episode_0268

The streets were carpeted with shattered, vitrified ground and fragmented stone. A crunching sound could be heard whenever knights and vehicles patrolled the area.

The surrounding buildings lay strangely, sharply cut down as if a savage giant had gone on a rampage with a sword.

Asteria’s cityscape had withstood the merciless nuclear flames sweeping through, but it could not endure the aftermath of the ensuing battle.

And in the center of the main road, where the most slashes had ravaged and swept, the fallen vanguard of the otherworld writhed like a caterpillar, bleeding.

“Arghh-!”

The Apostle couldn’t move.

Its limbs had been mercilessly severed. The being let out an unspeakable scream in agony.

Nothing changed. The sound, which normally would have shaken human minds and filled brains with terror, merely caused the knights’ eyes to squint slightly behind their visors.

From its severed limbs, strangely glowing blood continuously flowed, slowly losing its color and turning black.

In truth, even if its limbs had been intact, there was nothing the Apostle could have done.

There were few intact parts from its head to its abdomen, and its vital organs were crushed.

Above all, one foot of the steel giant was pressed down with its full weight, crushing the area where the Apostle’s chest would be.

“It must be preposterous, wouldn’t you say?”

Cordo spoke with self-mockery but couldn’t suppress a subtle enjoyment.

Just moments ago, he had mercilessly beaten this monster with overwhelming force, like slaughtering a dog.

The secret weapon, initiated in his father’s generation, forged by pouring in an enormous budget comparable to national expenditure and gathering the essence of the Academy City’s science, had culminated in barbaric and primitive violence.

The Apostle’s face lacked organs for non-verbal expression, but Commander Cordo, currently aboard the colossus, could somewhat discern the alien being’s emotions.

It was merely a hunch, but his prediction was somewhat accurate.

The Apostle was unbearably resentful.

“Why! Not just one, but two of you!”

“You must be furious. I understand. To be trampled by beings you so disdained and mocked. If I had to kneel to commoners, it would truly be terrible. I’d feel sick. Valefor told me that your kind believe only you are the most noble, chosen race in this world.”

The impossible communication ran parallel.

The miraculous weapon, which forged an individual’s willpower and way of thinking into power with the overwhelming output of artifact technology and energy reactors, was unsuitable for communication.

Nevertheless, a faint point of contact emerged between the monologues of the two beings.

“This can’t be… How could… we, who received orders from His Majesty, end up like this…”

“But you are wrong.”

The colossus’s foot lifted from the Apostle’s chest.

As a procession of vehicles approaching from a distance stopped, knights moved towards the leading large truck.

“Nobility? Do you think such a word suits your lowly, cursed beasts from the otherworld? Hmm?”

Federal engineers in hazmat suits, who had taken equipment from the truck, approached under the escort of the knights.

The Apostle turned its head, seeing what it was, as a device was attached to its half-destroyed head.

“There is only one noble being in this world, and that is humanity.”

“I won’t die like this!”

The last remaining Adriana Spike sparked and ceased functioning.

As a gap appeared, the Apostle gathered its last strength and launched a desperate strike.

A strange magical wave pierced through the colossus.

The colossus’s movements froze.

“Commander-nim!”

“Mental contamination!”

In the blink of an eye, Cordo found himself in a white mental space.

“Ah, this must be the space of consciousness the Clan ancestors spoke of.”

Before his eyes, a constantly boiling and surging black form trembled and cried out.

“You were careless. No one will triumph. I’ll turn you into an imbecile. Restraid!”

Black waves surged from beyond the realm of consciousness, crashing like a tide.

In an instant, Cordo’s body was swallowed by the viscous liquid.

-“Brother! How could you do this to me! You said you’d help!”

-“Oppa! This isn’t right, please, my husband and child know nothing about this!”

-“Are you even human? Did you covet the Clan’s throne that much!”

Forgotten old specters, vengeful spirits filled with resentment, clawed and bit at him.

Cordo gritted his teeth.

He had thought he’d forgotten them long ago, but it seemed there was still a weak corner within him.

“…A trauma stimulus. This is also as per the records.”

The Apostle, which had been sneering at its brief victory amidst defeat, suddenly turned serious.

The mass, enveloped in black waves, advanced slowly but stubbornly.

Arms extended from within the black waves. Two arms tore off the black memories that clung to him, one by one.

He severed them, the brother begging for his life, the sister pleading.

“If you’re dead, stay buried. You losers.”

He ripped them off, the wailing comrades and subordinates.

His uncompromising, uncommunicative mindset tore away the spectral hands that held him back, leading him forward.

“What kind of being are you? You…”

“Did you think I’d break here? Did you think I’d whine and fall like a child?”

The Apostle, recoiling, slumped to the bottom of the mental space.

“I have a mission. A path prepared with glory and hardship.”

A powerful grip seized the Apostle’s neck.

“You uncultured monster bastard. I will never break.”

“Guh, guh-ack!”

Between the Apostle and the Commander-in-Chief, a sad-eyed woman intervened.

-“H-Honey. Please, Sebi is still young… he’s only 5 years old!”

“Ah, Ines. Long time no see.”

Cordo’s eyes narrowed as he faced one of his deceased former wives.

-“Sebi got hurt again. That kind of training is too much! This isn’t right. Please…”

“Indeed, with such an empty-headed woman’s blood mixed in, you would have lost like that!”

The powerful hand indifferently grasped the noose around the woman’s neck and roughly threw her aside.

The woman, fallen to the floor, scattered like smoke.

“How, how could a mere human… break free from the bindings…!”

The Commander-in-Chief sneered. He had no intention of explaining.

There was no regret. No hesitation. Only that.

“Stop playing games. Eidos.”

The world flipped. Cold reality crashed down on the Apostle.

What flew towards the Apostle’s face, as it staggered and struggled to lift its head, was a massive metal fist.

-Smash!

The Apostle’s face was pulverized by the colossus’s punches. Once, twice, thrice. The strikes were ruthless.

“You monster, be grateful for the chance to become a glorious stepping stone for the recovery of the entire Trist Continent.”

The trembling Apostle went limp. The colossus’s chest plate opened, and the sweat-soaked Commander-in-Chief leaped out.

“I knew it would be like this, but it still puts me off. Guard Captain. Begin!”

“What are you doing? You sluggish bastards. Move faster!”

The watching engineers, spurred by the Guard Captain’s scolding, hastily began their work.

The engineers placed a restraint device on the Apostle’s head and screwed it in.

The Apostle weakly struggled against the pain tearing through its head.

Aether pulsed from every glowing spell formula etched into the restraints, disrupting the Apostle’s miracles.

The being, once blazing with malevolent intellect, was now destined to become a living specimen.

Its severed limbs were cauterized with fire, and various complex restraints were embedded.

A container then opened, and a hydraulic lift creaked as it lowered a reinforced containment facility to the ground.

Engineers swarmed onto the vehicle, repeatedly checking the integrity of the restraints.

The energy field hummed, and an eerie blue glow leaked out through the gaps.

“It’s done.”

Finally, with a loud thud, the containment device was completely sealed, imprisoning the Apostle within layers of advanced technology and arcane engineering.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

“It was just luck. We only escaped because it was exhausted. Casualties?”

“Five dead, twenty wounded. Most are minor injuries.”

“Valuable knights have fallen again… A pity. Engrave their names in the Hall of Glory, and pay pensions and compensation to their bereaved families as per protocol.”

Though he verbally expressed annoyance, Cordo’s expression was inwardly light. The sacrifice of the valiant knights was not in vain.

‘It’s exciting. If a prototype, made at 1/15th the scale, has this level of performance…’

How powerful would the complete colossus, built as planned, be? He couldn’t even imagine.

If the Apostle’s body acquired this time could be analyzed, the stalled plan would seize an opportunity for a new leap forward.

And, and…

‘To cast down a god, and reclaim the entire continent.’

Restraid’s name would stand tall at the forefront of that glory.

The truck carrying the precious cargo, which would serve as a stepping stone, departed.

**

After the battle ended, the people at the exhibition grounds headed towards the gate, following instructions.

“Let’s go home!”

“I’m hungry!”

We achieved many accomplishments.

First, we lectured the wicked Apostle with the spirit of democracy and blocked the demonic beasts.

And we saved the people.

“We are Violet of Justice!”

However, there were many patients.

After returning from the fight, most people were coughing as if they had caught a cold.

“Everyone looks so sick. Did they catch Corona?”

“If only Daphne were here…”

There were too many people who couldn’t walk, so emergency patients were carried out of the barrier via airships or ambulances.

Furthermore, there was a sad incident.

“No! Ruzilin’s Iron Fist!”

Unit 1267, recovering equipment as it moved around the battlefield, wailed.

Before our eyes lay the wreckage left by the brave Federation-made light tank, Ruzilin’s Iron Fist.

The Violets’ sturdy steel friend, who had bravely fought the Apostle, was caught in the nuclear bombardment and destroyed.

Not only was its chassis overturned, but presumably because it was near the epicenter of the explosion, parts of its body were charred black and melted.

“Our friend died!”

“Those Restraid bastards! I can’t forgive them!”

Soon, all 2501 Violets, without exception, were engulfed in sorrow.

Only its cannon barrel, twisted and bent like taffy, and its sagging tracks remained as the sole evidence of Ruzilin’s Iron Fist, which once stood proudly on the ground.

Nearby Unit 2 was in the same condition.

This one, furthermore, was already shattered by the Apostle’s attack, so it couldn’t be revived.

“We thought we wouldn’t be able to take it out again, but…”

“To end up like this!”

It was sad. Unbearably regrettable.

Nevertheless, the Violets composed their mournful hearts and stood up.

Amidst countless losses, we had to move forward.

We must overcome.

The Violet’s spirit is indomitable; even when broken and shattered, it grows back.

“And the will shall be inherited!”

Even among the charred black remains, some things remained.

The license plate written on one side of the tank, though scorched and dented, miraculously survived.

Besides that, we cut off various things with sword energy to remember our friend by.

“Ruzilin’s Iron Fist will run on the battlefield again!”

The name of the great tank would be passed on to the next generation of tanks.

Waiting for the day we would see the second Ruzilin’s Iron Fist, we left the blast zone.

“We’ll remember you! We’ll definitely revive you!”

**

“So, who did you catch?”

“Yeah, I’ll explain it when we get back later!”

After Ariel Group quietly withdrew, Violet returned to her main role as a student.

Lucian looked at Violet with an exhausted expression.

“Where should we meet? A quiet place would be good, right? Like the library…”

“…Never mind. I’m not curious.”

He was actually very curious, but Lucian was inwardly reluctant, fearing that if he got involved with Violet again just to satisfy his curiosity, he might get caught up in another major incident.

Even inside the exhibition grounds, the sounds of fierce battle continued. Not to mention the noise of the nuclear bombardment. He didn’t even want to imagine what kind of grand battle had occurred outside.

‘I just want to quietly attend the academy…’

“Huh, weren’t you curious? You looked curious.”

“I said I’m not curious, you idiot…”

“Shhh! Levi’s sleeping.”

Before them, Levi was seen being carried out by medical staff.

His condition had greatly improved since he was first found, but he would need to rest for a while.

There was another person whose condition was not good.

“Ariel is still sick…”

Violet watched Ariel with a somber face.

She felt pity. It was clear that her parents had turned into demonic beasts during the chaos. What should she say?

“Uhm… Unnie.”

“Yes, it’s me. Violet!”

“S-So. Unnie, you…”

Ariel, opening her eyes, struggled to ask a question as if something had occurred to her.

Violet’s index finger went up to Ariel’s lips as she was about to speak.

“Later, when I visit you in the hospital, I’ll tell you then! Okay?”

“Yes…”

Violet watched until the very end as Ariel rode the airship out of the barrier.

According to the medical staff, she was going to a large hospital.

“So, who is that child?”

“Yeah, she’ll be our junior! Isn’t she cute?”

“What is she thinking now…”

Lucian shook his head.

There was an unbridgeable gap between the thought processes of this excellent troublemaker girl and his own mind, which was rated as a top student.

After seeing the two off, the boy and girl headed towards the temporary passage deployed beyond the barrier.

A line of people followed a kind of gate, opened through the efforts of intricate machinery and numerous mages.

“Unnie, I’m hungry!”

“Okay, let’s rest first and then go back. You’re Lucian, right? Is there anything you want to eat?”

Sophieel, who had been waiting nearby, immediately joined them.

At the entrance, awakened soldiers were on guard.

They were examining people one by one, holding unusual cameras they had seen before transferring to the contaminated zone.

Nearby, various clan members and knights were on strict alert.

“Hmm, could they be trying to catch Apostles disguised as humans?”

Violet passed through the entrance nonchalantly.

The soldier holding the detector carefully aimed the sensor at Violet.

Around the girl on the screen, a pattern designated as Code Omega appeared for a very brief moment.

The alarm automatically sounded.

-Beep! Beep!

A short, successive, threatening sound. Turrets turning.

People backing away, strict gazes and weapons surrounding Violet.

Violet felt a little tense.

She had a feeling she had brought something out that shouldn’t have been detected.

“What’s wrong?”

“We ask for your cooperation. Come with us. Oh, and you, blue-haired one. You too.”

Sophieel, who was behind them, stepped forward, pulling out her identification.

“Excuse me, as you can see, I’m from the Inspection Bureau. This child is currently a student under our jurisdiction. What’s going on?”

At her sharp question, the soldier calmly explained, as if accustomed to protests.

“Ah, it’s nothing major. Higher-ups said there might be unknown substances or otherworld plagues attached… We just need to follow protocol, so please understand.”

Thanks to the intervention of the Inspection Bureau agent, people’s attitudes softened somewhat.

A few minutes later, re-inspection began at a separate location.

“Oh? Why isn’t it showing up?”

The detector did not sound the alarm again.

The screen was clear. No abnormalities were found in the subsequent multiple tests either.

Blood was drawn, their entire bodies were scanned, and they were meticulously examined with magic, yet they were clean without a single suspicious point.

“That’s strange… It definitely showed something just a moment ago…”

“Must be a machine malfunction?”

Violet, who had been bothered by the tedious inspection, was safely released.

“Freedom!”

“Oh, boy…”

Lucian, who had been caught up in the package deal, walked out with a sigh. He vowed that no matter what happened, he would never get involved with Violet again.

With her tension gone, Violet walked with light steps.

Suddenly, Violet felt something unsettling.

Unit 61, intuitively realizing something was wrong, checked her inventory, and only then realized the mistake she had made.

What she pulled out, grasping whatever she could, were various large and small artifacts.

A pulsating red orb, a pair of sunglasses, and various other trinkets.

“Ah,”

“I just brought them out.”

Inside her inventory were artifacts she had taken from the exhibition grounds.

Violet, pondering deeply, interpreted the situation in her favor.

“Let’s consider it a reward, a gift from democracy!”

“That’s a good one!”

**

A few hours later, Violet Unit 2501 faced the Academic Inspector, who had arrived late.

The interview was unplanned.

When she told Sophieel about her condition, Sophieel was startled, almost jumping, and happened to get in touch with her younger brother, who was above the Academy City.

After silently enduring his sister’s brief scolding about where he had been and Violet’s complaints, the Academic Inspector was finally able to ask his question.

“…So, you’re an Apostle?”

“Yeah, well, I was an Apostle, to be precise. But not anymore!”

The girl opened her mouth with a silly “heh” sound and giggled. The Academic Inspector’s face stiffened slightly.

“That’s impossible, how could an Apostle…”

Unit 2501, reading unease in Seijis’s expression, realized that her existence was being perceived as a threat.

What should she do in such a situation?

“Let’s show them I’m harmless!”

So, Unit 2501 smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry, I’m a good Violet!”

Seeing the unchanging expressions of the siblings, the Violets fell into contemplation.