Forward Base (3)
Patton Outpost's reconstruction was entering its final stages. The trees and grass around the base had been cleared away, logs driven into the outer walls, and earth piled up to repair the collapsed sections. They'd erected wooden palisades and stakes, dug trenches to prepare for monster attacks, and now the only work left was building storage sheds for Gigant parts and maintenance bays.
Lorenne Outpost housed nine 3rd-class Gigants, eleven work Gigants, and a thousand troops. Here at Patton Outpost, six work Gigants and seven hundred soldiers from Lorenne had arrived.
A few days earlier, Bowga the knight commander and Blaster had gone to Westline Fortress to sell the monster byproducts, splitting the proceeds—thirty-five thousand gold. They'd also hunted a fair number of monsters during the reconstruction, so the gold had piled up faster than expected.
But they were still desperately short on Gigant pilots, making it urgent to train more.
Pup, such a waste of Odd...
Wayne was sending red Odd generously into Eleven's front leg today as well. But Eleven was still just a pup and couldn't control the Odd on its own, so far more leaked back into nature than was absorbed.
There was no other way. Once he perfected the third-stage Odd breathing technique, his body would optimize for green Odd, and his total Odd capacity would multiply several times over. At that level, he could pilot a 2nd-class Gigant, and he could quickly create Odd Holes for Sara and the other veteran pilots too.
"Whew! That's enough for today."
Wayne released Eleven's leg.
Tch. Thirsty.
Suddenly, Eleven bolted toward the kitchen like a shot. Moments later, it came racing back with something in its mouth.
"Huh? Did you just read my mind?"
Eleven had brought a water bottle. Wayne took a swig and stared at it in wonder.
He'd actually been feeling it for a while now. Ever since passing on the red Odd, it seemed like Eleven could understand his thoughts. It wasn't that the wolf pup was smart—it felt like true communion between them.
Half-doubting, Wayne tried thinking again.
Eleven, run to the right!
Eleven dashed right. It was almost at the outpost wall.
Stop!
Screech!
Eleven halted on the spot and turned to look at Wayne. It was astonishing. Even at that distance, Eleven had followed perfectly.
He tested it a few more times, and each time, Eleven responded accurately to his mental commands.
Huh! It works! Some kind of telepathy?
Wayne withdrew his red Odd and issued another mental command. Nothing happened this time. So it seemed communication required the red Odd connection.
As the Odd link broke, Eleven came bounding back toward Wayne. But even without Wayne emitting red Odd, he suddenly sensed it.
Eleven, stop!
Eleven froze. Wayne's eyes widened in surprise. This wasn't his own red Odd—it was Eleven's.
The distance between them was now about a hundred meters, meaning the pup's Odd radius had reached that far.
He hadn't noticed Eleven's rapid growth because he'd been constantly spreading red Odd around the outpost for detection.
This guy's come a long way! Good job.
Eleven rolled on the ground in delight at the praise. Anyone watching would think it was just going nuts on its own.
Eleven's current Odd range was a bit wider than when Wayne had first sensed the python monster's red Odd in Adam's office and spread his own in response.
Wayne ran a few more experiments.
Eleven, go to the entrance.
He extended his red Odd again and commanded. Eleven stopped right at the outpost gate.
Ah! My Odd plus his red Odd expands the detection range!
A new discovery. His own Odd radius was about three hundred meters, and adding Eleven's hundred meters extended it further.
In other words, Wayne and Eleven were linked by red Odd, sharing it between them.
That's when he overheard the guards at the gate chatting.
"No flower wagons this month?"
"You nuts? Even a greedy pimp wouldn't drag girls all the way out here. One wrong move and monsters eat 'em."
"Ha! Damn it, we get hazard pay and pockets full of gold, but nowhere to spend it..."
"Don't sweat it. I overheard the commanders' meeting last time—they're giving rotations for leave."
"Leave?"
"Once a month when we haul byproducts to Westline Fortress, the guys who go get leave. Plenty of time to blow it then."
"Guess I'll hit the Golden Rose. Heard the girls there are top-tier."
"You idiot! You know how much booze costs there for one night? Guys like you can't even get in!"
"Why not?"
"What's this wolf pup doing here?"
Wayne's eyes flashed wide. Strangely, it sounded like the soldiers were right beside him.
Sharing red Odd lets me hear what Eleven hears!
Not even his past life as emperor of the Carian Empire had revealed this use for monster red Odd. The world of Odd was vast and strange indeed.
How far can I issue commands? And how far can we share red Odd?
He decided to test the limits. Eleven glanced at the wall, then backed away slowly before charging forward at full speed.
Thud! Crack-crack-crack! Whoosh!
"Gah! See that? The wolf pup just vaulted the outpost wall!"
"What? You're messing with me? A one-meter runt climbing an eight-meter wall?"
"No, look!"
Even the sentries atop the wall spotted the pup bounding around outside.
"Pfft, must've slipped through a dog hole."
"Nah..."
Eleven ran off in the direction opposite the Great Forest. Wayne gathered his spread Odd into a single beam, linking to Eleven. It stretched over a kilometer in one go.
Eleven, stop there!
Eleven halted. That was Wayne's current Odd limit.
If I narrow the beam, can I reach farther?
He'd never sensed beyond a kilometer before. Wayne angled his Odd toward Eleven at forty-five degrees and compressed it like a thick rope.
Eleven, move forward slowly!
As Eleven advanced, the distance grew, hitting two kilometers in a flash.
Whoa! The possibilities of Odd are endless!
Wayne could now detect heat sources two kilometers away via Eleven's red Odd, command it, and even hear ambient sounds. It was like talking through string-cup phones, but without signal loss.
He was reminded anew how vast the world of Odd truly was. Without sharing red Odd with Eleven, he'd never have discovered this—never experienced it in a lifetime.
If Gigant comms work on this principle...
Suddenly, it seemed possible to send mental messages to his squad like a martial arts master or telepath, without others overhearing.
Wayne kept experimenting with Eleven, pushing Odd's limits in directions beyond Gigants.
Two days later.
Huh? What's that big mass?
Something pinged on Eleven's red Odd.
A Gigant?
Red Odd detected six Gigants total—including priest models—hidden behind the hill east of the outpost. People had dismounted and were peering at the outpost from the hilltop.
Who's spying on our outpost?
Wayne directed Eleven closer.
***
Late that night, a blue Odd Eye flickered atop the hill.
"Argh! That damn mutt!"
Ralph, surveilling Patton Outpost from afar, spat in frustration.
"What's up?"
Peter, resting nearby, asked.
"That wolf pup's been prowling around since earlier. Can't just shoot it."
He had a gun, but firing would alert the outpost.
"Chuck rocks at it."
"Tried that. It comes back."
"It's just a pup. Ignore it."
Wearied, Ralph dropped his Odd Eye and rubbed his eyes.
"Why we gotta watch this outpost alone? Those guys are kicking back down there."
"Jealous? Become a proper Gigant pilot then."
"Fuck! I could handle a 3rd-class Gigant easy."
"Hilarious. Priest Gigants like ours are four times the output of 3rd-class. You'd black out the second you climbed in."
"What if I just rode it? Wanna bet?"
Ralph eyed a 3rd-class Gigant below.
"Give it up. Beyond our skill. And they always keep one pilot suited up. We'd be dead before we got close."
Ralph smacked his lips in regret. Stealing and selling a single 3rd-class Gigant would net way more than their cut.
But as Peter said, they'd die trying. Ralph reactivated his Odd Eye and turned toward the outpost.
"What? The hell?"
Something scarlet blasted right in his face.
Slash!
"Gack! Gurk!"
Ralph clutched his spurting throat.
"Ralph? What's wrong?"
Thwip!
A sharp whistle cut the night air. An arrow buried itself in Peter's throat.
Thud!
The two men watching the outpost crumpled atop the hill.
"Blaster, leave the Gigants to me and subdue the rest!"
"Yes, squad leader!"
The best way to counter a Gigant? Straight out of Gigant officer academy exams: neutralize the pilot before they mount up.
That's why soldiers always guarded pilots and machines. But not here, not now.
Wayne had circled back, boarded Artemis, and approached the hill. Blaster and outpost troops had surrounded their camp.
"Grrr! Graaang!"
Whap! Whap!
The wolf pup swatted the legs of a 3rd-class Gigant on watch.
What the—?
Raven the pilot was dumbfounded. A tiny thing that'd crush like an ant underfoot was growling at him. He couldn't just stomp it with the squad around, so he slowly raised his sword to squash it.
But the pup dodged and backed off, growling again. As the Gigant stepped forward, it retreated the same distance.
Damn pest.
He advanced more, but the pup kept a consistent gap, like it was luring him. Raven didn't pursue further—his duty was guarding the squad's Gigants.
Lucky mutt.
As the Gigant turned away.
Vrrr! Thud-thud-thud!
A weird-looking Gigant charged from the hilltop.
[Enemy! Ambush!]
Raven yelled, aiming his sword and charging back.
Shrieeek!
Something black and razor-sharp flew at him.
"Whoa!"
Clang!
He barely deflected the spear. In that instant, the enemy Gigant closed in, swinging its blade. Raven struggled to block the sharp strikes.
"Crazy! Four arms?!"
One sword was tough enough, but two more arms thrust spears— he was pushed back helplessly. It felt like fighting three Gigants.
He dodged a spear aimed at his face and parried one at his chest when—
Schwick!
A reddish blade flashed, severing the Gigant's arm with its sword flying into the air.
Thud!
"Gah!"
Weaponless, the Gigant faced a sword and two spears.
[I won't say it twice. Drop the sword!]
Raven hesitated. But with one arm left, he reached for his fallen blade.
Fwip!
"Guh... ack!"
Two spears pierced the Gigant's chest. The pilot died pointlessly.
Wayne showed no mercy to those attacking his outpost.
While he handled the Gigant, Blaster and the troops raided the tents.
"Blaster, all subdued?"
"Sorry—one escaped in a priest Gigant!"
"Can't expect humans to stop a Gigant."
Wayne eyed the lined-up 3rd-class Gigants.
So many Gigants... and they keep showing up.