章 1: Prologue: Operating Behind the Scenes
Going back in time to a certain day in February two months earlier…
In a meeting room, within a certain facility somewhere in Tokyo, a man believed to be in his 40's was reading out information displayed on a screen.
A teenager was quietly listening in.
A 15-year old teenager, soon to be entering high school.
That being said, their identity wasn't that of an ordinary child.
They were somebody who had been given a special education from the secret facility known as the White Room.
"With this, we've now gone over the data for Ayanokōji Kiyotaka and the other 156 second-year students. Have you committed everything to memory?"
The man, Tsukishiro, was showing this teenager all of the data that they had collected on the students of a certain high school over the course of the last year. Not only did it have standard information such as their full names, date of birth, and former schools, but it even had information on their parents and siblings, grades and accomplishments since early childhood, and even who they typically interacted with. It was a top-secret meeting with detailed information that even the school's homeroom teachers weren't allowed to see.
"I believe you're already aware of this, but it's crucial that Ayanokōji-kun is expelled and returned to the White Room before the end of April. After all, we can't afford to prolong the plan any longer. Please be clever about how you do it though. Make sure the public learns nothing. If the government hears of this, that person… Sensei's name might be stained, I'm afraid."
After Tsukishiro's explanation, the White Room student slowly raised their hand.
"So you're saying that I shouldn't attract unnecessary attention, right?"
"That's right. That's precisely why only someone like you, who can pose as a student, is able to do this. I'll do whatever I can to support you, but Sakayanagi's faction is definitely going to be more vigilant from now on. That limits any large moves I can make."
The teenager showed signs of understanding, but a certain look of dissatisfaction could be seen on their face, one that Tsukishiro wasn't able to overlook.
"You seem to have some complaints, I can see it on your face."
Tsukishiro turned around and glanced at the picture of Ayanokōji on the screen behind him, then turned back and met the teenager's eyes.
"You aren't pleased that he, Ayanokōji-kun, is being praised as our masterpiece, are you? Not only are they sending me out there, but they even went so far as to interrupt the experiments and send you out when the White Room had only just resumed operations again. I must say, it does feel like far too courteous of a response. As someone raised within the same facility, the humiliation you're feeling must be unbearable."
Tsukishiro strongly emphasized this point as he explained.
He was looking to get the teenager to surpass their own potential by fanning their sense of rivalry.
'Ayanokōji Kiyotaka is our masterpiece.'
Each time they hear these words, Tsukishiro thought it would invoke feelings of competition lurking within the teenager's mind.
To Tsukishiro it probably seemed as though he had dealt with everything flawlessly, but in reality, he had misread one crucial part of it.
There was an idea that been painstakingly instilled within the mind's of those in the White Room:
[Become someone who can surpass Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.]
This idea had led them to feel a sense of 'hatred'. One that a third-party like Tsukishiro, who hadn't been raised in the White Room, would never be able to understand.
At times, this hatred would swell up to the point where they couldn't contain it anymore, causing them to act recklessly.
"The stage has been set. All that's left is for you to make use of the full extent of your abilities. I took a look at your file, and I have no complaints. If you really do have this level of talent, expelling him should be a walk in the park, right?"
His explanation ended along with a distorted provocation. Tsukishiro then powered off the screen.
The room became engulfed in darkness in a moment, but before long, the room was yet again enveloped in the lights shining from the ceiling.
"Well then, we'll leave it at that if you don't have any further questions. Time is so very precious, after all."
Hearing this, the teenager turned their back and began to leave the room as if nothing had happened.
Tsukishiro was slightly bothered by their calm attitude.
His intuition told him that he had made a mistake at some point during his explanation.
However, it was impossible to take back words he had already said.
"One thing— There is one thing I forgot to confirm with you."
He called to the teenager, speaking to their back as they had stopped just before they left the room.
"You aren't hiding something from me, are you?"
Even if the teenager was on his side, everyone in the institution wasn't always on the same page, and Tsukishiro knew that.
If the two of them didn't see eye-to-eye from the beginning, something that could've gone smoothly might end up going awry.
That was why he had called out to the teenager.
Without turning around, the teenager simply nodded their head before silently leaving the room.
Once he was alone, Tsukishiro turned off the lights once again before reshifting his attention back to the screen.
Displayed upon it was all of Ayanokōji Kiyotaka's data from his time in the White Room.
"I don't really like using these types of words to describe things, but… he really is a monster."
It goes without saying that his academic abilities were excellent, but his physical abilities could put adults to shame.
His track record of fights against professional fighters was lined with nothing but victories.
"A battle between two fellow White Room students… I wonder how it would turn out in a fair fight?"
Of course, Tsukishiro had already devised a clever plan to ensure that he would win.
But even so, victory wasn't guaranteed.
"It's hunt or be hunted. It may be a game between children, but it will certainly still be an interesting one."
As an adult, Tsukishiro wasn't worried. He just slowly took his time executing the mission he had been tasked with.
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