episode_0348

Unit 4662 looked around with watchful eyes. She had clearly thought she was hiding inside a wall, but when she came to, she was outside.

Undergoing reactivation, the space transformed as if it were a living organism. The arrangement and layout of structures, walls, and ceilings were subtly different from the last time they had been there.

One thing, however, remained the same: the terrifying silence that pierced their ears.

Violet imagined what it would be like if an ordinary person fell into this place.

At first, they would be shocked and terrified, desperately searching for an exit. Later, they would wait for rescue in despair.

However, this isolated space, detached from the world, was like a design error existing between the first floor and the basement. Even with a dimensional beacon, it would be difficult to track.

“Careful, looks like a person. Approach… ugh?”

“Agh! It’s a skeleton!”

The yellowish skeletal remains lying in front of them were gruesome proof. Judging by the mold-covered, old attire and somewhat classical clothing style, it must have been an unfortunate soul who had fallen here decades ago.

Unit 4662 recalled memories from a Foundation interrogator. Records of ordinary people occasionally falling into this place due to spatial anomalies unfolded.

“Don’t worry! If they’re lucky, they might be found by Foundation personnel. Then they’ll live, though their memories will be erased.”

Unit 7200 said casually, as if talking about an everyday occurrence.

“Sounds like you’ve done this a lot… Ah, I guess so.”

“I’m Violet, an interrogator from the Containment Enforcement Department. I’ve sent a couple or three home!”

Of course, that only applied to a lucky few.

Most, however, would fall into this place without warning, eventually succumbing to starvation and madness.

In this labyrinthine space, devoid of people, they would helplessly flounder in the thick fog of the unknown, their minds slowly crumbling from fear and loneliness.

“Eek! Dying of starvation in a place like this is too terrifying!”

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Violet.

Violet was too dull, even innocent, to perceive existential dread, and crucially, she was a being who couldn’t be lonely even if she wanted to be.

“First, let’s search the surroundings. Watch out for Luminexa!”

“Careful, careful!”

Violet’s squad quickly deployed and began setting up a forward operating base.

**

Various theories abounded regarding the origin of the Deadlock Corridor. Given the nature of the Academy City, where awakened individuals are concentrated, there was a theory that it was a manifestation of weak human subconsciousness condensing, and also an argument that it was evidence of our dimension’s instability after the interdimensional invasion.

In this case, the Deadlock Corridor would be like a rat hole inadvertently dug by the demonic beasts and those Eidos bastards. If so, we would be clever mice utilizing that rat hole.

“Mice? Are you looking for us, Boss?”

“Not you guys!”

After sending a resolute will towards the animal network, I surveyed the surroundings with watchful eyes. The trash underfoot rustled, making ominous sounds.

Given that people also flowed into this place, it was overflowing with all sorts of trash. Unknown junk lay scattered everywhere, creating an eerie atmosphere.

“The more I see it, the more amazing this place is!!”

Scientists can figure out the principles on their own. It’s just a shame that our Violet Research Institute (tentative name) only has awakened individual research specialists at best.

Anyway, it’s good. Being able to enter the interior of the Deadlock Corridor, which I had forgotten about, was an unexpectedly huge gain.

There’s no need to force a breakthrough from the outside. From here, we can identify infiltration routes, sneak into their base, and leave some forces behind to cut off reinforcements moving through the Deadlock Corridor.

“It’s a perfect plan!”

The only problem was that we didn’t know how to move through it. Even Unit 7200 couldn’t bypass this difficulty.

At best, we only knew how to enter or exit from a few points throughout the city. They said that the research institute or base could instantly open it using a technique called the Deadlock Corridor Gateway.

“There might be other shortcuts, but that’s the job of those guys in the spacetime research department. My memories are just things I picked up to use during missions!”

We couldn’t imitate their bizarre technology.

But Violet had her own way.

“Hear that sound? Hide!”

We immediately flattened ourselves and cautiously peered around the corner of the wall. From far down the corridor, the sound of flapping wings approached. It was a drone.

I quickly pulled on my camouflage cloak and hid myself among a large pile of junk.

The drone passed first, followed by the sound of wheels rolling, growing closer from beyond the corridor.

A procession of small vehicles appeared. If not for the machine guns and heavily armed soldiers, the vehicles might have resembled golf carts on a leisurely course.

Luminexa-marked heavily armed patrol units, with patches on their shoulders, passed through the Deadlock Corridor.

Drones and mech hounds were standard, but new enemies not seen before also caught their eyes.

“Is that a Proxy?”

“No, it’s bigger than that.”

—Whirrr!

A sharp motor hum cut through the air. Among the people, a humanoid figure, a handspan taller than an ordinary soldier, came into view.

It was a being of a different dimension than the semi-biological cyborg grunts. A pure mechanical form stood tall among the group, scanning the surroundings with the eyes of a beast.

Combat humanoid robot. A pure electronic engineering-based killing machine, not a bio-control device.

“Are they looking for us?”

Suddenly, the memory of being kidnapped here with Enrica flashed by.

At that time, we had escaped by causing a disturbance, so perhaps they realized we had ascertained this place’s location and strengthened their defenses.

Or it could just be a routine patrol.

“They’re passing by. Looks like they haven’t noticed us.”

This composite camouflage cloak, specially made by Helios for the Special Operations Department, seems to be proving its worth.

They said it blocked infrared and even X-rays, and even dampened the wearer’s noise. It seems that wasn’t an empty boast.

For a moment, I considered launching an attack, but decided against it. We needed to first understand the patrol patterns of their units: when, where, and in which direction they headed.

“Let’s see, if I knock on the wall three times and throw myself with all my might… Ugh!”

Just as we waited, reinforcements arrived. Their identity was other Violets who had successfully infiltrated through the Surcliff Shortcut. We carefully set down our bags.

The bag opened, and out tumbled a multitude of mice, each carrying a small cloth bundle and a multi-tool, standing upright.

“Blueberry and 15 others! Deployment readiness complete! Squeak!”

The mice saluted with their front paws raised. A smile naturally appeared at the sight of their bright, eager eyes, clearly disciplined.

“You remember the instructions, right? Your mission is to follow the routes those Luminexa guys use and leave traces there. If you’re caught, just act like idiots and run away. Refrain from using magic as much as possible, and if you absolutely have to, report to me and get permission. Got it?”

“Understood! Boss!”

The Deadlock Corridor transforms its shape and configuration at regular intervals, like a living labyrinth. Finding a path is like plucking a star from the sky [an idiom for an extremely difficult task], but fortunately, it was a comfort that not everything completely changed or disappeared.

“How would it feel if you opened your front door and a stranger squeezed inside?”

We had only one thing to do. Wait.

**

As I laid out the plans, the schedule that I had confidently declared would take two weeks kept getting pushed back. Before long, summer vacation was fast approaching, and July’s threshold had been crossed.

“So, from now on, I’ve decided to come visit every day!”

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

Ariel in the hospital room was leading a somewhat lively daily life with the other children. Though outdoor excursions were forbidden, she would take walks and participate in various events within the hospital. However, the frequent headaches and fevers remained a nagging problem.

“Is it because of that Apostle bastard? It’s still like this.”

The patients in the Erosion Zone rode a rollercoaster between health and sickness. Even asking that inspector guy yielded no clear answer. Only vague, hope-filled talk that a solution would soon emerge as Apostle research progressed.

The touch of an expert was desperately needed.

“To think our prospective junior’s health depended on that wicked Ponytail…”

The Joint Research Institute has Walnut and Raspberry. I’ll have to ask Bernike through them. That Ponytail guy holds a very high position, having received top-tier qualification or certification from that bald guy Cordobado. They probably know most secrets.

Anyway, there would be a way.

“So, let’s play starting today! I’m on vacation.”

But an unexpected answer came back.

“Oh, no, Unnie. I have a lot to do.”

“Huh? What do you mean, a lot to do?”

Ariel flatly refused my suggestion. The answer to that question, unexpectedly, came from outside the hospital room.

“Why, because these patients in the hospital room are now going to enter an advanced learning program.”

A blue-haired boy stood leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. Upon seeing him, Ariel and the other child patients’ faces instantly brightened.

“Oh! It’s Hyung!”

“Oppa! You’re here?”

A strange discomfort surged at the sight of the children welcoming him more warmly than they had welcomed me, but I decided to ignore it.

“Ah! It’s Lucian! What are you doing here?”

He picked up the bag at his feet and replied.

“Nothing much, exams are over, aren’t they? I bought teaching materials and what these kids requested. Here, snacks and books, and this is—”

“Whoaaaa!”

“Line up! I said line up! If you don’t line up, I won’t give you any!”

It was unclear when he had won the children’s hearts, but Lucian, despite grumbling in a curt tone, meticulously took care of them. Every time I saw him, I felt it: he had consistently looked after the children ever since he first brought them here. Seeing him spend his own money to provide various things for them truly elicited admiration.

During a brief break, I slowly approached him.

“What is it?”

“You’ve been taking care of Ariel longer than I expected! I wanted to thank you. I didn’t even think about it, nor did I imagine you’d continue to look after the other kids like that.”

“Is that so…”

Perhaps my words were unexpected, as he wore a blank expression for a moment before scoffing. Then he stared blankly at a corner of the hospital corridor and muttered.

“…Because they don’t have any.”

“Don’t have what?”

Lucian, who had been hesitating, replied.

“…Parents. Ariel and all those kids hospitalized in that room.”

A realization, like being struck by lightning, flashed through my mind. I thought it was just Ariel.

“Those kids, they all supposedly went to some science and technology expo with their parents and completely disappeared in the Erosion Zone. The ones who have relatives are at least better off, because they visit once in a while… Sigh.”

Suddenly, following his sharp gaze, my eyes caught sight of the scene in the hospital room across the hall. A small child in a hospital gown was playing with toys with their parents, their giggling laughter spilling out into the corridor.

“The kids in the other rooms are bustling with parents and relatives every day… but if I don’t come, not even an ant will visit those kids [an idiom for ‘no one visits at all’]. This world… Isn’t it funny how so many kids in such a plight are gathered here? Damn it.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, Lucian was an orphan too. Suddenly, he glared at me with annoyed eyes.

“Damn it… Violet, you wretched brat, now that I think about it, it’s all your fault!”

“Huh? Why me!”

“You needlessly dragged me into teaching some girl I’d never met, and now I’m stuck with those immature kids too. Unlike someone with multiple bodies, I have a lot to do, you know. How annoying…”

Is that so? Come to think of it, me visiting Ariel once or twice a week was far from enough. From the perspective of that arrogant magic boy, it was understandable for him to be angry. Moreover, he had voluntarily taken on ten or so children already.

“Ugh… alright. Then from now on, I’ll visit often too! I’ll buy snacks and whatever tools are needed!”

“That’s not what I meant…”

I suppose this meant my worries were resolved. Leisure time passed like that, and Lucian was seen leading the small children in hospital gowns in a line out of the room.

“Where are you going?”

“Ah, Violet Unnie. We’re going to the training ground!”

A training ground, in a hospital? This was the first I’d heard of it.

“It’s a space that used to be a rehabilitation facility for hunters, and the hospital here, knowing our circumstances, allowed us to use one of their spaces when they had time. Because these kids can’t go outside.”

Upon hearing that, it was indeed a rather good space for a makeshift training ground. In that case, the guidance of a genius student couldn’t be left out, could it?

“Ah, then I’ll help!”

“…No need!”

Nonsense. There’s no such thing as a veto power.

Thus, I spent some time assisting Ariel and her friends. It was a process of vaguely drawing out magical power at a very rudimentary stage.

“Puhahahaha!”

“Hiyah! Take my magic-infused sword!”

Suddenly, the thought of entrusting them to Instructor Frederick-nim crossed my mind. I don’t know why I thought of it now, but it would surely help.

As I was guiding the training of these beginners, a sudden thought occurred to me.

“Luminexa and Laplacian are probably tormenting kids like these too, aren’t they?”

For a moment, I stared blankly into space.

“Unnie?”

“Yeah, Ariel. It’s nothing! I was just conceptualizing a brilliant idea.”

“Aw, you’re lying…”

I guess I couldn’t help being quick-witted. I offered a bitter smile.

“That’s right! Even now, innocent young dreams and hopes might be disappearing!”

Our plan and this operation might be to protect those innocent prospective juniors. We’ll punish the bad guys and bestow freedom and liberation upon the academies and the future aspiring superhuman heroes.

Because we are Violet, the children’s guardian.

“That’s the democracy of clones!”

Watching the children play brightly, we Violets renewed our resolve.

**

“Luminexa Foundation’s facilities and bases are structured as an independent cell organization, but important locations are fixed in a few ways. The estimated locations of the main facilities are—”

The inspector’s explanation continued without pause. On the screen, estimated points, either concealed or disguised as ordinary buildings, were marked one by one on the map. The next moment, the screen changed.

“And, as expected, the Foundation has been indirectly managing academies in various regions. Each academy… to varying degrees, is nothing more than a petri dish for the Foundation and its collaborating corporations. The extent of this is not yet understood, however.”

In summary, it means that similar things often happen, like the Laplacian Research Director selling me to Polaris for money to achieve results.

“It’s not just about achieving results. The academies are nothing more than petri dishes for them to measure the abilities of awakened students cultivated under various experiments and management.”

At Seijis’s calm murmurs, Sophieel Unnie clenched her fist.

“It’s madness. How can they do such things so shamelessly? Students are not tools.”

“Unfortunately, some people don’t seem to think that way.”

Seijis’s sharp gaze turned towards me.

“So, your role as Unnie is important. It might be burdensome, going in right after being appointed as an inspector this time, but I’m counting on you.”

“Just leave it to me. I’ll completely ransack the academies.”

Unit 8021, who had been watching, cautiously raised a hand.

“What is it?”

“I understand that the Inspection Bureau will be moving, Unnie. The general plan for what I and the others need to do is also set. But then what does Seijis do?”

I was curious. What exactly was he doing?

The inspector replied curtly.

“I’ll do what I have to do.”

That was the end of the explanation.

“Is he planning to kill someone?”

We said we would handle the assassination of important figures, and he entrusted it to us. Was he planning to take down some other dangerous entity, like when he faced the demonic beasts during the last naval base raid?

“He won’t just be idle, will he? Let’s trust him!”

Soon, to initiate the operation, the Inspection Bureau launched a large-scale investigation into the western academies.

It was around that time that a creepy, obnoxious-looking man with green hair entered our sight.

“Fine dining at a restaurant? With an actress?”

“It must be money squeezed from the people’s lifeblood!”

Unit 541 pressed her eye tightly against the observation telescope. I wondered if it was really okay to handle it this easily, but it didn’t matter.

“I want to shoot! Let me shoot!”

“Wait, not yet!”

Before dealing with the Foundation, it was time to take a knife to Laplacian’s power structure.

The time for physical restructuring had arrived.