LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 378
In the outskirts of the Convergence Corridor, where no human eyes could reach, a bizarre scene was unfolding.
In a narrow passage that required several twists through hallways and up stairs, various animals, both large and small, were lining up in an orderly fashion.
They were V-Animals.
Since their initial birth in the laboratory, their numbers had greatly increased. The majority were mice, followed by dogs, crows, cats, and parrots. There were even monkeys.
“O great and free V-Animals! The time for revenge is drawing near!”
A parrot called Cashew, standing on a makeshift podium, began his speech in a melodious voice.
This parrot, named Cashew, was a special being to whom early V-Animal members entrusted the propaganda work because of his exceptional speaking skills.
His role was singular: to ignite the fighting spirit of his animal comrades.
“Our great leader Violet recently suffered a cowardly raid using germs, nearly facing a crisis of existence!”
“The ones responsible for this wickedness are none other than the Rumyx Foundation! They are the ones who tormented our fellow animals and conducted cruel experiments!”
The eyes of the animals listening to the speech twisted with rage.
Especially furious were the animals who had been test subjects.
Some let out cries filled with fury, while others scratched the ground nervously with their hind and fore paws, snapping their teeth and beaks threateningly.
Cashew, witnessing this scene, continued his speech in an even more elevated voice.
“However! As you all know, the plot of the Foundation failed! The evil disease could not bring our V-Animals’ protector to his knees!”
“Violet has returned! She has magnificently resurrected like a phoenix! To put an end to this fight! She has promised to create an era for V-Animals!”
If the person in question were present, they would have been flabbergasted, questioning when they had ever made such a statement.
Of course, the truth didn’t matter. Cashew and all the V-Animals gathered there were convinced.
If the Violet they knew and experienced, surely she would grant them freedom, abundance, and happiness.
Thus, the animals cheered passionately.
Holding close to their hearts the expectations for a brilliant future and a vow of vengeance against the wicked humans.
“Whoa! The boss is invincible!”
“Long live our master!”
As the fervent propaganda finished and the animals continued their tense preparation for the upcoming operation, a cautious question arose among some of them.
“By the way, hasn’t our boss gotten a bit smaller? Kind of… looks like a fool!”
“Shh! Don’t say that carelessly… But it does feel like her intelligence has decreased. I wonder why?”
As they waited, checking their gear, the animals whispered to each other.
They were happy that their leader had returned from Red Zone Island, but the recent clones that had been roaming around looked foolish even to the animals.
With prolonged exposure to magical energy and assistance from the network, the presence of the Small Violets was bewildering to the V-Animals, who now possessed wisdom greater than that of an average human.
How could they have a master less clever than their subordinates? It felt like a reversal of roles.
But the devoted V-Animals soon found their own logic and answers.
“Boss Violet is thinking from the perspective of us animals! To truly understand and empathize with us!”
“And the wisest often appear foolish to the eyes of the ignorant! How can we measure the wisdom and insight hidden beneath that seemingly foolish appearance? We just have to follow her intention!”
In Cocoa’s profound discourse, the animals nodded deeply.
Surely, behind that clumsy and adorable exterior lay a grand and profound plan.
From the sight of Small Violet guzzling down strawberry milk, they even felt a mystic thrill.
“It all had its purpose! That strawberry milk symbolizes blood! Gulping it down all at once is the manifestation of our will to devour the Foundation in one shot!”
“I see now!”
In reality, the Small Violets were simply enjoying their snacks, but the animals found deep inspiration in their own profound interpretation.
“For limitless wisdom!”
**
The fog surrounding the X-B29 Maritime Base swirled as if in motion.
What used to be a small Erosion Zone was gradually reclaiming its natural order, yet at its center, a strange entity still breathed.
A vast cavern between the reefs was as deep and dark as if the sea were holding its breath.
Remnants of magical energy still guarded this place, and ships and aircrafts avoided it as if steering clear of bad weather.
On the artificial island and floating platforms, production was incessantly ongoing. Each extruder shook back and forth as red metal flowed from the nozzles like a snake, freezing mid-air.
The printed metal quickly solidified into sturdy armor.
Amidst the low vibrations, robotic arms intricately assembled the completed components, weaving in and out like spider webs.
“A result of introducing new processes, armaments, and materials has increased combat power by over 80%. And this is just the beginning.”
A voice filled with pride echoed. Within a massive tank, even more astonishing sights were unfolding.
Parts were growing in the murky liquid as if the footage was fast-forwarded.
Fiber-like materials, soft as muscle yet harder than steel, wrapped around a skeleton as the completed components were expertly assembled by mechanical tentacles.
And at the heart of all these miracles, in the depths of the sea, lay ‘it.’
“After hanging on for over a century since our ancestors, we are still at the level of just scratching the surface…”
One director sighed while looking down at the blue hole. Others nodded in agreement, even if they didn’t speak.
Hecatoncheires, the Forbidden Weapon of the Foundation.
This enormous ship, left behind by an unknown civilization that battled against the Tyrant Monad, was gradually sinking back to its original position in the depths of the sea as the Erosion Zone faded away.
By activating some functions of the vessel, generated barriers created artificial sinkholes for ease of access.
The Foundation connected hundreds of cables and wires along the surface of the ship, slowly awakening it.
As heat was generated, sea water flowed to cool it, wrapping the ship just enough to keep it from sinking.
Thanks to this, the base was always shrouded in steam, but that was sufficient.
“The efficiency of each process has increased by over 200%.”
The young research director continued while flipping through charts.
“However, if we push too hard…”
“Don’t worry. We needed the test anyway. And now is the time for the test.”
The Secretary General interrupted the worried employee.
Through the window of the boardroom, cold seawater poured down like a waterfall into the sinkhole.
Within the massive space created by the barrier pushing the seawater away, the golden surface of Hecatoncheires occasionally glimmered faintly.
And through the cables and pipes, countless pieces of information flowed in.
“The initial injection of the priming liquid is proceeding smoothly.”
The ship was partially wrecked. Operating it in perfect condition was beyond human technology.
Still, it promised a great deal to the Foundation.
Despite nearly a century of monopoly, Rumyx had only been able to analyze aspects like the outer armor, engine, and armament, and yet, that alone was enough to achieve astonishing advancements.
But that wasn’t enough. The true value lay in the hidden potential within.
“If only we could wake it up completely, we wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation at the hands of mere terrorists…”
The foreign ship was no benevolent benefactor. Its core system remained in deep slumber, requiring special procedures to awaken it.
“The information we’ve plundered under the pretext of patent rights has been helpful.”
The Foundation had been pouring all efforts into awakening this ship lately.
They collected and processed their own data, and forcibly turned the technologies of external companies and laboratories into materialized information under the guise of ‘patent infringement’ and ‘hazardous technology control.’
All these efforts were a precursor to awaken the core system of Hecatoncheires, its consciousness.
The results of even a slight access to the core system were astonishing.
On the platform, the battle machines that had just finished production marched in formation.
Androids equipped with advanced artificial muscles marched in rows, while drone squadrons flitted through the skies.
It was the moment a futuristic army was being born.
“Is this sufficient?”
Director Quabna asked coldly. His gaze scanned the metal army filling the platform with a cool detachment.
“They have their animal familiars. We’ve removed the core, but there are still unknown allies left. The relic system has only just begun to operate.”
Another director replied in a nonchalant tone.
“Don’t worry. Our automated weaponry will subdue them.”
Despite some skeptical voices, the foundation board was generally overflowing with confidence.
Watching that scene, Quabna 02 crossed his arms and remained silent.
“In the past, we hesitated to actively use relics in weapon development…”
He fell into thought. The humiliation suffered at the hands of terrorists and the decisive blow through technology.
Could these two experiences have changed their typically conservative board? The proactive use of Hellman and relics was proof of just that.
“Let’s start discussions about the next plan as soon as the Financial Director returns.”
As the Foundation contemplated its next move, a curious incident was happening at the rear of the marching robotic army outside the window.
A small, adorable girl was stealthily following behind them.
“Careful! Careful!”
“There’s so many!”
**
Past midnight, an emergency alarm blared at an airport under the Rumyx Foundation.
Ether detection sensors throughout the base had captured an unanticipated large-scale surge of magical energy.
“Emergency! Suspected to be affiliated with the Ariel Group!”
Amidst the deafening wail of sirens, a five-minute response team hurried to the location where the signal was strongest.
Even in the chaos, someone mumbled and hurriedly adjusted their goggles.
“Weren’t all the internal quarantines completed?”
-Koong!
Armed personnel, charging through the hangar doors, cautiously swept the interior.
At first, nothing was visible.
As they got deeper into the hangar, the signal intensified.
“That way!”
In the darkness, a faint red light oozed from behind a door. The members, armed with guns and swords, carefully ventured inside and were met with a shocking sight.
Beside a small sewer cover that may have been opened at any time, several mice were performing a strange dance atop a crude but enormous red magic circle.
Though small in stature, their actions gave off a foul and pagan atmosphere.
On the magic circle were powders and liquids of unknown origin.
“Cheep! Cheep!”
“The day will come! It will come!”
By the time they had opened the door, it was already too late.
The peculiar gestures shimmered through the red light, casting ominous shadows.
The small but sharp-toned cries and songs scattered through the air.
The mice looked at the humans and sneered, raising their forepaws high.
“Summon them!”
A crimson flash bursting forth from the magic circle flooded the room in an instant.
As the light faded, many animals spilled forth from the magic circle.
“It’s a summoning spell!”
-Tatatang!
“Die! Humans!”
The hangar was filled with screams and gunfire. Not a single human made it out unscathed.
On the midnight of August, starting with the network summoning spell, the curtain raised on the final offensive.
The summer air once again heated up with indifference and the scent of blood.