Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: White Giant (4)
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A mystery monster that had crawled up from the abyss.
Perhaps due to its bizarre origins, even Harley's razor-sharp teeth couldn't easily crush the skull of this white giant.
Gluttony, which allowed him to chew and swallow anything, had made even the scales of a Mad Dragon no more than fragile glass candy. Yet it was utterly powerless against this head.
Of course, its sheer durability was greater than that of dragon scales, but to him, it didn't feel like that was the only issue.
'It felt like it was protected by some special power. A blessing or skill... no, something closer to a higher authority or law.'
If Gluttony's proficiency had been higher, he might have found a way somehow, but that wasn't possible right now.
So the method he chose was to target a tougher part than others, but weaker than the head.
The neck first...
And that approach worked brilliantly.
Right after severing its neck.
"Sssip—ptui. This tastes utterly foul."
A 4-meter-tall colossal frame and a ferocious appearance closer to a demon than a dragon.
The sight of such a being baring its sharp teeth and smacking its lips filled onlookers with an indescribable sense of intimidation.
How much more so with its house-sized head sprawled in the background?
"...Up close like this, it looks even more vicious..."
"Kuhahat! See, even you think so, miss? Whew, this thing's size aside, its looks are so damn unique. Makes you realize monsters are monsters, huh?"
Harley, the top contributor who had diligently torn into the giant's nape alongside Heinrich's relentless sword strikes to sever its neck, wiped the white blood from his mouth with one hand and turned around.
"Huh? Oh, yes! Right. A monster... yes."
Isea, who had been watching him intently, met his blazing gaze head-on and awkwardly smiled while averting her eyes.
As if she had plenty to say but was holding back for her comrade's sake.
"...But do you really have to eat that? It doesn't look healthy no matter how I look at it."
But Geoas, watching from the side, voiced the question she had forcibly swallowed, unperturbed.
He was used to Harley munching on monsters and magistones, but this giant was suspicious from its very appearance—everything about it felt off.
Harley nodded calmly at his doubt.
"Mm, yeah, this one's a bit iffy to eat. Not very nutritious either!"
His Mutation trait involved collecting genes from other creatures to evolve himself, and Gluttony—which had shone in the battle against the Mad Dragon—could devour even fragments of a target's unique essence.
However...
'Is this thing even a real living being?'
This white giant yielded no genes or essence, not even basic calories from its flesh.
It was as if it were an illusory phantom without substance.
Harley's stomach could digest and convert even rocks into energy, so this was definitely off the charts.
"Uhaha! Guess I just can't help swallowing whatever enters my mouth—it's my nature! Happened without thinking. Anyway, as long as it doesn't cause trouble!"
Finishing his words, he casually pulled meat from his subspace, popped it into his mouth, and glanced back.
Wriggle wriggle—
The massive white head, despite its neck being severed, was still twitching.
White biological tissue kept extending from the cross-section, attempting regeneration nonstop.
And Heinrich had been slicing those away while analyzing the creature from the start.
"...Hm, as expected, we need to destroy the core inside its head. It only looks like a living being—its principles are closer to a golem."
Finally, after probing the head here and there with his holy sword, he concluded with a serious expression.
"Knew it? Well—whatever, it can't resist anymore, so we can just keep pounding one spot."
"If that's the case, my spear could help too. At least I can suppress immediate regeneration."
The fact that they needed to destroy the head hadn't changed, but now that it couldn't resist, it wasn't difficult.
As they said, focusing attacks on one point would crack even the toughest skull eventually. Or Harley could burrow from the neck stump straight to the brain.
However.
"...Wait, just a moment, please? I'd like a bit of time."
"Pardon? What..."
"There's something I've always wanted to try on this chance. Harley alone can block its regeneration, so you two look after the villagers we evacuated."
"...Alright. If you say so, Your Holiness."
"Understood, Your Holiness. We'll leave this to you two then."
Having gotten their approval, Heinrich stood before the giant's head, gripped his holy sword with both hands, and took a deep breath.
"Huu—."
The source of Heinrich's power, divine force, was far more effective against those wielding sinister energies like undead or black mages.
Most of his blessings worked the same way.
His body, filled with holy might, repelled all darkness, and the sword of light in his hand sliced through evil black magic like paper.
He was literally born to eradicate demons—the absolute predator of all things dark...
'But this giant was different.'
Unmistakably from the abyss, yet it showed almost no reaction to divine force.
As if facing an ordinary human.
'Even normal monsters take extra damage. What the hell is this thing?'
It wasn't a normal lifeform, and it felt deliberately designed without weaknesses to oppose heroes and the Church!
That's why Heinrich, who could somewhat stand against the Immortal King, hadn't shone against this giant.
He was at the pinnacle as a holy knight, but as a pure warrior, he hadn't reached the corresponding realm.
His self-enhancement effects were intact, so he wasn't sorely lacking, but he had still fallen short of his 'hero' reputation.
'I can't just sit idle knowing the problem.'
Artificial circumstances or not, clearing it this time didn't guarantee the next.
Preparing a solution was the obvious next step.
...Or more honestly.
'My pride won't let me sit still like this!'
He'd acted nonchalant before his comrades.
But as the Immortal King's sole rival and the continent's chosen savior, his pride was wounded.
Whoosh—thwack!
The holy sword blazing with divine force struck the giant's head, carving a long gash and splattering white blood.
But it wasn't deep enough.
The blade reached the skull but fell short of splitting it.
And as Heinrich recovered his sword, the head's wound began healing several times faster than other parts.
To endure a holy sword like this without special attacks—its vitality was grotesquely tenacious.
'Fine. Never expected it to be easy from the start.'
Fortunately, he already had a solution.
'Chehai and Geoas's secret technique, Refracted Spear... the pinnacle of aura operation that strikes desired points by leaping through space. As a space-interfering skill, its utility and power are on another level.'
If it were a transcendent technique usable only beyond mortal limits, it would mean nothing to him.
p>That would be a personal power breaking the world's laws.
'But it's not.'
Just very difficult and complex—a mere technique.
One systematized like an academic discipline, teachable to others.
'Twisting the phase between weapon and target to maintain spatial continuity... theory straight out of space magic. Even if derived from analyzing an existing unique skill, what a genius.'
While Hesperon learned the theory from Chehai over recent days, Heinrich hadn't idly minded the kids.
Having permission for the technique's transmission, he'd steadily discussed it with Geoas too.
Back then, it was just preemptive knowledge for later use...
Whoosh—thwack!
Come to think of it, he didn't even need to meet aura conditions.
This technique was Chehai adapting his unique skill for aura.
'Just adapt it for me... for Heinrich to use.'
For all his gripes, Heinrich was an Earthside Awakener.
His growth wasn't solely talent-driven.
Awakener growth bonus, avatar acceleration, 'Great Blessing: Knight of Light' hero growth bonus, 'Logia Holy Combat Method' and 'Path of Martial Arts' support.
Even theoretically, Hans's Wicked Wisdom and Path of Magic helped.
He just hadn't needed it before, but he had the capacity anytime.
Whoosh—thwack!
No rush.
The giant was fully subdued, regeneration thoroughly blocked by Harley.
'In a way, it's the perfect sandbag now.'
Growth bonuses accelerated and amplified the karma from training.
Like counting one lift as two.
Separate from Karma Shop stat boosts, natural growth accrued fitting karma.
Obviously, risking life to slash a dragon yielded more than goblin-slaying on the street.
'But can't exploit artificial setups.'
World laws weren't that lenient.
But this situation wasn't artificial.
They'd fought a sudden giant, barely subdued the mighty foe.
And now.
With purpose to finish it off.
He swung his sword again.
To split this head—and extract its core.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ How much time passed?
The sun had fully set, blanketing everything in darkness.
Isea brought back the safely evacuated villagers, casting warming and fire-starting spells for their comfort.
Geoas checked on them several times.
Whoosh—slash!
Not the previous dull thuds, but a sharp tearing sound.
The giant's skull, deeply scarred from countless strikes, split cleanly in two.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity has gained enlightenment through repeated training. Acquired skill 「Space Slash」. A message floated before his eyes.
Heinrich, lost in trance and pouring all focus into his strikes, blinked.
'...Close.'
But regret came before satisfaction—
'Just a bit more and I'd have touched it.'
He'd acquired Space Slash, the space-interfering sword strike, but failed to breach transcendence as a warrior.
'Can't be helped. It was a bit short anyway. Satisfied with grasping the clue this time.'
With a light sigh, Heinrich lightly used Space Slash in the air, shattering the reforming skull once more.
Now to fulfill the original goal.
"Oho! Just as I thought!"
A very familiar energy from within the cracked skull.
Harley, who'd been blocking regeneration and sucking up meat nearby, thrust his sharpened hand deep inside.
When he pulled it out...
'Oh? What's this?'
A fist-sized, dark-red gem wrapped in spiderweb-like tissue from the giant's head.
It contained ultra-pure 'madness' crystallization, unseen before.
'Similar vibe to Herathos's Dragon Heart. As an abyss spawn, the purity of madness is higher here.'
Harley grinned in satisfaction.
Unsuitable as an avatar medium due to its abyssal origin, but an elixir in itself for him.
"Hey! Give it here—I claim it! This is mine now! Uhahaha!"
Greed ablaze, Harley slashed with sharpened nails, shredding the clinging white tissue, and retreated.
The massive white head went limp.
But that was no longer his concern.
'No reason to hesitate!'
The white giant had yielded nothing, but surely not this gleaming crystal.
He popped it into his mouth.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity has fulfilled the conditions and awakened its potential. Acquired special skill 「Gigantification」. Thus, he took another step further from humanity.