Chapter 252

In the streets of Asteria, shrouded in a gray, eerie atmosphere, the search party moved cautiously.

Wrapped in Recognition Interference Devices and stealth gear, the search team managed to infiltrate the depths of the city without encountering any resistance.

The gray sky loomed overhead, and only a chilling silence filled the air.

The sound of boots crunching debris and the occasional crackle from the directional laser communicator disturbed the dormant streets.

The team leader raised his fist, signaling his team to stop. He aimed his rifle and peered around the alley corner.

“12 monsters ahead. 20 meters.”

The team moved with practiced efficiency. As the soldiers turned left, a dull noise echoed through the still air.

-Thump! Thump!

The muted heavy metal rounds from the silenced electromagnetic rifle split the silence ahead.

Followed by the bolts of a crossbow infused with magical power.

As the projectiles pierced through twisted heads, the monsters convulsed and fell.

“Clean-up complete.”

They advanced forward, leaving behind shattered windows, strangely pulsating walls, and the remains of their enemies.

“Still no traces of Code Omega.”

Whispered the team leader as he scanned the shadows with his electromagnetic rifle.

“But don’t let your guard down. According to reports from above, they are completely different from the variants we’ve encountered before.”

One soldier replaced his rifle’s magazine.

“I don’t really understand what kind of variant they’re talking about. We were ordered to avoid combat at all costs.”

Another soldier fidgeted with the Rumyx Foundation medical kit attached to his elbow, looking skeptical.

“And what’s with these stabilizers? They call it stabilizers, but isn’t it just a suicide drug?”

In response to their questions, the team leader spoke firmly.

“We won’t need to use it. Our mission is solely reconnaissance. If we spot anything suspicious, we return immediately to the Exhibition Hall and report back to HQ. The others will handle the foes. Those cans from Restraid.”

His decisive words silenced the questions that filled the team members’ mouths.

But even the team leader had many unanswered questions in his mind.

“What kind of monsters requires us to avoid combat at all costs?”

Their discussion came to a sudden halt as they turned the corner of the next alley, and a strange voice echoed from behind them without a trace or sound.

“Hello.”

The startled team members turned around. A man with an expressionless face stood there as if he had fallen from the air.

Dressed in white, with neatly trimmed hair. Yet a sense of foreboding enveloped them.

The man spoke slowly and kindly, as if greeting a neighbor.

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

A question flickered in their minds. Despite moving undetected, how did he recognize them?

‘…And, where did he come from?’

At that moment, the tech officer’s portable scanner detected a target.

Displayed on the screen was a distorted human shape swirling with impossible forms and colors.

-Beeep!

The device buzzed in sync, sending a piercing sound through all the communication devices of the alert team members.

Simultaneously, they felt their blood freeze at the bizarre atmosphere radiating from the man.

“My God.”

The trigger wouldn’t pull. Why?

In that moment of crisis, long experience and willpower barely pushed back the fear.

“Code Omega!”

The team leader screamed.

“Retreat immediately!”

But it was already too late. A wall rose silently, blocking their escape route.

An obstacle that appeared to have always been there.

No magic, no flow of magical power.

That was far too instantaneous for magic. In the shock, their bodies trained in fear reacted instinctively.

“Fire!”

-Tatatatatang!

Heavy metal rounds flew toward the man, who remained leisurely smiling. Grenades soared, and Ether Emitters unleashed bursts of magical rays.

The man stepped forward slowly and almost indifferently waved his hand.

Bullets flying toward his chest and head suddenly halted mid-air.

As he passed, the suspended bullets trembled and scattered like a swarm of flies.

A soldier fired a grenade from the bottom of his rifle. The man’s gaze shifted to the grenade.

Just before it exploded, the grenade crumpled and vanished into dust.

The beam that should have crushed its target froze in the air.

“Close in!”

The opponent was utilizing some sort of magic or Unique Ability.

Feeling the urgency not to give him time to cast a spell, the search team members attempted close combat.

‘Must subdue quickly!’

The man slowly approached them, as if inviting them to try.

A storm of attacks came pouring in from all angles, magical-infused strikes.

High and low, stabbing and slicing.

But nothing hit.

“Wh-why?”

The man moved with an impossibly relaxed demeanor.

Even the slightest shrug of his shoulder or twist of his wrist caused the trajectory of the sword to bend in bizarre directions.

Every attempt at attack was as futile as trying to catch smoke with bare hands.

Tilting his head to the side, the man made a light gesture as if swatting away bugs.

The moment he took a step back, the team leader recoiled.

The body of a subordinate supporting him from the left stiffened.

She dropped her weapon.

-Clang.

“Ugh, ugh!”

As other soldiers looked on in horror, her skin sloughed off the floor like old wallpaper.

In a matter of seconds, she transformed into a writhing mass of flesh.

“Ah! No, no. Aaaaaah!”

The second scream. The soldier’s arm moved stiffly, defying its owner’s will.

The scream halted the moment his fingers dug deep into his own eye sockets.

The screams continued.

The federal army search team members proved that there were no limits to human potential.

Sparkling as they scattered.

Melting down to the floor.

Shrinking, splitting, flattening, and boiling over.

The last surviving team leader stared in terror at that existence.

In a situation where the laws of reality before him collapsed, he desperately charged forward.

“Ugh, Aaaaah!”

The sword aimed at the man’s heart twisted bizarrely. Just like a long stick submerged in water, it bent in an unnatural direction.

In the next moment, his body contorted and distorted.

In the silence, the final resistance was crushed.

The man’s gaze shifted to the intact part of the Rumyx Foundation’s medical kit amidst the crimson pile.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to just commit suicide?”

Muttering with a hint of disdain, he reached out and lifted the remaining head from the writhing grotesque pieces in agony.

As his fingers penetrated the head, memories flooded in like waves.

“As expected. They came to catch us. They seemed quite prepared.”

The man sent information along with his mental transmission to his comrades.

“No livestock rushing to the slaughterhouse?”

“The troops are taking a bit longer.”

In the now tranquil streets, he watched beyond the Barrier.

“Alright, then I’ll check on the little ones in the meantime.”

Those suspicious beings peering at him from a distance.

The man stretched out his hand.

-KABOOM!

Three layers of walls collapsed, and suited men were dragged in like fish caught on a line.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

The suited men assumed their unique battle stances.

A faint smile bloomed on the man’s expressionless face.

His sharp eyes scanned them. The agents felt completely exposed under his gaze.

“Humans, huh? More like monsters. There are signs of modification…”

The man, lost in thought, muttered.

“You guys… let’s see, you must be from that Obsidian Legion, huh?”

The bewildered agents drew their swords.

Aspen thought. It seemed unlikely that they would be living peacefully.

What awaited in the Erosion Zone was a cute girl, Ariel!

However, not long after their first conversation, she started to pout for some reason.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s bothering you? Was the chocolate bar not tasty?”

Our concerns as Violets were soon resolved.

As the convention center came into view through the old-fashioned streets, Ariel finally opened her mouth.

“I’m not a terrorist.”

“A terrorist?”

When I asked back, Ariel responded in a voice mixed with dissatisfaction.

“Earlier, you mentioned the Ariel Group.”

“Oh, right.”

“Don’t play with other people’s names!”

I puzzled over what the issue was, and the words I had said within the Violet Network replayed like a broken record.

-Ah, that Ariel Group!

I couldn’t understand what the problem was. Isn’t the Ariel Group a good thing?

“Do you not like the Ariel Group?”

When I asked, Ariel stared at me as if she didn’t understand what I was talking about.

“The Ariel Group is terrorists. They say they are bad people.”

“Wait, are you saying the Ariel Group are bad people?”

Her response halted our steps. I couldn’t comprehend the label of “bad people.”

‘Bad people! We are champions of liberal democracy!’

‘Just a kid who knows nothing.’

‘But we are the good guys!’

The girl continued.

“My parents and teachers also said the Ariel Group are bad people. They’ve killed a lot of people.”

“Oh, is that so…?”

Her words had some truth to them. It was indeed a fact that we had killed many people.

But to label us as bad people just for that.

Could it be that the MagnaVis scoundrels and the three major clans, and the federal fools had stirred up fake news? Kids at that age know nothing.

I shook off the uncomfortable feeling and continued to inquire.

“I see, do you think so too?”

Ariel seemed to find my question difficult. She pondered for a moment before slowly replying.

“…Actually, I don’t really know.”

Though she hesitated, she continued with her thoughts.

“Even though they did kill many people and blew up bombs, they also rescued those being subjected to illegal experiments. Some say they are heroic.”

Her words contained only facts. There was nothing wrong with them.

“But still, I dislike the Ariel Group.”

“But you just called them heroes.”

Ariel shorted out in annoyance.

“My friends tease me using my name!”

Ah, I see.

“Since the terrorist incident last year, my friends see me and call me a terrorist. They ask me if I’m going to blow up a bomb every time I pass by.”

Ariel grumbled about the teasing she had endured all this time.

At that moment, I realized why this child felt uncomfortable with our words.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you felt that way. You could have just told me sooner.”

“You didn’t give me the chance to say.”

“Ugh… I’m sorry…”

Filled with regret, I rummaged through my pockets and pulled out snacks from my inventory.

Handing a cold drink can and a pack of snacks to Ariel, her expression softened a bit.

“How did you put that there?”

“There’s a method to everything. I’m a veteran hunter, you know!”

“Really? You look like a student from an academy.”

Ariel looked at me with distrustful eyes.

At such a young age, already suspicious… where did her innocence go? I worry about the future.

“Yes! I’ve been through dungeons several times. Oh right, I’m a student at Aegis Academy!”

As I showed my student ID, Ariel’s brown eyes widened in surprise.

“V… Violet?”

“Yes, I’m Violet. A first-year at Aegis Academy.”

In an instant, Ariel’s face lit up like a girl meeting her idol.

“Wow! Aegis Academy!”

“Huh?”

As she examined my student ID, she seemed to bounce with excitement.

The convention center was drawing near.

“Why is she acting like that?”