Chapter 188
2lIyPLorencios was confident in himself.28c2
5P9wNo matter how many times Fernan Pellenberg had interfered with their plans, he hadn’t reached this point without preparation either.DTzx6
yQ9UXiA magic circle powered by a thousand lives.vDo5P3f
l4Q3tTraps.9bdcIm
zlB5eAnd, on top of that, a blood giant reinforced with corpses and more blood.OEYv
ekAxM9Especially because on the other side, there was no Aint Armian, someone he could consider a true rival.3ys
4Rd7No Royal Knight either, nor an Archmage.e1q5kd
gRnTIThat was enough.rw5tI
5HBTeIt would be difficult—perhaps he’d have to burn all his books and even his own life—but if he managed to kill the crown prince and Fernan Pellenberg, it would still be worth it.mBin
r8ivHe had taken his stand with that resolve.ZgOnSi
0SsWBut then—hgDj
77dNnB“…I’ve never heard of anything like this.”FGkpc
ZA0What stood before him was different.n3fZBx0
qIco5UmA body over ten meters tall.i5hx7I
5dS6QNWBlack armor, smooth like polished steel.7O2
3P4iHa3An overwhelming presence and a gigantic sword to match its size.stG6uFw
mOtVsABA giant.pOp
V8uxwNot some improvised imitation like the one he had created, but a true steel giant.gZph
PJE8qNK— Kuuung!UJfvNR
jWtkThe giant roared, turning its body.w1iw
qFFufB────!lCw5
aCuL0With a single slash, it split the blood giant that had been tormenting the Black Whale Squad in two.QEVe
Uem***BWxtkX
nCpAFA new body.ZHZVk
tYJA gigantic body.2cQoo
G4FSince obtaining the body of a golem, Wooden had never felt disappointed.HmEHwoE
pmRis2BHe could grow or shrink at will, was faster and stronger than ever.bLQo
cC8With that body, he could do everything he had dreamed of as a forest spirit, and accompanying Fernan had become fun.yNl
ni9XAmBut was he truly satisfied? Not quite.ooa7Z9
2vgWhen one runs, they want to walk.jBUWg
rrchjVWhen one walks, they want to sit.LjjD5Y
2yubQWWhen one sits, they want to lie down.kEgW11i
bOtjHfFSuch is the natural desire of any being with consciousness.UVD7
anoNDWooden felt it too.ci8
avXcNyVHe wanted a good body—and after getting it, he wanted to use it to its fullest.rsaXcDs
x4LhMXmHe had fought several times alongside Fernan, but it wasn’t enough to quench his thirst.1duu
jvUVsntSomething was missing—a full-scale battle, without shrinking, using his entire strength.2NLmfr
RsOeA fight where he had to go all out.hcv
ENIO6tNYes, he fought Andromalius, but at that time, he was inexperienced.SpsVl4c
o2052qHe didn’t fully control his body, lacked combat experience, and swordsmanship.SRdu
aVTMY7His one real battle had come when he was still immature.aJWA
is4cbHtAnd now, having overcome that immaturity, there were no opponents left to fight in his full form.imk4aF
CNNlTSThat was Wooden’s dilemma—and his sorrow.gyZn
2H5But there’s a saying among humans: “After waiting comes the reward.”WeSP
0ugxHe believed it, waited—and finally, that moment had arrived.yXcNz
u4szl5u— Kyuu!6Nz
BfmXpduA blood giant over ten meters tall.jKP6xK5
vRUxc7A rival of similar size, with power that didn’t look weak.fqrGM
MrQloWooden’s eyes lit up, and he started demanding from Fernan.hMQlAXc
nMUhKxE— Kyuu Kyuu!RUl
3ldjvLet me out! Now!nQCSX
LSZI want to fight, I want to go all out!88BlnGE
tkjThe thirst to use the swordsmanship he had trained for so long in his full form burned inside him.fdSZZ0
t8GAnd luckily, his master didn’t ignore him.yEsT
lOerH“Go, Wooden. It’s your time.”XIl
jY1BChFernan released the spirit from the pendant.WoSyt
YWd2cFAll restraints shattered, and Wooden returned to his full form—ten meters tall, his complete body.iNyma
WIc14— Kuuung.aVhd
Tvqff8Alright.5NS
hm9From here, humans looked like ants.B5a
Y5d9IA feeling of omnipotence, as if he could do anything.ywtjj
hgTMXBut best of all—for the first time, he had another giant before him on equal footing.pCPp2
n3MEcI9And that thrilled him.MC157
wSLbYx— Kyuu!F3qnmu
lwicC9VWithout hesitation, he drew his sword.WuIf4Cj
CfTzZZHe spun his body to add force to his initial slash.PExG
ZhG6c────!TAYMk
daU1Zi1The boom echoed loudly.iU3ep
cCvd0Wooden felt the heavy vibration run through his blade and was filled with joy.ErvIq
ymBaBut that joy didn’t last long.UnBb
n0kP— Kyuu?QYC9Qwb
JQhFJWFThat’s it?X7rnM7V
5WwThe blood giant split in two and collapsed like nothing.xeYiln5
iXIbA8— …Kyuu, Kyu?nLx2bH1
M1FmyReally? It’s over already?an1jd
6arNo way. It couldn’t end like this.N7DO3Gj
YgoNI— Kyuu Kyuu! Kyuuu!SbQP
ZD7Get up!VNoBdU
ksh2nOWooden roared—and to his relief, the enemy responded.bE5bZ
3AM42The spilled blood began regrouping, and the giant reformed once again.8OG0ncO
rzCK“Damn it! What the hell is that?!”0I9
UcSN9FA human standing on the blood giant’s shoulder shouted.U64yU
phDwL“Fernan Pellenberg! Damn you, Pellenberg!”gQ8
3zOGe5sThe man opened his book.QfrRd
HTGnc“Fine then! If that’s how it is, I’ll kill you even if it costs me my life!”zZK
t9QFThe book burned—entirely—engulfed in black flames.UlD7xi
KQOWK“No!”2SjH
8So3SMsA shout rang out, perhaps from his master, but it was brief.w5T1
EYrzehRDemonic energy burst from the burning book and enveloped the giant.ONS4Ip
34fIThe body, once red as blood, turned black.5xEphXT
4p19Wooden understood instantly.ECpJ
AOGez3The giant, already grotesque, had become even more repulsive.jWTem
HlCeuEStronger, tougher.0VY
m4HsItgAt last, it seemed like a worthy opponent.M0wM
UWRW“You thought a mere golem could stop us?! None of you will leave here alive!”XYES2
NJpl1Those words enraged Wooden.Igh
XoQpSw— Kyu? Kyu?4r8JMY
2hVMere? Golem?veEt
mGt0h“…You heard that.”BHFarG
1sq8viFernan spoke calmly from his shoulder.YEw4BaC
Bk3Lr“He’s out of books and can only spew empty words now. Are you really going to let a worm like that live, Wooden?”g1bCgOX
1LygO— Kyuuu!udTP5KH
ZEjRNIUnforgivable!SYvrq
TfbHA pile of stinking corpses against this perfect body? Never!44N1mDP
csCFbZWooden took a stance, regulating his breathing as he’d seen in human duels.fG97Me
wTcpRlpHe leapt—and with a roar, left a crater beneath his feet.62G4tr
l2NDJ7The blood giant reacted.iHlBkEv
crcWXIts right arm transformed into a massive black sword and met Wooden head-on.cKJH47C
Pq7─────!MhKrmIj
eeFjA6The clash shook the entire battlefield.whEx
uDQThis time, the blood giant didn’t crumble so easily—but its torso was exposed.Z1zl
xJJFWooden charged forward and plunged his sword in.Wy39Q
Mjw──!XVFAB
SWkUwABut the enemy’s toughness was greater than expected.FPdt6tg
4ewzJTaA simple thrust wasn’t enough—it barely left a crack.ZJSXD
P8YS9“Wooden, take it seriously. Don’t hold back your aura just because you want to prolong the fight.”vk7w
sXOOC0— …Kyu.GMj0
xryTThat was true.mWo8MUv
gJ3ghlrExposed, Wooden growled and raised his power.1gFzp
58oRA green aura, born from the World Tree and his essence as a forest spirit, enveloped his sword.Tqf
nGFXW0“That power…! The Cursed Tree!”mbBLh
4TJ4SsLIf Armian’s power devoured evil, the World Tree’s was its natural opposite.5lmbK
BiNZdaSPurer, closer to the essence of this world, in direct opposition to demonic energy.CfrS3
bkfAnd so—eWZfyGg
Iql────!kaE
WpZy6lWooden’s strike was precise.Aw19Pg
ZzAX3This time, there was no hollow resistance.2d3Hr6
VJZbBSword against sword—one shattered.2T6Ldn
mQi5The giant’s arm and weapon were cut, and its torso was split in two.uQD
G6YSlash—nzpac5
gxRXvThe demonic energy and the World Tree’s power consumed each other, filling the air with an acrid smoke.S7lvlS
1yYBut amid the smoke, the blood giant reassembled itself.6hGEsw
E4018bThe blood-soaked earth was drained until it dried up.TAJ
n3naM6— Kyuu! Kyu?lxE
RcCRegeneration? Endless?penAl
sW1YVWooden’s eyes sparkled.ldZ
kC9Q7JHe’d been holding back, afraid it would end too quickly.gUql
rbuMzxkNow he saw—there was no need.p5bGFyx
Dxxo“What a monster! How can a golem like that even exist?!”KWiqhl
YUDLorencios’s voice rang out in fury.uYHyfb
bh2H“Fine then! All the way to the end!”agZ
k9r“Want to drag it out?”Axag
bzAhXThey both realized at that moment—neither side had the upper hand.ywc
fNcyjmThe World Tree’s energy and demonic energy canceled each other out.0Kdk3
GRmX7RVThat’s what the enemy was aiming for—a battle of endurance.YB9
O5r“How long can that huge golem last?! He’ll be a pile of junk soon enough!”exXYSw
c9u“That’s what he says, Wooden.”6h2
TVzBut Fernan replied.BufX
1xsN“Really? In a long fight, you’ll turn into useless scrap?”KRY
U24vNiWooden answered with a deep laugh.q39fN
h2Ew— Kyuu, Kyu.uee
Ewm7ChSNever. Not ever.TGBK
o3SVtJWAnd he unleashed his power.UiZS4p7
cDATSJgBranches and roots sprouted from his body and sank into the ground.aJBpimr
uppyk— Kyuu! Kuuuung!aKUQXWI
Zg5redpInfinite energy!mV0O3
jEZIcsAs long as nature existed in the world, his magic and aura would never run dry.ksgK
vndXB“…Im…possible. The World Tree?”9kN9osH
Qp9tZXThe enemy’s face twisted.GRtwBiD
O2wBjWooden found it funny.38d
8nd— Kyuuu!1tNfN
QLvCMHere I go again!hxT2
ez38bNaHe raised his sword and charged.hUBUQB
Scqom7GThe blood giant reluctantly charged as well.vh1XW
Kf70C“That can’t be! Die!”SBTerPc
Jk3“You think your spellless magic can touch me?”8rVsOA4
fylThe two giants clashed swords, and the magic from both mages engulfed the world in chaos.255Q4
n9Q5bNx***utuwHE
uJTq“B-Back!”zqV
FBga7wu“Keep your distance!”Jixsw
oYSRUFernan had assumed that while Wooden and the blood giant fought, the monsters and demons would attack the crown prince’s group.bfe6YoN
SqDBut he was wrong.39rx
nPM94E─!G4uN
LaP5──!UQRY
0TRThe battle between the two giants, and the magical duel between the mages atop their shoulders, turned not just the village but the entire surroundings into a devastated field.O2mNrg1
0FJMonsters, demons, humans—all were hit by the shockwaves.Egln
yKIThe prince reacted quickly and ordered a retreat, but the beasts blindly followed the corrupt ones’ commands.MMc5u2O
F9uT“…Wow, they really are idiots.”hnhq
0DwGismond laughed as he watched the monsters charge into the giants’ battlefield without thinking, only to be crushed in the process.azUAf
5U6Not all died in the shockwaves, but the damage was severe. Those who made it out were covered in wounds.DdN
pXIzxdAnd those weakened monsters and demons were no match for the Black Whale Knights or for Luina.zSd
RXA1GchThe prince’s group finished off the last of the demons far from the village center.9O7Sob
KVws0With a sigh of relief at still being alive, everyone turned their eyes once again to the fight still raging.bCIoPI
2JKvFBzGiant versus giant.lunr
uYr8LWA battle that, aside from one person present, no one had ever imagined witnessing in their life.vzF
CDyR1“…Sir Krams.”YGY8ze
fCGjEt5“…Yes, Your Highness.”HQ3bz
pTZRHq“What do you think of that?”8Po84B
NeWACyd“…It’s an incredible golem. Not only does it think for itself—it also absorbs mana from the surroundings to withstand long battles.”0r7
f8Kl1gMoreover, it was skilled in swordsmanship, and that style—it was Altrierc’s.hRnBhDa
em8HnAlprosen and Altrierc knew each other well, as they had sometimes fought and sometimes traded across the desert and lake that separated them.wi4z5Q
GWj“Who do you think will win?”Pxq5va
K3Huaav“Both are impressive, but I lean toward young Fernan and that golem.”w6Bo
twm9KThe reason was simple.WYsT7C
wd506QfThe blood giant’s blows couldn’t damage the golem—but the golem’s could cut it down.7hf
U6ceThe giant’s constant regeneration was concerning, but after seeing it put down roots and absorb mana from the surroundings, that concern vanished.k46d
1yM“It’s not that the giant’s attacks are weak.”0UiQ7X
RouiMtThe ground exploded and trees vanished with every strike—a testament to its power.qXe1H3H
j50szWKrams didn’t even dare to think about interfering in that fight.iCS
BDSjcdo“So?”RJX7jCX
QkU7VB“The golem’s armor is incredibly durable. I could swear it’s coated in adamantite—that legendary metal…”6erO
jVxpW6“Is it possible to get that much adamantite?”Fc4c
wgJ1Aq“…I don’t know, Your Highness. But being the Pellenbergs, maybe.”ExZZDbg
Tlz“That’s true, too.”kVdy
qlXdRkIt was hard to argue when the proof was right before his eyes. If it wasn’t adamantite—what else could it be?7WmJYrF
a5JY“And the mage? Could he fall first…?”gBeKx
f3flPZ4The mages on the shoulders of the golem and the giant were exchanging spells.0Ku5
OyPTheir level far exceeded the prince’s—and that of any mage present.P7XRwHe
CKvH“He won’t fall.”EOYFLU2
nap9The answer came from Luina, not Krams.aPoEwuD
8zca00F“Fernan is a great mage. Even if he denies it, he’s strong enough to win any magic tournament.”DDQ9j
FPozwaD“A magic tournament…?”SH3HfI4
2TzosAt the Academy, that tournament wasn’t just for students—it gathered the best from the entire continent and crowned the strongest.jNbrpax
3QmWinning there meant surpassing most veteran mages.eBIxe
JCl7yT“…I’d heard Fernan Pellenberg was ranked tenth.”EGp
T5N“He’s first now. He just hides it because he likes keeping things secret.”VbyjYW
voZgELuina’s eyes gleamed with confidence. She didn’t show a shred of doubt that Fernan would lose.Ri5B
kgLb9U“Young Master doesn’t want that known, but it’s the truth.”U5oy
YkarCHyde chimed in.rhDNdk
N6zv“…I see.”16i
OlrDd6UThe crown prince accepted the explanation without hesitation.yBbRqTh
d9PZqOcWhy would someone hide a talent like that? He didn’t understand.aceMI
zBFwrBut seeing that Fernan had even hidden such an incredible golem, it was clear he had that strange habit.f4RQDFY
dRczU9“Tell me, Sir Krams.”pvNNS
gDZ“Yes, Your Highness.”e6ArHq
XFb“Do you think… rumors will spread after this battle?”sDiV
rL4OL“Without a doubt. Just look at the faces of the soldiers and mages.”G0P
ZevF771The soldiers, forgetting the war, watched the fight in awe.1oR
zj9eThe mages even more so—all eager to study that golem if they survived.bwWM
pOWmw“…If word gets out, will I really have to pay the three months’ kingdom budget in damages?”182N
tYZyA“Your Highness, how could you do something so reckless…!”KWBv
qYgwThat was a comment one should never make to a prince.w5aC
nLWCkuBut neither the order’s captain nor the prince himself were in the mood for reprimands.CJz
YP2APNJ“I didn’t know.”T4z
vIv1The prince lamented.zqiDpZP
bQ35jY“I didn’t know it would be like this! How was I supposed to imagine it?”kKVh5s
yC9He wanted to rip out his own tongue for what he’d said barely twenty minutes ago.1CLy7a
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