Elohim Academy: Genesis

Chapter 4: Another Recruited

Two weeks later in Tokyo, Japan.

The Japanese Elohim System is organized slightly differently than other nations. During the Realm Wars, Japan suffered a separation between the ninjas and the samurai. To create peace amongst the two factions, the top samurai and ninja would spar, and the winner of the battle became the general of Japan and the other was honored as Legendary Sage taking the place of lt. general. As a result, the general had charge over both factions but if the faction under the Sage—currently the samurai—disagreed with the general, the Sage had every right to withdraw all of their troops from the nation, reducing the military might in half. This allowed the ninjas and samurai to have power over their factions but respect each other's wishes. The current Legendary Sage samurai Ryota Hashimoto and the general ninja Katsuro Hayashi are relatively close friends.

Dressed in a brilliant black suit of armor resembling a futuristic samurai and with only his head uncovered, Ryota walks into Katsuro's office reading a few documents. Seeing Katsuro covered in his midnight colored ninja suit as he's working on his own paperwork, Ryota says, "Katsuro, I need to talk to you about something."

Katsuro appears concerned, and answers, "Of course. What's the problem?"

"Do you remember former Cpt. Takeshita's son?"

Katsuro glances away in thought for a second and nods casually. "Ah, do you mean Hajime? Hajime Takeshita?"

"Yes, we used to babysit him when we were younger."

"Oh Hajime! What about him?"

"Currently, he is living alone on the Ryukyu Islands in his parents' manor, but I believe that it is time for him to enter into the Elohim Academy."

Katsuro gazes at an old photo of he and Ryota standing with their fathers. "You understand that since his parents' deaths, more specifically his father's, he's been going through a lot emotionally and it does take time for people to recover from such a loss."

"Katsuro, that happened years ago and ever since then, he's in self-banishment. I think this would be an excellent opportunity to help him heal and make some friends that will support him. He needs to get out and get active."

"Well, he hasn't entered the Elohim Preliminary School, and the deadline for contestants in the entrance tournament is rapidly approaching."

"We could give him an exemption?"

"It's way too late for exemption applications."

"So, then we just register him as a 'walk-on' contestant. I'm sure he can take care of himself from there."

After a few seconds of thought, Katsuro sighs in defeat. "Fine. On one condition: he enters into an academy in another country."

"Why?" asks Ryota.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he still has trust issues from the coup d'état event that ended his father's life. I wouldn't blame him. I'm sure he'll find it hard to trust our system at this point. Plus... the kid just needs a fresh start."

"Now the real elephant has finally entered the room... who is going to tell him?"

"Oh, God." Katsuro and Ryota glare at each other intensely. The room becomes deadly silent as they stare through each other's soul. Yet, after a few moments, Katsuro gives in once again, sighing, "Ugh! Fine, fine! I'll do it."

Ryota smiles sarcastically. "Oh, really? Thanks, Katsuro."

"Get out of my office."

***

A Japanese teenager wearing a black hoodie with his last name "Takeshita" in white kanji symbols on his back enters the lobby of the general's office. The sweatshirt has his family crest in the shape of a circle within a hexagon and a lotus at the center bounded in by the circle. As Hajime observed his surroundings, he quickly notices portraits of each previous leader in Japan since the Last Forerunner on the right side of the wall. On his left is an entire wall of clear glass revealing the beautiful atrium in the center of the complex. A gentle stream elegantly carves through the heart of a lush garden. The botanical inhabitants of the garden were so vast and diverse that it appeared more like a slice of a tranquil forest than a man-made phenomenon.