Forget Japan's legendary Zero Fighters from World War II—Mitsubishi, the company that built them, was still a powerhouse.
(Side note: Mitsubishi isn't a single corporation but a massive keiretsu—a conglomerate of 500+ affiliated companies. The unofficial Mitsubishi Friday Club includes 28 core members, and in 2021, eight Mitsubishi companies ranked among the Global Fortune 500. Their industries span heavy machinery, aerospace, real estate, and more.)
Even the Watanabe Group, the faction behind the kidnapping of Castle's daughter, Alexis, was a spin-off from Nakajima Aircraft—one of Japan's most elite wartime aviation manufacturers.
If just a sub-branch of Japan's military-industrial complex could compete for U.S. arms contracts, imagine what the entire Japanese defense sector was capable of.
Japan knew exactly what it was after.
According to intelligence reports, Castle's technology wasn't just advanced—it was precisely what Japan had been dreaming of:
Microelectronics
High-precision mechanical engineering
These fields were Japan's specialty.
That's why Japan had never given up on stealing Castle's research.
They understood its value.
More importantly, they knew that if they got their hands on it, they could fully integrate it into their existing technology base.
Japan might publicly bow to the U.S., but when it came to pursuing its own strategic goals, it wasn't afraid to act in the shadows.
Who would want a permanent U.S. military presence on their soil?
Constant scandals involving U.S. troops and Japanese civilians
Disrespect toward Japan's government
Zero real autonomy in military affairs
Unlike India, which suffered from severe delusions of self-importance, Japan knew exactly where it stood—and it was ready to change that reality.
Kidnapping one writer was nothing in the grand scheme of things.
The special ops team formed in Bangalore consisted of 20+ operatives:
6 Japanese
9 Indians
5 Turks
The Indian delegation insisted on leading the operation, arguing that one of their operatives had undergone MI6 training.
This self-proclaimed "experienced" agent was selected as the team leader.
Meanwhile, Castle had already been informed.
Jarvis intercepted their communications and relayed the update:
The three-nation strike team had officially assembled in Bangalore.
They were actively plotting how to lure Castle out of New York.
By now, the CIA, FBI, and SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU) had already arrived in Hawaii.
The only exception?
Six elite operators from DEVGRU had been sent to Castle's estate.
From this moment forward, these Tier 1 operators would act as Castle's personal security detail.
Meet the SEALs
Unlike regular bodyguards, these DG operators were more than just gunmen in suits.
They specialized in VIP protection for high-risk targets, including heads of state.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's security? That was DEVGRU.
Their mission wasn't just to eliminate threats—it was about complete battlefield control.
Their training covered:
✔ 3D security mapping—integrating drones, surveillance cameras, and underground vibration sensors to create a real-time battlefield view✔ Body positioning strategies—ensuring their own bodies blocked all possible attack angles when escorting a VIP✔ High-speed tactical extractions—in case of an ambush, coordinating GPS navigation and tactical driving maneuvers✔ Counter-espionage and poison detection—identifying all known deadly toxins to prevent assassination attempts
This wasn't just a security detail—it was the most elite protection unit in the world.
In short, these SEALs weren't just bodyguards—they were battlefield managers.
When Castle greeted the six DEVGRU operators, he instantly recognized two familiar faces.
The team leader was a tall, muscular man with an E-9 Master Chief rank.
The second-in-command was a sniper with an E-8 Senior Chief rank.
Castle knew them.
They were the main characters from his past life's favorite TV show, SEAL Team.
Jason Hayes (Callsign: B1), leader of Bravo Team
Ray Perry (Callsign: B2), sniper and intelligence specialist
(Note: In reality, SEAL Team 6 wasn't officially rebranded as DEVGRU until after Bin Laden's assassination, but for storytelling purposes, let's assume it was already operational here.)
Castle was speechless.
Northrop Grumman had actually pulled strings with the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command to assign the most elite SEAL unit to protect him?!
This wasn't just some private security gig—this was the same team that would eventually kill Osama bin Laden!
Why DEVGRU?
Northrop Grumman had deep connections with the U.S. Navy.
The company owned the only shipyard capable of building nuclear aircraft carriers.
Their contractual relationship with the U.S. military was ironclad.
Convincing the Navy and Special Operations Command to send DEVGRU for a VIP protection mission was no big deal.
For Bravo Team, this assignment was a break.
Their last VBSS mission (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) had cost them a teammate.
Although they were operating at five-man strength instead of six, this mission was low risk compared to their usual operations.
Castle: "I can't believe this."
Even in his wildest dreams, Castle had never imagined getting SEAL Team 6 as personal bodyguards.
His own private military force—composed of the most dangerous operatives in the world.
Compared to his usual Russian bodyguards, the skill gap was astronomical.
These weren't ex-military mercenaries.
These were the Navy's most lethal warriors—on the same level as Delta Force.
Even Ivan and his team—Castle's trusted Russian bodyguards—knew they weren't in the same league.
But Ivan wasn't upset.
Instead, he saw it as an opportunity.
Instead of joining Castle's Hawaii operation, Ivan would remain behind to guard the estate.
This was a massive responsibility.
Castle's mansion housed:
Supercomputers
Advanced flight simulators
Artificial intelligence research
Protecting Castle's family and research data was just as critical as securing Castle himself.
Who knew if the enemy would try a diversion attack?
To Ivan, learning from the best SEALs in the world was a rare opportunity.
But while Castle and Ivan were adjusting… the SEALs were utterly baffled.
After some brief conversation, Castle led Bravo Team into his underground command center.
What he revealed left them stunned.
A fully operational command room, equipped with:
✔ A private supercomputer✔ A private UAV fleet (autonomous drones)✔ A private reconnaissance satellite—capable of orbit adjustments on demand
Ray Perry—Bravo Team's intelligence officer—almost lost his mind.
"A personal reconnaissance satellite… that can switch between stationary and geostationary orbit?!"
"Boss…" he turned to Jason, stunned. "Even when we're in the field, we don't have a satellite that follows us 24/7…"
For a team that had executed top-secret black ops missions around the world…
For operators who had used every piece of cutting-edge military technology available…
This was on another level.
For the first time, even the most elite SEALs in the world felt outclassed.
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