"Human"
A beautiful word, yet profoundly hideous. A concept forged entirely from contradictions.
Humans are ephemeral creatures, born from dust, yet harboring a burning desire to graze Eternity. We construct skyscrapers to defy God. We ignite tens of thousands of neon lights to deny the night. We craft glamorous shells named "Civilization," "Order," and "Justice" solely to mask a naked truth: That we are but small, ignorant beings dancing on the edge of the abyss.
And tonight, that waltz comes to an end.
Blackout.
Not just the dying of the grid. It was the collapse of an Illusion.
The dazzling city below, humanity's proudest symbol, instantly mutated into a pitch-black grave. The silence swallowing the space wasn't peace; it was the frigid breath of the Void.
Standing at the precipice of the highest floor, the girl gripped her gun, an instrument of power, but now it felt pathetically meaningless. Because what was coming didn't obey the laws of control.
A piercing wail...
A sound tore through the velvet curtain of dread. Not the trumpet of an angel, nor the roar of a demon. A bamboo flute. A primal, mournful melody, echoing like the dying gasps of Humanity.
She looked up at the pinnacle, where the boundary between "Man" and "Sky" blurred.
A silhouette stood there. Solitary. Arrogant.
He stood atop the modern world, yet carried the aura of an ancient relic. A tattered scarf whipped fiercely against the void, like the flag of a forgotten life. He wasn't looking into the darkness. He was listening to the heartbeat of destruction.
The flute ceased. The shadow slowly lowered his hand. He pulled the scarf up, concealing half his face-concealing the last remnants of "Man."
And then, he opened his eyes.
Amidst the death of ten thousand artificial stars, those two specks of light flared like the dawn of Purity.
Red. Red as the blood of life. Red as the flames of ruin.
Those eyes looked down at her, piercing through the girl's resilient armor, touching her most primal terror. No misconceptions. No pure companionship. Only the absolute emptiness of a "Mortal" who had dared to stare directly into the abyss, and let the abyss swallow him whole.
"To save a rotting paradise... the Mortal has no choice but to morph into a Monster."
The Darkness began to devour the Light.
◆ ◆ ◆
Year 2104
Since ancient times, a Chinese prophet left a chilling oracle: By the mid-23rd century, Earth would face extinction. A mysterious race from the pitch-black void of space would descend with an army of monsters to scour and erase all seeds of life on the blue planet.
To prepare for that dark vision, the United Nations birthed an unprecedented, specialized education system: Cultivating Sentinels-the ultimate warriors, humanity's final shield.
Now, across the globe, countless training facilities have been established. In Tokyo, Japan, stands one of the world's most prestigious fortresses of knowledge-Aetherium High. With state-of-the-art facilities and a brutal curriculum, it forges hundreds of elite Sentinels every year, becoming the pride of all Japan.
That same prophet foretold that Aetherium High would be the cradle of a hero, a once-in-a-millennium genius willing to sacrifice his life to salvage the world. Humanity reverently engraved his every word into history:
"That one! He shall lead humanity, the savior who will raise the earth from ashes! A great warrior! He shall..."
"YAWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!"
A long, obnoxious yawn shattered the imagined solemn atmosphere.
"Sigh... So tiring. Thinking about it now, why did I even throw myself into this school? Well, it's too late now... just gotta deal with it."
Ichinose Makoto grumbled mid-yawn, dragging his lethargic feet.
April 3rd, 2235.
Today was Makoto's first day stepping into Aetherium High. Inside him was a chaotic mess of emotions: a hint of nervousness mixed with a strange sense of leisure, even if his legs felt heavy. He still wondered where his future would drift with his half-baked abilities. The thoughts threatened to spill over, but he decided to brush them aside, donning a carefree facade to step into this new chapter of life.
At least the sun was gentle and the breeze was cool today, as if the weather wanted to comfort him.
Soon, the destination materialized before his eyes. Standing outside the main gate, Makoto found his feet rooted to the spot, stunned by its sheer majesty. The gates opened to an overwhelmingly expansive world: massive skyscrapers, a main building encircled by futuristic watchtowers, interspersed with lush, endless imperial gardens.
Blending into this was the bustling noise of thousands of students, rushed footsteps, and bursts of laughter brimming with life. It painted a picture so vivid it left the newcomer dizzy.
Thwack!
Out of nowhere, an orange basketball tore through the wind, slamming directly into Makoto's head with skull-rattling force.
"Ouch! Hey! Who threw that!?" Makoto clutched his head, whirling around and yelling in annoyance.
"Ah! Ours! Sorry, throw it back, will ya!"
A group of boys playing sports on campus jogged over, their attitude bordering on mocking. Makoto snatched the ball from the ground, hurling it back with a deep scowl.
"Seriously... so early in the morning."
◆ ◆ ◆
Following the guide pamphlet in his hand, Makoto slowly navigated his way to the classroom. He tried to gather his spirits, heading toward the main building. After struggling to find his bearings in this maze, he finally reached his destination.
Outside the door, a female teacher leaned against the wall, a half-lit cigarette dangling lazily from her fingers. Makoto timidly approached:
"Um... excuse me, is this the classroom for 3-D?"
"Oh, you're... Ichinose Makoto, right? Go on in, let me introduce you to the class."
He trailed behind the teacher. The chaotic, market-like classroom instantly plunged into a dead, eerie silence the moment her high heels clicked against the floor.
"Listen up, this is our new transfer student. Alright, introduce yourself!"
He stammered, his voice caught in his throat:
"U-uhm, h-hello... I'm Ichinose Makoto... P-please take care of me..."
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt dozens of gazes sharp as knives piercing into him, dissecting him. The anxiety twisted in his gut again, but he forced a stiff smile. Glancing around, he spotted the only empty seat in the far back corner. He quickly scurried down, dropped into the chair, and ducked his head, trying to shrink into himself like a frightened turtle.
For the next half hour, he sat as still as a statue, burying his face in his notes without daring to breathe a word.
When the teacher announced the assembly down in the main courtyard, everyone took a break. The classroom gradually emptied until Makoto was left completely alone.
While he was still zoning out, the classroom door suddenly swung open. A boy walked in, pausing to observe before heading straight toward Makoto.
"Why are you still sitting here? Ah... Ichinose, right? Aren't you going down to the courtyard?"
The stranger asked with a friendly tone. He had an average build and plain brown hair, but his most striking feature was his bizarre heterochromia: the right eye burned red like fire, while the left was as deep blue as the ocean.
"Huh... Oh, what are you doing back here? I'll head down in a bit."
"Forgot my stuff. Oh, right... you just transferred, so you probably don't know anyone yet? I'm Gyokushi Taeru. Nice to meet you!"
"... Nice to meet you, Gyokushi. Do you mind showing me the way?"
"No sweat! Let's go!"
The bell rang, signaling the start of the ceremony. Under the gentle morning sun, the two walked down to the main courtyard, where hundreds of other students had already gathered. The vast expanse of the campus made the sea of people look unusually small.
"Hey, Ichinose!"
"Huh... Oh, just call me Makoto!"
"Right, Makoto. Just walk straight ahead, join that crowd over there and we're good."
As they walked, a tall boy with silver hair covering one eye approached from afar, waving at them:
"Yo!"
"Ah! Good morning! Ginshikii-senpai!" Gyokushi replied enthusiastically.
Makoto asked quietly, bewildered: "Who's that, Gyokushi?"
"Well... He's Ginshikii Makeru, a fourth-year! Who's this beside you, Gyokushi? A rookie? Anyway, do you two want to form a team and fight alongside me?"
"Ah, let me think about it later," Gyokushi chuckled, politely declining.
"Let me know when you decide!"
With that, the silver-haired guy casually strolled over to the fourth-year section. Makoto and Taeru quickly blended into the third-year crowd.
"Attention!"
A booming voice from the loudspeakers instantly silenced the courtyard.
"Welcome to the opening ceremony of Aetherium High! This is the starting line of grand dreams and noble responsibilities! I am the Principal, and I will get straight to the point!"
He paused, his stern gaze sweeping over the sea of students below:
"As you know, the ancient prophecy is slowly coming to pass. Earth is in peril. Not from resource depletion or pollution, but humanity's fate rests on the razor's edge against an alien invasion. For that reason, our academy relentlessly seeks and forges new talents, to create the next generation of Sentinels with the ultimate mission: Protect this planet."
"You are that hope. Humanity's future warriors. At Aetherium, you will not only learn how to wield weapons, but also how to protect the weak and sacrifice for the greater good."
"Of course, alongside academic studies, you will face the most grueling physical trials. Remember this: 'Sentinel' is not a vain title. It is an oath to the world that we will not back down before the darkness. To honor that oath, you must conquer yourselves, shattering the limits you once thought impossible."
"Give it your all this new semester! That concludes my speech."
Thunderous applause erupted across the stands. Whether he wanted it or not, Makoto felt a spark of passion igniting in his chest.
"And now, a few words from the Student Council representative!"
From a distance, a female student stepped onto the podium. Her pitch-black hair flowed like a river, her sharp ruby-red eyes and tall, slender figure radiating an aura of haughty authority. She took the microphone, her voice gentle yet dripping with power:
"Greetings everyone, I am Miyako Kuroki, the current Student Council President."
"Welcome rookies to Aetherium-the crucible of the mightiest warriors! This place doesn't just teach you survival; it tempers a will of iron to confront unimaginable threats."
"Stepping in here, you must learn how to protect, how to sacrifice. Engrave this into your bones: True strength does not lie in arrogance. It lies in the humility to learn and the drive to constantly improve. For those doubting your abilities-believe that this academy will help you awaken the monster dormant within."
"I hope these words become the torch that guides your path, pushing you forward. Do your best, future Sentinels!"
The ceremony concluded in a blazing atmosphere, and the crowd began to disperse back to their classrooms.