War is a part of human history.

Humans have been in war with eachother for centuries of its existence. Such wars like the Trojan war, Punic wars, The Crusades, Seven years war, Napoleonic wars, and much more have happened throughout the history, and many blood were shed for different reasons. Be it expansionism, glory and prestige, religion, resources, economy, or political reasons.

But from all these wars, human civilization has flourished, marked by the development of advanced technology which had increased sophisticated weaponry designed for warfare. However, the advancement of such weaponry has come at a steep cost, as human casualties have soared to unprecedented levels. 

This grim reality reached its pinnacle in the 20th century, during which humanity experienced two devastating world wars, resulting in a staggering 100 million casualties.

Despite the harrowing toll exacted by the two world wars, the dawn of the Cold War marked a new era of geopolitical tension and conflict. 

The superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, engaged in a protracted ideological struggle that fueled proxy wars across the globe. From the Korean War to the Vietnam War, and various conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, humanity continued to grapple with the destructive consequences of armed conflicts.

As the world entered the 21st century, armed conflicts continued to plague nations, with instances in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan being notable examples. Typically, these conflicts unfolded between terrorist or rebel groups and the national armies of affected nations.

However, the pivotal year of 2022 brought about a new dimension to global unrest, as a conflict emerged wherein the conventional armies of two sovereign nations engaged in direct confrontation - the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Once again, the soldiers from both sides were deployed in the war to fight one another. Usually soldiers fight to protect what's behind them, but in this case, there are soldiers who're fighting to kill what he hates ahead of them.

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February 2023

A convoy of Ukrainian vehicles were on the road. The convoy was heading to their designated location, the city of Bakhmut.

Since October 2022, the Russians made an offensive to conquer the city to gain another foothold on Ukrainian land. The military had expected them to target Bakhmut as they quickly fortified the city, expecting the Russian offensive.

When the attack began, the Ukrainians initially held the Russians back, but eventually, the invaders started inching their way toward the city. The situation worsened as the Ukrainians faced relentless bombardment from Russia's artillery, turning the once-thriving city into nothing but ruins—a mere shell of its former self. Despite the destruction, both the Ukrainians and Russians continued the relentless fight..

Throughout the battle, reports indicated that the infamous Russian private military company, the Wagner group, had taken control of the front from the Russian side. The Wagnerians proved ruthless, gaining ground in the city with the assistance of recruited convicts and their artillery superiority. Sometime later, the Wagner group entered the city.

Determined not to let Bakhmut fall to the Russians, especially when facing a private military company with thousands of conscripted convicts, the Ukrainian military, under the president's orders, had sent brigade after brigade to defend the city from the PMC. One of these brigades was currently being transported in the mentioned convoy headed to the city.

Meanwhile, in one of the trucks, a young Ukrainian soldier looked outside of the truck with a determined look on his face. He clutched his AKM on his hand, feeling a bit impatient how long the ride has been going.

"Hey, Leonid." The soldier turned to one of his comrades, who was also as young as him. "You've been staring outside of the rain for quite a while, what's up?" He asked.

"It's nothing, Velysia." He replied, "I'm just itching for this truck to reach the city and to the frontlines, and finally kill those invading Russian orcs."

Leonid Andrich was a 22 year old young man that volunteered to the military along with many others. In response from the invasion, he signed up to the military as a volunteer to kill the Russian Orc Invaders and liberate all of the captured territories. He would do it for his country.

Despite this noble cause, his parents weren't too keen about him joining the army. His father frequently told him that fighting the Russians is almost equivalent to suicide. It left Leonid baffled that his own father was against him with this. It didn't help the fact that he was from Russia and had relatives there..

He argued with them that the invaders must pay for what they've done and seeing their failure in Kiev furthered his cause to fight them, but his father still refuses him to join the military with his mother taking his side.

Of course, he didn't take his parents words as the day after the argument, he left the house and volunteered to the military at his own will. He never contacted with his parents ever since, but he hoped they would atleast understand his decision. He still loved them, but they were an obstacle in his way.

"Be patient, comrade." One of the older members of the team said, "Once we reached Bakhmut, you can kill all the Russians you like."

"Yeah, I've heard that the Russian forces stationed in the city were from this Wagner mercenary company, and how most of them are made out of conscripts fresh out of prisons." Another soldier added.

"Conscripts?" Leonid mused at the info before smirking. "The Russians are getting desperate in manpower." This got him to think Ukraine is kicking their asses in the frontlines if the Russians are using convicts to replace their losses.

"Just because they're conscripts, doesn't mean they would be weak." The leader of his squad spoke up, "Remember, these Wagnerians have reached the city and are pushing back our forces a lot. Whoever they are, they're seem to be better than the Russian army."

"They're just lucky they made it that far." Leonid said, some of them agreeing with him. "Besides, It's not like the Russian forces are any threat. We've all seen what happened in Kiev and Kharkiv, we've squashed them. This Wagner company and their army of convicts would be easy."

"There's also rumors that they're now equipping their soldiers with just shovels."

This cause Leonid to let out an amused laugh, "That sounds even better!"

Though Velysia didn't seem to believe it, "We aren't sure if they're even true. After all, they're just rumors."

"Yeah, but if they are, it would benefit us. They're just fuckin orcs." Leonid stated.

Most of the soldiers let out chuckles, but those that didn't - being the squad leader and Velysia, let out a sigh. The former didn't like how his squad is dehumanizing the enemy, calling them orcs and all. Sure, it makes it easier for them to kill the enemy, but he had always hated it.

And for Velysia, he also didn't like it when Leonid and the others calls the Russians that. He thought war was about respecting the enemy, even if you hate them. "I...I don't know about this." He said with a hint of nervousness, worried of fighting the Wagner forces in Bakhmut.

"Relax, Velysia." Leonid reassured, "We've been training for months during this war, and this is our chance to prove ourselves and show those fucking Russians to think twice of invading Ukraine."

"I hope you're right..." He replied, still feeling nervous.

"Trust me. When we get to Bakhmut, we'll be okay." Leonid stated with a determined look.

____________________

March 20th 2023

Leonid let out panted breaths as he kept on running. After his squad were spotted by a Wagner patrol squad, a tense firefight erupted from both sides in which his squad managed to kill a number of the mercenaries.

He thought his squad had the advantage, but soon artillery fire came raining down to their position. Most of his squad members were killed from the ensuing barrage, including the squad leader, leaving him and a few others shell shocked for a moment.

The Wagner troops used the opportunity to get out of cover and open fire at them. Leonid quickly regain his senses and notice the situation. He fired a few shots, though it didn't hit anyone, until he tripped backwards and dropped his rifle.

Leonid noticed that the rest of his squad are getting picked on one by one from the Wagner forces. He then saw Velysia standing around, still dizzy from the artillery strike. He quickly called out to him, which got his attention for the moment, but suddenly he was mercilessly gunned down.

Leonid was left shocked seeing his team member, whom which he got along well during training, to get gunned down like that as if he was nothing.

Regaining his composure, Leonid quickly push himself to a run. As he ran, he hears one of the soldiers shouting from behind, "We got a runner!" Hearing this, Leonid picked up the pace.

Leonid ran through the city, passing by destroyed buildings and roads that are unrecognizable with the debris. Artillery shells rained upon his surroundings, destroying more chunks of buildings and causing him to panic. He then come across an apartment complex that wasn't destroyed by artillery yet.

Knowing it is a good place to take refuge, he ran inside and quickly go up to the second floor before kicking open a door that leads him to a living room. Seeing there were no hostiles in it, Leonid sat down on the floor to rest up and catch his breath after running for two minutes, which felt longer to him.

He had to abandon his AKM rifle and most of his equipment that were weighing him down, only leaving him with his sidearm and a grenade.

"Goddammit...fucking Russians..." Leonid cursed. He couldn't believe he was now the only one left in his squad alive. He was told that killing the Russian orcs would be easy as pie. Either they lied or the Wagner forces are just too good.

No, he thought. The Wagner forces have to be just as easy to kill like the Russians. After all, their failure on Kyiv had proved their military capabilities to him. The Wagner forces just got lucky because they have the artillery advantage. A coward's weapon to him.

Leonid then hears several Russian voices outside of the building. He slowly creep up to the window and took a peek. He saw about five Russian mercenaries outside. They seem to have followed his footsteps all the way to the building.

"Dammit..." Leonid said. He's outnumbered and outgunned and now trapped inside the building like an animal. There was no chance he would make it out alive. He almost let out a few tears, but he held it in.

He glanced at his makarov pistol then checking the magazine. Grasping the situation he is in, the only way out is to fight, but he is also outnumbered means he's likely to die.

Taking a moment to take a deep breath, he thought to himself, 'If I'm gonna die right here...I might as well bring some of them with me.'.

His eyes opened with a determined look with one thing in mind - kill a Russian. It was what his superiors told him during his training. No matter who the Russians are, they're all the same bloodthirsty orcs that invaded them for no reason.

Loading the mag of his pistol, Leonid got up and head out to the stairway where he would camp. Looking around the place, he then noticed a gun lying down on the floor. He went to pick it up, the gun being a Russian AK74m that was likely abandoned. He then check out the mag and it still has a good amount of bullets in it. Lucky him.

Leonid then hears the door kicked open from below. He quickly took position by the railing of the stairway, giving him an advantage should the mercenaries approach. For a few minutes, he hears several voices from below followed by footsteps, but none of them were heard by the stairs.

He then hears one of them saying, "I'm checking upstairs.", which prompted him to take position as he aimed his AK74 at the stairway. He had to thank his father for teaching him some Russian words.

Readying his rifle, he waited as the footsteps are getting closer and closer. Moments later, he saw a glimpse of a helmet on the stairway. He immediately took action and fired his gun.

It manage to hit the helmet as the Wagner mercenary fell to the stairs, but he quickly turn to his direction before firing back with his AK74u. Leonid took cover from the shots and blindly exchanging fire to the mercenary until his AK74m is out of ammo.

Switching to his pistol, he fired a few shots before taking cover by the wall. He then hears the mercenary informing his comrades to come up, which made him to take out his only grenade. He waited for a moment until he hears several voices and footsteps coming to the stairs. Knowing he might get a collateral, Leonid pulled the pin and throw the grenade to the stairs.

"Grenade!" The Wagner mercenary shouted, followed by his footsteps retreating from the stairs. A moment later, the grenade exploded from the bottom floor.

After that, it had gone quiet. Leonid was unsure if the grenade killed them all or they ran out of the building.

He slowly got out of cover as he cautiously walk down the stairs. He stopped halfway before peeking his head to the floor. He quickly step back as a barrage of bullets were fired at him, narrowly missing him as all of them hit the wall.

Leonid drew his pistol and fired all 8 rounds in his pistol before taking cover as the enemy fired at him again. He quickly reload his second mag and blindly fired all the bullets to the shooters.

When Leonid went to his third magazine, he noticed that it was his last mag. He let out a curse before loading it as he took a deep breath. It was now or never. He's either gonna kill a Russian or die trying.

Letting out a yell, he charged down the stairs and was about to shoot his pistol on the mercenaries. But suddenly, he was shot with three bullets to his chest. With his current momentum, he stumbled on the stairs and landed on the ground with hard thud.

Leonid begin to cough out blood, feeling the pain from his chest going all over his body. He tried to move his arms or legs, but the pain was unbearable. And his head was also in a world of hurt as he felt like his skull cracked open from falling to the ground by the stairs.

He was almost paralyzed as he could do nothing but watch as the Wagner mercenary that shot him make his way to him. He couldn't see the merc's face, but he can tell that he was grinning under that balaclava.

Leonid glanced at the mercenary who was observing him. He then nudge him with his feet until he was laying on his back. The mercenary crouched down to get a better look on the three gunshot wounds that he did to Leonid.

"You really think that would work?" The merc chuckled, "Look at you now, dying on the ground like a stupid fox.". Leonid didn't understand most of what he said, but it was clearly an insult to him.

"F-Fuck you...Orc." He said in Russian.

The mercenary frowned under his mask before stepping onto standing up to shoot another bullet on his chest, making Leonid scream in pain as he tried to clutch the wound with his hand, but didn't have the energy to do so.

"Shouldn't have said that, asshole." The mercenary said as he then aimed his rifle on Leonid's head to finish the job. Leonid closed his eyes, thinking this is going to be the end.

Suddenly, he hears a voice from another Wagner mercenary. It sounded more older and deeper. He opened his eyes to see the mercenary conversing with the older-sounded one, the latter having his face unmasked.

Leonid wasn't sure what is happening as he kept watching the two Russian mercenaries talking until the older one ordered him to move out. The younger merc gestured at Leonid, asking the older merc what to do.

The latter briefly glanced at him with an amused smirk before turning back to the younger merc. After that, the younger mercenary lowered his weapon at him as he begin to walk away with the older mercenary. Leonid now realized that they're just gonna leave him to bleed out and die.

As he hopelessly watched the two mercs leaving the building, the older one stopped by the doorway, checking on his equipment and talking to his other comrades. Leonid sees this opportunity to kill one of them. 

He glanced at his loaded pistol that he is still holding with his right hand. Using all of his available strength, he slowly raised his shaking arm with his finger on the trigger towards the mercenary.

The latter must've heard his movement as he quickly turn around to him, which what Leonid hoped he did so he can see his face one last time. Before he could raise his weapon, Leonid shot first. He fired all 8 bullets at the Russian mercenary until he fell to the ground, dead.

Leonid let out an amused chuckle. He finally did it - he killed a Russian.

The shots had alerted the others outside as Leonid hears rapid footsteps approaching the building. Soon, he saw the same mercenary that shot him entered the building.

He glanced at the dead body of the old mercenary before glaring at Leonid and soon approached him. He then stomped his arm holding his pistol and aimed his gun at Leonid's head. Leonid didn't care, he had done his duty at the price of his life, but it was for the greater good for his country.

When the mercenary fired the shot, his vision went dark.

Leonid was not an idiot when he joined the war. He knew he was gonna die someday. The only bad thing is that he didn't get to kill many russians as he had hoped. One was enough, though.

Now that he is in his afterlife, he prepared himself to be in Heaven. The angels would certainly accept him for his noble actions in the war.

Or so he thought...

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Hey everyone. This is my my first ever Hazbin Hotel fanfiction. I did say to myself I'm gonna make one when the show is released.

Just so you know, I am not taking any sides in this whole Russia vs Ukraine thing that is going on for two years. I advise anyone who is reading this fanfiction to not spew any unnecessary political stuff whether you support Ukraine or Russia in the reviews.

Anyways, the second chapter is going to be about our second protagonist for this story. As if you haven't noticed, he is going to be on the Russian side and is part of the Wagner group.

Stay tuned!