Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Rock Giant Hunt (4)
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After a brief rest, the Uncle Jo Company operatives continued scouting the Euterpe region. By now, they had grown somewhat accustomed to the slow pace of exploration.
“What a sight. Absolutely breathtaking.”
“We never even had time to enjoy the views back in Calcutta... Is this why everyone comes to the Euterpe region?”
Even adventurers who had roamed every corner of Earth couldn’t close their mouths at the sheer scale of Cameron Planet’s natural wonders. It was only natural for the operatives to marvel at Euterpe’s mountainous terrain.
Gorges and valleys carved steeply and deeply, reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Towering mountain ranges stretching endlessly above them.
The operatives were simply awestruck by the scenery, but Suhyun had other thoughts on his mind.
‘To think they’ve been leaving this massive region untouched because of just one Rock Giant. The trauma must run deep.’
Just like in the past, once the Rock Giant was dealt with, development would sweep through these mountains. Companies had been hesitant due to the monster, but every other condition was perfect.
‘Let me mark a few spots before I head back.’
He couldn’t recall the detailed development maps for the area, but he vaguely remembered a few famous mining sites. If he confirmed their locations now, he could claim them later.
‘Money’s not an issue, but...’
Considering the rewards from his successes so far and the government support coming his way, he wouldn’t face any financial troubles.
Still, as always, more money was always better.
“Huh? Why are you staring at me?”
“Nothing. Let’s get moving again.”
Brushing off Shaina’s question, Suhyun climbed back into his Power Armor.
“We’re not going down into the gorge?”
“No need to court danger. We can spot it without descending.”
Suhyun had figured from the start that the odds of encountering the Rock Giant on the outer edges of the mountains were slim. If it came to a straight fight, fine—but if they had to venture deeper, he planned to exploit the terrain to the fullest.
As the operatives admired, Euterpe’s mountains featured dramatic elevation changes and sheer cliffs everywhere. There was no reason to go down when they could hold the high ground and search from above. That was Suhyun’s strategy.
If they spotted the Rock Giant below from the gorge rim, the battle would be a breeze. While the relatively sluggish beast wasted time trying to attack upward, Suhyun could circle behind it.
“The scenery is just...”
“Hold up, gotta take care of some business.”
“...This guy.”
Park Su-yong, lost in the vista, shot Kim Chang-sik a glare for ruining the moment.
“Go ahead.”
Kim Chang-sik sauntered casually to the cliff edge. Anyone with a fear of heights would’ve balked, but to him, this was nothing.
‘Compared to Calcutta, this is paradise.’
Calcutta’s dense overgrowth and poor visibility meant he always had to stay on edge even for a piss. But here, vast nature stretched out before him. Feeling a surge of heroic spirit in his chest, Kim Chang-sik undid his belt.
A stream followed. Glancing down, he spotted a small patch of brush and instinctively redirected his aim. The gorge wasn’t entirely barren, but most of it was dry as bone, so the greenery right below caught his eye.
“Ahh, refreshing...”
Shivering in relief, Kim Chang-sik turned to go. Then, a sudden urge hit him to take one last look at the view.
“Huh...?”
But what met his eyes as he turned wasn’t scenery. It was the brush rising up.
“R-R-Rock Giant!!”
“?!”
* * *
The moment he heard Kim Chang-sik’s shout, Suhyun activated Far Sight.
‘Darkest under the lamp, huh. It was down there?’
Suhyun’s scouting method involved first using drones to survey the surroundings, then splashing water on sizable rock formations to confirm.
He checked obsessively, but he didn’t douse every visible spot. Priority went to rocks along their path first, then potential approach points. The gorge bottom, which took time to climb from, ranked lower.
The Rock Giant had exploited that gap perfectly. It had grown thick vegetation over its upper body—back, shoulders, and head.
From the rim, it had looked like ordinary brush. Not on their path, so no water test.
Cursing, Kim Chang-sik prepared his ability. For some reason, the Rock Giant’s glare felt murderously fixed on him. Friendly monsters were rare, but this one felt especially hostile.
‘Whether it’s the water or the piss...!’
“Take this!”
As Suhyun had warned of emergencies, the others were nearby but too far for now. First, push this thing back.
Whoosh!
A massive flame engulfed the air, making the Rock Giant, which had been scaling the cliff, flinch and retreat. That brief window changed everything.
“Fall back.”
“Team Leader...!”
Suhyun’s calm voice felt like a lifeline.
“Well done, Kim Chang-sik. This’ll wrap things up quicker.”
If they’d missed it here, the hunt could’ve dragged on for weeks or months. In that light, Kim Chang-sik’s “relief” was pure luck. Though he’d deny it in terror.
“We attacking?”
“Yeah. Let’s rattle its nerves. It’s big, but it’s in a bad spot. Can’t jump up here right away—best it can do is chuck rocks. Just watch out for stray ones.”
“Yes, sir!”
Suhyun signaled Lee So-hee with a glance. In this scenario, nothing would annoy the Rock Giant more than Power Armor.
The heavy machine guns mounted on both arms, loaded with anti-monster armor-piercing rounds. Plus the extra Inferno missiles. Tough to deal real damage, but perfect for getting under its skin.
With a roar, bullets hammered the Rock Giant’s body. The two Power Armors danced nimbly, needling it relentlessly.
“Don’t get too close. Closing in a bit won’t boost damage.”
The Rock Giant’s moves were dodgeable in Power Armor, but Suhyun didn’t fully trust Lee So-hee’s unit.
Boom! Boom!
Frustrated by the interruption to its climb, the Rock Giant started hurling rocks. But the team was ready. The boulders thudded harmlessly into empty space.
‘Perfect so far.’
Cunning or not, it was still a monster. Anger exposed its flaws. Realizing rocks alone wouldn’t cut it, the Rock Giant resumed climbing, willing to tank hits to reach the top.
“Fire all missiles and smoke. No point saving them for later anyway. Kim Chang-sik, Shaina—activate your superpowers.”
Missiles cost money, but this was government-backed. With the order, Suhyun activated his Ring of Confusion. He felt power surge, something reaching the Rock Giant.
Missiles slamming and exploding into its torso one after another. Flames blanketing vision. Lightning striking amid it all. Confusion muddled its judgment.
Now it was Suhyun’s turn.
He activated the artifact, Rock Spear. A thick, pointed conical spear formed from the hard ground. He could’ve launched it, but instead fixed it to his Power Armor’s side.
Boom!
Suhyun’s Power Armor rocketed upward, boosters firing. Looking down, the Rock Giant had scaled halfway up the sheer cliff.
‘Not even a scratch after all that...’
Insane durability. Left alone, it’d reach the top and spell disaster. End it now.
All prior attacks had pinned its attention. At the apex of his arc, Suhyun fell toward its back, channeling telekinesis into the spear.
‘More, more, more...’
Pouring it in like filling a cup to the brim, the spear vibrated dangerously.
Suhyun hadn’t seen the Rock Giant as a huge threat from the start. To someone like him with power to pierce its defenses, such a sluggish foe was easy prey. Agile, erratic ones like Calcutta Gorillas were trickier.
‘Farewell.’
Perfectly aimed at its back. Boosters fired to drive the spear into its weak point. To the team, it’d look like Power Armor thrust. Suhyun massively amplified the telekinesis.
That instant, the orb in his chest pocket thrashed.
“?!”
Crack!
The climbing Rock Giant clenched its fist in a silent scream—an unimaginable reaction from a beast that shrugged off most hits.
‘Damn it.’
Suhyun gritted his teeth. Things had gone wrong. He’d aimed for a one-shot kill to the vitals, but the orb’s spasm disrupted the telekinesis, skewing the spear.
It had grazed the critical spot. Not fatal. And now Suhyun was pressed right against its back, spear embedded.
Enraged, the Rock Giant swung its arm. Too deep to dodge.
Crunch!
At the last second, Suhyun twisted the Power Armor, glancing the blow. Any other pilot would’ve applauded the maneuver.
But a wounded monster’s fury was terrifying. The tough Power Armor plating tore right off.
‘Should’ve blocked?’
Telekinesis could’ve done it. But eyes were watching. Intact armor after a hit would raise suspicions.
The fight wasn’t over. Suhyun wanted to conserve superpower use.
‘Focus.’
Nearly done, but no slacking.
‘One more solid hit.’
Upper armor shredded—right arm weapons gone, cockpit canopy shattered—but mobility intact.
Suhyun activated the artifact again, forming another spear. Even dead, they needed proof of how it died.
‘Damn, need to reveal I’m a mage ASAP... This is inconvenient.’
Spear ready, he clamped it to his left arm and pulled distance. The Rock Giant’s fist smashed where he’d been.
“Are you okay?!”
Smoke clearing, Lee So-hee’s scream rang out. Suhyun’s Power Armor was half-wrecked.
“Comms are fine.”
“I’m coming to support!”
“No, I can handle it alone.”
The Rock Giant slowly raised its fist high, then slammed down with weight and force. Powerful, but predictable—easy to evade with skill. After a few misses, it rolled its eyes wildly. Realizing it couldn’t tag him.
‘Hmm...’
A subtle stalemate. Back badly wounded, the Rock Giant pressed against the cliff, guarding its weak point. Suhyun couldn’t push too hard either—overt telekinesis would be too obvious.
The Rock Giant broke it first. Suhyun’s armor was busted, but its vitals were stabbed. Time favored him.
“?!”
It vomited something from its mouth and hurled it. Suhyun grew suspicious. His intel came from the Americans.
‘They didn’t conveniently omit a few things, did they?’
Thud!
A vine mass. Swarming inside: venomous bugs and snakes. With his cockpit exposed, it could’ve been deadly.
...If not for telekinesis.