Art by stormy_aozora71

"...I'm right, aren't I? That's you in there, isn't it, Momota-kun?" Shuichi concluded, pointing at the Exisal.

"Really? Is it really Momota-kun?" Tsumugi exclaimed.

Kiibo nodded. "I must reluctantly agree with Saihara-kun's deduction-"

"Wow, Saihara-chan, you must really love your cuh-raaaaazy deductions!" Kokichi added.

Maki stared at the Exisal with wide eyes. "...Huh?"

"You're... still not gonna admit it?" Himiko grumbled, very annoyed.

"Admit it? But it's wrong." Kokichi said.

"But, logically speaking, his deduction tracks..." Kiibo narrowed his eyes at the Exisal.

"If it's really Momota-kun in there, he would've admitted it by now." Tsumugi commented.

"Was Saihara's reasoning wrong somehow?" Himiko asked, sweating nervously.

"..." Shuichi stared at the Exisal.

Ichika let out a slightly shaky sigh. "...You all don't seem to understand, so let me break it down for you nincompoops."

"N-Nincompoops!?" Himiko shouted.

"You don't have any evidence to say that the bodies were switched other than the footage stopping for a brief moment. Even if that scenario does seem likely... at the end of the day..." Ichika's expression grew dark. "It's nothing more than a speculation."

"If we reverse our reverse way of thinking then it's likely I didn't do anything, right?" Kokichi continued. "It's totally possible that the body-switching never happened, and Momota-chan is dead. Not *just* possible, it's the actual truth..."

"Well... it's true there's no proof that the bodies were switched..." Tsumugi muttered.

"No, we should trust Saihara-kun's deduction! I'm sure everything will be okay!" Kiibo reassured. "This emotion I've learned... I believe you call it 'faith'. That's what I feel right now."

"That's right... We have to believe in Saihara!" Himiko chirped.

"Well, I don't care either way. But if you guys get it wrong... You'll have to deal with Monokuma." Kokichi said. "What will the results of voting time be?"

"You know, if Monokuma makes a mistake here, he has no right to execute anyone," Ichika added. "Then it will be Ouma-san and mine's victory. It'll completely ruin this killing game."

"C'mon, Monokuma. Start the voting already." Kokichi demanded.

Shuichi's eyes widened in sudden realisation. That's why your eyes weren't on me Aki-san... you were never fighting me, you were fighting-

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to it. Sheesh..." Monokuma huffed. "Let's proceed with voting time, shall we? Sorry I fell short of your expectations, but I'm pretty sure I won't make any mistakes. Cuz I got the Ultimate Detective airtight logic on my side!"

"Ah... Can I just say something? I'd like to have one last conversation before we vote." Shuichi requested.

"...Hm? One last conversation?" Monokuma tilted his head.

"There's... more to talk about?" Maki asked, clearly quite shocked.

"You see, before we vote... There's something I have to say. I just need you all to listen..." Shuichi sighed and took a deep breath. "Alright, let's pin this down. Who is inside that Exisal?"

Kiibo stared at Shuichi with a puzzled expression. "Hm? Momota-kun, right?"

"That's what you said, isn't it?" Maki said.

Monokuma tilted his head. "Ouma's the one who died."

"Ouma-kun, I'm sorry. I just... can't lie for you anymore..." Shuichi said weakly.

The Exisal froze. "...What?"

"Saihara-san...?" Ichika's eyes widened.

"What do you mean... lie?" Maki inquired through narrowed eyes.

"Why did you say, 'Ouma-kun'?" Tsumugi shouted, pointing at the Exisal. "The one in the Exisal is-"

"I'm so sorry, everyone. I've deceived you all." Shuichi looked at the ground in shame.

"...Huh?" Monokuma stared blankly at Shuichi.

"The truth is... after we found the crushed body. I... saw Ouma-kun."

"Nyeh!? You saw Ouma!?" Himiko shouted in alarm.

"W-Wait! But wasn't Aki-san with you!? You two were investigating together, right?" Tsumugi yelled. "Then wouldn't she-"

"Saihara-san, you're such a goddamn idiot!" Ichika barked. "You were supposed to stay silent!"

"H-Huh!?"

"I'm sorry... I just... can't do it anymore!"

"Wait, Saihara." Maki's head snapped towards Shuichi. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes. Ouma-kun threatened me, told me that if I didn't do what he said, he'd kill us all. He wanted me to lie about what I saw so that the trial would be more interesting, and Aki-san told me about their plan... But I can't do it anymore! I can't keep lying like this! I have to tell the truth... Ouma-kun isn't dead! He's alive!"

"H-Hold on! Why did you wait until now to mention this!?" Kiibo screeched.

"I'm so sorry, Kiibo-kun, but... it's true... Everyone, please... don't vote for Momota-kun. There's no doubt about it! Ouma-kun is in that Exisal! He's the culprit!"

"Hey, Saihara... I dunno what you're scheming... But as far as I'm concerned, you guys aren't extras at all." Monokuma said. "If you guys are wrong, you're gonna have to take your punishments like champs! Got it!?"

"..."

"W-Wait... is... Ouma r-really the one in the Exisal...?" Himiko stuttered.

"B-but you said that Momota-kun was in the Exisal! Was that wrong!?" Tsumugi shrieked.

"I'm sorry, that was wrong... We can't vote for Momota-kun!" Shuichi shouted.

"Stop it! That's enough." The Exisal shouted in Kaito's voice.

Ichika froze. "Ah!"

"Huh?" Shuichi looked at the Exisal in confusion. The Exisal hatch opened and out he came, grinning at all of them.

"If you guys get it wrong and Monokuma gets it right... Then you'll all get punished. There's no way I can let that happen." Kaito hopped out of the Exisal.

"M-Momota!" Maki exclaimed.

"So... it really was you?" Kiibo asked.

"My bad for tricking you guys. I'll explain everything. But before that, it's voting time. Alright, don't get it wrong! I'm definitely the culprit you got it!? I'm the one who killed Ouma!"

"Momota-kun, no!" Shuichi cried out.

"It's just like you to figure it all out, Saihara. You're really something else." Kaito then turned to Ichika and gave her a grin. "See, Aki? Never underestimate my sidekick."

"..." Ichika glared at him intensely.

"C'mon, don't give me that look. Monokuma clearly wasn't going to change his mind." Kaito sighed. "He was dead set on his answer. Everyone would've died."

"Well, it was still worth a shot! We could've done it... we could've... you... dumbass..." Ichika gritted her teeth.

Kaito sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry..." He then faced Monokuma. "Hey, Monokuma! Let's hurt up and get this vote started!"

"Puhuhu... Well said. Let's get this started, then. The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING TIME!"

***

The results came in after a few minutes, and Kaito's portrait flashed on the screen.

"Well, if the culprit's gonna confess, then I guess even morons can't screw this up... The blackened who killed Ouma Kokichi is Momota Kaito! You all got it right!" Monokuma laughed, clearly satisfied with himself. Everyone was silent.

"So you all got it right, huh? Even Saihara and Harumaki voted for me..." Kaito grinned. "What a relief! Well, I knew you guys wouldn't get it wrong." Everyone still was silent, refusing to say anything. "But man it was hard to act like Ouma the whole time." Kaito continued, unfazed by the silence. "I mean, sure, he wrote most of his own lines. Seriously, look at this huge script." He pulled out a giant red book and showed it to them. "He wrote the whole thing. It's even got a bunch of alternate lines for different events, too. But even so, I still had to ad-lib. It was especially hard since I had no access to pencils or pens to write notes, yet you guys couldn't tell though, huh?" Everyone was still silent. Kaito looked at them sadly. "Hey, c'mon guys... Don't look so sad... You guys got it right. It's all good."

"Why...?" Maki muttered.

Kaito looked at her, confused. "Hm?"

"Why... did you kill Ouma? You were against the killing game... So why did you kill him? I believed... that you absolutely wouldn't do... such a thing..."

"Yeah, I should explain. Most of it's just like Saihara said. After Ouma pretended to take the antidote, he gave it to me... Then he told me I had to cooperate with his plan. His plan to end this killing game. He explained to me how he wasn't the mastermind, and how the killing game started because the true mastermind instigated it and how they instigated Harumaki's actions."

"... My actions were instigated by the true mastermind? B-But that can't be... The reason I decided to kill Ouma was because I remembered the truth from the Flashback Light-"

"Are you dumb?" Ichika snapped suddenly.

Maki blinked at the small girl. "...What?"

"Remembering that was exactly what the mastermind wanted. They wanted you to remember whatever you remembered so you could target Ouma-san as the despair remnant or whatever."

"So the Flashback light itself was the true mastermind's trap all along? They expected us to target Ouma-kun once we remembered he was a Remnant of Despair?" Kiibo inquired.

"Well, whatever you saw was intentionally placed to manipulate you all. Especially that filthy murderer over there." Ichika pointed at Maki and glared at her.

"Me...?"

"The mastermind knew that because you're such a murderous fiend, that your first thought after seeing that memory would be to kill, since that's *obviously* the most logical course of action," Ichika said sarcastically. "But after this trial... it's clear that it wasn't just the Flashback light that made you do what you did. It was also your own hatred and selfishness that did this."

Tsumugi sweated. "Wh-What...?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand..." Kiibo mumbled.

Kaito sighed. "Hey, Aki. C'mon, give Harumaki a break, she-"

"She's the reason you're going to die!" Ichika barked. Maki's eyes widened. "She's the reason Ouma-san had to die such a horrific death. She's the reason this class trial is even happening in the first place." Ichika glared at Maki. "You said that you never wanted to kill Momota-san but look at what happened. You've killed him anyway. You killed two people because that's what murderers like you do." Ichika expression went dark. "That's all you do."

"..." Maki glared at Ichika but didn't say anything.

"B-But Harukawa-san just did it because she wanted to save Momota-kun, didn't she?" Himiko stammered.

"Wanted to save Momota-san my ass!" Ichika barked. "If she truly wanted to save him, why didn't she wait for the raid you guys did together the next morning? She decided to act of her own accord, without telling you guys anything and tried to kill someone. Tried to start the killing game again." She grinned maniacally. "Oh, and, ah-hahaha, then after her plan failed, she tried to get all of you guys executed just so she could kill Ouma-san. She didn't do this to save anyone! That's just bullshit!"

"That brat is better off dead anyway!" Maki snapped back. "All he did was cause us trouble and make us suffer!"

"But he didn't try to freaking *kill* everyone, did he!? His first thought wasn't to kill, like you, you blood-lusting animal!" Ichika barked.

"Y-You..." Maki glared at Ichika dangerously.

Ichika crossed her arms and looked to the left. "Tch. Momota-san, you should probably continue explaining."

Tsumugi stared at the small brunette nervously. "What about you...? A-Aren't you going to explain your reasoning-"

"Shut up, four eyes." Ichika grumbled, not looking at anyone.

Kaito sighed. "...So, like I was saying, Ouma then told me to kill him and explained his plan. His plan was... to make a case where the victim was unknown and then trick Monokuma into thinking I was the victim, so he'd mess up. If he ruled either Harumaki or Ouma or Aki were the blackened... Then I'd show myself and Monokuma's ruling would be invalid and if Monokuma's ruling was invalid, this killing game would end."

"That's what I'm most curious about. What makes you think it would end?" Shuichi inquired.

"Yeah, I asked Ouma about that myself. Why would Monokuma care if he messed up on who the blackened was? And he told me that we were being watched, otherwise there'd be no reason to be such a stickler about the rules. He also said that this would make it impossible for Monokuma to pull any extra loopholes through his rules... Whatever that meant." Kaito shrugged.

"So... this is some kind of show!?" Himiko screeched.

"But who'd be watching? We're the only people left alive, aren't we?" Tsumugi questioned.

"That's right!" Kiibo piped up. "The Flashback Light is the reason we even remember that!"

But Ouma mighta been right." Kaito said. "Why have a death game if no one's watching? I wasn't sure about it at first, but after this class trial, there's no doubt. Monokuma can't do whatever he wants. He's bound by the rules of the game. That's why he couldn't afford to get the culprit wrong. Why he relied on Saihara. It's just like Ouma said! If this game's rules matter so much, someone's watching."

"What's this all about, Monokuma?" Himiko asked and glared at Monokuma.

"Puhuhu... who can say?" Monokuma giggled.

"Nyeh!? Why won't you tell us!? We were friends during the trial!"

"...Honestly, I was just happy you guys cooperated with me. Humans love to help. They jump at any opportunity to extend a helping hand."

"I understand Ouma's plan, but... why did you agree to work with him, Momota?" Maki inquired. "Why did you agree to kill Ouma? Because he saved your life? You should've just... ignored him."

"It was kinda hard to ignore such an annoying guy." Kaito sighed.

Maki gave him a bewildered look. "...What?"

"Geez... I wonder how far ahead he planned this evil scheme of his. He told me that if the poison killed him, then Harumaki would become the blackened and her crime would be exposed really easily, then he and Harumaki would've died for no reason, which was what the mastermind was expecting. I started to take him to the press to start the plan but then... Aki came out and saw us."

"Aki-san saw you?" Shuichi asked.

"Yeah. Because I was dragging Ouma's body, and there was blood on the floor, she got the wrong idea and punched me right in the stomach." Kaito grinned.

Shuichi gasped. "W-What!?"

"Ah-haha, yeah! It was a really good one, too. Knocked the wind out of me."

"It's not every day you see someone dragging your friend's body across the ground." Ichika said flatly.

"Aki-san... I've been meaning to ask you... What was the real reason you went after Ouma-kun?" Shuichi inquired. "Were you really on his side the whole time?"

"On his side the whole time? No." Ichika crossed her arms and sighed. "The traitor message was actually me attempting to stop Ouma-san from doing this absurd plan of his."

"Wait, what!?" Himiko gawked at Ichika.

"W-Wait! You *knew* about-about this insane plan of Ouma-kun's!?" Tsumugi yelled out suddenly. "Why didn't you tell us and-"

"Why would any of you believe me if I told you?" Ichika snapped back. "Besides... Doing that would just make me an enemy of Ouma-san's. I couldn't afford that. I guess you could say I only became a *real* traitor once I ran after Ouma-san."

Shuichi hummed. "I see... And I'm guessing that attempt to stop Ouma-kun backfired majorly?" He chuckled nervously.

Ichika rolled her eyes. "Hoooow could you tell?" She hummed. "As for why I ran after him, it was because I knew he wasn't the mastermind. I thought that much was obvious"

"But... how?"

"..." Ichika paused, deep in thought. "...The remote... Yeah, the remote. Before Micchan died, I went to her lab to hang out. She wasn't there, so I started looking around for her and came across a box hidden underneath her workbench. I opened it and found the remote. I even tested it out, so I knew it was the same remote. I... don't know what a Remnant of Despair is... but I don't think Ouma-san is this... 'Remnant of Despair' or whatever you call it."

"W-What!?" Himiko yelled.

Maki's eyes widened. "No... everything he's done, his way of thinking is just like a-"

"Did you actually take time and try and talk to him?" Ichika retorted.

"Of course we did, but he was impossible to work with and just wouldn't cooperate." Tsumugi said.

"Hard to work with, yes, but not impossible." Ichika sighed and turned her attention to the ground. "If you guys just tried harder. If you just tried to look further than what was on the surface... You might have been able to understand him just a little bit better. But you all gave up on him because you were all too lazy to dig further. Ouma-san... he was a person too, y'know. He... was someone I saw as a friend."

Kiibo blinked. "F-Friend...?"

"H-How can you call someone like him a friend!?" Himiko exclaimed. "What about what happened at the last trial-"

"Of course I don't forgive his horrid actions at the last trial, I never fucking will. But I think he was punished enough." Ichika sighed. "Go ahead and judge me, I don't care. He maybe have been a massive liar, but he had feelings too." Everyone fell silent as they processed Ichika's words. "I agreed to do this because I also wanted to end this killing game, like Momota-san, and I didn't want Ouma-san's death to be meaningless..." Ichika trailed off.

"Could... Ouma-kun have really not been a Remnant of Despair...?" Kiibo muttered.

"But everything he's done... That's definitely something only a Remnant of Despair would do!" Tsumugi exclaimed. "He's gotta be a Remnant of Despair!"

"Y-Yeah! It's the only explanation!" Himiko agreed.

Ichika sighed. "Well, it's too late now. We'll never 100% know if he was a Remnant of Despair or not. Now that he's..." She stared at the ground, a blank expression on her face. "Never mind."

"But Ichika, I need to know... Why did you act like that during the trial!?" Himiko yelled.

"...Well, if you thought that I had intentionally acted like that, you'd be right."

"But... why?" Kiibo asked.

"I tried to demonize myself as well as Ouma-san as much as I could. That way, you guys would be more likely to vote for either one of us as the culprit, since you would have perceived us both as unhindged." Ichika chuckled lightly.

"I gotta admit, you scared me quite a bit." Kaito scratched the back of his head. "I wasn't expecting you to go full insane like that at all."

Ichika nodded. "If I acted like Ouma-san, then you guys would probably assume I'd have been brainwashed or something by him, making you even more suspicious of him."

"So then... Did you lie about Ouma-san's intentions?" Shuichi asked.

Ichika tilted her head. "Huh?"

"When you said he was bored with this killing game and wanted something new... Was that a lie too? To make everything seem worse?"

"Yeah..." Ichika sighed. "Of course the Ultimate Detective was able to figure that out."

Shuichi nodded slowly. "So... Did you know Ouma-kun's true intentions?"

"...Who knows." Ichika hummed. "Even if I did, it's not my place to tell you that. You can either figure it out or ask him yourself."

"B-But... He's dead." Himiko mumbled.

"I would like to ask you two something... you both agreed to Ouma-kun's plan so you could 'ruin the killing game'?" Kiibo inquired.