The silence of the night was shattered by the relentless ringing of Shenlog's phone. The sharp, high-pitched tone echoed through his quarters, relentless and jarring. The digital display flickered with urgency, as missed call notifications flashed one after another. Shenlog stirred, his brow furrowing in irritation as the insistent sound refused to let him rest.
Finally, with a low growl, he snatched the phone from the nightstand and barked, "Who is this?"
From the other end, chaos erupted. The sound of screaming, muffled explosions, and hurried footsteps blended into a cacophony of despair. A Sentinel officer's voice broke through the noise, panicked and breathless.
"Commander Shenlog! We've… we've found it! Blackstone—Blackstone City. The mission—months of searching—it's finally complete. The coordinates are—"
The officer's words were abruptly cut off by an eerie, mechanical hum. Shenlog's sharp ears picked up the distinct sound of something floating—the faint hum of objects slicing through the air.
"What's going on?" Shenlog demanded, his tone icy and commanding.
On the other end of the line, the officer's voice trembled. "Sir, it's—there are four… cubes—they're floating around me! I can't—"
CRACK!
A spine-chilling explosion erupted, followed by a sickening squelch. The line went dead, leaving behind only static.
Shenlog's grip on the phone tightened. "Who is this?" he growled into the receiver, his tone sharp and menacing. But no answer came. Only silence. Then, faintly, the sound of labored breathing emerged before a snap echoed through the line. The call ended abruptly, and Shenlog's phone screen flickered and went black.
Shenlog's heart pounded as he leapt from his bed. The soft rustle of silk sheets followed him as a blonde-haired woman stirred behind him. She was draped lazily in the satin covers, her curvaceous figure accentuated by the thin straps of her G-string. She propped herself up on one elbow, her golden hair cascading over her shoulder, and asked groggily, "What's wrong?"
"Go back to sleep," Shenlog ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
The woman pouted, but Shenlog didn't spare her another glance. His focus was already elsewhere, his strides long and purposeful as he exited the room. The metallic clang of his boots against the tiled floor echoed through the hall as he made his way to his
As Shenlog entered his private study, the air felt heavier. The faint glow of a holographic map emanated from his desk, casting long shadows across the room. His sharp eyes caught sight of a transmission blinking on the display—a final act from the Sentinel officer who had called him.
He tapped the console, and the map expanded before him. A blinking red dot marked the location. Blackstone City. Deep within the New World.
His mind raced. Blackstone—the Shadow Council's fortress, a city cloaked in mystery and danger, ruled by Nicklaus, the newly named Legion Commander. Months of searching, countless lives lost, and now the coordinates were in his hands.
But at what cost?
As Shenlog examined the map, something strange happened. The coordinates pulsed faintly, a rhythmic glow that grew stronger with each passing second. A low, droning hum filled the room. Shenlog's instincts screamed at him to move, and he barely dodged in time as the screen cracked violently, sending shards of glass flying.
A deep, metallic voice filled the room, cold and devoid of emotion. "You should have stayed in bed, Commander."
Shenlog's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice a low growl.
The voice didn't answer. Instead, the hologram flickered one last time before collapsing into static. Whatever had infiltrated his system was gone, leaving behind only the ominous coordinates on his desk.
Shenlog leaned back in his chair, his mind a storm of thoughts. Six days had passed since the chaos with Agent 66, and now this. He clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening as he stared at the blinking red dot on the map. The New World had always been a place of danger, but Blackstone City was something else entirely.
Rising from his seat, Shenlog grabbed his Sentinel white coat from the hanger beside him and draped it over his broad shoulders. His sharp eyes darted to the sword mounted on the wall—a weapon forged for war, polished and ready.
As he moved to leave, the blonde woman appeared at the doorway, her expression concerned. "What's happening, Shenlog?"
Without turning to her, Shenlog replied, "The Free World has a new mission."
He strode past her, his movements decisive, his mind already calculating the next steps. The Free World wasn't ready for what lay ahead. But Shenlog was.
The camera pans to the holographic map, the red dot blinking ominously over Blackstone City. Faint sounds of whispers echo, and the screen fades to black.
The sun rose over the Free World, casting a golden hue over the grand council hall of King Aegon's palace. The air was heavy with anticipation as top officers gathered at the circular table carved from ancient stone. At its head sat King Aegon, his commanding presence filling the room, while the others quietly prepared for what was bound to be a tense meeting.
Shenlog, seated near the king, leaned forward with a furrowed brow. His eyes flicked toward the empty seat at the table, and he exhaled sharply. The names of the other officers—Heart, Kelvin, and Reid—were etched onto their assigned spaces, each symbolizing their years of service to the Free World.
"We're wasting time," Shenlog growled, his voice a low rumble. "We need to act fast. What I received last night was no ordinary call."
Before he could continue, the oak doors of the council hall creaked open. In walked Seiji, his hair slightly ruffled and a playful grin plastered across his face. He raised both hands in mock surrender. "Ahhh, I'm late again! My apologies, my esteemed council. You know how it is—long nights, tea breaks, a bit of meditation—time flies."
The tension in the room was palpable as Shenlog slammed a hand on the table, causing cracks to splinter across its surface. "Seiji," Shenlog began, his tone sharp. "Why must you—"
"Yare yare," Seiji interrupted, still smiling. "You look stressed, old friend. I suggest deep breathing. Works wonders."
The room erupted into muffled chuckles as Heart and Reid exchanged amused glances. King Aegon sighed, rubbing his temples. "Enough," he said, his voice silencing the murmurs. "We have more pressing matters."
Shenlog straightened, shooting Seiji one last glare before addressing the group.
"As I was saying," Shenlog began, "last night, I received a call from one of our Sentinels in the New World. Before he could finish giving me the coordinates for Blackstone City, he was killed. The enemy intercepted the call."
A hush fell over the room as the weight of his words sank in. Reid leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "You're certain it's Blackstone?"
"Yes," Shenlog replied. "After months of searching, we've finally located it. But Blackstone isn't just another city. It's the Shadow Council's stronghold, and Nicklaus—their Legion Commander—is in charge."
"Nicklaus…" Heart muttered, her voice tinged with unease. "If he's there, then we're walking into a trap."
Shenlog nodded grimly. "That's not all. Blackstone is housing something stolen from the Free World years ago—a weapon known as X."
At the mention of X, the officers exchanged uneasy glances. Kelvin spoke first. "Weapon X… it's more than a weapon. It's an energy source with limitless destructive potential. If the Shadow Council has it, they could use it to power their war machines—or worse."
Reid chimed in. "There's also Max. That weapon was used during the ancient wars, capable of wiping out entire cities in seconds. If both X and Max are in Blackstone, we're dealing with a crisis of apocalyptic proportions."
Shenlog's fists tightened. "We have no choice. We must retrieve those weapons, or they'll destroy everything we've built."
The room fell silent, the gravity of the mission weighing heavily on everyone. Then, Seiji leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "Sounds like a fun little field trip. I'll go."
Shenlog narrowed his eyes. "You're volunteering for this mission?"
"Of course," Seiji said casually. "And I'll be taking Jin with me. The boy needs the experience."
Shenlog's voice thundered through the room. "Absolutely not. That boy barely held his own against Agent 66. You'd throw him into Blackstone?"
Seiji shrugged. "He's stronger than you think. Besides, he won't grow if we keep coddling him."
The tension in the room skyrocketed as Shenlog's dragon energy surged uncontrollably. The air grew thick with heat, and the floor beneath him began to crack as veins of molten red light snaked outward.
"You're reckless," Shenlog snarled, his voice a growl. "You'd risk the mission—and his life—for your own whims?"
Seiji smirked, unfazed. "Reckless? Or realistic? You know as well as I do that Jin needs to be ready for what's coming. If you keep sheltering him, he'll never survive the Shadow Council."
The tension exploded as Shenlog released a surge of energy, the roar of his dragon aura echoing through the chamber. Flames licked at the edges of his form, and the heat warped the air.
Seiji stood, his demeanor still calm. A faint golden glow emanated from his body as he released his own energy, the two auras colliding in a spectacular display. The room shook violently, and the sound of crumbling stone filled the air as the table splintered further under the pressure.
"Enough!" King Aegon's voice boomed, silencing the clash. "I will not have my council destroyed by petty squabbles."
Both men reigned in their energy, though the tension between them remained palpable. Shenlog's glare could have cut through steel, while Seiji merely smiled, unbothered.
King Aegon leaned forward, his gaze stern. "Seiji, if you insist on taking Jin, then know this: whatever happens is on your head. If he fails, the blame falls squarely on you."
Seiji gave a mock salute. "Understood, Your Majesty."
Shenlog exhaled sharply but didn't argue further. The king turned to the group. "Shenlog will lead this raid. You leave in one day. Prepare yourselves."
The room fell silent as the council members processed the orders. One by one, they rose and left the chamber, their expressions a mix of determination and unease.
As the door shut behind Seiji, Shenlog remained seated, his hands clenched into fists. His thoughts were heavy, his mind replaying the Sentinel's desperate call and the chilling silence that followed.
"Blackstone…" he muttered under his breath. "This will be the fight of our lives."
The camera lingers on the cracked table, the fractured surface a symbol of the tension and stakes ahead.
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