The Reversal Warriors (2)
“Ajul! Take the orcs to the giant bathhouse first!”
“Got it!”
The dwarf trio led the orcs to the massive bathhouse.
“Captain Wayne, you got here faster than expected.”
“Wayne!”
Brock and Sara approached.
“Sara, first move all the Gigants standing inside to around the gate. Brock, start working with the dwarves to pull out the Gigants!”
“Understood.”
“Got it, Wayne!”
Wayne opened the gate again.
[Alright! Let's pull out the Gigants!]
Glen Jacob, the most enthusiastic, was the first to hop into a 3rd class Gigant and stride inside. Sara and Mark also climbed into 3rd class Gigants and rushed in with the dwarves.
Wayne pulled out the hammer to stop the gate's operation, then switched the connected light on the ceiling to the one linked to the Sierra Mountains gate. Since things in the Great Forest had dragged on longer than expected, slightly over the two months promised to the dwarves, he was hurrying to bring the rest.
As the gate opened, Yulih entered first.
“Welcome, Yulih!”
“Wayne! It's been four days!”
“Sorry about that. The schedule was tight, so I was late.”
Behind him, 700 dwarf warriors filed in one after another.
“Whoa! Amazing!”
“By the gods! It's Valhalla!”
The dwarves gasped in awe at the massive statues and sculptures on the ceiling and around the gate as soon as they entered. It was their first time here.
“Is everyone in?”
“Wayne! I'm the last one!”
Once the final dwarf was through, he closed the gate.
“Yulih, how was the battle?”
“There weren't many enemies in northern Estel. And we didn't get many chances to shine.”
From the story, to shorten the timeline, Count Boltain had personally led the vanguard in Arkangel. The enemy Magic Knights were breached in an instant by his prowess and the machine's performance, and the largest fortress in the north fell in just two days. They'd secured northwest Estel in a month and a half instead of two, and were now preparing to march on the capital.
“And I met Marquis Frank. But he looked unwell!”
“Yeah?”
“He was coughing a lot, and his complexion was poor.”
This wasn't good news. He didn't know why the marquis was so insistent on going to the front lines, but his health clearly wasn't great.
“And in two months, they'll attack Estel's capital, Luigi na, and asked for our help.”
“Two months? That fast?”
“Yes! Are we negotiating with them again?”
“Got it for now. I'll handle it later. Rest up first.”
“No way! I want to learn about our ancestors' legacy right now!”
Yulih was impatient.
“Fine. We need to finish making the remaining Steel Golems anyway.”
There were six magic stones left. They needed to create six more dwarf golem masters.
The orcs who had returned to the lava cave and the newly joined dwarves eyed each other warily. Especially since the dwarves had been fiercely battling the orcs not long ago, sparks flew from their glares. Meanwhile, the orcs descending from the Sky Mountains were intimidated by the dwarves, having been thoroughly thrashed by their Steel Golems.
“Orcs! Work hard!”
“Orcs! Don't look away!”
The dwarf trio scowled fiercely, cracking the whip on the orcs. Thanks to that, the Gigant excavation was proceeding smoothly.
'That's weird. Orcs weren't like this in the past...'
Wayne, observing the orcs closely, recalled the memories of King Karian and King Bras.
Orcs were born warriors, hunters who slew monsters without Gigants or Steel Golems, and fought harder than any race against the giants. The difference now was...
'Ah! Their weapons are total crap.'
Back then, the orcs' weapons had been forged by high elves. Massive greatswords over three meters long—taller than an orc—thick spears five meters in length, and two-meter battle axes. Everything was huge and razor-sharp, yet far lighter than iron.
The high elves, called elf nobles, had the skill to craft weapons from sturdy yet lightweight tirion metal, making them perfect for oversized arms.
'Come to think of it, orcs wielded aura like humans back then too.'
Not on par with human knights in Titans, but with aura infused into their pure, powerful flesh and muscles, they swung those massive weapons freely.
'Wait, if I teach them Karian's first-stage breathing method, couldn't they manage without aura?'
Wayne's current strength and reflexes far surpassed any orc's. That was thanks to Karian's first-stage Odd breathing, which exponentially boosted physical abilities—and he was still growing stronger, bit by bit, with each breath. Even King Karian had hunted low-grade monsters with a sword, not a Gigant.
So if orcs learned the first stage and got high-elf-forged massive weapons, they could probably take down monsters in groups, even without Gigants.
Wayne decided to think it over more.
[Whoa! Check this out!]
The Gigant pilots working on excavation froze in shock at the sight of the 10-meter Martias.
[Whoa! It's all red!]
[But is this a Gigant?]
Martias wasn't a bulky machine encased in crude armor. Sleek and agile, glowing from its plating, brimming with vitality—it looked like a living creature.
“Pull it out carefully! This is Martias, practically my friend.”
At Wayne's words, Sara asked,
[Is this a 1st class Gigant?]
“It can perform several times better, depending on the pilot's skill.”
[Several times a 1st class Gigant?]
Sara and the other pilots looked stunned. Honestly, Wayne hadn't piloted this era's 1st class Gigants yet, so direct comparison was tough. But once he mastered all ten stages of Karian's Odd method and reached its pinnacle, he'd surely surpass any 1st class Gigant. No Gigant could fly, after all!
— Karian! Dragon Odd is special! If you accept and absorb my Odd, you'll fly through the skies and breathe fire on giants.
Martias had said that before dying. But Karian, only midway through the tenth stage, couldn't absorb dragon Odd yet. If he'd had Wayne's monster Odd absorption ability back then, maybe he could have. But Martias had insisted on completing all ten stages first—or risk losing himself to the dragon's essence.
Wayne decided the same: absorb dragon Odd only after fully mastering the ten stages.
When he'd absorbed Python or Mririk's Odd, he'd hallucinated in the Great Forest, feeling like a monster himself. Even absorbing human Odd from King Bras and King Karian had made him act like them. Dragon Odd could dominate him entirely if mishandled. No point gaining power if he lost himself.
'I can at least handle up to the sixth stage...'
For now, diligent training was key.
“I'll move this one.”
Wayne handled Martias himself. It was so heavy that even Predator, a 2nd class Gigant, strained to lift it. As he set it by the gate,
[Captain! Come quick!]
Sara's urgent voice rang out.
[What's up?]
[There's another Gigant over here!]
[What?]
King Karian's memory flashed.
'No way—did Karian's old Gigant survive the lava?'
Wayne rushed over.
[Look here.]
A gray Gigant arm protruded from under a huge boulder.
[Call the dwarves—we need to dig this out first! No, I'll do it.]
Wayne leaped from Predator and infused Odd into King Hammer Yol Das.
“Everyone, stand back!”
He smashed the boulder repeatedly.
Clang! Craaang! Clang!
Rumble!
Rocks collapsed, revealing a Gigant gleaming with cold metal.
'Ah! Chromide! It didn't break!'
This was the Gigant King Karian had piloted before Martias. At nine meters, its class was ambiguous, but made from S-rank monster Chromide—a massive dinosaur beast slain by dragon Martias—using its metal skin, bones, nerves, plus A-rank byproducts, its performance would be exceptional. Maybe a 1.5-class hybrid of 1st and 2nd.
Wayne wanted to hop in immediately, but with his current Odd barely sustaining 2nd class combat for two or three hours, it was hopelessly insufficient. He swallowed his regret.
[Sara! Search the walls and floor more! There might be others.]
[Yes!]
If Karian's elite guard's four 2nd class Gigants had survived the lava, they might find them too.
[Outskirts of Ferrari Village]
A hefty 2nd class Gigant escorted a carriage to the rendezvous.
“Two days late!”
Sara shrugged as she drove the carriage.
[Time flies in the lava cave—you lose track.]
“Tell me about it. Digging up Gigants makes hours vanish...”
[Jamie says your Stormtroopers will be ready soon too.]
“Can't wait. I wanna try blades popping from my forearms.”
Like Sara and the others, everyone coveted Nancy's Stormtrooper with its forearm-ejecting swords. Plenty of Stormtroopers existed, but only one specialist mechanic: Jamie.
'Gonna need more Gigant mechanics...'
Once the remaining Steel Golems were done, he'd ask the dwarf workshop heads.
“Huh? Isn't this the spot?”
They arrived, but no one was there.
“Here they come.”
Wayne had already sensed Curtis, Lorenne, and eight others approaching.
“Greetings, Young Lord Wayne.”
“Greetings, Young Lord Wayne.”
Bastian bowed first, his men following.
“We're the ones late. Hop in the carriage first.”
“One thing to confirm first.”
Bastian stepped forward.
“What?”
“Is it true you'll let my men pilot Gigants?”
“Can't tell from Curtis?”
“I want to hear it directly.”
“Of course. It'll take time, but I'll help get you all into 3rd class Gigants like Sara or Curtis. No guarantees without your own effort, though.”
“Don't worry—we're as desperate as these two.”
Wayne knew Baron Bastian Schwine well. If Curtis shone in battle as a field commander, Bastian orchestrated entire theaters with strategy and intellect—graduating top of his class the year Adam did, per Cassnet's notes.
“And if you trust me, promise one thing.”
“Speak.”
“First, the monster wave and queen ant army Curtis mentioned—is it true?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then we can't just defend the territory.”
“What do you mean?”
“Damage to the fief would be catastrophic. We must hold at Westline Fortress.”
“What? Save everyone there? I already warned them—that enough?”
“They didn't believe it, from what I hear. With your abilities, Young Lord Wayne, you can convince them. Right?”
“......”
Wayne pondered briefly.
“Why should I help strangers?”
“Long-term, it'll benefit you greatly.”
“Fame?”
“Yes! Fame and profit, plus fief stability—one stone, three birds. I thought a lot coming here. Doubted your powers at first, didn't believe the Great Forest tales. But seeing Curtis's ironclad faith... it's all real. Trust me once.”
Curtis asked, stunned,
“Captain Wayne, is there really a way to make them believe?”
“I have one idea...”
“What is it?”
All eyes fixed on Wayne.
“I'll trigger the monster wave early myself.”