Chapter 1: Welcome Back.

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=[…Collision detection and multiple collisions identified.］

=[Observation area set. Ghost Eye in operation….］

=[‘Decline’ continuously observed.］

=[Identified collision of 3 entities.］

=[Proposal: Establish spacetime coordinates for resuming connection. Power for operation of Artificial Probability Stabilizer. Minimum of two high-grade field agents required.］

=[Identified causal nexus: 24 images including the smartphone and file name 20250314_0004.jpg in possession.］

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=[Two top-level field agents entering and clearing.］

=[Linkage completed for Artificial Probability Stabilizer Anchor.］

­[…….］

=[Two field agents and ■■■, origin of cause identified for return.］

=[Record: Success］

Thud.

A heavy object collided with the ground.

But the noise was so small that it barely seemed like a sound, resonating relatively loudly within the rather quiet room.

The clatter of equipment colliding echoed behind.

But even that subsided. A stillness that seemed to suffocate the air, making even breaths seem audible.

Only the sound of metal friction echoed in the ears.

─Huff.

And in the midst of it all, a figure emerges.

Long black hair disappearing naturally between the plate frames, dust gently piled atop.

Pointed ears sticking out amidst it, and above, a bullet-shaped hairpin peeking vaguely.

Sharp jawline above a black neck warmer. Glossy hair contrasting sharply with pale skin and cracked lips.

Between them, a soft exhale.

In the midst of a living space that felt strangely nostalgic, yet devoid of its owner.

She draws a pistol from her holster instead of her usual favorite machine gun, and holds a tactical knife in her other hand.

But.

“…What?”

It was a space she knew.

A scene she couldn’t forget no matter how much she wanted to, vividly remembered as life became more desperate.

The longing, like a tidal wave, for the combat skills etched into her body and the rationality honed like a blade in any situation overwhelmed her.

The deep blue iris piercing through the scope trembled.

Emotions so overwhelming that even breathing became difficult, causing the muzzle to sink downwards.

“…How….”

Words escaping her lips involuntarily.

Praying this sight isn’t a dream.

A memory never completely forgotten during four years cast into the vivid hell of existence, even if it blurred.

Despite the sharp fangs piercing her lips from being bitten hard, a desperate yearning surged, so intense she couldn’t feel the pain.

The scent of gunpowder always lingering in the air, the dust of shattered urban fragments. The smell of concrete. The burning odor that couldn’t be masked even by the cold wind of winter.

The sound of gunfire echoing in her ears every single day….

But all of it vanished.

Her body, on the verge of collapse, moved stiffly.

“Wha… What’s happening!”

Light flashed from her wrist as she screamed as if her breath would escape.

Barely able to contain the sight of her former self, her grip tightened as if to not let go of it. Tears fell onto those pale hands.

She cried silently, stifling the pain within her chest. She had no choice but to cry.

Once, on a winter day when she cried out loud, she had no choice but to mercilessly kill the gang that came in response to that sound.

From a place where even crying was not permitted, she had to learn how to cry as quietly as possible.

However…

“…Huhuh, ugh, sniff… Huhuh, hah…!”

At least for today, she couldn’t do that.

Even the strength in her legs, which she tried to move somehow, gave way, and she knelt in front of the entrance.

The torrent of intense emotions broke the dam, turning her sobs into wails.

She tried to cover it with her hands, but tears kept flowing endlessly.

The emotions and pain accumulated over the past four years, mixed in with her cries, were beyond what any one person could stop voluntarily.

───Gyiiing!

Light flashed from her wrist as she cried out as if her breath was about to give out right there.

A flood of information surged.

-Network disconnection confirmed. Icarus system rebooting, supporting local alliance coordination and information control…

-Reboot complete. Data aggregation initiated.

Identifying accessible networks. Attempting satellite network and interconnection with owned electronic devices, data pairing…

Connection established.

Countless characters appeared and disappeared before her eyes.

At first glance, the golden letters seemed reverent. But as she closed her eyes, there was nothing visible before her but sadness pouring out.

The space she lived in was too neatly arranged to be called human. Traces of her walking remained on the smoothly cleaned floor.

Old concrete, dust, bits of iron, and footprints mixed with blood. It was something that couldn’t coexist with the concept of home.

It revealed the traces of her journey.

She had left behind much.

She gave up what she shouldn’t have as a human, and simply because she didn’t want to die, she learned the skill of killing others.

She accepted the fact that she couldn’t go back, and ingrained the sense of never getting accustomed to it into her bones.

It took only a few years for the 20 or so years of accumulated past to be crushed in a moment.

Memories she didn’t want to forget and memories she wanted to forget clashed and twisted her confused mind even more. Memories of shooting until the smell of gunpowder didn’t leave her body, the memory of taking another person’s life for the first time, blood flowing over piled snow, gradually dispersing gazes and life.

The Milky Way visible above the clear sky. Numerous people she had vowed to protect. Trustworthy teammates and the youngest one she wanted to take care of a little more.

The guilt and praise she felt from realizing she was still alive rather than having killed the enemy. The sense of duty filling the gradually numbing heart.

All these things were colliding on their own.

Tears soaked the sleeves of her military uniform, melting all those emotions.

Amidst all the horrors of this world, nevertheless, all the shining moments within.

She couldn’t even understand why she was crying. There were too many things she had left behind there to simply rejoice in her return.

But one thing was certain.

The last line appeared before her eyes.

[Welcome back home, Eugene.]

There would be no more suffering for her.

Personal data update in progress…

Operator’s name: Eugene Lee.

Origin/Hometown: Unknown… > Republic of Korea, Seoul.

Age: Unknown… > 24.

Whereabouts: Unknown.

Height: 171cm.

Weight: ■■■kg.

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[D+1700. Return]

Information Control And Regional­ Uniting Support System, known as ICARUS, is an agency directly under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, secretly established to ensure the continuity and protection against terrorism of vital government facilities in the event of emergencies or disasters, in accordance with Presidential Directive 51 within the United States.

Through multi-dimensional simulations, the U.S. government considered how nationwide chaos resulting from events such as nuclear incidents, pandemics, terrorism, cult activities, or even the release of unspecified neurotoxic gases could incapacitate governmental functions and sought methods to counteract the systemic failure of the United States as a whole.

As a result, the ICARUS system and its tactical support agents prioritize the preservation and reconstruction of essential government functions to end turmoil, possessing unrestricted access to panic rooms, fortified safe houses, and vital infrastructure across society.

Furthermore, to facilitate the smooth operation of deployed agents, these protocols can circumvent and penetrate various electronic security standards within the United States, remaining effective even after the resolution of crises or when governmental functions are restored to more than 30% of normal capacity, unless overridden by direct orders from higher authorities or the President.

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ICARUS agents are primarily selected from within the ranks of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for their extensive combat experience, clear vision, and exceptional dedication to national service. Their positions are continuously tracked as long as they carry their devices, and immediate action is taken against any defectors.

However, in situations categorized as level 3 or higher, where the loss rate of deployed ICARUS agents exceeds 20%, recommendation and approval of new candidates can be made under the discretion of existing agents. These individuals undergo physical tests upon arrival at headquarters to assess their suitability for deployment.

Unlike other personnel who undergo diverse training to navigate hazardous terrains abroad, ICARUS agents must possess exceptional cardiovascular endurance and physical strength, surpassing those of their counterparts. They prioritize training in firearm proficiency, basic and advanced explosives, enemy communication interception, interrogation, psychology, government building structures and vulnerabilities, and advanced/close-quarters combat (CQB).