【PC】白鹳鸣泣之时｜キコニアのなく頃に Phase 1：代わりのいる君たちへ

第三次世界大戦で世界が滅びかけてから百年後の未来。

超技術は核の冬から地球を救い、地球人口を再び百億に至らせていた。

そして誕生する新たな超軍事技術、“ガントレット”。

それを左腕に装備した者はガントレットナイトと呼ばれ、生身の身体で戦闘機のように飛び、空母や戦艦のように戦い、そして戦車の如くあらゆる攻撃を弾き返せる無敵の力を得る。

全世界の子供たちは、この新たなヒーローに夢中だった。

しかし、幼児期からの特別な訓練と才能がないと扱えない為、適性者はまだ、全世界でも未就学児を含めて１５万人に満たない。実際にガントレットナイトと呼ばれるまでに至る者はさらにわずかとなる。

つまり。既存の軍事力は全て陳腐化し、世界の軍事力は、ガントレットを扱えるわずかな少年少女たちの人数だけで計られる時代を迎えるのである……。

国際平和軍旗祭で技を競い合い、意気投合した世界各国のガントレットナイトの少年少女たちは、共に平和の壁を双方から支え、二度と世界大戦を起こしてはならないと誓い合う。

しかし現実は、第四次世界大戦へ向けてドミノ倒しのように進行していく……。

若者は時代の主人公のはず。

しかし現実には、老獪なる何者かのゲーム盤に並べられた駒でしかない。

このまま少年少女たちは、ゲームの駒として殺し合いをさせられる他はないのか。

誰が駒か。誰がプレイヤーか。誰がその手先なのか。

誰の勝利条件が何か。平和か。大戦か。滅亡か。

予告される惨劇は、計画か妄想か、未来か現実か。

いいえ。

惨劇に、抗う必要はありません。

駒の仕事は惨劇の渦中に踊ること。

ゲームのルール？難易度？私たちが決めるし、あんたには関係ない。

お前たちは取ったり取られたりして、私たちが喜ぶような喜怒哀楽を見せればいい。

いいこと？勘違いしないことよ。

お前は私の対戦相手じゃない。私を楽しませる為の、駒に過ぎないの。

今度のゲームは、

あんたにプレイヤーの席なんて与えない！

100 years after the world was nearly destroyed during World War III...

Cutting-edge technology saved the planet from a nuclear winter, allowing its population to reach the tens of billions once more.

This eventually gave rise to a new ultimate military technology, the Gauntlet.

People who wore these on their left arms were called Gauntlet Knights, and without carrying any additional equipment, they could use this unrivaled power to fly like fighter planes, fight like aircraft carriers and battleships, and repel all sorts of attacks like tanks.

Children all over the world were fascinated by this new kind of hero.

However, because Gauntlets could only be used by those who had particular talents and underwent special training from a very young age, not even 150,000 people from across the world could control them, even if you counted preschoolers. And the number of people who actually earned the title of Gauntlet Knight was even smaller.

In other words, it was becoming an era where all existing military forces would be obsolete, and where the military might of the world would be measured by the small number of boys and girls who could use Gauntlets...

After competing against each other in the International Battle Standard Festival, a group of Gauntlet Knights from all over the world became fast friends, swearing to support the walls of peace from both sides and prevent another World War from ever occurring. However, World War IV was steadily approaching, like a line of falling dominos...

The young are supposed to be the main characters in their own eras.

But in reality, they're nothing but game pieces lined up on the board of those who are crafty and more experienced.

Must these boys and girls be forced to kill each other as pieces?

Who are the pieces, and who are the players? And who does the players' bidding?

What victory conditions does each person have? Is it peace? War? Annihilation?

Is the foretold tragedy a scheme or a delusion, the future or reality?

No.

There is no need to resist this tragedy.

The job of a game piece is to dance about within the tragedy's grasp.

What are the rules of the game, you ask? How hard is it? That's for us to decide, so it's none of your concern.

All you people need to do is take pieces and get taken yourselves, entertaining us with the range of your emotions.

Are you listening? You don't want to misunderstand your position.

You aren't my opponent. You're merely a piece that exists for my amusement.

In this next game, I won't give you the privilege of being a player!

[From MangaGamer]