Danganronpa: Poisoned Hope (Fanganronpa)

Chapter 5 - A Traitor's True Anguish - Class Trial Opening

"Let's hurry along now so we can get this trial started, ok?" Monokuma told us as the elevator doors rattled open. We all took a step inside the familiar trial room.

The room looked the exact same as always. It had the same podiums, the same throne, the same pillars. It even had the distinct and horrid smell of death and decay that lingered around after multiple executions.

But for some reason, it felt different. Something was off. I couldn't tell what...

This feeling of uncertainty wasn't new for me. Mei's body had that same aura. Something strange is definitely happening in this academy...

Despite the weird vibe I got from the room, two new death portraits had already been set up in the spots where the person was supposed to be, as usual. One for Kei and another for Mei.

Never in a million years did I expect Kei to be the next one to die. Of course, Mei's death was still a surprise, but her murder was required to stop the motive. I wonder why someone would then Kei kill though...

His death is a mystery. We don't know a time of death or even a confirmed cause of death. I'm just guessing that the head wound killed him because that's the only fatal wound on his body. And his body is still missing. What exactly happened to him though? Did the killer move, hide, or dispose of his body? Where could he be...

There's also the mystery behind what he meant when he said he'll do something after we talked. What was he planning to do? I'm sure dying wasn't part of his plan...

Also, how did the killer escape the locked classroom? I still haven't figured that part out yet. It's a major part of the case, so if I can't solve that, can I even solve these murders?

There are so many layers to this case that still haven't been solved or answered. I just have to hope that I'll figure them out in this trial.

But it will be strange to do a trial without Kei. He's always one step ahead of us and was usually a main part of the trial. Now that he's gone, how will this play out?

The silence from the elevator followed us into the trial room as no one said a word. Monokuma immediately took notice of our behavior and tilted his head.

"Huh? Nothing? Aren't you guys excited?" He asked.

"Why would we be excited about something like this?" Reina replied, rolling her eyes at the monochrome bear. "Plus, you kept us waiting for ages up there. Now my legs hurt."

"Yeah yeah. You can whine all you want kid, but that doesn't matter. You're about to stand on a podium for at least an hour, so buckle up!"

"Tch, of course, it wouldn't matter to you...you're just a stupid robot..." she muttered under her breath so Monokuma wouldn't hear.

"Talking about podiums, how about we go and stand on our respective ones? Then we can get this trial started right away!"

We did as Monokuma instructed and all stood on our podiums, waiting for the trial to begin.

Another fight between the blackened and the spotless. Another trial with our lives on the line.

In less than 24 hours we've lost two people. But now with this trial, we're going to lose another to this twisted and horrible killing game. What's worse is that all of us might die if we got it wrong. There's so little of us left, so I don't want another one of us to die...but someone has to. Another person has to get executed to satisfy the sick mastermind who put us here.

I can't wait to discover the identity of the mastermind and escape this terrible place, but first, I need to solve this case. Then I'll find the truth of this killing game.

I'm...weirdly starting to sound like Kei. Well, before he got his memories back. He was so obsessed with finding the truth and leaving this place, but then he tried to kill us all himself. He really did change. Now he's dead...

I'm going to solve this case and the mystery of this school. That's what Kei and even Mei would want if they were here...

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