The World of Guns: 17th advance

THAT WAS EASY.

DAY 58.

RANK: GENERAL.

FUNDS: 510,000,000.

Tyler and Rey slept through the next 36 hours to wake the morning of the third day on the floor utterly refreshed and ready for more. sally had not moved either and the Soldier smiled as he hugged them both.

"Morning, Gore."

"Morning Big Brother."

"Morning girls. I love you."

They smiled and showered in the car before Tyler headed to the command car. Rey went to clean her rifles. Tao was waiting with a report as he took his seat at the desk.

"Tai-cho. The exploration has progressed well. All Nazerick forces have been scrubbed from the floor."

"Anything of note found?"

"A few iconic in era vehicles and weapons. Nothing too special, Tyler-Sama. A miniboss was discovered in a cave. A Yeti. It has become a place of grinding Sir."

"It worth me checking out?"

She shook her head.

"No sir. It is merely target practice. The railways are secure, and supply shipments are steady."

"Good. Any issues within the forces?"

"Other then the usual complaints of cold and related issues? A certain eagerness to escape the floor is permeiating Sir. that is all."

Tyler nodded as he looked at the map of the world.

"So the forest of Germaine is secure. The coast is also holding secure. First floor?"

"Bridget has an update for you, Tai-cho."

"Thanks Tao."

She saluted and he brought up his link to the outside world. Bridget smiled as he appeared.

"Mornign Tyler."

"Morning Bridget. How bad is it?"

"The Warring Factions have sustained extreme losses on the floor. A mass attack from Nazerick saw them pinned between the starting city and the edge of the map. They were forced to work together and my GOD was it a hard pill to swallow. Once the force was fought off, another round of skirmishes broke out as the factions just are incapable of putting their shit aside."

"Makes sense. America?"

"Well. Congress dropped the ball. The country is in a state of unrest with MILLIONS taking to the streets as the members of Congress are still in their vacation homes. even if they returned today? The damage was done to the American economy and way of life. They're heading for a depression. A BAD one. the stock market is on the verge of crashing and the President merely told his people to be patient as he hit a BALL off a TEE at a MILLION DOLLAR A YEAR golf course. Yeah. People are getting desperate."

The Soldier nodded.

"And the pedo ring thing?"

"That got swept under the rug when a mass shooting of several hundred people took place at a concert. Balaykia is now having her people leak the evidence it was sanctioned by the government to make sure Congress does SOMETHING. But it'll be another two weeks untill they return to session."

"And nothing short of a crisis of ungodly proportions will make them cancel their vacation. Heito and the football?"

"Heito has given Congress an Ultimatium. either they get their forces in TWOG under control, or he will send the Football to Russia. Congress has taken his ultimatium under advisement and will discuss the matter when they return. The deadline is tomorrow for them to regain control."

Tyler shrugged.

"we tried."

"we did indeed. America will die by the Congress it elected itself. Democracy is a beautiful thing. So long as it is NOT taken for granted."

"Well. Not our problem. What's the latest from the Alliance?"

"right now there is a major offensive planned for the first floor. The plan is to send in a fresh 550,000 troops to secure a line from your current floor to the starting city. It does NOT have to be a perfect security line as that can be done while more men are funneled through it. The goal is to get you a fresh wave of troops for the effort."

"When is that to go into effect?"

"Once Heito's deadline is met. America won't last much longer."

"Alright. Anything from countries OUTSIDE the two factions?"

"India has rejected both terms of joining and nonaggression on the grounds Israel has joined the Allaince. so hasn't Pakistan. Iran, Irag, Afganistan, and a few other middle eastern countries have openly condemned the Alliance and their relationship with certain countries. Plus the Alliance's views on religion as a rule has them decrying us."

"And the leader of Israel is fine with them?"

"He asked for a concession. All he wants for his people is to live their lives in peace. And the Alliance agreed so long as they agreed to the rules. Religion is NOT to be banned, but it is NOT to be a ruling law. An agreement was reached."

"Good. Is there a label for the third faction in the world?"

"There is. They're referred to as The Old Guard. even Switzerland has joined the Alliance and they NEVER take sides."

"So there are three factions left in the world. Alright. The Old Guard we'll place the same embargo on and refuse to purchase their own goods as well now."

Bridget smiled.

"Heito asked for you to make a meeting with the rest of the leaders if you come up with any new rules and ideas. Cut out te middle man in Elisabeth's words."

"Oh that's fine. I'm still new at this."

She sent the invites out for the meeting and Keiskue walked in.

"Tai-cho."

"report, Keiskue."

"Sir. A new discovery has been made in a lake fifteen miles south."

Tyler took the folder as he moved the maps around until he had one of the area.

"15 miles south is....Ah. The Frozen Sea."

He opened the folder and blinked at a photo taken of something in the ice.

"Is that....a PREDATOR?"

Keiskue nodded also surprised.

"It does to be Sir. We documented it's existence but no attempts to reach the creature have been made."

"Okay. Huh. Can we break the ice?"

"we can Sir. Is that TRULY a wise idea? Predators are EXTREMELY skilled soldiers."

"They are. Which is why if we DO release it, I will kill it myself. It's POSSIBLE it's just an easter egg for us to find. A dead predator. Seen em before in other games. Mark the area off as restricted to heigher levels and we'll return later."

"Yes sir. There was another discovery in an abandoned outpost on the western flank."

Tyler took the file of a grisly scene. A pentagram of blood had been painted on the floor of an old barn with a human sacrifice in the center. The soldier frowned as he looked at it.

"Is it connected to the zombies?"

"we know not at this time. All we have is the image and the site."

"Hmm. Have Wisp look into it personally. It might be a satanic easter egg or it might be a clue to the zombies thing."

"I will pass the request along. That is all."

"Alright. dismiss."

The man saluted and left. Tyler looked to the number of open screens and Queen Elisabeth chuckled as he did.

"You're a general now, kid. How's it feel?"

"Kinda fun tellin people what to do all day."

"Ha!"

The leaders chuckled at that and Heito smiled.

"So you had a burst of inspiration?"

"I did. The Old Guard."

"Ah. You heard. Your suggestion?"

"We include them in the Embargo and refuse to buy anything from their countries."

Hino chuckled.

"We have already done that. That is what an embargo IS."

"OH."

The leaders busted up laughing at his mild noise and Bridget was heard chuckling.

"Sorry Tyler."

"Uuuugh my head hurts."

Balaykia chuckled at that one.

"You think of what you do. This is good. was that all?"

Tyler sat back as he considered the question before he tilted his head.

"Oh. There's an idea."

He looked at the now nervous leaders.

"So the possibility of a SINGLE currency for the Alliance?"

The leaders blinked at this and the Queen laughed.

"The ideas you come up with! My word just when I think you can't surprise me anymore HERE you are again! replace our entire currency systems as a WHOLE or merely instate a bill for the Allaince?"

"Hmm, I'd LIKE to replace it as a WHOLE. Since it is so FUCKING confusing keeping everything straight. ONE coin should equal ONE COIN across the board."

Hino chuckled as he sat back in his own chair.

"Again. A dance for the leaders and bankers. As that WOULD be a very interesting starting point for the alliance and would solidify it as well. Anything else?"

"Hey, heito."

"OH Shit."

"What's the odds of starting up Sensha-doe from Girls Und PAnzer as an ACTUAL sport?"

The emperor of Japan laughed.

"THAT is SUCH an OTAKU idea it's hilarious! I THINK we can do that!"

Balaykia lifted an eyebrow.

"WHAT is sensha-do?"

Tyler smiled.

"A sport with live tanks and live rounds designed to NOT pierce the armor. The show in question used the JAGD live fire system to detect hits. Kicker?"

"Do go on."

"It was a sport for girls."

The leaders snorted and Heito rubbed his eyes with a chuckle.

"Tyler you are a FASCINATING idiot. we'll get that set up the right way. I can see SOOO many people flipping for it."

"Next up. The Internet."

Heito smirked.

"Censors were removed."

"GOOD and NOT where I'm going with this."

"Explain."

"I'm thinking of making stuff humanity CANNOT live without, UNABLE to sold. Like food, water, clothing, and internet CANNOT have a price on them as they are BASIC human needs at this point. Follow or I lose you?"

Elisabeth had a sip of tea as she considered the idea.

"At LAST an ACTUALLY difficult NONDARK idea. I for one do see what you seek here, Tyler. yet entire cultures are built on such industries. How would they support themselves if we just GIVE it away? I am talking food here. Internet I completely agree."

Tyler sat back as he gathered his thought.

"If they grow the food that sustains their people, they are paid DIRECTLY by the government to do so. and it is a FIXED RATE. enough to live off of VERY happily. All costs are aided by the government so long as the yield is of GOOD OR BETTER QUALITY. As they are te backbone of society, even though it is being given away for free, it is NOT free if that makes any sense."

Balaykia had a thoughtful expression now.

"I see where you're ging with this. A world without money. and yet EVERYONE still gets what they need. Star Trek?"

"Kinda. I never did see the series. but understand they lived in a future where monetary gain had been phased out. Unless I'm off the mark here, doesn't that usually start with needs?"

Hino chuckled.

"If we do this, it will take MANY years to bare fruit. But if we DO, and we do it RIGHT, we can revolutionize human society at it's very core. We HAVE to try."

The heads nodded and Tyler whistled.

"Wow. I am rewriting the world from inside a videogame, and people are just going with it. THIS is a WEEEEIRD feeling man."

They laughed at that one and Tyler looked at Heito.

"The medical sale thing?"

"Has been put into effect. And the results are staggering. People in the MILLIONS are WILLINGLY signing up for the program. most are destitute, crippled, retarded offered by family, homeless, and suicidal. We have thousands of new experiements underway and some are already producing interesting data. we will have a breakthrough in DAYS. Only a question of WHAT breakthrough."

"well VR is covered so there's that."

They chuckled and Tyler smiled.

"We'll be on floor four in a few days."

The leaders blinked and Balaykia frowned.

"So soon? That doesn't make any sense."

"It does if the forest was never seen as a serious line."

Hino chuckled.

"They left their unfit for active duty soldiers to guard the line. and we all know how those lines end up."

Tyler nodded with a frown.

"I STILL feel like it was too easy though. NO ONe is THAT stupid and lazy in a time of war. It's like leaving your backdoor unlocked when your neighbor just got broken into."

Queen Elisabeth chuckled at this.

"Your inexperience is finally showing, Young Soldier. and that is both immensely reassuring, and humbling as well. There are numerous examples of leadership commiting that exact sin of war. Leaving some backdoor unlocked for the enemy to get through while they focus all their attention on the front door. Remember in the first world war how Norway was invaded."

Tyler blinked at that before smiling sheepishly.

"I guess I overestimated them. Not a BAD THING, but an unnessecary worry."

Heito chuckled.

"Oh it is VERY nessecary, Tyler. Never let your guard down."

"for THAT is when the knife finds you. An assassin play. Interesting."

He looked from the screen to where Selena was resting on a couch. The blonde smiled.

"Already done. Assassins were my first thought when we secured the city."

"Thanks Selena."

Tyler looked back to the leaders and shrugged.

"All I had."

They nodded with smiles and Heito ended the meeting.

"we look forward to the NEXT headache you give us, Tyler."

The screens closed and Tyler took a deep drink from his flask before he refocused. Selena saw this and frowned.

"Tyler."

"Yeah?"

"EASY on the relaxer. You'll develop a habit."

He smiled sheepishly as he went to light a cigeratte.

"Wow. Now you're using HER lines?"

"Um, your hand?"

"Wow."

"Yeah. It happens to the most obstinate soldier. Don't worry. I gotchya."

"Thanks Selena."

She smiled and hugged the younger boy.

"You're still only fifteen. Don't forget that."

He smiled as he hugged his advisor and future foster mother.

"I'll try not. So long as YOU try not to turn into HER."

"OOOH I promise not to."

He smiled and looked at the maps.

"anything to report?"

"A coal mine was discovered near hackney. The locals are using it for funds. A troll den was found in the upper mountains and torched. No injuries or losses, an orc camp was roasted with tanks here. And there's a yeti miniboss up here."

"Kinda sad we didn't encounter the kraken on the ocean."

"ME too. But hey. Next time."

He nodded and looked the maps of the floor over. Most of the floor having been filled in with the rapidly diminishing grey areas getting his attention.

"Once the floor is fully filled in we'll move to fine toothed comb. No zombie challanges?"

"None thus far. A few easter eggs like a dead predator, dinosaur bones and a frozen mammoth, but that's it. The mountain has worries for an avalanche-"

"WHAT?"

Tyler jumped at that and looked at the blonde intensely. She had a new look of shock as she answered.

"Yeah, the soldiers are worried about an avalanche. Seems there was a thaw-OH MY GOD."

Tyler had the radio the next instant.

"GET TROOPS TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN NOW! THOSE IDIOTS ARE TRYING TO SET OFF AN AVALANCHE! GET PLANES UP NOW! I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO!"

Selena hit the alarm and the ENTIRE FLOOR came to life with a BELLOW! Tyler was OUT of the train looking at the massive peaks soaring above their heads.

"if those go they'll bury the entire valley. Jesus CHRIST how did I miss that?! they didn't NED to defend this valley! the ENTIRE mountain is a weapon!"

"SIR your plane is ready!"

'GET everyone out of the valley! NOW!"

Tyler raced to where his monowing was sitting on a line of tracks with a flight of similar planes. He was already taxying as he rolled along the lines.

"we have ONE objective people: SECURE the mountain top at ALL costs. If we DON'T we die."

The force was racing to get off the floor as Tyler had his plane in a forced climb up the mountain.

"Jesus CHRIST we're 36 hours late. MOVE dammit!"

He FORCED his plane to climb at a steep angle at the first peak as a series of extreme antiair fire opened up from hidden pillboxes in the mountains.

"IGNORE THEM. we need to reach the summits!"

Rey's frantic voice was heard ont he radio.

"They blocked the floor exit! we're trapped!"

"USE A TANK DAMMIT GET OFF THE FLOOR!"

"We're trying but they STUFFED it with cement!"

"GET OFF THE FLOOR!"

Tyler was the first to reach the top of the first of four peaks around the valley. sure enough there was a mass of men readying demo charges in a frantic hurry. Tyler flew right at them firing machineguns. The commander being the first to go as the powerful .303 caliber rounds tore through the Nazerick mountain division and the detonator on the top.

"Peak one secure."

"Peak two secure."

"Peak three encountering stiff resistence!"

"Peak four unreachable! request immediate fire support!"

Tyler had his plane HOWLING on the turn as on the ground a massive explosion rocked the tunnel leading to the next floor.

"Clear! GO, GO, GO!"

The Soldier nodded.

"Rey you go too."

"I am NOT leaving you behind!"

"I'll be fine. I am NOT losing you like this."

"I love you too."

"GO."

The white Elephant led the formation into the tunnel with the rest of the Razgriz Tank battlion backing her. Tyler flew to the fourth peak which was the one closest to the capital city and was in a vicious climb as heavy flak fire opened up with airburst shells. The pilot dodged them with rolls and spins until he soared high above the 4,000 foot peak. He turned a loop and poured more lead into the men atop the peak. Their detonater was hit hard and so was the rest of the 30 man squad.

"Peak four secure."

"Peak three has been detonated! MOVE!"

A thundering rumble was heard as a mass of white snow roared down the mountain near Glumburg and Tyler sighed as the entire town was buried under a thousand tons of snow.

"Status for the town?"

"Sir! All Allied and locals had been evacuated prior! NO losses from the avalanche beyond the town itself."

"KILL the rest. destroy the peaks."

"SIR!"

Rey's voice was heard on the radio.

"we're fighting off a tank battalion Gore. We've reached floor four."

"Losses?"

"A few injuries in the scramble and some dented tanks. Gleipnir is secure as well. we're okay."

Tyler let out a massive breath of relief as he dropped a 25 pound bomb in a gun emplacement.

"Jesus that was too close. I KNEW it was going too well. okay. we are switching gears."

The emplaced Nazerick bunkers were obliterated by the angered air force and Tyler flew his plane THROUGH the tunnel to the next floor as the rest landed. He blew out of the other side and into the blue sky with a roar of his engine and was met by nearly INSTANT anti air flak fire. Tyler had an ice cold expression on his face as he weaved around the flak to drop bombs on gun emplacements and gunrun clusters of troops. when his ammo ran dry he landed at the back of the army and had his rifle out to join the frontline ranks of troops as they sniped at the entranched Nazerick forces. The floor was a massive forest stretching into the distance with clean open skies and a warmth that was stifling for the winter troops. The line they now fought with was a VERY well fortified trenchline at the fringe of the forest defended by tanks and troops. Tyler had ice in his eyes as he dropped soldier after soldier with accurate shots until he ran out. He reloaded and took an antitank bundle on a sling and threw the thing into the trench with a heave. A yell was heard before the grenade exploded and Tyler slammed a baynet on his rifle and bumrushed the trench with a near MINDLESS rage. He dodged gunfire and grenades while ignoring the yells of his fellow troops until he reached the enemy trench. he dove into the pile of men stabbing one in the chest before his twin colts were out rhe same instant firing into the packed masses. He tossed them up as they ejected the spent magazines, lifted the reloaded into the grip as they came down to keep firing. The Nazericks were caught off guard by the savage assault and left many dead int eh hole as Tyler's rifle was retrieved and he leapt at the next cluster using the gun as a makeshift spear to cut his way through the trench. Men fell to him like wheat to a reaper and when he impaled a man the twin colts came out to rain lead. Tyler had a soulless glare in his eyes as he worked and not even the rattle of an enemy AV7 tank made him back down. The 5.7 centimeter gun fired into the trench and Tyler leapt out of the thing to rush the backing away tank. The berserk Soldier reached the front where he slapped four sets of dynamite on the hull before leaping into the trench on the plunger. the tank exploded and he was faced with a packed trench of Nazerick men aiming rifles at him. he smirked with his twin colts out and ready to keep fighting when a howling sound was heard. A nazerick looked up and screamed as heavy artillery fire from Tyler's troops rained into the trench while masses of Razgriz forces poured into the trenches. Tyler still wore his glare of death as he retrieved his rifle from the heart of an enemy soldier and leapt out of the trench on the enemy side. He pulled the bolt back with a dark light in his eyes while the men secured the line.

"NOW it's PERSONAL."

ALL that heard his icy rasp shuddered. Tyler eapt over the trench line to his side of the lines and went to the newly established command center. Selena, Wisp, Rey, Tao, Keiskue, John, Neo, and the rest were waiting. Rey had a grim expression as she saw the blood covered soldier.

"So THAT'S your dark side."

Tyler looked at her before nodding to the map.

"Get the line secure and a proper base set up. we've gotten used to being the best and we went soft because of it. we'll get our edge back."

Selena looked him in the eye.

"LOOk me in the eye."

He did and she shivered from the ice in his gaze.

"So is THAT what you were like?"

"Lady we almost died because of an oversight. A VERY OBVIOUS oversight. for FUCKS sake I GREW UP in a MOUNTAIN range! I shoulda KNOWN that was their play from the get go!"

He gritted his teeth in self-aimed frustration before he looked at the map.

"Okay what's their plan? It's flatland...forest. they're gonna set the forest on fire on the next good wind storm. If that's not it, it'll be a mass blockade on this river here as it cuts the entire area in half. Backup plan would be a mass air assault with incindaries due to the forest. Other option...."

Selena sighed as Tyler listed off plan after plan after plan no matter how obscure.

"Great. that last one hit him."

John walked over and Tyler didn't even glance in the bigger man's direction as he looked at the differing ideas and strategies and solutions to those strategies.

"NOW you are going down the slope."

"We're at WAR John. We need to focus. I am NOT letting us get caught like that again."

"JUST YOU?"

"YOU didn't think of an avalanche, did you?"

"THIS is your answer to such a close call? regressing to a MONSTER?"

"Demon."

"HOW are you BETTER then the people on the first floor now?"

"Fact I'm up HERE trying to keep everyone ALIVE."

Rey kissed the Soldier and he shivered as she did. The blonde smiled.

"We're okay, Tyler. Really."

He shivered again.

"Damit, rey that was too close. WAAAY too damn close."

"We lived."

"I nearly lost you."

She sighed and hugged him.

"But you didn't. YOU saved us. ALL OF US. That's the important piece."

He sighed and the ice in his eyes started to melt.

"Did we leave anyone behind?"

Tao smiled.

"No Tyler. NOT a SINGLE soul was left behind."

He let out a massive breath as he relaxed and when he reopened his hands there was a line of cuts from his fingernails in the palms. Rey smiled as she hugged him tighter.

"They won't get that close again, Tyler. Not when you're on alert now."

"Sorry Rey."

"Forgiven. And that charge WAS the most badass thing I've seen in QUITE some time."

Tyler smiled at that and his eyes returned to their usual cocky cheer.

"Thanks Rey. There's a REASON I'm the best we have."

Selena hugged him now herself.

"There is. And NO ONE thought of an avalanche, Tyler. NO ONE. Yet YOU DID. We're safe."

"Ugh. TWO blood barbies."

Rey and Selena looked at each other and noted their bodies were covered in blood from hugging the Soldier and Neo whistled.

"That was kinda clever. Huh."

Tyler chuckled before he looked at rhe map again.

"Alright. We'll get our trenches dug and properly-"

A loud whistling sound prempted a hail of artillery fire as Nazerick launched an immediate counterattack. Tyler growled as he leapt into the trench with his lewis up firing into the trees as the artillery tore holes in his troops.

"GET THE TANKS UP! Medics get moving! Snipers aim for thinkers! Come on people we're RAZGRIZ! SEND THEM TO HELL IN A BUCKET!"

The morning air was filled with the sound of howling thunder and the screams of the dying as the two massive armies clashed. Tyler had the livefeed up as he emptied his drum mag fed machinegun into ranks of Nazerick shooters. Men dropped either side of him and he dropped as well with needles to revive them and they were back on the line. Tyler had his glowing cherry rifle down for a reload when a grenade landed beside him.

"GRENADE!"

He dove on it and the thing blew. He was blown into pieces by the thing and his head landed beside Selena of all people. The CSAR medic saw the head land and she stabbed it with a needle the next instant. Tyler regenerated a body and smiled.

"I owe you one massage!"

she laughed as he leapt up with his MG18 and a hundred round belt pouring into the treelines with two tanks firing over his head at enemy armor. Selena was running along the trench focusing on healing and reviving people then shooting back. MOST of the army was focusing on revives and resupply then shooting back as to prevent the death of a single soldier. Tyler blew through his last round and found he had no other belts.

"OUT! I NEED AMMO!"

"Here Tyler!"

John appeared with a fresh box of belts and Tyler slammed the thing into the gun.

"Thanks John. We need antitank on the right flank!"

"On it!"

"We got a sniper in the tree! take the tree out! YOU throw a smoke! DROP THE ARTILLERY!"

The thunde rang thick and heavy as the two armies battled. Tyler was panting hard with stiff hands as he dropped to the trench bottom again out of bullets. He set the hot rifle aside and lifted his carcano up to pick snipers from tree. The sniper bounced from head to head to head in seconds with every shot dropping one head. When the sniper fire stopped, Tyler took off running along the trenchline sticking ddead with needles until he ran out. a medic dropped a medical box and Tyler grabbed a fistful of the needles to continue on his way to a mass supply depot the army had set up. There tyler swapped his empty rifles out for his rocket gun and panzershreck. Wisp was there with a few other long range snipers and the dirty blonde smirked.

"I got eyes on enemy armor."

"ALL TROOPS, LAUNCH FLARES!"

A rain of spotting flares went up that painted the entire enemy force on the horizon. Tyler smirked as he saw tanks through trees.

"TAKE EM OUT! Is my plane ready?"

Tao appeared with her own mg.

"No sir! NO room to launch! You try to take off you'd be shredded before you got into the sky!"

"Shit. Okay. Hard way it is."

He climbed onto the back of a truck and set the rocket gun on it's tripod and aimed at an AV7 playing blockade for a sniping St. Chamond. Tyler put the first 75mm round into the tower of the barn looking thing and the commander was killed. The tank then tried to run and wound up running it's own men over as Tyler giot a clean shot at the barrel of it;s 5.7cm gun. The rocket gun fired and the cannon exploded from the direct impact. The tank exploded right after and the soldier moved to the ST. Chamond. the thing aimed it's barrel at him but a smoke grenade blinded it as Tyler fired and the round took it clean in the barrel mounting. the blast setting off the round in the chamber and blowing the tank itself up. Tyler smirked at this as he slammed a fresh round in the tube. He then took aim at a renault and the round split the light tank clean in half. Tyler looked for fresh tanks and saw none in easy reach and so dropped off the truck to take a freah position. Rey appeared from the trench then firing into the trees and Tyler leapt in beside her. She smiled as he kissed her.

"Now THIS brings back memories!"

He chuckled as he pulled his BAR.

"We'll win this."

"Damn STRAIGHT."

Tyler set the 30-06 rifle on it's bipod and fired into the trees. Nazericks dropped several at a time as he reloaded the powerful support gun on the fly. Then a light breeze blew from behind Tyler and he smirked.

"MOLOTOV THEM!"

A mass of the fire bottles was thrown and Tyler smiled as they impacted the trees. The result was an instant inferno rapidly racing through the forest, TEARING through the Nazerick ranks. Tyler nodded.

"CHASE THEM!"

The whistle was blown and the Razgriz forces followed with chattering machineguns. Tyler smiled as they walked after the fire as it burned through the forest and ate the Nazericks alive. Tanks, grenades, bullets, and artillery all exploded from the intense flames while behind it was left a mass of charred trees and burned grass. Tyler smiled as the scent of burning pinewood wafted over the scent of burning human flesh.

"I love the smell of pinewood fires."

The army chuckled as they chased the NAzericks out of that region of forest. After an hour's run, Tyler nodded.

"And STAY out! All forces regroup at the trenchline for resupply and recover."

They left the fire to burn as they returned to the trench where a mass of healing was underway. Tyler panted as he returned to the command tent and the leaders gathered. Selena passed fresh canteens around.

"That was one HELL of an attack wave, Tyler. where the hell did it come from?"

The Soldier smirked Wryly.

"Welcome to floor four. Okay. Losses?"

Tao had a paper.

"500 men lost before we could revive them, Tai-sho."

"That's IT?"

"Hy. They were hit with artillery and their heads were unable to be found in the mess."

"Huh. THAT'S a visual bug as they're supposed to be visible no matter what. Nazerick forces lost?"

Keiskue slid another paper over.

"1,250,000 lost, Tai-cho. 300,000 tanks destroyed."

"OH MY GOD. I know this is a videogame an all, but DAMN."

Selena smirked.

"The battle for Tragonia."

"And we got ambushed too this time. Ha."

He pulled up Bridget and the woman had a cold beer in her hands.

"The world watched. Tyler. THAt was the SAME type of force that attacked Heulit and drove the players from the port. YOU not only held them off, you DROVE THEM BACK. 500 men. to 1,250,000. This the third largest battle in the Game. YOU'VE fought at TWO of them."

Tyler smiled tiredly.

"It's only going to get more intense, Bridget. I nearly died THREE times out there this time."

"We saw. And you still won."

The soldier nodded as he looked at Tao.

"Rig landmines in the remains of the forest. They'll be back. And we NEED to rest the army."

"Understood."

"Do we have access to flamethrowers?"

John nodded.

"We do. Hundreds of thousands."

"Arm flamer units and prepare to FLOOD that forest with flames. NAzerick is going to dig in. So we'll need to get ourselves a leg up. Get an airfield constructed and we'll be able to launch fighters. AA trucks ready for intercept, and we'll have artillery trucks ready to rain hell."

The heads nodded and Tyler smirked.

"And get a bath hole dug. Let's try to KEEP our decency."

They laughed at that one as the army split to it's tasks. Tyler with them. The next few hours passed in a frenzy as the war hyped troops worked to fortify their line and prepare for the next assault. As the sun went down, Tyler returned to the command tent and Bridget appeared.

"The invasion of floor 1 is underway. They have reached Tragonia and are enroute to Heulit."

"Good. we are going to need fresh waves of men to push the lines back further."

"We know. How can you get with what you have?"

"We'll be able to clear the floor and maybe the next one. After that, if we keep up the Blitzkrieg pace, we are GOING to grind ourselves to dust."

"So you'll be forced to halt the advance and rest the men."

"We will. And my plan is three divisions. The fresh wave reaches us, and the frontline is replaced. They relax, rest, do whatever. Then after a period, the second rank moves in and the frontline drops to rest. the now well rested front rank, take second. It'll take a cycle or two to get into the flow, but once it catches, a WELL oiled machine."

Bridget nodded.

"A VERY well oiled machine. Rest the army in thirds. Alright. we have our plan."

The soldier nodded as he looked at his crew.

"we have our own Quartermaster for the game. MAss upgrade across the board. Selena, you and Tao see to it. I want everyone's gear properly leveled for their character. I'll do so myself."

Rey nodded.

"My sniper needs a caliber increase."

"Got somethin to say to me, Rey?"

Tyler's mildly offended tone made the ladies laugh and his blonde girlfriend kissed him.

"GOOD one you idiot....and NO increases there. it won't fit otherwise."

"GOOD answer. I'll need to up the caliber anyway-"

"NO. it'll HURT."

"I meant my BAR. It's a 30-06. It's SUPPOSED to be a 30-60."

"DAMN you."

"Love you too, Rey."

She sighed at the trap and Tyler looked at the map.

"Once we've caught our breath, we'll launch spy sorties. I want to know what the Nazericks are doing. Then we'll see about some classic subterfuge and cloak an dagger shit. Selena, any a your girls good at the night time jab?"

"I hate you for how you said that, and for how much of it there was. we've a few assassins."

"Good. Have em smoke blades. Nazerick will be on the full backpedal after such a heavy assault. They'll go in, and drop poison in their cookpots."

The group blinked and Tyler smirked.

"Hallunciengins and fear toxins. Something that hits you RIGHT in the fight or flight like an angry gorilla."

Tao smiled.

"Hy! A classic indeed, Tai-cho! If we do this right, their army will attack itself!"

TYler nodded and he looked at Wisp.

"I need some a those shrooms you found."

"Death's Finger? YYEEEEESH."

Tyler chuckled as he looked back at the map of the thus far explored floor....and tilted his head.

"I wonder."

He looked at a smirking Selena.

"What's the new idea?"

"A MASS BOMBING run using the Gotha, Cuardons, and Zeppelins....at NIGHT."

They blinked and Tyler smirked.

"Think about it. Razgriz has NOT ONCE, GONE DARK."

Keiskue smiled.

"Tyler-Sama, an INGENIUS ploy. And one that has garned MUCH success in similar striats."

Selena crossed her arms.

"A night raid. Classic, and yet? We'd have to do it PERFECTLY."

Tyler nodded.

"We'll deploy scouts into the wood using modern camoflauge tactics. Ghilly suits I mean. Them things don;t HAVE a floor limit. If Nazerick did what I think they did, they will have pooled ALL their available resources....in this forest."

He tapped their current obstacle.

"We're less then a hundred miles from their capital. If we break this line, they will have NOTHING to hide behind. Hence their desperate attempt to overrun us and the mountain peaks being rigged."

Wisp crossed her arms as she looked at the maps.

"So if we take the capital, we advance to World War 2."

"Pretty much."

"I'm in. I want to fly in a Stuka."

Tyler smirked.

"Me? I wanna do a bombing run in a Flying Fortress."

John chuckled.

"An icon! And a plane I have seen wih my own eyes."

Selena smirked.

"funny. I'dda pegged you for the P51, Tyler."

Rey answered for him.

"THOSE we'll be getting a collection of, RIGHT TYLER?"

"A Zeke, Zero, P51, Three 109s, Two Yaks, a Hawker Hunter, A supermarine spitfire, and a Fockwule 190."

The pink eyed blonde nodded sagely.

"And TANKS?"

"A panzer IV, STUG III, Typer 89, T38, M3, Tiger 1, PORSCHE Tiger, we already have a BIS, a Chi-Ha, and a Hetzer."

Another Sagely nod.

"Ships?"

"We already have Enterprise and Elizabeth. Illustrious, Hornet, Belfast, Unicorn, Javelin, Laffey, Prince of Wales, Prinz der Urgen, and a few others."

"GOOD boy."

Selena sighed.

"You're gonna base our entire force around anime aren't you?"

"Ah, DUH."

They sighed and Tyler looked at the map.

"So we'll do the Night raid tomorrow night. Selena, rig spotlights up and have them do sweeps as if we're about to launch tonight."

"Misdirection, gotchya."

"Wisp, ready some tanks for a fakeout assault on the left flank. Tao launch a chipping assault on the right. Jon use heavy MMGs on the center for a heads down order. we'll keep them from attacking before we're ready."

They nodded and the Soldier smiled.

"Good. BREAK."

The army went to work with a will as the most tired troops got a rest and the fresher took their places. Tyler went to his tent where he found Sally waiting for him in her ghost form.

"Hi!"

He smiled as he patted the ghost girl.

"Hey Sally. enjoy the show?"

"You were AWESOME!"

He loved her adorable cuteness as he sat down with a groan.

"You okay big brother?"

"Oh yeah. That last one hurt like hell. You FEEL it when you get blown to bits."

Sally rested her head on his chest.

"You're fine."

He hugged her.

"Course I am! I got a guardian cutie RIGHT here!"

"Teehee! Yup!"

Tyler relaxed for a few minutes in his tent before Rey poked her head in.

"Soo, Tyler."

"What's up?"

"Just so you know? A bunker was found not too far from here with a set of tracks I think you might wanna see."

He got off the comfy bedroll and Sally waved as she settled on the warm patch.

"I'll keep it warm for you, Big brother!"

He chuckled at her happy squeak.

"She just HAD to say it like that, didn't she?"

Rey smiled as she took his hand.

"If she DIDN'T I would have been disappointed."

"YOU in a TIGER."

"YOU ina P51."

"YOU WIN."

She smiled and he kissed his beloved girlfriend.

"I love you, Rey."

"I love you too, Tyler."

The pair walked over to where the bunker had been found and Tyler noted they'd aimed an artillery gun at the cement doors well over forty feet back.

"THAT bad?"

Rey nodded to the tracks.

"We've seen those somewhere right?"

He looked and blinked at the 3 toed tracks nearly 5 feet long.

"Tyrannosaur?"

"Yeah."

"Set it UP."

The group chuckled at his sudden excitement and Tyler pulled his own MG18 to set on a bipod by the gun as the door had a rope attached to it. The rope was hooked to a tank and Tyler nodded.

"OPEN THE DOOR!"

The MKV kicked up dirt as the thing pulled on the rope and the doors creaked ope...before a massive bellow of rage was heard. The doors were bashed open by a 16 foot tall T-rex-

"LIGHT IT UP! MINIBOSS!"

The guns opened up on the immense predator and the artillery gun fired it's 105mm round. The thing slammed into the chest of the staggered rex and Tyler smirked as it dropped to the ground...and shattered to pixels.

"CEASEFIRE!"

The lead stopped firing and he walked over to the pile of loot.

"ALL weapon upgrades. OH! Higher caliber reciever and barrel for my BAR. 30-60. NIIIICE. Lights on people."

The flashlights were flipped on and the force walked into the 20 foot tall tunnel. Tyler had his trenchgun out with Rey her 1887s as the pair lead the expedition. The tunnel turned out to be an old labratory dedicated to cloning. Tyler chuckled at this classic easter egg and he looked at Rey.

"We find a jeep...we're keeping it."

"Ahhh YEAH."

The room was layered in shit and crushed equipment from the rex's occupation as the friends moved to a sealed door. Tyler used his shotgun butt to slam the handle off the door. He poked it open to be faced with a grisly scene. A dead man holding a black shotgun that had been used to blow the chest out of the velociraptor that killed him. Tyler smiled.

"Clever Girl."

Rey looked at her boyfriend and he smiled warmly.

"Oh go on."

She took the shotgun....and it was a stock SPAZ12 12 bore shotgun with toggle between pumpaction and semiautomatic and over folding stock. Rey smiled widely as she held the iconic shotgun...before she passed it t Tyler.

"YOU let me have every revolver we find. HEre."

He smiled.

"I love you too, Rey. and look behind you."

She did...only to squeal.

"RAGING BULL .44 MAGNUM! eeee! Yay!"

She was gushing over her new modern revolver as Tyler took the dead man's Aussie cowboy hat and put it on.

"Alright now then."

Rey whistled as he took the pamphlet for the shotgun.

"Dude. That just WORKS for you."

He smirked, pumped the shotgun onehandedly, and looked at her.

"Let;s go to hell together."

"OOOOOH I am SOOOO wet right now!"

Rey shivered at the image he;d given her and the Soldier chuckled as he looked around the room.

"This is clearly the control room. Some bullion laying round an da guns. Not bad."

The room was looted and they left. Tyler looked the pamphlet over for the new gun and he smirked.

"Level 4...and STOCK. I'll slap dragons breath on this."

Rey smirked.

"oh you THAT kinda dick?"

"Nah. Spaz12 dragon's breath can melt tank armor."

"Oh DAMN dude."

"Increase the tube from 6 to 12, add a better trigger and pump for faster rechambers, decrease the recoil and kick, yeah. I'll kit this muthafucka outright."

The group returned and Selena blinked as she saw the hat and shotgun.

"Robert Muldoon?"

"And the Big One."

"NAsty. that roar was a T-rex."

"We got a mass of upgrades. I took what I wanted and rey got a new gun."

"We'll pass em out."

TYler returned to his tent and found Sally snuggled up in a warm ball on the bedroll. She smiled as he sat beside her and laid the BAR out.

"Easy?"

"Oh yeah."

She smiled as he took his gun apart to add the new parts. The result was the BAR being upgraded to 30-60 caliber with a larger barrel and heavier weight. But it's damage had more then tripled per bullet while it's recoil was decreased due to the new weight of gthe overall weapon. Tyler put the old parts in the sale section of his duffelbag and took the SPAZ out for proper cleaning. Once his new favorite weapon was cleaned he had dinner with Rey and the pair settled down for the night. He kissed her lovingly as Sally snuggled between them.

"Good night, Rey. I love you."

"Good night, Gore, i love you too."