The cold air of Kaelion-4, one of the Celestian Empire's reclaimed planets, carried the sharp tang of burnt metal and blood. Ash drifted like snow over the battlefield as towering spires of blackened ruins loomed in the distance. Kaelion Voss, now a Celestian Veteran leading a squad of Regulars, adjusted the strap on his gas mask and surveyed the wasteland. His men stood nervously behind him, the tension thick enough to cut with a combat blade.
Through the cracked lens of the mask, the world looked tinted in crimson hues, matching the blood already staining his boots. But Kaelion wasn't the boy who had failed the Trial of Blood ten years ago. Not anymore. He wasn't even the original Kaelion.
Inside his mind, the consciousness of another being stirred—a gamer from another world, thrust into this brutal reality. The memories of his former life as an addict to Astralas collided with the fragments of Kaelion's disgraced past. And if there was one thing this new Kaelion knew, it was how to win.
"Move," Kaelion's voice cut through the silence, cold and sharp.
The squad of Celestian Regulars flinched at the command. Though his reputation as a failed royal carried an air of mockery, Kaelion had cultivated fear among his men in recent months. Rumors of what happened to Harvick, a Regular who once tried to humiliate him, kept the soldiers wary. The story varied depending on who told it, but the truth was simple: Harvick had ended up as a bloody smear during a combat drill—and Kaelion had claimed self-defense.
"Sir, the rebels have fortified the eastern quadrant," said Lyneth, one of the few Regulars who showed him even a shred of respect. Her voice wavered under her breath as she added, "They're civilians with scavenged gear. Orders?"
Kaelion turned his masked face toward her, unreadable and emotionless.
"Civilians or not, they defy the Celestian Empire. Execute them all."
Kaelion's thoughts churned as the squad moved forward.
Rebels on Kaelion-4. The irony of a planet bearing my name is almost laughable, he mused, gripping the handle of his Celestian Light Carbine. His fingers twitched with anticipation as they approached the rebel outpost, a makeshift barricade of scrap metal and stolen plasma shields.
To the gamer-turned-commander, the battlefield was just another map—a scenario to be analyzed and conquered. He wasn't burdened by hesitation or guilt. The Royal Bloodline Chip embedded in his skull dulled such emotions, leaving only cold calculation and the hunger for victory.
The first shots rang out, shattering the brittle silence. Rebel gunfire peppered the advancing Celestians, forcing them to duck behind cover. Lyneth and Deccan, the squad's resident loudmouth, scrambled behind a fallen column as Kaelion calmly stood his ground.
"He's insane," Deccan muttered, glaring at Kaelion. "Probably thinks being a failed royal makes him invincible."
Lyneth shot him a warning look. "Shut up and focus."
Kaelion's voice cut through their exchange. "Deccan, flank left. Lyneth, suppressing fire. Now."
Deccan hesitated, the insult still fresh on his tongue. But one look from Kaelion's masked visage, and he swallowed his words. The cold efficiency in Kaelion's tone brooked no argument.
As the squad moved, Kaelion raised his carbine and fired in calculated bursts. Each shot found its mark. A rebel's head snapped back, their makeshift helmet offering no protection. Another collapsed clutching their chest, the plasma bolts burning through their armor. The gamer's mind processed every movement, every angle, with the precision of a seasoned tactician.
"Push forward!" he barked, stepping over the bodies without a second glance.
The outpost fell within minutes. Rebels screamed as Celestian soldiers breached their barricades, cutting down anyone who resisted. The scent of scorched flesh mingled with the acrid smoke of burning debris.
Kaelion stalked through the chaos, his gas mask hiding the twisted smirk that formed beneath. The thrill of victory coursed through him, fueled by both his gamer instincts and the cold detachment granted by the chip.
Ahead, a young rebel girl cowered in the rubble, clutching a tattered toy. Her wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto Kaelion as he raised his weapon.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The girl's lips quivered as she whispered something he couldn't hear over the crackling fires.
He didn't lower his weapon. His mind raced, recalling a hidden mechanic in Astralas: the Secret Loyalty Path. A failed royal bloodline could regain their status through extreme displays of loyalty—even if it meant crossing moral boundaries. The requirement had seemed absurd in the game. Now, it was horrifyingly real.
The old Kaelion might have hesitated. The original soul, burdened by failure and guilt, might have faltered at the sight of a child. But this Kaelion—the one forged from the cold void of a failed trial and tempered by a gamer's ruthless pragmatism—did not flinch.
The shot rang out, clean and precise. The girl crumpled, the toy falling into the dirt beside her.
Kaelion lowered his weapon and turned to his squad, their faces hidden behind helmets but their unease palpable.
"Clean up the rest," he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.
As the Celestian Regulars moved to finish the mission, Lyneth hesitated. Her eyes lingered on the lifeless body of the girl before snapping back to Kaelion.
"Sir," she started, her voice trembling slightly, "that was…"
Kaelion's gaze turned to her, cold and unyielding.
"Necessary," he said flatly. "Insubordination will not be tolerated, Lyneth. Do your job."
Lyneth nodded stiffly, retreating to follow his orders.
Kaelion watched as the Regulars carried out the cleanup. The battlefield was silent once more, save for the crackle of distant fires.
Beneath the gas mask, Kaelion allowed himself a moment to reflect.
This is my life now, he thought. Not a game, not a simulation. But I will master this reality the same way I mastered Astralas. Because failure is not an option.
He turned and walked away from the carnage, his figure is like a shadow against the dying light of Kaelion-4.
The toy lay forgotten in the dirt.