Prologue - Part 1 | Danganronpa MK2

That day wasn’t just another regular day for me.

No... it was more nerve-wracking than I could have ever anticipated.

The reality of the situation didn’t set in until I was actually standing in front of the building.

Adrenaline began to rush through me, as if I was committing a horrible crime.

Something... completely unlike transferring to a new school.

Then again, people have always told me this school is far from ordinary.

In the same way little league players want to one day score big, students across the country dream about enrolling here.

Enrolling... at Hope’s Peak Academy.

To be honest, I find the fanfare a little weird.

As prestigious as the school may be, you shouldn’t ‘worship’ what is, at the end of the day, still a business.

Hope's Peak Academy is a government-funded school for the privileged elite of society.

It recruits top students from every imaginable field to inspire hope, and in doing so, shape the future.

When people talk about Hope’s Peak Academy, they always say the same thing:

“If you come here and manage to graduate, you’ll be set for life.”

That may sound like an exaggeration, but many of the current industry leaders are actually graduates of Hope’s Peak.

For that reason, people have come to refer to the school by another name: “The Academy of Hope”.

There are two requirements for becoming a student at this school...

“One, you must be a current high school student.”

“Two, you must be the very best at what you do.”

Unlike other schools, Hope’s Peak Academy doesn’t hold entrance exams. The only way to get in is if the school scouts you itself.

If you accept their invitation and enroll, you’ll be recognised as an “Ultimate” something or other.

Ultimate Swimmer, Ultimate Tennis Pro... It depends on the field of work you’re good at.

To be frank, I’ve always thought of myself as an ordinary student, maybe a high achiever if I want to be generous...

...but that all changed when I got an invitation from Hope’s Peak.

Before I go any further, I guess I should introduce myself.

Um, my name is Mahiru Koizumi.

I’m the... Ultimate Photographer.

Calling myself that feels a little silly, but my mom seriously insists on the name.

Like I was saying, I received an invitation a few months back.

Naturally it came as a huge surprise.... I was no “prodigy", just a normal kid with a passion for photography.

Even so, I accepted Hope’s Peak’s offer.

I mean, it is Hope’s Peak. Even if I find its following a little weird, attending pretty much guarantees success in life.

Turning down an opportunity like that... would be stupid.

Of course, the road ahead won’t be an easy one.

Will I be able to overcome its hurdles? Can I do the academy proud? Can I do my family proud?

If I try my best, I’m sure it’ll be okay.

It’ll be okay...

It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay It’ll be okay

...

...Ah!

What’s going on!?

...It’s a door...

...Why is there a door here?

...Maybe... I should go inside?

No, I must go inside.

...“Must”?

What? When did I decide that?

No... I have to go in.

I must... go in.

...Huh?

..............

...What?

Who are you guys?

I could ask you the same thing.

O-Oh... uh...

Oh, wait! Are you also newly enrolled students?

Yes, we are...

I see...

I shouldn’t have barged into the room like that... Now everyone’s eyes were turned on me...

Are these people... my new classmates?

Then... I’m inside Hope's Peak Academy? But how...?

If you’re confused, I assume freshmen like us have been gathered in this classroom.

Eh? We’re being gathered?

...Hey, why don't you just come inside for now?

I was just about to do that...

Trying to hide my annoyance, I quickly closed the door behind me.

Anyway... what just happened?

The world went dark, and a classroom door suddenly appeared before me...

And as if in a trance... I opened it and wound up here.

But, how did I end up outside this classroom?

I had no idea.

Something... isn’t right...

Um... can I ask a question?

...What is it?

Why are you guys all here in this classroom?

I don’t remember being told to gather here... is something special happening?

Actually... we were just about to discuss that matter.

...You were?

Well... since you are the last student to arrive, let's start the discussion.

Eh, this is everyone? How do you know?

There are only sixteen desks in this classroom, and now that she’s here, there’s sixteen of us.

It's obvious if you bother to think about it...!

And just what are we gonna talk about? The reason we're all gathered here in this classroom?

First, I need to confirm something.

Out of everyone here... Is there anyone who actually remembers how they came to this classroom?

...Oh!

I surveyed everyone in the room again, hoping someone was ready with an answer.

What I saw instead... were rows of pale faces.

So before you realized it, you were in this classroom...

Then everyone here is in the same predicament...

No matter how you look at it, it’s unnatural. Even you dull-looking ones would agree.

Hey! That last part was uncalled for!

He’s right though, it is weird. If no one here remembers how they came to this classroom...

The moment you set foot on campus, you felt a strange dizziness, and now you’re here and you don’t know why...

That is what I experienced before I arrived here. Am I correct in assuming that’s true of all of you?

Yeah, actually... The same thing also happened to me.

Eh!? That dizziness wasn't just me?

Everyone felt the same dizziness...that's weird!

E-Even if it's just a coincidence...it feels too good to be true...

So you're saying it's not just a coincidence, then...

...Hm?

Meaning... we can only speculate who's responsible for this strange phenomenon.

I think I understand what he’s saying, but... does he need to be so cryptic about it?

This is already so confusing... Something is seriously wrong here...

Hah! I don’t know what you’re so worried about, but that doesn’t sound like a huge deal.

...What do you mean?

I mean it’s a minor problem.

Instead of trying to figure out why we're here, we should try to figure out why we can't leave...

Huh? Whaddaya mean we can’t leave?

Eh!? S-Seriously!?

He ran up to the door and pulled at the doorknob.

*rattle rattle rattle*

I-It won’t open! I can’t open it!

...Huh? It won’t open? Are you serious!?

A little while after I got here, I tried to leave to go take a shit...

But that door wouldn't budge at all!

Hey, hey...what's going on?

Even with all my might, I couldn't open it! It'd be absolutely impossible for all of you...

Eh? What do you mean you couldn't open it?

Why? That's not possible!

W... What are we going to do? Are we really trapped?

Oh crap! We’re totally trapped!

Shit! Why are we trapped!? What’d we do!?

E-Everybody, calm down!

Shouting won’t get us anywhere. We need to be civilised in a situation like this!

I understand this is weird, but... like that big guy said, we should approach things one step at a time!

Big guy, huh? I think I like that!

W... What else is there to know? We all suddenly appeared here after becoming dizzy...

Well, when I came here the door opened fine... and I know I didn’t lock it when I closed it.

So someone locked it from the outside?

It’s possible, but why would someone do that?

Or perhaps... Doesn’t it make more sense to think that this is the entrance exam?

But... according to Hope’s Peak Academy, no such entrance exam exists.

They may say that publicly, but it’s possible that this is actually a secret entrance exam.

Ah, you're wrong. This is not an entrance exam.

What was that just now?

Hey, fatass... Why'd you make that cutesy voice all of a sudden?

I won't dispute your blunt remark about my weight, but that voice you just heard was not mine...

...Huh? Then whose is it?

Um, it’s actually mine!

Who’s there?! Where are you?!

It sounds like it came from behind that teacher’s desk...

Behind... the teacher’s desk?

All right! I see everyone has arrived! Let's begin!