episode_0403

The domain of the most lethal hunters, soldiers, and assassins was thoroughly hidden from the world’s eyes. Unlike Restraid’s arrogantly classical knight fortresses or Magnabyss’s ostentatious buildings, Arsit’s domain was shrouded in secrecy. Rumors circulated that most of its facilities were hidden deep beneath the mountain range.

There were even stranger rumors. That Arsit’s headquarters existed somewhere beyond Trist’s reality itself. Unlike Luminex, which was at least known to be located on the surface, Arsit’s facilities had never been properly revealed, and despite the reputation of being founded by a Great War hero, its presence was rather faint and covert.

Everything that happened within remained a mystery. There was even a joke that unearthing just a fraction of the truth would be enough to write an epic filled with conspiracy, enigma, and mystery.

Nevertheless, the indoor garden of the Central Management Headquarters, contrary to its notoriety, was surprisingly bright and peaceful. The flower garden, filled with otherworldly plants growing under artificial light, exuded a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere. However, the conversation of those who actually used the space was far from peaceful.

“Compatriots? Those beings?” A sharp unease permeated Chief Administrator Elena’s voice. The word ‘compatriots’ uttered by the being before her carried dangerous historical implications.

“That’s right, Elena.” The woman calmly sipping tea before her appeared to be a beauty in an elegant dress, as if stepped out of a classical portrait. Yet, beneath that surface lay the truth of a companion who had been with Arsit since the time of its first administrator, up to the present day.

“From the beings I encountered during the search, I detected a faint but definite aura of compatriots. I felt the kind of waves our kin would emanate. And they were quite threatening beings.”

“Exoria, the list of entities that could be described as ‘threatening’ is quite extensive. Could you please explain in more detail? Perhaps, are they those beings from Monad?”

“!” Certain words in Elena’s statement triggered a taboo. Exoria let out a small groan, her fingers brushing the metallic devices on the back of her head and neck. For a moment, an unstable, rainbow-colored glow unique to aether leaked out, then quickly faded.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to mention those words.”

“It’s alright, this much is no problem. Fortunately, it’s not the fallen…no, not the leaders, consuls, or generals. It’s not an issue of their authority or power. It’s just…quite…unsettling.”

“What exactly do you mean by ‘unsettling’?”

A faint unease lingered on Exoria’s awkward face before disappearing.

“They seemed to be beings one should not approach or contact. That was all I could perceive. They vanished instantly from my awareness. It seemed the agents didn’t even grasp their true nature.”

“Is that so.” Elena quietly placed the matte black terminal on the table. Soon, a blurry, hazy hologram shimmered in the air. It showed small, humanoid figures of girls marching along a street. “Is your memory clearer now?”

The image before them was the result of perception interference and peculiar concealment abilities. Even Arsit had managed to project it only with difficulty, piecing together captured footage and fragmented memories from agents.

“…Yes, it was this girl.” Arsit’s administrator recalled the fate of Luminex, which had suddenly fallen within a few months. Very faintly, and as if by coincidence, several pieces of evidence had been captured. Ghost-like figures of small, hazy girls intermittently appeared on surveillance networks, and rare testimonies were gathered.

Information analysts stated firmly. Given the circumstantial evidence and patterns, this was certainly no coincidence. From those silhouettes, everyone could instinctively sense one fatal possibility.

“You must be familiar with the existence of self-replicating doppelganger swarms that brought down two clans. It is highly likely to be those terrorists.”

Exoria’s eyes widened with an intrigued expression, as if unraveling an old mystery.

“Forgive me, but I ask that you act more proactively. It’s unknown what intentions they harbor by interfering, but we must recover the runaway agent more quickly. You must have heard about the increasing civilian casualties and Restraid’s movements.”

“Yes, of course, it’s my duty.” The exile from another world briefly showed a faint hint of bitterness on her face, but then gently rose and smiled. “My power is limited, but I will do my best.”

As it was her duty, the apostle stepped outside. Of course, she decided not to mention the curiosity that had arisen in her heart regarding this world’s new power.

**

In the southern district’s night streets, small and special guardians appeared. A vigilante group stronger than any clan’s strike team, far braver and more just than Restraid’s knights, and cute, too. Their proud name was the Little Violet Neighborhood Watch. Small but courageous, we stepped forward to defeat evil.

“We are cute lanterns lighting up the darkness!” Under the black night sky, our voices echoed. “No evil shall escape our sight!”

The heavily armed Little Violets took turns patrolling their respective blocks every night. The reason was simple. Those who dared to touch my friends could never be forgiven. They needed to be preemptively suppressed before retaliation could occur.

“They messed with my friends!” A voice burning with rage. “Let’s teach them a lesson!”

There was another reason. The murderer shouldn’t interfere with Ariel and her friends’ outings.

“They seemed to only pick on easy targets!” “That’ll be really dangerous!”

Our picnic was planned for daytime. In contrast, the murderer’s main active hours were between evening and dawn. Therefore, the chance of directly encountering the doppelganger killer was low. Some voices even called it excessive worrying, due to the information that the culprits primarily operated at night.

But complacency was forbidden. Especially at a time when the Karnak Archipelago was unstable, they couldn’t leave unsettling elements in their rear.

“And I’m curious what kind of guy he is!”

The biggest problem with the search lay in his depravity. The murderer hid somewhere and unleashed his doppelgangers, turning the city into chaos. The media euphemistically described it as ‘bodily harm,’ but the reality was far more brutal.

“Cannibalism?” “All the victims were headless.”

Irene frowned as she changed the screen. The information received from Helios was intriguing. On the screen were rows of neatly severed, headless corpses. Unlike the somewhat ordinary designation ‘doppelganger killer,’ his actions clearly went beyond the normal scope.

“It’s highly likely he’s a thrill killer, but there are also speculations of a deeper purpose. According to psychological analysts, the degree of corpse damage is relatively low for an act purely for amusement. Perhaps it has a direct connection to his unique ability.”

“Unique ability, huh…” Silence fell in the room. They still didn’t know what conditions might be hidden behind his crude doppelganger creation ability. Of course, he could also just be a mad monster who enjoyed slaughter and cannibalism.

“So, what are you going to do? Even Restraid has put a bounty on him. Our clan has also received requests. It seems they won’t just stand by and watch.”

“Of course, I have to catch him and kill him first!” I raised my voice. A cannibal who devours people can never be tolerated. Originally, I considered capturing and absorbing him, but now I have no such intention whatsoever. Beautiful girl doppelganger democracy and cannibalism are values that can never coexist. I’ll just read his memories and dispose of him like trash.

Thus, our patrol, adorning the night streets, began. Just as a vast fleet of fishing boats sweeps the sea with a giant net, the Little Vigilantes of Justice began to roam through the dark city, in places with sparse surveillance. In short, it meant Violet’s martial law had begun.

Now, the night in this city is ruled only by rats, birds, and Violet. No evil will escape our sight.

“There’s a suspicious guy over there!” But most of the time, it was fruitless. Just as a giant net catches only small fry, the Little Violets’ surveillance net only caught petty criminals. It made me realize anew that the security of the Academy City was worse than I had thought.

“Agh!” “Drop the bag and get down!” Following the scream, we found three men exuding a villainous aura surrounding a woman. At moments like these, the Little Violets’ true worth was revealed. The little ones naturally intervened between them. The gloomy and wicked fellows, as if mere robbery wasn’t enough, were smirking sinisterly. They lightly severed the wrists of those holding weapons, as if cutting dry weeds.

“This is what non-lethal subjugation means!” “Huh? Argh!” To others’ eyes, it must have looked like wrists suddenly falling off in mid-air. The expected reaction erupted. When their ankles were also lightly cut, the robbers’ screams tore through the night air.

“Damn it! What the hell! Aaaargh!” “Ugh! My leg! My leg! Help me!” Screams echoed like villains from a B-movie. The one remaining fellow abandoned his companions and tearfully fled. Their backs, sprinting ahead of the Little Violets. With the Little Violets’ weak physical abilities, it was difficult to immediately pursue someone fleeing so swiftly.

But Violet’s net, though seemingly loose, never failed to catch its prey. I pressed my lips together and let out a soft whistle. Two yellow streaks of lightning shot out like arrows in the direction the robber had vanished.

“Woof woof!” Twenty seconds later, a shrill scream was dragged back before me.

“Aaaargh! A monster! A monster bit me! Help me! HEEELP!” The loyal dogs precisely bit both ankles of the last robber and dragged him back. While I gave treats to the dogs who had perfectly completed their mission, the robber wailed. “Mommy! Mommyyyy!”

*Thud!* First, because he was too noisy, I hit his head with a mace.

Just as I pondered what to do with the remaining fellows, the dogs’ urgent barks pierced the night air. “Master-nim! What do we do with this person?” Suddenly, I realized. I had completely forgotten about the robbery victim.

“Th-this is a dream…” The woman’s eyes rolled back as she fainted at the sight before her. This person didn’t seem ready to accept the heroic deeds of the Little Violets. Just then, clan mercenaries were patrolling nearby, so we decided to lure them with a gunshot and leave the scene.

*Bang!* “Look here! It’s an attack. Is this the work of that unique ability user with the doppelgangers?” “No, it’s not. The method is different. It’s those robbers. Secure the area and contact command. Call emergency services!”

The Little Violets, after confirming the mercenaries’ follow-up actions, quickly melted into the shadows.

“Next time, I need to do this properly!” I thought I should pay more attention to civil affairs operations next time. If I had cut their wrists more slowly, they wouldn’t have been so surprised.

“Right! We need to deal with enemies more gently!” This time’s lesson: Be kinder when approaching others!

**

A single murderer was roaming the southern district. Horrifying doppelgangers blooming from the shadows. The residents trembled, calling them like the doppelgangers of old tales. Unable to bear it any longer, the armed clans of the south had already signed contracts to hunt this serial killer.

But no one had anticipated that little girls, filled with killing intent, would secretly join their alliance.

“Agh! Die!” Thousands of phantoms named Violet wandered the city. Even if someone caught sight of them, people didn’t grasp the truth. Most reactions were favorable.

“Little one, where are you going at night? It’s dangerous! Go straight home!” “Yes!” After kindly admonishing the girl, she would vanish with her mouth agape and a naive expression. Soon, her existence was erased from their memories. As cleanly as washing brush and paper with clear water.

Of course, there were also unkind people. “Where’s this brat wandering around? Get lost!” “Yelp!” An armored knight, stomping with a grumpy expression, unceremoniously picked up a Little Violet and threw her backward. Another knight behind him skillfully caught the little one, then gently set her down on the ground and threatened her.

“You’re annoying, so go home, okay?” “Ugh…” The Little Violet, annoyed, picked up a stone and threw it.

*Clink!* “What was that!” When the knight turned around, the girl had already melted into the darkness and vanished. The knight grumbled about the rude girl and, like others, erased Violet from his memory.

As they endlessly patrolled the streets, unusual signs were detected in their widely spread surveillance net.

“There it is! Gather here!” Following the strange traces of darkness seeping into the empty shopping mall at dawn, the girls all entered simultaneously.

“We are the light that illuminates the darkness!” “We are the torch!”