“The walls are closing in!”
Jin’s Body Double, Jin D, shouted as the left and right walls of the room began to inch inward.
However, their progress was incredibly slow.
“Hmm. It seems this is related to the characters appearing on the door,” Helente remarked, her voice perfectly composed. To Jin’s eyes, the markings looked like abstract patterns, but to Helente, they were legible text.
“The top line is a numerical display. 188... 187... 186... It’s a countdown.”
“Then that’s likely the time limit before the walls crush us,” Jin concluded, making a rough estimate based on the speed of the encroaching stone.
“So, what do the other characters say?”
“Understood. Leave it to me. It is a logic puzzle.”
“Read it out.”
“‘There are eight gems identical in color, shape, and size. Only one is heavy; the other seven are of equal weight. What is the minimum number of times you must use a balance scale to find the heavy one with certainty?’”
“Huh...”
It was a famous problem Jin had heard before, though in his world, the riddle usually involved coins rather than gems.
“They think the same way we do, it seems... The answer is ‘two.’”
“Indeed.”
Helente manipulated a button-like interface in the center of the door and entered the number two. Immediately, the walls ground to a halt.
“Looks like that was the right answer.”
“Yes. It seems such brain teasers were a common form of leisure for the Progenitors.”
“I take it there’s more?”
“It appears another problem must be solved to unlock the door.”
“What is it this time?”
“‘I can sit there. ** can sit there. ++ can sit there. But where is the one place where only you cannot sit?’”
“What?”
“The Masters were fond of these thought games. ** and ++ refer to pets that do not exist on Ars.”
“No, I get the structure, but...”
Jin had heard a similar riddle before and knew the answer. Still, a trace of anxiety flickered within him—was it really going to be that simple?
“Is the answer ‘your own lap’?”
“Yes, that is correct. You are quite perceptive,” Helente said as she entered the answer and confirmed it. With a low rumble, the walls retracted to their original positions.
“Only one remains.”
“There’s still more?”
“Do not complain. Let’s see... ‘What belongs to you, but is used by others more than yourself?’”
Jin knew this one as well. He had used it many times when entertaining the younger children back at the facility.
“A name.”
“Correct again. You truly are impressive, Lord of Kunlun.”
“...”
Jin wasn't entirely sure how to feel about being praised for solving children’s riddles. Regardless of his internal conflict, the door finally slid open.
“Let’s proceed.”
“Right.”
The group filed out of the room in order: Helente first, followed by Land 11, Jin D, and then Land units 12 through 15. The path ahead was yet another corridor similar to the ones they had already traversed.
“Think there are any more traps?”
“I cannot guarantee safety. If things were as they once were, there would be no more, but in the current state of the facility...”
Before Helente could finish her sentence, something moved at the far end of the passage. Jin had been considering taking a moment to engrave a teleportation magic circle, but it seemed time had run out.
“Is it a Deformed Golem...?”
The party braced for combat.
“No, that is a golem of the same model as myself,” Helente noted. “It was likely dispatched by the brain managing this sector.”
Uncertain of its intent, the group remained on guard.
[Intruders, state your objective.]
“The normalization of this facility,” Helente stepped forward to answer. The opposing golem also featured a mohawk-like protrusion on its head, confirming it was indeed the same model.
[That is a welcome response.]
“What?” Helente blinked, surprised by the unexpected cooperation.
[It is clear to us that the Central Brain is malfunctioning. If you can correct it—or rather, if you are willing to correct it—then we will offer our full cooperation. I am Auxiliary Golem No. 066.]
“I see. No. 066, I am Helente. These are my collaborators, the Lord of Kunlun and the Land squad.”
[Understood. I look forward to our cooperation.]
“Then to start, can you guide us to the Central Brain?”
[Of course. Follow me.]
No. 066 turned and began to lead them back the way it had come. Jin and the others followed.
“Laojun, do you think it can be trusted?”
Back on Hourai Island, Jin voiced his doubts to his advisor as he watched the scene unfold.
“No, My Lord. I believe there is a significant possibility that this is a trap.”
“I thought so. How should we play this?”
“We should keep the Land squad at a distance to serve as backup in case of an emergency.”
“Good idea.”
“Furthermore, one unit should be left behind to engrave a teleportation magic circle as a fallback.”
“Right. Let’s do it.”
Dropping back from the advancing group, Land 14 activated his Invisible spell to hide his presence and remained at a fixed point in the corridor. It seemed the enemy's sensors failed to detect his concealment.
“I’ll engrave it here.”
Land 14 was equipped with a specialized Magi Trans Gun, a tool capable of discharging specific magic spells instantaneously. By using the Forming spell, he could carve a functional magic circle directly into the metal floor. The device was shaped like a bulky firearm and functioned by activating magic recorded onto interchangeable cartridges. If a Fire Storm cartridge were loaded, it would unleash a tempest of flames; if a Healing cartridge were used, it would mend wounds.
This time, the cartridge was set to Forming, programmed to manifest a teleportation magic circle.
It took a few seconds of focused concentration, but he successfully engraved the circle into the floor. With this, bringing in reinforcements from Kunlun Island would be a simple matter.
“How much further?” Helente asked.
[We are almost there. Our destination lies beyond the door at the end of this hall.]
“Understood.”
Jin D, Helente, and the remaining Land units—11, 12, 13, and 15—pressed onward toward the final door.