The word "ultimate weapon" was thrown out of the room, causing the group to raise their eyebrows.

"Old man, do you know what this ultimate weapon is?

It seems that even the "Mere Old Man" does not know.

<

<

"Yes, please."

No useful information was obtained from the subsequent meeting of the five.

The <<<< Shinobi Unit will continue to lie low and investigate the final weapon.

"Yes, please."

Jin tried to imagine what the ultimate weapon might be, but the lack of information made it impossible.

"A magical tool that causes <>, or a magical machine that can destroy a planet?"

"Jin-san, isn't the latter impossible?"

Rhodes seemed to have thought about it, but said he couldn't come up with anything.

"Well, I don't feel like making one either.

Jin tried to imagine ...... though he could think of many ways to do so.

"I could compound all the oxygen in the air at once and make the atmosphere unbreathable, or generate a deadly magic ray or something like that. ......"

"Well, that sounds terrifying."

Nevertheless, it is said that anything that can be imagined can one day be realized.

Jin would rather have a countermeasure than create one.

"The first thing to do with any weapon is to disable it before it is activated.

The first thing to do would be to use a device such as a transporter gun that would send them to the appropriate coordinates and transfer them to the far side of the universe.

"Then we could melt it down in an instant."

Plasma swords or super-powerful lasers," Jin said.

"Or we could wrap it in a so that it can't affect the surroundings.

There are many ways to do this," Jin concluded.

"If we can understand the principle of operation, we can make a magic tool that interferes with it, can't we?"

"Yes, that's right."

In any case, Jin and the others agreed that the idea of creating such a could not be left unchecked.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"However, it was a little painful that that man escaped from us.

"That man ...... is, ah, that Graham Darby, isn't it?"

"It's good that he became the chief executive of Avalon, but he only lasted about three years.

"But he was easy to manipulate, though."

The conversation among the <> is still going on, but it is becoming more and more like a chat. However, they are not to be taken for fools as they sometimes blurt out important information in the course of their chit-chat.

"Why don't we just get someone else and brainwash them again?

"Don't be silly. It is difficult to select . It is meaningless at the bottom, and difficult in a position with many colleagues. It is better to have someone in a position where you feel comfortable being alone."

* * *

"I see. You have thought this through."

Jin says to himself.

"Yes, he is. "Yes...and he's been brainwashed after all..."

"Yes, it seems so. Maybe that will help Marikka a little.

Rhodes says that since Marikka was sad that her student has become a terrorist, it might be a little comforting for her. Jin agrees.

<

"What?"

What?

<

One group, Shinobi I and II, were hiding in the meeting room of the <, while the other four groups were scattered throughout the base.

And now, Shinobi Kusu and Pickup had come to the innermost part of the arsenal.

（There might be something in here.)

<

(In the innermost part of the arsenal, ......, there might be a < or something like that.)

So the two of them decide to proceed more carefully. There might be a hidden room.

As a result, they found an unnatural place.

The dead end is a wall, but there is an unnatural space in front of it.

It is an empty space of about 10 meters square.

On either side of the vacant space, there are work tables, tools, and magi-machines.

(Too unnatural. ...... what do you think?)

Shinobu asked Pickup.

（It looks as if something has been carried away from here.)

Pickup replies.

(Or are they planning to put something here?)

I think about it, but I don't get an answer.

(Or is there something behind the wall or in the basement?)

Shinobu guessed so, but there was no way to confirm it.

（He wanted to use the acoustic sonar, but that would be too obvious. ...... Is there any better way to find out?

Shinobu Ku contacted the old man.

（This is Shinobu Ku. We found a suspicious space at the back of the arsenal. <

<

The reply came immediately.

Then he waited for 2 minutes.

The old man called me.

（Shinobu Ku, you got it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Old man, what in the world is this Magi-machine?"

Jin asked.

"What!

Jin couldn't help but yell out.

"Well, if such a thing is completed, it will be a disaster!

But the old man was calm.

Is that so?

.

The old man began to explain.

<<>.

"Yes.

It was after Jin's death 400 years ago, a blank period of time so to speak, and it was natural that the present Jin did not know about it.

It is also not surprising that Rhodes, who will be 126 years old this year, does not know about it.

Jin and Rhodes listened to the old man's explanation.