Returning to reality, Tatsumi shook his wrist and checked the time. Only two minutes remained before the train would pass beneath him; however, he had to carefully calculate which part of his body would make contact.
He didn't want to start the school term with a twisted ankle, so he mentally searched for alternatives—ways to land safely without taking unnecessary risks.
Grabbing a bundle of grass to soften the fall was one option, but time wasn't on his side. Most likely, by the time the train sped past, he'd still be gathering blades of grass for his cushion.
That left him with only two choices.
The uniform of Hinen Academy was made of armored fabric, meaning he could use it, at least partially, to soften his landing.
In fact, ever since the education sector began assessing risks, measures had been put in place to equip all school uniforms with protective technology. As a result, most uniforms now came with HealthTec tech and reinforced fabrics.
The second option was to jump onto the cables but…
Let's just say Tatsumi had only one opportunity to board the train, and although he didn't want to damage his new clothes, time was slipping away. The train was already emerging on the horizon, giving him barely a minute to do something.
But despite all his thinking, the bespectacled youth couldn't come up with a better plan than simply throwing himself onto the train's roof, using his black-and-white jacket to absorb the impact his feet would have otherwise endured.
So, as the train rushed past, Tatsumi timed his jump perfectly. Once airborne, he placed the uniform jacket beneath his feet.
Seconds in the air stretched longer from his perspective as adrenaline surged through his veins.
Then, everything happened in an instant—he landed. His senses kicked in almost immediately, and by the time he looked up from his feet, he was standing atop the moving train, the wind whipping his hair harshly.
"Well, illegal boarding of public transport successfully executed."
Although he was thrilled by his achievement, his mission had only just begun—a realization that quickly grounded him.
"The infiltration hasn't even started, and the day already feels intense. Just my luck..."
Tatsumi pulled himself up and looked ahead, only to be left stunned by what he saw.
Adjusting his glasses to ensure his vision was clear, he removed them again and rubbed his eyes, but no matter what he did, it remained.
A white-haired boy with an ominous aura stared back at him, equally dumbfounded. Both stood frozen for a moment, analyzing the situation.
"Ehhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!????" Tatsumi thought.
"Ehhhhhhhhh!!!!!!?????" The white-haired boy thought.
Their minds raced with endless unanswered questions. It was as if neither had expected the other to be there.
"Who the hell is this idiot, and why is he standing on the train roof?" Tatsumi wondered.
"Who is this guy, and why did he just fall from the sky like it's nothing?" Riochiro wondered.
Then, both boys noticed each other's uniforms, and a light bulb went off.
"So he goes to the same school as me.""So he goes to the same school as me."
At that moment, the massive roof of the train station cast its shadow over them, and as light returned, neither was in sight. Both Tatsumi—and presumably Riochiro—had leapt off the train onto the station's platform.
Once inside the crowd, Tatsumi felt a bit nervous. He employed a breathing technique his mother had taught him long ago.
"Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale..."
And so, amid the many sharp breaths waiting to be controlled, he managed to steady his heart and process the situation he had just been in.
He simply concluded that the albino boy—whoever he was—must have had the same idea he did.
There was no time to dwell on it further. The train would depart in five minutes, and he had only three minutes to get his ticket.
Without wasting another second, he sprinted to the ticket booth, flashed his student pass, and handed 500 yen to the attendant.
Then, hurrying toward the train, he realized he had arrived last. The vehicle was already packed with students, leaving him no choice but to squeeze against the doors of the crowded car.
Once inside, Tatsumi didn't spot the boy he had seen on top of the train, but he had no doubt he would see him again—they did, after all, attend the same school.
The train passed several stations. Inside, some students chatted, others read from their HE devices, while a few simply stared blankly at a fixed point.
A handful took advantage of the electromagnetically powered train ride to catch up on sleep—the kind they hadn't been able to afford at home.
Tatsumi entertained himself by observing the scenery, mentally narrating the origins of various locations in the new Tokyo 3.
For example, Sendagayama was, unlike Shinjuku, untouched by the Colonization War. At that time, an incredibly effective barrier had been established, preventing enemy forces from entering.
After the war, Sendagayama was repurposed for ecological and renewable energy research, and today, nature dominates the region.
Wind farms and forests rise and blend seamlessly with residential housing. The city follows a Solar Architecture model, meaning concrete and metal are not the predominant materials. Instead, wood, glass, and canvas make up homes—designed to reflect and absorb sunlight while integrating household-scale wind generators.
Every construction in Sendagayama is designed with environmental preservation in mind, making this district the lungs of Tokyo 3.
The next station the train passed was Shinomachi. Half of this area was developed with Sendagayama's environmental principles in mind, but the region's ancient temples remained untouched—preserved against the passage of time.
The other half of Shinomachi was dedicated purely to religion. Enormous pagodas stood as the primary attractions of this sacred site.
Aquí tienes la traducción al inglés de la continuación de tu novela, manteniendo la esencia y el estilo de tu narrativa:
When the Colonization War ended, enormous efforts were made in the architectural sector to replicate ancient Japanese architecture and build more structures dedicated to the gods.
In this area, only Buddhists were allowed to live.
Yotsuya was entirely part of Shinomachi, so there wasn't much for Tatsumi to comment on.
Ichigaya, on the other hand, was completely taken over by the Educational Sector, meaning the majority of its territory consisted of vast schools. This district housed most of Tokyo 3's student population, so when the train stopped here, a large number of students—with vibrant and varied uniforms—disembarked, leaving only a few behind.
Tatsumi scanned the crowd, searching for the white-haired boy, but he didn't find him. It seemed he had boarded a different car.
And so, the stations and districts passed by until they finally reached Akihabara. The first thing Tatsumi noticed in the distance were the towering structures dominating the horizon—colossal metallic walls. It was the same view he had from the second floor of his home, but this time, the dense skyscrapers of the Corporate-Educational Sector felt much closer.
Even though they were still nearly 150 kilometers away, their imposing presence remained undeniable.
Tatsumi had finally arrived at his destination. Fortunately, he had stayed near the door throughout the entire trip, so getting off wouldn't be a struggle.
He glanced around once more, inspecting each of the passengers in his car. Then, he noticed the uniforms his classmates wore—they were all the same.
The signature high-collared black-and-white jacket of Hinen Academy.
"For a year, some of these kids might be my classmates. But for now, the priority is to not stand out."
As soon as the train came to a halt at Akihabara Station, Tatsumi wasted no time getting off, swiftly disappearing into the crowd.
Outside the station, Akihabara remained as bustling and energetic as ever. Huge waves of people flooded the sidewalks at the lower levels of the city, while at the elevated pedestrian walkways, groups of youths performed parkour—leaping between buildings, leaving trails of electricity and smoke behind them. Others relied purely on their strength, jumping from structure to structure.
The streets were packed with sleek, modern sedans. Some had minimalistic designs, while others sported tribal paintings and colorful patterns on their sides. Beneath them, neon lights hummed, glowing vibrantly.
The city's stores overflowed with cutting-edge tech—implants, HE devices, next-gen gadgets—as well as high-end jewelry, rings, branded clothing with built-in technology, and glamorous cafés enticing customers with their charm and cuisine.
In Akihabara's alleys, one could find groups of people spray-painting everything—the ground, the walls, trash bins—whatever could be turned into art.
Tatsumi strolled through the scene for a while, crossing a pedestrian path, walking past several shops, all while observing his surroundings—not exactly mesmerized, but certainly intrigued.
He loved this view, this energy, this liveliness that radiated from the people of Akihabara. It almost felt like home.
After some time wandering, he finally stopped in front of a grand entrance—its sleek, polished slab gleaming. Several students in the same uniform passed by his side.
Some engaged in conversation, others simply fixing their gaze on him, like a predator sizing up its prey.
Before him, Tatsumi saw a vast school campus, filled with students gathered in small groups of four to seven.
They all chatted amongst themselves, but the atmosphere here felt different from the lively streets of Akihabara. There was excitement, but also... tension.
Then, Tatsumi snapped out of his surroundings, recalling everything his father had told him about the infiltration and the details of the investigation.
He swallowed hard, thinking to himself—
"Alright then... Let the mission begin."