Mririk Electric Eel Hunt (1)
The Stormtroopers who had completed their mission first, along with Lorenne's 3rd class Gigants, rolled into the outpost.
Wayne approached the two mech warriors who were the outpost's top contributors.
"Sir! Squad Leader Wayne, sir!"
"S-Sir!"
Nancy snapped a crisp salute with her sturdy little hand, and Loren beside her hastily slapped his fist to his chest in imitation.
Wayne approached with a pleased smile and ruffled Nancy's hair.
"Nancy, good work!"
"Th-Thank you, Commander!"
Nancy beamed unconsciously at his touch, overwhelmed with emotion.
"Loren, you too—great job."
"Thank you, Squad Leader!"
It was heartening to see these snot-nosed cadets had grown into proper mech warriors defending the outpost. Of course, Wayne's physical age was even younger, but factoring in his past life, he felt like an uncle watching over the neighborhood kids.
"Um... Commander, are you staying long this time?"
"Nah."
"Then you're heading somewhere else again?"
"Yeah."
Nancy's face fell, though she tried to hide it. Her disappointment was plain as day.
"And this time, you're coming with me."
"Huh? Really?"
Her face lit up in an instant.
"We're heading back to Dresden Territory soon. Rest up today—starting tomorrow, get ready."
"What about the outpost?"
"We'll pull out for now and come back later."
'Who knows when that might be...'
The two young mech warriors, buzzing with excitement, headed to their quarters. With Wayne guarding the place, they planned to catch up on much-needed sleep. They'd barely snatched catnaps over the past three days and were dead on their feet.
Alicia and Bowga's Gigants had already returned, and the four-legged Artemis brought up the rear.
But then!
"What the— is that a bow?"
Jamie, standing nearby, explained.
"Yes! You left us the mantis beast's wings last time, remember? We combined them with horns from other beasts to craft a Gigant bow. The string's from python beast jaw tendons, the shaft from giant tree wood, and the arrowheads from beast fangs."
"You tested it?"
"We tried it on every other Gigant—total failures. Hard to even draw the string, and aiming was impossible even if you forced it. But that Artemis nailed it."
"Oh yeah? Who's piloting?"
"Here they come. See for yourself."
Baroness Alicia Taylor, Knight Commander Bowga Taylor, and a somewhat shorter woman approached side by side.
"Sabina?"
Wayne recognized her face immediately. With features resembling Alicia's—delicate and doll-like, skin like white jade—she looked more elven than human. She was Alicia's half-elf niece.
"Commander Wayne! You've returned. Thank you."
Alicia bowed deeply at the waist the moment she saw him.
"Come on, no need for that. You're embarrassing me."
"You saved our baron. We owe you our gratitude."
Knight Commander Bowga also bowed to the man who had rescued his niece, Baron Frederick.
"I'm just racking up debts and thanks every time. This favor..."
"You've gotta repay it someday."
"Haha! Exactly."
Sabina stepped forward then and gave a slight bow.
"I'm Sabina. Thank you for saving me."
"Glad you're safe."
Her cool tone carried an air of refinement and mystery, much like her aunt's. Standing together, though, Sabina outshone Alicia in beauty. Even the soldiers paused mid-maintenance on their Gigants, stealing glances their way. Sara's words rang true: Men lose their minds around a pretty girl.
"You're as beautiful as your aunt."
"Aunt?"
Sabina tilted her head, and Alicia chuckled.
"She's my aunt."
"Aunt?"
Wayne blinked in surprise, looking back and forth between them.
"She's a half-elf. The closer to full elf, the slower they age. But their lifespans stretch accordingly."
Full elves lived about 500 years baseline, half-elves around 250. Quarter-elves dropped to 100, and after that, it was basically human. Sabina looked late teens, but she was pushing 50.
"Ah! My apologies."
"No offense taken. Age doesn't matter. Someone like you, Sir Wayne, commanding so many subordinates at your age—that makes you the adult compared to me, who's accomplished nothing despite my years."
Her old-soul speech, mismatched with her youthful looks, threw Wayne off. She almost seemed reincarnated like him.
Curiosity piqued, Wayne asked.
"So, you were piloting Artemis?"
"Sorry. We had no Gigants left at Lorenne Outpost, so I borrowed it."
"Mind giving a demo with that bow?"
Sabina pressed her lips tight, nodded firmly, and said,
"My skills are humble, but I'll show you."
With agile grace, she mounted Artemis. Her movements, rich with elven blood, rivaled Wayne's own.
"Now firing."
Kreeeeng!
Thud! Thud!
Artemis leaned slightly forward as it moved to the outpost center. Like Wayne, it couldn't move legs and arms simultaneously.
Clack! Ratchet-ratchet!
Suddenly, its four legs dug into the ground, locking firm. Its upper body shifted, all four arms in motion. Two arms drew the shoulder-mounted bow, one nocked an arrow from the side, the motions fluid as a human's.
It raised the hands holding the bow, loaded the arrow, and began drawing the string. The 5-meter bow frame bent dramatically; the 3.5-meter arrow sucked in surrounding air, eager to fly. At full draw—
Snap!
Shrieeeek!
The arrow whistled sharply through the air.
"Whoa! That's how you shoot a bow."
"Impressive, right? No other Gigant could handle it, but Artemis's four arms make my bow work perfectly."
Jamie gazed proudly at his creation.
"Accuracy?"
"Elven blood—within 200 meters, error's under a meter. Other pilots couldn't even draw it."
"Power?"
"Dead-on hit penetrates 2 meters into a B-rank beast's torso. No full pierce, but thin spots like head, neck, limbs? Clean through."
"Classic Jamie. Amazing bow."
"Shame it's elf-exclusive for Artemis."
Meaning, with an elf mech warrior, it'd be a solid weapon.
Wayne wondered how she wielded four arms so naturally for archery. Then Artemis turned, its eyes flashing green.
Sabina's Odd Eye was green.
What? Elves have green Odd Eyes?
He knew Alicia's were green like his. Sabina's too—elves probably all had green Odd.
Does that mean this John Conner body has elven blood?
He'd been sold to Cassnet's secret mansion at age 5, memories before that blank. Just that he was from a poor family, parents sold him.
All lies from Cassnet?
Wayne shook his head. Not the priority now—he'd dig later.
Sabina dismounted and approached.
"Sabina, great demo. Artemis suits you best from here on."
"Pardon? You're giving me this Gigant?"
Even cool Sabina's eyes widened slightly.
She meshed perfectly with Artemis. Skilled with bow and sword, her elven heritage sharpened her focus in archery, and this let her fire what others couldn't. Mobility was a drawback—no shooting on the move—but the power covered monsters and Gigants. She wanted it.
"One condition."
No free lunch.
"Name it."
"Hunting in the Great Forest tomorrow. You come, hunt beasts with us. Succeed, and Artemis is yours."
Alicia cut in, alarmed.
"Wait! Commander Wayne, you're hunting the Great Forest now?"
"Yeah. Might not get another shot."
"What do you mean?"
"We're abandoning the outpost and falling back."
"Us too?"
"Yeah. Long story—let's head inside."
As Wayne and Alicia's group turned toward the command office—
"I'll do it."
Sabina replied to Wayne.
"I'll join you in the Great Forest."
"No!"
Alicia interjected, eyes wide.
"Sabina, the Great Forest is dangerous. Bad timing too, so..."
"Alicia! How long do I hide under your protection?"
"What...?"
Alicia's eyes shook.
"Auntie! Have you forgotten how Mother died?"
"I know! But I'm not like Sis."
"I'll give you a Gigant, just..."
"Quiet! I can protect myself now. You can't stop me."
A strange tension hung in the air. Some history between them.
Bowga intervened.
"Ahem! Sir Wayne, shall we head in first?"
"Ah, yes."
Wayne and Bowga entered the office. Alicia and Sabina argued outside for a while before Alicia entered alone.
"Sorry, family matters held me up. But abandoning the outpost—what do you mean?"
Wayne repeated to Bowga and Alicia what he'd told Curtis.
"A big wave?"
"Yes. Signs reported everywhere."
"Like ten years ago? Monsters swarming? That's disastrous!"
"Another reason I'm hitting the Great Forest. I'll scout myself—if the signs are real, I'll bring proof. Prepare to evacuate while I'm gone."
"Sigh... Shame."
Alicia and Bowga looked regretful. Lately, monsters had surged; even they struggled to hold the outpost.
"Why drag my aunt into such danger?"
"Simple. No one's handled Artemis like that. As you know, it's the only Gigant that climbs giant trees in the Great Forest. Perfect for recon and beast spotting. I'm riding a 2nd class for my target hunt, so an Artemis escort boosts our odds."
Alicia understood but dreaded Sabina going.
"Think it over till departure tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
Alicia and Bowga left; Wayne followed to see them off.
"Huh? Where's Sabina?"
"In Artemis. We tried stopping her—she won't come down till we leave."
"Haa!"
Alicia sighed in frustration. But Sabina's resolve seemed unbreakable.
In the end, Sabina rode Artemis with them into the Great Forest next day.
"Baroness, trust me. I'll bring her back safe."
"I trust you, Commander... Sigh! Please take care."
Wayne, the dwarves, and Artemis finished prepping.
Nancy approached.
"Keep your promise—we're going to the territory together."
"Of course. Hold the fort till I return."
"Yes sir! Safe travels!"
"Safe travels!"
Curtis and the outpost soldiers saluted as Wayne headed into the Great Forest.
[Great Forest]
A green ocean!
Wayne's second visit, but no trace of his previous path. The Great Forest never let you relax.
And the beasts—way too many. As Wayne predicted, they fled eastward, chased by something.
Without Python's red Odd cloaking them, they'd have fought dozens more times already.
Grrr!
Grrrowl!
A pack of 5-meter-long C-rank saber-tooths, smilodons, stood across the river. The 100-meter width was wide for humans but a few steps for beasts.
Yet they hesitated.
Then the leader, a meter bigger, bravely plunged in. It crossed in under three minutes.
Rawr!
Two more followed at its growl, crossing easily. The pack relaxed, crossing one by one.
As the last five reached mid-river—
Something black burst from the depths.
Crackle-crackle-zap!
Kekekekeke!
Kekek!
The five smilodons convulsed wildly, then floated belly-up.
The Mririk surfaced, devouring them one by one.
Found it! Electric eel!
Wayne watched from the side. The Mririk's white Odd electric field made every hair on him stand—even from afar.
Whoa! Mess up, and we're electric kebabs.