Jin spent his time agonizing over what kind of ship he should build next.
"My Lord, if you would permit a suggestion... Perhaps it might be interesting to build a vessel while imposing certain 'restrictions'?"
"Restrictions?"
"Yes. Instead of using the excessive resources available on Hourai Island, you would build it using the ordinary materials found throughout this world."
"Oh, I see..."
In that case, the only thing that would be extraordinary would be Jin's magi craft techniques. It would mean he could construct the same vessel anywhere, and furthermore, he could travel openly to any port without drawing undue suspicion.
"That might be interesting."
Once he began thinking along those lines, the concept came together in an instant.
"A total length of ten meters and a width of four meters. Primarily wooden construction, partially reinforced with 64 light silver. For propulsion, I'll use Aqua Thrusters, adapted from the Wind Thruster design..."
The worries he had harbored until now vanished as the basic specifications were decided smoothly.
"A maximum capacity of eight people, with living space secured for four."
Looking back at his previous ideas, it was clear he had been trying to reconcile contradictory requirements. Even a Magi Craft Meister couldn't make conflicting conditions coexist perfectly without compromise.
"I'll install a small Warp Gate and a force generator for emergencies."
As he spoke, a rough blueprint took shape in Jin's mind.
He committed the design to paper—or rather, to a sheet of tanned magical beast hide. The result was a ship that, despite using common materials, would likely possess the highest performance standards in the world.
"Alright, Reiko, let's get to work. First, we'll gather the materials."
"Yes, Father."
The construction took place not in the laboratory, but in a corner of the shipyard built near Tatsumi Bay. At the moment, cruisers were being built in the main docks.
Glancing at the larger projects, Jin set to work on his own ship.
He decided to construct the hull out of teak.
Teak is a tropical wood mainly found in Asia; it is hard and naturally oily, making it highly resistant to water. It was a classic choice for ship decking. Since Hourai Island was situated on the Tropic of Cancer, teak grew wild in abundance, and they had a significant stockpile of timber.
"I'll use 64 light silver for reinforcement in specific areas."
Jin utilized a monocoque structure for the hull, where the outer skin bears the structural load. This maximized the internal volume, which was crucial for providing comfort and habitability in such a small vessel.
Essentially, the hull was hollow. To achieve this, Jin employed several techniques unique to a Magi Craft Meister.
"Joint. Toughening."
Jin finished the hull by integrating the joints into a single piece and reinforcing the material's strength.
"You look like you're having fun, Father."
Reiko, who was assisting him, looked equally pleased.
With Elsa absent, it was just the two of them crafting together, which reminded Reiko of the early days of Hourai Island’s development.
(Back then, Father relied only on me...)
Even now, Jin doted on Reiko and relied on her more than anyone else. Reiko understood that as Jin’s circle of companions grew, it was only natural for his attention to be divided, and she knew that it was ultimately a good thing for him.
Even so, being the sole focus of his attention brought Reiko a joy that was beyond compare.
"Alright, next is the Aqua Thruster."
Jin crafted the main housing out of water-resistant 64 light silver. He could have used bronze, but he decided that this much luxury wouldn't hurt.
In addition to the rudder, he installed nozzles on the sides of the hull so the Aqua Thrusters could assist in steering. Including the reverse thrusters, a total of ten units were installed.
Power for these units was supplied by a mana tank rather than a magi reactor, matching the configuration of a standard golem. However, he also installed a mana supply machine equipped with an ether converter, effectively allowing the ship to operate indefinitely without refueling.
This inefficient setup was, of course, a form of camouflage.
"Now for the finishing touches."
Having completed about eighty percent of the build in under three hours, Jin moved on to the interior living space.
"I'd like to be able to stay overnight on the ship if needed."
Though space was tight, he installed four single beds. Additionally, he included built-in sofas and a table.
"It’s nice to have a place to relax."
He added a small refrigerator to store food and drinks. And, of course, he didn't forget to install the emergency Warp Gate.
"I suppose I should load some weapons for defense, just in case."
With Reiko by his side, there was little to fear, but Jin preferred to be thorough. To ensure they could repel even a Death Sea Serpent, he installed one small laser cannon and one magi-cannon.
"This is so we don't have to worry if something goes wrong."
The interior was completed with the installation of a manacam for communication, a magi-detector, a compass, a searchlight, and a force generator.
"A bright color would be best."
He coated the exterior of the hull with urushi mixed with light silver powder, giving the ship a brilliant, silver-white sheen.
Once they had loaded lifebuoys, food, water, and recovery medicine, the work was finished.
The sun was still high in the sky when they completed the task. Before launching the boat into Tatsumi Bay, Jin decided to hold a proper naming ceremony.
Based on Jin's limited knowledge, ships were treated as female and had to be named before they touched the water. He suspected he might be getting some of the finer details wrong, but he decided to proceed with his own version of the tradition.
"The name is... Shark. Reiko, you do the honors."
"I understand."
Reiko used black urushi to write "SHARK" on the silver hull, and Jin applied the Add spell.
Urushi does not simply dry; it polymerizes and hardens through a reaction with moisture and oxygen in the air. Jin used Add to provide the necessary elements for an instant cure.
"Alright, Reiko."
"I hereby name thee 'Shark'."
As the formal words left Reiko's lips, she and Jin boarded the Shark and moved it toward the water. The process was effortless thanks to the force generator.
The Shark slid smoothly into Tatsumi Bay, coming to rest upon the calm, glass-like surface of the sea.
"Now for the maiden voyage."
After confirming the hull's balance and checking for any leaks, Jin activated the Aqua Thrusters.
The Shark began to move slowly. Jin started with a maneuverability check within the bay. He checked for leaks once more, but everything was perfect.
"Alright, let's head for the open sea."
Confident that the Shark was functioning correctly, Jin decided to put its overall performance to the test.
The ship headed for the open ocean at double its previous speed. It was just past 2:00 PM. To be safe, Laojun ordered Sky 1 and Sky 2 to provide aerial escort.
Once they reached the open sea, Jin began the maximum speed test. He activated all Aqua Thrusters except for the reverse units, sending the Shark racing across the water.
"Oh, this is even faster than I expected!"
"My Lord, you are currently traveling at approximately sixty kilometers per hour."
A report came in from Laojun, who was monitoring their position via magi-radar.
"I see. That's more than enough."
While it couldn't match the speed of the Hydro series, having eight inefficient Aqua Thrusters running at full capacity was still a formidable sight.
"Alright, let's try the force generator."
Jin moved on to testing the maximum emergency speed. The ocean was calm today, providing the perfect conditions for a trial.
"Switch, on."
The force generator hummed to life, and the output was gradually increased. Acceleration enveloped the entire hull. While the passengers felt no physical G-force, the ship rapidly picked up speed.
"My Lord, you have exceeded one hundred kilometers per hour. One hundred ten... one hundred twenty... one hundred thirty..."
Once they reached one hundred fifty kilometers per hour, Jin slowly throttled down the force generator's output and brought it to a halt.
"That's plenty. In an emergency, we could probably push it past two hundred."
For a ten-meter vessel, two hundred kilometers per hour was an absurdly high speed.
To ensure the boat was never stolen, he decided to station two forty-centimeter Little-Smiths on the Shark as dedicated security. Their orders were to neutralize any intruders or, if all else failed, scuttle the ship to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Shortly after 4:00 PM, the Shark turned back toward Tatsumi Bay, cutting through a sea dyed crimson by the setting sun.
"If I'm going to build a proper fleet, I'll need geostationary satellites to track our positions..."
Jin began to reconsider the idea of launching satellites, which had failed once before. If he used force generators instead of Gravity Magic, the process should be simple.
"This is getting fun..." Jin murmured, watching Hourai Island grow larger through the Shark's windshield.
Seeing Jin looking so happy, Reiko couldn't help but smile too.