"So, you're saying they soak this armor in liquid metal and then apply the Fluid Form Drive to it?"
Jin nodded with a satisfied smile at Elsa’s words. "Exactly. Though it’s just my theory for now."
Still, he felt he wasn't far off the mark.
"And another thing," Jin continued. "The one that attacked the Nostalgia security golems back in the Kingdom of Egerea... I think that was something else entirely."
"...Because of the weight?"
"Exactly, Elsa. If the foam were completely filled with liquid metal, it might be that heavy, but if it's just soaked in, it would only be about as heavy as a normal golem, or maybe a little more."
"Precisely, My Lord. I have just finished verifying your hypothesis, and I concur," Laojun added.
"Then it’s almost certain that the golem from Egerea and the one that entered the Gonpetition as a late entry are two different units."
"Yes. There is roughly a fifty-fifty chance that both belong to the same organization or individual."
"Even if they have different owners, their goal seems to be the same: building up a library of movement patterns."
One was illegal, and while Phantom was currently participating legitimately, both seemed to be pursuing the same objective through different means.
"Are they... competing?"
"Hmm? What was that, Elsa?"
"Competing. I was wondering if these two types of golems are each trying different methods to see which one can become the strongest."
"I see..."
Jin was impressed by the idea; he hadn't considered that possibility at all.
"If that’s the case, then maybe it’s the unconscious man, rather than Jix, who stole the technology from Jidan."
"...Though that still doesn't explain what they plan to do once they're 'strong,'" Elsa noted.
"Yeah, that’s the real question."
To Jin, if a researcher simply wanted to build a powerful golem, there were much better ways to go about it. Jix’s group was making enemies for themselves, showing a total lack of foresight.
"Anyway, I'm really curious about those barrels..."
He was dying to know exactly what kind of fluid metal they contained.
Meanwhile, back in the infirmary at the Celuroa Kingdom’s Gonpetition venue...
"Ugh... Where am I?"
The man who had fainted finally opened his eyes.
"You're in the infirmary," the healer watching over him replied. The man's eyes widened.
"...What happened to the Gonpetition?"
"Oh, did you come to watch? The afternoon session is just about to start."
Just then, a massive roar of cheers echoed through the building.
"Ah, there it goes. It’s begun."
The man let out a small, relieved sigh. "...I made it... in time..."
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! We have reached the final stage of the Gonpetition! This is it—the moment of truth!"
"Two semifinals and the grand final. Three matches to decide which golem stands at the top. I can’t wait."
The nobles in the VIP seats were equally enthralled, likely already planning which creators to scout based on the results.
"Our commentator, Mr. Tolf, this has been quite an exciting event, hasn't it?"
"It certainly has, MC. I think we can expect great things for next year and beyond."
While the Shouro Empire's Gonkrenz was held sporadically, the golem industry in the Celuroa Kingdom was developed enough to support an annual competition.
"Now, for the first match of the semifinals... No. 1, Stahl Ritter, versus No. 40, Alte Krieger!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Both contestants are in the ring. This stage is a ten-meter square; a ring-out results in an immediate loss."
"So victory can be achieved through more than just a direct strike. By the way, the stage itself is made of stone and has been treated with Toughening by several magi. It won't break easily, even under the weight of a golem battle."
"Thank you, Mr. Tolf....And here we go! Both are wielding greatswords!"
"Those blades are intimidating just to look at. This is going to be a fascinating match."
"Begin!"
The signal was given, but neither golem moved. They stood their ground, staring each other down. As similar types, they were clearly waiting for the other to blink first.
"Neither side is making a move."
"Actually, look closer. The gap between them is closing, millimeter by millimeter. They are moving."
Just as the commentator said, the three-meter distance had shrunk to two-and-a-half, and it continued to dwindle. With agonizing slowness—at a snail's pace—the two closed in.
When the distance fell below two meters, a sharp clack echoed as the wooden swords collided. Both units had swung their greatswords simultaneously, meeting in mid-air.
Then, the static tension shattered into explosive motion.
"Incredible! What a clash!"
They swung their massive greatswords as if they were shortswords, blades clashing repeatedly. Their skills seemed perfectly matched.
However, as the fight progressed, Alte Krieger began to slowly gain ground.
"Mr. Tolf, what’s happening here?"
"Well, while they are technically equal, a difference in power has emerged."
"Power?"
"Yes. Even with the same technique, Alte Krieger seems to have slightly more raw strength."
Jin’s Doppel observed from the judges' seats. Naturally, Laojun was the one at the helm.
(As My Lord deduced, Stahl Ritter is capable of distributing its limited power sources as needed. However, its switching speed isn't quite fast enough.)
A battle like this required a holistic application of force. Without strength in the arms, hips, and legs simultaneously, one would be pushed back. Stahl Ritter's mana tank had a limited output, so it had to shuffle that energy—to its arms for a swing, its hips and legs to brace for a clash, its feet to lunge. But there was a bottleneck in how quickly it could redirect that flow.
Ultimately, it had been forced to stabilize its output into a balanced average, which meant it was losing the tug-of-war against Alte Krieger’s superior base specs.
"It looked like a dead heat at first, but Alte Krieger is definitely pushing Stahl Ritter back!"
By now, Stahl Ritter was stuck entirely on the defensive.
And then, it happened.
"Ah! Stahl Ritter’s sword has been parried! It’s wide open! And Alte Krieger lands a heavy blow!"
Stahl Ritter’s blade was knocked upward, leaving its torso completely vulnerable. Alte Krieger lunged forward, delivering a horizontal slash across the chest. A clean, dark line appeared on Stahl Ritter’s armor.
"Match over!" the referee shouted.
"Winner: No. 40, Alte Krieger!"
The stadium exploded into thunderous applause and cheers.
"What a fight, Mr. Tolf."
"Indeed, MC. Since they were so similar in style, it eventually came down to a difference in their basic specifications."
Now, it was finally Phantom’s turn.
Laojun, still controlling the Doppel, contacted Jin so he could witness it firsthand.
"So it's time....Thanks for calling me."
Jin arrived in the command room from the workshop and thanked Laojun. He turned his eyes to the magi-screen.
There, the battle between No. 41 Phantom and No. 2 Zaberer was just about to begin.