The halls of Haneul Academy buzzed with the usual mix of teenage energy and mana-fueled antics, but for Min-jun Park and his Recruit Squad, a restless frustration simmered beneath the surface. Sidelined by Third Division Captain Soo-jin Lee after their Black Lotus outpost raid, the team—Min-jun, Ji-hoon Kim, Soo-jin Han, and Hye-jin Moon—returned to school activities with a bitter taste of irrelevance. Min-jun's cool-headed facade masked his disappointment as he watched news feeds in the library: Genesis's terrorist attacks were escalating, and they were stuck running drills while the world burned. Ji-hoon's kinetic bursts crackled during a sparring session, his Asta-like energy barely contained. "We're benched when we could be out there stopping this crap!" he fumed, shattering a training dummy with a blast.
Soo-jin Han, her illusions weaving subtle distractions to calm classmates' whispers about Min-jun's Black Heart, shared his unease. "We found that intel," she said quietly during lunch, her eyes lingering on Min-jun. "Why won't they let us act?" Hye-jin, ever sharp, nudged her with a teasing grin. "Maybe it's time you show Captain Broody what you're made of—on and off the field." Her sound powers amplified the cafeteria's chatter, catching envious glares from students still wary of Min-jun's reputation.
The global stage was unraveling faster than their frustrations. Genesis's promise of "Exodus" struck with ruthless precision. In London's financial district, mana explosives tore through Canary Wharf, skyscrapers collapsing in a storm of glass and fire. Flesh melted under corrupted mana, bodies reduced to charred husks, blood and entrails staining the Thames in grotesque rivers. Mumbai's crowded markets followed, a similar blast erupting, limbs scattered in a crimson haze as screams drowned in the chaos. Casualties soared—thousands dead, infrastructure gutted, the air thick with the stench of burned flesh and panic.
The United States, on high alert, held a press conference that sent shockwaves. The Secretary of Defense, flanked by generals with glowing mana auras, stood before a global audience. "If the USA is attacked," he declared, voice cold, "we will launch a full-scale assault on any Asian nation we deem responsible—Korea, Japan, China—no hesitation, no restraint." The threat, laced with mana-infused conviction, ignited diplomatic firestorms. China's government, already suspicious of Korea's intel on the Shanghai attack, doubled border patrols. Japan, reeling from Shibuya's carnage, protested the accusations, their own SDF on edge.
The United Kingdom and India, fresh from their wounds, mobilized their militaries, mana shields glowing over key cities. France and other nations followed, alliances fraying as Genesis's attacks sowed distrust. The Special Defense Force, a global entity unbound by national loyalties, saw the crisis as both a threat to civilians and a challenge to their peacekeeping mandate. "This isn't just governments' problem," Commander Hyeon-soo Choi told his captains at Neo-Seoul HQ. "Lives are being wasted, peace shattered. Genesis wants chaos—we act now, or we lose our purpose."
A global SDF summit was called, a rare assembly of each country's commander and a chosen representative. Neo-Seoul hosted, its fortified base humming with mana-jamming fields. Commander Choi selected Second Division Captain Ji-yeon Kim as Korea's representative, her earth powers a symbol of steadfast resolve. Representatives from China (a fire-wielding strategist), Japan (a wind manipulator, Aiko's former mentor), the USA (a telekinetic war hero), the UK (an illusionist tactician), India (a gravity specialist), and others gathered. The agenda: coordinate a global manhunt for Genesis, share intel on mana weapons, and neutralize the fractured-heart faction before their "Exodus" struck again.
Ji-yeon, still seething over Third Division Captain Soo-jin Lee's betrayal, pushed for transparency. "We have a traitor in our ranks," she declared, outing Lee's Black Lotus ties to stunned silence. "Korea's Third Division fed intel to Genesis's proxies, escalating these attacks. We root out internal rot first." China's commander bristled, suspecting Korean cover-ups, while Japan's representative demanded Aiko Tanaka's full debrief, her Eclipse Collective leaks a sore point. The summit teetered on collapse, but Choi's gravity powers silenced the room, forcing focus: "Genesis is the enemy. We unite or fall."
Back at Haneul Academy, Soo-jin Han found her courage. During a squad training break, she approached Min-jun, her illusions casting a soft, private shimmer around them. "Min-jun," she started, her voice steady despite her racing heart, "I've been scared to say this, but... I care about you. Not just as our captain. You're always so calm, so strong, but you don't have to carry it alone." Her cheeks flushed, Hye-jin's advice echoing in her mind.
Min-jun's thoughtful eyes softened, surprised by her boldness. "Soo-jin, I... appreciate that," he said, his voice low. The Black Heart stirred, a reminder of the danger he posed, but her sincerity cut through. "With everything happening—Genesis, the SDF—I don't know what's safe for anyone close to me." The unspoken tension with Aiko lingered, her absence a wound, but Soo-jin's courage sparked something new.
As the squad prepared for potential redeployment, news of the summit reached them. Ji-hoon, scanning feeds with Hye-jin, cursed. "Genesis is playing everyone, and we're stuck here while Lee's probably laughing." Hye-jin's sound powers caught a faint SDF transmission: Third Division was mobilizing for a Genesis lead, and Min-jun's squad might be dragged back in—under Lee's command.
The world braced for Genesis's next move, blood and chaos promised, as Min-jun's Black Heart pulsed, ready for the inevitable fight.