I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

"The traitors' knowledge of the Icarus Gear has already been tracked to some extent. Thanks to that, there’s no longer any confusion about how much preparation we need to carry out."

"Well, since all Icarus support operators are at HQ, we’ve seen a lot of prototype bulletproof gear made from materials that are not publicly known... though we haven’t had the chance to use them yet, it’s different now."

"Because of that, now we must make sure to identify what gear the opponents are wearing, especially when facing other Icarus operators."

In Doral, Miami, Florida, in a top-secret analysis room under the U.S. Southern Command.

There, Laurentina, Logan, and I were. The hologram, which resembled a jungle, was projected onto a movable platform, giving the impression that we had arrived in Cuba.

However, inside, it felt as though only specific areas of the hologram had been sliced away, revealing a gym-sized white space. The Dagger Team was handling and examining numerous pieces of prototype gear placed on tables.

The gear was assigned individual code names, and below the holograms were details highlighting unique features of each item.

"Code Name: Striker. With a higher ratio of nanomachines compared to other equipment, this bulletproof gear learns every variable that occurs during combat in real time and builds optimal countermeasures within a meaningful timeframe."

"It analyzes weaknesses in enemies, firearms, and ammunition during sustained engagements, making efficient attacks possible while enhancing defense. I’ve never used it, but I’ve heard from DARPA’s evaluations that it has the disadvantage of slow warm-up time."

"Code Name: Jackal. The gear contains nano trackers embedded in the stored ammunition, which allows the warheads or fragments embedded in the body to attract each other. I heard it's optimized for shotguns."

"This... is the most recent development. Code Name: Forspex. Thanks to the micro-drone combustion system, it enables the use of incendiary grenades and flame turrets that are unmatched by any other gear..."

"Listing all of this out, there are quite a few."

As said, besides these, many more pieces of gear were awaiting use.

Bulletproof gear capable of semi-permanent ammo replenishment via advanced 3D printing and nanotechnology; gear named Code Name: Frontline, equipped with a micro servo system that makes bulletproof vests and shields more effective; and Code Name: Exo, which adapts to the user’s movements and optimizes their combat effectiveness—this was the gear I was currently wearing.

Beside it was Code Name: Pointman, designed specifically to spread concentrated kinetic energy over a wide area with a multi-layered steel plate system—currently worn by Logan.

Next to that, there was...

"Oh, Shadow’s here too. You’re making good use of it, right?"

"Doesn’t Olivia use this too?"

"Yeah."

Code Name: Shadow.

It enhances electronic warfare functions, allowing interference with enemy electronics. The special anti-reflection coating applied to the exterior causes the wearer to momentarily disappear when moving quickly, as if they were obscured from sight.

I heard it was developed at an extremely fast pace, inspired by Olivia’s movement and noise-cancellation methods, and although it’s still not quite fully commercialized, its technology has reached a level where it can be used in actual combat.

Along with that, there were many other items: Code Name: Hephaestus, a combination of polyaramid, UHMWPE, and nanotech, capable of theoretically withstanding tank cannonfire.

Though I hadn’t introduced half of the gear, the point was clear: these battle-support gear and armors hadn’t been fully disclosed to the operators using Icarus Gear.@@novelbin@@

"At least we’re lucky in that regard. If only two people have used this until now, that means the traitors probably don’t even know about it."

"That’s why I’ll continue wearing this. By the way, there will be countless engagements in the future, so it wouldn’t hurt to find ways to create synergies between these pieces of gear."

"That’ll naturally happen over time... but for now, we should do some research to handle the immediate tasks."

A brief silence.

Simultaneously, both Laurentina and Logan looked at me... which made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Before they made any jokes about it, Logan, who had casually glanced at the Exo gear I was wearing, added the expected comment.

And as expected,

"Don’t you think you’ve gotten a bit more used to shooting by now? Do you still need movement correction?"

"...I’m not sure yet. I mean, special forces aren’t perfected in a day or two. I’ve only been here for 3 to 4 months."

"Hmm... I think it’s better to check directly. If the simulation results show you still need correction, then we’ll keep using it in real operations, but if not... well, we might have some room for adjustments."

"What do you mean...?"

"Well, like that seal said, the only way to find out if it's real is to test it."

At that moment, a beep sounded, and one of the many pieces of bulletproof gear placed on the temporary table remained.

Striker. It was said to be the most balanced for both offense and defense, with top-tier performance, aside from its warm-up issue.

Knowing very well what it meant that only this one was left, I quietly removed the Exo and put on the new gear.

And—

• [Alert: Code Name: Striker detected. Initiating new data update and logic optimization. Remaining time: 2 minutes 13 seconds.]
• [Alert: Early update completed. Operator Eugene recognized. Striker exclusive interface established.]
• [Alert: Scanning... Designating 'enemy' and analyzing terrain. // Terrain change detected. Updated data displayed on interface in real-time.]
• [Recommendation: Begin simulation. Please proceed to marked location on interface. // Survival rate expected to increase by 34% at this location.]

"Woah, there’s so much in front of me…!"

"Calm down. Do what I told you. All the rounds loaded are live, so keep engaging until the shield breaks. Got it, rookie?"

"Right! I’ll do it! I don’t know what it is, but I’ll give it a try!"

"Good, that’s the real deal."

Thud.

Logan gave me a light pat on the shoulder in encouragement, but before I could notice, he disappeared in the blink of an eye. The surroundings quickly transformed into a dense forest.

Though it wasn’t exactly a jungle, it could have been considered one. There was no need to explain why this terrain and vegetation had been chosen for our destination. It was exactly the kind of place we were heading to.

The thick vegetation, with its overgrown moss-covered trees, gave the impression of a typical dense forest. It was a far cry from the usual settings we’d trained in, yet it was undeniably suited for what we had ahead.

I had been informed that the traitors we were after had entered Cuba via Guantanamo, a U.S. naval base, and had hidden themselves somewhere on the island. Considering Cuba’s latitude, I thought to myself how well-suited this humid and warm climate would be for survival, even if it was the ideal environment for an anaconda.

As Laurentina stepped outside, tens of kilograms of water mist were sprayed into the air, increasing the humidity almost instantly. The Icarus Gear, fully synced with the analysis room’s data, began transmitting environmental data.

In the blink of an eye, the Icarus Gear took full control over my sensory input, recreating the terrain of the forest in great detail, even simulating smells and sounds. The system worked hard to make this environment feel as real as possible.

At that moment, I felt as if I were in Cuba itself.

"Ugh, this is harder to adapt to than I thought."

The interface that had appeared in front of me had completely changed, and I wasn’t sure how to process the flood of data pouring in. My movements were more rigid than usual, and as expected, things weren’t going smoothly. Unlike Logan, whose skills had been honed over time, I was still adjusting.

Naturally, the system's analysis couldn't keep up with Logan’s swift actions. The moment I tried to track his movement through the data, I realized he was always one step ahead.

Then, suddenly, from behind a moss-covered tree, I saw the flash of white hair. Gunshots rang out, and the forest seemed to come alive.

"Ugh...!"

Despite the tree's impressive size and durability, the 6.8mm Fury rounds tore right through it. Even in a forest as thick with nutrients as this, no tree was invulnerable. It wasn’t hard to imagine the same result in Cuba's wilds.

The shield gauge dropped as I took a few hits, but I couldn’t land a single shot on Logan. I activated the pulse function and narrowed the distance. The interface quickly analyzed the terrain and the bullet types that had struck me, providing me with a rough location of Logan.

But even with the system’s help, Logan’s actions outpaced the interface’s predictions. His movement was swift, and his ability to predict my actions was uncanny.

I fired continuously, emptying about half of my magazine in quick succession. A third of the rounds hit Logan, and I managed to get some decent results.

However, just as I thought I might have him, I realized I’d allowed him to close the gap, letting him engage in close-quarters combat. A minute ago, I had been holding my ground, but now Logan was mere meters away.

"Wow, that was faster than I thought."

After a brief silence, Logan, with a serious expression, analyzed the situation.

"Your skills have grown noticeably. If you practice for a few more days, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle yourself without hesitation in real combat."

"Your learning speed is impressive. When you wore the gear that enhanced your skills, I could see that it became significantly more difficult to break through your defense. I didn’t think the bear would lose."

I responded, trying to keep my composure, "I’ve still got a long way to go. I only joined a few months ago, so I’m still figuring things out."

"That’s fine. In fact, I thought we were going to end up like this... I didn’t expect the gear to be so effective, though. Especially with the value of that skill. It turned out to be more than just an aid in combat—it actually gives you a massive advantage when facing other Icarus operators."

I could see Laurentina nodding thoughtfully. She, too, seemed taken aback by the results.

After a brief pause, she added, "With these skills, it’s almost as if we need to write a new manual for combat strategies. You’d definitely be able to hold your own in real missions soon."

"Yeah, I think so too. If I had known the skill's potential earlier, I might have focused more on refining it," I said, glancing at the interface that had displayed the data from our simulation.

"Looks like the rookie's doing better than I expected," Laurentina said, as she looked at me with a mischievous smile. "Now, let’s see what you’ve got in store for me."

"Wait, what?! We’re not—!"

"Yes, we are. You've trained enough, and it’s time to test how much you’ve really learned."

As the conversation continued, the reality of our situation settled in. Our first simulation mission had taught us more than expected, and while the training was grueling, it was essential.