"Ugh..."

Birds were chirping, and the sunlight was streaming through the window, making for a pleasant morning. Yet, my body felt heavy, and my throat was dry. It was only 6 a.m., and I desperately needed to use the bathroom. Looking at the time, I realized I’d only gotten four hours of sleep.

I sat up, rubbing my throbbing head. But as I tried to get up, I felt something holding me back. I glanced back.

“Come on… let go…”

“Mmm…”

There was Dice, clutching my tail like a body pillow. The bed was big enough, and I was facing away, which only added to the situation. With her arms and legs wrapped around my tail, she was sound asleep, oblivious to my predicament.

After some effort, I managed to wiggle my tail free and headed straight to the bathroom. I opened a carton of chocolate milk that I’d bought the day before and downed it in one go. I’d read somewhere that it was good for hangovers, and it seemed to help.

As I stood by the balcony, watching the first hints of dawn, I heard her voice.

“Yujin, could I have some, too?”

“When did you wake up?”

“Just now…”

I filled a cup and handed it to her. She drank it with a half-asleep, half-playful look.

“You didn’t wrap me up this time, huh?”

“I was trying to stay conscious, for once.”

She chuckled, holding up her arm, revealing a faint imprint.

She didn’t need to explain; I recognized the familiar pattern of scales. I sighed, giving her an exasperated look, but she just laughed.

“I slept so well with that body pillow.”

“Why don’t you get some more rest? The guest room bed is open, you know.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that.”

She ended up following me back to my room, and once again, she fell asleep right next to me.

Four more hours passed, and by 10 a.m., she had made full use of my house — showering, doing laundry, and eating. It was a crisp autumn morning, with temperatures dropping close to single digits at night. I would have to turn the heat on soon.

After a quick breakfast that doubled as lunch, we decided on kalguksu for our first meal. Dice slurped up her noodles, then paused to speak.

“There are a lot of people going to the finals this time. Even if we’re only talking about ten now, with duos and squads, that could go up even more. Not that it really matters, though.”

“Does the schedule or lodging change if you’re in a duo or squad?”

“Exactly. For duos and squads, we have to coordinate closely, so we share rooms. I’d guess that this year, they’ll put you and me together, then Ink, Michael, and Gambit in another hotel suite.”

“Interesting. Did you have a room to yourself last year?”

“Yep. It was pretty lonely, honestly.”

Dice was a treasure trove of stories about last year’s finals, and they were genuinely fun to hear. I realized then that although I’d been in New York for nearly five years, I’d hardly explored the city. Mostly, I’d just taken walks along the Hudson.

I found it ironic, really.

Looking back at Dice, I could see her expression had softened. She looked as though a weight had been lifted, the restlessness she’d felt after the Asian preliminaries seemingly gone. She’d shaken off the lethargy that had been clinging to her, maybe more than she realized.

New experiences and fresh excitement were the best antidotes to boredom and complacency. Whether or not her visit here was that exciting, even I couldn’t say.

After we finished cleaning up, Dice lay back on the couch, flashing me a playful grin.

“Man, it’s so comfy here. Can I just move in?”

“Sure, if you pay rent.”

“Hey, I have enough money… okay, okay, I’ll get going. But after the finals, I might just find a place around here.”

I watched her leave, her hand waving through the closing door. It felt like she would be back soon.

When the door finally shut, the quietness returned. I had a lot to do.

A pop-up message appeared on my Icarus-connected schedule app, listing the combat data and schedule for upcoming sessions. Dice, Ink, Gambit, and Michael had about 50 days left, while Harmony’s team only had ten. Prioritizing the latter, I had three days to refine the data in Icarus Gear.

I took a deep breath.

It was time to return to my “unofficial” work.

Time was melting away.

Sigh.

The Asian preliminaries, which seemed like they would never end, finally concluded. Another week passed, and the days rolled into the weekend. It was now late October, and while Dark Zone was experiencing a heatwave, outside, people were starting to wear long sleeves, hoodies, and coats.

Friday and Saturday flew by, and it was Sunday. I could see through the friend list on my UI that Limit, Stone, and Hotteok were all online. And so was Yujin, of course. They were probably undergoing intense solo training with Yujin over the past few days. The specifics would become clearer tomorrow, but I wasn’t too concerned.

After all, I had my own tasks to focus on.

Rustle.

The sound of turning pages echoed, even if only in virtual reality. In my hands was a tactical manual that Yujin had written specifically for me. Though it wasn’t lengthy, each sentence was packed with information, and I couldn’t afford to miss a word.

“The terrain in Domination Mode is mostly predictably complex, but that does not guarantee ease in engagements...”

Corridors, staircases, hallways, winding passages, balconies, and multi-layered terrain—the variety was practically endless. And then there were skills that could negate some of these structural complexities.

As the squad leader, I needed to quickly comprehend not only visible landmarks but also the interconnected paths. The document went on with advice that seemed endless.

The main takeaway: securing a foothold is crucial. Since Domination Mode isn’t just about holding areas but also about kill points, securing a position that minimized losses while maintaining support was essential.

In other words, I needed to become a malignant presence, like a tumor that was impossible to remove and caused harm whenever it was disturbed.

“Wow, there’s even a list of the best cover spots.”

Then there was the mechanic role, which was crucial for deploying defensive equipment like ADS systems, turrets, and portable shields. These were ideal for defending a stronghold but had to be neutralized first. Strategies for handling such opponents were naturally included.

Was this still a game, or was it a study guide?

But theory and practice go hand in hand, and the past few days of work had finally started to show results.

Which brings us to now:

[Alert: TIER 2 promotion match starting in 00:01:23.]

[Alert: Squad Leader selection in progress.]

TIER 2 promotion match.

In other games, this would be like a promotion to Master rank. I had once thought I had no talent for FPS games and that I would never reach such a level, but here I was. I felt an inkling that I could go even higher.

I quickly took on the role of squad leader, and as the game started, the three other players eagerly greeted me over voice chat.

In Domination Mode ranked games, a squad leader’s contribution to the match could be tracked as a percentage of how much they contributed to the team’s success. Compared to others at my rank, no one else even came close.

And then, there was an additional advantage:

“Harmony? Wait, is that really you?”

“Whoa, no way! Are you streaming right now?”

“Ah, not yet, but I will soon. I’m ranking up solo for the streamer showdown.”

“But how did you get such impressive stats…?”

“There’s a reason for everything.”

But all that wasn’t the focus right now. It was the promotion match, the one that determined whether I’d stay in SOF or ascend to TIER 2.

And it wasn’t just about gaining rank. If I couldn’t go further after everything I’d learned from Yujin, it would be embarrassing. So, I focused myself and spoke up.

“I’m aiming for a promotion. I hope you’ll all rise to the occasion with me.”

It was 5:59 p.m.

I was ready to go live.

[Alert: Promotion match begins!]

The helicopter’s blades sliced through the air, and then—

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

“I can’t hold B! The enemy’s broken through the second line!”

“Hold for 30 seconds. Respawn is in progress.”

“By then, the entire defense line will be obliterated!”

Amidst the deafening noise and the bullets whizzing through the air, the UI flashed ominously, signaling that our control over B was slipping away.

The enemy squad wasn’t heading straight for the terminal; instead, they were spreading out like ink on water, widening their control. The small squad I sent to intercept was immediately decimated, flipping the balance in the enemy’s favor.

Promotion match.

Of all times, to fall apart at such a critical moment. I let out a sigh filled with self-mockery.

“Damn, slipping up right at the end.”

At this point, any hope of regaining control over B was already half-abandoned. The enemy’s defense was like a Spartan army, pushing in relentlessly. Even the allies stationed on the high ground were being taken out one by one.

And there, amongst the chaos, was an avatar that anyone who followed Dark Zone or watched gaming streams would recognize. With green hair and cat ears, her gaze was razor-sharp as she moved.

She had been the first to breach B’s defenses, methodically setting up impenetrable lines and eliminating anyone left inside.

Only she remained as we locked eyes for a final showdown.

“When did you get so good? Just how far are you planning to go?”

She just giggled.

No answer.

And with a dull thud, everything went dark.

I had lost control of B.