The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City-Chapter 141: The Relic Hunter Violet! (3)

Self-detonation refers to the act of triggering the explosives one is carrying.

And self-detonation is a core tactic of the Violet Legion.

No matter how sturdy an Awakened one is, they are still made of flesh and bones. A human is less durable than a beast.

Therefore, if a large number of bombs are deployed, anyone can be turned to dust.

In the mission to rescue Irene, the exchange ratio between the enemy Awakened and Violet was almost 1:1, so it was still quite effective.

However, there was one flaw with self-detonation. When used, one Violet always dies!

When considering what a Violet could do in a prolonged battle, it was a shame that they would only end up detonating a bomb and dying.

So, in the sense that it doesn’t kill the user, the thunder spear would definitely be a useful weapon.

The problem was that our healer almost had a fit when she saw the weapon. I had gotten so excited that I rambled on and on.

“If you use that, you’ll definitely get hurt. You might even die!”

Daphne clung to me with a half-teary face. I protested.

“No! It’s a spear. It has a long range. It’s just a bomb with a longer length. It’s safe, I tell you!”

“If it’s so safe, why doesn’t anyone else use it? That’s clearly an irrational weapon. Isn’t it, Irene? Do the clan’s hunters use things like this?”

Daphne turned her head to look at Irene. She alternated her gaze between me and Daphne. Please, say something nice!

With a sour expression, she spoke up.

“…The thunder spear is an obsolete weapon. It’s dangerous, and it’s a one-time use. Freelancers might use it, but you…”

“Ugh!”

“See? It’s dangerous, right?”

I felt betrayed by Irene.

“That’s just not true!”

“It’s true. That’s a weapon only used by eccentrics. But there is a proper way to use it…”

The thunder spear must have been a weapon for those who were extroverted and good at reading the trends of the times.

But Irene, for some reason, was spreading fake news, as if she had picked up some strange information.

The drawbacks of the information age were becoming evident here. I felt down!

“So, does that mean I’m an eccentric?”

“…Well, yeah, you’re a little eccentric, aren’t you?”

When my friend treated me like an eccentric, I couldn’t help but let out a sharp retort.

While I shifted my focus to Irene, Daphne seemed to have made a decision and came over to take the thunder spear I was holding.

“Are you two even listening to me?”

“This is confiscated. Use some other safe and good weapons. Please!”

“Hey! Give it back!”

“I won’t give it back!”

As I reached out my arm, Daphne took a step back. Just as I was about to charge at her, a thin green shield blocked my way.

“I’m sorry, I’ll give you the money I spent on this, but I don’t think this is right! Please understand!”

The thunder spear disappeared from Daphne’s hands as she put it into her inventory.

Using a transformation shield, huh? That’s cowardly.

But Daphne was short-sighted. Blocking Violet like this was a stretch.

"Command center relays: Everyone, charge! Surround them!"

"Let’s go!"

"Waaahhhh!"

Some of the nearby Violet squad members who had been working were dispatched to rush at Daphne.

“Hey, wait a minute. Violet? What are you doing! Daphne, why are you…”

“Give it back!”

“If you don’t, I’ll tickle you!”

As the Violets closed in, Daphne lightly tapped her staff on the ground. A round shield surrounded her.

“Hiya! It’s blocked!”

“Please give up. I’m sorry for taking your item, but as a friend, I couldn’t just watch you do something dangerous!”

For some reason, Irene stopped herself before saying anything.

“…Why are you guys doing this?”

The Violets surrounding the shield tapped on it repeatedly. Daphne shook her head firmly and turned away.

Just as she turned, she found Violet No. 612 lying flat on the floor inside the shield. She gasped and stepped back in surprise.

“So now you notice?”

“W-How did she get here…”

“Well, she jumped in just before the shield went up. Daphne, you’re trapped with me here!”

I held Daphne tight around the waist to prevent her from escaping. Other Violets inside the shield created more clones to grab her.

“Let go! Let go! Stop it! Ahh, hahahah! Hahahah! I don’t like this! What are you doing!”

“We won’t stop until you give it back!”

“Eeeeeek! Haha! No, no! Hahahaha! It’s too sensitive! Stop! Aaaah, hahahaha!”

Inside the shield, Daphne, surrounded by the Violets, was tortured by tickling. Hearing the sounds, other team members also ran over to our side.

“Alright, alright! I’ll give it back! Stop! Hahahah!”

After about a minute, Daphne finally surrendered. We happily took back the thunder spear from her inventory and jumped with joy.

“Hooray!”

“The weapon of victory!”

While celebrating, I noticed something strange and turned around. Daphne, looking dejected, was staring at me with a sad expression.

“Do you really like that weapon so much?”

“Ah, I… well…”

Seeing my friend’s distressed face made me feel guilty.

I was considering just giving it back when I heard a soft tap on the ground.

“Hey, can you at least listen to me?”

Irene was looking at us, somewhat dissatisfied.

The conflict over the thunder spear was resolved quite anticlimactically. Irene’s suggestion was simple, but clever.

“If it’s really that dangerous, just use it with a shield. Right?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

It was a solution worthy of comparison to King Solomon’s judgment. Daphne, realizing this a bit late, opened her mouth, speechless.

“Right, why didn’t I think of that…”

She looked embarrassed.

The issue was settled like this. But I still felt guilty, so I apologized to Daphne.

“I’m sorry for tickling you!”

“…I was trying to take your stuff without reason, anyway. It’s fine.”

She laughed a little, as if embarrassed.

Our conflict was resolved quickly like this.

Hehe, while I’d need to be cautious when using it, we reached a successful agreement with Daphne.

Now I can use it freely. Yay!

“You can’t use it freely! The spear can be replicated, but the specialized warhead attached to it is the problem. We only have three thunder spear bombheads in stock!” ⱤΑΝố𐌱ЁŜ

“Ugh, really? I’ll have to get some more later. Or we can just attach our own bombs!”

I’m glad I asked that hunter where they sold thunder spears.

The workshop was said to be small-scale, so I decided to visit it later.

After the commotion ended, we moved to another location, and Kalia, who was beside me, asked.

“Do you really like that? Seriously, I don’t get it.”

“If you get the chance, I’ll let you try this! It’ll be so much fun!”

When Test Subject 247 handed over the thunder spear with a grin, Kalia lightly pushed my hand away with a perplexed expression.

“I’ll pass. Though, I suppose it’s better than throwing yourself at a motorcycle.”

“That was ages ago!”

I grumbled.

Kalia seemed indifferent to my words and pointed her finger toward Daphne’s direction.

“More importantly, that girl. What was she like at school? She seems like a model student.”

“That’s right! How did you know? Daphne studies really hard.”

Kalia thought deeply for a moment after hearing my words, then spoke.

“As expected, it’s Daphne. Maybe she’s picked up a bit of your influence. I doubt she didn’t think of something I’ve already thought of.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind, forget it.”

What kind of influence was she talking about? Really!

The Violets clapped their hands together.

The other team members were already giving us strange looks, and it would be troublesome if their injected courage dissipated like this.

“Crazy woman… If she’s not a federal agent, then what? An assassin from some cult?”

“Violet sure has an amazing imagination, doesn’t she? Don’t you agree?”

“Dangerous as it is, a blasting axe… Hmm, seems risky. How about a rocket axe instead?”

Thankfully, aside from Lucian, no one seemed to think badly of me.

The Violets and the team members went back to their tasks.

We continued moving between buildings, hunting beasts and excavating artifacts.

“Wow, look at this. Sunglasses that emit light from the lenses!”

“They’re blood-accelerating socks. Apparently, wearing them makes your blood flow so fast your leg veins explode?”

“Ugh, what junk!”

The protective shield accessories that the Screx group had been carrying earlier were nowhere to be found.

Most of the holy grail-like objects seemed to have been snatched up by that Aegis student we rescued before.

“Well, even trash like this gets bought. Just pack it up! And you still have that contact, right? The relic trading company manager.”

“Aha! We can check with that guy!”

Even trash has its uses.

We were chatting while working hard when a distant rumbling noise reached us.

When Violet, who had been outside the building, looked around, a massive procession of vehicles emitting light was moving beyond the hazy avenue.

The noise grew louder and closer.

“What’s that?”

I soon identified the source of the sound.

It was tanks!

Four tanks were charging forward. Behind them were several combat vehicles, armored trucks, and armored cars in a long line.

“Tanks in a dungeon?”

“Are there any clans that use tanks?”

I searched my shallow and wide-ranging knowledge.

The vehicles in front of us were tracks and turrets attached to armored bodies. While they seemed a bit small, they were undoubtedly tanks. But those things are expensive! And heavy too.

Hearing the noise, Irene stepped outside, scrutinizing the procession of vehicles with a suspicious gaze.

“They’re federation-made light tanks. Hardly any clans operate those… Could it be?”

At her words, I could see the flags hanging on their vehicles.

Laurel wreaths, a round globe, stars, and wings.

“Look at the flag! That’s…”

There was only one organization that used that symbol.

Just then, a beep sounded from the convoy’s loudspeakers, followed by a broadcast.

“Citizens of Rustlum, this is the 60th Federal Mobile Combat Battalion. We have arrived to suppress an illegal private organization. Do not interfere. We are currently conducting peacekeeping operations. Once again, do not interfere.”

Hunters, who had been exploring nearby, poked their heads out to see what was happening. The mood among the people was not good.

“Citizens, my ass…”

“Why are those tax thieves in the dungeon now? Isn’t this a treaty violation?”

While the person who seemed to be the commander was fervently broadcasting,

The convoy turned a corner near where we were standing, heading into an alleyway. Unfortunately, there were four vehicles parked there, belonging to the hunters.

As the tanks turned, they rammed into the parked cars without hesitation.

The last car was completely crushed.

Did they not see it?

-Kwajik!

“Ugh.”

Half of the car was flattened, and an alarm blared, likely from the impact.

The middle-aged man who seemed to own the car appeared. His eyes darted around in disbelief, as if an earthquake had struck. Startled, he ran over.

“My car!”

The convoy paused momentarily. The man, fuming, approached the nearest combat vehicle.

“Hey, where’s the person in charge? Can’t you see that?”

The convoy responded to his protests by turning a turret.

With a low mechanical whir, the tank rotated its turret, and the unmanned turrets atop the vehicles aimed at the man. Facing the large, dark barrels, the hunter drew his blade.

“What the… What are you doing?!”

“Do not interfere. We are conducting a special military operation. Stand back. If you do not comply, we will open fire.”

While the man hesitated in the face of the threat, the federal vehicles turned their turrets back and sped off. They headed deeper into the dungeon.

I was shocked. What kind of hit-and-run criminals were these?

The man, belatedly enraged, shook his fist at the departing convoy.

“Hey, you federal bastards!”

Other hunters nearby, who also seemed to be victims, tried to console him.

“Come on, haven’t those bastards done this a few times already?”

"Still, in cases like this, they handle the insurance well enough."

Irene, who had been watching, spoke up.

"Clans often target rookie hunters, aiming their turrets and threatening them. Looks like they really learned it from the Federation."

Kalia spoke gruffly.

"That’s just the kind of thing strong, reckless bastards do."

While the Federation’s mobile unit moved deeper into the district, a group of people entered the indoor plaza formed inside a building deep in the sector.

The interior was filled with corpses. The face of the man leading the group, wearing a pointed hat, contorted at the gruesome sight.

"Ah... my brothers and sisters, like this...!"

"Master Mikelos has passed away! Elder Matt too!"

The followers of the Unification Church couldn’t contain their anger, trembling with rage.

"We only wanted the freedom to believe!"

"Damn heretics!"

While the lower-level followers expressed their heated hatred for the suppressed faith, Karnan surveyed the surroundings. His sharp gaze landed on one particular spot.

There was nothing that should have been there.

"Now, brothers and sisters, please calm down."

His deep, heavy voice shook the surroundings. The followers, like the sea after a storm, became calm as if they hadn’t been angry at all.

"Our family has been killed. Our relic has been stolen."

At the mention of the stolen relic, the followers wavered.

As signs of resurrected fury began to stir, Brown raised his hand to calm them.

"It is not the time to be angry yet. We don’t even know who the thieves are or where they are. We still have a greater task ahead of us. There is still the most important relic remaining here, in the heart of the dungeon."

One of the followers couldn’t hold back their frustration and shouted.

"But, all our brothers have fallen!"

"Therefore, our journey must not stop. We cannot let the blood of our fallen family members be spilled in vain."

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

Karnan continued, now shouting.

"I understand. I am angry too! But we must use that anger as fuel to move forward. For the freedom of faith, for that day when the turning point will come!"

The elder of the Unification Church drew a sickle-shaped sword and raised it high.

"We will catch the thieves. We will hunt down the heretics. And we will secure the relics needed for our great undertaking. That is our destiny!"

The followers regained their fervor and shouted, as if possessed.

"Ugh! The heretics!"

"Ugh! Kill them! We will take revenge!"

Karnan stepped back after finishing his speech.

While the deacons and awakened followers calmed the highly agitated others, arranging the bodies and surveying the area, he gave instructions to the other elders.

"Send a messenger to gather the followers from other sectors. There are others, aside from us, who came to find the relic. We don’t have much time."

One of the followers left their position. Karnan calmly gave his next order.

"Prepare, it’s time to unleash the beasts. The opponent consists of high-level hunters. There seem to be multiple mages. Check the weapons. We’ve brought enough Black Ice, right?"

The lower-level elder nodded.

After a while, figures, both human and non-human, rushed through the market streets beyond the dungeon’s shadows.