The room was dimly lit, its corners plunged in gloom, while a large table occupied the center. Around it stood high-ranking officers, impeccably dressed in black uniforms adorned with medals that glittered in the dim lights. The murmur of their voices filled the atmosphere, exchanging questions in hushed tones. It was unusual for a gathering of such magnitude; few could remember the last time so many high-ranking officers had been convened in one place.
The sound of the automatic doors interrupted the murmur. An imposing figure crossed the threshold. It was a man with white hair with golden glints, marked by age, and a face furrowed with scars that spoke of countless battles.
All present immediately stood up, bowing their heads in respect as they uttered in unison. -Good morning, General Kido!
General Kido returned the greeting with a slight nod before heading to his seat at the head of the table. His gait was firm, authoritative. As soon as he sat down, the surface of the table began to glow, projecting a hologram showing a detailed map of the territory. Two red dots flashed, immediately attracting the attention of those present.
Kido looked up and, in a deep, authoritative voice, spoke. -Gentlemen, many of you may be wondering why we have been summoned so urgently.
He paused, letting his gaze roam the room before continuing:
-Today a report came to me that I would never have wanted to read. As you know, more than ten thousand years have passed since the war our ancestors waged against the demons. In all this time, we have enjoyed peace... until yesterday.
A sepulchral silence pervaded the room for a brief moment before murmurs broke out again. The officers exchanged looks of disbelief and hurried words. Kido raised a hand, asking for silence, and the noise ceased almost immediately.
-Yesterday, at 12 o'clock at night, two of our most important fortresses were attacked and taken over by the demons: Fort Essentia and Fort Vezt.
The news dropped like a stone in a lake, causing a wave of panic among those present. Some officers exchanged looks of disbelief, while others mumbled theories about a possible error in the reports. But Kido gave them no time to ramble.
-Multiple soldiers were killed," he continued, "including the bearer of the Eagle Reiken, Jun.
The reactions were immediate: choked whispers, horrified expressions and worried looks. It was not only the loss of a Reiken, but of one of the most powerful in the army. Kido banged the table loudly, restoring order to the room.
-Jun was no mere Reiken," he continued. He was one of the most powerful warriors we had. But before he fell in battle, he left us one last message.
The hologram changed, showing a video of a recording. The image showed a man covered in blood and visibly exhausted. His face was furrowed with deep wounds, and his breathing was heavy and ragged. The image was chaotic, with the background littered with the corpses of soldiers and the rubble of the fort he once defended.
-This is Eagle Reiken! Request support, repeat, request support! -His voice was desperate, between gasps and shouts. Fort Essentia has fallen.... I repeat, it has fallen! Multiple Akumas have taken over the fort.... They came out of nowhere!
The video showed Jun turning the camera as he tried to stand up. Every corner of the fort was destroyed, and the shattered corpses of soldiers littered the ground. Suddenly, an explosion echoed in the background, and the figure of a dark being appeared through the smoke and flames.
Jun stepped back, dropping the device he was holding. The camera caught the stranger slowly approaching, until only his feet were visible. The Eagle Reiken, kneeling and bathed in sweat and blood, pleaded. -Please... no...
A muffled scream was heard, followed by the sound of a body being lifted. The camera showed Jun's feet rising from the ground, and then, blood falling to the ground in a steady drip. The dark figure dropped the limp body of the Eagle Reiken in front of the camera, turned around and began to walk away while whistling a chilling tune.
A sepulchral silence pervaded the room. None of the officers could utter a word, trapped by the final image they had just witnessed. Everyone's eyes were fixed on General Kido, who, with a tense face, looked at everyone present before breaking the silence:
-This... is not a mistake gentlemen. The demons have returned. I know it is hard to believe, gentlemen, but this is the reality. In these ten thousand years, those damn demons have been breeding and strengthening their army and that's not to mention the Akuma. According to the survivors who managed to escape the forts, the attack was led by a demon who identified himself as one of the Seven Angels of Death.
A sepulchral silence filled the room, interrupted only by nervous murmurs. The officers exchanged incredulous glances, unable to process what they had just heard.
-That's impossible! -an officer finally exclaimed from a corner of the room, breaking the tension.
-We all thought so," Kido replied, glaring at the man. However, someone capable of eliminating the Eagle Reiken with such ease cannot be an ordinary enemy. We are facing a real threat and we must respond immediately.
The general paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in.
-Unfortunately, we do not have enough active Reikens. Most are in training at the academies. -His face hardened. We will have to call in the younger ones... those who have come of age.
The announcement provoked a wave of reactions in the room. One of the officers, unable to contain himself, jumped to his feet.
-That's crazy! -he shouted, his face red with fury. Those young men aren't ready. What will they do when they face an Akuma? They'll freeze with fear and die!
Silence fell again, heavier than before. Kido, with the calm of a man accustomed to pressure, faced the officer with an icy stare.
-Do you have a better idea, Major Geki? -he asked, his voice cold as steel.
The Major pursed his lips, lowering his gaze. The tension in the room was palpable.
-I thought so. -Kido scanned those present with an implacable gaze. We cannot afford to hesitate. If we do not act now, we will be doomed.
A sudden round of applause echoed through the room, breaking the solemnity. All eyes turned to the door, where a young man with long, messy hair had entered, his relaxed attitude contrasting with the gravity of the moment.
-Very touching words, General," he said with a cocky smile, moving toward the center of the room. You almost brought tears to my eyes.
Kido frowned.
-And who are you? -he asked with visible irritation.
A nearby soldier quickly intervened.
-He's the newly promoted lieutenant, sir. Lieutenant Kakashi.
Kido studied him with disdain, his voice laden with sarcasm.
-No wonder I didn't recognize you. -He let out a theatrical sigh. And it seems you weren't taught to respect your superiors either.
Kakashi smiled, a confident smile that bordered on insolence.
-My apologies, general. But I don't usually respect men who hide in offices while real heroes die on the battlefield.
The atmosphere became even more tense. All the officers watched expectantly, anticipating the clash between the two figures.
Kido remained calm, though his eyes reflected a spark of restrained anger.
-What do you do, then? -He asked in a cutting voice, "Don't you do the same?
Kakashi stepped forward, leaving his playful attitude behind.
-No, general," Kakashi replied, as he walked with a confident air, "I, besides being a lieutenant, am a brilliant scientist. And I have something that could turn the tide of this war.
The general arched an intrigued eyebrow.
-What are you talking about?
Kakashi adjusted his uniform, projecting an unwavering calm under the expectant gaze of the assembled officers. His confident smile remained as he began to speak.
-As you mentioned, general, the main problem is the lack of active Reikens. But if we send the young men who have already come of age to the battlefield, they won't last two days. -His serious tone contrasted with his initial attitude, immediately capturing the attention of the room, "Their education so far has been almost completely theoretical, besides we have become accustomed to consider the Reikens as prodigies, who do not need training to reach the peak of power, since as we all know a Reiken is more powerful than an ordinary human.
The officers exchanged nervous glances. Although some tried to hide their discomfort, they all knew Kakashi was right.
Kakashi slowly advanced to the head table, pulling an envelope out of his pocket. With a nimble movement, he dropped a set of documents in front of those present.
-My proposal is simple: establish a military boarding school. He paused deliberately, letting his words echo in the air before continuing. But not just any boarding school. It will be an intensive program designed not only for Reikens, but for ordinary humans as well, with the goal of pushing their abilities to the limit. Can you imagine ordinary soldiers capable of mastering elemental energy with precision? And what will happen when those soldiers are chosen by a Reiken? -He smiled with a twinkle in his eye, "They will be invincible.
A murmur spread among the officers. Some flipped through the documents in disbelief, while others seemed unable to take their eyes off the young lieutenant.
Major Geki stood up abruptly, his face red with indignation.
-This is insane! -He exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table, "How do you plan to accomplish something like this? Turning ordinary humans into elite warriors in such a short time is impossible!
Kakashi turned to him, without losing his composure.
-That information is confidential, Major Geki. -He gave a slight nod, keeping his tone calm but firm. I can only say that I don't need teenagers. I need children.
The impact of those words struck the room like a bolt of lightning.
-Children? -Geki repeated incredulously, his voice tinged with horror. You want to turn mere children into soldiers?
-Exactly. -Kakashi let the words slip out as if they were obvious. I need children between 6 and 8 years old. They are more receptive, more malleable, and their ability to adapt and learn far exceeds that of adults. If we train them now, at their most formative stage, we can turn them into the greatest weapon mankind has ever known.
A thick silence filled the room. The officers exchanged looks of bewilderment and rejection. The idea of using children in a war of such magnitude was difficult to accept, even in a desperate situation.
Geki gritted his teeth, trying to control his fury.
-And how do you plan to find these "candidates"? -he answered in his skeptical voice.
-We will search schools, orphanages and even the most marginalized areas," Kakashi explained, his tone impassive. Those who prove to have exceptional skills will be recruited and trained. They will not be mere soldiers. They will be what this war needs: the future of our species.
General Kido, who until then had watched silently, finally spoke up.
-It's an ambitious plan, Kakashi. -His tone was neutral, but his gaze reflected the weight of the decision he had to make. And also extremely dangerous. Children are not weapons, lieutenant.
Kakashi held his gaze, his smile fading as his tone took on a somber tinge.
-They will not be just weapons, general. They will be our salvation. -His eyes shone with a mixture of ambition and determination. -And make no mistake, general. This war will not be won with traditional ideas. It will be won by sacrifice, and the sooner we accept that reality, the sooner we can prepare our forces to face what lies ahead.
The room again fell into an eerie silence. The officers knew they were at a moral crossroads.
Kido finally sighed, folding his hands on the table.
-I'll think about it. -His tone was firm, though his face reflected doubt. But understand this, Kakashi, if we go ahead with your plan, all the responsibility will fall on you. Their welfare, their training... everything will be under your charge.
Kakashi bowed his head in respect, a confident smile reappearing on his face.
-Understood, General. I will not disappoint you.
As Kakashi left the room, the murmur among the officers began to grow. Kido remained motionless, staring at the documents in front of him. He knew that accepting this proposal meant crossing a dangerous line. But he also knew that, with the demons advancing more and more every day, they might not have any other choice.
The clock was ticking, and humanity was once again on the brink of the abyss.