Chapter 76

The assignment given by Professor Albert was incredibly difficult.

“It’s math! I can’t read a single thing. What is this worm-like stuff?”

“The readable parts are numbers, while the unreadable parts are symbols.”

Before my possession, I was strictly a humanities person. It had been ages since I last interacted with math after the college entrance exam. Furthermore, the book the professor handed me wasn’t just a math book.

“Why do we need physics or chemistry for magic?!”

I was told that to use magic in the game, knowledge of science was necessary, but I didn’t expect it to be this extensive.

Well, even if it was runes or occult mysticism, it would have been equally difficult.

Anyway, the difficulty aside, the sheer volume was no joke. Wasn’t there an easier way to study?

“What if we each take one page?”

“Good. Let’s start copying the book quickly.”

It seems I’ll have to use the method I employed when I first used illumination magic. We printed out the book pages and assigned each of us one sheet.

“How about printing a few more pages? There’s no need for just one person to look at a single page.”

“That’s a great idea! If multiple people look at it, it’ll be easier to remember!”

We examined the book until bedtime. Looking at ourselves studying made me feel like we were computers. The work of the Violets could be likened to grid computing.

Being active for 24 hours straight was somewhat tiring. If we had more people, we’d be able to delegate more tasks.

“Indeed, we need to increase our numbers. One hundred isn’t enough!”

“But then, we’d be easier to spot, right? Honestly, it’s already quite precarious as it is.”

The Violets, having regained their focus, were diligently working. Most were concentrating on studying, training, and funding, but there were other Violets still busy with different tasks.

“Is it really necessary to make rocket candy? We could just replace it with a recoilless gun or a rocket launcher.”

“It’s only like that because we have no way to get it immediately. Just shut up and mix the sugar.”

For example, the Violets tasked with researching data or those working on explosives manufacturing were still diligently progressing with their tasks. The restructured dungeon team was also hunting to earn funds.

Additionally, new assignments had been added.

Two clones were assigned to follow Daphne and Irene around 24/7 for security.

“Clone 58 and Clone 89, what’s your current status?”

“D is back and studying in the dormitory. I has just finished eating and returned home.”

“Why are you only calling out the first letters of their names? Speak normally.”

“Doesn’t it sound like a spy movie?”

While it’s called guarding, their actual role is to function as human surveillance cameras and beacons for summoning Violets.

The reason for going to such lengths was simple. Since my friends had heard the secrets of the academy, I worried that they might inadvertently get caught up in some sinister plot. We could have witnessed another incident like the previous kidnapping.

Irene likely wouldn’t need protection, but you never know with people.

I also informed the two in advance, though they didn’t know it was a 24-hour security detail.

Normally, they would observe the situation and remain hidden, only calling dozens of clone troops the instant a crisis arose.

Of course, if they stuck too closely, it would make Irene uncomfortable and would attract attention.

So, they disguised themselves and maintained an appropriate distance while following. The makeup techniques Daphne taught me were working well, albeit for a different purpose than originally intended.

However, the Violets who often engaged in external activities had many chances to be exposed. Besides, the civilization level in this world was around the 21st century. They could be caught on CCTV, mobile phone cameras, or dashcams.

Yet, eventually, there would be a limit.

Currently, there were about 130 Violets. Including the personalities wandering around the Violet Network without physical bodies, the number would exceed 200.

The more our numbers increased, the higher the probability of exposure. It was necessary to acquire better disguising techniques. It was time to start searching for recognition-inhibiting equipment.

A few days later, I finished my training early and moved to another area.

My destination was Circlyf, a small town located at the intersection of the central, western, and southern regions.

*

The October streets, where the sun had left early, were chilly.

Violet walked through streets filled with tacky lights and the heat of desires. To avoid conflict with drunken individuals or drug addicts, I cautiously pulled my hood over my head and headed to a narrow alley behind a building.

I sniffed and grimaced a few times. The alleyways were saturated with a horrible stench worse than cigarettes, thanks to smokers standing in each one.

There was a personal reason for visiting this entertainment district.

“Don’t forget the goal. The primary objective is to secure recognition-inhibiting masks, but the secondary objective is to establish a continuous network with brokers or black market dealers. We need someone who can supply relics, elixirs, high-performance firearms, and illegal equipment.”

“I feel like I’m becoming part of the mafia.”

Currently, the problems faced by the Violets were not just security and concealment. There was also a lack of magical power.

Until now, I had only used sword energy, but after mastering body enhancement and magic, my magical consumption had skyrocketed.

Considering the continuously multiplying clones and the numbers lost or injured from personal training or other reasons, it was beyond imagination.

Thus, I needed to secure magical power.

There were many ways to obtain it besides leveling up, but each option came with its own set of difficulties.

First, procure relics that increase magical regeneration and quantity.

“It’s time to prepare to tackle more challenging dungeons soon..”

“How about an expedition to the islands near Rustroom?”

“I reject that. The difficulty is high, and it takes too long.”

If I chose this path, I could amplify my total magical quantity to an astounding level because relics increase the overall magical quantity in proportion.

However, most relics were located inside dungeons, making the process perilous and time-consuming.

Second, obtain elixirs by gathering them. The blue crystal flowers I gathered and consumed in the forest behind Polaris are a prime example of such an elixir.

“It’s about time to head south. Let’s go to Aegis Academy!”

“What about Vesperia? I don’t think it would be bad there either.”

“Hey! Do you really think they’d let you in if you just walk into the academy saying, ‘I came to pick some flowers’?”

In this case, getting them would be easier than exploring a dungeon. According to my memory, aside from Polaris, the places were relatively safe.

It didn’t have to be just crystal flowers. There were various elixirs like colorful mushrooms or glowing stones. These elixirs often appeared in auctions held by clans.

If lucky, I might also be able to obtain them from the black market.

However, if I chose the path of acquiring elixirs, I would inevitably face unforeseen obstacles.

Namely, social barriers!

In the first part of the main game, there were about 40 blue crystal flowers in total.

Subtracting the 10 flowers I consumed, about 30 would remain.

12 were with Aegis, 10 with Vesperia, and the remaining 8 were scattered in Rustroom. Now that the game had become reality, it could be more or less, but I still didn’t know.

Polaris Academy was a foolish institution, not even aware that such expensive elixirs were left unattended in the woods.

If it were a normal academy, they wouldn’t treat such precious items so carelessly. Aegis Academy tended to raise blue crystal flowers in well-maintained greenhouses and forests, while Vesperia cultivated theirs diligently in an underground garden.

In the main game, the protagonist was able to gather elixirs freely due to their position as the scholarship officer of the Inspection Bureau, their connection with the academy, and their exploits in the story.

However, currently, I was just a student.

They likely wouldn’t even allow me to lift a finger. The same goes for the auction house.

It was obvious that a girl without any backing would be promptly thrown out at the entrance. The prices were absurd.

Thus, the quickest and most efficient way for me to access elixirs like crystal flowers was one.

“Are you really suggesting to just steal it?”

“Exactly!”

“…?”

I was talking about becoming a nice thief.

Thinking about it, the term theft or robbery felt too harsh. I needed a more traditional and cheerful term like ‘pilfering.’

The recognition-inhibiting masks were essential for our covert activities. They would also aid future pilfering operations.

“Oh no, prohibited items!”

Sadly, recognition-inhibiting masks and specially enchanted stealth gear had restrictions on possession.

They could only be acquired by veteran hunters registered with large clans or special individuals.

“I guess we have to head to the red-light district.”

“More like the black market.”

Fortunately, the underground economy of Rustroom was not small. Clans and companies needed backdoor channels, and hunters and other people working here secretly wished to satisfy their desires.

If there’s a demand, supply will eventually appear.

Interestingly, Circlyf was a city perfectly placed at the intersection of each region’s boundaries. It’s a politically gray area where clan jurisdictions ambiguously overlap. It might have been intentionally offered as a buffer zone.

The maximum entertainment district of Polaris, Stygian Lane, also exists in Circlyf for those reasons.

Even the four major clans take a backseat, only gathering minor gains from the place, making it a suitable place for those with professions that can’t be easily discussed with their children.

Smugglers, brokers, resolvers, gangs, and various other dishonest individuals.

I turned my head and surveyed the surroundings. Indeed, it was a scene befitting the largest entertainment district in the area.

Under the flickering, decadent, and mysterious lights, scantily clad men and women solicit passersby on the streets. The sounds of crying, laughter, chatter, and screams echoed through the big and small gambling houses, drowned out by the raucous music.

People intoxicated by the bizarre heat drifting in the streets come here, scattering their money in hopes of a dream they can’t reach for one night.

Small fortunes determine happiness or despair, but vast sums of cash pass through here with ease.

This is Stygian Lane.

The atmosphere was as messy as you might expect from an area rife with gangs and wretches. I should wrap this up quickly and get some sleep.

[Always ready, BOY]

[♡Cute ladies available 24/7♡ 1234-414-5423]

[☆★Fresh fluffs★☆ Skullcat · Pelinot · and more]

[Does the lady’s identity involve an armed helicopter? Code AH-Mi-64-24]

Flyers armed with provocative phrases and images stuck and unstuck to my shoes as I walked. After about five minutes, I spotted a small three-story building.

It was a contact I discovered while scouring the deep web through an anonymous guarantee mobile messenger.

It had cost me some money to find this out. Of course, the anonymous man I met on the messenger was merely another broker connecting me to yet another broker.

To make an actual deal, direct contact was essential.

Is this the trading spot? It looked like a yakuza office that would fit right into a cartoon.

“We’re here. Is this the right place?”

“Let’s go in and see.”

Before entering, I adjusted my wig and checked my makeup. Currently, my appearance resembled a girl with black hair.

I generated clones near the building across from the contact and entered the bar on the first floor.

A large bald man with a menacing look stood at the bar counter, adorned with a striking rose tattoo on his head.

Two men sitting at a table held beer bottles, chuckling as they watched TV. They seemed to be colleagues.

“That’s strange. I was told to talk to the female bartender at the counter…”

“Maybe it’s changed? Just give it a try.”

This wasn’t what I had heard. I approached the bald man.

“Um, it’s a starry night. Good sister? I’d like to order!”

“…Huh?”

The bald man looked perplexed, and I pressed on.

“I’d like a gin with butter and on the rocks, please. With Black Label!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“…?”

Why couldn’t he understand me? This was a bit different from what I expected.

Before coming here, I had learned a few codes for the transaction from the broker’s broker.

For instance, “starry night” and “good sister” hinted at a desire to initiate a deal. The bartender would typically respond, “What would you like to order?”

The words I used afterward were also coded.

“Gin with butter” meant illegal magical equipment. “On the rocks” indicated a desire to expedite the transaction, and “Black Label” meant I was interested in buying in bulk.

And, until getting to the main point, I had to converse only in codes.

Yet this guy completely failed to comprehend me. Did I come to the wrong place?

The bald man, who was rolling his eyes, suddenly slapped his forehead, exclaimed, “Aha!” and then burst into laughter.

“Oh! Now I get it. I thought you were spouting some ghostly gibberish. You came for a trade, right?”

Though I didn’t understand what he meant, I answered yes.

“Then follow me. We’ll talk upstairs.”

The rose-bald man led me away. The two guys drinking beer behind me also vacated their seats and followed.

Before ascending the stairs, I made a request.

“Um, I just need to use the restroom!”

“Go ahead! Come back quickly!”

As soon as I reached the restroom, I summoned two additional clones in the stall.

“What’s going on?”

“Let’s wait and check out the building a bit!”

After flushing, I emerged, and the three men were smiling as they escorted me upstairs. The second floor was quiet, and the noise of men laughing and chatting boomed down the hallway from the third floor.

A few imposing men, reminiscent of the previous atmosphere, emerged and grinned unpleasantly upon spotting me.

As I grabbed the stair railing, a sticky substance clung to my hand. I lightly pressed my finger to my nose—there was a hint of blood.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, I noticed an office with a chair inside.

“Just sit here. I’ll be right back!”

While Violet Clone 110 sat still in the room, the Violets in the restroom quietly ascended to the second and third floors.

“Something feels off. I’ll head to the second floor; you check out the third!”

We carefully climbed the stairs. While surveying the two floors, I noticed clearer traces that I had missed while ascending earlier.

Here and there on the floor of the third-floor hallway were droplets of blood. The drops led towards the stairs. I took out a flashlight and illuminated my surroundings, revealing dark red stains as if a filthy mop had been hastily used to wipe the area.

It was a scene I had seen numerous times in laboratories. When someone hastily wiped blood smeared on the walls and floors with whatever cloth they could find, such traces are left behind.

Small droplets of blood led to a door. It was locked.

While the other Violets contemplated what to do in front of the door, the bald man from the room where 110 was waiting burst in with four other guys.

“…Hey there, girl. The boss stepped out for a bit. Wait here for a moment. You! Don’t you have any common sense? Hurry up and grab some drinks and snacks from downstairs! We have a guest!”

“Uh, about the trade…?”

“Are you a student? I guess the rumors that even academy students participate in these kinds of things are true.”

“What do you mean?”

As I tilted my head in confusion, the bald man rambled on carelessly.

“You see, girls around your age who come here… hmm, women fall into one of three categories: resolvers, drug dealers, or whores.”

“I see.”

“A resolver, huh? Nowadays, hunting people is supposedly easier than hunting monsters, so many are coming this way. Isn’t that right? The boss went out to discuss stuff over some rewards with a resolver before you arrived.”

“Ah haha, is that so?”

Things seemed to be taking a strange turn. The rosy bald man continued to chatter heedlessly, regardless of who was listening.

“…I’m so envious of the awakened ones. How much do they earn for just one job? If I was a hunter, damn it… I’d earn so much I could buy a car, gather all the chicks who only watch from a distance, and…” Oh, sorry about that, girl, I was just joking! Hahaha!”

“Uh-huh!”

The men laughed uproariously. The Violet in the office of the fourth floor forced a smile, trying to go along with it.

“This feels wrong! I need to get out of here.”

“Got it. Hold on, just a moment!”

Suddenly, the Violets on the second floor detected a bizarre sound coming from the door. It was a pained moan. The windows around the door were dark, but the curtains were pulled shut.

“I think I should…”

“Hey now, if you leave, it would be rude. What about the requests from the Aramis gang? Why not mention those? Who do you think talked about robbing this smuggler to share the spoils?”

My senses snapped to attention. On a day when everything was off, I got entangled in something strange!

“Right. That’s true. Before we chat, I’d like to…”

Noticing my unusual behavior, the rosy bald man narrowed his eyes.

“Hey, didn’t you just go to the restroom? Wait, wasn’t this one of Aramis’s guys?”

The Violets from the second floor, having witnessed the situation on the fourth, immediately created another clone through the door without hesitating.

The Violet generated inside the room was shocked at the scene unfolding before her.

There was a woman dressed as a bartender and a few men, all tied up and drenched in blood with tape over their mouths. Those in the room, upon seeing the Violets, violently shook their heads.

“Boss, that girl. Didn’t she mention something about gin with butter? Isn’t that a code they use?”

“…Oh ho, Jimmy, you clever little brat. You don’t sell drugs here, so what are you doing?”

The rosy bald man grasped my shoulder tightly while his henchmen surrounded me.

“Yes, that’s correct! I came here to trade with these guys. So, could you just let me go?”

“Then, I suppose you’re not an awakened one. You don’t seem like a dealer either…”

“No, I really don’t know anything!”

“Who cares if you don’t? We just want to learn more about you from here on.”

The lust was vividly evident in the rosy bald man’s eyes. The atmosphere in the room turned unpleasant.

“Can’t you just let me go?”

“Our clever Jimmy, how long until the boss arrives?”

“It should take about 30 minutes. So then…”

The scoundrels grinned wickedly.

“That means we’ve got some time to have a little fun.”

Sighing, I pulled out my mask and put it on.

“Hey, what are you doing? You have some hobby of covering your face…”

The bald man’s expression froze suddenly. I shouldn’t have expected less.

In the blink of an eye, the clones I generated swung their hammers and struck the back of the henchmen’s heads.

<Critical Hit!>

[The resonance trait: Backstab Critical wound has activated. Damage increases!]

As the sword energy combined with the enhanced strength of the body, the impact of the resonance trait was astounding.

The hammers pulverized the henchmen’s heads like they were smashing tomatoes.

Blood sprayed up to the ceiling as pieces of shattered skull scattered in all directions, coating the bald man’s head in the remains of his henchmen.

“Uh…?…what?!”

“Don’t move. You feel that behind you? Keep your mouth shut and stay quiet. I have many questions to ask.”

As the frozen bald man barely nodded, the office door swung open with a bang.

“Boss, I brought the drinks and snacks you requested…”

Oh no, this is a mess. I was trying to handle this quietly.

“AHHHHH!”

As the thug outside screamed and I swiftly decapitated him, it felt like I was too late. The bald man shouted in panic.

“It’s an ambush! It’s an awakened one! Aaaah!”

I quickly hit the bald man’s head to knock him out, but the sound of feet rushing urgently echoed from below the stairs.

I signaled.

“All units, combat readiness.”

The Violets wearing masks charged out of the door in unison. Additional troops manifested around the Violets waiting outside.

What a hassle. I need to wipe them all out!

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