Chapter 137 — Giants

[Five Kilometers North - Giant Encampment]

The portal had teleported the Giant warriors in a clearing surrounded by ancient trees, their massive forms towering over the landscape like living monuments.

One thousand warriors stood in perfect military formation, their armor gleaming dully in the strange twilight cast by the blackish clouds above.

They were humanoid but wrong in every proportion.

The smallest among them stood three meters tall, their bodies thick with corded muscle that spoke of incredible physical power.

The largest reached heights that made even the trees seem small by comparison.

Their weapons matched their size. Massive hammers that could crush boulders, axes with blades longer than a human in height, shields that could serve as walls.

Everything built for beings whose strength made normal humans look like insects.

All of them were covered head to toe in armor, heavy plates that would be impossible for humans to move in but seemed natural on these warriors.

The metal was dark, inscribed with runes that pulsed with faint light, clearly enchanted for additional protection.

At the front of the formation stood their leader.

Over ten meters tall, his armor was more elaborate than the others, marked with symbols that denoted rank and achievement.

His hammer rested against his shoulder casually, the weapon easily weighing several tons.

This was Commander Vorgath, B- rank, and he looked like a death incarnate standing there surveying his forces.

He was speaking in the Giant language, his voice rumbling like distant thunder, each word carrying across the clearing to reach every warrior present.

"Brothers! The higher clans expended precious resources to force my passage through a portal grade that should have rejected me!

The barrier nearly tore me apart during the crossing! But their sacrifice was not in vain, because now we have what we need to succeed in our mission!"

His massive fist struck his chest plate, the sound echoing like a gong.

"This portal connects directly to the human Federation’s Northern Region! A strategic location that will serve as our launching point for the invasion our people have planned for decades! We cannot afford failure! Our clans are counting on us to secure this foothold!"

The assembled warriors struck their weapons against their shields in unison, creating a thunderous rhythm of approval.

"Humans are weak! Individually fragile! Their awakener abilities make them dangerous in small numbers, but we have the advantage of size, strength, and military discipline!

We will hunt them down systematically and eliminate every single human that was pulled through this portal!"

Vorgath gestured toward eight subordinate commanders who stood slightly apart from the main force.

"I’m dividing our D rank warriors into eight teams of one hundred each! You will spread across this entire portal world and search every forest, every mountain, and every cave! Find the humans and kill them! Leave no survivors to threaten our control!"

The subordinate commanders saluted, fists to chest.

"The C rank warriors will remain here with me! If any team encounters significant resistance or discovers the humans’ main group, signal immediately and we will converge to crush them with overwhelming force!"

Another thunderous approval from the assembled warriors.

"We have time on our side! The portal is ours! The humans are trapped here with us, not the other way around! So be thorough, be careful, and show no mercy! For the clans!"

"FOR THE CLANS!"

The response came from a thousand throats, shaking the very ground.

The eight teams began forming up, each led by an experienced sergeant, preparing to deploy in different directions to begin the systematic hunt.

Commander Vorgath watched them organize with satisfaction.

’The humans don’t stand a chance. Even if some of them are C rank awakeners, they lack our numbers and organization. This will be a slaughter, not a battle.

And once we’ve secured this portal, the invasion can begin when the time is right. Our people will finally claim the resource-rich human world that should have been ours from the beginning.’

He turned to address the remaining C rank warriors.

"Establish a fortified camp here at the portal entrance with defensive perimeter, patrol rotations and supply caches. We hold this position no matter what happens. This is our anchor point."

The warriors moved with military precision, years of training evident in how quickly they executed orders.

Within minutes, the eight D-rank teams had departed in different directions, spreading across the portal world like a net designed to catch every human unlucky enough to be trapped here.

The hunt had officially begun.

****

[Three Kilometers Southeast - Damian’s Position]

Damian and his group of volunteers had found relatively defensible terrain, a rocky outcropping that provided clear sightlines in multiple directions while offering some cover.

They’d been conducting a perimeter sweep, trying to get a sense of the portal world’s geography and potential threats.

The air was wrong here. It was too thick and too heavy with Aura that didn’t feel natural.

Marcus Feng, the former military businessman, had taken charge of organizing the civilian volunteers into something resembling a functional unit.

His C- rank and command experience made him the natural second-in-command despite everyone deferring to Damian.

"We’ve got decent visibility from here. If something approaches, we should see it coming with enough time to prepare or retreat."

Marcus reported, his professional demeanor holding despite the circumstances.

Gerald Moss, the fat martial artist, was breathing heavily from the exertion of moving through unfamiliar terrain but staying focused.

"I’m not built for this much running. If we have to fight, I can hold my own, but if it involves chases then it’s going to be a problem for some of us."

Damian nodded, understanding the limitations they were working with.

Kuro was perched on his shoulder, the raven’s red eyes scanning the skies and distant forests with predatory focus.

Suddenly, the bird’s head snapped toward something in the northern sky.

His entire body went rigid, feathers raising, a low sound emerging from his throat that might have been a warning or a threat.

"Kuro? What do you see?"

The raven launched from Damian’s shoulder without warning, his form expanding mid-flight until he was massive, easily the size of a horse, his wings creating wind that bent nearby trees.

"What the hell–"

One of the volunteers started to speak but fell silent as they watched the enormous bird disappear into the distance.

Damian stood perfectly still, his eyes unfocused, his consciousness partially merged with Kuro’s through their bond.

He could see what the raven saw and feel what he felt.

’There! Movement through the trees... Massive shapes... Too large to be human.’

Kuro circled high above, his enhanced vision picking out details that would be impossible from ground level.

’Giants! Has to be them! Humanoid but three to four meters tall. Wearing full armor, carrying large weapons, moving in organized formation. Military discipline evident in their spacing and coordination.

One hundred of them. All D rank based on the Aura signatures. Heading directly toward our position.’

Kuro banked and flew back, his massive form cutting through the strange sky.

Damian’s consciousness snapped back to his own body, his eyes refocusing on the assembled volunteers.

"We have incoming. About one hundred enemy combatants, all D rank, moving in organized formation toward our position. They’ll reach us in approximately ten minutes."

Marcus went pale but his military training held.

"One hundred? We’re twenty-four people! Even if they’re all D rank, we’re outnumbered more than four to one!"

"I know the math."

Damian’s voice was cold.

"Which is why we’re not fighting them head-on. We’re going to ambush them, hit hard and create chaos, then disengage before they can coordinate a proper response."

He turned to address the group.

"Everyone, listen carefully. We set up along this ridge, use the terrain advantage, hit them from above when they pass through the valley below. Focus fire on isolated targets. Don’t try to be heroes. Kill what you can, then retreat when I give the signal. Understood?"

Nods around the circle, though several faces showed barely-controlled terror.

"Marcus, you coordinate the left flank. Gerald, you’ve got the right flank. Everyone else spaces out between them. Wait for my signal before attacking. We need the element of surprise to work... or we’re dead."

They moved into position with surprising efficiency, fear sharpening their focus and coordination.

Kuro returned, landing heavily on the rocky outcropping, his massive form drawing awed stares from the volunteers.

Through their bond, Damian could feel the raven’s battle readiness, the hunger for violence that lived in whatever Kuro actually was.

’We’re really doing this. Ambushing an organized military force of monsters with a group of civilians.

This is... insane even by my standards.

But sitting around waiting to die would be more insane.’

The minutes crawled by, every second feeling like an eternity.

Then they heard it.

CLANK CLANK CLANK

The sound of heavy footsteps. The clanking of armor. The rumbling of voices speaking in a language that sounded like mountains grinding together.

The Giant patrol entered the valley below their position, moving in loose formation, clearly searching the area for humans.

Damian watched them approach, his heart pounding despite his outward calm.

They were enormous!

Even the smallest stood three meters tall, their bodies thick with muscle, their weapons capable of killing with a single strike.

’Wait for it. Wait until they’re in the kill zone. Wait until the moment is perfect.’

The Giants were almost directly below now, spread out enough that a coordinated attack could hit multiple targets before they could respond.

Damian raised his hand.

Every volunteer tensed, weapons ready with their Auras flaring in preparation.

He dropped his hand.

"NOW!"