1 - Happy Birthday Hachiro

All was quiet in Minerva, the fresh morning sunbeams glistening through the blinds of my window. Despite it being nearly the crack of dawn, I could already hear the background ambiance of the bustling city a few blocks away from my house. Work had begun nearly an hour ago, but my family had decided to take the day off. Why? Well, because today was a very special day. It wasn't anything too serious, just an anniversary of sorts... today was my 16th birthday.

"Hachiro, are you awake yet boy?"

I could hear the words of my father echo throughout the hallway, infiltrating my bedroom. In Minerva, one did not simply "sleep in" as one usually does at my age. In this world, you were considered a bottom feeder if you weren't working at my age. Most children started working in the steam factories when they turned 12! That was the schedule of the world, working around the clock, 6 days a week, resting on the 7th day. That's how things got done.

If you were fortunate enough to land a better job, you might have been able to work less, but the rich are few and far between, and those who were rich were usually elitists. However, there is one job that very few are blessed to be able to have. A job that isn't in the factories, a job with guaranteed income, a job with fame and fortune in store for those who do it well...

The job in question isn't something one simply works towards, no, it's something you're born into. My family and I were fortunate enough to be born into this profession. We, along with millions of other citizens, are privileged enough to be classified as "Extraordinary Individuals". However, our jobs are dangerous, and our lives are put on the line nearly every day.

Extraordinary Individuals are humans who are born with strange powers that set them apart from the rest of society in terms of ability. Some are exceptionally skilled in combat, some can use magic, some have telepathy, and some can even create objects out of thin air, there are countless abilities one can acquire upon birth, but the odds are quite low. On average, every 1/1,000 humans will be born with an extraordinary gift. The odds are of course increased if the parents of the child are also extraordinary, which is how you got someone like me to come about.

Combative Excellence runs in my family. In my father's prime, he was an exceptional swordfighter, fighting every day to help protect humanity. He married a woman who was a skilled mage and used magic to fight. Together, they were an unstoppable force, and they had me 16 years ago. I was born with heightened abilities in combat, similar to my father, but unfortunately, I hadn't picked up any of my mother's magical traits.

For the first 2 years of my life, all was normal. My father continued to fight alongside my mother, earning a stable income for our new family. But then, one fateful day nearly 2 years later, everything took a turn for the absolute worst... my father's life was changed forever...

You see, I currently live with my father and stepmother... My biological mother was killed when I was all but 2 years old. The cause of death? Murder. The culprit? Somebody so vile, my father refuses to speak of them, and with good reason. Simply put, they aren't human.

The culprit of such a heinous crime was a monster, but society chooses to refer to them as "The Unusuals". They're terrifying creatures of unsurmountable strength, who have a lust for blood so strong, that regular humans can do absolutely nothing about it. If a citizen is caught alone by one of these creatures, their fate is almost sealed. Only the Extraordinary Individuals are powerful enough to put a stop to them, but even then, countless Extraordinary Individuals have been slain by these vile creatures.

"Hachiro, you better be up and around before the clock strikes 9! Otherwise, I'll come in there and drag you out of bed myself!"

We were attacked in our old home, or so my father says, by an unusual whom he said had been pursuing him for years. My father trained at one of Minerva's many training academies, but he never told me which one, in fact, he never really delved into the topic of his school life. He always tried his best to keep me away from the fighting scene, claiming it was "too dangerous for me right now".

The unusual in question slew my mother before his eyes... and then attempted to kill me... according to what my father told me, he defeated the monster in a fit of rage so powerful, the shockwaves from his strikes could be felt miles away. Now, being 2 years old at the time, I have no way of recalling such a memory.

He claimed that after he killed that unusual, another one came in, and he killed it too, in a single strike... our home was raided by nearly 50 unusuals that day, my father killing every single one of them, mercilessly. After the carnage had ceased, he took me with him and fled the area...

But even if what he said was true, I wondered if I could ever be as powerful as he claimed to be. Today marks a little over 14 years since that incident took place, and my father hasn't drawn his sword since. He got remarried to a wonderful woman whom I call mother now, and they moved to this new house off the outskirts of City X.

The very next year, they had my younger sister, Misako. She turns 13 in a few months.

Because of the horrific incident he endured, he refused to fight, instead opting to work on developing parts for weapons used by Extraordinary Individuals. His expertise in weaponry and combat made his new job simple, but unfortunately, our income was effectively cut in half.

Although he tried his best to keep me away from fighting, he could not stop my urges. He knew that I was extraordinary, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to hide it from me forever... I always had a knack for swordplay, usually defeating all of my friends in duels. I had no idea why I was so talented until my father finally broke the news to me when I was 11.

He told me everything... how my mother died, his old job, how he saved my life, and who I really was... my world had turned upside down in an instant, and from that day on, I knew that I had to take up my father's former occupation, and help the world fight against its worst plague, The Unusuals.

For the next 5 years, I dedicated most of my time to swordplay, training with my friends, as well as with my father, though he never drew his sword. He still gets terrible memories from even looking at his blade. Instead, he simply coached me on techniques he learned in his youth...and all of that work has led up to today...

Today, I turned 16. Why is that such a big deal? Well, when an Extraordinary Individual turns 16, they are officially eligible to enroll in one of Minerva's fantastic training academies for individuals with strange powers. However, I had no idea which academy I wanted to enroll in. There were so many choices.

*Click* *DING*

I turned my head to look at the clock, it had struck 9... suddenly, I heard faint footsteps drawing near, growing faster and louder with each step, until-

*BOOM*

"Hachiro! I told you to be up and around! Today is a big day, there's no time to laze around, especially not now!"

My door swung open, and in stepped my father, clearly annoyed, but not angered. He was always stern about his rules and wanted to make sure that I grew up to be a fine individual with a proper work ethic, extraordinary or not. I sat up, fixed my hair, stretched, and got out of bed.

"I'll be down in a few moments dad. I promise."

"Alright, I'll see you in a few, sport."

Walking to my wardrobe, I gazed into the mirror at my appearance. I had aged so much, that I was beginning to look like a young adult. I had inherited my father's purple eyes and my mother's black hair. The two colors blended well nicely. My face was beginning to take shape, and I could tell that I was becoming more defined.

I picked out my favorite shirt, put it on, and made my way out of my bedroom. Today was the day that I would finally choose where I would train... the place where I would receive my first taste of professional instruction, and I was amped...

"Happy birthday Hachiro! As I'm sure you're aware, I have some very important news to share with you..."

"Yes father, I've been looking forward to this day for many years now..."