Danganronpa 4

Prologue

It's a fine day outside Hope's Peak Academy.

I am Hayato Tachibana, the Ultimate Forensic Psychologist.

I don't see it as a very special talent. Anyone could be good at detective work, but no one can hit bulls-eyes every time he or she shot an arrow.

The fact that Hope's Peak doesn't have a uniform surprises me a bit. Right now, I'm just wearing a black, unbuttoned tuxedo with a white shirt and a blue tie. My hair isn't even combed well.

This school's supposed to be for the best of the best in certain fields. I've heard of the Ultimate Etymologist, Ultimate Manga Artist, Ultimate Politician... Even Ultimate Occultist.

But me, I'm just a guy who's good at deduction. There's nothing wrong with that.

I step into Hope's Peak Academy.

The lights go out.

I start to feel dizzy.

I can't see where I'm going at all.

Suddenly, I trip on something. A wire, maybe? I hope not. I fall.

>>[]<<

I wake up.

I was inside the main hall, where I'm supposed to be.

I see a note beside me.

Come to the gym right away!

You might get in trouble!

-The Ultimate Libero

"The Ultimate Libero"? I know that's a position in volleyball, but...

Oh, I have to go to the gym.

I run as fast as I can. I spot a bright, brown door with a glass pane, and I can tell that there are definitely people inside.

I open the door, close it, and rush to the small crowd of other students.

"Oh, that makes for the sixteenth person," says a girl beside me. "I'm Ikeru Fujisato, the Ultimate Libero."

So that's the Ultimate Libero.

Ikeru's already signed up for the Olympic cadets in volleyball. She's barely lost any games, except for maybe a few neighborhood games when she was younger.

Ikeru had her black hair tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a dominantly dark blue seifuku with a red collar and red neckerchief.

"Oh, hi!" I reply. "I'm Hayato Tachibana, the Ultimate Forensic Psychologist. Not much of a talent, really, but I'm at least happy to be here."

"Happy?" snaps a blond boy. "How could you be happy? There's clearly something wrong around here! And you're supposed to be the Ultimate Psychologist?"

"Ultimate Forensic Psychologist," corrects the tall guy near me.

"Uh, Riku, you might wanna calm down if there's something wrong," responds another girl. "Hayato, didn't you notice the boarded-up windows in the hall?"

The blond guy, apparently named Riku, looks a bit young for a high school boy. He's wearing a green polo and cargo shorts.

"I was rushing a bit to come here, since Ikeru sent me this note telling me to hurry up here. So, yeah, I didn't really take the time to look around."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Ikeru apologizes.

"It's fine," I reply. "Anyway, since stuff's clearly weird around here, can't we assume we're all complete?"