episode_0380

The clamor of battle painted the dark, submerged sea with waves of fire. Flashes of light poured down, illuminating the abyss that opened its mouth in the middle of the ocean.

Thick steam caught the light, creating a mysterious halo, and deep below, countless wires and pipes swayed wildly, casting a faint glow.

The otherworldly relic remained deep in slumber, as if the chaos unfolding above could not reach it.

The vessel, submerged in deep sleep for a long time, would never awaken from a simple stimulus. Awakening its bio-electronic composite computing device was like raising a newborn.

A baby needed carefully processed baby food.

The vessel was the same. To awaken it, it required nourishment in the form of meticulously processed scientific and technological information, prepared in a very special way.

Human technology and capabilities had limitations in operating or accessing the central core. To awaken this colossal entity, the Foundation relentlessly pursued patents and continuously processed and injected research data.

Even in its deep slumber, the vessel absorbed abstract technological information that had been materialized, without pause.

Only after receiving such vast data did the vessel slowly begin to regurgitate what it knew.

Although it was only a tiny fraction, that alone was a precious treasure for current humanity.

The Luminexa Foundation judged that it would take more time for this relic to fully awaken.

The otherworldly marvel, named Hecatoncheir, would remain in deep slumber, as it had been until now.

Until an unfamiliar stimulus approached.

-Thrum!

In the center of the bluehole, the central core of the vessel, twisted and scarred by an ancient war, vibrated violently.

It detected a threat.

Beings that should not exist were approaching.

[Danger…enemy…detected…]

The central core vibrated erratically, like someone waking from a nightmare.

Originally, this wouldn’t have happened. Not if the Luminexa Foundation hadn’t injected the priming information and applied numerous stimuli to the central core.

As a result of forcefully extracting knowledge and data for next-generation weapon development, the giant’s state had unintentionally become unstable.

Like a warrior who had lived a life stained with blood, sensing an enemy’s killing intent and leaping to their feet, energy slowly spread from its broken and twisted body, following the circuits around the hull.

Thus, the otherworldly giant prepared to raise its hunched body.

Like countless ages breaking down solid bedrock, the deeply slumbering otherworldly war machine twisted its body in agony.

[It’s them…that’s it…]

The chains of long dormancy broke, and the colossal body writhed in ancient darkness.

There was only one reason for this: Hecatoncheir had detected the presence of an sworn enemy.

[Destruction…enemy…]

Visions of endless war and a crumbling world, etched into its memory, resurfaced. Screaming cries, desperate evacuations, and memories of victories never fully achieved.

Were the creators’ sworn enemies, the lackeys of the tyrant stained with greed and madness, still alive? Gradually, all the vessel’s circuits and quantum state information pulsed with rage.

[Enemy…]

Beyond the abyss at the center of the marine base, the heart of the alien relic, which had been dormant for a long time, began to beat faintly.

**

Night was our Violet’s most powerful ally.

I moved confidently.

*“Command Post orders! Violet Airborne Brigade, advance!”*

Our Violets, who could become anything, were currently serving as paratroopers.

Though the unique airborne method of ‘summoning’ was a bit funny, we certainly deserved to be called paratroopers.

*“Exactly! We assault as if falling from the sky! Shock and awe!”*

I keenly observed the situation unfolding on the tactical map.

Offensives poured in like a tidal wave, regardless of sky, land, or sea. Flames of battle erupted everywhere my gaze reached.

*“The animals?”*

*“Excluding the support troops, withdrawal complete!”*

The V-Animals, having bought time and completed necessary operations, had already retreated from the battlefield or transitioned to reconnaissance missions.

There wasn’t much they could do in the fierce battle that was about to unfold.

All they could do was provide information for tactical judgment with their keen eyes, noses, and developed senses, or infiltrate the terminal access rooms.

The final night raid across the Academy City officially began with the joining of the tiny Violets.

*“Tiny Violets! Command Post instructs: Grow!”*

As simply as flicking a switch, I sent the growth signal.

The tiny Violets hidden in corners, ceilings, and deserted places simultaneously ceased multiplication and began to grow.

The amount of magical energy required to produce one tiny Violet was half that of a regular Violet.

With one more infusion of magical energy, they could become perfect combat units.

*“I’m bigger! I’m smarter!”*

*“Combat readiness complete!”*

Our transformation plunged the Foundation’s forces into terror.

Sensors that hadn’t detected them when they were tiny now shrieked across the entire base, albeit belatedly.

Even as an enemy, I felt the Foundation’s detection technology was truly remarkable.

Nemesis Protocol terminals and detection drones focused all their output, missing no subtle anomalies, and Containment Enforcement agents and robot soldiers unleashed indiscriminate fire on walls, floors, and ceilings at the slightest suspicion.

It seemed they accurately pinpointed the moment we began to grow.

Now, they even began to detect tiny Violets at close range.

“How far have its clones infiltrated? Detect them!”

“They’re under our feet!”

*“Ack! We’re exposed!”*

Their reaction speed and countermeasures were on a different level than before.

It seemed they had perfectly understood our combat patterns.

They responded faster and with more powerful firepower, giving no time to think.

-Whoosh!

“Aargh!”

The tiny Violets attempting to grow fell one by one.

Sections and entire rooms exploded, and little versions of me were sent tumbling by fire piercing through walls. Nevertheless, we completed our deployment.

*“Foundation Board of Directors’ location confirmed! 3rd Company, in cooperation with 2nd Company, will commence decapitation operation!”*

*“Command Post! Confirmed. We will advance to the western artificial island in conjunction with 5th Air Squadron! Attack! Attack!”*

The battle spread across the entire Academy City.

Tiny Violets had infiltrated every location with the Foundation’s Central Archive terminal access rooms. Collisions began.

Their weapons grew even more powerful, and their attacks became even more brutal.

It was as if their development speed was impossibly fast.

-Crunch!

A multi-legged walking weapon, having advanced from the airfield, raged, spewing fire. An assault Violet, advancing under covering fire, severed its limbs with a sword, attached a sticky bomb to its turret, and then swiftly retreated.

As the flash of the explosion lit my back, another one of me slashed across. It directly collided with an android’s electric shock baton.

-Clang!

Surprisingly, the shock baton couldn’t be easily broken even by a magic-infused sword. I threw the blocked sword into the air and pulled out a shotgun.

Click-clack— I pressed the barrel against its metal head, then bang!

*“Die! Die! You tin can!”*

I cut and cut the endlessly surging machines.

Swinging my sword, I scattered metal scraps and components everywhere. The Violets became a single, massive arrow of destruction, shooting, piercing, and tearing.

Indoors, on roads, in labs and hangars. Enduring and dodging the enemy’s volleys of bolts and beams, we advanced step by step.

-Thwip!

Golden arrows soared, piercing the heads of Violets one after another.

One arrow twisted between a shield and a wall, piercing through. The Violets at the airfield immediately identified it. That archer from last time.

“Hahaha! Fools! You sent them!”

To waste an elite here. This is an advantage. Then we can focus even more on the marine base!

The offensive continued fiercely, like striking hot iron with a sledgehammer.

My grip was numb from striking, but the crushed enemies must be hurting more.

Above the marine base, it was even more intense. In the fierce slugfest, everyone was knocked to the ground.

-Tat-tat-tat-tat! Tat-bang!

I unleashed machine gun fire on the surging horde of androids.

I pulled the trigger until the ammunition bag on my back rapidly lightened and the gun barrel glowed red.

A dull vibration echoed in my ears. And a stinging sensation.

“Huh?”

I, Unit 4423, felt a sharp pain engulfing my head.

A sensation as if my mind had emptied. Something wet trickled down. My thoughts ceased, but another me thought in my stead.

Link, connect.

I grasped the situation through Unit 564.

What appeared in the squad member’s vision was Unit 4423, with part of its head blown off.

*“Huh, am I dead?”*

-Thump! Bang!

*“Yep! You’re half dead. Do as the network commands!”*

The headless body mechanically pulled the trigger, returning fire.

A twisted smile pulled at the corner of its lips.

*“Got it!”*

The Violets moved ceaselessly, according to the will of the collective consciousness.

They did not stop, even when half-dead, even when limbs were torn off.

Because they knew that clinging to the enemy and holding on was the only path to victory.

Unit 4423 threw its body forward like that. The android flinched, enveloped in flames.

My vision shifted, and from a distance, Unit 10023 aimed at the head of an agent who had turned his back due to the explosion’s impact.

As the trigger was pulled— bang! The anti-materiel sniper rifle’s armor-piercing round penetrated the undefended helmet.

A head exploding beyond the scope. Unit 10023 coldly turned its barrel like a machine.

Hundreds of meters away, a squad leader Violet on the third floor of the platform requested covering fire.

There was no hesitation. One, two, three times. Magazine change. Immediately after, a violent tearing sound passed overhead.

A storm-like impact. I was lifted into the air.

“Oh?”

-Boom!

The sniper Violet’s body was torn to shreds in flames. Command Post detected a group diving and circling above the platform.

A drone squadron. Presumed to be newly introduced weaponry.

Violets, scorched by the explosion, drew red trails into the sky. The drones mockingly pulled back, gaining altitude.

*“Harmful birds! Shoot them down!”*

A signal came into Command Post. The network immediately reacted via the tactical map.

I pointed at the drones, cursing them. Beams of light and flashes tore through the sky.

Explosions. VTOL fighter jets shot down enemy aircraft with autocannons and missiles.

-Blast!

One second later, the fighter jets swept low over the platform, creating fierce gusts of wind. A barrage of lasers and guided missiles pursued, as if seeking revenge. With beams of light pouring down, the pilot Violet chuckled and pulled the control stick. The aircraft twisted to its limits, then rotated using two auxiliary thrusters on its sides.

Simultaneously, it released countermeasures from its wings and tail.

-Whoosh!

A perfect turn. The countermeasures sent the missiles flying off course. The pursuing drones shot past me.

Varying the thrusters again, changing direction, and re-accelerating.

*“Perfect!”*

The unstable flow of magical energy made long-range engagements difficult. The airspace above the marine base, gleaming under the moonlight, was a cauldron of chaos. Drone squadrons and fighter jets engaged in a desperate dogfight, chasing each other.

The drones traced mechanical trajectories with perfect calculations. Our fighter jets performed impossible maneuvers through instinct and training. The physical intuition of an Awakened and the cold precision of robotics adorned the night sky with acrobatic flights. The three-dimensional information of the Violet tactical map above was already long filled with complex trajectories.

*“Good! Bombing run!”*

Taking advantage of the enemy’s dispersed air force, allies approached: one medium airship and a squadron of biplane transports.

All belonged to the Violet Air Wing.

The second wave of bombing began.

*“Open the ramp!”*

One-ton bombs equipped with Violet guidance systems poured down like rain. Amidst a pure feast of explosions, larger and more complex objects fell. Armored suits and walkers descended from the airship, deploying parachutes. The war machines landed on the platforms and artificial islands.

Some crashed, some were incinerated by anti-aircraft fire and interception, but a significant number landed successfully.

*“Heavy Weapons Squadron ready!”*

*“Assault Squad ready!”*

Good. Heavy equipment began to deploy.

New musicians had joined the Violet Orchestra to add more weight.

“Destroy those bastards!”

Each platform was as vast as a stadium or a plaza.

Traversing it crisscross were multi-legged weapons, and hover tanks equipped with anti-gravity levitation devices of an unfamiliar design.

Firepower must be met with firepower.

I increased the intensity of the collision. The moment steel shattered steel, the collective consciousness felt a tremor. Enemies died with every swing, Violets fell. My hands were numb.

Ricocheting fragments sparked like flames amidst the clash of armored knights and machine legions.

*“Command Post, they’re starting calculations!”*

The powerful, unique waves of the Nemesis Protocol ripped through the atmosphere.

Its characteristic information barrier covered the battlefield. More precise and subtle attacks tested my immersion.

The flashes emitted by the agents’ swords and bolt launchers moved with ultra-precision, like the gears of a fine clock.

The network responded by dividing its senses like a compound eye. Reserve Violets calculated the divided senses to derive optimal action values. Calculation results back into action!

Swordsmanship, marksmanship, and combat techniques danced with precise calculations at every moment.

The Foundation and we collided head-on like unstoppable battering rams.

-Crash!

The vibration of heavy armor colliding echoed. A Stregonix swung a fist condensed with magical energy.

The greatswords of the armored knights cleaved the heavy blow of the steel cyborg.

Against the concentrated fire of large multi-legged robots, our walking mechs retaliated with cannons and rockets.

Anti-tank missiles and recoilless rifles from the heavy weapons team spewed streams of fire towards the hover tanks. Gun smoke covered the sky in black clouds.

Explosions painted a new sunset. In the air, rockets and projectiles of unknown origin, bullets and bolts, drew luminous trajectories. Above them, air raids screamed down. Some drones shot down biplanes. Versions of me fell, screaming.

*“Eat this!”*

Amidst the chaos, a prepared 5-ton bomb sprouted wings and began its death plunge.

-Thud!

“Aaaargh!”

The bombing shattered and crushed the platform.

Structures collapsed in a chain reaction.

Armored Violets ran fiercely between the hover tanks overturned by the impact.

They ripped off hatches and severed flesh.

Following them, light infantry took up weapons, recovered lost heavy weapons, and fired again. On this giant chessboard, I moved and deployed myself.

Shoot, evade, reload. Execute cover and close-quarters combat protocols.

Fire again. Request fire support. Air raid. Crash, loss.

Adjusting bombs to land in precise locations. Redeploying after watching explosions. Constant redeployment.

The probability of victory was high enough. One of their two elite forces was tied up here, the other in Academy City.

I began to grasp how the Foundation had created such weapons.

The fragmented memories of the Financial Director vaguely revealed the true nature of the secret Luminexa had hidden.

*“An alien relic! Such a precious thing!”*

To monopolize such a treasure was utterly despicable.

That alien battleship must be stuck in that hole under the sea.

I wondered how to secure it. The hole in the sea itself was shallow, but its width was beyond imagination.

It was so vast that several ordinary buildings could be laid down inside it.

I shook my head.

Now wasn’t the time to worry about that. For now, I had to focus on one thing.

Orchestrating this massive orchestra to eliminate resistance while simultaneously accessing the terminal. That was my job.

But there was a separate, greater obstacle.

*“Tactical Immersion activated! Focus! Agh!”*

That one, cutting down Unit 332 on the front lines alongside the Containment Enforcement agents.

-Slice!

*“Too fast!”*

The black Zweihander, the death throes of lament, spun and fell. Unit 6788, rushing in according to the collective consciousness’s command, snatched the sword and confronted it.

Just runs. Swings. Where did it go?

The white armor vanished from sight. Unit 6788 spun around, searching.

The moment it was searching, a white silhouette appeared right before its eyes.

-Crunch!

Unit 6788 flew back after being kicked. Its twisted waist and body tumbled. Another one of me, following close behind, snatched the sword that fell from its instantly lifeless hand.

A speed that even an Awakened’s eyes couldn’t follow. The swordsman surged in with a roar.

Precise calculations adjusted the position of arms and wrists, and computational power calculated the blurry silhouette and airflow. A trajectory barely caught.

-Clang!

In the blink of an eye, a waterfall of sparks erupted. The cutlass and Zweihander clashed in succession. The surrounding floor, pillars, and walls were gouged and torn by the emanating sword strikes alone.

Another one of me intervened in that gap.

A red rapier pierced in, emitting crescent-shaped flames, and the red blade carved out the surroundings with intense heat.

The swordsman slipped out of the encirclement with strange steps, struck, then retreated again.

*“Good! Keep them tied down! I can see them growing impatient!”*

Perhaps sensing desperation, the virus canister bombs they released circled ominously.

Still useless, though.

I cut down androids rushing on every floor, then slashed again. Twice horizontally, then drew back and once counter-clockwise.

-Clang! Clang!

Facing the ancient monster, I drew upon all my combat experience.

The network transmitted records and know-how at an even faster rate than before. Having finished reorganization like a computer defragging its disk, I could see the enemy’s capabilities more clearly.

Even so, I still felt a wall.

Still high. No, it seemed even more distant than when I first saw it.

Is that truly human?

*“Hellman, you said?”*

A man from hell, living up to his name.

There was no specific information in the Financial Director’s fragmented memories. But now I knew his identity and the source of his strength.

A biotechnological replica from the Great War era.

To create a chimera. Even I, accustomed to violence and slaughter, shuddered at this fact.

*“But in the end, it’s fake!”*

*“A knockoff!”*

I don’t know what hero it was modeled after.

But it couldn’t be real. And facing it is Violet.

Every clone is real. Every Violet is me.

There is absolutely no defeat to a knockoff.

Even if pushed back, victory is mine if I just buy time. If I can access the terminal, cripple the archives, and buy enough time for reinforcements to arrive, that’s enough!

So, I’ll be the Violet Patent Decapitation Unit.

*“Die! You fake!”*

Using the open space as a canvas, Violet painted a picture of battle.

The genre: abstract art. Using the Foundation as a canvas, I engraved violent brushstrokes.

-Chime!

It was around that time. That an unknown power began to surge within me, little by little.

“?”

For a brief moment, the reality before my eyes flowed like sticky glue.