A month passed since that dream.
Magic armor development has proceeded smoothly. Following Hitogami's advice, we enlarged the armor.
Standing some 3 meters tall, about half of an Aura Battler [4].
The magic armor in the diary only covers my body, so this is even bigger.
We learned a lot by making it bigger.
The engineering got easier, but it also became more robust.
All in all, an excellent suggestion.
After hearing Hitogami's advice, Cliff had an inspiration, and quickly found solutions to previous bottlenecks.
I thought it would take six months, but it progresses far faster than I expected.
According to schedule, it'll take another month.
It'll only take three months....
Under different circumstances I might even thank Hitogami.
How ironic.
The magic armor my future self developed to fight Hitogami.
Now created with his advice.
Thinking of that, I can't help but feel suspicious.
But Zanoba and Cliff made it.
I believe in them.
---
We looked into magic tools as well, Roxy helped with this.
Just as Hitogami said, we found them rather quickly on the street somewhere, a tube shaped magic tool.
On a [Fire!] command, it can shoot off basic magic.
For a magic tool it's relatively popular, but not a particularly powerful one.
As a way to hit a running thief from a distance, it has occasional uses.
According to Hitogami, if we modify this so it can handle my magic power, then I should be able to use it to fire off my standard Stone Cannons.
Suddenly I had an inspiration. What if I increase my output, inject even more magic power, if I tie like 10 of them together, then maybe I can rapid fire?
Maybe with that, my typical Stone Cannon can evolve into something like a gatling gun!
When I said that to Roxy, she only nodded with a deadpan expression.
"Rudi's magic is strong, but even you can only fire one shot at time. Good idea. I know a magic tool maker. Let me get in touch with her."
After saying that, Roxy went to contact the magic tool maker she only recently met.
She's a Long Ear Race not often seen in this region.
Even though Long Ear Race are all born beautiful, her nails are covered in ashes, her face caked black, a true professional.
She was shocked by the idea.
"Say, if I make it to your specifications, then the magic consumption each time would be enormous. If you're sucked dry by the magic tool, you could even die!"
That was a warning. I might die.
Is that Hitogami's real goal? But I can fire ten, twenty thousand Stone Cannon a day without feeling drained.... Well, who cares. I would be dead either way once I ran out of magic.
This time if I don't push my magic to the limit, I won't win.
"It's fine. I'm counting on you."
After that said, the Long Ear Race professional could only nod reluctantly.
Regardless, I got my close combat weapon.
I pray that it works.
On the way back, I talked a bit with Roxy.
"I don't know who Rudi plans to fight, but is making that really necessary?"
"I can win even without it."