The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City-Chapter 86: Violet Formed a Party! (3)

We ultimately had to abandon the self-destruct plan.

“…Really…”

Irene placed her hands on her hips and glared at us with a rare ferocity.

We had no choice but to silently endure her scolding.

“Self-destruct? From where did things start going so wrong…?”

“This is an efficient tactic for us Violets, you know…”

“Efficient, you say?”

Her golden eyes landed on the charred corpse of the Murmillion.

“If you had followed my instructions, you could have escaped unscathed. Murmillions have sensitive touch but dull senses otherwise. They don’t attack if you stay still. Why make things harder for yourselves?”

“Ugh… but we regenerated, so isn’t it fine?”

No. 56, who had just been recreated, chimed in.

“Exactly! I’m fine now.”

It was true that we ignored Irene’s advice and acted hastily.

But we have our own strategies.

It’s a shame she doesn’t understand.

“This is strange, what exactly is the problem?”

“This was a perfectly rational choice…”

Irene studied us carefully before casually throwing out a remark.

“Can you show Daphne what you just did?”

“Ugh…!”

Violet froze and clammed up.

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Watching us flinch, Irene continued.

“I could understand if that was the only option left. But you don’t need to throw yourselves into a fight recklessly from the start.”

“Alright…”

“…Stop treating your bodies carelessly. If you’re not fighting alone, consider the people around you too. Got it?”

Thinking about it, our clones, even after death, resembled actual corpses until they disappeared.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant sight.

When we nodded sheepishly, Irene softened her stance.

“Alright, as long as you do better next time. Let’s start over. Move carefully and protect yourselves. Got it?”

“Understood. Let’s go!”

We regrouped and resumed our journey.

The Violet squad advanced cautiously.

It was different from when we moved with Daphne.

Daphne’s role was that of a supporter.

Her combat ability was just enough to protect herself, so we kept her safely in the center and guarded her.

Irene was the complete opposite.

She always took the lead—not only because she knew the dungeon’s layout well but also due to the nature of her role.

In the main story, she was a close-combat fighter, a tank.

Though petite and seemingly delicate, her body was far sturdier than ours.

During training matches, she felt like a block of iron.

Beyond her physical capabilities, even the vest and coat she wore—though they seemed light—were incredibly durable.

They were high-grade synthetic materials providing bulletproof and fireproof protection, with the inner layers densely lined with composite armor plates. 𝘳ᴀＮꝊʙЕș

Apparently, Helios had custom-made the equipment for her.

We gave up trying to replicate it after realizing it was a 4-star item.

As for us Violets, we were laughably fragile by comparison.

We’d have to be extra careful.

The Violets at the front prodded the ground cautiously with sticks, as though searching for mines.

When they discovered a depression, attacks flew into it from all directions.

“Here! Attack!”

We encountered not only beasts but also numerous anomalies.

“From this point on, gravitational anomalies will appear frequently. Keep your eyes peeled, and if you notice anything suspicious, toss a marble or a rock before proceeding.”

“You mean like that?”

“Exactly.

From afar, you can see soil or branches floating in the air.

Never step into those areas.

You might suddenly be flung into the sky or crushed by immense gravity.”

“Look! The marble is floating!”

“Don’t touch it!”

Curiosity got the better of Violet No. 178, and she reached toward the floating marble, only to be pulled in.

“Kyaah! I’m flying!”

Violet was lifted into the air.

“Grab this!”

“Got it!”

Irene extended her spear, and No. 178 clung to it before being slammed to the ground by sudden gravitational pressure.

“Ugh…”

-Crunch!

No. 178 barely managed to escape with help.

Moments later, the spot where she had been standing caved in, and the metal marble crumpled.

“I told you not to touch it!”

“It just looked so fun…”

She had narrowly avoided being flattened like dried fish.

We’d have to take this more seriously.

We collected ourselves and moved forward, carefully following Irene’s guidance to avoid anomalies.

“How did they even build a forward base in a place like this?”

“They used airships and helicopters.

The altitude of this dungeon is quite high.”

According to her, they had chosen an area deep within the dungeon free of anomalies, cleared all the trees, and transported prefabricated structures to build the base.

The hunters at the forward base also used helicopters rather than traveling on foot or by vehicle.

“They do sometimes travel on land. The anomalies in this dungeon are arranged very systematically, and the beasts are low-level.”

The closer we got to the forward base, the more the number of beasts increased.

Amidst the towering trees, we heard the rustling of twigs and the cracking of dried bark.

There was also a faint sound reminiscent of insect wings.

“It’s a Croltide. They’re coming.”

Irene pointed her spear toward the trees ahead, where swarms of glossy brown beasts with multiple legs came charging.

Low-level beasts resembling cockroaches, the Croltide.

“There’s so many!”

“Don’t worry.

Croltides are numerous, but they’re not intelligent, and their defenses are weak.

Everyone, get ready!”

“Ready! Let’s go!”

The 20-member Violet squad lined up in two rows, while Irene sliced the air lightly with her spear.

From her feet, a radiant golden light exploded outward like a sunburst.

The golden magic energy spread, enveloping us all.

“I feel stronger…!”

With golden magic enveloping our bodies, we felt power surging within us.

Though we had already enhanced our bodies with magic, the added strength felt overwhelming.

This was the effect of Irene’s unique ability, Guidance of Sunlight.

Guidance of Sunlight had two effects.

First, it temporarily amplified the user’s physical abilities, stacking with existing physical enhancements.

One Croltide flapped its wings rapidly and lunged forward, swinging its mantis-like forelegs.

Its attack trajectory aimed directly at Irene.

-Swish!

But the sharp blade-like forelegs were easily caught in Irene’s right hand.

While the Croltide struggled, Irene kicked it like a ball.

-Snap!

The beast’s body crumpled and was sent flying.

The severed foreleg dangled limply in her grasp, yellowish bodily fluid spraying everywhere.

However, the golden aura surrounding her repelled the liquid, keeping her clean.

Her radiance made her an unmistakable target, and the beasts charged her like moths to a flame.

She sliced through several in succession with her spear.

Yet, her unique ability’s effects didn’t stop there.

“I’ll take the front. Violets, handle the smaller ones!”

She deliberately stood at the forefront, drawing the beasts’ attention.

We only needed to deal with the smaller ones.

“Got it. Opening fire!”

Golden sword energy surged from Irene in waves, repelling some of the beasts, but others swarmed toward us.

The Violets quickly engaged in combat.

-Bang! Bang!

“Eat this!”

Cockroach-like beasts fluttered their wings, dodging bullets as they approached.

A Violet wielding a shotgun switched hastily to a sword and shield, forming a combination of golden and crimson magic into a blade.

-Swish!

A Croltide’s upper body twitched as it separated from its lower half.

I felt myself moving faster and hitting harder than usual.

The golden energy flowing through us was empowering us.

Beasts continued to pour out from between the trees.

As No. 201 fired an automatic rifle into the air, a Croltide leapt toward her.

-Thud!

“Ahhh!”

Its sharp forelegs cleaved through the rifle and struck her midsection.

Violet fell backward in shock.

Just as the creature lunged at her again, several spears pierced through the beast.

It thrashed wildly before collapsing, lifeless.

“201! Your waist…!”

“I’m alive…”

I clutched my aching waist.

If it had been at full force, I’d have been split in two.

Surveying the situation, I noticed a wound visible through my torn clothing.

Blood trickled out, but it was just a slight tear in the skin.

A recovery injection should heal it quickly.

This is the true power of the “Guidance of Daylight.”

Irene’s unique ability strengthens allies.

When activated, her power temporarily enhances her comrades’ physical abilities and durability.

It also imbues melee weapons with magic, increasing their offensive power.

It’s undoubtedly a skill specialized for group combat.

“Die, you cockroaches!”

The strengthened Violets formed ranks and skewered and slashed the creatures one by one.

The beasts were notoriously tough to kill, but even after their bodies were hacked apart or their heads severed, they continued to struggle violently.

Double-tapping was a necessity.

After the short battle ended, we began checking the aftermath.

“How’s the situation? Is anyone injured?”

“We’ve got two minor injuries, but no fatalities. Thanks for using your ability!”

“Don’t mention it. We’re a team, right?”

She turned and walked toward us.

The ground around Irene was covered in the dismembered bodies of insect-like beasts, writhing and oozing fluids.

“Ugh… so gross…”

It’s amazing that Irene doesn’t seem scared of things like this.

“They’re disgusting, but you need to get used to it.

Kroltides are like Skrax—they can thrive in any environment.

You’ll probably find them in the Chloris Forest we’re heading to as well.”

“But they look like cockroaches! Aren’t they gross to you?”

I pointed to the creatures’ glossy, brownish exoskeletons and hairy legs.

“There are much nastier beasts out there.

But yes, they are cockroaches.

The academic community believes these creatures are cockroaches mutated after being corrupted by ether.”

“Ugh!”

I hadn’t noticed during the fight, but now they looked absolutely horrifying.

Cockroach monsters? Really?

Even if directors Cronenberg and Howard teamed up to create a VR bug-horror game, it wouldn’t be as terrifying as this.

The Violets in the command center exchanged their opinions as they observed the field.

「We should increase the production of incendiaries. Should we get flamethrowers too?」

「No, let’s just learn fire magic from Professor Albert.」

Irene, watching us squirm at the sight of the Kroltides, made a casual remark.

“Violet, are you scared of cockroaches?”

“No! I’m not scared; I just hate them. They’re way too big!”

Irene burst into laughter.

“That’s what being scared usually means.”

“No, it’s not!”

“I’m not scared!”

As we bickered, we eventually arrived at a clearing where the outpost came into view.

The outpost was a small fortress made of reinforced concrete blocks and containers.

A small helicopter was visible on the rooftop.

“We’ve reached our destination. That’s the outpost.”

“It’s smaller than I expected.”

“Well, it’s called an outpost, but it’s primarily used to monitor potential threats approaching the safe zone.”

She gestured lightly.

“Let’s head back now. We’ve covered the basics, and you must be hungry. I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“Yes! I’m starving.”

“Me too, me too.”

The Violets chatted excitedly.

As we turned to leave, the loud roar of an engine came from above.

Through the dense branches, a white object flew by.

“Is that… the helicopter from the outpost?”

“It really is.”

Irene’s face stiffened.

“A helicopter evacuation? From the outpost? Why…”

The sound of a siren blared in the distance, toward the safe zone.

“Violets, how’s everyone’s stamina?”

“We’re fine. Why?”

She slung her spear over her back.

“There’s usually only one reason why outpost personnel evacuate—a mid-tier beast has appeared.”

“Oh no, this is bad!”

“But mid-tier beasts in this area are slow. Let’s hurry back.”

Understanding the situation, the Violets sprinted at full speed toward the safe zone.

After dispelling our clones and returning to the safe zone, the white helicopter we had seen earlier landed hurriedly in the clearing.

Hunters rushed over and began bombarding the apparent commander with questions.

“What’s going on? Why didn’t you report this?”

“Sorry! The wired network was cut off. It’s a Kroltide nest! Evacuate immediately!”

Workers nearby, realizing the situation, calmly put down their tools and began heading toward the exit.

“Unbelievable. I was planning on working overtime today…”

“Alright, everyone, stop working and move quickly. It’s not our first rodeo!”

Judging by their calm demeanor, this seemed to be a common occurrence.

We followed the others toward the exit.

Suddenly, the shimmering blue entrance of the gate warped into a chaotic swirl of inky darkness.

“Ah… ahhh! The gate’s been blocked!”

“What’s happening?”

Panic spread as people screamed in confusion.

It was understandable.

That phenomenon occurs when a warp gate malfunctions.

Entering it would mean becoming lost in spacetime.

Irene, faced with this unexpected situation, was visibly shaken.

“What’s going on? The Alcesian Forest is known for its spatial stability. I’ve never heard of the gate being blocked here…”

“What do we do? Are we trapped?”

Talk about bad luck.

We came for training and ended up in this mess.

From afar, rustling noises grew louder among the trees.

There was a sound like flapping and buzzing, getting closer.

Violet turned her head.

Focusing my magic on my eyes, I saw a rippling brown wave between the trees.

“Great… just great…”

Realizing the situation, Irene’s golden eyes wavered.

These were the same creatures we had just fought earlier.

We were now face-to-face with a swarm of hundreds of Kroltides.

Through the trees, we could see legged forms carrying large, hive-like structures.

「Eek! It’s a cockroach flood!」

The Violets watching the scene screamed in unison.