Chapter 562 The Gian
Huh?
Daneel first had to ask his Grand Court Mage to repeat the message in a calmer tone, as he suspected that he was really misunderstanding something.
A giant asking for Elanev was building a sandcastle, but from trees instead of sand?
Was his Grand Court Mage pranking him?
If it weren't for the tone of panic in his voice, Daneel would have seriously considered that.
Immediately sending a message to Elanev to get to the Academy, Daneel teleported into the air above the academy to see what was going on.
That was when he received a message from the Head.
"King Daneel, regarding the intruder in your Kingdom. I tried my best to keep him away…but he isn't the kind that listens easily. He's dead set on this mission of his. He won't harm anyone, so you don't need to worry. Just…be careful, still. There have been many who were squashed by his strength if he throws a tantrum. If that happens, even I might be helpless, unless you're fine with me using attacks that will level your capital. I suggest you clear the whole area, and listen to what he has to say."
This morning was getting weirder and weirder.
While still mulling over the Head's cryptic words, Daneel got to a point in the air from where he could finally see the scene in the academy grounds.
Indeed, it was exactly as Kellor had described it: there was a giant with rippling muscles, shaggy hair and an innocent face that was casually playing with trees each 15 feet long as though they were twigs.
A clearer indication wasn't needed about the strength of this being, whatever it was.
Daneel had already known that this had nothing with Arafell, as the giants were Arafell were only 9-12 feet tall. This one outsized them all by a considerable margin.
besides, the main clue was that it was asking for Elanev. So…the most possible case was that this was related to the message he had received last night, where it was written that Elanev should accompany Daneel if he wished to visit the Fighter Sect of the Big 4.
The giant was wearing some sort of gigantic leather armor that made an X over its chest, exposing most of its body on which not even an ounce of fat seemed to be present. Underneath that, there was basically a knee-length frock, which reminded Daneel of the attire of ancient Roman Legionaries from Earth.
Of course, no one in their right mind would ever dare to comment anything about this giant's clothes, considering that a single fist would be enough to squeeze that person into a bloody paste.
Daneel considered whether he should go down there to converse with the Giant, but he decided to wait till Elanev got here.
Only…it seemed that the Giant had other plans.
Turning its head, it beckoned at Daneel with one finger.
But…Daneel hesitated, wondering whether he should be on the defense.
Yet…it seemed that his hesitation had irritated the Giant, as it flung an enormous tree in Daneel's direction with a speed that made it shoot forward like a bullet.
Daneel was thoroughly dumbfounded as he saw this.
Seriously…why did this seem like a kid flinging their toys at someone because they didn't agree to their wishes?
Only, in this case, the 'toy' was a gigantic tree that might fall in the Capital and crush multiple people.
Quickly, Daneel cast a telekinesis spell to increase the strength behind the tree, making it safely fly past the city before landing on the outskirts.
With a sigh of relief, he turned back and immediately made his way forward, fearing that there might be more flying 'toys' if he didn't oblige.
As soon as he neared, he heard the Giant speak in a booming voice.
"Hey, you're the King, right? Head said that we shouldn't enter your Kingdoms, but I'm just here to check something. After that, I'll be on my way. I'll leave behind something as compensation, too. My Master always used to say that if I do something offensive, I should either kill those who are offended, or pay them off if they can't be killed."
The way the words were spoke made it seem as if this really was a child who was talking to him while still absorbed in his playtime.
Unable to resist himself, Daneel asked, "But who are you?"
The answer…was given in the most unique way that Daneel had ever seen in his life.
Using the corner of a tree, the Giant carved a word in crude handwriting onto the ground, and the sheer size of this carving would have been enough to fit a village.
"Bam."
'What a strange name…I wonder what it means.', mused Daneel.
After admiring its handiwork with a smile on its face, the Giant finally looked up to see Daneel have a pondering expression on his face, as if he was deciding whether to ask something.
Only, this seemed to have been enough to convey his question to the Giant.
Raising one hand, it punched thrice into the air.
The effect of this action was…startling, to say the least.
While Daneel watched in horror, he saw a visible shockwave appear at the spot where the Giant's fist stopped each time in the air.
With a sonic boom, this shockwave spread outwards, leveling the buildings which had thankfully been evacuated around the Academy while making him involuntarily move back with his hair completely flying backward due to the sudden gusts of wind.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Before the sounds could dissipate, the Giant happily said, "I was named Bam because I loved to make things go 'Bam'! Now where's Elanev? I'm getting bored."
At the same moment, the system and Drakos both sent messages in his mind, but Daneel had already figured it out himself.
[The target in front of host is at the Hero level.]
"Young King, this is definitely a Hero-level Fighter! Impressive!"
Right.
This was a Hero.
A casual swing of his arm had caused destruction on the level of a natural disaster. As Daneel looked around, he saw the remains of the buildings where he had spent many years of his life.
For a moment, he wondered whether he should get mad at the Giant.
Putting aside the fact that it could probably crush him in a second, Daneel realized that it wasn't even fair.
It was like a normal-sized man placed in a Lilliput town where his every action might cause catastrophic effects. Could he be blamed? No!
But Daneel decided that it was best if Elanev came ASAP, lest this Giant get even more 'bored' and begin to have 'fun' in the Capital.
Right. Where was his older brother, anyway?
Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Daneel teleported to the Palace, but didn't find Elanev there.
No one had seen him leave, so Daneel was just about to carry out a search using the system, but he stopped when he got an idea.
Immediately, he traveled to a very familiar mansion in the Inner City, which was the place where he had obtained his first jackpot.
Heaving a sigh of relief on seeing Elanev sharing a cup of tea with his father, Daneel decided that there was no time for explanations.
Swooping down, he caught his collar, before teleporting them away in a flash.
As Elanev spit out the sip of tea he had just taken in shock, he focused on the Academy and the Giant, which was now cleaning its teeth with a twig the size of a telephone pole.
"Wh-what the f*ck is that? And what does it want?"
In response, Daneel simply said 'You' before shoving his elder brother forward and making him fall on the ground near the Giant.
Meanwhile, Elanev had begun to sweat buckets.
Turning back, he glared at the King, who wasn't being a younger brother, at all, these days.
Yesterday, he had offered no words of comfort, and today, he was even being thrown as bait?
Bro…what the f*ck?
He felt like saying this, but he was interrupted by the Giant, which had hastily gotten up, as if it had smelled something.
Turning around swiftly, it looked at Elanev and said, "It's you. Bam saw you using Grandmaster's move! Use it on me so that I can confirm. Now!"
With the last word, a palm started flying in Elanev's direction, making him almost piss his pants while the sun was completely blocked away by the gigantic hand that would soon crush him into paste.
Only, the old man spoke up at this point.
"Use the special Hidden Kill Fist I taught you, idiot."
The Hidden Kill Fist?
Elanev had abandoned it long ago, after finding better techniques. Even the old man had said that that was just a beginning level technique which was special to him, because he had invented it on his path to becoming a Hero Fighter.
So…in a way, it was fitting that this skill was needed for whatever this 'confirmation' was.
Only those who had been given the technique by the old man were capable of executing it. Back during the Olympics, too, Elanev had secretly taken permission before imparting the improved Hidden Kill Fist to Daneel, before they had both gone on the field and pummeled all of their opponents into the ground.
It seemed that the special muscle movement of the Hidden Kill Fist, which was special as it was a discontinuous one with jerks, was enough, as the Giant stopped its hand just a few inches away from Elanev's hand.
Only…again, the shockwave was enough to blow Elanev back, but Daneel was there to catch him.
'Boom!'
Hearing another loud sound, Daneel looked up with horror to see if the Giant had caused any more destruction, but he heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed that the sound had only been from a clap, while the Giant smiled broadly with happiness.
"Yes, it's you! By the word of the Grandmaster, you'll have access to everything in the Sect!"
Wait…'everything'?
As Daneel heard this, he couldn't help but gasp.
All the Head had promised him was access to stuff which a Peak Warrior had the right to access.
Yet, Elanev could go everywhere?
He wanted that!
Besides, before, Daneel had been prepared to focus on the Mage Path temporarily, just so that he could focus his efforts.
Yet, now, after seeing the level of power of a Hero-level Fighter…Daneel had to admit that he was impressed, and also a little interested.
So, using a communication trinket, he first had a little chat with Elanev and the old man, before stepping forward to interrupt the Giant who had begun to hum a happy song which made it sound as if an earthquake was occurring somewhere nearby.
Making his voice louder, he shouted, "Hey! I know it, too! Test me, too!"
…
Meanwhile, many kilometers away from the Capital.
Under the ground, Faxul was sitting on a chair while looking up, aimlessly, as his mind was in a mess.
Kellor stood beside him, keeping a close eye on the many display trinkets which were showing several nightmarish scenes from different rooms.
In one, Commander Aran was gasping for breath while he was chased by…nothing.
Yet, in the "March Through Hell", the special mist which was designed to pull out the deepest fears of one's mind were making him hallucinate and think that he was being chased by an army of gigantic spiders.
Faxul was pretty much free. His Kingdom was currently still pretty bankrupt, as they had put all the money they had taken into several basic projects which needed time to be carried out.
Right now, and since a long time, he had been trying to figure out his own Champion Path.
What resonated with him? What fit his personality the most?
He went back to his earliest memories, and went through his life. All through it, he saw himself being helped by someone or the other.
Suddenly, out of the blue, a thought appeared to him.
'How nice would it be…to just sprout wings and grow strong enough to fly on my own, without needing anyone's help?'
At the same time, an image of a Black Raven soaring through the skies, unbridled and undefeated appeared in his mind.
Only, in that image…he was that Raven.