episode_0137

Our Violets are girls who love peace.

However, there are too many selfish and wicked individuals in this world. As Violets who love peace, we cannot stand idly by.

Even the nobles of ancient Rome said, “If you want peace, prepare for war!”

Therefore, I am physically preparing for war. I am learning new combat methods, refining tactics, and continuously studying how to use weapons.

Thus, for the remaining two days until departure for the new dungeon, the Violets repeatedly engaged in simulations and live training.

Currently, this is the Novastia Dungeon. The Violets ran through the gray alleys, which they visited after a long time.

“Advance! Advance!”

The reason for choosing this dungeon was simple: it had ample space and a low difficulty. Even a little deeper, there were few monster hunters, so there was no need to worry about being noticed. It was perfect for simulated training.

I exhaled slowly. As I circulated magic power throughout my body, strength surged. With a lightened body, I kicked off the ground powerfully. I leaped onto a small, two-story high rooftop.

Dozens of girls in black combat suits climbed onto the building’s rooftop one by one. I shifted my gaze.

Beyond, shimmering purple hair was visible between the alleys.

“There she is! Get her!”

The Violets spread out widely. They formed a relatively loose encirclement and slowly closed the distance. Each Violet became a knot in the net.

Irene, without using her unique ability, was relatively slow compared to other Awakened individuals.

Of course, ‘slow’ is entirely relative. My friend’s running speed is incomparably faster than a 100-meter sprinter’s.

“Fire!”

As Violet 52 gave the command, the leading 3rd squad drew their crossbows and rifles and fired.

Bolts without tips and rubber bullets sliced through the air. Irene took cover with agile movements. The bullets and arrows struck the innocent wall and floor by a hand’s breadth.

The chase continued for one minute. Through alleys, rooftops, walls, and inclined structures, our friend skillfully evaded the net, but each time, through information updated by the Violet network, we narrowed the distance and tightened the encirclement.

After kicking away the occasional Scracks that appeared, we succeeded in cornering Irene.

In a corner of the dungeon, the girl stopped with her back against the wall. Irene, seemingly unfatigued, faced us with a calm expression.

“Shoot!”

-Rat-a-tat-tat!

Synchronized movements without a signal, aimed fire without a time difference! A seamless, merciless crossfire struck Irene!

“Ack! She deflected it!”

She casually deflected the bullets with her spear. Furthermore, she swatted away a bolt aimed at her face with her bare hand, as if shooing a fly.

On the surface, it seemed like a meaningless act. However, there is no meaningless action. The continuous firing held her in place, if only for a moment.

“Good! We’ve pinned her!”

While the gunfire made our friend hesitate, the 1st and 2nd squads charged without hesitation through the ranks of the 3rd squad. It was a close charge, enough to feel the air being torn above their heads.

At the precise moment the firing ceased, spear and sword clashed.

“Push her back!”

While the 1st squad blocked her weapon, the 2nd squad charged in. The 2nd squad held nets for capturing large beasts and chains.

-Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Kyaa!”

As the net flew at her, Irene swung her spear to clear it. A Violet who was throwing chains like a snare was struck by the spear and sent flying.

After exchanging several attacks, the 1st and 2nd squads leaped back. The firing resumed. Irene charged without hesitation.

The 1st squad did not retreat but charged in reverse. Since they were too lazy to draw their swords, their firearms were equipped with bayonets.

-Clang!

While the 1st squad pinned Irene, the 2nd squad switched weapons and resumed firing. This time, the 3rd squad charged with nets.

After several skirmishes, Irene raised her hand. She smiled, seemingly satisfied.

“Well done. It seems you’ve understood properly.”

Seeing our friend’s reaction, we also grinned and laughed.

“How was it trying it out? Not bad, right?”

“Yeah, the modified tactics seem to suit us well!”

I nodded at my friend’s words.

The whale hunting tactics Irene taught us had been slightly modified to suit the Violet unit, where everyone is an Awakened individual.

Running through buildings unarmed while pressing the enemy with gunfire, or the rear firing line counter-charging against a counter-attacking enemy, were not part of the original tactics.

Of course, more was omitted. Things like self-detonation or inner-perimeter firing were things our potential enemies couldn’t imagine.

For a brief moment, I had a grand vision of splendidly firing a flare and dying with the enemy in a sea of fire.

“If such a day comes later… I’ll splendidly shout these words.”

“Broken Arrow!”

Once artillery and air force capabilities are in place later, I’ll have to try an honorable last stand too.

“Well, this is just a basic tactic. We’ll have to fill in the missing parts separately. But…”

She pointed her spear at 52.

“You made one mistake. Did you really corner her properly?”

I was puzzled.

“You said to corner her in a blind spot, right? Her back was against the wall.”

I pointed behind Irene. She quietly smiled and shook her head.

“No, Violet. That’s a thought only a non-Awakened person would have. We’re Awakened, aren’t we?”

“…Huh? Ah! Right!”

The moment I realized my mistake, Irene released golden magic from her entire body and charged into the wall behind her. With a loud crash, the wall crumbled like cookie pieces. She escaped through the opening.

“Ugh! Stop!”

“Alright, Violet. Round two begins. Pay attention and run!”

The Violets stood stunned, then snapped out of it when Irene called out. She was running, breaking through the building’s exterior wall. We ran after her, bewildered.

This time, we will definitely catch her!

***

While the three squads ran after Irene, other teammates were also moving with the Violets and trying various things.

However, since not everyone was as durable as Irene, they refrained from using weapons.

“Will that side be okay? Even if it’s not live ammunition…”

“Don’t worry, Daphne. Irene’s body is so tough that pistol bullets are nothing to her. More importantly, keep that shield up!”

“Ugh… Alright!”

Daphne hesitated for a moment, then deployed a modified shield at the building entrance. A horde of Scracks crashed into the flat shield.

“Kwoaark! Kwooook!”

Those short, fat gray dwarfs were screaming in pain and pounding on the shield. Their appearance was like someone desperately searching for an empty stall in a public restroom and knocking on the door.

Of course, that’s because they were currently the test subjects for the new incendiary bomb.

I wanted to confirm the power of the incendiary bomb, so I lured a group of monsters.

Once they followed, I immediately set fire to them and quickly escaped. There was only one entrance to the building.

But Daphne’s shield blocked the way out.

The only way for them to leave that place was through the gates of the underworld.

“They’re monsters, but… it’s a bit pitiful. Is this right?”

“It’s fine. Monsters have no international law, no rights! If you’re uncomfortable, turn your head. Here, a headset!”

Daphne was uncomfortable, but she refused some of the methods I suggested. The Scracks pathetically clawed at the shield with their nails until they turned black and fell one by one.

“Hehe, they burn well!”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t asphyxiate them. Those guys sure have tenacious lifespans.

While Daphne helped me with my weapon experiments, I was conducting a series of experiments with Kalia.

“So, you’re going to try to read my movements in this state?”

“Yep!”

In a quiet open space, I was sparring one-on-one with Kalia. However, it was a bit unusual for a spar. Eight Violets surrounded us.

Before the spar, four Violets stood at the cardinal points (east, west, north, south) around me and my friend in the center.

Then, an additional four Violets came out and filled the gaps between the cardinal points.

A total of eight Violets surrounded the target in a 360-degree range, then analyzed and observed Kalia in the center in real time.

This was a technique applying the sense-sharing ability. For a trial, we started with about eight people.

Voilà, the Violet 3D scanner was born!

“Whoa! Kalia’s movements… I can see them!”

“I see lines! I can read the surfaces!”

Within the network, a Violet wearing a pink wig appeared. The Violet was dressed in jeans and a white jumper.

While I exchanged sword blows with Kalia in reality, the Kalia-cosplaying Violet moved clumsily within the network.

An intense duel unfolded in both the network and reality.

“Kyaa!”

Hmm, unfortunately, the first attempt failed. I was too slow to follow all of Kalia’s movements.

Meanwhile, the sense-sharing and expansion ability, which we called 3D scanning technology, was being used not only for sparring but for other purposes as well.

In one corner where duels were taking place, the Violets were practicing evasion. It was practice for dodging or parrying attacks that came from a turret.

The turret’s name was Lucian Blackveil. His characteristics were that he was an ill-mannered male student and was good at magic.

“Crazy…! Crazy…! If I kill them, it’s not on me! You asked for it! Got it?”

That Lucian scrunched up his face.

At first, he vehemently refused, so I lightly mentioned the relationship between a tenant and a landlord and used my unique ability, conditional immortality, to persuade him.

He reluctantly became the turret.

As glittering magical blades flew towards them, the Violets ran around, dodging.

“Then, if you don’t want to kill them, shoot gently!”

“Actually, you can kill them! Hehe!”

“Are you calling that talk? You crazy bastard! Argh! Please dodge properly! Please!”

Magic arrows flying in the widened field of vision were visible. We ran this way and that, dodging the magic blades.

“Whoopee!”

Thus, the Violets ran this way and that.

Of course, not all Violets were rampaging. The squad moving with Levi was relatively quiet.

With a loud boom, a gigantic beam of light flew from afar and struck.

The observation team Violet looked at the target sheet, revealed through the dust, with a serious expression. It was a miss.

“V-Violet. How is it? Did it hit?”

When Levi, who was inside the base, asked with a curious expression, Radio Violet 752 opened her mouth with a dissatisfied look.

“The first shot missed. Adjust slightly to the left, lower the angle.”

“Alright!”

Once again, the ballista’s string was drawn, and a bolt flew over the building. After two more shots, the bolt hit the target.

“Indirect firing is difficult.”

Long-range indirect firing via shared vision was no easy feat. Especially since I wasn’t from the artillery.

“It’ll be helpful once you get used to it!”

Still, we had to practice. Sniping or indirect firing at kilometer ranges—how useful would that be?

Thus, the training and practice in the dungeon continued.

***

While five team members participated in the Violets’ training and experiments, the large boy was undergoing political indoctrination.

Inside an empty building, several Violets surrounded a boy.

“…I’m not sure. Will this help?”

“Yes, it will help!”

As he hesitated, we spoke with a resolute attitude.

The name of the boy standing before us was Granite Vernius. He was a first-year male student at Polaris Academy.

His distinguishing feature was his height, nearly 2 meters. His main weapon was a massive poleaxe. He possessed offensive power as strong as the weapon he wielded.

However, his will to fight was not proportionate to his offensive power. While not as cowardly as Levi,

seeing as most of our team members could beat monsters as easily as pie, this was a serious problem. Daphne was an exception, as she was a non-combatant!

I thought. He had a somewhat naive and innocent side, but objectively, he was a good kid.

Just looking at how he carried me to the infirmary when I was drunk and asleep showed that.

His past was nothing special either. According to Director Leslie’s investigation, it was as follows:

“-So, it’s true that he came from outside the Academy City.”

“-Yes, that’s correct. His parents left home when he was young, and he was raised by his grandparents. It says he helped with the village’s logging work until his awakening.”

“-In short, he’s a lumberjack.”

The village he lived in was a remote area near the Wall. It was said to be a small village that primarily relied on logging and agriculture.

Thinking about it now, his personality reminded me of a gruff but innocent young man from a rural village.

Being kind is good. But a naive country lumberjack is not what the Violet army needs.

Our comrades must be like this:

Ghost-catching Marines who chew on crayons as snacks.

Warriors of Hell who offer the heads of their enemies to a violent ancient barbarian god and shout for blessings of blood.

Barbarians of terror who enjoy making trophies out of enemy heads!

Men who burn enemy villages in the morning, enjoy throwing children onto skewers for fun at lunchtime to strengthen camaraderie with their comrades, and express their artistic sensibilities by making skull goblets.

Vikings who guzzle strong liquor late into the night, reliving the joy of slaughter!

The Granite we want should be like that. Not a big-boned greenhorn who fears insects and reluctantly fights monsters.

Unfortunately, unlike Levi, this guy had a fairly strong will of his own. It was impossible to instill courage in him in one go.

Fortunately, he was well aware of his own problem.

“Honestly, I’m scared to fight monsters. I still remember the moment of my awakening. That big, hideous maw… If I hadn’t awakened, I would’ve just died in the forest.”

“But you survived, didn’t you? You can do it!”

A process of patiently and slowly injecting courage is needed.

When I encouraged him, Granite scratched his head as if unsure.

As expected, is strength in numbers the answer?

The Violets who were waiting outside entered the room and surrounded him further.

“Granite. From now on, you will become a proud blood warrior! A warrior of courage!”

“W-What is that suddenly…?”

Ignoring his reaction, we continued to inject the idea. The image of a valiant warrior!

“Let’s become revolutionary warriors! Brave fighters of the revolution!”

“Skulls! Blood! Violence!”

“Ugh…! What is that…?”

I kept blabbering into his ear. I also subtly slipped in things that might pique a boy’s interest.

“You take the skull of a monster and offer it to the warrior god! Then you go to heaven!”

“They say you can date 72 beautiful women in heaven!”

“W-Wait, what kind of outrageous nonsense is that? That sounds like too many, I’m not a pervert like that.”

When I brought up harems and holy wars, Granite looked serious. This was my mistake. Was it too outrageous a story?

I changed the subject.

“Let’s forget what I just said. Let’s try something else. Come on, repeat after me. ‘I am a true man!’”

“I-I am a true man!”

“Louder!”

“I am! A true! Man-ah-ah!”

Good. He follows instructions well with this. Now, shall we move on to the next step?

“I like skulls! I like blood!”

“I like skulls! I like blood… Ah. I don’t think this is quite right…”

Ah. There’s strong resistance! It seems we’ll have to go for the long game.

“Repeat after me. ‘Glory of blood to the warrior god!’”

“G-Glory of blood to the warrior god!”

Whether it takes days or months, I will definitely instill courage in this teammate. Just as the Wizard of Oz gave courage to the Cowardly Lion!

There’s no tree that won’t fall after ten axe swings, and even water droplets can bore through rock if they keep falling.

The Violets decided to cling to this boy 24/7 to turn him into a fighter of war like Levi.