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Pat*eon : Belamy20
Naruto: Uchiha Shiroge Rebellion
Maine – Outer Perimeter Defense Line
The trenches were thick with gun smoke and screams.
BOOM!
A main battle tank's shell slammed into the high ground, turning a cluster of monsters trying to breach the line into red mist and shredded meat.
Blood mixed with dirt rained down on the soldiers' helmets.
"Keep up the suppression fire!"
"Medics! Drag the wounded back!"
A frontline commander roared over the chaos.
His aide shouted beside him, "At this rate, we'll reach Black Mountain Base in two days tops!"
Casualties were climbing, but the line was still pushing forward steadily.
The commander was just about to order the next assault when the ground suddenly shook without warning.
THUD!
Muddy water in the trenches rippled, reflecting the shadow of something massive blotting out the sky.
Every soldier in the trench slowly lifted their heads, faces slack. Rifles slipped from numb fingers and clattered to the dirt.
"Fuck! What the hell did those goddamn scientists cook up?!"
A private's legs gave out as he cursed.
Next to him, a muddy-faced young soldier clutched the cross around his neck, voice cracking. "Mom… after this fight, I'm going home and getting married…"
Just when everyone thought the giant would flip the entire battle, something changed.
The thick white fog that had swallowed all of Maine began to dissolve.
Sunlight punched through the clouds and spilled across the ruined battlefield.
In the middle of the chaos, one soldier lost his footing, slipped, and fell. A hound-like monster lunged into the opening, pinning him down.
Drool dripped onto the soldier's face. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the end.
One second.
Two seconds.
Nothing.
No tearing pain. No teeth in his throat.
The soldier swallowed hard and cracked one eye open.
The monster above him was frozen mid-snap, mouth wide open, completely motionless.
A few seconds later, a light breeze blew past—and the creature crumbled into black sand that scattered on the wind.
The soldier stared in disbelief, then scrambled to his feet and looked around.
The battlefield, which had been roaring with gunfire moments ago, had gone deathly quiet.
Every monster was frozen like someone had hit pause.
Flying insects hung motionless in the air. Charging hounds stood rigid on the ground. In the sunlight, they all stiffened… then dissolved into drifting black sand.
Even the colossal creature in the distance never made a sound. Its enormous body cracked apart piece by piece and collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Soldiers rose from the trenches, rifles still in hand, staring at each other in stunned silence. Shock and disbelief rippled through the ranks.
On the high ground behind the lines, the supervising officer lowered his tactical binoculars and turned to the white-coated scientist beside him.
"Dr. Smith… what the hell just happened?"
Dr. Smith checked the tablet in his hands, then looked up at the vanishing monsters and adjusted his glasses.
"These creatures share a symbiotic link with the fog."
"They're like humans and oxygen—separate them, and they die almost instantly."
"The fog dissipating means the source has been cut off."
"Someone reached Black Mountain Base and closed the spatial rift."
"The rift was closed?!" the officer blurted, eyes wide. "Black Mountain fell hours ago! That place is a goddamn slaughterhouse. How could anyone still be alive in there—let alone reach the bottom level and shut it down?!"
Dr. Smith gazed toward the distant mountain, a cryptic smile tugging at his lips.
"Captain, never try to judge this world by ordinary logic."
He paused, then added quietly, "Besides… that wasn't the only weak spatial node."
…
Outside Black Mountain Base
Soren stood on a dirt slope halfway up the mountain, squinting into the early morning sunlight.
He watched the white fog dissolving through the trees below and said, "Fog's gone. Those monsters are probably dead too."
"Let's head back."
Amanda stared at him, lips parting like she wanted to say something. She had seen him carve through monsters like they were paper. Her eyes held a complicated mix of awe and unease.
In the end, she just nodded silently.
The old lady, however, was still pumped. She slung her assault rifle over one shoulder and stepped closer, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Kid, I swear our teamwork back there was flawless. Want to team up? We'd make killer mercenaries—we'd wipe the floor with those posers."
"…"
Soren's mouth twitched.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and politely declined. "Ma'am, mercenary work doesn't come with health insurance. If you retire, I couldn't afford your pension."
He turned to Andrei. "Let's go. Back to Los Santos."
"The military's probably rolling in soon. You don't want them grabbing you, right?"
Before leaving, they had smashed every surveillance device inside the facility. Unless the army dug deep, they probably wouldn't be connected.
…
The drive back was surreal.
The opposite lanes were a solid river of military steel—main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, endless convoys roaring past. Helicopters thundered overhead in formation.
Andrei gripped the wheel, face flushed with barely-contained excitement. The terror of barely escaping death kept clashing with the thrill of holding world-shaking footage.
Clancy, usually the loud one, stayed unusually quiet in the passenger seat, clutching his camera like it was made of gold.
Soren noticed both their moods but said nothing.
One day later, noon in Los Santos.
The Jeep pulled up to the curb. Soren stepped out.
Just as Andrei eagerly reached for the ignition, a hand clamped down on his shoulder.
Soren's gaze was sharp. "Wanting to get rich is human nature. I get it."
"But if you cause me any trouble with that footage, I'll come find you personally for a little chat."
Andrei's whole body jerked. He nodded frantically.
Soren watched the Jeep merge into traffic, then turned away.
He wasn't worried about the video leaking. No TV station would touch it, and online platforms would never clear it past review.
He took Alessa for a quick walk around the city, stopped by to check on Constantine (who had already been discharged), then headed back to the office.
Pizza box in one hand, strawberry sundae in the other, Soren strolled toward Devil May Cry, licking the spoon.
The moment the office came into view, he stopped mid-step.
The front door was ajar.
Soren swallowed the last bite of sundae, eyebrows lifting slightly.
The punks in this neighborhood knew better than to mess with him. And honestly—what was there to steal in this dump besides a few beat-up couches?
He kicked the door open.