The sun had yet to fully rise when the dreadful news arrived. Cipto, seated in the main conference room with his subordinates, received an urgent call. The face of the messenger on the holographic display was pale and riddled with fear.
"Supreme Commander," the messenger's voice trembled, "we have a grave problem. Your daughter... your daughter Raya has been kidnapped!"
The room fell silent instantly. The tension was palpable, like the moment before a devastating storm. Cipto's closest subordinates, including Rose and Erwin, exchanged anxious glances. The young commander remained calm, but his piercing gaze revealed a fury that was impossible to conceal.
"Who dares to do this?" His voice was icy, each word cutting through the air like a sharp blade.
"Preliminary reports suggest it's the work of an underground military faction known as Horizon Black. They are operating from a secret base in the South."
Silence hung thick in the air before Cipto rose from his seat. He gripped his golden staff tightly, and the floor seemed to tremble as an immense aura of power radiated from him.
"This arena can wait," he declared firmly. "Rose, Erwin, you will come with me. Alexandre, stay here and manage communication with the government."
The Journey to the Southern Base
Three helicopters raced through the skies toward the Southern base, the known stronghold of Horizon Black. Inside the lead helicopter, the atmosphere was tense. Rose and Erwin exchanged uneasy glances, fully aware of what Cipto's wrath could entail.
"This is going to be bad," Rose whispered to Erwin.
Erwin nodded solemnly. "He's destroyed over a thousand military bases already. If this will be the 1,035th, Horizon Black has no idea what they've just provoked."
As the helicopters neared the base, a heavily fortified fortress came into view. Its walls were made of reinforced steel, equipped with automatic defense systems and bristling with heavy weaponry.
But to Cipto, it was nothing more than a child's plaything.
"Land the helicopter in the center of the field," he commanded.
The pilot hesitated. "But Supreme Commander, that's a danger zone. They have anti-aircraft—"
"They wouldn't dare fire at me," Cipto said coldly. "Land now."
Unleashing the Fury
As soon as the helicopters touched down, Horizon Black launched their first attack. The roar of automated cannons filled the air, unleashing a relentless storm of bullets and explosives. But Cipto stepped out of the helicopter calmly, his strides slow and measured.
The bullets struck his body, bouncing off like pebbles against a mountain of indestructible steel. The ground around him shattered under the intensity of the assault, yet he emerged untouched.
"How dare you stain this land with your arrogance," he muttered.
Cipto planted his golden staff into the ground with a resounding boom. An earth-shattering quake reverberated outward, splitting the ground beneath the fortress. Cracks spidered out in all directions, swallowing much of the enemy's defenses into an abyss.
Rose and Erwin stood silently behind him, watching the devastation unfold with impassive faces. They had witnessed Cipto's fury before, but the scale of his power always left them speechless.
Horizon Black's soldiers scrambled to respond but to no avail. Cipto's golden staff tore through their tanks and turrets as if they were made of paper.
The Ultimate Destruction
It didn't take long for Cipto to reach the heart of the fortress. The command center, long deemed impenetrable, now stood vulnerable before him. The enemy commander stepped out, his face pale with fear yet masking it with false bravado.
"Cipto! Don't think you can—"
BOOM!
A casual punch from Cipto brought down the entire command structure in one blow. Steel, concrete, and reinforced alloys collapsed into dust. The deafening explosion sent debris flying in every direction, leaving nothing but a massive crater where the fortress once stood.
"Spare your breath. Where is my daughter?"
Cipto's voice echoed across the ruined battlefield, dominating the air with sheer authority. The enemy commander fell to his knees, trembling as he pointed toward a small remaining building nearby.
Cipto marched forward, flinging the door open effortlessly, revealing Raya chained inside. Her small frame shook with fear, but her tearful eyes lit up when they met her father's.
"Papa!" Raya cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Gently, Cipto scooped her into his arms, his previously furious expression softening. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by the tender warmth of a father.
"I'm here now. You're safe," he whispered.
Collateral Damage
As Cipto and his team boarded the helicopter to leave, the fortress of Horizon Black lay in ruins. What was once a heavily fortified stronghold was now a wasteland of shattered metal and rubble. The construction crews usually tasked with rebuilding military facilities wanted no part of this aftermath.
One of them, a seasoned veteran in reconstruction, surveyed the devastation from afar while clutching his head in despair.
"Again? This is the 1,035th time. I'm done! Anyone who tries to rebuild this place will lose their mind!" he exclaimed before storming off.
But to Cipto, the mission was complete. His fury had subsided as he held Raya tightly in his arms. To the world, he was Supreme Commander, a terrifying force of nature. But to Raya, he was simply a father who would let nothing harm her.
"Let's go home, Raya," he said softly.
The helicopter ascended into the sky, leaving behind the remnants of what was once hailed as an indestructible fortress.