08-31 Penetrating

The abandoned lookout fort. It was apparent that it had become a base for the Unifilers.

“Alright, Land-41 to Land-60, maintain your distance while surrounding the fort, blockade them in.”

Because the Army golems did not have a stealth function installed they stayed back at a distance of about 200 meters so as not to alert the enemy.

“All members of the SP, go for the enemy base.”

The SP who successfully rescued Elsa last time were to once again sneak in and rescue Reinhardt.

“Falcon-1 to Falcon-3 stay on alert in the skies and provide backup.”

Marine-5 steered the high-speed boat Hydro-5 on which Reiko was waiting for orders with Jin.

The twelve members of the SP snuck into the enemy base without so much as a whisper. Even Jin couldn’t see them anymore.

They had already become adept at infiltrating with the earlier eighth subdivision base, so their actions were smooth. Even their coordination had become more advanced.

As a basis, the golems worked in pairs.

While one of them attracted the opponent’s attention the other would stun them.

Against people who were alone they would attack from front and the back.

If there were multiple opponents they would also face them with two or more pairs.

And like that, without even raising an alarm they continued neutralizing the enemy.

The lookouts. The perimeter guards. Gatekeepers. Indoors patrols.

One after another they were neutralized.

The bases’ structure was similar. Judging from the ages, the eighth subdivision base was a copy of this one. Because of this they were able to move even better.

“First floor side entrance captured.”

“Starting the investigation of the second floor.”

“Finished checking the first bas.e.m.e.nt floor.”

Under Jin’s supervision the reports came in one after another. Then there was finally the long-awaited report.

“Second bas.e.m.e.nt floor checked. Reinhardt-sama found.”

＊ ＊ ＊

Reinhardt, I presume, the pitch-black golem had asked. Its height was that of an average adult female.

It had pried open the door that was supposed to have been locked and had come in.

“Y-yeah. I’m Reinhardt.”

Then the black female-type golem bowed and,

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Sage. I hope you are well.”

She said.

Reinhardt didn’t understand what was going on. Then another golem of the same female type appeared and,

“Sage, let’s hurry.”

She said.

“Y-you two are?”

Reinhardt barely managed to say just that.

“We are of the SP. We were appointed to be Reinhardt-sama’s bodyguards. My name is Cosmos.”

The golem who had come in later said.

“Appointed? In that case then…”

“Yes, appointed by Father Jin.”

After that reply Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief.

“Is that so, it seems that Jin was faster than I thought. Got it, are we leaving now?”

“Yes. It’s sure to be safe for the next few moments.”

“Okay. Stearina, let’s go.”

“Uh–huh.”

Cosmos then asked.

“And she is?”

“Oh, she’s a Magi Craftsman who was abducted together with me, Stearina. I’d like you to also lead her out with us.”

“Understood. ……Let us go.”

There was a slight pause. It was because she had contacted Jin, but Reinhardt felt that she was hesitating and made a light apology.

“Sorry, I’m being selfish.”

“No, it’s no problem. However, having just the two of us would be unreliable so I’ve called for Pansy and Viola who are nearby.”

Before she had finished, two small figures had appeared. The golems had the same physique as Reiko.

“S-so you two are from the SP too?”

Reinhardt was surprised. Stearina looked speechless.

“Please make haste.”

They went from the second bas.e.m.e.nt floor to the first bas.e.m.e.nt floor. There they met with two more golems, the boy-types Pothos and Heath. Reinhardt appeared to have had something on his mind after seeing their figures.

Then to the first floor. There were three defeated guards who had been doing indoor patrols. Then a single golem appeared there.

“Leave it to me.”

Pothos said and leaped upon it. A moment later Heath also wordlessly swooped down on it.

For an instant, purple sparks scattered. It was 10,000,000-volt lightning magic. The golem was neutralized and collapsed. It made a high-pitched noise.

“They’ve realized something’s going on as we thought, huh. Let us hurry. Reinhardt-sama, Stearina-sama, please excuse us.”

“Eh?”

“Eh? Wha-what? …Eeeeeeeeeek!”

Reinhardt only spoke out in confusion, but Stearina reflexively screamed.

This was because Sage held Reinhardt while Cosmos held Stearina in her arms and started running.

Their running speed was over five times that of a human’s. It was no wonder Stearina screamed. It was like all of a sudden being on a rollercoaster.

But, that speed certainly kept the two away from danger. In one go they moved away from the old fort.

Stearina appeared to have suddenly gone quiet but it turned out she had fainted. It wasn’t a problem in particular so the two golems moved according to Jin’s orders and moved to a good distance away from the old fort.

There the golems Land-58, 59 and 60 were to guard the two even better.

“You guys are Jin’s too?”

“Yes, we are the Army golems Land-58, 59, and 60.”

Land-58 replied as their representative.

Reinhardt recalled and recognized them as the golems he had once seen on Kunlun Island. And then he re-experienced feeling Jin’s outrageousness.

“There’s no way for me to ask something like ‘please work for my country’ now, is there…”

＊ ＊ ＊

“Father, the rescue of Reinhardt-san and Stearina-san appears to have been a success.”

“Alright, then it’s finally time to attack that fort. This time let’s avoid using the Falcons as much as we can.”

There was no need to show his whole hand, so to speak.

“Jin ordered Marine-5 to move Hydro-5 near the riverbank, and then he got on land together with Reiko.”

Because Jin was now wearing reinforced armor, it was possible for him to jump to a height of two meters. He could leap to land without the boat beaching.

Jin was wearing the helmet, and by activating the night vision mode of the s.h.i.+eld visor he was able to see in the night as though it was midday.

Jin, Reiko, Land-50, and Land-51, together with Ash and Elm of the SP moved around from the riverside to the opposite side of the fort, to a place a hundred meters away from the fort’s front.

“Alright, as they didn’t heed my warning there’s no need to go easy on them. Reiko, give them our greetings starting with three shots, fire into the fort’s front wall.”

“Yes, Father.”

Reiko raised the railgun merrily and prepared to fire. Seeing her figure with the one-and-a-half meter Adamant.i.te gun barrel at the ready was extremely surreal.

“Alright, shoot!”

“Firing!”

She shot out at Mach 20 the Adamant.i.te-coated bullets which prioritized penetrating force.

Bang, there was a shocking sound and nearly simultaneously a hole three centimeters in diameter appeared in the fort’s parapet in front of them.

The bullet easily pierced the one-meter thick stone wall, kept going to and through the inner wall, and finally came to a stop at the outer wall on the opposite side.

Then another shot. And after that, another.

After having three holes punched in it, Jin tried imagining what kind of a situation was going on inside the fort.