After helping Zein overcome everything that had happened, something in him changed. He became more serious, more focused, and trained relentlessly every day. His once-lost gaze now reflected an almost terrifying determination. Concerned about the impression he left on customers, Alexander decided to put him to work in the kitchen rather than having him serve at the café.

  I was glad to see him stronger, more determined… but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. As he trained, he also trained me, teaching me everything he knew. It was only natural, after all, I was his student. But during our sparring sessions, he sometimes scared me. He took things too seriously, his strikes were relentless, and more than once, he hurt me without realizing it.

  Days passed, and finally, the moment that would change the course of history arrived: humanity was ready to take a giant leap toward another planet. A battle was coming. Preparing everything took time, before we could depart, a spaceport had to be built to reach the ship, which had remained hidden on the dark side of the moon until now. To access it, we would use a smaller transport vessel.

  Organizing the journey was a complex process. As captain, Sora oversaw the preparations, ensuring that everything functioned perfectly. Ultimately, to make the ship fully operational, they had to bring along a large portion of the original crew, including prisoners of war.

  When the day came, we all boarded the ship in an event that felt almost solemn. One by one, we stepped inside while the crowd watched in silence. Zein lent me his old armor, the one he had always worn. Now, for the first time, he appeared in public wearing the armor he had used to kill the ambassador, and he wanted to make sure I was protected.

  His armor felt surprisingly comfortable. It had details that reminded me of him, making me feel safe… but at the same time, that connection unsettled me. Maybe that was the reason I didn’t like his new armor.

  It was completely black, with a futuristic and aggressive design. Imposing. Terrifying. There was no trace of the Zein I knew in it. His mere presence was enough to instill fear, and when combined with his abilities, it became a symbol of pure strength.

  As we passed by the reporters, the noise came to an abrupt halt. Silence fell, immediate and absolute. Watching him walk in that armor, it became clear to everyone: he was the man who had killed the ambassador. He was the shadow behind that night. And now, he was here, preparing for battle.

  Beside me, Kiomi wore her own armor, perfectly tailored to her combat style. Miguel, on the other hand, was dressed in a sophisticated military suit, equipped with multiple modifications and integrated tools. But what truly surprised me was Alexander. He didn’t wear a full suit of armor like the rest of us, just a few lightweight protective pieces, as if he were preparing to move swiftly rather than withstand attacks.

  It seemed that each of us had a role to play in what was about to unfold.

  And so, in complete silence, we boarded the cargo ship.

  At first, I was worried about the girls, especially since Sora would also be joining us on this mission. However, I felt relieved when Paul offered to take care of them. Judas, for his part, stayed behind to manage the café. Lately, he seemed closer to Alexander, though I still didn’t like him very much.

  The ship’s interior was dimly lit, with only a few scattered lights illuminating the main corridor. I didn’t complain, after all, this was just a transport meant to take us to the main vessel.

  There were many soldiers and crew members aboard. I was surprised to see that they had designed specific suits for the former EDI soldiers, which I found quite reassuring. I overheard rumors that a large portion of the military would be participating in this incursion and that the Arab League was also sending reinforcements—not only to strengthen the alliance but to ensure humanity’s victory.

  When we reached our destination, an officer escorted us to a massive cargo bay. The place was packed with tanks, soldiers, and all kinds of military equipment. Some of the tanks seemed somewhat outdated, but I recognized several models I had seen in the news during the Third World War when I was a child.

  We were led to the center of the ship, where we were introduced to the entire fleet. Alongside us, other commanders began to appear. At that moment, the soldiers formed into separate columns, each standing before their assigned leaders.

  The major who had led us there took the floor and announced that, from now on, those of us standing at the front of these soldier formations would be their commanders during the incursion.

  The plan was relatively simple: we would land at different points across the planet, avoiding the capital to prevent alerting the enemy too soon. Since the planet was small, distance wouldn’t be a major issue. Each division would advance on its own until we had completely surrounded the capital, where we would regroup to launch the final attack.

  When the soldiers in front of me adopted a stance of respect, a shiver ran down my spine. They were all waiting for my orders, as if I actually knew what I was doing.

  —Excuse me… do you really think it’s a good idea for me to command these troops? —I asked, my voice trembling with nervousness.

  The major didn’t even look at me. He simply told us to rest and walked away.

  When I turned back, the soldiers were still there—standing firm, silent, waiting for my instructions. I had no idea what to say. The pressure began to suffocate me, my mind clouded over, and fear started creeping in.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  That’s when Kiomi stepped in to help me.

  —At ease, soldiers.

  At that moment, they all dispersed, returning to their respective tasks.

  —Don’t stress too much —Kiomi said, stepping closer to me—. If you need help, I’m here for you.

  —Kiomi… —I murmured, my voice trembling, on the verge of tears.

  Unable to hold back, I hugged her tightly. She calmly returned the gesture, and after we separated, she handed me a badge. Apparently, this symbol would allow me to identify all the soldiers in my battalion.

  —I suggest you talk to them —she added—. Getting to know them and earning their trust will help you lead them better.

  I nodded, still feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility that had just been placed on my shoulders.

  Shortly after, we were called to a meeting to discuss the mission details. I had never imagined we would wield so much power as commanders.

  The incursion would involve half of the New Republic’s army, including reserve personnel. In total, the four generals in charge would each command approximately 1.25 million soldiers, adding up to a total of 10 million deployed troops.

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I never imagined the New Republic had such a massive army. In addition to the troops, we were also assigned supplies and equipment in a supposedly “balanced” manner, though I couldn’t help but wonder how fair that distribution would actually be in practice.

  The divisions were organized as follows:

  Mechanized Infantry Battalion — Commanded by Zein. It was the main attack force and included:

  ? 1.25 million soldiers.

  ? 6,250 tanks (though most were outdated models from the Third World War).

  ? 25,000 IFVs and APCs.

  ? 3,000 pieces of mobile artillery.

  ? 2,000 combat drones.

  Heavy Armored Battalion — My unit. It was responsible for armored superiority, consisting of:

  ? 1.25 million soldiers.

  ? 10,000 tanks.

  ? 15,000 IFVs.

  ? 5,000 self-propelled artillery pieces.

  ? 1,500 combat drones.

  Airborne and Assault Battalion — Led by Kiomi, specialized in rapid deployments and combat in difficult terrain. It had:

  ? 1.25 million soldiers.

  ? 10,000 light IFVs.

  ? 10,000 aircraft, including fighters, bombers, transports, and attack helicopters.

  ? 5,000 assault drones.

  ? 2,500 artillery pieces.

  Artillery and Support Battalion — Led by Miguel, focused on long-range bombardment and strategic support. It had at its disposal:

  ? 1.25 million soldiers.

  ? 10,000 heavy artillery pieces.

  ? 2,500 artillery drones.

  ? 8,000 light armored support vehicles.

  As I listened to the resource distribution, I couldn’t stop thinking about the sheer scale of this operation.

  Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion — Commanded by Alexander. This battalion played a crucial role in information management and cyber warfare. It consisted of:

  ? 1.25 million soldiers.

  ? 10,000 reconnaissance drones.

  ? 5,000 cyber warfare units.

  ? 3,000 IFVs specialized in communications.

  The remaining three battalions would be commanded by others present in the room. In the end, half of us would land at one pole of the planet and the other half at the opposite pole. We would advance directly toward the capital, which was more of a fortress, and regroup there, surrounding it. After that, the leaders would go inside to retrieve the necessary information and liberate the planet.

  Everything about this felt strange, and I didn’t feel prepared for it, but I had to do it anyway. Sora would support me by staying at my side during the incursion to help me command the troops, as my inexperience on the battlefield as a commander was obvious.

  My first step was to establish relationships with as many soldiers in my battalion as possible. In the end, I had time. I planned to visit them by subdivisions—after all, we would arrive in approximately six months, around August.

  I decided to spend the first three months getting to know the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th divisions of my battalion. Most of them were young, like me—people who had lived through the war as children and wanted to prevent their families from suffering the same fate. They were good-hearted, experienced, and, overall, good people. Over time, they began to trust me as their commander.

  Then, I turned my attention to the 1st Division—the one that would be under my direct command and serve as the spearhead of the battalion: the Iron Claws division.

  As I approached them, they simply ignored me. They continued with their tasks, painting their tanks, polishing their weapons, doing anything to avoid interacting with me.

  This division had three brigades: the first was armored, the second provided infantry support, and the third handled artillery vehicles.

  When I looked at their faces, all I saw was disdain and judgment. They didn’t want me there. To them, it would be better if I simply stayed out of their way and gave orders from a distance. Most of them were veterans who had already fought in the war. They knew what it was like, and it had left scars.

  I tried approaching them, but they kept ignoring me. I even heard whispers against me. But that didn’t stop me.

  I started eating with them instead of with the generals, as was customary. They gave me strange looks. I overheard murmurs like:

  "What’s this girl doing here?"

  "She probably got in through connections."

  "She doesn’t know the battlefield, just a kid."

  "She’s probably never gotten her hands dirty."

  Despite all the criticism, I stayed by their side. I didn’t leave, even when they glared at me and muttered all sorts of things. I knew they weren’t bad people, but I still had to give it my all.

  With the other divisions, I asked for help with different tasks. They taught me and supported me. I learned to do minor repairs and to assist my division.

  Little by little, they started talking to me more. That alone made me happy. Slowly, they began to see me as a comrade. I listened to their problems without victimizing or dismissing them, without interrupting. As I had suspected, they were good people, just burdened by difficult pasts.

  But even so, they still didn’t seem to trust me. Much less as their commander. They thought I was just some girl who would stay in the rear while they fought at the front. So I decided to prove to them that I wasn’t as weak as they thought.

  With only two months left before arrival, I started training alongside them. They seemed surprised by what I could do. I could hold my own in hand-to-hand combat against the most experienced among them—and even win.

  I thought that if I kept at it, I would get even closer to them. That they would trust me. They started calling me Naoko instead of General. They entrusted me with more tasks, spoke to me more, and the distance between us slowly disappeared.

  By the last month, I had finally built a relationship with my entire battalion. It had been tough, but I did it. I was exhausted.

  I decided to go see Zein. I had heard that he had spent the past months doing nothing but training. Just training.

  I was worried.

  When I arrived at the training area, I found Kiomi sitting outside, waiting for him with a towel and water.

  I glanced through the window. There he was. The artificial training ground was in ruins. Zein was still at it, pushing himself without regard for anything else. He looked exhausted, yet he kept going. And with extra weight, no less.

  Has he really pushed himself this hard just for this moment?

  Then again… maybe I should have trained more too. I had spent most of my time with my battalion and hardly done anything else.

  In the final days of our journey, I split my time between training and being with them.

  The day of battle was drawing closer.

  And I still didn’t know if I was ready for it.