Chapter Text
Hope’s Peak Academy, the school that leads its students to success. The students who attend this school are talented in unique ways. I had always wished to go to this amazing school, being one of these “ultimates” as they call it. I guess I’m super lucky to have been chosen to attend the reopening of Hope’s Peak! I, Isagi Yoichi, the Ultimate Adaptability Master!
“Finally, a new year, a new school, and a new me!” Isagi hyped himself up. In the official email Isagi received, he was told to arrive for the opening ceremony at 8:30 AM. Isagi arrived a bit too early, almost an hour earlier. He looked at his phone, which read “7:10 AM”. The teenage boy chuckled in embarrassment since he was way too early; he couldn’t sleep the night before due to the excitement. Isagi looked up, looking at the school. It was a bit run-down, but it was understandable. After everything that had happened before until now, it was great to know that Hope’s Peak decided to start on a blank canvas.
“I can’t just stand here! I’ll explore the school in the meantime!” Isagi said with excitement that he couldn’t bury.
Once he opened the main door to the school, he noticed that the windows had metal plaques and huge bolts keeping them from falling. Isagi thought this was weird, but he did not really pay attention to it. It wasn’t until he felt dizziness it was as if he was in a whirlpool. His vision began to blur until his world had gone dark.
And that is how my ordinary life came to an end.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
When Isagi opened his eyes again, he was in an unfamiliar classroom. His drool was on the desk that his head was resting on. The dark-haired boy slowly lifted his head, looking around the classroom. He then noticed a letter; it looked as if it was written by a kid: “Please get to the gym as soon as possible! The entrance ceremony will begin soon.” It was vague. Isagi did not know what time it was since all his belongings had somehow disappeared. To add to the situation, the windows were covered, and there were no clocks in sight. So, he could not tell what time of the day it was. Anyhow, Isagi decided to find the gymnasium. He got a bit lost but found it after he followed another student with both brown and yellow hair. Well, Isagi believed he was another student since the boy was also dressed in a school uniform.
As he entered the gymnasium, there were 12 other people. Could this be everyone? This seemed like a small number for an opening ceremony. It was all so confusing to Isagi. He noticed a tall guy with also tall hair; he seemed intimidating… Isagi also noticed a guy with blonde hair that faded into a royal blue. Was that guy even Japanese? He didn’t want to think too much of it. Before long, the lights in the gym had dimmed. A spotlight was shining in at the front of the room, and that is when everyone saw him.
“Hello, hello? 1,2,1,2.”
Everyone turned their heads towards the front; it seemed like a hologram. It was glitching slightly, but then it cleared. It was a hologram of a long and slender man.
“Welcome to Hope’s Peak Academy, dear students. I am Jinpachi Ego. I am the headmaster of this school.”
Faint whispers could be heard: “Headmaster?”
Isagi stayed quiet, wanting to hear more of what this headmaster wanted to say.
“Now then, let us begin this entrance ceremony. First and foremost, let’s talk about what your school life will be like.” Ego says sternly. “From now on, you, the students, will live a communal life within the walls of this school. As for the end date to this communal life, there is none.” The headmaster pauses.
Confusion was spread among every student standing in the gymnasium. Then, the confusion turned into wild disbelief.
“We were never told about this.” A tanned guy with light blue hair said softly.
“Y-yeah… yer right!” A boy with a bandana agreed with the other.
“Now now… It was your own choice to even show up here, wasn’t it? Your own egos have led you here at Hope’s Peak Academy.” Ego said, glaring at his audience menacingly.
“Does that mean we can’t go back home?” A guy with bangs covering his eyes asked with hesitation.
“Yes, that is exactly what I mean. You will not be able to leave this place. Everything is barricaded shut, and security cameras are everywhere.” Ego replies, he had a creepy stare.
Isagi does not like the feeling of this. He wouldn’t mind living with his classmates, but the fact that the school has high security doesn’t sit right with him.
“The heck?! Are we in a prison or something?!” The guy with tall hair spoke; he was speaking for everyone else in the gym. The rest stayed quiet, waiting for a reply from Ego.
“Correct. Hence, I decided to implement a graduation system. A little present for my students.” The headmaster replies with a creepy smile.
Graduation? Isagi was confused.
“Hey, what do you mean by graduation?” Isagi finally spoke.
“Glad you asked.” Ego’s smile grew wider. “You are able to graduate if you were to murder another student.”
“M-murder?!” Isagi reacted in shock. Everyone else also had a similar reaction. The gymnasium was now in an uproar. No one could believe this was real; it could only happen in a world of fiction.
“Huh?! Are you sick in the head?! What is this!” The teenager with tall hair roared, walking menacingly towards the front.
“EEEK! M-m-murder?! This isn’t possible, right?!” An anxious boy cried out.
“H-huh?! That’s not right!” The guy with the bandana shouted.
Then the noise settled down once more. Isagi gulped down his saliva that had been resting in his mouth for a while.
“Murder? Y-you want us to kill someone else?” Isagi commented as he looked up nervously at Ego.
“Yes. Murder.” He replied at once.
“Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, how you do it doesn't matter. What matters is that you must kill someone to be able to leave this school.” Ego added, his eyes seemed like black holes that swallowed the remaining hope of the students.
Then the gym became silent, and Isagi could even hear his own breathing. Everyone in the room grew weary of each other, and the air became tense. Would anyone commit murder to escape? Can the students even trust each other?
“Before I leave, I shall hand you all this.” Ego broke the silence.
The headmaster had handed all the students what looked like an electronic device.
“I call them E-handbooks, they have useful information like the school rules, and many more. When turning them on, they all have your designated names. They are quite hard to make, so do not go on and lose them, all right? Anyhow, I shall take my leave. If you have any more questions, I will have my assistant. Anri Teiri, she will help you all. Now, enjoy your stay.” Ego concluded before his hologram completely disappeared and was replaced by a woman’s.
Everyone was at a loss for words. There was a lot to say, but at the same time, what could they even say? Some people started to leave. The first person to leave the gym was a guy with long lower eyelashes. Then people started to do the same. One by one, everyone left the gym of despair. Isagi was the last one to leave the gymnasium.
And that is how my new school life began. The school that brought me so much hope, now became an academy of despair and survival.
PROLOGUE END.
13 STUDENTS REMAINING.