After rescuing civilians and transporting them.
They been assigned to hold out the fallen
Supply ship of Nexarion in quatarious.
"You missed that shot on purpose," one soldier said.
"No why don't you try hitting something while it's running at you fast?" another replied.
"Excuses."
A third laughed.
"Both of you suck."
Small arguments.
Sharp voices.
But underneath—
Trust.
Akane sat among them.
Watching.
Listening.
These weren't rookies.
Their movements were sharp.
Efficient.
Even relaxed.
They stayed ready.
Weapons within reach.
Eyes aware.
They Pull Him In
"Akane."
Akane looked up.
"You patch fast," one said.
"You fight slow though." one added
"I'm... not meant to fight." akane replied
"Then stay behind us," another replied.
"We'll handle the rest."
A pause.
"…Sure"
They nodded.
No mocking.
Just understanding.
"Ten minutes to landing," the pilot said.
His voice steady.
Controlled.
"Try not to break my ship before we get there."
"Can't promise that," someone replied.
"Figures."
"…After this mission all drinks on me" one soldier said.
"If you survive" the soldier laughed.
"You say that every time."
"This time I mean it."
"Really?" the soldier laughs.
"Then live long enough to do it."
Burst of laughter.
"Yeah."
Akane looked at them.
And said to himself.
"Brothers"
The ship shook.
Hard.
Everyone went silent.
"We've accidentally gone too low," the pilot said instantly.
"Contact with enemies"
Another impact.
Closer.
Scratching.
From above.
Akane stood.
"Contact."
The ceiling tore open.
No hesitation—
"ENGAGE!"
Gunfire erupted instantly.
Tight.
Controlled.
These soldiers didn't panic.
They fought like a unit.
"Rotate positions!"
"Cover reload!"
"Watch the flank!"
Akane moved behind them—
Helping as far as he could.
No wasted motion.
No wasted time.
Too Many
Then—
More.
Faster.
Stronger.
"We're getting overruned!"
A massive impact split the hull.
The ship tilted violently.
"BRACE—!"
The floor gave way.
Men slipped—
Some caught each other.
Some didn't.
One soldier grabbed Akane.
"You're not dying here."
"We'll buy time go!"
"No—"
"GO!"
He shoved him toward the hatch.
Akane looked at them.
They were still fighting.
Still standing.
Even as the ship tore apart.
"…Don't waste it!" one shouted.
Akane's pod escapes in time.
Then the ship crashed
Fire.
Silence.
Crash.
Akane hit the ground.
Hard.
Everything went quiet.
He didn't move at first.
Didn't think.
Didn't breathe properly.
Then—
Slowly—
"Report" akane said coughing.
Nothing.
"Anyone?"
Silence.
Akane stood.
Walked back toward the wreck.
Bodies.
Still.
Cold.
"…No…"
His voice broke—
just slightly.
"...You...said don't die…"
A pause.
"…I didn't."
That made it worse.
Akane contacted the command about the events.
"This is Supervisor Command."
"Continue mission."
A long silence.
"…Understood."
But his voice—
Was empty.
The signal spread.
Not officially.
But soldiers noticed.
And tuned in.
Nexarion
"Bro really survived that?!"
"barely any injuries!?"
"How is he still moving?!"
Curiosity turned into focus.
They kept watching.
He walked.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just—
Forward.
Contact
Movement.
Weapons raised instantly.
"Identify yourself" akane said.
A brief pause.
He fired rounds in the area of movement
As he moved forward to check.
He was caught off guard.
By a mercenary pinning him down.
Akane managed to catch the knife hitting his left hand.
The mercenary pulled the knife and tried to stab him.
Akane managed to hold the knife with both hands.
But his strength slowly gave up.
The knife was close to his chest.
Eventually.
His strength gave out.
He got stabbed.
And again.
Again.
A gun was fired.
Killing the mercenary.
They stepped into view.
Heavy.
Assault.
Weapons aimed.
"You're still alive?" Assault said helping him to stand.
Akane struggles to breathe.
The assault took the med kit from akane-
And helped him.
"You good?"
"…Yeah."
"Come on, we still have to protect-
That crates"
"Yeah"
Akane's sensor detected incoming infected.
"What everything good?" Assault said.
"dozens are surrounding us" Akane replied.
"Prepare for combat!" Heavy said.
Tension starts.
Infected approaches.
Fast.
Coordinated.
"…Here they come," Assault said.
This time—
They moved together.
Heavy took front.
Assault flanked.
Akane supported.
Cleaner.
Stronger.
Better.
Like they've been cooperating for years.
"LEFT!"
Heavy blocked.
"MOVE!"
Assault cut through.
Akane stabilized them.
No hesitation.
No confusion.
Just—
Flow.
Across factions—
"They synced already?"
"That fast?"
"That's not normal"
They weren't just watching anymore.
They were studying.
A boss infected appeared.
Akane throws out mobile turrets.
The heavy thrown grenades.
The assault came close-quarter combat.
Their fast and coordinated movement made-
The infecteds unable to react in time.
A grenade was swallowed by the huge boss and-
His head went BOOM!.
Though the boss was still standing the assault quickly cut the back of its leg.
And akane throwed one last turret on the hole.
Killing the boss outside and inside.
As they cut through infected by infected.
Eventually the last infected fell.
Silence.
Heavy exhaled.
"…Not bad."
Assault smirked.
"…Yeah. You didn't slow us down."
Akane looked at them.
"…You didn't leave me behind."
A pause.
"…We're not like that," Heavy said.
Dropships descended.
Different factions.
Different insignias.
Weapons ready—
On both sides.
Awkward Chaos.
"You shoot first?"
"No, you shoot first."
"Or... we don't?"
A medic walked up.
"You look like hell."
"the ship I was in crashed," Akane replied.
"Yeah... that explains it."
Nearby-
Assault got stared at.
"Why do you move like that?"
"Why don't you?" he shot back.
Heavy crossed his arms.
"Are we done?"
"I think we're allies," someone said.
"Temporary," Heavy corrected.
As things settled—
Akane stood between them.
Heavy on one side.
Assault on the other.
No words.
But something was there.
Unspoken.
Understood.
"We move great together," Heavy said.
"Yeah," Assault added.
Akane nodded.
"Understood."
Across the system—
Screens slowly turned off.
But not before one last look.
At the three of them.
Standing together.
Different.
Broken.
But still fighting.
Akane looked forward.
"…Let's go."
And this time—
He wasn't alone in the war.