The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

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As they approached the city of Circliff, 4552 and Enrique bid farewell to Kalia’s bike.

Now that I looked closely, Kalia’s outfit was nothing less than a battle-ready ensemble.

“What’s with all the stuff you’ve packed?”

“For initial dominance.”

Kalia had a tactical harness wrapped around her waist, attached to various gear, while a pouch on her left hip was stuffed with assorted ammunition and miscellaneous items.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Two swords hung from her shoulders, and a lever-action rifle dangled at her waist.

Between the flapping white jumper, a large Magnum revolver caught the sunshine, sparkling like a star.

“Isn’t that what they call open carry?”

“Yeah, though not as blatant as this.”

Walking around with weapons displayed so proudly was somewhat common even in the Academy City.

Of course, while personal weapon possession was allowed in Rustroom, it was an unwritten rule to keep them neatly packed when in crowded places, as it could disturb the ambience.

It was intimidating.

Just one hit from those weapons would send a regular person flying, leaving no trace behind.

What drew my eyes even more was the dark camouflaged sling bag hanging off her shoulder.

A piece of high-end gear typically used by famous clans like Helios.

Though it wasn’t as spacious as my inventory, it still held a fair amount inside when looking at its exterior.

It commanded a hefty price, and anyone with a discerning eye would recognize it at a glance.

One could easily stick a label saying it was a 24-hour emergency response dungeon rescue Yager service without it sounding out of place.

“You know how sketchy the neighborhoods I visit can be.”

Kalia slid a bullet into her firearm.

“This is enough to keep those scumbags from bothering me. The moment I step foot in, odd folks will take notice, so this serves as a warning, right?”

I nodded. I was well aware of Circliff’s notorious reputation.

Kalia’s armament was akin to a warning color in the animal kingdom.

“I’m off. Let’s meet back here when I’m done. I know a nice restaurant!”

“Really? Then be careful out there!”

“Take care.”

Enrique and I waved goodbye to the departing bike. Now it was our turn to handle our business.

Twenty minutes later, we entered a small house that was our destination.

Before we could press the doorbell, the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man with orange hair and a fatigued expression.

“…Enrique. It’s you.”

“Yeah… Dad. Hi.”

Enrique replied carefully.

“Ah, this is my friend. Is it okay if they come in?”

“Sure, come on in…”

We finally arrived. Now the real starting line awaited us.

**

The federal charter plane departed from Lumeria, accompanied by escort aircraft. The journey to Rustroom was accelerating.

From an altitude of 10,000 meters, the sky appeared clear without a single cloud in sight.

Tiny landmasses began surfacing over the vast sea.

These were natural indicators signaling the entrance to the island chain.

As we veered into the western airspace, the air force escorts detached from the formation.

Shift change time approached.

“Attention please. Our aircraft will soon enter the southern region, under the jurisdiction of Restraid. Shortly, there will be an escort from Restraid’s aviation team…”

As the captain’s announcement ended, senators, who had been enjoying a short pleasant time, peeked outside the window.

In the blink of an eye, the passing ground became an appetizer as they elegantly twirled their forks.

Amidst the leisurely dining senators, faces transformed with expectation and curiosity.

One anticipated the gifts Restraid would present, while the other bore the secretive curiosity they imparted.

“By the way, what exactly is this research institute that they’d go so far as to arrange a tour? It doesn’t seem to be just about monsters or relics…”

“From what I heard through my informant, it’s not a mere monster. You’re aware of that Erosion Zone that appeared in the southern region right? A religious site prior to the Great War. They’re saying they captured something over there. Rumor has it…”

The words of a seasoned senator drew the attention of others at the table.

As the dining atmosphere buzzed with excitement, a little farther away, practical work regarding future plans engaged in intense discussion.

Young aides scanned the schedules and documents with meticulous care while experienced aides occasionally took short breaks, gauging the atmosphere.

Realizing it’d be nonstop busyness once they touched down, they wisely conserved their energy ahead of time.

The watcher from the Rumyx Foundation accompanying them stifled a yawn while checking the scanner.

Cargo hold, relic transport vehicle. All clear… check.

While everyone was engrossed in their respective duties, a commotion of rapid activity emerged from a corner of the passenger aircraft.

While they were mere insignificant pests, if we put aside that fact, we could say cockroaches and the delegation of senators shared a commonality.

The cockroaches took their positions.

Lines, control systems, fuel, and power supply.

With their characteristic tenacious life force and a few modifications, they obeyed the commands set by the bio-chip embedded in their nervous systems even in low-air density at high altitudes.

There was just one last thing remaining—the final command.

The radar detection info from the escort aircraft synchronized sharply with the cockroach locator signal.

As the ground, hundreds of kilometers away, accurately locked onto the aircraft’s position, the bowstring tautly aimed at the sky.

“The target has entered the objective point.”

In response to the signal, the command of the naval-air force joint special operations division coursed into the sky, divided into intricately crafted radio signals.

There was no need for interpretation; the signal was simple yet lethal.

The cockroaches ignited all at once.

Restraid’s spy cockroach was equipped with basic remote control commands and a position tracking feature.

However, it was far from adequate for mass destruction.

It couldn’t harm individuals directly or destroy targets—it was like trying to bring down an elephant with just a needle.

The researchers at Laplacian had an ingenious idea, drawing upon the cockroaches’ stubborn life force.

Inside the spy cockroaches was packed with high-performance flammable materials synthesized using magical power instead of internal organs.

When the bio-chip activated, for a fleeting moment, the cockroaches would combust into thousands of degrees and vaporize without a trace.

It lacked the grandiosity of a blockbuster movie’s loud drama.

There was no magnificent finale of mass destruction.

But, that was enough to incapacitate the sensitive and intricate functions of the aircraft.

-Clang!

The champagne glass crashed to the floor as the aircraft suddenly tilted. The senators expressed their annoyance.

“What the hell? Is this turbulence?”

When Senator Remar detected the aircraft abnormalities, the warning broadcast resonated.

“This is the captain! We’re attempting an emergency landing due to unexpected aircraft anomalies. All passengers please secure your seat belts…”

It was too late. All flight control systems and power systems had gone haywire, reminiscent of the MagnaVis group during the October chain terror.

The aircraft completely lost control and began a rapid descent.

Screams and chaos decorated the cabin.

The passenger plane plummeted towards the riverside near Circliff as if drawn towards its fate.

**

As Enrique and Violet entered the living room, the air descended like a heavy lead weight.

Their parents’ faces were a jumble of unexpressable emotions.

The only sound breaking the room’s silence was the quiet pour of tea into a paper cup by Enrique’s mother.

“Good tea, are you alright with this?”

Her voice trembled. Enrique nodded carefully, as if swallowing her words, and cautiously accepted the paper cup.

Violet tilted her head.

“Disposable?”

As hot chocolate slipped down her throat, her delicate fingers trembled slightly.

The father finally broke the heavy silence and spoke up.

“I heard news about the institute… are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m currently preparing to enroll in the Academy.”

“That’s a relief.”

His voice conveyed both relief and anxiety simultaneously. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked again.

“But… what about tuition?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll secure a scholarship. I’ll make up for the rest by working.”

As Enrique’s answer emerged, a flicker of relief, anxiety, and subtle shifts crossed her parents’ faces.

Violet pondered.

“Is that… guilt, perhaps?”

The mother cautiously inquired.

“By any chance… has there been any contact from the company?”

“No, not yet. I haven’t even heard back about acceptance. No messages from the clan or company.”

There was a firmness in Enrique’s voice.

A heavy silence enveloped the room. The father’s gaze shimmered uncertainly.

“Come to think of it… the funding from the institute is now…”

Enrique nodded slightly.

“Yes, I suppose it’s been cut off.”

The father exhaled a deep sigh.

“Actually… we’ve been through some hard times.”

Enrique’s eyebrows raised slightly. Her father continued.

“Is it possible… to get hunting or exploration requests from the Academy? With your abilities…”

“Dad…”

Enrique’s voice trembled.

“No, I just… thought it might help you to study safely.”

Enrique fell into a brief silence.

“I’m sorry. But for the time being, I want to focus solely on my studies.”

“Right…” The father’s voice diminished. “Maybe we expected too much from you.”

A heavy quietness descended in the room. No one could muster the courage to speak first.

Radiation, incidents, the institute.

Topics that should have been spoken about lingered heavily in the air.

An uncomfortable atmosphere that couldn’t even be considered a dialogue between parent and child.

Unable to hold it any longer, Enrique rose from her seat.

“I’m going now.”

“Okay, be careful. Call if you have any news.”

“Yes, I understand. Take care.”

As Enrique and Violet made their way towards the entrance, the mother hurriedly swept away the paper cup with a pair of tongs.

With the sound of the door closing, the sound of the paper cup hitting the kitchen bin echoed.

The parents left in the living room remained silent for a while.

“Dear…”

The mother carefully opened her mouth.

“Have we gone too far?”

The father let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know. If sending her away was the right decision…”

“But we had no choice. The circumstances back then…”

Standing by the window, the parents gazed at their daughter’s receding figure.

They looked at one another and lowered their heads.

So they didn’t see it. The electronic devices in the living room flickering erratically.

The cellphone flickered a time or two before falling silent.

With a strange noise, everything became still.

**

The door of the aircraft was wrenched off with a loud bang. Through the desperate efforts of the pilot and co-pilot, the plane miraculously managed to make an emergency landing.

Smoke still billowed from the wrecked wings and engines.

A moment later, panicked passengers poured out through the door.

The senators scurried out like rats escaping a sinking ship.

“What the hell… what’s this sudden disaster?”

A senator shouted in an angry voice.

“I don’t know. It could have been a maintenance error or a bird strike. The weather was fine.”

“When we get back, I’ll give those charter operators a piece of my mind. Look at my clothes, all torn! How much will it cost to fix these?! And what about our luggage…”

While the senators lamented over their unfortunate appearances, screams and groans echoed from the rear of the plane.

Senator Remar was dragging out two slumped aides, grumbling indignantly.

“Damn! Useless pigs! How dare you make a senator suffer like this?”

Grumbling, he dropped the aides to the ground and roared back.

“What are you all doing back there? Stop whining and move! Do you want to die on this plane?”

Unlike the senators, the condition of most aides, being non-awakened, was dire. They stumbled out, battered and bruised.

Just as a recovery attendant finally activated the emergency escape slide, the passengers began to slide down one by one.

Meanwhile, a bloodied foundation agent was seen rolling on the floor.

“By the way, where the hell are we? This doesn’t seem like the southern region.”

One senator asked, looking around.

Remar squinted, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight while carefully surveying his surroundings. Strangely, the riverbank nearby was oddly deserted.

“How strange. With an incident like this, the rescue team should have been here by now. Where are all the people?”

A sense of foreboding crept over Remar as he unconsciously fiddled with the grip of his weapon. Meanwhile, other senators whispered in low voices.

“Are we still… in the western area?”

“Who knows? Perhaps close to Circliff.”

“Dammit, the pilot should know. Hey, pilot! You’ve been flying for a while, you must know where we are, right?”

The pilot, wiping the blood from his forehead, cautiously opened his mouth in response to the senator’s blunt question.

“Yes, Senator. That is…”

In an instant, the pilot exploded.

The crash site was engulfed in a thick plume of smoke.

Screaming attendants were torn apart one by one, and those aides attempting to flee were cut in half amidst the smoke.

As the stunned senators scrambled to find their weapons, the revving engine sounds surrounded them.

Armed vehicles emerged.

“Those damn bastards! How dare they—”

Remar’s angry shout was abruptly halted.

A hail of machinegun bullets hit him squarely in the chest, causing his body to stagger and explode.

“Kah!”

Staggering from the impact of the armor-piercing explosion, Remar lost consciousness from the follow-up electric shock bolt that struck him down.

“You… who are you?!”

The senior senator managed to croak out, facing the armed faction surrounding him.

“We?”

A former special forces member, now part of a clandestine terrorist organization, sneered in intrigue.

“Just terrorists who despise the federal and clan pigs. Kids, make sure to help the old folks understand!”

“Understood!”

“Urrg! Aahh!”

In an instant, the senators were mercilessly beaten and dragged into containment cuffs.

As they were shamefully loaded into the trunk, on another side, the members of the anti-establishment terrorist faction were prying open the aircraft’s cargo hold.

Boxes containing relics were swiftly transferred to the vehicles.

“We have five minutes until the army and Restraid arrive! Hurry! Is the explosive installation complete?”

“Done!”

“Alright! A sick Skullcat sends a message to the doghouse—bones secured! Bones secured!”

The disguised terrorists hurriedly gathered everything as they sped away from the scene.

Before long, a massive fire erupted from the airplane.

“Alright, that’s a clean finish. Looks like our air force friends did their job right this time. As scheduled, we’ll enter Circliff and take care of the remaining tasks at the internal space base!”

Cars raced into Circliff swiftly and stealthily as directed by the commander.

Everything seemed to be perfectly wrapped up.

Until a man, lying near the burning aircraft, lifted his head.

“…this is watcher Delta-7. Emergency situation! Code Red, Level 2 alert!… cough! VIP abduction and Alpha-grade relic theft confirmed. Hostile forces presumed to be local anti-establishment organizations. Immediate response requested!”

Ironically, his heinous injuries ended up saving him. The enemies mistook him for a corpse.

Bathed in blood, he struggled to muster his last ounce of strength.

-Code Red? Please explain!

“Repeating the situation. Confirmation of multiple Alpha-grade dangerous relic thefts… Immediate pursuit and recovery operations requested!”

The surveillance agent of the Foundation urged in bloody desperation as he summoned the emergency device.

“…Request immediate deployment of the Intellectual Property Containment Enforcement Division!”

With his last words, the final mission came to an end.

**

I left Enrique’s home alongside her.

A strange discomfort nested in one corner of my mind.

What was up with those parents?

“My mom and dad have actually been a bit wary of me. Did you see that paper cup earlier?”

Enrique spoke in a hushed voice.

“Ah.”

It clicked in my mind. All the cups and objects that Enrique had touched were all disposable.

Was it because of radiation?

Suddenly, I understood why Enrique’s parents displayed such attitudes.

Almost as if they were treating me like something unclean.

“So I didn’t expect much anyway. But still…”

Enrique’s expression darkened. I could guess what the omitted words might be.

Perhaps, being parents, they had hoped for something different, something warmer to say.

“If this keeps up, it’s no different from being an orphan…”

“Ugh! Even with parents around…!”

“That’s just sad!”

It was a bitter reality.

Some lose their parents early and never receive love, while others, even with their parents, hardly experience it differently.

“So, was there anything suspicious?”

I asked the monkey staring at its smartphone in the backseat cage.

Had it lost itself to dopamine addiction already, only fixated on the phone?

I pressed hard a few times through the network until a belated answer returned.

“Nothing, boss! The rats said nothing in particular was odd, and Almond and Walnut had taken a spin and reported nothing suspicious either.”

I see. So Enrique’s parents were just unclear individuals.

They might have just called us without thinking much at all.

But Cocoa added an unexpected remark.

“Oh, Raspberry said that while checking the room, there was a very faint familiar scent.”

“What kind of smell?”

As a series of chirps echoed through the network, a reply came.

“Boss! Boss! That’s right—it’s the smell I noticed when I picked up the syringe! A sharp, alcoholic scent!”

Another rat retorted.

“Wrong! Raspberry’s an idiot! It’s all in your head!”

“I’m not an idiot! I’m a genius rodent, just like you said, boss!”

If it’s about the syringe incident, that would be when the Patent Execution Squad revealed themselves, I thought.

Upon arrival at the scheduled location, Kalia was already waiting for us.

I inquired to change the subject.

“How did it go?”

With a sigh, Kalia replied.

“Don’t even ask. At first, I thought that guy got caught by a loan shark. But guess what? He’s working as a dealer in a gambling house. He begged me to keep it a secret from his wife. He says he’s just lucky with cards and wants to bury his bones there. So I went ahead and contacted his wife right then and there. That guy’s probably getting divorced.”

It seemed like she had fallen into a ridiculous situation after all.

While Kalia grumbled about being embroiled in an absurd tale, she suddenly paused when she saw Enrique.

“Let’s hurry. You guys… by the way, did everything go well?”

Enrique replied expressionlessly.

“Just, you know…”

Kalia didn’t inquire further and hopped onto her bike.

As we sped down the road, strangely, the number of vehicles began to dwindle.

‘What’s going on? Am I hallucinating or something?’

“Hey, wasn’t there a lot of traffic here when we came by?”

An eerie dissonance began to prick at my senses through the network.

Just as I tilted my head in confusion, a massive object suddenly appeared to block our path.

“What the—?”

A gigantic steel door stood before us.

As I scanned the surroundings, I realized that our vehicle was surrounded by suddenly appeared cargo trucks.

“Uh? What the—?”

The steel door swung open. An oddly shimmering space beckoned.

It was already too late to stop. The truck behind us mercilessly pushed our vehicle inside.

“Ugh-yaah!”

“Aahhh!”

4552 and Enrique were swallowed into the steel door.

**

Kalia witnessed an unbelievable sight unfold before her eyes.

The sudden appearance of a colossal door devoured her friends’ car and the line of trucks in an instant.

Wide-eyed in disbelief, she pondered, ‘What should I do?’

With the trucks vanished, the strange dissonance that had encircled her also dissipated.

In the empty road, cars began to appear that had previously been invisible.

‘What on earth is this? I’m not intoxicated… am I hallucinating? Or is it magic?’

Hesitation was but a moment. The road-dwelling door, which had appeared out of nowhere, slowly began to fade, closing off.

Kalia stomped down on her bike’s accelerator, racing at full speed.

-Kawoom!

Just before the door slammed shut, the bike barely made it inside.

The bike collided with the steep ledge, skidding across the floor.

Kalia, who was spinning in mid-air, bounced off a nearby wall multiple times before landing flawlessly.

A bizarre landscape enveloped her.

“Where… am I…?”

An irregularly high ceiling, endless stretches of steel pipes and concrete walls sprawled out in chaotic fashion.

It was like a boundary between reality and unreality, a peculiar place hidden away in the world’s shadows.

An indescribable sense of unease seeped into the atmosphere.

This wasn’t a dungeon or an Erosion Zone.

But it didn’t matter to Kalia.

‘Violet’s over there.’

She drew her lever-action rifle from her back and forcefully pulled the lever.

With a clear sound, one bullet was loaded into the chamber.

In truth, there was no need for concern. Her friend was invincible.

Yet, she was driven to act even more aggressively.

She couldn’t be left behind her friend.

“Violet, I’m coming!”

Without hesitation, Kalia stepped into the boundless twisted inner space.

**

Enrique blinked her orange eyes rapidly.

A strange space, along with unfamiliar faces.

Surrounded by people in protective gear typically seen at fire scenes or when handling hazardous materials.

They wore mechanical masks that seemed to express not a single emotion.

As Enrique attempted to rise, she belatedly realized she was bound to a chair.

One of the men in a suit approached her.

“Enrique Meitner? Often known by the alias Trinity. You might find this one more familiar.”

“That’s right, I’m Enrique. Call me that. Who are you guys?”

Enrique inquired.

The suited agent pulled a chair closer and sat down.

-Clank!

The restraints were released. Facing a bewildered Enrique, the agent removed his mask.

A calm expression appeared on his bare face.

“I apologize for restraining you. I wanted to resolve this through conversation if possible.”

“Who are you?” Enrique repeated her question.

“We are from the Rumyx Foundation. Surely you know what the Rumyx Foundation does?”

Enrique nodded.

“I’d like to propose something to you starting now. Would that be alright?”

A paper cup filled with hot chocolate was placed in Enrique’s hands, steam rising gently.

“What about my friend? The girl who was supposed to be in the car!”

Enrique asked worriedly.

“Oh, that friend. We intend to erase her memory after investigating your relationship and how much you know about her. We have no intention of causing harm.”

The agent added inwardly.

It was true that we wouldn’t cause any harm.

An agent equipped with a suitable Unique Ability would erase her memories post-investigation.

“You’re going to erase my memory…? What’s that…?”

“Silence.”

A blue light flickered before her eyes. For some reason, Enrique found herself unable to speak.

The agent continued patiently.

A serious and somber story laden with a cause.

Reflections on life, along with a proposal directed towards hers.

“…Will you accept?”

It was a long tale.

Enrique contemplated deeply.

Just based on her experiences at the institute, it was a complicated and intricate matter to counter.

It didn’t seem entirely incorrect.

However, with a small and modest will, Enrique responded.

“No, I want to be free.”

The agent sighed and stood up.

“If you refuse, we’ll have to proceed with containment and management procedures forcibly…”

His words faltered there.

A shrill scream echoed throughout.

“Graaaaah!”

-Emergency! Emergency! Code Black! Code Black! Omega Protocol!

With the chant, two gunshots resonated.

As confusion swelled among the agents, the suited agent urgently shouted.

“What’s happening?!”

A breathless voice came through the radio.

“The interrogator…! While reading the companion’s memory… it just!”

Everyone froze.

The agent, listening to the transmission in silence, lost his restraint, glaring aggressively at Enrique.

“…Your friend. What kind of monster is she?”