Sailon Occupation Zone Battle (3)
The red Odd that detected the heat of objects, gauging their size and movement. The white Odd he'd seized from Mririk. The Gigant's reaction speed, now approaching that of a human's agile movements.
'Will it really work in actual combat?'
With the enemy closing in right before his eyes, Wayne harbored no thoughts of defeat. The only question was whether his new Odd technique would hold up against man-made magic weapons.
As the opponent's Magic Knight drew near, Wayne simply closed his eyes.
'Overlap!'
He layered the red Odd scattered around him with the white Odd. The red Odd, capable of thin, wide-range scanning, met the white Odd, narrow in scope but high in density. The two Odds overlapped and clashed, generating an invisible wave.
WHOOSH!
A ferocious roar erupted as a razor-sharp spear blade sliced through the air toward Wayne's chest.
'I can feel it!'
In that instant, the spear tip piercing through the Odd wave felt agonizingly slow. Like a slow-motion video!
'In my place, I'd twist my body aside.'
Step.
Wayne pulled one foot back and sidestepped. Slash! The massive, keen spear tip stabbed empty air.
'He dodged?'
Adnan had thrust with full intent, yet the enemy Gigant evaded it effortlessly from right under his nose. He was slightly taken aback. His next move followed seamlessly. Twisting the spear shaft slightly, he swung the blade sideways toward the Gigant.
A gust of wind howled as the spear blade arced toward the Gigant's chest. Clang!
'He blocked that too?'
The enemy had parried with a flail. But something was off about how he gripped it. A flail was meant to be held at the end of the handle to leverage centrifugal force for strikes. Yet the opponent clutched it just below the spiked iron ball.
And the reason became clear immediately.
Whirr!
'What the—?'
The Gigant shoved forward, using its body to push the spear shaft aside, then wrapped one hand around the Magic Knight's exposed nape as it staggered back.
Grab.
With his other hand, he raised the short-gripped flail and smashed it toward the face. Bam!
Crackle-crackle-crack!
"Gahhhh!"
Lightning flashed before Adnan's eyes, electricity surging through his entire body. The enemy Magic Knight froze for a moment—likely its pilot knocked out cold.
Wayne had just unleashed white Odd accelerated 100-fold from within his body.
'Even a 2nd-class Magic Knight can't shrug off Mririk's electric attack!'
At 100 times speed, it packed enough punch to stun even an A-rank monster briefly. With the electric strike succeeding, the scattered white Odd rushed back, and the overlap effect dissipated.
"Huh? What happened?"
Adnan's senses snapped back. He hurriedly poured mana into the magic circle, his vision clearing to reveal the blue Gigant swinging its flail at his head.
He desperately raised his spear shaft to block... Crack!Splinter!
"Kuhk!"
A sound like a clay pot shattering rang out as half his head sheared off. The Magic Knight lost balance and toppled. Thud!
The impact jolted Adnan back to awareness. He shook his head and frantically infused mana to right the machine. But the enemy Gigant already loomed with one hand raising its flail high, the other extending toward him, index finger wagging side to side.
[Too late!]
Whoosh! Bam! Bam! Bam!
Each time Predator brought down the flail, the 2nd-class Magic Knight's frame crumpled and buckled violently. Watching the merciless pounding, Tarun Kingdom's Magic Knights felt as if they were taking the hits themselves.
[You bastard! Stop!]
Unable to stomach his comrade's brutal thrashing, another 2nd-class Magic Knight charged forward. Wayne's lips curled into a grin at the sight.
'Provocation never fails!'
He kept hammering away with the flail until the enemy closed in, smashing the head and chest to pieces. The foe's pilot flew into a rage.
[I'll handle you, Nadolu!]
The approaching Magic Knight swung its sword in a massive arc. Wayne didn't counter with the flail; he backpedaled to evade. As the enemy raised its sword for an overhead strike, he lifted the flail sideways to block.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Exactly three blocks. On the fourth, he uppercut with the flail, flicking the sword away.
[Overhead strikes? I've got confidence there too!]
This time, Predator hoisted the flail high. Whoosh! Clang!
'Nngh!'
The sheer power, amplified by the flail's hefty weight, forced the enemy's raised sword downward. Clang! The second blow dropped it to shoulder height. Then the third swung in.
'This is dangerous!'
Nadolu didn't dare block; he retreated the Magic Knight. But Wayne wasn't about to let him escape.
Whirl!
Wayne hurled the flail. Startled, Nadolu jerked the Magic Knight's head aside to dodge.
Boom!
"Hngh!"
He avoided the flail, but not Predator's body slam. The massive shoulder rammed in, arms wrapping the Magic Knight's thighs and yanking. Off-balance, it lifted into the air.
Crash!
"Urk!"
The backward fall choked the air from Nadolu's lungs.
"No way! A Gigant moving like that?"
"He's too strong!"
The watching soldiers murmured in shock.
Predator mounted the fallen Magic Knight. Then—
Shing!Clank!
As it thrust its arm upward, a blade protruded from the wrist.
"Crazy! A sword from the arm!"
Predator stabbed toward the shoulder joint. Crunch! Piercing the armor, it severed the articulation. One arm was now useless.
Wayne's assault didn't stop. He stabbed the opposite shoulder, the neck, and finally drove the blade into the chest.
"Damn! Another loss!"
"What the hell? Our Magic Knights couldn't even land a proper hit!"
Tarun Kingdom's ranks erupted in turmoil, morale plummeting.
'Easier than fighting monsters.'
Wayne raised Predator. Its green Odd Eyes flashed, making the watching Tarun Magic Knights flinch. It was the gaze of a predator seeking fresh prey.
"Commander Wayne won!"
"Long live Wayne Stein!"
"Wooooah!"
Cheers exploded from the empire's soldiers atop the walls, chanting Wayne's name.
In that moment, a memory from a year ago flashed in Wayne's mind.
— A vision of countless people gathered, cheering Wayne Stein's name.
— 'What? Is this what the witch fortune teller saw?'
The witch had glimpsed Wayne Stein's future, foretelling cheers from masses just like this.
Wayne shook his head. He was still far from his goal. No proper territory yet—just pioneering barren wastelands. Success here might bring settlers, but he'd need jobs, sustenance, and defenses against threats. No room for complacency.
Predator boldly advanced toward Tarun Kingdom's lines. It pointed the blade on its right arm at them and declared,
[Too weak! Doesn't Tarun Kingdom have anyone stronger?]
Wayne's shout sent ripples through their ranks again. But no Magic Knight stepped forward.
[What's this? No takers? Bunch of cowards!]
Even repeated taunts yielded silence. Commander Goergen had forbidden any to engage.
Suddenly, Predator raised two fingers high.
[Two! Scared to go one-on-one? I'll take two at once!]
"What? What's he saying?"
"He wants 2-on-1!"
Then Predator added a third finger.
[No—three! Send out three!]
Tarun's Magic Knights bristled with wounded pride.
[I'll take him!]
Captain Cardis suddenly charged. The Tarun command froze.
"Tell Cardis to stop!"
Goergen bellowed.
"Commander, too late!"
Retreating now would tank morale further.
"Damn it! Send Izmael and Tulus too!"
"Pardon?"
"He said it himself—three. Hurry!"
Cardis wasn't just any noble; he was the childless king's cherished nephew, a standout Magic Knight who might become the next king.
"Coward bastards!"
"Booo!"
Jeers rained from the empire's walls. Indeed, three 2nd-class Magic Knights had emerged from Tarun.
Goergen forced a calm facade amid the mockery.
[Sir Bastian, shouldn't we join?]
Rakins, Kallung's former captain, looked worried.
[We know Commander Wayne's skill, but three 2nd-class Magic Knights? Dangerous.]
Bastian shared the sentiment.
[We prepare, but he gave strict orders—no move without his signal.]
Curtis chimed in.
[Don't worry too much. The commander wouldn't pick a fight he can't win.]
[Right! He won't go down easy.]
Nancy backed him up. The squad nodded in agreement.
Before coming here, Wayne had sparred Curtis's squad 6-on-1. He won—piloting a Stormtrooper like them, not Predator.
[Arrogant fool! I'll sever your head and hang it on the gates!]
Cardis roared in fury. The fallen Adnan captain was a loyal junior, key to his own ascension. His death ignited rage.
[Captain Cardis, calm down!]
Veteran Captain Izmael approached.
[He's right, Cardis! Excitement plays into his hands.]
With the two flanking him, Cardis cooled slightly.
[I lost my head for a moment.]
[We combine forces and take him down. It'll boost our morale.]
Tarun's three captains encircled Predator from three sides.
'Will it work even in a 3-on-1?'
Wayne overlapped red and white Odd again. The wave rippled once more.
[For Ner-gal's glory!]
[For Ner-gal's glory!]
Shing! Whoosh!
They charged from all sides simultaneously. Wayne didn't wait—he lunged at the right-flank Magic Knight, clashing swords. Clang! Boom!
"Urgh! What?!"
Just a sword clash, yet an explosion blinded him. Izmael recoiled in shock.
In that instant, Tulus's sword slashed from the front. Clang! Wayne blocked with his blade. Then Cardis thrust from the left.
Slash! Clang!
A blade sprang from Predator's other wrist, parrying Cardis.
[Aim for the legs!]
At Cardis's shout, Tulus recovered and stabbed low; Cardis swung at the chest. Clang! Clang-clang! Sparks flew from clashing steel. Predator defended flawlessly against two.
[I'm in too!]
Izmael, pushed back by the blast, gritted his teeth and rejoined. Whoosh!
With his sword added, chaos intensified. Eight-meter titans swinging blades cleaved mountains and cracked walls.
"Unbelievable! Holding off three!"
"He's a monster!"
Both sides' Magic Knights were awestruck. No one had seen a flat-ground, head-on stand against three peers—no terrain tricks or evasion.
[Die!]
Whoosh! Clang! Clang-clang! Clang!
Fierce sword winds whipped sand into a blinding haze.
[Huh? Can't see him! Fall back!]
Izmael yelled urgently. As the Magic Knights retreated, blades arced upward from below in a circle.
"Gah!"
Izmael swung to block in panic. Ting! Click! The enemy's blade retracted, his sword slicing air.
Grab.
Predator's hand clamped the chest.
[Time to end this!]
"...?"
Crackle-crackle-crack!
Electricity made Izmael's Magic Knight shudder. Then—
Shing!