"The Machine-City Agartha?
Yes, sir. It's an underground city built by people who fled from Darnassia, an ancient kingdom that once flourished in the north.

　The silver-haired woman, wearing a pure white toga, smiled and answered my question politely.

''What is the ancient kingdom of Darnassia?''
It was one of the two ancient kingdoms that once vied for supremacy on this continent.

　Now Kuhn explains it to me. I'm sorry, I don't know anything about it.
　As I recall, in ancient times, two kingdoms took the initiative in fighting each other, and caused tremendous damage to the world by throwing in a lot of Golems. Was it the 'Ancient Golem War'?
　The world was destroyed once because of that war, and the current civilization recovered from that war.
　That should have been the case in the history of the western continent.

'At the time of the war, no one wanted to fight. Those who refused to fight and fled the kingdom hid in this underground facility they stumbled upon and waited for the war to end. Decades later, however, the war was not over, and they eventually made this place their second home.
''As I recall, the Ancient Golem War lasted more than three hundred years, so I can see why that would be the case...''

　Kuhn gives an explanation that backs up the words of the toga woman. More than three hundred years?
　There was a '335 Years War' on Earth, as I recall.
　But it seems that the other side surrendered after a year, but they didn't declare the end of the war or make a peace treaty.
　Later historians have said, 'Hey, this war is not over yet, is it? And then, three hundred and fifty-five years after the war began, a peace treaty was finally signed. It's a very strange story.
　It was said to be the most peaceful war in the world, which ended without a single shot being fired.

"So you are a descendant of the ancient people who settled here?

　The toga woman shook her head at Lean's words. Wasn't that it?

The humans who settled here gradually dwindled in number until they all died in about 200 years. It was difficult for them to live underground without sunlight.

　Sunlight........lack of sunlight? It's true that being a recluse doesn't seem to be good for your health.

It's called 'vitamin D deficiency'. It's said to increase susceptibility to infections and osteoporosis.
You know a lot about this...
It was in the book I brought back from Earth.

　Before I knew it, my wife absorbed more knowledge of the earth than I did. Leanne even bought books on medicine?
　...Wait a minute. If it's been two hundred years since the Great War and all the people in this city have died out, what's this woman in front of me?　I'm pretty sure the Ancient Golem War was about 5,000 years ago, right?　That means.........
　As I was wondering, Kuhn, who was standing next to me, clapped his hand with a pop.

'I see. You're an anthropomorphic golem, aren't you?
'Yes. Model number PEL-42, 'Perrajone' series, medical nursing golems, my name is Perrushka.

　The pseudo-golem, who gracefully called himself Perluska, bowed to us.
　So it's an anthropomorphic Golem. It's still difficult to distinguish between the "Ancient Aircraft Legacy" and the "Ancient Aircraft". If you look closely, the irises on both eyes look a little different from human beings.
　It doesn't seem to be that much inferior to Sheska and the other Babylon Sisters.
　Lean speaks to Perruska.

'It's for medical nursing and you haven't noticed any changes in the health of the people here?
'I was aware of it. But as generations of people changed, their fear of the earth grew, and most of them did not want to leave. They said that earth is a dead world. That they could not live off this earth.

　Hmmm, I wonder if we have accepted what our parents' generation told us to do. I don't think they're going to let their children go to a place full of killer robots, do they?

So you've been protecting this uninhabited underground city for a long time?
''Yes. Even though the people have disappeared and the city has become a 'machine city' of only golems, we have spent a long time here in a dormant state. As the Watcher of the 'Gigantes'.
"'Gigantes'?

　Perruska raised a fluttering hand and pointed out into the darkness. It was difficult to see clearly due to the fuzzy light the city gave off, but further up the pyramid-like building, there was a faint glimpse of something huge there. .........What is it?

"Come light, great brilliance, megabright.

　Lean unleashed advanced lighting magic towards it.
　A large ball of light was created in the sky above the pyramid, as if a light bulb had been turned on.
　Behind the floating pyramid-like building.
　I'm not going to be able to get it to work, but I'm going to be able to get it to work. An incredibly large mass of human-shaped machinery is buried there.
　Wait a minute........I've seen something similar to that thing before.......!

"'Hecaton Cale'...!

　That's right, the ancient decisive weapon revived by the Mage King of Isengard. It looks like that thing.

''Hecaton Cale?　'Hecaton Cale' is the decisive weapon that destroyed Isengard that your fathers defeated?
You know the decisive factor. Yes, that's one of those decisive weapons. The negative legacy left here...

　It seems that this underground facility found by those who escaped from the Darnassia Kingdom was a factory that was used to make a decisive weapon for a certain country.
　When they found it, all the people in the underground facility were dead. They were all dead in anguish.
　We don't know if there had been an accident or if something like poison gas had been sprayed there.
　The people who fled Darnassia decided to use this underground facility to hide out. Because their safety would be threatened wherever they were on the ground.
　While investigating the decisive battle weapon, Gigantes, from the few remaining documents, the people realize a terrible fact.
　This decisive weapon has already been completed. It's dormant now.

Gigantes has been put into an enforced hibernation (sleep) state. If it were to be reactivated, it would start to fulfill the orders you gave it. "Its only command is to destroy the enemy.
Enemies?
All golems that do not belong to their own country.

　What is it then?　Does that mean he's going to start wrecking all the golems in the world once he gets going?　You're being inputted with a hell of an order.

The orders input into this 'Gigantes' are the instincts of this golem, or should I say the reason for its existence. Even without a Contractor [Master], this golem will still try to execute it to the point of stupidity. Hence the negative legacy. When he wakes up, the world will be destroyed.

　As I recall, the old man of the Mage King said that at the end of the ancient Golem War, various countries were making decisive weapons like they were competing with each other. Is this one of them? Maybe it was made to compete with the country that made the Hecaton Cale.

'The world is going to end........right? Darling, what are we going to do about this?
'Hmmm, personally I'd like to destroy it because it's too much trouble, but...'
'Destruction!　What a waste!　...Oh, no, I know you can't trade it for world peace, but...

　Coon's voice fades as his parents give him a gyrating glare.
　It's just that, you know. I've been wondering if it's a good idea to destroy it without asking the steel king of Gandiris for permission, since we're in another country.
　I'm not sure if we who found this weapon of war have ownership of it, or if this country has the right to own it since it was originally on this land.
　Well, even if they claim ownership, we'll make sure that this guy doesn't activate it.

''For now, can I see that one?''
As long as you don't try to wake up Gigantes or anything like that, that's fine. But I would ask you to be extremely careful.

　Golems like them, who have no contractors, are designed to obey humans as much as possible when orders are not related to their own danger. My request is probably quite risky for them, but they seem to have managed to accept it.
　If the thing is activated, the first people targeted first will be the golems here. It's understandable that they don't want to be provoked.
　We approached Gigantes, who was buried in the wall, led by Perruzka.
　Rather than being buried in the wall, it looks like the area around the cave has collapsed and been buried.
　Just as you come to the area underneath your feet, Perushka tells you to stop.

'Don't go any closer than here. Watch me.

　As Perelushka threw a few rocks in front of him, a laser-like light ran from a small turret attached to various parts of the plane and pierced the rocks with a thump.
　Kuhn looks up at the side of Gigantes' knee where the laser was fired and opens his mouth.

'So the automatic interception system is alive and well?
Yes. That system is independent of Gigantes. They will aim at anything that moves within their attack range.

　I see. If it was such a noisy thing, they should have just destroyed it, but because of this system, the people of Agartha couldn't touch Gigantes?

''As for you guys, what do you want to do?''
'We are golems. "We are golems, and we are designed to follow the will of men. We do not go against the decisions of you humans. But we want the wishes of the people of Agartha who lived here to be fulfilled. Remove the Gigantes and let the city be truly at peace.

　The people of this city must have spent two hundred years here in fear of Gigantes and the war on earth. Considering that feeling, I think that Perruzka's wish might not be unreasonable.

''Father. [Prison].
Hey, yeah.

　I feel like my daughter is using me in a good way, but I guess it's too late now.
　Putting up 【Prison】, I stepped forward just to be sure, and the lasers rained down on my head again like rain.
　Perlujica rolls her eyes at [Prison]'s absolute defensive wall. Even though it's an anthropomorphic form, it's a well-made golem. She said it was for medical nursing or something, and maybe she needs to be expressive in order to interact with patients.
　I thought it would be better to break that turret part already due to the persistent attacks pouring down on it, but I don't want Gigantes to be activated because of it. Totally troublesome.
　We, including Perruzka, reached Gigantes' feet, and Kuhn stared at the plane up close.

''As I suspected, it has a magic mark on it. The ether lines run down to the surface of the armor. Perhaps this serves as a defensive wall to protect the aircraft from impact, so that even magic bullets are dispersed...

　Oh, no. Kuhn began to mumble. He's been doing this a long time, you know.

"How do you want to explain this? Can you break it?　Can't you break it?
''Well, the magic markings on this armor serve the same function as human skin. In other words, when stimulated, the nerves transmit it to the brain. Unless we can dismember this plane in an instant or something, I think Gigantes will definitely activate it.

　So you mean 'don't touch it, it's dangerous'. You were just digging a tunnel and you've dug up a hell of a bomb.

'Hmmm..... It's difficult, but I guess it's not impossible to handle it. If we open the [Gate] under Gigantes' feet and drop it into the crater of a volcano.......
'I hope the lava melts it down. It looks like we can put up a defensive wall, and they could crawl up from the crater.

　The suggestion I came up with is dismissed by Lean. Mmm. I certainly can't dismiss that possibility. Can't we just take a gamble or two because of the way things are?　We don't want that to blow up the volcano.

'But transferring it to another place might not be a bad idea. I suppose we could move them out of harm's way and hit them with all our frame gear.

　I see. Can you work with that?　Even though it's a decisive weapon, it's not going to be stronger than an evil god. With the help of everyone else, I think we can do it.
　If that's the case, I'll have to talk to the Steel King even more. The other side has probably already left the castle, so we can't go to pick him up at the [Gate] now.
　It will take about an hour, so we should visit the underground city of Agartha and wait.
　We left Gigantes for a while and looked around the underground city under the guidance of Perluska.
　Since it was originally the manufacturing plant of Gigantes, it seems that ancient technology was used everywhere, and Kuhn was very excited the whole time.
　Time flew by and it was only an hour later that the Iron and Steel King's party showed up through the tunnel we had dug.

''I didn't expect to find such ruins in our country...''

　A group of Gandiris looks in amazement at the underground city of Agartha and Gigantes.
　They introduce Perruzica and talk about the problems this city is facing. Well, what to do with this Gigantes........

''A decisive weapon of war......... I didn't know that a decisive battle weapon existed in our country as well as in Isengard. This is a difficult question........

　The Steel King is struggling to keep his head above water. The decisive weapon is a mass of ancient technology. It is a treasure trove for Gandiris, which has many engineers. But if it's mishandled, it could destroy the country.

Your Majesty, this may be a unique opportunity. ''Your Majesty, this may be a unique opportunity. If we examine the decisive weapon, we may be able to revive our lost ancient technology...''
Are you going to fall into the same rut as Isengard?　You want this place to be vacated?　There's too much to weigh on the scale.

　The Steel King replied to the words from the knights under his command, holding his head in his hands.
　Eventually, the Steel King exhales heavily and looks up.

'Ancient technology is a shame, but it cannot be changed for the peace of my people. I will follow Duke Brunhild's suggestion. However, the deactivated Gigantes would be happy to let us examine it as well.
Of course. We'll send Engineer Elka and some of his assistants to help you.

　In this case, the assistants are Dr. Babylon and his colleagues, but will the Professor come as well?　Somehow, I have a feeling it's going to come.

''Then we're going to transfer this Gigantes to a place where it won't be damaged and hit it...''

　We'll have to call everyone.

Yes, will we get to see it happen?
We'd like to see that end as well.

　At the Steel King's words, Perruushka uttered the same wish. Perruushka had been watching this guy for thousands of years. It might be inevitable to want to see that settled. If that will help you to sort out your feelings, then it's not a problem for us.......

''Umm, well, I think it's okay.

　It would be dangerous if we had something like the advanced species Frayze's charged particle cannon, so let's get some relay monitors or something to allow us to do that. We can show the kids that, too.
　It's not a showpiece, though.


　　　　　　　　　　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


It's huge........ I have a feeling it's bigger than the guy we fought in Isengard, that it is.

　Yae muttered something like that while looking up at Gigantes.
　That time, I defeated him with my Regingrave, Yae's Schwertrite, and Hilda's Sieglune.
　If this guy is as strong as Hecaton Cale, I don't think we all need to fight together, but his strength is still unknown. I heard they were manufactured in a different country.......maybe it's overpowered, but it's not a bad idea to layer safety on top of safety.

''So, where do you plan to transfer this to?''
I was wondering if it was Isengard or Euron, just in case there was any chance of that happening.

　I replied to Linse's question.
　Little by little, villages and towns are starting to form in Euron. If we don't know what kind of attack is coming, it would still be safer in Isengard, which was cleared by the evil gods.

''So, are we all going to deal with this?''
I'm going to do just that, but...

　When I responded to Umina's words, it wasn't her who responded, but our little girl and her friend.

'Yes yes yes yes yes!　Dad, I want to fight too!
Heh-heh-heh-heh!　Me too!　I want to fight too!

　Lynne and Alice even stand tall and raise their hands. I mean, why is Alice even here?　
　Initially I jumped to Brunhild and brought Yakumo here, then we split up and brought everyone else who was all over the place, and for some reason Alice followed me.
　Behind her is Ende, as it should be.

''No, it could be dangerous, and if you guys can just watch on the monitor...''
It's okay!　We have frame gear that works just fine!

　Hmmm, I know that Linne and Alice can ride the frame gear, but........ If it comes down to it, we have a transferable escape device, so I don't think we're in that much danger.......
　.........Huh?　This presence....

Don't worry. If something goes wrong, I'll save you.

　As I balked, Grandma Tokie appeared from behind Linne and the others.
　It's been a long time since I've seen you. It's probably because she's busy, but she hasn't been seen recently. I heard you were in the God Realm, but I wonder what happened to you.
　Grandma Tokie is a time-space god. She can stop time and move at a moment's notice. There's no way she would let one or two children escape.

　At Grandma Tokie's words, Linne and Alice look at me expectantly. Ugh.....

''Are Linse and Ende okay with that?''
I believe in Lynne and Grandma Tokie.
'I would stop it if I could, but......... I don't think there's any point in saying it...

　Linse chuckles and Ende replies disappointedly.

'Then, Linne. I can lend you my Gerhilde. I think Linne's fighting style would be easier to use than Linse's Helmvige.''
'Yes!　Thank you, Else Okaasan!

　Lynne hugs Else, her aunt and one of her mothers. It's true that Gerhilde would be a better choice for punching and kicking.... Are you going to hit this?
　I thought about that as I glanced up at Gigantes, who was dozens of feet tall.

'What about Alice?　Are you sure it's the Dragon Knight of Ende, Dragoon?
''Hmm, your father's dragon knight, Dragoon, is so vulnerable to be hit...''
Ugh!

　Ah, Ende has sunk. Ende's Dragon Knight 《Dragoon》 is a lightweight type that emphasizes mobility. It might be difficult to use it against Alice, who is a punching and kicking type like Rinne. Ende is also essentially that type, but this guy is so adept at using it. Is it time for Dragon Knight 《Dragoon》 to be upgraded as well?
　However, Alice is able to clothe her frame gear with the armor unique to Frase called 【Crystal Armament】. So I think I can manage to fight it, though.
　As I was thinking about that, Alice slowly opened her mouth.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you can't get your hands on any of them.
Hmm?　A strawberry?

　Sue is scowling.
　Hmm. It's true that when it comes to attacks such as punching and kicking, the next to Else's Gerhilde would be Su's Ortlindeoverlord. And if it's defensive power, it's the best.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on.　If that's okay with you, I don't mind, but...
'Yes!　Thank you!

　Alice is happy to raise her hand when Sue gives her permission to do so. Ende is still sinking, though.
　Yakumo, Frey, Kuhn, Yoshino, Arcia, and Erna were honestly observing on the monitor. Kuhn still seemed to have some unfinished business in destroying Gigantes, though.
　In the meantime, Yumina, Lou, Sakura, and Lean were to be the rearguard, Linne, Alice, Yae, and Hilda were to be the vanguard, while Linse, Ende, and I decided that we were to play the game depending on the situation.
　We'll place the monitors in the plaza of the underground city of Agartha for spectating, and ask the Red Jade Attendants to relay the game.
　Now then, let's start dismantling this annoying piece of junk.