High School Soldier
The Realm of the Gods

After the battle against the dozens of goblins that ended in their victory, the five girls were inside a small cave, which was, and Nio stood in front of the mouth of the cave monitoring around with his sharp eyes and the area around his blackened eyes. Nio is told Sakuya if the girl will treat Nefe and Sabole who almost get the abuse from the dirty goblins they fought a few hours ago. Being able to win against dozens of monsters is no longer a new thing for ‘otherworld warriors’ like Nio. After the Alliance declared war on Indonesia and its allies, the TNI has now made fighting monsters a tradition.

They found this cave after walking for several hours, passing various obstacles such as thorny plants as sharp as needles. Plants that have spiky spines are found in the forests of Indonesia, but for the first time Nio saw the spines of plants that have a level of hardness equivalent to metal. Around the mouth of the cave was also overgrown with such a plant, and Nio took some of it and put it in his vest bag. He intended to use the spines of the plant as a weapon, and he now only needed one more ingredient.

As an elite soldier, Nio is required to be able to utilize all things useful in the wild, including making weapons by utilizing plants that are qualified to be used as a means of self-defense. After putting dozens of plant spines that had a length of twenty centimeters into his vest bag, Nio put on another coat that Sabole and Nefe had returned after the two girls got a change of clothes from Sakuya.

“The thing that wrapped around me is what?” Nio heard the question from Nefe who had come out of the cave, followed by the other girls. Nio was able to breathe a sigh of relief after they actually got treatment, and Sakuya actually helped take care of the two Explorers' girls instead of running away.

“That scarf cover cloth for first aid,” replied Nio in a flat tone.

“White fabric like this is only used to close the wound?!” the reaction Kardas gave after hearing Nio's reply reminded the young man of someone. On the other hand, Nefe and Sabole intend to keep a bandage wrapped around a part of their body, then clean it again before it is sold. Since the bandages they used were white, it would definitely be very expensive if sold, or perhaps even more expensive than the precious items they found.

Meanwhile, Nio saw Sakuya smiling with a proud face, as if she had talent as a field medical warrior. At least Nio can understand that, and he has also given drugs for Sabole and Nefe wounds, such as red medicine to prevent infected wounds and bandages. He has also given Sakuya some directions on how to treat wounds and bruises, after which Sakuya has become an amateur field medical soldier who can treat minor injuries.

Although Kardas and Sayf had to be helped to walk, at least Nefe and Sabole's condition began to improve after getting short treatment from Sakuya. The four Explorers were amazed by the healing fluid (red medicine) that can stop wounds that continue to bleed and prevent infection and many other functions. And it made them confused to avenge all that Nio had given them.

“What should I give you after saving me? You are an enemy soldier, yet you give us food and medicine. In my opinion, gratitude alone will not be enough.”

Nio turned his head and looked at the face of Nefe who was suffering from many bruises, and had to be helped walking by Kardas. He had only met the five girls a few hours ago, when the white-colored magic circle moved himself to this dangerous place. The expressions of the four Explorers girls were not at all calm, or rather they were afraid that Nio would ask for a huge fee from them.

“So like this, didn't you guys find me a few hours ago? Otherwise, maybe I've become the food of the monsters occupants of this place. You should have considered my help in return for what you guys did to me.”

Nio wasn't even surprised when one of the Explorers girls asked such a thing. Perhaps because she had read stories on light novels and Japanese comics that told the main female character wanted to give a reply to the main character who had saved her.

After all, he and the five girls had made it through the life struggle and kept the honor by fighting with him, the Guild warrior. The young man also had some questions about the types of monsters occupying this place called the tenth floor Labyrinth.

“Sayf, what in this place there are still many strong and smart monsters like goblins earlier?”

“... Yes.”

Nio's head bowed, then his index finger and thumb held onto the chin that had been overgrown with his type beard. He felt that the monsters the Alliance had in the first raid a few months ago were smart enough to use human weapons, such as swords and arrows. Although the quality of the daggers that the goblins had that attacked them earlier was bad, but it signified that they were monsters that had the same human sense. His home world records the monsters used during the assault as having the sense of a toddler to twelve-year-olds. It was based on how to fight, and their movements were quite regular like that of a Boy Scout and a regular warrior.

People think of monsters that appeared in their world when invading otherworldly nations as ‘real fantasy stories’. Later, The perfect gate that had opened in Karanganyar made the worshipers of a strange religion called ‘Otaku’ or ‘Wibu’ urge the government to allow civilians to be allowed to enter the Gate and explore other worlds without restrictions from goverment. The members of the strange religion believe that in other worlds there are creatures called elves, or beautiful fantasy creatures that often appear in anime or comic stories and novels. However, the government still considers the worshipers of these two-dimensional creatures to be crazy to an unnatural extent, and refuses to give ordinary permission for civilians. But, that was not what made Nio think of how vast the world was.

However, Nio did not know if a goblin-like monster had the tendency to rape a weak girl, aka being able to take advantage of the same situation as a male human if faced with the same situation. He had fought many monsters with his unique abilities, but not with the ability to rape girls like the goblins had before. This made the monster as dangerous as the medieval European forces who won a battle, raping the girl of an area they conquered.

The TNI does not yet have special weapons that are only used to deal with monsters, as they are completely different from humans. The only way to deal with such fantasy creatures is to use the same means when facing ordinary human warriors. It could be said facing a non-human enemy was a waste of tax money, but it was forced to do so if a soldier still wanted to continue fighting.

The girls contemplated the situation they had faced earlier, and did not expect that the goblins had almost snatched away the honor of Sabole and Nefe. If Nio is not with them, then Sakuya, Kardas, and Sayf are busy facing dozens of goblins that keep coming, maybe Nefe and Sabole will not be saved. This victory might be something extraordinary, and a huge achievement for the four Traveling girls. As Nio asked a few minutes ago, this place might be inhabited by monsters that are far dangerous and clever in addition to goblins. As they saw a Guild warrior standing up and her face seemed to be thinking of something, the five girls felt lucky to meet an enemy warrior here.

Of course, they would continue the journey to help Nio find a way out, search for valuables for the four Explorers girls, and explore the tenth floor for Sakuya's training. There are goals and cooperation to achieve each other's goals without forgetting to help each other. Unfortunately, the five girls felt that they did not want Nio to quickly return to his origin, and continue this exploration together.

Although they said that to Nio, the answer that man would give was obvious. Rejection of their unreasonable desires was natural, and they could not force the will to hold Nio back to his origin. That was why they would make the most of this moment, before Nio found a way out and went back to war with the Alliance.

Fighting with goblins and minotaurs was the thing that made them think that way.

“ Anyway, my expedition against country warriors ‘half forward’ like you remains the same. Even though I have the strength to defeat hundreds of monsters alone, but your strength and fighting skills are still needed. You get a lot of admiration and respect from me, Nio.”

“Yah. If you weren't careful in your speech, you might have made me misunderstand.”

“I'm serious. Or do you really want me to say what I think now?”

Nio shook his head while smiling faintly, and it made Sakuya lose the mood to say what was on her mind right now. The situation they faced was indeed confusing, but the result obtained from the situation was an admirable cooperation, although the four Traveling girls still could not keep up with Sakuya's strength and Nio's modern fighting ability. Then, the five girls stared in the same direction, Nio's skin that had many scars that signified that the man's struggle on the battlefield was on a thin line separating life and death.

**

You will accept your destiny, unfortunately

Someone spoke to Nio, but with a form it was not at all clear whether the figure was human or something.

“This is very good news, the person foretold has finally appeared in this world,” someone wearing luminous clothes spoke like that, yet Nio simply could not respond to it. Even he did not know where he was now, his gaze blurred and could only hear without being able to speak or respond with any movement.

Last time, Nio remembered that he was exploring a place called the Labyrinth. She was with five – girls from the – Alliance member countries working together against dozens of goblins, and won the fight. However, Nio's mind felt floating and could only see people speaking something in a soft voice, but the figure was still vague.

He is a soldier from an advanced ‘half’ country called the Republic of Indonesia, and is being sent to ‘World Baru’ to guard the country by fighting from other worlds. He had been assigned to this world for one year, and had gone through various events, ranging from pleasant and miserable, as well as heartbreaking and physical. While in this place, Nio did not know if he was sitting or lying on the bed, he felt his body float and felt very light like without any burden.

A while later, he heard a small commotion and still could not see clearly who and what was fussed over.

“If it is not wrong, he is his son-“ said someone, but Nio suddenly did not hear the final part that the person was talking about, as if his ears were deaf all of a sudden, and from his voice the man was male.

“Nio Candranala, right? Good name, I wish he could see us clearly. But unfortunately the right time has not arrived,” Nio heard if the one who said it was a woman, and spoke in a soft voice like an adult woman.

“The maze he explored might be able to make him learn some things,” said another figure with a female voice, but a little heavy like the voice of a female soldier.

“Destiny?”

“Good name?”

“She's her son..?”

It was a question that had always come to Nio's mind since he heard those words, yet still he was unable to speak to ask any more clearly. Even though he felt that he had opened his eyes wide, still all he saw was the sight of some people surrounding him in a circle, and speaking something.

“Of course I'm his son-“ Nio wants to answer one of the questions, but he feels a soft touch on his lips. He thought that someone had put his index finger in his mouth to keep him quiet.

Then, he suddenly heard like a drop of water, then he saw a red water ripple.

Suddenly, the yelling sounds of millions of men excitedly disturbed Nio's hearing, then the sound of explosions was heard many times. It was a picture of the war that Nio had gone through during his work serving the country by becoming a soldier. Also, the rippling red puddles are the blood of soldiers who died after fighting bravely and sincerely. Some people say that death on the battlefield is a noble way of dying, and the fallen soldiers will get a paradise that will only be filled by the fighters as well as the women who died after giving birth to the successors of the struggle of the fallen soldiers.

However, God, God, and even the Apostle did say that, and said a sincere and painful struggle would bring a dividing and satisfying ending, but who knows?

Humans are creatures who start wars, then bring themselves to the hell of the world called the battlefield, fight to achieve the goals that have been planned, then end the war. The sequence is like a vicious circle that will not be interrupted before ‘the one who predicted’ came down to the world and brought victory to the embattled side. However, the descent of ‘people foretold’ probably will not stop the war just like that. Because after the war, there will definitely be a group of people who are dissatisfied with the outcome of the war and try to start the war again.

In fact, if the gods have shown the truth that they are real existences by allowing the Alliance to summon heroes from the same world as Nio, humans are creatures who desire far greater things if their particular desires are not met perfectly. Sometimes, they will do various ways to get certain things, including by fighting.

Killing, destroying, taking honor, looting, and the heinous things that often happen on other battlefields are things that are forbidden by the God of War, he said, a figure adored by people who work as soldiers or knights. However, when humans feel they have got what they want, they suddenly forget the figure that has helped them get the desire. And that is the thing that makes the God of War angry – and ask for advice to the gods and the Creator to avenge the actions of the humans who seem to like damage.

One of the strongest figures in the pantheon of gods and goddesses, the God of War, he was a figure described as the bringer of destruction for the defeated army and the triumphant glory. However, such a concept was discovered by a group of humans who considered victory above all else, and influenced other human groups if the command of the winning side was absolute. According to them, the winning side is free to treat the losing side at will even if it is an unnatural treatment.

The God of War asks the Creator to stop the actions of the human class who adore victory, and he suggests destroying them. However, the figure who created the gods and goddesses, the Creator, ordered the God of War to bring down a prophecy.

One of the strongest gods sent down a prophecy along with the creation of the Worst Disaster. The prophecy contains if in the next thousands of years will come down a hero who bears a heavy burden, namely to fight a group that will do various ways to achieve victory. The person foretold will be helped by the strongest figure created by the gods, the Worst Disaster and the figure will rise again to help the struggle of 'predicted people'.

The prophecy passed down thousands of years ago was still valid until Nio set foot in another world. After the young officer managed to survive in a battle where the quality of weapons and soldiers defeated a large number of soldiers and weapons, the, in the end all the gods recognized and raised Nio as ‘the man foretold’ with the hill down the Envoy to help and accompany the man during his struggle.

Although the God of War seems one-sided in arranging all the wars that occur, but he still does as fair as possible and only carries out the tasks given by the Creator to him. The Creator is the fairest person to help man.

After the drops of blood that created ripples in the pool of blood as well as the sound of the explosion that slowly stopped, Nio felt his skin burning like he was doused in boiling water. He cried out with all his might to the point that his throat was about to break apart, rebelled to relieve the burning pain, and felt his flesh flaking out bit by bit.

“The gods and goddesses, we have seen the humans we protect justly almost split into two factions. I am afraid that the situation now is precarious.”

Unfortunately, Nio was unable to see the talking figure, although his clothes looked sparkling and very beautiful, but his face did not look like a criminal suspect whose face was exposed to censorship.

Some gods are tasked with balancing the world, with war. However, the war to determine what is the best is not a good war. Some gods guide humans to avoid destruction, but some groups of humans actually lust to bring destruction. Unfortunately, the gods and goddesses will not work unless they get an order from the Creator. They are immortal beings and have the gift of the Creator to co-ordinate the world. They are free to choose men to be Messengers or Messengers who are sent down into the world and will be the guides of mankind. However, the last time they sent down the Apostles and Emissaries was a thousand years after sealing the Worst Disaster, and began to stop bringing down the Apostles because many groups of humans were killing them.

As for the Messengers, they were tasked with accompanying humans who were appointed directly by gods and goddesses to bring about change to the world. Unfortunately, most of them disrespected the Emissaries, and took the opportunity to utilize the great power of the Emissaries as a weapon.

Unfortunately, Nio did not know what the mysterious figures were talking about, and just silently stared without knowing what was going to happen. He felt if the talks began to lead to matters of religion and belief – are forbidden to be involved in and for the war. However, he had heard of wars to extend the ideology of one country to another, by choosing the path of bloodshed.

Yes, as gods they get the grace to speak to their chosen humans. But, ever since they were created, humans have shown their true nature. It made the gods and goddesses feel unable to find the truly qualified humans they were doing.

Sometimes people will pray to them.

“Do they really believe in our existence?” said one of the figures with a soft female voice. However, Nio could only hear without being able to respond to the question as he felt his mouth had been separated from his body.

“Only humans from this youth world believe in the existence of God,” said one figure with a firm male voice.

Not only that, some humans will also pray to the existence they believe to be ‘God’ about hope, desire, and others. However, they see a group of humans who use the power of the heroes, and instead assume that the hero is the real god. Because there was once a time when humans worshiped something that was believed to have powers such as trees, rocks, and even fellow humans.

In the past, before the Emissaries taught humans one of the strongest magic with the permission of the gods, the gods intervened and protected humans from the calamities they could not escape by relying only on their own abilities. However, the Gate seemed to have become the biggest mistake of the gods, and one of the human classes used the magic to fight with the stronger faction. Worse, they forget the gods and goddesses they once worshipped, and turn to fellowship with demons and heroes.

To make amends, the gods implore the Creator to descend into the world, and remove some magic that could potentially lead the world to destruction. However, the supreme existence of the gods and goddesses refused their request, and would get a chance to descend into the world if the time was right, namely the emergence of ‘people foretold’.

The Creator ordered all gods and goddesses to honor a young man who would help the other factions. All the gods and goddesses agreed, thus bringing the soul of Nio who was in the dreamland to their realm and showing the young man the place that the young man would inhabit as a payment has helped one of the factions face the faction that is fighting them, heaven of the warriors.

“What is it? Looks like my journey in the future will be very difficult,” muttered Nio.

The gods and goddesses were pensive after hearing Nio's words, but they could only bring back the pieces of flesh that had been separated, giving the man a bit of strength, and become the human figure he was before with a slight change. The small power they gave Nio was just a small gift for humans ‘otherworld’ who would fight for the gods and goddesses. Although they have the power to rule the world, they are still Creator beings who have weaknesses.

The gods and goddesses were beings who obtained some human element. They have lust, they are afraid of something, and they have feelings like humans in general.

“The time is just a little longer, and I will keep waiting for you, my dear,” Nio felt both of her cheeks being gently touched by two palms so delicate, then a kiss landed on her forehead. The voice of the figure who said that had a female voice that was so mature and seductive, but Nio could only see the body of the figure without being able to see her face.

“You get ‘Work of Lord’, and a power that rivals the heroes that your enemies have, my dear.”

Then a much larger explosion sounded, and Nio felt himself being impacted by the explosion. Still, he could not feel anything.

For he has returned from a place so glorious to the people of the New World.

A world in which gods and goddesses perform their duties as created beings of the Creator to rule the world.

The excruciating pain suddenly disappeared, and Nio's previously blurry vision could now see clearly.

A girl with a face like an East Asian woman, and looking older than her was at such a close distance from her face. Nio could even feel the girl's breath, and slowly his eyes bulged wide.

“Your sleep is very good, yes?” sakuya asked after keeping her face away from the man's face.

So it was just a dream? Nio asked himself inwardly. His two eyes then turned and gazed in all directions to verify his current position.

As soon as he realized something, Nio remembered his task of guarding the five girls by monitoring around from the top of the tree. However, until the day has changed, Nio neglects his duties and falls asleep and has a dream that is so real.

“I like you.”

“Oh, surely I'm still dreaming.”

She had only met Sakuya a moment ago, and felt she was still dreaming after hearing the girl's words. After having an unreasonable dream, Nio believes that he is turning to the next scene in his dream, which is Sakuya who says she likes him.

Nio should have been happy with the incident, but the pain he experienced in ‘my dream’ was so real, and he could still feel when he woke up. Although those were only words from the Empathy Hero, the face Sakuya showed showed showed if she was serious about saying that.

Suddenly, there was no wind without rain, Sakuya said, “ I feel you have the same strength as the heroes” with a serious face.

“You must be crazy, I am a TNI soldier who will remain loyal to my country. How could I be a hero like you!”

**

(illustration of Nanaharu Sakuya, image source pinterest)