God Eater 3 (Complete Retelling)

Chapter 1: Brothers

    The Ashlands, that is the name given to the strange phenomenon that has plagued the world since 2080. Invisible to the naked eye, the only way it can be seen is the physical signs of an object melting and eventually turning to ash. This is due to the microscopic organisms called Ashblight. Organic, inorganic, human or Aragami, all is affected by the ash. Fenrir, the last military organization that kept humanity together, along with the branches, were lost in an event known as "The Calamity".

Humans have created small dwellings known as Ports in the few areas that are free of Ash. Each Port is independent and not gathered together under a single banner. Such independence has led to many conflicts between Ports over clean land, transportation routes, and resources. A normal human being can survive for 10 minutes at best in the lowest level of ash. God Eaters can survive an entire day if P53-c, a modified version of the standard Bias Factor is injected into their bodies before heading out.

Some time after the ash appeared, scientists discovered from the few surviving documents of Fenrir data the formula of a type of Bias Factor called P73. With much trial and error, the newly made p73-c gave rise to a new type of God Eater that can survive much longer, even in Ashlands with ash concentration levels of 3. These new God Eaters are called Adaptive God Eaters, or AGEs for short. Due to the Bias Factor, AGEs are required to be given twin Armlets rather than the standard single Armlet. However, some AGEs have another name for these Armlets: shackles.

P73-c may give a person high tolerance to Ashblight, but because of their increased strength and other abilities, most people consider them more dangerous than even the Aragami. Therefore, All AGE Armlets are fashioned with restraint devices and are required to be active at all times while confined in their cells. Such conditions and risks are the reason why no one applies to become an AGE. Orphans who lost their families to ash or Aragami are forced to become AGEs. This is the story of such orphans.

In the hallways of Pennywort, a Port known for weapons development and high casualty numbers, a guard escorts two young boys who just completed their compatibility test. One boy with black hair and another boy with silver hair and a blue hooded sweater. The silver haired boy is unconscious and being carried straight to their prison cell. When he opens the cell door, he pushes the black haired boy in and tosses the other boy in as well. The guard stares at the unconscious one for a few seconds.

Guard: Crap. Did the kid croak on the way here?

Suspecting that the boy died, the guard walks up to the boy, he then raises his leg and...

Guard: Hey!

He brings his foot down onto the boys stomach at full force.

Silver Haired Boy: GAH!!!! *cough cough*
Guard: Listen here, you little brat! Your life belongs to the Port now. If we say work, you work. If we say fight, you fight. And if we say roll over and die, you roll over and die! Disobey us and you'll regret it.

The guard then walked out, closed the cell door behind him and left. From the corner of the room, other AGE children were hiding from the guard. That specific guard has a tendency of mercilessly beating any AGE who disobeys even the most insignificant order, child or otherwise. The black haired boy wasn't afraid of the guard however, and stared in anger at the hallway. The boy then walks up to help the silver haired boy up.

Black Haired Boy: Are you okay?
Silver Haired Boy: *cough* Y-Yeah, I'm okay...
Black Haired Boy: My name's Hugo. What's your name?
Silver Haired Boy: L-Luca...
Hugo: Hehe... Nice to meet you Luca. Are you scared?
Luca:  *nod*
Hugo: Don't be. We're not gonna die. I promise.

Despite Hugo's attempt at reassurance, Luca was still scared. Hugo then raised his shackled arms.

Hugo: Luca, from now on, you and me are brothers.
Luca: ?!
Hugo: That means I'll always have your back, and you'll always have mine. And not just that, we'll keep everyone here safe too. We won't fight for the sake of the Port people, we'll fight for each other. And one day, we'll finally get our freedom. You with me?

Luca sat there silently at Hugo's proclamation, and for the first time, Luca's eyes were filled with hope. Any traces of fear left his body and he began to smile.

Luca: ...Yeah. I'm with you, Hugo.

Luca then raised his shackled arms and the two tapped their armlets against the other's. They had formed a bond that no one will ever be able to tear apart. And as long as they have their dream to motivate them, the two will fight with everything they have.