“So that means battles aren’t taking place right now.”
After calling Laojin, Jin was relieved from the situation’s change for the better.
“Master, it is most effective to crush the head instead of the arms and the legs against organizations.”
Ann’s voice then cut in. In other words, she was saying to destroy the headquarters and not the branches.
Jin made a bitter smile and said,
“Well, I suppose. I got it. Then, I’ll come back there soon. And then let’s put an end to this mess.”
“Understood. We’ll be waiting.”
Jin then cut the call. He silently returned to the plaza where Martha, Hannah, Mine, and Elsa were.
“Ah, Jin, how’d you like it, are you having fun?”
“Yeah, I’ve had enough. By the way, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Jin said and invited the four a little further away from everyone else.
“What is it, Jin?”
“Onii-chan, what’s wrong?”
Martha and Hannah looked puzzled but Mine and Elsa seemed to have a vague idea of what was going on.
“Right now, this country is being invaded.”
Jin spoke.
“The opponent is a group called the Unifiers. I plan to go stop them.”
He made the story short and simple so only Hannah looked to be full of questions, but Martha seemed to understand.
“Jin, you’ve got enough power to stop them, right?”
Martha asked a little worriedly. Sensing that, Jin puffed up with pride and replied.
“Yes.”
“After stopping them, you’ll come back here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Definitely come back. If you don’t I won’t forgive you.”
“Yes!”
“Mhm, then go, Jin. …No need to worry about Mine-san and Elsa-chan.”
Mine put a hand on her heart and said.
“Onii-chan, be careful. I’ll be waiting like a good child.”
Hannah also seemed to somehow understand things from Martha’s mood.
“Ah, I got it. I’ll absolutely come back to Hannah’s place.”
Jin leaned over, petted Hannah’s head and said. Hannah smiled while crying a bit.
“Jin-nii, be careful. And make it so that from now on no one becomes unhappy because of them.”
Elsa also said so to Jin with a serious look on her face.
“I got it. I’ll settle it here.”
“Jin-sama, please be careful. I pray for good luck in your battle.”
Mine also said a few words and saw Jin off.
“Yeah. Well then, I’ll be going.”
“Take care.”
After being seen off by his family, Jin smiled, waved his hand, and walked away.
Then Jin and Reiko returned to Hourai Island.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Laojin, report please.”
“Yes, My Lord. We’ve identified a location thought to be the headquarters of the Unifiers.”
“Oh, that’s amazing. Where is it?”
“Up in the mountains west of the town called Kashamnoor on the western shore of Lake Azul. There is a mine there, and ancient ruins. ”
“I see, so they utilized the ancient ruins and made their headquarters there? Then they also get resources to advance with the golem manufacture, huh.”
“Yes. And those hot-air balloons are after all something developed during the Great Magic War. Ann has guaranteed that.”
According to her, the devices the Unifiers called hot flying balls were developed to oppose devil beasts that can fly, but with the weakness of not being fast they ended up not having any practical use.
“And we’ve got the VTOLs too, huh.”
“In addition, Ann said that the Automata which attacked Reinhardt-san was surely the Golden Princess of Destruction. And the golem that attacked him has an interesting feature.”
“Which is?”
“It made the [Flame Ball] Reinhardt-san shoot vanish just by touching it with its hand. The result of analysis was the conjecture that it should be a function to ‘neutralize magic’.”
Once Jin heard that he tried thinking about it himself too.
“Hmm, the Gigantes from earlier could absorb Magic Energy. Maybe it’s possible by applying that. Although if it absorbs Magic Energy it probably can’t carelessly touch magi, but neutralizing magic is different.”
“Yes, I think so too.”
“In that case, as long as we don’t use magic it should be alright.”
It couldn’t defend against purely physical attacks. Jin concluded that it wouldn’t probably be a great threat.
“Is there anything else?”
“Did you hear about how we dispelled the mentally manipulated person near Reinhardt-sama?”
“Yeah, I did. It’s probably… that guy.”
Elsa’s brother’s, Fritz’s, face came to Jin’s mind.
“Also, we asked Reinhardt-sama and he copied the sword arts of Shouro Empire knights using [Transfer Info] for us.”
“Oh, isn’t that amazing! Alright, let’s copy that to the Army golems first. We’ll probably be able to somehow manage in the time before we sortie. If we’ve got time then to Hourai Island’s SP, Quinta, and other golems too.”
“At once.”
-Having said that, apparently Reinhardt went through quite the trouble having to stay quiet and not say anything.
“Was that all?”
“Yes. There’s one more thing. The personal airplane for My Lord is completed to please check it.”
“A personal airplane for me?”
Jin was told that there was a plane at a standstill in front of the research laboratory so he went out to see. Laojin’s mobile terminal ‘Laozi’ followed after him and explained.
“It’s basically a VTOL, but with reduced boarding capacity and higher maximum velocity.”
Just as he said, it was over a size smaller than the Falcon VTOLs and sleeker.
“For emergency escape equipment, a Warp Gate has been installed in the cockpit. To increase its reliability and to protect highly classified information, a second system was installed that automatically self-destructs it after transfer has been completed.”
You could indeed call a Warp Gate the ultimate escape equipment.
“For piloting, Sky-1’s Control Core was copied and an exclusive Control Core that automatically moves it was installed. Of course, in an emergency manual piloting is also possible.”
It had an autopilot. This meant that simply by Jin pointing out the destination it would work well.
“For weapons it has a Paralyzer, an Induction Radiator, laser cannons, and although small, a Magi Cannon. The precision is low but it also has a Magi Detector installed. An independent Control Core controls the armaments. In addition, for defense it has a barrier that protects against both physical and magical attacks. Of course, there’s also a [Stealth] function.”
“That’s perfect, isn’t it…”
It was as though Laojin hadn’t restrained himself. He was like Jin’s reflection in the mirror.
“It has a board capacity of five people. It can seat three people in addition to My Lord, and Reiko.”
Perhaps he had taken into consideration the time back on Kunlun Island when Jin went to the sea together with Hannah, Elsa, and Mine.
“It’s made out of 6/4 Light Silver and an estimated top speed of 800 kilometers per hour.”
That was the highest top speed among Hourai Island’s air forces.
“Amazing, to have made something like this even under your restrictions. Laojin, I’m proud of you.”
Laojin’s authority didn’t extend further than arranging already-existing inventions, yet making something like this by just combining old inventions made Jin even more impressed of Laojin
“It is a privilege to receive your praise, My Lord. Please go ahead and name the airplane.”
When told so, Jin began thinking. And after some thought,
“Alright, it’s ‘Pegasus-1’.”
He named it. Simultaneously he wrote ‘PEGASUS-1’ on the airframe with Craft Magic.
“Thank you very much. It may be redundant, but since a Magi Detector was installed, it is possible to call it using a ManaCom.”
The closer it was the more precise the Magi Detector was, so it was possible to have it detect Jin underneath it and come flying.
“I see, thanks again Laojin. Alright, I’ll take Reiko with me. And Ann, you come too.”
“Yes, master.”
Jin decided to have Ann who was well-acquainted with ancient ruins come with him. He also got the substitute puppet on board. Of course because after his remodeling it was the Mysterious Golem Master version with no resemblance to Jin.
And Jin himself, just to be absolutely sure, equipped his reinforced clothing, helmet, Masamune, Muramasa, and such then boarded Pegasus-1. Reiko also took Peach Blossom and the Magi Cannon with her as equipment.
Jin judged the preparations to now be completed and gave instructions to Laojin.
“Laojin, since this time Reiko is with me, have Mk.1 of the Titans move out. I’ll be giving broad instructions so you please take care of the details.”
“Roger that.”
“Alright, sortie all the Raptors, Falcons, and Pelicans that are able to. The Army Land troops are to board them each. Fully equip all weapons. Also bring medicine.”
Jin then asked himself if he forgot about anything. But there were Warp Gates inside the Falcons, and if push came to shove he could have things transported through the floatsink base.
“Hourai Island, sortie!”
Jin’s voice echoed and first the Raptor group took off and went ahead. This was because of the size of the floatsink base takeoff and landing wasn’t possible. Next Condor-1 which had Titan-1 on board took off. Following it Falcons from 1 to 10 took off.
Lastly Pegasus-1 which Jin was on board took to the skies of Hourai Island.
And then while Hourai Island’s air force was approaching Celuroa Kingdom, from the center of the huge lake Azul the floatsink base rose to the surface. Its top dome opened up, and a plane carrying a giant golem flew out of it.
However, being protected by a [Stealth] field no one witnessed it.
Now the battle against the Unifiers to which more than half of Hourai Island’s war potential was put into was beginning.