~Council Assembly Hall- Junsui Academy-Wakaba Prefecture~
General Mason Tahno walks into the assembly hall, putting on his best face, though it isn't much of an improvement. He manages a smile as he enters, but five cold, expressionless faces stare back at him, creating an intimidating environment.
"Good afternoon, everyone. You all seem to be in such a wonderful mood today, so inviting," he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The President, not bothering to hide his agitation, yells, "Cut the nonsense, Mason. Sit down!"
"Well, aren't we in a good mood today? Forgive me, Mr. Academy President," Mason responds, his sarcasm unwavering.
"Do you really think this is the time to be joking around?" Vera Nickels, the Chief Fire Elemental, says indignantly. "I thought you had a serious proposition, or are you going to continue to waste our time?"
"Pleasant as always, aren't we, Vera? I apologize for wasting your time. How about I repay the offense by taking you out for dinner tonight? I know just the place that'll loosen you right up," he suggests, giving her a cheeky smile.
She scoffs. "You wish. I've already gotten the other parasite of a man out of my life after all this time; I'm not interested in getting infected again. Also, I'm loosened just fine, so keep your opinions to yourself."
"My goodness, Vera, you really are a viper. Remind me not to get on your bad side. You certainly live up to your title," Liam Guthrie, the Chief Earth Elemental, says in a calm and level tone.
"You are one to talk, Liam. You are much attuned to your element as well, with your solid mentality," Viktor Mainer, the Chief Water Elemental, adds in a resonant tone.
"Wouldn't it be best to say that we all match our respective elements? I mean, we aren't masters for nothing. To reach the ultimate elemental level, one must become one with their elemental mind, body, and soul," Kira Leanna, the Chief Air Elemental, remarks.
The others look at Kira in awe. "Wow, Kira, that was so spiritual and balanced. You certainly live up to your element. I feel so inspired now. Thank you for your lesson, Sensei," Mason replies, his sarcasm evident.
"I'm pretty sure I can sense the sarcasm in your response, Mason, but thank you, I suppose," Kira responds with a slight smile.
Before Mason can offer another sarcastic reply, the Academy President, Hiro Mitoki, interjects. "I think that's enough distraction for one day. Do you all think we can get this meeting started or what?"
Hiro has his serious face on, and everyone knows that means he is no longer in the mood for joking. The atmosphere in the room returns to its original level of intimidation. Even Mason decides to get serious and focus on business.
Hiro crosses his arms, clasps his hands together, and then looks Mason straight in the eyes. "Now, let's hear this proposal of yours, General Tahno, Head of the Junsui Attack Force," he says, returning Mason's sarcasm.
"Yes, of course, Sir. I'll keep it short and simple and get right to the point. I've been assessing four subjects over these last two years, with the assistance of the elemental instructors, and after evaluating their physical, mental, and emotional states, I believe they are ready for integration with Subject Black."
The expressions of everyone in the room shift to surprise, and just before anyone can voice objections, Mason makes his final statement.
"Not just that, but I also propose that we initiate the beginning stages of the Hardy Protocol."
The room suddenly erupts with opposition and protests, but Mason simply sits back and enjoys the reaction.
~
2 years earlier
~Observation Control Room- Junsui Academy-Wakaba Prefecture~
General Mason Tahno enters the control room abruptly, catching the staff off guard with his sudden question. "What's the status on Subject Black?" The staff members stand at attention, saluting and waiting for his command. "At ease, men. Now, as for my question…?"
The worker closest to Mason jumps, quickly grabbing some papers. "Yes, sir! Subject Black shows continued hostility. He becomes extremely violent whenever anyone enters the room, whether for meals, cleaning, or socialization. He refuses to eat, requiring sedation and feeding through IV. Surprisingly, however, he never transforms into his demon form, nor does he use any elements when hostile; he's purely physical."
"Hmm, I see. Very interesting. Well, I guess I'll go see him for myself. If you would be so kind."
The worker looks stunned. "Sir, I'm not sure that's a good idea. No one has been able to get further than two feet in before he charges. To go in alone and unarmed would be dangerous. I must respectfully refuse."
Mason glares at him coldly, leaning down to his level. "Oh, you refuse me? Is that so?"
The worker trembles under Mason's intense stare, finally caving in. "Yes, Sir, right away!" He rushes back to his control panel and unlocks the door. Another worker motions Mason toward it.
Mason walks to the door, and as the worker carefully opens it, he steps inside. He spots a boy huddled in a corner, who slowly raises his head to look at Mason. The boy's eyes are filled with nothing but burning rage, a look Mason recognizes because he has been there before. To anyone else, the boy might just seem angry, but Mason sees the deeper pain.
Mason begins to move closer, but as he takes his first step, the boy growls and shifts, preparing to attack. Mason decides to take a more cautious approach. "Noah, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. My name is General Tahno; do you remember me?" The boy doesn't respond. "I'm your guardian, remember? I'll take it from here."
Suddenly, the boy seems to remember and backs down. He stands upright, continuing to stare Mason down. After a few moments of scrutinizing Mason, he slowly starts to walk toward him. Mason remains still.
"General, you should come out now!" The worker guarding the door yells, startling Noah.
Noah growls again, and annoyed, Mason shouts back, "Just be quiet! Don't interfere again!" The worker backs away.
Mason turns back to Noah, who still looks vicious but has calmed down a bit. Noah starts walking toward Mason slowly until he finally reaches him. He stares right into Mason's eyes for a moment before turning away and heading back to his corner, acting as though Mason isn't even there anymore. Mason can tell that Noah has decided he can be trusted, but he still has no interest in him. That's fine, though. This is going to take some time, which is only natural considering Noah has just become an orphan and learned he's some sort of monster.
Mason exits the cell, and the guards immediately lock it back up. They stare at him, unable to believe he went in there and came out unscathed. "See, I told you it'd be fine. He's a kid. Baby steps." The guards still look shocked but decide to accept his apparent lunacy without another word. "So, have the other subjects been picked?" Mason asks. The guard shuffles through the papers on his desk, pulls out four folders, and hands them to Mason. "Thank you." Mason flips through the pages, saying nothing for several minutes before finally asking, "Brief me on them."
The guard retrieves the folders, which contain only pictures and general information on the subjects and pulls up their more thorough profiles from the database where observation notes are recorded.
"Subject Red, 12, male, Fire Elemental. Observations show that he's extremely volatile in unfavorable situations, loves to be in control, and has a sense of entitlement. However, he's also very outgoing, fierce, and confident—an excellent candidate to be a leader. He's secretly kind if anyone can actually break down his walls.
"Subject Blue, 12, female, Water Elemental. Observations show that she's very compliant. She always follows the rules strictly and never questions an order. She's the most obedient, making for an excellent tactician and soldier. However, these stiff traits and her cold, uncompromising nature make her an outcast.
"Subject Green, 12, male, Earth Elemental. Observations show that he's the most fun-loving student. He loves to joke around and is very sociable. He has no problems making friends and being liked, and he's extremely loyal to his friends, making him an excellent team player in groups and a solid compromiser. However, his one flaw is that he has no aggression despite having tremendous power. He's extremely passive, making training exercises an impossible task. He's unsuited to be a soldier simply because he's too nice.
"Subject White, 12, female, Air Elemental. This is probably the toughest subject. Observations show that she's very reclusive, never desiring to socialize with others. She's been a loner for the majority of her school years, despite many of her classmates attempting to befriend her. She gets extremely anxious and terrified, most especially when approached by males, students, or staff. We decided to conduct a more thorough medical exam on her than the other subjects, and the physician reports that she shows clear signs of years of sexual abuse. However, when questioned by the psychologist, she remained silent, so it's unclear exactly who may have been the perpetrator, but we suspect someone among the dorm staff as they have full access to the rooms, where students do not. Despite being completely withdrawn, she shows the most stability and mental balance of her class when safely distanced from males and has extremely strong powers, making her a vital combatant."
"Hmm, they all sound like perfect misfits with extremely valuable assets, exactly what I wanted, but Subject White does worry me. I'd like to find out who's behind the abuse so they can be punished severely for defiling an innocent young girl. I want you to set up cameras in her room. I know it's an invasion of privacy, but it's a necessary evil to get to the bottom of this. However, I want the feed to be accessible by only me."
The guard looks at Mason as if he has said something absurd or questionable. However, he doesn't dare comment on his thoughts or object. "I will do so immediately, Sir."
"Thank you, and don't worry—I'm not going to creep on her," Mason replies, his tone firm but slightly reassuring. "I'll only be monitoring when she's asleep. My guess is that the assailant strikes during the late hours when it's quiet and deserted. I appreciate your thorough report. It's clear that you and the professors have done your homework. These subjects are exactly what I need for the Hardy Protocol Plan. Now comes the challenge of getting the rest of the council to approve it. I think they'll agree, but only because they don't believe we'll ever actually need it. The hardest part will be convincing them to enact it. But I have at least two years to work on that."
"What exactly is the Hardy Protocol, Sir, if I may ask?"
"Think of it as a plan for the worst-case scenario," Mason says, his tone growing more serious. "You don't need to know all the details, but the bottom line is this: one day, I'm going to turn these five subjects into the ultimate Junsui Hunting Attack Team. It won't be easy, but I have faith that they'll become an unstoppable force."