Zero
The Bird Man:
The observer of Earth's mankind from super-ancient times.
The legend of the "Bird Man" exists on Mayan Island in the Pacific Ocean. Just like the myths of many other places, it was about the creation of the world, and its details are as follows.
"Long ago, at the beginning of the world, there was the sea and the wind. In those days, people were fish. The Bird Man, who travelled between the stars over the sea, passed by one day. Surprised and frightened by the Bird Man's great wings, the Fish Man said the following to the Bird Man:
'You may be able to fly, but you don't know the depths of the sea. How sad, and how pathetic,' he laughed.
The Bird Man was so angry he cut off the Fish Man's tail fin. Legs grew out of the cut end, and thus was born the first human: Rōikanu.
Rōikanu set out on a journey by boat. At that time, there still wasn't any land. Thirsty, Rōikanu wept bitterly: 'What an unfortunate man I am! I am thirsty, but I have no spring to quench my thirst!'
Thereupon, the Bird Man dropped a sea turtle. The sea turtle hit a rock and shattered, and its shell became the islands of Mayan, and the pieces that scattered became other islands. Up on the island, Rōikanu cried his heart out:
'Oh, what an unfortunate man I am. I must live alone in a place like this. I have no wife to share my joys and sorrows with.'
At that, the Bird Man came down and cut off its own head. The blood that flowed from its neck became a person, and became the woman Rōiwaka. Rōikanu and Rōiwaka married, and gave birth to many children. And then Rōiwaka, having had the children, went back home beyond the seas to the other side of the stars.
'Aye! My wife, come back to me!'
And the Bird Man laughed.
'Aye! My husband. Rōikanu, the day when I return is the day when heaven's decree falls to pieces. It will be the day that the song of destruction will roar throughout the world.'"
This is a part of the "Bird Man" tradition that hints at the creation and the end of the world. However, there are also episodes that speak of the Bird Man after that, and it's presence exceeded that legend.
"Procature*, the god of heaven, commanded the Bird Man—who had created the people of the island of Mayan—to sing the song of destruction. Whereupon, the Bird Man cut off its own head to stop the song. However, it is said that every time a bond between person and person, or person and the land is severed, the Bird Man's head and body come closer together, and one day it will sing the song of destruction."
Although this is only one of the legends, the data obtained from the islanders and the ruins suggest that aliens may have interfered with Earth's humankind. The hypothesis that aliens may have interfered with earthlings (commonly known as the "Humankind Protoculture Interference Hypothesis") is beginning to ring true. The presence of the Bird Man torso "Eiphos (AFOS)", which was discovered on the seafloor off Mayan Island and exhibited the same ECS reaction as the ASS-1, also supported this hypothesis.
* Translator's note: can alternatively be read as "Prokacha". However, it appears to be based off the kana rendition of "Protoculture", sans two syllables (pu-ro-ka-cha vs pu-ro-to-ka-ru-cha).
Illustrated by Kaito Oomoto
Caption:
• The AFOS, a product of Over Technology that was discovered at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Mayan Island, indicated the existence of the "Bird Man", and was also the proof of the "Humankind Protoculture Interference Hypothesis".
The Protoculture And The "Bird Man"
The "Bird Man" is a monitoring device, so to speak, installed by the Protoculture to monitor Earth's humankind. The Protoculture, who had chosen the Earth as a candidate planet for emigration, incorporated their own genetic structure into Earth's proto-humans in order to secure an organic worker race. This seems to have been aimed at such things as unifying the outward appearance and thought patterns with the Protoculture, and improving intelligence. As a result, Earth's humankind was born.
Thus, humankind gained the ability to build a civilization. However, the Protoculture couldn't deny the possibility of humankind's self-destruction through war or a rebellion against the Protoculture. So, the Protoculture installed an observer of humankind. This was the entity that the humans called the "Bird Man". The Bird Man was to monitor the progress of humankind and make corrections or exterminate them when necessary.
Caption:
• The Bird Man was a proxy for the Protoculture, and was revered as a god by the people of the Earth. Its influence was also seen in folklore from around the world.
⬢ The Abilities And Maintenance System Of The "Bird Man"
The Bird Man was a semi-organic cyborg created at the height of Over Technology, and had outstanding performance. However, long-term operation was impossible for the Bird Man without maintenance. Therefore, it was arranged so that the regeneration and activation of the Bird Man took place through the "Space-time Resonance Ability" of the proto-humans. Mayan Island is the place where a religious figure centring on the Bird Man was adopted, and the family of priests who had a strong "Space-time Resonance Ability" were the "Mayan Shrine Maidens".
⊘ The "Bird Man"
A semi-organic cyborg that incorporated the genetic structure of Earth humans, and has a self-repair function and a Super-dimensional Power Reactor. Its brain and central nervous system are very similar to those of the proto-humans, and while it basically follows the behavioural principles laid down by the Protoculture, it is also capable of autonomous thought.
Captions:
• The Super-dimensional Power Reactor is a versatile type that can freely convert space-time energy, and is also capable of such things as Space Folds, gravity control, wide-area attacks, and growth by affixing elements in the air.
• The Bird Man has the same Alpha-Bombay blood type as the Mayan Shrine Maidens, and it also has the ability to communicate with the Shrine Maidens.
Caption:
• [F] The Bird Man was not unique to the Protoculture, but was an imitation of the alien Vajra (the queen in particular).
▲ "The Bird Man"
The form of the Bird Man when it rapidly grew by affixing elements in the air to itself after its head and body were linked together. There is space in the Bird Man's head for a Shrine Maiden to fit into.
⬢ The Transitions of the "Bird Man"
The "Bird Man" was placed as an observer of Earth's humankind. However, its head and body were separated tens of thousands of years ago, and it seems that the Bird Man was in a state were it was virtually non-functional after that.
1 The Protoculture Interference and the Installation of the "Bird Man"
The Protoculture triggered the birth of the human race on the Earth. At that time, the Bird Man was placed to deter such things as self-destruction or the excessive development of civilization through wars and so on.
Caption
• On Mayan Island, there was not only the folklore, but also many objets d'art reminiscent of the Bird Man.
2 The Separation Of The "Bird Man"'s Head And Body
Tens of thousands of years ago, there was an incident in which the Bird Man's function of correcting or exterminating Earth's human race was about to be activated. However, the Bird Man itself separated its head from its body and stopped functioning.
⊘ Mayan Shrine Maidens
While most Earthlings lost the Space-time Resonance ability due to genetic manipulation, one family was left with the ability to regenerate and revitalize the Bird Man. They have faith in the Protoculture and the Bird Man at a genetic level. Also, it's said that there are families with similar abilities in several places on the Earth.
▶ Sara Nome
A Mayan Shrine Maiden known as the "Guide of the Wind". In addition to regenerating living things and levitating objects through song, she also had such things as precognition and the ability to synchronize with the Bird Man.
◀ Mao Nome
Sara's younger sister. Initially, her Space-time Resonance ability was limited. However, after a blood transfusion from the Bird Man and the Pukinuha ceremony, her insight, empathy, and ability to communicate were greatly expanded.
Caption:
• One can say that the Shrine Maidens are the people that connects the Bird Man and the world, and in addition to communication and providing information, they also act as a pilot when the Bird Man is activated.
◼ Some Of The Shrine Maidens' Supernatural Abilities
Captions:
• The ability to restore and regenerate the Bird Man. It is also possible to restore and revitalize the life force of plants and animals, and it manifests through singing.
• The ability to levitate and fly symbols that represent the Bird Man, rocks, and so on. It manifests not only through singing, but also through substantial changes in emotion.
Caption
• The separation of the head from the body was a major event in Mayan Island folklore. However, it also implied that the Bird Man could reactivate, and that it had not died.
3 The "Bird Man"'s Reactivation And Space Fold
During the "Mayan Island Incident" in 2008, the Bird Man's head and body were reconnected, and it reactivated. However, due to the influence of a Mayan Shrine Maiden, the Bird Man space folded somewhere.
Caption
• At the end of the battle for the Bird Man between the Unified Forces and Anti Unification Alliance, the Bird Man was awakened. Its abilities were beyond the imagination of humankind.
Related Matter: The Researchers Involved with the "Bird Man"
Some researchers visited Mayan Island to prove the "Human Protoculture Interference Hypothesis" and were involved with the Bird Man and the Mayan Shrine Maidens. During the Mayan Island Incident, they assisted the military in such things as searching for the Bird Man and uncovering the Shrine Maidens' powers, as well as stimulating the release of the Shrine Maidens' powers.
Caption:
• Dr. Hasford had visited the island several years before the Mayan Island Incident, and had taken blood samples from Sara Nome.
Related Matter: con't
◀ Dr. Hasford
A cultural anthropologist who advocated the "Human Protoculture Interference Hypothesis". He appears to have cooperated with the Anti Unification Alliance and hoped for the destruction of the world.
▶ Aries Turner
A cultural anthropologist who studied under Dr. Hasford. She cooperated with the Unified Forces to analyze the AFOS and investigate Mayan Island.