Humanity Salvation Academy Episode 5: "Emergency Student Assembly" i

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i.

That day, a strange sight was spreading across the sky.

An azure sky. A shining auditorium. From it, a soft, enveloping light poured down... that was the sky of the daily life at Humanity Salvation Academy. However, today—.

The auditorium was emitting a stinging, intense radiance that was difficult to look at directly. And centered around the auditorium, ripples of distortion were appearing in the sky. It changed colors in a sickly way, writhing and undulating like a living creature with a will of its own.

It was ominous.

And on the ground. In the vast schoolyard, all the students had been gathered. Students, students, students, students, students. It was like a sea of students. Those students looked up at the sky, voicing their anxiety one after another. They were about to enter that auditorium in its strange state. Fear was spreading like ripples.

Then, a loud voice rang out.

"Everyone, silence!"

It was a sharp voice that carried across the vast schoolyard, one that even felt majestic. The students stopped whispering and looked at the owner of the voice in unison.

Against the backdrop of the glittering school building, a tall command platform stood. He was standing on top of it. Wearing a black high-collared uniform trimmed with gold embroidery, he was looking down at the vast number of students lined up in the schoolyard.

Student Council Vice President, Kyusei Yumedono.

And beside the command platform, a boy in a white high-collared uniform with his hands clasped behind his back.

Public Morals Committee Chair, Houomaru Byodoin.

At that moment, determination and resolve seemed to be bursting from their bodies. Kyusei slowly looked over the hushed students. Then, he looked at Houomaru. Houomaru nodded. Kyusei nodded as well. And as he stared straight at the students... he opened his eyes wide and declared.

"From this moment on, I declare the emergency student assembly open!"

Then, he raised his hand toward the shining auditorium and shouted.

"By my authority, I command! Auditorium, show us the path to you!"

Immediately after. A roar like thunder shook the heavens. Following that, once, twice. The auditorium emitted a tremendous flash of light. And as the auditorium shimmered as if blurring for an instant, what was spewed out from its base were countless glowing tentacles.

The tentacles rained down onto the schoolyard. The tentacles grabbed the students one by one, then rapidly retracted like rubber, carrying them high up into the sky.

Is this the path to the auditorium?

Ho-omaru looked up at the raining tentacles. One of them was closing in on him at high speed. Heh... Ho-omaru laughed, spreading his arms as if to accept it. The light of the tentacles gently enveloped him.

And then.

Oh...

The scenery flew by. In the blink of an eye, the ground fell away, he ascended, pierced through the clouds... and above him, he saw a massive, shining sphere.

That is... the auditorium.

Strangely, it wasn't blinding. It was like a small planet, floating silently. That was the impression it gave. And then, Ho-omaru crashed into the lower part of that planet-like sphere.

◆

In the pitch-black space, beams of light fell one after another, and the students who should have been captured by the tentacles appeared from the beams and took their seats.

It was like a massive stadium capable of holding tens of thousands of people. Circular stands continued for many layers, and students appeared there one after another, taking their seats.

The center of the stadium was a vast circular space. Eventually, the beams of light stopped, and amidst the growing murmur of the students... a spotlight hit the center of the circular space.

There stood a single boy.

It was Ho-omaru. Ho-omaru placed a hand on his chest and addressed the students with a clear, beautiful voice that seemed to permeate the entire stadium.

I am the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Byodoin Ho-omaru. I have arrested the Student Council President, Kindo Rushana... and proposed that we hold this emergency student assembly...

His eyes widened sharply.

I am the one responsible for it!

The students were silent. Holding their breath, they began to listen to Ho-omaru's words. Ho-omaru began to speak passionately, as if swinging his fist.

There is a reason why I have gathered you all here to hold this emergency student assembly! Is the current state of the academy correct? No! Are you able to choose the state of the academy for yourselves? This is also no!

Ho-omaru spread his arms and shouted to the audience.

Is that okay? No! We must seize a new future for the academy with the students' own hands and the students' own will! We must build a wonderful future for the academy with everyone's will! And that is precisely why!

A new spotlight. Emerging within it is a tall, imposing man with a fearless smile.

Student Council President, Rushana Kondo.

From here on, I will expose the truth about this man... Rushana Kondo! And then... I want to entrust the judgment regarding his treatment to everyone.

Ho-omaru looked at Rushana. Then, putting strength into his gesture, he pointed at him. He shouted with firm determination.

Rushana Kondo! Your conviction will be the first step toward the students' autonomous judgment! I'm sorry, but you will have to... become the cornerstone for the academy's new future!

A moment of silence. And then.

Heh, ha, hahahahahaha!

Rushana laughed. He shook his shoulders and laughed with the ferocity of a beast. There was not a trace of being cornered.

Ho-omaru watched him coldly and turned back to the students.

Now, I will also have the attending student council officers and teachers appear!

New spotlights illuminated one after another. Those spotlights revealed a semicircular dais arranged to surround Rushana. They were sitting there—.

A gaze like a sharp lion.
Student Council Vice President, Kyusei Yumedono.

An amorphous girl whose appearance changes every time you look at her.
Student Council Treasurer, Kogetsu Ginsha.

Wearing a nihilistic smile.
Student Council Public Relations, Mitomi Renge.

A plague mask swayed cheerfully.
Health Committee Chair, Kabu Kuzuryutaki.

A body hazy like a hologram.
Study Committee Chair, Kyo-o Mikage.

And.
Teacher. Majo Gokuraku.

Ho-omaru continued.

Among the student council officers, Library Committee Chair Chugu Hankashii and Athletic Committee Chair Ashura Nanendo have expressed their intention to be absent. Also, Beautification Committee Chair Roen Kagami is currently incarcerated in the disciplinary prison! Including the expelled General Affairs officer Nanzen Sosui and Secretary Jakko Hachiyo, a total of five officers are absent. However...

Ho-omaru looked at Kyusei. Kyusei nodded and announced in a dignified voice that echoed through the stadium.

“By the authority of the Vice President, I judge there to be no problem whatsoever. This emergency student general meeting shall... continue as planned!”

Houomaru nodded. Then, he looked out over the massive crowd... no, the students filling the stadium.

“Let us begin! From this moment on, I will bring the true identity of Rushana Kondo to light...”

Rushana snorted. Houomaru gave her a cold glance, then spread his left hand as if beckoning someone.

“Bring the witness... here!”

◆

In the dim disciplinary prison, the girl... En Kyoka, sat alone on her bed, trembling with anger and sorrow.

“Damn it... damn it, damn it...”

What she remembered was his gaze.
It was a quiet, sincere gaze.

“Houomaru...”

After the battle, in the disciplinary prison. Kyoka had confronted Houomaru. It was a time for just the two of them.

Kyoka remembered.

Houomaru's gaze.
That gaze was sincere and earnest.
And Houomaru... had spoken.
In the disciplinary prison, with just the two of them.
Of his plan. And of his feelings.

“You idiot...”

Kyoka held her head and grabbed her hair.

“You idiot... why would you say something like that now...! If you do that, then I... I...”

A single tear traced its way down her cheek, falling silently to the floor.

“Why did I... damn it... damn it, damn it...! Why, why! Why did I rush ahead... in vain... I got Nanzen and Jakko expelled... Ahhh...!”

Groaning while clutching her own hair in regret, she whispered the name of her former enemy.

“Houomaru... you... you are...”

I look up at the ceiling. Thinking of the auditorium that must be beyond it, Shikaen shouts.

"What you are trying to do is...!"

【Continued in ii】

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