*Vander's POV*
Sylve and I are both running, traversing the outer skirts of the poor Lumiere city. It was no surprise that even though the situation is dire, and the lives of thousands of soldiers are at risk, no dead bodies can be found along the way. It must be because kuishinbos devour bodies of unfortunate soldiers who are caught.
I am currently behind her catching my breath, "Run faster Vander!" Sylve shouted. She even shook her head in disappointment, probably.
"I'm trying!" I replied.
"Why are you still so slow?"
"I'm not slow, you're just too fast!" I replied as I tried to sprint even harder.
I kept on running, keeping up with Sylve until I noticed something, "Sylve! Why can't I find any kuishinbo here?"
"Why? You want to meet one?"
"Absolutely not, I'm just wondering, I thought kuishinbos have entered the district right now."
"Well, it's because they have been killed already, the situation is currently under control with the help of other districts. But, it's a completely different story once the giants completely entered the city. It will be havoc."
'Tsk, we can't let that happen. That's my first step towards greatness.'
Fortunately, Leon agreed to tell us the details that we need to fight the Alpha and the other giant he referred to as the 'Rotmouth' due to its unique ability to suck in everything in its path through its mouth-like structure. Leon said their plan is exactly what I have suspected. The only way to stop them is to kill the giant before it could kill more people.
Leon mentioned that these two giants can't be killed the same way we usually kill kuishinbos and other giants. The two are not real kuishinbos but rather a machine with several hundreds of real kusinbos attached. He doesn't know much specifically about its structures, but what he does know is how to destroy it from the inside.
After all, it's a machine, a robot to be precise, controlled by a mecha team formed in Syldenn. There is a way to destroy its system. Lucky them, I happened to know a thing or two about hacking. I may not be strong, but my brains are pretty overpowered.
"Are we there yet?" I shouted to Sylve, who is at least three or four meters far from me. The outer gate of the city is quite far from our initial location. But from here, the deafening shouts of giants can be heard. It vibrates in my entire body, and it somehow makes me tremble.
"No! Damn it, Vander! You're fucking slow! I should've gone with Ludwig and Indo!" She exclaimed.
Right now, we're headed to the giants who are slowly entering the nearly destroyed barrier. The Rotmouth is responsible for its destruction, while the Alpha seems not to be doing anything. I figured that the Alpha will start to move by the time the barrier is destroyed enough for it to fit in. At first, I found it strange that the Alpha wouldn't move. But I guess a machine that large isn't easy to operate.
Leon also mentioned that the two giants cost too much power, so it won't last long. We only have two choices to stop it, strengthen the barrier and hold out until the Rotmouth will run out of power or destroy it. Holding out is impossible considering the current status of the barrier. All that's left to do is to destroy it, and it happened that we just have a perfect plan for that.
"We've arrived," Sylve said as she catches her breath.
Upon arriving at the city, I noticed a towering wall which is as high as half the body of the Alpha. Above the tower are several hundred - "Hmm," I narrowed my eyes and tried to look straight ahead and realized that there are actually several thousands of men and women raising their hands to maintain the strength of the barrier. Even from afar, I can the struggles of each and every one of them, as they look so pale and thin.
I was trying to find where the giants were while looking straight ahead, but it was a dumb move, actually. The giants are more visible if I looked up above, "A-are t-those t-the two giants?" Looking at them from here made me nauseous; it felt like all of the courage I accumulated had all gone down to my spine, cowering in fear. The noise they are making is thunderous from here compared to where we were earlier. It sounds like a howl, a shout of a ghastly being. Even just their noises are enough to make the ground crumble.
The two giants are all coated with black colour, their shapes are excessively irregular, but their distinctive forms are pretty obvious. The Rotmouth's mouth is a tremendous round shape. It has four feet and seemingly sharp claws, which it uses to slash and destroy the barrier. The Alpha, on the other hand, is exceptionally huge and tall, to the point that the city's barrier, which is almost as high as the sky, is only a few feet taller than the Alpha. I can't see exactly what it looks like since the dark clouds are engulfing its upper body. However, one thing's I know for sure. If it gets inside, a few steps will be enough to destroy the entire city.
I shifted my glance to Sylve, and to my surprise, even she looks perturbed. Her eyes are widened as she stared above. I thought it's nothing new to her. "Y-yeah," She replied.
I kept on staring while my body is trembling. It was more challenging since I'm still catching my breath with all the runs we did earlier. Now, I couldn't move a joint, and honestly, I'm scared.
"What? You're all acting all high and mighty a few minutes earlier and now you're scared to bones?"
I smirked, "Yeah, I'm scared, and so what? Aren't you trembling as well?" I pointed to her knees and laughed, "Everyone gets scared."
"Tsk." She replied with a sullen glance.
Ludwig suddenly interrupted our conversation as he ran towards us, "Took you guys long enough."
"Blame this guy beside me," Sylve replied as he pointed her thumbs to me.
Indo, who was behind Ludwig, stepped in front, "So now what?" He asked.
"Can you bring us up there?" I asked.
Ludwig and Indo stared at each other and replied, "Where?"
"You know what I meant."
"It's dangerous, we will not let yo-"
I stopped his words and shook my head off, "Don't worry, you will just have to throw us, after all, we also bear the sin of our guildmate who betrayed the city."
Ludwig rubbed his chin, "Fine, if it's for the sake of the city, I would be more than willing to assist."
"We also figured that you will insist so we have already asked the guards for us four to come outside. Some of them have even volunteered to cover us while Ludwig and I are sending you up." Indo butted in.
Ludwig patted my shoulders and smiled, "Just tell us when you're ready."
Sylve and I stared and nodded, "We're ready!" We exclaimed.
"Okay!"
The four of us once again ran straight to go outside the gate. As we come closer and closer, the loud sounds of the giants and the soldiers outside who are trying to stop it. Loud gun noises, shouts of people, and swords clanking became more evident as we ran closer and closer out.
"Vander! In case you don't know! You will just have to run straight to the barrier to go outside."
"I see, thank you!" I shouted.
I see the barrier functions as a one-way pass. You can only pass through it from the inside, and you can't enter from the outside.
My heart is throbbing faster and faster as we approach the barrier. As soon as I hit the barrier, I closed my eyes, thinking that I'll get hurt after hitting it. To my surprise, I felt nothing. So, I opened my eyes and realized that everything I see when I was inside the barrier is entirely different when you're outside.
The ground is much more wrecked. I can't believe that it was just because these giants stepped and swayed their arms. We're still quite far from the giants, but I can already feel their distractive auras from here.
"I can't believe that this is just an incomplete prototype of the actual Rotmouth and Alpha." Sylve can't even speak well; her body, even her voice, is quavering. She's scared. She is much more powerful than me, but she looks so troubled.
I put up quite a bravado in front of Leon and Sylve, but from here, I don't know if I should proceed any further. These giants are not something humans should handle. Dead bodies are spread everywhere, the shouts of agony can be heard. Perhaps because the giants are still incomplete, they can't devour every soldier that gets close to them.
"Vander, we can go back-"
I cut her words and smiled, "Sylve, we should do this. What are you saying? Come on! Let's go!" I waved my hands as if inviting them to follow me.
I ran faster, so much faster than I ever did earlier. I ran so hard as if it's the last run of my life. Sylve, Ludwig, Indo, and the other guards who volunteered covered me by killing the kuishinbos appearing from here and there. As I ran closer to the giants, more dead bodies are found, and honestly, I don't want to be one of those dead bodies. I would look so gross.
After we reached the foot end of these giants, all of us have stopped. I looked back and shouted. It was probably the loudest shout I ever did in my life. I felt my veins would almost pop off. "Come on! Ludwig! Indo! Lift us up! Hurry!"
I noticed that Sylve was frowning. She shook her head off and ran beside me. "Vander, are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, I mean it's worth the risk," I answered. I didn't even bother to look at her. I just want them to lift me up so I can do my job. I badly want this to end. I want to rest.
Ludwig and Indo ran straight to us. "Best of luck guys! No matter what happens, we will spread the news of your chivalry." Indo even patted my head, "Especially you, Vander, what should we call you? The necroless hero?" He chuckled.
I just smiled and replied, "Go on, I'm in a hurry. I want to sleep after this."
Indo and Ludwig placed both of their hands on our waist.
"One"
"Two"
"And...."
"Three!"
They both shouted, and afterwards, I can feel my entire body skyrocket, approaching the giant at an incredible speed.
The skies are dark, the atmosphere seems heavy. It was a brief moment, but somehow, it made me smile. I mean, who wouldn't? When I'm actually entering a giant's butt.