Chapter: Operation Dominion – Enter Cobra
ABOVE THE PACIFIC – PRIVATE JET – NIGHT
A sleek black jet sliced through the clouds, silent as a ghost. Inside, classical music flowed from hidden speakers, drowning in velvet.
Seated like royalty, Cobra Commander—known to a select few as Logan—tilted a crystal glass of red wine.
"I find the world more tolerable at 40,000 feet," he mused, lifting the silver visor of his battle mask just enough to sip. "Don't you agree, Firefly?"
Across from him, Firefly—in full tactical gear, boots kicked up—grunted, flipping a butterfly knife between fingers.
"Only thing I trust at this altitude is gravity," he muttered, sipping beer through his balaclava. "And your taste in music still sucks."
Cobra Commander chuckled, flipping a dossier onto the table. Surveillance stills. Body metrics. Combat data.
Subject: ZERO
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 56 kg
Status: Unknown.
Threat Level: Critical.
Logan leaned in, eyes glittering behind mirrored chrome.
"This man... this phantom... he doesn't fight like a rebel. He moves like someone trained. Surgical. Cold."
Firefly scoffed. "All that tells me is he's a pain in the ass."
"Correction," Logan whispered. "He's a variable. And I hate variables."
He tapped a photo—Zero standing over a battered but alive Suzaku Kururugi.
"Why save him? Why reveal the truth?"
Firefly shrugged. "Street cred. Revolution theatrics. You know how these masked freaks are."
Logan's gaze hardened. "No. This is precise. Personal. He didn't just save Kururugi. He chose him."
He threw another file across the table. Kururugi's profile glared back—honor student, combat prodigy, accused patricide.
Logan's voice lowered.
"Suzaku murdered his father—Genbu Kururugi. But Zero admitted it... publicly. That's not strategy. That's protection."
Firefly leaned in. "You think Suzaku and Zero are connected?"
"I think Suzaku is the key. And once we have the key…"
Logan raised his glass.
"…we unlock everything."
"HAIL COBRA."
They drank.
TOKYO SETTLEMENT – MILITARY ZONE – COBRA LANDING PLATFORM
Thunder cracked as the Cobra G-1 Cruiser descended, displacing air and scattering soldiers. Cobra troopers marched out—black and crimson armor, visors glowing red. Twin banners unfurled:
⚡COBRA REIGNS⚡
Logan emerged like a storm in human form, cape rippling, Firefly at his flank.
A Britannian lieutenant scrambled up, saluting. "Your Highne—"
"Cobra Commander," Logan snapped. "We don't use royal titles here. We use results."
"Y-yes, Commander. Welcome to Area 11."
"Where's my sister?"
"Princess Cornelia is engaged in the Saitama Ghetto offensive."
Logan froze.
"…She's what?"
SAITAMA GHETTO – INFERNO ZONE – SAME MOMENT
It was slaughter.
Britannian Sutherlands marched through crumbling streets, gunning down everything that moved.
Children screamed. Families begged.
A woman clutched her daughter as gunmen raised rifles.
"FIRE!"
Rat-tat-tat!
…Nothing.
The mother opened her eyes. The soldiers were down—dead.
A squad of Cobra troopers stormed the alley, smoke trailing from silencers.
A blonde Cobra agent stepped forward. "You're safe."
"T-thank you… who are you?"
Her eyes narrowed behind red-tinted goggles.
"Justice."
CORNELIA'S FORWARD BASE – COMMAND CENTER
Chaos. Monitors flashed red. One by one, Britannian units were blinking offline.
Gilbert cursed. "We're being overrun! Who the hell are these units?!"
A comm screen crackled—then a symbol flared: the fanged cobra.
Then a voice.
"This operation is terminated. All Britannian forces are ordered to withdraw. By direct command of Cobra Commander."
Cornelia paled. "No... he wouldn't dare—"
MOMENTS LATER – COBRA LANDING ZONE
Cornelia stormed through the smoke, flanked by Guilford and Darlton.
Logan stood at the foot of his carrier, unmoved.
"YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Cornelia roared.
SLAP.
Silence.
He struck her—open-handed, loud.
She reeled, wide-eyed. Her knights tensed.
Logan stepped forward, voice like thunder.
"You're not in command here. You never were. You botched my infiltration plan. Do you have any idea what you've cost us?"
Cornelia sneered. "I recreated the original ghetto conflict. It would have flushed Zero out."
Logan's voice dropped to a whisper.
"And what happened the last time Clovis tried that?"
Silence.
Gilbert unsheathed his blade. "If you touch her again—"
Firefly drew faster. "Make a move. Please."
Logan didn't blink.
"You think you're some 'Goddess of Victory,' Cornelia? You're a blunt sword. I wield scalpels."
He turned away.
"Clean this mess. Then get out of my way."
G-1 COBRA BASE – DEEP CHAMBER
Zartan slithered from the shadows, shifting forms until settling into his true, tattooed face.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Commander."
"I'm winning."
"And her?"
"Cornelia is reckless. I'll deal with her in time. But Zero… Zero is brilliant."
Zartan smiled. "Want me to wear his face?"
"Not yet. But soon."
MOUNTAIN DOJO – FROZEN NORTH OF AREA 11
Two figures clashed beneath a waterfall, blades flashing.
Steel met steel—faster, sharper, deadlier.
Finally, they broke.
One bowed.
The other nodded.
Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes sheathed their swords and turned toward the rising sun.
"Time to move."
Together.
War was coming.
And Cobra had just declared checkmate.