Chapter 70
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Fugitive and Challenger (2)
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“Hamang!”
Sploosh-!
A massive water balloon—no, it was Hamang flying in.
It slammed into Gigatitan’s side.
Splurt!
Hamang was bloated to the brim after gulping down tons of seawater.
Its weight alone was several hundred tons.
Of course, that was nothing compared to Gigatitan’s 2,500-ton body.
Even so, the surprise attack was enough to make the beast stagger for a moment.
Grulk?
Gigatitan’s legs stumbled into an unintended crab walk.
Like someone tap-dancing who gets sideswiped by a flying exercise ball, it wobbled to stay upright.
That stagger saved the 23rd outpost commander.
Boom-!
“Gah!”
The leg about to stomp on the outpost commander skidded several meters to the side.
It crushed an entire boulder, sinking deep into the ground.
Debris flew toward the outpost.
But in the end, the commander wasn’t hurt.
Countless fragments hurtled his way.
Someone had blocked them.
“Get down!”
“...!”
A shadow leaped in front of the commander with a shout.
It looked like he was raising something flat-ended.
Then he swung it in a flashy arc.
Sparks flew in all directions in an instant.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Flashes lit up the darkness one after another.
Through them, the commander clearly saw.
‘A shovel?’
Someone was swinging a shovel.
He gripped the handle wide with both hands, in some bizarre stance the commander had never seen.
But the movements were no joke.
Like an expert archer’s arrow nailing a target.
He deflected every incoming rock fragment without missing a single one.
Smacking them mid-air, blocking, parrying, slashing away relentlessly.
‘It’s like a shield on a stick.’
That was the commander’s impression.
Finally, the shovel-wielding man turned this way.
“You okay?”
“Uh, I mean, I...”
“You look fine. Follow me.”
The man—Lloyd—slung the shovel over his shoulder and jerked his chin.
The commander found himself running after him on instinct.
“W-where are we going?”
“Where else? We’re running.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you hear? We’re running away.”
Lloyd replied as if it were obvious.
The commander’s face hardened.
“I can’t run. I have to defend this place.”
“You can’t defend it.”
“I have to anyway.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Huh? What do you...”
“Because he’ll defend it.”
Lloyd pointed to one side as they sprinted.
The commander’s gaze followed automatically.
And there it was.
Fires rising everywhere from exploding ammo crates.
In the midst of the flames stood the silver-haired knight, Haviel, tall and proud.
He held just a single sword at the ready.
But his presence was utterly commanding.
Facing a monster dozens of times his size head-on, without the slightest tremble.
No, he even raised his sword to point at the beast.
Then he kicked off the ground.
Whoosh!
He charged like a gale.
Leaping over boulders.
Bursting through roaring flames.
Ahead loomed Gigatitan’s eleventh leg.
He brushed past it.
Haviel’s sword flashed into a streak of light, sweeping the leg.
Slash! Clang!
Sparks flew.
A tiny nick appeared at the end of Gigatitan’s leg.
Haviel’s brow twitched as he recovered his sword.
‘It didn’t cut?’
He’d expected at least half of it to come off.
It was a bit unexpected.
‘Once more.’
Mana surged in his Mana Heart.
The triple circle spun faster.
Haviel’s movements accelerated.
Zing!
Faster than Gigatitan’s gaze could follow.
He dove into the monster’s blind spot.
Leaped up.
Stepped on its leg.
Kicked off higher.
There was the leg joint.
A spot where the shell looked relatively thinner.
‘Hah!’
Haviel’s sword gleamed.
It slashed diagonally through space toward the joint.
But while space split, the shell did not.
Boom-!
“...!”
Even with Blasting infused, the sword bounced off.
Shock rippled through the silver-haired knight’s eyes as he rebounded.
Lloyd, who had fled a safe distance and looked back, grimaced fiercely.
‘That thing—I told you not to fight it for that exact reason.’
His heart pounded wildly.
Suddenly, he recalled what happened earlier.
♣
“Done! Bangul?”
“Bangul?”
“Eat this quick.”
“Bangul?”
“Blue sunflower seeds. Before that monster spots us.”
Lloyd held out blue sunflower seeds to Bangul.
They had just crossed the sea on Bangul’s back.
Having safely breached the waves and reached the shore.
First, he shrank Bangul’s size.
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
“What’s your plan from here, sir?”
Haviel asked with a serious gaze.
Lloyd replied matter-of-factly.
“What else? Hide.”
“Huh?”
A faint crease formed between Haviel’s brows.
“Hide? Do you mean prepare an ambush?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Why ambush? We hide.”
“Huh?”
“You weren’t thinking of fighting that monster, were you?”
“Of course—”
“Stop. You’ll just die pointlessly.”
Lloyd shed his waterlogged, heavy formal coat.
He spoke as if baffled by the argument.
“This isn’t our city. And even this city has its own army. So why should we step up with the big guns—or swords, for that matter?”
“Well, naturally...”
“Justice or something?”
Lloyd tilted his head.
Haviel’s frown deepened.
“Then what about what you shouted to the count on the galleon?”
“Shouted?”
“When the count asked what you’d do, didn’t you say, ‘I’ll go check it out’?”
“Yeah. I did shout that.”
“But now you won’t take responsibility for those words?”
“I just said I’d come here. Didn’t say what I’d do after.”
“...”
“Exactly. So what does it matter if I hide now? Why should I risk my life for someone else’s problem?”
“But Lord Lloyd.”
“Do I look like Superman to you?”
“Huh? Superman? What’s...”
“Or some world-saving hero?”
“...”
Of course not.
Lloyd had never once thought of himself that way.
He wasn’t Superman.
Not some movie hero pulling off dramatic feats.
‘I just want to pay off my debts and live quietly and peacefully forever.’
Just a young man diligently living each day for that sole goal.
Striving for one more contract.
To scrape together the money.
An ordinary guy working hard every day.
“And fighting a monster the size of a skyscraper? That make sense?”
It had sent a giant statue flying hundreds of meters with one blow.
Smashed five galleons with a single body slam.
Took dozens of cannonballs without flinching.
Fighting a beast like that?
If he could, sure, he’d try.
But he didn’t see it as possible at all.
Honestly, he was scared.
Couldn’t even imagine it.
It hurt thinking of the citizens who’d suffer because of that monster, but impossible was impossible.
To Lloyd, “Let’s fight that monster” sounded exactly like “Let’s all die together nice and peacefully.”
That’s why.
“I’m saying this clearly: I have zero intention of fighting it. That’s why I gave the count some vague line and bailed from the ship. Now I’ll find a safe spot nearby and hunker down until this mess blows over.”
“And once it does?”
“What else? Collect my construction fee from the count.”
“...”
“Once I get paid, we’re done. I know, I know—it’s sleazy. But what can I do? Nothing I can do anyway. What more am I supposed to do here? What could I even do?”
“...”
Lloyd spoke as if helpless.
Haviel’s gaze toward him grew icy.
His tone chilled as well.
“So this is the kind of person you are, Lord Lloyd?”
“What?”
“I’m disappointed.”
That was it.
Haviel turned.
Drew his sword.
Podong and Bangul, who had been watching the argument in confusion, along with Hamang—Haviel asked them.
“Will you fight with me?”
“Podong!”
“Bangul!”
“Hamang!”
The three fantasy beasts nodded together.
A faint smile tugged at Haviel’s lips.
“Good. Then let’s go.”
“Po! Bang! Ham!”
Whoosh!
Haviel scooped up the three fantasy beasts and charged off.
Their backs receded swiftly.
Beyond them, messages scrolled up.
Ding.
[Haviel Asrahan feels deep disappointment toward you.]
[Haviel Asrahan’s favorability toward you drops by -5.]
[Current relationship with Haviel Asrahan: +1]
[Your intimacy level with Haviel Asrahan drops one step from [Casual Interest] to [Daily Acquaintance].]
[Your relationship with a key figure has slightly worsened, but no RP is deducted as a result.]
[Current RP: 1901]
“...”
Haviel seemed genuinely pissed this time.
Lloyd bit his lip hard.
‘This is insane.’
He didn’t want Haviel fighting that monster—himself included.
Of course, he knew Haviel was strong.
But this was a situation outside his memories.
The novel Iron-Blooded Knight that he’d read.
Haviel never fought Gigatitan in it.
And the current Haviel wasn’t the Swordmaster from the novel.
He had triple circles, sure, but strictly speaking, he was still just an advanced Sword Expert.
If luck soured, charging for justice could end in a sudden, pathetic death.
‘Can’t let that happen.’
He didn’t want to lose Haviel like that.
Because the guy was cute?
Of course not.
‘Simple reason. He’s the most useful one!’
The guy who’d become his greatest asset.
A future Swordmaster to prop up the territory.
And right now, he was already the ultimate construction heavy machinery.
How smoothly had quarrying gone thanks to Blasting?
No worries drilling into strata.
‘And his labor’s free!’
Feed him and he worked like an ox without complaint.
He didn’t want to lose such all-purpose gear.
Didn’t want to throw him into danger.
That’s why.
‘Damn it. After all the care I’ve put into raising him!’
Grumbling inwardly dozens of times, he chased after Haviel.
Desperate to stop him somehow.
That’s how he ended up here.
Got caught up and even saved the 23rd outpost commander.
Now fleeing with the commander, jeering at Haviel.
“Hey! That’s enough—let’s bounce already!”
“No.”
Thud!
Haviel, who had landed far ahead, ran parallel in the same direction.
He flatly refused as if it were natural.
Veins bulged on Lloyd’s forehead. He bellowed.
“Hey!”
“Yes.”
“Are you a masochist or something? Got a fetish for unbeatable heroes?”
“Huh?”
“What ‘huh’! Am I wrong? You think you can stop that thing like this?”
“I don’t know. But—”
Splash!
Haviel, sprinting at full speed, halted.
Turned his body.
The massive monster charging this way.
Gigatitan’s overwhelming foot descending.
He swung his sword to meet it head-on.
Unleashed Blasting straight ahead.
Boom-!
With a ferocious shockwave, Haviel’s body bounced back. He skidded nearly 20 meters, barely regaining balance, eyes blazing.
“If I don’t fight, no one will stop it.”
His low voice carried clearly on mana.
“Whoa.”
Typical novel protagonist.
His sense of justice and nosiness were terminal-stage.
But no time to blame that.
No leisure to persuade further.
“Hey! Dodge!”
Whooosh!
Maybe Haviel’s persistent Blasting annoyed it.
Gigatitan unleashed a full assault on him.
It swung its club-like foreleg.
Boom!
Haviel dodged nimbly.
But the foreleg club hammered at him relentlessly without pause.
Swoosh, boom! Crunch!
Each ground-pound split the earth and pulverized rocks.
Monstrous shockwaves and debris ravaged the area.
Haviel evaded by a hair’s breadth each time.
While gradually luring it away from here.
Guiding Gigatitan that way.
Worried they’d get caught in the attacks aimed at him, apparently.
‘You idiot!’
He was blatantly pulling aggro.
Looked like he was trying to die, no matter how you sliced it.
Lloyd’s heart thundered harder.
‘That’s why I said hide instead of fight.’
But now it was too late to back out.
He had to do something.
Or Haviel would die.
And if unlucky, he’d go down too—like a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
‘Not happening.’
Lloyd shook his head fiercely.
Tried to calm down.
‘To overcome this, analyze the scene first.’
He wiped sweat from his eyes.
Darted his gaze around.
Sorted his thoughts methodically.
‘Biggest issue: Haviel can’t damage it.’
Haviel’s slashes could cleave steel.
But they weren’t landing.
Gigatitan’s thick shell was the culprit.
‘Looks just like a lobster. Or a lobster with club claws.’
Crustacean.
That signature tough, leathery shell was the problem.
‘If we could pierce that, Haviel might manage something.’
Lloyd scanned the rampaging Gigatitan.
But the night sky was too dark.
No matter how he looked, he couldn’t spot any thin or weak points.
‘Man, if it were rock or ground, Surveying would map every soft spot...’
Regret welled up naturally.
Then it hit him.
‘Wait. Hold on.’
Lloyd paused mid-sigh.
A new idea sparked suddenly.
One thought led to another, exploding in a chain.
Surveying.
The skill to assess terrain.
To discern sturdy from fragile ground.
The honey skill that, with its options, revealed properties up to 5 meters deep.
‘But... could it work on that thing?’
A maybe flickered.
Surveying a living creature?
He’d never tried.
Never even hoped it would.
But if it did?
Jackpot.
If not, no loss.
Nothing to lose.
‘Let’s try. Surveying!’
Out of faint hope.
Lloyd focused his eyes hard.
Activated Surveying while staring up at Gigatitan.
Zzzzzz!
[Beginning scan.]
Unbelievable messages appeared, and map-hack-like data started popping up all over Gigatitan’s body.