『Jin-nii, just as I thought...』
Elsa D spoke in a sorrowful tone.
『No, we don't know for certain yet.』
By now, the Shinobi Squad had reached another two levels higher.
In the interim, they had passed what looked like recreation facilities, a library, and a reference room.
Jin made a mental note to investigate those areas thoroughly later.
『Oh? Look here. There’s a lived-in feel to this place.』
He noticed that dust was no longer piling up on the surfaces.
『...Do you think we'll actually find people?』 Elsa D whispered, her voice laced with hope.
Jin D had his doubts, but he didn't voice them.
Shortly after, they arrived at a T-junction—the first corridor intersection they had encountered in this facility.
They paused to consider their direction. To both the left and right, the intersecting corridors curved gently.
Based on the degree of the curve, it seemed a massive circular room lay directly ahead of them.
This suggested the corridor functioned as a ring around the room's perimeter, meaning it wouldn't matter which direction they chose.
Spotting a door nearby to the right, the Shinobi Squad moved toward it.
『Alright, open that door. Let's see what's inside,』 Jin D commanded, harboring a faint hope of his own.
This door utilized a different locking mechanism than the previous ones. It took a full twelve minutes to bypass it, but it finally clicked open.
When they looked inside, they were met with a familiar sight.
『...I knew it.』
Dominating the center of the circular room—which measured thirty meters across—was another massive magic circle.
『Is this... a teleportation magic circle?』 Elsa D asked.
『I believe so. Laojun, make sure you record every detail.』
『Understood, My Lord.』
A teleportation magic circle. Not a Warp Gate, not a transporter, but a different manifestation of teleportation magic. Suspecting it might prove useful in the future, Jin reiterated his order to Laojun.
『Though this one might only be for arrivals,』 he mused.
Still, he was confident it would be a vital piece of the puzzle for their analysis.
Finding nothing else of interest in the room, the Shinobi Squad stepped back out and began to circle the corridor.
After rounding roughly ninety degrees to the right, they discovered another door on the wall opposite the magic circle room.
With no other obvious way forward, they decided to proceed.
This door's lock matched the type they had seen most frequently, so it took less than two minutes to open.
Beyond it lay a wide room featuring a vertical shaft that dropped straight down.
『I wonder if they move between levels using Gravity Magic?』 Jin D concluded. There were no visible mechanical components or elevators.
However, after climbing floor after floor to get here, they had finally encountered a passage leading back down.
『My Lord, I believe it is certain that the power room occupies the deepest level,』 Laojun reported. 『Conversely, this teleportation magic circle was likely constructed on the shallowest level. It stands to reason that the residential sectors are situated in the levels between them.』
Laojun rendered a 3D model based on the path the Shinobi Squad had mapped and displayed it for Jin.
Jin temporarily disengaged from his controls to examine the visualization.
Indeed, there was a considerable horizontal distance between the power room and the teleportation magic circle room. He could also see unexplored space existing beneath the magic circle.
"I see... Hm? Wait a minute..."
An idea sparked in Jin's mind. He fell silent, pondering the thought until it took a concrete shape.
Laojun remained quiet, careful not to interrupt his master's train of thought.
Finally, Jin spoke up.
"Laojun, I want your opinion on something. Regarding this lunar facility... do you think anyone who arrives via that teleportation magic circle is automatically accepted as a guest?"
『...I see your point.』
While it should have been impossible to know who might come through that circle, Jin found the total lack of security highly suspicious.
That lack of oversight led him to his current conclusion.
『The probability of that being the case is high,』 Laojun agreed.
"Right?"
『...My Lord, are you perhaps intending to go there yourself?』
"Well, not 'myself' physically. I mean using my Doppel."
『While that might work, there is a chance the system only recognizes humans.』
"That's a risk I'll have to take. I'll bring a transporter with me so I can pull out immediately if things go sideways."
『As you wish.』
With that settled, Jin decided to use his Doppel to travel to the teleportation magic circle room via the transporter.
『Jin-nii, are you sure about this?』
『Yeah. It's not like I'm going there in my own body.』
If anything, this was exactly why he had built the high-spec Doppels in the first place.
『Should I go too?』 Elsa D asked, her concern evident.
『No, it's fine. I won't be there in person, after all.』
『My Lord, if you are going, then please allow me to accompany you,』 Anne volunteered. 『I am no match for Reiko-oneesama, but I can certainly provide you with protection.』
Anne's combat capabilities were indeed formidable—easily several times greater than those of Jin's Doppel.
『Hmm, true. Alright, Anne, I’ll leave it to you.』
『Yes, My Lord!』
Jin D and Anne began their final preparations.
Crucially, they each packed two return-trip transporters just in case.
『My Lord, we may need to send supplies to your location later. Please take a marker as well.』
Though Jin D's control core could act as a beacon, Taisei suggested taking a dedicated marker, factoring in the 380,000-kilometer distance should Hourai Island need to provide support.
『Good point. I'll take it.』
Jin D nodded at Taisei's suggestion and stowed the marker in a spare internal compartment.
Anne equipped herself with a vibration sword and a Paralyzer.
『Alright, we're ready. Taisei, take us down.』
『Understood. Commencing transfer. Three... two... one... zero!』
Jin D vanished from the central bridge of the Adriana.
In the Hourai Island command room, Elsa ceased operating Elsa D and focused on the footage being transmitted from Jin D.
As always, she sat in the chair directly beside Jin's.
Jin D materialized in the teleportation magic circle room with perfect precision. This was expected, given that the Shinobi Squad had returned to the room to serve as markers.
"Master, from this moment on, the Shinobi Squad will transition to personal guard duty."
Shinobi 1 spoke in a high-pitched voice before immediately vanishing into the shadows.
『Alright, let's head out.』
"My Lord, I shall take the lead."
No sooner had Anne stepped forward than a voice rang out through the room.
《Welcome to Uni Base.》
『Who's there?!』 Jin D demanded.
《I am the administrator of this lunar base, established on "Uni."》
So the moon's name is Uni, Jin thought as he responded.
『I am Jin, and this is Anne. What should we do next?』
《I shall open the way for you.》
Before the words had even finished echoing, a small magic circle appeared beside the large one.
『A teleportation magic circle... but this one is only for departures.』
《Correct. Please, enter.》
Though he knew it could be a trap, Jin realized they couldn't progress without playing along.
With Anne at his side, Jin D stepped onto the magic circle.