NOVEL NEXT Chapter 338
Two crows cautiously circled the battlefield above. Below was far too chaotic, and descending felt perilous.
Thick smoke billowed, and a terrifying noise echoed relentlessly. Yet, there was a task to be done. It was a mission specifically entrusted by the boss.
“Deploy them to the rear!”
The crows landed carefully, though puzzled. As the mice hanging from their backs settled down, the crows took to the sky once more.
“Squawk! We’re here to help the boss!”
“But what can we even do?”
“I have no idea!”
The sewer rats were bewildered. They weren’t as clever as cocoa, nor could they fly like the crows or have sharp eyesight.
They knew all too well they were just ordinary mice.
Until now, their job had just been to sniff out odors and listen for sounds.
Just a moment ago, that had been the case.
But then the boss had suddenly issued a serious mandate: “You all have an important task to fulfill.”
Soon, the boss’s orders came in.
“Be cautious! Don’t get hurt! Guide the other mice to your location!”
Tilting their heads in confusion, the mice scampered off in the indicated direction.
—
The Violets, while slicing through the agents they encountered, constantly processed information.
“Focus! Immerse!”
As the concentration of seven thousand two hundred continued, she found the world clearer than before.
According to the Foundation agents, the Nemosys Protocol greedily absorbed external ‘information’ and provided feedback to each individual.
This was a combination of the multi-spectral observation systems affixed to each armed agent and the platform’s own systems.
Within that, each armed agent moved as if they possessed precognition.
-Bang! Rat-a-tat!
One Violet pulled the trigger against an enemy that crawled up to the window.
The movements of the enemy were read through the precise operations managed by hundreds of Violets and the process of breaking down and analyzing information.
It could be felt. They reacted instantly to every minute detail: finger movements, muscle shifts, and breaths.
-Swish!
The result was a bullet dodge. As an agent charged from the wall, when they unfurled their left hand, a chilling arc struck the shield.
A Violet rolled away.
“Thanks, that was helpful!”
Then they would also engage in information warfare.
If the enemy was greedily collecting external information, then they would dismantle the given information piece by piece.
With every single movement, carrying both my will and that of hundreds.
Concentrate magical power to the limit. Bloodshot eyes tearfully delivered information.
Ears and nose, the tactile sensations of the whole body greedily interpreted vibrations from the ground and air.
The gathered information was then dismantled again to reach conclusions. Focus strength on the feet and legs, infuse elasticity into the waist and arms for precise maneuvers.
-Whoosh!
She rapidly rolled to evade the descending sword. Quickly springing up, she blocked a horizontal strike.
Amid the torrent of strikes, a Violet sensed something unusual in the approach of an agent pushing her to one side.
Hundreds of intelligences focused like the light of a concave mirror, cutting through the darkness of the battlefield.
Converging limited senses and observations from other Violets.
A strange scent of electronic devices transmitted by the mouse’s keen sense of smell.
Considering memories from the Tactical Handbook of the Enforcement Division and the properties of their weapons…
The agent took a step back. Without hesitation, the Violet jumped sideways.
“Dodge!”
-Crack!
Moments later, a white line shot up from the ground. The agent on the second floor, preparing to snipe through the haze, missed and clicked their tongue.
Shocked by the enemy’s tactical prowess in close-quarters combat, the Violets prepared to counterattack.
Once again, they engaged in close-quarters. Striking with Polaris-style attack, defending with Aegis-style moves before pushing onward.
Even so, the enemy quickly caught up and mimicked, making their skills ineffective.
“Hey! That’s patent infringement!”
Battles conducted with information were akin to a short sprint, competing to see who could predict further into the future.
A battle of who could dash to the target first while fuelled by information. Overall, the Enforcement Division agents had the upper hand, capable of amassing vast data through sensors and protocols.
The Violets themselves keenly understood this point. The technology of the four major clans was truly remarkable.
However, something was unexpected for the enemies.
“Die!”
All the Violets simultaneously threw down their swords.
The combatant in the midst of the fight, though feeling confusion, parried the incoming weapons. Throwing away their weapon like that?
In the next moment, the enemy picked a weapon from the air.
[Warning! Black-1 has weapon generation capability. Caution—]
Accelerate, accelerate. The network surged forward. Collective intelligence evolved.
If the opponent adapts to the changed pattern, then simply change patterns. And the Violets had seven thousand different ways prepared.
“Mace 3! Next is the axe! Swing twice then advance three steps!”
A Violet, having thrown an axe, retrieved three weapons from the air and planted them into the ground.
With each weapon planted, they swung wildly. The styles of attack were numerous and versatile.
Let’s use every means we remember. Irene’s spear techniques, Adela’s rapier duel style.
Next is the shield, and then—
“Graah!”
An agent, unable to adapt to the patterns, had their heart pierced by a spear.
Immediately, multiple agents fell one after another. A sharp increase in [signal disruption] notifications.
Operation Officer L3-OPS-3 urgently issued commands.
[Close combat is prohibited! Engage in long-range combat to kill. Deploy Proxy and Mecha Hounds to contain actions—]
Flailing mannequins dashed through walls and floors.
The ultrasonic cutter attached to its arm screamed, slicing through the air.
“What’s that!”
The tactical immersion state provided the Violets with instantaneous information on the new arrivals.
Proxy, the Foundation’s half-mechanized biological bullet sponges. Clumsy but ferocious.
On the other side, a pack of Mecha Hounds charged, barking wildly.
The leading mechanical dog bore a tool she knew too well.
“Not here! This is a civilian residential area!”
As the robotic dog barreled forward, 3211 quickly seized its front legs. After a half-turn, letting go sent the flying robot exploding outside the window.
“You war criminal!—”
Startled for only a moment, 3211 raised the sword and barely parried the incoming ultrasonic cutter.
Proxy surged forward. The Violets cut down the rampaging cyborg monstrosities.
The next moment, 3211 looked up to face the agents aiming their weapons.
The last thing seen was a blinding flame.
“Die! You monstrosity!”
“Graah!”
-Ka-boom!
Plasma fire scorched 3211.
As the agents quickly shifted their patterns, they blasted their firearms frantically forward.
Walls and columns shattered beyond recognition amidst the rubble, smoke billowing everywhere.
Amidst that, three Violets rushed in at an angle.
The enemies aimed their guns forward. Quite a lot of them.
“This place is crawling with enemies, right? Get ready!”
“Got it!”
All-terrain smoke grenades seamlessly filled the space around them.
The Enforcement Division sneered while initiating a multi-spectral analysis.
Pathetic. The Foundation’s observational equipment could penetrate smoke barriers, yet here they were hiding behind a comrade’s body.
In the vivid scenes captured by sensors, the barrel aimed straight ahead.
“Concentrate magical power!”
There was only one opportunity; the girls kicked off the ground with a force that shook the earth.
The three girls surged forward like bullets toward the formation.
“Violet Stream Attack!”
With a cry that resonated throughout the network, magical power surged over the shields at the front.
From the front, beneath, and back, they had to withstand the downpour of concentrated fire.
“Remember us!”
The leading Violet was caught in gunfire, sacrificing herself. She shoved aside the ruined body of the first line.
Before her lay a swarm of Proxy rushing toward her. Behind followed a flash.
“This is from the tactical manual! Throw a decoy and use plasma fire!”
It was conventional. Statistically, the chance of blocking it was slim.
Their scientific prowess and organizational skills overwhelmed the Violet’s magic and training. The numbers and power stacking in her mind were overwhelming.
Plasma guns, weapons that accelerate superheated plasma projectiles wrapped in electromagnetic fields.
But the Violets held firm.
“Our will is stronger than mere statistics.”
“The command center sends word! Permission granted to use relic weapons!”
The second Violet drew a rapier, striking with a scarlet blade.
As muscles in her hands and arms moved, magic surged forth, making a furious run.
“Flame Blade! Charge!”
“Adjust magical output! 50%! 70%! 90%!”
A blade, sharpened into a sword, could cut through magic.
Then, could she cut through that energy mass born of science?
From the memory of a former agent, interception was deemed impossible.
Yet, it could be blocked.
“I’ll make it possible! Output 100%!”
Tendons, joints, muscles, and nerves merged with her will.
Sword energy entwined with flames, magical fire surged, unfurling like a crescent in front of her.
The semi-circular flames shot forward, colliding with the spherical mass and exploding.
As the Proxy pack was dismantled and gunfire was countered, the agents flinched.
Even covered in soot, the second-line Violet wore a smile.
And then, with all her might, she tossed the Violet behind her.
“I blocked it!”
Satisfaction turned to horror for the Violet, as a bolt pierced her head.
The agents searching for the last Violet looked up in late realization.
[Warning, warning—]
Perhaps due to sensor interference from the explosion, it was too late.
The enemy blasted through the ceiling, performing an aerial spin. A massive broadsword emerged from the air. The lament of despair.
-Swish!
With one swift slice, the agent’s waist snapped, and they fell.
“Ahhh!”
The witch’s nightmare had returned. The dusky blade mercilessly drank blood from the dying.
The surviving agent pulled their gun. Yet laughter emanated from within the enemy’s mask. Why?
The barrel was aimed at a line of allies.
So close, and while hesitating, it was already too late.
-Swish!
“Ahh, no!”
Unit 444 tightened her grip on the blade and clung close.
Every breath unleashed the half-swording techniques. Stab, slash upside down, and smash with weighted blows.
Hands and feet plummeted to the ground, heads rolling. Amidst the wails, a mask shattered.
Savoring the discovery of an unexpected weakness, the Violet continued her butchery.
“Cocoa! Tell Kalia as well!”
After throwing a word at the monkey, the Violet focused on the bloodshed.
How sharp this was! Almost cutting her hand.
The Violet lost her sword in the resistance of the enemy.
Doesn’t matter; there were plenty of weapons!
Grabbing a mace, she swung, smashing through the ceiling while more Violets joined in to tear apart the agents.
-Crunch!
“Retreat! Retreat—”
“Democracy will never back down!”
Flame Blade savagely pierced the neck of an enemy reaching out.
Just as the brief euphoric victory began to dissipate, new enemies surged forward from the smoke.
-Rat-a-tat!
“Senator! Where are you!”
“Those bastards!”
Pathetic terrorists, indeed. While it was nice to prevent some of the Luminecsa from being taken hostage, they were undoubtedly lunatics.
Violet decided to employ Luminecsa’s tactics. Normally, she would block or deflect with a shield, but what if she took damage?
“Trace! Calculate!”
Success. The Federal Special Forces screamed as marauding creatures soared through the heavy metal bullet storm.
“They’re coming! They’re coming! Fall back! Uargh!”
Filled with joy, the Violet gleefully dismembered the enemies.
The stench of blood amplified through the thousands of immersions and split apart anew.
How mesmerizing! For some reason, her heart raced wildly.
“Haha! Die! You vermin!”
“Great, now let’s hurry out of here!”
The laughing Violets became aware of the crows’ desperate cries outside.
“Boss! Run!”
As thoughts returned, a wave of hot air surged up.
Five Violets instantly evaporated. Some of the Violets, seizing the moment when the enemies were distracted, bolted for the exit.
Unit 444 peered outside through the missing walls. Below, Stregonics aimed at the building.
“First, regroup our forces! Regroup! Regroup!”
L3-OPS-3’s operations officer issued orders coldly. The urgency was palpable within the transmitted commands.
[Code Black situation unresolved. Recognizing severity, commencing incineration of objectives. Requesting temporary retreat and regroup.]
As the agents retreated with short jumps, iron giants began to rise.
Awakened Cyborgs, configured for long-range, prepared their guns.
Drones aggressively encircled the building like furious wasps.
This way was unsustainable. Burn them with firepower, annihilate the data units. That was the operation officer’s deduction.
-Rat-a-tat!
With a sharp volley, the drones plummeted to the ground. The Foundation agents quickly turned toward the unexpected sniping.
A girl with bright rose-colored hair dashed across the rooftop, firing down upon them.
The agents swiftly deflected incoming bullets, but the flames licking the blades continued to burn fiercely.
“What is that…?”
The Violet, with the crows’ intelligence, gaped at the sight.
“You did well!”
A slightly scorched Kalia rushed over while being pursued by the remnants of her foes.
—
Just after leaving the Violets, Kalia sprinted at high speed toward the window. But before long, she faced armed enemies.
“Hey, guys? I’m just passing through—”
“Fire!”
-Rat-a-tat!
The men approaching with body-bunkers replied mercilessly. Resigned to the violent tone of adult discussions, Kalia decided to respond in kind.
Drawing out a 2-gauge automatic shotgun from her thigh.
As the arm brace attached to her left wrist locked in place, she pulled the trigger.
-Kraang!
The soldiers, who had scoffed at the notion of a mere riot control shotgun, forever lost their chance to laugh.
A rich shower of flame-bullets mixed with her unique ability pierced through armor, mercilessly tearing through her targets.
A sharp kick landed on the midsection of a soldier who barely avoided the blast from her shotgun.
“Ugh!”
The stock of her blazing right hand’s pistol struck the temple of a collapsing enemy.
Leaving the crushed enemy behind, Kalia raced through the convoluted interior of the building.
Enemies everywhere. All surrounding them.
-Rat-a-tat!
Just around the corner, an enemy soldier appeared right in front of her. A gangster, perhaps; the men pulled their triggers toward her face.
Reacting instinctively, the gunfire flew toward her.
She lacked the collective intelligence of the Violets or the information processing capabilities of Luminecsa.
“What do I do? I guess I just have to dodge!”
Her green eyes instinctively read the trajectory and direction of the projectiles.
Her agility reaching the realm of talent guided her intuitively to the optimal path. Kalia shoved the monkey aside and leaned back swiftly.
Three shots narrowly whistled past her face.
By the time the startled foes grasped their situation, she was already sliding on the ground, slipping through the gap between the two.
What she faced from below was a dark barrel.
“Graah!”
“Ugh!”
The Magnum bullet and the shotgun blasts ripped them apart.
Having risen from her slide, she gestured to the monkey before she dashed away again.
It was a building she had never seen before, but she thought she could manage somehow.
The moment she caught sight of the window, an enemy popped up once more.
This time, it was clearly marked with the Luminecsa logo.
“Patent Infringement Team!”
The revolver fired. One, two, three. Flamed bullets burst forth without hesitation.
The agent swiftly deflected the bullets with his sword, as the flames on the blade fizzled sharply.
Kalia was startled. The projectile’s explosive edge collided fiercely against her barrel.
Suddenly, in a close-range shot, the stock of the shotgun slammed down.
Had they been applying reverse physics to the gun’s recoil? The guns and swords collided in rapid succession.
As she retreated, Kalia rushed to jam a round into her shotgun’s chamber. She aimed once more, but…
The barrel skidded downward, awkwardly twisting as it collided with the sword.
Behind the mask, the agent smiled with a semblance of victory as he attempted to stab her.
In an instant, Nemosys warned her of danger.
-Bang!
The bent barrel fired. The agent’s calculations were no match for her speed.
The flames of the shotgun blasted one of the agent’s feet away, sending him stumbling backward, while the magnum annihilated his head.
Just as the brief victory euphoria faded, clanging metal echoed behind her.
“Hey! Monkey! Hurry up!”
“Uuugh!”
-Whoosh!
She waved her hand hastily, leaping outside. The cacophony of blasts and flying debris.
The moment she jumped, Kalia belatedly realized which floor she was falling from.
Cocoa screamed.
“10th floor? Ah! This is crazy!”
“Uuugh! Uuugh!”
Muttering under her breath, she stretched her left arm out and waved it around wildly in the air.
The chains that had been wrapped around her, engulfed in flame, swung down and extended, a hook flying towards the building across.
Feeling the heavy pressure, she fiercely snapped her arm and waist, propelling herself into the air.
The moment the flow of magic ebbed, the dangling chain snapped tight, bringing the structure closer.
-Thunk!
Relying on the chain lodged in the wall, Kalia raced up the vertical plane. After unhooking the chain, she landed on the balcony.
She bounded down the edges, bouncing as nimbly as a cat, precariously moving over walls and railings, reaching the ground.
“This is seriously insane…”
“Uuugh…”
Catching her breath, she spotted an approaching crowd of enemies. Those were the terrorists who had kidnapped the federal representatives.
She needed to take a few more down.
As she opened the revolver’s cylinder, the cold shell casings fell away. Just as she was about to reload, the monkey reached out his hand.
“Uuugh?”
“What? You want to reload for me? Can you handle it?”
The monkey nodded. Grabbing the weapons it was well strapped to, it quickly loaded the bullets and handed them back.
Kalia, still unsure, passed the gun over, gripping the rifle on her shoulder, pulling the lever.
-Bang!
Each cheerful shot took down an enemy’s head.
She moved nimbly, unleashing a barrage of bullets with each shot. One bullet after another, magic-laden rounds defied armor and incinerated her enemies’ magical defenses.
“Enemy sighted! Enemy sighted! Attack!”
In the blink of an eye, the veteran special operations team exploded.
Taking cover between obstacles and using the chain as needed, Kalia sped through the city jungle, following the flowing mass of metal.
Waves of chains brought her soaring into the air once more.
As the chain slid down the wall, she skillfully hopped from railing to utility pole, darting between traffic lights.
As gunfire darted overhead, the special operation team’s gaze locked onto her.
“Enemy spotted! Luminecsa mark!”
“A mercenary! A local resolver! Get her!”
The chain struck again, embedding into the building’s wall as the enemies approached. Kalia raced through the urban jungle, skimming above the ground on the chains.
Flying through the enemy ranks, she drew a new weapon.
Two high-caliber pistols.
-Rat-a-tat! Bang!
A storm of vivid rose-colored blasts surged through the enemies. The cannon fodder met their downfall in an instant.
Instinctively, she fired at optimal angles. Magic-infused bullets found their mark precisely at the weaknesses.
The only gaps would be as bullets ceased to fly.
“Reload!”
Kalia passed the revolver back. Cocoa took it, swiftly fetching a fresh magazine from the sling bag and reloading before handing it back.
Magnums and shotguns danced a deadly choreography. Reload, swap. Reload.
-Rat-a-tat! Bang!
Gunfire resumed. The monkey cackled as it lunged forward, jumping through the chaos.
Reloaded once more.
As the crossbow bolt sailed through the air, Kalia aimed her barrel.
Bang! The bolt collided with the bullets and ricocheted away. If it was a sluggish projectile, she was confident she could respond in time.
“Fire! Fire!”
-Rat-a-tat!
As the incensed special operations members formed ranks, she had already swung on a chain, escaping to the rooftop above.
Once more, the lever-action rifle cracked into action.
“Damn it! Mortar! Mortar!”
Furious operators operated their devices.
Unmanned vehicles moved, pivoting their barrels. Whumping noises, a whistling sound announced incoming mortar shells.
“What is this? Why?!”
-KABOOM!
She raised her barrel up toward the sky. With each trigger pull, incoming shells precisely detonated mid-air.
In the instant she pulled back, Cocoa tossed a round object over her shoulder.
“Is it time to get out? What is this, a smoke grenade? Clever, aren’t you!”
“Uuugh!”
As the enemies vanished behind the smoke, the startled special ops sought revenge with another barrage.
The drones now prepared anti-tank missiles and automatic cannons.
“Get her!”
But it didn’t activate.
“What…?”
The stunned agent turned around. The next moment, his face contorted with rage. The connections for his weapons had been severed.
Who had cut them? The innocent-looking little creatures.
“Squeak!”
“These… These damn mice!”
Revenge bullets rained down, but the mice vanished into the debris like they were mocking the bullets. The enraged officer bellowed.
“Chase them! River 1! River 2! Capture her!”
A small pursuit force was organized to chase her in anger.
Mission or not, they would be exterminated.
The airborne mech, roaring with jet engines, soared up into the sky.
“Uuugh!”
The fear had disappeared, replaced with Cocoa’s cheers. Kalia swung on the chain, oscillating like a pendulum and leaping onto the building’s railing.
Woosh, the sound of air whooshing past her ear.
As she ran across the rooftop, the pursuing mechs left behind white smoke trails.
Kalia had a hunch.
“Isn’t that something Violet would enjoy?”
“Uuugh!”
“Got it!”
The incoming shotguns erupted into a blaze. Her only error was merely underestimating the force of the warheads.
“Run!”
Just before the explosion engulfed her, she threw Cocoa away.
-KABOOM!
Cocoa landed just in time, turning her head. The sound of crunching gravel accompanied Kalia’s tumultuous fall.
Stumbling to her feet, she clicked her tongue at her aching body and stood up straight.
“…What do I do? Did I bring something way too strong?”
Mechs charged toward her from atop the roof. Cocoa shook her head. It meant things had gone according to Violet’s plans.
Meanwhile, brilliant beams of light erupted below. She realized she had returned to the focal point.
What stood beneath were enemy soldiers, luminescent with the markings of Luminecsa.
The source of the brilliance was Stregonics. Those hideous Awakened Cyborgs melted the building’s exterior with laser fire.
Beyond that, she saw the Violet who had retreated earlier be incinerated by another barrage of lasers. Without hesitation, Kalia opened fire.
“You bastards! Look over here!”
As the Stregonics turned their bodies, she felt a flicker of regret.
“How do I dodge lasers?”
Her dilemma was short-lived.
Just as she aimed to charge forward.
-Whoosh!
The armored figure landed directly in front of the Enforcement Division forces.
—
The sudden presence of enemies. Perhaps it was instinct, emotions suppressing rationality.
Before calculations could be made, a decision was forced. The operations officer quickly relayed commands.
[Emergency, concentrate fire.]
Electromagnetic bolt fire poured down. Plasma projectiles streaked toward her.
A relentless barrage—treating the world like a flimsy house of cards—was halted. The thick armor and its magical shield effortless deflected the attacks.
The closest Stregonics leaped forward instinctively.
That should not have happened.
The Armored Knight unsheathed a heavy spear without hesitation.
-BAM!
With a thunderclap, smoke billowed, and the cyborg staggered. The brain spear combined with powerful force and amplified magic pierced through the armor.
The knight, drawing his sword from his side, swiftly plunged the blade deep into the vital spot of the Stregonics.
Recognizing the identity had happened in an instant.
“…It’s an Armored Knight.”
[Search completed, Restraid’s Armored Suit, 2nd generation.]
Outdated, an old armored suit.
Compared to the modern third generation of armored suits deployed by Restraid, it was slow and cumbersome.
However, why did it feel unusual? The agents from the Enforcement Division, previously disconnected from the battle, this day felt for the first and last time what ‘destiny’ truly meant with their whole bodies.
Hands starting to tremble.
Behind the knight, the agents fiercely clashed with those in black combat uniforms, revealing themselves one by one.
“Alright, all units prepare to charge!”
The Violet recited with a voice mixed with tension and excitement.
“We’ve come to end this fight!”
The Armored Knight of democracy raised his shield high and charged forward.