With the students piling out of the medical room, they stood there to question their next move.

Hina: So whoever that is running around, why are they wearing that weird costume?

Byakuya: Don't bother looking for a reason from a deviant.

Genocide Jill: So? What're we gonna do? Split up and look around?

Sakura: Our opponent is very dangerous. We don't know what they're capable of. Even here...

Celeste: ...!?

Everyone glances at Celeste.

Byakuya: What's wrong...?

Celeste: I saw a shadow! Something moving around at the top of the stairs!

Hina: Really!?

Sakura: Up on the 2nd floor, then?

Junko: Bastard! They won't get away with this!

They all shot up the stairs in hot pursuit of the mysterious figure.

Celeste: He must be around here somewhere! Let's split up and corner him!

Sakura: But don't take any chances. As soon as you find him, call out and I'll come running.

Celeste: Okay, but... what should we yell?

Hina: Anything! It doesn't mean!

Celeste: Then... is "haaaah!" okay?

Junko: Haaah or dohyaaah or whatever you want! Just yell loud enough so we can hear you!

Celeste: Hmhmhm... dohyaah? I have never heard such a reaction...

Hina: Okay, whatever! Just hurry up and start looking! Okay? Let's go!

Genocide Jill: Hey Mister Robot! Where ya hidin'? If you don't come out, we're gonna decommission ya!

The group then splits apart in every direction to catch the costumed suspect.

But, a few moments later...

"Ha-aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

On the 3rd floor, Celeste lets out a cry.

Alerted, everyone rushed to the 3rd floor and sees Celeste by the hallway.

Celeste: Over here, everyone!

Everyone who heard the scream came running.

Hina: Celeste, what's wrong!?

Byakuya: That was a rather... intense scream for someone like you.

Celeste: I saw him! The strange costumed man...! He ran off as soon as I screamed...! I was blocking the stairs, so he headed further down into the hallway and disappeared...!

Makoto: He must be down this hall! Come on, let's go!

Genocide Jill: Haa... Haaa...!

Hina: What is it now!?

Genocide Jill: Haaa... CHOO!

Genocide Jill then turns into the normal moody Toko.

Toko: H-Huh...?

Hina: Whoa! I-It's really true! 

Junko: That doesn't matter right now! We need to-

???: Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

Makoto: Huh!?

Hina: W-What was that!?

Celeste: That came from downstairs! It must have been...

Makoto: Leon! It came from the nurse's office!

Junko: Oh no... no no no no! We have to go back!

Byakuya: What about the suspect? We've gone to all this trouble to capture him, right?

Celeste: Why don't we split into 2 groups?

Byakuya: I'll lead the hunting party. That seems much more interesting.

Celeste: Very well, then Makoto and Hina, you come with me to the nurse's office. I will leave the capture of the suspicious individual to Toko, Sakura, Junko, and Byakuya.

Junko: No! I'm going with you, Celeste!

Sakura: Junko, we'll need your athleticism to capture the costumed man. 

Junko: No you don't! There's already you! I-

Celeste: Junko, nows not the time to bicker. Please go with Byakuya.

Junko: But-!

Sakura: We'll handle this just fine. Just go take care of Leon.

Makoto: Okay! You guys be careful!

With that, the group splits up into 2 groups. Makoto, Hina, and Celeste ran downstairs to the 1st floor, while the rest went after the costumed figure.

And, as the three ran into the medical room...

They were met with a world...

of dripping crimson.

The nurse's office was covered in red.

And, smack in the middle of it...

was Leon Kuwata.

Hina: AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Celeste: I-It looks like... something very bad... has just happened... I certainly was not expecting this... I-I did not imagine that Leon... would be murdered!

Hina: M-Murdered!? You're not serious, are you!? He's not really dead, is he!?

BING BONG! DING DONG!

"A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the class trial will begin!"

The monitors shut off, a chill running down the group's spine.

Hina: What the...?

Celeste: That was... the body discovery announcement.

Makoto: When three or more people discover a body after a murder... that's what plays...

Hina: And since we just heard it... t-that means...!

Celeste: It must mean... Leon... s-someone killed him. One of us...

Makoto: One of... us?

Celeste: And... look at that.

When Celeste said that, she pointed at something.

Something on the floor...

Something that had also been on the floor after the last 2 surprise attacks...

Another hammer...

Justice Hammer 3...

And it was bigger than the last 2.

Celeste: Just as I suspected. One strike from that, and you are finished...

Makoto: Then the killer...

Celeste: There can be no doubt. The suspicious individual... must be the robot costumed man. Whoever's hiding in that costume is the one that killed Leon!

Makoto: But... wait... y-you saw him on the 3rd floor, right? Running back into the hall... so, how did he end up in the nurse's office? You're not saying that they, like, teleported or something, right?

Celeste: We can figure that part out later. Right now, we have to tell the others.

Makoto: Y-You're right.

Celeste: Then, shall we go?

Hina: ...

Hina stood there, unmoving. 

Celeste: Hina, snap out of it.

Hina: ... Huh?

Makoto: Are you okay, Hina?

Hina: S-Sorry... I'm not sure I can move right now... I-I'm feeling kinda...

She had her shaky hands up to her mouth, her pale face and eyes focused centrally on Leon's corpse.

Celeste: This is a problem. We can't just leave Hina here alone.

Makoto: Okay, then I'll go get everyone. You stay here with Hina.

Celeste: ... Very well. I leave it to you, then.

Makoto: Okay! I'll be back soon!

Makoto says as he leaves the medical room, trying his best to sound confident.

But, out of sight, his hands were trembling out of fear.

---------------

On the 3rd floor, Makoto runs deep into the hall in search of the rest of the group.

Makoto: Way... into the back of the hallway, huh...?

Keeping that in mind, he dashes all the way to the back of the said hallway.

And, he finds himself inside the physics lab.

Makoto: ...

There was no one there, as far as the eye could see.

But, to Makoto...

He felt some kind of presence.

A presence... at the back of the room.

And... as he walks through the back door...

He was greeted with yet...

 Another nightmare.

In a pool of his own blood...

Was Taka, dead.

---------------

Arc 3:

A Next-Generation Legend! Stand Tall, Galactic Hero!

Deadly Life.

---------------

First was Leon's body, dead in the middle of the medical room.

And now was Taka, dead at the back of the physics lab.

The 2 corpses fill in Makoto's mind, his face pale out of shock.

Makoto: Why... is this happening...?

The floor was stained in Taka's own blood, his white outfit stained with red.

Makoto then glances over to see... another unconscious figure.

Makoto: T-Toko!? Don't tell me...! Toko, too!?

Byakuya: Relax. She just passed out when she saw the blood.

He glances to see Byakuya, Junko, and Sakura present in the room.

Makoto: The blood...?

Junko: W-we've tried everything to get her to wake up, but no luck. Just leave her be for now.

Makoto: Right...

Makoto then glances to his left to see another of the same weapon he saw 3 times prior.

Another Justice Hammer.

And, it was even bigger than its previous counterparts.

Makoto: Is this suspicious individual responsible for killing Taka, too...!?

Sakura: Perhaps, but... why is it Justice Hammer 4?

Makoto glances at Sakura.

Makoto: Huh? What do you mean?

Sakura: Celeste was attacked with Justice Hammer 1, then Leon was hit with Justice Hammer 2. But this time, it was Justice Hammer 4. What happened to number 3?

Makoto: Ah-!

Junko: Huh? What's the matter...?

Makoto: W-Well... when you mentioned Justice Hammer 3... you just reminded me that... uhh...

Byakuya: Out with it. Do you know something?

Makoto: I-I'm sorry, Junko... but... Taka's not the only one that's been killed. Leon's dead, too.

Sakura: Wh...!?

Junko: Ngh...!?

Sakura: Leon's been killed!?

Makoto: Y-Yeah...

Byakuya: Which is why you came to get us...

Makoto: Yeah...

Junko: ... Y-You're joking, right? It's gotta be a joke, right!?

Makoto shakes his head sadly.

Makoto: I'm sorry, Junko. But... Leon's really gone.

Junko lets out a gasp of shock, before falling to her knees.

Junko: No...

Her eyes and face pale out, the fashionista struggling to accept the reality laid before her.

Junko: No... no no no... No way...

However, Byakuya lets out a scoff.

Byakuya: Snap out of it. Another participant died, big deal.

Junko: ...

Byakuya: This is a killing game. You shouldn't be surprised that deaths will happen at this point. Unless you haven't learned from the previous 2.

Junko: I...

Byakuya: We better go check it out. 

Sakura: O-Of course! Come on!

Sakura and Byakuya then leave the room, leaving a sad Junko and an unconscious Toko behind.

Makoto: Junko...

He then walks over to her and places his hand on her shoulder.

Makoto: C'mon. Let's get going.

Junko: ...

Junko remained unmoved, her stature becoming frozen in place.

Makoto: I... It's hard for me to accept it, too. But... we need to get moving. 

Junko: ...

Makoto: Time's ticking, Junko. And, we've yet to even find where Kyoko, Sayaka, and Apollo went. So... please, stand up and move...

Slowly, Junko stands up, but her head hung low.

Makoto: C'mon. Let's go.

Junko: Right...

Slowly, Junko and Makoto walked out of the equipment room and out of the lab.

But, when they came out...

Celeste: Ah-!

Makoto: Celeste? Aren't you supposed to be waiting in the nurse's office?

Celeste: S-Something has... come up.

Byakuya: Yeah, I heard. Leon is dead, right?

Celeste: Well... that is not all. It is... gone.

Makoto: Huh? What's gone?

Celeste: It has disappeared...

Makoto: Disappeared...?

Celeste: L-Leon's body has disappeared!

Makoto: W-What...?

Byakuya: What are you talking about? It's disappeared? Don't be ridiculous.

Celeste: ...

Byakuya: Wait, you're serious?

Sakura: What the heck is happening here...!? Everyone, back to the nurse's office!

The group then dashed down the stairs, but Makoto glanced back at Junko's pale face.

Makoto: Junko...

Junko: Yeah...?

Makoto: Now's not the time to be depressed. I dunno how close you were with Leon, but put that aside for now. We need to move, now!

Junko: R-Right... Sorry...

Gulping an intake of breath, Junko shakes her head and dashes after the group.

---------------

After practically leaping down the stairs, Makoto rushes to the medical room and opens the door open...

Only to see that... Celeste was right.

Leon's corpse had disappeared.

Sakura: Huh...!?

Makoto: It just... disappeared?

Hina: ...

Again, Hina stood there with a shocked expression on her face.

Junko: What happened...?

Hina: Me and Celeste went to the bathroom... b-but we were only gone for like a minute! And then, when we got back...

Celeste: This must be the work of the culprit. They must have come and carried the body away. They must really be enjoying this... Enjoying the sight of us standing around, frightened and confused... W-We're all going to die here. W-We're going to die... just like those guys died...

Junko's eyes suddenly lit up when Celeste finished her sentence, but she didn't speak of it.

Byakuya: I don't believe this. I don't believe a body would just... disappear. First, there were two murders, and now one of the bodies has been taken? This is... unnatural.

Junko: Y-You don't say...!

Hina: H-Hold on! What do you mean, TWO murders!?

Sakura: Taka's been killed. We found him in the equipment room.

Hina: I-It can't be! Taka, too!? It can't be... it can't be... NooooooOOOOOO!!!

Sakura: Hina, calm down!

Hina: We're all gonna die... All of us... They're gonna kill all of us!

Byakuya: Then who might the next target be? Toko?

Makoto: Huh...?

Sakura: No! I completely forgot! She's still unconscious in the equipment room!

Celeste: You left her at the scene of the crime!?

Byakuya: We didn't have a choice. She passed out and refused to wake up.

Celeste: So, she is still unconscious?

Sakura: Wait, so you knew she was still up there and said nothing? Why...!?

Byakuya: That annoying little insect that clings to me wherever I go... we'd be better off without her.

Sakura: You... bastard!

Junko: I mean, he has a point... I'd be annoyed to hell too if I had a stalker like that... 

Byakuya: Calm down. You forgot about her, didn't you? You have no right to blame me.

Makoto: Everyone, stop fighting! Right now we need to hurry back!

Hina: I can't take this anymore... I don't want anyone else to die!

Sakura: Byakuya... if something's happened to Toko, I'll never forgive you!

Byakuya: Hmph.

And with that, the group bolted up the stairs to the physics lab.

When they arrived at the equipment room, they glanced over to see...

Makoto: Toko! Thank God you're okay...

But, right away...

There was something obviously amiss.

And that... 

Was the disappearance of Taka's body.

Makoto: ....!?

Taka's corpse, which should've been laid in the pool of his own blood...

Had disappeared.

Byakuya: This... can't be happening...

Junko: W-What the hell...!?

Sakura: Are we hallucinating all this or something?

Makoto: No... there's no way its a hallucination. I-I know I saw it before... and what I'm seeing now... isn't what I saw before...

Hina: W-What? Are you saying... Taka disappeared, too!?

Byakuya: Stop saying "disappeared". It didn't just vanish into thin air. Obviously whoever did this has hidden the body.

Makoto: But... why would they do that?

Byakuya: I couldn't possibly begin to imagine.

Celeste: Anyway, our costumed suspect is clearly continuing his crime spree.

Hina: We gotta hurry and catch him before he kills ALL of us!

Byakuya: Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that.

Hina: Huh...?

Byakuya: Think about it... who could possibly be responsible for killing and hiding these dead bodies?

Hina: U-Umm...

Byakuya: When Leon's death cry went up, everyone here was together on the 3rd floor.

Celeste: After that, we split up into 2 groups.

Byakuya: And now this time, you all came here as a group from the nurse's office. In other words, the only ones who could have done this are Apollo, Kyoko, and Sayaka, who are still missing.

Makoto: H-Hold on a second! Kyoko and Sayaka have an alibi for when Celeste and Leon were attacked! There's no question that she was in the dining hall with us!

Byakuya: Hmph. You seem very adamant about defending them. Perhaps you are... in love with the two of them?

Makoto: T-That's not it at all!

Junko: W-What a random question to ask at this time of all places...

Byakuya: Well, anyway. Yes, I do accept Kyoko and Sayaka's alibi.

Celeste: Which means... the suspicious individual we're looking for can be none other than... Apollo.

Byakuya: Which further means, there will be no more murders. The regulations are very clear about that.

Makoto: Oh, that's right! There's a rule that says you can only kill a maximum of two people...

Byakuya: As long as that rule is in place, there will not be a third murder. If they were to break that rule...

As if on cue, Monokuma shows up.

Monokuma: I'd mince ya! Mince ya without a second thought! Mince ya, grind ya, turn ya into paste! By the way, did you know that fish paste can also refer to shellfish, like shrimp or crabs!?

And as if he was never there, Monokuma disappears.

Byakuya: ... Indeed.

Celeste: So, since two people have been killed, there is no possibility of any more.

Sakura: You knew that from the beginning, didn't you Byakuya? Which means you knew Toko was never in danger...

Byakuya: I still meant it when I said we'd be better off without her, though. Anyway, with that in mind, we can now relax and search for the two missing bodies.

Junko: You want us to relax when a murderer is going around amock? What kind of person do you think we are...?

Byakuya: We've experienced this twice before. This shouldn't come as a shocker to you.

Junko: Yeah, but death is death! And... it's our classmates! Of course I can't just chillax right after!

Byakuya: Hmph. That will prove to be a weakness, let me tell you that.

Junko: Why you-!

Byakuya then glances at Makoto.

Byakuya: Hey, Makoto. What's the matter?

Makoto: Huh? Oh, no... it's nothing.

Byakuya: Whatever. We need to find those bodies, or our little narrative here can't move forward.

Celeste: Very well. Then let us split up and begin searching.

Hina: B-But...

Celeste: There is no need to be afraid. No more murders will take place during this case.

Hina: I-I know that... I mean, I think I do. But...

Sakura: If you're still nervous, I'll come with you.

Hina: O-Okay, thank you...

Sakura: No need to thank me.

Byakuya: Then let's get moving. Yell out if you find anything.

Byakuya then left the equipment room, followed by the rest of the group.

---------------

A few minutes pass, and the group was still busy searching for the 2 missing corpses.

Entering classrooms, main rooms, the hallways, they searched through it all like scavengers, with not much was to be gained. No progress was gained in searching the dead bodies.

Until eventually...

Celeste: Ah, Byakuya.

Byakuya: What is it?

Celeste: I found them. They're at the repository.

Byakuya: Hmm... I'll go get the others.

Celeste: And I'll go along with you.

The two then paired up and went around to alert everyone about the founding of the bodies.

And soon, everyone compiled at the art room, the repository door right in front of them.

Byakuya: What are you waiting for? Open it.

With no other choice but to go inside... 

The doorknob turned, to unveil...

Taka and Leon's corpses, laid in the middle of the room.

---------------

Next time on Rebirth:

Chapter 41: Investigate V3.