Behind the attack

The room was dimly lit, the faint glow from a nearby monitor casting shadows over Keitaro's sharp features. He sat at the table, eyes focused on the towering figure in front of him. Saki—muscular, broad-shouldered, and clad in combat gear—stood with his arms crossed, waiting for orders. His expression was unreadable, but the sheer presence he carried was enough to make anyone uneasy.

Keitaro leaned forward, placing a small tablet on the table. The screen displayed the layout of a high-tech military facility. "Your target is here," Keitaro said, tapping on a red-marked room deep within the structure. "There's an experimental weapon inside. We need it before anyone else does."

Saki's eyes barely flickered toward the screen. "And?"

Keitaro smirked. "And you're the only one strong enough to pull this off alone."

Saki let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "I like where this is going."

Keitaro slid the tablet closer. "There's already someone on the inside. They'll get you through the first checkpoint, but after that, it's all you. Get in, take the weapon, get out."

Saki nodded once. "Sounds simple."

"It won't be," Keitaro warned. "The facility is heavily guarded. Reinforcements are a given. Expect resistance the second you step in."

Saki reached down and picked up his massive minigun, resting it against his shoulder like it weighed nothing. His grin widened. "That's the part I enjoy."

Keitaro studied him for a moment before nodding. "Then go. Make it count."

Without another word, Saki turned and walked out, his heavy boots echoing through the hallway.

The facility stood like a fortress—thick steel walls, state-of-the-art surveillance, and armed guards stationed at every corner. But Saki wasn't the type to sneak.

The night air was cool as he approached the perimeter. His earpiece crackled.

"You're in position?" a voice asked. It was his contact inside.

"Always," Saki replied.

A brief pause. Then, "Security feeds are looping. Main entrance is unlocked. You've got a five-minute window before they notice."

"More than enough time."

With a smirk, Saki pushed open the steel door and stepped inside.

The first guard barely had time to react before Saki's fist crashed into his skull. CRACK! The man crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll.

Two more guards turned the corner, rifles raised.

"Intrud—"

BRRRRRRRRRT!

Saki spun up his minigun, unleashing a torrent of bullets that tore through them like paper. The hallway was painted red in an instant.

Alarms blared. Red lights flashed.

"They're onto you," the voice in his earpiece warned.

Saki rolled his shoulders. "Finally."

A dozen guards swarmed in, forming a blockade. One of them, a higher-ranking officer, shouted, "Drop your weapon and get on your knees!"

Saki tilted his head, pretending to consider it. "Nah."

The minigun roared to life again.

Bullets shredded through armor, sending bodies flying. Some tried to take cover, but it was pointless. The sheer force of Saki's weapon ripped through walls, leaving nothing standing in its wake.

A reinforced blast door at the end of the hall started sealing shut.

"Not happening," Saki muttered.

He rushed forward, dropping his minigun and gripping the edges of the door. With veins bulging, he let out a growl and ripped the thick steel apart with brute strength. Sparks flew as metal bent under his grip.

The guards on the other side stared in horror.

Saki grinned. "Boo."

His fists crashed into them like wrecking balls. Bones shattered, bodies slammed into walls, and within seconds, the hallway was silent.

His earpiece crackled again. "You're getting close. The weapon is in a secured chamber underground."

"How do I get down?"

"You're standing on the elevator shaft. Blast the floor open."

Saki wasted no time. He pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin with his teeth, and dropped it at his feet.

BOOM!

The explosion sent him plummeting into the darkness below.

He landed hard, knees bent to absorb the impact. The underground chamber was massive—lined with steel crates, research equipment, and, at the center, a glowing containment pod.

Saki approached it, eyes narrowing.

"So this is what Keitaro wants…"

It was unlike anything he had ever seen.

Sirens wailed as security reinforcements swarmed in from all directions.

The earpiece crackled again. "Extraction point is two levels above you. Get moving."

Saki placed both hands on the containment pod and, with a grunt, ripped it from its foundation. Sparks flew as the locking mechanisms snapped.

"Got it," he muttered.

Then he turned and faced the wave of incoming soldiers.

"Guess I'll have to clear a path."

Bullets flew. Explosions rocked the underground base. And Saki, grinning, charged headfirst into battle.

Meanwhile, in an underground conference room, the tension was suffocating. U.S. officials sat on one side, Russian representatives on the other.

A large screen displayed surveillance footage from the Times Square attack.

An American general leaned forward. "You still want to tell us this wasn't you?"

The Russian diplomat remained calm. "We are being framed."

The detective handling the Russian investigation slammed a folder onto the table. "We have intercepted communications. A money trail leading back to your government. And now, this attack—" he gestured toward the screen. "You expect us to believe it's all a coincidence?"

The Russian official smirked. "Coincidences exist."

The U.S. general clenched his jaw. "We're running out of patience."

The Russian leaned forward. "Then let me make it simple." His expression darkened. "If it is war you want, then war you shall have."

A tense silence followed.

The Americans exchanged glances. One of them whispered, "This is exactly what they want."

The detective exhaled sharply. "You're making a mistake."

The Russian official stood. "No. You are."

The meeting ended in chaos.

Across the globe, countries were taking sides. Some backed America. Others sided with Russia. But one nation remained silent.

China.

Inside a dimly lit room, top Chinese officials sat around a large table. A screen displayed reports from both sides.

An advisor spoke cautiously. "Both factions are urging us to pick a side."

A military commander folded his arms. "We hold the balance of power."

Silence followed.

Finally, an elder official spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. "Let them think we are undecided."

The others exchanged glances.

The elder's lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

"But we will prepare."

The tension thickened.

"Prepare for what?" someone asked.

The elder tapped the table lightly.

"For when they all fall."