Arriving near the City Hall with the Chrome Bike, the trio oversees many things that are widely present in war. dismembered and charred corpses of both sides littered on the ground, the rubble of some buildings around them, burning wreckage of the vehicles that were destroyed in combat, and the familiar stench of the fuel of the vehicles can be felt as well. With all the scenery around as Seiner drives, they keep on looking forward without turning around to see what's surrounding them. Yet at the same time, something unpleasant sat for all of them, something that was less than they're expecting. They try their best in not to cling to it...but it's hard to shake it off.

Not when there's the loss of life.

Not when pieces of beauty are crumbled.

And not when Earth is reaching the brink of extinction.

Not a single emotion being swayed away.

Arriving near the street outside the hall and meeting up with the soldiers, Seiner re-digitizes the Chrome Bike in its bike form again.

"Hey, what took you guys so long?" a soldier asks.

"Shit happened," Seiner replies.

"Ah, well sucks to be you for a bunch of rookies. By setting yourself straight next time and there won't be any time wasting at all," another one replies, this time a female one.

"Oh, quit your blabbering, meanie! There's one thing when it's really just screwing around for screwy things and there's...hurt feelings!" Tany replies as she approaches the soldier before getting yanked off by Seiner away from her. She chuckles in response.

"Oh my darling, if only you know the rules a bit better than that thick head of yours believes."

"That's irrelevant right now, just please..." Logan says in a quiet tone.

The soldiers could only simply exchange gazes at each other while keeping their frowns in front of the trio. There's one thing they can care less, and that's the use of emotions in battle. Many interpret differently but it's said to be a vital factor when winning something.

The soldiers then turned around as they hear some murmuring behind them, all while observing the battle happening near the hall. They start approaching to see what's going on, with the trio following suit.

What they see is the aftermath of G.o.D Squad show of power, a way to show that even under Alien threat, Humanity won't let themselves to be taken as slaves for anything and anyone else in all existence. Around them are the chopped off corpses left in their wake, which is the perfect result of it.

"And speaking of setting thing straight, you guys should follow these ones a bit more. They know how to teach those sons of bitches in how not to mess with Humanity," the female soldier says as she smiles brightly.

"Hell yeah! They can get-like-some load of fans and money if they gain all the fame for saving us, I mean, we need more heroes these days!" another one replies.

"Well, pave the way to them after all!" the female soldier replies as she chuckles alongside the others. The same can't be said with Logan and his team, however. All they do is to stare at the aftermath of the battle while the members of GoD squad get up to fight some more. This time with the remaining guards outside including Thomas.

Their frowns are as deep in what they perceive in what they see. What is the meaning of that "heroism"? Did it really need to change?

"We should know better..." Logan quietly mutters.

"Oh quit dicking around, you know in which ones to rely on!" the male soldier retorts.

"But what's the value of it? The bloody value?" Seiner asks, still not changing his gaze to her.

"Kicking ass!"

"Then you're gonna need a bigger brain."

"Stow it, dude. It's better if we keep ourselves from such idiocy." the female soldier says as she raises her arm between Seiner and the other soldier who was about to punch him. He's lucky, at least for now.

"I wanted to see Seiny kick ass though," Tany replies while swinging her staff around it.

"Kicking them properly you mean."

"Nah!"

Seiner can only grumble in frustration as he crosses his arms and closes his eyes while turning away from her. Logan could only stare blankly at the sight of it. He then lowers his head as he closes his eyes while placing his right hand on his chest, pressing it hard as he can.

Father...Mother...Can I truly be the one to understand what is heroism...and to be a warrior?

---------------------------

Near the entrance, the trembling Thomas is too nervous to even lift a finger, his eyes overly damp and rapidly blinking. The Zlocan next to him pushes him to the ground and kicks him in the chest as well which causes him to whimper as he tries to defend himself from the Zlocan.

"I should have known better. We could have gotten someone who's more useful than a spineless fool like you! So get lost now!"

He steps outside the entrance, his gaze focusing mainly on G.o.D Squad who stand there with their weapons. The Zlocan Knight has both his rifle and his sword sheathed on his belt.

"I never thought you Humans would come this far, maybe a little too much. Consider me lucky in being impressed by you, but you still have much to learn about being a worthy being."

"As if! I believe it's species like you who deserve more teachings!" Ji-Ae replies.

"Hypocritical as usual it seems."

"Don't bother with such excuses. All that matters is to mop the dirt away in our home no matter what, asshole," Walter retorts back while extending the eye of his axe towards the Zlocan. Even from such action, the latter remain motionless from it while still holding to his rifle. He chuckles for a bit while starting to hold the rifle with just one arm.

"Nice joking. Always the good one when it comes to people who think who can do anything. But if that's the case, then how about if you try this?" he then pulls a green box with a red switch on the upper left part of it. The moment the squad takes notice of it, their eyes widened and soon take aim towards the Zlocan holding the dreaded thing.

"Yes. Make one step closer towards me and I'll push this detonator that'll blow the place sky high, killing not just all of us in the vicinity, but also a handful of prisoners and other men inside, including the governor. And before you ask, this is, of course, the order from the Zlocan generals in case if something goes awry for us."

"Amazing. Putting such an ugly guy in charge for you yet you consider him expendable. Anything lower from you?" Valentina says.

"Mister Perlman is a weakling. Ever since "taking" office all he did was just making chats and then having his cohorts do his bidding for the sake of the "people" and to "defend" them, yet he stayed inside watching everything while enjoying his luxuries without even lifting a finger. A true warrior always tries to accompany the ones who are part in achieving what they want together, to stay together until the bitter end. He lacked it, and you too will."

"Does blowing your brains out mean the other way around?" Mehdi asks.

"Whatever you say, you cannot prevent the demonstration of the Kujar's will! No matter if all of us die, his vision will still come true and show Humans the true price of defying us! And soon afterward, the Zlocu will gain the dominance they deserve, no matter any type of delay, WE will gain it!"

But before he could press the trigger, a loud bang is heard, and suddenly, it enters near the Zlocan's forehead. Splattering some orange-ish blood and some chunks of the brain out to the ground while leaving a bloodied mark from it. After some brief pause from the sudden attack, the Zlocan slumps down slowly while dropping the detonator to the ground. The corpse stands there as the blood from the bullet hole oozes to the ground.

The origin of the bullet attack? None other than Thomas himself, holding his pistol while slowly standing up again, still trembling up while clutching up to his chest.

The other members change their gaze towards him, impressed by the action he just took. Even on their side, someone still took the time to demonstrate how he still has his right place for the fight.

Walter then slowly approaches towards him while holding his axe to his back with a smirk on his face, his eyes focused on him. Thomas still holding on to his wound but smiling gently at the sight of his savior, probably a well-needed rest for him.

"Well, what do we got here, a scared boy turned hero? Well, I kinda like you now. Yeah, you heard me right, you can come over my house and screw my sister."

Walter extends his fist right in Thomas' abdomen, making an impact and hitting it very harshly yet almost swift from the reaction time from him.

The force so strong it makes Thomas spit some blood from his mouth and fall over to the ground again, writhing from the heavy punch Walter gave to him.

"You fucking traitor, you think we're stupid enough to forget about it? We at the UEF won't tolerate any desertion at all."

"But...but...I just..."

"I don't give a goddamn shit of your sob story. I'm pretty sure you already committed enough crimes towards anyone who wanted to do the right thing. Even now, yours isn't even right."

"Walty, don't you think-" Berat says as he approaches but Walter raises his palm without changing his gaze at him.

"Not now my babe, any enemy deserves a nice punishment."

"Sir...please..."

"Face it kiddo, no matter how much you insist, we won't, and never will take kindly to deserters to our race. We already had enough trouble among ourselves, and I am not letting a goddamn reminder of it to be with us when the fight continues, so you can suck it up."

"Sir..."

"You're boring me now. Hope you're ready for momma when you come to visit her this instant. Oh, and one last thing."

"W-what?"

"Get that crybaby face off now once I hammer this down. Now, see ya."

Walter then points his ax with the eye on it. The lid opens, once again prepared to unleash the fire. Thomas is sobbing uncontrollably as he holds to his leg with the axe near his forehead. He attempted with reason, everything with it to convince others. But alas, once in a side, always in the side they said. And now Thomas may learn it hard.

Or will he?

"HOLD IT!" a voice shouts as a laser bolt hits Walter's axe, causing him to be shaken off for a bit. He turns around to see the source of the one who tried to shoot him.

Seiner Butch himself. Logan and Tania standing behind him while aiming his gun at him.

"One simple act of being with the enemy is not the reason to become the executor at once. You, sir, are not making the right way to conduct this person's fate or anything to his well-being."

"So what?! You know what any goddamn traitor deserves in history no matter the reasons. So shut up and-" Walter retorts

"That alone won't cut it. For a person to make something that a general sentiment sees as deplorable lies on the intent itself and how much it needs to be understood and be justified."

"Who do you think you are? An amateur "working" for the people? We are the real ones. You're just lost in childish fantasies of doing it "right" which is horseshit anyway."

"No. I'm a guy who in the fateful day against my will, I thought that everything that went through me was undesirable, not part of what I wanted to nor to even try in knowing better. Especially with guys like these...yet even if they seem undesirable to me, I know for sure that they are widely needed to protect on what the world stands for. I myself was part of something of the same and faced the same problem that you did, not caring for the proper law and such. And who's to say I'm the real good one here? I even treated the alien-no-Amira harshly because of her status, yet now I see how much misjudgment may be affecting her. And right now, I won't let misjudgment take another precious thing as well."

"What's so precious about a deserter?!"

"Just listen to him! You, what's your name?"

"T-Thomas Li...just a civilian...turned into a soldier out of my will ever since Area 51..."

"Any crime rap on you?"

"Negative..."

"He just got one."

"That won't count! As you can see, he...he unwillingly joined it because the Zlocans had no other way for many of us, especially him. We saw what the Human Inquisitors can be capable of, and how even measures to make sure they don't make harm is necessary...but not when there's a shred of reason in why."

"Seiner...are you trying to be...?" Celina asks.

"That man doesn't deserve any execution just now. Not until he's officially judged for his actions by the high command. They'll know the fate holding for him. And in that process, listening, reasoning and speaking out is what will ensure such fate for him and any other on trial. That is the true meaning of a judgment, Walter."

"One in which true warriors know," Logan replies.

"And one where the goodies can live happy with proper order," Tany replies as well.

Walter gritted his teeth while still holding his axe near Thomas and the nostrils flaring heavily.

He lives to fight, yet at the same time, knows the orders for a war.

He wants satisfaction, but not at the cost of what could benefit him.

The other members of GoD Squad watch attentively at both members, especially with Berat and Ji-Ae watching over them, with the former holding his left hand in his chest while his eyes get narrow, the latter with a scowl with her arms crossed.

After a stand-off between the two groups, Walter makes his decision. He presses a button near the center of the back of the handle, causing the eye to close down and then holding it near his back once more. He has a scowl on his face while doing so, but once something it's done, it sticks that way.

Thomas runs away from him towards the trio, quickly hugging Seiner while shedding tears and gasping for air. Seiner is taken aback for a bit, looking down back and forth between his buddies and him. Yet at the same time, he pats him gently.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! But are you sure I'm gonna be...?"

"They'll decide. But regardless of it...just, eh, maybe hold some relief in knowing someone is there for you. That's something Human after all."

Thomas stands there silently for a moment but slightly smiles in response to it. He may finally get some rest that he needs.

But just as he's about to release him, Seiner starts to shake for a bit, his head especially while trying to putting himself under pressure.

"Seiny?"

Seiner raises his head in front of them while being a bit stilted, his eyes now growing on a golden-hue once more.

Soundness Brass

After his moment of paralyzis, he regains composure, shaking his head as he regains his senses from the brief glow in his eyes.

"OK...I think I should go now..." Thomas says as he walks away from him. The group of soldiers awaiting him proceed to handcuff him and escort him away to another zone. This time though, he doesn't resist or tremble, he just normally walks away.

Walter approaches Seiner, still with the scowl on his face.

"You're lucky today. But next time you're not around, I'll blow someone's brains out. Got it, kiddo?"

"Then let's hope it's a worthy blowing then," Seiner replies while smirking in response. This makes Logan and Tany chuckle for a bit, even some of GoD Squad.

"Piss off..." he leaves him while going back to his Squad, all while Berat holds him near his arm around the neck.

"Remember to be gentle, right? Always the good lesson to learn."

"I don't give a shit about that."

"Ohohoh Walty. Gentleness is the best way to avoid a mistake for your whole life."

"Eh. Once this ends, let's go to a strip club."

"If you insist..."

"Hey, me and Cely won't miss that out either. Right dear?"

"Right on."

Mehdi and Ji-Ae can only groan profoundly while accompanying them as well. Arms crossed and such.

"Now, onto governor Perlman himself, shall we guys?" Logan asks.

"Oh yeah!" Walter replies.

But before they can act, a helicopter is heard ascending by from the rooftop of the main building, a Bell 206 with black and white markings around it. And a familiar logo near the engine.

"Oh shit! Don't tell me it's taking off with Perlman inside!" Ji-Ae exclaims.

"Hang on now, I'll take care of it," Mehdi says as he takes out one of his rocket launchers and aims at it.

But just before he can fire, a bullet trail impact the cockpit of the pilot, which causes some cracks on the window as well. The helicopter then trails out of control, starting to fall near the street outside the city hall. Some moment of self-controls briefly occurs, but it ultimately culminates in the helicopter crashing to the street nearby, causing it to explode as well.

"...Why did someone have to steal my kill? WHY DID THAT SOMEONE HAVE TO STEAL IT?!!"

"Who the hell cares? At least that bastard is dead as coal now." Ji-Ae replies.

"Eh, could be a local sniper team around the area? That I wonder."

Walter then holds his hand near his earplug.

"Raton 1, I never thought you could take position over that quickly to take down Perlman. I must say, congrats."

"What are you talking about, GoD Lead? We're still stationed at Japantown covering enemy fire. It must be some stray shoot or something," the voice says.

"Are you shitting me?"

"Negative."

"This is strange. Keep on your job, at least the target is down."

"OK, over."

Walter puts his hand away from the earplug, looking down while turning his head around.

"Whoever did that shoot must be some sort of expert marksman or a vigilante around here with their own war. But in the meantime, we should focus on recapturing other parts of the city, understood team?"

"Yes, Walter!" they reply in unison.

"Good. Now let's head to the south. You warriors head to the east if you like, there's more of the kiddie stuff in there suited for you."

"Understood...?" Logan sheepishly replies.

GoD Squad then walks away from the site, running away as fast as they can.

"See ya around, my boy!" Berat says.

"Hope you idiots make something good for once later on..." Ji-Ae snarls.

Now the trio is left alone once more, now heading towards the eastern part of the city to accomplish further objectives. However, the presence of a third group still seems to linger in both of them. Logan, in particular, takes some interest in what was unfolded

A lonely marskman...seems there are more warriors than expected.

--------------------------------------

Near the building, a cloaked-red googled figure stands by, holding his large sniper rifle like the last time when they spotted Perlman.

"This is Vistro 1. The target is down, I repeat, the target is down," the soldier says.

"Good work. Now head back to base to get your reward. It seems that as long as we keep ourselves well hidden in the shadows, this pointless war will come to an end."

"Yes, mister. Returning now."