Prologue - part 2

Standing at the front of Hope's Peak Academy, I can only think of one thing.

"The buildings are impressive, and the campus is very large too, as expected of the world's most prestigious academy."

I gazed around, taking in the grandeur of the architecture. Whether it was the intricate design of the buildings or the meticulous placement of the fountains, everything was perfect. No wonder they say that standing here, one can feel that this school is the center of the world. I wonder what architectural styles they used here and who the masterminds behind these designs were.

<<The buildings' style taken from—>>

It's great that you know these things, but now's not the time to talk about it. Anyway, this school brings in top students from every field imaginable. A government-funded school of privilege. They say that if you come here and manage to graduate, you'll be set for life. With hundreds of years of tradition, it sends the cream of the crop into the workforce every year. It was built to raise hope in the nation's future, which makes Hope's Peak a pretty fitting name.

There are two things you need to attend this school: One, you have to already be attending high school. Two, you have to be the very best at what you do. No ordinary student could enroll here. The only way in is if you're scouted by the school itself.

And standing there at the gate of the ultimate school filled with the ultimate students was me, Rimuru Tempest, "The Ultimate Analyzer."

I think—no, I mean—I am not the Ultimate Analyzer, but I can't explain it to anyone anyway. Aside from my appearance, there is nothing notable about me.

I glanced around, reflecting on the other "ultimate" students who were way beyond your average high schooler. The information I had gathered about them flashed through my mind. There is the "Ultimate Pop Sensation," the "Ultimate Baseball Star," the "Ultimate Fashionista," and the "Ultimate Biker Gang Leader." On top of that, there's the Ultimate Martial Artist, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator, the Ultimate Gambler, the Ultimate Swimming Pro, the Ultimate Programmer, and the Ultimate Clairvoyant. There are other students, but I wasn't able to gather information about them. Then there was the Ultimate Lucky Student, the one the school chose by lottery. I wonder if his ability is like in the anime I watched, like lucky perv—

<<You are wasting your time here. It's already 7:45. The reporting is 8:00, so it's to start going in.>>

Alright, alright, geez… Let's go, I guess. 

I began walking down the hallway, the echo of my footsteps breaking the silence. The walls were adorned with pristine artwork, and the floor shone with a perfect polish. I noticed a really elegant clock over in the corner. Its hands ticked slowly, almost mockingly. It says it's 7:50 a.m. The meeting doesn't start until 8 o'clock, so there are still 10 minutes left. I guess everyone went ahead. I should go too.

"What the--!?"

But the instant I took that first step forward... My view became warped, twisted. It was like some kind of delusion, melting away and mixing together into something else. The world spun around me, colors blending into a chaotic whirl. Spinning, mixing, melting away, then spinning again... And the next moment...

Everything went black.

Makoto's POV

"...Nng?"

"Wh-What...? Where am I?"

I woke up with my head resting on top of a hard wooden desk. My body felt heavy, like I had been asleep for a long time. It's pretty normal for me to zonk off in the middle of some boring class or whatever, but... What was I doing asleep here just now? This isn't a classroom I've ever been in before.

"What the heck is going on...?"

I rubbed my eyes and took a better look around the room, trying to shake off the grogginess. Things seemed off. The first thing that caught my eye was a camera in the corner of the room, its lens staring down at me like a watchful sentinel. At least the camera made sense. It's a dangerous world we live in. I guess they have these to keep weirdos from just wandering in.

My eyes then drifted to the windows. In any normal classroom, that's where a window should be. But it looks like some kind of metal plate has been bolted over it. The shiny surface glinted under the fluorescent lights, giving off an ominous feel. I walked over and knocked on it. Bang bang

"Yup. Definitely metal. Thick, too. Very solid."

Wait, that's not what matters here. More importantly, why are there metal plates over the windows? I glanced around the room, my confusion growing with each second. It was just after 7 when I first got here. I glanced at the clock on the wall. The hands pointed to a time that suggested almost an hour had passed since I arrived. Has it really been almost an hour since then?

The school is funded by the national government, so I guess it's not that weird to have TVs in here. But something feels... off. I wonder what it is... There was an unsettling atmosphere that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

I turned back to the desk I had been sleeping on. That's the desk I fell asleep on. I can still see a line of drool I must have left there. I grimaced at the sight, feeling a bit embarrassed. I'll have to clean that up later...

My attention was drawn to an orientation guide sitting on the desk. It looked like some kind of cheap pamphlet, the kind they hand out at open houses. There was something handwritten on it, the ink slightly smudged as if written in haste.

"The next semester is about to start. Starting today, this school will be your entire world."

"What the hell? Is this someone's idea of a joke?"

"Okay, let's see. So what might have happened is…"

I got myself so wound up, I passed out in the main hall. And then someone carried me here...? If that's true, it must mean... This is a classroom inside Hope's Peak.

"But then if that's true…"

That just raises more questions. This is all really strange. I mean, those metal plates covering the windows... It's like it's a prison or something. None of this makes any sense...

I looked around the room one last time, hoping for some clue that might explain all this. There was nothing but rows of desks, each one identical to the next. The eerie silence was almost deafening.

"I should probably head back to the main hall. It's already past the meeting time. There might be other students there now."

I stepped out into the hallway, the sound of my footsteps echoing off the walls. "Jeez... This hallway is kind of weird, too." The lighting was dim, and everything had an almost eerie vibe to it. The walls were lined with more of those metal plates, making me feel like I was walking through a bunker rather than a school. This is getting stranger by the second. I honestly have no idea what's going on...

As I walked, I passed a sign that read "Despair Hotel." "Despair Hotel"...? I guess it's a place for people to stay overnight. But anyway, I need to get to the main hall...!

By the time I got back to the main hall, everyone else was already there. The room was buzzing with low murmurs and the shuffling of feet.

"Whoa, hey! Another new kid?"

"Huh? Then you guys are all...?"

"Yeah... We're all new here. Today's supposed to be our first day of class."

"So counting him, that makes sixteen. Seems like a good cut-off point, but I wonder if this is everyone."

Standing before me were the "Ultimate Students" that had been hand-picked by the school. I looked around at everyone who'd gathered there, taking in their faces one at a time. Each face held a different expression—curiosity, confusion, and a hint of nervousness. Maybe I was just imagining it, but I swear I could feel a kind of aura coming from each of them...

"Um... how's it going? My name's Makoto Naegi. Sorry I'm late. A bunch of stuff happened, and then all of a sudden I was just... asleep."

"Whoa, you too?"

"Things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser…"

"So strange... I declare beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is a strange situation indeed!"

"Um... what are you talking about? I honestly have no idea what's going on right now."

"Just a moment! There's something else we must address! Makoto! Your tardiness is unacceptable! Surely you were aware the meeting was to start at 8 a.m. sharp! To be late on your first day is unspeakable! I must report you, and you must accept your due punishment!"

"What's your problem? It's not like he wanted to be late. He didn't have any control over it."

"Everyone just calm down! Listen, why don't we all go around and introduce ourselves?"

"The hell!? Now's no time for friggin' introductions!"

"Maybe, but it may be good to at least find out who we all are before digging into the bigger problems here. I mean, how are we even supposed to talk to each other if we do not know each other's names?"

"That's a good point…"

"Okay, so let's get introductions out of the way, then we can move on to whatever else. Sound good?"

I'm still totally lost, but I think it's best to just focus on getting to know each other for now. So I guess this is as good a chance as I'm gonna get. I already looked everyone up on that Hope's Peak Academy thread online, but... I still don't really know what kind of people they actually are. Time to find out...

I'll start by talking to those five over there.