High School Soldier
113. It was just paper

This was about four years before the war with the other world. Nio's unimpressive life before he became a soldier, and early on he meets one of the people who was once his ‘nightmare’.

**

As usual, Nio walked on foot after school time came home, with Arunika and Tania walking in front of him while talking about today's lessons. Tania doesn't come home often with the two of them, as she doesn't live in a suburban area. This girl just wanted to do a private study session with Arunika.

Of course Nio did not understand what the two of them were talking about, as it concerned math lessons, the lessons he hated the most and did not master. A grade of 20 was the highest grade on the math lesson Nio had ever gotten, even being able to make him touched.

Except when he was talking about history lessons, he would really talk about the pursuit with his interlocutors. But, history students are not as much as math or other lessons. Because these lessons are notoriously boring, and always talk about the dizzying past.

Even his brother and teachers did not understand Nio, but he was very good at learning lessons outside of mathematics, such as foreign language and history. In both lessons, he always gets the highest grades in class, even from all 10th graders.

Some people say if Nio does not master mathematics because of heredity, some more consider Nio exposed to mathematical phobia. Because when you look at a bunch of math problems, Nio will complain of headaches and intense dizziness.

Although he was often beaten by Arunika because he could not work on math problems for 1st grade Junior High students, Nio still could not solve his problems with mathematics.

People fight in the pedestrian paths, and hidden places are a common sight, especially for residents living in the suburbs. The thugs who fight for territory, a group of teenagers who perform acts of delinquency, is a fairly high level in the Karanganyar suburban area.

Tania was lucky enough, because she lived in a house that was not in a suburban area. He was quite worried about Arunika, who was a woman living in this dangerous area. Meanwhile, she did not worry about Nio too much, because as a man she definitely knew how to deal with this.

But, Nio still had a limit in dealing with something, even though he had learned martial arts. He could force himself to deal with the problems that often occur in the suburbs, but the stakes remain life.

For this one problem, Nio wasn't sure he could handle it himself. Even the police are tired of dealing with this one gang. Although the police arrested some of them, there will be people who fill the position of the person who was caught, and make this gang member as if it could never be exhausted despite the arrests many times.

The leader of this gang, a man named Baron, who is the son of one of the members of the Karanganyar DPRD. The number of gang members he formed was always consistent, which is 32 people, equivalent to the number of personnel of one Squad if in the military.

The acts that are often done by anonymous gangs are online prostitution, brawl, acts of vandalism in public places, even places of worship are the target of vandalism of gang members.

But, due to the status of Baron who was the son of a member of the DPRD, he was always spared from arrest, but not with his gang members who mostly come from among suburban residents who can not hire legal counsel.

Arunika is also one of the parties who is always bullied by the Baron, because the man always wants this girl as ‘one of his wife's’. No one knows the exact number of women belonging to the Baron, but some sources say if he had about 5 wives at the age of 16 years.

Of course there were no men who did not envy the Baron, but they preferred not to deal with the man and his gang.

Nio put on a wary face, and urged Arunika and Tania to retreat. Meanwhile, the appearance of Baron and his gang members can make residents immediately seek shelter and away from this group of teenagers.

“Newly finished ngajar huh? Want me to teach you a biology lesson? You definitely don't know how the human process multiplies.”

As usual, when meeting Arunika, the Baron would say words that smelled sexual. The expression on his face now that showed a grinning but disgusting smile, made anyone who dared to beat him up would actually smash Baron's face to shreds.

His gang members stood behind the man while grinning as well. The situation is lonely, giving them the opportunity to do what they love, including sexual crimes against women who pass through this dark little street. But, this road is the only path to get to the residence of Nio and Arunika.

Nio's heart raced fast, as he wasn't sure he could protect these two girls, while Baron had many men. Even if Nio was carrying a weapon, like a wooden block, he thought he could not face those dozens of teenagers easily. But, she did not want her brother and Tania to be pitched by the Baron and his gang members.

The baron stepped forward, pushed Nio down, then held Arunika's hand which was the woman he wanted the most. The Baron gang members laughed at Nio who was seen staring intently at them.

“Keep away from my sister..!”

Without letting go of his hand grip on Arunika, he said, “Hah…!? Why do you dare talk to me like that? Then, what way do you want to die?”

Arunika tried to let go of her clasped hands, and Tania stood up with a trembling body. His older brother was a soldier, but he was far away from this city, so he couldn't possibly scream to call his older brother.

These 32 gang members surrounded them, and prepared to do something to Nio who was already standing.

The woman who was with the Baron was probably only after the treasure that the man had, even her parents did not mind his behavior. The baron realized that, but all he wanted was pleasure and many women to serve him.

Nio saw two people preparing to raise his fist, but Nio managed to dodge and retaliate with a horizontal kick that hit the hip of one of the two men. All the members of this gang were shocked by Nio who dared to go against their comrades.

“It seems like he is tired of living, it seems like he chose to die the easy way.”

The baron orders his men to beat up Nio, so that he can get his brother. But, Arunika did not give up so easily, with the help of Tania he tried to escape from the Baron's grasp. But, Baron pushed Tania down, and tried to take Arunika away from this brawl.

Nio had already managed to fight against the Baron's men who were fighting with their bare hands, they were no match for Nio even though he had a bruise on the face. Meanwhile, there were still a few people who were armed with wooden beams.

They advanced along with lifting their wooden beams, but Nio ran away from them and approached the Baron who was trying to take Arunika away, and Tania who was trying to find help was chased by some of the Barons who were carrying wooden beams and iron pipes. Tania had to run as fast as she could for Arunika to survive, and Nio did not need to fight with the boys.

Dozens of wooden beams and iron pipes floated up and chased after Nio who was still running, some of the thrown things did not hit Nio, he said, but one iron pipe hit the back of his head and the place that hit it was bleeding.

Nio who had fallen down was an opportunity for them, one of the Baron's men locked up Nio's movements and forced him to stand up.

The baron hands Arunika to one of his men, but this is Arunika's chance to escape and seek help for her sister. Arunika who ran faster than Baron's men, left Nio surrounded by the gang members. He pleaded with God to be given a chance to seek help, and to help the increasingly desperate Nio.

Nio knew her brother didn't leave her alone, but intending to seek help for her, she believed in Arunika.

“Fuck, I better enjoy it before the bitch runs away!”

Nio's veined head appeared as Baron called out to his brother with such a dirty call.

“Better you don't call my sister like that.”

“Heh, why? Do you really want to die?”

The entire Baron's men laughed loudly, but Nio could not react to anything as his body was already locked.

“If you're dead, I'll make sure you see me enjoying your brother's body from heaven.”

With a grinning smile, the Baron took out a folding knife from his pants pocket. Seeing the knife in Baron's grasp made Nio's heart beat faster, but he didn't want to die now. As long as he had not made the Baron regret, Arunika would continue to be in the midst of danger of the Baron's men and the man himself.

“It seems to torture you first not too bad.”

The baron pressed his knife against Nio's right cheek, and slashed it. But, the incision was shallow, and it made Nio in pain. He did not scream, even though the pain ran through his entire body. Nio bit his lips to endure the pain, and tried to endure it.

Then, one of Baron's men suggested, “Bos, we better take a little skin of this boy and force him to eat his own skin.”

Even Baron himself was unthinkable that way, and Nio's body immediately goosebumps after hearing such a terrifying suggestion.

Baron applauded in appreciation of his men who had given him interesting advice, and the way it might make Nio mentally collapse and did not dare to mess with them, then handed his brother to Baron.

The baron makes a new incision next to the previous incision that has been bleeding until it drips to the ground. As the man made a new incision, Nio clung to his beer getting stronger until he wanted to scream, but he was still trying to hold it.

“Woy, Fuck? Why don't you scream huh?”

Nio stared intently at the face of Baron who had an expression that Nio wanted to destroy. The blood dripped more and more, until his splashes hit Nio's shoes. The cold sweat that came out, and his beating heart getting stronger was the current condition of Nio.

“Do you want me to scream huh?”

“Of course, it feels incomplete if you do not hear the screams of people who are being hurt.”

**

(The flashback ends)

The treatment Nio received after losing a small part of his cheek skin was inadequate. Nio rejects Arunika's desire to take her to the hospital in order to get much better treatment. But, that means his brother will spend a lot of money to replace a small part of the skin of his right cheek that has been thrown into the got.

Arunika continues to urge Nio to be taken to the hospital, but what he receives is his sister who ran away a few days from home. Nio wanted his wound to heal with the medicine he bought at the pharmacy for a cheap price, at least he bought this medicine with his own money and without asking his brother.

The baron looked at the scar on Nio's right cheek with a grinning smile. He also saw the fluttering sleeves of Nio's right jacket, which signified Nio did not have a right hand.

For some people, the left hand is the weakest hand compared to the right hand. And Baron was convinced that Nio could not fight his men with just one hand left.

“It feels good when skinning your cheeks. This time, it's your right cheek turn that I'm gonna peel. But, I'll make sure you eat your own skin.”

“Speaking what the hell? It's just the past, and now it's my turn to avenge what you did first.”

Baron and his men only laughed out loud after hearing Nio's confident words. But, Nio only snorted and did the stretching because for more than a week he was just lying on the hospital bed.

The Baron's men that Nio had once defeated in a hand-to-hand fight, now they were carrying knives as weapons. The rest carry wooden beams and iron pipes as weapons, which is certainly not as dangerous as carambit.

Nio could only fight with his bare hands, and he was confident in his abilities now.

Although he was a soldier, but he was the right side this time, and the Baron and his men were the ones who were allowed to be fought and defeated.

While undergoing education to become a member of the Special Student Forces, his coach once said, “Whoever is the person, if he has trampled on your pride, as long as you really brush it off!”. But Nio had already forgotten what activities he was going through when his coach said such cool words.

In essence, Nio just wanted to give a lesson and educate this horde of thugs.

“I am now a soldier, don't mess around.”

Some of the Baron's men laughed after hearing Nio's words, even Baron was the one whose laughter was loudest. The rest, they shuddered after Nio declared that he was a soldier.

Still laughing, Baron said, “The only turn is a self-styled army.”

The grit on Nio's forehead became increasingly visible, he then took a step forward to approach this horde of mischievous teenagers. The Baron's men who thought that Nio was really a soldier, they chose to retreat after seeing Nio's face which had some incision scars.

Since Nio was not carrying sandals, he was forced to flee the hospital wearing boots that he forgot to wash until it smelled like nothing. As he stepped, the sound of a hard shoe pad clashing against the ground sounded.

While giving lessons to these thugs, Nio had to win.

Quickly Nio grabbed the collar of the Baron's black shirt, and slammed this male body on the ground, now positioning the Baron on his stomach on the ground.

Even the boys did not see Nio moving near their boss, Nio's movements were too fast. They assume that Nio is still an amateur soldier, but after seeing their boss slammed down hard, some of them decide to save themselves.

Nio firmly held Baron's right hand, and twisted it so that he would not rebel.

“I don't care if you're a board member's son or something, but you've hurt my brother. Now is my chance to repay all your deeds to me. I don't care if you're going to die or something worse, because the right side is me.”

The baron tilted his head to the right, and his eyes glanced sharply at Nio who was putting on a cold face. The man spat out his water into the ground, as he could not spit towards Nio's face which was on it.

Two of the Barons raised the iron pipe high they were holding, and slashed it into Nio's head. Just by looking down, Nio managed to dodge the slash of the iron pipe which if hit could break his head.

The pipes of the two thugs clashed against each other and caused a loud clanking sound. Nio forced the Baron to stand up, he still twisted the man's hand to keep him from escaping.

“If you hurt me, I make sure your fake army identity is widespread.”

“Unfortunately, I am a real soldier who goes through many battles. I feel so sorry for protecting people like you.”

Nio stared at all the remaining Barons, and ordered them to either escape or turn themselves in to the police. However, of course some of them prefer to be loyal to their boss, the rest raise their hands and leave with a pee.

This young man grinned and said inwardly, “I guess they were loud, it was just paper.”

It was easy for Baron to break away from Nio's grip, even though he felt pain in his hand. Now, in front of Nio besides the Baron, his 5 most loyal men were waiting for the order to beat up the man who hurt their boss.

Nio prepared himself to face the five men, along with the Baron.

The five thugs advanced along with the iron pipe weapon, and Nio steadied himself to face them. Nio clasped the wrists of one of them, and twisted them to then slam the thug's body to the ground. Nio used the thug he slammed as a shield, which caused his comrades to hesitate to attack.

“It's over, do you want to be like me?”

Nio looked at the scar on his right cheek, and made the four thugs who attacked him drop the iron pipe and raise their hands.

They let out a completely frightened voice after Nio stood up while releasing their comrade's nearly broken hand.

The Baron's expression now was a mixture of complicated and angry feelings, annoyed after being ridiculed, and tears running down his cheeks.

Nio stepped forward again with heavy strides, the hard end of his boots ready to welcome the miserable face of the Baron.

“I ask, stop doing like this, and let me and my brother live a quiet life.”

Although it was only words, it seemed like Nio was pouring all his strength into those words.

Moments later there was a roaring sound from the engine of the military vehicle, because Nio had memorized every sound of the engine of the military vehicle. Then, a young woman appeared from the end of the alley, with dozens of soldiers behind her.

The warrior behind the woman was no stranger to Nio, and the soldiers seemed to know Nio as well.

“Indah…? Why can he bring the whole Company 406?”

Lovely ran quickly towards Nio who was still intimidating the Baron. While the man trembled while the military members were in this area, and he thought that these troops would capture him.

“Finally... I can finally save you this time..”.

Beautifully standing in front of Nio with a moved look, after her successful achievements made Nio shocked.

Some of the soldiers present in this place ran towards Nio while shouting his name.

“Sial, they must be looking for me.”

Nio immediately pulled Beautiful's hand, and ran quickly away from the dozens of members of Company 406 who missed Nio, without knowing that Nio was becoming ‘hugonan’ with a big prize.

**

Sorry late update, because last night I prefer to watch Persija versus Persib. Fortunately Persija won, it can be done with spirit.:v.