episode_0128

The dimensional monsters, often called “beasts,” can be largely categorized into two types.

One type consists of normal flora and fauna from this world that have mutated. Creatures like the mutated cockroach, Crawltide, are prime examples.

The other type are organisms from beyond this dimension. Even setting aside the parts mutated by Aether, these creatures are fundamentally different from any life in this world. It is commonly believed that they are the remnants of extinct alien lifeforms swallowed by another dimension.

The monsters blocking our path belonged to the second category.

“…Encountered 15 monsters ahead. Prepare for battle.”

Irene, walking at the head of the procession, raised her arm, signaling a halt. The team, which had been moving in a loose three-file column, quickly shifted upon seeing the monster horde.

As I moved within the formation, my gaze was drawn to one of the team members’ bags. Levi pulled a ballista from her bag and began assembling it. The more I looked at it, the more enormous it seemed. Was it not heavy to carry something her own size?

In front of us, several human-sized monsters, seemingly clad in armor, appeared. They grouped together and approached us.

Their names were Spartoi, rock monsters that relentlessly attacked anything human they saw.

As six team members stood in the center of the formation, preparing, Violet Squads in the first and third ranks changed their formation to a four-column line.

“Hold on, everyone. I want to try some shooting.”

Irene nodded at my words and looked back. Everyone assented. The monster horde was relatively small.

Ten Violets in the first rank stepped forward, carrying federal automatic rifles. There was something I wanted to check.

“Fire!”

*Rat-a-tat-tat!*

A rattling of gunfire echoed loudly, and a rain of bullets struck the monster horde. The rifle rounds collided with their Aether defenses, sending flashes of sparks flying.

Looking through her scope at the monsters’ situation, Squad Leader Violet, of the 1st squad, grimaced in disappointment.

“They bounced off!”

The rain of bullets pierced through the Aether defenses, but were then weakly stopped by the ceramic armor beneath. As bullets continuously poured down, one monster finally lost strength and collapsed, but that was all.

Squad Leader Violet gestured, and another Violet pulled out a different weapon. It was a large-caliber battle rifle.

*Bang! Bang!*

Perhaps because the battle rifle’s caliber was larger than the automatic rifle’s, this time it pierced through. However, it still took several shots. The monsters lost limbs but continued to advance.

It wasn’t until several pipe bombs and grenades from the grenade launcher were used that they could be definitively destroyed. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Ugh, so they really are bulletproof!”

This time, I pulled out a crossbow and fired. It was a rifle-shaped repeating crossbow with a 30-round magazine. A magic-infused bolt flew slowly and penetrated the monster’s armor.

“Ugh!”

Just as we had researched, these creatures were full of ones that could withstand pure physical force. I simply drew my sword, channeled Aether into it, and swung at a monster. The monster, which had withstood gunshots, was instantly split in two.

Looking around, another group of Spartoi was approaching, perhaps drawn by the gunfire. This time, there were about forty to fifty of them. A lot had come.

Now it was time to begin the training. The first exercise: defensive training!

“Alright, everyone. We’ll defend you now, so get ready!”

When the Violet Squad, who had switched to shield armament, called out, the team members waiting behind them moved. Irene, who was behind us, imbued us with golden Aether, and Daphne, who was in the rear, deployed a protective barrier.

The moment the Violet barrier was completed, the approaching Spartoi pounded on the shield wall with their bare hands. As their Aether-infused arms struck the shields, the barrier momentarily trembled.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to step in?”

“It’s fine. We have our teammates, don’t we?”

When Irene, who was beside her, asked, Squad Leader Violet grinned. Our smiles were hidden by our masks, but she must have heard the sound clearly, for she quietly responded with a smile of her own.

“Now, finish them off!”

While the Violet Squad diligently held the front, Lucian walked out with a confident expression.

“Why the sudden gunplay? These monsters are basically bulletproof, you know.”

“There’s a reason! Just provide fire support!”

No sooner had I finished speaking than he snorted and snapped his fingers. Five small magic circles appeared above his head.

“Watch closely, Violet. This is magic!”

He pointed his black-gloved hand, adorned with intricate magic circles, at the monsters. At that moment, blue magical arrows generated from the magic circles and struck the monsters. With a *boom*, the monsters fell one after another.

“So, what do you think?”

“Stop talking nonsense and focus on the battle.”

At Irene’s sharp remark, he seemed momentarily embarrassed and shut his mouth, casting magic again. While magic flew from the rear, the pink-haired girl darted to the flank.

“Here I go!”

*Bang! Bang!*

Her magnum pistol spat fire repeatedly. Bullets infused with her burning unique ability consecutively shattered the monsters’ heads. Three Spartoi sensed danger and turned their heads. A burning sword sliced through them. While the Violet barrier held the front, Kalia, swift as a leopard, tore through their flank and retreated.

“Fall back now!”

As a clear voice echoed from behind, several thin, light-green barriers split the monster horde from the Violet shield wall. It was Daphne’s mutable barrier. We quickly retreated and dispersed. Through the gap in the shields, a bulky figure wielding a large poleaxe burst forth.

“Then, ugh, I’m going too!”

Granite, awkwardly clutching the poleaxe, charged out. He looked slightly intimidated by the monsters beyond the barrier. The moment the barrier vanished, the monsters lunged. However, contrary to his expression, the momentum of his fierce, white curved strike was immensely powerful.

The large, magic-infused poleaxe glowed white and arced. What followed was an explosion-like result.

*Crash!*

With a single swing of the axe, seven charging monsters were shattered at the waist. “Shattered” felt more accurate than “sliced.”

The Violet Squad regrouped and reformed their shield wall. Now, all that remained was a decisive long-range strike!

A powerful bolt shot would fly and knock them over like bowling pins…!

“Ah… ugh…”

“…?”

There was no shot. The black-haired girl, who should have delivered the final blow, was simply trembling.

“Levi? What are you doing?”

“Oh, I-I’m sorry! I-I have to shoot, but…”

When Daphne asked, she finally seemed to snap out of it and lifted the huge ballista. But the monsters were already clinging to the Violet shield wall.

“Was it too close to shoot?”

“Seems like it.”

Perhaps it was too close. She couldn’t shoot. The squad stopped the exercise and immediately drew their swords.

“Irene, let’s go!”

“Charge, charge!”

A moment later, a shield wall charge, accompanied by golden spearheads, crushed the entire monster horde.

“Is there a problem?”

“Uhm, sorry. It was too close…”

Levi mumbled evasively. Was it not a weapon suitable for short range?

We quickly regrouped and continued our march.

***

Afterward, the Violets continued to advance towards the wyverns’ lair.

During this process, we continued conducting various small experiments.

For example, the “one Violet per person” supply.

“So, the one with the blue band on her arm will act as a radio? Is that what you’re saying?”

When Kalia asked, the Violet with the blue band on her right arm nodded.

“Yep, I’m Unit 51! From now on, I’m the Radio Violet!”

“I’m Unit 691! She’s Unit 217!”

Kalia shook her head repeatedly and mumbled, “That’s so you…”

Currently, I had supplied each team member with a short-range laser communicator. It was a device that could even operate in a dungeon environment where radio waves were disrupted.

However, this communicator proved unstable. The problem was that it quickly failed to function properly if there was even a single hill or obstacle. Perhaps it was because I bought a cheap one.

It wasn’t an issue when moving in a group, but it became a problem when we dispersed. Especially since the dungeons we were heading into were more complex and easier to get lost in than this one.

So, I solved the problem by assigning one Violet to each team member.

The concept of a “human radio” was new to everyone, so they didn’t understand it at first. So, I personally demonstrated its performance as a test. I’d place one team member beyond a hill and have another team member convey a message.

“Ah, ah, mic test. This is Daphne. Irene, can you hear me?”

The words heard would be transmitted through the Violet network to another Radio Violet.

“Ah, ah, mic test. This is Daphne. Irene, can you hear me?”

By applying shared senses and thoughts, one simply repeated what another person had said. Thus, a communication system was completed. This entire process took less than a second.

“Hah… I really can’t understand your clone ability. So, you’re going to use a thought transmission ability without time lag for radio communication?”

“That’s right!”

Lucian, upon seeing the Radio Violet assigned to him, opened his mouth in disbelief.

“So, can you do something like this with magic?”

“…No.”

“I win!”

As the Violets puffed themselves up, Lucian, for the first time, showed a dispirited expression. No matter how great magic was, it couldn’t beat the Violets.

Now that I had convinced the team members of the Radio Violet’s principle, it was time to test something new.

We had arrived at the area where the wyvern monster was causing trouble. While the team members rested, the Violets searched for a location that could serve as a vantage point. There was a relatively high hill nearby.

“Start digging!”

“Get out the sandbags! Fill them with dirt!”

The Violet unit grunted and strained, quickly digging the ground and making sandbags. Fifteen minutes later, small firing positions were completed one by one. With Violets, nothing was impossible.

I planned to deploy machine gunners, anti-materiel snipers, and crossbowmen here. It would be an anti-air position to pour fire on Laskrin.

“Let’s move Levi here too!”

During several encounters with monsters, Levi hadn’t been able to do anything. She hadn’t even pulled the trigger once, let alone taken a close-range shot. Even the axe-wielding teammate who came along had managed to do her part reasonably well, despite being nervous.

Was it because it was a large ballista, taller than herself? If so, she should do well in long-range shooting battles.

“It’s a safe position, so you can shoot to your heart’s content, right?”

I led her to the position. It was a safe spot, located at the highest point, covered even with camouflage netting.

“Alright, Levi. Stay here from now on. When the radio tells you, just shoot. Got it?”

“O-Okay!”

And we waited. Until the wyvern appeared.

A short while later, a flapping sound was heard, and Laskrin appeared from beyond the milky sky.

“I’ll lure it out!”

I fired signal flares consecutively into the sky. As a red flash soared heavenward, a greedy-looking gray wyvern flew towards us. Its four red eyes glared down at the ground.

*Grrroooowl!*

The wyvern flew above our heads. It held something in its mouth and spat it out. It was magic-infused acidic liquid!

“Everyone scatter! Daphne, prepare the barrier!”

The Violet unit and team members quickly scattered under the protection of the barrier. When the acidic liquid hit the ground, it bubbled black and melted away.

“Commence firing!”

Soon, the anti-air positions around the hill poured fire. Several beams of light tore through the sky. While the wyvern was disoriented, a magic spear launched by Lucian pierced its wing. The monster shrieked and fell to the ground.

“Now!”

The monster, having landed, saw the Violets rushing towards it with weapons. The moment it flapped its wings again to fly, it crashed into an unexpected obstacle. With a *thud*, its wings collided with a light-green barrier.

“It’s a success!”

Several mutable barriers, deployed by Daphne on its back, blocked its ascent. Soon, the Violets and Irene surrounded the monster and fiercely struck it.

“Die!”

Several team members took turns beating the monster, eventually severing one of its wings. It was now reduced to crawling on the ground.

Irene immediately spoke to the Radio Violet.

“Channel Levi, now. Fire!”

The Radio Violet transmitted the communication without hesitation. But Levi was trembling. She was staring at Laskrin as if possessed.

“Ah, ah…”

“Hey! Shoot quickly!”

Unable to watch any longer, I slapped her back. Only then did Levi snap out of it and pull the trigger. The ballista’s string pulled back with a *clunk*, and a huge white beam of light struck the monster’s spine. While the creature was paralyzed by the decisive blow, the Violets climbed onto Laskrin’s body and fiercely stabbed it.

“We won!”

A blood-soaked Violet descended to the ground. The lingering feeling of victory was brief; the Radio Violet at the anti-air position grumbled.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“I-I’m sorry…!”

Her pigtails, tied with simple red ribbons, trembled with anxiety. I wanted to scold her further, but stopped myself. Seeing her black eyes wavering with guilt, I didn’t know what to say.

The Violets in the barracks, observing the situation on site, rested their chins in thought, dissatisfied.

She had faithfully followed our control and eventually shot. But there was a problem. This hesitant attitude.

“In a real battle, victory or defeat can be decided in a single second!”

“Even after setting up the stage for her to shoot, this is how she performs.”

This one is far more timid than I thought. What will she do if she gets scared like that even against a distant enemy?

“That weapon. Can’t we use it?”

There were many ballista-like weapons on the market, but this was the first time I had seen a weapon of the type Levi used. Wouldn’t it be better if I left her at home and used that weapon myself?

I coaxed the downcast Levi by giving her snacks. When I used curiosity as an excuse, she seemed reluctant but reluctantly allowed me to touch the ballista.

I touched the weapon and opened the status window. The moment I saw the status window, I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

“What the hell?”

“A 5-star weapon?”

Because five stars were floating in the status window.

[Song of Shrieking Annihilation ☆☆☆☆☆]

It was like with Martina last time; I didn’t understand why such unlikely individuals carried 5-star weapons.

A 5-star weapon. That’s good. Because I could use it. But there was another problem.

“No, it doesn’t work?”

I couldn’t use it. When I poured my Aether into it, the ballista didn’t budge.

What, was this her exclusive weapon?

“Can only you use this?”

“Yes, it’s a relic, so its, its owner is recognized as me…”

I see, so it was a relic weapon.

I was about to ask about the weapon’s origin or history, but I stopped. Since I couldn’t use it even if I took it, it would just be an ornament.

But it was too valuable to discard. The metal bolts used for the crossbow were easier to resupply than rocket-propelled grenades or anti-tank missiles, and their power was immense.

Since she was a team member now, I had to change her mindset by any means necessary.

“I have to make her a warrior!”

“An iron-blooded soldier!”

I made up my mind. Somehow, I would change this timid, fearful girl’s personality into that of a violence enthusiast.

What the Violet unit needed was a marksman who bathed in the enemy’s blood and enjoyed creating orphans and widows. We didn’t need a child who passively stumbled and barely obeyed orders.

In an ordinary 21st-century civil society, Levi might live as a shy, exemplary citizen, but this was a world where violence reigned supreme.

Therefore, the person our team needed must also be a blood warrior who loved collecting enemy skulls.

What should I do?

I had one day until the next dungeon. I would change this girl’s way of thinking by any means necessary. It was time for mental conditioning.

I would make her a blood warrior!