"M-Momota... Kaito...?"
"Yeah! I knew it! The Mastermind was Momota all along!"
"Hey, Oma. Shut up for a second."
What the hell had I just heard? Momota was the Mastermind? How could that possibly make sense?
To begin with, what was this 'ringleader selection' system? Why had Monodam brought it up? Was this a trap? Or some freak development even the Mastermind hadn't anticipated?
"Nishishi... Judging by that reaction, now I can finally be sure. You didn't know everything either!"
"My head already hurts, so could you please stop talking..."
"You know the 'scenario' of this killing game, don't you?"
"...!"
I flinched ever so slightly, and Oma smiled before launching straight into it.
"You've always acted like you already knew what was going to happen, right?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Back when you caught Shirogane at the start... the others seemed willing to just accept that you'd caught the ringleader, but I couldn't make sense of it..."
"Couldn't make sense of what?"
"How did you know that if the trick with the slanted library bookshelf and the shot put setup failed, the Mastermind would come out to kill you?"
"...That was..."
"And when I looked into it, I found out Akamatsu Kaede was the one who came up with that trick, right? So why did you insist on using Akamatsu's trick at such a critical moment?"
"...."
When I fell silent, Oma continued with infuriating composure.
"And that's not the only suspicious part! When the Insect Meet and Greet happened, the people I hadn't managed to secure were Hoshi, Tojo, you, and Mukuro. But I don't know what exactly happened after that, because the very next day Tojo started following you with blind devotion, didn't she?"
"......"
"I got so curious that I asked Gonta, who'd been outside for a bit, and guess what? Gonta and Mukuro got into a fight, accidentally shattered the tank... and then, a little later, Hoshi fell."
"That was... a magic trick..."
"Hey, are you seriously lying to my face? I already asked Yumeno-chan! And I know that not long after Hoshi fell, you and Tojo came in and acted all shocked!"
"That was a coincidence..."
"And lastly... when Shinguji tried to kill Chabashira, it was pretty weird how you showed up at the perfect moment!"
Oma didn't give me even a sliver of room to respond. He just kept pressing, each word like a blade.
"Hoshi said it himself, remember? He's being watched by the kids right now, but he told me Momota hadn't informed you about the plan, so you barging into that room was just lucky."
"......."
"But when you came in, you looked panicked at first, and then immediately relieved. Like someone who already knew what was going to happen!"
Oma stood up and yanked the cloth off the blackboard.
On it were photos and information on all the kids, along with Oma's notes. Next to my photo, there was an overwhelming mess of erased marks and scribbled deductions.
"After putting all this information together and agonizing over it for days... I reached one conclusion. You know the scenario of this killing game! And... I also found out that even you have one weakness!"
"A weakness?"
"Yeah! You don't know the butterfly effect caused by your own actions! That's why you were so shaken by the fact that Shirogane got 'eliminated,' by whatever the hell happened with Tojo going berserk, and by Hoshi and Momota becoming the 'Mastermind'!"
With a deeply unpleasant grin, Oma asked me:
"So let me ask you one thing. What exactly are you, K?"
"........"
Staring at that eerie smile, I took a moment to sort through the chaos in my head.
Then I made my decision.
"Fine. I'll tell you the truth."
I decided to lay it all bare.
"Nishishi... K, since when did you get so good at lying?"
"...You should be able to tell whether someone's telling the truth or lying, shouldn't you?"
"Yeah, but what if you're actually an even better liar than I am, and you've been hiding that on purpose? That'd be a disaster!"
"...Then don't believe me."
When I answered flatly, Oma's eyes lit up.
"Then is it really true that you were our homeroom teacher?"
"Yeah, and I'm twenty-three now, damn it! I'm not some trashy middle schooler who had kids!"
"Huh? That part sounded a little fake."
"...'Now' I'm twenty-three. Happy?"
"Nishishi... The way you emphasized 'now' makes it sound true! So what are you, exactly?"
"...A teacher at Saishu Academy."
Oma stared at me for a moment, then seemed to decide I wasn't lying and continued.
"Okay, let's say your identity is a teacher for now... then how do you know the scenario?"
"...I'm a survivor of the previous killing game."
"A survivor?"
"Yeah. You saw the [Survivor Privilege] on my E-Handbook, didn't you? That's about all I'll say."
"......"
The truth was, I knew the scenario because in my original world I'd been a rabid Danganronpa fan. But there was no way I could confess that too. In this world, there was only one person who knew that truth, and only one person who had any right to know it.
Still, being a survivor of the 'previous' killing game was true. Having [Survivor Privilege] was true too. So Oma shouldn't be able to pick that apart...
"K, I can hear your brain spinning from here!"
"...Huh?"
"Well... whatever. Let's just go with that for the scenario part! The important thing is that you know the scenario!"
He hadn't called me out on it, exactly, but for a split second Oma had looked suspicious... or was that just my imagination?
No... this was a cliché. The moment you think, Was that just my imagination? it absolutely isn't. That little bastard definitely sensed something off in what I said.
If he could smell something wrong even when I was telling the truth, then Oma really was no ordinary menace. I'd have to stay razor-sharp around him.
"K, there's something I'm curious about... What's the purpose of this killing game?"
"...I don't know either."
"Huhhh? That's kind of disappointing. How can you not know the most important part?!"
"...I do know the purpose of the original scenario."
"The original scenario's purpose?"
"Yeah. Originally, this killing game was a TV show. Do you know The Truman Show?"
"The Truman Show?"
"Ah. Right. This world doesn't have that, does it? To explain it simply, you all joined this killing game by mutual consent. Because all of you were fans of the killing game series... wait, now that I think about it, even that's not certain anymore..."
"Hey, K. Just now, you sounded like Shirogane."
"...Fuck."
That instantly dredged up the memory of me mercilessly roasting Shirogane when she started going all breathy and weird. Had I looked like that to the others too?
From now on, any stupid little "hnnngh" noises stay inside my head. No exceptions.
"Well, I get the rough idea... Anyway, you're saying this isn't that scenario now, right?"
"Yeah. You're not TV show contestants. You're my students. The entire premise that this killing game is fiction created for the amusement of outsiders has collapsed. So... I don't know the real purpose of this killing game either."
When I finished and leaned back in my chair, Oma's lips curled upward.
"Hey, by the way... why are you telling me all this so honestly?"
"Uh... because, you know. It's frustrating."
"Nishishi?"
"Whenever you read a novel, the protagonist always hides this kind of thing until the bitter end. Every time I see that, it drives me insane. So I always thought that if I were ever in that situation, I'd just spill everything."
"That's it? That's your reason?"
"Of course, I also desperately need your help if I'm going to smash this killing game. You're a troll, after all. If I tell you the truth, doesn't that make it more likely you'll cooperate with me?"
Oma listened, then suddenly spoke in a voice gone cold enough to freeze the room.
"Hey... do you know why protagonists in those novels don't casually reveal things like this?"
"Hmm... because they're in a situation where they can't trust anyone but themselves?"
"Exactly! And yet... you made the mistake of telling me the truth!"
"What?"
"You're in biiig trouble now! Because my true identity is actually the real ringleader and the Mastermind..."
"No. You could never be the ringleader or the Mastermind."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Oma looked genuinely baffled, and the sight drew a bitter smile out of me.
"...You're an agent of chaos. But you're absolutely not the kind of person who'd become the Mastermind or the ringleader."
"But I'm the Ultimate Supreme Leader, you know? Aren't you underestimating me a little too much?"
"Since when does an Ultimate Supreme Leader run around committing prankster crimes?"
"Those are just strategic moves in my plan to seize the world! So you fell for my deception too!"
"...Good grief."
I watched Oma beam at me, then my expression turned serious.
"Anyway, you're not cut out for the role of Mastermind or ringleader. Because you're the kind of guy who likes socking people like that right in the face. Am I wrong?"
"Nishishi... That look on your face, like you know me so well... it's kind of annoying!"
"What am I supposed to do? I do know you. I spent a whole year teaching you while enduring your nonstop chaos. I can figure out at least this much."
After hearing that, Oma stood and walked over to the blackboard.
"Hmm... Honestly, I still can't trust you! I can't ignore the possibility that you're actually the true Mastermind, and you're fooling me with your [Ultimate Counselor] talent!"
"...So you're not going to treat me like a teacher, then?"
"Of course not! To begin with, you don't have any proof for what you said, do you? Believing you completely just because of my lie-detecting talent would be way too stupid!"
Standing before the board, Oma erased all the notes he'd written, then looked back at me and spoke.
"But... I do understand one thing clearly. You're someone who can change the entire board of this killing game! So... I'll give you at least that much!"
As he said that, Oma wrote a single phrase next to my photo with brisk, decisive strokes.
[Game Changer]
"It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but if I grit my teeth and cooperate with you, maybe we really can end this killing game! I'll verify the truth when that time comes!"
"...Then I'm counting on you."
Only then did I finally smile in satisfaction as I spoke to Oma.
"Then... as for the plan going forward..."
"Upupupu? What are you two doing in here?"
But before we could begin the real discussion, Monokuma popped out.
"Ah, Monodam! Get a grip! What happened here? You guys attacked Monodam?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"The Monokubs may not look like much, but they're made with high technology! This shouldn't happen unless there was some kind of physical impact..."
"Who knows? He came in, started staggering all of a sudden, and then sparks started flying."
"Upupupu... Then was the camera blackout caused by Monodam overloading and generating electromagnetic waves? Jeez, when it rains, it pours..."
Monokuma hoisted Monodam up and looked at us.
"Well then... it looks like something fun is about to happen soon, so make sure you get plenty of sleep! Upupupupupu!"
Leaving those words behind, Monokuma vanished somewhere, and Oma and I just stared blankly at each other.
"Hmm... I guess that's it for today."
"Yep! See ya!"
The EMP bomb's effect had worn off, and the Mastermind's surveillance had resumed, so there was no way we could keep talking. If we used the bomb repeatedly, the Mastermind's side would start getting suspicious.
Still... we got results.
We hadn't managed to discuss Momota, the Mastermind selection system, or any detailed plans for the future. But I had secured cooperation with Oma. For now, that was more than enough.
Then... I should head back to the dorms and think about Momota and that system.
With that in mind, I left Oma's room.
"Sorry, K. Cooperating with you was a lie..."
Meanwhile, Oma watched K leave the room with a smile. The moment he was gone, he muttered in a voice as cold as a knife.
"I'm going to use you instead. Nishishishi....."
"Momota! How's your body holding up?"
"Y-you...! cough...!"
Meanwhile, Monokuma, who had disappeared from Oma's dorm, had already appeared inside Momota's dorm.
"Upupupu, why don't you just give up already?"
"I told you... I'm done with that..."
"I don't know why you've suddenly decided you can't do it anymore... but if you keep this up, I can't give you the cure!"
"cough... cough...!! Ggh..."
"So... how about you stop resisting and carry out your mission?"
"......."
Momota looked down at the large amount of blood staining his hand, and his eyes wavered. Seeing that, Monokuma burst into manic laughter.
"Upu, upupupu! Upupupupupupupu!!!"