Truth Bullets

Monokuma Files: The victim was Artoria Jackson. The cause of death was stabbing. The victim was found in the library covered in blood due to being stabbed twice. Victim had an injury in her left hand

Body Discovery Announcement: The Body Discovery Announcement plays when three or more people discover a body not including the killer, however only Strawberry and Angel discovered the body when it went off.

Smell of Death: Artoria's body was releasing a foul odor. According to Chris, this might indicate she's been dead for some time. Interestingly enough the same smell was found in the Beach House

Kitchen Knife: A kitchen knife was found going through Artoria's neck. According to Anna, it was the same knife used to cook breakfast a few days prior

Bloody Paper: There was a piece of paper in Artoria's hand. However, once retrieved, it was too bloody to see what was on

Knocked over bookshelf: There was a bookshelf laying on the ground with books underneath

Artoria and Seiketsu interactions: Artoria and Sukuna seemed to have been in contact without the knowledge of everyone else

Gwen Reida: According to Strawberry, Artoria was acting unusual when Gwen was brought up. Kotone described Gwen as a popular actress so good at her job that she would look like a completely different person

Ripped Book: According to Strawberry, she was looking for the book Chris had on Gwen. But by the time she entered the library the book had its pages ripped out.

Seiketsu's Account: According to Seiketsu, all he remembers is passing out and waking up in the Beach House.

Hole in the Wall: There's a hole in the wall of the Beach House with a hint of blood in it

Empty Bottles: The trash can in the Beach House was full of empty water bottles. According to Angel, all of the water was used

Chloroform: There was a strange cloth with Chloroform on it deep in the trash can.

Island Special Feature: According to Monokuma, there was a special feature added onto the island related to a mysterious hatch on the floor of the Beach House

Monopad: The Monopads display your name when you open them up. When texting, you can change the text name but the device used is still known

Class Trial: Begin

Monokuma: Let's begin with a basic explanation of the Class Trial. During the Class Trial, you will present your arguments for who you think the killer is and vote for whodunnit. If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one, I'll punish everyone besides the blackened! Giving the killer the right to leave this island!

Alicia: Yeah, you said that last time.

Prix: The difference is there isn't really a place to start this time, is there?

Satoka: Huh? There isn't? Why don't we start with the murder weapon?

The murder weapon. It clearly has to be that.

A) Silver Spoon

B) Flimsy Fork

C) Kitchen Knife

Sora: ... The murder weapon... it can only be the Kitchen Knife found in Artoria's neck.

Anna: Right, it was the same knife used a few days back when Sis and I made breakfast for everyone. But... that doesn't exactly help us get any closer to the killer.

Satoka: Huh? Why not?

Frostwing: Because any one of us could have taken the knife. The most obvious suspect being Kanzen, who's constantly making us breakfast.

Kanzen: Hm?

Satoka: Oh yeah. He is the mastermind so he'd probably do something like that.

Kanzen: Hey, why do I get an automatic suspect card just because I'm the mastermind?

Alicia: Ya kinda answered your own question there. Still we can't do nothin' with a lack of evidence.

Mia: It's not a lack of evidence that's the problem. There's something else that we're missing. It's preventing us from determining who has a proper alibi.

Something that we're missing. If it's stopping us from knowing who has an alibi then Mia must be referring to... that...

Hangman's Gambit

𝑇̲ 𝐼̲ 𝑀̲ 𝐸̲  𝑂̲ 𝐹̲  𝐷̲ 𝐸̲ 𝐴̲ 𝑇̲ 𝐻̲

Sora: That's it! The Monokuma Files don't reveal the time of death.

Satoka: Huh? Oh! You're right!

Alicia: Hey, Monokuma, what's the big deal?!

Monokuma: Oh! Erm... Zzzz... zzzz... zzzz...

Mononeko: Wha- Principle Kuma, no sleeping on the job! Even if you're obviously faking it!

Frostwing: Monokuma probably left out that information on purpose.

Kotone: But why would he do that?

Frostwing: Think about it. If the time of death were to give us a hint of who the culprit is, it would be far too easy for us to solve. More than likely, Monokuma left out that vital information in order to heighten the difficulty of us finding who it is.

Kotone: What? Is something like that even allowed?

Strawberry: So then, who saw Artoria alive last?

Anna: That should have been me. But that was yesterday morning. Anything could have happened since then.

Mia: Then let's change our perspective. Instead of looking at who was the last to find the body, let's try to think about who was the first to discover the body.

Satoka: Hm? Wasn't that Strawberry?

Mia: At first glance, that would be the case. But this time is different.

This time... she must be referring to that.

A)Morning Announcement

B) Body Discovery Announcement

C) Nighttime Announcement

Sora: You're talking about the Body Discovery Announcement, right? It will only go off after three or more people have discovered a body.

Angel: Oh yeah, but only Strawberry and I discovered the body when the announcement went off!

Satoka: So there was one other person who discovered the body? I got it! I know who did it!

Kotone: Why do I highly doubt that?

Satoka: You can say that now, but watch as the great Satoka blows you away with his power of awesomeness!

Nonstop Debate

Satoka: Only three or more people are required for the body discovery announcement to go off.

Kotone: Yeah?

Satoka: The fact nobody spoke up means the first person to discover the body wasn't with us when the announcement went off.

Kotone: Right.

Satoka: So the person who found the body was Scarlet! He came back from the dead as a ghost!

Kotone: G-Ghost?! Don't even joke about that! Anyone could have discovered the body first, even the killer!

Sora: No, that's wrong!

Counter: Body Discovery Announcement

Break!

Sora: Kotone, we already went over this during the Investigation. The Body Discovery Announcement will only play when three or more people not including the killer discover the body.

Kotone: Oh um... well I know we agreed it doesn't include the killer but Monokuma never exactly confirmed it.

Alicia: Well Monokuma? Are we right?

Monokuma: Zzzz... zzzz... zzzz...

Mononeko: Again with the fake sleeping?!

Kanzen: Well, allow me to answer in his stead. Under normal circumstances, yes, the Body Discovery Announcement will only sound if three people discover the body, not including the killer. But if something interesting were to happen then Monokuma will react with a bit of... flexibility on his part. Sadly this isn't the case for this particular trial.

Frostwing: In other words, we can exclude the killer as the first to discover the body.

Anna: So my sister and Angel are safe, thank goodness.

Satoka: Then I was right! It really was a ghost!

Kotone: I-It definitely was not!

Chris: We went over this too. There was only one person who wasn't with us after the Body Discovery Announcement. In fact, he wasn't with us at all during the investigation.

Mia: Right. So, anything you have to say to that, Seiketsu?

Seiketsu: Hm? Well, I guess I'll admit to not being there after the Body Discovery Announcement. But what makes you think I discovered the body first?

The proof that Seiketsu was the first person to discover the body. I don't know why, but I feel like he's testing us somehow. Regardless, the proof that he was the first to discover the body, it has to be... Seiketsu's account.

Sora: Seiketsu, you said it yourself. You passed out and woke up in the Beach House. But there are holes in your story. And I doubt you expected me to believe that you conveniently fell unconscious and woke up in the Beach House.

Angel: Oh she's right! When we found him he was all tied up in a surfboard case!

Sora: I won't tug at your pride, but it sounds to me like someone managed to get the drop on you. But this is Seiketsu we're talking about. I doubt you would let your guard down so easily.

Prix: I see. Something must have caught him by surprise, even if it was for a split second.

Kotone: Hang on a sec!

Sora: Hm?

Kotone: Sorry, but I'm not too sure about that. I mean this is Seiketsu we're talking about, you know? How would that even be possible?

Seems like Kotone isn't fully convinced. Guess I'll have to prove it myself.

Rebuttal Showdown

Kotone: Seiketsu was brought to the Beach House, and that was when he discovered the body right?

Sora: Right, what's your point?

Kotone: Well if that really did happen, how would they knock him out? They couldn't have used their bare hands could they?

Sora: They wouldn't need their bare hands, so long as the culprit had an item to get the job done.

Kotone: An item? Like a bat or a hammer? But wouldn't he be more injured if he was struck?

Sora: That's because the culprit used an item that let them knock him out without injury.

Kotone: Knocked him out without injuries? But there w̶a̶s̶n̶'t̶ a̶n̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ l̶i̶k̶e̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ i̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶ c̶r̶i̶m̶e̶ s̶c̶e̶n̶e̶

Sora: I'll cut through those words!

Counter: Chloroform

Break!

Sora: We didn't see anything like that in the Library, that's true. But it's a different story entirely for the Beach House, where I found a cloth of chloroform in the trash can.

Kotone: Chloroform?

Mononeko: I can attest to that. Sora was about to pass out with it only inches from her face. The smell was so strong it could knock out a deadman.

Monokuma: Who hired the big guy in a naked suit anyway? Seriously that match was the worst match in wrestling history. Still better than most wrestlers nowadays though.

Alicia/Mia: Hey!

Strawberry: Still, the way that you're talking... it almost sounds like the murder occurred in an entirely different area.

Prix: Probably because that's exactly what happened.

Satoka: Wait really?

Prix: After finding Seiketsu, Sora made the decision to investigate the beach house further.

Alicia: Was there something off about it?

The reason I investigated the Beach House. It had to do with one thing.

A) The Smell

B) Gummy Bear on floor

C) Something fishy

Sora: It was the odor. The smell coming from the Library is the same smell that can be found in the Beach House.

Alicia: But like, doesn't it take a minute for a body to stink like that? Hey  Seiketsu, how long were ya sleepin' for anyway?

Seiketsu: Like I'd know. All I remember was the nighttime announcement playing before I fell unconscious.

Angel: But... the Nighttime Announcement didn't play last night. That would mean...

Frostwing: If what Seiketsu said is true... Artoria was killed last night, before the nighttime announcement. And by the time you and Strawberry found her...

Chris: She was already gone for a full 24 hours. More than enough time for her body to start to rot.

Strawberry: That's...

Anna: I see. In other words they killed Artoria, knocked out Seiketsu, and brought Artoria's dead body into the Library.

Strawberry: Yeah but, why would they want to knock him out in the first place? Why not just kill him?

Mia: They probably can't afford it. More kills means more evidence.

Strawberry: Well I know that. But why go through all the trouble of capturing him in the first place?

Mia: ... I see. I can only think of one reason. To make sure he has as little involvement in the Investigation as possible. If he can't investigate, he can't find the culprit nearly as easily as he did with Crimson.

Satoka: Man, the Culprit this time really thought everything through this time.

Alicia: But my question is, what did they do with that blood?

Kotone: What do you mean?

Alicia: I mean, Artoria was soaked in blood. But if what you're sayin' is true, how would nobody notice her wanderin' around with a dead body? And how come there's no trail of blood comin' from the Beach House all the way to the Library?

Satoka: I've been on the fence too. I mean the library was a mess. Did she really die somewhere else entirely?

Looks like people are starting to have doubts. I should listen carefully to what everyone has to say.

Nonstop Debate

Alicia: I'm still not convinced the culprit moved the body. Otherwise blood would have been everywhere.

Frostwing: True. It would be hard for them to drag a dead body from the Beach house to the library.

Angel: But we did find Seiketsu at the Beach house! There's no other way!

Alicia: But there's no evidence that the crime took place in the Beach House is there?

Sora: No that's wrong!

Counter: Hole in the Wall

Break!

Sora: No, there is evidence that something happened in the Beach House. And it's not just the smell of blood, but there was also a hole in the wall with blood inside.

Prix: Even if they cleaned up all the blood, they couldn't clean the inside of such a small hole.

Satoka: But what about all the blood on the culprits body?

Kotone: Hm? What do you mean?

Satoka: If they knocked Seiketsu out at nighttime they wouldn't have been able to get back to the ship. But this morning everyone was in the kitchen and nobody had blood on them at all.

Frostwing: Satoka's right. The rules prevent anyone from entering the ship during nighttime, meaning the culprit must have spent all night cleaning up any traces of evidence that could point to them.

Angel: Could they have used the shower in the Beach House? To wipe the blood off their body?

Strawberry: Not possible. The water in the Beach House doesn't work.

Mononeko: Sorry. I've been so busy I didn't have time to fix it.

Kotone: Then how did they get rid of the blood overnight? Did they bathe in the ocean?

Kanzen: That would break the no littering rule. While it is true the rules can be broken in the case of a murder, that is only if breaking said rule is absolutely unavoidable.

Sora: As much as I hate to say it, Kanzen's right. There's another way to get rid of the blood without bathing in the ocean. All they needed was a certain item.

Strawberry: Really? But how?

The item they used to wash the blood. It must have been that.

A. Another Shower

B. Their clothes

C. Water Bottles

Sora: The culprit probably doused themselves with the water bottles from the Beach House.

Mia: Water bottles?

Angel: Oh right! I went to get a drink of water but all the water bottles were empty and in the trash!

Prix: That would explain what happened to the blood on the culprits body. But the lack of blood leading from the Beach House to the Library still remains a mystery.

Satoka: Oh yeah, what was the deal with that bookshelf? Could it be a clue?

Anna: Doubtful. It was more than likely a red herring. To trick us into thinking the murder happened in the Library.

Sora: Right. In regards to the bookshelf, all the books were under it where it collapsed. If there were some sort of sign of struggle, Artoria's body would be under it too and not where we found it.

Satoka: I see. Damn, and here I thought I found an important clue.

Kotone: You really thought a bookshelf could hide a trail of blood from the Beach House to the Library? That's just impossible.

... Hold on. Is it impossible? Is the bookshelf really just a red herring or is there something else going on? No, there's something else. Something I'm still not getting at. I just need to dive deeper...

Logic Dive

Question #1: Where was Seiketsu placed after being knocked out?

Answer: In the closet of the Storage Room

Question #2: When did the culprit knock over the bookshelf?

Answer: Nighttime, before the Morning Announcement

Question #3: Where is the trail of blood leading from the Beach House to the Library?

Answer: Underground

Sora: I got it!

Complete

Sora: Hold on, Satoka might be on to something.

Kotone: Wait really?

Sora: That bookshelf wasn't just used as a red herring but also to hide something. I think the culprit was trying to hide a hidden passage they took to move the body.

Strawberry: A hidden passage?

Frostwing: What makes you so sure?

Sora: During my investigation in the Beach House, I found a small hatch. Monokuma stopped me before I could go inside, but I'm sure that's the route they took to get to the Library-

Kanzen: Nice try!

Sora: Huh?

Kanzen: My how rusty you've gotten Sora. But you know I'll never lie to you when I say that you're wrong.

Sora: Kanzen? Why are you interfering?

Kanzen: I'm in this killing game too, or did you forget? I'll make sure everyone has their facts straight.

Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Whatever, I'll just prove my point and deal with him quickly.

Rebuttal Showdown

Kanzen: You're right about one thing. That hatch is a hidden passage. But are you sure they went through there?

Sora: What are you getting at?

Kanzen: Did you check the beach for any footprints?

Sora: Of course I did, but footprints leading in and out of the Beach House could belong to anyone.

Kanzen: Then what about the window in the Shower room? They could climb up there couldn't they?

Sora: That window is way too high. It's not impossible but highly unlikely.

Kanzen: All I'm saying is that it couldn't possibly be that pathway, because t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶a̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶d̶s̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶s̶i̶d̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶u̶i̶l̶d̶i̶n̶g̶!

Sora: I'll cut through those words!

Counter: Island Special Feature

Break!

Sora: ... No, even if you were right, that path doesn't just lead to the old building. Monokuma said it himself, it's a special feature given to the whole island, not just one part of it.

Monokuma: Gasp!

Mononeko: Why are you acting surprised? You're the one who said it.

Kotone: Okay, but what does it mean?

Mia: It means all the areas in the second island are connected.

Mia: Within each area, there must be an underground passage that the killer used to avoid creating a trail of blood. That way they didn't have to worry about cleaning the blood inside the hidden tunnel but only in the Beach House and Library.

Frostwing: I see. And in order to do that, the killer would need to pass the Ancient Ruins. So Kanzen isn't technically wrong.

Anna: Still, that causes a major problem, doesn't it? Because this all happened at nighttime, nobody has an alibi. Meaning anyone could have committed this crime.

Angel: Huh?

Alicia: Oh crap, you're right!

Frostwing: Hold on. Going by what we know so far, Strawberry, Angel, and Seiketsu are all cleared of suspicion, since they're the ones who discovered the body.

Strawberry: But as far as evidence goes, there's none left. Nothing pointing towards who the killer might be.

Sora: No. There's still someone who knows more than he lets on.

Kotone: Really? But who?

Sora: Seiketsu. You still haven't told us the full story.

Seiketsu: What else is there to tell?

Sora: Why did you go to the Beach House? What made you have to meet up with Artoria?

Seiketsu: ... ... ...

Sora: You and her have been interacting in secret, more than likely finding secrets of this island and trying to find a means of escape. However, you're not the type to be careless. So what really happened?

Seiketsu: ... Honestly, what a drag. So you already know that much, huh? Fine, it's true. I have been meeting up with Artoria in secret.

Strawberry: But why keep it a secret?

Kanzen: Seiketsu couldn't risk other people knowing. After all there are still three more Mastermind besides myself that he doesn't know about.

Seiketsu: Whatever. Artoria came to me first anyway. I'd keep her updated on anything I find while she keeps me updated on everyone's status.

Chris: I see. Artoria was probably doing that in order to discover the true identities of World Ender. She couldn't let us know her findings because it would risk giving the enemy information. So she decided to join forces Seiketsu, who acted separately from everyone else.

Angel: Artoria's always been the type to care about others more than herself. I wonder if she was trying to find a way for them to switch sides...

Anna: It's too late to tell... At least not now anyway...

Seiketsu: Regardless of her reasoning, she texted me last night to meet her. She wanted to discuss something I couldn't overlook. Or rather... someone.

Strawberry: Someone?

Sora: And who might that be?

Seiketsu: You guys can probably take a good guess. You guys were talking about her for quite some time yesterday morning.

Chris: I see... are you referring to Gwen Reida?

Satoka: Gwen Reida?

Kotone: Wait, the famous actress?

Seiketsu: Yep. That actress you've been looking up to? Apparently she's a friend of our little King. And on top of that, she's more than likely a member of World Ender and the one who killed Artoria in cold blood.

Sora: Wait, Seiketsu, are you implying what I think you are?

Seiketsu: Now are you getting it? Gwen Reida is one of us.

To Be Continued