Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 136

Energy (Γι).A special power said to be usable only by Gigants who have inherited the strength of giants.

Anagin knew he was a Gigant, but he had only learned how to use Energy (Γι) relatively recently.

In other words, only after he decided to become a practitioner.

That meant it hadn’t even been a year.

In a way, it was only natural. Anagin, who had never intended to leave his village his entire life, had neither a reason nor an opportunity to learn such things.

Anyway, the first time he learned of the existence of Energy (Γι) was thanks to the old carriage driver, the grandfather of the two siblings, Kori and Pais.

And fortunately, he learned two of the basics from that old man: Pa (pa), and Eul (εὐ).

Parĕisphĕrō, which concentrates Energy into a single point.

Eulogia (εὐλογία), which imbues objects with Energy to strengthen them.

After that, he visited the Dolos Family, a lineage of practitioners, and was able to hear about the rest of the methods of handling Energy (Γι).

Ekpémpein, which releases Energy outside the body.

Plássein, which forges externalized Energy into tools.

Dídōmi, which grants properties to Energy.

Kryptō (κρύπτω), which conceals Energy and erases one’s very presence.

Six in total.

He found them quite interesting and tried practicing them in his own way, but it wasn’t easy.

Practicing alone with only theory had its limits, and there was no one to actually test the techniques on.

Using techniques on enemies who died from a rough beating alone felt ridiculous, but if the opponent was too strong, there was no room to practice techniques.

There simply hadn’t been a proper opponent.

In that sense, this guy’s appearance was somewhat welcome.

The hulking figure who had been knocked down by Anagin.

“W-what are you asking—ghk!”

When the hulking figure, who had already been beaten down, dared to talk back, Anagin lightly stepped on his arm.

The arm that had been shattered to pieces in the fist clash.

"I’m the one asking questions, you lump. Are you one of the Descendants of the Giants?"

“Y-yes!”

Though his eyes still burned with defiance and his voice remained rough, the hulking figure answered surprisingly well.

Pleased with the smooth progress of the conversation, Anagin continued asking.

“When you approached me, you used Kr (κρ), right?. The one that erases your presence.”

The hulking figure looked at Anagin as if asking what kind of question that was.

The sound of wheels turning in his head could be heard, so Anagin stepped on the arm with even more force.

“Ghuuugh—!”

“Stop screaming and answer. Oh, and that giant fist, was that a mix of Ek (ek) and Pa (pa)?”

As Anagin carefully ground his foot into the arm, the hulking figure became even more cooperative.

“That’s right! Yes! So just—stop…!”

Good behavior deserved a reward.

Anagin lifted his foot. If he didn’t listen later, he could always step on it again.

“Ughhhhh…”

Freed from the pain, the hulking figure let out a much lighter groan, and Anagin continued.

“How exactly do you use it?”

Anagin asked how to use Kr (κρ), which completely erased one’s presence, and how to create the giant’s fist.

Just from looking, they seemed useful.

At that, the hulking figure showed a somewhat surprised expression.

Anagin felt like smacking him to hurry him up, but something about it felt odd, so he waited for now. He was curious what the man would say.

“You… aren’t you a practitioner? One who begs from the gods?”

“I am a practitioner. But I don’t beg from the gods.”

Since there was a strangely overlapping point in their views, Anagin answered kindly.

“What do you—”

“It’s true I became a practitioner to become a god, but I plan to become one through my own power. They call it Jacheon.”

“…I see.”

“I see, my ass. Shut up and answer my question.”

Maybe you really shouldn’t treat people nicely.

Despite being the loser, the hulking figure started talking nonsense after a few exchanged words.

“I apologize. We misunderstood you. In that sense, I’ll make you an offer.”

At the nonsense, Anagin stepped on the broken arm again.

The hulking figure screamed like a girl once more, and Anagin, annoyed, explained again.

“I told you to explain the technique you used earlier. What’s this ‘offer’? I’m busy.”

Hearing the distant flames, explosions, and the sounds of battle, Anagin urged him on.

But the hulking figure stubbornly refused to give in. Maybe he had misjudged him, he had quite the persistence.

“I’ll teach you how to handle Energy (Γι). Truly! In return, join the Descendants of Giants!”

At this point, it was almost impressive.

Anagin glanced at Sphinx in cat form as if asking what was wrong with this bastard, and Sphinx shook its head as if she didn’t know either.

“I thought you were a practitioner who begged from the gods. One with no pride as a giant!”

“……”

“But now I know that’s not the case! You are our kin. One who can reopen the Age of Giants—”

The nonsense continued.

Realizing the conversation was no longer meaningful, Anagin stopped engaging and began cleaning up instead.

He retrieved the Giant’s Cutting Board that had flown off into the distance and looked around for anything useful. If it could be taken, he’d take it.

“Brother, wouldn’t it be better to do that later?”

“What if some weird guys come and take it?”

While Anagin busied himself with something else, the hulking figure continued his passionate persuasion.

Though it was unclear exactly what he was trying to persuade him of.

“We, the Descendants of Giants, will reopen the Age of Giants as their rightful heirs! Do you know how many Gigants are in unjust circumstances?!”

“If we check everything one by one, it’ll take quite a while. Those people over there might be in trouble by then.”

“If they can’t endure that short time and get into trouble, they were bound to get into trouble anyway.”

“You’re seriously… insane. If it comes down to it, just have Pairon swallow everything. The valuable stuff. It seems like it can do that.”

“Such power, such confidence! You have more than enough qualifications as a giant—”

“—Alright. I get it.”

Anagin, who had been rummaging through items, shouted and stood up, walking toward the hulking figure.

As Anagin approached, the hulking figure showed a hint of unease.

Despite his enthusiastic speech, Anagin had barely been listening.

But that worry was unfounded.

“So, you’re saying you’ll teach me those grand techniques if I join your little club?”

“We’re not a club—”

“—Yeah, yeah. Reclaim the freedom and rights of Gigants, reopen the Age of Giants, something something. Unfair obligations forced on Gigants, used as slaves, blah blah…”

Waving his hand dismissively, Anagin roughly repeated what the hulking figure had said.

Though one might expect him to be offended, the hulking figure instead smiled.

Though it sounded like he wasn’t listening, Anagin had grasped all the key points.

And so, even that arrogant attitude seemed like a virtue a giant should have—a confidence befitting the strong.

Even if he couldn’t persuade Anagin immediately, the hulking figure saw it positively.

As long as he could get him to join the Descendants of Giants, he believed he could persuade him eventually…

“…Huh?”

The hulking figure let out a dumbfounded sound at the sight before him.

There was only one reason.

Anagin had just crudely replicated the “giant’s fist.”

First, he used Pa (pa) to concentrate the Energy within his body into one arm.

Then, using Ek (ek), he released that Energy outside his body.

After that, he used Pa (pa) again to solidify its form, creating something resembling a fist.

In a sense, it was a contradictory technique that used two opposing properties, but for Anagin, who had learned such principles through combat while being beaten by his master, it wasn’t particularly difficult.

To begin with, when the old carriage driver had used Pa (pa) and Eul (εὐ), Anagin had immediately copied them, so using them right away wasn’t that strange.

Of course, that was only from Anagin’s perspective.

The hulking figure was horrified. He had never imagined Anagin would mimic his technique just by seeing it once.

He even began to wonder if the earlier blow had been calculated.

When Anagin had concentrated Energy into one arm and thrown his punch, the hulking figure’s giant fist had been shattered.

The reason was simple—the difference in density of Energy.

He had thought it was just hulking figure force riding on momentum… but now, he suspected Anagin might have known that concentrating power into a single point was more advantageous in a fist clash.

As a chill ran down the hulking figure’s spine, Anagin finally spoke.

“I have a question.”

“...What is it?”

“I more or less understand what you’re saying, but how exactly are you planning to guide me? After getting wrecked by me, you don’t even look like you can move properly.”

Anagin asked as he looked at the large man whose one side of limbs had been shattered by his blow.

“Taking care of other people isn’t my hobby.”

“Don’t worry about that. I came with comrades. They’re dealing with those New Argonaut Expedition Team bastards right now, but they’ll be here soon.”

“Oh, yeah? They must be strong.”

“Of course. Both of them are strong, though not as much as me.”

“That’s good then.”

Only after hearing the answer he wanted did Anagin nod in satisfaction.

Then he lifted the still-warm Giant’s Fist he had just created.

And then.

“...Wait.”

Crunch!

Before the collapsed hulking figure, unable to resist and could even say anything, Anagin brought the Giant’s Fist down and literally crushed him.

He was bragging like he was something special, but honestly, Anagin didn’t care. He was just a thief who came to steal the Coins of Greed.

It was a shame he couldn’t extract all the information he wanted, but since there were comrades, he could just ask them instead.

Having organized his thoughts, Anagin moved on to his next action.

First, he woke up Pairon at his waist.

Kkiiieeek....

Pairon looked at him resentfully, as if asking whether he was being told to fight again.

Anagin told him that wasn’t the case.

“Go around and devour anything that looks valuable.”

On the outside, it looked like a giant boar, but in essence, it was an Interspatial Bag.

In the end, what it eats are items. Taking advantage of that, Anagin instructed it to collect the spoils on its own.

Hearing that it wasn’t fighting but eating, Pairon brightened and nodded happily.

As Anagin tried to move toward Tramachus, who was still fighting, Sphinx climbed onto his shoulder.

“Coming along?”

“I’m a bit curious.”

Anagin nodded, then gathered Energy into both legs.

Lowering his body slightly in that state, he kicked off the ground with all his strength.

BOOOOOOM—!

The ground beneath him caved in as Anagin shot high into the sky.

‘What should I call this? High jump?’

While pondering the name of the technique he had just used, Anagin looked down to locate the New Argonaut Expedition Team below.

It wasn’t hard to find.

The battlefield, wrecked by the aftermath of combat, stood out clearly.

Tramachus of Flames, Thyreos of Reinforcement, Lynceus of Farsight, and the attendant Sanchonius.

The four men were struggling against three groups.

Treasure Hunters riding giant mobile iron statues and wielding rapid-fire crossbows.

A female Gigant swordswoman and a fighter who handled Energy with skill.

And lastly, a group of mages. They were controlling dozens of beasts and blood beasts.

‘What? Those mages look like the ones who were targeting me earlier. Why are they here? Ah, my compatibility with them is terrible, so they must’ve switched targets first?’

Anagin briefly analyzed the situation, then stopped.

That kind of trivial detail didn’t matter right now.

Looking down from above, he first assessed the battlefield. where to strike first, and where to provide support.

“Tramachus! Don’t worry about me, just keep the flames going!”

“...Damn it! Got it!!”

“Sanchonius, you okay?!”

“I’m fine! Please don’t worry about me!”

None of the New Argonaut Expedition Team trio or Sanchonius was dead or seriously injured, but that didn’t mean the situation was good.

Being surrounded and attacked by dozens—including treasure hunters, Gigants, and mages—there was no way it would be.

Thyreos blocked the barrage of crossbow bolts with his massive shield while defending against the coordinated assault of two Gigants.

When the Gigant swordswoman created openings with Energy-infused slashes, the fighter Gigant would exploit them.

Whenever it looked like Thyreos might be hit, Tramachus fired flames to support him. At the same time, he kept the beasts at bay from the rear.

They worked well together and were holding out, but there were simply too many enemies, spread too widely to fully block.

Sanchonius and Lynceus tried to cover openings as they appeared, but it wasn’t enough.

Naturally, the New Argonaut Expedition Teams were forced into a desperate defensive stance.

Explosions erupted one after another from the Gigants’ slashes and the treasure hunters’ magic bolts, while the beasts kept pushing through the gaps.

“Huh? Above!”

Sanchonius spotted Anagin high in the sky.

With Sphinx on his shoulder and the Giant’s Cutting Board in one hand.

His shout drew not only allies’ attention but also the enemies’, and the busy battlefield momentarily froze.

“Perfect.”

As all eyes turned to him, Anagin activated the Giant’s Fist once more.

He condensed energy into one arm, released it explosively, then compressed the released energy again to form a massive Giant’s Fist.

His sudden appearance in the sky was shocking enough, but when the giant fist formed, everyone’s jaws dropped.

The kind of reaction that screamed, ‘What the hell is that?’

Sensing danger, everyone reflexively took defensive stances.

The Gigants reinforced their bodies with Energy, while the mages formed barriers of blood.

‘It’s obvious who I should hit.’

Anagin brought the Giant’s Fist down toward the treasure hunters, who were panicking at the sight.

Their equipment, like the rapid-fire crossbows and the mobile giant iron statues, was good, but they seemed to lack proper defensive means, perhaps because they were too focused on offense.

Then the decision was obvious.

As Anagin swung his fist, the Energy-formed Giant’s Fist fell a beat later toward the ground.

The treasure hunters tried to flee from the massive fist tearing through the air, but it was already too late.

KWA-AAAAAAAAANG-!!

When the Giant’s Fist struck the ground, it caved in, and the shockwave swept the treasure hunters away.

The swirling dust in all directions was a bonus.

Anagin grabbed the ground with the Giant’s Fist and pulled himself down.

He landed quickly, disappearing into the dust cloud.

His vision was obscured as well, but it didn’t matter.

He had already roughly mapped out positions from above.

Gripping the Giant’s Cutting Board, Anagin ran toward the two Gigants.

The thick dust acted like a shield, preventing the Gigants from noticing him until he was close. But they realized too late and attacked.

Swish-sh-sh-sh!

The first to strike was the female Gigant swordswoman.

She swung her blade infused with Energy, sending out slashes.

Anagin simply blocked them head-on with the Giant’s Cutting Board as he charged forward.

Thud!

Then the fighter Gigant thrust his Energy-infused fist.

But even that failed to penetrate the board.

‘Definitely weaker than that hulking figure.’

Surprised by the board’s toughness, the Gigant tried to retreat, but failed.

[Bind and Restrain]

At Anagin’s command, four chains shot out from the corners of the Giant’s Cutting Board, capturing the retreating Gigant.

“What...?”

The Gigant was stunned.

But that wasn’t the end.

The four chains pulled on his limbs, pinning him tightly onto the board.

“Koros!”

The swordswoman shouted her comrade’s name, but Anagin didn’t care and charged forward with him still attached.

The swordswoman hesitated, about to launch another slash, but stopped when she saw her comrade pinned to the board.

This was a real meat shield.

Taking advantage of her hesitation, Anagin closed the distance instantly and smashed her with the captured Gigant.

[Meat Club]

The two Gigants collided.

Just as the second group was about to be dealt with.

Dozens of beasts and blood beasts controlled by the mages rushed toward Anagin.

But having already learned how to deal with them, it wasn’t a problem. He drew the Beast Devourer and brought the beasts to a halt.

In response, the mages, as if prepared, urged the beasts on with even stronger magic, and Anagin summoned Pigmenes and kicked it toward the clustered mages.

Even as a small piglet, he figured it would be highly effective among frail mages.

But perhaps because they had experienced it once before.

The mages countered by having a massive blood beast swallow the incoming Pigmenes in one bite.

Gulp—!

As Pigmenes entered the creature’s stomach and began to be digested.

Squirm-squirm-squirm— Rip!

The blood beast’s belly swelled, and then a burning blade tore through its flesh as something burst out.

The bipedal pig that Hipomenes had once summoned.

Kwee-eek-!!

Transforming from a piglet into a bipedal pig, Pigmenes roared, and Anagin, who was watching quietly, said a word.

“Go and wreck those mages.”

Telling it to do its job properly.