High School Soldier
Find a new one

“Here First Lieutenant Nio Candranala. I want to ask you about the new member and the change of my unit to platoon.”

Nio contacted the headquarters to reconfirm the order that Team 12 got.

From the phone conversation, Nio was asked to return to the headquarters to get an explanation from General Angga and a number of influential officers in the Peace Forces.

The frontline has not taught the officers at the headquarters much worse reality than the propaganda words full of lies. However, it seemed that Team 12 agreed to change their form from squad to platoon.

After the phone call ended, Nio prepared himself to return to headquarters alone.

**

“I'd like to hear your opinion on the improvement of field combat capabilities,” Angga and Nio are sitting in one of the General and Special Strategy Planning Staff rooms, he said, what was blocking the two of them was only a long table with thousands of papers piling up. In front of Nio is data on the second wave of troops after the return of a number of Indonesian and Russian contingents. What Nio got from the data was just the number of soldiers sent out vastly increased. Arguably, the TNI really only sent soldiers and supplies, without additional weapons for the newly opened Western Line a few weeks ago.

As one of the commanders on the frontline, Nio put the data back on the table then sighed through half of his face covered in buff masks. The TNI will pay a heavy price with the decision of those who send troops without enough training and experience, Nio murmured.

Nio then said, “I'll say what it is. The new troops that were about to arrive another month did not have enough experience and training. They were probably new students from the Main Force Command who were only taught the rows-to-lines in formation and aimed at imaginary firing targets. Honestly speaking, they need to be trained to improve their true shooting abilities and open combat. In addition, the West Line is a trench fighting area, so it will be very difficult to train them to adapt to trench fighting instead of city or forest fighting.”

“They certainly have a way to be useful. But, they cannot fight against enemy field artillery only armed with assault rifles,” replied General Angga while twitching his forehead.

Nio saw how dizzy Angga was withstanding the limitations of the troops fighting outside the original world. They both sipped black coffee in front of each other, and both grimaced for forgetting to put sugar in each other's drinks. Nio deliberately turned his back on Angga when drinking his coffee, so that the General did not see the condition of his face. He just didn't want Angga to be horrified or uncomfortable over his condition, and Angga himself understood it.

Even coffee that is supposed to give a soothing pleasure to the mind does not give what is expected. However, perhaps the sugar supply was not enough or was spent cooking for the thousands of soldiers returning from the battlefield. Poor quality instant coffee really has a taste like polluted water if not mixed with sugar.

“You can imagine it, Sir?” Nio asks Angga if the general feels like what the front line is that it is no different from the coffee they both drink. Bitter and ‘black’.

Angga responded with, “I don't mean to talk about the frontline, I know it's terrible there. The battle here is more severe and heavy than the previous war.”

“But, the previous war is more profitable, because there is no coffee without sugar. Basically, this world is the front line for a peaceful back line,” Nio said as he stared sadly at his cooling coffee, he expressed like a soldier who longs for family. The TNI's elected forces must fight in another world, removed from a quiet civilian life. It was not easy to include new personnel with lightning training that made them of low quality to join the Peace Forces and Guilds.

“You intend to give those beginners an experience in the front line directly?” ask Angga.

“If possible, they should be able to survive in the trenches first. If they could sleep in the cold, dark open terrain, it should slowly shatter their shadow of the otherworldly life as beautiful as it is in novels and fantasy comics. Beginners definitely want to be heroic, and become heroes after their return. But before that, they should be able to kill at least one little Goblin, that too if they were able to.”

The meaning of Nio's words was ‘Students of the Main Force Command who were sent to this world more beginners than TRIP’ members, so the first test that was suitable for them according to Nio was a duel against Goblin. If one of them has weak adrenaline and gives up, or does reckless acts, doing futile attacks, at least they know how to hold back. However, not a few soldiers are willing to sacrifice comrades-in-arms for their own safety.

Moreover, although no one could blame the weakness of belonging to a novice warrior, it was, Nio did not want to pollute the trench defended by the 12th Team and the Silent Killer was littered with battlefield diseases and members who could not keep clean.

“That's why, I want these kids..” Nio stopped his sentence, then gripped his head.

He saw Angga looking at him, but did not find the meaning of his superior gaze so he decided to ask, “Sorry, what is it, Sir?”

“Oh,” Angga slightly surprised. She remembered her grandson who was the same age as Nio, but was able to live a quiet life as a student. He then said, “I think how young you are, Lieutenant Nio.”

“There are many young people like me who have better careers. If talking about new troops, I will accept them if able to survive a month in trench combat on the Western Line.”

“Why do our talks widen to that? Forgetit. Let's go back to the main topic.”

Nio did not understand much about Angga, the general of the Indonesian contingent and one of the leading officers of the Guild and Peace Forces. As Nio knew, the superiors often had unreasonable orders and desires.

Nio politely obeyed what Angga asked and switched to the main topic without even asking a single question.

Nio's age might not be very common among officers, but all Nio could think of was a period of service, like a company employee who thought about a work contract or retirement that was constantly approaching.

“Let me speak first, Sir. Right now, we cannot expect the Headquarters to deliver such a large amount of supplies for mobile battles like now. All we can do is attack or be attacked, of course while saving ammunition and weapons.”

In any case, Nio talked about the limited firepower that the Peace Forces had, both the Indonesian and Russian contingents. Losing a weapon or killing an army on the battlefield is very realistic. That was the case in the long war, where both armies were in competition for the most resource consumption.

Even if the trench fighting in Western Medan occurs at night, machine guns and medium tanks, as well as robotic armor systems are unable to make the enemy surrender. It would be very easy if the troops there were supplied with anti-tank weapons, as well as multipurpose helicopters. The witches that Arevelk, Yekirnovo, and Hayvan send are valuable assets, where they get protection from fighters there. Nio thought the field commanders who served with him should be able to think practically and expect no casualties on the part of the Guild and Peace Forces during the battle in Western Medan. If the new troops see Indonesian or Russian soldiers killed, they may soon follow before setting foot on the ground.

After all, Nio was no longer an amateur fighter. Nio did not want the valuable assets to just die because of the fault of the supreme command holder.

Angga spoke, “It is difficult to imagine any mobile battles on the West Line. You may be right, we should focus on supply and training, but..”.

Angga did not say anything that could answer Nio's statement.

What appeared on Angga's face was a pitiful expression, an emotion of self-blame, and hate because the Headquarters sent so many students to battle without supplies.

“They can fight with passion without adequate supply, and that is the problem. We cannot ignore the small losses affecting the strength of the Guild and the Peace Forces.”

“Pak, it should be until today we have not suffered any loss.”

Apparently, Nio thought that the troops were experiencing losses within a reasonable range. Compared to the war in Indonesia and the Great Siege of the First Alliance, the number of casualties in the war now was not comparable. However, most people do not just use human death in war as a measure of the severity of a war. But, the actual ‘angka’ will make people shiver in fear of a war, for example World War 2 which has a number exceeding the scattered numbers.

The impact of the attacks produced by Indonesian and allied weapons resulted in too high casualties on the part of enemy forces. To reduce the number of unnatural casualties on the enemy side, the country decided to limit the delivery of weapons to the TNI in this world on behalf of ‘Human Rights’. Most of the weapons sent were assault rifles and infantry fighting vehicles along with fuel and ammunition. If the strength that the Indonesian troops had was only that, it was only natural that Nio and Angga suffered from headaches.

Of course the number of weapons with warriors was greatly inversely proportional. By imagining the thoughts of the people in the government, Nio finished his coffee with a bitter expression, then chewed nicotine gum instead of cigarettes.

To the layman, the huge gap in experience between veterans and new recruits was only visible by how much fighting they went through. Although Nio had lost several subordinates, but the victims only accounted for a small portion of the total. Then, the new soldiers that were to be sent to this world must have a sense of spirit facing the first fight since the inauguration.

Before the enemy used firearms and Hero assistance, Nio felt himself lucky. Although the weapons used by the majority of enemies date back to the 20th and 21st centuries, it took a long time to adapt.

“Lettu Nio, don't you have a plan to train new troops and minimize the losses on our side during the war here?”

“I do not have enough rank to exercise such authority. But if I do it, I will do my best. Our only option for the new soldiers and reducing losses is to hold on and teach them to fight step by step.”

Nio did not know if the Alliance had snipers, but Heroes and Magicians were troublesome weapons to deal with without any preparation and experience. Although the Guild and the Peace Forces had more quality than the Alliance, but the enemy had a quantity capable of balancing it.

The trenches used as protection and defense during the fighting on the Western Line only reduced the development budget. The trench was unable to withstand large-caliber field artillery, although bunkers were built in large numbers. Even for Nio it was very difficult to organize a Mixed Battalion in a trench battle. “Do not gather in the same place! Split!” it seems very difficult for the ‘senior’ Nio to understand the meaning of the command in the middle of a battle. Even after the battle there were only injuries, but it was the result of not wanting to learn from the Main Force Command members about how to fight the ancient battle, such as the trench battle. Nio did not want more and more injuries, or the medicine box would fill the trench.

The battle of the trenches would of course change the TNI's battle doctrine. The troops will require new troops who are not accustomed to adapting to how to fight in the trenches. Although it looks comfortable and safe, the trenches maintained by the Peace Forces and the Guilds on the Western Line are still prang terrain. New and veteran warriors alike must deal with the sudden incursion of an army of enemy humans, monsters, and witches. Worse, marines and combat vehicles don't have much of a chance to play a role.

“General Angga, it seems you also agree that we should increase the troops with limited supply as of now,” Nio said as he justified his buff to cover a portion of his severely injured face.

In other words, both the new forces that will fight in the sea, land, and air of this world need to be educated to get used to the changing environment.

Nio nodded at Angga's response. The magicians Arevelk, Yekirnovo, and Hayvan are trained by their respective countries with the doctrine they will exert battle magic and protectors for allies from the other world, so they suck in guerrilla fighting and covert operations. However, they couldn't protect thousands of allies at once, and then became the target of an infuriating enemy.

“As war in Indonesia. Even in our troops, there are many novice troops who do not obey the orders of superiors, and end up being slaughtered by the enemy,” said Angga.

Nio grimaced in response to Angga's words, though his mouth was covered in buffs. He was once one of the rookies who disobeyed the commanding order, thus endangering his comrades. Once he was in a commander-led unit with psychopathic traits, and managed to capture 20 enemy soldiers. Nio and his comrades were ordered to execute the captives who had declared themselves surrendered, and of course Nio refused because there was no command from the command to do so. The danger is not the enemy who has surrendered, but the commander who is bloodthirsty and happy to kill the enemy who has surrendered.

When one person does a problem, there will be many problems that are closer. There has been an investigation, but no officer has yet been found who always commands his subordinates to kill the surrendered enemy soldiers. When Nio imagined his past, he thought that he needed to be a good commander. He no longer needed to worry about the figure would become his commander.

Even if the Peace Forces and the Guild decide to kill about 50,000 prisoners, it could potentially lead to large-scale fighting. The massacres might have reduced potential enemies, but they were still wrong.

After the two officers showed each other worries, where the mistake of one novice soldier could cause severe losses. Nio was worried that the novice warrior who could not understand the command could not be a major component in the high-risk battle.

“You in this world already know one more right? I imagine you have so many experiences beyond me.”

“If combined with the period of duty with the Expeditionary Force, I have been in this world for 2 years. I never think about experience or anything like that, but I can use experience as material when teaching.”

Nio could use his experience to prevent the deaths of the soldiers under his current leadership, a long-standing mistake he did not want to repeat. In everyday civil life, problems in a company can be solved by firing the person who made the mistake. However, on an armed battlefield, the fault of one person meant the death of everyone. What is known as ‘soul korsa’ really applies, maybe including ‘one dead, all dead’. If one person fails, all die. If one person messed up, a fierce battle would not be won despite sacrificing all comrades.

“The real problem is not the fighting power of the new troops, but the real combat experience that complicates all the instructors here,” muttered Angga. He then continued, “For Nio, he has been here too long, and his subordinates have been doing combat operations too often.”

Unwittingly by Nio, Angga has planned something for Team 12 and the unit under Nio's responsibility is the Silent Killer.

“About your service time..”

“What's the matter about it, Sir?”

“You will definitely give the young members the experience, but before that, prepare everything in this one month.”

What the new troops needed was not just the experience of an instructor, that was what Nio thought. So, even though he was reluctant, Nio received the order of being an instructor for the prospective new members of his platoon.

“Siap, carry out.”

There is no point in training a group of warriors who have sworn ‘rela bet their lives for the sake of country, religion, and family’, or simply they are just would-be corpses. The battlefield is where absurd things can happen. There was no clarity on the battlefield about when the battle occurred, or the offensive attack to suppress the Alliance. As long as it was the center of the matter, the troops had to be continuously trained to be able to respond to orders at any time.

“If there is a chance to train would-be members in trench warfare, I want them to fight alongside your unit,” Angga said.

It was true that Nio's squad would rise in level to become a platoon, with some new personnel as its members and Team 12 as its instructors. This is why the war was a bad event, Nio thought, the war numbs humanity, and it will drive fighters mad at the lazy insistence of civilians and government people who only expect protection and security from them.

“But, before the 12th Team carries out that task, I want you to gather with your loved ones for one month.”

“Sorry, Sir. Does that mean we get time off?”

Nio really hopes to get a rare item called ‘luburan’, he put on a face like a student who heard the announcement that the school was off for two weeks, but originally had two years off due to a pandemic.

Angga then replied, “True. You will need time to prepare the material. I want you and your unit to do their best to give the young squad the experience.”

Crazy one! One month off?! Did I just get a miracle?! Suddenly Nio's spirit exploded in his heart, although his face still showed a serious expression. He knew that doing something hastily and looking at the cleric would lead to failure, and he felt how easy it was to fall into the trap.

“Siap, understand! I will immediately inform the unit that they will be on vacation for one month.”

“Good, I will immediately prepare his affidavit. But earlier, sorry for the various unreasonable tasks for Team 12, I was really counting on you and your unit, Lettnu Nio.”

“Ready! Thanks, Sir! I will soon collect material during holidays!”

Making time for family and friends in the home unit is what Nio wants since he was forced to serve in this world until the deadline that has not been set.

“I want you and your subordinates to spend time with loved ones. Or maybe you already have a boyfriend, Nio? If you have one, you better meet him soon. He must have been looking for you if he knew you were coming home,” Angga said with a face and tone like a love expert.

“Search? Find a new one maybe,” said Nio with a relaxed face that made them both laugh.

“If he is really looking for a new one, do not let your task be neglected because it is constantly upset. I don't want any of the mainstay subordinates to be weak as a result of love.”

That was the importance of the relationship between the commando and the field officer being close, so that Nio and Angga could joke around like father and son.

“You will probably bring some girls during the holidays.”

Angga handed over a number of pieces of paper containing permission from Hevaz, Zariv, Edera, Ebal, and Huvu to follow Nio back to his home world.

**

When Ebal, Huvu, Edera, Hevaz, and Zariv get permission to come with Nio back to the original world, there are two girls who reflect in their respective workspaces.

Assistant Sigiz and Sheyn tried hard to encourage the two leaders of the country to keep working, even though they did not get a vacation and have fun with Nio in Indonesia.

“”Why should I be queen?!”” they both shouted like that at the same time, even though the capital of the two countries was hundreds of kilometers away.

**

Finally, we arrive at the ‘Bin’ War arc.

But before, I'm sorry I didn't update long enough. I really didn't mean to keep you waiting long.

For the Inner War arc will be filled with various dark and dark sides on the Indonesian side during the war, romantic stories full of drama, and do not forget the action. The reason I made this arc, is because you must be tired of reading endless war stories, without romantic stories. I'm sure you're curious about the secrets that haven't been revealed in this story.

I want to tell you about the dark and dark side of Indonesia during the war, so that you know that Indonesia is not only the one being fought. As is known, there is no good and evil figure, which is on the side that must be able to achieve victory at any cost even though it must sacrifice various things. This was also the case on the Indonesian side during the war.

For a romantic story, I think you want there to be a hot and passionate seasoning of scenes other than drama. But in my opinion, a suitable partner for a romantic story other than a hot scene is action.

The story of the main character saving or fighting for the heart of the idol with various unexpected actions I think it is very good if used as a story in this arc.

So, just wait for the next episode.