COTE | Who said the quote?

Chapter 25 : Supposition Pt.3

The auditorium fell into an unsettling silence as the projector flickered to life, casting an eerie glow over the tense crowd. Ezekiel, the enigmatic host, stepped forward, his eyes sweeping across the gathered students with a peculiar glint.

"Prepare yourselves," he announced, his voice reverberating through the hushed hall. "The next monologue is about to begin, and it promises to be a revelation."

Ayanokouji felt the weight of the stares. "Prepare yourself" - the words seemed suspiciously pointed. Ezekiel's furtive glances in his direction didn't go unnoticed. There was a high probability that his monologue was next. But which one? The true reflection of his personality could shake the very foundation of their perceptions. This could be very, very bad.

The screen flickered again, revealing a scene from the cruise after the first island examination. Ayanokouji stood before Suzune Horikita. So, it was the one he dreaded. His classmates-and perhaps the entire school-would not take this revelation kindly.

"Kukukuku, Ezekiel, you sure are creating suspense here," Ryuuen chuckled, his voice carrying a sinister edge.

"So whose monologue will it be? Ayanokouji or Horikita-san?" Ike asked, his curiosity tinged with unease.

"It will be the monologue of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, which will reflect his true personality," Ezekiel announced, sealing Ayanokouji's fate.

The professor watched intently, sensing a shift in the atmosphere. 'Something big is going to happen, something that will blow everyone's mind. It's like an anime moment that changes everything.'

Sakayanagi smiled to herself. 'A monologue reflecting the true personality of the Masterpiece. This is going to be fascinating.'

Director Sakayanagi's face hardened. 'This can't be good. Surviving the White Room and that demonic generation? There's no way his thoughts are anything anyone wants to hear.'

Fuka leaned forward, eyes narrowing. 'Kohai-kun, you're a mystery. Maybe this will finally give me some insight into your true self.'

Sudo's voice broke the silence. "Not gonna lie, you look pretty scary out there, Ayanokouji. I wonder what that monologue of yours will reveal."

"Yeah, he looks damn scary," Ike agreed.

Horikita's eyes widened. 'I never noticed how intimidating he looked. What was he thinking when I was thanking him?'

And then, it began.

"But Horikita, I've never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn't matter how it's done. It doesn't matter what needs to be sacrificed. In this world, winning is everything. As long as I win in the end... That's all that matters."

The classroom fell into a stunned silence.

"Nani? What the fuck," gasped the collective voice of disbelief.

The reaction was instantaneous, a collective gasp of disbelief and horror echoing through the hall. Hirata's brow furrowed, a flicker of doubt clouding his features as he grappled with the prospect that his closest friend viewed him as little more than a pawn. Horikita, her usual composure shattered, found herself at a loss for words, her world upended by the brutal revelation.

"He never thought of me as a friend, just a tool. This can't be true?" Hirata mumbled.

Ichinose's eyes filled with confusion. 'Is he really Kiyotaka? Does he think of me as a tool too? There must be a story behind this, right?'

Sakayanagi chuckled softly. 'The true thoughts of the Masterpiece. This is what I expected.'

Ryuuen's laughter echoed through the room. "Kukukuku, now that's the monster who defeated me."

Mashima's heart pounded. "What the heck is wrong with this kid?"

Fuka's admiration mingled with fear. "You scared the shit out of me, Kohai-kun. Your mindset is unique and messed up, but I can't blame you."

Sudo's rage boiled over. "What the hell, Ayanokouji! Who do you think you are, calling everyone tools?"

"Yeah, you bastard, is that what you think of us?" Ike's voice joined the chorus of outrage.

Class D erupted into chaos, voices of betrayal and anger filling the room.

Ichinose tried to defend him but was silenced by her classmates. "But..." she stammered, stopped by their worried faces.

Class A had their own heated discussion.

"Hime, did you always know King thought of us like tools?" Hasimoto asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"I can't say I did, but I'm not surprised," Sakayanagi replied calmly.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, to gain one thing, you must sacrifice another. Ayanokouji-kun sacrificed his soul to unlock his bottomless potential."

The atmosphere was tense. Fear and confusion gripped everyone. Ichinose and Sakayanagi managed to calm their classes, but Class D was in turmoil.

Ike's voice cut through the noise. "The hell, Ayanokouji, answer us!"

As the auditorium descended into chaos, voices raised in condemnation and disbelief, Ayanokouji remained an impassive island amidst the storm. Even as Sudou's fist connected with his jaw, he betrayed no reaction, his expressionless mask unwavering.

"You done?" he asked, his tone as flat and emotionless as ever.

"The hell I am." Sudou replied.

Horikita stepped forward, her voice shaking. "Ayanokouji-kun, do you really think of us like that?"

"I guess." He replied.

Sudou's face flushed crimson, the veins in his neck straining as rage boiled within him. "You guess?" he spat out the words like venom. "Do you even understand the idiocy spewing from your mouth, or is there a defect in that calculating brain of yours?" His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. "I actually considered you a friend, and this is how you view me and all of us? A mere tool to be utilized?"

He whirled to face the others. "The great Ayanokouji Kiyotaka doesn't need friends, does he? We're all just disposable pawns in whatever grand scheme lurks in that unfeeling mind." Sudou's lip curled in disgust. "You may be a genius, but it doesn't give you the right to treat people like objects to be manipulated. It's sick."

A soft, pitiful sound escaped Hasebe's lips as she mumbled Kiyotaka's given name, her voice tiny and laced with sadness. The remaining members of Ayanokouji's group stood paralyzed, desperate hope flickering in their eyes that this couldn't be true.

Ayanokouji's dull gaze drifted over them all, his expression utterly impassive. "I don't think I can give you the response you want to hear," he stated flatly, the words devoid of any contrition or warmth.

Shinohara's voice was filled with horror. "A person like you should never have existed in this world."

"Probably, " Ayanokouji replied, his tone unchanged.

Sudou shoved himself to his feet, the chair clattering to the floor behind him. "Save your empty words," he snarled at Ayanokouji. "I'm going to wipe that infuriatingly blank mask right off your face."

Before the situation could escalate further, Ezekiel intervened, snapping his fingers and whisking Ayanokouji away to parts unknown. The auditorium fell silent once more, the weight of the revelation hanging heavy in the air.

"We will be watching the last quote without the presence of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka," Ezekiel announced, his voice carrying an ominous finality.