People Can Fly

Over 220 years ago in Taketa, Japan, two brothers had an idea while observing a fire in their fireplace. Entranced by the smoke and sparks rising from the flames, Furōto and Kazuya pondered the possibility of utilizing hot smoke in a flying machine capable of carrying people through the air.

The very next day, fueled by curiosity, the brothers conducted experiments with their cousin Nori as a witness. They constructed a sturdy frame from heavy wood and covered it with a cloth bag. Igniting a fire beneath the opening of the bag, they observed as the bag gracefully ascended.

Despite their successful demonstration, Nori remained skeptical, deeming the concept implausible. She believed the frame was too heavy to be lifted by smoke. Furōto and Kazuya, however, theorized that the burning process and the resulting smoke created a unique gas that caused the balloon to rise. In reality, the brothers possessed a secret—they had inherited superpowers that allowed them to manipulate objects with fire, making them float. This extraordinary ability extended up to 12 kilometers from them, a power inherited from their superpowered parents.

Named Furōto and Kazuya to symbolize "floating and fire," the brothers were eager to share their invention with the public. Building an improved balloon, they lit a fire beneath it, causing it to ascend rapidly and break free from its tether. The balloon floated more than two kilometers away, leaving onlookers in awe.

Keen to showcase their flying machine to the Emperor of Japan, Furōto and Kazuya planned to have people ride in the balloon. However, the Emperor hesitated, fearing the safety of breathing air high in the sky. Undeterred, the brothers decided to send a sika deer, a raccoon dog, and a cat on the first living beings to fly in a hot-air balloon. The animals ascended over one kilometer into the air and landed safely nearly three kilometers away.

Subsequently, Furōto and Kazuya conducted a test with two people riding in the balloon, marking the first time people traveled from one place to another using a hot-air balloon. Over time, this invention became a widely adopted mode of transportation.

On a sunny morning, as Furōto and Kazuya eagerly shared their achievements with their parents, their parents burst into laughter. They had known all along about their children's remarkable abilities and were merely awaiting the discovery. Amid shared laughter, the family reveled in the joy of their extraordinary journey.

The End