Part 30: A Ghost Is Born

MUSIC: V3 Argument -TURN UP THE HEAT-

VIDEO: Class Trial #1, Nonstop Debate #5









Where would they have hidden?





If that's true, the suspects...

are those who were alone at time of the incident.

The only ones who didn't go to the dining hall or basement are...



I knew the culprit was a male!





I can tell there's a contradiction...but I don't Angie's noticed it yet.



Good thing Shuichi devised a system to determine if someone in the library opened the hidden door!







What? You dare challenge Atua?

I don't think the hidden door was ever used.



It looks like the card reader wasn't used. That means the mastermind didn't hide here.



If anyone swiped their card key, the dust would have fallen.

We already confirmed during the investigation that there was no dust on the floor.

The bookcase hadn't been opened, so I doubt anyone was hiding in there.





Huh? Wh-What do you mean?

The culprit coulda been in the library before the cameras were even set.





When this sort of thing happens, you'll go into a one-on-one debate called a Rebuttal Showdown.
What's a Rebuttal Showdown? For now, let's explain the controls.



Move your Truth Blade with [LEFT STICK] and align it with your opponent's claims.
Perform a regular cut in the direction the blade is pointing by pressing [X].
Cut with a Truth Blade by pressing [TRIANGLE].
...Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you.
In this mode, Truth Bullets will be called Truth Blades.
Use regular cuts on your opponent's words, but when a weak spot appears...
slash it with a Truth Blade strike!
Of course, if you don't have the correct Truth Blade, you will not be able to cut an opponent's remark.
What's neat is, if you cut through multiple words at once, you get a time bonus.
Two at once gets you two seconds. Three is three... The more you cut down, the better.
Watch the position of your opponent's claim closely and slice as many as you can!
By doing that, you can skew the debate's mood to your advantage.
When the mood of the argument is in your favor, the debate will progress.
On the other hand, if you ignore the other person's remarks, it will skew toward their advantage.
And then you'll have to deal with loss of progress...
If you and your opponent's, arguments are even, a Blade Lock will occur!
When that happens, you have to mash [X] as fast as you can to push-them off!
Isn't slicing and dicing opinions with a Truth Sword the bee's knees?
What? Not really? Well, you shouldn't knock it before you try it.
You can also V Agree, so if blahblahblahblah...

Don't you mean V Cut?



NEW MUSIC: V3 Argument -BLADE LOCK-

VIDEO: Class Trial #1, Rebuttal Showdown







The main difference from the second game is that while we no longer have a limit on how often we can cut...



...now we have to pick an angle for it.

There's piles of books all over.



The tutorial doesn't tell you that the range of your aim is determined by how far you've pushed your opponent, or vice versa. I'm doing well so far, thus more of the oval track is revealed.

They coulda been hiding there, y'know?

They took out Rantaro, then took off.





wouldn't they have been caught on camera?



right after killing Rantaro.

So that's an improvement, but what isn't is the new design for Truth Blades.



Having a curved sword like a katana here doesn't work when you have to keep the name of the blade in a straight line like this.



The broadswords from DR2 didn't have this problem. Oh, and big text like this requires multiple cuts to chip away at it.

rejoin everyone, and we'd be none the wiser.



I have evidence I can present that will break down Ryoma's argument!



Nice try, but we did actually see everyone entering the library, remember?





Hitting V Points is so much easier with a Truth Blade, too.



Let's hear it, then. What's your reason?

If you take a look at the three pictures from the camera we placed near the front door...











Well... That does cover everyone, now doesn't it?

I guess the one who still has a ways to go...is me.

Don't worry about it. It's better to think about each possibility anyway. Right, Shuichi?



Hm? Ah, um, yes.

Is Shuichi okay? He's been really quiet...



So the real question is how the culprit entered and exited the library.

We cannot continue until we address that problem first!



A downside to how I'm doing this LP is that Kiyo is more reliant on body language and less on facial expressions, so you tend to miss out on some things if I just use portraits for him all the time.

It's almost like they were invisible.

Oh, but it wasn't me. My magic can only make you half-invisible.

...Your upper half, to be specific.

That's kind of a half-baked invisibility spell, isn't it?



How about the vent in the library? Maybe they came in through there.

But Shuichi and I were on lookout in the classroom with the connecting vent.

The culprit waited until Kaede and Shuichi weren't looking...then turned invisible!

Himiko is really gung-ho about her invisible culprit theory!



That's right... We have evidence that proves that would've been impossible.



No way we're not using this truth bullet after all the time Kaede wasted futzing around with those books. I mean, I can relate, but not in life-or-death situations.







KAEDE: While we were investigating, they were still neatly stacked the way I placed them.



That would be quite difficult to achieve on such a narrow bookcase...

If we've ruled out the vent and doors, then how'd the culprit get in and out of the library?

Maybe...divine intervention!?

Gonta no can think of any other way to enter...



Um... Have you been paying attention? The camera would've taken their picture.



Huh? Intervals?

What is that...?



So they snuck into the library between camera shots! To avoid appearing in the photos!



Miu! What's this interval you're talking about!?

Huh? Oh, *now* you're asking me?



Cuz I redesigned the cameras to auto-roll the film instead of having to do it manually.



Heeeeeeeeeee!

B-But...I told your little beta boytoy after I gave you the remodeled cameras...

What?

Sh-Shuichi...?



How could you forget to tell me...?

I didn't think it would affect the plan. I-I didn't realize it would matter...

I guess I just forgot to mention it... I'm really sorry...



Yeaaah, that's pretty much a lie.

N-No, it's not a lie... He probably just forgot...

There was so much going on at the time... it's only natural to forget, you know?

Y-Yeah...



Each interval lasted for 30 seconds, correct, Miu?

Yeah, sure, I'll explain it again to you mush heads...



From there, it takes 30 seconds for the film to auto-roll to the next photo.

So, for 30 seconds, anyone could've entered the library without their photo being taken!?

That may have been enough time to kill Rantaro and exit the library...



I've raided in MMOs. Thirty seconds can be a lot of time in the right context.

I see, I see! Then there's no doubt the culprit made use of the cameras' intervals.

That means the culprit was Miu all along! Since she knew about the intervals!



Oh yeaaaah. Welp, heh heh...who else knew about the intervals?

Hmmm... Now who was it again?



...A-Ah!

Kehehe... Well then, does this mean that he is the culprit we have been seeking?

Sh-Shuichi...?

Hey! What gives, Shuichi!?

Shuichi would never do that. Right, Shuichi?



You had better speak soon. Your silence only damns you further.

F-Fess up already! Did you kill Rantaro!?



Hey...Shuichi...? What's gotten into you?

Don't tell me you're gonna plead the fifth now.

Nee-heehee... Oh man, this is getting good. Entertain me, peasants!







That's...definitely not possible!