episode_0219

‘Anyone who saw her would think she was a genius of the century.’

At the time, she said with an agitated expression.

“That student, Violet, has incredible potential. She solved a problem I gave in Ether Mechanics class in an instant. Right there on the blackboard! Can you believe it? A mere first-year?”

He remembered. The meeting during the transfer exam.

Wasn’t she one of the professors who had a negative impression of the student named Violet just a few days ago?

“Ah, you mean that student? Didn’t you say last time that she seemed excessively violent and had personality issues…”

“That’s true. But in other aspects, she’s a child with tremendous potential. Of course, character education should go hand-in-hand. If we just correct her twisted ethical sense, she’ll become a great talent in the future!”

Recalling the conversation, Professor Masus shook his head.

‘Well, I won’t know unless I see it for myself.’

Then the professor threw a light taunt at Violet.

“Oh dear, student Violet. So how will you perform in a real fight? Don’t worry. I’m not expecting much anyway. It’ll be over in about 5 seconds. Come on out now.”

As expected, the girl named Violet walked forward, not hiding her irritation.

‘She’s still a child. To fall for such a childish taunt.’

Seeing her rush forward with a pouting face, she looked sulky.

A smile bloomed at her cute appearance, but the professor soon adopted a serious expression.

‘Alright, shall I see that potential?’

“Alright, are you ready?”

“Yes!”

“Then, begin!”

Violet’s sword flashed like lightning. Professor Masus raised his sword and blocked it.

-Clang!

A metallic sound echoed through the training ground.

The attack didn’t end there.

With agile movements, she rushed forward again.

Large movements, a blade swung widely as if facing a giant wave. Flashy and dynamic movements.

‘Come to think of it, this student, the academy she attended before transferring was…’

The professor recalled.

This was probably Polaris’s unique swordsmanship.

Professor Masus blocked the strike with a balanced stance.

Stable and defensive movements shone.

Violet continuously attacked from the side, and the professor twisted his body to easily dodge.

“Ohh…”

-Swish! -Clink!

Before he could even finish speaking, Violet’s offensive continued. A fierce aura emanated from her entire body.

-The air shrieked!

The strike cleaved the air. The powerful sword-wind disrupted the surrounding aura.

The professor simply blocked it with a horizontal sword, but the girl’s attack was considerably powerful compared to students her age.

‘This skill… Polaris’s swordsmanship isn’t everything.’

A realization suddenly flashed through his mind. Behind the flashy movements, another essence was glimpsed.

Free and rough movements, crude yet deadly techniques one might see in real-world street fights.

Professor Masus’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

‘That upward strike just now is a technique an enforcer might use. It comes from experience.’

A storm of blades poured forth with bright flashes. The girl raged like a fierce beast.

Sword strikes flew to contain the rampaging beast.

The professor’s stable movements were like bars caging the beast, batting away each attack.

“Hyahh!”

-Clink! Clink-clink!

Sometimes he quickly dodged to the side, sometimes he parried Violet’s sword away with powerful force.

A series of clean, unblemished movements.

In the close combat where sharp metallic sounds continuously rang out, Professor Masus couldn’t help but admire Violet’s skill.

‘Her swordsmanship is quite clumsy, but her instincts and senses are truly excellent!’

Professor Sharia’s words came to mind again. This child’s potential was beyond imagination.

Suddenly, Violet exclaimed.

“Professor! One minute has passed!”

“Hm?”

“You said five seconds?”

Seeing Violet repeat his own words from a moment ago, the professor chuckled in admiration.

“Yes, I was wrong.”

While curiosity was piqued, Professor Masus swung his sword with a determined glint in his eyes.

“Then, let’s see this through to the end! Hahaha!”

It wasn’t a joke; serious sparring had begun.

The skirmish grew increasingly heated.

**

-Clink! Clink! Clang!

Successive metallic sounds echoed through the training ground.

Violet’s and Professor Masus’s swords clashed like lightning, sending sparks flying.

“Wow… that’s a first-year student? Not our seniors?”

“Even the seniors can’t do that much! Only student council members have the skill to last this long sparring with a professor!”

The students gathered nearby watched the two spar with eyes filled with awe.

It was a skill level that would make anyone who underestimated her, just hearing she was a first-year, fall flat on their face.

Professor Masus also couldn’t hide his surprise with every clash of swords.

To think a first-year transfer student possessed such remarkable skill.

‘It’s still awkward, her movements feel disconnected. But her reaction method is quite excellent. Is she really a first-year?’

His mind was full of questions.

Those flashy and agile movements were indeed Polaris’s unique swordsmanship, but apart from learning, there were many awkward aspects.

It was like wearing clothes that didn’t quite fit.

‘Still, this child has potential. Professor Sharia was right!’

He even felt that if she were given a few more years, she might soon surpass him.

-Clang!

The two powerfully clashing sword blades repeatedly separated and re-engaged.

A fierce offense and defense continued for over 10 minutes.

Professor Masus, looking at the panting Violet, spoke.

“You seem quite tired. It’s fine if you forfeit…”

“No? I can do this all day!”

Violet grinned and shouted. The professor, feeling proud of her, replied.

“Is that so? Then let’s pick up the pace.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Professor Masus’s sword flashed like lightning.

-Whoosh!

“Kyaaak!”

Violet, surprised, quickly raised her sword to block. But the impact felt like her entire body’s bones were rattling under the pressure.

「Fast!」

Violet began to falter.

**

In fact, Violet’s strategy was simple.

The core was Violet’s 3D Scan.

「Phase 1: Observe the opponent’s movements with multiple Violets!」

The process was simple. Generate multiple clones, then observe from all 360 degrees and recombine the senses.

This method was a technique that applied the motion imitation skill she used simply during sparring with friends, and Violet’s Strategic Map Formation ability.

While the students’ attention was focused on the sparring, the disguised Violets pretended to be other students and observed the professor from all directions.

「Phase 2: Use the imitated technique on the instructor and elicit a response!」

While Professor Masus and Violet Unit 782 were engaged in fierce sparring in the indoor training ground of Aegis Academy in the Southern District, Violet Unit 1281 was battling Instructor Frederick within the Central District base.

「Phase 3: Imitate the instructor’s counter-measures and use them on the professor!」

There was no time lag in the Violet Network.

If she faced the two of them alternately like this, theoretically it would be possible to directly adopt the opponent’s skill and confront them.

That was Violet’s strategy.

「If I do this right, I can easily win!」

「My skill will improve too, right?」

The Violets swung their swords with triumphant hearts.

In this situation, the most bewildered person was Instructor Frederick.

-Whizz!

The violent storm of swords, which had been raging, was suddenly blocked. The girl freely parried the onslaught, which was like a raging torrent.

‘This brat, she suddenly rushed at me… and what is she using now?’

The instructor was surprised by his student suddenly using swordsmanship he hadn’t taught her.

As he knew it, Violet’s techniques were hasty and violent, like a beast. Yet now she was exhibiting restrained, defense-oriented movements.

‘Stable posture, firm defense and counter-attacks, unmoving stance.’

This was clearly Aegis Academy’s swordsmanship.

But how? It had only been a few days since the semester began.

Instructor Frederick frowned at the sight of Unit 1281 repeatedly making somewhat clumsy attacks.

‘Unless she’s copying from a video… wait.’

Sensing something amiss, he asked Unit 1281.

“…Violet, where did you see this and copy it?”

Violet, startled, averted her gaze and replied.

“Huh? Oh… no! I never did that.”

Unit 1281 quickly denied it, but the instructor’s gaze was sharp.

‘This brat… she’s hiding something. Could it be?’

Instructor Frederick, sensing something intuitively, took advantage of Violet’s retreat to survey his surroundings.

Sure enough, the other Violets surrounding them looked unusual.

“You brat, what are you doing at the academy right now? Sparring?”

Unit 1281 was sweating profusely. But there was no way to avoid Instructor Frederick’s sharp gaze.

“Don’t even think of deceiving me! It’s written all over your face. I can see you’re sharing senses with your clones and copying my movements.”

“Ugh, Kyaah! No!”

At the instructor’s words, Unit 1281 didn’t know what to do. Violet’s sword tip trembled, her thoughts exposed.

“And the swordsmanship you’re using now, probably…”

Finally realizing the truth, Instructor Frederick burst into a disbelieving laugh.

“Hah, look at this impudent brat. To think she was waging proxy battles between professors using her unique ability.”

“Gasp! Caught!”

Frederick, realizing that admiration and exasperation could coexist, decided to play a trick on this naughty student.

“You’re quite talented. Then try imitating this too!”

Instructor Frederick’s movements became even more complex and flashy.

Soon, the Violets were overloaded with information pouring in from both sides.

「Ah, no! I can’t follow!」

Violet’s mind went blank.

She had managed to imitate them at first, but now, even trying to use the techniques of the professors and instructors, they weren’t being properly executed.

Disoriented by the discrepancy, the Violets’ movements gradually began to slow.

“Eek!”

At some point, the scanner Violets felt dizzy and staggered. This was due to not being able to process the excessive amount of information.

Between imitation and instinct, Violet struggled as if in agony.

「Am I still lacking?」

As the skirmish reached its climax, Violet’s defensive stance became evident.

Polaris swordsmanship’s characteristic large and violent strikes rained down, but they were helpless against Aegis swordsmanship’s stable defense.

-Whoosh!

Professor Masus’s sword flashed like lightning. The sharp blade narrowly missed Violet’s vital spot. Violet, startled, twisted her body to dodge.

-Clang!

At the same time, in a different location. As if in sync with the professor, Frederick powerfully struck Violet’s sword.

Pushed back by the impact, she staggered and regained her balance.

Sweating profusely, Violet muttered to herself.

「It’s too embarrassing to retreat like this!」

「Too many people are watching! Let’s hit him with one good strike!」

Violet Unit 1281’s face was drenched in sweat. She gritted her teeth and clung to Instructor Frederick.

Violet Unit 782 faced the professor with tension. She charged towards Professor Masus, who stood like an unyielding fortress.

Once again, sparks flew as the intense clash continued. The tips of both Violets’ swords trembled as if about to be extinguished, like candles in the wind.

“You’ve worked hard. Let’s finish this now.”

“Let’s end this game. You little rascal.”

At the same time, in a different location.

The descending swords were identical.

「Ack! I’m losing!」

「Just one more time!」

A cry like a desperate prayer. Violet’s will resonated as if piercing through both locations.

It was that moment.

A certain movement flashed before Violet’s eyes.

「Sophieel unnie?」

「No, this is…?」

Violet, the girl, moved her arm without realizing it.

Following the sword path swung by a woman with an appearance that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

[···■■ Form 2.]

What followed?

-Boom!

With a loud boom, a roaring sound echoed inside the training ground.

Professor Masus, startled, countered Violet’s sword. With a powerful impact, she was sent sprawling backward.

“Hyah!”

-Clang!

Violet’s sword shot into the air. Instructor Frederick flinched, took Violet’s attack, then disarmed her.

“Ugh…”

The battle was decided in an instant. The Violets got up from the floor with tear-streaked faces.

“…Student, that technique just now. Where did you learn it?”

Professor Masus, with startled eyes, asked the question. Violet tilted her head and replied.

“I don’t know! Something just popped into my head, so I copied it…”

The professor’s pupils trembled.

What he had just witnessed was not a technique a mere student could create.

If Violet’s words were true…

‘This child truly is a genius!’

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away in the Central District, Frederick’s reaction was similar to Masus’s.

However, even more questions arose in his mind.

‘How, how did she learn a technique like this?’

It was a technique he had never seen before. She claimed she did it instinctively, but the instructor pondered for a moment if the Violet he knew was a child with such talent.

‘What on earth was that counterattack technique just now? I’ve heard somewhere that something similar exists…’

His thoughts were brief. He then saw Unit 1281 trying to sneak away, gauging the situation.

“You, where are you going?”

“Ah! Please spare me!”

Violet fled outside.

**

While the Violet at headquarters was eventually caught and scolded by the instructor, the Violet at the academy couldn’t understand the current situation.

「I’m dizzy…」

Her head throbbed, perhaps a side effect of the excessive 3D Scan.

“Alright, everyone, applaud!”

Despite ultimately losing, the person in front of her, Professor Masus, suddenly launched into a long speech, explaining the sparring match to the students with incomprehensible words, then suddenly told them to applaud.

What was even more absurd were the first-year classmates in front of her.

“Waaaah!”

“Wow! Damn! That was amazing!”

“Violet! Violet!”

“So strong!”

Upon hearing the professor’s words, they began to clap wildly and cheer. We were simply dumbfounded.

「Why are they acting like that? Are they hypnotized or something?」

Even her friends were slowly clapping with blank faces. Our Violet had to endure a barrage of applause.

「Why are they acting like that? Are they hypnotized or something?」

Not understanding what was happening, I finished class and returned to the dormitory.

And the next day.

“Student Violet? A demonstration, please…”

“Student Violet. This problem…”

Violet began to receive an outpouring of obsession from the professors.

「Why on earth?」