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Chapter 1 – Continuous Chaos

Even beyond the middle of April, our Violets were still carrying out various missions.

“Attack! Attack!”

“There’s no retreat!”

For instance, the Violet base located in the Karnak Archipelago was gradually expanding in size.

Amid constant threats, I continued to build walls and expand bunkers and buildings, enlarging the area of the base.

In proportion, the frequency of monster attacks also increased, along with various natural disasters constantly crashing down upon us.

“No! I’m being swept away!”

A Violet was forcibly lifted into the air by a swirling wind.

“Ah! I’m being swallowed!”

An earthquake struck, causing the ground to open a giant mouth and swallow the Violet squad that was on reconnaissance entirely.

It felt as if the entire land was desperately charging to wipe out the Violets.

“These guys! They seem to have become more vicious!”

Why on earth does the Red Zone treat our Violets so harshly?

It’s a legal principle recognized by both the federal army and the clans that whoever plants a flag on unowned land is the owner of that land.

“Let the land be conquered properly! This communist island!”

To use professional terminology, this Karnak Archipelago is evidently the rightful domain of the Violets.

Defeating this arrogant Red Zone is undoubtedly the clear fate of the Violet Brigade.

“Growl!”

“Die! Just die already!”

Unit 232 rushed in and swung down at the head of an attacking monster, panting heavily.

Compared to the monsters we usually faced, they were becoming increasingly fiercer and stronger.

It felt as if some sort of level scaling was in effect.

“If we don’t secure a definite safe zone, it will ultimately end in a war of attrition.”

From the countless battles I had experienced, I realized that we needed to conquer the land itself to end the war of attrition in the Karnak Archipelago.

I was curious about what method could completely purify this land.

“Unit 2501, don’t you have any bright ideas?”

“I don’t know! And my memories belong to all of us! If you can’t remember, then I can’t either!”

Fragments of miscellaneous information resembling an apostle’s memory floated near the lake of our consciousness.

They were in a state as if a sugar cube was thrown into a supersaturated solution, melting away.

But a few instincts were dimly taking shape.

Clearly, the Red Zone must have a deep connection with beings known as Aedos.

“If we grasp the powers, can’t we turn the Red Zone into our own territory?”

If we master the usage of these powers, the day may come when we can elegantly paint over the deep red tint on the map with a splendid violet hue.

Then we could build structures on this island and establish ports, airports, and fortresses.

“Violet is the color of ancient Rome!”

And Rome is a republic.

It couldn’t be more democratic.

“Is that all you’re aiming for? Let’s build strategic weapon bases too, like nuclear missile launch sites!”

But then, it would be clear that others would definitely cast envious glances.

Setting aside the massive clans and the federal army, even that guy could try to infringe on property rights, scoffing at our monopoly on real estate.

To avoid being intimidated by such folks, we must be ready to bleed at any moment.

– Whoosh!

Thus, the drama of slaughter played out once again today at the private training ground near the academy.

– Swoosh!

The incoming spear point, slithering like a snake, severed the arm of Unit 4421 wielding a one-handed sword.

“Focus, get a grip! Your right arm got chopped off again! Why do you keep falling for such simple tricks?”

“Ugh, I got it.”

As Irene reprimanded, Unit 4421 awkwardly scratched its head with the remaining left arm, then picked up the right arm and approached Daphne.

Daphne let out a small sigh and quickly reattached the arm.

The arm was perfectly reattached as if it had never been severed.

“Hey, this is training, but isn’t this a bit excessive…?”

“No problem! They say training should be like real combat, right? If the injuries are too severe, we can just regenerate before dying. Right, Irene?”

Irene subtly lifted the corners of her mouth, as if agreeing with my statement.

“I agree. It’s a very efficient way to enhance the sense of real combat.”

The method of training we are currently engaging in is a fierce fight indistinguishable from actual combat.

To conduct a sparring session close to reality, it’s only natural to accept the degree of injuries involved.

Moreover, as the Scholarship Officer had previously advised, I had been trying to conduct training without facing death as much as possible.

Only by doing so would individual survivability improve, allowing for longer and more effective combat.

To achieve that, one must display even greater concentration.

But the habitual tendency to fight carelessly remained, resulting in outcomes like this.

“That may be true, but please exercise some caution. Body parts severed by sword energy are cut cleanly at a molecular level, making reattachment easy, but other cases are much harder. Plus, excessive bleeding…”

“I got it! I’ll be careful!”

While verbally agreeing, I knew that frequently getting injured or losing body parts would likely benefit Daphne as well.

Because the most important thing for an awakened one with healing ability is clinical practice.

“And Daphne has treated countless Violets so far!”

“Right! This is all part of the learning process!”

Lacerations, abrasions, stab wounds, severed limbs, and various types of burns, frostbite.

Even corrosion, radiation exposure, bioweapons from monsters, or parasitic wounds caused by magical power.

What student could gain such a diverse range of experience in treating injuries?

Before long, Daphne might even be able to revive a shattered person as long as they still had breath in them.

“That’s not good. If she turns into Violet Slush, it’ll make Daphne sad!”

“And 1211! The fire isn’t out! Kalia, do you know how complex burn treatment can be?”

“Oh? I see! That’s why I smelled something like burning meat.”

“What the hell, this is driving me insane! Why won’t it go out?!”

Kalia, who was joyfully firing a large-caliber revolver beside me, grimaced.

She quickly rushed over, grabbed me, and knocked off the flames that were engulfing me.

“Done. My unique ability has been acting weird since a few months ago. If I don’t pay attention, it won’t go out until everything is burnt. What could be causing this?”

“Maybe Kalia has become stronger?”

Suddenly, I reflected on the current situation.

Perhaps due to often dragging my friends into dangerously reckless situations, everyone’s growth rate had considerably accelerated.

At this rate, they might attain formidable power on the level of main episodes within months.

The parts that my unique ability had burned were charred black, turning to charcoal.

Daphne frowned slightly, opened a first-aid kit, took out a scalpel, and excised the burnt area before healing it.

“I told you last time. The areas burned by Kalia’s flames don’t heal well. Do you know how much mana it eats up to force regeneration?”

We both just stood awkwardly under our healing friend’s nagging.

“Is that much? Alright… I’ll be more careful with using my unique abilities next time. Did you hear that, Violets? Let’s tone down the training that’s like real combat.”

“That won’t do! You are the only ones who do this for me. Sister Adela doesn’t do this!”

At my grumbling, curiosity flickered in the eyes of the three beautiful girls.

“The Student Council President?”

“Yeah, she was worried that witnessing too many gruesome fights would be burdensome for me.”

What a sad turn of events.

Sister Adela could have taught me a lot because she was quite skilled. Yet, she tried excessively to protect me, saying that she felt uncomfortable with the blood-soaked sparring.

What was happening at the academy’s training ground at the same time was exactly that.

– Crack!

“Oh no!”

The training rapier, devoid of magical properties, slapped my cheek.

The magic defense woven into my skin activated, sending small sparks flying.

In that moment, Sister Adela gasped in horror and hurried over to put down her sword.

“Oh no, you’re dead. Let’s restart…”

“Ah! Violet! Are you alright! What the heck! I told you not to recklessly charge in!”

“I’m fine! I’m not hurt.”

The distressed Student Council President shook her head in disbelief, her gloved hands carefully caressing my face.

“My goodness… What if even a scratch appears on this cute, smooth face… on this pristine skin…”

“I told you I’m fine…”

“No, I’m not fine! Violet is the treasure of our academy! I must have been too reckless. We need to set up more safety measures. What should I order-”

I guess I’ll have to wait a while longer to receive training from Sister Adela like I do from Irene.

“…Anyway, the break’s over, so let’s get back to training!”

After being healed, I took up my sword and headed back to the training ground. Just as we were about to spar again, I suddenly flinched at the scene before me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just ran into some bandits in the dungeon!”

Since my friends had grown accustomed to simultaneous circumstances, they reacted nonchalantly.

“Well, that’s good! Think of it as part of training.”

Replenishing bullets, Kalia chimed in.

“Going after Violet, what a bunch of idiots!”

Actually, it was I who had targeted them.

**

They say out of five people gathered, at least one must be garbage.

Violet, who had only mingled with kind friends, once again felt the harshness of this world.

She had forgotten that there were quite a few human trash among people.

“Haha! They say the clan’s doing well, but they look pretty weak, huh?”

In a world with billions of people, the amount of trash must surpass hundreds of millions.

Like the gangsters growling right in front of us.

Currently, Units 3344 and 2421 were in the Respero Wasteland.

It was also a location where I had a dispute with armored knights while visiting with Sophie El in the past. She came here for an assignment.

After completing a small task given by the academy, Violet planned to explore deep valleys of the wasteland out of mere boredom.

Then, they stumbled upon a ruckus. Curious, she peeked her head from behind some rocks.

“Whoa, a fight!!”

A few levels down in the valley, a rough battle was taking place amid the dust.

A group of ruggedly tattooed hunters clashed with relatively neat-looking hunters.

It was a conflict between clans that could be seen from time to time.

Regrettably, by the time Violet witnessed it, the battle had already been decided.

– Boom!

“Ahhh!”

Surprisingly, the one standing at the forefront was a hunter clad in armor.

The leader of the gang of thugs was using the defenses and strength of his armor to stomp the competition.

The armor looked somewhat worn but was similar to that of the armored knights.

Because of this, Violet initially thought that the Restraid was wreaking havoc again.

“Nope. Looks older than expected? No shine to it!”

“It looks a bit shabby for a Restraid armor.”

With one Violet’s observation, the collective intelligence quickly kicked in to produce a synthesis of consensus.

Indeed, it looked far removed from the shining armor of the armored knights that were always thoroughly maintained.

For the meticulous Restraid, this was something unimaginable.

“If they manage armor like that, Cordo would’ve taken their heads off.”

The fight ended in the blink of an eye. What remained were the porters.

“Ha, did you see that? I told you to place the goods down gently and leave! Did you think I was kidding?”

“Please, spare me!”

The porters, gripped with terror.

Amid the laughter of the surrounding thugs, the man in armor took off his helmet and strode forward.

“See, I warned you! If you’d left everything and gone, I’d have spared you. But this is what you get for ignoring Lord Levin!”

“Ahhh!”

Unit 3344 furrowed her brow. The bolt shot by the thugs’ crossbows killed the porters instantly.

Based on the information that came in, the Violets mobilized their collective intelligence.

“It appears they’re bandits. Total of 9, rummaging through things? They seem to be gathering spoils, so it looks like profit is their objective.”

“Check the other side. Armed status and gear-wise, it’s six hunters and ten porters. Judging from their exoskeleton gear and magical resistance, they must be non-awakened. All three Mech Hounds are destroyed, no survivors. Regardless of the clan, they seem to be a small extraction and excavation team. Why are they using so many porters?”

“From here, the terrain is rough, right? It’s a location difficult for vehicles to enter.”

The commands from the Command Center questioned what the response would be.

Timing was late; it was too late for a rescue.

So it would be only humane to take revenge.

The cries of villains would turn into a requiem for the dead.

“By the way they speak, they definitely seem to be bandits.”

“Let’s use them as training targets!”

The Violets thought it was a great opportunity.

These were bandits who killed innocent people.

It was right, both legally and morally, to butcher them.

We could train as long as possible in a real situation, surviving for as long as we were able.

Unit 3344 drew her crossbow. After loading a bolt, she concentrated her mana.

Mana flowed along the circuits embedded in her body, wrapping around the bolt.

A red line sliced through the air. The slowly flying bolt was blocked by the sword swung by an armored hunter.

She hadn’t intended to hit her target, but Violet clicked her tongue, once again acutely aware of the limitations of crossbows and bows.

Under such circumstances without a helmet, if it had been a faster-moving bullet, it could have taken off her head.

“What’s this? Who the hell are you?”

Violet brushed her wig a few times and revealed herself from behind the rock.

“There, you in the armor! Surrender!”

– Thud!

The reaction was immediate. The armored bandit leapt up and landed right in front of Violet.

Unit 3344 scowled at the dust rising.

The bandit pointed his sword at her, speaking.

“You little brat. Did you see all that?”

“Yeah, you’re a bandit, huh?”

Levin chuckled at the provocation of the suddenly appeared red-haired girl.

He didn’t know which academy she came from, but she seemed like an innocent brat caught up in her own vanity.

“The black box captured everything! I’m going to report outside.”

Pointing to the small plastic box hanging on his chest, she threatened him.

Levin was completely at a loss.

What on earth was she trusting in a deserted corner of this dungeon?

“Hah, this is nonsense. Hey, I’m in a good mood right now. Hand over the black box and I’ll let you go in one piece. Got it?”

Saying this, Levin extended his hand. She was more interesting than expected, and he wished to feign some leniency.

The moment he turned his back, he planned to have his men insert a bolt into her back.

But the girl responded to his offer with a sword.

“I refuse!”

The red sword collided with his chest armor. Mana clashed with mana, leaving only a scratch on the armor before dissipating.

Levin signaled his approaching subordinates to push her away, chuckling lightly as his chest pounded.

“Surprised, are you? This is a Carbonite composite armor, you idiot! It’s armor made by Restraid from the Circle Cliff arms market. The same stuff those armored knights wear!”

Unit 3344’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Is that really armor worn by armored knights?”

“Yeah, though it’s outdated. Why? Seems like you changed your mind? Unfortunately, you’re gonna die here, you little brat.”

Numerous exchanges of blades took place. Most of the attacks were blocked by the armor.

The fight lingered on stubbornly.

In the next moment, Violet fell to the floor. She felt a void beneath her knees.

“Kyaaah! My leg!”

Feeling a sense of pride for acting according to her moniker, Levin grabbed her neck and lifted her.

“Let go!”

“Say your goodbyes to the outside world.”

As the synthetic muscles whirred, he cruelly squeezed her neck.

“Grrk!”

The lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Levin waved his hand for his men.

“Gather whatever’s valuable and burn it! That’s it for today-”

Suddenly, the girl’s corpse began to burn unnaturally.

“Boss! That girl! The corpse!”

“What the hell. Why is this happening?”

– Boom!

The corpse shattered into pieces.

As the gangsters trembled in shock at the bizarre phenomenon, something even more shocking occurred.

“Let’s fight!”

The red-haired girl, who had just died moments ago, charged out of the valley once again.

Levin was speechless, but again, he sliced her down at the end of the fight.

“What the hell? Is that a unique ability? Or is it magic?”

“It could be something like doll manipulation, maybe?”

The advice from one of his college-educated subordinates brought a nod from Levin. Just then, the girl appeared yet again.

“Let’s fight!”

The bandits finally felt that something was off.

It was far too late.

The Violet Loop’s curtain was now being drawn.

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