The month of September, full of many events, comes to a close, and the world moves on, passing through October, through November, and heading toward winter.
The United States, and the world as a whole, are entering the first year of the pandemic, facing a terrifying silence that is incomparable to the past effects of the coronavirus.
The population of the earth, once thriving, has decreased by nearly one-fifth, and all societal norms, infrastructure, and concepts that had been built up until the outbreak of the Omega Virus have disintegrated.
The word "prosperity" was the first to be erased from the world.
The concept of the economy has also dissolved into nothingness.
The idea of currency, once circulating in hundreds of countries or internationally, has become irrelevant, and the concepts of reserve currencies built on top of that have vanished as well.
With the dead left behind, the survivors, barely remaining in the world, no longer cling to concepts like bank accounts and dollars. As the link between economy and society itself evaporated, they found themselves cast back to a near-primeval state.
Barter revived, and material goods became more important than human life. Cigarettes, antibiotics, and even a single bullet became more valuable than stacks of paper money or gold.
The technology and concepts accumulated over thousands of years collapsed in less than three months.
No one knew how to solve the problem, but some decided to abandon attempts at recovery and, instead, resolve to crush other nations.
Flames erupted in East Asia and North America, and the world, beyond even the cynic’s expectations, descended into chaos, heading straight for hell.
"The weather has gotten much colder. Has winter arrived already?"
"It seems it’s going to snow soon."
"Really? Time is flying, isn’t it..."
The heat that started with summer had already faded, and the light drizzle now made people feel chills, enough to make them shiver.
Not long ago, most people, who had suffered endless discomfort from the heat and humidity of summer, had come to realize that, at least, the heat didn’t take lives, and expressed their gratitude for the season. But it was, of course, too late.
HQ, apart from the ongoing skirmishes in the northeastern region, was on the move, ensuring that enough winter clothing could be provided to the civilians under their jurisdiction. Had it not been for the operations carried out by the Dagger Team two months earlier, those still living near Central Park and its surrounding areas would have faced an incredibly harsh winter.
"Never thought I’d see a plan to send everyone in Manhattan to Florida."
"This is the first time we’ve even considered whether it could be feasible. In the end, it was cancelled..."
"It wasn’t cancelled because it lacked feasibility, but because if they were hit by an EMP during the move, they’d all die. It’s surprising."
The plan had at least been considered because there were only a few tens of thousands of people left in New York City.
Had a similar idea come up a year ago, it would have been met with disbelief or dismissed as a ridiculous joke. But now, considering such absurd proposals became a reality, they had to be taken seriously.
"Is the plan to cut off their air routes still impossible?"
"They’re using the difficult-to-reach North Atlantic-Canada East routes, so it’s tough. The only usable airport is near Churchill Dam in Newfoundland and Labrador, but it's extremely small."
"What about the Canadian military?"
"They’re currently defending Quebec."
"It’s infuriating to watch them transport supplies without any interference. I wonder if our friends in the weapons department have been developing anti-ship missiles or anything like that."
In any case, the biggest concern for the U.S. at this point was the allied forces holed up in the northeastern region.
From the U.S.'s perspective, the enemies were huddled in a corner, focusing entirely on defense, which wasn’t exactly thrilling for the U.S. military, who had been adept at countering enemy mistakes and exploiting them.
Ironically, it was also evidence that the allied forces had learned not to make mistakes after having been beaten to a pulp.
At any rate, the U.S. military wouldn’t make mistakes, no matter how desperate the situation became.
They also knew that the safest methods would be chosen, and the only gain thus far had been calling in Dagger teams to dismantle forward bases and defense lines.
However, it was true that they hadn’t been able to gain a one-sided advantage as before. The allied forces had pulled back their short-range ballistic missile platforms entirely behind the Vega Line and hadn’t touched them.
Except, of course, when the Icarus operators were deployed to the field.
"I never thought the newly created Task Force Elysium would be crushed like that..."
"That was a disaster. If Dagger Team hadn’t stepped in, we might have lost some key Icarus Gear components..."
"They're learning, too. It’s a real headache."
Task Force Elysium.
It was created alongside Task Force Aricon, and despite its short lifespan, it was soon exposed to thermal imaging equipment due to an operator’s carelessness, revealing its position and leading to intense firefights.
Afterward, five short-range ballistic missiles were launched overhead. Three were intercepted, but the remaining two had power that Icarus Gear alone couldn’t withstand.
Elysium operators were reduced to ashes, and while Dagger's emergency strike team shot and killed all enemies trying to recover the shattered Icarus Gear parts, Eagle Team infiltrated the rear quietly by using stealth aircraft.
The allied forces had to experience the Iskander missiles flying toward Boston, and not just one, but five at a time.
It was an achievement exchanged for the lives of 10 Icarus operators.
Countless lives dwindled like droplets, and the year began to close.
The weather had turned colder, and the October sunlight that once hung overhead had long since vanished. The gloomy November passed, and the biting cold of the approaching winter seemed more real with every passing day. The year was drawing to a close with no one expecting it.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
Alejandro Webb, once considered a missing minister, had now become a public figure, but no one had seen hide nor hair of him, and 2030 was slipping away just as harshly as the year before.
And then...
"...Where?"
"JFK Airport! The enemy is attacking from the east of Long Island!"
"How the hell did they land there?"
"I-I don’t know! We need support at the airport, now!"
The brief lull didn’t last long.
The allied forces had crossed the 20km stretch of coastline between Rhode Island and New York Long Island, and this time, it wasn’t over yet.
In just a few months, the massive offensive was targeting not just New York, but Florida as well.
As the U.S. had predicted, the allied forces had brought in troops from Central Asia and South America, totaling up to hundreds of thousands.
And, of course, much of this could be seen as America’s own doing.
At any rate, it no longer mattered.
What had begun was not just a skirmish or battle, but a full-scale war on American soil.
"All communication from the short-range surface-to-air missile units deployed along both coastlines of Long Island has been lost! New Haven is under attack!"
"It seems there are at least a few thousand soldiers who have landed in the small towns between Albany and New York, as well as in New Jersey. The high-altitude EMP strike and the attack on JFK Airport are likely part of a diversion to land in New Jersey and Delaware."
"Crazy bastards, instead of blowing up all the transport planes, they’ve decided that scattering their forces everywhere and taking up positions is more beneficial...!"
"Seems like they think that deploying battalion-sized forces across dozens of small towns in New Jersey will buy them enough time for a prolonged urban battle."
"If this goes on, there’s a high chance New York will be cut off from cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore!"
At Central Park HQ, the endless briefing sounds, filled with the desperate cries of support operators and staff members, continued unabated.
They were more than competent—or rather, they had to be—so they understood the reason why the allied forces, who would have previously been viewed as suicidal for attempting a landing operation or airborne assault, were doing it now.
The reason was simple. The moment they set foot in, of all places, the U.S. and especially its most prosperous city and surrounding metropolitan areas, it became a particularly inconvenient situation for the U.S. military.
It was impossible, or at least extremely difficult, to forcibly expel enemy forces from buildings in the middle of a large city without Icarus Operators.
The allied forces had come to the same conclusion.
Boston’s defense was already left behind.
The forces sent by the allied forces were, strictly speaking, regular Russian and Chinese troops, as well as soldiers openly recruited from Central Asia. And Russia and China had intentionally scattered them behind U.S. lines.
That’s why, recognizing the urgency, HQ entered an emergency state. Any backstory became irrelevant. The situation had escalated to a point where solving the current problem was all that mattered.
However, there was a silver lining: the U.S. had its strongest forces mobilized at HQ.
"So, what do we do first?"
"...For now, we should move around as much as possible and engage any enemy forces we come across. There is no place that’s not urgent."
"The most urgent seems to be JFK Airport, but sending us directly there doesn’t make sense. It’d be more practical if we hit the enemy’s command center and worked our way back."
"...That works too."
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A brief silence.
But it wasn’t long. The situation was too urgent. Already, transport planes were constantly arriving and departing from various airports in Central Park, and the New York National Guard had been urgently deployed toward JFK Airport.
Dagger Team checked the holograms displaying enemy positions, alliances, and the layout of the front lines, all constantly updated with real-time intelligence on the enemy's command centers.
The Dagger Team added:
"Alternatively, we can split up. Just getting there will already be helpful."
"For now, Eagle Team heads for JFK Airport. Judging by the number of armored vehicles around, there don’t seem to be many properly trained JTACs in the area, so we’ll need to do something about that now."
"Massive enemy attack helicopters have also been deployed. Most of the F-35Cs have launched due to the airstrike and are now being rerouted to the Horsham Air National Guard base, 125 km away."
"They took off without weapons? I can almost see them running away in panic. It’s heartbreaking."
"Most of the portable surface-to-air missiles have been neutralized due to the EMP attack. The front-line troops are struggling to regain air superiority..."
"You don’t need to worry about that."
At that moment, everyone in the TOC turned to Olivia. Even the Dagger Team glanced at her, but she paid no attention, placing her hand on Eugene’s shoulder.
Eugene made a puzzled sound, but it wasn’t particularly important. Olivia was confident about something, and the Dagger Team instinctively sensed that.
They quickly realized what it was.
"A sniper used to mean someone skilled enough to shoot a bird. But we don’t need to shoot birds anymore. How about we shoot down enemy helicopters instead?"
"...What?"
"With fast projectile speed, precise aiming, and equipment that can do it... the Defense Ministry’s R&D department is reliable in that regard."
With a smooth motion, she raised her hand, forming a hologram in the air—something Eugene and Olivia immediately recognized, understanding exactly how it should be used to the greatest effect.
The Titan, a large-caliber railgun. When combined with Olivia’s overwhelming tracking ability and vision, the results were predictable.
Even Lorentina couldn’t help but admire, adding her comment:
"...No way, you’re going to take down an attack helicopter with a portable railgun?"
"It won’t be that hard."
"You’re... really insane. You’re absolutely amazing. If you don’t mind, I could take that job instead."
"Go somewhere else, idiot."
Sadly, this was the reality.
It wasn’t the right time for something that seemed fun, and Lorentina, after making her joke, stretched her limbs. Dagger Team was about to deploy immediately, so the conversation was quickly wrapping up.
Chuckling, Olivia added:
"Later, if I go somewhere else, you’ll have to take over my role, Eugene. You’d better keep learning until then."
"Anyone would think that once the team splits, we’ll never see each other again."
"Of course not. Anyway, let’s leave in three minutes. That should be enough time, right, support operators?"
"...That should be more than enough."
There were no further words.
The support operators quickly considered how to divide the team and deploy them most effectively, and the decision didn’t take long. Dagger Team was split into Eagle Team and Strike Team and set to deploy to different battlefronts.
The Strike Team would sweep through Manhattan to secure order, then head toward Brooklyn, targeting the enemy’s weak points at JFK Airport.
Meanwhile, Eagle Team, especially the two members capable of operating the Titan, would perform a role no one had ever imagined before—a human anti-aircraft gun.
How much time passed?
Within just a few minutes, everyone’s preparations were complete.
"...I always feel the same, but this is a massive piece of equipment."
"It’s surprisingly simple in size and structure compared to its power. Without the Icarus Gear, we would’ve had to carry a battery half the size of a vehicle just to operate it."
"Ready to go, Eagle Team! The allied forces in Long Island are armed with MANPADS, so we’ll drop off and return immediately! Get ready!"
"Good. If we charge it now, we’ll be able to fire once we reach Brooklyn."
A huge sound echoed, almost unnerving to hear. As the Icarus Gear transmitted energy in microwave form, the capacitors on the stock of the weapon began to glow with a tremendous hum.
The barrel turned a deep blue and began to shimmer as the Eagle Team boarded their ramps. Lorentina, watching the scene, added with a strange expression:
"I thought I’d be used to this by now, but I guess I was wrong. I never imagined Icarus Operators would have control over the skies too..."
"You know, that guy, what’s his name... Jordan Royden, I think? He said that once Icarus Gear’s energy limits are exceeded, it can no longer be classified as a living entity. So, what happens when that happens..."
"...By the time the war ends, I wonder what we’ll have turned into."
Dagger Team watched silently as the Eagle Team’s vehicle took off.
The air had turned so cold it stung, and the breath turned to mist, scattering into the air.
It was eerily quiet, especially for a warzone.
"...Entering Brooklyn. Some kind of attack is continuing to destroy the enemy helicopters hovering in the sky!"
"...No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I could ever be like them."
Of course, Eagle Team began their operations as soon as they landed near Brooklyn, immediately starting to fulfill their duties.
Although they had spent a lot of time together, to Lapland, their actions still seemed as unreachable as the stars.
It was just another day for them.
I hope that picks up where you wanted! Let me know if you'd like more or if you need anything else from me.