Internal Strife
"You... you're... the spy...?"
"......That's right. The spy Monokuma mentioned this morning is me."
"Sa... Sakura... why...?"
"On the first night after our school life began... Monokuma took my clan's dojo hostage and ordered me to become his subordinate..."
"Th-that's..."
"You may think of it as merely a dojo... but it is a tradition my clan has protected for three hundred years. I could not allow it to end with my generation..."
"......"
"The mastermind ordered me to commit murder. They were likely afraid the first killing would never come to pass. And so, to my shame, I had been preparing to take a life..."
"But no one's been killed so far, right? Did something change your mind?"
Ogami had been forcing the words out with visible effort. She closed her eyes for a moment to catch her breath, and that was when Naegi asked his question.
"Yes... something did change. It was when Sayaka Maizono revealed her truth to everyone."
"Wh-when I told everyone the truth...?"
"Yes. Hearing her story, I was ashamed of myself. Someone far weaker than I had thrown herself into harm's way to stop a murder... and I, who prided myself as the strongest in the world — what pathetic display had I been putting on...?"
"I said it then and I'll say it again — the one at fault is the mastermind who threw us into this situation, not you. So don't blame yourself too much..."
Hearing Naegi's comfort, Ogami smiled quietly, then looked at the two of us.
"This place seems to have no shortage of the strong. Were our circumstances different, I would wish to seek your teachings."
For Ogami of all people to want my teachings... that was far too generous. I coughed awkwardly, and she spoke again.
"In truth, during yesterday's vote, I followed the mastermind's orders and voted that I could not trust Kei. But the result was that you could be trusted."
Ogami stared at me intently as she continued.
"Only then did I clearly understand which side I ought to oppose. I resolved not to obstruct the one the mastermind wanted hindered, but to stand against the mastermind themselves — the true culprit behind this killing game."
So that was why Ogami had been staring at me from behind as we left after the vote. She'd been thinking all of that...
"But... the mastermind would not leave me be. At dawn, they appeared in my room and took hostage the only man I have ever failed to defeat — the only man I have ever loved — and urged me to commit murder within three days..."
"That's... so cowardly...!"
"...I wrestled with it once more. But seeing all of you, led by Naegi, resolve to cooperate with one another... and seeing someone who would never give up no matter what... I made up my mind again...!"
Ogami's eyes flew wide, and she roared with all her might.
She finished speaking, her face set with resolve.
Silence hung over everyone for a while. Then Naegi, who had been smiling the entire time she spoke, broke it.
"Ogami... thank you so much for telling us the truth. The others must have felt your sincerity too. Right, everyone...?"
As Naegi looked around at the others, they began to smile and nod in agreement.
"W-well...! I mean, I was honestly shocked when you said you were the spy... but you found the courage to tell us the truth, right? That makes me happy...!"
"I mean... even if she is a spy... it's not like she's actually done much to hurt us, right? And honestly... if someone took my little cousin hostage and threatened me like that... I probably would've caved to the mastermind too. I get it. I really do."
"Magnificent... Ogami...! To refuse to yield to the mastermind... and to stand up for everyone...! I shall engrave this very moment upon my heart for the rest of my life, and I too shall strive onward, ever onward.....!"
"Heh. So you were as tough on the inside as you look. Anyone with a heart that strong is welcome anytime."
"See? Told ya my fortune was right..."
Kirigiri, standing beside me, wore a quiet smile of her own — she seemed glad things had settled so well. I gave a thumbs-up to Ogami, who was wearing an awkward, embarrassed smile, and thought:
Alright. Looks like this one's wrapping up smoothly too...
"In that case, if we kill you, we can leave this place. Is that it?"
"......!"
Togami's words turned the atmosphere ice-cold in an instant.
"Togami! What are you even—"
"Kill the spy, and no Class Trial will be held — you may leave this place. That is what Monokuma said this morning. Have you already forgotten?"
"That's not what I meant...!"
"And the same applies to her. She may have dressed it up in pretty words, but what if this is all a ploy to lower our guard for three days?"
"What are you—"
"Who's to say she isn't merely pretending to have turned against the mastermind, only to drive a knife into our backs at the last moment?"
"Stop it...! We've decided to trust Ogami...! No matter what you say, our minds are already made up!"
Asahina shouted at Togami, but he ignored her completely and pressed on.
"Then spare us the empty words and prove it with your actions."
"...What must I do for you to trust me...?"
"Simple. You just said you would 'fight the mastermind,' did you not? Then do exactly that. Face the mastermind alone, defeat them — and then I shall believe you."
"What? If something happens because of a reckless stunt like that—!"
"......Even if she dies, it hardly matters, does it?"
"......Huh?"
"If Ogami defeats the mastermind, this killing game ends — that is good. If Ogami loses and dies, the threat known as the 'spy' is eliminated — that is also good. Either way..."
A sharp crack split the air.
Asahina, her fury at its breaking point, struck Togami across the face with everything she had. It happened so fast that no one even thought to intervene — they all just froze.
"What do you think you're doing...?"
"You're... the worst...! Everyone's trying to trust each other... to stand against the mastermind... and all you do is stir up trouble...! Someone like you... deserves to die...!"
"Then do it. That is the rule of this place...!"
"You think... I won't...?"
"Asahina! Stop!"
Just as the others moved to pull them apart, Fukawa, standing beside Togami, began to tremble violently.
"How dare you... Master Togami... MY Master Togami... how DARE you...! The likes of YOOOOU!!!"
Fukawa's eyes rolled back, and then Genocider Syo burst forth, shrieking.
"How DARE you lay a hand on Master Togamiiiiiii! You'd better prepare yourself!!!"
The instant the words left her mouth, Genocider Syo pulled a pair of scissors from her clothes and lunged at Asahina...
A wet, piercing sound.
"KYAAAAAAAH...!"
"O-Ogami...!"
"Sa... Sakura... wh-why..."
The scissors Genocider Syo had swung were aimed at Asahina — but Ogami thrust out her hand and caught them. The blades punched straight through her palm, and blood began to well.
"AHAHAHAHAHA! What, you blocked it? Well, I figured you would!!! But your moves look kinda wonky. Didja get hurt somewhere!?"
"......"
Ogami's expression flickered at those words, but she quickly composed herself and spoke in her usual solemn voice.
"All of you... are far too agitated... First, collect yourselves... and calm down..."
"Sakura...! That's not the point — your hand...!"
"There is no need to worry for me... Asahina. Togami — I shall abide by your words. Before long, I will face the mastermind in battle. When I do... will you trust me... will you trust all of us...?"
"......Tch."
Togami clicked his tongue, then left the dining hall, dragging along Genocider Syo, who was clinging to him and begging for praise.
"Wow, the vibe's... kinda... yikes...? Well, I still can't trust Ogami yet either, so... I'm gonna bounce too..."
With that, Ikusaba left the dining hall as well.
"Then I shall take my leave as well... eep...!"
Celeste started to rise from her seat too, but when I shot her a look that could kill, she flinched and sat right back down.
Meanwhile, Ogami assured the worried students that she was truly fine, then headed to the nurse's office with Asahina.
Still... even against an attack from Genocider Syo, Ogami should have been more than capable of blocking it cleanly. Could she really be injured somewhere, just as Genocider Syo had said...?
"......Meet me in the locker room in a bit."
I'd been lost in thought for some time when Kirigiri brushed past me and whispered those words. It seemed we needed to discuss what came next.
"You're here. Now, about what just happened..."
"Before that, there's something I need to tell you."
I showed Kirigiri Alter Ego, which I'd been keeping in a locker, and gave her a brief explanation.
"......So soon, I'm going to sneak into the hidden room in the second-floor boys' bathroom and connect Alter Ego to the internet. If we can get online, we'll have physical evidence to show the others — and we might even be able to contact the outside."
"Then we'll need to figure out how to get in there without the mastermind noticing."
"Right. It won't be easy, but... with the others' cooperation and your help, it shouldn't be impossible."
"...Alright."
"I... I'm always ready...! Please take me with you whenever you need...!"
"Okay. Then let's talk about what just happened. Do you think we can trust Ogami now?"
"......Yes. The Ogami we saw just now... is someone we can trust. That said... she didn't seem to be in good condition..."
"I thought the same. Her movements were slightly off compared to usual, and she was clearly shaken by what Genocider Syo said. She's probably not in great shape."
"And now she's injured her hand on top of that... we should stop her from fighting the mastermind, right...?"
"......I have already decided to fight the mastermind. There is no need for concern, Kei."
"......!"
Kirigiri and I whipped around in shock. At some point, Ogami had opened the door and stepped into the locker room.
"How long have you been here...?"
"Be at ease, Kirigiri... I have no intention of making enemies of you. There are simply too many eyes on me at present, so I concealed my presence for a time..."
"I... I see... Oh, right! Ogami! How's your body holding up?"
"If you mean my hand, it is nothing. A wound of this degree would not even have been counted as an injury in the old days."
"You know that's not what I'm asking... What happened to you...?"
"......Yesterday at dawn, I charged at Monokuma after he took hostage someone precious to me... but Monokuma self-destructed. I moved quickly, yet I had lost my composure — perhaps that is why I failed to evade it completely. But it is not a grave wound. Fighting the mastermind will be no probl—"
"Even if you are the strongest in the world, you don't have to fight alone...! If you need me, I'll—"
Ogami smiled faintly at my words, then looked at Kirigiri and me.
"I do not intend to fight a meaningless battle. The two of you surely have a means of breaking this situation. If that is so, then I can buy you time."
"......!"
"That look on your faces tells me you do. So you truly are the two the mastermind fears most."
"The two the mastermind fears most...?"
Ogami handed us a thoroughly crumpled piece of paper. The moment we read what was written on it, we were struck speechless.
Interfere with the Ultimate Counselor, Kei, until the very end.
Kill the Ultimate Detective, Kirigiri, as quickly as possible.
"Th-this is..."
"This is the order Monokuma delivered to me at dawn. I came here to give it to you."
Ogami left the locker room, leaving me with one last remark.
"......"
Even after Ogami had gone, we stood there holding the paper, sunk in silence for a long time.
"Damn it. I can't stand a single one of them."
"Master Togami... the place where she hit you, is it alr—"
"Silence. I have no interest in receiving consolation from the likes of you."
"I-instead of just being all tsun, I wish you'd show a little dere too..."
"Hmph."
"Hey... so this is where you guys were?"
In the library, Togami was quietly reading a book, nursing his anger, while Fukawa clung to his side and attended to him with desperate devotion. That was when someone came looking for them.
"Junko Enoshima, is it... I am in no mood to converse with anyone at present..."
"Yeah, I know. It's 'cause of what happened earlier, right?"
"......"
"I'm with you. I can't completely trust Sakura Ogami either. Like you said, who's to say she isn't lying to keep everyone off-guard for three days? And even if she does fight, she could be in cahoots with the mastermind."
"And what exactly are you trying to say...?"
"I've got a pretty sweet plan. How about it? Wanna hear?"
"......Fine. Spit it out."
Mukuro Ikusaba smiled sweetly and began laying out her plan to the two of them.