Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Laughing?
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The outpost overlooked a vast, open plain. It hadn't always been that way—the surrounding trees and rocks had been cleared out when the outpost was first established to ensure clear lines of sight.
Scattered across the plain were the corpses of lizardmen, and between them, the kingdom's transport vehicle Sleipnir stood halted, loading the bodies onto a small golem.
The platoon leader of the 237th Kingdom Skebinzer Platoon reported.
"Lizardmen total one hundred and seven. But even at a glance, their muscle and bone density is superior to regular lizardmen. Plus, they were equipped with high-quality metal armor capable of going toe-to-toe with Gigants. A full appraisal is needed for details, but I reckon at least ten silvers per head."
Ten silvers per head. That came out to a staggering 1,070 silvers in spoils.
Even after dividing by fractions, it meant about two hundred silvers per person—an incredibly lucrative haul for a single night's battle.
Kang Geohan's crew's eyes sparkled.
Of course, Kang Geohan himself couldn't claim any share for the time being, having monopolized most of the goblin spoils last time, but he was in high spirits nonetheless.
'At this rate... next time, they won't be able to ignore us...!'
Even now, closing his eyes brought back that stinging remark echoing in his ears. 'Oh, nothing?' He never wanted to end up in that situation again.
Zaksen Silver spoke up.
"Don't get too excited. We only get the spoils if we complete the mission. Our task is to defend the outpost, scout the area, and create an initial assault map. No time to rest. Get ready to deploy—no slacking!"
"Understood!"
* * *
In truth, Zaksen Silver viewed this mission quite pessimistically.
"At first, I thought it was manageable. I was picturing regular lizardmen."
Raphael Black asked cautiously.
"So... you think it's tougher now?"
"Yeah. These lizardmen are too weird. The Whites lack the experience and prowess to handle them. All we can count on is that one intermediate five-man tactic... but that's not something you pick up overnight. Hell, teaching intermediate tactics to Whites? That's unprecedented."
Zaksen Silver gave Raphael Black a wry smile.
"Looks like you and I are in for a rough ride. If we scrape by without dying, we might manage the initial map. Sigh... I thought this could be a shot at promotion, but now I'm just worried about success or failure."
Zaksen Silver shook his head as he prepared for deployment.
Northern swamp lands.
Uncertain how many lizardmen lurked within, they dispatched a scouting party before committing the Gigants.
The scouts were selected from the squires with exceptional martial prowess. Kaltz Black leading them was a foregone conclusion.
Covered head to toe in leather protective gear to mask their scent, and wearing masks that concealed their breathing, not a inch of skin was exposed.
Returning at dawn, Kaltz Black exhaled hazy steam through his gas-mask-like visor as he gave his report.
"It's a network of large and small swamps clustered together like potato stems. You can move between them via the waterways. We scouted up to the fifth swamp. The first had about two hundred lizardmen, and the last... at least a thousand. The deeper ones have more. We turned back before we risked detection."
"Hmm..."
Zaksen Silver let out a groan.
A thousand!
Even at the entrance, the numbers defied imagination. How many more lurked deeper in?
"Lizardmen. Too many, too skilled—way beyond normal. Something's off. We need to uncover the source of this anomaly just to save face..."
Muttering to himself, Zaksen Silver issued orders.
"Everyone, apply hydrophobic coating in preparation for swamp combat!"
Whoosh!
From the outpost walls, the squires unleashed hoses. A sticky, honey-like liquid flowed over the Gigants' surfaces.
This magitech compound, blending magic and alchemy, repelled water.
Once all Gigants gleamed with the slick coating and dried for ten minutes, the deployment order came.
"Deploy! Today's objective: advance to the third swamp. Let's gauge how the lizardmen react!"
Thud! Thud!
The seven Gigants marched toward the swamps beyond the thicket of scrub.
* * *
The first swamp was a shallow lake rippling with pale blue water. About two hundred lizardmen floated in the center, heads barely above the surface, glaring at the Gigants.
Splash!
Zaksen Silver piloted the kingdom mainstay, Yotun, plunging fearlessly into the swamp.
The hydrophobic coating worked—blue waves slid off Yotun's legs without clinging.
The boggy bottom, which should have sunk underfoot, shed its water on contact, firming up to support his step.
'Pretty amazing.'
Kang Geohan followed Zaksen Silver into the swamp.
All moisture parted around Femoral like it was avoiding it, creating ripples.
Driving over twenty-five tons into knee-deep muck felt effortless.
'Magic... wild tech.'
Someday he'd meet a mage, he thought, striding boldly forward.
Shaaa!
The lizardmen raised weapons, issuing warning hisses at the intruders.
Zaksen Silver looked down on them dismissively and barked.
"Sweep 'em! Full throttle—no dragging it out!"
Boom!
Water erupted skyward. As the geyser cascaded back like a waterfall, Zaksen Silver's Yotun was already gone.
Vreeee—
A deafening roar, steam tracing a straight line,
KABOOM!
Sonic boom shattering sound barrier, a massive hammer cleaving the swamp.
KABOOM!
On impact, an explosion devoured the area, vaporizing blue water and green blood in the air.
Lizardmen scattered in panic.
-Follow up quick! No time!
Thud!
Raphael Black leaped after.
Cyclops, upgraded with Gigant Heart and sonic boosters, was leagues beyond Kang Geohan's crew's models despite being the same type.
Flames jetting from its back, Raphael Black broke the sound barrier in an instant with his greatsword.
KABOOM!
The slash revealed muddy high ground briefly.
Lizardmen couldn't even counter—reduced to paste. They only fled desperately.
-Wow... do we even need to be here?
Roën muttered in awe. Zaksen and Raphael's prowess was overwhelming. Lizardmen didn't dare fight them, just fled.
But Kang Geohan shook his head.
"No. They're human—they'll tire. Without solid backup, completing the mission's impossible."
He told Helena.
"Let's go. Follow their rear."
-Right. Full throttle! Charge!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Five Gigants leaped in unison.
Their overwhelming mass shook the entire swamp.
Any normal creature would piss itself and run at the sight. If it were normal.
Shaaa!
Lizardmen reared up like meerkats, shrieking. The cries echoed across the swamp.
Then all two hundred fixed on Kang Geohan's group.
Ignoring the rampaging Zaksen Silver and Raphael Black, their slit, sinister pupils targeted only the five Gigants.
Sss—
Ssss—
Lizardmen sank below the surface, tails whipping as they swarmed one side.
Kang Geohan tracked them via sensors even hidden.
A surge of rage boiled in his throat.
"You bastards...!"
Helena gnashed through gritted teeth.
-Ignoring the vets for us?
In that brief time, they'd assessed: who was strong, who weak.
Fleeing Zaksen Silver and Raphael Black desperately, but swarming Kang Geohan's group darkly.
That stung Kang Geohan's pride.
Whirr—
Sizzle!
Overclock and Berserker Pack activated together, Kang Geohan shouted.
"Gerot!"
-Going!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Gerot shoving full-speed from behind. Femoral accelerating forward like yanked.
"Hup!"
Kang Geohan braced his lower abs with a deep breath against the dizzying surge.
"Phew!"
He ramped output higher.
Resisting face-reddening pressure, he thrust arms forward.
Femoral drew its double-headed axe lightning-fast and swung.
KABOOM!
Kang Geohan's strike broke the sound barrier too.
Crack!
Lizardmen bodies exploded with water, drifting airborne.
But this fight differed from last night's.
Unlike those, these didn't flinch at Kang Geohan's speed.
Unlike Zaksen or Raphael, he stiffened post-sonic strike, unable to fully dissipate force. Lizardmen exploited it masterfully.
Slash!
One leaped from between Femoral's legs, swinging a massive hammer.
Hammer rivaling the lizardman's body size shattered air, smashing Femoral's left abdomen precisely.
KABOOM!
Femoral staggered. Minor issue.
"Sensory processor...?"
Noise disrupted the SPU realtime-tracking lizardmen positions.
SPU was in the left abdomen—exact hit.
Then lizardmen surged from the water. As if knowing the SPU failed, they attacked in unison.
Kang Geohan, like blinded, couldn't react to the sudden assault.
Without SPU, he couldn't control Berserker Pack—auto-deactivated.
Clang! Crunch!
Hook-like spearheads stabbed the chest hatch repeatedly.
Lizardmen twisted spears like levers to pry it open. Clear malice: drag out and kill the pilot inside.
Chills ran down Kang Geohan's spine.
"You fuckers...! You know Gigants?!"
SPU hit might be luck. But cockpit hatch? No.
No time for hows or whys.
Relying on recovering SPU, he crushed clinging lizardmen with hands, kicked others away.
But too many swarmed.
Then Helena's voice cut the chaos.
"Roën White Knight!"
-Coming now!
Whoosh!
Roën soared via Gerot's push. In midair, extended a long hose-like tube.
Fwoosh!
Flames roared from the tip—special weapon Flame.
Screee! Screeeee!
Lizardmen on Kang Geohan screamed, engulfed, diving subsurface.
Thud!
Roën's Gigant steamed down beside him.
-You okay? These bastards... stronger than yesterday! What's their deal? The local anomaly?
"...Dunno. But it'll be a slog."
Kang Geohan yanked spears from Femoral, glaring at lizardmen.
They retreated, glaring back.
Then the lead lizardman bared white teeth, chittering.
Kirik! Kiririk!
Its eyes curved in a mocking arc.
The meaning was crystal clear.
"...Laughing?"
Sparks flew in Kang Geohan's eyes.
Whirr—
Sizzle!
Overclock and Berserker Pack reignited.
'Anomaly or whatever,'
Now it was pride on the line.