Private Hope's Peak Academy.
An integrated top-tier educational institution founded with the purpose of cultivating top-class talent for all of humanity.
Its enrollment qualifications are stricter than any other academy in the world, accepting only students who possess "Special Talents."
However, recently, rumors of an admissions reform have circulated regarding this premier institution—that one could obtain qualifications for the "Reserve Course" by spending a large amount of money.
Perhaps out of guilt toward Sakuraba Emma, Nikaido Hiro simply utilized her family's financial power to help her close friend obtain a spot in the "Reserve Course."
Of course, she herself was also stuffed in via a Reserve Course spot purchased by her family.
Although Nikaido Hiro felt she could have passed even through regular enrollment.
This high school located within the Tokyo metropolitan area didn't seem much different from other schools.
—That was Nikaido Hiro's feeling when she first enrolled previously.
But now, she knew she was wrong.
And ridiculously wrong at that.
"I didn't expect there to be extraordinary people even among the Reserve Course students~"
"Let me see... this is truly an incredible discovery. Student Nikaido, and Student Sakuraba, you two should be those 'Witches' or whatever that gave the government such a headache before, right?"
"To think I'd see the real deal here, it really surprises Junko-chan too much~!"
In the future seen within [Death Rewind]—or what should now be called the [Death Simulation] magic—
Nikaido Hiro witnessed scenes that made her blood run cold.
"Thinking about it carefully, it's really a coincidence. Why is it that every time, Student Nikaido is able to disrupt my setup as if knowing what Junko-chan is going to do in advance?"
"And even though it's our first meeting, Student Nikaido knows me and my big sister incomparably well, seeing through my stupid sister's disguise without any warning."
"Reporting me to the Steering Committee before Junko-chan even had time to do anything."
"Looking at Junko-chan with hateful eyes for no reason, and even contacting outside forces from your family to call the police for an ambush..."
"Say, Student Nikaido,"
"Your 'Talent', could it be that kind of cheat-level ability that only appears in anime——"
"'Death Rewind', right?"
Nikaido Hiro still remembered the appearance of that girl named "Junko Enoshima," wearing a chilling smile as she brought her face close to Hiro's own, which was bound tight with ropes.
Her close friend, Sakuraba Emma, had already been manipulated by her using the animation named "Despair."
She failed, time and time again.
Incorrect.
Very incorrect.
This was the greatest incorrectness Nikaido Hiro had encountered in her life.
But she had no power to erase it!
In the scenes shown by the magic, Nikaido Hiro hesitated not at all in choosing to bite through the neurotoxin sac hidden under her tongue long ago to commit suicide.
Before that girl carrying madness could display the animation named [Despair] before her eyes—
"Haa! Haa, haa..."
Walking on the path to the school building, Nikaido Hiro suddenly snapped back to reality.
After learning from her former close friend Tsukishiro Yuki that her [Death Rewind] had, for some reasons, changed into a permanently active [Death Simulation],
This was already the countless-th time Hiro didn't know how many times she had activated her magic.
But no matter how she simulated it, no matter how huge her advantage was in the early stages of the simulation,
The final result was always her being defeated by that girl named Junko Enoshima.
The ending where even the close friend beside her was brainwashed and manipulated, and the academy and the city met with destruction.
It's no good.
The difference on the level of calculation is too great...
Nikaido Hiro grabbed her own hair; this was the first time she felt her intellect was inferior to another's.
One had to know that although the Witch Factor was extracted by Tsukishiro Yuki, Nikaido Hiro still retained "Magic" that other ordinary people did not have.
That Junko Enoshima's talent, what exactly is it?
To be such that even she, possessing magic, was no match?
She could even guess bits and pieces of her magic...
"Hiro, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I feel like you've been acting a bit strange lately..."
Beside Nikaido Hiro, Sakuraba Emma, who was heading to the same class in the teaching building with her, spoke with concern.
From enrollment a few days ago until now, Hiro had been acting extremely abnormally.
Performing actions from time to time that she wouldn't have done in the past.
Like biting pens, grabbing hair—behaviors that only appear when a person is extremely anxious.
But Sakuraba Emma didn't know; with her close friend's talent, what matter could be worth her anxiety?
"Nothing strange, just worrying about how to get along with the new classmates."
Nikaido Hiro shook her head. The girl, adept at holding things in her heart and bearing them alone, did not want her close friend to help share the burden.
She had already failed once on the Island of Witches; could it be that she would fail to succeed this time as well?
Should I contact Yuki...
The thought of asking for outside help popped into Nikaido Hiro's mind.
But as soon as she associated it with Junko Enoshima's terrifying wisdom, where one link interlocked with another in a way that could be called a flawless plan, she suddenly feared a future where even Tsukishiro Yuki would be brainwashed and manipulated by her.
If even Yuki were controlled by her, then what would be destroyed might not just be this academy and city.
The world would inevitably face complete destruction, and no one would be able to salvage it!
Junko Enoshima, aside from her intellect, also has extremely powerful taijutsu and hand-to-hand combat capabilities.
Coupled with her twin sister, Mukuro Ikusaba, who serves as support and can be called invincible among ordinary people, there is no other way to defeat them except by initiating Witch-transformation.
But now that the Witch Factor has been extracted, I have also lost my psychological trauma. Attempts to actively Witch-transform have already failed...
Nikaido Hiro sorted through the intelligence in her mind, introspecting. Although she had reached this conclusion many times, she still couldn't help but mock herself each time.
In the past, on Prison Island, she feared her own Witch-transformation every moment, but now, wanting to Witch-transform, she had no way to do so.
After Yuki's return and the resolution of the misunderstanding with Emma, there were no longer things in her life that could be called psychological trauma.
If one really had to say when she was closest to Witch-transforming again, it might have been after seeing Sakuraba Emma brainwashed and manipulated by the [Despair] animation.
But by then, everything would be too late. Even if she could fight Junko Enoshima and her sister with her physical body, what value would that have?
"Hiro, let me take you to the infirmary to have a look."
"You can't go on like this. Haven't you noticed yourself? You've lost so much hair these past few days!"
Looking at Nikaido Hiro's waist-length black hair, which had become much drier and rougher than before, Sakuraba Emma finally couldn't hold back.
Emma, who was also Nikaido Hiro's roommate at Private Hope's Peak Academy, had checked the floor drain connected to the sewer in their dormitory.
Though they had only lived at the new school for a few days, the hair clogging that place was already enough to stop the water in the bathtub from draining!
Sakuraba Emma didn't want to see her close friend go bald at such a young age!
"I'm fine..."
"Hiro, listen to me, okay? Go to the infirmary..."
"I said I'm fine!"
Under the intrusion of vexing matters, Nikaido Hiro suddenly shouted in anger, causing the body of her close friend holding her sleeve to stiffen.
An emotion named grievance appeared in the pink-and-white-haired girl's eyes. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't speak it out.
"...Sorry, Emma. Please forgive me, I was too agitated just now."
Quickly realizing her tone was abnormal, Hiro hurriedly spoke:
"I'm just too tired... let me have some peace and quiet, okay... I need to think about some problems alone..."
Supporting her forehead, Nikaido Hiro wasn't even sure if she had been influenced by that madwoman Junko Enoshima.
She definitely hadn't watched the [Despair] animation, right?
"Hiro..."
"Then I'll go to the classroom and wait for you first. You should go to the infirmary as soon as possible; I'll ask for leave from the teacher for you..."
Burying the grievance of being yelled at in the bottom of her heart, Sakuraba Emma walked quickly toward the teaching building like this, leaving private space for her close friend.
She was still so considerate of others. Perhaps later, she herself would only need to offer a light apology, and Emma would forgive her—
Nikaido Hiro knew she shouldn't think like this.
Even more so, she shouldn't recklessly squander the goodwill others held for her.
"I'm sorry, Emma... Ugh..."
"I really don't know what to do... If only someone could come..."
Once again grabbing her own hair in irritability, inadvertently tearing out a few more strands of the originally ink-black, waterfall-like hair.
At this moment, how Nikaido Hiro hoped a guide would appear before her to direct her.
To tell her how to eliminate this incorrectness that is Junko Enoshima, and let her and Emma's life return to the right track.
"Yo, what's wrong, Haji-Hiro?"
"Haven't seen you for a while, how come you've lost so much hair? Are you planning to become a nun?"
A familiar male voice suddenly rang out, causing Nikaido Hiro, who was walking on the tree-lined path within the campus, to turn around abruptly:
"Good day, Little Hiro~" That was her other close friend, Tsukishiro Yuki,
"Hiro, have you and the other me been living well at the new school?" And also Emma, who came from another world and had also once saved her.
When she saw the three figures appearing behind her, the troubles Nikaido Hiro had buried in the bottom of her heart, daring not to tell others, finally collapsed in an instant.
"Yuki, Emma, and Mr. Suke..."
Bits of tearlight appeared in the girl's eyes,
"I haven't been living well at all————!"
...
New Story: ZZZ: Mr. Ethereal Does Not Want to See a Tragedy
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan