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Tokyo. The capital of the Japanese Empire. One of the largest and the most populated cities, not only in the country but in the world. Starting as a fishing village that would become one of the most significant cities of the 21st century. It is the heart of the Japanese Empire, by itself, Tokyo holds more than 30% of the country’s population. Important industries, banks, foreign company offices, and an endless list of assets that further solidify Tokyo’s position as the heart of Japan and Asia region.

There is no one to compete within the region. Tokyo overshadows any other megapolis or city even in other countries.

China is divided, an endless civil war has been plaguing the country for almost ninety years. No conclusion in sight. With the League of Nations signing the Hsinking Accord of 1957 any hope for external support was lost. Japan was interested in keeping the fate of the Chinese state uncertain. The Soviet Union lost it’s interest in confrontationist policy, due to the change in leadership. The British Empire was and is on an ongoing campaign to maintain its vast territories. The United States of America started to look internally once again, with the outside becoming an afterthought. Putting China into a limbo of uncertainty.

India and Pakistan, after gaining independence fell into disarray. Their borders intentionally nonsensical specifically made to breed contempt between the two nations. And parts of the former British Raj are still retained by the English. The biggest being the British Empire still holding a stranglehold on the fate of East Bengal. And by proximity making sure the two new-borns do not get over their heads with ambition.

Other smaller countries fall under the influence of the Four Leading Nations.

The name Tokyo translated from the Japanese language means eastern capital. And that name without doubt suits this sprawling metropolis. The Capital of the East is even more imposing if the Bombing of Tokyo is taken into consideration. Infrastructure, industry, buildings - all destroyed. Even the Imperial family suffered losses which would further embolden the country to fight.

When the fighting subsided and the world returned to peace, there was a question on everyone’s minds.

What was the point of all this?

The conclusion of the Second World War was almost the exact same as the Great War. Borders barely changed. Millions of dead. World peace still an illusion.

A change in the world order was needed.

During the war, a new breed of humans was utilized in comparatively large-scale numbers. The earliest recorded birth was in 1920, Konigsberg, Germany. But was followed by more births soon after. Each year the number of new-borns that could be classified as the ‘other’ humans continued to increase. In the Second World War, these new humans joined the battlefield as the new weapons of the war.

And as is with all new weapons they were used differently by every country. Some had more success than others. The Third Reich, Japan, and the Soviet Union taking a special interest in these new breeds.

They were stronger, their origin unknown, and the new breeds themselves defying rationality. But classifying them as different was wrong. They still possessed human shape, mind, and heart.

So, there was no need to create a new word or term. Since deep within they were still humans.

This new changed the landscape of the war. Altering history without even being aware of it. What made these people so different from everyone else?

Evolution? God? Or maybe something even more illogical and unreasonable?

A few will know the truth. Even fewer will know the secrets ‘this’ world holds. Some of these few, who possess the mental fortitude and will, accept the truth differently. One of the few will be driven mad. One of the few will accept. One of the few will advance. And the final one will restore.

There is still time for them to understand themselves. Without understanding what they want, there cannot be acceptance and action.

After the war, many debates started around the world about how to better use the Superhumans. Will their presence on the battlefield make tanks obsolete? Will the way war is waged change?

But another question was raised. The speaker deciding the hidden meaning of the inquiry.

How will humanity continue to change with time?

But that is something that will be answered at another hour. An hour that is yet to come.

///

Minato ward, Higashi-Shibashi district in Tokyo is known for the various business offices and entertainment facilities based around the area. Companies coming from overseas setup offices, this district being another notable spot due to many regional offices created by companies from abroad.

It’s night, a time for rest. Some are sleeping and resting their tired bodies. Some are drinking with friends for fun or with senior co-workers out of obligation. No matter what the people are doing the workday is over. Tomorrow will be another busy day when the citizens will continue to work for the good of the Empire, the world, and their families.

In one of the offices, an old man is sitting on a couch. Alone he waited, the room was silent. The office belongs to a small real estate company that is being rented by the UIC.

Kazuhiro Suzuki quickly arrived in Tokyo on the beckoning of the United Industry Corporation. A gigantic corporation dealing in everything from technological research to arms manufacturing. The UIC came into existence after the second world war and became jointly funded by the four permanent members of the League of Nations council.

The office was barren, there was barely any furniture in the room. Two couches facing each other and a small table in between the said couches.

That was it.

No decorations, carpets, pottery, anything. Only, a silent air that was not even disturbed by the loud life of Tokyo. In a way, it felt like this office was specifically here for the meeting between Kazuhiro and one of ‘his’ messengers.

To make the old man understand that the only thing which will happen here is a short conversation.

Now he was waiting. Waiting for one of ‘his’ servants.

‘He’ is something no one can define properly. Place of origin. Date of birth. Appearance. Age. Abilities and talents.

Unknown. It would be appropriate to say that this person may not exist in the first place.

In a way ‘he’ was like the new breed of humans. One could not be understood, the other one could not be comprehended.

Maybe only the Emperor of Japan, the General Secretary of the USSR, the King of Britain and the President of the United States may have any concept of who ‘he’ is.

Or maybe even to people like them, ‘he’ is an unknown.

A knock on the door resounded through the room.

Kazuhiro said nothing and waited for the person to just enter. He was invited into the room, the fact that the person on the other side knocked, showed the attitude of the man. That was likely one of ‘his’ massagers.

“I’m coming in.” the person on the other side said. The voice was that of an adult man with a certain lightness in it. A voice seemingly devoid of worry, but at the same time, it sounds incredibly cautious. As if a single wrong word will derail everything.

A sharp-dressed man in a black three-piece suit enters the darkroom. His facial features sharp while his long black hair is tied into a ponytail. And sunglasses covered his eyes thus hiding his emotions.

The one who came in sat himself down on the couch opposite to Kazuhiro. Body posture completely relaxes, but his hidden eyes might be showing a bit more intensity.

“Sorry for the wait, I got a little lost on the way here, you know how the capital is.” A light but a slightly annoyed tone. As if he was making excuses in front of his boss or teacher, but clearly did not enjoy doing so. “Man, I haven’t been here in a while, but Tokyo sure changed a lot. New districts, streets, buildings, and whoever knows what else.”

He spoke in the same contradictory voice.

“Why did you call me here? Just to spout empty platitudes?” Kazuhiro already took a disliking towards the man in front of him.

They did not know each other, and the fact that the person in the suit did not introduce himself made the feelings of animosity swell up inside the elder.

“Of course not, I am a very busy guy after all. Getting this whole thing finished quickly is both in our mutual interest.” He answered in the same carefree yet calculated tone.

The man reached into the inner pocket of his suit.

Then he put two envelopes onto the small table. It was too dark within the room neither person inside bothering to turn on the light.

“Why did you sell arms to the countries bound by the Hsinking Accord. You are aware of what the point of that document is don’t you.” Still a light tone but more inquisitive this time.

“I know what it means, did you call me here just for a history lesson.”

“If that’s the case, why did you proceed with the sale of the shipment. The shipment that you were forbidden to sell.”

“I sold spare parts, not weapons. I don’t need permission in that case.”

“Yes. You sold spare parts. But spare parts for the armored cars, tanks, and weapons that are being used by the Indian and Pakistani armies. You see the problem is not that you even proceed with the sale. But you proceeded with the sale when the Imperial Court and the League of Nations Assembly forbade you.”

“Do you have proof that I’m involved? Empty threats won’t wo-”

“We do.” The man tapped the envelopes on the table. “This envelope contains some interesting photos we took.”

This man was extremely irritated.

“The first envelope holds photos of the destroyed equipment using the spare parts you sold. Markings are indicating what Imperial factories were the manufacturers. We traced them back to you.”

“They required spare parts for their armies, and it was profitable. So, I sold it.” He dropped the pretense of innocence. It seems that it was not going to work this time. “And what will you do about it. Punish me?”

There was not that could be actually done. Kazuhiro held was too valuable to the state, for now. Even if he wasn’t the most honest person.

But the man in the sunglasses smiled a little.

“Tsk, tsk greed. You know that the resolution of the civil war will not do us any good. And masking the shipment as a civilian product? That’s a fraud.” But he dropped the issue and pointed to the second envelope. “This one is for your personal viewing. I believe you avoided getting conscripted into the military due to your asthma, right?”

“What of it.” Kazuhiro did not understand how his avoiding conscription was relevant.

“Which means you aren’t very familiar with how real corpses look. Right Kazuhiro-san?”

“So, what of it!”

“How is your grandson doing? Yuta-kun if I remember correctly?” A sudden question, that came out of nowhere.

“What does this have to do with him?”

The man in the shades gave Kazuhiro a meaningful smile.

“We would just have reprimanded you if the sale was all you did. The reason why we took extreme measures, in this case, is the excavation site in Persia. Your report was full of holes.” A change in the subject that again seemed to be completely unconnected with the previous one.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Are you retarded, Suzuki.” Aggression and harsher words were mixed into the man’s voice. The old man wasn’t particularly surprised by the sudden outburst. It was apparent that he was not as calm as seemed, first impressions are not always deceptive. The man in the shades quickly got a grip on his own temper and returning his voice to a more relaxed tone. “Didn’t you realize that acting dumb won't work. You took something that belongs to my most esteemed master, you are aware of that right.”

“It’s just a knife…” The cylinder casing was inside Kazuhiro’s hand.

“Just a knife you say?” A chuckle escaped the man in the suit. “Well you aren’t wrong Suzuki-san, but it has a sentimental value you see. Could you please return it?”

Kazuhiro was aware that there was something special about this small weapon. He was told so by ‘them’. But what exactly was so special escaped the old man.

So, he handed over the cylindrical casing with the knife inside. The casing was decorated with various shapes and figures carved into it.

But the meaning of the decorations escaped the old man. Therefore, he paid them no heed.

“You seem to like that ‘master’ of yours, does he really pay you that well?”

“A person like you can’t understand.” The irritated tone started to resurface again.

“Then make me understand.”

“He doesn’t pay me. And the master does not have to. But he is offering me a possibility to ger a reward.”

“Reward?”

“You see we have a bit of a competition going on. Whoever the master chooses will get to pick one of four...” the man paused. Something stopping him from speaking. “Two… Three… No, it’s technically four.” Now he spoke calmly again “Whoever the master chooses will get to pick something very important to us. My and my sister disagree on what prize should be rewarded. So, we compete.”

A vague explanation. Nothing except that there is some sort of prizes was clear.

“And that is? A possibility to get a reward?”

“Didn’t I say that a person like you can’t understand? We are loyal and our master may reward one of us for that loyalty. He does not have to reward us in any way. But he will still reward us, or in this case reward one of us, because he’s kind.” Irritation starts to seep into the man’s voice again. As if he is reminded of something very unpleasant. “Or is your heart so twisted that you can’t understand that summary either.”

“Then you’re the one who’s retarded for thinking that way.”

“How harsh.”

The man in the glasses started to stand up.

“Oh, yeah I almost forgot. My sister is in Nagasaki right now.” Out of nowhere the one in the shades produces what seems to be a newspaper. “She was visiting a new friend she made, who is in the hospital right now. So, she picked up a special issue of the Gunka Newspaper.”

The Gunka News are newspapers dealing with military affairs. The main target audience of the newspaper is ex-soldiers and people who currently serve in the Imperial Armed Forces. Due to most of the population being conscripted into the military at some point in their lives, it is widely read online. The print version is more popular with the older generations. They often take articles written by the newspaper club on Hashima Island and Shin Tokyo Island. The places where the two Academies are located.

The man in the sunglasses put the print on the table, that was placed in this room.

It’s as if the table was placed here just for this moment.

“This is tomorrow’s issue, I thought you might enjoy the read, so I brought one specifically for you. Now if you would excuse me, I have other business to attend to.”

And then he stood up and went over to the door. As the man in the shades opened the door, he stopped as if remembering something.

“One more thing, open the second envelope only after you read the newspaper article. Those photos were very difficult to take so enjoy them.” And made his exit.

The old man turned his attention to the newspaper on the table.

The room was dark.

But the lights that sneaked into the room from the outside illuminated the darkness. Making what is written visibly with undoubtable clarity.

‘Suzuki Yuta: Gunkanjima Academy student dies in a military exercise.’