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“The tank is supplying you with magical power.”

“Supplied with magical power, you say?”

This was the explanation given by Professor Albert, who had brought me to the maintenance bay to clarify the strange phenomenon.

So the tank was a magic refueling station for Rugilinn’s Steel Guard?

“While the structure is different, this Super Medium Tank is connected to the Violet Network. That’s why it obeys your commands. You and this tank are already intricately linked. Do you see? The magical power flowing through this tank.”

The magical flow was unmistakable on the tank with its reactor active.

“A Fusion Creature is a living relic. The power source that constitutes its mechanical assembly is exposed to ether, undergoes mutations, and continuously converts physical energy and thermal energy from reality into ether to generate magical power. In this case, the reactor’s energy is being transformed into magical power.”

“Yes, it’s overflowing with magical power.”

“And that sustains the activity of the Fusion Creature. Your fairy friend operates the same way.”

Inside the maintenance bay, which had temporarily cleared the technical staff, our Violet Network detection devices from home were packed tightly.

Uncle Yurik was typing away at a laptop, surrounded by small devices and antennas etched with strange patterns and magic circles.

The professor raised his index finger as if to draw attention.

Once to the tank’s body, then once to my eyes. He must be talking about that.

Focusing magical power in my eyes allowed me to witness something unusual.

The flow of magical power coursing through the internals and externals of the Super Medium Tank like blood.

Before the reactor was activated, this sight was nearly impossible to see.

“Can you not see the magical power flowing through the tank body diminishing?”

“Yes! I can see it. It looks like it’s suddenly disappearing into thin air.”

The strands of magical power glittering in various colors were as intricate and complex as circuits. They weaved throughout the tank, penetrating every nook and cranny like veins. Truly, the term ‘living relic’ was no exaggeration.

To the rhythmic sounds of the reactor, the magical power pulsed and spread outwards.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed some strands of magical power reaching out to disperse outside.

Normally, one would expect phenomena such as flames erupting or winds being stirred, but nothing of the sort occurred.

“If we look at this network observer we’ve developed…”

“Are those people really scholars? Hmph, I can’t quite trust that—just the two of them, an ex-Academy magic professor and an ether dynamics expert, are supposed to study you?”

“Fool! You may not know this because you’re a fairy, but they’re trustworthy! I mean incredibly smart!”

Ignoring the whisper of suspicion from Steel Guard, I continued to listen to the explanation.

“With this flow, we should see significant physical alterations occurring around us, but there’s not a trace left. The ether concentration in the vicinity remains unchanged. Magical power is disappearing somewhere.”

Suddenly, graphs shooting up appeared on the screen.

“The conclusion is obvious when combining your testimony of increased magical regeneration speed and the network observations.”

In other words, we Violets unexpectedly had a supplementary power source akin to a backup battery.

We would be able to produce clones at an even faster rate now.

“We could even increase magical usage during combat!”

“Wow!”

The Violets cheered at the unexpected results.

Some began to propose quite interesting ideas based on this unforeseen outcome.

“How about capturing another Fusion Creature? That way, we’d have another auxiliary battery!”

“Since we already have the tank, how about finding and taming a fighter jet or a battleship Fusion Creature this time?”

Or they might expand their thoughts in other directions.

“What if we increased the number of tank fairies? That would mean more backup batteries!”

“That old reactor produced this much magical power; imagine what a fusion reactor or a reaction chamber would generate! We might extract even more ether!”

“Oh, true?”

Potentially, our magical output had already exceeded that of the average awakened ones living or acting like typical academy students.

The only being present who didn’t share in our excitement was none other than Steel Guard.

“Somehow, I feel more and more fatigued… Am I a backup battery?”

“Don’t worry, Steel Guard! You’re our proud supply depot!”

Amused by Steel Guard’s grumbling after being reduced to a power plant overnight, we burst into laughter.

“Only taking action can change the world. I’ve made up my mind.”

Laihan’s clear and transparent eyes sparkled as she sat in the living room, neglecting her work.

“Contact the security department and call in the janitor clans under the ghost company name we set up before. Tell them it’s time to work. And please inform the applied research department that the hibernation time for the C-10 freezer is approaching.”

Direct confrontation was out of the question.

Laplacian currently lacked sufficient troops to move externally.

After the exposure of the human experiments by the foolish Ariel, the federation had been scheming various plots to corner Laplacian.

The resources were being consumed everywhere.

Above all, Laplacian was unable to overpower the military strength of the other three major clans due to its continued influence from the foundation.

But a solution existed.

“Chairman, will you deploy those test subjects?”

“Though they’re termed test subjects, the clinical trials are already complete. Let’s bring out the Helman units. They are top secret, so it will be hard to trace them back to us.”

The chairman muttered as if possessed by a sudden inspiration, devising a plan to protect science.

“And remember the list of board members we compiled last time? Contact them and ask for a meeting.”

“The foundation’s representatives? Chairman, your brother, Secretary General Fegan, recently temporarily blocked the internal contact network with Laplacian. It seems our acts of sabotage are known there as well.”

At the secretary’s concern, Laihan merely scoffed.

“Those are friends I worked with before leaving Rumyx. It won’t be so easy for the board members to be swayed. The current foundation is overly conservative and constrictive. What good is hoarding knowledge? They must act on it. The foundation’s military power will help us escape our accusations.”

The foundation had elite units focused on securing and sealing students with unique abilities and technology. While lacking the destructive force of Mages’ Vanguard or the toughness of the Royal Family’s Steel Guard, they excelled in subtle and intelligent matters over all.

“Let’s dispatch the Patent Decapitation Division.”

The elite unit of the Rumyx Foundation, known by its bizarre alias, the Intellectual Property Sequestration Division, suited Laihan’s future plans perfectly.

“Though we can’t dispatch everything, we can mobilize some troops by utilizing the board members’ authority. We have justification.”

The reason for deployment was simple: research of dangerous entities.

For a moment, he felt regret.

If he had seized Helios, he could have absorbed its entire personnel, transformed them, and deployed them as military strength.

After the Minister of Policy Cooperation was killed by a truck, and following Rigel’s disappearance and his nephew taking his place, the acquisition work ceased.

Laihan was shocked to see his sudden impatience. Being fixated on what was past was an unproductive endeavor.

All of it was undoubtedly the fault of the federal army factions and Restraid.

At this critical juncture, which held the key to humanity’s potential evolution and a new era’s progress, the most backward people now possessed the treasure.

He couldn’t bear to see the incompetent waste the best resources.

He absolutely had to bring down that kind of restaurant.

“That’s a mockery of science.”

Moreover, only he alone could handle Aedos properly and originally in this world.

How wondrous and beautiful it must be to have students with alien genes embedded in them?

The ruling species of a different realm should only be studied by him.

Only Laplacian was ready to take that risk.

Laihan’s mind cunningly sparked ideas.

“While we’re at it, let’s track down the clans that have grievances with Restraid…”

To secretly plot something massive, many collaborates were necessary.

Fortunately, the chairman had quite a few reliable allies.

“Contact the Navy through confidential channels. Tell them that support from the Navy Special Forces is essential. Persuasively convince them not to fall behind the army.”

The secretary, scrutinizing the tablet while executing instructions, cautiously turned his head.

The opaque mask gleamed ominously under the light.

“Chairman, it would be wise to reconsider contacting the Navy. Remember the precedent set by Colonel Kurt, who faced a crushing defeat during the Cascadian assault? They’re a massive clan.

In terms of individual combat power, the awakened soldiers of the military can’t measure up to the assassins of large clans.”

“I’m aware of that. That’s why I suggest involving the Air Force and the Strategic Army factions in this game.”

Laihan swiftly issued several additional instructions.

Hearing the torrent of commands, the secretary asked with doubtful eyes.

“Chairman, do you think the military will accept our proposal?”

Laihan smirked a sinister grin.

“They won’t have a choice. It’s inevitable!”

The military’s simplicity was not beyond Laihan’s predictions.

“Army fellas were up to tricks with Restraid, huh? Hey, gather the Special Operations guys. Call in the Marines!”

“The Air Force agrees with the chairman’s proposal. What’s our move?”

For the first time, the Air Force and the Navy moved as one.

The singular goal underlying all of this commotion was simple.

“Let’s show those slack Army fellas a lesson!”

A bizarre alliance sprouted, cradled in conflicting dreams.

Joy is like a mirage in the spring that barely shows up before it swiftly vanishes.

In contrast, unpleasant events tend to linger in the heart.

“Alert! Alert!”

Just as we Violets were getting excited about the expansion of backup batteries, we received distressing news a few days later.

The vile Ponytail had returned to the Central Region.

In a quiet café in the Central region, as two researchers were escorted in, the professor in the corner recognized us and quietly raised his hand.

“Professor, long time no see… And you, Corporal Pereira! How have you been? Are you feeling okay? How were the supplies sent from my lab and company?”

Upon seeing Uncle Yurik, the professor’s face lit up oddly. Uncle scratched his head and replied.

“Ah, yes… Thank you for that…”

I thought he’d be stuck for a long time, but he was released earlier than expected.

“What? You said it was tough to get time off, but you came back pretty quickly.”

As I glared at him, not bothering to hide my dislike, Bernike laughed and responded.

“I’m not thrilled to see you either. Plus, I can’t stay long. I used my leave as an excuse, but I have no time to waste. I came here to receive updates on my research progress. The facilities have strict external communication protocols. The communications security is always tight. Even now, bodyguards are discreetly stationed around me. You’ve noticed, haven’t you?”

The moment she mentioned the bodyguards, Bernike’s voice suddenly lowered.

I immediately grasped what Bernike meant. We detected a series of movements around her.

A man in a suit pretending to use his phone while glancing around, and a woman dressed in casual clothing drinking a beverage while rolling her sunglasses-covered eyes.

Their armed demeanor and behavior were not as rigid as Restraid’s, yet they seemed to be trying awkwardly to blend in. They might be federal folks.

“So, that’s why you lured us far away from home?”

As expected, Bernike brought up the security issue first.

“Professor Albert, unfortunately, those outside are a bit clingy. I tried to cover it up by saying I was here to meet a friend, but if we chat for too long, it will arouse suspicion. It feels difficult to engage in direct conversation.”

“I understand. You’re handling critical matters, and besides, you’ve experienced something unpleasant once before, haven’t you? They’d understandably be on edge.”

Ultimately, our meeting concluded with brief exchanges about the recent happenings.

The more concrete details were to be communicated through secure messaging.

While listening to Uncle Yurik’s story about his transformation into a Violet, Bernike’s face twisted slightly.

“…So there were those side effects. There seem to be shortcomings in the way animal experiments are managed; it’s regrettable we can’t address them… Corporal Pereira, please tell me – have you exhibited any declines in cognitive abilities or reasoning like that Violet? If so, it would be a calamity of the century! Just kidding, I know you look perfectly fine.”

“Hold on, why do you say that? I’m a genius! I’m incredibly smart!”

“Genius? Hmph, has the dictionary definition of ‘genius’ changed that quickly?”

“Do you have any proof?”

Seeing him laugh, I decided to rebut immediately.

With just a brief connection to our network, mice and dogs had turned into martial arts masters; if that isn’t genius, then what is?

As I elaborated on the case, Bernike’s expression shifted.

“Oh, so such changes occurred? That’s quite interesting. I wish I could see it for myself.”

“Um… Professor, sadly, the dog reverted back to its original state. The mice all perished due to my mistake.”

Bernike clicked her tongue in disappointment and stood.

“…Hmm, let’s discuss the specifics later at dinner. Take care, Corporal Pereira…”

A few days later, the Violet Research Institute received new animals.

“What? Mice again? And there are monkeys and crows too.”

“They’re a different breed from the mice used previously. They’re smarter and healthier.”

Upon closer inspection, I realized these weren’t the tiny lab mice from before; they were somewhat bigger.

Most notably, each animal was wearing a white object that resembled a hat on its head.

“What is this? A cap for animal welfare?”

“It’s not a hat. It’s a sign of biochip implantation surgery. Professor Bernike had set it aside from her research with the university and her own lab.”

According to the explanation that followed, biochips adjusted to our purposes had been individually affixed by graduate students and former students of hers.

They had camouflaged it by claiming it was for company demonstrations.

I felt sorry for the many students who suddenly underwent surgery under the commands of the wicked professor.

“Biochip? What purpose does it serve?”

When I asked, Uncle Yurik confidently replied, as if he had been waiting for the question.

“It’s an antenna!”

While I pondered what the term ‘antenna’ meant, the experiment began anew.

The newly arrived mice intertwined with the vibrations of the Violet Network in their cage, just as other animals always had before.

The three mice took turns becoming clever and dull repeatedly.

They would suddenly stand upright on their hind legs or flail their front paws like boxers.

This time, they claimed the connection was elaborately calculated and that they wouldn’t die.

“What did Professor Albert explain this process as again?”

“He said it’s similar to transmitting powerful high-frequency signals and intercepting them!”

In summary, those experimental mice were undergoing a democratization of our spirit of democracy within their heads.

Before long, the now-smart mice rose to their hind legs.

And that’s when the transformation began.

“Wait, Uncle, stop.”

The mice stared at me with trembling eyes, unlike before. I instinctively raised my hand to wave them off.

-Click! Click!

The mice that had been sniffing and wagging their tails suddenly turned to the left.

Like soldiers receiving orders.

“Forward! Backward!”

“Snap! Snap!”

Only then did I sense it.

Those fine, faint threads connecting to our network.

Following the direction from which the threads emerged, I traced them back to the three mice.

A small, dark, blurry form appeared in the network. The shape looked quite large.

The gigantic three silhouettes were quickly identifiable in my blurred vision.

I turned to Uncle Yurik.

The serious-faced Professor Albert nodded, and Uncle smiled broadly.

Finally, I grasped what it meant for them to say ‘antenna.’

“The mice… connected to the network!”

It was the historic moment when V-mice were born.

 

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