Chapter 29: The Fallen Evil

The UNA moved swiftly, cutting through the outer

defenses of the base like a storm. Kyrin led the charge, his twin Pulse Uzis spitting silent, lethal fire. Rin

cracked the security systems with ease, disabling turrets and locking down

enemy reinforcements.

Senjuro Kaine moved like a shadow, his katana

slicing through guards with precision and grace. Mirae Voss and Kaito Draven

provided cover fire, their energy rifles humming with power. Blaze Krynn, as

always, was the wildcard — his Zephyr

Ignis X9 roaring through the

cavern as he flanked their enemies with explosive speed.

But then the air shifted. A cold, oppressive

presence filled the chamber.

"Welcome, UNA," a voice echoed.

Vythron Kaeyter stepped into view. Tall and

imposing, his armor was sleek and black, pulsing with veins of Dark Ripple Energy. His eyes

glowed with an unnatural violet light. In his hands, he held a massive scythe —

the Oblivion Reaver.

"You've made it far," Vythron said, his voice a

deadly whisper. "But this is where your journey ends."

Without warning, he attacked. The scythe blurred

through the air, sending arcs of dark energy crackling toward them. The team

scattered as the ground erupted in jagged, obsidian spikes.

Kyrin's voice was sharp. "Formation Gamma! Take

him down!"

Senjuro was the first to strike. His katana met

the scythe in a clash of sparks and energy. Vythron laughed, his strength

pushing Senjuro back.

"You have skill," Vythron sneered. "But you lack

power!"

He unleashed a wave of dark energy, sending

Senjuro flying. Before he could follow up, Blaze streaked in, his Infernal Uzis spitting crimson fire. Vythron

deflected the bullets with ease, his scythe spinning like a shield.

"Is that all you have?" Vythron taunted.

"Not even close," Kyrin growled.

He and Zyren Higer attacked in tandem, their

weapons moving in perfect sync. Vythron met them head-on, his scythe a blur.

The cavern echoed with the sounds of their battle — steel against steel, energy

against energy.

But Vythron was relentless. He moved with

terrifying speed and strength, his attacks forcing the team onto the defensive.

With a sweep of his scythe, he knocked Zyren aside and sent a blast of dark

energy at Kyrin.

At the last second, Rin hacked into the cavern's

power grid, causing an explosion of light that blinded Vythron.

"Now!" Kyrin shouted.

Senjuro surged forward. His katana ignited with Neon Flux Energy, and with a

roar, he struck. The blade met Vythron's scythe in a burst of light and shadow.

Sparks flew as the two clashed, their movements a blur.

But Senjuro was faster. With a final, desperate

strike, he shattered the scythe's blade. Vythron staggered back, shock on his

face.

"No—"

Before he could recover, Blaze fired a single,

perfectly aimed shot. The bullet, infused with Crimson Phoenix Energy,

struck Vythron's chest. The explosion of light consumed him.

When the smoke cleared, Vythron lay motionless.

The battle was over.

The team stood in silence, their breathing heavy.

Kyrin's eyes scanned the chamber. "Secure the base," he ordered. "Find out what

they were doing here."

As the others moved to comply, Senjuro knelt

beside Vythron's body. "One down," he murmured. "But Lord Z is still out

there."

From the shadows, unseen and unheard, a pair of

cold eyes watched them. Lord Z's lips curled into a smile.

"This is only the beginning," he whispered. And

then he was gone.

Kyra pushed the heavy door open, her curiosity

getting the better of her. Inside, a lone figure sat in the dimly lit room — a

man with sharp features and an air of quiet menace. She didn't waste time. "Who

are you?" she demanded.

The man looked up,

his eyes cold. "I'm Professor Gyian Fayer — the man behind Lord Z's mission to

fuse Neo-Shinkoku Flux and Dark Ripple Energy."

Zyren's lips curled

into a dangerous smile. "Looks like we caught a whale."

The team wasted no

time transporting Gyian to the IHQ (Investigative Headquarters) of the NKEC. In

the sterile, high-security interrogation chamber, Kyrin and Zyren faced him

across the table.

Kyrin's voice was

like steel. "Why is Lord Z so determined to fuse Neo-Shinkoku Flux and Dark

Ripple Energy?"

Gyian's expression

remained impassive. "From what I know, you've destroyed all known sources of

the Abyss. Even with the Neo-Shinkoku Flux, if we power the Abyss with it, the

control of the power supply would remain under Neo-Shinkoku. In that case, we'd

be forced into an open war to capture Neo-Shinkoku — and compared to Segrito,

we lack both influence and firepower. It would be a suicide mission."

Zyren's eyes

narrowed. "You've explained the motive — now tell us how Lord Z came up with

this idea of fusing energies."

Gyian hesitated,

his fingers tapping against the table. "One day, Lord Z asked if it was

possible to fuse two opposing energies. I told him it was — theoretically. He

ordered me to begin experimentation, to create a new, more powerful source of

energy. But no matter how many attempts we made, the pure characteristics of

Neo-Shinkoku Flux always overwhelmed the Dark Ripple Energy. That's why people

near the caverns have been hearing energy waves and feeling those surges — it's

the instability of the experiments."

Zyren exchanged a

glance with Kyrin before turning to the guards. "Keep him under constant

surveillance. Don't let your guard down for a second."

As they walked out of the room, the weight of what they had

learned pressed heavily on them. Outside, the rest of the team waited. Kyrin's

expression was grim. "We've got bigger problems than we thought

As the team gathered in the war room,

the weight of the recent revelations hung heavy in the air. Senjuro broke the

silence. "We all heard the conversation… but what's your take on Lord Z?" His

voice was calm, but his eyes reflected the concern everyone felt.

Zyren crossed his arms, his expression

dark. "Z's enough of a name for him. He's a bigger threat than we realized —

more dangerous and unpredictable than Professor Z ever was. That man's a

psycho, and he's got the vision and ambition to back it up."

Kyrin nodded, his mind already racing

ahead. "You're right. But for now, his entire army has been wiped out. His base

is destroyed, his resources are crippled — and if my calculations are correct,

his next move will be desperation. He'll be forced to travel from place to

place, trying to rebuild and recruit more members. Right now, the threat from

both Z and Segrito has been neutralized… at least temporarily."

Kyra leaned forward; her voice

thoughtful but edged with caution. "If he tries to strike now, he's vulnerable.

He'll be too easy to track — and when we find him, capturing and arresting him

will be inevitable."

Zyren wasn't convinced. "Even if we do

catch him, we'll be doing Segrito a favor. If they see us cleaning up their

mess, they'll use that time to regroup and become even more dangerous. This

isn't over. Not by a long shot."

Before the tension could rise any

further, Rin spoke up, his tone light but reassuring. "Oh, come on, you guys.

For now, we've won. We took down their base and crushed their plans — that's no

small victory. If they come back in the future, we'll face them again. And

we'll do it together — as a team."

The room fell quiet, but this time it

wasn't from fear. It was the calm after the storm — and the promise of battles

still to come