The winds howled through the canyon, carrying the scent of burning metal and blood.
Ryo stood atop the wreckage of the Juggernaut, scanning the battlefield.
This wasn't just a victory.
It was a statement.
Hellion had sent their best.
And they had failed.
No More Fighting Alone
Karin sat on a rock, reloading her rifle. "So, just to be clear—your plan is to take on the biggest military power in the world? With nothing but a stolen truck, three guns, and a bad attitude?"
Ryo smirked. "That about sums it up."
Vos sighed, checking his ammo. "You're insane."
"Maybe." Ryo cracked his knuckles. "But if we keep running, we die tired. It's time to fight back."
Silence.
Then Vos chuckled, shaking his head. "You're either the dumbest bastard I've ever met… or the one who's actually going to pull this off."
Karin snorted. "Hellion's going to wish they killed you when they had the chance."
Ryo's eyes hardened.
"They did have the chance. They blew it."
Step One: Find the Others
> [NEW OBJECTIVE: RECRUIT SURVIVORS.]
> [POTENTIAL ALLIES LOCATED – EASTERN WASTELANDS.]
The system pinged, highlighting a ruined outpost on the map.
Vos squinted at the screen. "That's Iron's Hollow. Used to be a stronghold for resistance fighters."
Karin frowned. "Used to be?"
Vos exhaled. "Hellion wiped them out years ago. But if there's anyone still alive out there, they're exactly the kind of people we need."
Ryo nodded. "Then that's where we're going."
The Journey to Iron's Hollow
The transport rumbled forward, kicking up dust as they sped across the wastelands.
Ryo sat in the back, cleaning his gear. His body still felt wired from the fight.
He wasn't just stronger.
He was changing.
The system had unlocked something inside him.
Something dangerous.
> "Feeling it, rookie? That little itch in the back of your skull? That's war calling your name."
Ryo clenched his fists.
He had a long road ahead.
But for the first time since waking up in this world…
He wasn't lost.
He had a mission.
A war to win.
And he wasn't stopping until Hellion burned.