"Please calm down, everyone."
At that moment, the masked Toguro spoke, his voice calmly reaching every ear in the crowd.
"The passageway hasn't disappeared; it has been sealed."
"However, once the Dark Tournament concludes, the passageway will naturally reopen, and you will all be able to return to Kyoto."
This explanation soothed many, though some still asked in confusion, "Why seal the passageway?"
Toguro elaborated, "Every time the Dark Tournament is held, there are always those who come to disrupt it. To ensure the tournament proceeds safely, we have no choice but to take this measure."
"Please rest assured, once the tournament is over, we will safely escort everyone back."
Creak, creak, creak...
At that moment, the sound of mechanical movement echoed.
The gates of the ancient city slowly opened, as if welcoming the sixty-four teams.
"Everyone, follow me," Toguro said, turning and walking toward the city.
Seeing this, the others had no choice but to follow. After all, the passageway they came through had vanished, and leaving was not an option.
Making a fuss about leaving now would only invite ridicule from those around them.
Besides, the Dark Tournament had been held for many years without any reported issues.
With this in mind, the crowd confidently followed Toguro into the ancient city.
The city was astonishingly vast. Accommodating sixty-four teams was no issue; it could easily handle a hundred and twenty-eight.
At the center of the city stood a grand, opulent mansion.
Upon entering the mansion's hall, the group found tables laden with an array of exquisite dishes.
It was as if the finest delicacies from around the world had been gathered.
Toguro announced, "Everyone, this is the lunch we've prepared for you. Please enjoy it at your leisure."
"After lunch, you are free to explore the city as you wish."
"Your rooms have already been prepared, and someone will guide you to them this evening."
"The matches will officially begin at eight o'clock each morning. Please do not be absent."
"I won't disturb your meal any further."
"Farewell."
With that, Toguro bowed once more and slowly exited the hall, leaving behind tables brimming with sumptuous dishes for the sixty-four teams to enjoy.
Morpheus led his team to a table and sat down.
If it were ordinary food, Morpheus wouldn't have given it a second glance.
But this food was different.
Morpheus noticed that some of the dishes, particularly the meats, carried traces of unusual power, clearly not from ordinary animals.
They were likely from some kind of magical beast or demon.
Such meats wouldn't be found in the human world but could exist in the Hell or other dimensions.
They were special delicacies.
That's why Morpheus sat down to try them.
Following his lead, other teams gradually took their seats and began to feast.
In no time, the once-quiet hall grew lively.
The clamor of voices rose and fell, filling the space with energy.
Morpheus took a bite of a steak made from some unknown creature and frowned slightly.
How to put it? It was disappointing.
Not that the steak wasn't tasty, but it didn't meet his expectations.
Compared to regular beef, the steak was more flavorful, chewier, and juicier.
But that was all.
The energy in the steak didn't match its taste, which was somewhat regrettable.
To use an analogy, in the world of Toriko, foods with higher capture levels are almost always tastier than those with lower levels.
The higher the capture level, the more nutritious and delicious the food.
The steaks here had a nutritional value equivalent to a capture level of ten.
But their taste was only at a level two.
That's why Morpheus was disappointed.
The reason for this mismatch was partly due to the chef's skill and partly because these foods lacked gourmet cells.
Unlike in the Toriko world, where higher-grade foods are inherently more delicious, these lacked that quality.
Of course, this was only true for Morpheus.
For the others, the food was exceptionally delicious.
After all, the other team members hadn't tasted the gourmet delights of the Toriko world. Their palates weren't as refined, and they were used to ordinary food.
So, they found the dishes here delectable.
After a few bites, Morpheus lost interest in eating and waited for his teammates to finish before leaving the hall.
According to the organizers' rules, after lunch, they were free to explore the city.
Morpheus, of course, wanted to take a good look around.
He hadn't forgotten that, besides spectating, his purpose for attending the Dark Tournament was to investigate its organizers.
He also wanted to determine if the tournament was connected to the future upheaval of black and white inversion, light and darknesss imbalance, and the yokai parade roaming in daylight, and whether the organizers were behind it.
Unbeknownst to others, Morpheus had already placed a mark on Toguro.
With Toguro's strength, he wouldn't notice the mark.
That evening, Morpheus planned to probe Toguro's memories.
For now, he would thoroughly explore the city, familiarizing himself with its layout and routes.
Raikou and the others followed Morpheus. After a tour, Raikou made a startling observation:
"Boss, this is Heian-kyo."
"Heian-kyo? How is that possible?" Miko said in shock.
This place didn't resemble Kyoto at all.
Raikou explained, "Not modern Kyoto, but the Heian-kyo of my era. Though it's not as large, the structure is the same."
"It's more like a miniature or a model of Heian-kyo."
Morpheus nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Anything else you've noticed?"
Raikou replied slowly, "I feel like this place isn't part of the world we live in."
Hitomi's eyes widened in surprise. "What does that mean?"
Raikou said, "I'm not sure. It's just a feeling I can't quite explain."
Morpheus nodded. "You're right. We're no longer in the human world."
"What?" Hitomi's eyes widened further.
Morpheus explained, "That passageway we took was a dimensional corridor. By passing through it, we left the human world and entered a hidden dimension."
"This dimension is attached to Earth but separate from the human world, like what we often call Hell or Heaven, though not as vast as Heaven."
"It's just a small hidden dimension."
***
If you like the Classroom of the Elite and Danganronpa series, don't hesitate to check out the new project I'm currently working on:
[COTE: The True Perfect Human]
Synopsis:
Since the era when humanity was still focused on steam and coal, people have already been questioning what the Perfect Human truly looks like.
Some say the Perfect Human possesses overwhelming physical strength… others claim the Perfect Human has unparalleled intelligence.
Of course, there are also those who believe the Perfect Human possesses both... strength and intellect.
Like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
That's why when people ask who the most perfect human in all of fiction is, they often point to the Masterpiece of the White Room as the Perfect Human.
But… only the OGs know that the only Perfect Human who has ever walked this earth is...
The Ultimate Hope…
Izuru Kamukura.
...
This is the story of Izuru Kamukura as he challenges Classroom of the Elite searching for whether there is anything in this world capable of dispelling his boredom.