episode_0355

The Violet Network was peaceful today as well.

“Entering point C, enemy resistance is fiercer than expected!”

The command center meticulously scanned the maps spread like spiderwebs within the network.

Dozens of Violet tactical maps, large and small, displayed different terrains and spaces. Within them, yellow dots ceaselessly moved, confronting red dots.

The map projection method was complex. In the Violets’ vision, maps with crooked lines drawn from information gathered by V-Mice and Ravens appeared.

The map spread on the real-world operations table combined with visual information, creating a perfect augmented reality that appeared in the network.

“Advance from the corner! Guard forces have been dispersed due to a fire in the barracks. Squad 3, immediately link up with Squad 2!”

“Suppress the turret with lasers, then after concentrated machine gun fire, full assault for 5 seconds. Unit 5121, are you ready to die? 3, 2, 1. Charge!”

Violets stationed at each operations table quickly manipulated themselves on the map. Simple feedback was immediately transmitted to the combat units sprinting down the stronghold’s corridors.

The Violet issuing orders suddenly fell into thought. Who gave the order to give orders? Was it me? Or us? Strictly speaking, wasn’t this just self-suggestion?

“Hmm, I don’t know! Anyway, Platoon 6, link up with Platoon 2! Machine guns, concentrate fire!”

The dilemma was over. Once the order was given, the Violets simply acted. Their objective was the enemies on the upper floor, who were stubbornly resisting, relying on unmanned turrets and mobile bunkers.

While the shield squad suppressed enemy fire, a Violet with an ammunition feed bag stepped forward between the ranks. Three gun barrels slowly began to rotate.

-Rattatatata!

The triple-barreled machine gun spat fire, rotating at a furious speed. As the endless storm of bullets swept through the enemy lines, the assault squads seized the moment and advanced in unison.

“Surrender! I’ll surrender! Please spare me!”

“Drop your weapons and get down! Move and I’ll shoot!”

Foundation staff, having lost their will to fight, raised their hands one by one. While some Violets quickly made the prisoners kneel and restrained them, other Violets meticulously searched the facility like starving beasts.

“Where’s the rest of it?”

“…The rest?”

“You know it’s there! We’re going to blow this whole place up, so if you don’t want to fly with it, just tell us quietly!”

They pressured the staff with threats and intimidation. Once everything was revealed, only one procedure remained.

“Commence demolition!”

The Foundation’s strongholds collapsed one by one. Starting from the most vulnerable points, spreading in all directions, and gradually moving towards the more fortified ones.

**

The Foundation’s responses varied. Some places desperately focused solely on evacuating personnel, while others resisted stubbornly to the very end.

“Ooh ooh!”

A laboratory subdued by V-Monkeys was one such place.

“Monkey retrieval complete! No terminals found. Is it because the scale is small?”

“Alright, then retrieve all data and equipment, and then blow it up!”

We seized the research facility and dragged out the guards and researchers. These poor souls would be handed over to the Scholar-nim and thrown into a secret prison. Until their usefulness was found, they would live on frozen food, vitamin supplements, and water.

“Now you are free!”

“Ooh…?”

Caramel, that fellow, confidently put his hands on his hips in front of the monkeys. To actually bring them, saying he’d give them freedom, reality truly is unpredictable.

Since it’s come to this, I should scold him appropriately and tell him to select them properly next time.

But the researchers’ reactions were unusual.

“Woah… The monkey’s talking! Ariel Group! What on earth have you done?”

A researcher shouted. I immediately struck the back of his head. Now that he’d noticed the truth about the V-Monkeys, he couldn’t be released.

May he live forever playing games.

“Shut up!”

I knocked one out and quickly put bags over the heads of the rest.

Not long after, a transport helicopter landed through the neutralized air defense network. Now, it was just a matter of loading them up and sending them off.

“Live strong!”

As Unit 421 completed its mission, it began de-generating. There were still countless battlefields that needed me.

While the body disintegrated into magic, it transferred to a new one. The scene before my eyes changed into a complex concrete labyrinth.

Between the walls of the Standoff Corridor, a rain of bullets poured down, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe.

My job here was simple: kill what I saw and obstruct!

“Arrival complete! Deploy immediately!”

Combatants in white armor and robots indiscriminately poured gunfire. A tearing noise rang in my ears. My vision blurred, and my whole body tingled. In that instant, I instinctively grasped the situation.

“Nemesis Protocol! They brought it!”

Through the holes beyond the walls, the orange uniforms distinctive of the Containment Enforcement Department were visible. Railgun fire, now flying with deadly accuracy. Plasma spheres, hot as the sun, bored through the walls.

But this time it was different. Now, there were countless Violets, incomparable to then.

High-resolution maps generated by countless Violets. This meant we could, however faintly, decipher the Nemesis Protocol’s operating system!

“Concentrate melting beams! We have to blast them before they seal off our magic!”

All I did was tap the map to mark it. The enemies, perhaps detecting our magic use, desperately unleashed attacks, but it was already too late.

Ten rays of light mercilessly struck the hidden void in the middle of them.

-Sizzle!

The floating machine spewed smoke, revealing its true form. Towards the enemies in momentary confusion, the Violets surged in like a torrent, using me as a shield, with all their might.

“We are the wave!”

Proxy swarms and androids desperately tried to fill the gaps. But it was futile. We Violets were a tsunami.

We attacked in perfect unison. With axes, with swords, with spears!

“Whirr!”

In our vision, sharpened by tactical immersion, the robots’ apertures seemed to move slowly, as if in slow motion. They raised their arms.

-Clang!

The swords of hybrid monsters and machines shrieked chillingly in the air. Electrified ultrasonic blades clashed instantaneously with sword energy.

But in such moments, I relaxed my right hand, pulled it towards me, and immediately pierced their chest.

“Whirr?”

-Thud!

The first line collapsed in the blink of an eye. The Foundation’s human combatants, braced for battle, took their stance, but—

-Boom! Boom!

They were instantly shattered by gunfire from the flank. The second line collapsed meaninglessly. A Violet, equipped with explosives, clung to a terminal and activated the fuse.

-Boom!

Another protocol was destroyed. The Violets in the Standoff Corridor swiftly repositioned themselves.

As companies and platoons split into several paths and dashed forward, I could see myself running between alleys and walls, dragging heavy equipment. It was the heavy weapons squad.

“Good, deploy at this point! Others will be here soon!”

The tripod clunked and gripped the floor. The assembled body slid onto the tripod. The barrel aligned perfectly. A half-turn to lock it. As installation was completed in 8 seconds, the waiting ammunition Violet pulled out a clip with five shells from thin air and smoothly pushed it into the chamber.

“Enemy confirmed! One robot platoon! Two Awakened squads! All heavily armored!”

“Leave it to me!”

As the gunner Violet pulled the trigger, an oppressive weight pressed down on my entire body.

The androids, advancing under the cover of unmanned armored vehicles, momentarily faltered, and a sudden storm of metal swept the ‘cans’ away like bowling pins.

I mechanically pushed in a new magazine. The hungry autocannon greedily swallowed the ammunition.

Fire, reload, fire!

-Boom!

A grenade, suddenly flying from the corner, exploded. Transparent, sticky gel clung to our bodies as we quickly raised our one-handed shields and ducked.

I realized what effect this had the moment an enemy teleported in front of me.

“Agh! My limbs aren’t moving properly! What is this jelly-like stuff?!”

Our limbs, wrapped in gel, wouldn’t move as we wanted.

The sticky liquid clinging to every joint hindered movement. More fatally, the gel on our weapons also interfered with sword energy formation.

“It’s suppression nano-gel!”

“Interesting! A new means of attack!”

We replaced our weapons with new ones and relentlessly cut down the desperately charging enemies.

“This won’t stop us!”

**

Even as reinforcements from the Standoff Corridor were completely cut off, battles at the strongholds we targeted intensified.

Point A was where resistance was weakest. There was intelligence that a central archive terminal would be there, and it was also a core facility where the Foundation’s Aether research was conducted. Its considerable size made it an optimal location to draw enemy attention.

The problem was that this place was located at Arturia Academy. It was urban warfare where we even had to deal with the academy’s security guards, who had no idea what was going on, so neutralizing them with minimal damage was key.

“Alright, surrender! We have nothing to do with the academy! We’re only here to punish the Foundation, so get out of our way!”

Justified path… no, the Arturia Academy’s response to us Violets, who declared a justified path against the Foundation, was clear.

“We will never surrender to terrorists!…”

The academy guards held their swords with resolute expressions. As blue sword energy shimmered, we drew our swords in response. Dozens of red sword energies flared simultaneously from the shadows.

“Are you going to do it?”

“…Uh, wait a minute… Can’t we just have a standoff? There are too many eyes watching, you see…”

Facing so many swords, they changed their attitude in an instant. The stance of a wise employee.

“Well done! Just stay there!”

As we neutralized security and dashed through the academy, students emerging from the dormitories watched us with confused expressions.

“Agh! It’s the Ariel Group!”

“Yes, that’s right! We’re Ariel!”

“Can I… take a picture?”

“No! Get back to the dorms! This is a battlefield now!”

Fortunately, no one else interfered. Just as we waved our hands to open the Foundation facility door, a shameless-looking old man suddenly emerged leading his subordinates and blocked the entrance. From his attire and demeanor, he seemed like a professor on duty.

“You can’t! You outlaws! Do you know where this is?! How dare you enter the sacred academy workshop building—”

As soon as we saw him, we heard a grinding sound behind us.

“Violet, can I deal with that guy?”

“Yes, Unnie!”

While his pompous lecture continued, a woman calmly walked out from among our Violets.

A chilling aura emanated from beyond the cold metal mask. As the woman clenched her fist, the sound of bones grinding echoed.

It was clear she had a deep grudge against that old man.

“You shameless brats. Why, do you know what fear is? You know the Foundation is this academy’s sponsor, don’t you? So—Gasp!”

-Thud!

Sophieel Unnie slammed him into the wall before he could utter another word.

The hesitating soldiers screamed and fled when Scholar-nim Unnie merely sent them a slight gaze. What cowards they were.

“Unnie, it seems there’s a story behind this, doesn’t there?”

“Hmph… There’s evidence that that human sold students’ personal information to clans and even attempted forced contracts. Moreover, he brazenly obstructed the Internal Affairs investigation! How much I’ve wanted to kick him all this time…”

Unnie let out a refreshing laugh from behind her mask.

“Now I understand why Seijis was moving behind the scenes like this. I feel so much better!”

I didn’t miss the opportunity and whispered.

“Unnie, how about joining the Ariel Group while you’re at it!”

Sophieel shrugged playfully.

“Oh… that might not be so bad?”

The subsequent facility subjugation proceeded as fast as light. Scholar-nim swept away anyone blocking the path with overwhelming force.

Occasionally, reinforcement helicopters or drones flew overhead, but there was one thing the Foundation hadn’t anticipated.

The fact that we Violets possessed magical fingers that could make enemies disappear mysteriously.

“It’s a transport helicopter! I see an airship too! They’re harmful birds!”

“Bang!”

In an instant, our fighter jets appeared with a deafening roar that ripped through the sky. Under the attack of the ‘good Violet birds,’ the enemies had no choice but to burn and crash.

“Air superiority is ours!”

**

Point B was where the next strong resistance awaited.

This was also a presumed location for a terminal, and though fewer than at Point C, it was a facility where a significant number of personnel were imprisoned.

-Snap!

This facility employed a rather cunning trick to stop us. The entire facility was suddenly covered by a strange, invisible wave. We immediately recognized its true nature.

-Click! Click!

“Huh? The trigger won’t pull! Aaagh!”

“It’s an Incineration Interference Spell!”

Unit 8521, startled, threw down its gun and drew a crossbow.

Like the artifact of that wicked vice-student council president, our reliable friends—explosives and firearms—were completely neutralized.

Meanwhile, they poured bullets without any restrictions.

“Damn it! I have to use magic!”

As soon as I pulled out my staff, another barrier deployed. This time, even magic was rendered useless. As the arcane memory chips spun idly in the air, we gnashed our teeth in anger and stamped our feet.

“They even blocked magic!”

If things continued like this, we would have had to break through the enemy’s defenses only with melee combat and crossbows. That is, if only we had come.

-Whizz!

A precise blue beam sliced through the air, flying like a wave.

The enemies quickly hid behind cover. The inscribed barrier was confident it could block even magic-imbued arrows.

Through the eyes of a mouse in the ventilation shaft above, we saw their arrogant expressions.

But those expressions were soon tinged with despair.

“Ohh!”

An arrow that had seemed to skim above them suddenly changed its trajectory and pierced the enemy’s head.

The enemy soldier, witnessing his comrade’s demise, became a hedgehog in an instant under the rain of arrows, without even time to be surprised.

“Violet. The path is secured. Let’s advance!”

A woman in black combat fatigues ceaselessly drew her bowstring. The arrows, flying in unpredictable trajectories, pierced the hearts of enemies behind cover.

They cleverly bypassed attempts to deflect them with swords, drew parabolas to destroy turret lenses, and pierced the weak points of heavily armored machines.

“Heh heh, how was that? Was it helpful?”

Behind the camouflage netting on her hat, reminiscent of a funeral veil, Adela Unnie gave a meaningful smile.

“It was a perfect shot!”

The Ariel Group possessed the finest archery experts.

Not just Adela Unnie. There were reliable allies adept at gunpowder-free ranged combat. The archers of Cascadia fired arrows from behind the Violet shield formation.

“…Then, please continue with the shield, our cute and charming little knight?”

At that moment, I recalled that we had knightly titles. In such a situation, this was the proper way to respond.

“Yes! Princess!”

**

Unfortunately, there was no room for such leisure at the most intense battlefield. What we designated as Point C was literally a fortress built by digging into a mountain.

-Thump-thump-thud!

Perhaps because it was dug into the mountain, the interior was much wider than expected. Turrets protruded from every wall, and robots swarmed. Even worse were the defensive forces that poured out from every door, accompanied by Stregonics.

“Kyaaaah! My arm’s gone!”

The Violets’ casualties mounted rapidly, like clothes getting soaked in drizzle. With every corridor breached, comrades fell like leaves.

The corridor leading to the objective point was especially the worst. Whether it was because there were prisoners inside, or if they had resolved to fight to the death, their resistance was devilishly fierce.

Irene, who had pierced an enemy at the front, also dodged the pouring railgun fire and took cover behind a Violet shield.

As she caught her breath, a V-Mouse radio scurried out of her pocket, tapping Irene’s ear and squeaking.

“The outer perimeter suppression is proceeding smoothly with Helios. These guys, they’ve plastered the stronghold’s defense network with dungeon-level ECMs.”

“Indeed! It was good to bring the V-Mouse. Right? Orange?”

The V-Mouse smiled brightly, then nearly fainted upon seeing a bullet ricochet off Irene’s body.

“As you can see, their firepower is too strong! I’ll be fine, but is charging straight in the best option? Any detours?”

“None! We have to push through the main gate. It’s okay, Irene! I knew this would happen, so I have transport planes on standby. They’ll arrive in 5 minutes!”

“Alright, then with the next charge, we’ll end—”

-Thud!

The door opened, revealing new enemies. Two gigantic steel monsters resembling spiders began a counterattack alongside the cornered soldiers.

“Spiders?”

“They’re Multi-legged Tanks!”

The turrets mounted on their backs turned towards us. A blinding beam, bright as the sun, shot through one of the responding platoons among the startled and scattering Violets.

“Screaming! I’m melting!”

“My upper body is gone!”

After laser firing, the tanks ejected spent casings from their backs. In the tactical immersion vision of Unit 421 and the reconnaissance Raven, the words [HAZARDOUS MATERIAL: HANDLE WITH CAUTION] appeared clearly.

The monsters, having replaced their batteries, once again unleashed beams of death.

-Boom!

The heavy weapons squad returned fire, but it was useless. Rockets burst like lightning in the air. The energy barrier enveloping its body neutralized all threats.

“What about melting beams or lightning whips?”

“We tried. The barrier absorbed everything.”

Perhaps thinking they had seized the initiative, the enemy’s offensive became even more furious under the firepower support of the Multi-legged Tanks.

“Ugh! If only Cheolkwon were here, we could have crushed those tin cans!”

The black-haired child, probably sleeping soundly at the Cascadia training ground, came to mind, and I felt vexed. As if reading my discomfort, Irene spoke softly.

“Ruzilin’s Cheolkwon is too big to fit in here. Instead…”

I understood immediately what she meant. Walking weapons must be met with walking weapons.

“Commencing drop!”

First to arrive overhead were biplane transport aircraft. Heavy knights poured out of their long fuselages like water.

Clumsy iron lumps deployed parachutes and landed near the entrance. While the knights charged towards us, even larger giants fell from the sky.

The airship’s ramp opened wide. Iron giants, armed with heavy weapons and large missiles that wouldn’t fit in inventory, though not tanks, descended. They plunged at fierce speeds, cutting through the night sky where fighter jets and drones were entangled. As parachutes deployed, a vibration like an explosive roar slicing through the air resonated. Just before landing, shock-absorbing balloons inflated beneath their legs.

“It was worth stealing them from the naval base!”

-Hiss!

With a deflating sound, the parachutes were packed away. This was their second full-scale combat deployment since the engagement with the Fusion Tanks.

Finally, armored knights and multi-purpose walkers stood their ground. Our counterattack, previously pushed back by the Multi-legged Tanks, had begun.

“Full assault!”

-Thud! Thud!

With dull artillery fire, heavy shells struck the enemy lines.

Though their armor might be weak, the firepower of the walking platforms was overwhelming.

The Multi-legged Tanks countered. A fiery baptism of infantry rockets and grenades embellished the sky.

“Concentrated rocket fire! Overload their defense systems! Defeat is victory!”

The area around the tank was covered in sizzling electricity from the numerous small explosions.

Artillery roared once more.

A shell, piercing the overloaded defenses, struck its turret. The tank retreated, spewing black smoke.

“Good! One is halfway destroyed! Let’s finish off the remaining one!”

The last remaining Multi-legged Tank fired a deadly laser at us. Once again, Violets were sacrificed, and the tank maneuvered swiftly, targeting a walker.

Smoke grenades burst.

“Irene! Now!”

The beam of death missed by a hair’s breadth.

In the fleeting moment the battery hit the ground, armored knights imbued with golden magic charged desperately through the thick smoke. Gunfire fiercely pounded their armor.

-Sizzle!

Armor hit by the laser melted red. But that brave sacrifice opened the path to victory.

The surviving armored knights advanced to point-blank range.

The thrashing tank’s legs were severed one by one.

-Clang!

“Victory!”

With a single, resolute charge, the Violets crushed all resistance and finally reached the door.

Now, only minor obstacles remained. We entered a room lined with countless coffins. It would only take activating a few control devices.

“The moment of liberation has arrived!”

Whoever was imprisoned, it was time to return their freedom.

**

“…Engagements are ongoing in the Standoff Zone.”

Director Kwabna sighed deeply, facing the deluge of reports. All directors, including the Secretary-General, put all their effort into containing the situation, but no breakthrough was visible.

“Our forces are dispersed in all directions. Our main units are tied down, and all that remains are reserve forces. Only expendable forces are left.”

“Deploy air and ground forces only to core facilities, as per the Control Algorithm’s directives. Other facilities should focus on personnel evacuation.”

It was an inevitable choice. What needed to be cut, had to be cut. It was a firm belief that if only human resources and intellectual assets were preserved, the Foundation could be rebuilt.

It was then that their faith began to waver.

“Emergency! Abnormal access detected at C-A1 stronghold. It is presumed the enemy is attempting to infiltrate the central archive database.”

It was a fatal report heard amidst the chaos. All directors in the command room wore grave expressions. A terrible hypothesis flashed through their minds.

‘Could it be that the enemy’s ultimate goal was the archives?’

Their misfortune didn’t end there.

“A-03 Isolation Facility has been compromised!”

“How can this be… Isn’t that the isolation facility for Containment Enforcement targets?”

This situation meant that critical variables could be unleashed upon the Foundation. There wasn’t even time to review the detainee list.

“With communications severed, the incineration protocol cannot be executed. In that case…”

“It is time to use that.”

The forbidden option appeared in the directors’ minds. Before anyone could speak, Director Kwabna strongly objected.

“Impossible. That is an insult to a hero! You must consider why our Foundation exists!”

“But we haven’t even secured a viable sample yet. Capturing the enemy is necessary, but impossible in the current situation. To succeed in the ‘Pesticide Operation,’ there’s no other choice!”

The debate was quickly brought to a close around that point. Because the Control Algorithm, as if pushing their hesitant backs, delivered its judgment.

[Full plan execution impossible in current situation. Foundation collapse probability 80% or higher]

[A superhuman entity with overwhelming combat power in localized warfare is required to enhance operation success rate]

[Strongly recommend opening cryo-chambers]

Secretary-General Pagan let out a deep sigh. The directors shed their hesitation.

“We will decide by the collective will of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.”

An unavoidable decision fell amidst heavy silence. The Secretary-General declared.

“I approve the thawing of Hellman.”

**

The seal was released. One by one, lids opened with a whooshing sound of air escaping.

The first to awaken and spring out of the glass tube was a small, black-haired woman, slightly taller than us.

She was a human with a playful, odd aura.

“What year is it now?”

We told her the year. Her expression hardened.

“Wh-what did you say? Already… decades have passed… Haha…”

The fellow blinked. Was she shocked? Unit 8112 and Irene approached her. Just as they were about to offer comfort, she smiled faintly.

“Heh heh, anyway, thank you for releasing me from those Foundation guys, Unnie!”

We heard something strange.