Chapter: 1. Prologue
At night, the ancient corridor made of stone appeared particularly eerie in the silence.
The walls on both sides were eroded by time, mottled and worn, with a few dried vines occasionally visible clinging to them.
Silver moonlight spilled in through the windows along the corridor, providing a faint light that outlined the uneven textures of the stone bricks.
A man was running painfully down this cold path, dragging his injured right leg. His breathing was rapid, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes were filled with terror.
Sweat streamed down his face as he ran, and his expression was one of desperation, as if he were fleeing from some unseen horror.
Each step echoed with a resounding thud, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet corridor.
It felt as if something was closing in from the shadows behind him.
The silver moonlight illuminated him, reflecting the dire state of his white coat.
Once clean, the coat was now tattered and ragged, with the edges torn and frayed, covered in dirt and bloodstains.
Bloodstains marred the fabric, carrying a sharp, metallic scent.
The skin beneath the coat was also scratched and bruised, appearing utterly battered.
His legs wobbled as he ran, blood continuously seeping from his right leg wound, yet he gritted his teeth and pressed on.
—If he could just reach there, he would have time to call for help.
This thought kept the man pushing forward.
When he finally saw the ancient iron door at the end of the corridor, it felt like a glimmer of hope.
With nearly broken will, he lunged at the door, trembling hands pressing against the device at its entrance, channeling his magic into it.
The door issued a crisp sound as it unlocked in response to his magic.
Just as he was about to push the door open, a beam of dark red light shot out from the shadows behind him. The light, radiating scorching heat, pierced through his left leg like a hunter’s claw.
“Ah—!”
The man let out a hoarse scream of pain, losing his balance and crashing down onto the cold stone floor.
In the moment just before he collapsed, he bit down hard, summoning his last ounce of strength to throw a spherical object through the slightly ajar door.
It was a pitch-black orb.
Its surface was made of black scales, intersected with geometric white patterns that flickered feebly with light.
The orb cut through the air and rolled with inertia onto the thick, red carpet in the room.
It rolled gently across the carpet, eventually disappearing beneath a cupboard in the corner of the room.
As it came to a stop, the white patterns on its surface dimmed gradually, as if losing vitality, merging back into the surrounding darkness and completely vanishing.
Seeing this through the crack of the door, the man felt his tightly wound nerves relax slightly.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving, cold sweat dripping from his forehead and soaking the ground.
—At least they won’t find it on me.
This thought echoed in his mind, almost as a form of reassurance to himself.
—He must not let it fall into their hands.
Struggling, he moved his arm, using the momentum of his fall to pull the slightly ajar iron door shut.
The metallic latch clicked sharply, as if the room was responding to his final request, sealing the door and separating the outside world from the room completely.
That thing was now successfully hidden behind the door.
He knew that the permissions for this room were extremely special.
Besides him, there was only one other person on this island who could open this door.
—At least they will have no way to open it.
Even those pursuing him would only attract other extraordinary individuals on the island if they attempted to force their way through.
This thought temporarily calmed the man.
Despite blood pouring from his wound and his consciousness growing faint, he knew that at least at this moment, he had successfully protected that thing.
Just then, footsteps echoed from the shadows behind him, the sound growing nearer, resonating in the silent stone corridor.
The footsteps were slow and steady, tightening around his heart, increasing his anxiety.
“Where is that thing?” The voice from the shadows was deep and hoarse, as though it had been altered in some way, carrying a mechanical quality that made it hard to discern its gender.
The voice sliced into the man’s ears like a blade.
“I… I really don’t know what you’re talking about!” The man feigned terror, his voice trembling as he shouted at the figure hidden in the shadows, “But perhaps… maybe I can help you find it! Just let me go…”
His tone was filled with pleading, but his mind was racing. Calmness and despair intertwined, his thoughts clearer than ever.
—They have completely infiltrated here.
—This information must be relayed.
—Even if it means begging for a moment, buying time to find an opportunity!
The footsteps in the shadows seemed to pause, the indistinct figure blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.
Silver moonlight continued to pour through the broken windows, illuminating the stone bricks of the corridor and the blood-stained figure of the man, yet failing to penetrate that darkness, as if it were a forbidden zone untouched by light, devouring everything.
The shadow writhed like a living creature, exuding an indescribable sense of oppression.
“Since you activated that thing, it seems…” The voice in the shadows paused, “You’ve found it, haven’t you? The new protagonist.”
At this, the man’s heart skipped a beat.
—Is the plan exposed?
—Their target is… the protagonist?
In an instant.
All the man’s thoughts were pushed aside, leaving only piercing fear and unease.
“Looks like I was right?”
“…” The man remained silent, stealthily extending his hand behind him to disguise the motion of activating the “Fantasy Armament” with the movement of his back.
“What is your purpose?” The man asked.
“To reveal the truth to the world.” The voice in the shadows remained hoarse, calm as a placid lake, without a ripple.
“You don’t even know what happened back then!”
“At least it’s not the way everyone knows it now.” The tone was still steady, unwavering, “All we are doing is restoring the truth. If this leads to chaos in the world, then that’s the price the world must pay.”
“What you’re doing will only plunge this world into chaos.”
“If that’s the cost of the truth coming to light, I am willing to bear all blame.”
At this point.
The man knew he could not persuade them.
They were specters of a bygone era.
At this moment, more important than disseminating the information was ensuring that “he” remained undetected by them.
If they learned of the “protagonist’s” whereabouts through him—
“You… can’t get anything from me.” The man revealed a relieved smile, his gaze firm, as if he had already accepted his fate.
In the next moment, magic surged from his arm, rushing to the wrist where a bracelet was located, activating the universal fantasy armament.
The gun-type fantasy weapon activated in the man’s hand, rapidly coalescing into a pitch-black magical bullet with the flow of magic.
The magical bullet emitted a faint hum in the air, magic gathering at the gun’s muzzle.
His finger was already on the trigger; however, the target of this magical bullet was not the enemy hiding in the shadows before him but his own brain.
He understood clearly that as long as he destroyed his brain, they would no longer be able to extract any information from his memory.
They feared that power.
So there was no need to worry about his soul exposing the truth.
At the moment he pulled the trigger, he wore a relieved smile, as if he had already accepted his fate.
From that day forward, he had envisioned that such a day would come.
The magical bullet pierced his skull, blood splattering as his head was obliterated in an instant, the severe pain never breaking the resolute smile on his face.
His body lost strength in that moment, collapsing to the cold stone floor like a lifeless sculpture.
The silver moonlight continued to shine on his form, illuminating the silent corpse, his gaze frozen in the final moment.
It was as if he smiled in acceptance of destiny’s judgment.
Thus, he buried all his secrets and plans within the dark grave of his life.
…
…
“Tsk, just a mere traitor.”
A slender figure slowly emerged from the shadows, silver moonlight cascading down her long hair, casting a soft glow.
Her face was shrouded in shadow.
“The commotion just now triggered the security system; in three minutes, someone will come to check the situation.” Her companion remained hidden in the dark, voice calm and rational.
“Check if that thing is on him.”
Upon hearing this, she hesitated not at all, walking straight to the fallen man and, after confirming he was completely dead, began searching his belongings, trying to locate that important container.
“What do we do now? Should we ask someone else about the protagonist?” her companion in the shadows spoke again.
“Useless; the existence of the ‘protagonist’ is a secret to others.” She shook her head, “Only a handful know. Either they are high-ranking individuals under strict protection or powerful ACEs; ordinary people can’t access such classified information.”
“Opportunities like tonight are rare.” After searching the man without success, she stood up while saying this.
“But he was still too naive.”
“His reaction inadvertently confirmed our speculation—the new ‘protagonist’ is in this school.”
“We can’t let the new ‘protagonist’ get that thing—” Her gaze fell on the room before her, but they had yet to find a way to enter that door.
“Pass down the orders.”
“At all costs, find the new protagonist.”
…
…
—It has been two and a half years since the “Ceremony of the Stars.”
Another spring has arrived.
Shiraiwa Station.
This is the only station where one can take the maglev train to the “Artificial Academy Island – Ark.”
At the platform, a girl’s figure attracted the attention of passersby, causing them to stop and take a look.
No one, regardless of gender, could take their eyes off the stunningly beautiful face of this girl.
Her long, jet-black hair, as deep as the night sky, framed her snow-white skin, making it appear even more translucent.
Additionally, her undeniable S-shaped figure made her attire—a supposedly pure and conservative school uniform—appear oddly alluring.
It was as if the bright sunlight dimmed in comparison to this girl.
Around the black-haired beauty were countless boys whispering, wanting to approach her.
But before they could make a move.
A boy, looking like a clueless first-year student, stumbled over to the black-haired beauty.
“Um, excuse me, are you a student of Ark Academy?” the first-year student shyly asked, “I accidentally lost my student ID; can this situation be verified through the identity check of Artificial Academy Island?”
It seemed he was merely seeking advice from this beautiful upperclassman.
Today is the new students’ entrance ceremony.
This first-year student must be very anxious, right?
However, the black-haired beauty revealed a troubled expression upon hearing this:
“I’m sorry ~ actually, I just enrolled today, so I’m not sure either…”
“Oh? But your tie color…”
For students of Ark Academy, the color of the tie generally represented their grade.
The tie on the black-haired beauty’s chest was clearly that of a second-year student. Even though her chest was impressively ample, the first-year student felt he couldn’t possibly be mistaken.
“Ah, that… ” The black-haired beauty revealed an embarrassed smile.
Her cute and upright features made the first-year student feel as if he were pierced in the heart, instantly capturing his affection.
This black-haired beauty possessed a charm that could make anyone fall in love at first sight.
“Actually, I’m a transfer student who came this year~”
The black-haired beauty showed a brilliant and adorable smile: “My name is Hoshimiya Nagi, and I’m a student who transferred to the elite class this year; what about you?”
The moment the first-year student witnessed this smile, all the boys present felt as if they had fallen in love.
