EPISODE FIVE
CRYPTONYM

Kagaro undid his cloak with a swift, practiced motion, tossing it into the corner of the room without care. The weight of recent events lingered in the air as he prepared to leave. His mind was already set on the next task ahead when Momoko's voice cut through the silence.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to help you," she said, her tone filled with regret.

Kagaro paused mid-step and turned to face her. His expression softened, though his usual air of authority remained. "It's okay," he began, trying to ease her guilt. "Jenna helped us out, and I understand why you couldn't make it in time."

Momoko's shoulders sagged with relief, but she still frowned. "I was late getting here, and by the time I did, Jenna called me. She said she had already sent her star to you."

"Well, we were saved, and we're fine now, as you can see." Kagaro spread his arms slightly, showing that he was unharmed. "Don't worry about it," he reassured her, giving her a quick nod before turning back to leave.

Before he could get far, Shimin, who had been standing quietly in the corner, stepped forward. "What's our next mission, Captain?" she asked, her voice steady but with a hint of urgency.

Kagaro turned his head slightly. "We'll be divided into teams," he explained. "Commander Awara suspects several locations might be hiding Jeneme factions. Each team will be sent to one of these sites to investigate and, if found, eliminate them."

Shimin's brows furrowed. "When do we start?"

"Next week," Kagaro replied. "The roster will be out by then. Wherever we are, we'll be deployed immediately once the orders come through. So stay prepared."

The room was filled with a heavy silence as Kagaro turned to exit. But before stepping out, he paused at the doorway, glancing back at them. His tone grew cold and authoritative once again. "Make sure you have your gear and your star items with you at all times. We won't be facing E-type Jenemes this time. No excuses."

With that, he closed the door behind him, leaving the room steeped in tension.

Shimin released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her thoughts spiraled. Finally, after all these years, the mission to eradicate the Jenemes was underway. For as long as she'd been part of JEO, they had fought against the Jenemes-pushing back their forces but never truly eliminating them. This mission would be different. If they succeeded, it could mark the end of the Jenemes entirely. But if they failed... it could mean the end of humanity.

She glanced around at the others, expecting them to share her apprehension, but they seemed unnervingly calm. Perhaps it was their way of coping, or perhaps they simply trusted their own strength. Shimin, however, felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

***

Kagaro moved swiftly, his long strides taking him to the hovering capsule. The transparent doors hissed as they slid open, allowing him to step inside. The capsule zoomed downward with lightning speed, passing floor after floor, before coming to a smooth stop at the basement level.

Stepping out, Kagaro approached the hidden door designed exclusively for agents to use. It was a necessary measure, one that kept their identities concealed from the outside world. He entered a narrow corridor that led to a secluded garden-the Garden of JEO. This garden was one of JEO's best-kept secrets, a sanctuary where agents could come and go unnoticed by the public.

The garden itself was shrouded in mystery. From the outside, it appeared to be nothing more than a run-down house, its walls crumbling, the windows dusty and cracked. But this illusion was the result of advanced scientific barriers, designed to trick anyone who might stumble across it. Inside the perimeter, however, the garden was lush and serene, a stark contrast to the urban sprawl beyond its hidden borders. Flowers of vibrant colors bloomed under the careful watch of JEO's security systems. No outsider could breach the garden's protection.

Kagaro removed his mask as he reached the end of the garden. The cool evening breeze touched his face, a small reminder of the world he was sworn to protect. He inhaled deeply, allowing himself a moment of quiet reflection before stepping out onto the hidden path that led to the city beyond.

The agents of JEO had no public identity. Their safety depended on this secrecy. Jenemes were clever, always seeking weaknesses in their enemies. If they knew the faces behind the masks, the entire organization could be compromised.

Kagaro slipped into the dim streets unnoticed, moving with the silent precision of someone well-versed in stealth. As always, his presence was a ghostly one, blending effortlessly into the shadows. The narrow alleyway he found himself in was devoid of people, a perfect space for what he had to do next. His hand slipped into his pocket, retrieving a small square capsule. With a swift press of a button, the capsule clicked open, releasing an olive-green cape that unfurled like a fluttering banner in the breeze.

Kagaro caught the cape as it flew out, its fabric soft yet durable in his hands. He fastened it around his neck, drawing the hood over his head, concealing his face in the shadowy folds. His identity was now shrouded, hidden beneath the dark green material. Moving further into the alley, his steps were quick but calculated. He emerged on the other end, finding himself in a deserted, wind-chilled street, far more isolated than the one he had left behind.

Reaching into the bag he carried, Kagaro pulled out his roller shoes. These were no ordinary shoes-they were the product of cutting-edge technology, designed to propel him across vast distances in seconds. He secured them to his feet, crouched briefly to gauge his surroundings, then took off. His speed was incredible, turning him into a blur as he zoomed through the empty street like a speeding vehicle. The world around him whipped by in a rush of color and wind. In mere moments, he arrived at his destination: a massive wooden house, its imposing structure standing in stark contrast to the technology that pulsed within it.

Kagaro came to an abrupt stop before the large wooden doors. Despite the house's rustic exterior, it concealed one of the most advanced security systems in the city. He approached and knocked on the door with deliberate intent. From the other side, a voice responded immediately.

"Password."

A green holographic screen flickered to life before Kagaro's face, complete with a keypad for input. Without hesitation, he typed the required sequence, his fingers dancing across the glowing numbers. The ancient-looking wooden doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the high-tech interior beyond. Though the door appeared traditional, its mechanism was anything but. It rivaled the systems in place at the JEO headquarters and the Shinjuku School of Science and Technology itself.

Kagaro stepped through the entrance, and the door sealed shut behind him with another whisper of air. He found himself in a reception area that seemed almost otherworldly. The space was bathed in a palette of neon blue and white, its modern design sharply contrasting with the house's external appearance. Directly ahead of him stood a large, curved desk, glowing blue lights radiating from underneath its smooth surface. The ceiling lights, embedded seamlessly above, added to the futuristic glow, casting a soft luminescence over everything.

Recliner chairs, hovering inches above the ground, lined the walls on either side of the desk. Their sleek, metallic design was softened by the gentle blue hue of the lights beneath them. To his right, the walls were lined with glowing blue plants, their leaves shimmering faintly as they stretched toward the ceiling. The air smelled clean, almost sterile, a testament to the technological prowess hidden behind the scenes.

Behind the desk stood a woman, her face partially hidden by the hood of her olive-green cloak. Her smile, however, was warm and visible, her eyes twinkling with a strange kind of amusement as she regarded Kagaro. The room was polished to perfection; the floor beneath him was so reflective that he could see his own image mirrored back at him.

Kagaro knew the layout of the building well. Above him, the floors housed dormitories, dining rooms, and even a library and canteen. But this reception area, with its deceptively calm atmosphere, was the hub of it all.

The woman behind the desk greeted him. "How may I help you?"

Kagaro grinned, his voice dripping with a challenge. "For all this advanced technology, your security seems awfully lax. What if I were an enemy agent?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the tension in the room changed. The guards stationed at the door, also clad in olive-green cloaks, immediately sprang into action. They moved as one, a well-trained unit, surrounding Kagaro in a tight, menacing circle. Their eyes gleamed with suspicion, their movements precise as they closed in on him, ready to strike if needed.

Just as the tension reached its peak, a voice echoed across the room. "Which he is not."

Kagaro turned toward the winding staircase at the far end of the room. Descending the steps gracefully was Liza, her figure draped in the same olive-green cloak as the others. She moved with confidence, her gaze fixed on Kagaro as she made her way down.

Upon reaching the floor, Liza approached him with a smile. "What news do you have for us?" she asked, her voice calm but her eyes sharp, searching his face for answers.

Kagaro pushed back his hood, his black JEO jumpsuit visible as he unbuttoned his olive-green cape and laid it on the desk. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the polished surface, his head lowered. For a moment, he was silent, his face hidden from view as he collected his thoughts.

Finally, he spoke, his voice measured but heavy with the weight of his message. "JEO is planning a full ambush."

The room went deathly quiet. Liza's calm façade faltered, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she processed the news. Her eyes flashed with barely contained anger, though she struggled to maintain her composure. "What?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Kagaro lifted his gaze, meeting hers with a look that conveyed the gravity of the situation. "They're coming for the Jenemes. All of them."