08-26 New Equipment

After finis.h.i.+ng the helmet, Jin kept thinking.

“Father, it’s soon lunchtime. Didn’t you have a promise with Elsa-san to have lunch together?”

Reiko said and Jin once more remembered.

“Ah, that’s right. Well, shall we go to Kunlun Island then?”

“Yes.”

The habit of having lunch with Elsa was very good for Jin who, if left alone, would fall into a disorderly way of life.

And that’s why lately even Reiko had been starting to be sympathetic with Elsa and Mine.

Jin warped to Hourai Island along with Reiko.

“Welcome, Jin-sama.”

Mine had come to greet them.

“I came for lunch today too.”

Jin said and Mine replied,

“Elsa’s been waiting.”

She then led him to the table. On the front of the mansion there was a table by which Elsa was sitting. Appropriately for spring, a single white cloud floated in the blue skies.

“Jin-nii, welcome.”

“Hey Elsa.”

“Fine weather. It’s warm today. Jin-nii, aren’t you hot in all those clothes?”

Jin was still wearing his winter clothing. His underwear and s.h.i.+rt made out of a Ground Spider’s silk protected against the cold in addition to breathing well.

That’s why Jin didn’t mix up his attire very much. However, apparently as Elsa was a girl she was a bit curious about it. Because it was no longer the season for winter clothing.

“It’s so warm today so we decided to eat outside.”

Mine spoke while carrying the food over and so that’s where the talk about clothes ended.

There was a gentle warm breeze; it was certainly the perfect weather for having lunch outside.

While slowly eating, Jin recited the story he had heard from Reinhardt last night to Elsa.

“Stearina-san told Rai-nii a story like that?”

“Mh-hm.”

“The unifilers are… Scary.”

Elsa said and her shoulders trembled a little. Jin cheered her up, saying,

“It’s fine, you’ll be safe here. I’m with you too. Reinhardt also has bodyguards following him.”

To calm down Elsa, he told her that he had decided to increase the SP’s number of personnel so he could secretly protect some acquaintances. This made Elsa smile a little and nod.

“Mm, Jin-nii.”

“Well, it’s about time for me to go back. See you tomorrow.”

“Mm, see you, tomorrow.”

After returning to Hourai Island, Jin thought about the clothes Elsa spoke of. Then it suddenly occurred to him.

“Devil beast materials…That’s right!”

For example, let’s use the Death Serpent.

Its body is covered with scales and then with skin. The scales are solid, but the skin is tough too. But how tough?

Even though they’re devil beasts, as living beings they’ve got skin which is elastic. However, when Reiko struck them they made a sound as if she had struck a lump of metal. Why was this?

One part of it was that a devil beast’s outer skin has the property of becoming harder against impacts or pressure.

Against an impact like someone’s blow, in a moment it hardens to the same degree as metal. Even with the localized pressure of for example fangs, claws, or edged tools the same reaction occurs.

This was a self-defense reaction that utilized Magic Energy. Utilizing such a material’s special nature it can be made to stretch and contract by applying Magic Energy.

Automata and golems use this property in their Magical Muscles, and Reiko’s skin which was supple but didn’t tear even when smas.h.i.+ng up boulders indeed had this property too.

First, Jin thought to use this material in his clothes.

The pants he was now wearing were made out of a magical beast’s leather. They were durable and flexible. However, they didn’t harden.

“The thinnest part of this Sea Dragon’s leather is…As I thought, the abdomen, huh.”

If you picture a j.a.panese dragon with a body two times fatter, that’s a Sea Dragon. Its surface area is also larger, and different parts of the skin have different properties.

The abdomen, including the lower abdomen, had a skin that was somewhat thin and the most elastic.

“It’s got to be a jumpsuit after all.”

He planned to make a jumpsuit out of the leather. He was able to use the Craft Magic [Fusion] together with some [Forming] on the leather, so it was ideal for the purpose.

However, its color was a purplish black. This would go with the Adamant.i.te-coated silver grey helmet finished a short while ago. It was way too subdued.

“First, a prototype.”

As it was possible to use [Forming] it was fine to make it a little loose or a little tight, and so Jin went ahead with manufacturing.

The Sea Dragon’s leather that couldn’t be cut with simply scissors was readily cut through with a [Water Jet], he then used [Fusion] and in a few moments a suit of clothes was complete.

And then when he was about to put it on.

“Ah, there’s no zipper.”

Jin realized that there was no fasteners not to mention zippers.

“Oh well. I suppose I’ll finish it with the Craft Magic [Joint].”

Jin adopted the easiest measure considering this was just a prototype.

“Here we go. …Ah, it’s too tight. [Forming]. …Now it’s too large, huh. [Forming].”

While wearing the clothes he revised them multiple times, and at last Jin finished his personal leather jumpsuit.

“Hmm, now let’s diffuse Magic Energy into this. …Owowowow!”

Apparently it was the wrong way to diffuse Magic Energy into it, as the clothes contracted around and pressed on Jin all at once. Even so, as he hadn’t used much Magic Energy it was not a big deal. If it had taken for example Reiko’s ordinary power output, all the bones in his body would’ve been broken.

“Father, are you alright!?”

Reiko who had been silently watching asked with worry in her voice.

“…Yeah, I’m fine. It was just a bit of a blunder.”

This time he poured in Magic Energy more carefully. The jumpsuit hardened.

“Reiko, use a little…Let’s see, use one percent power and directly… Wait no, get that over there… That’s right, take that branch and try hitting me with it.”

If Reiko hit him directly he had no idea how he’d end up, so Jin wanted to do the performance test as gently as possible at first.

In the end, he found out that it was well able to endure a blow from Reiko at ten percent power. However, the final result was that Jin had been magnificently sent flying and Reiko had rushed behind him to catch him with her super speed.

And then Jin was too frightened to test any more than that.

“Well, this is fine. Let’s use this as a base and add plenty of features.”

He had only thought to use it as the base for the armor, so Jin who judged that the hard part was now over with became more cheerful.

“It may be impossible to control the expanding and constricting well.”

Even for Jin this wasn’t a simple task. Making just the parts that corresponded to muscles constrict was a herculean task.

The unrelated parts also constricted, or the muscles constricted more than they were supposed to.

Reiko who was watching also looked thrilled.

Then finally he had an idea.

That was to affix additional Magical Muscles on top of the jumpsuit. Using them it would be easy to understand to where and how much Magic Energy he wanted to pour in.

“It’s got an awful appearance though.”

It was just like an anatomical model with muscles attached. If one saw this in some dark place one would faint.

However, about the performance. It could support Jin’s movements and about double his strength. It seemed that any more and Jin’s bones wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Just the muscles were stronger, and having weak bones support them wouldn’t let it display enough of its power.

“Nevertheless, well, the defensive power is first-cla.s.s. If it lets me double my strength then I suppose it’s a success. Although rather than a power suit this is ‘reinforced clothing’.”

For now, Jin was glad of his success.

“However, this appearance is a little…”

A muscled anatomical model was too spooky.

“Ah, that’s right, why don’t I just put another layer outside.”

With the three-layered structure he somehow managed to make it look normal to the outside.

＊ ＊ ＊

“The branch head of the eighth subdivision, Purcell, has come back fleeing.”

“The branch head of the eighth subdivision…Oh, that ne’er-do-well? He’s a fellow who got branch head status by using his wealth.”

“Yes, and then after once getting Elsa Randol in his hands he let her get recaptured or something like that.”

“Hmph, how incompetent. So, what about the person who took her back?”

“Yes, that appears to have been Jin Nidou.”

“Huh.”

“And in so doing, Jin Nidou gave us Unifilers the warning of ‘do not get involved with us’, and then appears to have completely destroyed the stronghold of the eighth subdivision with pillars of light.”

“Pillars of light? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I do not know. Purcell’s explanation wasn’t to the point, you see.”

“Hmph, a ne’er-do-well is a ne’er-do-well no matter what, huh. Oh well. Send the report to the head of magic technologies. They’ll probably be able to expose the true nature of these, quote, pillars of light, unquote.”

“Yes sir.”

“‘Do not get involved with us’ you say? What prattle from the likes of a Magi Craftsman.”

“It is as you say.”

“Nevermind Jin Nidou, Reinhardt and that other lady have apparently made contact?”

“Yes, they appear to be in Dali.”

“Alright. Urgently have the two secured.”

“At once.”