Humanity Salvation Academy Episode 1: The Boy Who Calls the Storm intro + i

intro.

It must have been an ominous, quiet, and beautiful sight.

An empty school building. A deserted schoolyard. The sun setting behind distant mountains. A twilight sky painted in shades of blood-red and black.

Floating in that sky was a structure resembling a jet-black droplet. And from its base, one could see many shadows spilling out, fluttering down, down, down.

Like overflowing tears. The shadows quietly rained down toward the earth, amidst the sky stained in red and black.

They were people.

Spinning, tumbling as they fell. Without a sound. Dripping like shadows from the base of the jet-black droplet. Into the twilight, one after another, and another, and another. So many of them.

Boys.
Girls.
The entire student body of Humanity Salvation Academy.

All of them, like tears.
Amidst a scene that seemed to tremble.
Falling.

As they rained down, they would all surely be struck against the earth. And they would all be expelled—the boy in the white high-collared uniform thought this to himself while falling through the wind.

His chest was filled with remorse, regret, and the sorrow of betrayal. Why, why did it come to this? He was supposed to save everyone. Everything was supposed to be full of hope. But what had been brought about was the lowest, worst possible ending.

He pictured his face. The face of the one he had trusted and relied upon. Why. Why is this. Why, why did you betray me? Why did you...

The moment of despair was approaching. He was only moments away from the ground. There was no way to be saved now. The boy closed his eyes. What surfaced in his mind was that day.

He had awakened. He had met him. And he had begun his journey at Humanity Salvation Academy. That day, the day it all began—

i.

It was a primal memory. The root. The beginning of everything.

He was simply trembling. Not because he was cold, nor because he was chilled. In a world without color, light, or form. Without weight, heat, the passage of time, up or down, left or right, names, words, or anything at all. In a world where there was nothing, he himself was nothing.

Without color, without form, without the passage of time, without names, words, or anything at all. Unbound by anything, released, and completely free.

He was trembling in such freedom. Trembling, trembling, trembling, eventually struggling, eventually writhing, reaching out his hand to grasp something, moving his mouth to shout something, not even knowing if he had hands or a mouth, he continued to struggle, continued to writhe.

At the end of that, he encountered words.

　Born, born, born, born,
　Dark at the beginning of life.

　Dying, dying, dying, died,
　Dim at the end of death.

　The words swallowed him up. There was darkness there, weight, and pain. He was falling. Amidst the sensation of spinning, being stretched, being slammed, and falling, he had certainly heard someone's voice calling his name.

　You are...

　Dazed, he ruminated on that voice.

　I am...

　You are...
　I am...

　Ho-ohmaru.

　You are...
　I am...

　Byodoin Ho-ohmaru.

　You are...
　I am...

　Byo-do-in, Ho-oh-ma-ru.

　You are...
　I am...

　I am Byodoin Ho-ohmaru.

　He saw light.
　And then, he woke up.

“Hey, you’re awake.”

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Humanity Salvation Academy
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Episode 1: "The Boy Who Calls the Storm"

　Weight, the sensation of shifting air, flickering radiance; his vision slowly began to clear. Smells, coldness, warmth, silence, the presence of others. And.

　A body. He has a body.

Houomaru opened his mouth and exhaled like he was vomiting. Air flowed into his empty lungs, and his body began to pulse with his heartbeat, thumping, thumping.

His vision slowly came into focus. He saw a white, faintly glowing floor. It had shape, it had color. He was on all fours, his hands pressed against the floor as if peering into it.

He exhaled once more. He inhaled. He could breathe. No, he had to breathe.

A cool chill traveled through his palms. Black patterns were carved into the floor, drawing a circle that surrounded him.

Are you alright, transfer student?

He looked up. A gaze was looking down at him. He widened his eyes in surprise. A brave, heroic, cold, and beautiful light. Terrifying. A terrifying gaze. He gasped. Fierce, vivid, intense... it was just like the eyes of a lion.

Heh, you're confused, aren't you?

The owner of the gaze wore a smile.

Well, that is to be expected, I suppose.

As he said this, the boy—a boy in his mid-teens dressed in a luxurious black uniform with a high collar trimmed in gold embroidery—pushed back his black hair that reached his eyes and let out a scoff. Then, with a relaxed gesture, he pointed at the wall. Houomaru followed his gaze to the wall.

The wall was covered in mirrors. From the other side of the mirror, another boy was staring back at him. Houomaru touched his face to confirm. Is this me? That is correct, the black-haired boy replied.

The version of himself on the other side of the mirror was wearing a white high-collared uniform. The gaze staring back at him held shadows, his skin was as smooth as white porcelain, and his hair was dyed scarlet. The way his hair gently rippled looked just like a burning flame, and he couldn't help but mutter, ...I see.

Can you stand?

The black-haired boy held out his hand.

No, I'm fine.

He shook his head in response. He stood up, placing his hands on his knees. For a moment, a sense of weight brought with it an unpleasant feeling akin to nausea. He shook his head to shake it off.

He inhaled deeply, then exhaled deeply. He was slowly getting used to the sensation. He lifted his head and faced the black-haired boy. He felt that he had to.

Hmm.

The black-haired boy placed a hand on his chin and muttered, No abnormalities in orientation. Then...

The boy raised the left corner of his mouth and spread his arms in an arrogant display.

"Where are you, and who are you? Tell me."

Urged on by those words, Hoomaru closed his eyes. Then, he began to ruminate on the words.

I am Hoomaru.
Byodoin, Hoomaru.
I am Byodoin Hoomaru.

Flickering lights pulsed inside his head. Like dazzling stars being born and fading away. Each one was filled with a vivid, complete world, floating and vanishing, and they were being etched into him one after another.

Memories.

He felt no surprise. He felt that it was only natural for this to happen. As the flashes, brilliance, and light bloomed one after another, he gradually began to remember where he was and who he was.

He opened his eyes quietly. The black-haired boy urged him on.

"Well?"

He answered with a voice full of conviction.

"This is Humanity Salvation Academy. And..."

With an elegant gesture, he placed his hand on his chest.

"My name is Byodoin Hoomaru. I am a second-year student."

Hoomaru felt a powerful light dwelling in his gaze. Along with a quiet sense of exhilaration, the words spilled from his lips.

"I am the Disciplinary Committee Chairman of this academy."

"…Very well."

The black-haired boy nodded.

"You are Byodoin Hoomaru. And indeed, you are the Disciplinary Committee Chairman of our academy. That memory has just flashed into my mind as well."

The black-haired boy nodded, gave a scoff, and said provocatively,

"Then, who am I? Tell me."

"You are..."

He answered quietly and without hesitation.

"You are Kuze Yumedono. A second-year student like me. And the vice president of this academy's student council."

The black-haired boy... Kuze Yumedono, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Impressive."

Kuze's hands made a dry clapping sound.

"Welcome to Humanity Salvation Academy, Houomaru Byodoin. You have successfully transferred into this academy."

【Continued in ii】

"Humanity Salvation Academy" is scheduled to be updated Monday through Friday at 7:30 PM (tentative).