episode_0187

With a stomping sound, the army’s footsteps echoed on the floor. From within the shadows, one by one, armed women with fierce expressions emerged from the floor. Even the clear morning sunlight, filtered through the white ceiling, lost its luster before the dark crimson mass imbued with malice.

“I’ll say it again. Can’t you just let us go?”

Violet slowly raised both hands and took a step forward. Small lightning bolts sparked at her feet.

“So stubborn, you can just recruit new subordinates, can’t you?”

While the witch grumbled, Valefor surveyed her forces. Each time he looked around, his monocle glinted in the sunlight.

‘It’s more than I imagined. It was indeed right to evacuate them and handle this alone.’

He assessed the opponent’s level. Unlike the clones he had just faced, these clones had the forms of adults and their presence was extraordinary. The aura from their stances was that of trained elites. To deal with this many, mediocre guards or escort forces would be insufficient.

‘I’ll have to factor in some damage to the facility. If I control it properly, it can be repaired and reused.’

Most of the clones’ faces were expressionless like dolls, but some of them grinned faintly, as if amused by something. Violet circled around instead of approaching. She took a step, like a beast creeping through the bushes towards its prey. Just as he was about to give the assault signal to the clones, Valefor, who had been expressionlessly observing them, opened his mouth.

“Who are you?”

“…?”

“I just received a report. You said you were the Ariel Group, and you even broadcasted it.”

The chairman of Polaris and former president of Magnabis spoke calmly, as if it were someone else’s business. Violet felt a slight tremor in his dry tone. A faint anger and bewilderment that even a superhuman’s suppression couldn’t hide.

‘Broadcast?’

Violet scanned the memories of 721, and only then understood why the wizard was asking such a question. The fake seemed to have done something remarkable.

“But it’s strange. According to the information I have, an organization called the Ariel Group didn’t exist until a few months ago. Yet you appeared here, as if you suddenly fell from the sky. Considering your level of armament and combat power, that’s not something that can be hidden.”

Violet interjected, as if intrigued.

“Oh, and so?”

“…I’ll ask directly. What is the Obsidian Legion’s plan?”

“Stop spouting nonsense, you foolish old man. Let’s say I really am an Obsidian agent. Do you think I’d answer ‘Yes!’?”

Violet retorted with a mocking tone, but the Grand Archmage ignored her and stared. He calmly rebuked her, subtly adjusting his monocle.

“You foolish child. Are you treating this old man as if he’s blind? That’s the Raix-Hybern System. Its form might have changed a bit, but it’s a combat martial art founded by my old comrades. Do you think I wouldn’t recognize it? So, what exactly is Colonel Rogers’ scheme? Answer me.”

No sooner had the last commanding word left his mouth than giant magic circles embroidered the space behind him. Violet laughed as if taken aback.

“I wondered why you were talking, but it was just to buy time!”

Violet lightly waved her left hand upwards.

“So, what’s Sycamore thinking? He said to kill you. Farewell.”

The floor directly beneath where the Grand Archmage stood erupted with an explosion. Thick dust spread from the impact. What flew from beneath the floor were countless javelins.

—Boom!

Several prepared clones charged into the dust cloud. A few sharp clashing sounds rang out. A moment later, dismembered clones burst out from within with a flash of light. The Grand Archmage, having deployed dozens of layers of defensive barriers, soared into the air.

“It’s a valuable facility, but there’s no helping it. Vanish.”

From the barriers adorning the ceiling, hundreds of tracking spells poured down. Countless clones swarmed from all 360 directions like a rainstorm. The Grand Archmage leaped. Several magic circles were wrapped around his legs. What was prepared were leg strength enhancement, acceleration, and blood flow manipulation.

—Thud!

As he retreated, a javelin flew to where he had just been. Valefor calmly fell back further. A chase unfolded beneath the massive arched ceiling. A battle between pursuer and pursued.

Violet charged. She deflected and dodged incoming magic. The Violets kicked off walls and pillars, rushing forward quickly. Following close behind them was a swarm of tracking blades glinting with blue light. They moved with precise motions, like carnivorous fish pursuing prey. A single blade flew from the left and above. Bending her back, she kicked off the floor and spun in the air. Mana burst from her feet, causing rapid acceleration. In addition, the eyes and ears on each clone were linked to the main body, amplifying her senses. Within her vision, expanded hundreds of times, Violet leisurely dodged the incoming attacks. She saw the flashing barrages, the shimmering smoke. She heard the sizzling noise of ether flying through the air.

—Clang!

Occasionally, individual clones would falter after being hit by a light bullet that flew into an opening. As magic rained down on each stopped clone, they were riddled with holes and collapsed. Gaps appeared in the wave of countless clones, numbering over a hundred, but they were quickly filled. While countless clones used chained javelins and harpoons to keep Valefor in check, Violet prepared to leap again.

‘An opening!’

Once again, a technique unfolded. Raix-Hybern Style, Type 1. The Violets flew towards the Grand Archmage like bullets. Valefor’s monocle glinted for a brief moment.

—Boom!

Dozens of clones were repelled by telekinesis. The repelled clones were pierced by magic bullets and tracking spears, and the Grand Archmage extended his left hand. Violet the Witch, who was receiving the attack, felt a crushing pressure.

“Telekinesis, is it?”

Even amidst that, she felt a flicker of interest, wondering if he had pinpointed her main body. A force comparable to the pressure of the deep sea pressed down on her. Without panicking, she brought her left hand to her one-handed sword and rubbed it. A bizarre, red magic formula appeared on the sword. A sound that cleaved the air, a slash that tore through the telekinetic barrier.

“…Ugh!”

Surprised by the keen sensation, the Grand Archmage spread his left palm. Blood flowed from his palm.

“…Grand magic formula, then. This is unexpected. Has the Federation finally succeeded in developing it?”

While the Grand Archmage marveled, Violet charged with an enraged momentum. Displeased, Violet discarded her one-handed sword. What was drawn from the air was a massive halberd.

“Die!”

The main body and clones struck with axe swings. He narrowly dodged the first trajectory, and the second was blocked by a defensive spell. The third one—

—Boom!

Dozens of layers of spells shattered in a single strike. Only after hastily weaving new spells did the axe stop before his eyes. Valefor abandoned defense and went on the counterattack. Vast mana flowed through his metal staff. Numerous spells woven into his two arms. Added to them were muscle strength enhancement, mana amplification, and nerve acceleration. Dozens of flying swords clashed with the staff. No sooner had he barely blocked the clones’ torrent of attacks than the main body’s attack flew in.

—Clang! Clang! Clang!

The longsword, imbued with sword energy, repeatedly struck the staff, creating sparks. The moment he barely managed to block it, Violet, still blocked by the staff, pushed the Grand Archmage back.

‘Where does such power come from…!’

The Grand Archmage was visibly shaken. No matter that she was an Awakener, this was strange.

‘I didn’t feel any mana flow. How…?’

In a critical moment, a mace struck the Grand Archmage. He was sent crashing into the wall, defense spell and all. Like a bowling ball knocking down pins, he broke through three or four walls in a row and flew onwards. Violet pursued him.

“Ahahahaha!”

Another impact, and as the dust cleared, the Grand Archmage was casually brushing dust off his body. He clashed once again with Violet, who had charged right up to him. Each incoming sword strike generated small shockwaves. He observed the flow of mana. More power was felt than the observed mana.

‘No, it’s not that I didn’t feel it. It’s that the way she moves is different. Different from other Awakeners.’

Valefor was certain. The mana flow itself was different. As far as he knew, that kind of superhuman strength could only be observed in two types of beings. One was magical beasts, and the other was…

“You’ve undergone augmentation surgery. Were you also a reinforced human?”

“Wow, correct!”

The moment Violet laughed, a zero-range magic bullet shot flew in. She was hit, staggered, and dropped her sword. Without missing a beat, Valefor raised his staff.

—Whoosh!

A gigantic, tens of meters long spell shattered the wall and flew towards Violet. The auxiliary spells prepared were acceleration, mass amplification, and the main attack spell was Achenberg’s Crystal Sword. A colossal sword of mana flew. It horizontally sliced the main body and three clones directly in front. It cut them down.

“You fell for it!”

And Violet scoffed, swinging her sword and hands in different directions along with her clones. Raix-Hybern Style, Type 2. As a storm cannot break reeds, the counter-attack skillfully received and redirected the immense mass and output.

—Twang!

The mana sword was swung wildly in the wrong direction. The Violets burrowed inward towards the staff, like water gushing through a gap in a broken dam. Raix-Hybern Style, Type 3, Unarmed Combat. The witch’s fists and daggers stabbed and struck. They hit at a speed of dozens of times per second. The Grand Archmage’s protective spell shattered.

“…Ugh!”

Generating a mana explosion, the Grand Archmage barely escaped. The moment he ascended to the ground, ambushing clones revealed themselves.

“Cut them down!”

The clones swung their swords from a distance. Strange lines were etched in the air. Type 4, Slash. A barrage of countless sword energies flew in, lacerating the Grand Archmage. The protective barrier artifacts he was wearing lost their efficacy and vanished. Valefor staggered to his feet.

“How about it, old man? Are you coming to your senses? Can we leave now?”

He quickly prepared a recovery spell. When he looked up, the sight of the witch laughing with an arrogant demeanor greeted him. The Grand Archmage silently glared at her. His face was as motionless as a sculpture. Violet felt a flicker of impatience at his unchanging expression. She knew. Due to her insufficient mana and real-time deteriorating physical abilities, she hadn’t delivered a decisive blow.

‘Damn old man. I hit him that much and he’s still not reacting. There’s no difference between the future and now.’

The Grand Archmage opened his mouth briefly.

“So, was it enjoyable?”

“…?”

Violet tilted her head. Valefor thought. It seemed impossible to fight while preserving the project facility intact.

**

The techniques of early Awakeners were quite primitive. It was simply about striking and slashing magical beasts harder with enhanced bodies. Against magical beasts, which were no different from animals, this would have been enough. Later, when sword energy emission techniques were developed, they easily slaughtered magical beasts protected by ether barriers and high-speed movement disruption fields, saving the soldiers. In the mid to late stages of the war, much swifter and more cunning magical beasts appeared. They moved like humans, employing advanced combat techniques. Awakener soldiers, who had relied solely on strength, began to lose their lives one by one. As the front line wavered, the United Human Alliance brought out a new strategy. Ancient and medieval martial arts, forgotten since the Industrial Age, were resurrected from dusty old tomes. Intricate dueling techniques, passed down through noble families renowned for their martial prowess, were taught to soldiers in trenches and on plains. With blood and sweat as ink, modern Awakener combat techniques were born on the pages of the battlefield.

However, as conflicts between humans increased after the invasion, some soldiers thought. That current combat techniques were merely imitations of existing martial arts, and nothing more than swinging quickly and powerfully. They explored what only Awakeners could do. Two curious soldiers later invented the Raix-Hybern System, or Raix-Hybern Style Special Augmented Close-Combat Martial Arts, named after themselves. The technique developed through countless trials and errors, advancing through generations. As time passed, the technique, which had been buried under the Federation’s obsession with advanced weaponry and high-firepower armaments, was later rediscovered and organized by someone from intelligence who left the military, seeing the light once again. And that fact displeased Valefor. Of all things, the most exemplary successor to the martial art created by his comrades had to be those anti-clan terrorists.

‘With that combat technique created by my comrades, victory in close quarters would never be guaranteed. Unless it’s the armored knights of Restraid.’

He steeled his resolve. To bury that witch-like girl along with the facility. Valefor closed his eyes.

“What, have you given up already? Is this that war hero?”

The witch provoked him once more, charging. As the sword strikes clashed again, she spoke through the mouths of her clones.

“They say you’re the hero of the First Interdimensional Invasion, or achieved great feats in dungeon subjugation, but you’re just an old geezer getting beaten by a youngster. What have you done in a century of living? Hahaha! A senile ghost with nothing to boast about but war!”

The Grand Archmage responded to the provocation in a quiet tone.

“Yes. I may indeed be an old man past his prime, as you say. I merely maintain my youth with the power of mana; in the end, I am but a wraith from a century ago.”

“Wow, you know yourself well. Then quickly, into my hands…”

Valefor spoke.

“So, do you know war?”

“What?”

A shockwave erupted. The Archmage flew and landed on a structure.

“Do you know trench warfare? Have you endured three days and four nights against an army of magical beasts that surged like the sea? Have you ever fought an unyielding battle on Pastella’s frozen snowfields, or on the plains and hills of Lutesia? Your Obsidian brats cry out for struggle. Without even knowing what struggle means. I have seen what the struggle for survival is. Thousands died to advance a single yard. Tens of thousands of soldiers had to die to reclaim a mile of the front line. The world we lived in was such an era.”

“How amazing. So, Master Veteran, you wanted to fight a war, so you messed up the academy and conducted experiments? Many people died too. How amazing.”

The witch sneered. Rarely, personal emotions were mixed in her tone. Valefor considered what she meant, then soon replied with an indifferent attitude.

“Watch your mouth, you terrorist girl. Are you demanding an apology? Leaving aside the impropriety of the situation and the subject of an apology, I don’t do such things for personal amusement, like common snobs.”

“Someone who orders human experiments is telling me what to do—”

“Do you know how many people have died due to magical beasts and gates? Just the casualties from the old war alone number over tens of millions. If you add all the damage caused by magical beasts up to recently, that number statistically exceeds hundreds of millions. I’m merely adding a few tens to hundreds to that. It’s a much smaller number than the people who die in traffic accidents in a year. A sufficiently cheap price to save billions of lives.”

“Wow.”

Valefor raised his staff.

“Do you have anything more to say? The conversation is over. Considering what you and that shallow self-proclaimed Ariel Group have done, I will not let you leave gracefully.”

At that moment, a massive storm of mana raged across the entire project facility.

“You foolish and rude girl. You, born in this era of peace, dared to discuss war before me.”

Magic circles of immense density appeared one after another on the facility’s ceiling and behind the Grand Archmage.

“Therefore, I shall show you what war is.”

Dozens of bundles of melting rays cleaved the facility’s floor. Hundreds of electric orbs falling from the ceiling instantly collapsed the staircases. Violet and her clones urgently ran up the collapsing floor. She concentrated mana on her legs, on the tips of her feet. She stepped on debris, and then on empty air, ascending again.

“This damn…!”

The moment Violet touched the floor, a barrage of sharp thorns erupted from it like a wave. While several clones were impaled, Violet stepped on the air again and leaped up. Countless flames engulfed everything. The witch borrowed the clones’ sight and senses. Within her expanded five senses, she dodged the incoming barrages, twisted, and charged at the Archmage again.

“Charge!”

The Archmage was flying in the air, raining down bombardment. She extended her arm. Several strands of iron chains were generated and stretched out. Swords and scythes were bound to the ends of the chains. Type 5 technique. Vast mana disappeared. Mana gathered on the swords connected to the chains, which then swayed like dancing snakes, burrowing through the barrage. The clones did the same. Dozens of chains targeted the Archmage flying in the air. The chains melted and vanished in the blue flames that erupted from the tip of his staff.

“Damn bombardment…!”

The witch raged. Her past future operation had failed because of this damn compatibility. To have to bleed again here. The merciless bombardment, which paid no heed to the facility’s preservation, wiped out the clones along with the structures. The clones resisted under the main body’s control. They deployed Type 1 and charged. Type 4 slashes, imbued with sword energy, poured in from all directions. The grand magic formula disrupted the magic’s mana.

The Archmage responded. Sid’s Electric Capture Net; the charging clone was electrocuted and halted. Richter-Mile Ether Dispersion Technique. The slashes were cut away and vanished by the closely arranged magic circles in the air. Pharmas’s Fire Dragon. Blue flames engulfed the entire area. The grand magic formula couldn’t withstand the pouring mana and shattered. Clones were engulfed one by one in the firepower and disappeared. Giant swords flew in one by one, dismembering the Violets.

“—Ugh!”

She twisted her body in mid-air. Violet the Witch, who was dodging, had her arm severed by an attack. Violet hastily exchanged her injury with a clone. The clone, having lost an arm, fell senselessly and vanished.

‘Damn it, should I be glad I didn’t get shattered into pieces like last time?’

She didn’t want to use this difficult technique with severe side effects again. She ran through the burning, collapsing facility, looking for an opportunity to approach. In an instant, her mana and her clones were at rock bottom.

‘This won’t do. If it continues like this, it’s over.’

The witch launched her final charge. The clones stopped dodging and distracting. They struggled to cross through the concentrated fire. The clones uniformly generated new weapons. Long, massive rectangular execution blades revealed their might.

‘Damn it, how did Sycamore use this…? No. There’s no need to ponder.’

Although she hadn’t perfectly mastered it herself, this was the only way. The next moment, a gigantic flow of mana poured down from beyond the project facility’s ceiling.

“I don’t know what trick you’re trying to pull. But this facility will be your grave.”

A massive killing ray, which had incinerated the surrounding areas of the rampant dungeon, poured from the sky. One side of the roof melted significantly.

‘Arklight’s Flash…!’

Even as she savored the taste of defeat, Violet and her clones raised their execution blades without hesitation. What they envisioned was the strongest form. The technique that crushed barriers and force fields. Raix-Hybern Style, Type 7. A colossal slash, incomparable to Type 4, flew towards the Archmage. Seeing Valefor’s eyes waver, Violet smiled bitterly.

‘Am I losing again? Well, it can’t be helped.’

As the sunlight poured down, the clones began to vanish.

—Boom!

The facility’s roof, caught in the aftermath of the slash, shattered into pieces and fell to the ground. Violet, engulfed by the heat, lost consciousness. Her body scattered into ashes.

And then, everything fell silent.

**

9:15 AM, Western Sector, Magnabis Group Project Facility.

At the outskirts of the project facility, melted by immense heat, debris was pushed away by telekinesis, making rough noises. Beneath it, Valefor rose to his feet.

“I’ve been hit.”

He sighed, looking at his broken staff and blood-stained elbow. In the last moment, while defending against the incoming slash, his arm was severed.

‘The staff can be fixed, and an artificial arm can be used for the arm. But…’

Valefor staggered for a moment, nearly falling to the ground. Due to the slash that had pierced his body, his suit was torn, and his stomach and chest were drenched in blood.

‘I really got hit. It was dangerous for a moment.’

Violet’s slash, which had partially applied grand magic formula techniques, still remained in his body, hindering recovery and disrupting mana movement. It would be extremely dangerous to encounter another enemy in this state. He would need to recuperate for a while.

‘Where did Sycamore bring such a monster from?’

The Grand Archmage, looking exhausted, sat down on a nearby collapsed wall. In the distance, unknown helicopters could be seen flying in. Judging by their marks, they belonged to the Academy City Autonomous District, dispatched after hearing the commotion.

‘It’s over. Now…’

He closed his eyes in the morning sunlight. Thinking about the tasks that lay ahead, it seemed right to rest now.

Thus, the unofficial battle concluded. Operation Witch’s Hammer was over.