บท 218: Killing and Conquest
The day passed quickly.
The magic vine's existence had yet to be discovered by the giants, but a hunting operation was unfolding on the continent of Gantua that struck fear into their hearts. Giants who were out hunting or simply moving across the land suddenly found themselves under fatal surprise attacks.
Arrows fell from the sky without warning, sometimes piercing their legs, other times their backs, and occasionally shooting straight through their throats. The enemy responsible for these attacks was a human—something they hadn't seen in almost a thousand years.
Yes, humans.
To the giants' astonishment, humans had reappeared on the continent of Gantua, within their territory. The two individuals who had arrived—especially the one who could fly—did not flee in fear as expected. Instead, they took the initiative to attack, something the giants found deeply insulting.
However, these were no ordinary humans. The bows and arrows they wielded were powerful and devastatingly accurate. The steel arrows they fired were far more potent than anything the giants had encountered from human archers centuries ago. These arrows easily pierced through their tough skin and muscles, crippling their ability to move and rendering them vulnerable.
The human archer was merciless. When facing a lone giant, he would often take them down with a single arrow, striking their vital point and killing them instantly. However, when confronted with multiple giants, his strategy shifted. Rather than killing them outright, he would aim to injure. The first arrow would typically strike a giant's leg, crippling it and slowing down any others who might try to help.
He would then proceed to torment the giants one by one, causing them to cry out in pain and anger. When only the last giant remained, battered and bruised, Wayne would let him go, allowing the giant to escape and spread the fear to the rest of their kind.
The giants did attempt to fight back, but Wayne's flying carpet kept him high in the sky, out of their reach. The giants' attempts to hurl objects at him were futile; the projectiles either missed entirely or were easily deflected by a force they couldn't comprehend. In fact, giants who dared to resist were often the first to be targeted and killed. Those who managed to survive were usually the ones with the least courage, the cowards.
In just one day, nearly thirty giants fell to Wayne's arrows. Additionally, six or seven injured giants were deliberately spared and sent back to spread the terrifying news.
The most unsettling part for the giants was the disappearance of their fallen kin. The corpses of the slain giants would vanish mysteriously, leaving no trace except for the bloodstains on the ground. It was as if the bodies had been devoured by some unseen force, making it nearly impossible for investigating giants to find any clues. This only deepened their fear.
The next day, Wayne continued his hunt, with Princess Isabel by his side. They searched the skies for hours, even enlisting the help of birds to act as his eyes in the sky. Despite their efforts, they found no trace of the giants.
This led Wayne to suspect that the massive bell he had heard from the center of the continent the previous day had summoned all the giants. It seemed that someone had gathered them together, which explained why there were no lone giants left on the entire continent.
But Wayne didn't mind this development. In fact, it was preferable. The more fear he could instill in the other giants, the smoother his conquest would proceed.
Wayne felt no sympathy for the giants he had slain. They were all man-eating monsters, and it was only fitting that the murderers be killed by humans.
The morning sun bathed the camp in a warm glow, shining down on the bonfire Wayne had lit. The pot of broth he had prepared was steaming, filling the air with a rich, enticing aroma.
Princess Isabel emerged from his magic tent, and her eyes naturally fell on Wayne. She sniffed the air, immediately drawn to the delicious scent coming from the pot over the campfire. Though it was just a simple mushroom and vegetable broth with some baked bread, the aroma was far more appetizing than anything the royal chefs had ever prepared. It easily whetted the princess's appetite.
"Wayne, thank you for your hard work last night," Princess Isabel said, her voice polite and her smile slightly flattering. After witnessing Wayne's prowess in hunting giants the previous day, his strength had left a deep impression on her.
As a Witcher, Wayne was the most powerful human the princess had ever encountered. No warrior could compare to him. Isabel even felt that if Wayne wished, he could single-handedly defeat an entire kingdom.
Even when facing the ugly and terrifying giants, Princess Isabel no longer felt fear. They were still alive, but they were just taller and stronger. As long as they were struck in their vital parts, they could be killed—they were not invincible.
Wayne nodded to the princess, filling a bowl with broth from the pot and handing it to her. He also filled a large bowl for himself. The two of them then sat together, enjoying the fragrant broth and toasted bread while chatting.
Isabel was clearly very interested in Wayne. Ever since they had flown together yesterday, she had been asking him all sorts of questions, her curiosity evident. The princess had an adventurous spirit, much like a boy, and was eager to learn about anything new and exciting.
A powerful and mysterious man like Wayne had an undeniable allure for Princess Isabel, who had spent much of her life confined within the palace walls. However, their relationship remained innocent, with nothing untoward occurring between them.
The previous night had been relatively uneventful. In the first half, Wayne had introduced Isabel to the game of Gwent, teaching her to play and enjoying the experience. During the second half, he had stayed outside the magic tent, keeping watch to prevent any surprise attacks. Despite his vigilance, no enemies approached. It seemed the giants were either too cautious or too frightened, rendering the traps Wayne had set up unnecessary.
After they finished their meal, Wayne packed up the magic tent and their belongings. He then prepared the magic flying carpet and extended his hand to Princess Isabel, saying, "Let's go, Your Highness. We're heading to the giants' lair now. I want to see what these giants are truly capable of."
Isabel was taken aback by this. She had thought that hunting the giants on the outskirts was thrilling enough, but now Wayne intended to venture into the giants' lair, where many more of the formidable creatures would be. She couldn't help but ask with a mix of worry and curiosity, "Wayne, isn't that dangerous? We could return to the ground and cut down the magic vine. There's no need to risk going to the giants' lair."
Wayne considered her suggestion for a moment, then replied, "Well, Princess Isabel, if you don't wish to accompany me, I can take you back to the magic vine."
"The rescue team sent by your father should have almost arrived. You can return to the ground with them," Wayne suggested.
However, perhaps it was the adventurous spirit within her, or some other reason, but Princess Isabel didn't seem concerned about the potential dangers. Instead, she reached out, took Wayne's hand, and skillfully boarded the magic flying carpet, wrapping her arms around his waist with a determined expression. "I don't want to go back now. I'll go to the giants' lair with you, Wayne," she declared stubbornly.
Wayne didn't refuse her choice. Without hesitation, he guided the magic flying carpet towards the source of the bell sound they had heard the previous day, likely the location of the giants' lair.
After about twenty minutes of flying, they arrived at a canyon in the center of the Gantua continent. Although this floating continent wasn't particularly large—it would take less than an hour to cross it entirely on the magic flying carpet—it was still substantial, larger than some small countries on Earth, and would be considered a large island even in the ocean.
As they flew over the canyon, a fearsome castle, carved to resemble a skull, came into view at the cliff's edge. Wayne, having seen the movie, recognized it immediately as the giants' lair.
But something felt off. The entire lair was eerily quiet, with no patrols visible outside the castle. It seemed that all the giants had gathered inside, leaving the exterior almost entirely undefended. The unusual lack of security struck Wayne as abnormal.
But then again, Wayne hadn't come here for a peaceful resolution. Regardless of the giants' behavior, a fierce battle was inevitable.
These thoughts flashed through his mind as Wayne ascended to a higher altitude. Under Princess Isabel's curious gaze, he began pulling out various magic potions—six in total—all of which were different types of Witcher potions designed to enhance his physical abilities.
Wayne, as if savoring the taste, downed bottle after bottle of the potions, each emitting a strong alcoholic smell.
Soon, Princess Isabel let out a small gasp of surprise and concern. She looked at Wayne's face with a hint of fear and asked, "Wayne, your face has become so pale, and your eyes have those black bloodshot veins. The color of your eyes has changed too. What's happening?"
Wayne turned his now-darkened eyes toward the princess and replied calmly, "These are magic potions that make me stronger."
In truth, Wayne felt a sense of satisfaction. In just three years, his mutant physiology had advanced to the point where he could consume six potions simultaneously, enhancing his abilities in six different ways. He speculated that in a few more years, as his mutation skills continued to develop, he might be able to consume all Witcher potions at once, achieving full-spectrum enhancement.
And beyond that, when the standard Witcher potions could no longer strengthen him further, he might even create a more powerful potion unique to himself.
Despite not fully understanding what Wayne meant, Princess Isabel nodded obediently. She then asked, "What are we going to do next, Wayne? Are we going to sneak into the giants' lair and sabotage it from within?"
Wayne glanced at her briefly, then replied in a calm tone, "There's no need for infiltration. We'll attack them directly and beat them until they kneel down and beg for mercy."
With that, he guided the surprised princess toward the giants' lair, ready for a direct confrontation.
This time, Wayne decided to forgo his bow and arrow. Instead, he reached into his space bracelet and pulled out a variety of alchemical bombs specially crafted by Witchers. He intended to transform into a bomber, giving these giant bumpkins, who had never experienced such things, a taste of human ingenuity and technology.
Wayne guided the magic flying carpet into the eye socket of the skull-shaped castle. However, the scene that greeted him made him raise his eyebrows in surprise.
The entire hall of the Skeleton Fortress was filled with hundreds of giants, all kneeling densely together. At the center of their attention, a human nobleman stood on a massive wooden throne, wearing a crown and basking in the giants' submission. The nobleman's face was filled with pride as he enjoyed the sight of the giants bowing before him.
Next to this nobleman stood a towering, two-headed giant with a cunning expression, kneeling as he spoke to the noble.
Suddenly, Princess Isabel, who was standing behind Wayne, gasped in horror. She pointed to several wooden cages beside the throne and the half-eaten corpses scattered on the ground. With a voice filled with despair, she cried, "It's Captain Elmont and his men, members of the Royal Guard! They were captured by the giants."
"And that's Roderick standing on the throne, wearing the magic crown. He's controlling the giants!"
Although Isabel's voice was not loud enough to be noticed by the giants, both Elmont and Roderick, who were looking in their direction, immediately noticed the two of them.
Captain Elmont, recognizing the situation, shouted, "Wayne, please take the princess away! Tell His Majesty the King that Roderick has betrayed us. He plans to lead the giants to conquer the kingdom—he wants to rule Albion!"
Hearing Elmont's desperate warning, Roderick didn't panic. Instead, he burst into wild laughter.
"You underestimate me, Elmont. With this army of giants, how can the small Kingdom of Albion satisfy my ambition? I want to rule this continent—I want to rule the world!" Roderick declared, laughing maniacally.
After a few wild laughs, Roderick suddenly pointed at Wayne and Isabel, who were hovering in the sky on the magic flying carpet, and shouted to the kneeling giants below, "Capture them, dead or alive!"
Wayne, standing calmly on the magic carpet, listened to Roderick's command with an expressionless face. He didn't even bother to respond to such an overconfident minor character.
With a flicker, Wayne activated his Blink ability. In an instant, he vanished from the magic flying carpet and reappeared behind Roderick. Before anyone could react, Wayne's Statik electric blade was in his hand. Grabbing Roderick's hair with one hand, he swiftly and cleanly severed his head with the sharp blade.
As Wayne sheathed his sword and faced the stunned gazes of both the giants and the humans present, he quickly began to gather chaotic magic in his hand.
When the grotesque two-headed giant, who was kneeling under the throne in iron armor and appeared to be a general of the giant clan, attempted to speak, Wayne acted swiftly.
He unleashed the Igni sign, his palm pushing out a concentrated blue flame. The powerful blast of magic shot across more than ten meters, instantly engulfing the giant general's entire body.
Fueled by the intensity of Wayne's magic and the power of his blood, the temperature of the flame reached thousands of degrees. The searing heat silenced the giant general's words before they could be uttered, reducing him to a screaming, wailing mass.
But Wayne's Igni sign wasn't just about burning. Before the giant general could fully succumb, the flames suddenly contracted and then exploded from within his chest. The resulting blast tore the giant's flesh and blood body apart, leaving only the red-hot iron armor, which crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. The once-mighty two-headed giant general, who had led the giant clan for countless years, was now nothing more than scattered pieces of flesh littering the hall.
For a moment, the entire hall fell into stunned silence. Everyone was shocked by Wayne's ruthlessness and overwhelming power. The giants had heard rumors of someone hunting their kind, but they never imagined that this human, who flew effortlessly through the sky, could be so much more formidable than their companions had described. Not only was his archery skill godlike, but he also had the ability to appear and disappear at will, and wielded powerful magic capable of killing a giant with ease—something that defied their understanding.
As Wayne's five-second blink interval passed, he secretly shook his head. These giants were indeed somewhat disappointing.
Despite their imposing size and the overwhelming advantage they held against ordinary humans, their bodies were surprisingly fragile—nothing like the formidable Cyclops from the Witcher world. If he had been facing a Cyclops, Wayne's Igni flame might have caused serious damage, but it would not have been enough to kill them outright. Cyclopes possessed chaotic magic that effectively resisted such magical attacks.
In contrast, the giants before him lacked the physical resilience even comparable to that of elephants; they were merely slightly more powerful humanoid creatures.
With these thoughts in mind, and as everyone in the hall hesitated to speak, Wayne's figure disappeared once more, reappearing on his magic flying carpet.
Facing hundreds of eyes staring up at him in shock and fear, Wayne reached out, grabbed the magic crown from Roderick's severed head, and tossed the head to the ground. He then held up the magic crown and addressed all the giants in a commanding voice:
"My name is Wayne, and I am your future master."
"Although this crown can control your actions, it cannot change your thoughts."
"So, before you swear allegiance to me, I will give you a chance to change your destiny."
"All of you can challenge me—one giant or ten giants, it doesn't matter."
"I'm giving you the opportunity to challenge me. The giant who can defeat me will claim this crown and become the king of your clan."
"But remember, the only fate for the losers is death."
"However, after this challenge is over, if anyone dares to defy my orders or harbor rebellious thoughts, I will wipe out your entire giant clan, erasing you from history, leaving nothing but a forgotten memory."
"Now, go and wait on the ground above the canyon and consider your choices."
"Go ahead—this is your only chance."
As he finished speaking, the magic crown in Wayne's hand emitted a radiant glow, sending his command directly into the minds of all the giants. Whether they wanted to or not, the giants began to move, like a tide, toward the ground above the canyon, following Wayne's instructions.
Soon, the vast hall was empty except for a few surviving humans and the corpses scattered across the floor.
After the giants had left, Wayne descended with Princess Isabel. He didn't bother to talk with the remaining humans, leaving that task to Isabel. Instead, he focused on his next objective—heading towards the giants' warehouse. He controlled the magic flying carpet and made his way in that direction.
Although the giants had not yet fully submitted to him, now that he had the Magic Crown, the gold and silver treasures stored in their warehouse were already as good as his. Wayne intended to inspect these precious coins and begin repaying his debt to the goddess of wealth. After all, repaying borrowed funds made it easier to borrow again in the future.
Vivian had once explained that the cross-dimensional wealth bank had a loan limit for each user, determined by their own strength and financial resources.
As Wayne's financial resources and strength increased, so did his loan limit. Over the past year, due to his growth in power, his loan amount had risen from one hundred thousand orens to one hundred and fifty thousand orens.
While Wayne wasn't fond of relying on loans, he understood that wealth was a powerful tool when needed.
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