---

On a lifeless, dark blue landscape, a lone tank stood firm against the oncoming tide of monsters.

The commander was deep in thought. It felt endless.

Their situation was no different from the trees on the beach, desperately swaying and trying not to break amidst the crashing waves.

There was nowhere to retreat. Morally or realistically.

They were completely isolated.

With everyone fleeing, there was no hope for support. The artillery unit had withdrawn, and it had already been three hours since the last close air support had arrived.

The only silver lining was that a few rounds of ammunition had been hoarded.

The machine gun continuously spewed flames, glowing red from the heat it generated.

The crew couldn’t tell which would run out first—the ammunition or the gun from overheating.

The armor was battered, showing signs of relentless attacks from the monsters.

The only proof of survival was the low-frequency pulsating reactor spitting out hot steam.

Perhaps due to the intense ether density, the communication devices kept experiencing soft errors. The technician working on the machinery slapped the screen in frustration.

With a sharp sound, almost as if the machine was jolted awake, the radio that had been silent began to spew out information like a waterfall.

-Warning!… Warning… All members in the area, listen! Gravitational wave anomaly detected! High concentration of magical wave detected… Type 1 alert issued!… Variant monster appearance!

“What type?”

-Identification code is… Omega!

“What?!”

The gunner looked up in disbelief, and the technician replied with a sigh.

“It’s Omega! It seems to be that one!”

“Damn, that’s the one that devoured the Luminex knights the day before yesterday and evaporated the Restraid tin cans? Should we switch to armor-piercing rounds?”

As the gunner raised the question, the commander answered in a shrill voice.

“That’s all we have left anyway. Load it. It’s an extremely tough one with sturdy shields and magic. If nothing else, it’ll definitely die if we hit it with this.”

Omega was a monster that was often mentioned only in urban legends during training or lecture sessions. It was said to bring legions to their knees every time it appeared, but I had never seen it in my military career.

“Shit.”

The driver in the front seat muttered.

Surviving as a Non-Awakened in this hellish Red Zone was already a miracle, but every member of the tank’s crew sensed the impending doom.

At that moment, a grotesque monster, exactly as described by the Command Center, appeared on the battlefield.

A monster radiating a chilling atmosphere that sent shivers down anyone’s spine.

Just looking at it made my eyes sting and my head spin.

The tank commander, gathering his resolve, gave the attack order.

“Ten o’clock ahead! Code Omega! Concentrate all firepower!”

Massive firepower that could crush several buildings and even carve mountains surged forth toward the monster.

But soon after, emerging confidently from the smoke was the monster.

“Alright, whether you’re a variant monster or not, I’ll be sure to take you down!”

The monster reached out its hand.

“All turrets, free fire—”

In an instant, the view was engulfed in white.

“Ugh!”

The girl woke up in a cold sweat.

For some reason, her face felt damp.

Unconsciously rubbing her eyes, she felt an ongoing mysterious moisture at the corners of her eyes.

“I, I am…”

Memories slowly resurfaced from the depths of her unconsciousness.

Like blood seeping through wounds, sorrow and confusion trickled through her mind, and a familiar yet cheerful voice echoed within her.

「Rugilinn’s Iron Fist! Wake up!」

The girl, fighting to suppress her gloomy feelings, wiped her eyes and stepped outside the hatch.

**

The transportation issue of Rugilinn’s Iron Fist was resolved a few days later when a bridge was restored.

Although it required some disassembly of the chassis due to its weight.

“Is this the Fusion Creature?”

“Yes! Professor. This is my fairy!”

While loading the tank onto the trailer, Professor Albert, who had been focusing on our new companion, carefully examined the Iron Fist with various magical observation devices.

Before her eyes lay numerous magic formulas spread out like a lens.

The professor, who had been observing the motionless Iron Fist and chassis intently, soon reached a conclusion.

“Much simpler than studying your network. I found the location where the magical energy is concentrated right away. The essence of this little one is the chassis itself.”

Hmm, then there shouldn’t be any major difficulties in the work.

Meanwhile, Doctor Yurik was excitedly filming the chassis and the Iron Fist with a camera-like observation device.

Shortly after, loading work for transportation began.

Despite the chassis being quite wide, they managed to precariously load it onto the trailer.

The gate leading to the external space here was wide, allowing for a narrow escape. In another dungeon, they might have had to cut the chassis into pieces to move it.

Even though the gate was wide, some structures still had to be removed for the convenience of transport.

“Removing one turret shouldn’t be a problem.”

“It seems your essence is indeed the chassis!”

As the turrets were removed one by one, Rugilinn’s Iron Fist awkwardly turned its neck and moved its arm joints.

It expressed that it felt like a part of its body was being torn away.

「It doesn’t hurt, but the sensation is weird.」

“Is that so? Then make sure to tell me if it does hurt! It’s incredibly important. I won’t know what to do when I try to repair it later.”

It was their only precious tank fairy. A being that should be cherished.

And they needed to understand the fairy’s characteristics in advance.

Because there might be more Fusion Creature fairies created in the future.

Just like a vaccination, it would be wise to experience trial and error this time around.

What kind of abilities the Super Medium Tank fairy would exhibit was still a mystery.

They had no idea what its combat capabilities would be like, nor if it would resemble its Fusion Creature days.

「Maybe one day I can create fighter fairy or battleship fairy too?」

「That would be super fun!」

Fighter carrier or air battleship fairies would be really cool.

First, they should start by repairing and operating this one step by step.

「Restoration might not even be possible!」

If that were to happen, it would be the worst-case scenario.

After several experiments, they found that the fairy couldn’t move far from the tank.

They could force it apart, but doing so would lead to…

“Ugh!”

As the Iron Fist moved away from the tank, its figure vanished in a brief flash of light.

In the blink of an eye, the fairy teleported back onto the tank.

“Huh, I guess that won’t work…”

“I told you it wouldn’t work. I can’t move far from the tank.”

The Iron Fist stared intently with crossed arms.

Seeing its form, resembling a child but speaking with the authority of an adult was slightly amusing.

“Hey! I’m saying this for your sake! If you only stay by the tank, you won’t be able to go out. You’re not planning to drag the tank outside with you, are you?”

“That’s true…”

It was a pity that the fairy would end up cooped up in the depot.

Later, they’d have to take a game console and plenty of toys for the fairy to enjoy.

They’d also have to gather impressive heavy weaponry, and it was about time to review the swordsmanship practice they had been doing.

“How is it?”

“It’s a bit heavy! I’ve never held such a hefty sword before.”

The Scholarship Officer visited the academy looking fatigued.

What he handed over was an enormous two-handed sword.

It was the kind commonly referred to as a Zweihänder.

This was the weapon known as the “Deathknell of Sorrow”, used by numerous witches.

“You didn’t have to bring it all the way here personally. You could have just sent it to the house in the Central District.”

“I had something to discuss with the headmaster. I also wanted to see how you were doing at the academy.”

The Scholarship Officer had not looked good for weeks.

Even after receiving treatment from Daphne, he still looked like a hungover alcoholic.

The reason for his poor condition was likely because he had overexerted his magical power while fighting with Sicamore.

The problem of magical power overload is in a different realm than typical trauma or psychological issues, and the only solution was sufficient rest.

“You mentioned saving the doctor comes with a price? This isn’t a bad deal, but isn’t it too valuable?”

For a brief moment, a playful expression flickered across his usually expressionless face.

“Should I take it back?”

I quickly grabbed the scabbard, pulling the sword back toward me.

“No! That’s not what I meant! I’m going to use it!”

I hugged the sword close.

Sageis, even when the atmosphere is filled with seriousness, still made jokes.

He was indeed the Scholarship Officer I knew.

I couldn’t figure out how he fell into such a dark state.

“After all, it’s what we agreed on. I just had a small affirmation about it.”

“What kind of affirmation?”

The Scholarship Officer seemed to choose his words before answering, a moment of silence passed before he spoke again.

“Perhaps, I started to think you might be a good person.”

Hmm, what a lackluster response. Maybe he felt he needed to elaborate, he cleared his throat and added a few more words.

“Your close combat skills are still lacking. That weapon can enhance them significantly. You’re quite exceptional compared to students of a similar age and year, but you still need to hone your skills further. Practice not dying.”

“Practicing not dying?”

“Yes. Try practicing surviving once.”

After the Scholarship Officer left, I stood there holding the sword, lost in thought for some time.

Practicing to survive… That’s not a bad proposal.

**

As the Scholarship Officer handed the sword to Violet, interesting things were happening inside the Violet Barracks in the Central District.

“What is this?”

As she entered through the door, Violet witnessed Yurik and Albert fiddling with complicated machinery.

She had gone out to run some errands while asking them to set up research equipment, but the two researchers seemed to be concocting something intriguing.

“Oh, you’re here, Violet. Just in time—I’ve just finished the work and was about to test it. Perfect timing.”

Around them were scattered freshly unwrapped plastic bags, boxes, and packing materials. But what drew the most attention were the two chairs set before the two researchers. The chairs, positioned between diagnostic screen monitors and computers, looked plush and comfortable but were adorned with complex wires and various devices whose purpose was unclear.

At the headrest sat a dome-shaped, helmet-like device.

Violet felt that the sight was very peculiar.

Combining a dental unit chair and an electric execution chair might create something like that.

“So, what is this, sir?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. It’s a precision brain-magic tracking scanner for tracking and observing the Collective Consciousness Network.”

“Tracking the Collective Consciousness Network?”

“The Violet Network!”

3442 inquired curiously, and Yurik confidently continued explaining.

“Do you remember when Professor Bernike did a brain scan before leaving? Based on that data, through some tasks with Professor Bernike, we were able to proceed with this experiment. This equipment is from Professor Bernike’s company and university laboratory. We’ve made a few modifications based on the necessary tasks, and it just arrived today.”

“From today onward, we’re planning to dig into the reality of your network.”

Violet was intrigued.

She had sometimes imagined how it would feel to show the majestic scenery of the Violet Network to others.

「To think we could reveal our network to others!」

All the Violets’ interests focused on the Central District.

She wondered how her friends would react if she could showcase the grand Violet Plaza and the glorious history-rich Violet War Memorial Hall.

“So how will the observation proceed?”

Professor Albert pointed at the device, explaining step by step.

“Your job isn’t that difficult. Just sit comfortably in the chair and wear this scanner that looks like a hat on your head. First, this magic experiment device, with its formulas finely tuned, will meticulously scan your mind. This device’s role is to analyze the wave flow of your mind in real-time. Metaphorically, it’s like looking through an address book to see which phone number you should dial. Then, secondly, we plan to detect the network’s location through this ether wavelength measuring antenna. Think of it as an antenna for connection.”

The professor’s finger traced along the wires extending from the chair and antenna to their connecting points.

“And based on those results, we will connect to the network, measure the signals, and finally, send the data to the computer and these magical spectrum recording devices to analyze how they are structured. That’s our ultimate goal.”

Listening to the explanation, Violet quickly grasped the idea.

She had expected it to be complicated, but it was simpler than she thought.

It wouldn’t be dangerous since they weren’t drilling into her head.

“But why is there an extra chair? The device for putting on your head looks a bit different too.”

“Oh, I forgot to mention. This is designed for when we successfully detect the network; it allows a person to visually observe the inside of the Violet Network. Think of it as a virtual reality connection device. Professor Bernike strongly insisted we add this. Theoretically, if there are compatible devices, you might even be able to see the network as if you were dreaming.”

“Wow, then let’s get started right away!”

Thinking that if they were lucky, she could invite her friends into the Violet Network, Violet hurriedly took a seat in the chair.

Shortly after, the first experiment began.

As Violet wore the modified brain scanner and stared blankly into the air, the detection devices sparkled, and machines mixing digital and analog emitted loud noises.

Soon, peculiar noises burst forth from the speakers.

Devices spat out paper tape.

A monitor filled with raucous numbers and graphs.

The researchers on the scene froze in shock.

A collective gasp.

“I can’t believe it happened so quickly! This can’t be real! It’s way faster than expected!”

“But these figures don’t lie! Although it’s only surface-level, we might have observed the network!”

“Excuse me, Professor. Is this a success?”

“Not yet! It’s too early to say. We can’t dismiss the possibility of natural ether flow or external magical communication.”

In contrast to Yurik’s obvious excitement, Albert maintained a more cautious demeanor.

The results appearing too quickly raised his skepticism.

“The wave patterns registered way too fast. This is different from our calculations. This is impossible! Research can’t wrap up overnight; we need to be careful, Doctor. It’s too quick for results… There must be another reason.”

“There could be other possibilities. Perhaps there are many other Violet bodies around this factory. In reality, we might be in a crowded signal area.”

“Violet, roughly how many Violets are near this area?”

“It’s a bit uncertain. Considering those doing odd jobs, patrols, deliveries, and what’s currently stored in the warehouse, I think it should be around three hundred or so?”

“I see. We didn’t take into account the number of Violets during the network measurement…”

The two continued to perform observation experiments. Twice, three times, four times. Five times.

“Is that right?”

“Yes, it’s premature to draw conclusions, but we really might…”

“We might be the first in humanity to observe the Collective Consciousness…!”

Professor Albert laughed in disbelief and slumped into the chair, while Yurik let out a half-finished shout of surprise, startling even himself with its volume.

“Wow! Success!”

“Hooray!”

Soon, the gathered Violets erupted into cheers and set off fireworks.

Despite a small mishap where Yurik suddenly got drenched in champagne,

Violet thought to herself: Something good will happen.

“Oh no, you brat! You can’t start popping champagne already!”

“Wasn’t it a success?”

“Success, yes. Since starting is half the battle, I guess we can consider it a success…”

As the surrounding Violets continued clapping, 3321 asked from the chair.

“Wow, congratulations! So, what’s next, sir? Is this the end?”

“This is merely the beginning. Observations need to continue. We must gather more precise data and move to the next phase. And…”

Excitedly, Yurik pointed at the empty spot next to Violet.

“Now that we’ve captured the signal, we’re going to conduct a connection experiment immediately.”

“Connection, you say…?”

“We’re trying to connect directly to the Violet Network. Since there are no experimental subjects, I’ll try it myself.”

Intrigued Violet suddenly felt a surge of anxiety at Dr. Yurik’s words.

“But is that okay? You and the professor know what I might be doing. What if I turn into an Apostle?… I don’t want to become a Violet!”

In response to Violet’s question, Albert replied.

“We’ve calculated that possibility beforehand, you know. This device is solely for viewing and feeling. You won’t spiritually interact by connecting directly. For that, far more complex and sophisticated experimental equipment would be required. We’ve set up safety measures for unforeseen circumstances, so don’t worry.”

“Which is why I’m participating myself. I’m a Non-Awakened. My affinity for magic is low, so such catastrophes won’t happen. Right, Professor Albert?”

Yurik chuckled, adding a few more words.

“To be honest, I’m not sure we can even see the network directly. It might just be a blurry silhouette or dreamlike level, which would still be fortunate. Ha ha!”

Violet raised a few more questions.

“Is it necessary to connect our network directly to consciousness to see it? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to observe with machinery?”

“Oh, how sharp of you to point that out. According to our calculations, trying to connect the network to a device for visual implementation has a high chance of not working properly. The network itself is fundamentally different from existing human cognition. Thus, I thought it best to first pass through another person’s senses and then interpret it.”

“I see…”

A fleeting thought crossed Violet’s mind, wondering if Dr. Yurik was hiding something, but she had no intention to pry deeper.

The mere possibility of someone else being able to access the network thrilled her enough to cast aside her doubts.

Perhaps due to the experiment proceeding so rapidly and successfully,

the two researchers had become somewhat complacent.

Continuous small successes.

Even the usually cautious Albert, for a moment, entertained the thought, ‘Surely nothing bad will happen.’

Two days later, a more intricate wave tracking based on the network observation data began.

Dr. Yurik laid himself down on the second bed.

“Professor, then let’s get started with the experiment. Filming starts now, experiment initiation time is 1:30 PM…”

As soon as the experiment began, screams suddenly echoed through the room.

“My eyes! Eyes, countless eyes, aaah—Gahhh!”

The doctor clutched his head, screaming.

Albert quickly cut the power and waved his hands in the air.

The wires fell away in an instant, and the scanner that had been on Yurik’s head was removed.

“Are you okay, sir?”

“I should be fine. I used recovery magic and magical stability spells. Doctor, was there a problem? If it’s hard to talk—”

Yurik answered with a strained, scream-like response.

“There were so many eyes! So many gazes! Eyes in a dark space—Oh, wait?”

Immediately afterward, a shocked Dr. Yurik covered his mouth.

The professor’s face went pale, hardening like a statue.

“…Oh my God, we were too reckless.”

---