Obtaining a 2nd Class Gigant
“What do you mean by taking care of Nancy and my old subordinates? Do you know Nancy Oliver?”
“Nancy is my adopted daughter.”
“What?”
Wayne tilted his head at Count Boltain’s words.
“That can’t be right. I saw her officer academy records. There was no mention of you anywhere. And Curtis told me she was a slave?”
“You already knew, then. Yes, Nancy was a slave. But she’s a very special girl.”
Count Boltain’s eyes grew slightly misty.
“The first place I found her was in a shabby little hut on the remote outskirts, without even a sliver of light. She had no focus in her eyes, cursing her own existence in this world, just waiting for the day she’d die. Her body and mind were deeply scarred by twisted adults. So I killed them all.”
In an instant, Count Boltain’s gaze turned terrifying. Memories of that day flooded back. He’d seemed like a friendly neighborhood uncle just moments ago, but now he was emanating Odd so intensely that it made Wayne’s skin prickle.
‘As expected of the man at the pinnacle of Odd right now...’
Wayne faced Count Boltain comfortably, but the count was one of only eleven 1st Class Gigant masters in the empire—and the strongest Odd user in it. His Gigant, Arkangel, stood eleven meters tall, boasting the largest size and output among all Gigants.
“What a tragic backstory.”
“Yes... And I rescued her. At first, I tried to give her my family name, but she stubbornly refused, saying she didn’t want to burden me. So I had no choice but to make up a name for her. And as you know, she has considerable talent for Odd, so I enrolled her in the Gigant officer academy.”
Of course, Wayne knew all about her Odd talent. When they first met, Nancy had far more Odd than he did. And she was still growing by leaps and bounds every day.
“But despite her talent, her academy grades weren’t great. And I was always too busy with territory affairs to visit often, so I felt guilty about it. After she started following you, though, I heard she changed a lot. She became more proactive and even pilots a 3rd Class Gigant now.”
“Hold on! When I took Nancy, weren’t you on standby at the Estel frontlines? How did you know I took her?”
“......!”
“Blaster?”
Count Boltain nodded reluctantly.
“You already knew?”
“I had my suspicions. From the start, Marquis Frank assigned him to watch me.”
“It’s not surveillance. Blaster’s mission is to protect you and only contact me in emergencies. And only the lord and I know the reports.”
Wayne had found it a bit odd when Marquis Frank so readily assigned Blaster as his guard knight on the day they first met. And after sending the Blue Knights to save him, the marquis had suddenly cut off all interest once they returned to Winchester Castle. With Blaster reporting directly, there was no need for further scrutiny.
‘That said, it means even Patton Outpost is exposed...’
Wayne had suspected as much, so he deliberately left Blaster behind when searching for the ancient dwarf kingdom in the barren lands. He’d also made Sera and Yann keep their mouths shut, so the dwarf kingdom wouldn’t be exposed for a while. When he returned to the outpost, he’d have to clarify things with Blaster first.
‘If push comes to shove, I’ll have to send him back...’
It was unsettling, even if only Marquis Frank and Count Boltain knew.
“And Curtis, Sera, and Jacob were all my former subordinates. I don’t know why you took those Odd-less, heartbroken guys, but I heard they smile more now than when they were in the territory. It’s all thanks to you, Young Lord Wayne.”
‘What? He doesn’t know Curtis can wield Odd again?’
It had been nearly three months since Wayne created an Odd Hole in Curtis’s heart and he piloted a priest Gigant. If Blaster reported it, Boltain should know by now.
“Ah! Predator is at the main base across the river, so I’ll have to tell Viscount Gunter to bring it when he comes.”
“You’re really giving me a 2nd Class Gigant? Won’t this cause problems for you, Count?”
“It’s fine. This unit is a reward I got from the emperor ten years ago for slaying a monster during the great wave and saving the crown prince’s life. It’s my personal Gigant, and I’m giving it to you personally. Besides, you’re no outsider, Young Lord Wayne.”
“If you insist, then I won’t refuse. Thank you.”
Wayne hadn’t expected bringing Nancy and Curtis’s group would lead to such fortune.
“So, what are your plans going forward?”
“I’ll head back to the outpost. Of course, I’ll return anytime for negotiations between the dwarves and the Dresden territory army. Since they trust me, I can mediate to some extent.”
“That’s a relief.”
Wayne briefly looked worried.
“But can I pilot a 2nd Class Gigant with my Odd?”
“To be honest, combat right now would be impossible. But basic movement should be fine. No one pilots a 2nd Class Gigant with overflowing Odd from the start. Even if it’s lacking, as long as you can stay conscious, piloting it will actually help increase your Odd faster.”
Wayne nodded. He’d thought Cassnet, as Boltain’s disciple, might make their relationship awkward, but fortunately, Nancy, Snow, and Curtis were all closely tied to Boltain. This naturally brought the two men closer, allowing deep conversation.
Wayne signed the documents.
“I didn’t expect to get the dwarves’ help so quickly. Let me know anytime if you need additions or changes.”
“Understood. Good work.”
Viscount Gunter felt he’d secured a great alliance. With dwarf help, the Dresden territory army could swiftly advance and seize Estel Kingdom’s capital, gaining territory nearly equal to Dresden’s own. The downside: double the land meant double the defense needs, and a severe Gigant shortage. But the dwarf alliance seemed poised to fill that gap.
Wayne was satisfied too. He’d committed 700 dwarf warriors to support until the Dresden army claimed Estel’s northwest, on condition they not fight directly. That timeframe allowed the Yulih Clan’s migration from the Sierra Mountains to the ancient dwarf kingdom and settling in. The dwarves eagerly agreed, as it let them craft nine generations’ worth of ancestral legacies at once. In exchange, they’d receive gold monthly for food, with further talks as their numbers and Steel Golems grew.
“I’ve already sent for the magic stones, so I’ll hand them to the dwarves upon reaching the front.”
“Yes, they’ll start Steel Golem production immediately.”
“How long does production take?”
Wayne was eager to wrap up and hop into the waiting Predator outside. But Viscount Gunter wanted specifics on timelines and Sierra Mountain dwarf integration. Sensing this, Count Boltain stepped in.
“Alright, let’s wrap this up and head out. We’ll discuss the rest with the dwarves later.”
“Yes! Sounds good.”
The eight-meter blue Gigant stood beside the tent. Smaller than the Steel Golems among the dwarves by two meters, its heavy armor made it bulkier and more imposing, with a massive flail slung across its back exuding menace.
“Whoa! This exceeds expectations. It’s amazing.”
“Its output matches other 2nd Class Gigants, but it has one special feature.”
“Special feature? What is it?”
Wayne’s eyes sparkled at Boltain’s words.
“It can hold out underwater for over five minutes.”
“The Gigant can?”
“Yes! It can’t cross big rivers like the Reinhardt, but it can handle small rivers or swamps in the Great Forest without rafts or gear.”
“Ooh! That’s unique. Mind if I take it for a spin?”
“Of course—now it’s yours, Young Lord Wayne. Ah, shall we step over there?”
All 2nd Class Gigants had locks, so Boltain whispered the unlock code for Predator to Wayne.
“Just in case, everyone should back away from here.”
Wayne couldn’t help worrying about blacking out this time. He held far more Odd now after absorbing the residue from King Bras’s skull, but it still wasn’t enough for a 2nd Class Gigant. In combat, they could output three to four times a 3rd Class’s power instantly, with armor weight matching an entire 3rd Class unit. This meant heavy external damage wouldn’t cripple the core, and high base output allowed speeds no other 2nd Class could match.
Wayne climbed into Predator. Before sealing the hatch, he took deep breaths, accelerating his Odd with the Karian breathing method to gauge the drain.
Tsssh! Click!
As the hatch closed, Odd drained massively from his body as expected, dizziness hitting hard.
‘The Great Forest illusion again, huh!’
Darkness soon enveloped him, pulling him from reality into illusion. But it wasn’t the Great Forest? Something felt off. His vision blurred and muddied, bubbles rising everywhere.
‘Ah! I’m underwater!’
A massive monster slithered through the water. Snake-like body with four legs—first glance like a crocodile, but longer, sleeker. Like an electric eel’s body with croc legs grafted on. It swam so fast fish couldn’t keep up.
Then it slowed. Something on the bank: a dinosaur-like behemoth. A long-necked dino monster dipped its forelegs in, lowering its head to drink. The eel monster approached stealthily, fearless despite the prey being nearly twice its size.
Soon, it coiled around the dino’s front leg.
Crackle-crackle-crack!
“Kweeeeeek!”
White sparks flew as the massive dino shuddered. Eyes bulged, veins swelled, body convulsed—then stiffened rigid. The long-neck collapsed into the water.
Thud! Splash!
Wayne shuddered too, as if shocked himself.
‘What the hell is this?’
“Kyaaaah!”
The eel reared its head and roared. Then it tore into the still-twitching dino’s guts.
‘Ah! This is the A-rank monster Mriric!’
Great Forest river boss—even S-ranks yielded to it in water. Similar size to A-rank Python, but Python was just prey here, so Wayne had been hyper-vigilant near big rivers or its habitat.
Mriric’s ultimate attack: electrocution. Eons of evolved white Odd generated instant currents like an electric eel, paralyzing foes for seconds to minutes. Weaker monsters died on the spot. Living in murky water crippled its eyesight, but it spread voltage widely, detecting magnetic interference from prey—a unique hunting method.
Not comparable to Ahuriman’s thunder, but an A-rank electric eel’s shock was devastating.
That’s when the dino’s foul innards filled Wayne’s mouth. The vision faded, sight clearing. Predator’s eyes flashed green Odd Eyes.
“Ooh! The heir to our ancestors pilots a Gigant too!”
“As expected of the dwarf king’s soul-chosen!”
“Dwarves are strong!”
“Valhalla!”
The dwarves cheered first in awe.
Whirr! Thud! Thud!
“My god! Young Lord Wayne moved a 2nd Class Gigant!”
“Holy crap! This is the birth of the youngest 2nd Class pilot ever!”
“Obviously—Count Boltain first rode one at twenty-two!”
The Gigant pilots gaped in shock.
“Combat’s still impossible, though!”
Diane of the 7th Division pouted.
“Tsk tsk! Just admit you’re jealous, Diane!”
Acting Captain Argent shook his head.
Snow bit her lip. She’d vowed to pilot a 2nd Class first to help Wayne, so it stung bittersweet. She resolved anew to train harder.
As everyone marveled, Wayne—in the cockpit—was lost in other thoughts.
‘Electrocution attack! If I could use Mriric’s white Odd...!’
Suddenly, an unplanned trip to the Great Forest loomed.