Introduction

Having sensed movements within the Enigma Church of Sorcerers, Sylvester met with Maximus and his wife to discuss their next steps. Suddenly, Estelle, the dark witch Nocteria, appeared before them. Mysteriously, she left without attacking or confronting them, leaving them in a state of uneasy curiosity.

Meanwhile, Team Nexus planned an operation to intercept Shadowbane's specialized train, used by the crime syndicate for a major illegal transaction. They requested support from BE-COOL, aiming to halt Shadowbane's large-scale operation with the train control system Harold had developed.

As the entire team threw themselves into preparations for the mission, Tria began to wonder if there was a way for her to contribute meaningfully. The day of the operation was fast approaching, each moment drawing them closer to the critical showdown.

1.Sylvester and the Movements of Maximus and Cassidy

In the dead of night, Sylvester's study lay still, illuminated only by the pale light of the moon streaming through the window.

"Sylvester!" A young mage burst into the room, out of breath.

"What is it?" Sylvester asked, not turning from his spot by the window.

"The church is beginning to move." The mage caught his breath, then continued. "The higher-ups have held a secret meeting and issued new directives regarding Lady Tria."

Sylvester nodded quietly. "Understood. Thank you."

At that moment, the door opened.

"Master Sylvester." Maximus entered, followed by Cassidy.

"I received word from one of my contacts," Maximus announced. "The situation within the church has shifted."

"There's been activity at the back gate," Cassidy added succinctly. "It's different from usual."

Sylvester glanced at the young mage. "You may go." The mage bowed deeply and quietly left the room.

"Are you prepared?" Sylvester asked the pair.

"Yes." Maximus nodded. "We're ready."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room shifted, thick with powerful magic.

"This presence…!" Maximus tensed.

Sylvester murmured, "The dark witch, Nocteria…"

Instantly, all three adopted a defensive stance. Maximus began an incantation, while Sylvester calmly awaited their opponent's move.

Estelle, draped in black, appeared before them. She observed them in silence and, without a word, vanished as quickly as she had come.

"She… did nothing?" Maximus managed, clearly puzzled.

"It could be a trap…" Cassidy kept her guard up.

But Sylvester sensed something in Estelle's departing gaze. "No, I believe she deliberately spared us."

"What do you mean?" Maximus asked.

"I don't know." Sylvester gazed out into the night sky. "But we need to move quickly."

The three departed the study, disappearing into the night shadows. The old grandfather clock in the corner ticked steadily, its pendulum swinging rhythmically, as the hour of decision drew ever closer for Tria.

2.Plan for a Surprise Attack

Back in the Nexus operations room, Eugene was absorbed in the information on his tablet.

"Shadowbane…" he murmured quietly. "They've finally made a move."

Roy, arms crossed, questioned him, "Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely." Eugene stood up and displayed the data on the central monitor. "There's no doubt. The underground network's activity has shifted. Shadowbane's movements confirm it."

Nicholas nodded in agreement. "When that organization acts, it always sends ripples through the entire city."

"Look at their recent operations," Eugene continued, pulling up a map on the screen. "Weapons smuggling in the port district, money laundering in the industrial area, and the laboratory raid last month. Shadowbane orchestrated each of these major crimes. But these were just preparatory moves for something even larger. And now…"

Eugene brought up new intel on the monitor. "Their special transport train is mobilizing."

Roy's eyes narrowed. "That transport train?"

"Yes," Eugene said, with a keen glint in his eye. "A train dedicated to transporting contraband—illegal drugs, weapons, and other illicit goods. Shadowbane has been using this train to move vast amounts of black-market materials, operating on a completely independent railway system secured by state-of-the-art defenses."

Nicholas crossed his arms. "They don't call them the 'Emperors of the Underworld' for nothing. They have their own dedicated transportation network."

"What's the scale of this shipment?" Roy asked.

"It's the largest we've seen yet." Eugene's expression was serious. "With such a massive operation, the train will undoubtedly be heavily guarded."

Just then, the door to the operations room opened.

"Excuse us." Tria's voice was followed by Harold and Quincy stepping into the room.

"Glad you're here." Roy glanced at the three of them. "We have a major mission."

Eugene began to explain the situation. "Our target is Shadowbane's transport train. The mission is to intercept it and stop this massive illegal drug shipment."

The large monitor displayed a schematic of the train. Harold studied it intently. "This security system is high-tech… it's cutting-edge technology."

"Can you bypass it?" Roy asked.

"I'll give it a shot." Harold replied carefully. "It might be possible to hack into the system remotely, take temporary control, and shut it down, but we'll likely need specialized equipment."

"Understood. I'm formally asking for BE-COOL's support on this mission. Are you all in?" Roy's gaze shifted to each of them.

Tria, slightly unsure, asked, "What should I do?"

Roy answered with a gentle look, "You'll be in support. Help Harold develop and install the specialized equipment for the hack."

Harold turned to Quincy. "I want to take this on—it's probably something only I can handle. Are you with me, Quincy?"

"Of course! There's no way we're letting a huge opportunity like this slip by!" Quincy responded excitedly to Harold, though he felt a nagging doubt. "Should I report this to the organization? Maybe I'll wait and see."

"Thank you. Let's get to work." Roy extended his right hand. Harold gripped it firmly, marking the beginning of a joint mission between the two teams.

3.Confrontation with Estelle

After the strategy meeting, Tria stepped outside. The streets lit by lamplight were eerily quiet.

Suddenly, the air grew icy.

"…!"

A chilling sensation ran down Tria's spine. The space before her wavered, and a woman appeared as if emerging from the darkness. Dressed in a black gown, with cold blue eyes, stood Estelle, the Dark Witch of Nocteria.

Just her mere presence seemed to command the surrounding air. Estelle's aura as a witch was palpable, so powerful it seemed to push back even the darkness of night.

Tria gasped. She tried to speak, but her throat felt frozen, unable to produce a sound.

"The reincarnation of Celestia…" Estelle's voice, soft yet piercing, struck right through Tria's heart. "You still know nothing."

"I… I…" Tria forced herself to respond, straining to find her voice.

Estelle took a single step forward. With that one movement, Tria felt a coldness that chilled her to the bone.

"With this level of power," Estelle's gaze sharpened, "what do you think you can accomplish?"

A surge of magical energy pressed down on her, and Tria felt her knees nearly buckle under the weight.

"Do you think you can protect your friends?" Estelle's voice held a faint hint of pity.

Those words shook Tria to her core. She thought of Harold, Quincy, and the Nexus team members with whom they had allied—each face dear to her flashing through her mind.

"I… I…"

But her words faltered. Standing before Estelle's overwhelming presence, Tria could feel her own powerlessness more acutely than ever.

Estelle looked down at her quietly. "If you don't awaken, you'll lose everything."

With that final statement, Estelle's figure faded back into the night, her aura dispersing, and the frozen air returning to normal.

Tria covered her face with both hands, her trembling fingers unable to hold back the hot tears spilling between them. "I have to… become stronger," she whispered in a broken voice. "If I stay like this… I can't protect them…"

The streetlamp flickered in the night. A new resolve began to take root in Tria's heart. To protect her friends, she had to grow stronger. Deep within her chest, the dormant power within her stirred faintly in response.

4.Preparing for the Mission

One day remained until the operation. Harold's workshop was filled with the hum of machinery and a tense atmosphere. In the center stood the massive "RCSJ" – the Railway Control System Jammer. The towering device was covered in a web of cables connected to various control panels. The cooling system emitted a soft hum, keeping the machine in standby mode.

"This is the completed RCSJ," Harold began his explanation in front of the main panel. "It will interfere with the train's security system, fully locking it down while simultaneously activating the emergency brakes."

Roy, looking up at the machine, asked, "What are the power requirements?"

"It needs power from three sources," Harold said, spreading out the schematics. "The main power, backup power, and emergency power all need to be connected simultaneously for the system to start."

"How long will setup take?" Nicholas inquired.

"With at least three people, it'll take a minimum of ten minutes," Harold replied with a serious expression. "If even one power source fails, the system won't activate."

"Harold, is this section in the instructions accurate?" Tria asked as she double-checked the manual.

"Yeah, it's correct," Harold answered without looking up from the monitor. "We have to connect all three power sources at once. Order matters."

In the back of the workshop, Nicholas meticulously performed the final checks on their equipment, inspecting each item for any flaws and testing it thoroughly.

"How's the gear check going, Nicholas?" Tria called over. Nicholas simply gave her a thumbs-up.

Eugene spread a detailed terrain map across the workbench. "Look here. For setting up the RCSJ, this location offers the best cover."

"Quincy, you okay with everything?" Tria asked with a hint of concern. Quincy waved her off lightly. "Don't worry, I've got this."

Tria then turned to Eugene. "Eugene, what's the guard pattern on the other side?"

"They patrol every two minutes," Eugene replied. "Roy and Nicholas will need to buy us that ten-minute window to set everything up."

Harold displayed new data on the main monitor. "Once the security system goes down, the train will come to a full stop. Even Shadowbane's technicians will need considerable time to bring it back online."

"Harold, that's amazing," Tria said, genuinely impressed. "I'm sure it'll work."

The RCSJ's test power came online, and the machine gave a quiet vibration, pulsing with a blue-white glow from its control panel.

"Alright," Roy addressed the team firmly. "Let's move into final checks. Tomorrow night, we're taking on the biggest criminal organization in the underworld. No equipment failures or human errors are allowed."

"Roy," Tria responded with determination. "We'll make this a success."

The air in the workshop thickened with tension. The clock's hands moved relentlessly forward, as the moment of action drew ever closer.

5.Mission Commencement

Midnight. In the darkness of a moonless night, the two teams gathered at the designated meeting point.

"As planned, the train will pass this location at 2:15," Eugene announced, adjusting his night vision goggles. "We have 30 seconds until the next patrol."

Roy and Nicholas silently took cover, their forms vanishing into the darkness. Footsteps approached—two guards with flashlights scanning the area. In an instant, both guards were incapacitated, as Roy and Nicholas's shadows crossed briefly in the dark.

"Zone C, all clear," Roy reported in a low voice over the guards' radio. "Roger that. Proceed to the next checkpoint," came the response from the enemy's headquarters.

Roy switched to their internal communication line. "Patrol neutralized. Next one is in two minutes. All units, confirm your positions."

"I'm handling the RCSJ setup," Harold said, pointing to the large case. "Eugene, Tria, Quincy, we'll handle simultaneous connections at the three power points."

Moving swiftly between patrol intervals, the three carried the heavy RCSJ and headed to their designated positions.

"Harold, comms status?" Eugene asked. "Clear," Harold replied, adjusting the frequencies. "I have everyone's positions monitored."

More footsteps. This time, a three-man patrol. After a moment's silence, they, too, were taken down without a sound. "Zone A, clear," Nicholas reported over the enemy's radio. "Moving to the next point." "Copy that, on schedule," came the reply from the enemy HQ.

Eugene, Quincy, and Tria continued approaching the power points, their breaths the only sound in the silent, moonless night.

"First checkpoint reached," Eugene announced.

"Hold up, next patrol incoming," Nicholas warned.

The setup paused temporarily as they awaited Roy and Nicholas's next move. The guards were silently neutralized, with Roy's calm, fake report on the enemy radio: "Zone B, all clear."

"Proceed," Roy ordered over the internal line, and the setup resumed.

"Second point ready," Quincy confirmed.

"Third point reached," Tria reported.

In the distance, the rumble of the approaching train began to resonate.

"Train entering target zone in 60 seconds," Harold's voice echoed in everyone's earpieces.

"Last patrol confirmed," Roy said. "Zone E, all clear." Nicholas, having taken down the final patrol, completed the dummy report over the enemy's radio.

"Preparing to activate RCSJ," Harold instructed. "Power connections, countdown starts—30 seconds."

The three operatives connected heavy cables to the power points. The cold night air brushed their faces as they worked.

"20 seconds."

"10 seconds."

"Connect—now!"

All three connected the power simultaneously. The RCSJ's panel began pulsing a faint blue light.

"Activation confirmed!" Harold's voice rang out. "Train entering range! RCSJ activating!"

With a deafening roar, the train emerged. At that moment, the RCSJ fully powered on, causing the train's security systems to collapse and the emergency brakes to engage. The shriek of grinding metal sliced through the darkness.

"Control established!" Harold's voice, tinged with relief. "Train has come to a complete stop!"

"All units, begin the assault!" Roy's command echoed.

Roy and Nicholas emerged from the shadows, sprinting toward the immobilized train. Behind them, Quincy approached from another angle, while Harold and Eugene, now armed, joined from their positions.

The midnight silence shattered as the sounds of intense combat echoed through the night.

6.Tria's Awakening

Tria listened to the sounds of battle over the radio. Her hands trembled, and a cold sweat ran down her spine. When the first gunshot echoed, her body flinched involuntarily.

"Ugh!" Roy's voice, filled with pain, broke through. She knew that Shadowbane's elite forces had landed a hit on him.

"Roy!" Tria's heart clenched with helplessness. Then came another voice.

"Argh!" Nicholas cried out, his voice laced with agony, as if he'd taken a direct hit.

"There's more firepower than we expected—they're closing in!" Quincy's voice was tinged with desperation.

The voices of her comrades in pain filtered through the radio—gunfire, cries, and shouts of agony. Each sound struck deeply, tearing at her heart.

"It's my fault…" Tria sank to her knees. "I'm too weak… because I have no power…"

The sounds of gunfire and her comrades' labored breaths echoed over the radio.

"Because I can't do anything here…"

Tears rolled down her cheeks. In that moment, something stirred deep within her, like a faint bell from a distant memory. It resonated with pure clarity, and a strange warmth began to spread through her core.

"What… is this feeling?"

The warmth gradually expanded, flooding through her entire body. Her fingertips glowed with light, and her hair began to sway gently, as though moved by an unseen breeze.

"Please…" Tria clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest. "Give me strength… the strength to protect my friends!"

At that instant, a cold, merciless voice crackled over the receiver. "Eliminate them all." Something within Tria snapped.

Her body began to rise from the ground. A pure, white light enveloped her, her hair billowing despite the stillness around her. An unfamiliar energy surged through her entire being.

"This power… it's been inside me all along?"

Her consciousness expanded. It was as though she could see the world in a different light, with everything suddenly in vivid clarity. She sensed her comrades as points of light, feeling their injuries, their pain, as if she could hold it in her hands.

"I want to protect them… I have to protect them… no matter what!"

Tria's voice transformed, taking on a harmonious resonance layered with multiple tones.

"STOP—NOW!"

With her cry, waves of light radiated outwards in all directions. A blinding spiral of light tore through the night, stretching toward the train like a rainbow-colored beam. Tria's awareness extended further, letting her feel every wound of her comrades. As the light touched each injury, it vanished, as though it had never been.

"What is happening?" Nicholas's voice was filled with astonishment.

"My wounds… they're disappearing," Roy muttered in disbelief.

"…!" Quincy gasped in awe.

The light grew even brighter, forming a protective barrier around her allies. Enemy bullets seemed to hit an invisible wall, each one rendered useless. "We can do this!" Roy's voice regained strength. He and Nicholas moved in sync, cutting through the enemy's formation, while Quincy struck at their opponents, exploiting every opening. Together, they unleashed a fierce counterattack that quickly subdued the remaining foes.

Finally, the sounds of battle faded, and silence returned to the night. In that instant, Tria felt the energy drain from her body. Her vision blurred, and her consciousness began to slip away.

"Aah…"

With a faint whisper, her floating body gently descended to the ground. Her hair fell like a veil, and the light faded from her eyes.

"I'm… glad everyone's… safe…"

7.The Revealed Truth

The pure white light slowly faded, silver particles floating like snow, softly illuminating the ground. Amid the wavering boundary of light and dark, Tria's body, exhausted from using her power, gently collapsed to the ground.

At that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Nocteria, the Witch of Darkness, Estelle, cloaked in black. Her long hair flowed in the night wind, her piercing eyes reflecting the moonlight, intensifying the night's stillness.

"Awaken," Estelle's voice was cold, as if it echoed from an endless void.

"Uh…" Tria slowly regained consciousness, opening her eyes. "Who… are you?"

Confused, Tria looked around, while Estelle stood still, her voice as unwavering as the passage of time.

"Thirty years ago…" Her voice chilled the very air. "This world faced an unprecedented crisis due to the monster of despair, ABYSS. Celestia, the Saint of Light, sacrificed her life to seal it away."

Tria attempted to stand but wavered, her body trembling, limbs numb, and heart pounding unnaturally loudly.

"At that time, the Mage Church Enigma captured her soul," Estelle continued in an emotionless tone, stating only the facts. "Over fifteen years, they perfected artificial reincarnation. And you… are her reincarnation."

"Me…?" Tria's voice shook. "That can't be…"

Suddenly, another voice cut through the darkness: "Tria!" Sylvester appeared, accompanied by Maximus and Cassidy. Their faces bore expressions of deep anguish Tria had never seen before.

"Mr. Sylvester?" Tria's confusion grew. "Mr. Maximus, Ms. Cassidy? Why…?"

Estelle ignored their presence, her icy voice pressing on. "The Church intended to raise you as a human weapon to combat ABYSS. To prevent that, Sylvester and the others took you from Enigma."

"No…" Tria struggled to deny it, her hands trembling, her vision blurring. "That's… that's not true, right?"

Pain twisted Sylvester's expression. "Tria… I'm sorry. It's all true."

"Then… everyone was lying to me this whole time?" Hot tears traced down Tria's cheeks, shimmering silver under the moonlight.

"It's not true!"

Cassidy's voice pierced the night. In all their years together, Tria had never heard such raw emotion from her.

"You are…" Cassidy's voice quivered. "You are our real daughter!" Her gaze overflowed with deep love and sorrow, a mother's true affection.

"Tria," Maximus took a step forward, his voice filled with determination.

"That day, we made a vow. We would never let them turn you into a weapon."

Cassidy continued, her voice wavering with tears but filled with strength. "Maximus and I promised to raise you with all the love in our hearts, as our true daughter. We took you in at the orphanage, wanting you to feel the warmth of a family… to protect you…"

Cassidy's voice trembled as she continued. "From the moment I first held you… you became my precious daughter. Just like all the other children… or maybe even more so… your smile has saved me, time and again."

As Cassidy spoke, a flood of memories returned to Tria's mind: the nights Cassidy had held her hand when she was sick, the warmth of her touch as she bandaged scraped knees, the cozy family meals shared with everyone.

"But I'm… I'm not truly human…" Tria's voice faltered.

"No!" Sylvester's voice rang out, resonating with the weight of fifteen years.

"You are human, without a doubt. And you are our daughter—a daughter whose bond is stronger than blood."

Maximus nodded solemnly.

"Tria, do you remember the first time you called me 'Dad'? The joy of that moment is etched into my heart even now."

A gentle breeze lifted the particles of light, as though the memories of fifteen years had taken visible form and were dancing in the air.

Estelle continued in her cold, factual tone. "Now that the power within you has awakened, there is no turning back. This is your reality."

But her detached words no longer reached Tria. Standing before her was her family, bound by unwavering love.

Cassidy opened her arms.

"You are our daughter. And that truth will never change."

New tears slipped down Tria's cheeks, but this time, they weren't born of sorrow.

"Mom!"

With that word, Tria rushed into Cassidy's arms. Maximus and Sylvester gathered around her, and the four of them embraced tightly.

Under the moonlight, silver particles gently danced, as if celebrating the beginning of this new truth, enveloping the family in a tender glow.

8.The Discovery of Project Destrion

In the depths of the halted train, Roy came to a stop before a dead-end room. "This is it." Behind the heavily secured door lay Shadowbane's critical secrets.

"What's the plan?" Nicholas asked.

"Harold," Roy called over the communicator. "We've located the door at the far end. Can you disable the electronic lock?"

"Understood." Harold's voice responded promptly. "Starting structure analysis… wait, hold on. This is… strange."

"What's wrong?"

"There's another layer of security beneath the standard electronic lock," Harold replied, a hint of tension in his voice. "This isn't a typical digital signal. The waveform… it feels almost alive."

Roy took a moment to think. "Get Eugene in here."

Eugene soon arrived with Sylvester and Maximus. "It's a magical seal," Sylvester said, raising a hand to examine the door. "This is an extremely advanced spell."

"A double lock," Nicholas murmured.

"Then," Maximus turned to Harold, "we'll need to try a simultaneous unlock—disabling both the electronic and magical seals at the same time."

Harold's rapid keystrokes mixed with Sylvester and Maximus's chanting, and slowly, the door opened.

Inside was a vast server room. Rows of monitors covered the walls, casting a pale blue light.

"Accessing damaged data files," Harold quickly worked at the keyboard. "But… it's happening again…"

"Same setup," Maximus nodded. "The data itself has dual layers of protection."

"Exactly," Harold pointed to the waveform on the screen. "On top of typical encryption, there's a magical seal. Unless both are released simultaneously, the data remains unreadable."

"A sophisticated setup," Sylvester folded his arms. "This is crafted to require knowledge of both science and magic for access."

The three set to work decoding the data. Harold broke through the digital encryption while Sylvester and Maximus carefully unraveled the magical layers one by one.

"I'm getting through!" Harold's voice rose with excitement. "The full data is… finally visible!"

The large monitor began displaying a series of files, one after another. Then, a particular set of data caught everyone's eye, freezing them in place.

"Project Destrion…?" Harold squinted at the screen.

"This is…" Sylvester's voice shook. "No… it can't be…"

As the contents of the data became clear, the room's atmosphere grew heavy.

"A recreation of… ABYSS?" Eugene was at a loss for words.

Detailed files flashed on the screen. Shadowbane had concealed its true purpose under the guise of illegal drug trafficking. This specialized train served as their mobile vault.

"To artificially recreate the disaster from thirty years ago," Maximus spoke in a quiet voice. "If they succeed, Shadowbane will possess a military power beyond anything humanity has ever wielded."

"Rising as rulers of the world…" Roy's voice held a grim resonance.

"We can't let that happen," Sylvester said, his voice taut. "This must be stopped… at any cost."

"Yes," Roy nodded firmly. "Our real battle begins now."

9.Formation of a New Team

All members had gathered in Nexus's operations room. The data on Project Destrion, uncovered in the server room, cast a cold blue glow across the central monitor, adding weight to the room's atmosphere.

Quincy stood against the wall, arms crossed, silently staring at the floor. Choosing not to report the Destrion plan leak to his organization would mean betrayal—a betrayal against Shadowbane. His back chilled as he recalled the brutal fates of past traitors. He could clearly envision the scenes of cruel executions, each one a horrific warning to anyone who might dare defy them.

But the other path was equally unbearable: surrendering Tria and Harold's lives in exchange for his own. That thought haunted him as well. Maintaining a casual expression, Quincy wrestled internally, torn between two agonizing choices.

Roy rose, and the weighty atmosphere in the room immediately sharpened.

"There's something we all learned from this operation," he said, drawing every gaze to him. "We're up against an enemy much larger than we could've imagined. Shadowbane isn't just a criminal organization; they're a malevolent force scheming to dominate the world itself."

Silence fell over the room as the monitor's blue light reflected on everyone's tense faces.

"But I'm also sure of something else," Roy continued with conviction. "Each of us brings unique abilities and experience. This operation showed how much potential we have when we combine our strengths."

"Roy?" Tria spoke up, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Is there… anything I can do to help?"

"Yes," Roy nodded softly. "Each of us is invaluable."

Quincy felt a pang in his chest. That word—"invaluable"—only deepened his inner turmoil.

"For the battles to come," Sylvester said gravely, "we'll each need to bring out the full potential of our abilities, according to the situation."

"To do that," Roy raised his voice, "I have a proposal. Let's form a new team, all of us together."

"A new team?" Harold leaned forward, intrigued.

"Combining Nexus, BE-COOL, and Sylvester's group—everyone's strengths united. I propose we call ourselves 'TRANSCENDA.'"

"TRANSCENDA…" Eugene echoed quietly. "Good name."

"I'm in," Harold responded immediately. "Together, we'll find a way forward."

Nicholas gave a silent nod of agreement.

Quincy felt his throat tighten for a moment, but he managed to keep his expression light and cheerful. "Alright, let's do it!"

"What do you think, Sylvester?" Roy asked.

Sylvester exchanged glances with Maximus and Cassidy, and all three nodded solemnly. "Yes, we'll fight alongside you," Sylvester said, his voice filled with resolve.

As dawn broke over the horizon, sunlight began to filter through the operations room's windows. Quincy looked at Tria and Harold in the faint light. The moment of choice was drawing nearer, and no matter which path he chose, the outcome would be irreversible.

"It's settled, then," Roy announced, glancing at each member. "From this point on, we'll fight as Team TRANSCENDA."

A battle that would shake the world was about to begin.