The First Descent

“I’m here to announce something: the elevator on the first floor has been repaired! However, the lights inside are still broken, and the student IDs of anyone in the elevator will lose power due to an internal jamming device! Those unafraid of the dark can go upstairs to explore. Just a reminder, only the button for the third floor is currently active; pressing buttons for other floors will yield no response!”

Having only just fallen asleep, I was rudely awakened by Monokuma’s grating broadcast, though I had no idea what time it was.

After groggily coming to, I simply collapsed back into sleep.

****

A continuous buzzing emanated from the darkness, then a distinct ‘clunk’ brought it to an abrupt halt, after which only silence remained.

****

“Good morning, everyone! It’s morning, seven o’clock! Time to wake up, everyone~ Now, let’s tackle today with all our might~!”

I forced my eyes open, and as I dragged myself to the mirror, yesterday’s events suddenly flooded my mind.

Despite my best efforts to avoid dwelling on these things, why did looking at myself instinctively trigger such thoughts?

I had promised myself I wouldn’t allow this body to be harmed again… How pathetic; I couldn’t even endure this minor mental torment.

With such a charming face, I should be a cheerful, energetic girl, shouldn’t I?

Taking a deep breath, I offered a small smile to my reflection.

“You can do it!” I symbolically clenched my fist, offering myself encouragement.

Upon entering the dining hall, I noticed everyone was already there, realizing with a jolt that I was the very last one.

“My apologies, everyone, for making you wait.”

“Since Kamimura is here, let’s all start eating!” Yuusuke was as energetic as ever.

“Kamimura… you didn’t have dinner last night, did you?” Takagi, seated beside me, asked in a soft murmur.

“No… I was too tired last night, too lazy to come out and eat,” I attempted to gloss over it.

“Oh, oh…”

“Um… are you free tonight?”

I fell silent for a moment at his sudden invitation, unsure of what he intended.

“Yes, do you have something you want to tell me?”

“Yes… it’s something very important, something that needs to be discussed in a private place.”

“That important?… Then come to my room tonight to talk.”

“Oh… eh-eh-eh-eh-eh?!”

“Takagi, why are you so jumpy! You scared me to death…” Akino Atsushi exclaimed.

“S-sorry…”

“Are you… really serious?” Takagi sought confirmation, wondering if I was joking.

“Ask again, and it’ll be a lie,” I replied, my expression unwavering.

The next second, he stopped talking, instead devouring his breakfast in large mouthfuls.

His comical eating style amused me; he looked just like a little child.

A child… when would I have my own child?… No, wait?! Why am I thinking about such things at a time like this? Am I… am I losing my mind?

“Everyone heard yesterday’s broadcast, right?” Suzuki suddenly brought up a topic.

“Oh, the elevator on the first floor is repaired, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. Since we can now go upstairs to investigate, who wants to check it out? Fair warning, the elevator can only hold six people,” Suzuki stated.

“I want to go see,” Takagi raised his right hand, volunteering.

“Count me in. It wouldn’t be good for girls to go into a pitch-black elevator,” Amagasa also joined the expedition.

“That’s right… the elevator lights are broken, it feels completely unsafe.”

“I… I’m afraid of the dark…”

“This young lady isn’t going either, and just so you know, this young lady is not… not afraid of the dark!”

“Heh heh~ The young lady is afraid of the dark? Well, I suppose there’s no helping it; count me in for this trip,” Yuusuke said with a grin.

“Are your ears malfunctioning?! I… said… I… am… not… afraid… of… the… dark!!” Amemiya glared at him like a startled kitten.

“Mm-hmm, I understand.”

“Why do I feel like you’re being incredibly dismissive…?”

“Then… count me in,” I extended my right hand.

“…I’d also like to see…” At the same time, Furuhata Jun also requested to join.

“Okay! That makes six people now. Let’s meet at the dorm exit after breakfast!”

“Wait, six people? Besides us, who else is going?” Yuusuke looked bewildered.

“You see… how could such an adventurous journey proceed without me?”

Suzuki’s eagerness gave me an unidentifiable sense of unease; it wasn’t my first time seeing him like this, perhaps I was just being overly suspicious.

“Speaking of which, Furuhata, you also want to check out the upper floors,” Takagi asked Furuhata curiously.

“…I heard there’s information about ruins upstairs, so I absolutely must go see it this time.”

“I see…”

The six of us gathered as planned at the dorm entrance, where the unlit elevator doors awaited.

Due to the profound darkness, everyone switched on their student IDs to use as flashlights.

The elevator doors slid open, and the six of us stepped inside together, at which point all our student IDs immediately lost power.

Before, with the faint light from the dorm entrance, I could just about make out everyone, but now, with the elevator doors sealed, the entire space felt like an abyssal black hole, utterly devoid of light.

Even with only my sight stripped away, a tremor of fear still ran through me.

The elevator began its operational hum, ‘buzz-buzz’.

Hm? This sound feels somewhat familiar.

It seems… I heard it in my dream last night.

“Y-you’re grabbing me… Ah!” Furuhata suddenly cried out in alarm.

“Tsk! Who just bumped into me!” Suzuki also seemed to have been abruptly jostled by someone.

“Thud!” That sounded like a large object striking the elevator door.

The very next second, I faintly heard someone cry out, “Tasuke…” The voice was choked, as if someone was being strangled, making it impossible to discern who it belonged to.

“Did… did someone just call for help?” Takagi asked those around him.

“I think I heard it too… Who? Who’s calling for help?!” Yuusuke shouted, his voice laced with terror.

“Clunk!” The elevator doors were about to open, and a sliver of light from outside pierced through the gap, with something seemingly caught within.

However, the scene that unfolded next was the most unforgettable image of my entire life.

As the elevator doors opened, that ‘something’ tumbled into the middle of the doorway, and what greeted our eyes… was a terribly contorted face.

His head and body were completely separated, his hands resting on his neck, where the wound was eerily smooth, as if sliced by a fruit knife in an instant.

Fresh fluid still seeped from the wound.

[Ding, dong… Ding, dong]

“A body has been discovered!”

“After a period of time, a ‘Class Trial’ will commence!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!” Takagi shrieked, his voice filled with gut-wrenching horror.

“Is that… his… face…?” Yuusuke forced the words out with all his might.

“Yes… it’s him…” Amagasa stated, his face drained of color.

“How could this happen…” Suzuki looked utterly stunned.

It was… Furuhata Jun’s… face.

My heart pounded relentlessly; no matter how hard I tried to remain calm, I couldn’t slow my racing pulse.

Someone had truly… died.

Just moments ago, Furuhata Jun was speaking, yet less than a minute later, he lay dead in such a gruesome manner at the elevator entrance.

This mutual killing game had truly begun.