Chapter 214: The Giant Guardian

Chapter 214: The Giant Guardian

As the aura of madness and brutality flew overhead, Anderson’s chewing abruptly stopped. Only after it had moved far away did he gulp down the remaining rabbit meat in his mouth and raise his head toward Gehrman Sparrow.

“That’s the giant dragon you were talking about?”

Klein nodded slightly, confirming Anderson’s guess.

The corners of Anderson’s mouth slowly lifted, forming an expression that looked as though he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“I thought you meant an adult—or even adolescent—dragon. But that thing just now…

“I’m probably not going to become a dragon hunter. I’ll only become dragon dung.”

The King of the North’s crazed, brutal feeling really is a little frightening. It’s much stronger than that stitched-together monster that made hair grow wildly back on the Future… Perhaps it has the level of Sequence 4, a demigod… Klein calmly judged inwardly, not feeling the slightest panic or fear.

He remembered very clearly that Travels of Groselle had explicitly written that the pirate lady had encountered the King of the North’s attack, fought with all her strength, successfully escaped, and met the protagonist party led by the giant Groselle.

And Edwina Edwards was clearly not a demigod. She belonged to the Reader pathway and was a Sequence 5. Furthermore, because she had been suddenly swallowed into the book, the mystical items and Sealed Artifacts inconvenient to carry for long periods had all been left inside the captain’s cabin. She had only one or two useful items on her.

Under those circumstances, she had still been able to initially contend with the King of the North and survive. Klein, who had just advanced and adjusted the configuration of his glove, believed he would not face too great a problem. Besides, he could connect to the gray fog and respond with the Sea God Scepter!

That was why Klein had dared enter directly after confirming through Danitz’s prayer that his condition was normal.

Mm. The King of the North doesn’t seem like a demigod from a normal pathway. According to Vice Admiral Iceberg, it’s a monster that lost control after gathering many frost-related Beyonder characteristics. In specific domains, it can rival a demigod, but in other aspects, it must certainly have weaknesses… Me, Edwina, Anderson, plus the Beyonders in the protagonist party—we aren’t necessarily unable to resolve this! If it really won’t work, there’s always the Sea God Scepter. I refuse to believe this book can guard in advance against items from above the gray fog. If it could, it would have shown signs of that long ago… Standing beside the fire, Klein lowered his head to look at Anderson and curled the corners of his mouth.

“Scared?”

Anderson froze for one second, then immediately smiled brightly.

“Not scared. You seem very confident.”

After speaking, he looked toward Danitz, who was still trembling slightly and trying hard to calm himself. Clicking his tongue, he said, “Do you know what is most important to a man?”

Danitz had just taken a deep breath. Hearing that, he froze. Uncertainly, he brought together the index and middle fingers of his right hand and pointed downward.

Anderson blinked, then burst into loud laughter.

“…Bastard. You really are a vulgar pirate!

“Haha. What was I going to say? Haha, I forgot!

“Right. I wanted to say courage. The most important thing for a man is courage. Look at you. The dragon hasn’t even attacked yet, and you’re already so scared you look ready to hold your head and beg for mercy!”

Danitz’s face immediately flushed red, and he glared at the other man.

You didn’t behave like that back in Toscarter… Klein could not help muttering inwardly.

Danitz was just about to explain that he had merely been affected by the aura of a high-level creature when he suddenly recalled something that had just been said. His expression instantly returned to normal, and he replied lightly, “I can’t compare to dragon dung.”

Anderson’s smile stiffened. He coughed twice, as though nothing had happened, and tore off another rabbit leg, handing it to Gehrman Sparrow.

“Don’t want to try some?”

Klein fell silent for several seconds, then slowly shook his head.

“This is a strange world. Before confirming that there are no problems, it is best not to eat any food here.

“Perhaps a single piece of rabbit meat will make you remain here forever.”

“…” Anderson brought the roasted rabbit leg before his mouth and nose, then slowly lowered it again. His expression collapsed bit by bit. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Klein answered calmly, “I just thought of it.”

Anderson’s expression twisted for several seconds. Then he lowered his head and quickly began gnawing at the roasted rabbit leg again.

“Aren’t you afraid there really is a problem?” The Strongest Hunter’s actions stunned Danitz.

Anderson smiled helplessly.

“I already ate an entire one before this. Whatever could be digested has already been digested… Since I can’t change anything, I might as well focus on enjoying it.”

For a moment, Klein and Danitz actually could not find any words to respond.

After Anderson finished the rabbit leg, he cautiously asked, “You really aren’t eating?

“We still don’t know how long this will take. If you’re starving later, what will you use to fight monsters like that dragon?”

Klein did not answer directly. He took out his gold-cased pocket watch and snapped it open for a glance.

“Outside time: 6:10 in the evening.

“If your condition remains fine four to six hours from now, we can eat a little.”

“…” Anderson opened his mouth but could not speak.

Klein ignored him and turned toward Danitz.

“Rest for fifteen minutes. Then we search for your captain.”

As he spoke, he had already taken out the pearl earrings belonging to Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards.

“All right.” Danitz suddenly felt his blood boiling with passion, completely forgetting the cold outside.

Seven or eight seconds later, he shrank closer to the fire.

…

Outside time, 7:00 in the evening. Klein held down his hat and carried his cane. Together with Danitz and Anderson, he followed the revelation from divination all the way to the foot of a mountain peak.

After they circled around a huge rock covered in thick ice, they saw a dark, gloomy cave. At its entrance stood a woman holding an ancient-looking bow and arrow.

The woman had glossy black hair and had tied it into a simple ponytail. The contours of her features were extremely soft, unlike the people of any country in the Northern Continent.

She wore an ancient-style brown hunter’s jacket and trousers. With sharp spiritual intuition, she cast her gaze toward them.

Seeing her slightly pointed ears, and combining that with the contents of Travels of Groselle, Klein immediately knew her identity:

The female elf who had been the first to know the giant Groselle, whose name was unknown.

If I compare it to Earth, the people of the Northern Continent are closer to European and American styles, while this elf has clear Eastern charm… Klein quickly summarized her traits.

“An elf! She’s exactly like the elves in some ancient religious paintings!” Anderson suddenly became excited. “I have to discuss things with her. I must ask her to be my model and let me paint a few good portraits of her!”

Danitz beside him snorted disdainfully, mocking him in concise terms.

“Vulgar!”

Clearly, he had not forgotten Anderson’s earlier ridicule.

“Do you only understand that kind of painting?” Anderson glanced at him, quickened his pace, and walked toward the female elf.

The moment he approached, the female elf raised her longbow without hesitation. The arrow nocked upon it flashed and flowed with silver-white lightning.

“Stop!” Anderson immediately half-raised both hands.

Useless. Most elves belong to the Storm pathway, so they are very easily irritable and reckless… Klein quietly activated his vision of Spirit Body Threads, intending to use initial control to make the elf calmly listen.

At that moment, Anderson’s vision suddenly blurred. He saw two thick, sturdy, gray-blue giant legs, as well as a terrifying greatsword plunged into the snow.

“…” Anderson was stunned to discover that he was only slightly taller than that leg’s knee. Instinctively, he followed the patterns on the greatsword upward, inch by inch.

In a nearly backward-leaning posture, he finally saw clearly that before him stood a giant close to four meters tall!

This giant’s skin was gray-blue. His chest, belly, waist, and hips were wrapped in thick beast fur, while the rest of him was exposed. Even his feet lacked protection.

He leaned on a greatsword wider than a human door panel and looked down at Anderson, Klein, and the others with his iconic single vertical eye. In a rumbling voice, he asked, “Who are you?

“Why have you come to Groselle’s camp?”

Klein was just about to answer when a figure familiar to them emerged from the dark, enormous cave. Danitz’s eyes were instantly filled with wild joy.

Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina, wearing an intricate blouse and dark trousers, swept her gaze across the three of them. A relatively obvious astonishment appeared in her normally cold expression, as though she had not expected Gehrman Sparrow and Anderson Hood to be here.

She quickly returned to normal, raised her head, and said to the giant, “Groselle, these are my companions.”

The giant Groselle’s large mouth split open as he asked joyfully, “Are you here to deal with Ulyssan too?”

Ulyssan? For a moment, Klein actually did not know how to answer.

At that instant, he saw Edwina, standing within the giant’s shadow, give him a look that told him to answer affirmatively.

Ulyssan is the King of the North? Klein responded in a thoughtful, low voice, “Yes.”

“Haha, then we are friends!” Groselle looked down at the three opposite him and laughed loudly.

As he spoke, Anderson quietly retreated to Gehrman Sparrow’s side and lowered his voice.

“This is my first time seeing a living giant.

“There’s no way to hit his vitals. He’s too tall.”

You can trim his feet… Klein lampooned, then calmly replied, “A large target means he is easy to hit.”

“…True.” Anderson agreed.

At that moment, Edwina walked over and introduced the three of them.

“This is the camp’s leader, the Giant Guardian Groselle.

“This is the elven singer Siatas.”

Elven singer? Ocean Songster? Klein suddenly felt that Mr. Hanged Man’s potion formula had hope.

Edwina then half-turned and said to the giant Groselle and the elf Siatas, “They are my companions.

“The strongest adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow; the treasure hunter, Anderson Hood; and the famous sailor, Danitz.”

…I always thought you, Vice Admiral Iceberg, were the serious type who didn’t lie… Famous sailor, ha. In a certain sense, I suppose that is fact… Klein removed his hat and performed a serious bow. Anderson followed in a rather casual manner.

Danitz, meanwhile, was delighted that the Captain had introduced him as a companion rather than a subordinate. He was half a beat slow and appeared flustered.

Groselle laughed loudly.

“Enter the camp. We are about to go to war against the evil dragon Ulyssan!”

Very warm, very amiable… Yet whether in Church texts or the myths of the City of Silver, giants are violent creatures with a powerful urge for destruction… Mm. Anything can be possible inside a book. It just depends on whether the author can justify it… Klein nodded lightly and followed Groselle toward the spacious cave.

Seeing this, Edwina approached the three without showing anything unusual. She seemed to be leading the way, but in fact, she lowered her voice and offered two brief points.

“There is something strange about the history they tell.

“And there is the matter of language. No matter what language one speaks, everyone can understand one another.”