Part 27: Fifteen Step

I couldn't stay put, knowing that the truth was so close at hand.

MUSIC: Rise of the Ultimates







We're gonna find out who the mastermind is!

MUSIC: Rise and Shine, Ursine!





Sure did. I came to see you, toots. Dehehe... You're as lovely as always.

Oh Monosuke, you're such a flirt. ...Ah, may I join you for a drink?



Hehe, thank youuu.





Hey, how long are you guys gonna do this for?





Use them...to take that bastard down! I-It's all up to...you...now...!



...Pfft, I'm so rich. What's a journalist gonna do about it? Nothin', that's what.



Teeheehee...I wanna fancy steak dinner.





MUSIC: Despair Searching

...



Yeah, finally...





The culprit should be in those photos, right?

Nee—heehee... How exciting. I wanna see the dumb look on the culprit's face.



Let's look at the photos taken by the camera near the front entrance first.

NO MUSIC

The envelope that says "Front Entrance" has a total of four pictures.

Let's see the first picture...

MUSIC: Living in a Lazy Parallel World



KAITO: Yeah, this was right before we found Rantaro's body.

TENKO: That's a pretty bad picture of me...but don't focus on it too much, okay?

KIYO: Rest assured, we do not care.

KAEDE: Alright, let's go to the next one.



MAKI: It's a picture of us running into the library after we heard Tenko scream. That doesn't help us at all. Hurry up and show us the next picture.

KAEDE: Y-Yeah, okay.



RYOMA: Everyone pictured here, myself included, was on our way to the basement... So we got there a bit late.

KAITO: Hey! These are all pictures of when we found the body!

KEEBO: There is one more photo of the front entrance, correct?

KAEDE: Yeah, let's take a look at that one.



SHUICHI: Ah, sorry...it looks like I tripped one of the sensors when I was removing the cameras.

MIU: Kh! What are you saying!?

TSUMUGI: Umm...this picture doesn't seem to have any clues that will help us either...







Did they both enter through the back door, then?

Let's examine the photos taken by the camera near the rear entrance, then.

Hm... Only two photos were taken by the camera pointed at the rear entrance. Um, let's see the first picture...



SHUICHI: So Rantaro went in through the rear entrance. Perhaps so no one would see him...

KEEBO: I thought it might be possible that he was moved to the library after being murdered... But that does not appear to be the case.

KIYO: So that means he was killed in the library after going there of his own will...

KAEDE: A-Anyway, let's move on to the next one! Maybe it'll show the mastermind!



SHUICHI: Ah...sorry...me again. This is from when I was removing the camera...

HIMIKO: Nyeeeh... What an attention hog!

KIRUMI: He had no choice... To remove the cameras, he had to be close to the sensors.



That's all for the rear entrance. Just these two photos.





Wh-What does this mean? They're not in either the front or rear entrance pictures...

...

Yeah, that's pretty odd. Why isn't there a picture of the mastermind entering?



...

Let's look at the pictures from the hidden door camera. That might tell us something...

O-Oh, yeah... That camera should've captured the moment the mastermind opened the door.

I hoped that was the case as I removed the photos from the envelope. There were two photos. The first one was...



SHUICHI: But...if Rantaro was the one who moved the bookcase, then...

KOKICHI: He must've known about the hidden door.

RYOMA: Could the culprit have gone into the hidden door?

KEEBO: Yes, that is a possibility.

KIYO: For now, let us see the next picture. There is one remaining, isn't there?

KAEDE: Y-Yeah, here it is.



KAITO: Huh? What's Rantaro doing?

RYOMA: It looks like he's reaching for the camera. Maybe he was trying to remove it.

SHUICHI: Ah, I did notice something while I was removing the camera... The security sensor for this camera was switched off.

KIYO: In that case, this photo was likely taken just before the sensor was turned off.

SHUICHI: But that would mean that Rantaro noticed it... He saw...our hidden camera...

KEEBO: Moving the bookcase triggers the sensor, which in turn activates the camera, right? The bookcase appears to have already been moved, so why did the sensor activate...?

TENKO: Who cares!? What happened to the culprit!? How come they're not in any of the photos!?

KIRUMI: This last photo must have been taken shortly before Rantaro was killed...

KIYO: If so, then the culprit should be pictured right behind him in this photo.

KAEDE: Then why is the culprit nowhere to be seen?





That's all the photos...





Did she really develop all the photos? Maybe she got rid of the ones that showed the culprit?

MUSIC: Rise and Shine, Ursine!





I swear by my almighty Daddy that I did.

Those are all the photos from the hidden cameras, so relax and get to deducing.

MUSIC: Nightmare in the Locker



If the culprit didn't go to the library, then how'd they kill Rantaro!?

Nyeeeh... So this must be what they call a perfect crime.

A perfect crime!?

...













KIRUMI: His student handbook did not contain much in the way of pertinent information...

KIYO: I doubt it has anything to do with the case. He simply had his Monopad with him.

SHUICHI: I inspected his Monopad, but I didn't find anything suspicious about it.

KOKICHI: Aw man, so it's got nothing to do with the case. How confusing.



...Kaede, are you okay?

Why...? Why aren't they in the pictures? If the mastermind had these photos, it would have solved everything...



K-Kaede!

NO MUSIC





AUDIO: Class Trial Announcement #1



Please assemble in front of the Shrine of Judgment in the courtyard! Remember that red door surrounded by plants? It's just on the other side. From there, you'll be escorted to a delightful class trial! Puhuhuhu! See you all there!



MUSIC: Rise of the Ultimates



It seems we have no choice but to continue this discussion at the class trial.

*sigh* I don't want to go...

Me neither... What a pain...



I-It'll be fine... I just...feel like my back is up against the wall.





Yes, that's right.



Isn't beating them to death going a bit far?







Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I'm just so shocked... I really thought that everything would be resolved once we looked at the photos...



I can still expose the mastermind in this class trial. And then everything, even this killing game... will come to an end.

I'm okay now, Shuichi.



MUSIC: Despair Searching





MUSIC: Heartless Journey



Do you really think it's one of us...? Not just the culprit...

But the mastermind as well?

Huh? Isn't that what you told me, Shuichi?

Y-Yes, but...



Well, I don't know if it's true, either. But that's why we need to confirm it.

If you just dismiss a possibility and look the other way without confirming anything...



...

What's the matter, Shuichi? You seemed so sure of yourself during the investigation.

Ah, sorry... Let's go. I'm sure they're waiting for us inside.



MUSIC: Nightmare in the Locker



Careful, everyone! If bad things happen, get behind Gonta!

Then gimme a piggy-back ride!

C'mon, carry me.

Omigod, you are so fucking annoying! So are we doin' the class trial here or what!?

No. Monokuma made it sound like we'd be guided somewhere from here.





The way forward is obvious, but let's talk to everyone before we use it.

Gonta do his best! Let's work together and get outta here!

Don't worry about my cospox. It always goes away as soon as I stop trying to cosplay real people. Oh! I wonder... If I still had cospox, could I get a note and be excused from the class trial?

No...I guess that's out of the question...

Don't worry. Even if we gotta do a class trial or whatever, I'll do something about it!

...

I'm sorry for what I said before... This is important, and I...

You'd better get ready... There's nowhere for us to run.

It's finally happening! I can't wait to see what's in store for us!

Where the hell are they gonna guide us!? There's nowhere else to go!

Get your jacked up-lookin' face outta my sight, ya goddamn runt!

Those who will be judged and those who cast judgment...they are two sides of one coin.

I wonder what awaits us on the other side of this fog of deception. Kehehe...

Those photos were a bust, so how are we supposed to find the culprit now?

An intriguing air surrounds that Monokuma statue... It's annoying me to no end.

If Monokuma's not gonna show up, then can we just go back...?

I'm sorry, I can't even posit a guess as to who the culprit might be...

But I haven't given up! I assure you, we will avenge Rantaro!

My determination is maximum! I will avenge Rantaro!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... That Monokuma statue is absurd.

Even Atua agrees. He says it should be replaced with a more divine statue.







Wah! Wh-What!?

VIDEO: Shrine of Judgment Elevator

MUSIC: Wonderful Story



Does he want us to board it?

I don't wanna... I don't do scary rides.

I...don't want to get on it either.



Yeah, that's true... I know...

However, if everyone wishes to run away, I will cooperate as well.

That's probably not a good idea. There's nowhere to run.





MUSIC: Moon on the Water

Remember our promise? We're gonna escape this place and remain good friends afterward...



Because...we make such an incredible team.

Heh, I wouldn't be able to call myself a man if I was still scared after hearing a girl say that.



Don't you mean "die"?

Don't say something all ominous like that!



We have no choice... We can't turn back now...







Because I decided to fight... And then, everyone had boarded the elevator.





AUDIO: Silent Elevator

NO MUSIC

Whoaaa! That's super cool. It's actually an elevator.

E-Even so...this elevator is going pretty far down...

Kehehe...we're falling... I wonder how far we will plummet...

Nyeeeh... I suddenly have to go to the bathroom real bad.

By all means, go ahead.

Of course! A robot *wouldn't* understand how inappropriate that is!

...

As we waited to reach our destination, I whispered to Shuichi.

Um, Shuichi... About that talk from before...

...What?

AUDIO: Secrets



But the people who are willing to find the truth are the ones who can decide their fate. If you never know the lies from the truth, then you can't choose a path. You won't even know you're on a path. So...fight for the truth... Even if it is frightening. I know you can do this.

...

He can't stop staring at Kaede's ear, or maybe that's just me.

If you're scared, borrow the strength of others who will be there to help you. Think of everyone you're helping, and let that be your strength. I used to be like you... Before a piano concert, I was always so nervous that I thought I would vomit... ...But then I would remember all the people I've made smile with my performances.

Kaede...

"Do you know gauges are supposed to go in your earlobe, not your ear canal?"

Alright, let's go! It's better to end bad stuff like this as soon as possible!



To inspire me, so I would not turn back...



The doors slowly opened to reveal what awaited us on the other side...

MUSIC: Rise of the Ultimates





Oh boy! The class trial is finally starting! Finally, a game that actually feels like a game!





Th-That's not true... There won't be any... gory or violent scenes... I'm positive...

This is an authentic replica of a courtroom.

Hmph, what bad taste...





You are seriously the worst!

Puhuhu... Worst or not, those who have fun are the real winners in this world!



Wow, this is so sickening it's almost refreshing. So, how do we get this game going?

There are podiums over there. Please stand behind the one with your name on it.

NEW MUSIC: New World Order V3



As I walked toward my podium, an image of his body flashed in my mind.



He died without knowing his own Ultimate talent... No... He was murdered...by some horrible, lowlife scumbag... I'll never forgive his killer... That's why... We're going to expose the mastermind and end this killing game! That's all I can do for Rantaro now...



The mastermind who's controlling Monokuma and forcing us to play this killing game...



But we have to find out who it is, so we can lift our suspicions of each other...



Poor Rantaro doesn't even get a portrait here, like Fatogami did.

That's why I'm here... I can't show any fear here... I must fight till the bitter end.



Next time, we learn how to play the game part of the game.