A/N: Welcome to Dissension War, the sequel to Collision!
While it will be explained as briefly as possible next chapter what happened between the beginning of Collision! to that moment, if you want the full extent of what happened before this fic, it is advised you read Section Two, Project S.A.O: Collision! before going forward with this.
The world the Staff Sargeants, or, officially, the Tribune of the 57th Squadron, grew up into, before their instances in the Sword Art Online world, which they've at this point, was quite a mystery, as they've encountered and housed strange things only things in fiction would have been capable of. As proven by their experiments and experiences. With the vast majority of their research conducted within the headquarters of the squadron.
Nicknamed the Fortress, a complex two hours from Jihlava in Czechia, built within its forests and mounds. Covering from its exterior walls, a hundred and twenty thousand square meters worth of space. The sight of it to onlookers dominated by its four towers. Each containing an inactive missile battery. Alongside some of the smaller on-surface areas possibly peeked at with a good enough eye.
"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" a person with a Korean accent shouts as they'd rush towards it from a nearby road.
The person had short stuffy hair, apparently fixed with some gel, as it looked softer yet spikier and slicked towards the back. Jet black eyes that could sear whoever faced his serious stare. His white staff following behind but stabilized at his back to keep proper form.
He came up to a duo of sentry posts at a closed gate, manned by four guys with two for each post. Both to this person's knowledge, one controlled the main gate, and the other controlled the bridge into the actual space inside the walls.
As he screeched to a halt, the four guys, dressed in uniform with helmets on. Sidearms and radios on them and open carried, their main guns inside the station as he could see. One of them approached him, apathy all over them.
"State your reason for arriving here."
"Sir, I'm not meaning to disturb your day, but can I speak to Miroslav Jelusic? What I carry concerns him and the Fifty-Seventh Squadron's tribunes personally!"
Se-Yeon hyperventilated as he waits for a response from someone at their post. Unaware he'd get it automatically, or he'd have to push them for it.
The guy, taken aback he knew the name of the lieutenant, slowly reached for the radio. Fooling the person for their gun.
"A recent high-level breach has closed off to any non-essential visits to the lieutenant, chief of staff, or the five tribunes. We will let you-"
"Let me take a look at who it is..." Another sentry said, noticing the situation and coming over.
"Anneyong." the arrival waved.
"Se-Yeon?" Sentry Two replies.
He nods his head, "Correct, I am Se-Yeon."
Sentry One puts their weapon away upon someone knew who Se-Yeon is. While Sentry Two giggles, "I'm getting better at identifying faces. Hehe…"
Se-Yeon wore thick cargo shorts with blue and black camo patterns on them, alongside heavy combat boots. A navy blue multipurpose coat over a white undershirt, with an armband on the left bearing a strange color and symbol. Having implemented fingerless gloves at his coat.
"Stay right there." The first sentry person stated.
Both Sentry One and Sentry Two returned to their posts. Se-Yeon observes the instance of the gate opening up. Lowering the section into a cutoff in the ground around it. Kept on edge due to its lackluster speed and irritating noise. Revealing the interior gradually, several buildings and signs and lines painted on the asphalt, telling certain sections or key locations. But couldn't be told what due to distance. A deep ten-meter trench with a lateral thickness of about five meters and filled with water.
A retracted bridge, but slowly extending outwards, enough to allow a tank and an additional vehicle to cross through without special preparations, acting as the only surefire method to get through the obstacle.
Fortunately for a Se-Yeon under the time stricken spell of desperation, the bridge deployed rather quickly in about thirty seconds. Before making a salute and a quick rush through the bridge when it wasn't completely deployed. Leaping like a parkour artist over the remaining space not connected by both ends. A brief stare at the ground for Miroslav's office space, following the white line while staying aware of who was in front of him.
A series of minor directional changes followed. Including a turn where a forklift carried sensitive cases of explosives, he came to a circular three-story building. Indicated by an admin sign as well as the line.
With no time to waste, Se-Yeon heads inside and speedwalks towards Miroslav's office space. Shaking and banging the door for attention.
"MIROSLAV! I NEED TO SEE YOU!"
No response from the door. Although, his ears soon met deliberate footsteps approaching towards him. And soon, a voice.
A voice with a thick Croatian accent, "Didn't expect you to use that dimension transport device, Kong. I figured a situation within your dimension had brought you here."
He turns towards the presence, where he was met with Miroslav Jelusic, the leader of the 57th Squadron, and the comrades by extension.
"Yes, it is… It concerns the squad and the tribunes…"
"I see."
A hundred and eighty centimeters tall, dark brown hair with significant graying and white strands at the back of his head, wearing green slacks with a tan t-shirt on, tightened around his waist was a black belt with a brass buckle. Combat boots at his feet past the slacks. As well as a green-dyed beret with the Croatian shield attached to it.
Se-Yeon steps away as Miroslav's hand went to get an object from his pocket. "Before I say-"
"In the office, please. If you want a private conversation about the matter,"
He shook his head, "I was just going to say that it partially relates to his big secret."
"The result of what Élisée's did to Stanislav in the end?"
"Not exactly…"
Both arrive in the office space. Fairly typical, besides the extensive history books, maps, tactics, and other contents he enjoyed. Including a flow map of things, which Se-Yeon stared at.
"What's this?"
Miroslav walked over, taking his beret off. The top of his head having hair but thinner than the back.
"How Section Two's three main initiatives; the Sephira Project, Project S.A.O, and Option C. With how they interconnect with each other," Miroslav explained, his hand hovering the entire board. "The Sephira Project triggered the war through the person, or Spirit, it made. Project S.A.O, specifically its coordinates, brought the tribunes to a different dimension when they went to Uugu. Option C didn't lead to anything, but it had to do with your original appearance… Our research's trying to figure it out. But a lead theory after we've captured and tortured Élisée's assistant is related to dimensional monsters and Closers."
"Closers…" Se-Yeon said. "This sounds like a last resort. One that would piss the UNION off..."
"It very likely would've been. It would've been executed by its parent group, the Foreign Legion. So it would've been a last-ditch effort to get people like you involved."
"However, would it be possible to execute?"
"With Élisée missing from this dimension and Uugu dead. But the rest of the top leadership of both groups intact, it is very likely they would try at this point. Now, what is it that concerns you, Kong Se-Yeon?"
Se-Yeon shakes for a moment before taking a seat at the lieutenant's desk.
"In my home dimension, a lolita girl with two antique guns showed up… Inside the Busan metro. Between Jwacheon and Busanjin. She possessed power I haven't seen in a while. She was approaching the car I was in..!"
"Can you describe the girl as best as you can?" Miroslav asked.
"Black hair, twin tails, gothic dress… One eye was red, another yellow…"
"That's enough. I know who you're talking about. What did she do next?" Miroslav asked, his tone shifted in earnest once he realized who Se-Yeon was inferring.
"Kicked the door at the end of the car open, pierced the chest cavity of Ji-Tae. Shot Kwai in the head with a powerful shot! I barely missed it, but it punched a good hole in the train. As it approached Busanjin station, I panicked as I got out my combat staff and opened the door. I felt my UNION ID Card flew out of my pocket…"
"Kong, calm down... "
"I thought about Yu-Ri at that moment, when I knew my life was gonna go to a bloody end. By a crazy Japanese gothic bitch! Where's Yu-Ri right now?"
Miroslav looks at Se-Yeon without a change in form, except a lowering of his brow, "About a week ago, we sent him through the Project S.A.O gate to find the tribunes. He hasn't come back yet."
He sighs before deciding the continue the story. "Once I got in Busanjin station, I yelled in Korean to everyone in there to clear the platform and get out. I heard a shot, and then. Said a bunch of stuff related to the tribunes, and she seemed interested in Stanislav… Some kind of want for him… Due to the nature of who he actually is, that we hide from them, besides that weapon…"
"So once that happened, you decided you needed to come here?"
"Correct. I set the device Jaraslav was able to make for me to allow me to return. In case I needed to. It took some time to arm, so I had to hold her off, only thanks to my top speed compared to her's did I manage to avoid death and to tell it to you now."
Miroslav nods. "This development from your dimension is rather concerning. Especially now she's loaded with their secrets. Basically, it's the pretense for them to launch perhaps their most extreme action…"
"Which is?"
"They could initiate a Dissension War if they find out."
"A Dissension War?"
"I don't know much about it. However, I know for certain, it requires a serious, direct attack on them like what she did to require one."
"What is it that I can do?"
Se-Yeon asked as he stood up and bowed. Awaiting Miroslav's further instructions.
"As this situation is becoming delicate, complicated, and potentially disastrous for the Sword Art Online world. Not to mention, the girl, Tokisaki Kurumi, the Spirit of Time, is probably gonna be after the tribunes now. As well as the highest threat of Dissension War ever since Uugu's wrath. Head to the R-and-D section underground, and use that transport wrist. Wait for me."
"Any other directions or orders?"
"I will give you directions for this mission of yours when I get down there. Go now. There is no time to waste."
Se-Yeon nods and makes his way there.
Once there, Miroslav gave him the appropriate instructions to begin the attempt to resolve the situation, now that Kurumi's involvement was guaranteed. As well as the necessary coordinates to make the jump to the SAO world. Without much words needed to be exchanged, it went by smoothly. Then, Se-Yeon left the dimension for where the comrades were in the present.
But, for them, the four that were in Denver in the United States were about to hit the fan in the most jaw-dropping, expectation-defying way that the SAO world couldn't create…