The First Game
High atop the command tower of the Organization's 4th Legion, Lunamaria Whieblod—the young, brilliant commander of the 4th Legion—stood silently before a massive screen. She gazed at the simulated terrain, calculating the most suitable attack routes for her legion, aiming to complete the campaign swiftly. The blue lights from the display reflected on her elegant yet stern face. Streams of reconnaissance data scrolled across the screen, allowing her to quickly grasp the details of the upcoming target.
"The operation to attack the western region of Nation is ready; the entire army has received the battle plan. Additionally, we have completed the analysis of the weak points in enemy's defenses, awaiting your orders, Commander!" The monotone voice of her virtual assistant echoed. Lunamaria merely nodded.
"Report the status!" Lunamaria commanded the virtual assistant.
"The entire army is ready, awaiting the order to deploy."
"All units! Operation will commence in 48 hours. Follow the strategy to the letter. No mistakes will be tolerated. This is an order!" With a voice both gentle and steely, Lunamaria issued her directive to the entire army.
Once finished, she donned her command armor, along with her familiar rifle and the spear customized to suit her combat style, then left the control room, heading toward the ranks.
"Glory to the Organization!" Lunamaria whispered, ready to step into battle.
Thousands of miles away, at a Nation base, Stratos—one of Nation's generals, leader of the Nation Guard, and under the Emperor's command—stood before a panoramic view of the kingdom. The red glow of magical circles on his twin swords illuminated every contour of his face, where his eyes monitored the situation in the western region, the site of an impending fierce battle.
"The Blood Contract does not allow me to stop," Stratos murmured, placing a hand on his chest and feeling a dull ache.
Within him, the pressure came not from the Emperor's orders, nor from Arthur and Zerain—his brothers-in-arms—but from himself. The oath he had sworn with the contract burned like an unquenchable flame, compelling him to fight, to defend until his last breath.
"Sir, everything is ready," a subordinate reported on the troop status.
He nodded, signaling the subordinate to leave. Then, he reached for his pair of magic-enhanced pistols, holstered them, and quietly exited the room. In the midst of the camp, he assembled the entire army.
"In just 48 hours, we, the sons of Nation, swear to protect this place," Stratos shouted.
"For the prosperity of the nation! For the Emperor! For Nation!" Stratos continued to rally the troops.
"For the prosperity of the nation! For the Emperor! For Nation!" The entire army echoed the slogan in unison.
Gazing at the starry sky, in the peaceful night before the storm, two individuals on opposite sides of the conflict both looked toward the border, where fate had charted their paths. Neither knew that the decisions made this night would completely alter the destinies of both blocs and their own lives.
-August 10th, 21xx, Nation-Organization Buffer Zone.-
The sky had just begun to brighten when the sound of machinery gradually rose, signaling the start of a long day. However, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by the roar of engines and blinding flashes from energy cannons. The Organization's 4th Legion had initiated their assault, with volleys of artillery fire aimed straight ahead like predators on the hunt, while helicopters dropped waves of special forces with precise movements. All were ready to deploy. Leading the formation was Lunamaria Whieblod, her silver tactical armor reflecting the dawn's light, as cold and sharp as her gaze focused on the battlefield.
"Increase pressure on both flanks! Concentrate firepower on the forward defenses! Advance!" Her voice rang out through the internal communication channels, an undeniable command.
The troops immediately landed and attacked key areas with absolute precision, all closely following the established strategy. Exploiting every gap in Nation's formation, she had mapped out specific moves as if she knew the battlefield by heart. Artillery shells continued to be fired, targeting Nation's fortifications, aiming to weaken the energy shields and the outermost defenses of the buffer zone. In an instant, the shield system was completely destroyed. Although the border guards tried to resist, they were forced to retreat and abandon the fortifications under the overwhelming firepower from the Organization. Seizing the momentum, the soldiers surged into the fortifications, gradually gaining control and dominating the battlefield. Lunamaria realized that this battle seemed easier than she had anticipated. But her intuition told her otherwise.
"Something's not right…! Why is the defense line so weak?" she whispered, frowning. A growing unease stirred within her.
"All troops, withdraw from the fortifications!" she snapped, and fortune was on her side.
In the distance, amidst the hazy smoke, Stratos stood on a high mound, observing every development. Beside him, magical circles hovered in the air, controlled by artillery units. After the border guards had successfully withdrawn and all fortifications in the area had been completely overrun, he looked toward his soldiers.
"Took bait!" he said in a low, affirming tone.
Earlier, he had ordered the reduction of forces from key defensive positions, creating the illusion of Nation's weakness. Simultaneously, scouts had stealthily disabled and jammed the Organization's surveillance equipment, preventing Lunamaria and her legion from detecting the discrepancy.
"Fire!" The deputy commander's order rang out after Stratos's nod of approval.
The magical circles blazed brightly, and from mid-air, red beams of light shot straight down onto the fortifications, pouring like a heavy rain, targeting the vanguard of the 4th Legion. Terrifying explosions tore through the sky, staining the dawn red as waves of magical artillery rained down, shattering the fortifications. Although all soldiers were equipped with advanced armor to protect their lives, under the overwhelming firepower of magical artillery, severe injuries were inevitable.
As the artillery roared, Lunamaria immediately realized she had fallen into a trap. Fortunately, her earlier intuition had been correct. Thanks to her previous order, part of the vanguard had withdrawn from the fortifications.
"Retreat from the front immediately! We're being ambushed!" Her voice was sharp as she continued to issue commands, but she remained composed.
However, other explosions suddenly erupted, completely collapsing the ground around the fortifications. Indeed, the entire area within a small radius around the fortifications had been mined with spells, aiming to bury the vanguard of the 4th Legion. Explosions rang out, and the fortifications collapsed, completely burying the unfortunate soldiers who couldn't escape in time. The armor was designed to withstand damage from various weapons, but it was too fragile to protect the soldiers from the collapse of massive structures.
"That bastard!" Lunamaria growled but quickly regained her composure. She adjusted the formation, using the surrounding ruins to shield her forces.
On Nation's side, Stratos continued to monitor the battlefield from the mound.
"Quicker than I thought," he remarked, raising his sword, the runes engraved on the blade glowing, then pointing forward.
"Advance. But don't press too hard; just maintain enough pressure to force them back," he ordered, and the army moved forward.
The Nation army charged ahead, led by Stratos himself, each step enveloped in a sturdy magical defense, as if challenging all of the Organization's firepower. Lunamaria, from her forward command position, with sharp eyes, locked onto the figure of Nation's commander, who was plunging headfirst into the vanguard, as if seeking death. She activated the energy field from her spear, ready for an endless confrontation. Stratos, amid the deafening explosions and flashing lights, raised his twin swords and swiftly advanced toward her, like a wordless challenge. Amidst the chaotic battlefield, their eyes met once more through the haze of smoke. A silent yet powerful confrontation, as if both understood that this was no ordinary battle.
Amidst the thick smoke of the battlefield, Lunamaria and Stratos stood face to face, their gazes locking in a moment that seemed to freeze time. Without a word, without a hint of hesitation, they lunged at each other like two bolts of lightning, their weapons creating sharp, bright arcs. He, with twin swords in hand, unleashed a series of relentless and powerful attacks. The blades glowed with runes, each slash carrying the force of modern magic, forcing her to step back.
"Hah, the Organization sends women to the front lines?" Stratos smirked, as if provoking Lunamaria's pride.
As if her pride had been struck, she gritted her teeth in anger. The combat spear in her hand spun, forming a solid shield against the barrage of attacks. Her spear blocked each of his slashes, producing sharp clangs of metal and magic colliding. Then, with a sudden twist, she swept the spear's shaft horizontally, forcing him to retreat to avoid the blow.
"This little brat is better than I thought," Stratos whispered after stepping back. With sharp eyes, he observed Lunamaria's every move to devise a suitable combat approach.
Recognizing the balance in their close-quarters duel, both immediately changed tactics. He drew two magical pistols from his cloak, while Lunamaria raised her high-tech rifle, its barrel flashing as energy beams fired. But not a single shot reached him, as all were intercepted by magical bullets from his pair of pistols. For every shot she fired, he retaliated with absolute precision. The bullets collided in mid-air, creating brilliant flashes like fireworks on the battlefield.
"Too fast!" Lunamaria thought, realizing her opponent's reaction speed far exceeded her expectations.
He remained calm, shifting to an offensive stance. He fired a series of magical bullets in rapid succession, forcing her to dodge immediately. Not stopping there, in an instant, he charged forward, his twin swords swinging once more, pushing the fight back to close range. But being at a disadvantage was not in her dictionary, especially when facing a battlefield enemy. With her agility and speed, she continuously dodged and countered, forcing him to maintain distance. Both constantly switched attack styles, alternating between close and long range, neither gaining an absolute advantage. Gradually, she realized that a swift and decisive attack strategy couldn't defeat him. The man before her was not only physically strong but also exceptionally adaptable on the battlefield, unlike any opponent she had faced and defeated in past campaigns.
"Step back! Don't get caught in his move," Lunamaria told herself, making a decision.
Quickly, she created a safe distance, threw a smoke grenade to cover her retreat, and ordered a withdrawal through the communication channel. She informed the entire army that the legion had gathered enough information and was to retreat in tactical formation. Simultaneously, she fired a flare into the sky, signaling the retreat order.
He stood amidst the dissipating smoke, not pursuing. He lowered his pistols, slowly sheathed his twin swords, and watched her figure gradually disappear from the battlefield. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Not bad! But next time, you won't escape easily," Stratos muttered and turned away, heading toward his soldiers, ready to face any subsequent threats.