Chapter 78 Komaeda, please put away your dangerous thoughts...

As soon as the door opened, Tsukino, Chiya, and Komaeda Nagito noticed a line of crooked yet shocking chalk writing that almost filled the entire blackboard.

The writing was so illegible that the two of them didn't even recognize what it said at first glance.

"'Why us?'" Tsukino and Chiya read the words on the blackboard slowly.

“That statement does somewhat reflect our current situation,” Komaeda Nagito said, expressing his feelings. “So, was it written by someone else who had mistakenly wandered into this place and ended up suffering from supernatural events?”

This guess has far too many flaws; would you even believe it yourself if you told me?

Tsukino and Chiya knew that while Komaeda Nagito's first statement might have some merit, the second statement was definitely not a genuine conjecture made by the white-haired boy.

However, Tsukino and Chiya had no intention of refuting Komaeda's words.

The black-haired boy simply looked at the blackboard illuminated by the flashlight beam and calmly stated another possibility: "This could also be a message left behind by the supernatural."

Having heard the answer he wanted, Komaeda Nagito also stared at the line of words on the blackboard, his smile a mixture of curiosity about the existence of the supernatural and something more complex yet pure.

Nagito Komaeda's guess this time was more reasonable: "Was it writing in despair before the monster died?"

“It’s also possible that it was ‘written’ after it became a monster,” Tsukino and Chiya said. “Of course, it doesn’t necessarily mean it was written with a pen in the literal sense. But in any case, it’s a character that appeared after the monster was born.”

Don't ask. It's just a spiritual phenomenon. Whatever happens is not surprising.

Compared to Komaeda Nagito, who finds everything novel because it's his first time experiencing it, Tsukino and Chiya have become accustomed to not investigating the various illogical things they see in the spirit world, such as "Why can 'people' crawl out of the TV?", "Why is there blood everywhere in the room?", "Where did this ghost come from that scared me by getting close to my face?", "Why am I stuck in a ghost wall again?"... Anyway, even if they care, they probably won't get any answers.

Perhaps some people will be very interested and actively research the causes of various phenomena within the spiritual barrier. If there really are such people, Tsukino and Chiya would think they are amazing... after all, ordinary people like themselves couldn't do similar research.

"As expected..."

Rather than wondering "where this line of text came from," which is something that cannot be concluded now and may not be concluded in the future anyway, Komaeda Nagito is more concerned about something else entirely.

"Tsukino Kazuki, you know so much... Ah, of course, I probably feel that way because it's my first time encountering something like this, so I'm completely clueless."

"So, Tsukino and Kimi, please satisfy my insignificant curiosity," Komaeda Nagito said. "Judging from your practiced manner, you don't seem like someone who just talks the talk, do you? And even if you were, how could you know so much accurate information about paranormal events..."

...This person's attitude seems to have changed a little compared to before.

Tsukino and Chiya thought to themselves.

How should I put it... it's like their politeness is even more genuine now? Even the arrogance that used to show from time to time has been somewhat concealed?

Although it's not very obvious yet.

The subtle shift in Komaeda Nagito's attitude likely stemmed from his growing suspicions about Tsukino and Chiya. However, considering their status as preparatory course students, and the fact that his suspicions hadn't yet been confirmed, this change wasn't particularly noticeable.

Tsukino and Chiya were not happy about Nagito Komaeda's change in attitude!

After all, Komaeda Nagito hadn't really hidden his thoughts, so Tsukino and Chiya could easily figure out what Komaeda's joy and anticipation were mainly directed at. Moreover, he had recently made comments like, "No matter how hard an untalented person tries, they can never catch up to a talented one..." And now...

Komaeda Nagito, what are you thinking?! Please put away those dangerous thoughts! He's really just an ordinary person! Really!

Despite inwardly roaring with such rage, Tsukino and Chiya outwardly remained calm and composed, replying casually, "Ohma also knows what I'm talking about."

"So, you really did come here with a premeditated plan." Komaeda Nagito didn't seem surprised. "And... you came specifically because of the supernatural events that happened here."

His tone was very confident.

Tsukino and Chiya answered decisively, "That's right. By the way, it's Monthly OOPARTS."

Nagito Komaeda: "Huh?"

By now, not only have Tsukino and Chiya gained some understanding and speculation about Komaeda Nagito, but Komaeda Nagito has also made some inferences about Tsukino and Chiya... At least, he can sense that this black-haired boy, who is described as "straightforward," is actually quite straightforward in a certain sense—he will answer even tricky questions seriously and will not show any weakness or avoidance.

Even when faced with those rather impolite words, Tsukino and Chiya remained calm and composed, showing no emotional fluctuations.

Komaeda Nagito knows that people without talent may indeed have their own strengths... but so what? Without that talent that represents hope, all they can ultimately achieve is so-so.

Tsukino and Chiya: "You said before that I seemed to know a lot about paranormal events. But all the things I've mentioned are actually documented in writing. Monthly OOPARTS is a magazine that specializes in reporting on paranormal events; Ohma has read it too." Consider this a free advertisement, Editor-in-Chief, you're welcome.

Komaeda Nagito genuinely lacks knowledge about paranormal events in the real world. It's plausible that Tsukino and Chiya imply their knowledge of the supernatural comes from a magazine called "Monthly OOPARTS." Furthermore, given that Ohma Kokichi is indeed the type to drag acquaintances along on haunted house adventures… Komaeda Nagito temporarily accepts this explanation.

As they spoke, the two searched the entire classroom again. But apart from the chalk writing, they found nothing else suspicious.

However, neither of them was disappointed.

In their previous visits to this classroom, they had not seen this line of chalk writing on the blackboard, so obvious that no one who entered the classroom could ignore it.

This development, unlike previous ones, is enough to prove one point—although there may have been some element of chance, their current strategy is indeed correct.

Perhaps, after a few more attempts to go upstairs, they'll be transported to various different first floors. Maybe then they'll find clues to break this cycle.

Komaeda Nagito, Tsukino, and Chiya thought this way, and after investigating the remaining classrooms, they did just that.

As they climbed the steps again and were taken back down to the first floor, they saw a figure.

*******

The discussion between Hyuga Hajime and Ohma Shokichi regarding "Kamikura Izuru" has temporarily come to an end.

After all, everything they have at present is just speculation based on the idea that "the strange thing comes from the future" and "the unfamiliar pronunciation of 'kamukura izuru' makes them feel like it's calling them." Even if they argue, they can only come up with one, two, three, four, or five guesses, but no one can say that the guesses are correct.

Hajime Hinata, who had originally planned to tell everyone he knew that might be related to this strange incident, hesitated.

After all, if it were to be brought up, it would definitely involve the entire Hope's Peak Academy's human experimentation... and it's not yet certain that this is related to this incident, so Hyuga Hajime is finding it difficult to make a decision.

Faced with Ohma Kokichi, who had clearly indicated that he had noticed something, Hinata Hajime could only say, "I'm sorry, Ohma. There's something I promised I couldn't tell anyone, so... let me think about it some more."

This can be seen as a tacit admission that Wang Ma Xiaoji's speculation is indeed somewhat possible.

Wow, how mysterious!

Although Hyuga Hajime didn't say it explicitly, Ohma Kokichi already had some ideas after hearing his words.

The name "Kamukura Izuru" is quite intriguing. What kind of being would bear the name of the founder of Hope's Peak Academy again in the future? And Hyuga Hajime's attitude clearly indicates that he does indeed have the potential to become "Kamukura Izuru" in the future…

As expected, no matter the world, there will always be some unpleasant things happening in the shadows.

Just as Wangma Xiaoji was considering whether to continue pressuring Hyuga Hajime with words to get him to reveal more information, or to stop there and call it a day, Hyuga Hajime spoke up.

“Speaking of which… Ohma, you still haven’t explained yourself,” Hyuga Hajime said. “Why did you suddenly appear here? Before, it was because of the Mark in the Preparatory Course, but the cloth strip incident has already been resolved… So what’s the reason this time?”

"Huh? Didn't I say that?" Wang Ma Xiaoji tried to bluff his way out.

“No.” Hyuga Hajime said with absolute certainty, “Absolutely not.”

“Alright, it seems I can’t just brush this off.” Ohma Kokichi looked a little hesitant. “But… Hyuga, do you really want to know? Sometimes, knowing too much isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

...Really?

Hyuga Hajime doubted the veracity of Ohma Shokichi's words, but he was still very curious about why Ohma Shokichi would also come to this old school building: "Tell me."

"Well, alright then. Since Kohinata insists on it this way."

"Actually... I came here." The purple-haired boy sighed, his tone tinged with sadness, "It was for my beloved Kozuki and for revenge."

The moment he said those words, as if struck by a blow, the locked door suddenly made a loud noise.

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Author's note: Keep fooling around.