Two weeks later —
Aircraft Yard, morning of deployment.
The Sixth and Seventh Battalions stand in flawless formation.
Black cloaks ripple in the morning wind. Red oni masks gleam like silent warnings beneath the pale sky.
At the front stand two figures.
Nero Shiro—the Sixth Blade—relaxed, unnervingly composed.
Beside him, Levi—the newly appointed Seventh Blade—his posture loose, his grin sharp beneath the mask.
Nero tilts his head slightly, studying him.
Nero: "Hmm… something's different about you."
Levi glances sideways.
Levi: "What do you mean?"
A thin smile curls beneath Nero's mask.
Nero: "More… intimidating."
(A pause.)
"You know, I'm starting to be glad Nury brought you in instead of that animal Crusher. You suit us far better."
Levi lets out a low scoff.
Levi: "Don't get comfortable. You still creep me out."
Nero chuckles softly, unbothered.
Behind them, the cargo bay yawns open with a hydraulic hiss.
One by one, the battalions move forward—silent boots, flowing cloaks, disciplined steps—Like shadows boarding thunder.
The doors seal shut.
The mission to retrieve the Nitchtronian artifact has begun.
In flight — nine hours out.
The transport vibrated steadily, metal ribs humming under strain, neon purpled-lights brightening the room. Everyone in the control room wore the same look—focused, wired, waiting for something to go wrong.
Nero tapped the comm in his ear, smiling without warmth.
Nero: "One more time. Keep it short and clean."
Levi leaned against the console, arms crossed.
Levi: "Shiba drops the blackout and we go in. That's the trick."
Shiba didn't look up, fingers flying over holo-keys.
Shiba: "It's timing, not a trick. I get one clean cut—cameras and sensors drop. After that, ninety-one seconds before automated redundancies wake up and start calling satellites."
Nero's smile thinned.
Nero: "Ninety-one seconds. No pressure, we go out as fast as we go in."
A calm voice cut in.
Sawada: "And if someone manually overrides?"
Nero turned slightly.
Nero: "Guys ... .Sawada. She's my nosy lieutenant."
She ignored him and stepped forward, compact and precise.
Sawada: "I will handle manual overrides. If someone reaches a console, I stop them. Quietly."
Her hand brushed the sheath of her katana.
Levi eyed her.
Levi: "Sure you be stealthy with a sword that big?"
Sawada gave a brief nod.
Kayo spoke next, measured.
Kayo: "Three teams. Alpha secures the extraction zone at the northern outer gate. Beta clears the southern perimeter and opens corridors through the depot. Gamma—Levi, Nero, and I—breach the vault and extract the artifact."
Levi smirked.
Shiba pulled up the base layout—patrols, blind spots, sensor rings.
Shiba: "The artifact's in a mobile containment cage—shielded, isolated, sensor-locked. At the west wind of the base."
Nero nodded.
Nero: "Then that's how we do it, a low-altitude drop. Tree line insertion. EMP hits five nodes. Ninety-one seconds of blindness. We grab the crate, move it to the extraction point and withdraw north. We avoid contact if possible."
Levi scoffed.
Levi: "And if Hope shows?"
The room tightened.
Nero's voice went flat.
Nero: "We're killing all of their communications. But, if he appears, we abort the operation. We don't engage him."
Shiba keyed another program.
Shiba: "EMP also spoofs maintenance alerts. But there's a fallback—manual override in the tower. If that sergeant activates it, you have thirty seconds before the plan collapses. So take them out fast."
Levi grinned thinly.
Levi: "So kill the tower guys first."
Shiba's display pulsed red.
Shiba: "EMP in ten. Harness up. Silent deploy. No chatter."
The engines deepened as the plane descended. Outside, Breedom's coastline slid past, lights glittering like a sleeping enemy.
Nero scanned the room before the drop.
Nero: "No glory. Just results."
Levi flexed his gloved hands.
Levi: "Cool. Let's kill the night."
Drop.
The plane vanished into darkness as it camouflaged. Below, floodlights swept. Then screens stuttered.
Static.
Dead.
Shiba: "EMP window open. Ninety-one seconds. Time to move."
Black parachutes bloomed. Shadows fell.
Red oni masks caught moonlight—then vanished into trees.
Towers went silent. Sentries dropped without sound.
Gamma flowed through the perimeter like a blade. Guards turned corners and never turned back. No alarms. No screams.
Sawada intercepted the tower operators in one clean motion. The override died with them.
Bodies rained down, fast and merciless.
Shiba: "Sixty seconds. Push to the depot."
Levi pulled his mask into place. The red grin fixed.
The depot loomed ahead.
The easy part was over.
Inside the base — steel halls, cold reflections.
The militia compound gleamed like a machine brought to life: chrome floors, steel walls polished enough to mirror boots, masks, and movement. Levi, Kayo, and Nero cut through the corridors fast and silent, shadows slipping between pools of sterile light.
Levi (low):"This place is massive. How far to the artifact?"
Kayo: "Not far."
Northern Outer Gate.
Dozens of guards patrolled the outer ring, stamping their boots, joking to keep warm.
Guard 1: "Cold tonight, huh?"
Guard 2 (snorting): "Tell me about it. My balls are frozen."
Laughter rippled—then died instantly with a heavy stomp.
War:"Ahem."
(His voice cracked like a whip. The guards snapped to attention)
"This isn't playtime. Back to your positions."
Guards:"Yes, sir!"
They dispersed, muttering under their breath as War turned away.
Guard 1 (quietly): "Wasn't he the one who passed out at the Gala?"
Guard 2: "Yeah. If Hope hadn't shown up, he'd be dead."
War didn't react. He entered the tower room and sealed the door behind him.
The iron mask cracked.
He collapsed into a chair, breath hitching.
War (breaking): "How could I be so stupid…?"
(His hands shook)
"I was supposed to protect them. I failed. If I hadn't taken that drink—"
He stopped. The camera feeds caught his eye.
Too clean. Too calm.
War frowned and tapped his comm.
War:"Tech, check the feeds."
Static.
He switched channels. Silence.
His jaw tightened.
Back in the corridors—
Shiba's voice cut in.
Shiba (over comms):"Fifteen seconds."
Levi, Kayo, and Nero rounded a corner—and froze.
A room packed wall-to-wall with armored figures blocked their path. Heavy sealed suits. No heat signatures. No heartbeats.
They weren't on Shiba's feeds.
Nero's lips curved faintly.
Nero: "Well… isn't that interesting."
Shiba (tight): "What do you mean?"
Levi (sensing, jaw clenching): "We've got Fighters. Guardians—under forty stardust each. But there's too many. No way through unnoticed."
Kayo: "Those suits are anti-hack. Shiba—your spoof won't touch them."
Shiba (swearing under her breath): "They're invisible to my net. I can't fake what I can't see."
(Her screen pulsed red)
"Systems are coming back online. I lost the full blackout."
Silence.
The base was waking up.
Levi (straightened): "Then we move anyway. They might have their core systems, but we already own one wing. Outside, they still think we're ghosts."
(He looked ahead, eyes sharp)
"We move. Stay quiet. Don't blink unless I tell you.""
Across the base, Red Moon soldiers acknowledged without a word.
Nero (shrugged, amused): "Great. I love not being in charge."
Levi (shot him a look): "Shut up."
(Then, into the comm)
"Shiba—reroute us. New path. Now."
Shiba: "On it."
The three slipped into a different corridor—silent, fast, resolute. The mission wasn't clean anymore.
But it wasn't over.
Following the new route to the artifact. The three take a turn and enter a different chamber. The air shifts. Heavy steel doors lined the walls —cells. A prison wing. Cold lights buzzed above, throwing long bars of shadow across the floor.
From the catwalk above, footsteps echoed. Nero didn't hesitate — he vaulted upward, silent as a shadow. Two Fighters were patrolling, and with a flick of his wrist, Nero hurled thin needles into their necks. They crumpled before they could even groan.
On the ground, another guard rounded the corner.
Levi (thinking): "Destruction—P-Waves."
Invisible ripples slammed into the guard's chest. He dropped instantly, no sound, no struggle.
The three pushed forward, weaving through the rows of cells. Levi slowed — something pulled at him. A familiar face behind the reinforced glass.
Levi (low voice): "Crusher…"
He stepped toward the door.
Kayo (hissing):"Levi, what's wrong? We need to keep moving."
Levi pressed closer, and the man inside lurched forward.
Crusher:"What the hell?? Who the hell are you?!"
The thick glass rattled under his voice.
Nero (sharp, whispering): "Too loud. He'll draw attention. We have to leave."
Levi pulled off his mask. Crusher's eyes widened, recognition flooding his face.
Kayo (tense): "What are you doing?"
Crusher: "Levi? You—uhh… you're alive?!"
( Relief and disbelief broke across his face)
"Oh man, Am I glad to see you?. What are you doing here… wait—don't tell me. You came to get me out, right? Yeah, I knew I could count on you! Now hurry, before the guards come back."
But his gaze shifted past Levi, locking onto the cloaked figures in red oni masks. His excitement drained.
Crusher (low, wary): "Who… are they?"
Silence. Then realization.
Crusher: "…Red Moon?"
(His voice cracked)
"Levi… you're with them?"
Levi's eyes narrowed, his voice low and cutting.
Levi: "So you used us."
(A beat)
"You cut a deal with the Red Moon—planned to hand them the artifact and the money. Months of work. You were ready to sell it all just to earn a seat at their table. You were going to kill Hope… abandon us… all for power. All for glory."
(He leaned in, grin stretching beneath the harsh light—cruel, intimate, terrifying. His voice dropped to a whisper)
"…Yeah. I'd have done the same."
Crusher swallowed hard, trying to steel himself.
Crusher: "Wh-what you gonna do now?"
Levi slid his mask back on, his voice cold through the filter.
Levi: "Let's keep moving."
The three turned and ran, leaving Crusher pounding at the glass.
Crusher (shouting):"Levi, wait! Don't leave me here! C'mon, man! DON'T LEAVE ME!"
His voice broke into a scream, echoing down the steel halls.
Kayo's eyes flicked toward Levi.
Kayo (quiet):"You sure about leaving him? He could be useful."
Levi (low, firm):"Nah… he's a worn-out toy."
And just like that, the three vanished deeper into the corridors, their footsteps carrying them closer to the artifact.
When they reached the chamber, they saw it—
the same black box as before, its surface veined with glowing purple, suspended inside a mobile containment cage reinforced by thick metal pillars bristling with sensors.
Kayo (low, into comms): "Shiba. We've got eyes on it."
Shiba: "Good. Then it's time. Move to the outer gate extraction point."
Kayo (hesitant): "…Yeah. About that. Getting in won't be easy."
(They stood before the cage, the air humming with dormant defenses)
"The defenses came back when we lost the blackout. One wrong move and it's over."
Levi (scowled): "Dammit. Shiba, can't you shut it down again?"
Shiba: "If I try, the system will override and adapt. The ninety-one second window was our only shot."
Nero (sighed, almost amused): "Guess I'm the only one who came prepared."
(He glanced at them with a lazy grin)
"Always have a backup plan, rookies. Sawada—status?"
Sawada (over comms): "All done."
A low hum rolled through the chamber. The cage disengaged. Pillars slid apart. The artifact lowered into the open.
Levi: "How?"
Nero (chuckled): "A good magician never reveals their secrets"
In a remote server room, Sawada's fingers danced across the console as the final lock disengaged.
Sawada: "I'll rendezvous at the outer gate."
Nero (grinning): "She's brilliant."
Levi (keyed his comm): "Shiba, we've got it. Move to extraction."
Outside, the plane shifted toward the northern end of the base, cloaked against the night. Alpha team swept the perimeter—silent, efficient, lethal.
Inside, Levi, Kayo, and Nero slipped onto the outer platform, crouching behind stacked cargo crates.
Guards everywhere.
Then Levi saw him.
A towering figure stood below, unmoving.
Levi (low): "…War."
His presence alone bent the field around him.
Levi (into comms): "Shiba, where are you?"
At the far edge of the base, the plane broke cover. At the same moment, Alpha struck—shadows cutting through the guard lines.
Only one reacted.
War (roaring): "GUARDS! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
Chaos detonated. Gunfire cracked. Steel clashed.
Kayo (into comms): "Togo! Now!"
Above, the cargo doors opened. Togo stood framed in moonlight, palms pressed together.
Togo (chanting, rising): "Ahhh… ahhh… AHHHH!"
Blue bubbles bloomed around Red Moon fighters. Bullets ricocheted harmlessly.
Guard 3 (panicked): "They're not breaking!"
Guard 4 (terrified): "RUN!"
Fear spread.
Then War roared.
Explosions erupted, bursting the bubbles in fire.
War (cold, commanding): "GET THEM."
(His gaze snapped upward)
"You're done."
Levi stepped forward.
Levi: "Destruction."
A violent wave slammed War, cracking the wall behind him. Levi's grin twisted… then faltered. The giant was still there.
Levi: "All of you—go. I'll handle—"
SWOOSH!
A massive fist tore through the air.
Time slowed.
The blow stopped inches from Levi's face.
Steel rang.
Nero stood between them, katana braced against War's colossal hand. The size difference was absurd—yet Nero held firm.
Nero (glanced back, smiling): "Looks like I'm stuck with him. Bummer."
(His grin chilled the air)
"Go on, puppies. Leave the party to me."
Kayo (urgent): "Togo—again!"
The bubbles reformed. War lunged, but Nero intercepted every strike—precise, playful.
Nero (taunting): "Ah-ah. You're playing with me."
Levi (shouting inside the bubble): "Hey, snowflake! That was my prey!"
Nero (smirking): "Should've brought a bigger cannon."
(He winked)
"I'll meet you at the harbor at dawn. Don't be late."
The bubbles imploded.
The battalions vanished.
Guard 5 (panicked): "Where'd they go?!"
Confusion tore through the base as the plane reappeared, hauling Levi, Kayo, and the others into the sky.
Kayo: "Nice work, Togo."
Togo nodded.
Shiba: "What now, Le?"
Levi stared down at the battlefield—where only two figures remained.
Levi (quietly): "You heard him…We're leaving."
The plane faded into the stars.
Below, only War and Nero stood—two titans facing each other.
War (bellowing): "Guards! Eyes on him! We deal with this one first!"
Nero (drew his katana, smiling faintly): "Oh damn… I hate being in the spotlight."
The artifact was secured.
But another battle—darker, inevitable—had only just begun.