13. Past Life Experience
Suddenly, Wayne recalled that day when he, as John Conner, had gone with the real Wayne to see the blind witch.
Thanks to her that day, the memories of his past life as Han Sang-tae in South Korea had resurfaced. Believing her prophecy, he'd swapped identities and survived by living as Wayne.
"So from that moment on, you could see the past lives of the dead?"
It seemed that's when this bizarre ability had awakened. He'd heard that the neural network in a Gigant's cockpit was made from the brains, nerves, and cells of dead monsters.
That must be why, when he piloted one, the monster's form overlapped with his body, letting him glimpse the past life of beasts slain in the Great Forest.
'But this memory...'
The vanishing skull's apparition flashed through Wayne's mind.
"Karian... so that was your name, Karian."
Thick tears rolled down his cheeks.
Wayne now knew the name of the Gigant pilot who had melted into the molten rock and become that skull: Karian Verita, the king!
The tears just now weren't his own—they stemmed from the overwhelming sorrow of living through Karian's memories, his past life, in that single instant.
More precisely, it wasn't just seeing it; he'd fully experienced Karian's entire life in a flash. That's why all those subtle emotions had come flooding back.
And now, the true nature of the Gigant before him was clear.
"Ah! Martias..."
This Gigant was Karian's friend, the red dragon Martias, who had fought alongside him against the ancient giants.
Martias had fallen to a giant, and King Karian, seeking revenge, had crafted this Gigant from his friend's bones and scales.
But before he could deploy Martias and his legion, the lava and earthquakes claimed everything—his vengeance, his dreams, all lost.
That's why even in death, Karian's eyes remained open, his lingering grudge etched into that skull.
Truth be told, Wayne couldn't guess how many ages had passed since Karian's lifetime—it was ancient, unrecorded in any history.
'Can I pilot Martias?'
The method to board and move this crimson Gigant lingered in his mind.
The problem was his Odd reserves were far too meager to even start it up.
King Karian had reached the pinnacle of Odd mastery. He'd leaped ten meters from a seated position with martial prowess fueled by Odd and could fight in a Gigant for ten straight days on a single breath.
Compared to that, Wayne's Odd was less than a millionth.
"Hahaha! Puahaha!"
Suddenly, Wayne burst into mad laughter.
"I can do it! I can absolutely do it!"
Hope swelled in his chest. He couldn't claim Karian's Odd, but the peerless ancient Odd breathing technique Karian had cultivated remained etched in his mind.
He couldn't pilot Martias just yet, but with consistent practice of that method, it wasn't impossible.
The realization that he could one day mount Martias made the laughter inevitable.
Fortune has stacked upon fortune!
No—this was fate! Finding a Gigant legion in this lava cave was a jackpot, but acquiring a long-lost ancient Odd breathing technique on top? Unforgettable.
Having lived it fully like his own experience, he could even practice it in his sleep.
Wayne swallowed hard against the thrilling tension gripping his heart. He bolted off, re-covering the Gigants he'd found with rocks and volcanic ash.
He dug up the shield from the passage, grunted as he hauled it behind a hill, and buried it too.
With the area tidied, he hurried back to the tunnel entrance.
'This place can't be discovered yet!'
A Gigant or two might become his, but a legion like this? No chance.
This had to be his secret weapon, to be unveiled only when he needed it.
A tidal wave of plans surged through his mind.
But right now, there was one task: erase the orcs' tracks dragging the Gigant and hide this spot thoroughly!
He circled back, covering Gigant-swept ground and traces with small rocks and stones, even wiping away the orcs' footprints.
Then he dashed out.
Too late, and someone might come looking—potentially stumbling into the inner chamber.
No immediate risk of discovery, but who knew with the world?
Kiiing! Thud! Thud!
"Damn, it's heavy."
Diane's Gigant hoisted the 5-meter one from the cave and carried it out. Captain Jamie, rescued, was wrapped in a warm blanket.
Snow arrived late on horseback.
"Captain! You're here."
"Oh! Captain Jamie's safe."
Joy lit Snow's face. Better news than this didn't exist—especially after thinking him dead.
"Young Lord Wayne saved me."
"What? Young Lord Wayne?"
Jamie recounted everything: kidnapped from base camp yesterday, dragged separately by the orc chieftain at dawn, and how Wayne, in a Gigant, slew them all in one strike.
Hearing it, Snow regretted not trusting Wayne's words.
"But where's Young Lord Wayne?"
"I'm not sure. When I woke, he was gone, and Sir Blaster was there."
"Sir Blaster?"
"He went into the cave to find Young Lord Wayne."
Snow ordered Chris cavalry captain and his men.
"Form a search party! We're going in."
"No need!"
Wayne and Blaster emerged from the cave together.
"Young Lord Wayne, where did you go?"
"Just checking for more orcs deeper in."
"Were there?"
"Nah, it dead-ends at a poisonous gas-filled lava cave. No way."
Wayne added a slight fib. There was foul gas, but it cleared past the lava zone.
"Oh, and this Gigant? I found it, so no eyeing it."
Only then did Snow scrutinize the Gigant.
"Where'd orcs get a Gigant like this?"
"Interrogated the chieftain before killing him. Said they got it from the Sky Mountains. Thought kidnapping a mechanic would let them pilot it."
"Hah! Fools."
"Yeah. So they all died."
"But how'd you pilot it?"
"Focused my mind, and it worked."
"Pardon?"
A 5-meter Gigant. Unknown specs, but bigger than a 3rd-class trainer—and Wayne had wielded it to kill orcs? Impressive.
"Young Lord Wayne, thank you for saving me."
Captain Jamie approached and bowed.
"Eh, no big deal. Found this Gigant thanks to you."
"I'll repay this debt."
"If you're repaying a favor, sure, I'll take it. Hahaha!"
Wayne laughed goofily.
For once, Snow didn't mind. Gratitude for saving her subordinate, remorse for ignoring his advice yesterday about the orc chieftain's tactics—probably that.
"On behalf of 7th Division, I thank you too."
Snow formally bowed to Wayne.
"Aw, no need for formalities between us. I'm beat. Let's head back. Oh, and have Diane, who let the orc chieftain escape, take my Gigant to base camp."
"Pardon?"
Diane Garner beside her looked baffled.
"But..."
"Diane, do it."
"Yes, ma'am?"
That night, Diane returned late to base camp.
Back at base camp, Wayne claimed exhaustion and retreated to his tent.
'Phew! Dodged that.'
Heart pounding at the risk of discovery. Even if they entered the lava cave, the massive hill hid it—slim chance of going deeper.
Crossing the lava river wasn't easy, and finding Gigants harder still.
The only exposed third was Martias, but even if found and unearthed, no one could start it.
Only King Karian knew how—and without Wayne's experience of his past life, no one could pilot it.
Now, one vital task remained. Wayne steadied his breath, sat on the bed, and placed his hands on his abdomen like Karian in that past life. He focused his Odd and began breathing.
Inhale deeply in one go, filling the body with air.
"Suuuuuh! Hoo! Hoo!"
The breath filled him, coursing through his body; exhale sharply. Repeating, he felt air permeating every inch.
Sudden vitality surged into his lungs, heart, gut, chest, every cell.
It wasn't just air. Odd was mixed in.
Nature's Odd spread through him with each breath. Magical.
Cells writhed, urging muscles; Odd-carrying blood flowed like rivers, wrapping his body.
Just a few breaths, and his cells sharpened keenly.
Wayne lost himself in trance, breathing Odd for a while.
'This is just the first stage...!'
This breathing didn't accumulate or grow Odd—it merely attuned the body to it, the most basic method.
Yet in hours, his Odd had doubled. His heart raced.
Consistent practice of this ancient technique, and piloting Gigants would be no issue.
That night, Wayne repeated it sleeplessly.
"Everyone, hurry!"
Early dawn, 7th Division prepped withdrawal. With the chieftain dead, scattered orc bands had fled to the Sky Mountains—no sign of them.
Orc subjugation ended in six days since reaching the border village; now hastening home.
"Young Lord Wayne, what are you doing?"
Snow asked why he wasn't mounting his horse but trying his found Gigant.
"Can't you tell? Riding this back."
"Pardon?"
Snow looked incredulous. Days ago, he'd blacked out after an hour in a maintenance Gigant; in the cave, just one sword swing.
Winchester was two weeks away—marching 6-8 hours daily. No way he'd keep up.
"Sorry, but you can't match our pace. We'll carry it in shifts."
"Don't worry. I'll manage. Go ahead without waiting."
"But..."
"I'm fine. Hurry and go."
Wayne's stubbornness left Snow no choice. She couldn't delay her men's homecoming for one person.
Blaster was with him, so no major worry—just hoped he wouldn't overdo it and black out in the Gigant.
"Fine. Don't push too hard—follow slowly. If you can't, fire a signal flare or seek help in the nearest town; we'll send someone."
"Got it."
7th Division departed. Oddly, Wayne kept up astonishingly at first.
But after 30 minutes, he lagged, then vanished.
"Killed a few orcs in a Gigant and thinks he's a Gigant pilot now? Heh heh!"
Diane Garner laughed openly at his absence.
Snow worried but couldn't slow the march. They camped before sunset.
Kiiing! Thud! Thud!
"What's that noise?"
Early morning Gigant vibrations jolted everyone outside.
It was Wayne's Gigant.
"Young Lord Wayne, how'd you catch up?"
"Stopped when tired, rested, repeated."
"Pardon?"
Snow and the squad couldn't believe it—that meant 6 hours of marching yesterday in a Gigant.
Next day proved it true: 1 hour with them, then 2, then 4.
"Heavens! How's his Odd growing so fast?"
On the fourth day, Diane gaped.
"Something's wrong!"
"Told you, Young Lord Wayne's a genius."
Even platoon leader Argent agreed; Snow couldn't fathom his daily progress.
In just four days, Wayne's Gigant no longer lagged in the march.