The Odd One Out

Prologue - Opportunity

"Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School?"

"Yes, Ayanokouji-kun. Consider it an opportunity. This school is unlike any other. Contact with the outside world is strictly forbidden, and what's more, the government pays for everything, meaning you won't need your father's permission."

An opportunity for freedom.

Matsuo has been taking care of me ever since the White Room temporarily shut down for a year. I'm currently living with him in one of my biological father's mansions. Today, he offered me the opportunity to enroll in Tokyo's most prestigious high school, the Advanced Nurturing High School, also known as ANHS.

A high school, huh? Maybe I can learn for myself what it's like to live a peaceful and normal life. That doesn't sound bad at all.

"I'll do it."

"Really? I'm really happy to hear that Ayanokouji-kun. Now what you need to do is take these entrance exams, I'll handle all the paperwork."

"Sure."

The exam papers were quite simple. Of course, I can easily get full marks on all of them.

I want to live a peaceful and normal life.

What is it like to be normal? I've decided. I'll enter this high school as an average student, and to do that, I'll score precisely 50 on every exam, then I'll be perfectly average.

"I'm done, Matsuo."

"Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll take care of the rest. Also, there will be an interview that you'll need to attend to in the near future so prepare yourself for that. For now, make sure to rest well."

"Understood. Thank you so much for everything you've done, Matsuo."

Matsuo happily smiled. Ever since I've lived with him, I've gotten really close to him. I wonder if this is what it's like to live with parents.

I can only imagine what that's like.

********

I've been accepted at the Advanced Nurturing High School. I'll officially start my new student life in two and a half weeks. Ever since the acceptance letter, I've felt a certain sensation that I can't quite describe...

Is it... happiness? Perhaps, excitement?

Many philosophers think that happiness comes from new experiences, and that newness is actually a source of happiness.

But, who knows what I'm feeling? I might be a human, but I've lost the ability to have feelings for a long time now.

As I was resting in my room, I heard Matsuo call me, so I went to the living room, where I saw Matsuo stare at the TV in pure shock.

"What's wrong, Matsuo?"

I knew that around this time of the day, Matsuo would always watch the news. For him to be this unstable and shocked, something extraordinary must've happe-

"Today, there has been a huge data leak of an educational institution that had previously been completely hidden from the public. The institution in question? The... White Room. This institution disguised itself as a school, when the reality was far from that. Many children have... died... or... been killed... over the course of their stay there, explaining over hundreds of missing children over the last decade in Tokyo. Needless to say, this facility has shut down completely, and the owner of this facility, Mr. Ayanokouji, has been sentenced to life in prison. More information about this will follow, an-"

The White Room has been shut down... completely. My father will be in prison... for life?

"Ayanokouji-kun, while this is good news, you should take a closer look at this."

Matsuo showed me his phone. Apparently, files from the White Room have leaked and spread all over the internet. One of the many files showed... me?

"This might deeply endanger your school life, Ayanokouji-kun. While your face has been blurred, your name remains on this file. If your future classmates learn of your identity, who knows how they'll treat you."

Another file showed the survivors of the Fourth Generation of the White Room, or should I say the sole survivor. We were 50 to begin with, and at the end, I was the only one left standing. The Fourth Generation was known as the Demonic Fourth Generation, as the curriculum was much more difficult than the previous years', and the punishments were harsher and more frequent. My training has led me to believe that all humans are nothing but tools, and that anything unnecessary to my growth and my victory should be removed. Hence, I have lost the ability to feel emotions ever since that philosophy was drilled into my brain.

Many other files leaked. Now, everyone in Japan knows about me, my past, and the cruelty of the White Room.

This was supposed to be hidden in the darkness. Instead, now everyone in Japan is not only aware my existence, but knows me as the Demon of the White Room, a human that has lost all feelings and emotion.

There is two and a half weeks left until school starts. Needless to say, by then, everyone at school will learn of my existence, and my reputation at school will be set in stone before I even step foot inside.

"What should I do, Matsuo?" I asked him for advice, but the truth is that I already know what I'm going to do.

"Well, it's up to you, Ayanokouji-kun. If this doesn't bother you, then I guess you can still attend high school. On the other hand, if you deem this too dangerous, then it might be better to just stay here for the time being. Whatever you do, Ayanokouji-kun, I will be here to support you. You can trust me and rely on me, I will protect you with everything I've got."

"I, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, will attend Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School."

What my classmates will think of me? Will they fear me, or will they have great sympathy for me? I couldn't care less.

I have no reason to be afraid. After all, nobody can beat me, even if I hold back.