44. Troy's Golem (2)
Boom!
Kaboom! Kaboom boom boom kaboom!
A massive explosion rocked the air, sending towering flames shooting into the sky. Black smoke blotted out the heavens like a volcanic eruption, while scorching heat waves blasted outward in every direction. Blasts erupted every few seconds.
The soldiers' ears rang from the shockwaves. Cannons toppled helplessly, debris and flames scattering everywhere to set tents ablaze.
The first to move was the pitch-black Steel Golem! At the sight of the 10-meter iron giant clutching a massive sword, its chest emblazoned with the emblem of an explosion's fury, the soldiers panicked and fled in terror. Even the Magic Knights on night watch recoiled in shock.
"W-what the hell is that?!"
At Wayne's command, the Steel Golem leveled its sword at the Magic Knight and charged. The Magic Knight reeled back helplessly under the colossal blade's strike, eventually toppling over from the sheer momentum.
Thud!
The Steel Golem loomed over the fallen Magic Knight, sword poised at its core.
Boom! Crunch!
"Whoa! The Steel Golem crushed that Magic Knight!"
"Valhalla!"
Ahh! So big and beautiful!
The great warrior Brock shed hot tears of emotion. For ages, the dwarves had suffered under the tyranny of Magic Knights—magitech weapons. Now, seeing one felled effortlessly by the sword of their ancestors' legacy, the Steel Golem, they went berserk.
To them, size held profound meaning. Dragons, humans, elves, orcs, dwarves—the five races at the heart of the ancient world. Among them, dwarves were the shortest. Fiercely proud by nature, they couldn't escape their genetic stature. So they made everything bigger, grander. Buildings, castles, doors, statues, hammers, axes—all enormous. Even their Steel Golems towered four meters taller than equivalent Gigants!
Brock, the tallest in his clan at 155cm, bore the epithet "He Who Supports the Heavens." He hefted his axe and bellowed,
"Warriors! Sound the horns of ascension!"
Bwoooo!
"Our ancestors' legacy fights with us! Charge!"
"Valhalla!"
The dwarves surged toward the soldiers. Witnessing the Steel Golem dominate and topple a Magic Knight ignited a frenzy in their blood. Centuries of oppression under giant war machines vanished in that instant, courage surging through their hearts.
"W-what are these things?!"
A soldier stumbled from his tent, roused by the blasts. But a dwarf's axe sent him to eternal sleep.
"Fire your guns!"
The sharper ones grabbed rifles and powder as they emerged. But reloading took time.
Slash!
A charging dwarf's massive blade cut them down.
"Valhalla!"
One dwarf stormed into a tent, axe raised.
"Gah!"
"Argh!"
Screams echoed, then a blood-soaked dwarf emerged.
Bang!
"Ngh!"
A bullet grazed a dwarf's side, drawing a grunt. The dwarf warrior flashed white eyes at the shooter and grinned.
"Come to Valhalla with me!"
"G-get away! Aaaah!"
Crack! Crunch!
The soldier was hacked apart by the dwarf's axe.
"Th-these dwarf bastards are insane!"
"Mad berserkers! Aaaah!"
The phrase "outmatched" was made for moments like this. Three hundred blood-drenched dwarves turned a camp of five thousand into a slaughterhouse. To them, honorable death on the battlefield was a shortcut to Valhalla—far beyond what human soldiers could handle.
Damn, they're fighting too well!
Wayne was mildly surprised. A dwarf warrior could take an orc one-on-one. Right now, they seemed born for battle.
Perfect! Their pride's already awakening!
Wayne envisioned dwarves reclaiming their glory, Steel Golems blanketing the field at his command. Zealot Gigant Stormtroopers charging ahead, backed by dwarves and Steel Golems—what could stand against that?
Not even a grand territory's out of reach!
Wayne had no proper land yet, but it wasn't impossible. He'd already secured dwarf warriors, and he knew how to build Steel Golems. Shaking off a fleeting memory of King Brass, he refocused on the fight.
"Warriors! Kill them all!"
"Valhalla!"
Vrrrrm! Thud thud thud thud!
Snow's Gigant bolted forward at the massive explosion signal, Odd pouring out freely, engines roaring. The rest of 7th Platoon followed.
Snow's Odd Eye spotted dwarves battling deep in the enemy base—like raging lions. A Magic Knight was just mounting up with a mech pilot.
"Gigants!"
"Enemy Gigants incoming!"
The hulking 6-meter Gigants closed fast. Soldiers fled; the lone pilot panicked. His duty was simple: guard the Magic Knight until reinforcements. But four enemy Gigants?
Damn! What am I supposed to do alone?!
The pilot infused mana into the circuits, raising his sword. Snow's Gigant struck down hard.
Clang!
"Ngh!"
The downward slash from a charge shoved the Magic Knight back.
Boom!
"Guh!"
A dizzying shock rattled his skull. Snow's Gigant had shoulder-checked it to the ground.
The fallen pilot struggled to open his eyes—and saw a Gigant sword aimed at him atop the Magic Knight. It was over.
"Fuck! This war..."
Crunch!
Snow targeted the uprighting Magic Knight. But it swung its sword—the pilot was aboard.
Snow charged without hesitation, parrying the blade upward.
Slash!
The armed arm sheared off, flying into the air.
"Damn you! Die!"
The one-armed Magic Knight swung its fist. Boom! But Snow's other arm blocked it short of her face.
Snow tucked the arm in her pit, spun her Gigant, and slammed the Magic Knight down.
Kaboom!
The pilot spat blood from the impact. Painful, but not fatal yet.
"Ugh! Please... reach!"
He stretched for the severed arm on the ground. Whoosh! Crunch! Snow's sword lopped off the remaining arm, then plunged into the chest.
"N-no!"
Boom!
No pain, probably. Gigants and Titans synced deeply with pilots—damage echoed through. Wayne's extreme sync even let him feel a beast's lifetime agony. But Magic Knights barely transmitted limb loss. So target the pilot ruthlessly—hence few prisoners.
Snow turned. Her platoon engaged two more Magic Knights.
As her Gigant pivoted, Diane's pierced a Magic Knight's knee, shattering it.
Diane, Snow's successor in skill among the female pilots, shone. Even Argon and the rookie struggled 2-on-1.
True to rookie form, Blockhead Void feared combat. Argon finished his foe, so Snow ordered,
Snow glanced back. Wayne's Steel Golem kept its promise, kicking and slashing riverside cannons to scrap. Dwarves clashed in melee with far superior numbers.
"Charge!"
"Attack!"
Clop clop clop!
Captain Chris's cavalry thundered down the hill into the camp. 7th Platoon's musketeers and pikemen followed with cheers.
Gigants and Magic Knights were battlefield gods! Without victory over those 6-meter behemoths, no charge like this.
From the western mountains, 700 axe-wielding dwarf warriors poured like a wave—a magnificent sight.
"Where are the enemy mages?"
Snow unleashed her Odd Eye to scan. Then a massive white fist hurtled at her.
Boom!
"Ngh! What?!"
Snow's Gigant staggered back from the punch.
Undead?
A 7-meter skeletal ogre, summoned by black mages.
Quaint idea!
Magic kingdoms favored spells, but could a 3rd-class Gigant—three times an ogre's strength—fall to a bony husk?
Snow kicked the shin. The bone shattered off; the ogre crumpled sideways.
She twisted, slashing the torso as it fell.
Snap! Crash!
Bones scattered.
Her blade pointed at cornered chanters. They finished their spell.
Fwoosh! Roar!
Boom! Boom!
Man-sized fireballs slammed Snow's Gigant. She shielded head and torso with arms and sword. Flames raged, but piercing a 3rd-class Gigant's frame required rare high magic. That mana would pilot a 2nd-class Magic Knight instead.
Mage units were here for rafts and transports—not Gigants.
"Warriors! Strike the mages!"
"Valhalla!"
Dwarves beat Chris's cavalry to the mages.
"Gaaah!"
"You lunatics!"
Wayne's Steel Golem had wrecked most riverside cannons. Enemy soldiers fled dwarves in all directions.
The battle tipped decisively. Or rather, it was already won.
Without dwarves, impossible...
Snow bit her lip. No dwarves, no tunneling or flanking. No ambush. Magic Knights harder to suppress.
Dwarves: MVPs today.
No—ultimately, Young Master Wayne again!
He moved the Golem, recruited dwarves. True hero.
Great victory, yet Snow eyed the Steel Golem pityingly.
Poor guy...
She suddenly thought. Wayne's rapid strength, Golem control, dwarf alliance—all from weakness. Dodging Adam's scrutiny, dragging failing cadets and retired vets into Great Forest with one Gigant.
I must become company commander soon, support Young Master Wayne!
Snow clenched her jaw. Cassnet's sword manual, Odd Hole creation—she'd only received. Yesterday and today's ops succeeded solely thanks to him.
Repay by becoming company commander, piloting 2nd-class Gigant when needed.
Snow fired red and green signal flares skyward. Across the river, staff spotted instantly.
"Our forces seized the crossing!"
"Hooray!"
"Prepare the ford!"
Count Boltain's 1st Armored Division crossed Reinhardt River first. Thousands safe, zero losses.
Four months after invading Estel Kingdom, Dresden secured a northeast foothold.
Dwarves' first imperial battle. Steel Golem's debut, showcasing dwarf might to humans.
Count Boltain sought dwarves first—the top victors—with his staff.