episode_0313

Even past mid-April, we Violets were still carrying out various missions.

“Attack! Attack!”

“No retreat!”

For example, the Violet base located in the Karnak Archipelago was slowly expanding its scale.

Amidst endless threats, I continued to build walls, bunkers, and expand buildings, increasing the base’s area. In proportion, the frequency of monster attacks also increased, and various natural disasters relentlessly struck, trying to drive us out.

“No! I’m being blown away!”

A Violet, caught in a whirlwind, was forcibly lifted from the ground into the air.

“Gah! I’m being swallowed!”

An earthquake occurred, and the earth opened its enormous mouth, swallowing an entire Violet squad that was on patrol. It was as if the entire land was desperately trying to exterminate the Violets.

“These guys! They seem to have gotten even more vicious!”

Why on earth was the Red Zone treating us Violets so harshly? It was a legal principle recognized by both the Federation and the Clans that whoever planted a flag on ownerless land became its owner.

“If you’re land, act like land and let yourself be politely conquered! You communist island!”

To put it in professional terms, this Karnak Archipelago was clearly the Violets’ birthright. Subduing this arrogant Red Zone could be said to be the clear destiny of the Violet Alliance.

“A growl!”

“Die! Just die!”

Unit 232 panted, bringing its fist down on the head of a charging monster. Compared to the monsters they usually encountered, they were becoming increasingly ferocious and tough. It felt as if level scaling was active.

“If we can’t secure a definite safe zone, it’ll end up being a war of attrition.”

What I realized through countless battles was that only by conquering the land itself could the war of attrition in the Karnak Archipelago be ended. I wondered what method could perfectly purify this land.

“Unit 2501, does anything come to mind?”

“I don’t know! And my memories are all of ours. If you can’t remember, neither can I!”

Fragments of miscellaneous information, seemingly from the Apostle’s memories, floated near the lake of our consciousness. Like sugar cubes dropped into a supersaturated solution, they were on the verge of dissolving.

But a few intuitions vaguely surfaced. The Red Zone was clearly deeply connected to the authority of beings called Eidos.

“If we master the authority, couldn’t we make the Red Zone our own territory?”

If we mastered how to use the authority, the day might come when we could elegantly paint over the deep red hues on the map with a graceful purple. If that happened, we’d have to build buildings, a harbor, an airport, and fortresses on this island.

“Purple is the color of ancient Rome!”

And Rome is a republic. Truly democratic, wouldn’t you agree?

“Is that all you want to do? Let’s build strategic weapon bases too. Like nuclear missile launch sites!”

However, if that happened, it would be clear that others would look at us with envious eyes. Setting aside the giant Clans or the Federation, they might even try to violate our private property rights, questioning who dared to monopolize real estate.

To not be intimidated by such individuals, we must always be prepared to shed blood.

-Thwack!

Thus, today, a drama of slaughter unfolded again at the private training ground near the academy.

-Slice!

The approaching spear blade undulated like a venomous snake. Unit 4421’s arm, holding a one-handed sword, fell right off.

“Focus, snap out of it! Your right arm got cut off again. Why do you keep falling for such simple tricks?”

“Ugh, alright.”

When Irene reprimanded them, Unit 4421 awkwardly scratched their head with their remaining left arm, then picked up their right arm and approached Daphne. Daphne let out a short sigh and quickly reattached their arm. The arm reattached so perfectly that it was impossible to tell when it had been severed.

“Um, it’s training, but don’t you think it’s a bit excessive…?”

“No problem. They say training should be like real combat, right? If the injury is too severe, just regenerate before you die. Irene, isn’t that right?”

As if agreeing with my statement, Irene also subtly curled her lips into a smile.

“I agree. It’s a very efficient way to increase combat instincts.”

The training method we were currently employing was an intense fight, no different from real combat. For a more realistic sparring session, injuries were a given. Furthermore, as the scholar-nim had advised me previously, I had recently been attempting training where I avoided death as much as possible. Only then would individual survival rates improve, allowing for longer, more effective combat.

To do so, I needed to exert even more concentration. However, my usual habit of fighting without regard for my body still remained, leading to results like these.

“That’s true, but please be a bit more careful. Body parts severed by sword energy are cleanly cut at a molecular level, so reattaching them is easy, but other cases are difficult. Plus, there’s excessive bleeding…”

“Alright. I’ll be careful!”

Although I replied like this verbally, it was highly probable that my frequent injuries or detached body parts would also be beneficial to Daphne. This was because clinical practice was the most important thing for an Awakener with healing abilities.

“And Daphne has treated countless Violets so far!”

“That’s right! This is all part of learning!”

Lacerations, abrasions, stab wounds, severed body parts, and various types of burns, frostbite. Even corrosion or radiation exposure, bio-bullets or parasites from monsters, and injuries caused by magic. What student could gain such a diverse range of injury treatment experience? Soon, Daphne might even be able to revive someone who’s shattered into pieces, as long as they’re still breathing.

“No, that won’t do. If I turn into Violet slush, Daphne will be sad!”

“And Unit 1211! The fire isn’t out! Kalia, do you know how complicated burn treatment is?”

“Huh? Oh, right! No wonder I smelled burning meat on myself.”

“What, this is driving me crazy! Why isn’t it going out?”

Kalia’s face contorted as she excitedly fired a large-caliber revolver beside me. Kalia quickly came over, grabbed me, and patted me repeatedly. The bright purplish flames that had engulfed my body finally died down.

“There, it’s done. My unique ability has been a bit strange for a few months now. If I don’t consciously put it out, the fire won’t extinguish until everything burns to ash. Why is this happening?”

“Perhaps Kalia has gotten stronger?”

Suddenly, I re-evaluated the current situation. Perhaps thanks to often dragging my friends into dangerous places, everyone’s growth rate had become quite fast. At this rate, perhaps within a few months, we could possess power on par with the main story episodes.

The area burned by the unique ability was scorched black, turned to charcoal. Daphne frowned slightly, opened the first-aid kit, took out a scalpel, excised the burnt part, and healed it.

“I told you last time. The areas burned by Kalia’s flames don’t heal well. Do you know how much magic it consumes to forcibly regenerate them?”

The two of us just stood awkwardly, listening to our healer friend’s nagging.

“Was it that bad? Alright… I’ll be careful using my unique ability from now on. You heard that too, Violet? Let’s try to refrain from combat-like training.”

“That won’t do! You’re the only ones who do this for me. Even Adela Unnie won’t do this for me.”

At my grumbling, questions arose in the eyes of the three beautiful girls.

“The Student Council President-nim?”

“Yeah, she said it was too much of a burden to see me get hurt in bloody fights.”

It was a sad truth. Adela Unnie was quite skilled and there was much to learn from her. However, she felt repulsed by bloody sparring and excessively tried to overprotect me. What was happening in the academy’s training ground at the same time was exactly like that.

-Zap!

“Oh my!”

A training rapier, devoid of magic, slapped my cheek. The magic defense imbued in my skin activated, causing small sparks to fly. In an instant, Adela Unnie flinched, dropped her sword, and rushed over.

“Oh, I died. Let’s start over…”

“Ah! Violet! Are you alright?! What is this?! I told you not to charge in so recklessly!”

“I’m fine, though? I didn’t get hurt.”

The Student Council President-nim, with an agitated expression, shook her head, distressed. Her gloved hands carefully caressed my face.

“Oh my… what if this cute, smooth face gets a scratch…? This flawless skin…”

“But I’m fine…”

“But I’m not fine! Violet is our academy’s treasure! As expected, I was too careless. I need to set up more safety measures. What should I order—”

I’d have to wait a long time for Adela Unnie to train me like Irene did.

“…Anyway, break’s over, let’s train again!”

After receiving healing, I picked up my sword and headed back to the training ground. As I resumed sparring, I suddenly flinched at the sight before my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. I ran into some bandits in the dungeon!”

Accustomed to my simultaneity, my friends reacted nonchalantly.

“Really? That’s good then. Consider it part of your training.”

Kalia also chimed in, reloading her bullets.

“Targeting Violet, what kind of idiots are those?”

Actually, I targeted them.

**

There’s a saying that if five people gather, one of them is bound to be trash. Violet, who had only associated with kind friends, once again realized the cruelty of this world.

I had forgotten, but there were surprisingly many human wastes among people.

“Haha! They said it was a popular Clan, but they’re weak, aren’t they?”

Furthermore, in a world with billions of people, the number of ‘trash’ would surely exceed a hundred million. Just like the thugs growling in front of me now.

Currently, Units 3344 and 2421 were in the Respero Wasteland. It was also the place I had visited with Sophieel in the past and gotten into a fight with the Armored Knights. The reason she came here was for an assignment. After completing a small assignment given by the academy, Violet, intending to pick a fight out of boredom, stepped into a deep valley within the wasteland. That’s when she encountered a commotion. Out of curiosity, she peeked her head slightly between the rocks.

“Wow, a fight!!”

A rough battle was unfolding slightly below the valley, amidst the dust.

A group of rough-looking tattooed hunters were clashing with relatively neatly dressed hunters. It was a conflict between Clans, something often seen.

Unfortunately, by the time Violet witnessed it, the battle had already been decided.

-Crash!

“Aargh!”

Surprisingly, the one leading the charge was a hunter clad in armored combat gear. The one who appeared to be the leader of the thugs unilaterally crushed his opponents, using the armor’s defense and his strength as weapons. The armored combat gear looked somewhat old, but it was similar to that of the Armored Knights. Because of this, Violet initially wondered if Restraid was being tyrannical again.

“No. It’s older than I thought? And it has no shine!”

“For Restraid, it looks a bit shabby.”

At one Violet’s observation, the collective consciousness quickly activated, leading to a synthesis of thoughts.

Indeed, it seemed far from the Armored Knights who usually kept their armor gleaming and meticulously maintained. It was unimaginable for Restraid, who strictly adhered to appearance and discipline.

“If they managed their armored combat gear like that, Cordo would’ve probably chopped off their head.”

The fight ended in the blink of an eye. All that remained were the porters.

“Hah, did you see that? I told you to just put the goods down nicely and leave. Do you think human words are funny?”

“P-please spare us!”

The porters were terrified. As the surrounding group cackled, the man in armored combat gear took off his helmet and stepped forward decisively.

“Yeah, I warned you. I said I’d let you go if you put everything down. This is the price for ignoring Sir Levin, the Leg Slicer!”

“Aargh!”

Unit 3344 frowned. The porters died instantly from the crossbow bolts fired by the bandits. Based on the information observed, the Violets mobilized their collective consciousness.

“Opponents appear to be bandits. Total 9 people, searching through things? They’re taking spoils. Looks like profit is their motive.”

“Checking the other side. Based on their armament and equipment, six hunters, ten porters. The exoframes and magic-resistant equipment indicate the porters are non-Awakeners. All three Mech Hounds destroyed. No survivors. Don’t know which Clan, but they seem to be a small-scale gathering and excavation team. Why did they mobilize so many porters?”

“The terrain is rugged from here, isn’t it? It’s a place where vehicles have difficulty entering.”

The Violet on duty at headquarters asked how we would respond.

The timing was too late to rescue them. In that case, it would be a person’s duty to exact revenge.

The villains’ wails would become a requiem to comfort the dead.

“Judging by their tone, they seem to be actual bandits.”

“Let’s use them for training!”

The Violets thought this was a good opportunity. These were bandits who had murdered innocent people. Legally and morally, it was right to slaughter them.

This was a chance to practice fighting and surviving for as long as possible in a real combat situation.

Unit 3344 took out a crossbow. They loaded a single bolt and concentrated their magic. Magic extended from the grip, flowed through the circuits embedded in the body, and enveloped the bolt.

A red line cut through the air. The slowly flying bolt was blocked by the sword swung by the armored hunter. Though there was no intention to hit him in the first place, Violet once again realized the limitations of crossbows and bows, letting out a short click of the tongue. Since his helmet was off, if it had been a fast bullet, it might have blown his head off.

“What? Who’s there?”

Violet stroked her wig a few times, then revealed herself from behind the rock.

“You there, in the armored combat gear! Surrender!”

-Thud!

The response was immediate. The armored bandit leaped and landed right in front of Violet. Unit 3344 frowned at the rising dust. The bandit pointed his sword and spoke.

“Little girl. You saw everything, didn’t you?”

“Yep, you’re a bandit, aren’t you?”

Levin chuckled at the sudden provocation from the red-haired girl. He didn’t know which academy she was from, but she seemed like a naive girl caught up in a thirst for recognition.

“It’s also recorded on the black box! I’m going out to report you.”

The girl threatened him, pointing to a small plastic box hanging on her chest. Levin was dumbfounded. What on earth was she relying on in this deserted corner of the dungeon?

“Hah, this is ridiculous. Hey, since I’m in a good mood right now, if you hand over that black box, I’ll send you back unharmed. Got it?”

Saying that, Levin extended his hand. She was more interesting than he thought, so he felt like pretending to be lenient. His intention, however, was to have his subordinates embed bolts in her back the moment she turned around.

But the girl responded to his offer with her sword.

“I refuse!”

The red sword struck his breastplate. Magic clashed with magic, leaving only a scratch on the armor plate before fading away. Levin gestured to his approaching subordinates, pushing them away, then lightly chuckled and thumped his chest.

“Why, surprised? This is carbonite composite armor, you idiot! It’s Restraid-manufactured armored combat gear I got from the Surcliff black market. The very stuff those Armored Knights wear!”

Unit 3344’s eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s really Armored Knight armor?”

“Yeah, it’s an old model, but so what? Did you change your mind? Too bad, you’re dead here, you bitch.”

Sword strikes exchanged multiple times. Most of the attacks were blocked by the armor.

The persistent fight continued.

The next moment, Violet fell to the ground. A hollowness was felt below her knee.

“Kyaaah! My leg!”

Feeling a sense of pride in acting according to his alias, Levin grabbed the girl’s neck and lifted her.

“Let go!”

“Say goodbye to the outside world’s air.”

As the artificial muscles hummed and contracted, his grip violently squeezed her neck.

“Gag!”

The lifeless body slumped to the ground with a thud. Levin gestured to his subordinates.

“If there’s anything to loot, grab it quickly and burn it! We’re done for today—”

The girl’s corpse suddenly began to burn unnaturally.

“B-boss! That girl! Her corpse!”

“What. Why is it doing this?”

-Boom!

The corpse shattered into pieces and scattered. The startled bandit group gasped at the bizarre phenomenon, but something even more shocking occurred.

“Let’s fight!”

The red-haired girl who had just died came charging out from the top of the valley once again. Levin was dumbfounded, but once again, at the end of the fight, he cut the girl down.

“What, is it a unique ability? Or magic?”

“Maybe it’s something like puppetry?”

Just as he was about to concede to the advice of his educated subordinate. The girl reappeared.

“Let’s fight!”

Only then did the bandits instinctively realize that something was terribly wrong.

It was too late.

The prelude to the Violet Loop had begun.