Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

After the self-introductions were over, everyone gathered in the entryway started discussing the situation, which, yeah, any halfway normal person could tell was bad news. According to their own memories, they were all freshmen who had just arrived at this school, but the moment they entered here, they suddenly lost consciousness, and when they woke up they found themselves sleeping inside the school.

Not only that, all their communication devices had vanished without a trace, plus those heavy steel plates covering the windows, that completely sealed-off main gate, and those two things on the sides that looked suspiciously like heavy machine guns...... if you don’t find this weird, then you’re the weird one here!

Fang Zheng didn’t join in the plot discussion; instead, he stood in a corner by the wall, silently thinking over the situation before him.

As for this world, Fang Zheng was actually relatively familiar with it. He had played through three Danganronpa games in a row: the first one, Danganronpa 1, which was the one he was currently in; then Danganronpa 2, where the whole thing plays out again in a virtual world; and finally Danganronpa 1.5, told from Makoto Naegi’s little sister’s POV. So he had a decent grasp on this world’s background.

To put it simply, some guy known as the ”Ultimate Despair” triggered the biggest, vilest incident in this world, causing despair to spread and destroying the entire world, and the people in front of him were actually survivors who had been brought into this shelter for protection.

But because the mastermind killed the Chairman of the Academy of Hope Peak, seized control of this place, and used some method to erase two years’ worth of these people’s memories, that’s how this mutual slaughter despair game got started.

Right now their memories are still stuck at when they had just enrolled, but in reality they’ve already been classmates living together for two years.

As for the mastermind...... no need to play dumb riddle games, just say the conclusion straight out.

It’s that ”Ultimate Despair,” Enoshima Junko.

In fact, the Enoshima Junko currently appearing before them wasn’t the real deal, but her older sister, Blade Wraith Enoshima, hailed as the ”Ultimate Mercenary.”

That’s right, no deduction, no puzzles, I’m just going to circle the culprit’s name on the very first page of a mystery novel and specially label it ”this is the culprit,” and what are you gonna do about it, huh?

Back in the library, that was exactly the sort of thing Fang Zheng loved to do.

Invisible spoilers are just insanely satisfying, okay.

If this were just a pure mystery world, then Fang Zheng honestly wouldn’t care that much.

But the problem is, this isn’t just some ordinary mystery game world—especially considering the current situation. Keep in mind this ”exam field” activated when traces of Yotsuba Galaxy civilization were detected, and if Fang Zheng remembered right, the game’s setting had the whole world basically already screwed, chaos everywhere and on the verge of doomsday.

By normal logic, there’s no way some small cult-like organization whipped up by a single person could wreck the entire world like this—that’d be pure fantasy. But if you link this to the power of Chaos, then it’s a different story. He didn’t know exactly how the original work set it up, but judging from the current state of the Yotsuba Galaxy, it was safe to say that the despair catastrophe here should be the result of Chaos Invasion.

And Enoshima Junko should be something like the spokesperson or avatar of Chaotic Power—pretty much the same deal as those Believers of the Twilight Church back in the Main World.

Hmm...... put like that, the Despair Cult’s faith really is just about that level, huh?

”Ding...... ding...... ding...... ding.......”

However, just as Fang Zheng was thinking, suddenly, a bell rang. Then, everyone saw the television on a nearby wall start flashing static and a Pitch Black silhouette, along with a grating, punchable voice.

”Ah, ah...... mic test, mic test, campus broadcast, campus broadcast. No problem, right? You can hear me, right? Well then...... dear freshmen, I’d like to start the entrance ceremony right away, so please head to the gymnasium at once. That’s all, I’m counting on you.”

Once the voice finished, the screen cut out again, leaving everyone standing there dumbfounded.

”What the heck, so it was just the entrance ceremony, geez, scared me for a second.”

”Well, I’m going ahead.”

Some of them really seemed to think this was just a unique, out-of-the-box entrance ceremony, and went straight toward the gym. The rest stayed where they were, feeling more or less uneasy; this kind of opening was way too bizarre. Even with two years of memories erased, it still felt completely wrong to any normal person.

”Uh, um......”

And just then, Fang Zheng saw Makoto Naegi come up beside him, looking at him uneasily.

”What do you think?”

”Nothing much. We’ll know what’s going on once we go.”

As he said this, Fang Zheng shrugged.

”We’ll take the soldiers as they come, floodwaters with earthen dams. Whatever she’s trying to pull, I’ll see it through to the end.”

”R-right.......”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s answer, Makoto Naegi seemed at a loss for what to say, while Kirigiri Kyoko, upon hearing this, silently sized Fang Zheng up, saying nothing. Fang Zheng then simply started walking toward the gym.

The further they went, the more everyone felt that something was off.

”This is supposed to be...... a school, right? How come there’s not a single person around?”

The beautiful girl with long dark blue hair, the Ultimate Idol Sayaka Maizono, looked around uneasily, muttering under her breath. Indeed, just as she said, although this clearly looked like a school, in this huge building it seemed like there were only a dozen or so of them—everyone else might as well have never existed.

The others probably had similar questions, but no one spoke up; their expressions simply grew much more serious. Soon, the group arrived inside the gym.

At a glance, it didn’t seem any different from a normal opening ceremony. Dozens of chairs were arranged in the gym, and on the stage, a podium and microphone were set up. The students who had arrived earlier were also looking around in confusion.

But right as the last person stepped into the gym, that same obnoxious, smack-worthy voice rang out again.

”Everyone’s here? Then let’s get started!”

Hearing the voice, they all instinctively turned to look at the stage—and immediately saw a half-black, half-white doll-like Black and White Bear suddenly leap out from behind the podium, plop itself on the stage, and grin at them.

”............”

Seeing this, everyone was stunned.

”What the heck is that?”

”A doll?”

”I am not a doll! I’m Black and White Bear, and I’m your—this school’s—principal!”

”Huh.........!?”

Hearing the declaration from the self-proclaimed Black and White Bear doll, everyone was dumbstruck, completely at a loss for words.

A moving stuffed toy claims to be their principal, is there anything more absurd than that?

Just as expected.

While the others were still tangled up over why this stuffed toy could talk and move, Fang Zheng’s expression had already darkened. He could feel that a rather dense Chaos Aura was coiling around this Black and White Bear; this was without a doubt a product of Chaos, and its concentration wasn’t much different from those Twilight Church Believers who worshiped Chaos back in the Main World.

Looks like this world really is the same as he’d expected. Although it counts as a remnant civilization within the Yotsuba Galaxy, judging from how things look right now... it’s probably even more troublesome than the world Katori and the others were in back then. After all, if Fang Zheng’s memory was correct, in this world Chaos should be spreading, amplifying, and infecting others through the emotion called ”despair.”

From a certain angle, that’s even more terrifying than simple viral infection and mutation.

So how should I solve this problem...

While Fang Zheng was pondering, the Black and White Bear also informed the other students of the situation. Upon learning that they would have to spend their entire lives in this school, unable to leave, and that they would never be able to contact the outside world again, these students immediately exploded. That was perfectly normal. In their memories, they had only just enrolled as new students and hadn’t experienced anything special before this. Now they were suddenly told they’d be locked up for life in a place like a prison. Who could accept that?

And just as everyone was panicking in terror, the Black and White Bear seized the opportunity and presented them with its demand.

”If you want to leave the school, it’s not like there’s no way. As your principal, I can give you a graduation requirement. You need to live your school life while obeying the rules. If someone breaks the rules, then they can leave the school. That’s the condition for graduation.”

”Then what do you mean by breaking the rules?”

The Ultimate rich kid Togami Byakuya stared fixedly at the Black and White Bear and asked in a low voice. As if it had been waiting for this question, the Black and White Bear once again grinned, revealing a bizarre and ferocious smile.

”Hupupu... that means killing someone, you know?”

”...............”

Everyone was stunned at those words.

”Killing... someone?”

”That’s right. Only the student who kills someone can leave here. The condition is just that simple, okay? I said it before, you are the hope of this world. When that hope turns on itself and they start killing each other, it’ll surely become a wonderful despair! Hahahaha, so please do your best!”

”...Huh?”

”You’ve got to be kidding me!”

”If this is a prank, then it’s way over the line!”

Facing the Black and White Bear’s words, the students unsurprisingly fell into chaos. Some still thought it was just a bad joke, some were trembling in dread and unease, and others were exploding with rage. The Biker Gang member Oowada suddenly leapt onto the stage and grabbed the Black and White Bear in one hand.

”I don’t know if you’re a stuffed toy or whatever, but I’ll smash you into tiny pieces!”

”Yaa, using violence on the principal is against school regulations, you know!?”

The Black and White Bear flailed comically as it was grabbed, but given the situation, no one was in any mood to laugh.

”Cut the crap and let us out of here right now, or else we’ll...”

However, before the Biker Gang member could finish, a strange beeping sound suddenly came from inside the Black and White Bear’s body. The sound quickly grew more urgent. At the same time, the white-haired girl who had been silent till now, Kirigiri Kyoko, suddenly spoke up.

”It’s dangerous, throw it away, now!”

”Huh?”

Though a bit surprised, the Biker Gang member still followed Kirigiri Kyoko’s order and flung the Black and White Bear away. The very next second, the Black and White Bear exploded midair with a loud ”boom.”

”............”

Everyone was dumbfounded by what they saw.

”H-how did it explode?”

”But since it blew up, that means that bear is alrea...”

Before the sentence could be finished, another Black and White Bear suddenly popped out.

”Hey, I’m not dead yet!”

”Another one?!”

At this point, the others felt like they were about to break down.

”That’s right, there are lots of Black and White Bears in this school. This time was just a little warning. If there’s a next time, things won’t end this easily. Now then, next I’ll be talking about...”

”Hold it.”

Just as the Black and White Bear was about to keep talking, Fang Zheng suddenly stepped forward and looked straight at it.

”Before that, I have something to ask. Are you really the principal?”

”...............”

This time, the Black and White Bear didn’t immediately answer Fang Zheng’s question. It silently stared at him for a moment, then split its mouth into a grin.

”Ara ara? Looks like a weird student slipped in. I don’t recall inviting you to join, though.”

”And that’s exactly why I showed up here.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng raised his hand. Flames burst forth and coiled around him, forming a Giant Dragon. Seeing this unbelievable sight, the other students widened their eyes in shock and quickly backed away.

”Looks like you can’t produce any proof that you’re the principal, Black and White Bear. In that case, I’ll start with you! You just said it yourself, that this school is crawling with Black and White Bears. Then I’d really like to see how long you can withstand my attacks!”

As his words fell, the Primordial Fire surged, and the Black and White Twin Blades appeared in Fang Zheng’s hands.

”Then let’s begin, Black and White Bear. Do you have enough backups?!”