The brilliant morning sun washed over the bustling city of New York, whose relentless pace was characteristic of a metropolis of such magnitude. It was no wonder the city was regarded as a source of wealth, both culturally—thanks to its great ethnic diversity—and economically, as it had become the preferred location for the headquarters of countless technological and financial corporations.
Located in the heart of New York stood an imposing structure that fused the classical with the contemporary. This place was none other than Empire State University, one of the largest universities in the country. It had already been famous in its own right, but its reputation had grown even further after the administrative change that had taken place years ago.
After lengthy negotiations with the governmental authorities of New York, Empire State University came under the administration of a massive industrial conglomerate—something never before seen in the nation's history, at least not openly.
The name of that conglomerate was the Glass Industrial Group (GIG), an industrial giant whose origins lay in the medical and healthcare sector. After a few years in the market, the company—once relatively unknown—began filing patents and promoting health treatments with remarkably positive results. From that point on, the sleeping giant began its rise. With its growing success came aggressive expansion into a variety of fields, not only industrial but also domestic, allowing it to secure a foothold in multiple sectors.
Once the negotiations were concluded over ten years earlier, the management of the university officially passed into GIG's hands. It had been a carefully calculated strategic move, designed to consolidate the corporation's power and influence.
Although its expansion was swift and focused, its structure had still been relatively fragile. By taking control of the university, GIG could finally meet its need for qualified talent. In doing so, it gained direct influence over the training of its future subordinates, allowing them to be quickly absorbed into its ranks.
But GIG's executives were not fools. They knew that if they monopolized all of the university's resources, they would provoke the resentment of other industrial giants and major companies from a wide range of sectors. Understanding that sharing the pie was the best way to coexist, they chose instead to leave room for others to benefit as well, giving them the opportunity to recruit qualified personnel for their own organizations.
That was when GIG founded the ESSF (Empire State Student Fund), an organization independent from GIG itself, made up through the proportional participation of other companies, corporations, and associations. It was responsible for managing a collective fund, the benefits of which were distributed through random draws, as well as a system of participation scores and merit rankings.
Its main function was to award scholarships to the university's most outstanding students and researchers. It also financed projects of mutual interest among participating companies, with patents to be shared among the organizations involved.
The school underwent a dramatic transformation. Its renovation marked a before and after in the university's history, introducing for the first time the educational model that GIG's executives named Corporate Education.
Although the exterior façade did not change much, everything inside was modernized to an extraordinary degree. In common areas and hallways, digital screens displayed corporate announcements, promoting specialized courses in key fields of interest to GIG.
Nearly every part of the university, from classrooms to shared spaces, was equipped with interactive screens that provided students with immediate access to academic information.
The modern green spaces featured gardens filled with lush trees, stainless-steel benches, and fountains. The gardens were designed to feel calm and serene, yet the outdoor rest areas were also decorated with advertising screens that constantly displayed GIG's products and technological achievements.
The university cafeterias were minimalist, elegant, and highly technological. The tables were fitted with interactive screens through which students could place their orders, while the walls were decorated with panoramic images of New York City and the corporation's technological projects. The food served was of high quality, with menus focused on healthy options and advanced food technology.
The university library had been divided into several sections. Some retained a classical style, with wooden shelves filled with old books, while entire areas were also dedicated to advanced technological research. The laboratories were filled with holographic displays, computer terminals, and interactive devices that allowed students to conduct research on any subject of interest.
The research centers and specialized laboratories stood out the most after their renovation and final completion, boasting futuristic architecture with massive metallic structures and smart glass walls that darkened under intense light. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the most advanced research projects were promoted by the corporation, which sought to use the university's academic resources to advance its own interests.
In addition to the renovation, entirely new complexes had also been built.
In one exclusive wing of the campus, a GIG office had been established. This sector was under strict control and featured a minimalist architectural style dominated by steel and glass. The hallways were lined with digital panels, and the walls were covered with massive screens promoting both university research and the corporation's newest technologies.
A special venue had also been built for conferences and important events, where corporate representatives presented new products and cutting-edge technologies. These spaces were designed to impress, with giant projection screens and futuristic aesthetics that blended education with corporate propaganda.
The entire university system was connected to a centralized management network through which students could access their academic information, register their schedules, and even participate in events sponsored by the corporation.
Under this broad technological integration, the quality of graduates improved dramatically. The university achieved a major milestone, producing more than 2,500 graduates who were experts in their respective fields.
A large portion of those graduates, with GIG's help, secured positions in the corporation's various branches. At the same time, in accordance with the terms agreed upon through the ESSF, a smaller portion had to be reassigned to other member organizations.
On this particular day, Empire State University was in celebration. The campus was alive with activity, colorful banners hung between the buildings, and giant screens displayed the countdown to the day's main event.
The university was not only celebrating the collective efforts of its academic community, but also preparing for the demonstration of a revolutionary medical experiment—an advancement that, according to official announcements, could change the course of medicine itself.
The air was filled with a mixture of excitement and expectation. Lively music could be heard across different parts of the campus, where students, professors, and important figures from industry had gathered for the event. The common areas, usually functional and somewhat formal, had been transformed into festive spaces filled with food stalls, decorations, and friendly competitions between the university's departments.
Although the university had allowed students to take part in the celebration, only a select group of sponsors, government officials—both civilian and military—and industrial executives had access to the restricted area where the final tests would take place. The rest of the guests and the student body could only witness the festivities from outside and enjoy the organized activities.
The campus, normally filled with screens and information panels displaying academic, scientific, and corporate announcements, had turned into a place of entertainment and culture. At the heart of the campus, a main stage had been set up for one of the day's major activities. A series of performances and live presentations would be held there, featuring student bands, contests, and food stalls set up like a fair. The atmosphere was deeply festive, with families strolling across campus—parents and children, friends, acquaintances, and couples all enjoying a day away from academic concerns.
…
Meanwhile, inside the research center, a team of assistant scientists under GIG's direction prepared everything for the demonstration. Little by little, the important men of industry, government, and the military began to arrive and take their seats, ready to witness the presentation of the research and its results, which were expected to give a tremendous push to the current state of medical technology.
…
Inside one of the university's dressing rooms stood a young man with a slim build, slightly sickly and somewhat pale. He stared at himself in the mirror, studying his features with complete attention, almost lost in thought. His albino traits were so striking that he would have been easy to recognize even in a vast crowd. Gray hair and gray eyes, mild visual impairment, and skin extremely sensitive to burns from solar radiation.
When he gently pressed his cheeks, they reddened at once, leaving a noticeable mark on his face. "I'm still not used to this," he said with a sigh.
"But all of that is about to change. All this time spent accumulating it has been completely worth it," he murmured to himself, as though speaking to his own reflection.
It was truly strange. If anyone else had witnessed what was happening, they would probably have thought the young man was unwell—some sort of mental issue, perhaps.
He continued smoothing out his dark trousers, adjusted the sleeves of his light blue shirt, and straightened the striped tie at his neck. He paused for a moment to look at the glasses lying nearby. Feeling a faint sense of rejection toward them, he once again refused to put them on, choosing instead to insert a pair of contact lenses.
He had never liked wearing glasses. It was not because he feared the bullying that might come with them—nothing like that. He simply disliked the feeling of having something hanging from his ears and sitting in front of his face. To him, they were an annoyance, especially during any kind of physical activity.
Despite his sickly appearance, he was actually in good physical condition. He had trained in kickboxing from a very early age and had continued practicing diligently during his free time and in moments of stress. Neither in the sport nor in his discipline could he be called truly exceptional, but he was certainly somewhat above average.
After finishing adjusting his clothes, the young man stepped out of the dressing room. He took his white lab coat from a nearby rack, put it on properly, and began walking through the hallways, which were somewhat noisy because of the festivities. He looked around at the stages and installations set up inside the classrooms—signs for cafés, foreign-food restaurants, haunted houses, performances, and attractions. All of it had been organized by different student groups.
Such a sight was unusual in American schools. He then recalled that all of this had been done at the suggestion of Japanese professors: to make use of the celebration not only as a commemoration of the research's successful results, but also as a way to promote cultural exchange and foster camaraderie and interaction among the students.
Empire State University was not an institution reserved solely for American citizens. It was fully open to students from any part of the world. Anyone capable of passing the basic filters could enter as an ordinary student.
After the creation of the ESSF, special evaluation tiers had been introduced, attracting talent in many different areas and specialties. Whether domestic or foreign, Empire State welcomed them with open arms as long as they demonstrated sufficient ability.
To gain admission through the ESSF's special programs, applicants had to undergo rigorous evaluations that demanded their absolute concentration. It was, quite simply, a frantic struggle among candidates to prove their superiority over everyone else.