"That's the truth of this case, of the killing game itself." Shuichi concluded. "Well, Shirogane-san?"

"Y-Yes! What a scorching hot twist!" Monokuma exclaimed. "My hand holding the detonator is tensing up!"

"D-Don't get tense! Calm down!" Monotaro yelled.

"Daddy! Please stop this! Go back to how you used to love us oh-so much!" Monophanie begged.

"How I used to be... was more suited to a different story than this one." Monokuma said.

"...Huh?"

"Basically, your story doesn't matter! I gotta watch this exciting development!"

"Well, Shirogane-san? Are there any flaws in Saihara-kun's logic?" Kiibo asked. "If so, then... please tell us."

"F-Flaws? There's a bunch of flaws... all over it." Tsumugi sweated.

"Then explain." Maki demanded.

"Y-You can do it! You can do it, Shirogane!" Himiko cheered.

"E-Even if you cheer me on... It's not like that! I didn't do it! It's plain to see!" Tsumugi cried out.

"It's not. Hurry up and give us a proper reason to believe you." Ichika grumbled, glaring at Tsumugi.

Monokuma tensed up again. "Fight back, Shirogane! C'mon! You can do it, you can do it!"

"Daddy, you're tensing up again!" Monophanie screamed.

"I still wanna live so please don't push the button!" Monotaro begged.

"Tsumugi, please just say something!" Shuichi gritted his teeth. "If you don't defend yourself-"

"It's Enoshima Junko!" Tsumugi interrupted.

"...What?"

"Cuz... it's always been her. In the Hopes Peak killing game and in the Jabberwock Island killing game... Enoshima Junko didn't participate. She controlled the game from the outside. Even if it's boring and repetitive, she's always the mastermind, isn't she? Then it's like that this time, too! It's gotta be Enoshima again!"

"Enoshima Junko is dead." Maki snapped. "She's not part of this killing game."

"Y-You're wrong... She hasn't been eliminated... She's... It's all Enoshima's doing! This killing game is her doing too! Yeah! That's gotta be it! Cuz Enoshima Junko is..." Tsumugi trailed off.

"Enoshima Junko is...?" Monokuma tilted his head.

"Cuz Enoshima Junko is..."

"Enoshima Junko is!?"

"Daddy, please don't get so excited! You'll press the button by accident!" Monophanie cried out.

"Look at our cute faces!" Monotaro pointed at his and Monophanies face. "Can you really bear to be without us!?"

"Enoshima Junko is..." Tsumugi trailed off again.

"Enoshima Junko is what!?" Monokume barked. "...Okay, time for a commercial break."

"No it isn't!" Monophanie huffed.

"See, we're a good comedy group, too!" Monotaro exclaimed. "So please don't-" Monokuma slammed his paw down on the red button and the two remaining Monokubs finally blew up.

Tsumugi wrapped her arms around herself, and a dense, white fog surrounded her. "Cuz... Enoshima Junko is... Enoshima... Junko is..."

"Right the fuck here!" A completely different, loud and boisterous voice came from inside the fog. The fog disappeared and-

"Puhuhu... Sorry to keep you waiting!" The mystery woman chirped. She has strawberry blonde hair tied up in pigtails with a Monokuma pin holding each one. She was dressed in a black shirt and skirt with a white and black tie loosely hung around her neck as well as a big red bow on her right chest. "Even if nobody was waiting." She continued. "Even if it makes you go, 'What, again?'... The diva of despair takes the stage once more! Enoshima Junko the 53rd!"

Monokuma burst out into laughter. "Bwah-hahahahaha! There you have it! Once again, the mastermind is Enoshima Junko! Bwah-hahahahahaha!"

Kiibo looked at Junko nervously. "Enoshima Junko... the 53rd?"

"So... you're this... 'Enoshima Junko' that everyone keeps talking about." Ichika said flatly with a blank face.

"Oh, that's right! You never got your memories back, so you don't remember my beautiful face!" Junko sighed. "Such a shame. I was hoping to see such despair on your face when you'd see me..."

"Shirogane... wh-what's the matter?" Himiko trembled. "Aren't you... Shirogane Tsumugi? Our friend who survived with us?"

"Hahaha, sorry about that. You can go ahead and forget about Shirogane Tsumugi." Junko changed back into Tsumugi. "Cuz I'm just a character! Y'know, a lie!" She then transformed back to Junko. "Sorry to all her fans out there. If any of you even exist, that is."

"A-A lie...?"

"Shirogane Tsumugi was nothing more than a cover for me, the mastermind. Puhuhu... Calling her your friend... Oh, it's laughable, really. Really, I'm gonna laugh! Ahahahahahahaha!"

"A-Are you serious!?" Shuichi asked in disbelief. "You're the mastermind behind this?"

Maki stared at Junko with wide eyes. "But, why? That face and voice! It's just like..."

"Enoshima Junko!" Kiibo finished.

"I know, right!? Oh, does it make you fall into despair!? Ahahaha! Well, does it!?" Junko cackled.

"No, that's not possible... Enoshima Junko is dead!" Shuichi shouted.

"But why did you call yourself the 'the 53rd'?" Himiko asked.

"As history repeats itself, so does Enoshima Junko..." Junko explained.

"Nyeh...?"

"As you can see, I am a perfect reproduction of Enoshima Junko."

Ichika put her fist in her palm. "Oooooh, so you're just some rando pretending to be this psycho girl then?"

"No, a perfect reproduction!" Junko changed into Tsumugi. "Perfect reproductions are exactly the same as the original."

"Her logic is impossible to follow, much like the real Enoshima Junko's..." Kiibo mumbled.

"Whatever it is... You're the actual mastermind of this killing game, right?" Maki asked, glaring dangerously at Junko. "So if we kill you, then that'll be the end, correct?"

"Oh, don't say such mean things like that..." Junko whined. "Besides, killing me never ends the game."

"It never ends the game? What do you mean?" Himiko asked.

"She's bluffing." Maki growled. "Let's just kill her and get it over with."

"Wait!" Kiibo cried out. "If force is necessary, it should wait until after we see what she-"

"No need, Kiibo-kun." Shuichi cut him off. "Because this class trial is *over*."

"What? It's already over? But I just showed up!" Junko exclaimed.

"You killed Akamatsu-san, and Monokuma covered it up with a false narrative! The class trials are rigged, and the whole game is illegitimate!"

"Oh that, right. Yeah, I definitely messed that up. Sorry about that." Junko fell silent for a short period of time. "So..."

"So? Is that all you have to say!" Shuichi barked.

Ichika pouted. "You do realize that the people watching this aren't going to accept a half-assed apology like that one, pigtails."

"Eh? The people watching?" Junko changing into Tsumugi. "Umm... It seems like you're on the wrong track, so let me explain..." She changed back into Junko. "Okay! So first, I'll start with the event that inspired me to plan this killing game. That was... about the time the meteorite impacts started intensifying..."

"Did she just start some big story on her own...?" Himiko grumbled.

"I knew of Hope's Peak Academy's Gofer Project, and my inner Junko told me..." She changed into Tsumugi. "Crushing the Gofer Project, humanity's last hope, would be the perfect despair." She turned back into Junko. "That's when I took over the killing game I devised. I forced those selected as humanity's last hope to play my killing game." She transformed back into Tsumugi. "And then I took the name 'Shirogane Tsumugi' and sneaked in among them."

"Did Ouma know about this? Wasn't he a Remnant of Despair? He was your comrade, right?" Maki interrogated.

"Huh...? Comrade? Enoshima Junko doesn't have comrades." Junko scoffed then changed into Tsumugi. "It's like, you don't need a remote after you've thrown out the TV, right?" She changed back to Junko. "The Remnants of Despair are just a bunch of despair fanboys and fangirls. But I... am despair itself... I am a god of despair! Ouma was just one of my believers!" She transformed into Tsumugi. "A god wouldn't be comrades with one of their believers, right?"

"Then Ouma-kun didn't know your true identity either..." Kiibo mumbled.

"Puhuhu..." Tsumugi turned into Junko. "What a hopeless existence he led... In the end, he had no idea the object of his worship was right under his nose."

"Worship...?" Ichika gave Junko a dark look.

"I-I don't care about our story! Tell us about the people watching!" Himiko demanded. "Who's this killing game being shown to!? Where are the survivors of humanity!?"

"Huh? There's nobody watching." Junko said.

Shuichi stared at her. "Huh?"

Junko rolled her eyes. "We were the last 17 people alive y'know? Who could be watching? Humanity is gone."

"No, you're lying... If this isn't being shown to anyone, why care so much about the rules? You're the one who keeps talking about making the game interesting! For whom?"

Junko changed into Tsumugi. "That was just part of my perfect reproduction."

"Your what?"

She changed back to Junko. "I just perfectly reproduced my own killing game is all. Just like the old Junko! The original was meant to be shown, so that's how I made mine!"

"You just wanted to recreate the past killing game... That's it?" Kiibo gawked at Junko.

"There are no survivors of humanity. Things are just as you recalled... That is the truth of the Ultimate Academy killing game!"

"No that's wrong!" Shuichi shouted.

Junko transformed into Tsumugi. "Oh dear! I am so surprised!"

"Maybe we all remember that there's no one left out there... But how do we know our memories are real?"

"Huh?" She changed back into Junko. "What do you mean by that? You think your memories are wrong?"

"There's something that's been bothering me about our memories..." Shuichi showed us a thick book and opened a page. "Here, look at this book."

Himiko tilted her head. "The Complete History of Hope's Peak Academy?"

"This book contains years of research about Hope's Peak Academy. Nothing would indicate this book is a prop. I believe the information here is accurate. But there's a lot written in here that differs from our memories."

"...What is different?" Kiibo asked sceptically.

"To know that for certain, I'll need everyone's help. I want you all to tell me everything that you remember about Hope's Peak Academy."

"Oh..." Ichika looked at the ground.

"Ah-haha! You don't have your memories!" Junko taunted. "Who woulda thought that you'd become so useless!"

"Be quiet, you rotten failed abortion." Ichika said flatly, directing a dark look at Junko.

"Such a mean face..." She whined. "How could you say that to me?"

"Even if Aki-san doesn't remember, it doesn't matter." Shuichi said. "She will be able to help us later on."

"Oh, cool." Ichika simply smiled.

"But for now, everyone, please tell me what you remember."

"We just need to talk about what we remember from Hope's Peak?" Himiko asked. "Okay..."

"Um... So it started with The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History." Kiibo started. "That even originated at Hope's Peak Academy, inspiring wars and terrorism around the world. It would not be hyperbole to say that the event brought despair to all mankind."

"And it was all caused... by a single high school girl."

"Yeah! It was me!" Junko chirped. "Enoshima Junko enrolled in Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Fashionista... But my real identity was the Ultimate Despair! In order to cover the world in despair, I put my plans-"

"Wait a minute, something doesn't add up here!" Shuichi barked.

"Huh?" Kiibo gave Shuichi a nervous look. "I detect no discrepancy in my memory banks..."

"Yes, everything we just said is just like we remembered it..."

"Almost everyone, except for one useless midget!" Junko added.

"Hey!" Ichika pouted.

"But it doesn't match what's written in the history of Hope's Peak Academy." Shuichi continued.

"So you gotta play 'spot the difference'!" Monokuma chirped. "Point out what almost everyone is mistaken about in their memories of Hope's Peak Academy. Alright! Time to play some Danganronpa trivia!"

"The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History..." Maki started.

"That event originated at Hope's Peak Academy..." Kiibo continued. "Inspiring wars and terrorism around the world."

"The cause of all that despair was just a single high school gir-"

"No that's wrong!" Shuichi cut Himiko off. "One high school girl started the tragedy. The Ultimate Despair, Enoshima Junko... At least, that's what I remember. But that's not what the book says. 'Ultimate Despair' doesn't just refer to Enoshima Junko. It refers to a group and the movement that came after. To put it simply, there's more to the Ultimate Despair that Enoshima Junko."

"This is the first time I've heard about this..." Maki mumbled. "Wasn't Enoshima the Ultimate Despair?"

"...That's what I recall as well." Kiibo agreed. "That label should only apply to her."

"Coincidences sure are scary. Everyone misremembered the same thing." Junko sighed.

Himiko glared at her. "Coincidence? Misremembered?"

"And that's not all, there are other discrepancies I'd like to point out." Shuichi continued.

"Ugh, does it even matter? I'm bored already." Junko whined.

"...You're more annoying than the Monokubs." Ichika said flatly and glared at Junko.

"So, let's continue where we left off." Kiibo suggested. "The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History happened because Enoshima has prepared countless ways of spreading despair."

"Like that killing game of the 78th class of Hope's Peak Academy." Himiko piped up.

Maki hummed. "They were held prisoner by the Ultimate Despair and forced into the killing game."

"It wasn't the Ultimate Despair that trapped the 78th class in Hope's Peak Academy." Shuichi said. "It was the class themselves. They shut themselves in."

"Shut themselves in?" Kiibo repeated.

"Why would they shut themselves in?" Maki inquired.

"It has to do with the Hope's Peak Academy Shelter Project. During the tragedy, the 78th class trapped themselves inside Hope's Peak Academy, for protection."

Himiko's eyes widened. "So our memory of the 78th class being trapped by the Ultimate Despair..."

Maki narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying our memories are wrong?"

"It just means those documents were written all half-assed. There's no need to worry about it. Your memories are all correct." Junko chirped.

"What you've been saying isn't consistent!" Shuichi exclaimed. "First you said it was just 'coincidence'."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"...Let's just move on. I want to talk about one more thing from our memories. It's about the rebuilt Hope's Peak Academy we were attending."

"What about Hope's Peak Academy?" Himiko asked.

"Hope's Peak Academy was rebuilt..." Kiibo said. "And with that, recruitment of talented students resumed."

"We remember Hope's Peak Academy taking applications from talented students... but that's not what's written here. The academy did not take applications. All their students were scouted."

"Scouted!?" Kiibo called out suddenly. "I've never heard of that!"

"I wasn't scouted. I applied to Hope's Peak Academy on my own!" Himiko added.

"Me too. I *chose* to come to Hope's Peak." Shuichi clenched his eyes shut. "...At least, that's what I remember."

Maki raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying we're remembering it wrong?"

"But what if the book's just wrong!?" Himiko exclaimed. "Researchers make mistakes, too!"

"Maybe so, but I'm not getting all of this from just the book..." Shuichi responded. "There is other evidence as well."

"Other..." Monokuma tilted his head. "What?"

"The killing game we're in now is the one that began with Hope's Peak Academy. So this is the third game, after Hope's Peak and Jabberwock Island. But remember what Amami-kun said? 'This isn't your first killing game.' But Amami-kun's name wasn't listed among the past participants of the game. He was not present at the two killing games that Enoshima orchestrated."

Ichika hummed and placed a finger on her chin. "Then are you saying that there were more than just two killing games that happened in the past?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but... it's clearly inconsistent, isn't it? And the inconsistencies don't stop there. Ouma-kun's account is also suspect."

"Ouma-kun's account is inconsistent, too?" Kiibo asked.

"Oh, an inconsistency?" Junko giggled. "Do tell..."

"We remember Ouma-kun as a Remnant of Despair... But I don't think that's true. He wasn't a Remnant of Despair." Shuichi continued.

Maki's eyes widened. "He wasn't... a Remnant of Despair?"

"Th-That's impossible! He was definitely a Remnant of Despair!" Kiibo cried out. "The Remnants of Despair were the ones who tried to stop the Gofer Project. And Ouma-kun was their leader... If he was the one leading the Remnants of Despair... Then he must have been second only to the Ultimate Despair herself!"

Junko sighed. "Yes, he loved me more than anyone... Like an-"

"No he didn't!" Ichika yelled out and puffed her cheeks out.

"A-Aki-san?" Shuichi stared at Ichika with wide eyes.

"You rotton liar..." Ichika glared at Junko. "How dare you frame him as someone who worshipped you filthy ass! He hated this killing game more than anything! No way did he admire you! He would never admire a twisted lunatic like you!"

"Oh dear. Seems your lack of memories is more troublesome than I thought." Junko sighed.

"Even if I had those memories, I'd know it's bullshit." Ichika growled. "In case any of you haven't realized, there is no actual proof that Ouma-san tried to stop the Gofer Project, you only have his words. The only thing he tried to stop was the killing game. He said *himself* that he hated this killing game."

Maki sighed. "But that was just a lie-"

"And what the hell do you know about him?" Ichika said flatly.

"..." Maki fell silent and glared at Ichika.

"Exactly. Nothing. You guys all just decided to ignore the fact that he killed himself to try and end the killing game. He if actually was this worshipper of despair, he would've tried to continue the killing game. He didn't."

"Th-Then Ouma-kun's... not a Remnant of Despair...?" Kiibo had shock written all over his face.

"Oh really? Then where's your proof that he wasn't a Remnant of Despair?" Junko asked.

"The motive video we found in Aki-san's room." Shuichi spoke up.

"Hm?" Ichika looked at Shuichi. "You went in my room?"

"Harukawa-san and I were investigating Ouma-kun's room, and we found that he had your motive video. We went to your room and as I thought, you had his."

Ichika nodded. "Good, so the sticky note worked."

"So you did leave the sticky note..." Shuichi hummed.

"That's not important right now. Let's get back on topic." Ichika said.

"So Ichika and Ouma had their motive videos swapped..." Himiko mumbled.

Ichika shook her head. "No, he actually got his own."

"Nyeh!? He did?"