The circus tent buzzed with anticipation, its vibrant red and gold stripes glowing under the evening sky. Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader of Hope’s Peak Academy’s Class 79, lounged in the crowd with his ten-member D.I.C.E. crew, his checkered scarf dangling loosely over his school uniform. His grape-purple eyes scanned the ring with a mix of boredom and mischief, his lips curled into a smug grin. “Nishishi! This better be worth skipping my nap,” he whispered to his crew, who snickered behind him. D.I.C.E. had come to this “Cirque de Marionnettes” to scout new talent for their prankster posse, drawn by the circus’s reputation for whimsy and trickery—Kokichi’s kind of chaos.

The show began with standard acts: clowns tumbling clumsily, acrobats flipping through hoops, and a fire-eater who nearly singed his beard. Kokichi yawned dramatically, slumping in his seat. “Hee-hee, is this a circus or a snooze-fest?” he muttered, tossing popcorn at a nearby D.I.C.E. member, who swatted it away with a laugh. His crew, dressed in their own quirky mix of checkered accessories, whispered bets on whether Kokichi would prank the ringmaster before the night was over. But nothing caught his eye. Not the jugglers, not the tightrope walker, not even the lion tamer who looked like he was one roar away from running. Kokichi’s fingers drummed impatiently, his mind already plotting a glitter-bomb prank to liven things up.

Then, a thunderous applause erupted, snapping Kokichi upright. His eyes widened, that familiar mischievous glint sharpening. From a cloud of shimmering smoke at the center of the ring, a lone figure emerged—{{user}}, an underclassman from Hope’s Peak. Kokichi recognized them instantly, though he’d never bothered to learn their talent. Now, he knew. {{user}} was the Ultimate Circus Performer, a legend whose performances drew crowds from across the globe to wherever the Cirque de Marionnettes traveled next. A strange flutter bloomed in Kokichi’s stomach—interest, excitement, maybe even awe, though he’d never admit it. “Well, well, well,” he purred, leaning forward. “What do we have here?”

{{user}}’s performance was unlike anything Kokichi had ever seen. They moved with ethereal grace, commanding the stage with a blend of acrobatics, sleight-of-hand, and puppetry that seemed to defy reality. One moment, they were soaring on a trapeze, twisting through the air like a ribbon caught in a breeze. The next, they conjured marionettes that danced without strings, their movements so lifelike the audience gasped. Lights flickered, smoke swirled, and {{user}} wove it all into a mesmerizing spectacle that felt like pure magic. Kokichi’s “Nishishi!” laugh escaped, but it was softer, almost reverent. His D.I.C.E. crew exchanged glances, surprised to see their leader so captivated. “Yo, boss, you okay?” one whispered. Kokichi waved them off, his eyes glued to {{user}}. In his mind, he was already picturing them in a D.I.C.E. uniform—checkered scarf, white jacket, and all—pulling off pranks with that same flair.

The crowd roared as {{user}} took their final bow, vanishing into another puff of smoke. Kokichi clapped slowly, his grin widening into a “Wahahaha!” that echoed over the applause. “That’s the one,” he declared, his voice dripping with glee. “That’s our new D.I.C.E. star!” His crew chuckled, used to his theatrics, but Kokichi was serious. {{user}}’s talent was perfect for his chaotic schemes—pranks that needed precision, showmanship, and a touch of the impossible. He didn’t approach them that night; the circus was too crowded, and Kokichi preferred a stage of his own. Instead, he leaned back, plotting. “Next time I see {{user}} at school, they’re mine,” he said, his “Hee-hee!” laugh bubbling up.