"What is this?!" Winona shrieked.

"How did this happen?" Seto asked, "what even is this place?"

Tears started to fill Mizuno's eyes. "We weren't even given a motive yet."

"Wowza!"

Masaru watched Monokuma pop up out of nowhere.

"I didn't even have to provoke you kids this time!" Monokuma cheered but then seriously turned to his students and spoke as if he were speaking to only one of them in particular, "although this place was not supposed to be revealed in the first place."

Masaru observed the room more and the thing that stood out most was the wall of monitors. There were surveillance on every room such as the dining hall, gym, game room, pool room and more. A black swivel chair sat in front of the screens and there was another door on the side that seemed to be locked.

"Who would even have any reason to do this?" Seto asked.

"Monokuma explain yourself," Umeda ordered.

Monokuma held a paw to his chest. "What? Me? I didn't do anything you brat!"

"But one of us couldn't have done it," Toma spoke sincerely.

"Why not?" Monokuma cackled. "Because you're all such great friends?" The bear pretended to count them. "Last time I checked, there were sixteen of you, am I correct?"

"Screw you," Seto spat out.

"Make sure to check the victim file to help in your investigation!" Monokuma ignored the guy, "see you soon!"

Masaru took out his monopod as usual and got to work.

Victim: Priscilla Azumi- The Ultimate Curator.

Cause of Death: stab to the heart.

The victim's body was found in ????? lying face up.

Estimated time of death is 4:48am.

No other injuries were detected and no chemicals such as poison were present.

Masaru pushed down his feelings and prepared to observe the body more. Was this what she meant be her trusting in his detective skills? Was this some messed up version of her plan?

"So we're just going to ignore what this place is?" Seto asked out loud.

"Don't you think we'd tell you if we knew?" Umeda told him, "we don't know either."

"You two, focus," Winona said.

Toma walked over to Priscilla's body and bent down near her head. "That's strange..."

Masaru came closer to see what he was talking about and saw that there was a gash on the back of her head like someone had hit her with something hard.

Head wound.

"Well there's no doubt what caused that," Seto said staring down at another object.

Masaru glanced over and saw that the object was a bloody black bat.

The same bat that was on the weapon table during their last motive.

Black bat.

"That looks familiar," Mizuno said.

"It is the bat from last motive," Toma pointed out.

"How would someone even have access to that?" Winona asked, "the table was taken away a long time ago."

Masaru knew how but stayed silent for now.

"But the victim file said Priscilla died from a stab to the heart," Seto pointed out, "I don't think the bat could've also done that."

Masaru leaned over Priscilla's body and indeed saw a stab wound in her chest but no weapon. The others searched around the room for anything that could've been used but found nothing.

Stab wound/ missing weapon?

"That's weird," Umeda said, "why does she have a stab wound if there's nothing here that could've caused it? And why did the culprit also use a bat?"

Masaru didn't have an answer for that yet and instead walked over to the door that was also inside the room. He tried opening it but it was locked as he expected. He then looked down and saw slight scrapes on the ground in front of the small gap between the floor and door.

Scrapes on the floor.

Masaru's eyes were still on the floor but they soon drifted towards an area near the door and saw faint footprints. It was like the footprints walked right out of the wall...

Masaru reached out again at the wall above the footprints to try and find another secret passage but when he did a whirring noise appeared and one of Monokuma's "blasty helpers" came down from the ceiling.

"Geez not again," Umeda said and held his hands up in surrender.

"It's only a warning," Masaru told him, "for what, I wonder."

Footprints.

"Hey look at this."

Masaru turned to Mizuno who was standing under the monitors and playing with the control panel she found.

"What are you doing?" Seto asked, "you might break something."

Masaru watched the screens and when Mizuno pressed a button the feed started to rewind.

"Maybe we could go back to the time of the murder," Toma suggested and Mizuno did just that.

They all watched themselves doing normal activities on the screen up until around four in the morning last night. That's when they saw Priscilla creeping out of her room. Just when Masaru looked closer to see where she went all the screens went static.

"Huh?" Winona spoke.

Mizuno's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't understand..."

After a while, all the screens turned back on like normal. All except for the one that showed the feed on the hallway dorms.

Masaru watched that one singular screen until it finally turned back on just like the rest.

"Why was only that screen turned off for a longer moment?" Seto asked.

Strange monitor feed.

Masaru thought about it. Obviously, the culprit tampered with the feed but why only extend the cut off time for the dorm hallway?"

Masaru's eyes then widened. "No."

Toma stepped closer to him. "What—"

Once again, Masaru was bolting out of the hidden passage and back to the first floor. He hoped with all his might that he was wrong as he approached Priscilla's door.

"Monokuma come out!" Masaru shouted right as the other students caught up with him.

"What are you doing now?" Umeda asked.

Monokuma appeared on command. "What now?"

"Open the door," Masaru demanded and nodded to Priscilla's dorm.

"Why?"

"It's for the investigation so do it. Are you trying to interfere?" Masaru leaned closer to the bear. "Is there something you're hiding?"

Monokuma stayed silent but then a click sound was heard and the door slightly opened. The bear then left without a word.

Masaru stepped inside and Priscilla's dorm was the same as the last time he was in there.

"This seems wrong," Winona tiptoed inside. "It's like we're invading her privacy."

"For good reason," Masaru said and observed the room. The bed was neatly made and he walked over to it before bending down. He said a silent prayer as he looked under the bed but...

Masaru grit his teeth and stood back up.

"What is it?" Winona asked.

"Shoji's laptop," Masaru breathed out, "it's gone."

"What?" Seto spoke, "you're telling me we just lost the only thing that could've helped us escape?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Umeda muttered.

"Wait what do you mean it's gone?" Mizuno asked, "it can't just disappear like that."

"That's because the culprit took it," Masaru stated.

Missing laptop.

"Then let's go search everyone's rooms," Mizuno said.

"It won't be there," Masaru stated again.

"How do you know?" Seto asked.

"Masaru, I think this is for you," Toma said, standing over Priscilla's desk.

Masaru walked over and saw that a note was sitting there neatly folded with his name on it, written in pen.

"And why did she leave you a note?" Seto asked again, almost suspiciously.

Masaru picked up the paper and flipped it open.

Trust in yourself. Don't doubt. Don't feel. Don't be fooled. In my opinion, I think this was a great plan.

~ Priscilla

Masaru gripped the paper and felt on the verge of hot tears. It was the same feeling with Matsuyama. With all of his classmates.

Ding Dong!

"It's time for the long awaited class trial! Now then, see you soon!" Monokuma's voice rang out and the students looked at each other.

"Already?" Toma spoke.

"We barely have anything," Umeda said, "we don't even have a motive to take into consideration."

"We don't need a motive," Masaru said lowly and stuffed Priscilla's note in his pocket. He then made his way to the red door with his classmates who looked extremely confused.

Then they were all lowered into the courtroom for another class trial.

Class Trial Begin!

Masaru Yamaguchi: There's only one thing to start off with.

Mizuno Okimoto: And what's that?

Masaru Yamaguchi: The culprit is the traitor or the mastermind but most likely the traitor.

Winona Masuya: How can you be so sure?

Masaru wanted to laugh at that.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Who else could've entered a secret passage way to even kill Priscilla if not the traitor?

Seto Hamasaki: He has a point. But why do you think it's the traitor and not the mastermind?

Masaru Yamaguchi: I believe that the mastermind wouldn't risk revealing themselves in anyway. That's what they have a traitor for, to do their dirty work.

Masaru Yamaguchi: We're finally going to be uncovering the traitor now.

Umeda Susumu: That does make sense I suppose.

Toma Nikolaev: Should we talk about the cause of death first? Usually Priscilla is the one to starts these topics...

Mizuno Okimoto: Yeah, but we have to move on. The cause of death was a stab to the heart but there was no weapon that could do that at the crime scene.

Stab wound/ missing weapon.

Seto Hamasaki: That means there's a missing weapon that we don't know about.

Mizuno Okimoto: I told you we should have searched everyone's rooms.

Umeda Susumu: Why would someone hide a murder weapon in their room?

Winona Masuya: Then where could the weapon be? A stab wound would most likely be caused by a knife.

Seto Hamasaki: We should've checked the kitchen.

Mizuno Okimoto: Well, how were we supposed to know the murder weapon was a knife? You can stab people with a lot of things.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Monokuma, do you remember during our second class trial when you brought up the feed of the gym for Arata's case?

Monokuma: Of course!

Masaru Yamaguchi: Can you do that with the kitchen?

Monokuma: Ugh, why?! It's not my fault you all didn't investigate thoroughly!

Masaru Yamaguchi: ...

Monokuma: What? You're not gonna argue?"

Masaru Yamaguchi: ...

Monokuma: Oh, are you giving me the silent treatment? Puhuhuhu, that won't work on me pal!"

Masaru Yamaguchi: ...

Monokuma: Argh!!!

Just then, a monitor came down from the ceiling showing the kitchen feed. Everything seemed to be in place except for a few dirty dishes on the counter but everyone could clearly see that the knife rack was missing one knife in particular.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Thank you.

Toma Nikolaev: So, we know now that the murder weapon is a knife.

Winona Masuya: But where could it be?

Umeda Susumu: And what about the bloody bat?

Black bat.

Mizuno Okimoto: Right, Priscilla also had a head wound, didn't she?

Head wound.

Seto Hamasaki: So the killer hit her over the head before stabbing her?

Masaru Yamaguchi: I think we're looking at this wrong. Maybe one of the weapons belonged to Priscilla.

Toma Nikolaev: One of the weapons?

Masaru Yamaguchi: The knife to be exact. Priscilla wasn't stupid so it makes sense that she would've brought protection.

Umeda Susumu: Why do you think she had the knife and not the bat? How would Priscilla have been stabbed with her own knife?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Like we discovered before, the bat was from the weapon table of the last motive but it was taken away after it served its purpose. Only the traitor would have access to bring it back out.

Masaru Yamaguchi: It makes sense for Priscilla to have the knife since it would be easy to just retrieve it from the kitchen.

Seto Hamasaki: Umeda has a point though. How did Priscilla get stabbed by her own knife?

Winona Masuya: If the traitor accessed the game room at some point then Priscilla would've heard it coming or at least expected it. I'm sure she would've also been on guard.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Well, maybe something happened that she didn't expect.

Footprints.

Masaru Yamaguchi: In the hidden room I saw footprints leading away from the wall.

Umeda Susumu: From the wall?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Yes. As soon as I touched that wall, a gun came down from the ceiling as a warning almost as if Monokuma didn't want me to find out something.

Monokuma: It was because you were trying to snoop!

Masaru Yamaguchi: I believe that there was another hidden passage in the room that allowed the traitor to move throughout the school. The culprit possibly exited from there which caught Priscilla off guard.

Mizuno Okimoto: But how did the culprit know Priscilla was even in there? And if they just walked in on accident why would they randomly have a bat with them?

Masaru Yamaguchi: They didn't randomly walk in on accident. Monokuma, are you aware of every time those secret passages are being used?

Monokuma: If the traitor accesses them then no because that wouldn't make any sense! But if another nosey student enters it then I'm alerted right away!

Masaru Yamaguchi: What most likely happened was that when Priscilla entered the hidden room, Monokuma was alerted of that and sent his traitor to handle it.

Monokuma: Hey, what are you saying?! Don't blame me!

Masaru Yamaguchi: I'm not. But I'm sure that's what happened.

Umeda Susumu: I don't want to be annoying but I have another question.

Masaru Yamaguchi: You're always annoying but go ahead.

Umeda Susumu: ...

Umeda Susumu: Anyways, how did Priscilla know where the hidden room was in the first place?

Seto Hamasaki: Better question, how did Masaru?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Although, the laptop is gone now, Priscilla recently showed me another file Shoji kept hidden. She didn't tell me earlier for her own reasons but there was a map of the school with areas circled in red that marked secret passages.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I had seen Priscilla staring at certain spaces in the past but thought nothing of it. The computer room, the wall near the hallway bathroom, and as you've seen, the wall near the game room are the only entrances to hidden pathways we know so far.

Mizuno Okimoto: Wow. Why would she act on her own then? She should've known it would be dangerous.

Masaru thought of the note Priscilla left for him in his pocket.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I'm guessing it was part of her plan she mentioned. A sure way.

Toma Nikolaev: She had a plan?

Masaru Yamaguchi: I think Priscilla trusted in my detective skills so much that she believed if she entered a forbidden area, the traitor would make a move that may result in her death.

Masaru Yamaguchi: She took that risk knowing a class trial would be held and since I've uncovered every blackened so far, I will be able to uncover this killer as well.

Seto Hamasaki: So she knew there was a chance she could die?

Winona Masuya: This basically was a trap then!

Masaru Yamaguchi: Yes to both of those questions. That's why she brought the knife with her because if she could escape then she'd be able to tell us who the traitor or mastermind was. Unfortunately that wasn't the case since the culprit most likely came from the opening I mentioned before.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Upon emerging from opening, the culprit also had a weapon of their own and knocked Priscilla out. Then... stabbed her with her own knife...

Umeda Susumu: Huh?

Seto Hamasaki: Why would the culprit knock out Priscilla only to stab her with the knife? Isn't that a bit unnecessary?

Winona Masuya: Yeah, they could have knocked her out and dragged her out of the hidden room. I'm sure there would have been a way to shut the pathway so she couldn't enter it anymore.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I was stuck on that factor too but maybe that wasn't enough.

Masaru Yamaguchi: It would have been easy to shut off access to every hidden pathway after the mastermind found out Priscilla had discovered one. Knocking her out and moving her to another location would be the better option.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Something made the culprit kill her.

Mizuno Okimoto: And what was that?

Masaru Yamaguchi: It's possible that it could've been the mastermind.

Umeda Susumu: The mastermind told the traitor to kill Priscilla?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Something tells me that the traitor would want to do their best to lay low while spying on us for Monokuma. Becoming a blackened is not laying low so it couldn't have been their own choice.

Winona Masuya: So, the traitor only wanted to knock Priscilla out but the mastermind made them stab her with the knife as well?

Mizuno Okimoto: Speaking of the knife, we still don't know where it is.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Actually I have an idea.

Scrapes on the floor.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Along with the footprints I found, I also saw a few scrapes on the floor under the gap of the locked door that was in the room.

Mizuno Okimoto: What does scrapes have to do with this?

Masaru Yamaguchi: There is a chance that the culprit hid the knife by sliding it under the door.

Winona Masuya: Really? How would it fit?

Masaru Yamaguchi: With enough pushing it is possible to get it under there hence the scrapes.

Seto Hamasaki: Alright so after the traitor stabbed Priscilla they ditched the knife under the door. We should've broken the door down.

Monokuma: That sounds like thuggery talk to me!

Seto Hamasaki: Shut up.

Mizuno Okimoto: I want to talk about the monitors now. Whoever's behind this has obviously been watching us from the very start.

Strange monitor feed.

Umeda Susumu: Yeah that's probably how that thing knows where we are every time he pops up.

Toma Nikolaev: So does the mastermind just sit there and watch us?

Masaru Yamaguchi: That could be a possibility but it didn't look like that's their main headquarters. It's probably just for temporary surveillance.

Winona Masuya: Why was half of the feed cut off when Mizuno rewinded it then?

Mizuno Okimoto: Yeah! And also the dorm hallway stayed staticky longer than the rest of the monitors.

Seto Hamasaki: Well, that's obvious.

Everyone waited and Seto sighed.

Seto Hamasaki: The culprit didn't want to be caught on camera while they went to Priscilla's room to steal Shoji's computer. Geez, I thought Masaru was the detective.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I like giving others a chance to be smart.

Masaru Yamaguchi: But you're right. When the feed cut out after Priscilla left her dorm it was probably to confuse us about the events that followed after and to cover the culprit's trip to her dorm like Seto said.

Toma Nikolaev: If the culprit hadn't tampered with the monitors we would have saw their face.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Exactly.

Seto Hamasaki: This still doesn't bring us closer to who the traitor is. All we know is that they have Shoji's computer but Masaru didn't you say the computer wouldn't be in the culprit's room?

Shoji's computer.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I did. It would be idiotic for the traitor to keep something like that in their dorm where anyone could just stumble upon it so I believe they gave the computer to Monokuma.

Monokuma: Huh? Me?!

Masaru Yamaguchi: What, are you going to object?

Monokuma: Ergh! I...

Mizuno Okimoto: That's settled then.

Monokuma: Nothing's settled! And you're not getting it back either!

Umeda Susumu: So you do have it.

Monokuma: That has nothing to do with the trial!

Winona Masuya: Uh it has everything to do with the trial.

Monokuma: It's your fault for conspiring against your headmaster in the first place! How dare you try to shut me off again!

Masaru Yamaguchi: And how do you know that?

Monokuma: What are you talking about?

Masaru Yamaguchi: When we talked about our plans we were in either one of our dorms where there are no surveillance cameras or secretly where you couldn't possibly hear. Did someone tell you?

Monokuma: ...

Umeda Susumu: Well don't be quiet now.

Seto Hamasaki: Yeah keep talking.

Monokuma: ...

Toma Nikolaev: I do not think he's going to speak again.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Well, it doesn't matter we need to stay focused.

Mizuno Okimoto: Do you have any idea who the traitor could be yet?

Masaru truthfully did not have a suspect in mind yet. He felt like there was one detail he was missing that could give him a clue. The hidden room, maybe the kitchen, Priscilla's dorm...

Masaru Yamaguchi: ...

Mizuno Okimoto: Uh hello?

Masaru Yamaguchi: I want to go back and talk about Shoji's computer that was taken from Priscilla's room.

Umeda Susumu: What about it?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Now that I think about it the room wasn't as messy as I thought it'd be when I first realized that Shoji's laptop might've been taken.

Winona Masuya: I'm still not following.

Masaru Yamaguchi: When I first entered the dorm I immediately looked under Priscilla's bed for the laptop because I knew where she kept it hidden. When I think back on it, shouldn't the room have been more ransacked from the culprit's search?

Mizuno Okimoto: I guess you're right. If I were looking for the laptop I'd be opening every drawer and going through every space. The room should've been a mess!

Masaru Yamaguchi: But it wasn't. It's almost as if the culprit knew exactly where to look.

Masaru gripped his own podium as his classmates waited for his deduction.

Masaru Yamaguchi: There's only one other person that is still alive who knew where Priscilla kept Shoji's laptop hidden.

Masaru has always been right when it came to exposing the culprits during the class trials but for the first time he was hoping he was wrong.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Umeda, are you the traitor?

Mizuno Okimoto: Uh what?

Umeda Susumu: Wait, you think it's me?

Seto Hamasaki: No offense, Masaru, since I know you're always right but that can't be true.

Winona Masuya: Yeah, don't you remember Umeda's depressed episodes? Why would the traitor feel that way if they're not even on our side?

Toma Nikolaev: I know I said I trusted your word but it is not him. It can't be.

Masaru Yamaguchi: You already know this but Matsuyama and Umeda knew about Shoji's laptop before the rest of you. The three of us would meet up in Priscilla's room where she clearly takes the laptop out from under her bed. The only people other than me who knew this was Priscilla herself and Matsuyama but they're both dead.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I'm sorry but Umeda is the only other person who could've easily retrieved the laptop without actually searching for it. Yes, the culprit could've cleaned up after themselves if they made a mess but there would have been obvious signs of a coverup. We already know how tidy Priscilla was.

Umeda Susumu: I'll give you props for that little story you made up but it's not me, man. How would I have gotten into her room in the first place? It would've been locked.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Come on, Umeda. You know very well that Monokuma could've let you in since you were retrieving something he needed.

Masaru Yamaguchi: And since we're on that topic, you're the one that told Monokuma about our plan, aren't you?

Mizuno Okimoto: But why would he do that? If he knew about the laptop before us, if he was the traitor, wouldn't he have taken action earlier?

Masaru Yamaguchi: When we let Matsuyama and Umeda in on our secret that was after we shut off Monokuma for the first time.

Monokuma: So you were in on it!

Masaru Yamaguchi: Shut up.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Since the computer was dead for that time being there was no reason for the traitor to worry. But when they heard that it was back on and that we were planning to shut the bear off again that obviously became a problem for them.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Lucky for them the person who was in possession of the laptop entered one of their hidden rooms which was a great chance to solve that problem. What the traitor didn't know though, was that this was some twisted form of a trap that Priscilla planned that would cause this trial and inevitably expose the culprit.

Umeda Susumu: So the only reason you suspect me is because I knew where Priscilla hid the laptop?

Masaru Yamaguchi: ... you're still on that part?

Seto Hamasaki: You still think that guy's the traitor?

Umeda Susumu: Just because I knew doesn't mean Priscilla and Matsuyama didn't tell anyone else about this secretly.

Masaru only stared at him.

Umeda Susumu: Fine, maybe not Matsuyama but if Priscilla was working with Shoji before you even knew about it then she could've easily had someone else on her side too.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I already knew you were a bit on the idiotic side but you continue to exceed my expectations. Who do you think this "secret" person she confided in is then?

Umeda tapped his chin and observed his remaining classmates.

Seto Hamasaki: I dare you to pick me.

Umeda Susumu: It could be Seto, honestly.

Seto Hamasaki: This little—

Winona Masuya: Can we stop throwing accusations please?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Okay but mine isn't an accusation, it's the truth. Umeda is the traitor.

Umeda Susumu: I already told you it isn't. Is my word not enough?

Masaru Yamaguchi: No it's not.

Masaru took a deep breath.

Masaru Yamaguchi: I know I don't say this a lot but you're my friend and I am hoping I'm wrong about this. That's why I want you to rebuttal against me with as much passion as I'm giving you.

Umeda Susumu: ...

Masaru then sighed knowing that his deductions were never wrong.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Fine. Then let me go over everything I believed happened.

Last night, Masaru warned Priscilla not to make any reckless decisions but that didn't matter because Priscilla already had a plan in mind. She made sure to get at least some rest before following through on it and left her dorm. Although the monitor feed cut off what happened afterwards, it can only be inferred that she made a trip to the kitchen to get some sort of protection which turned out to be a kitchen knife.

Priscilla then made her way up to the second floor and had chosen the hidden room she believed was there to enter first since she knew she saw something in that particular area. But when she finally accessed the room, that set off an alarm for Monokuma who saw that someone other from his traitor was entering the hidden passage. Because of that, Monokuma sent his traitor to take care of it since the mastermind wouldn't dare involve themselves in such affairs.

After hearing the command, the traitor then took action and entered a different secret passage while also grabbing an available weapon to them which turned out to be the bat from the last motive. Priscilla who was observing the surveillance room she entered was most likely on high alert but what she didn't expect was there to be another secret opening in the room where the traitor emerged from, leaving faint footprints behind.

Since Priscilla was off guard, that gave the traitor enough time to hit her over the head with the bat, knocking her unconscious. That would have been enough to keep their secret passages hidden and just drag her to another location but something made the traitor go further than that. The mastermind told their traitor to kill Priscilla most likely to tie loose ends and the traitor followed through by taking the knife she brought with her and stabbing her in the heart.

After the deed was done, the traitor hid the knife by sliding it under the locked door in the room which left behind scrapes on the floor to confuse everyone about the cause of death. They then realized that this would be a great opportunity to get rid of Shoji's computer so that no one could ever shut off Monokuma again. The culprit tampered with the monitors next to erase what happened after Priscilla left her dorm for more confusion and also cut off the feed to the hallway dorms for some time to coverup what they were about to do.

The culprit left the hidden room with the laptop on their mind and soon approached Priscilla's door. It was obviously locked but that wasn't a problem because all they had to do was call Monokuma to unlock it. Once they were inside, the search only lasted about five seconds since the culprit already knew where to go and retrieved Shoji's laptop from under Priscilla's bed. After that, they gave it to Monokuma who benefited the most from having it in their possession and went on their way hoping this would all be over now.

Masaru Yamaguchi: It can only be you, Umeda Susumu, the Ultimate Game Designer!

Masaru Yamaguchi: To be truthful, the only pinpoint I have of you being the culprit is that you're the only one who knew Priscilla's hiding spot for the computer. If you are innocent then tell me why. Please.

Umeda Susumu: ...

Seto Hamasaki: Are you going to say something-

Umeda Susumu: I knew you'd be a problem.

Masaru watched Umeda's eyes never leave him. His demeanor didn't change but something was different...

Mizuno Okimoto: Is it true or not? Just tell us!

Umeda Susumu: Yeah, fine. Whatever. It's me.

Winona Masuya: What?

Toma Nikolaev: You admit it that easily?

Umeda Susumu: Yes so let's just get this over with.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Why are you acting like this?

Umeda Susumu: Acting like what? You were right. I mean you are the Ultimate Detective... are you?

Masaru tensed at Umeda's knowing stare. Like he has information on something he himself doesn't.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Tell me what you know.

Umeda Susumu: Right here? In front of everyone?

Mizuno Okimoto: What are you two—

Winona Masuya: Are we just going to ignore that he admitted to being the killer?! Why did you do this!

Umeda ignored Winona and continued to address Masaru.

Umeda Susumu: Although, you were wrong about one thing.

Masaru Yamaguchi: And what was that?

Umeda Susumu: About the mastermind telling me to kill Priscilla to "tie loose ends". It was the other way around.

Seto Hamasaki: What the hell do you mean other way around?

Umeda Susumu: She saw my face! You think I just knocked her out all quick like that? Well wrong again. We talked.

Mizuno Okimoto: You talked? About what?

Umeda Susumu: She said she had a feeling it was me, I don't know how. I think I've been pretty careful. She then proceeded to tell me to do what I think is right but I guess that was the trap huh?

Masaru Yamaguchi: You're acting so calm right now. Do you know what's about to happen?

Umeda laughed at that and Masaru wondered why. Was this whole trial pointless if the traitor was going to get away with this scott- free?

Masaru Yamaguchi: What about Shoji? What about Matsuyama? They were your brothers, remember?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Were you also the one who told Monokuma about Matsuyama's past? Are you the reason why Matsuyama and Nao were targeted as victim and blackened in the first place?!

Umeda Susumu: I didn't tell anyone anything.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Do you truly feel nothing knowing you worked beside the one who started this killing game that killed your friends?

Mizuno Okimoto: You're literally insane! What about those time you locked yourself in your room? Was that all acting?

Umeda Susumu: ...

Masaru Yamaguchi: No. He wasn't acting.

Seto Hamasaki: Oh so you're defending him now?

Masaru Yamaguchi: That is far from what I'm doing. Umeda, why did you really kill Priscilla? It can't just be because she saw your face.

Umeda Susumu: What are you getting at now, detective? When I stabbed her she was already unconscious anyways.

Winona Masuya: That doesn't make it better!

Umeda Susumu: You rather I have killed her while she was awake?

Winona Masuya: I rather you have not done it all!

Masaru Yamaguchi: Umeda, answer me.

Umeda Susumu: Ugh, why? I don't even understand your question. She saw my face and if I let her go she would've told you all everything.

Masaru Yamaguchi: And? Even if you got found out you could've went into hiding along with the mastermind and we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it.

Umeda Susumu: You all would still know I was the traitor though.

Masaru Yamaguchi: And why would you care?

Umeda Susumu: Because—

Umeda Susumu: ... Monokuma let's get this over with already.

Monokuma: What, is it my turn to speak now?

Monokuma: Alright, students! Cast your vote! 

Masaru locked in his vote with a heavy heart and didn't even know if all that time he spent with Umeda was real. They both grieved over the same person together so why was this happening? He watched as the spinning wheel on the screen landed on Umeda's chibi face and confetti appeared.

Monokuma: You're correct! The traitor and the one who killed Priscilla Azumi, the Ultimate Curator, is indeed, Umeda Susumu, the Ultimate Game Designer!

Mizuno Okimoto: I can't believe it. You were one of the main people that wanted to take Monokuma down and you were working with him the whole time?

Umeda Susumu: Yeah.

Seto Hamasaki: You really have no shame, do you?

Masaru Yamaguchi: Back to what I was saying before...

Umeda Susumu: Oh god.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Why would you care if we found out you were the traitor?

Umeda shrugged.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Since you seem to be struggling, I think it's because you didn't want the people you've grown close to, your friends, to know what kind of person you really are. You can pretend all you want but the Umeda we stood beside during this entire killing game is the real you.

Umeda Susumu: ...

Umeda Susumu: Think what you want I guess. Do you want to know a secret?

Seto Hamasaki: No.

Umeda Susumu: I designed all of your executions.

Mizuno Okimoto: Huh?!

Toma Nikolaev: How is that possible?

Umeda Susumu: Uh, I'm the Ultimate Game Designer, are you doubting my skills?

Umeda then turned to look at Winona.

Umeda Susumu: Yours was my favorite to make.

Seto Hamasaki: You—

Seto got ready to jump over his podium but Toma stopped him.

Mizuno Okimoto: All of those executions that caused our classmates deaths are on your hands now! You killed them!

Umeda Susumu: I didn't do anything. They're the ones who murdered someone. They deserved their executions.

Masaru Yamaguchi: Did Nao deserve hers?

Umeda fell quiet.

Winona Masuya: You are a wicked human being. The least you can do is tell us who the mastermind is.

Umeda slowly turned to Masaru and looked into his eyes.

Umeda Susumu: How about you ask him.

Mizuno Okimoto: Ask him?

Masaru Yamaguchi: ... what are you getting at?

Monokuma: Geez, so much talking!

Umeda Susumu: I agree. Let's hurry this up, I want to take a shower.

Seto Hamasaki: Are you kidding me? This whole situation is so not fair.

Monokuma: What's not fair about it? It's time to get started!

Umeda Susumu: .... Heh

Umeda Susumu: Get started?

Monokuma: Uh yeah, the punishment. Did you forget how this works?

Umeda laughed but Masaru could tell it was a scared and nervous one.

Umeda Susumu: What do you mean punishment? I created the executions, you know. I didn't make one for myself, obviously.

Monokuma: That's why we'll use a substitute!

Umeda was beginning to sweat now.

Umeda Susumu: Are you crazy?! I'm... I thought we...

Umeda Susumu: I'll tell everyone who you are right now!

Just then, the same guns rolled down from the ceiling, all aimed at Umeda.

Monokuma: Let's see which one is faster. Your words or my weapons.

Monokuma: Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for our beloved game designer!

Umeda Susumu: Are you seriously going through with this right now?!

Monokuma: I didn't tell you to kill her! You did this to yourself.

Monokuma: Ahem! Let's give it everything we got, it's.... PUNISHMENT TIIMMEEE!!!

Monokuma tried to drag Umeda away like he did to the rest of the blackeneds but Umeda swiftly jumped over his podium and addressed his remaining classmates.

Umeda Susumu: The mastermind! It's one of us sixteen students!—

Monokuma tackled him to the ground and began to proceed with the execution.

Umeda Susumu has been found guilty.
Time for the punishment!

Execution Model- Shoji Isao: Firewall!

Umeda recognized the design he created himself and felt sick. Ironic isn't it. There was darkness all around him and multiple fire walls in front of his path. Just then, loud computer codes appeared behind him and began to chase him. Umeda fled and slid under every fire wall in his path just before they closed only to be obliterated by the codes. He manages to get through every one and sees a white light at the end of all the darkness.

As Umeda walks forward towards the light, a digital scene appears to his right. It was the figure of Shoji made out of codes but you could still distinctively tell who it was. The hacker was sitting at a small table that held two gaming switches but Shoji seemed uninterested and stared at the vacant seat across from him.

Umeda looked back at the dangerous codes that were quickly gaining on him then glanced back to his escape. He then sighed contently before sitting down across from his friend. The digital Shoji smiled at the action looking interested now and picked up one of the gaming switches, willing to give it a try. For the first time since the trial, Umeda, genuinely, smiled back and the codes caught up to the two, obliterating them both.

Chapter Five- Blind Veils
[END]

Author's Note: Hello 👋 🪷 Chapter six will be the last chapter. Might do an epilogue. Who do you think the mastermind is?

Anyways, have a great day!