High School Soldier
Struggle without success (?)

“Fucking war!!”

He was explosive, while in front of him were thousands of enemy human warriors reinforced by monsters and Wyvern needed to be faced and defeated.

Behind the thick black smoke that surrounded the battlefield in the form of a city destroyed to the ground, the enemy began to storm while issuing a shout of war. Staring at the opponent wearing sturdy metal armor, Soldier Two Nio looked at them with a restless face, but some of the officers smiled instead.

Several enemy fantasy battle beasts four times the size of the main battle tank threw a number of combat vehicles into the air, causing metal fragments to scatter into the air, followed by explosions.

Nio and his comrades followed the sound of the senior's gunfire, then were greeted by an unexpected sight. This was the time Nio saw the TNI destroyed, the old steel called weapons should be worth rumored or as a monument finally made scrap iron by otherworldly monsters.

Nio's instincts and all the fighters to defend themselves – which they should now be learning mathematics that makes the brain boil or carry out Field Work Practice – says if they can't beat the fantasy creatures the invaders. On the other hand, Nio's common sense ordered him to continue fighting for the sake of the person who was still waiting for him.

Standing quietly behind the wall of a ruined house, Nio ran as if his old rifle was pushing himself forward. He stormed through the live metals – aka enemy soldiers – and protected the surrounding comrades.

Being gripped by the sound of the screaming of combat beasts, gunshots, explosions, screams of the slain soldier, Nio continued to aim his rifle at all the enemies before him. It was hard to breathe on the crowded battlefield, and his nose only smelled the scent of gunpowder and blood. Just blood, pieces of metal and a human body along the eye looked at.

This was not the first time Nio had fought, he had fought against hologram enemies during the training. If he wanted to stay alive in this battle, he would have to do something, at least keep fighting to protect all the precious things until the bullets and manpower ran out.

He could hear the screams of comrades who had died, and opponents who had died with hollow bodies due to the mortar of heavy machine gun bullets. Part of Nio thought the fight he was attending was stupid, but Nio could not mock the opponent who was killed, because he was no different from the enemy. Now, he just needed to do what needed to be done, because he had been in this situation.

Stupid struggle that does not mean – like this war – makes all soldiers only think of the noblest way of death. However, if Nio was aware of what he was fighting for, he did not want to die here.

What do you get after fighting?

And if he dies, what will Arunika get?

Not a single face flashed through his mind unless his only family was left, at least for a while which he believed. He trained not to regret plunging into battle.

The restless comrades shouted out their fears. Then, both eyes Nio saw dozens of fantasy giant bulls with four horns on the head butting all TNI and TRIP soldiers in front of him, along with combat vehicles that were hit upside down.

Light tank lines fired high-explosive shells, and smashed the target of fantasy bulls into small pieces of still-warm meat.

It was the last thing Nio saw before he crashed, was hit by a tank shell explosion, then lost consciousness.

The monsters sucks the enemy mostly neutralized.

The communication soldiers sent reports to the battalion's headquarters, they also sent out several requests for re-support shots. Although the supporting fire from heavy artillery was repeatedly given, the subsequent attacks were aimed at destroying and wiping out certain enemy units with the potential to cause more casualties in the TNI.

TRIP soldiers who function to perform supporting combat tasks do not have the means to defeat certain enemy units, such as, so relying on the TNI's Main Force Command to provide the best attack to bring the enemy to death is the best option.

And then, it happened. Several high-explosive 155mm guns, plus dozens of 81mm mortars, joined the battle.

Then, a series of huge explosions enveloped the battlefield.

Some fantasy monsters covered in metal armor capable of withstanding the lesion of assault rifle and heavy machine bullets, were mercilessly destroyed by less than a hundred mortars and high explosive cannonballs.

The war machine lives without fear of the occupiers finally almost unceremonious. Thousands of opposing soldiers were almost desperate, but their commanders shouted a threat that made their fighting spirit rise again.

Then, there was a barrage of attacks from tank cannons and combat vehicles.

Medium-to-large-caliber bullets tore through the metal armor of the enemy troops, and turned them into fragments. The continuous firing for several minutes was done so that the friendly troops were avoided from danger, and could carry out other supporting attacks.

The enemy that had run out of its flagship weapon had no other way to deal with the invasion of TNI fire magic.

Then, Nio had a dream when a friend dragged his body to a safe location, with the medics ready.

Nio was only a 6-year-old child, and a 30-year-old man was holding his hand. Only the two of them, without a woman, could make this family whole again. Her mother left them both one week ago.

Nio and his father are walking through a ruined village road and many potholes, his destination unknown.

“Mr...?” Nio looked up, only to see his father.

Dad smiled. It was a sight that Nio wanted to see once more, and made it nostalgic.

Under the sizable sour tree, Nio's father knelt down with a dejected look. He saw his son standing firm, in contrast to children his age who were difficult to stand upright. It also made him remember the past.

Nio was quickly able to calm down, and looked at his father cheerfully even though the atmosphere was still shrouded in grief.

“Don't feel like you're alone, you'll do everything I can until you find happiness. After all, in the future, you will have an amazing story of struggle with great friends.”

Still on his knees, until his face was level with the eyes of little Nio, the 30-year-old continued:

“You will grow beyond your father, Nio.”

Surprised by his father's words, Nio looked at his two tiny palms, which were not even able to hold a pencil properly.

Then, Nio wanted to call out his father's name once again, but his voice did not want to come out.

Now, he looked at his palm again, which was now only his left hand left. In front of him, the father who used to be quite tall, was now only as tall as his shoulders. The adult man in front of him put on a happy face, until both eyes glazed over. However, there was no communication between the two of them.

Nio's only hand was stretched out, trying to reach his father who was now in a state of light enveloping his entire body.

Nio realized, in front of him was only the ghost of his father, so no talk was heard.

Yet…

“How's your fight, Nio? It must hurt, right? And your strength now allows me to see you again. Sorry.”

Nio wanted that his father's ‘maaf’ greeting was wrong, but the only thing that came out was his head shaking. He did want to say that his struggle up until now was very painful, and it was not a lie. It was painful to see her father, who had suffered for her sake, now come back almost to tears.

It was painful to see a father who was supposed to rest in peace, but got back up just to say ‘maaf’. Nio would never forgive his father, for never seeing his great struggle. Her next pain was that she had never met her real father.

But still, he was able to look back at his father's ghost as it managed to struggle so far. He could withstand the days he spent fighting the enemies of the fantasy world in a fruitless struggle, relentless fighting, and, and the painful nights because he had to see enemies and friends who kept getting killed that became his bitterness every day. However, he fought for the purpose of protecting all those who needed his strength, and continued his father's words.

If he did not hold his promise, he had long since died on the battlefield. Because there death continues to wait, but he is the ‘Living Life’. There were many rich words that his father wanted to hear.

But no sound was heard from him.

Nio's father laughed, his voice was firm and able to make Nio somewhat daunted.

“Sometimes visit my grave and your two mothers. You still have a long life .. take care of yourself and Arunika well .. you are a hero .. be happy, don't keep putting on a stiff face.”

Nio's body was finally able to move, and he advanced forward to hug his father.

She felt a tremendous relief after doing a warm hug, albeit with the ghost of her father. His father seemed to put on a happy face, until his eyes closed tightly so as not to shed tears.

Then, after releasing a hug, Nio saw the figures of his two mothers, and countless fallen comrades lined up behind his father. He's not gonna see them again.

Then, something made the light that enveloped the entire ghostly body in front of him fade away. Nio wanted to grab his father's hand before parting ways, yet all he held was ghosts, the thing that separated the living and the dead blocked Nio's goal.

All the ghosts of the people he knew and knew him smiled as they slowly disappeared. Nio knew he would not succeed in grabbing everyone, but he still tried with a sad face.

“Avigate him!”

A voice, continued a very powerful slap woke Nio from his sleep.

Nio's only eyes stared at the dull ceiling of the Peace Forces Military Medical and Medical Center and the Guild. Nio blinked his left eye several times, until his vision returned to normal. Several life support devices and moniters are on the side, emitting the sound of ‘bip’ that matches his heartbeat. Then, his nose smelled an annoying disinfectant scent.

A sensation in his heart prompted him to hide his face, afraid that someone might see his expression. Prolonged emotions are a mixture of feelings of longing, sadness, and high levels of loss. Fragments of fond memories in times of peace filled his mind.

As his left eye looked around, he was mobbed by many people. Then, as he looked up to see the faces of everyone, all he found was the entire girl surrounding him. They all smiled at him so sweetly, that Nio could only reply with an awkward smile.

Then, his vision turned to the large window of his room being treated. He saw a number of men looking at him full of envy and a very strong hatred.

“Finally you are aware..”

That's not a girl's voice!

A man known to all in Indonesia appears among the girls.

The man spoke softly which reminded Nio of someone who could be forgotten after his tenure ended.

“Pak. He had just experienced a long sleep due to the side effects of the surgery. Please don't..”

“I understand. I just want to exchange words with Nio.”

The nurse warning the man could be confirmed to be one of the Guild's medical soldiers.

“Good day, one of my mainstay soldiers. Do you remember who I am?”

Normally, answering such an easy question only took less than a second, but it took Nio a few seconds to process all of his memories. His mind was jumbled, probably due to the powerful dope effect.

“Surya Roso Asmoro! Mr Suroso?! Sorry, I can't remember you for a while. That must have offended you a lot. Again, a big apology from me!”

After a battle that almost destroyed one of the biggest fortresses of Arevelk Kingdom, the, peace Forces headquarters sent reports to the TNI and the government regarding the outcome and anyone involved in the battle that resulted in a victory for the Guild. Many names of young soldiers were written in the report.

The frontline forces of Indonesia, North Korea, and Russia in the world have defeated the Alliance forces numbering one hundred thousand. Based on the confessions of several eyewitnesses and footage of butterfly drones deployed as additional eyes for TNI's Gandiwa, Nio managed to make the TNI traitor who became the Alliance's strongest warrior retreat in pain.

The TNI and all the armed forces of the allied countries of Indonesia are filled with excitement. Finally, they had a way that there was still a way to defeat the Alliance's strongest weapon called ‘Hero’ without the need to deploy a secret weapon. At the same time, many parties were worried about the safety of the soldiers in this world. There is an expression from powerful countries that the TNI has been desperate, so many young soldiers without adequate experience are sent to otherworldly battlefields.

That turned to anger as powerful nations mocked the decision by Indonesia, Russia and North Korea to form the third version of the Peacekeeping Force, and cast doubt on the Federal struggle. When almost every day get pressure from the enemy, what can be done besides fighting?

Enemies are very difficult to dialogue with, so the choice is to accept their challenge by being forced to do.

The well-being of the young soldiers was a major public concern. Teenage fighters must get a peaceful life, in the homeland with their loved ones.

Other than the memories of his past battle without regret, Nio felt nothing after losing his right hand ‘lag’.

“That's proof if you and the SMA warriors here are fighting hard,” said Suroso, both eyes glancing at the right shirt sleeve fluttering from the gust of a fan.

“Please sorry. I can't keep a mandate from you to take care of that very precious bionic hand.”

Suroso was surprised to hear Nio's revelation as if he could read his mind, while Nio's face was still down in lethargy with his left eye gaze still weak.

“Do you think I'll be angry? Moreover, the bionic hand is just a protitipe, with the original design being in the production stage. According to the people who developed the bionic hand for you, there are still a lot of flaws in all the technology. Would you like to use a bionic hand again? Which is not a prototype model?”

“So I'm just a guinea pig, yes?”

Using a test weapon in battle could actually be said to be a suicide, but Nio was still alive today even though his bionic hand prototype had countless flaws, yet he did not dare to complain about it.

“We were all chosen by you as members of the 12th Team. And that's why we can't accept what you're doing, Commander. You alone may be enough to defeat a powerful enemy, but that doesn't mean you can make the decision to fight alone. Don't do that again.”

“Everyone is very worried about you.”

As the Barista and Master said that, the expressions of the entire 12th Team seemed to worry Nio greatly.

Seeing the smiling Nio in response to the words of his members, Suroso smiled.

“Maybe the steps we set are too dangerous. Rest assured, we do not intend to treat the troops here badly. Anyway, the soldiers of TRIP here are the successors of the struggle.”

Nio replied, “Well, I believe in your words. I'm sure, a lot of people in the government, the armed forces of Indonesia, Russia, and North Korea are putting together a plan that makes it difficult for us here because they don't know what's going on here.”

But, that doesn't mean Nio has trusted everyone.

Obtaining the order means having to carry it out in total, even if what is done is not in the standard operational procedures. At least, there are still some parties who ‘kasian’ against the struggle of all the soldiers sent to this world. Even Nio who is in a condition severe enough to have to get surgery to remove the rest of his bionic hand again gets an offer to use a real bionic hand.

But, once he finished carrying out his duty as a soldier, and once all the enemies had been defeated, would he and the entire fighter be forgotten?

That would be a very bad ending to imagine, beyond anything.

Teenagers who become soldiers have special rights in law, although on the other hand they remain the same as ordinary soldiers in the eyes of the law. The government remains responsible for the welfare of the High School soldiers and their families, but cannot decide based solely on sympathy.

After everyone left him to rest quietly in the treatment room, Nio stared at the transparent ceiling that made him able to see the two moons of this world. He sighed, missing his lover.