episode_0133

Our Violet search squad is currently heading towards the mountain. It’s the last place the missing person was reportedly seen.

In the deep zone of Pastera Snowfield lies Mount Stigma. It’s a rugged place, covered in ice and eerily twisted trees.

To reach it, we must first pass through a narrow corridor between the canyons. The canyons on both sides aren’t incredibly steep. While there are trees, they are sparse enough not to obstruct the view.

The problem is the monsters, several times more numerous than in the border zone!

After shaking off the attacks of monster hordes riding monsters, we entered the canyon passage, only for another swarm of monsters to continuously cling to us, like flies around food waste.

“Roar!”

“Die!”

Violet 27 of car number 4 smashed the head of an attacking Ice Skullkit. Even while driving the snow bike at high speed, her magic-enhanced eyes detected the number of monsters charging towards them.

There were three charging at me alone.

“Eat this!”

Bang! Bang!

The gunner Violet in the back seat sprayed an automatic shotgun. The Ice Skullkit became a rag and vanished behind them.

From car number 1 and 2, machine guns fired wildly, and the tearing sound of bolts continuously poured down from above.

“Crazy! Why are there so many? There’s no end to them even if we kill them all!”

“If you have time, cast some magic!”

Lucian of car number 10 screamed and deployed magic. Blue flame spears flew through the air.

An unnamed monster resembling a deer leaped and charged, then burst apart with a bang. As Lucian’s breathing grew ragged, the driver Violet pulled out a mana supplement from her inventory and handed it back.

“Haa… Die, you son of a bitch! What is this?”

“Drink it quickly! We can’t lose fire support. Replenish your ammo!”

“Ammo? Am I some kind of cannon?”

Oh, I accidentally blurted out my thoughts. My nape tingled.

Another horde of monsters swarmed from the 9 o’clock direction of the convoy, and Lucian quickly chugged the mana supplement.

A massive fireball flew. Blue flames engulfed the monster horde. They were strange monsters resembling oxen.

Cheers erupted among the Violets.

“Awesome! Burn them all!”

While Lucian—no, the Violet search squad’s human magic launcher—continuously performed calculations and wreaked havoc, the convoy entered the middle of the canyon.

The miscellaneous monsters disappeared, and new enemies blocked their path. Irene, driving a bike at the front, shouted.

“Violet! Inform everyone. A horde of Ataquan has appeared upfront! They’re Yetis!”

Humanoid monsters with white and blue fur began to appear one by one around the canyon.

The beings known as the tyrants of Pastera Snowfield, the Ataquan!

Feeling the danger, Irene activated her unique ability once more. Golden magic spread like a wave.

Twisted ape-like figures glared at the convoy with their four eyeballs. Roaring loud enough to shake the canyon, as if enraged.

Kaaaooohk! Kaaook!

The monsters, stomping their feet in fury, charged towards the convoy.

“They’re chasing! They’re fast!”

Their speed matched that of the vehicles. One of the closest Ataquan swung its fist. Car number 12 dodged by a hair’s breadth, terrified. Violet of car number 2 quickly fired her machine gun to provide cover.

Kaaaoooh!

“Thanks!”

Soon, a rain of bullets and bolts swept through the surroundings. Ataquan, riddled with holes, bled and collapsed onto the snowfield.

“At least bullets work on them!”

Violet of car number 1 shouted, tossing an ammo box. The machine gun’s ammo box hit the floor. The floor of the snow vehicle was messy with yellow casings and black belt fragments.

I was grateful that their defenses were low. While their individual levels varied, they weren’t incredibly strong monsters.

“Be careful. They are intermediate monsters. Don’t let your guard down!”

Daphne warned, hastily raising her staff. Something large flew towards car number 1 from the side of the canyon. It was an ice spear imbued with magic.

The spear struck the light green shield and exploded. These damned monsters, they started launching ranged attacks!

“Ugh!”

“You’re okay, right?”

“Yeah!”

I focused on escaping. It was a very tricky situation. While monsters on one side hurled snow and ice compressed with magic, those on the other side charged madly, taking advantage of the cover fire.

The ice chunk that narrowly missed them exploded with a thud on the ground. The aftermath was comparable to an artillery shell.

This is why Ataquan were classified as intermediate. Intelligent creatures even launching magic attacks, does that even make sense?

“Headquarters! Requesting support!”

The battle intensified. The convoy pressed the accelerator, but the monsters continued to pursue.

Ataquan continued to pop out one by one from around the canyon, joining the pursuit.

Realizing this couldn’t continue, Company Command Unit 10 issued a new order.

“1st Air Wing! Initiate close air support!”

“Understood!”

“Roger! Roger!”

The 1st Air Wing, which had previously only observed reconnaissance missions, finally entered the battle.

“Show those monsters a good beating!”

The powered hang gliders lowered their altitude. As they approached, the monsters, hearing the engine sounds, looked up at us.

The cost of carelessness is fatal.

“Fire! Fire! Kill them all!”

Kaaoolk!

Yellow streaks of tracer rounds poured down like rain. Grenades flew in, blowing apart the monsters’ bodies.

The monsters, unfamiliar with the concept of an airstrike, seemed panicked, covering their heads and scattering in all directions. I scoffed.

“Haha! Serves you right!”

Levi also let out a short, admiring scream.

“Kyaah! Look over there! They’re tumbling around like trash!”

Levi and the gunner Violet of car number 1 snickered at the sight of them.

Taking advantage of their loosened pursuit, we quickly sped to the end of the canyon. The Ataquan horde, realizing they’d been tricked, growled and gave chase.

It seemed we were finally shaking off the monster’s pursuit.

Suddenly, an unexpected counterattack came. An enraged Ataquan pointed at the sky, and then they started throwing magic ice chunks into the air wildly.

To think they could conceive of anti-air fire in such a short time!

Crack!

“Agh! It’s cold!”

Violet 537 screamed.

VA-5, which had been providing close fire support, was swept up in their counterattack. A snowball exploded right next to it.

Half of Unit 537’s body froze. The fabric of the hang glider’s wing also froze and shattered. With its wings broken, the hang glider lost lift and plummeted.

“Uwaah! It’s crashing!”

The spinning hang glider fell helplessly like Icarus, who melted approaching the sun. A crunching sound was heard from afar.

When the machine gunner of car number 1 looked at the crash site, snow dust and debris fragments clearly shot up from among the monster horde.

The hang glider was destroyed!

“Uwaaah! Our plane!”

The pilot Violet of VA-5 wailed in shock and fury within the network. It was sadder than dying.

“Huh…? Hey! The kids fell…! Aren’t you going to save them?”

“It’s fine! You know that, right?”

Kalia of car number 7 raised her sword and pointed towards the crash site. Her green eyes were filled with concern. I vaguely brushed her off, saying it was fine.

In truth, it wasn’t fine at all.

I let my guard down. And we were shot down for the first time. My pride was hurt.

How dare mere monsters interfere with sacred flight, a criminal act that would enrage even the Wright Brothers! We must show them a lesson. They need to know the sky belongs only to Violets!

“We lost a plane! We must get revenge!”

The network was boiling with furious rage. The Violets of the 1st Air Wing, having lost a precious plane, were even more enraged, looking ready to charge at any moment.

Command decided on retaliation.

“Company Command to 1st Air Wing. Increase altitude, commence bombing!”

The hang glider squadron increased altitude to avoid anti-air fire.

The hang gliders circled once, passing over the monsters’ heads and indiscriminately dropping improvised bombs and piles of incendiary bombs. They didn’t forget to spray gasoline as well.

Boom! Boom!

“Kaaaoooh! Kaaook!”

The ground became an inferno. Ataquan, covered in Violet’s special incendiary agent, danced in agony.

Some monsters attempted to escape through the flames. One particularly large one was leading its brethren in retreat.

“How dare they try to escape?”

“Company Command message! Guided bomb use authorized!”

I gained altitude. VA-1 soared into the dungeon’s skies. A guided bomb generated and began its flight. Its target: the center of that barbaric Yeti formation!

“Yahoo! Here I come!”

The glorious mission of being the first guided bomb deployed in actual combat went to Violet 12.

The winner of the lottery descended, embracing death. The Ataquan leading its group in escape turned its head to look at us.

For a brief moment, I read emotions in the four eyes embedded in the monster’s face. Was it frustration, or fear?

It didn’t matter. All monsters deserved was violence and death!

“It’s going to explode!”

Boom!

The effect of the bomb equipment wrapped around the body was unmistakable. The improvised explosive, three to four times Violet’s weight, shattered the monster horde.

“V-Violet. What was that?”

Levi looked at me with eyes widened like lanterns. He had been watching the entire scene from the roof of the snow vehicle. Given his good eyesight, he must have seen everything.

I briefly glanced at Daphne. Fortunately, Daphne was holding onto the radio Violet and talking to others.

The other team members just thought it was bombing. I just needed to shut Levi up.

I decided to somehow explain it away.

“Ah, that… that’s our Violet’s new weapon!”

Although I tried to explain it away, I was worried. What should I do? It would be problematic if he screamed or something.

Levi blinked a few times, then showed an unexpected reaction.

“I see… That’s amazing!”

“Eh… Huh? Don’t you think it’s strange?”

“Strange? I don’t know about that. I’m just too, too scared. I can’t even think of ideas like that…!”

For some reason, Levi was genuinely impressed.

“To throw themselves directly… and clear out all those monsters! Violet is truly brave. I could never do that. It’s amazing! Incredible!”

Soon, Levi shouted with excitement. Hearing the praise made me feel good. To think there was someone who recognized my creativity!

I asked him to keep it a secret. Levi, with an excited face, nodded frantically.

As we kept the secret, we safely exited the canyon and ascended the mountain.

***

The convoy stopped at a flat spot halfway up the mountain. Fortunately, it seemed the monsters were concentrated in the canyon. The number of monsters here was relatively small.

After covering the cars with camouflage netting and snow to hide them, we formally began our reconnaissance.

“Company Command announces. Two companies begin deployment!”

Violets, clad in white winter combat uniforms, scattered in all directions.

“High mountains, deep valleys~ solitary dungeon!”

“Across the snow-covered plains~ Violet goes!”

While 100 search company members moved along the ridges, looking for signs of people, hang gliders searched for human traces from the sky.

“Come out! Alex! Yuri! Lucy!”

“Cage! Lyla! Where are you! Your parents sent us, so come out quickly!”

Rat-a-tat-tat!

While engaging in short skirmishes with the minor monsters that popped up, the remaining Violets picked up shovels and tools. If the role of the 1st Company was reconnaissance, the role of the 2nd Company was base camp construction.

We set up camp around the cars. This was the middle of enemy territory and a place known for the abnormal disaster called the Freezing Storm. Pitching just one tent was dangerous.

We scooped up snow and piled it like an igloo, building walls. Barbed wire made of reinforced composite material was laid in various places. Explosives connected by wire were installed along expected attack routes.

From above, a crude but somewhat sturdy defensive base had been constructed. This should buy enough time to evacuate team members even in the worst-case scenario.

Unfortunately, after hours of searching, we came up empty-handed. Not a single trace of them was seen. After discussion, we decided to search deeper tomorrow.

“So, you want me to set up some magic?”

“Yep! Please!”

“Oh, my fate…”

Lucian, who had switched careers from ‘human magic launcher’ to ‘human magic combat engineer construction equipment’, grumbled as he laid various magic traps and reinforced the snow barriers around them.

After eating the warm dinner airlifted from the inventory and concluding the meeting, it was already night. While the Violet sentries stood guard, the team members went to sleep.

“That’s the women’s room, this is the men’s room. Got it? Don’t go into the wrong one!”

While Lucian and Granite entered the men’s tent, I followed the four beautiful girls towards the women’s tent.

Inside, several platforms were set up to block the cold rising from the ground. They were wide and sturdy enough for many people to lie on at once.

At midnight, it became much colder than before.

“Ah… It’s cold even with a heater…”

“It is. Should we lay down some magic formations?”

“C-Cold… Ugh…”

The weather in the dungeon was extremely cold. Even with all the measures taken, it was like this.

Everyone was an Awakened, yet they were shivering.

Suddenly, a good idea to overcome the cold came to mind.

“Girls! I have a good idea!”

“…?”

“How about sleeping while hugging me?”

Everyone made strange expressions.

“No, that’s a bit sudden…”

“Come on, listen!”

I did my best to persuade my friends.

First, Violets are warm. There are also many of them. Therefore, if we put one or two Violets into the sleeping platforms, it will become very warm. This is similar to how penguins overcome the cold.

“And friends usually sleep like this. Let’s think of it as a pajama party!”

As everyone hesitated, Daphne stepped forward first.

“Hmm… It’s because Violet is cold, right? Then there’s no choice…”

“Great! Everyone come in!”

“Waah~”

“No, this is too many! Kyaah!”

Off-duty Violets entered the tent one by one and surrounded their friends.

“It’s warm!”

“I’ll hug you!”

“Hey! Hey! What’s with this suddenness!”

“You, really…”

“V-Violet? Uh-huh?”

The girls in the tent were quickly surrounded by Violets.

“How is it, warm?”

Irene let out a short sigh, as if in resignation.

“Yes, it is warm…”

“Wow! It really works. How about Kalia?”

“Ah! Alright… You’re right. It’s warm. Surrender! Surrender!”

One by one, the friends surrendered with white flags. Soon, the tent was filled with Violets and girls nestled between them.

The commotion was brief. Soon, the friends comfortably fell asleep, nestled within the Violet ‘blanket’. We were warm.

Sleep was slowly creeping up on us too.

To fall asleep among beautiful girls, perhaps being transmigrated was a stroke of luck.

“It’s warm…”

***

The next day, after breakfast and during the search, we finally discovered a clue that could lead to our objective.

“Found it!”

“Footprints!”