episode_0248

Violet’s search operation faced high difficulties from the start.

“I can’t see! It’s too blurry!”

The identity of the transparent monsters was unclear. Searching through the list of monsters in my head, there were a few that possessed cloaking abilities, but it wasn’t certain what exact type they were.

Still, the countermeasure was simple. Just unleash a wide-area attack.

“Fire! Fire! Just shoot!”

To deal with the invisible monsters, our Violets unleashed indiscriminate gunfire. Bullets continuously hit the blurry silhouettes that dashed along the walls and floor. The monster’s cloaking dissolved, revealing its form. It was a monster shaped like a lizard, twice the size of a human. It thrashed, swinging its claws.

“Roar!”

The monster’s claw sliced me and my rifle in two. But it was too late.

“Remember me!”

Because I had pressed the switch before my upper body was severed.

-Bang!

No. 1264 was engulfed in an explosion along with the monster. These idiotic beasts had burrowed among us, but that was no problem for us Violets, who feared no death.

“We got it! But what exactly are those things?”

After the battle, the bodies of the uncloaked monsters lay strewn across the floor. They resembled reptiles, but their two pairs of front legs, differing in size, and multiple eyes were striking. The Violets speculated on the identity of these monsters.

“Huh? Was there a monster that looked like this?”

“They’re types I’ve never seen before.”

We examined the corpses closely, but they weren’t any species I knew or had learned about. All we knew was that these creatures had pursued and killed people.

As the Violets pondered this bizarre situation, an alarm blared in their minds.

“Command reports! Alert! Alert! Multiple unknown monsters approaching!”

No sooner had the warning been issued than the screams of the ward Violets erupted.

“Aargh! No!”

“I’m going to die! Ugh! I’m dead!”

Numerous enemy signals swarmed in, and one by one, the lights illuminating the Violet tactical map went out.

Soon, the Violet reconnaissance units patrolling the city encountered a deluge of monster attacks.

One reconnaissance squad was ambushed on a building rooftop by a group of cat-like monsters that pounced on them.

-Rat-a-tat-tat!

“Above us! They’re Felinets. Fire!”

“Command! Command! Enemies are swarming from all directions! No, I’m getting torn apart! Ugh!”

-Rip!

If there was one advantage monsters had over humans, it was mobility. We were frantic, trying to respond to attacks pouring in from all directions.

Meanwhile, inside a building a little further away, the ground beneath the feet of a reconnaissance squad, who had been guarding the surroundings, trembled.

“Wha— what?!”

Mole-shaped monsters burst out from under the Violets’ feet. They each grabbed our ankles and dragged us underground.

“Aargh! I’m being pulled in!”

“No!”

Feeling a sense of crisis, the Violets requested air support.

“Air squadron! Requesting immediate air support!”

Just as the hang glider squadron slowly began to bombard the monsters on the ground, a whistling sound cut through the wind.

-Whoosh!

Stingray-shaped monsters, Centinox, soaring leisurely in the sky, swooped down, targeting the hang gliders. As they spewed magic like fire, the hang gliders were engulfed in flames one by one and crashed.

“Evade! Evade immediately!”

Monsters are coming. From the ceiling, from the floor, from the streets. Hordes are swarming from all directions. Creatures of unfamiliar shapes, wielding unusual abilities and erratic tactics, brandish their malicious teeth and claws. They breathe fire. They explode.

-Boom!

We felt perplexed. For the first time ever, our Violets were outnumbered and outmaneuvered in coordination.

“Aargh! I’m being pulled in!”

The Violet tactical map was soon stained with the fog of war, gradually darkening. Amidst the chaos, the monsters began to do something peculiar.

“Whoa, guys! I’m being taken!”

“What?!”

In the midst of a fierce battle, a monster grabbed No. 881 and began to flee with her. A startled No. 881 immediately self-destructed. Before we could feel bewildered, similar reports kept coming in.

“Monsters are kidnapping us!”

“Ugh! They’re pervert monsters!”

We reacted immediately. As soon as the Violets were dragged away, they pulled grenade pins or activated their bomb vests.

-Boom!

After this repeated a few times, the monsters stopped kidnapping us and attacked us again.

“Don’t fight! Hide as much as possible!”

“Retreat! Retreat!”

The Violet reconnaissance units pulled back. The bright lights that had illuminated the fog of war on the Violet tactical map vanished, leaving only faint glows seeking refuge.

“They’re pushing harder than expected?”

The Violet command scratched their heads, looking at the map. This was the first time they had seen monsters attack so persistently. It was as if they were being given orders by someone.

“We’ll temporarily postpone large-scale reconnaissance! The remaining reconnaissance units will move stealthily!”

Command changed its policy. The Violets who had penetrated deep beyond the ruins put on camouflage nets and hid in the shadows. The remaining Violets ran desperately, chased by the monsters.

One reconnaissance squad, retreating diligently, felt something strange.

“Huh? That’s odd.”

At No. 812’s observation, No. 1220 tilted their head.

“What is it?”

“Look closely, they’re not following us anymore?”

We looked in the direction No. 812 pointed and felt puzzled. The monsters that had been chasing us like mad just moments ago retreated right before our eyes. As if there was an invisible line in front of their feet that they couldn’t cross. The hesitant monsters then vanished silently into the buildings, as if the fight had never happened.

“This is the Air Squadron, the stingray guys… they’re retreating. What is this?”

The hang glider squadron, which had been fleeing like sparrows chased by raptors, also experienced the cessation of pursuit. The Centinox swarm, as if having lost interest, flew back into the sky and disappeared.

“Huh. What on earth…”

Their relief was short-lived, as an inexplicable unease lingered in the Violet network. A whirlpool of thoughts churned.

“Were there monsters that kidnapped people?”

“There were, but those monsters are of a different kind, right? These aren’t them.”

The instincts of monsters depended on what animal their original form was before mutation. However, today was different. Regardless of species, every monster attempted to kidnap a person at least once. They even awkwardly stopped their pursuit. This wasn’t a matter of instinct.

“It’s strange…” Except for certain types, monsters don’t usually move with such agility.

It wasn’t a coincidence; all Violet reconnaissance units experienced this bizarre phenomenon.

What on earth is in this city?

Pondering amidst the sense of crisis, Command made a decision.

“Tanks and helicopters, camouflage complete?”

“Yes, if Irene is right, no one knows our affiliation.”

While the small reconnaissance units moved stealthily, the deployment of heavy equipment began.

“Start deploying rockets and artillery!”

“Hibernation Violets, magic restoration ready!”

The best option was to secretly find their friends. But if that failed, they would push through with firepower.

**

Outside the barrier, the Federation soldiers were moving busily. A soldier was sweating profusely as he carried boxes of supplies with his comrades. As a former dungeon worker, such physical labor was familiar to him. Until he joined the army, carrying loads was his daily routine.

“Hey, look at that.”

A fellow soldier carrying luggage next to him gestured with his chin towards the distance. The soldier raised his head. A strange light emanated from beyond the massive barrier. With the barrier between them, people were trying to communicate with the indistinct figures inside.

In the sky, helicopters from private news agencies hovered, reporting on the situation.

“What, never seen a helicopter before?”

“No, not the helicopter. Idiot. Look there.”

His comrade pointed towards the command post. In the distance, in the direction of the command post, people in suits were seen coming and going, talking with officers. Some were in different school uniforms, undoubtedly Awakened students.

“Looks like academy and clan officials, huh? Why?”

The soldier asked, and his comrade muttered admiringly.

“Wow, do you see that female student? The blonde one.”

“Who? Oh, the wavy hair? Ah, Aegis Academy uniform.”

“Yeah, must be from a good family, huh? Her aura is just different. Wow…”

At his comrade’s reaction, the soldier clicked his tongue briefly. Another squad member nearby grumbled.

“Bullshit, aura my ass. They’re clearly here because of their students. Like, ‘Please save our kids.’ If they’re Awakened, why don’t they go in themselves? Why make us do it? Right?”

“What can we do? That’s the fate of us dirt dogs, I guess.”

The three men laughed self-deprecatingly and started carrying the luggage again. Around the outpost where they stood, busy soldiers filled the area. Military trucks and armored vehicles moved hectically, and the command tent constantly buzzed with radios relaying orders. When the work was done, the soldier discreetly headed to a corner with his comrade. As he took a puff of his cigarette, the briefing from a few hours ago flashed through his mind.

“You’ve already been informed, but I’ll explain it once more.”

The company commander stood tall before the soldiers and began to speak in a firm voice. His short brown hair and rugged appearance were as usual.

“Our Mobile Unit 3rd Company will enter that barrier, secure the convention center area. After that, you’ll protect the civilians inside while we establish a passage connecting the barrier and the outside.”

The soldier thought. It was a predictable mission, after all.

Unawakened soldiers were always given a predetermined script. To be deployed to dangerous areas as the vanguard and hold out until the Awakened could truly shine. Sometimes they were assigned miscellaneous tasks like clearing out lower-tier monsters and occupying areas, but there were also times they became assault troops and were sacrificed.

A soldier was always expendable. A medal, a meager compensation, or a few bonus points were enough to replace them. One soldier had asked with a slightly worried expression. He remembered him as one of his squad members.

“Company Commander-nim, about that Code Omega variant monster that appeared this time. Are we perhaps supposed to catch it?”

Reading the concern mixed in his words, the company commander replied nonchalantly.

“Don’t worry. The variant monster that appeared this time will be handled directly by Restraid’s Armored Knights. We just need to diligently clean up after the Knights. Don’t be scared.”

A brief chuckle erupted among the soldiers.

Just as their tension eased, the Mobile Unit Commander suddenly appeared in person. New equipment was issued to them. On the outside was the familiar purple phoenix mark. It was a special drug and injection device developed by the Luminexa Research Foundation, they said.

“From now on, everyone will wear it and absolutely not take it off until the operation is over.”

The commander’s expression clearly showed his reluctance as he spoke.

Nevertheless, he distributed these drug patches to all unit members and strongly emphasized that they must be worn without exception. He said it was an order from above.

“Mobile Unit Commander-nim, is it perhaps a suicide drug? If so, I’d prefer strawberry flavor.”

A comrade made a mischievous joke. The Mobile Unit Commander shook his head.

“No, they said it’s a stabilizer. To induce a temporary comatose state or something…”

At his words, the soldiers’ faces crumpled. One of the officers asked.

“When exactly are we supposed to use it?”

The Mobile Unit Commander hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know. If I relay the instructions from above without missing a single word, it goes like this:

‘If you witness a truly horrific sight, do not hesitate to use it.’”

“What kind of horrific sight?”

“Well… they just said up top that we’d know it when we saw it.”

From the commander’s abrupt manner, the soldiers couldn’t get any clue. Other officers in the unit were also in the dark. Major Klein himself, who delivered the news directly, also seemed unaware of the reason for distributing the drug.

‘If even the Mobile Unit Commander, who’s from the military academy, doesn’t know, it must be an enormous secret.’

The soldier couldn’t even imagine what that horrific sight could possibly be. He gazed with a heavy look at the distant barrier. Nearby, soldiers from another mobile unit were carrying something. What they were transporting did not look light at all.

“Huh, look there, do you see that?”

Someone’s questioning murmur leaked out.

And for good reason: it was none other than a tactical nuclear missile launcher. As one of the Trist Federation’s revered military ‘Three Divine Artifacts’ made its appearance, the soldier’s brows furrowed involuntarily. “This is crazy… wasn’t it just a rescue operation?” He had heard about its deployment, but why was it brought here? It hadn’t been seen in operations to take down cultists.

For the Federation military, nuclear weapons were as common as water and cigarettes. To subdue monster hordes that sported etheric defenses on their carapaces and used high-speed movement disruption fields, an immense amount of firepower was required at the unawakened level. The use of nuclear weapons was not rare.

However, it wasn’t common either. Unless it was for garrisons stationed at the barriers of Red Zones and Yellow Zones.

‘Is that variant monster really that strong?’

If they were bringing a tactical nuclear weapon for an operation that wasn’t even a large-scale battle, what kind of being could it be? The soldier was enveloped by an unknown sense of foreboding. For the soldiers in a state of extreme tension, the presence of that nuclear weapon was overwhelmingly daunting.

Suddenly, a reconnaissance unit of Awakened from the Special Missions Task Force was seen entering the interior.

‘I hope those bastards do a good job.’

The soldiers thought. Usually, these toothpick-like Awakened boasted and swaggered, but here, they hoped they would show some results. If so, they could go home without firing a single shot.

The reconnaissance unit disappeared into the unknown world beyond the barrier.

***

The Violets wore camouflage nets and quietly crept along the ground.

“This is suffocating!”

“Just bear with it for a bit! We’ll blast our way through with firepower depending on the situation.”

While diligently moving around, news came from the Violet at the exhibition hall.

“Be careful, it seems a temporary expedition team has been formed over there. They departed a little while ago.”

“What? Why?”

“Half of them are looking for missing persons, and the other half are looking for relics or anything that could be profitable.”

Hearing that, I was dumbfounded. To come all this way just to find something profitable. Even when I do nothing, things just keep getting bigger.