episode_0023

The time spent waiting for Yuna and her group in the control room was shorter than expected.

Only a few minutes later, the elevator door they had entered earlier opened again, and three people emerged.

I felt puzzled by their unexpectedly quick return. Had the conversation already concluded?

“There’s somewhere we need to go, Jinwoo. The Commander-nim wants to see you.”

Yuna approached me and spoke. Her voice was low and businesslike.

‘Commander?’

I hesitated for a moment.

The development was too rapid.

But I knew this wasn’t a situation where I could refuse.

“Alright.”

We took the elevator again and moved.

We headed towards an area of the facility that seemed deeper and had a higher security clearance.

With every hallway we passed, the number and armament level of the security personnel we encountered changed, and I felt as though we were getting closer to the heart of this massive corporation, which operated efficiently.

Finally, we arrived in front of a huge reinforced door. The sign above the door clearly read: [First Command and Control Room].

As we stepped inside, a breathtaking sight unfolded.

A massive holographic screen, countless consoles, and operators moving busily.

This was the very heart of the Icarus Far East Branch, overseeing all military operations.

And a presence that overshadowed everything.

At the innermost part of the space, on a high platform, was the Commander’s seat. A man was seated there. He had a sturdy physique, a well-trimmed beard, and a black uniform.

The moment I saw the man’s face, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

‘That person is!’

That face, that aura. There was no mistaking it. He was that very man, an important NPC and tragic figure from Galaxy Titans.

Commander Gideon.

In the game’s lore, he was a character who lost everything due to internal strife and betrayal within Icarus, and even suffered a terrible injury that replaced part of his body with machinery.

Driven by revenge against the corporation that abandoned him, he even underwent augmented human procedures, becoming a half-crazed monster who emerged as a major threat to players.

He was a figure who ultimately met a tragic end, being eliminated by the players’ hands.

But the Gideon before my eyes now was perfectly fine.

There were no traces of injury, nor a mechanized body.

He was in perfect health, sitting in the position of Commander of the Icarus Far East Branch, wielding immense power.

‘As I thought, I’ve come to the past.’

First Admiral Belzero Karmail, and now Commander Gideon.

Characters who should have already died or fallen in the game were alive and breathing, perfectly fine.

I once again keenly realized the fact that I was in the past, a point in time before the story of Galaxy Titans began.

This was an unpredictable reality, different from the game I knew.

As I stared blankly at him in shock and confusion, Commander Gideon slowly rose from his seat. His gaze turned towards me.

Perhaps he read the surprise on my face, as a faint smile appeared on his lips, but he asked nothing. Instead, he spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the entire command and control room.

“The briefing will now begin.”

His sudden declaration surprised not only me but also Yuna, Titan, and Doctor. A briefing? And that includes me?

Titan couldn’t hold back and interjected first.

“Commander-nim, are outsiders allowed to hear Icarus’s operational briefing?”

Commander Gideon turned to Titan and gently waved his hand. His gaze remained on me.

“Titan, this friend is no mere outsider. According to reports, he just overwhelmingly subdued Lazer, one of our elite pilots. It’s unfortunate that Lazer’s personal craft sustained severe damage in the process, causing a setback to a critical scheduled mission… Kang Jin-woo, is that alright?”

His words strongly suggested an acknowledgment of my abilities and a perception of other possibilities, rather than holding me responsible for the situation.

I struggled to grasp his intention and replied.

“I understand the situation. However, Pilot Lazer can simply use a different craft. Doesn’t Icarus have enough reserve crafts here?”

Commander Gideon nodded, as if understanding my point. His expression conveyed both coolness and a piercing insight, as if he could see right through people.

“Your point certainly has merit. In peacetime, I would have considered other measures.”

Gideon continued in a gentle yet serious tone.

“But unfortunately, time doesn’t wait for us. While Lazer’s situation is regrettable, perhaps all of this was an inevitable catalyst that brought a talented individual like you before my eyes.”

He took a step closer to me and spoke in a lower voice.

“To be frank, I want to use this as a good pretext to offer you a special opportunity. Won’t you participate in this mission and unleash your remarkable abilities to their fullest for Icarus, and for me?”

It’s not a bad offer, but it could be dangerous.

“Of course, this kind of mission always carries risks. But if you successfully complete the mission, I will fully bear the responsibility for the problem you unintentionally caused.”

He added, as if knowing my thoughts.

“That’s not all. Along with the highest level of appropriate compensation, I will personally help open a path for your future that is entirely different from your current one, using my authority as Commander. What do you say? Isn’t this an offer worth staking your life on?”

Whether it was a threat or persuasion, their ulterior motive to use me for their needs hadn’t changed.

Now, after accepting this offer, I needed to secure conditions that were as favorable to me as possible.

I forced myself to maintain composure and looked at Commander Gideon with the calmest voice possible.

“Commander-nim’s offer is… extraordinary, but at the same time, it demands great risk and challenge from me.”

I paused to catch my breath.

“I merely defended myself in a justifiable situation. However, I understand the Commander-nim’s intention to give me an opportunity through this situation.”

I met his gaze steadily and continued with determination.

“If I participate in this mission, you must clearly promise not only the immunity from responsibility you mentioned, but also the highest level of compensation for this perilous mission as a mercenary, and all necessary support for its execution.”

A satisfied smile spread across Commander Gideon’s lips at my reply.

“I will decide whether to participate after hearing the mission details.”

“Haha, I understand. As expected, my judgment of people isn’t wrong.”

Gideon wore a satisfied expression.

Seeing that I raised no further objections, he seemed pleased, stepped back, and operated the control panel of the command seat on the platform.

“Then, I will begin the briefing.”

At that, the content on the massive holographic screen at the front of the command and control room changed, and new information began to appear.

Commander Gideon’s voice once again echoed throughout the entire command and control room.

“The target is a decommissioned rival corporate research facility located in Sector Echo-14.”

On the screen appeared satellite photos and images resembling internal structural diagrams of a desolate and destroyed facility, different from the gray wasteland.

“Recently, within that facility, an unidentified high-energy reaction was detected, along with a faint signal from a specific prototype component that Icarus had lost during development in the past.”

Commander Gideon continued his explanation.

“Our objective is to infiltrate that facility, confirm the nature of the energy reaction, and if the prototype component exists, recover it.”

He pointed to the anticipated risk factors displayed on the screen.

Unstable facility structure, residual radiation, and the possibility of an unidentified automated defense system or the intervention of a third party.

“Originally, this mission was supposed to be handled by your team, including Lazer. But since Lazer is suddenly unable to participate due to a craft malfunction,”

He looked at me and said.

“You will take his place. As a temporary member of Yuna’s team.”

The mission details were simpler than expected, but at the same time, the risk factors were clear.

A decommissioned research facility, an unidentified energy reaction and defense system, and prototype component recovery. It was a typical high-risk infiltration and retrieval operation.

Yuna, Titan, and Doctor were silently listening to the briefing.

Their expressions were serious. Especially Yuna, it was unclear if she already knew about this mission or if she was hearing it for the first time, but her eyes were shining with a complex light once again.

‘Sector Echo-14, decommissioned rival corporate research facility, prototype recovery.’

Sector Echo-14, the name felt familiar.

‘Railgun?’

It was there that the remnants of the railgun and its blueprint could be found.

Because of its incredibly overpowered specs, its manufacturing difficulty was extreme, and its operation came with enormous limitations, but,

once completed, it was a weapon that boasted overwhelming firepower.

‘In the game, the railgun was in a broken state, so only the blueprint could be acquired… but since I’m in the past now, perhaps the railgun might be in its original form?’

If so?

This mission might not just be about repaying a debt and watching Icarus’s every move, but could be a tremendous opportunity for me.

Of course, the risks would be just as great.

“Will you participate?”

Gideon stared at me, putting pressure on me.

I made my decision and opened my mouth.