High School Soldier
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It is unthinkable that humans can work like machines, yet that is what refugees feel before fleeing their origins.

Slaves are usually obtained from slave traders by auction or buying slaves desired with a sum of money, as well as the inhabitants of a territory defeated in a war so there is no need to spend a penny. Similarly, if someone wants a Silent Killer.

Being a slave means that they are bound to someone or an organization that has bought or taken them by force, so that they can be used as a kind of item that can be resold or thrown away if it is useless. ‘Dibuang’ is a subtle term for the word ‘killed’, because basically the slaves are indeed items that have been purchased by the owner.

Incidentally, most of the refugees that Group 1 of Team 12 found were slaves who managed to escape after the nobles of their owners chose to move from the territory that could potentially become a battlefield. Only 12 of them worked as Silent Assassins for military nobles, such as Edera.

They were not allowed to move further, and were asked to remain waiting until the 002nd Assistance Company Squad C assigned to pick them up arrived. Previously, Nio had indeed asked Kim Baek-Ki for help to send a pick-up team for forty people. Although it was not for Team 12, the commander of the aid company nevertheless agreed to send some of his troops to secure refugees from the potential battlefield.

Their distance with Girinhi Fortress was about 10 kilometers, so help arrived without requiring a short time. Forest fields with dense trees and uneven ground levels are not a problem for APCs and high mobility vehicles. Even if necessary, the Arevelk troops in Girinhi Fortress would dispatch hundreds of their soldiers. Of course, Nio immediately rejected the proposal, because the enemy could have realized hundreds of Arevelk soldiers and thought they were planning a battle.

Meanwhile, the distance of group 1 with the Arevelk border line with Luan was about twenty kilometers away. Group 1 members feel confident they can reach the border in less than four days, then follow Squad A and Group 2 there. However, Nio felt that reaching the border within one week was not enough. He predicted group 1 led by him would reach the border line eight or nine days later.

Nio felt his group 1 had fallen far behind with group 2 and Team A of the 002 Aid Company. However, it was not a problem, for whatever reason Nio gave would definitely remain acceptable. Leaving refugees is inhumane, especially if they do not have adequate food and supplies. Nio was confident that the reason could be accepted by his members in group 2 and the superiors at the headquarters.

“Lettan, how much longer will they have to arrive? We've been waiting for 2 hours, loh,” grumbled Ardi.

“Ojo kakehan sambat (do not mostly complain),” replied Nio casually, he was sure the Garrison Serang soldier did not understand his words.

“Awak dewe wes kudu mbacutne patrol, loh, Let (we already have to continue patrol, loh, Let)” said Ika.

“Waiting is it hard to try?!” Nio nagged until Ardi and Ika immediately stiffened even though he did not use a high tone of speech. On the other hand, Gita felt the impact of the pretentious attitude of hero Nio who gave all his provisions for refugees began to be seen.

As commander of the unit, Nio obtained a Transmitter device to send data on the location and state of the soldiers during the fight to the nearest Command and Control Staff. So, the pick-up squad can easily find the location of group 1. In addition, the pick-up squad should not have to be targeted, because the troops in Girinhi Fort had shown secret roads and routes if the 002nd Aid Company and the 12th Team wanted to patrol up to the border.

The bad shadow immediately removed Nio from his mind, and ordered his brain to keep thinking positively. Until now there has been no sound of group 2 assault rifle or submachine gun fire from Team A of the 002 Aid Company, so that Nio can assume there is no fight and assess the safe conditions to continue the patrol.

However, as Nio had said earlier, they were unable to continue the patrols before the refugees were evacuated by the pick-up squad.

“Mr Nio, why were they not ordered to walk to Girinhi Fortress by themselves. Wouldn't that lighten up your duties and your subordinates?”

Edera walked up to Nio who was sitting on a fallen tree trunk while watching over the entire refugee and asked like that, she was sitting to Nio's right.

Huvu looked at his sister who approached the green warrior ‘otherworld’ casually, as if Edera had a relationship with the soldier. He did not forbid Edera from connecting with Demihumans or ordinary humans, but he did not want a reunion after not meeting for several years interrupted. He heard Edera ask such a question to the green soldier.

“Are they not good ‘world warriors’.”

Ebal appeared suddenly and surprised Huvu. Huvu's way of surprise is similar to a cat, so it makes the male members of group 1 feel anxious because of the cute behavior of the girl.

“I don't know the reason they gave us food, even the person sitting near Edera was seen holding something back,” Huvu discussed about Nio sitting apart with his subordinates eating with the refugees.

“Yes, I think I feel the same way. That person when we and his subordinates ate together, he only ate small white box-shaped food and water only,” Ebal replied.

The gaze of the cat and rabbit girl then turned to the children and elderly who ate happily, because of the taste of food they had never tasted before. The children felt that the drink wrapped in a dark green container had a good taste, although not too sweet. They had eaten some of the provisions that the green warriors had given them for free.

The green soldiers actually let the children and the elderly eat until they are completely full, while the teenagers and adults feel they can eat enough.

On the other hand, the commander of the dozens of green warriors who discovered the refugees looked at the elderly who were slowly starting to recover their energy. Nio felt the need to give the refugees more than just food to keep them afloat. He then responded to Edera's question:

“I don't know how the residents around Girinhi Fortress will respond if they find out the refugees are from Luan Empire who are at war with us. It would be great if they did not know the origin of the refugees. But who knows? The safest way to evacuate the refugees was indeed just securing them to Girinhi Fortress. There had been some more medical and food soldiers there. The security at Girinhi Fortress has also increased after our arrival there. The point is, I feel like I can't leave them unattended. You also know some of them, don't you?”

“Yes, I am very happy to be reunited with, Huvu, my sister. Teenagers are Silent Killers, so I know some of them.”

Edera recalls when she was still a slave who never got a decent reward for her work, as well as himself who was part of the Luan Empire's Silent Killer who was tasked with killing the Indonesian envoy a while ago. Injuring Nio until the man lost his right hand was the worst mistake Edera ever made, it was Edera's own admission because Nio was similarly not the main target.

Hearing his sister who spoke familiarly with the green warrior leader, Huvu stood up while planning something. Seeing that his friend had hidden intentions just by looking at his movements, Ebal followed Huvu walking towards the big tree trunk that Nio and Edera were sitting on.

“Start again, deh,” Hendra muttered with a dark expression.

“Hmmm, who are you talking about?” Yogi chimed in on Herman who was heard muttering something.

Hendra pointed his chin forward, precisely towards Nio who was sitting with Edera at his left and the two Demihuman girls who were walking towards Nio. Meanwhile, Sigit can only bite the T2P variant of his rice rendang can when he sees Nio approached by two girls again.

Huvu has hair and ear feathers and the tail of the cat is in the color of light, in contrast to Edera which has hair color and brownish fur. So Nio had time to doubt whether Huvu and Edera were really a pair of siblings or not. Meanwhile, Ebal has silvery rabbit hair and ears, with a slight black spot on the tip of his rabbit's ear. Both ears of the rabbit girl make her height rise, but if without the ears of a tall rabbit Huvu only a little Nio. Huvu's skin is also slightly darker than Edera and Ebal and Hevaz, making it more exotic.

The two girls stood in front of Nio and Edera. Edera realized there was an intent behind her brother's calm expression that was too obvious.

“A-what? Hevaz?”

Nio was quite surprised by the sudden arrival of Hevaz and then hugged him from behind by wrapping his hands around Nio's neck. Hevaz placed his chin on Nio's right shoulder, and looked at Huvu and Ebal with a defiant expression.

“Hevaz?” Ebal seemed to be thinking of something, or rather trying to remember something after hearing the name Hevaz mentioned by Nio a few seconds ago.

Slaves or Silent Killers who came from among slaves and Demihumans worship the Goddess of Preservation, Goddess of Death, God of War, and Goddess of Hope. They can only worship after a very tiring and senseless work. Usually, they make altars to worship a god or goddess who is believed to bring them a decent life. Believing in a god or goddess means they must also believe that the sacred existence has a Messenger.

There is an ironic fact that some slaves adored the Goddess of Death in order for the figure to take immediate life, so that they are free from the bondage that has taken their lives and honor as living beings that are slightly different from ordinary humans.

“Hevaz who became the Messenger of the Goddess of Death and the God of War? One of the strongest Emissaries that will only appear when the Great War Period occurs?! The figure to be – ,”

“Yes, yes, stop talking too much. Turns out you know a lot about me, huh?”

Apart from his face that did not hide his surprised expression at all, Huvu turned his gaze towards Edera who looked calm and calm. He felt Edera was mocking him.

Soon, as many as fifteen refugees walked towards the direction they were both in.

“Did you talk about the Soul Eater? Huvu?” one of the cat-eared elderly asked in an enthusiastic tone although to walk some teenagers should help him.

“If the Messenger of War and the Goddess of Death descends into the world, it means he is serving ‘people foretold’,” said another elderly.

Like the local proverb that states the longer you live, then you will get a lot of knowledge and experience. The entire refugee elderly were around eighty to ninety years old, so they had a normal life longer than others. ‘Normal’ means the elderly enjoy youth not as slaves or Silent Killers.

“It feels like he's really god-equivalent. Or maybe I should say ‘goddess is down’? I think this world order is more complicated than the Sunda Empire,” Nio muttered in his heart to respond to Hevaz's words that sounded like they were in front of his followers.

All the refugees suddenly kneeled down, as if subjecting themselves to the figure of Hevaz whom they believed would help ‘people who predicted’ fought to change both worlds after entering the Great War Period.

Hevaz only grinned when he saw the confused face that Nio and his nine subordinates put on after seeing the entire refugee kneel down abruptly. But, he is still happy if in this world there are still a group of people who still have a feeling of fear for the world's guardian figure, namely the gods and goddesses who serve the Creator. In addition, he could feel the darkness of the refugees' despair, thus worshipping the figure of the ruler of death, the Goddess of War.

“Edera, hiding the fact that you are with His Holiness Hevaz indicates that you have completely forgotten me, your own brother,” Huvu actually said with a sad expression, but with a made-up tone so that Edera can realize if it is just her brother's acting.

“Oh my God, brother, do not speak as if I have completely forgotten you. Just blame our creator who forgot to show this character named Huvu. He completely forgot that I still have a family alive.”

“Fuck, he really is the creator of the worst!”

(olog note: anyone talkin gw? If there is a problem, please chat privately, Ma'am)

Nio remained seated with a puzzled face when he saw the talk of Edera and Huvu. He was wearing an unkempt field uniform because he hadn't replaced it since three days ago, and it worsened his messy appearance thus exuding an unkempt impression. However, the messy black hair that complemented the somewhat stern face made Nio have a wild impression in addition to his sharp gaze even though the panda eyes around his eyes had entered quite a severe level.

In front of the refugees kneeling in honor of Hevaz, Nio had absolutely no idea what he should do in the midst of such a complicated situation. He felt disrespectful and good-natured as there were some old men kneeling before him.

“You must remain standing to receive respect from them,” it was Hevaz's remark that gave Nio goosebumps, as it approached the phrase threat rather than demand.

“Anu, instead of them kneeling in your honor, Hevaz?”

The clumsy Nio grew even more depressed after Hevaz showed a sweet smile with his eyes closed, and he considered it a threat. Meanwhile, his nine subordinates in group 1 also wore the same expression as him, with a slight combination of an envious and resentful expression to Nio.

“I, Envoy of the God of War and Goddess of Death serve ‘predicted’ named Nio – ”, Hevaz stopped continuing his words for a while because he only knew the nickname of Nio, Nio, not with the man's full name. He turned his head towards Nio while whispering, “Sorry, but I don't know your full name yet.”

“Nio Candranala,” Nio instantly answered him without additional words.

“Yes, he was the ‘one foretold,” Hevaz said the word with the face and proud tone of a late-phase teenage human named Nio.

However, the response of the entire refugee met Nio's expectations, and it relieved him.

The entire refugee looked at himself with a flat and cold gaze, as if their gazes were saying, “Who is this person who looks like a gem?”

However, that did not make Nio object at all, as he assumed the fewer people who knew him then it would be much better. But, Hevaz showed a confused expression mixed with a feeling of annoyance. The reason for that was obvious, as the entire refugee looked at Nio as if his master was a less famous person.

After being stuck in this silent atmosphere, there was finally something breaking this awkward silence. There is a sound of ‘biiip~’ accompanied by a small blue light that flashes from the helmet of Nio which indicates there is a call from somewhere.

“... -Repeat, Barista to the Undead, did you receive our call?”

Nio grabbed a handsfree hand then plugged it into his right ear. Seeing that, the entire group of 1 members walked up to Nio without caring about the astonished gazes of the refugees.

“Letnan, what is it from group 2?” ask Yogi.

From his voice, it clearly belonged to Sergeant Hassan, as if the group 2 he led had moved far and ahead of group 1 who had to deal with refugees. The call was only shown to Nio, so he considered it an important call.

“Living Life here. Hear you. What do you get?”

“We saw no enemy units entering the forest after crossing the border. They look the same as the Alliance unit that fought with us using SP1. There are hundreds of them. Group 2 is still hiding while watching the movement of the enemy.”

Nio's eyes narrowed with a grim expression. He did feel his heart starting to calm a few minutes ago, but Nio did not want to assume it was a special ability ‘people predicted’, namely detecting danger from a distance.

As an elite soldier, all members of the Reconnaissance and Battle Corps were indeed trained to deal with dozens of enemies who fought using rifles as well not long ago.

On paper, facing a horde of enemy units numbering in the hundreds and armed with rifles would be a one-sided fight. Unfortunately, both Nio and his members often engage in battles that require them to face enemies with numbers far above them.

“Accepted. We will do the tactic ‘two sides’. Barista (Hassan), keep your members' distance to the enemy no more than fifty meters.”

“Siap, accepted.”

Finished making the call with the vice-captain, Nio looked at the refugees who seemed to be saying something with Hevaz still standing in front of them.

“Sial, so we have to protect them until the pick-up squad arrives? What caused them to be late?” Nio almost slammed his helmet to vent his frustration over the pick-up squad that was so late, they had not even reached until Nio got a call from its members.

It could be that the enemy rifle units are just a diversion, then their main units will launch attacks on refugees. It was the worst thought Nio could imagine from the battle he would face later on. He believed the enemy was not as stupid as most people thought.

Nio did not smile at all, as he was aware that this battle would have no effect whatsoever on his salary. In addition, leaving refugees to fight is a very risky step, because they will face two situations at once, namely serving enemy resistance and supervising refugees.

There is currently no sign of the enemy approaching where they are. However, Nio was already able to describe the situation as if he had seen the fight in plain sight.

“Consideration! I'll explain the situation.”

The faces of the nine members of group 1 were seen in Nio's vision range, which bears the code name ‘Life’ which is somehow the meaning behind the nickname.

The battle they were about to face did not mean an easy fight even though they were trained warriors. Nio did not know whether the enemy special unit was led by a hero or not, he would know if the fight started. They will use their original abilities as elite soldiers, and fight without relying on anti-personnel rockets or machine guns.

Nio who relied on movement flexibility when fighting did not wear complete body armor, or his movements would be hampered. He did not forbid his subordinates to wear complete body armor, as each soldier must have their own way of fighting.

Their commander's face was so calm yet full of pride, that they straightened their backs to prepare to listen to Nio's explanation.

Nio realized they had not finished preparing themselves, so he allowed them to listen to the explanation from him while equipping themselves with protective vests or counting the number of grenades they still had. Nio explained briefly but very clearly, including everything such as the estimated number of enemies, the task of members, to the tactics they will use.

The problem was the safety of the refugees, so Nio said, “Hevaz and Edera, you stay with the refugees. I ask you to protect the refugees, not one of them escape before the pick-up squad arrives.”

“We understand. May you and your subordinates win this fight,” Hevaz and Edera said at the same time.

Make final preparations, such as making sure the number of bullets in the magazine is not empty, then loading the rifle and activating the rifle in semi-automatic mode. After all the members of group 1 were wearing helmets, it meant that they were ready to follow Nio in the direction that had been expected to be their meeting point with the enemy. Especially for Zefanya, he not only carried an assault rifle, but also a sniper rifle on the back.