Chapter 88 "A Boring Question".

"God's throne flow..."

Tsukino and Chiya repeated the name after them, which sounded so awkward and like something only a game protagonist would have.

Besides conducting on-site investigations at paranormal locations where strange occurrences are reported, sometimes, gathering information from outside the location is also important. — This point was likely demonstrated in the previous cases of the cloth-banded man and the Sarayashiki.

After violently kicking down the first-floor door of the old school building with Hinata Hajime and several others last night, Tsukino and Chiya had no idea what Komaeda Nagito, whom they didn't know very well, did after returning. In any case, after entrusting Hinata Hajime to a teacher he could trust, he didn't forget to contact Watanabe Tsuna Bandai, the genius hacker, to investigate matters related to "Kamukura Izuru".

Wang Ma Xiaoji volunteered, "Then I'll go check on the student council!" "Oh right, and that guy who was unconscious before." "The school is really hiding things well, the more they hide, the more suspicious they seem." He then took on the task of investigating these matters.

The content that Tsukino and Chiya saw on their phones during class that morning was the result of Ouma Kokichi's investigation.

Since neither Komaeda Nagito nor Hinata Hajime, who were also involved in the strange incident, knew anything about the school's request, the information that only Ohma Kokichi and Tsukino and Chiya knew naturally had to be investigated by the two of them.

Tsukino and Chiya didn't doubt the veracity of what Ouma Kokichi had told them. Ouma Kokichi had no reason to lie to them in this situation, and even if it was a prank…

Although there was no concrete evidence, Tsukino and Chiya felt that Ohma Kokichi was not the type to forge documents in these places.

As for the two people who were also involved at the time...

Hajime Hinata is still unconscious and won't wake up until the strange events at the old school building are resolved. But regardless, the fact that everyone finally confirmed that what happened there was indeed a case of infighting was thanks to him, which was a huge help.

And the other person, namely Komaeda Nagito, was the one who initially proposed the theory of fratricide—

Tsukino and Chiya felt that, judging from Komaeda Nagito's behavior last night, he shouldn't be the kind of person who would be indifferent to everything that happened last night... or rather, his enthusiasm was even a bit excessive.

So I imagine he'll take matters into his own hands and proactively investigate something.

The clues shared by everyone last night were nothing more than "the infighting that appears in the future, with members suspected to be current student council members of Hope's Peak Undergraduate" and "the voice shouting 'Kamikura Izuru' appearing in Hinata Hajime's mind."

It's unclear what Komaeda Nagito will be able to find out. But if it's just these two points, Tsukino, Chiya, and Ohma Kokichi will naturally investigate as well, and they've also found some results.

...However, perhaps that guy's luck will bring some unexpected results?

But for now, that's not important.

"As far as I know, this is what happened." Tsukino and Chiya didn't hide anything and told the results of their investigation, which they had spent almost the entire night online with Watanabe Tsuna Bandai.

Kamukura Izuru, if you only hear the name, then as Komaeda Nagito said when they were in the old school building, it is the name of the founder of Hope's Peak, which is of great significance to this school.

However, based on some events from last night, Tsukino, Chiya, and Ohma Kokichi were able to roughly deduce that the "Kamizu Izuru" in Hinata Hajime's mind was probably calling him.

Similarly, the two of them also speculated about the reasons why this situation would occur in the future.

Although it's a bit cruel, both Tsukino and Chiya, as well as Ohma Kokichi, felt that it was unlikely that Hinata Hajime's talent was suddenly discovered to be so great that he could be called "Kamizu Izuru".

After all... talent is talent.

“Hope's Peak does indeed have a plan,” Tsukino and Chiya said calmly, revealing what was actually somewhat frightening, “The plan for ‘artificial hope’…”

Man-made hope.

In an environment like Hope's Peak Academy, the word "hope" is to some extent equivalent to "talent," and it has to be the kind of talent that is dazzling enough and outstanding enough to far surpass that of one's peers.

Artificial hope, as the name suggests, is about artificially endowing people with this "ultimate" talent. And this artificial means isn't cultivation or nurturing, but rather... using human experimentation to give people this talent.

Possesses... all of the "Ultimate High School Level" talents.

That's true. Since we have the technology to grant ordinary people super high school level talents, what's the point of just giving them one or two talents? The truly groundbreaking experiment would be to create a "god" with all super high school level talents.

Human experimentation… that was a distant concept for Tsukino and Chiya. However, he had indirectly come into contact with such matters several times. For example, some ability users who had undergone special surgeries, and some forces attempting to create artificial calamities.

However... it is indeed rare to be told directly that human experimentation may happen to one's classmate and friend in the near future.

Hinata, in that future, what exactly made you make that decision...?

"Hope Peak suddenly established a preparatory course that could be enrolled by paying a huge tuition fee."

Before Tsukino and Chiya could continue their conversation, Ohma Kokichi had already figured out the key to it.

The purple-haired boy's lips curved into a meaningful smile.

Everyone assumed that the tuition fees were used to build new school buildings and overseas branch campuses, but...

So, was the main purpose of establishing preparatory courses to obtain huge tuition fees actually to promote human experimentation?

That's true. Creating someone with all the ultimate abilities is no easy task; it would certainly require a lot of time, effort, and money.

“That being said, their experiment hasn’t officially started yet,” Tsukino and Chiya said. “Furthermore, last night, Ohma, you were the first to meet Hyuga and the first to learn the name Kamukura Izuru from her, so…”

"Yes, yes, I know what Kozukino wants to say." Ohma Kokichi nodded and readily agreed, "Kinata is different from Kozukino, who has a deadpan face. He can make some very interesting reactions, and it's easy to tease him~!"

"So it was true."

Tsukino and Chiya understood the unspoken meaning behind Oma Kokichi's words.

"You could tell from Hyuga's behavior back then, right? He was somewhat aware of Izuru Kamukura, or rather, the artificial hope. In other words, the school wasn't so depraved as to conduct experiments on just anyone..."

However, this seemingly considerate approach of allowing students the freedom to choose whether or not to participate in the experiment isn't much better. After all, human experimentation is human experimentation, and it violates ethical standards.

Watanabe Tsuna, the hacker who helped uncover the experimental plan for artificial hope—the Kamukura Project—clearly thought so too.

Unlike Shinmura Kou, who values ​​money more, Watanabe Tsuna Bando's sense of morality is clearly much higher.

However, Watanabe Tsuna Bandai also knew that revealing these things required a gradual approach.

Yesterday, Tsukino and Chiya discussed their findings about human experimentation with him for a long time, and finally made an agreement that "we can temporarily hold back and continue to investigate, but we must not sit idly by and wait for our doom."

If it were Shinmura Kou, he might have chosen to expose this as well. However, his reason for doing so probably wouldn't be out of any sense of justice, but rather because he found it amusing to see such a massive thing collapse and crumble.

"So now the final question is, why would Kohinata, who possesses all the talents, participate in that infighting?"

Wang Ma Xiaoji let his imagination run wild, spouting nonsense with a straight face.

"It can't be that the experiment finally succeeded, and the school is testing these things by killing each other first to see if they're actually useful!"

Tsukino and Chiya: "Um, so that's a possibility. How dark." Hope's Peak wouldn't be that depraved, would it?

Wangma Xiaoji: "Seriously~! That's exactly it. Even though I'm agreeing, because of my expression and tone, I don't feel any sense of accomplishment! Kozuki Kazuya should really reflect on herself!"

Tsukino and Chiya: "I'm sorry."

"...Uh, I feel like we've only gotten ourselves into a more difficult situation." Ohma Kokichi pouted. "But anyway, it's pretty much certain that Kohinata was involved in that infighting."

"Moreover... a person who possesses all the Ultimate Talents, and other student council members who possess only one Ultimate Talent."

"In the end, who will win and who will lose in that battle royale is already a foregone conclusion, isn't it? Hey, Kazuo Kozue, do you think there might be such a possibility..."

Wang Ma Xiaoji took a piece of candy out of his pocket and said casually as he unwrapped it.

"Last night, Kohinata said that if she hid in the classroom, the strange entities wouldn't come in, so the strange entities might be following some kind of weird rule that they can't enter the classroom, but could it actually be because—"

"Is the strange creature actually afraid of Hinata?"

I have to say, there is some truth to that.

Tsukino and Chiya finished their last bite of food: "So what are we going to do tonight? Should we carry Hinata out of the ward and bring him along?" Maybe that would have a deterrent effect.

Wang Ma Xiaoji's eyes sparkled, clearly finding the suggestion amusing: "Hey~ I think it's a great idea!"

...Nobody seems to care about Hinata's feelings at all.

*******

"That's something that will happen in the future."

……ha?

There is a saying that "things don't happen more than three times."

After experiencing a series of events, including "hearing a jumbled voice in his head shouting 'Kamikura Izuru,'" "being perfectly fine in his dorm but finding himself inexplicably in the restricted old North Campus building after waking up," and "the surrounding scenery constantly changing," Hyuga Hajime was surprisingly... not entirely unmoved by the voice that suddenly appeared in his mind, which sounded like his own. However, he was calmer and more composed than he had imagined.

Commonly known as numbness.

Numb, Hyuga Hajime tentatively asked, "You...are you talking to me? Who are you?"

"A boring question."

The voice that sounded exactly like his own appeared in Hinata's mind again, and what it said was incisive and merciless.

"You already know the answer in your heart, so there's no point in asking me."

This guy...

Hyuga Hajime was speechless for a moment before continuing, "So... you really are me? But..."

But why?

After accepting Hope's Peak's offer, participating in the experiment, and gaining talent, will I... become like this?

Even if all you can hear is the sound, it's enough for Hajime Hyuga to realize something is wrong.

"If talent is only acquired through experimentation, then you won't end up like me."

Even though the question was kept in my heart, the voice in my head still gave me the answer.

"However, it's possible to erase memories and personality."

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Author's Note: Sister Shenzuo: Let me give you a spoiler.