Chapter 197

Before we officially started training, Instructor declared.

“I’ve heard your stories. You all want to get stronger, right?”

All my friends nodded in agreement.

While we were doing other activities, I noticed Instructor having a serious conversation. They must have asked something like that.

“Teaching methods and atmosphere may vary greatly, but ultimately, whether you transfer to another academy or not, the fundamental differences hardly change. Practical experience is what’s truly important.”

As he spoke that, Instructor lifted his sword.

“And to gain practical experience, you have to fight a lot.”

I asked, looking confused.

If it’s about practical experience, my friends and I should already have enough.

Besides, we’ve had plenty of duels.

As I explained this, Instructor shook his head resolutely.

“Duels are important. But Violets, you’ve already heard everything from your friends. That is merely training reduced in intensity through mutual agreement. It’s not enough to fully unleash your potential. You need training that resembles real combat more closely.”

The importance of real combat, we could agree on that.

“Training needs to feel like real combat. This isn’t just fancy words. If you’re not put in real danger, it’s hard to truly feel it.”

Then, Instructor added a question to us, asking if the speed at which you’ve grown stronger was related to your abilities.

The Violets nodded at that question.

“In the end, there’s just one important thing. You need to die a lot and kill a lot.”

“Aha, so you’re emphasizing the need for realistic training!”

Instructor’s words were reasonable.

The reason Violets have grown stronger is that they’ve killed a lot. It makes total sense that killing a lot leads to becoming stronger.

“I see. Why didn’t I think of that?”

My friends are weak because they haven’t killed enough people.

“I understood the instructor’s intention!”

“…?”

“So we just need to let ourselves die, right?”

This feels strange. This isn’t it.

Our Violets could become excellent target practice.

“No, that’s…”

Instructor wore a perplexed expression.

Irene shook her head in a ‘that’s not it’ manner, while the other friends sighed.

“Even if your unique ability is invincible, that’s not the case. Consider the feelings of the other students a bit, you fool!”

“Uu…”

“And the rest aren’t invincible like you.”

Oops, I hadn’t thought of that. Other people’s lives are down to one.

“Then it’s odd. Why did you bring up the topic of actual combat?”

Soon, I would find out the reason.

Instructor had been making phone calls diligently for the past few days.

And cautiously, he introduced us to a bundle of catalogs.

“Aha! So this is how it works? That way, we can kill each other without worry?”

“You sure know how to say it…”

On training day, we headed to a building located in the Central District.

“Is this the training ground?”

“This is a place introduced through an acquaintance. The equipment is old-fashioned, but it should serve well enough for multiple people to practice.”

“I had completely forgotten about the virtual reality training yard.”

What lay before us was a mix of Ether engineering, magic, and holographic technology.

It was something that had also existed in the now-ruined Polaris Academy.

We had even had a duel with Martina in a place like this before.

Of course, there was a simple reason we hadn’t trained here until now.

First, we thought that dueling was sufficient.

And secondly, it cost a lot. Reservations were fully booked.

“I spent too much money on weapons…”

But how could these broke Violets and friends afford to rent a training ground within a reasonable budget?

It was thanks to our sky-high connections with the masters.

“Tsk… it’s a bit disappointing that the old model lacks performance, but we can’t help it. Please understand. This was the only affordable place we could get for a large group of a hundred within your budget.”

“It’s okay! We just have to work harder.”

The facility itself was worn out.

Unlike the academy’s duel arena, we had to put on strange headgear and bracelets to enter.

Just looking at it seems quite shabby.

Still, compared to the academy’s duel arena, it had a few advantages.

First, the virtual space inside was incredibly vast. Coniferous forests, urban areas, jungles, deserts. And even prairies!

It supports dozens of terrains.

And you can use all kinds of weapons.

“Can we use magic?”

“Well, let’s test it first. I can’t know how that Vision Memory of yours works inside…”

I tried a simple fire spell.

When real magic popped out, Instructor Frederick watching the virtual reality yelled in shock and turned off the simulation.

“…It seems that this can’t be reflected in the simulation. It’s dangerous, so refrain from using that for now.”

Sadly, the Violets’ Vision Memory was sealed away.

There was a risk of injuring someone.

Fortunately, we were able to implement heavy weapons like mortars.

Originally, these were the things used by the enemy’s artificial intelligence bots inside the simulation. They were using something similar to what we would use.

“This could potentially allow for self-destruction! Among what the bots use, there’s a bomb vest.”

“How exciting!”

We decided to run a simulation for fun.

“Yahoo!”

As the virtual reality unfolded, the tiled arena quickly transformed into a beach.

If you look closely, there might be awkward parts, but it’s pretty decent performance.

Thus, the Violets headed into the field.

What was necessary to help my friends grow was ample experience.

It couldn’t be helped, but I’ll have to die and kill alongside my friends. Sorry, Daphne!

“First, I need to see your current abilities. Fight at full power. Use all means necessary.”

“Can we use guns and bombs?”

“…Sure. And Violet, operate the maximum number of personnel within the training ground’s capacity. There are things to look into.”

Hmm, considering the training ground’s limits, at best, one company would be the maximum, but let’s give it a go.

If the numbers run low, we can continuously generate them.

As preparations were finished, Instructor Frederick threw a handkerchief, signaling the start of battle.

“Alright, from now on, kill each other.”

As the barrier unfolded, the interior transformed into a rural landscape with forests and hills. One hundred Violets advanced.

“Attack! Attack!”

I could see friends entrenched on the hill, hundreds of meters away. Everyone had serious expressions.

“Charge straight ahead!”

The Violets charged while shouting together.

“Graaaagh!”

This is the battle cry of our murder-genius Violets. It should surely dampen the enemy’s morale!

“Why are they acting like that?”

The expressions of my friends wavered slightly.

They seemed to struggle to hold back their reactions, but it was hard to understand why they were acting like this.

From the hill, glowing arrows and projectiles rained down.

“Uwaaaah! It’s Levi firing!”

“Get down! Hyaaaah!”

“Graah! The shield is breaking!”

Sounds of clashing from afar. The Violets dove flat to the ground.

“Hahhahhaha!!!!” A girl wielding a massive ballista laughed maniacally while firing. We quickly retaliated.

“Fire!”

We shot with fire extinguishers, but everything was blocked by a pale green barrier.

Before we realized it, something like smoke exploded in front of us. Was it Lucian’s doing?

It seemed like a clever tactic. However, we Violets had artillery.

“Mortar team! Respond!”

The mortars hammered away at the surroundings. As the artillery was tied down, Violets armed with rifles and crossbows surrounded them, unloading fire.

“Fire!”

Continuing this barrage would surely leave them trapped inside the barrier. It was inevitable that the team in charge of close combat would come rushing in.

While the fire teams sent bullets and bolts flying, a series of vanguards advanced.

“One, two! One, two!”

Bombardment, vanguard, flanking, encirclement!

We kept pressing on our friends nonstop.

Twenty minutes later, the first victory was decided. It was a win for the Violets.

After this, we fought at full power a couple more times.

Though the methods of attack varied, the essence remained the same. Long-range sniping, bombardment. Close combat. Chase. Encirclement!

My friends fought seriously and well.

With one or two companies, limits were reached, necessitating repeated generation.

Whether it was because of past duels or not, everyone became familiar with fighting us.

Knowing about the unique abilities drastically differs from being unaware of them.

But did we perhaps become far stronger than before?

Defeat was unavoidable.

“Really, Violets love self-destruction, huh.”

“Right? I think I can understand how the academy fell.”

Daphne and Irene, caught up in the consecutive self-destructs of the Violets, let out short sighs.

“But you are just far too sturdy! We couldn’t help it.”

This mysterious virtual reality training ground reflects user stats and unique abilities fairly well.

While other friends got sniped or brutally beaten and dropped out early, Irene managed to survive until the end with her ridiculous durability.

If even anti-tank weaponry couldn’t break through, explosives were all that remained.

In the end, Irene became the first among friends to receive a baptism of self-destruction.

By the way, I wonder how the instructor reacted.

“Indeed, I see. As expected…”

Surprisingly, Instructor was not shocked by the results of the practice battles.

My friends seemed a bit tired, but they didn’t look as gloomy as before.

In an instant, I felt the team’s and instructor’s gazes subtly cross. Why was that?

“Alright, I’ve seen your capabilities well. It’s good that you don’t hold back because you are friends. However… after all, there’s much to improve. Just as I mentioned previously, we need to reassess the basics of what to do in actual combat.”

“Yes!”

“And Violet, how many clones are you able to create right now?”

Instructor suddenly asked about my clones.

“Well, the half that’s generated is studying with Professor Albert, so about a hundred.”

“That’s good. Let’s consider there’s no time for rest. Are you ready?”

“Kyaaaah!”

While Violets and friends trained in their respective ways, the other Violets were tailing someone.

“My body is sore!”

The Violets were suffering.

Professors who had learned about their unique abilities built the optimal methods to efficiently teach the Violets.

It was extremely efficient, but the learning process was brutal.

“Ugh… this is annoying, should I skip this?”

“No way! It’s better to get this done quickly.”

Currently, the Violets were watching near the Helios Clan.

Once the Magnavis issue was dealt with, the Violets turned their attention to a friend’s problem.

With preparations for transfer underway, leaving potential future troubles would be foolish.

It couldn’t be confirmed, but based on various circumstances and testimonies from collaborators, Irene was suspicious of not only her uncle but also other relatives.

The Violets agreed with that speculation.

I had heard that the power struggles within the clan were extremely messy.

It couldn’t even compare to internal fights in 21st-century conglomerates or companies.

Murder was a common occurrence, and horrific acts like dismemberment or gouging out eyes happened often.

Perhaps because of the existence of artificial prosthetics and healing magic, the world was crueler than Earth.

It seemed that being an Awakened One made one inherently sturdy, which in turn encouraged even more vicious forms of torture, 621 pondered.

Violet pointed at the target they were monitoring.

“Why is that guy acting like that?”

The Violets tilted their heads.

The uncle of a friend seemed depressed and was downing drinks.

Thinking that if there was a problem, it should be dealt with immediately, the Violets whispered among themselves in the network.

“Should we install a bomb in the car?”

“We still have those missiles! Let’s deal with it then.”

As the radical Violets discussed murder methods, the moderate Violets intervened.

They suggested waiting until knowing the full details before making a decision.

Following that, we could certainly present the highest position in the clan as a gift to Irene for her transfer!

“Then let’s ask her to buy us an aircraft afterward!”

“Wow!”

Thinking it was a truly rational decision, the Violets imagined Irene rising to the head of the clan.

“She’d definitely be super happy, right?”

“It’s about carrying on our father’s legacy!”

The Violets were determined. Just like when they killed the Magnavis executives, they decided to burrow Violets into the houses of those who fell under suspicion.

“We are Princess Makers!”

Thus, the fates of the Helios clan and relatives were decided.

December was approaching.

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