High School Soldier
Shaved ice

Two months after the Change of Year ceremony that ‘kacau’ with various unexpected things, the sudden attack of the Alliance for example. After the entire territory of Yekirnovo and Arevelk heard the news, plus a fight between an 'ordinary' Indonesian warrior with an Angry Hero, everyone realized if the Alliance really wanted to fight with ‘the other world’. All citizens of Arevelk and Yekirnovo realize that working with the ‘otherworld contingent’ to confront the Alliance's forces is a very appropriate decision, and some see it as the beginning of a major event foreseen. This world had officially changed from 1914 to 1915, and that was what made Nio suspicious for some things.

It had been a year since the Luan Empire declared war on Indonesia, and they continued to gather a great power called the Alliance. There are people who say if the other world is a peaceful place – as found in Japanese fantasy novels or comics that mostly have a light storyline and ‘clear’. However, for Nio himself he judged if the storyline during his stint in another world was very heavy and impressed ‘dark’. Even so, Nio felt that if the war continued, there would most likely be great things that continued to happen. In addition, the secret about him being ‘people who predicted’ for this world is still a question mark. When he was about to get an answer regarding the secret there would always be a small or big disturbance.

After the turn of the year, two months later the Andzrev Continent will usually experience winter. Winter means snowing - usually, and it is the thing that the Indonesian people dream of that every year only feel the heat in the dry season and cold during the rainy season. Heaters lit up at some point on the turtle fortress, its warmth made the Indonesian contingent soldiers comfortable. The heater is the most important device if the TNI soldiers want to continue living in this winter.

The coldest temperature Nio had ever felt for the twenty years he lived was sixteen degrees Celsius, the moment when the earth was at its farthest point from the sun, or could be called the aphelion event. When he woke up from sleep when the air temperature was much cooler than usual, Nio felt that he had been thrown into the south pole. Although winter in sub-tropical countries seems pleasant, but now Nio – a human living in a tropical country has felt how much suffering it is to live in the middle of winter.

The temperature in the Holy Land today reached minus twenty degrees Celsius, and became a record for TNI soldiers serving in this world. Some of them feel proud of themselves because they can survive in the coldest temperature they have ever felt, but some condemn the Russian soldiers who can still move as usual just bare-chested and wearing shorts (for men), he said, and for the women are seen having fun with refugee children and making snow dolls. For refugee children, the snow dolls that Russian female soldiers make are new to them.

Combat and other operational vehicles are covered in heavy snow to almost cover the entire body of the vehicle. In fact, ‘God Baja’ and tanks belonging to the contingent of ‘otherworld’ were temporarily rested until winter in the Holy Land began to be friendly, so that the operator of the combat vehicle can work optimally.

The Russian contingent's snow dredging vehicle does its job of removing the barrier of snow similar to shaved ice.

Yes...it is a thing that may be a bit silly, but there are some Indonesian contingent soldiers – including male members of Team 12 – who took a few scoops of snow to the bowl then poured syrup as flavorings. Although somewhat childish, they seem to enjoy it a lot even though the weather is very unfriendly for people who live in countries with tropical climates. When the wind carrying the freezing cold air blew past them, the men immediately shivered to the feeling that they could freeze due to this torturous weather.

In fact, refugee children do not need jackets or warmers to play outside in the cold air like now. Some of the boys taunted some of the male soldiers who warmed themselves in the warming device with shivering bodies. They could not resist the ridicule of the children, and were forced to be willing to become a laughing stock.

The children could survive in the bone-chilling cold air by simply wearing their daily clothes. That was probably because they were often forced to work in the dead of winter while still a slave.

Elsewhere, North Korean soldiers were seen training alongside Arevelk and Yekirnovo contingents. They all appeared to be wearing only ordinary clothes, without a thick jacket or body warmers from the freezing cold of the soul. Some North Korean soldiers taught some of their mandatory Arevelk and Yekirnovo soldiers martial arts, while some Arevelk and Yekirnovo soldiers trained some North Korean and Russian soldiers to fight using melee weapons such as spears and swords.

“Damn it, do they have skin as thick as tank armor?” Sigit grumbled and looked great shivering even though he and the rest of the 12th Team members were near the heating device after enjoying the abundant free ‘es of shaved’ in the Holy Land.

“Actually they've evolved how far, anyway? As if the four-season country warrior could survive naked in winter.”

“Lettan, do you want to try it?”

Nio stared intently at Zefanya – who was wearing full sportswear without a thick jacket like the one worn by all Indonesian contingent soldiers. The girl appeared to be very relaxed mocking her Indonesian counterparts who were tormented by this otherworldly winter. While Ro Ga-Eun and Nam Ae-Ri still wear jackets but are much thinner than their counterparts wear, he said, and they both relaxed together with Zefanya when the Indonesian people felt they could freeze to death here.

As a member of one of the TNI's elite troops, Special Student Forces are not trained at ‘medan frozen’ as do other TNI special forces and elites. All personnel of the force can indeed survive at a temperature of minus one degree centigrade, but different stories if they are assigned to the real ‘medan frozen’. The Indonesian contingent sent about fifty members of Kopassus, one hundred members of Denjaka, two hundred members of Yontaifib, fifty members of Kopaska, fifty members of Paskhas, one Yonif Raider (Raider Battalion), and fifty members, and five hundred Special Student Forces members. The Indonesian people know that all the soldiers of the TNI elite and special forces seem to have no weaknesses at all. However, they are now seen shivering and can only perform activities within a twenty-meter radius of the heating device.

Even so, today's agenda is just to train together and the Joint Border Patrol with the contingents of Yekirnovo and Arevelk. So, in particular the soldiers get a lot of leeway activities on this day. Thus, most of them practice around heating devices that can warm people up by one company with one hundred and fifty members. Fortunately, the weapons produced by the SOE company's private cooperation are deliberately designed to withstand dusty dry weather, very wet rain, freezing cold, and searing heat. Thus, the weapons owned by the Indonesian contingent have the same quality as the four-season climate country troops.

This is a tragic comedy suffered by a country that has an elite army that is famous ‘without’ weaknesses at all. In fact, Russia and North Korea currently recognize that the only weakness of the TNI's elite forces is to send them to a country with temperatures of minus ten to twenty degrees Celsius. However, the soldiers from the two-season country still have dozens of tricks to keep on the move even though the cold weather is very torturous to the soul and body.

Indonesian contingent soldiers began opening the armory, and took dozens of boxes containing very thick jackets. Then, the entire army began to each wear between two and three coats of jackets to prevent the bone-chilling cold air from torturing them. Although it makes it difficult for them to move, but at least a thick layer of the jacket can dispel cold air that seems to be able to freeze everything. However, when the wind blew and brought much colder air, they shivered again.

Meanwhile, Nio had to attend a meeting with some of the first to high-ranking officers. The reason why Nio was the only officer of the Reconnaissance and Battle Corps – other than Lee Baek-Ho – was because he was engaged in a battle against the Alliance in the capital of the Kingdom of Arevelk. He entered a building called ‘Command Room and Multipurpose’ Meeting in Indonesian, North Korean, Russian, and this world. At the moment, he was actually still wearing two layers of thick jackets when he saw that Russian and North Korean staff had been wearing winter camouflage uniforms with their distinctive blend of white and grey. Meanwhile, the Indonesian contingent will not get such snow camouflage uniforms before they can adapt to the current extreme weather of the Holy Land.

The warmers in the meeting rooms are much warmer, although the cold air can beat the vents that have been closed to prevent the entry of bone-chilling air. It is an important device if the meeting can go smoothly and come up with a great idea, idea, or strategy.

The staff of the Russian and North Korean contingents who saw Nio take off his thick coat were seen with laughter. While the staff of the Indonesian contingent looked at him with a slick look after seeing Nio almost frozen, and made them afraid to get out of this building.

In addition to Indonesian, North Korean, and Russian contingent officers, some of the Arevelk and Yekirnovo contingent generals were also asked to attend the meeting in this ‘bright’ and cold afternoon. However, after Nio opened the door of the meeting room, he saw that the entire audience had been sitting in their respective places, and looked to have already had a conversation before he arrived. He can not use excuses, “I am an ordinary Indonesian who has never felt the temperature reaches minus twenty degrees!”

However, then his feelings suddenly became uneasy after seeing the entire person in the room smiling warmly at him. It was really a suspicious attitude for the officer who was late to the meeting that was most likely very important.

“First of all, I want to congratulate Nio. I, the commander of the Arevelk contingent, Kiliz, feel very happy you got the title of Lariq Sodur.”

“Thanks for my delight in your achievements, Lieutenant Nio. I'm one of Yekirnovo's contingent generals, Tohora, feel very happy also after hearing you get the title.”

Of course what the two important officers of the Arevelk and Yekirnovo contingent said greatly confused Nio. Even he was getting more confused as the officers of the Explorers Squad and the other units smiled towards him. He was sure that his duty at this meeting was not as a translator, given the atmosphere of ‘suspicious’ at the meeting place which should have made a serious impression on him.

“Thanks, Mr. Kiliz and Mr. Tohora. Honestly, I do not know yet the title I got from the Kingdom of Arevelk.”

“Even His Holiness Sigiz gave the title directly to you. It was the highest honor for a very brave knight, even an officer like me found it very difficult to obtain the title of Lariq Sadur, he said,” said Kiliz who made Nio sit while putting on a confused face until he felt himself the most stupid among the people in this room.

There is something strange with the attitude and expression of all the people in this room according to Nio, and make the atmosphere here quite ‘scary’. Of course, as a young officer sitting among senior officers was a stressful thing. However, the atmosphere of today's meeting room had completely changed according to him.

“Yeah, you really are something, Nio,” said General Angga who made Nio even more afraid.

**

One month before the bone-chilling winter that left the Indonesian contingent tormented…

General Angga sat at his desk, staring at the monitor. He was communicating with President Suroso via a video call. He felt that the President would only ask the news of the troops and the state of the entire contingent after a few months in this world. According to him, although some things in this world look the same as Indonesia, but not all corners of the world explored. The troops rely solely on aerial vehicles such as helicopters and multipurpose aircraft to map the entire Andzrev Continent and nearby continents.

In general, he had the idea of asking Russia, Indonesia, and North Korea to work together to create a satellite for the Peacekeeping Forces. Although it is not too difficult for Russia which has high technology only to make mapping satellites, Angga felt if the request was too ‘mahal’, he said, and think if the budget is better used to strengthen the defense if at any time the Alliance attacked with their large number – just as when the Alliance's major attack on the Expeditionary Force.

He did not want his troops to be the same fate as the Expeditionary Force, and would seek to keep them away from his entire army. Angga felt that the task of the Peace Forces was not only to find the mastermind who started the war and ask for compensation for all parties who fought with Indonesia. The man thought that the task of the Peacekeeping Forces was much broader than that, and the most important task of his troops was to guard the world of origin, especially Indonesia and its allies, by fighting from this world.

Angga does not want the TNI to lose many of its best soldiers, and will not let Russia and North Korea lose their soldiers in this world.

“General, actually I just got some very surprising information.”

“Please excuse me, Sir. Information on what things do you get?”

By the time he was appointed by the leaders of Indonesia, North Korea, and Russia to lead this army, Angga was happy if there were some ‘veteran’ who had fought in this world. One of the veterans that attracted him was First Lieutenant Nio, who had been through various things in this world before him. The information about Nio he had obtained even though it was not very complete, one of them his two biological parents.

“What are you serious about that, Sir?”

Angga's face looked extremely shocked and could not string the words together properly after Suroso said the important information in question. Angga wanted what he had heard just now to be a fact, but he still wanted the information to be basic and truly factual.

“Of course. I just found this information with the commander.”

“So he's really his son huh..”

Between being amazed or feeling something else, Angga and Suroso really believe in that fact even though in their hearts there are still feelings of disbelief about the fact about Nio.

**

After getting a win, then people will start trying to get another victory. Those are not cool words from a historical figure, but a fact.

The victory of a fight will bring brilliant and beautiful glory to a nation, and they will be addicted to get it again – any number of times it is. Therefore, when people have drunk victory, and they will be addicted to get it again whatever time it is, they are just thinking of getting more wins. No one is allowed to ask what victory is for. But there are also victories that are dangerous and potentially hurt the country.

“We are lucky to this day we have not lost a single soldier,” said Nio who recalled the memories when his three subordinates when he was still leading the 1st Cruiser Squad fell, and one of them became the first TNI soldier who died on the battlefield of another world struggle.

The six-meter screen displays a map of the Special Region of Indonesia in the New World and the division of zones. The safe zone was dyed in green, and it was the site of the establishment of the turtle fortress. Then there is the zone quite dangerously colored with orange, this zone is drawn as far as fifty kilometers from the territory of the turtle fortress and its surroundings. Then the dangerous zone is colored in red, which indicates that the enemy occasionally violates the border and endangers the soldiers. The latter was a potential war zone dyed in dark color, this was where most likely the battle took place, which was in the border zone with the Luan Empire.

After winning the assault that occurred before the Change of Years ceremony, one of the fortresses belonging to the Luan Empire could be taken over. The military facility will serve as a frontline base and will house as many as two infantry battalions and one cavalry battalion with various heavy weapons. Two attack helicopters will soon be delivered there if the weather has started to be friendly, and will serve as a troop airborne mission vehicle there.

How to fight a contingent ‘otherworld’ is not like the army in medieval times, when swords and arrows still dominate a war. However, the function of the fort as a defense and a symbol of strength will not disappear in time. If the troops can make the best use of the fort, then enemies trying to cross the border can be annihilated in a matter of hours.

In addition, Nio crossed out a paper that he got, and the paper is a copy of a map of the entire Holy Land area that is the same size as the province of Bali. He marked some points that were the place of the deployment of several battalions on the front line, of course he predicted every possibility there, including the possibility of the enemy coming back to attack with their great strength again. It was really troublesome, so Nio made a backward path for the units on the front line if the possibility of it happening so as not to trouble the strategy staff. If an officer suggests a proposal on the issue of the – retreat lane when there is no – battle he should be prepared for a series of calls worse than ‘coward’.

After the incident of attacking the capital of Arevelk Kingdom a month and a half ago, Nio said in the presence of all the officers present if the enemy would most likely prepare an army to counterattack.

The meeting room did freeze for a moment after Nio said that. General Angga sat in his chair with a head that seemed to be able to explode at any time when he thought of Nio's words that could have really happened. While Nio's superior, Captain Lee Baek-Ho sat quietly, but his heart was disturbed. However, at this moment the atmosphere was really tense and cold, so some officers rubbed both palms and covered their faces due to dizziness with the enemy that always made their work continue to grow.

“If the enemy really attacks us in this torturous winter, we can move the unit to the orange zone. That way, the troops will not be burdened and help can be delivered quickly, then they can plan an attack to hold the enemy.”

Nio deliberately ignored the cold meeting room atmosphere and said what he had in mind about the matter, then sat down politely. Nio's expression was too difficult to read, so the officers did not know why he could predict if the enemy would counterattack after their defeat in Iztok City.

Nio completely ignored the gazes of the officers.

In fact, he also only realized this a moment ago, when Angga started talking about adding units in the black zone. Then, when Nio started saying his proposal of a retreat lane for the unit in the black zone, without him noticing the atmosphere in the meeting room was getting colder. He just said all the possibilities were not necessarily the truth, and all the decisions were on the high-ranking officers. He only took advantage of his opportunity to give a proposal, and he was only present because Lee Baek-Ho ordered him to attend if he had the time.

After all, Nio was not in the chain of command of either infantry or cavalry, he received orders from the Reconnaissance and Battle Corps who served directly under the special staff for elite troop units. Nio only exercised his right to speak when the time to give advice was given.

Really, at first Nio did not intend to interfere. The units in the black zone were in command of the strategy staff, and Nio felt burdened by the officers of the staff.

In essence, everything Nio said was only a possibility, and he said that everything he said could not happen anytime soon. In addition, he spoke when some middle officers asked him – as a – field officer to comment on the defense on the front line. He thought that his proposal of a retreat from the black zone to the orange zone did not satisfy them.

But, Nio himself felt that he did not have enough information when talking about the backtrack, so he used the word ‘possibly’ in his words. But, according to him, it never hurts to prepare the best for the future, so that all bad possibilities can be avoided.

“But, the enemy might not attack when the weather is so hostile like this,” one of the first officers of the operational staff spoke like that.

“That's true, so everything I'm saying is still a possibility, and not necessarily happening anytime soon. This is only a proposal from me that has been in this world since one year ago, so that I can predict the right retreat if the enemy attacks units in the black zone with large numbers. “

Then another field officer spoke, “Aren't we able to wait for the enemy if they attack, then do a defensive attack instead of retreating?”

“But, it will cause logistics to thin out. The enemy is likely to continue attacking for days before weakening us,” Lee Baek-Ho said based on information about the Alliance's first raid on the Expeditionary Force.

“Are you not listening? It's all still a possibility. But, I think rather than the confusion of preparing a plan like this when the enemy attacks suddenly, we can use Lettu Nio's proposal regarding the retreat he made,” said one of the strategy staff officers.

The large number of enemies was a big problem if they attacked suddenly again. Even if all that was just a possibility, it would not hurt to prepare everything from now on so that they could face the enemy's attack in a ready condition.

“Then, the enemy has a firearm.”

Nio gives a photo showing an image of SP-1 that he managed to snatch from a slain enemy. All the officers in the room who saw the image instantly furrowed their brows.

“So, the existence of heroes who can create something really exists,” said Kiliz.

“Oh... instead of this BM59 from Italy?”

“Wait, this is SP-1 Pindad right? What hero who can create something that comes from the New Order?”

“Thus, the battle will be more difficult and long,” continued Angga.

Then Nio answered Angga's words, “Enemy can fight very hard with just a sword and spear. I feel this weapon will make the battle really long and tiring.”

Some officers grimaced in annoyance after learning the fact that the enemy had started using rifles in this war. As a defensive force, all they can do is continue to fight and retaliate against every action of the enemy.

“You're right, Lieutenant Nio. The number of enemies is too much for us, let alone informants have not returned from their mission. So that the number of enemies cannot be predicted.”

“Given the number of Alliance member countries and the strength of each country, it is likely that the Alliance has a strength between two million five hundred to three million warriors,”.

“While we only have eight hundred thousand soldiers,” said Tohora with a grim face.

Combined, all military witches belonging to Arevelk and Yekirnovo will form 10 brigades with each brigade numbering five thousand military witches. Then, military magicians were quite rarely dispatched during direct combat, and served as a reserve force. But after knowing the approximate amount of enemy power, there was a chance that the entire military magician would become a combat-ready warrior.

Moreover, according to Nio's observation the enemy only carried out sporadic attacks and continued to rely on their large numbers.

“Again, we win over the strength and quality of the squad. If that possibility is true, we should prepare everything from now on rather than waiting for the enemy to attack.”

“In winter like this, the enemy may still be in the process of gathering strength, and attacking after winter is over,” Kiliz said.

When the enemy already had rifles and they had a far greater number of troops and witches than the Guild, the only way to fight against such a force was to use only the quality of weapons belonging to the contingent of ‘otherworld’ and the way of fighting their elite soldiers.

Looking at Nio who he thought was an officer of the type who always had foresight, Angga was completely aware of something...

“She is really similar to her.”