episode_0352

It was the third day since the Luminxa Foundation declared its subjugation of the Ariel Group, and the world’s attention was focused on the two factions.

However, there had been no full-scale conflict between Violet and the Foundation yet.

The reason was simple: no clear direction for attacking each other was visible.

“Where exactly should I strike?”

Violet felt a slight sense of futility at how easily the Foundation replaced its executives.

She had heard it would be like this, but not to this extent. As the scholarship official said, it seemed better to sweep them all away in one blow when they gathered in one place.

Or set a date and eliminate them all.

[Foundation Spokesperson Rainer McCourtney, speaking about the will of the late Director Barkran, strongly condemned the terrorists’ brutality. ‘We will not be broken by this. We will surely retaliate.’]

Despite the success of the first airstrike, Violet had to admit she hadn’t delivered a decisive blow.

The Foundation’s actions, seemingly exposing its own weaknesses to the media, almost looked like a provocation, daring them to ‘come at us.’

“Their forces have definitely increased. If we fight in the city, it’ll turn into a battlefield.”

In the western district, clan soldiers hired by the Foundation were increased and roaming, and the mechanical legions previously witnessed in the Interlocking Corridor slowly began to appear.

[Foundation unveils AI weaponry. ‘Insignificant terrorists will kneel before the advancement of military engineering.’]

“Strange. Wasn’t the Foundation and the Federation’s AI research a failure? They seem quite confident. It looks like they’re presenting it as a weapon to contend with our foolish student.”

“Indeed, Professor. I wonder if machines with restricted Aether use can fulfill their roles. Did they perhaps find a solution?”

The two researchers whispered excitedly as they watched the news. Violet recalled the Foundation’s combat strength she had heard about a few days prior.

Sealing Enforcement Unit agents, elite Foundation troops, and numerical superiority. The combination, called High-Low Mix, is used by the four major clans—

“Right. The three major clans, isn’t it?”

Correction, this kind of tactical combination is commonly used by all other clans as well.

Most clans and corporations deploy non-Awakened forces armed with exoskeletons and heavy weapons on the front lines, and large clans go a step further, using subpar hunters or students as human shields.

It was a familiar strategy even to Violet herself. Like a hammer and anvil.

According to the scholarship official’s warning, the Foundation would rely more on unmanned weapons than on humans.

If even Laflaxia’s personnel had joined, there was a high probability they would mobilize monsters like shapeshifters.

“They might be low-level monsters like Skullkits or Crawltides, but their numbers can’t be ignored. You have to be careful if you encounter them. And definitely be mindful of civilian casualties!”

Violet’s collective intelligence constructed a virtual simulation.

Robot legions heavily armed with railguns and plasma rifles far surpassing the Federation’s electromagnetic rifles, and hordes of monsters.

And behind them, elite forces standing firm.

“They can’t use mana, but they’re equipped with energy weapons? As machines, their instantaneous output is superior?”

“They’re also linked to the Nemosys Protocol via quantum communication. And their numbers are significant?”

Violet faced off against the most powerful enemies in her imagination.

“Long live clone democracy! Long live Violet’s independence!”

“Agh! I’m hit! No!”

Although she had won once, she had to consider the worst-case scenario. That they might be at a disadvantage.

Since even a strong girl like Irene found it tricky, it would be a tough fight for Violet as well.

So what was the solution? To aim for a weakness that the people of Rustrum—no, Trist—wouldn’t anticipate.

It was to borrow the wisdom of great heroes.

Violet’s collective intelligence sought to draw lessons from the histories of other worlds.

The stellar intelligences who had written war histories throughout an era gathered in one place.

“The Violet Strategic Conference begins!”

**

The Violet Strategic Conference is conducted by simulating and imitating the most brilliant intellects in human history.

This was an idea first attempted against Vanguard and the Vice Student Council President at the Vittorio Arcade.

She had forgotten about it for a while, but Violet decided now was the time to bring it out again.

The first to appear was the great conqueror Violet, who rode her horse over half the world. Violet, on a white horse with a bow in hand, roared.

“We attack as fast as lightning! And all those smaller than our Violet—not just carts—we sweep them all away!”

“Hit and run! You mean mobile warfare!”

“Exactly! We smash the enemies, tie them to motorcycles, and drag them around. Imagine their mothers wailing! They say hearing that and laughing is the best way to live life!”

“…”

The conqueror Violet, too engrossed in her role, was immediately pelted with stones and chased away for her insane remarks.

“Agh! No!”

“Over-immersion dealt with!”

“Let’s stick to this!”

The remaining Violets continued their discussion.

“Our Violet is omnivorous! As long as we get enough calories, we can fight just by eating energy bars. If we drag this into a long war, the Foundation will collapse from exhaustion first.”

“Let’s deploy super-heavy tanks! Just like I crossed the Alps, if armored units appear from an unexpected place, they’ll be startled and fall back!”

“Stop talking nonsense! Ruzilin’s Iron Fist is our last resort, we need to conserve it!”

“Then, mobile operations with armored vehicles captured from the naval base…”

“We’ll surround the Luminxa executives’ mansions and blast rock music 24 hours a day! They’ll surrender from the noise!”

The debate continued incessantly.

Soon after, Desert Fox Violet and Logistics Expert Violet began arguing with Ancient General Violet.

Amidst their prolonged dispute, a new dark horse, Air Force General Violet, appeared in full uniform.

“Heh heh, in that case, as Flight Wing Violet, I can’t help but say something!”

“Gasp! Isn’t that ‘me’ Pilot 2412, who shot down a Luminxa executive?”

Immediately, everyone’s attention turned to her. The weight of having achieved a combat record by personally piloting a fighter jet was by no means light.

Air Force General Violet, feeling the gaze of the ‘mes’ watching her, declared proudly.

“I’ve consulted with the experts! If we mobilize all our sorties and relentlessly bomb where they might be, we can inflict irreparable damage! We’ll send them back to the Stone Age! Unleash everything from anti-magic missiles to rockets, V-cruise missiles, and V-guided bombs!”

“Oh! Such a strategy?”

The Violets murmured at the rather plausible suggestion.

If they carried out aerial bombardment, they could truly teach the Foundation, which regarded them as mere terrorists, a lesson. Moreover, guided bombs like 1-ton bombs or 5-ton bombs were cheap to manufacture and easy to produce. They were determined to unleash hundreds or thousands of them.

Mustached Violet also chimed in.

“In that case, how about adding a plan to utilize rocket trucks and artillery trucks? We can continuously fire V-3 rockets and artillery to torment them!”

“Ooh!”

“Bombing and shelling are truly the gods of the battlefield!”

Just as the Violets were enthusiastically embracing the most simple, clear, and exhilarating solution, one Violet poured cold water on the idea.

“Effect aside, what about civilian casualties? Have you forgotten about the apartment building that was completely blown away in Cercliff?”

“Oh no!”

The Violets screamed. They had almost committed a war crime. Attacking innocent people was never the right thing to do.

“Then what do we do now?”

-Crack!

Suddenly, all Violets’ gazes focused on the sharp sound that echoed. A Violet wearing a star-studded helmet held a riding crop.

“You fools! You cowards! We must charge! Charging is the only answer. Until we collapse from exhaustion!”

“Wait, won’t we be annihilated then? The enemy’s firepower is significant too.”

General Violet, met with rebuttal, slumped into her chair. With heavy footsteps, a foot clad in riding boots went up onto the table.

“There’s a way. We use armor! Like medieval knights!”

“Knights… Oh! Right!”

Immediately, two forms flashed through their minds. The image of a knight clad in heavy armor, and an even larger silhouette standing firm on two legs.

“Think about the supplies we captured from the naval base. And the things we’ve been gradually buying since Cercliff, right? No need to overthink it!”

“Exactly! Those could hold their own in indoor combat or urban warfare. And air-drop deployment is possible too!”

Amidst the Violets’ exclamations, General Violet stood tall on the table.

“Let’s not die to those idiotic Foundation bastards! Let’s make the enemies die for the Foundation!”

“Whaaaaa!”

The moment the ‘Valiant Knight Tactic’ was unanimously adopted, Violet felt as though she had touched the stellar intellect.

“This is the power of collective intelligence!”

**

As an ominous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft descended, a group of special forces disembarked.

The warriors, wearing optical camouflage as tactical cloaks and alloy masks concealing their faces, bore the insignia of Arcyte on their shoulders.

“Administrator Elena has dispatched assassins. However, the tactical effectiveness of such traditional methods is questionable in the current situation.”

Director Kwabna 02 observed with a cold gaze the Arcyte strike team conducting an operational meeting with the armored units. In particular, a red-haired young man with a clearly irritable disposition drew attention.

As the director stared at the scene, deep wrinkles formed on his sophisticated ebony-colored face. The director crossed his arms, showing distrust.

“As the analysis of residual data from Cercliff suggests, the target is not a simple replicated entity. Our research department’s analysis aligns with Arcyte’s. The infinite proliferation potential of hostile entities… is confirmed. The dominant conclusion is that its mechanism is likely attributed to unique abilities or artifacts.”

“You are aware that the Foundation and the survival of humanity are at stake, Director. They are abominations that must be eliminated. We cannot leave them be.”

Director Kwabna sighed under the pressure. As the Foundation’s second director and the head of the Tactical Containment Department, he harbored anxiety about the current defense operation.

The Director-General also seemed to empathize with his concerns to some extent.

“The Foundation is relatively lacking in large-scale battlefield control means, such as Magnarvis’s wide-area magic system. We do not possess military strength on par with Restraid’s regular army, so we cannot undertake a full-scale war. Furthermore, we lack guerrilla and information warfare capabilities at Arcyte’s level. Moreover, the Foundation’s entire capacity is currently focused on a single project. Like the Archmage’s Polaris Collective Consciousness implementation or Restraid’s Colossus Project.”

“What is your intention in restating a situation we already understand, Director?”

“Why is the declaration of subjugation being made now? And will that tactic actually be effective?”

“It will be effective. It will surely succeed.”

Secretary-General Pagan’s expression seemed uncomfortable, but his tone was filled with conviction. The director continued his interrogation.

“I wish to remind you that I came from a field background. I have been loyal to the Foundation’s ideology from the beginning until now, but I do not fully accept its methodology. From a tactical perspective, proven conventional weapons are more reliable than unstable, cutting-edge weaponry. The proposals from the Director-General and the board of directors seem, to me and the field agents, to be quite experimental approaches.”

“I understand your concerns, but they are not unfounded. We have partially deciphered the Ariel Group’s mana patterns, and the data has shown significant results. Furthermore, the information collected by the Foundation’s Research and Development Department and Sealing Enforcement Unit agents from past to present has considerably activated the starved learning algorithm of ‘it.’ As a result, a solution…”

The two directors’ footsteps halted.

Before their gaze, a group of personnel, under the escort of Sealing Enforcement Unit agents, were carefully moving a precision transport cart as if handling unstable hazardous materials.

The researchers, wearing biohazard suits, had the mark of Laflaxia affixed to their shoulders.

-Crash!

When one of the researchers at the rear lost balance on the slippery floor, a person appearing to be the lead researcher reprimanded him in a furious voice.

“Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten the danger level of the substance you’re handling?”

“I apologize!”

The Director-General, watching the commotion during the material transfer, spoke in a heavy voice.

“Do you remember what kind of person my brother, the prodigal son of Luminxa, was?”

“He was a being with two sides: scientific madness and a savior. After all, he solved the Corvus Infection.”

“You remember.”

“Of course. When Laflaxia’s solution was presented, I was a junior staff member on site at the time, responsible for housing and processing personnel from related pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the Foundation.”

“Then I’ll omit the detailed explanation. Decades ago, we secured the fools from a research lab who made a grave mistake, driven by blind passion. Some underwent information incineration procedures, while some core researchers were placed in cryo-containment. That’s how we secured all the research data.”

Special transport containers, clearly marked with biohazard warnings, were opened sequentially.

It took a very long time to open the seven-layered sealed boxes. The contents within were a dangerous legacy from the past that could never be underestimated.

When the period of waiting ended, a very small precision container appeared inside the box.

The isolation chamber’s robotic arm moved with extreme caution, as if handling an unstable hazardous material.

“Those rebellious terrorists are no different from the locust swarms that will eventually destroy the world. Is there any reason to catch pests like cockroaches or grasshoppers by hand? Pests are eradicated with insecticides.”

Inside the container, a dark red mist swirled.

“They will be exterminated by the power of science.”

**

The V-mice roamed the Interlocking Corridor, crunching on the peanuts on their backs.

Lately, human footsteps passing through this space had been unusually frequent.

“There’s a lot more human scent lately, squeak!”

“I see a gap, shall we go in? Squeak squeak!”

Lemon, passing by the chattering mice, pointed out sharply.

“Your voices are too loud, Orange. Strawberry! And unauthorized actions are forbidden. Our principle is to report to the boss and get approval, principle!”

“Understood… I’ll apply then…!”

The mouse called Orange immediately sent a communication to the boss. At the positive reply from headquarters, the mice stood up abruptly.

“As a test, infiltration permitted?”

“Alright! I’m going!”

“Paradise!”

“Let’s decide by drawing lots!”

The excited mice drew lots for the infiltration agent. The chosen mouse cheered and quickly packed its bundle.

“Good luck! Strawberry!”

“Alright! Departing!”

The small mouse darted like an arrow along the vast interlocking space. With every movement, the bundle on its back and multi-tool rattled.

When its stamina ran low, it took out the prepared feed to eat, and replenished its energy with water and food stored in secret hiding places throughout the interlocking space.

The structure of the interlocking space constantly changed. But there was one immutable law: the location of the main entrances.

What was even more intriguing was that the scent of traces left here lingered for a long time.

Humans couldn’t perceive it due to biological limitations or dismissed it as a mere nuisance, but it was different for the mice.

“Found it… that trace I marked here!”

Finally, Strawberry reached the pre-marked location. As it waited in hiding, the space soon twisted.

The moment footsteps were heard, the mouse quickly pulled out the camouflage cloak specially prepared by its owner from its bundle and draped it around itself.

It was said to be a rare material that blocked all detection; hopefully, it wouldn’t be found.

Carefully, step by step. The clever mouse deftly slipped between huge feet and wheels.

“Success! Squeak-”

It barely swallowed the sound that was about to burst out in excitement.

Strawberry internally recited the Animal Democracy Charter, calming its excitement, and searched for a hiding place.

Fortunately, the humans’ attention was elsewhere.

Surveillance cameras swept overhead, but it was safe.

“To the ventilation shaft… good!”

The ventilation shaft was extremely narrow and full of sharp protrusions. Occasionally, when red beams of light swept overhead, a burning heat could be felt.

Monitoring cockroaches, emitting a mechanical scent, patrolled throughout the passage.

Each time, Strawberry had to maintain a perfect state of stillness, playing dead.

“Paradise… Network… I’m a dead mouse… a corpse…”

As it gradually closed its eyes and mumbled, its body naturally grew cold, and its pounding heart quieted down.

The approaching cockroaches passed by indifferently. The mouse, sighing in relief, continued to explore the labyrinthine interior of the Foundation’s facility.

“Squeak, that was dangerous!”

The ‘headquarters’ that received the mouse’s report responded. It must have been a trap set by the Foundation to block intruders.

It had almost fallen into Paradise by acting foolishly. To avoid disgracing itself as a V-mouse, Strawberry reconnoitered the facility even more cautiously.

Then, unexpectedly, it came across a massive space.

“Squeak, this place…?”

Countless glass test tubes came into view. The test tubes were connected to complex mechanical devices, and inside them were people.

‘Are they corpses?’

No, they weren’t. The people inside the glass tubes were breathing.

Through the animal network, Strawberry thought it looked like some kind of tube or prison.

Heavily armed guards patrolled the surroundings. Quickly wrapping itself in the camouflage cloak, it hid in a corner.

At the last moment, what was placed inside the tubes caught its eye. Most were children; occasionally, adults were mixed among them.

‘Who are these people?’

Closest to it, a woman with short black hair lay with a dissatisfied expression.

Instead of contemplating further, the mouse focused on the mission it ought to carry out. Strawberry reported directly to the boss, and soon a stinging sensation of the network connecting was felt in the mouse’s head.

“Boss! There are humans here! Do you know anyone?”

Violet surveyed the mouse’s vision. From the closest spot to the farthest. All were unfamiliar people.

But this place was…

Violet was horrified. It was one of the fates her friend would have met if she had been captured.

“This is…!”

“A prison!”

The Ariel Group drew its sword.