Tales of Mankind

Osaka, Japan

1015 Apartment Building

April 1st, 2023

The alarm clock blared loudly, piercing through the peaceful morning as Michael, a 19-year-old teenager, slept soundly in his cozy bed.

It was the first day of school at the university, and the sun was shining brightly outside. Oblivious to the noise, Michael snored softly, completely unaware as the alarm clock shook vigorously on his nightstand, eventually tumbling down and landing right on his face.

"Ugh, what a way to start the day," Michael grumbled and yawned as he reluctantly climbed out of bed, retrieving the fallen alarm clock and placing it back on his nightstand.

He tidied up his bed, slipped on his slippers, and made his way to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he dressed in his uniform, grabbed a slice of bread from the fridge, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed out the door.

"So, this is my first day as a university student, huh? I suppose I'll just blend into the background and be another ghost student until graduation. Better to keep a low profile than to be in the spotlight, right?" Michael mused to himself as he locked his door, tucking the keys into his pocket before heading downstairs from his apartment.

As he stepped outside, he unexpectedly bumped into an old acquaintance, Shino Mitsuya. Shino was a muscular individual with black hair and eyes, and has an enthusiastic personality.

"Hey, yo! You're also heading to Kaminari Academy, right? Wanna go together?" Shino asked excitedly.

"Of course, you're also at Kaminari Academy. What a coincidence. Now I'm more excited to go to school. Yey for me," Michael sarcastically thought to himself as he glanced at Shino.

"Yeah, sure," Michael replied with a hint of indifference. He and Shino had known each other for a long time. In fact, they had been together at the same orphanage before.

As they walked towards Kaminari Academy, memories of their early days at the orphanage flooded Michael's mind. He recalled how Shino had approached him when he was new and made an effort to befriend him. Shino had been there for him during their first days in kindergarten, providing support and friendship every step of the way.

Though Michael often maintained a seemingly indifferent demeanor towards Shino, deep down, he felt a sense of gratitude and comfort knowing that he had someone like Shino to keep him company.

"So, how's it going, Mike? How did you spend your school break all this time?" Shino asked, munching on a piece of chocolate bar.

"You know I'm a shut-in, right? I've been cooped up in my apartment for the most part," Michael replied, finishing the last bite of his bread.

Shino chuckled and playfully bumped into Mike's shoulder. "Hey, man, you should go out more often. There's a whole world outside that apartment, you know? Ah, June said there's a new arcade in town. How about we go there later this afternoon?"

"No way, I'm going straight home. I need to finish this book I'm reading," replied Mike.

"Yeah? What's the book about this time? Dragons? Robots? Aliens?" asked Shino.

"It's about this really strong guy who's a demigod and whatnot," Mike replied, but he was interrupted by Shino.

"Yeah, man, I'm sure it's great, but come on, classes are starting soon and I'm sure it'll be pretty hectic. So let's go chill while it's still early. How about it? This afternoon?" Shino said eagerly, waiting for Mike's affirmation.

"Alright, alright. As you said, classes are starting. Come on already," Mike grumbled as both of them arrived at Kaminari Academy. They entered the building and made their way to their classroom.

"What the... Shino got into Class 1?" Mike thought. "How did that muscle brain manage to get into Class 1?"

"Classmates? Dude, I got into your class! How awesome is that?" Shino exclaimed, his enthusiasm evident. Mike only managed a halfhearted grin in response. They both walked into the classroom, greeted some familiar faces, and took their seats.

After a few moments of sighs, yawns, and chatter, a woman with brownish-silver hair entered the classroom. She appeared to be in her mid-20s, with chocolate brown eyes and a well-built physique. She introduced herself as Sasaki Shimada, the new homeroom advisor and philosophy teacher.

"I'll be your new homeroom advisor and philosophy teacher. My name is Sasaki Shimada. It's a pleasure to meet all of you," she said with a warm smile.

"I'll be in your care, and before we begin our lesson, let's start with a roll call," She announced, taking out a clipboard with the student roster. She called out each student's name, and they responded with a "present" or raised hand to indicate their presence.

As the roll call progressed, Sasaki took note of each student's name, occasionally adding a friendly comment or question to break the ice.

Soon after, their lessons began. Mike was fully engaged in class, displaying genuine interest in the subjects being taught. On the other hand, Shino was frequently caught dozing off, struggling to stay awake.

As the day progressed, the class continued to cover various subjects with different teachers. Overall, the class was making good progress. However, during the approach of lunchtime, Mike suddenly felt the urge to use the bathroom. He promptly requested permission and left to relieve himself.

While Mike was walking through the hall corridors, an eerie sensation washed over him, as if a mysterious entity were lurking nearby. Unaware of this presence, Mike hurriedly made his way towards the bathroom.

Upon finishing his business, he exited the bathroom stall in a rush. However, just as he was about to step out of the bathroom door, he collided with something—or rather, someone—unexpectedly. The impact sent him sprawling onto the bathroom floor, causing him to let out a grunt of pain.

A few moments after the incident, Mike regained consciousness, feeling slightly dizzy as he lay on the bathroom floor. His head was throbbing intensely, accompanied by a persistent ringing sound. Wincing in pain, he made an effort to stand up.

Using the nearest sink for support, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his complexion appeared unusually pale. He splashed his face with running water, hoping to alleviate the discomfort. As he did so, he tried to gather his thoughts and process the situation he found himself in.

As Mike started to regain his composure, the ringing sound in his head began to subside, gradually becoming clearer and more distinct.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" a voice echoed within his mind.

Perplexed and taken aback, Mike wondered who could be speaking to him. He scanned his surroundings, but there was no one else present in the bathroom besides himself.

"What was that? Who was that?" he thought, bewildered by the unexpected voice. A mixture of confusion and curiosity filled his mind.

"I must be going crazy," Mike chuckled softly, finding some amusement in the peculiarity of the situation. "Hearing voices in my head... How bizarre."

"So you can hear me. Hello~ I suppose you must be wondering what's happening to you, right? Right?" the voice persisted, its tone filled with an air of curiosity.

Mike remained stunned, his eyes darting around the empty bathroom, confirming once again that he was alone. A sense of unease crept over him as the fear of the unknown settled in.

"What are you? Who are you?" he muttered, his words tumbling out rapidly. "Are you a ghost or something? Are you haunting me? Do you seek justice?" His mind raced with questions, attempting to make sense of the inexplicable voice that seemed to reach him from within.

"Oh, right. Humans are unaware of our existence. Well, of my existence, to be precise," the voice responded, seemingly understanding Mike's confusion. "But I'm not alone, just to clarify. There are others like me. We share certain characteristics with what you refer to as ghosts. However, it's important to note that we're not inherently evil. Well, at least most of us aren't. It's a matter of choice, you see?"

Mike listened intently, his fear gradually giving way to curiosity as the voice attempted to provide some explanation. He felt a mix of apprehension and intrigue at the prospect of an entirely different realm of beings coexisting alongside humans. The situation had become even more perplexing, but he couldn't help but entertain the notion of this mysterious entity's presence and intentions.

The voice persisted in its explanation, divulging more details to Mike about its origin and purpose. It claimed to be a prince from a celestial realm, once exiled and cast down to Earth, referred to as Terra. According to the voice, it had arrived on Earth by falling from heaven and, by sheer chance, encountered Mike in the bathroom, leading it to choose him as its host. It further asserted that it required Mike's assistance in seeking revenge.

Mike's mind reeled with disbelief as he processed the extraordinary claims being made. "Wait, what? A host?" he exclaimed, seeking clarification. "Let me make sure I understand this correctly. You're a prince from heaven, but you were exiled and ended up here on Earth. You fell from the heavens and just happened to land in this bathroom, where you saw me and decided to possess me? And now you're asking for my help to seek revenge? None of this makes any sense!" Mike protested, struggling to reconcile the fantastical narrative with his own reality.