"Then first of all... I suppose I owe all of you an apology. Of course... this isn't something an apology alone can fix, but..."
The man who introduced himself as Makoto Naegi began to speak in a heavy, conflicted voice.
"To think such a vicious virus had been mixed into the [New World Project]... K was right... We inspected the [New World Project] dozens of times because K insisted so strongly, but we never found a single anomaly..."
"...That bastard. Between the message earlier and this... he really did everything under the sun."
"So K and Kyoko Kirigiri really were our allies after all..."
"But in the end, that's still our fault for failing to detect the virus. Let me apologize once more."
The silhouetted man lowered his head for a moment, then spoke again.
"Actually, it isn't just the virus... I can't say with certainty that there were no problems with this program itself, either. It was still in the testing stage, and the way it was being applied to all of you was experimental too... That's why we hesitated to use the [New World Project] on you in the first place..."
"...So that [New World Project] thing really was riddled with problems."
"Yeah... I mean, just look around. Numbers and objects are flying all over the place. That's proof enough."
"But... if we wanted to save you, we had no other choice."
"...What? Save us?"
"Hadn't we already been rescued by the Future Foundation?"
At the silhouette's words, the students began to bristle with confusion. But before they could even chew on that contradiction, he continued.
"Although K and Kyoko Kirigiri also participated as observers in case the watcher ran out of control... we still couldn't feel safe. So we left the password needed to enter the graduation test site... or rather, what you know as the ruins. Anyway, we hid it in the mouse castle, which the watcher hates."
"If you mean the password..."
"It was 'Chiaki Nanami.' She was the only one who could control all of you in the state you were in. So as a password leading toward the future, it was perfect."
"...Th-That state? What the hell does that mean...?"
"Nanami... controls us...?"
"....."
The students turned puzzled eyes toward Nanami, but she kept her lips sealed, her expression dark. After staring at her for a long while, unease prickling under their skin, they finally turned their attention back to the silhouetted man.
"Right now, Monokuma is trying to abuse the 'graduation test' itself. I'm certain... in the graduation test to come, that thing will try to plunge all of you into despair. But I want you to endure until we can intervene in the system without giving up on hope! If you can just hold out until then, there is a secret method to defeat him..."
"A secret method to defeat Monokuma!?"
"Th-There's really something like that...?"
"Everyone, quiet! This is important. Don't miss a single word."
"There is a special command that can only be activated at the graduation test site. That command is... [Forced Shutdown]."
"...[Forced Shutdown]?"
"That command has the highest level of authority in the entire system. So no matter how much of a monster Monokuma is, he shouldn't be able to stop it. In other words, if you activate it, you can defeat Monokuma."
"All right!! Then let's head to the graduation test site right now...!"
"You damn calf!! Sit still for once!! I'm not done talking yet!!"
"...Both of you, shut up."
"There is one problem, though. Originally, it only required a majority vote... but recently, after Monokuma attacked the central system, the condition was changed to 'unanimous consent.'"
"Th-Then... with Kyoko Kirigiri and K gone... does that mean [Forced Shutdown] might as well not exist...?"
"No way... damn it..."
"Big Sis Kirigiri... K..."
"But don't worry. Thankfully, because it's top-level authority, even Monokuma could only interfere with it that much, so there is a solution. As for the issue of numbers, Togami and I can somehow... bzzzt"
Suddenly, the silhouetted man's voice cut out, and the space around them began to warp violently.
"Wh-What now? What's happening this time?"
"Th-The room's colors are coming back!"
"Wahhh!! The room's shaking again!!"
"E-Everyone!! Get down again!!"
"...At this point, I'm not even surprised anymore."
Worn down by the relentless abnormalities, the students dropped to the floor again with exhausted expressions. And as they did, they shut their eyes while listening to the silhouette's final words.
"Hope... is always... by your... side... bzzzzzzzt"
"...Ugh, my head."
"Still, I'm less dizzy than before... Have I actually gotten used to this...?"
"Getting used to something like this... is that a good thing, or a bad thing...?"
"Upupupu? Hey... wasn't something just a little weird...? Huh? Why are you all rolling around over there...?"
The students, who had been tumbling around the vibrating room for a while, eventually picked themselves up once the shaking stopped, dusting off their clothes like this had already become routine.
"Upupupu... Something's off... Even after digging through the system logs, it's obvious nothing happened..."
"....."
Monokuma stared at them suspiciously for a while, then scratched his head and spoke again.
"Well, whatever! Anyway, that's all the hints I'm giving you...! So now you'd better start getting ready for the graduation test! And... hey, you bratty AI! If you try anything again... then next time... I'll make you cross-dress again!"
"N-No more cross-dressing..."
"So brace yourselves! Upupupupupu!!"
Leaving those words behind, Monokuma vanished in a fit of cackling laughter.
"Uheh... uhehehe... somehow... if that form... wore girls' clothes... it'd be a pretty moe image..."
"...Eek!"
"Knock it off, you creepy bastard!!! You made Alter Ego hide again!!"
"Does Hanamura actually have a separate organ in his nose just for spraying nosebleeds...?"
After Hanamura stared at him and started gushing blood from his nose, Alter Ego recoiled in horror and hid behind the monitor. Then, after a moment, he cautiously peeked his head back out and spoke.
"...You all have a weapon... a very powerful weapon. How you use it... depends on you. So I hope everyone will do their best..."
"....."
"Then... I have to stop Monokuma's invasion of the central system... so I'll be going now..."
With that, Alter Ego disappeared behind the monitor again.
"Try our best... huh. But... what if no matter how hard you try... you still can't reach the place you want...? Then... what are you supposed to do...?"
"...Hinata-kun?"
"Huh...? Nanami?"
"Hinata-kun... what's wrong? Compared to everyone else, you've been acting especially strange for a while now..."
Hearing Nanami's words, Hinata answered with a shadowed expression.
"I don't know... It feels like my body isn't my own... Sometimes my head hurts like it's going to split open, and I start muttering without even realizing it... and all these bizarre thoughts keep flooding in..."
Then Hinata looked at Nanami with a pained expression and spoke.
"...Especially whenever I look at your face, the symptoms get worse... ngh!!"
".....!"
"N-Nanami... sorry... just leave me alone for a little while..."
Leaving those words behind, Hinata staggered unsteadily toward the corner.
"...They were getting along so well just a second ago. Why's he suddenly like that?"
"Are relationships between men and women really just that profound...?"
"Whatever... it's not like I've even got a lover to have a falling-out with..."
"Um... why are you looking at me when you say that, Souda-san?"
As the students whispered among themselves while watching the two, Pigami, who had been standing silently, frowned and finally spoke.
"...This is no time for childish chatter. If Monokuma says he won't be giving us any more hints, then that means very soon..."
But before Pigami could finish, a hologram suddenly appeared in front of the students, and Monokuma's announcement began to play.
"Damn it, it's shaking again. I'm sick of this now."
"...At this point, I'm not even dizzy anymore."
"Everyone... get down again... no, I suppose there's no need. It looks like you've all adapted already."
"The red door...?"
"If it's a red door... then it must be that one that wouldn't open earlier. You were all out of your minds for a bit, so you probably don't remember, but there was a red door in the hallway."
When the hologram vanished, the students stood in silence for a moment. Then, with grim determination hardening their faces, they filed out of the classroom one by one and headed for the red door. Before long, all of them were standing in front of it.
"...So this is finally the end."
"I can't help it... I'm still trembling..."
"Don't get too tense! We still have hope!!"
"Yeah! Once we get out of here, I'll cook the greatest meal of my life for all of you... so don't give up!!"
Pigami, Hanamura, Tsumiki, and Mioda were the first to encourage one another before opening the red door and stepping inside.
"Yeah! Don't worry!! We've still got our escape plan... mmph!!"
"You idiot...!! Why would you say that out loud!?"
"Both of you... please just be quiet..."
Owari and Nidai bickered all the way as they opened the red door and went in.
"Uwahahahahaha!! At last, the hour of decisive battle has arrived. O Four Dark Devas of Destruction!! Prepare yourselves...!! Soon the time of chaos that will sate your hunger shall descend...!"
"Let's do our best, Tanaka-san!"
"R-Right..."
"S-Sonia... what about me...?"
Souda, on the verge of tears, chased after the two blushing figures and slipped through the red door as well.
"...Let's do our best too, Peko."
"Yes, young master."
After them, Kuzuryu and Pekoyama quietly followed, hand in hand.
"Big Sis, when I get out of here... I'm going to build gravestones for those two... What do you think...? It's a good idea, right...?"
"...Yeah, I'll help too, Saionji. I'll share some of the photos I took. I still have a lot left."
"...Thanks, Koizumi. Forever."
Remembering the two who had sacrificed themselves for everyone, Koizumi and Saionji opened the red door and stepped inside.
"All right... for hope... no, for the future... shall I move forward...? Hahahaha..."
Even Komaeda, who had been curled up in the corner, finally came to his senses and walked in with a smile. And now only Nanami and Hinata remained before the red door.
"...Hinata-kun, if you're okay, come with me..."
"Yeah... okay... ngh...!!"
"A-Are you okay...?"
"Yeah... I'm fine... ngh..."
"I-I can at least help support you..."
Nanami reached out to take Hinata's hand as he started staggering again, but the moment she came closer, Hinata reflexively pulled his body back and spoke.
"Sorry... I don't think I can do it... You go on ahead... I'll follow after you..."
"....."
Hearing that, Nanami stared at him for a moment, then bit down hard on her lip and turned toward the red door.
"Hinata-kun..."
"Yeah...?"
With one hand on the red door's handle, Nanami spoke in a small but unmistakably clear voice.
"...I love you."
".....!"
Leaving those words behind, Nanami opened the door and disappeared inside.
"....."
Left alone, Hinata stood there for a long time in silence. Then he finally started toward the red door, but—
"...Ugh."
Before he could even open it, he collapsed.
"I love you too, Nanami..."
Hinata lost consciousness after leaving behind that final murmur.
"...Forever."
And from his tightly closed eyes, a single line of tears slipped down.
"You two!! Get back here right now!! Are you out of your minds, going directly to Jabberwock Island to connect to the [New World Project]!?"
"But we can already see the island, can't we? And we just promised the Class 77 students we'd help them. We can't wait any longer for the [New World Project] infiltration operation. If we don't go now, everything will have been for nothing."
"That's not why I lent you the Alter Ego connector!! And even though we were delayed for a bit because of an unknown error, we'll be able to fix it soon!! So just...!!"
"Sorry, Fujisaki."
"Hello!? Hellooo!! Naegi!!!"
"If you disappear, the administration of the 13th Division and 14th Division will be paralyzed...! Please... if only for the sake of your current positions...!"
"...If hope can be paralyzed just because the two of us are gone, then it deserves to be. Stop exaggerating."
"Togami-sama... please... ah, ahhh...!"
".....?"
"Byakuya-sama!!!!!!!! Why didn't you take me with you!!!!! For your sake, I would follow you even into hell...!!"
"...Haa."
Meanwhile, at that same moment, the two men who had ended their calls at the same time stood aboard a ship, silently gazing at Jabberwock Island as it finally came into view.