(Kuro's PoV)

I stood with my classmates in the elevator. All of us weren't speaking, hell we weren't even looking at each other.

After feeling like forever, the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened with a Ding. What we saw was a weird room that looks almost like it comes from a sci-fi movie. Monkomi was waiting, his mouth curled up in a grin. Despite his cuddly appearance, his looks said a different story. We all stood there in silence, not knowing what to do until...

"Umm not to break the ice here but why is that there?" Yuki asked. The rest of us turned to where Yuki was pointing. There was a portrait of Moriyo, crossed out with red paint (?) (pink in our eyes).

"That...

That is so sick and twisted!" Kazuno cried.

"Well everyone has to participate in a class trial, even at death," Monkomi explained, almost giddy with excitement.

Kazuno, despite being called the Ultimate Peacemaker, looked like she wanted to murder him but Rin shook her head.

"It's not worth it," she said. And so with that, we walked to our places in the trial room. Monkomi didn't seem to mind where we stood however.

"Alrighty then! Now that we have all settled in, I'll explain the rules. The rules are simple. All you have to do is to find whodunnit! No cheating allowed unless it's part of this trial. Use any kind of info to solve the mystery. Afterwards, you must vote who you think the killer is. I must warn you to vote carefully though. If you vote correctly, then I'll only punish the blacken. However, vote wrong and I'll punish everyone minus the blacken. Got that?" Monkomi explained.

"Ok so I think we should go over the victim and their cause of death," Rin suggested. "Seems alright," Kana agreed.

"Alright so we know who the victim was. It was Moriyo Hana, the Ultimate Ranger. Do we know their cause of death?" Rin went over.

>Right the cause of her death was...

A. Broken Bones

B. Heart Attack

C. Stabbed

[D. Strangled]

I got it!

"She died from strangulation," I stated.

"Yep. It seems like she didn't die quickly though," Uyeda explained.

"It's very obvious about her murder weapon. That being her whip," Minami said.

"So someone strangled her with her whip correct?" Rin asked.

"Yeah but what about the blood on it?" Toshino asked.

"Huh what blood?" Kazuno questioned.

"When I went back to the crime scene to deliver the alibis to the ones investigating the body, I noticed some blood that was on the whip. I also noticed that her throat wasn't slit open so where did it come from?" Toshino asked.

"Are you suggesting that there's a wound on her that we couldn't see? Like invisible wounds?" Ichigo questioned.

"Hmm invisible wounds," Toshiaki muttered.

"That's complete bullshit. There are no invisible wounds on her. This discussion is getting us nowhere," Minami snapped.

>No Toshino has a point. I'm sure that there's an explanation for the blood to be on there but no wound on her neck

(Hi it's Flare here. I have emerged from the pits of wherever I came from to inform you readers that there is going to be a change of writing whenever the non stop debates happen. Regular speaking is going to be in italics while the words that Kuro here needs to shoot at with the Truth Bullets are going to be in bolded italics. Kuro's inner monologue are going to be in italics for regular discussion but for non stop debates and all that it's going to be normal text. Think of me as the narrator. Alright time to go back to the pits of wherever I came from. Have fun)

Non-Stop Debate Start!

Truth Bullets: Uyeda's autopsy report equipped

Toshiaki: Well obviously she fought her killer and got some blood on her whip before she got strangled!

Minami: that's stupid, she's very weak and besides what would have spilled blood on the murder weapon.

Kazuno: Don't call her weak!!

Minami: There's no wound on her to spill blood! Therefore no sign that she struggled!

>There is something very odd here, I need to find out what!

[Truth Bullet: Uyeda's autopsy report. Use on No wound on her to spill blood!]

Kuro: N-no that's wrong!

[Break!]

Everyone turned to look at me. "N-no, there are wounds on her. We just couldn't see them very clearly. Right Uyeda?" I turn to look at him.

"Hmm? Oh right, around her wrists and fingers there are small punctures that may seem impossible to see unless you study them closely. Looks like she also suffered blood loss," Uyeda explained, sounding like a professional.

"So she did struggle?" Toshiaki asked.

"My autopsy reports never tell lies so we can tell that she put up a struggle before falling victim to the culprit," Uyeda replied.

"How embarrassing," Minami huffed and folded her arms.

"Looks like this trial might not be super boring after all," Ichigo cheered.

"What do you mean not boring?" Minami asked.

"Well like it would be no fun if we just found out who the culprit is just like that. Also some of us here are just plain boring," Ichigo groaned.

"You're hopeless," Minami turned away, her nose in the air.

"So what about that recording tape? Isn't suspicious that Tami~chan was the last one to see Ranger-san according to that tape?" Ichigo asked. "What recording tape?" Rin asked.

"Turns out one of the computers was booted up and it showed a recording from one of the security cameras. It mainly showed Kuro and Moriyo. Kuro was the last one to enter the computer lab before Moriyo died. So that's a little bit suspicious," Toshino explained.

"Interesting. So was it Kuro or was it not?" Rin wondered. "W-wait a minute, it's not me. I'm not the killer," I said.

"If the tape said so, then you are the killer," Kazuno said.

"Oh please, you're just believing just some recording tape. We're not even sure if it was live or not," Robin pointed out.

"I want justice for her murder!" Kazuno cried, distraught about her friend's death.

"Oi Tami~chan you have evidence that it wasn't you riiiight?" Ichigo asked. "And if you do, then you'll be able to show that you're not the culprit," she explained.

>Crap she's right. I have to show them that I'm not the culprit or else we'll lose

Non-Stop Debate Start!

Truth Bullets: Tampered Tape equipped

Toshino: Well obviously Kuro did it. We saw that recording right? She entered the computer lab where Moriyo was killed

Minami: Considering that Kuro was the last one to see Moriyo and then a little while after she entered the lab like before Moriyo died

Yuki: But Big Bro Robin mentioned something about the tape not being live. That's a little suspicious don't you think?

Hirohito: Wh-what if someone w-wanted to frame h-her?

Toshino: You got proof to back up that claim of yours?

Hirohito: ...

Kazuno: Then Kuro is the culprit!

>Wait what? Something seems very odd. I'm sure that someone brought up a very good point.

[Truth Bullet: Tampered Tape. Use on frame h-her?]

Kuro: I-I agree with that!

[Break]

"Hold on. Only four of us have actually seen the tape. Robin, Toshino, Ichigo and I. According to the tape, the time was late at night but I'm sure that when I saw Moriyo much earlier," I explained.

"Eh? Elaborate," Minami said.

"Someone edited the tape to make me look more suspicious. If I were the one to tamper with it, I would have made someone else looks suspicious instead of me," I explained.

"That makes even less sense but I'll go along with it for now," Minami said.

"Think of it like this. If Kuro was the culprit, she would have put someone else in the tampered tape to cause suspicion on said person. Basically going scot free while having someone else take the blame," Kana explained.

"Kuro doesn't strike me to be that dumb to mess up that badly on her kill," Robin said.

"Hmm so Kuro seems to no longer be a suspect. Meaning that the next person who knows how to do this is Toshino because he accused Kuro and because of his hacking skills," Rin speculated.

"Ah but I have a strong alibi to back me up," Toshino pointed out. "Wait you do?" Rin looked confused.

>Wait I remember Toshino talking about this when he went to collect the alibis. I'm pretty sure it was...

Truth Bullet selected: -> Alibis

Which one do you need?

[Toshino's alibi]

Which does it line up with?

[Minami's alibi]

I got it

"Wait Minami, wasn't Toshino with you?" I asked.

"Hmmm? I guess, he was trying to hack into the camera that I found in my dorm to see if any clues are in there. Sadly no there wasn't," Minami explained.

"So both of us are out of the suspect list. So I guess we can-," I said but was interrupted by Ichigo.

You Got That Wrong!

Huh?

"We can't forget the possibility of an accomplice. Why go through all the trouble to edit a recording to frame you and then murder Moriyo in cold blood? Seems like too much work for one person," Ichigo yawned.

"But I'm sure that in this case, only one person managed to do all of that. I'm sure of it," I explained.

"Really? Then show me that only one person for it," Ichigo challenged.

Rebuttal Showdown!

Truth Blade: Time Gap equipped

Ichigo: From what I have seen, most people here are lazy~. If you truly believe that one person did this, show me. Show me, show me, show me! How long was she dead? Explain, explain!

[Advance]

Kuro: Look the time gap is oddly stretched out. Don't you think it's a little suspicious?

Ichigo: Eh? Stretched out? What do you mean? The time gap seems to be short enough for two people to work together. This case is just messy you know?

>Something doesn't feel right from those words. I have to show her that there isn't enough proof for an accomplice to be involved

[Truth Blade: Time Gap. Use on short enough for two people]

Kuro: A-allow me to cut through your w-words!

[Break]

"The time may seem short in the tape that showed me and Moriyo and her death. The time shows that I met up with her an hour before her death but like I said before, I met up with her earlier in the evening. Not only the time gap is oddly suspicious but if you actually saw the tape, you would know that there's a clock nearby that actually says the time," I explained.

"What time does it actually say?" Ichigo asked.

Truth Bullet selected-> Monkomi File

I got it!

"Hey remember what the Monkomi File said about the time of death for Moriyo. It says that she died at 9:37 pm and the tape says that I met up with her at 8:37 pm. An hour before. However the clock reads a different story," I explained.

"Which is?" Rin asked a bit harshly which was out of character for her.

"The clock actually reads...

6:29 pm," I said quietly. The room went silent.

...

...

...

...

...

"W-wah?! It got so quiet after that!" Toshiaki cried, flailing his arms around. I turned away, pulling my hat down.

"So some alibis don't stick during that time. We need a refresh on who was with who around 6:00-6:30ish," Robin said.

Who doesn't have a strong alibi around that time?

A. Toshino, Ichigo, Jun, Rin and Uyeda

[B. Rin, Jun, Toshiaki, Kazuno and I]

C. Hirohito, Robin, Minami, Sora and Yuki

I got it!

"According to the alibis that Toshino collected, there are five people who don't have very strong alibis," I explained.

"Yep that being Kuro, Rin, Jun, Toshiaki and Kazuno. We already crossed Kuro off the suspect list so we can eliminate her off the alibis so four people now," Robin said.

"Hey wait a minute! What about you? You also don't seem to have an alibi!" Kazuno shouted. Robin looked almost nervous at this but then Toshiaki spoke up.

"If I may, I was standing in the hallway for a very long time near the dorms. And Robin only came out of his dorm was around maybe 7 I believe and I didn't see him come out anytime before," he explained.

Robin took a breath of relief at this. "So there you go, I have an alibi and so does Toshiaki," he said.

"But why am I on the suspect list? I would never hurt Moriyo much less kill her!" Kazuno shouted.

"Ooh looks like the peacemaker is angry. Whatcha gotta say for yourself Pinkie Pie?" Ichigo asked.

"Shut up you c-clown!" Kazuno snapped.

"But that's my talent what do you expect me to act. Like in a monotone type of investigator?" Ichigo giggled, causing the pink haired girl to look furious.

"Will you two shut it already? We're trying to solve a case that our lives depend on!" Robin yelled. Kazuno glared daggers at the smaller girl who lifted up her clown mask a little so she could stick her tongue out at her.

"I think I can find a way to have us seem innocent. Kazuno and I were together a little while after my class ended and before I met up with Kuro. Also I walked by Jun's lab and he was in there punching a punching bag," Rin explained.

"You saw me? Oh thank goodness or else I would have been deemed suspicious," Jun sighed. "So all of our suspects seem to have reliable alibis? This isn't good," Kana said.

"Well I have a bit of a theory but it might bring us back to square one," Sora said. "What theory?" Rin asked. "What if Kuro was actually the one to do it?" Sora suggested.

...

"Well that's super duper dumb," Ichigo sighed.

"Didn't we already established that Kuro wasn't the one to have committed the crime?" Robin asked.

"Wait you didn't let me finish," Sora said.

"*sigh* go on I guess," Ichigo looked bored.

"What if Kuro intentionally left herself in the recording to make us think that she did it but turn down the idea with self evidence, evidence that she placed herself, to make us think that someone else killed Moriyo," Sora suggested.

"Ok first of all, that doesn't make any sense and second of all why would Tami~chan do that?" Ichigo pointed out.

"Yeah to my knowledge, a plan like that would only backfired on the culprit immediately. Seems like a risky gamble that not many would take," Robin explained.

"Kuro doesn't seem to have a strong alibi during that time now does she?" Kana pointed out.

"Hey Big Sis Kuro, where did you go after talking to Big Sis Moriyo?" Yuki asked, turning to me.

"I was in the restroom after talking to her before returning to my dorm," I explained but then Amy spoke up.

"Hold up, I went to the bathroom around the same time but I didn't see you in there at all," she explained.

>Did I...mess up??

"Also don't you think it's strange that Kuro is usually alone most of the time. Do you think she was scheming to kill someone during those times?" Jun asked.

>Not you too

"But we don't have any evidence that Kuro actually did it," Toshiaki pointed out. "Yeah you can't just go off from a theory that doesn't seem very fleshed out," Yuki said.

>You guys...

"But we should at least discuss this," Rin suggested. "But d-discuss this h-how?" Hirohito asked.

"We all seem to be in a split decision that none of us can decide whether Kuro is or isn't the killer," Uyeda explained.

"Hoohoo~ split you say? I have the perfect method for that!" Monkomi giggled suddenly. "Eh?" Yuki asked.

"It's called Scrum Debate. All of you pick a side and show your arguments and try to counter each other," Monkomi explained.

"Is that so? I think this is the only way to settle this," Rin said. The others exchanged looks before nodding.

Monkomi held up a key and placed in a switch and turned the handle. The seats that we were in started to move upwards in a spiral and one by one, stood separately with half of us on one side and the others on the other side.

K u r o i s t h e C u l p r i t ?

A/N: good place to stop. Next part will be coming soon if I don't procrastinate on this and my school work.

Scrum Debate will start next chapter so get your popcorn and bop to the music since it's epic

Have a nice day -Flare