The Abrams roared to life, its massive treads crushing bodies beneath as it surged forward.
The reinforcement squad could only stare in awe as the mechanical behemoth rolled past them, heading towards another battlefield. Their faces were frozen in disbelief, eyes scanning the carnage it had left in its wake—the twisted remains of countless demon army soldiers and, most of all, the cerus that had been reduced to nothing more than an unrecognizable pile of crushed flesh and bone beneath the tank's weight.
"The South Sector is clear of Cerus threats. Send the signal," the squad leader ordered, his voice carrying both relief and astonishment.
One of the mages enthusiastically raised his wooden staff, channeling mana into it. A burst of glowing green and blue lights shot up into the night sky, illuminating the battlefield below like celestial beacons.
From a distance, two adventurers caught sight of the lights and exchanged grins.
"They did it, Leo!" Leila cheered.
"Yeah, looks like it. That sector's secure," Leonard replied, though his voice remained serious. The fight is far from over. The two of them stood back-to-back, surrounded by waves of snarling monsters, their weapons gleaming under the dim light of the battlefield.
Leila's expression faltered slightly. "Leo… they took down the Cerus on their own. Do you think Ivan still needs us?"
Leonard remained silent for a moment, staring at the floating lights in the sky. He remembered the day Leila made her promise to Tiger—to become strong enough to guide the one who would lead them to the future. And on that same day, Leonard had made his own vow: to do everything in his power to ensure that promise was fulfilled, and to protect his sister at all costs.
With unwavering conviction, he finally spoke, his tone reminiscent of an ancient knight, "Sire, Ivan will need thy aid. Thou too can help guide him—to the future."
Leila exhaled sharply, gripping her weapon tighter. "Then the day we've been waiting for has come. We fight… until he reaches us."
Back-to-back, the siblings braced themselves as the enemy horde closed in. But the real threat was far more menacing—two massive ogres lurking just beyond the crowd, their towering frames nearly blotting out the moonlight.
Their odds of survival are grim. They were outnumbered, overpowered, and exhausted. But years of fighting side by side had forged an unbreakable bond between them, and no matter the outcome, they would ensure this was a battle worth remembering.
"Let's go, brother!" Leila shouted.
The monstrous tide crashed upon them.
Leonard's sword crackled with electricity as he unleashed shockwave after shockwave, stunning multiple enemies at once. Leila capitalized on every opening, her crystalline ice magic piercing through stunned demons like spears of frozen death.
Leonard shielded her from distant attacks—arrows, spears, and razor-sharp claws—while Leila weaved through the chaos, using her agility and twin daggers to eliminate the smaller, faster creatures that could overwhelm her brother.
Their synergy is perfect.
With each strike, Leila infused Leonard's blade with frost, combining ice and lightning to create devastating elemental reactions, amplifying his power. But their mana reserves were running low. They had to hold out… until Ivan arrived.
Meanwhile, the M1A3 SEPv4 "Red Musket" tank charged forward at full speed, its iron-plated hull plowing through hordes of demons as though they were nothing but insects.
Jusis rained down fire from the machine gun, cutting through enemy ranks with ruthless efficiency. From the open hatch, Ivan hurled frag grenades into clusters of monsters, their explosions sending limbs and green blood flying into the air.
The adventurers' position is now in sight. Flashes of magic and steel flickered amidst the darkness as Leonard and Leila fought desperately against the monstrous tide.
"Jusis, load the main gun!" Ivan barked.
Jusis wasted no time, quickly shoving a new shell into the breech.
Leila and Leonard had just felled another ogre, but they were gasping for breath, their bodies nearing their limit. A third ogre, massive and bloodthirsty, raised its colossal weapon, ready to crush them both in a single swing.
Neither of them hesitated. They raised their weapons, prepared to meet the beast's strike head-on—
"FIRE!"
Ivan's voice thundered through the comms, and Jusis pulled the trigger.
The HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) round streaked through the night sky like a meteor, striking the ogre's massive torso.
For a moment, nothing.
Then—
A deafening explosion.
The ogre disintegrated in a fiery burst, its limbs scattering in every direction. Blood and viscera rained down as a shockwave rippled across the battlefield.
Jusis immediately pivoted, returning to the machine gun and mowing down the remaining monsters charging toward the siblings.
The battlefield lay silent, save for the distant echoes of dying groans and the occasional crackling of burning flesh. The once-ferocious tide of goblins, orcs, and ogres now lay scattered across the blood-soaked ground. The stench of blood and gunpowder lingered thick in the cold night air.
Jusis exhaled sharply, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he rested his hands on the still-smoking barrel of the M3 machine gun. Ivan, perched atop the tank, scanned the area through his rifle's scope, ensuring that no more threats lurked in the shadows.
Leonard and Leila, their bodies battered and breathing heavy, stood by the side of the Red Musket tank, their weapons still gripped tightly. But before either of them could catch their breath, Ivan's voice sliced through the silence—calm, but heavy with restrained anger.
"You abandoned us."
Leila flinched at his words, her fingers curling into a fist. Leonard remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Ivan's grip tightened on his SCAR rifle as he hopped down from the tank. He strode toward them, boots crunching over broken armor and severed limbs. His brown eyes, darkened with exhaustion, bore into them.
"You left us to fight that Cerus alone." He gestured to the battlefield behind them. "Do you have any damn idea what we went through?"
Leila bit her lip, guilt washing over her like a crashing wave. "Ivan, I—"
Ivan cut her off, his voice sharp. " Leila. You made a call to save those adventurers. Fine. But you could've gotten us killed."
Leonard, ever the composed one, stepped forward. His voice is deep. "I shan't deny our grave misjudgment. We hath prioritized the many and, in doing so, risked thee and Jusis to a dire fate. Such recklessness shall not be repeated, I swear it upon my blade."
Ivan exhaled through his nose, clearly still frustrated but somewhat reassured by Leonard's words. He turned back to Leila, his tone softening—just slightly. "Those adventurers you saved… did they make it?"
Leila nodded quickly. "Y-Yeah… they're alive." She paused. "Some of them… They regrouped with the reinforcements."
Ivan's eyes flickered with something unreadable—perhaps a mix of relief and resignation. He ran a hand through his damp hair before sighing. "Alright… fine. What's done is done."
Leila took a hesitant step forward. "Ivan, I—"
This time, he didn't interrupt her.
"I'm sorry." She lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should've trusted you more. I should've believed that you could handle it… but instead, I panicked and made a choice without thinking about what it would cost you and Jusis. It won't happen again."
For a moment, Ivan simply stared at her. Then, with a tired smirk, he shook his head. "Damn right, it won't."
A silence stretched between them before he turned, stepping back toward the tank. "Enough talk. We still have incoming hostiles, and I need both of you at full capacity. Get your asses back on the tank."
Leonard, without hesitation, placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly. "By thy command, so shall it be."
Leila smiled, nodding. "Understood."
Ivan scaled the tank with practiced ease, his boots scraping against the steel as he hoisted himself up. Once atop, he turned, his gaze settling on Leila below. Extending his hand.
The moon hung high behind him, casting his figure in silver light. His silhouette stood stark against the dark sky, broad shoulders squared, stance steady, and unyielding, just like him.
Leila's breath caught in her throat.
For a fleeting second, the battlefield faded. The scent of blood and gunpowder dissolved, replaced by something distant, something from a past she hadn't let herself linger on. The way he stood, the quiet strength in his presence, the way the wind tousled his dark hair it's all too familiar.
Tiger.
Her heart stumbled over itself, an unfamiliar heat rising in her chest. A ghost of a memory, a fragment of something she had once reached for, but never grasped.
She clenched her fists, trying to shove the feeling down, but the warmth curling up her neck betrayed her.
Ivan's hand remained outstretched, patient yet expectant. His brow furrowed slightly as if wondering why she hadn't moved.
Swallowing thickly, Leila hesitated for just a breath longer. Then, finally, she reached out.
Their fingers met, his grip strong and certain, hers trembling for reasons she didn't understand. With effortless strength, Ivan pulled her up, the sudden force making her stumble slightly against him.
For a moment, she was close enough to catch the faint scent of gun oil and steel lingering on his clothes, close enough to feel the warmth radiating off him despite the night's cold bite.
She quickly steadied herself, tearing her gaze away.
Ivan said nothing, only nodding before turning back toward his driving hatch.
Leila exhaled, slow and deliberate, pressing a hand to her chest as she willed her heart to settle.
This is not the time for distractions.
Leonard settled into his station, adjusting the straps across his chest before placing the intercom over his ears. A crackle of static came to life as the system connected.
Ahead, Jusis turned in his seat, his expression strained yet relieved.
"Please… do not abandon us like that again."
Leila met his gaze and immediately noticed the dried blood smeared across his forehead, a wound cutting just above his brow. Guilt settled like a weight in her chest. Without a word, she rummaged through her rucksack, pulling out a small glass vial filled with a glowing green liquid and a clean strip of cloth.
She poured a few drops of the potion onto the fabric, the scent of mint and herbs filling the enclosed space, before gently pressing it against Jusis' wound and wrapping it around his head with careful fingers.
"F-forgive me for deserting you…" Her voice wavered, her guilt bleeding into each syllable. "It will not happen again."
Jusis gave her a small, tired smile, nodding in quiet understanding. "I am simply glad you both returned safely. And… thank you." He turned back to the gun control.
Ivan, who had been listening, merely nodded in approval. They understood now—the risk of splitting up mid-battle is far too great. Jusis had been tended to, their mistake acknowledged. That is enough for now.
Leila retrieved a fallen clipboard, brushing away dust before flipping open a map. With a few swift strokes of her fountain pen, she charted their current position, drawing a path leading toward their next objective.
A flicker of curiosity tugged at her thoughts. She clicked the intercom. "Mister Ivan, that Cerus you killed—what did it look like?"
Ivan took a moment to ponder before responding. "What kind of animal is similar to it?" Leila pressed further.
Ivan exhaled. "Hmm… not really an animal. It was more like a human. Stood on two legs, ran like one too."
Leila and Leonard exchanged glances, tension flashing between them.
"Wait… say that again?" Leila's brows furrowed.
"I said it was like a human. A big one. Had some magic crap going on, and, uh, there was a lot of blue—whatever that was. At least ten meters tall."
Leila's grip on the map tightened. "That's… new. Can we examine the corpse?"
Ivan let out a nonchalant scoff. "If you can even call it a corpse. That thing's been flattened beyond recognition."
His gaze drifted toward the mangled mess they had left behind. The remains of the Cerus were barely distinguishable from the dirt and crushed stone beneath the tank's treads.
Then a thought crossed his mind. "Wait… those big bastards we just killed—are they not Cerus?"
Leonard, ever composed, responded, his voice deep and laced with old-world formality.
"Nay, my lord. Those creatures, hulking of form and brute of mind, art Ogres. They bear no eldritch sigils nor weave the unseen forces as the Cerus do. They art but vessels of raw might—brawn without sorcery."
Ivan gave a slow nod. "I see… but they're just as much of a damn problem."
Satisfied, he pulled out his own map, drawing a thick mark over the South Sector. "Alright. That's one area secured. What's HQ's order, Leila?"
Leila perched up from her station, lifting her gaze toward the towering fortress in the distance. She searched the night sky, scanning for the flicker of light signals.
Then—
A cold, eerie glow cut through the darkness from the western front. Azure.
Her stomach clenched.
A Cerus had been sighted in the West.
A moment later, HQ's beacon flared—a steady green light.
The order is clear.
The Red Musket is being sent in.
Leila turned back, voice sharp. "West position. HQ's given the signal."
Ivan didn't hesitate. "Alright, light up our response. We're moving."
Without delay, Leila raised her staff, channeling her mana. Three streaks of light—green, red, and blue—shot skyward, arcing toward the Western Sector.
Ivan swung the tank toward the Western Sector, treads grinding against dirt and crushed stone. Just as he was about to slam the throttle forward, Leila's voice crackled into his intercom.
"There's also a Cerus sighting at the EAST!"