The ear of the nation.

The next day, the school had an assembly as we were informed about the upcoming war, with it being livestreamed, at my request, to the entire nation.

"I'm sure you have heard about the tragedy that claimed the lives of the top two heroes, Endeavor and Hawks, just yesterday.

It wasn't an isolated incident. It was a prelude to the war that is upon us. The league of villains has recovered in full and more.

They've joined up with the remnants of the Meta Liberation movement, their numbers are in the tens of thousands, nearing over a hundred thousand.

We know this thanks to the hard work and investigations of both, the late Hawks and one of our students here, Haru Shikimori." He said, calling me onto the podium.

Using me as propaganda huh?

Not a bad plan, not bad at all!

I walked over, and stood beside him, as he put a hand on my shoulder.

"We need more brave heroes like Haru here, now more than ever. Our nation, our way of life, our civilization itself is under threat!

And with that in mind, we are recruiting people to join the joint operational force being put together alongside the JSDF, to counter this insurgency before it devolves into a full blown civil war that engulfs this nation in a blaze of violence and anarchy.

We will not force you to participate if you do not want to. It is understandable.

You're still just students and as such, you hold no responsibility to take part in the war." Principal Nezu said, before bowing down, deeply, his voice quivering.

"But I beg of you, please, if not for us, or the nation or even your heroic ideals, then for your families, parents, friends and loved ones, for their safety and security, please join us in our fight against the League of Villains."

The students began to mutter amongst themselves, unsure of what to do, as a lot of them hesitantly stepped back, unwilling to go into a conflict straight out of high school.

Their fear was palpable and completely warranted.

I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to put their lives on the line.

But it wouldn't do for me to have them remain safe and hopeful in the efforts of others.

Oh no no! I wanted to crush their hopes once and for all. And for that, I needed their full participation and witness.

To that end, I looked at principal Nezu and asked.

"May I take the mic?"

Nezu raised an eyebrow and looked at me with confusion, before a realization sparked in his eyes.

"Yes! Of course!" He said, remembering my former speech at the sports festival, handing me the mic.

I walked over to the edge of the podium, and adressed the students.

"Hey! Hey! Can I have your attention here? Good, good.

I know you're all scared and confused.

I am too. These are uncertain and turbulent times, the sort that come once an age, the sorts of times that produces great heroes, visionaries and legends.

And yet, what they create more than these handful of great men and women, are victims and casualties.

The hero is remembered forevermore for defeating the dark lord but the average soldier fighting alongside him, the one with a family and children, dies in obscurity, leaving behind a broken family and no recognition for his sacrifice.

And I cannot assure you that the same won't happen to you.

Much like the forgotten soldier, if you choose to participate, you'll likely be a sacrifice, a victim, a statistical casualty.

And I know that scares you. And I know that I'm not doing a very good job of selling you on the war.

I could call it a holy war for our ideals or I could lie and tell you that you'll all be remembered as heroes for generations to come.

But I won't. Because all of you, you, and you and you," I said pointing at the people in the audience, then at the camera, "and even those watching this livestream online. All of you deserve the truth.

This isn't a comfortable truth of knowing your crush has feelings for you, or a glorious truth of discovery and knowledge; this isn't the great and profound truth of science or philosophy either.

This is the brutal truth of war.

This is just how wars are.

Right about now, a lot of you are probably feeling scared, utterly terrified out of your panties at the thought of it.

A civil war. It's a scary thought all right!

And what you're experiencing now?

This point, this moment you're witnessing, that ground you're standing on?

They stood here too, right there, right where you are standing today.

All those unrecognized soldiers and potential heroes.

And all of them were the same as you, scared shitless for their lives.

And I'm scared too!

So much so that I lay awake at night, shaking in fear, clutching my head in terror.

Everyone who has come before you, stood here, where you're standing now, and every single one of them thought what you're thinking right now.

Wishing that this was all a dream or some big joke or prank.

That someone would come out of the bushes and yell, it's just a prank bro, or get rekt loser!

I know you are wishing right about now, that you had been born a bit earlier, that this responsibility hadn't fallen onto your shoulders, that it shouldn't have ever been your burden to bear, your sacrifice to make!

They wish it need not have happemed in their time, in their lives.

So do I, and so do all who come to live through such times!

But that is not for them to decide.

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.

You can choose to fight or you can choose to run and hide.

I'll not fault you for either.

But before you do, I'd like you to know what you stand to lose, and it's not just your and your families lives, it's your humanity itself!

If you choose today to turn your backs upon this cause, to walk away, you'll be walking away from the work of generations, of the cumulative labors of mankind that have brought us here, to this golden age of science and technology, with flushing toilets and a thousand flavors of chocolate.

And when the dust settles, if you happen to survive this warlike age, what you'll emerge to witness is a world of sticks and stones and blood and bones.

Gone will be the pleasures of good food and the leisure of safety.

What'll be left, will be the abject destitution brought forth by your inaction, and the guilt that'll be your cross to bear for the rest of your miserable life, as you tread upon the ruins of your civilization and the corpses of your friends and family.

What food you'll find will turn to ash in your mouth and no amount of water will quench your thirst or wash away the blood of your loved ones from your hands.

And so the time has come upon you, the time to make a choice!

Will you fight or will you flee?

Whatever you choose, remember this, it was your choice." I ended, on a somber tone, handing Nezu the mic before walking down the podium, to the stares of an entire nation on me and a pindrop silence, all around.