Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Only One Desire
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Knights are undoubtedly powerful. Superhuman, even worthy of the title.
But the Laniakea Continent was a brutal place that even superhumans struggled to conquer with raw strength alone.
That was why Giants were invented.
The pinnacle of magitech engineering.
The ultimate weapon that allowed humans to truly transcend.
The reason Giants could wield such overwhelming power lay in the countless legendary components embedded within them and the Giant Heart that enabled their control.
In the end, a Giant's power came from those myriad parts and the Giant Heart.
It was only natural that Riders risked their lives to acquire new Giant parts.
"The Count's got some real guts, huh? Handing over that last Leviathan he snagged entirely to us?"
Roan had every reason to be shocked.
A top-tier machine like the Leviathan had components inside whose value was astronomical, not to mention each and every one of its armaments.
To hand the whole thing over to candidates who weren't even official Giant Riders yet—that took some serious magnanimity.
But Gerot scoffed.
"So what? We couldn't even use it anyway. You think a Cyclops could handle Leviathan gear?"
Gerot had a point.
The equipment operated by Leviathan's 3-Core 6-Thread Heart was far too demanding for a Cyclops to manage.
High-end gear like the set Kang Geohan used.
Get greedy with it, and you'd risk being overwhelmed by the equipment itself.
"Still. We could sell it, right? How much do you think it'd fetch? We're rich now!"
"Rich? You've got to survive first for that to matter."
"Hey, quit it with that. You're bringing me down."
"Sometimes you've got to feel down when the situation calls for it."
Gerot was viewing their circumstances pessimistically.
Helena White agreed.
"...From the looks of things, it's clear they're leaning toward abandoning the Eastern Border Fortress. We'll probably end up wandering without a base, waging guerrilla warfare. Waiting for reinforcements."
No one knew when reinforcements would arrive. Optimistically, a month. Pessimistically... they might never come.
Fighting and fleeing in the heart of enemy territory, enduring an endless wait.
"As a knight, we shouldn't doubt victory... but it does feel pretty bleak."
Even the ever-composed Helena said as much, and Roan made a miserable face.
"This can't be happening... I promised my parents I'd return home in glory..."
"I can't die like this either. That's why we need to play it smart. We should sell off those Leviathan parts we got as rewards to the seniors on the cheap. Rack up some favors. In this mess, the only ones who might protect us when push comes to shove are the seniors."
Gerot White spoke calculatingly. His voice was thick with barely concealed tension.
Kang Geohan listened quietly to their conversation.
Davis, walking beside him, nudged his elbow and whispered.
"Heard that? Don't be so stiff—use this chance to score points with the seniors. That Rikane Gold guy, right? You drank with him last time. Don't stand on pride; stick close. Survive first, worry later."
Rikane Gold? Would that fame-obsessed maniac really look out for juniors?
Kang Geohan’s thoughts were negative, but he kept them to himself.
'No, forget that—does anyone even have the luxury to protect anyone else right now?'
Looking back on the battles so far, it had been touch and go. If he hadn't stepped up himself, and if luck hadn't been on their side, they'd have been wiped out multiple times.
And yet, they had to rely on others just to survive?
Kang Geohan glanced at Gerot. His brows were furrowed in tension. The usual smug entitlement of the young lord was gone.
'He's just scared.'
Their dream as Giant Riders had been success and prosperity—not this precarious struggle for survival where you couldn't see a step ahead.
But even so...
'I can't leave my Babel tower in someone else's hands.'
Kang Geohan gritted his teeth and kept walking.
The group passed through the kingdom's workshop, chatting as they went.
Emerging into the firing range, the first thing they saw was massive parts gleaming under the sunlight, reflecting it every which way.
The fresh scent of oil hung in the air. Engineers were lubricating parts stripped from enemy Giants.
Giant Hearts, SPUs, various accessories, and weapons—all laid out gleaming like new.
And surrounding them boisterously were the senior Riders. Silver Knights or Gold Knights.
"I’ve got dibs on those parts attached to the Giant Heart!"
"You nuts? That’s the part that enables inertial control!"
"Exactly why it’s mine! You’ve already got two abilities, senior."
"Hey! Curb your greed! Even one ability’s too much for your Yotun! Take that greatshield instead."
"Senior!"
"Both of you, shut it. That’s mine."
"Huh? No way, senior!"
"Quiet. If you wanna fight for it, we duel by skill ranking."
They were all sparkling-eyed. Salivating like beasts before the parts from the shield Leviathan Kang Geohan had captured and the spear Leviathan taken by Count Kali Stehold.
"Oh! The heroes of the hour are here! Come on in, Kang Geohan! Welcome, juniors! Haha!"
Rikane Gold, mixed in among them, spotted the group and waved enthusiastically.
"Haha! What’s the point of us squabbling? It’s up to the sellers in the end. Right, Kang Geohan?"
Rikane rushed over and threw an arm around Kang Geohan’s shoulders.
"Listen, Kang Geohan. Imagine if I had that inertial control ability. Custom machines wouldn’t scare me anymore. Right? I’ll give you a good price, so hand it over. Let’s win this war together. Yeah? Yeah? What do you say!"
Rikane Gold, leveraging their shared battle experience to make the first move.
The other seniors watched with envy or irritation, furrowing their brows.
Kang Geohan took a deep breath.
Giant parts sparkling in the sunlight.
Seniors eyeing his choice curiously.
Engineers watching with excited twinkles.
Ren Engineer stood among them.
And Kang Geohan made up his mind.
You know those moments? When you can’t explain it, but a vague certainty hits you. When instinct screams that this is the only way, no compromises.
"Sorry, but I’ll be using the inertial control part myself."
"...Huh? What?"
"Ren Engineer!"
"Uh, uh?"
"Please mount the inertial control part on the Femoral."
Ren Engineer’s eyes went wide.
A brief silence fell, then Rikane Gold slapped Kang Geohan’s back hard. Really hard.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Hahaha! This guy! What a joker! Why put that on a Cyclops? It’s an ability impossible to run on 1-Core 2-Thread! You’d need at least a 2-Core 4-Thread Yotun, and even then it’d barely creak along! Haha! Good one!"
But Kang Geohan stood ramrod straight, unshaken even by the pot-lid-sized hands pounding his back.
"Ren Engineer! It’s possible to mount a 2-Core 4-Thread Giant Heart on the Cyclops too, right?"
Ren Engineer answered with a flustered face.
"Yes, it’s possible. We’ve even got spares... But with your current power as Kang Geohan White Knight, running a 2-Core 4-Thread is too much. You’d exhaust yourself immediately. You’d need at least Black Knight level..."
"Hey, Kang Geohan."
Rikane Gold grabbed both his shoulders.
"You got a problem? You think this situation’s a game? When every scrap of power boost counts, what’s this nonsense? This isn’t playtime for kids."
Kang Geohan brushed off Rikane Gold’s hands.
"I know the situation perfectly. No skill means death. That’s why I’ll use it. With my own power. I’ll use it."
He turned to Ren Engineer.
"Prepare a 2-Core 4-Thread Giant Heart too. Mount it along with the inertial control part."
"Sigh. This is insane..."
Ren Engineer scratched his head vigorously.
"Alright. I’ll trust you. But you have to make this work. Even a tiny power boost is desperate times for us. From us engineers’ perspective too."
"No worries."
"Hey! Kang Geohan!"
He ignored Rikane Gold, red-faced with anger.
Kang Geohan turned and tapped Roan’s shoulder.
"Then as we discussed, sell off the rest. No discounts—we need the money for upgrades. I’m off."
"Wha—? You did? The negotiating? Me?! When?"
Kang Geohan left Roan gaping behind him.
"Kang Geohan! Hey! Kang Geohan!"
Rikane Gold bellowed menacingly after him,
And the rest of the group stood dumbfounded. The seniors’ glares were scorching.
Helena moved first.
"Then I’ll take the spear that Leviathan was using over there. Ren Engineer, add it to my main weapon spear."
"Uh? Uh... sure."
Helena said her piece and turned away crisply.
"You all think hard too. In this situation, decide clearly if it’s your own skill or others’ help that’ll save your lives."
With Helena gone, Roan moved.
In a shrinking voice,
"Uh... then. That javelin over there. W-well... we’ve gotta survive first too..."
Under the seniors’ icy stares, Harkrux moved too.
"Can’t be the only one left out... I’ll take that external armor. It looks so light and tough. What’re you waiting for, Gerot? Grab something!"
Gerot shuffled forward, glancing nervously at the seniors.
He pointed to the Leviathan’s greatshield and bowed deeply to the seniors.
"...Sorry!"
Grind. The seniors’ teeth-gnashing echoed chillingly over the firing range.
Roan blurted out hurriedly.
"P-please sell the rest at full price, Ren Engineer! Please! L-let’s go, Gerot!"
Then Roan White dragged Gerot away in a hurry.
* * *
The next dawn.
The Count summoned everyone in the fortress to the eastern wall.
He called Kang Geohan up from below the wall.
"I’ve already distributed rewards, but I felt Kang Geohan White Knight deserved something special, so I called you aside. He defended the Eastern Border Fortress and saved my life from peril."
Waaaaah!
A massive cheer shook the fortress.
The senior Riders glared jealously at Kang Geohan, but among the regular knights, soldiers, and citizens, his popularity was absolute.
Startled by the fervent roar, the Count remarked.
"Your popularity is impressive."
"I’m embarrassed."
"No... I think calling you out separately for this was the right call. We need a hero most of all right now."
The Count smiled faintly and bellowed loudly.
"Now! What do you desire? Speak! Shall I give you five more Golems? Or a productive manor from my estates—I could grant you baronetcy at the right time. Or a Giant weapon? I’ve got special gear in mind just for you. A part with an ability operable on 1-Core 2-Thread. Called ‘Slip.’ It can deflect enemy attacks or let you move slippery-smooth. Gear that could save your life once or twice. What’ll it be?"
The crowd buzzed.
Woooow...
What generosity.
Every reward the Count offered was extraordinary.
Golems aside, a manor? Get that and baronetcy later, and you’d have a true noble foundation.
Steadily rack up merits under the Count, and you might even climb to hereditary baron. Every knight’s dream.
The ability part was the same. What Rider didn’t crave abilities? For one in their growth phase, it was irresistible.
Gulp.
Kang Geohan swallowed. He hadn’t expected rewards this generous. His resolve wavered.
A manor fit his noble ambitions perfectly, and the ability part would boost his combat power immediately.
Kang Geohan looked at the Count. That grinning face.
He made up his mind.
'Yeah. A guy who can casually offer treasures like these...'
He probably had the treasure Kang Geohan truly wanted. Kang Geohan was certain.
"Count, if I may ask a question."
"What is it?"
"The growth of my Babel tower. That’s the one thing I desire. I’m curious if there’s anything that can accelerate its growth."
The Count’s ever-grinning expression cracked.
"Babel tower... growth?"
"Yes."
The Count squeezed his eyes shut. He muttered so softly it was barely audible.
"Sigh... damn it. So that’s why he took the inertial control part he couldn’t even use..."
"Pardon?"
"No. For you, that’s a perfect answer... Yes. You need that kind of ambition."
Hiding his bitter feelings, the Count reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small wooden box and opened the lid.
Fwoosh!
Sizzle!
Red light and steam billowed from the box.
Grrrrowl.
A beastly growl rang out clearly, even from below the wall.