Chapter 135: The Giant Destroyer (3) |
TL/Editor: Rungir
Schedule: none
Illustrations: none
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In the northern part of the continent, there was a giant mountain range where at its very edge stood a mountain so tall, its peak seemed to vanish into the sky.
This mountain, known as "Sky Mountain" because its peak touched the heavens, was a place unknown even to the giants of the mountain range.
Or more accurately, it was known, but as a place where no one ever went.
The climate was so cold that your breath would freeze the moment it left your mouth, and the terrain was treacherously rugged. Additionally, the area was home to monsters so powerful they could dominate a region on their own, scattered across the landscape like stars in the sky.
That's why "Sky Mountain" was essentially off-limits to the giants.
Looking up at the cloud-topped, snow-white "Sky Mountain," Rain Dranir spoke with a dismayed expression.
"Yes."
The silver-haired woman walking beside him nodded.
"Can people really live in a place like that?"
"Of course. Humans have a greater will to survive and adapt than you might think. Plus, the person we're going to meet isn't human, but a giant."
"Huh..."
Rain's face darkened significantly at the woman's words.
Rain was from Ruin, a city in the north, but she despised the cold.
Her constitution was particularly sensitive to it.
That's why she was especially displeased with their current situation, heading to the coldest place in the already cold north.
"If it's too hard, you can wait here. I'll go alone."
"When did I ever say it was hard? I'm not one to make a fuss over this. What do you take me for? Let's go!"
At Rain's response, the woman chuckled and quickened her pace.
They needed to recruit their companion quickly and move on to the next plan.
The future she had seen was changing every moment, leaving no time to waste.
"The things we need to acquire are also dwindling fast."
Naturally, one person came to mind.
"Zion Agnes."
The individual at the heart of all these changes, who had taken some of what she needed to acquire.
Though he hadn't touched the core items, so it was fine, he was still a person who occupied her thoughts.
"I'll have to meet him soon."
Only then could she make a clear decision.
Whether he was an ally or not.
Just then.
"So who is the giant we're supposed to meet on that mountain?"
Rain asked with a surly expression, walking beside the woman.
After finishing her thoughts, the woman gazing at "Sky Mountain" let out a name.
"Turjan."
The strongest warrior among the giants, and the third heaven of the 'Seven Heavens.'
And soon, he would become her companion.
---
"...This, this is impossible!"
Batar gawked at the dark blue chains unraveling from Zion's hands, his voice bursting out in disbelief.
His eyes, trembling with emotion too vast for the word 'astonishment' to cover, were filled with incredulity.
"Is this really..."
As if to confirm, Batar pointed at the chains with his finger, looking at Zion.
"You asked for proof, so you should recognize it. Or... did you really ask for something you wouldn't recognize yourself as evidence?"
Zion's voice was cold.
"That's not it!"
Batar shook his head in response.
He wasn't foolish enough to admit it, but he partly agreed.
"Is this really... the Giant Destroyer that Achilles used?"
It was hard to believe.
Details about Achilles were scarcely passed down, even within the Blue Claw tribe, and only partially known. Furthermore, his weapon, Gigaperseus, had vanished right after the giant king's demise, never to be seen again.
For the Giant Destroyer to reappear in the hands of a human, not a giant, was unthinkable.
Normally, he would have scoffed and dismissed it as fake without a second thought, but this time he couldn't.
"It's too..."
The appearance of the Giant Destroyer was known only to a very few within the Blue Claw tribe.
And the appearance of the chains before him was exactly the same.
"And the power emanating from these chains."
Just looking at them sent chills down the spine and sapped the strength from the body, proving they were indeed the bane of giants.
The overwhelming presence that seemed to crush everything around.
There couldn't possibly be another weapon with such an appearance and aura, except the Giant Destroyer.
Batar's trembling eyes slowly filled with certainty.
"Where on earth did you find it?"
"That's not what's important right now."
In Zion's gaze towards Batar, a menacing darkness began to swirl.
Facing that, fear gradually rose in Batar's heart.
After how long he struggled with his fear, alternating his gaze between Zion and the Giant Destroyer, a heavy voice finally came from the chief.
"From now on, the Blue Claw tribe will follow Lord Zion, the rightful descendant of the great hero Achilles."
It was a sudden decision, but it was unavoidable.
Batar had already declared his allegiance to the descendant of Achilles with his own words and had personally set the terms for proving it.
Prince Zion had perfectly fulfilled such proof.
To not follow now would be like denying his own words, which would amount to betraying the honor and pride of a giant.
"Then, let's discuss the war with the 'Red Horns'."
With a slight smile, Zion, looking at Batar, naturally took the highest seat and began to speak.
Though it seemed a bit rushed to dive into the main topic, Zion knew well that in large-scale wars, making decisions and acting quickly could increase the chances of victory.
"Before we proceed, I have one question."
Batar's question flowed out.
"The victory you mentioned earlier in this war... are you serious about that?"
"I don't claim to do what I can't."
Zion's reply was filled with a strange conviction that it would indeed happen.
After pondering for a moment, the chief spoke in a calmer voice.
"Understood. Then, let me briefly explain our current situation and our forces."
Batar's explanation was almost identical to the information Zion had gathered using the Shadow of Eternity before coming to the giant clans.
Except for one detail.
"Last night's large-scale attack resulted in the collapse of most fronts, except for the homes of our Blue Claw and other clans. Therefore, the current situation is serious enough to be considered the biggest crisis since the war began. If we don't quickly rebuild the front... we are likely to lose in the next engagement."
With those words, Batar fell silent, waiting for Zion's response.
In such a situation, the orders Zion could issue were limited.
"Dividing the central forces to reinforce the existing front or narrowing down the range by abandoning some of the front to solidify the remaining ones."
However, Zion's next words completely deviated from such thoughts.
"Call in all the remaining forces on the front and from the other clans here."
"?!"
Batar and Captan, who was quietly listening beside him, were puzzled by this.
"Your Highness, that would mean we'd be surrounded by the enemy."
"It doesn't matter. The war will be over before that anyway."
"Excuse me? What do you mean?"
"Utekan will be joining us soon."
Just as Batar was about to express his confusion again,
"Brother!"
Bart, Batar's brother, rushed into the hall with an urgent look on his face.
Sitting at the highest seat, Zion, who was briefly regarded with strange eyes by him, soon heard a shout directed at Batar.
"Prince Utekan has just joined the Red Horn tribe!"
"What?"
"It seems he has come here directly to end the war swiftly. We've received information that the movements of other clans following Utekan are also unusual."
Batar's eyes widened at this news and turned towards Zion.
How had Prince Zion known about this?
"A full-scale war is about to break out."
Zion said quietly, looking at the astonished giants.
It was, perhaps, an expected development.
Utekan wouldn't miss the opportunity to eliminate Zion, his primary target, and the troublesome opposition giants all at once.
He would bring all available forces here within a few days.
The faces of Batar and all the other giants hardened rapidly at Zion's words.
The power gap between their own forces and those loyal to Utekan was too large to cover with strategy or tactics alone.
Their only chance had been to thoroughly disperse and engage in guerrilla warfare.
Facing a frontal assault with the enemies rallied around Utekan made the situation seem hopeless.
'It seems he's quite eager, coming faster than expected.'
Unlike them, Zion's eyes remained as calm as ever.
Everything was going as he had anticipated.
"You do realize that doing nothing will lead to our demise?"
"What do you plan to do, then?"
Batar asked in a heavy tone.
"We'll have to strike where they least expect it."
"If we're to strike unexpectedly..."
From Zion, who was smiling ominously, came a response no one could have anticipated.
"We'll hit them first."
---
"Where is Zion currently?"
This was the first question Utekan asked upon arriving at the Red Horn tribe and taking his seat.
It indicated how conscious he was of Zion.
"He is in the Blue Claw tribe's clan. It seems he plans to use their strength."
"Is that so?"
Utekan smirked as if he had anticipated this from the report of a giant standing next to him.
It made sense.
Given Zion's intelligence capabilities, he would have realized by now that the Wollo Legion wasn't moving, and seeking an alternative was the natural next step.
'The problem is that the Blue Claw tribe and its smaller affiliated clans won't simply obey Zion's words.'
They were the same stubborn individuals Utekan himself had decided to abandon and eliminate.
For Zion, who is not even a half-giant, bringing those giants under his wing would be nearly impossible.
Moreover, if he intended to mobilize them not for war but to subdue a monster legion, that possibility would become even slimmer.
Yet, Utekan hoped Zion could pull it off, despite the slim chances.
'Because then I could eliminate them all at once.'
Of course, the thought of losing as a result never crossed Utekan's mind.
His side was overwhelmingly advantageous, after all.
'If I have to eliminate them separately, it would make sense to target Zion before the opposition giants. The best time to do so would be after Zion has returned from subduing the monster legion, but to minimize variables, moving before the subjugation wouldn't be a bad idea either.'
Utekan, tapping the armrest of his chair with his fingers, was lost in thought.
Was it because all matters related to Zion had not ended well so far?
Everything was going perfectly, yet a thread of unease lingered in his heart, prompting Utekan to continuously check for any overlooked variables to dispel it.
'Now, this should be enough...'
Just then,
"Lord Utekan, Prince Zion and the opposition giants have started to move!"
A giant from the Red Horn tribe approached Utekan, exclaiming with an urgent face.
A faint surprise flickered in Utekan's eyes.
'If they're moving together... have they really won over the Blue Claw tribe? How did he manage that?'
Soon after dispelling such doubts, Utekan asked the giant,
"Where are they heading? Straight to the monster legion?"
"No!"
"Then where?"
The giant's answer to that question was something Utekan hadn't anticipated at all.
"They're coming here, to this place right now!"
"What?"
"It seems they intend to engage us in a frontal battle."
Utekan's eyes began to waver.