! Taka, too!? It can't be... It can't be...
: NooooooOOOOOOO!!!
: Hina, calm down!
: We're all gonna die... All of us... They're gonna kill all of us!





: Then who might the next target be? Toko?
: Huh...?
: I completely forgot! She's still unconscious in the equipment room!
: You left her at the scene of the crime!?
: We didn't have a choice. She passed out, and she refused to wake up.
: So she is still unconscious?
: Wait, so you knew she was still up there, and said nothing? Why...!?
: That annoying little insect clings to me wherever I go... We'd be better off without her.



: Y-You bastard!
: Calm down. You forgot about her, didn't you? You have no right to blame me.
: Everyone stop fighting! Right now we need to hurry back!
: I can't take this anymore... I don't want anyone else to die!
: Byakuya... If something's happened to Toko, I'll never forgive you!
: Hmph.



We shot out of the nurse's office and bolted up the stairs, heading back to the 3rd floor. We ran back to the equipment room at full speed. And when we got there...



Toko!

: Thank God you're okay.



♪ Music fades out. ♪

But right away I noticed... There was something very different here.



: ...!

It was gone... Taka's body, which should have been right there...had disappeared.





: This can't be happening...
: Are we hallucinating all this or something?
: No...it's not a hallucination.




I know I saw it before. And what I'm seeing now...isn't what I saw before.



: Wh-What!? Are you saying...Taka disappeared, too!?
: Stop saying "disappeared." It didn't just vanish into thin air. Obviously whoever did this has hidden the body.
: But why would they do that?



: I couldn't possibly begin to imagine.
: Anyway, our costumed suspect is clearly continuing his crime spree.
: We gotta hurry up and catch him, before he kills ALL of us!
: Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that.
: Huh...?



: Think about it... Who could possibly be responsible for killing and hiding these dead bodies?
: U-Umm...
: When Hifumi's death cry went up, everyone here was together on the 3rd floor.
: After that, we split up into two groups.
: And now this time, you all came here as a group from the nurse's office. In other words, the only ones who could have done this are Hiro and Kyoko, who are still missing.
: H-Hold on a second! Kyoko has an alibi for when Celeste and Hifumi were attacked! There's no question that she was in the dining hall with us!
: Hmph. You seem very adamant about defending her. Perhaps you are...in love?
: Th-That's not it at all!
: Well, anyway. Yes, I do accept Kyoko's alibi.



: Which means, the suspicious individual we're looking for can be none other than...Hiro.
: Which further means, there will be no more murders. The regulations are very clear about that.
: Oh, that's right...! There's a rule that says you can only kill a maximum of two people...
: As long as that rule is in place, there will not be a third murder. If they were to break that rule...



: I'd mince ya! Mince ya without a second thought! Mince ya, grind ya, turn ya into paste! By the way, did you know that fish paste can also refer to shellfish, like shrimp or crabs!? *leaves*
: ...Indeed.
: So since two people have been killed, there is no possibility of any more.



: You knew that from the beginning, didn't you Byakuya? Which means you knew Toko was never in danger...
: I still meant it when I said we'd be better off without her, though.
: Anyway, with that in mind, we can now relax and search for the two missing bodies.

The two missing bodies... Two people have been killed, and their bodies have been hidden. The only one without an alibi, the only one who could have done it...is Hiro. But...is he really the killer? And what about Kyoko? If she's not involved in this case, where did she go...?

: Hey, Makoto. What's the matter?
: Huh? Oh, no...it's nothing.
: Whatever. We need to find those bodies, or our little narrative here can't move forward.



: Very well. Then let us split up and begin searching.
: B-But...
: There is no need to be afraid. No more murders will take place during this case.
: I-I know that. I mean, I think I do. But...
: If you're still nervous, I'll come with you.
: O-Okay, thank you...
: No need to thank me.
: Then let's get moving. Yell out if you find anything.



Byakuya left the equipment room, followed by the others. I have to try and find the two missing bodies...