The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

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The loud voices of animals awakening the peaceful morning jolted my consciousness.

“Burning smell! Smoke! I can smell it!”

“It looks like there’s a fire!”

I jumped up startled by the urgent messages coming through the Network.

The view outside the window confirmed my instincts. Thick black smoke was billowing from a place not too far away.

The fire seemed to have already been suppressed, but the building was utterly charred.

“Wow, it’s real.”

It was a house located a bit far from my block.

It looked ordinary on the outside, but it seemed someone had set it ablaze in the middle of the night.

“Ah, what a pity! I should have gone to see the fire.”

“Yeah, right.”

For us Violets, who adore wholesome destruction and violence, watching a fire is one of those spectacles that inject excitement into our boring daily lives.

Well, I was curious about how I could eavesdrop on the conversations of the fire trucks and police in the vicinity while conducting a biotic drone test.

It might not be anything serious, but I wondered how I could infiltrate a place we were forbidden to approach due to surveillance.

“Almond! Go listen to what they’re saying! Lemon, you move too! Do it without being detected!”

Almond subtly flew in to eavesdrop on the people’s conversations.

Meanwhile, I took Lemon out from my pocket and sent it into the house.

Now, all that was left was to spy on the interior.

“Hmm, you wouldn’t work there. Just smell around and eavesdrop!”

Avoiding the people’s gaze, Lemon darted into the burnt house.

Through the Network, I received vivid sensations of twitching noses and fluttering whiskers.

The first thing I sensed was the acrid stench of burning filling the building.

It seemed the investigation had just begun. I could see police officers bustling in and out.

“Given the state of the corpse, it doesn’t seem like a fire death. There are signs of cutting and gunshot wounds. They probably set the fire after death. We won’t know for sure until the forensic results come in.”

“Could it be a clan dispute, Captain?”

“Well, looking at the scale, it doesn’t seem like it. Clans usually fight in dungeons or Erosion Zones, right? I think this looks more like a turf war between gangs… I heard that Ospri’s vigilante group cleared out this area, but it seems there are still some leftovers.”

I could hear the sound of a detective clicking his tongue.

“If it’s a clan, there’s probably not much we can investigate here. The Inspection Bureau is coming, so let’s wrap things up quickly!”

Through Almond’s eyes, I could see corpses being carried away on stretchers.

Could it be that gang members were still lurking nearby? I thought it might be time to ramp up neighborhood patrols.

After retrieving Almond and Lemon, I returned home and turned on the TV. A new morning was welcoming us.

[Senator Lemar dismisses doping controversy after blood test – Duel for legislative justice will continue.]

“We will defend the rightful parliamentary system! Everyone!”

The face of the senator, familiar from frequent appearances, flashed across the screen.

I thought it was another peaceful Rustroom morning, but the news kept rolling.

[Explosion at Laplacian Second Research Building – Determined to be the work of an anti-corporate group.]

[Series of arson incidents occurring in the central and southern regions, experts emphasize need for safety measures.]

Nothing particularly noteworthy seemed to be happening. There was a piece about the Laplacians getting into trouble, but that was about it.

The Violets were thinking about taking down other gang members.

“Let’s show those punks who’s boss!”

**

The harrowing sight of buildings bearing the aftermath of the fire filled the screen. Streets turned to ashes, walls charred black, shattered windows.

“You did well, everyone.”

The military officers watching the footage showed a moment of discomfort but quickly wore expressions of pride.

In their eyes, satisfaction from completing the mission mixed with envy towards the rival faction on the other side.

As a formally dressed man on the opposing screen smiled leisurely, the soldiers continued with their explanations.

“We successfully temporarily disabled the Army’s intelligence network. Procedures for enticing major clans and gangs are progressing smoothly. As you can see, Chairman.”

The expression of the man on the screen brightened.

“We have managed to neutralize and entice 80% of the main targets… Truly, this is what makes a special forces unit. Your expectations were not unfounded.”

At the Chairman’s praise, the Air Force and Navy generals in the meeting room wore proud expressions.

From their appearance, it seemed to convey a subtle boast that ‘we are better at this than those corporate types.’

Watching that scene, Laihan decided to slightly deflate the generals’ egos.

He continued in a gentle tone.

“Well, it is a bit disappointing that it’s only 20%.”

With his words, a record of absurd mistakes and defeats by the Hunter Special Forces appeared on the screen.

The faces of the generals stiffened, and as if they had been waiting for it, they began launching complaints.

“Dammit, who would have thought there would be such monsters lurking in that damn alley? What has the Intelligence Bureau been doing? Saying the combat power of those resolvers is on par with special forces!”

“Our power analysis completely missed the mark. The level of armament among those gang members seems to be double what we expected. This battlefield is on an entirely different level compared to the continent we control. It’s not just a lawless area; that’s no exaggeration!”

The generals each began making excuses.

It was understandable. The Army’s intelligence bases and monitoring stations were situated in slums and outskirts rife with disorder.

Such places were hives bustling with resolvers, gangs, and various secret societies.

Just a little lapse in caution could prompt the crazed murderers to draw their blades.

Special forces soldiers, unintentionally touching that hive during a confrontation – and to eliminate witnesses – would have to keenly feel that the shadows of the academy city were a beast lair beyond their imagination.

The reality they faced was something no training could prepare them for; it was sheer hell on earth.

“Pizza Rider Union? The Intelligence Bureau has been unable to track such threats at all. Their armaments and tactics exceeded our wildest expectations. We only suffered casualties on our side, and we didn’t even secure a single enemy corpse!”

The sudden appearance of an unidentified delivery organization.

The fact that a naval special operations group had been obliterated in an instant severely bruised the navy’s pride.

“Damn it, that pink-haired girl crushed our squad! She was using some kind of bizarre magic. Magic to create swords, what the hell is that?”

“That girl must be a student from Vesperia! She was flaunting it without hiding her name tag!”

The strength of some academy students was astounding. A heavily armed superhuman special forces unit from the Air Force could be brutally crushed like a stray cat hit by a truck.

“What’s with that Casador guy? Our agents who infiltrated the Circle Cliff almost faced disaster…”

On top of that, figures in the underworld were even pressuring the elite agents of the military.

The faces of the generals, recognizing the ferocity of the academy city, stiffened further.

As the generals expressed their astonishment at their dreadful losses in the unfamiliar environment, they began to search for targets to direct their rage towards.

“Damn that homo bastard.”

Their gazes initially turned towards Laihan but soon reconsidered.

Laihan was undoubtedly their benefactor, a key figure supporting the operations of the task force and agents within the academy city.

Without him, the activities of military personnel who had entered without permission in violation of the tea time agreement would become extremely difficult.

Ultimately, the remaining targets for their fury were just their everlasting rivals standing before them.

“This is all because you hawk bastards didn’t provide proper air support! From now on, ground operations will be handled solely by our Marines!”

“Our Air Force opposes the Navy’s reckless proposal!”

It was quite ridiculous to see grown adults bickering like children.

Laihan further solidified his belief that the military was filled with idiots, and he decided to wait it out until they calmed down.

After a while, as everyone was cooling their heads, one general muttered.

“Disruption operations… Do we really have to go this far? Disrupting the intelligence network, stealth operations… Can’t we just find the location of the Joint Interdimensional Life Research Institute and focus our efforts there? The goal is to secure samples, right?”

“I hear you have ties with Luminexa? Wouldn’t it be possible to find out the institute’s location through them and launch a surprise infiltration?”

Laihan’s previously smiling expression suddenly twisted into a scowl.

“Do you have confidence in going head-to-head with the Restraid Armored Knights?”

The mere mention of the Armored Knights rendered the military personnel speechless.

The calamity born from the Federal-Clan authority reallocation that created the tea time agreement vividly surfaced in their minds.

Laihan had to once more remind these ignorant fools of reality.

“I’ll say it again: do not charge in headfirst. If you do, the Restraid will react. The parliament, connected to the noble families, will also stir, right?”

And Luminexa would absorb the company he had built back into its original form.

“Moreover, the location of the Joint Interdimensional Life Research Institute is classified. It is presumed that the majority of personnel stay and live inside. Only a handful from the Army and Restraid know its location. Naturally, the Foundation doesn’t know either.”

The Chairman’s expression softened once more, as if he hadn’t just been irritated.

“So we must act thoroughly and disguise ourselves as something else. To the very end. Understood?”

Therefore, this uncomfortable alliance between corporations and the military must not be exposed as much as possible.

Once Laihan pointed this out, an Air Force general asked.

“So you want us to attack your company? The casualties were not insignificant.”

Immediately after positing that, the general felt a chill.

The fleeting madness that flashed in Laihan’s eyes was an experience unsettling enough for a seasoned soldier like him.

“It’s nothing major. It was a necessary sacrifice for progress.”

Laihan’s nonchalant reply prompted the generals to wear ambiguous expressions.

“In the future, we will need similar but larger-scale operations. Please prepare thoroughly.”

There was much to be done.

“I think it would be strategically advantageous to use Circle Cliff as our base. It’s a lawless area with the weakest surveillance, and being near the west, we could utilize the network we previously established.”

“The local boss is…”

“I’ll contact Casador myself…”

Laihan decisively cut off the conversation. The connections with underworld figures were his alone.

The discussions that continued flowed into details.

“First, disrupting the Army’s intelligence network will be crucial. Restraid is relatively weak at information gathering.”

“Disrupting the Foundation’s surveillance is also essential. We should prepare bait to scatter their forces.”

All of this was for one singular goal: to obtain samples of the Apostles.

“Our intelligence bureau is currently tracking primarily based on the expected areas you provided. We’re scrutinizing logistics flow, energy consumption, and the movements of related research personnel. Support for shapeshifters…?”

“In addition, we will also support Stregonics.”

In the imminent shadow war, Laplacian would become an unseen hand. There would be no direct tasks to handle.

The blood that would stain the streets was the responsibility of others.

Laihan pointed out an important point for those unfamiliar with the academy city.

“Oh, generals. Pay special attention to these two individuals. They are not our direct enemies, but…”

Two photos appeared on the screen. On the left were blurred silhouettes of soldiers, and on the right was a neatly-dressed black-haired man.

“I know Ariel, but… Wait a moment, Seijis? The Scholarship Officer? Why should we be concerned about a mere bureaucrat?”

Lieutenant Colonel Zukov asked, bewildered.

“I had thought the same, but after witnessing the recent Eastern Arturia academy incident, it seems they possess power beyond imagination. They’re technically under the Inspection Bureau, but be extra cautious when they become involved in academy-related matters.”

Having concluded the meeting, Laihan turned off the screen. A secretary waiting at his side approached.

“The opening of the C-01 freezer has been completed. The Helman update has also been done as instructed. However… are you really going to proceed like this?”

The opaque black mask of the secretary fluttered, filled with anxiety.

Laihan’s next plan was an idea that would throw common sense out the window.

It could potentially put the existence of Laplacian at risk.

Laihan responded with a smile.

“If one can realize the truth in the morning, it’s said one can die in the evening without regret. I am prepared.”

All of this was for the pursuit of truth.

**

I set out for a walk coupled with neighborhood clearing activities. As I wandered a bit far, I found myself outside the neighborhood.

“Have I come too far?”

Then I unexpectedly encountered a situation. On market day, real punks appeared before me.

“Help me!”

“Old lady, give me some pocket money! Is that so hard?”

“I don’t have any! I told you!”

When I rushed toward the screams, I spotted students clad in unruly outfits lurking in the alley.

The punks were intimidating a grandmother carrying a shopping basket.

“Granny! Quickly run away!”

I started a standoff against these punks by myself.

“Hey, you guys, are you students? What are you doing here? Isn’t it class time right now?”

When I asked, they burst into laughter.

“Does it seem like we’re still clueless about the situation? What do you have, kid?”

“Hey, what should we do about him?”

“The hell do you mean, what to do?!”

Let’s see, there are four of them in total. Given their messily modified school uniforms and unruly demeanor, they were obviously dropouts or kids who got suspended.

Specifically, teenage Jaeger gangsters.

Students who couldn’t become either Hunters or Resolvers ended up as lowlifes in the underworld.

Turning into human butchers that slice people instead of monsters.

When I went to scout Leslie, I had tackled similar kids before.

“What’s it to you?”

“This is our turf! Get lost!”

Unfortunately, unrelated to their personalities, these guys were also Awakened Ones.

The moment they spotted me, they drew swords and exuded threatening magical power from their blades.

“Is it okay to kill him?”

“Yeah, we’ll just send him packing and if he resists more, we’ll deal with him outside!”

I unsheathed my sword. A casual glance was enough to reveal their combat power.

“Now I get it. Your combat power is…!”

“Lower than 1 Violet!”

1 Violet is our relative and abstract unit of combat power. We set it as a standard for one heavily armed Violet.

Of course, it’s a rubber band unit that varies based on our moods, so there’s no reliability to it.

The important thing is that they are weaker than us!

-Thwack! Thwack!

Within 30 seconds, I had subdued the punks.

“Argh… what the hell… this doesn’t make sense… Aah, just stop! I surrender! I surrender!”

I only summoned two Clones and finished without a scratch. I had no idea they could be so weak.

“This is our area!”

“Get lost right now!”

I pulled them out, engaging in humane aesthetic activities for the sake of a wholesome town environment.

The Scholarship Officer was on my mind.

Should I kill them? I thought for a moment, but they were just students, so I’d ask the Scholarship Officer and decide whether to hand them over to the Inspection Bureau or dump them in a drum.

Just as I was about to drag them down, an unexpected event occurred.

“Ah! No way! I was going to let it go, but that’s it!”

“What’s with the ‘let it go’?”

One of them suddenly pulled out a strange syringe from his pocket.

“If I jab you with this, a guy like you will just—”

“Not on my watch!”

It was obvious. It was a power-enhancing drug like Black Ice.

I quickly slashed down with my sword, knocking the syringe to the ground. It shattered into pieces.

I thought my only mistake was that.

“Argh!”

Another one had one too. The moment I noticed, it was already jabbed into his arm.

The teenage Jaeger gangster seemed to ignore the laws of physics, puffing up like a balloon.

“Wha! A person is getting bigger! What the hell is that!”

The boy transformed into a muscle-bound giant and swung a fist at us.

“Ugh! The strength!”

His awkward movements resembled that of a monster.

But hunting monsters was our specialty; I immediately unleashed Polaris Swordsmanship.

Against that enormous fist came a large, flowing Cutting Strike like waves.

-Cut!

His right arm fell beneath the shin. But the next moment, we couldn’t believe our eyes.

“What, what is this!”

Bubbles began erupting from the edges of his severed arm, and before we knew it, the arm regenerated in an instant.

“Oh my god! What kind of syringe is that?”

The punk laughed mockingly.

“This? It’s nanomachines! Idiot!”

The advanced term coming out of a delinquent’s mouth bewildered us.

First, we needed to subdue him and figure out the nature of that syringe.

“Slice him!”

Curiously, no matter how much we cut, he continued to regenerate.

“Shut up! I’m invincible!”

“Really, he has a regeneration rate reminiscent of those damn Polaris accountants.”

“Alright, activating tactical immersion—”

As I considered ramping up and slicing him without mercy by generating more Violets, a bright flame suddenly engulfed him.

-Bang! Bang!

“Aah! It’s hot!”

“Violet! Are you okay? What the hell is that monster?!”

A terrified Kalia sliced at him with her sword.

Every blade wound immediately wrapped in flames, and the bubbling foam began to vanish.

“Ahhhhh! Why! I thought I was supposed to be invincible!”

His regeneration was halted.

The body of the punk, who was flailing and burning, slowly shriveled up.

Kalia hastily released her unique ability, and the thug fell, half-burnt, with a thud.

“What are they doing?”

“I have no idea!”

Looks like another weird character is getting tangled up in the mix.