A Lucky Student’s Grim Discovery

————Takagi Masahiko’s Perspective————

I was an utterly ordinary boy, possessing only moderate abilities in sports, academics, and emotional intelligence.

I harbored no particular interests or hobbies, was certainly no mutant, and could not, by any stretch, summon a Stand.

If one wished to know my favorite idols, manga, music, or films, a quick glance at any trending chart would reveal all; the top-ranked entries were almost invariably my preferences, a testament to my utterly commonplace tastes.

Indeed, that was me, yet one day, even I received an admission letter from Hope’s Peak Academy.

Initially, I assumed it was some elaborate prank.

However, upon closer inspection, a distinct red seal adorned the letter, unequivocally confirming my acceptance to Hope’s Peak Academy.

But why would such an ordinary person like me catch the eye of Hope’s Peak Academy?

Pondering this, I found no answer, and so I retrieved another item from the envelope, hoping for an explanation.

As expected, a note had also been left inside the envelope, which read:

[To Takagi Masahiko,

Our academy selects one student by lottery from among those who exhibit average performance in all areas.

As you are the chosen individual, you are invited to enroll as the ‘Ultimate Lucky Student.’]

So… I was admitted as an Ultimate student to Hope’s Peak Academy simply because of good luck?

Yet, reflecting on my life, I’ve never considered myself particularly fortunate.

When faced with multiple-choice questions I couldn’t answer, my random guesses were wrong half the time.

Helping a disabled person cross the street on my way to school nearly made me late.

Even when trying to buy my favorite ultra-rare Yu-Gi-Oh! character card online, I ended up purchasing the wrong one.

Am I truly a lucky student…?

Never mind… Rather than questioning my abilities, I should focus on preparing for life at Hope’s Peak Academy.

On the day of the entrance ceremony, I arrived at the site of Hope’s Peak Academy.

The colossal institution stood majestically in the city center’s most prestigious district.

It felt as if… that very spot was the center of the world… ‘Private Hope’s Peak Academy’…

A super-privileged academy recognized by the government, dedicated to nurturing elites by gathering the most exceptional high school students from every field…

It was said… that to graduate from this school was tantamount to a guaranteed success in life.

This appeared to be a traditional school with centuries of history, continually sending promising talents into all walks of life…

A place perfectly suited to its name, ‘Hope’s Peak Academy,’ with the explicit purpose of cultivating the ‘hope’ that would bear the nation’s future.

There were two qualifications for entry: “Must be a current high school student” and “Must be a top-tier talent in their respective field.”

The school did not recruit new students; only those scouted by the academy itself were granted admission.

Standing before this magnificent school gate, a place where one could add several ‘super’s to describe its impressiveness…

For an ordinary, unremarkable high school student like myself to stand at the gates of my heart’s desire at this very moment was an unparalleled joy!

In any case, if anyone were to ask what my outstanding quality was compared to others… ‘I suppose it would be my unwavering optimism.’

No matter what hardships I encountered, I wouldn’t instinctively shy away or give up; instead, I’d face them head-on, always believing there was a solution to every predicament.

With such a buoyant spirit, I stepped through the grand entrance.

However… the corridors were eerily deserted.

Noticing the strangeness, I hurried to my assigned classroom, only to find it empty as well.

Perhaps my excitement had led me to arrive too early, leaving the vicinity so desolate?

Suddenly, the scene before me inexplicably warped, and I was overcome by a dizzying disorientation.

I had gone to bed quite early last night, so why did I feel like I was catching a cold?

Or perhaps… I should just go back to the classroom and sleep on a desk for a bit…

Mmm… I slowly opened my bleary eyes, but the sight before me wasn’t the color of a desk; it was… the floor?

Bracing myself with both hands, I slowly rose to my feet, glancing around.

Huh…? Was this classroom… always like this…? It feels somewhat different…

And why were the classroom windows tightly boarded up with steel plates…? I sensed something was amiss around me, yet I couldn’t quite articulate it…

Huh? When did a girl lie down beside me…? I had absolutely no recollection.

Was she a new classmate? Why was she, like me, sleeping on the floor?

Driven by intense curiosity, I walked over and crouched down, only to be stunned by the girl’s appearance.

Her vermilion lips and rosy complexion, skin like alabaster, and graceful, slender figure all combined to form a vision of complete feminine beauty.

Such a beautiful girl… But why was she sleeping on the classroom floor…? And why were we the only two people in the room?

Captivated by her exquisite and lovely features, I found myself staring at her face for a long time.

Why did this face seem so familiar…? Had I met her somewhere before?

But how could I have no memory of such a beautiful girl…?

Seeing that the girl remained unconscious, I wanted to try and wake her, yet I worried she might misunderstand my intentions…

After some deliberation, I ultimately decided to wake her; allowing a girl to sleep on the cold floor for so long surely wasn’t good for her health.

At my gentle call, the girl opened her bright eyes, revealing a pair of extraordinarily brilliant, crimson pupils.

However, she seemed to have no idea where she was, nor who she was…

Later, I learned her name was Kamimura Anko.

Judging by her personality and demeanor, she resembled a dashing, elegant gentleman.

Despite being a girl as beautiful as a blooming flower, her mannerisms bore no trace of typical femininity.

Yet, in my eyes, this made her even more captivating than most girls; she acted with cool composure, treated others with gentle kindness, and exhibited both rational problem-solving and empathetic ways of relating to others.

Perhaps this single quality alone was enough to draw me in so deeply.

Perhaps… no, I had fallen for her.

Ahahaha… but for now, it was merely unrequited love; she seemed to show little interest in me at present…

Thinking about it, that was perfectly reasonable, wasn’t it? We hadn’t spent nearly enough time together.

Hmm… if I confessed to her now, she would surely reject me outright… and we might not even be able to remain friends afterward…

‘It would be better to keep these feelings hidden in my heart for now.’

****

Brrr… it’s so cold!!!

What’s happening…? Why this sudden, biting chill…? I was sure I’d pulled up my blankets…

Slowly, I opened my drowsy eyes, finding myself curled up and trembling like a small kitten.

“Mmm~ ngh…” I groggily sat upright.

Huh?! Where was my blanket?! How could it have vanished while I was sleeping?!

I instinctively glanced toward the edge of the bed, and indeed, my suspicion was confirmed!

Even a grown boy could kick off his blanket in his sleep.

If Kamimura-san saw me sleeping like this, she would surely tease me.

I bent down, picked up the blanket, and casually patted it.

Suddenly, a thin, white object fluttered down from mid-air.

I rubbed my blurry eyes with the back of my hand, trying to discern what it was.

Hmm? A note? Why would there be a note in my room?

I don’t recall tearing any paper in here.

Out of curiosity, I unfolded the repeatedly creased square note.

Several lines of fairly standard script were written upon it: [When you see this note, please come to my room as soon as possible. If there is no response from the room, it means a murder has occurred in the third-floor library. Remember! Do not act recklessly alone! Above all, ensure your own safety. Kamimura Anko]

As I read through the message, a growing sense of unease settled over me… but the moment I saw the signature at the end, I froze on the bed, utterly still.

The next instant, I was completely awake.

I hastily pulled on my pants, slipped into my slippers, and burst out, immediately sprinting towards her room.

“Tap, tap, tap!!” A rapid, typewriter-like knocking sound materialized out of thin air.

“Kamimura-san?” I tentatively called out her name through the door.

“Tap, tap, tap!!”

The subsequent silence plunged me into an unprecedented state of fear and anxiety!

My heart hammered frantically in my chest.

Could it be… was she truly…?!

The third-floor library! I had to rush to the location mentioned in the note!

The situation was dire, a burning urgency!

Whether this was a trap or not, I had no time for thought or hesitation!

I sprinted to the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly.

Faster, faster, faster!!!

“Ding!” Before the elevator doors had even fully opened, I squeezed inside, then jabbed the glowing button for the third floor.

Time ticked away second by agonizing second, and with each passing moment, my anxiety intensified.

“Ding!”

The library was to the left of the elevator doors.

I quickened my pace, dashing forward like a shot.

Standing before the door now, I twisted the doorknob without a moment’s hesitation.

“Creak, creak, creak…”

Locked, the door was locked?! Damn it! This accursed door!

Who could have locked it from the inside?!

“Monokuma!!! Come out now!!!” At this point, the only way to open the door was to beg Monokuma to unlock it!

“What is it…? In the middle of the night…? Can’t a bear get some sleep…?” Monokuma asked, his voice languid and slow.

“Hurry and open this door for me!!”

“Hmm…? Are you saying this door is locked from the inside?”

“Yes, stop talking so much! Open it now!!” Seeing its utterly unhurried demeanor, a surge of anger flared within me.

“Alright, alright, I get it… Honestly… don’t be so impatient…” It pulled a keyring from its stomach, then took one of the keys, inserted it into the lock, and twisted.

“There you go~ you can en—” I didn’t wait for it to finish speaking, instead bursting inside with a single powerful shove.

The scene that unfolded next would forever haunt my memory.

My wildly pounding heart abruptly ceased in that brief second, as overwhelming shock and despair surged into my mind, intertwining to leave my brain utterly blank, rendering me immobile…

Kamimura-san… she… lay… in a pool of blood…