I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 220 – Devil and Hero

[General] To be honest, isn’t Kato’s team <<<<< just Harmony one-tool?????

No, that’s a lie~~

All the haters, go die~~

[All Comments][Order of Registration]

– Ah, lololololololololol

– I couldn’t be the only one fooled, so I immediately upvoted, lol

ㄴHey, you bastard, lololol

ㄴDid you get fooled too??????????

– You can hear Manager Kim crying from the respawn area through the VR, lolololololololololol

– Here, “haters” means they’re going to criticize (Manager Kim), got it?

ㄴWow, such an obvious typo!

ㄴSpacing, you dumbass, lolololololol

ㄴI didn’t get what you were saying, damn it, lol

– Honestly, calling it a Harmony one-tool is absurd, lol

ㄴEven after watching them practice together on stream all week, people still spout nonsense, lol

ㄴFact) None of these idiots work as hard on their own lives as streamers do

– Look at the downvotes sneaking up, lol

– Lately, the term “near black” has started to scare me, is that normal?

ㄴSurprisingly, it is normal

ㄴIf you get close to snakes… you grow a tail….

– After getting beaten up, Kato switched over to Yoo Jin’s side through someone else, which is legendary, lolololololol

ㄴThis proves the equation “Hitting the bottom = Spiritual nourishment”

ㄴI knew something was up when he was grinning after catching Harmony’s group leader

– Kato… if that makes you happy, then that’s enough… I love it most when you’re happy

ㄴI actually enjoy it more when he’s suffering

ㄴHonestly, I also enjoy it the most when he’s suffering, lololololololol

ㄴPain and happiness are just a thin line apart, lol

“Currently, the fierce battle between A and B continues. It’s literally a power struggle. The brutal fight, where blood washes away blood, has been going on for 10 minutes straight. But Manager Kim’s team is just one step short of breaking through B! They need to secure the foothold stably to have a chance!”

– They really are fighting tooth and nail, lololololololol

– Is this… modern warfare? But why does the exchange rate approach 1:1?

– If this were a real war, it would be horrific, lolololololol

– Is this World War II or a VR game, lolololololol

– At this point, it seems pointless to count the kill points

The fierce exchange continued.

The 40-minute playtime given for each match was more than enough for people to die and revive dozens of times. In the second match of the streamer battle, this scenario was unfolding in a large simulation center in New York.

Setting up a foothold for smooth access to B, reviving allies in that area, gathering forces to strike weak points repeatedly. Not just with guns and grenades, but also with grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and even missile bombardments given every 10 minutes.

If this were reality, the situation could be described as the highest-paid American personnel being shredded in a blender, costing billions within an hour, but thankfully, this match was taking place in VR.

Both sides reached their individual limits, sometimes defending, sometimes attacking. They predicted the changing end points of the offensive in real-time, marked key targets to destroy, and sometimes threw themselves into the battlefield without hesitation.

Thus, in just the second match, the atmosphere started to flow in a strange direction.

“Ah, Manager Kim! This time, will he break through B? The bombing opportunity he’s been saving shines now! All twelve members rush towards the dust-clouded central zone—!”

– Let’s gooooooo

– Why is he so desperate, lolololololol

– Will he show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us? Show us?

– Damn, I have to cheer for him

– Charge!!!!!!!

A type of battle never seen anywhere in the world began.

With force meeting force head-on, the total summation of mankind’s malevolent technological prowess, firearms, fired in unison. Piercing through smoke, penetrating thin steel plates, smashing the first line of defense shields, and repeatedly striking the ceramic armor beneath.

Underneath this fierce frontline, the two group leaders, who had completely forgotten this was a friendly match, waged a fierce battle from both sides of command and engagement.

Harmony defending, Manager Kim attacking. It was an exaggerated battle worthy of historical note.

“Line 1 is about to be breached! Set up booby traps, retreat to Line 2, and concentrate the defense line! Cover fire for the retreating personnel, cover fire!”

“Retrieve the Trophy System. Each squad’s point man moves forward. Check the durability of your ballistic shields and regroup. Wait for the skill cooldown.”

Harmony’s team learned from Manager Kim’s flexible command, while Manager Kim was learning in real-time how to operate a squad that forms the backbone of a group’s combat power.

Thus began an almost surreal siege scene. The CQB, utilizing every available resource, provided viewers with the catharsis of watching a no-holds-barred fight between David and Goliath, or the Devil and the Hero.

Viewers started to realize why clichés remained clichés.

– Manager Kim is really good, lolololololol

– Now I understand why the Devil and Hero dynamic is still popular….

– My Monday work fatigue is completely gone, lol

– Is it normal to genuinely want Manager Kim’s team to win this match?

– Harmony is truly an insurmountable wall, lolololol

It wasn’t just a simple clash between two teams. Manager Kim’s team’s progress seemed like a mere human resisting an inevitable fate, clashing with the Hero, putting all intellect and force on the line for the world’s destiny.

Thus, while the balance of victory didn’t practically change, more and more people started rooting for Manager Kim.

It was beyond mere skill disparity; seeing him attempt to overcome his limits inspired everyone bit by bit—although not everyone felt this way, a healthy public opinion was undoubtedly forming.

However, unlike the clichés everyone imagined, Harmony did not allow the Hero to win.

A cold voice flowed through the intercom.

“Skill cooldown is over. We’ll push back the enemies now. Rotate with the squad at the frontline on my signal. Offensive starts in 3 seconds, point man leads.”

───Bzzzzzt!

With a peculiar sound, Harmony, who was commanding the defensive line, completed preparations for the offensive with the troops saved until the last moment.

Thus, before Manager Kim’s team could reach the offensive end point, a kill team of six men leaped out from behind the nearly depleted allied defense line without any warning.

At the same time, Harmony demonstrated what offensive defense was and how powerful it could be in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Within minutes, Manager Kim’s team was shattered by consecutive devastating counterattacks.

The second battle ended that way.

“…Therefore, it can be said that both teams’ strengths are practically equal yet not. Each has its own methods of delivering decisive blows to achieve specific goals. However, Harmony’s team can deliver those decisive blows more easily than Manager Kim’s team.”

“Oh, I see what you mean now. That makes sense. Indeed, in urgent situations, time is the most critical resource.”

During a short break, the caster and commentator reflected on the previous situation.

One team was like an umbrella, able to create a shelter from the rain with a single push of a button. The other team was different. Though hard to specify, it undoubtedly required much more effort than the opponent.

That difference was crucial, and the resulting outcomes were self-evident. The consecutive victories clearly showed the superiority without needing any grand explanations.

However, the world doesn’t run on arithmetic logic alone, and this fact was still effective. The most dramatic match earlier proved this, where the gap between winning and losing was more significant than anything else.

“Then, in your opinion, Rus, what do you think the future developments will be?”

“I can’t make any hasty judgments about the match results. Although Harmony’s group is currently dominant, Manager Kim’s side is essentially getting a potent inoculation every hour.”

“Indeed. After a major engagement, the same tactics would be less effective. It’ll be interesting to see how far Manager Kim’s team can go and whether they can eventually beat Harmony’s team.”

– Manager Kim, damn it, try harder

– Manager Kim growing with each match vs. Already perfected Harmony

– Fact) If Yoo Jin had given feedback to Harmony until today, Manager Kim would’ve been mercilessly beaten

– This is too much, lolololololol

– My heart races just thinking about Manager Kim receiving his punishment

It was utter chaos.

To describe the current situation with mild words like debate would be too moderate. If the state of the chat, split into dozens of windows but still amassing hundreds of thousands, were transferred into reality, a brawl might barely explain it.

Most knew the streamers participating in the competition, but even among them, those who only knew a few streamers like Harmony and Manager Kim were numerous, making countless categories of viewers clash.

Meanwhile, amidst all this, only two remained normal, just as before.

No need to explain

who they were.

“Manager Kim is good, but the starting positions are too different… Before meaningful data accumulates, Harmony’s team will likely secure 4 wins first. Even if Min Ah struggles, the insurmountable part remains insurmountable….”

“That seems the most likely outcome.”

“Indeed, Yoo Jin, you think so too.”

I nodded briefly.

After a moment of thought, she continued, regardless of who was listening.

“The growth in skill from observing the opponent is essentially one-time, and it can’t be guaranteed that the growth rate will continue steadily. It’s like running towards an upper limit.”

“I see. Then, Yoo Jin, how do you think this competition will end?”

“I think Manager Kim’s team won’t get more than 3 wins. At most 2 wins, maybe one. But it’s hard to say for sure.”

“At most 2 wins, huh.”

The thought process held onto the keyword, delving deeper. He didn’t care about his surroundings. As a former pro-gamer, he knew who she was. For instance, Dice’s career overlapped with Manager Kim’s active years.

But there was no direct connection. He might have a track record of winning competitions himself, or maybe some trainees he raised performed well. But he was an AP soloing pro-gamer, and Manager Kim specialized in Domination mode.

It’s hard to equate team games with solo play. Thus, his analysis given to Yoo Jin earlier was purely based on the data collected so far. Moreover, she probably had a keener eye.

Meanwhile, time subtly slipped away as these thoughts continued.

By the time Dice snapped out of it, a brief interview was already underway in front of him. The interviewee was not Harmony but one of the participating streamers. It seemed like a completely random pick for an interview.

As he watched absentmindedly.

“…Apparently, it wasn’t entirely random.”

“Yes?”

“Ah, just thinking. As expected, it appears.”

Clap clap clap clap.

Before the next response, applause and cheers erupted. The live chat was filled with bizarre words like “Devil” instead of Harmony. Even though calling Harmony a Devil seemed a bit excessive….

Well, nicknames were always created without any real basis.

Anyway, Harmony approached confidently and took a seat, accepting the microphone.

“Haha, nice to meet you. Watching the previous two matches, it’s clear your declaration before the start of the competition was no exaggeration. I remember you only died once during the previous two matches. Is that right?”

“Yes. I always try to avoid dying, especially here, where just the commander staying alive can achieve a lot.”

“Indeed. The higher the tier, the more beneficial it is to maintain the command structure.”

A brief exchange of words.

After a few questions and answers, they wrapped up.

“-Then, we look forward to the upcoming matches. By the way, has your resolve you mentioned before the competition started changed at all?”

“Of course not. Although, there might be a slight change….”

A few seconds of contemplation.

Then she wore a chilly smile and opened her mouth.

“…Having led two matches as the group leader, I think I need to play with more focus on the survival of my team members as well.”

“Ah, I see. Does that mean your play style will become more cautious compared to before?”

“No. To increase my team’s survival, I plan to eliminate the causes faster from now on.”

– ??????????????????????

– Isn’t this a berserker, lolololololol

– Yeah… that’s true… but who in their right mind would say that in an interview, damn it!!!!!!!!!!

– If she’s not the Devil, then who is, lolololol

– Crazy woman, lolololololol

A brief silence.

Looking at Harmony, who became a bombshell, Unreal and Rus stayed silent for a moment and then added.

“Yes, thank you for the answer. After the interview, we might need to check if Harmony doped herself with snake tail water.”

“Eek, I didn’t! I haven’t even talked to Teacher Yoo Jin in-game for a long time!”

“Ah, perfect timing. Let’s read the whistleblowing message sent by streamer Kim Stone. Let’s see… Harmony apparently hides a snake tail somewhere. Great tip, thank you. Anonymous submissions like yours make society healthier!”

Anonymous submissions or not, Harmony’s words had no effect, but it was a great way to wrap up the interview.

At least, Dice thought so to keep his sanity from leaving.

The competition wasn’t even halfway over, yet it was truly eventful.