episode_0150

The members of the Mystical Investigation Department, returning with their plunder, faced an unexpected situation.

“The elevator is destroyed…”

Upon hearing the report from the contact at the safe zone’s outpost, Lera felt a slight throbbing in her head. Their plan had hit a snag.

She raised the perceived threat level of the Unification Society in her mind by one degree. Though she had underestimated them as mere countless vagrants, their madness had to be acknowledged.

To cause such a major incident. This threw a wrench in their plan to secure the Vision Prism and immediately head to the gate.

There was an even bigger problem.

“Security checks are being conducted at the outpost entrance. Even the smaller and medium clans inside are individually inspecting all approaching people and vehicles.”

All vehicles and people heading towards the safe zone’s outpost were subjected to more thorough inspections than usual.

Not only that, but as news of the elevator collapse slowly spread through word of mouth, wired networks, and short-range communications, workers were also feeling the crisis and returning.

To exaggerate, the outpost’s walls and the area around the entrance were currently as crowded as a highway during vacation season. There were too many eyes watching.

“Our plan hasn’t been exposed, has it?”

“Fortunately, no. It seems the fanatics of the Unification Society were preparing a ritual here with the Vision Prism. Everyone’s attention is focused on that.”

If so, that was a relief. Neither their plan nor their disguised identities had been revealed yet. They were currently here under the stolen name of the Paper Clan.

The Magnavis members held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures.

“As you all know, Plan A is impossible in the current situation.”

When Lera spoke, everyone looked at her with eyes of agreement.

The method of calmly disguising it as cargo and crossing the gate was now impossible. The artifact was too large to conceal with magic, and the possibility of discovery was high even with their pre-prepared disguise methods.

“The problem is which plan to proceed with. How about Plan D? I know it’s a contingency plan, but isn’t it about time we reconsider it?”

When the Vanguard Commander’s voice, tinged with a mechanical sound, was heard, several members flinched and looked at him. It wasn’t just because of the mechanical sound. It was because of the radical nature of the plan.

“Excuse me, but no matter how much Vanguard, that many people… um, excuse me.”

One male member voiced his opposition, then flinched at the intimidating aura the agent projected from behind his mask. The commander, seeing the man unable to finish his sentence, snorted and continued speaking.

“Do you really think it’s impossible? Don’t worry about that.”

The Vanguard Commander pointed behind him with his thumb. There were Mystical Investigation Department members moving busily, fixers, and Vanguard agents waiting leisurely.

“With our current strength, it’s entirely possible. Do you know how many times I’ve done something similar before? The calculations are long done. Most of the personnel at the outpost are unawakened laborers or low-level hunters. It won’t take long.”

Objections poured in against the radical plan.

“But, aren’t they not the only ones we’re facing? The main force of the Federal Army is approaching from the rear! How do you plan to deal with tank units? We could end up caught between the outpost and the mechanized forces. And what if our identities are exposed during the engagement? Let’s go with Plan B. If we wait, the elevator will be restored in a day or two. Let’s wait for the main force.”

Someone spoke up. A member from the opposite side waved his hand.

“The fanatics are also after the Prism, aren’t they? What if we hide it and it gets stolen? Don’t forget. We need to take this back within the timeframe, even because of the project being conducted at the academy. Let’s go with Plan C. We have jetpacks and bikes brought for this occasion. Everyone can also use flight magic.”

“So, you want to hide? It’s bound to be discovered eventually. We need to defeat them one by one now!”

The emergency meeting gradually grew heated, and voices rose back and forth. Lera, who had been quietly thinking, spoke up.

“Everyone, there’s a better way. We hand the Prism over to the Federal Army.”

Everyone looked at her, surprised by the unexpected suggestion. Lera calmly continued her explanation.

“If the Vision Prism falls into the hands of ordinary people, they will surely try to destroy or dismantle it. However, the Federation wouldn’t just stand by and let the artifact be smashed. According to intelligence, their objective is to secure the artifact, not to destroy it.”

“Are you saying we should just give away that precious item? Of course, it’s a reserve that isn’t immediately needed for the project, but it’s the Archmage’s orders. You know that, don’t you?”

“Naturally, I don’t mean just give it away. We’ll use the Vision Prism’s power.”

“…Meaning?”

“We activate the artifact and then hand it over.”

She reminded them of the Mystical Investigation Department members’ capabilities. Everyone was impressed by her explanation that by mobilizing researchers to inject a small amount of magic into the Vision Prism and adding appropriate incantations and magical engineering components, they could incapacitate all living beings within a radius of several hundred meters.

The Vanguard Commander, who had been listening, clapped his hands briefly, as if intrigued.

“So you’re saying we use it as a remote-controlled bomb?”

“That’s right. If our prediction is correct, the Federal Army will never hand over this artifact. We can activate the artifact when the elevator is restored, or when the artifact is being transported outside the gate, or in any situation we desire.”

Due to the circumstances, the Federal Army could never be forthright. They would not cooperate with the artifact’s disposal.

And then, when the opportunity arises, we incapacitate the opponents with the artifact’s power and retrieve it.

Those who heard Lera’s opinion all agreed, deeming it quite a good idea. After the meeting ended, the members hastily prepared for withdrawal. Another member began modifying the Vision Prism.

In front of the Prism, a female member, having heard her superior’s orders, made a tearful face and refused the task.

“Activate the Vision Prism? It’s too dangerous. We haven’t even fully grasped its mechanism yet. Artifacts don’t operate just by human thought. Magic is…”

The member, bored by the verbose explanation characteristic of a science and engineering major, slapped the back of the woman’s head.

“Shut up and start working quickly! What’s the problem? It’s just about knocking them out anyway!”

Her brown ponytail swayed and flickered with the impact. She yelped and grabbed the back of her head.

“Th-this, on people… It might not just end at knocking them out…”

“Don’t pretend to be good, didn’t you join knowing all this? Move quickly!”

Under her superior’s intimidation, the member hesitated but began the work.

**

Inside the moving command armored vehicle, Major Marius was raging, haranguing his subordinates over the radio.

“Find it immediately! If you don’t find it, that’s the day you and I both lose our uniforms. Understand?”

After finishing his command, Major Marius slumped into his chair.

‘Damn it! I finally had an opportunity!’

Although it was publicly announced as “suppressing illegal private organizations,” the true mission of the Federal Army’s 60th Mobile Combat Unit was something else. It was to secure the Vision Prism.

‘It would be a disaster if it got even a little damaged…’

The Major thought of his superiors’ instructions. If this matter ended well, he could rise higher.

And then his superior subtly dropped a few words. This was a secret weapon project.

The security documents given to him were covered in black lines, so he couldn’t grasp the detailed aspects of the plan. However, it was enough to understand the objective.

The Vision Prism would become a powerful weapon. A trump card to strike a blow against the four major clans and those monster bastards. A strategic weapon incomparable to nuclear or electromagnetic weapons.

‘I don’t know what the higher-ups plan to create, but it must be an amazing weapon. Those damn clan bastards will tremble when they see it.’

As his past life, where he was scorned as a low-level hunter, flashed through his mind, he scowled for a moment.

‘Anyway, those idiotic subordinates better move well…’

The Major thought. The unawakened soldiers were too slow. Even with expensive equipment like railguns and exoskeletons, they died off frequently.

-Commander-nim! We’ve found the artifact!

Upon receiving the report, the Major brightened as if nothing had happened.

“Good. Secure it, then move to the safe zone immediately!”

**

Unit 451, who was eating and strolling around, saw people arguing at the outpost entrance.

“What’s that?”

Since the Atlas Clan reinforced the inspections, the entrance had long been filled with the loud complaints of dissatisfied people. It took a long time to check with X-ray scanners, metal detectors, mirrors, and all kinds of magical equipment and spells. Everyone was bound to be annoyed.

But this time, the situation was a little different.

“It’s a tank!”

Surprisingly, many Federation vehicles were parked at the entrance. Tanks were at the forefront.

“You know the regulations. This is the Vision Prism! Hand it over immediately. It must be destroyed!”

The clan members were confronting the soldiers. At the front was that old man, Major Marius, whom they had seen yesterday.

The Major, holding a pistol, shouted wildly.

“This is Federal property! Don’t you know that ownership of dungeon artifacts goes to whoever finds it first? You people are suspicious. Are you even hunters?”

“That only applies to ordinary artifacts. This is a dangerous substance, I tell you! We just need to dismantle it here. What’s the problem?”

“So, I’m saying once the elevator is restored, we’ll take it up and do it inside a military base! Safely!”

“If we go outside the gate, the city center is right there! What if it explodes during transport?”

“Just call a transport helicopter. You ignorant fools. Get out of the way!”

As the soldiers argued, Violet and her companions felt a strange vibration.

“What’s that?”

Strange figures were approaching from beyond the passage. Unit 642, who was waiting outside the outpost, cried out in alarm.

“Monsters! Aaahh!”

Immediately after the report, Unit 642 was swallowed by a black, viscous body and died instantly.

It was an advanced monster, a Noxterror. Seeing the sudden tidal wave of monsters, the Federation soldiers and clan members quickly stopped fighting.

And the next moment, I couldn’t help but be shocked. A person wearing a bizarre pointed hat was riding on top of a Noxterror.

“A, a monster rider?”

I cried out in surprise.

“Irene! Daphne! Look over there. It’s a monster rider!”

Now that I looked, people were riding on top of the monsters.

A Slime Rider, wearing a pointed hat, swung a flaming sword and shouted with a voice that echoed throughout the dungeon.

“Heretics, unbelievers! Fear! The time of ascension has come!”