episode_0295

Some time had passed since the pirates were defeated.

With April just around the corner, Violet had a mountain of tasks to handle outside the academy. Matters like self-improvement and island development required enormous amounts of time and effort.

All of these were essential steps to acquire more powerful firepower and to train more members of the Violet Liberation Army.

「Our friends are working hard too! We can’t just stand by!」

「Forward! Always forward!」

Meanwhile, at the research lab, an interview between Unit 2501 and Professor Albert was in full swing.

Various measuring devices dangled from Unit 2501’s body, creating an impressive sight.

In front of him, Dr. Yurik had set up various measurement devices and was filming Unit 2501.

Those devices, which looked somewhat like cameras, felt similar to the detection devices the Federation guys carried during the last Erosion Zone incident.

「So that’s why you asked for money! Was this what you needed?」

The work done at this humble research lab, which we called the Violet Research Institute, was simple.

It was to research our Violets.

According to the professor and the doctor, by understanding and analyzing our unique abilities and the Violet Network, they could make us even stronger.

On top of that, they might even make a great discovery that could shake the world. Though they kept quiet about what exactly it was, saying it was a secret.

「To be honest, I looked it up, but I don’t really know what they’re doing!」

「Expansion of consciousness? The possibility of an anomalous singularity?」

Since the lab was set up in the office wing of our factory building, examining the documents wasn’t difficult, but the specialized jargon everywhere gave me a headache. Still, it didn’t seem like they were doing anything suspicious or nefarious, so I decided not to try to understand it too deeply.

「What in the world is this now?」

Among the towering piles of theses and data, there was even that Sturges guy’s doctoral dissertation.

[On the Establishment of an Anomalous-Ability-Friendly Consciousness System: A Discussion on Gradual Consciousness Expansion Methods Through Aether Wavelength Modulation and Multidimensional Connection]

I opened it out of curiosity, and from the introduction, the author himself seemed to ramble on needlessly with specialized jargon, circling around the point. Why on earth was Uncle Yurik digging up his advisor’s dark past?

“Still no memories resurfacing?”

“No! I feel like I’ve done a lot of bad things, but I don’t really know!”

“I see, it seems it’s still too difficult to awaken your authority. Wait, stop! Don’t try it recklessly!”

As Unit 2501 hastily raised a hand and tried to mutter something, the surprised professor quickly stopped her.

It seemed that the reality manipulation ability they had heard about from us earlier was quite shocking.

“Damn it, I’ve heard it before, but Code Omega… An alien race behind the Great War. It was just a rumor when I was an active Hunter, I can’t believe it’s true.”

Apparently, in the old academy, they taught that gates simply opened like natural disasters, and evil magical beasts and aether poured out from beyond the otherworld, throwing the world into chaos.

It wasn’t much different now.

“Now I’m starting to understand why Valefor and those madmen from Magnabyss tried to do such things. Restraid also said they built a huge war machine. Cordobado’s ancestor and that archmage guy are survivors of the Great War… Ah, perhaps they witnessed something at the end of the war.”

“The end of the war?”

Professor Albert, who had been continuing his explanation, narrowed his eyes and blinked, as if he had just hit upon something suspicious. As if trying to recall an old memory, the professor plopped down into his seat and fell into deep thought.

“It might be a shallow deduction, but let’s assume this. As you would know if you studied history, at the very end of the war, five of the twelve legendary heroes died in succession. These were the pinnacles of humanity, capable of facing even the highest-grade magical beasts alone, single-handedly stopping waves of beasts, and even tearing apart armored legions. You learned this in history class, didn’t you?”

“Adriana Belestan, Cedric Cascadia, and the other three… I forgot!”

“Oh dear, Violet, you said you got all the answers right on the last test, but did you cheat again this time? I had a feeling something was off…”

“Ack! I’m caught!”

Ugh, it’s every student’s tradition to cram for exams, so I don’t know why only I have to get scolded.

“Anyway, the fact that such superhumans, who had survived even in the early days of the war when we were ignorant about magical beasts, suddenly died at the very end of the war, was quite shocking even when I attended Polaris Academy decades later. They said they died fighting alone against hordes of magical beasts, and they even vaguely glossed over those beasts. Back then, we just accepted it, and movies portrayed it that way too. You knew that too, didn’t you, Doctor?”

“Yes, it was like that in the movies I saw too. The scenes of heroes being overwhelmed by waves of magical beasts are still vivid in my memory. Wait a minute, then…”

“Exactly. Now that I think about it, it’s very significant. Violet, as you know from having seen an archmage yourself, those people, even by records, are monsters equivalent to beyond A-rank, reaching Special-rank in today’s Hunter grading system. They are superhumans who can alter terrain and cause disasters by themselves. Simply saying they died swept away by a magical beast army is too vague. It might just be an old man’s unfounded hypothesis, but I would cautiously speculate that their deaths might be connected to the Apostles.”

“Gasp!”

I feel something chilling. Isn’t this the process of unearthing hidden truths in history? It felt like I had become a conspiracy theorist. Even if there was a demonic pizza parlor beneath the academy that summoned mint chocolate pineapple pizza by sacrificing Violets, it wouldn’t be this shocking.

“Well, it’s still just a conspiracy theory level, but it’s certainly possible that some of the Federation’s high-ranking officials and the leaders or upper-class individuals of the Four… no, the Three Great Clans, knew about the existence of the Apostles from long ago.”

A dark shadow fell across Dr. Yurik’s face.

“…Professor-nim, ever since I started working under President Violet, I feel like I’m constantly encountering secrets that are almost taboo to the world. I might not live to a ripe old age at this rate.”

Indeed, the uncle was learning far too many of the world’s truths. Including our existence. As the uncle made a bitter expression, Professor Albert grinned widely and slapped him on the back, saying.

“Hmph, what’s a man worth if he’s that timid? If that’s the case, your research would be far more dangerous! If our research properly takes shape, it could overturn the world’s power structure, you know.”

“What’s that?”

I tried to ask, full of curiosity, but the professor urged us outside as if there was something urgent.

“The measurements are done, so come along quickly. I have something to teach you.”

Suppressing my curiosity, I followed Professor Albert. He stopped in front of the room the professor currently used.

When the professor snapped his fingers and cast a spell, a book neatly tucked away on the bookshelf slowly slid out.

“What is this?”

“These are intermediate offensive spells you probably haven’t learned.”

“Wow! That’s amazing!”

“Last year, I realized it after you stole Dihn-Curen’s Fusion Beam and taught yourself offensive magic. I can, of course, provide methods and advice, but a child like you will learn faster by figuring things out on your own. This old man doesn’t have a multi-personality hive mind like you do. Sweeping away the pirate base with the help of the noble family this time was also your doing, wasn’t it? I heard about it from Irene. From now on, you’ll need an even wider variety of offensive spells.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Don’t thank me, you should thank Professor Sharia. I checked, and your calculation skills have greatly improved, she said. At your current level, I’ve judged that you’ll be able to mass-produce them with Vision Memory without having to blow your own head up.”

I was bewildered by his unexpected words. When had he contacted my academy professor? Last time, he tried to trap me into becoming a graduate student, and it seemed he had been in contact with her ever since. It sent shivers down my spine.

「Gasp! It looks like he contacts Professor Sharia often!」

「Aargh! No!」

“You brat, why are you making such a face when an adult has given you something good? The important part hasn’t even come out yet. Here, look at this.”

Professor Albert said that and handed me a thin notebook. When I opened the notebook, it was densely filled with extremely complex magical formulas.

How many of them were there, I wondered?

“Just one.”

“This entire notebook is just one spell?”

I looked up, puzzled, and saw a hopeful smile on Professor Albert’s lips. That smile held a hint of malevolence.

“And it’s a high-level spell at that. It’s something ordinary first-year academy students wouldn’t dare touch. It’s quite common for them to lose limbs or be carried out half-dead from trying to use it. It feels a bit uneasy, but I decided to give you one, thinking you’d need it someday. This time, try to figure it out on your own. Don’t sacrifice too many clones!”

On the notebook’s cover, written in the professor’s scrawled handwriting, was [Adriana’s Flashstorm].

“Adriana, you mean, perhaps that famous…?”

“Yes, it’s that very Witch of Lightning’s self-devised close-range area-of-effect offensive magical formula. There’s no doubt about its power. The Vanguard guys also enjoy using this spell. But don’t try it recklessly just anywhere!”

Wow, I’m really looking forward to this. I took a peek at the magical formula, and it definitely seemed to be related to electricity. I absolutely have to try it out.

“I’ll be a bit busy with research for a while. If you have any questions, you can ask Lucian. He’s also studying the techniques you’ve received. It would be good to ask Professor Sharia too. I’ve already talked to her, so she’ll teach you everything except for the high-level magic.”

“Yes, I understand!”

In any case, our Violets seem to be getting stronger so easily. It’s truly something to be grateful for, that so many people are helping us.

「We are blessed Violets!」

After the conversation ended, we began to dedicate ourselves to magic training.

「Prepare the Vision Memory chip manufacturing process!」

「Calculation team, start calculations by section!」

A few hours later, the Violets on the uninhabited island, who were attempting to create a Flashstorm-specific Vision Memory chip, turned into electric roasted chickens.

-Boom!

“Aargh!”

“Aaargh!”

「Wow! I’m completely charred!」

「You’re charred! I’m roasted golden! This spell is a bit tricky!」

Its power was much greater than expected. I’ll have to dedicate myself to mastering this spell for a while.

**

Aside from magic training, Violet had numerous other matters to attend to. One of them was visiting Ariel in the hospital.

Recently, Ariel had moved to a wider and more comfortable hospital room, and it seemed that children of similar age were gathered in the recovery room. The children, who appeared to be patients, were spending their time either sleeping or reading books.

“I asked for them and brought them over, but what are all these books?”

“I have to study. I’ve only been playing around until now. I also need to prepare for the academy entrance exam…”

Ariel, lying in her hospital bed, seemed determined to study hard for the academy entrance. Anyone could see that she was a truly diligent beautiful girl. Of course, being bored with hospital life probably played a part too.

「Why won’t this hospital discharge me?」

At first glance, Ariel looked quite healthy. Although she occasionally suffered from inexplicable pain or high fever, it seemed she had gotten much better recently.

“The doctor-nim said that the higher-ranking doctors above are still in meetings, but I might be discharged soon. Then I’ll have to go out and study again, and prepare for the entrance exam! The children competing outside must be working hard even now.”

“That’s true. Then I’ll teach you things like magic power and martial arts! I’m an honor student, you know! I got perfect scores on all my exams this time!”

Hearing my words, an expression mixed equally with doubt and surprise flashed across Ariel’s face.

“…Unnie? Really?”

“It’s true! Here’s my report card!”

Only after seeing the report card herself did Ariel seem to genuinely believe my words. Believing only with proof, was her trust in me still lacking?

“Wow, it’s true. I didn’t know Unnie was good at studying too.”

“From now on, I’ll teach you studying too! If there’s anything you don’t know, just ask anytime! Okay?”

“Yes! Thank you so much, Unnie! I’ll definitely pass. To go to the same academy as Unnie… and for Mom and Dad too.”

Facing Ariel, who was speaking with a bright smile, a heavy sensation suddenly pressed down on the back of my neck. Ugh, what kind of emotion is this?

“Uh… of course! Just trust me! I’m a genius! Alright, so when do you want to start? Tomorrow?”

“Right now is fine too.”

“Alright, let’s start right away then!”

I opened the textbook with a confident expression. Teaching a future junior would surely be a piece of cake.

But, were academy entrance exam questions this difficult?

“…Uh, this is… like this!”

“…Um, Unnie?”

As expected, the gateway to a prestigious academy that nurtures talents to protect the world’s future and peace was indeed high and challenging.

While Unit 2651 struggled to solve problems with Ariel, other Violets were also carrying out their respective missions.

“Violet, please help me!”

“Whoa! It’s Irene!”

On the Carnac Archipelago, the standoff continued ceaselessly, 24 hours a day for a full week. Magical beasts swarmed in endlessly as if pouring out of an underground dungeon, and all sorts of bizarre phenomena occurred one after another.

This cursed land, as if reading our memories, constantly appeared in the guise of false friends, tormenting us.

But every illusion was bound to have a flaw.

“Irene, why are you suddenly speaking formally to me? And why are your breasts as big as Daphne’s? And why did you get so tall?”

“Oh, I guess so. That’s strange.”

“Strange indeed! Take this! Purifying Flame!”

As I unleashed raging fireballs, the illusion in Irene’s form instantly burned away and vanished.

Last time, it conjured a Daphne who looked severely malnourished, and this time, it created an abnormally tall Irene. According to investigations, the Red Zone creates perfect illusions that stimulate the opponent’s trauma, but it didn’t seem to work very well on our Violets.

“I’ll curse you! You ungrateful, cockroach-like woman! To repay kindness with enmity! To be charmed by that Air Force scoundrel and dare to betray me! Me, Cheolkwon, who even fought against the Apostles, to abandon me!”

“How many times do I have to tell you? You idiot! I told you I’d make you a super-heavy tank!”

It was getting tiresome even dealing with Ruzilin’s specter, which popped up over fifty times already. We roamed the archipelago like nomads, resolved to plant dormant bodies wherever we saw fit and incinerate all bothersome organic matter. Tents kept tearing, and ghostly faces would faintly appear on concrete and construction materials, or they would corrode and crumble away, so we gave up on settling down.

「They say the mutation rate of organic matter in the Red Zone is abnormally high! So it’s best to incinerate any perceived enemies as much as possible.」

「In that case, wouldn’t it be better to just burn all organic matter?」

We decided to follow the Federation Army’s standard Red Zone engagement procedures. It wasn’t just something we researched through documents; it was also the official opinion of Major Klein, an active-duty soldier.

“More importantly, how did you know my number?!”

“Oh, that? When we met in the Erosion Zone, I secretly took a peek at your cell phone and put it back. You didn’t know?”

“I’m changing my number. Don’t call me again!”

In any case, based on the advice of the current mobile unit commander, the Violets roamed the archipelago and indiscriminately incinerated all living things that were laughing and playing.

With magic, with gasoline, with incendiary bombs. The island was incredibly vast, and its creatures were incredibly diverse.

“Save me! Please save me!”

“Huh? That deer is talking!”

“Cawwooo!”

Although there were incidents where a mutated deer magical beast tore Unit 421 apart with its magic-infused antlers, and a giant squirrel crushed Unit 2643’s head as if cracking a walnut, we continued the purification work undeterred. At one point, the flames that were burning living creatures suddenly transformed into monsters and attacked the incineration team, but they narrowly escaped the crisis.

「This place is like a haunted house at an amusement park! I don’t like scary things, but it’s okay since we can just smash them!」

「Shall we practice magic here while we’re at it?」

It was impossible to make the Red Zone habitable simply by arson. Currently, no one knew how to completely purify the Red Zone or Yellow Zone.

Still, if there was enough ammunition and magic power, it could be quite an enjoyable experience. Aside from being an Erosion Zone, the island itself was quite beautiful.

If we ever find a purification method, I’ll have to turn this place into our own exclusive resort.

「A vacation spot exclusively for the citizens of Violet Land!」

Savoring the scent of burnt magical beasts permeating the morning air, I indulged in delightful fantasies.

**

Unfortunately, not all Violets could be happy.

Some Violets dispatched to Lumeria and Libraria, the continents located on either side of Academy City, had to endure hardships. The biggest problem was the soldiers who picked fights in the Federation Army’s jurisdiction.

“Stop! You, you’re suspicious. What are you hiding on your person? I need to search you. Come here!”

“Eek! Where are you touching!”

In this military-ruled territory, the regional commander controlled everything, and the Federation Army was virtually god and king. The military police, who patrolled instead of regular police, would often demand bribes or act like vulgar thugs.

“Hmph!”

“Ack…! Grab that woman!”

-Bang bang bang!

Unable to bear it any longer, I knocked down one of the Awakened cadres and quickly fled, then inverse-generated. This place had far more surveillance cameras than Academy City, so I had to be careful.

「These guys here are completely pathetic, should we just kill them all?」

「Hold on! This is their home base. We came here because we were curious about the outside world. Let’s endure a little longer and then go somewhere else.」

This was one of the regions managed by the Federation. The only consolation was the level of these soldiers. The guys swaggering around as military police were levels below the mobile unit soldiers we usually encountered.

Even those mobile units, who were always dying off, seemed like elites by comparison. Their armaments were also merely second-tier weapons.

Instead of electromagnetic rifles, they primarily had gunpowder rifles; instead of powered exoskeletons and thick metal armor, they had auxiliary non-powered exoskeletons and ordinary bulletproof vests.

「Those mobile unit guys, maybe they were actually elites?」

「Nah, no way. Not when they die off like that.」

However, something else annoyed us even more than the Federation Army.

It was that crazy old hag from Eckhart University.

“Alright, hurry up. For a child, you’re already so sluggish. There must be something wrong with your motor cortex.”

“I get it, so just be quiet, Old Hag!”

“Tch, what a temper. That’s why you challenged Magnabyss, I suppose…”

Bernike was so busy, saying she’d finish within a day or two, but then she wandered around trying to handle her company’s affairs. For now, due to personal safety concerns, she contacted the academy to say she would stay in the central region for a while instead of going directly to the university.

It wasn’t difficult to explain the rescue process to the university. We just had to say that while collecting information, the Cascadia military swept through Kurt’s gang, and in the process, rescued the professor and brought her to our side. The university had also probably expected her to be extracted secretly like a special operation, and officially, it was Cascadia who had suppressed Kurt’s group anyway.

Surprisingly, they paid the price without much fuss. Although there were a few incidents after the rescue.

“Hah, these fools. They’re just treating me like a tool. You idiots, especially that dog of a dean! To unilaterally conclude a contract, do they think I’m their servant or something?”

Apparently, the university had signed some kind of contract with those Restraid guys without the professor’s consent. The professor raged, mixing in abstruse legal terms like ‘unauthorized agency,’ but it was already irreversible.

“Please understand, Professor Bernike! The agreement with Restraid is already finalized! The Dean has approved it too! We can’t reverse it now! For the sake of the university…”

“Are you out of your mind? To arbitrarily make a proxy contract without consulting the principal party? You amoeba-brained idiots! Dunhind Security Service, I’ll give you an additional request. Extract the brains of those who did this immediately!”

“Calm down! Just a moment!”

Although the university people were strange characters, it was thrilling to see the professor explode with such desperate rage.

“If it weren’t for the Apostle research, I would’ve smashed that contract with your heads. Those oxygen-deprived brains should be grateful for their luck.”

“Alright, Old Hag. That’s enough now.”

When I once again called her ‘Old Hag,’ a faint shadow crossed Professor Bernike’s face.

“Hmph, there’s a limit to how low one’s intelligence can be. Have you already forgotten the explanation? Did you develop a long-term memory problem? I’d love to do a precise scan to see how messed up your hippocampus is, Ariel Group.”

“No, but you *are* an Old Hag.”

I retorted.

“If you’re such a young and beautiful lady, then why haven’t you gotten married yet?”

At my grumbling remark, the Old Hag snorted.

“Hmph, it’s crystal clear. What fool would throw a woman of such pure beauty and talent, like a single flower blooming on this cliff, into a pigsty? Why should I waste my superior genes on lowly XY-chromosome holders? And don’t misunderstand. I’ve had countless suitors already. But I rejected them all. They were all flawed men, utterly insufficient for me!”

Bernike chuckled, stroking the mechanical tentacles that emerged from her back as if handling a cat.

“From your age, I’ve developed dozens of patents and successfully run numerous companies and research labs, completing major projects. There’s no reason to accept a partner who isn’t on my level. If they want to even hold my hand, they must be flawless, or else have achievements that overcome their flaws. To exaggerate a bit, shouldn’t they be a hero of the Great War? To be worthy of the world’s greatest intellect, they must be at least that level.”

Overwhelmed with absurdity, I blurted out a remark without thinking.

“Why would such amazing men bother marrying someone like *you*, Old Hag? Did you ever ask them?”

For a moment, Bernike let out a sigh as if spitting it out, then shut her mouth.

“…Gulp.”

If looks could kill, that Old Hag’s glare would be no less potent than a Fusion Beam. Little Broca, who extended from her neck, also twitched menacingly, clicking its mouth.

“…How dare you!”

Since she was on the verge of exploding, I showed her the electric shock switch. Bernike, having learned her lesson, fumed in silence until we reached our destination.

「Aha, so this was her weakness!」

「Puhahaha!」

Secretly delighted at having unexpectedly found the Old Hag’s weak spot, I stepped hard on the accelerator.

It was April.