Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: This Skinny Guy
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The River of Everlasting Flame led into Wind Canyon.
Wind Canyon was a natural labyrinth formed by hundreds of rectangular peaks and tens of thousands of jagged boulders, as if a giant kitchen knife had crudely sliced through solid ground.
A peculiar whistling sound—piiiing—echoed whenever the wind passed between the spiky peaks and rocks.
It was easy to detect approaching enemies, perfect for hiding, and offered dozens of escape routes.
On top of that, there was a First Line outpost equipped with basic military facilities, making it the ideal spot.
The evacuation procession from the Eastern Border Fortress had taken shelter here and finally unpacked their belongings. Exhaustion and fear were etched on the faces of the soldiers and civilians who had abandoned their homes overnight.
"Will we really... be okay?"
"Don't worry too much."
"At least it's not cold yet... but that'll only last a month or two. How are we supposed to survive here when the weather turns harsh?"
"The relief forces will arrive before then."
"And if they don't?"
"The Count will figure something out."
"I saw the Count heading out yesterday with a ton of Gigants..."
"He said it was to draw the enemy's attention. Hey, enough with the nonsense! Unpack the supplies already!"
Count Kali Stehold had sortied with thirty elite Gigants.
The plan was to launch guerrilla attacks, stir up chaos in the enemy lines, shake off any pursuers, and sow confusion.
They would spend at least two weeks crossing uncharted territory, conducting reconnaissance and battles repeatedly.
Wind Canyon was left with knights, soldiers, twenty-six Gigants, and 180 golems.
Likan Gold was in command.
While leading a meeting about tomorrow's operation, a sudden thought crossed his mind, twisting his expression.
"By the way, Kang Geohan is still...?"
The Gold Knights and Silver Knights attending the meeting nodded.
"Same as always. Jeez... how does he swallow something like that whole?"
"Does he have no sense of his place? He even gobbled up the inertia control ability himself."
"We need to discipline him. He can't join tomorrow's operation like this."
"Forget discipline—he looks like he's about to die any second."
"Huh? What happens to the inertia control ability if he dies?"
"Hey! Even if you're pissed, you can't just say that about a junior dying!"
"Ah, sorry..."
The seniors' reactions toward Kang Geohan weren't favorable.
They had pegged him as a greedy, arrogant rookie for refusing to hand over the inertia control parts.
And now, in the midst of all that, he'd recklessly swallowed Varok's core, creating a gap in their forces—no one was looking at him kindly.
Even Likan Gold, who had taken a liking to Kang Geohan after the fortress defense battle, was displeased with him now.
"We have to carry out supply operations to feed 20,000 people in this situation... Tsk. If he can't join this operation, I'll requisition the inertia control by my authority."
"That's right. This isn't a game."
"A rider who can't fight doesn't need equipment."
It was at that very moment.
Just as everyone was loudly condemning Kang Geohan, he returned.
His adjutant lifted the tent flap and reported.
"Pardon the interruption! Sir Kang Geohan White Knight is here to report his return. Shall I let him in?"
Likan Gold and the senior riders widened their eyes and exchanged glances.
Report his return?
Did that mean he'd come to his senses?
He'd survived in that state?
"Uh, uh... let him in."
With Likan Gold's permission,
Step.
Kang Geohan entered the tent.
It was like shoving a massive object into a full bathtub—the air inside rippled.
The expressions of the gathered senior riders changed.
'What the...?'
Imagine an elevator packed with several muscular people, and then another big, solid-muscled guy steps in.
Especially if he strides in with his chest puffed out and muscles flexed?
The elevator feels even smaller, and through subtle bumps and pushes of shoulders, you gauge each other's power.
That was exactly what was happening in the tent right now.
Step, step.
The moment Kang Geohan entered, the seniors felt a rush of hot mana!
The ferocious power of his demonic essence writhed beyond his skin.
The air in the tent swelled taut.
Like frilled lizards competing to flare their neck frills, the senior riders' demonic essences began to twitch in response to Kang Geohan's provocative entrance.
Flutter!
Mana clashed so fiercely the tent shook. Demonic essences writhed here and there, each asserting dominance.
Step.
Kang Geohan pushed through the gaps without hesitation.
The senior riders' expressions shifted.
Of course, Kang Geohan's demonic essence was still small compared to theirs. But it was strangely solid and confident.
Tough enough to rub shoulders with the Silver and Gold Knights' demonic essences without being pushed aside.
'Crazy... Is this the demonic essence of a White Knight who's been at it for less than a year?'
'At least Black Knight level, right?'
'It's weirdly solid and hot.'
Only then did the senior riders realize.
The junior who fearlessly devoured Varok's core whole,
The clueless newbie who hogged the inertia control parts,
Had, in that short time, grown into a full-fledged Gigant rider without any shortcomings.
"Sir Kang Geohan White. I report that I have completed the absorption process and returned. I sincerely apologize for causing you all worry during this time."
Kang Geohan bowed his head proudly and crisply.
Likan Gold and the senior riders gazed at him with complex looks.
* * *
Wind Canyon darkened quickly.
Around a campfire blazing like a bonfire sat Helena, Gerot, Harkrux, Loen, Kaltz, and Davis.
An ogre and lizard king roasted whole over the flames sizzled away.
"Hey... Seeing the meat roast makes it real that Kang Geohan's back. Good job. You made it through alive."
Harkrux patted his back.
Kang Geohan's lips curved into a smile at the genuine welcome.
"But... you're way too skinny. You gotta eat a ton."
His face stiffened at Harkrux's follow-up.
Normally, cultivating demonic essence made it hard to gain weight.
It expanded by replacing the body, but since demonic essence wasn't physical matter, it had no weight.
That was why, despite eating so much, he'd stayed stuck in the mid-to-late 50kg range. Fortunately, the demonic essence reshaped his body ideally, keeping up appearances of being sturdy.
But now.
After four grueling days with Varok's core, the results were devastating.
179cm tall, 48kg.
Even with demonic essence supporting him, this was anchovy—no, skeleton territory.
'This is... horrifying.'
Every time Kang Geohan looked down at his scrawny frame, he flinched. To have a name like Kang Geohan on this pathetic body... it was humiliating.
That was the reason. The moment he reported back, he'd lit a huge fire and started grilling meat.
But after Harkrux pointed it out, he realized this was far from enough.
Kang Geohan turned to Uncle Davis with a hardened face.
"Uncle Davis. Bring out the regular rations you packed too."
Monster meat, mainly dark mana, didn't help gain weight.
So he requested even the regular food he rarely touched because it didn't fill him up.
Davis pulled out a high-carb sun bread loaf and half a piece of high-protein dried sky ox from the cart.
"More. Give me more."
Uncle Davis's fingertips trembled.
"B-But... we're evacuating. We have to ration it."
"We're going out for supplies tomorrow anyway. Bring more. I'll eat a lot and bring back even more."
Kang Geohan steeled his resolve.
'I have to eat until I'm about to puke.'
No matter how superior demonic essence was to muscle, this was beyond acceptable.
'I should have done this from the start.'
Demonic essence is demonic essence, muscle is muscle! Neglect building muscle for demonic essence?
Yeah. Maybe this was punishment.
For not cherishing his muscles.
That's why he'd ended up like this skeleton.
'Stuff it down.'
Kang Geohan bit into the sun bread with blazing eyes. He tore off a hunk of lizard king thigh and shoved it in.
Then he chewed rapidly, like turning the food in his mouth to mush.
Chomp chomp chomp, gulp!
Thud!
Chomp chomp chomp, gulp!
Helena burst into dry laughter watching Kang Geohan silently devour his food with murderous intensity.
"For real. Sir Kang Geohan White Knight is back. Even a lot stronger."
Kang Geohan paused mid-chew to reply.
"Nah. Stronger? With my weight like this... I'm aiming for 80kg this time."
"Full of spirit. Anyway, welcome back! I missed not being able to eat monster meat while you were gone."
"Yeah. Lizard king meat's mine, so have the ogre."
"Got it."
Helena plopped down next to Kang Geohan and started eating aggressively like him.
Harkrux sat beside her, followed by Gerot, Kaltz, and Davis, all digging in.
Loen sat last, grumbling.
"See? I told you Kang Geohan was fine, no need to worry. Worrying about him is a loss."
Harkrux peeked up at that.
"Huh? Loen, didn't you cry?"
"W-What are you talking about!"
Loen shrieked and glanced at Kang Geohan, but he just kept eating silently. Loen bit his lip and asked.
"Kang Geohan. But... you've gotten a lot stronger, right? Your mana feels all tingly..."
The group, deep in their meal, all looked at Kang Geohan. They were all curious. How much stronger had he gotten?
Gulp.
Kang Geohan swallowed and answered.
"Yeah, stronger."
"How much? Like, now I couldn't even follow your heel?"
"Who knows? Might be hard to even look at me."
Half-joking, half-serious.
Loen yelled.
"Hard to look at?! It ain't that much! We've been training hard too!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! Enough that I could glare at you with eyes wide open!"
"What's that supposed to mean."
Kang Geohan chuckled.
What kind of tiny ambition is that.
Not even 'be careful not to get caught up', but 'glare at you'.
Loen glared at the chuckling Kang Geohan.
"Damn it. I'll eat a ton and get stronger too. This skinny guy."
Loen started chowing down.
But Kang Geohan, hit out of nowhere by those words, could only stiffen his face.
Skinny guy...?
His hands shook.
Frantically.
His hands carrying food to his mouth sped up more and more.