Beneath a Liar (Oumasai) [Discontinued]

Part 25: Mastermind?...

(Shuichi's POV)

After my confusing talk with Kokichi, I walk back to the gym. The others are waiting there with the tools Kokichi gave us. The group realizes that we can use them to clear the Death Road of Despair. We go to the Death Road of Despair and clear it by disabling the traps. At the end is a big door.

"So this is it, huh? We're finally gonna get out of here?" Kaito says.

"Oh! I can't wait to get back to the real world!" Tsumugi says excitedly.

"But what about Kokichi? We can't just leave him here." I point out.

"It'll be fine." Kaito opens the door to reveal the outside world.

The group stares in shock at the sight before us. The sky is red and the buildings are all broken and abandoned. "Wha..." It suddenly gets nearly impossible to breathe. I fall to the floor as I lose consciousness along with everyone else.

"Wakey, wakey!" The familiar voice rings in my head as I come to. The rest of the group wakes up to see Kokichi standing before us.

"Finaaaaally. Jeez, you guys sure are heavy sleepers."

"What's going on?" Himiko asks. "We got to this door and then we opened it and saw-" She goes pale. "Oh yeah..."

"Surprise! The world's gone to shit!" Kokichi exclaims cheerfully. "Congrats, you discovered the secret of the outside world. Well, I suppose I should tell you all the truth now. The world is in ruins and you guys are in a spaceship as the last sixteen survivors, now seven, of humanity.

Everyone was too shocked to reply except for Kiibo. "How did you learn all this?"

"Well, put simply, I'm the leader of the cult working to stop the gofer project. I'm the one who let Monokuma into the ark, and I'm also the Mastermind of this killing game."

"You can't be!" I yell.

Kokichi looks me dead in the eyes almost willing me to believe him. "I am, and I can prove it too." He smirks before pulling out a remote. He presses a button and the exisals appear beside him.

"So you're the reason our friends died?" Kaito says.

"Yup." Kokichi grins. Kaito bolts toward him ready to punch him but before he can, he's stopped by one of the exisals. "Wow, Kaito! That was really brave of you, I think I'll take you with me as a souvenir."

Maki looks ready to run towards him as well. "Wait, Maki! Don't attack him or he'll take you too." Maki hesitantly backed away. Kokichi dropped the remote. I grabbed it before he could pick it up.

"You made a wise decision," Kokichi tells me. "Now give me the remote."

"Don't give it to him!" Maki says. I hold the remote unsure what to do.

"Do you care for Kaito's safety, Shuichi?" Kokichi asks threateningly.

"You wouldn't actually hurt him. You're bluffing." I try to act confident.

Kokichi narrows his eyes."Care to find out?" I clutch the remote tightly. Kokichi lowers his voice so only I can hear. "Oh well, I guess we'll have to cancel our meeting." Dammit. I need to speak to Kokichi and he knows it. Hesitantly I hand him the remote.

"Thanks! Now you guys are free to do as you wish." Kokichi walks away with the exisals and Kaito. "I'll be in the exisal hangar!" Kokichi yells before looking back and glancing at me.

The group is full of despair after our encounter with Kokichi. The mood is sullen and dark. Later, I go to the exisal hangar to speak to Kokichi. There appears to be no way to enter.

I go to the side and see a small window. I peer through it and see Kaito. He sees me and talks to me. We forgive each other before parting ways.

I walk back to the entrance and wait for Kokichi. "Hey, Shuichi! Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Hi, Kokichi." I don't know what else to say.

"So you want answers, correct?"

"Yes."

Kokichi shrugs. "I don't know what to tell you, I pretty much explained it all already. I'm the Mastermind."

"I want the truth."

"Oh Shuichi, haven't you seen what wanting the truth has done. Besides, I am telling the truth."

"Well, I don't believe you."

"Well, you should believe me."

"But I don't want to."

"But you have to."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Shut up." I hug him.

"Shuichi..." I pull away to see tears streaming down Kokichi's face. "Believe me, you have to."

"Kokichi-"

"You have to believe me! It doesn't matter what you want to believe because I'm the Mastermind, and you have to believe that! No matter how much you want to believe otherwise!" I move to hug him again but he moves away. "And it doesn't matter what I want, because no matter how much I want everyone who's dead to be alive, they're not coming back! "No matter how much I want people to not hate me, it's not gonna happen!" Kokichi quiets down and wipes the tears from his eyes. "And no matter how much I want to be with you forever it's not gonna happen."

"Kokichi..." I still don't know what to say.

"It's okay Shuichi. I know you probably hate me and even if you don't, you will. But none of that matters because like I said, it doesn't matter what I want. Because I need to put aside what I want to save all of you. So, it doesn't matter what I wan-"

I slap Kokichi before speaking. "It matters to me. I care about what you want."

A tear slides down Kokichi's cheek before he wipes it away and smiles. "Well, then you're really gullible if you care about what I want as if I actually want any of that. I'm the Mastermind. I couldn't care less about your survival. But boy is it fun lying to people!"

"Stop it Kokichi. I know your just a-"

"That's all the time we have, I have to go murder, someone, see ya!" Kokichi runs away leaving me alone.

Why is it that every time I talk to Kokichi looking for answers I end up with more questions than before?