The dense forest whispered with the rustling of unseen creatures. A thick fog settled over the trees, curling through the air like ghostly fingers, obscuring the towering walls of Area 959—a top-secret military base buried deep within the wilderness.
At exactly 2:00 AM, the stillness shattered. The faint hum of an approaching CyberTrain reverberated through the air. Moments later, the heavily-armored locomotive emerged from the darkness, gliding into the station like a phantom in the night. Its sleek metallic body gleamed under the dim floodlights, reflecting the faces of the dozens of soldiers standing in formation.
Their gazes were locked on a single object—a glass containment box, shrouded by a red sheet, concealing the relic inside.
The Last Crown.
Four crowns had already vanished without a trace. No evidence. No witnesses. No known force capable of such precise and calculated thefts. To prevent another loss, the military had devised a final, desperate plan:
Relocate the Last Crown to an undisclosed location.
Even within the fortified walls of Area 959, unease clung to the air like the weight of an approaching storm. A silent tension gripped the soldiers' hearts.
Though trained in battle, they were not trained to fight ghosts. And yet, something unseen was out there. Watching. Waiting.
The feeling was undeniable.
As if death itself stood just beyond the treeline.
The Arrival of Commander Henn.
The soft clink of boots against metal rang out as Commander Henn stepped off the CyberTrain. His presence alone commanded respect—tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp, piercing eyes that had seen more wars than most men could fathom.
The soldiers saluted in perfect synchronization.
Henn returned the salute with precision, his gaze sweeping across the faces before landing on the glass box. A terrible weight pressed against his chest.
This wasn't just a theft. This was an eradication.
His voice, deep and unwavering, cut through the silence like a blade.
"We all know why we're here."
His words carried across the platform.
"Every nation is facing the same crisis. Kings. Princes. Rulers. They're not just losing their crowns—they're losing their lives."
A murmur rippled through the ranks.
"This is not an ordinary enemy. This is not some common war. This is extermination."
The soldiers stiffened. Some tightened their grips on their rifles. Others glanced at the treetops, where shadows flickered unnaturally.
Henn's gaze darkened.
"Let's be clear. Facing an enemy I can see, a gun I can aim at – that's a fight I understand. This… this unseen threat chills me to the bone in a way no battlefield ever has."
He exhaled.
"A special unit was assigned to investigate the missing crowns."
His voice dropped.
"They were slaughtered."
A cold wave of fear washed over the soldiers. Some took shallow breaths. Others felt the sweat beneath their helmets.
"We are up against something greater than we ever imagined."
Henn's jaw tightened.
"And we now know one thing."
A pause.
"They are already here."
The command came swift and sharp.
"MOVE—NOW."
The Escape Begins
The CyberTrain's doors hissed open. Squad Force A and B rushed inside, securing the Last Crown in the reinforced carriage at the center. Meanwhile, Squad Force C prepared for aerial support, boarding three helicopters—two Bell 360 Invictus and one Door Gunner.
Commander Henn turned to Captain Touri, the train's operator, who leaned casually out of the locomotive window.
Touri smirked.
"What brings you here, Commander?"
Henn placed a hand against the cold metal of the train.
"I'm staying behind."
Touri's smirk faded.
"You sure about that?"
Henn's eyes never wavered.
"I need to check the surveillance feeds. If they break in, I'll track their movements and set up a counterattack."
Touri hesitated, then extended a hand.
"Stay alive, Commander."
Henn gripped it firmly.
"You too, Captain."
As the CyberTrain roared to life, its engines hummed with power. The train surged forward, slicing through the night.
Above, the helicopters followed.
For thirty minutes, there was only silence.
Then—
Touri felt it.
A chill crawled up his spine.
Something was wrong.
He turned his gaze to the window.
The tracks stretched ahead, empty and undisturbed.
And yet…
His gut screamed at him.
He exhaled.
"Something's about to happen…"
The Encounter
Then—
Three figures.
Standing on the railway.
One kilometer ahead.
They had descended from the sky, landing with such force that the very tracks beneath them cracked.
Above, in the Door Gunner helicopter, Sergeant Max saw it first.
He peered through his scope—and his blood ran cold.
"I SAW SOMETHING!"
The pilot's head snapped toward him.
"What?! Where?!"
Max lowered his scope.
His face drained of color.
"Three… three figures. Standing on the tracks."
His throat tightened.
"They're waiting for us."
The pilot's knuckles turned white.
"Does the Captain know?"
"No! He can't see them yet!"
Max gripped his radio with shaking fingers.
"CAPTAIN! We have an emergency! Three unidentified individuals are on the tracks—THEY DESTROYED THE RAILWAY! REQUESTING ORDERS!"
Touri's expression didn't change.
"Deploy the Bell Invictus."
The Battle Begins
The two Bell 360 Invictus helicopters surged forward, missiles locking onto the targets.
On the railway, one of the figure smirked.
Then—
HELL RAINED DOWN.
A relentless barrage of missiles tore through the night, obliterating the landscape. The ground shook as fire consumed the earth.
For two full minutes, the bombardment continued.
Then—
The dust settled.
And the figures were still standing.
One of them—the one on the left—had vanished.
Then—
BOOM!
One of the helicopters EXPLODED MID-AIR.
The wreckage spiraled down, crashing into the earth with a thunderous roar.
The surviving pilot screamed.
"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"
He fired again—but before the rockets hit, it detonated mid-air, stopped by an invisible force.
Then—
His tail rotor shattered.
The helicopter spun wildly and explode.
And above them, a figure floated.
Watching. Unimpressed.
"Hmph…"
A scoff.
"Humans build machines to defy the heavens, yet they still fall like insects."
Max—watching through his scope—felt his entire body seize with terror.
He focused on their eyes.
And there—etched into them—was a mark.
A Crown Mark. Inside of the Crown Mark —
"皇帝"
(皇) Left eye (帝) Right eye
The Japanese word for "Emperor."
Max's breath hitched.
"C-Captain… it's them…"
His fingers trembled against the radio.
"IT'S THE CROWN EMPERORS!!!"