Agreement.

"People are a flock of sheep... They are attracted by the name, and the school takes advantage of this to get more money. Thanks to this, the Academy made a quick breakthrough. We suddenly got research facilities that any university would envy. No one expected this: in just a year or two, Hope's Peak Academy has reached a completely different level."

***

Kodaka Kazutaka. Rego Narita.

Carnivore.

Act 1. Consent.

"Hope's Peak Academy. First year of study, 74th - 78th courses."

"I'm still too young for such things, and you, Maizono-san, are already broad in this profile. I have reviewed the committee's application for the right to own the Kamukura project, but on the condition of agreement with the former head, Kazuo Tengan. I trust you more than him, although he understands this issue better, being one of the old participants, - The man continued his monologue, tapping the bottom edges of the stack of papers on the surface of the wooden table so that each sheet would perfectly correspond with the next. - The Academy cannot avoid financial losses due to the costs of constructing a new building, purchasing equipment and paying for labor. Will this be within your power? Moreover, you need to establish trusting relationships with the local authorities and provide a real volume of evidence to a wide audience. Without their approval, it will be difficult to move forward in the future. - Straightening his tie on his neck, tightening it higher, Kirigiri spread his "positive" smile, closing his eyes to seem more good-natured and generous to the guest, which he is not. Opposite him stood the head of the Academy's Steering Committee - Maizono Sahi. Listening to the useless babble of the new director, the man habitually picked at the skin of his fingers, nodding his head at each of Jin's suggestions, agreeing with his conclusions. Although he was younger, but much more reasonable, it was no wonder that old Tengan had chosen a much stronger replacement for him. Both physically and mentally.

He continued to watch Jin with a slight grin. Each of his misses in words reminded him of his youth, when he himself tirelessly justified his ideas in endless disputes. However, the world had changed, and now behind each of his hypothetical assumptions there were chunks of facts and experience that Jin could not have imagined. In the end, only the fuss of a new mind could stifle logic.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," the director suddenly interrupted. "In that case, you will have to give up the position of substitute homeroom teacher of class 78. And we will appoint Kizakura Koichi to it.

"Koichi? This idiot? Not only does he think outside the box, but he can't handle this noisy bunch."

"Why Kizakura?" Sahi objected, trying to hide his excitement. "He doesn't have enough experience working with children, and I've been putting my efforts into this class for so many years!"

The director leaned back in his chair and calmly looked at the head, pointing his fingers at the table. "Experience doesn't always matter," he said. "Sometimes a fresh perspective and the energy of newcomers can lead to unexpected results. I understand that you want to stay in the role because of your daughter, but your proposals for additional expenses do not fit into our budget.

"If anything happens, I will be prepared to bear the losses of the s-

"Do you have any other suggestions or do you want to challenge my decision? Teaching someone while keeping yourself busy with a project is impossible. Accept this as a fact. If Kizakura's candidacy does not inspire confidence, I agree to consider alternative options. Furukawa, although busy, has good experience and understanding of our work. He could contribute by offering a strategic vision. It may not be ideal, but with limited time and resources, we can benefit from his involvement.

It is important to remember that any process requires time to adapt. Therefore, the teenagers with him should be prepared for the fact that mistakes are possible, but this is part of the learning process. Open discussion and support for each other will help minimize risks and make them stronger as a team.

Maizono knew that his decision could turn against him. He had often thought that the initiative could drag him into dangerous games, where the stakes were not only his career, but also the life of his family. However, the impetus for his agreement was the fact that the project he was working on could bring not only fame, but also financial stability, which was so necessary in their difficult times. Sahi had no choice but to agree, since he was more concerned about the project itself than anything else. Exhaling softly, the man nodded his head affirmatively.

— However, I have one question: will I be able to meet with students?

***

"Hope Peak Academy. Beginning of the 2nd semester of study, stream 74-78."

A man of advanced age, nondescript in appearance, slowly walked along the corridor, swaying decrepitly from side to side as he walked, scraping the soles of his shoes on the red carpet. With his hands clasped behind his back, hunched forward, he continued to examine the "residents of the academy" passing by through the dark lenses of his round glasses, occasionally smacking his dry lips. finally reaching the final point, the man stopped at the entrance to a private office, on the door of which hung a sign with a golden sheen - "Room of the Steering Committee". But, the person already in it managed to greet him first, inviting him into the room:

- Oh, good evening, Furukawa-san. The beginning of autumn has already sparkled with bright colors, don't you think? By the way, how is your family doing? You mentioned that your children are starting to get interested in painting. That's wonderful! I'm sure they will inherit your talents-

- There's no need to pretend, Maizono-san, no one is watching us, - Daichi hoarsely echoed, waving his palm down so that his interlocutor would let him into the room - I'm here on business, today's small talk for us can end with rather pleasant news.

Furukawa slouched, closed the door behind him and looked around, slowly breaking into a smile. The room was filled with soft light, which emphasized the cozy details: books on the shelves, old photographs on the walls. He took a step forward and straightened up, showing the seriousness of his intentions.

"I came to tell you that we have a rather convenient income option and the business is moving forward quickly," he said quietly, as if he was afraid that the walls might overhear. "But we need to act quickly, get started. They must understand that they cannot simply hide the whole truth from us."

At the end of his monologue, the man put small 1x1 photographs on the table with a distinct slap, where interviews and the usual "tea parties with friends" were usually held. The photographs scattered across the surface of the table, flying in different directions, like awkwardly thrown cards in a game of chance. They depicted the faces of students who occasionally caught the eye in the corridors of the academy or in group photos, completely "ordinary" people. Daichi took one of the photographs in his hands, squinted, forgetting about the time and the people around him. In the picture was a young guy with rather bright red hair, smiling at the camera, surprisingly sincerely.

"You spoke the truth, Sahi. The Utipanars are even here, among us," the committee member continued to speak, grinding his teeth in tension. "It's one thing to read about them in some documents, and another to see them in person. We can't allow them to continue spreading their influence. We must act now-

"Furukawa-san, calm down, calm down, here - have some tea, can you tell us everything in order? Let's not rush so much, there's still time.

Squeezing the photograph in his fingers, the old man began to lean on the table, slowly sitting down in a chair, twitching at the knees, trying to do it carefully. Suddenly, the grimace of anger disappeared from his face, he smiled peacefully again, handing the photos to the head, giggling strangely.

- I think you are familiar with Leon Kuwata, the absolute baseball player from class 78-A?

***

"Academy "Peak of Hope". Completion of the 2nd semester of study of the 74-78 stream."

It was pleasantly cold outside, pleasant patterns were drawn on the windows, the trees were strewn with white flakes, and various figures of snow stood around the perimeter of the yard, which meant that winter holidays at the academy would soon begin. Students, wrapped in bright scarves and hats, built snow forts, laughing and throwing snowballs at each other. The air was filled with the smell of chestnuts, which were prepared as a traditional treat in honor of the upcoming holiday. Snow slowly fell from the sky like fluffy feather beds, covering the earth with a white blanket, and each fall sounded like a light whisper of winter.

An atmosphere of anticipation of a holiday reigned inside the academy. The corridors were filled with students discussing plans for the upcoming holidays. Some dreamed of going to the capital, some - to spend days in karaoke bars and cafes, and some were waiting for the moment to go to relatives outside the city.

At this time, a group from class 78 - A gathered in the assembly hall for a dress rehearsal and decoration of the room. The stage was decorated with garlands of paper and bright lights that blinked like stars. The hands of the participants in the performances were shaking from excitement, but this only spurred their creativity. Each number promised to be unique, and there was confidence in the air that this festival would go down in the history of the academy. Standing barefoot on a chair, rising on his tiptoes, Kuwata was fiddling with the base of the tinsel on the stage curtain, trying to choose a more attractive place to hang the decoration that the attendant had instructed him to hang. Reaching his fingers to his lips, he began to take out one of the pins that he had clenched in his teeth for convenience, so as not to dangle back and forth if someone took them, hoping that he would quickly sort out the decorations and be able to join the "snow fight", but his thoughts were interrupted by someone's response....

"K...Kuwata...you were asked to go to the principal's office..." Judging by the intonation, it was the quiet girl of the class, Toko Fukawa herself incarnate. Her voice sounded so quiet that it seemed it could be lost in the noise of the classroom. This modest girl had always been a model of restraint and caution. It's amazing that she was ever able to pronounce his last name without mistakes.

"Ooooh, apparently Kiyotaka caught someone, heh-heh," the black man mumbled. Yasuhiro, continuing to arrange papier-mâché Christmas tree figures on the stage for the elementary school play. "I told you, Kuwata, that your truancy would not end well."

The principal's office was always shrouded in an atmosphere of mystery and fear. Every student who entered there felt as if they were on trial. Kuwata, of course, understood that his habit of avoiding classes could lead to trouble. However, he could not resist the temptation to immerse himself in his hobbies, leaving his studies in the background.

Toko, observing Yasuhiro's behavior, shook her head slightly. She knew that his jokes were hiding genuine concern. Rumors often arose in the class that Kuwata was too carried away by his interests, and this did not always have a positive effect on his academic performance. At such moments, Toko felt like the only voice of reason in a noisy environment. Kuwata took a deep breath, trying to hide his confusion. The principal never called him without a reason, and after his recent absences, it could only mean one thing - he was in for a serious talk. He glanced at Yasuhiro, who seemed to be enjoying the moment, and abruptly turned away.

" ..... Now!" Leon barked inarticulately, jumping off his chair and putting the tinsel back, starting to run out of the assembly hall at an easy pace, shouting after his classmate. "Kiyo! If I stay too long, you'll be the one hanging!"

But no matter how positive he looked, his soul was shaking. He stepped towards the exit of the outer hall, reminding himself that everyone has their mistakes. You just need to be able to admit them and move on, not repeat them again - that's what! From now on, Kuwata decided that he would no longer skip school from the next semester and would start attending classes. But... it was easy to imagine, but oh so hard to do. The door to the director's office was heavy, inevitable... In both senses. Exhaling tensely and "pulling his will into a fist", the absolute pulled the door handle towards himself, slowly entering the room. Before he could collect his thoughts, Kuwata froze on the threshold, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. There was silence inside the office, interrupted only by the barely audible rustling of paper. But instead of the director, there was the head of the Steering Committee, sitting at the table with raised eyebrows, as if guessing his intentions. Leon clenched his fists tightly, trying to gather his thoughts together. Every word seemed stuck somewhere in his throat, but he knew - now was not the time to give in to fear. Swallowing a viscous lump, the baseball player bowed sharply forward, pressing his hands to his body. — I apologize for all my absences, I promise that I will work hard, starting next year! It is not only the willingness to learn that is important, but also the desire to improve your o-

— Now, now, Kuwata, don't worry, no one is going to scold you, especially since we need to discuss something. — Sahi interrupted the guy mid-sentence, folding his hands into a house at his chest.

Leon froze in place, his gaze darting from the head to the other participants in the conversation, the committee members. A tense silence hung in the room, and only the roughness of the carpet underfoot created a sound that fit into the general atmosphere. "What do they want from me?" flashed through his head, but saying it out loud would be inappropriate.

— What are you standing there for? Come here, sit down in the chair, have some tea, after all, the conversation can drag on for a long time, don't dawdle. — Maizono began to insist, beckoning the guy closer with his palm, to dispose him.

Kuwata, still standing hesitantly, took a step forward and sank into a deep chair that looked like it was made to absorb worries. His heart was pounding, and he felt like they were looking at him like an item on sale. Sahi's gaze was especially penetrating, and Leon involuntarily looked away so as not to meet the attention that could exhaust him to the bottom. Awkwardly reaching his fingers to the edge of the cup, the red-haired man then pressed his lips to its edge, taking a small sip of hot tea to distract himself a little.

—We want to discuss something, or rather, who, — Maizono began, his voice sounding relaxed, but there was a shadow of severity on his lips. - Kuwata, your talent is unusual, you are popular among the youth, and your progress is "going uphill", you are a pretty good role model in terms of development.

The baseball player sat in bewilderment, clutching the edges of his shirt in his palms in bewilderment. Was he really just invited for praise or did they just want to embarrass him?

- But what a disappointment they will be when everyone finds out that they are looking up to Utipanarz, and not a person.

Kuwata felt cold sweat appear on his forehead, his eyes widened in uncertainty. He opened his mouth in a silent groan to object, but the words stuck in his throat. Maizono's gaze was dark, almost penetrating, as if he was trying to see in the most secret corners of his consciousness, experiences and fears that Leon himself did not yet suspect. The chin instinctively began to tremble along with the fingers, splashing liquid from the container onto the legs of the jeans. Not understanding what was happening, , the absolute craned his neck towards Maizono, saying in a trembling voice:

— What are you talking about? What Utipanars, eheh?..., — Kuwata echoed indistinctly, drawing his eyebrows together and spreading into an awkward smile, he felt his breathing getting out of control in fear, not realizing the full magnitude of the situation.

— Don't pretend you don't know anything. The Committee has long been aware of the affairs of the Kamakura project, including their results. Daichi has been watching you all the time, so you won't be able to dispute anything anymore. Understand, we don't have bad intentions, they're not going to expel you or blackmail you with you, calm down. Now answer the question. Are you an Utipanar?

— An Utipanar? — Kuwata asked quietly, as if the word was floating in the air, enveloping him with a strange cold. He tried to collect his thoughts, but they seemed to be running in different directions. - I... I don't know what this means, I don't... - Then Leon's words were cut off in an instant with the crash of dishes on the floor, which then shattered into large pieces.

- I knew it. Everything gives you away, Kuwata, you're a bad liar, - Getting up from the chair, the man slowly began to approach the guy, still holding his hands in the same position. - Why are you silent? I told you, everything is fine, nothing will happen to you, we all know that you're a good guy, right? - Putting his hand on Leon's shoulder, Maizono began to do something like stroking him, because he didn't really want to deal with a violent teenager right now, and an athlete at that. - But, as you understand, you were called here for a reason. You see, others like you are a potential threat to the state, the Kamukura project should not have existed, just like you, you are just a mistake of nature. I think it is no secret to you that other Utipanars have begun to attack people more often - this is a struggle for territory, instincts. But at least we can suppress them, unlike you.

- What are you getting at? - Leon interrupted his thoughts, trying to break free from someone else's grip in stress, darting his gaze back and forth. His voice trembled, but in this stream of fear, a spark of defiance slipped through. - I do not want to listen to your pompous fantasies about nature!

- To the fact that your existence, - the man continued, ignoring the resistance, - threatens not only you, but our entire reality. You are a misunderstanding, and we know how to deal with misunderstandings. Eliminate them.

Maizono leaned slowly towards Leon's ear, his voice almost a whisper, but there was an unyielding severity in it. - People don't need people like you, they will understand everything in time. Ahead is the time of choice. You can stay here, in this cage, where you will be offered an alternative, or... - he smiled slightly - you can try to jump off this ladder of fate.

Leon hesitated, his heart beating faster. He understood that Maizono's words carried more than a simple threat. It was an offer that did not require consent, but in itself was already a choice. Images were racing through his head: a quiet life in a cage or a rapid but dangerous jump into the unknown..... But what did all this mean?

- Be that as it may, I think it is quite possible to bring you up to date. Not far from the academy grounds, one building is already being built - the "Future Foundation". Trained absolutes will be able to work there for the good of the state, that's good of course... But not far from this building there will be a "Rector's". How to say it more gently... All Utipanars on the territory of the country will be caught and taken to a place where ultimately only death will await them. But at the same time they will be useful, fulfilling their purpose.

Sahi's monologue was interrupted by the click of the inner lock of the door to the room next to which one of the committee members, Ebisu Tokei, was standing. Having noticed him, clutching the armrests, Kuwata did not notice how Furukawa approached the table, putting a pen and some sheets of paper on the table in front of him.

- Kuwata, there is a contract in front of you now. If you sign it, you will receive a milder reprimand, you will not be treated badly, everything will be fine. - Sahi said, holding out a ballpoint pen to Leon's palm, squeezing his fingers. - You will be safe.

But Kuwata's heart beat in unison with his anxious thoughts. Did he really have to become part of this game where other people's lives were at stake? Convincing himself that he could fix something seemed almost naive. However, he understood perfectly well that in the "Future Foundation" he would have the opportunity to do something useful, albeit in such harsh conditions, but something prevented him from making a choice.

Furukawa, leaning forward, added: - We only want you to stay among us. Think about your possibilities. In this world, it is better to be among the chosen ones than to live in the shadow of fear.

Kuwata sighed, his fingers began to slowly glide over the paper, studying each line. "Either serve or die," flashed through his mind, and an inner voice told him that the choice was not so simple.

Kuwata looked up at Furukawa, temptation in his eyes. "It's easy to be loyal when your pawns are in the game, but what about others?" He recalled. All his inner feelings were fighting: the desire to survive and the desire to preserve his honor.

"You don't understand, what about my dream, my future?.." Leon finally said, clutching the contract in his hands. "This is not just a choice for me. This is betrayal."

Furukawa grinned: "Betrayal? Or salvation? You will have influence, and not just the ability to stand aside. A unique opportunity!"

Kuwata hesitated, each option seemed more and more dangerous. He could not ignore the voice of conscience, telling him that not all paths lead to salvation. Every moment became decisive: a signature on a piece of paper could change his path forever, but what consequences would this lead to? All that could be heard was the sound of his heart, ready to lead him into the unknown.

"I can't...I can't. — The outcome was known, Kuwata just hung his head down, staring at the floor, at the cup fragments lying around and the wet spot on the carpet...

— .....Well, I understand that you can't be convinced. Then I have another proposal for you, — Maizono echoed, sitting down in a chair, not particularly loudly. — You can be added to the "list".