At dusk, the recruits returned to Boulder City. These noobs had finally completed their first and most important test of their careers. Although there were casualties among the recruits, and most of them were wounded, their faces were blackened by the flames of war as they smiled in joy. That night, Zero kept his promise. Every new recruit received their due reward, and the families of those who died in battle received a pension that was sufficient to satisfy them.

But after ...