~Academy Training Base- Junsui Academy-Wakaba Prefecture~
Noah joins the others in the pit, where they suit up for battle. Their normal uniforms are black, with a high-neck collar and trim in a color matching their respective classes, with buttons lined down the middle. However, for battle exercises, they wear a different uniform, one much more suited for combat and survival, especially on days like this. Their battle uniforms resemble those of any other military, with camouflage cargo pants, boots, a tank top, and a jacket. However, they don't use helmets or bulletproof vests. In fact, they don't go into battle with much more than their uniforms and weapons. This is very sufficient since none of them are technically human.
The world is not as it was 500 years ago, just before the Cursed War began. This war was fought between two demon factions, the Karyuhdo and the Kusaru. The Karyuhdo were the intelligent side, or "Sanes," as they were called, and they knew how to survive in the world peacefully among humans, doing so without conflict by utilizing animals for their dietary needs. The Kusaru, on the other hand, were impulsive and wild, unable to control their hunger for human flesh, and therefore slaughtered countless innocents, earning the label "Ferals." The Ferals had existed for 500 years before the war and still remain in the present, but in secret. Their Cursed War dragged many humans into the conflict on either side, dividing them and leading to widespread ruin. It has taken 450 years to rebuild civilization, and now, in this New Age, things have become completely different from before.
In this New Age, the world has been divided into Prefectures, with multiple districts contained in each. Some countries have just one Prefecture, while others have many, depending on their size. This Prefecture unites all of Japan, where they reside, split into five districts, with Hokkaido City as the capital. Despite being in Japan, it is a very different Japan, with the most diversity of all the Prefectures worldwide. After the war, the world had become toxic, wiping out most populations, leaving only a small section of Japan with a habitable atmosphere. This led to the migration of the few resilient humans from all across the world who were able to survive. Along with the founder, General Yoshii Wakaba, these people rebuilt civilization starting right there in Wakaba. Once it had flourished, they migrated across the world, which had slowly regained its habitable atmosphere over time, and then they built the other Prefectures.
Somewhere along the way, Marked Children began to be born. These were children with a specific mark on their inner arms, and when they reached puberty, they developed the ability to produce a single element from within. These children did not appear to pose a threat if well-managed. However, not long after their emergence, the Ancient Demons of the past, known collectively as the Junsuikaoni Demons, began to resurface. The Sanes formed their own secret societies in the outskirts of the wilderness and maintained a peaceful existence, such that no one was aware of their true nature. However, the Ferals resurfaced and once again began to ravage the outer districts, formed by deserters who no longer had the right to the Prefecture's protection. The biggest issue arose when Feral lords, who were able to exercise more restraint, learned of the existence of the Marked Children and wanted to use them for their selfish gain of reclaiming power. They began kidnapping these children and manipulating them into causing destruction from within, where they were never suspected because they had never been a danger before. Once they were discovered, the Wakaba parliament put intense security measures into place.
This led to the creation of the very first Junsui Hunter Academy in Wakaba, intended to protect the Marked Children from harm at the hands of the Ferals and to maintain Wakaba's safety—or at least, that's what they told the citizens. However, as students of this Academy, they knew the truth: they weren't there for their own protection or the good of Wakaba. The Academy was just the council's selfish attempt at exploiting their powers for its gain by training them to amplify their abilities and fight both the Ferals and the Sanes, who only wanted peace. The council didn't care about either side; they just wanted to suppress the Junsui Demons once and for all so their power would never be threatened. The students were simply tools. They weren't exactly human, despite their appearance, because they had demon blood coursing through their veins. This made them Superhumans, with abnormally resilient bodies, advanced speed, senses, agility, and the ability to pull demonic energy from their soul force to materialize a single element.
However, even with all of that, Marked Children were nothing like true Junsui Demons. They weren't immortal, they couldn't match the resilience, strength, and ferocity of Junsui Demons, they couldn't heal themselves, they couldn't transform into full demons, they couldn't control natural elements from the environment, and as a slight advantage, they didn't require nutrients from a direct living source. That was the one downfall of Junsui Demons, though luckily, they didn't need to consume those nutrients all the time—just every few days, and animals sufficed, though human flesh was certainly tempting.
Noah reflects on his own situation. Unlike the rest of his team, he isn't a Marked Child. He is a full-fledged, true-blooded Junsui Demon, capable of transformation and all, and it totally sucks. Sure, he's nearly invincible, but at the cost of needing to eat living things, even if they are animals, to survive. He can't do things as freely as the others, all because one wrong move could literally be deadly. He has to keep his temper in check, his emotions in general, really; otherwise, even a small trigger could send him off the edge and into demon mode, which is dangerous for everyone around him.
The thought of his transformation makes his skin prickle with unease. It's a constant shadow lurking in the back of his mind—a reminder that he's not like the others. They might be powerful, they might be strong, but they're still human in a way he'll never be again. When they suit up, they do it with a sense of camaraderie, a bond forged from shared experiences and mutual trust. But Noah always feels that subtle distance, that unspoken barrier that separates him from the rest. He's part of the team, but there's always that lingering doubt—what if he loses control? What if, in the heat of battle, he becomes the very thing they're supposed to fight against?
Noah tightens the straps on his gauntlets, the leather creaking under the pressure. He remembers the first time he transformed, the way his body had twisted and contorted, bones snapping and reforming, skin stretching until it felt like it would tear apart. The power had been overwhelming, intoxicating even, but it had also been terrifying. He had felt the raw, primal hunger surge within him, the desire to rip, tear, and consume. It was a struggle to hold onto his humanity, to remember who he was beneath the demon's skin.
He hasn't told anyone just how close he came to losing himself that day. They know he's powerful, they know he's dangerous, but they don't know the full extent of the battle he fights every time he transforms. He's learned to control it, to keep the demon at bay, but it's always there, just beneath the surface, waiting for a moment of weakness.
Noah glances at his teammates, each one focused on their preparations, unaware of the turmoil brewing inside him. They all have their own burdens to bear, their own fears and doubts, but none of them have to worry about turning into a monster if they slip up.
He forces himself to breathe deeply, focusing on the sensation of air filling his lungs, grounding himself in the present moment. He can't afford to let his mind wander down that dark path—not now, not when the stakes are so high. He's trained for this, just like the others. He knows how to fight, how to harness his power without letting it consume him. But the fear is always there, a constant companion that never quite leaves him.
As the final preparations are made, Noah catches Tahno's eye across the room. The General's gaze is sharp, assessing, as if he can see right through Noah's calm exterior to the storm raging underneath. For a moment, Noah wonders if Tahno knows, if he's aware of the struggle that Noah faces every day. But the General says nothing, simply nodding once before turning back to the others.
Noah swallows hard, steeling himself for the battle ahead. He's not just fighting the Ferals—he's fighting himself, too. And he knows that if he falters, if he lets his guard down for even a second, it could mean the end for him and everyone around him. But he pushes those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. He's survived this long, and he'll keep surviving, one battle at a time.