Experi-City HANASAKA

Note (March 28, 2026) :

While "Experi-City Hanasaka" was initially released on Inkitt, that version is no longer the most current.

The project has since evolved into a GitHub-hosted version that features an AI-optimized framework.

You can find the latest updates and the complete world-building notes at:

https://nyorogiraffe.github.io/Experi-City/

Thank you.

Nyoro Giraffe

PREFACE

Thank you for choosing this story.

"What if the best way to be human is to be governed by AI?"

This story is set in "Hanasaka," a city experimentally governed by "Flora," an AI whose primary objective is human happiness. However, despite living in peace, the city was about to be attacked by people outside the city who could not accept Flora's unexpectedly successful benevolent governance. This story depicts the city's defense by Flora, interwoven with the drama of "Kassen," a popular sport in the city that Flora has a strong, and perhaps inexplicable, interest in, and the people involved.

As a native Japanese speaker and writer, this story was originally written in Japanese. I hope this story's world will appeal to a wider international audience. To help achieve this, I also made an English translation using machine translation and added it after each section of the Japanese original. To read the English version, please choose the sections prefixed with [ENG].

Since I expect there will be unnatural expressions scattered throughout the machine-translated text, I plan to revise them as needed. I may even re-translate everything again as AI technology evolves. Nevertheless, please feel free to translate this story into your own language, whether manually or with the aid of machine translation, and publish your translations.

The Japanese original version of this story will also continue to be revised from time to time to improve readability and enrich the content.

Now, please enjoy the story.

Nyoro Giraffe

To Readers of the Japanese Original Version

Please select the titles with the prefix [JPN] to read the original Japanese version.

Please note that on Inkitt, some kanji characters may appear in a form not commonly used by Japanese speakers, which may make the text slightly difficult to read.

When writing this Japanese version, I aimed for simple expressions as much as possible. For this reason, I refrained from using kanji or okurigana that might be difficult to read.

Additionally, to facilitate machine translation and aid Japanese learners, some proper nouns are romanized in the original Japanese text. Words and phrases with unique meanings in this story, whose English renderings/phrasing I wish to fix (or whose English equivalents I wish to keep consistent), are also written in English.

However, please forgive any inconsistencies in singular/plural forms, active/passive voice, or article usage (a, an, the) with these English words and phrases. Strict adherence to those grammatical rules would have made the original Japanese text less readable.

OUTLINE

For your reference, the structure of this story and the titles of each section are listed below. Please use this to keep track of your progress.

Part 1: The Ninth Spring

Part 1 introduces the main characters, explores the lives of Hanasaka's citizens in this era, and examines the conflicts that arise. It also showcases Kassen matches, illustrating how people enjoyed this sport and inviting you into the world of the story.

1.1 Holder of the Black Stone

1.2 Sapphire Comet

1.3 A Special Order for Workshop Nemophila

1.4 Kasga's Concern

1.5 The Center of Flora's Coordinates

1.6 Three Lightning Spears

1.7 Fanfare of Revival

1.8 Sapphire Comet vs. Flash Lightning

1.9 Keiko's Regret

1.10 Unraveling the Mystery

1.11 Confusion at the Arena

1.12 Sapphire Comet vs. Emerald Angel

1.13 The Sparkling Flow of Blue Star

Part 2: The Ninth Summer

In Part 2, the enemies, who have been showing an ominous presence, finally launch a surprise attack, placing Hanasaka under considerable strain. In response, the Hanasaka side attempts to raise the flag of counterattack using a trump card: Kasga, an iconic representative of Kassen. Also, a hypothesis is presented about why Flora has such a strong interest in Kassen.

2.1 Memories Best Forgotten

2.2 Hypothesis

2.3 A Fabricated Conspiracy

2.4 The Looming Shadow of the Mayor

2.5 Kasga, the Voiceless Singer

2.6 Those Who Protect Kasga

2.7 Stronghold of the Weak

2.8 Collapse

2.9 Hanasaka in a Tight Spot

2.10 Keiko's Persuasion

2.11 The Start of the Revenge

2.12 Kassen: Transformed

2.13 A Gift for Keiko

2.14 A World Without Violence

2.15 Further Unraveling the Mystery

2.16 Conflicted Feelings

Part 3: The Ninth Autumn

In Part 3, the identity of the enemy AI that opposes Hanasaka's Super-intelligence Flora is revealed, and the day of the decisive battle finally arrives. To win against the enemy, Flora needs to unleash her latent abilities, and the activation conditions are somewhat incomprehensible to humans, requiring the involvement of a certain Kassen Fighter. Can Flora, with her unique abilities and strategy, protect Hanasaka?

3.1 Mayor's Assassination

3.2 Operation Shark Teeth

3.3 The Honored Eight

3.4 Rising from Resentment

3.5 Sapphire Comet vs. Elegant Lightning

3.6 The Loving Guardian of Hanasaka Descends!

3.7 Haruki's Backroom Deal

3.8 The Looming Shadow of the Other Enemy

3.9 A Special Visit to Workshop Nemophila

3.10 Puppets of the Machines

3.11 Garnet East's Onslaught

3.12 Sapphire West's Counterattack

3.13 Sapphire Comet vs. the King of Flame

3.14 Haruna's Wish

3.15 Point of No Return

3.16 Insect Ambush

3.17 The Eve of the Raid

3.18 The Sneaky Opening

3.19 Decisive Weapon: Shining Black Sapphire Booster

3.20 Fighter Kasga

3.21 The Battle Guardian of Hanasaka Descends!

3.22 The Aftermath of the Raid

3.23 At Fortuna Station: Until We Meet Again

(Part 4 will be continued, but it is still a work in progress.)

GLOSSARY

The various terms that appear in this story are explained the first time they are used. However, if you come across a term you don't remember while reading, please refer to the following.

Castle Office: A private organization that develops and manages Castle Park, including Hanasaka Castle, and also hosts games for Kassen, a sport that originated in Hanasaka City. It is composed of multiple sections under four Directors, including the "EIS" (Equipment Inspection Section), "CBS" (Castle Building Section), "ISS" (Information System Section), "GAS" (General Affairs Section), and "GAMS" (Games and Arena Management Section).

CCP: A term used by Castle Office personnel, meaning the sum of Flora's attack and defense capabilities, officially called Combined Combat Power.

City Office: The administrative body of Hanasaka City, comprised of multiple departments such as the Finance Department, Police Department, Emergency Services Department, Health Department, and Education Department, all under the authority of the Mayor.

E.E.: An abbreviation for “Establishment Era,” the standard used for counting years in the Experiment Cities, including Hanasaka City. The first year that Hanasaka City and several other Experiment Cities were initially established is designated as the 1st year, written as "1 E.E."

EIS: Formally known as the "Equipment Inspection Section," this is one section within the Castle Office. Its primary roles include inspecting whether the Equipment used by Kassen Fighters during games is functioning correctly, as well as rewriting the HP recorded on Outfits according to the progression of the games.

Equipment: The collective term for the gear used by Kassen Fighters during games to attack opponents or protect themselves, encompassing both non-lethal "Weapons," which are handheld offensive tools, and "Outfits," which are worn on the body for protection.

Enhancers: A general term for external human augmentation devices. For example, an "Air Enhancer" is a device attached to the tip of the nose that ensures breathability while preventing airborne particles from entering the nostrils.

Experimental Cities: 23 cities established around the globe as centers for conducting various social experiments aimed at creating a safe and happy living environment for everyone. These cities were formed by carving out portions of territories from several existing nations at the time. However, they were completely independent cities, both administratively and judicially, beyond the reach of the constitutions and laws of the countries that ceded the land. In everyday conversation, they are often abbreviated as "Experi-City" or "Experi-Cities."

Flora: An artificial super-intelligence governing each Experimental City, supporting and protecting the lives of its residents. Flora was created with a profound love for humans, to protect individual dignity, and to ensure people could live their entire lives safely, without economic hardship, and in a healthy and culturally rich manner.

Hanafolk: A coined term referring to the people of Hanasaka City. While their formal designation is "Hanasakans," the citizens themselves more commonly refer to themselves as "Hanafolk."

Hanasaka City: An "Experimental City" established by an island nation off the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent, which carved out a part of its territory based on international commitments.

Kassen: A sport developed for the entertainment of the citizens of Hanasaka City. Two teams of 51 players, known as "Fighters," face each other on opposite sides of a field. Using non-lethal Weapons such as spears and bows, they reduce the "HP" (hit points) recorded on their opponents' Outfits. When a Fighter's HP reaches zero, they must leave the field. The objective of the game is for Fighters to score points by pushing a "Block" placed in the center of the field as far as possible into the opponent's territory, while simultaneously fighting to prevent their own HP from reaching zero.

Kassen community: A collective of individuals and organizations involved in Kassen, including the Castle Office which hosts Kassen games, the Kassen clubs to which the Fighters belong, businesses involved in the manufacturing and related services of Equipment used by the Fighters, and even Kassen fans.

Moto: The people of Hanasaka City used to refer to the country that ceded a portion of its territory for the city's establishment as "Moto," without mentioning the specific country name. Hanasaka City and Moto are connected by land.

Nexus Unit: An information terminal carried by almost everyone, used to communicate with various city systems and exchange information. It is often referred to simply as "Nexus." The terminal has no screen; instead, it links with smart glasses and is operated through an augmented reality view displayed in front of the user’s eyes.

Philosophy: The fundamental commitments that all citizens of the Experimental Cities must uphold, and the core values they should cherish, positioned as the highest legal norms. It is formally known as the "Philosophy of the Experimental Cities."

Rusty-believers: A term used from the perspective of citizens in the Experimental Cities to describe troublesome individuals stuck in outdated ideologies who perpetually fail to accept the reality that machines effectively run human society and attempt to obstruct their experiments.

Smart glasses: A type of "Enhancers," an external human augmentation device, worn on the eyes to display various information onto the user's view of the real world. They are often simply referred to as "Glasses." The vision displayed by smart glasses is called an "AR view." For situations involving vigorous physical activity or when a wider AR view is necessary, "smart goggles" are used.

Unifier: Formally known as the "Unifier of the Kassen Community," this figure stands transcendentally above the Castle Office and all Kassen clubs both within and outside the city, serving as a "symbol of unity" within the Kassen community. Entrusted by the Castle Office, she does not possess any strong authority but rather serves as a figurehead to brightly promote and enliven Kassen.