Chronos (Black Cat)

Chronos is one of the main factions in the manga Black Cat and its anime adaptation. Although most members introduced in the story are benevolent characters, in one point of view the organization as a whole can be considered a major villain.

Chronos is a clandestine organization that controls one third of the world economy and politic. They are commanded by a Council of Elders, who have command over a elite assasin squad called the " Chrono Numbers" (known in some adaptations as the "Time Guardians"). The aim of Chronos is to ensure and maintain global peace (and of course its suprecmacy) using any possible methods, even if it includes genocide or to the death of innocents, or any person that they may consider "evil". Despite being corrupt and malevolent, Chronos is so influent that its existence is mandatory to prevent the world from collapsing entirely, making it a necessary evil.

Manga
Two years after the primary protagonist Train Heartnet, former Chrono Number XIII and the most powerful of the group, deserted Chronos, the organization had grown even further in power to the point that by the time the story starts, they controlled one-third of the worlds economy. While using said power to keep order in the world they kept everything about them secret, knowing if any of their workings were to come out chaos would surely follow. Thus making them see only two options for Train Heartnet: have him either return to them or be killed to ensure silence. However their attention soon change towards a new threat: The Apostles of the Stars, a terrorist faction bent on their anihilation led by a now former member, Creed Diskenth.

Upon the Apostles of the Stars entering the World conference meeting in San Geles and killing all twenty officials (which included seven high-ranking officials of Chronos), The Council of Elders decided to post a three billion yen bounty on Creed's head and made the eradication of the Apostles of the Star the Chrono Numbers' absolute priority.

The Council also sent the Chrono Numbers No. I, Sephiria Arks, and No. II, Belze Rochefort, to ask Train for assistance in the capture of Creed offering him the reward. Sephiria recruited the thief-for-hire Rinslet Walker, a friend of Train, to gather information on known members of the Apostles of the Star, before tasking her to go with Cerberus, one of Chronos's group of Chrono Numbers, who were sent to kill Creed after twenty sweeper who went after him were found dead.

Since Creed had once been in contact with Rinslet, Sephiria intended her to serve as a bait to lead Cerberus into Creed's castle in the mountain near Stock Town. Also, the Chrono Number X, Lin Xia Li was tasked to direct Train and his bounty hunter friends there to take part in the fight. In the end, the Chrono Numbers had to fight a Nanomachines-powered Werewolf to save Rinslet, before engaging a fight with Creed and his Apostles. The mission resulted in failure, as the Apostles blew up their castle before fleeing. No. XI Beluga J. Heard had to sacrifice his life to allow No VII Jenos Hazard to escape safely with a critically wounded No V Naizer Bruckheimer.

Few days later, the most violent Chrono Numbers No. IV Kranz Maduke and No VIII Kranz Maduke and Baldorias S. Fanghini headed for Stock Town on their own accord to kill the Apostles of the Star who were seen there. Not long after they found Kyoko Kirisaki (who had recently deserted from the Apostle and befriended Train, swearing never to kill again) and attempt to kill her, only to be stopped by a de-aged Train.

Two month later, Lin Xiao Li the newest No. X discovered the Apostles of the Star' s main hideout on Clarken Island, and used a false identity to create an elite task force made of the best bounty-hunters to date. The plan was to send them on Clarken Island and have them fight the Apostles, while a group of Chrono Numbers would invade the island, allowing Sephiria Arks to fight Creed himself.

Sephiria eventually faced Creed in battle but is unable to defeat and kill him due to him having recently gained immortality. After Train defeated Creed, the Numbers gave him a quick thanks and departed.

In the end, Chronos retains its grasp over the world.

Anime
The story of the manga to anime had suffered several changes, including the story in the itself and even new characters. The story begins with Train still holding its position as No. XIII and the agents are called "Numbers"; instead of "Guardians" as they were called in the manga. There are also many other new Chronos numbers that were never presented in the manga. Some of the numbers, particularly Sephiria, Lin and Mason Ordrosso also have large changes in personality.

The Zero Numbers, a renegade group of scattered members of Chronos, sends a swarm of nano-machine beasts to destroy Chronos's headquarters, although the numbers are busy attacking the Apostles of the Star. As a result, the Council of Elders is murdered and the organization takes a huge decline in finance and human resources.

After the attack on the headquarters of Chronos, the remaining of the Numbers help Train in saving Eve from the Zero Numbers's control and promise to rebuild Chronos with Sephiria as the new leader of the organization.

Willzark
"- Black Cat, you are not allowed to desire freedom, for you are nothing but our domesticated cat, to us Chronos. - Stray cats and domesticated cats are meant to live free."

- Willzark arguing with Train about the Number's freedom

Willzark is the eldest of the three Elder Statesmen who rule Chronos, and the Supreme Leader of the organization. No-one but Sephiria Arks know where the Elder live, and they only communicate with their subordinates through a holographic screen to give some kind of mission. The Elders are depicted as very old men with long beards clad in rich dark robes, and oddly enough long, pointy ears.

Willzark is the only Elder to have a defined personality, the other two (named Kin and Shin) seem to follow what he says and agree with him, while displaying angrier and more scornful dispositions. Willzark is regal and collected, and never ever raises his voice, issuing orders calmly. But more importantly, he is extremely haughty and conceited and cannot stand opposition. To him, his rule over the world goes without saying and all those who contest it are deluded fools who must be taken care off immediately.

He regards his subordinates as inferiors meant to blindly follow his every command and scornfully dismisses Train's desire for freedom. Yet, he is unable to understand why Train wants a life where he would be able to do as he pleases, but would live in poverty, rather than a life of power and luxury where he must obey orders.

The Chrono Numbers
A group of thirteen highly skilled warriors, able to dodge or block bullets with little effort, each unmatchably skilled in the use of a specific weapon. They all bear a tatoo indicating their Number and wields a weapon specially designed for them made of Orichalcum, a very rare and indesctructible metal, and named after a deity. Their weapons range from the classical to the improbable, but are all deadly, and often come with a specific device to increase their efficiency.

No. I - Sephiria Arks
The undisputed leader of the Chrono Numbers and far and away the mightiest fighter in their ranks, Sephiria is a supremely talented swordsman of immense skill and speed. She is able to effortlessly juggle a glass of water on the tip of her sword without spilling a single drop, carving or shattering stone, or reducing targets into nothingness with an onslaught of supersonic strikes. She wields an ornate black sabre called Christ, named after the patron of Christian religion.

In the manga, Sephiria is an unquestionably good and moral person, collected, smiling and friendly, who cares for her (current and former) subordinates, who is willing to spare former enemies should they be really reformed, and who hates seeing people die no matter what side they are in. She is absolutely devoted to Chronos and will accomplish all mission and terminate all threat no matter what, being willing to coerce and manipulate everyone who might be useful to her goals, but she dislikes doing so.

In the anime however, she is reduced to a fanatical and violent zealot who considers any opposition to Chronos as a personal affront and would track down mercilessly all traitors. She first tracks down Train after his defection to kill him, until their fight is interrupted by Shiki. Later, Train interrupts her battle with Charden Flamberg. She does mellow out and takes part in the battles against Creed (who defeats her like in the manga) and the Zero Numbers.

Trivia

 * The Chronos Numbers are like a clock because Chronos means time so it will be time numbers and since there are twelve members (Number 13 is a special agent so wouldn't count with the rest of the numbers) like the face of a clock.