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In the outskirts of Stygian Lane, under the dim light of the streetlamps, various beasts with their own stories gathered.

As the vehicle stopped in front of the shopping building, Bronson, sitting in the back seat, gave orders to his subordinates through his earphones. The members of the Calamity gang rushed out and surrounded the building.

“Move fast! We can’t let a single rat escape. Send a few to the back of the building!”

“Those guys walking from the left? What do you mean shoot? The ones with the blue armbands are from the Aramis crew. Explain the situation and get their cooperation!”

Watching his subordinates draw rifles to aim at the building, the boss of Calamity grumbled.

“How did it come to this?”

The brokers who had intended to leave, saying the contract was too much, were planning to steal a few things. But several unidentified Awakened attacked his subordinates. Given their silence, it seemed they were all dead.

Of course, it was fine to recruit more subordinates. However, having such an incident occur before negotiating with another gang had tarnished Calamity’s reputation. In this harsh world, reputation was life.

“Leslie, you set me up, didn’t you? I’ll throw you to the monsters!”

Bronson pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Just before he lit it, the person next to him cleared their throat.

“I understand your preference, but I don’t like the smell of smoke.”

“…My bad.”

Ricky crossed his arms and nodded his head slightly, causing Bronson to awkwardly put the cigarette back. The gang boss felt he was like a leopard next to the head of this detective agency—there was a huge gap.

“So, are you saying you want an additional contract? The last guy you knocked down wasn’t enough?”

“Yes! Exactly. I’m not sure of the exact number, but it seems there are nearly ten Awakened in that building who look like Resolvers. I’ll give you additional pay on top of the previous case. Was it 50% extra?”

“It’s three times the amount, client.”

“Pardon?”

“You said there are ten enemies, right? The danger pay is separate. It’s three times the amount. Well, if that doesn’t work, I’ll just clock out today—”

This was exorbitant profiteering not mentioned in the contract. However, upon seeing Ricky pretend to get out of the car, a flustered Bronson had no choice but to ridiculously smile and concede to the demands.

“A washed-up loser kicked out from a clan, and yet demanding so much.”

“Whoa! What are you saying? I’ll transfer it right away!”

As he picked up the phone, a message immediately arrived, indicating the money had been transferred to the account. Cautiously, Bronson opened his mouth while keeping an eye on the Resolver.

“Uh, by the way, would it be okay if it’s just one person…”

“One person? What are you talking about, client? I brought in more employees just in case.”

Outside the car, two young men and women dismounted from motorcycles.

“And remember, the pay is individually calculated and paid per person! Don’t forget, client.”

“Of course! I’ll count on you to handle this well.”

Bronson had to laugh it off without a single protest, simply glancing around nervously.

“Damn Resolvers…”

As two people stepped out of the car, the gang members stood guard with automatic rifles behind the vehicles, illuminated by the dazzling headlights.

Most of the members were armed with outdated automatic rifles, but there were also large caliber shotguns used for monster hunting, as well as several sleek firearms mixed in.

“This is the standard Federal Army combat rifle! We had a hard time getting the latest model. We even brought armor-piercing and anti-monster ammunition. You guys just need to clean up afterward. Ha ha!”

“Ah, I see.”

Bronson, wanting to salvage his crushed pride, boasted a little. He held a large hunting rifle in his hands. Ricky nodded and looked back at his team several times as they whispered to each other.

“Could this gang bring high-power weapons?”

“I’ve seen something like it before. Just frivolous attachments stuck to their rifles. But since they’re properly loaded with ammunition, they seem to have some brains.”

Ricky elevated the ranking of this gang in his mind. Since they were taking care to plan against Ether Protection, it was evident they weren’t thoughtless. It was a shame they hadn’t considered high-speed motion barriers or combustion interference barriers, but they had prepared reasonably well.

A group of young gang members adorned with blue armbands bumped into the Calamity gang and quickly made their way into the building. Their identity was the self-proclaimed Resolver group made up of expelled young Awakened from the academy, the Aramis crew.

“Hey! Where are you guys going? We said to go in slowly earlier!”

When the Calamity members tried to stop them, the boys raised their hands.

“Shut it! We’ll walk our own path! Let’s go, kids! We’ll grab the money first!”

“Yeah! Let’s go in!”

A flamboyantly dressed boy with pink hair drew his sword and charged towards the building entrance, followed by his younger subordinates.

Bronson chuckled in disbelief, while Ricky shrugged his shoulders.

“Those little punks…”

“Calm yourself. What’s wrong with them offering to scout? Let’s see what kind of fools we’re dealing with.”

The sound of rapid footsteps was heard, followed by a commotion from the third floor. Ricky looked up at the window. In the dark corridor on the third floor, red and white lights of magical power flared as it swung around. Sounds of metal clashing, screams, and small explosions followed in succession.

-DIE!

-Fuck off, you bastard! Aaah!

-Kyaaaaah!

The fierce cries turned into screams in less than 30 seconds. As a result of the fight, the third-floor windows shattered one after another.

-This is nonsense! I’m from Aegis! Aaaaah!

An even louder scream pierced through the window, and something fell from the third floor onto a car hood. The head, marked by striking pink hair, rolled to the ground. As everyone was taken aback, Bronson sardonicly observed.

“Macau, that punk, thought he could show off as a druggie dropout, and now look at him. Tsk tsk.”

The glowing masses of magical power in the dark began to fade, and the screams died down. Everyone was focused on the third floor when a blood-soaked boy stumbled out from the first-floor door.

“I don’t want to anymore! Save me—”

A red beam flew from the third-floor window and blew the boy’s head off.

“Surely, although they are students, seeing them easily overpowering those numbers means they aren’t mere riff-raff. Shall we get started? We’ll flank them. Signal when you want to stop shooting, and we’ll move in then.”

“…Understood. Fire!”

-Crack!

-Tatatatata!

As Ricky gave the orders, Bronson exhaled sharply, instructing his subordinates. The rifles were aimed toward the third floor, and a barrage of shots erupted.

“I saw there were windows on the right-hand and rear sides of the building. Mitchell, Lake, head towards the rear office. I’ll enter through the side stairs.”

“Roger!”

The three Resolves from Tusk Detective Agency used the blinding flashes from the gunfire as cover and went around the building.

***

Meanwhile, in the dark hallway on the third floor, the Violets wriggled on the floor to avoid the gunfire. They shot one fleeing person with a crossbow, sending him to heaven, only to be met with a fierce hail of bullets from outside.

-Tatatatata!

“Get down! The firepower’s different!”

The mood of the girl in Unit 110 dropped as she lay on the blood-soaked floor. Her clothes were drenched with the blood of the gang she just slaughtered and of the students from earlier.

The Violets hurriedly took out riot shields and huddled together to retreat to the opposite room by the window. Perhaps the walls of the building were thinner than expected, or their guns were just too strong. As they desperately ducked down, several bullets pierced through the walls.

“Kyyaah!”

One Violet was struck in the head by a ricocheted bullet and died. The remaining Violets were now down to nineteen.

“Hey, did you hear? That pink-haired punk was talking about how Aegis is something or another.”

“Gasp! Could it be Aegis was also some kind of delinquent academy?”

“It’s probably just bragging!”

Even in the rain of bullets, the Violets casually exchanged jokes. Surely an academy of righteous people like the Scholarship Officer who fought villains wouldn’t accept such unruly kids.

“They’re shooting like crazy! The power is no joke!”

“The crossbow’s too slow to keep up with the fire! We really need guns!”

Amidst the torrential rain of bullets, the Violets, who had been quietly waiting at the alley and the opposite building, urgently reported.

“Stop with the chatter! Attention, we just spotted three Awakened individuals sneaking around after peeling off from the gangsters. Judging by their movements and armament with swords and axes, they’re Awakened.”

“What?!”

All the Violets briefly put their heads together to ponder the intentions of their enemies.

Using the gunfire from the armed non-awakened to block their approach, while deploying Awakened to the rear and sides?

Suddenly, the Violets remembered historical materials they frequently encountered before their reincarnation, or games and novels concerning medieval warfare. It looked different but, undeniably…

“It’s a hammer-and-anvil tactic.”

The Violets objectively assessed their own strength.

No matter the level, if they were people doing rough work in the underworld, one or two Violets could easily be slaughtered. And this office building was too narrow to exploit their numerical superiority. They had to get out of the building.

Unit 1 in the temporary command center at the lodging issued a new set of instructions.

“Office personnel, you still have the submachine guns from earlier, right? The firepower is decent. Take one each. Team on the roof, get out the Molotov cocktails and prepare to wait. Fifteen should be enough? Should we add more?”

“Yeah, I’ll add a few more. Also, I discovered something peculiar among the weapons they’re holding. Want to see?”

A cold, long-barreled rifle wielded by a man with tattoos and a beard was evident in the Violets’ line of sight. Even compared to the cheap-looking rifle held by the gang next to it, it looked expensive and powerful.

“Isn’t that the weapon used by the Federal Army? Some of them are even holding huge shotguns. Let’s target those first! The squad in the alley should wait at the predicted escape route.”

“They’ve moved. Ah, the Awakened seem to be waiting outside now? Looks like they intend to come in.”

Among the Violets, six who had been lying down to avoid bullets cautiously turned back.

“We have no choice. Unit 75, stall until we finish off the gangsters. With our magical power, we can generate more.”

Just then, their opponents ceased firing. The Violets in the alley observed the Awakened making slight movements back as if preparing to leap.

“No time to hesitate!”

“Now is the time! Attack!”

From the rear of Calamity gang, the Violets hiding on the building rooftop suddenly rose, taking out crossbows and aiming at their target, while some held Molotov cocktails. The cocktails had simple mechanisms that ignited upon impact so no fuses were needed.

With the sound of the triggers snapping, the red-lit projectiles flew. The Molotov cocktails silently traced parabolic arcs through the air.

“Guh… Gah!”

“What’s up? Johnny? Are you okay—”

Bang!

With the volley of gunfire, the members armed with combat rifles and shotguns fell, and flames erupted atop the vehicles surrounding the building.

“Ahhh! Hot! It’s hot!”

“Gyaaaaah!”

The gang members caught on fire tumbled to the ground. Some rolled on the floor to extinguish it, but ended up igniting the ground too. The substance in the Molotov was a special incendiary from the workshop. It burned vigorously for several minutes. Bronson was horrified, having managed to avoid the Violets’ targeting by observing from the back.

“Damn it! Fall back! Just fall back! There are others too! Shoot! Just shoot…!”

At that moment, dozens of black figures jumped simultaneously from the roof and the third-floor windows. The slight sound of landing reached their ears. Small-bodied figures surrounded the Calamity gang.

“W-What the…”

One gang member trembled at the sight of the grotesque figures. With dual masks and goggles obscuring their black-clad faces, they looked truly weapon-like. The group of grotesque figures uniformly raised one-handed swords. Red magical power coated the blades. Without a single gap, the figures charged together, leaping over the burning vehicles.

-Tatatata!

No sooner than they jumped over the car, the submachine guns in their left hands spat fire. The gang members burst forth, spewing blood. The sword energies slashed through the enemies like machines in a factory operating in order, cutting them down repeatedly.

“Fall back! Shoot them! Shoot!”

“Boss! There are too many! So many! AAAAAAH!”

The gang withdrew, firing wildly. Shields were called upon, and the Violets charged as if performing a military dance.

The distance between them was so close that they barely managed to shoot a few rounds before having their heads severed. Organized strikes traced red arcs, while remaining members on the roof continuously sniped at those trying to flee.

-Dang!

The head of Unit 54, who mechanically stabbed the heart of a gang member, flew away. Among the chaos, Bronson managed to score some minor accomplishments. Unfortunately for him, those minor successes were due to the choice of the Violets, who had targeted him for capture.

“Roof team, halt! Don’t snipe the one with the hunting rifle! Judging by his attire and the commands he gives, he’s a high-ranking member. Capture him! No matter what!”

“…These goddamn monsters!”

The Violets all turned to look at him simultaneously. Bronson’s heart sank in horror.

Another gunshot rang out, and the large caliber monster hunting rifle belonging to Bronson blew a huge hole in Unit 32’s chest. In a panic, he jerked the loading handle, opening the chamber, and trembling, he fumbled to load another bullet, dropping the rifle instead. A bolt was embedded deep in his arm.

“Gack!”

He began to doubt whether the being he faced was even human. There were no discernible emotions behind the black mask and goggles. It was utterly inhuman.

‘What is this, a murder robot from some movie?!’

He groaned in pain as he fled, only to be caught and thrown to the ground. Looking around, Bronson realized there was no one standing aside from the black monstrosities.

A loud roar echoed. The source of the sound was the third floor. Every remaining window shattered in a cacophony.

“This is Unit 75, six individuals, all deceased, including me! They’re coming down.”

With the warning, three Awakened individuals dashed out from outside. A thud sounded as they landed.

“…Oh my, client! There are not ten, are there? There are more!”

Ricky, picking up his surprise, jested as the Violets turned robotically to him. The uniformity with which they moved made the Resolves step back nervously.

Ricky’s gaze met that of the boss of Calamity, who had been caught by the grotesques while brandishing an axe. Bronson shut his eyes in despair.

“Damn it, it’s all over. That guy will probably escape as well…”

As the Violets approached, readying their weapons, Ricky posed the question.

“Mitchell, what do you think? Should we fall back?”

“No? While their movements were refined and their threats exceptional, they are still manageable.”

“Lake, what’s your take?”

“I don’t know where they’re from, but I can tell they’re worth slicing up!”

Ricky, spinning his glave adorned with shining blades, walked towards the Violets. Bronson weakly murmured.

“Why…? You took so much money from me…”

“Why? Because, client, it’s my principle to fulfill contracts with our clients. If we receive payment, we must deliver!”

“Hey, guys! What was our extra order again?”

In response to Ricky’s words, the two men and women behind him answered promptly.

“Annihilation of the target.”

“And what’s our motto?”

“We uphold our contracts, no matter what!”

Ricky grinned confidently.

“Got it, let’s go!”

In the late-night alley, among the blazing cars, three Resolves surged forward. Fueled by their pride, they charged into the dark quagmire.

***

Although we perished, we successfully managed to hold them for a short time. Currently, Unit 75 and five Violets were returning to the network to diligently explain their weapons, characteristics, and points to note.

“Mitchell! Burrow in!”

“That woman! She’s holding a hammer, right? No, that’s not a hammer; it’s a magic staff. It seems she doesn’t get affected by her own magic with it. Watch your feet!”

A short brown-haired woman swung an unusually long-handled hammer in the air. As we quickly spread out back, a small circular magic circle emerged in the spot where we had just been and released a surge of electricity into the floor.

“Damn! I dodged that, didn’t I?”

The woman dove through the sparking floor.

“If you get hit on the head with that hammer, you’ll feel a shock, so block it with the handle and watch for her kicks!”

After deflecting the attack, Unit 65 hastily ducked down. A gust of wind rustled as the woman’s leg swept above his head. Just then, Unit 65 was cleaved into four pieces and rolled across the ground. It was because of a green-haired man who had flown from above.

“Lake! You’re late!”

“What’s up with being so nitpicky?”

“There’s a dual-wielding guy over there. His raw power is manageable with a shield, but he’s really fast! The crossbow is attached to his right arm.”

The dual-wielding man suddenly extended his right arm. Unit 56 ducked to avoid it. Just in time, the bolt grazed past his right ear. Unit 56 swung his shield to retaliate. The man hopped back.

Immediately, the Violets exchanged their shields and pressured the green-haired man. The swirling sword energies of his dual blades scratched against the shield enveloped in our magical power. At that moment, the leader of the Resolves bent down while wielding a glaive coated in orange sword energy.

“The most crucial thing is that guy with the glave. He’s the leader, and his attack range is no joke! The impact is tremendous. He’s the one who killed me earlier!”

The foe brandished the glaive and charged. Testing his advance, the Violets attempted to halt him.

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

Five Violets were cleaved down with their shields. In terms of perceived speed and impact, it was probably equivalent to 0.5 Irene; although slower than Martina, the range of attack was far greater. Enhanced vision caught the moment the sword energy around the glaive suddenly surged and receded like a spring.

Faced with formidable foes, the Violets engaged in rapid calculations. Exchanges of attacks occurred, and three Violets fell back, lifeless on the cold ground.

“If the woman comes sprinting to unleash lightning, the green guy will hit and run, while the leader tears things apart again.”

“Shall we have the roof team snipe them?”

“No! Not yet. They haven’t picked up on the rooftop team. Ground team! Use the captured submachine guns. Prepare the Molotov cocktails. We used most of the explosives last time, so we have only a small amount left.”

While fiercely engaging with their enemies, the Violets quickly completed their calculations. An order rang out from the temporary command center aiming to represent their collective will.

“…And I’ll authorize the use of Flame Blade.”

As the declaration fell, the Polaris-made one-handed swords in front of the Violets were swapped out for the heated Flame Blade.

In its heated state, it had no significant difference in performance from other 3-star weapons, and they weren’t used frequently as none were accustomed to the rapier. Most importantly, it was 5-star, making it feel all the more precious. But now, it was different. It was time to use it.

The ‘real’ Flame Blade was held by Unit 90 in the back of the formation. It was a hidden trump card concealed among the fakes. They would catch the enemies off guard and deliver a decisive blow with it.

Our corpses vanished with the magical power, startling the Resolves as they glanced around.

“It wasn’t real! It was Clone Technique! I’m experiencing this directly for the first time…”

“Their weapons suddenly changed to all fakes?”

“Don’t worry, while we still don’t know where the main body is, with this level of power, we can win.”

As the Resolves conversed, it was our turn to engage offensively. Armed with swords and shields, spears and axes, the close-combat members surged forward.

“Here they come!”

“Open fire!”

In the rush, a submachine gun appeared in the left hands of the Violets. In just two seconds, the magazine was empty. Their enemies flinched. The Violets moved like a divided march to encircle them. This time, the leader dashed to the front.

As the green-haired dual-wielding man took his stance, the woman, previously slowed down, swung her hammer once more. A magic circle rapidly formed beneath their feet.

Ignoring the threat, the Violets recklessly charged the foes. The forefront Violet was electrocuted and cleaved in half by swords. However, they succeeded in getting close.

“What the hell… Ugh!”

They fell into a trap. As the Violets perished, firebombs emerged from their hands.

As the firebombs exploded, their contents spilled onto the ground. Burning incendiaries stuck to the legs and feet of the Resolves.

The temperature reached the other side of the Ether Protection, and the woman stumbled back, nearly performing a tap dance. The green-haired man and the leader seemed to have their pants catch fire, distorting their faces.

And right behind the self-destructing Violets, a line of shield-wielders pursued closely.

“Damn it, just die! Why are there so many of you?!”

The woman swung her hammer in desperation, while the green-haired man slashed against the shields with his dual blades. Behind the tightly packed shields, large numbers of spears stabbed out simultaneously.

The leader dodged, but a few spearheads embedded themselves in the abdomen of the hammer woman. The green-haired man took a hit to his arm. He tried to retreat, but he was slowed down by his injuries.

Here, perhaps it was time to use Kali’s methods taught through beatings.

I avoided the man’s arrows and blocked the sword strikes. The moment he looked for an opening to lunge again, Unit 34 presented a crossbow in hand. The man’s eyes widened in surprise.

*Ping!*

“Guh…!”

Unit 34 and the man fell in unison. The bolt cleanly embedded itself into the heart, completely ignoring the Ether Protection.

“Perhaps I should have just run away…”

The last remaining leader laughed in resignation, the determination on his face hardened. Once again, he swung the glaive in fury.

The Violets, armed with rapiers, charged like moths to a flame.

“Let’s see who wins!”

Unit 90 burst into the fray among the collapsing Violets, pouring down a rain of attacks. The leader’s perception shifted as he faced the swirling blades.

“What is…?”

The sharpness and power were on an entirely different level. Unit 90 didn’t stop there; he quickly channeled magical power into his blade. Flames erupted fiercely at the tip of the sword.

“What the hell is this?!”

The flame storm that charged at him knocked the leader aside. Though he managed to twist his body just before being engulfed in flames, he avoided critical damage. Unit 90, however, was cleaved in two as a bonus.

He propped himself against his glaive, panting as he tried to rise.

“…Damn, that’s tough. Open fire!”

“AGH!”

The snipers lying in wait on the rooftop mercilessly pulled the triggers on their crossbows. Only after bolts had lodged into his body multiple times did the leader of the Resolves collapse.

“…Done. All killed. There seem to be some survivors, though.”

“Let’s clean up quickly and head back.”

Even amidst this fight, there appeared to be a gang higher-up still alive.

“This is a nightmare…”

While a group of Violets dragged him and the other prisoners away, the rest of the Violets quickly gathered the loot and reverted. Dawn was already breaking.

***

The morning after everything had been settled was messy, and we had a lot to do.

As the Violets interrogated the prisoners and cleaned up, we transported the unconscious brokers to the hospital.

“All done. They should wake up soon.”

This hospital, fitting the environment of Stygian Lane, accepted anyone without questions or investigations. The doctors hardly seemed serious about it. Even when multiple people in black masks dragged individuals inside, they only gave them a quick once-over before diagnosing them. There was even an Awakened able to use healing magic!

As we waited, the first to awaken among those laying in the hospital beds was the Bartender Woman. She opened her eyes and looked around.

“Where am I…?”

Unit 110 grinned and replied to her.

“I’d like a butter-mixed Jin glass on the rocks. With Black Label, please!”

 

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