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Time has passed since we defeated the pirates.

With April approaching, Violet had a mountain of tasks to handle outside the academy. Self-development and island exploration required an immense amount of time and effort.

All these were processes that had to be undergone to equip ourselves with more powerful firepower and train more Violets for the Violet Liberation Army.

“Everyone is working hard too! We can’t just sit around!”

“Forward! Absolutely advance!”

Meanwhile, in the research laboratory, Unit 2501 was in the midst of an interview with Professor Albert.

Unit 2501 had a variety of measuring devices hanging from its body, creating an impressive sight.

In front of it, Doctor Yurik was setting up various measuring equipment and taking readings from Unit 2501.

The device, resembling a camera, felt reminiscent of the detection devices the Federation had carried during the last Erosion Zone incident.

“So that’s why you asked for money! Was this what you needed?”

The humble research laboratory that we had dubbed the Violet Laboratory had a simple mission.

We studied our Violet.

According to the explanations from the professors and the doctor, understanding and analyzing our unique abilities and the Violet Network could make us stronger.

Furthermore, there might be astounding discoveries that could shake the world itself.

Though they kept quiet about what exactly that was, citing it as a secret.

“I actually looked it up, but I have no idea what it’s all about!”

“Expansion of consciousness? The potential of special ability singularities?”

Since the lab was set up in the office section of our factory building, going through the documents wasn’t that difficult, but my head ached from all the specialized terms scattered everywhere.

Still, it didn’t seem like they were up to anything suspicious or wrong, so I decided not to delve too deeply into it.

“What on earth is this?”

Among the piles of papers and documents, there was even the thesis that the Sturgis guy had written during his doctoral days.

[On Constructing an Abilities-Friendly Consciousness System: Discussion on Gradual Consciousness Expansion through Ether Wavelength Tuning and Multiple Connections]

Out of curiosity, I opened it, but from the introduction, even the author seemed lost as he unnecessarily rambled on with specialized terminology.

I wondered why Uncle Yurik even bothered to dig into his advisor’s dark history.

“Still no awakening memories, huh?”

“Yes! I feel like I did a lot of bad things, but I don’t really remember!”

“I see, so it seems it’s too early for you to awaken your powers. Wait, stop! Don’t recklessly try anything!”

As Unit 2501 hastily raised a hand and seemed ready to mumble something, the startled professor quickly stopped him.

It seems that our previous mention of reality manipulation abilities had been quite shocking indeed.

“Damn, I’ve heard about it before, but Code Omega… An extraterrestrial race behind the Great War. Even when I was an active hunter, it was merely a rumor; I can’t believe it’s real.”

I’ve heard that back in the old academy, they taught that Gates opened like natural disasters, with the evil monsters from another world and Ether pouring out, causing chaos.

It doesn’t seem too different now.

“Now I’m starting to understand why that Valefor guy and the crazies from Magnavis would do such things. Didn’t Restraid also create massive war machines? The ancestors of Cordobado and the Grand Mage were survivors of the Great War… Ah, maybe they witnessed something at the end of the war.”

“At the end of the war, you say?”

Professor Albert, who had been speaking, suddenly wrinkled his brow as if he had caught on to something suspicious, closing and opening his eyes momentarily.

As if trying to recall an old memory, he sank heavily into his seat, lost in deep thought.

“It might be a shallow deduction, but let’s assume. If you learned in history class, you’ll know that towards the end of the war, five out of the twelve legendary heroes fell one after another. They could handle high-level monsters solo, hold back waves of them, and tear through mechanized legions—humanity’s pinnacle. You learned that in history class, right?”

“Adriana Belestun, Cedric Cascadia, the other three… I forgot!”

“Oh dear, Violet, they said you passed all the exams, but are you just copying again this time? I had a feeling something was off…”

“Eek! I got caught!”

Geez, it’s a tradition among all students to cram for exams at the last minute; why am I the only one getting scolded?

“Anyway, the fact that such superhumans survived back when humanity was ignorant about monsters only to suddenly fall towards the end of the war was very shocking, even decades later when I was at Polaris Academy. They said one fought alone against a swarm of monsters and died, yet it was all vaguely passed over, too. I just thought, life goes on, and they even depicted it in movies that way. You don’t agree, do you, Doctor?”

“Yes, that’s how it was portrayed in the movies I watched too. I still vividly remember the scenes of heroes being buried under the waves of monsters. Wait a minute, then…”

“Exactly. Thinking back on it, it feels quite significant. Violet, you’ve seen the Grand Mage in person, so you know, those beings are recorded as super-class monsters, far beyond the A-rank of today’s hunters. They could change the landscape single-handedly and cause disasters. Saying they were simply overrun and died is an overly vague expression. It could be a baseless theory from an old man, but I’m cautiously guessing that their deaths might be related to the Apostles.”

“Gah!”

A chilling energy enveloped me. Isn’t this the process of uncovering the truths hidden in history?

It feels like I’ve become a conspiracy theorist.

Even if there is a devil’s pizzeria operating in the academy’s basement, summoning mint chocolate pineapple pizza with Violet as a sacrifice, it wouldn’t be this shocking.

“Well, it’s all just conspiracy theory level, but certainly, it’s possible that some in the Federation’s upper echelons and the three major clans have known about the Apostles since long ago.”

A dark shadow loomed over Doctor Yurik’s face.

“…Professor, I can’t help but feel that ever since I came under the Violet president, I often encounter secrets that border on the world’s taboos. I might not make it through alive at this rate.”

And rightly so, Uncle is learning far too much about the world’s truths. Including our existence.

As Uncle wore a bitter expression, Professor Albert smiled and patted him on the back.

“Hmph, is that boy so timid? Judging by that, your own research must be far more dangerous! Once our research is properly structured, we could overturn the world’s power structure.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I was about to ask, full of curiosity, but the professor hurried us outside as if he were in a rush.

“The measurements are done, so follow me. I have something to teach you.”

Suppressing my curiosity, I followed Professor Albert. We halted in front of the room he was currently using.

With a snap of his fingers and incantation, a book slipped smoothly from the neatly stacked shelves.

“What’s this?”

“They are intermediate attack spells that you likely haven’t learned yet.”

“Wow! That’s amazing!”

“I realized after seeing how you sneakily took the Melting Ray of Dain-Quren last year and self-taught yourself attack magic. Of course, I can provide you with methods and advice, but someone like you should learn faster by figuring it out on your own. This old man doesn’t have a multi-personality collective consciousness like you. The recent wipeout of the pirate base with your noble family’s help was your doing, right? I heard it from Irene. You’ll need even more diverse attack magic going forward.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Be sure to thank Professor Sharia. I checked, and your computational skills have improved significantly. At your current level, I believe you can produce large quantities with a Vision Memory without blowing your head off.”

I was baffled by the unexpected compliment. When did he even contact our academy professors?

Last time, they tried to set me up to be like a graduate student, and it seems they’ve kept in touch since then. A shudder ran down my spine.

“Gah! Now that I think about it, it seems like I’ve been in contact with Professor Sharia often!”

“No way!”

“You little brat, why do you frown when an adult gives you something nice? The important things haven’t even come out yet. Now, look at this.”

Professor Albert said this and handed me a thin notebook. As I opened it, a staggering number of spells were densely packed within.

How many are there?

“Just one.”

“This entire notebook is filled with spells?”

I looked up in disbelief, only to see a hopeful smile etched on Professor Albert’s face.

That smile carried a hint of wickedness.

“Moreover, these are high-level spells. They’re things that ordinary first-year students wouldn’t even dare touch. It was common for limbs to get blown off or be carried away half-dead if they tried. It’s a bit unsettling, but I thought you might need it someday, so I decided to give you one. This time, figure it out on your own. Just don’t sacrifice too many clones!”

The cover of the notebook had scribbled in Professor Albert’s handwriting [Adriana’s Lightning Storm].

“Adriana? Could it be… that famous…”

“Yes, it’s that close-range area attack spell devised by the Lightning Witch. There’s no doubt about its power. Even those from Vanguard often use this magic. But don’t try it carelessly anywhere!”

Wow, I’m really looking forward to it. As I peeked at the spell, it definitely seemed to relate to electricity.

I have to try it out someday.

“For the time being, I’ll be quite busy with research. If you have questions, you can ask Lucian. He’s also prepping for the techniques you received. You should consult Professor Sharia too. I’ve given her a heads-up, so she’ll teach you everything except high-level magic.”

“Yes, understood!”

In any case, we Violets seem to be getting strong far too easily.

It’s really wonderful that so many people are helping us.

“We are blessed Violets!”

After our conversation ended, we dove into our magic training.

“Preparing the production process for Vision Memory Chips!”

“Calculation team, divide up and begin computations!”

Hours later, the Violets on the deserted island, attempting to create the Lightning Storm-specific Vision Memory Chips, became electric fried chickens.

-Kwazaaang!

“Kwreeeek!”

“Gunaaah!”

“Wow! I’ve turned completely black!”

“You turned black! I’ve turned yellow! This magic is a bit tricky!”

The power was far more intense than I expected. For a while, I’ll have to focus on mastering this magic.

**

In addition to magic training, there were numerous things Violet had to focus on, one of which was visiting Ariel.

Recently, Ariel had moved to a wider and more comfortable hospital room, where it seemed children of a similar age had gathered.

The patients appeared to be spending their time with some sleeping and others reading books.

“I asked them to bring some, but what kind of books are those?”

“I need to study. I’ve just been playing too much. I also have to prepare for the academy entrance exam…”

Lying in the hospital room, Ariel seemed determined to study hard for her entrance to the academy.

Anyone could tell she was a diligent and hardworking young lady.

Of course, the boredom of hospital life might have played a role in that too.

“Why won’t this hospital discharge me?”

From a glance, Ariel seemed quite healthy.

Though she sometimes suffered from mysterious pains or high fevers, it seemed she had improved quite a bit recently.

“The doctor said that the higher-ups are still in a meeting, but I might be discharged soon! Then I can go out and study again and prepare for entrance! The kids competing outside are likely working hard right now.”

“That’s true. Then I can teach you about magical power or weapon techniques! I’m an honor student! I got perfect scores in every exam!”

Upon hearing my words, a mixture of doubt and amazement washed over Ariel’s face.

“…Is it really you?”

“It’s true! Here’s my report card!”

Only after seeing the report card did Ariel seem to truly believe me. Is my trust still lacking, to only believe after seeing proof?

“Wow, it really is you. I didn’t know you were good at studying.”

“Going forward, I’ll be your tutor! If you have questions, feel free to ask anytime! Got it?”

“Yes! Thank you so much, big sis! I’ll definitely pass! I’ll go to the same academy and… for Mom and Dad too.”

As I faced the brightly smiling Ariel, a sudden heavy feeling pressed on the back of my neck.

Ugh, what kind of emotion is this?

“Um… you should! Just trust me! I’m a genius! So, when do you want to start? Tomorrow?”

“Any time is fine!”

“Great, then let’s start right away!”

With a confident expression, I opened the textbook. Teaching a future junior should be easy as pie.

But, was the academy entrance exam this hard?

“…So, it’s like… this!”

“Um, big sis?”

As expected, the gates of prestigious academies that cultivate the future talents and protect the peace of the world are mighty high.

While Unit 2651 struggled with Ariel to solve the problems, the other Violets were also undertaking their own missions.

“Violet, help me!”

“Wow! It’s Irene!”

For a week straight, there had been continuous skirmishes on the Karnak Islands, day and night. Monsters poured in like they were emerging from underground dungeons, and all sorts of bizarre phenomena unfolded one after another.

This accursed land seemed to read our memories, repeatedly appearing with false images of friends to torment us.

However, every illusion has its flaws.

“Irene, why are you speaking formally to me all of a sudden? And why does your chest only match Daphne’s? And why have you gotten so tall?”

“Oh, that is strange.”

“Strange, indeed! Here, catch this! Purifying Flame!”

As I unleashed fireballs in rapid succession, the illusion of Irene quickly burned away and vanished.

Last time, the grotesquely malnourished Daphne was put out, and this time they produced an exceptionally large Irene.

According to reports, the Red Zone creates perfect illusions that stimulate opponents’ traumas, but it seemed they didn’t work very well on us Violets.

“I’ll curse you! You ungrateful cockroach of a girl! How dare you repay kindness with malice! Being wooed by some air force guy! How dare I, who once faced the Apostles, abandon my ironclad resolve!”

“How many times do I have to say it? You idiot! I’ll make you a super medium tank!”

It was getting tiresome dealing with Lucilynn’s vengeful spirit popping out more than fifty times already.

We decided to roam the islands like nomads, planting hibernating bodies wherever we could and purging all troublesome organisms with fire.

Tents kept tearing, ghostly faces were faintly reflected in concrete and construction materials, and abandonment of settlement was accepted.

“It’s said that the mutation rate of organisms in the Red Zone is abnormally high! So it’s better to incinerate any enemy-looking entities!”

“Then, it’s best to just burn all organic entities, right?”

We decided to follow the Federal Army’s standard battle procedure for the Red Zone.

Not only did we investigate purely through data, but it was also the official opinion of Major Klein, an active-duty soldier.

-More importantly, how did you know my number?

“Ah, that? When we met at the Erosion Zone, I casually glanced at your phone and put it back. Didn’t you know?”

-I’m changing my number. Don’t ever call me again!

In any case, following the advice of an active combat force commander, the Violets danced and frolicked, burning everything from the islands without exception.

With magic, gasoline, and incendiary grenades. The islands were immense, and the biodiversity was incredible.

“Help! Please save me!”

“Whoa? That deer can talk!”

“Kyahhh!”

A mutated stag monster tore apart Unit 421 with its magically infused antlers, while a gigantic squirrel crushed the head of Unit 2643 like a nut. But we persisted with our purification tasks without care.

At one point, the fire consuming our organisms suddenly transformed into monsters and threatened the incineration team, but we barely escaped the crisis.

“This feels like a haunted house at an amusement park! I don’t like scary things, but it’s okay since we can smash them!”

“Should I practice magic here?”

Simply setting fire to make the Red Zone a livable place was impossible. No one knew how to completely purify either the Red Zone or the Yellow Zone at this time.

Still, if we had enough ammunition and magical powers, it could be quite an entertaining experience. Excluding the erosion zone, the island itself seemed to be quite beautiful.

Someday, once we find a method of purification, I’ll make this our exclusive resort.

“A vacation spot exclusively for the citizens of the Violet Nation!”

As I savored the stench of monster smoke permeating the morning air, I was lost in delightful imagination.

**

Unfortunately, not every Violet could be happy.

Some Violets dispatched to the continents of Rumelia and Librian, located on either side of the academy city, had to endure hardships.

The biggest problem was the soldiers harassing us in the Federation’s jurisdiction.

“Stop! You seem suspicious. What are you hiding in that body? I need to search you. Come here!”

“Wahh! Don’t touch me!”

In this military-ruled territory, district commanders had control over everything, and the Federation was akin to a god or king.

Patrolling gendarmes would often demand bribes or act like lowly punks.

“Ugh!”

“Ugh…! D-Grab that girl!”

-Bang bang bang!

Unable to take it anymore, I knocked out one awakened officer and quickly fled, using a resurrection technique.

This area had far more surveillance cameras than the academy city, so we had to be careful.

“Should I just kill these pathetic losers?”

“Hold it! This is their territory. We came here out of curiosity about the outside world. Let’s endure a little longer and move on.”

This area was one of those managed by the Federation. The only comfort was the level of these soldiers.

The gendarmes were so inadequate compared to the combat soldiers we usually faced, they seemed lightyears apart.

Their fatality rates had always been high, but even the combat troops now looked elite in comparison.

Their armaments were also second-rate.

Instead of electromagnetic rifles, they had powder rifles, and rather than powered exoskeletons and heavy metal armor, they relied on auxiliary non-powered exoskeletons and ordinary bulletproof vests.

“Could it be that the combat troops weren’t surprisingly elite?”

“Come on, that doesn’t make any sense. They die too easily.”

But what frustrated us even more than the Federation soldiers was none other than the crazy woman from Eckhart University.

“Hurry up! An infant like you is taking so long. Something must be wrong with your motor cortex.”

“I got it, so shut up already, lady!”

“Ugh, talk about a temper. No wonder you threw a fit at Magnavis…”

Bernike was darting around, appearing busy as she claimed she’d finish everything within a day or two, while she shuffled about handling her own company’s affairs.

For the time being, due to personal safety, I decided not to go directly to the university and stay in the Central Area instead.

It wasn’t hard to wrap up the information-gathering process at the university. I simply stated that during our data collection, the Cascadia forces wiped out Kurt’s gang while we rescued the professor and brought her to our side.

The university likely expected discreet extraction like a special operation anyway, and officially it was Cascadia that suppressed Kurt’s group.

Surprisingly, they paid the cost without any particular issues. Though there was a slight incident after the rescue.

“Hah, these fools only treat me like a tool. Those idiots, especially that bastard, the president! How dare he simply dismiss the contract as if I were his servant?”

I heard that the university had arranged some sort of deal with Restraid without the professor’s consent.

The professor, mixing in a complex legal term like ‘unauthorized representative acts,’ was furious, but it was already something that couldn’t be undone.

-Please understand, Professor Bernike! The agreement with Restraid has been finalized! It was approved by the president too! It can’t be reversed now, even for the sake of the university…

“Are you out of your mind? To sign a representative contract without consulting the party involved? You amoeba-like punks! Dohnhind Security Services, give me an additional request. Bring me the brains of those who pulled off this stunt!”

-Calm down! Just a moment!

The university might have seemed odd, but watching the professor act out in rage made me quite pleased.

“If it weren’t for my research on the Apostles, I would’ve smashed that contract over your heads. Those unfortunate beings not receiving oxygen to their brains should count their blessings.”

“Alright, lady. Enough of that.”

Upon calling her ‘lady’ again, a shadow crept over Bernike’s expression.

“Hmph, there’s a level to being stupid. Have you already forgotten my explanation? Is there a problem with your long-term memory? I’d love to conduct a precise scan to see just how messed up your hippocampus is. Ariel Group.”

“No, for now, it is, in fact, lady.”

I shot back.

“Being such a young and beautiful lady, why are you still unmarried?”

When I casually asked this, Bernike let out a sigh as if she had chewed on something bitter and fell silent.

“…Ggh.”

If physical force was infused into gazes, the intensity in Bernike’s eyes could rival that of a Melting Ray. The little broca sticking out from behind her also threatenedly clicked away.

“…How dare you!”

Realizing she was on the brink of exploding, I displayed the electric shock switch towards her. Enlightened by her own manners, Bernike maintained her silence in aggression until we reached our destination.

“Ah-ha, that was her weakness!”

“Hahaha!”

Delighted by my unexpected discovery of the lady’s vulnerable point, I pressed the accelerator hard.

It was April.

 

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