I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 457

"Six months? That’s shorter than I expected."

"Technically, it's a tactical exchange program, so it’s shorter than the usual duration. Unless there are special circumstances, the higher-ups don’t like keeping elite forces out in the field for too long. In fact, this is already two months longer than the initial proposal."

"So, if there were ‘special circumstances’... well, that’s probably not something I can pry into. Anyway, does this mean you’re heading back to Virginia soon?"

"I’ll be leaving in about a week."

Flop.

The view of the Han River in September stretched out beyond the wide floor-to-ceiling windows, bustling with people moving about below. Watching it all, Laurentia sank back into the living room sofa. Beside her was a large carrier packed with various devices.

Eugene glanced at the luggage and let out a faint, amused sigh but didn’t say much.

After all, her former superior, “the Shark,” hadn’t shown up at her house unprepared. Laurentia had offered to pay for her stay, including lodging and other expenses. Of course, Eugene had immediately turned that down.

"Don’t you think I can at least do this much?" Eugene had said kindly, leaving Laurentia no room to refuse. Her resolve wasn’t that strong.

"You really didn’t want to return early, did you?"

"I just thought I should see my junior one last time before heading back. And it’s a good opportunity to resolve some lingering matters."

Eugene nodded slightly.

What Laurentia meant was that, as a DEVGRU operator, she was supposed to return to the U.S. following the end of her deployment in the tactical exchange program. However, she had requested an additional week in Korea to wrap up some personal affairs.

At a glance, it didn’t seem like a big deal. But if we put things into perspective:

She was a top-tier U.S. military asset, a DEVGRU Gold Squadron operations team leader, whose training and combat readiness alone cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. A living weapon crammed with invaluable tactical and strategic knowledge stored in her brain and muscle memory. Someone who had conducted numerous black ops missions across the globe, with a kill count of at least 70 in this world alone.

An EM-class awakened individual, one of fewer than twenty in the world. As such, she underwent annual physical exams, tissue testing, and biometric scans in exchange for “special incentives” from the U.S. Department of Defense.

If someone like that asked to wander around Korea alone for a week, the higher-ups’ response was predictable—they’d want her back immediately.

And the only reason they’d approve such a request? Eugene herself.

"Having you as my observer ensures proper supervision while I’m here. And under the guise of monitoring what activities you’re engaged in, I can report this as a legitimate extension to my stay. Two birds with one stone."

"This is why I’m never going back."

"That, I envy."

Nom, nom.

The sound of pizza disappearing into someone’s mouth echoed through the room.

As soon as Eugene heard Laurentia was coming, she’d ordered five pizzas, and the Shark was busy demolishing her late lunch. It was a level of comfort only possible between the closest of companions, built over years of shared experiences in another world.

After eating in silence for a while, Laurentia spoke up.

"I heard you’re going to Hawaii in early October."

"You’ve been keeping up with my streams, huh."

"Of course. I even used them as training material."

"Cough—!"

Eugene let out an incredulous laugh, while Laurentia chuckled heartily.

It wasn’t hard to guess what Laurentia had used as a training reference—Eugene’s relentless dagger plays across countless maps. Eugene could only sigh, half exasperated, half amused. Not that she could protest; after all, the person who had taught her dagger skills and CQC was sitting right in front of her.

Watching Laurentia casually spin a tactical knife on her finger, Eugene could tell that her streams had been put to good use. Well, if it helped, that was fine.

Still, now that Laurentia had found out about the shooting trip planned for October, her curiosity was piqued.

"Since my deployment’s short-term, I might get a week’s leave after I return. Maybe I’ll drop by Hawaii while you’re there."

"…Why does this sound like it’s escalating?"

"I think I had some former subordinates who opened a large firearms dealership after leaving the service. I’ll have to check if they have a branch in Hawaii. If not, I might just buy a few guns. You have that special FFL, don’t you? You could probably get your hands on a machine gun or something."

"Do we really need to go that far…?"

"Acquiring and storing firearms for self-defense is a sacred right guaranteed by the Second Amendment."

Glance.

Laurentia added, almost as an afterthought, "Not in this country, though. Such a shame."

"Why am I not surprised."

"Anyway, those two little snakes who always follow you around will be coming too, right? Sounds like it’ll be a fun trip. It’s been too long since I smelled gunpowder."

Little snakes?

Eugene thought about the two individuals who often accompanied her. Considering the snake-tail avatars they had, maybe it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. She just hoped those two wouldn’t randomly awaken one day and say, “We’re EM-class now, just like you!”

With a resigned nod, Eugene conceded. Laurentia was the type to seize any opening and wedge herself in, so it wasn’t surprising.

But what came next was beyond Eugene’s expectations.

"By the way, the game you play—Glory and Honor, right? You stream it with reverse balancing on, don’t you?"

"That’s right."

"Can that reverse balancing be applied to other people?"

No way.

With an audible creak, Eugene turned her head stiffly. Her blue eyes locked onto Laurentia’s crimson pupils, which were staring straight at her.

Of course, Laurentia’s intentions were never hard to predict.

…I don’t know. At least it’ll make for good content.

And Eugene... simply gave up.

Barely twenty minutes later, Laurentia—armed with some bizarre harpoon-like weapon—was preparing to storm into Glory and Honor.

??? Whoosh!

"Your physical abilities have definitely diminished significantly. With this level, consecutive thrusts like before will be pretty difficult, so it looks like you'll have to operate more like with a rapier."

"...You know how to handle a rapier?"

"Well, I practiced quite a bit during my university’s general club activities."

What is it that this person can't do?

I knew that she was from Vermont and used to hunt deer and alligators with a shotgun since she was young, but… what’s with that strangely refined way of speaking, then? I assumed it was something she picked up from university club activities, but even that seemed hard to believe.

And then, she added a skill in handling a rapier.

The sound of wind slicing through the air was anything but ordinary. The harpoon’s speed as it cut through the air was remarkable. It was fast enough that even I, with my sharp reflexes, would barely be able to catch the afterimage in time. Even if her physical abilities had decreased, she still retained the basic strength of a seasoned male warrior. So, perhaps it wasn’t completely out of her reach.

Moreover, unlike the daggers I had used, the harpoon allowed her to maintain distance, making it far more dangerous if the opponent wasn’t careful.

"How about we do a mock battle?"

"...Then I won’t be able to use the claymore."

Whoosh.

A light flick of the wrist. As a result, two daggers, which viewers jokingly referred to as “honor” and “glory,” appeared in Laurentia’s hands. The elegant and eerie grace with which she wielded them was undeniable. She raised the harpoon to her face as though in a prayer to the sky.

There was something almost sacred about the way Laurentia moved, as if the very act of holding the harpoon imbued her with a certain purity. It might have looked more genuine than the cross I’d make while holding my claymore.

People had often told her she resembled a nun, but in this moment, it felt somewhat fitting.

Once her brief prayer-like gesture ended, Laurentia lowered the harpoon at a slanted angle beneath her right thigh.

The movement was slow and graceful, unlike the precise, rapid motions of someone wielding a firearm. It didn’t seem like she was deliberately slowing down, so I assumed it was a product of the swordsmanship she had learned. Otherwise, it didn’t quite make sense.

Now, it was time to dive into a proper 1v1 combat scenario.

If I recalled correctly, I had never emerged from a fight with Laurentia unscathed. Whether using daggers or axes, her primary weapon had always been the harpoon—though it was not one that could be easily thrown and retrieved. It was a massive needle-like weapon capable of instantly ending someone’s life with a single thrust.

And now, it came flying toward me.

At bullet-like speed.

??? Whoosh!

"…!"

"Be more agile."

The most notable feature of her attacks?

They were silent. The thrust didn’t make a swiping sound like most attacks did. That’s why it was almost impossible to sense when an attack was coming. Even though she didn’t announce her intentions, Laurentia’s attacks targeted the most lethal spots—eyes, heart, neck, armpits, instep, thighs, lungs. One misstep, and the fight could be over before you even realized it.

The second notable feature: As soon as one attack landed, a second would follow immediately.

"Cough...!"

Clang!

I managed to deflect her harpoon with my knife, but it had almost no effect. As I had mentioned earlier, Laurentia’s "harpoon" was a massive needle, and once it pierced you, there was nothing that would hold it in place. It was a one-way ticket to death if I didn’t secure it.

I had to catch it, I had to lock it in place.

Of course, Laurentia knew this, and she was more skilled at controlling her range than I had expected. Trusting in my reaction speed alone, I had to parry with minimal movement.

Sparks flew as attacks came at me at near-unbelievable speed. At least with my reflexes, I could avoid them. The battle became more about close-quarters combat, where Laurentia would sometimes retrieve her harpoon just to land a kick.

I was hunting for a single opportunity.

The tension in the air was suffocating as we both locked eyes, each waiting for the other to make a move. How much time passed, I couldn’t say.

??? Whoosh!

"Ugh..."

"Damn."

I managed to slice her thigh, but in return, I left my left armpit exposed. My left arm was now useless, so I seized the moment to throw a quick dagger at her right thigh, where it sank deep. Laurentia merely winced in response. Even with the wound, she was still moving well, using her harpoon like a crutch to support herself.

Once she gripped the dagger in her right hand, the battle was short, but fierce.

A hole pierced her collarbone and another in her neck. Using those openings, I moved the dagger to her left eye. Laurentia staggered for a moment, then collapsed to the floor just as I reached the point of delivering a fatal blow.

When the session ended, I struggled to rise from the floor, muttering as I did.

"...And you're telling me you're going to play regular games after this?"

"Well, if my skills aren’t rusty, shouldn’t I test them in real combat?"

"..."

That one moment of silence held more meaning than a hundred words.

Of course, Laurentia didn’t care about silence or anything else. She added with a nonchalant tone, "By the way, are you not streaming today?"

I had no choice. What else could I do?

It was time to announce Laurentia’s return.

[Streamer 'Eugene' // ON AIR]
[Everyone, stop playing One Game and get ready for Ranked Game!]
I warned them.

"Ugh, cough...!"

"What the hell is that weapon?!"

"Please... go to ranked games, not One Game..."

Thud.

As Laurentia’s harpoon pierced the neck of the fallen body, another corpse joined the pile. With a satisfied smile, Laurentia spoke up.

"This is fun."

"…I don't think anyone else finds this fun."

hahahahaha
"Did you just break the game with One Game?!"
"Seriously, is this what the Awakened Duo is like?????"
"Please, this isn’t an advertisement, it’s straight-up slaughter!!!"
"I’ve parked myself in Diamond already~~~~~~~~"
The world was truly a strange place.

At any rate, the influx of viewers was definitely increasing.

Probably.