Chapter 24: The Rise, Umbra Neon Apex

The moment the chilling broadcast ended; the room was filled with tense

silence. Just then, the sharp, distinct beeping of the Umbra Nexus devices cut through the air. Kyra,

Kyrin, and Zyren all instinctively checked their screens, and a bold, urgent

message flashed across them:

"EMERGENCY REPORT: YOU ARE REQUESTED TO REACH THE NEO-KYOTO

ESCORT COMMITTEE (NKEC) AT VELHARA PRIME DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY ALONG WITH YOUR

TEAM."

Kyrin's eyes narrowed as he read the message. "Looks like you two got the

same alert as me," he said, his voice calm but serious.

Zyren nodded. "Yeah, but something's off here. It makes sense that the three

of us, being S-Rank assassins, would be called in for an emergency… but why

would the entire team need to be involved?"

Kyra didn't wait for speculation. "We don't have time to figure that out

right now," she said briskly. "Velhara Prime is a solid two-hour journey, and

if this is an emergency, we can't afford to waste even a second. Let's move."

Without hesitation, Kyra led them to her sleek, state-of-the-art Vireon X9 Cruiser, a

high-speed, fully armored hover-car equipped with a Quantum Prismal Flux core.

The vehicle roared to life with a low, powerful hum as everyone quickly piled

in.

The car shot out of the estate's private garage and onto the Skyline Arterial,

Neo-Kyoto's vast network of elevated highways. Through the windows, the city

blurred into streaks of neon and glass as they sped toward Velhara Prime.

Inside the cruiser, tension hung thick in the air. Kyrin sat in the front

passenger seat, his fingers tapping restlessly on his knee. In the back, Rin,

Senjuro, Blaze, Mirae, and the others exchanged uneasy glances. The ominous

message from the mysterious "Lord Z" still echoed in their minds.

"I don't like this," Blaze finally broke the silence. "A new threat right

after Segrito's fall? And this 'Z Organization'... what even is that?"

"No idea," Rin muttered, his usual light-hearted demeanor replaced by a rare

seriousness. "But anyone who hijacks national broadcasts like that… they're not

amateurs."

Zyren's voice cut through their speculation. "We'll get answers when we get

there. Until then, stay sharp. We have no clue what we're walking into."

The Vireon X9 sped on, weaving effortlessly through the lanes of hovering

vehicles. As they approached Velhara Prime, the skyline grew even more

impressive — massive, gleaming towers pierced the clouds, and holographic

advertisements danced against the night sky. The city's blend of tradition and

technology gave it a unique vibrance, but today, there was an underlying

tension in the air. Security patrols zipped through the streets in armored

hovercrafts, and the normally lively markets were subdued and quiet.

They finally arrived at the NKEC

Headquarters, a sprawling, fortress-like structure located at the

heart of Velhara Prime's Guardian

Spire District. The building's sleek, dark design was enhanced with

glowing cyan energy lines, and the entrance was heavily guarded by members of

the Eclipse Phantom

Division (EPD), armed and alert.

The team disembarked quickly. As they approached the main gate, one of the

EPD guards scanned their Umbra Nexus devices for identification. "You're clear.

They're waiting for you inside," the guard said, his voice clipped and

professional.

Inside the headquarters, the atmosphere was one of controlled chaos.

Analysts and officers hurried between command stations, holographic displays

projected real-time data, and the air buzzed with rapid, urgent conversations.

They were swiftly escorted to a large, high-tech briefing room where a

familiar figure awaited them — Zyher

Kruner, the formidable S-Rank assassin and head of the SRC (Shadow Recon Corps).

He stood at the center of the room, his usual calm demeanor edged with tension.

Beside him were several high-ranking officials of the NKEC.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Zyher began, his voice steady.

"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but as you've seen, our

situation has just taken a dangerous turn."

He activated a holographic display, and the unsettling face of Lord Z appeared, frozen mid-speech. "We're

still trying to identify this individual, but from the intelligence we've

gathered so far, this 'Z Organization' isn't a new player — they've been

operating in the shadows for years. It seems the fall of Segrito has given them

the opening they needed to step into the light."

The image shifted to a map, marking locations across multiple nations —

Quantum Bay, Solara, Aqualis, and Neo-Kyoto — all showing signs of unusual

activity. "We believe their primary objective is linked to the Neo-Shin Flux Energy — the same source Kaelon Heshira

sought to harness for the Abyss. If they succeed in controlling this energy,

the results could be catastrophic."

Kyra's eyes hardened. "What's our next move?"

Zyher didn't hesitate. "We mobilize. The NKEC is forming a special task

force — the Umbra Neon

Apex — composed of the

best S-Rank assassins and their teams. Kyrin, Kyra, Zyren — you three will lead

this unit."

The room fell silent as the gravity of their assignment settled over them.

"This is an all-or-nothing situation," Zyher continued. "We need to locate

and eliminate Lord Z before his plans come to fruition. Failure isn't an

option."

Kyrin exchanged glances with his friends — Kyra's determined expression,

Zyren's steely resolve, and the fierce loyalty in the eyes of their trainees.

Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

"Then let's get to work," Kyrin said, his voice steady and ready for battle.

Zyher stood at the front of the room, his

commanding presence keeping everyone's attention. His sharp eyes swept across

the gathered assassins before he spoke.

"The Eclipse

Vanguard will consist of

members from your personal escort and select agents from the Eclipse Phantom Division (EPD),"

Zyher announced, his voice firm and steady. "Together, we'll form an elite

strike force capable of taking on the rising threat of the Z Organization. But

before we move forward, I have an important announcement to make."

The room grew silent, every assassin hanging on

his words.

"I hereby declare that the following operatives

have officially been promoted to A-Rank

Tier-1 Eclipse Agents: Senjuro

Kaine, Rin Asakura, Taro Nakamura, Kaito Draven, Mirae Voss, Akira Valtoris,

Akio Renjiro, Blaze Cystin Krynn and Hiroshi Takeda."

A moment of stunned silence passed before it broke

into a wave of murmured congratulations. The newly promoted assassins exchanged

proud but focused looks — they had worked hard for this, and the recognition

only made them more determined.

Senjuro grinned, nudging Rin. "Looks like we're

finally moving up in the world."

Rin smirked. "About time they realized our

greatness."

Kyra rolled her eyes with a fond smile. "Don't let

it go to your head just yet. We've still got a mission ahead of us."

Zyher wasn't finished. "With these promotions

comes greater responsibility. You'll be tasked with leading squads and taking

on more dangerous operations. We'll need every ounce of skill and dedication

you've got if we're going to stop Lord Z and his organization. From this moment

on, the fight only gets tougher."

The room grew serious once again. Zyher activated

a holographic display, filling the air with maps, data streams, and tactical

information.

"These are the leads we've gathered on Z

Organization's movements. We believe their base of operations lies somewhere in

the Northern Rift Expanse,

but we'll need more intel before we can move in. Your job is to track their

activity and locate their stronghold."

The team absorbed the information, committing

locations and details to memory. By the end of the briefing, they had a clearer

picture of the mission ahead — and the enormous challenge they faced.

After receiving their assignments and preparing

their gear, the team returned to Senjuro's

mansion. The sprawling estate was more than just a luxurious home —

beneath its sleek, modern design lay a well-hidden secret bunker, built

for moments just like this.

The entrance to the bunker was concealed behind a

high-tech security panel in the mansion's library. With a quick sequence of

biometric scans and passcodes, the wall slid aside to reveal a descending

staircase.

The bunker itself was a state-of-the-art

operations center. The walls were lined with weapons lockers, data consoles,

and strategy boards. A central holographic table projected the latest intel,

while side stations monitored communications and surveillance.

As the team settled in, Kyrin stepped forward.

"Alright, everyone — this is our war room. From here on out, we train,

strategize, and prepare. We've got new ranks, new responsibilities, and a new

enemy. Let's make sure we're ready."

Kyra nodded. "We'll start by going over the leads

Zyher gave us. The faster we locate their stronghold, the better chance we have

of stopping whatever they're planning."

Blaze cracked his knuckles. "Then let's get to

work."

The room buzzed with determination. The fight

against Z Organization had only just begun — and they were ready.