𝓓𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓕𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻

𝟎𝟒𝟔

Race Against Time

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After a restless night, you went to regain your energy in the restaurant. Before you could eat, however, Akane had other plans. She did tell you that she had a plan the other day, but you didn't expect her to pin Nagito to the floor.

"Playtime's over... Now... where'd you hide the bombs?" Akane demanded.

"That hurts... but I'll never tell," Nagito replied nonchalantly, "If you really want me to spit it out... You should try torturing me or something."

"... Huh? Torture?"

"Maybe... you can stab my fingers with that fork over there, or scoop my eyes out with that spoon... If you're not willing to fill me with despair, there's no way my hope will ever be... gh.... ghhhhh!"

Akane's hands suddenly wrapped around Nagito's neck, and his face began to turn a concerning shade of red.

"That's fine with me... Just die already."

"Akane, let him go!" you pleaded, trying to pull her off, only for her to elbow you roughly in the stomach.

"You stay out of this! I still don't trust you fully, no matter how nice you are."

You winced as you held your waist, the others rushing to your side to try and help. You knew Akane was strong, but you didn't know that she was that strong. Your waist hurt like hell.

"Wh-What are you doing!?" Fuyuhiko exclaimed as he helped you sit down.

"A-Akane!?" Sonia yelped, just walking into the restaurant.

"H-Hey... are you all right...? Isn't he... seriously gonna die...?" Kazuichi uttered.

Akane was too overcome with rage to acknowledge any of you. That was until Chiaki did something that you would have never expected. She slapped Akane in the face.

"Calm down... okay?" she said, "You wouldn't do something like that, right? You're not the kind of person who would hurt someone... Right? ... See, it's all right. Yep... no problem."

"... S-Sorry... I'm awake now..." Akane murmured, looking down in shame, "... What... was I doing anyway?"

"Th-That's what I wanna ask... Don't tell me you were actually thinking about killing him," Kazuichi said.

Before anyone could answer, Nagito started to stand up, and he was looking crazier than ever.

"Thank you, Akane... I got to see my dead dog again. I haven't seen him in ages," he said.

"Serves you right... You probably pissed off Akane in the first place..." Fuyuhiko said.

"Hmmm... I didn't mean to do that, though... Anyway, thank you for saving me. Looks like I owe you one."

"If you sincerely mean that, please tell us the password to enter the ancient ruin," Sonia said.

"Leon."

There was that voice again... Leon... 11037... What did it all mean...? Wait... could it be...?

"The password? To the ancient ruin? What are you going to do with that?" Nagito asked.

"Don't play dumb... You've hidden the bombs inside that ruin, right?" Fuyuhiko said.

"Yep, I did... until yesterday."

"Huh...? What do you mean, 'until yesterday?'" you asked.

"There wasn't anything important inside the ancient ruin... Just some familiar scenery."

"... Familiar scenery?" Hajime repeated.

"I got bored of it. Also... if I hid them in there, it would be completely meaningless. So even if you had managed to learn the password to the ancient ruin, it has no meaning anymore. Now that I've moved the bombs somewhere else."

"... But they were inside that ancient ruin, right?" Chiaki asked.

"... Anyway, I guess it was right for me to move them. They were about to be found before the traitor confessed. Well, it's not like it really matters... In fact, that might be better. To make hope shine even brighter!"

"Stop talking crazy and tell us where you moved the bombs already!" Fuyuhiko yelled.

"Looks like you're in a hurry... Well, that's understandable. After all, time runs out today. Then let's begin the final battle. The final battle between the traitor... and everyone else... The final battle between hope and despair...! The place I hid the bombs this time is... a place you've all visited at least once."

"That's it!? That's too broad!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"It shouldn't be that hard if you guys split up. For now, why don't you guys search everywhere as fast as you can? As long as everyone cooperates... it should be easy to find out where the bombs are."

"Wh-What the heck...!?" Hajime uttered.

"It's going to be fine... I'm pretty sure everything will work out in the end... After all... there's no way hope can lose... Absolute hope that can break through any despair can never lose in a place like this! And not only that... I believe in you all. I believe in the time we spent together. And more than anything... I believe in my Ultimate Luck! So it's going to be fine... As long as you believe in hope with all your hearts, the path should open..."

With that, Nagito walked away, leaving you all with that odd and somewhat sinister message.

"Dammit... Why does he still have to be alive...!?" Kazuichi rhetorically asked.

"... Now's not the time to complain about stuff like that!" Fuyuhiko said.

"Besides... we don't have time to fight among ourselves..." Chiaki said.

"You're right! We have to find those bombs before noon!" you said, your adrenaline making you forget about your aching waist.

"But based on all the places we searched... I don't know where we should look..." Kazuichi said.

"The only thing we can do is split up and cover as much ground as we can!" Fuyuhiko exclaimed, "There are exactly eight of us! Each person should be in charge of searching an island, and the other two will go with others to help explore the two largest islands, which are the fourth and fifth ones!"

"Then... leave this island to me. I already have the layout of this island in my head," Akane said, Minimaru following with "LEAVE IT TO ME!"

"If Akane has the first island... then I'll do the second one," Kazuichi said, "Y/N-chan should get the smallest island. Are you okay with searching the central island!?"

"B-But...!" Hiyoko began.

"That's fine by me," you said.

"Chiaki, you search the third island with the hospital.... Hajime, you search the amusement park island..." Fuyuhiko said, "And... I'll handle the final island. As for Sonia and Hiyoko... Sonia, you can come with me, and Hiyoko will go with you, Hajime."

"Alright... let's do it!" Hajime said.

"Let's hurry up and find those bombs so we can take care of Nagito once and for all," Chiaki said.

You all stormed out of the restaurant and went to your respective islands, determined to find those bombs. It was you against time, and you weren't going to let time win.

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