I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 444

"It seems like as I’ve climbed higher, a few people with some awareness are starting to show up."

"Teacher, if you're going to say that, at least let me die once and then praise me."
"F*ck, the guy who’s never been sent to the respawn screen while playing ranked games is talking like this, lol."
"If I’ve reached Master rank with 335 points in just 4 days, I think I’ve earned the right to say something like this."
"But seriously, how is this person’s rank going up so fast? Don’t you usually need to play at least a few hundred matches to rank up? This person’s played around 120 matches in 4 days and is already at the top of Master rank."
"Wouldn't the speed at which your MMR rises be different between someone who just does the bare minimum and someone who gets 15 kills every match? lol."
It had been 4 days since the Glory and Honor promotional stream.

Of course, this was just a description of the current situation. If I were to be more precise, I should have questioned whether I was really promoting the game correctly after the stream ended... But fortunately, this was not a significant issue.

The reason was simple. As I mentioned before, even if it was a strange way to advertise, some viewers who watched my Glory and Honor stream eventually got drawn into the game. Concurrent viewers increased by about 170,000, and the ratio of users who just played once was quite low.

In short, the results were more encouraging than the staff at Icarus International expected for Glory and Honor.

‘If I had only played a few normal matches and shut it off, it wouldn’t have had much effect...’

The conditions necessary for the advertisement to work were simple.

It’s better if the exposure time is long, if the content of the ad is interesting, and if it’s shown to a lot of people. That’s why many companies use increasingly stylish and sophisticated methods to advertise their products to a wider audience.

If I applied those three factors to my stream, I didn’t need to worry much about the exposure time or the number of viewers. Honestly, there was no need to say this, but my stream was... a hot spot where at least a million viewers flocked in as soon as it was turned on.

I heard that companies wanting to insert ads during my stream were offering insane amounts of money to the Icarus headquarters, managing Tricky. They were coming in and out several times a day...

Anyway, to get back on track, the important point was that the content of the ad had to be interesting.

As I said earlier, regular games... might not be boring, but if I stayed there, over time, I, my opponent, and the viewers would all lose interest. It would get boring, and soon enough, people would start telling me to stop farming low-level players.

So, it was only natural for me to focus on ranked matches where I could showcase my skills, engage in tense battles, and demonstrate all my physical abilities. This was not only a logical choice for me to find my own skill, but also a highly successful choice in terms of advertising.

Moreover—

"Heh!"

???Bang!

It felt surprisingly fun to move my body again after a while.

In the end, I had to move my body to refresh my mind and body—of course, moving my body meant sending someone to the grave. After all the hell I went through in New York, my dopamine and reward system had adapted in a way that I could find refreshment not only through interaction with others but also through... this rather wild method.

It could be called a form of PTSD, but in a positive light... I guess I could call it a career disease. But of course, that would never do.

Thinking this, I dodged a polearm flying toward me. The ground shattered as the polearm struck, and debris scattered around. I thought about diving in but noticed that the opponent quickly backed off, scrambling to gain distance. Of course, the fact that they were wearing thick armor meant there wasn’t much chance for my dagger to get through.

"I think I’ve only met that player about three times in ranked matches, but each time, their weapons and armor seem to get thicker."

"If they’re wearing thick armor and wielding a long weapon with reach, they’re probably dead."
"I think I know why, Be-Yam-sseong. Lol."
"Why does this person always change the meta of the game solo, haha."
"Living point) During the Asia qualifiers in the past, the meta quickly shifted to a ranged one because of this guy."
"They’ve probably been stabbed in the neck every time, so it makes sense!"
Of course, despite saying this, I didn’t deny the past.

It was still my doing.

The reason things turned out this way was very simple. Given the nature of the Master tier I had reached, the answer to this question was easy—those users who now faced me with swords and spears no longer had the basic skills to just view the game as just a game.

The people I meet in matchmaking are mostly recluses, serious pro gamers preparing for the future, or even those running YouSpace channels dedicated to Glory and Honor. So, there’s no shortage of time for each of us to analyze one another.

Once a match is made, the opposing team goes into full panic mode.

"No, it wasn’t like this until recently. Why are there so many tanky players this week... I’m about to smash their turtle shells."

"Ah, it’s probably because of me."

"Ah..."

Our eyes met, and my ally nodded with a slightly awkward expression, as if they understood.

Naturally, this person might also become an opponent after this match. Although they had chosen a relatively light class for now, if they weren’t on my team, I’d probably face them wearing full plate armor, just like the enemy team.

But, of course, that didn’t mean I couldn’t kill them.

"…It looks like there’s nowhere for a blade to enter except the face. How are you carrying that around?"

"There’s always a way."

"Except the face," they said.

Glory and Honor was a game that aimed for some realism, and if you wore a helmet that covered your face, your visibility would naturally be limited. You also had to consider the stamina usage due to the weight of the helmet.

So, those who wore heavy armor would either use helmets with clear visors or shields to protect their heads, the largest and most vital area. But, from my perspective, the most important thing was whether or not there was a spot to strike.

Once the prerequisite conditions were met, the key question was how much effort was needed to land a blow to the vital point, and I judged the opponent’s skill based on how much mental maneuvering, counters, and fakes were involved.

For example—

???Clink!

"Whoa…!"

"Oh."

"Whoa, he dodged that by rolling, lol."
"He just backs out if he feels something’s off, dang."
"This guy’s got some experience, lol."
"He should just dive in, lol."
"That’s not dodging, he’s twisting his whole body, lol, hahaha."
When I tried to close in at a crucial moment, my opponent felt the danger and literally... threw their body back.

Behind them was a steep slope made of stairs, and they fell with a loud thud, making strange sounds as they landed. I could have chased them, but there were enemy reinforcements waiting below, and two of them raised large shields to hold their ground.

The number of shield users was increasing more and more. Over 90% of the matches I played today had been filled with shields. Out of six enemy players, five were holding shields.

It wasn’t a good sign, but as I always say, how could I only fight in the places I wanted and with the opponents I chose? It was better to try all possible methods, as it would be mentally beneficial.

And of course, it was a good opportunity to try out a new skill I had recently learned.

???Thud!

A sword rolled at my feet and I kicked it hard, making it spin rapidly through the air.

The sound of metal clashing. It was blocked by a shield, but we were on higher ground, and around us were the disappearing bodies of minions and the armoring swords they had dropped.

"Let’s see if I can advance."

There were classes that used crossbows and others that threw chain scythes.

But these were the ones who were in front, using a one-handed sword to push the enemy back, and I felt my mental energy slowly draining away.

The world was truly a strange place.

[Alert: Duelist A - Left trapezius injury. Left arm unusable.]
[Alert: Duelist B - Right forearm severed. Right hand unusable.]
[Alert: Duelist A - Hit to the solar plexus with handlecap. Breathing stopped for 3 seconds.]
.
"Enough."

Pop!

And with that, the holograms disappeared.

The two soldiers, who had been holding daggers that could slice bone and flesh in one strike, vanished without a trace. In their hands, they held what looked like weighted handles.

The two players who had fought with single daggers looked at the list of injuries. If this had been a real combat situation, the outcome would have been evident. Unsurprisingly, both of them were listed as dead, either from lacerations or blood loss.

After a brief round of applause, Laurentina calmly spoke up.

"That was a good demonstration. Well done... Now, let’s move on. What everyone here just witnessed was what can happen when two people wielding daggers face off against each other. We won’t go into the specifics of this part—"

Swipe.

A multitude of weapons appeared. However, they looked far more gruesome than expected, and they were composed of items that could easily be found nearby—wooden spears, door-cut shields, fire axes, hastily made scythes, blackjack weapons, and crude iron maces.

When the operators from the UDT saw this lineup, they instinctively understood—what would they do if they had to face these instead of daggers?

They were supposed to perform counter-terrorism operations and the like, but they couldn’t rule out the possibility of facing situations like this in the future. Guns, after all, were just tools that consumed ammunition, and without resupply, they could turn into nothing more than heavy lumps of metal.

Laurentina smiled brightly as she replayed the video.

"Though this example is slightly different from the one shown earlier, I’ve secured some pretty good combat footage that I’d like to share with everyone here. Please pay close attention."

And with that, the video of the youngest member, Eugene’s combat, played.

At the unexpected sight that filled the screen, everyone was silently rattled, but Laurentina didn’t bother to correct it—slowly, but decisively, Eugene’s dagger pierced the enemy’s vital point with perfect precision. That alone could quiet everyone in the room.

More detailed data came in, showing where Eugene’s gaze was focused, how they measured distances, where and how to strike, and how to land a fatal blow in urgent situations... it was real-world information that could be directly applied.

Foot movements, stride, dagger trajectories, and even the natural transitions in grip.

A brave soul finally spoke up.

"So, is the person rumored to be Eugene’s successor here?"

"Heh, no comment."

No one here didn’t understand what that meant.

Despite no direct conversation, every operator in the room quickly began analyzing the footage through their eyes. The theory and practical application had to be learned through training, but even just watching it could provide valuable insights.

Moreover, it wasn’t something they couldn’t replicate. The video clearly stated at the bottom: "This video was recorded with user adjustments."

After about 10 minutes of footage, opinions began to be exchanged.

"The armor limited the attack points, but the way they transitioned between offense and defense was so natural, it seems like they had planned the attacks beforehand."

"The speed of their grip transitions was fast, and they knew exactly where to strike. They must’ve done an incredible amount of real-life practice."

"They have no hesitation in stabbing people. With that level of composure... I don’t know where they learned it, but it definitely looks like some systematics are mixed in."

"Look at where the daggers are hitting. Inner elbows, eyes, behind the knees... all deadly spots."

The more you know, the more you see, and the more you see, the more you marvel.

It wasn’t just about weapons anymore. The opponent wasn’t just some thug with a weapon—they were true warriors. If you were to bring them to the past, they could easily wipe out any half-hearted peasant soldiers or conscripts.

And yet, Eugene fought them with nothing but two daggers and won after facing them head-on.

If I had to summarize how weapons have evolved in one word, it would be "How can we kill an enemy more effectively from a greater distance?" and considering daggers are not meant to fight these clumsy lumps of metal...

"Very impressive," they said.

"I thought you’d think that."

This wasn’t just theory; it was actual, practical data. The fight was based on physical capabilities no ordinary human could replicate, but with the adjustment settings, it was likely much easier to apply in real-world situations than before.

Not every operator in the room was expected to reach this level, but after all, special forces soldiers were created to do what others couldn’t, and they were always trained to prepare for countless possibilities that had yet to happen.

In contrast to the strong, tough operators in the room, the soft, high-pitched laugh of a small, delicate woman echoed.

"Now that we have a good model, it would be great if everyone here could take as much as possible from this session."

"Won’t the youngest get mad when they find out?"

"Well, I’ll buy them a gift. That should do it."

A brief laugh arose, and soon, everyone stood up.

Laurentina covered the test room with a hologram, and at that moment, holographic grids appeared everywhere, setting up 1v1 combat scenarios.

With the theory session over, it was time to focus on the practical application.

"This course will be tactical knife fighting. Let’s practice until we’re comfortable."

At that moment, the light from the ceiling changed from red to green.

Everywhere, sparks flew.

It was the moment Eugene’s broadcast triggered an unexpected chemical reaction in a completely different place.