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Beautiful girl statues lined the streets. The once bleak gray road seemed to brighten up a bit.

The identity of the statues was us Violets.

“Welcome to the Violet Statue Park!”

I’ve died multiple times by now, but this was the first time I had turned into a statue upon dying.

Seeing the increasingly creative methods of the monsters’ killings was truly impressive.

“I broke again!”

From the perspective of watching within the Violet Network, becoming a statue looked quite fun.

There was no pain, and watching the other Violets frozen in place was rather amusing.

Of course, the fun was only temporary. With each beam of light that streaked through the air, the Violets turned to stone.

The source of the problem must be over there.

“What is that?!”

I looked up at the sky.

As I focused my magical power, an incomprehensible magic formula spread overhead.

It was so strange and complex that I couldn’t even figure out how to express it.

The magic formulas we usually use are like computer circuits.

Although they are called magic, they are fundamentally based on rules and logic.

Even the formula the former Chairman of Polaris used to shoot sunlight from the sky, while massive and complicated, was ultimately just a combination of basic formulas.

It was within the realm of human understanding.

But this formula was unlike anything I’d seen before. The one before my eyes resembled the neural network of a living organism.

Lines and symbols that seemed bizarrely intertwined, as if alive and writhing.

Every time I attempted to grasp the hidden meanings, new patterns emerged. The order within that chaos.

“I feel dizzy!”

“This is weird… my head hurts!”

We, inside the network, felt headaches and dizziness from that incomprehensible shape.

“The Command Center has a message! We’ll interpret it later. For now, retreat!”

The reason Sister Sophie was momentarily stuck was obvious.

It was due to the combination of that unknown magic and the army of monsters.

With her skills, she shouldn’t have been trapped, but she would need time.

“Sister, I’ll save you right away!”

I declared as I took out my magic staff.

There are two major ways to cancel a spell. One is to unravel it by reversing the calculations.

The other is to crush it with overwhelming magical power.

“Prepare the Melting Ray!”

Violet lifted her staff. The Vision Memory stored in the network was loaded.

Whoosh—!

Three bright beams of light cut through the street and the air.

A gap just wide enough for a person opened amidst the waves of monsters, and the complex formula shattered before the high-powered magical beam.

“Let’s go now!”

“Got it!”

As we escaped during the monsters’ hesitation, the torn formula began to rapidly regenerate.

“Oh, no! It’s regenerating!”

The Violets turned to stone and fell. Before the monsters could charge again, I made a quick decision.

“Run!”

—Bang!

While several Violets self-destructed to buy time, we quickly made our escape from that spot.

After shaking off the monsters’ pursuit, we finally caught our breath in a corner of a building.

“We made it out successfully!”

A warm, soft hand patted the head of 2011, who was elated with joy.

“Thank you. Because of you, we could escape without wasting more time.”

We took a moment to rest and shared our experiences. There was so much to say.

“So, the whole convention center fell here?”

“Yeah, I heard outside that this place is called Asteria. They say it’s an old ruined city.”

At my words, Sister nodded as if she expected it. When I mentioned that there might be a commander of the monsters, her expression grew even darker.

“I see. That’s why the monsters’ reaction speed was on a different level. They swarmed as soon as we opened our eyes. While monsters are good at detecting humans, they don’t usually move so cunningly and swiftly.”

Hmm, when I combine everything that has happened so far, the situation we are caught up in is seriously grave.

Feeling the severity of the situation, I quickly began to assess our current state.

“When are the tanks and helicopters arriving? What about the technical units?”

“They’re almost here… the federal army is spread out all around.”

For now, the deployment of motorized units was put on hold.

We can crash through the external outposts and encirclement, but I’m saving options for later.

“Let’s start producing clones!”

Currently, the number of Violets was about 2,000.

Considering the number of hibernating Violets we had stored away, it seemed like we could call upon more than half immediately.

“Will just clones be enough? Let’s make other preparations too!”

“Firepower! Weapons!”

The artillery Violets headed to a deserted open space. They pulled out artillery, mortars, and rocket launcher parts from their inventory to assemble and position targets on the ground.

This alone wouldn’t be enough.

I was skeptical whether physical power alone could defeat those who shoot strange petrification beams.

Fortunately, the items we Violets could use were very close by.

“Relic Exhibition!”

Perhaps due to the shock of the exhibition hall falling entirely into the Erosion Zone or the potential monster attack at any moment, people’s nerves were directed entirely outside.

Thus, the relics were left defenseless and neglected.

For the sake of peace, we shall confiscate them in the name of our Ariel Group.

“Take anything that seems useful!”

We’ll start with the Heart of Sunset first. I looted everything that looked usable for weapons or expensive.

I even secretly put a pair of relic sunglasses, which allow sharing sight with others, into my inventory.

“For peace!”

After gathering the relics and various items, the other Violets positioned themselves where there were no people.

Soon, Violets began to multiply throughout the city.

Silently, very quietly.

The Violets in the Command Center oversaw all operations and restructured the tactical map.

The Second Clone drew a long line down the middle of the map, dividing it in half.

One side was where the people who had fallen into this realm were located. The opposite side was the danger zone swarming with monsters.

A small search party scoured both regions in search of Levi.

“Hmm…?”

Somewhere in the city, there was a place vibrating with strange magical energy. What could this be?

**

In one monastery of Asteria, classified as a danger zone by the Violets, ominous work was underway.

Although now in a state of decline, the Sacred Heart Monastery, once a thriving holy site, was filled with large and small temples.

The architectural style of the monastery focused on creating wide spaces to accommodate the multitude of worshippers gathering from all over.

As a result, the church was as spacious as a plaza.

In the temple where the deity had departed, a strange service was in progress.

The worshippers appeared to be in a trance, their eyes closed, while two individuals were having a solemn conversation.

“I missed it. It would have been quite useful if I had caught it. Should I have taken matters into my own hands after all?”

The woman’s mutterings carried a hint of faint regret.

A single adult woman fleeing from the sight of monsters and a masked armed girl squad had been captured.

“Is it really worth catching just that one? Not necessary. There’s plenty to do. Is our troop readied?”

In response to the man’s query, the woman murmured.

“There were minor frictions, but the gathering of monsters is going smoothly. By the time the army of the Federation and the Restraid hunters arrive, everything should be prepared.”

The man nodded. They felt no anxiety.

This place was distant from the laws of the outside world. It was an environment extremely familiar and comfortable to them. It was not difficult to use their abilities freely.

“There won’t be any interruptions to the ritual.”

The woman’s gaze turned to the dazzling object resting on the altar. Awe filled the eyes of the two as they looked at it.

This was part of the power left by the great overlord in this world.

Simply wielding it would be powerful enough, yet they had found ways to utilize the blind faith of those ignorant human worshippers to use its power effectively.

There were two things to do.

One was to create a passage.

“I succeeded in manipulating space. Now, I should be able to create a sufficient passage.”

Earlier, they had confirmed through a small experiment that the beliefs of the brainwashed humans could summon the religious site sunk in dimensions into reality.

If they gathered more acolytes under their coordination and gave them time, who knows what could happen?

Perhaps they could create a new passage, ignoring the terrible obstacles between dimensions.

“Turning the gaze of the Monarch this way or bringing other individuals will be dealt with later. First, let’s call in the soldiers. There’s no need to rush.”

The man’s firm statement was met with a nod of agreement from the woman.

“I agree. Even if we fail, we won’t lose anything. If we succeed, we could establish the second or third front.”

There were many small exits opened in Trist, but it wasn’t enough to summon the great ones.

It was a humiliating matter, but if they were to bypass the natural laws of the planet working analogously to an immune system, a greater gateway and more intricate work would be needed.

“But if our experiment succeeds…”

“The observation will end.”

For those barbaric folk pouring lowly weapons into the Arctic’s great gateway every day and disrupting the ritual, they would be met with an unforeseen calamity.

In the middle of this city, which encapsulated the hopes and future of humanity, an indescribable power could be drawn forth.

As the woman manipulated the monsters and directed the worshippers while coordinating various tasks, she changed the subject.

“It’s time to discuss the progress on its creation. I hope we can use it as soon as possible.”

“There’s still a lot to improve.”

To the woman’s surprise, the man hesitated.

“Creating something by manipulating powers isn’t my area. Spreading it isn’t a problem, but I need to directly manipulate it with this.”

He pointed to the solid crystal he held in his hand. The woman showed her doubt.

“Hmm, wasn’t your original intention a pathogen? This seems like… a curse.”

“To mold it into the form of the Servants we desire requires complex work. While we’ve been manipulating it through direct contact, for collective manipulation until improved means come along, we will need to use this method.”

There was a hint of disappointment on the man’s face.

“Capable ones will show high resistance. It will take time to consume them. I apologize for not meeting your expectations.”

When he rarely attempted to apologize with an awkward expression, the woman stopped him.

“It works on those bugs who can’t use magic. That’s sufficient. We can utilize it for our rituals, and even if stopped, it could cause chaos in that society.”

The man nodded expressionlessly.

“Now, let’s begin.”

They approached the captives tied behind the altar with cold strides.

Poor victims who had fallen during the Erosion Zone transition.

Though their condition was intact, they were trembling in fear from being abducted by monsters.

“Ugh, ahhh…”

As the man raised his hand, a grotesque crystalline form that had been resting on his palm began to levitate.

From the crystal, sinister hues of light emanated, swirling from his fingertips.

Like a swarm of jellyfish drifting through the sea, they undulated in the air.

“Excellent.”

The woman muttered in appraisal.

Without responding, the man reached out his hand, launching the grotesque substances towards the captives.

The jellyfish-like entities moved swiftly, akin to hunters charging directly towards their prey.

“Ugh, ahh! No way!”

“Aaaahhh!”

They burrowed into the screaming captives’ heads, then vanished without a trace.

Shortly thereafter, those captives stared blankly into the void.

The man carelessly rifled through their minds. Several confused humans lifted their heads to survey their surroundings.

“W-Where is this…?”

Some of the worshippers who were participating in the ceremony stood up and chased them outside.

Before they could regain their wits, a nearby swarm of monsters growled as they drew closer.

The woman gestured toward the lurking monsters nearby.

The monsters bared their fangs and cleared a path.

“If those bugs begin to make contact with their peers…”

The woman murmured coldly.

“…the seeds we’ve sown will spread seeds of their own.”

The man’s voice was matter-of-fact.

Together, they gazed, indifferent, at the ruins under the overcast sky outside the building.

Even if they failed, they would incur no loss. No matter the outcome, they would gain much.

However, despite the smooth proceedings, the woman couldn’t shake a feeling of unease.

“I don’t know why, but I feel strange from earlier. Was losing that human really weighing on me?”

When the man asked, the woman revealed a faint hint of discomfort.

“No, it was just that soldier before. I sensed a familiar wavelength.”

The woman transmitted her thought, and the man recalled the strange soldiers who had invaded their territory and were repelled just moments ago.

Humans with awakening abilities sharing the same traits, moving in a disciplined manner.

“Interesting, a familiar wavelength, you say?”

“He was just thought of as one of those humans with high resistance back then. So I stopped the capture.”

The woman frowned as she muttered, “However, within the senses of the Servants, I detected a familiar wavelength surrounding those guys.”

“Occasionally, exceptional individuals emerge among humans.”

The woman fell into thought for a moment before nodding.

“Then, I’ll try capturing them.”

Once the decision was made, the monsters received instructions and quickly vanished into the shadows.

Interestingly, at the same time, the girl they were looking for made the same decision.

“Shall I get kidnapped once?”

“Let’s do it!”

It was a bizarre coincidence.