Danganronpa Zero

Chapter Nine

Madarai reached a conclusion. There was some kind of secret hiding in that notebook.

Yes, that must be it. There is no such thing as precognition. She's been insistently writing in that notebook of hers despite the fact that terrible things are going to happen to her if she's caught - which means her secret must be in there. Madarai could not imagine what that secret was, but he was certain that there was one.

- Which means, if I snatch it away everything's going to be fine.

Madarai hadn't always been prone to complicated thoughts. He has often been told that contrary to his looks he was a cautious man, but that wasn't a trait he was born with. It was simply necessary for the job he had until recently.

But now... Now, that job was meaningless.

- It was my fault.

- It was because I couldn't protect them.

The only job that mattered now was finding the culprit responsible for The Worst, Largest Incident in Hope's Peak Academy's History, and getting revenge.

"...I can't afford to stand still. Not now." Madarai started running again, and thought about what he had to do next in simple terms.

- Catch my prey. Hurt her. Make her talk.

Now thoroughly serious, Madarai ran with all his power in the direction his prey had fled. He may have lost some time, but it was not yet a fatal loss. Even if she managed to escape, all he had to do was keep chasing her. As long as he didn't give up, it wouldn't be over.

- Catch. Hurt. Talk.

He repeated those three words to himself, slipping through the dark trees like a black snake. He was paying careful attention to his surroundings as he ran, and suddenly, his field of vision expanded. He arrived at a small clearing that looked like a plaza. He surveyed the area, and soon noticed a small prefab shed on the other side of the clearing. Light from a street lamp next to the shed flickered continuously, creating an ominous atmosphere right out of a horror movie.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

But even so...

"...It would be faster to investigate than to wonder what's going on."

Madarai reduced his speed, and stepped carefully towards the shed. Its cream colored walls and roof would normally seem pleasant - calming, even - but under the flickering light they just seemed eerie. Madarai stood in front of the shed, and started by peeking through the window set in one of the walls. The room in front of his eyes was dusty, matching the flickering light coming from above. It must be used for storage by the custodian of the central plaza. There were shelves packed with fertilizer bags and paint cans, as well as cleaning tools cramped all over the place. He couldn't see anyone inside - but there were a lot of places someone could hide.

Madarai turned away from the window and headed to the shed's entrance. The door was wooden and light. He first touched it with just his fingertips, and once he confirmed it wasn't booby trapped, he turned the handle.

It didn't open. Someone must have locked it.

Madarai crouched, and observed the grass growing around the shed. Patches of the ankle-high weeds were bent at their tips. Someone had stepped on them recently.

- Well, that settles it.

However, this certainty did not at all come as a relief. Quite the opposite - the cautiousness Madarai had briefly forgotten returned in full force.

- So, what kind of trap has she prepared for me?

Madarai took a couple of deep breaths. Then, right after he let the deepest one out, he turned to the door and kicked it with all his strength.