[The morning air drifted gently through the half-open windows, carrying with it the scent of fresh dew and city dust. Inside the house, the atmosphere was unusually relaxed.]
[For once, Shirou wasn't worrying about what lay beyond the next corner. He sat with Shizuka and the others in the small living area, where a tray of freshly made toast and hot chocolate rested on the table. Mio hummed a soft tune while scrolling through her tablet, Ryokou was cleaning her glasses with a satisfied grin from her latest prank success, and Kei sat cross-legged on the floor, fiddling with a new gadget they were testing.]
Shizuka: You barely slept, didn't you? she asked quietly as she glanced at Shirou from the couch.
Shirou: Just had some air. Needed to clear my head. he offered a faint smile.
[She didn't pry. She never did. But her presence alone was enough to ease the invisible weight pressing on his chest.]
[Just then, Mio's phone rang. She blinked and picked it up.]
Mio: G'morning, Sera. What's up?
[The voice on the other end was firm, urgent—a tone they'd rarely heard from her.
Sera: on phone Mio. You and the others—I need you at HQ. Now. It's priority one.
[Mio's cheerful demeanor vanished.]
Mio: What happened?
Sera: No time to explain over the phone. Just bring Shirou too. He needs to hear this firsthand.
[She stood, her voice sharp now.]
Mio: We're on our way.
[Shirou straightened, sensing the shift.]
Shirou: Did something happen?
Mio: Whatever it is… it's not good.
[Outside, clouds were beginning to gather, shrouding the calm morning in a quiet, looming tension.]
[The black van came to a halt outside the Investigation Unit Headquarters. A gust of wind swept past as the doors opened and Shirou, Mio, Shizuka, and Kei stepped out.]
[Inside, the HQ was a flurry of activity. Red warning lights blinked silently along the corners of the ceiling. Officers rushed between stations, papers and holograms in hand. The atmosphere was tense— focused.]
[In one of the side corridors near the staging bay, two familiar figures were gearing up.]
[Officer Shin, a seasoned field leader with a impulsive gaze, was strapping on his bulletproof vest with mechanical precision. Beside him, Officer Shin, younger and more calm, slid the chamber of her compact rifle into place with a satisfying click.]
Ryou: They're here. he turned his head as the group entered.
Shin: Tch. Took you long enough.
Shirou: Skip the sarcasm, Shin. What's going on?
[Sera approached from the far end of the corridor, her expression unreadable.]
Sera: We intercepted encrypted trade data between a black market dealer and an unnamed party. The payload's destination… was SoveCle.
[Shirou's eyes narrowed.]
Shirou: SoveCle's moving again? What did they buy?
Sera: A full batch of experimental parts. High-durability alloys. Artificial muscle tissue. And… a modified neural core.
[She paused.]
Sera: They're rebuilding Behemoth.
[The air seemed to freeze.]
Kei: That monster we beat months ago?!
Sera: Someone's trying to bring him back. And the buyer's name was masked, but the trail ends at Vlad's territory.
Shizuka: So we're going in?
Shin: Affirmative. High-risk infiltration. We're sweeping one of Vlad's secondary warehouses. S.W.A.T. backup's on standby.
Ryou: grinning About time we cracked some skulls.
Sera: Shirou, you and Shizuka are coming with me. This concerns both of you more than anyone else.
[Shirou gave a quiet nod, his hand instinctively tightening around the locket in his pocket.]
Shirou: Then let's end this before it starts again.
[Officer Ryou let out a short sigh, adjusting the strap of his chest rig before turning to the four younger allies—Shirou, Mio, Kei, and Shizuka—who stood ready but visibly tense.]
Ryou: Relax a little. You're not just some backup extras we're throwing into the mess. he reached over to a crate beside him, popping it open to reveal four distinct sets of tactical gear. They weren't standard-issue.
Ryou: You won't be wearing our SWAT uniforms today. he stepped aside and gave a slight grin.
Shin: These were specially developed for your team. Personal loadouts, fit for vigilantes like you.
[Shirou raised a brow, already stepping closer to inspect the gear. Each uniform was tailored for agility, armor, and functionality—while retaining a signature color accent representing each of them.]
Ryou: Tch. Took forever to convince the higher-ups that these kids weren't just brats with a hero complex.
[She crossed her arms with a smirk.]
Shin: But your past missions speak louder than your mouths.
[Shizuka ran a hand over the black-and-purple set marked for her—built lightweight for mobility with insulated plates underneath.]
[Kei gave a low whistle at his own—navy blue, trimmed in silver, with reinforced gauntlets and a visor scanner mounted at the side.]
Shizuka: I didn't think we'd be officially suited up like this…
[She trailed off, her eyes lingering on her uniform's crimson details—lined for speed and power control.]
[Shirou, however, remained silent. His set was dark—a hybrid of black and deep gray with light bronze trim, the plating a balance of strength and stealth. His fingers curled against the fabric.]
Shirou: This means we're not just helping. We're part of the mission now.
[Officer Ryou gave a firm nod.]
Ryou: Exactly. You're not just vigilantes anymore. Tonight… you're operatives.
[The heavy clunk of the armored truck's doors echoed as they sealed shut. Inside, dim red lights bathed the interior while the vehicle rumbled to life beneath them, the Tokyo cityscape gradually giving way to the quieter, grittier outskirts.]
[Shin, seated near the tactical screen, adjusted her headset and turned toward the group in their custom-designed SWAT gear.]
Shin: Listen up. This isn't a stunt. she tapped the screen behind her, pulling up a real-time map of southern Tokyo.
Shin: Target's a warehouse in Keihinjima—Ota Ward. It's part of the Keihin industrial zone near the bay. Syndicate activity has been traced to a specific site that doesn't show up in most logistics logs.
[A red dot blinked near a row of warehouse lots lining the waterfront.]
Shin: We believe it's a hidden stash point—weapons, data drives, and possibly trafficked captives. Intel's fresh, but no signs of active guards. That likely means automated traps or surveillance cloaking.
[Mio leaned forward, narrowing her eyes.]
Mio: So it's bait or a bunker?
[Officer Ryou gave a tight nod.]
Ryou: Exactly. That's why we're sending you four—not rookies with rifles. You know how to move without setting off alarms.
[Shizuka checked the mag seals on her rifle.]
Shizuka: We go silent or loud?
Shin: Silent until proven otherwise. If it escalates, your suits are reinforced for it. And remember: minimal property damage—we're near public freight lanes.
Shirou: What if we encounter syndicate leaders?
Ryou: Apprehend if possible. But if it's someone high-ranking like Fujihara or 'Severin'… eliminate. Shin and I will deal with HQ.
Kei: I just noticed, why Reina hasn't come with us?
[Sera paused a bit, concerned about her sister.]
Sera: She had a headache last night, it got worse when we entered the office earlier.
[Shin adds her statement.]
Shin: Turns out she had a fever, she hadn't had a good sleep since last week, so it probably weakened her.
[The truck jostled slightly as it exited the expressway toward Ota Ward. Tension thickened in the air.]
Kei: Let's cut this line before they push more lives through it.
Shin: ETA: 7 minutes. Final prep. Once we arrive, no hesitations.
[8:34 PM | Keihinjima, Ota Ward – Hidden Mafia Warehouse District]
[The hum of the armored truck died down several blocks away from the target site. What remained was the soft crunch of boots against gravel, shadows weaving through tighter alleys and rusting scaffolds.]
Ryou: whispering We're right on top of them... just as the blueprint said. One warehouse, four patrols outside. Rest are probably dealing inside.
Shin: Northeast entrance is half-covered. I'll take point.
Sera: They won't see us coming. Just be sharp. We don't know what they've smuggled in this time.
[The team moved like wraiths—Ryou with his automated rifle; Shin, clutching a silenced sidearm; Sera adjusting her earpiece, and the four vigilantes holding the rear, their orders clear in their calm tone.]
Ryou: No mercy. Take them down before they call backup.
[Within seconds, the first outer guards were neutralized. One dragged behind crates. Another slumped behind the shadow of a forklift. It wasn't until the door burst open that panic erupted within.]
Mafia Member: shouting Wha—?! Intruders!!
Mafia Member: Sound the alarm—wait—ARGH!!
[Flashbangs cracked the silence like thunderclaps, followed by bursts of precise gunfire. The warehouse erupted into chaos. Mafia members scrambled for weapons, but their hesitation gave the upper hand to the squad.]
Ryou: to a retreating thug Too slow!
[He dashed ahead, knocking him unconscious before he could reach the back exit. Sera vaulted over a stack of crates, kicking down a smuggler reaching for a detonator.]
Sera: Nice try. That's not going off tonight.
[Shin walked calmly through the middle, smoke swirling around her.]
Shin: Secure every room. No survivors. I want answers—now.
[The mission had only just begun, but the surprise assault left the mafia fractured—and for the first time in months, afraid.]
Sera: pacing, phone to ear —Right now. No time to explain. Bring them here. HQ needs everyone.
[The room's cold LED lights flickered slightly as a low hum filled the briefing room. Shin turned toward the large display with satellite visuals.]
Shin: serious tone This is our window. The mafia is transferring arms again—tonight. Our informants pegged Keihinjima industrial port. We move fast and quiet.
[The door burst open.]
Mio: breathless Sorry we're late!
Shirou: following behind What's the situation?
Kei: eyeing the screen
So… it's really them again.
Shizuka: slightly tense Why now?
Sera: grinning Perfect timing. We need field eyes. You four are coming too.
[The night air bit with salt and steel. An armored black truck rolled silently to a stop near the port's fenced boundary. Reina's team and the vigilantes dropped low, cutting across cargo shadows.]
Mio: whispering How are we getting in?
Kei: pointing to a ventilation shaft There. Side duct, no heat signatures.
[They split—Ryou and Kei circling from the west, Shin leading Shirou and Shizuka up front, and Sera with Mio on flank duty.]
[Explosions of sound and motion. The squad breached. Smoke grenades hissed, thugs shouted and scrambled. The mafia never saw it coming.]
Shirou: sliding over crates, launching a stun baton Left side—watch it!
Shizuka: covering his blindside On it!
[Together, they subdued two guards with precision. Nearby, Kei knocked a thug's weapon free, then jammed him against the wall.]
Mio: firing a concussive round into the floor Back off! Hands in the air!
Sera: grinning behind her mask That's my girl.
Ryou: entering from the west corridor
Storage cleared. Small arms, imported mods. We're good.
Shin: eyeing the last conscious thug
Start talking.
Mafia Enforcer: coughing, barely conscious
...Vlad... he's bringing something back. You're too late...
[The port filled with sirens. Police forces secured the outer area as Sera loaded drives and crates into evidence bags. The vigilantes gathered near the truck.]
Shirou: sweating, but composed It's not just smuggling. They're gearing for a war.
Mio: glaring at the ground This... feels deeper. More than just gangs.
Shizuka: quietly They knew what they were hiding. And who they were doing it for.
Shin: stepping over We'll debrief you all at HQ. But you did well. All of you.
[Investigations HQ – 10:12 PM]
[Projectors flickered. The group stood, still in gear. Shin pointed at the screen: shipment maps, moving patterns, timestamps.]
Sera: pointing This container escaped before we arrived. We need eyes in Kanagawa—possibly crossing into Kawasaki.
Shin: to Ryou Requesting Metro support?
Ryou: nods Already in motion.