Chapter 6: Class Trail of The Ultimate Pop Sensation, All Rise!

-TRIAL, ALL RISE!-

"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out "whodunnit" then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one... then I'll punish everyone *besides* the blackened, and the one that deceived everyone else will graduate!", Monokuma explained from his throne.

"And the killer really is one of us, right?", Makoto confirmed.

"Of course!", Monokuma agreed.

"Okay then... everyone close your eyes, and whoever did it, raise your hand!", Taka instructed.

"Uh... Taka, that is just dumb. I am sorry, but it's the truth.", I sighed.

"Before we move on and start the trial, can I ask a question real quick? What's going on with... those pictures?", Kyoko pointed at the two pictures of the deceased, Junko and Sayaka, crossed out in red ink.

"I'd feel awful if they got left out just because they died. Friendship penetrates even death's barrier!", Monokuma explained.

"Friendship... penetrates?", Hifumi mumbled.

"Hifumi, if I hear you say something remotely pervy one more time, your brains will end up on a wall, got it?", I smiled. Hifumi visibly shuddered and nodded.

"Okay, but what about that other empty seat? There were only sixteen of us to begin with, so why are there seventeen seats?", Celeste pointed at the empty seat in front of the throne.

"Oh, no reason. It's just that our little courtroom here can technically fit up to sixteen people. Okay, that about does it for the preamble. Get ready to get started! First up is the case summary. Now, let the class trial... begin!", Monokuma cheered.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Kiyotaka Ishimaru: I assert that the one who was murdered was Miss Sayaka Maizono!

Yasuhiro Hagakure:... Yeah, we know that part already.

Byakuya Togami: And the murder took place in Makoto's room.

Aoi Asahina: In the bathroom...

Chihiro Fujisaki: So it seems most likely that... The killer must have taken her by surprise while she was in the bathroom. She didn't even have a chance to resist...(COUNTER WITH "EVIDENCE OF A STRUGGLE")

Makoto: NO, THAT'S WRONG!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"Just a second, Chihiro. Try to remember how my room looked... With the way things had been damaged, I think we can definitely assume there was a struggle.", Makoto explained. I pulled out a Polaroid of the room and passed it around the others to see. They all got a close look and gave it to me.

"A struggle? Between who... and who?", Chihiro asked.

"Between Sayaka and the killer, of course.", Makoto nodded.

"So you're saying... Sayaka wasn't caught by surprise in the bathroom...?", Chihiro mumbled.

"She must have been attacked in the main room first, then she ran to the bathroom to try and hide. The killer followed her in, and that's where they finished the job...", Celeste explained.

"That much should have been obvious after taking one look at the scene. It shouldn't even need explaining.", Byakuya shot.

"S-Sorry...", Chihiro mumbled.

"Chihiro, you don't have to apologize. You didn't know, no one blames you for that.", I assured.

"...Okay, so what's next?", Hiro asked.

"Next is the subject of the murder weapon.", Sakura confirmed.

"Wow... this is starting to sound like a real trial!", Hifumi mumbled.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Sakura Ogami: So what was used to kill her?

Kiyotaka Ishimaru: There was some kind of sharp object thrust into her stomach... Without a doubt, that is the murder weapon!

Mondo Owada: So the killer used some random knife they had on 'em... (COUNTER WITH "KITCHEN KNIFE SET")

Kuno Sawa: OBJECTION!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"It *was* a knife, but not just any random knife. I'm positive it was a kitchen knife.", I explained.

"Huh? A kitchen knife...?", Mondo mumbled.

"During the investigation, I found that one of the knives from the kitchen was missing.", I said as I showed them a picture of the missing knife from the rack.

"Which means that knife must be the murder weapon.", Sakura confirmed.

"Ohh... yeah, I guess that makes sense. You could sorta see the weapon stickin' out of her stomach... And if you look real close, I could totally see that being a kitchen knife.", Mondo agreed.

"Okay, so the murder weapon was a kitchen knife. But where does that get us? I mean, we all know Makoto killed her, right!?", Leon accused.

"That's r-right... Makoto's room was the s-scene of the crime. What more proof do you n-need?", Toko stuttered.

"H-Hold on a second! I'm--!", Makoto was cut off.

"Let's draw our conclusions *after* we've presented our arguments. Otherwise, what's the point of the trial?", Kyoko asked.

"Well we can talk all we want, it's not gonna change *that* conclusion.", Leon grumbled.

"But Kyoko's right. If we keep digging, we might find something that will change this whole trial on it's head. Let's leave no stone unturned!", I nodded.

"You really believe that...?", Hiro mumbled.

"Of course I do. Now, let's continue.", I smirked.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Leon Kuwata: So I guess there's no question that the kitchen knife was the murder weapon. But where does that get us?

Toko Fukawa: M-Makoto must have taken it f-from the kitchen, right? He did it in s-secret, when nobody was in the d-dining hall...(COUNTER WITH AOI'S ACCOUNT)

Makoto Naegi: NO, THAT'S WRONG!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"Okay, wait, hold on. I didn't take the knife from the kitchen.", Makoto said with confidence.

"Next you're g-gonna say you're not the k-killer, right? Go ahead and say it all y-you want...!", Toko sassed.

"Well, what if I have a witness? What do you think, Hina?", Makoto asked.

"...Huh?", Hina looked a bit confused.

"Remember what you were telling me earlier?", Makoto questioned.

Well, I went to go get some tea from the kitchen last night, and all the knives were still there. But when I finished my tea and went back into the kitchen to wash my glass... one of the knives was gone.

The knife disappeared while you were drinking tea in the dining hall?

Yeah...

"Just to be perfectly clear, the knife disappeared while you were in the dining hall, correct?", Makoto asked.

"Y-Yeah, that's right...", Hina confirmed.

"And at any point while you were there, did you ever see me come into the dining hall?", Makoto interrogated.

"Umm... no, I don't think so...", Hina muttered.

"You don't "think" so?", Byakuya scowled.

"... No, he definitely wasn't there!", Hina declared.

"The knife disappeared while Hina was in the dining hall. But I wasn't there the entire time. In other words, there's no way I could have taken the knife!", Makoto pointed out.

"Okay, th-then what about this...? What if the i-idiot swimmer girl and M-Makoto are in on it together, a-and lying to protect each other?", Toko suggested.

"Idiot swimmer girl!? Oh, and more importantly, why would I get involved in something like that!?", Hina retorted.

"Speaking of which, I'd like to ask the bear... if there *is* an accomplice, do they also become "blackened"?", Byakuya asked.

"So you ask, and so I shall answer! Each murder is allowed to have an accomplice, but only the one who does the killing will get to graduate.", Monokuma explained.

"So in other words, two people can work together, but one of them has no chance of profiting from it...", Kyoko deduced.

"Then there's no way anyone would work together, right...?", Mondo asked.

"But... what if they *did* work together, and they just didn't know about the rule?", Chihiro mumbled.

"Uggh, good grief! Enough already! No, okay!? There are no accomplices in this case!... Oops! Did I say that out loud...?", Monokuma laughed.

"Judging by what Monokuma just spilled out of its mouth, Makoto didn't go to the dining hall, and he didn't take the knife. Hina has confirmed this, and she isn't working with Makoto. So, Makoto isn't the killer.", I smiled back at Makoto. He seemed relieved and gave me a wide smile.

"Okay, so then... who *did* take the knife?", Chihiro asked.

"Hina seems the obvious candidate. After all, she just said she was in the dining hall...", Celeste pointed out.

"N-No way! I swear it wasn't me!", Hina yelled.

"Sure, but can you or anyone else prove that?", Hifumi asked with an accusing finger.

"I can.", Sakura suddenly spoke with true confidence.

"That's right! Sakura was with me the entire time I was drinking my tea...", Hina confirmed.

"Uhh... I hate to have to ask, but just to be sure, Sakura's...", Leon mumbled. I knew he was trying to ask if Sakura was a girl or not, with her muscled body and large stature.

"Me.", Sakura simply put. I gave Leon a signal. He looked at me with a pleading look. I mouthed out "Lady" and he seemed to understand.

"... Right.", Leon nodded with a nervous smile.

"But then... couldn't either one of them have grabbed the knife?", Hiro asked.

"Actually, no. Because... um... well...", Hina mumbled.

"Just spit it out already!", Mondo growled.

"I stayed in Hina's room last night.", Sakura admitted.

"I got so scared thanks to those creepy videos. I wasn't really thinking, I just asked her to stay over. Which means we have airtight alibis!", Hina explained.

"You s-stayed over...? Doesn't that v-violate one of the school r-regulations?", Toko asked.

"We're not allowed to sleep anywhere but the dorms, but it doesn't say we have to stay in our assigned room... So... I don't think that's a problem.", Chihiro sighed.

"It IS a problem! A boy and a girl spending the night together!? It's... It's... unwholesome!", Taka yelled.

"But... I'm a girl.", Sakura simply answered. I thought she would be mad, but I was relieved she kept calm and answered with a straight face.

"Wh--!? You are!? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!", Taka apologized.

"But if it wasn't either of you, then what other possibility is there?", Celeste asked.

"Actually, there *is* one other possibility. Right, Hina?", Sakura asked.

"Oh yeah, that's true! One other person did come to the dining hall while we were there.", Hina confessed.

"Girl, why in the actual hell did you not say anything before!? That could have cleared up this whole conversation!", I groaned.

"Well, because... they're not here anymore. Sayaka. She's the one who came to the dining hall. And then later... she wound up dead...", Hina explained. I was shocked by this new information, which may have flipped the idea of the case.

"Then... Sayaka is the one who took the knife...?", Makoto asked.

"It looks like that's the only possibility.", I mumbled in deep thought.

"And thinking back on it, she was acting kind of unusual... When she came into the dining hall, she didn't even look at us. She went straight to the kitchen. As she left, she said she just wanted a drink of water. But most likely...", Sakura sighed.

"Then the person who took the knife was the victim herself!", Taka declared.

"I'm sure... I'm sure she just took it for self-defense...", Makoto mumbled.

"So you're saying the knife she took... was then taken from her, and she was killed with it? In that case, you may not have taken the knife, but you still could have killed her.", Byakuya deduced.

"What!?", Makoto looked stunned, and I didn't know what to say. I wasn't going to give up just yet, but I had to think a bit.

"S-See!? He did do it, a-after all!", Toko accused.

"No, you're wrong!", Makoto desperately retorted.

"So that's how you would twist the argument and send us all off in the wrong direction...!? Hm-hmm... You possess a most terrifying talent...", Hifumi muttered.

"Hold on. It's still too early to decide conclusively that Makoto is the killer, wouldn't you say? Because, you see, if the room did belong to the killer, then they did something most bewildering. And until we unravel that little mystery, you simply can't declare that he's the killer.", Kyoko explained.

"Bewildering? What the hell are you talking about!?", Mondo asked.

"Something was missing from the scene of the crime that by all rights should have been there. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?", Kyoko asked me.

-HANGMAN'S GAMBIT!-

HAIR

NOW I SEE THE TRUTH!!

-SUCCESS-

"That's right! There wasn't a single hair on the floor of the scene!", I realized.

"So... the culprit removed some evidence?", Chihiro asked.

"Correct. And if Makoto was the culprit... Why would he need to get rid of all the hair in his own room? It wouldn't be a surprise to find Makoto's hair at the scene of the crime if the crime scene is at his room.", I explained.

"The reason all the hair was gone... was to remove any trace that Sayaka had ever been there. That makes sense, does it not?", Celeste questioned.

"No. If that were the case, they would have had to do something about the body itself, not just her hair.", Kyoko pointed out.

"Ah-ha-ha! Yes, very true, very true!", Hifumi laughed.

"Okay, then why wasn't there any hair on the ground?", Leon questioned.

"The killer got rid of it all. of course. To remove any trace that *they* had ever been there.", Kyoko explained.

"Wait, then that means...!", Mondo gasped.

"Precisely. It's simply beyond reason to believe that the room's owner and the killer are one and the same.", Kyoko said with a nod.

"Then... Makoto isn't the culprit?", Chihiro realized.

"But are you sure we can decide something so important based solely on the absence of some hair!?", Taka asked.

"No. There are other reasons that prove why Makoto couldn't have done it.", Kyoko replied.

"I would like to hear these reasons...", Sakura muttered.

"Do you remember anything remarkable about the bathroom at the scene? Sayaka was attacked in the main room first, then fled into the bathroom, right?", Kyoko asked.

"Yeah, then they ran after her, got into the bathroom, and stabbed her...", Mondo growled.

"And how did the killer get into the bathroom? Did they have any trouble with it?", Kyoko questioned.

"What do you mean...?", Celeste mumbled.

"It's fairly certain that the killer had some trouble getting into the bathroom... There was clear evidence left behind. Do you remember, Makoto?", Kyoko looked at Makoto expectantly.

"I GOT IT!! Evidence that the killer had trouble getting into the bathroom... You're talking about the doorknob, right?", Makoto asked.

"Huh? The doorknob? What doorknob?", Hiro asked.

"The doorknob for my bathroom... It was completely broken. See how the top part is unscrewed, and the doorknob's about ready to fall off?", Makoto signaled me to pull out the photo of the broken doorknob and show it to everyone.

"Oh yeah, true... But what does it mean?", Chihiro asked.

"In trying to bypass the lock, they ended up nearly removing the entire doorknob. This is another most bewildering act for the room's owner. It proves Makoto is beyond suspicion.", Kyoko explained.

"So what, you're saying he wouldn't break the door in his own room? But if the only choice you have is to break it, you break it! There's nothing "bewildering" about it!", Leon countered.

"You still don't see? Okay, then... Let's take another look at how the incident unfolded. Hopefully, that will help you understand...", Kyoko smirked.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Kyoko Kirigiri: The incident took place in Makoto's room. Sayaka was first attacked in the main room. She then fled into the bathroom.

Mondo Owada: Then the killer ran after her... And they got into the bathroom.

Leon Kuwata: At that point, the killer had to try and bust down the door... Because Sayaka had locked it. (COUNTER WITH BATHROOM DOORFRAME)

Kuno Sawa: OBJECTION!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"The reason Makoto's bathroom didn't open wasn't that it was locked. After all, the girls' rooms are the only ones with locking bathrooms, right?", I explained.

"Yes... Now that you mention it, that is true.", Sakura nodded.

"Then... why didn't Makoto's bathroom door open...?", Chihiro asked.

"Because it was stuck.", I replied with a smirk.

"Huh? What are you talking about?", Leon muttered.

"Makoto's bathroom door doesn't fit the frame well.", I explained.

"Yup! True as true can be! But ya know... you're supposed to be the Ultimate Lucky Student, right? But to have such a cruddy door... Puhuhu...! That's not lucky at all!", Monokuma laughed at Makoto.

"So the reason the door didn't open was just because it was stuck... But the killer didn't know that, and assumed it was locked. So they tore apart the doorknob to get in.", Kyoko explained.

"Okay, but then why would the killer even think the door was locked in the first place? Everyone should have known you can't lock any of the boys' bathrooms.", Celeste questioned.

"The killer could easily make that mistake, thanks to one important detail about the scene of the crime...", Kyoko looked back at me with a smirk.

"I KNOW THE TRUTH!! The killer must not have realized that it was Makoto's room.", I guessed.

"What!? Are you saying the culprit didn't even know where he was? That's... inconceivable!", Hifumi yelled.

"And yet, she's absolutely right.", Kyoko replied.

"SAYWHAAA!?", Hifumi stepped back before balancing himself again.

"Well, to be more specific... What the killer didn't know was that Makoto and Sayaka had switched rooms. Which is what led to the misunderstanding about the bathroom. If Sayaka had been in her own room, then...", Kyoko trailed off.

"Then there would have been a lock on the door, and they would've had to break through...!", Taka gasped.

"So they had no idea how unnecessary their actions were...", Sakura sighed.

"Ultimately, we can't know if it came open by force or simply by accident, but... The killer must have been considerably confused, with no idea how they actually got the door opened.", Kyoko smirked.

"Regardless, it was a pointless act. Wasting time trying to break down a door that wasn't locked is...", Byakuya trailed off.

"...definitely something I wouldn't do, since I would've known exactly why it wasn't opening. Right?", Makoto explained.

"That is... a definite possibility.", Byakuya sighed.

"So the killer would have to be someone who didn't know they'd switched rooms...?", Chihiro mumbled.

"Then Makoto *c-couldn't* have done it...!", Toko realized.

"*Now* do you guys get it? Makoto's innocent!", I smiled at Makoto with a thumbs up. He smiled slightly and mouthed a "thank you".

"Okay, then who *did* do it!?", Mondo yelled.

"I'm sorry, but I give up! Quit without saving!", Hifumi nodded.

"But... what happens if we can't decide on who we think did it...?", Chihiro asked.

"Well then, why don't we just vote right now? Majority rules!", Taka declared.

"Hey now, we can't do that. That would just end up with all of our lives gone in an instant. Let's first clear any questions anyone has.", I instructed.

"Oh! As a matter of fact, I do have one question! Well, I was just wondering, how'd the culprit get into Makoto's room in the first place?", Hina asked.

"Hmm... Yes, how *did* the killer get inside?", Sakura muttered.

"Maybe Sayaka just dropped the key somewhere and the culprit picked it up. That's possible, right?", Leon questioned.

"I don't think so. That seems way too convenient.", Taka convinced.

"Then... maybe someone picked the lock?", Chihiro suggested.

"Negative! If you remember, Monokuma made it quite clear that the locks are all unpickable.", Taka shot down the idea.

"Fine, how about this? The killer got in the easy way. They could've knocked and said they wanted to talk or something, and Miss Maizono just... let 'em in!", Hifumi nodded.

"No, that can't be it, either.", Makoto interjected.

"O-ho! Trying to argue against me? Sounds like someone doesn't know his place! Hello!? Why, exactly, can't that be it!?", Hifumi yelled.

"Because Sayaka was already scared, remember? That's why she asked me to switch rooms in the first place. Knowing what she'd been through, I just can't believe she would have opened the door for anyone.", Makoto explained.

"... What if her being scared was a lie?", Kyoko suddenly suggested.

"Huh...? Wh-What the hell is that supposed to mean!? Why would she lie about something like that!?", Makoto argued. It was an absurd idea, I can give him that... But something about that statement seemed interesting.

"I know you don't want to consider it, but look at this and tell me... can you still deny the possibility?", Kyoko pulled out a piece of shaded paper with white letters. I took a closer look and was shocked by what I read and made my mind go in a circle.

There's something I want to talk to you about, just us two. In five minutes, come see me in my room. Check the nameplates to make sure you don't get the wrong room, okay?--Sayaka

"I found a notepad during my search, and I shaded in the top sheet with a pencil. And these are the words that appeared.", Kyoko explained.

"Oh man, I've totally seen people do that on detective shows! When you write, it can leave an imprint. Sketch over the next sheet of paper, and you can see the words! When I saw that. I was like, "Holy crap! I better make sure I rip the paper out before I use it from now on!"", Hina rambled.

"It's a pretty old-fashioned technique, but even the classics can be surprisingly useful sometimes. Oh, and I should also mention... I found the notepad on the desk in Makoto's room.", Kyoko pointed out.

"Huh?", Makoto let out a sound of confusion and fear.

"Which means, only someone who had been in Makoto's room before the incident could have written it.", Kyoko replied flatly.

"Makoto didn't write that... Sayaka signed the note.", I sighed.

"N-No, I didn't. But-- B-But why? Why would she write that?", Makoto mumbled.

"The note was likely her way of getting in touch with a certain someone. She must have slid it under their door to let them know she wanted to meet But with them in secret.", Kyoko deduced.

"If you got an invitation like that from the Ultimate Pop Sensation, what young man could resist? Of course, I'm only into 2D so it wouldn't have any effect on me!", Hifumi stood proudly. I pulled out a knife and threw it a millimeter away from his face.

"Hifumi Yamada... Try me.", I growled. Hifumi shrank down to size and mumbled a sorry.

"...But can we be sure anyone even got this note? And honestly, even if they did, I do not think they are at all involved in what happened.", Celeste said as she played with her hair.

"Huh? What makes you say that?", Chihiro asked.

"Hmhm... Would you like to hear what I have to say? Very well, then. Pay attention!", Celeste smiled.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Celestia Ludenberg: Sayaka and Makoto switched rooms, correct? But in the note, the place they were asked to come to... It specifically says "my" room.

Chihiro Fujisaki: I see... So if someone read that note... then they would have gone to Sayaka's room!

Celestia Ludenberg: Exactly. The room that Makoto was staying in. (COUNTER WITH DORM NAMEPLATES)

Makoto Naegi: NO, THAT'S WRONG!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"The nameplates on my and Sayaka's rooms got switched.", Makoto explained as I showed everyone the picture of the dorm nameplates.

"They got... switched?", Celeste uttered in surprise.

"That's right. The nameplates got switched, just like the rooms themselves. As a result, the nameplate on Sayaka's room actually had Makoto's name. And the nameplate on Makoto's room had Sayaka's.", Kyoko confirmed.

"So what you're saying is, the room Sayaka was staying in, was actually marked as her room.", Byakuya nodded.

"Then... if someone *did* do what the note said, they would end up at Makoto's room, where Sayaka was...", Chihiro realized out loud.

"Plus, their rooms are right next to each other. So switching the nameplates would be no problem. And the one who switched the names was... Well, of course, it wasn't you, right Makoto?", Kyoko asked.

"R-Right...", Makoto mumbled.

"Okay... then who did it?", Leon asked.

"I GOT IT!! Me and Sayaka were the only ones who ever knew about us switching rooms. So the only other person besides me who would even know to switch the nameplates... was Sayaka.", Makoto sighed.

"You can also infer as much from her note... "Check the nameplates to make sure you don't get the wrong room, okay?" She specifically tells the reader to check the nameplate. She would only have written that if she knew the nameplates had been switched.", Kyoko explained.

"But... why would she switch in the first place?", Chihiro asked.

"She wanted someone to come to the room she was in, and *also* hide the fact that it was Makoto's room.", Kyoko deduced.

"What...?", Makoto muttered.

"Inviting someone to "your" room, but not telling them you'd switched rooms... Why would anyone do that?", Hina asked.

"To understand that... we first need to understand what happened after she invited the person into the room. That's where the answer lies...", Kyoko explained.

"What happened then was... probably... Whoever she invited over... came in, and... attacked her! We figured it out! We know who did it! Whoever she invited over is the culprit!", Taka interjected.

"But we still don't know who it is, ya goddamn idiot...", Mondo grumbled.

"Sayaka fought with her killer there in the room, yes? Perhaps the answer to our previous question lies in that initial struggle.", Celeste thought out loud.

"Yes, I think you're right.", Kyoko agreed.

"Then... we just have to figure out what happened during the fight, right!?", Hina asked.

"That reminds me... There was a replica sword at the murder scene. Was that perhaps used during the fight?", Sakura suggested.

"Oh yeah, what's the deal with that sword?", Mondo questioned.

"Sayaka suggested I should hold on to it. I thought it might come in handy if I had to defend myself... It seems pretty likely that the killer used it to break Sayaka's right wrist.", Makoto replied.

"How the hell could you possibly know that's what broke her wrist!?", Leon questioned.

"I KNOW THE TRUTH!! All you have to do is take a look at her broken wrist, and it will become clear as day. Right there where her wrist is all swollen, there's something glittery there, see?", I pointed to the photo of Sayaka's broken wrist.

"Is... is that gold?", Chihiro mumbled, pointing at the flakes of gold on Sayaka's wrist.

"It sure is. Specifically, the gold coating from the replica sword. You barely have to touch that stuff and it'll stick right to you. And there's some on her wrist because...", I smirked.

"I got it! Because she got hit with the sword, right there on her wrist!", Taka declared.

"I see, I see... And so the truth draws ever closer...", Hifumi muttered.

"Alright! Then it's about time to solve this mystery!", Hiro cheered.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Yasuhiro Hagakura: When the fighting broke out... the culprit grabbed the sword. And that's when the first blow was dealt! A sword-based sneak attack! (COUNTER WITH REPLICA SWORD SHEATH)

Kuno Sawa: OBJECTION!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"Actually, that's not it. I don't think the fight started with the sword.", I deduced.

"Huh? Why not?", Hiro asked.

"Because the sword's sheath had been scratched. See? There's a gash in it like someone cut into it with something sharp.", I showed everyone the picture of the sword's sheath.

"Something sharp... You mean, like the kitchen knife? That was the only sharp thing found at the scene...", Chihiro muttered.

"Stop jumpin' ahead! Slow down and explain it so I get what the hell's goin' on!", Mondo growled.

"If the sword was used first, there wouldn't be any explanation for the scratch on the sheath. Take my weapon expertise to heart, if you were to attack with the sword, you'd need to take the sheath out first to make any fatal damage.", I explained.

"That's true. With the sheath on, it'd be heavy and bulky and useless as sh*t.", Mondo reasoned.

"Okay, so how *did* the sheath get damaged?", Hifumi asked.

"If they got attacked with the kitchen knife, maybe they grabbed the sword as a defensive impulse. In that situation, there wouldn't be any time to actually unsheathe the sword.", Kyoko interpreted.

"So you're saying the sword was initially used to defend against an attack from the knife...", Sakura confirmed.

"Which means whoever had the kitchen knife... was the one who attacked first!", Hifumi called out in determination.

"I think I get it! So here's how it all played out... The culprit came in, found the kitchen knife hidden there somewhere... Then they took the knife and attacked Sayaka before she knew what was happening! So she grabbed the sword to defend herself, but then the culprit took that from her, too...! Then, after they broke her wrist with the sword... they took the knife and... finished it...", Taka explained with tears about to spill out of his eyes.

"Sorry, but I don't think Sayaka used the sword to defend herself.", Kyoko cut down Taka's logic.

"Wh--!? How the hell can you not think that!?", Leon quizzed.

"Because she never held the sword at all. There's a certain part of her body that makes this clear.", Kyoko reasoned.

"I GOT IT!! You're talking about her palms, right? The palms of her hands were perfectly clean, so I don't think she ever picked up the sword...", Makoto pointed out.

"How can you know that just by looking at her palms...?", Hina grilled.

"As I said, the gold coating on that sword comes right off. All you have to do is touch it. In fact, most of the gold has already come off the handle. It's plain to see that's because whoever used the sword got some of it on their hands. Trust me, you will not touch that sword and *not* get some on your hands. I ruined my favorite gloves because of the sh*tty gold quality.", I sighed.

"Maybe she w-washed her hands after she e-escaped into the bathroom...", Toko suggested.

"Sorry, but I don't think that would work.", I pointed out.

"Why d-do you say that? Is it b-because you think I'm u-ugly...?", Toko grumbled.

"Um, no. Trust me, I think every single one of you is beautiful in their own special way, like snowflakes. I'll tell you why I said that. I KNOW THE TRUTH!! What I mean is that according to the Monokuma File, Sayaka's time of death was around 1:30 a.m. That was around "nighttime." And the water in the bathrooms shut off at nighttime, right?", I explained.

"Oh... I didn't know that. Actually... I haven't taken a shower here yet...", Toko admitted.

"Oh my...", Hifumi stepped back in disgust.

"Y-You're no different! You s-smell like a big f-fat ugly donkey!", Toko insulted.

"Hmm? I'm not sure whether to take that as an insult or a compliment!", Hifumi gasped.

"An insult, obviously...", Leon deadpanned.

"... So anyway, if Sayaka never touched the sword, then that means... The killer is the only one who used the sword. But hold on. If that's right, then the one who damaged the sheath with the kitchen knife was...", Taka drew out.

"Sayaka...? She had the kitchen knife...?", Makoto gasped. My eyes went wide and my mind went blank. Sayaka had the knife and used it against her killer, which means it was planned this whole time.

"But... we already said that the attack started with...", Chihiro mumbled.

"The person with the knife attacked first, and the sword was used as an impromptu defense.", Byakuya deduced.

"Then the one who attacked first was...!", Hifumi gasped.

"S-Sayaka...!?", I muttered.

"Now do you understand? She wasn't a blameless victim in this.", Kyoko told.

"No, far from it. It's almost as if... she had been planning to commit a murder of her own. She took the knife from the kitchen, then invited the culprit to the room she was staying in. And if it's true she had the kitchen knife and attacked without provocation...", Byakuya elucidated.

"Indeed... these are all the actions of an assailant.", Sakura confirmed.

"Which brings up another point... Makoto, Sayaka was the one who suggested you two switch rooms, correct? Maybe the reason she wanted to switch rooms... was so that she could pin the crime on you. That is a possibility, is it not?", Celeste asked.

"Sayaka wanted to--on me!?", Makoto gasped.

"...", Kyoko was silent, letting us go in a frenzy.

"That would also explain why she would switch the nameplates. She wanted to get whoever she had targeted to come to Makoto's room, where she was staying... And by committing the murder there, instead of her room, that would implicate Makoto. But for that to work, the target had to be lured out while still keeping the room swap a secret. If the target knew she had switched rooms, they would have become suspicious right away.", Celeste related.

"So all that's why she switched the names...?", Mondo exhaled.

"But doesn't that plan seem a little risky? For one thing, even if her plan worked, Mr. Naegi would just tell everyone they'd switched rooms.", Hifumi reasoned.

"I don't know... I'm not sure softhearted Makoto is capable of that kind of cutthroat behavior. I'm sure Sayaka realized the same thing, which is why out of all of us, she asked him to switch rooms.", Byakuya deduced.

"P-Plus... she *was* the Ultimate Pop Sensation... A t-totally forgettable kid, o-or a national superstar... Who are you m-more likely to believe?", Toko smirked.

"Wait, then... you're saying she had this all planned out...?", Hifumi shuddered.

"Holy sh*t!", Mondo gasped.

"But in the end, her plan backfired. She launched her attack with the knife, then found herself under attack in turn. That must be when her wrist got broken, and she was forced to drop the knife.", Celeste explained with a straight face and a composed tone.

"The tables were suddenly turned on her, and she died at the hands of the one she'd planned to murder...", Sakura nodded.

"J-Just wait a moment! That can't be true!", I desperately shouted. I knew the truth, but I didn't want to accept it.

"Yeah, it can't be! Because...! Because...", Makoto muttered.

"Hey, hey! You guys have totally derailed the argument! You're being super bored right now! Come on, hurry up and decide who did it! Wouldn't it be awful if I had to punish you all just because you ran out of time!?", Monokuma growled from the background.

"Oh yeah... We gotta decide who we think did it...", Hiro sighed.

"Makoto, Kuno, right now you two just need to concentrate on figuring out the answer to this mystery. If we can't uncover who murdered Sayaka, it's over for all of us...", Kyoko looked at us both and gave us cold-yet-assuring advice. I sighed and nodded.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Leon Kuwata: It's easy just to say, "Hey, decide who did it!" There just aren't any more clues, right? (COUNTER WITH DYING MESSAGE)

Makoto Naegi: NO, THAT'S WRONG!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"There still might be one clue left-- Sayaka's dying message.", Makoto pointed out.

"Dining-- wait, what did you say?", Leon stuttered.

"The dying message. She wrote something on the wall behind her, remember? 11037. written in her own blood. There must be a clue about the killer hidden in there...", Kyoko explained as I showed everyone the picture of the message.

"Well, before we get too far into that, I need to ask... Can we really be sure that Sayaka is the one who wrote it?", Celeste interjected.

"I GOT IT!! Her left index finger had blood on it. That could only be because she used that finger to write the message.", Makoto explained.

"I see... She broke her right wrist during the fight, so she'd have to use her left hand to write...", Taka muttered.

"Sure, I think we can all agree Sayaka wrote it, but still... What the heck do those numbers mean? 11037?", Hina asked.

"Hey Chihiro, you're a computer nerd or whatever, right? You should know all about numbers and sh*t!", Mondo grumbled for help.

"N-No, that's not... Yes, I'm a programmer, but I don't see any kind of meaning in these numbers.", Chihiro sighed.

"... Of course. It's because they're not numbers.", Kyoko smirked.

"Not numbers...? What do you mean?", I asked as I fiddled with my knife.

"Oh! Yeah, it looks like...", Hifumi looked at the photo closely.

"Huh? What? What!?", Mondo yelled.

"No, it's just... look at the numbers assuming they're *not* numbers. Don't these first two, 11, look less like two numbers and more like one letter?", Hifumi pointed out.

"Ah, you're right! The connecting line is barely there, so I assumed it was 11, but... Looking at it now, you could also read it as an N!", Chihiro gasped.

"Whoa! You might've finally just said something worth a sh*t!", Mondo complimented Hifumi in his own way.

"Bwehehe! Our little grey cells are really getting excited now!", Hifumi snickered.

"But even if that really is an N, "N037" doesn't make any more sense than before...", Sakura reasoned. I sighed and looked at the picture again. I kept tracing the numbers until I turned the photo upside down. I stared at it before letting out a loud gasp.

"Oh my God...", I exhaled.

"What is it, Kuno?", Kyoko asked as she pulled the picture out of my hand.

"Rotate the picture...", I whispered. Kyoko flipped the picture and stared at it before smirking and giving it back and telling me to pass it to Makoto. I passed it to him.

"Rotate the image 180 degrees.", Kyoko instructed Makoto. Makoto did it and looked surprised.

"Oh my God... Now I see! She wrote down the killer's name...", Makoto announced.

"Huh!? You just shot past the clue part and right on to who did it!", Hina gasped.

"So wh-whose name did sh-she write...?", Toko questioned.

"You ready, Makoto?", I asked.

"Let's do this!", Makoto nodded. We both closed our eyes before opening them and pointing at the guilty party... Leon Kuwata.

"HERE'S OUR ANSWER!!", We called out.

"The key to solving this mystery was simply to rotate the writing 180 degrees.", Makoto explained.

"If you turn the message around...", I smirked.

"... It becomes the letters L-E-O-N.", Makoto finished.

"L-E-O-N. That spells your name, Leon!", I yelled.

"Wh--!? What the hell are you talking about!? I-It's just a coincidence! It's just a bunch of random squiggles that happen to look like my name!", Leon stuttered with a raised fist.

"No, it's not random at all. She wrote that message on the wall behind her as she was leaning up against it. In that position, she couldn't move to write normally, and had write upside down, as it were. And as a result... When you look at it standing in front of her, it ends up getting flipped. Try it for yourself, if you want. Write something sitting like her, and the letters will be inverted.", Kyoko explained.

"Th-That sounds like one hell of a stretch to me...! I'm the killer!? You can't just go and say sh*t like that!", Leon shouted.

"If you're *not* the killer, then why did you try to destroy the evidence?", Kyoko asked.

"...Huh?", Leon muttered.

"You know what I'm talking about, right Kuno? The evidence Leon tried to get rid of?", Kyoko asked me.

"I KNOW THE TRUTH!! You're talking about the burnt shirt piece we found laying on the ground by the incinerator, right?", I pulled out the picture of the burnt cloth and showed it to everyone.

"As the killer stabbed Sayaka, they must have gotten some of her blood on them. And to dispose of the shirt covered in the victim's blood, they threw it into the incinerator.", Kyoko explained.

"But one piece burned off and got left behind...", Celeste muttered.

"And the killer didn't notice. If they had, they most certainly would have panicked. Isn't that right, Leon?", Kyoko asked as she glared at Leon, who was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh--!?", Leon stuttered.

"But is one scrap of fabric enough to conclude that Leon is guilty?", Sakura questioned.

"Yeah... I mean, Leon's not the only one wearing a white button-up...", Chihiro mumbled.

"Th-That's right! There are plenty of other people here with shirts like mine! With just that one little charred piece, there's no way you can say for sure who it belongs to!", Leon yelled.

"You're right. That alone isn't enough. But there are some other points that may reveal the truth...", Makoto nodded.

"... Are you finally starting to understand? The answers to all the riddles are right here.", Kyoko asked.

"Yeah, I think so... I GOT IT!! If we look closely at how the shirt was disposed of, we should be able to figure out who the killer is.", Makoto pointed out.

"O-Oh, yeah... that's a good point. I think I know what you're gonna say... You can't reach the incinerator without opening the gate in front of the trash room, right? And obviously you wouldn't be able to hit the switch to turn it on, either. You'd need the key to get in. And the one with the key was... the person on cleaning duty! So the killer had to be whoever was in charge of taking care of the trash! Right!?", Leon shouted.

"Hahaha. Interesting... Gweh!?", Hifumi gasped as he just realized that he was the one on cleaning duty.

-MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT!-

Leon Kuwata: The key to the trash room... Whoever was on cleaning duty must've had it, right?

Toko Fukawa: So the only one wh-who could get to the in-incinerator was... the p-person in charge of the t-trash?

Leon Kuwata: And you'd have to get close to the incinerator in order to destroy the evidence. (COUNTER WITH SHATTERED CRYSTAL BALL)

Kuno Sawa: OBJECTION!!

-BREAK SUCCESSFUL-

"Hold it! I think I know how someone could dispose of the evidence without the key!", I replied with a determined look.

"But if you can't get past the gate, you couldn't possibly turn on the incinerator, could you?", Sakura questioned.

"Yes, you could. If you used this.", I showed everyone the picture of the shattered glass ball.

"What is it, some kinda glass ball? It's busted to hell...", Mondo raised a brow at the shattered glass.

"Actually, it was supposed to be a crystal ball. But, uh...", Hiro sighed, disappointed at his "divine" loss.

"But... how would you use it?", Chihiro asked.

"I KNOW THE TRUTH!! The killer simply took aim at the incinerator switch and threw the ball through a gap in the gate. They had to hit that switch, and the incinerator would simply come to life.", I explained.

"Someone threw that... through a gap in the gate!?", Hifumi gasped.

"Remember what you said before, Hifumi?", Makoto asked.

Huh!? Someone turned the incinerator on! Very strange... I'm quite certain it was off last time I was down here. Perhaps it was the work of a fairy...

"Hifumi had the key, so the only way the incinerator could have been turned on without his knowledge... was because the killer was able to hit the switch *without* opening the gate. Once they'd gotten the incinerator going, all they had to do was ball up the shirt and toss it in!", I explained.

"H-Hey, come on... what the hell is this?", Leon mumbled.

"All you have to do is look at the scene to know that the killer never actually went inside the trash room. The shards of broken glass, the incinerator left running, the piece of shirt that escaped the fire... If the killer had been on cleaning duty, the evidence would have been taken care of much more thoroughly.", Kyoko explained.

"W-Wait, no... just hold on!", Leon stuttered.

"But the distance from the gate to the incinerator has to be at least... thirty feet, right? The pinpoint accuracy you'd need to throw a glass ball that far and hit something that small... Could someone really do that?", Chihiro asked.

"Th-That's right! There's no way! It'd be impossible!", Leon agreed a little too quickly.

"Difficult, absolutely. Impossible? I don't think so. Because the killer is... the Ultimate Baseball Star. Isn't that right, Leon!?", Makoto glared.

"D-Do you have any idea how stupid you sound right now!?", Leon stuttered.

"A target thirty feet away would surely be little challenge for the Ultimate Baseball Star.", Celeste nodded.

"Y-Y-Y-You can't be serious! I...! I...! I'm not the killer! These goddamn sh*t-for-brains have got it all wrong, I'm telling you!", Leon yelled.

"You still won't admit it? Okay then... Makoto, Kuno, go ahead and review the incident one more time to make his crime perfectly clear. And with that, we can end this...", Kyoko gave us the sign to take the lead.

"Listen to me! What the hell do you mean, end this!?", Leon shouted.

"Say what you will, Leon Kuwata. But all the mysteries have been unraveled, and the truth has been revealed.", I smirked.

"Now here's what happened...!", Makoto and I shouted and began explaining what happened.

-CLOSING ARGUMENT, START!- (MAKOTO / KUNO / BOTH)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079367/

I think we'd better take one more look back at the case from the beginning...

Last night, the killer went to the room Sayaka was in. In other words, Makoto's room.

From what we can tell, Sayaka invited that person there intending to kill them.

She attacked them with the knife she'd taken from the kitchen earlier...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079450/

... but then something happened that she wasn't prepared for.

They grabbed the fake sword Makoto put in his room and fought back.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079494/

During the struggle, a strike from the sword broke Sayaka's right wrist...

And that's when she lost her grip on the kitchen knife.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079513/

Finding herself cornered, Sayaka panicked and ran into the bathroom.

The killer went after her, but couldn't get the bathroom door open.

What they didn't know was that my bathroom door got stuck easily, and there was a trick to opening it.

Sayaka knew about that because Makoto told her, but of course, the killer had no way of knowing.

So instead, the killer forced the door open, took the kitchen knife...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079554/

... and stabbed Sayaka.

But with what strength she had remaining, Sayaka left a dying message...

To keep the killer from noticing, she wrote it on the wall behind her...

And with that, all her strength was gone.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079556/

With Sayaka dead, the killer quickly began destroying the evidence.

First, they took off their shirt, which was covered in their victim's blood.

Then they took the lint roller in Makoto's room and cleaned up the entire area.

They wanted to make sure they got rid of any trace they'd ever been there...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079610/

Afterward, the killer headed to the trash room to destroy their bloody shirt.

They tried to burn the shirt using the incinerator there.

But the trash room was blocked off by an especially sturdy gate, preventing access to the incinerator.

So they came up with a plan to use Hiro's crystal ball, which he'd left in the laundry room.

The killer managed to throw the ball through the gap in the gate and hit the incinerator's switch.

For any normal person, that'd be an impossible throw, but the killer had the confidence to take a shot.

And that's because the killer... was the Ultimate Baseball Star.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079612/

The crystal ball, thrown with absolute precision, hit the switch on the incinerator...

...which then quickly roared to life

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079613/

Having destroyed the final piece of evidence, they left the area with, I imagine, a sigh of relief.

But there was one thing they missed...

Part of the shirt they'd thrown into the fire burnt away and fell out of the incinerator.

The killer didn't notice this, and so left behind a piece of indisputable evidence.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/786722628636079737/

Isn't that right... Leon!?

-SUCCESSFUL-

"It would appear that Hiro simply forgot his crystal ball in the laundry room. You went there to try and wash the blood out of your shirt, and that's where you saw it, right? Seeing the ball, you thought of a way to take care of everything...", Makoto glared at Leon.

"So, Leon... do you object to anything that's been said?", Kyoko asked.

"Do I object...? Hell yes I object! Of course I do! I object, I object, I object! I mean, all of this is just a bunch of stupid theories! You need evidence! Where's the evidence!? Without evidence, it's all bullsh*t! It's bullsh*t and I refuse to acknowledge it!", Leon rambled in anger.

"Well then, I guess this is as good a time as any to present the evidence that proves you did it. Makoto... I believe you're in possession of that evidence? When the killer removed the screws from the doorknob, they didn't use anything from your room to do it. Instead, they must have used something that belonged to them.", Kyoko looked back at us to finish this whole class trial.

"Don't worry, Makoto. I'll help you put Leon in his place.", I cracked my knuckles is determination.

"Thanks, Kuno.", Makoto smiled.

"Thank me afterwards, when all of this is over.", I nodded.

"I refuse to acknowledge you! You're stupid! Stupid stupid stupid! Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid!!!", Leon kept repeating the same thing, but I was not about to let him do what he wanted and get away with it.

-THE MOMENT OF TRUTH!

(Leon -- Kuno -- Makoto)

"Where's your proof!?"

"We have it right here!"

"You kiddin' me!?"

"This isn't a joke!"

"Not a chance!"

"We'll make one!"

"It wasn't me!"

"All the evidence points to you!"

"Stupid!"

"The only stupid one here is you!"

"You lie!"

"We reveal nothing but the truth!"

"Stop talking!"

"Make me!"

"Shut up!"

"I said make me!"

FINAL STRIKE!!!

WITHOUT EVIDENCE, IT'S ALL BULLSH*T! IT'S BULLSH*T AND I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT! (COUNTER WITH TOOLKIT)

I CAN PROVE IT!!

-SUCCESSFUL-

"The screws on the bathroom doorknob were removed. I wonder what kind of tool the killer used to remove them...", Makoto fake-asked.

"I mean... it had to be a screwdriver, right?", Mondo shrugged.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure the toolkits we each got had one inside.", Hiro nodded.

"Then that must be what he used! There aren't any other tools anywhere.", Hifumi confirmed.

"But the toolkit in my room had clearly never been used...", Makoto explained.

"That's because the culprit didn't know it was your room! They thought they were in Sayaka's room!", Taka reasoned.

"Only the boys got toolkits, so the killer naturally assumed there wouldn't be one in there...", Chihiro mumbled.

"Then whose toolkit did the killer use?", I smirked.

"Stupidstupidstupid!", Leon suddenly shouted.

"STOP CUTTING US OFF!!", I shouted.

"It had to be their very own toolkit!", Makoto continued.

"Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid!!!", Leon yelled. I was so done with his sh*t that I grabbed my knife and threw it a few meters past him. It cut a piece of his lapel, where the oversized safety pin was, and it fell to the ground with a soft clink.

"YOU ARE SOUNDING MORE AND MORE GUILTY BY THE SECOND!! IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO SAY, LIKE A F*CKING OBJECTION, BE MY GUEST!!", I yelled with tears in my eyes. If what was happening in front of me was true, then I would lose another friend today.

"Leon, would you mind showing us your toolkit? If I'm right about this, then... the screwdriver will show some evidence of being used!", Makoto requested with crossed arms.

"Stupidstupidstu... uh, huh?", Leon went quiet.

"And if you say you used it for something else, you'll have to explain exactly when, where, and why...", Byakuya glared.

"And let me say this right now... "I lost it" isn't an excuse at this point.", Kyoko added.

"Give it up, Kuwata...", I growled.

"Stu...pid. Stu...pid?", Leon muttered as his face showed fear, guilt, shame, sadness, aggression, and loneliness all at once in one expression.

"So, you have no rebuttal?", Byakuya smirked.

"Then it would seem... we are finished here.", Celeste sighed. But what was about to come next was even more tiring... Leon's execution.

"Puhuhu... Looks like you've reached your verdict! Then are we ready to cast our votes? You all have a lever in front of you. Use it to make your selection! Oh, just to remind you all... Make triple sure you vote someone! You wouldn't want to be punished for something so minor, right? Okay! Then let's get excited! Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeee!?", Monokuma cheered as I stared down at the levers. Each one had a name. I pulled the one with Leon's name and waited. A few moments later, a slot machine came out of nowhere and began spinning. It stopped when pixelated pictures of Leon came up in a row. It was correct... Flowers, monocoins, and confetti filled my vision for a bit before things died down.

"Uh-oh! Looks like you got it right on the money! The blackened in this case, the one that killed Sayaka... was none other than Leon Kuwata!", Monokuma laughed. Leon was still silent, sweating bullets.

"Huh? H-Hold on a second...", Leon muttered.

"Leon... Leon, did you really... kill Sayaka?", Makoto mumbled.

"I don't believe it...", Hina said with a hand over her mouth.

"Son of a b*tch...! What the hell is wrong with you!?", Mondo growled.

"I-I didn't have a choice... It was kill or be killed! S-So that's why... I killed her first. None of you are any different! One wrong step, and you'd be the one standing here! It was complete chance that I wound up like this! I was just... unlucky! That's all...", Leon yelled in a shaky voice. I stayed quiet for a bit, then began to laugh. I kept laughing my a*s off at the sight in front of me.

"K-Kuno...?", Makoto looked back at me in confusion. I stopped laughing and looked back at Leon.

"You say you didn't have a choice, huh? It was chance? Those... those are just excuses. Dumb, sh*tty excuses. While Sayaka was trapped in the bathroom, you didn't think you would run and call for someone for help? Maybe bring someone to help you calm Sayaka down? No. You didn't. You killed her. There is no excuse for what you did, you bastard. I know Sayaka isn't completely innocent in all this, but neither are you now. Instead of actually living semi-peacefully and trying to get out together, you are now guilty of murder... Great job, Leon. You did great.", I growled as I turned away from him.

"Grr...!", Mondo grumbled as he walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"H-Hey, come on...! You expect me to just accept my death!?", Leon yelled.

"It's all because of that video... Even I couldn't handle what I saw in there. If I was her, and the video actually had something to do with me, I can't even imagine... The one thing that was more important to her than anything else-- her dreams, her friends... To have to see something like that happen to them... And Sayaka...", Makoto sighed.

"Boy howdy! The entertainment industry must sure be terrifying, huh!? I mean, to try and kill someone just because of those relationships! She seemed so nice and lovely on the outside, but inside... she'd descended into pure madness!", Monokuma shook in mock-fear.

"Wh... what did you say?", Makoto asked as he glared at Monokuma.

"I understand, really I do. Yup yup! You're in utter despair thanks to Sayaka's betrayal, right? Compassion, intimacy, love... The stronger those feelings, the stronger the despair when they collapse!", Monokuma chuckled.

"Stop screwing with us! This is all your fault! Sayaka being forced to do something like that... All of it... Everything...! It's all your fault!", Makoto shouted as he was about to lunge at Monokuma, but Kyoko grabbed his arm to keep him from doing something he would regret.

"That's enough. If you really want to make her enemies pay for what they've done, you need to let it go for now.", Kyoko said with a stern tone.

"... Dammit!", Makoto grumbled.

"Ahh, that was a close one! I thought for sure you were gonna give me a good walloping! Just barely avoided punishment, you did! Now then! Since you so magnificently revealed the identity of the killer during the class trial... the blackened, Leon Kuwata, will receive his punishment!", Monokuma cheered.

"P-Punishment? You mean... e-execution? W-Wait a second! I didn't have a choice! I HAD to kill her! Y-Yeah, that's it! I was just protecting myself in the heat of the moment! It was self-defense!", Leon laughed nervously.

"How, exactly. was it self-defense? It's just as Kuno so vividly explained, you had a choice. When you forced your way into the bathroom, did you or did you not use you very own toolkit? After she'd shut herself in the bathroom, you went out of your way to head back to your own room... Then you came all the way back, broke into the bathroom, and killed her. Am I wrong? You had any number of chances to stop what you were doing. But you chose not to. Is it not because you had an unclouded intent to commit murder?", Celeste asked with a strong glare.

"N-No! That's not...!", Leon mumbled.

"Stop it... I've had enough of this.", Makoto muttered.

"Oh? Are you sure? You were closer to her than anyone, were you not? He killed your precious Sayaka. Do you understand?", Celeste asked with surprise.

"I can't say Leon is solely to blame. Of course, I don't plan on blaming Sayaka, either. Because... Because the one to blame... is him!", Makoto pointed at Monokuma in rage.

"S'waaah!?", Monokuma asked.

"If it weren't for you... this never would have happened to Sayaka, OR Leon! We shouldn't be fighting each other... We should be fighting against the one who put us in this situation! The mastermind!", Makoto yelled.

"Uh-oh! Did you awaken to your sense of justice!? Well, it just so happens that there's nothing more unethical than an unwavering sense of justice. After all, it's people with that sort of mentality that perpetuate war all over the world. Is that the kind of justice that's awakened within you!?", Monokuma seethed.

"Shut it!", I yelled.

"Okay, well, anyway. More importantly...! Let's hurry up and get to what everyone's been waiting for! The punishment! Thrills, chills, kills!", Monokuma cheered.

"I'm begging you...! Please, don't do this!", Leon begged.

"No more begging! No more excuses! You must pay the penalty for breaking the rules! Society demands it!", Monokuma nodded.

"S-Stop, please...!", Leon yelled.

"Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star! It's called "The 1,000 Blows"!", Monokuma announced.

"No no no no no no no!", Leon shouted, but nothing could be done.

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIIME!", Monokuma cheered as it got pulled out a mallet and a button appeared before it.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!", Leon cried. But nothing was stopped. Monokuma slammed the mallet on the red button and an electronic voice came out.

GAME OVER. LEON HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!

Soon, it began... The punishment...

A long chain linked to a shackle closed around Leon's neck from behind. It quickly dragged him through a dull, prison-like hallway and into a batting cage with a typical baseball scoreboard. Leon was lifted up to a post at the center of the batting cage, where three more metallic shackles appeared and snapped on his torso, thighs, and just below his knees to keep him in a still position, sticking his hands in the neck shackle. Two large spotlights then rose from the ground and focused on Leon's face from either side. A pitching machine appeared in front of his helpless form and shot a few slow balls at him while the scoreboard began counting - though only for a split second - as in the next moment the pitching machine started shooting countless baseballs at immense speed, making the scoreboard's mechanism go out of control, while spinning around Leon's suspended body. The rest of us watched in horror from behind the fence as Leon was bombarded from all directions when Monokuma, equipped with a baseball cap and a bat, suddenly appeared inside the cage and proceeded to frantically pitch a few balls himself. The execution ended when Leon, beaten from head to toe, received the final blow to the face by multiple baseballs. As the batting cage reopened, we, the students, having witnessed the gruesome execution, stand frozen in shock before Leon's dead body - still bound to the post and surrounded by bloodstained baseballs. It was like a messed-up horror comic but in real life. You would never expect to see someone get beaten to death with baseballs, yet there we were, watching it unfold before our very eyes.

END OF CHAPTER 6!