Volume 8 - Chapter 26 – New Equipment (2/2)

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-class. 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.”