Even after bearing fruit, metal does not rest.
A laboratory located beneath the fortress of the Metalum Empire.
Inside a tank where metal gears meshed with precision around a wave-control device, a silver metal core and the dark blue wave core of the Aqua Empire had been placed together.
Keldren, the laboratory director, peered carefully at the cores and said,
“At last…… the wave cycle is stable. No major backlash occurs even under strong pressure.”
Bzzzt…… bzzzzzt……
The two types of cores pressed close against one another, producing a noise.
Oruma and his retainers also watched the scene in silence.
At that moment, the two cores trembled faintly, as if they had become unstable for an instant, and a certain transparent light began to shimmer at their center.
“It’s working…… It’s working……”
The reaction that occurred between the two cores was neither fusion in the sense of an explosion nor a blaze.
It was a vibration of condensed order, as though a new law were being created.
Waves reflected off the walls of the tank, and a certain vapor formed.
And within it, a single structure bearing a new order slowly took shape.
Sssssss……
“W-what is this?”
As the pale vapor cleared and revealed a spherical object, Keldren examined it closely.
It was a transparent crystal.
Inside walls as clear and hard as condensed water, a regular lattice unique to metal was intertwined, and a faint blue light flowed through the gaps in that lattice.
“Core fusion has succeeded!”
Keldren shouted.
Oruma, his retainers, and the researchers all gathered around to confirm the fused core.
The core was perfectly symmetrical, and whether it was moving or not, it quietly emitted a stable light.
Oruma said in a low voice,
“Their water flows, and metal tempers itself from within. When the two meet, a static flow is born.”
Just as Oruma said, the new core did not move like a wave, yet its luster shone without cease.
He slowly looked around.
“The name of this core is the Crystal Core.”
Peron said,
“This is the substance called crystal?”
“That is correct. A solid form that holds the hue of water. When we and water meet, it is another direction of existence that can be born.”
Oruma answered and held up the Crystal Core.
“Ooooooh……”
Around them, sounds rang out that might have been admiration or cheers.
And after that brief atmosphere of emotion, Keldren and the other researchers began moving busily again.
They still had work left to do.
In another area of the laboratory, a different kind of core was piled up.
They were the earth cores of the Terra Empire that Oruma had obtained from Terramont.
The researchers immediately began studying the next experimental subject.
A heavy, yellowish-brown core.
Its surface was uneven, and though its interior could not be seen well, some kind of wave remained within it in its own way.
The researcher Lenma explained to Keldren,
“Terra’s cores appear to be stable like ours. However, they move even less than ours do. They do not react much to external stimuli either.”
“A core that does not move. Or perhaps, a core that refuses to move?”
When Keldren asked, Lenma thought for a moment before answering.
“I believe it is the latter. For that reason, fusion with our metal cores is judged to be somewhat difficult. It seems as though they try to resist stimulation.”
Keldren silently stared at the earth core.
It did not scatter like fire, flow like water, or stretch outward like wood—a core with a literally heavy center.
“Why did Terra give these to us? And so many of them, at that?”
Lenma answered as if it were no great matter.
“Perhaps they intend to demand some price from us. They probably want us to create a new type of soldier with these and return a portion of them. I wonder if they lack the ability to try it themselves.”
“Hmm.”
Keldren carefully touched the earth core with his fingertip.
“Perhaps we may gain new knowledge from these.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Keldren looked back at the Crystal Core and said,
“We provided water with a path to flow. Now this water flows within us. But can we teach that path to soil as well? Conversely, what if soil and stone were to embrace us?”
Silence settled over the laboratory once more.
The weight of the earth core, too, slowly sank inward.
The outside of the fortress was just as busy.
Having succeeded in creating the Crystal Core, Metalum fused the remaining wave cores with metal cores and converted them all into Crystal Cores.
“His Majesty has issued an order. We will construct the Crystal Barracks!”
As soon as Crasso shouted, the assemblers all began moving in perfect order.
Soon, a structure with a unique luster was assembled in an open space a short distance from Oruka.
Within a transparent yet solid frame, a wave-like sheen flowed in a regular pattern, wrapping around the outer walls layer by layer.
One assembler said,
“Crystal Barracks, basic structure assembly complete. Applying cooling circulation circuit.”
Another assembler also shouted,
“Conditions resistant to heat and pressure secured. Continuing work.”
At last, the blue Crystal Barracks was completed.
Within the Metalum Empire, which seemed hard and rigid, the completed barracks trembled like a living organism.
Agnon asked Crasso,
“How are the soldiers created now?”
“There is a space at the center of the barracks where cores are inserted. Like us, countless plates will assemble together to form soldiers.”
“Good.”
Soon, several Crystal Cores were placed inside the barracks.
And after a short while, the first soldier, a Crystal Infantry, emerged from the barracks’ generation frame.
“Indeed……”
“As expected……”
Agnon and Crasso quietly marveled.
The Crystal Infantry resembled the Metal Infantry, but its exterior was composed of translucent blue crystal.
Instead of metal, its joints were woven from long, slender crystals like bones, and inside them, blue circuits glowed as though alive and moving.
“My word, remarkable.”
The Metal Infantry watching the sight each made their own remarks.
“I’ve never seen a color like that before. Is it metal made from water?”
“If one had to define it, I suppose that would be correct.”
“Somehow it looks harder than us. Is such a thing possible?”
The Crystal Infantry walked slowly.
The crystals composing its body did not waver in the slightest, like metal, and left almost no recoil against the ground.
Their swords were not as sharp as the swords of the Metal Infantry, nor as hard as the hammers of the Steel Knights.
However, their swords were swift and sturdy.
In a mock battle against the Metal Infantry, they knew how to avoid the opponent’s attacks and swing their swords at the proper moment.
Also, when they received an impact, they subtly restructured part of the crystals in their bodies to absorb the shock.
“Ooooooh……!”
The soldiers and citizens watching their battle expressed their astonishment.
Oruma, too, quietly watched the Crystal Barracks from one side.
“The flow follows our command, and bears order within its body. So this is vibration within stillness.”
Oruma and his retainers gathered in the meeting room within the fortress.
Velkar spoke first.
“I have truly never seen anything like that before. Something other than metal like us……”
Peron also added a word.
“Now I understand why everyone researches dual-attribute cores. The world looks new.”
Oruma said heavily,
“Even so, we have no leisure at all. Now tell me where these Crystal Infantry will be useful.”
Peron spoke again.
“They are truly the natural enemy of those Ignis bastards. Crystal will never melt in their fire. It is expected that they will be greatly flustered when they see it stand firm against their flames.”
Agnon answered next.
“They would also be a threat to Sylva. Of course, the energy of water aids wood, but our stronger energy will offset even that mutual generation and attack the wood. Sylva has not yet caused us any particularly great harm, but if we must protect Terra, then we will have no choice but to deploy them…… correct?”
Even as Agnon answered, he watched Oruma’s expression.
Oruma nodded calmly.
“That is correct. We have already completed negotiations with Terra. The fact that Terra has handed over even their own cores to us means that they need us. We, too, have plans to advance gladly toward the center.”
Oruma rose from the throne, looked east toward where Terra was located, and continued speaking.
“But before executing the plan, our calculations must be careful. Crystal and slime. Which is stronger?”
After thinking deeply, Peron answered,
“Crystal is metal and water, while slime is water and wood. Metal attacks wood, but water aids wood. Therefore, crystal cannot harm slime.”
“Hmm?!”
The retainers all looked at Peron at once.
Oruma spoke again.
“Continue.”
“However, if slime is powerful, then wood can instead overwhelm our metal. Their water has no effect on either metal or water, and only wood reacts to metal.”
Crystal and slime were originally in a relationship where they did not greatly affect one another.
However, if the power of slime grew stronger, it could wear down crystal.
Oruma said calmly,
“Nothing can counter everything in every circumstance. Instead, will it not certainly be a threat to Ignis? In any case, now is the time to observe Sylva’s movements.”
Oruma looked back and forth between Aqua and Sylva on the map and asked,
“What is Sylva doing now?”
Agnon answered,
“It seems they are plotting something in the northeast. The northeast is also where they meet Aqua. It appears they intend to move together with Aqua.”
At his answer, Oruma spoke again.
“Their movements are predictable after all. Slime is their creation, so naturally they intend to gather Slime Infantry with Aqua and come. There is enough time. Those Terra fellows will narrowly escape death thanks to us again this time. It is fortunate that we created the Crystal Infantry at the right moment.”
Velkar looked at him.
“What do you intend to do with the Crystal Infantry?”
“It is simple. You will soon see.”
Oruma then gave an order to Agnon.
“Even now, about half of our army must be stationed within Terra. Reinforce those forces with Steel Knights and Crystal Infantry. We must prepare to meet them.”
“Yes. I will obey.”
The earth at the center had once been shaken.
However, thanks to solid metal, they had been able to maintain their position.
Soon, the time would come when waves and roots surged toward the center once again.
What could stop them would be a weight with an unmoving resolve and form.
How would the Terra Empire oppose them now?