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DRT1.3.9-10: Threeway Battle, sections 9-10
Find previous chapters at the Navigation Index.
Danganronpa Togami Volume 1: Multiple Counts of Attempted World Domination
Chapter 3: Threeway Battle
9
"Some people would liken life to a game. It is true that a life aiming for the best ending may perhaps resemble a game. School, work, relationships, life plans—I myself approve of the attitude that these can be played like games to progress. Everything is a game to be won or lost. The winners will be drunk on the finest sake while the losers are left with the bitter taste of misery. A game—that's all there is to it."
Silence. Princess Sonia, Souda-san, and the crowd of people were all quietly listening to Byakuya-sama's words.
What was he saying? What was he doing? Even I couldn't read him anymore.
"Undoubtedly, some winners will later have their lives fall into ruin, and some people have lives that they alone are convinced are winning. There are losers who turn their lives around at the last minute, although there are also those whose efforts cannot net them a single victory over the course of their lives. There are no surefire ways to win or foolproof techniques. The starting conditions and starting equipment are different as well. The amount of time and money available to invest differs for each person. It is an unkind and unfair game. That's why it's so much fun, but that's also why there are so many defeatists mumbling excuses about not having the drive to play, and, well, it's not that I don't understand where they're coming from." Here, Byakuya-sama paused to take a breath, as if gauging the effect of his words. "There must be some of you people who feel like this current incident is some special event, too. Whose own lives made games no more entertaining than fecal matter, but who now rejoice at the arrival of a worthwhile event, at last. You are correct. This is a grand event that I, Byakuya Togami, have chosen to sponsor. A festival. An adventure. An extraordinary day. A dramatic twist. And I am telling you now that on top of all that, I am awarding you with a bonus stage. Watch closely."
Then, Byakuya-sama took the gold ingots we had found in the vault and, like a gift of heavenly whim, scattered them to the ground below.
"Let this declaration raise the curtain on the bonus stage. Whoever can bring me out of the burning Church of Bones the fastest, before that lot from Hope's Peak manages it, may collect this gold bullion."
10
Just to make sure, Byakuya-sama tossed down some more bullion. The crowd below scrutinized the gleaming golden bars, and realized that they were the real deal.
Even watching from up on the tower, I could easily tell that a ripple was spreading out through their hearts. Suddenly confronted with this bonus stage, the crowd remembered their individual desires all over again. Why had they come to the Church of Bones in the first place? How should they use this bullion, if they got their hands on it? Now that this had happened, how utterly shameless should they be?
It didn't even take five minutes for the pattern of their movements to change. They tried climbing up the walls, even with flames still swirling around the building; they tried using mineral water as a fire extinguisher; they pushed their way towards Souda-san in the driver's seat—the crowd was doing whatever it could to get closer to Byakuya-sama.
"Hmhmhm. So they really would risk their lives for something like this, after all." Byakuya-sama was enraptured by the sight he was looking down on.
I was enraptured by his godliness once again, too. Or, more accurately, I should say I found it adorable.
I wanted to go write Journey Under the Midnight Sun right away. I had a compulsion to compose. Aahh, I wanted to work so badly. I wanted to carry out my life's purpose. I wanted to give the name of Blue Ink its meaning. My hands were itching. My brain was itching. My heart was itching.
I am the verb "to write" made manifest. I am the act of "writing" made manifest. A writing machine. A word puppet. That was why.
That was why. But I pushed countless thoughts aside, well aware of how I was blushing.
He had everything stolen from him. His name. His status. And yet, he was fighting to reclaim and restore them, wearing a gorgeous tuxedo. Right next to me.
So, basically.
Right in this moment, am I the only one in the world who believes in him? Do I have a monopoly on him? I've come to realize this fact.
So I'll just tell the world about how I felt, instead. I was fucking ecstatic.
Stay tuned for the next update next Sunday (PST)!
Feel free to comment, keeping these rules in mind!
Danganronpa Togami Volume 1: Multiple Counts of Attempted World Domination
Chapter 3: Threeway Battle
9
"Some people would liken life to a game. It is true that a life aiming for the best ending may perhaps resemble a game. School, work, relationships, life plans—I myself approve of the attitude that these can be played like games to progress. Everything is a game to be won or lost. The winners will be drunk on the finest sake while the losers are left with the bitter taste of misery. A game—that's all there is to it."
Silence. Princess Sonia, Souda-san, and the crowd of people were all quietly listening to Byakuya-sama's words.
What was he saying? What was he doing? Even I couldn't read him anymore.
"Undoubtedly, some winners will later have their lives fall into ruin, and some people have lives that they alone are convinced are winning. There are losers who turn their lives around at the last minute, although there are also those whose efforts cannot net them a single victory over the course of their lives. There are no surefire ways to win or foolproof techniques. The starting conditions and starting equipment are different as well. The amount of time and money available to invest differs for each person. It is an unkind and unfair game. That's why it's so much fun, but that's also why there are so many defeatists mumbling excuses about not having the drive to play, and, well, it's not that I don't understand where they're coming from." Here, Byakuya-sama paused to take a breath, as if gauging the effect of his words. "There must be some of you people who feel like this current incident is some special event, too. Whose own lives made games no more entertaining than fecal matter, but who now rejoice at the arrival of a worthwhile event, at last. You are correct. This is a grand event that I, Byakuya Togami, have chosen to sponsor. A festival. An adventure. An extraordinary day. A dramatic twist. And I am telling you now that on top of all that, I am awarding you with a bonus stage. Watch closely."
Then, Byakuya-sama took the gold ingots we had found in the vault and, like a gift of heavenly whim, scattered them to the ground below.
"Let this declaration raise the curtain on the bonus stage. Whoever can bring me out of the burning Church of Bones the fastest, before that lot from Hope's Peak manages it, may collect this gold bullion."
10
Just to make sure, Byakuya-sama tossed down some more bullion. The crowd below scrutinized the gleaming golden bars, and realized that they were the real deal.
Even watching from up on the tower, I could easily tell that a ripple was spreading out through their hearts. Suddenly confronted with this bonus stage, the crowd remembered their individual desires all over again. Why had they come to the Church of Bones in the first place? How should they use this bullion, if they got their hands on it? Now that this had happened, how utterly shameless should they be?
It didn't even take five minutes for the pattern of their movements to change. They tried climbing up the walls, even with flames still swirling around the building; they tried using mineral water as a fire extinguisher; they pushed their way towards Souda-san in the driver's seat—the crowd was doing whatever it could to get closer to Byakuya-sama.
"Hmhmhm. So they really would risk their lives for something like this, after all." Byakuya-sama was enraptured by the sight he was looking down on.
I was enraptured by his godliness once again, too. Or, more accurately, I should say I found it adorable.
I wanted to go write Journey Under the Midnight Sun right away. I had a compulsion to compose. Aahh, I wanted to work so badly. I wanted to carry out my life's purpose. I wanted to give the name of Blue Ink its meaning. My hands were itching. My brain was itching. My heart was itching.
I am the verb "to write" made manifest. I am the act of "writing" made manifest. A writing machine. A word puppet. That was why.
That was why. But I pushed countless thoughts aside, well aware of how I was blushing.
He had everything stolen from him. His name. His status. And yet, he was fighting to reclaim and restore them, wearing a gorgeous tuxedo. Right next to me.
So, basically.
Right in this moment, am I the only one in the world who believes in him? Do I have a monopoly on him? I've come to realize this fact.
So I'll just tell the world about how I felt, instead. I was fucking ecstatic.
Stay tuned for the next update next Sunday (PST)!
Feel free to comment, keeping these rules in mind!