episode_0338

Two crows cautiously bypassed the battlefield from above. It was too noisy below, and they were afraid to descend.

Acrid smoke rose, and terrifying noise ceaselessly echoed. But there was a task to be done. It was a mission specially entrusted by their boss.

“Deploy these guys to the rear!”

The crows landed cautiously, though puzzled.

As the rats hanging on their backs carefully dismounted, the crows flew back into the sky.

“Squeak squeak! We help the boss!”

“But what can we do?”

“I don’t know!”

The sewer rats were bewildered. They weren’t smart like Cocoa, nor could they handle weapons, nor could they fly or have good eyesight like the crows.

They knew well enough that they were just ordinary rats.

Hadn’t their job until now been to just smell and listen?

It had been that way just a moment ago.

But then the boss had suddenly said in a serious tone, ‘You must do something important.’

Soon, the boss’s orders came in.

“Carefully! Don’t get hurt, go! Guide the other rats towards your location too!”

The rats tilted their heads, then scurried in the directed path.

**

Cutting down the agents they first encountered, the Violets constantly chewed over information.

“Focus! Immerse yourselves!”

As the concentration of seven thousand two hundred continued, she could see the world even more clearly.

As per the Foundation agents’ information, the Nemesis Protocol had a function that greedily absorbed external ‘information’ and provided feedback to individuals.

This was a combination of the multi-spectrum observation system attached to each agent and the system inherent in the platform itself.

Within it, each armed agent moved as if possessing precognitive abilities.

“Bang! Bang bang!”

A Violet pulled the trigger on an enemy climbing in through the window.

The enemy’s movements were read through the precise actions and information deconstruction-analysis controlled by hundreds of Violets.

It was felt. The enemy reacted instantly to every minute detail: their finger movements, muscle shifts, breathing.

“Swish!”

The result was bullet evasion. As the agent, who had kicked off the wall and charged, extended their left hand, an eerie arc struck the shield.

A Violet was sent sprawling.

“Thanks to you, it helped!”

Then they too would engage in information warfare.

If the enemy greedily scraped up external information, they would completely dismantle the given information.

With hundreds of wills, both individual and collective, imbued into every single action.

Mana was concentrated to its limit. Bloodshot eyes, weeping tears of blood, captured the information.

Ears and nose, the sense of touch across the entire body, greedily drew in and interpreted even the vibrations of the floor and air.

The gathered information was then re-dismantled and conclusions were drawn. Power was focused mainly on the feet and legs, and elasticity was infused into the waist and arms for precise control.

“Whoosh!”

She quickly rolled to avoid the downward slash of the sword. Leaping up, she blocked the horizontal downward thrust.

Amidst the raining sword strikes, a Violet sensed something strange in the agent’s behavior, pushing them to one side.

Hundreds of intelligences focused like the light of a concave mirror, cutting through the darkness of the battlefield.

Gathering limited senses and observations from other Violets.

A strange electromagnetic scent conveyed by a rat’s sense of smell.

Considering the memories from the Containment Enforcement Bureau’s tactical manual and the characteristics of their weapons…

The agent stepped back. A Violet leaped sideways without hesitation.

“Dodge!”

“Crack!”

Immediately after, a white diagonal line surged diagonally from the floor. An agent, who had been preparing to snipe with x-ray vision from just below the second floor, clicked their tongue at the miss.

Becoming disgusted with the enemy’s tactics, which were adept at three-dimensional combat, the Violet prepared for a counterattack.

Close combat again. Attacking fiercely with Polaris-style techniques, then defending with Aegis-style and pressing forward.

Even so, the enemy quickly caught up to, even mimicked and toyed with their swordplay.

“Ugh! That’s patent infringement!”

Combat conducted with information as a weapon was like a sprint, competing to see who could predict the further future first.

It was a fight over who could sprint to the target point first, using information as fuel. Overall, the Containment Enforcement Bureau agents, who could gather vast amounts of information with sensors and protocols, had the advantage.

A Violet herself realized that to her core. The technology of the four great clans was truly formidable.

However, there was something the enemies hadn’t anticipated.

“Die!”

In perfect unison, all Violets threw their swords.

The engaged agent, feeling puzzled, still parried the incoming weapons. “They’re just abandoning their weapons like that?”

The next moment, the enemy pulled weapons from thin air.

[Warning! Black-1 possesses weapon generation ability. Caution—]

Accelerate, accelerate. The network leaped forward anew. The collective intelligence evolved.

If the opponent adapted to a changed pattern, then they just needed to change the pattern again. And the Violets had seven thousand patterns ready.

“Flail, three times! Next, with the axe! After two swings, three steps forward!”

A Violet, who had thrown an axe, pulled three weapons from thin air and plunged them into the floor.

They plunged in weapons one by one and swung them. Their attack methods were ever-changing.

“Let’s try every means remembered. Irene’s spear-wielding, Adela’s rapier dueling.”

Then the shield, then—

“Graaaah!”

The heart of an agent, unable to adapt to the pattern, was pierced by a spear.

Immediately after, agents fell one after another. [Signal Disconnection] alerts rapidly increased.

Operations Officer L3-OPS-3 hastily issued an order.

[No close-range engagement! Kill with ranged combat. Deploy Proxies and Mech-hounds to blockade their actions—]

Limp mannequins charged, breaking through walls and floors.

The ultrasonic cutters attached to their arms shrieked, drawing arcs that tore at the ears.

“What is that!”

The tactical immersion state provided information about it to the Violet’s vision like a lightning bolt.

Proxies, the Foundation’s half-mechanical-bio-engineered cannon fodder. Unintelligent but ferocious.

On the other hand, a pack of Mech-hounds charged forward, barking ferociously.

The mechanical dog at the front carried a tool all too familiar to her.

“No! This is a civilian residential area!”

As the robot dog charged aggressively, 3211 immediately grabbed its front leg. After half a spin, she released it, and the flying robot exploded outside the window.

“You war criminal!—”

She flinched for a moment, then 3211 raised her sword and barely deflected the ultrasonic cutter.

Swarming Proxies. A Violet fiercely cut down the charging cyborg monsters.

The next moment, 3211 raised her head and faced agents aiming weapons at her.

The last thing she saw was dazzling flames.

“Die! You abomination!”

“Aaaaargh!”

“Boom!”

Plasma fire incinerated 3211 along with the entire corridor.

The agents, having changed their attack pattern, savagely poured gunfire and advanced.

Amidst walls and pillars shattering beyond recognition, smoke spread throughout the tattered building.

Within that, three Violets charged diagonally.

Enemies in front aimed their muzzles. Quite a lot of them.

“These are just enemies, right? Get ready!”

“Understood!”

Multi-spectrum smoke grenades completely filled the surroundings.

The Containment Enforcement Bureau activated multi-spectrum analysis with a sneer.

“How pathetic. The Foundation’s observation equipment can easily penetrate smoke, yet they hide behind their flimsy comrades.”

In the vivid scene透视 seen through the sensors, muzzles aimed forward.

“Mana focus!”

There was only one chance; the girls propelled themselves forward, crushing the floor.

The three girls charged towards the formation like bullets.

“Violet Stream Attack!”

Mana was overlaid on the front of the shield amidst screams echoing through the network.

Barrage of fire pouring in from front, below, and behind. They had to block it.

“Remember me!”

The Violet at the front was incinerated by the barrage. The tattered corpse of the first line was kicked away.

What appeared before their eyes was a swarm of Proxies charging right at them. A flash of light followed from behind.

“It’s from the tactical manual! Throw a decoy and fire plasma!”

It was standard. Statistically, the chance of blocking it was slim.

Their scientific power and organization overwhelmed the Violets’ mana and training. The numbers and destructive power listed in their minds were overwhelming.

Plasma gun, a weapon that rapidly accelerates and fires ultra-high temperature plasma spheres encased in an electromagnetic field.

However, a Violet was proud.

That their will was stronger than any statistics.

“Command reports! Artifact weapon use authorized!”

The second Violet drew a rapier with an impressive scarlet blade.

As the muscles of her hands and arms moved one by one, mana flowed finely, surging and pulsating.

“Blaze Blade! Charge!”

“Mana output adjustment! 50%! 70%! 90%!”

With a sword that generates sword energy, one can cut magic.

If so, could this mass of energy, a product of science, be cut with a sword?

According to the memories of a former agent, interception was impossible.

Still, it could be blocked.

“Because I’ll make it so! Output 100%!”

Tendons, joints, muscles, and nerves throughout her body unified with her will.

Sword energy and flames intertwined, and magical flames surged, spreading out like a crescent moon directly ahead.

A semicircle of flames surged forward, colliding with the sphere and exploding.

As the Proxy swarm was pulverized and the gunfire was neutralized, the agents flinched.

Though charred black, the second-line Violet smiled.

And then she threw the Violet behind her with all her might.

“Blocked!”

The head of the smiling Violet was blown apart by a bolt.

The agents searching for the last Violet belatedly raised their heads.

[Danger, danger—]

Perhaps the sensors were momentarily disrupted by the explosion, but it was too late.

The enemy kicked off the ceiling, spinning inversely, and flew in. A huge greatsword was drawn from thin air. The death throes of sorrow.

“Slice!”

With a single sword stroke, after a full rotation and landing, the agents fell, their waists cut in two.

“Aaaargh!”

The nightmare of the witch had returned early. The inky black blade mercilessly drank blood amidst the death throes.

A surviving agent drew their weapon. But laughter was heard from behind the enemy’s mask. Why?

The muzzle was aimed at an ally in the line of fire.

It was close, and the moment they hesitated, it was too late again.

“Crunch!”

“Aaah, no!”

Unit 444 held the blade short and clung close.

The technique of half-swording unfolded with every breath. Stabbing, wielding it reverse-gripped, and crushing with the pommel.

Limbs were severed and heads rolled. Amidst screams, they were crushed and tumbled with their masks still on.

Mocking the agents for having unexpected weaknesses discovered, the Violet continued the slaughter.

“Cocoa! Tell Kalia too!”

Throwing a word to the monkey, the Violet focused on the carnage.

“How sharp it is. So much so that it could cut my own hand.”

The Violet lost the blade due to the enemy’s resistance.

No matter, there were plenty of weapons!

They drew flails and struck with hammers. Other Violets, having smashed through the ceiling, also joined in, tearing the agents to shreds.

“Crunch!”

“Retreat! Retreat—”

“Democracy! Will not lose!”

The Blaze Blade fiercely pierced the neck of an enemy who was gasping and reaching out.

The brief gasp of victory was short-lived, as new enemies assaulted from within the smoke.

“Bang bang bang!”

“Senator! Where are you!”

“There they are!”

“What pathetic terrorists. While it’s helpful that they’re tying down some Luminexa forces, they’re clearly lunatics.”

A Violet decided to use Luminexa-made technology. Normally, they would block or deflect with a shield, but what if they just dodged?

“Track! Compute!”

It succeeded. The Federation’s special forces screamed as they watched monsters casually flying between the heavy metal bullets of their electromagnetic rifles.

“They’re coming! They’re coming! Fall back! Aaaaargh!”

The Violet cackled with delight, tearing enemies apart.

The scent of blood was amplified and split again amidst thousands of immersions.

How captivating it was. For some reason, her heart pounded violently.

“Hahaha! Die! You vermin!”

“Good, now let’s get out of here quickly!”

The cackling Violets became aware of the situation outside the window. Crows were crying out desperately.

“Boss! Run!”

When she came to her senses and threw herself, intense heat surged forth.

Five Violets instantly evaporated. Some Violets took advantage of the enemy’s distraction and jumped outside.

Unit 444 looked out from where the outer wall had vanished. Below, Stregonics were aiming at the building.

“First, regroup troops! Reorganize! Reorganize!”

Operations Officer L3-OPS-3 gave orders in a cold tone. Orders descended, laced with urgency.

[Code Black situation unresolvable. Recognizing severity, target incineration initiated. Temporary retreat and reorganization advised.]

As agents retreated with short-distance leaps, giants of steel rose.

Luminexa-style awakened cyborgs, configured for long-range specifications, opened fire.

Drones also fiercely gathered around the building, buzzing like an angry swarm of hornets.

There was no solution like this. Burn them with firepower, annihilate them at the information level. That was what the operations officer thought.

“Bang bang!”

Brisk gunfire followed, and drones fell to the ground in the blink of an eye. The Foundation agents turned their heads at the unexpected sniping. A girl with bright magenta hair was running across the rooftop of the building opposite, firing.

The agents quickly parried the bullets with their swords, but the flames clinging to the swords sizzled and continuously burned.

“That’s…?”

A Violet, seeing the information caught by the crow’s eye, marveled.

“She did it!”

A somewhat singed Kalia was running, pursued by remnants of the enemy forces.

**

Immediately after leaving the Violets, Kalia sped towards the window. However, it wasn’t long before she encountered enemies with firearms.

“Excuse me, sirs? I’m just passing—”

“Shoot her!”

“Bang bang bang!”

The men approaching with body bunkers responded with a ruthless greeting. Kalia, sighing at their violent means of communication, decided to retaliate in kind against the wicked adults’ way of talking.

A 2-gauge automatic shotgun was drawn from her thigh.

As soon as the arm brace, attached instead of a stock, clicked onto her left wrist, she pulled the trigger.

“Boom!”

The soldiers who had scoffed, thinking it was just a riot shotgun, forever lost their chance to laugh.

A barrage of fiery shotgun pellets mixed with her unique ability pierced through armor, mercilessly tearing apart the targets.

A sharp kick landed in the solar plexus of a soldier who had managed to evade the shotgun pellets and was retreating.

“Guh!”

The pistol grip in her flame-engulfed right hand struck the temple of the falling man.

Leaving the enemy with a crushed head behind, Kalia dashed through the complex interior of the building.

Enemies, enemies. Enemies everywhere.

“Bang bang!”

As soon as she rounded the corner, an enemy soldier sprang out right in front of her. Gangsters? The men pulled the trigger, aiming for her face.

Reflexively firing, bullets flew towards her.

She had neither the collective intelligence of the Violets nor Luminexa’s information processing capabilities.

‘What can I do? I’ll just have to see and dodge!’

Her lime-green eyes instinctively read the trajectory and direction of the bullets.

Her agility, reaching the realm of talent, intuitively guided her to the optimal direction. Kalia threw the monkey on her back to the side and leaned back while maintaining her running speed.

Three bullets narrowly grazed her face.

By the time the startled enemies realized what was happening, she had slipped between the two, sliding on her back.

What she faced from below was a black muzzle.

“Graaaah!”

“Guh!”

Magnum bullets and shotgun fire tore them to shreds.

Rising from her slide, she motioned to the monkey and dashed off again.

It was an unfamiliar building she had never seen before, but somehow, it would be fine.

The moment the window became visible, enemies sprang out again.

This time, enemies with the Luminexa logo clearly emblazoned on them.

‘Patent Decapitation Squad!’

Her revolver spat fire. One, two, three. Bullets imbued with unyielding flames flew without hesitation.

The agent lightly deflected the bullets with a sword, then aimed the palm of their left hand. A flash erupted. Kalia flinched. The black, incoming sword collided with the muzzle, which was engulfed in flames.

Close-range firing again. The moment she twisted her body, the shotgun’s grip was brought down.

The protocol led to an answer. Did she reverse-utilize the gun’s recoil itself? The two muzzles and the sword collided repeatedly.

Retreating, Kalia hastily shoved a shell into the shotgun’s chamber. She aimed again, but,

The barrel, having collided with the sword, slipped downwards and twisted.

The agent smiled victoriously behind their mask and moved to thrust.

Suddenly, Nemesis alerted them to danger.

“Bang!”

The bent barrel fired. Her speed was faster than the agent’s calculations.

The shotgun’s flame blew off the retreating agent’s foot. A magnum then shattered the head of the stumbling, falling agent.

The short thrill of victory was fleeting, as the sound of rolling metal echoed from behind.

“Hey! Monkey! Hurry!”

“Ooh ooh!”

“Thump!”

She quickly motioned and leaped out the window. Exploding sounds and debris scattered.

The moment she jumped, Kalia belatedly realized how many floors she was falling from.

Cocoa screamed.

“10th floor? Ah! This is insane!”

“Ook! Ook-it!”

Grumbling, Kalia powerfully extended her left arm, swinging it as if scattering something into the air.

A chain, wrapped around her and engulfed in flames, unfurled lengthily and flew. The grappling hook embedded at the end of the chain flew towards the building across the way.

Feeling a heavy tension, she fiercely kicked the air, undulating her arms and waist.

As the mana flow was drawn out, the swaying chain tightened and the wall approached.

“Thunk!”

Relying on the chain embedded in the wall, Kalia sped across the wall. After pulling out the chain, she landed on a balcony.

Like a cat performing tricks, she bounced precariously, almost falling, at every point her feet touched, scaling walls and railings as she descended to the ground.

“This is truly crazy…”

“Ooh ooh…”

As she caught her breath, she saw an approaching military force. “Those were the terrorists who kidnapped the Federation councilors, right?”

She figured she should take out a few more here.

She opened her revolver’s cylinder, and spent casings fell out. As she went to reload, the monkey extended a hand.

“Ook?”

“What? You’ll reload for me? Can you do it?”

The monkey nodded. The creature, well-attached to her back, took the guns, quickly loaded bullets, and handed them over.

This was a confident attitude; Kalia, half-doubting, handed over the guns, then picked up the rifle slung over her shoulder and pulled the lever.

“Bang!”

With every crisp gunshot, an enemy’s head exploded.

She moved nimbly, pouring out bullets. One by one, the mana-infused bullets ignored armor and burned away the enemy’s magic defense.

“Enemy sighted! Enemy sighted! Attack!”

In the blink of an eye, veteran special forces were torn apart. Between cover and cover, and if that wasn’t enough, again with the chain.

Following the undulating waves of the chain, the girl soared into the sky.

Using the chain embedded in the wall as a rope, Kalia swiftly leaped between railings, utility poles, and traffic lights.

Their minds were briefly scattered by the gunfire overhead, but then the special forces’ gaze fixed on her.

“Enemy detected! Luminexa mark!”

“A mercenary! It’s a local fixer! Get her!”

Again the chain slammed into the building wall, and enemies approached. Kalia fiercely flew through the urban jungle, swinging on the chain, skimming the ground.

Flying amidst the enemies, she drew new weapons.

Two large-caliber pistols.

“Bang bang! Bang!”

A light magenta storm raged, tearing through the enemies. Cannon fodder were instantly shredded.

Instinctively, she pulled the trigger from the optimal angle. Mana-infused bullets precisely penetrated weak points.

The only opening would be when her bullets ran out, perhaps.

“Reload!”

Kalia handed the pistols behind her. Cocoa, taking the pistols, handed her new weapons and quickly reloaded magazines from the sling bag.

Magnums and shotgun pellets danced a deadly waltz. Reload, switch. Reload.

“Bang bang bang! Bang!”

The shooting continued again. The monkey cackled as it loaded bullets.

Reloading once more.

As a crossbow bolt leisurely flew towards her, Kalia aimed her gun.

Bang, the bolt collided with the bullet and was deflected. She was confident she could handle slow projectiles herself.

“Fire! Fire!”

“Bang bang bang!”

By the time the enraged special forces formed ranks and responded, she was already hanging from her chain, escaping and climbing onto the rooftop.

Again, the lever-action rifle sharply pierced their flank.

“Damn it! Mortars! Mortars!”

The enraged operatives manipulated their terminals.

Unmanned vehicles moved and turned their guns. A dull thud. Mortar shells that flew with a whistling sound exploded in mid-air.

“What? Why!”

“Boom!”

She raised her gun towards the sky. Every time she pulled the trigger, incoming mortar shells were accurately hit and exploded in mid-air.

Just as she was about to retreat, Cocoa handed her a round object over her shoulder.

“It’s about time to pull back… What, a smoke bomb? You’re smart!”

“Ooh ooh!”

As the enemy vanished beyond the smoke screen, the startled special forces intended to retaliate by launching another barrage.

This time, the unmanned vehicles prepared anti-tank missiles and autocannons.

“Get them!”

It didn’t activate.

“Huh…?”

The bewildered operative looked back. The next moment, his face contorted in rage. The weapon’s connection had been severed.

It was tiny beasts with innocent eyes that had severed the lines.

“Squeak!”

“These… these damn rats!”

Retaliatory bullets rained down, but the rats vanished instantly into the debris, as if mocking the bullets. An enraged officer shouted.

“Them! Chase them immediately! River 1! River 2! Get that woman!”

A small pursuit squad formed and chased her, filled with rage.

It was a mission, yes, but at this rate, it would be annihilation.

An airborne mech, with its jet engines roaring, soared into the sky.

“Ook-it!”

Cocoa cheered, her fear gone. Kalia entrusted her body to the chain, swinging like a pendulum, and leaped onto the building’s railing.

*Whoosh*, the sound of air escaping was heard in her ears.

White smoke trailed from the shoulder of the pursuing mech as it ran across the rooftop. Kalia instinctively knew.

“Isn’t that something the Violets like?…”

“Ooh ooh!”

“Alright!”

The incoming shotgun pellets spat fire. Her only mistake was underestimating the destructive power of the projectile.

“Run!”

Just before she was engulfed in the explosion, she threw the monkey.

“KABOOM!”

Cocoa landed precariously and turned her head. With the grinding sound of gravel, Kalia rolled loudly.

Stumbling to her feet, she responded to her aching body with a single click of her tongue and straightened her posture.

“…What do I do? Didn’t I just drag something too strong over here?”

Mechs running onto the rooftop. Cocoa shook her head. Meaning, it had gone according to the Violets’ intentions.

Around that time, dazzling beams of light erupted from below. She realized she had returned to the starting point.

Below were enemy soldiers, presumably Luminexa.

The source of the flash was Stregonics. The grotesque awakened cyborgs melted the building’s exterior walls with lasers.

Beyond that, a retreating Violet was seen turning to ashes from another laser barrage. Kalia fired without hesitation.

“You sons of bitches! Look here!”

The moment the Stregonics turned their bodies, she felt a slight regret.

‘How do I dodge lasers?’

Her dilemma was short.

Just as she was about to charge.

“Thump!”

An armored presence landed directly in front of the Containment Enforcement Bureau’s forces.

**

The sudden appearance of an enemy. Was it instinct? Emotion overwhelmed reason.

A decision was made before any computation. The operations officer gave urgent orders.

[Emergency, concentrate fire.]

Electromagnetic bolt fire rained down. Plasma artillery flew.

The brutal barrage, which treated the world like a house of cards, stopped. The thick armor and its surface’s mana barrier pointlessly deflected the attacks.

The closest Stregonics instinctively charged.

They shouldn’t have.

The Armored Knight mercilessly drew out a spear with a heavy tip and thrust it forward.

“Bang!”

With a roar, smoke billowed as the cyborg staggered. A lightning spear, combining powerful force and amplified mana, pierced through its armor.

The knight, drawing the sword at their side, plunged the blade deep into the Stregonics’ vital point without hesitation.

Recognizing its identity was instantaneous.

“…It’s an Armored Knight.”

[Search complete, Restraid-manufactured armored suit, 2nd generation.]

“It’s old-fashioned, an old armored suit.”

Compared to the modern 3rd generation armored suits deployed by Restraid, it was incredibly slow and clumsy.

The common assessment was that it could be destroyed by concentrating firepower.

But why? The Containment Enforcement Bureau agents, who had until now been indifferently immersed in combat, experienced what ‘fate’ was with their entire bodies for the first time and last time on this day.

Their hands trembled.

Behind the knight, agents in black combat suits, who had been fiercely fighting them, began to appear one by one.

“Alright, all units. Prepare to charge!”

A Violet murmured in a voice mixed with tension and excitement.

“We’ve come to end this fight!”

The Armored Knight of Democracy raised their shield high and charged.