Chapter 261

Our front lines are in two places.

One is the Violet Network, and the other is the Erosion Zone.

The Violet Command Center quickly ordered the battlefield to be seized.

The map is too dark. Securing visibility is the top priority.

“Deploy! Deploy!”

A heavily armed squadron of 100 hang gliders took to the skies from various points in the city.

Slowly, the fog of war begins to lift, revealing the movement paths of hazy red dots.

The countless numbers swarm in. They must far exceed the number of our Violets.

At least one Violet must take down a hundred monsters before dying.

“Why are there so many?!”

We quickly fell into confusion again.

Where the hell did these damn apostles bring such a monstrous horde from?

“Are you scared? This is just the tip of the iceberg of our military might. Despair!”

The apostle, having read our mood, opened his mouth mockingly.

“Shut up!”

I punched him in the face and struggled to calm myself down.

Amidst this, I spotted white powders.

These were the items I had just pulled out to ease the pain.

They were potent enough to affect even the Awakened Ones. I examined the label on the bag.

Most were hallucinogens or relaxants, but there were also those labeled as Awakening Agents.

I wondered what their effects would be.

I tossed some of the white powder from the Command Center’s desk into my mouth.

As I swallowed the Awakening Agent of unknown origin, my heart raced, and thoughts began to whirl actively in my mind like well-oiled gears.

Yes, this is it. A vitality that cannot even be compared to caffeine!

“Calm down! We are Violets!”

“Right! We are Violets!”

Violets are the torchbearers of democracy and the guardians of freedom!

Charged by the drug’s effects, the Command Center encouraged the others.

“Our Violets are the embodiment of courage! We have noble beliefs!”

That’s right. Our Violets have faith. They have courage.

In our network lies the spirit of hope that dreams of freedom and peace.

“What does that even mean? Democracy? What a bizarre political system—”

Hearing our words through the network, the apostle muttered. I quickly smashed the hammer onto his pitch-black face to inject the spirit of democracy.

-Pow! Pow!

“■■■■-!”

“Be quiet!”

He cries out in an unintelligible language. A primitive theocratic tribe has no voice here.

“Monsters don’t know courage! They don’t understand the spirit of freedom and solidarity! They’re no better than bugs!”

Indeed. Those guys are the real insects.

With courage surging, the Violets began to refocus on what they needed to do amid battling the apostle.

“One. Protect the academy students and survivors!”

Drive away the monsters and evacuate the people from the convention center to a safer location.

“Two. Annihilate those apostles and monsters!!”

While the Violet squad blocked the monsters, they pinpointed the apostles’ locations and sent in a small elite force to take their heads.

“This is the beheading operation!”

However, I honestly questioned whether we could kill all the apostles.

We might have dealt a blow with the power of the network, but how to physically kill them?

Fortunately, the rescue team from the Aegis Academy and the Helios Team had not yet entered. And we have another Scholarship Officer as well.

But the problem lies with the other people.

“Three. Hold out until the passage opens!”

Those who couldn’t fight due to injuries must somehow be pulled out of the veil.

1241, standing at the forefront with a shield, looked around.

“Everyone’s condition is…”

All around were people in a terrible state.

It reminded me of disaster victims left behind in the ruins swept away by a storm.

For now, the smaller groups of Awakened Ones hesitated, intimidated by our numbers and retreated.

The problem lay with those soldiers.

“Hey, officer! Where’s your commander?”

Feigning ignorance, I pointed to the major in the armored vehicle.

Major Klein, looking fatigued, faced us. He steadied himself and responded.

“None. For now, I am the commander here.”

Oh, that was an unexpected answer. I originally planned to cooperate with the local commander subtly.

“What? Is that even possible? No other commander?”

“The highest-ranking officer in this area is me. Other units are isolated, and the command center is…”

The major hesitated, glancing in one direction.

In the distance, crumpled armored vehicles and red orbs tangled into a mush were visible.

“Aah! Meatballs!”

I heard that the senior officers controlling the mobile units were all dead, and we’ve lost contact with the command center outside the veil.

From here on out, I’ll be a bad Violet.

“I see. Then cooperate with us. Our Ariel Group has come to exterminate the evil monsters!”

“…Are you saying to cooperate with terrorists?”

“Cooperate!”

I pressed on assertively. As the major, checking my reaction, got angry, an officer who seemed like his subordinate came closer and whispered something.

Eventually, the major muttered as if he had no choice.

“…It can’t be helped. Given the situation…”

There were too many numbers to not cooperate.

“Temporary alliance achieved!”

Good. There’s no need to hesitate. The Violet infantry charge forward, slashing at the monsters.

“Charge! Charge!”

What we’ll use here is the Polaris-style Close Combat Technique.

“Unleash!”

The swords and axes make sweeping, flexible arcs, slicing through the monsters’ bodies.

The brutish assault of monsters pauses temporarily. The rain of spears falls.

“Attack!”

The line of warriors, armed with swords and shields, steps back. Spear and large shield units surge through the gap. A fierce clash ensues.

-Crunch!

The monsters flinch and topple over. The shield formation retreats slightly, hunching down. Other Violets leap up, stepping on their backs.

“Slice them up!”

Violets wielding swords decimate the monsters.

The ancient monster-fighting techniques from the fallen academy, passed down by Instructor Frederick, shine at the tips of our blades.

Monsters that don’t know martial arts, get shredded like a blender.

“Graaaaaah!”

In an instant, light returned to the glazed eyes of the monsters.

Those being slaughtered by the attack quivered as if struck by lightning, then cunningly slipped into openings.

“Warning! Warning!”

Simultaneously, the rudimentary red dots of monsters that had populated the map come to a halt.

Order arises in the previously mindless march of the monsters.

“Apostle!”

The apostles begin to control the monsters in earnest, intervening in the pandemonium.

We should’ve tied up both of their heads somehow.

Had they read our mood?

The apostle in the Violet Plaza gestures in the air, mocking us.

“Fools, my companion has completely escaped this place. Half of my mind is still completely outside. Did you truly think you could completely subdue me?”

“Yap yap yap! Shut up!!”

As the monsters rushed forward under the apostle’s command.

This is no longer hunting. It’s war now.

“Pattern shift!”

A human-shaped wolf-like monster slashes forward with its claws.

The magical power coalescing on its long claws approaches. What is needed here is—

“Aegis Swordsmanship!”

The claws flying toward vital points ricochet off.

What unfolds now is the Aegis Academy’s defensively-oriented swordsmanship. With solid defense-oriented techniques, it mitigates their counterattacks.

With each enemy attack defended, we take a step back. Three sections take one step back. Six sections take two steps back.

The essence of Aegis Swordsmanship lies in the exquisite balance of defense and riposte.

Moreover, our weapons aren’t just swords.

“Fire! Fire!”

-Tat-tat-tat-tat!

A torrential gunfire covers the monsters.

On the flanks of the defense line, Violets who flanked over the buildings cause the enemies’ charge to falter once more.

“All troops! To the left and right!”

In perfect synchronization, the sound of footsteps striking the ground can be heard. The Violets split to the sides.

What glitters in between are the electromagnetic rifles of the countless Federal soldiers lined up.

“Now!”

-Pow pow pow!

Heavy bullets accelerated by magnetic force crush the monsters.

After a barrage of gunfire, we return to our positions. Charge again. Counterattack again. Defense, riposte!

As the first Violet squad recovers the defense line, other Violets scatter in all directions.

“We are the Ariel Group! Cooperate!”

We prepare to rescue isolated units and hunters, evacuating students and civilians.

“Defense line secured!”

Now, all routes leading to the exhibition hall are secured.

The Violet Command Center recited. We are the gears.

The Violets hypnotized themselves. We are the murderous gears.

Gears that never go awry. Let’s become the crushing machine of justice.

“Let’s grind the monsters!”

Thus, once, twice, we continue to tear apart the pouring waves. Facing the third wave directly.

Something feels different.

“Be careful! Those guys—”

The urgent voice of Major Klein reached the ears of Radio Violet.

Strange-looking beings with white skin and human forms marched forward in formation.

Bullets flew faster than sound, hitting their skin once, bouncing off again in front of the weird barrier they raised like shields.

“High-speed motion-blocking barrier!”

“Ariel Group, listen up! Those guys can use Weapon Techniques! They’re intelligent monsters!”

As the major shouted, the hunters waiting in reserve behind us twisted their faces in shock.

“…!”

“Cease fire! Prepare for close combat! Gunners, change weapons to crossbows!”

The attacks of the rushing monsters. One by one, the leading Violets started to get torn apart.

“Aaah! My right arm!”

“My head’s gone!”

Defending with Aegis-style swordsmanship, we activate the Violet simulation.

Really, their movements are not normal. Continuous attacks in between.

-Crack!

“Uwaah!”

The head of the machine gunner who was busy emptying the ammo canister against the onslaught of sniper ghouls bursts open.

-Ka-bang!

“Hey! This is Platoon 1, Section 4, Squad 2! Kranos has appeared in front! They’re coming! They’re coming!”

The onslaught of giant monsters that rammed through our front line.

“Flight Squadron 1! Prepare for aerial combat!”

Once again, flying monsters come soaring above the hang glider squadron securing visibility.

This is truly joint air-ground tactics.

Indeed, the claims of having toppled numerous civilizations do not seem like exaggerations.

The attacks of the apostles didn’t stop at sheer numbers.

“Hiyahhh!”

“Ugh! I’m being eaten!”

Tactical attacks combining monsters with varying characteristics. Shelling and charging, aerial attacks!

To prepare for a counterattack, we willingly sacrificed a whole squad.

“Get revenge!”

“I will take revenge!”

-Bang! Boom boom!

Violets throw their bodies like trash into the explosions. We deployed a new reserve squad to hold back the monsters that charged through the dust.

“Command center broadcasts!”

I frantically moved the green dots across the map.

They pulled a new card, so it was our turn to strike back!

On a massive chessboard named Asteria, new pieces were ready to enter.

“All artillery! Prepare for concentrated fire at designated coordinates!”

Heat-emitting artillery completed its preparations for inner-fire.

“Okay, get Rugilinn’s iron fist ready!”

“The mobilization unit is also ready!”

From the outpost beyond the veil, the guards who stood dazed were filled with shock. What rushed in were two tanks and an armored vehicle column.

“Contact Helios Team! Prepare for deployment!”

Large transport helicopters with the Helios mark ascended above the dome-like veil.

Just as we finished preparing for the attack, a man in white clothing appeared once again among the horde of monsters.

“Ugh! It’s an apostle!”

Once again, the red markings began to rise from his hands.

“Ugh! Be careful!”

Amplifying sensory magic once again descends upon the Violets. Did I think it had automatically released earlier, only to have to endure it here again?

“Crap, this is bad!”

The Violets were agitated. The female apostle mocked us.

“No matter how hard you thrash, bugs are still bugs. Psychologically, you may be slightly superior to us.”

As she flung away one Violet, she spoke with confidence.

“Don’t be mistaken. You cannot subdue us by brute force.”

Damn it, just when I thought that guy would be hard to take down, am I going to be counterattacked like this?

Must I taste that horrific pain again?

Just as the command center was about to prepare drugs and self-destruction once more, an idea popped into my head.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t quite right to say it had occurred to me.

It flowed in from somewhere.

“…I think I understand something!”

For some reason, I felt I could do it.

I was in the same space as that apostle.

The monsters ripped apart a whole squad of Violets.

At that moment when renewed pain threatened to wash over me like a flood,

Within the network, I hurled that pain at the apostle in front of me.

“…!”

The apostle hesitated.

“AAAHHH!”

The next moment, a horrifying scream shook the network.

The pain didn’t disappear. It merely transferred.

“Ah! No! Release the spell at once! Dammit!”

I succeeded.

“We did it!”

I successfully passed my pain to that guy like a swindler offloading their debt.

“This is what pain feels like!”

“Feel the pain of humans! Alien!”

Hearing the scream of a comrade, the apostle’s clone hastily released the spell.

While coordinating the battlefield and facing the army of collective consciousness, he checked on his companion who was fighting for consciousness.

“Argh… ugh… ugh…”

His comrade, wearing the mortal pain, gasped as they writhed on the ground.

The apostle couldn’t laugh. It’s rare for Aedos to feel direct physical pain.

It was hard to imagine what kind of pain she would endure.

“I’ve released the spell. Are you okay?”

He asked, hoping to comfort his companion while checking on their condition. That was all he wanted.

Immediately after, he had to doubt the human hearing he was experiencing.

The woman trembled and answered.

“Heh! It hurt so much! It felt like my whole body was being pricked by needles!”

The woman seemed to be overly dramatic.

Her reaction caused the man to widen his eyes in shock.

“Don’t use that against this one! Ugh! I feel like I’m connected to you!”

The shocked apostle froze at the changed appearance of his comrade.

“Why… are you saying it like that?”

It doesn’t make sense. This couldn’t happen.

Faced with her comrade’s pointed inquiry, the woman tilted her head and suddenly realized. She collapsed, greatly disturbed.

“No, no! I don’t speak like this. Why?”

She desperately denied reality.

Why, why am I speaking like this?

Otherwise, wouldn’t it sound like a childish human girl? No way…

This Aedos, who prided herself on reason and rationality, felt fear rarely in her long life.

“No. No! No! Urgh!”

“Stop it! I’m getting cut away!”

The comrade’s state is not normal. The apostle’s reason clouded as she panicked.

“Is it possible to coordinate the opening of the portal? If impossible, say so. Focus on that bug!”

“Yes, it’s possible! No, it is possible! But—”

He made a decision.

“Just hold on, I’ll take them down as the main body.”

I must annihilate them in the physical world.

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