Chapter 141

Self-destruction refers to the act of detonating explosives one possesses.

And self-destruction is a core tactic of the Violet Legion.

No matter how sturdy an Awakened One may be, they are still made of bones and flesh. Humans are even more fragile than monsters.

Thus, if large amounts of bombs are deployed, anyone can be turned to dust.

In the operation to rescue Irene, the exchange ratio between the enemy Awakeneds and the Violets was almost 1:1, so it remains quite effective for now.

However, there was one weakness to self-destruction. When activated, Violet 1 will certainly die!

Considering what Violet 1 could do when drawn out into a prolonged battle, merely detonating some bombs feels quite regrettable.

So, not dying upon use makes the Brain Spear undoubtedly a useful weapon.

The problem was that our healer nearly had a fit the moment she saw the weapon. I had gotten a bit too excited and rambled on.

“If you use that, you’re definitely going to get hurt. You might even die!”

Daphne clung to me, her face half in tears. I protested.

“No! It’s a spear! Its range is long! It’s just a bomb with a longer stick. It’s safe!”

“If it’s that safe, then why isn’t anyone else using it? It’s clearly an unreasonable weapon. Isn’t that right, Ms. Irene? Do the hunters in the clan use things like this?”

Daphne turned her head to look at Irene. She alternated her gaze between me and Daphne. Please, say something nice!

She opened her mouth with an expression of reluctance.

“…The Brain Spear is an obsolete weapon. It’s dangerous and single-use. It’s something only freelancers would use. However, you…”

“Ugh!”

“See! It’s dangerous, right?”

I felt betrayed by Irene.

“Not fair!”

“There’s no way! It must be the latest trendy weapon.”

“But that’s the truth. That’s a weapon only oddballs would use. Still, if you could handle it well…”

The Brain Spear must definitely be a weapon for those who are outgoing and understand the trends of the times.

Yet, Irene was spouting fake news, probably having picked up some strange information from somewhere.

Who would have thought the drawbacks of the information age would manifest here? So gloomy!

“Does that mean I’m an oddball?”

“…Well, you do have that side to you, don’t you?”

Being treated like an oddball by my friend made me involuntarily pout.

While I diverted my attention to Irene, Daphne, as if having made up her mind, came forward and snatched the Brain Spear from my hand.

“Hey, are you two even listening to me?”

“This is confiscated! Use other safe and good weapons. Please!”

“Hey! Give it back!”

“I won’t give it back!”

As I reached out, Daphne took a step back. Just as I was about to lunge forward, a thin green barrier appeared to block me.

“I’m sorry, I’ll give you the money I spent on this, but I don’t think this is right! Please understand!”

The Brain Spear disappeared from Daphne’s hands. She must have put it in her inventory.

Using a shielding barrier, how cowardly.

But Daphne was thinking too short-term. Blocking our Violets like this is a tall order.

“Command Center conveys! Everyone charge! Surround them!”

“Let’s go!”

“Waaaaah!”

Some of the nearby Violet squad that had been working were dispatched and lunged toward Daphne.

“Wait, Violet? What are you doing! Daphne, why…?”

“Give it back!”

“If you don’t give it back, I’ll tickle you!”

The moment the Violets pounced, Daphne lightly tapped her staff on the ground. She was surrounded by a round barrier.

“Hyah! It’s blocked!”

“Please give up. I’m sorry for taking your property, but as a friend, I couldn’t just watch you doing something dangerous!”

For some reason, Irene seemed to want to say something but stopped.

“…What on earth are you guys doing?”

The Violets surrounding the barrier began tapping on it. She shook her head stubbornly and turned away.

Daphne, as soon as she turned, found 612th Clone lying flat on the floor inside the barrier. She jumped back in shock.

“Now you notice I’m here.”

“Uh, how did you…?”

“Well, I managed to jump in just before the barrier went up. Daphne, you’re stuck with me here!”

I hugged Daphne’s waist to ensure she couldn’t escape. Inside the barrier, other Violets appeared one after another to capture her.

“Let go, let go! Aah, what are you doing!”

“I’m going to tickle you until you give it back!”

“Ahhh! No, don’t! Hahaha, it’s sensitive! Aah, haha!”

Daphne, overwhelmed by the Violets inside the barrier, was mercilessly tortured by tickling. The other teammates, hearing the commotion, rushed over.

“Okay, okay! I’ll give it back! Please stop!”

After about a minute, Daphne declared her surrender. We joyfully jumped in delight as she retrieved the Brain Spear from her inventory.

“Hooray!”

“The weapon of victory!”

While we were declaring victory, I felt a strange atmosphere and turned around. A downcast Daphne was looking at me with a sad expression.

“Is that weapon really that great?”

“Uh, I… well…”

Seeing my friend’s resentful expression, I felt guilty.

Should I just return it, I thought, when I heard someone lightly tapping on the ground a couple of times.

“Hey, can you at least listen to what I have to say?”

Irene was looking at us with a hint of dissatisfaction.

*

The conflict over the Brain Spear was resolved rather anticlimactically. Irene’s suggestion was simple yet brilliant.

“If it’s really dangerous, just set up a barrier and use it, right?”

“Ah.”

“That makes sense, doesn’t it?”

It was an answer worthy of comparison to Solomon’s judgement. Realizing this late, Daphne gaped in disbelief.

“Right, why didn’t I think of that…”

She appeared embarrassed.

This is how the incident came to a close. Yet, feeling guilty, I apologized to Daphne.

“I’m sorry for tickling you!”

“…I was trying to take my friend’s belongings without reason too. So, whatever.”

She smiled a bit sheepishly, seemingly also feeling awkward.

Our conflict wrapped up this quickly.

Hehe, while I have to be mindful when I use it, we successfully reached a consensus with Daphne.

Now I can use it at will. I’m so glad!

“You can’t use it freely! The spear can be replicated, but the specialized head on the front is the issue. There are only three Brain Spear bombs left!”

“Ugh, really? I’ll have to find some later. Or we can modify our bombs!”

I’m glad I asked that hunter where I could buy the Brain Spear.

They say it’s a small shop, so I need to visit later.

After the commotion settled down, as we moved elsewhere, Kalia beside me asked.

“Is it really that great? I just don’t get it.”

“I’ll make sure to let you try it when you get the chance! It’ll be super fun!”

As the 247th Clone smirked and handed over the Brain Spear, Kalia lightly pushed my hand away with an awkward expression.

“I’m good. I guess it’s better than throwing myself at a motorcycle?”

“When did that ever happen…”

I grumbled.

Kalia, seemingly ignoring my remarks, pointed toward the direction of Daphne.

“More importantly, what about her? She looks like a model student.”

“Right! How did you know? Daphne studies hard.”

After hearing my words, Kalia seemed to ponder something before speaking.

“Isn’t it a bit weird that Daphne might have picked up something from you? I don’t think she would miss out on something you thought about.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, forget it.”

What could she possibly be picking up from? Really!

The Violets clapped their hands.

As expected, the gazes of the other team members were slightly strange. If that instilled courage dissipated, it would be problematic.

“Crazy… If she’s not a federal agent, then what? An assassin from a cult?”

“The Violets do seem incredibly creative! Right?”

“It’s dangerous, but an explosive axe… Hmm, maybe that’s a bit risky. How about a rocket axe?”

I’m relieved. Other than Lucian, no one is looking down on me.

The Violets and team members returned to their main tasks.

We continued to hunt monsters and excavate relics while moving between buildings.

“Wow, look at this! Sunglasses that shine with light!”

“They say these are blood-accelerating socks; if you wear them, your blood flows so fast that your leg veins burst?”

“Ugh! What rubbish!”

The shielding accessories that the Scrags had been flaunting earlier weren’t in sight.

Most of what we found were treasure-like items that that student from Aegis picked up during the rescue last time.

“Well, at least they do end up buying things like this. Just pack it up! If it doesn’t work out, you still have that contact, right? The owner of the relic trading company.”

“Ah ha! I’ll just ask that guy about it!”

Even trash can have its uses.

While chatting and working diligently, a loud rumbling sound came from afar.

As a Violet outside checked the surroundings, a heavy procession gleaming in the distance came rushing in.

The noise gradually got closer.

“What’s that?”

I soon realized what the source of the sound was.

It was a tank!

Four tanks were laboriously charging forward. Behind them were several combat vehicles, armored trucks, and armored cars lined up in a row.

“What are tanks doing in the dungeon?”

“Is there a clan using tanks?”

I activated my shallow knowledge.

The items before me were tracked vehicles with turrets. Though a bit small, they were undoubtedly tanks. But that’s expensive! And heavy.

Irene, having heard the noise, came out and watched the procession with a suspicious gaze.

“That’s a federal light tank. There are rarely clans operating those… no way?”

Upon hearing her, I could see the flag attached to their vehicles.

Laurel, round ball, star, wings.

“There! Look at that flag…”

There’s only one organization that uses that symbol.

Just then, a beep sounded from the speakers of the convoy, followed by an announcement.

“Citizens of Rustroom, our Federal Army 60th Mobile Combat Unit has come to suppress illegal cult organizations. Please do not interfere. We are currently conducting peacekeeping operations. Please do not interfere. Repeat…”

The hunters investigating nearby poked their heads out, and the atmosphere among the people was tense.

“Citizens my foot…”

“Why are those tax-thieving bastards here at the dungeon? Isn’t that a violation of the agreement?”

While the figure who looked to be the commander was busily broadcasting, the escort convoy turned a curve, heading toward the alley where four vehicles parked by the hunters lay.

As the tank turned the corner, it crashed into the parked cars.

The last vehicle was completely crushed.

Didn’t they see it?

-Crunch!

“Ugh.”

Half of the vehicle was flattened. Perhaps due to the shock, alarm bells blared.

A middle-aged man, seemingly the owner of the car, appeared in a daze. His eyes was jolted as if an earthquake had struck. The man ran towards his car in shock.

“My car!”

The convoy briefly halted. The man strode angrily toward the nearest combat vehicle.

“Hey, where’s the person in charge? Can’t you see that?”

In response to the man’s protest, the escort squad rotated its turret.

With a low whirring mechanical sound, the tank turned its turret, and the unmanned turrets on the rooftops aimed at the man. The large, dark muzzles made the hunter draw his sword.

“What… what is this?!”

“Please do not interfere. We are currently conducting special military operations. Please step back. Otherwise, we will open fire…”

As the threat made the man hesitate, the federal vehicles returned their turrets to their original positions. They just zoomed away on their own path, heading towards the deeper regions.

I was aghast. What kind of hit-and-run behavior is this?

The man, belatedly furious, shook his fists at the convoy’s rear.

“Hey, you federal bastards!”

The other hunters who looked like victims comforted him.

“Hang in there, it’s not the first time those bastards have done this, right?”

“Still, they usually cover the insurance in situations like this.”

Irene chimed in while watching.

“There are often situations where clans threaten newbie hunters by aiming their turrets. It’s true that the feds learned this from them.”

Kalia remarked brusquely.

“Those thugs do behave like this.”

*

As the federal mobile unit headed into the deeper regions, a group of people entered an indoor plaza formed deep within a building in that area.

The inside was filled with corpses. The horrific scene twisted the face of the man in a top hat at the forefront.

“Oh… my brothers and sisters…”

“Deacon Michelous has passed away! Elder Matt as well!”

The followers of the Unity Cult shook in suppressed fury.

“We only wanted freedom of belief!”

“Damn heretics!”

While the lower-tier believers vented their passionate hatred about the oppressed faith, Karnan surveyed the surroundings. His sharp gaze settled on a particular spot.

Where there should have been something, there was nothing.

“Everyone, calm down.”

His low, heavy voice shook the area. The believers settled down as if the storm had passed, reverting to tranquil seas.

“Our family was killed. The relics were also stolen.”

At the mention of the stolen relics, the believers stirred.

The dormant rage was beginning to reemerge, but Brown raised a hand to calm them.

“It’s not yet the time to be angry. We don’t even know who the thieves are or where they might be. We still have a greater task ahead. The most important relic remains here—inside the heart of the dungeon.”

One believer, unable to contain his indignation, shouted.

“But all our brethren have suffered!”

“Which is why our journey cannot come to a halt! We cannot let the blood spilled by those who died here be in vain.”

Karnan shouted even louder now.

“I understand. I’m angry too! However, we must use this fury as fuel to move forward. For the freedom of faith, for the day when the turning point arrives!”

The elder of the Unity Cult drew a curved sword high into the air.

“We will catch the thieves. We will purge the heretics. And we will definitely secure the relics necessary for our great enterprise. Because that is destiny!”

The believers regained their fervor and yelled as if possessed.

“Uoooh! Heretics!”

“Uoooh! We’ll kill them! We’ll take our revenge!”

As Karnan finished his speech, he stepped back.

While deacons and Awakened believers calmed down the other ecstatic believers to tend to the corpses and watch the surroundings, he gave instructions to other elders.

“Send a messenger to gather followers in other sectors. There are others here looking for the relics besides us. Time is running out.”

One believer slipped away. Karnan calmly issued further orders.

“Prepare; it’s time to unleash the monsters. They’re high-tier hunters. I see several mages in the mix. Check the weapons. Hopefully, we brought enough Black Ice?”

The junior elder nodded.

Shortly after, beings both human and not began running through the streets of the shopping district beyond the shadows of the dungeon.

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