Chapter 103

The small humans surrounding them caused all the Titans nearby to leap a step forward and draw their swords.

One of them grabbed the neck of the Titan holding the dazed companion and pulled him back, distancing him from the small human.

Even in a scene that was hard to comprehend, the Titans acted in what they believed was their best judgment.

Eremai, despite wanting to praise his subordinates for making the best choice under such bewildering circumstances, stiffened his face at the sight of the Titan, cut in half, beside the small human.

The dead Titan looked as if a water bottle filled to the brim had burst open.

The blood pouring out in fragments from the body released a hot steam into the slightly colder air.

The cut surfaces were clean.

It seemed impossible for a creature of such mass, like a Titan, to be cut so neatly even with their swords and strength.

No, was it even possible that it was cut with a sword?

Eremai examined the small human.

He was holding a silver rod that looked like a sword.

But it was no longer than his thumb.

Considering the torso circumference of a Titan, such a clean cut made no sense.

Moreover, the small human had not moved from that spot.

‘…Grandidi. Did you see anything?’

‘…No.’

A serious expression appeared on Grandidi’s face, which was usually stiff and rigid due to his straightforward nature, making it feel even more tense.

If it were a normal situation, Eremai would have teased him for that expression, but he turned his head to look at the small human instead.

‘Is it magic?’

Despite a massive giant beside him creating a pool of blood, the small human remained unfazed as if nothing were amiss.

In contrast, the Titans were all tense.

This is not good.

They had a numerical advantage, and their weapons and physique were overwhelming.

Eremai thought he needed to say something to turn the tide, so he slowly opened his mouth.

“What are you…?”

“Answering a question with a question is not a good way to have a conversation.”

That is true.

If they only ask what they want to know, the conversation will never end.

Still, they were thoroughly outmatched.

Eremai could not back down like this and spoke again.

“We are in the situation where a friend of ours has just been cut down. Shouldn’t you at least share that much information? Otherwise, we will lose face when we respond to the next question, right?”

Cold sweat trickled down his back, but he tried to act tough.

At Eremai’s words, the small human tilted his head slightly.

“…It’s difficult to answer right now.”

“Why is that? Did you put honey on your name?”

“Because Elves do not enjoy meaningless actions.”

“Elves? Are you not human? Meaningless? What do you mean?”

“What use is it to tell my name to those who are likely to die?”

Though he spoke calmly, it was a chilling remark.

“…Haha. You can kill us all, can you?”

“Do you think that will be easy?”

No, he really seemed capable, which made it harder for Eremai to laugh.

“What would you do if you knew Beryl?”

“Do you think you have a choice in this situation?”

What a cheeky little brat, only saying things to prick their pride.

Yet the small humans they had encountered up to this point had been somewhat courteous.

Or was it because they were afraid of them?

And he mentioned being an Elf? Is it another kind of small human?

Eremai felt his head getting cloudy.

“…I can’t hold back any longer…!”

“…! You fool! Stop!”

A hot-tempered Titan charged at the small human, swinging a gigantic sword.

For a Titan whose pride was sky-high, having this many comrades and being swept up by a small human would not sit well with him.

There would be anger for their fallen comrades as well.

Despite his massive body, the warrior moved swiftly, and the enormous sword was swung at the small human with tremendous force.

In the face of such overwhelming power, the small human seemed like a very fragile being.

If the sword were to hit him, it would not just be a cut; he would explode.

If it were a ‘common sense’ situation.

The small human looked like he was still standing there, completely oblivious to the charging Titan.

And as Eremai focused, he saw the small human’s hand flicker and blur for the briefest of moments.

Honestly, it was so fleeting that he might have thought it was an illusion.

If the Titan that charged forward hadn’t suddenly stopped like his dismembered comrade had, Eremai would have truly thought it was a trick of the light.

When the Titan with the furious expression halted in mid-air, a thought crossed everyone’s mind—’No way?’

And as the Titan’s foot landed back on the ground, the shock made the Titan’s body tremble, revealing a clear line.

Thud! Thud! Clang!

It was as if the previous death of the Titan was not mere coincidence.

The Titan’s body collapsed.

From the forge, the Titan’s great sword, which had been hammered down a thousand times by the Titan’s strength, was likewise severed and fell to the ground, clashing against itself as it landed.

The blood that gushed and spilled flowed toward the small human.

However, it seemed as if some translucent barrier surrounded the small human, as the blood could not reach him, instead splitting and flowing away.

Gulp.

With the heightened senses activated due to tension, they could even hear the sound of their comrades swallowing.

“…How about we calm down a bit? There seems to be a small misunderstanding. We just came to deliver a message, not to fight.”

Eremai struggled to keep his trembling voice steady.

“That’s twelve villages that have been destroyed.”

“…Huh?”

“Not complete annihilation, but one whole city fell. They say it was a massacre that hadn’t occurred even in the last ten years.”

“…”

“Do you deem it acceptable for thousands of lives to perish due to a ‘small misunderstanding’? If that’s the case, then today, I might also have my own ‘small misunderstanding.'”

‘Ah… that damned Beryl.’

Before his eyes, the terrifying small human who was severing Titans seemed quite displeased with the awful acts committed by Beryl.

They were here to rectify Beryl’s mistakes, yet they were now in danger of dying a fool’s death.

Eremai’s face hardened.

Even if he was a terrible bastard, he was still a fellow Titan and a Gigantes.

He didn’t consider him a comrade, but betraying him was a different matter.

However, when he and Grandidi, along with all their subordinates, found themselves on the brink of death, it was not something worth weighing on the opposite side of the scale.

“Beryl didn’t come here. He entrusted us with this errand, and he’s getting scolded for not carrying it out properly.”

“…”

The small green eyes that held no emotion met Eremai’s gaze.

As if they could see the truth and lies intertwined.

Finally, when the small human turned away, Eremai, who had stopped breathing, let out a huge sigh.

“That’s not a lie.”

“My clothes may be a bit dirty, but I wouldn’t tell a lie. So can we stop this lethal conversation?”

“One person.”

“Huh?”

“One person will be spared to deliver the message to Terato and Beryl.”

At those words, everyone’s faces stiffened.

“Haha… this conclusion seems a bit strange, doesn’t it? I told you, Beryl isn’t here, and we don’t really have anything to do with him. We just wanted to relay our father’s words…”

“My disciple is dead.”

“Huh?”

“And my other disciple, who was a brother, has been blaming himself for not being able to protect his younger sibling all this time.”

“…You can’t mean that disciple is…?”

“The one who had a knife stabbed into his heart by that scum named Beryl.”

“…A banished one.”

“So you call him that. Yes. By your definition, he was discarded by you, and despite enduring many hardships, he still held onto a kind heart.”

“…A Titan had a small human as a disciple?”

“Not a human, but an Elf.”

Eremai didn’t care much about the difference between a small human and an Elf, but he thought that the reason Beryl was defeated by a mere outcast, as mentioned by his father, was probably the Elf standing right before him.

Looking closer, it seemed the outcast had learned the art of fighting; otherwise, Eremai would have wondered what a Titan could teach to small boys before meeting this Elf.

Honestly, he didn’t really want to know.

‘Ah! Seriously.’

“…It’s unfortunate. I offer my condolences. However, as I said, we just came to deliver a message; we haven’t harmed any humans. What was that you mentioned earlier? That Elves don’t like meaningless actions. To be honest, if we fought here and killed us, it would only serve as a form of venting your frustration, right?”

“Only the Elves would think so.”

The Elf had a face full of nostalgia.

“I was the master of the child who died. That child was one who carried on my will.”

A small flame ignited from those green eyes.

“To me, the bond between teacher and student is like that of parent and child. Silv was like my own child. Even if it is seen as venting, I must receive the price of blood.”

“…This is maddening.”

“Above all, I refuse the request that Terato sent you to convey. What Terato demands is the power for humans to head towards the future. It is essential for humans to avoid repeating the tragedy of the destroyed village. To abandon that is no different from living as a beast subjugated by you.”

“…So you plan to kill us?”

“Humans and Elves can coexist, but it seems Giants cannot coexist with us in any way. If I spare you, I don’t know about myself, but the sacrifices of others will surely be great. …I’ve talked too much. Decide. Who will be the one to live?”

“Hehe…”

Eremai laughed.

“Damn it, you think I’m going to pick someone to live? Do you think my life is up for grabs? Don’t underestimate us, brat. No one among us would sell a comrade’s life to save themselves. Just because you’ve said something that sounds nice—”

“I will save Eremai.”

In the midst of Eremai’s outburst of curses, Grandidi interjected.

“What? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“One must surely survive. And if someone is to survive, I believe it should be you, above anyone else present.”

“What?”

Eremai’s face scrunched up.

“I agree as well. If anyone is to survive, it would indeed be better for Eremai to make it.”

“Honestly, Eremai isn’t exactly a beauty, but he’s still better than an old man like you, Grandidi.”

“What is this? Why is everyone speaking as if we’re all going to die? Can’t we just kill this small Elf or whatever?”

“You are clever.”

“Did you just figure that out? Honestly, I’m the smartest one here.”

“You guys…”

The Titans were chattering, causing Eremai’s expression to shift into something complicated.

“The negotiations have collapsed, and the variable my father told me to check is undeniably present. If my father intervenes and mobilizes an army, there will certainly be an obstacle. See and report as much as you can.”

“…Grandidi.”

“Is the story over?”

“It just ended. Elf. Keep your promise.”

“Of course.”

Grandidi raised his sword to the sky and brought his elbow to his side.

It was his favorite swordsmanship.

With a single breath, a sharp aura surged from Grandidi’s body.

In response, the giants surrounding the Elf adopted their stances, all aimed at the Elf.

The swords raised by the giants stood up like a forest, and though it seemed ridiculous targeting a tiny Elf, no face among them bore any hint of playfulness.

It was the face of those willing to stake their lives.

The indifferent expression of the Elf slightly faltered, and he shifted his gaze to the surrounding giants.

The stance of the Elf, which had previously been still, changed.

“Come.”

A word quietly resonated.

“”OooOOOOOOOOO!!!!!””

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In an instant, the roars of the Titans shook the heavens and earth, and the Titans leaped from the ground.

What Eremai saw was the sensation of a slightly sharp wind blowing around him, followed by the last slivers of light passing straight by the charging Titans, engulfing Grandidi’s body.

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