The neon-lit underbelly of Neo-Seoul hummed with unspoken threats as Min-jun Park and his Recruit Squad geared up for their first official mission under Third Division. The transfer to Captain Soo-jin Lee's command still chafed like an ill-fitted cuff, but Min-jun's cool-headed resolve kept the team focused. Ji-hoon Kim bounced with Asta-like energy, his kinetic bursts ready; Soo-jin Han's illusions shimmered in anticipation, her growing confidence a quiet boost from Hye-jin Moon's encouragement; and Hye-jin herself tuned her sound powers like a weapon, her teasing banter lightening the mood. "Let's make some noise, Captain," she quipped to Min-jun, who nodded, shadows coiling subtly around his fists.
Their target: a Black Lotus outpost on the city's outskirts, suspected of coordinating mana crystal shipments tied to the Shanghai terrorist attack. The squad moved in under cover of night, infiltrating the fortified warehouse with precision. Shadows from Min-jun enveloped the guards, muffling screams as Ji-hoon's bursts shattered locks. Inside, they uncovered crates of volatile mana artifacts—devices capable of amplifying explosions like those in Shanghai—and encrypted manifests pointing to global targets: UN facilities, power grids in multiple countries, even SDF branches.
But the real find was a digital ledger, hacked by Hye-jin's sonic disruptions. "This isn't just China," Min-jun said, his thoughtful eyes scanning the data. "It's a blueprint for world government destabilization—attacks masked as national rivalries to sow chaos." The squad reported back immediately, transmitting the intel to Third Division HQ.
The response was swift and curt: "Stand down. Mission escalated to official squad level. Return to base." Confusion rippled through the team as they withdrew, Black Lotus reinforcements arriving too late to engage. "What the hell?" Ji-hoon muttered, kinetic energy crackling in frustration. "We had them!"
At HQ, further investigation by Squad 4 of Division 3—elite operatives under Captain Lee's direct command—confirmed the squad's findings. The terrorist plot wasn't isolated; it aimed at the fragile architecture of global governance, using mana weapons to pit nations against each other. Commander Hyeon-soo Choi, recognizing the international scope, authorized sharing the intel with the Chinese SDF branch, a rare gesture of cross-border cooperation to avert catastrophe.
Captain Soo-jin Lee, his water affinity flowing like a deceptive current, summoned Min-jun to his office shortly after. The room was sparse, walls lined with strategic maps, the air heavy with unspoken agendas. "Park," Lee began, gesturing for Min-jun to sit. "Your Black Heart—it's a marvel. Controlled where others descend into madness. But I didn't bring you here for praise."
Min-jun met his gaze evenly, shadows flickering faintly despite his restraint. "Then why, Captain? The transfer, pulling us from the mission—what's your angle?"
Lee leaned forward, his calm cracking into fervent intensity. "I'm not the greedy, power-hungry villain they paint me as. I hate when entrenched authorities challenge what we've built—the government trying to overpower the SDF, treating us like tools to discard. I'll stop at nothing to ensure the SDF maintains its stand in the years to come. Your power? It's a key to that independence. Join me fully, and we'll reshape the balance."
Min-jun's mind raced, analyzing the words for traps. "And Black Lotus? Your collusion?"
A faint smile. "Necessary shadows to expose the real threats. The world needs the SDF unchained." Min-jun left the office unsettled, the Black Heart stirring at the manipulation—Lee's vision a twisted mirror of his own fight for control.
Meanwhile, in Beijing's fortified government headquarters, the shared intel from Korea's SDF ignited an uproar. Ministers and military officials gathered in a war room, holographic displays flickering with Shanghai's gore—charred bodies, mangled limbs from the mana blasts. "This is a direct threat to our system," one general barked, slamming a fist. "Coordinated global attacks? How convenient that Korea uncovers it first."
Suspicion turned to outrage as fingers pointed east and south. "The attack's signatures match Japanese tech—Eclipse Collective fingerprints," an intelligence chief noted. "But Korea has the full blueprint? If not in collusion with Japan, how? A setup to pit us against Tokyo while Seoul pulls strings?" The room boiled with accusations, diplomatic channels heating up. China demanded transparency from Korea, borders tightening as mana patrols doubled. The treaty fractures widened, whispers of retaliation echoing in the halls.
Back in Neo-Seoul, Min-jun's squad debriefed, the mission's abrupt end leaving them on edge. Ji-hoon paced, kinetic sparks flying. "We're pawns in Lee's game now." Soo-jin's illusions wavered with worry, while Hye-jin amplified distant news feeds of China's unrest. Min-jun, ever thoughtful, pieced it together: "This isn't just about us. The attacks are a catalyst—Black Lotus, Lee, the governments. We dig deeper, or we're next."
As international tensions simmered toward boiling, the Black Heart pulsed, sensing the blood on the horizon.