A groan escaped his throat as the man stirred. His body felt heavy, his mind sluggish, but the first thing he saw was not smoke or fire. It was light.
Bright skies.Blue. Endless.
Birdsong drifted in the air, cheerful and unbroken. Trees swayed gently, their leaves whispering as a soft breeze rolled across the grass. The scent of earth and life surrounded him—so foreign after the choking ash of London.
Kyru rubbed his eyes, blinking away the blur. His ears caught a whistle nearby—playful, almost teasing. He turned his head.
A figure sat on a rock, legs crossed, a small book open in his hands. The man glanced up from the pages, adjusting his glasses with casual ease.
"Hey you," he said, a dry smirk tugging his lips. "You're finally awake."
Kyru staggered up, still groggy, brushing dirt from his uniform. He glared. "Don't you dare greet me with that bullshit, four-eyes."
Shiiyo chuckled, snapping the book closed as he stood.
Kyru glanced around. "Where the hell are we?"
"See for yourself." Shiiyo shoved aside a wall of bushes, stepping back with a small flourish.
Kyru frowned, pushing through the leaves—and froze.
Before him stretched an endless plain of green, rolling fields that shimmered under the sun's glow. Far off, jagged mountains kissed the sky, their peaks crowned with drifting clouds. The wind rushed strong across the open land, lifting his hair and forcing him to shield his eyes.
And then—
A shadow passed over him. Massive.
He looked up. His breath caught.
A colossal shape soared above, wings wide enough to blot the sun. Scales glimmered crimson, eyes burning like molten gold as it cut through the sky. A Red Dragon.
"...Holy shit," Kyru breathed, raking a hand back through his hair as the creature roared into the distance.
Shiiyo stepped beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. His voice was calm, almost reverent."Yeah, I know. Moments like this only existed in novels and anime… but to stand here and see it? Feels like a dream."
The sound of boots crunching behind them broke the spell. Both men turned.
Ryski emerged from the brush, MG slung casually across his shoulder, a crooked grin hidden beneath his helmet. Behind him walked Creed, his presence steady as ever. Both wore new attire—strange, unfamiliar, yet fitted to their forms like a second skin. Armor not of Earth's make.
"I see you're already awake, bratan," Ryski rumbled, nodding at Kyru.
Creed's voice followed, deep and commanding, muffled beneath the visor of his new helm."Hope you slept like the dead… you'll need it." His eyes swept the horizon, sharp and unyielding. "Form up. We spotted somethin' out there."
The wind carried his words into the vast, unknown land.Their war wasn't over.It had only just begun.
***
The four formed into a loose circle, boots pressing into the grass. Creed crouched low, dragging a gloved hand through the dirt as though testing its reality. Ryski sat cross-legged across from him, casually tinkering with the receiver of his MG. Kyru lay sprawled on the ground, arms behind his head, staring at the drifting clouds. Shiiyo, ever the analyst, perched neatly on a rock, flipping idly through the small book he had awakened with.
"So…" Creed broke the quiet, his voice steady. "What've we got so far?"
Shiiyo raised a hand lazily. "Ey, Cap. If I may… here's what I remember."
His tone carried them back. Back to the astral plains, where the void shimmered like glass beneath their boots. Back to the table of stars where the goddess Astrea leaned above them, smiling down with mischief and light.
She had explained everything.The kingdoms.The peoples.The dangers waiting in this strange new realm. She spoke of the cycle of heroes—that when darkness rose, a chosen light would answer. And this world was trembling on the cusp of such a rise.
Kyru raised a brow at the memory, scoffing as he crossed his arms."So basically… your typical fantasy plot. Hero rises, evil rises, yadda yadda. Bit cliché, don't you think?"
Ryski scratched his beard through his helmet, then raised a hand half-heartedly. "Uhmm… big lady, if I may?"
The goddess had tilted her head toward him, amused. "Yes?"
"You tellin' us all this…" Ryski shrugged. "…I get the feelin' you're not sendin' us here for holiday, da?"
Astrea chuckled, covering her mouth with delicate fingers. "Clever mortal. You're right. I did not save you from death to let you laze about. I brought you here with a greater purpose. This is your chance… to change your fates."
The squad had exchanged looks, uncertainty written across every scarred face. But before any of them could answer, one of the drifting astral jellyfish floated to Astrea's shoulder. It pulsed with faint light, whispering something only she could hear.
Her lips curved in delight. She clapped her hands together."Well then, gentlemen—we've run out of time for explanations."
With a playful snap of her fingers, the ground vanished beneath them. The four floated upward, weightless, starlight swallowing their forms.
"Oi—wait a bloody minute!" Creed reached his hand out toward her as the light consumed him. "At least tell us what the mission is!"
"Don't worry, little one." Her voice was silk and starlight, echoing in the void. "You'll find the answers you seek when you arrive. But for now…" She waved lightly, as though dismissing pawns from a board. "Adieu."
The glow consumed them whole.
"Oh! One more thing!" Her playful voice rang out just as they slipped into the light. "I'll be giving you some starter equipment. It would be such a shame if you perished before the fun began. Ta-ta!"
And with that, the astral world collapsed into blinding white.
When the glow faded, they were gone.
***
The four formed into a loose circle, boots pressing into the grass. Creed crouched low, dragging a gloved hand through the dirt as though testing its reality. Ryski sat cross-legged across from him, casually tinkering with the receiver of his MG. Kyru lay sprawled on the ground, arms behind his head, staring at the drifting clouds. Shiiyo, ever the analyst, perched neatly on a rock, flipping idly through the small book he had awakened with.
"So…" Creed broke the quiet, his voice steady. "What've we got so far?"
Shiiyo raised a hand lazily. "Ey, Cap. If I may… here's what I remember."
His tone carried them back. Back to the astral plains, where the void shimmered like glass beneath their boots. Back to the table of stars where the goddess Astrea leaned above them, smiling down with mischief and light.
She had explained everything.The kingdoms.The peoples.The dangers waiting in this strange new realm. She spoke of the cycle of heroes—that when darkness rose, a chosen light would answer. And this world was trembling on the cusp of such a rise.
Kyru raised a brow at the memory, scoffing as he crossed his arms."So basically… your typical fantasy plot. Hero rises, evil rises, yadda yadda. Bit cliché, don't you think?"
Ryski scratched his beard through his helmet, then raised a hand half-heartedly. "Uhmm… big lady, if I may?"
The goddess had tilted her head toward him, amused. "Yes?"
"You tellin' us all this…" Ryski shrugged. "…I get the feelin' you're not sendin' us here for holiday, da?"
Astrea chuckled, covering her mouth with delicate fingers. "Clever mortal. You're right. I did not save you from death to let you laze about. I brought you here with a greater purpose. This is your chance… to change your fates."
The squad had exchanged looks, uncertainty written across every scarred face. But before any of them could answer, one of the drifting astral jellyfish floated to Astrea's shoulder. It pulsed with faint light, whispering something only she could hear.
Her lips curved in delight. She clapped her hands together."Well then, gentlemen—we've run out of time for explanations."
With a playful snap of her fingers, the ground vanished beneath them. The four floated upward, weightless, starlight swallowing their forms.
"Oi—wait a bloody minute!" Creed reached his hand out toward her as the light consumed him. "At least tell us what the mission is!"
"Don't worry, little one." Her voice was silk and starlight, echoing in the void. "You'll find the answers you seek when you arrive. But for now…" She waved lightly, as though dismissing pawns from a board. "Adieu."
The glow consumed them whole.
"Oh! One more thing!" Her playful voice rang out just as they slipped into the light. "I'll be giving you some starter equipment. It would be such a shame if you perished before the fun began. Ta-ta!"
And with that, the astral world collapsed into blinding white.
When the glow faded, they were gone.
***
As the squad mulled over everything the goddess had told them, Kyru leaned back on his elbows with a sigh."So… we're the baby turtles in this story, huh? Just crawling into the waves, prayin' the big bad ocean doesn't chew us up. Cute."
Ryski slid a fresh belt into his MG with a metallic clack, racking the slider."Calm, bratuha. At least we're not split up. Without your noise, I might actually hear myself think… and that's boring."
Kyru snorted, plucking a blade of grass and twirling it between his fingers. "Fair enough." His eyes flicked toward Creed. "So, Cap? Anything you'd like to add?"
Creed nodded, crouching low. With a stick he dragged rough lines into the dirt."Right. Path ahead—too clean to be natural. Man-made. And here—" he jabbed at the sketch, "carriage tracks. Horses with it. Means someone's been through here recently."
Ryski leaned closer, grunting. "Da. Close to some kind of civilization, then. Probably locals… unless bears learned to build houses."
"Point is," Creed continued, "we're in a different world now. We lay low. Last thing we want is to draw the wrong kind of attention."
Kyru raised a hand, brow twitching. "Cap, didn't you just say 'lay low'? Look at us—we're dressed like medieval SWAT. We don't blend, we scream 'trouble.' Swords, shields, maybe a cape—I could get behind that. But an MG and tac-rigs? Not exactly subtle." He gestured pointedly toward Ryski.
Shiiyo glanced down at his own equipment, adjusting his glasses. "The monkey's right, Cap."
Kyru shot him a glare. "Oh, sod off."
Ryski chuckled, patting his gear. "Grenades, pouches, combat knife… da. I like the look. Ready for war, or maybe costume party." He lowered his visor with a sharp snap. "And I still have my Maska-1SCh. Without it, I'm not me. Besides—looks medieval enough, eh?"
Creed glanced at the ballistic shield slung on his arm. Something caught his eye: a faint mechanism along the handle. He flexed his wrist. With a hiss, the shield extended outward, doubling in size.
"…Huh. Guess the goddess' brew ain't half bad," he muttered. He checked his sidearm next—a SIG Sauer M17, pristine, familiar, reliable. A small comfort in an alien world.
His eyes lifted to his squad. They were the same men he'd fought beside in London. Same fire, same grit. A chuckle rumbled in his chest.
"Alright, lads. Listen up." His voice hardened, cutting through the wind. "We might be outta time—but we're not outta options. We're not the heroes here. We're soldiers. And soldiers…" He slammed the shield against the dirt with a heavy thunk. "…get the job done."
He stepped past them, boots crunching softly on the grass, and stopped at the cliff's edge. The wind howled as the world stretched out before them—vast plains, distant mountains, and the glimmer of a foreign civilization waiting below.
"We don't know what's waitin' for us down there. No HQ. No reinforcements. Just us."
The others joined him, standing shoulder to shoulder. Kyru twirled his Deagle in one hand with a smirk. Ryski hefted his MG onto his shoulder with a grunt. Shiiyo tucked his little book into his pouch, eyes narrowing with quiet resolve.
Creed's gaze never left the horizon."So strap in… our duty's callin'."
Together, the four stared into the unknown.Not as heroes. Not as chosen ones.But as soldiers—ready to march into the world that lay before them.
***
The dirt road stretched endlessly across the countryside, the grass whispering in the wind as the squad made their way forward. The air was clean—too clean. No gunpowder. No smoke. Just the distant call of birds and the sound of boots crunching against the earth.
Kyru walked with his hands behind his head, eyes drifting toward Shiiyo, who was once again buried in the small pocket-sized book he carried. Curiosity got the better of him."Oi, four-eyes—what's with that little book of yours?"
Shiiyo barely glanced up, then returned to the pages. "As you can see, it's a book. When I woke up, I was holding it. Probably some kind of guide. The goddess must have entrusted it to me—she likely saw that I'm more intelligent than your monkey brain."
Kyru froze, his smirk twisting into annoyance. "What the hell did you just say, pal?!"
The air tensed between them as Kyru leaned closer, Shiiyo snapping the book shut with a dry glare.
"Could you two knock it off?" Ryski rumbled from ahead, dragging the MG along with practiced ease.
Kyru jabbed a finger toward Shiiyo. "He started it!"
Ryski glanced back, unimpressed. "I don't care who started it. My niece is more mature than both of you combined."
Kyru and Shiiyo exchanged dagger-like glares, neither willing to back down.
Meanwhile, Creed and Ryski's conversation drifted above the bickering. The captain's sharp eyes scanned the land around them, taking in every detail.
"Bratan," Ryski chuckled, "this place isn't so bad. Kinda reminds me of my countryside. Just sittin' on porch, eating babushka's good ol' pirozhki."
Creed allowed himself a faint smirk, nodding toward a wide, green plain where farmers tended what looked like rice paddies. "Huh. You could say that. But unlike home, you won't find a bloody dragon swoopin' down while you're drinkin' tea in your backyard."
Ryski burst out laughing, clutching his gut. "Haha! You really do understand me, bratan!"
Their light moment ended abruptly. Shiiyo, still holding his book, suddenly stilled. His glasses caught the glint of something on the horizon. "Cap—on our twelve."
Creed followed his gaze. Smoke. Rising faintly in the distance, curling against the blue sky.
"If there's smoke," Creed muttered, "there's people."
His tone hardened. "Squad—on me."
They moved quickly, weapons steady, boots crunching as the farmland gave way to wild grass. The closer they got, the more the air shifted—an unease prickling at their skin.
Then Ryski slowed, raising a hand. His voice dropped, heavy with suspicion."Bratan… this looks… not normal."
More columns of smoke began rising in the distance. Not one. Not two. Dozens. Dark trails clawing into the sky like black fingers.
He narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the MG."And I don't think this looks like a festival either."
The squad moved in unison, boots crunching softly against the dirt road as they reached the edge of the village.
And then they stopped.
"What the hell…" Shiiyo's voice cracked. His eyes widened behind his cracked lenses. "W-what the hell happened here?"
The scene before them was carnage.
Bodies littered the ground, sprawled lifeless in the dust. Men, women, children—their faces pale, their blood dark against the earth. Doors hung open, homes smoldered with smoke, and the air reeked of iron and ash. A massacre.
Creed's jaw tightened. He stepped forward, drawing his pistol as his shield locked firmly in place. His voice dropped into command."Team, on me."
The squad formed a line behind him, weapons sweeping the angles as they advanced down the blood-soaked street.
Shiiyo knelt beside a villager's body, fingers checking for a pulse, eyes scanning for any hint of life. Creed covered him, shield raised."Got anything?"
Shiiyo shook his head, lips pressed tight. "…Negative, Cap."
"Copy that. Eyes open. Stay sharp."
The silence pressed heavy. Too heavy.
Then—noise.
A faint shuffle from the corner of a burned-out house.
The squad instantly moved, positions shifting into muscle memory. Creed slammed down his visor, shield raised. Ryski racked his MG with a metallic clack, shoulders squaring. Shiiyo slipped behind Creed, one hand braced on the captain's shoulder, rifle aimed downrange. Kyru stood further back, the massive sniper rifle braced and ready, his finger hovering near the trigger.
The sound grew closer. Footsteps. Small. Unsteady.
Kyru narrowed his eyes through the scope. His finger inched closer to the trigger."Got movement… almost in sight…"
Creed raised a fist. "Hold fire—hold your bloody fire!"
From around the corner, two figures burst into view.
Two girls.
One barely older than a child, perhaps eleven, clutching the hand of another—sixteen at most. They sprinted, faces streaked with tears, gasping for breath as their bare feet slapped the dirt.
Kyru's eyes sharpened."Wait…" His heart clenched. "We've got a tail."
A shadow moved behind them. A man—bigger, filthier—his face twisted with cruelty. His grip tight on an axe, raised high.
"Contact!" Kyru barked. He swung his rifle into place, sight locked on the hostile. But his teeth ground together as the reticle wavered. The girls were in the way. His shot wasn't clean."Shit—I got no clear shot!"
The two ran desperately, but fate struck cruel. The younger stumbled. She hit the dirt hard, her small frame sprawled across the ground.
"Ana!" the older girl cried out. She skidded to a halt, tears streaking her face as she turned back to pull her sister up. Her hands fumbled, trembling, as she tried to drag her to her feet.
But the bandit was already there. His shadow loomed, axe raised high above his head, ready to cleave them both into silence.
The older sister wrapped her arms around the younger, shutting her eyes tight, bracing for the blade. She whispered a prayer, waiting for the axe to fall.
But instead—
CLANG!
The sound rang like thunder. Sparks burst.
Her eyes snapped open. A tall figure stood between them and death, a shield braced against the descending axe. The bandit staggered, eyes wide at the sudden intruder."Who the fuck are yo—"
"Ryski!" Creed barked.
Another massive form vaulted forward, boots slamming into the dirt beside his captain. Ryski's voice rolled like a growl of thunder."Sleep now, da? You worthless sobaka!"
BAM!
His armored fist connected. The bandit's teeth scattered into the air like broken pearls as the man flew backwards, crashing through a stack of wooden crates. He didn't move again.
Ryski cracked his knuckles with a grunt."That's how we do in Motherland."
The older sister froze, stunned by the sudden appearance of these strangers. Her body trembled, not from fear, but from shock. The younger one peeked out from her arms, wide-eyed. Sunlight caught on Creed's shield, and to her, the man before them seemed like a knight from the old stories—shining, unyielding.
Creed knelt low, lowering his shield. His tone was calm, gentle."You two alright?"
The older girl nodded shakily. She accepted the bandage he offered with trembling hands, whispering thanks.
Creed rose, scanning the bodies littering the road. His voice was steady, businesslike."Any more of you? Survivors?"
"Y-yes…" the older girl whispered, her voice faint and raw with grief.
Creed nodded. "Right then. You two find somewhere safe to tuck yourselves away. We'll sweep the village—see if any of these bastards are still crawling about."
But before he could turn, a hand clutched at his sleeve. The girl's grip trembled, her voice cracking."Please… please save our village from these monsters! I'll do anything—just… if you just…!"
Creed opened his mouth, but Kyru moved faster. He dropped to one knee, placing a hand over hers. His grin softened into something almost boyish."Hey, don't worry, alright? We'll handle this. Promise. We'll save your people."
The girl's face flushed pink. She stammered, nodding, clutching his hand before letting go.
The younger sister stepped forward, tiny hands clasped in front of her. She looked up at Ryski with wide, hopeful eyes."Will you really… defeat all the bad guys?"
Ryski's stern face cracked into something softer. She reminded him too much of his niece. He knelt, rough gauntleted hand gently ruffling her hair."Do not worry, malyshka. I put all bad men to sleep… permanently."
The child's giggle was small, nervous, but her smile shone brighter.
Ryski rose, turning to Creed. The two men stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes sweeping the burning ruins.
"Kapitan," Ryski growled, his voice hard beneath the helmet. "I know our mission. I know we stay low. But I will not stand by while these svin'i slaughter innocents."
Creed exhaled sharply, a wry grin tugging at his lips."Bloody hell… knew I couldn't keep you lot on a leash." He raised his shield, snapping it open with a sharp metallic hiss."Fine then. Lock and load, you muppets."
Ryski sealed his visor shut with a heavy clack. Kyru spun his sniper into place with a cocky grin. Shiiyo adjusted his glasses, rifle steady as his expression cooled into iron focus.
Together, the squad advanced into the firelit ruins—soldiers in a world not their own,marching once more into war.
***
The squad advanced through the burning village, boots crunching over broken stone and ash. Creed took point, ballistic shield raised, his eyes scanning through the narrow slit. Ryski and Shiiyo fanned out at his flanks, rifles tight, the captain's shield covering their approach.
Shiiyo's gaze caught a flicker of movement. His voice dropped to a whisper."Contact. Up front."
Through a half-broken window, they saw him—a bandit dragging a screaming woman into the shadows of a house.
"Stack on me," Creed ordered, his tone low but sharp. They moved quick, pressing against the wall by the door. Shiiyo peeked in, eyes narrowing behind his cracked glasses.
The sight inside froze his blood.
Three hostiles.Two brutes holding down the woman's daughters—both bound, gagged, eyes wide with terror. And in the center, the mother was on her knees, her clothes ripped, the third bandit looming over her with a sick grin.
Shiiyo's jaw clenched. He shot a glance at Creed.
The captain's eyes hardened. One curt nod.
"Flash and clear," Creed whispered.
Ryski stepped forward. His boot slammed into the door, blasting it open off its hinges with a CRASH.
Shiiyo was already moving. His hand flicked, sending a stun grenade skittering across the floor. The bandits turned, startled—
BANG!The flash erupted, a white roar filling the room.
"Go! Go!"
The squad stormed inside.
Ryski's MG barked once, then twice—two clean bursts. The bandits restraining the daughters dropped instantly, holes punched clean through them before they even realized what hit them.
Shiiyo's rifle cracked next, precise shots ensuring the girls were clear. He rushed forward, cutting their bindings with a combat knife as they sobbed in fear.
The last bandit staggered, blind and stumbling, groping for his weapon. But Creed was already there.
The captain's shield slammed forward like a battering ram, smashing into the bandit's chest. The brute crashed against the wall with a grunt, pinned under Creed's sheer weight.
"Kyru—now!" Creed barked.
A heartbeat later—
CRACK!
The bandit's skull erupted as a .50 caliber round punched clean through. His body slumped lifelessly to the floor.
Creed glanced to the side window, catching sight of Kyru perched on a rooftop across the street. The sniper twirled his rifle with a cocky grin and flashed a casual thumbs-up.
Creed allowed himself the faintest smirk before turning back to the rescued villagers.
The daughters clung desperately to their mother, sobbing into her chest. The woman's voice cracked as she whispered thanks, trembling hands holding her children tight.
The squad reloaded in silence. One house down.More to go.
Operation Clean Sweep had only just begun.