With a thunderous sound that seemed to shake the earth's axis, a cloud of dust rose. The punch thrown by [Giant] was truly worthy of its name, no different from the strike of a giant.
Instead of the inherently tough skin of the giant race, there was ultra-alloy new material. Instead of tough and sturdy muscles, there were metal fibers and steam pressure devices. Instead of blood, there was ether water.
The ultimate strategic weapon where everything was replaced by modern science. The power fist thrown by such a Giant could flatten even a tank. At this point, calling it "power" seemed almost like blasphemy. Yes, if it needed a name, it should be called "Giant Fist" befitting its codename.
At that moment, a golden explosion occurred within the dust cloud. Hot flames tore through the smoke and knocked back the Giant's arm. The Giant's massive body staggered backward and collided with another Giant.
-Kigigigigik!
Sparks flew between the friction of metals along with a thunderous sound. Seeing this, Beta One widened his eyes inside his suit.
[It survived that hit?]
A human would barely leave a trace after such an impact, but Osian not only endured it but even pushed back the Giant's arm.
The golden knight, burning brilliantly like the sun descended to earth, with an even larger sun ring on his back, glared at the Giant.
"I was trying to melt your arm, but you withstood it."Just as Beta One was shocked at Osian's intact state, Osian was also considerably surprised by the Giant's durability. It was a heat that could turn ordinary metal into a puddle of molten iron. The flames of the sun ring, burning even stronger with anger as a medium, were difficult to handle even for the more advanced Osian.
That's why he thought he could blow away the Giant's arm, but was that a miscalculation? The Giant wasn't just an automaton with a large body. No, at this point, it seemed questionable to even call it an automaton.
'A super-large robot. If it weren't for this situation, I would have definitely admired it with pure amazement.'
Jokingly, aren't giant robots every man's dream? But the moment that giant robot becomes your enemy, the dream truly becomes a nightmare.
-Giiing.
The Giant clenched its fist while staring at him with emerald-colored light flowing from its eyes.
-Chiiiiik!
As the cooling system activated, steam erupted frantically from the right hand that had turned orange. Even with that, the heat of the sun ring was not fully neutralized and continued to corrode the right hand. But the form of that arm did not collapse. The fact that the cooling system was operating meant there was no significant functional problem.
-Clank!
With the sound of pulling a firing pin, a massive shell casing ejected from the back of the Giant's right arm. Immediately after, blue currents began to swirl around the Giant's right fist.
-Pajijijik!
The fist, charged with wriggling electric currents, flew toward Osian again. Normally, Osian would have dodged to the side, but he couldn't move freely because of the sun ring armor.
Having given up on mobility, Osian decided to withstand the punch again. He didn't foolishly rely on the durability of the sun ring armor. Instead, Osian brought the sun ring he carried on his back forward like a shield.
-Jjeong!
The Giant fist charged with high-voltage current collided with the sun ring, which had grown to the size of a person. The current flowing through the fist tried to engulf the sun ring. The sun ring rotated fiercely like turning gears. The tremendous rotational force created along its trajectory deflected the currents trying to penetrate the surface outward.
A spectacular scene unfolded as blue currents scattered in all directions like a whirlpool centered on the sun ring. Osian drew a sword from the rotating sun ring. The sword, which had grown proportionally to the increased size of the sun ring, was now large enough to be called a spear.
As soon as he grasped it, he immediately threw it.
-Kiiiing!
Blue circuits flowed over the Giant's body, and a barrier field was deployed. The sun ring sword, shot like an arrow, collided with the barrier field and changed direction.
-Peong!
The sun ring sword penetrated the ceiling of the underground hangar and soared to the ground. A pillar of sun cutting through the night sky disappeared after a slight time delay. No debris fell. This was because the ceiling had melted in a circular shape due to the intense heat.
'Of course a body of that size would have a response system against external attacks. But still, to think it could deflect the sun ring sword.'
Of course, it didn't completely deflect it. The barrier field that took the hit from the sun ring sword collapsed as if melting, and half of the Giant's face melted from the heat of the sun ring sword.
But the Giant was still intact. Rather, with half its face melted, it became a much more terrifying sight, doubling the visual pressure.
The Giant extended its left arm. While the right arm had fingers like a normal hand, the left arm was occupied by gun barrels.
It was a three-row barrel. It rotated with a clank like a revolver and fired a cannon toward Osian.
"You dare launch a ranged attack against the sun ring?"
The massive shell melted and disappeared before reaching Osian's body due to the sun ring's defense. Of course, given the size of the shell, it took quite some time to melt. In the meantime, the upper armaments of the Giant's massive shoulders were opened.
Countless rockets were launched through the wide-open silos.
-Peobeobeobeobung!
Rocket propellants fired in all directions, causing numerous explosions. The entire hangar shook as if an earthquake had struck, and countless debris fell.
"This is madness."
No matter how spacious the hangar was, firing such things underground? If there were people controlling it, they wouldn't give such orders as they would be caught in it too.
That means this attack was made by the Giant's own judgment. It realized that subduing Osian wouldn't be easy, so it was trying to pour out all the firepower it had.
[This is insane! Everyone retreat! You'll get caught up in it!]
Beta One hurriedly retreated upon seeing this.
"R-run away!"
"Aaaah!"
Internal security team members who couldn't follow the order in time were buried under falling debris. The same went for researchers with sluggish reactions.
However, Osian had no time to feel satisfaction at their sight. Right now, the Giant seemed to think that it would be fine if the hangar collapsed as long as it defeated Osian. It was a tactic it could employ knowing it would remain intact even if this place collapsed.
Moreover, it wasn't just blindly firing rockets. The massive shoulder weaponry also included machine guns, which persistently aimed at Osian and spewed flames.
An overwhelming display of violence impossible to show against a single individual. If the opponent hadn't been Osian, they would have died over a hundred times by now.
'Continuously defending with the sun ring is impossible.'
He needed to draw the sun ring sword once more and throw it, but the Giant seemed to know this and was pressing him without giving him a moment to breathe.
He needed an opening. Even a momentary gap to create an opportunity.
-Hihihihing!
The sound of a horse's neigh spread throughout the hangar. Rocinante, using the still-dormant Giants as stepping stones, charged toward the Giant facing Osian.
-Eujik!
The massive horse's hoof stomped on the barrel on the shoulder, and a powerful back kick tore off the upper armament. Rocinante spewed flames toward the half-remaining face of the Giant.
Rocinante's flames, though intense, were weaker than the sun ring's, so they couldn't possibly damage the Giant. But they could certainly obscure the vision of the half-remaining face with flames.
The shower of violence aimed at Osian ceased for a moment.
'How on earth?'
Rocinante was moving on its own. It wasn't being controlled by Don Quixote. Belatedly, Osian realized that the light emitted by Neo's core had also affected Rocinante.
Rocinante had gained a sense of self. And now, Rocinante was risking itself alone to help a comrade who had fought alongside its master.
'Whatever it is, this is my chance!'
The Giant raised its right hand, flailing to grab Rocinante who had climbed onto its head. Seizing that opening, Osian drew the sun ring sword.
"Fall back! Rocinante!"
As if understanding Osian's words, Rocinante retreated. Immediately after, a flash of golden light pierced through the remaining head of the Giant. Nothing remained of the Giant's head along the golden trajectory.
-Kiiing.
The Giant's movement finally stopped.
"Thank you, Rocinante."
-Hihihing.
Rocinante responded to Osian's words. It really seemed to understand what he was saying.
'The others, have they already escaped?'
They must have gone to the surface through the emergency escape route to avoid getting caught in the battle with the Giant.
Osian's gaze turned toward Don Quixote. He was concerned about the state of the man sitting there. Fortunately, the impact of the battle hadn't reached where he was.
Osian approached Don Quixote along with Rocinante.
"Don Quixote! Snap out of it!"
Despite roughly shaking his shoulders, Don Quixote showed no response. It was because the psychological shock was too great.
Understandable. He had lived until now solely for Neo. But now, Neo died right before his eyes. The sense of loss and pain was so palpable that even Osian, who hadn't experienced it directly, could feel it to the bone.
-Hihihing.
Rocinante let out a mournful cry, perhaps sensing its master's sorrow. But Don Quixote still showed no response.
-Kiiiing!
At that moment, Osian's head turned as an ominous sound rang out from behind him. He sighed at the sight unfolding in the hangar.
"This is madness."
The other Giants had started to activate. At the same time, some of the hangar's functions started working, and the ceiling leading to the ground opened.
Some Giants were launched to the surface. Emerald-colored light overflowed from their eyes. The catastrophe they had tried so hard to prevent was descending upon the ground.
The fierce battle continuing on the ground entered a slight lull.
It wasn't because a column of yellow light intense enough to wash away the darkness of the night had soared. While that was indeed a reason, the problem occurred afterwards.
After the endless aurora light disappeared and a quiet darkness descended. A massive noise began to resonate throughout the underground. And moments later, the floor of the wide open space split open sideways, and massive bodies emerged.
"Damn, what on earth is that?"
The Giants standing tall on the ground were clearly visible even from a distance. There were three of them.
The same aurora-like light that had been emitted earlier swirled in the eyes of the Giants.
David, who was driving a vehicle, saw this. One of the Giants turned its head, and its eyes met with David's. Despite being quite far apart, David clearly felt it.
"Oh no!"
David instinctively jerked the steering wheel. Immediately after, a shell flew and hit where his vehicle had been.
A massive red explosion, flames, and a shock wave laden with heat spread. The ground flipped over from the impact of the explosion, and debris flew up.
The rear of the running vehicle bounced greatly but despite miraculously avoiding death, David couldn't feel relieved.
-Click.
This was because the silos on both shoulders of the Giant targeting him opened.
"What now!"
Lupona was equally startled. Just as she was somehow pushing through and enduring the enemies' offensive, a bolt from the blue struck her.
It was both a figurative expression and a literal bolt from the blue. Because one of the Giants started firing machine guns aimed at Lupona.
-Tutututututung!
The machine gun pouring from the Giant's shoulder was truly like a bolt from the blue. The actual power was certainly no less. Lupona had no choice but to grit her teeth and increase her speed.
Similar incidents were happening to the knights as well.
"Everyone's in danger!"
Jonathan raised his shield, which was as big as his body, and stood in front of his comrades. Immediately after, large-caliber bullets rained down on it.
Jonathan somehow endured that, but he couldn't withstand the explosives that poured down afterward.
The shield he had prided himself on was shattered to pieces, and part of his suit was also destroyed. Jonathan's suit was a special custom, further modified to match his size.
Unlike the agile and nimble suits of other knights, Jonathan focused on defense, making the armor thicker. That's why his suit was large and sturdy enough to remind one of a bomb disposal squad. Enough to not budge from ordinary external attacks.
But even Jonathan's suit couldn't withstand the Giant's firepower.
"Damn it! Jonathan!"
"What the hell is that big guy!"
The situation that had somehow been reaching a stalemate was completely changed by the appearance of the Giants.
Osian met the gaze of the giant staring at him. A newly awakened Giant was looking down at him.
Not just one, but two. And in real-time, more Giants were activating. What happened on the ground? The knights? More importantly, how should he overcome this situation?
'If it were just one, I might be able to handle it alone.'
But two were a different story. Moreover, Osian had to fight while protecting Don Quixote. He also needed to help his comrades fighting on the ground after resolving this.
Osian calmly regulated his breathing to stabilize his mind and body. He focused on a single clear purpose, as if cutting through a complex tangle with a single stroke.
"First."
Osian, who changed the sun ring armor into starlight armor, said as he drew out a long starlight sword.
"I'll take your heads."
Without any fear even against giants, Osian walked forward. He looked like a knight from an old tale, bravely charging toward a giant.
With a deep sound, one of the Giants rose.
'Damn. This is truly adding insult to injury. Three is too much no matter how I think about it.'
Just as Osian was grumbling inwardly, it happened.
-Kwajik!
The newly risen Giant punched off the head of the Giant looking down at Osian. It was such a sudden event that even Osian couldn't react in time. Needless to say, the Giant beside him couldn't either.
The one that stomped on the Giant that fell after losing its head aimed the barrel of its left arm at the other one. The Giant, belatedly realizing what happened to its comrade, hurriedly tried to activate its defensive barrier, but the barrel spewing fire came first.
-Tung! Tung! Tung! Tung!
Large-caliber shells consecutively hit the Giant's abdomen. Eventually, unable to withstand, the Giant fell backward while spewing flames.
"What is...?"
Osian stared at the Giant that had taken down its comrades. The one that had instantly neutralized two Giants turned its head to look at Osian.
Unlike other Giants, its eyes glowed with a yellow light as it faced him.
[Wow! Nice to see you again, friend!]