"Wait, for me?"
Saki spread out a vest for Jin to see. It had been dyed black, giving it a sophisticated, understated look.
"Take a look here. It’s lined with mithril to ensure your mana circulates as efficiently as possible."
According to the explanation from Saki and Elsa, Ancient Dragon leather on its own lacked directionality when infused with mana. Using an electrical analogy, it was like static electricity that just built up with nowhere to go.
To solve this, Saki had designed the vest with specific incisions and a mithril lining, allowing the mana to circulate naturally without any conscious effort from the wearer.
By doing so, the wearer’s surplus mana—the energy that leaked out subconsciously—could be efficiently cycled to bolster the garment's durability.
"Wow, that’s impressive!"
Unintentionally, they had constructed a theory similar to Jin's and discovered their own unique solution.
"Isn't it? We agonized over the shape and placement of the lining, but we finally settled on this form."
Jin immediately tried it on. The fit was perfect. Moreover, it was lighter than any protective gear he had worn before.
"Ah, this is excellent. Truly great work, Saki, Elsa."
"Mm. I’m glad... you like it," Elsa said softly.
The material boasted a level of defensive power several grades higher than the magical beast leather he had used previously.
"But if it’s this good, I’d like to make them for everyone in the family, too. Within reason, of course, so they aren't too conspicuous."
"I thought you might say that," Saki replied with a grin. "Elsa and I will look into it. We might ask some of the others for help if we need to."
Stearena, for instance, had a superior eye for design.
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I'll leave it to you."
And so, it was decided that a dedicated line of clothing for the Jin Family would be developed.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next morning, Jin and Reiko arrived in the Former Leonard Kingdom aboard Pegasus 1. High above, Falcon 1 through 5 were monitoring the ground to provide backup.
They had chosen a location far from any settlements to ensure there would be no witnesses.
"All right, Reiko, try casting Harden on the road surface."
"Yes, Father. Harden."
The Craft Magic Harden was one of Jin's original spells. It allowed him to solidify the earth as if it were paved.
Jin’s goal was to reinforce the unstable sections of the highway that the Golias units had previously trodden down.
With that single cast of Harden, a fifty-meter stretch of road solidified instantly.
"Hmm. The control is still a bit imprecise."
From Jin's professional perspective, the magic hadn't been applied with the level of precision he desired.
"I am sorry, Father."
"No need to apologize. Try it again."
"Yes."
Jin and Reiko continued their practice as they moved along the road.
After about ten attempts, Reiko gradually grew accustomed to the output. By the time they reached twenty repetitions, she was able to manipulate Harden with absolute precision.
"Good. That’s much better. Let's move on."
They continued their journey, reinforcing the fragile parts of the highway that had been flagged during the advance survey.
"Now, this spot is a bit different."
Jin and Reiko were currently standing in a rocky area.
Normally, this was terrain that would have required a cutting or a tunnel to be constructed. A massive rock wall stood directly in the path of the highway, which had followed a nearly horizontal course until this point.
The current road detoured around the rock, making it a difficult trek. There were several bottlenecks so narrow that it was a miracle the Golias units had managed to squeeze through at all.
"As I explained earlier, we're going to create a cutting here. Reiko, give it a try."
"Yes, Father."
This was a chance for her to test her improved physical capabilities. While she had grown accustomed to regulating her power for daily life, Jin still had concerns about her control during high-output combat situations.
"Then... here I go!"
Reiko kicked off the ground and charged the rock wall, unleashing a single punch.
"Ah."
"Oh."
The shock from the punch caused the rock wall—standing some twenty meters high—to shatter and collapse.
The stone came down with a thunderous roar, sending up a massive cloud of dust.
"...I-I am terribly sorry it turned out like this..."
Reiko hung her head, looking small. But Jin offered a gentle word of comfort.
"Don't worry about it. That’s what this training is for. Just be more careful with the next one."
"Yes."
They cleared the rubble from the collapsed wall, leveled the ground, and ran the highway straight through.
"...Well, the end result is that it’s much easier to pass through now."
With the obstruction gone, the road could finally follow a straight path.
There were several similar spots nearby. By the second location, Reiko seemed to have already mastered the necessary adjustment of her strength.
"Ha!"
She unleashed a rapid succession of punches, destroying only the targeted sections of the rock.
Debris flew. In less than ten minutes, Reiko succeeded in gouging out a section of bedrock ten meters thick.
Back when she had wandered the world searching for Jin, it had taken her nearly half a day to bore a hole through desert rock; now, she could do it in minutes. It was undeniable proof that both her strength and her control had evolved.
"Father, it is finished."
"Yeah, that’s incredible. Well done."
Basking in Jin's praise, Reiko smiled happily.
After they had cleared three more locations to straighten the road, Jin assured Reiko that her power control was now perfectly fine. Just as he was about to suggest they take a break, they heard a rustling sound in the thicket.
"Hmm?"
Jin turned toward the noise. A Saber Boar emerged from the brush. It seemed agitated as it came charging toward them.
"Stop right there."
Reiko stepped forward and delivered a light blow to the Saber Boar's snout. With just that single strike, the beast died instantly.
"Splendid, Reiko."
Neither too strong nor too weak. In a single day, Reiko had become proficient in her new body.
"Shall we take this Saber Boar back? We can all have it for dinner."
Since it was essentially a wild pig, it was perfectly edible. Not wanting the death to be in vain, Jin decided to put the animal to good use.
"Father, that sounds lovely, but something is pursuing this Saber Boar."
"Eh?"
The 'something' that had riled up the Saber Boar appeared a minute later.
"An armor turtle?"
The armor turtle was a terrestrial turtle found in rocky terrain. Their hard shells were often used for craftwork, and they typically grew to about one meter in length. Although they were herbivores, they were known to be aggressive when provoked, charging at speeds up to fifty kilometers per hour. Between their speed and their hard bodies, even a Saber Boar would usually choose to flee.
"But that one... looks a bit off."
Its length exceeded two meters, and its head was adorned with protrusions not seen on a normal armor turtle.
"Could it be a magical beast?"
"Let's see how it behaves."
Jin and Reiko boarded Pegasus 1 and ascended into the sky to observe.
As they watched, the armor turtle—which had been running at about twenty kilometers per hour—came to a halt and began devouring the carcass of the Saber Boar Reiko had killed.
"What?! Armor turtles are supposed to be herbivores, aren't they?"
"Father, it looks similar, but it is a different creature... It appears to be a magical beast."
Reiko had been scanning its magic signature. It was evidently a new species or a mutation.
"What shall we do?"
"Hmm. It’s not bothering us, so we could just leave it, but..."
There was a human settlement about twenty kilometers away. If the armor monster turtle continued on its current path, there was a high probability it would reach the village.
"Let's watch it a little longer."
Jin decided on a compromise, observing the creature's behavior for a few more minutes.
The armor monster turtle finished devouring the Saber Boar—bones and all—in about five minutes before resuming its march. It was heading straight for the settlement.
"Let's follow it."
Pegasus 1 trailed the creature as it moved at a steady thirty kilometers per hour.
"That armor turtle... No, let's call it an armor monster turtle," Jin named it, following his usual habit. "The armor monster turtle is definitely a carnivore. And a ferocious one at that."
It was fast, and along the way, it caught and devoured three mountain deer it encountered. It was moving with enough aggression to potentially devastate the local ecosystem.
"We should probably take care of it."
The creature was now only ten kilometers from the settlement, having closed more than half the distance.
"I understand."
Without waiting for Jin to say another word, Reiko jumped from Pegasus 1.
Though the drop was about fifty meters, she used her force generator to land as softly as a feather.
"I have no personal grudge against you, but you are a threat to the balance of this land."
Muttering the words as if reasoning with the beast, Reiko pointed her right index finger at the armor monster turtle.
"Laser."
She fired a laser beam as thin as a strand of hair.
It struck with absolute precision, piercing the armor monster turtle from head to tail and killing it in an instant.
Watching the sequence from above, Jin was immensely pleased with Reiko’s progress.
He used a transporter gun to send the armor monster turtle to Hourai Island, where it could be researched and utilized for materials.
He decided to have Laojun investigate why such a creature had appeared in the first place.
With their task complete, Jin, Reiko, and the Falcon units returned to Hourai Island.