Part 52: Update XLIX - Part II

♪ BGM: DSO_DISTRUST ♫

Why is this happening!?
It's because they've been waiting for you to destroy that controller for sooo long...
...What?
Those people out there don't care whether or not the heads of the children are gonna explode... Rather... They sound pretty excited about it, don't you think?
That's the sound of people who have completely transformed into Demons.
And this is aaall your fault, Big Sis.
M-Me...?
It's because you stirred up the adults. It's your hope that turned them into Demons, y'know?
So that makes it all, aaall, aaaaaall your fault, Miss Komaru Naegi!
Wh-What are you talking about!? It's not Komaru's fault, it's yours!
W-Wait, listen to what she's saying!
If what she said is true, then she should have wanted to destroy the controller right away! She could have just destroyed the damn thing herself! Then she would have her war!
No, that wouldn't do! That would not be worthy of The Successor, now would it?



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

Sh-She can stand!?
She stood! Monaca...stood up!?

♪ BGM: DSO_DISTRUST ♫

Th-That's not important right now!
Not just the city, but the whole world... How could this happen...?



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

Are you gonna kill the children and play the savior? Or...are you gonna spare the children's lives, and let them keep slaughtering the adults?

♪ BGM: DSO_Living to the Fullest ♫

Who lives, who dies? That is your choice. There's no way to save both. One side has to die.
...And you're going to kill them.
Ugh... Ugh...
How it's about time you made your final choice. The final choice you can make as Komaru Naegi. Choose wisely.



Another choice.



But again, we have to choose to not destroy the controller.



♪ BGM: DSO_Ocean Breeze Dead End ♫

No, you're gonna break it all right. Monaca knows.
...Huh?
You're gonna destroy the controller, and then the children's heads are gonna explode. And that's when the war begins...
And The Successor, a new splendid symbol of despair, will be born!
Y-You don't know that!
And like, there's no way I'd ever accept *you* as a successor in the first place!
There's no way you can be a vessel of Big Sis Junko!
Kotoko... When did I ever say that Monaca wanted to be The Successor?
...Huh?
Monaca's not the one who's going to be The Successor.



♪ BGM: DSO_New World Order ♫

...Huh?
"Paint the world with despair"... That's what Big Sis Junko always used to say, y'know? And what could be more despair-inducing than having Makoto Naegi's sister be The Successor?
Sooo, the one who's gonna murder all these kids has to be Miss Komaru herself.
Wh-What are you saying?
Oh, don't worry, it's not hard. All you hafta do is destroy the controller. I've already prepared cameras so that the moment is recorded and sent to Future Foundation. With Monaca's video message as a bonus set!
Monaca already declared that Miss Komaru Naegi will succeed the legacy of Big Sis Junko.
Wh-What do you mean? Why would I...?
Like I said, don't listen to her! She's just trying to keep you from destroying it!
Puuuhuhuhu... Big Brother, you've just been saying that over and over... Adults don't like change.
You shitty little brat! Enough! Give me the controller! I'll destroy it myself!
But if we do that, the children will die!
What else are we supposed to do!? We have to end this massacre! What about all the adults who died? Are we just going to forget about them!?
D-Don't go dragging us into your revenge! Komaru has nothing to do with this!
That's right! There's no reason to kill them! You don't have to be a part of this one bit!
No need, no reason... No relation. That's the difference between Big Brother and Miss Komaru. This isn't personal for her.
But I knew that might be a problem. So Monaca made sure to make a special request.
To get Miss Komaru to want revenge... I needed help from her parents.
...Huh?



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

You too, Mom and Dad.
The climax is gonna start soon... Your child will be born again as The Successor to Junko Enoshima. Aha...ahahaha.



Are you ready for this? Take a potty break? Get a list of insults ready for Monaca? Have you mentally prepared yourself to surrender to despair, unable to suppress the urge to kill?
Then I'll show you!





Well, we know that when Monokuma kids bring in a TV, what's on that screen isn't going to be particularly pleasant...







Oh no.



Puhuhuhu...



♪ BGM: Absolute Terrified Girl ♫

You don't have to show them, y'know... I'm already well aware how terrible you are.
After all this, you're still showing off, killing adults!? How crazy are you!?



...Komaru?
...









Puhuhuhu... Didja notice? She wrote the names of her children before she died. You have such loving parents, I'm jealous.
Family love... It sounds so nice. Something I've never felt my whole life.
...







It's just a lie...
Th-Those bodies?
No, it couldn't be! There's no way! Normally a dying message is something like... Writing the killer's name...
Oh, that's not a very convincing argument at all... You can't refute me like that.
You hate me, don't you? You hate me, right? I played with the bodies of your family like toys, and now you want to kill me, right!?



N-No, wait! *That's* a lie.
Well... I'm not so sure about that...
You said your parents *are* missing...right?
H-Hey, what are you--
Showing it to you right now like this? That means it's gotta be true, without a doubt.
Now are you gonna just forget the fact that this bitch murdered your own parents!? Shame on you!
That's not fair! You said she was bluffing a minute ago!
You can't think of them as children, they're not anymore! They're the ones who are Demons! Destroy that controller and finish it! Kill them all! Not just for your sake, or your parents' sake, but for everyone who was murdered!
H-Hold on, w-we can't just do something like that...



♪ BGM: DSO_Living to the Fullest ♫

K-Komaru?
If you want me to destroy it that much, I'll do it!
I-I said hold on! Calm down and think carefully, Ko--
Shut up!
...Ah!

♪ BGM: DSO_Welcome Despair Academy ♫

Who...cares anymore...? No matter what happens to adults... No matter what happens to children... No matter what happens to this town, no matter what happens to the world...
I don't give a damn anymore! I don't give a damn!
K-Komaru!



I... I can't become like Makoto...
...
...This was all determined from the very start. The hope you felt was just for the sake of making you feel the worst kind of despair.
I knew from the beginning that you would fall into despair.







...well then. We only have one choice now.



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

But then, this happens.



We're suddenly in control of Toko, and when we run towards Komaru...



Uwaaaaaaaaah!



Toko just straight runs over Komaru...



...knocking the controller out of her hand.



♪ BGM: Like I Would Become A Monster ♫

Toko then quickly grabs it herself.

What are you doing? Outsiders have no business interrupting us.



I'm not an outsider! We're friends!
Huh?
Stop shouting nonsense!



Just hand that over!
No! I won't give it to you! I need to protect this controller! I need to for Komaru's sake!



Komaru, meanwhile, is in full "komaru.exe has stopped working" mode.

What are you talking about? She was going to destroy it!
Th-that's not how she really feels! I'm sure she's actually thinking that... that she doesn't want to do it!
Huh? How the hell could you possibly know that?



I-I don't know how, I just *know*!
Huh?
I've been told you weren't the type to interfere. That's why I chose you to take on the role of escort.



But it appears that the information Mister Servant provided was false.



So, how about this?



That's right! It's the key to the room where Mister Byakuya Togami is locked inside!



Say, you wanna trade this key for that controller? If you do, you can go home with Mister Byakuya Togami!
You're... telling me to choose between Komaru and Master?
Now it's your turn to make a choice!



Fine then... hand over Master's key.



I knew you'd do it! Now, why don't you just hand me that controller?
No, not gonna happen.
Huh?



Because... I'm taking Komaru home with me as well.
What are you saying? You gotta make a choice, that's the rules!
Wh-who cares about your damn rules?



You want me to make a choice? There's no way I could ever make that choice! I wouldn't choose one and leave the other behind!



Both are... both are important to me! So... so...
I'll definitely protect both!



What the heck? That's just unreasonable.



Enough already! Just hand over that controller! I'll crush it!



I'll... I'll never hand it over!



Do you want me to hurt you even more?
Hurt means nothing to me!



I'm sure you don't understand this, since you have plenty of disposable friends, but I finally made a friend in Komaru and I'm not going to hurt my friend!



So... I'll never hand it over!
Shut up! In order to keep the kids under control and end this nightmare, this is the only way!



No!



You're the ones who are out of control!
Let go!
I won't let go!



Hey... what are you guys doing?

But suddenly, the entire room starts shaking.

What... huh?



♪ BGM: DSO_Weekly Despair Magazine ♫

Uh... I don't think this was supposed to be possible.



Why is it... why is it moving?
Monaca has no idea... the only ones who can control Big Bang Monokuma are you and Papa... you are the ones who programmed it that way.
How...



Big Bang starts smashing up the place. While the others run, Monaca just kind of... stands there.



What are you doing? Jeez, come on!

Toko grabs Komaru and runs.



This feeling... it's so familiar.

And as Big Bang smashes into the place again...





Could it be?







♪ BGM: Silence ♫

Meanwhile, Komaru and Toko have made it to an outside deck on the Excalibur.









♪ BGM: This Is the Path We Follow ♫

Wh-What? *You* hit *me*.
My hand hurts... But that's not the only thing that hurts...
This is the first time I've ever slapped someone in the face! See what you made me do?
Now come on... Hit me back.
...Huh? Why?
I-Isn't it obvious? It... It makes us even...
I've never had a friend, so I... I don't... know what to do in situations like this...



So hit me!
F-Fine...



Th-That was pretty strong, jeez...



You're right... You're right.
My hand hurts...but that's not the only thing that hurts...
Yeah...



If you can't do something on your own... All I have to do is help you. If I can't do something on my own... All you have to do is help me. Helping each other... That's the advantage of working together, right?
...Yeah.
A-And just so you know, I won't comfort you or pity you... I'm not good at that stuff. And we still don't know if... If those were really your parents...
...
We can't be distracted by the stuff that doesn't make sense... Focus on what's happening *now*. What do you want to do right now? Have you decided...?
...Yeah. I have. I want to protect both.
I'm not going to play her sick little game. I'm going to save the adults and the children!
Hmph, greedy girl... Can't say I don't approve.



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

Oh, right, there was something else.



Big Bang has it out for our intrepid duo.





It's time for one more fight.



♪ BGM: DSO_New World Order ♫

Or maybe it's aiming for the controller... What should we do?
...Fight. I'll fight. I've decided. I'll fight to protect everyone!
...Toko... Will you help me?
...Isn't it obvious?
It's normal for friends to help each other.



♪ BGM: Discussion -HOPE VS DESPAIR- ♫



And here we are at the true final boss fight. The game waited all this time to bust out the discussion theme, and boy did it pick the right time.



Big Bang has several attacks, starting with him swinging his scepter at particular areas of the arena. Moving solves this problem fairly easily.



When Big Bang moves its hand away from its eye, that's our chance to attack. The color of the eye indicates what we should shoot with. So here we have a blue eye we shoot with Break.



Next up is a yellow eye, meaning we use Paralyze.



However, I think if you're not fast enough, you get zapped. I didn't notice any real way to dodge it except shooting it quick.



The next attack is a light blue, meaning Knockback.



Here, Big Bang summons an explosive similar to what Jataro did, and we shoot it back at it.



At times, after getting hit, it falls forward, giving you an opportunity to attack it with Genocide Jack.



It also has an attack where it charges up something on its scepter and then slaps the shit out of you with it. The only way to dodge this seems to be to switch to Genocide Jack, who is invulnerable.



Big Bang can also glow red and start charging at you. Here, you're supposed to shoot Burn at it.



From that point on, it's just a matter of dealing damage whenever you can until you enter the final phase.







The final phase is, surprisingly, some Despair Time inputs! The first input has Toko shock Big Bang with the stun gun...



...then Komaru shoots it with Paralyze, and then we enter a cutscene.



Toko goes Genocide and jumps super high into the air with Komaru.



♪ BGM: DSO_DANGANRONPA ♫

Komaru and I are not alone!



As long as there are friends who help each other, there's no need to despair at all.







I found it... I finally found hope. A hope to call my own!



Right, Komaru?
Yeah, me too!







Hope lives on!



And Big Bang gets blasted with the super Truth Bullet.



♪ BGM: Silence ♫





And it doesn't seem to be taking it all that well.



Its head blasts up into the sky...



...to the bewilderment of Komaru and Toko..



...but then also makes its way back down...



...landing right back where it started.



And the eye is about to shatter, revealing who it was who piloted Big Bang! And it's...



...Shirokuma!?



And as Big Bang Monokuma lies defeated, the adults aren't too happy.



♪ BGM: DSO_Welcome Despair Academy ♫

Th-That's... ...





I-It's not over yet... Nothing's finished yet... This is just... It's just delaying the inevitable! The children are still brainwashed, the adults still want revenge... In fact, they're even more angry now, having their hope killed like that.
So nothing's changed! This isn't a happy ending or a sad one! This isn't hope *or* despair! Nothing...has changed.
...
So are you gonna kiiill Monaca? Take a little revenge for yourself...? It's just fine, if Monaca is killed by Makoto Naegi's sister... That should be enough despair.
Give me...the key to Byakuya's room.
...Huh?
Hand it over.
...



Hm... At this point, I suppose I have to compromise. With no more hostage, Future Foundation will come, and the Remnants of Despair will follow. Maybe it's not going exactly to plan... But maybe a small-scale war will start... ...I'll compromise. Monaca has to be an adult sometimes, after all.
...
But this really has nothing to do with you two, does it? This town, this planet, they don't matter to you two. You just want your happy ending...
You're not even letting me have a small taste of despair!
Hmph, yak all you want. Let's go, Komaru.
...
Monaca miscalculated... I overestimated you. Though I guess Monaca was not the only one... You thought too highly of yourself as well. Monaca tried to imitate Big Sis Junko, you tried to imitate your brother... But in the end we both failed. Neither of us could live up to expectations.
...There's no way I could imitate him. And no way I'd want to. I am not my brother. Makoto is Makoto...and I am me.



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

And ending without hope or despair... Monaca will definitely...





I-I gotta get out of here!





I better not hear you beg for your life just because your plan didn't work.
...Huh?
You must have noticed by now. I was acting this whole time. ...But even now, I love you lots. Even though you betrayed me, my feelings haven't changed.
So... It'd be great if you could die in a totally adorbs death! Bye bye forever!



And off she goes.

...





...
You aren't satisfied with this, right? You aren't just gonna walk away...
I don't want it to end like this, either! Big Sis Junko would hate me if I let it end like this!
...Hope...? Despair...? ...I don't care anymore.

And off he goes too.



...Aha... Ahahaha... So this is what despair feels like...



And all she can do is laugh.



The Excalibur starts blowing up...



...and crashes into the ground near Towa Hills.



This causes Komaru and Toko to lose their footing. They've already made it back into Towa Hills and have entered the area where Byakuya is supposed to be kept.

Wh-what is that?



Whatever it is, there's really no point worrying about it now. More importantly, we need to save Master and get out of here right away.



♪ BGM: DSO_Desire for Execution... ♫

I... I know I can save both the adults and the children...
Well, we can chat about it after we get out of this damn town once and for all!



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

I'm staying in this town.
... ...
...Huh!?



And that's the chapter! I missed out on one Hidden Kid, but thankfully, that's enough for an A.



You actually make me angry and happy each time... You have more influence over me than anyone. Let's be together for the rest of our lives. Grow old together, die together... For now, we depart. Take off towards our future.



And as a reward, we get high praise and a new skill. I haven't checked what it does yet, though it's related to Genocide Jack somehow.



♪ BGM: Chapter End ♫





We're almost done. There's only two things left to do - replay Chapter 5 and get the stuff I missed, and the epilogue. We'll be doing them in that order.