(Volume VI: Divergent Front
Fire Moth. In this wasteland, the name has come to replace the very word "hope."
In an age where despair was closing in and everyone was just trying to survive, only Fire Moth launched a counterattack against the Honkai.
The zombie tide in Sapphire City became Fire Moth's primary front line, and several cities surrounding ARC City also welcomed their garrisons.
Cities further away were waiting, holding on for Fire Moth's pioneer squads to reach them, to reconnect them with the rail lines and bring them back into the fold of civilization.
"Survive" was no longer just a simple, desperate obsession. It had become a concrete goal: to wait for the arrival of Fire Moth, an objective that felt more important than hope itself.
"Good morning, everyone in ARC City! This is the Fire Moth ARC Express. Whether you're in ARC City or not, I want to congratulate every single one of you listening for making it through another day!!"
At eight in the morning, the crackle of static from an old-fashioned radio was followed by the sound of an energetic woman's voice.
Before long, a crowd had gathered around the worn-out but clearly well-cared-for radio.
"Today marks the third day since the battleship Hyperion departed from ARC City. Before we introduce the third member of the pioneer squad, let's catch up on what happened yesterday!"
"First up, the Sapphire City front line! The Titan mecha squad led by the warrior [Rose] has taken down two more Honkai Beasts! They've pushed the entire front line 147 meters closer to the city center! That's the best record we've had in the past month!"
The crowd around the radio erupted in cheers, letting out meaningless but emotionally charged shouts.
Advancing the front line by 147 meters. In the old days, they might have scoffed at such a meager achievement, wondering how anyone could present such an embarrassing record with a straight face.
But now, they cheered for every single inch gained. They breathed a sigh of relief when a retreat was reported with no casualties.
Even the most devout atheists would find themselves praying for the soldiers on the front line, for one simple reason: they themselves were currently inside Sapphire City...
Of course, it wasn't just them. Anyone who had learned about Fire Moth from that shocking live broadcast three months ago, anyone who had witnessed that world-shattering battle, would be praying for them.
The Honkai. The power of this enemy had driven them to despair. But in that battle, the warrior codenamed [The Captain], a soldier from Fire Moth, had displayed a power that made their blood boil with excitement.
That was hope! That was the last line of defense protecting them, protecting civilization.
And just three days ago, it was this very warrior who had embarked on a journey to reconnect the world.
The announcer seemed to know what her audience was doing, pausing for a brief moment after each victory report to give them time to cheer.
Soon, the good news reports were over.
"And now, for a piece of somber news... A soldier from Valkyrie [Judah]'s special operations team went in alone to save a mother and daughter from a horde of zombies, triggering a massive tide of them in the process."
The crowd around the radio held its breath, waiting anxiously for what came next.
"By the time the rescue team arrived, he had already lost an arm and had to be retired to a non-combat role. The mother and daughter are safe. This great warrior was still asking about their well-being even as he passed out from blood loss."
A collective sigh of relief went through the crowd, but their mood was far from cheerful.
As people who were, or would one day be, saved by these soldiers, it was impossible not to feel a sense of gratitude hearing that these warriors would risk their own lives for them.
But in the month since these broadcasts began, this was already the third soldier to pay a heavy price to save civilians. As far as they knew, there were only four special forces teams on the Sapphire City front.
They were: the Mobile Support Squad led by Valkyrie [Judah], the Scout Emergency Support Squad led by [Raven], the Assault Squad led by [Violet (Purple iris)], and the Anti-Honkai Beast Titan Squad led by [Rose].
These four squads only numbered about 20 people in total. Besides them, there were about 30 regular troops, along with a large number of automated weapons and some autonomous mechs.
Yet, it was these 50 or so people who were holding up the sky. The loss of even one of them was a blow that pained them for a long time.
"The surgery for this brave soldier will be performed by our very own Overseer (before is Bishop)—Otto Apocalypse. We believe he will surely pull through!"
"That's all for the frontline report. Next up, let me introduce the third member of the pioneer squad!"
At that moment, everyone focused their attention, eager to hear just who this legendary third member of the pioneer squad could be.
The members announced in the past two days were absolute heavyweights.
There was [The Captain], a warrior whose natural talent destined him to become the strongest from the moment he was born, and [Finality], the poignant last knight of the tragic Kaslana family.
The sense of destiny and the past experiences of both individuals were so thrilling that they almost sounded unreal.
But they had appeared before everyone, alive and real. Thinking about their incredible yet plausible backstories filled everyone with an immense sense of respect for this pioneer squad.
So, who was the third? What kind of person could possibly stand alongside those two?
"The third member of this pioneer squad is also the youngest. As of right now, she is only fourteen years old!"
Everyone gasped. Fourteen! She hadn't even finished middle school!
At fourteen, she was already saving the world, while their own fourteen-year-old selves were still having chuuni fantasies about saving the world. The gap was just too...
In Cocolia's Orphanage, a group of children sat around a long table, eating breakfast while listening to the broadcast.
Sin Mal, who was closest to the radio, rolled her eyes dismissively as she stuffed a piece of dry bread smeared with equally dry butter into her mouth.
"Fourteen... Bronya-Oneechan is also..." Seele murmured, her eyes fixed on the radio.
Sin Mal clicked her tongue in annoyance and tapped her porridge bowl with her spoon. "Just eat your food! And stop going on about your 'Bronya-Oneechan'! I hear it all day, every day! My ears are about to fall off!!"
Seele shrank back. Nearby, the twins had already started whispering to each other.
"Sin is so mean," Rozaliya said.
"Meaner than Mama Cocolia," Liliya agreed.
"But Sin isn't really angry," Rozaliya added.
"Sin is a tsundere," Liliya stated, hitting the nail on the head.
"Hey! You two!!" Sin Mal slammed her hands on the table and shot to her feet, her hand trembling with rage as she pointed her spoon at them. "I'll kill you!!"
Just then, a voice came from the radio.
"Some of you have surely heard of her former title. She is—the Silver Wolf of the Urals!"
"..."
"Huh—?!" Sin Mal's head snapped back towards the radio, her pupils shrinking in disbelief.