“Guard three, neutralized.”


  “Front gate sentry two, neutralized.”


  In the blink of an eye, the three guards watching the stronghold’s surroundings and the two guarding the entrance were neutralized. The means was through [Stun Rod] which was similar to [Stun].

  Applied directly on skin it could produce 50,000 volts, and if used on someone with a thick leather coat it could produce up to 500,000 volts.

  The golems of the SP, alias ninja unit, did not have staves but instead were capable of stunning the enemy by shooting electricity through their own hands.

  “Back gate sentry two, neutralized.”


  In front of them who were hidden using [Stealth] on top of being multiple times stronger and faster than humans the personnel of the stronghold were neutralized one by one.

  “The number of people inside is 32. Currently 12 have been neutralized.”


  Using their internal ManaComs, one after another they sent reports to Reiko.

  “Conjectured structure of three basement floors and three aboveground floors. The material is granite. The building is relatively new.”


  They also send detailed reports of the building’s aspects. Simultaneously they were also transmitted to Laozi on Hourai Island, while Reiko did her own personal analysis of the situation.

  “There is a reaction on the second basement floor that appears to correspond to Elsa.”


  “Their leader is thought to be on the second floor upstairs in the stronghold.”


  “Currently 19 people have been neutralized. There is a possibility that they will soon notice.”


  “Alright, give maximum priority to safeguarding Elsa.”


  “Roger.”


  ＊ ＊ ＊


  “What’s wrong? What happened!”


  “I don’t know! The sentries have disappeared! The people who went to get in contact with the guards didn’t come back!”


  “Is it an enemy raid?”


  “Entirely unknown, sir!”


  “Alright, go on alert status one!”


  ＊ ＊ ＊


  “…?”


  Elsa woke up to a ruckus.

  “Is something, going, on?”


  At that time, two black-masked people came down the stairs.

  “She’s there.”


  “Ah, there’s nothing abnormal here.”


  They exchanged lines after seeing that Elsa was inside her cell. The one of them, and immediately after the other fell down.

  “?”


  In front of Elsa who didn’t know what’s what, two golems appeared.

  They were both female-types, approximately the same height as Elsa. One of them spoke.

  “Elsa-san, no doubt?”


  “Ah, yes.”


  After hearing that, the other golem appeared to make a report to someone who was not here.

  “Elsa-san discovered, she does not appear to have great wounds. She has been jailed, now beginning rescue operation.”


  That female-type golem then laid her hands on the cell’s bars, or so Elsa thought, but then the golem completely bent the heavy iron bars.

  “A, mazing.”


  The gap in the bars was plenty large enough for a person to go through, then the golem stepped inside and,

  “Excuse me.”


  She said and twisted off the restraints on Elsa’s arms and legs. However,

  “It’s very unlikely anyone but the chief can remove that choker, please endure it for a bit longer.”


  “Eh? Chi, ef?”


  “Yes. The person who made us.”


  “Could, that, person, be.”


  “Our Father, Nidou Jin.”


  “Jin, kun…”


  Tears escaped from Elsa’s eyes. She knew the truth that Jin had not forsaken her.

  “Elsa-san, can you walk?”


  “I, can.”


  “In that case please put this on.”


  The golem took a ring out of an accessory pack on her hip and handed it over to Elsa. It was something Elsa was very well-acquainted with.

  “This, is.”


  The ring Jin had first given her, the Ring of Protection. The ring that had saved Elsa multiple times. While still crying, Elsa put on the ring.

  “Come, let’s go.”


  The golems took the lead and began to walk, and Elsa said to them,

  “Wa, it, what, are, your, names?”


  If they’re Jin’s golems they surely have name, Elsa thought and asked.

  “I am Canna. She is Dahlia.”


  “Can, na, Dah, lia. Thank, you.”


  Elsa briefly said to them and began following Canna and Dahlia.

  They climbed up the stairs. When they arrived at the second floor, Dahlia who was going ahead disappeared.

  “Agh.”


  A short, mumbled scream was heard.

  In the middle of the hallway on her left-hand size was Dahlia whom Elsa had thought disappeared, and at her feet were two collapsed black-masked people.

  “You, killed, them?”


  “No, only stunned them. Since Chief dislikes murderers.”


  They once more climbed up stairs, and there in a wide lobby there were four collapsed black-masked people. In addition, two male-type golems were standing there.

  “Them, too?”


  Elsa asked when she saw the male-type golems.

  “Yes. They’re Elm and Ash.”


  The two golems in question approached them and,

  “Elsa-san, right? We will be seeing you off.”


  And thus, Elsa escaped from the stronghold that was one of the subdivisions of the Unifilers, protected by Kanna, Dahlia, Elm and Ash.

  ＊ ＊ ＊


  “Elsa! Are you okay!”


  After walking a hundred meters from the stronghold Elsa and Jin reunited.

  “Jin, kun…”


  Elsa broke in to a run, buried her face in Jin’s chest and began crying in a loud voice.

  “Jin, kun, I was, scared…”


  “Elsa…”


  Jin stroked Elsa’s back for a while, and when at last Elsa had cried herself out he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and separated their bodies. He then took a handkerchief out of his pocket and softly wiped Elsa’s face.

  “Tha, nk, you.”


  Jin got suspicious of Elsa’s voice which was even more faltering than usual, and discovered the necklace biting into her neck.

  “What’s this?”


  “Col, lar, to, se, al, ma, gic.”


  The anger on Jin’s face after hearing that was apparent. Elsa had the excess Magic Energy disorder. If Elsa’s magic was sealed then what would happen? The surplus Magic Energy could destroy Elsa’s body.

  “Those bastards put on something like this on you.”


  Jin left the task to his wrath and tore off the choker.

  “Eh?”


  Elsa was confused by the choker that she couldn’t remove no matter how hard she tried coming off so easily, but then she thought that well, it’s Jin, and she could understand.

  Then Jin examined the detached choker with [Trace] and [Inspection] magics, however

  “It doesn’t just seal magic…! They fucking wrote a magic formula on it that’s like the reverse of healing magic, gradually weakening the body.”


  Jin said with a voice full of fury, crushed the choker with his hands, and moreover gave instructions to Reiko.

  “Reiko, crush that stronghold.”