Chapter 194

Chapter 194
## Chapter 194

White Giant (1)

As they journeyed alongside Geos to this isolated region, the companions had braced themselves for the stark probability that their quest might yield absolutely nothing.

The loftier one’s anticipation, the more devastating the eventual crash.

Altering their itinerary and dedicating precious days was a manageable sacrifice, but was the sole word of Geos truly enough to guarantee that this mysterious individual hailed from Earth?

He had merely nurtured a faint hope that the person might be an awakened soul, figuring he would be content if he could just glean a solitary fragment of fresh insight…

‘The ultimate return on this journey vastly outshines my expectations.’

Not only had they crossed paths with Chehai, a genuine transmigrator from Earth, but the man had unhesitatingly shared vital intelligence that was normally impossible to uncover.

Furthermore, he had received personal guidance from him, triggering the evolution of his own unique skill!

‘Because of those lessons, our stay extended far past the original plan.’

Yet, Heinrich and his comrades in the legendary hero party could not remain in this secluded provincial area indefinitely.

Truthfully, pausing their journey for this length of time was already an unprecedented detour for them.

“We will meet again, Mister Geos!”

“Big sister! Travel safely!”

“Farewell~!”

Though the party had spent a mere handful of days split between the hillside villa and Chehai’s orphanage, the bond formed in that brief window was deep. Every single child had gathered outside to offer a warm send-off.

Aside from Geos, this was just a fleeting moment in time, and none of them knew if their paths would ever cross again…

Even so, the young faces flashed bright, cheerful expressions, even if a subtle tinge of melancholy lingered in their eyes.

‘They possess such inner fortitude… Far more than I do.’

He could scarcely fathom the depth of agony concealed beneath those bright expressions—the trauma of surviving a brutal, unforgiving reality that even full-grown adults struggled to navigate.

They were likely capable of such resilience because of the guardians who sheltered their trauma with genuine affection, alongside the peers who stood by them through every ordeal.

Offering their final partings to the youngsters, the group departed from the orphanage grounds.

As they walked along the path, Chehai, who accompanied them a short distance to see them off, stepped up beside Heinrich.

“I offered what little aid I could provide. I truly hope it proved beneficial to your journey rather than squandering your vital time.”

“Not in the least. Your assistance was invaluable. Please entrust the remaining burdens to our hands and continue safeguarding this sanctuary, Chehai. After all, the youth represent the tomorrow of our world.”

“Hahaha, well spoken. That happens to be my true calling.”

The two men exchanged warm smiles and shared a firm handshake, trading words of mutual respect.

After bidding farewell to the rest of the companions, Chehai finally approached the solitary figure trailing at the rear.

“Geos.”

At the quiet utterance of his name, Geos turned a muted gaze toward him.

His demeanor had seemed slightly brighter while surrounded by the children at the orphanage, but now that they were walking away, a familiar shadow of despondency had reclaimed his features.

“Is it not time to release that burden? A man cannot forge a new path ahead when his soul remains anchored to what was lost.”

“I have no desire for a fresh beginning. The moment that tragedy struck, my world ceased to exist.”

“…Anna and Nia would never wish to see you trapped in this perpetual darkness.”

“Perhaps you speak the truth.”

But such sentiments mattered little now that he could never gaze upon them again.

He merely stared vacantly into the empty air, utterly indifferent to any words of comfort, his eyes reflecting the same hollow void as always.

“Sigh—”

Chehai let out a heavy, helpless sigh, observing his friend with deep anxiety.

Knowing full well that he would have succumbed to the exact same despair had he walked in Geos’s boots, any advice he offered felt hollow and hypocritical.

A short while later,

The group finally arrived back at the hillside villa, an ideal location isolated enough to initiate a long-range teleportation. Without delay, they began sketching a complex array across the backyard dirt.

“I have woven this specific array so frequently of late that I could easily manifest it with my eyes closed. My true mastery lies in elemental arts… specifically frost magic. Yet, I am beginning to think I should officially declare spatial manipulation as my primary discipline.”

“That is simply because you possess such boundless genius, Master! Why stop there when you could easily dominate every other magical school? I happen to have a profound curiosity regarding a particular esoteric lineage, perhaps we could explore—”

“Hmm…”

Hesperon seized the moment to flatter Isea while she muttered grievances under her breath, systematically retrieving rare catalysts from her spatial storage artifact to construct the formation.

Even though he could seek enlightenment from Hans, things would move vastly quicker if he could persuade her to collaborate on decoding foreign magical systems!

‘Regardless of her complaints, her capability is undeniable.’

To an outsider, the process might seem effortless because she performed it regularly, but long-distance spatial displacement was a pinnacle-tier art. It demanded immense focus, massive reservoirs of mana, and meticulous preparation.

Even within the grand magic tower, such a feat was only executed utilizing massive, permanent installations, astronomical material resources, and the synchronized efforts of a dedicated circle of high mages.

This reality underscored just how extraordinary Isea truly was, possessing the individual might to manifest it entirely on her own.

Naturally, an anomaly like Hans, the Immortal King, existed outside standard human metrics.

As the glowing lines of the teleportation circle neared absolute completion,

“I shall keep this estate perfectly maintained so that you may return to recuperate whenever the weight becomes too heavy, Master. Please keep that promise in your heart.”

Oliver, the loyal caretaker of the property, stepped forward with a tray of refreshments and offered a deep, respectful bow to Geos.

He harbored the exact same anxieties as Chehai, but mindful of his position as a servant, he chose to convey his deep devotion through subtle, supportive words.

He was reminding the knight that this sanctuary—his true ‘home’—would always be waiting whenever the world broke him down.

“…Understood. My thanks.”

Predictably, Geos offered nothing more than a hollow, clipped acknowledgement.

“The array is fully stabilized. Everyone, take your positions within the boundary.”

With their objectives in this settlement thoroughly satisfied, there was no logical justification to linger a moment longer.

The traveling party offered their final nods of gratitude to Chehai and Oliver, stepping inside the perimeter surrounding Isea as they braced for the impending spatial shift.

“We shall begin the transition now. As per standard procedure, suppress your innate magical defense networks so your spirits do not push back against the spell casting…”

Suddenly—

Before the final syllable of her incantation could echo,

Crackle—!

An unsettling, violent resonance tore through the sky—a sound so alien that a normal person might never encounter it in a hundred lifetimes.

It was a sickening, grinding screech, sounding precisely as though the fabric of reality itself was being violently ripped apart at the seams.

“Hmm…?”

“………!”

The entire party instantly went rigid, every nerve firing warning signals at the unnatural disturbance.

This chaotic surge owed nothing to Isea’s carefully calibrated teleportation matrix.

The heads of the heroes, along with Chehai who stood just outside the circle, snapped in unison toward the horizon.

They were staring directly back toward the settlement they had abandoned moments prior.

“Wait…!”

“It cannot be… That anomaly?!”

Right at the perimeter of the distant village, precisely where their terrified gazes converged,

A colossal fissure tore open across the empty atmosphere. From the pitch-black void within, a stark white ‘hand’ manifested, its fingers digging into the edges of the tear as it pushed outward.

It looked exactly like a confined prisoner violently forcing open a bolted barricade.

The situation was dire.

Judging by the monumental scale of the atmospheric tear, the entity fighting its way into reality possessed a staggering, monstrous physique…

“No!”

And Chehai’s orphanage sat directly in the shadow of the unfolding disaster.

—

Every square inch of its massive form, from the tip of its fingers to the rest of its emerging shape, was a uniform, blinding white, looking as though it had been thoroughly submerged in thick paint.

With a final, violent surge, it ripped the planar rift wide open with both hands, thrust a massive lower limb through the void, and planted its initial stride upon the earth.

Boom—!

The bedrock buckled violently as a thunderous concussion, reminiscent of a catastrophic detonation, rolled across the landscape from that single step. A massive, five-toed impression gouged itself deep into the soil.

With its entire form finally dragged free from the cosmic tear, the entity drew itself up to its full, terrifying height and tilted its face toward the heavens.

Immediately afterward—.

[———!]

A muffled, resonant bellow broke from its throat, vibrating through the environment.

The low, echoing frequency, strongly resembling the deep song of a leviathan, carried an unmistakable sensation of pure ‘exultation’, despite being completely devoid of spoken language.

Had the entity manifested under less catastrophic circumstances, onlookers might have genuinely marveled at such an unadulterated expression of joy.

Rumble—!

Unfortunately, those forced to endure the sound waves were in no position to appreciate its emotional state.

The catastrophic force radiating from its staggering mass naturally rode the shockwave of the cry, savaging the surrounding terrain.

Great trees whipped wildly before their root systems snapped completely, heavy boulders were flung like pebbles, and nearby buildings crumbled into debris.

If inanimate architecture suffered such devastation, the consequences for flesh-and-blood mortals caught unprepared by the sonic wave would be catastrophic.

The vulnerable village caught in the immediate radius…

“Ugh, my head… What is happening…?”

“Waaaah—! Mother!”

“Hiik? What in the world is that titan?!”

Mercifully, there appeared to be no mass loss of life in the initial seconds; the immediate fallout was limited to widespread panic and shattered architecture from the concussive force.

“Haa, haa… That was far too close…”

Isea drew in sharp, ragged breaths, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the ornate staff bestowed upon her by the imperial crown.

A shimmering azure barrier, sprawling across the entire perimeter of the settlement, pulsed erratically as it absorbed the oncoming wave of malevolent shockwaves.

Her countermeasure had been dangerously delayed because her focus was locked onto the teleportation matrix, but she remained an Archmage who stood at the absolute zenith of arcane mastery.

It required fewer than fifteen seconds for her mind to process the crisis, sever the active spatial spell, and construct an entirely new defensive ward from scratch.

Even so, shielding an entire community on such short notice pushed her reserves to the limit, particularly given the considerable distance separating her from the village proper.

She had only succeeded because the phenomenon wasn’t a focused, intentional strike, but merely the ambient fallout of the creature’s awakening.

“In any case, what manner of entity is that…?”

Isea reinforced the trembling barrier, which was sputtering due to the frantic speed of its creation, and locked her gaze onto the towering white anomaly that shattered all sense of scale.

It possessed a standard anthropomorphic silhouette, yet it towered well over thirty meters into the sky.

The most disturbing characteristic was its face: the seven sensory apertures—its eyes, ears, nostrils, and jaws—were completely bound shut, sealed tight with thick, dark cords.

[———!]

In that instant, the titan produced a grating, guttural vibration from its neck.

Unlike its initial cry, this sound resonated with deep irritation rather than triumph.

It was a predictable reaction.

Heinrich the chosen hero, Harley the tribal berserker, and Geos the master lancer.

The three frontline vanguards of the legendary party had already closed the distance, launching a fierce, coordinated assault against the titan to forcibly steer its gaze away from the civilians.

‘Mr. Chehai… sprinted directly toward the orphanage grounds.’

The remaining tactical assets had immediately identified their priorities and mobilized, moving in perfect synchronization with Isea’s arcane intervention.

“…I must close the distance to maximize the potency of my offensive spells.”

“Understood! I shall serve as your personal shield, Master! Place your faith in me!”

Everyone mobilized, excluding the thoroughly useless Hesperon.

—

Radiant divine energy, seamlessly fused with holy sword aura, surged through Heinrich’s flawlessly conditioned physique.

Crack—

His physical frame, already elevated to impossible heights by the active augments of “Grand Blessing: Knight of Light” and “Blessing: Fortitude”, shattered its conventional limitations yet again, unlocking a tier of strength that defied mortality.

He moved like a flash of lightning, utilizing the titan’s own anatomy as a staircase—bounding from foot to kneecap, then to thigh—before launching himself high into the open air.

“Blessing: Holy Blade”, further magnified by the parameters of “Blessing: Capacity Increase”, erupted into a brilliant inferno. The strike plunged straight toward the giant’s vital core, saturated with the full might of “Blessing: Holy Sword”.

The blade followed the perfect, lethal equations dictated by “Logia Holy Combat” and the “Path of Martial Arts”, tracing a flawless line of execution.

Whoosh—!

[———?!]

A fountain of pale, white lifeblood erupted from the giant’s torn flesh.

Yet, despite the precision, he failed to completely obliterate the creature’s core due to its immense physical volume and the dense, rubbery composition of its flesh.

Furthermore, the entity had shifted its weight at the last possible microsecond, displaying an agility that defied its monolithic proportions.

Squirm, squirm—

‘…It possesses regenerative capabilities.’

Landing gracefully back upon the earth, Heinrich’s brow furrowed in frustration.

The massive, gaping rent he had carved into the titan’s chest was already pulling itself back together with steady, visible momentum.

Neutering a target’s ability to mend its flesh was a fundamental property of the holy blade.

For a creature to exhibit this degree of rapid closing of wounds while suffering the anti-regeneration curse of a holy weapon meant its vitality eclipsed even the legendary “Super Regeneration” utilized by Heinz the Second and Harley…

It was an anomaly that broke conventional rules on every level.

‘What sort of entity am I facing? That atmospheric tear it stepped through is unmistakably a manifestation of an abyssal rift.’

The titan was entirely humanoid and devoid of raiment, yet it lacked any defining anatomical characteristics to indicate gender, possessing completely smooth flesh.

It was devoid of a single strand of hair, presenting an appearance akin to a human form roughly sculpted from pale, unbaked clay.

The stark, dark wires binding its seven facial orifices stood out in hideous contrast against the pale flesh, magnifying its unnatural, terrifying aesthetic.

‘Could this be another ancient entity that lay dormant within the interstitial borders of the abyss?’

If so, its sudden, violent intrusion after such a vast epoch of dormancy made little logical sense.

And beyond all else…

‘The density of corrupting malevolence saturated within its mass is staggering. It mirrors the profile of… Heratos during his descent into the Mad Dragon state.’

If this was an entity dripping with concentrated madness birthed directly from a scar of the abyss…

‘…Then it is a true abomination that has crawled out from the deep void.’

Heinrich’s expression darkened.

The titan mirrored his dark expression, tilting its bound face downward toward Heinrich as though it could perceive his exact position perfectly.

Its aura flared with a sudden, vicious rage that transcended mere irritation.

“Saint! Engaged combat in this sector poses an extreme hazard! The children’s sanctuary is within the immediate blast radius! We have successfully provoked its ire, we must systematically draw it away—”

In that exact fraction of a second, Geos, who had been aggressively striking at the titan’s lower extremities with his lance to anchor its focus, roared out a sharp warning.

Isea, having maneuvered into a supporting position, was entirely consumed by the chaos—juggling offensive suppression spells against the titan, maintaining the grand city ward, and directing mana to facilitate the panicked flight of the villagers—.

Yet, the raw kinetic displacement generated by a entity scaling over thirty meters was a localized cataclysm in its own right.

Despite their flawless coordination to hold its focus, the settlement was sustained heavy damage, and they had already failed to prevent a number of civilian casualties…

‘In all candor, a mere misstep or accidental fall from an entity of this mass constitutes a fatal, crushing strike for any of us.’

Consequently, they were forced to proceed with extreme tactical caution, even as they sought a opening to bring it down.

If they possessed a method to sever its life functions in a single, unanswerable strike before it could retaliate, the tactical outlook would be different…

“Understood! It appears to have anchored its malice firmly upon my presence. I shall execute a controlled fighting retreat to draw its path out toward the wastes…!”

Heinrich, shouting his confirmation back to Geos, froze mid-sentence as a primitive, icy dread spiked down his spinal column.

His instincts screamed at him due to a sudden, highly unnatural shift in the titan’s behavior.

‘No, hold on. It cannot be…!’

The colossus, which had been contorting its featureless face in raw fury, paused its movements and tilted its massive skull slightly to the side.

And then, its sealed lips peeled back into a wide grin.

The expression was deeply sickening due to the taut, dark wires piercing through its flesh, yet—.

It was unmistakably an expansive, mocking smile born of twisted realization.

‘It possesses higher cognitive intelligence…!’

And worst of all…

The monolithic head of the White Giant,

‘It fully comprehended the strategic words we just exchanged?!’

Snapped directly toward the orphanage they were sacrificing everything to shield.