Prologue- End Welcome to Despair High school

Makoto's POV

I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at my insides, even as Rimuru went ahead without glancing at anyone. His face was serious, a stark contrast to the confusion and fear swirling around us.

"H-Hey! What, you're just gonna take off just like that!?" Junko's voice cut through the tension, her tone a mix of disbelief and frustration.

"Ohh yeah, now I get it!" Hiro's sudden realization brought a flicker of hope. "This whole thing was just to get us all pumped for the entrance ceremony! See, I told you all that's what it was! Man, thank God it was all just a joke. I'd be totally freaked if this was real! I'll see you all there. I wonder what they got planned next?" He started to leave, his earlier anxiety seemingly forgotten.

"Damn, there goes my nap!" Leon sighed heavily, disappointment etched on his face. "I was really looking forward to it too, man. Why'd they have to kill the mood?" He trudged out after Hiro.

"W-Wait for me! I wanna go with you!" Chihiro's timid voice followed Leon closely, her small frame hurrying to keep up.

"That is that, then. I will see you all there." Celeste's calm, almost indifferent tone stood out as she gracefully exited.

"N-Not that anyone cares, but I-I'm gonna go, too," Toko stammered, her usual anxiety apparent as she left.

I stood frozen, fear anchoring me to the spot. The uneasy feeling from the announcement refused to leave. I wasn't the only one feeling it.

"This... this doesn't feel right," Sayaka's voice mirrored my own apprehension.

"Yeah, that announcement was totally weird," Junko added, her usual bravado sounding hollow.

"Maybe, but just staying put doesn't mean we'll be safe," Kyoko interjected, drawing everyone's attention. "Besides, aren't you guys just a little bit curious to find out what's going on around here?"

"If we do not move forward, we learn nothing. The only choice is to push ahead," Sakura's calm, resolute voice left no room for argument.

Reluctantly, I found myself agreeing with them. Even if I was scared, there weren't any other options. We'd just have to push ahead as Sakura said, to unravel the mystery of this place and figure out what the hell was really going on.

The rest of the students hesitantly made their way towards the gym. The palpable fear was etched on everyone's faces, except for Sakura and Kyoko, who maintained their straight faces. The hallways, filled with an eerie green color, transitioned to yellow as we approached the gymnasium. Silence hung in the air, thick and oppressive, as no one felt like talking.

As we trickled into the gym, the strange stillness persisted. My eyes were immediately drawn to a display case with trophies and a golden katana set off to the side. Banners hung from the ceiling, proudly displaying the school's logo, a stark reminder of where we were.

"God, I had no idea this Hope's Peak Academy place was gonna be such a pain in my balls," roared Mondo, looking pissed off.

"It really ain't that much different from the time I spent in juvie. Hell, this place is even worse!" Mondo's frustration was palpable.

"Juvie? You mean you've been to prison! That is unacceptable," Taka boomed, his voice echoing in the gym, embodying his rigid sense of order.

"The hell! Who cares? Not like I remember what I did anyways," Mondo retorted dismissively.

Sayaka spoke up, snapping the two's attention away from each other. "Guys, why wasn't there anyone here? Walking through the hallways, I didn't see a single person other than us."

"That's like seriously not good, where is everyone?" Junko's worry was evident in her voice.

"Everyone, we should settle down; after all, we should have more faith in our school! They are just trying to spook us like Hiro said. They'll take the metal plates down later, I'm sure of it!" Taka tried to calm everyone, but his nervous undertone betrayed his words.

"All we can do now is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Sakura said calmly, her voice steady amidst the growing unease.

"Well, to hell with it all! It ain't like I'm scared or nothin'. Let's just get this over with! Hey! Where's whoever called us here!" Mondo's impatience surged as he burst through the doors into the main gym.

"Mondo, hold it! Stop immediately! No running!" Taka's authoritative voice echoed, trying to maintain order.

"I too shall go," Sakura stated calmly as she followed Mondo and Taka inside.

"H-Hey, wait! Don't leave me here all alone!" squealed Hifumi, his voice filled with fear and panic.

Junko, Kyoko, Sayaka, and I were the last to enter the main gym. The uneasy dread still swirled around me. As soon as we entered, chairs were aligned as if it really was an entrance ceremony.

"See? Told ya! It's totally normal entrance ceremony stuff," exclaimed Hiro confidently.

I wanted to believe Hiro, to hold onto any semblance of normalcy. But the unease wouldn't let go. Then, a high-pitched voice began to speak.

"Hey there, howdy, hello! Is everyone here? Good! Then let's get things rolling!" Everyone's eyes shot to the stage at the front of the gym. A medium-sized bear, colored half black and half white, was thrown into the air and landed on the table. It had a normal black dot and another odd red eye on its black side. Despite being a stuffed toy, it had an outie belly button.

"Huh? A...teddy bear?" Chihiro's confusion was evident.

"I'm not a teddy bear!" It replied back. "I... am... Monokuma! And I am this school's headmaster."

I was at a loss for words; this was the strangest thing I'd ever witnessed. The bear's high-pitched voice and its robotic but lively movements were utterly horrifying and incomprehensible.

"Nice to meet you all!" Monokuma continued cheerily. Every bit of anxiety and dread I had been carrying now turned into utter fear. My legs began to shake as I watched nervously.

"Waaaah! That teddy bear can talk!" screamed Hifumi.

"Calm down! There must just be a speaker inside it! I'm sure of it," Taka said, trying to rationalize the bizarre situation.

"I told you already. I'm not a teddy bear. I'm Monokuma! And I'm your headmaster!" The creature called out as it started standing up, adding another layer of dread to the surreal experience.

Monokuma's appearance was bad enough, but his words sent a shiver down my spine. Hifumi's scream pierced the air, echoing my own internal horror. 

"Waaaah, it can move!" he cried out again, his voice a frantic squeal.

"Man, comparing me to a child's plaything. You've cut me deep. Deeper than the Mariana Trench. Just so you know, NASA would be jealous of my remote-control systems. It's too complex for their weak minds to even comprehend! It'd destroy NASA's dreams to learn that out. I'm sure they couldn't BEAR the embarrassment." Monokuma's voice was mocking, with that eerily cheerful tone.

"A bear pun?" I muttered, confusion overtaking my fear for a moment.

Celeste chimed in, her tone flat and unamused. "Bear. That? Really? You are unfortunate."

"Silence! We're moving on. We must really hurry and get started," Junko interjected, trying to bring some semblance of normalcy to the chaos.

"Giving up already? No more stupid bear puns," Monokuma mocked, shaking his head.

"Quiet down, I say! Just quiet down. Ah, okay so! Everyone, stand at attention and now! And... good morning!" Taka bowed down deeply, his military-like demeanor shining through.

"Good morning!!!" Taka's shout was so loud it echoed off the gym walls.

"Y-You don't have to s-say it back. O-Or b-bow," Toko stammered, clearly rattled by the entire situation.

Monokuma's voice grew more authoritative. "Now then, let's commence with the most noteworthy and memorable entrance ceremony you'll ever have! First, let's talk a bit about what your school life here will be like. Now, ah, make no mistake—you few students, so full of potential, represent the world's hope. Like baby ducks that must be protected. In order to protect such splendid hope," Monokuma continued, his tone taking on a chilling edge, "you will all live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school. Everyone will live in harmony together and adhere to the rules and regulations of the school."

My heart sank further with every word. Live here, forever? 

"Ah, now then, regarding the end date for this communal life. There isn't one! In other words, you'll all be here until the day you die! Such is the school life you've been assigned." The gym fell into a stunned silence. Toko was the first to break it.

"Wh-What did he just say? Until the day we d-die?" Her voice trembled with fear.

"Oh, but fear not! We have quite an abundant budget, so you won't lack for all the common conveniences. You won't have to starve in a funhouse today!" Monokuma added, almost cheerfully.

"That's the last of our worries right now!" Sayaka exclaimed, her voice high-pitched with panic.

"Yeah, what the hell? You're saying I have to live here forever? You're screwing with us, right?" Junko added, her voice edged with disbelief and anger.

"I am not screwing with you! I am not a liar, cross my heart and all the other stuff. I assure you I am always a 100% sure of the truth. So, you can take my word for anything! Ah, and just for your information. You're all completely cut off from the outside world. So, you don't have to worry about that dirty, dirty land beyond those walls ever again! Back in my day, we didn't need all those devices! Damn kids."

"Cut off? So, all those metal plates all over the school. They're all to keep us locked here in this school!" I yelled out, the realization hitting me hard.

"Correct! Ding, ding, ding! You're right, that's exactly what they're for. No amount of crying, screaming, or yelling for help. Help will never come. So, with all of that in mind, feel free to live out your life here with reckless abandon!"

"Come on, what the hell is this? This is all just some bad joke; I don't care who's ever behind this. If that's the school or whoever! So just stop this, seriously it isn't fucking funny." Leon's voice boomed with frustration and anger.

"Yeah! Cut this shit out! It isn't funny anymore!" Mondo added, his voice a low growl of anger.

"You people, always quick to claim lie or a joke. You're all skeptics. Though who could blame you. You've lived in a world where you can't trust your own neighbors. So quick to tear each other apart. Though you'll have plenty of time to find out if what I'm saying is true or not. You'll all come to realize that I speak the undeniable truth sooner or later."

"This is much unfortunate. I can't live my entire life here." Celeste said calmly, though her eyes betrayed her anxiety.

"Oh, but you know. I may have forgotten a teeny, little thing. There *is* one way for you to leave this school." Monokuma added, almost gleefully.

"As headmaster, I've crafted a special clause for those of you who would like to leave! Isn't that nice? I call it the Graduation Clause. Now let me dissect it for you all. It's a fun one, I'll tell you that. As I mentioned earlier, in order to maintain an environment of harmony here, we rely on a communal lifestyle. Let's say if someone were to disrupt that harmony, they and they alone would be allowed to leave the school. That, my students, is the graduation clause."

"Hold it, what do you mean by 'disrupt the harmony'?" Byakuya demanded, his voice icy.

Monokuma gave a cold and eerie giggle. "Well, you know, if let's say one person were to murder another." Everyone stood in shock, blood turning cold and bodies running shivers.

"M-Murder?" I cried out, my voice trembling with panic.

"Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, or even shooting—how you do it is fine with me. You must kill someone if you want to leave. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3. The rest is up to you. Give it your all to achieve the best outcome in the worst way possible. I'm rooting for you!" A chill shot down my spine as I listened.

"I told you this before, you are the hopes of the world. Yet having that hope, betray and kill one another. Seeing it murder to thrive and create a darkened shadow of despair. It's so exciting, so beautiful!" Monokuma's voice dripped with twisted joy.

"What the hell are you talking about! Despair, murder! This is all bullshit! To kill each other, that's!" Leon stammered out.

"What? To kill each other is to kill each other. That's what killing each other means, right? Maybe you should ask for a dictionary for Christmas so you can look up what all these words mean?" Monokuma replied, his tone mocking.

"We know what it means; that's not the problem! Why do we have to kill each other!?" Aoi yelled, her voice breaking.

"Agreed! Enough with all this nonsense. Just let us go home already! You keep on blabbering all this nonsense," Hifumi cried out, his voice shaking with fear.

"Blabbering?" Monokuma's voice turned dangerously low. "Blabbering, blabbering, what do you mean blabbering? I keep blabbering on about nonsense! You guys just can't get it through your heads! You cry like babies, asking to go home. Over and over, demanding the same thing. Like a broken radio. This school is your home, your life, your world. Nothing's changing that, got it? You can kill as much as you want to, so go on a killing spree! Kill the whole world! This is your chance!"

Rimuru, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "Hey, Monokuma. Let's say for argument's sake, someone does decide to kill. What's stopping you from just keeping us here anyway? I mean, you've already lied about so much. Why should we trust anything you say?" His question was sharp, cutting through the tension.

Monokuma stared at Rimuru, a flicker of something crossing his bear-like face. "Ah, a very good question! But you see, I'm not lying. The Graduation Clause is real. You kill, you leave. Simple as that. But! And it's a big but, you have to follow the rules of the game. No shortcuts. No cheating."

"Alright, this is getting kinda boring. I love jokes as much as the next guy but you're keeping it up for kinda long," Hiro said, his nervous laugh filling the uneasy silence. "You got us, okay? Scared us half to hell, so will you reveal the tricks now? The hidden camera people, y'know."

"What?" asked Monokuma, a bit baffled.

"Yeah, cuz I mean, this is all some big trick and all, right? A big prank, so uh, like," Hiro continued, still smiling awkwardly.

Mondo ground his teeth and pushed Hiro out of the way. "Dude, shut the hell up and get outta my way." He stood right in front of Monokuma's table, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Listen up, asshole! This shit's gone way too far! What the hell kinda joke IS this!?"

"The only joke here is your corn hair," Monokuma replied as he eerily laughed again.

"FFFFFFUUUUUUU," Mondo screamed out. The sounds of floorboards being kicked against echoed through the gym. Mondo launched himself through the air, flying towards Monokuma as fast as a bullet. He locked his fist tightly on Monokuma's neck and lifted him off the ground. His arms flailing around as Mondo began to angrily roar out.

"Gotcha, you little piece of shit! I dunno what the hell you are, if that's a toy or stuffed animal. Either way it doesn't matter, 'cause I'm gonna rip you to fuckin' shreds!"

"Waah! That's against the rules! Violence against the headmaster is in direct violation of school regulations!"

"Shut the fuck up! Let me outta here, or I swear to Christ..." Monokuma's body went limp as an odd beeping noise started emitting coming from Monokuma. "What's the matter? Run out of smart-ass comments, huh?" Mondo said with an angry smirk on his face. The beeping noise sped up, angering Mondo even more. "Damnit, stop that beeping sound and fuckin' say something!" Mondo boomed out towards the lifeless Monokuma.

"Get rid of it right now!" Kyoko demanded

Mondo looked towards Kyoko, but before he could make out anything, she yelled out again. "Hurry up and throw it!" she snapped. Whether it was her ferocity or the urgency in her voice, Mondo, without question, threw the Monokuma high up into the air. As soon as he did, a great big explosion engulfed Monokuma.

The noise from the explosion rang out in everyone's ears, causing them all to cover their ears in pain. The ensuing smell of gunpowder spread quickly. Everyone stood in shock, witnessing a real-life explosion. It seemed almost impossible.

"Wh-What the fuck?" stammered Mondo. "That shit wasn't a joke; it blew the hell up! Oh crap." Mondo let his mouth hang wide open as he stood in fear at what had almost just killed him.

"But you know, this means that the teddy bear's been destroyed, right?" Chihiro exclaimed.

"Fujisaki! How many times do I have to tell you? I am not a teddy bear, I am Monokuma!" yelled out Monokuma.

"There's another one?" yelled Leon.

"You son of a bitch! You seriously tried to kill me just now!" Mondo furiously exclaimed, his teeth clenching as he spoke.

"Well now, that's your fault! You did violate one of the school's regulations. So, you deserved it." Monokuma yelled back. "If you weren't stupid, I'd kill you right here on the spot. For now, I'll let you off with a warning, but you'd better be careful. Listen up, any naughty boys or girls who violate any rule that I set will not just get off with a small spanking."

"H-Hey, so does this mean there's like, a bunch more of you around somewhere?" asked Junko.

"Monokumas are all over the place, all throughout the school. Watching, waiting for the moment you mess up." Monokuma said. "Also don't forget about our surveillance cameras that are everywhere. If you're caught breaking any rules, well, guess you'll know what will happen." Monokuma laughed out. "I won't be so forgiving with my next punishment time. So, you better not let this happen again."

"That's not even punishment. That's just wrong," Aoi spoke up.

"Now then, lastly. To celebrate this momentous occasion of your entry into our school, I have a little something, something for you. This is our official student handbook. It's super neat! It's even fully digital. So naturally, we call it the e-Handbook." Monokuma paused for a second.

"Alright, no applause? Well, I'll move on. This handbook is vital to our healthy school life, so don't lose it! It has all you need, your name, and your student information. It's also waterproof, run it over a sink, throw it in the shower, it will keep on working. You can also try to use force to break it, but it won't work either. It could withstand ten tons. Very resistant, I'd say. Finally, it contains all the regulations, as demonstrated by our class sweetheart, corn hair. Remember, any violations of school regulations will not be tolerated. Rules are meant to be used to instruct and create an orderly society. Where would we be without them? Utter chaos, which is the same in here. So that's why we have strict punishment for any rule-breaking individuals. With that, the entrance ceremony will come to a close. Enjoy your abundantly dreary and depressing school lives!" With that Monokuma disappeared, leaving everyone in a state of confusion mixed with fear.

Taka was the first to speak up. "Everyone, I must ask. How would you define what we all have just witnessed?"

"I don't have a damn clue; I couldn't understand a damn thing that the bear said! This is all frickin' insane!" Leon replied.

"We have to l-live here forever? Or... k-kill?" Toko said as she locked onto her hair. "Wh-what? What just happened?"

"Everyone, we need to just calm down," declared Kyoko with a straight, lifeless face. "First, let's just take a second to summarize everything we just heard. We have two choices, based on what Monokuma said. The first is to remain here and live a 'communal life' together until we all die. Then the other option..."

Celeste interjected before she could finish. "If we want to get out of here alive, we have to kill someone, right?"

"But... killing someone... That's..." Chihiro cried out as tears started forming in her eyes.

"We were abducted out of nowhere and stuffed into this place meant to look like a school. Now we're supposed to start killing each other. This is! This is, this is just? What IS this!" Hifumi squealed out.

"This must be a lie! All of this is just a lie, that's what it is! All these ridiculous things we've heard. This all must be fake, surely it has to be," declared Taka.

Rimuru interjected, his voice calm and thoughtful. "It sounds crazy, but we need to stay focused. Whether it's real or not, we have to be smart about how we handle this."

"That's Right, right now, it doesn't matter if it's real or fake. What matters is what someone else believes is true or not. Is there anyone here who's seriously considering all this?" Byakuya called out.

Makoto spoke up. "What do you mean?" Byakuya scoffed at his remark.

"Can you all say with a hundred percent positivity that someone here isn't already planning? That someone isn't willing to betray to escape?" Makoto stepped back nervously as Byakuya continued on talking. "Everyone may want to deny the undeniable fact! I'll admit I have no interest in murdering one of you, however, that is not true for the rest of you. I'll warn you; someone here is planning to murder."

Rimuru stepped forward, his expression friendly but serious. "Listen, we can't jump to conclusions about each other. Panic will only make things worse. Let's try to find a way out of this without turning on one another."

"Oh yeah, you think you can survive with that naive thinking be my guest."Byakuya replied dismissively.

I wanted to argue back, but he couldn't muster up the courage to. Everyone else went dead silent; the gym went quiet. Everyone started to look around at each other with mixed expressions. Hostility amassed on their faces along with fear, each one trying to gauge each other's thoughts.

That's when everything hit me like a truck. The true terror that lurked in Monokuma's rules. "You must kill someone if you want to leave." Those words echoed in his head. Planting vicious thoughts deep into everyone. Suspicious glances on everyone, all of them forced to wonder. "Will somebody betray us? Who would and who will?" I realized that this school, which was supposed to enshrine hope, wasn't a school of hope. It was a school of despair.