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Bodyguard Violet 312 looked at the situation, and it was the worst.

First off, Irene’s house was ablaze. The penthouse on the 60th floor was currently engulfed in smoke and flames.

Fortunately, Irene quickly smashed a window and jumped out just before the explosion occurred. She then pulled out a pane and stabbed it into the wall to slow her descent and landed safely. That was the lucky part.

The problem was that some crazy people had barged in and started a shootout. Right in the middle of the city! From the cafe rooftop near the penthouse building where I was, I could clearly see what was happening.

“Ah! Irene is in danger!”

“A shootout in the middle of the city! During the day!”

I don’t know who they are, but they are definitely lunatics. The Central District is home to major corporations, the headquarters of the Four Great Clans, federal buildings, and key institutions of the academy city. To compare it to the world before I was possessed, what those terrorists are doing is akin to starting a gunfight in the middle of Gangnam!

“Bodyguard Squad, gather!”

After creating a sniper team on the rooftop, I jumped down to the building below without hesitation.

The sniper Violets monitored the scene.

Armed soldiers and hunters were mercilessly attacking Irene, surrounded by several armed vehicles equipped with machine guns. The sight of a crowd lynching a single person reminded me eerily of school bullying.

Around us, drones hovered like bald eagles above corpses. Those must be their equipment.

“Sniper team! Did we capture anything nearby? Croscelle or that secretary! Ah, the vice president might be there too. Look for them!”

“It’s Kaim! That annoying guy! He’s not here for now!”

312 shook her head. Were they commanding from behind? If not them, then who on earth is doing this?

Everything was happening in a frantic rush. People screamed and fled in all directions. Even the patrolling police, flustered, could only grab their radios to call for backup helplessly.

“Violet Temporary Command Center ready! Field team, move quickly since it’s an emergency!”

As the Violet Temporary Command Center quickly settled in, Unit 1, holding the command baton, began issuing orders to all conscious Violets, both tangible and intangible.

“All units ready for deployment!”

“Alright, field team! Prepare smoke grenades!”

Violet 312, having quickly changed attire and descended to the sidewalk, pulled out several canisters that looked like trash cans. Suddenly, everyone’s attention was drawn to the black-masked Violet. 312 ignited the smoke grenades and tossed them on the ground.

“Deploying smoke!”

Multiple canisters rolled across the ground. The smoke from the improvised smoke grenades rapidly enveloped the middle of the sidewalk.

“What the heck is this?!”

“Fire!”

The smoke, dense enough to block one’s vision, filled the area in front of the building. There was no need to worry about being seen anymore.

“Deployment starting!”

312 quickly created clones. Violets in black combat uniforms sprang forth from the smoke and dashed outside. From the outside, it probably looked like armed troops suddenly bursting out of the smoke. It was a tactic to hide and distort our clone creation ability.

“Recognition Interference Device activation confirmed. All clear!”

“Violet Bodyguard Company, deployment complete. Operation starting!”

Seventeen Violet firepower team members scattered around, and ninety Violet assault team members surged into the street. They leaped over vehicles and dashed across the road. Police nearby, caught off-guard as they scrambled to radio for assistance, shouted in surprise at us,

“Headquarters! Currently in a gunfight on 12th Street… Argh! Who are you people?!”

Oh no, there are still civilians remaining. We need to drive them away. I was thinking of using high-caliber weapons, and I could easily get caught up in it. The Temporary Command Center issued a civilian evacuation order.

“Hey! You guys get out of here! This is a battlefield now!”

“Ugh!”

Violet 122 pulled out a federal automatic rifle and fired into the air.

Other Violets also grabbed civilians and police nearby and shoved them elsewhere.

“This is Unit 1 of the Command Center. We are commencing the operation. First objective: rescue Irene! Second objective: eliminate the enemy! Final objective: move to a safe zone!”

“Understood!”

The objectives were set. The Command Center, connected with the field personnel and senses, declared an attack. Now, it was time to move!

Violets activated their magical power and advanced toward the gunfire.

The devastated scene was clear to the Violet squad. Inside the first-floor lobby of the building, Irene could be seen. Her clothes were torn from gunfire and explosions. Although she had no severe injuries yet, her exposed skin was covered in small cuts. Blood was also seeping.

“Squad 1 and Squad 2 aim for the rear and sides of the enemy’s armed troops! Squad 3 secure Irene!”

“And us?”

“Firepower team standby, you deal with the enemy hunters! Sniper team, first take care of those drones hovering in the air!”

The sniper team stationed themselves on the cafe rooftop with their high-precision sniper rifles and combat rifles. The drones quickly fell from the sky.

The firepower team lifted grenade launchers and rocket launchers. It was time to test the weapons I purchased from Armas!

“This is Squad 1! Engagement started!”

The first and second squads, who charged in, unleashed gunfire upon their backs. Simultaneously, Squad 3 entered the building with shields raised to encircle Irene.

Irene couldn’t hide her surprise upon seeing the suddenly appearing black forces.

“Who are you?!”

“It’s me, me! Violet! Can’t you recognize me?”

Violet 45 whispered.

“How did you…”

“First, let’s get out of here!”

The enemy leader pointed his finger at us as he spoke.

“What are those? Take care of them!”

A large humanoid mechanical weapon beside him charged toward us. Strangely, the robot was pulsating with magical power in its arms!

Violets recognized the identity of that weapon and became agitated.

“Did that exist even before the main story?”

A robot using magical power is incredibly rare in this academy city! Machines are fundamentally opposed to Ether.

That is a human-machine weapon used by the Four Great Clans, Stregonics. An Awakened Cyborg!

A malevolent culmination of Ether science combining machine force and awakened one’s intelligence. To see that here?

“Firepower team! Prep rockets and grenades! Fire away now!”

Half of Squad 3 rushed in to stop the Awakened Enemy and Stregonics. Simultaneously, the firepower team fired rockets into the first floor as they burst out with Irene.

“I’ve always wanted to say this: Broken Arrow!”

The Awakened were startled the moment they saw the rockets, rushing out as they shook off the Violets.

Stregonics reacted slower. The machine was hit by the rocket and slammed against a wall.

“Did we take it down?”

“No, it will wake up soon! Just one rocket isn’t enough to destroy it. Let’s bounce for now!”

Squad 3 quickly led Irene out.

“Irene, here’s a communicator! Put it in your ear. Follow me!”

“Ah, got it… Ugh…”

Oh no, Irene collapsed from exhaustion. Squad 3 carried their friend on their backs as they fled.

Meanwhile, Squads 1 and 2 were engaged in combat with the mercenaries.

“Ugh!”

“Our guys were taken down! It was an ambush!”

Mercenaries clad in exoskeletons fell to gunfire. They wore masks like us, but I could sense their shocked emotions behind them.

Unfortunately, our enemies were no fools.

“Get down!”

Though they initially suffered losses in the ambush, the rest quickly sheltered themselves. Some of the machine gun turrets on the vehicles turned toward us, and a few of them produced smoke grenades or grenades in response.

“Whoa! Their reaction level is different!”

“Ah! They have heavy weapons!”

The trajectories of grenades and rockets danced above our heads. I had to think quickly. This was not the same as that gang last time. These guys were battle professionals. The Command Center swiftly changed orders. We didn’t have time to leisurely engage in a gunfight here.

“We’re out of time. Relay to Squad 1! Shock troops have permission to deploy. Break formation!”

“Ready!”

While Squad 2 approached slowly, providing cover fire, Squad 1, having completed their weapon swap, activated their magical power. They charged in with immense speed.

“What the heck! Why are they so fast?!”

“Awakened ones?!”

Shield bearers wielding riot shields and hammers charged at incredible speed to deflect bullets. Behind them followed Violets wielding one-handed swords, automatic rifles, and shotguns. The mercenaries, surprised by the magical power surging around them, were thrown into confusion. But that wasn’t the end.

“Remember this!”

While the shield team momentarily hesitated, Violet’s leg muscles coiled like springs before they leapt off the ground. The shock team, wearing thick bomb vests and bags, took off and hurled themselves into the enemy ranks.

“Self-destruct charge! Get down!”

One mercenary yelled upon seeing the vest and bag Violet was wearing. Violet 78 smiled as she pressed the switch.

“Catch me!”

-KABOOM!

The dozens of kilograms of explosives worn by the shock team blew apart the encirclement of unawakened troops.

“Ahhhh! Aaaahh!”

While there were still quite a few armed enemies standing, Squad 1 and Squad 2 charged in simultaneously right after the explosion. They couldn’t be given time to react.

“This is Eos-1! …All members are Awakened! Aaaaah!”

Starting with the decapitation of one mercenary who was screaming, we began our slaughter.

Violet 462 smoothly emptied the magazine of her automatic shotgun, turning three enemies into rags.

Impatient Violet 221 tossed aside her gun and dove in. Her sword, infused with magical power, cleaved enemies in two.

The mercenaries resisted as best they could, but they were still unawakened. Their speed felt slow even to my eyes.

“Where the hell did these monsters come from?!”

A mercenary, clad in an exoskeleton, resisted with a dagger. The power unit of his exoskeleton whirred loudly as it activated. Violet 126 dodged the dagger and easily sliced him in half.