War Bringer

Ethan's childhood

Earth has entered its third Millenium. The old nations have merged into four big countries due to continuous war in the 26th century until the 29th century which brought a huge climate change into the World. The big four countries consist of Northern Empire, Western Republic, Eastern Monarch, and Southern Archipelago. The newly founded human civilization also began to develop itself on Mars. They named their civilization as Space Colony.

[Northern Empire one of an orphanage, 3005]

Ethan and the other kids playing football in the front yard happily. His teammate passed the ball into him which was already in position sent the ball he received flying into the enemy's goal line. The children who don't join the game instantly cheered when they saw that brilliant opportunity Ethan has in front of his opposition goal. He kicked the ball hard into the opponent's goal and managed to take the lead over the enemy's team. The viewers looked ecstatic seeing how Ethan delivered his opportunity into a score.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the same orphanage, several military officers came into Ethan's orphanage through the back gate. They parked their truck outside Ethan's orphanage then walked into the main building's backdoor. One of the caretakers greeted those officers then she lead the way into the head office's room which was located near the back of the building. The caretaker informed the headmaster using her communication watch before they reached his office.

They entered the headmaster's office as the automated door opened then the previous guiding caretaker took her to leave after finishing her duty as those officers' guide.

Headmaster: "Welcome to my humble office. Please take a seat."

Officer 1: "Cut the chase and let's get into the main point. Is it true that you need our financial support as you stated in your document before?"

Headmaster: "Unfortunately, I have no choice but to do it since famine gets even harsher after the few decades of declining harvest. All thanks to never-ending war that went wilder than expected."

Officer 1: "We already did our best but the opponent stood strong on the battlefield so we have no other choice since we already determined to take back our lost territory based on the 21st to 23rd century World War III."

Outside of the headmaster's window, Ethan and the other children celebrated Ethan's goal. Their cheer looked so full of happiness unlike the gloomy atmosphere that currently the headmaster faced inside of his own office. He takes his time while watching his children's football match outside. Three officers inside couldn't help but share the same football game as they still have to wait for the headmaster to take his time before he firmed up himself and handed them their adoption papers.

Headmaster: "Had I can change our current situation I would." *Deep breath*

Officer 2: "We won't treat them poorly so no worry at all. At least, they have better hope to live a better life than they stayed here."

Officer 3: "You can solve your problem as well as give them new hope. Doesn't it consider killing two birds with a stone? Everyone solved their problem, isn't it wonderful?"

Headmaster: "Alright, you convinced me."

He pulled some adoption forms out of the shelves and handed those blank adoption papers to three officers who seated themselves in the lounge in front of his desk. He gave them four hologram documents to adopt four children per what they requested beforehand.

Officer 1: "I definitely wanna recruit that kid who just made a goal just now. Can you give me his details?"

Headmaster: "I guessed that you want the finest of our raised children here and I knew you would pick him even though he didn't make his goal earlier. Here's his data throughout his study here."

The officer took Ethan's documents from the headmaster and read his data further before he filled one of four documents he received. He couldn't change those forms after he filled those documents with a requested name because it gets auto-lock to prevent outsider manipulation on its data.

Officer 1: "He may not be the smartest one but he is one of the brightest here. Can you give me the other three best recruitment candidates that you have here?"

Headmaster tapped several data in his monitor and sent those candidates to the recruiting officers who looked euphoric on how blessed this orphanage is when it comes to their children's quality compared to other several homes that they went through earlier today.

Officer 2: "Shall we raise our recruitment numbers in this reformatory to cover up for our unbelievably poor luck that we had before."

Headmaster: "I wouldn't mind if you raise your donation funds towards our home."

Officer 3: "Of course, we would. We aren't kidnappers after all."

They re-negotiated their previous agreement into something that is somewhat lucrative for a small home as they have. The headmaster handed over the six best children that he has for NEC 400, Northern Empire Currency, which can keep a poor family fed for a decade or so. After getting credit for his service, the orphanage headmaster texted the previous caretaker to bring six children that he deliberately traded to prolong his orphanage future. He sat together with three officers while waiting for six children to arrived without prying on what purpose they start nationwide orphan recruitment because he already became a part of that program indirectly right now.

For the first time, six poor adopted children meet their new three random bulky guys who adopted them. They all lost their words because this occurrence isn't what they expected to happen. They always imagined that they got adopted by a family full of love but those muscular bodybuilders like dudes who sat in front of them.

Officer 1: "What a bright future for the Empire!"

He grabbed two children's hands and pulled them outside of the room through the backdoor of the main building. Two remaining officers followed their comrade while bringing their recruits with them. They even forgot to say goodbye to the headmaster there.

Headmaster: "I hope you all may get a better life and am sorry for being incapable of protecting your childhood happiness."

He said that after three of them left the room while kept focusing on the door.

Those six children have no other options than following their three adopted fathers. They wouldn't survive long in this post-war situation if they have almost no backup. Immediately after they enter the trooper truck, they got positioned in the remaining seats that were available. The truck began moving after they all fastened their seat belt and three muscular dudes enter the other vehicle which look like an APV with a machinegun on top of it. They followed the truck from behind.

[Military base on wasteland somewhere in Northern Empire territory]

All orphans that were transported into the barrack started to get guided into their designated building. That building has the same vibe as their previous small orphanage where they were raised previously. Unfortunately, their room here was a lot worse than what they got in the orphanage. One room would accommodate eight persons. Thus those sixteen newly recruited newbies only took two rooms next to each other.

They got summoned straight after they just dropped the small belongings that they brought into the camp with them. Soon after three officers who recruited them appeared right in front of them.

Officer 1: "Let me introduce myself. My name is Regas, one of the three supervisors assigned to train all of you here. As your first training, we'll start with light training. Consider this as your welcoming gift."

Kid 1: "Welcome gift from hell it is..."

He said it with low volume to avoid his instructor from hearing his murmur.

Regas: "You there! Enjoy your extra fifty laps running! Everyone else starts running before I give you another extra ten laps!"

They ran as fast as they can until they are about to pass out from fatigue. Ethan panted hard while sitting beside the running track after he finished his assigned training. He relaxed for a bit before the others managed to finish their lap.

Regas: "Who said it's done already? Start your hundred pushup drill now!"

Children: "Huh!"

Regas: "Stop your blabbering! Ten more pushups for all of you!"

Ethan: *Holly moly! What's wrong with this bulky dude?*

[A/N: I'll put thought inside double stars :)]

Without any courage to delay their activity, all sixteen of them start to do their pushups as commanded. Before they have any break between workouts, they moved into situps and so on. Their new hellish body training session has just begun. Those children barely have any energy left to sigh about their pitiful condition. All they can do is just follow the instruction given to them by their lovely muscular officer.

It took them almost five hours to complete all those training sessions. They instantly get wrecked once they accomplished their daily routine for several months they have no idea what will happen to them tomorrow since their first afternoon is already this harsh.

Ethan: *Which part of these sounds like a better future, you bloody macho man!"