Jin has started the modification of Reiko.

First of all, the ether converter and mana driver were replaced with a magi reactor.

Since the wasted space has been eliminated, the output has increased by 60% due to the synergistic effect of the larger size and increased efficiency.

Next is the shield of the magi device.

The first layer is the same as before, the mithril silver shield case.

The second layer is a shield case made of grand dragon scales.

This will protect the device even more than before, but Jin has added an extra feature.

It is an extremely small .

Since it is the smallest size that Jin can make, its effective radius is only enough to cover a magi device. At most, it can cover a spherical area of 10cm in diameter, but it is enough to prevent the effect of "Aether Stampede".

If it is larger than that, it will interfere with other functions.

"A full-fledged magic canceller should be carried as a bracelet.

We put it in a mithril silver bracelet that would be suitable for Reiko. The design is simple.

"Okay, done. I'll do some maintenance while I'm at ......."

Reiko is made of a durable material, but considering its function, it is not surprising if it deteriorates quickly.

Jin is replacing the magical skin and muscles with materials that have been treated with free ether to make them more durable.

The joints are re-examined and skeletal distortions are checked. Satisfied, Jin smiles.

"Reiko, start it up."

"Yes, father."

Everything is finished, and Reiko wakes up with a more perfect body.

Hitoshi explained to Reiko the functions of each device.

"So we can use part of the increased output for the magic canceller?

"That's right. And the real magic canceller is the bracelet. It has a beam angle of about 120 degrees in the direction of the magecrystal attached to it.

"I understand."

Another magic canceller was to be mounted on Pegasus 1 to support Falcon 2 and 3 in addition to Pegasus 2 and 3.

Jin himself wanted to ride on Pegasus 1, but the old man and Reiko objected to it, so he ended up with a deus ex machina as a substitute.

* * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, the old man had ordered the land troops dispatched to the territory of the demon tribe to collect the transfer markers as fast as they could.

By collecting all of them in one place, he was trying to eliminate the escape route of <>.

And Lao Tzu, the mobile terminal of Lao Gong, kept on searching the movement of <>.

He keeps following the movement of across a thin ceiling board.

He would like to make a visual observation through a hole or something, but in case he is noticed, he uses a finger golem that he has secretly sent to observe him.

(Half a day...... No, you are resting for three-quarters of a day. I'm not in good shape after all?)

Then I noticed something. is not very active.

(700672 was also weakened over the years, but if it is ......?)

) So, based on this assumption, I made some observations and found some facts that support this assumption.

The operation was sluggish. It was slower than when we met Reiko and her friends, although it could be said that it was because it was not necessary.

(If it is a homunculus that is more imperfect than No. 700672, it is not surprising that it would reach its end of life earlier.

) It would be a lot easier if it would just stop working, but that does not seem to be the case.

And there was the biggest concern.

< is contacting someone or something.

It means that has other friends.

If Lao Tzu could have just attacked and it would all be over, he would have done so by now, but this is the reason why he did not.

A mysterious associate. Or it may be a subordinate. Their identities are unknown.

The identity of this mysterious fellow is unknown, because they communicate with each other by symbols, using little or no words.

We barely know that they are called <<13>.

We do not even know what kind of technology they have. < will come out after we defeat it.

There are so many uncertainties that even Lao Tzu could not attack directly.

<, he would have made the situation worse, which would have been a complete defeat.

Therefore, Lao Tzu was trying to find out who was the mysterious person behind the <>.

As he was doing so, he came to know one more thing.

It seems that <> has been weakened.

Still, we can't underestimate it, since we still don't know the identities of the many Magi-machines in this base.

（It may be impossible to be perfect.)

Lao Tzu decided to attack <> as soon as he found an opportunity.

At that time, <> once disappeared by metastasis.

In a few seconds, the "Negador001" came back (apparently, it was somewhere in the middle of the world).

(Apparently, it attacked somewhere.)

Since the main body of the doll was not known to the old man, he concluded that the doll had most likely attacked an unknown clan.

The reason why we determined that it was an attack is because the absence of the attacker was short. That is, they threw something like a bomb and came back again.

And the bomb that <> uses is ...... "Aether Stampede".

(I'm afraid I've already caused a casualty. ...... I can't hesitate any longer.)

* * * *

<

And he was in contact with other clans.

Among them, the clans of the < clan were the most reliable, as they were in contact with each other and had given his own daughter, Bemiarche, in marriage to the chief's son, Dogmaraud.

"Hmm, an "ether stampede"?　Is he the one who can cause it? ......"

The opponent is Florodorus, the clan leader of the Ashes. He is the father of Dogmaraud, who once confronted Reiko.

< is a powerful clan among the extremists, along with the , and has about 150 members. They specialize in explosion magic, and many of them can also use gravity and shifting magic.

Therefore, it was natural that BAHUROSK relied on them.

Furthermore, the clan leader of the clan had been killed, and his son, Rydros, had become the new clan leader to unite the frenzied clans, but Rydros also agreed with Bafrosk and offered his cooperation.

<>.

"So the other party is called Negador?　Who is he?

"I heard that he is a magical creature created by our distant ancestors and that he hates us.

That's hard to believe.

"I can see that. But whoever they are, they've slaughtered 90% of my clan.

That's true.

I don't think it will end there. The next target may be the ash heap.

Just as we were talking about that.

Suddenly there was a man who came out of nowhere.

"Dad!"

"What is it, Dogmaraud?"

Florodorus, interrupted in the middle of his conversation, said in a slightly grumpy tone.

"The clans of the <> have been wiped out!"

"What!"

The clan of <> is a mid-sized militant clan of about 50 members.

"When I visited them to ask for their cooperation, I found ......."

Dogumaraud can use transfer magic, so he was on his way as an emissary to the other clans.

When asked about the situation, it was thought that it was caused by an "ether stampede".

"Unnu...... well done ...... to your people!"

The demon clans have strong ties within their clans, but not so much between clans. However, now we are in a situation where we cannot afford to say such things.

The radical clan leaders could understand this as much as they wanted to.