SERVANTS OF THE TRUE GOD
FORT MEISHI
Ryuji was at Fort Meishi, leading the rebel assault to conquer the area. The Empire's soldiers were falling like flies, one after another, under the relentless offensive.
"That's the way, boys!" Ryuji shouted with an excited grin, enjoying the moment.
Despite his enthusiasm, something was bothering him: the sergeant of the fort had yet to appear. Lost in the thrill of victory, he didn't notice the silhouette watching him from the shadows of the forest.
Suddenly, a gigantic man—nearly three meters tall, muscular, covered in scars, and wearing a one-horned demon mask—appeared on the battlefield.
"And who the hell are you, big guy?" Ryuji asked, challenging.
"I'm the sergeant of Fort Meishi," the colossus replied with a deep voice.
Ryuji frowned. That guy didn't match the description he had of the sergeant: the height, the hair color—none of it matched.
"That's impossible! The sergeant of Fort Meishi isn't that tall, and he has white hair! Yours is red! Who the hell are you really?" he shouted, mixing surprise with anger.
"My name is Shoju. I've been the sergeant of this fort for the past seven years. The previous one disappeared without a trace," the man replied seriously.
Convinced he needed to end this in one move, Ryuji activated Death Shot and Hyper Dash, determined to finish him off instantly. However, in less than a second, his abilities were nullified.
"What did you do!? Who are you really!?" Ryuji roared in fury.
"I've neutralized your abilities," he replied coldly.
The usually calm and patient young man began to lose his composure. Confusion, rage, and uncertainty swirled inside him.
"You are within my Total Domain," the man said without flinching.
Ryuji blinked, confused.
"Total Domain...? What the hell is that?"
"A space where my abilities are enhanced, and I have absolute control. Outside this domain, time is frozen. My ability is called Override. I can force you to perform simple movements, negate your actions, block your powers, and manipulate your emotions at will."
His tone was calm, but his imposing presence made the air tremble.
"I'm not your enemy nor your ally. I don't care about this ridiculous war. I'm only here looking for someone... but he's not here," he added.
Ryuji, on the verge of emotional collapse, felt like he was going to explode... until suddenly, the domain deactivated. Everything returned to normal.
"One last thing," the man said before leaving. "My name is Reiji Kurogane, servant of the true god of this world."
In the blink of an eye, Reiji vanished. Time began to flow again, and Ryuji regained his sanity.
"Sir, are you okay?!" a soldier asked, approaching him.
"Yes, soldier. Just... report that the big guy disappeared," Ryuji replied.
"What guy, sir?" the soldier asked, confused.
Ryuji fell silent. Had that man also erased their memories?
"Nothing, nothing... I must've been daydreaming. My mistake," he said with a forced smile.
Outside, the battle was ending. Fort Meishi was nearly in rebel hands. The soldiers celebrated their imminent victory, fighting with everything they had.
Meanwhile, in a secluded place, Reiji Kurogane met with another man. This one had an even more sinister presence: his aura was murderous, his face hidden by a white hood, and his invisible gaze colder than death.
"Sir, the prototype isn't here. He may be at another fort," Reiji said.
"It doesn't matter. It's not time to obtain the prototype... Call Jin. We're leaving now," the man replied with an icy voice.
"Sir, Jin is at Fort Soure, about seven kilometers from here," Reiji informed.
Meanwhile, at Fort Meishi, now under rebel control, Ryuji lay back, feeling at ease, thinking the threat had vanished... or so he believed.
"So that guy... really was the sergeant. And what he said... was true," he thought, lost in thought.
During the celebration, Ryuji quickly contacted his siblings.
"This is Ryuji. Fort Meishi has been conquered. Awaiting your status," he reported through the communicator Satou had given him.
But at Fort Soure, where Hana was leading the assault, a new threat was emerging. A mysterious woman appeared out of nowhere, killing both imperial and rebel soldiers... even the sergeant of the fort. She was short, had pink hair, wore a provocative red outfit, and her smile was chilling.
FORT SOURE — ONE HOUR EARLIER
At Fort Soure, the rebel soldiers were fighting with everything they had. They were at a clear disadvantage, but none backed down. Determination shone in their eyes, even as they fell one by one. Hana led the front line, facing the fort's general: a tall, scrawny, aged, and weak man who hardly posed a real threat.
"Come on, soldiers! Don't give up! Let's move forward together!" Hana shouted, raising her voice and sword to the sky.
But suddenly, her face changed. Horror, disgust, and fear consumed her.
A monstrous scene unfolded before her: a short woman ripped off a rebel soldier's head with inhuman ease. Blood splattered across her body as she laughed... and didn't distinguish between sides. She began massacring both imperials and rebels alike.
Hana froze for a moment. Then, in the blink of an eye, that woman appeared before the general of the fort and tore his head off effortlessly, like playing with a doll. The imperial army, witnessing this, panicked and fled en masse.
"Soldiers, evacuate the battlefield! Right now!" Hana ordered urgently.
But the massacre didn't end. The woman teleported to a group of rebels and thrust her arm through one of their chests, smiling as if enjoying every second. That smile was real... too real. It wasn't a battle smile—it was one of absolute happiness. A murderous joy.
"Who the hell are you?!" Hana spat, her face twisted with disgust and rage.
"Me? I'm Jin," the woman replied in a sweet, disturbing voice. "One of the soldiers of the true god of this world. A pleasure to meet you."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hana asked, frowning, ready to strike.
"I just came to do this," Jin said, raising a hand.
Dozens of crimson portals began opening in the sky like bleeding cracks in the air. At first, the soldiers watched in confusion, unsure if it was a spell or a divine sign... until the portals snapped shut.
Each one became a dimensional blade: anything caught between their edges was mercilessly sliced. Legs, arms, and torsos were severed with brutal precision. Blood rained down, dyeing the ground dark red.
The soldiers' screams mixed with the sharp hiss of air being torn, creating a symphony of horror.
Jin, walking calmly among the mutilated bodies with inhuman composure, opened small portals beneath the feet or heads of the survivors. With a snap, she closed them, crushing or severing body parts with a wide grin.
At one point, she opened a portal under the face of a terrified rebel and immediately closed it, smashing his head against the ground. Then she did it again... and again, like it was a twisted game.
"What the hell is wrong with you, you psychopathic bitch?! How dare you kill my men like this?! I'll never forgive you!!!" Hana roared, now filled with pure rage.
Jin, in her provocative red outfit and pink hair, burst into laughter. A deranged, high-pitched, endless laugh. She wasn't a demon. She wasn't a monster. She was something worse. Rotten, insane, beyond redemption.
"Aww, poor thing... I don't have time to play with you today," Jin said in a mocking, sing-song voice. "But I promise you, sweetheart: next time, we'll play... and it'll be so, so much fun."
And with one last chilling smile, she vanished in a crimson flash.
FOREST
Deep in the forest, the air was thick and silent. Reiji Kurogane and his master waited patiently, cloaked in shadows beneath the trees.
Suddenly, a crimson light ripped through the sky like a bloody lightning bolt. Jin descended from it, landing softly in front of them. Her boots were still stained with blood.
"Master, Reiji... I had enough fun for today," she said with her twisted smile, the one that seemed stitched to her face. "Let's go."
The hooded man nodded, his voice grave and calm, filled with dark power.
"Let's go, my children. We'll return soon… for the prototype. Or rather, for my son."
And as if they had never been there, the three vanished in a whisper among the trees, leaving behind an atmosphere of death and omen.
FORT SOURE
The battle had ended, but the victory tasted of ash.
Hana sat on a rock, her sword planted beside her. She stared at the horizon, unmoving, as the wind brushed her face, still stained with blood and ash.
The ground was dyed red. Her boots were caked with the remains of fallen comrades.
"Fort Soure... conquered, brothers," she said quietly, clenching her teeth. Her face, a mix of restrained rage and sorrow, was the image of war itself.
She slowly stood up. The few remaining soldiers gathered around her in silence, forming a small circle among the corpses and smoke. Then, Hana spoke. Her voice was strong, but pained.
"Today, we lost more than soldiers. We lost brothers, sisters, friends. But I want you to know something..." she took a deep breath, holding back another tear. "I'm proud of every single one of you. Of those here... and those who gave their lives fighting with honor."
"You are the heart of this rebellion! The reason we keep fighting! I will not allow your deaths to be in vain!"
She paused, looking up at the gray sky.
"I swear I'll avenge you, my soldiers! I swear it on my blood, on my life, and on this war! Your names will not be forgotten!"
The troop, tired and wounded, raised their fists in unison, in silence. Words weren't needed. Only the fire of commitment burning in their eyes.
FORT SHOJU
Far from the devastation, in the calm Fort Shoju, Satou stood before his troops, receiving the final report.
With a determined smile, he looked to the sky, where sunlight began piercing the clouds.
"So my siblings have already conquered their forts... Then it's my turn, huh?" he said with a defiant grin.
He calmly adjusted his glasses as the servomotors in his armor whirred to life. Circuits glowed blue across the black metal, giving him an almost superhuman presence.
At his side, a glowing energy katana hummed softly, connected directly to his armor's core. It was his masterpiece: a weapon of both science and death.
He turned to his men, eyes calculating, a faint smile on his lips.
"Charge the batteries. Fine-tune the sensors. Let Fort Shoju hear the roar of science and rebellion..." he paused, and his voice grew firm.
"Today… we become legend."