Hope for The End (Book 3)

16. Hope for The End

"...What?"

"You heard me."

It didn't feel like a real reason. It was too bizarre to be. To hurt someone just because they were human?

Junk0 took Kyoko's silence to make a few more cuts in Makoto's fake flesh. Kyoko tried not to think about how much worse Makoto would look like when she got back. Makot0 grinned at Kyoko's hesitation.

"I figured you'd be the one to notice Makoto right away. Being the detective and all that stuff..." Makot0 laughed, "And considering your willingness to help me in that room... I would have been killed but you were able to save me from certain death. I owe you one."

"Then stop this." Kyoko murmured, negotiation might work, "Stop harming Naegi and everyone else."

"I'm afraid the only way I can do that is by shutting off permanently." Makot0 smiled.

"Then do it," Kyoko glared at him, "Anything to end your terror."

"Very well." Makot0's smile grew wider than ever before, "Junk0, could you please do the honors?"

Wait. He's too calm about this...

Junko placed a hand over where Makot0's heart would have been if he had one. She pressed onto it and it began to crush between the wall and her hand.

Makot0's eyes smiled as he sputtered out a few more words.

"Say... goodbye... to... hope..."

...Oh no.

"Hold on!" Kyoko yelled out suddenly, running over to grab Junk0's hand. Kyok0 blocked her quickly and threw Kyoko back to the other side of the room.

Her emotions had gotten the better of her. Something she never thought she could do. Makot0 had been one thing, but this... She would be responsible for the real Makoto's death.

"Wait just a second!" Kyoko got to her feet swiftly, "If you want to be destroyed, let me do it."

Haj1me stopped his attack on Makot0, waiting for an answer. Makot0 thought for a moment.

"...Sure..." Makot0 was grinning, spirals in his eyes, "As long as you do it correctly."

Haj1me backed away from Makot0. Kyok0 stayed motionless to her left.

Kyoko cautiously walked forward. Haj1me handed her an oddly sharp object. She wasn't certain what it was, but she took it nonetheless.

She stood in front of Makot0, looking him up and down, analyzing for the perfect strike.

"You don't have all day..." Makoto murmured, impatient, "I am not one to wait anymore."

Kyoko nodded her head a fraction before raising the piercing object to cut into him.

Clang!

The sound of metal crashing against metal, and at the same time, a loud beeping noise rang through the room.

A mechanical voice sounded out from multiple locations in the room;

"Main Generator deactivated. Self destruct sequence initiated."

Kyoko's ears perked up as she removed her hand from the button on the back of Makot0's neck. His angry voice growled from within. "Liar! I said do it properly!"

"You will still be dead," Kyoko assured, her voice stabbing like a knife, "You will not hurt anyone anymore."

All the programs were making the same beeping noise, and a countdown could be heard.

...11 10 9 8...

Kyoko turned on her heel, swiftly opening the door. As she turned to close it, she saw Makot0 give her a furious yet significant look before the others set him back onto the floor. They stared at her with a blank face that rivaled her own.

Turning away, she left them, hearing the satisfying explosion and closing the door on the corrupt programs for good.

A hopeful thought at last.