episode_0073

Before my transmigration, there was a story I heard while working a contract job. They said a person’s life is similar to constructing a building.

A building’s materials, size, and appearance are determined by its purpose and the surrounding environment and circumstances. In dry regions, house roofs are built flat. Conversely, buildings in tropical areas with heavy rainfall have high-pitched roofs.

The surrounding environment also influences the types of building materials available. What to use for main beams, fences, or walls depended on the local situation. It’s impossible to build a bamboo house in the Arctic.

A person’s life is also similar. The materials used to build the ‘building’ that is ‘me,’ and its size, change depending on where one is in society and whom one interacts with.

Of course, designing the building and deciding how to use it is up to the individual.

So, what kind of building will we Violets become?

“…Your arm is dropping! You’re the one who asked me to teach you how to use various weapons! Arm up!”

“Ugh!”

I don’t know either!

If we compare ourselves to buildings, Violet is a structure currently under high-speed construction, drawing in all sorts of miscellaneous materials from her surroundings. The rough exterior has been decided, but requirements are constantly being added, and various materials are continuously being gathered.

“Ah, so you want to practice group combat this time? I don’t mind, but are you ready?”

“Yes! Let’s start right away!”

Wouldn’t mixing and matching everything lead to shoddy construction? Not at all. To build something sturdy, you originally need to mix various materials. Look at reinforced concrete. Materials with different properties are mixed to become excellent building materials.

Similarly, to become stronger, I intend to learn every skill I possibly can.

“What, you want to spar? Alright. What? You don’t mind using live rounds? Do you want to get lectured?”

“Joke! It’s a joke!”

With the first week of October, I attempted various training regimens.

At school, I was learning weapon techniques from Instructor Frederick.

“A shield is not a bad choice. According to common perception, it’s merely ornamental or has limitations, but those are just claims from self-proclaimed experts who selectively focus only on the shield’s defensive aspects.”

The training was conducted without using magic. Frederick moved the circular shield attached to his left prosthetic arm with flawless movements. My swung sword bounced off weakly.

“Don’t block any attack head-on; deflect it. This is common sense that applies to both combat against people and combat against magical beasts.”

The Violet clones waiting in the dormitory moved in unison, like performing group calisthenics. All of them swung their weapons, focusing on the visual information and muscle movements transmitted by the clone on-site.

“And, that’s right! Just like now! You can also use it when counter-attacking. You’re quite perceptive today.”

At a private training ground at the same time, an armed Violet squad used the shield movements they had learned earlier in real-time to face the incoming spear blades.

Clang!

“Ugh!”

Irene charged in, creating a small gust of wind. If I channeled magic into the shield and swung at the opportune moment with my enhanced body… I block it!

“Whaaa!”

I couldn’t block it. I fell down. Cancel!

Violet ‘Ten’ charged in. The purple-haired girl among us fought like a lion. Though she claimed to be going easy, she was still as fierce as a storm and as overwhelming as a tidal wave.

To face such a strong opponent, we had to move as one. We retreated in perfect unison when defending, and simultaneously thrust our swords when attacking.

One of the ten sword strikes we unleashed hit her body. The sword was immediately blocked by a magic barrier and bounced off, but in that fleeting moment, I saw Irene flinch slightly.

“Got her!”

The moment we rejoiced, we were knocked backward by a roundhouse swing of the spear shaft.

“Violet? Are you really okay? Even if it’s just a clone…”

“Keep going!”

Finally, in the central region, inside a deserted abandoned factory. Violet 102 was fighting a life-or-death battle with a girl taller than herself.

“You asked me not to hold back, so I won’t. Got it? Haa… I must be crazy, really…”

“Thanks for granting my wish, Kalia. Here I come!”

While Kalia hesitated, I circulated magic through my body, coiled like a spring, and leaped swiftly. Simultaneously, flames surged around Kalia’s body.

Mimicking the way Irene had swung her spear shaft earlier, I aimed for Kalia’s waist and swung. The spear shaft sliced through the air, and where she had stood, floor fragments shattered and flew up as if exploding. Kalia leaped, then kicked off the nearby wall and rushed towards me. I quickly switched my weapon to a sword and counterattacked. She moved gracefully, using the surrounding pillars and structures as footholds, like a breakdancer.

“What is she, a bouncy ball? I can’t see her!”

“Focus on defense, let’s look for an opening to counterattack!”

I directly confronted the violent sword dance. After several exchanges of blows, an opening appeared. The moment her sword interlocked with mine, I subtly twisted my wrist to change direction. The trajectory of the sword Kalia held in her right hand was distorted. I pulled out a hammer with my other hand and swung it.

“I won!”

Suddenly, a dark muzzle pointed towards me. I had forgotten about the magnum pistol she held in her left hand.

“Aaaargh!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The moment my stance broke from the small explosion, she kicked me, shield and all. I had overlooked that Kalia’s main armaments were a one-handed sword and a pistol. My mistake.

Seeing the shield mangled, I realized that if I hadn’t immediately pulled out a shield from my inventory to block, it would have been over then and there.

I saw the rubber bullet, which had bounced off and rolled across the floor, was on fire. As I quickly got up to prepare a counterattack again, Kalia, her face pale, threw down her weapon and rushed towards me.

“…You? Are you okay?”

“Why are you coming over? Aren’t you going to help with the spar?”

“I’m sorry. Using my unique ability has become a habit, and I shouldn’t have imbued the bullets with flames… You really are okay, right?”

“No problem. Let’s continue! You know, it’s fine if I get shot a few times.”

“…No, I can’t. I really can’t use the gun. Even when I try to control my power as much as possible, this happens.”

Feeling uneasy, Kalia put her revolver back in its holster and prepared to fight again. Afterward, Kalia diligently participated in my spar, but perhaps due to what happened earlier, the intensity of her attacks weakened.

It seems it will take more time to have real-combat-like spars with my friends.

***

Thus, I diligently focused on training, changing methods and learning various things.

However, it felt like something was missing. What had I overlooked?

As I walked through the school grounds, pondering, I saw a blue-haired male student. That face, like a light novel protagonist—it was Lucian! I didn’t expect to see that 4-star mage after so long.

Our departments were different, and the school was large, so there was no reason to run into each other. Although he was one of the playable characters active in the main story, currently, we had no acquaintance, so we were just strangers.

As I passed by, he glanced at me, then flinched and stepped back.

“So it was you…”

“…?”

“The red-eyed female student who defeated a fourth-year senior… Violet. Is that right? You. You were planning to challenge me, weren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Otherwise, why are you standing in front of me? If you intend to duel, I accept.”

“No, you’re the one blocking my path right now?”

What’s up with this guy? Why is he like this? Lucian snorted at my dumbfounded expression, then raised his gloved right hand. Several small, glowing magic circles appeared.

Was this guy originally like this? He wasn’t this bad in the main story.

I flinched and stepped aside. This was getting annoying.

“What, you bastard. Are you trying to run away?”

“No, it’s the disciplinary committee behind you!”

“What?”

The moment he turned around, I quickly concentrated magic in my legs.

“There’s no one there? Ugh! Violet! You coward!”

I sprinted away from the spot. What kind of lunatic is that?

“Was Lucian originally like that?”

“It’s five years before the main story now. He must have been like that when he was younger!”

Fortunately, he didn’t chase after me. What a strange guy, picking a fight for no reason.

“Among the mage characters, there were originally many with a slightly insane concept.”

While whispering and gossiping through the Violet network, one of the Violets suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, right. Mages. That’s it.”

“Mages what?”

“I know what we haven’t learned yet. Magic!”

“!”

Yes, magic. I had forgotten about it while focusing on training.

***

To destroy the academy, I needed close combat skills, firepower, and magic.

I was diligently training in close combat skills, and I was trying to acquire firepower in my own way.

“That thing made from fertilizer. Was there any progress?”

“It’s not just progress. It’s incredible! We almost got the workshop discovered, you know.”

To access military firearms or various dangerous weapons, I had no choice but to utilize the black market or leverage the shallow game setting knowledge in my head. I was making progress in this area, so it would take some time.

Now, only magic remained. The problem was whom to learn it from.

First, I went to find Daphne. Her strength came from her powerful unique ability, but she was also the only friend I knew who could use magic, at least for now.

“You want me to teach you magic? Well, the magic professor… was a bit strange. I’ll help as much as I can, as far as I know!”

Daphne readily agreed to my request with a cheerful face.

So, after school.

“Magic, according to theory, is… like this. Do you understand? Now, shall we try to move your magic?”

“No, I didn’t understand any of it! It’s not working?”

Daphne was smart, but I wasn’t. So, I had the other ‘me’s’ take turns analyzing one sentence each until I barely grasped the meaning. I spent a long time trying with Daphne, but I couldn’t even begin to grasp ‘magic,’ let alone its first letter.

In fact, even if I learned, it would be a problem. An Awakened’s abilities stem from their personal psyche. As far as I know, Daphne is only good at supportive magic for others. Considering her kind personality, her direct offensive magic skills are limited to self-defense.

I wondered if there was anyone around from whom I could learn magic. There was one person.

“That senior, our great senior?”

“Let’s try asking the instructor. Just for contact…”