CHAPTER 2 -END-

Magic? Knights? Monsters? Everything sounded like it was ripped from the pages of a fantasy novel, but this is Ivan's reality now. As he stood there, taking in the scene, a mix of awe and confusion filled him. 

As Ivan bewildered on a scene he just saw, an orc is already behind him, about to strike him with axe, Spinning with reflexive speed, he dodged an orc's axe and retaliated swiftly, using the bayonet of his rifle to sever the creature's arm. He then unleashed a hail of bullets in their direction,

The brother and sister—the knight and the mage—were momentarily startled by the thunderous sound of Ivan's gunfire, akin to lightning strikes or erupting volcanoes. "W-what is that?!" The girl exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and fear.

"Someone is coming!" The man quickly alerted his sister, his eyes scanning the direction of the gunfire.

Having dispatched the immediate threat, Ivan decided to move towards the pair. He dashed across the battlefield, his presence drawing curious glances from the medieval siblings. They eyed his attire with visible bewilderment; Ivan's modern camouflage gear, a dazzle of greens and browns mimicking mottled earth and foliage, seemed out of place against their archaic garb, looking to them like high-class fabric made from leaves.

As Ivan approached, he quickly assessed the medieval pair. Their attire clearly suggested they were from a bygone era.

Meanwhile, the twins, now momentarily safe, looked up at their new saviors with a mix of joy and lingering fear. Unsure of what to make of the situation, their eyes widened as they took in the scene.

They exchanged glances, their alien appearance creating a sense of mutual curiosity. The knight, seeking to break the tension, knelt down to speak with the twins in a comforting, knightly manner.

. "How are you both? Are you hurt?" he asked gently.

"My sister, Reona, was slashed by an axe on her leg," the young girl replied, her voice shaking. The knight quickly examined the injury and saw a deep cut on the girl's thigh, still bleeding profusely.

Ivan also turned his attention to the children, and seeing the severity of the injury, his adrenaline surged. He quickly reached into his pouch on his back for his Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK).

"Sister!" the knight called to the mage. She knelt down too and rummaged through her leather satchel.

Both Ivan and the mage held bottles with liquids inside. Ivan's is a small, clear plastic bottle, while the mage holds a glass bottle filled with a bright green substance.

"What is that?" Ivan asked, his face showing disapproval. The mage, confused, replied, "Don't you know? It's a herb potion, but it can be applied externally. It should help immediately."

Ivan shook his head. "No, I don't trust whatever that herb is to put a suspicious liquid on a child. It's better to use this."

The mage's brow furrowed in irritation, though she tried not to show it. "Mister, this is a widely used potion, and I am even the one who made this, it's enough to alleviate pain until we can get her to a healer." She explained calmly then, "Where are you from that you don't know about such a simple thing? In fact, your thing looks more suspicious. Is it just water?" Mage sarcastically asked. 

"This is Sterile Saline Solution; it's scientifically proven to prevent infection. In this era, we don't rely on makeshift herbal remedies because scientifically validated methods are more effective. What secluded village are you from that you still use outdated and unguaranteed methods?"

"Sterile Saline Solution? Basically you're putting saltwater on her wounds?" Mage said sarcastically.

"Wait…do you know the saline solution?" Ivan is taken aback and asked. 

"Of course, it's just a mixture of sodium chloride and water. So I know it's no better than my potion," The mage confidently answered.

Before their argument could continue, "A...a...lisa, arrghh!" the wounded girl groaned, tears and sweat falling as she grew paler. "Reona! Reona, please hold on. Please save her," the girl pleaded. Seeing this, Ivan and the mage hurried to prepare the treatment.

The mage uncorked her potion to pour it on the wound, "Hey!" Ivan was about to stop her when the knight, with an intimidating aura, intervened, "Sire, please."

Ivan clenched his teeth, "Damn it." The mage poured the potion, and Reona's face gradually lightened, but the bleeding continued. Ivan then applied a tourniquet and wrapped gauze dressing tightly around the wound.

Reona's condition slightly improved, but she was still far from safe and required deeper medical attention immediately.

"Sire," the knight began, his voice laced with courtesy, "we offer our humblest apologies, for your garb and accoutrements are most peculiar. Might you be a mage from a distant land?"

Before Ivan could respond, the female mage, her face tilted and eyeing Ivan's rifle with curiosity, asked, "Hey, that thing earlier, did it make the sound like an exploding volcano and the light like lightning?"

"Are they really that clueless?", Ivan thought to himself. "I am Sergeant Ivan Abrams of the Redmusket of the special armored squadron BlackPowder of the United Nations Army Offense Force. Do you know where I am right now?"

The siblings exchanged glances. "Sire, Ivan, we apologize, but we do not understand what you've said. United Nations Army Offense Force? We have never heard of it," the knight replied respectfully.

"Red Musket... you say?" The mage squinted her eyes as if trying to recall something, then she put her finger on her chin and pondered.

Ivan noticed this and his heart beat faster, sensing she might know something. "Hey, do you know something about—"

Before Ivan could finish his question, they heard sounds like heavy footsteps, and the structures around them seemed to be collapsing.

At this, all three instinctively surrounded the twins. The knight readied his shield to block any attacks. The mage gripped her wooden staff, the tip of which had a glowing blue gem. Ivan pointed his gun, ready to defend.

They all looked around, preparing for the upcoming threat. "Sire," the knight implored, his voice firm yet respectful, "though the land you hail from remains a mystery to us, I implore you to take these young ones to a place of safety. We, humble adventurers that we are, shall face this peril."

Ivan furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about? I'm a military personnel, and you civilians must evacuate now!"

"We are adventurers, Mister, and it's our job to protect people too. Even though we're only C-rank, there's no slacking on our part," said the female mage.

"Then all of us must evacuate now!" Ivan responded. The knight looked at his sister. "Sister..."

The female mage gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on her staff. "We can't still go for now; there are still comrades of ours here, and we need to find them."She said with solid resolve.

But when she continued speaking, "So, Mister, just l..e..a..ve it—" Her voice softly faded and seemed to be interrupted.

When the knight and Ivan noticed this and looked in her direction, they saw a terrifying, enormous creature.

"It...it can't be...how?" The knight's voice mixed fear and confusion.

Ivan's eyes widened, his lips paled, and a chill ran down his spine as he saw the giant monster. They could hardly believe what they saw.

A mountainous nightmare appeared in the darkness of the ravaged plains. Nine meters tall, it seemed to bend over the burnt-out landscape. Its surface was black like obsidian in every feature – even from afar, one could see this sky through it as a mirror of utter devastation. Every step it made sent shudders among the already cracked earth.

It looks like a pangolin twisted by an evil force from nature, a graceful-enough creature with armors on its skin. Although its shape was still reminiscent of that of an original pangolin, its scales were definitely normal. It is dreadful counterfeits made from obsidian, volcanic glass as dark as night without stars. The plates shifted from each other with a sound like glaciers calving; they had alien patterns on them which defied earthly logic and ground together forming an eternal darkness void. Underneath them lurked an eerie bioluminescent purple that pulsed on and off like a diseased heart casting a disconcerting light onto the cracked earth below. It was born out of horror dreams and became living fire from within; this creature was but maliciousness and rage itself!

But it was the mage's reaction that sent a shiver down Ivan's spine. Her eyes, wide with a primal fear that darted between the creature and the pulsating blue patches on its body. Her normally steady hand, gripping the staff, began to tremble. A single, choked whisper escaped her pale lips, a word laced with a horrifying recognition.

"No... it can't be... a Chthonic Cerus... not here..." Her voice trailed off, a vacant look replacing the terror in her eyes. A single tear traced a path down her dust-streaked cheek, her fear replaced by a chilling numbness.

CHAPTER 2 -END-