The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

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“Our weapon production plan hit a snag right from the start.”

“Doesn’t make sense to say you don’t know! You’re a factory!”

“I totally forgot everything! I was supposed to know it all… Ugh! Why is this happening?”

Hekatonkheires’s reaction was unexpected.

I thought it would be limited since it only had a central core, but it seems it had lost its knowledge too.

It was like watching someone panic like they had amnesia.

“What the heck, did this guy turn into a complete idiot?”

“Aw! What’s this? The main functions of my core are deactivated! The manufacturing support functions are off!”

While we were deep in thought, it seemed to sense something was wrong and quickly started pouting.

“It must be because of the Commander!”

“What are you talking about? We’re geniuses!”

Logically, connecting to our genius Violets should have made it smarter.

The fact it hadn’t means there’s something wrong with this guy.

Maybe we picked up a scrap ship, or that Hekatonkheires became a fool due to some experiments by the Foundation.

Just then, Rugilinn’s Iron Fist, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.

“Hey, didn’t you say you had data from the Foundation? Why not give it to Kale?”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”

Immediately, I went to retrieve the Foundation’s data from the hangar.

One new problem arose—where to plug it in.

“Why isn’t it fitting?”

As I was fumbling around with its golden core, I could feel a pair of eyes watching me closely.

“What are you doing? A storage device? Wait, there’s no way we’ll match specifications! Hold on, are you really trying to stuff this primitive device into me, a cutting-edge battleship?”

To an alien warship, the devices made by humans probably looked like clay tablets or papyrus.

Well, I can understand that perspective. But what’s important is this.

“So, what now?”

It really seemed like there was no other way for it.

“I don’t know! Even if you give me this, I can’t read it… Oh, wait. I have an idea.”

“What idea?”

“Deep in my head, there are some design blueprints that floated up. Emergency analysis systems and manufacturing support info for this initialized state!”

“So, you’ve got that… Wait, could this actually be useful?”

Somewhere in the far-off Academy City, a document was pulled out by Violet Barracks Unit 441, and I transmitted the visual information to it.

What was included in the document were organized materials on the Foundation’s captured equipment and research facilities.

I added rough explanations of what sort of roles the machines played.

After a while, its eyes lit up in a way that was anything but ordinary.

“Hmm, there are a lot of machines I’ve never seen before. Some are primitive! But… great! This might work!”

Kale quickly asked for writing instruments and started sketching something.

“Is there anyone who can operate this?”

“Of course!”

Our Violets always had ways to make things happen.

“Let’s bring in some prisoners of war!”

I’d have to bring in people who were undergoing personnel checks before being put into the Violet Laboratory.

We’ve got a list of relatively cooperative prisoners, so we could pick from that and figure something out.

“Alright! Let’s call them in.”

I stepped outside the hangar and sent a message to Iron Fist.

“Take good care of that guy. Help him out if he has any questions!”

“Got it, Commander.”

So September rolled around.

While I was busy tracking down the remnants of the Foundation, I was also checking out the new Aegis juniors at the academy.

New things were being established in the hangar.

“Faster than I expected.”

“Looks like Kale is giving direct orders! Want to see?”

“No! Not that! Put that over there! This one goes here! Great, crank the voltage up!”

I might not know how to make weapons, but it seemed this was something he could manage.

On either side of the central core in the hangar were different setups. One side had various machines and equipment, while the other featured people in work uniforms and neat lab coats.

“Alright! Your mission is to start feeding data into that core!”

Equipment and all sorts of unnamed devices that had been procured locally were lined up around the core under heavy surveillance.

Notably, there were machines entwined around the core. Wires sprouting from familiar white flower-shaped devices intertwined like spiderwebs, connecting to complex setups.

“Isn’t that the Nimosis Protocol?”

“Ah! Yes! That’s right!”

When I asked the scientist who was working, they startled and began explaining hurriedly.

“The computation devices of alien ships accept and process data differently than ours. It must be formatted to their specifications to transmit.”

“So if that’s the case… that’s the end result?”

“Correct.”

In one corner of the room stood a server containing some of the archived data. It was connected to the Nimosis Protocol device in the hangar, and the flower-shaped device was vibrating incessantly, processing the incoming data.

What was at the end of that was a translucent case filled with a mysterious substance that seemed to hover somewhere between liquid and gas, radiating a blue light.

Looking at it, Kale nodded with satisfaction.

“Ooh, not bad for a civilization with such low levels! Yes! I need this Ichor to properly activate my wise computation system! The blood of knowledge and information!”

So that’s what they call Ichor. I’m starting to get a vague idea of what it is.

As the Violets watched with fierce gazes, the extracted Ichor flowed through certain pipes and into the central core.

“Ooh! I can feel it! The blood of knowledge! The purity might be lower, but my core is activating!”

Kale shouted in excitement. The core, which had emitted a gentle glow, was now shining even brighter.

As the main unit powered up, the bio-terminal girl couldn’t help but bounce around.

She soon stopped caring about the stares around her. The blue-haired girl twirled around with a giggle.

“Perfect! I feel like I can do anything!”

She declared confidently. I pulled the slave scientists back and cautiously asked.

“Uh, so do you feel like you know something now?”

“… Nope, Ichor is just the substance that activates my core! That alone won’t suddenly make me know everything.”

Iron Fist, who had been watching, piped up.

“But Kale, things are better than before, right? You might be able to do something now.”

“Hmm, it’s you, the tank. Hold on. Are you sure? I feel like I might know something… or not. Ah, bring me the tools and equipment from this world. I need to try making something with my own hands.”

“Here you go.”

“Whoa! That’s a dimensional storage system. I can’t believe such advanced technology exists in this primitive civilization… Ugh, what is this? It’s so crude. These are primitive devices that should’ve been weeded out eons ago in Nornir…”

With complaints like that, it sent me an image of something.

It was an image sent from Hekatonkheires’s network.

I received it and read it.

What sprang to mind was a monkey making a stone axe.

“That’s all you’ve got? Just use that for now. What else do you need?”

“I need more equipment! I need a workbench and machines too!”

Well, if it asked nicely, I’d have to bring it. Let’s just watch and see what it can do. If things get dicey, Iron Fist can jump in to help out.

“Call me when you’re done!”

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As the new semester rolled in September, the Violets were bustling again.

First, I needed to explain everything that had happened to the academy.

Others may not know, but the Headmaster knew my identity.

“So you taught those Foundation folks a lesson!”

“Yep, you wouldn’t believe how surprised I was when a drone squad suddenly flew toward the academy. Turns out it was all thanks to the clones.”

Headmaster Brecht had a slightly embarrassed expression.

“… Yeah, Rumyx and Laplacian have oppressed others too much using knowledge as leverage. It’s fortunate they’ve fallen.”

“Right? I did a good job!”

“… But next time, it would be nice if you could at least let me know where you planted the clones around the academy. It’s a relief other academies went through similar experiences…”

Upon hearing that, I realized just how reckless I had been.

It was lucky that the Foundation hadn’t dug up every inch; otherwise, we could’ve caused a big mess for the academy.

Things had calmed down a bit, but the war between us and the Foundation was still a hot topic in the public eye.

“Let’s not plant me inside the academy anymore!”

“Agreed.”

With the academy’s minor issues and preparing for the second-year semester, we had a mountain of tasks ahead of us.

However, there was something even more meaningful.

I’ve become a senior now!

Seeing the newcomers brought a wave of nostalgia.

“So those kids are our juniors?”

Suddenly, I thought of Ariel and her friends in the hospital, feeling a pang of sadness.

While their conditions had improved a bit while we fought the Foundation, when they would be discharged was still uncertain.

Still, if things go well, there might be an opportunity for them to prepare to enroll into Aegis Academy. They say most problems should be resolved this year.

“Lucian is doing well!”

“Getting called big brother and bro by the kids seems to suit him.”

Imagining how I’d tell Ariel about the heroics of the Ariel Group, I dashed through the stuck corridors.

“Step aside!”

There still might be some enemy stragglers around. I swung my hammer and cracked an enemy on the back of the head.

-Clang!

“Now surrender! We will treat you as a prisoner according to the Geneva Convention!”

“The Geneva Convention? I’ve never heard of that!”

“Just pretend you have!”

-Thud!

The whining soldier of the Containment Enforcement, clutching their head, collapsed onto the floor.

Though they were agents of the notoriously infamous Patent Decapitation Squad, their current state was pitiful.

Maybe this guy had been in charge; upon seeing their comrade go down, the resisting armed agents dropped their arms and raised their hands in surrender.

“Come on! Follow me!”

One agent mumbled, trembling.

“P-Please spare us! Don’t assimilate us!”

“We don’t want to lose our selves!”

Hearing such strange things, I questioned them.

“What are you talking about?”

“Y-You’ll assimilate us and turn us into part of you, right? Please, we’ll do anything!”

Here it goes again. When did such ridiculous rumors start spreading?

The reactions of those who had seen me while tracking down the archers and other Foundation personnel were consistently the same.

Refusal, fear, and screams.

But there’s nothing to fear. I’m merciful.

“Don’t worry! I won’t assimilate you. You’re not worth it!”

“…!”

Ah, that was a slip of the tongue. The prisoners started looking at me as if I were some kind of demon.

As they obediently complied, let’s take that as a positive sign.

Amidst all the busy afterpaperwork, surprising news flew in faster than expected.

“Commander, it’s done. Come see!”

When I received Iron Fist’s call and was dispatched, what I saw was an unexpected scene.

“What’s going on here?”

The inside of the hangar was filled with machines of unknown origin.

 

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