Chapter 185

The camera was off, but the broadcast was far from over. There was still another Violet left in the studio.

The expressions of the broadcasters were grim. After witnessing such a horrific experiment, anyone’s stomach would surely turn.

As the heat gradually dissipated, I glanced at the person beside me.

The news anchor seemed to have a lot on their mind. As I turned my head, the anchor took it as an opportunity to speak up.

“…It’s a horrifying sight. Viewers… I apologize for the shocking scenes you’ve seen. What you’ve witnessed can only be described as a torture facility… So, you mentioned the Ariel Group. May I ask, how did this happen? Is this true?”

I faced the anchor, who was sweating profusely from the tension and struggling to ask the questions properly.

“…Of course it’s true! Just grab your broadcast station’s camera and go take a look. I’ve already given you the address!”

As I answered, the studio staff in the control room glanced at the other Violets.

Instead of replying further, I nodded, and the director immediately picked up the phone to make contact.

“Understood… Now, for the next question. You stated that the location you just showcased is entirely a facility of the Magnavis Clan. Specifically, who planned and directed these experiments? Is it Chairman Almas Paxton? Or one of the other board members?”

“No, those guys are just part of the crew. It’s just the tip of the iceberg!”

One of the Violets in the studio jumped to her feet.

“Scientists? The Board of Directors? Senior executives? No, no! According to my investigation, they were just among those who helped. The one who installed that massive experimental apparatus under Polaris Academy and conducted brain research on people is someone else.”

“Who is that?”

I could tell the anchor was genuinely curious, but I felt overwhelmed and shouted in frustration.

“Who else could it be? It’s the former chairman of Magnavis, Noctis Caldwell Valefor! Currently the head of the Polaris Academy Board!”

-Kuwoong!

Perhaps it was the image of the girl suffering earlier that made me slam the table unintentionally. Part of the table shattered upon impact. Undeterred by the shock, the anchor whispered.

“…That war hero Valefor? The Grand Mage of Extremities? Is it really true? Why…”

“Well, I guess the old codger went senile after living for over a hundred years. Proof is continuously being shared online. So, this interview with the Ariel Group ends here.”

As I said this, I tossed a smoke grenade on the floor. Just then, the door burst open, and police and Inspection Bureau agents stormed in.

“Hands up!”

It was time to withdraw. I pointed at the camera lens and left my final words before vanishing.

“Don’t forget what I said earlier! Remember the mushroom cloud of Polaris! If you get caught, I’ll make you experience the same thing!…”

As the interview concluded, the heat that had been swirling in my mind gradually grew colder.

Looking at the lab director lying like a beehive, the words I had unleashed like a storm earlier replayed in my brain.

“Uh… Did we just mess up?”

“We should have followed the script…”

The Violets worried if they had done something wrong. They had blurted out everything due to excitement.

“Is this going to tarnish our image?”

While the Violets were anxious, someone patted my back.

I turned around to see Instructor Frederick. He looked at me with a pitiful gaze for some reason.

“…Are you worried about what you just said? Don’t sweat it. You said what you wanted to say, and that’s what matters. There’s still much to do. Don’t keep it bottled up.”

“…Okay.”

Encouraged by the instructor’s words, the Violets returned to their tasks.

“Hey! If you don’t do it right, next time it’ll be you lying over there! If those kids die, you die too!”

“Ah! Understood! Please! Don’t shoot!”

According to the reports from the Violet Network, it was presumed that a rescue team from the academy city autonomous district was heading towards several laboratories.

Until the rescue team arrived, we took care of the test subjects suffering through experiments and threatened the doctors and researchers to provide emergency treatment.

“Aagh!”

“Hey, you guys! Aren’t you moving faster? Do you want to follow your superior?”

While shouting at the hesitant researcher, Frederick kicked him in the shin.

Under the power of guns and shouts, the lab prisoners tore apart the wires connected to those restrained on the experiment tables. Meanwhile, I held tight to the hand of the blonde girl.

“Poor thing…”

“Those bad guys!”

Rubbing my eyes, I looked at the girl once more. I had mistakenly thought she resembled me.

This child only mirrored me in hair and eye color. However, seeing her cry while searching for her mother awakened bad memories of the laboratory that I thought I had forgotten.

Perhaps it was the sight that had reminded me of my experiences.

Moments later, the sound of wailing sirens announced the arrival of the emergency rescue team and Awakened therapists.

“…The broadcast was true! Oh my…”

As the rescue team eyed us cautiously, the Violets lowered their guns and pointed at the victims.

“The patients are over there. Please, help them.”

“…Understood.”

The Violets quickly led the instructors and prisoner researchers towards the escape route. Similar events were unfolding simultaneously in various locations.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

“Gather the equipment and personnel and get out!”

At 8:30 AM, after the broadcast ended, the Violets scattered in different directions began to withdraw one by one.

Aside from a few remnants chasing the retreating soldiers and us raiding the data center, the Violets disengaged or fell back.

The Witch’s Hammer operation seemed to conclude in most areas.

Except for a few locations.

“I can’t stand this anymore! Command Center. Let’s take a shot at them!”

The anger simmering within the Violet Network had yet to cool.

Every Violet wanted to deal a heavy blow to the one who had caused this entire mess.

“You old trash! I may not be able to kill you, but I’ll leave a scratch!”

“I agree!”

Number 1, who had been standing with her arms crossed, gave the order.

“From the Command Center, relay to all remaining squads! Destroy as much of the project facility as you can! And attack Valefor!”

The Violets, who had been suppressing their emotions due to the operation, switched 180 degrees once the command was issued.

The Violet squads, which had been dragging out their destructive activities, began to actively attack.

The objective was clear. They would deliver a direct hit to that Mage.

We had already won, but we wanted to throw a punch at him.

Soon, the entire project facility was engulfed in loud explosions.

“Waaah! Long live the Ariel Group!”

-Kwaang!

At 8:35 AM, the Violet squads scattered across the project facility, engaged in a delaying battle, suddenly shifted into an aggressive assault, fighting for their lives.

The name “Project Facility” was far too lacking to describe this multi-story structure.

The reason was that the facility’s purpose had not yet been clearly defined.

Constructed using the clan’s enormous budget, this facility was designed not only for research, development, and manufacturing but also to accommodate a large number of personnel if necessary.

Moreover, a massive arch-shaped ceiling had been installed at the top of the facility.

This served as a shield to protect against monster attacks and enemy assaults in emergencies, and acted as a concealment barrier against the sky’s surveillance system.

Due to its size, while the facility itself was complete, the roof was still under construction, and aside from the security system, most of the facilities were not yet in place.

Such conditions posed advantages and disadvantages for the Violet squads.

The advantage was that the facility was too wide and complex for enemies to completely annihilate the squad, while the downside was that the opponents could easily track the squad’s movements.

Above all, the interior was empty, so there wasn’t much to destroy, while the enemy forces were more numerous than anticipated.

“Where is Valefor?”

“On the first basement level! He’s on the first basement level! Kyaaah!”

Right after Unit 789 relayed the info, it was struck by a lightning whip and burned to ashes.

Despite several attempts to approach, we had been blocked time and time again.

“Ugh! Is it because of the CCTV? Look up! Is this their base?”

As the Violets suspected, the guard forces of Magnavis stationed at the project facility were thoroughly monitoring the Violets’ movements through their surveillance system.

“B2-A1 zone, team forces in motion. Headed towards elevator 3!”

“B3-C, D, and E zones report two squads of enemies in motion. Operation team 3, the opponents are equipped with heavy weapons. Stand by and divert as commanded.”

The security team leader issued commands while verifying the red dots on the portable holographic facility map.

“To B1 zone members: The enemy is equipped with suicide vests. Do not approach!”

A Violet, lying in ambush with a bomb, charged in. Immediately, a radiant shot blew the Violet’s head off.

With a report of the enemy eliminated, the security team leader smiled contentedly and explained to the man standing behind him.

“Grand Mage, what do you think? It’s a complex motion detection system installed throughout this facility. They’ll never be able to hide. You don’t need to intervene.”

After the security team leader’s explanation, Valefor muttered, “Hmm, is that so?” while watching the situation expressionlessly, while those around him looked uneasy.

“It was a mistake to have you here… We lost contact with headquarters and the command center…”

“But there’s nothing we can do about it, right? This is the original security protocol. You said you would stay here yourself…”

Though it may not provide any comfort, the attacks launched by these insignificant terrorists had failed to inflict significant damage compared to other places. The damage to the facility would likely be relatively minor as well.

“Dieeeeee!”

As the Grand Mage and the guards moved, another Violet appeared from behind the wall and lunged at the Mage. Before she could take three steps, her body was turned to ashes.

“Ugh! That doesn’t work either!”

“Ready the machine gun!”

As consecutive ambushes failed, the Violets moved down to the second basement level and set up machine guns.

Then they aimed towards the ceiling where the Grand Mage might be. Moments later, tracking spearheads flew in, piercing the Violets to the ground.

“Guys! Open the data center. Extract the Vision Memory Chip!”

The infiltrating Violets shattered the Vision Memory Chip. A searing laser shot melted the wall. In the moment of glee, an onslaught of radiant shots rained down upon the Violet.

“Waaaagh!”

Self-destruction, ambushes, heavy weapons, and close-range brawls. The Violet squad attempted every tactic for ten minutes.

“Let’s force it through! We’ll die anyway, so let’s at least leave a scratch before we go!”

“Yeah! Right!”

As consecutive breakthrough attempts all failed, the Violets engaged in guerrilla warfare and altered their strategy.

Two minutes later, the security team leader spotted the red dots on the hologram map clustering together.

“They’re coming up! It looks like they’re aiming for the Mage!”

Manipulating the hologram brought up a new video. The clones were making holes in the ceiling, climbing over each other like stairs.

“The clone manipulation ability is quite impressive; I don’t know the location of the main body, but it’s certainly someone skilled. Dispose of them.”

The last statement was directed at the Vanguard agents waiting behind him. After a brief assessment of the unidentified enemy, the Grand Mage pointed to the map and issued several commands before heading towards the enemy.

Violets on the first basement level encountered a magical minefield that exceeded their imagination.

“Ugh, Ughhh!”

“Take cover!”

As the magical cataclysm they experienced at Vittorio Arcade unfolded again, Violets vanished in an instant.

With every breath, unit after unit of Violets disappeared without a trace, soon even the squads vanished.

The enemies were suppressing their firepower for fear that their facility might be destroyed, yet they managed this level of devastation.

“Ugh, did we overreach? Should we just fall back?”

“There’s no way around it! That guy is too strong. But it makes me angry!”

“The enemy of children! The one who ruined the academy!”

While skepticism floated through the network, the Violet division headquarters devised a plan in a short time.

They had consumed explosives to blow up Polaris Academy. There was almost none left.

Heavy weapons were unsuitable for use in such tight quarters, and all attempts at sniping had failed. They were surely protected by shields and relic equipment.

The mortars and cannons that could physically breach the facility were sealed within the building.

Trying to shoot from the outside would only get blocked by the ceiling.

“What remains are magic and relics!”

Unit 1 pulled out the trump card.

“From the division headquarters! Extract all remaining melting ray memory chips! And…”

“The use of the Hand of Destiny is authorized!”

The Violets spread the remaining smoke grenades across the ground and attempted another breakthrough.

On the second basement level, the girls charged in from all 360 degrees surrounding the Chairman.

“Long live the Ariel Group!”

“Die! Murderers of Polaris!”

Amidst the smoke grenades, the girls began to vanish one by one. Stabbed by swords, gunfire pierced their hearts. Amongst the flames of destruction, Unit 721 dashed forward.

“Hurry up and run! If you see him, then shoot!”

“Ahhh! I’m burning! Quickly go!”

Using her companions as shields and another herself as cover, Unit 721 sprinted with all her might. Her hands bore large golden gauntlets.

“Good, let’s resurrect! I need more ether to use as bullets!”

The external Violets began to resurrect one by one.

The Violets at command consumed magic energy supplements.

At the same time, hundreds of bodies were converted into magical power and concentrated into one Violet.

“Wow! My body is overflowing with ether!”

Running frantically, Unit 721 caught sight of a familiar figure before her.

Between the smoke and flames, she spotted a middle-aged man with gray hair and glasses, gazing at her intently amidst the Vanguard agents.

“Now that I see it! You were a ponytail too!”

The Violet thought as she raised her gauntlet. Though dying here would be nice, she didn’t mind if she survived. She merely wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.

The girl silently shouted within her heart.

“Watch out for us…!”

“Violet Beam—”

As she shouted and injected magic into the tip of her gauntlet, Valefor waved his right hand as if swatting away a fly.

“Huh?”

Unit 721’s body floated into the air. Suddenly, the telekinesis swept the Violets roughly across the ground.

Beneath them was a vast abyss leading underground. As concentration was disrupted, the Hand of Destiny ceased to function.

“Ah! No! This is cheating!”

“They’re falling! Aaaah!”

At the Mage’s gesture, the Violets plummeted to the ground like dust dropping into a trash can. The surviving Violets fell into the underground.

“I can’t lose the relics!”

Unit 721 hurried to put the Hand of Destiny into her inventory. As a brief sense of relief and a smile bloomed, a strong impact struck the girl’s body.

“Ughhh!”

One by one, the Violets lost their lives. Unit 721 hit her head and lost consciousness.

“They were wiped out. There are no survivors.”

The security team leader reported as the holographic map displayed the red dots on the lowest level, the fifth basement, disappearing one by one.

“I… I don’t want this… We failed!”

“That guy! He’s too strong!”

The Violets at division headquarters sighed. Unit 721 and the other Violets returned to the network, feeling defeated.

As the Violets fell dejected over their minor failure, Valefor gazed down into the underground abyss with a hint of regret and disdain.

“To be stuck here because of such things… That was my mistake. I should have trusted you and left it to you.”

I had missed the opportunity to save other places due to such easily dealt with enemies.

“…What should we do now?”

“Search the basement and quickly move to a safe zone to regroup. Regrettably, I don’t believe we will have a chance to use this facility—”

Just as the team prepared for withdrawal, one guard manipulating a tablet spotted something unusual.

“Captain, you need to check this. A survival response has been detected on the fifth basement level… It’s not certain as there are no CCTV cameras…”

“What…? ”

The security team leader turned to the screen his subordinate pointed at. His eyes widened slightly.

“It’s real?”

The red signal that had just vanished reappeared.

After the gauntlet stopped, the enormous magical power that had lost its direction would have normally been retrieved.

However, Unit 721 did not die immediately, and the ether lingered within her for a while.

The environment of the Violet Network, caught in an unusual rage, became very unstable. It was akin to cracks forming in a building’s outer walls and pillars due to poor construction. The Violet Network repaired the fissures.

In this process, something that should not ordinarily happen occurred.

From the crevices of the network, a young girl, an illegal immigrant hiding in a secret corner, was ejected from the fissures without understanding what was happening.

Meanwhile, Unit 721’s breathing abruptly ceased.

As water gets sucked into a drain, the girl fell into the physical realm.

At that moment, the ether, freed from its owner’s control, felt the will to live just before being retrieved, a viscous and dark sensation.

The ether enveloped the girl’s body in a peculiar manner.

Unit 721’s young body began to slowly mature.

Moments later, a mature woman with a decadent aura rose to her feet.

“…Where is this…?”

The Violet opened her eyes.

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