Chapter 6: A Fierce battle

Senjuro's grip tightened around his Shadowlink Nexus as the distorted voice echoed in his

mind. The name Drenmar Abyss sent a chill down his spine—an

infamous trench in Aqualis known for swallowing entire vessels without a trace.

The fact that the Velithra

Terminal, an already eerie and forsaken place, was involved only

deepened the ominous tone of the message.

He turned to Lyra, his expression cold and

determined. "I need that Leviathan

Stride ready

immediately," he commanded. Lyra, sensing the urgency in his voice, nodded

without question and signalled the dock crew to prepare the high-speed, stealth

submarine.

As the Leviathan

Stride powered up, its

sleek, black hull reflecting the dim lights of the dock, Senjuro replayed the

message in his head. The Abyss

has captured your comrades. He

knew this wasn't just a trap—it was a message. Someone wanted him specifically

to come, and that meant they were underestimating him.

Before boarding, Senjuro activated his Phantom Verge,

syncing his weapons systems and scanning the surrounding area for any

surveillance. He spoke into his Nexus, hoping the signal might still pierce

through the jamming fields. "Rin, Kaito, Taro, Mirae—hold on. I'm coming

for you."

With a final glance at Lyra, who gave him a silent

nod of encouragement, Senjuro boarded the Leviathan

Stride and set his

course for Drenmar Abyss.

The depths of Aqualis awaited, and whatever lay in the shadows of the Velithra Terminal,

Senjuro was ready to face it.

The dim, flickering lights of Velithra Terminal cast long shadows across the rusted

walls as the cold, metallic hum of the approaching train echoed through the

vast, abandoned station. Senjuro's heart pounded in sync with the rhythm of the

train's wheels clattering against the old tracks. As the train screeched to a

halt on the parallel platform, the team exchanged tense glances before boarding

cautiously.

Inside, the scene was more harrowing than they'd

anticipated. Rael Vossin and the Captain were slumped in electric hover chairs,

their faces bloodied and bruised, faint blue sparks crackling around their

restraints. The sight ignited a surge of anger in Senjuro, but before they

could make a move, the air shifted—a sudden, sharp tension—and Namezu Segrito emerged from the shadows.

Tall and menacing, Namezu's eyes gleamed with

malevolent confidence. His voice, smooth yet chilling, echoed through the train

car. "Welcome, young assassins. You've come all this way to dance with

death in the abyss. How touching."

Senjuro stepped forward, his voice steady despite

the electric tension in the air. "What's your reason, Namezu? Why target

Aqualis, Vortex, and the UNCs?"

Namezu chuckled darkly, his arrogance palpable.

"You see, Aqualis and Vortex are merely pieces on a larger board.

The energy, the power flowing through these nations—once controlled, they will

fuel the rise of the Abyss

Syndicate. Neo-Kyoto, Aether Coast, all of it will fall into chaos.

The UNCs will crumble, and from the shadows, we

will reign."

As Namezu reveled in his twisted vision, Senjuro

discreetly activated his Shadow

Circuit. The laser

handcuffs binding him

hummed faintly as he hacked into their weak security grid, his movements subtle

enough to go unnoticed. With a soft click, the cuffs disengaged, and he quickly

passed the override signal to his team's Phantom

Verge devices.

Just as Namezu was about to issue the execution

order, Senjuro shot him a cold glare and whispered, "You should've kept

your mouth shut."

In a blur of motion, Senjuro sprang from his

knees, his dual daggers flashing as they slashed through the

remaining restraints on Rael and the Captain. The team followed his lead, each

member drawing their weapons with precision and purpose.

Rin Asakura activated his Shadow

Drift Raijin, his blade crackling with electricity as he lunged at the

nearest ambusher. Kaito

Draven twirled his daggers, weaving

through the enemies with deadly grace, while Taro

Nakamura unleashed a barrage of throwing

knives, targeting the weak points of their attackers. Mirae Voss provided cover, her long-range rifle picking off enemies with unnerving

accuracy.

The battle erupted in the narrow confines of the

train car, the clash of steel and the hiss of energy weapons reverberating off

the metal walls. Senjuro engaged Namezu directly, their blades colliding with a

force that sent sparks flying. Namezu was strong, his strikes fueled by dark

ambition, but Senjuro's resolve was unbreakable.

"You fight well, but you underestimate the

shadows," Senjuro hissed, parrying a vicious strike before delivering a

swift, calculated blow to Namezu's side.

The tide of battle turned as Senjuro's team

dismantled the ambushers one by one. Realizing his defeat was imminent, Namezu

attempted to retreat, but Rin intercepted him, his blade pressed against the

leader's throat.

Panting bloodied but victorious, Senjuro

approached Namezu, his gaze unyielding. "This ends here. The Drenmar Abyss will

not rise. The shadows you tried to manipulate will consume you instead."

With Namezu subdued and Rael and the Captain

freed, Senjuro and his team stood amidst the wreckage of the battle. The

mission had been more than a fight against an enemy—it was a testament to their

unity, their skill, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the balance

in Neo-Kyoto and beyond.

As they exited the train, the distant glow of

Aqualis shimmered on the horizon. But Senjuro knew this victory was just the

beginning. The shadows held deeper threats, and he was ready to face

them—together with his comrades. At that moment another masked man had ambushed

Senjuro's team and he was defeated and his final words were "The Abyss shall

return" and he had dropped a Phantom Shard Keycard.

Back at Aether

Coast, the atmosphere was electric. The once tense and uncertain air

had been replaced with cheers, laughter, and the crackling of fireworks

reflecting off the neon-lit waters. Senjuro and his team—Rin Asakura, Kaito Draven, Taro Nakamura, and Mirae Voss—were

welcomed like heroes. The towering spires of the Aether Coast District shimmered under the glow of

holographic banners displaying messages like "Victory

for Neo-Kyoto" and "Aqualis Saved!"

The Operative

Phantom's hub was alive

with energy. Assassins of all ranks gathered, toasting to the mission's

success. The halls that once echoed with tense briefings now pulsed with music

and celebration. Rael

Vossin, though still recovering from his injuries, raised a glass in

honor of the team, his voice steady despite the lingering bruises.

"To the future of Neo-Kyoto, and to the

shadows that protect it!" he

proclaimed, eliciting a roaring cheer from the crowd.

Despite the celebrations, Senjuro couldn't shake the weight of the

masked man's final words: "The

Abyss shall return."While his friends indulged in the festivities,

Senjuro found himself standing at the balcony, gazing out at the endless

horizon where Aqualis met the sea. Rin soon joined him, offering a silent nod

of understanding.

"You're thinking about the shard," Rin said quietly, his eyes reflecting the distant lights of

the coast.

"Yeah," Senjuro replied, his voice low. "This was just the beginning.

Whatever's coming next... it's bigger."

As if on cue, Okiname appeared behind them, his usual

composed demeanor tinged with urgency.

"I need to speak with you both," he said, glancing around to ensure no one else was

listening. "The data

from the Phantom Shard... we've decrypted part of it. There's mention of an

operative embedded within Neo-Kyoto. Someone on the inside."

Rin's eyes narrowed, the weight of Okiname's words

sinking in. "A

mole?"

Okiname nodded. "And

they're not working alone. The Abyss is already here."

The celebration continued below, but for Senjuro and his team, the shadows had just

deepened. The victory in Aqualis

was only a temporary reprieve. The real battle was about to begin, and

this time, the threat was much closer to home.

As the night stretched on, Senjuro made a silent

vow: No matter how deep the

Abyss reached, he and his team would be ready to face it.

Just as Okiname finished his grave warning, a sudden,

sharp whirring sound sliced through the air. The

celebration below faded into the background as instinct took over. Senjuro barely had time to react before a

figure, cloaked in shadows and wearing the same ominous mask as the previous

attackers, lunged from the rooftop above.

The masked man moved with unnatural speed, his

blade gleaming under the neon lights. Rin was the first to counter, drawing his

daggers in a blur, but the attacker anticipated the move, forcing him back with

a series of precise strikes. Kaito

Draven and Taro Nakamura,

sensing the disturbance from the floor below, sprinted up the stairs, weapons

drawn.

Senjuro stepped forward, his eyes narrowing, his hand instinctively

reaching for his Phantom

Verge. With a flick of his wrist, he activated his Shadow Circuit, the

dark energy pulsing through his veins as his body became a blur of motion.

"You picked the wrong night," Senjuro muttered, dodging a lethal swipe and countering

with a swift kick that sent the masked man stumbling backward.

But the attacker was relentless, driven by

something beyond mere orders. He fought with the desperation of a man who knew

he wouldn't leave alive. The battle raged across the balcony, the sounds of

clashing blades mingling with the distant hum of celebration below, oblivious

to the danger unfolding just above.

Finally, after a tense flurry of strikes and

counters, Senjuro found an opening. With a swift,

precise motion, he disarmed the masked man and delivered a disabling blow to

his chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Blood trickled from beneath the attacker's mask,

but instead of fear, there was a twisted satisfaction in his eyes. With his

last breath, he whispered the same chilling words that haunted their recent

victory:

"The Abyss shall return."

Before anyone could react, the man bit down hard

on something hidden in his mouth—a poisonous

cyanide pill. His body went rigid, then lifeless.

Rin crouched beside the corpse, removing the mask to reveal an

unremarkable face—just another pawn in a much larger game.

"They're sending messages now," Kaito growled, his

knuckles white around the hilt of his blade. "They

want us to know they're watching."

Senjuro remained silent, staring at the body. The weight of the

words hung heavy in the air.

"If the Abyss wants to return," he finally said, his voice cold and resolute, "then we'll be ready. Let

them come."

But deep inside, Senjuro knew this was more than

just a threat. It was a declaration of war. And the shadows of Neo-Kyoto were about to grow darker than ever

before.