Ciconia no Naku Koro ni

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