I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun-Chapter 787: Washington D.C (9)

The cold air swirled around the Potomac Event Center as the constant sound of beans roasting echoed in the distance.

In Newark, only Lorentina and Logan had encountered Black Eagle, but this was different. The entire Dagger Team had started their first real engagement with Black Eagle, the elite of the elite.

When the Dagger Team collided with the defensive line formed by the most elite soldiers of a battalion, the impact was fierce beyond measure.

Oil and metal shrapnel mixed with blood and scattered into the air. Broken bodies were left behind by the Icarus Operators, but the pace of battle was slower than usual.

For the first time, the Dagger Team faced a battalion of living, breathing enemies.

"They’ve come prepared. They’re not an easy target."

"What else can we do? We move steadily. Get ready to retreat if needed."

"What about Eagle Team?"

"They’ve run into some trouble on the rooftop."

The Dagger Team wasn’t thrilled with the situation.

Up until now, the task force had believed they could go anywhere without concern. This was because the Dagger Team’s speed in taking lives outpaced the speed at which the enemy could reinforce their ranks. Or they could achieve mission objectives and leave before backup arrived.

However, reversing that logic, if the enemy, once in contact with the Dagger Team, could resist until reinforcements arrived or make it impossible for the team to achieve their objectives, the Dagger Team would inevitably face losses.

It was because they lacked both the overwhelming numbers and firepower.

"Now they’re just sending tons of drones. Damn pests..."

"Armored troops beyond the wall! Move out!"

"Ugh, these annoying bastards!"

Boom!

The wall collapsed, concrete scattering, but even that was swept away by the storm of lead from the enemy’s machine guns. No one died, but it didn’t matter. Just dispersing the concentrated firepower was enough.

The overwhelming numbers, vast combat experience, physical augmentations, and all the supporting equipment and units allowed Black Eagle to apply a kind of creative pressure that the Dagger Team had never faced before.

Of course, conversely, this meant that Black Eagle needed to bring such force just to put pressure on the Dagger Team.

Naturally, the commanders, who had taken over from Crow, were horrified.

"The Icarus Operators avoided the attack. It looks like they’re trying to regroup from the rear."

"Damn it, how is this even possible?"

It was like trying to counter an endless tidal wave with a real-time, rapidly depleting seawall.

They traded lives and materials for opportunities, but seizing those opportunities was another matter entirely. The Dagger Team hadn’t even deployed its full strength yet. To be precise, they had prevented a situation where they would need to unleash their full power.

They were securing a retreat route and carefully eliminating unexpected variables. It was truly unfortunate for Black Eagle, but this unexpected variable would also include two seraphim-class quadcopters.

The Dagger Team had Olivia, who was capable of shooting down even a cruise missile in the moonless night with perfect precision. She had once taken down a helicopter 8km away with a railgun.

The result was simple.

Boom!

"Seraphim-class drones Hugin and Munin have been attacked and are silenced...!"

"Get ready for retreat. Double the speed. Those who want to stay and die can do so."

Like most things that float in the sky, once their wings or propellers ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) are destroyed, they’re nearly useless.

There was no need to pierce through the body to disable it with one shot. Olivia just had to make a precise shot, and one of the drones was quickly sent crashing to the ground.

She left the remaining drone for Eagle Team to handle, and then activated something beyond her wingsuit for the first time.

The panels on her back folded into the shape of wings, and once the engines were formed, Olivia made a few small adjustments, checking the lift she could generate.

"Daoso Owl. Two heavily armored vehicles are moving out from the parking lot. Begin pursuit."

"Can you manage alone?"

"If I can’t make it out of this, it’s not worth mentioning."

Olivia took note of the Icarus gear’s location.

A few vehicles that had emerged from the building were starting to move in different directions, heading toward the most complex parts of the capital at full speed.

She wanted to smash every vehicle scattered like cockroaches, but unfortunately, she couldn’t intercept all of them due to the Titan gear she had just hastily recharged.

So, Olivia decided to focus on retrieving only the Icarus gear, rather than chasing down Crow or any remaining stragglers.

'The thickness of the vehicle armor is probably around the standard for an armored vehicle. The upper armor is likely thinner. It’s definitely something I can handle.'

Before Olivia took to the sky, Eagle Team, who had been quietly watching from afar, added one more comment.

"You look good, Team Leader."

"Do you want me to wish for you guys to become mutant eagles, you bastards?"

"Haha, I’m not quite ready to become a woman yet, my lower body and muscles are too precious. Have a good trip!"

Olivia rolled her eyes and kicked the balcony, just after their words.

For a moment, it seemed like her body would crash to the ground, but the tremendous thrust from the engines on her back immediately pushed her into the sky. In that moment, she felt relief rather than joy.

It felt like she was returning to where she belonged. Even artificial wings could be maneuvered as something more than limbs, and she could freely adjust her direction and choose her landing spot.

She turned off all the interfaces showing the Icarus gear’s location, its acceleration, and deceleration data, and simply enjoyed the flight.

And how long had it been?

The Black Eagle armored vehicle, crossing Virginia Avenue Northwest, suddenly unleashed its medium machine gun mounted on top.

KAKAKAKAKANG!

The .50 caliber machine gun, mixed with tracer rounds, spewed lead and flames into the air.

However, Olivia skillfully adjusted her speed, dodging the bullets effortlessly as she swiftly closed in on the vehicle, much like a WWII aircraft pilot dodging anti-aircraft fire.

The difference? Olivia performed graceful maneuvers that were faster than the machine gun’s spinning, landing on top of the vehicle.

Then—

"Do you think this is going to work?"

Wham!

As her wings, formed from holographic fragments, shattered and fell apart, Olivia kicked the turret into submission, crushing it, and the machine gun collapsed inward.

At the same time, the sound of the explosion rang out. Olivia leapt forward, stomping on the destroyed pieces of the machine gun, and explosions started to erupt around the heavily armored vehicle. The proximity defense system launched grenades in all directions.

But Olivia avoided the aftermath, landing once again with a grin. It was the kind of predatory grin that could send chills down anyone’s spine, especially those inside the vehicle.

"Is it all done?"

The knife in her hand began to glow blue.

Even armor couldn’t escape its inevitable fate. As she stabbed the ceiling with the knife, the interior ignited, and when the ‘job’ was finished, the ceiling collapsed entirely.

The Black Eagle soldiers still alive in the heat were met with the apex predator.

"First time facing reality, huh, boys?"

She didn’t even pull her pistol before her kick sent one soldier’s head straight into the floor. Though she wasn’t as skilled as Lorentina, Logan, or Eugene, the force of her kick was enough to neutralize the enemy.

One, two, three, and even the driver. In less than a minute, Olivia disabled all of them, tossing the bodies out like garbage and cutting open the vehicle’s safe to retrieve the Icarus gear.

Sitting in the empty vehicle’s driver’s seat, she held the gear in her right hand and spoke into the intercom.

"I’ve secured the gear. Heading back to the Pentagon."

"Mission complete. It’s not worth dragging this out. We’ll retreat now."

"See you later."

The first engagement between the Dagger Team and Black Eagle.

Due to the mutual unspoken agreement to avoid escalating the situation further, Black Eagle gave up 32 lives and one Icarus gear as a bribe to the Dagger Team and retreated.

"...What a hellish situation."

Several hours later, before Crow could receive an angry reprimand for losing three platoons and company-level equipment, he sent the data about what happened at the Potomac Event Center.

The Dagger Team’s threat level sharply increased, and Crow, who should have been severely disciplined to the point of losing his command, was only given a one-day suspension.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to see the commander who blew up the implants I gave him and is now suffering. You’ve really screwed up this time."

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"How dare you talk back after almost getting your team and equipment wiped out..."

At the White House Central Plaza in Washington D.C., inside the Kestrel Command’s intensive care room.

It wasn’t exactly a hospital, so the treatment room wasn’t large. There were two figures inside. One was sitting on a bed receiving treatment, and the other was watching the scene with a subtle expression.

The one standing—Crow—had just returned to HQ, still wearing his blood-stained gear, while the other, Race, brushed aside his long hair irritably as he got up.

The Icarus gear he had been wearing was long gone.

"So, are you here to hurry me up with some work?"

"I’m not. How could I rush you when you can’t even get some sunlight? I came for data collection. Looks like that dumbass Webb already took it."

"Head to the data room. You should be able to get the data with your clearance."

"Always so difficult. You know that’s not the only reason I’m here."

A brief moment of eye contact.

Race, looking annoyed, threw himself back onto the bed, while Crow, who had pulled a chair from somewhere, observed with an odd expression and added:

"Anyway, looks like you’re getting updates on what’s happening outside. Dagger Team has started moving. They’re truly monsters. Have you checked the battle logs?"

"...From what I heard, they were insane."

"Exactly. They took down two seraphim-class drones and hijacked an Icarus gear. They flew up, landed on a heavily armored vehicle, blew the roof off, and took the entire vehicle."

"Ugh. They gave those freaks weapons like that, and now this..."

He thought about how he, too, had body enhancements that made him nearly unbeatable at night, but as always, silence was golden.

Race didn’t intend to dwell on it for long either, so he leisurely added:

"So, what’s the real reason you’re here?"

"New orders came in. You’ll need to join once your body’s healed. The Black Eagle in Kestrel is planning an assault on New Jersey soon. Talismans from Squadron 2 will start an all-out offensive in Washington D.C. to prevent any power vacuum."

"What?"

"Webb and Natalia worked out a deal. The Hunter project for the coalition forces is almost complete. We’ve sent some of the key Icarus tech to Boston."

"So that means..."

"Yeah."

With a snap of his fingers, a hologram appeared in the air, showing a map of the entire northeastern U.S. with anti-air defense positions highlighted.

To open a path for the coalition’s transport planes, these areas would have to be neutralized.

Black Eagle was bringing in a new player—the coalition forces—into Washington D.C.

"Basically outsourcing. It’s time to check what the coalition has made."

"So it’s already like that. What’s the outlook?"

"The specs look good, but... The Artemis HQ in Syracuse got pretty wrecked. Once the 'adjustments' are finished, the Icarus Operators should be able to handle it without issue, but..."

"Sounds like it’s not going to happen. Enough of this."

Race scratched his head and added:

"How did I end up stuck in this goddamn mess?"

"You’ve been involved with Artemis since before your body got modified. It’s too late to try to FA now, don’t you think?"

"Shut up."

"Oh, was that a sensitive topic?"

Race clenched his fist, but unfortunately, there was nothing to throw.

Crow, ensuring that all the necessary information had been passed on, leisurely left the treatment room, leaving Race behind.

Race, still staring at the door, sighed.

"...I guess I need to figure out what the hell this is about."

Her blood swirled on her palm as she clenched and released her fist. She wasn’t sure what form it would take, but it would serve a purpose soon enough.

The world remained as strange as ever.