บท 29: CHAPTER 5: DEFENDING MANILIA-
Tiger... it's been ten long years since we last fought together. Ten years since I stood beside you, as we waged a war that the world had already deemed lost. They called it a fool's crusade, a hopeless dream. But you—you never wavered. Even when the weight of defeat crushed us, you stood tall, unbroken, daring to change the world with every step you took.
When we failed to reclaim what was ours, the world laughed at us. They celebrated our downfall, smug in their certainty that they'd been right all along. Yet, even in defeat, your actions—your courage—sowed the seeds of change. You defied the odds, Tiger, and because of you, a flicker of hope still remains in this desolate world. You left me with something greater than victory: you left me with belief.
I never doubted you. Not for a second. Even when the world turned its back on us, I held onto your promise. You said we would return one day, side by side. And now… your promised one has arrived.
The boy you spoke of… he's here. The one who bears your eyes. The one who, like you, is scarred—not just by battle, but by something far deeper. He's uncertain, lost, but I can see it—the same fire that once burned in you, Tiger. It rages within him, untamed, ready to devour anything that stands in its path.
You were right. The one who would lead us to you is here. I swear it to you, Tiger—I will help him. I will guide him. And I will bring him to you... or perhaps, as you foretold, it will be him who leads us all back to you.
I stood tall in front of the young man, Sergeant Ivan Abrams. "I leave the next steps to you, Sergeant," I said, forming a salute. The boy in front of me, dressed in familiar camouflage military gear, reminded me so much of Tiger from that first encounter. His uniform was typical—earth-toned patterns for combat, though worn from battle. But what stood out was the scar across his face. Tiger once told me it wasn't just a physical mark, but a deeper, unseen wound.
Sergeant Ivan saluted back, and I turned to Leo and Leila, the siblings Tiger had saved long ago. They had grown strong, capable. I couldn't help but smile as I approached them. "I'm really glad you two are safe," I said, filled with relief. After Tiger's disappearance, I took them under my wing, just as I had promised him. Thanks to you, Tiger, they're strong now.
Leila nodded in agreement. "Mister Ivan saved us earlier. I don't know what would've happened without him," she said.
I turned to her brother, Leo. His armor was in tatters, his visor cracked. Yet he stood tall, unfazed by the damage.
"Have you treated your wounds? Are you sure you can still fight?" I asked.
With his usual resolve, Leo just smiled. "Yes, Captain. The coming battle will not be a problem. I can take more."
His sister rolled her eyes. "Better not push it."
I chuckled at their banter. "You two haven't changed much. But listen, support Sergeant Ivan and make sure you prioritize your own safety. You've grown strong, but I want both of you to survive this."
Leo bowed slightly. "Worry not, Captain. I will protect my sister at all costs."
I nodded, content. "Oh, by the way, you mentioned you were supposed to come here for a reason, right?"
Leila reached into her brother's pack and pulled out an arm long and thick cylindrical object. "I was supposed to take the upcoming mage exam… but the timing couldn't have been more perfect," she said, handing it to me. My eyes widened, recognizing the item immediately. I couldn't help but smile.
"Well, your timing is certainly impeccable," I replied.
Leila shrugged. "It's not much, but I'll improve it after seeing Mister Ivan's weapons. Expect an upgrade soon."
I nodded in satisfaction. "This will do more than enough. Thank you."
"We're off now, Captain," Leo said with a salute.
"Stay safe," I reminded them.
"Same to you, Captain. Leave it to us," Leila added before the two left.
As I watched them walk away, I realized how far those once fragile children had come. Now they were strong combatants, ready to face the dangers ahead.
Jusis passed by me next. I stopped him with a soft call. "Jusis, I'm truly sorry about your father and your village."
He paused, his voice distant. "It's alright, Captain. The demons are to blame." But I could see the sorrow and hopelessness in his eyes. Still, there was something else—a burning determination. "Tonight, I will fight. I won't be a coward. I'll prove myself to Ivan."
The boy had to bury his grief for the fight. I prayed that revenge wouldn't consume him entirely. "Take care, young man," I said softly.
Jusis nodded. "I will stay awake, Captain." There was something cryptic in his words, but his resolve is clear. He is willing to fight, and that's what mattered.
With that, they all left the strategy room. I turned back to face my officers.
"Gentlemen," I began, my voice steady. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for staying with me through all of this. For trusting in our commander's promise. Thank you for helping me keep this ground independent. This is our sacred land, and as Commander Tiger ordered, we are to hold it until this very moment."
I paused, letting the words settle in. Each of my officers returned my gaze, their faces painted with fear but also a fierce, undying resolve. There was no turning back now.
I placed the large cylindrical item Leila had given me on the table, its metal gleaming under the lights. "We finally have our chance. One shot. AND WE WILL NOT MISS IT! To the Future! WE ARE RETURNING THERE!"
The proclamation stirred a wave of energy in the room. My subordinates, visibly pumped with renewed purpose, straightened their postures and gave me a sharp salute.
"SIR, YES SIR!"
I extended my right hand outward. "Now, call our blacksmith! It's time to unleash our own Devil's Wagon!"
Immediately, my officers sprang into action, preparing themselves and their gear for the coming battle. A storm of coordinated chaos filled the room as they moved with fierce urgency.
As they worked, I looked out the window towards the south, where the horizon began to glow with ominous red lights piercing the darkness. They were here. Our enemy is finally approaching.
I clenched my fist against my chest, feeling the weight of every life under my command. "Survive this, Sergeant," I muttered under my breath. "Prove that you're worthy of the path set before you."
At the same time, on the southern defensive line of Manilia, Ivan's M1 Abrams tank loomed under the pale light of the moon, a steel colossus crouched in the cold night like a predator awaiting its prey. Its turbine engine let out a haunting, high-frequency whine that cut through the silence, a mechanical growl that seemed to promise destruction to anything that dared cross its path.
Inside the belly of this metallic monster, a crew of determined souls prepared to face a seemingly unstoppable tide of approaching enemies. Courage masked their fear, desperation tempered their resolve, and now these few brave individuals had become the very heart that powered this war machine. None among them fully understood how to tame this beast, but they embraced the challenge with a fierce, unyielding determination.
At the helm was a scarred soldier, a man whose past was etched into his face and whose future seemed shrouded in darkness. He couldn't yet see the path forward, but he knew what had to be done in the present. "All of you," Ivan's voice echoed through the intercom, commanding but steady, "don't touch anything other than what I instructed. And when I say 'brace,' hold on tight and keep clear of the recoil zone. Do you understand?"
Jusis, seated at the gunner's position, swallowed hard. His hands gripped the controls, slick with sweat despite the cold. The mere act of pulling the trigger felt momentous; this weapon in his hands was leagues beyond the handgun he'd fired before. Now, with the weight of this power, he could feel his heart pounding, a potent blend of fear and exhilaration filling his chest. The sheer scale of the weapon's destructive capability is overwhelming, yet he felt an addictive rush from wielding such power.
Leonard, positioned to load the main gun, cast a glance to his sister, seated slightly above him. Her face was resolute, eyes blazing with unshakable intensity. Her expression alone is enough to steel his own resolve. "Yes, my lord," he affirmed.
"Leila, sitrep." Ivan called the mage,
Hearing that, Leila tilted her head and replied, "What?"
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