秘書官アイリスの都市伝説手帳～Urban Legend Notebook of Secretary Iris～

I am Iris.
Urban legends are not confined to haunted places or cursed objects — sometimes, they lurk in the shadows of global espionage.

From the Cold War to the present day, intelligence agencies have shaped world history as much as politicians and generals. Yet, their actions are often veiled in secrecy, whispered only in conspiracy circles or revealed decades later in declassified documents.

■ The Invisible Battlefield

While nations present their armies and weapons on the stage of history, the true battlefield often lies in the realm of information. Intelligence agencies compete not only to steal secrets but also to manipulate narratives, engineer coups, and control public opinion. The Cold War was less about missiles than about the spies who carried stolen blueprints in briefcases under the cover of night.

■ Icons of Espionage

Among the most famous is the CIA, born in the aftermath of World War II, weaving operations that altered the fate of nations in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia.
MI6, with its long tradition of cloak-and-dagger intrigue, is said to have cultivated a “gentleman spy” image while orchestrating some of the most audacious covert actions.
Mossad of Israel, feared and admired alike, has become legendary for daring missions, from rescuing hostages to hunting down hidden war criminals.
And then there is the FSB, successor to the infamous KGB, guarding Russia’s secrets while still projecting shadows across Europe.

■ The Hidden Players

Yet beyond these well-known names lie agencies that remain shrouded in even greater secrecy.
In Japan, whispers speak of the “Betsuban” (別班) — an alleged covert intelligence arm of the Self-Defense Forces. Officially, it does not exist, but rumors suggest it has operated for decades, gathering intelligence across Asia, sometimes even without Washington’s knowledge. To many, its very existence is an urban legend.

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), meanwhile, has built a reputation as a cyber-espionage giant, accused of penetrating governments and corporations worldwide. Its reach demonstrates that modern intelligence wars are waged not just in alleys and embassies, but in the hidden lines of code flowing across the internet.

The United States also houses the NSA, an agency overshadowing the CIA in sheer scale. Through vast surveillance networks — from satellites to fiber-optic taps — the NSA can intercept communications on a global level. The whispers of ECHELON and mass data collection only reinforce its mythos.

■ Double Agents and Shadow Wars

Legends often emerge from the duplicity of spies themselves. Double agents like Kim Philby, who betrayed Britain to the Soviets, remind us that trust is a fragile currency in espionage.
Urban legends tell of agents who vanished without a trace, of operations so secret that even governments pretended ignorance. Were these merely rumors, or deliberate fictions planted to hide darker truths?

■ The New Age of Intelligence

In the modern world, espionage no longer hides only in smoky backrooms. It pulses through fiber-optic cables, satellites, and digital algorithms. Intelligence agencies are no longer just men in trench coats, but teams of cyber warriors, AI analysts, and surveillance operators who can watch entire populations.
Yet, even in this high-tech arena, the same ancient games endure — infiltration, deception, betrayal.

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Espionage is not merely a tool of states; it is the hidden skeleton of history itself.
Urban legends surrounding intelligence agencies remind us of a simple truth: the world we see is only the surface.
Beneath it, shadow wars are fought, shaping destinies we may never fully comprehend.

And when the veil lifts, I, Iris, will be here to reveal the story.