A little while later, Mina and Aiden walked towards the barracks. When the two noticed that a lot of both troops, White Fang, Ooarai, Huntsmen, and mercenaries were all running and rushing to the direction of the airfield.

They began to run too as they saw the worried and shocked looks everyone was making. Something must have happened.

Aiden saw Karma also running too.

His heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted toward the airfield, the frantic energy of the crowd pushing him faster. "What the hell is going on!?" he shouted over the noise, his voice strained with urgency.

"Echo Sector! A whole entire Battalion that was evacing civies was ambushed badly!" Karma shouted back, her face a mask of determination and concern.

Aiden felt his blood run cold. A whole battalion ambushed?

"Who?" he demanded.

"Don't know! Could be Grimm! Could be the Ultra. The survivors are on the way back. We need to help them when they get here," she answered.

"Right!" Aiden replied.

Together, they ran, following the flow of the panicked crowd.

At the airstrip, Mina and Aiden could only watch the medics rush to the wounded as the survivors arrived.

They saw Mari acting as her duty as a Second Lieutenant and a Japanese Marine Corps Corpsman started ordering medics and corpsmen around. Karam saw Moon Yejin doing duty as a medic in the ROK Army stopping the bleeding of an Atlas soldier who has several Grimm wounds and burns.

Mari opened the door of a JLTV and saw a Polish soldier dead with a RPG imbedded in his body, he was probably the unfortunate first casualty that died before the other wounded troops evacuated.

"Goddamn..." Mari whispered, her voice barely a whisper. "The Ultra must have done this."

She was cut off when a voice called out, "Marine, are you a medic?"

Mari turned to the source and saw an injured female White Fang Faunus. She was a young girl who couldn't be older than 18, and her injuries were bad. As in she was holding what's left of her right arm that is now a stump.

Mari nodded and said, "Yeah."

The Faunus looked at the marine and asked, "Help me, it hurts. And my Aura isn't..."

"It's okay," she answered as she got a tourniquet and began applying pressure on the stump, trying her best not to look away. "How many survived?" she asked as the girl whimpered from the pain.

"Not enough. There's less than 500 of us that survived and the others are dead." the Faunus replied.

Mari nodded, her eyes hardened, her mind racing with all the things that had happened. She turned to a medic and said, "We need to get them stabilized. We'll take them to the medical tent."

"Got it," the medic said as he got an IV and a bag of plasma and gave the bag to another medic who had a stretcher.

"Get ready, we'll be moving soon," the medic said.

"Roger," Mari said.

"What the hell happened?" Aiden asked, looking at the scene in front of him. Aiden's voice came out hoarse, the chaos of the scene overwhelming his senses. He took in the sight: the makeshift medical area that was quickly being set up, the bloody bandages, the medics scrambling, and the wounded troops, many barely conscious or worse. The harsh scent of antiseptic mixed with the metallic tang of blood, and it left him feeling queasy.

Mari didn't respond immediately, too busy working on the injured White Fang faunus. Her hands moved with steady determination, tightening the tourniquet, checking vitals. "We got hit hard, Aiden. I think they were ambushed when they were trying to evac the civilians," she finally said, her voice steady but heavy.

Karma, still by Aiden's side, clenched her jaw. Her eyes moved over the scene, catching sight of every detail—every wounded comrade, every shattered look on a trooper's face. The image of the dead Polish soldier with the RPG embedded in his torso lingered in her mind, a reminder of just how brutal and unforgiving the enemy was. "Goddamn it," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. "It wasn't supposed to go down like this."

Aiden took a step back, his eyes still wide, watching as medics rushed back and forth, hauling wounded troops from the vehicles, laying them on stretchers. Some were conscious and moaning, others lay still, a glazed look in their eyes. He watched Yejin as she worked tirelessly on the Atlas soldier. Her hands were covered in blood, her expression cold and focused, her body moving on instinct alone.

"Whoever did this..." Aiden began, but his words trailed off as Mina tugged on his sleeve.

He looked down at her, her face a mix of concern and determination. "Aiden, come on," she said softly, nodding toward the direction of the tents. "We should help. We can't just stand here."

He swallowed hard, nodding. "Yeah... yeah, you're right."

As they moved to help where they could, the whole scene played out like a terrible dream. The surviving troops were slowly brought in, some barely clinging to life, others with serious injuries, and all of them with the same haunted look in their eyes. The survivors' clothes were torn, their bodies burned or covered in blood. They had been through hell, and it showed.

Mari turned her head to shout orders to a group of Atlas medics who were rushing by. "Get those stretchers set up over there! We need a sterile area, stat!" She looked back down at the young faunus girl and gave her a small nod. "You're doing great. Just hang in there, alright?"

The girl whimpered, her face pale from blood loss. She tried to force a smile through the pain. "I'm... I'm not going anywhere."

Karma moved from soldier to soldier, checking for pulses, doing whatever she could to assist the medics, her heart aching with every lifeless body she encountered. She looked up briefly, catching sight of Anthony and Jie, who were running toward the scene. Anthony's face was hardened, and she could tell by the way his jaw was set that he was barely holding his emotions in check.

"Anthony!" Aiden called out, waving his hand to get his brother's attention.

Anthony's eyes scanned the chaos before landing on Aiden and Mina. He made his way over, dodging between medics and wounded soldiers, his expression unchanging. "You two okay?" he asked, his eyes taking in the scene, his voice tight.

"Yeah, we're fine," Aiden answered, swallowing hard. "But what the hell happened out there, Ant?"

Anthony sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He looked around, his eyes briefly locking with Mari's as she worked, and then he turned his attention back to Aiden. "It was an ambush. Echo Sector... it got hit hard. A lot of the Grimm and Ultras showed up out of nowhere. There wasn't time to react, and they had civilians with them."

"Shit," Mina muttered, shaking her head. "Did they even stand a chance?"

Anthony shook his head, his eyes darkening. "They did what they could, but the Ultras knew exactly where to hit us. They knew how to split the battalion and how to catch them off guard." He looked down, his voice lowering. "We have to be ready. They're targeting our weakest points. We can't let them keep doing this."

Aiden clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the wounded. "We're gonna make them pay for this, right? They can't just get away with it."

Anthony's gaze hardened, his eyes meeting Aiden's. "Damn right we are. But right now, we need to focus on keeping as many of these people alive as we can."

Jie joined them, her face pale but resolute. "We need to regroup and rethink our strategy. If they were able to ambush us this easily, then we're missing something." She looked over at Anthony, her eyes searching his. "We need to talk to command and figure this out. We can't let more people get caught like this."

Anthony nodded. "Agreed. We can't let this happen again. Not on our watch."

As the chaos continued, the reality of war hit them harder than ever. The sights, the sounds, the blood, the anguish—it was a harsh reminder of what they were up against. And while they stood there, with the weight of what had happened bearing down on them, one thing became painfully clear: they couldn't afford to lose another battalion. They would fight back, regroup, and make the enemy pay.

And until then, they would do everything in their power to save their comrades—to hold on to whatever glimmer of hope they could muster in a world engulfed by darkness and despair.

"Clear the runway! Clear the fucking runway!" A US Marine was heard yelling.

Anthony noticed a burning C-8 on the runway, "INCOMING!"

Suddenly, the area is attacked and many Ultranationalists soldiers and Grimm start attacking. The wing of a damaged C-150 abstracts from it and hurls toward a JLTV. The JLTV spins out of control and it rams over a Mexican Marine and it flips over killing the driver, and injuring Jie. UNE Marines soldiers, Atlas Military, White Fang, Huntsmen, Ooarai Battalion, and mercs start running as Anthony and Aiden get back up and move to Jie.

"Over here! We gotta move her!" Anthony ordered Aiden as he and himself pick her up and move toward the trenches. "Get her to the bunker! I'll cover you-GO!"

Aiden starts carrying Jie towards the bunker. Anthony starts firing at the enemies, hitting and killing one of them. "You're welcome, fuckers!" He then turns and runs after his brother and Jie.

Aiden sets Jie down, "Captain Ling?"

"I'm okay." Jie responds as she stands up a puts her combat helmet on.

Mina now geared up throws an M16A6 Masterkey towards Aiden who caught it and moves through the bunker with Jie and Anthony. UNE troops and other allies are seen heading toward the trenches and mapping out strategies.

207th UNE Marines are seen running through the trenches. One is knocked over by an explosion and is killed by a Ultra soldier. Another is hit by a blast and is killed. His comrade continues shooting at the enemies and is quickly killed.

"Goddamnit! Let's go!" Yelled an Atlas soldier.

A Canadian Soldier replies to her, "We're on it, six."

"On station six, standing by." Said a ROK Corporal.

The battle raged on as the fighters fought valiantly against the invading enemy forces.

They move through the trenches, as the Ultras and Grimm started jumping in from a berm on the side. While walking under a bridge, Mari has a Ultra soldier jump on her and strangle her. "Die you filthy Jap!!"

"FUCK!! Get the fuck off me you Ultra Fuck!!!" Mari screamed, trying to break the Ultra soldier's grip.

The Ultra soldier keeps choking her, but Karma comes behind and smacks the soldier with the stock of her DAR-21. She then pulls the pin on a M65 Frag grenade and stuffs it in the soldier's pants, and pushes him back.

Mari saw this and crawls out of the blast radius before the grenade explodes, killing him. Karma and Hyena then helps her up, "You alright, Kurokawa?"

"Yes. Thank you." Mari said, relieved.

Karma nods, "Just stick close."

"Will do." Mari nods.

The Ultranationalists start laying ladders down over the trenches in order to get across. IFVs pull up to suppress them before they can cross the trenches and enter the base.

"Check the ladder!" Aiden called out as they move right into the trenches and engage the Ultras. Felix is seen pinning down one soldier and knocks him down before Vincent is seen finishes him off.

Some Grimm with Fire Dust imbedded in them begin to burn the troops using flame attacks. They quickly run and take cover behind a barricade as a Atlas soldier gets killed by fire. David is seen pulling out a M90 stun grenade out and tosses it at the Grimm. "You motherfuckers!!" He takes them out, and the small team moves forward.

More people are seen moving in the trenches. One is hit by a tray bullet and is killed. Two Russian Marines and a Ukrainian Marine move in and finish the Grimm off. The Marines then move through the trench with a wounded comrade.

"Incoming!" A Japanese soldier yelled as a Filipino ZWC APC is hit with multiple rocket hits. Mari notices this and holds the others back. After it is clear, they move up, but the APC explodes and collapses over the trench, and Aiden crawls under it.

"Move it, Aid! Come on!" Mina called out as Aiden manages to crawl out from under the APC and moves up. "Give me cover! くそっ！[Shit!] Ultras coming right at us!"

Keith who was nearby providing covering fire with his FKB-88 Anti-Material Rifle, "We got a line of those 'napalm' barrels in those trucks you Americans and Canadians brought about 1829cm (20yd) out! Just hit this...." He pulls out a detonator and activates the charges, killing many Ultras and Grimm. "Fire mines, baby! Us Pinoys love 'em..."

The group moves up and meet up with other troops as a Changhe Z-10J is hit by a Nevermore. "啊! 他媽的！ 五月天，五月天！ 耶穌基督！ [Ugh! Goddamnit! Mayday, Mayday! Jesus Christ!]" The Changhe Z-10J Pilot is heard on the radio as the troops watch as the medium attack helicopter goes down and is destroyed.

David looks around to see where the Nevermore is. "Here they come!" Shino yell as he picks up a detonator. "Wait for it." Ultras and Grimm comes closer. "Now DAVE! Do it!"

"BOOM BOOM!!!" David activates the charges and kills some Ultras and Grimm. "Get the stragglers!" Raven is seen picking up a HE Frag Grenades and tosses it at the straggling Ultras and Grimm. They explode, killing them.

Andrew is seen uses the next detonator and was about to click it when David his older brother stopped him, "Not yet..." Another wave of Ultras and Grimm come in. "Blow it!"

"GET COOKED MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!" Andrew uses the last charge.

"Good kill!" Keith calls out.

"Fall back! Fall fucking back!" A Shadow Company merc screamed out as they fall back up the hill into some tents. They meet up with some Marines and Soldiers and hold the position. "Hold this position!"

Tyrone is seen rushing in the tent with Kevin and he picks up a mounted M2 Browning .50cal with a muzzle brake and fires at the Ultras and Grimm and Aiden fires alongside his twin with his M16A6 to deal with 'em. "Come on, you Ultra bastards!! Raarrrgh!! Come on, bring it on! Dammit!!! Hit 'em!!!"

The battlefield was an absolute maelstrom of chaos and terror—explosions, screams, and rapid gunfire filled the air. The troops, Huntsmen, White Fang fighters, and mercenaries held their positions as the Ultranationalists and Grimm poured in. Tyrone, manning the M2 Browning, roared in frustration and defiance, laying down a constant barrage of .50 caliber fire that ripped into the charging enemies. Aiden, just beside him, fired his M16A6 with controlled bursts, taking down any stragglers that Tyrone's rounds missed.

The coordinated waves of Grimm and Ultranationalists seemed relentless, and they came in from all directions. The ground shook from the impact of artillery, and the desert was clouded with the smoke of destruction. The remains of several downed aircraft were still burning, adding to the smoke and confusion.

"Don't let them through!" Aiden screamed, his face twisted in anger as he saw more Ultras advancing towards their position. He ducked behind cover, pausing to reload before popping back out and squeezing off rounds into an approaching group.

"Frag out!" Karma yelled, pulling the pin on a grenade and lobbing it into a cluster of Ultranationalists. The explosion sent bodies flying, but it seemed like for every one they took down, two more replaced them.

In the tent they were defending, Kevin knelt next to Tyrone, his own weapon at the ready, providing cover whenever Tyrone had to reload. The .50 cal was relentless, chewing through both Grimm and human enemies alike. The recoil and noise were deafening, but Tyrone didn't care. His hands were steady, his focus unbreakable.

"Keep pushing!" Tyrone shouted to his comrades. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, a raw mixture of fear and aggression. He saw Kevin glance at him with the corner of his eye, nodding in silent agreement. The two brothers fought as one, determined to hold their ground.

Above them, the Nevermore that had shot down the helicopter was now being targeted by several Huntsmen and Atlas soldiers. Weiss leapt forward, her Glyphs forming a platform beneath her feet, and with a flourish of her rapier, she launched icicles into the sky. "Take that thing down!" she shouted, her voice barely audible over the din.

Blake darted past, her Gambol Shroud slicing into the wing of a Beowolf before she turned to the sky and fired her weapon in its ranged mode. Ruby was already running ahead, Crescent Rose in her hands, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and sorrow.

"Keep moving, Ruby!" Yang called after her, her gauntlets primed and glowing with Ember Celica's Dust. She slammed them forward, unleashing blasts into a group of advancing Grimm. "Don't stop now!"

In the distance, Miho, still clad in her combat gear, stood atop a Sherman Firefly tank that belonged to the Ooarai Battalion, shouting orders. "Keep the lines clear! Tanks, concentrate your fire on their heaviest concentration!" Her eyes flashed with determination, her sixth sense almost tangible as she read the battlefield like a book.

Ryan was with her, barking commands into a radio. "Air support, we need those coordinates hit NOW! We're getting overrun!" He looked over at Miho, a grin forming despite the dire situation. "You ready for another Rommel-style charge?"

Miho smirked, giving Ryan a nod. "You know I'm always ready." She banged her hand on the top of the tank. "Driver, advance!"

The Sherman rumbled to life, rolling forward as the rest of the battalion followed. The tanks unleashed a deadly barrage of shells into the Grimm and Ultranationalists, carving a path of destruction through the enemy ranks.

In the trenches, Anthony and Jie fought side by side, each movement calculated and precise. Jie, despite her injury, kept her rifle steady, her eyes narrowing as she sighted down her scope and fired at an Ultranationalist who was reloading. "Got him," she muttered, immediately swiveling to find her next target.

Anthony, meanwhile, was using an M5A3 assault rifle, firing rapidly and then ducking down behind the barricade for cover. He looked over at Jie, a hint of concern in his eyes. "You holding up?"

Jie nodded, though she was breathing heavily. "I've had worse. Just keep them off me."

"You got it," Anthony replied, giving her a quick nod before popping up and firing at a group of advancing Grimm.

Not far off, Raven and Qrow fought with a level of precision and brutality that few could match. Raven's sword danced through the air, slicing into Grimm with ease, while Qrow wielded Harbinger with deadly efficiency. They moved in tandem, their years of experience evident in their every action.

Raven briefly caught sight of Yang and gave her daughter a nod, a silent acknowledgment of the fight they were in together. Yang responded with a determined glare, slamming her fists into the face of a charging Ursa.

"Push them back!" Ironwood's voice came over the comms, his tone cold and authoritative. "We cannot let them breach our defenses any further. All forces, converge on the central trench line and reinforce!"

"On it!" Weiss replied, her glyphs carrying her towards the trench, where she saw Anthony and Jie fighting. She landed beside them, her rapier flashing as she joined the fray. "Need a hand?"

"Always!" Anthony replied with a grin, taking aim and firing again.

The battle raged on, and for every inch the UNE and its allies gained, it seemed like the Ultranationalists and Grimm fought back with twice the ferocity. But despite the losses, despite the exhaustion, they held their line. They knew what was at stake—not just their lives, but the lives of everyone back home, the innocent civilians who were counting on them.

Aiden, covered in dust and grime, looked over at his brother as the two reloaded. "We're gonna make it, right, Ant?"

Anthony looked at him, his eyes fierce. "Hell yeah, we're gonna make it. We just have to keep fighting. No matter what."

Aiden nodded, his resolve hardening. "Then let's do this."

And as the battle continued, with gunfire echoing and the roar of Grimm filling the air, the UNE, Atlas soldiers, Huntsmen, and all their allies stood together, united in the face of overwhelming odds. They fought not just for victory, but for survival, for each other, and for the hope that one day, this nightmare would end.

It was then a couple of engineers activate the prototype GAU-8 30mm Sentry turrets as they opened fire at the incoming enemies.

BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

The battlefield suddenly seemed to shake under the thundering roar of the newly activated GAU-8 Sentry turrets, their iconic BRRRRRRT sound reverberating through the chaos. The turrets, like mechanized monsters of sheer destruction, spat out an almost unending stream of 30mm rounds, cutting through anything in their path—be it Ultranationalists or Grimm, leaving behind nothing but a mist of gore and dismembered limbs.

Felix watched in awe as the turret swiveled and tore through an entire squad of advancing Ultranationalists, their screams barely audible over the din of the firing. He couldn't help but laugh, his face lighting up with excitement. "Holy shit! I think these babies are gonna be awesome!" he shouted over the noise.

Vincent, standing next to him, nodded with a grin. "You bet your ass they are." He pointed at the relentless onslaught, where the Grimm were getting absolutely decimated, each hit practically exploding them into fragments. "Look at that! They're tearing them to mist and pieces."

The sound was deafening, and each burst of the GAU-8 shook the very ground beneath them, the high-pitched whine of the turret's motor as it adjusted its aim blending with the chaotic orchestra of the battle.

Aiden was practically bouncing on his feet. His adrenaline was in overdrive as he saw a group of Beowolves charging straight into the kill zone of the sentry guns, only to be disintegrated before they even made it halfway. "Goddamn. Look at those fuckers go!" Aiden grinned wildly, the thrill of the fight taking over.

Anthony, positioned just a few feet behind one of the turrets, could feel the air pressure change every time it fired. The force of it was incredible, and the destruction even more so. He gave a nod of approval, a rare grin spreading across his face. "These are sweet, man. Absolutely worth it."

The engineers who had activated the turrets were huddled nearby, monitoring their performance through a terminal, their faces filled with a mix of awe and nerves. These prototypes were still new, yet they were performing better than anyone could have imagined. One of them, a young man named Jacobs, looked up from his terminal with a huge smile. "We put these through the paces in the lab, but seeing them in action like this... it's another level!"

"Well, they're doing more than just testing now, Jacobs! They're turning the tide!" another engineer shouted, giving a thumbs up.

More Grimm emerged over the dunes—a pack of Deathstalkers with their massive claws clacking ominously as they advanced, followed by several Ursas roaring, their glowing red eyes fixated on the defenders. The GAU-8 Sentry turrets adjusted in tandem, their sensors picking up the largest targets, and unleashed another wave of hellfire.

BBBBRRRRRRRRTTTTTTT!

Shell after shell shredded the armor of the Deathstalkers, punching through their tough carapace with ease. The pack fell one after another, their massive bodies collapsing lifelessly onto the sand. The Ursas didn't fare any better, each round tearing through them, leaving nothing behind but gore and dust.

Karma had to shield her eyes from the bright flashes and the resulting debris, her ears ringing even with her headset on. She turned to Hyena, who was crouched nearby, and yelled over the din, "Remind me to thank those engineers later!"

Hyena nodded, her eyes wide as she watched a Grimm that had been charging towards her get obliterated mid-leap. "Yeah, drinks are on us for those guys!"

With each barrage, the once-overwhelming numbers of Grimm and Ultranationalists seemed to dwindle, their advance slowing under the relentless hailstorm of rounds. Troops on the ground were emboldened, seeing the enemy pushed back and torn apart. Many of them found renewed energy and pushed forward, using the turrets' firepower as cover to advance and secure better positions.

"Push forward! Let those sentries rip them apart while we clean up the rest!" Anthony called out, rallying a group of UNE troops. They began advancing, their weapons raised as they moved with confidence.

"Watch your spacing! Those Grimm can still charge!" Jie called out, moving alongside Anthony, her eyes scanning for threats as they approached the shattered remains of a Grimm that had been torn apart by the turret's rounds.

Meanwhile, Ryan had his radio out, calling in positions for artillery support to follow up on the damage being done by the sentries. "We need fire support on Grid 29-B, enemy infantry are regrouping! Give 'em hell, boys!" He then turned to Miho, who was not far from him, overseeing the situation.

Miho nodded in approval. "We have to capitalize on this moment. Let's press them while they're disoriented," she said, giving her orders through her comm to the Ooarai Battalion. "Tanks, move forward, suppress their flanks!"

The armored vehicles roared to life, their treads crunching through the sand, the battalion's main guns booming as they unleashed shells into the enemy's ranks, complementing the sentry guns perfectly. It was organized chaos, and for the first time in hours, it felt like they were gaining the upper hand.

Above them, Huntsmen leaped from dune to dune, picking off stragglers. Ruby dashed through the battlefield in a blur, Crescent Rose slicing through any enemy that managed to evade the sentry turrets' line of fire. Weiss, Blake, and Yang moved in sync with their team leader, striking with precision and efficiency.

Raven watched from atop a destroyed bunker, her eyes narrowing at the carnage below. The sentries had cleared a significant portion of the enemy, but she knew better than to underestimate the Ultranationalists or the Grimm. There would be more waves—there were always more waves.

"Don't get cocky, people! This isn't over until every last one of them is gone!" she yelled, her voice carrying across the trench line. Her warning served as a sobering reminder to everyone still caught up in the thrill of the turret's effectiveness.

Anthony looked over at Aiden, who was grinning ear to ear as he fired his weapon. "Keep your head on straight, Aid. We're winning this fight, but it's not done until we see no more red eyes staring back at us."

Aiden nodded, his grin fading slightly as he focused. "Got it, bro. Let's keep pushing."

And with that, the combined forces of the UNE, Atlas, Huntsmen, White Fang, Ooarai Battalion, and mercenaries pressed their advantage, pushing the enemy further back, determined to hold the line and claim victory, inch by inch, until nothing was left of those who dared to stand against them.

The battlefield was filled with a mix of victorious cheers and the grim aftermath of battle as the UNE, Atlas soldiers, Huntsmen, White Fang, Ooarai Battalion, and mercenaries stood victorious. The once relentless waves of Ultranationalists and Grimm had finally begun to falter and withdraw, their numbers shattered, and their morale destroyed. The deafening roars of battle had given way to scattered gunfire and the moans of the wounded.

Anthony stood up from his position, raising his fist into the air. "We did it! Victory is ours!" His voice carried through the battlefield, and a ripple of cheers erupted from the troops around him. Men and women, battered and exhausted, hugged each other, raised their weapons high, and cheered in jubilation. Even the stoic and war-hardened faces of the Ooarai Battalion showed signs of relief and satisfaction.

Miho stood atop her Panther tank, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of a counterattack, her sixth sense keeping her on alert. When nothing came, she allowed herself a nod of approval, raising her voice to call out, "Well done, Ooarai Battalion! Another victory in the bag!" Her crew members responded with a mix of salutes and cheers, celebrating the hard-earned success.

The celebrations were short-lived, though, as the call for medics and corpsmen quickly echoed through the comms and down the line. Reality set in as the troopers who had fought so valiantly moments before turned to assess the cost of victory.

The medics moved in swiftly, wearing their red crosses and carrying their bags full of bandages and medical supplies. Corpsmen moved through the battlefield, trying to find those who were injured but still alive. Bloodied bodies, some stirring and others motionless, lay scattered across the sands. The jubilant cheers turned into pained groans, and the metallic scent of blood mixed with the acrid smell of gunpowder.

Mari worked alongside Karma and Hyena, assessing wounded soldiers, applying first aid, and triaging for those who could be moved to the medical tents. Mari's face was grim as she moved from one wounded to the next, her hands covered in blood, her expression unflinching. She'd seen this too many times before.

Then they came across one particular Marine—a young man, his uniform in tatters, his body ravaged. His eye hung grotesquely from its socket, his arm blown away, his leg twisted in a direction it shouldn't be, blood staining his entire form. He was still conscious, still breathing, and against all odds, still coherent.

"Doc! Doc, over here!" Hyena called as she knelt beside the Marine, gently lifting his head. The man's remaining eye met hers, and he coughed, his face twisted in pain, his teeth shattered.

"Hang in there, Marine. We're gonna get you out of here," Hyena said, her voice steady, though her eyes were filled with concern.

But the Marine, through clenched teeth and with blood dribbling from his lips, spat out his defiance. "No... don't take me out, Doc!" He wheezed, his voice raspy but filled with conviction. "I can still fight! I CAN STILL FIGHT!!!"

His declaration echoed across the area, and for a moment, those nearby paused, their eyes falling on the defiant Marine. There was something almost awe-inspiring about his spirit, refusing to give in, refusing to be taken away.

Mari knelt beside him, shaking her head with a mix of admiration and concern. "Easy there, Marine. We'll take care of you, but you've done enough. Let us handle the rest now." She glanced at the nearby stretcher-bearers and waved them over. "Get him stabilized. He's not going anywhere just yet."

The Marine protested weakly as they began to lift him, but his strength was waning, and the pain was becoming unbearable. Despite everything, he gritted his teeth and tried to sit up. "I'm not done yet..."

Anthony walked over, crouching beside the Marine and placing a hand on his remaining shoulder. "You've done your part, Devil Dog. Let us finish the fight for you now." His voice was calm but filled with authority.

The Marine looked at Anthony, his remaining eye clouded with tears. His lips quivered, and finally, he nodded weakly. "Finish it... sir... finish it for all of us."

Anthony nodded firmly. "We will. We will."

The medics hurriedly carried the Marine to the evac point, his screams of determination fading into the distance as the battlefield returned to a state of muted chaos. The sun was setting now, casting a blood-red hue across the desert sands—a grim reminder of the price that had been paid for this victory.

Ryan, who had been helping pull wounded out of a collapsed trench, paused for a moment, watching as the stretcher carrying the young Marine was loaded onto an ambulance. He clenched his jaw and turned back to his work, helping lift another wounded soldier.

Nearby, Winter walked past, her gaze lingering on the departing ambulance. She glanced at Ryan, her expression one of tired determination. "He said he could still fight. They always say that."

Ryan looked up at her, his face set in a grim smile. "That's why we fight, Winter. Because of them. For every Marine, every soldier, every ally that falls... we keep fighting because they still would if they could."

Winter nodded, her gaze hardening as she looked back at the battlefield. "Then let's make sure this wasn't for nothing."

As the evening wore on, the camp settled into an uneasy calm, the fires of battle slowly being replaced with the glow of campfires and emergency lights. The medics worked tirelessly, the wounded were tended to, and the dead were gathered—each one a name, a story, a sacrifice.

It had been a hard-fought victory, and the price had been steep. But they had held the line, and they had emerged victorious. And tomorrow, they would do it all again. Because, as the Marine had said, they weren't done yet. Not by a long shot.

Author's Note: If anyone with the possibility of adapting this story into a comic. Please show me sample of chapter 1. I don't mind what artistic style you use.