(3rd Person's POV)

...

...

...

DING, DONG!

"Hunh...?"

The sharp noise of the doorbell awoke Makoto from his sleepy trance. He got up and opened the door to see Kyoko with a serious expression. Well, not that she was never serious before...oh, you get the idea.

"Naegi, get out here."

"Kirigiri...?" Makoto looked at her in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Hina just came to see me, and she was white as a ghost." Kyoko told him. "It sounds like something's happened."

"What...?" Makoto looked worried. His heart started to beat faster as he suddenly found himself wide awake.

"She said for us to come to the rec room." Kyoko said.

"The rec room...? Okay! Let's hurry!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Naegi! Kirigiri!" Hina called out once she saw them.

"Hina, what's wrong!?" Makoto asked in worry.

"S-Something's not right... In the rec room...!" Hina stammered.

"What's inside?" Makoto would hurriedly take a look inside. And when he did, he saw... "Ogami...?"

Is she...unconscious? She's sitting up in the chair, like she's...bowing her head.

Kyoko turned to Hina. "What's going on? Did something happen to her?"

"I was just walking past, and I happened to notice her through the window... But I couldn't get the door open..." Hina explained. "I tried knocking, I tried calling her name... But she wouldn't respond... S-So what should we do? What are we gonna do!?"

"First of all, we need to get into the room." Kyoko calmly said.

"But the door's locked, right? And if we break in, we'll be violating school regulations..." Makoto pointed out.

"We're going to force our way in." Kyoko folded her arms.

"I just said--!"

"The door isn't locked. It's not locked because the rec room door doesn't have a lock."

"Huh? Then why...?"

Kyoko went up to the door, only to feel some sort of hard object preventing her from going in. "It feels like the door is pressing against something inside the room. Is it...the chair?"

"Chair...?"

"Either way, this door isn't locked. Which means, as far as I can tell, the rule doesn't apply."

"Then...there's no problem if we break in!?" Makoto asked.

"Let's smash the window. That should be the fastest way..." Kyoko said.

"Okay, I'll go get something to break it with! Wait right here!" Hina exclaimed as she took off.

"Is she...okay?" Makoto would ask, taking another look inside the rec room and Sakura's unconscious form. "I mean, it's Ogami, so I'm sure..."

"..."

Kyoko didn't reply. There was only silence... But that silence didn't last long.

"Here!" A voice exclaimed as Hina came back. "I found a broom! In the classroom! Use it!" She told them through tired panting.

"You can handle this, right Naegi?" Kyoko asked.

"C'mon! Please, hurry!" Hina desperately pleaded.

"Okay! You two, stand back!" Makoto told them. He took hold of the broom and swung as hard as he could. Aiming directly at the window, all it took was one solid hit...

CRASH!

The window shattered into a hundred pieces, scattering across the rec room floor. Makoto stuck his hand through the now open window and started jostling the door.

"The chair's pretty heavy... But if I can just...!"

The boy pushed with all his strength, and the knob finally turned.

"Ogami!" He called out as he ran up to her as fast as he could. But the moment he laid his hand on her...

It was too late. The so-called "traitor", Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist...was dead.

BING, BONG! BONG, BING!

"A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the class trial will begin!"

...

...

...

"Huh...?"

...

"Sakura's...Sakura's...dead? She's...really dead?"

Makoto and Kyoko heard Hina talking, but they're eyes were steadily staring forward. They were too focused on Sakura's dead body...

"We didn't make it in time. It's happened again..."

Muttering to herself, Kyoko began to gently inspect Sakura's body. Makoto wondered, was she confirming that Sakura really was dead? Checking for a pulse, or a reaction?

" ...I have to go get them... I have to go get...the others..." Hina shakily left the rec room.

"Why...? Why...did this have to happen?" Makoto clenched his fists. That's all he could say. He repeated it over and over again...

"I need to examine Ogami's body..." Kyoko said.

Makoto just stood there motionless behind her, while she checked Sakura's corpse.

Time passed. While the lucky student stood there, unable to do a thing, time just...passed. And after who knows how long...

"I got everyone..."

"Uwah! O-Ogre!?"

"Oh. So she's dead, huh?"

"Good grief... You dragged me outta bed for this?"

"Ogami's been killed? I see..."

The voices of Hina, Hiro, Genocide Jill, Sora, and Byakuya respectively were heard, making their presences known.

Kyoko turned to all of them and began. "You heard the announcement just now, right? So you know what this means."

"Ogami was murdered. And by someone in this very room... Is that what you were going to say?" Byakuya guessed.

Hina shook her head. "...No. Whoever killed her...it's not just "someone in this room." It was one of you..." She angrily pointed to four people in the room. "Hiro, Shirayuki, Togami, Fukawa... one of you killed Sakura!"

"Wh-Wh--!?" Hiro stammered in shock while Sora looked at her with a deadpan "Are you serious" look.

"You're accusing us before we've even begun the investigation?" Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"I don't need to investigate anything... Because you hated her. You hated the sight of her! One of you did it, I know it!" Hina assumed.

"You...know it?" A voice spoke up as Monokuma appeared. "Jeez, I didn't know your power level would increase by that much just by getting mad!"

"What are you doing here...?" Hina glared at him.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to hand out my little murder flyer. That's right! It's the next Monokuma File!" Monokuma chuckled as he brought it out. "And don't get so mad, Miss Asahina, or you're gonna ruin that lewd little face of yours!" He teased. "Now then! With that, I--"

"Hold on..." Makoto stepped in front of Monokuma. "There's something I want to ask you..."

"Huh?"

"It was you, wasn't it? You killed Ogami?"

"Huh huh?"

"Ogami wanted to challenge the mastermind to a duel. Maybe you and her fought again, and then..." Makoto trailed off.

"Then I killed her?" Monokuma finished the boy's sentence. He then grinned. "Sorry, not quite! Actually, not even close. That whole thing is totally irrelevant now! Ogami came to a most regrettable end without even getting the chance to finish things with me..." He smiled in relief. "Which, thank Kami for that! It saved me the trouble of having to go through with our little fight. Cuz even for someone like me, it would've been no mean feat to take down a behemoth like that! I gotta tell ya, I was actually pretty worried! I mean, she'd violated a rule by attacking me in the first place, but I wasn't able to punish her! So I dunno who it was, but whoever the blackened is this time...I owe ya one!"

"Y-You owe them one!?" Hina exclaimed in anger and rage.

"Oopsie! Before you get all pissy-potty at me, you better figure out who did it first! Cuz I mean...your lives are all on the line, right? Puhuhu... Puhuhuhuhu!" Monokuma giggled as he dissapered.

Hina let out a low growl. "What the hell...? He owes them one? I hate him! I hate this whole thing!"

"Well I, for one, am glad it was Ogami." Byakuya spoke up. "She was working for the mastermind, after all."

"H-How can you say that now...!?" Makoto looked at him, appalled.

"Sorry, I don't have time for your squabbling. The next game has already begun... If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at whoever killed Ogami."

"..."

"Right now, our top priority needs to be uncovering Ogami's killer. If we can't do that, we're all dead." Kyoko pointed out.

"Then let's decide who will stand guard this time." Byakuya suggested.

"...I'll do it." Hina volunteered.

"Hina?" Makoto looked at her with concern.

"I'm okay... Just let me handle it...! Besides, I...I want to be here...with Sakura.

"Okay, then Hina is guard number one. But we need one more." Byakuya turned to a certain mystery girl. "Kirigiri, that's you."

"...Me?"

"You're always a thorn in my side. This time just stand by and watch quietly. Consider that an order."

"An o-order!?" Makoto stammered.

Kyoko rolled her eyes, but relented nonetheless. "Fine. I'll stay behind."

Byakuya chuckled. "Then it's settled. Let's begin, shall we?"

"..Hold on! Before that, there's something I want to say." Hina spoke up.

"Which is...?" Byakuya inquired.

"Hiro, Shirayuki, Togami, Fukawa--none of you are allowed to step foot in the crime scene." Hina declared.

"What...?" Hiro looked at her in shock.

"One of you killed Sakura! I won't let someone like that come anywhere near her!"

"Don't be stupid. Our lives are in just as much danger as yours! We have every right to investigate." Byakuya tried to argue.

But Hina would just shake her head. "I don't care what you say. I'm not letting the one who killed Sakura anywhere near her. Even if it means I have to use force, you're not getting in here...!" She insisted.

Byakuya clicked his tongue. "Well, it appears further discussion would be a waste of time. How about a compromise? I won't ask you to let all of us in. Just let me and Shirayuki."

"What!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"Well, that's a fair deal if I've ever heard one. After all, we're one of the only people here who actually looks at the crime scene for more than five seconds." Sora put her hands behind her back.

"In other words, both of you are pretty much useless. You don't care, do you?" Byakuya asked.

"Nope, don't really caaaare!" Genocide Jill giggled. "I'd rather spend my time coming up with another splendid fantasy involving Master, anyway!"

Byakuya rolled his eyes as he turned to Hiro. "And you, Hiro? Do you really object?"

"I-If you're gonna go that far, what can I do?" Hiro ruffled his hair. "I mean, I don't have anything to hide, so why should I care?"

"Then it's decided."

"Nothing's decided!" Hina yelled before Kyoko put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know how you feel, Hina, but you should agree to his request." She suggested.

"B-But--!"

"We have to find out who killed Ogami. For those of us still alive, and to honor Ogami's memory...

"...Fine. I guess that's okay." Hina relented. She then glared at Byakuya and Sora. But no matter what, Togami, Shirayuki, you absolutely aren't allowed to touch her...!"

"Naturally. Who would want to touch a filthy dead body?" Byakuya smirked at her in a mocking manner.

"That's enough fighting." Kyoko interjected. "We need to focus on the investigation from here on out. Everyone, keep this in mind. If we can't uncover Ogami's killer...all of us face execution."

Sora sighed. Once again, she has to do this. In order to make sure she lives to see another day, she has to investigate one more time.

She has no choice....she has to do it!

---

IT'S...INVESTAGATION TIME!

Just like the other times, she better check the Monokuma File before she does anything else...

Victim: Sakura Ogami

Time Of Death: Around 12 Noon

Location Of Body: Recreation Room

Other Notes: The Victim Suffered A Hard Blow To The Head. It Seems At One Point, The Victim Suffered From A Violent Vomiting Of Blood.

Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #4

"I think the case this time might be...a challenge." Sora heard Kyoko say.

"Why's that...?" Makoto inquired.

"The only way into the rec room is the door we just came through. And that door had been jammed shut with the chair from inside the rec room. Which means the killed would have had to escape somehow, after barring the door."

"So if the door was blocked from the inside, and there was no way in or out till we broke the window... There's like...zero escape, right?"

"In other words, this is a classic locked room murder."

"L-Locked room murder...?"

He fumbled out his words as she spoke. I guess you might see this kind of thing a lot in mystery movies or books. But could it really happen in real life...? And right before their very eyes like this?

"Are you curious to hear more about what a "locked room" murder entails?" Kyoko asked.

Sora rolled her eyes as she stopped listening to the conversation. It doesn't seem that they don't have anything important to her. She then focused on the state of Sakura's body.

Unfortunately, due to Hina, she can't get close to the body without the risk of getting punched in the boobs. So, she might as well try looking closely to get a closer look.

Sakura drew her last breath sitting slumped forward in that chair... There's obvious evidence of the blow to the head Sakura suffered...

Normally, she would think that was the cause of death. But, according to the Monokuma File, she also vomited blood. And she can see a trace of blood on her lips...

So...what would have caused her to vomit blood? The Monokuma File specifically said she hadn't suffered any other injuries...

Truth Bullet: Status Of Sakura's Body

As Sora saw Makoto and Kyoko continuing their conversation, she pouted and found some sort of wrapper on the floor.

"Ah, that's--!" A voice exclaimed as Hina approached her.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Well yeah. I mean, I gave it to her... That's a candy wrapper. Sakura got super upset when she found out Genocide Jack had attacked me, right? So after we left the nurse's office, I gave it to her. I thought it might help her calm down a little..."

"I see..." Sora folded her arms.

"I found a big box of it in the warehouse. I...really like 'em... Actually, as soon as we could get into the warehouse, I took the entire box back to my room. I made sure nobody else could get their hands on 'em. But I wanted Sakura to get a chance to try one for herself. That's why I gave it to her..." Hina then looked to Sora as tears started falling out of her eyes. "But now...they've lost all their flavor."

The blonde looked at her with a flat expression as she inwardly groaned. I really don't have time for this...

Truth Bullet: Polka Dot Candy Wrapper

Rolling her eyes, Sora walked off as she walked in front of a dirty locker with a handprint on it.

"Mm?" Sora looked confused.

"What's a handprint doing here?" Kyoko asked as she and Makoto walked up to Sora.

"It looks like someone touched the inside of the locker, and it left a handprint in all the dust..." Makoto mused.

"And it looks quite fresh, too. I'd say someone was hiding here in the locker, and they left behind a little something extra..." Kyoko said.

"..."

Sora didn't bother taking part in the conversation, only listening to them to see if they have any information worth knowing.

"So then...! Maybe the killer hid in here until the locked room was opened, don't you think?" Makoto guessed. "And during all the confusion, they popped out and joined the rest of the group!"

Kyoko sighed. "Unfortunately, that's not a possibility."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Think back. Before we opened the door, we looked inside the room, right?"

"Oh yeah... And the locker was already open at that point..."

"So there's no way someone could have hidden in there until after we opened the door."

Truth Bullet: Locker Handprint

Sora got away from the two as she looked down and saw a bunch of shard glasses. It's all red, and the two shattered pieces are the top and bottom of a bottle...

Truth Bullet: Glass Shards On The Floor

"Hm?" Sora tilted her head. There's something else on the floor. A figure...it fits in the palm of her hand.

It's some sort of figure...made in the likeness of Monokuma.

Truth Bullet: Figure On The Floor

The pale blond went over to a shelf that had five Monokuma figure's inside a red bottle. How the heck did they get a figure inside the bottle...? Sora thought before shaking her head. I guess that doesn't really matter all that much. It's kinda like those ships you'd see inside the bottle. Monokuma must've made his own little version of that. A...Monokuma Bottle, as weird as that sounds...

Truth Bullet: Monokuma Bottles

"I think I'm startin' to make sense of all this..." Sora rubbed her chin in thought. The Monokuma Bottles sitting on the shelf... The Monokuma figure I found on the ground... The red shards of glass, which started out as a bottle... That means... Sakura must have been hit in the head with a Monokuma Bottle. The shards of glass and the Monokuma figure are proof of that. So there's no doubt that the Monokuma Bottle was the weapon...

Sora turned to see her next bullet of clues. There's a bloodstain in front of the magazine shelf... It must have come from Sakura...

But... Why is it so far away from where she died?

Truth Bullet: Magazine Shelf Bloodstain

---

Meanwhile...

"We already know who did it...! Togami, Shirayuki, Fukawa, or Hiro--it had to be one of them!" Hina exclaimed in anger. "They couldn't stand the sight of her! You agree with me, don't you, Naegi!?"

"U-Um, well...I don't want to say anything for sure without finding out more." Makoto said.

"...Then let me help you find out more." Hina offered. "You see, Sakura asked all four of them to meet with her. You know where? Right here in the rec room."

"What!?" Makoto exclaimed in shock.

"After I went to the nurse's office this morning, Sakura and I both left together, right? Well, eventually she went off on her own. But when I saw her again after that, she told me... She said she'd left a note for each of them. She asked them to meet her in the rec room by noon."

By noon... The Monokuma File said she'd died right around then...

"I'm telling you the truth. I heard it right from Sakura herself. And...I tried to stop her." Hina put her head down. "But she wouldn't listen. She said not to worry, that she just wanted to talk to them. And this is what happened... If I'd stopped her, by force even, this never would have happened..." She sobbed in grief and regret.

"H-Hina..." Makoto whispered as he looked at her with empathy. It's impossible not to have regrets...

Truth Bullet: Aoi's Account

Makoto turned away and looked at two certain blondes in the room.

But the fact that she had asked those four to meet with her. And she asked them to come to the rec room at noon--the same time and place she ended up dying... It might be good to confirm what he just heard with the four of them directly.

---

"What do you want? You're bothering me." Byakuya said to Makoto.

"Um, there's something I'd like to talk to you about." Makoto said.

"Make it quick."

"Is it true that Ogami asked you to meet her in the rec room?"

"So you found out. Interesting."

"Then it's true?"

Byakuya nodded. "I did receive a note to that effect, yes. But what fool would do what it said, and risk being killed by that monster?"

"So you didn't go see her?" Makoto asked.

"Of course not. I ripped the note to shreds and threw it away. I haven't seen Ogami today at all." Byakuya told him.

Is that the truth...? Well, until he can prove otherwise, Makoto has no choice but to accept it as fact.

"If you're all finished, please remove yourself from my sight." Byakuya commanded.

"O-Okay. Thanks..." Makoto softly nodded.

Truth Bullet: Byakuya's Account

---

"So if I were to put her on a beach with only me as company..." Sora muttered. "I wonder how long it would take before she would give in and gave me some of that wha-"

"Um...Shirayuki?" Makoto spoke up. Sora quickly put her hands behind her back and yawned.

"Whaddya want? Can't ya see I'm busy?"

"I-um, I was just wondering if you got a note from Ogami...to meet here in the rec room."

"Oh, you know about that?"

"So, you did?"

"Well...yeah, I got the note from her, but that doesn't mean I actually did what it said." Sora lazily rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm not stupid. Leavin' yourself with a hulkin' athlete like her is basically a death wish. I haven't seen Ogami ever since the other day."

Makoto nodded. That's what she says, but...can she really be telling the truth? Or is she just lying to throw suspicion off of her...?

Even so, there's no evidence right now that she's lying to him, so he has no choice but to accept it as another clue.

Truth Bullet: Sora's Account

"H-Hey..." Makoto spoke up again.

Sora groaned. "Whaaat?"

"Before I came to you...what were you talking about...?"

"Why, so you could steal my idea and have her all to yourself?" Sora pouted as she puffed her cheeks out. "No way. Get your own ideas.

What is she talking about...? Makoto thought as he left.

---

Sora yawned again. She thinks that her general investigation is done. In here, anyway...

"Now...time to look outside the box..." She said as she headed out the rec room.

Chapter 30: End

To be continued...?