The roar of the helicopter still echoed in Aria's ears when the ground beneath her exploded. The acrid smell of gunpowder assaulted her lungs, and professional instinct screamed at her to roll. A bullet grazed her temple, burning like a hot blade. She was a top-tier special agent of the 21st century; her mission was to survive and accomplish the objective. But this mission... something felt wrong.
A flash from the enemy sniper's rifle had just torn through a crumbling building. Aria retaliated with a precise burst from her assault rifle, which felt like an extension of her own body. But then, the ground beneath her suddenly shook violently. Not a bomb, not a bullet. It was a rift, a shimmering purple-blue fissure that appeared out of thin air, swallowing her into its blinding light.
It felt like being torn apart and then pieced back together. When consciousness returned, the stench of blood and smoke hit her again, but this time... it was different. There was no helicopter sound, only the chaotic thud of hooves, savage screams, and the clang of steel swords. Aria opened her eyes and found herself lying amidst a pile of corpses, in a tattered military uniform, her gun gone. She looked down at her hand, horrified to realize it was still her familiar hand, but the surrounding landscape was utterly alien. This wasn't Afghanistan, not her usual battlefield.
An army was engaged in a fierce battle right before her eyes. Crude armor, gleaming swords, and fluttering banners. Ancient times? Transmigration? What the hell was this?!
Suddenly, a tall figure, clad in dark armor, galloped past. The general paid no heed to the bodies beneath his horse's hooves, his gaze as sharp as a sword that had just sliced through an enemy. He looked directly at her, his eyes like lightning piercing her soul. It was a look of intense wariness, mixed with a fleeting surprise and... a hint of interest? A powerful aura of killing intent radiated from the man, making Aria, despite her seasoned experience as a special agent, shiver.
That was Dante. The legendary general of an unfamiliar dynasty, notorious for his ruthlessness and extraordinary military genius. His gaze lingered on Aria's body, openly displaying a raw, assessing intensity.
"Who are you?" His deep, commanding voice cut through the clamor of the battlefield. "Why are you here?"
Aria didn't answer. Her brain was working overtime, trying to process the situation. Her gun was gone, the environment was alien, and a tyrannical general was staring at her like prey. She didn't know where she had transmigrated to, but one thing was certain: her life would never be the same. And this encounter with Dante, destiny or misfortune, had just begun.