episode_0419

In front of the game booth at Rainbow Wonderland, Violet’s cheerful smile froze on her face.

The emergency alert that struck the network was not a simple list of information. It was the simultaneous screams of countless versions of herself, detecting that the entire southern region was burning.

Even amidst the sudden situation that burst into the tranquil peace, the Violet Network maintained its composure with ironclad discipline. Countless combat experiences instinctively seized the reins of chaos and forcibly restored balance.

“Operating in broad daylight? Has its ability grown?”

“Impossible! Considering its physical transformation, it should have weakened, normally!”

Within the network, astonishment and questions intertwined, but the reality before them could not be denied. Violets in each waiting zone and the temporary command center analyzed the real-time field information and media pouring in. Various parts of the southern region were being simultaneously attacked. The horrific sights and screams proved it.

If so, there was only one answer: immediate response.

The collective intelligence reached a conclusion without a moment’s hesitation. In that fleeting moment of judgment, all deployable resources were activated, from the little Violets eating ice cream to the beacon units slumbering throughout the city. New Violets were generated and rushed without hesitation towards each terror point, to the scene of the tragedy already stained with blood and screams.

“Violet Unnie? What’s wrong?”

Ariel, who first noticed her subtle change in expression, tilted her head. Lucian and Daphne’s gazes also simultaneously turned to her with concern. Violet desperately pulled the corners of her mouth back up.

“Oh, it’s nothing! I was just thinking about something else for a moment!”

As she spoke, Violet, by an internal command, sent other versions of herself to the front lines of each tragedy. And again, with a perfectly nonchalant smile on her face, she turned to the children, as if nothing had happened.

“Move! Let’s knock down all those damn bastards!”

Separately from the extreme tension, the collective intelligence of the Violet Network moved as cold and agile as ice. There was no hesitation. The shopping mall plaza where the first report came in. The Violet that arrived there faced a scene already turned into a bloodbath. The gruesome remains of those who couldn’t evacuate in time lay scattered on the ground, and the metallic stench stung her nose.

“Move! Smash them all!”

With the cry, Violet immediately raised her gun towards the black silhouette of the rushing clone. When the trigger was pulled, the clone dodged the fired bullet at an astonishing speed. But still, it was too slow in Violet’s eyes.

“Command center order! Unit 9351, Unit 6778, Unit 111. Initiate acceleration immediately!”

The collective intelligence prioritized the allocation of necessary computational power. The time of the three leading Violets twisted. As if plunged into viscous water, they cut through the gap where surrounding time flowed slowly and charged at the enemy.

“It seems quite a bit stronger?”

“Maybe! Don’t give it a chance to react!”

Just as the Lestrade Knights arrived at the scene, Violet encountered them, but ignored them and passed by. Seeing their blood-stained armor, it seemed they had struggled quite a bit to break through this far. Although a limit was visible in that there were no fatalities. While the knights flinched in shock at the afterimages flashing past them at a speed they couldn’t even perceive, Violet ran towards her target. Simultaneously, in her mind, she reconnected the communication.

“Exoria! Where is the main body? Transmit its location, the sensation you’re feeling right now, exactly as it is, to the network!”

Even while giving the order, the collective intelligence was half in doubt about how accurately that foreigner’s ability could work in this chaos. However, the doubt was short-lived. Almost immediately, clear coordinate information and sensory data began to flow into the network from somewhere in the sky.

“…This method is unfamiliar. But I’ve transmitted it…I’m trying…”

A blinking flash spread at the edge of Violet’s vision, and the sensitive sensory waves of the exile synchronized with the network, causing a faint tremor. The collective intelligence immediately and flexibly converted that data into visual signals. As augmented information was overlaid on the real landscape, Violet clearly pinpointed the location information of the ‘main body’ that Exoria had tracked. An ominous blinking green signal was being emitted from somewhere in the plaza.

“Found it!”

One of Violet’s clones raced towards that signal. It finally confronted the troublesome clone that had been firing arrows near the shopping mall entrance. There was no need to even approach and engage in close combat. As Violet’s will signaled, a crossfire from the deployed snipers intersected.

-Bang!

With the gunshot, the clone’s limbs burst apart, and it collapsed onto the ground. Just as she was about to triumphantly confirm, the fallen figure crumbled powerlessly like sand and disappeared.

“Wh-what! What’s going on with this! Exoria, are you sure you tracked it correctly?!”

A cry mixed with shock and annoyance echoed from across the network.

“No doubt about it! This is the unique magic wavelength only that agent possesses! Definitely… Wait a moment! I’ll check again!”

In the skies above the southern region, the air inside the transparent stealth transport plane became heavy. Exoria, who was concentrating her senses with her eyes closed, was confused. Clearly, it was a unique signal that only a being to whom she had lent some of her power and authority could possess, so why?

Shopping mall plaza, central station, downtown park.

At each point where simultaneous massacres were occurring, the exact same ‘main body’ signal that had just disappeared began to be detected again, one after another. Exoria, in shock, reconfigured her thoughts.

“Impossible… Has it learned a method to disguise its main body signal or disperse it among multiple clones in such a short time?”

Her thoughts, even amidst bewilderment, tried to analyze the situation calmly. Was this simply the runaway agent’s unexpected growth? Or was it a meticulously planned terror by a specific force behind it?

“Violet! For now, I will continue to link the detected information. Please capture all enemies at the current predicted signal locations alive! We might find some clues!”

“Understood!”

The collective intelligence once again began to wield its power like mad. A clear judgment could not be made. Neither Violet nor Exoria had any inkling at all regarding the true nature of the plan lurking behind this tragedy.

-Crunch!

Violet Unit 6642 swung her sword once again. The murderer clone before her, judging by its performance against other hunters, seemed definitely stronger than before. Seeing it fight quite evenly even against the elite Lestrade Mobile Unit, it was not an easy opponent. Although a limit was visible in that there were no fatalities.

“Advance! Squad 1, keep pushing forward with shields! Squad 2, provide covering fire for auxiliary troops and move towards the road with Squad 3! Wait, terrorist! What are you doing now?!”

“I’m in the middle of urban beautification work. Don’t interfere!”

Violet retorted curtly and charged at the clone again. Amusingly, the clones now just fled whenever they saw Violet. Even if it has grown a bit, is this all it amounts to? Calling it a typical example of a villain, weak to the strong and strong to the weak, Violet clicked her tongue inwardly.

-Slice!

With a dull sound, another murderer clone rolled onto the ground. As expected, it vanished into dust in vain. It was another fake main body.

“…”

This absurd process was repeated two, three, and sickeningly many more times throughout the city. On the central station platform, in front of the downtown park fountain. What other Violet clones had subdued were all nothing but illusions.

“Hey! Exoria! Are you really tracking correctly?”

The collective intelligence gradually felt anger at this repeated deception and mockery. The activity range of the murderer clones themselves had become abnormally wide from the start. Their movements also became incomparably more organized and cunning than before. This was not simply a runaway’s rampage.

Inside the transport plane. Exoria, who had her eyes closed, also coincidentally shared that feeling with Violet. ‘Anyone can see this is a deception. If so, why?’

She was gradually filtering the waves of information pouring in from the Violet Network. Repeated reports of fake main bodies disappearing, the incomparably enhanced abilities of the clones, and their abnormally wide activity range. The puzzle pieces were falling into place one by one. But the gaps remained.

‘Clearly a planned action. Security agencies and Lestrade’s forces are dispersed. Is our intervention intended? Unknown.’

‘Intention to deplete resources, undoubtedly a feint operation. But why is the objective?’

The question ‘why’ continued to swirl. She recalled numerous operations from her past as an Executor where she deceived opponents through information warfare and concealed her true objective. A method of maximizing chaos to exploit weaknesses. Familiar yet deeply unpleasant tactics.

‘I don’t know. It’s clear they’re targeting somewhere more important, but…’

It was then that a faint, unidentified ether wave was briefly picked up like static.

“Just a moment, Violet. I found it. It’s faintly detected. It seems like a deception again this time, but… Oh, my God…”

“Why?”

“Where did you say you were visiting for leisure just now?”

A short gasp and a freezing reaction. Violet immediately understood the reason for that reaction.

“Why is this showing up here?”

The shopping mall plaza. Violet Unit 9351, who had just turned another fake main body into dust, scanned the surroundings warily and examined the debris. A crumpled piece of paper that popped out of the clone’s body softly fell onto the blood- and dust-stained floor. What she idly picked up was part of a vividly colored pamphlet. Placed as if to be blatantly seen,

“What! Why?”

The clone, in shock, stared intently at it. Colorful maple leaves and mischievous pumpkin illustrations. And clearly printed, the words . A chilling premonition crawling up her spine.

“What! Why?”

The young apostle of humanity and the former Executor’s thoughts converged in an instant.

“It’s a trap! The real target is most likely the very place you are!”

“Yes! I know, this must be the target!”

All these clues pointed to only one place: the amusement park. Of all places, the most crowded and vulnerable location. The Violet Network pulsed. The command center deduced. Surely, this madman’s true objective was…

“There was a reason for dispersing our attention!”

“It was planning a massacre!”

The indiscriminate attacks in the southern region were a prelude to divert the attention of various organizations. The main stage of this entire tragedy was the most fatal and vulnerable location.

“Violet! I will descend to that location! Prepare quickly!”

“Understood!”

It was even before Exoria could fully shout.

-Crackle!

It appeared as if exploding in the middle of the amusement park’s central plaza. A black figure appeared as if it had been there from the start, on top of the giant scarecrow sculpture symbolizing the autumn festival in the center of the plaza.

“It’s it! The real one has come!”

Violet knew instantly. That was the main body. Emitting an ominous and powerful aura incomparable to the previous clones, the killer raised its hand as soon as it descended. Countless clones surged forth, and people recoiled in shock and screams.

“…Enemy….Execution…”

The runaway agent scanned the surroundings with murky eyes. If she were to just extend her sword now, this peaceful place on a weekend would be stained with blood. An irreversible tragedy would unfold—

And then the Ariel Group appeared.

“…”

The shadows froze.

-Rat-a-tat-tat!

An unexpected gunshot cut through the air. Among the throngs of spectators, another group of black figures suddenly appeared.

“Hey, murderer!”

Violet grumbled and shouted.

“This amusement park now, the Ariel Group rules! Get out!”

The runaway agent, who was about to move, faltered. The arm that was gripping weapons and about to create a tragedy stopped for a moment.

“…G-get out of the way…”

The agent realized she wasn’t moving. This shouldn’t be happening. She had to complete this mission. But why? She couldn’t move. For a moment, she realized it was fear. Her faltering mind once again became tinged with anger and a murkier resolve, and forcibly moved her body.

“Push forward!”

The two entities suddenly clashed in the middle of the amusement park.

-Clang!

Violet felt it. Stronger than before. Its movements had also become more precise. Perhaps because the range limitation had been reduced. But Violet was confident. She would win this. Other reinforcements also arrived. Silently descending from the sky, a woman in a dazzling green dress unfurled her fan.

“Violet, it’s certain. That is the main body!”

“Good, let’s catch it!”

The collective intelligence, all Violets, moved with annoyance and hope. To quickly catch that troublemaker and hurry to see the amusement park parade and evening performance.

“Get lost quickly!”

The main body suddenly stopped and spread both arms. Violet, who had been charging without hesitation, suddenly stopped due to the wave bursting forth right in front of her.

“Huh?”

Centered on the runaway agent’s body, a dark red energy burst forth explosively. Forced activation of power according to the hidden manipulator’s signal.

-!

An ineffably strange scream echoed throughout the entire Wonderland. Rapidly, starting from the center of the amusement park, a massive shadow enveloped the sky.

“What’s that now? Hey! Exile. Deal with that somehow. Quickly.”

Unit 566 grumbled and turned around to face Exoria with a rigid expression. She quickly waved a few spells towards the empty air, manipulating magic.

“It’s a domain. But that’s…”

The attempt was meaningless. Exoria, in an instant, realized that a being superior to herself had intervened. An alien dark space rapidly expanded, swallowing its surroundings. It was not mere darkness. A viscous shadow domain where space itself seemed twisted and blocked. A world where light and sound seemed to have died.

And in the moment that barrier was completed, an even stranger phenomenon occurred. The shadows, like intelligent serpents, coiled around beings threatening to them. Like an intelligent filter, the domain, like a wave, pushed and bounced Violet and the exile away.

“Aargh!”

With insignificant screams, the Violets who tumbled away surveyed their surroundings. It was outside Wonderland. A massive curtain enveloped the park. Violet, who had been bounced outside, stood dumbfounded as if unable to believe the situation before her eyes. They were banished.

Suddenly, she realized. That her friends and children were inside.

“No!”

The Violets hastily began hammering at the barrier with their swords. They tried to approach the inside of the barrier with great noise, but only realized that neither clone creation nor magic worked. Violet, who turned around, immediately shouted at the exile.

“My friends are in there! Undo it quickly! It’s urgent!”

Exoria, with a rarely seen troubled expression, cried out.

“I’m trying! But it’s not undoing. It should be decipherable! What in the world is going on here…?”

An unfamiliar voice pierced through the confusion and bewilderment.

“That’s because it’s an impossible task for you, who abandoned His Majesty’s grace and fled. Exile.”

A man walked in calmly. Both of their gazes converged, and Violet, as soon as she saw the man, witnessed Exoria’s face, which had not only turned pale but lost all vitality.

“Wait a minute, how does he know she’s an exile?”

“V-Violet. Th-that man is…”

A trembling voice replied with difficulty from across the network.

“Retreat. Run away!”

“Why?”

“You, as you are now, are no match for that man!”

Violet didn’t understand the warning. Meanwhile, as if re-enveloping the black domain, a shimmering net of grids rose from the ground. Violet instinctively suppressed the surging revulsion and killing intent. The being before her also was not human.

“It was you!”

“Apostle! Die!”

As if to vent their frustration at being expelled from the barrier, the Violets charged all at once. The man smiled gently and remained still until the sword swung by the leading Violet was about to reach his neck. Countless bullets and blades were about to tear him apart.

Violet suddenly found themselves frozen in mid-air. The collective intelligence was bewildered. They had clearly accelerated, yet.

“Move! I can’t move! Body! Move!”

The answer was given by this unpleasant stranger.

“I stopped time.”

In the frozen world, the man smiled and walked through the Violets. The frozen Violets could only roll their eyes about.

“It’s a trivial matter that can be done in a localized area. Something insects like you cannot do. So, to think you’d cooperate with a terrorist, the Executor of the Ninth Pillar has fallen far in standard. Is it Arcsit’s plan? No, why are you obeying human orders?”

The man’s voice was languid, but the mockery and killing intent within it were clear.

“How… did you…”

“Shut up. Questioning is solely my right.”

In the frozen time, Exoria staggered and stood up. As if she had seen something she shouldn’t have, the eyes of the otherworldly woman trembled. The man, seeing her reaction, twisted the corners of his mouth in a sneer.

“A traitor who fled from the throne of Monad has no right to speak. ‘Exoria’? ‘Exile’? Horrible naming. To dare abandon your true name, refuse, fall into clumsy pity, and call yourself a patron of barbaric tribes. Shame on you. Executor of Ennead!”

The space around the man rippled, and large and small stakes surged forth.

“However, His Majesty is merciful. He always prepares a place for the young creature to return. Therefore, I declare, by the message of the Seventh Pillar, it is time to return.”

“I refuse! I will not return!”

“There is no refusal. Accept your fate.”

The man ignored the desperate cries bursting forth. Then he reverently recited the name of his former comrade and traitor.

“Exoria, no—’Echo Closing the Last Link of the Cycle.’ It is time to reclaim your name and return to the side of the throne.”

The former Executor of Ennead replied by fiercely unfurling her fan.

“…I absolutely refuse! You demon!”

A mighty vortex of ether surged between them.

The amusement park on a sunny autumn afternoon was instantly plunged into pitch-black darkness. The cheerful music and people’s laughter transformed into screams and fearful cries. What covered the sky was a viscous curtain of darkness that ravenously swallowed all light.

“Wh-what!”

“Turn on the lights! I can’t see anything!”

“Mom! Where are you, Mom!”

In the chaos, people bumped into each other and fell. Even the emergency lights didn’t turn on. No, perhaps they did turn on, but even that light seemed to be sucked into the darkness, becoming invisible. Someone hastily turned on their phone flashlight, but the faint beam couldn’t even illuminate a few steps ahead and powerlessly faded into the darkness.

“Damn it, why isn’t it turning on!”

A guard urgently shouted and created a faint magical light source on his palm. It was a very basic illumination spell. The light of magic pushed away the darkness and barely illuminated the surroundings. Unfortunately, it was a reckless act in this situation.

-Thwack!

As if they had been waiting, hideous figures burst forth from within the darkness. The morbidly pale murderers soon rushed forward as if they had never been afraid.

“Aaaagh!”

“Kyaaah!”

The murderers who saw the magical light rushed without hesitation towards the nearest people, slashed their necks and pierced their hearts. With short screams, the sound of people falling echoed eerily in the pitch-black darkness. In that pandemonium, the agent muttered as if possessed by something.

“I must kill them… Enemies of humanity…. All of them… demon beasts…”

Fear reached its peak. People, having lost even their sense of direction, began to flee haphazardly. At that time, when despair settled like a swamp. Between fear and the plea for life, a trivial squeak echoed.

-Squeak squeak!

A sound somewhat sharp for being adorable. From the darkness, a small mouse dashed out like an arrow.

“Squeak!”

The mouse stood tall between the terrified people and the murderous killers radiating killing intent. Although its appearance was so small and fragile, its presence was strangely distinct.

“We are the light that drives away darkness!”

Surprisingly, a soft light was flowing from the mice’s bodies. That light was different from artificial illumination or magic. The light pushed away this viscous, swamp-like darkness and gently illuminated the surroundings. The murderers faltered once again.

‘…Powerful enemy…dangerous…’

They were just mice. Small, insignificant creatures. But the runaway agent hesitated involuntarily. The aura felt from these small creatures. It was because a wave similar to that of the familiar enemy, one that overwhelmed them, was felt.

The presence of mice did not end with just one or two.

“Squeak! Squeak squeak squeak!”

From underfoot, from within the darkness, more mice began to appear. At first, one or two, soon, the mouse swarm, which had grown to dozens, then hundreds, enveloped the terrified, frozen people as if surrounding them and blocked the path of the murderers. The light of the mice illuminated the darkness.

“It fears us!”

“Light is power! Let’s protect the people as the boss commanded!”

Though they themselves had only acted on instinct, the result was clear. As the light grew increasingly intense, the murderers flinched as if in pain and recoiled.

“…”

Beyond fear and caution, a pain as if staring directly at the sun began to be felt.

“Ugh…”

The startled murderers scattered as if momentarily disoriented. It was only a very brief respite, but that alone was enough. People secured their safety, even if just for a moment.

“The mice… helped us?”

A spectator muttered to himself. The mouse at his feet cried out as if in response.

“Squeak!”

The mice, like stars and the moon, brightly illuminated this darkness. Soon, the swarm of mice began to move as if guiding the people. The terrified people stumbled yet desperately moved their feet. Following these small guides. Towards somewhere in the darkness, a still unknown safe place.