Chapter 162 The Jaeger and The Brave

As he began to step forward to leave the bounds of the hiding spot, Melisande grabbed onto his arm, though the look he gave her was that of saying ‘There’s no other way.’

Stepping out from the spot of hiding, he gulped as he looked up, meeting eye-to-eye with the scarlet orb that was like a looming moon up above, locking onto him with inhuman malice.

Just before he set out to use a spell, something else happened–

“Eyes on me–!”

A voice rang out; it was unrefined and energetic–the voice of a reckless man. Right after the yell, an impact landed against the ankle of the colossus, causing it to falter for a moment as it spun around in anger.

“…Who dares assault the Jaeger?!…” The entity growled.

That question was something Emilio wanted to know as well, and he got his answer as he saw another human standing on the ground, wielding a massive sword with black-and-silver hair that ended in a ponytail.

“I guess I should’ve said ‘eye on me’, but it doesn’t really roll off the tongue as well,” the stranger said after seeing the giant, “…Anyway, the name’s Kintoki! You better remember that, because I’m the one who’s going to hunt you!”

Kintoki? Another person here? An adventurer? He questioned.

There was somebody else beside the eccentric, gray-cape wearing man; a woman dressed in wizard robes with orange hair.

“That was completely reckless. The door was right there. We could’ve let this one focus on that boy while we went through the door,” the mage said.

Kintoki raised an eyebrow, “Huh?! What’s the point in that when I’m trying to give them a hand, Sumera? Ya really don’t think things through, do you?”

The companion of the man looked on the verge of bursting a blood vessel, “…I don’t want to hear that from you. Anyway, there’s no point in weighing on what’s already been done. I suppose there’s no choice but to fight now.”

“Damn right!” Kintoki said, pointing his sword upward towards the Jaeger.

The snow-skinned, one-eyed colossus seemed perplexed by the attitude of the tiny humans, raising back up as its scarlet eyes trembled with rage.

“Arrogant prey…You are nothing but sustenance; prizes to line my shelves. Your steel will not rend my flesh, but my fingers will tear you limb from limb,” the colossus rasped.

With its focus shifting to the loud-mouthed adventurer and his companion, Emilio watched, still in disbelief as Melisande came to his side, witnessing the perplexing situation as well.

“Who are they?” Melisande asked.

“Dunno, but I’m glad they’re here,” he replied.

Kintoki seemed to notice his stillness, pointing him out while completely ignoring the giant between them, “–You! Yeah, you! I’ll hold this big guy off, so you just focus on getting that giant ass door open!”

Nodding his head, Emilio set his sights on the massive, wooden door, “Right! C’mon, Melisande!”

The Jaeger didn’t take kindly to being ignored, much less allowing its prey to escape as it hunched over, extending its pale-white arm towards the two that ran towards the door, casting a large shadow over them with its sharp-fingered hands.

“You think I’ll allow that…?” The Jaeger bellowed.

Melisande looked back, feeling her stomach drop at the sight of everything above her being replaced by the sight of the dreadful hand.

“Ahh–” Melisande let out.

Before it could grab the two, Kintoki leapt up with increased bulkiness, slashing his blade right against the cheek of the Jaeger with an explosive impact.

“Grrgh…!” The Jaeger winced, being interrupted.

Kintoki held a wide smile, “I’m allowing it!”

In that moment, Emilio was relieved to have such a reckless stranger as an ally as he continued running forward before finding himself directly in front of the door. Melisande followed behind him, huffing from the intense run before looking up at the oversized doorway.

“…How do we open something like this?” Melisande asked.

That was the question of the hour; it stretched high up, almost difficult to even perceive the highest point from the threshold.

Emilio caught his breath, “I’ve got an idea–maybe.”

“You do?”

“I do,” he responded, clasping his hands together as he slowly exhaled, “…It’s going to take a lot of focus though. So, err…”

“Want me to shut up?” Melisande asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Please,” he insisted.

As he held his hands together, he had to gain a deeper understanding of the space around him, the scale of the floors, walls, and the door and where they stood in comparison to one another. This was all needed in order to conjure a long-range spell which; extending his mana to such lengths was an arduous task, and one that required an almost zen state as he shut his eyes and controlled his breathing.

–

Amidst the young man’s unknown plan to open the colossal door, Kintoki and Sumera continued keeping the Jaeger at bay.

“Flame Wall,” Sumera invoked.

It was a defensive barrier of flames, conjured between Kintoki and the giant, expanded to a size that even the colossus felt a sting as his hand met it.

“Gragh–!” The Jaeger winced, retreating his hand.

This gave time for the golden-eyed man to bolster himself as his veins pressed against his skin and a colorless aura manifested around him as if the air was contorting around his form.

[Braveheart System Activated.]

The unknown ability awakened through Kintoki, granting him increased muscularity, but beyond that, the Jaeger didn’t know what else. That was until the snow-white colossus attempted to crush the human with his palm, swinging it downward before–it was completely stopped.

Sumera lifted her ivory, blue-orbed staff as if about to aid her companion, but stopped as she sighed out, “…What’s the point? When you’re like this, I’d only get in the way.”

“Hrm?” The Jaeger grumbled.

Suddenly, a physical force revealed itself, equal enough to cause the colossus to stumble back as his hand was repelled.

Standing there with his hand in the air, Kintoki was smiling as veins pressed against his bulging muscles, “I’m feelin’ pumped up!”

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP.

It was something Sumera was aware of on a vague level, but didn’t understand in its origins or specifics: Kintoki’s unknown reservoir of strength.

However, the golden-eyed man himself was well aware of what it was.

[The “Braveheart System”: pumped through his veins is the blood of a reincarnating hero, one that has materialized once more through the potency and heat of his blood, granting him the “Braveheart System”–a unique ability that allows Kintoki to manifest different abilities based off the severity of the situation and the bravery he displays in facing it.]

Kintoki’s height was increased by a few inches and his frame seemed to grow, not just his muscles, giving him the stature of a temple of muscle.

“The prey rejects its predator?…Unacceptable!” The Jaeger howled.