The boy did not know how long he had been sitting within confinement. There were some occasions when people clad in white coats entered his cell to study his body, prodding on every inch of his body with disregard. He did not like it whenever they did that, but after having all his complaints ignored, the boy decided to just let them be.

They didn't even call him by his name. Apparently, he was some kind of a test subject, and a test subject did not require a name. A label would suffice, one of the researchers said.

"This subject is different compared to the rest," one of the researchers said. "He doesn't show any hints of side-effects, unlike others." The boy's confinement was located not too far from where the researchers were doing their research, so he was able to hear whatever they were saying.

"It'll be just a matter of time before we can continue to the next phase of our experimentation," another researcher said, this time a female. "We are lucky that we are able to achieve this result after using only twelve test subjects." The boy could tell that the researcher was glancing at his cell before she continued, "The previous three did not make it, probably because they were unsuitable for this experimentation."

"Heh…" Another researcher then spoke, "So, when will we get a definite result from Subject 12?"

Subject 12? Right, that was the name that was given to him by the researchers. From their conversation, there were eleven test subjects before him who died due to the experimentations that were done on them. He did not personally knew them, but he felt sorry for them.

"Perhaps… they wanted to live more…"

"Be patient. You don't want Fenrir to find out about this, do you?"

Somehow, due to his high compatibility with whatever they were injecting into him, he managed to survive. Still, with them saying that there would be a next phase of experimentation, he could tell that there would be more to come. Also, due to the nature of the experimentation, they didn't want to be found out by this 'Fenrir', whoever or whatever it was.

Well, might as well sit tight and wait for the inevitable. As the boy sat in his prison, he tried to recall his past prior to him being subjected to this experimentation. He could vividly recall the time when he still lived with his parents before that fateful night.

Yes, that night. He might not be able to remember all the details, probably because of the experiments affecting his memory, but he still remembered the sight of those beasts, those monstrosities. His parents told him to run, away from their home, and the last thing he could remember about his parents was that they were surrounded by those beasts.

He could barely recall what happened afterwards. He was pursued by those monsters. They chased him relentlessly like some kind of fierce deities wanting to pass judgment to those who were deemed unworthy of being spared. In the end, he managed to escape and was taken by some people. It was then when he became a test subject.

Due to the experiments, he slowly forgot most of his past memories. He even forgot his own name. It felt like a blank space. His sense of time had also deteriorated. He had no idea how long it had been since the first day of his confinement. Based on how long his light brown hair had grown, it might have been almost a year already. And while the researchers never forgot to feed him, he was only given a bowl of gruel and a glass of water each day.

"Still, to have this kind of result, a success is no longer a mere dream," one of the researchers said. "Sooner or later, men will transcend their humanity, and we shall enter the realm of gods. Those upstarts from Fenrir know nothing. With their knowledge about Oracle Cells, they only know how to create monsters…" He spat out in distaste. "Those God Eaters…"

The female researcher then spoke, "This is the purpose of the project. If we manage to bring the KANNAGI Project into fruition, then we will not have to worry about Fenrir and their God Eaters anymore."

The KANNAGI Project. The boy recalled hearing it several times from those researchers. Apparently, it was the name of the experiments performed on him. He did not understand the purpose of the them, considering that he was just a mere test subject, but the thing about transcending one's humanity had been brought up a few times. For what purpose did they want to transcend humanity for? Well, it's not like the boy could really think about it. He was meant to be disposable, so why would he bother wondering about such a thing in the first place?

As the researchers chatted with each other, they suddenly heard a loud noise from the outside, followed by the voice of someone screaming.

"What the…" The female researcher got up. "Did they find us?!"

"Damn it…" Another researcher said. "That accursed Fenrir." Then, he shouted at the intercom. "Hey, what happened outside?!"

"S-sir, there's an intruder! A-a God Eater! Oh no, he's coming towards me! Oh gods, gyaah!"

Then, there was nothing but static noise from the radio. After a while, someone spoke through the radio.

"Hello? Can you guys hear me? If you're worried about me coming to you to kill you all, don't worry. I don't kill people, only Aragami," a voice spoke up, and that voice sounded too cheerful as it sent chills down their spines. "But, considering that you're doing something that I totally don't agree on, I guess I'm gonna hurt you guys a bit. Hope you all are prepared…"

"Oh shit!" One of the researchers swore. He immediately rushed to collect his papers and some other things, stuffing them all into a bag that he took from below a table. "C'mon, we gotta get outta here! We don't want that God Eater catching us, right?!" He shouted at his fellow researchers.

"R-right!" The female researcher responded. But before she could move, the same voice from before spoke again through the radio.

"Oh, forgot to mention this, but you're not going to get away from this building. We already have this entire place surrounded. So, please stay put and wait patiently, okay?"

Then, the door was opened from the outside by a kick, tearing the door off its hinges. A man stepped into the room, dragging an unconscious body of a guard with one hand and carrying a large, seemingly-unwieldy weapon in the other. There was a red armlet on his right wrist, a sign that made it clear that he wasn't a man to be trifled with. Clad in a dark-brown coat over a black undershirt, the man exuded an aura of confidence as he scanned the room with his uncovered right eye. From what the researchers in the room could see, his black hair hung over his left eye. When the man spotted the researchers, his lips curled up into a jovial smile.

"Sorry about the door. It's locked, you see?" The man spoke in a casual manner before he tossed the unconscious guard he was dragging towards the researchers. "Here you go. I know this guy's just doing his job, so I just put him to sleep." He shrugged casually. The researchers just stared at him in horror, considering that he just single-handedly forced his way into this research facility that was heavily guarded and supposedly impregnable. "Like I said, we God Eaters don't kill humans, just Aragami. But, considering that you guys are doing something that will do more harm than good to humanity, I think I'm just gonna rough you up a bit. I hope you guys can handle a little bit of pain…"

"Y-you…!" One of the researchers snarled as he pulled out a gun. "You Fenrir lapdog! You think just because you're a God Eater you're going to stop us?! We'll bring humanity to a new height! After we complete the KANNAGI Project, we won't need God Eaters anymore! We shall transcend humanity and achieve godhood! Once we transcend our humanity, we will no longer fear the Aragami anymore, because we are becoming gods!"

"Becoming gods, you say?" The man said as he slowly approached the researchers. The one who was holding the gun continued to prime the weapon at him with his shaky hands. "Funny when you mention that, considering that we devour gods on a daily basis." A whirring noise could be heard from the large weapon the man was holding. "If you guys are going to transcend humanity and achieve godhood, then what does that make us, the God Eaters? Because we devour gods, does that make us demons?"

Right after that, he plunged his weapon onto the concrete floor just below the researcher who was holding the gun. The researcher just looked at the large weapon being embedded into the floor with widened eyes before he dropped the gun he was holding.

"Well, if you all are going to act like good children, then I won't have to hurt anyone." The man pulled out his weapon with relative ease before he rested it on his shoulder. "I'm just gonna bring you back to Fenrir and let the upper-ups decide what to do with you guys. So, no funny business, okay?" He smiled. "Did I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes!" The researchers chorused. The female researcher let out a terrified squeak while answering the man's question.

"Alright. Glad that everyone is so quick on the uptake. You guys are supposed to be smart, no?"

So, the researchers were apprehended and all their belongings were confiscated. Soon after that, the man was joined by some other people who also had the same armlets on their wrists. The boy who was watching them the entire time was just sitting in his confinement as he looked at the researchers being dragged out of the room, having no idea about what had transpired just before his eyes. Somehow, they were arrested for doing all these experiments. As the boy mulled over the events that had transpired, he was approached by the man. He unlocked the cell and stepped into it.

"Man, just look at you," the man spoke, noting the boy's malnourished appearance. "What the hell did those guys do to you?" Then, he smiled at the boy as he unlocked the shackles on the boy's limbs. "Well, now all we need to worry is to fatten you up. No offense, but you look awful." Being reduced to a skin-covered skeleton could do that to a person.

"N-none taken…" The boy spoke. He was surprised by how hoarse his voice sounded. He almost forgot that he could talk due to the experiments that were performed on him. Being a test subject didn't require him to speak.

"Well, at least you still got your wits with you," the man said. As he studied the boy's condition, the man spoke, "What's your name?"

The boy blinked as he looked at the man's face. He scrunched up his face, trying to recall his name. Those experiments had been affecting his mind so heavily, he couldn't even recall his name anymore. "S-Subject 12…"

The man frowned. "That's not a name. What's your real name?"

The boy hesitantly answered, "I-I don't know."

For a while, the man was silent. "Damn," he muttered. "Should've at least punched them in the faces for this." He realized what those researchers had done. They treated this boy like a damn guinea pig for their goals, causing him to lose most of his memories including his own name. "Well, putting that aside, let's get the hell outta this place. We'll figure out what to do with you after this." Then, he shouted to the others outside the cell. "We need a stretcher! We got a survivor here!"

A while later, the boy was put on the stretcher. Before he was carried out, the boy looked at the man. Weakly, he spoke, "Th-thanks…"

The man just scratched the back of his head and grinned. "You're welcome, kid."

"Wh-what's your name?" The boy asked.

"Lindow," the man said. "Lindow Amamiya. I'm a God Eater…"

After that, the boy was carried out of that place on the stretcher.

"L-Lindow…" The boy muttered. As he was treated by the paramedics who arrived shortly, he recalled Lindow's words.

"If you guys are going to transcend humanity and achieve godhood, then what does that make us, the God Eaters? Because we devour gods, does that make us demons?"

"God… Eaters…"

The unnamed boy slowly slipped into unconsciousness after muttering those words.

It had been six months since he was brought out of his prison. Due to the malnutrition he suffered thanks to those godforsaken researchers, he was taken in by Fenrir, an organization that ruled almost the entirety of the world. Unlike before, despite having to undergo numerous tests, he was never treated like a test subject. He was treated and brought back to health.

"Are you feeling better now?" The doctor who was treating him asked. This particular doctor was memorable to him because of his eccentricities. Gray-haired and wearing a yukata, the doctor didn't seem to know the meaning behind 'personal space', from what the boy could tell. But the boy couldn't exactly complain, considering that he was the one who brought him back to health.

"Definitely better than before, Doc," the boy answered. When he first met him, the doctor introduced himself as Dr. Paylor Sakaki, the Chief Supervisor of Fenrir's Far East Branch Aragami Technology Department, who was also one of the founding members of Fenrir. Despite his high profile, he took the boy under his care due to his status as a survivor of the KANNAGI Project, a project that was deemed too dangerous for humanity as a whole.

"Good, good." Dr. Sakaki nodded, smiling. "I'm glad that you're now in a good shape, because we need to talk about something. But first thing first, do you know what Aragami are?"

Because of his mild case of amnesia, thanks to the experiments he had been through, he was unable to recall anything related to what the Aragami were about. But thanks to Dr. Sakaki giving him lectures about that particular subject while treating him, he managed to relearn it, including the state of the world. Due to the existence of the Aragami, humanity was almost driven to extinction. The boy nodded, answering Dr. Sakaki's question.

"Ah, good, it seems that you are an attentive person," Dr. Sakaki said. "As you know, Aragami have become a threat to the existence of mankind. And in order to prevent mankind's extinction, we utilized the technology derived from our research on Oracle Cells, and God Eaters came into beings." Dr. Sakaki continued his lecture, "God Eaters wield the God Arcs, the only weapons that are capable of eradicating Aragami."

The doctor adjusted his glasses.

"After running a couple of tests on you, we learned that you, my boy, have such a high compatibility with our newly-developed New-Type God Arc…" After a pause, Dr. Sakaki continued, "We are unsure whether it is the side-effect of the KANNAGI Project or not, but considering that the New-Type God Arcs have lower rates of compatibility compared to Old-Type God Arcs, it's safe to say that it's rare to find those with high compatibility with New-Type. Because you have such a high compatibility, you are eligible to become the first of the New-Type God Eaters…"

The boy mulled over the doctor's words. "So… you want me to become a God Eater?"

After a few moments of silence, Dr. Sakaki nodded and spoke, "Essentially, yes. In order to prevent humanity's extinction, finding those eligible to wield God Arcs is something necessary to ensure our survival. Still, there is a little problem with you becoming a God Eater, you see?" He adjusted his glasses again as he looked at the unnamed boy's face.

The boy understood what Dr. Sakaki meant after looking his face. Being a survivor of the KANNAGI Project, he had no identification documents with him. And considering that he lost most of his memories, he didn't even know what his name was.

"But, that shouldn't be a problem, because we can just give you a new name. We will provide a new identification document for you, and it will not be that hard. But the question here is…" Dr. Sakaki looked at his face again. "What sort of name do you want to give yourself?"

Blinking, the boy thought about it. Giving himself a new name would mean giving himself a new identity. And that would also mean he would leave his old, forgotten identity behind. As he thought about it, he glanced at his own arm and saw a small mark. During his time as Subject 12 of the KANNAGI Project, the researchers gave him that mark as some sort of brand. As he stared at the mark on his forearm, Dr. Sakaki also saw it and stroked his own chin in interest.

"Ah," the doctor recognized the mark. "It's one of the Greek alphabets." It was a μ-shaped mark which resembled the alphabet 'u'. "It is pronounced as 'mu'. Hmm… I wonder how significant that mark is…" Dr. Sakaki mused as he stroked his chin. "When we think about it, it looks like the letter 'u'." He said in amusement. "Ah, so that explains why you're Subject 12. As you can see, μ is the twelfth Greek letter. So, this is perhaps a sign of you being Subject 12."

"Letter 'u'…" The boy muttered. "U… Yu…" He continued to stare at the mark as he repeated the word several times. "Yu… Yuu…" He tried saying the word with different inflections before he tilted his head. "Yuu." He looked at Dr. Sakaki. "Yuu."

Dr. Sakaki regarded the boy curiously. "Yuu?"

The boy nodded. "Yuu. I want to name myself Yuu."

"Yuu, huh?" Dr. Sakaki mused. "It sounds rather simple, but when I think about it, it sort of fits. Do you want to have that as your name?" The doctor asked.

The newly-named Yuu nodded.

"So, how about your surname? Do you want me to come up with that?" Dr. Sakaki asked.

Yuu thought about it for a while. "A surname…" He tried to come up with one, but he figured out that due to his memory loss, he couldn't think of any. Still, he wanted to come up with one.

He wanted something that could define himself. A name. Something that could remind him of the fact that he had abandoned his old, forgotten self.

Due to the KANNAGI Project, he needed to cast away everything about him prior to his abduction, because they were no longer reachable for him.

KANNAGI Project.

Kannagi.

"I… I have decided…" Yuu said. "From now on, my name is Yuu Kannagi. That will be my name, Doc." He smiled at Dr. Sakaki.

Dr. Sakaki frowned after hearing what the previously-unnamed boy wanted to name himself as. "Kannagi, huh? I'd imagined that you might want to distance yourself from such a thing, considering that the KANNAGI Project was the reason behind you losing almost everything about you. Why do you want to call yourself that?"

Yuu let out a nervous laugh before he spoke, "W-well, you see… I was Subject 12, which means I was the twelfth subject of the KANNAGI Project." He looked at his own palms as he recalled the time when he was subjected to all those experiments. "There were eleven subjects before me, and unlike me, they couldn't make it."

"Ah…" Realization dawned on Dr. Sakaki as he remembered the nature of the experiments. All the test subjects, excluding the newly-christened Yuu, didn't survive, and all of them were below fifteen in age. "Go on," the doctor said gently, prodding Yuu to continue.

"I imagine that maybe they wanted to live more…" Yuu said. "So, I thought that I want to honor their memories by naming myself after the project that claimed their lives. I… I don't want to forget them. I want to carry the burden of being the one who survived…" He brought his hand to his chest as he continued, "I never met any of them, but I know that if given the chance, they probably wished that they could make it. That's why, for their sake, I will never give up on living, no matter what."

Then, he laughed sheepishly.

"Haha, well… it sounds kinda cheesy, but yeah, I will live on as Yuu Kannagi for their sake. Does that make sense to you, Doc?" Yuu asked the doctor.

Dr. Sakaki smiled. "Well, it's a good name. We'll make the identification document for you. Still, you are yet to fully recover, so I suppose you may have to undergo therapy sessions. And considering that you probably have lost most skills that you had prior, I guess you'll have to relearn about a lot of things. Does that sound acceptable to you, Yuu?"

Yuu nodded.

"Good! Now, I shall go so that we can have your documents made…" Dr. Sakaki spun on his heel before he walked over to the door. Before he reached the exit, he stopped before he went to Yuu's bed. "But before that, how do you want to write your name?" He took out a piece of paper and a pen from his pockets. He handed them to Yuu. "You're Japanese, and I want to know how you write the name."

Yuu looked at the piece of paper as he held the fountain pen in his hand. When he moved the pen to the paper to write his new name, he stopped, seemingly hesitant. Then, he looked at Dr. Sakaki, giving him a troubled look.

"Ah…" Dr. Sakaki realized that he might have also lost his ability to write. "Oh well, let's make 'writing' as something that you'll need to relearn, Yuu."

Yuu sheepishly looked away.

For the next six months, Yuu Kannagi underwent several sessions of therapy in order to fully regain his ability to walk. And thanks to a proper diet, he managed to grow several inches in height. He also gained some muscles thanks to him having work-outs. Not only that, he also relearned how to read, write and communicate with others. For some reason, his vocabulary remained intact despite the experiments that affected his memory, but he still needed to relearn many things so that he could be reintegrated back into society.

And it helped that Yuu was quite a quick learner. In a mere span of six months, he managed to relearn all the essentials. Dr. Sakaki was mostly pleased by this. Because of that, he arranged aptitude tests for Yuu so that he could become a God Eater. And he would also become the first New-Type God Eater who would wield the New-Type God Arc.

So, for that purpose, Dr. Sakaki brought him to a place where he would undergo the aptitude tests. He was told to wait in a room where he would be given a God Arc that was compatible with him. He would be given Bias Factor in order for him to become a God Eater.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long…" Yuu heard a voice speaking to him through the speakers. The voice sounded sophisticated and dignified. "Now then, I will now test your compatibility as a member of the Anti-Aragami Punitive Force, the God Eaters."

"God Eaters…" Yuu thought to himself before he looked at the palm of his right hand. He remembered his meeting with that particular God Eater who rescued him, the God Eater who called himself Lindow Amamiya. If he became a God Eater, there may be a chance in which they can cross paths again. Thinking about such a thing made the boy anxious a bit.

As if noticing Yuu's discomfort, the speaker spoke, "Please try to relax a little. You'll get better results that way."

Nodding, Yuu looked at the device located in the middle of the room. From what he learned from Dr. Sakaki, he would be injected with Bias Factor and fitted with the God Eater's armlet.

"When you're ready, go stand in front of that case in the center of the room," the voice instructed.

Yuu nodded and went over to the case. As he stood in front of it, he saw a weapon lying on top of the case. It was a God Arc, a weapon specifically made for God Eaters. Not only that, it was also a New-Type God Arc, which was more advanced than the Old-Type God Arcs. And he would be the first one to wield such a thing.

Swallowing his nervousness, Yuu placed his hand on top of the case. He placed his palm on the hilt of the God Arc. He would be injected with Bias Factor in order to become a God Eater. While he's used to being injected with foreign materials because of the KANNAGI Project, the thought of him being injected with something that would turn him into a superhuman made Yuu feel anxious. Still, he braced himself.

Then, the case clamped on his arm, and he could feel stinging pain as he was injected with Bias Factor. It felt like the entirety of his right arm was burning as Bias Factor was injected into his veins. Still, it only took him a moment before the case unclamped itself, revealing his right hand being fitted with the armlet of a God Eater.

For Yuu, he felt a little weird as the pain faded. He lifted the God Arc from the case, and despite its size, it was almost weightless. He stared at the God Arc in awe, studying it before he swung it a couple of time, trying to familiarize himself with his new condition as a God Eater. There was some kind of sensation that he felt as he held the God Arc with both his hands.

It was the sensation of holding such an amazing power with both his hands.

As Yuu continued to study his God Arc, the voice spoke through the speakers, "Congratulations, Yuu Kannagi. You are now the first of the Far East Branch's New-Type God Eaters."

A blond man clad in a white coat was seen observing the New-Type God Eater undergoing his aptitude tests. Apparently, this young God Eater somehow had exceeded all his expectations.

He took his seat as he looked at the God Eater's profile through the terminal. The first time he heard that Dr. Paylor Sakaki had been taking care of him for a year almost made the man laugh. For such an absentminded professor such as Paylor, he sure was a better father than him.

At first, he was skeptical of this boy, considering that he was a test subject and a survivor of the KANNAGI Project, something that he deemed unworthy of his attention. But then, when Paylor revealed to him that Yuu had such an abnormally-high compatibility with the New-Type God Arc, he decided to change his mind.

"Perhaps there is more to the KANNAGI Project than what we currently know, Johannes. We may not agree with such a thing, but aren't you curious?"

The man, Johannes von Schicksal, chuckled as he recalled Paylor's words. Then he continued to look at the profile of the New-Type God Eater. He focused on his picture. There was nothing remarkable about the boy's appearance, but there was something in the boy's eyes that reminded Johannes of something.

Yes, right. Those eyes reminded him of his own son.

Finding mirth in such a thought, Johannes chuckled again. If only that boy understood what he had gone through, that foolish boy wouldn't be able to bring himself to hate him.

"Interesting…" Johannes muttered as he studied the details of the New-Type God Eater's profile. "Yuu Kannagi, huh?"

God and Man

Chapter 01: Yuu Kannagi

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note: I've been thinking about making a God Eater Burst fanfiction for a while, so here we go. Because I'm a big fan of story's canonicity, I decided to use the canon name of Burst protagonist, Yuu Kannagi, but with a little twist. This is also some sort of novelization with a few expansions and twists, so I hope you guys like it. Please look forward for the next chapter, Chapter 02: Lindow Amamiya.

Also, special thanks for Sorata Shioya for beta-reading this chapter.

Prince Arjuna (2015)