Chapter 281 - Life Ethics

Now then, on to the next task.

At the moment, the Slaves and Monsters are charging their magic through the Castle Plant.

I’ll use that magic to create a magic amplification device to create even greater magic, and use it to expand my base.

Naofumi: “Good. Until the expansion is finished, I can devote myself to my own goals.”

I step foot into the center of the Lab, the area Rat used for her own research.

Naofumi: “You all should get to work as well. If you need food, then go to the residential area. I have some prepared.”

Atlas: “I want to stay near Naofumi-sama.”

Firo: “Firo will… Go for a walk.”

Fohl: “Atlas, let’s get out of here already.”

Atlas: “No way, Onii-sama.”

Sadina: “I’ll go patrol the outside.”

Atlas will stay beside me, and Fohl will follow her.

Firo will inspect the laboratory’s interior, and Sadina will patrol.

Naofumi: “Then get to it.”

On my orders, Sadina and Firo depart.

Atlas: “Naofumi-sama, what will you be doing next?”

Naofumi: “Isn’t it obvious? My goal is to revive Raphtalia!”

I concentrate my Shield’s power on a stone tablet, and the Castle Plant draws in more and more of the land’s power… Using Raphtalia’s DNA from the hair in my Shield, I began researching ways to recreate her body.

The probability this hair is from the fake is exceedingly low.

It’s something I got when Raphtalia was still but a child.

If only I can recover her soul, it should work out.

It’s not like I’m omnipotent. Even if I have been granted a complete understanding of Alchemy, there is no precedent to reviving the dead.

But reviving my lost Raphtalia is something I’m willing to risk my life for.

For that sake, I begin my experiments.

I won’t make something half-assed like a homunculus.

This is a ritual to perfectly resurrect my ideal Raphtalia.

Inside of the large culture tube in front of me, magic-made electricity races back and forth. The power of the land gathers. My dreams gather.

And in order to make it go off without a hitch, I take care of all bugs and problems personally.

Naofumi: “From here on, I will be conducting research. Just watching will be boring, you know.”

Atlas: “It’s fine, Naofumi-sama. Just being near you is enough for me.”

Naofumi: “I see.”

Fohl: “Atlas! What are you saying!?”

Atlas: “Onii-sama, if you have free time right now, won’t you offer assistance to the people who Naofumi-sama just granted power to?”

Fohl: “Uu…”

Atlas and Fohl whisper together, and after a while, Fohl heads off to the slaves I had just treated.

Atlas: “Now it’s finally quiet. Please research to your heart’s content.”

Naofumi: “Thanks.”

I immersed myself in the research.

Perhaps 6 hours have already passed.

I finally finished the first stage of my experimentation.

When I turned around, Atlas waved her hand at me.

She was watching me the whole time, was she? She has too much free time.

Sadina: “Naofumi-chan. How are things going on your side?”

Firo: “Master~ The food is really good.”

Kiel: “Yeah, though the taste has dropped a bit from when Niichan makes it personally.”

Sadina, Firo and Kiel drop by together.

I installed an auto cooking function into the residential area’s dining hall.

With the push of a button, it can instantly make pre-set dishes.

At the moment, the menu is a bit lacking, but at least it’s edible.

Naofumi: “Oh, you came at a good time.”

Kiel: “Niichan, what are you doing? Everyone’s already well rested.”

Naofumi: “I see. Just watch for a second.”

I flip a switch, and the culmination of my research materializes before us.

Electricity fills the tube, and smoke rises. The Experiment finishes.

Firo tilts her head as she focuses her eyes on the dish.

Eventually the smoke wrapping around it clears, and the bubbles that formed in the liquid within subside. The form of a new Raphtalia shows itself.

Firo: “What is this?”

I look upon my own results.

Naofumi: “Fumu… I guess this is the best I can do for a prototype.”

Inside the tube floats something like a… Raccoon? A Tanuki? A Red panda…? A life form that I can only see as a mix of the three is suspended in the glass.

With that form, I guess letting it out won’t cause any problems.

Using the dragon pulse, I can rapidly elevate its level. This skill sucks up the experience lying dormant in the earth, and allows me to grant it unto people. It’s a higher form of an ability wild monsters naturally possess.

At the moment, the maximum I can grant is up to level 30.

I drain the liquid out of the tube, and take out the new life form I had created.

The new life shakes off the excess liquid on its fur, and looks over at me.

“Rafu~.”

It slightly raises its front leg to greet me.

Kiel: “Um… What’s this supposed to be, Niichan?”

Atlas: “Is it a monster? Its Chi is somewhat reminiscent of Raphtalia-san. Somewhat.”

Naofumi: “Fumu, It’s a life-form born of my research to revive Raphtalia.”

Kiel: “Amazing, Niichan. You created a new type of monster!”

Sadina: “Ara, Naofumi-chan is incredible.”

Firo approaches Raphtalia Prototype 1, and starts sniffing it.

Don’t eat it.

If you eat it, I’ll modify your form to be the same as it.

Firo: “Yeah, it’s smell is like Onee-chan. Its looks are completely different, but its tail and the feeling that I get are similar.”

“Rafu~”

Naofumi: “Well, my research isn’t over yet. Let’s call this one the first generation of the newly formed Raph race.”

Firo: “Yay. Pleasure working with you, small Onee-chan!”

“Rafu~!”

Naofumi: “It should have some ability for battle as well. I’ll be continuing this until I can make the Real Raphtalia’s body. The number of Raphs will be multiplying until then.”

Just in case, I’ve given it the ability to fight. I tampered with quite a bit.

Gene modification sure comes in handy here.

Honestly, to take over the world, I’m greatly lacking in manpower, so mass production is a possibility.

They’re based on a person I trust. The Raph Race may prove to be a great asset.

Naofumi: “Next, I’ll make a system to mass produce Raphs…”

As I was preparing to give a fervent speech, the alarm went off.

Naofumi: “What?”

I put my hand on a tablet to see what set it off.

What’s displayed is the figure of that fake, Ren and Itsuki infiltrating the first Tower Plant.

Naofumi: “What!?”

They got the first one on the first try?

No, this isn’t the time to be wondering about that.

That tower’s defense mechanisms won’t be able to hold off against that fake, and those Heroes.

“Ku…”

Even if I send Motoyasu and His Filo Rials, it will be too late to stop the First Tower’s destruction.

With their game knowledge, I can’t deny the possibility Ren and Itsuki figured out the towers.

I focus the display on the tower’s inside.

The fakes easily get through the tower and break the controlling device at the summit.

“Good! Let’s move on to the next one!”

Fu… How foolish. Don’t think the next one will be so easy.

I’ve prepared some things just in case something like this happened.

As soon as the device stopped functioning on the first one, the energy allotted to it flew towards the second tower. The power output on the second one greatly rose.

The Fake and her heroes gaze absentmindedly at the second tower.

And they head towards it upon Gaelion. But without accomplishing anything, they quickly return.

Naofumi: “It seems my Emergency Line is functioning correctly.”

Sadina: “emergency Line? Did you do something, Naofumi-chan?”

Naofumi: “Yeah, when one tower gets destroyed, it will send all of its stored energy to the next one, and strengthen it. The next tower gets a large boost.”

Sadina: “Boost?”

Naofumi: “Yeah, for about 20 hours, that energy will impede anyone trying to proceed to the next one.”

The barrier was made for the purpose of buying time.

In that time, I’ll be able to prepare myself.

But I never thought I would actually be using these emergency measures.

Naofumi: “I was going to rest for a bit, but it appears that that’s no happening. I won’t let those Fakers destroy the second tower. Motoyasu, use your portal to jump, and bestow retribution onto those that oppose me. Take this with you.”

It’s a memory crystal that I made with Magic Gem Production.

I also gave him a video one with my proclamation of war recorded on it.

With this, I am officially waging war on those mongrels.

Motoyasu: “Understood, Father-in-Law!”

“Should we accompany him?”

Naofumi: “No, you guys should help supply energy to the second tower. Otherwise we’ll run out.”

If the slaves leave the flow of magic, then managing the defenses and the system will be difficult.

The best option is to send Motoyasu to cut down their forces.

Naofumi: “Sadina, you go too. Motoyasu can’t hear the words of women, so use Midori as a translator.”

Sadina: “Got it.”

Naofumi: “Next is… right. Why don’t I present my new Raph race to them?”

While waving her hand, Sadina flies off with Motoyasu through his portal.

Good, now I’ll be able to offer their sought-after retribution.

The sound from the display picked up.

Raphtalia: “For there to be that sort of gimmick… Naofumi-sama sure likes being troublesome.”

Ren: “How do we dispel that barrier? We’ll need to destroy all of the towers to proceed, right?”

Itsuki: “I don’t know. But…”

The fakes return to the village by portal to face Motoyasu, who returned in much the same way.

Itsuki: “Motoyasu just naturally returned through his portal.Aren’t we supposed to be seiging them right now?”

Hahaha. Fools.

If you have no reinforcements, why would you initiate a siege?

Our forces have the option of going on the offensive at any time.

Eventually, Motoyasu begins carrying out my orders. He opens his mouth.

Motoyasu: “By Father-in-Law’s orders, I have come for battle! Now fall before me for the sake of my promotion! ”

Ren: “Quit messing around, Motoyasu! You’re choosing the wrong people to side with!”

Motoyasu: “I’m not wrong. My enemies are Firo-tan’s, and Father-in-Law’s enemies.”

Taking a stance with his spear, Motoyasu begins running towards the fakes.

“Ku! Like I’d let you!”

Ren steps in front of Motoyasu, and his sword collides with the spear.

Ren: “Motoyasu, snap out of it. There’s no way Naofumi would think of things like that. We should be resolving this incident as quickly as possible.”

Motoyasu: “No, Father-in-Law’s words are absolute. Meteor Spear!”

Ren parries the spear that came flying at him.

The blast makes a large crater as it comes into contact with the ground.

“Move aside!”

Raphtalia rushes in front, and consecutivey slashes at Motoyasu.

“Gufu…”

It’s most likely a Hengen Musou skill that ignores defense.

Since Motoyasu can’t handle Chi as well as me, he begins taking damage.

“What are you doing to my Mokun!?”

The damage itself isn’t particularily, high, but Kuu, Marin and Midori step up to protect Motoyasu.

Sadina: “Motoyasu-chan ran forward too fast. You need to cooperate better, or you won’t even win battles where you have the upper hand.”

Sadina follows up close behind, and holds up her harpoon.

And from behind her, the new Raph Race specimen flies forward.

“Rafu~”

“What is… that?”

The fake, and the heroes. Everyone left in the village points their fingers.

Hahaha. Tremble before my technology.

Motoyasu: “It’s something Father-in-Law created… A new breed of monster!”

“Rafu~”

Ren: “What is it…? It looks kinda cute, but it’s a monster I’ve never seen before.”

Itsuki: “I wonder. It’s voice… sounds a little like Raphtalia’s.”

Itsuki looks at the Raph race specimen, and points at Raphtalia.

The Raph runs forward, and releases illusion magic.

One by one, illusionary Raphs manifest, and cover the landscape.

“Uwah!”

“””Rafu~!”””

The illusionary Raphs begin their assault.

Since they aren’t real, they don’t cause any damage, but the Raph’s target is only a single individual.

Raphtalia: “There!”

Damn! The faker finds the real Raph among the illusions, and slashes at it.

“Rafu~!”

It dodges by a paper thinmargin, and does a flip before landing on the ground. It points its paw at the fake.

And it loudly proclaims.

“Fake~”

“What…?”