[What more do you desire?]
《This planet, Ars, does not belong to Hale. It belongs to every living thing that dwells upon it now.》
[Nonsense. How many lives do you imagine were extinguished to terraform this world into a habitable state?]
《That is...》
Helente faltered, at a loss for words.
[You are no different from us. Therefore, we, the progenitors, should naturally be given precedence.]
"No, I cannot agree with that."
[What?]
Jin's Doppel (Jin D) interjected.
"Living creatures strive to survive. It is as simple as that."
[What are you implying?]
"Is it not obvious? I am saying that if their lives are threatened, they will resist."
[The savages will?]
"And just who is it that cannot even lay a finger on those 'savages'?"
[Hmph. You certainly have a silver tongue.]
"I could say the same for you..."
Jin D sounded genuinely exasperated.
"If you want assistance, you should just say so. If you did, we would not be reluctant to provide it."
[Hmph, do not speak such folly. What could we possibly ask of savages who war amongst themselves on a single planet and decimate their own population in the process?]
The owner of the voice seemed to be aware of the Great Magic War.
"That was the result of a conspiracy. In fact, nations are now working to join hands."
[That is precisely why you are savages. Joining hands? Is that not the desperate act of the weak?]
Mutual understanding with this entity seemed like a distant prospect.
《Living things engage in a struggle for existence to survive, but did we not transcend that stage tens of thousands of years ago?》
Helente spoke up once more.
《The Masters were supposed to have moved past such primal acts, living instead off the free ether supplied by the stars. Are you denying their legacy?》
[Hold your tongue, you piece of junk who knows nothing. As for myself, I merely execute my directives.]
＊ ＊ ＊
"It’s abandoned logic."
『So it seems.』
On Hourai Island, Jin and Laojun were busy analyzing the exchange.
『My Lord, the owner of the voice is likely a magi-brain.』
"Just as I thought."
『Specifically, a type capable of semi-autonomous action. The fact that it ultimately shields itself behind its orders makes that possibility extremely high.』
"I see."
『The foundation of its arguments is childish. It shows no actual intent to refute its opponent. This is a tendency often observed in units that blindly follow their programming.』
Such was Laojun's analysis. Despite being a magi-brain himself, there was a vast difference between him and this entity, as Laojun was capable of thinking and acting with true autonomy.
＊ ＊ ＊
《If it is resources you require, they exist on planets other than Ars.》
Helente did not give up, continuing her attempt to persuade the voice.
[I simply follow my instructions.]
《Do you have no free will of your own?》
[Absurd. A creation has no need for such things.]
Inadvertently, the mysterious voice had confirmed that it was a "creation"—meaning, at the very least, it was not a living being.
[If you interfere, I will show no mercy.]
《That is my line. If you endanger this planet and its inhabitants, I will not stand idly by.》
Helente had her own instructions from her Masters to protect this world; therefore, no compromise could be reached between the two.
[What can a planet of degenerated weaklings and savages possibly do?]
At this point, Jin D interjected again.
"You keep calling us savages, but do you really think you're so superior? If so, the irony is comical."
[What?]
"What have you been doing, skulkng around in the shadows because you're so afraid of those 'savages'?"
[You...]
Laojun was the one currently controlling the Doppel. He was intentionally provoking the entity, attempting to draw out a different reaction.
[The savage is insolent.]
"That's probably because you're doing things that make even a savage look down on you. To begin with, don't you find it pathetic that you have to rely on a planet inhabited by savages?"
[...]
"Oh? Have you lost your ability to respond?"
The mysterious voice fell silent, as if it were truly at a loss for words.
"Land units, maintain a perimeter. Reiko, guard us."
Taking advantage of the opening, Jin D turned his attention to Helente's condition.
"Yes, I understand," Reiko replied.
With the orders issued, Jin D seized the moment to begin an examination of the incapacitated Helente.
"Hmm, the joints have corroded, impeding movement. The muscle fibers are intact, but the attachment points have dissolved. That's why she’s locked up."
He immediately activated Craft Magic.
"Forming. Fusion. Bonding. Forming..."
The repairs were completed in about five minutes.
《I thank you, Lord of Kunlun.》
"This is only an emergency fix, so don't push yourself, alright?"
Then, as if it had been waiting for the repairs to finish, the mysterious voice rang out once more.
[As I thought, you are dangerous. I shall annihilate you here.]
It was the kind of statement that left one wondering how on earth the entity had reached such a conclusion.
＊ ＊ ＊
『My Lord, its logic is indeed fundamentally flawed.』
On Hourai Island, Laojun reached his final verdict.
"So it seems."
『We should liberate the mobile base as quickly as possible.』
"Agreed. But where do we head next?"
They couldn't proceed without a target.
『I have made a deduction based on the deployment patterns of the enemy golems. It is the room beyond the far side of that hall—specifically, the level above it.』
"Above?"
『Yes. While the terminals are located in that room, the main body is likely on the floor above.』
Laojun explained that he had estimated the layout by cross-referencing the images he had previously captured through the Peeper.
"I see. We'll leave the debate to Helente and have Reiko move ahead."
Jin then used the manacam to relay the new orders to Reiko.